Wild Fight Among the Natives — The Influence of a Missionary in Quelling the Riot
ELDER J. E. FULTON, who for several years has had charge of our work in the Australasian field, which includes the New Hebrides, has forwarded to us a very interesting letter from one of our workers in that island. It shows, in such a striking way, the influence Christianity has upon the savage heathen mind, that we pass the letter on to our readers. It is as follows:
ATCHIN, NEW HEBRIDES,
September 1, 1915.
Dear Brother Fulton:
I append these few lines to let you know that we are passing through stormy times again. The influence of Mr. ——, of whom I have written before, has fanned the waning embers of their old heathen customs and traditions into a roaring flame again. He has encouraged them to hold on to their old customs and practices, and not to listen to the missionary about giving them up and adopting the more peaceable practices of the gospel. He paid the initiating fee to their mysteries, and was initiated. He took off his clothes and danced in his nude condition764with them. He went over with them to Oba, and took part in their ceremonies there.
THE PEOPLE GONE MAD
For the past two months, the people here have seemed possessed. Hardly a night has passed but they have had one of their dances, and the night has been made hideous with their wild, howling yells, which Mr. —— calls music. All this has been in connection with the performing of the rite of circumcision, which they practice. One has said, “The people seem to have gone mad.” It culminated, just as we expected it would, and as all these things have in their past history, in a general fight.
Mr. —— came to me after it had started, and asked me to go and use my influence in stopping it, as he could do nothing, and it would be a terrible fight. I told him then and there that he was the responsible party, as he had been undoing the very work that had been bringing quiet to the island and the people. Then I rushed away as fast as I could run. I worked as hard as I could with all the leaders. It was a terrible sight — four towns against two. There they were, dancing back and forth, brandishing their clubs and muskets, throwing stones, shouting their challenges, etc.
A PRAYER THAT NEVER FAILED
I had just about settled matters with them to lay down their arms and have a friendly talk, when some one called out something, and it set the magazine off. I will never forget the sight. I grasped the arms of the leader, and held his club, and pushed him back as he rushed forward to lead. Blows from the clubs were falling all around me, stones whizzing past my head. I sent up that silent prayer which has never been set aside, and almost instantaneously the men backed away from each other, and the next thing I heard was the voices of their chiefs saying: “Esu, esu ko ats! Kamulu! Kamulu!” (Finished, finished completely! You go home! You go home!) They all went back to their towns, and I spent a number more hours going from town to town as their mediator.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST MISSIONARIES AT ATCHIN, NEW HEBRIDES
WHAT THE MISSIONARY HAD DONE FOR THEM
This fight has caused a very bad spirit on the part of the four towns that were attacking the two, as they had five men wounded. They say that they must make reprisals on the others before it is finished. Now the island is divided into two parts, and the two parties can have no intercourse with each other. We are working with them, and some are becoming friendly again; and we trust that with God’s help, which is the all in all, we can see these men shaking hands again in friendship.
The two towns that were attacked by the four did not want to fight, though they were the strongest, and the old warriors of the island. They made no advances, only stood to defend their Amil.
Mr. —— said he could not understand their attitude and their forbearance. He spoke to them about it, and some of them spoke up, and said: “It is because we have been attending the missionary’s school, and we have been taught not to fight. We do not want any trouble, and are willing to do what is right to settle the matter.” I think he can see that the work of the missionary is not so out of date as he thought it was. We are positively certain that this trouble would never have come up if Mr. —— had not used his influence to have this heathen custom engaged in with all of its old spirit. All he wants out of it is to write a book, which, no doubt, he thinks will make him famous.
THE TROUBLE MAKER WAS HUMBLED
I had a three hours’ talk with him afterward, and I pointed out to him how his influence had been exerted from the very first to tear down our work and bring it to naught. Now he had the result.
He was very much humbled and subdued, and talked in a more gentle and quiet manner. He admitted that he had made mistakes. He said that from a former talk he had had with me, he had given up some of his positions. Then he made the statement that our mission commended itself.
We need your prayers, Brother Fulton, as this condition of affairs has cut our school attendance down so that we have only from two to seven attending, and also it has affected the attendance at our services, though not in so large a degree. I have written this so that you can understand present conditions.
Yours,
(Signed) C. H. Parker.
P. S. Later.—Mr.—— has just come to me and said: “Mr. Parker, I have come to see that your position about the natives is right. I will go mad if this tension is not taken off.”
He sleeps in the woods at night instead of his house. A fear seems to have taken hold of him as to what may happen. He wants to leave and go up to another island for a time. He has sown the wind, and now he must reap the whirlwind.
