Part 27 (1/2)

We had sweet conversation, and then she said more calmly, ”My days here are hard. I might be happy and independent as Queen of my own Aniwa. But the Heathen here are beginning to listen. The Missi sees them coming nearer to Jesus. And oh, what a reward when we shall hear them sing and pray to our dear Saviour! The hope of that makes me strong for anything.”

CHAPTER Lx.x.xIII.

THE CONVERSION OF NASI.

NASI, the Tanna-man, was a bad and dangerous character, though some readers may condone his putting an end to Mungaw in the terrible circ.u.mstances of our case. During a great illness that befell him, I ministered to him regularly, but no kindness seemed to move him. When about to leave Aniwa, I went specially to visit him. On parting I said, ”Nasi, are you happy? Have you ever been happy?”

He answered gloomily, ”No! Never.”

I said, ”Would you like this dear little boy of yours to grow up like yourself, and lead the life you have lived?”

”No!” he replied warmly! ”I certainly would not.”

”Then,” I continued, ”you must become a Christian, and give up all your Heathen conduct, or he will just grow up to quarrel and fight and murder as you have done; and, O Nasi, he will curse you through all Eternity for leading him to such a life and to such a doom!”

He was very much impressed, but made no response. After we had sailed, a band of our young Native Christians held a consultation over the case of Nasi. They said, ”We know the burden and terror that Nasi has been to our dear Missi. We know that he has murdered several persons with his own hands, and has taken part in the murder of others. Let us unite in daily prayer that the Lord would open his heart and change his conduct, and teach him to love and follow what is good, and let us set ourselves to win Nasi for Christ, just as Missi tried to win us.”

So they began to show him every possible kindness, and one after another helped him in his daily tasks, embracing every opportunity of pleading with him to yield to Jesus and take the new path of life. At first he repelled them, and sullenly held aloof. But their prayers never ceased, and their patient affection continued to grow. At last, after long waiting, Nasi broke down, and cried to one of the Teachers, ”I can oppose your Jesus no longer. If He can make you treat me like that, I yield myself to Him and to you. I want Him to change me too. I want a heart like that of Jesus.”

He rubbed off the ugly thick-daubed paint from his face; he cut off his long heathen hair; he went to the sea and bathed, was.h.i.+ng himself clean; and then he came to the Christians and dressed himself in a s.h.i.+rt and a kilt. The next step was to get a book,--his was the translation of the Gospel according to St. John. He eagerly listened to every one that would read bits of it aloud to him, and his soul seemed to drink in the new ideas at every pore. He attended the Church and the School most regularly, and could in a very short time read the Gospel for himself.

The Elders of the Church took special pains in instructing him, and after due preparation he was admitted to the Lord's Table--my brother Missionary from Tanna baptizing and receiving him. Imagine my joy on learning all this regarding one who had sullenly resisted my appeals for many years, and how my soul praised the Lord who is ”Mighty to save!”

During a recent visit to Aniwa, in 1886, G.o.d's almighty compa.s.sion was further revealed to me, when I found that Nasi the murderer was now a Scripture Reader, and able to comment in a wonderful and interesting manner on what he read to the people! On arriving at the Island, after my tour in Great Britain (1884-85), all the inhabitants of Aniwa seemed to be a.s.sembled at the boat-landing to welcome me, except Nasi. He was away fis.h.i.+ng at a distance, and had been sent for, but had not yet arrived. On the way to the Mission House, he came rus.h.i.+ng to meet me. He grasped my hand, and kissed it, and burst into tears. I said, ”Nasi, do I now at last meet you as a Christian?”

He warmly answered, ”Yes, Missi; I now wors.h.i.+p and serve the only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Bless G.o.d, I am a Christian at last!”

My soul went out with a silent cry, ”Oh, that the men at home who discuss and doubt about conversion, and the new heart, and the power of Jesus to change and save, could but look on Nasi, and spell out the simple lesson,--He that created us at first by His power can create us anew by His love!”

CHAPTER Lx.x.xIV.

THE APPEAL OF LAMU.

MY first Sabbath on Aniwa, after this tour in Great Britain and the Colonies, gave me a blessed surprise. Before daybreak I lay awake thinking of all my experiences on that Island, and wondering whether the Church had fallen off in my four years' absence, when suddenly the voice of song broke on my ears! It was scarcely full dawn, yet I jumped up and called to a man that was pa.s.sing, ”Have I slept in? Is it already Church-time? Or why are the people met so early?”

He was one of their leaders, and gravely replied, ”Missi, since you left, we have found it very hard to live near to G.o.d! So the Chief and the Teachers and a few others meet when daylight comes in every Sabbath morning, and spend the first hour of every Lord's Day in prayer and praise. They are met to pray for you now, that G.o.d may help you in your preaching, and that all hearts may bear fruit to the glory of Jesus this day.”

I returned to my room, and felt wonderfully ”prepared” myself. It would be an easy and a blessed thing to lead such a Congregation into the presence of the Lord! They were there already.

On that day every person on Aniwa seemed to be at Church, except the bedridden and the sick. At the close of the Services, the Elders informed me that they had kept up all the Meetings during my absence, and had also conducted the Communicants' Cla.s.s, and they presented to me a considerable number of Candidates for members.h.i.+p. After careful examination, I set apart nine boys and girls, about twelve or thirteen years of age and advised them to wait for at least another year or so, that their knowledge and habits might be matured. They had answered every question, indeed, and were eager to be baptized and admitted; but I feared for their youth, lest they should fall away and bring disgrace on the Church. One of them with very, earnest eyes, looked at me and said, ”We have been taught that whosoever believeth is to be baptized.

We do most heartily believe in Jesus, and try to please Jesus.”

I answered, ”Hold on for another year, and then our way will be clear.”

But he persisted, ”Some of us may not be living then; and you may not be here. We long to be baptized by you, our own Missi, and to take our place among the servants of Jesus.”

After much conversation I agreed to baptize them, and they agreed to refrain from going to the Lord's Table for a year, that all the Church might by that time have knowledge and proof of their consistent Christian life, though so young in years. This discipline, I thought, would be good for them; and the Lord might use it as a precedent for guidance in future days.

Of other ten adults at this time admitted, one was specially noteworthy.