prayed to my Lord Jesus, either Himself to
protect me or to take me home to His Glory. I tried to keep working on
at my task, as if no one was near me. In that moment, as never before,
the words came to me--"Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, I will do
it;" and I knew that I was safe. Retiring a little from their first
position, no word having been spoken, they took up the same attitude
somewhat farther off, and seemed to be urging one another to fire the
first shot. But my dear Lord restrained them once again, and they
withdrew, leaving me with a new reason for trusting Him with all that
concerned me for Time and Eternity.

CHAPTER XXIV.
HEATHEN DANCE AND SHAM FIGHT.

THE Chief, Nowar Noukamara, usually known as Nowar, was my best and
most-to-be-trusted friend. He influenced the Harbor Chiefs and their
people for eight or ten miles around to get up a great feast in favor of
the Worship of Jehovah. All were personally and specially invited, and
it was the largest Assembly of any kind that I ever witnessed on the
Islands.

When all was ready, Nowar sent a party of Chiefs to escort me and my
Aneityumese Teachers to the feast. Fourteen Chiefs, in turn, made
speeches to the assembled multitude; the drift of all being, that war
and fighting be given up on Tanna,--that no more people be killed by
Nahak, for witchcraft and sorcery were lies,--that Sacred Men no longer
profess to make wind and rain, famine and plenty, disease and
death,--that the dark Heathen talk of Tanna should cease,--that all here
present should adopt the Worship of Jehovah as taught to them by the
Missionary and the Aneityumese,--and that all the banished Tribes should
be invited to their own lands to live in peace! These strange speeches
did not draw forth a single opposing voice. The Tannese are born
talkers, and can and will speechify on all occasions; but most of it
means nothing, bears no fruit.

After these speeches, a scene followed which gradually assumed shape as
an idolatrous ceremonial and greatly horrified me. It was in connection
with the immense quantity of food that had been prepared for the feast,
especially pigs and fowls. A great heap had been piled up for each Tribe
represented, and a handsome portion also set apart for the Missionary
and his Teachers. The ceremony was this, as nearly as I could follow it.
One hundred or so of the leading men marched into the large clear space
in the center of the assembled multitudes, and sto