THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1927. A MELANESIAN MARTYR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19601, 1 April 1927, Page 10

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1927. A MELANESIAN MARTYR.

The profitable practice of centenary remembrance.' can have no more impressive justification than in to-day's reminder of John Coleridge Patteson, the martyr-bishop born a hundred years ago. His name lives for evermore in the bright annals of Christian missions, and there is especial reason why in New Zealand, and particularly in Auckland, the life and death that gave it lustre should be constantly recalled. Tho Melanesian mission of the Church of England began in a happy accident—giving rise to a variation of an old proverb as "Man's mistake is God's opportunity"—associated with the consecration of New Zealand's first bishop. His < letters patent, by some means, delimited the new diocese as extending from 60 degrees south latitude to 34 degrees "north," so giving into his episcopal charge a region running nearly from the Antarctic to the Arctic Ocean. Bishop Selwyn quietly and courageously accepted the. tremendous trust, which had further solemnity in the words of the Archbishop's commission to him —to extend the knowledge of the Gospel to the isles of the Pacific. Six years were to pass ere he had liberty to look beyond his New Zealand border, but the outer task was never forgotten. Came the exploratory voyage and the idea of a school central in each group of islands,, where in tho winter months a clergyman from New Zealand might superintend, and of the training of native teaches in St. John's College here. Then the little schooner that had become known in many an inlet of this young colony took him on a second tour, ending in the moonlight walk out to St John's, the rousing of Mrs. Selwyn. and the bishop's rubbing of his hands as he triumphantly told her, "I've got them!" Fiive native lads were thus initiated to St. John's and the mission was launched. It needed more oversight than he could personally give, and this was made possible when young Patteson's enthusiasm was enlisted by the bishop in England five years later. This Eton boy, aroused to religious zeal as he had stood all through a sermon by New Zealand's newlyappointed bishop twelve years before, arid since become at Balliol a skilled linguist and an ardent cricketer, was eager to accept heroic duty. Arriving with the bishop as his chaplain, l.e was soon abroad with him among the islands, and ithen, his zeal proved and his aptitude for" tropical life revealed, he took charge at St. John's or the Melanesian pupils brought here on that ..-voyage. Ere long he set off I with them to establish the projected schools. The task grew under his hands. Back and forth he went, ceaselessly organising under the bishop's direction and with the aid of others, till the seal of the Church was auspiciously set upon his work by his choice as the first missionary bishop of Melanesia. In St. Paul's Church a memorable consecration service .was held, and with impressive formality he was installed in the temporary chapel of St. Andrew's at Kohimarama, whither the headquarters of the Melanesian enter- J prise had been transferred from St. j John's. To others the routine there had to be committed, for now more j than ever was he set on journeying among the islands. Such success j was soon reaped that he realised that among some hitherto savage and warring tribes "the work of breaking down had been attained" and "that of building up" had to follow. In the New Hebi'ides and the Santa Cruz groups, in New Caledonia (whence had been brought the first, 'five scholars), and the Loyalty and Banks islands, and in a part of the Solomons—-that is, almost throughout the typically Melanesian poition of the Pacific—both processes went on side by side. There were perils innumerable, but the young toiler, inured to danger and inspired by unswerving motives, seemed to bear a charmed life, .The popularity he had at Eton and Balliol was about him still, far across the world and amid untutored brown men. But a tragedy was in store, though it did not befall till years had made his name and influence sure. It came in the Santa Cruz group, at Nukapu, A' "thief ship,", black-hirdiug--asi the nefarious seizing of Kanaka labour was callously known —had roused the fury of the inlanders by. carrying off men for plantation-work in Fiji. Approaching Nukapu, he saw canoes hovering about its protecting reef. To land, he had to trust himself to one of them for transport through the breaking seas, their hidden menace as unknown to him as was the yearning for revenge on white men that lurked beneath the friendly guise of these strangers. Alone, bidding his own boat wait in the offing, he was taken ashore, and went into a native meeting-house. There he was quickly killed, and afterward, on the lagoon within the reef, his body was found in a canoe sent floating out to the boat's party as, although themselves attacked, they followed anxiously to his aid. Wrapped in a native mat. j it bore five significant wounds arid on it lay a palm; branch with five knots —token of vengeance for the 1 five, men ruthlessly kidnapped. In the sequel, it was discovered that these men had been lured to their "ate by the belief, no doubt, deliber ately created In their minds by the "thief ship's" traffickers, that it was the bishop's schooner, and the tribe knew too little of him to penetrate the villainy. He died a martyr to" high duty. The blame belongs not to those who; struck him down in a comprehensiible misunderstanding of that which made them vengeful. but to tltofs* whose lawless and heartless deeds blacken the white men's earlier record in these sea's.

His -own record is unsmirched by any tinge of sell-seeking or low .ambition. It is that of a man in tensely faithful to high -'ideals' and ardently desirous of serving them At his consecration it was noted thai the young bishop's face was "meek/ holy and calm." When his body was recovered, a smile as calm was on that face. He will be ever remem bercd as one whose strength,- was linked with wondrous 'gentleness, and as a pioneer of heroic, endeavom to make the Pacific, in full keepine with the name Magellan gave it, a domain ruled by the Prince of Peace