After hearing from them of the work,
and of how the people were observing the Sabbath, we landed, and were met
by a quiet, orderly company of men, women, and boys, who welcomed us as
real friends. The first to shake hands with us was a chief from the
opposite side of the bay, who in early days gave us much trouble, and had
to be well watched. Now he was dressed, and his appearance much altered.
It was now possible to meet him and feel he was a friend. We found Pi
Vaine very ill, and not likely to live long; yet she lived long enough to
rejoice in the glorious success of the Gospel of Christ, and to see many
of those for whom she laboured profess Christianity. We were astonished,
when we met in the afternoon, at the orderly service--the nice well-tuned
singing of hymns, translated by the teacher, and the attention, when he
read a chapter in Mark's Gospel--translated by him from the Rarotongan
into the dialect of the place. When he preached to them, all listened
attentively, and seemed to be anxious not to forget a single word.
Pages:
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241