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Proceedings of other Societies.

. FOREIGN.

MISSIONS OF THE WESLEYAN MISSIONARY

SOCIETY IN POLYNESIA.

THE London Missionary Register, contains interesting notices of the Wesleyan mission at the Friendly and Fejee Islands. The first paragraphs are from communications of the Rev. James Watkins, and relate to Niua, one of the Friendly group.

Introduction of the Gospel-Moral Change Effected.

The work of the Lord continues to make progress in these islands. We may be said to have all the islands under our care, or, at least, open to us, from Tongataboo to Niuafoou.

off the vessels which visited them, or to ab. stract whatever they could lay their hands on; but now, the persons of the seamen are as safe as they would be, and their property more so, than in an English port.

Nor is the change of conduct in reference to one another less. These dark places of the earth were full of the habitations of cru

elty. The conduct pursued toward the conquered was horrible: if they did not make them slaves for life, they were, perhaps, dispatched with clubs, though often a more fearful fate awaited them; for, sometimes, after the most barbarous inflictions, they would bind them with cords so tightly as to inflict the severest torture, and then, putting them on board a rotten canoe, would send it adrift at the mercy of the wind and waves. Such were the tender mercies of "those unadulterated children of nature," the Friendly Islanders.

And yet the substitution of love to enemies, bowels of mercies, and a readiness to forgive, pronounced an evil, by some who lay claim to the character of or Keppel's island, an opportunity present-sight of God, they are fools, and madness is wise men and philosophers! But, in the

Soon after the visit of Mr. Cross to Niua,

ed itself of sending a teacher, in the person of a young chief of considerable authority in that island, but at that time resident at Lifuka, and a member of one of my classes. He was accompanied by several other promising persons. I furnished the requisite books for commencing a school; and a number of sermons and portions of Scripture, to be read in their public services. They arrived safely at Niua; and a considerable number of the inhabitants soon joined them, though the principal chief and the majority of the islanders were not only indifferent, but hostile, to Christianity. The little flock, however, continued united, and their number was augmented by frequent secessions from the idolatrous party.

From a canoe belonging to this island, which was driven out of her course, but which made Niua, I learned some pleasing particulars of the work; and that half of the inhabitants had declared for the true God, and, according to their light, were serving him.

Some months after this, the chief of this place paid the island a visit from Vavou, for the purpose of attempting to persuade the opposing party to renounce their opposition to the true God, by casting off the lying vanities of heathenism. He succeeded in his purpose. The brand was then applied to the houses of the gods, previously held sacred; and they were entirely consumed. Another teacher was left there, with every prospect of success.

Previous to the introduction of Christianity, it was the study of the islanders to cut

in their hearts.

From Lifuka, one of the same group, Rev. Charles Tucker writes--

In the female classes of Lifuka only, upward of 440 are rejoicing in the salvation of the gospel. We have selected nearly 140 adults for baptism; most of whom, we trust, know in whom they have believed.

Heard this evening of six individuals who have embraced Christianity during the past week at Haabai. They have just come from the Bea in Tonga, a place where the devil still reigns: they have been filled with wonder at what they have seen, and heard, and felt here. Some of them have been powerfully wrought upon by the Holy Spirit, and constrained to cry for mercy to that Savior who alone is able to save them from death eternal.

Sabbath. Prayer-meeting this morning at six o'clock, preaching at nine, and a meeting for the society at three. There were present in the afternoon about one thousand individuals; many of whom gave a clear account of their conversion to God, the happiness which they now possess, and the blessed hope which they have of being forever with the Lord. We feel abundant cause to thank God and take courage, for enabling his servants thus to witness a good confession before many witnesses.

To-day, I have, in company with my col league, visited Haano and Fakakakai, two governments, but one island. We baptised

at Haano forty adults and nineteen children, || husband. It is true, it is not effected in the and married nine couples; after which, I same way-not by the pile, but by the bowbaptised a leper. At Fakakakai we admin-string-not by burning, but by strangling.istered the ordinance to nine adults, and It is very general, too, I am assured: when married five couples. Among those who the husband dies, the hapless wife prepares were baptised and married to-day at Haano, for her fate: she seats herself-the cord is was Havea, the old chief, who has been a placed round her neck-one person places great polygamist until lately; but the Lord his hand on the head of the victim-others has changed his heart, and given him to feel seize the extremities of the cord and tighten the anguish of a wounded spirit. He has it to effect strangulation, and the few strugnow cast away his sins, meets in class, and gles made are succeeded by the stillness and fears God above many. The whole island stiffness of death. contains about seven hundred adult inhabitants, all of whom (not one exception) are meeting in class, and have been baptised; and, what is of infinitely greater importance, the chief part of them seem truly converted to God. My heart was cheered at hearing of the glorious work of divine grace going on at Fotuha-thirty-five persons have been recently converted to God there, being nearly the whole of the adult population. Yesterday was a good Sabbath. I preached at nine o'clock; after which we baptised about seventy adults, all males; and, blessed be God, the majority of them have been made the happy partakers of "the inward and spiritual grace." Several of them are respectable Matabules, and promise to become useful characters in the church of Christ.

We had a prayer-meeting this morning at six o'clock: the chapel was full: preaching at nine and three, and an English service in the evening. At the close of the forenoon service we administered the ordinance of baptism to seventy-six adults, all females. They have met in class a considerable time, and very many of them seem truly converted to God. Several of them are persons of rank: one is the king's sister.

Mr. Watkins, writing from Lifuka, in confirmation of the opinion that the inhabitants of the Fejee islands are of a different race from those of the Friendly islands, and probably have an Asiatic origin, draws a fearful picture of the

Cruel Customs of the Fejees.

One of these customs is, their bad treatment of the female sex, making little more of them than if they were beasts of burden; whereas in the Friendly islands the sex is treated with considerable tenderness. Here the female is not required to do the drudgery; but in Fejee, she is compelled to undertake the laborious duties of tilling the ground: she digs the earth, sows the seed, dresses the plantation, reaps the harvest, cooks the food, and, in fact, takes the man's place, except in war; while he lounges away his time in idleness, or employs it on something worse.

Another point of resemblance is, the immolation of widows on the demise of the

Another circumstance is the burying alive of individuals-a practice not unfrequent in Fejee, but of which I never heard an instance in the Friendly islands. Individuals, too old or too ill to be of further service, are the victims of this cruel practice. Sometimes it is done, I am told, at the request of the individuals themselves: no effort is made to dissuade them from it, but the willing murderers proceed forthwith to dig a hole of sufficient capacity: they then convey the sick or aged person to it, and, having placed him in the grave in a sitting posture, cast the earth upon him, which is pressed down by the feet of his own relatives or neighbors, nay, stamped upon with all their might-regardless of the moans of the living, whom they are burying out of their sight.

These are revolting details: but they are too true; and prove, better than labored argument, Fejee's need of the gospel, to soften the ferocious character of its inhabitants, and to give them bowels of mercy for their tender mercies are cruel.

Wars are common occurrences; so common, that it is usual with the men to carry their weapons with them wherever they go, that they may be able to run to some rallying point, on the first report of war, without loss of time. They are a people who de light in war: they have an almost unappeasable appetite for it.

Connected with their wars is an evil for which I should think the Fejeeans to be pre. eminent, and that is cannibalism; an evil which may have originated in revenge, but which has now grown into a confirmed appetite and fondness for human flesh. I know

it to be a fact, that a number of Fejeeans, at a neighboring island to this, have gratified that unnatural appetite in two instances. Fejee, I think, exceeds New Zealand in that abominable vice. The accounts which we hear are sickening. It is not one now and then who furnishes a meal for his savage countrymen-nor ten-nor twenty-but hundreds! When I first heard it, I was confident that the statement was exaggerat ed; but, on appealing to the authority of a Fejeean chief, at present here, I was assured by him that it was mooni aubito, (most true,) and that some short time ago there were more than two hundred human bodies prepared for a single feast! They were the victims of war, inhabitants of a fortress which had been taken and sacked.

But the

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horrible appetite for human flesh is not appeased there by the victims of war. Frequent as wars are, it is nothing strange for a chief to give orders to kill such a person

and dress the body for food, and to do it with as much unconcern as the butcher selects such an animal for the knife from the flock or the herd!

American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

SUGGESTIONS ON THE MANNER OF CON-
DUCTING MISSIONS то MOHAMMEDANS
AND NOMINAL CHRISTIANS.

THE following remarks were addressed by
the Rev. Mr. Bird, of the mission to Syria,
to Messrs. Holladay, Leyburn, and Stock-
ing, at the time of their receiving their pub-
lic instructions as missionaries of the Board,
January 1st, 1837.

subject of religion. You may stir up the Turk to anger, and close his heart against the good influences of such a conversation in future, if not against serious conversation altogether. The bad impression may go from him to the government, or to an indignant populace. Even this has sometimes been the result of the simple, unostentatious distribution of the Scriptures. With such individuals, however, you may harmlessly inquire about their faith, as a matter of information, and convey to their understand

The field to which you are designated, || ings, in the interrogatory form, a great deal dear brother, requires, to some extent, a peculiar mode of exertion. The truths you

of truth which would not have been borne, if presented in the tone of a teacher, or in the way of disputation. You may also, without fear, give them a familiar historical narration of the faith of Christians, their manners, customs, and benevolent institutions, enlarging upon these subjects, and

the temper of the individuals, or other circumstances of the occasion, justify.

But, you may ask, was this the course of the apostles? Did they pay this deference to the prejudices and bigotry of a false religion? Ought we not to brave the danger, and declare to men the whole counsel of God whether they will hear or whether they will forbear?

will be called upon to exhibit, as well as the manner of their exhibition, will be in many respects different from those which you would present to a population of absolute heathen. You go among a people, who acknowledge, at least, the unity of the God-making personal applications, as you see head, and the folly of heathen idolatry; who grant the important point that God handed down from heaven the law of Moses, the Psalms of David, and the gospel of Christ. They will grant you also, that Jesus Christ was a prophet of God, and on some accounts the greatest prophet that ever appeared in our world; that he was unlike every other man, in that he was born of a virgin by the power of the Spirit of God; and that this same Jesus, who was taken up from us into heaven, shall so come in like manner as he was seen to go into heaven. Thus far the Mohammedan, as well as the nominal Christian, will accompany you. But here the Moslem stops. He comes far out from the darkness of his heathen neighbors, but on approaching the full gospel light, he shrinks back within the mists of his superstition. He "hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

This part of the population to whom you go, will doubtless be a little various in their character. You will meet with the Turk, the Arab, and the Persian. These different characters, if you attempt to benefit them, will require a little variety in your manner of approach. If you enter, with either of the two former, upon an examination of his errors, he may regard you with a respectful, or with a sullen silence; but if with the last, he will shew himself a ready and an obstinate disputant. In the latter case, your discussion may not impossibly be as free as in your native land. But in the former, it will be with you a question of prudence how far you should urge upon their antipathies the

I answer 1. The apostles, as a general thing, did not preach the gospel among nations whose very religion breathed death to every deserter from it. 2. The apostles, and even our Savior himself, did, in fact, pay deference to the ignorance and prejudices of the people. 3. By exciting feelings of opposition among Moslems you not only prevent the good effects of the truth on themselves, but put in jeopardy the interests of the christian population among them. Had you none but Mohammedans to preach to, they must be addressed in one form or another. But, mingled as they are with another, and an interesting people, a people quite open to approach, the missionary ought to be well guarded that he cut not off the hope of benefitting them, by entering into discussions upon certain evangelical truths with those who "cannot bear them now."

Shall we then, you will ask, dwell among Mohammedans, and yet altogether neglect

them?

I do not say just this, for where a residence is permitted, something, more or less directly, may in general be done for

them.

Yet still, the case you propose ought by no means to be considered an impossible one. Experience has proved it possible.

As to the matter of the teaching required -the particular points that ought to be urged upon them, I would say in a word, they need to have their attention directed especially to the proper evidences of a divine revelation, the way of the forgiveness of sin, the spirit of evangelical precepts, compared with those of the Koran, and the comparative influence of the christian and mohammedan systems on society, as seen in their operation at the present moment.

Recent events in providence encourage us to prepare for labor among Mohammedans.

The standing law of Mohammedanism is a|ity. If some are bitter infidels, and "blaslaw of deadly persecution. And where the pheme that worthy name by the which ye will and the power exist to put this law in are called," you will often, on the other execution, the standing law of Christ be-hand, hear that "worthy name" pronounced comes, Flee ye to another city. Paul's re- with reverence, and hear its praises sung in ply to those who rejected the counsel of temples erected professedly to the honor God against themselves, was, seeing "ye and worship of God. It will interest the put it from you and judge yourselves un- best feelings of your hearts, to hear men worthy of everlasting life, lo we turn to the speaking, in gospel language, about faith, gentiles." In the assailable parts, however, repentance, and divine grace, and quoting of the Mohammedan world, where their dis- those evangelical precepts concerning selfcipline is lax, or where the government is abasement and the law of love. It will be not their own, it is time to begin to press a comfort and an encouragement that you them with the difficulties of their system, and can find some individuals with whom you to exhibit these difficulties in contrast with possess some religious sentiments in comthe perfect system of Christ. mon, and with whom you can, in some sense, claim a religious connection and affinity. Among these men, will be your highest hopes of usefulness, as upon them will probably be expended your chief amount of labor. Here your common ground is broad. You have a common revelation-a common Savior. The terms in which you will wish to convey religious instruction, are ready coined, and more or less commonly used and understood by the people. You will not have to learn half a language, and invent for yourselves the other half. Your vehicle of communication We see the kingdom divided against is already perfect, and all you will have to itself. We see the stronger half, the Egyp-do will be to learn to command it. tians, arrayed in opposition to the head, to the government civil and ecclesiastical established, if not by the Koran, at least by immemorial usage, while this weaker half is upheld by the power of christian nations. To these nations both parties are looking for help, with a humiliating sense of their dependence. Both are adopting unheard of innovations from Christendom, in dress,fore you will readily and fully discern those manners, laws, and education. Both are resorting to measures to sustain themselves, which greatly exasperate the mass of the population, and weaken their respect for their government and religion. A few years ago our brethren Smith and Dwight found among them men who considered sultan Mahmood to be the sovereign of the world. He had lately condescended, they said, to grant pardon and peace to the empire of Russia, and to bestow a king upon the new world of America! But since the late civil war, Moslems have learnt to feel that their kingdom is weak, and on the verge of ruin. They have themselves spread the report that, of the two heads of the opposing parties, one has become a Christian, and the other a scoffer not only at other religions, but more especially at his own. They have even said that the sultan is either dead or dethroned, and that his place is usurped by a Jew. Such rumors, whether believed or not, betray a strong feeling of distrust in their civil and spiritual head, and betoken the entire breaking up of the mohammedan system of delusion.

Respecting this acquisition of the language permit me to say a few words. You will readily see the necessity of bestowing special attention on the common spoken dialect of the people, instead of making it your chief aim to obtain the language of books. Labor hard to acquire a correct pronunciation. Years will pass away be

nice distinctions of sound which are essential to an accurate speaker, and a failure in which, a native will instinctively detect. You will need an ear like the ear of the blind, always open, catching and examining every note and modulation of sound that assails it.

Much patient and persevering effort will be required to accommodate your organs to a strange foreign pronunciation, and much deference will always be due to the judgment of a native teacher in regard to the accuracy to which you may have arrived. The same things mainly may be said with regard to the use of peculiar words and phrases in the languages you will use, and their idiomatic structure of sentences. In all the stages of your progress it will be important that you have not only the advantage of books, and of the intercourse and conversation of common people, but the frequent, if not daily, assistance of a

master.

I have said that among those who bear the name of Christians in the East, you will find many things common to yourselves and them-a common Savior, common Scrip

But the gloom around you will be lighted tures, and to a great extent, common religup by many of the semblances of Christian-ious ideas, though expressed by different

VOL. XXXIII.

28

terms. But a vast pile of rubbish, the accumulation of ages, hides from their view the pure doctrines of the gospel. In this state of things what will be your manner of proceeding? How will you remove this

you see that it stirs up against you the mere angry, worldly spirit of a party. Endeavor to enter into the feelings of those you teach, and to convince them that in all you do and say for them, you and they have a community of interest. Endeavor to carry them along with you in the investigation of truth as being on the same side of the question, and not give them the power of considering you an antagonist belonging to an adverse

rubbish? Will you tear it aside with a strong hand, in the shortest possible way? Will it be expedient, at once, and in the fullest manner, to expose to them their errors, and tell them how much you abominate them? Or will you rather proceed by grad-party. Be not called, if it may be avoided, ual steps, and teach them truths from first principles onward to perfection? You may indeed, meet with an opposition of such a kind as to leave you no alternative-such as to force you to an open discussion of doctrines and errors which, in other circumstances, you would judge ill-timed. But, except in some such case, it seems most desirable not to enter into open combat with long established prejudices, not to attempt to hold them up to public odium; but to dwell chiefly on such acknowledged truths, and to press the conscience with such acknowledged doctrines and duties as, if felt, will remove these prejudices by sure and necessary consequence. This course is the more to be recommended, as it is by no means the natural course and first thought of the young missionary. He wants to preach like the apostles-he wants to preach like Luther-not recollecting perhaps that even the apostles used great courtesy and condescension to the prejudices of men; and that Luther, with a university, a king, and an extensive public opinion at his back, came out but gradually against the errors of his time.

Again, the missionary wants to please his friends at home, not recollecting that his own judgment on the spot is more worthy than theirs to be followed. They are expecting of him great things, and he is afraid of appearing to them defective in courage and decision.

versy.

For

by party names. You are not followers of Luther, nor of Calvin, nor of any other man, You are followers of Christ. You are not English Christians, nor American Christians, but gospel Christians. Let this be your name. Add to your instructions deeds of charity and kindness. Good words are cheap. But when the people see you mindful of their circumstances, and interesting yourself in them, making sacrifices of comfort, and putting yourself to personal inconvenience for their benefit, whatever else they may think of your heresy, they can have no dread of its fearful influence on the morals and the comforts of society. myself, I feel reproached for having done so little in this branch of missionary labor. The truth is, the needy among an unevangelized people are so unlovely, so uncleanly in their persons, habitations, and habits; they are so selfish, and so ungrateful for favors, that, unless one keeps up a constant sense of duty, and does good solely upon christian principle, recollecting and imitating the meekness, humility, and condescension of Christ, he will of course become, in this part of his work, exceedingly remiss. In the manner of your teaching then, be not rash, nor hasty, nor party-spirited, nor proud; and shew your love and enforce your instructions by acts of kindness.

As to the matter of your teaching, your great sheet anchor of hope will be the Word of God. This will be your great storehouse of argument and instruction. A familiar knowledge of the sacred volume, will be of more practical use to you than all the systems of divinity. Read it much. Make your memory a concordance of it, and "be always ready to give an answer" in chapter and verse "to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you."

Again, he becomes impatient with the people's indifference to the truth, and disgusted at their superstitious whims and their lying traditions. All these considerations have a strong tendency to render him, in manner, unfeeling, disrespectful, hasty, and rash. In one of the last letters from the Levant, an experienced missionary makes the following remarks: "These poor super- But the word of God will not always be stitious people are not prepared for contro- decisive. There will remain differences of My convictions on this subject are opinion from differences of interpretation. very strong; and they strengthen continual-Those around you will, of course, maintain ly, the more I become acquainted with the weakness and ignorance and superstition and narrow-mindedness of the people. We are too impatient. We are hasty. We have not the thousandth part so much patience as we ought to have, and the churches have still less than ourselves." discussions then, and in all your intercourse, maintain a feeling of love and tender compassion for souls. If it be possible never engage, nor continue in a discussion, when

In all your

that all the present church and all the ancient church are against you, and unless you can shew from the ancient records, that they are under a mistake in this particular, they will never be convinced. Bring passage after passage from the Scriptures to prove your point, yet they will imagine that the fathers of the church had a way of explaining these passages in a different sense. Next to the Scriptures, then, your grand source of argument will be the writings of

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