THE BOARD OF MISSIONS OF THE PROVINCE OF AUSTRALASIA. (From the "Sydney Herald.")

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 670, 15 September 1852, Page 4

THE BOARD OF MISSIONS OF THE PROVINCE OF AUSTRALASIA. (From the " Sydney Herald.")

This noble enterprise, in which all classes of tbe Church of England from her prelates to the humblest member so heartily united, when the Bishop of New Zealand proposed to tbe colonies comprised within the province of Australasia the reclamation of the heathen popuffition of the islands of the Southern Seas, seems to need revival. The establishment of a fund, by which, in tbe first instance, a suitable vessel should be placed (it the di? posil of the Bisliops of New Z<"ilan<l »nd Newcastle, to enable them to visit different islands, and to selpct from the native youth pupils to be trained in New Z<'anad, in the truths of Christianity and thf> arts of civilised life, was promptly effected by the Diocese of S.yd ney : but the necessity of making piovision for the further expenditure which must necessarily bo attendant upon the increased efforts, by which it was proposed to follow up these first steps of the BUhops, has apparently been lost sight of for far too long an interval. In the course of last year, the Bishops of New Zealand and Newcastle proceeded on a voyage to various Melauesian Islands, and brought back with them different youths, numbering- thirteen in all. The Bishops, it will be remembered, touched at Sjdney on their return, but the rapidity of the movements of the Bishop of New Zealand scarcely afforded time for the colonists interested in the expedition to assemble in public meeting, so as to receive the Bishops and hear tbe details of their mission. The Bishop of Newcastle has been also silent on this deeply interesting and vital subject. The period has, however, again come round when further visits to the Islands can best be made, and the youths instructed in religion and in tbe arts, may return to introduce these blessings among their countrymen, and fresh native pupils come back with the Bishop to be qualified in like manner. On the 15th of June last, the Border Maid accordingly left her moorings oil the College Bay, and went up to Auckland to take in stores ; intending, D. V., to sail on the ensuing Wednesday afternoon for tbe I& lands. The Bishop of New Zealand, we are informed, is desirous ef reaching the Solomon's Islands, from one of which a boy has been in the College at St. John's, now nearly two years, lie is spoken of as a very remarkable boy, as most sensible and English-like, (for an aboriginal,) and one who is likely to come back another year to reap the further advantages of the College. A young chief of Nengone accompanies 'the Bishop back to the Islands, who from his real desire and thirst for truth, is expected will return, on a subsequent voyage, to be baptised/ He has, made much progress, and will carry back with him knowledge enough to qualify I him to give intelligent instruction to his people. On Lis return from the Islands, the Bishop of New Zealand intends to stop at Sydney ; aciicuirstance which will rejoice every member of the Church of England amongst us. We trust that before his arrival something will be done to place the Society in a position to show the good Bishop on his arrival that Churchmen have not been unmindful of their duty in this matter. In the mean time our readers of every denomination of Christians will peruse with deep interest the following 1 little paper of The Melanesian Mission 1 ' in New Zealand; for which we aie indebted to a friend :—

North nnN Missions. An Account of the Melunesians at St. John's College, from November, 1851, to June, 1852. The Bishop of Neve Zealand brought back thirteen Melanesians fiorn diffeient islands, five of whom bad been at the College before for six months or so. Th«y Lave all made considerable progiessin reading, writing, and singing, and a few of them have got some idea of arithmetic ; but generally speaking they are slow at figures. Singing has proved to be a most valuable method of instruction ; for orer and above the steady attention that it requires to learn the notes, they are very foud of it ; they have good ears and voices, and by this means they have learnt to sing correctly one of the Christmas Hymns, the Easter Hymn, the Evening Hymn, and the Te Deum. All these they have taken great pains to learn, to read, and to understand ; and they can now give a fairly intelligent account of the matter. This has been found a good foundation for the actual word of the Holy Scriptures. The book they read from, called the u Melanesian Primer," was printed almost entirely by one of themselves — the Anaiteum boy, who has learnt compositing since he hat been nt the College, and bus shown gieat industry and intelligence. One of the young men, who has been at the College for part of two years, is very anxious to be baptized, and seems perfectly alive to ihe meaning of the rite and the Great Truths of the Gospel. The two Australians were farther advanced when they came than the Melanesians are now in knowledge of English. They have made some progress in their studies and trades ; but one has been very ill the greater part of the time. lie is a most amiable lad, and worthy of all the attention and care he has required. Some of the more advanced Melanesians bare learnt a litrle of some tiadeor industrial occupation, which they take to very willingly and cheerfully. Their moral conduct and obedience has been very satisfactory throughout. Of course there have been some occasional outbreaks of way-ward tempers, and such like difficulties to contend with, but on the whole the work has been more than promising. It has been productive of positive fruits, as may be seen from the following tale of the illness and death of one of their number ; so that we may humbly yet confidently trust that it has, and will have the blessing of the Lord and Saviour, whose Gospel it is our privilege to have received, and to impart to others :—: — Apale was a Lifu boy, who came with his cousin, Thol , one of the Bishop's scholars at the College in a former year. At first he did not seem very promising ; but after a little while he won upon the regard and affecof his teachers, by bis cheerful and hearty goodwill in doing whatever he was set to do. He was a tall slim boy, of sixteen or seventeen, and all along had suffered more or less from a sort of rheumatic fever, to which the people of that island are said to be subject. After he had recovered from that illness, lie was carefully watched and tended, for fear he should catch cold. But being a highspirited lad, it was impossible to control his boyish recklessness, and he caught a cold, which settled on bis chest. He was carefully nursed but grew gradually worse and worse, till at last the physician declared his case hopeless. On the 25tb May, be seemed to be dying ; and as it had been previously asertained that he was fairly grounded in the Truths of the Gospel, and as he expressed a desiie now to be baptized, the nature arid object of that Sacrament was explained to him, both by his teachers, and especially through tho medium of an elder and very intelligent Nengone boy, who knew the Lifu language well, lie was baptized in the presence of his Melanesian brethren by the name of one of liia English teachers, to whoinlie was deeply attached, George N. H. He lingered a week after thi«, and showed many eigns of real faith and comfort in the Gospel. If he ever cried about his Lifu father, one word about his Heavenly Father would soothe him. He took great pleasure in looking nt a picture of the Good Shepherd, and talking about Jesus and his lambs, and he would count the sbeep and lambs, call onea Lifu boy, and one a Nengone boy, and another an Erromange boy, and so on. He used to read hiß own little English book, out of which he bad been taught to know and love bis God and Saviour ; and would specially like to hear the Easter Hymn and Lord's Prayer, as he as he knew them best, and could join in them. During the last few nights he would say often to any one tbat was watching by his bed side, — "Why you no go to bed ? Why you no sleep ? Go tleep," and would show great considerateness for his attendants, doing every tbing be was told most readily and patiently. He called the Bishop " kaka," or " father," and used to send for one or two English or Melanesian friends, and embrace them or apeak to them with great affection. On Whit-Tuesday morning, June the Ist, within an half-an-bour of his death, he sat up in his bed, and dictated a letter to his father in Lifu, of which the following is a translation. He proposed to write the letter, and every word of it was entirely his own. — " Alas, my Father! Farewell, Father ! I am gone, I am dead in New Zealand. Go you (meaning bis companions) and tell my Father. Father, do not be angry, lam here seeking for good words. Mourn for me, come to New Zealand to see my ;jrave." After this he (ried to cough up the accumulation of phlegm in vain, and the hand of death was upon him instantly, and he died within ten minutes of finishing these words. He retained his senses almost to the last, and died very easily and quietly. The same Nengone boy that bad taught him before about his baptism knelt down by his bedside and prayed aloud, while his Lifu cousin sat at Ins head, weeping bitterly, and saying "Alas! my brother !" And the Bishop commended into the hands of the Lord Jesus " the first fruits of

the Church of Lifu." On the afternoon of the 2nd instant as the Sun went down, his body was committed to its grave in St. John's College Chapel-yard, with surer and more joyful hope that he will rise agnin than that the same Sun will rise next day— seeing that the Sun of Righteousness lias gone before, and risen with healing un His wings.