WINNING SOULS IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

New Zealand Tablet, 31 July 1919, Page 23

WINNING SOULS IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

The mild controversy in the 5.31. Herald over the status and social conditions of the New Hebrides is not uninteresting (says £he Freeman's Journal). Dr. Grace Murray, who recently visited the group, paints a very glowing picture of the depression which exists in the islands. "The natives were dying off,'' and the majority of the Europeans she had met ''looked thin and yellow," and so on. Whilst the material conditions of the islands were discussed, no mention was made by Dr. Grace Murray of the heroic labors of our Catholic missionaries, who are doing so much for the natives. From so experienced a traveller as Dr. Murray word-pictures of the holy men who bear the burden and heat of the day in almost inaccessible, lonely outposts on these islands would make very interesting reading. Although within five or six days' sail from our city, little is known of the New Hebrides. In a vague sort of way, it is understood that the natives are cannibals and ready to make "a dish" of every white man who comes within arm's reach. While this may have 'been true many years ago, the zealous work of the Marist Fathers has borne.. good : fruit since the day of

the establishment of the mission in 'IBB7. To-day a priest can travel alone throughout the islands without fear of molestation. The self-sacrificing efforts, hard toil, and disappointments of the missionaries since that year would fill a volume. First there was the plight of the first noble band of Marists who were sent there from New Caledonia. Undeterred by . hardships, the hostility of the natives, and the strenuous opposition of the wealthy. Protestant missionaries, they established their first mission at Port Sandwich. We often read of big gifts of lands from the natives for a rifle or some glittering tinsel. Not so with our Catholic missionaries. Whatever land was acquired as a site for a chapel or house, ready cash or its equivalent had to be planked down. This initial obstacle was bad enough. The devoted Marists had also to face the problem of mastering the native language before souls could be won for God. Providence alone knows how the initial difficulties were overcome. A rude shelter was built (the priests have to be skilled masons or carpenters), and after the language was learned the first seeds of the Faith were sown. A few, just a few—for the elders did not look with particular favor on the intruderswere gathered into the fold ; and then missions were established at Port Olry and Walla. Each succeeding year the harvest of souls was greater, until the Vicar-Apostolic, the Right Rev. Dr. V. Doucere, was able to announce that there were 17 stations, with 23 residences and chapels. There are now about 23 missionary priests laboring in the islands, assisted by three lay Brothers, along with 18 Sisters of the Third Order of Mary and 20 native catechists; while the total of neophytes and catechumens reaches 2500. Such illuminating statistics are well worth remembering.

But the accomplishment of all this meant physical labors and untiring patience. To-day at Port Vila there is a splendid Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, and there are fine schools in charge of eight European Sisters; and a hospital. While on the other islands of Vate, Ambrym, Aoba, Espiritu Santo, Api, and Pentecost . schools and chapels flourish in a commendable degree.

At the chief centres of these islands the , missionaries live under conditions which would not appeal to the individual who cares for his personal comfort. Then there are the lonely outposts where the priest must adopt the native ideas of living in order to exist. Let us take one remote mission, for instance—Port Olry. One of the missionaries now in Sydney, who spent 12 years in the islands, labored among the natives at this district for a couple of years. He will tell you how delighted the missionaries were to catch even a glimpse of a passing steamer every two months, and what a red-letter, day it was in the mission when a steamer actually put into the port once in four months. Naturally under such conditions there was no sending around to the local shop for groceries. The pigs proved good friends, however, and the native fruits helped to keep strength up to the standard while the priests were building chapels or schools or residences.