MISSIONARY HEROES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3110, 30 January 1934, Page 5

MISSIONARY HEROES

WORK IN THE PACIFIC NATIVES EMBRACE CHRISTIANITY ADDRESS BY REV. A. HUNT. Characteristic of their whole lives — that of simple earnestness and sincerity i s the fervour and enthusiasm of those natives of the Pacific Islands who have embraced Christianity. This desirable aspect of the civilised native was strikingly portrayed by the Rev. Archibald Hunt, in the course of a farewell address at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening last, when the church was practically filled by a representative congregation which listened with wrapt attention to the vivid stories of missionary activities among the Natives of New Guinea and Samoa. The Rev. Mr Hunt and Mrs Hunt are returning to their home in Wellington, during the present week, Mr Hunt having relieved the Rev. A. G. McLean- in the local charge during the past four weeks. In commencing to speak of his missionary experiences covering a period of 13 years in New Guinea and Samoa, as a member of the London Missionary Society, the Rev. Mr Hunt took his text from Acts 15—26: ".Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus .' . ."" The minister first paid tribute to the early organising work of the Rev-. S. McFarlane, of Lifu (Loyalty Islands) and of his appeal to students for volunteers as Lifuan teachers. In this period from 1871 the organiser did not minimise the great danger to Native teachers in the Islands from malaria and from cannibal head hunters. Notwithstanding the Rev. Mr McFarlane's appeal was not made in vain and every Native student appealed to immediately volunteered his services. The difficulty was to ask many to remain behind. When Mr McFarlane reached New Guinea he placed the teachers for a temporary sojourn in Erub (Darnlcy Island, Torres Straits). A Christian Classic Mr Hunt then proceeded to tell the story of Tepeso, one of the Native teachers, and the first Christian martyr in the New Guinea mission field. On an occasion when the R6v. Air McFarlane was addressing the teachers on the dangers, Tepeso replied: "Wherever there are men missionaries are bound to go." The young Samoan went to New Guinea and was one of the first to lay down his life in the Pacific missionary field. Mr Hunt regarded his example as a Christian classic. Subsequently a memorial church and window were raised to the memory of Tepeso and the 120 Native teachers who had given their all in the service of God in New Guinea. The Story of "Mataika" Thrilling.in its association with missionary endeavour was the story of "Mataika" next told by Mr Hunt. Another young Native teacher, he one day asked the Rev. Mr McFarlane what land was it he could faintly sec in the distance from Erub. He was told it was "Mer," or Murray Island, where the Rev. Hunt spent three years in the society's service. "Mataika" made further inquiries and ascertained that Murray Island was inhabited but by a savage and vindictive tribe. The Rev. Mr McFarlane laughed when "Mataika" came to him and said, "I'm going to be their missionary." Mr Hunt explained that between Daruley and Murray Islands there are some 30 to 40 miles of the most treacherous portions of the dreaded Torres Straits. "Mataika" Avaited some months and as no boat appeared, he with a number of comrades cut down a tree and made a canoe with outrigger and proposed to set out on a perilous journey to Murray Island. To emphasise the great risk that "Mataika" calmly proposed to take with only two assistants, the speaker said he, personally, knew the hazards of such a journey. When he and Mrs Hunt made their first voyage to Murray Island they did it in a 40-ton boat and then they were both lashed to the decks from 7 o'clock in the morning until 9.30 at night, with great seas frequently breaking over them. Not dismayed or discouraged by all attempts to persuade him not to go, "Mataika" and his two assistants set cut in their frail craft. One day while looking out to sea a Murray Island chief saw what he imagined to be cocoanuts bobbing about, but a little later he was surprised to recognise the objects as men's heads. The Murray Islanders were always o=. the watch for war canoes from other Islands and they could not understand the presence of a lone "dug-out." Ail gathered on the beach and on nearing the shore "Mataika" stood up and held up his arms as significant of a peaceful visit. The old chief crod out, "Who are you?" and "Mataika 's" reply was "Do not be afraid

I come as a friend to tell you of the? Great Spirit the white men worship IB their lands." This was the first the Murray Islanders had heard of Gotf. On landing hospitality was offered th# voyagers and then the natives crowded in to the chief's hut to listen to the visitor. The sun went down and night fell; midnight came and daylight' dawned, and "Mataika" was stilt there telling the old- old story, yet new to relay after relay of Murray Island' ers. "Two months later a missionary called at the Island," said Mr Ifttfif, "and found that 'Mataika' had established a church, daily evening: ptay«*Sj. and a school. That's the story of the Christian faith being taken to Murray Island, ' ' said the minister, as lie> proceeded to further examples. Faithful to the End Another glorious example of fne*" complete acceptance of the faith t>y a Rarotongan teacher was Mr Hunt's* "Tauraki." On the Island of Motumotu in tficf Gulf of Papua, were the "Tosripj" and "Mohave" tribes, and, said Mr Hunt, "the congregation has no demfefc heard of that great Native missionary, Tamiti (Rev. James Chalmers)." "Wnon Tamati went to this Island he toolt with him "Tauraki." On their arrorv& they were met by about 600 to 80$ of the wildest savages, hideous in t&eir" grotesque war-paint. Only a month or two earlier a Native teacher had teen killed. The two tribes, although neighbours, were always fighting, and on oneoccasion "Tauraki" accompanied anumber of Toaripis. On the sea-journey they met a flotilla of "Moravians"" and when "Tauraki" saw that a clash was imminent he called out "Stop, and go your way." The Moreavian chief replied, "Tauraki, you our friend. You come out of that canoe with your wife and child and you will be alright. As for the other pigs we will kill them. "Tauraki" replied, "No; they are my children and you arc my children. If you kill them you must kill me." They tried to persuade Tauraki but he was adamant and the first of a volley of arrows killed him and another pierced his wife and child. The latter survived but "Tauraki" died. Later the child was in the Native college being trained to bo a Native teacher. Tamiti and the speaker landed on the Island a couple of months later and as thoy were going along a chief beckoned to the Rev. Hunt and inside his Hut he handed the minister an arrow. It was the one that killed "Tatiraki" and the gift was an indication of extreme sorrow. "Before I left," said the Rev. Mr Hunt, "it was my privilege..to address a service at which both "Toaripis" and "Morcavians" were present. The medium of thoir coming together was the sacrifice of "Tauraki."' Just as fine examples of the Native faith were told by the minister in re- ■ lating the passing of "NgaparV and the death of "Maanaima." bu*. space renders it necessary to hold thes3 stories over to a later issue. In concluding a sterling address, full of incidents strikingly depictir? the march of Christianity among the Natives of the Pacific, the Rev. Mr Hunt said that from. Samoa every year a band of fin" youncc Native teachers go to New Guinea. "The stories I have told you are only specimens of many. Their effect on me in my long experience was that I was humbled and ashamed of the littleness of this my own life and work. If they whom God has given so little can do so much, how much more should you and I give whom God has given so much."