First Impressions of Rarotonga by E. J. GIBLETT

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 30, 1913

First Impressions of Rarotonga

By E. J. GIBLETT

E. J. GIBLETT

Much has been written and spoken about Rarotonga, so there is perhaps nothing new to write, but every one visiting the islands of the Pacific catches a glimpse of their many and varied sights, which gives some new thought or inspiration.

It was a beautiful view that met our gaze as our boat came in sight of Rarotonga on October 1. The mountains of the island, covered with verdure to the very summit, rose high and sharp-pointed against the clear blue sky. After leaving New Zealand and tossing about for six days on the heaving billows, we were glad to see this beautiful sight and to be once more on land.

We were met at the landing-place by Brother H. E. Piper, and drove to the mission house, which is about four miles away. The trees and bushes along the road were very green, and seemed shady and cool. All were different from what we had been used to in Australia, and it afforded us much pleasure to look at and admire them. The plants with variegated leaves, which are seen only in hothouses in the home land, grow here in all their native freshness and beauty, without fear of being nipped by the hoary touch of Jack Frost.

The drive from the road to the mission house, which stands back about two hundred yards from the road, is very pretty, lined on either side by the tall coconut palms, loaded with their large nuts, and by a nice green hedge, made by planting the sticks of the wild coffee-plant, which soon begin to grow, and which, by pruning, can be made into a very neat and tidy hedge. These hedges are used a great deal to fence or subdivide the properties of different persons, though they are being superseded somewhat by barbed- and plain-wire fences, for the reason, we suppose, that it is a much quicker way of fencing.

The first Sabbath we spent on Rarotonga is one long to be remembered, as all was new and strange. We drove to the church, which is in the village of Titikaveka, a distance of eight miles from the mission home. The Sabbath-school meets at ten o'clock, and a church meeting is conducted by Brother Piper directly after. All the services are in about the same order as in Australia, but are conducted in the Rarotongan language, so all was unintelligible to us except the parts Brother and Sister Piper gave to us in English. Several of the hymns were sung in the language of the natives, and in their own style, which sounded strange to us. We sang one or two in the papaa, or foreign language, which the natives seemed to like very much.

In the afternoon we visited some of the church-members in their homes. They seemed glad to see us and gave us a very hearty welcome, but we felt at a great loss because we were not able to speak to them in their own tongue. Pray for us that we may soon acquire a knowledge of the language, and be able to converse with those who are much in need of the saving truths of the third angel's message.

We are staying on Rarotonga until we hear more definitely from Brother Sterling, who is on Aitutaki, about our beginning work on that island. In the meantime we are studying the language, and we hope soon to master it, so that we can speak to the natives of these islands of Jesus' great love to mankind.