GREAT MISSIONARIES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2169, 27 August 1907, Page 4

GREAT MISSIONARIES.

WORK OF DR. LAWES. CHRISTIANISING THE FIJIANS. The death of Dr. Lawes (says the “Sydney Morning Herald”) is a reminder that the great missionaries have not gone out with Livingstone or been killed with Chalmers. It may be true that the world does not now receive such electric thrills as the story of the former pioneer of the Gospel in tho wolds of Africa gave it. Livingstone was kept in the glare of publicity at the close of his career by Stanley’s notable search; but. his personality was after all the true explanation of his fame, and men place him in the gallery of national heroes because ho roused them to new thoughts and better deeds by a. life of the noblest self-sacrifice. The work he did in Africa caused the world to take new measure of its manhood, and this was due again to the fact that Christianity was seen to have lost none of its power in the nineteenth century. Since Livingstone’s day there have been some great missionaries, but their tasks have been performed under conditions which have not brought them so prominently forward. Alen like Dr. Lawes, have been spending and are being spent without winning tlie crowif ofa focussed attention from the nations of the earth; and they have died perfectly satisfied, or arc still glad to labor on, for tlie sake of their fellows—ready like St .Paul to find their reward in work well done. They did not start out to win fame. Dr. Lawes devoted his lifo to missionary work because ho could do nothing elso under tho circumstances. He was consumed with tho desire to carry the Gosjiel to tho heathen, and it did hot matter whether his life wero long or short; until his day was done ho remained a missionary. "When men are caught with such an inspiration tliey-have to go through with their task or fall to pieced; and when they live for nearly half a century in such fields as Papua and Polynesia they may be trusted to give some fruit for their activity. It is only when, we reflect a little that we perceive how great lis the work which has been done in the islands of the Pacific. When Livingstone was discovering lakes Aloero and Bangweolo in 1869, and later on was mistaking the River Lualaba for the Nile, New Guinea was untouched by missionary enterprise. It is really in tho last half-century that. Fiji has become Christianised, and ojily since 1874 has Polynesia, fallen within the ever-widening circle of civilising endeavour. Dr. Lawes’ share in file achievement has stamped him as one of tho great missionaries of tho world. For thirty years ho.was in tho shadow of the great rock in a weary land, not alone to the natives among whom belabored, but to (lie white men who came to and went from New Guinea. Dr. Brown’s published tribno is to tho point. “In the early days of tho colonisation of Now Guinea the mission-house at Port Moresby was the one place to which travellors, explorers. Government officials, and all others turned in time of need; and no one over sought help or counsel there in vain.” It was a large and generous hospitality that was there dispensed, but more than that, there was light and inspiration in tho mission work being done. Dr. Lawes’ knowledge was supplemented by a personal Influence which made difficulties vanish where the natives were concerned. Both the white man and tb G brown man learned that this was a man in whom to trust, and the foundations of tho Empire were the better laid in Western Polynesia because Christianity and tho Empire had such servants as Lawes and Chalmers.

What a ,wcll known Chomisi has to say of Dr. Sheldon’s New Discovery. April 27tli, 1904. Sheldon Drug Co., 15 O’Connoll-stroet, Sydney, N.S.W. Dear Sirs, — Last week I took home a bottlo of Dt. Sholdon’s New Discovery for Coughs, Colds, and Consumption. I obtained this for my two boys aged sovon and four years. Tho elder Iyd had a nasty, troublesome cough and cold; tho other a bad cold and a cough just beginning to trouble him. They each took your cough remedy, which, by the way, .they liked immensely, and in two days tho cough and cold of tho younger boy had entirely disappeared, having boon cut short in. good tiirio, and at tho end of the third day tlio older boy was absolutely cured. Being a chemist for seventeen years I am naturally somewhat antagonistic to propriotary and patent rnodicines, but in this instance I must recognise and acknowledge tho efficiency and morit of your excellent preparation, and givo crodit where credit is duo. I was greatly ploased with tho marvellous and striking curativo and soothing properties of your admirablo remedy, which I will add, from a pharmaceutical standpoint, is splendidly compounded.— Yours faithfully, CHARLES A. FINCH, I’ll. C., M.P.S., etc. Kuranda, Boyco-streot, Globe Point, Sydney, N.S.W. A AV. J. Alauu, agent, chemist.