Society Islands by G. T. Beckner

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 31, 1903

Society Islands

By G. T. Beckner

RAIATEA.—We have now been on the island fourteen months. Our work is moving along nicely, and we enjoy many tokens of God's favor. The Lord has blessed the work in taking the disease from the cocoanut-trees, which was very bad on many of the plantations. Since we came here, the place has yielded sixty thousand cocoanuts, which have been made into copra, amounting to thirteen tons, marketed at forty-four dollars, American money, per ton.

At present we have twenty head of cattle and four horses. We do not use cow's milk. The cattle are wild, and hard to manage, and the cocoanut milk is much more healthful, and better in every way. We use it for seasoning almost all kinds of food, and when used rich, it makes the most delicious pie-crust and sticks. At first, we did not like the flavor, but now we are fond of the milk when used in almost any way.

We have several acres of vanilla, which is just beginning to bear, and more that has just been put out. This needs but little attention in the way of cultivation, as it is put out beside a small tree, and left till it bears, which is two or three years. We have almost all kinds of tropical fruits on the place,—breadfruit, oranges, bananas, pineapples, limes, mangoes, guavas,—more than enough to supply all on the place. We have fresh fruit the year round, as all do not ripen in the same month. Our boys go to the mountains for plantain once a week. This they carry on bamboo poles over their shoulders. No one need go hungry in this fruitful land. Many of the people here think they must live on meats; and as fresh meat will not keep long, they use canned and preserved meat, and this we know is the worst kind. A favorite dish is raw fish with lime juice. Fish are plentiful, as the natives do not work, and have plenty of time for fishing.

Brother Smouse, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, has donated to the school part of a mill for making syrup and sugar from the sugar-cane, which is now grown here in small patches for chewing, just for the juice. The natives are very fond of anything sweet, and we hope to be able to help our school along. As there is nothing of the kind on the island, we feel sure of success, and in this way hope to be able to take more boys and girls, who so much need help, that they may be fitted to act a part in spreading the light of the truth to the world.

The spiritual interest among the students is good. One boy came to us who could use only the Tahitian language, and had never heard the Bible stories read. When he began to hear them in school and at worship, he of course wanted to know them all. So he bought a large Tahitian Bible, and began to read for himself. He takes his Bible and goes off alone and reads a long time. Two of the other boys who came last March could neither speak nor read English. They can now understand almost everything and can read and write well. As we try to help these young people, it does us good to see them take so much interest and seem to desire to know more, and our hearts go out to God in thankfulness that he has given us a place to work in his vineyard.

As we read the reports of the work in the earth, we can see that the message is indeed going with power. We want to do all we can to warn the people in this place of the soon coming of Christ. Let us be faithful a little longer, and soon the work will be closed up, and we shall be at home with Jesus.

G. T. BECKNER.