WESLEYAN MISSIONARY MEETING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 177, 28 July 1874, Page 2

WESLEYAN MISSIONARY MEETING.

A meeting in connection with tbe Wesleyan Missions in, Australasia and Polynesia was held laat night in the Church, which was well filled. Tbe chair was taken by (be Rev. G. H. Johnstone. The Rev. T. Buddle having read the report, which we shall publish tomorrow, The Rev. J. Leighton, in an earnest aod eloquent speech in which he referred to bis experiences as a missionary in India, moved -the first resolution, which was as follows: — That tbe report now read be received, and that (his meeting expresses it. gratitude to God for the tvidc-neea it presents of the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom in the is'ands of the sr a. The Rev. J. Waterhouse seconded the resolution, and iv doing so said that he would give a short account of his mission to King Thackambau, who was at ono time a moat bloodthirsty man, and the terror of the land, and who hod set his face steadfastly against Christianity, declaring that neither be nor any of his family should ever become Christians. The rev. gentleman delivered a long and interesting speech overflowing with anecdotes illustrative of his life in Fiji, a few of which we will place before our readers. Haviog related how ho opposed, for a long time unsuccessfully, the custom of strangling the widows of deceased chiefs, in doing which he had to combat tho superstitions cot only of the men, but of the women who were themselves to become sacrifices, and of their sons and daughters who preferred to see their mothers murdered rather than that they should bring disgrace upon their names by refusing to comply with the custom of the land, Mr Waterhouse went on to describe his still more difficult crusade against cannibalism. He could not stop the natives fighting and killing each other, but he determined to try to stop the eating of human flesh, and at last succeeded to some extent, as he induced the warriors to bring back the bodies of those they I killed in warfare. These he put into a canoe and took out to sea, and threw them overboard, until at last the chief, began to grumble at being deprived of so much good food, aud ho had to give way partially, but he had succeeded in making an innovation upon their custom., and the effect of this had lasted ever since. For a long time he was unable to obtain an interview with the King at Bau, but at last he succeeded, and induced his Majesty to give him a small house ten feet by six feet in his city. There he frequently sow before his door the process of cutting up bodies nnd cooking them, but did not get an opportunity of protesting against it, until one day a party of Tbackambau'B people went out and intercepted a cano9 containing nine hostile natives, eight of whom were immediately clubbed, and while still quivering were cut np aod thrown into the oven. The survivor was brouoht in alive. 'I hen, said Mr Waterhouse, " I went boldly to the King and asked him to spare the man's life, but was met with a positive refusal. 1 knew it was of no use to argue with him, or to I attempt to show that he was. acting wrongly in killing the man, for he would bave taken a short cut through any such argument by immediately clubbing him, in order to show that he was right, for his firm belief was tbat he could do no wrong. So all I could do was to implore this earthly King to grant my request, while I at the same time silently besought the Heavenly King to soften his heart. This weut on for several minutes. Again and again I entreated Thackambau to cay the word that should save the prisoner's life, and again and again I met with the same reply, but at length the King turned to the astonished man and said, * Young mao, you can live.' That was the first lite that Thackambau had ever spared." Mr Waterhouse in the course of time made such progress in gaining the goodwill of tbe King tbat at last he persuaded him to build him a larger house where he was at liberty to ' do more as he pleased, and could get the natives to come and listen to his preaching. He made such an impression upon them that tbey thronged to hear him, and this excited the jealousy of some of the chiefs, who did all they could to damage him with the King. Two bodies about this time were brought in and eaten, and he once more made a vigorous protest against cannibalism, and on thia occasion found that he was backed up by the younger men, who said that he bad all their sympathies in the opposition he was offering to it, but he made a powerful enemy in the King's brother, who took dire offence at his conduct, and reported him to Thackambau, who sent for, him and told him that he was taking too much upon himself, and overrating the power he fancied he possessed. Then followed a long . and earnest conversation on the subject, he tagging and entreating the King to put a stop to the abominable practice, and the result ofit was that, on his leaving, the King said, "No more human flesh shall he eaten in Bau from this day." From tbis time he had hopes of inducing Thackambau to embrace Christianity, but he was afraid that if he did he would be killed by his own people. "I argued with him," said the speaker, "and told him the story of Daniel and of Shadracb, and assured him that the same God would protect him. His /fears gradually vanished, and on Sunday, the 30th of April, 1854, the wooden drums that

never before had been beaten except at some cannibal feast or other horrible orgies, were sound.d to eummun the people to attend divine service. Large numbers attended, and howed tha knee before Qod, the Te Deum waa sung, and never diJ music sound sweeter iv my ears than the words " We praise thee, 0 God, we acknowledge thee to bo- the Lord,' chanted in tbo native idiom. Thero would have been no colonisation of the Fijis had it not be n for that Sabbath." Soon after this the King found that he bad been right in fearing the people, for they determined to aesaeainate him, and that the deed should be done during divine service on a certain Sunday. " I was his only friend and he spent his days entirely with me. I tried to persuade him to make his escape but thia he would not do. I, too, was warned that if I remained with him I should also be killed, but I felt that I was pledged (o him, and that I should sink or swim with him. It was a trying Saturday night and we spent it in prayer. The morning came and we started for the building that had been erected as a church. I heard the drums beating and saw the warriors assembling, but there were'no women of children, for it was to be a day of blood. The church was soon Glled witharmed men. I gave out a hymn which was sung, and then closed my eyes in silent prayer. I thought I had closed them for ever on thia world. But still there was silence among the armed men. I began to feel that the presence of God was realised by those present. He was there and tbe people were conscious of if, and stood still and seemed unable to use thoir weapons. Encouraged by this I gave out a text and preached a short sermon. The congregation broke up, and the people went away, and afterwards expressed their wonder that they were so helpless when they had fully intended to kill the king. After this the high priest tried to set the king agaiost me, and went to him and said that I had been guilty of enchantment and must be killed. He would not have accused ma, he said, but that his gods had told him Jo do ao, and he waa afraid of them. The king's reply was peculiar. He took a stick and administered a severe whipping to the priest asking, turn all the time, •« which are you most afraid of aow, the gods or me?" Thasmarting priest acknowledged that he feared the king moat. War went on for soma time, aod the king and his small party of proteasing Christians were eventually attacked by the oppositionists. This state of things went on for nine months, during which time Mr Waterhouse viewed several pitched battles from the verandah ol his house, but at length Tnakambau with the assistance of an ally subdued his enemies, and as a proof of the change that had come over him sent back the bodies of those who were killed, and returned those who were made prisoners. For a long time, however, he could not be. persuaded to givo up his plurality of wives, but on one Satorday, a great noise of women crying was heard, and on enquiry Mr Waterhouse learned that it proceeded from the king's seventy-eight wives who were ordered to leave him and were to be married to the chiefs according to thoir rank. The following

day the king was married to his principal wife wJiom he retained, and both ol them were then baptized, Mr Waterhonse -onciudedaA roost interesting *ddr*s. with.anjpat-iiest app 3a l to thoaa present to aid by their prayers and means to the work of the mission. A collection was made during the evening, when the sum of £13 waa obtained.