THE MELANESIAN MISSION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4980, 9 March 1877, Page 7

THE MELANESIAN MISSION.

The, following extract , from the rep’ort for 1876 will doubtless be read with interest , A report has to be again given of a year of no , special interest, biit of continual, arid it may be hoped successful progress iu the;work of the mission, in accordance with the plan on whicli’rit.is .conducted., It is,desirable that this plan should be again briefly explained, since to the newer friends of the Mission; it Is not so well known as it should be. The plan of the Melanesian; Mission work is based on the assumption, that it is impossible, under the circumstances, for the missionaries, to settle, among the;,islands to work, directly upon .the natives at home. If a sufficient number of missionaries could be hoped for to occupy selected points, and if the climate of the islands should allow of .the residence; of Europeans, another plan,, of operations,'might no doubt have been adopted, but the founders of the Mission.believed that no other was practicable ..than that yvhich. they set on foot, arid which, after, experience, has commended .itself, as being at least practicable. With a view pf at once bringing the influence, of a fe jv' missionaries to bear .on ■ the uatiyes

..of . many;, islands,: scholars from : almost afl the islands , visited have, .been brought to New Zealaud, and Norfolk. Island, into a elimate ,in " which both, , Europeans arid Melanesians find, it no trial to live With ia view to provide teaching; in the islands themselves, which must in the end depend upon ja native ministry, it is the object of the institution in' Norfolk Island to prepare the most approved scholars to become gradually, as they are better . fitted.for it, teachers aud ministers at home. - - i

’ Those scholars who have made soine. eonsiderable progress in Norfolk Island, when they go home are expected to begin to teach something to-their countrymen, and ;Bo iumost cases they do. Those who have passed through a sufficient course of; preparation are returned to their islands for good/and placed in charge of: schools, which-the natives in most islands are very willing to 'have established among them. The most advanced and approved aife considered as fit and [worthy to be ordained.. '

The .Mission vessel spends five or. six mouths every year-in voyages,among the islands, and the missionaries spend as, much-time as they can in residence among the people. No native teacher can remain, at:the most, more/thap’ six months unyisited, ; though the number of the islands and the fewness of the European clergy make visits too - brief and ineffective. To reside: as much as'i possible ■ among jthe people has always been considered most desirable, and the plan of the Mission has always combined the-stayof thb'European clergy with their scholars at home, - with the'stay of the Melanesian scholars with them at Norfolk Island. . , ... ? i ‘ Tt is obvious that, whether any other system may be expected to produce a rapid effect or not, the effects of such a system as this cannot be immediate. " The effects already produced will be indicated inrithe account Avhich-follows of the work in the. islands ;It is .not;in its nature such as can be estimated. and set down in/this report.’ •The Rev. John Palmer, with Mrs, . Palmer, has returned from his visit to England. The Rev. Richard Blundell. Courius, lately curate of Grantham, in the Diocese of Lincoln, has engaged to'jriin; the Mission.. Mr. Kenny, without severing his. connection with the Mission’, and with :some assistance; from its funds, has gone-to England to study medicine.

On the return of the Mission vessel from her island voyage," she took' a' party of Melanesian scholars to, New, Zealand bto.be confirmed by thei-Bishop of Auckland;; The ’great kindriess with which .the Mission party w;as received is .thankfully;acknowledged; , It can;hardly, fail to be useful if the, more; Advariced scholars from .Norfolk Island should from time to time be taken to the colonies to/have a larger view ■of: civilised arid’ Ohristian life. . ;r - . 1/ ‘ \

'a-; The-great'liberality of ''the Sofciety’for Promoting Christian'Knowledge has presented the Mission with 500 copies'of the 'Gospels of‘St. Matthew, St. Luke, and St. John, with St. Jbhh’s'First'Epistle; in the :Mota‘ language.,; •The Gospel iof St. Mark and the Acts of the Apostles are to follow. .• ■■ & i juJiThfri Mission ipress in Norfolk Island hsjs nowOcorapleted/a book of .selections from the.. Old Testament, and has began a book 'of aelec--tiqns-from - the--Epistle6,--in- Mota. ~ It; has Sprinted - T ah elementary catechism In Florida,; and parts of prayer-book 'in the Leper’s Island, language., ( The Gospel of, St. Luke, ih{ Florida, 1 'will alsO’soon be uri fohtaken. ’ 1 j The committed Iwhioh'ims the management, pf the. spneerns of the Mission in ' h'asrenderfedmbhty^ irig ■ fnhdßj''c6hveying information;' and main- \ tainirig .'interest.-, Thanks are particularly i due... ■to .the Selwyn, whq aqtgas secre-i tary and treasurer., .The ? ;j3hgUsK.. committee puts but its own report. J " l '" | ■<p Island.—The number ? of, ’scholars how at St. Barnabas’s, is' very largo, amounting altogether. perspnsifrom nineteen islands, —132 males, ;:47"rfemales,; and' 7 children.! 1 From one cause . and ,another the, proppr-' tihh-’of isVerya large, and a'considerable hurhber are employed-. ;Qf’’these, however, many are only delayed in Norfolk Island till they.ar.e married, and will. return to settle as. teachers' Sn,' ,! tfieir‘ owli l islands,' in'the-ensuing year.- -The rgrognd’&CQndqcfrppf ;the- scholars is certainly goodfand the general progress Tcan;; -be,regarded aB ( M.tisfaptory.; t but- with so,large . h party, with‘so many'hiricfhg'' them,whd.aro iftf to recoive_the_best teaching_.that 'cau'l>e’giveiii 1 .them, the want of a sqffipient pumberjof-linro-.-pejin js<a!greati in the way , of regular and aufficuent instruction. , • •,. i ; The., number ,of> baptisms since the last re- - "iports was • sent , out,has been large. Including .those baptised..at)Ghristn}as, 1875,.the number •has been thirty-four., Nine, others; are at present in preparation. This number.of; baptisms does not take in those:' of infants. i ■* - The progress iof the ; Memorial .Chapel has-, -been- sadly-delayed,—and - the - prospect -of-its - is still ‘Obstacles pyKiph-; could not be foreseen have been added to those. ' which' any considerable undertaking in Norfolk > Island muat encounter, 'but there is now every hope that the Work will advance. ‘ - Very hand-? - some-and magnificent gifts'have been . forwarded, or are promiaed, from EnglahAiplt is expected that with theSe, / 'and witb' the suim originally given f6r the purpose,"‘ the'architect’s:: designs can ; be * carried • out ’ in' all important .particulars, if not in" their entirety.;:,— T . I