Part 12 (1/2)
CHAPTER XL
WAITING AT KWAMERA
BEFORE I left the Harbor I wrote and left with Nowar letters to be given to the Captains of any vessels which called, for the first, and the next, and the next, telling theer, that Mr Mathieson was almost without food, and that I would reward them handsomely if they would call at the Station and reht be spared thence to Aneityum Two or three vessels called, and, as I afterwards learned, gotmy stolen property from the Natives for tobacco, powder, and balls, they took no further notice of ht on to Aneityum
”The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel!”
Letevents from my Journal, that intervened betwixt this date and the break-up of the Mission on Tanna--at least for a season--though, blessed be God! I have lived to see the light rekindled by htly and hopefully than ever The candle was quenched, but the candlestick was not removed!
On the 23d January, 1862, Mr Mathieson sent for Taura, Kati, and Kapuku, his three principal Chiefs, to induce them to promise protection till a vessel called to take us away They appeared friendly, and promised to do their best Alas! the promises of the Tannese Chiefs had too often proved to be vain
On Friday, 24th January, report reached our Station that Miaki and his party, hearing that a friendly Chief had concealed two of Manu men, compelled him to produce them and club them to death before their eyes Also, that they surrounded Manu of starvation, and trying to survive on the carcasses of the dead and on bark and roots Also, that Miaki had united all the Chiefs, friends and foes alike, in a bond of blood, to kill every one pertaining to the whole Mission on Tanna Jesus reigns!
On Sunday, the 26th January, thirty persons careat risk, we had Worshi+p at three of the nearest and es Amidst all our perils and trials we preached the Gospel to about one hundred and sixteen persons It was verily a sowing time of tears; but, despite all that folloho shall say that it was vain! Twenty years have passed, and nohen I a the praises of Jesus in that very district of Tanna On leaving the second village, a young lad affectionately took e; but a sulky, down-browed savage, carrying a ponderous club, also insisted upon accoot the o before hi
Co to a place where another path branched off fro to the left as instructed by the lad, the savage, getting close behind e club over his shoulder to strike ht the club fro instantly, had hold of the club also, and betwixt us rested it out of his hands The poor creature, craven at heart however bloodthirsty, ily, and caused hie fence In terror lest these villagers should kill hiladly received back his club, as well as the boy his bow and arrows, and they were lost in the bush in a e froht hisWorshi+p, and sat sullen and scowling at us all the ti questions were also shouted at us, such as, ”Who made the rains, winds, and hurricanes? Who caused all the disease?
Who killed Missi Mathieson's child?” They sneered and scoffed at our answers, and in this Taura the Chief joined the rest
On the 27th, at daylight, a vessel was seen in the offing, as if to tantalize us The Captain had been at the Harbor, and had receivedto induce him to send or co the plunder of my poor Mission House, purchased for ammunition and tobacco for the Natives He left the news at Aneityuo, and was believed to have beenChief Kapuku came and handed to Mr
Mathieson his own and his father's war-Gods and household idols They consisted chiefly of a basket of s with use He said, ”Whileto kill you and drive the Worshi+p of Jehovah froive up my Gods, and will send away all Heathen idols from my land”
On the 31st, we learned that a party of Miaki'sthe people to kill us Fai all his artifice to get us and the Worshi+p destroyed Manuman even sent, from inland, Raki, his adopted son, to tell s that he and his people were now passing through, and that some were killed alhter, hen the war began, returned to her father's care The savages of Miaki went to her own father's house and coive her up as an enemy She was clubbed and feasted on
On Sabbath, 2d February, thirty-two people attended the Morning Service
I addressed thee, its causes and lessons I showed thees could not hear our prayers or help us in our need, that the living Jehovah God only could hear and help They were much interested, and after Worshi+p carefully exa ourselves to Jesus, went inland and conducted Worshi+p at seven villages, listened to by about one hundred people in all Nearly all appeared friendly The people of one village had been incited to kill us on our return; but God guided us to return by another way, and so we escaped
During the day, on 3d February, a company of Miaki's men came to the Mission House, and forced Mrs Mathieson to show theh the pre into a closet rooh every rooone inland They discharged a musket into our Teacher's house, but afterwards left quietly, greatly disappointed at not finding me My heart still rose in praise to God for another such deliverance, neither by !
CHAPTER XLI
THE LAST AWFUL NIGHT
WORN out with long watching and ht early, and fell into a deep sleep About ten o'clock the savages again surrounded the Mission House My faithful dog Clutha, clinging still toquietly upon er in her eye glancing at h the shadows I silently awoke Mr and Mrs Mathieson, who had also fallen asleep We committed ourselves in hushed prayer to God and watched thelare of light fell into the roo torches; and first they set fire to the Church all round, and then to a reed fence connecting the Church and the dwelling-house In a few es waiting to kill us on atte my harmless revolver in the left hand and a little Aht, I pleaded with Mr Mathieson to let ain lock the door on hi ether! You will never return!”
I said, ”Be quick! Leave that to God In a fewcan save us”
He did let ain quickly from the inside; and, while his wife and he prayed and watched forreed fence, cut it from top to bottom, and tore it up and threw it back into the flames, so that the fire could not by it be carried to our dwelling-house I saw on the ground shadows, as if soht savages had surrounded reat clubs in air I heard a shout--”Kill hie tried to seize hold offrom his clutch, I drew the revolver fro up in prayer to my God I said, ”Dare to strike me, and my Jehovah God will punish you He protects us, and will punish you for burning His Church, for hatred to His Worshi+p and people, and for all your bad conduct We love you all; and for doing you good only, you want to kill us But our God is here now to protect us and to punish you”
They yelled in rage, and urged each other to strike the first blow, but the Invisible One restrained them I stood invulnerable beneath His invisible shi+eld, and succeeded in rolling back the tide of fla-house
At this dread moment occurred an incident, which my readers may explain as they like, but which I trace directly to the interposition ofsound caine or ofthunder Every head was instinctively turned in that direction, and they knew, from previous hard experience, that it was one of their awful tornadoes of wind and rain Now, -house; had it come in the opposite direction, no power on earth could have saved us fro the Church only that of a few ht with it a heavy and murky cloud, which poured out a perfect torrent of tropical rain Now,Church were thereby cut off fro upon the reeds and the bush; and, besides, it had beco-house The stars in their courses were fighting against Sisera!
Thedown unceasing torrents, and the whole surroundings, awed those savages into silence