MANUA.

Samoan Reporter, Issue 16, 1 December 1854, Page 2

MANUA.

Manua being without a resident missionary, the pastoral superintendence of that group has been devolved on Messrs. Sunderland and Powell, of Tutuila, it being situated about sixty miles east of that island. When Mr. Sunderland paid his visit in 1852, he found the work of the Lord there prospering, and then had the pleasure of receiving upwards of sixty new members to the church. Mr. Powell has just returned from a visit there, and has furnished the following report: Mrs. Powell, myself, and family arrived here on the 25th of April last. State of things on our arrival. The people received us with their usual demonstrations of pleasure, and it soon became evident that the Lord was carrying on a work of grace amongst them. Tauga, the Rarotongan superintendent, had continued faithful, zealous, and persevering in the discharge of the duties of his office. The church, which then numbered 166, had, for the most part, maintained a course becoming the Christian profession. The class of religious inquirers numbered upwards of 140, and many of these gave evidence of being the subjects of a work of grace. The schools and classes were being maintained in their usual vigour, and many young men were desirous of being engaged in the work of the Lord. Religion and instruction engaged much of the time and attention of the people generally ; and 177 children had learned to read since our visit in 1850, so also had many adults, among whom were some aged persons. The Anti-tobacco Association, which we originated in 1850, had been joined by all the church-members, except four or five, by all the inquirers, and by about 220 children. In addition to the above pleasing particulars, the chiefs were vigorously maintaining their code of laws, which, upon the whole, are equitable, and calculated to promote the peace and prosperity of the whole community. This being the state of things on our arrival, we have had little else to do than to reap the harvest which was already ripe. And a most encouraging harvest time it has been. Our own Labours. Our first principal labour was, to converse individually with the inquirers. In these conversations, it was delightful to find that, out of the band of more than twenty teachers, nearly every one had been blessed to the awakening or conversion of sinners. Having baptized a goodly number of these, and proposed several to the church, we were grateful to find that the Lord was accompanying even our ministrations with success. Christ crucified was the principal theme of each discourse. This, of course, was no new topic, and hence, it was as surprising as it was delightful, after a quiet service and ordinary sermon, to see two, three, four, or more persons coming individually, in an unostentatious manner, expressing sorrow for sin, astonishment at the love of Christ, and a determination to follow him till death. One or two instances of the kind may be given.

S. appears but quite a youth. He stated, that he had, some time ago, been aroused from his indifferrence to religion under a sermon by Tauga, from Rev. iii. 20, but that, nevertheless, he remained in an undecided state of mind. He subsequently felt impressed under the sermon from Phil. i. 27, yet still remained “double-minded;” but, on hearing the discourse from Heb. iii. 7,8, he determined to harden his heart no longer, but to yield himself to Christ, and had, therefore, come desiring to be baptized.

T. is a middle-aged man, belonging to the district of Fitiuta, about eight miles distant from Tau, the principal village of this island. His wife is a blind woman, who belonged to the class of inquirers. He came to bring her to Tau, carrying her on his back up the hilly part of the way, that -»he might converse with me and attend the means of grace. While here, he heard an address at the administration of the Lord’s Supper from the words, “This is my body, which is given for you.” He says, when he heard this, he thought, how wonderful it was, that Christ should give his body for sinful men; he never saw it so before. His heart was hitherto sinful and careless; but now he saw that sin was the cause of the Saviour’s death; and he, therefore, hated sin, and desired to be freed from it, and was determined to follow Christ to the end.

M. was formerly a very wicked young man. Some time before our arrival, he was taken ill, and, in his sickness, he thought of seeking the Lord. Under the sermon from Phil. i. 27, he felt that his sinfulness was exceedingly great. Subsequently, he heard the discourse from Rom. v. 6. Then he rejoiced that Christ had died for his sins, and he determined to follow him till death.

These are merely a few cases out of about one hundred similar instances which have occurred during our present visit, of persons who have, for the first time, come to express their concern about the salvation of their souls. These cases, however, will suffice to show, that the work is the same in Samoa that it has been, and is, in every other part of the world ; and that the doctrine of the Cross is here, as elsewhere, the chief means of the sinner’s salvation.

Anniversary Services. During the months of May and June, we held four anniversary services. One of these was the children’s. This was the most interesting of the whole. A large assembly of adults was present. After singing and prayer, fifteen boys and ten girls rehearsed portions of Scripture from memory. Some of them were prepared to repeat upwards of fifty verses each, and only one as few as thirteen. The readiness, composure, and precision with which they rehearsed were highly-gratifying to the audience. This preliminary service being over, another hymn was sung, and the subscriptions during the year read. A collection was then made, which amounted to £1 15s. This, besides 165 gallons of cocoanut oil, and other subscriptions of 10s. 7|rf. gives a total in value here, as the children’s contributions to the Society during the year, of £lO Ils. After the collection, the state and claims of the heathen world, and their own duty in connection therewith, were laid before them in an address founded on the Macedonian appeal, Acts xvi. 9. Selection of Teachers. There being several young men willing to devote themselves to the work of the Lord, four have been selected to go to the Institution at Malua, and five others, three of whom had been teachers, have engaged to aid on the work of preaching aud teaching on Tutuila. They are all married. The church-members and inquirers, as is the custom here, in such cases, made for them a collection of native property The whole amounted to 350 articles. Afterwards, a valedictory service was held, at which, appropriate advice was given to those about to leave, and prayer was offered on their behalf. Most of them responded in some very judicious remarks. Collection for the West. In anticipation of the approaching visit of the “John Williams ” to the westward out-stations, I proposed to the people that a collection be made of mats, siapo, beads, cinet, &c., to be placed at the disposal of the deputation, for the use of teachers or others there. The people generally seemed to approve of the proposal, but some of the chiefs thought it their duty to legislate in the matter, and to say who should give, and who should not. I strenuously opposed this interference as unscriptural, oppressive, and baneful to the interests of religion, and earnestly requested them to leave this and everything else connected with the spread of Christ’s kingdom to the choice of the people. It was too much opposed to the notions of Samoan rulers to have nothing to say in the matter ; hence, they advised that all should give. The result was, that a collection was made of 1,063 articles. I subsequently preached from Actsix. 31 ; from which I pointed out the advantage and duty of non-interference on the part of the state in matters of religion. Statistics and Conclusion. During this visit, 215 adults and 175 children have been baptized, and 120 persons have been admitted to the privileges and responsibilities of church-membership. The present number of church members is, 286 ; religious inquirers, 150 ; teachers engaged in preaching and teaching, 23; candidates for the office of teacher, under preparatory instruction by Tauga, 18; members of Tauga’s young men’s Bible-class, 38. The entire population is now 1,251, which shows a decrease of sixty in four years. More than the half of the adult population can read. The Contributions to the Society during the year, including those of the children, have been, 179 gallons of cocoanut oil, £3 9s. 4cL in cash, and about 200 pounds of arrowroot. Total value here more than £3O. In concluding such a report as this, the language of gratitude and joy cannot be inappropriate. The Lord is here of a truth. He has done great things, and they are marvellous in our eyes. Yet, knowing the fickleness and the wickedness of the human heart, and the subtilty of the great enemy of God and man, we could not be surprised if, on some future occasion, a less gratifying report than this should have to be given. The Lord grant that it may be otherwise, and that here the victories of the Redeemer’s cross, and the accession’s to His glory may continue to multiply I Manua, July 31, 1854. Thomas Powell.