Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/308

 278 FIJI Aim THE FIJIANS. is near me every day. I know that my life is short, and I wish to finish it in serving God.' "William Raivakatu, Local Preacher, — ' When I am in Ono, I receive much of the Holy Spirit ; and when I sail to other lands, it is the same. Sometimes I have been in death ; but my mind was firm, — it did not shake ; I did not fear.' And he had been near death in its most frightful form, too. Julias Mbajinikeli, Local Preacher, — ' I am a very bad man ; there is no good thing in me ; but I know the love of God. There are not two great things in my mind ; there is one only, — the love of God for the sake of Christ. I know that I am a child of God. I wish to repent and believe every day till I die.' Fifita, a Tonga woman, — ' I know that I am reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. I wish to live to hear the Gospel ; for this only I wish to live in the world.' Daniel, a Local Preacher, spoke well. Among other things, he said, ' I wish to pray much. I read of Daniel praying three times a day, and of Jesus praying all night. I wish to pray very much.' Silvanus, a Tongan Class-Leader, said, he was convinced of sin while hearing the late ilr. Cross. ' My mind is like Paul's ; I leave the things that are behind, and reach forth to those which are before : I press towards the mark for the prize of my high calling, which is of God in Christ Jesus. I do not wish to live for earthly riches, but for God only.' Jeremiah, Tongan Teacher, said, — ' I have heard of the way in which others were brought to God : some by hearing the Missionaries. The Talatalas (Missionaries) were taught by their parents when children,' (alluding to Mrs. Hazlewood's experience, who had preceded him). ' My father and mother taught me also ; they taught me in the knowledge of god also ; but it was a false god. They beat me to make me worship a false god, and I became wise in the worship of false gods. But when my parents died, I rejected them, and embraced Christianity.' " During the month of January we had heavy rains ; and the weather being exces- sively hot, the mosquitoes became so annoying, that, towards the end of the month, we could get no rest day or night. Our bed curtains were cot proof against them ; and for several nights we sat up, brushing them away from ourselves and our children ; till, not being able to endure any longer, we removed to a little island on the barrier-reef, a mile or two from the larger islands. Here we were pretty free from mosquitoes ; and Mrs. Hazlewood and children were obliged to remain for several months. I used to go back- wards and forwards every day, to attend to the services, the sick, etc., which was a great tax on my time, and in rough weather very unpleasant, and not without danger, going in little canoes. " March 15th. — According to promise, I preached a missionary sermon. Most of the people (men) from all the towns came to hear ; and I endeavoured to show them what most of them were ignorant of before ; namely, the rise and progress of Methodism, and its present state, and number of Ministers and members ; how the Ministers were sup- ported by the contributions of the people ; and the present state of many heathen nations. I also endeavoured to impress on their minds the large expenditure necessarily consequent on Mission work ; that when we first go into a heathen land, we have no sup- port whatever from the people of the land ; that all our support must come from those who have embraced Christianity, and loved immortal souls ; that it was the duty of all who experienced the benefits of Christianity, to endeavour to extend those benefits to all men ; that all who know the Lord are expected to lend a hand to the work of the Lord ; that I did not reprove them by saying this, as I was happy to see they were doing what they could, and hoped they would consider it a duty, and still continue to do so. I read a short report, a copy of which several of the Local Preachers were eager to obtain. After sermon, I called upon three of them to pray, which they did with their whole heart and voice. It was something new to them, and I hope will not be without benefit. " 22nd. — A canoe arrived from the islands near Lakemba, but brought no letters from our dear brethren, as it came unexpectedly. "We heard, however, of several painful circumstances which had recently occurred ; the worst of which was the murder of Josiah, one of our Teachers at Lomaloma, by the Heathen there. He was a native