REPORTS OF STATIONS.

Samoan Reporter, Issue 16, 1 December 1854, Page 1

REPORTS OF STATIONS.

o • UPQLU. SAMOAN MISSION SEMINARY. TENTH ANNUAL REPORT. This month completes the tenth year of our Mission Seminary. Since the commencement, we have received into the Institution 121 men, 102 women, 111 youths under fourteen, and 35 strangers from other parts of the Pacific ; .in all, 379. In our first Report, the number of our pupils was seventeen ; at present, it is ninety-two. Of these, forty-four are preparing for the work of the ministry. The remaining forty-eight consist of two classes—l st, a class of youths, which is now, year after year, furnishing a few young men for the teachers’ class; and, 2ndly, a class of natives from the islands of the New Hebrides and New Caledonian Groupes. Including the wives of the teachers and their children, the entire number now in the Institution is two hundred and three. During the past year, we have directed the attention of our pupils to the following subjects: In Doctrinal Theology, to the Divine authority of the Scriptures, the attributes, the Trinity, creation, the fall, redemption, and the work of the Spirit. In Pastoral Theology, the visitation of the sick and the dying, burial, weekday and Sunday-schools, hindrances to the work of the ministry. In this department, they have had sixty-three pages of lectures to copy, and have drawn out a number of sketches of sermons. In Sacred History, from the return of the Jews from Babylon on to the second journey of Paul. In Scripture Exposition, finished the Gospel of Mark, on which they have had 511 pages of notes to copy, are now at chap. xi. going through Hebrews, and have given out 270 pages of notes on that epistle. In Natural Philosophy, hydrostatics, pneumatics, acoustics, optics, aud magnetism. In Natural History, have shown and described from No. 1 to 3G of the plates published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Geography and English reading have also been regularly attended to. In the Class for the Wives of Teachers, finished copying notes on Bunyan, 164 pages in all. Are now copying a translation of “ Scripture Facts in Simple Language,” by the author of the Peep of Day;” have reached No. sof the series. They are also instructed in maternal duties, arithmetic, geography, and astronomy, together with needle-work, cutting out garments, &c. Nine of the students are on the eve of leaving in the “ John Williams,” to go as teachers to the heathen islands to the Westward. These young men, in deciding to leave country and kindred in the cause of Christ, are not ignorant of what is before them. They are aware that, in setting their faces to the New Hebrides and New Caledonian Groups, they must prepare to meet with a savage people, difficult dialects, diseases unknown in Samoa, and many other hardships; still, they willingly come forward, and offer themselves for the work. We have, at present, in the Institution natives from the islands of Mare, Lifu, Fate, and Savage Island. They are all about to go back to their homes, and make room for others who may come by the return of the vessel. The plan of bringing hither, in the “ John Williams,” natives from heathen islands, to reside for a time in the Institution, is of signal benefit. They see and learn a good deal, and ati tachments are formed between them and the students, productive of the happiest results. A letter, for instance, came lately from an Eramangan to one of the students, begging him to go there and be a teacher, as soon as his time is up. Another came from Savage Island, entreating a young man to go there. These Macedonian cries can hardly be resisted; and, during the past year, an unusually large number have offered themselves to go forth in the arduous service. In addition to the students who now leave to go Westward, one or two others are about to be located in Samoa. Their places will at once be filled up, as we have, at present, eighteen candidates waiting for admission. Our expenditure for clothing, stationery, &c., during the past year, has amounted to twenty-eight pounds. For the last nine years, we have not had a penny of outlay for food. By their own industry, during hours allotted for the purpose, the young men raise on the Institution plantations all that they require. But for this arrangement, the expenditure for the support of so many would probably amount, at least, to three hundred pounds per annum. May our Institution have the prayers and support of all who are attached to the sacred cause which it is designed to advance! George Turner, Malua, Sept. 1854. Charles Hardie.