Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/416

 dob FIJI AND THE FIJIANS. been prepared by Mr. Cross. An Alphabet and book of twelve pages were published in Somosoman, and twelve pages of St. Matthew in Rewan. Catechisms and other small works were issued in these dialects and in that of the Windward Islands ; and Messrs. Hunt and Lyth brought out a small Hymn Book of twelve pages in the dialects of Mbau and Lakemba, and which contained very fair imitations of some of the most familiar of Wesley's Hymns. Mr. Hunt also prepared a " Short Catechism," containing passages of Scripture, arranged in answer to questions on the doctrines and duties of Christianity. He also pub- lished twenty-three " Short Sermons," to which was prefixed an address to the Native Teachers and Local Preachers, including a translation of suitable extracts from the " Twelve Rules of a Helper." These two books, the Tai'o Lekaleka and the Vunau LelcaleTca, were much esteemed by those for whom they were specially produced, and, indeed, by many of the converts as well. The Morning Service from the Book of Com- mon Prayer was printed in the Lakemba dialect ; and Class-tickets and Almanacks were regularly supplied from the press. The entire printing establishment was thus in efficient operation : another and most complete supply of types and other necessaries had arrived, together with a second grant of paper from the Bible Society. But the difficulty about the dialects became more and more formidable. At the District Meeting in 1843 great concern was expressed for an entire version of the Scriptures ; and the New Testament was divided among the different Missionaries, to be translated into the several dialects. This seemed then the best thing that could be done ; but in the following year the progress was found to be very unsatisflictory, and it was seen that a complete version could never be obtained in this way. The fact was also considered that, if they translated separately for each division of the people, by the time their labours covered the whole group, they would have to supply no less than fifteen distinct versions of the Bible. In some cases the differences were small ; in others, more important. It was at last resolved that all the translations should thenceforth be carried on in the dialect of Mbau. This was selected as being evidently the purest ; and, further, because of the rising power of Mbau, which caused its forms of language to be more widely known than any other, and gave evident tokens of at last super- seding every other. Although the Lakemba people could understand the publications issued on the new plan, yet they were averse to the change, and, for their satisfaction, the Hymns were still printed as before. After the removal of the press from Rewa on account of the war,