Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/456

 424: FIJI AlO) THE FIJLAJSTB. they had never seen anything of the kind hefore, there could be no deception in the case. It was evident that the hand of the Lord was among them. Many were pricked to the heart, and cried in agonies for mercy ; and some were enabled to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and were made happy in a consciousness of their acceptance with God through Him. Then they prayed for others with amazing fervour ; and thus the holy fire spread. The meeting was not long, but the sacred influence remained with the peo- ple, until most of them were converted. '' To describe what followed is impossible. Some of the worst cannibals in Fiji were suddenly seized with the most powerful conviction ; and a sight of their state and danger threw them into the most awful agonies of sorrow. They wept and wailed most piteously ; and some were so agitated as to require several men to prevent them doing themselves and others bodily harm. Yet there was nothing foolish in what they said. They be- wailed their sins, and prayed for mercy, in a manner which astonished us. " Some of them had but very lately abandoned Heathenism ; yet their knowledge of the Gospel, and the propriety with which they expressed themselves in prayer, would have done credit to a person who had been born and educated in a Christian country. Were they not taught of God ? What some of them had long heard without much appa- rent effect, was now of the greatest use. Conversion to God is the only proper means for making theological knowledge practically useful. I never saw this truth so clearly illustrated as in the case of some of the older members of our Society in Viwa. We had long mourned over their apparent inability to understand the plan of salvation by simple faith in Jesus. Their Class-meeting statements showed a defective experience ; they were, in fact, servants, not sons, of God. ISTow the difficulty was removed by the faith- inspiring Spirit. His inspiration made all easy, and His testimony to the fact of their acceptance made all clear and satisfactory. At the end of five or six days we visited the whole of the people, for the purpose of learning their state ; and we found upwards of seventy who had obtained peace with God. Some of our people visited the out-Stations in this Circuit on business, and took the sacred fire with them ; so that when we paid our regular visit to them, we found them fully prepared, not merely for the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which we went to administer among them, but for the salvation of which these are but the signs and symbols. We had, indeed, a blessed, spiritual visit. Many times, when administering the Lord's Supper, the people were so overwhelmed with the power of God, that they could scarcely receive the elements. Let men deny our right to administer the sacred ordinance, so our Master and Lord honours us with His special presence, and makes it the means of salvation to those who receive it at our hands ! " Our Societies have increased in number about two hundred during the year ; but our increase of numbers gives but a poor idea of the extent of the good work. Those who have had a name to live, but were in reality dead, have been quickened; and, indeed, all have partaken more or less of the blessed boon of saving grace." In October, 1846, the Viwa Mission received the yaluahle help of Mr. Lyth, who removed from Lakemba to assist m publishing the new translation of the New Testament. On account of his medical skiU, the people named him Matai ni mate, — " Carpenter of illness," — and many received great benefit from his treatment. The good effected at this time in Viwa was not limited to that isl- and, but extended to other Societies in the Circuit, and good men and true were raised up to carry to their heathen brethren the knowledge of that Gospel which had worked such wonders on themselves. Verani's followers had been greatly reduced in numbers by the recent wars, and