A MISSIONARY SPIRIT by A. H. Piper

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Nov 1, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 44.

A MISSIONARY SPIRIT.

By A. H. Piper

[A. H. Piper, Rarotonga Missionary, in Union Conference Record.]

It has been the practise for more than half a century to train Rarotongans and other islanders to become native teachers and missionary workers in islands shrouded in the darkness of heathenism.

Many years ago, a Rarotongan man and his wife, especially the latter, had a great desire to become missionaries to the heathen of New Guinea. They entered the training school, and received some preparation for the work. It was found, however, that the husband had not the constitution necessary to stand the trying climate of New Guinea, and hence he had to be contented with working for his own people at home, and soon after died. This was a great disappointment to the wife, for the death of her husband cut off all opportunity to fulfil the desire of her life, as only married couples were sent to New Guinea.

Prevented from going herself, she determined that, if possible, one or more of her children should, on reaching manhood, go in her place. But they did not seem inclined that way, and marrying, settled down in their own land. The mother was again disappointed, but did not give up hope. As her grandchildren began to grow up, the hope that one or more of them would take her place in the mission field was the inspiration of her life, and to this end she labored and prayed.

In the meanwhile the old mother, now whitened by the hand of time, had heard the Third Angel's Message preached, and had accepted the truth thereof. She lived with some of her grandchildren in a village almost ten miles from the village in which our school is situated, and, wishing the children to have the advantage of attending the school, brought them with her, and settled near the school. Gradually the eldest boy became interested in his lessons, and made good progress. Six or eight months later, during our last annual week of prayer, he attended every meeting, and listened with rapt attention to the subjects presented. A day or two after its close he came to us, and asked to be baptized. He was so quiet about it that we wondered whether he realized the significance of baptism, but a few questions put to him were answered quite to our satisfaction. "Nobody has influenced me," said he, "but the Spirit of God." He had given his heart to God during the week of prayer, and now wished to join the church, and eventually to become a worker in the cause.

The following evening the old grandmother came to us, and, with tears of joy flowing down her cheeks, told us what we have here related. Her eldest grandchild, now no longer a child, had taken the first and most important steps to fulfil the desire of her life. She placed him in our hands to train, saying as she did so, "Take him, and teach him, while I go back and do what I can for the remaining children."