ON visiting the John Williams, 23 December, 1846, (writes Mr. H.), I found that Captain Morgan had been sent for by the Master of a Whaler just arrived, to ascertain whether he could understand the language, or knew anything of the Island, of a party of natives whom they had met about six days before in a very distressed state at sea. I immediately proceeded on board the Whaler, and there saw the party, eleven in number, and an interesting party they were. The Master of the Whaler said they were so exhausted that they had not strength to assist themselves in the least when first seen. He understood from them that they had been three months drifting about the sea with scarcely anything to eat. In this they were probably mistaken, but the native method of counting time by moons will explain it, the latter part of the first moon, the whole of the second, and the commencement of the third, would be called by natives three moons, although not more than five or six weeks. They had evidently been a long time at sea, for their canoe, a double canoe strongly built, was covered with shell-fish and sea-weed, and they were apparently in the last stage of weakness. I soon found a great similarity between their language and the Samoan: the numerals, and the names of very many things, including those of the members of the body, &c., &c., were the same or only changed a little by using the k instead of a break; but a great number of words are identical. Fortunately Captain Hudson, of the American Exploring Expedition, had left with us the native names of the Islands included in what he called the Union Group, being part discovered by British Navigators, and part by the before named Expedition: thus we were able to discover that these poor creatures were natives of that Group. It further appeared that they had been driven out of their course whilst passing from the island named after the Duke of Clarence to another called from the Duke of York: there were over twenty canoes in company when the gale arose, and they could not tell what became of the others. I think it likely, from what sometimes happens to canoes between Tutuila and this island, that all the others may have reached some point or other of the island to which they were bound, and this canoe may be the only one that drifted with the wind and sea. Of course we conveyed the poor natives on shore immediately, and the Samoans showed them no little kindness. As Brother Mills was on the eve of his departure, I arranged to have them brought to Lepa until means could be devised of conveying them home with some Samoan Native Teachers, and in the mean time endeavour to instruct them. It was well we thus arranged, as the Catholic priests at Apia soon began their endeavours to decoy them away, giving them presents, and offering to conduct them home, adding that two of the canoes had reached Wallis's Island. However I got them safe to this station, but unfortunately they all suffered much from sickness, brought on no doubt by their privations at sea, and three, a man, a woman, and a child, have died. The survivors are now all strong and well, and I hope some of them begin to reflect on what they see and hear. When I sat beside the mother weeping over her dead child I contrived to inform her that the body only was dead, and that the child still lived. It seemed like a first ray of light let into her mind: she started, looked earnestly at me, touched her own body and repeated often to me; This body die, this spirit" (or as she termed it, heart or mind) "still live." I endeavoured to tell her that the body also would live again, and I shall never forget the look which she gave me on first hearing these solemn truths. It will certainly be an act of self-denial to the Samoans who may accompany them to Nukunono, the name of their island; but two young men of my church have offered themselves for the work. They say that their only food is cocoa-nuts and fish! They seem for the most part gentle in their disposition, but have frequently manifested their savage nature in a way admitting of no mistake. Wonderful are the ways of God! I hope their calamity will be the means of introducing the Gospel into this truly benighted group.—Pray for them! I may remark that the system of Aitu worship (if worship it may be called without a service, a temple, or a priest), which prevailed in Samoa, obtains in the Union Group: many of the names of their Aitus are the same as the old Samoan names, and Tagaloa is, as formerly in Samoa, the principal Aitu. You will find the same name, or nearly so, all over the Pacific. The Within the last two months we have had a great increase in the attendance on our ordinary means of grace. A considerable number who very rarely attended, are now seldom absent, and our prayer meetings are the best attended week-day services. I have been much encouraged by these tokens of good, and have felt it the more, because I had for some time felt discouraged by an appearance of formality and coldness in our congregations. brethren on Upolu and Manono are to assemble here to hold our half-yearly prayer meeting, and in the present state of this neighbourhood, I do hope we shall have blessed meeting. In this part of my district there are 25 adults, whose ages vary from that of youth to extreme old age, and who are desirous of baptism; and there are 41 requesting admission to the Church: concerning many of these I have very pleasing hopes, and some are exceedingly promising. I should add that 14 of the candidates for church-fellowship, belong to Mrs. Harbutt's boarding-school. When first admitted there they knew not even the alphabet, and but for that institution, they would most probably have grown up ignorant and neglected, as some of them were brought from a distance by their friends in order to be instructed. From other parts of my district we have 15 candidates for baptism, and 15 for admission to the church: of these (in respect to knowledge) I am unable to say so much as of the former-it cannot be expected, as, with the exception of my occasional visits, they are dependent on native instruction alone. I would say to all British Christians, could my voice reach them, "Brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may grow here, and his name be glorified, even as it is with you." The young men who had been under Mr. Buchanan, preparing to labour as schoolteachers, have now been some months engaged in their work, and the benefit of the neighbourhoods in which they labour has been very great. I feel truly thankful for the advantages we have derived from the return of Mr. Buchanan to Samoa. THE MISSIONARY SHIP. THE "JOHN WILLIAMS" sailed from the Downs, Oct. 19th, and the following communication from our excellent brother, Mr. Barff, dated on the 26th of that month, informs us of the progress of the Ship to the Isle of Wight : : OUR good and much-loved Captain will give you the details of our voyage from Gravesend thus far. We had to beat down against a strong wind, and for two days and nights it blew a gale of wind against us. On Friday last, the large iron band which bind the bowsprits together, and to which the stay that supports the foremast is fastened, gave way, and the Captain wisely came in here to have it replaced, before proceeding further. It may be considered providential that the iron gave way in the Channel, before we had sailed far from land. We had a most delightful Sabbath at Gravesend on the 17th, with the Rev. J. Tippetts. We spent yesterday on shore, at Ryde, with the Rev. Mr. Conder, who received us with every mark of christian love and affection. Our esteemed Captain has given us permission to visit Portsmouth to-day, to have the pleasure of seeing friends there. If the bowsprit should be repaired to-day, I suppose we shall take our final departure tomorrow. I am happy to say we enjoy the blessings of christian love and social intercourse on board the "John Williams," and our religious opportunities are seasons of profit. The Missionary Ship finally sailed from Cowes, with a favourable wind, on the 31st October. ORDINATION OF MISSIONARIES FOR CHINA. ON Wednesday, 8th instant, Mr. Joseph Edkins, late of Coward College, will be ordained at Stepney Meeting, as a Missionary to Shanghae. The field of labour will be described by the Rev. Dr. Legge, Missionary from Hong-Kong; the Rev. J. J. Freeman, Home Secretary, will propose the Questions; the Rev. George Smith, of Poplar, will offer the Ordination Prayer; and the Charge to the Missionary will be given by the Rev. Dr. Jenkyn, Resident Tutor of Coward College. 1 On Tuesday, 14th instant, Mr. Thomas Gilfillan, late of Cheshunt College, appointed to Hong-Kong, will be ordained at Surrey Chapel. The Rev. Dr. Morrison will give the Introductory Address; the Rev. Arthur Tidman, Foreign Secretary, will present the usual Questions; the Rev. James Sherman will present the Ordination Prayer; and the Charge to the Missionary will be given by the Rev. Dr. Harris, President of Cheshunt College. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The Thanks of THE DIRECTORS are presented to the following, viz.: For Rev. G. Gill, Mangaia. To Mrs. Pope and Mrs. Coulthard, Torquay, for a parcel of prints. For Queen Pomare. To the Ladies' Working Party, Long Sutton, per Miss M. A. Simpson, for a box of useful articles. For China. To the Young Ladies at Miss Templeton's Establishment, Forres, for a box of articles; to the Lady of the Missionary Working Society, Warminster, for a box of useful articles. W. C. H. MISSIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS. From the 17th October to the 18th November, 1847, inclusive. A Friend, by The Record.. on account ... Holywell Mount, Mr. Walker, for the College at Calcutta Kensington, W. Walker, Kingsland Ladies' Branch 6 6 0 Chester Octagon Chapel, Juvenile Ditto Latimer Chapel Auxiliary, on account 709 Poultry, J. East, Esq. (D.)100 0 0 Eus. Smith, Esq. (D.)100 00 Sion Chapel Auxiliary, on Mr. Bridges's Missionary Box... Mrs. Lock's ditto Less Expenses.... Esq. 100 0 0 351. 108. 5d. Cheshire. 15 0 0 500 per Dr. Davies.... 29 4 0 Cheshunt-street.. 1 13 10 Buckfastleigh 1 8 7 Margate, per F. W. Cobb, Esq. : Oakhampton Sidbury Topsham Durham. Mrs. Bouet, for Native 0 0 Girl, Jessie Matheson 300 Mrs. Gowland for Educa- 100 for ditto. account.. Stepney, per Rev. J. Kennedy, for the Library of the John Williams," in addition to 1. acknowledged last month Surrey Chapel, W. Flan Frederick Smith, Esq. (D.)100 ders, Esq. Swallow - street National Scotch Church Sabbath School, per Mr. Scott 11 0 Ladies Working Society, 4 6 2 12 17 0 Ditto Missionary Box .. Less Expenses........ 4 18 9 47 2 508 5 13 6 2 2 11 077 22 10 7 06 22 3 11 8 2 10 Ramsgate, per Mr. T. T. 300 Wotton-under-Edge, A Hampshire. Lymington, Mrs. Malsey's Hertfordshire. Hoddesdon Ladies' Associ ation: Mrs. Lock, Trea- Lancashire. East. Auxiliary Society, per count West. Auxiliary Society, 30 0 0 Mid. Auxiliary Society, per Accrington Blackburn, James-street 300 Mill Hill Clitheroe .. Darwen, Mrs. C. Potter, for Rarotonga... Collected by Ann Bayley.. Ditto Sabbath School -272 15 6 10 8 5 58 1 0 83 198 3 7 10 800 1 10 0 13 0 23 26 1 9 10 Collections after Sermon .... 8 72 Great Harwood Haslingden 220 Marsden 317 10 10 0 450 1 10 J. Warner, Esq. R. Lawrence, Esq. Calcutta: W. Johnson, Esq. Mr. & Mrs. Trigg. 1 1 0 Mrs. Rutty Miss S. Bass... 0 10 0 11. 108. 8d. Turvey. Mrs. J. Warner, jun. For Native Girls, M. Wal 110 ton and M. E. Massey.. 500 100 Claybrook, Rev. R.H.John 0 10 0 son (2 years) 2181. 8s. 10d. 9 10 0 Leicestershire. 200 0 10 0 Mrs. C. Prior 22.18 0 account Maidenhead Auxiliary, on Warfield, Mr. and Mrs. J. 1 Misses Ellis 0 10 0 Per J. Gray, Esq.:- Spilsby Chesham 150 0 Miss Coulson 017 6 Collection in Keddington Church, after Sermons by Rev. T. Mortimer.. 11 0 0 ... Market Rasen·· ... 10 10 0 031 801. 28. 6d. 060 0 5 0 050 050 0 5 0 040 0 18 0 1 00 2 0 0 500 Stewarton, Parish Church, Congregational Church, W. Cunningham, Esq. and Rev.R. Smith, Collection Misses Smith's Mission ary Box.. Beith, United Presbyterian Church, Rev. Mr.Mar tin, Collection. Ditto, Collection for 1846 210 6 12 1 3 80 St. Andrew's Missionary Society Collection Meeting. 600 at Public W. F. Ireland, Esq. 151. 38. 10d. Cupar, United Presbyterian Church, Rev. Mr. Ran 9 10 0 Another Friend 260 Mrs. M'Claren 600 117. 168. 040 Alloa, First United Presby terian Church, Rev. P. Public Collection Perthshire. Dunblane, Free Church, Rev. Mr. Burns, Col lection .... United Presbyterian Ch., Rev. Mr. Anderson Stirlingshire. Stirling, Independ. Church, Rev. Andrew Russell: Collected at Sermon Collectedat Public Meeting 5 7 8 Collected at Monthly Prayer Meetings. Mr. E. Johnston....(D.) 011 6 A. Russell's ditto Free North Church, Rev. 4 13 2 Edinburghshire. Rev. Robert Lang... Margaret Duncan Mrs. Christie's Missionary Chapel Missionary Box 100 100 100 0.10 0 1 0 0 0 5 0 Collected by 1 14 0 Miss Buchanan 2 13 0 076 0.7 0 Mrs. Campbell 0 17 0 17 0 038 06 1 Church, Rev. Dr. Stru- Fenwick United Presby terian Church, Rev. Mr. Oswald street Independent Chapel, Young Men's As- Paisley, Mr. John Brown's Less Expenses 2 7 8 Regent-place Church (Rev. Church (Rev. Dr. Robson's), per 50 24 0 0 10 4 0 For the College at Calcutta 21 0 0 Altofen, Mr. S, Pretious.. 500 Contributions in aid of the Society will be thankfully received by Sir Culling Eardley Eardley, Bart., Treasurer, and Rev. Joseph John Freeman, Home Secretary, at the Mission House, Blomfield-street, Finsbury, London: by G. Yule, Esq., Broughton Hall, Edinburgh; J. Risk, Esq., Cochran-street, Glasgow; and by Rev. John Hands, Society House, 32, Lower Abbey-street, Dublin, LONDON: LUKE JAMES HANSARD, PRINTER, NEAR LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS. |