Po, Lotu by C. H. Parker

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 28, 1906

Po, Lotu

By C. H. Parker

C. H. PARKER

THIS is a religious service which is confined solely to the Lau (eastern) District of Fiji, as it is not practised in any other part of Fiji. It was formerly borrowed from Tonga. It is held at night on the first Sunday of each month. This service is generally held in the district chief’s town. All the people of the district, whether church-members or not, attend it. They all come dressed in their best and gayest colors. The meeting begins about eight o’clock, and lasts many times till long after midnight.

The meeting is opened with singing and prayer, after which a teacher of one of the towns enters the church, followed by a number of the best singers of his church, who sing as they enter. They are then assigned a place. The teacher then prays long and loud. After this his choir sing to their greatest lung capacity. They must give place to another teacher and his choir, who now enter. In the prayer and singing they try to outdo those that have preceded them. This example is followed by all the teachers and choirs of the towns of the district. Display is the one thing which seems to be sought for, not that God shall receive glory and honor. Tongan songs are generally sung, which, to most of those that sing and listen, is an unknown tongue. Yet the congregation are profuse in saying, Vinaka, vinaka (good, good) malo, malo (thanks, thanks).

The more devoted will have nothing to do with this service, as they say it is filled with corruption and lies; for it matters not how vile or deceitful a man may be, his testimony—“I am on the road to heaven, and be it known to you if I should die before morning, I would be in heaven”—is just as welcome as one coming from a real Christian.

This meeting gives occasion for many to deliberately violate the seventh commandment, yet they think they are doing God service. The writer attended one of these services, but was not able to endure the things he saw, or the impression

that another led the meeting, instead of the Crucified One. He was forcibly reminded of 2 Tim. 3:2-7: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, . . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Mualevu, Loma Loma, Lau, Fiji.