A Voyage to Lau, Fiji by A. G. Stewart

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 27, 1910

A Voyage to Lau, Fiji

By A. G. Stewart

SHORTLY after the close of the Fijian council, it was deemed advisable that the schooner make a trip to the Lau group, one hundred miles to the east, visiting the companies of Sabbath-keepers on the Vanua Levu coast, and making various changes among the workers.

Our first place of call was at Wainunu, where we have a company of half-castes. These people are very faithful in tithes and offerings. Two were anxious to receive baptism, which will probably be administered by Brother Pauliasi within the next few weeks. It was touching to see how keenly they felt the removal of Brother Josefati, who has labored among them for the past three years, to Lau, to take the place of Brother Pauliasi. They wept like children, and held to him and his wife as long as possible. Some gave him gifts of money, others of clothes, etc. These people feel deeply, and are very susceptible to kindness.

After a two days' sail from there, we came to Somosomo, a large town on Taviuni; where John Hunt was appointed shortly after arriving in Fiji, and where he saw the natives killing and eating one another, and women massacred and used as rollers for launching the native canoes. What a change within the last seventy years! We dropped anchor in the stillness of the evening, when the church bell rings, followed by the ringing of the native lali for evening worship. Soon we heard familiar tunes sung in many parts of the village. We are told, however, that the natives are becoming more careless with regard to these services than they were some years ago.

The time has come for the reviving work of the third angel's message, and we are glad to say that in this chief village we have a few witnesses for the truth. We held a preaching service in a large house well filled with people, who made some earnest inquiries about the truth.

Across the bay about nine miles we spent the Sabbath with the Loa church, where we conducted the ordinances of the Lord's house. Brother Alipati is in charge of the work here, and has a good influence. Two from here are planning to go to the Buresala school. After a few days' sailing in a heavy gale, we reached Lau in safety. We afterward heard that several boats were lost during this storm. We visited four more companies of Sabbath-keepers, and found most of the believers rejoicing in the truth. A few had grown cold, and we

believe our visit was timely and profitable. After hearing a talk on the sacredness of the Sabbath, one brother who had given up its observance said, “I fear God; I can not break his Sabbath any more.”

As we visited Lakemba, the center of the Lau group, my heart was deeply moved over the situation. It was here that the first missionaries arrived, and began the grand work of Christianizing Fiji. We now have a few faithful witnesses here, and one brother has given a piece of land to the mission. This would make a good site for a mission home, as it is well watered by a running stream. This island would make a good center for our work in Lau, as there are still a number of islands within a radius of about forty miles which have not yet been visited by our workers. Many of these are at present calling for the truth. Brother C. H. Parker spent a few years in the Lau district, and has often presented its needs to us. Since seeing it, I, too, feel deeply impressed that some one should be appointed to take charge of this isolated field. Two young men here are planning to get a training for the Lord's work, and one of them returned with us to Buresala. After an absence of five weeks we arrived home, and found the work of rebuilding going ahead nicely. Brother B. J. Cady's house is nearly completed. The students are busy planting their gardens. We thank our people for their interest and help in this work, and trust they will still pray for its advancement.

A. G. STEWART.