p. 3 | A Host Put to Flight by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 7, 1909

A Host Put to Flight

By W. A. S.

ONE of the experiences of the missionary Paton, on the island of Tanna, shows how God still sends his angels to deliver in time of danger. The time was near at hand when the missionary was to flee from the island. War had broken out between the tribes. Paton had fled from his home to the village of a friendly chief, Nowar. But now the enemy was coming upon them. The missionary says:—

On reaching Nowar’s village unobserved, we found the people terror-stricken, crying, rushing about in despair at such a host of armed savages approaching. I urged them to ply their axes, cut down trees, and blockade the path. For a little they wrought vigorously at this; but when, so far as eye could reach, they saw the shore covered with armed men rushing on toward their village, they were overwhelmed with fear, they threw away their axes and weapons of war, they cast themselves headlong on the ground, and they knocked themselves against the trees as if to court death before it came. They cried: “Missi, it’s of no use! We will all be killed and eaten to-day! See what a host are coming against us.”

Mothers snatched up little children and ran to hide in the bush. Others waded as far as they could into the sea with them, holding their heads above the water. The whole village collapsed in a condition of indescribable terror. Nowar, lame with his wounded knee, got a canoe turned upside down and sat upon it where he could see the whole approaching multitude. He said: “Missi, sit down beside me, and pray to our Jehovah God, for if he does not send deliverance now, we are all dead men. They will kill us all on your account, and that quickly. Pray, and I will watch!” . . .

We prayed as one can only pray when in the jaws of death and on the brink of eternity. We felt that God was near, and omnipotent to do what seemed best in his sight. When the savages were about three hundred yards off, at the foot of a hill leading up to the village, Nowar touched my knee, saying, “Missi, Jehovah is hearing! They are all standing still.”

Had they come on, they would have met with no opposition, for the people were scattered in terror. On gazing shoreward, and round the harbor, as far as we could see, was a dense host of warriors, but all were standing still, and apparently absolute silence prevailed. We saw a messenger, or herald, running along the approaching multitude, delivering some tidings as he passed, and then disappearing in the bush.

To our amazement, the host began to turn, and slowly marched back in great silence, and entered the remote bush at the head of the harbor. Nowar and his people were in ecstasies, crying out: “Jehovah has heard Missi’s prayer! Jehovah has protected us and turned them away back.”

We were on that day his trusting and defenseless children; would you not, had you been one of our circle, have joined with us in praising the Lord God for deliverance from the jaws of death? I know not why they turned back; but I have no doubt it was the doing of God to save our lives. W. A. S.