Imatges de pàgina
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on this remote island may not have been quite se
terrible as our fears would lead us to expect.
Perhaps the moral effect on the survivors will be
less disastrous than has been supposed. God
may have thoughts of peace and love which are
fore, for the revelation of his will. Let us wait
not yet disclosed. Let us look unto him, there-
shall arise in the darkness.
patiently on the Lord. In his own time light

Ravages of the Small-Pox.

THE friends of missions have felt a deep interest in the work which our brethren in Micronesia have undertaken; and there has been a degree of sympathy with them, in their loneliness and their peculiar trials, which is quite unusual. When they left the Sandwich Islands for their ocean home, it was seen that they had passed beyond the area of civilization, and thenceforward could expect to enjoy but little intercourse July 12, 1854. The Lord's hand is with men of a common faith and a common aim heavy upon us. Never did death work They have often been borne upon the hearts of more fearfully, or with less opposition. Christians, therefore; and the hope has been The panic-struck natives fly to the mouncherished that they would find a rich compensa-tains and to uninhabited islands; then tion for their privations in the success with which the Lord might be pleased to crown their labors. This journal of Mr. Sturges will show that we have not expended too much sympathy upon this mission. The future of Ascension Island, (and the same may be true of Strong's Island,) is involved in great uncertainty. The ravages effected by the small-pox, the discouraged and reckless spirit which has sprung up so suddenly, the ominous indifference to religious truth which prevails so generally, are sad items in the history of such a people. We cannot but ask ourselves, "Whereunto are these things to grow?" Is all this but a trial of our faith, which is to be followed by unexpected displays of God's saving mercy? Or is it the beginning of the end?

The time has not come for the decision of questions like these. Perhaps the work of death

they come back again, and seize some victim of the disease to carry to their homes; thus spreading the contagion to all parts, so that a spot cannot be found where it is not doing fearful execution. Never was desolation more complete.

Nor is it a small ingredient in our bitter cup, that we can do no more to cine matter, the power of the priests lessen the evil. Our destitution of vacstories of abandoned foreigners respectover a bigoted people, together with the ing our bringing the sickness here and our intention to kill all the natives, render our efforts to come into contact with their sufferings nearly fruitless. They often resort to the basest deceptions to keep us from the dwellings of the sick, that the additional curse of our presence

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may not fall upon them. Much has been said to them about inoculation; but they do not understand its nature; and as it would kill some, and serve to spread the contagion, it seems a matter of prudence not to press it.

25. These anxious weeks are over. The Nanakin is well, having had the sickness so lightly that it is hard to feel he has been sick. His brother also is doing well. To the Lord let all glory be given! I am now very busy in inocuIn these circumstances, with the dying lating. Every body, far and near urges groans of thousands in our ears forced me to this. I have now, and shall have by heathen superstition and a heathen- for weeks, more than I can do. Poor ized civilization from sufferings which people! Some of them will die, probawe would gladly mitigate, shut out from bly many, and I must have the credit of all connection with a Christian world, killing them. I do sometimes tremble we love to think of the thousands who at my responsibilities; but I will never remember us at the throne of grace. It shrink, so long as I can feel that the is sweet to go there often ourselves, and hand of my Master is about me. to those rich promises, "They that sow Nanakin accompanies me in my visits to in tears shall reap in joy;" "Lo, I am distant parts of the tribe. This he does with you always." that I may not have to propel my own canoe, and to give me more influence.

20. For weeks I have been mostly confined to our own district, going about but little, as our Nanakin keeps his people at their homes, allowing but little intercourse, wishing to keep the sickness at a distance. This is a large district, and nearly the only one where the smallpox has not made ravages.

During this temporary seclusion, the Nanakin, with his train, has been quite attentive to his books, coming to my house every day for instruction. Besides my ordinary teaching, I have tried to communicate some things respecting the treatment of the small-pox to the people through him; and I hope I have not utterly failed. He would, no doubt, request to be inoculated, were it not for the fears of others. We rejoice, and would have our friends rejoice with us, in a more unobstructed and friendly contact with this suffering, deluded people.

Successful Inoculation.

As Mr. Sturges has not received a medical education, it will be seen in the following extract that he assumed a very grave responsibility. There are few men who would not shrink from

such a measure.

August 5. I have this day inoculated our Nanakin. This is decidedly the greatest venture of my life. If he does well, all will be well; if he dies, we can hardly expect to escape savage violence. We try to work the Lord's will; and we know he always makes issues for the highest good.

12. I have this day re-inoculated the Nanakin, and with him a favorite brother. This shows his determination, and his confidence in the missionary. Never did I feel the need or help of special pleadings with the great Physician more than

now.

The

Another extract will indicate the hazard of

medical practice among such a people. It will also illustrate the mastery which superstition has gained over them.

September 10. A high chief, a subject of inoculation, has just died. He was one of the worst men we had, occasioning nearly all the wars between the tribes, as also robberies, neighborhood quarrels, &c. He urged the killing of the missionary, awhile since, as the cause of the sickness. Failing in this he fled to a small island, where he remained for months, until the small-pox broke out on his premises on the main land, when he returned. Seeing me inoculate the Nanakin, he begged with tears that I would do the same thing for him. Through all his sickness he was anxious to see me, as he seemed to have the greatest dread of dying. He might have lived; but at the crisis of his disease, the spirits appeared, saying, "Come away," "Come away." On receiving this order, he was carried several miles, which was too much for his weak body. Such orders for a change of place are almost always given in the later stages of sickness, and doubtless cause many deaths. Many are unquestionably buried alive. There are frequent cases of persons rising from their grave-clothes. This fact suggested to them the return of the soul to the body, after a temporary absence. They hurry the corpse into the ground, to keep any stranger from looking upon it, as this would greatly offend the spirit. All the fears of the living seem to centre in the agency of departed spirits. If one is sick, or meets with any calamity; if any noise is heard at night; if any thing singular happens, it is the work of ghosts.

The satisfaction with which the following entry | stone-flue. Had there been a single nawas made by Mr. Sturges in his journal can be tive near, I might have saved all. Many came when it was too late. Some were readily imagined. kind; others enriched themselves with 15. We are now nearly free from the plunder. In any circumstances the sickness in this tribe. How good it is calamity would be very great. We feel to have a little respite! Our own fam-it more as our native family is sick and ilies have been graciously preserved; the dependent upon us; and we expect to good Shepherd has kept us from all harm. have the small-pox in our family soon. I feel perfectly exhausted from constant War is pending between this tribe and labor, and from anxiety. Having so the one in which Dr. Gulick is; hence little knowledge of the art of preserving there is no communication between us. life, and making my first effort among a Foreigners seem to come down upon us very passionate people, I cannot help more furiously than ever. The Lord has feeling the burden of my responsibility. kindly spared to us a few things, and has given us quite a comfortable place for the present. Above all we have cheerful hearts. We feel grateful. The providence seems mysterious to us; but it is not to Him who sees the end of all things, and never permits a sparrow to fall without his notice.

A new Trial.

Our brother next found that he had some occa

sion for solicitude nearer home. The little missionary circle at Rono-Kitti is invaded. language is as follows:

His

The Prospect.

25. Just as we were recovering from the scenes of excitement and the labors of the past months, congratulating ourselves on the preservation of our families, the wife of our native missionary broke out with the small-pox. This is the more trying, as they had kept free so long, and finally took it by forbidden exposure. She wanted to see some one 1. The present population of the who had the small-pox; so she ventured island is less than five thousand, scattoo near a favorite who had just recov-tered along a coast of eighty miles, and

Mr. Sturges frankly states some facts that have an important bearing upon the missionary work which our brethren have commenced on Ascension Island. They are as follows:

ered.

October 6. The wife of the native missionary is now recovering; but her husband and child are just breaking out. We hope they will have the disease lightly, as it comes from inoculation. They were not inoculated sooner, because it was thought better to keep it out of the family entirely, and because we greatly needed their help in our family during my constant travels among the natives.

Loss of a Home.

Those who read these pages, will enter fully into the feelings of Mr. and Mrs. Sturges in being suddenly deprived of their home. After all that they had endured before, we should have expected that this trial would have been withheld. But the Lord has done it; and his ways are not as our ways. Let us keep in mind, moreover, that all things work together for good to them that love him. That which seems strange to us, but the louder whisper of his love.

is

11. "We now dwell in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods." Fire took from us our dwelling, with nearly all its fixtures and conveniences, day before yesterday. The fire originated from the

divided into five hostile tribes, each of which is divided into seven or eight independent clans. Of this population, three-fourths are past the middle period of life. Births are scarcely heard of; and hence the speedy extinction of the race is threatened. A "night of toil," such as present appearances indicate, will bring the morn after this people are no more.

2. The peculiar condition of things here, should be known. Since the sickness, there is a settled feeling that the race is soon to disappear. So strong is this feeling among the natives, that they insist upon the folly of making changes. They have a recklessness wholly unknown before. Their perfect release from want, by the acquisition of property, and their deliverance from authority, by the dependence of chiefs upon common people, resulting from the great mortality, removes them farther from our reach than ever. They have no want, and glory in being independent of us.

3. I will also mention the impossibility of enduring the physical part of our labors. We get no help for any thing. Our own hands must do all our work, in doors and out; and if my family needs medical aid,

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