Part 23 (2/2)
I at once replied, ”Then I conclude that you all agree with him, and wish me to leave We are here only to teach you and your people If he has power to prevent that we shall leave with the _Dayspring_”
The old Chief called the people together, and they caainst Youwili Go with us and break down the _taboo_ We will assist and protect you”
I went at their head and reround, with twigs and leaves and fiber tied to each in a peculiar way, in a circle round the Mission House The Natives had an extraordinary dread of violating the taboo, and believed that it meant death to the offender or to some one of his family All present entered into a bond to punish on the spot any e its removal Thus a mortal bloas publicly struck at this most miserable superstition, which had caused bloodshed and ed in clearing away the bush around the Mission House, having purchased and paid for the land for the very purpose of opening it up, when suddenly Youwili appeared and ly forbade me to proceed For the sake of peace I for the tiht to my fence, and with his tomahawk cut down the portion in front of our house, also some bananas planted there--the usual declaration of war, inti that he only awaited his opportunity similarly to cut downthe about ar of what Youwili had done, and that they were determined to protect us I said ”Thisfool to defy us all, and break up the Lord's work on Aniwa? If you cannot righteously punish him, I will shut myself up in my house and withdraw from all attempts to teach or help you, till the vessel comes, and then I can leave the island”
Now that they had begun really to love us, and to be anxious to learn ument We retired into the Mission House The people surrounded our doors and s and pleaded with us After long silence, we replied, ”You know our resolution It is for you now to decide Either you o!”
Much speech-, as usual, followed The people resolved to seize and punish Youwili; but he fled, and had hid hi to me, the Chief said, ”It is left to you to say what shall be Youwili's punishment Shall we kill him?”
I replied firmly, ”Certainly not! Only for murder can life be lawfully taken away”
”What then?” they continued ”Shall we burn his houses and destroy his plantations?”
I answered, ”No”
”Shall we bind him and beat him?”
”No”
”Shall we place him in a canoe, thrust him out to sea, and let him drown or escape as he may?”
”No! by no means”
”Then, Missi,” said they, ”these are our ways of punishi+ng What other punishment remains that Youwili cares for?”
I replied, ”Make him with his own hands, and alone, put up a new fence, and restore all that he has destroyed; and make him promise publicly that he will cease all evil conduct towards us That will satisfy reatly The Chiefs reported our words to the assehed and cheered, as if it were a capital joke! They cried aloud, ”It is good! Obey the word of the Missi”
After considerable hunting, the young Chief was found They brought him to the assembly and scolded him severely and told him their sentence He was surprised by the nature of the punishment, and cowed by the determination of the people
”To-ain will I oppose the Missi His word is good”
By daybreak nextwhat he had broken down, and before evening he had everything ht better than it was before While he toiled away, so, ”Youwili, you found it easier to cut down Missi's fence than to repair it again You will not repeat that in a hurry!”
But he heard all in silence Others passed with averted heads, and he knew they were laughing at hi a single word My heart yearned after the poor fellow, but I thought it better to let his own e, for a little longer by itself alone I instinctively felt that Youas beginning to turn, that the Christ-Spirit had touched his darkly-groping soul My doors were now thrown open, and every good ent on as before We resolved to leave Youwili entirely to Jesus, setting apart a portion of our prayer every day for the enlighten Chief, on whom all other means had been exhausted apparently in vain
A considerable tin ca between the shafts of a hand-cart, assisted by two boys, drawing it along from the shore loaded with coral blocks Youwili ca from his house, three hundred yards or so off the path, and said, ”Missi, that is too hard for you Letfor a reply, he ordered the two boys to seize one rope, while he grasped the other, threw it over his shoulder and started off, pulling with the strength of a horse My heart rose in gratitude, and I ith joy as I followed him I knew that that yoke was but a sye of heart was beginning to carry! Truly there is only one way of regeneration, being born again by the power of the Spirit of God, the new heart; but there areto the Lord, of taking the actual first step that shows on whose side we are
Like those of old praying for the deliverance of Peter, and who could not believe their ears and eyes when Peter knocked and walked in ast them, so we could scarcely believe our eyes and ears when Youwili beca for his conversion every day His once sullen countenance becaht His wife ca, ”Youwili sent me His opposition to the Worshi+p is over now I a too He wants to learn how to be strong, like you, for Jehovah and for Jesus”
Oh, Jesus! to Thee alone be all the glory Thou hast the key to unlock every heart that Thou hast created