
J 



^^SnTRAL AFRICA, JAPAN, 

AND FIJI: 



A STORY OF MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE, 
TRIALS, AND TRIUMPHS. 



BY 

EMMA RAYMOND PITMAN, 

AUTHOR OF 

** Heroines of the Mission Field,^^ *' Mission Life in Greece 
and Palestine i^'' etc^^ etc. 



AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 
150, NASSAU STREET. 



Butler &• Tanner, 
The Selwood Printing Works, 
Frame, and London* 



INTRODUCTION. 



The trials and triumphs of mission enterprise are 
exemplified in this little work, by sketches from 
three of the most interesting mission-fields at the 
present day. That of Central Africa possesses deep 
interest for all Christian hearts, from the fact that 
Livingstone, — the missionary-explorer, — first opened 
it up. There, the work of mission^ is still in its 
infancy : the seed of the kingdom is being scattered 
in little corners, here and there, while the first pos- 
session of the land by a few straggling workers 
faintly indicates the time when it shall " become the 
kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ." 

In Japan, the work is a little further advanced : 
the civilization, and refinement, more fully developed ; 
at the same time that the Christian religion is held 
before the minds of "Young Japan," as the highest 
wisdom. There the seed is springing up and pro- 
mising an abundant harvest. 

In Fiji, — that is to say, for the most part, — the 



Introdtiction. 



fruits of Christian enterprise may be seen. In place 
of degradation, cannibalism, and idolatry, are dis- 
played rfiental and moral elevation. Christian friend- 
liness and love, and a belief in the true God. The 
Gospel of Christ has worked a moral transformation 
in Fiji, such as approaches the miraculous. In this 
fact we may take encouragement : and believe that, 
ere long. Central Africa also, shall, one day, own 
Him, whose right it is to reign. 




ORIENTAL VEGETATION. 



CONTENTS 



CENTRAL AFRICA. 



CHAPTER 1. PAGE 
Savage Africa 3 

CHAPTER II. 

Explorers and their Explorations 39 

CHAPTER III. 

Missionary Enterprise 64 

JAPAN AND THE JAPANESE. 
CHAPTER I. 

The Country and its People 105 

CHAPTER II. 

History and Religion 112 

CHAPTER III. 
Manners, Arts, Customs, Manufactures, and Household Tradi- 
tions 123 

CHAPTER IV. 

Language, Literature, and Proverbial Lore 133 

CHAPTER V. 

The New Civilization, Laws, and Commerce, of Japan • . . .136 

CHAPTER VL 

Sacred Shrines, and their Devotees 149 



• • • 

via 



Contents, 



CHAPTER VII. PAGE 
Introduction of Christianity 163 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Bible Translation and Circulation in Japan ........ 175 

CHAPTER IX. 

Missionary Workers, and their Work 1 82 

THE TRIUMPHS OF THE GOSPEL IN FIJI, 

CHAPTER I. 

The Night of Heathenism * .... 199 

CHAPTER II. 

Situation, Description, and Productions of the Islands . • • .201 

CHAPTER III. 

Social Life, Manners, and Customs of the People . .... .210 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Religion of Fiji . • . • . . 229 

CHAPTER V. 

How the Gospel was First Carried 236 

CHAPTER VI. 
Introduction of the Gospel. I. Lakemba. 2. Ono. 3. Somo 

Somo. 4. Rewa. 5. Viwa. 6. Mbau 238 

CHAPTER VII. 
How the Gospel Triumphed, i. Mbau 2. Viwa. 3. Lakemba 

4. Rewa. 5. Rotumah. ... 275 

CHAPTER VIIL 
Translations of the Scriptures. Lord's Prayer in Fijian .... 289 

CHAPTER IX. 

The Fiji of To-day 291 



CENTRAL AFRICA. 



1. 



Savage Africa. 

Africa is emphatically the "Dark Continent." Its geo- 
graphical features, its lake and river systems, its populations 
and productions, its teeming native life and usages, are still 
to a large extent surrounded with mystery ; while, mentally 
and morally considered, "gross darkness covers the people." 
From the Sahara, to the Kalahari Desert, and from the 
mouth of the Congo, to that of the Zambesi, the people 
are buried in the densest heathen darkness. Their hea- 
thenism is not like that of China or India ; inasmuch as 
in many cases they are ignorant of the duty of worshipping, 
and destitute of the very idea. Their native customs are 
in some districts tinged by dark superstitions and vague 
terrors, but they have no systems, no creed, and in the 
majority of cases, no idols. Like beasts of burden they 
have lived, like beasts they have died, hitherto, for the 
most part, unblessed by the faintest sound of any Gospel, 
or "good news," for either this life, or the next. The 
remarks of a traveller in South Africa, respecting the 
natives there, will apply most forcibly to the condition of 
the people in the interior of Central Africa. " I must say 
they positively knew nothing beyond tracking game, and 
breaking in pack oxen. They did not know one year from 
another ; they only knew that at certain times the trees and 
flowers bloom, and that rain may be expected. As to their 

3 



4 



Central Africa. 



own age, they knew not what it was, more than idiots. 
Above all, they had not the least idea of God, or of a future ' 
state. They were literally like the beasts which perish." 
Only during the past few years have missionary stations 
been planted here and there, from which have radiated 
some few beams of Gospel light ; while, in other instances, 
the instructions and examples of missionary explorers, have 
produced some appreciable, though necessarily small results, 
among the tribes through whom they travelled. 

The very darkness and mystery of this vast region have 
attracted many brave spirits, eager to explore the secrets of 
these fastnesses of Nature, in the interests of science, or 
missions. The lonely forests, mighty rivers, inland lakes, 
and unknown dangers of this tropical land, have exercised 
a powerful fascination over a multitude of travellers ; and 
one after another, they have encountered dangers, dared 
death, and suffered untold perils, to add to the scanty infor- 
mation already possessed concerning this land. High on 
the roll of fame stand the names of Livingstone, Speke, 
Stanley, Grant, Baker, Gordon, Cameron, Burton, Elton, 
Schweinfurth, Petherick, Serpa Pinto, Kirk, Long, and 
Tinne. The story of travel told by each of these explorers, 
bears witness to the danger of the undertaking, and the 
bravery exhibited. Some of these travellers were accom- 
panied by their wives, who bore with fortitude, their full 
share of toil and hardship ; some explorers lay down and 
died, being conquered by difficulties, fever, and exhaustion ; 
while others have returned to tell us of the wonderful physi- 
cal features of that far-off country, and the savage darkness 
of its people. 

By Central Africa, we mean particularly the region of 
country lying between the Sahara Desert and the Zambesi 
River, and bounded by the Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, 



Savage Africa. 5 

This portion of the continent has been described as a high 
table-land, intersected with chains of mountains, and deep 
depressions or swamps, which lead to immense lakes or 
inland seas. Only near the sea, is the land low-lying ; it 
gradually ascends towards the interior, until a very general 
average height is reached of about 3,000 feet above the 
level of the water. This high table-land is well supplied 
with water, plentiful in game, abounding in dense forests 
and thickets, while through it, mighty rivers take their way, 
seeking their outlets in the distant ocean. In this large 
plateau or table-land, are to be found the following lakes :— 
Albert Nyanza, Victoria Nyanza, Alexandra Nyanza, Lake 
Tanganyika, Lake Kamolondo, I^ake Lincoln, Lake Nyassa, 
Lake Bangweolo, and Lake Chad, beside many other 
smaller lakes. From these deep hollows and lakes, flow 
the Nile, Congo, and Zambesi, beside a large number of 
smaller streams. The White Nile flows northward, for 
4,200 miles; the Congo, now re-named the Livingstone 
River, flows northward and westward for 4,000 miles, 
eventually discharging itself into the Atlantic; and the 
Zambesi flows eastward into the Indian Ocean. The lakes 
appear to be immense crevasses, or chasms, in this high 
table-land of Central Africa. Livingstone formed the opinion 
that many rivers had diminished, or disappeared, also, in 
this table-land, by reason of its spongy, marshy character, 
in some places, and because of earthquakes in others. 

Respecting this lake and river system, very little was 
known to this present generation, until the discoveries made 
by explorers of the last twenty-five years opened up, little 
by little, the wonderful secret. It seems, however, that our 
forefathers were not so utterly ignorant of Africa and its 
people, for an old chart of Africa has been discovered, 
which was published at Rome, in 1591, together with a 



6 



Central Africa, 



"Description of the Kingdom of Congo," which is sub- 
stantially the same, in its principal features, as modern 
charts. It was constructed by a Portuguese, named Duarte 
Lopez, who, it seems, spent nine years on the continent, 
and succeeded in gaining much personal acquaintance with 
the country. At that early date the Portuguese were masters 
of much of Africa, and a native Christian Church existed in 
Congo. But the development of the slave-trade, — which 
trade was supported and sustained by the Portuguese, — gave 
rise to hatred, intertribal wars, and enmity against the white 
man, so that, in course of generations, the once well-known 
information relating to Central Africa doubtless faded into 
dim obscurity, and ultimately into oblivion. Sir George 
Grey, has, in his museum at Kawau, New Zealand, an 
ancient African History, consisting of fifteen bound vol- 
umes, written in Arabic character, but in some dialect of 
Central Africa, not known at present. This manuscript 
history was obtained in the interior, by an Arab gentleman 
of Zanzibar, and brought to Sir George, upon his adver- 
tising for it. When the dialects of Central Africa are more 
understood, then, possibly, this hitherto sealed history will 
cast much light upon the affairs of the vast continent. 
At present, beyond the narratives of explorers, our know- 
ledge is mainly confined to Egypt, the Coast Lands, the 
South African States, Abyssinia, and the Western Colonies. 
But from what we already have learned by means of these 
narratives, we find, that 5,000 miles must be traversed from 
north to south, and 2,000 from east to west; that it contains 
one-fourth of the entire land area of the earth ; that it in- 
cludes different populations amounting in the aggregate to 
about three hundred and fifty millions of souls ; that the 
languages and dialects are to be numbered by scores, and 
hundreds, not one of which has been reduced to writing ; 



Savage Africa, 



7 



and that the country is cursed by a system of slave-catching, 
and slave-deporting, which renders whole districts desolate, 
and raises suspicion, fear, and hatred against strangers. 

For ages, the Nile and its sources have furnished a problem 
to the geographer and historian. Where does it rise ? and 
from whence comes this prodigious flood, which periodi- 
cally overflows its channel and covers the land of Egypt 
with fertihty ? It issues from a desert dry and rainless, yet 
at a certain period of the year it overflows, and by the feet 
and inches of its overflow, according to the Nilometer, 
may be computed the harvest. It was long supposed that 
the Nile rose in the Mountains of the Moon ; but the 
researches of explorers have proved that it takes its rise 
in the Albert, and Victoria Nyanzas. At Khartoum, the 
Blue, and White Nile join, and the swollen river then 
proceeds through the Nubian desert, into Egypt. It is 
however held, that the real sources of the Nile extend still 
further south, through the Alexandra Nyanza, right down to 
Lake Tanganyika itself. The mighty river of Egypt is still 
to some extent a mystery as it regards its furthest source, 
although 4,200 miles of its course have been traced. 

The Congo, or Livingstone, finds its source in the basin 
of Lake Tanganyika, being there known as the Lualaba, 
having also as tributaries the Lukuga, and Lufira. Living- 
stone believed this great river to be one of the foun- 
tains of the Nile, and would fain have followed it to its 
mouth in order to solve his doubt or confirm his belief ; 
but almost at the outset his weakened frame gave way, and 
he died at Chitambo, in Illala, on May ist, 1873. 1876 
Stanley commenced the work of exploring the Congo, and 
after fourteen months of unparalleled difficulty and eflbrt, suc- 
ceeded in reaching the mouth of that river, where it rushes 
into the Atlantic through a channel ten miles broad, and 



Savage Africa. 



9 



thirteen hundred feet deep. It was thus most conclusively 
established that the Congo was not one of the sources of the 
Nile, but a mighty river, draining the western watershed of 
Central Africa, and having a length of about 4,000 miles. 

The Zambesi rises in Lake Dilolo, and after following 
a course southward and eastward, empties itself into the 
Indian Ocean. It possesses some magnificent falls, known 
by the natives as " the Sounding Smoke," because of the 
five pillars of smoky, misty vapour which these falls send 
up, and which might be seen some ten miles away. On 
nearing the place, Livingstone discovered that the river, 
which was a mile broad, mysteriously disappeared down a 
deep chasm, right across its bed, of about eighty yards in 
width. The depth of the falls at this point is three hun- 
dred and sixty feet : at the bottom a tremendous whirlpool 
is formed ; out of this whirlpool the river finds its way in a 
deep chasm at right angles to the former course, and after 
flowing through deep, narrow, rocky channels for about 
forty miles, it reappears in more level country, as the Lower 
Zambesi. The falls, which are the most wonderful in the 
world, were named by Livingstone the "Victoria Falls." 
They are due, most probably, to some tremendous convul- 
sion of nature in the centre of that continent. 

Of the Lakes we shall have more to say, in connection 
with those intrepid men who have explored them at peril of 
life and liberty. They are surrounded by teeming popula- 
tions, mainly opposed to the presence of white men, sus- 
picious of their intentions, and ever ready to assault, openly 
or secretly, the traveller or explorer. Around Tanganyika 
many hopes and fears have gathered. Many explorers 
have started from Zanzibar to find it, but few have suc- 
ceeded in their quest. Some have been discouraged and 
beaten back by the difficulties of the way, others have died 



10 



Central Africa. 



on the very threshold of the discovery. This lake lies six 
hundred miles inland, and dangers of various kinds have to 
be faced before the explorer can look upon its peaceful 
bosom. Malaria prevails near the coast, tsetse fly assails 
the horses ; swamps, jungles, and forests have to be pushed 
through, and when the traveller has done all this and 
mounted to the high table-land, where he will find the lake, 
he has to fight his way, by fair means or foul, through 
robber tribes, treacherous kidnappers, and crafty thieves. 
And amid all these perils, happy is the traveller who escapes 
death by dysentery, or fever, returning to tell the tale of his 
wanderings and escapes, to more fortunate hearers. Tan- 
ganyika is longer and narrower than the other celebrated 
lakes, being nearly, if not quite, five hundred miles in length 
from north to south, but somewhat narrow, possessing a 
very general breadth of from fifty to seventy miles. The 
London Missionary Society have selected the shores of this 
lake for their operations. 

Lake Nyassa lies to the southward of Tanganyika, with a 
length of about three hundred miles, and a breadth of fifty 
' or sixty. It is surrounded by high mountains and bold 
clifi's, while a dense population live in the country bordering 
on this lake. This population is ever disturbed by the 
raids of slave-stealers, who devastate the towns, and render 
life and Hberty unsafe. The Missions of the Scottish 
Churches are placed on the borders of this lake. The 
Universities' Mission have also planted stations between 
Nyassa and the coast. 

The Albert Nyanza and Victoria Nyanza lie to the 
northward of the two first mentioned lakes, and are, as 
before mentioned, two of the Nile fountains. The Victoria 
Nyanza is an immense inland sea, containing about twenty- 
one thousand square miles, and equal in size to Scotland. 



Savage Africa, 



II 



Its size and boundaries were clearly defined by Stanley. 
King M'tesa and his people live on the borders of this 
lake, and among them the Church Missionary Society has 
planted some flourishing missions. 

The productions of this vast tract of land are various 
and abundant Time was when, in maps of Africa, the 
interior was represented by the general term, " desert." 
But this was done in ignorance of the true state of the 
climate, people, and country. Explorers have, however, 
proved conclusively that the high table-land of Central 
Africa is fertile to an amazing extent It affords rich and 
luxuriant growth, combined with the most massive forms 
of animal life. Rice, maize, melons, wheat, barley, pulse, 
bananaSj yams, dates, olives, grapes, oranges, sugar, coffee, 
cotton, tobacco, and indigo, are to be found thriving in 
various parts of the land. Tropical Africa is the land of 
palms in all their picturesque beauty, and of gigantic 
baobabs. The latter tree is one of the most magnificent 
trees in point of size and extent; a trunk of this tree has 
been known to measure 104 feet in circumference, and to 
be not less than 5,000 years old. The age has been 
ascertained by counting the concentric rings. 

The climate of Central Africa, which varies considerably, 
influences vegetable growth, as it would naturally do over 
such a vast extent of country. Lying so near the Equator, 
it has only two seasons — a wet and dry. It is the hottest 
and driest of all the countries of the earth, in the dry season, 
and the most abundantly flooded, in the wet one ; while 
from the earth, during the rainy season, there arises a 
deadly steam or vapour, which means death, or, at least, 
fearful illness, to all Europeans. In its wake, come malaria, 
ague, fever, and dysentery, sweeping off unseasoned travel- 
lers with fearful rapidity. 



12 



Central Africa. 



Africa is especially noted for its animals ; hunters finding 
there, large game" in numbers. Herds of hundreds of 
elephants have been seen there by travellers, and being 
much valued on account of their ivory tusks, many thou- 
sands of these animals have been slaughtered. A pair of 
elephant tusks weighs from 140 to 180 lbs. ; ivory-traders, 
finding this branch of commerce profitable, engage largely 
in the pursuit of elephants. Africa is also the home of 
the lion, panther, leopard, hyena, jackal, ichneumon, rhino- 
ceros, hippopotamus, zebra, quagga, antelope, gazelle, 
girafie, camelopard, and wild buffalo, besides many smaller 
animals. Chimpanzees, gorillas, apes, monkeys, baboons, 
and squirrels, abound in many parts. Among reptiles are 
to be found crocodiles, serpents, chameleons, and scorpions, 
besides locusts, and tsetse flies, which latter are insect-pests 
of no ordinary magnitude. Crocodiles form dangerous 
hindrances to the progress of a traveller, being crafty, 
powerful, and numerous in all rivers and swampy places. 
A story is told of a crocodile in the river Nile, which im- 
putes to that reptile some amount of revengeful feeling, 
as well as of instinct. It seems that an Arab, who sup- 
ported himself by hunting wild animals, once came to this 
swamp in search of crocodiles' eggs ; and after frightening 
off three large crocodiles, discovered a quantity of eggs 
deposited in the sand, took them, and made off to his 
tent with his booty. One of the crocodiles, however, hav- 
ing watched the proceedings, went back to the sand and 
searched for her eggs. Finding that they had been taken 
away, she swam down the river until she got opposite the 
hunter's tent, when she remained watching for some time, 
her gleaming eyes being visible above the water. The 
hunter and his friends cooked some of the eggs that night 
for supper ; but immediately their fire died out, the croco- 



Savage Africa, 



13 



dile charged the tent with much fury, repeating the assault 
so frequently and so desperately, that it was only by means 
of constant watchfulness and frequent use of their rifles, 
that they survived till morning. With morning light they es- 
caped from the vicinity of the infuriated crocodile ; but from 
that time, the creature was a terror to all who came near the 
river, killing animals and human beings indiscriminately. Of 
serpents, some terrible tales are told, both by travellers and 
natives. The Arabs believe that the serpent is rendered so 
heavy from bearing the sins of our forefathers, that one would 
sink a boat, were it to get on board. One of the most destruc- 
tive pests IS, however, neither animal nor reptile, but an in- 
sect, the tsetse fly. Expedition after expedition sent inland 
from the coast, has been conquered by this small enemy. 
It will not touch man, but it fixes upon all kinds of draught 
animals, such as horses, and cows, and its bite is certain 
death to all such. Another pest to travellers is the guinea- 
worm, which burrows in the leg, and must be drawn out 
carefully, by winding round a straw, an inch or two at a 
time, as, if broken ofl", it burrows again among the muscles 
of the limb. Some of the gorillas are called sokos,'' and, 
as described by Livingstone, must be most repulsive-look- 
ing creatures. He tells us that it is an ugly, hideous, 
pot-bellied creature, with yellow face, features somewhat 
human in their form, ears and hands resembling those of 
men, and immensely strong. One blow from the fist of a 
gorilla, or soko, will smash a man's skull, or break a double- 
barrelled gun in splinters. If attacked, a soko will en- 
deavour to get the hunter's hand in its mouth, when it will 
bite off all his fingers, crunching them between its strong 
teeth as easily as a biscuit. It does not however swallow 
these fingers, but coolly spits them out. Some of the na- 
tives assert that it will not attack women, or unarmed men, 



Central Africa. 



but it has been known to carry off children into the forest 
It will pull out the spear, if stabbed with one, and endeavour 
in the most human-like manner to staunch the blood with 
grass or leaves. It will thus be imagined that an explorer 
has to contend with difficulties of many kinds ere he can - 
make his way across the continent, or discover any new 
features of interest. In Tropical Africa we behold the 
grandest features of vegetation, the most powerful and 
savage form of animal life, the most repulsive ones of reptile 
life, and the most degraded specimens of human life. Un- 
civilized, wild grandeur marks its physical features ; degra- 
dation, vileness, and bloodshed, its native life. Only the 
glad tidings of salvation, proclaimed by those who count 
not their own lives dear unto them, so that they may win 
souls for Christ, will avail to turn this vast moral desolation 
into a garden, which shall blossom as the rose. As Living- 
stone says, " the end of the geographical feat must be the 
beginning of the missionary enterprise." To that, Africa 
must owe her regeneration. Mission enterprise must be the 
instrument, God's grace the transforming power. 

An immense continent like Africa is peopled by repre- 
sentatives of many races. Travellers' tales are not wanting 
in wonders, so that, at times, statements have been put forth 
demanding a large amount of credulity. Dr. Schweinfurth 
states that in the regions around the Equator, dwarf races 
exist, which are believed by scientific men to be the true 
aboriginal inhabitants of the country. Stanley was informed 
by King Rumanika of the existence of a people in the in- 
terior, only two feet high and of another people, " who 
had long ears descending to their feet ; one ear formed a 
mat to sleep on, while the other served to cover the owner 
from the cold, like a dressed skin." This explorer dis- 
covered cannibal races in his march across Africa, and the 



BAMHARRA FOREST. 



IS 



1 6 Central Africa. 

expedition which he led down to the mouth of the Congo, 
had, on more than one occasion, to battle over every inch 
of the ground with these bloodthirsty man-eaters. On one 
occasion he and his party were confronted by a tribe of 
savages who harked at them like dogs, and dodged them 
about in the attempt to wound and kill. A graphic quota- 
tion from the account given by Mr. Stanley himself, will 
afford the best picture of native savage life. " On present- 
ing myself, I attracted out of doors the owners and ordinary 
inhabitants of each hut, until I found myself the centre 
of quite a promiscuous population of naked men, women, 
children, and infant?. Though I had appeared here for the 
purpose of studying the people of Uhombo, and making 
a treaty of friendship with the chief, the villagers seemed 
to think that I had come merely to make an exhibition of 
myself as some natural monstrosity. I saw before me over 
a hundred beings of the most degraded, unpresentable type 
it is possible to conceive ; and although I knew quite well 
that some thousands of years ago the beginning of this 
wretched humanity and myself were one and the same, a 
sneaking disinclination to believe it, possessed me strongly, 
and I would, even now, willingly subscribe some small 
amount of silver money, for him who could best assist to 
controvert the discreditable fact. If the old chief appeared 
unprepossessing, how can I paint without offence my hum- 
bler brothers and sisters who stood around us. As I looked 
at the array of faces, I could only comment to myself, ugly^ 
uglier^ ugliest. As I looked at their rude and filthy bodies, 
and the general indecency of their nakedness, I ejaculated, 
' Fearful ! ' as the sum total of what I might with propriety 
say, and what indeed is sufficiently descriptive. And what 
shall I say of the hideous and queer appendages that they 
wore about their waists, the rags of monkey skins, and bits 



Savage Africa, 



17 



of gorilla bone, goat horn, shells, strange tags to stranger 
tackle ? and of the things worn around their necks, brain 
of mice, skin of viper, * adder's fork, and blind worm's 
sting ' ? And how strangely they smell, all these queer 
man-like creatures who stood regarding me ! Not silently ; 
on the contrary, there is a loud interchange of comments 
upon the white man's appearance, a manifestation of broad 
interest to know whence I came, whither I am going, and 
what is my business, and no sooner are the questions asked, 
than they are replied to by such as pretend to know. The 
replies were followed by long-drawn ejaculations of ' Men ! ' 
* And these are men ! ' Now imagine this ! While we 
whites are loftily disputing among ourselves as to whether 
the beings before us are human, here were these creatures 
actually expressing strong doubts as to whether we whites 
were men. A dead silence prevailed for a short time^ during 
which all the females dropped their lower jaws far down, and 
then cried out again, ^ Men ! ' The lower jaws indeed dropped 
so low that, when in a posture of reflection they put their 
hands up to their chins, it really looked as if they had done 
so to lift the jaws up to their proper position, and to sustain 
them there. And in that position they pondered upon the 
fact that there were men white all over, in this queer world." 

The vast continent of Africa is estimated to contain, as 
has been said already, from three hundred millions to three 
hundred and fifty millions of human beings, of different 
races, faiths, languages, and kingdoms. Around the north- 
east coast may be found specimens of the great Arab family, 
professing the Mohammedan faith. Proceeding into South 
Africa, we find a large number of tribes, which Livingstone 
classified generally under three heads : — ist, the Kaffir 
family, to which the Zulus and Matabele belong ; 2nd, the 
Bakoni, or Basuto family, some of the divisions of which are 

c 



i8 



Central Africa. 



known as "men-eaters"; and, 3rd, the Bakalahari, or great 
western branch of the Bechuana family. The tribes of the 
last family, being nearer to Cape Colony, have enjoyed the 
advantages of missionary effort for many years, and are, to 
a large extent, civilized and raised, morally and materially. 
Proceeding round the west coast, we find specimens of the 
pure Negro family. This question is however gone fully 
into in Stanford's recent " Compendium of African Geo- 
graphy.'' In this book is presented to the reader a table 
of all the known African tribes and races, each with its own 
distinct dialect or language. From this table we find that 
in Africa no less than six hundred and eighty- three different 
tongues are spoken. Each tribe requires to be placed in 
possession of the Word of Life, with a translation in its own 
language. Here exists a mighty work for missionaries, 
translators, printers, and Bible societies. The magnitude 
of the task may be understood from the fact that Stanley, 
during his wonderful journey of seven thousand miles across 
Africa, did not meet with one single individual who had 
ever heard the Gospel ; and from this other fact, that it has 
taken the British and Foreign Bible Society eighty-five years 
to issue the Bible in about two hundred and thirty different 
tongues. In contemplating the six hundred and eighty- 
three different tongues of Africa, and realizing the vastness 
of the task which awaits the Christian world in relation 
thereto, one may well feel appalled at the almost hopeless 
magnitude of the outlook. 

In regard to the social life and habits of the people, we ^ 
are told that they are superstitious, warlike, debased, cruel, 
given to fetishism, and enchantments, destitute in great part 
of natural feeling, treacherous at times, cunning and re- 
vengeful. They support themselves by hunting, fishing, and 
agricultural produce. The men do the fighting and hunting. 



Savage Africa. 



ig 



^hile the women build the houses, till the gardens, fetch 
water, wait on their lords, and tend the infants. After the 
infants can run alone, they are left to do pretty much as 
they like, and take care of themselves. On some occasions, 
when the tribe has departed on some warlike expedition, 
the little ones have been left in charge of some old women 
belonging to the tribe. On other occasions, when the 
parents have been pressed by want or debt, they have sold 
their children for slaves. They place great faith in " medi- 
cine men " and in witchcraft. Offences among them are 
punished by ordeals of different kinds. Most of the men in 
certain of the tribes keep more than one wife, and look upon 
them as servants. Drinking poison water, is one of the 
most favourite ordeals ; should the condemned person drink 
and die by the draught, it is assumed that the guilt is fully 
proved; while should he or she pass uninjured, the inno- 
cence is assumed. One of the missionaries travelling among 
the people near Mpwapwa, tells us that he saw, more than 
once, remains of bodies hanging from trees to which the 
criminals had been hung up alive, head downwards, roasted 
by a slow fire, and then their charred and lifeless bones 
had been allowed to hang at the mercy of the winds and 
beasts, as a warning to others. Among some of the tribes 
the punishments are very severe for stealing ; tortures of 
different kinds being inflicted at the will of the chiefs. At 
one part of his journey down the Congo, Stanley came to 
the dominions of the King Kasongo, a ruler of bloodthirsty 
habits and principles. The lives and property of the com- 
mon people are at Kasongo's disposal, and human life is 
held so cheaply, that certain rites and ceremonies observed 
in Kasongo's dominions are merely occasions for orgies of 
cruelty and murder. One custom in this monarch's country 
is that of burying alive numbers of wives on the occasion of 



20 



Central Africa. 



the death of a chief, in order that the great man may not 
go into the spirit-world unattended. A small chieftain is 
content with the burying alive of only two or three wives, 
but a more powerful one must have a corresponding number 
sacrificed. The king himself sets the example of cruelty 
and oppression ; for should he walk about his house, his 
wives lie down to make a carpet for him to walk on; when 
he sleeps, half-a-dozen of them lie flat to form a mattress ; 
when he sits down, one of them must make a back as a 
kind of stool for the ruler. Kasongo punishes the smallest 
offences by cutting off ears, noses, lips, and hands, so that 
Lieutenant Cameron, when travelling in that part, on being 
introduced to the monarch, noticed with disgust, the whole- 
sale mutilation and maiming which had been carried on. 
Scarcely a courtier stood in the royal presence who had not 
suffered loss of a limb or limbs. 

The following ceremonies are said to be observed on 
the death of the king of the Urua- Kasongo country. The 
recital proves how low and brutal human nature becomes 
when destitute of the Gospel. The first proceeding is to 
divert the course of a stream, and in its bed to dig an 
enormous pit, the bottom of which is covered with living 
women. At one end a woman is placed upon her hands 
and knees, and upon her back the dead chief, covered with 
his beads and other treasures, is seated, being supported on 
either side by one of his wives, while his second wife sits 
at his feet. The earth is then shovelled in on them, and 
all the women are buried alive, except the second wife, to 
whom custom grants the privilege of being killed before the 
huge grave is filled in. This being completed, a number of 
male slaves, sometimes forty or fifty, are slaughtered, and 
their blood poured upon the grave, after which the river is 
allowed to resume its course." 



Savage Africa, 



21 



Consul Petherick tells us that, among some of the Afri- 
can tribes, after the death of an individual, the intestines, 
heart, and lungs are extracted from the corpse, and feasted 
upon by the women. The body is then dried and smoked 
into a state resembling that of a mummy, and buried about 
a year after death. Among the Abarambo people a dead 
body is put up to auction, and sold to the highest bidder. 
The price paid for the body is estimated in lances. The 
buyer, after getting possession of the body, cuts it up, like 
the carcase of a sheep or bullock, and retails the pieces and 
joints to the people for consumption as food. The family 
of the deceased do not partake of the revolting food, and in 
this custom alone is their respect for the dead manifested. 
In fact, abstinence from the flesh of the dead relative is the 
recognised sign of mourning. 

As another instance of the way in which African chiefs 
use their authority over their people^ to kill and slay to 
their heart's content, another traveller tells us that during 
his stay at King M'tesa's court, that ruler caused twenty of 
his unfortunate subjects to be beheaded each morning, in 
honour of the visitor. That visitor, however, loathed the 
bloodthirsty compliment, and, at his intercession, M*tesa 
desisted from further massacres. The king signalised his 
accession to power, by killing all his male relatives and 
friends ; and, on more than one occasion, rushed in among 
his wives and children with spears, throwing them indis- 
criminately about, killing and wounding as carelessly as 
one would cut down forest leaves. But Suna, the father of 
M'tesa, was a more bloodthirsty monarch still. It is told of 
him, that he one day caused eight hundred of his people to 
be killed, to satisfy his rage ; while at another time, after 
going to war with a tribe of Wasoga, who had rebelled 
against him, he took and killed twenty thousand prisoners, 



Savage Africa. 23 

and then caused their quivering bodies to be heaped up in 
a ghastly pile as a monument of his revengeful power. 

M'tesa has, however, shown himself amenable to Chris- 
tian influences. Stanley, while resident at his court, took 
pains to instruct him in the simple doctrines of the Chris- 
tian religion, with much apparent success. A flourishing 
mission has lately been established among his people by the 
Church Missionary Society. It is to be hoped that he and 
his people will in time realize the benefits of their new faith. 
Stanley says that M^tesa and his tribe had adopted Moham- 
medanism, as a matter of fashion, just before his arrival, but 
that the king decided to change that faith for the Christian, 
upon the earnest representations and instructions of the 
traveller. 

The personal habits of the natives are in most cases re- 
pulsive. Their ideas of beauty are quite different from ours. 
Among some of them, fat and size are regarded as beauti- 
ful ; among others, tattooing and cutting the flesh ; among 
yet other tribes the habit is practised of the wearing of rings, 
or pieces of wood called pelelh^ in the upper lip, so causing 
the lip to project frightfully, like a duck's bill. Dirt and 
deformity appear to command respect with them, so per- 
verted are all their ideas of taste. The pelele is a round 
piece of wood inserted in the upper lip when the child is 
young, and exchanged, as he grows older, for larger pieces. 
This frightful ornament causes the lip to extend like a ring 
of flesh around the pelele^ and to fall over the teeth and 
lower lip down to the chin. These peleles are looked upon 
much in the same light as marriage-rings in England, and 
as jealously guarded. Simple loin-cloths, or fringes, with 
rings round the arms and ankles, form the staple dress 
of most of the tribes. Yet the head-dresses are sometimes 
intricate and massive, having beads^ wigs, and other things 



Savage Africa. 



25 



worked up into it, until the mass weighs from four to six 
pounds. 

Their houses are in most instances of the beehive shape, 
and furnished only with skins, rude mats, pottery of their 
own making, and weapons of war. In some cases the 
villages were numerously peopled, and arranged in streets 
crossing at right angles, or converging to the centre hut, 
which in such cases is that of the chief. Sometimes the 
chief is buried in his cattlti-pen, and after the grave is 
covered up, the cattle are driven round and round the 
pen for two or three hours, until all trace of the grave is 
obliterated. We are told of some curious habitations of 
different kinds in Central Africa. On one of the lakes, are 
floating villages. Logs, branches, and earth, are laid on the 
river plants, which grow in thick masses, and pushed away 
from shore. These masses are capable of bearing huts. 
Huts are then built upon the floating platform, which is 
itself moored to strong poles, until it suits the residents to 
move further down stream, when the poles are pulled up, 
and away the island floats to the next stopping-place. 
Cameron saw many huts built on piles driven into Lake 
Mohrya, and endeavoured to open communication with the 
lake-dwellers, but in vain ; their timidity and fear overcom- 
ing all desires for intercourse. Under the bed of the river 
Lufira, on the other hand, are to be found caves inhabited 
by a certain tribe, who find these catacombs to be a strong- 
hold and defence against assailants. 

The religions of these tribes, where any is practised, may 
be described as a kind of fetishism^ or system of charms, 
united to, or varied by, the superstitious fear of certain 
animals. In Wilson's " Western Africa " the following pas- 
sage occurs relating to the prevalence of fetish-worship 
among negro tribes. One of the first things which salutes 



26 Central Africa. 

the eye of a stranger after planting his foot upon the shores 
of West Africa, is the symbols of this religion. He steps 
forth from a boat under a canopy of fetishes, not only as a 
security for his own safety, but as a guarantee that he does 
not carry the elements of mischief among the people ; he 
finds them suspended along every path that he walks, at the 
junction of every two or more roads, at the crossing-place 
of every stream, at the base of every huge rock, or over- 
grown forest-tree, at the gate of every village, over the door 
of every house, and around the neck of every human being 
whom he meets. The practice of using fetishes is universal, 
and is so completely wrought into the whole texture of 
society, that no just account can be given of the moral and 
social condition of the people, that does not assign this a 
prominent place.'' A fetish is defined as a material thing 
which is made the object of brutish and superstitious wor- 
ship, as among African tribes. Professor Max Miiller says 
that fetish-worship is a superstitious veneration for mere 
rubbish, apparently without any claim to such distinction." 
A fetish may be a horn, a bit of bone, a round stone, a 
piece of wood, an ornament, a piece of glass, or indeed any 
object, singular in itself and mysterious in its meaning. 
These fetishes are supposed to guard the wearer from every 
form of evil — war, sickness, drought, death, and disaster — 
to procure every kind of prosperity, as rain, plentiful crops, 
plentiful catches of fish, success over enemies, preservation 
from the power of witchcraft, and to lead to every kind of 
success. There are fetishes belonging to the person, others 
belonging to the home, others to the chief and warriors, 
others to the towns and roads. The more uncouth and 
frightful the fetish, the more it is valued ; and a man would 
far sooner part with his life than lose it. Some writers re- 
gard fetishism as the oldest form of religious belief j others 



Savage Africa, 



27 



look upon it as the remains, in a corrupt state, of some 
purer primeval religion. This latter idea seems borne out 
by the fact that fetishism is nearly always associated with 
some idea of a supreme spirit, and a land of departed 
spirits. Among many of the West African tribes are to be 
found names for God ; and Bishop Callaway says of them : 
" The natives have a traditional belief in a Creator ] they 
have some dim notion of a great overruling spirit or power." 
There are also relics of a faith in God, among the Basutos 
and Bechuanas. A traveller, Emil Holub, says of the 
Marutse people in South Central Africa, that they believe 
in an invisible omniscient Being, who regards minutely the 
doings of all, and deals with each one as he pleases." Some 
travellers have stated that the tribes near the Nile basin are 
destitute of any idea of religion ; but this statement would 
seem to be more correct, if applied to some of the tribes in 
the interior, for contact with Mohammedan Arabs would 
inevitably be the means of diffusing some knowledge of 
religious matters. 

Among the Nigritian and Bantu tribes, the custom of 
praying to the departed spirits of chiefs and other worthies 
is much followed. Some of the people keep images to 
represent these departed friends, and present offerings of 
food and drink to them, although hiding these images jea- 
lously in some corner ot his tent. Dreams are regarded as 
visits from these departed friends, and hints or commands 
given in those dreams, are religiously carried out. In other 
parts of the country, on the contrary, the people live in 
mortal terror of evil spirits, and follow many observances 
in order to drive them away. " On the Gold Coast there 
are stated occasions when the people turn out in numbers, 
generally at night, with clubs and torches, to drive away 
the evil spirits from their towns. At a given signal the 



28 



Central Africa, 



whole community starts up, commences a most hideous 
howling, beat about in every nook and corner of their dwel- 
lings, then rush into the streets with their torches and clubs, 
like so many frantic maniacs, beat the air, and scream at 
the top of their voices, until some one announces the de- 
parture of the spirits through some gate of the town. After 
this the people breathe more easily, sleep more quietly, and 
enjoy better health.'* 

Witchcraft is strongly believed in among the African 
people of almost every race and tribe. Evils of all kinds 
are attributed to its agency, and every death in the tribe is 
ascribed to its means. This belief is the cause of unlimited 
suffering and injustice among the natives, seeing that an 
accusation of dealing in witchcraft is so easy to bring, so 
difficult to rebut, and so certain to bring down upon the 
head of the accused person, blind, unreasoning, cruel re- 
venge. The arts of magic which priests practise, the ordeals 
of various kinds in order to discover crimes, and some 
observances of fetishism, are closely allied to witchcraft. 

In some parts of the continent, reptiles are worshipped. 
On the Gold Coast, and among certain of the Bantu tribes, 
the crocodile is sacred ; at Bonny, the shark ; at Dahomey, 
the elephant ; in other localities, monkeys, serpents, hyenas, 
and tigers are worshipped. Any snake that creeps up first 
to the grave of a dead chief, is supposed to be his spirit, and 
is from that time viewed as a sacred thing, receiving daily 
offerings of food, and prayers. This form of idolatry seems 
to be one of the most degrading ; and, in the case of sharks 
and other beasts of prey, leads to the daily sacrifices of 
human beings in order to furnish food for the objects of 
worship. In other parts of Africa, human sacrifices are 
offered. In Yoruba, Bonny, Old Calabar, Dahomey, 
Ashantee, and other parts of the West Coast, these dreadful 



Savage Africa. _ . 29 

sacrifices have been long followed. The slaughter of 
victims at Dahomey has been told, again and again, in 
the public prints ; while the customs which prevail in 
Ashantee, are, if possible, even more revolting. It is 
stated that on the death of a brother of the king of 
Ashantee, on one occasion, no fewer than four thousand 
victims were sacrificed in honour of the dead. It is also 
said, that the king of Dahomey recently caused over two 
hundred young girls to be slaughtered, in order to obtain 
their blood for the purpose of mixing with the mortar 
destined for the building of a new palace. 

In some cases, certain legends have been found existing 
among the different tribes of the interior, which, to all 
appearances, are relics of some ancient faith. But on in- 
quiring more particularly, it has been generally found that 
some communications have been made to the people of 
that tribe by white traders, or travellers, of the histories of 
the Bible. Still, there are cases on record, in which it will 
be found that no communication has been received from 
the white man, but that legends have actually come down 
through many generations of natives, referring, doubtless, to 
the early history of the world. Stanley tells us one very 
interesting legend, treating of the creation of man, which 
he heard from a priest. This legend calls the head of the 
human family Kintu. It describes how the human family 
grew, spread, and sinned, until Kintu, angry with his 
children, and sick at heart at the sight of their iniquities, 
left his family. Kintu had a son called Maanda, who 
looked constantly for his father in forest and mountain, 
until he received a message from Kintu that he would allow 
Maanda to meet him. Just then, however, Maanda killed 
his servant, and Kintu was so angry at the shedding of 
blood, that, it is said, he fled away for ever. The Kaffir 



30 



Central Africa. 



tribes seem to have a similar legend — only Kintu is called 
Unkulunkulu. He is by them, represented as being lost, 
and there is a curious custom among some of them, of 
crying for the lost Unkulunkulu. From these, and other 
similar traditions, it would seem that at one time a religious 
faith must have prevailed over a great part of Africa ; and 
that, amid all these superstitions, idolatrous or sacrificial 
customs, legends, and tales, there is some faint belief in the 
existence of a God, in some form, and somewhere. It is, 
perhaps, another form of the Athenian worship of the 
" unknown God " ; only, in cultured Athens, this belief 
ran side by side with learning, poetry, and science, while 
in Africa it is co-existent with murder, bloodshed, cruelty, 
rapine, and degradation. 

Among the curses of Africa, that of the slave-trade is 
first and most disastrous. No sketch of the condition of 
the natives would be complete without a reference to it. 
Slavery has existed in Africa from the very earliest times, 
and constitutes what Livingstone strikingly called " an open 
sore of the world.'' We have to thank this indefatigable 
missionary explorer for much information upon this point, 
as well as for unsparing effort to abolish the practice. It is 
estimated, by competent authorities, that from half a million 
to a million of lives are annually sacrificed in the slave- 
trade, in Central Africa alone ; but this estimate must be 
enormously increased if we take the whole of Africa into 
consideration. In the north, and east, Mohammedanism 
rules supreme, and Mohammedanism enjoins the practice 
of slave-holding. Arabs are among the bitterest foes of 
the African, in that they greedily follow the occupation 
of slave-dealer, and by so doing, inflict untold sufferings 
upon the populations among which they roam. The 
region of the Nile has long been a favourite one for 



Savage Africa. 



31 



slave-hunting — Arab traders, assisted by white men, 
occasionally desolating the country, and inflicting untold 
horrors. At Khartoum, a kidnapping expedition would be 
openly fitted out and started for the country along the Nile 
bank. Were a war proceeding, this circumstance would be 
taken advantage of, and siding with the stronger party, the 
Arabs would assist in conquering the weaker, and then 
in capturing prisoners. Frequently, after securing a good 
number of slaves from the conquered tribe, the kidnappers 
turned round, and fought with their late allies, reducing as 
many of them as they could possibly catch, to the condition 
of slaves. Supposing that no quarrel, or intertribal war 
were going on, regular slave-catching raids were instituted 
by the lawless band, determined to succeed in their ne- 
farious schemes at all risks. Villages would be surrounded 
at dead of night, the inhabitants surprised, the huts fired, 
the old people and infants barbarously murdered, and ali 
the adult, and juvenile population above the age of infancy, 
marched off, in chains, to feed the slave-market. The con- 
sequence was, that in the Nile region, life and property were 
unsafe, agriculture and trade were paralysed, and the waste 
of human life was terrible, while so fearful were the cruelties 
inflicted upon the victims, that death itself seemed prefer- 
able. The Egyptian Government, however, has authorized 
Sir Samuel Baker, and others, to put down this slave-trading 
in the Nile districts ; and the evil is very greatly diminished, 
although not utterly abolished. In his interesting account 
of his expedition. Sir Samuel thus describes the desolation 
inflicted by the slave-trade. " It is impossible to describe 
the change that has taken place since I last visited this 
country. It was then a perfect garden, thickly populated, 
and producing all that man could desire. The villages 
were numerous, groves of plantains fringed the steep cliffs 



32 Ceiitral Africa. 

on the river's bank^ and the natives were neatly dressed in 
the bark cloth of the country. The scene has changed. 
All is wilderness ! The population has fled ! Not a 
village is to be seen ! They (the traders) plunder and 
destroy wherever they set their foot." At other places, the 
people informed him that the slave-hunters had cut the 
throats of many of the women, and dashed out the brains 
of the little children — looking on women and infants as 
useless articles of merchandise. In searching for slaves, 
Sir Samuel came upon these cargoes under all sorts of 
circumstances, and in all kinds of positions. On searching 
one vessel, apparently laden with corn and ivory, a sus- 
picious smell came from the forecastle, and the searchers 
probed the corn with their steel ramrods. Presently 
smothered cries revealed the fact that the forbidden articles 
of traffic were underneath. Sir Samuel says, ^^The corn 
was at once removed, the planks which boarded up the 
forecastle and stern were broken down, and there was a 
mass of humanity exposed, boys, girls, and women, closely 
packed like herrings in a barrel, who, under the fear of 
threats, had remained perfectly silent, until thus discovered. 
The sail attached to the mainyard of the vessel appeared 
full and heavy in the lower part ; this was examined, and 
upon unpacking, it yielded a young woman who had thus 
been sewn up to avoid discovery. I at once ordered the 
vessel to be unloaded. We discovered one hundred and 
fifty slaves stowed away in a most inconceivably small area. 
The stench was horrible when they began to move." 

In Unyoro, and Uganda, slaves were dealt in so regularly 
and so unblushingly, that prices were fixed for victims of 
different ages. M'tesa, king of Uganda, monopolised the 
tradcj receiving slaves and goods from the merchants. He 
then sent into the interior of the country, exchanged both 



« 



Savage Africa, 33 

slaves and goods for ivory, and pocketed the profits. The 
price fixed by this potentate for a healthy young girl, was 
a first-class elephant's tusk, or a new shirt, or thirteen 
English needles. It may be imagined how keen the slave- 
traders were to take advantage of this cheapness of human 
flesh, and what immense profits were made out of a single 
drove of slaves. After Sir Samuel had advanced into the 
country, and got friendly with some of the chiefs, he found 
that the institution of slavery was a recognised one — that it 
was the custom to take revenge on the enemies of a tribe, 
by making a raid upon them, capturing their women and 
children, and selling them into slavery. Indeed, he found 
that, in some circumstances, parents would offer their own 
children for sale. It will be seen from these facts that the 
custom of kidnapping, and seUing into slavery, all defence- 
less and conquered natives, had been made part and parcel 
of savage African life. Among the White Nile tribes, at 
one time, any number of boys could have been purchased 
for slaves, of their parents, while a large family of girls 
actually yielded revenues to the father, seeing that he 
always sold his daughters for wives, and exacted from twelve 
to fifteen cows for each one. 

Of the horrors of the inland slave-trade, Livingstone 
and other travellers tell us dreadful tales. Around Lake 
, Nyassa, the Victoria Nyanza, and some other districts in 
the plateau of Central Africa, are to be found the favourite 
hunting-grounds of the slave- stealing fraternity. In some 
of these districts, the country has been turned into a 
wilderness. Droves of prisoners are chained together, 
driven down to the coast, treated with utmost brutality on 
the march, and in very many instances, slowly killed by tor- 
tures indescribable. The horrors of the middle passage," 
across the ocean, from Africa to America, have furnished 

D 



Savage Africa. 



35 



a fruitful theme for the pens and tongues of philanthropists, 
when pleading for liberty, and freedom for the slave ; but no 
worse horrors could be enacted than are daily enacted from 
the captured slaves driven down to the coast of Africa in 
these slave-stealing regions. The skeletons of those who 
have succumbed to their sufferings, line the roads ; invalids 
are ruthlessly speared, and the brains of children dashed 
out, whenever their weakness seems to hinder the march. 
The population along the route, if not utterly rooted out, 
fly scared from the coming destruction, and roost in trees, 
or hide in caves : fruitful fields sink into a wilderness state, 
and villages are burnt to ashes. One traveller records the 
following in his journal : " Passed three hundred slaves, 
journeying from the Nyassa to the Mozambique coast. All 
were in a wretched condition. One gang of lads and 
women chained together with iron neck-rings, was in a 
horrible state, their lower extremities coated with dry mud 
and torn with thorns, their bodies mere frameworks, and 
their skeleton limbs slightly stretched over with parchment- 
like skin. One wretched woman had been flung against 
a tree for slipping her rope, and came screaming to us for 
protection, with one eye half out, and her face and bosom 
streaming with blood." Dr. Livingstone frequently refers, 
with indignation, to the scenes which he witnessed in con- 
nection with this traffic. Sometimes it would be an entry 
in his journal, like this : " Found a number of slaves, with 
slave sticks, abandoned by their master from want of food ; 
they were too weak to speak, or say where they had come 
from." Slave sticks " are long pieces of wood, with clefts 
cut in them ; in these clefts are fastened the legs of the 
poor wretches, in order to prevent their escaping. At 
different times Livingstone records that he had passed the 
bodies of. murdered, or starved slaves ; and with the noble 



36 



Central Africa. 



generosity of an Englishman and a philanthropist, he pro- 
tested against it, laying down his life in the end on behalf 
of the children of Africa. It has been estimated that 
around Lake Nyassa alone, the loss of population, on 
account of the slave traffic, exceeded fifteen thousand 
annually, while Dr. Livingstone calculated that not one- 
tenth of the captured victims ever survived the journey to 
the coast. 

In West Africa, other forms of slavery prevail. Beside 
the general practice of domestic slavery, there is carried on 
a system of " pawns.'' This system enables a man who has 
by extravagance, or poverty, got into debt, to pawn his 
servants, relations, or children. The interest on the debt, 
or loan, is paid by the services of the pawned slave, but he 
himself remains in a state of slavery, till the debt is dis- 
charged or the loan is paid. In this way parents who would 
not consent deliberately to sell their children into slavery, 
pawn them, with the result, that when death or fresh mis- 
fortune happens, the slavery becomes irremediable. This 
system, it need not be said, works untold mischief, for the 
lender always looks to the chance of securing the services 
of the pawn for life, as his security and repayment. Mission 
annals from the west of the continent, contain many sad 
histories of the hardship and suffering caused by this 
practice. 

Domestic slavery is the curse of the mission Churches on 
the West African coast. It has been observed that when 
a missionary stands up to address a congregation there, he 
views a population which is almost wholly composed of either 
slaves, or slave-holders. In the country around Abeokuta, 
some men will own hundreds of slaves, not so much for sale, 
as for the keeping up of their own importance, for wealth 
and importance are reckoned by the number of slaves which 



Savage Africa, 



17 



a man possesses. The usual price for a healthy young man 
or woman is about 15, but in case of scarcity or interfer- 
ence with the slave supply, the price rises to ;^2 5. Among 
the Churches founded by the Church Missionary Society, the 
following rule was adopted, and in some cases found to act 
as a check : " After much careful consideration the Society 
has decided that no Christian should purchase a slave, and 
that those who purchased them before their conversion 
should afford them time and opportunity to buy out their 
freedom, and in the meantime should provide for their 
Christian instruction/' Still, in spite of checks and laws, 
the system has grown so greatly, that it is asserted by some 
who have means of knowing, that at the present day there 
is an increase rather than a decrease in the number of 
slaves. The Church Missionary Society has therefore quite 
recently decided, that any member of a Church in con- 
nection with that Society holding slaves, shall cease to be 
a member, and that all grants-in-aid shall be withheld from 
native Churches which countenance the practice. This is 
consistent with English feeling, and with New Testament 
Christianity. 

The agents of the Congo mission find that they must 
ransom chUfl-slaves in order to have any little ones to teach, 
or to train as they want. From to will buy a boy 
or girl on the Congo River. Several children have been 
ransomed from cruel bondage in this way, and are now 
under Christian training, in order to be fitted for instructors 
and teachers, another day. 

Dr. Livingstone proposed to open up the country, to 
establish trading centres, to encourage the natives to culti- 
vate articles of commerce, and by these means to second 
the efforts of Christian missionaries in suppressing slavery. 
Native labour must be the agent employed in developing 



38 



Central Africa, 



Africa's resources ; and in order to inspire confidence, the 
system of slave-catching and slave-selling must be put down. 
Everywhere, Englishmen are recognised as the pioneers of 
freedom and religion; everywhere they are welcomed by 
the natives, and listened to respectfully. 

From this brief sketch of savage Africa, it will be seen 
how great is the need for the Gospel. Civilization cannot 
precede the Gospel, but it will inevitably follow. The news 
of the redemption of the world by Christ Jesus never has 
failed to bestow temporal benefit, and never will. Dr. 
Livingstone, on his return to England, urged that agents of 
different societies should occupy Africa, and work to this 
end. Many societies have listened to his rousing words, 
and have obeyed. Many agents have gone forth carrying 
their lives in their hands, to labour on behalf of the people 
of savage Africa, and to turn them from darkness to light, 
and from the power of Satan to serve the living God. 



II. 



Explorers and their Explorations. 

The desire to explore the interior of Africa has exercised a 
powerful fascination over the minds of travellers and ex- 
plorers. They have looked toward that strange continent 
with eager longing, desirous to wrest from the Unknown 
the mysterious secrets of the hitherto almost unrevealed 
land. A vast array of names come up before the mental 
vision, as one recalls the explorers of Africa. Barth, 
Richardson, Vogel, Mungo Park, Bruce, Landers, Clapper- 
ton, Schweinfurth, Gordon, Cameron, Stanley, Kirk, Speke, 
Grant, Burton, Baker, Petherick, Livingstone, Elton, Van 
der Decken, Serpa Pinto, Linant, Long, Du Chaillu, 
Mademoiselle Tinne, and many others, have left on* record 
tales strange, but true, of the country, its inhabitants, and 
features. These explorers, while serving the interests of 
scientific and geographical discovery, have served in an 
equal, if not a greater measure, the interests of the kingdom 
of Christ; for while unfolding to learned assembUes, and 
the general public, the results of their researches, they have 
moved Christian hearts to pity at the thought of so many 
millions of lost fellow-creatures — lost to knowledge, civiliza- 
tion, and religion. They have told of a world " lying in 
wickedness," far from the Gospel ken, and Gospel influ- 



40 



Central Africa. 



ences ; they have depicted human nature sunk in shame, 
degradation, and suffering, unhappy to a large extent in this 
life, and unconscious of any hope for the next, and these 
accounts have enlisted the sympathies of many Christian 
hearts. Thus, exploration has opened up a path for the 
Gospel, and has prepared the ground for the seed-sowing 
of the Word of Life. 

The earliest attempt at African exploration was made 
by Prince Henry of Portugal, who, in the fifteenth century, 
fitted out ships to explore the African coast. After many 
trials, and many years of labour, much of the coast of 
Africa was discovered and visited by Portuguese vessels. 
In process of time, Sierra Leone was reached, and the Cape 
of Good Hope doubled. Bartholomew Diaz, the sailor 
who first doubled this Cape, gave it the name of " Cape of 
Tempests." A passage to India was discovered by these 
Portuguese ships, which sailed round the Cape of Good 
Hope, and across the Indian Ocean, thus determining finally 
the size and shape of the continent of Africa. Following 
the lead of the sailors, Portuguese missionaries settled in 
the kingdom of Congo, in the seventeenth century. The 
French also made conquests in the north of the con- 
tinent, the Dutch and Danes on the east coast, and the 
English in the south. Cape Colony was first taken by 
the Dutch, about 1650, but in 1806 this colony was taken 
possession of by England, and has ever since continued 
an English colony. With the advent of the Portuguese, 
the slave-trade commenced. They captured specimens 
of the African tribes along the newly discovered coasts, 
in order to bring home, and this, repeated on a larger 
scale, led to the kidnapping of thousands to feed the slave 
markets of the Colonies, the West Indies, the Spanish Main, 
Brazil, and America. By-and-by this slave-trade began to 



Explorers and their Explorations, , 41 

present a serious obstacle to the progress of exploration. 
Slave-catchers and slave- dealers were guilty of such cruelty 
and crime, that in common self defence the people rose 
against them whenever they ventured far into the country 
without sufficient force ; while, unfortunate travellers, pene- 
trating into the interior without arms or escort, were ruth- 
lessly murdered by the natives, as a measure of self-defence. 
In the course of the three hundred years which followed 
upon the discovery and conquest of parts of Africa by the 
Portuguese, millions of the natives were captured and con- 
veyed into slavery, whole tribes were decimated, vast tracts 
of country were laid waste, and geographical exploration 
was rendered almost futile. During the present century, 
however, English hearts and EngHsh efforts have been 
directed to the stamping out of this great curse, and to such 
good purpose, that everywhere, from north to south, and 
from east to west of that great continent, the name of 
EngHshman is synonymous with the idea of freedom. Not 
only so, but geographical and scientific exploration revived, 
and hosts of explorers rose up, one after another, to go 
forth, devoting themselves to the opening up of Africa. 

In 179s, Mungo Park explored Abyssinia, the Niger, 
and portions of the West Coast, under the direction of a 
society of English gentlemen. After returning, he published 
the narrative of his escapes and discoveries, from which 
arose a great desire on the part of English people to know 
more of the African continent. In 1805, Park was sent 
out by the Government, in command of an expedition, to 
decide whether the Congo and Niger were one and the same 
streams ; but, unfortunately, after losing about forty white 
men by fever, ague, and other illnesses, he was drowned at 
Boussa. Tuckey, Bowditch, Lander, and Clapperton, were 
despatched on expeditions, either at their own cost, or at 



42 



Central Africa. 



the cost of others, to examine the West Coast, and its 
, adjacent countries ; but the deadly cHmate succeeded, in 
almost every case, in putting an end to the work. Still, 
with every attempt, fresh knowledge was gained, and with 
it, fresh zeal to pursue the quest. Meanwhile, in South 
Africa, missionary explorers were at work, travelling among 
the natives, and examining into their customs, country, 
climate, modes of life, and superstitions. 

Little however was known, until Dr. Livingstone, leaving 
for a time his station at Kolobeng, penetrated into the heart 
of the Kalahari desert, and discovered Lake Ngami. This 
inland sea had been talked of, dreamt of, and delineated 
upon maps, for some long years before its existence and 
its whereabouts were finally settled. Dr. Livingstone had 
been for eight years settled among a tribe of the Bechuanas, 
doing quiet, steady missionary work, and not without 
pleasing results. But in 1849, he arose, in company with 
Messrs. Oswell and Murray, to seek out new fields for the 
exercise of mission effort. He measured the distances 
travelled by a " trocheamer," an instrument which, when 
fastened on the wheel of the wagon, records and registers 
the number of revolutions made. By multiplying the num- 
ber of revolutions with the circumference of the wheel, the 
actual distance travelled on a journey can be at once found. 
He first of all came to the river Zouga, a beautiful stream 
with well-wooded banks. The natives told Livingstone that 
this river came from a country full of rivers and large trees. 
He says, "This was the first confirmation of statements I had 
heard from the Bakwains, who had been with Sebituane, that 
the country beyond was not ^ the large sandy plateau ' of the 
philosophers. The prospect of a highway capable of being 
traversed by boats to an entirely unexplored and very popu- 
lous region, grew from that time forward stronger and stronger 



Explorers and their Explorations, 43 

in my mind ; so much so, that when we actually came to the 
lake, this idea occupied such a large portion of my mental 
vision, that the actual discovery seemed but of little import- 
ance. On the first of August, 1849, we came to the north- 
east end of Lake Ngami, , . , and for the first time, 
this fine-looking sheet of water was beheld by Europeans." 
After this discovery, Dr. Livingstone returned to the Cape, 
and having accomplished one or two other short journeys, 
sent his wife and family to England, while he started afresh 
on a journey of discovery. He hoped to meet Mrs. Living- 
stone in England, two years from that time ; but, as it turned 
out, five years were spent in toilsome exploration before the 
severed ones met again. During that interval, the traveller 
journeyed from Cape Town to St. Paul de Loanda, in 
Angola, on the West Coast, and from there, across Southern 
Central Africa, to Quilimane, on the East Coast. During 
this journey he discovered the Zambesi, and conceived the 
idea of opening up the country to European commerce. 
He then came to England, and recounted the story of his 
discoveries. He told of long stretches of luxuriant country, 
of noble rivers, of magnificent trees, of friendly chiefs, of 
kindly disposed natives, and of a region awaiting the light 
of truth. As he told his wonderful story in the hesitancy 
of speech which characterized one who had long for- 
gotten his mother-tongue, the enthusiasm of multitudes was 
aroused on behalf of African research and African missions. 
After issuing this story in a volume, he returned to Africa 
on March loth, 1858, to follow up the discoveries he had 
made ; explored the Shire, and Zambesi, afresh, sailed over 
Lake Nyassa, and journeyed to the Makololo country. 
During this tour, he suffered bereavement by losing his 
faithful wife. Mrs. Livingstone had sailed to the East 
Coast in the Gorgon, with some members of the Universities' 



44 



Central Africa, 



Mission, and soon after landing, died of fever at Shupanga, 
April 27th, 1862. Returning again to England for a brief 
space, he made preparations for another journey into the 
interior of Africa. *^His object was now to proceed as 
nearly parallel as possible to the course of the Rovuma, to 
reach the northern end of Lake Nyassa, and to ascertain 
whether this lake and Lake Tanganyika joined waters. 
From thence he would endeavour to extend his explorations 
northwards on the chain of lakes, working upwards towards 
the Nile sources." This was a hazardous undertaking ; a 
German explorer, Dr. Roscher, had been murdered in i860, 
while engaged upon similar researches ; but still Livingstone 
was not dismayed. Everywhere he found that slavery was 
" the open sore of Africa ; upon every occasion he en- 
deavoured to combat it, and continually he found that it 
was opposed to the mental and spiritual upraising of the 
people. Being now British consul, he could exercise some 
degree of authority, and always was this authority used in 
the interests of science, humanity, and rehgion. During 
this journey, his Johanna men deserted him, and raised a 
story of his death ; but many, who knew Livingstone, dis- 
believed this story. A search was instituted for him, and 
it was found that he yet lived. After a while he became 
lost again, and a second *^ Search Expedition was organ- 
ized under the direction of Livingstone's son and others. 
While this was proceeding, however, to the interior, it 
became known that an energetic American, commissioned 
by the New York Herald^ and named Henry Stanley, had 
found the lost traveller at Ujiji, and had succoured him. In 
1872, Stanley left the great explorer, who could not be 
persuaded to relinquish his task and return home. He had 
other work yet to accomplish, and was determined to suc- 
ceed, or die. But in order to fulfil these tasks, he had to 



Explorers and their Explorations 45 



travel through an unhealthy country, and this in a rainy 
season, which combination of circumstances meant death to 
a weakened frame. Lower and lower he sank, yet ever 
pushing forward," until this "prince of pioneers " died in 
a lonely hut at Illala, on the night of May 4th, 1873. The 
faithful band who accompanied Livingstone, embalmed his 
body after a primitive fashion, and wrapping up the corpse 
so as to remove the appearance of its being a dead body, 
bore their burden faithfully, through all sorts of obstacles, 
over a thousand miles of country, to Zanzibar, where it 
was reverently coffined, and shipped for England. David 
Livingstone lies now in Westminster Abbey, a hero among 
heroes, a prince among princes. And, although vanished 
from the land of his adoption and the work of his hearf s 
best love, his words remain with us, urging to fresh con- 
quests on behalf of Christ's kingdom. 

Sir Samuel Baker's travels and explorations were confined 
principally to the Egyptian, Soudan, and Nile regions. This 
gentleman was commissioned by the Khedive to suppress 
the slave-trade of the White Nile, and to annex a large 
portion of equatorial territory to Egypt. This was done, at 
least to a very large extent ; commerce was encouraged, a 
form of government established which promised protection 
to the people, and the way opened up for the introduction 
of mission labour, and mission agents. By the accomplish- 
ment of these ends, the great lakes of Central Africa were 
opened up to traffic, and safety of life and limb secured to 
travellers, whether missionary, scientific, or trading. Sii 
Samuel found that the country of the White Nile was sub- 
jected to a regular system of brigandage. In order to secure 
the needed supply of slaves for the markets, various mer- 
chants of Khartoum, subjects of the Egyptian Government, 
were in the habit of occupying fixed stations in special 



V 



4^ Central Africa. 

districts, by which means they could sweep the surrounding 
country, kill, burn, torture, take prisoners, and drive off the 




AFRICAN BIRDS. 



human cattle to the best market. One trader had as many 
as 2,500 Arabs in his employment, paid to ravage the equa- 



Explorers and their Explorations, 47 

torial regions, and these men were divided into companies, 
and commanded by officers, exactly like regiments of soldiers. 
Another slave-trader assumed authority over ninety square 
miles of territory, and by his lawless bands inflicted destruc- 
tion, bondage, or death upon thousands of families. But, 
armed with authority, and supplied with men and arms. Sir 
Samuel suppressed the slave-trade in those regions to which 
he was especially appointed. Ismail, the then Khedive, 
succeeded largely in ridding that part of Africa under his 
jurisdiction, of the terrible curse, and so indirectly opened 
up the country from the Egyptian side, to civilization and 
Christian influences. 

Colonel Gordon succeeded to the work commenced so 
ably by Sir Samuel Baker, and under his rule further im- 
provements were eflected ; the government has been more 
firmly established, and security for life and property assured. 
Further plans have been inaugurated, which will result pro- 
bably in throwing open the heart of Africa to civilizing and 
Christianizing influences. Among other things, a railway is 
projected from Cairo to Khartoum, which will, when finished, 
ensure direct and speedy communication by rail or river with 
the country bordering on the Equator. Dr. Schweinfurth, a 
recent traveller through the same regions, has borne testi- 
mony again and again to the fact of the suppression of the 
slave-trade by Sir S. Baker, and the establishment of better 
government. Consul Petherick travelled over the same dis- 
trict as that explored by Baker, and Schweinfurth, and fully 
endorses their statements as to the terrible efiects of the slave 
traffic upon a beautiful region. Upon one occasion, he found 
that a raid of the kidnappers in the villages around Gondo- 
koro, resulted in the capture of 351 negroes, and 3,000 head 
of cattle. These were divided in equal portions among those 
who took part in the nefarious work. As he travelled there 



48 



Central Africa. 



some few years before Baker had authority to suppress the 
slave-trade, he saw it in all its hateful features, and bears 
ample testimony to its desolating effects. He gives the fol- 
lowing mournful song, as one sung by the rescued slaves, to 
express their feelings at the losses sustained by robbers and 
slave-stealers : 

" Why did you steal my cattle ? 
I am an orphan ; why did you steal my cattle ? 
Were my father alive, you would not have dared to do so ; 
He is no more,, and I am unprotected. 
Give me back my cattle : 
I am an orphan ; oh, give me back my cattle ! " 

An Italian explorer, named Miani, pursued his researches 
into the condition of the people of this Nile region, and 
extended these researches into the Nyam-Nyam territory, 
where he found dwarfs, and cannibals. Colonel Long also 
followed in the same pursuit. A lady explorer deserves 
mention here — Mademoiselle Tinne, a Dutch lady, who is 
said to have been the first European female who ventured 
alone to brave the hardships and dangers attending the work 
of exploration. Lady Baker, Mrs. Livingstone, and Mrs. 
Petherick accompanied their husbands in the same work, 
but Mademoiselle Tinne was alone, save one or two devoted 
female friends who accompanied her and shared her hard- 
ships. This little party was broken up by death in 1863. 

The travellers Speke and Grant spent some time in 
exploring the lake regions of Central Africa. They met 
with Baker at one point, and exchanged information. The 
two travellers had reached Gondokoro from Zanzibar^ Speke 
having walked the whole way. " Grant was in honourable 
rags, his bare knees projecting through the remnants of 
trousers that were an exhibition of rough industry and 
tailor work." At Kamrasi's capital they had experienced 



Explorers and their Explorations. 49 



vexatious delays, and had been subjected to numberless 
exactions. These, Baker found to be repeated, and even 
surpassed in his case, for, to crown all his demands, Kam- 
rasi made a proposition to exchange wives. Baker met this 
demand with the presentation of a loaded pistol, assuring 
Kamrasi, that if he mentioned Lady Baker again, he should 
be instantly shot dead. This incident proves how full of 
danger African exploration is for ladies. 

Speke explored the Victoria Nyanza in 1858, for the first 
time, but meeting with objections to his statements, re- 
turned to the continent in i860, in company with Grant, to 
verify and add to his former explorations. They then met 
with M'tesa, king of Uganda, and formed by no means a 
flattering opinion of that potentate, for his conduct to them 
was anything but encouraging or conciliatory. Although 
fully exploring the Victoria Nyanza, their solution was not 
accepted in all quarters ; as by many it was believed that 
the Albert Nyanza and Lake Tanganyika were one and the 
same sheet of water. One party of geographers held to this 
opinion, while another section believed that they were really 
distinct lakes. The questions of the sources of the Nile were 
still unsettled, and an Anglo-American expedition was fitted 
out, with Mr. Henry Stanley at its head, to decide the matter. 

The New York Herald^ and the London Daily Telegraph 
furnished Mr. Stanley with funds for this enterprise. Two 
years previously, he had found Livingstone, and had achieved 
fame by the way in which he had accomplished that feat. 
He went at this task with a will, and started from Bagamoyo 
on the Zanzibar coast, on the 17th November, 1874, 
with a retinue of 356 souls, prepared to win his way by 
force of arms or tongue, through the continent to the goal 
of his ambition. Difficulties came upon him thick and 
fast. With the people of Ituru, he had to fight a three 

E 



Central Africa, 



days' battle," and lost twenty-eight men killed and wounded. 
At other times, numbers of the people were sick, and caused 
delay, because of their inability to proceed. Nevertheless, 
in spite of all obstacles, Stanley reached the Victoria 
Nyanza, and commenced his voyage in the Lady Alice y 
which boat had been carried to that point in sections, on 
March 8th, 1875. The story of his voyage around the coasts 
of this inland sea is peculiarly interesting. He describes 
the rocky promontories, the bold cliffs, the wooded heights, 
the deep bays, and the fertile plains which skirt the shores 
of the Victoria Lake. In the distance, snowy mountain 
ranges would appear, and sometimes rushing rivers would 
hasten down to swell its blue waters. The lake swarmed 
with hippopotami and alligators ; while around its borders 
were tribes of naked savages, who only longed for the chance 
of getting the travellers into their barbarous hands. Stones 
and spears were flung at them ; threats were yelled out from 
hundreds of savage throats ; famine, storm, and hardship 
dogged their footsteps, but after two months of gallant 
endeavour, Stanley returned to the point from which he had 
started, and proved that the Victoria Nyanza was a vast 
inland lake, and the chief source of the Nile. 

During this tour, Stanley made King M^tesa's acquaintance, 
and soon formed an opinion quite contrary to that of pre- 
ceding explorers. This king's capital is called Rubaga, 
and is situated on the summit of one of the dome-shaped 
hills of Uganda. Four beautiful roads lead up the hill; 
fences line the roads, and winding paths connect each road, 
leading through beautiful gardens and luxuriant fruit trees. 
M'tesa was surrounded by barbarous state, and hundreds of 
noisy instruments heralded his approach. He was dignified 
in manner, and gorgeously dressed, while a certain amount 
of civilization existed at his court and capital. Moreover, 



52 



Central Africa, 



M'tesa had greatly improved since the time when Speke 
and Grant had seen him, for he had left off many barbarous 
customs and savage traits, and had adopted Moham- 
medanism. An Arab mollah, or priest, had visited M'tesa, 
and had secured his outward adhesion, at least, to the 
Mohammedan faith. As the result, M'tesa had given up 
drinking, observed the Moslem Sabbath, and adopted many 
civilized customs. Stanley so admired M'tesa that he 
resolved to attempt his conversion to Christianity, and with 
that view proceeded to instruct the king daily in the prin- 
ciples of the Christian religion. Captivated with the notion 
of being powerful and honoured, like Englishmen, M'tesa 
applied himself heartily to the work of learning ; and, as far 
as head knowledge went, soon reached a very creditable 
stage. He then commanded his people to observe two 
Sabbaths, weekly, — the Moslem, and Christian, — wrote out 
the Ten Commandments on a board for daily reference, 
and after reading the Bible with " Stamlee," — as he called 
the explorer, — ordered his Waganda writers to copy out an 
abridgment of the Bible. Finally, he summoned a council 
of his chiefs and people, and after asking their opinion, 
declared his intention of adopting the Christian faith as the 
national faith of Uganda. It seems likely that his adoption 
of Christianity, was more a matter of policy, and form, than 
the adhesion of the heart. It is a fact, however, that he 
expressed his desire for the presence and instruction of 
Christian teachers j and missionary effort has been put forth 
among his people by the Church Missionary Society, in 
response to his appeal. Of that mission and its work, we 
shall have more to say further on. 

Leaving Uganda, Stanley pressed forward to explore the 
Muta Nzige, but his Waganda warriors deserted him, and 
he was forced to return. But he discovered a new branch 



Explorers and their Explorations. 53 

of the Nile, which he named the Alexandrian Nile, and 
formed the idea that the ultimate sources of the river of 
Egypt would be found in other lakes. Still, this mystery 
was unsolved. He also visited the court of Rumanika, a 
gentle, kind old native king, and spent some pleasant time 
with him in Karagwe. He also met with Mirambo, a 
robber chief, who ravaged a district of ninety thousand 
square miles, and formed an alliance of brotherhood with 
him. By this means he doubtless escaped his bloodthirsty 
attentions, and went on his journey in peace. 

Messrs. Wilson and Felkin, of the Church Missionary 
Society, in their recently published volume on " Uganda 
and the Egyptian Soudan," assert that the final source of the 
Nile is to be found in the Albert Nyanza. Mr. Felkin thus 
sums up the result of his geographical explorations : " The 
mystery which for so many ages has enveloped the mighty 
river is now solved, and lies open before me ; for I have 
been permitted to trace the Nile through Egypt up to the 
Victoria Lake, and thence to its home in the Albert Nyanza, 
and I claim the honour of being the first Englishman who 
has seen both the Victoria, and Albert Lakes, and returned 
in safety to England." It would seem as if successive 
explorers were destined to unravel the mysteries yet remain- 
ing in connection with the Central African lake system, so 
that conjecture shall be replaced by certainty, and proba- 
bilities by hard facts. 

Lieutenants Cameron and Murphy, accompanied by Dr. 
Dillon, come next in our list of explorers. They started 
for Lake Tanganyika, in 1873, in search of Livingstone ; 
but by the time they had arrived at Unyanyembe, they were 
all sick with the malarious fever of the coast. Six hundred 
miles, " straight as the crow flies," have to be traversed, 
through malarious marshes, Mirambo's savages, tsetse flies, 



54 



Central Africa, 



ague-laden air, and various other obstacles. It is not till 
the traveller reaches the high table-land, that he breathes 
healthy air, or has a chance of travelling without loss of 
life. All three travellers in Cameron's party had fever, and 
Dr. Dillon shot himself while in the delirium which accom- 
panied it. Murphy then turned back to the coast as soon 
as able, while Cameron resolved to struggle on alone toward 
the lake. After a weary journey he reached the lake. " At 
first," he says, "I could hardly realize it. Lying at the 
bottom of a steep descent was a bright blue patch about 
a mile long, then some trees, and beyond them a great grey 
expanse, having the appearance of sky, with floating clouds. 
* That the lake ! ' said I in disdain, looking at the small blue 
patch below me. ' Nonsense * It is the lake, master,' per- 
sisted my men. And then it began to dawn upon me that the 
vast grey expanse was the Tanganyika, and that which I had 
supposed to be clouds, the distant mountains of Ugoma." 

Cameron journeyed to Ujiji, in order to obtain the papers 
and journals of Livingstone, who had already sunk under 
the combined attacks of fever, exposure, and exhaustion. 
After performing this task, he determined to explore Lake 
Tanganyika, in order to discover its outlet, and to notice 
the rivers which act as " feeders." An immense number of 
rivers discharge into it, for during Cameron's voyage around 
about two hundred and fifty miles of it, — or about half its 
length, — he counted over one hundred of these " feeders." 
Elephants, crocodiles, hippopotami, and crafty natives are 
to be found during the whole length of the lake, while the 
shores are fringed by high, cavernous, beetling rocks and 
cliffs, which give a fantastic appearance to the whole lake. 
On the east side of this lake the population has almost 
been destroyed by the slave traffic ; but in the west the 
people were more safe, the country is more fertile, and the 



Explorers and their Explorations, 



slave- catchers almost unknown. Out of this lake the 
Lukuga sets, carrying off its surplus waters, conveying them 
into the Lualaba, and thence into the Congo, from which 
they pour into the broad Atlantic. This theory has 
recently been confirmed by the observations of Mr. Hore, 
the missionary navigator of Lake Tanganyika, and agent of 
the London Missionary Society. 

The mystery of the Congo, with its connecting rivers, 
Lualaba and Lukuga, still remained, and this mystery pre- 
sented irresistible attractions to Stanley. He had spent 
two years in exploring the Victoria Nyanza and its sur- 
rounding country, and now looked longingly at this un- 
solved problem of Western Africa ; indeed, it was not 
known whether this river system really flowed into the Nile 
region and fed the Egyptian river, or went away to the West 
Coast ; and this was the mystery which Stanley set himself 
to find out. So, having marshalled his hundred and forty 
followers — all that remained to him of the three hundred 
and fifty who started two years previously — he harangued 
them, and encouraged them to take up, with him, this brave 
enterprise. They had need of bravery and endurance, for, 
compared with the task which yet lay before them, all 
that had gone before was mere child's play. Cameron had 
longed to pursue the Congo to its mouth, but the insuperable 
difficulties the feat presented to an almost lonely traveller, in- 
duced him to turn aside and walk "across Africa" in a south- 
westerly direction. He visited Kasongo's country, struck 
the Lualaba at various points, travelled through Bihe, and 
the coast lands, so finding his way to the Atlantic Ocean. 

In setting himself to explore the Congo, Stanley com- 
menced a frightful task. He first of all penetrated the 
three or four hundred miles lying between Ujiji and 
Nyangwe, a place situated on the Lualaba. Livingstone 



56 



Central Africa. 



had entertained the theory that this great river would prove 
to be the Nile, as it flowed from Nyangwe in a northerly 
direction ; but Cameron proved that its level was a hundred 
feet lower than that of the Nile, therefore it could not 
possibly flow upwards into that river. It was also proved 
that the river conveyed five times the volume of water past 
Nyangwe, compared with the Nile at Gondokoro, and that 
therefore some mightier outlet must be found for it. This 
was the problem ; it could only be solved by a long and 
perilous journey through forests, savages, and unknown, 
but much-feared dangers ; still Stanley determined to suc- 
ceed or die in the attempt. 

He and his party set out from Manyuema, and com- 
menced to penetrate the forests which lined the river banks 
on both sides for fifteen hundred miles. A large Arab party 
accompanied him as escort, during the first stages of the 
journey, and these men cut down trees in order to make a 
track for the explorers ; but the forest was so dense, that 
daylight could not penetrate. Stanley says, " Every leaf 
seemed weeping. Down the branches, creepers, and vege- 
table cords the moisture trickled, and fell on us. Overhead, 
the wide-spreading branches in many interlaced strata, each 
branch heavy with broad thick leaves, absolutely shut out 
daylight. We knew not whether it was a sunshiny day, or 
a dull, foggy day, for we marched in a feeble, solemn 
twilight, such as you experience in temperate climes, an 
hour after sunset. It was so dark sometimes that I could 
not see the. words, recording notes of the track which I 
pencilled in my note-book." For a fortnight or so, this kind 
of struggle with Nature's forces went on. Swamps, water- 
courses, immense creepers, thorns with formidable hooks, 
which tore the flesh of the men, sickness, darkness and 
gloom, at last dismayed the party, while the Arabs began 



Explorers and their Explorations. 57 

to talk of desertion. Then, said Stanley, I will take to 
the river 1 To-day I will launch my boats on that stream, 
and they shall not leave it until I finish my work/' Thus 
commenced four months of exploration by water — a time 
of unparalleled danger, risk, and daring. 

During those four months, Stanley and his men floated 
down fourteen hundred miles of splendid river-way, and 
passed the mouths of many large rivers which poured their 
tributary streams into the Congo. One of these rivers, the 
Ikelemba, is so magnificent a volume of water, that its 
stream does not mingle with that of the Congo for one 
hundred and thirty miles below the confluence. Hundreds 
of uninhabited well-wooded islands graced the river, and in 
these the explorer and his men were thankful to take refuge 
from the attacks of the savage cannibal natives who lived 
along its banks. These cannibals would pursue the little 
fleet, shouting " meat, meat " ; and so fierce and blood- 
thirsty were they, that thirty-two battles had to be fought 
with them during that part of the journey. Frequently, the 
boats would be surrounded by the canoes of the natives, so 
that they could not escape by means of speed. Their only 
resource then, was to moor the boats in the middle of the 
stream, raise a bulwark of shields, and await the attack, 
which always ended in the victory of the explorers, and the 
baffled rage of the enemy. Almost all the members of the 
Expedition were wounded, some had died of small-pox, 
others had been drowned, while yet others had been killed. 
The Arabs, who had engaged to accompany the Expedition 
down the stream, keeping them company along the river 
banks, through the terrible forest, fled, dismayed, and Stanley 
knew that he must fight his way to the bitter end, if he 
would save his life, or accomplish his object. At last, 
twenty-two canoes were taken as spoil from the natives, 



58 



Central Africa. 



and in these, the whole of the Expedition embarked, pre- 
pared to reach the open sea. 

The Congo flowed northward still, although the Equator 
was passed, so that Stanley was just as undecided as to the 
outcome of the quest, but he had ventured too far into 
the wilderness to retrace his steps. By-and-by, he came to 
Stanley Pool, and here the character of the river changed. 
The stream, reinforced by enormous volumes of water from 
its tributaries, had broadened into four thousand yards in 
width. Many cataracts had been passed, before, not without 
loss of life ; but here they had to encounter terrible chasms 
and falls, down which it would have been sheer madness to 
have urged their descent. True, the yells and attacks and 
showers of poisoned arrows had become less, for the natives 
on both sides the stream were either better disposed to the 
explorers, or less cannibal in their nature. But the Congo 
had narrowed into an impetuous torrent of twelve hundred 
yards, and this deep volume of water rushed over giant 
rocks. Stanley says, " It was no longer the stately stream, 
whose majestic beauty, noble grandeur, and gentle uninter- 
rupted flow fascinated us, despite the savagery of its peopled 
shores ; but a furious river rushing down a steep bed, ob- 
structed by reefs of lava, projecting barriers of rock, and 
lines of immense boulders, winding in a crooked course, 
through deep chasms, and dropping down over terraces, in 
a long series of falls, cataracts, and rapids. Our frequent con- 
tests with the savages, culminated in tragic struggles with the 
mighty river, as it rushed and roared through the deep yawn- 
ing pass that leads from the broad table-land down to the 
Atlantic Ocean. With inconceivable fury, the Livingstone 
sweeps through clifl'-lined gorges into the broad Lower Con- 
go." As before mentioned, Stanley had re-named the Congo 
The Livingstone River ^ out of reverence to his dead hero. 



Explorers arid their Explorations, 59 

During the next part of the journey, two hundred miles 
of cataracts had to be passed ; cliffs lined the banks of the 
river, ranging from six to fifteen hundred feet in height ; 
but, notwithstanding, the canoes had to be dragged over 
these cliffs, when they were not swept away, which some- 
times happened. Stanley himself was shot like an arrow 
down two falls, only escaping by a kind of miracle ; while 
many of his men were carried to destruction, in the same 
way. Frequently a smooth stretch of river would invite 
them to try voyaging again ; but, ere long, other and more 
dreadful cataracts would be reached, and every effort must 
be made to get out of the stream, for dear life, boats, and 
all. In one day three canoes and eleven of his party were 
thus carried away. Kalulu, and Frank Peacock — two of his 
dearest helpers — perished in this way. Hard work, in- 
sufficient food, sickness, daily loss of life, insubordination, 
desertion, and contests with the natives, distinguished this 
part of the descent, until it seemed as if they would all lay 
their lives down in the attempt to unravel the mystery of 
the Congo. But at last they almost reached the sea, and 
then Stanley led his men overland to Boma, where he knew 
he should find English people and English kindness. The 
mouth of the Congo was found to be ten miles wide, and 
through it were poured two million of cubic feet of water 
into the ocean, every second. They had travelled or voyaged 
over seven thousand two hundred miles, and had lost one 
hundred and fourteen members of the Expedition. Only 
a remnant survived to tell the tale of that terrible eight 
months' journey. In regard to it, Mrs. H. Grattan 
Guinness impressively says : " And through all those seven 
thousand miles, and among all those countless people, 
kindreds, and tongues, and during all those long months 
and years, Stanley did not meet one single Christian; or 



6o Central Africa. 

see a solitary man, woman, or child who had ever heard the 
Gospel ! He gazed on the faces of men representing tribes 
numbering many millions; but to none of them had the 
message of mercy ever been proclaimed, to none of them 
had the glad tidings of salvation and eternal life, through 
Jesus Christ, ever been carried." 

Lake Nyassa is a long and somewhat narrow body of 
water lying to the south of the Equatorial lakes. Consul 
Elton, Dr. Livingstone, Mr. Young, Mr. Cotterill, and Drs. 
I^aws and Stewart, have all successively explored this lake. 
The swamps of the surrounding region furnish homes for 
large herds of elephants. Livingstone, on one occasion, saw 
eight hundred of them ; while soon after, he records passing 
''two miles of elephants." Nyassa is encircled by hills, 
broken by deep gullies and bays, down which, sudden and 
furious storms sometimes sweep, threatening shipwreck to 
all the craft upon the lake. The elephant-marshes afford 
fine sport to the explorers, and some of them experienced 
hair-breadth escapes. It was in this district that Dr. Living- 
stone was robbed of his medicine chest by two slaves on 
whom he had taken compassion. He knew what that loss 
meant ; and writing in his diary, he says, " I felt as if I had 
received sentence of death." Henceforth, he was at the 
mercy of African fever, which attacked him time after time 
until he succumbed. Nor was he the only explorer who 
got disabled, and finally conquered by the malarious in- 
fluences of the Nyassa country. Bishop Mackenzie, of the 
Universities' Mission, died in the Shire swamps, having lost 
his quinine through the upsetting of a canoe. Roscher, 
the German explorer, was murdered at a little village near 
Nyassa. Mrs. Livingstone died of fever near the river Shire, 
which flows into the lake ; and Consul Elton sank into the 
arms of death at a spot to the north of it. Other explorers 



62 



Central Africa. 



and mission pioneers have since died in the same region. 
Still, the work is going on ; missionary explorers are at the 
task, opening up different parts of the country, and con- 
structing roads, over which mission stores, and the appli- 
ances of civilized life shall be safely conveyed to the 
interior. Messrs. Hore, Hutley, Thomson, Mullens, and 
Dodgshun, did pioneer work of this kind between the 
coast and Tanganyika; and although some of them laid 
. down their lives in the attempt, to a very large extent 
success has crowned their efforts. Stanley has returned to 
the Congo, resolved to do his best towards opening up 
that part of Africa to civilization ; while the agents of the 
Congo (or Livingstone) Inland Mission, are working with 
self denying zeal for the material and spiritual good of the 
natives in the Congo region. 

In looking back upon Livingstone's explorations, one 
cannot but feel that, above all things else, he was a Mission- 
ary explorer. He could, and did, serve the cause of 
science ; he could, and did, act as the apostle of humanity, 
and civilization \ but he never forgot that his first aim was 
the evangelization of Africa. At first it seemed as if he took 
the most roundabout way of attaining this end. It might 
have seemed best to some minds, had he continued at the 
routine work of a mission station ; but he was too much a 
missionary to sit down contented until he had opened up a 
new world for mission labour. In order to do this, many 
kinds of work were needed, many faculties had to be exer- 
cised, so that he could be all things to all men. His own 
words are : " My views of what is missionary duty, are not 
so contracted as those of persons whose ideal is that of a 
dumpty sort of a man, with a Bible under his arm. I have 
laboured in bricks and mortar, at the forge and carpenter's 
bench, as well as in preaching, and medical practice." 



Explorers and their Explorations, 63 



Again he says, "As I have elsewhere remarked, I view 
the end of the geographical feat as the beginning of the 
missionary enterprise. I take the latter term in its most 
extended signification, and include every effort made for 
the amelioration of our race. Every man in his sphere, 
either knowingly or wittingly, is performing the will of our 
Father in heaven. Men of science searching after hidden 
truths, soldiers battling for the right against tyranny, sailors 
rescuing the victims of oppression from heartless men- 
stealers, merchants teaching the nations lessons of mutual 
dependence, and many others, as well as missionaries, all 
work in the same direction, and all efforts are over-ruled for 
one glorious end." 



III. 

Missionary Enterprise. 

There are three principal fields of missionary labour in 
Africa ; viz., the West Coast, South Africa, and various parts 
of the East Coast. On the West Coast, we find agents and 
stations belonging to the Wesley ans, the Church Missionary 
Society, the Baptists, the Scotch United Presbyterians, the 
American Presbyterians, and the Basle Missionary Society, 
besides those of one or two smaller bodies. In the South 
African colonies, are to be found agents and stations of 
German missions, French missions, Paris Protestant, Finnish 
Lutherans, Moravians, Free Church of Scotland, Rhenish 
missions, and the London Missionary Society. So large a 
centre of mission operations has South Africa become, that 
at the present day no less than thirteen or fourteen British and 
Continental societies, are represented there. Eastern, and 
Eastern Central Africa, is the third, and, at the present time, 
most interesting field of African missions. Several societies 
are labouring on the coast and in the interior — notably, the 
Universities' mission at Zanzibar, and in the Shire district ; 
the United Methodist Free Church mission in, and around 
Mombassa ; the Scottish Free Church mission on the shores 
of Lake Nyassa ; the Church Missionary Society's mission 
around the Victoria Nyanza, and in Uganda ; and the 
missions of the London Missionary Society around Lake 

64 



Missionary Enterprise, 



6s 



Tanganyika. These missions are being carried farther 
into the interior, each year ; and each vantage-point gained 
will only serve as a starting-point for fresh efforts. It is of 
these Central African missions that this section will treat. 

The enthusiasm produced by successive revelations of 
explorers, and the accounts of teeming populations, like 
that over which M'tesa ruled, culminated in direct and well- 
planned missionary effort. Upon receipt of Stanley's intel- 
ligence, the Church Missionary Society determined to accede 
to M'tesa's request, and occupy the country bordering on 
the Victorian Lake. The Free Church of Scotland con- 
templated founding a mission on Lake Nyassa, to be called 
Livingstonia, in honour of Livingstone ; and the London 
Missionary Society, in no whit behind its great sister 
societies, set about taking up the region around Lake 
Tanganyika. 

Mr. Robert Arthington, of Leeds, laid a proposal before 
the London Missionary Directors, that they should so occupy 
Ujiji, on the borders of the lake, promising five thousand 
pounds towards the work. The Directors of that society 
decided to accept the offer, and despatch forthwith the Rev. 
Roger Price, an experienced South African missionary, to 
Zanzibar, to make inquiries, and take preliminary measures. 
Mr. Price started for Zanzibar in April, 1877, and, on his 
arrival there, proceeded to attempt the journey into the 
interior. He had had considerable acquaintance with 
wagon-travelling in South Africa, and attempted to use the 
same kind of conveyance on this eastern coast. Experience, 
however, proved that wagon-travelling would not do for 
Central Africa. For a long distance from the coast, the 
road lay uphill through thicket and bush, while tsetse fly 
dogged their footsteps, and poisoned their cattle. Only 200 
miles of country were traversed during three months, while 

F 



66 



Central Africa, 



day by day the oxen perished under the bite of tsetse fly. 
The rainy season came on, and only one-third of the distance 
between the coast and Ujiji had been traversed. Finding 
that it was impossible to complete the journey in a single 
season, a little settlement of five houses was erected at 
Kirasa, in Usagara, and here, after storing the goods belong- 
ing to the mission, Mr. Thomson settled down to recruit, 
while Mr. Price returned to England, to consult with the 
Directors as to the future course of the mission. In the 
spring of the following year, Messrs. Thomson, Hore, and 
Hutley, resumed the march, engaging bands of native 
porters, after the usual fashion of explorers, instead of ox- 
wagons. . Mr. Dodgshun, together with a trader, went down 
to Zanzibar, to carry up the remainder of the stores, and thus 
a good start was effected. Their next station was Mpwa- 
pwa, and here, after resting awhile, they were reinforced 
by the arrival of more bearers from Zanzibar. With two 
hundred and forty of these bearers, and some thousands of 
pounds' weight of stores, they set out again, and on August 
23rd arrived at Ujiji, having made 600 miles since the start, 
an unusually quick journey. The missionary pioneers had 
visited different chiefs on their way, and had received much 
kindness from them, Mirambo among the number. Writing 
of Mirambo, who it will be remembered had acquired fame 
as a robber-chief, Mr. Hore says, " Mirambo is a study. I 
have seen but little of him, but enough to form an opinion. 
His people and his town tells of activity and organization j 
the far-spreading allegiance to him tells of a man of power, 
if not of influence ; but when one sees his child-like way- 
wardness and surprise in the presence of white men, one 
loses sight of the great and firm man. From what little 
il have seen of Mirambo, however, I have certainly been 
favourably impressed. His acquired power and wealth do 



♦ 



68 CenU'al Africa, 

not seem to have spoilt the man. He longs for handicrafts- 
men to improve his works ! and I think entertains a genuine 
good feeling towards white folks, regarding them, I fancy, 
as a people who will bring good things into his country. 
Through God's blessing, we have performed one of the 
quickest and most prosperous journeys which have been 
done to Ujiji. We were just 73 days from Mpwapwa. 
We have lost none of our goods, and we have had few of 
those troubles which other travellers seem to have had." 

But soon the clouds of sorrow and bereavement returned 
to obscure the bright sun of hope. A month after this, 
Mr. Thomson died from apoplexy, induced, doubtless, by 
the exertions of the undertaking. Having occupied the first 
grave on Tanganyika's shore, the survivors hired a house 
and boat, and commenced to found a station. Meanwhile, 
Mr. Dodgshun and his party were passing through a country 
of enemies, from Zanzibar to Ujiji. The people on this 
route had already murdered Mr. Penrose, a missionary 
of the Church Missionary Society, and were thirsting for 
the blood of Dodgshun and his companions. Writing in 
December, 1878, he says, "It is a daily dodging of fate, and 
it is not a comfortable state of things. In Ugogo, we were 
within an ace of being attacked by over a hundred of the 
natives, fully armed, and thirsting for the blood of the 
white men. We have had to go round by Utaturu, and 
Ukimbo, to avoid the murderers of Mr. Penrose, and on 
the way, we had the painful task of burying the remains of 
M. Wautier, of the Belgian expedition, who died of dysen- 
tery at Ikungu, on the 19th of December." Mr. Dodgshun 
details the seizure of his goods by Mirambo's men. " One 
instalment of goods arrived here safely. . . . Others 
were starting with loads, when some messengers from 
Mirambo arrived, and forbade the men to proceed, making 



Missionary Enterprise. 

them throw down their loads in the way and decamp, taking 
their pay with them. Then came the catastrophe ! a large 
body of men from Mirambo came and cleared away every- 
thing remaining of M. Broyon's, opened bales of cloth to pay 
the men, and have gone off with the lot to Mirambo/' 

In the following April, Dr. Mullens, Rev. W. Griffith, and 
Dr. Southon, a medical missionary, sailed for Zanzibar, 
in order to reinforce the Central African mission, and to 
aid in its development. Dr. Mullens was well known 
as a tried, and experienced missionary ; he had gained 
much knowledge in various mission-fields, and carried to 
the onerous task, the wisdom born of long and intimate 
acquaintance with mission work. It was hoped that his 
assistance in the work of establishing the mission, would 
have proved very helpful, but events showed how futile 
were these hopes. Mr. Dodgshun succeeded in joining 
Messrs. Hore and Hutley, on March 27th, 1879; but the 
exposure and labour of his journey had so undermined his 
constitution, that he sank in death, on April 3rd, and was 
buried beside Mr. Thomson. War raged around the lake, 
communications with the coast were interrupted, death was 
/;hinning their ranks, but still the devoted pioneers kept at 
work, and awaited the arrival of the new missionary party. 

But death was dogging their footsteps, too. Dr. Mullens 
had, on arriving at Zanzibar, decided to go into the interior. 
He proceeded some distance, but illness laid its iron hand 
upon him, and he was stricken down. After some painful 
days and nights of watching, and eager ministry of friends, 
he died at Chakombe, and was buried at Mpwapwa, in the 
burial-ground of the Church Missionary Society. With 
bursting hearts, they laid him down, feeling sore at the loss, 
but comforted by the thought that his influence for good 
•on that Central African mission, was not lost, but would 



69 



70 



Central Africa. 



continue to stimulate, energize, and strengthen those of his 
labourers who still toiled on towards the goal. Writing 
from Ujiji, Mr. Hore said, about this time: "I trust no 
one will call this mission disastrous, or condemn Ujiji, 
hastily, as unhealthy. It is certainly much healthier than 
Zanzibar, and both Mr. Hutley and myself were never more 
persistent in our determination to go on. Certainly, we 
want more help, but the work is going on. We will slacken 
no effort to carry on this work ; and I am speaking, not at 
home, but in the midst of the work and its difficulties." 

After laying Dr. Mullens in his forest grave, Mr. Griffith 
and Dr. Southon visited Mirambo, on their way to the 
lake. There, after some diplomatic conversation and 
intercourse, they obtained permission to inspect the stolen 
property, captured, from Messrs. Dodgshun and Broyon. 
Among it, they identified about one hundred and twenty 
loads of articles and stores — personal, and missionary. 
Mirambo graciously permitted the two missionaries to select 
whatever they pleased, on being spoken to seriously and 
courteously \ and having taken as much as their men could 
carry, — about sixty loads, — they resumed their journey. As 
an illustration of the way in which these African chiefs 
made profit out of unfortunate travellers, it might be 
mentioned that Mirambo's men were strutting about in 
English clothing, obtained from the stolen boxes. In 
September, they reached the lake, and, after mutual con- 
sultation, decided to found three stations, viz. : — Ujiji, 
Uguha, and Urambo. This was done ; stores divided, and 
mission-premises built at each place ; and upon receipt of 
full particulars from them, three other missionaries were 
appointed by the Directors, to labour at the three stations 
chosen — thus providing two labourers at each place. To 
meet the exigencies of the mission, Mr. R. Arthington 



Missionary Enterprise. 



71 



offered an additional ;^3,ooo, to provide a steamer for 
navigating the lake. 

After eighteen months' settlement at Ujiji, Mr. Hore 
wrote : " A residence of eighteen months here, although no 
preaching or teaching has been undertaken, has made its 
mark upon the Wajiji. The first strangeness has worn off, 
our uprightness is recognised, our medicine sought for and 
gratefully received, our Sunday respected, and our habits 
and customs no longer regarded with suspicion. We are, 
in fact, estabhshed as respected sojourners, if not citizens, 
in the land. A considerable outlay of money, some work 
and quiet persistence, have, with God's blessing, overcome 
very great difficulties here — such, indeed, as will probably be 
equalled in the establishment of no other station on the lake. 
Ujiji is a stronghold of the enemy ; but we have secured the 
little field therein. We meet them face to face; here we are a 
thorn in their side, and a restraint upon them." At Uguha, 
the missionaries reported having to contend with slavery, 
belief in magic and witchcraft, idolatry, spirit-houses, and 
constant outbreaks of war. Still they persevered, teaching, 
on one hand, the arts of civilized life, and, on the other, pro- 
claiming the Gospel of Peace. Sometimes their lives were 
in danger ; false reports, as to the intentions of the white 
men, would cause a band of armed savages to be sent to 
demand explanations, and to take their lives, if it appeared 
to them to be good to do so. On such occasions, every- 
thing depended on the members of the mission being calm, 
cool, pleasant, and unsuspicious. By this demeanour they 
disarmed the natives, and conquered the worst feelings. 
The district was thickly populated, and these mission centres 
were so situated as to influence large numbers. The people, 
like most other African tribes, follow agriculture, fishing, 
hunting, and petty warfare. The clothing worn, both by 



V 



72 Central Africa. 

men and women, is very scanty, consisting of a belt of 
cloth around the loins, and monkey or other skins. The 
houses are of the ordinary beehive shape, and the villages 
contain from fifty to five hundred of these houses. Each 
village has its own chief, who rules there with supreme 
authority. They have the power of life and death over 
I their people ; and generally use barbarous sentences for 
little crimes. One missionary saw the remains of two 
women still hanging from the tree to which they had been 
tied up by their feet, and slowly roasted alive over a fire. 
Their offence was stealing. A person accused of witchcraft 
would be beheaded. The girls marry when very young, to 
men old enough to be their fathers. The boys amuse them- 
selves with fishing, or dancing, or shooting with bows and 
arrows. Each household keeps two sets of kitchen utensils 
for cooking and fetching water, one for the females, the 
other for the males of the family, who must, in all cases, be 
considered first. When water or cooking is required, one of 
the chiefs wives is appointed to perform the duty, in strict 
silence, and custom does not permit her to speak until the 
task is ended. When the cooking is finished, the wife 
places the meal in one part of the chief's house kept sacred 
for this purpose. When the chief has finished eating, he 
calls to his wife, who waits patiently outside for the call. 
She then goes in, clears away the dinner-mat, and comes 
out to make her own dinner ; her silence being over until 
cooking-time returns again. They practise tattooing, and 
sniff up tobacco-water into the nostrils, in place of smoking 
it in European fashion. In the case of the meeting of two 
friends, one would clap his hands twice, while the other 
would lay his hand on his breast. In saluting a chief, a 
native would stoop very low, pick up some dust, rub it first 
on one arm, then on another, and lastly on his breast. 



Missionary Enterprise, 



73 



Some of the chiefs have fifty or sixty wives ; one had as 
many as four hundred. In all cases these wives are slaves 
and drudges, and only minister to their lord's pleasure, and 
vanity. Sometimes a wife will have a house to herself; at 
other times, five or six will live together in one house. 

The Waguha people are very superstitious. They bury 
their dead generally in a sitting posture with their clothes 
on, and with mats spread around. They use charms against 
evil spirits, and believe in a kind of heaven, in which brave 
men dwell, while the bad and cowardly are shut out. In 
many villages, at the entrance, and almost before each hut, 
are to be found images of idols, carved in imitation of the 
human figure, or of animals. They have also some idea of 
a supreme spirit, who dwells in some indefinite, unknown 
place; to this unknown place they think that spirits go 
after death, to be judged by the great spirit. Some mission- 
aries suppose that the natives have obtained their ideas on 
this point from the Arabs. Sometimes a little hut is pre- 
pared for departed spirits, in order that on their return they 
may feel that they are not uncared for, and that they have 
some place in which to lodge. Should a native dream of 
his departed friend, he interprets the dream into a visit from 
his spirit, and follows out, superstitiously, any hints which 
might have been given in the dream. 

Speaking of the dangers which had sometimes surrounded 
the mission-agents in their work at Ujiji, Mr. Hore says : 
" The way that our mere presence has worked upon the 
guilty fears of the Arab colonists of Ujiji is indeed wonder- 
ful. The day we arrived there, the Ujiji slave-market was 
closed. They have hindered and opposed us in every con- 
ceivable way, but have been baffled on every hand. First 
they tried to frighten us — it was no use. Thomson said to 
them in full council : ' Kill us you may ; for every one you 



74 Central Africa. 

kill, two more will step in to fill up the gap. , If I die, re- 
member it will only give fi-esh impulse to our mission/ On 
one occasion they armed all their principal slaves, and with 
a body of two hundred armed men approached our house. 
According to custom, I received the Arabs in a friendly way, 
and asked them to sit down inside. I had then about 
twenty of these Arabs filling my principal room. This was 
a critical moment. There were Mr. Hutley and myself 
quite alone and apparently helpless, in the hands of this 
lawless crowd ; they completely filled and surrounded our 
house. There were three large windows in our principal 
room, just a yard or two from where we stood, and through 
the bars of the windows the slaves and followers of the 
Arabs pointed their guns. With their fingers on the triggers, 
they shouted to their masters to give the word of command, 
but they could not ; some wonderful power restrained them, 
and they could only talk excitedly among themselves. At 
length one of the Arabs, securing the attention of the others, 
said these words : * The house is full of goods, let us empty 
it now, and destroy these men by one stroke.' The excited 
mob were now yelling and dancing in our verandah and 
hall, flourishing spears and guns, and begging their masters 
to give the word for the onslaught to commence. The 
Arabs only saw two calm faces, and only heard a quiet 
request to state their business and talk it over quietly. But 
One all-powerful to save, heard two earnest prayers for help, 
and the next moment those Arabs were literally crushing one 
another in the doorway^ in their anxiety to get out. One of 
their leaders had risen from his seat, and said, * Let us get 
out,' when that rush was made and we were left alone," 

Since then sickness has fallen heavily on the agents of 
the mission, and one after another they have been com- 
pelled to seek rest and change for a time. One has died 




AN ARAB SLAVE-DFALER IN PIROGUE, 



76 



Central Africa, 



from fever and malaria, but still the work is going on. 
Earnest Christian men are to be found daring death in 
order to seek the spiritual welfare of those tribes around the 
lake. Probably the sites of stations will be changed, for 
it is known to the Arabs that the site of that at Ujiji is 
unhealthy; and, profiting by past experience, another site 
in its stead will be chosen, although all hold upon Ujiji will 
not be relinquished. It seems a well-established fact that 
stations planted on elevated sites are usually healthy. This 
being proved, it remains to reinforce the mission-band with 
new blood, and to permit them to labour in new districts 
around the lake. 

It is also in contemplation to establish a new station at 
the southern end of Lake Tanganyika, so as to complete a 
line of communication with the Free Church mission stations 
on Lake Nyassa. James Stuart, Esq., of Glasgow, has 
offered to construct a good road between Nyassa and 
Tanganyika, in order to establish an unbroken line of 
communication between the coast and the interior, by way 
of the rivers Zambesi and Shire, and the Lakes Nyassa and 
Tanganyika, so aiding the work of the societies. His only 
conditions were, that a steamer should be placed on 
Tanganyika, a station established at its southern end, and 
all London Mission supplies sent by this new road. It 
need not be pointed out that each of these conditions 
would, if carried out, act beneficially on the mission ; there- 
fore the Directors of the London Missionary Society at once 
closed with them all. 

Although not four years have passed since the pioneers 
of this mission first saw the shores of this lake, and in 
spite of the fact that sickness and death have thinned their 
ranks, much progress has been made ; a hold has been 
gained on the affections of the natives which will not soon 



Missionary Enterprise, ^77 

be lost, and seeds of religious and moral truth have been 
sown in the public mind which are destined to bear ripe 
fruit another day. Says one missionary : " By our daily 
intercourse, by fair dealing, and by medical aid, we have 
won the hearts of these natives, and they are ready to hear 
the Gospel message. Alphabet-sheets are issued from our 
printing-press in Uguha, sheets which are nothing less than 
the first leaves of the Bible itself, brilliant with a promise 
of more and yet more to follow, until each man shall read 
for himself the good news of salvation through Jesus 
Christ." 

The Free Church of Scotland has established a mission 
on the shores of Lake Nyassa, called Livingstonia, in 
memory of Livingstone, who first discovered the lake, and 
then, when in Scotland, requested the Free Church to found 
such a mission there. Only a little time before his death 
he gave utterance to such words as these : The spirit of 
missions is the spirit of our Master, the very genius of His 
religion. A diffusive philanthropy is Christianity itself. It 
requires perpetual propagation to attest its genuineness." 

I shall make this beautiful land better known, which is 
an essential part of the process by which it will become the 
pleasant haunts of men." " All I can add in my loneliness 
is, may Heaven's rich blessing come down on every Ameri 
can. Englishman, or Turk, who will help to heal the open 
sore of the world." In 1874, public enthusiasm was aroused 
on the subject Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dun- 
dee, united in subscribing funds necessary for the under- 
taking. The members of the Free, and Reformed Presby- 
terian Churches united to fit out the first expedition to the 
Shire district, and to despatch it under the care of Lieu- 
tenant Young, of the Royal Navy, with the consent of the 
Admiralty, and the Foreign Office. In 1875, mission 



78 



Central Africa. 



steamer Illala was launched upon Lake Nyassa, and the 
little settlement of Livingstonia founded on the promontory 
of Cape Clear. In 1878, a second station was founded at 
Bandawe, on the west coast of Nyassa, and the little mis- 
sion steamer explored and circumnavigated the lake twice, 
in order to check the slave-trade. When it is remembered 
that from 15,000 to 20,000 slaves have been drawn annually 
from the Nyassa region alone to feed the Arab slave-markets, 
beside those who perished of wounds, famine, or disease, it 
will be seen what a substantial service to the poor native 
population was thus rendered. In 1879, the mission- 
engineer, James Stewart, Esq., travelled for the first time 
across the two hundred and ten miles of land intervening 
between the north end of Nyassa and the south end of 
Tanganyika. This journey decided him to make the road 
proposed to the London Missionary Society, thus securing 
the co-operation of that society in opening up a new route 
into the country, by means of the new road, river, and lake 
system. The Blantyre mission has made a good road of 
nearly seventy miles to the south of Nyassa, in the Shire 
district, so that every link in the chain seemed to 
promise well for the completion of the undertaking. Mr. 
Stewart reported thus to the Royal Geographical Society 
upon the feasibility of the undertaking : " The Livingstonia 
Mission possesses the best, perhaps the only, available route 
by water into the heart of Africa. The whole of the dis- 
tance from Quilimane to Malisaka, at the north end. of 
Nyassa, about eight hundred miles, can now be accom- 
plished by steam power, with the exception of two small 
breaks. I have traversed the distance in twenty-two days, 
including five days of stoppages, and letters sent from that 
point can be delivered in Edinburgh in fifty-five days. From 
this it is evident that Lake Nyassa may now be considered 



Missionary Enterprise. 



79 



as a convenient starting-point from which to reach the tribes 
in the regions beyond. Tanganyika is almost as near the 
sea at Quilimane, as Ujiji is to Zanzibar." 

The planting of the Livingstonia Mission and the estab- 
lishment of a good route into the interior, led to the form- 
ation of the Livingstonia Trading Company," which may 
be regarded as a mercantile mission for the suppression of 
the slave-trade. This Company maintains a steamer below 
the Shire rapids, which works in conjunction with the Illala 
on the lake. Missions and commerce have unitedly given 
the death-blow to slavery, seeing that as soon as the native 
chiefs are persuaded that there exists a better way of supply- 
ing themselves with goods than by the sale of slaves, they 
adopt it. 

The work of translation has gone on with vigour, as 
well as those of agriculture and commerce. Dr. Laws has 
studied the language of the people of Manganja, and reduced 
it to writing. Further, he has translated the Gospels of 
Matthew, and Mark, and issued the latter Gospel from the 
press, which, in the heart of Africa as well as in England, 
is one powerful element in the work of raising the people. 
Hymns have also been translated and printed, while a 
grammar and vocabulary have been issued from the Love- 
dale press. The young men have been remarkably quick 
at learning the industrial arts* of house-building, canoe- 
building, furniture-making, timber-sawing, brick-making, 
brick-laying, and engine-driving. The girls have been 
trained in various duties pertaining to home management, 
and have made garments sufficient to clothe the women on 
the station, so that they may attend the public services, 
dressed in a decorous fashion. Indeed, so great is the 
demand for clothing, that some of the young women can 
already support themselves by their needles. Native evan- 



I 



80 Central Africa. 

gelists, trained at Lovedale, South Africa, have ministered to 
them with much acceptance, while the medical missionary 
sent out from Scotland has grown into favour year by year. 
But he ministers to the bodies in order to gain access to the 
hearts of his patients, and to tell of the healing of the 
Water of Life for sin-sick souls. This gentleman, Dr. 
Laws, reported as follows in relation to the spiritual and 
moral condition of the people : The white teacher becomes 
at first a living conscience, whose voice cannot be stilled, 
nor his warnings disregarded. In due time, however, 
respect is entertained for the lives, actions, and principles 
of the teachers. By-and-by the truth of his instructions 
forces itself upon the hearts of the people, and, by the 
gracious influence of the Holy Spirit, some of them are 
enabled to embrace the Gospel offered to them, and their 
lives are seen to be affected thereby. To reach this stage, 
however, the work is often difficult and tedious. The 
people gather willingly to listen to our instructions, and the 
knowledge of Scripture truth many of them exhibit now, 
stands in marked contrast to the strange look of wonder on 
their faces when first told of how God created the world 
and manifested His love to fallen creatures. The school 
has gone on satisfactorily, the names on the roll being now 
over 120, and the attendance very regular. Instruction is 
given in English, and Chinyanja (the native language), the 
opening half-hour being devoted to a Bible lesson. Regular 
Sabbath services, morning and afternoon, are held at 
Livingstonia, in Chinyanja. A Sabbath school is held in 
the afternoon, and an English service in the evening. As 
often as possible, a meeting is held at a village five miles 
away. A daily meeting is held with the natives at work, 
and though not confined to religious instruction every day, 
yet the secular lessons given are made to point out God's 



) 



82 Central Africa, 

wisdom, love, and other attributes. Already some of the 
boys have been trained as assistant-teachers, and promise to 
be preachers of the Gospel to their fellow-countrymen." 

From recent reports we gather that progress is being 
made in all departments of the mission. The work of 
translation and printing is daily proceeding ; three hundred 
articles of clothing have been made by the female scholars 
during the past year ; the day school and boarding school 
are being well attended ; youths have become apt scholars 
at various industrial occupations ; the lads of the schools 
have commenced a weekly prayer-meeting among them- 
selves ; houses have been put up ; doors, benches, and 
windows made by workmen who three years ago never saw 
such things, and a good knowledge of Christian truth 
generally diffused throughout the district. A further report 
states the hold which the mission has attained upon the 
affections of the people. " We receive children from the 
tribes all round to be our children ; to be taught as we like. 
Wherever we go we are welcomed, and when we speak to 
the people about God and heaven, they at once become 
reverential and silent, and with almost bated breath they 
ask questions as to what He is, where He is, and what is 
His relation to us. In the north end of the lake we have 
received children ; they have come to learn in our schools. 
We have travelled over the district mentioned, and have 
had no collision at all with the natives. We are most 
hopeful in our work. Englishmen soon learn to like the. 
African character, and this feeling is reciprocated. Wc 
have a strong hold upon their affection." 

A distinct step in advance, was the engaging of Miss 
Waterston, formerly of Lovedale, who proceeded to Living- 
stonia towards the end of 1879, to labour specially among 
the women and children. A small house of four rooms 



Missionary Enterprise, 



was built for her, and day by day her rooms were crowded 
by sick women and children, who came for medical help. 
Her sojourn at Livingstonia was not a long one, but still, 
during that short period, healing for both soul and body 
was supplied by the labours of this devoted lady missionary. 
It is certain that others will follow in her footsteps, and, 
kaving home and country, forsake all to lead their degraded 
sisters to Jesus. Womanly ministry is very successful in 
Central Africa. 

A sister Scotch mission, called the Blantyre mission, and 
supported by the Church of Scotland, is situated in the 
Shire district, some seventy miles from the river Shire, and 
works in harmony with that at Livingstonia. The name 
of the station was so called after Blantyre, Livingstone's 
birthplace. The mission was of an industrial and evan- 
gelical nature, and intended to be, after its first settlement, 
self-supporting. Situated in the midst of the great slave- 
hunting district of Nyassa, it was intended also to act as 
a check upon the vile traffic. This mission has, to a large 
extent, succeeded, although some complications have oc- 
curred, owing to certain of its agents assuming civil juris- 
diction over the natives. Roads have been made, houses 
built, trades taught, agriculture stimulated, a settlement 
founded, schools opened, regular and distinct religious 
instruction given, and converts gained. Slaves have been 
redeemed, and rescued from their cruel fate ; while children, 
whose future seemed dark and fearful, have been gathered 
into the schools, and trained for future usefulness. A 
printing-press is busily at work in the settlement, from which 
are issued sheets and books fitted to instruct and raise the 
population. A schoolmistress has been appointed to labour 
with the girls and women, while each returning Sabbath 
sees larger congregations hastening to hear the Word of 



ft 



84 Central Africa. 

Life. This mission has lately established one or two other 
stations in the same district. 

The next important mission in Central Africa, is that of 
the Church Missionary Society in Uganda, and on the 
shores of the Victoria Nyanza. This society has main- 
tained missionaries on the coast of Eastern Africa for some 
years ; Krapf, and Rebmann being devoted pioneers in the 
work. It was held by Henry Venn, and others concerned 
in this mission, that Africa must be penetrated into the 
East Coast, if penetrated at all. The wisdom of this 
opinion has been proved by the fact that all the successful 
travellers and explorers have taken their departure into the 
interior, from the East Coast, Zanzibar being the starting- 
place for the trips " across Africa." Rebmann and Krapf 
made sundry discoveries in reference to the country; in 
1848, Mr. Rebmann sent home the news of the discovery of 
Mount Kilimanjaro, near the Equator, 5,000 feet higher than 
Mont Blanc; while in 1852, Mr. Krapf transmitted the 
first account of a large inland sea, often spoken of by the 
natives, and supposed to be the chief source of the Nile. 
This sea was delineated according to the popular belief, on 
a map constructed by the missionary, in 1856 ; and in 1857, 
Burton and Speke were sent out to explore the country. 
Speke bore witness to the fact of the missionaries having 
been the .first to make the discovery, and followed up their 
information in his explorations, both then, and in 1861, 
when he made a second journey. On this last occasion, 
the two kings of that part of Africa — M'tesa, king of 
Uganda, and Rumanika, king of Karagwe— were visited by 
the white travellers. 

In April, 1875, as before mentioned, Stanley visited 
M'tesa, found him improved in every respect, more civilized, 
and professing Mohammedanism. Stanley set before the 



Missionary Enterprise, 



85 



king a full statement of Christianity, taught him to read a 
little, and instructed him in the doctrines of the Christian 
religion. On leaving M'tesa's court, Stanley left a little 
lad who had been brought up in a mission school belong- 
ing to the Universities' Mission ; and succeeding travellers 
reported that this lad read the Bible to the king, daily. In 
1876, Mr. Stanley wrote to one of the English daily papers, 
detailing his visit to the king, and M'tesa's willingness to 
receive teachers of the Christian religion. Immediately, 
offers of money were sent in to the Committee of the Church 
Missionary Society, with proposals that, they should send 
out agents to occupy that special mission-field around the 
Victoria Nyanza. In 1876, a party of eight missionaries 
and lay agents started for the district, arriving at Kagei, on 
the southern shore of the lake, in April, 1877. They first 
pitched their tents and temporary buildings, then put 
together the little mission-boat, Daisy ^ and finally proceeded 
to explore the lake, and Ukerewe. Before starting, how- 
ever, their little party was reduced to three by sickness and 
death, but the survivors were determined to persevere. 
They visited Ukerewe, and laid the foundation of a missionr 
station on the island. Lukongeh, the king, seemed to 
welcome them heartily, and promised to co-operate with 
them in all their mission operations. When settled at 
Ukerewe, in the dominions of Lukongeh, it was the in- 
tention of the three missionaries to separate, Mr. O'Neill 
remaining behind alone, Mr. Wilson to go to Karagwe to 
King Rumanika, and Lieutenant Smith to visit King M'tesa, 
in order to ascertain that monarch's feelings toward the 
mission agents and operations. Writing home, Mr. Smith 
said : " Now that we are about taking possession in the 
name of Christ of our respective kingdoms, pray for us. 
How much we need your prayers, we ourselves faintly 



86 



Ccnti'al Africa, 



know." But just as they had formed this plan, messengers 
arrived from King M*tesa with the following letter, written 
for him by the little boy left at the royal court by Stanley : 
" To my dear friend. — I have heard that you have reached 
Ukerewe, so now I want you to come to me quickly. I 
give you Magombwa to be your guide, and now you must 
come to me quickly. This letter from me, M*tesa, king of 
Uganda, written by Dallington Scopion Maftaa, April loth, 
1877." To this the lad added on the back of the letter 
his own postscript : " To my dear Sir. — I have heard that 
you are in Ukerewe, and this king is very fond of you. 
He wants Englishmen more than all. This is from your 
servant, Dallington Scopion." The messengers bringing 
this letter, with its interesting postscript, had, however, lin- 
gered on their way, occupying over two months in the 
journey ; and in order to hasten the advent of the mis- 
sionaries, M'tesa had sent a second embassy, which arrived 
at Ukerewe a day or two after the first deputation, bearing 
a second letter : " My second letter to my dear friend, white 
man. — I send this my servant that you may come quickly, 
and let not this my servant come without you. And send 
my salaam to Lukongeh, king of Ukerewe, and Thaduma 
Mwanangwa, of Kagei, and Songoro. This from me, 
M'tesa, king of Uganda." Accordingly it was resolved 
that Lieutenant Smith and Mr. Wilson should proceed to 
Uganda immediately, in order to establish missions there. 

On arriving at Rubaga, the capital, they decided to keep 
quiet for a day or two, as it was Saturday evening, and a 
reception on Sunday might possibly be anything but a 
" keeping holy " of that day. Respecting their feelings, the 
king allowed them to remain in retkement on that day, but 
on Monday morning the chief officers were sent to escort 
the two missionaries to M'tesa's presence. The palace was 



Missionary Enterprise. 



87 



a long and lofty building of tiger-grass stems, thatched with 
grass, and fronted by a number of courts having sliding 
doors. Lines of soldiers guarded the approaches to his 
Majesty, who was seated on a chair at the upper end of the 
palace hall, dressed in Turkish costume. Formal presenta- 
tion of letters and credentials then took place, and presents 
were exchanged, after which the missionaries took their 
leave. Next morning another interview with the king took 
place, when M'tesa asked the missionaries if they could 
make guns and gunpowder, hinting that these things were 
among his chief wants just then. He seemed disappointed 
at hearing that he could not be taught these arts by his 
visitors, but also expressed his desire to learn reading and 
writing. In the afternoon a third and more private inter- 
View took place, when the king asked whether they had 
brought the Book — ike Bible, On being informed that 
they had, M'tesa took the missionaries into his palace 
grounds, and showed them two sites which he intended to 
give them — one for the mission-house, and the other for a 
school. In their account of these interviews we are told of 
the honour paid to the name of Jesus Christ at the court of 
this potentate. " At the first part, the king ordered a salute 
to be fired, and a general rejoicing for the latter ; but at the 
end, where it was said that the religion of Jesus Christ was 
the foundation of England's greatness, and would be of his 
kingdom also, he half rose from his seat, called his head 
musician to him, and ordered a more vigorous rejoicing to 
be made, and desired the interpreter to tell us that this 
which we heard and saw was for the name of Jesus. This 
from the centre of Africa, dim as his knowledge may be, 
must rejoice the hearts of all Christians. The king then 
asked, * Have you seen my flag ? I hoist that flag because 
I believe in Jesus Christ.' This ^ Christian flag ' is a medley 



88 Central Africa, 

of all colours, suggestive of the universality of Christ's 
kingdom." 

On the following Sabbath, a public Christian service was 
held at the palace, at which the king and about one hundred 
of his chief men were present. Two chapters were read 
from the Bible, and some explanatory observations added, 
the little boy translating the whole. Prayers were then 
offered in the same way, and as each prayer came to a close, 
the people, led by Dallington, responded with hearty Amens, 
After that Mr. Smith gave an address, in which he told the 
people about the Fall of mankind, and of Redemption by 
Christ Jesus, while Dallington translated again to an atten- 
tive audience. This service was the first of a regular series, 
held at the palace on each returning Sabbath morning, while 
the Christian flag" was regularly hoisted at the palace, in 
order to ensure respectful observance of the day. Beside 
this, M'tesa learnt to read fairly, and commenced to teach 
the alphabet to a class of boys in his turn. Being eager to 
learn everything possible, he took some lessons in geography 
manifested much curiosity upon various points in theology, 
and expressed his determination to send ambassadors to 
England, to conclude a treaty with Queen Victoria. 

For three months this continued, when Mr. Wilson 
decided to stay at Rubaga, among M'tesa's people. Ac- 
cording to his account of them, they were *^a promising 
people in an educational point of view : sharp, quick-witted, 
skilful in working in metals, clever at imitating things of 
European manufacture." Lieutenant Smith then proceeded 
to explore the lake, after which he went once more to 
Ukerewe, and rejoined Mr. O'Neill, expecting doubtless to 
accomplish further service in the Master's cause, when an 
appalling disaster overspread the mission, and cut down the 
workers prematurely. It came about in this way : — ■ 



Missionary Enterprise, 



89 



Lukongeh, the king of Ukerewe, and Songoro, an Arab 
trader, engaged in a dispute which ended in warfare. Son- 
goro begged that his wife and children might be sent to a 
place of safety in the Daisy ^ while he himself took refuge at 
the mission-house, where were stationed Lieutenant Smith, 
Mr. O'Neill, and six followers of the mission party. Lukon- 
geh's men at once attacked the mission-house, and killed 
the two missionaries with their native followers. As soon 
as intelligence reached England, another party was sent 
out to reinforce the mission, while, during the interval, Mr. 
Mackay, a missionary labourer belonging to the original 
party, who had resided hitherto at Mpwapwa on account of 
his health, pressed forward to Mr. Wilson's succour. But 
disaster followed the attempt to plant the standard of the 
Cross in M'tesa's country, for shortly after, the Daisy was 
wrecked ; and Mr. Penrose, one of the second party, while 
proceeding from the Zanzibar coast in charge of stores, was 
murdered by lawless savages. 

With the advent of the new missionaries, however, brighter 
days seemed to dawn upon the Uganda mission. M'tesa 
took up the question of education in good earnest, ordered 
his officers and soldiers to learn to read, and kept the small 
printing-press constantly going, in his impetuous desire to 
circulate reading and spelling sheets among his people. He 
also intimated his desire for baptism ; while it became 
fashionable to study, and inquire into things pertaining to 
this new religion. Thus all seemed to be going on smoothly, 
when an outcry was made on behalf of ^^Mukassa,'' the 
Neptune or god of the Victoria Nyanza, sometimes called 
" Lubari," or devil. This idolatrous system was revived 
suddenly, and an attempt was made to turn the missionaries 
out of the country. After some threatenings, a council was 
summoned, when the missionaries were called, and after 



go 



Central Africa , 



being insulted, were asked again if they would not teach 
M'tesa and his people to make guns and gunpowder. Upon 
answering that their object in coming to Uganda was to 
instruct him and his people in reading and writing, as well 
as teach him concerning the true God, M'tesa said, as if 
desirous to sum up the matter and conclude the argument, 
We don't want your teaching ; the Arabs can have their 
--religion, and you, yours; but we will have the religion of 
our forefathers." He then prohibited the missionaries from 
teaching or preaching, — a course of conduct in which he was 
upheld by the Arabs who thronged about him. Although 
fifty men and boys were at that time diligent students of 
reading and spelling sheets, yet the command was sent 
forth that all instruction was thenceforth to cease, while the 
Englishmen were sternly denied access to the palace. 

In April, four months after the date of the king's adverse 
decision, we find, however, that matters had taken a brighter 
turn, for he sent a deputation of three Uganda chiefs to 
London with Mr. Wilson, who returned to England at that 
date. M'tesa had sent these three chiefs to convey presents 
to the Queen, and at the same time to obtain a greater 
knowledge of this country, in order that they might return 
to Uganda and report. Doubtless the reception of future 
missionaries was intended to be dependent on that report. 

Meanwhile, despite difficulty and discouragement, the 
mission continued, and daily gained friends among that 
portion of the people who, possessing a little knowledge, 
desired more. The course of the mission was very variable, 
but it could be asserted that while M'tesa was vacillating, 
deceitful, and mercenary, his people began to appreciate 
the new light which smiled upon them. While no decided 
converts came out, there was, generally speaking, a disposi- 
tion to hear and obey the new teaching. One missionary 



Missionary Enterprise, . 91 

wrote : " I have invariably found the poor people ready and 
eager to listen to the story of the Cross. Numbers of 
instances rise up before me as I write, where the hearers 
have testified their astonishment and joy at the love of 
Jesus in dying for them. Do not give way an inch if the 
station is proposed to be given up. It is true we ourselves 
have written in a despairing spirit at times. On December 
23rd we had that crushing vote to reject Christianity, and 
to stop our teaching. Now, things are changing again, and 
public opinion coming round in our favour." 

In " Uganda, and the Egyptian Soudan," recently issued, 
and written by two of these missionaries, Messrs. Felkin 
and Wilson, the following estimate of M'tesa is given : 
"M'tesa, the present monarch of Uganda, is now about 
forty-five years of age, and when I first knew him was tall, 
slender, active, and graceful in his movements, but he has 
now aged a good deal, and become broken by long illness. 
He is shrewd and intelligent, having learnt to read and 
write Arabic, and he can also speak several African lan- 
guages beside his own. His great aim and object is self- 
aggrandizement. He quite understands that Europeans are 
acquainted with many things of which he is ignorant, and 
he wishes to acquire as much of their knowledge as possible, 
and also to employ their skill in procuring arms and ammu- 
nition, believing that the secret of a nation's greatness con- 
sists in the amount of munitions of war which it possesses. 
He is a thorough man of the world, and when he pleases 
can be as courteous and gentlemanly as our own aristocracy. 
He is intensely fickle, and never knows his own mind for 
two days together; and, like a spoilt child, is always wanting 
a new toy. This trait in M'tesa's character accounts for 
his changes of religious profession. He is very superstitious, 
and if he dreams of any of the gods of his country, he takes ' 



92 



Central Africa. 



it as an omen of ill, and immediately offers human sacri- 
fices." 

A new mission has been commenced by this society at 
Uyui, a village about twenty miles from Unyanyembe, and 
is still going on with every prospect of success j and a 
second offshoot at Mamboia, in Usagara. From the latest 
intelligence from the missionaries in Uganda, we gather that 
the work is going on still, although somewhat quietly. 
European handicrafts are being taught to classes of boys, 
and with these, the knowledge of the Scriptures which make 
wise unto salvation. The labourers in that part of the field 
have to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves," sow- 
ing the seed of the kingdom as opportunity offers, " here a 
little, and there a little," waiting in faith and hope for the 
harvest. Half believers " may be transformed in good 
time into whole-hearted ones, and a thankless, cheerless, 
moral desert, into a blooming " garden of the Lord." 

A recent letter received from Dallington, who is still at 
M'tesa's court, may prove interesting to our readers. It is 
written from Nantagata, and requests school apparatus, as 
well as materials for translation. He seems to be a most 
effective home missionary. " My dear Bishop. — Let thy 
heart be turned to thy servant, and let me have favour in 
thy sight ; therefore, send me Swahili prayers, and send one 
big black Bible. I want slates, board, chalk, that I may 
teach the Waganda the way to God. I been teach them 
already, but I want you to send me Sitala Sundi, that he 
may help me in the work of God. Oh, my Lord, pray for 
me. And if thou refuse to send Sitala Sundi, send John 
Swedi. Your honour to the Queen, and my honour to you. 
— J. Scopion, alias Dallington Maftaa. I am translating 
the Bible to M'tesa, son of Suna, king of Uganda. I was 
with Henry M. Stanley, together with Robert Firuzi; but 



94 



Central Africa. 



Robert is gone with Stanley, but I being stop (/.^., am 
staying) " in Uganda translating the Bible." 

Another important mission in Eastern Central Africa is 
that known as the Universities' Mission. It arose from the 
appeal of Dr. Livingstone to the Universities of Oxford 
and Cambridge to send out agents and occupy one part of 
the country. Livingstone knew, from actual observation, 
that the field was large enough for all societies to work in ; 
further, that so much remained to be done in the way of 
Christian effort, that no one society, however rich or well- 
organized, could overtake it. Oxford and Cambridge 
responded heartily to the summons, and with them, the 
sister Universities of Dublin, and Durham. A staff of 
clergymen, accompanied by a doctor, handicraftsmen, and 
various workers, were selected and superintended by Bishop 
Mackenzie, first Bishop of Central Africa. 

A valedictory service was held in Canterbury Cathedral, 
on Oct. 2oth, i860, and shortly afterwards the party sailed, 
arriving at the mouth of the Zambesi, with stores sufficient 
for a year, in February, 1861. They were bound to the 
highlands of the Nyassa and Zambesi district ; but the 
Portuguese and Arabs, who were diligently pursuing the 
slave-trade in those regions, placed every obstacle in their 
path. Dr. Livingstone accompanied the party up the 
Zambesi, and Shire rivers, to the spot fixed on as desirable 
for a settlement, and on the way released two or three 
droves of slaves from their cruel captors. This was only 
done at the expense of bloodshed and ill-feeling, so that as 
a consequence the success of the mission was somewhat 
imperilled. The first station was formed at Mangomero, 
among the Maganja tribe, upon the invitation of the chief 
Chigunda. A tribe of .Ajawas lived near, famous for 
their slave-stealing propensities, and very obnoxious to 



Missionary Enterprise, 95 



those who opposed the traffic. These Ajawas sold their 
captives to the Portuguese, getting two yards of common 
caUco for an adult slave, man or woman. The Maganja 
entreated the aid of the missionaries in their wars with the 
Ajawas. This was granted, upon condition that the Maganja 
united with the missionaries in suppressing the traffic, and 
in an evil hour the Bishop led his companions to the 
conflict. After this, peace seemed to have been gained for 
a time; but ill-feeling was prevalent among the adjoining 
tribes towards the mission. A party of missionaries, sent 
on an exploring journey from the station, were attacked 
and taken prisoners, and the Bishop had to rescue them. 
Soon, supplies of food grew short, and the Bishop himself, 
with Mr. Burrup, started for a point down the river where 
they hoped to find stores. But it was the unhealthy sea- 
son ; fever was raging, no supplies were at the place visited, 
difficulties had multiplied, and the missionary band had 
lost strength in consequence of hardship and exposure. As 
they went down the Shire, the canoe containing the medi- 
cines was upset, and from that time no remedy was at 
hand for sickness. African fever took hold of Bishop Mac- 
kenzie first, and after five days' illness he sank under it. 
Mr. Burrup had sickened by this time, and lay too ill to 
witness his leader's departure. The Makololo people dug 
a grave, and Mr. Burrup staggered out to read the English 
Burial Service over the body as it was laid down ; or rather, 
to repeat of it such parts as he could remember. " There, 
on the banks of the Shire, away from all but heathen to 
whom he devoted his life, in sure and certain hope of a > 
joyful resurrection, rests what was the soul's tabernacle of 
Charles Frederick Mackenzie, the first Bishop of the Central 
African Mission.'* 

Mr. Burrup returned to the mission-station at Mangomero 



96 



Central Africa, 



to tell the mournful tale, and then sank in death. His 
wife, together with Miss Mackenzie, came out shortly after, 
to join the mission, but on hearing this mournful news, 
they sickened also with fever. The survivors determined 
to abandon Mangomero, and seek a more healthy settlement 
lower down the river ; but fever dogged their every move- 
ment. Three others of the party died, and were buried 
by Dr. Livingstone, who happened to reach the place just 
at this juncture. Soon after, on April 27th, 1862, Mrs. 
Livingstone died at Shupanga, whither she had accompanied 
some reinforcements to this mission, in the hope of rejoin- 
ing her husband. She did not see him ; he arrived too 
late to welcome her and comfort her last hours. She was 
buried under a large baobab tree at Shupanga, and here the 
doctor set up the following epitaph : " Those who are not 
aware how this good, brave, English wife made a delightful 
home at Kolobeng, a thousand miles inland from the Cape, 
and, as the daughter of Moffat, and a Christian lady, exer- 
cised a most beneficial influence over the rude tribes of the 
interior, may wonder that she should have braved the 
dangers and toils of this downtrodden land. She knew 
them all, and in the disinterested and dutiful attempt to 
renew her labours, was called to her rest instead. Fiat 
D amine voluntas tuaP 

After this, some of the remaining members of the mission 
were sent home to England, others appointed to the work, 
and Bishop Tozer selected to superintend the operations 
of the party. Finally, after various experiments, it was 
resolved to make the island of Zanzibar the head-quarters 
of the mission. This was done, and since that time this 
mission has existed and laboured with a fair amount of suc- 
cess, planting stations in the interior as opportunity offers, 
and assisting agents of other missions in their progress inland. 



1 



Missionary Enterprise. 97 

At 'L2Siz-^2,r^ schools have been established, a printing- 
press set to work, translations carried on, and native youth 
trained for usefulness among their own people. A station 
and settlement for liberated slaves was subsequently formed 
on the mainland, to which was given the name of Frere 
Town. The freed slaves are here trained to read and study 
school-books, prepared in the Swahili tongue, with a view 
to their being fitted for positions among the Africans speak- 
ing the Swahili language, as pastors, teachers, evangelists, 
and handicraftsmen. 

The American Missionary Association of New York have 
projected a new mission among the Latookas, Dinkas, and 
Berri people on the Nile basin, to be called the Arthington 
Mission, in acknowledgment of the fact that Mr. R. Arthing- 
ton, of Leeds, first proposed and endowed it with a starting- 
fund of ;^3,ooo. The tribes living in this district are 
generally favourable to Englishmen, whether coming among 
them as travellers, merchants, or missionaries. The mission 
was to be supplied with a small screw-steamer, and to be 
reached by the Nile route. The scheme seemed very pro- 
mising, and was supported by the people of the American 
Association most heartily. Four friends in America gave 
;^i,ooo each, and an English gentleman 1,000, to place 
the Arthington Mission on a substantial footing. Freed 
and educated ex-slaves are to be sent out to the Nile valley, 
under American superintendence, in order to lead the 
African negroes into a higher, better life. It is anticipated 
and hoped that by this means a new and very stimulating 
force will be introduced into the midst of the people. 
American negroes will thus become missionaries to those of 
their own race, who sit in darkness and the shadow of 
death. 

Turning now to the West Coast, and seeking to enter 

H 



gS 



Central Africa, 



Central Africa by the great highway of the river Congo, we 
come upon a most promising and important mission. It is 
. called the Livingstone (Congo) Inland Mission, and seeks 
to obtain entrance into the land by means of the great 
water-highway which Stanley discovered and followed to its 
mouth. The agents of this society are trained at the East 
London Institute, this mission having been founded in 
1878 ; so that it is comparatively a young mission. Still, it 
is a vigorous working one, and seems to be well directed 
and stimulated by its chief director, Mr. H. Grattan 
Guinness. Its object is to found an industrial^ evangelical^ 
self-suppo7'ting mission along the valley of the Congo River. 
This valley is said to contain 900,000 square miles, filled 
with a large population. To give one missionary to each 
hundred square miles of this region, would require the em- 
ployment of nine thousand missionaries ; so that the Congo 
Mission has entered on what might well seem a herculean 
task. But this is impossible ; no society could ever hope, 
in the present state of things, to be able to commission so 
vast a number of workers. The agents of this society are 
instructed to establish at different points on the bank of the 
river, or near it, stations, where Christian training shall be 
combined with instruction in agriculture and the industrial 
arts. They hope in time to gain entrance into Western 
Central Africa, introducing at once. Christian truth and 
lawful commerce. Ultimately, the mission will be self- 
supporting, each agent being taught to act as a Christian 
emigrant, or colonist. In the words of Mrs. Guinness, who 
tells the story of the Congo Mission at full length in her 
recently published pamphlet : " In Central Africa, with a 
luxuriant soil and a comparatively sparse population j with 
undeveloped resources and much natural wealth ; with peo- 
ple who have strong trading proclivities, self-support will, 



Missionary Enterprise, 99 

we hope, after a time, prove to be to some extent possible. 
Certain supplies, such as clothing, books, and medicines, 
may always be required from home ; but all the necessaries 
of life may be produced by native labour, under European 
superintendence. " 




MISSION-STATION ON THE BANKS OF THE CONGO. 



Five stations have been established, and one steamer 
started on the river. The hundred and eighty miles of 
cataracts between the Upper Congo and the coast, act as a 
sufficient barrier against getting into the interior by means 
of the water-way ; but the missionaries are making progress 
overland to the smooth, silent reaches above Stanley Pool. 
Stanley says, Once above the falls, we have the half of 
Africa before us with no interruption, and not like the Nile 
regions, deserts of sand, but one vast populous plain, so 
teeming with life indeed, that, excepting Ugogo, I know no 
part of Africa so thickly inhabited." Once these agents 
can penetrate the country above the falls, they will be able 



ICO 



Central Africa. 



to influence this immense population, and it is hoped, with 
a comparatively small outlay in support from home, that a 
strong and useful self -supporting 'd^vA self-extending mission 
will be placed in Western Central Africa. During the four 
years since the establishment of this mission, twenty-two 
labourers have been sent out, of whom five have died, 
including Mr. Adam McCall, the experienced leader and 
pioneer. 

Mr. McCall had spent several years in African exploration 
and travel, in the pursuit of his profession, having journeyed 
over from fifteen to twenty thousand miles, between 1872 
and 1878, and visited various mission-stations. On return- 
ing to England, he felt attracted to the work of evangelizing 
Africa so much, that he placed himself at the disposal of 
the directors of the Livingstone-Congo Mission, was ac- 
cepted, and went through a year's special training. Having 
given up his dream of further African exploration, as a 
scientific explorer, he defrayed his own expenses of passage 
and outfit, and placed himself as a volunteer at the service 
of the mission, for the purpose of navigating the river, build- 
ing houses, and doing pioneer work generally. Most gladly 
was he welcomed, and it was hoped that many years of 
successful and blessed service lay before him. 

Mr. McCall sailed from England in March, 1880, and 
joined the mission at the end of the following month. He 
accomplished much pioneer service, built three stations, 
made trial-trips in the Livingstone steamer, and seemed to 
be doing excellent work for the furtherance of the objects 
of the society. In about eight months, however, he was 
attacked by dysentery and liver complaint so violently, that 
from that time he scarcely ever rejoiced in his wonted 
strength. Not dismayed by sickness, he pressed on ; but 
in October of the following year was reluctantly compelled 



Missionary Enterprise. 



lOI 



to leave for England, thoroughly shattered. He died at 
Madeira, having called there on the homeward voyage, on 
November 25th, 1881. Still the mission is progressing, 
and earnest, whole-souled men are not wanting to carry on 
the work ; albeit, the enterprise, in common with every 
other which has for its object the glory of God in the salva- 
tion of Africa, has suffered losses by death. All mission- 
fields have been consecrated by mission-graves. The con- 
quest of the Dark Continent for Christ, must be effected by 
stepping over the graves of the leaders in the strife. 

One of the missionaries on the Congo, writing home, says 
that Mr. H. M. Stanley is making a capital road inland, 
wide enough for three carriages abreast ; so, in this way, 
endeavouring to further the opening up of the country. We 
are also told that he is building a Belgian mission-station at 
Stanley Pool. 

The Baptist Missionary Society has also a mission on the 
Lower Congo, as well as in the Cameroons. Their object 
is likewise to reach Central Africa from the West Coast, 
and in this object they have been greatly indebted to Mr. 
R. Arthington for his timely liberality. They report grati- 
fying success. Their ranks have been thinned by death, 
but they seem to be winning their way among the natives. 

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign 
Missions have, quite recently, occupied the Bihe country, 
some 250 miles inland from the Atlantic, having first sent Dr. 
Means to make inquiries, explore the country, and report as 
to the best district for the mission. Eight vast, unoccupied 
districts presented opportunities for mission labour accord- 
ing to this gentleman's judgment; but only one could be 
taken up. The teeming populations of the other seven 
must be left to perish, destitute of the sound of salvation. 

Missionary graves abound in Africa. Twenty-two mis- 



» 



102 Central Africa, 

sionaries have passed away n connection with different 
mission-fields in the Eastern and Central portions of that 
continent, since Dr. Livingstone died. Western Africa has 
been called " the white man's grave/' while the annals of 
missions prove how large have been the gaps made in the 
ranks of the army of missionaries by death, and how nu- 
merous have been the losses. Still, however, the work goes 
on ; volunteers come forward and declare themselves ready 
to be " baptized for the dead," by taking up their work and 
carrying it on. Thus the land is taken possession of, and 
the light of the Gospel is carried on to yet remoter regions. 
During the last forty years, over one hundred and twenty 
missionaries have fallen before the combined effects of 
climate, fever, and work, in West Africa ; but the converts to 
Christianity on that coast now number over 30,000. 

It is interesting to know that about thirty-three mission- 
ary societies are labouring in Africa at the present time, 
and representing by these labours, the Christian efforts of 
England, Scotland, America, and Europe. May the Lord 
hasten the time when Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands 
unto God. 




ir. 

JAPAN AND THE JAPANESE. 



1 



The Country and its People. 

Japan consists of four large islands, and numerous smaller 
ones, numbering in the total about 3,800. This island- 
empire stretches away from the icy latitudes of Kamschatka, 
down through the Sea of Japan into the Pacific Ocean, thus 
possessing many degrees of temperature. The large islands 
are Kiushiu, Yezo, Honshiu or Nipon, and Shikoku. The 
area of the empire is larger than that of Great Britain, and 
great part of it lies much further south, thus possessing a 
warmer climate. The Kurile Islands — the most northerly 
possessions of Japan — stretch away to the north-west to 
Kamschatka, a distance of 600 miles ; while another group 
or chain of islands extends in a south-eastern direction from 
the mainland of Japan for about 500 miles. If the 900 
miles of length in the four large islands be added, it will 
then be seen that this scattered island-kingdom extends from 
end to end for about 2,000 miles. Some of these islands 
lie far apart from each other, but the four chief islands are 
so near that the channels can be crossed without difficulty. 
They are by some writers called " the Japanese mainland." 

The Japanese are in the habit of applying various figura- 
tive names to their country. Among these are the follow- 
ing: ''Land of the Rising Sun,'' ''Nest of the Sun,'' "Out- 
spread Island, '^ "Country of Peaceful Shores," " Land of 

105 



io6 - Japan and the Japanese, 

Great Gentleness," and " Southern Country of Brave War- 
riors." It is sometimes called " the Empire of the Thousand 
Islands," a poetical and descriptive name. It is a very- 
hilly country; it possesses many rapid and precipitous 
rivers, and a large number of harbours, some of which are 
very commodious. The climate is somewhat changeable, 
but, on the whole, healthy and mild, although it is stated by 
travellers that rheumatism, bronchitis, and lung affections 
are plentiful in the country. These, however, can be partly 
accounted for by the dress, houses, and habits of the people. 
In the summer the heat is so overpowering as to compel 
people to remain indoors during the middle of the day ; but 
much rain falls, causing generally a damp, moist heat. It is 
said that on account of these summer rains the Japanese 
can reap two harvests a year off the same fields. In July, 
August, and September, the country is visited by terrible 
storms, called typhoons," which inflict great destruction. 
These typhoons are revolving storms, advancing in a curved 
path, and blowing with tremendous force. They last but a 
short time, but work so much mischief in their duration, that 
they are greatly dreaded by the people. On the whole, 
however, the climate is very genial, and the country beauti- 
ful. It is said that the name Japan is derived from the 
words Jih'pun-quo ; or, " The Sunrise Kingdom." 

The country abounds with precious and useful metals, 
and the landscape, is diversified with bamboo thickets, pine 
plantations, and rice-fields. Still, the Japanese cannot be 
said to be an agricultural people, for they have but few 
cattle. They only use horses and ponies occasionally, and 
never take butter, milk, or beef. They have no idea of 
milking cows for the sake of drinking or otherwise using the 
milk, their sole idea being that only calves were intended to 
drink milk. They look upon it as a barbarous custom to 



The Country and its People. 



107 



use cows for milk, food, and draught, as civilized nations 
do. 

The chief towns of Japan are Nagasaki, Yokohama, 
Tokio, Kobe, Osaka, Kioto, and Hakodate. Tokio is the 
eastern capital, and Kioto the western, Yokohama and 
Nagasaki possess large harbours. It is supposed by com- 
petent students that the people of Japan are of mixed race, 
the Ainos coming originally from China and the Corea, and 
the Yamatoos from the Malay islands. Whether this be so 
or no, they present at this day a great mixture of races. 
The small stature of both men and women has attracted the 
attention of almost all travellers. The Japanese have sallow 
skins and black hair, this latter being worn in a variety of 
ways. The girls are mostly attractive and pretty, but after 
marriage they shave off their eyebrows and blacken their 
teeth, and, as might be expected, this absurd custom makes 
them look* frightfully old and ugly ; yet they are gentle, 
hospitable, and ingenious, and behave with propriety to 
strangers. They are also very industrious and courteous. 

The people seem to have very limited ideas in relation to 
architecture, most of their buildings, palaces and cottages 
alike, being built of grey wood. This causes a quiet, sombre 
look to prevail in the cities and towns. As a set-off, how- 
ever, the temples are very ornamental, and bright with 
colour and gilding. Dark red appears to be the prevailing 
colour in the torrit^ or temple portals, while the images are 
painted green, red, blue, or some other striking colour. 
In their dress they display little jewellery, and usually wear 
cloth or silk of blue, brown, or grey. 

Some writers have taught that the Japanese migrated from 
Babel, the language being stated to be one of those used by 
God to confound the plans of the builders of the tower of 
Babel ; but the evidence for this theory is small and trifling. 



TJie Country and its People. 109 

The Ainos, who are to be found mostly on the island of Yezo, 
are supposed to be the origmal inhabitants of Japan. These 
aborigines are, however, very different from the bulk of the 
population, and are said to be decreasing in numbers year 
by year. These Ainos are hairy people, and are a wholly dis- 
tinct race from the inhabitants properly known as Japanese. 
They are dark in skin, and have soft jet-black hair, which 
hangs from the head in thick luxuriant masses. Beside 
this, the beard, moustache, and eyebrows are very full, and 
many of them have large quantities of hair on the chest 
and limbs. One traveller states that some of the boys have 
fine soft hair on their backs, like the fur of a cat. But they 
have the advantage of the Japanese in size, being stronger, 
taller, and hardier. They are very civil to strangers, and 
treat each other with kindness. They follow agriculture 
and fishing very largely, but are not capable of mental 
application as are the Japanese. It is said that they have 
no written language or literature. Aino children in the 
mountains have a grain of millet seed put into their mouths 
as soon as born, and on the coast, a morsel of fish. Having 
had this, the child is laid aside, and not fed till next day 
under any circumstances. They are then treated as infants 
until about three or four years of age, not being weaned till 
that time, but from this early age are taught to be obedient, 
docile, and industrious. About the fifth year, tattooing is 
commenced, and different parts of the body are at intervals 
covered with beautiful devices. No woman among them 
could marry without this tattooing, — this custom, and that of 
drinking intoxicants, being part of their religion. The chil- 
dren do not wear any clothing until they are seven or eight 
years of age, and appear to suffer considerably in consequence 
from toothache and other ailments. The clothing of the 
elders, among the Ainos consists of skin coats in winter, and 



no Japan and the Japanese, 

of cloth made from the bark of trees in summer. This 
latter is woven by the women, who labour very unremittingly 
both in outdoor and indoor occupations. Like most un- 
civilized tribes, they seem to have a passion for ornaments? 
and, in spite of their surroundings and ignorance, exhibit 
qualities of mind and disposition which would compare 
favourably with some of the outcasts of the great cities and 
towns of England. 

One theory has lately been started in regard to the origin 
of the Japanese, which, although received with ridicule and 
incredulity, has been enthusiastically advocated by some 
writers. It is that the Japanese are a portion of the ten lost 
tribes of Israel, and in this way are the descendants of Jacob. 
A Mr. Norman McLeod has published two volumes, in which 
he explains very forcibly his reasons for coming to this con- 
clusion. He says that the word Shinto means the doctrine 
of the God of Heaven " ; that Shinto temples are called 
yashirOy which means "pure and holy tabernacles," and are 
divided into holy and most holy places ; that Shinto priests 
resemble the Jewish priests, while the emperor is the 
national high-priest. He traces relics of Hebrew idolatry 
in the present worship of the Japanese. Thus, these people 
have learnt to hold serpents and heifers in idolatrous estima- 
tion ; so also did the ancient Israelites. The Israelites 
buried their kings by the side of their temples ; so also do 
the Japanese. Illustrations are formed on their walls and 
temples, which correspond with various devices and em- 
blems in Solomon's temple. Relics of antiquity such as 
were found at Nineveh, are represented in Japan. Fruits, 
flowers, and trees indigenous to Palestine, are to be found 
in Japan ; while among some of the people the Israelitish 
cast of feature can be plainly traced. On these and other 
accounts, he concludes that part of the Lost Ten Tribes are 



4«L 



The Country and its People, 



III 



to be found among the people of the " Sunrise Kingdom." 
The ornaments of the Japanese temples are, this writer 
says, imitated from Solomon's temple. The chrysanthemum, 
which is the Japanese national flower, along with the lotus- 
flower, peony, and other flowers, are found in many shrines 
and temples, beautifully carved and painted. Other 
shrines are to be found at the tops of hills, and among shady 
groves, as in the time of the Israelitish idolatry, after the 
reign of Jeroboam. It would be interesting to recount all 
the evidences of identification mentioned by Mr. McLeod, 
but our space will not admit of much digression on this . 
matter. Still, it may be noticed that many of the same 
arguments have been made use of by other writers to prove 
that the Lost Ten Tribes are to be found in England and 
her colonies. 

The vegetation of the Japanese islands is very luxuriant, 
presenting a beautiful verdure throughout most of the year. 
The people cultivate rice and tea largely in the provinces. ^ 
Beautiful flowers, such as camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas, 
magnolias, peonies, irises, chrysanthemums, rhododendrons, 
and veronicas, delight the eye on all hands in their season, 
and make a charming landscape. The empire extends 
through twenty-six degrees of latitude, and in consequence 
experiences many degrees of temperature — the extreme 
north being very cold, and the extreme south very hot, 
though damp. With the exception of the Ainos, the same 
language is spoken by all the people of the islands, and the 
same customs, manners, and traits prevail, thus proving the 
homogeneity of the race, from whomsoever descended. 
Earthquakes are very frequent, causing at intervals much 
destruction, and volcanoes are sometimes active. The 
population is said to be somewhat over thirty-four millions, 
or about two hundred and thirty to each square mile. 



II. 

History and Religion. 

The Japanese have a history stretching back to 660 years 
before Christ. " Their ruling dynasty is the oldest in the 
world,'^ said a descendant of the ancient emperors ; " no 
other family line extends so far back into the remote ages 
as the nameless family of Mikados. Disclaiming to have a 
family name, claiming descent, not from mortals, but from 
the heavenly gods, the imperial house of the Kingdom of 
the Rising Sun occupies a throne which no plebeian has 
ever attempted to usurp." These Mikados are believed by 
the people to be descended from the sun goddess, and are 
called distant gods ^^"^ on account of their being reckoned so 
far above other men. The Mikados, or emperors, were like 
high-priests, and were accustomed to worship the deities 
held sacred, in the form of idolatry known as Shintoism. 
They are also supposed to intercede daily in their palaces 
on behalf of their people, being, as it were, the chief inter- 
cessors for them. The Mikados are viewed with no com- 
mon reverence, — as something more than mere mortals, — and 
indeed were, as a rule, kept from the view of the people. 

The condition of the people in these early ages was far 
before that of our forefathers, the Ancient Britons. During 
the reign of the Emperor Jimmu, who commenced to 
reign 660 years e.g., we are told that the country was 
greatly developed ; that he caused his soldiers to labour in 
agriculture, when not engaged in war; and that he him- 



History and Religion. 113 

self composed several poems relating to these matters. 
The Emperor Sujin, who reigned about 100 years B.C., 
encouraged engineering science; reservoirs, canals, and 
ships were built in order to benefit and extend the trade 
and commerce of the country. Sujin seems to have been, 
for his day, a wise, earnest man, and religious according to 
his light. We are told that a great pestilence broke out in 
his reign, and in order to stay the plague, the Mikado rose 
early in the morning, fasted, bathed, and prayed the gods 
that the plague might stop. It did not abate ; and then 
commenced the practice of building religious shrines. The 
next emperor, who reigned during the time of Christ, 
forbade sacrifices of human life. Up to that date it had 
been customary to bury alive, at the death of a prince, all 
those servants who had been attached to him. It is said 
that a certain prince died during this reign, and, according 
to custom, all his servants were buried alive round him. 
These entombed servants lingered in agony for several days, 
and their cries were distinctly heard at some distance. On 
the circumstance being reported to the Mikado, he ordered 
that clay figures of the servants should in future be buried 
with the bodies of their masters, thus sparing the lives of 
numberless individuals. Other emperors have encouraged 
potteries, introduced the silkworm culture, built shrines and 
temples, made roads, and erected houses of more than one 
storey. Empresses have at different times occupied the 
throne, and ruled with much benefit to the country. It 
will be seen that at the time when our own ancestors were 
savages, living in huts, dressing in skins, painting their 
bodies, and depending for support upon fishing and hunting, 
the Japanese were very highly civilized, and acquainted 
with many of the arts of life. 

In the fifth century of the Christian era, a system of 

I 



[ 14 Japan and the Japanese, 

weights and measures was introduce.d, various professions 
encouraged, such as those of architecture and medicine, the 
first school in Japan was established, fortifications were 
built, and a system of signals around the coast introduced. 
An empress reigned in the sixth century, and, during her 
rule, tiled roofs instead of thatched ones were used, 
almanacs were made, and professorships in the public 
schools established. 

In 1 142, a new power arose in Japan. The emperor, 
being too sacred a personage to be seen by his subjects at 
large, or to mingle with matters which affected the condition 
of the people, became almost powerless to stay the tide of 
civil war which devastated the nation. One of the bravest 
officers of the army was therefore created chief ruler, or 
magistrate, under the title of Tycoon, He became ruler in 
temporal matters, while the Mikado continued to be the 
spiritual emperor, and high-priest of the people. In course 
of time, the Tycoon's power overshadowed and threat- 
ened the Mikado's, and after frequent warfare between the 
two powers, a revolution occurred in 1868, which ended 
in re-estabUshing the total power and government in the 
Mikado. This Mikado is the present emperor of Japan. 
When he ascended the throne, he was only a youth of 
seventeen, but he soon proved that he possessed very 
uncommon power of mind and determination of character. 
The office of Tycoon had existed for six hundred and 
seventy-six years, but it was abolished, and the emperor 
came out of the old traditional seclusion of his race, to 
assume the control of his kingdom. The Daimios, or pro- 
vincial magistrates, were stripped of their almost feudal 
powers, and taught that they must render a full account of 
their dealings with the people, to the head of the Govern- 
ment. At the same time the Japanese people received 



History mid Religion, 



political rights and privileges, being to a large extent eman- 
cipated from their former condition of serfdom. 

We are told that the first census taken in Japan was in 
1744, and that the population of the islands was then 
found to be about 26,080,000. The last census was taken 
in 1876, and we are informed that the population at that 
date was 33,338,504. It is interesting to observe that the 
value of a census of the people was understood among this 
strange nation, many years before our own enlightened 
Government adopted it. 

The Japanese have their sacred books, like the Chinese 
and Hindoos, and set much store by them. They are 
called the Kojiki^ and Nihonki ; and, curiously enough, the 
Kojiki is the compilation of a woman. This woman is said 
to have been a peasant girl gifted with a wonderful memory, 
and who, Dy order of the then Mikado, furnished the chief 
materials for the sacred volume Kojiki in the commence- 
ment of the seventh century. These sacred writings contain, 
beside moral precepts and teaching relating to the gods, 
much of the ancient history of Japan. The Kojiki gw^^ some 
teaching in relation to the creation of the world, and states 
that in the beginning, before there was any earth or men, a 
god existed, called "The Lord of the Centre of Heaven." 
After this god, there came into being two others, entitled, 
" Lofty Producer ' and " Divine Producer/' who created 
the earth, between them, and all that inhabited the earth. 

Shintoism is the oldest religion of Japan, and, properly 
speaking, the national religion. Buddhism was not intro- 
duced from China, until about six hundred years a.d. 
Shintoism may be defined as a worship of Nature, It is 
called by the natives themselves, Kami-no-michi^ or, "Way 
of the Gods." The sun, moon, stars, animals, trees, moun- 
tains, rivers, lakes, clouds, thunder, — in short, everything in 



ii6 Japan and the Japanese, 

nature, and beyond the comprehension of the Japanese, was 
exalted into the position of a deity. Implicit and constant 
obedience to the Mikado was accounted piety ; the opposite 
was rank impiety. Certain forms of prayer were used in 
public; and although no idols were worshipped in the 
temples, or Shinto shrines, a mirror was always to be 
found there as an emblem of the sun. A prayer recited 
by the Mikado at the Shinto shrine where he worships, 
seems to indicate that, like the Athenians of old, he prayed 
to some " unknown God " in sincerity : O God, that 
dwellest in the high plain of heaven, who art Divine in 
substance and in intellect, and able to give protection from 
sin and its penalties, to banish impurity, and to cleanse us 
from its uncleanness, — Hosts of Gods, give ear, and listen 
to these our petitions.*' The people were, however, taught 
not to annoy the gods by frequent and greedy petitions on 
their own account, for the Mikado was in his palace daily 
offering up petitions for all his people. In each temple, 
besides a mirror, may be seen strips of notched white paper 
stretched across from wall to wall. These shrines are 
attended by a multitude of priests and priestesses, who 
are supported partly by the Government, and partly by the 
offerings of the people. These offerings consist of silk, rice, 
cloth, altars, salt, animals, and other things; but no shed- 
ding of blood was required. In the early days of this faith 
it was much purer than at present, and really seemed to 
be an earnest religious system, in which the worshippers 
groped after God, and aimed at living moral lives. In course 
of years it degenerated into ignorant idolatry of the Mi- 
kado, and densest darkness of mind as to the past and 
future of mankind. 

Buddhism, like Shintoism, requires no sacrifices, but is a 
much less pure system of religion, and permits the worship 



History and Religion, 



117 



of images. It is called "a system of worship without a 
God, and a religion without hope." It was introduced into 
Japan in the sixth century, and gained much success, in 




BUDDHA'S TRIUMPHAL CAR. 



consequence of its priests adapting it, as it were, to Shinto- 
ism, and grafting it on that faith. The founder of Buddhism 
was an Indian prince, who endured much mortification and 



ii8 Japan and the Japanese, 

suffering of body before he formulated this system, and who 
taught the doctrine of the migration of souls, until each 
soul was finally absorbed in Buddha. The prevailing re- 
ligion of Japan is a curious mixture of these two systems. 
It is said that there are in Japan one hundred thousand 
temples, each one containing a statue of Buddha. The 
largest idol is called Dia Butz, or Dai-Butsu, which is 
made of bronze, and stands fifty feet high. Being hollow, a 
chapel is fitted up inside the image, where thousands of 
pilgrims go to offer petitions. They use praying machines at 
these temples, in order to facilitate their devotions. These 
machines are stone wheels set in high posts. When a man 
wants to repeat a large number of prayers he turns the 
wheel, and every time it goes round, he believes that a 
prayer is recorded in heaven to his credit. In some places 
these wheels are turned by machinery. Generally speaking, 
there is no idea of a Saviour in Buddhism; every man 
must be his own Saviour, by means of religious duties and 
life. This is a cheerless faith. Its founder, Buddha, is said 
to have come into the world in the same way that Christ 
did, but only as a guide and example. He is never held up 
as a Saviour ; never dreamt of as anything but a teacher. 
Still, from the analogies which exist between the early 
traditions of these false systems, and the Christian religion, 
there seems reason to suppose that some tidings of the 
Christian faith must have reached these ancient peoples in 
the early centuries of which we have been speaking. In- 
deed, it is asserted that during the first centuries of Bud- 
dhism in Japan, there existed a sect of Buddhists who really 
believed and taught the doctrine of salvation by faith, but 
they form an exception to the generality of Buddhists. 
There are at this day some descendants of this sect, and 
they are known as the " Protestants of Japan.'' The chief 



History and Religion, 



119 



article in the creed of these Buddhists is this : Rejecting 
all other religious austerities and actions, giving up all idea 
of self-power, rely upon Amita Buddha with the whole 
heart for salvation, which is the most important thing ; be- 
lieving that at the moment of putting one's faith in Amita 
Buddha, our salvation is settled." If, for the words "Amita 
Buddha " we substitute Jesus Christy is it not easy to read in 
this doctrine, the Christian one of salvation by faith ? 

It is interesting to note that some distant echo- of the 
Christian religion fell early upon these far-off peoples ; but 
in the absence of reliable teachers, copies of the Holy 
Scriptures, and direct Christian instruction, these echoes 
died off, only to be heard of again in garbled forms^ and 
mixed up with idolatrous usages and ceremonies. The 
Buddhist party, called the Monto sect, which adhere to the 
above doctrine, indulge the hope of one day converting 
Europe to their faith, and have a large college at Kioto for 
the training of 600 students, some of whom are destined to 
act as missionaries in Europe and America. They are 
somewhat self-righteous too ; for it is asserted by them that 
"morals were invented by the Chinese, because they were 
an immoral people ; but in Japan there was no necessity 
for any system of morals, as every Japanese acted aright if 
he only consulted his own heart." How religious a people 
the Japanese were according to thair light, may be in- 
ferred from the fact that, according to the census of 1876, 
the number of priests, priestesses, monks, and religious 
officials was returned as 207,669. The Government dis- 
established and disendowed both Buddhism, and Shintoism 
about 1879. In this fact we may rejoice, for, deprived 
of the powerful aid of the Government, these erroneous 
religious systems will have less chance to fight against the 
Christian religion. 



120 Japan and the Japanese, 

The god or goddess of a Thousand Hands is exten- 
sively worshipped in Japan. This idol was also at one time 
largely worshipped in India, sometimes as a man, some- 
times as a woman, but always with the enormous number 
of one thousand arms and hands, three eyes, a necklace of 
skulls, and a rosary of finger bones. It will be seen, there- 
fore, that, amid all the multiplicity of sects in Buddhism, 
and in spite of the refinement and partial elevation and 
purity of some of its adherents, the masses of the people 
were buried in deepest, darkest heathenism. Their faiths 
were systems of idolatry, and, as such, blindly followed. 

In 1549, Roman Catholicism was introduced by Francis 
Xavier, and his Jesuits. They obtained a footing in the 
country, and made many thousands of converts. In 1587, 
however, a great persecution broke out against the Roman 
Catholic Christians, and within three years, over 20,000 
were put to death. Forty years later, another great persecu- 
tion broke out, 37,000 Roman Catholics were put to death, 
and the number of converts reduced from 2,000,000 to 
12,000. Still the Jesuits sent fresh missionaries to Japan, 
and braved the anger of the Japanese rulers, who declared 
that, " should the very God of the Christians come, they 
would behead Him." In that persecution, about the year 
1640, was instituted the national festival of Trampling 
upon the Cross," to show the hatred which existed against 
the Cross of Christ. This festival has only very recently 
been abolished, out of deference possibly to the Christian 
nations with whom Japan has relationships. On account of 
this hatred to Christianity, a law was made in 1837, that, 
"So long as the sun shall shine, no foreigner shall touch the 
soil of Japan and live ; that no native shall leave the coun- 
try under pain of death ; that all Japanese who return from 
abroad shall die ; that all persons who propagate the Chris- 



History and Religion. 



121 



tian religion, or bear this scandalous name, shall be im- 
prisoned ; that whosoever shall presume to bring a letter 
from abroad, or to return, after he has been banished, shall 
die, with all his family." It is stated by an authority, that 
from the date of the last persecution, " the name of Christ 
became an object of shame and terror throughout Japan." 
Another historian says, " For centuries, the mention of that 
name would bate the breath, blanch the cheek with fear, as 
with an earthquake shock. It was the synonym of sorcery, 
sedition, and all that was hostile to the peace of society. 
All over the empire, in every city, town, village, and hamlet, 
by the roadside, ferry, or mountain-pass, at every entrance 
to the capital, stood the public notice-boards, on which, 
with prohibitions against the crimes that disturb the rela- 
tions of society and government, was one tablet, written 
with a deeper brand of guilt, with a more hideous memory 
of blood, with a more awful terror of torture, than when the 
like superscription was affixed at the top of a cross that 
stood between two thieves on a little hill outside of Jerusa- 
lem. Its daily and familiar sight startled ever and anon the 
peasant to clasp hands and utter a familiar prayer, the priest 
to add fresh venom to his maledictions, the magistrate to 
shake his head, and the mother to find a ready word to hush 
the crying of her fretful child. Nothing remained of the re- 
ligion of Jesus, save an awful scar on the national memory." 

It cannot be wondered at that the Christian faith is 
looked at with suspicion and fear as yet, in Japan. So 
strong is the fear of it in some quarters, that societies have 
been organized in which the members have bound them- 
selves by oaths never to become Christians. It is well to 
bear in mind that Protestant Christian missionaries are as 
yet only tolerated^ and are only permitted to reside in 
certain towns' mentioned in the treaties. They, however, 



122 



Japan and the Japanese, 



often procure permission to go elsewhere, from the officers 
of Government. Still, the old persecuting laws against Chris- 
tians have never been annulled ; they are simply allowed to 
remain as dead letters on the statute-book ; but native con- 
verts can go anywhere preaching the Gospel to their fellow- 
countrymen. 

Miss Bird, in her fascinating work on Japan, says, in 
reference to this question, Of the shadows which hang on 
the horizon of Japan, the darkest to my thinking arises 
from the fact that she is making the attempt, for the first 
time in history, to secure the fruits of Christianity, without 
transplanting the tree from which they spring. The nation 
is sunk in immorality, the millstone of Orientalism hangs 
around her neck in the race in which she has started, and 
her progress is political and intellectual, rather than moral ; 
in other words, as regards the higher destiny of man indi- 
vidually or collectively, it is at present a failure. The great 
hope for her is that she may grasp the truth and purity of 
primitive Christianity, as taught by the lips and life of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, as vigorously as she has grasped our 
arts and sciences ; and that in the reception of Christianity, 
with its true principles of manliness and national greatness, 
she may become, in the highest sense, ' The Land of the 
Rising Sun, and the Light of Eastern Asia.'" 



III. 



Manners, Arts, Customs, Manufactures, and 
Household Traditions. 

Japanese houses are built of wood, and the partitions have 

very often sliding doors of paper. The floors are matted, 

. but the rooms rarely contain furniture. In the kitchen, in 

place of a stove may be seen a large stone or bronze box, 

with burning coals in it, and over this trough is cooked the 

rice for the family. The kitchen being destitute of a 

chimney, the smoke has to make its exit through an opening 

in the roof, or through the doorways. At meal times, the 

rice is put into a little wooden tub, which is placed upon 

a little table, about two feet square and one foot high, 

around which the family all sit in order to partake of 

the food. Each one dips out a bowlful of rice from the 

tub on the table, and eats it with chop-sticks. They also 

eat fish and sweet potatoes, and sometimes pour tea over 

the rice. In some rooms in the house may be found a 

shelf, or closet, in which are kept all the household idols. 

These houses are not always clean, for travellers tell us that 

fleas abound in the thick mats which are placed on the floors ; 

while. So ignorant are the greater part of the people as to the 

necessity for pure water, that on some occasions people have 

died through drinking the impure water provided for them. 

Horses are used for travelHng in that country, but 

the animals are ill-trained, and without bridles, so that 

instead of being guided by the riders, as in England, they 

123 



s 



124 



Japan and the Japanese, 



follow runners." These runners are in some provinces 
men ; in others, women. Occasionally, cows are used, as in 
Africa, for purposes of locomotion. Upon level roads, small 
hand-carriages with two wheels, called jinrishkas^^ borne 
by two men, are used. The " jinrishka" men will frequently 
travel thirty or forty miles a day ; but although they obtain 
better pay at this employment than at agricultural work, 
they shorten their lives considerably. Miss Bird was in- 
formed that the average duration of a man's life, after taking 
to this mode of labour, was only about five or six years. 

The Japanese have a wonderful eye for colour, and the 
artistic arrangement of the goods in their shops, as weU as 
their personal clothing, attests this fact. Nevertheless, the 
style of the national dress seems open to improvement. 
The kimono^ or general outside garment, is something like 
a scanty dressing-gown, with long, loose, baggy sleeves, 
sewn up to the wrist, so as to make convenient bags or 
pockets for the reception of all sorts of things. Idols, and 
the paper squares used for handkerchiefs, are carried in 
these sleeves, the said handkerchiefs being thrown away 
when done with. This kimono is fastened over the chest in 
different ways, according to the sex of the wearer, being 
folded from left to right by the man, and from right to left 
by the woman; in both cases being confined round the 
waist by a girdle. This girdle has enormous bows behind, 
according to the respectability and pride of the wearer. 
Mittens or socks of white cloth are worn, and outdoors are 
supplemented by wooden clogs. These clogs induce a 
shufiling, scufiling method of walking, as their feet cannot 
be raised much for fear of the clogs falling off. Hats and 
bonnets are discarded by both sexes, as the bows and 
plaits of hair are made to do duty in place of these articles. 
It is only by the obi^ or girdle, and the arrangement of the 



Manners^ Arts^ Customs ^ etc. 



12S 



hair, that it is possible to tell a man from a woman, when 
dressed in the Japanese national style. We are told by- 
visitors, that the women are gentle, modest, and womanly, 
while the men are courteous, quiet, and obliging, and that 
the national manners are far in advance of those of some 
nations possessing greater advantages. Their hands and 
feet are very small, and they themselves very diminutive. 
The usual height of women is stated as being from four feet 
eight inches, to five feet one inch ; while that of men is from 
five feet, to five feet five inches. Thin and small, they are 
characterized as the most ugly, and most pleasing little 
people ; the neatest, and the most ingenious.'' 

Japanese houses, furnished in the native style, are very 
picturesque and neat, but wanting in comfort, according to 
European notions. The floors of the apartments are covered 
with matting, as fine and soft as English carpets. These 
housemats are all made of one size — five feet nine inches 
long, three feet broad, and two-and-a-half inches thick. The 
frame is of strong coarse straw, and this is covered with 
very fine woven matting. Each mat is bound with blue. 
Houses and rooms are designed to accommodate so many 
of these mats, as they are never cut. They are expensive 
and highly valued ; no native would venture to step upon 
a mat, without first changing his dirty clogs for indoor 
slippers. This fine soft matting looks inviting and warm, 
but the partitions of the rooms are made of framework 
filled up with paper ; and the couches are simply stretchers, 
with a raised wooden block or pillow at one end, into the 
hollow of which, a Japanese fits his head, with a bit of cloth 
or paper underneath, and prepares to sleep. They know 
nothing of beds^ in the English sense of the word. All 
visitors are expected to partake of tea ; and no matter how 
many cups have already been swallowed at other houses 



> 



126 



Japan and the Japanese. 



or shops, it is considered very bad behaviour to refuse the 
gift of more cups of tea. This custom renders visiting 
and shopping somewhat formidable undertakings in Japan. 
Sake is an intoxicating drink made from rice, used very 
largely by the natives, but tea is the household beverage. 

Girls marry when about sixteen or seventeen years of age ; 
young men, when about twenty-one. Married women shave 
their eyebrows soon after marriage, and blacken their teeth ; 
but these customs, in addition to their modes of life, soon 
make them look careworn and ugly. As a dowry, the bride 
receives some personal ornaments, and a kimono as costly 
and ornamental as the means of the parties will admit. At 
funerals, the customs vary according to different localities. 
In one part of the country, after a father's death, the house 
is burnt down, and the widow and children take refuge in 
a friend's house for three years, when the house which was 
burnt is rebuilt. Hospitality to strangers and visitors is 
universally practised j and where curiosity is exhibited, it 
rarely ever passes beyond the bounds of good manners. 

The Japanese excel in various arts. The women practise 
at home, in their leisure hours, the occupation of weaving, 
and become proficients in making native cloth, mats, and 
other materials. Silk factories have been established at 
various places, and many young women as well as men 
work at this branch of industry. Their works of art in 
lacquer, and bronze, and porcelain, are very beautiful, and 
have been produced by native artificers from very early 
times. They excel in the manufacture of papers of a 
remarkable fineness and toughness ; indeed, paper occupies 
a considerable place in their household arrangements, for it 
forms the panels of their sliding partitions, is used as panes 
for their windows, and sides for their lanterns. Further, 
they use paper for tablecloths, cloaks, waterproofs, hand- 



Manners^ Arts, Customs, etc, 127 

kerchiefs, curtains, and various other articles of wearing 
apparel, and have done so for many centuries. These 
paper garments and handkerchiefs are, to Europeans, some 
of the curiosities of Japan. 

The arts of drawing and painting have been much 
developed among the natives, who seem to have great 
artistic faculty. In some of the old temples, are kept 
collections of native art. When the Ancient Britons were 




JAPANESE FANMAKERS, 



rude, uncultivated savages, this nation was well acquainted 
with many of the fine arts, and owned in its midst many 
notable artists, whose names are still handed down. 

They are fond of letter-writing, and use numerous com- 
pliments in these productions. The camePs-hair brush 
serves for a pen, and highly ornamented paper and envelopes 
are used. Among the instructed classes, much time is spent 
in writing letters, not only to business people, but to 



128 



Japan and the Japanese, 



relatives, visitors, and acquaintances. It is followed most 
assiduously as a source of pleasure and pastime. 

There is, however, an exception to be made, as it regards 
the Ainos, or aborigines of Japan. They are, without 
doubt, the savages of the country, and, as such, practise 
savage customs, live savage, barren, comfortless lives, and 
are destitute of nearly all the arts and learning of their 
Japanese masters, who generally treat the Ainos kindly, 
although the latter go in awe of them. These Ainos have 
no history like the Japanese proper ; they assert that they 
descended from a dog ; they know absolutely nothing, 
except how to hunt, fish, and make the rudest shelters ; 
they cannot count more than a thousand, and they have no 
knowledge of reading, while their clothing is made of the 
bark of trees, or the undressed skins of animals. Beyond 
making bark-cloth and weaving mats, they practise no arts, 
and their religion, or idolatry, consists principally in getting 
drunk with the national beverage, sakl. Tattooing is prac- 
tised among them, both as a source of ornament and as 
a national custom, while some Ainos assert further that it 
is a part of their religion. 

In the religion of these Ainos, it is an understood thing 
that each house has its own gods. These gods are generally 
white wands, or small rods, with shavings hanging to them^ 
and are suspended from nails in the walls. Other gods are 
white posts, two or three feet high, also with shavings, fixed 
in the ground at one end of the house. They have also 
shrines to these idols, on the hills, but no temples. These 
gods are set up anywhere — on precipices, banks of rivers, 
mountain passes, and hills. In offering sacrifices of sake^ to 
these idols, the Aino really worships the sun, or fire, or 
some other natural object, and believes that the more sakh 
he consumes, the more pleased the gods are. Another act 



Manners^ Arts^ Customs, etc, I2g 

of worship consists in placing dead birds beside, or on the 
top of the idol-posts, there to remain until decomposition 
has done its work, when the offerings are again renewed. 
They have no definite ideas about a future state, but the 
prevaiHng one is that the spirits of their departed friends 
wander restlessly about in the woods, and sometimes enter 
into the bodies of wild animals. When death approaches 
one of these singular people, the utmost dread is felt by all 
around. Immediately after death, the corpse is dressed in 
its best clothes, and laid on a shelf for two or three days. 
The body is then sewn up in a mat, with the ornaments, or 
tools, or weapons, or pipe used during life, and, slung on 
poles, is carried to a solitary grave in the woods. There it 
is deposited, without any " sure and certain hope " of a 
joyful resurrection, and the friends of the departed return to 
their houses to indulge ignorantly in their drunken worship 
of their gods by way of relief to the fear and terror they 
feel at the prospect of death. 

A gentleman who visited Japan in i858, gives us the 
following account of a funeral, as witnessed by himself at 
Hiogo, among the Japanese proper: — First walked a group 
of boys bearing poles ornamented with long streamers, and 
paper banners covered with inscriptions, no doubt laudatory 
of the dead. Next came several white-robed priests, with 
shaven heads, and carrying cereal offerings to the deities. 
Two of them had cymbals, which, at a signal from a silver 
bell, they would strike, as if to drive away evil influences. 
After these was the corpse, borne on a cumbrous bier. The 
latter looked like a small temple, and was decorated with 
tinsel and parti-coloured paper. Then came more priests, 
boys bearing sacred chairs, and a group of mourners com- 
pletely enveloped in white robes, with long gauze veils 
thrown over their heads, and reaching to their feet. After 

K 



130 



Japan and the Japanese, 



these, marched three priests of the highest order, robed in 
gorgeous vestments, like those worn in the Romish Church. 
Each carried a fan, that oriental symbol of authority, and 
wore a tall hat of golden-coloured silk, with a cape falling 
upon the shoulders. Then came about thirty of the gentry, 
all bareheaded, the fashion in Japan, and dressed in the offi- 
cial costume, with swords by their sides j and a long line of 
women and children brought up the procession. It marched 
a long distance into the country, and as it wound along hill 
and valley, with flaunting streamers and sounding cymbals, 
the scene was weird and unearthly. At last they reached 
the appointed spot ; the bier was laid on two stone pillars, 
its frame was taken apart, and inside was seen a cask like a 
small half-barrel, well hooped. This is the coffin, and into 
this the corpse has been packed into a sitting position, and 
all spare room filled with combustibles. The sacred chairs 
are placed opposite to this cask, and are occupied by the 
high-priests, and on a bench between them are laid the 
cereal offerings. The people gather around, and commence 
a low-toned and monotonous chant, probably a mere repe- 
tition of the name of their deity, after which one of the 
priests approaches the dead, and mutters a prayer. In the 
meantime the thirty men previously mentioned are kneeling 
near by on a matting, and are scattering bits of white paper, 
probably to distract the attention of the devil, while the 
others secure the safety of the departed. Several of the 
assembly wear white paper crescents on their foreheads, and 
their duty appears to consist in passing around, and bowing 
very low to the others. The services are closed by burning 
the body, and after all others retire, the undertaker remains 
to gather up the ashes, which are placed in an urn and 
buried. 

This funeral was evidently that of a Shintoist of the aristo- 




JAPANESE FUNERAL CEREMONY. 



132 



Japan and the Japanese, 



cratic class. The officials wearing swords, the richly robed 
priests, and the strips of white paper, all combine to prove 
this. These strips are called gohei^ and are supposed to be 
prayers borne upon the wind. They are seen hanging in 
front of every Shinto temple, to signify the prayers of the 
faithful. Bells are also greatly used in Shinto worship \ 
indeed, the Japanese as a people are much given to the 
use of large and beautiful bells upon every occasion. These 
senseless ceremonies evince the terror and the dark super- 
stition of the people at the idea of what may be after death. 
To them, truly, death must be a terrible ^*leap in the dark." 

How dark and gloomy must be such existence ! Not 
only is there ^all comfort and little enjoyment in such life, 
but the great beyond, which to the Christian is " a heaven 
of joy and love," is shrouded in terrible darkness. The 
more educated Japanese, who know not God, are, although 
more civilized and cultivated, quite as ignorant of the true 
way of salvation. In this respect they too are benighted, 
fallen, and deceived, seeking peace of mind by means of 
senseless idol-worship. 



IV. 



Language, Literature, and Proverbial Lore. 

The Japanese language and literature are akin to those of 
China, in difficulty of acquirement, and antiquity. An 
educational authority tells us that " at the lowest estimate 
a schoolboy is required to learn one thousand different 
characters, — in the Government elementary schools, at the 
present time, about three thousand characters are taught, — 
and a man laying any claim to scholarship, knows eight or 
ten thousand characters ; while those who pass for men of 
great learning, are expected to be acquainted with many 
tens of thousands.'* As to the language itself, some scholars 
have affirmed that it must be classed with the Korean lan- 
guage ; others rank it with the Chinese ; others, again, have 
discovered a likeness between it and the languages spoken 
by the Ashantees of Western Africa. It will thus be seen 
that there is great difficulty in deciding the position of the 
Japanese language in the great family of languages. The 
use of written characters was unknown in the early history 
of the people, but facts and traditions were handed down 
by word of mouth from one generation to another. It is 
said, however, that the art of writing was introduced by some 
Koreans who visited the country about loo years B.C. In 
the third century a.d., an Emperor of Japan was taught 
to read in Chinese books, and ever since, Chinese classics, 
literature, traditions, and faiths have had a very large 
influence upon Japan. 

133 



134 



Japan and the Japanese, 



The spoken language differs so much from the written 
language, that strangers resident in the country may become 
acquainted with the spoken form sufficiently to engage 
fluently in conversation with the natives, and yet be quite 
unable to read the books, papers, or communications 
brought under their notice ; while if they learn the written 
language alone, they are just as helpless as it regards con- 
versation. The language of the women differs largely also 
from the men ; and these facts, as may be supposed, render 
all mission-work very difficult. The children in the schools 
' are first taught the language as used by women, children, and 
the illiterate classes generally. After mastering this branch 
of learning, the young students must still spend another four 
or five years in gaining a further mastery of their own 
language, if they aspire to any situation under Government. 

It is stated, however, that hundreds of years ago, when 
war and bloodshed occupied the time and thoughts of the 
rulers of Japan, the women of the land cultivated literature 
and learning to a remarkable extent. It will be remem- 
bered, as stated in a preceding chapter, that the Kojiki^ or 
chief sacred book, was the production of a woman ; not 
only so, but many of the best writings of that age came from 
female pens. They possess novels, poems, sacred books, 
histories, and other works, all tending to show that even in 
early times the study of literature and the production of 
books were followed to a large extent. It is evident that 
they possessed, at an early date, much literary culture. 

A few specimens of the proverbs of the country will be 
interesting to the reader. Many of them bear a resemblance 
to English proverbs. We quote from Sir E. J. Reed's 
excellent work on Japan, in which a large selection of 
proverbs is given : '^The mouth is the door of mischief;" 
"Illnesses come through the mouth;" Indolence is a 



Language^ Literature^ and Proverbial Lore, 135 

powerful enemy ; " Covetous about one coin, and neglect- 
ful of a hundred ; " Sufficient dust will make a mountain ; 
" Prophets know nothing about themselves ; " The magnet 
can attract iron, but not stone;'' "Adapt yourself to the 
place you are in ; " " Too much courtesy is not sincerity ; 
" He who holds a tiger brings trouble on himself "A true 
heart is better than a beautiful face ; " " Many captains, and 
the ship goes on to the rocks ; " " Listening to a child's 
prattle till you fall over a precipice ; " " Pinch yourself to 
know how others feel;" '*Fall seven times, stand the 
eighth;" "A fire-brand is easily kindled again;" *^ The frog 
in the well knows nothing of the high seas ; " " Too much 
done is really nothing done;" "No rising in the world 
without stooping ; " " He who touches vermilion becomes 
red ; " " He who breaks through a thicket disturbs the 
snakes ;" " Poke a cane-brake, and a serpent will slip out ; " 
" Like a wolf in priest's clothing ; " " Egg plants do not grow 
from melon seeds ; " " Poverty cannot outrun industry ; " 
" No escape from the nets of heaven ; " " People that are 
hated strut about the world;" "After three years an evil 
becomes a necessity ; " " Dumplings are better than 
flowers;" "Great words mean little deeds ; " "A friend. at 
hand is better than relatives at a distance ; " "A devil in 
the heart (an evil conscience) torments the body ;" "Cheaply 
bought, money lost ; " " More words, less sense ; " " Clever 
preacher, short sermon ; " " Who steals money is killed, who 
steals a country is a king ; " " If you curse any one, look out 
for two graves;" "Regard an old man as thy father;" 
"A tongue of three inches can kill a man of six feet;" 
" Inquire seven times before you believe a report ; " " Hell's 
torments are measured by money ; " " There are thorns on 
all roses ; " " The seal of the gods is on the brow of a 
righteous man." 



V. 



The New Civilization, Laws, and Commerce, of Japan. 

Civilized as Japan has been during the past ages of her 
history, she has attained a yet higher position among the 
nations of the earth, during the last ten or fifteen years. 
Contact with Western civilization and Western manners, has 
shown this ingenious little people the necessity and the 
wisdom of adopting new modes of action, education, and 
government, if they would preserve their position in the 
family of nations, or advance their power and influence. 

The story of the opening up of Japan, is an interesting 
one, and comes in very appropriately here. The Americans 
were the. first people to succeed in establishing commercial 
relations with that country. In July, 1853, a fleet of 
American vessels entered the harbour of Yeddo, under the 
command of Commodore Perry. After some delay, he 
succeeded in delivering to the agents of the Japanese 
Government, a letter addressed to the Emperor of Japan, by 
the American President, requiring protection for American 
seamen wrecked on Japanese shores, and requesting that 
commercial relations should be opened between the two 
countries. No answer was vouchsafed at that time, 
Japanese haughtiness and insularity disdaining the idea of 
reciprocal intercourse with foreigners. However, in Febru- 
ary, 1854, Commodore Perry returned with a larger fleet, 

136 



138 



Japan and the Japanese, 



prepared to insist upon a favourable reply. Very shortly, he 
obtained one. A treaty was agreed upon, whereby certain 
ports were to be opened for commerce, and consuls per- 
mitted to reside in the country. In October of the same 
year a treaty was made with England, embodying the same 
concessions. Another treaty was concluded with England 
in 1858, under the direction of Lord Elgin, which secured 
more protection and toleration for the foreigner. This 
treaty very wisely secured that foreign residents should be 
amenable only to the laws of their own country, except in 
such civil cases where the defendant happened to be a 
Japanese. By this condition, security against religious per- 
secution and intolerance was obtained j for the old blood- 
thirsty laws against Christianity were still in force. No 
Protestant or Roman Catholic could be exposed to the 
danger of torture or death because of his religion; while 
at the same time, certain concessions were granted at 
specified ports, upon which foreigners were to reside. 
These ports were Hakodate, Kanayawa, Nagasaki, Niigata, 
Hiogo, Osaka, and Yeddo. Yeddo is now called Tokio. 
At that date, however, any Japanese found travelling in a 
foreign land, was liable to the punishment of death the 
instant he returned home; but in June, 1866, a further 
treaty was obtained, signed by the representatives of the 
English, French, Dutch, and Japanese representatives, 
whereby Japanese subjects received permission to visit 
foreign countries, either for purposes of trade, education, 
or employment. Along with this permission, were granted 
others, designed to extend and enlarge the trade and com- 
merce of the country. As the consequence, the old customs 
of Japan gave way before the outward march of civilization, 
and little by little, the land and its inhabitants forsook its 
Asiatic seclusion, and adopted, one by one, European ideas 



The New Civilization y Laws, etc, 139 

and customs. As a consequence, the " new civilization " 
and the views and practices of " young Japan " present 
much material for thoughtful and pleasing reflection, to the 
student of national and religious history. Japan has de- 
* veloped, nationally, politically, and religiously. 

From 1863, to 1867, the people were much disquieted. 
Foreign complications and internal strife united to produce 
war, disagreement, unrest, and a general feeling of turmoil. 
A revolution took place, which ended in placing the supreme 
power once more in the hands of the Mikado, or Emperor, 
while the Tycoon, or Shogum, retired into private life. On 
January 3rd, 1868, a proclamation was put forth, announc- 
ing that the rule was henceforth in the hands of the Mikado. 
Very shortly, the Daimios, or magistrate -nobles, were 
abolished, being pensioned off; and the Mikado swore 
solemnly that he would rule the country by the aid of a 
deliberative assembly, or parliament. But even at this date, 
the old laws against the Christian religion were in force, and 
not only so, but after this revolution, notice-boards were put 
up all over the country, bearing, among other things, the 
following prohibition. These boards faced the missionary 
at every turn. 

"The evil sect called Christian is strictly prohibited. 
Suspicious persons should be reported to the proper officers, 
and rewards will be given.'' 

In 1873, however, in deference to public opinion, all 
these notices were withdrawn, although the laws were not 
rescinded. In a future chapter, the progress of Christianity 
from this date will be more fully entered into. The primary 
object of this chapter is to describe the social, political, and 
commercial progress of Japan as a country. 

Upon the abolishing of the clan system, and the office of 
the Daimios, who were bound each to provide a certam 



I40 



Japan and the Japanese, 



number of soldiers under the ancient regime^ a conscription 
law was adopted, by virtue of which, every male between 
the ages of seventeen and forty has to serve a certain num- 
ber of years either in the army, or reserve force. A navy 
has been developed after the pattern of the English one, 
and large naval establishments have been created at Yoko- 
suka, and Nagasaki. The present Government consists of 
the Mikado as its head, a Supreme Council or Parliament, 




and an Assembly of Local Officials. All males above 
twenty years of age, who pay land-tax amounting to 
annually, are entitled to a vote, bankrupts and criminals only 
excepted. They have adopted the system of vote by ballot. 
The chief departments of State, over which ministers preside, 
as in England, are Foreign Affairs, Finance, Marine Educa- 
tion, Public Works, War, Justice, the Imperial Household, 
Colonisation, and Rehgion, this latter having been changed 



The New Civilization^ Laws, etc, 141 

into that called Ministry for the Interior. The army con- 
sists of 50,000 men, with 20,000 reserve force ; the navy, of 
27 vessels, and nearly 5,000 men. A smart police force was 
next instituted, dressed in blue and yellow, and composed of 
the most intelligent and active among the male population. 
Being dressed in European costume, they attract much 
attention, both from visitors and natives, and manifest not a 
little pride in their responsible position. It is said that this 
body consists of nearly 24,000 men, of whom over 5,000 
are stationed in Tokio^ the capital. So highly is this force 
valued by the Government, that recently a commission of 
the highest police officers was sent to Europe to improve 
their acquaintance with European police systems, and to 
adopt all possible measures for securing the highest amount 
of efficiency in their own. Indeed, although accustomed 
up to a recent date to stigmatize all foreigners as bar- 
barians," it is very curious to note the eagerness with which 
customs, systems, and manners introduced by those very 
barbarians, are imitated. It has been the rule for the 
Japanese Government to employ foreigners for specified 
terms of years, so as to educate natives in different arts, and 
then to dispense with the services of the foreigners. 

The money of the country has undergone a change. 
Until the country was opened up by the foreign treaties, 
the Japanese esteemed silver to be as valuable as gold, and 
readily exchanged gold for silver, weight for weight. They 
have now, however, adopted a coinage, and issue gold, 
silver, and bronze coins, beside paper money. 

The new order of things was quickly signalised by the 
establishment of a postal system, nearly akin to our own. 
In former times, the Japanese postman, or mail-carrier, was 
a half-naked "runner," who ran from station to station, 
carrying the letters in the cleft of a stick. But this old 



142 



Japan and the Japanese, 



time custom was soon abolished, and a system as nearly 
like our own as possible, was adopted. By a recent report, 
we find that over 35,000 miles of mail routes were occupied 
and properly served; that 3,927 post-offices, beside about 
7,000 stamp offices, and receiving agencies, and 700 street 
letter-boxes, were fully at work. We find also that not 
only are stamps employed, but that post-cards, wrappers, 
registered letters, money-order offices, post-office savings 
banks, and a dead-letter office, are among the post-office 
agencies and conveniences of Japan. Telegraphs and tele- 
phones have also found their way to the country ; and in 
the year 1878, over one million messages were transmitted 
by telegraph. Railways are being adopted in different parts 
of the country, for about 500 miles of rail are projected, 
although not quite 100 are open yet. 

Newspapers are beginning to be read and published ex- 
tensively among the people, and to exercise a large influence 
in forming public opinion. The first newspaper was issued 
in 187 1, but now the number of dailies and weeklies reaches 
nearly 300, having an aggregate circulation of many millions 
of copies. These newspapers discuss the new religion with 
great interest and keenness. The official organ of the 
Government recently had a leading article on the folly of 
opposing " the Jesus religion,'' as Christianity was termed. 

Another says : " Christianity appears to be spreading over 
the country with the rapidity of the rising tide." Another 
observes that " the priests are desperately eager to stem the 
rapidly advancing flood of Christianity, which threatens to 
drown them out at no distant day." There are four Chris- 
tian newspapers in Japan, three of them bearing titles which, 
translated into English, would read thus : Weekly Messenger^ 
Missionary NewSy and Universal Magazine. The fourth is 
the organ of the Greek Church, and is largely circulated 



I 



The New Civilization, Laws, etc, 143 

among that body. The Universal Magazi?ie discusses Chris- 
tianity in relation to modern science, art, and philosophy, 
and is largely sold to persons who are not connected with 
any Christian organization. The Buddhists have seized hold 
of this instrument for influencing public opinion, and now 
issue several religious papers, in which praises of the Bud- 




ROPE-MAKING IN JAPAN. 



dhist faith alternate with attacks upon Christianity. A mis- 
sionary tells us that in a recent number of one of these 
papers he noticed a recommendation of Tom Paine's " Age 
of Reason " as an able expose of the errors of Christianity. 

Among other changes, Japanese laws have undergone 
considerable revision. The old laws were based chiefly 



144 Japan and the Japa7iese, 

upon Chinese codes, and were mostly remarkable for their 
cruelty. Before the Revolution of 1868, death was the 
usual punishment for crimes, and death, accompanied by 
torture, for aggravated crimes. In the old times, confessions 
were forced from the accused by cruel tortures, and then 
death was inflicted by terrible means ; but recently the code 
has been so altered, that death is abolished, except for 
serious offences, and the practice of obtaining confessions 
by torture, abolished. Convict establishments have been 
opened, much like our own, in which the prisoners are kept 
under firm discipline, and taught various trades, such as 
porcelain and lacquer work, as well as rougher manual 
pursuits, by means of which they may, when released from 
prison, earn an honest livelihood. Miss Bird tells us that 
there are twenty degrees of punishment, ten of which in- 
volves from ten, to one hundred days' imprisonment, and 
the other ten, penal servitude for one year, up to captivity 
for life. In some cases, imprisonment, where it is unaccom- 
panied by hard labour, may be undergone in the offender's 
own house, his relations being responsible for his safe 
custody." A slight assault is punishable with twenty days' 
penal servitude, and wilful murder receives the doom of 
death. Offences against husbands and parents are severely 
punished; and should a child neglect to mourn for his 
parents during the period prescribed by the laws, he is liable 
to penal servitude for one year. During the days of old 
Japan, it was customary to perform Hari-kari^ or *'the 
happy despatch,'^ in case of misfortune or dishonour, which 
meant committing suicide. The present law, however, 
punishes an attempt at suicide, with ten years' penal servi 
tude, so that, in all probability, the custom of performing 
" the happy despatch " will wholly die out. 

But in her new system of education, Japan has taken the 



The New Civilization, Laws, etc. 145 

most important step in her progress toward perfect civiliza- 
tion. Recognising the fact that no true improvement can 
be attained without sound education for all classes, the 
Government planned, in 1873, a system which should em- 
brace all the subjects of the Mikado, and provide for all 
wants. The country was divided into seven large districts, 
and one school was established for every 600 inhabitants. 
There are Elementary schools, Middle schools, Normal 
schools, Foreign language schools, and Colleges for special 
sciences. According to the report for 1879, the number of ele- 
mentary schools was over 25,000, with 59,000 teachers, large 
numbers of whom, however, were far below the standard 
of competency required and demanded by the regulations. 
This lack of competent teachers will, however, be remedied 
in time, by the provision made for training institutions and 
colleges. In that year, 2,162,962 children were found in 
attendance at these various schools. There were 389 
middle schools, in which 910 teachers were employed, and 
of this number, sixteen were foreigners. At the head of this 
school system, is the University of Tokio> which includes 
departments of law, medicine, literature, and science. 
Twenty-four of the teachers in the University are foreigners. 
Students from this University of special capacity are sent to 
America, and England, to complete their studies, receiving 
loans of ;^2oo per annum from the Japanese Government, 
which loans they are bound to repay upon receiving employ- 
ment at home after obtaining their degrees. 

Female education is at present receiving much attention 
in the country, and the Empress Haruku has assisted the 
movement both by tongue and purse. Her Majesty gave 
five thousand yens^ or dollars, in 1874, " for the purpose of 
promoting the education of her own sex in the Empire.'' 
With this sum, the Tokio Female Normal School was 

L 



146 



Japan and the Japanese. 



established, in order to train young Japanese females for 
teachers in elementary and middle schools. There are also 
female industrial schools, where the girl pupils learn all 
kinds of needlework, and womanly pursuits, in addition to 
other branches of knowledge. Still, in spite of the provision 
made for the education of the children, nearly two-thirds, of 
school age, are at present living in ignorance, and wholly 
untrained. There is no compulsory law to insist upon their 
attendance at school, and the people generally, in the coun- 
try districts, are too ignorant themselves, to value education 
for their children. Yet, with all this provision for mere 
proficiency in secular knowledge, there is a total absence of 
religious and moral education. Shintoism and Buddhism 
do not now satisfy the cravings of the enlightened Japanese, 
and they have not yet, as a nation^ accepted Christianity ; 
consequently, the system of education inaugurated for the 
youth of the land, is cold, lifeless, and barren, as far as 
regards the life to come. Still, as one of the newspapers 
of Tokio has recently declared that "no religion save the 
Jesus religion has ever given liberty to any nation," it is 
more than probable that the mission agencies now at work 
in the country will be crowned with startling success. It 
is in such lands as these, prepared of God, that nations are 
" born in a day." 

The commerce of Japan has largely grown since the 
treaty of 1858. She now sends to other countries, raw silk, 
silkworms' eggs^ tea, rice, tobacco, vegetable wax^ copper, 
camphor, dried fish, and various art manufactures, in silk, 
.porcelain, and bronze. During the past two or three years 
her total export trade has risen to about six millions. 
Europe and America send back, in return^ cotton and 
woollen manufactures, iron, machinery, cutlery, and leather 
goods, beside cotton yarn. This latter item is an important 




JAPANESE ARTIFICIAL FLOWER MAKER. 




JAPANESE MAKING CALLING CARDS. 
147 



II 



148 Japan and the Japanese, 

one to every Japanese woman who understands the art of 
weaving (and most of them do), for they use it, mixed with 
their own products, to manufacture cloth for the daily needs 
of themselves and their families. A large trade is carried 
on by the export and sale of Japanese curiosities, or 
curios," which articles find ready markets in England, 
France, and America, as fancy, and artistic goods. 

But amid all this new civilization, education, trade, and 
commerce, it is saddening to reflect that heathenism and 
scepticism are both arrayed in opposition to the Gospel of 
Christ. Scientists and philosophers, who labour in our 
midst to overthrow the simple faith of believers in Christ, 
little think of the mischief such teachings are working in 
Japan. The educated youth of that land, being instructed 
in English, are more or less acquainted with the works 
and theories of Huxley, Tyndal, Darwin, Spencer, and Mill, 
— all great thinkers and original speculatists, but not fitted 
to lead a heathen nation from its idol-darkness into Christian 
light. Some of their college tutors tell the young Japanese, 
that Christianity is now rejected by most educated people 
in Europe, and America \ and that positivism and philosophic 
doubt have taken the place ot the old time-worn creed. 
The effect of such teachings may be imagined. Alongside 
of the new civilization, manners, and education, are growing 
up a certain flippant smartness, an atheistic scorn, and a 
conceited spirit of doubt, which rejects alike Buddhism, 
Shintoism, and Christianity, as exploded systems, hoary 
with years, and fit only for old women, children, and ignor- 
ant peasants. Such notions form some of the worst obstacles 
to the success of missionary enterprise. 



VI. 



Sacred Shrines, and their Devotees. 

It will be interesting to note, at greater length, the most 
remarkable sacred shrines and temples of the Japanese. 
These have been frequently alluded to in the preceding 
pages ; but in this chapter, it will be better for the reader 
to consider them more at length, in order to understand the 
great need which exists — in spite of all the civilization and 
learning hitherto attained by this remarkable people — for 
the light of the Gospel. They walk as it were in moral twi- 
light. They see but partially and indistinctly — through the 
mists and vapours of idolatry and semi-enlightenment — the 
truth in regard to the future. In some favoured spots the 
Gospel is taught by devoted missionaries, both male and 
female ; but over great part of the land intense darkness 
reigns, while even in the most favoured centres of light and 
Gospel teaching, infidelity and scientific doubt have crept 
in, to nullify the newly formed belief of many in Christianity. 
This cold, unsettled, doubting system is known in Japan as 
the " English Philosophy." 

Pure Shintoism, and pure Buddhism, have each their own 
shrines in the land, while in thousands of instances the form 
of worship observed at other shrines is that of Riyobu 
Shtntu ; or, "twofold religious doctrine." This doctrine 
was formed by the union of the Shinto faith and Buddhist 
system ; so that both Shinto and Buddhist temples are now 



Japan and the Japanese, 



crowded, and adorned with visible representations of the 
gods worshipped. It is important to remember that at the 
restoration of the Mikado to his full power, in 1868, Shinto- 
ism was re-adopted or re-proclaimed as the state religion of 
Japan, while all other forms or doctrines were only tolerated 
as a matter of policy, in dealing with European nations. As 
the Mikado is supposed to be a lineal descendant of the 
gods, he is also looked upon as a god ; and the duty of 
implicit obedience to the Emperor, is the most important 
doctrine of this system. It is easy to understand, therefore, 
that this false faith becomes really a means of political 
power to the Japanese Government. In this system. Em- 
perors, warriors, heroes, and natural forces are worshipped; 
but no light is thrown upon the subject of a future state, 
nor is any revelation of comfort or consolation given by it 
to its devotees. The number of heroes thus deified and 
worshipped as gods, is enormously great ; indeed, some of 
the Japanese assert that the total is eight millions. Each 
village, town, river, lake, stream, city, mountain, and wood 
has its specified god and shrine. When a child is born, it is 
taken to the shrine of the village god, and dedicated to its 
service ; thenceforth, the god of that shrine becomes the 
child's patron, guide, and preserver. Each god has a yearly 
festival, while others have a number of particular festivals 
or prayer-days, on which the poor, deluded villagers go to 
the shrine, offer gifts, and pray in their singular fashion. 
This fashion is a most easy one, merely requiring the wor- 
shipper to clap his hands, two or three times, very loudly, 
in front of the shrine, and to bow his head to the ground. 
A worshipper of Shinto, on rising in the morning, will care- 
fully rinse his mouth, hands, and face with water, then bow 
humbly before the sun, as he rises in the eastern horizon, 
concluding his morning's devotions, probably by a clap of 



Sacred Shrines ^ and their Devotees. 151 

the hands. This system, as we before mentioned, requires 
no sacrifices — expects no shedding of blood. 

A stranger, on approaching a Shinto temple, or sacred 
shrine, would be at first somewhat startled to see a curious 
kind of archway spanning the entrance to the sacred en- 
closure. This is the torrii^ or sacred emblem, and in some 
specially renowned shrines, there are avenues of approach 
to the shrine itself, composed of hundreds of these torrii^ 
or arches. The name itself means bird^s-nest,^ because 
the sacred fowls, or birds offered to the gods, are accus- 
tomed to perch upon them. These fowls, be it remem- 
bered, are not killed, but offered in a living state, and 
cherished, and cared for by the temple servants. The 
torrii consists of two pieces of metal, — or large upright 
posts, fixed in the earth opposite each other. Across, from 
post to post, is laid a beam, with ends curving upward, 
and immediately under this curved crosspiece, is carried, 
also from post to post, another smaller beam, upon which 
is painted the name of the temple. As red is the sacred 
colour of Shinto, the archway is generally painted this 
colour, so that it forms a prominent feature in the land- 
scape. The height of the arch is about fifteen, or sixteen 
feet ; and during the persecution of the Roman Catholics, 
it was required of the converts made by them, that they 
should pass reverently under the torrii^ if they would save 
their lives. This passing under the temple-entrance was 
considered equivalent to a recantation. The temples them- 
selves are generally of wood, and have thatched roofs. In 
the interior, at the farther end, may be seen the circular 
mirror, of brightly polished steel, the trays of offerings, and 
the strips of white paper, called gohei, hanging from wands 
of wood, which are supposed to be the prayers of the 
people. Another Shinto emblem is a rope of straw, which 



• 



152 Japan and the Japanese, 

hangs across a temple archway, and which also has long 
strips of white paper hanging from it. 

Miss Bird tells us that there are 8,000 Shinto temples in 
Japan, attached to which, are about 20,000 officials, — 
priests, and attendants. She also states that there is 
granted annually, by the Government, for the support of 
these shrines, a sum of ;£^5 8,000. In former times, a 
Department of Public Worship dealt with all these matters ; 
but during the last three years, this Department has been 
abolished, and its functions relegated to the care of the 
Minister of the Interior. 

Amongst Shinto temples and shrines, those of Ise are 
peculiarly sacred. In a temple here, is kept the original 
sacred mirror of Shinto. At first, the religious objects were 
kept in the Mikado's palace, but about three years before the 
birth of Christy the Mikado Sujin, who was Emperor at that 
time, caused this magnificent shrine to be built, removed the 
holy emblem thither, and appointed his daughter to be the 
priestess of the temple. The original temple does not exist, 
as a new temple is built every twenty years, but each temple 
is an exact pattern of the preceding one. Being so sacred, 
these shrines are esteemed by the Japanese, as we would 
esteem Bethlehem, or Jerusalem, and are visited annually 
by tens of thousands of pilgrims, of all ages, who consider 
that they have performed a most meritorious act, in coming 
to worship at so holy a place. At this shrine, there are two 
temples, and with very rare exceptions, no foreigners are 
allowed to pass the first torrii. Mementoes of these temple 
shrines are eagerly sought after by pilgrims, and treasured 
up at home, on their return, as some of their most sacred 
possessions. Formerly, the mementoes were carried about 
for sale, by hawkers, from door to door, but the Govern- 
ment forbade the practice, and commanded that the relics, 



Sacred Shrines ^ and their Devotees. 153 

should only be sold at the shrines, or by appointed agents. 
The two temples are about three miles apart in groves of 
camphor trees, which, with their dark luxuriance, impress 
the visitor very strongly. The temples are simply wooden 
structures, raised on platforms of stone. At the corner of 
one of these platforms is a dark stone, worn quite smooth 
by the continual rubbing of pilgrims, who, when in pain, 
believe that the rubbing of the part of the body which is 
suffering, against this holy stone, is quite sufficient to ensure 
relief and cure. Attached to these temples are several out- 
buildings, containing horses, and other sacred animals, 
devoted to the service of the shrines, by worshippers. The 
offerings made at these shrines, are rice, salt, water, fish, 
birds, and vegetables. After presentation of these offerings, 
the worshipper claps his hands, to attract the attention of 
the goddess, reverently bows to the ground several times, 
and then departs satisfied. Those Japanese who cannot visit 
the shrines of Ise, pray each day, with their heads bowed 
towards the place, as humbly and truly, as the old Jew 
worshipped towards Jerusalem. It should be mentioned, 
however, that though there are no religious ceremonies 
other than those described, there are temple dances per- 
formed by priests, and dancing girls, to the accompaniment 
of musical instruments. 

At the Shinto shrine of Atsuta is deposited the Sacred 
Sword, another treasured emblem of this faith. Pilgrims 
also visit this spot in large numbers, and after first washing 
the hands, offer coins or other little offerings, to the god- 
dess. The Sword treasured here, is supposed to be the 
protector of the country, and the people. It is believed 
that it is in consequence of the homage paid to this Sacred 
Sword, this weapon is so honoured in Japan. Swords were 
worn by the military, and nobles, as symbols of power and 



154 



Japan and the Japanese, 



pride : only sons of good families were trained in the manu- 
facture of the weapon ; the direst breaches of etiquette as well 
as personal insults, were given, and expiated by the sword, 
and it was not deemed polite to draw the weapon from its 
sheath, without first asking consent of all persons present. 

Before many, if not all of the Buddhist temples, may 
be noticed two dreadful images, called " Nios,'' or temple 
guards. The figures are carved to represent grinning demons, 
and are fixed, one on each side of the entrance, in a kind 
of recess. It is customary for many Buddhist worshippers 
to offer petitions to these idols, in the following strange way. 
On coming to the entrance, they chew pieces of paper into 
small round balls, and fling these little wet pellets at the 
figures. Supposing they fall off on to the ground, their 
prayers are rejected ; but should they stick to the figure, the 
Japanese believe most firmly that their petitions are heard, 
and will be answered. These wooden demons are generally 
painted, the one red, and the other green, while the avenue 
leading up to the entrance, is lined on either side, with 
stalls and shops for the sale of toys, and keepsakes of the 
temple. The approaches to such temples are crowded 
nearly all day with men, women, and children, while beggars 
wait around to collect alms. In front, at one side of the 
doorway, is a tank of holy water, where worshippers wash 
their faces and hands, before presuming to enter the temple 
itself. At the farther end of the building is a lighted altar, 
surrounded with priests, in richly coloured robes. Each 
worshipper is expected to contribute some offering, more 
or less, according to his means, on approaching the altar. 
Beside throwing wet pellets of paper at the idol, some 
worshippers use strings of beads, to aid their devotions. 

At Nara, is an immense, and ancient Buddhist temple, 
dedicated to the great Dai-Butsu. The entrance is guarded 



Sacred Shriites^ aiid their Devotees, 155 



by two large gatekeepers, as described before, and the idol 
worshipped at this place is an immense figure made of 
bronze and gold. Dai-Butsu is represented as sitting on 
the lotus-flower, — which, with the chrysanthemum, is a 
sacred emblem, — and the height of the image, as it sits, is 
63I feet. Above his head rises a halo-like erection, of over 
14 feet high ; the face is 16 feet long, by 9I feet wide ; the 
eyes are 3 feet 9 inches long, and the eyebrows 5J feet in 
length; the ears are 8 feet in length; and the middle 
finger, 5 feet. The chest of the figure is 20 feet in depth ; 
while each leaf of the lotus-flower on which he sits, is 10 
feet long, and there are 56 of these leaves to form the 
throne. This idol was cast first in 743, and contains a 
weight of 450 tons of metal. This temple contains many 
ancient, and historical relics, such as sacred Buddhist 
writings, and scriptures, many hundreds of years old. But 
these may well be worthless, for instead of being printed 
and distributed to the people, they are here locked up in 
strong boxes, and are jealously guarded by the priests. 

There is also at this place, the temple of Kwannon, the 
goddess of Mercy. She is represented as having a thousand 
arms and hands, and holding in each hand some sacred 
emblem. A recent traveller states that the wall of this 
temple is hung with tresses of hair, which have been ofl'ered, 
with vows, both by men and women. 

There are two other immense Dai-Butsu images in Japan, 
one at Kama-Kura, and the other at Taffa. Five persons 
can sit on the thumb of one of these images, so colossal are 
they in their proportions. At Kioto, is the celebrated 
temple of the Thousand Gods. This temple contains a 
thousand idols of large size, each of which is surrounded 
by a number of smaller images, so that altogether there are 
said to be 33,333 images. 



156 



Japan and the Japanese, 



These temples are usually built in the midst of park-like 
grounds, laid out in beautiful walks, and diversified with 
groves, and woods. Trees of great age are to be found in 
these groves, adding to the beauty and solemnity of the 
neighbourhood. 

A quotation from Miss Bird, on " Natural Shrines," will 
fitly come into this chapter. ^'Everywhere there are conical 
hills densely wooded with cryptomeria, and scarcely one is 
without a steep flight of handsome stone steps, with a stone, 
or wooden torrii at its base. From below, the top is in- 
volved in mystery, but on ascending into what is truly a 
' solemn shade,' one usually finds a small wooden shrine 
and some tokens of worship, such as a few flowers, a little 
rice, or a few evergreens. These 'groves, and high places' 
are the shrines of the old nature, and hero worship, which 
has its symbols on every high hill, and under every green 
tree. In some places there is merely a red torrii^ with 
some wisps of straw dangling from it, at the entrance of a 
grove : in others a single venerable tree, or group of trees, 
is surrounded with a straw rope, having tassels dangling 
from it, — the sign of sacredness ; in others, again, a paved 
path, under a row of decaying grey torrii^ leads to nothing. 
The grand flights of stone stairs up to the shrines in the 
groves, are the great religious feature in this part of the 
country, and seem to point to a much more pious age than 
the present. The Buddhist temples have lately been few, 
and though they are much more pretentious than the Shinto 
shrines, and usually have stone lanterns, and monuments of 
various kinds in their grounds, they are shabby and decay- 
ing, the paint is wearing off the wood, and they have an 
unmistakable look of * disestablishment,' not supplemented 
by a vigorous Voluntaryism.' One of the most marked 
features of this part of the country is the decayed look of 




DAI-BUTSU AT KAMA-KURA— COLOSSAL STATUE OF BUDDHA. 



IS8 Japan and the Japaitese, 

the religious edifices and symbols. Buddhas erect, but 
without noses, moss and lichen-covered, here and there, 
with strips of pink cloth tied round their necks, and Bud- 
dhas prostrate among grass and weeds everywhere. One 
passes hundreds of these in a day's journey." 

The same writer also mentions one very curious, and 
superstitious custom connected with the death of women in 
child-birth, and akin to the Romish purgatory. She says 
that she often wondered at seeing a coarse cloth suspended 
over a stream, its four corners being tied to as many bamboo 
poles. Near it, generally by the side of the path, there was 
always to be seen a small narrow tablet, containing an in- 
scription, and the name of the poor woman thus snatched 
away by death. According to popular belief, a poor woman 
dying at this crisis of her life, is thus snatched away as a 
punishment for sins committed in a former state of being, 
and will undoubtedly expiate in the Lake of Blood, — one of 
the Buddhist hells, — this sin, whatever it may be. The cloth 
erected on the bamboo poles, appeals to every passer-by, to 
pour out prayers for the release of the poor woman from 
this hell or purgatory. And they are expected to pray for 
her soul, by pouring dippers full of water upon the cloth, A 
dipper is always kept by the tablet, and each passer-by 
piously pours one or more dippers full of water upon the 
cloth, leaving it to strain through. Each bowlful of water 
forms a prayer, according to the popular notion ; and the 
woman is not set free from purgatory, until the cloth is so 
worn and thin in the centre that the water falls through at 
once. It is essential that the cloth should be bought at a 
temple, otherwise the prayers are of no use. It is said that 
the rich pay the priests more money, in order to get a cloth 
woven, or scraped thin in the middle, so as to secure the 
desired end, sooner. This sort of prayer for the dead, 



Sacred Shrines ^ and their Devotees. 159 

is called *The Flowing Invocation.' Upon certain fixed 
times of the year, numbers of people also visit the temples, 
and pay money to the priests to purchase prayers for their 
friends in torment." 

It will be seen from this incident, that the Buddhists 
believe, and teach, the doctrine of transmigration of souls, 
as well as a modified form of purgatory. All who live im- 
pure, dishonest, wicked lives here, are considered to pass 
from this body into that of some hateful, or noxious beast, 
and then again into some other animal less ugly and repul- 
sive, until they have atoned for the sins of this life, and are 
then permitted either to rise to Nirvana," the Buddhist 
heaven, or to occupy some honourable position in this life. 
This system of transmigration of souls, provides the only 
atonement for sin, which the Japanese know, or believe in. 
Our Christian doctrine of "shedding blood for the remission 
of sins which are past," is not only unknown^ but utterly 
repulsive to them ; because sacrifices of any kind are abhor- 
rent, both to Buddhism, and Shintoism. This fact proves a 
great stumbling-block in the way of some Japanese, when 
urged to accept Christianity ; and will remain so, doubtless, 
for some time. 

On account of these teachings of Buddhism, no Japanese 
ever looks forward to a happy life beyond the grave. His 
highest happiness is that of being absorbed in the Holy 
Sakya, in Nirvana, — a sort of unconscious existence in which 
there can be no active pursuit, happiness, or enjoyment. 
As this is the only prospect offered by their idolatrous 
systems, the talk, and belief of Christians on the doctrine of 
" Eternal Life," falls on sceptical, and unwilling ears. 

Most of the people wear amulets or charms, and should 
any person drop his charm, it is considered a sign of speedy 
death. They are written by Buddhist priests, and sold ; are 



i6o Japan and the Japanese, 

worn either round the neck, waist, or girdle ; and generally 
contain the name of some god upon them, with a text from 
the Buddhist scriptures. Among other superstitions we 
may mention the following : — In building a house, doors 
should be placed on the south-east side, the storehouse on 
the north-east, and the cupboards on the south-west. No 
one should sleep with the head to the north, because a 
corpse is always placed in that position. They fear ghosts 
and apparitions terribly, and keep a small candle burning 
all night, to avoid being in darkness. Purple or violet 
clothes must not be worn at weddings, or disaster and 
divorce will speedily follow. Salt must be purchased by 
day; the purchaser must throw some portions of the salt 
into the fire, to prevent misfortune. New clothes must be 
put on before the afternoon, or bad luck will follow the 
wearer. Should the chop-sticks be broken while eating, 
death will soon come to the eater. Should an eclipse of 
the sun take place, all the wells are covered carefully, for 
the common belief is, that at such times poison drops down 
from the sky, and renders the water unfit for drinking. 
During sleep the body is supposed to lie dead, as it were, 
while the soul walks about in the shape of a black ball. 
On this account, no Japanese will ever wake a sleeper 
suddenly, for fear of causing his death. 

With regard to the prospects of Christianity in Japan, 
Miss Bird writes somewhat sadly. She says that Japan 
is not ripe for the reception of the Gospel, but is, on 
account of various obstacles and hindrances, opposed to 
Christianity. The half-civilized Japanese have sharply 
criticised the conduct of so-called Christian peoples, and 
have thereby concluded that Christianity is not a good thing, 
and if adopted, would be of little benefit to them. " The 
fact remains that thirty-four millions of Japanese are sceptics 



Sacred Shrines^ and their Devotees. i6i 

or materialists, or absolutely sunk in childish and degrading 
superstitions, out of which the religious significance, such 
as it was, has been lost/' 

Among the new institutions of the country is that of the 
newspaper, and facts concerning the political, social, and 
religious life of the nation are freely discussed. In one of 
these, lately, appeared a paper entitled, " Of what good is 
Christianity to Japan ? " The writer said : " The Christian 
religion seems to be extending by degrees throughout the 
country. We have no wish to obey it, nor have we any 




JAPANESE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 



fear of being troubled by it. As we enjoy sufficient happi- 
ness without any religion whatever, the question as to the 
merits, or demerits of the different forms, never enters the 
mind. Indeed, we are of those, who, not knowing the 
existence of religions in the universe, are enjoying perfect 
happiness. We have no intention of either supporting, or 
attacking the Christian religion. In fact, religion is nothing 
to us. We do not consider that believers in Christianity 
are odd, or foolish persons, but we take them to be those 
who are guided in their morals by their religion, and there- 

M 



1 62 Japan and the Japanese, 

fore we may say that believers in the Christian reh'gion, are 
those who, spending time and labour, import their morals 
from a foreign country. If the time and trouble waste4 oil 
improving our morality, which is not deficient in us, were 
directed toward gaining intellectual knowledge, which is 
deficient in us, the benefit accruing to our country, would 
not be little." In this extract, peeps out that conceit of 
goodness, and self-righteousness, so characteristic of edu- 
cated and bigoted Japanese. 

Nevertheless, in spite of national conceit, idolatry, ignor- 
ance, and indifference, some entrance has been found for 
the Gospel of Christ. It is singular, too, that, diplomatic 
restrictions notwithstanding, great and effectual doors have 
been opened for missionaries into the island kingdom. The 
old superstition, and darkness, are contesting the ground, 
with the new doctrine of eternal life through a crucified 
Saviour. It is not difficult to foresee which will win. Where- 
ever missionaries have been allowed to reside, they have 
secured attentive hearing and respectful toleration. These 
have, in their turn, been followed by the adherence of 
numbers to the religion of Jesus. To the Japanese, whether 
educated or uneducated, the news of eternal life, by Christ 
Jesus, comes like a cheerful gleam of sunshine across a black 
starless night ; and if not prejudiced by sceptical teachings, 
this news is eagerly welcomed by the natives. But it is 
among the poorer classes of the people that Christianity has 
won its greatest triumphs. With little to hope for in this 
life, and all to dread in the next, fearing futurity, and 
burdened with a present existence which is full of pain and 
(hardship, they grasp at the good news proclaimed by the 
foreign preachers, and teachers.. As of old, " the common 
people hear of Christ 'gladly/ " 



VII. 

Introduction of Christianity. 

Speaking of mission work in Japan, a recent traveller well 

says, *' Our Lord's command, * Go ye into all the world, 

and preach the Gospel to every creature,' was never better 

defined than by the Duke of Wellington in the famous 

phrase in which he called it ' the marching orders ' of the 

Church. Widely as we may differ in theory respecting the 

ultimate destiny of the heathen, all who profess and call 

themselves Christians agree that it is the Church's duty 

to fulfil Christ's injunction with unquestioning obedience, 

leaving the issue to Him. It is one thing, however, to take 

a conventional interest in foreign missions at home, and 

another to consider them in the presence of thirty-four 

millions of heathen. In the latter case, one is haunted by 

a perpetual sense of shame, first, for one's own selfishness 

and apathy, and then for the selfishness and apathy of others, 

thousands of times multiplied, who are content to enjoy 

the temporal blessings by which Christianity has been 

accompanied, and the hope of life and immortality, un- 

embittered by the thought of the hundreds of millions who 

are living and dying without these blessings and this hope. 

In travelling among the Japanese, I have often felt the 

163 



164 Japan and the Japanese, 

shadowiness and conventionality of much of what is called 
belief, for if righteous and humane men and women were 
truly convinced that these people, without Christianity, are 
doomed to perish everlastingly, it would be more than a few 
prayers, pounds, and shillings, which would be spent upon 
their conversion ; and numbers would come forward at their 
own cost, to save their brothers from a doom, which, in 
an individual instance, no one can contemplate without 
unspeakable horror." 

It is singular that, although by diplomatic and com- 
mercial treaties, England opened the door of Japan, 
America entered in first, bearing the Gospel. Lord Elgin's 
treaty of 1858, secured toleration for the foreigner, in 
certain specified cities ; and American Missionary Societies, 
seized the golden opportunity. Even before this, American 
missionaries had forced themselves into the ports,- for 
gentlemen belonging to the Protestant Episcopal Church, 
the Presbyterian Board, and the Dutch Reformed Church, 
were secretly labouring among the people, striving to sow 
the seed of the kingdom. Some of these had been in the* 
field from 1850, although using much precaution, and at 
times fulfilling other duties than those of Christian mis- 
sionaries. But very little could, however, be done in this 
secret way, for the spread of Christianity. Had the 
Americans preached or taught publicly, they would at least 
have been visited with instant expulsion. The Japanese 
Government frequently sent spies to visit the foreign 
residents, instructing them to make friends with these 
intruders, so as the more readily to discover their real 
opinions and aims. The officials felt certain that these non- 
trading foreigners had some religious purpose in coming to 
Japan, but, failing to discover it, treated them with suspicious 
dislike. In consequence, but little could be done in the 



hiiroduction of Christianity. 165 



work of Christian instruction. Only occasionally could the 
missionaries venture to offer such simple tracts and Gospel 
portions as were at their command, while they dared only 
to speak of Christ to the Japanese whom they knew and 
could trust. These were principally lads and young men, 
who came to the missionaries for instruction in English, in 
order to secure lucrative appointments, available only to 
those acquainted with that language. The missionaries had 
prepared a little book called The Christian Reader," for 
these pupils ; but as soon as the lads got the book in their 
hands, they erased the word Christian^ for fear of its 
betraying them. This fact will at once serve to show the 
danger and the difficulty of endeavouring to impart religious 
instruction to the people. In 1865, the first Christian 
convert was baptized. He had been teacher of the Japanese 
language to the missionaries, but in teaching them, had 
learnt the true wisdom. He was baptized on his deathbed, 
in presence of his family, and making full confession of 
faith. With a few cheering instances such as this, the 
American missionaries laboured on, hoping almost against 
hope, but trusting in the promise that they should reap in 
due season/' provided they fainted not. That due season 
has at last dawned. 

In 1868, immediately after the Revolution, the Govern- 
ment had put up notice-boards, all over the empire, stating 
that *^the evil sect called Christians" was strictly pro- 
hibited." Consequently, although by Lord Elgin's treaty of 
ten years before, toleration was secured for foreigners, the 
teaching of the Christian religion was a penal offence. These 
notices met the missionary's eye in every public place. 

More than this, the national histories recalled to the 
minds of the people, sad tales of persecution, memories of 
death, disaster, and punishment, as connected with the 



Introduction of Christianity, i6y 

profession of Christianity. Upon the reaction of the nation 
against Roman Catholic Christianity, and the expulsion of its 
missionaries, various tests had been applied to discover those 
who really leant towards Christianity. One of the tests was 
that of requiring a suspected person to trample on a crucifix, 
or a portrait of Christ. The whole crew of any junk in 
which a missionary reached Japan, were to be drowned, and 
the junk sent to the bottom, as a punishment. In the year 
1614, most terrible modes of torture and death were resorted 
to. A special department called " The Christian Inquiry " 
was formed, for the purpose of inquiring into, and punishing 
this thing. Such punishments as crucifixion, drowning, and 
hanging, were adopted, along with many terrible forms of 
torture. Some Christians were cut into numerous pieces ; 
others were hurled from the tops of precipices ; others were 
buried alive, or torn asunder by oxen ; other were tied up in 
rice-bags, and then a large heap was formed of these bags, 
with their human contents, and set on fire. Others were 
starved to death in iron cages, while yet others had sharp 
spikes driven into the quick of their nails. With recollec- 
tions like tbese, it cannot be very much a matter for wonder, 
that the Japanese themselves looked with suspicion and 
fear upon the prospect of admitting missionaries into their 
country. 

In 1869, the English Church Missionary Society sent the 
Rev. Bishop Russell, of China, to Japan, to inspect and 
report as to the desirability and possibility of planting 
missionaries in the midst of the people. This gentleman 
stated in his report, that, " while against Christianity in a 
Roman Catholic garb, from what took place in the past, 
there no doubt existed bitter feehngs, no hostility was 
manifested against Protestantism, which the Japanese were 
already beginning to discern was a very different thing." 



Japan and the Japanese. 



He discovered that people exercised great reserve in relation 
to religious matters, until they found him to be a Protestant, 
when all reserve vanished, and " a religious conversation 
was prosecuted without hesitation." 

But still, the attitude of the governing power was one of 
unmitigated hostility to Christianity. Every Japanese man 
and woman was compelled to sign a paper once a year, de- 
claring that he or she was not a Christian, and specifying 
the particular form of Buddhism adhered to, while rewards 
were offered to all who gave information of any departure 
from the ancient superstitions. Yet, the spirit of persecution 
could not crush out the influence of Christianity which had 
been spreading silently but powerfully, by means of mission- 
aries, artisans, and professors in colleges. These Christians 
were mostly Americans, and while faithful to the terms of 
their contracts with the Japanese Government, in so far as 
they related to their secular employments, they were also 
faithful to their allegiance to the God of heaven. 

Mr. Clarke, an American gentleman, was engaged to 
teach science at a college in the city of Shidzuoka. Upon 
his arrival, a written paper, engaging that he should keep 
silence on the subject of Christianity for a period of three 
years, was placed before him for his signature. As might 
be supposed, this occurrence was a very perplexing one for 
Mr. Clarke ; his outfit, training, and passage to Japan had 
exhausted all his stock of ready cash, and he could ill 
afford to lose his appointment. On the other hand, he 
could not dare to violate his conscience, and straightway 
told the interpreter so. You had better sign," rejoined 
the interpreter ; depend on it the Government won't give 
in." Mr. Clarke considered for another moment ; then he 
said, " Tell the Government I can't sign. I could not live 
three years in a pagan country, and keep silence on the 



Introduction of Christianity, 169 

subject nearest my heart." Speaking afterwards of this 
matter, he said, "I confess that when the feeHng floods 
upon me that these are souls for whom Christ died, and 
mine is the privilege to make the fact known to them, it 
breaks through all bounds of mere expediency, and forces 
me to speak the truth at all risks. There is a solemnity 
beyond expression in the attempt to bring before these 
young men the words of eternal life." Mr. Clarke's faith- 
fulness met, not with dismissal, but with honoured employ- 
ment, first at Shidzuoka, and then in the Imperial College 
at Tokio, where he accustomed himself to hold three Bible 
classes every Sabbath-day, for the benefit of the students. 

In 1872, the first native Japanese Christian Church was 
formed. Dr. Christlieb tells how it came into being. " It 
happened, during the week of prayer in 1872, that some 
Japanese students, who had been receiving instruction from 
missionaries in private classes, took part in the English 
meeting in Yokohama. After portions of the Acts of the 
Apostles had been read and explained, they fell on their 
knees, and were heard to beseech God with tears, that He 
would pour out His Spirit on Japan, as once He did on the 
first assembly of apostles. These prayers were characterized 
by intense earnestness ; captains of men-of-war, English and 
American, who witnessed the scene, remarked, ' the prayers 
of these Japanese take the heart out of us.' Some who 
had decided for Christ, came forward with the confession of 
their faith. Thus the first Japanese congregation of eleven 
converts was constituted." One very remarkable fact in 
connection with the first Church, deserves to be mentioned 
here. Nineteen years previously, some native Christians in 
Hawaii, South Seas, had raised about two hundred pounds 
and sent it to Yokohama, to help the native Christians 
there to build a church. This sum of money had been 



170 Japan and tJu Japanese, 

carefully preserved until a Christian society was formed, 
when it was brought out, added to, and employed in the 
erection of a sanctuary for worship. In July, 1875, the 
building was finished, opened, and dedicated to the service 
of God. So much has this little company of Christians 
prospered, that there now exists a strong and faithful Church 
in Yokohama ; while, in the whole of Japan, there are, at 
the present day, about seventy churches, representing a 
membership of over four thousand believers. The little 
one has grown to be a strong nation, and the small one a 
thousand. In 1873, the edicts prohibiting Christianity were 
removed from the various notice-boards of the empire, so 
that the new religion received, at least, toleration. This 
toleration was doubtless largely due to the quiet but per- 
sistent efforts of those Christian foreigners who had laboured 
among the people, during the twenty preceding years. Still, 
acting on their conservative policy, dreading the introduc- 
tion ot new ideas, and contact with Western peoples, the 
Government adhered to the old cruel law which inflicted 
the penalty of death on any Japanese who would dare to 
leave the country without official permission. 

A young lad, however, evaded this law. He was clever, 
thoughtful, and trained in all the rites and doctrines of 
Shintoism. He appears to have been related to some in- 
fluential families, members of which served the Govern- 
ment in responsible situations. As he grew up he imbibed 
atheistic opinions, being, in fact, a good specimen of 
Japanese civilization without Christianity. He was sent to 
Tokio to learn Dutch, in order that, when proficient in that 
language, he might be deputed by the Government to learn 
the art of shipbuilding, and study navigation, with the view 
of instructing his fellow-countrymen in those arts. With a 
far-seeing sagacity, the Government anxiously desired to 



Introduction of Christianity, 171 

introduce shipbuilding into the country, in order, not only 
to obtain a navy, but to secure, in time, skilled native work- 
men. While in Tokio, the youth met with some Christian 
tracts in Chinese, and studied them with avidity. From 
these, he learned that a Creator existed, whom he was 
bound to serve and reverence. This conviction grew on 
him, and seeing his duty to be plain, he left Tokio, and 
going to Yezo, managed to get on board a ship bound 
for Shanghai. He supposed that Americans were all Chris- 
tians, but after sailing, found to his disappointment that 
neither captain nor sailors knew anything practically of 
religion. They, however, taught him to read, for, on landing 
in Shanghai, he sold his two swords, and bought a New 
Testament in English, and applied himself so diligently, 
during the voyage from* China to America, that he obtained 
considerable acquaintance with the Gospels. As he read 
on, he came to that verse in the third of John, which 
preaches a full and free gospel, God so loved the world 
that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
lieveth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life," 
and the Holy Spirit revealed to him its meaning. The 
young runaway lad became converted to God, and learnt 
to pray in earnest before the ship arrived at Boston. On 
reaching port, the captain reported the ship to its owner, at 
the same time recounting the story of the Japanese lad. 
Said the owner, "Send him up to me ; I will talk to him." 
As the result of that talk, the shipowner sent the lad to a 
theological training college, for by this time he had aban- 
doned all idea of serving his country by shipbuilding, 
deciding instead to preach to his countrymen the everlasting 
Gospel. He spent five years studying theology under this 
fostering care, and three years in a scientific course. During 
the period of his theological study, the Japanese Minister of 



172 Japan and the Japanese. 

Education, Mr. Tanaka, arrived in America, with a large 
suite, prepared to visit Europe, to study European civiliza- 
tion, and report to his imperial master. This embassy 
required an interpreter, and the young man was selected to 
fill the post. In this capacity, he travelled through England, 
France, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, and Germany, finally re- 
turning to America for ordination. Inducements were held 
out to him to settle in America, but, remaining faithful in 
his patriotic love for Japan, he refused all offers, deciding 
to return and labour among his countrymen. By that time 
the old cruel law was repealed, or at least practically dead, 
so it was safe for him to return home. To-day, that young 
man, the Rev. Joseph Neesima, is resident in Tokio, pro- 
fessor in a college for training young men for the ministry. 
He is married, and finds in his wife a helpmeet in his work. 
Of the stndents in this college, Miss Bird says : " These 
young men bear their own expenses, and wear the Japanese 
dress, but their Japanese politeness has much deteriorated, 
which is a pity, and the peculiar style and manner and 
attitude, which we recognise as American, does not sit well 
upon them. They are an earnest body of students ; their 
moral tone is very high, they all abstain from sake^ they are 
all heartily convinced of the truth of Christianity, they are 
anxious to be furnished with every weapon against the old 
heathenism, and the new philosophies, and they mean to 
spend their lives in preaching Christianity. Several of 
them already preach in the vacation, and just now, one, 
named Hongma, is meeting with singular success at Hikone, 
on Lake Biwa, the changed lives of some of the converts 
being matters of notoriety. It is to such men as these that 
the conversion of Japan will be mainly owing, if their 
sanguine views are realized." 

With this institution, and this kind of doctrine in their 



Introduction of Christianity, 173 



midst, it is little wonder that the people of Tokio manifest 
a very earnest disposition to hear the truth. It is stated 
that one day in February, 1881, an assembly of four thou- 
sand persons met in that city to discuss Christianity, re- 
maining in the open air for this purpose. So strong, too, 
is the fear of this new religion, that companies of natives 
have banded themselves together by a promise never to 
embrace the faith of the foreigners ; while many native 
journals are using their influence to prevent the spread of 
Christianity. One curious effort of the press, is that of 
issuing a magazine, at frequent intervals, called the Two- 
Religion Magazine, This magazine advises that the two 
national religions of Buddhism and Shintoism be united, in 
order to overpower "the Jesus religion." The editor of 
this paper represents Christianity to be the worst of all the 
foreign things introduced into Japan, and laments, that un- 
less the friends of the old system rally at once to the rescue, 
it will be too late, for "the Jesus religion is flooding the 
land." The editor urges the priests to lay aside every other 
duty in order to attend to the most pressing one of fighting 
the new faith. He shows up what he considers to be the 
lack of the Ten Commandments, which are recognised as 
being the rule of the Christian's duty, and says that, although 
they teach a man's duty to God and to his neighbour, they 
lack the duty of what man must be in himself, while Bud- 
dhism supplies that. It also recommends the erection of 
hospitals and infirmaries for the good of the people, assert- 
ing that it is by these means the Christians gain so much 
hold over people's minds. It also asserts that foreigners 
are so desirous of spreading Christianity in Japan, and 
other countries, that they give one-fifth of their money to 
the missionary societies, for the purpose of proselytism. 
This latter piece of information will be news, doubtless, to 



174 Japan and the Japaiiese, 

most missionary societies. Yet, with all this, light is spread- 
ing over the empire, and more toleration is daily shown. 
A striking incident is reported from the army, which would 
naturally be largely governed by official views. It has 
always been the custom for soldiers to make a small contri- 
bution on the death of each comrade, to pay for funeral 
rites, and to assist the widows. Quite lately, a young 
Christian soldier, on being called upon for a contribution, 
refused, saying, that while willing to assist the widow and 
children of a deceased comrade, he would give no money 
to pay for heathen funeral rites. The soldier was placed 
under arrest, and the matter was referred to the Govern- 
ment. Much anxiety was felt as to the decision, and even 
the Christian comrades of the imprisoned soldier counselled 
him to join in the subscription, for the sake of peace. The 
Government, however, released the young man without 
punishment, stating that he need not pay for Buddhist rites, 
if he conscientiously objected. This recognition by the 
Government of the rights of conscience, greatly encouraged 
Christian hearts, as it practically defended them from per- 
secution, official and social. 




JAPANESE VASES. 



Vill. 



Bible Translation and Circulation in Japan. 

Soon after missionary work commenced in Japan in ear- 
nest, the need of a Japanese translation of the Bible began 
to appear. This work of translation had received but little 
attention from the Roman Catholic missionaries. Francis 
Xavier, and his band of priests, had translated the Lord's 
Prayer and the Ten Commandments into the native tongue, 
together with a few short portions of Scripture ; but of 
these efforts, no fruit remains at the present day. In 1836, 
however, the Rev. Charles GutzlafF, missionary to China, 
met with a shipwrecked sailor in Macao, and learnt the 
Japanese language of him, sufficiently to undertake a trans- 
lation of the Gospel of John. Mr. Gutzlaff completed this 
translation by 1838, and it was printed at Singapore by the 
press of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign 
Missions. This effort seems to have been the first serious 
one put forth towards the noble work. We are told that Mr. 
Gutzlaff adopted the Buddhist term Gokuraku, for paradise ; 
Raskikoi Mono^ the wise and clever person, for the Word ; 
and Kami^ God, for the Holy Spirit. This work had but a 
imited circulation ; but by its means, the people obtained 
some notion of the tenor of the Christian Scriptures. 

About ten years after this, the Rev. S. W. WilHams, 
American missionary to China, learnt Japanese, also from a 
shipwrecked sailor, and translated the book of Genesis, 

together with one of the Gospels, into that tongue. This 

175 



176 



Japan and tlte Japanese. 



gentleman sent his translation to missionaries in Japan, in 
i860, but it was unfortunately burnt, ere it could be sent to 
press. 

The third translation of portions of the Scriptures, was 
made by the Rev. B. J. Bettelheim, missionary to the Loo 
Choo Islands, in 1846. Mr. Bettelheim seemed to have 
translated largely from the Chinese, adapting it closely to 
some Japanese dialects. He subsequently revised the 
Gospels, and the Acts, and sold the manuscript to the 
British and Foreign Bible Society. This society printed 
Mr. Bettelheim's version, at Vienna, in 1872; but upon 
being brought into use, it was found to be very faulty and 
difficult to use. It was, however, one step gained. 

In 187 1, the Rev. J. Goble, missionary to Japan, trans- 
lated the Gospel of Matthew into the language, and printed 
it by the help of a native of Tokio, who assisted him in 
cutting wooden blocks. This native would, however, have 
abandoned the work, had he known its precise character, 
so much did the natives fear to countenance anything 
relating to Christianity. 

In September, 1872, a convention of Protestant mission- 
aries in Japan, of all societies, was called to discuss the 
important matter of providing for the people a complete 
and reliable translation of the whole Word of God. Dr. 
James C. Hepburn had already made a translation of the 
four Gospels, and these were at once pubhshed, in order to 
commence the work of Bible distribution ; but the Conven- 
tion decided to prepare, as quickly as possible, a fair trans- 
lation of the whole New Testament, first ; to be followed, as 
soon as convenient, by a translation of the Old Testament. 
This New Testament was completed by Nov. 3rd, 1879, 
and published by the American Bible Society. The repre- 
sentatives of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and 



1/8 



Japan and the Japanese, 



the National Bible Society of Scotland, obtain their supplies 
from the agent of the American Bible Society, at cost 
price. A public service of thanksgiving, was held on 
April 19th, 1880, to celebrate the publication of the com- 
pleted New Testament in Japanese. Fourteen different 
missionary societies were represented, and the services, 
which were interesting and enthusiastic, lasted over three 
hours. Nearly all the missionaries resident in Yokohama, 
of every society represented there, assisted in the work of 
translation ; and of its quality and correctness, the Report 
of the Presbyterian Board speaks thus : " Great satisfaction 
is expressed at the complete translation of the New Testa- 
ment into Japanese. It is regarded as one of the best 
translations ever made. This is partly owing to the su- 
perior scholarship, and other good qualifications of the 
native gentlemen engaged in the work, still more to the 
excellent labours of the representatives of mission boards, 
and most of all, to the able, penitent, and faithful services 
of the senior member of our mission." This edition was 
published by the simultaneous efforts of the three Bible 
Societies now working in Japan ; viz., American, British and 
Foreign, and Scotch. 

A convention of Protestant missionaries was held at 
Tokio, in May, 1878, to consider more fully, the question 
of preparing a translation of the Old Testament. The dif- 
ferent books were allotted to a considerable number of 
translators and missionaries connected with the various 
missionary societies. As the result, we are told that three 
of the minor prophets have been published ; the Book of 
Joshua is said to be passing through the press, while the 
Psalms will shortly be issued. Thus, it is not too much to 
hope that before very long we shall hear of the Japanese 
possessing a full and complete translation ot the Bible. 



Bible Translation and Circulation, 179 

Mission-work will then receive a new impetus ; while " seed 
of the kingdom of God will be sown in far-distant hamlets 
and villages, where a missionary's voice could never be 
heard. This word is the great evangelizing agent. 

The American Bible Society's agent, Dr. L. H. Gulick, 
reports that he printed about 75,000 volumes of the New 
Testament, in 1880. Beside these, he furnished nearly 
8,000 volumes to the British and Foreign Bible Society, and 
30,000 to the National Bible Society of Scotland. Twenty- 
five native colporteurs have been engaged in circulating these 
copies, up and down the country, under efficient direction. 
A Bible hand-cart is used in Tokio j and so successful 
is the agent employed there, that in about three months, 
over 10,000 portions of Scriptures, beside 121 Testaments, 
were sold in that city. The people manifest the utmost 
desire to obtain the volumes, and listen attentively to the 
preaching of the agent. One poor old woman brought out 
a Greek Church Prayer-book, wishing to buy another like 
it. The agent told her that he did not sell Prayer-books, 
but that he had the Word of God, which was better than all 
the Prayer-books in the world, and would make her wise to 
salvation. She went home, fetched out all the money she 
had, and, returning to the agent, paid it down for a copy, 
pleased and proud that she was able to become the pos- 
sessor of such a wonderful book. A Buddhist priest^ having 
bought a copy of the Testament some weeks before, came 
out, and recommended the people to buy it, saying it would 
do them good. Everywhere a pleasing reception was met 
with. 

The Rev. Jonathan Goble has opened up the country, 
north and east of Yokohama, travelling with a horse and 
cart and magic-lantern. He lectures and preaches to the 
people on the way, and secures attentive and polite 



Japan and the Japanese, 



audiences, who buy his books in large numbers. He 
delivers these lectures in temples, theatres, or other public 
rooms, and the officials make his errand known to the people. 
Japanese magistrates would always attend these gatherings, 
and frequently after the meeting was over, would take occa- 
sion to thank Mr. Goble publicly, for his efforts on the 
behalf of the people. Not only does Mr. Goble sell Testa- 
ments, but he opens up trade with booksellers, in the towns 
through which he passes, and leaves stocks of books behind 
for sale. In eleven days, about 3,000 copies were sold to 
the public. In Kioto, he sold 500 portions, in one day 
alone. It is singular that although the Government imposes 
a tax upon all other books, no tax or license is required in 
order to sell the Scripture. Indeed, the chiefs of police, in 
every town, aid the colporteurs in getting the best positions 
for the hand-carts, and in preserving order at the services. 
The agents of the Bible Societies thus work under the 
sanction of the authorities. Indeed, nothing can at this day 
be so freely circulated in Japan, as the Holy Scriptures. 
Buddhist, and the Shinto books, as well as school-books, are 
alike taxed, so that this freedom from taxation is a remark- 
able privilege. These facts would seem to contradict the 
somewhat saddening conclusions of various travellers, in 
regard to the preparedness of the people for Christianity. 

Mr. Goble tells us that a year or two since, the governor 
of a place about 75 miles to the north-east of Tokio, 
allowed the Shinto priests to ill-treat, and expel the mis- 
sionaries of the American Methodist Episcopal Church. 
This circumstance coming to the ears of the Government, 
he was ignominiously removed, and a Christian governor 
appointed in his place. It is all the more pleasing, because 
no formal complaint was made by the missionaries, the 
Government acting entirely of its own accord in the matter. 



Bible Trajislation and Circulation, iSi 

It would seem, from all this, that God has opened a wide 
and effectual door for His Word, in the Empire of the 
*' Rising Sun/' 

The first entry of the Americans was made into Japan, in 
faith. When Commodore Perry, of the American Navy, 
sailed into the Bay of Yeddo, it was the Sabbath-day. He 
spread the American flag over the capstan of his vessel, and 
laying an open Bible upon it, requested his men to sing 
with him the noble psalm, commencing : — 

Before Jehovah's awful throne, 
Ye nations bow with sacred joy, 
Know that the Lord is God alone, 
He can create and He destroy." 

This was in all probability the first Christian psalm sung 
within hearing of the Japanese of that generation. It 
seemed that God honoured Commodore Perry's faith, for, 
without firing a gun, he obtained a peaceful treaty of com- 
merce, trade, and national intercourse, between Japan and 
the United States of America. As the direct consequence 
of that treaty, missionaries obtained toleration, and protec 
tion, for the dissemination of the Christian religion. In 
1865, the first Japanese convert confessed his faith in Christ, 
and was baptized as he lay upon a dying bed ; to-day, over 
4,000 Christian converts can be counted in the land. In 
1872, the first Christian congregation was formed in Yoko- 
hama, of eleven persons ; to-day, that congregation consists 
of eleven hundred. The Word of God has grown mightily, 
and prevailed, and meets with encouragement from the 
highest officials. Even mercenary Japanese recognise the 
fact that they cannot obtain the blessings of the Gospel as 
exhibited in the attainments of civilization, without having 
the Gospel itself.. 




IX. 

Missionary Workers, and their Work. 

In a country like Japan, many classes of workers are needed 
and provided. Among these workers are to be found, 
Bible agents and colporteurs, professors in colleges, teachers 
in schools, translators, preachers, lady missionaries, and 
medical missionaries. All these workers labour towards 
one end ; they have one object in view, which is to win 
Japan for a jewel in the kingly and mediatorial crown of 
the Lord Jesus. Varied experiences come to such workers ; 
they meet with varying success, and labour among different 
masses of the people ; but all can testify to more or less of 
success, and to cheering fruits. It will be well to quote, 
here and there, from their own reports. 

Rev. Jonathan Goble, whose Bible-selling work is referred 
to more largely in the preceding chapter, says of his lectures 
in different towns : " In my evening lectures in theatres and 
temples, with magic-lantern views, illustrating the life and 
teachings of our Saviour, as well as in large crowds, when 
selling from our carts, I find very little sign of any strong 
prejudice or opposition to our work, and the most intelligent 
men who come and listen to our plain statements of the 
hopelessness of heathen religions, and the bright promises 

X83 



Missionary Workers^ and their Work, 183 

of Christianity, very generally walk up and buy a Gospel, 
or Acts, and sometimes a whole New Testament. I show 
them, by the cheapness of the books, and by the large 
expenses we incur in getting up such books^ and in travel- 
ling about to sell them, that it is, and must be, a purely 
benevolent work, and that men who go about to deceive 
people, do not go upon so benevolent a plan, and that we 
do not seek the gold or silver, but rather desire their con- 
version to the true faith ; then they seem ready to accept 
this statement of our object, and approve our means." 

A missionary writing from Okayama says : " You know 
that Japan is a land without a Sabbath. To be sure, Sun- 
day is a holiday in the Government. offices and schools; 
but with these exceptions, and that of its observance by the 
few Christians, it is like any other day. You may judge, 
then, how glad we were, when the manager of a large pot- 
tery sent word to us, that as he wished to let his men rest 
on the Sabbath, he would be glad to have us hold meetings 
for them in a building which he would fit up for the pur- * 
pose. We found, that though not a Christian, he wished 
to do what he could for the mental and moral improvement 
of the men in his employ. He was especially anxious for 
the welfare of several boys from ten to eighteen years old, 
who had been apprenticed to him. Having heard that 
those who on the Sabbath rested from their ordinary labours 
became better men, and more efficient, he was ready to try 
the experiment. We decided that the first meeting in the 
pottery should be a preaching service. Fortunately, Mr. 
Joseph Neesima, who in his youth, from a desire to learn 
about the Bible, ran away to America, was visiting us, and 
consented to preach. The meeting was appointed for three 
o'clock, and promptly to the time, we were at the pottery. 
There is, however, a rule in Japan, * Never be in a hurry.' 



V 



iS4 Japan and the Japanese, 

We were first taken to the exhibition- room of the pottery, 
where were one or two persons connected with the factory, 
and three Government officials, who had been invited to 
lend their aid and presence to the occasion. There was no 
help for it ; we had to sit down on a matted floor, and sip 
tea from the tiny cups that were placed before us, and wait, 
A half-hour passed, and then fruit and cake were brought 
in. Another half-hour passed : our legs ached from their 
cramped position ; broad hints to the manager were of no 
avail. A broader hint led him to say that he would at once 
have the people admitted to the room where the meeting 
was to be held. He went away, and another half-hour 
passed. At last, an hour and a half after the appointed 
time, we were permitted to commence. 

" After a short prayer, Mr. Neesima preached a sermon 
well calculated to show the value of Sabbaths and Sabbath- 
schools, and urged his hearers to do their part in the ad- 
vancement of their country. For one thing, they should 
work with pure hearts. *When I was in America,' he 
said, * a gentleman showed me a beautiful Japanese vase 
that he had bought. It was graceful in shape, and richly 
ornamented, so that the gentleman said it spoke loudly in 
praise of a land where such a work of art could be produced. 
He then asked me to explain the designs upon it, but I 
hung my head in silence, unable to do so, for there was 
displayed the shame of my country. Yes, there, as on 
so much of the beautiful work of Japan, were scenes and 
inscriptions breathing out impurity. Oh, my countrymen, 
would that with purified hearts, you, in your handiwork, 
would increase the glory, without adding to the disgrace of 
Japan. Save by the Gospel of Christ, I see not how we 
are to be lifted up from the immorality tliat pervades the 
land, and leaves its stain on all we touch.' 



1 



1 86 Japan and the jfapajiese, 

'^One week later, we organized the school. This time 
being our own, we could begin more punctually. Forty- 
two Japanese, most of them being young men and boys, 
were present. The manager of the works required the 
attendance of those who were apprenticed to him. We hear 
that the parents of one of those boys are fearful lest he may 
bring some evil upon the family, because of his going to a 
Christian service ; so, when he returns home, and before he 
is admitted to the house, he is thoroughly sprinkled with 
salt and water. For half an hour we sang hymns which 
are familiar in nearly all lands. It was a new thing to the 
scholars, who doubtless regarded such music as very funny. 
If you had been there, you would have held a similar 
opinion, for singing is not an art to be learned in a minute. 
Our ears being accustomed to such uncouth noises, we can 
sit quietly through such a performance, as would grate 
harshly upon the ears of those who heard it for the first 
time. Afterwards, dividing into classes, we commenced 
studying the story of Christ, as recorded by Matthew. 
The story was written for the people of all lands, even for 
these bright-eyed boys who are in our new school, and any 
labour that we may expend here will be richly repaid, if 
some shall be found among that great multitude gathered 
out from America, Europe, India, Japan ; yes, from all 
nations, and kindreds, and tongues, and peoples, who stand 
before the throne, singing praises to Him who hath re- 
deemed them by His blood.'' 

Miss Kidder, of Tokio, writes : I have been able to go 
out and do work much more this year than before, on 
account of Miss Munson's help in the school. Besides the 
services here and at the chapel, I have been able, except 
during the intense heat of summer, to hold three extra 
meetings every week. We have, at present, only one Bible- 



Missionary Workers^ and their Work. 187 

woman ; but another, whom I trust the Lord has called, 
will go out to work among the women this year. She has 
been with O'Hama San, for some time, to the daily lessons, 
which are now given from St. John's Gospel. They write 
these lessons as I teach, and then repeat them to their 
sisters in the Church, on Wednesday, or Sunday morning." 

Mr. Bennet, of Yokohama, writes : " Each Sunday after- 
noon, Mrs. Bennet detains the congregation a little, and 
practises the hymns in the native hymn-book. In addition 
to my Sunday evening Bible class, which is very interesting, 
I have begun to have our native preachers in Yokohama 
meet me from two until five on Wednesday afternoons, for 
the study of homilies and evidences of Christianity. Yester- 
day, I gave my first talk in Japanese to the Church. My 
morning teacher, one of the deacons of the native Church, 
frequently asked me in daily Scripture reading the meaning 
of one or more passages. He does not speak English, so I 
explain and illustrate to the best of my ability." 

Miss Sands, of the same city, writes : " We have now 
nearly two hundred children under instruction; there are 
over sixty in the girls' school, and one hundred and five in 
another school for boys and girls. Two other schools are 
held at preaching places, but are small as yet. Mrs. Poate 
has daily Bible classes in two of the schools, and has charge 
of the Sunday school children. We go together, Sunday 
afternoons, to the preaching places ; and while she instructs 
the children, I go with the Bible-woman from house to 
house. The Bible-women are much cheered ; several per- 
sons taught by them during the last year, have expressed 
belief in the true God, and are praying to Him, and attend- 
ing church. There are now six Bible-women with me, 
working faithfully, studying, and going about, teaching and 
instructing the women in their homes." 



1 88 Japan and the Japanese, 

The last report of the Society for the Propagation of the 
Gospel, says of their work in this land ; " The trials of a 
missionary to the Japanese are enormous. Among others, 
may be mentioned the gross immorality of the people j 
their dislike to, and jealousy of, foreigners; the restrictions 
on free travelling and residence in the interior, and the 
peculiarities of the language. The translation of the Scrip- 
tures is progressing well." In the country districts matters 
are still more encouraging. A grant of the society goes to 
the building of a new chapel at Nakatsu, where two young 
men were baptized in May in the river, and a Buddhist priest 
became an inquirer, remaining from morning till night with 
the catechist, reasoning about Christianity. A Shinto priest 
recently came from a market town, where the missionary 
had preached, seemingly for a long time without fruit, 
begging to be admitted as a student of Scripture. 

Rev. Julius Soper, of Yamagata, reports that he has quite 
recently baptized twenty-nine adults, and six children, the 
largest and, in many respects, the most promising class he 
has had under his care since entering the country. Many of 
these newly baptized ones belong to the Samurai, or warrior 
class. All ranks of society are reached; and numerous 
villages in the neighbourhood are calling for missionaries. 

In the commencement of 1881, a week of special prayer 
was observed at Kobe, followed by a mass-meeting in a 
large new theatre at Kioto, attended by an audience of 
nearly 4,000. A similar meeting was held in Osaka, in June, 
and it is estimated that about 7,000 persons were there. 
At Kioto, one copy of St. John's Gospel, daily studied, led 
to the conversion of about sixty families. At Imbari, where 
a new church is being erected, one of the native workmen 
opens the proceedings every morning with prayer. 

In Shimonoseki, after not quite two years of missionary 



Missionary Workers ^ and their Work, 189 

work by a native teacher, a Church has been formed of twenty- 
eight members. The first converts were baptized precisely 
one year after he commenced his labours among the people. 

Three branches of Presbyterians have combined in Kioto 
to form what is called the " United Church of Christ in 
Japan." These branches are, the Reformed Church of 
America, the American Presbyterian Church, and United 
Presbyterian Church of Scotland. They have at present 
twenty-one organized churches, with ordained missionaries 
and ministers, and other Chrisvian workers. This United 
Church insists upon these things : ist, The systematic and 
proportionate assumption of the expenses of each Church, 
by the Church itself, from the time of its organization ; 2nd, 
The constant diminution of help from the mission funds, as 
the Churches increase in size ; 3rd, The cessation of all help 
as the Churches reach a position of self-sustenance. The 
principle of self-support is thus being taught practically 
to each Church, and adopted as years go on. 

A missionary writes from Osaka as follows : "It has long 
been evident that contact with Western civilization, and with 
Christianity, was making great changes in Buddhism in 
Japan, but I never felt this so strongly as when in Hikone 
on this visit. There are now about seventy pupils, the 
younger portion of whom study the ordinary branches 
taught in all common schools. Such a course must reform 
radically the old Buddhist way of teaching. Sacred geogra- 
phy, for example : A priest once told me that 80,000 miles 
north of this city was a great square mountain, the other side 
of which was heaven. Such training schools as they now 
have here and there in Japan, will explode that old heaven 
of theirs, and they will have to locate it anew. The older 
scholars, from twenty to thirty years of age, study the sacred 
books. I was fortunate enough to be admitted to one reci- 



I 



190 Japan and the Japanese. 

tation, which, m its method, was quite novel. Five richly 
robed priests sat on one side of the hall, on mats, as the 
questioners; five more sat on the other side to^reply. Each 
person confined himself to the person sitting opposite ; they 
laboured rather heavily, both sides having to receive constant 
help from the chief priest, who, evidently, was a man of 
considerable power. The whole performance struck me as 
one ill-calculated to make the scholars able workers when 
contrasted with our schools ; but it is a great step in advance, 
and so must be appreciated. The morals of the students, 
from what the Christians told me, must be quite low. 
Another strange mark of progress is the fact that some 
prominent Buddhist priests are openly teaching and preach- 
ing that it is nonsense to worship idols, and that only the 
lowest classes, those of densest ignorance, do such a foolish 
thing. The two priests who have so taught are young men, 
who were educated in Europe on purpose to learn Western 
science for the sake of strengthening Buddhism ; and this is 
the way they do it ! May all their priests speedily acquire 
the same enlightenment." 

Rev. Dr. Murray Mitchell says : " Christianity steadily 
advances, and I trust there will be no serious reaction in 
civil government. I was never more moved in my life than 
when I addressed fully two thousand Japanese, in a building 
connected with one of their great temples, in Tokio. 
Even the most distinctively Christian word, was respectfully 
listened to." 

The Congregational Training School at Kioto, numbers 
about ninety students, of whom about three-fourths are 
professing Christians. The English course extends to five 
years, and embraces the ordinary sciences, and subjects 
taught in English colleges and training institutes. It gives 
a regular theological course of two years. In order, how- 



Missionaiy Workers^ and their Work, 191 

ever, to meet the urgent demand for native preachers, a 
special class has been provided, in which three months' 
theological and biblical instruction is given to a number of 
men who are ready and willing to engage in evangeHstic 
work, but whose age and circumstances preclude their en- 
tering on a full course. 

Mission schools for girls at Kobe, Kioto, and Osaka, in 
connection with the Congregational Missions in Japan, are 
attended by about 140 pupils, of whom nearly one-half are 
members of the Church. The course of study embraces 
elementary branches, besides some science and algebra, in 
addition to thorough Bible study. At Osaka, the native 
Christians have built a large school-house for the work, 
besides contributing generously to the current expenses. 

Medical missionaries, lady missionaries, and Bible-women, 
labour prominently in mission work in Japan, and with 
large success. A medical missionary carries the truth into 
places and among people to whom it could be carried in no 
other way. Ministrations of healing and help for physical 
need, prepare the way for soul-help. Lady missionaries 
deal directly with the female population of Japan, and 
execute their work with marked success. Miss Young- 
man, of Tokio, writes concerning her work in that city. 
"After setting my work in order, I had a daily Bible class 
at my home, besides explaining the Bible, morning and 
evening. We carried on two children's services, during the 
week, and four Sabbath schools. We have also two day- 
schools, entirely under our care, one night-school, and 
meetings on the ist and 15th of each month, for those 
who work at a match-factory in another part of the city. 
These two days being hoHdays at the factory, we take the 
opportunity to gather in as many as we can, and teach them 
the Bible only. Then there is another meeting for the 



192 Japan and the Japanese, 

jinrihska-men. Many of our scholars have become regular 
attendants at school." 

Another lady, supported by the Women's Union Mission- 
' ary Society of America, reports as follows, from Yokohama. 
" We have a large and commodious house for the young 
ladies, and a smaller one, recently built, for the younger 
children ; a large, most pleasant, and convenient school- 
house, the first free school for girls ever built in this 
country. We have in our family, thirty-five young ladies 
and children, and nearly as many more attending day- 
school. Eleven of our dear girls give every evidence of 
being what they profess, the disciples of Jesus. Four of 
our servants have also become Christians. One of the 
young men of our household, formerly employed by us, is 
a member of the theological class, and is advanced in his 
preparation to preach the Gospel, for he is already accom- 
plishing much in various ways for the salvation of his 
people. In our dwelling-house, there are four prayer- 
meetings weekly for foreigners, the outgrowth of which has 
been the organization of a Union Church, and the estab- 
lishment of a Temperance Hall for sailors, and now the 
organization of a Young Men's Christian Association, and 
the opening of a daily prayer-meeting is in course of accom- 
plishment. I must not forget to mention our Sunday- 
school, which has a most encouraging attendance of about 
fifty, and is a source of great profit and pleasure to both 
teachers and scholars. But more precious still to us, are the 
prayer-meetings held by our own dear girls every Friday 
afternoon, and the earnest spirit exhibited by them, in 
trying to bring others into these meetings. Three of our 
ladies are now visiting regularly among the Japanese 
women, and holding little meetings in their houses, for 
reading the Bible and giving religious instruction. In these 



194 Japan and the Japanese, 

visits, and meetings, they are always accompanied by one 
or more of the Christian girls, one of whom is so far 
advanced in English, and has evinced so many useful traits, 
that a room has been hired, and she has commenced a 
little school each afternoon for two hours." 

It is most important that lady missionaries should be sent 
out to this land, for, as before mentioned, the language of 
the women differs from that of the men : so that it requires 
some particular study of the colloquial forms of Japanese, 
in order to converse with the women, and to instruct them. 

Dr. Palm, of the Edinburgh Medical Mission, resident at 
Niigata, is a good specimen of the medical missionary. He 
treats sixty or seventy patients, daily, at the Dispensary, 
beside making regular journeys to places within treaty 
limits. An address, or short sermon, with readings from 
the Bible, is always given to these patients, besides medical 
aid. He has also a hospital for surgical cases, and this 
institution is valued so highly by the Japanese, that each 
patient pays most of his own expenses, so that the hospital 
is very nearly self-supporting. one year. Dr. Palm 

treated over 5,000 cases, and succeeded in winning a large 
number of hearers to the Gospel meetings. He has 
baptized between thirty and forty converts, and organized 
a Christian Church, during the five years of labour spent in 
Niigata. It is said that the character of this infant Church 
is irreproachable. After some time of continued prosperity, 
cholera visited the city, and the populace were only too 
ready to believe, that the missionaries and native Christians, 
had brought the pestilence upon them, by poisoning the 
wells. People, armed with deadly weapons, watched for 
the missionaries, to kill them ; and Dr. Palm's preaching 
place was demolished by rioters ; but the excitement soon 
passed away, and more reasonable opinions prevailed. 



Missionary Workers and their Work. 195 

Vigorous medical missions are carried on in other towns ; 
and it is a well-accredited fact, that a medical missionary 
can gain access and attention in all quarters from which 
a non-medical one would be excluded. Thus, medical 
science becomes a handmaid to the Gospel. 

From statistics recently published, we find that there are 
in Japan, 176 missionaries of all societies, or 123, excluding 
their wives. About sixteen societies are at work, and three 
Bible Societies, representing Great Britain, and America. 
Resident missionaries are in all the open cities, or " treaty 
ports," and Bible colporteurs carry the Word of God into 
every quarter of the land, with much acceptance. These 
items cannot but be cheering to the heart of the Christian 
reader. On the other hand, it must be noted that there are 
eight hundred students in the National University of Japan, 
all tinted with modern atheism. With the flood of modern 
science and thought, there have come to them the sceptical 
opinions of modern thinkers, who preach up a godless 
culture. It is a solemn reflection ; but it will doubtless stir 
up the Church of the living God to renewed exertions. 
The present opportunity is unrivalled in the history of 
missions. In Japan, is to be found a vast nation, eagerly 
awaking from the feudal sleep of centuries, adopting all the 
customs, modes, and arts of civilization, but destitute of all 
religious veneration. Their belief is gone ; and in its place 
is to be found a set of childish, unmeaning superstitious 
observances. Yet this people crave eagerly for Western 
learning, and Western institutions, but scorn the Christian- 
ity which is the glory and the mainspring of all true civiliza- 
tion. At least this is so as it regards Young Japan," — 
that portion of the nation which prides itself on its new 
acquirements. Still, among the common people, the news 
of a Saviour is welcomed gladly. They feel the benign 



196 



Japan and the Japanese. 



influence of Christianity, in softening their hard lot, and 
forthwith render loving obedience. It is among this class 
of hearers that the Gospel is daily winning its widening 
way, and gathering trophies of redeeming grace. 

Is not the responsibility great ? Does it not lie heavily 
upon Christian nations ? Will not " much be required " of 
us, in the way of faithful duty? Is it not at once our duty 
and privilege to obey our Lord's command, and to preach 
the Gospel to every nation"? By this means, and this 
alone, Japan, — at once the youngest, and oldest of nations, 
— shall rise into her true position, and found her new 
civilization upon the Bible, attaining a greatness and a 
glory from which she would, otherwise, be shut out. 




SHINTO TEMPLE SHOKONSHA, KUDAN, TOKIO. 



III. 

THE TRIUMPHS OF THE 
GOSPEL IN FIJI. 




1. 

The Night of Heathenism. 

Christianity has made all things new in Fiji. In those 
islands, once the abodes of cannibalism, and vice, and all 
evil passions, the Gospel has won glorious triumphs. Car- 
ried there by a small band of Wesleyan missionaries — too 
small for the needs of the population — it won its widening 
way, until nearly all the land has become civilized, Chris- 
tianized, and exalted. And, although some of the scattered 
islands of the Fiji group are still groping in the dimness and 
darkness of heathenism, the sound of the glorious Gospel has 
found its way even to the darkest corners, and shaken the 
old superstitions and customs of the inhabitants. No story 
of mission success is more interesting than this, no annals 
of mission fields more full of danger, suffering, and risks ; 
yet in a most wonderful manner the history of the work 
exemplifies the triumphs of the grace of God. In place of 
inhuman yells, and orgies of blood, and slaughter, are now 
to be heard the song of praise to God and the earnest 
petition for mercy ; where once men revelled in cannibalism 
and cruelty, they now bow in self-abasement and humility 
before the Saviour who refused them not, — dyed with in- 
iquity as they were,— but permitted them to attain to the 

199 



20O The TrimnpJis of the Gospel in Fiji, 

dignity and blessedness of " sons of God." The story of 
this change is one of intense interest and beauty, not un- 
mingled with hair-breadth escapes, sufferings, perils, and 
dangers of more than ordinary experience ; while in more 
than one instance, the heralds of the good news of salvation 
had to seal their testimony with their blood. Both English 
missionaries and native teachers had to be brave unto death, 
for daring to proclaim the Word of Life and Light, which 
was to be the proclamation of emancipation from the thral- 
dom of Satan, to the beautiful Islands of Fiji. 



11. 



Situation, Description, and Productions of 

THE Islands. 

Fiji consists of a large group of islands of different sizes, 
numbering about two hundred and twenty-five in all. Of 
these, about eighty are inhabited. The remainder are small 
coral islets, not large enough to sustain any number of 
inhabitants. Some of these islands are of volcanic origin; 
but others — and the principal portion — are of coral struc- 
ture. The islands in the eastern part of the Archipelago are 
smaller, but those to the west, larger and more diversified in 
appearance. Among the principal islands are the following : 
Na Viti Levu, " the great Fiji," ninety miles in length, and 
fifty in breadth ; Vanua Levu, Great land," more than 
one hundred miles long, and about twenty-five in breadth ; 
Kandavu, twenty-five miles long, by six or eight wide ; 
Taviuni, about twenty-five miles long; Lakemba, Mbau, 
Totoya, Koro, Moala, Nairai, Ngau, Vulanga, Mothe, 
Yathata, and Vatuvara. 

The name of this group is variously written, as Fejee, 
Fidgee, Feigee, Viji, and Viti. The population of the 
group was estimated at from 150,000 to 200,000, equalling 
the population of the Hervey, Marquesas, and Samoan 
islands, with Tongatabu, Tahiti, and some other large 
islands ; but an epidemic of measles in 1875, gi*eatly reduced 
the number of inhabitants. 

201 



202 The Triumphs of the Gospel tn Fiji. 

Tasman, the Dutch navigator, discovered these islands in 
1643, but there is no record of another visit from any ship 
until Captain Cook visited Vanua, in 1772. Captain Bligh, 
sailing in the launch of the ill-fated Bounty^ paid them a 
visit in 1782; and in 1796, the London Missionary Society's 
ship Duff called at Taviuni. In 1806, traders from China 
began to visit the largest island, for supplies of sandalwood 
to burn before Chinese idol-shrines; but information re- 
specting the group was scanty and unreliable. During 
recent years, however, British ships of war have visited the 
islands ; and in the year 1874, the whole group was annexed 
by Great Britain. The Government of the United States 
sent out an exploring expedition, which prepared an elabo- 
rate survey of the Archipelago. From this survey, our most 
accurate information is obtained. Still, nothing has yet been 
discovered calculated to cast light upon the early history 
of the people. Both South Sea Islanders and Europeans 
have mingled with the people, and influenced their life. 
In 1804, a number of convicts escaped from the penal 
settlement of New South Wales, and found their way to the 
islands. They attached themselves to various chiefs, and 
developed and directed the art of war among the people ; 
for it seems that by some means they had become possessed 
of fire-arms, which they used on behalf of the particular 
chiefs who protected them. These men were desperadoes 
of the vilest type, and indulged in such terrible wickedness 
that even the natives — cannibals though they were — -looked 
upon their white sojourners as monsters of iniquity and 
cruelty. From one circumstance or another, they, however, 
obtained the upper hand of the chiefs, so that their slightest 
wish became law. The last of these lawless men was named 
Paddy Connor, and was living at the time of the commence- 
ment of the mission enterprise on the islands. Connor 



The Night of Heathenism. 



203 



lived under the protection of the king of Rewa ; and so 
fond was the king of this man, that if he accused any native 
of having offended or wronged him, the king would send 
for the offender, order him to heat an oven red-hot, and 
then, after being murdered by the executioner, the body 
would be cast into it, and baked. The depraved habits of 
the inhabitants and their white allies formed such a remark- 
able contrast with the beauty of the islands in which they 
dwelt, that Commodore Wilkes, of the American navy, 
made the following observation : " So beautiful was the 
aspect of the islands, that I could scarcely bring my mind 
to realize the well-known fact, that they were the abodes 
of a savage, ferocious, and treacherous race of cannibals/' 
This, however, was the fact ; on every island, sin had left its 
serpent trail : vice, cruelty, war, outrage, and cannibalism 
abounded. 

The climate appears to be very warm, and more healthy 
than in most countries near the Equator ; fever and other 
malarious diseases being little known. The natives possess 
no traditions as to their origin or descent, but, generally 
speaking, they seem to claim affinity — ^judging from language 
and appearance — ^with some darker Asiatic races. The 
people were subject to different kings or chiefs, whose word 
was law, and whose rule was thoroughly autocratic. There 
were many independent states and chiefs, and from this 
circumstance arose the fact that war, dissension, and blood- 
shed are common among the people. Many terrible 
traditions and tales are told of these chiefs and their cruel- 
ties. One of them, named Tanoa, chief of Mbengga, seems 
to have been a monster of cruelty. On one occasion, a 
cousin of his, named Mothelotu, offended him in some 
way, and was doomed to die. The unhappy man sought 
the chief's forgiveness, with tears and protestations, but in 



204 ^^^^ Ti'iwnphs of tJte Gospel in Fiji 

vain, for no feeling of mercy had ever entered Tanoa's 
breast. He firmly refused to pardon him ; then, after kissing 
him, commenced the torture which was destined to end the 
unhappy offender's life. First of all, Tanoa cut off Mothe- 
lotu's arm at the elbow, and drank the blood as it flowed 
from the bleeding veins. Then he cast the arm upon a 
fire, and having waited a sufficient time for the flesh to cook, 
took it out, and devoured it ravenously in the victim's 
presence. He then cut the poor fellow into pieces, and 
limb from limb, taking fiendish delight in his dying agonies. 
Soon after this, Tanoa sentenced his youngest son to death; 
and to add to the horror of the sentence, commanded 
another brother to knock out the youth's brains with a club. 
After several ineffectual attempts, this was done, in spite 
of the poor boy's entreaties for mercy. It is recorded of 
this chief that his bloodthirsty and savage propensities re- 
mained with him to the last, and that when dying, he feebly 
inquired how many women would be strangled to keep him 
company in the spirit-world. On receiving the assurance 
that five of his wives would be killed immediately he was 
dead, he seemed to resign himself to death with comfort. 

The chiefs, or kings, — for they are called by both names, 
— surrounded themselves by numbers of servants and officials 
of the highest rank among the people, governing according 
to codes of laws drawn up for the government of the 
people. But so despotic was the rule of the chiefs, that it 
depended entirely upon them whether their people should 
be ruled with a rod of iron, or treated with some degree 
of kindness. No man's life, property, wife, or house, was 
safe from the demands of the chiefs, and no man was 
guilty of daring to have a will of his own. Often, for the 
merest slips of etiquette, the chief would order a man to be 
killed, or even roasted alive ; and so abject was the submis- 



2o6 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

sion of the common people, that these terrible sentences 
were never disputed, and rarely appealed against. There 
is, however, a custom which, in later times, was much 
resorted to, in order to avert punishment from culprits. 
This was the offering of soro^ or atonement for the crime, 
accompanied with presents, and was generally repeated 
again and again, until the desired end was gained. 

There were distinctions of rank and grade amongst the 
Fijians; and these were tenaciously preserved, generation 
after generation. The people were divided as follows : — 
kings, chiefs, warriors, common people, and slaves. 

The Fijians are an industrious people, fond of fishing, 
agriculture, and trade, as far as they are acquainted with 
articles of trade. Among the productions of the soil are 
to be found taros, yams, bananas, plantains, sugar-canes, 
tobacco, maize, oranges, pine-apples, bread-fruit, and other 
articles of food. Sweet potatoes of enormous size are 
grown ; well-authenticated instances are recounted, in which 
these potatoes, on being dug up, weighed from half a pound 
to five pounds each. The tare grows to an enormous size, 
from one pound to twelve pounds each. This vegetable is 
really the "staff of life" to the Fijians, for after being 
cooked, it is wholesome and delicious, taking the place of 
bread and pudding. Trees of different kinds supply the 
natives with clothing. They seem to possess much ingenuity 
in manufacturing articles of clothing, and tools^of agricul- 
ture, and weapons of war. The bark of the mala tree 
supplies them with a material from which native cloths of 
different thicknesses and qualities are made. The leaves of 
the cocoa-nut tree, as well as those of other trees, are made 
into mats, baskets, and fans, by the women. These articles 
are astonishingly beautiful, soft, and durable. Sinnet, which 
is made from cocoa-nut fibre and a creeping plant called 



TJie Night of Heathenism. 207 

yaka^ yields materials from which fishing nets are made, while 
the earth furnishes clay for red and brown pottery ware. 
Many useful trees grow in the islands, from which is obtained 
large supplies of beautiful hard wood. So prolific is the 
earth in that sunny climate, that with little trouble, the 
natives may dig, or gather refreshing vegetables and fruits, 
some of which grow spontaneously. Tomatoes, nutmegs, 
arrowroot, nuts, and plums, abound wild ; while cotton, 
coffee, and rice, can be cultivated with little difficulty. Fish, 
the harvest of the sea, supplies much food for the people, 
who manifest great ability in managing their boats and canoes. 

On some of the islands are to be seen some curious boil- 
ing springs. They are principally to be found on Ngau, 
Vanua Levu, and Viti Levu, and are greatly used by the 
natives, both for cooking and bathing. They appear to be, 
in some measure, medicinal ; and are always to be found by 
the side of cool springs of water. In the old cannibal times, 
these springs were held in high repute for boiling murdered 
bodies in, but are now used for cooking vegetables, and crabs. 
Occasional shocks of earthquake are also experienced in 
the neighbourhood of the springs, and suggest the idea that 
they are due to volcanic action. 

The Fijians also excel in the art of wig makings though 
what use a half-naked savage would have for a wig, it is 
difficult to say. Many of the islanders, however, take great 
pride in fottowing this art. Their houses are made with 
reeds, and thatched with long grass, cocoa-nut leaves, and 
palm leaves. Although once so savage, the Fijians were 
rightly described as "an ingenious, industrious people." 

Among the productions of the islands must be named 
the beche-de-mer^ a black snail or slug, which, after being 
dried, packed, and exported to China, is much used for the 
manufacture of a delicious and nutritious kind of soup, by 



2o8 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

the Chinese. This little creature is of much importance 
to the Fijians, as is also the Balolo^ or sea-worm. This 
Balolo is a long thin worm, with a jointed body and many 
legs, and lives in the sea. On two particular days in the 
year, and on them only, it rises to the surface of the sand 
around the coasts, and then commences the Festival of 
Worms. On the first day, which is in October, very few 
come to the surface, as a rule ; but, assisted by the positions 
of the stars, the natives calculate most accurately the time 
of these appearances. From the 20th to the 24th of 
November, they look out for the Great Balolo," when the 
real sea-worm harvest takes place. On this day, about two 
or three hours before sunrise, the natives repair to the shore, 
and there find countless myriads of these worms, the whole 
sea being alive with them. Multitudes of fish come in to 
share the feast, and the canoes of the natives are packed 
with loads of these strange creatures, which they capture in 
wicker-baskets exactly at dawn of day. These Balolos sink 
to the bottom exactly at dawn of day ; not one remains to 
reward the tardy search of a late comer, and not another 
will appear till the succeeding October and November. 
This strange phenomenon has never been known to fail in 
the memory of the oldest Fijian. 

Materials for making dyes and sandalwood are exported 
in large quantities from Fiji. From a recent Government 
return, we find that cocoa-nuts, and cocoa-nut oil, cotton, 
sugar, maize, cofiee, and green fruit are exported to the 
colonies, and England, in annually increasing quantities. 

The epidemic of measles unfortunately marked the com- 
mencement of English rule, in 1875, and led many of the 
ignorant and fearful islanders to conclude that the gods 
were angry with them for forsaking their ancient super- 
stitions, and submitting to the English. The story of that 



The Night of Heathenism, 209 

time IS a very sad one. The disease appears to have been 
carried to Fiji, by H.M.S. Dido^ an English man-of-war, in 
which King Thakombau and his sons returned from Sydney, 
after paying their respects to Sir Hercules Robinson. At 
Sydney, two of the king's sons, and two servants, took the 
disease, in a mild form, and on the voyage home the old 
king complained somewhat, but was not actually laid aside. 
On reaching Levuka, all seemed so well that no thought of 
quarantine was entertained, and the royal party landed. 
Very shortly after, chiefs and people assembled from all the 
islands in the group to pay their respects to Thakombau, 
with the result that the infection was there and then com- 
municated to hundreds of people. These went home, and 
in their turn spread the infection among others. Measles, 
when first introduced among a savage people, assume a 
dreadful virulence, and appear to be almost like the plague. 
When stricken, and suffering, the half-delirious natives would 
reject English treatment and medicine, and rush into the 
sea, to cool the raging fever ; thus insuring certain death. 
Inflammation of lungs, pleurisy, and other diseases followed, 
so that the death-roll became enormous. At Bau, or Mbau, 
nearly all the nobles died ; in the mountainous districts, the 
sick outnumbered the well, and many who would otherwise 
have struggled through, perished from starvation, for nobody 
could get to the gardens to obtain food. By dint of care 
and good treatment, the students in the missionary insti- 
tutions, and the native constabulary, were nearly all saved, 
but the mass of the stricken ones perished like rotten sheep. 
At last, dead bodies lay about in such numbers unburied, 
that a plague of pestilence was dreaded. Europeans and 
natives strove together to avert this, and succeeded in doing 
so by timely measures. It has been computed that over 
40,000 of the population died in this terrible visitation. 

p 



IIL 



Social Life, Manners, and Customs of the People. 

It is only by observing the contrast between the Fijian of 
to-day, and the Fijian of heathenism, that we can understand 
the remarkable change which has passed over the inhabi- 
tants of the islands. For this purpose it will be well to 
devote a chapter to the social life, manners, and customs 
of the Fijians, prior to 1835. must, however, be under- 
stood that in many of the islands and districts these customs 
were still observed down to a very recent date. Even in 
1870, cannibalism still maintained its sway in those parts 
of the country not immediately under the influence of 
missionaries. 

The Fijian is very proud of his country, and boasts much 
of his superiority over other South Sea Islanders. He 
believes his country to be larger and better than any other, 
and if confronted with a globe or map, will call these things 

lying.'' They are adepts at deceit, covetousness, envy, 
theft, ingratitude. If by any amount of deceit, or lying, / 
they could get a victim into their power, this victim was 
slain without pity or compunction. Any benefit conferred 
only created a covetous desire for more ; and the pioneer 
missionaries used to witness daily the appropriation of their 
goods by savages who pretended to love them for their kind 
ministrations. Vengeance was most carefully and persis- 
tently inflicted, and rather than be disappointed in wreak- 

210 



> 



The Night of Heathenism. 



211 



ing his vengeance on an enemy, a Fijian would wait 
patiently for months and years, placing meanwhile a stick 
or stone in such a position that by constantly seeing it he 
would be reminded of his intention. Sometimes they would 
suspend the dress or weapons of the murdered friend in 
their huts until the deed was requited, or would go about 
under a vow of silence till their end was gained ; and when 
vengeance could not be inflicted in any other way, recourse 
was had to witchcraft. All Fijians believed in the " black 
art," and supported it as far as possible, by paying great 
reverence to its professors, and making use of their enchant- 
ments against their enemies. A chiefs anger was never 
satisfied till he had killed his foe, after which he pulled out 
the tongue, liver, and heart, and devoured them, raw and 
bleeding. When a victim destined to be thus slain, has 
died ere the avenging blow could fall, the dead body has 
frequently been dug up after several days' burial, and the 
putrid carcase has been boiled and eaten in the form of a 
pudding. In the case of murder, the first victim was not 
the only one, for as soon as the husband's death became 
known, his wives and mother were killed too, in order to 
accompany him to the spirit-land. Fathers were buried 
alive by their sons, when old and sick, and children were 
ruthlessly strangled, on the smallest provocation. Nothing 
in all Fiji was held so cheap as human life. 

The domestic habits of the people were in accordance 
with their heathen principles, and savage ideas. Whenever 
affection was entertained between members of the same 
family, it was always concealed or restrained in its expres- 
sion. Brothers and sisters, fathers and sons-in-law, mothers 
and daughters-in-law, and first cousins, were forbidden to 
speak to each other, or to eat from the same dish. Hus- 
bands and wives were also forbidden to eat from the same 



2 1 2 The TriiLtnphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

dish. Their personal habits were very dirty; the added 
dirt of years, appearing even on the bluish-black skins of 
the Fijians. The furniture of a native hut would consist of 
nets, pots for cooking food, bows, spears, knives, forks, and 
other weapons of war. Among these were large four- 
pronged forks, made of dark polished wood, and having 
richly carved handles, used solely for human meat, the flesh 




KITCHEN OF A FIJIAN CHIEF. 



of victims killed and eaten. This article is now known by 
the Europeans as the " Cannibal Fork.'' Beside this, fish- 
ing rods, bamboos, mosquito nets, and bone knives, could 
be seen. Usually, the fire-place was in the middle of the 
house, for the people invariably cooked their food ; while a 
raised part of the floor covered with mats served for seats 
during the day, and bed by night. In some cases there 



The Night of Heathenism, 2 1 3 

were separate sleeping rooms for the young men, out these 
would be found only in some of the roomier and better 
houses ; generally, the young men slept at a large building, 
set apart for them in each village. The articles in use for 
daily diet, were numerous, and were composed of vegetables, 
fish, fruit, and soups. This latter item included turtle-soup, 
for turtles abounded around the coast. The beverages in 
use, were water, cocoa-nut milk, and Kara, a narcotic drink, 
known also in Fiji, as Yaquona, It was customary for the 
people to elevate the drinking vessel several inches above 
the lips, and to pour a stream slowly down the throat, it 
being considered wrong to put the vessel to the lips. The 
Yaquona was prepared and drunk, with many curious obser- 
vances, and when taken in any but very moderate quantities, 
produced a kind of drunken stupor. 

Feasts, public and private, were very common among the 
people. At these, especially if attended by chiefs, great 
profusion and waste would be witnessed. Yams, taro^ 
turtles, sweet pudding by the ton, and Yaquona^ were pro- 
vided with which to regale the visitors. Not unfrequently, 
however, it happened that the guests of to-day's feast, were 
treacherously murdered during the night,— killed, cooked, 
and served up, to be eaten by the guests of to-morrow. 
Visits of ceremony were frequently paid by chiefs to one 
another, and after being received with much flattery, many 
days would be occupied in treating and feasting them ; the 
slightest breach of etiquette, however, would give rise to an 
enmity which found expression only in murder and blood, 
even though the looked-for opportunity were years in 
coming. 

They practised painting on their bodies ; and dyed their 
hair with red, blue, and white dyes. The women were tat- 
tooed before marriage j but the men were exempted from 



214 '^^^^ Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

this painful custom. They regularly murdered part of their 
offspring, but were tolerably fond of those children who 
were spared. In some parts of the island, it was not cus- 
tomary for the father to speak to his son, until after the 
latter had attained his fifteenth year. Boys were circum- 
cised when seven or eight years old, and both sexes went 
naked until the age of ten years. 

As might have been expected, women occupied a most 
degraded position in heathen Fiji. She was often betrothed 
in infancy to an old man ; sometimes sold to the highest 
purchaser, and not unfrequently re-sold for any coveted 
article, as if she were some animal. In many islands, she 
was really a beast of burden, and forbidden to enter any 
idol temple ; she was only permitted to eat after her hus- 
band had finished, and then only of certain kinds of food. 
No affection or love was ever expected to be shown by the 
husband to his wife. In some cases, young men and girls 
chose each other for partners, and sundry gifts passed in 
order to ratify the promise ; but as soon as he felt justified by 
circumstances, or inclination prompted, he took another wife. 

If children were destined to be killed speedily, they were 
seldom named ; but if intended to be spared, and reared, 
they received a name ; and a feast somewhat akin to a 
christening- feast in England, was celebrated. Hospitality 
and rude plenty, united with noisy native music, formed the 
chief features at these entertainments. So perverted were 
the ideas of heathens, that a Fijian boy would be taught, as 
his earliest and most important lesson, to strike his mother, 
under the impression that by this means he would grow up 
to be brave, and take delight in conquering all enemies. 
Beside the blows from her son, the Fijian mother would 
have a bitter lot as a wife, for she would be only one 
among a houseful of wives 3 and so frequently did quarrels 



The Night of Heathenism, 215 

arise from this fact, that it was common to see wives muti- 
lated and injured for life at the hands of their lord's numerous 
seraglio. One day, a poor oppressed native woman of this 
class came to the mission house, minus her nose. The 
missionary's wife asked the reason of her being so disfigured, 
when it turned out that one of her sister-wives had bitten it 
off in a fit of rage. This seemed to be the favourite mode 
of injury adopted by a jealous wife. Torn ears, bites, 
scratches, and employment of witchcraft, also bore evidence 
of the unhappiness caused by a plurality of wives. 

As another result of polygamy, child murder prevailed. 
Many children were killed because of jealous quarrels and 
strifes ; many professors of the art of child murder existed 
in the villages and towns. The children seemed to belong 
to nobody in particular, and were accordingly neglected. 
Most of them — two-thirds it is asserted by good authority 
— were slain as soon as born, and if any one dared to 
remonstrate, the reply would be, if the infant were a girl, 
" Of what use could she be ? '' " Would she ever be able 
to fight? " Or, supposing the mother were a captive taken 
from the tribe at war with the one among whom she was 
married, she would make a point of killing all her children 
in order to prevent an increase in the number of the 
enemies of her native tribe. The mode of correction most 
in favour among the husbands, in case the wives were unruly, 
was that of severe beatings with thick sticks ; a practice, to 
our national shame, be it said, not altogether unknown in 
Christian England ! In Fiji, however, when a wife proved 
incorrigible, she was clubbed and kicked until dead. And 
in almost every case, the wife was killed upon the death of 
her husband, to keep him company in the far-off mysterious 
spirit-world ; so that whether ill or well conducted, certain 
death awaited her by violence, sooner or later. 



» 

2i6 The T^'iumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

The difference between heathenism and Christianity was 
never more startlingly shown, than in the treatment of sick 
and infirm people in Fiji. Mr. Calvert says, "Bald heads 
and grey hairs excite contempt instead of honour ; and on 
this account, the aged, when they find themselves likely to 
become troublesome, beg of their children to strangle them. 
If the parents should be slow at making this proposal, their 
children anticipate them. The heathen notion is, that as 
they die, such will be their condition . in another world ; 
hence their desire to escape extreme infirmity. I have 
never known a case of self-destruction which had personal 
defect or deformity for its motive ; but a repugnance on the 
part of the young, the sound, and the healthy, to associate 
with the aged, sick, and infirm, is the main cause of the 
sacrifice. 

The aged and infirm were often buried alive ; at other 
times, strangled or starved to death ; and strange to say, the 
use of a rope, in order to strangle them, and so put them ^ 
quickly out of suffering, was esteemed such a kindness, that 
the Fijians could not understand the missionaries viewing 
the practice in any other light. Was a family intending to 
go upon a voyage, or journey, any sick member likely to 
burden their hands, and claim their attention, was first put 
out of the way ; and should no earlier or more favourable 
opportunity offer, the invalid was quickly dropped over the 
side of the boat, when fairly out at sea. In some cases, an 
invalid was borne with for a short time, when particularly ' 
influential, or related to the chief, but this forbearance 
always vanished as soon as the sick one grew burdensome, 
helpless, or offensive. Killing the sick, to avoid trouble, and 
aged parents, to get rid of the helplessness attending second 
childhood, ranked as social institutions in Fiji, and he would 
have been a brave man who disregarded either practice. 



The Night of Heathenism. 



217 



Some of the early missionaries endeavoured boldly to 
shame the people out of such inhuman practices. Mr. 
Lyth found a Somo Somo woman in a very exhausted state, 
in consequence of sickness and starvation. Her husband 
was absent; and although two other women were living in 
the hut, they allowed her to starve and sink before their 
eyes, when a very little attention might have saved her. 
After five weeks of this treatment, Mr. Lyth took the 
matter into his own hands, and sent medicine and food 
daily to the sufferer. In a few days she improved greatly, 
so that Mr. Lyth anticipated a speedy return to her wonted 
health. What was his surprise, however, on sending his 
servant one morning with the usual portions of medicine 
and food, to receive a message stating that "the food was 
not wanted.^' On making inquiry it was found that the poor 
woman had that morning been strangled and buried. An 
old woman, a relative of the deceased, had come from a 
distance to be present at the funeral rites, and finding it 
likely that the destined victim would escape, had hastened 
the death and funeral. In another case, a poor girl had 
been ailing for a long time, and the chief, deeming it im- 
possible that she would ever be strong, had given orders 
that she should be buried alive. A grave was dug by 
some men, a few paces from the hut, where she lay all 
unconscious of the fate prepared for her. However, the 
poor invalid had noticed loud talking outside, and sundry 
strange exclamations, and, her curiosity getting the better 
of her, she crawled out to see what was going on. No 
sooner did she make her appearance than at a sign from 
the chief, she was seized hold of, and thrown into her 
grave. Terror-stricken, she shrieked, and begged for mercy, 
exclaiming, " Do not bury me ! I am quite well now ! " 
but all in vain. Two men kept her down, while others 



2 1 8 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

threw in the earth, and trampled it down. By-and-by the 
stifled sobs and entreaties ceased, and the poor murdered 
one was numbered with the dead. In Kandavu there was 
a cave, in which not only dead persons were buried, but 
dying ones were often shut in to perish miserably. 

On one island, the people endeavoured to decide as to 
their course of action in regard to the sick, by the appear- 
ance of a certain tree. Should no branch have been 
broken, the sick one was spared ; but supposing that a 
branch were broken off, on any part of the tree, the cir- 
cumstance was held to be an intimation that the sick one 
would die ; therefore, in their estimation, it became a 
kindness to hasten his or her departure. The ceremony 
of ^Maying out" was often commenced before the dying 
person was really dead ; so that it was nothing uncommon 
for a kindly neighbour to hasten the matter by a rope 
round the neck, or a knock on the head. In the case of a 
man, the next thing to be done was to seize his wife, kill 
her, and lay her out at his feet ; and very frequently the 
terrible work would not end here, for supposing the man 
had a mother living, she would be also strangled, and laid 
out at his head. This strangling of friends, to accompany 
the dead, was known by the name of ^Holoku^^^ and was in 
all cases insisted on to a greater or lesser degree. 

Mr. Williams, an early missionary to Fiji, gives a terrible 
story illustrating the working of this custom. The chief of 
Somo Somo, an old man, had been ailing for some time, but 
was not in any way near death. The missionary hoped to 
prevent the usual custom of " loloku^^ and visited his house 
frequently, to see how the old chief was faring. On the 
morning of the 24th," he says, " I was told that the king 
was dead, and that preparations were being made for his 
interment. The ominous word preparing^ urged me to 



The Night of Heathenism, 219 



hasten without delay to the scene of action ; but my utmost 
speed failed to bring me to the king's house in time. The 
moment I entered, it was evident, that so far as it concerned 
two of the women, I was too late to save their lives. The 
effect of that scene was overwhelming. Scores of deliberate 
murderers in the very act, surrounded me, yet there was no 
confusion, and except a word from him who presided, no 
noise, only an unearthly, horrid stillness. Nature seemed 
to»lend her aid to deepen the effect; there was not a breath 
stirring in the air, and the half-subdued light in that hall of 
death showed every object with unusual distinctness. All 
was motionless as sculpture, and a strange feeling came 
upon me as though I myself were fast becoming a statue. 
To speak was impossible. I was unconscious that I 
breathed, and, involuntarily, or rather, against my will, I 
sank to the floor, assuming the cowering posture of those 
who were actually engaged in murder. My arrival was 
during a hush, just at the crisis of death, and to that strange 
silence must be attributed my emotion ; for I was but too 
familiar with murders of this kind, neither was there any- 
thing novel in the apparatus employed. Occupying the 
centre of a large room were two groups, the business of 
whom could not be mistaken. All sat on the floor, the 
middle figure of each group being held in a sitting posture 
by several females, and hidden by a large veil. On either 
side of each veiled figure was a company of eight or ten 
strong men, one company pulling against the other a strong 
white cord, which was passed twice round the neck of the 
doomed woman, who thus in a few minutes ceased to live. 
Just as my self-command was returning, the group farther 
from me began to move, the men slackened their hold, and 
the attendant woman removed the covering, making it into 
a couch for the victim. As that veil was lifted, some of 



220 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

the men beheld the distorted feature of a mother, whom 
they had helped to murder, and smiled with satisfaction as 
the corpse was laid out for the decoration. Convulsive 
struggles on the part of the poor creature near me, proved 
that she had not ceased to live. She was a stout woman, 
and some of the executioners jocosely invited those who 
sat near to take pity and help them. At length the women 
said, ' She is cold.' The fatal cord fell ; and as the covering 
was raised, I saw dead, the obedient wife and unwearied 
attendant of the old king. Leaving the women to adjust 
her hair, oil her body, cover her face with vermilion, and 
adorn her with flowers, I passed on to see the remains of 
the deceased Tuithakau. To my astonishment I found him 
alive ! He was weak, but quite conscious, and whenever he 
coughed placed his hand on his side, as if in pain. Yet his 
chief wife, and male attendant, were covering him with a 
thick coat of black powder, and tying round his arms and 
legs a number of white scarves, in rosettes, with the long 
ends dangling down his sides. His head was turbaned in 
a scarlet handkerchief, secured by a chaplet of small white 
cowries, and he wore armlets of the same shells. The 
whole tragedy had an air of cruel mockery. It was a 
masquerade of grim death, a decking, as for the dance, of 
bodies destined for the grave. The conflicting emotions 
which had passed through my mind cannot be described. 
I had gone there to beg that the old man might be buried 
alone ; but he was not dead. I had hoped to have pre- 
vented murder, but two victims lay dead at my feet. I 
came to the young king to ask for the life of women, but 
now it seemed my duty to demand that of his father. Yet 
should my plea for him be successful, it would only cause 
other murders on a future day. I approached the young 
man, however, but with a feeling of great abhorrence. I 



1 



The Night of Heathenism, 221 

begged him to Move me, and prevent any more women 
from being strangled, as he could not, by multiplying the 
dead, render any benefit to his father.' He replied, 'There 
are only two now murdered, but they shall suffice. Were 
you missionaries not here, we would make an end to all the 
women sitting around.* The grave had been dug already 
by the people of the place, and lined with mats, on which 
the Tongans laid the bodies of the women, and on them 
the once powerful chief. The shell ornaments were taken 
off his person, which was then covered with cloths and mats, 
and the earth heaped upon him. He was heard to cough 
after a considerable quantity of soil had been thrown in the 
grave. These latter particulars I received from those who 
buried him, as I could not by my presence sanction the 
unnatural deed." 

In the case of chiefs being drowned at sea, or being 
slain, or eaten, in war, the same dreadful custom was car- 
ried out, and, in many cases, the widows would beg to be 
strangled, to escape from the ill-treatment which would have 
been their lot had they survived. In other cases, where the 
women have had a gUmmering of the light of Christianity, 
and have feared the dark future, they have begged for life 
piteously, but in very few cases, except with the connivance 
of the executioner, has this been accomplished or granted. 
One poor heathen woman, whose children were Christians, 
very much wished for death ; indeed, upon the death of her 
husband, she resolutely demanded it. Her children visited 
her, and endeavoured to dissuade her from her purpose, 
placing before her the dreadful eternity to which she was 
going. She replied : " I know it. As certainly as I die, I 
shall go to the flaming fire ! but there is no remedy : there 
is no one to procure my reprieve.'^ In other cases, the male 
relatives have urged the widow's murder, in order to take 



222 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

possession of the little property owned by the dead man. 
The condition of the orphan children, when deprived of 
both parents in one day, can be imagined. Orphans 
abounded in the early mission schools ; it was not uncom- 
mon to find, out of a large class, that two-thirds of the num- 
ber had been deprived of parents by these cruel customs. 

The practice of cannibalism formed the most revolting 
feature in Fijian life. There is no evidence as to the origin 
^ of this custom, but it certainly did not arise from lack of 
food, because Fiji is plentifully blessed with vegetables and 
fruits, and yields good harvests to the industrious cultivator. 
It seemed strange that people, who expressed mourning for 
the dead by the loss of a finger, should adopt the disgusting 
custom of eating the killed ; yet, so it was. Many a Fijian 
who had lost one, two, or three fingers to the first joint, in 
token of mourning for departed friends, was an inveterate 
man-eater ; and, horrid as the practice was, it was, generally 
speaking, widespread, as the observance of it seemed to be, 
it is said that there were certain men distinguished above all 
their fellows in their hunger for human flesh. They were 
giants in cannibalism, and feared accordingly. One monster 
was renowned as the eater of 238 bodies; another, who after- 
wards became a Christian, as having devoured 48 ; while a 
third, named Ra Undreundre, had eaten 900 bodies ! The 
son of this man once took a missionary to count the row of 
stones by which the cannibal father had kept a register of 
the bodies he had destroyed, some years later, and at that 
date the missionary and his companions counted 872 stones 
remaining upright in the dreadfully significant row. Bodies 
were sometimes baked whole, at other times dismembered 
first ; but in all cases the trunk was eaten first, as being a 
part that would not keep. These very men would turn with 
disgust from pork if not well done, to consume the horrible 



224 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

dainty. As far as the missionaries could discover, they were 
never eaten ra^n)^ although often presented to chiefs and 
visitors, for the purpose of being cooked and eaten when in 
perfect health and life. On some occasions, along with a 
present of fruit, or fish, or vegetables to a visiting chief, 
would be given a plump young girl, fit for roasting," and 
she would be made to sit down beside the other offer- 
ings and gifts, being closely watched and guarded as the 
most important item. Bodies were never boiled unless in 
an advanced state of decomposition ; in which case they 
would be stewed and eaten as a kind of broth. It is terrible 
to think of, or write of, such revolting horrors ; but it would 
not be just to missionaries and their work in Fiji, to hide the 
dreadful state of matters which existed in the islands when 
mission-labourers first went among the people. The pots, 
ovens, dishes, and forks used in cooking and eating human 
flesh, were strictly tabu, — that is, kept sacred for that pur- 
pose, — not being allowed to be used for other purposes. 
The " cannibal forks " were long four-pronged wooden forks, 
with, in most cases, richly carved handles. They were con- 
spicuous articles of furniture in a native kitchen, and were 
used mostly for taking up morsels of human flesh when 
cooked as hash — a meal of which the older people were fond. 
When all the flesh of enemies was thus consumed, it was 
customary to grind up the bones into fine powder, and, . 
mixing up this powder with some kind of pudding, to 
devour this bone-dust of the cooked foes. At other times, 
when peace was made between the parties who had been 
contending, such a pudding was prepared, presented to the 
warriors of the opposite side, and eaten unsuspectingly by 
them. But frequently on the breaking out of war subse- 
quently, between the two tribes, the cruel taunt was flung at 
those who had eaten the pudding, that " they had eaten the 



The Night of Heaihenisrn. 225 

bones of their fathers/* and served to add Satanic ferocity to 
the conflict. 

People who died a natural death were always buried : only 
those were eaten who were killed; and considering the large 
numbers of slain, whether for feasts or out of revenge, in war 
or by treachery, together with the victims of the cruel cus- 
toms of wife-murder and infanticide, it seems wonderful that 
Fiji was not utterly depopulated. Indeed, we are told that 
many towns and villages were depopulated at the first visits 
of missionaries, but that to all their inquiries on the subject, 
only vague answers were returned. The terrible legends of 
cannibalism assist one in forming an idea of the depopulating 
process, as well as bring vividly before the mind the system 
of terror and torture under which the people lived. Of all 
the dark places of the earth, Fiji seems to have been the 
darkest ; and so recently has the change come to pass, that 
many thousands of Christian Fijians can testify of their 
own personal knowledge, as well as participation in such 
horrible doings. Many a Christian woman in the native 
churches, owns with contrition her deeds of child-murder 
in past times ; and many a praying man can tell of the 
scores of bodies he has eaten. Well may the missionaries 
regard these people as trophies of grace. 

The Rev. John Watsford, stationed at Mbau, tells us that 
in that island, some thirty years since, twenty-eight victims 
were cooked and eaten in one day at a cannibal feast. The 
poor wretches were seized while fishing, knocked on the 
head, stunned, but not all killed, and thrown into the ovens. 
The fierce heat brought back some of the poor wretches to 
consciousness^ and they begged piteously for life, entreating 
to be let out. No mercy, however, existed in the breasts of 
their captors, and they were driven back to be baked alive, 
and a few hours later were eaten. 

Q 



226 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

On another day, in Mbau, loo Namena people were 
taken prisoners in war, strangled, baked, and eaten, while 
eighty of their wives were strangled to honour the dead. 
The murdered women lay around the mission station in 
heaps, for some time. Imagining what it must have been to 
have lived in such a mission home, we can reverence the men 
and women who took the Gospel to Fiji. At another time, 
260 bodies furnished the meat for the cannibal feast to the 
nobles of Mbau. It is said that more bodies were eaten on 
this island, than on any other part of the group. It is 
said also that the ovens were never cool, so frequently were 
the sacrifices slain and cooked. 

Among these cannibal stories, some are exceptionally 
horrible. A chief, whose prowess in war was remarkable, 
had a favourite daughter. An enemy who had been defeated 
again and again by the girl's father, contrived to waylay 
her, and kill her ; then carried her off to his own village, 
where her flesh was cooked, and distributed among his 
people, as a most dainty morsel. Not content with this 
diabolical act of revenge, he sent back her bones, and 
caused them to be strewn before the door of her father's 
hut, as an insult of the most unpardonable kind. 

In one case, Ra Undreundre, on capturing a female 
prisoner from a town which he besieged, had her taken to 
his residence, placed in a large wooden tub, and cut up ~ 
alive, that none of her blood might be lost. Another 
Fijian chief, named Loti, killed, and ate his only wife. 
According to custom, she accompanied him to the field, to 
assist in planting taro. After this task was done, he com- 
manded her to get wood, wherewith to build a fire. This 
she did, as well as collected grass to line the oven, and a 
bamboo to cut up whatever was to be eaten. When all 
these preparations were complete, the monster seized her. 



The Night of Heathenis7n. 



227 



cut her up, cooked and ate her, inviting some of his friends 
to help him, in despatching the horrible meal. As the poor 
woman had given him no offence, his only reason for the 
deed, must have been an insatiable craving for the horrible 
diet He also, very possibly, coveted a reputation for can- 
nibalism. It was asserted that the bodies of women afforded 
tenderer meat than those of the males. 

It was very common for chiefs to devote men to death, 
upon the building of houses, or canoes. Sometimes men 
were killed, to be used as " rollers,^' in the case of launch- 
ing canoes. After the vessels were launched by being 
rolled over the bodies of the victims, feasts were prepared, 
in which these slaughtered ones were greedily eaten. The 
testimony of the early missionaries to Fiji, is that this custom 
universally prevailed. Indeed, it can scarcely be said to be 
wholly extinct now, for in 1867, the bodies of the Rev. 
Thomas Baker, and seven native Christians were eaten, 
near Nasova, by savages, who treacherously surprised the 
evangelistic band, and murdered them in cold blood. 
Although many thousands of trophies of grace are to be 
found in Fiji, heathen tastes, and customs, still survive in 
its dark corners. 

Cannibalism was part of the native religion. It was 
customary to offer the body of a victim, along with all other 
gifts, before each idol-shrine, although some of the priests 
were forbidden to eat of the flesh. In times when the 
supply of slain, or captives had run short, chiefs have been 
known to kill their inferior wives for the purpose. It was 
almost impossible at first to make the natives understand 
that Jehovah, — the true God, — looked in anger upon such 
drink-offerings of blood." Temples (and chiefs' houses as 
well), were built with living men standing beside the posts, 
clasping them in the holes dug to receive them. The earth 



228 The Trmniphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

was gradually heaped up, and the men were buried alive, as 
sacrifices to their cruel deities. It took long and patient 
teaching, and much simple reiteration of the simplest truths, 
on the part of the teachers, before this cannibal-cursed 
people could realize that the Christian's God was one who 
**delighteth in mercy." Nothing could be more foreign to 
their ideas ; accustomed to connect the ideas of power and 
deity with cruelty and evil as they were, they listened at first 
with wonder and incredulity, — then with awe, and rever- 
ence, — then with thankfulness, and love. The story of that 
great change is one of intense interest, and illustrates most 
touchingly, and thoroughly, the transforming power of the 
Gospel of Christ. It also proves that no heathen nation is 
too vile to be raised, and Christianized, when brought under 
the influence and light of our holy religion. 



IV. 

Religion of Fiji. 

The religion of Fiji consisted mainly of superstitious 
legends, witchcraft, and divination, together with a firm 
belief in certain deities. They did not make to themselves 
idols, in the accepted sense of the term; they were not 
idol-worshippers, as were some of the Asiatic races, but at 
the same time they recognised the existence of some 
supernatural Power, or Powers, which controlled, and 
influenced all upon the earth. Still they never attempted 
to make any representations of this Power : they never 
worshipped the heavenly bodies, or any of the objects of 
nature by which they were surrounded ; and when afraid of 
certain stones, trees, mountains, or relics, the awe had in it, 
more of superstition, than actual worship. 

Their highest idea of divinity was expressed by the native 
word Kalou, and this word might mean anything, either 
very good, or very bad. The gods of the other islands of 
the South Seas were unknown to the Fijians, who seemed 
to have adopted a form of idolatry peculiar to themselves, 
— or rather of god-worship, — for, as we before said, they 
made no idols. Among the names of their gods, or, in- 
visible spirits, are to be found Thangawahi, a giant ; Roko- 
Bati-Ndua^ the one-toothed god ; Lingakua, the wooden- 



230 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

handed ; KoJzola^ with eight arms ; Waluvakatini, the god 
with eighty stomachs; MBatimona^ the brain-eater, — the 
brain being the human sacrifice offered to this god ; Ravu- 
ravu, the murderer ; and JVaitono, the leper. But the most 
renowned god, and the one most generally worshipped, is 
Ndengei^ or the eternal one. The symbol of this god is, 
in some places, a serpent, in other places a stone; both 
symbols being intended to represent his eternal duration. 
None of these deities had any quality of mercy, or pity, or 
beneficence ascribed to them ; they were simply the repre- 
sentatives of unspeakable cruelties, lusts, and horrible prac- 
tices. The worship of a Fijian was something demoralizing; 
it pandered to all the low, fierce, cannibal propensities ot 
his nature. Some chiefs and tribes adopted certain gods 
as their own; so that m various islands, different beliefs 
and practices were observed. At Vuna, were a few conse- 
crated stones, considered to be shrines of the god wor- 
shipped there. These stones were very like a round black 
millstone, in size and shape, and were adorned with girdles, 
fringes, and other votive offerings. Other gods were sup- 
posed to inhabit land-crabs, eels, and nuts : in consequence 
of this, a man who worshipped a god of this kind, regarded 
the thing, or animal so inhabited, as tabu^ or sacred. This 
practice of tabu largely referred to their religion, although it 
was, in many cases, turned to personal account by chiefs. 
Possessions of every kind came under the influence of this 
system of tabu. Thus, in certain districts, canoes, or yams, 
or pigs, or tares were laid under a ban, by the priests or 
chiefs, and none of the owners would dare to appropriate 
them. In one district the priests placed a tabu upon all 
the one-eared pigs ; but as few were born literally with one 
ear, the prohibition was made to extend to all pigs possess- 
ing one ear shorter, or narrower than the other. In some 



TJie Night of Heathenism, 231 

districts, all cocoa-nuts, or yams, were tabued, until the 
chiefs removed it, by a feast, in which the drinking of 
yaquona took a large part. In other places, fishermen made 
offerings to their gods, to ensure a large catch of fish. 

In almost every village and town were to be seen temples 
erected to these gods, and tended by priests. These 
temples, or hures, were usually built upon a raised mound 
of stones, being of one storey, and thatched with reeds or 
spears. Although intended for religious purposes, these 
temples were sometimes, and, indeed, most frequently, put 
to other uses. Strangers were entertained in them, councils 
of war were held in them, and not unfrequently, the chief 
of the village used it for his sleeping place. Nothing 
approaching to regular worship was ever carried on within 
these temples ; and the priests knowing the dispositions ot 
the people, worked upon their fears, so that in case any 
worshipper came with a request, the answer depended 
to a large extent upon the kind and amount of offering 
made. This soro^ or offering, consisted of food, fruit, 
whales' teeth, human flesh, and fish; the answer^ whether 
for good or evil, generally was proportioned to the amount 
of soro. The priest professed to be inspired, and to give 
his decisions while under the influence of the god. He 
would become violently agitated, would shiver, as if in 
ague, roll his eyes about, and appear to be worked up into 
a frenzy. While in this state, a few oracular utterances 
would be given which would indicate to the inquirer the 
best course of action. No chief would venture to go to 
war without first consulting his priest ; and cases were very 
frequent in which shrewd, far-seeing priests stayed the 
fury of the war-spirit, by advising against it, and indeed 
commanding that it should not be undertaken at that 
time. The spirit of the god was supposed to enter into 



232 The Triitinphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

the priest, so that during these inspired tremblings, he was 
considered to utter the very words and opinions of the god. 
The people thus observed no stated plan of worship, and 
never troubled themselves about a god at all, unless they 
wanted to know something of this kind. It will be seen 
that the gifts were really bribes, intended to propitiate the 
deity, and secure a certain response. Success in war, rain, 
plentiful harvests, recovery from sickness, or wounds, were 
among the objects desired in this manner. 

Divination was also practised in Fiji. One method of 
practising divination, was by shaking a bunch of cocoa-nuts. 
If all fell off, the desired end would be gained ; if any 
remained on the stalk, the prayer could not be granted. 
Another way, was by spinning a cocoa-nut on its side, and 
watching in which direction the nut pointed when at rest 
Others divined by means of water ; others by chewing a 
certain leaf. 

One superstitious custom reminds us of the practice 
formerly observed at the temple of Dagon. No person 
dared to tread on the threshold of a temple. A chief 
stepped over it, but an inferior person crawled over, on 
hands and knees. Chiefs also insisted on the same custom 
being observed at the entrance of their own houses. 

The people went greatly in fear of supernatural appear- ' 
ances. In place of believing that at death everything 
perished, they attributed immortality to animals and vege- 
tables alike. Not only men and women, but dogs, pigs, 
goats, vegetables, stones, trees, tools, and other things in 
daily use, all lived again, and walked about. Some sup- 
posed that man had two spirits : the one, that part which 
went to heaven ; the other, that which appeared in water, or 
was reflected in mirrors. They consequently went much in 
dread of apparitions, and shunned unfrequented rocks, woods. 



The Night of Heatlienism, 233 



and dales. Yet, while believing in a future state, they had 
no idea of future rewards and punishments. The future 
life was deemed to be much the same as at present, full of 
eating, drinking, and fighting. Their heaven was supposed 
to lie somewhere among the lonely hills, and the path to 
it, through the sea. Bachelors were considered ineligible 
for admission into the Fijian heaven ; for the offence of 
remaining unmarried, they were dashed into pieces after 
death, by the spirit who presided over the entrance to that 
world. They firmly believed that all disembodied spirits 
likewise had to undergo an examination by a god known 
as the " Killer of souls," who killed the soul if unable to 
answer his questions satisfactorily, or passed it on to a 
higher tribunal, provided it came out of the ordeal well. 
The Fijian heaven was, according to this belief, a place 
where people lived in families, enjoying greater happiness 
of the kinds most desired by a native, and where punish- 
ments were awarded to all those women who had neglected 
being tattooed, to those men who had not slain or eaten 
an enemy, or had not had their ears bored for ornaments. 

The belief in witchcraft exercised an extraordinary power 
over the minds of the people. Crime was often detected 
by its means, and all manner of extortion carried out. 
Many people were destroyed by means of wizards ; for so 
implicit was the belief in their power, that many persons, on 
being informed of the fact that they were under the ban, 
were actually known to lie down under their mats and die 
through fear. Spells were laid upon individuals by means 
of preparations of powder, food, and leaves ; and people 
who could afford it, often used heavy bribes with the pro- 
fessors of this art, to ensure the destruction of such people 
as they disliked, or wanted to be put out of their way. 

Among the traditions of the Fijians, were some that 



234 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji 

pointed to the true facts of the creation, as recorded in - the 
Bible. The following was given to Mr. Calvert by a chief : — 
" A small kind of hawk built its nest near the dwellings of 
Ndengei, and when it had laid two eggs, the god was so 
pleased with their appearance, that he resolved to hatch 
them himself; and in due time, as the result of his incuba- 
tion, there were produced two human infants, a boy and a 
girl. He removed them carefully to the foot of a large 
vest tree, and placed one infant on either side of it, where 
• they remained until they had attained to the size of chil- 
dren six years old. The boy then looked round the tree 
and discovered his companion, to whom he said : ' Ndengei 
has made us two that we may people the earth.' As they 
became hungry, Ndengei caused bananas, yams, and taro 
to spring up around them. The bananas they tasted and 
approved ; but the yams and taro they could not eat, until 
the god had taught them the use of the fire for cooking. 
In this manner they dwelt, and, becoming man and wife, 
had a numerous offspring, which, in course of time, peopled 
the world.** Other traditions represent Ndengei as making 
several clumsy attempts at the formation of both animals and 
man before he succeeded. 

A tradition of the Deluge is also to be found in Fiji, and 
a very high mountain in one ot the islands, is pointed out as 
being the place whereon a little bird sat and lamented the 
drowned islands and people. They account for the flood 
by the following story. They say that " Ndengei had a 
favourite bird which was killed by two mischievous lads, who 
afterwards insulted the god instead of expressing contrition. 
The angry god spent three months in gathering his forces 
together, and then commanded the dark clouds to pour out 
on the land the destroying flood, as a punishment for the 
insult he had received. Another god, taking pity on some 



The Night of Heathenism, 235 

of the people who cried out for deliverance to him, directed 
them to make a boat, or raft, of the fruit of the shaddock, 
but seeing that they could not succeed in this undertaking, 
sent forth two canoes to rescue them. By these means 
finally eight of the drowning Fijians were saved; the boat 
settling at last on the top of a very high mountain in 
Mbengga." From this belief, the Mbenggans claim to stand 
first in rank among the natives. 

Another tradition speaks of the natives of Vanua Levu 
having, long ages back, erected a tower to gain information 
about the heavenly bodies. But when the tower was nearly 
finished, the foundation gave away, and the edifice tumbled 
down, so that the workmen were scattered, and the work 
abandoned. This legend points undoubtedly to the Tower 
of Babel, and the confusion of tongues. It seems certain 
from these and like indications, that some news of the Bible 
records must have been carried to Fiji, in some long-for- 
gotten, far-back period. 



V. 

How THE Gospel was First Carried. 

The story of the mission to Fiji, is one of surpassing in- 
terest. From the particulars given in the preceding pages, 
the reader will be able to realize, in some faint measure, the 
depth of degradation and brutal darkness in which the 
natives were sunk. It seemed almost a hopeless task to 
endeavour to win them from their cruel practices. But the 
natives of other islands in the South Seas, who had been 
visited with "the dayspring from on high," remembered 
Fiji with brotherly love. They could not endure the thought 
of leaving their kinsmen, allied by habits and colour, if not 
in all cases by race, to perish in the night of heathenism, 
untaught, uncared for, and unsaved. Therefore, the first 
efforts on behalf of Fiji, came from these. Converted 
natives of Tonga first carried the sound of the Gospel of 
Christ to these island-homes, and told incredulous cannibals 
the wonderful news of the death of Jesus Christ, **the just 
for the unjust," in order to save them. Thus, the first dawn 
of light arose, and the day-star gleamed upon the heathen 
darkness. 



236 



VI 



Introduction of the Gospel. 
I. Lakemba. 

It will be remembered that, in 1796, the first mission- 
aries from the London Missionary Society were sent out to 
the islands of the Pacific. Discoverers and navigators had 
visited these islands, and had returned to England with 
wonderful tales concerning these " isles of beauty.'* Coral 
gems of ocean, fringed with palms, ferns, and other fragrant 
foliage, they seemed to stud the waters with tiny spots of 
earth, where all nature was beautiful and attractive, and 
" only man was vile." . Along with their accounts of the 
beauty, fertility, and populous state of the islands, they told 
of the depravity, subtilty, and debased idolatry of the 
inhabitants of those islands. Christian hearts thought 
seriously and prayerfully on these matters, and considered 
how best to fulfil the duty which God had laid upon them, 
of carrying the Gospel to these benighted people. The 
London Missionary Society sent, first, a large detachment 
of missionaries in the ship Duff^ to the South Sea Islands. 
Some of these were stationed at Tahiti, others in the Mar- 
quesas Islands, and others in Tonga, or Tongatabu, in the 
Friendly Islands. This first detachment of missionaries 
met with much misfortune and suffering ; persecution, cold, 

hunger, war, and death, being their lot. Most of them 

238 



How the Gospel was First Carried, 239 

returned from the field, but soon, others took their places 
and succeeded in planting Christian Churches in various 
islands of the Southern Seas. Other societies also sent 
missionaries out to these islands, and as the people be- 
came Christianized, they exercised great influence upon the 
natives of more distant islands. By means of their frail 
but fleet canoes, the natives visited other islands, or were 
drifted thither, and those who had heard of Jesus, naturally 
spoke of the new religion. The Tongans seemed to excel 
in the art of navigation, and held much intercourse with 
Samoa, Fiji, and other islands. From the converted Ton- 
gans, as far as can be judged, the Fijians first heard about 
Christianity. The distance from Tonga to the nearest 
.Fijian island, is about two hundred and fifty miles; and 
although shipwrecked sailors of every nation and people 
were killed and eaten, much trade was carried on by the 
natives, in order to gain supplies of the fine timber with 
which Fiji abounded. Tongans dared the perils and visited 
the islands, until some of them settled there, and got allied 
by marriage with the Fijians. Many of this mixed race of 
people are to be found, even now, near Rewa, and Lakemba. 

After the evangelization of the Friendly Isles, many of 
these Tongan sailors became converted to Christianity. 
Very naturally, they informed their friends in Fiji, upon 
their next voyage thither, of their change of belief and 
practice. Not content with this, they also spread the 
tidings among those of the Fijians who came within their 
influence, and although received at first with incredulity and 
indifference, some impression was made by the news. But 
the first decided steps for the evangelization of Fiji, were 
taken in 1834. In that year, a great awakening took place 
in the Wesleyan mission Churches in Tonga, and almost 
simultaneously, the Tongans began to feel concerned about 



240 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

the moral and spiritual condition of their Fijian neighbours. 
Towards the end of 1834, two of the Wesleyan missionaries, 
Rev. David Cargill and Rev. W. Cross, were appointed to 
learn Tongan, and to commence a new mission in Fiji. 
They at once placed themselves in readiness to obey the 
command, and commenced studying the language, in order 
to fit themselves for entrance upon the work. They also 
prepared a catechism, an alphabet, and an easy lesson book, 
in Fijian, printed them at the Tongan mission press, and 
awaited the first chance of reaching their new sphere of 
labour. The Tongan native teachers had been sent to the 
Fijian islands, in 1830, by the Rev. John Williams ; but 
although settled at Oneata, under the protection of a chief, 
they had not attained any great success in teaching the 
people. Still, their conduct was good, and, without doubt, 
had its influence upon the natives. 

The schooner Blackbird took Messrs. Cargill and Cross 
and their families to Lakemba, in October, 1835. The 
king of Tonga had sent a chief with the missionaries, in 
order to intercede with the chief of Lakemba, on behalf of 
the new teachers and their work. Besides this, the mission 
aries could speak Tongan well, and were acquainted with 
many Fijian words ; there was, therefore, much to encourage 
them in the commencement of their intercourse with the 
natives. The almost insuperable difficulty of winning their 
way among a people with whom they could hold no inter- 
course, was abolished in this case ; and when they landed on 
the shore of Lakemba, the people were amazed to hear from 
the lips of the two white men, greetings m a familiar tongue. 
They passed through crowds of natives, armed and black- 
ened according to custom, and went direct to the king's 
house, which was situated some little distance inland, the 
families and friends meanwhile watching the proceedings 



Hoiv the Gospel was First Carried, 241 

from the deck of the vessel. The king of Lakemba received 
the strangers very kindly, promised to be kind to them if 
they would settle with him, and offered them one of his 
own houses to reside in, until suitable ones were erected 
upon mission premises. They received the king's promises 
with joy, chose sites for mission-houses, and returned to the 
ship to report. The families of the missionaries were at 
once landed, and accommodated for the first night in a 
large canoe shed, open at the sides and ends. Under this 
shed, assailed by mosquitoes and annoyed by pigs, the little 
party endeavoured to obtain rest. The impossibility of 
doing so, however, led them to resolve to sleep on board 
the ship, until their houses were built. 

Within three days from that time, the natives had pre- 
pared two large houses, according to native notions, for the 
missionaries. It fell to the share of the latter to hang doors, 
fit in windows, and perform the carpentering generally ; but 
amid all these duties, they commenced their missionary 
toils. Within a week from the day of their landing, they had 
held two preaching services out-of-doors, speaking in the 
Tongan language, and stating very simply, the truths they 
had come to teach. Thus ended the first Christian Sabbath 
in Fiji j but it was a precursor of many more, brighter and 
more cheering still. Without losing time, they mastered 
the language of the people among whom they were now 
called to labour, and prepared a portion of St. Matthew's 
Gospel, in addition to commencing a grammar, and diction- 
ary. Among their first converts were about three hundred 
Fongans, who had been living in Fiji for some time, but 
now received the truth as it was in Jesus, and assisted in 
spreading it. They were intelligent for their position, 
independent of the Fijian chiefs, and generally brave in 
propagating whatever they professed. They were, there- 

R 



242 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

fore, valuable pioneers and helpers in the work of evan- 
gelizing, and teaching the benighted people of the isles, 
who for so long had " sat in darkness." Their temporary- 
residences were soon blown down by a hurricane, but were 
restored in a more substantial fashion. In addition to this, 
a chapel, capable of holding some two hundred hearers, was 
erected, and a regular congregation gathered, Sabbath by 
Sabbath. 

Not only were the stated services useful to the natives, 
but even the daily intercourse of the missionaries with the 
people became productive of good. Day by day they went 
to the mission station to barter fowls, fish, fruit, mats, and 
other useful or necessary articles for English productions. 
Many went out of curiosity, desiring to see the life and 
manners of the white people, and upon all, a favourable 
impression was produced. Then, seizing the opportunity, 
the missionaries would kindly and plainly inform their 
visitors of their aims and objects. These visitors would 
inform others, and so the good news spread throughout the 
island in a wonderfully short space of time. Within five 
months of their arrival, Messrs. Cross and Cargill had bap- 
tized about thirty adults, who manifested a large degree 
of acquaintance with Christian truth, and desired to lead 
Christian lives. 

But, persecution soon broke out among the little number. 
The priests began to miss the ofi"erings hitherto made at 
their temples ; for many who were not really Christians had 
learnt to attend Divine worship and to disregard the old 
superstitious notions. The authorities threatened the people 
with severe punishments if they did not resume their daily 
and weekly offerings at the shrine of the king's god ; but 
the influence of a Tongan chief who had espoused Chris- 
tianity, prevented any open outbreak. However, the priests 



How the Gospel was First Carried, 243 

consulted together, and soon announced that the king's god 
was so angry at the introduction of Christianity, or ^^Lotu^^ 
that he would send some ^ery severe judgment upon the 
island by way of punishment. Floods and earthquakes 
were to prevail, causing all who had dared to insult the old 
gods by embracing the new religion, to be utterly destroyed. 
Of course all those predictions turned out to be nonsensical 
ravings ; but a more real obstacle sprung up in the shape 
of petty persecution against the new converts. One day a 
party of men went to the houses of some Christian natives, 
robbed them of all that was valuable, destroyed the crops in 
their gardens, and carried off their wives to the king's house. 
On this occasion, however, the Tongan chief interfered, and 
the women were speedily sent back to their homes. The 
persecution only resulted in winning greater respect from 
the people for the new religion and those who professed it ; 
while those native homes into which Christianity had entered, 
were looked upon with curiosity and respect by the natives. 

Progress could be recorded from the very first advent of 
the Gospel. Day schools were estabhshed, spelling books 
circulated, and portions of the Testament printed. The 
early Tongan converts were trained for the work of Scripture 
readers and exhorters, while a system of regular visitation 
was kept up in each town on the island j so that at the end 
of the first year's mission work on Lakemba, the communion 
of the Lord's Supper was administered to over 280 persons. 
The abundant harvest had commenced. 

Yet, amid outward success, the mission workers experi- 
enced many trials of faith and patience, known only to God. 
Their stores failed j their food was of the poorest quality, as 
their barter articles were gone ; their furniture and utensils 
were daily stolen ; and the means of communication between 
Fiji and other lands, was so uncertain and seldom, that 



244 Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

many severe privations fell to their lot. An English vessel 
trading to the Friendly Islands, called at Lakemba, bringing 
supplies, but when about forty miles out on her homeward 
voyage, was wrecked. Soon after, four of the sailors, en- 
deavouring to escape in a boat to the leeward islands, where 
they hoped to sight a passing vessel, were captured by some 
cannibals belonging to another of the Fiji Islands, killed, 
and eaten. The others, however, succeeded in reaching 
Sydney, and securing a passage home, after some months ot 
weary waiting. • 

The story of the early days of missionary effort at 
Lakemba is one full of touching sacrifice. They lacked the 
commonest necessaries of life for months together ; and a 
ship chartered by the society to convey stores to the mission 
stations in the South Seas, including Fiji, refused to go any 
nearer to them than the Friendly Islands. The stores and 
letters were accordingly left there, and after some delay, a 
Tongan canoe carried over the letters, and the information 
that the much-needed stores were awaiting the missionaries 
at a place about four hundred miles distant. How greatly 
needed these supplies were, may be inferred from the fact that 
pigs were not obtainable, owing to their having been placed 
under tabu for two years ; that trunks, wearing apparel, 
and prints had all been bartered away for food ; and that 
in Mr. CargilFs household, of crockery utensils, all had either 
been lost or stolen, save one broken tea-cup. At last, after 
many months of discomfort and privation, an opportunity 
offered of getting the stores from Tonga, and with much 
thankfulness did the missionaries endeavour to replace the 
vanished stores of food, clothes, and furniture. 

2. OnO. 

The story of the entrance of the Gospel into Ono, fur- 



How the Gospel zvas Fhst Carried. 245 

nishes a very remarkable instance of an island stretching 
forth her hands unto God." The people were evidently 
acted upon by a supernatural power, and powerfully drawn 
to desii'c Christianity, even while they were so ignorant as 
not to know the nature of the blessing they longed for. 

Ono is a small island lying one hundred and fifty miles 
distant from Lakemba, and was tributary to that island. 
Ono lies in the centre of a little cluster of islands which 
constitute the most southerly part of Fiji. In the year 
1835, at about the same time that Messrs. Cross and Cargill 
went to Lakemba, the people of Ono suffered from an 
epidemic disease. Their numbers had already been very 
much reduced by wars ; but this epidemic carried off so 
many, that the poor frightened heathen vainly endeavoured 
to stop the disease by offering various sacrifices^ to their 
priests. While in this serious and troubled state, a chief, 
named Wai, had occasion to go to Lakemba, to carry the 
usual tribute, which generally consisted of yams, sinnet, and 
other vegetables. >While at Lakemba, Wai met with a 
Fijian chief who had embraced Christianity, and who was 
enthusiastic in its praise. Wai learned all he could from 
this man, intending to return home, and comfort his own 
people with the knowledge he could gain. Still, his infor- 
mation was very little : only that the Christian worshipped 
One God, the God of Heaven and Earth, and that one day 
in every seven was to be devoted to His worship. He had 
also picked up the idea that in all difficulties and dangers 
Christians prayed to their God, but in what form he knew 
not. However, he went back, told his pestilence-stricken 
neighbours this news, and they at once determined to act 
upon the information. They prepared the food for the 
Sabbath on the Saturday, they oiled their bodies profusely 
with oil, and put on their best native clothes, in order to 



246 The Trimnphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

please this new, powerful God, and procure from Him the 
healing blessing which they so earnestly desired. They had 
proved that their own gods could not deliver them, so now 
they resolved to make trial of the Christian's God. They 
assembled in a serious, orderly manner for worship, but no 
on^ among them could pray to the unknown God. They 
then applied to their old priest, desiring him to come and 
intercede for them to the best of his power. This he did, 
offering up a petition which deserves to be recorded for its 
simplicity and unparalleled character. Standing in the midst 
of the bowed down worshippers, he prayed thus : " Lord 
Jehovah ! here are the people ! They worship Thee ! I 
myself turn my back on them for the present, and am on 
another tack, worshipping another god. But do Thou 
bless these Thy people; keep them from harm, and do 
them good.^' This was the first public prayer offered in 
Ono ; the first public service held there in honour of the 
Lord of Hosts ; but it inaugurated a day of Christian light, 
service, and blessing. 

After this service was concluded, the people returned to 
their homes for the rest of the day, and endeavoured by 
more righteous practices to serve the Lord Jehovah. But 
the light they possessed only made them long for more ; so 
a passage was engaged in a whaling ship bound for Tonga, 
for two Ono people, in order that they might plead with the 
missionaries stationed at Tonga, for a teacher. With many 
good wishes and prayers for success, the two messengers 
departed upon their errand. But help came to them in 
their perplexities, much sooner than their messengers could 
possibly have returned from Tonga. In May of the follow- 
ing year, a canoe-ful of converted Tongans left Lakemba, 
bound for their homes in Tonga. By contrary winds, how- 
ever, they were blown about, and He who causeth the 



248 The TrucuWhs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

stormy winds to fulfil His word, made this disaster the 
means of blessing the Ono people. They were carried to 
Vatoa, about fifty miles from Ono, and hearing there the 
interesting news about the awakening of the people on the 
opposite island, one of the Vatoa men, called Josiah, deter- 
mined to fulfil a missionary part in going to them, and 
telling them about the true God. He went, and was wel- 
comed by the people of Ono with much delight. Day by 
day Josiah instructed them, and on the Sabbath he held 
their worship. Very quickly, a small chapel was built, 
capable of holding 100 v/orshippers, while many became 
soundly converted, and learnt to use the language of prayer 
for themselves. When the messengers returned from Tonga, 
they could scarcely realize the change which had happened ; 
but they brought back the sorrowful tidings that no teacher 
could be spared from Tonga ; that they must apply to the 
two missionaries already stationed at Lakemba, who would 
do for them all that possibly could be done. 

In much dismay they contemplated another journey to 
Lakemba, and this with no certain prospect of gaining their 
request after all. But, unknown to them, a teacher was 
already being prepared at Lakemba. One of their own 
countrymen, an untaught, rough Ono lad, had managed to 
reach Tonga some years earlier than this point in the story, 
and after learning much about Christianity, had voyaged 
with some boat's crew to Lakemba, where he learnt much 
more. Being considerably softened and improved by all 
that he had seen and learnt, he placed himself under the 
care of the missionaries, to be taught more fully about Jesus. 
He there lived a consistent and useful Christian life, assist- 
ing the missionaries in every way possible. He was baptized 
by the name of Isaac, learnt to read and write, and also to 
assist in carrying on the work of the mission at Lakemba. 



Hozv the Gospel was First Carried, 249 

Being a local preacher, he was accustomed to proclaim the 
Gospel j so upon receipt of the request of the Ono messen- 
gers for a teacher, Isaac was sent to the island, to take 
charge of the infant Church there. It was in the commence- 
ment of 1838, that Isaac reached Ono, and by that date, 
about a hundred and twenty adults had fully renounced 
idolatry, and were living Christian lives to all intents and 
purposes. These welcomed their new teacher, and supplied 
him plentifully with food and clothing in return for his 
instructions. The Tongan crew of the canoe which had 
drifted to Vatoa, had instructed them hitherto; and so 
anxiously had the people desired teaching, that they scarcely 
permitted their teachers to rest either by day or night. 
Soon after Isaac's appointment, another teacher was sent to 
Ono to assist him, and all supplies of books and catechisms 
which could be spared from Lakemba, were freely sent. 

In August, 1839, the white missionaries sent other help 
to Ono, so that the staff of teachers was increased to four. 
At this time the number of converts had increased to over 
three hundred and twenty, three chapels had been erected 
in different parts of the island ; while all the inhabitants of 
Vatoa, the nearest island, also professed Christianity. Had 
it been possible, a white missionary would have gone to the 
island to superintend the work ; but as there were only six 
white missionaries to carry on the work in eighty islands, 
no one could be spared for so small a centre of operations 
as Ono. Still, Mr. Calvert determined to embrace the first 
opportunity of visiting the people. He was now the only 
missionary on Lakemba, — Mr. Cross having removed to 
Rewa, — and he could not bring himself to leave Mrs. Calvert 
alone among a population chiefly heathen, and led by a 
king whose predilections and tastes were all in favour of 
heathenism. Twenty islands constituted his " Circuit," and 



250 The lyhimphs of the Gospel in Fiji 

his absences were quite frequent enough, and prolonged 
enough, when visiting these, to try the stoutest faith. Still, 
it seemed to be laid on his heart that he should go to Ono, 
and in much perplexity he consulted with Mrs. Calvert. 

Do you intend to go ? " she queried. " How can I ? " he 
replied. "How can I leave you alone?" With true noble- 
ness of faith, Mrs. Calvert replied, " 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." Soon after this, finding a canoe bound for Ono, 
Mr. Calvert did go, leaving his brave wife and little child 
alone at Lakemba. On reaching Ono, he baptized and 
married many converts, who were anxious to lead Christian 
lives. Isaac had fallen into sin, but, in spite of this, the 
work had increased to large proportions. 

Not without opposition, however, had the lofu grown. 
Many of the heathen had threatened war, and were bent 
upon annoying their Christian neighbours upon every pos- 
sible occasion ; and a more serious complication appeared, 
in the shape of a dispute with the king of Lakemba, about 
a princess of Ono, who was destined to be the aforesaid 
monarch's thirteenth wife. This princess was named Tovo, 
— was a converted young woman, and very useful in the 
schools established on the island. She also visited the sick, 
taught the ignorant, and made herself so generally useful, 
that the people were greatly attached to her; while the 
teachers regarded her as a valuable auxiliary in their work. 
She had been betrothed to the king of Lakemba, during her 
infancy, according to the usual custom ; but having learnt 
the truth respecting the duty of a Christian man or woman 
in regard to marriage, she refused to be married to the old 
king. The people of Ono supported her in this resolution, 
and were determined to proceed to war, rather than give 



How the Gospel was First Carried, 251 

her up to be a heathen king's thirteenth wife. So matters 
went on, until Mr. Calvert's return to Lakemba, when he 
learnt that the king had fitted out a fleet of eleven canoes, 
manned with warriors, and was intending to sail at the head 
of this force to claim and bring home his bride. Mr. Calvert 
immediately remonstrated with the king, taking, according 
to custom, a whale's tooth for an offering, pleading thus : 
" You are preparing to go to Ono. I understand that you 
intend to compel Jemima (Tovo's christian name) to come 
back with you. I beg that you will not do so, but will 
allow her to remain at her own island, a Christian." The 
king tried to make Mr. Calvert believe that he intended to 
do this, his only ostensible object in going to Ono being to 
collect tribute. But the missionary knew better, and before 
he left the royal presence, uttered the following warning : . 

Tui Nayau, before I leave you, I warn you faithfully. I 
love you, and therefore warn you. God's people are as the 
apple of His eye. In thus fetching the girl, you are fighting 
against God. You will imperil your own safety if you go 
on such an errand. Remember that on the sea, and at 
all the islands between Lakemba, and Ono, Jehovah rules 
supreme, and can easily punish you if you are found fighting 
against Him. Take care what you are about.*' 

The king set sail, and reaching Vatoa, cruelly and wantonly 
injured the lower people there, by destroying their crops. 
He would also have killed some of the people, but that 
a Christian chief resolutely stood up in defence of them. 
After sailing from Vatoa, four of his canoes were never 
heard of again. It was supposed that they drifted away 
and were lost at sea ; or that they were wrecked on some 
other island, in which the occupants would be killed and 
eaten according to custom. The remainder of the fleet 
never reached Ono, for a strong wind blew them back, and 



2 52 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

placed them in imminent danger of being wrecked. After 
much perilous tossing about, the surviving canoes returned 
to Lakemba, and the old king, being thoroughly humbled, 
sent Mr. Calvert a present of a pig, in token of contrition. 
He did not, however, renounce his right to Jemima. It was 
some long time afterwards that he did this, upon receiving 
the customary tribute in place of his wife ; and being assured 
that the Ono Christians could, and would, fight for their 
principles in this matter. Indeed, just about this time, they 
had to take up arms in self-defence, against their envious 
heathen neighbours, and after several weeks of almost con- 
stant fighting, they came off victors. After this, they were 
allowed to dwell in peace, and quiet. Christianity spread so 
' generally, that in 1842, out of a population of about 500, 
only three were nominally heathen, and they very quickly 
became Christians ; while eight of the converts, who had 
become competent exhorters in a revival of religion which 
shortly afterwards broke out, were sent out as teachers to 
other islands still in cannibal darkness. Ono is now fully 
Christianized. The people are consistent and self-denying 
to a degree, and recommend their faith by their work. So 
eager were the new converts to go to other islands to 
proclaim the Gospel, that the missionaries had great diffi- 
culty in selecting the few they ultimately did for that work. 
All wanted to go, and at a prayer-meeting held to dismiss 
the eight chosen ones to their stations, the Tongan preacher 
prayed in these words : They go^ but we stay on this island^ 
according to Thy will. We would all go, Thou knowest, to 
make known the good tidings. Mr. Calvert testifies that 
more agents have been qualified for Christian service and 
sent forth from Ono, than from any other part of the Fijian 
group, and that in all cases, they have proved acceptable 
and zealous labourers among the people with whom they 



254 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

dwelt, while one has passed away to his reward by the path 
of martyrdom. 

3. SOMO SOMO. 

Somo Somo is a town of much importance in the island 
of Taviuni, and was a centre of authority during the old 
times. The chiefs of Somo Somo exercised great power 
over large tracts of country. At the time of the introduc- 
tion of Christianity, the people of Somo Somo were noted, 
even among their heathen neighbours, for their merciless 
traits of character. Heathenism assumed a viler form there, 
if possible, than on any other part of Fiji. The entrance of 
the Gospel into this dark, benighted spot, took place in this 
way. About two years after the arrival of missionaries at 
Lakemba, the king of Somo Somo, Tui Thakow, visited 
Lakemba with his two sons and a large company of followers. 
When at the latter place they inspected the mission station, 
and professed to be struck with admiration and astonish- 
ment as they viewed the iron tools and utensils brought 
from England. Seeing that the Lakemba people were able 
to procure hatchets, knives, iron cooking pots, nails, and 
other things from the missionaries, the wily chief pleaded 
hard for a missionary likewise, hoping thereby to secure the 
supplies he so much coveted. In words something like 
the following, Tui Thakow urged this upon Messrs. Cross 
and Cargill : — The chief of Lakemba is not very powerful ; 
his people are very poor and few. If you come to us we 
will allow our children to be taught to read, and we will 
listen to your doctrine." The young sons of the king also 
urged the request very strongly, engaging to protect and 
honour all who should be sent to them. The missionaries 
deemed it their duty to embrace such an opportunity, what- 
ever the ruling motive on the part of the king, for inviting 



How the Gospel was First Carried, 255 

mission effort ; and promised faithfully that as soon as 
possible missionaries should be sent to settle in the island. 
Nearly two years passed by, however, before the promise 
could be redeemed; but in July, 1839, Mr. Hunt and Mr. 
Lyth were sent to Somo Somo, relying on the king's promise 
to be kindly treated, and provided with houses. Contrary 
to expectation, however, nobody seemed to care about them, 
or their comfort, and beyond giving up one empty large old 
house of his own for their temporary use, Tui Thakow 
seemed to ignore them. The two mission families endea- 
voured to make the best of it, and hoped that the work 
commenced so unpromisingly, would end brightly. But 
dark days were in store for them, on several accounts. Ra 
Mbithi, one of the king's sons, had gone to the windward 
islands with a number of canoes, but had met with his death 
at sea, or rather, according to some accounts, had drifted to 
the island of Ngau, where, according to the custom with all 
shipwrecked sailors, he, with his men, had been killed and 
eaten. In accordance with custom also, several women, 
both wives and servants, were doomed to be strangled, in 
order that they might accompany the deceased prince into 
the spirit-world. Sixteen women were selected for strang- 
ling ; and the missionaries gave their first offence, by pre- 
suming to plead for the lives of the poor doomed creatures. 
Once, and again, they got the execution of the dread sen- 
tence put off, while canoes went out to search for the 
missing prince. Tidings came back that it was all true, and 
then, in spite of all remonstrance, the sixteen women were 
strangled, and most of them buried just in front of the 
missionaries' dweUing. Not only was this dreadful deed 
committed, but many others right before their eyes ; while 
for their remonstrance, they were threatened with death. 
Almost every week they had to see cannibal orgies carried 



256 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

on right under their eyes, for the ovens in which the bodies 
were baked, were close to their doors, and the people seemed 
mad after human flesh. The king and his son were men of 
gigantic stature, and in place of succouring their visitors, 
allowed the natives to insult and mock them. Mrs. Hunt, 
once, when nursing her dying infant, and endeavouring to 
soothe its expiring pangs, accidentally looked up, and was 
startled to see several of the natives looking at her, and 
mocking her sorrow. They could not understand how any- 
body could grieve at parting with a child ; life was so cheap 
with them. Mr. Hunt says, " One day a report was brought 
to us that ' dead men,' as victims are called, were being 
brought here. Almost before we had time to think, the 
men were laid on the ground before our house, and chiefs, 
priests, and people met to divide them to be eaten. They 
brought eleven to our settlement ; it is not certain how many 
have been killed, but some say two or three hundred. 
Their crime appears to be that of killing one man, and 
when the man who did it came to beg pardon, the chief 
required this massacre to be made as a recompense. The 
principal chief was killed, and given to the great god of 
Somo Somo. I saw him after he was cut up, and laid on 
the fire to be cooked for the cannibal god of the island. 
The manner in which the poor wretches were treated was 
shamefully disgusting. They did not honour them as much 
as they do pigs. When they took them away to be cooked, 
they dragged them on the ground, — one had a rope round 
his neck, and the others took him by the hands and feet. 
They have been very strange with us ever since, and have 
given us reason to expect the very worsf 

Once or twice, the missionaries were very near death. 
One day, Tuikilakila, the eldest son of the king, a giant of 
over seven feet in height, and proportionally built, came to 




1 



258 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

the mission-house in a terrible fury, threatening to kill Mr. 
Lyth, there and then. He laid hold of Mr. Hunt with one 
hand, and Mr. Lyth with the other, as if undecided which 
to despatch first. He pulled them both outside the door, 
but they earnestly and kindly remonstrated with him, show- 
ing that they had no other intention in residing there than 
to do him and his people good. At length their concili- 
atory words prevailed; and after contenting himself with 
giving Mr. Lyth a furious slap in the face, the angry giant 
strode away for that time. Tuikilakila was very subject to 
these fits of passion, and on such occasions would strike 
down everything which came in his way. On the other 
hand, if pleased and feeling amiable, he would go to the 
mission-house, and help himself to any of the food in course 
of preparation, never heeding the fact that he was depriving 
the families of the strangers of much-needed support. 
Occasionally, too, he would drop in to watch the mission 
family eat, and would even thrust his face so close to the 
missionary so especially favoured with his attentions, that 
the contents of the plate would sometimes be swept off by 
the chief's beard. Endless long-sufiering and unfailing faith 
were needed at Somo Somo, at that time. 

At length, things grew worse and worse, until the mission 
party was openly told that they were to be killed. The 
chief and people had daily been getting more impatient with 
the message, and more full of hatred against the teachers, 
who were the bearers of that message of salvation. One 
night, a council was held in order to determine the time 
and manner of the massacre ; and as if to bring home the 
sense of danger, this council sat just outside the large, 
gloomy building, used as the dwelling of the missionaries. 
The walls were of reed, as was the case with all buildings 
in Fiji and were open to the intrusion of any prying eyes. 



How the Gospel was First Carried, 259 

The little praying band hung up curtains all round the 
reed walls, so as to secure some amount of privacy, and 
then devoted those terrible hours of suspense to the work 
of earnest prayer. From the depths of the heart did those 
petitions go up, for themselves and their little ones, doomed 
to a cruel death. It was their determination to die praying, 
if the determination of the people were really carried out. 
Midnight drew on, and still the conference was kept up out- 
side, while one after another, the voices of the little praying 
band sought the Throne of Grace. Which way could the 
decision be? All at once, a wild yell was heard, which 
they accepted as the first call to the murderers to enter, and 
do their work. But then other yells followed, and presently 
they discovered that these were merely cries to the other 
natives to come out and hold a dance. Thus, the danger 
was averted; the people had determined to let the strangers 
alone, at least for that time. We may imagine how swiftly 
the pleading prayer of helpless trouble, helpless in its 
impotency against cannibal might, would be changed to 
psalms of thanksgiving. But they scarcely dared to sing. 
Any such vocal manifestation of joy would have been offen- 
sive to the people ; for, even as they closed their doors and 
windows to keep out the stench of the human sacrifices 
and feasts, they were threatened with death for doing so. 

Many of the common people would have shown their 
friendliness to Christianity, however, and embraced the new 
faith, but that they were debarred by fear of the vengeance 
of their chiefs. Tui Thakow, and his son Tuikilakila, 
threatened to kill, and eat, any who became Christians. In 
secret, there were a few who would fain have taken up 
with the new faith, and have shown kindness to the mission- 
aries, but the fear of the terrible fate threatened by the 
chief, kept them from confessing any attachment to Christi- 



26o TJie Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

anity. Yet still, the missionaries strove the more to conquei 
this spirit of opposition. Mr. Lyth, having received a 
medical training, had opportunity to show kindness to many 
patients ; and among them, to the chief and his son. Some- 
times they would appear to be grateful and softened, at 
other times they would be moody and sullen. On one 
occasion, the old chief, upon being spoken to faithfully 
about his sinful course, seized hold of his club to kill Mr. 
Lyth. The latter gentleman fled, leaving his coat-tail in 
the old man's hands, consoling himself for this awkward 
loss, by remembering that he had thus saved his life. On 
another occasion, Tuikilakila went to Mr. Hunt, and felt his 

- limbs all over, to see if he were fat enough to be eaten. 
One day, Mrs. Hunt sat watching some stores, meant both 
for food and barter; for the Fijians being so uncivilized, the 
missionaries were compelled to keep a good supply of things 
for barter, in place of money wherewith to buy. A native 
determined to steal some of these stores, but was so savage 
with Mrs. Hunt's patient watch over the goods, that he 
lifted up his hatchet to kill her. She dared not cry out for 
help, for at the first sound from her lips, the hatchet would 
have descended into her skull. But although inwardly 
trembling, she sat and steadfastly watched him, meanwhile 
supplicating to God to stop the man from carrying out his 
murderous intention. Suddenly, the man dropped his 
hatchet, and sat down ; he was not suffered to strike her. 

Still, very little success came, in response to their labours 
and efforts. Sometimes the assemblies of those who 
gathered to hear them preach, were reinforced by some 
neighbouring islanders, but none of the congregations could 
be depended upon for regular attendance. Yet, the mis- 
sionaries could not wholly feel that they had laboured in 

- vain, or expended their strength for nought. Then, too, Mr 



Hozv tlie Gospel was First Carried, 261 

Cross's health failed, and after coming to Somo Somo in 
order to benefit by the medical ministrations of Mr. Lyth, 
he passed away, and was buried underneath a thatched roof, 
in accordance with the native custom. Some infants be- 
longing to the mission families were too frail to bear the 
climate, and passed away also, being laid under the same 
roof. Soon after this, came Tui Thakow's death, attended 
by the horrible formalities of strangling women, as described 
in the preceding pages, and Tuikilakila succeeded to the 
throne, assuming also the title of his father. After attaining 
to the supreme power in Somo Somo, this chief announced 
his determination to kill, and eat, any who should embrace 
the /ofu, or even show kindness and obedience to the 
teachers. Still, for another two years, the servants of the 
Lord laboured on in hope. 

At last, in 1834, the surrounding missionaries advised 
the removal of the station to some other part of Fiji. Act- 
ing on this decision, those settled at Somo Somo gradually 
got everything ready for being despatched when the mis- 
sionary ship Triton should call at the island. The packing 
process had, however, to be accomplished with care and 
secrecy, for had the natives suspected that their opportuni- 
ties for barter and plunder were coming to an end, they 
would not have hesitated to kill the unfortunate objects of 
their anger. At length, little by little, and almost by stealth, 
everything was got away, and when the ship was lying at 
anchor, the missionaries took formal leave of the chief 
They told him that their families had suffered much from 
sickness, for lack of proper comfort and food ; that he had 
refused to attend to their teaching, and forbidden his people 
to listen to, or obey it, and that his passion for war and 
cannibalism was still making hindrances in the way of the 
success of the Gospel. On these accounts, therefore, they 



4 



262 The Triuviphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

informed him, they should bid his people good-bye, and 
go to labour among others who would welcome them, and 
their message. Then they bade him farewell. 

Soon after the departure of the missionaries, two Catholic 
priests went to Somo Somo to teach the natives. Many 
other priests had endeavoured to effect conversions in other 
parts of the group, but their success had been only partial, 
and they themselves were held in little esteem anywhere ; 
for the natives were shrewd enough to see that these people, 
unlike the Wesley an missionaries, kept the key of knowledge 
from the Fijians, and refused to give them any Bible. 
After a very short stay on Somo Somo, the two priests left, 
utterly discouraged and disappointed. They laboured to 
little purpose in other parts of the group, afterwards. 
Indeed, the Catholic mission to Fiji must be pronounced a 
failure. It never took any real hold on the people. 

Tuikilakila, however, came to an untimely end. He 
continued to the end of his days the same fierce, implacable 
savage ; and even when speaking to the missionaries peace- 
ably, encouraged his sons to persecute, injure, and annoy 
all who were within their power, and who were suspected of 
being friendly to the Christians. But one night in 1854, he 
was murdered by one of his sons. This son was murdered 
in return by another brother, in order to avenge his father's 
death ; and shortly after, the avenger was himself killed. 
These events led to civil war, and so it came to pass that 
in time the populous province of Somo Somo became 
almost depopulated, and rendered waste. 

4. Rewa. 

Mr. Cross and his family settled at Rewa in Januar}^, 
1838, under the protection of the king, who had offered 
land whereupon to build a mission-housei. Almost as soon. 



« 



How the Gospel was First Carried. 263 

however, as Mr. Cross had entered upon his new work here, 
he sickened, first with intermittent fever, then with cholera, 
and lastly with typhus fever. In this extremity, an American 
settler carefully and unremittingly assisted Mrs. Cross to 
nurse her husband until he was able to perform his duties 
again. Prospects seemed encouraging, and the king, eager 
to keep his word, built a comfortable house for the mis- 
sionary. Very shortly, a chief of high rank, together with 
his wife, became Christians, and as there was no chapel, 
they opened their house for the services. But the wor- 
shippers were not always exempt from persecution and 
treachery. Once, a stone was thrown in, which placed the 
missionary's life in danger; while on another occasion the 
place of meeting was set on fire. Fortunately, the attempt 
did not succeed ; but the path was uphill, even here, amidst 
encouragements, and full of trials and difficulties of various 
kinds. 

5. VlWA. 

At the end of 1838, the chief of Viwa, a small island 
south of the Fijian mainland, sent a pressing request for a 
teacher. Namosimalua, the chief of Viwa, was a depraved 
savage, and possessed a bloodthirsty disposition : yet having 
regard to the fact that he had begged for a teacher, while 
at the same time Viwa was near enough to Mbau for the 
missionary to be able to influence the people of the latter 
place, the members of the Wesleyan mission could not 
bring themselves to refuse the request. A native teacher 
was sent, and was received kindly. Very soon, a large 
chapel was built, where chief and people bowed together in 
Christian worship. So matters stood, when, in 1842, Mr. 
Hunt was appointed to Viwa. He then found about one 
hundred and twenty persons under religious instruction^ of 



264 The Triumphs of tlie Gospel in Fiji, 

whom some were real Christians. Eight native teachers 
were busily engaged, and more were offering themselves to 
carry the Gospel to other parts of the group. Yet, although 
from the foregoing facts, it may be judged that Christianity 
had made much progress, many of the old terrible customs 
remained. Mr. Hunt gives the following account of the 
- strangling of an old woman, in his journal : This morning 
a number of women came from Mbau, to strangle a poor 
woman to whom I had been giving medicine for some time. 
I succeeded in preventing them from strangling her ; but 
they very nearly succeeded in burying her alive, unknown 
to me. I thought I should like to see how she was going 
on, fearing they would be doing something with her; and 
when I got into the town, I understood that Verani, the 
nephew of the chief of this place, had ordered her to be 
buried. I immediately went to him, and found him digging 
the grave with his own hands. I urged him by all means 
to desist, and succeeded. He ordered the grave to be 
filled up again, and engaged to leave the woman to me. 
He rubbed his hands together, saying, ' Dear me, I have 
dirtied my hands for nothing,' evidently disappointed. I 
saw the woman before I went to him, and found that she 
did not wish to die ; and seemed much pleased at the idea 
of living a httle longer. Ratu-Mara, the chief to whom she 
belongs, had sent word for her to be strangled. I gave her 
some food and medicine ; she did not seem at all willing to 
die. A message came next morning to inform me that she 
was dead. I expect they assisted her after all, though they 
said that they did not." From these, and other records 
given by the missionary labourers at Viwa, it will be under- - 
stood that only here and there was Christianity the ruling 
principle. Most of the people were still heathen, and 
while rendering formal obedience to the new rules of life, 



How the Gospel was First Carried, 265 

inwardly espoused and believed in the old heathen customs. 
Only by long and patient continuance in well-doing, could 
the missionaries hope to succeed. 

6. Mbau. 

This island, lying at the south-east of the mainland, and 
very near to both Rewa, and Viwa, was the subject of much 
solicitude to all the members of the mission, from the com- 
mencement of evangelistic labours among the people. In 
1837, Mr. Cross took his family to Mbau, but found upon 
his arrival, that civil war was desolating the island, and 
rendering all attempts at settling there, futile. This civil war 
had already lasted for some time, and was still being carried 
on in full vigour. Tanoa, the king, had been for a time driven 
out of Mbau, but by the help of Verani, chief of Viwa, Seru, 
his own son (afterwards known as Thakombau), and some 
other adherents, had conquered a large number of rebel 
chiefs, and taken them prisoners of war. When Mr. Cross 
landed, two bodies of these chiefs were in the ovens roasting, 
while two others had just been eaten ; and the king could 
not promise security or protection. Accordingly, as stated 
in the preceding pages, Mr. Cross passed on and settled at 
Rewa. From Rewa, and Viwa, much good was indirectly 
accomplished among the people of Mbau. In process of 
time, many of the people became Christians, but secretly, 
because the king determinedly opposed the doctrine. In- 
deed, on more than one occasion, Tanoa resolved to kill 
all the Christians at Viwa, and Rewa, and was very nearly 
carrying his threat into execution. Still, at every possible 
opportunity, the resident missionaries faithfully preached to 
the king of righteousness, temperance, and a judgment 
to come." At length, Tanoa grew old and weak, and 
Thakombau ascended the throne of his father, walking in 



266 The Triumphs of the Gospd in Fiji. 

all that old cannibars steps. Years went on, and although 
one chief after another learnt to bow to the Christian's God, 
Thakombau still held out resolute against the doctrine. Mr. 
Hunt tells us that a plot was laid for the destruction of the 
Viwan Christians, by Thakombau and his warriors, in 1846. 
Rewa was conquered at this time, and, drunk with the 
blood of conquest, the king resolved to crush all who had 
ever differed from his ways. Thakombau, accompanied by 
his army, came to Viwa, and made his way straight to the 
mission-house. Mr. Hunt was out at the time ; Mrs. Hunt 
offered the chief, tea and bread. He drank the tea, but 
tossed the bread contemptuously at her. Mr. Hunt was 
sent for immediately, when the chief declared his intentions. 
The missionary took him aside, and for a long time pleaded 
with him to be m.erciful. The converted queen of Viwa, 
who was a cousin to the chief, also knelt down before him, 
and begged him to spare the people. She also entreated 
him with tears to join the lotu, telling him how happy it 
had made her. All this while, the forces of Mbau were 
filling the town, and rejoicing in prospect of the feast which 
awaited. The Christians were firm, quiet, and even happy 
in prospect of death. Two of them, happening to meet 
near the mission-house, shook hands affectionately, saying, 
as they did so, " Heaven is very near ! " Many others 
retired to the bush, and spent hours in prayer to that God, 
before whom, for aught they knew, they were so soon to 
appear. Yet some power seemed to restrain the hands of 
these Mbau heathen. They said to the missionaries, " Oh, 
if you missionaries would only go away ! It is your 
presence that prevents us from killing them ! If you would 
go away, before you could reach Moturiki, all these Viwa 
people would be 'in the ovens ! " But " the faithful God 
restrained their hands," and mysteriously influenced them. 



How tlie Gospel was First Carried, 267 

As night drew on, they confessed that they could not strike^ 
— that the Christianas God was too powerful for them. 
They then returned to their canoes, and sailed away home. 
Surely they must have been restrained by Divine interposi- 
tion ! 

During 1848, Mr. Calvert, in his visits to Mbau, frequently 
held conversations with the chief, and explained more fully 
the nature and requirements of the Christian religion to him. 
Sometimes, Thakombau would seek out the missionary, and 
in his bedroom, or study, talk for hours upon the subject. 
Then, going away, he would use Mr. Calvert's arguments 
against his own priests. One effect of these conversations 
was that he gradually dropped all opposition to the new 
faith. He also became less warlike, although his position, 
and the large stores of war material which he had accumu- 
lated, formed powerful temptations to him to engage again 
and again in war. Again, he occasionally postponed feasts 
from the Christian Sabbath to other days, out of respect 
to the lotu ; while, if Christians were at hand when he 
commenced eating, he would pay them the compliment 
of asking them to repeat the grace before meat over his 
food. He would sometimes defend Christianity from the 
attacks of those who spoke against it ; warn the priests that 
they would soon have nothing to do, and encourage some 
of his wives to become religious. Still, occasional cannibal 
feasts were held, when etiquette demanded that they should 
be observed. On one occasion a party of fourteen women 
were caught in order to be killed and cooked at a feast of 
this khid, and nine of them were so cooked. Mrs. Calvert 
and Mrs. Lyth, hearing of the peril of these poor creatures, 
forced their way to Thakombau, and begged for the lives of 
their doomed sisters. Five were granted in answer to their 
prayer. 



258 - The Truunphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

So years went on. No mission could be established on 
Mbau, because the chief constantly refused to build a 
mission-house, and when pressed to decide for himself on 
the great question, would say, " Wait until I have finished 
all my wars, then I will lotu,''^ At last, in 1850, a cousin of 
the king, a chief of high rank, lotucd^ and this roused the 
king^s ire. War broke out between the people of Mbau, 
and the people of Verata \ and although the missionary, and 
Elijah Verani, a converted chief, interceded powerfully, they 
could not wholly prevent the customary terrible accompani- 
ments of war. Ngavindi, a chief who assisted Thakombau, 
was shot dead, and at his funeral some women were stran- 
gled. Mr. Calvert, as usual, reproved the king faithfully, 
and told him that " the wicked should be turned into hell." 
He then left him in an uneasy frame of mind. After this, 
war broke out on Vanua Levu, between the natives of 
Nandy, and Mbau ; and as it was waged avowedly against 
the lotu^ Mr. Calvert feared much that, ere long, all the 
Christians in Fiji would be exposed to the rancour and 
cruelty of those who hated Christianity. So he made his 
way to Thakombau, beseeching him to interfere and put a 
stop to the war, — which he could have done, as the most 
powerful chief. But he flatly refused to interfere in order 
to protect the Christians, saying, **When I ask you lotu 
people to help me in war, you say, ' No, it is not lawful for 
Christians to fight.' Now, you have a fight of your own, 
and I am glad of it. Besides, I hate your Christianity 1 

Well, seeing you do hate it,'V returned Mr. Calvert, " what 
are you going to do with it? Do you intend to stop its 
progress.^" "No,*' was the answer. cannot do that. 
I know that it is true and the work of God, and that we 
shall all become Christians ; but, in the meantime, I delight 
in you Christians being compelled to engage in war as well 



How the Gospel was FU'st Carried. 269 

as us." At length, however, circumstances arose which made 
it polite for the king to interfere, and a peace was arranged. 

Soon after this, Mr. Waterhouse was preaching in the 
house of a fisherman at Mbau — a house granted by the king 
for the purpose of holding service — when a heavy shower 
of stones shook the frail structure, and threatened injury to 
the worshippers. Then, Thakombau's little son professed 
Christianity, and was permitted by his father to do so ; but 
in all this man's conduct, there was such a curious mixture 
of friendliness and hatred, that it seems difficult to assign 
any ruling motive to him. At the death of his father 
'Tanoa, he permitted the usual strangling customs to be 
carried out, only causing a less number to be destroyed, in 
deference to the missionary's remonstrances. At the cere- 
monies observed on the occasion of Thakombau's instalment 
in his father's offices and dignities, several men were killed 
in order to be eaten. Mr. Calvert remonstrated, begged, 
and entreated ; but in vain. They selected their victims, 
killed them, and partially cooked them. Other white 
residents added their remonstrances and entreaties, when 
the remains, cooked and uncooked, all mangled as they 
were, were given up for burial. 

Wars and disturbances increased so sadly, that Thakom- 
bau felt his power passing from him rapidly. At one time, 
a design for murdering him was entertained by some dis- 
affected chiefs and their friends. Then he suffered from 
illness, and in many other ways was convinced of the futility 
of resisting the course of God's providence. Simultaneously 
with his illness, the chief Tuikilakila, of Somo Somo, was 
assassinated, and Mr. Calvert reasoned with him about the 
matter. In reply to Thakombau's description of the mur- 
der, the missionary said, " Yes, Tuikilakila was long warned 
by God's faithful servants ; but he hardened his heart and 



2/0 The Triumphs of tlie Gospel in Fiji, 

opposed the Gospel ; yet the Lord bore with him, and then 
severely afflicted him, so that he was made to listen atten- 
tively, during a long affliction, to the faithful warnings and 
constant instructions of Mr. Lyth. But when he was raised 
up, by God's blessing on Mr. Lyth's skill and care, he again 
resisted God's truth. Now he has been suddenly cut off 
without remedy, and he will have no excuse when judged 
by Jesus Christ.'' He anxiously asked, "And does the 
Lord work so ? " The missionary visitor replied, " Yes, 
you have been faithfully warned and instructed \ but you 
have refused to abandon your sins and seek God's mercy 
through Christ. Now the Lord has tried you in various 
ways, and afflicted you. You ought to submit to God, and 
seek His mercy." Thakombau felt all this very keenly, and 
permitted Mr. Waterhouse to establish a mission in the 
town of Mbau ; and although from time to time, cannibal 
feasts were held, yet real progress was made, and religion 
seemed to flourish under the king's protection. 

It was, indeed, a painful crisis in the chief's history. 
The American consul was incensed against him, and 
recommended that he and his town should be destroyed. 
His friend, King George of Tonga, also wrote to him, 
advising him to resist no longer the advance of Christianity. 
So, on one memorable morning, April 30th, 1854, the 
drums were beaten to call the people to a religious service 
conducted by Messrs. Calvert and Waterhouse, and the 
king publicly lotued, or embraced Christianity. In an 
audience of about three hundred people, the king, sur- 
rounded by his wives, children, and other relatives, took the 
important step. All the people fell in with it, and numbers 
crowded round the missionaries, in order to learn to read. 
Thakombau's little son, a child of seven years, who had 
professed Christianity before, by his father's permission, 



How the Gospel was First Carried, 271 

now became that father's teacher, and taught him to read. 
The missionary records the fact in these touching words ; — 
" The little fellow now became the teacher of his parents, 
who were both so eager to acquire knowledge, that some- 
times their young instructor would fall asleep with fatigue, 
in the midst of a lesson, to resume it after a refreshing 
nap." 

From this time, the king's attendance at public worship, 
observance of the Sabbath, and family prayer, was most 
exemplary. He was as yet, however, very young in the 
faith, and indeed it seemed that his religion was one more 
of the head than of the heart. But this young and weak 
faith, as well as that of his people, was about to be tried 
rather severely. He had made many enemies by his fre- 
quent attacks and bloodthirsty forays upon the surrounding 
inhabitants of the country, and now these, thinking that 
Thakombau was reduced in national prowess and warlike 
possessions, determined to destroy him. The Rewa chief 
sent a messenger to Mr. Waterhouse to remove from Mbau, 
for he intended to destroy the city, together with its inhabi- 
tants and king. Mr. and Mrs. Waterhouse determined to 
remain at Mbau, in order to save the city, if possible. They 
foresaw nothing but anarchy and bloodshed, should it be 
destroyed. Mr. Calvert was stationed at Ovalau, among 
other enemies of Mbau, and suffered much persecution in 
consequence of his attachment to Thakombau. He, with 
Mr. Waterhouse, again and again made overtures for peace, 
but in vain. The destruction of Mbau seemed to be un- 
avoidable, but by the intervention of Providence. Mr.. 
Calvert tells us of one narrow escape from death, experienced 
at the hands of the savages. From his graphic story, one 
can realize the exposure to death and danger which must 
have been the lot of those servants of God in those troubled 



2/2 TJie Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 



times. Mr. Calvert had gone aside when voyaging from Ova- 
lau, to warn the Moturiki people of the danger of massacre 
that awaited them. He says: "As I proceeded towards 
the shore, many persons made their appearance, some 
running towards me from two directions. As they neared 
me, they looked very fierce, and made gestures indicating 
evil intentions towards me, I could not get to the boat, I 
therefore ^-ent on towards the shore. One was swifter than 



rounded by upwards of loo. I recognised the features 
of one, and hoped he was friendly. He took hold of 
me, recognising me as the husband of the lady of the 
wooden house at Viwa, who had frequently purchased 
food of them, and treated them kindly, and said I should 
live. I clung to him, and disputed for life with them who 
clamoured for my death. Another man's face, through a 
thick coating of soot, exhibited features familiar to me ; but 
a fearful-looking battle-axe he held in his hand attracted my 




THAKOMBAU. 



the rest, and came near with his 
gun uplifted to strike me. I 
expostulated with him. Quickly, 
several came up with me, some 
of whom had clubs uplifted to 
club me, some with hatchets, 
some with spears raised to thrust 
at me. One came very near, 
and pointed a musket at me, 
with desperate looks. I trem- 
bled, but protested loudly and 
firmly that they ought not to 
kill me ; that in me there was 
no cause of death ; that their 
killing me would be greatly to 
their disgrace. I was sur- 



How the Gospel was First Carried, 273 



eye ; however, I laid hold of him, and advised him, and 
urged him not to kill me. Thus was I between two who 
might be friendly. I told my name, my work, my labours, 
in various ways again and again on their behalf. I told 
him that I had interceded with the Mbau chief to send them 
the very help with which they were now strengthened, and 
that my full knowledge of being one, and friendly with them, 
led me to come on shore. Matters were in a very hopeful 
state when a very ugly 
man drew near, deter- 
mined, in spite of 
opposition, to take my 
life. He was extremely 
ferocious, but his arms 
were seized by several. 
He struggled hard for 
a length of time to get 
his musket to bear on 
me, which, indeed, he 
once or twice managed, 
but it was warded off 
before he could fire. 
At length his rage sub- 
sided: all then con- 
sented to my living. 
But as their thirst for killing was now up, and as they 
could not kill me, they wished me to return towards 
the boat, intending to accompany me, hoping to get one 
or more of the natives in my stead. I refused to go. 
One untied my neckcloth, and took it. They pulled my 
coat, felt me, and I fully expected to be stripped. My 
trousers were wet and heavy. I was weak with talking and 
disputing with them, — indeed, quite hoarse. As we still 




NGAVINDI, SECOND TO THAKOMBAU. 



2/4 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

went on to the sea, they commenced their death-song, 
always sung as they drag along the bodies of their slain 
enemies. I feared that might increase their rage, and desired 
to stop it. It was most grating to my feelings, and I stood 
still and begged them to desist. After a short time they did 
so, and we proceeded towards the beach. Those who had 
run to destroy me, then departed towards their own town. 
During the whole of this attack on me, the Lord blessed me 
with great presence of mind, and considerable firmness to 
dispute with them, and protest against their taking away my 
life. It appeared to me very probable that my course and 
my ministry were both about to be ended. Yet I was com- 
forted by the assurance that * they could not yet devour my 
life, safe in the hollow of His hand.' While looking at the 
instruments of death which were held over, and levelled 
at me, I felt sure that my life was still in His hands, and 
could only be taken by His permission." 

Thakombau and his people were now put to great straits. 
They were surrounded by enemies all bent on their de- 
struction, and in the midst of these trials turned to the 
despised missionaries for succour and protection, seeing 
that their presence in Mbau, and firmness, constituted the 
truest safeguards against assassination and extermination. 
Little by little, the struggle between heathenism went 
on, both inwardly and outwardly; but in the end, truth 
and righteousness gained the victory, and Mbau became 
Christianized. 



VII. 



How THE Gospel Triumphed. 

It is now time to look back over all the ground covered 
by missionary effort, in order to be able to judge of the 
success of that effort. The inspired Word declares that 
God's message shall not return unto Him void, nor fail in 
accomplishing the purpose for which it was sent. The 
night of toil had been long. Over twenty years of incessant 
labour and self-denying service had been expended on the 
Fijian field. What were the results ? What are the results 
to-day, after over forty-five years of mission work ? 

I. Mbau. 

At the commencement of 1855, great progress had been 
made in Mbau, as detailed in the last chapter ; but its 
unhappy surroundings were the means, in God's hand, of 
bringing Mbau and its proud king in humble penitence to 
the throne of mercy. Fighting, conspiracies, treachery, and 
danger made up Thakombau's portion during several years. 
At length, in January, 1855, king of Rewa died, and 
the people whom he had long laboured to destroy, were 
delivered. Immediately upon his death, Thakombau sent 
a conciliatory message to Rewa asking for peace. The 
message ran thus : " Tell the Rewa people to become 
Christians, and let us establish a peace that shall be lasting. 
If we fight, and one party conquers, thereby making peace, 

evil will remain and spring up. Let us all become Chris- 

275 



2/6 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

tians, and establish peace, then all will be likely to go on 
well. I am a Christian, not because I am weak or afraid, 
but because I know it to be true, and my trust is in God 
alone." Most of the people received these overtures of 
peace favourably, although a few disaffected chiefs held 
aloof. Soon after this, King George of Tonga visited 
Thakombau, and finding war imminent with certain districts, 
assisted his friend, thereby doing him good service. As the 
result of the war, seventy towns returned to their allegiance 
to Thakombau, who manifested wonderful clemency toward 
the rebels, and freely forgave all who submitted to him. 
This had an extremely good effect upon the people, who 
well knew that twenty years previously, all prisoners of war 
would have been killed and eaten. After this, the king con- 
tinued on probation as a candidate for Christian Church- 
membership, and proved himself a most humble and satis- 
factory pupil. In January, 1857, Thakombau saw it to be 
clearly his duty to put away all his wives save one ; was 
married to that one, and publicly baptized, thus taking on 
himself the solemn vows of the Christian faith. Audi Lydia, 
his chosen wife, was also baptized. 

This Fijian stronghold of darkness having submitted to 
the Gospel rule, the wavering, flickering attachment of 
many of the natives now became more confirmed and pro- 
nounced. A large building called the " Strangers' House " 
was given up by the king, for the purpose of holding public 
worship. Usually, a thousand worshippers met there at the 
services, while many turned to the Lord with bitter re- 
pentance, and sincere allegiance. Chapels and meeting- 
places were built in many other towns subject to Mbau, 
and native teachers were supplied to conduct the services 
and instruct the people. Sometimes one of these native 
ministers had to attend to the spiritual necessities of five or 



How the Gospel Triumphed. 



277 



six young Churches. The work was only overtaken by 
rising early each Sabbath morning, going to the nearest 
chapel, ministering there, then going on to the next, and so 
continuing throughout the day, with very little break for 
either refreshment or rest. In this way the evangelistic 
work went on, until the Mbau circuit contained over 8,000 
attendants on public worship, a large number of them being 




FREACHirsG AT MBAU. 



hopefully converted to God. Another step gained was the 
passing of a law, affirming the sacredness of human life, 
and punishing the crime of murder by death. This was a 
very decided step in advance, among a people which had 
become so renowned for murder and cannibalism. It was, 
however, accepted by the natives, and fearlessly carried into 
execution. The first person to suffer under this law, was 



2/3 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

a Mbau chief, who pursued his wife into a wood, without 
provocation, cut her in pieces, and proceeded to eat part 
of her mangled body. This cruel monster was taken into 
custody, tried fairly, and condemned to die. He seemed to 
be very penitent, however, and before being launched into 
eternity, seemed to be brought to repentance. 

Among other fruits of mission labours, may be named the 
respect paid to the institution of marriage, the abolishment 
of polygamy, and the attempts of the native Christians to 
support their own native teachers^ the establishment of 
schools, both for adults and children, and the preparation 
of a Christian literature, including the New Testament in the 
Fijian tongue. The Mbau dialect was the one chosen for 
this translation, and proved to be that most generally under- 
stood by the people. 

2. VlWA. 

In the preceding chapter, an account of the commence- 
ment of mission enterprise in this part of the country, is 
briefly given. As stated there, the Rev. John Hunt was 
appointed to take charge of the Viwa mission in 1842. 
Namosimalua, the Viwan chief, was an adherent of the 
new faith, and although not eminent for piety, always be- 
friended the missionaries and upheld their efforts. Several 
native youths appearing to be fitted for the work of teachers 
by their piety and gifts, Mr. Hunt established an insti- 
tution, and trained several, in good earnest, for the work. 
This labour, in addition to the work of translation, rendered 
his labours very onerous, but he was greatly blessed in 
them. Many seasons of revival broke out among the 
people ; and at some of the public services, the anguish of 
mind displayed by those convinced of sin, was most extra- 
ordinary. At one of these services, when the adults were 



How the Gospel Triumphed. 279 

baptized by way of making a public profession of religion, 
the queen of Viwa, among others, was powerfully convinced 
of sin. Mr. Hunt says of her : Her heart seemed literally 
to be broken, and though a very strong woman, she fainted 
twice under the burden of a wounded spirit. She revived, 
only to renew her strong tears and cries, so that it was all 
we could do to continue the service. About a hundred 
Fijians chanted the Te Z>eum, while their voices were 
almost drowned by the cries of broken-hearted penitents." 
The queen soon obtained the answer of peace to the soul, 
and proved an efficient helper in the work of instructing 
others. Soon after this, a nephew of Namosimalua, named 
Verani, embraced Christianity, although strongly dissuaded 
by Thakombau, and was baptized by the name of Elijah 
Verani. He had been a man of blood, delighting in 
cruelty, warfare, and cannibalism. Many trembled at the 
very sound of his name, and feared his wrath as something 
dreadful. So that the news of his embracing the lofu 
exercised a wonderful influence on the surrounding people. 
- Verani had been under concern about his soul for some 
time, had learned to read, and would occasionally, while 
still a heathen, steal away into the woods to pray to Jesus. 
When he made known his intention of giving up heathen 
warfare and heathen customs, Thakombau sent a message 
to him, asking him to delay his profession a little longer. 
For answer, Verani sent the following message : Tell 
Thakombau that I have waited very long at his request; 
but I fear Almighty God, and dread falling into hell fire, 
and dare no longer delay." Then he was threatened with 
poverty and persecution, but none of these things moved 
him ; and on Good Friday, 1845, he made the open pro- 
fession of Christianity, in the hearing of the congregation. 
His penitence for his past crimes was very deep and very 



28o The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

real, while, as he had been forgiven much, he loved much. 
He was married to one wife, assisted the mission by placing 
his canoe at the service of the missionaries in their frequent 
journeys, and personally expostulated with many heathen, 
urging them to follow his example. He was especially 
noted for his power in prayer, and some specimens of his 
petitions, preserved in the records of the mission, prove 
how great was his gift in this direction. They were most 
touching, practical, and scriptural. At times, he would rise 
in an agony of entreaty, as when praying for the life of 
Mr. Hunt, who was in his last illness, Elijah Verani pleaded 
as follows : " O Lord, we know we are very bad, but spare 
Thy servant. If one must die, take me! Take ten of us, 
but spare Thy servant to preach Christ to the people." 
Mr. Hunt died, and was buried amidst the lamentations of 
the people, but on Elijah Verani, a double portion of God's 
Spirit seemed to have descended. He undertook long and 
perilous journeys in order to conciliate foes, spread the 
knowledge of the Gospel, and taught other chiefs to read. 
At last he was slain while on one of these peace-making 
expeditions. His loss was a very severe one to the mission. 

3. Lakemba. 

Mr. Calvert found his residence in Lakemba, in 1839, 
anything but pleasant. Christianity had been introduced 
there at that time about four years, and had won many 
adherents. Still, many of the people were far from honest, 
merciful, or Christian. The missionary and his people 
were subject to constant robbery. Kitchen utensils, stores, 
and tools were all stolen as opportunity offered ; and one 
night, a party of thieves cut through the reed wall of his 
house, and carried off about fifty articles of clothing. Con- 
quering his feelings of misgiving and anger, the missionary 



How the Gospel Triumphed. 



281 



endeavoured to forget the trials of his position, and laboured 
among the people as one of themselves. Ten proved and 
consistent native teachers, with their families, were engaged 
from the Tongan Church, to assist in teaching in the 
Lakemba district. The islands near were constantly visited ; 
while, as the news of the Gospel spread, requests came from 
one and another part of the group, for teachers to dwell in 
the midst of the people on those islands. These requests 
were granted as far as practicable, and daily, numbers were 
added to the Church. One Christian colony was established 
on the island of Munia, as a protection and protest against 
the frequent wars by which that part of the group was 
devastated, and was known by all the heathen round as a 
peaceful, law-abiding, prosperous colony. Many Christians 
fled to this colony, in order to be able to worship God 
without persecution or restraint from chiefs who were still 
really heathen. As a sample of the persecuting spirit still 
existing among the heathen natives, one incident may be 
mentioned. There was at one stage of the mission much 
opposition at Somo Somo, and some of the heathen deter- 
mined to set fire to the houses of the Christians and destroy 
all inside. This diabolical plot was carried out one night ; 
all the houses of the Christians were set on fire simultan- 
eously, and seventeen of the inhabitants murdered. Some 
others suffered martyrdom for their faith, rather than 
renounce it. 

At another time, Tangithi, daughter to the king of 
Lakemba, became very ill ; and as she was a favourite , 
daughter, he looked about anxiously for means of recovery. 
The heathen priests tried all their incantations and arts, but 
in vain ; for the more this was done, the more the illness 
increased, until death seemed imminent. Large sacrifices 
were made to the gods, and a temple was to be rebuilt in 



282 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

order to secure the girl's recovery. Mr. Calvert was sent 
for, and commenced administering medicines \ but the 
delirium of the girl excited the anger of both father and 
priests, and, putting on a bold front, the missionary left 
the house as if offended. In reality, however, he was glad 
to get home, for so incensed were the priests against him 
that, at a word or signal from the king, they would have 
willingly clubbed the missionary. The priests had their 
own way for four weeks, and administered what medicine 
they thought proper. Then the king consented that the 
daughter should try the medicine of the Christian teacher, 
and renounce heathenism. He sent a message to the 
mission-house, asking that his daughter might be taken in, 
nursed, and treated for the ailment from which she was 
suffering. For the time being, the mission-house was -turned 
into a hospital, and was crowded by Fijian women, all 
anxious to see the new treatment of disease. The Divine 
blessing rested on the means used, so that not only did 
Tangithi recover her health, but she arose from that sick- 
bed, an earnest Christian. As she grew up to womanhood, 
she was compelled to become the wife of Tanoa, the 
wicked old chief of Mbau, in virtue of her early betrothal, 
but was treated so very cruelly, that she returned to her 
father for protection once or twice. So terribly cruel and 
vindictive were her enemies, that she would fain have died 
at the old king's death, rather than have lived to suffer. 
After this, she became a very useful worker in the cause, 
having been spared from strangling, because of her exem- 
plary obedience while occupying the position of wife to 
Tanoa. 

After much prayerful effort, the king of Lakemba publicly 
united himself with the Christians, and from that time the 
Word of God had free course among the people. It was 



How the Gospel Triimiphed, 283 

not lawful to hold religious services in the town of Lakemba 
prior to this decision on the part of the king, although 
many hundreds of religious conversations had been held in 
one house and another with different people. Yet, although 
the public worship of God was prohibited, the king had 
commanded some degree of outward respect to be shown to 
the Sabbath-day, and forbade his people from engaging in 
noisy occupations calculated to annoy the Christians. Just 
at this time, a powerful Mbau chief declared war against 
Lakemba, in revenge for his disappointment at not being 
able to obtain wives from the Christian Lakembans. But 
although he arrived off the shore with three hundred fight- 
ing men in six large canoes, he was not permitted to land 
them. The Christian Fijians and Tongans were quite pre- 
pared to defend their faith, if need were. After a parley 
with the king, the Mbau chief was glad to be permitted to 
return, much crestfallen, to his own men, and the danger 
was averted. From this date the history of the mission in 
that part of Fiji, is one of unbroken success. Chapels and 
schools arose on every hand ; hundreds of the people re- 
nounced polygamy, and were lawfully married to one wife ; 
thousands of children were taught in the schools ; and 
hearts were blessed by the grace of God. From Lakemba 
the leaven spread into tributary districts, even where mis- 
sionaries had never gone, for the people carried the good 
news to one another. The small island of Totoya furnishes 
one instance of this statement. On that island, at the time 
of Mr. Malvern's visit in 1849, although no missionary had 
ever before gone among the people, he found a Christian 
Church, numbering fifty-nine members^ and a congregation 
of over three hundred adherents. 



284 The Trimnphs of the Gospel tn Fiji. 



4. Rewa. ^ 

In the short notice of the introduction of Christianity 
into Rewa, given in the preceding chapter, mention was 
made of Mr. Crosses efforts for the people, and his sufferings 
among them. This pioneer labourer broke up the ground 
and prepared the way for his successors, the Messrs. Cargill 
and Jaggar, who settled at Rewa, in July, 1839, and estab- 
lished a printing-press there. Mr. Hunt for a short time 
also laboured there, but was removed at this date to Somo 
Somo, in order to labour in the new mission there. 
Although some scores of the natives professed Christianity, 
their daily life presented some trying lapses, and almost the 
first experience which the new missionaries gained of them 
was afforded by the disappearance of several cases of goods 
as they were being landed. Some were broken open, and 
their contents abstracted. One case full of printing appa- 
ratus was carried off into the bush by two chiefs, who 
supposed it to contain hatchets. The king of Rewa, who 
was kind to the missionaries, and eager for their teaching, 
hearing of this robbery, sent word to the chief that the 
missing property was to be returned immediately. Upon 
this it was sent back, minus the reams of printing paper ; 
and this loss, though heavy, the missionaries endured 
quietly. No place of worship had yet been provided, 
although the mission-house was a large, comfortable one, 
provided by the king. He also gave a piece of ground 
near the sea for the purpose of building a chapel, but the 
opposition shown by the king's brother, who headed a large 
party of heathen malcontents, was so great, that the mission- 
aries decided to wait for a time before erecting a building. 
Open-air services were held amid much persecution ; stones 
were thrown of large size, and many of the worshippers were 



How the Gospel Triumphed, 



2S5 



badly injured. One day a party of assassins lay in wait, 
armed with pistols to shoot the missionaries as they passed, 
but having been disappointed, went to the house and fired 
through the windows. Providentially the balls missed the 
heads of the destined victims, whizzing past them harm- 
lessly. At another time a fire broke out near the premises, 
and no sooner did the natives see the mission-house in 
danger, than they crowded around from all parts, eager to 
steal and carry away the stores, instead of helping the much- 
tried servants of God to save their property. Fortunately 
another brother of the king, called Phillips, was friendly, 
and remained by the house, defending its inmates, and 
daring the ill-disposed to commence plundering. Ratu 
Nggara, the heathen brother who was the great enemy of 
the mission, was eager to commence the wicked work, and 
actually tried to cross the river, which divided him from the 
mission-station, three times, but each time his canoe sank, 
and so prevented him from getting to the scene of fire. 
Fortunately the fire was subdued, and soon the bewildered 
missionaries were delivered from the threatened danger. 

Cannibalism was also carried on, right underneath their 
eyes. Dreadful scenes and sounds greeted them on all 
sides, and every now and then tribal wars would spring up 
Upon the death of one of the king's brothers, many horrible 
customs were observed. In 1840, much loss was occasioned 
by a fearful hurricane ; and soon after, Mr. Cargill was taken 
so ill, that he became delirious, and expected to die. While 
in this state, a quarrel broke out among the king's warriors, 
who were assembled at a feast, and some lives were lost. 
The balls flew, freely around the mission-house, so that Mrs. 
Cargill had to shelter her husband and children behind 
articles of furniture, for fear that some stray shot might 
bring death into the litde household. Mr. Cargill recovered, 



286 



The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 



but very soon after this, Mrs. Cargill died, and, with her 
five days' old baby, was buried in the mission enclosure. 
Mr. Cargill soon afterwards returned to Australia, with his 
four motherless children; and the Rewa mission was left 
with only one missionary. 

This single missionary had to accomplish the work of two 
or three. He was at once teacher, preacher, physician, and 
printer. In his capacity of physician, he was blessed 
indeed ; many of the most determined enemies of the 
Gospel, being won over to repentance, and concern for their 
souls, by the means of the medical ministrations they re- 
ceived. One chief, who had been a most determined 
opponent, was conquered in this way, and became a brave, 
useful Christian, albeit he had many battles to fight with his 
old nature. On the other hand, cannibalism would break 
out, again and again, among the half-Christianized people, — 
these orgies being invariably carried on in sight of the 
mission-house. The missionary rescued one body from the 
clutches of the savages, although exposed to much danger 
himself, for doing so. This victim was a Christian woman, 
who was killed while she was out fishing, in order to supply 
a meal for the builders of a new house for the king. The 
missionary saw the canoes approaching the shore, and 
heard the cries of the men. Running to the king, he 
claimed his protection in rescuing the body from the 
cannibals, — then, going back to the beach, he, with two or 
three Christian Tongans, took possession of the murdered 
body, jumped into a boat with it, and paddled quickly to 
the opposite side of the river. There, he wrapped the 
naked body of the corpse in banana leaves, and, assisted by 
the Tongans, took it to the mission-station. Then, digging 
a grave, he buried it with Christian rites. The oft-recurring 
wars between the people of Rewa, and tributary islands, 



How the Gospel Triuinphed, 



287 



were fearful obstacles to the progress of the mission ; yet 
solid progress was made. In the absence of positive 
evangelistic teaching among the people at large, books 
were issued from the mission printing-press, in four different 
Fijian dialects. These went out over the land, speaking 
the truth where the missionary's voice could never be 
heard ; while the few steadfast Christians who composed 
the Rewan Church, lived lives of singular devotedness, and 
self-denial. Thus, much seed of the kingdom was sown, 
which sprung up and bore much fruit in after-days. The 
leaven of the Gospel was surely but slowly spreading, 
although for a long time hidden beneath a heathen exterior 
of morals and manners. 

In 1856, the missionary wrote as follows, of the Rewa 
circuit, with its many branches : — " There are full sixty 
thousand people in Fiji, who have bowed the knee to 
Jehovah, besides thousands more who will shortly be num- 
bered among us, for the people say, * The lotu will come, 
and it is no use our trying to push it back again.' In this 
Rewa circuit, we have twenty-one thousand professing 
Christians, and every week brings us additional numbers. 
Our Testaments are going off at a fine rate. The people 
are getting on well with their reading. We shall be ready 
for the English edition before you get it through the press. 
What a treasure it will be ! 

" Yet, Fiji is not saved. More than half this circuit are 
still heathen, killing, devouring each other daily. Not more 
than twenty miles from this mission-house, twenty men 
were killed this month, and eaten. More missionaries are 
required. There must be no retreat. Just now we require 
all the help we can get." 



288 Thz Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiju 



5. ROTUMAH. 

This sketch of the triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, would 
not be complete, without a reference to Rotumah. This 
island is a rocky volcanic isle, with several long-extinct 
craters, which are now clothed with rich vegetation. The 
population is mostly seafaring, lighter in colour than the 
Fijians, and numbering from three to five thousand. The 
language is peculiar to themselves, but many of them, in 
consequence of their seafaring habits, have picked up a great 
deal of English. The small missionary band on the main- 
land of Fiji often longed to go to Rotumah with the Gospel, 
but could not. Three hundred miles of ocean lay between 
them and the island, while the work which surrounded them 
was already more than they could undertake or accomplish. 
As the next best step, however, some Tongan teachers were 
sent to the island, and they taught the people with much 
success. Then, two Fijian teachers joined them, and in 
spite of the dreadful persecution which sprung up, the new 
faith not only held its ground, but co72quered. The success 
went on, until at the end of twenty years, a white teacher 
visited the island, and found that about half the popula- 
tion had been converted. So eagerly did the people look 
and long for a white missionary, that, whenever a foreign 
vessel touched at the shore, the first question invariably 
asked by the people, was, whether it had brought them a 
missionary. They have large and beautiful chapels, and 
are civilized and Christianized to a very large extent, as the 
result of the native Christian teaching among them. 



VIII. 



Translations of the Scriptures. 

The story of the success of the Gospel in Fiji, would not 
be complete without some record of the labours of those 
devoted men who prepared translations of the Word of God 
in the Fijian language. After various trials had been made 
of the different dialects of Fiji, it was decided that the 
dialect spoken by the people of Mbau was the purest, and 
most likely to be generally acceptable. It has already been 
mentioned that the Tongan mission contributed early help 
to the work in Fiji, by the printing of a book of four pages, 
containing first truths in religion, in simple language, and 
another book containing part of the Gospel of Matthew. 
Soon after this, a copy of the Catechism was printed at the 
Lakemba printing-press. Mr. Cargill prepared a copious 
vocabulary, and grammar; and, assisted by these, Mr. Hunt 
translated the whole of the New Testament ; besides copy- 
ing some "sermons," and smaller works for the native 
teachers. This New Testament was translated, printed, 
and bound, for use, by the middle of 1847, and the version 
so commended itself to the missionaries assembled at the 
annual district meeting, that they united in requesting Mr. 
Hunt to undertake the translation of the Old Testament. 
To this, he consented ; but his health was very frail, and 
before he had accomplished one quarter of the work, he 

passed away to his reward. After bis widow returned to 

289 ij 



\ 



290 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

England, she assisted in correcting an edition of the Fijian 
New Testament, translated by her husband, which edition 
was munificently given by the British and Foreign Bible 
Society. The Rev. D. Hazlewood completed the transla- 
tion of the Old Testament, and in 1858, by the aid of the 
British and Foreign Bible Society, an edition of the com- 
plete Bible was put into circulation. 

Lord's Prayer in Fijian. 

Our Father Tama i kemami, mai loma lagi, me vaka 
vokovoko taki na yacamu, me yaco mai na nomu lewa, me 
caka na nonu veitalia e vura vura me vaka mai loma lagi. 
Solia mai vei keimami e na siga ogo naka kana e yaga vei 
keimami. Kakua mi cudru vei keimami e na vuku ni 
neimami vala vala ca me vaka keimami sa sega ni cudru 
vei ira sa vala vala ca vei keimami. Kakua mi kauti 
keirhami ki na vere ia mai na ca ga mo mi vaka bulai 
keimami; ni sa nomu na lewa kei na kaukauwa kei na 
vakarokoroko e sega ni oti. Emeni." 

From this specimen of the native tongue, the reader 
will be able to form some idea of the difficulty connected 
with the language, as encountered by the pioneer mission- 
aries. 




IX. 



The Fiji of To-day. 

Since the date of the publication of the whole Bible in the 
native tongue, other parts of Fiji have been Christianized. 
Lack of English missionaries prevented the rapid spread of 
Christianity over the whole land, and for many years, reports 
came home of horrible cannibalism, and savage heathenism 
still rampant among those natives who had not been blessed 
with Gospel instruction. Nandy, Mbau, Rotumah, and 
other places, were not only nominally, but really heathen, at 
a very recent date. Even so lately as 1867, ^ ^^^^ murder 
was committed near the town of Nassova, on a missionary 
and some native teachers who accompanied him on an 
evangelistic tour. Since then, however, Christian truth has 
spread very eagerly; suitable works for the natives, such 
as " Pilgrim's Progress," hymn-books, school-books of var- 
ious kinds, a " System of Theology," and various editions of 
the completed Scriptures, have been supplied from both the 
colonial, and mission presses. Native teachers have been 
supported most willingly, not only by native Churches, but 
by those who have not yet been gathered into Churches, in 
order to secure the presence of an instructor in those things 
which to the newly- awakened native, are "strange, yet true." 
As the people become familiar with reading, they call for 
other mental food, and this demand has been met by the 
issue of a Commentary on the New Testament, Chronological 
Tables of Bible history, and advanced lesson-books. 



292 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 



One of the most recent and pleasing testimonies to the 
success of the Gospel in Fiji, comes from Miss Gordon- 
Cumming, in her popular work : "At Home in Fiji.'' Com- 
ing as it does from such 
an authority, and speak- 
ing of the state of Fiji 
since its annexation by 
the English, we make no 
apology for inserting it in 
full. " Strange, indeed, 
is the change which has 
come over these isles since 
first Messrs. Cargill and 
Cross, Wesleyan mission- 
aries, landed here in 1835, 
resolved *at the hazard of 
their lives to bring the 
light of Christianity to 
these ferocious cannibals. 
Imagine the faith and 
courage of these white 
men, without any visible 
protection, landing in the 
midst of these bloodthirsty 
hordes, whose unknown 
language they had first to 
master, and day after day 
witnessing such scenes as 
chill one's blood even 
to hear about. Many 
such have been described to me by eye-witnesses. Slow 
and disheartening was their work for many years, yet so 
well has that little leaven worked, that, with the exception 




LEVUKA, FIJI. 



The Fiji of To-day, 



293 



of the Kai Tholos, the wild islanders who still hold out 
in their mountain fastnesses, the eighty inhabited isles have 
all abjured cannibalism and other frightful customs, and 
have lotued (/.^., embraced Christianity) in such good earnest 
as may well put to shame many other more civilized nations. 

" I often wish that some of the cavillers who are for ever 
sneering at Christian missions, could see something of their 




THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTION, KANDAVU. 



results in these islands. But first they would have to recall 
the Fiji of ten years ago, when every man's hand was against 
his neighbour, and the land had no rest from barbarous 
inter-tribal wars, in which the foe, without respect of age or 
sex, were looked upon only in the light of so much beef ; 
the prisoners deliberately fattened for the slaughter, dead 
bodies dug up, that had been buried ten or twelve days, and 



294 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji. 

could only be cooked in the form of puddings ; limbs cut 
off from living men and women, and cooked and eaten in 
presence of the victim, who had previously been compelled 
to dig the oven and cut the firewood for the purpose, and 
this not only in time of war, when such atrocity might be 
deemed less inexcusable, but in time of peace, to gratify 
the caprice or fancy of the moment. Then, further, think 
of the sick, buried alive ; the array of widows who were 
deliberately strangled on the death of any great man ; the 
living victims who were buried beside every post of a chief's 
new house, and must needs stand clasping it while the 
earth was gradually heaped over their devoted heads ; or 
those who were bound hand and foot and laid on the ground 
to act as rollers when a chief launched a new canoe, and 
thus doomed to a death of excruciating agony ; a time when 
there was not the slightest security for life and property, 
and no man knew how quickly his own hour of doom 
might come ; when whole villages were depopulated, simply 
to supply their neighbours with fresh meat. 

Just think of all this, and of the change that has been 
wrought, and then just imagine white men who can sneer at 
missionary work in the way they do. Now, you may pass 
from isle to isle, certain everywhere to find the same cordial 
reception by kindly men and women. Every village on the 
eighty inhabited isles has built for itself a tidy little church, 
and a good house for its teacher or native minister, for 
whom the village also provides food and clothing. Can you 
realize that there are nine hundred Wesleyan Churches in 
Fiji, at every one of which, the frequent services are crowded 
by devout congregations, that the schools are well attended, 
and that the first sound which greets your ear at dawn, and the 
last at night, is that of hymn-singing and most fervent worship 
rising from each dwelling, at the hour of family prayer." 



The Fiji of To-day. 



295 



At the Methodist Ecumenical Conference held in London, 
in the summer of 1881, the Rev. J. Calvert stated that 
there were at that date, in Fiji, 48 native ministers, 726 
native catechists, 2,252 native teachers, 1,405 native local 
preachers, 2,733 native class-leaders, 1,400 schools, and 900 
churches. Aggressive mission effort has also been under- 
taken by the Fijians, on behalf of the people of New Britain, 
headed by Rev. Mr. Brown. When this mission was first 




ENGLISH CHURCH, LEVUKA, FIJI. 



planned, the English Consul deemed it his duty to warn 
those Fijians, who were going forth as teachers to the 
cannibals of New Britain, of the dangers they were about 
to incur, provided they insisted in their enterprise. For 
answer, he received the following noble words : " We are 
all of one mind. We know what these islands are. We 
have given ourselves to this work. If we get killed, well ; 
if we live, well. We have had everything explained to us, 



296 The Triumphs of the Gospel in Fiji, 

and know the danger ; we are willing to go." The little 
band thought of the dark time when they too were cannibals, 
and needed the Hght of Gospel mercy. So they went, 
headed by Mr. Brown, who had to leave his wife and chil- 
dren in New Zealand for two years, during which time he was 
establishing this mission in New Britain, with scarcely any 
opportunity of communication. At the end of this anxious 
time, he returned to report the success of his efforts, having 
placed the nine native teachers at different places in that 
heathen land. Recently, however, news has been received 
that four of these brave teachers have been killed and eaten 
by the cannibals of the Duke of York Island. Thus, history 
is repeating itself ; and the Gospel will win its triumphs 
over the graves of its first heralds in New Britain, as in Fiji. 

The Blue Book, in its official reports upon Fiji, estimates 
that out of the 123,902 persons representing the entire 
population of the colony, no less than 103,000 are Wesley- 
ans. Members of the Church of England number 1,900 ; 
and Roman Catholics about 9,000. That portion of the 
population classed as " heathen, and unknown," is reckoned 
at about 10,000. Surely this report is extremely gratifying. 




m 





Pitman, Emma Raymond 




Central Africa, Japan, and 




Fiji 




BV3520.P68 1882 




00063 7348 




DATr 1 



4 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES 




3 9088 00063 7348 



