Untitled article by B. J. Cady

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 2, 1904

FROM THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

By B. J. Cady

BY B. J. CADY.

I HAVE just returned from a visit to the Gambier Islands and Pitcairn. This is my second visit to these islands, my first being eleven years ago, when we came out on the Pitcairn from the United States. Pitcairn is about 1,300 miles from Tahiti, and as we have no regular transportation service, but have to depend on trading schooners and other vessels that may happen to be going between here and Mangareva, it seemed like quite an undertaking to go so far, not knowing when I might have an opportunity to get back again. But I felt that the Lord called me to go, and that He would guide and keep me, and also have a watch-care over the interests I left behind. It seemed necessary for Mrs. Cady to remain in Tahiti to look after the interests of the work here, as the conditions were such that we could not both leave at once. Tho this was not a pleasure trip, yet I had the satisfaction of feeling that I was in the path of duty, and received much of the blessing of God. I spent about four weeks on Mangareva, and eight weeks on Pitcairn.

At Mangareva, I held meetings in both the English and Tahitian languages. Brother and Sister Jones did considerable work at this place at the time when he was sailing the Pitcairn cutter, and one white man accepted the truth. Some others are interested. Mangareva has only about 200 inhabitants, and most of these are Catholics.

The cutter Pitcairn carried us from Mangareva to Pitcairn Island in six days. I enjoyed my stay on the island. We held meetings nearly every day. I took my stereopticon lantern with me, and used it some in illustrating Bible truths. I received from the people over $300 in tithes and offerings, most of it being tithes, and they have quite a lot of their tithe of arrowroot and other produce still on hand. I had the privilege of baptizing eight of the young people just before coming away. We have quite a flock of children and youth on Pitcairn, and if we need a church school anywhere, I think we need one there. There are at least forty who ought to be in such a school, so it would require the services of two teachers. A man and wife who are devoted Christians and not extremists, and who are willing to give up all for Christ, might do a good work there.

After I had been away from home two months and a half, I began to feel that it was about time to be getting back to Tahiti; but, so far, no way had opened for me to get away from Pitcairn, either to go to the United States, or to return to Mangareva. The Pitcairn cutter was at Mangareva, laid up for repairs. One day a schooner was sighted, and it was found to be the missionary schooner of the French Protestant Mission of Tahiti. It had started for Mangareva, and the captain had lost his bearings, so they went some 420 miles beyond Mangareva, and were going on toward South America, which was some 2,000 miles away. They were without water for three days and a half, and were almost out of food, when they providentially met an American ship, which gave them some food and water, and advised them to steer for Pitcairn, which was the nearest place. They did so, and reached there safely. As the Pitcairn people were very kind to them, and did all they could to help them by carrying out food, water, and fuel to their ship, they gave six of the people and myself a passage to Mangareva. But they would not take me any farther. However, the Lord was providing a better way of transportation for me, and one by which I might reach home much sooner. A French man-of-war arrived just then, and they gave me a passage to Tahiti. As this was a large steamer, it was much more comfortable than the small schooner would have been. They charged nothing for transportation, but only for board, so it did not cost quite $5.00 for me to come to Tahiti, while it cost me about $38 to go to Mangareva from Tahiti. I was treated very kindly on board, and felt thankful for such a good passage home. We stopped at five of the Tuamotu Islands on our way back, so I had an opportunity of getting somewhat acquainted with the conditions in these islands, and we hope to enter these fields in the near future.

South Sea Islanders. The natives are beating the hollow logs which serve in the place of church-bells.

Our six Pitcairn friends are coming to Tahiti on the missionary schooner which brought us to Mangareva. They were to call at several islands south of us, and have not yet arrived here.

Traveling in the south seas is attended with many inconveniences and usually with much discomfort; for, in order to reach the different islands in the field, we must do considerable traveling at sea in all sorts of boats and in all kinds of weather. It is very different from traveling in the States, where one can know just what hour the train is to leave, and plan accordingly, and can also learn from the time-table just when he will reach his destination. Here we seldom know just when a boat is to come or go; and, unless it is a steamer, we can never know when we shall reach land, for that depends entirely on the winds. But there are thousands of islands in the Pacific Ocean, and many of them have never been reached by the Third Angel's Message. We are glad for the privilege of having a part in this work of carrying the truth to them, that "the isles, and the inhabitants thereof" may learn to sing the praises of our God.

Papeete, Tahiti, Jan. 22, 1904.