"When I went to Ambrim three years ago, we saw people on shore all lying under arms. We hesitated to go on shore, and whenever we approached them, they would rush to the shore and draw up their canoes. For hours they acted in that26way. At last two men came off in canoes, with shaking and trembling limbs, and one called:
TWO FIJIAN DELEGATES
"You missionary?"
"Yes, I am a missionary."
"You true missionary?"
"Yes."
"You no got revolver?" I bared my body and showed I had none.
"You no come steal boys or woman?"
"No; we come to tell you about God."
"Then he cried: 'Me savvy you! You true missionary! You brought Missi Gordon who come here long, long ago!'"
"I said, 'Yes;' and with one rush the two men came in their canoes, and leaped into our boat, and one called ashore, 'Missi! Missi! Missi!' and something else that we did not understand."
"Soon the cry was taken up along the shore of the island. You heard it echoed everywhere; 'Missionary! Missionary!' The people then piled up their rifles and crowded together as we came near the shore. When we got there they rushed in, and took our boat up onto the beach."
"As soon as I got out, I saw a painted, forbidding looking savage making at me. I kept my eye on him, for I did not know what he was after. He seized me by the arm, and began in broken English:"
"'Me die for missionary! Me die for missionary! Me no got a missionary! Me no got a missionary! Me die for missionary!'"
"I said, 'We can not give you a missionary.'"
"'Do, do, do!' he said, looking at the young men with us."
"I said they were for another island. He replied: 'You stop 'long o' me. Me die, me die, me want missionary to teach o me.'"
"When we went to the boat, he said, 'When you come with missionary?'"
"I said, 'We can not for a year!'"
"'O,' he said, 'me want missionary; me die for missionary; not say year!'"
"As we left the island, crowds caught at me to keep me back, and the last sight that I had was that of the old chief sitting there on the beach, silent and despairing; and his plea is still ringing in my heart. The anxiety of the heathen lies at the feet of Jesus. That is my one consoling thought. And He will answer their need."
