MELANESIAN LETTER

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XX, Issue 4, 1 October 1929, Page 5

MELANESIAN LETTER

The following is a translation of a letter from a Melanesian :— "My beloved Father, I got down here at Te Motu, Santo Cruz, m the place where Stephen Talu taught when Bishop Wood was here. I live m a village called Nimbi. When I arrived here (the writer is a boy from Bugotu m the Solomon Islands) I found it rather difficult to teach the people. Their language is very different to others and they don't know how to welcome one. Some who have taught here before said that this place was n °t good and they (the teachers) were always hungry before. When J. arrived here I found it was as they had said, but I didn't grumble about it, nor was I sorry, but my thoughts were like this: 'They don't know anything yet; they are still m the darkness, and [ have come to tell out the Good 1 News about Jesus the True Love, His love for them and for all men; they will see that this is good, i.e., the law of the love of God and of man,' and now they are following it ; therefore, Father, I rejoice greatly that it is like this now, and , many are preparing for baptism and some have been baptised already." Surely here is one who couldl say with St. Paul, "The love of God constrains us." R. Hodgsn.