their attention
to their religious duties, and he assured the missionaries that what he
saw exceeded all that he had heard.

"Christianity was making progress in all the three groups, though in
Tonga a powerful body of heathens, under Ata of Hihifo, still remained,
when Finau, king of Vavau, died, leaving his government to King George
of Haabai, who thus became sovereign of both groups. He and his wife
gave full evidence soon after this that they were Christians not only in
name, but in spirit and in truth. They were made class-leaders," and
the king was appointed a local preacher. He did not presume on his high
civil dignity, but always conducted himself in the house of God with
becoming humility. One who heard him preach his first sermon told me
that the great court-house, more than seventy feet long, could not
contain the people who thronged to hear their king. Every chief on the
island and all the local preachers were present. The king led the
singing. He preached with great plainness and simplicity, and in strict
accordance with the teaching of God's word; dwelling on the humility and
love of the Saviour, the cleansing efficacy of His atoning blood, and
the obligations under which we are laid to serve and glorify Him. But a
few years before part of this very congregation might have been seen in
this same house preparing guns, spears, and clubs, in order to slay
their fellow-men, and waiting to be led forth to battle by the great
warrior who was now the royal preacher. He proved his Christianity in
another way. Hearing that the English had abolished slavery and that it
is abhorrent to the character of the gospel, he that very day called all
his slaves together and forthwith gave them their liberty. He next
employed himself in building a church upwards of a hundred feet long and
fifty wide, the largest building that had ever been erected in Tonga.
He also exhibited his wisdom by framing a code of laws, by which all
chiefs as well as people were to be equally bound. They were most
judicious, and admirably fitted for the wants of the people. Not one
professed heathen now remained in the two groups governed by King
George, and the blessings he had received he was anxious to send to
others. A missionary and several native teachers therefore went forth
and established churches in Samoa, as well as in some small islands
lying between the two groups. The missionaries were afterwards removed,
it having been ag