Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/288

 258 FIJI AXD THE FIJIANS. off" the more readily for the prestige of having belonged to a high- rank house. At Ono the people were fully prepared to yield to the Scripture law, and waited anxiously for the coming of the Missionary to join them in holy wedlock. The other Missionaries were now scattered in different parts of Fiji, leaving Mr. Calvert alone at Lakemba, with more than twenty islands forming the " Circuit" over which he had to watch. Tui Nayau, the King, and most of the Chiefs and people, were still heathen. Ono was a long way oif, and, moreover, to windward. The voyage in a canoe was perilous, and took several weeks and sometimes months of absence. Neither was a canoe, large enough and sufficiently sea-worthy for such a journey, to be easily obtained. Yet the claims of Ono were very strong. The work of God had greatly and marvellously grown there, and the report of it was noised abroad throughout Fiji. The new and unorganized Church was pleading hard for a pastoral visit, and their plea moved the Missionary's heart deeply. But there was another difficulty that troubled him more than the long and dangerous voyage in the frail canoe. His wife and little one must be left alone while he was away, — a position the painfiilness of which cannot be realized by those who know not what it is to have lived among such people a as the Fijians. In sight of all the difficulties, and of this last most of all, the Missionary wavered. Mrs. Calvert said, " Do you intend to go ? " " How can I ? " he replied. " Why not ? " she quietly asked. " How can I," said he, " leave you alone 1 " Let her answer be remembered : " It would be much better to leave me alone, than to neglect so many people. If you can arrange for the work to be carried on here, you ought to go." Yes, let that answer be remembered. Let it be borne in mind to reproach some of us for the wretched pittance of service we eke out to God, and call it " a living sacrifice." Let it be borne in mind when the world vaunts its heroism. It was not the cold word of an impassive indifference that cared for nothing, nor the rude boast of an unnatural and indelicate strong-mindedness. The heart from which that strong word came was as gentle and loving, as warm and as womanly, as any that ever crowned a man's life with wealthy joy. But it was " strong in the Lord." Let professing Christians, lolling on the pillows of lazy comfort, and thinking to purchase exemption from active service for God by the appearance of their names in the columns of respectable " Reports," — let them go and study the scene just described, in that lone Mission-house at Lakemba. And let timid, tender hearts, fearing the roughness of the way of service in which their warm love for Christ would led them, gain cheering and help from seeing how, all