The New Guinea Mission.

Otago Witness, Issue 1582, 18 March 1882, Page 24

The New Guinea Mission.

The Rev. S. Macfarlane delivered » most interesting and instructive lecture on Tuesday evening in the Garrison Hall, taking for his subject "New Guinea: its History and Resources." An exceptionally large audience mustered, the spacious Hall, both below and in the gallery, being completely packed. Before commencing proceedings a letter was read from Mr Justice Williams, who was to have occupied the chair, apologising for his unavoidable absence through illness. The platform was filled by a large number of clergy and laity of various denominations; and, on the motion of the Rev. Dr Stuart,, Mr Robert Gillies was voted to the vacant chair. The 1 Chairman, in introducing the lecturer, said, that whilst regretting the .cause of his Honor Justice Williams' absence, he felt pleasure in having been selected to occupy the chair, as affording him an opportunity of expressing his great sympathy with such missions as they were going to near about that evening. There was one word he would like to say which they would not hear from the lecturer, and that was that they had before them in the Rev. Mr Macfarlane no common man.—(Applause.) . There were those who thought that the spirit which once animated the martyrs of | old had disappeared in our day; but let them read the history of this mission and they would see how Mr Macfarlane had been obliged to deal, not only -with the treachery T of the savages, but with the opposition of the French Government, and how he had upheld his cause against them. Ten years ago he had been selected by the London Missionary Society as the pioneer missionary to New Guinea, and he had left the comparatively easy work he was engaged 'in and gone with his life in his hand as the , first Christian missionary to those shores. ,It was worthy of mention that the London Missionary Society was connected with no particular denomination, and they had therefore present a representative audience embracing Christians of almost every denomination known in Dunedin, and it was to be regretted that some organisation did not exist among them to aid such a society in its labours. Rer.. Mr Maofablane commenced by alluding to the Society he represented as the largest, oldest, and most unsectarian of its kind in the world. Its emissaries were sent to preach no particular creed, but simply Protestantism, and when arrived on the field of their work they- selected just that form of church government most suitable to the people they were brought into contact with. After briefly alluding to the discovery of New Guinea, the lecturer spoke of its resources so far as at present known, and commenced with gold, which had been known to exist there for centuries ; an ancient name for the country, indeed, signifying " The Island of Gold." Many explorers of different nationalities had visited New Guinea, but the fact of small quantities of the Erecious metal being found, as it was, at the ottom of river beds in no wise proved that the actual payable gold was within hundreds of miles of the place. There was, of course, a right and a wrong way of attempting to open up a country, and because certain riches were contained in New Guinea, he would not dream of advising his listeners to go right away and look for them. The case of .young Mr Irons was instanced, who landed with one companion to inspect the cedars on the island and was murdered by the natives. Such a mode of proceeding as this was absurd ; but although he would discourage any such wild efforts he did not mean to say that it was not a splendid country to open up. The country had, of course, its political and scientific sides, and tho missions had always been willing and anxious to give any assistance in their power to scientific men. At Home the question of annexation had also been discussed, but the time was not considered to have yet come for such a step. In speaking of the misrepresentations contained in various books published upon the subject, mention was made of one by Captain Lawson, which was absurdly incorrect as regarded the situation of the mountain ranges, which in reality formed the backbone of the peninsula. As one whose business it had been to move about continually, he could pronounce New Guinea to be a splendid country from a commercial point of view. There was timber — cedar, ebony, and iron rosewood—in rich profusion, that rivalled the forests of South America. Inquiries had been received from gentlemen in London who wished to purchase land there for the growth of, cocoanut trees, and nutmeg was seen in abundance near the coast-line, while pearlshells were thickly distributed about the shores. With all these inducements for enterprise there yet remained the fact that such a country could be settled only in a certain way. Sir Arthur Gordon had distinctly intimated that no title deeds obtained from the natives would be recognised by the Government, What was wanted was — first, explorers with, at their back, an association similar to that formed in connection with the Livingstonian mission. The lecturer then spoke of the inhabitants of the island, and described the two races — Papuans and .Malays or Polynesians— and tho manner in which the aboriginals were being gradually driven back as the latter gained a footing. The lighter tribes could hardly bo described as jsavages. Both in lan#ua?e and manners they

were far in advance of the Papuans, which latter were, almost without exception, cannibals. These people were undoubtedly imbued with peculiar ideas on the subject of cannibalism, which wore not in the least understood by Europeans ; and various interesting sketches of their habits were given. As an instance of the progress made by civilisation, it might bo mentioned that 15 European stores wero now to be seen at a place which 20 years ago was the home of cannibalism in its worst form. With regard to the best method of reaching savage tribes in the first instance, mistakes had been made in the past both by missionaries and governments. It ought > not to be sought to force upon them civilisation according to English or any other ideas. The habits and nature of the people should be closely studied, and those chiefly should be used as levers to raise them. One example was given of the manner adopted by the missionary party on first approaching a strange settlement. Anchor was dropped about three-quarters of a mile from land, and the boat was manned not by sailors, but by a native escort who knew something of the language. Instructions that the boat should be kept in deep water, ready to take the party off in case of danger, were rendered completely useless, as on approaching the shore she was immediately seized by a crowd of natives and hauled up into the bush with her occupants. To insist that she should be taken back would have been misunderstood by the natives if they intended kindness, and there was nothing tor it but to accept the situation and explain through an interpreter that they were friends and desired to be shown the village. They were conducted thither, and a long address was delivered from the rostrum in the centre of the settlement stating their objects and desires, with the final result that the confidence of the inhabitants was won. Mr Macfarlane then dwelt upon the other side of the native character, and enumerated the dangers that were to be dreaded from the treachery of the savages. In concluding, the work hitherto effected was briefly glanced at (600 miles of # coast-line having been opened up, and 30 mission stations established), and the rev. missionary expressed his conviction that Christianity had been found to be the best pioneer to commerce, and hoped that those present would lend a helping hand towards the work in New Guinea. Hearty applause was forthcoming at the close of the address, and a collection was made in aid of the mission.