r exclusive attention to the
Friendly and Fiji groups. They had made great progress among the
Friendly Islanders, and the king himself had become a Christian, when it
was resolved to attempt the conversion of the Fijians. Between Tonga
and Fiji a constant intercourse was kept up, and thus the way seemed
opened to carry the gospel to the latter group. There was also no lack
of interpreters, an important advantage at the first. The first
missionaries to Fiji were established on the island of Lakemba, where,
in spite of great opposition, they laboured on faithfully and steadily,
extending their efforts to other islands, till finally the Cross was
triumphant even at Mbau, the blood-stained capital of the group, where
the cannibal monarch himself, the dreaded Thakombau, became a Christian.

In the meantime, the inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands had heard of
the gospel from English and American ships visiting the group. No
sooner did King Rihoriho ascend the throne than he decreed that idolatry
should be abandoned, because he had discovered that his idols could not
benefit him; but he knew little or nothing of the Christian religion.
At that very time, however, the American Board of Missions had sent out
a band of missionaries to them, who on arriving to their joy heard that
the idols of Hawaii were overthrown. They were, I believe, chiefly
Episcopalians.

While these glorious events were taking place in Eastern Polynesia, the
Church Missionary Society had sent forth missionaries among the fierce
cannibals of New Zealand. They were joined by several Wesleyans, who
together laboured with so much perseverance and success, that a very
large number of the inhabitants became acquainted with the truths of the
gospel. Numerous well-trained native teachers have gone forth from
Tahiti and Raratonga to the surrounding isles, and many of them to the
Loyalty and New Hebrides groups, and other parts of Western Polynesia.
Following this example, the Bishop of New Zealand has brought natives
from a large number of the islands in Western Polynesia, which he has
visited, and having instructed them, at a college he has established
near Auckland, is sending them back, to spread among their countrymen
the truths they have learned. Thus Christianity has begun to spread
among the dark-skinned races of those almost countless islands. To
carry the gospel to them had been one of the energetic Williams's
darling schemes; and it was while