p. 10 | Niue Island by S. W. Carr

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 21, 1916

Niue Island

By S. W. Carr

S. W. CARR

God's blessing is resting upon the work in Niue, and Sabbath school services are now conducted in three of the eleven villages on the island, and a weekday service in a fourth.

The whole island has been stirred by our coming, as it had been the settled policy on Niue for sixty-seven years not to allow workers from any other than the established mission to come here. Once, many years ago, a Roman Catholic arrived, but he was met with such coldness and disfavor that he went away on the same boat on which he came.

The enemy of souls has tried to hinder the establishment of our work. The people were forbidden to come to our meetings, to visit us, to rent us a house or to lease their land for our mission. We had no difficulty, however, in securing a convenient and comfortable house, good attendance at our meetings, and a welcome wherever we went. When the time comes, the Lord will open the way for us to lease land and to establish permanent headquarters for the work here.

Land has been offered us in three villages, situated respectively five, nine, and eleven miles from Alofi, the capital. It does not seem best to accept any one of these places, so we shall wait until the Lord directs us more clearly.

After four months on the island we find the language becoming much easier, and I am now able to conduct Sabbath school and simple services in Niuean, but am glad of Vai's efficient services as interpreter in our main Alofi meetings. Vai came ten months ahead of us, and her quiet Christian influence has won the hearts of Europeans and natives alike.