REPORT OF THE WESLEYAN MISSIONS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 9, 28 June 1873, Page 11

REPORT OF THE WESLEYAN MISSIONS.

To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.

Sir, — In the name of truth and fairness, allow me to caution your readers against believing the tales of persecution of Romanists against the Wesleyans on Roluma Island, as stated by the Key. J. S. Smalley in his report on the Wesleyan missions. He talks of the Eoßian Catholic Archbishop of Polynesia being on board French man-of-war. That Roman Catholic Archbishop of Polynesia is a perfect myth ; there is no such Catholic dignitary in the South Sea Islands. Ignorant aud heedless of truth, what do they care about detail when they would make us believe the maia affirmation against the priests concerning their persecutions against the Wesleyans ? Priests persecuting the Wesleyans! who -will believe this ? I have not the means to control events that are reported to take place in a remote and obscure island. I may do so, and after a while produce the result of my enquiries. At pi esent, as far as I can judge, solely from the report of the Key. J. S. Smalley, appearances are against the Wesleyans. We are told that the French commodore drew up a treaty to secure religious liberty ; certainly, for the protection of the priests of his own country ; therefore the latter were persecuted, not persecuting. This repeated charge of Catholic persecution against the Wesleyans in the South Sen Islands reminds me of a similar accusation which was brought at Auckland, thirty years ago, against the priests of Wallis's Island. A letter had come from a respectable correspondent of that island. Houses of Protestants had been burnt, at 1101 10 instigation of a Roman Catholic Priest, and the same priest had been condemned by an EDglish captain of the Royal Navy to rebuild, at his own expense, what had been destroyed. Soon after, the same commander, with his vessel, the North Star, visited the harbor at Auckland. I thought I should avail myself of this opportunity to ascertain the truth of these dreadful reports on which Wesleyan

audiences feasted. I wrote to Commodore Sir Everard Home (such was his name). These are some passages of the reply which he kindly made to me : — '' I cannot answer for what others write in private letters. Thero is, however, no person on Wallis's Island who, I believe, can write, except the Roman Catholic priests, there being no person upon the island of any respectability except them. For the other part, as stated respecting the rebuilding of the houses at the cost of the missions, I beg to assure you that it is not true." Mr Editor, one must be slow in forming his opinion on events of recent date and reported as having taken place on an obsfeure island ; but there are facts well proved, well authenticated, and as such stereotyped in history. Well, such are the characteristics of the persecutions of Wesleyans against the Catholic missions in the South Sea Islands 87 years ago at Tahiti and on Sandwich Islands. There, Catholic priests were permitted neither to preach nor to reside by the Wesleyans or Methodists, who there exercised a supreme and uncontrolled authority. Twice, on the same islands, the Catholic priests had their houses broken in, by order of Wesleyan governments, themselves carried by force on board passing schooners, committed to the mercy of the waves, until Providence would procure them some landing, At that time the Rev. Mr Binghain was the great adviser, and, as it were, the Prime Minister of His 1 Hawaiian Majesty; Every islander trembled under the tyranny of that new apostle. He had a new gospel, and even those who would smoke an innocent pipe, were exposed to terrible lashes. Of course, those modern Calvinists would not strike the Catholic priests ; they would be satisfied with throwing them into the sea, if they could. But how did they treat their followers, or those who simply refused to listen to them ? The recital is frightful. Some were hung, their hands fastened to trees ; others had to suffer hunger for days and nights in prison and chains ; though the greater part were condemned to extract stones from the sea, or to work on public roads, confounded with the vilest criminals. In fact, they were no better treated than the Catholics of the old countries by those who labored to extinguish that inextinguishable creed, the' 1 Catholic faith. Noble civilisation of the 19th century could not close its eyes upon such barbarities. Men-of-war visited those islands, and by "treaties forced upon the Wesleyans religious liberty and toleration. The Catholic priests were free to return to those islands. Great have been the fruits of their long labors and patience. Witness : a magnificent Catholic demonstration that took place at Hawaii, as related to me by 2 passenger that came to New Zealand by an American steamer. He saw with his own eyes a splended procession of fourteen thousand Catholic natives, all" clad in white, headed by their bishop and clergy. It was the time when the Catholic world was up to celebrate the Jubilee of 25 years of Pontificate of Pope Pius IX. — an event not realised since' the days of St. Peter. — I am, &c, An old Catholic Missionary.