MISSION WORK

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 45, 21 January 1928, Page 6

MISSION WORK

IN NEW HEBRIDES’ISLANDS. . ADDRESS BY MR J. M. MANSFIELD. Despite his three score years and ten, Mr J. M. Mansfield, the accredited representative of the Presbyterian Church on Ambrim, an island or the New Hebrides, who delivered an address in St. Andrew’s schoolroom last evening, is still an energetic man and surprisingly well preserved. This fact is all the more remarkable after the story of his vicissitudes in that outpost of the church is recounted, as it was to a very enthusiastic audience last evening. Rev. R. Inglis, of Wellington, who has -taken charge in Palmerston North, while Rev. G. T. Brown is absent on a holiday, was in the chair. Commencing his address, the speaker, who before he took up mission work was an engineer, stated that he had thunderstruck to find when touring the Dominion that so little was known of the New Hebrides group. He had, however, been pleased to find that this, and not apathy, was' the reason for the limited support given to the work there.

Continuing, Mr Mansfield related the story of his landing on the island of Ambrim at night in 1892, when, had it not been for the hospitality of the inhabitants, he would not have fared well. Shortly after his arrival the island was swept,by a cyclone of tremendous dimensions. Noting the signs of bad weather ho had vacated his hut for tire shelter of tho doctor’s house, but the exchange profited him little as, when the hurricane began in real earnest, his practised eye told him that the house could not stand long, so he and tlie doctor and the latter’s wife, together with their two tiny children, took shelter in the hut of the native chief. After some time the storm cleared away, as they were then in the centre of the disturbance. He ventured forth and was amazed at the devastation wrought by the terrific wind. Wlrilo investigating he was caught in a returning gust of wind and had great difficulty in making the hut of the chief. The next incident in his career there was a serious bout of fever which threatened to end his life, he being forced to return to New Zealand. While an this country ho collected funds for a hospital which was later built on the island. When this building was nearly completed, an old sea captain told them that they had built on a volcanic Vblister” which might at any time break out and his prediction was correct. In 1913 there was a terrible eruption and where the hospital stood was now a lake. Luckily, the 90 odd patients were removed in time. Mr Mansfield had to abandon Ins work for a period on account of tho ill-health of liis wife, on whoso account lie removed to Sydney. On her death, however, lie was re-appointed to the islands. The speaker then went on to explain the svstem on which the natives were taught. Instead of tackling the wellnigh superhuman task of translation he had taught them English first and then given them tho Bible and the Catechism m that • language. It had smoothed out many difficulties and the work had proceeded much more quickly. Explaining why he needed the assistance of Mr R. Stringer, of Oamaru, a certificated teacher, Mr Mansfield told of liis journeys. He had a launch, he said, capable of doing six knots an hour and in two years this boat had covered over S,OOO miles. In a general description of the islands, the speaker noticed that, though the soil was volcanic, it was very fertile and the vegetation consequently was thick. Of the natives and the French lie had nothing but good to say. and in his opinion tho gratitude and love the New Hebrideans bore to theirmissionaries were nothing short of remarkable. , • ~ ~ At the close of Ins address Mr Mansfield was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.