THE LATE BISHOP PATTESON.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2755, 15 December 1871, Page 2

THE LATE BISHOP PATTESON.

We have received from Mr W. Mason copies of two letters written by the Rev. J. Atlqn—who it will be remembered wmf killed on the occasion of the late Bishop Patteson’s visit to the Solomon

They were wiitten a lit before his death. In his first letter Mr Atkin gives a very succinct account of the murder; and in the s;cond, after speaking of his own wounds, which he did not consider severe, writes of the Bishop : September 21st, IS7I. My dear Mother, — We have had a terrible 1 ss—such a blow that wo cannot at all realise it. Out Bishop is dead ; killed by the natives at Nukapu yesterday. Wc got the body, and buried it this morning. He was ah me on shore, and none of us sa-v it done. We were attacked in the boat too, and Stephen so badly wounded that 1 am afraid there is small hope of his recovery. John and 1 have arrow wounds, hut not severe. Our poor boys seem quite awe-stricken. Captain Jacobs is very much cut up. Brooke, although not at all well has quite devoted himself to the wounded, amt so lias less time to think about it all. It would only he selfish to wish him back. He has g- nc to his rest, dying, as he lived, in his Waste's service. It seems a shocking way to die ; but I can say from experience that it is far more to hear of than to sutler. In whatev r way so peaceful a life as his is ended, his end is peace. 'I here was no sign of fear or pain on his face—just the look that he used to have when asleep, patient and a little wearied. What a stroke Ins death will he to hundreds ! What his mission will do without him, God only knows, who has taken him away. His ways arc not as our ways. Seeing people taken .away, when, as wo think, they arc almost necessary to do God’s work on earth, makes one think that wc often think and talk too much about Christian work What God requires is Christian men. He docs not need the work, only gives it to form or perfect the character of the men whom He sends to do it. And of himself and the other wounded men, he writes Stephen is in great pain at times to-night. One of the arrows seems to have entered his lungs, and it is broken in, too deep to be got out. John is wounded in the right shoulder, 1 in the left. Wo are both maimed for the time; but, if it were not for the fear of poison, the wounds would not be worth noticing. Ido not expect any had consequences, but they are possible. What would make me cling to life more than anything else, is the thought of you at home; but, if it be God’s will that I am to die, 1 know He will enable you to bear it and bring good for you out of it.