In many parts of the world Christian missionaries have been the first to
get on friendly terms with the natives, and thus to pave the way for
developing the resources of a savage country and leading its inhabitants
in the paths of progress and civilization. Pre-eminently has this been
the case in South-eastern New Guinea. White men had landed before them,
it is true; but for the most part only to benefit themselves, and not
unfrequently to murder the natives or to entrap them into slavery.
Christianity has won great victories in Polynesia, but no part of the
globe has witnessed fouler crimes or more atrocious wickedness on the
part of white men towards savage races.
The history of the work done by members of the London Missionary Society
is already a long one. As far back as 1871, the Revs. A. W. Murray and
S. McFarlane sailed from Mare, one of the Loyalty Islands, with eight
native teachers, inhabitants of that group, with whom to begin the
campaign against sin, superstition, and savagery in New Guinea.
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