For my part I feel quite confident that, in like circumstances, that
noble Bishop of God would have done the same. I, born in the bosom of
the Scottish Covenant descended from those who suffered persecution for
Christ's honor, would have been unworthy of them and of my Lord had I
deserted my post for danger only. Yet not to me, but to the Lord who
sustained me, be all the praise and the glory.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE VISIT OF THE COMMODORE.
AT that time, though my life was daily attempted, a dear lad, named
Katasian, was coming six miles regularly to the Worship and to receive
frequent instruction. One day, when engaged in teaching him, I caught a
man stealing the blind from my window. On trying to prevent him, he
aimed his great club at me, but I seized the heavy end of it with both
my hands as it swung past my head, and held on with all my might. What a
prayer went up from me to God at that dread moment! The man, astonished
and abashed at my kind words and appeal, slunk away and left me in
peace. God never took away from me the consciousness that it was still
right for me to be kind and forgiving, and to hope that I might lead
them to love and imitate Jesus.
For some time, Nouka and his wife and daughter--a handsome girl, his
only child--and Miaki's principal wife and her two sons, and nine Chiefs
attended Worship regularly at the Mission House, on Sabbaths and on the
afternoon of every Wednesday. In ail, about sixty persons somewhat
regularly waited on our ministrations at this time; and amidst all
perils I was encouraged, and my heart was full of hope. Yet one evening
when feeling more consoled and hopeful than ever before, a musket was
discharged at my very door, and I was constrained to realize that we
were in the midst of death. Father, our times are in Thy hand!
In my Mission School, I offered as a prize a red shirt for the first
Chief who knew the whole Alphabet without a mistake. It was won by an
Inikahi Chief, who was once a terror to the whole community. Afterwards,
when trying to teach the A B C to others, he proceeded in something like
this graphic style: "A is a man's legs with the body cut off; B is like
two eyes; C is a three-quarters moon; D is like one eye; E is a man with
one club under his feet and another over his head; F is a man with a
large club and a smaller one," etc., etc.; L was like a man's foot; Q
was the talk of the dove, etc. Then he would say, "Remember these
things; you will
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