MISSION WORK IN POLYNESIA.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 282, 18 July 1888, Page 2

MISSION WORK IN POLYNESIA.

Ont Tuesday, lOfch July, the Ttev. Geo. Brown delivered an interesting lecture on mission work in the South Sea Tslands, and the stirring adventures incidental thereto. Mr Brown confined a large portion of his lecture to a description of the customs and manners of the natives of New Britain, in which and in surrounding islnnds ho laboured for many years. His mission in the Duke of York island was commenced in 1875. He left Sydney in this year in the schooner John Wesley, commanded by Capfc. Maunsell, and proceeded to Fiji to obtain mission workers. Eightythree young men volunteered for the service and out of that number ten were selected. At that time an epidemic of measles had carried off one sixth of the population and it was still raging, These young natives knew fully the dangers they were about to enter into^and when cautioned by the Governor the spokesman of the party said they had fully considered the calling they had voluntered for,and that they were desirous of taking the place of tl»c missioncrics who had been killed in recent massacres. The news of a horrible massacre was brought just as the third detachment was leaving Fiji, Mr Brown spoke highly of the courage and devotion o£ these young men. The party arrived in Now Britain about the end of the year and brought up «it the Duke oC Yoik Island, Here somo difficulty with the crew of the vessel was experienced. So f lightened were they of the natives that they were continually armed, and none would leave the ship. They took with them a photographer and an engineer to work the steam launch, but these men, as with the crew would not face the savages. The Papuans at this time were savages addicted to cannibalism and other nasty hiibifs. They usod no clothing but P'Unlcd and wore a few ornamonto.

When in Blanch Bay Mr Brown ondeavoured to got the photographer nshorp hnt. nil his persuasion was of no avail. Seeing ih at thp man could not he induced to ini't himself nmongs* the savages Mr ( Brown took the camera himself and did his best as an nmafeur to take the views. An old sailor named Jack Gaff stayed behind with Mr Brown and proved afterwards a very devoted companion. Mr Brown graphically described his sojourn on this island. He found the natives very candid, always speaking their mind. If ho had influence over the natives, as some people said, it was from a strict observance of whatever he said. He never broke his promise and never made foolish treats. There was ample proof of cannabalism amongst the natives for they had a habit of displaying the skulls and bones of their victims. Mr Brown said near to thehouso there were five skulls on a prop, but ho did not take them down because if he had done so his own would have been in danger. The Papuans were much given to suicide, and one of their favourite ways of taking their life was by rowing out to sea in a canoe and then throwing the paddle overboard. During his stay there he wrote the gospel of St. Luke in the native tongue and had it printed. It was easily read by natives who six years before were naked savages. Some of these natives had learned to read and write fluently. This he thought went far to <?how the good the missioneries had done in these islands. As showing the progress Christianity has made in these islands, Mr Brown stated that natives who in 1875 were bare savages, had now 37 churches, presided over by 2G native clergymen, and these churches were attended by about four thousand persons, At the latter end of of his address Mr Brown referred to the share the people of New Zealand had taken in the work, which, ho regretted to say, was very small, for whilst the people of New South Wales contributed something like 9d per head to the Wesley an Foreign Mission Society, New Zealand only gave ]fd per head. This society was in difficulties just now, having a deGcit in the funds of £1800. He thought one of the causes why people were so meagre in their offerings to be that they know little of the mission wcrk being carried on in these islands.