A MAGNIFICENT TRIUMPH. The Gospel in Fiji.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 247, 25 March 1905, Page 6

A MAGNIFICENT TRIUMPH. The Gospel in Fiji.

TIE heathen, in his blindness, bows down to wood and stone, but the missionary goes along to jc'ijj and tells him it is ridiculous for him to do that sort of thing, and he doesn't do it any more. As the Rev. J Burton told the Methodist Conference at Wellington the other week "Practically all the Fijians are Christians." This is, of course, nominally. The are as much Christians as the white person in New Zealand who- has 1 to> act decently because civilisation has set policemen to see that he doesn t relapse into savagery. The particular value of the missionary work in Fiji is gathered from Mr. Burton'si remarks. He said that the Methodist missionary work among the Fijians had been a magnificent triumph for the gospel. Frankly, on the showing of the rev. gentleman, we cannot agree, for he further says, "In Suva particularly the Fijian was now gambling terribly as a result of the Indians' (coolie) example." The average person, who isn't quite so> sure of the "magnificent triumph/ wants to know why the Fijian's religion isn't sufficiently deep to help the Fijian to fight against the Hindoo influence ? • • ♦ If "practically all ' the Fijians are Christians, and they are "gambling terribly," surely no minister will claim any "magnificent triumph." Mr Burton, in his opening remarks, said the Fijians were dying rapidly. Why ? They are being civilised out of existence, of course, as are many other dark races. If the missionaries did not preach sc- much to the heathen m his blindness, and went in more for the saving of bodies instead of the supposed saving of souls for a spell, the resiilts might be of larger practical value * ♦ • The mere learning of Scripture doesn't help the heathen to fight dirt or immorality. and it is clearly evident, from the words of Mr. Burton, that it doesn't help them to fight gambling There should be less preaching of the gospel of mysticism, and more preaching of the gospel of sanitation Teach the denizen of the islands how to live well, which means living a healthy and honest physical life Never mind filling him up with the correct method of dying well. He's doing that too fast all along the line. Right here, in our midst, we have the ex-heathen Maori to reclaim from disease and death. Surely the work, apart from every religious consideration, is worth while?