NEWS FROM THE MISSIONARIES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 18, 30 January 1891, Page 31

NEWS FROM THE MISSIONARIES.

Kkadkbs of the Pilot will thank us for this extract from a letter just received from the Very Rev. Thomas Jackson, from Father Byron a young Irish priest, working in the dominions of the North Borneo Company. " An incident has just happened which h*B given us much joy— the baptism of four Murut boys. They are the first of their race upon whom the water of holy baptism has been poured. They now desire to return with one of the Fathers to teach their people to know and serve God, in order that they, too, may enjoy the happiness which is already theirs. The oldest is about thirteen, the youngest eleven. The last-mentioned is qaite enthusiastic over it. When he speaks of it his little bright eyes glisten with the pleasure of one day being able to help the Fathers to teach his people. Yet he would like to go alone, poor little fellow ! He is the son of the chief who refused to submit to this Government three years ago. Five soldiers were sent to take him. These he led into the jungle, and nothing more was heard of them— the Muruts had taken their heads. "The Government then sent a large force against the villagers of which he was the head. His people had fled, soon after killing the five soldiers, into the jungle, and lived there for a long time subsiding on very little. The soldiers, however, sent against them did not succeed in catching the refiactory chief. But what they did not do themselves was accomplished by a Murut friendly to the Government. He invited the chief to his house, and having borrowed his sword under pretence of exam mng the beautiful workmanship of the blade, struck off hia head with it and sent it to the soldiers — His little son's name is Aloysius. "Another boy, Michael, lost his mother at the same time She was wandering in the juDgle with her little baby tied on her back when some Dyak soldiers discovered her. They only too gladly took her head, as you know they always do, but they spared the baby We received tho poor orphan boy from the wretches, and had there been Sisters here at the time we should have had little difficulty in obtaining the baby also. * "Another boy, Luke, had been hidden in the jungle for three I days without anj food except a few roots. The Dyaks had supposed that all the Muruti had either been killed or fled. On seeing the poor boy, their first thought was to add his head to the number already taken, but there were some who thought the half- starved Murut boy might be useful in showing them the way out of the jungle to the coast. So after much talk it was decided that Ungang who was afterwards to receive in baptism the name of Luke, should be spared on condition of nib showing them the shortest way to the coast. "Some months ago the Resident of the Interior, as he is styled called at our school and expressed a wish to see Luke. He told him that he was about to return to see the Murut country, and among other places Luke's house. He added that tbe governor had decided that he could now return home. The poor boy thought he had to leave us and began to look most dejected. Tears filled his eyes but be did not speak. Tbe Resident was surprised, as he expected to see signs of joy. ' Don't you wish to return to your country V said the Resident. ' You will again see your mother and your other relations ' His reply was short and simple. ' With tbe Fathers, yes,' he said '• , fPFtnout them, no.' The Governor was told of this incident, and gave orders that the boy should have his own way in the matter."

Tbe Rev. Father Currier, C.SS.B., writes as follows to tbe Pilot : — In connection with Guiana, I will here give you an extract of a letter I received to-day from the Right Hey. Bishop Wulfingb, written soon altar his return to the country subject to his jurisdiction. It is dated September 19th.

" I pray most fervently to God that He may bless the Hoffbauer Society in America, that I may be enable \ to do not only a little, but much, very much, for my poor people, my wretched children, my unfortunate lepers. How hard it is to have to behold misery and not to be able to alleviate it for want of means I God'a will be done I I will also try to bear this cross, although there is no greater Buffering than to behold the suffering of others without being able to render assistance. It seems to me that it is much less difficult to endure one s own pain. " I am now engaged in building a church, school, and house at the plantation Vierkinderen. Rev. Father Vancoll, the Apostle of the Indians, will take charge of it. From that station he will be able to visit several times a week the Indian tribes who can only see him now, at most, once a month. How many disappointments are, however, linked to such an undertaking I Money seems to melt away as snow in the rays of the sun. Nevertheless, I will persevere ; it is the will of God, and we shall triumph in spite of the obstacles. "1 really believe that hell is conspiring to prevent us from executing our cherished plan, the amelioration of the condition of the lepers. I told you that Batavia is a hell, even more for the soul than for the body. You, who are acquainted with the condition of lepers, know full well what the body has to endure. I had engaged the boat of the plantation Marienburg in order to visit BaUvia. At the moment of departure ten Coolies had escaped, and the boat had to be used in their pursuit. My efforts to obtain one of the Government vessels failed, as none could be disposed of. I was equally disappointed in trying to obtain the boat of Mr. S. However, after many fruitless efforts, I succeeded in obtairiog the " Eldorado " from Mr. H. We set out on September 11, at 4 p.m. Everything went well until 7 p.m., when a terrible fire broke out in the little boat. Some of the equipage fled away, leaving Father Beukers, myself and the first machinist to wrestle with a fire of which you can form no idea. I thought we would certainly have been killed, but God, in His mercy, spared as, and no one was hurt. We spent the night ashore in hammocks and on chairs and benches, while the mosquitoes tormented us most fearfully. The next morning we returned to Parimaribo on a raft. The Governor, having been informed of this accident, very politely offered us the use of one of the Government vessels. You understand that these disappointments only serve to spur me on, and, moreover, you will see the necessity of our having a boat of our own." The poor colony of Surinam is greatly in need of the assistance of charitable persons, any offerings for the mission in that country, or for the lepers of Guiana, will be thankfully received by m& at Ilchester College, Howard Co. M,, or they may be sent to the mission Church, Boston.