Part 27 (1/2)
We had sweet conversation, and then she said ht be happy and independent as Queen ofto listen The Missi sees the nearer to Jesus And oh, what a ree shall hear the and pray to our dear Saviour! The hope of that ”
CHAPTER LxxxIII
THE CONVERSION OF NASI
NASI, the Tanna-h soaw in the terrible circureat illness that befell hiularly, but no kindness seemed to move him When about to leave Aniwa, I went specially to visit hi 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 ive up all your Heathen conduct, or he will just grow up to quarrel and fight and h all Eternity for leading him to such a life and to such a doom!”
He was very much impressed, butNative 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 hiood, 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 hi 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 e me too I want a heart like that of Jesus”
He rubbed off the ugly thick-daubed paint fro heathen hair; he went to the sea and bathed, washi+ng himself clean; and then he came to the Christians and dressed hiet 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 ularly, 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-- hi one who had sullenly resisted my appeals for hty to save!”
During a recent visit to Aniwa, in 1886, God's alhty compassion was further revealed to me, when I found that Nasi the murderer was now a Scripture Reader, and able to coat the Island, after my tour in Great Britain (1884-85), all the inhabitants of Aniwa see to welco at a distance, and had been sent for, but had not yet arrived On the way to the Mission House, he carasped 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 noorshi+p and serve the only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Bless God, 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 LxxxIV
THE APPEAL OF LAMU
MY first Sabbath on Aniwa, after this tour in Great Britain and the Colonies, gaveof allwhether the Church had fallen off inbroke on my ears! It was scarcely full dawn, yet I ju, ”Have I slept in? Is it already Church-time? Or why are the people ravely replied, ”Missi, since you left, we have found it very hard to live near to God! So the Chief and the Teachers and a few others , and spend the first hour of every Lord's Day in prayer and praise They are met to pray for you now, that God , and that all hearts lory of Jesus this day”
I returned to my room, and felt wonderfully ”prepared”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 infor my absence, and had also conducted the Communicants' Class, and they presented to me a considerable number of Candidates for membershi+p After careful exairls, about twelve or thirteen years of age and advised thee and habits ht 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 ht 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 ill be clear”
But he persisted, ”So then; and youto be baptized by you, our own Missi, and to take our place a the servants of Jesus”