Part 17 (1/2)
CHAPTER LIV.
FIRST PEEP AT THE ”DAYSPRING.”
WE embarked at Liverpool for Australia in _The Crest o' the Wave_, Captain Ellis; and, after what was then considered a fast pa.s.sage of ninety-five days, we landed at Sydney on 17th January, 1865. Within an hour we had to grapple with a new and amazing perplexity. The Captain of our _Dayspring_ came to inform me that his s.h.i.+p had arrived three days ago and now lay in the stream,--that she had been to the Islands, and had settled the Gordons, M'Cullaghs, and Morrisons on their several stations,--that she had left Halifax in Nova Scotia fourteen months ago, and that now, on arriving at Sydney, he could not get one penny of money, and that the crew were clamoring for their pay, etc. etc. He continued, ”Where shall I get money for current expenses? No one will lend unless we mortgage the _Dayspring_. I fear there is nothing before us but to sell her!” I gave him 50 of my own to meet clamant demands, and besought him to secure me a day or two of delay that something might be done.
Having landed, and been heartily welcomed by dear Dr. and Mrs. Moon and other friends, I went with a kind of trembling joy to have my first look at the _Dayspring_, like a sailor getting a first peep at the child born to him whilst far away on the sea. Some of the irritated s.h.i.+p's company stopped us by the way, and threatened prosecution and all sorts of annoyance. I could only urge again for a few days' patience. I found her to be a beautiful two-masted Brigantine, with a deck-house (added when she first arrived at Melbourne), and every way suitable for our necessities,--a thing of beauty, a white-winged Angel set a-floating by the pennies of the children to bear the Gospel to these sin-darkened but sun-lit Southern Isles. To me she became a sort of living thing, the impersonation of a living and throbbing love in the heart of thousands of ”shareholders”; and I said, with a deep, indestructible faith,--”The Lord has provided--the Lord will provide.”
Since she sailed, 1400 had been expended; for present liabilities at least 700 more were instantly required: and, at any rate, as large a sum to pay her way and meet expenses of next trip to the Islands. Having laid our perplexing circ.u.mstances before our dear Lord Jesus, having ”spread out” all the details in His sympathetic presence, pleading that the s.h.i.+p itself and the new Missionaries were all His own, not mine, I told Him that this money was needed to do His own blessed work.
On Friday morning, I consulted friends of the Mission, but no help was visible. I tried to borrow, but found that the lender demanded 20 per cent for interest, besides the t.i.tle-deeds of the s.h.i.+p for security. I applied for a loan from the agent of the London Missionary Society (then agent for us too) on the credit of the Reformed Presbyterian Church's Foreign Committee, but he could not give it without a written order from Scotland. There were some who seemed rather to enjoy our perplexity!
Driven thus to the wall, I advertised for a meeting of Ministers and other friends, next morning at eleven o'clock, to receive my report and to consult _re_ the _Dayspring_. I related my journeyings since leaving them and the results, and then asked for advice about the s.h.i.+p.
”Sell her,” said some, ”and have done with it.”--”What,” said others, ”have the Sabbath Schools given you the _Dayspring_ and can you not support her yourselves?”
I pointed out to them that the salary of each Missionary was then only 120 per annum, that they gave their lives for the Heathen, and that surely the Colonial Christians would undertake the up-keep of the s.h.i.+p, which was necessary to the very existence of the Mission. I appealed to them that, as my own Church in Scotland had now one Missionary abroad for every six Ministers at home, and the small Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia had actually three Missionaries now on our Islands, it would be a blessed privilege for the Australian Churches and Sabbath Schools to keep the _Dayspring_ afloat, without whose services the Missionaries could not live nor the Islanders be evangelized.
Being Sat.u.r.day, the morning Services for Sabbath were all arranged for, or advertised; but Dr. M'Gibbon offered me a meeting for the evening, and Dr. Steel an afternoon Service at three o'clock, combined with his Sabbath School. Rev. Mr. Patterson of Piermont, offered me a Morning Service; but, as his was only a Mission Church, he could not give me a collection. These openings I accepted, as from the Lord, however much they fell short of what I desired.
At the Morning Service I informed the congregation how we were situated, and expressed the hope that under G.o.d and their devoted pastor they would greatly prosper, and would yet be able to help in supporting our Mission to their South Sea neighbors. Returning to the vestry, a lady and gentleman waited to be introduced to me. They were from Launceston, Tasmania.
”I am,” said he, ”Captain and owner of that vessel lying at anchor opposite the _Dayspring_. My wife and I, being too late to get on sh.o.r.e to attend any Church in the city, heard this little Chapel bell ringing, and followed, when we saw you going up the hill. We have so enjoyed the Service. We do heartily sympathize with you. This check for 50 will be a beginning to help you out of your difficulties.”
The reader knows how warmly I would thank them; and how in my own heart I knew _Who_ it was that made them arrive too late for _their_ plans, but not for _His_, and led them up that hill, and opened their hearts.
Jehovah-Jireh?
At three o'clock, Dr. Steel's Church was filled with children and others. I told them in my appeal what had happened in the Mission Chapel, and how G.o.d had led Captain Frith and his wife, entire strangers, to sound the first note of our deliverance. One man stood up and said, ”I will give 10.” Another, ”I will give 5.” A third, ”I shall send you 20 to-morrow morning.” Several others followed their example, and the general collection was greatly encouraging.
In the evening I had a very large as well as sympathetic congregation. I fully explained the difficulty about the _Dayspring_, and told them what G.o.d had already done for us, announcing an address to which contributions might be sent. Almost every mail brought me the free-will offerings of G.o.d's people; and on Wednesday, when the adjourned meeting was held, the sum had reached in all 456. Believing that the Lord thus intervened at a vital crisis in our Mission, I dwell on it to the praise of His blessed Name. Trust in Him, obey Him, and He will not suffer you to be put to shame.
Clearing out from her sister s.h.i.+ps, then in harbor, the _John Williams_ and the _John Wesley_, our little _Dayspring_ sailed for Tasmania. At Hobart we were visited by thousands of children and parents, and afterwards at Launceston, who were proud to see their own s.h.i.+p, in which they were ”shareholders” for Jesus. Daily, all over the Colony, I preached in churches, and addressed public meetings, and got collections, and gave out Collection Cards to be returned within two weeks.
We received many tokens of interest and sympathy. The steam tug was granted to us free, and the harbor dues were remitted. Many presents were also sent on board the _Dayspring_. Still, after meeting all necessary outlays, the trip to Tasmania gave us only 227: 8: 11 clear for the Mission fund.
Sailing now for South Australia, we arrived at Adelaide. Many friends there showed the deepest interest in our plans. Thousands of children and parents came to visit their own Mission s.h.i.+p by several special trips. Daily and nightly I addressed meetings, and G.o.d's people were moved greatly in the cause. After meeting ail expenses while in port, there remained a sum of 634: 9: 2 for the up-keep of the vessel. The Honorable George Fife Angus gave me 241--a dear friend belonging to the Baptist Church. But there was still a deficit of 400 before the _Dayspring_ could sail free of debt, and my heart was sore as I cried for it to the Lord.
Leaving the s.h.i.+p to sail direct for Sydney, I took steamer to Melbourne; but, on arriving there, sickness and anxiety laid me aside for three days. Under great weakness, I crept along to my dear friends at the Scotch College, Dr. and Mrs. Morrison, and Miss Fraser, and threw myself on their advice.
”Come along,” said the Doctor cheerily, ”and I'll introduce you to Mr.
Butchart and one or two friends in East Melbourne, and we'll see what what can be done!”
I gave all information, being led on in conversation by the Doctor, and tried to interest them in our work, but no subscriptions were asked or received. Ere I sailed for Sydney however, the whole deficiency was sent to me. I received in all, on this tour, the sum of 1726: 9: 10. Our _Dayspring_ once more sailed free, and our hearts overflowed with grat.i.tude to the Lord and to His stewards!
CHAPTER LV.
THE FRENCH IN THE PACIFIC.
We went down to the Islands with the _Dayspring_ in 1865. The full story of the years that had pa.s.sed was laid before my Missionary brethren at their Annual Synod. They resolved that permanent arrangements must now be made for the vessel's support, and that I must return to the Colonies and see these matured, to prevent any such crisis as that through which we had recently pa.s.sed. This, meantime, appeared to all of them, the most clamant of all Missionary duties,--their very lives, and the existence of the Mission itself, depending thereon. The Lord seemed to leave me no alternative: and, with great reluctance, my back was again turned away from the Islands.
The _Dayspring_, doing duty among the Loyalty Islands, left me, along with my dear wife, on Mare, there to await an opportunity of getting to New Caledonia, and thence to Sydney. Detained there for some time, we saw the n.o.ble work done by Messrs. Jones and Creagh, of the London Missionary Society, all being cruelly undone by the tyranny and Popery of the French. One day, in an inland walk, Mrs. Paton and I came on a large Conventicle in the bush. They were teaching each other, and reading the Scriptures which the Missionaries had translated into their own language, and which the French had forbidden them to use. They cried to G.o.d for deliverance from their oppressors! Missionaries were prohibited from teaching the Gospel to the Natives without the permission of France; their books were suppressed, and they themselves placed under military guard on the Island of Lifu. Even when, by Britain's protest, the Missionaries were allowed to resume their work, the French language was alone to be used by them; and some, like Rev. J.