THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
 From the library of 
 Rev. William Murphy 
 Presented in 1924 
 
 i> 
 
 H942r 
 
A 
 
 MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS 
 
 #r, % |tift of 
 
 JOHN HUNT, 
 
 WHO WAS EMINENTLY SIJCCESSPUL IN CONVERTING 
 THE PEOPLE OF FIJI FROM CANNIBALISM 
 TO CHRISTIANITY. > 
 
 By GEORGE STRINGER ROWE. 
 
 Neto IDork : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY CARLTON & PORTER, 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION, 200 MULBEBR Y-WBEIT. 
 
B 
 
 <r H 
 
 NOTE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 
 
 This volume is commended to the 
 Church as especially adapted to promote 
 the growth of deep, earnest, and self-sacri- 
 ficing piety, and also of the most heroic 
 type of the missionary spirit. It brings 
 out in strong relief the spiritual life of a 
 very holy man, whose soul grew into the ma- 
 turity of the grace of entire sanctification 
 amid the severe literary and physical toils, 
 and the peculiar dangers of a missionary’s 
 life in a land of cannibals. Could our 
 young people imbibe the spirit of John 
 Hunt, the harvest of the world would 
 never be permitted to perish for lack of 
 abundant reapers. Let this memoir there- 
 fore be freely circulated among our fam- 
 
 
 
6 NOTE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 
 
 ilies and Sunday-schools, and the cause of 
 our great Master and teacher can hardly 
 fail of being greatly promoted. 
 
 In this edition a few verbal alterations 
 have been made, and a few passages of no 
 interest to American readers have been 
 omitted. We have also inserted a pic- 
 torial illustration. D. W. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The materials of tliis biography have 
 been long laid by, awaiting the arrange- 
 ment of far abler bands than mine. 
 
 To prevent a still greater delay I have 
 undertaken the work, not venturing to 
 hope that I have supplied those who 
 knew Mr. Hunt with a portrait which 
 they will deem worthy of its subject, but 
 anxious that the young men of my own 
 generation should not be without the ad- 
 vantage of such a high example. 
 
 I claim a lenient criticism from Mr. 
 Hunt’s friends, on the ground of my hav- 
 ing to some extent freshened their remem- 
 brance of one of the best men they ever 
 
8 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 knew; and other readers can afford to 
 deal gently with my shortcomings, in con- 
 sideration of the benefit I am permitted 
 to confer upon them by making them 
 acquainted, however imperfectly, with a 
 rare model of Christian excellence. 
 
 G. S. E. 
 
 Kentish Town, November , 1859 . 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Introductory 11 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Birth and Boyhood 14 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Conversion 24 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Call to Preach 29 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 Student Life 43 
 
 CHAPTER VI. , 
 
 Mission Appointment 64 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Departure and Arrival. .... 12 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Mission Work — Rewa 11 
 
10 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAPTER IX. Page 
 
 SOMOSOMO 95 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Yiwa, 1842, 1843 136 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Yiwa, 1844, 1845 162 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Yiwa, 1846, 1841 201 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Yiwa, 1848 251 
 
 CHAPTER XIY. 
 
 The End 269 
 
 
 
 Sllwtratijofn. 
 
 Hair Dressing in Fiji 
 
 2 
 
A 
 
 MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 u Not unto us, 0 Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give 
 
 GLORY, FOR THY MERCY, AND FOR THY TRUTH’S SAKE.” 
 
 As John Hunt lay dying in Fiji, where his 
 zeal had eaten up his strength, he turned to a 
 brother missionary, Mr. Calvert, and said: 
 
 “ Let me go, a heap of inconsistencies, back- 
 slidings, and unfaithfulness. Let me go, as I 
 trust I shall, through divine mercy alone, for 
 I have nothing at all in myself, to heaven. 
 There is nothing in me as an example to recom- 
 mend, which is not much better furnished in the 
 lives of many which have been written.” 
 
 When told that his survivors would gladly 
 heed his wishes about family and mission mat- 
 ters, but that he must not bind their hands with 
 regard to himself, he quietly yielded in saying 
 that he would rather that there should be noth- 
 
12 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 in g written concerning him, more than a short 
 notice of his death. 
 
 The dying man was looking at his own life 
 from within, from a position which he only could 
 occupy, and it was not in the cheap cant of a 
 mock humility, but in all sincerity, that he 
 spoke. He read his history as none else could 
 read it. He saw the long and often interrupted 
 processes by which all the good in him had been 
 established. While others noted the triumphs 
 recorded in that history, he recalled the hard 
 fighting which had preceded them. He knew 
 the difficulties in himself that had to be over- 
 come, and the opposition of his own will that 
 had so long resisted or hindered the inner work, 
 the outward manifestations of which others ad- 
 mired. The reception of every additional good 
 into himself had involved penitence for the evil 
 it had displaced. Others looked at his life ; he 
 saw himself / and, at that moment of all others 
 when he sought, by the simplest faith, to take 
 refuge from himself in the mercy of God, no 
 wonder that he should speak as he did. 
 
 But the Church has an entailed interest in the 
 memorials of the faithful and good. The conceit 
 of an olden time gave the famous ones of earth 
 a place in the sky, and traced their images in 
 groups of stars. And the lives of such as have 
 been great in their goodness, are to be remem- 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 13 
 
 bered for the cheering and guiding of those 
 whose voyage is not yet done, and over whom 
 the night still gathers. “The memory of the 
 just is blessed . 55 
 
 It is encouraging to realize what we are apt 
 sometimes to forget, that Christian heroes are 
 made of the same stuff as other men ; and that, 
 whatsoever we may inscribe on the pedestals to 
 which we elevate them, they still say, “ By the 
 grace of God, we are what we are . 55 
 
 The biographer, then, recognizes his task as 
 akin to that of the Christian philosopher. It is, 
 in all the historic details of his subject, to follow 
 and point out, as far as may be, “ the excellency 
 of the power 55 which is at work through all. 
 He would collect the admiration and love of 
 many, not to do service at the shrine of a senti- 
 mental hero-worship, that their faith should not 
 stand in the wisdom or goodness of men, but 
 in the power of God. 
 
 “ How unto Him that is able to do exceed- 
 ing ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR 
 THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH 
 
 in us, unto Him be glory in the Church by 
 Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world with- 
 out end. Amen . 55 
 
14 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. 
 
 Infancy — Schooling — Early Work and its Trials — Young 
 Dreams — Keligious Beginnings and Parental Influence — Anx- 
 iety for his Mother’s Salvation — Brain Fever — Good Purpose 
 
 — Cottage Prayer-meeting — First Visit to a Methodist Chapel 
 
 — Band-meeting — Change of Situation — Bemoval to S win- 
 derby. 
 
 John Hunt was the third in a family of four 
 children, and was born at Hykeham Moor, near 
 Lincoln, England, on the 13th of June, 1812. 
 His father lived at the time, in comfortable cir- 
 cumstances, as the overseer or bailiff on a farm 
 belonging to a gentleman in Lincoln. The 
 property, however, changed hands ; and the 
 bailiff, being thrown out of work, removed 
 with his family to Lincoln. Here things went 
 badly with them, and want of employment 
 brought the sufferings of poverty to their home. 
 So poor did they become, that the workhouse 
 seemed their only refuge, and, after remaining 
 two years in the city, they returned to their own 
 parish of Balderton near Newark. Once more 
 the father got work, and from that time was 
 always able to support his family. 
 
 Such was the beginning of John Hunt’s life. 
 He had from his parents no advantages beyond 
 
BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. 
 
 15 
 
 the example of a sturdy and industrious honesty; 
 but for that he had more reasons to be thankful 
 than many others for their patrimony of wealth 
 and name. And little chance was there, even 
 forty years ago, for country children to gain 
 much learning. John Hunt’s school-days were 
 passed under the auspices of the parish peda- 
 gogue; but his education was soon “finished;” 
 for at the age of ten years he began to work 
 on a farm, where, however, he seemed scarcely 
 in his right place. He was thoughtful and seri- 
 ous, and showed signs of mental vigor, so that 
 he could remember the clergyman’s text better 
 than his companions ; but this seemed his only 
 point of excellence. He was not handy at his 
 work, and a consciousness of inferiority annoyed 
 him. Farm-boys are susceptible of ambitious 
 feeling, and there is such a thing as emulation 
 in the filling of a dung-cart. Now John Hunt 
 could not handle a fork, or crack a whip, or tie 
 up a plow-line so skillfully as his work-fellows; 
 so he was held by them somewhat in contempt, 
 and nicknamed after a poor idiot in the village ; 
 and, furthermore, because he seemed wanting 
 in robust health, he was recommended by the 
 rude, hearty lads around him to be a tailor. 
 But he bore their jokes as patiently as he could, 
 firmly declaring that he would never change his 
 business ; which resolution he set forth so often 
 
16 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 and so pertinaciously, that he carried with him, 
 for years after, the style and title of “ Farmer 
 Jack.” 
 
 Yet, in the secrecy of his own heart, the boy 
 was meditating other things. His father, when 
 a young man, had been a soldier ; but deserted, 
 and joined the navy, where he saw some service, 
 and, besides being in several other important 
 actions, was present at the battle of the Nile. 
 On a winter’s evening John had often heard the 
 tales of danger and bravery which his father 
 told with much energy, and he resolved to be a 
 hero. Though his father had deserted, the son 
 longed to enter the army ; and in many a day- 
 dream saw himself rising from the ranks, adorn- 
 ed with every military virtue, doing deeds of 
 mighty prowess, commanding at last an army 
 which was always victorious, and then returning, 
 covered with glory and laden with unheard-of 
 wealth, to be the pride and support of his aged 
 parents. He never let any one see his air-built 
 castles until many years after, when he was 
 doing battle in a far different service ; but he 
 worked on in the narrow circle of farm-life until 
 the age of fifteen, which he marked as an im- 
 portant period of his career. 
 
 Up to this time his religious history, such as 
 it was, is worthy of note, as showing within it 
 the germs of what afterward sprang up in so 
 
BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. 
 
 11 
 
 strong a growth and such rich fruitage. Neither 
 of his parents could read, and they made no 
 profession of religion ; yet they lived with strict 
 regard to honesty, and what they knew of moral 
 right; and the father held somewhat strong 
 views about the reality of God’s providence, and 
 the power of prayer. The mother seldom went to 
 church ; but her children were taught to admire 
 and practice all things of good report, while they 
 were warned against idleness, theft, swearing, 
 and other vices. They were trained to say their 
 prayers regularly, and always met with a severe 
 reproof from their mother, if they spoke in slight 
 or ridicule of any minister of religion. 
 
 John fully believed all his father said about 
 prayer and providence, and, with great sim- 
 plicity, acted upon his convictions. He was 
 scrupulously regular in saying his morning and 
 evening prayers ; and often, on leaving the 
 house to go to work, would say quietly, as he 
 shut the door, “ Peace be to this house and so 
 went on his way happy in the belief that the 
 wish was heard above. In guileless consistency 
 he prayed about all his little difficulties and fears. 
 Thus he asked God to preserve him, when he was 
 frightened about thunder, or dogs, or gipsies, 
 or anything else that alarmed him ; and he al- 
 ways ascribed his safety to the protection of God. 
 When about eleven years old, he was riding, with 
 
18 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 another boy, on a favorite horse, which they were 
 taking, with the other horses, to turn out in a 
 meadow. The usually quiet animal threw its 
 young riders, and John Hunt was badly cut 
 about the head, either against a fence or by the 
 horse’s heels ; he never could tell which. But 
 the narrow escape seems to have helped his ha- 
 bitual trust in a merciful God, though he still 
 remained ignorant of the greater spiritual truths 
 of religion. He could read pretty well, and felt 
 much interested in the historical parts of the 
 Bible. But little inquiry was excited in his mind 
 as to anything further, except that he was sorely 
 puzzled with the words “for ever” as applied 
 to a future state of punishment. Thinking over 
 this again and again, though he felt no fear about 
 himself, he was full of dismay at the thought of 
 his mother being eternally lost, and often prayed 
 very earnestly for her salvation. 
 
 While John was quite a boy his father be- 
 came deeply impressed by the appeals of some 
 of that simple and zealous order of Christians 
 called “ Banters.” He yielded fully to this in- 
 fluence, and for a time seemed to live in the pos- 
 session of true religion. His son, however, took 
 a great dislike to the Banters, and considered 
 them as fit objects for scorn and contempt, the 
 more readily as the father was evidently losing 
 much of the good he had obtained. In other 
 
BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. 
 
 19 
 
 respects, too, the fair promise seemed to be less 
 hopeful in the lad’s heart. As he got a little 
 older he became more skillful in his business ; 
 and this fact, while it raised him to an equality 
 with his fellows, had also the ill effect of leading 
 him into closer companionship with them in their 
 sins. He prayed less, and lost much of his ear- 
 nest feeling about religion. “ However,” to use 
 his own words, “ he never served the devil half 
 so cleverly as he wished.” 
 
 When sixteen years old he fell ill with brain 
 fever, which seemed likely to prove fatal. The 
 thought of death was thus brought closer home 
 to him than ever before, and he was full of dread, 
 being conscious of his unfitness to enter another 
 w T orld. Referring, years after, to this time, he says : 
 
 “ I thought it would be of no use to promise 
 the Lord I would serve him, if he would spare 
 me, as I had often made such promises and 
 broken them. The only way appeared to be, to 
 begin to serve God there and then, according to 
 the light I had. So I fell on my knees and be- 
 gan to pray. After prayer I read my Bible in 
 earnest, but began with the book of the Revela- 
 tion, which considerably affected me, though I 
 understood but little of what I read, having no 
 one to guide me.” 
 
 This fresh growth of good purpose was 
 strengthened bv the news that a young acquairit- 
 2 
 
20 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 ance, who had been ill but a short time, had died 
 of the same disease as that from which John was 
 recovering. He now began to seek more light ; 
 and as he read and prayed on, with no man to 
 teach him, light came, and God’s Spirit taught 
 the simple heart of that seeking one ; and that 
 heart grew softer and softer in blessed penitence. 
 
 As John was getting stronger, some of his old 
 companions came to see him ; but he found that 
 he could no longer sympathize with them, and 
 that their path and his must henceforth be 
 widely separated. Confirmed by their visit in 
 his purpose to serve God fully, he went one 
 evening into the house of some pious neighbors, 
 and soon began talking about what was upper- 
 most in his thoughts. He spoke of his past life, 
 and remembered, with peculiar bitterness, his 
 having been guilty of the sin of Sabbath-break- 
 ing. As he talked he began to weep ; and then 
 the little company knelt down to pray, and John 
 prayed with them, earnestly seeking the pardon 
 of his sins. He went home comforted, and with 
 a full purpose to tell his mother all he felt. But 
 his heart failed him, and he determined to serve 
 God in secret. His mother, however, soon heard 
 of what had happened at the cottage prayer- 
 meeting, and asked him if it were true. He then 
 spoke to her freely, and stated his intention of 
 becoming a thorough and professed Christian. 
 
BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. 
 
 21 
 
 Neither she nor any of his friends opposed him. 
 Everything seemed to favor his religious im- 
 provement. His great want was instruction. 
 The sermons he heard at church did not contain 
 just that form of truth which his state required, 
 and he hungered for more knowledge. 
 
 As John grew stronger he returned to work, 
 and found, as his companion, a young man who 
 was a Methodist. At his request he went, for 
 the first time, to a Methodist chapel, and heard 
 a sermon from a local preacher. The hearty 
 and devout singing of the congregation seems 
 to have affected him powerfully, and he thence- 
 forth became a constant attendant at the chapel, 
 where his mind quickly opened to understand 
 the Gospel. Few of the good people with whom 
 he worshiped knew his real state, until the oc- 
 currence which he thus records : 
 
 “ One Sunday night, after preaching, it was 
 announced that, on a certain night, there would 
 be a public band-meeting . What this meant I 
 could not imagine, and by this time I had lost 
 my Methodist companion ; but I concluded that 
 a sermon would be preached on the occasion, 
 and determined to .attend, if possible. Accord- 
 ingly, at the appointed time, I repaired to the 
 chapel, and found a leader standing at the door, 
 to prevent improper persons from entering. I 
 was going in as usual, when he mildly stopped 
 
22 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 me, telling me it was not a general but special 
 meeting, yet adding, that he had no objection to 
 my going in, as he believed I was seriously dis- 
 posed. I went in, and was much struck with 
 the proceedings. The leader gave out a hymn 
 and prayed, and then told his experience. 
 Others followed ; so that it appeared to me the 
 rule of the meeting, that all present should speak. 
 I felt it my imperative duty to rise and state 
 what I knew and felt of religion ; but the 
 thought of doing so before a company of Chris- 
 tians made me tremble exceedingly. At length, 
 however, I summoned sufficient courage, and 
 told, in a few plain words, the exercises of my 
 mind. All present seemed much encouraged, 
 and did what they could to encourage me to 
 continue seeking the Lord. 5 ’ 
 
 About this time he was leaving Balderton in 
 search of a place elsewhere, and set out with a 
 full purpose to acknowledge God in all his ways, 
 hoping to # get a situation where he would possess 
 religious advantages. ITe went to the Statutes , 
 but was not engaged. He then accompanied a 
 cousin to the house of a respectable and pious 
 farmer, who at once took him into his service. 
 The thing was done in a hurry. John had never 
 intended seeking a situation there, and felt that 
 lie had not prayed about it. From the time of 
 his going there he was never comfortable. His 
 
BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. 
 
 23 
 
 strength failed, and he was convinced that he 
 was not in his right place. In about a month 
 he left, and attended the market at Newark, 
 taking his stand among the servants who wanted 
 places, and fully trusting that God would direct 
 the right person to seek him out. About noon 
 a stranger came, and at once engaged him to 
 serve his daughter at Swinderby. He then took 
 him to a man who was to be his fellow-servant, 
 and whom John to his great delight found to be 
 a Methodist. This man at once assured his new 
 companion that the situation was just what he 
 wanted ; that there was a Methodist society at 
 Swinderby, and that the lady he was going to 
 serve was well disposed toward religion. He 
 afterward found that this was all true, and at 
 once joined the Methodist society, by becoming 
 a member of a class. The class-leader gave good 
 and profitable counsel to his young charge, who 
 greatly needed it ; for of late he had been losing 
 ground. He still tried to serve God with steady 
 purpose, but did it rather from a sense of duty 
 than because his heart was in it. Whatever he 
 had of religion brought him no joy, and very 
 little peace. He had heard others talk about an 
 assurance of God’s favor given by the Holy 
 Spirit ; but while this was the very privilege he 
 longed after, it seemed a mystery which he had 
 no skill to understand. 
 
24 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 CHAPTEK III. 
 
 CONVERSION. 
 
 Hears the Eev. John Smith preach — Penitence — Salvation — 
 Temptation — Progress. 
 
 The Eev. John Smith was now stationed in the 
 Lincoln circuit, and news came to Swinderby 
 of the power of his preaching, and of the con- 
 version of many souls. John Hunt determined 
 that he would take the first opportunity of hear- 
 ing this good man, and, finding that he was to 
 preach at Thorpe, a place not far off, accom- 
 panied several others to the service. He after- 
 ward referred to this memorable occasion, as 
 follows : 
 
 “ There was nothing in Mr. Smith’s preaching 
 that particularly struck me. The text was : 
 6 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac- 
 ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world 
 to save sinners.’ The sermon was plain, pointed, 
 and powerful, and some parts of it awful ; but 
 the effect on my mind was rather hardening 
 than otherwise. After the sermon a prayer- 
 meeting commenced, and, after some time, con- 
 cluded without anything remarkable. We who 
 were of the Swinderby party thought it time to 
 go home, and left the chapel for that purpose. 
 
CONVERSION. 
 
 25 
 
 I felt much dissatisfied, as I was going away ex- 
 actly as I came, and proposed to return to the 
 chapel and remain a little longer. To this our 
 party agreed. A prayer-meeting was still going 
 on in the chapel, and some were seeking mercy. 
 Mr. Smith was praying with a poor woman who 
 could not believe in Christ ; and, feeling what 
 was needed, he cried out, with all his soul and 
 might, ‘ Send us more power P I knelt near him, 
 and remember, with some little feeling, I said 
 { Amen.’ Immediately a most overwhelming 
 infiuence came upon me, so that I cried aloud 
 for mercy for the sake of Christ ; while I was, 
 in a minute, as completely bathed with tears and 
 perspiration as if I had been thrown into a river. 
 I prayed, as in an agony, for a few minutes. 
 Mr. Smith came to me, and asked me what I 
 wanted. I answered, ‘ I want my sins to be for- 
 given for the sake of Christ . 5 
 
 “ This was all I knew. I had only one 
 thought, and only one way of expressing it, 
 either to God or man. Mr. Smith asked me if 
 I believed God gave his Son for me, I said, 
 ‘Yes . 5 He then asked, ‘Do you believe that 
 Christ has died for you ? 5 I said, ‘Yes . 5 He 
 then brought me to the point, and asked, ‘ Do 
 you believe that God is satisfied with the atone- 
 ment of his Son, and that now, for his sake, he 
 forgives you ? 5 I could not answer this, but 
 
26 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 cried to God for help, and was enabled to trust 
 in the sufficient atonement of Christ on my per- 
 sonal account. At that moment I felt that par- 
 doning love of God, and cried out, 4 1 do save ! 
 I do save !’ — intending to say, 4 He does save.’ 
 Mr. Smith said, * No, it is Christ that saves you.’ 
 That was what I meant, and what I then pro- 
 claimed with a heart full of 4 joy unspeakable.’ 
 I exhorted all to join me in praising the Lord, 
 and had a most delightful sense of his love, 
 while we sang, 4 Praise God, from whom all 
 blessings flow.’ We then returned home, re- 
 joicing in God; but on the way I was tempted 
 to believe it was all a delusion, until the apos- 
 tle’s words were applied to my mind: 4 Above 
 all, taking the shield of faith, whereby ye shall 
 be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wick- 
 ed ;’ and the temptation was utterly dispelled.” 
 Such was the place and manner of John 
 Hunt’s birth into the new life. The man of 
 mighty faith who knelt by him as he struggled 
 out of the last bonds of unbelief, and uttered his 
 first incoherent joy-cry of freedom, was no stran- 
 ger to such scenes. He was not one of those 
 ministers who can content themselves with the 
 uniform absence of conversions under their min* 
 istry, getting comfort from certain sedative re- 
 flections about edifying the Church, instructing 
 believers, and so forth. John Smith did not 
 
coistversiost. 27 
 
 make one part of his duty a subterfuge, under 
 which to skulk from the performance of the rest. 
 His heart was too large, and too full of the love 
 of Christ, to let him interpret success as the mere 
 hothouse growth of a shut-in churchism; and 
 God, whose Gospel he honored as the Gospel, 
 honored him, and gave him to see hundreds re- 
 claimed from sin, and made happy and holy in 
 Christ Jesus. 
 
 Little did the preacher think wliereunto that 
 rough plowboy’s conversion would grow ; and 
 the plowbov himself little ✓ imagined what a 
 course then opened before him. That heart w^as 
 prepared by God’s tilth ; and there the seed lay 
 safe in God ; s keeping. 
 
 At first the religion of the young convert, 
 who was now about seventeen years old, did not 
 prosper ; he noticed many inconsistencies in one 
 who professed to be a Christian, and made them 
 the subject of conversation elsewhere; and thus 
 a cloud was brought over hisjpwn spirit. After 
 a few months, however, this snare was removed, 
 and John was left alone among those who made 
 no religious pretensions. And now his heart 
 grew stronger in faith, and he advanced steadily 
 in the knowledge and love of God. The cloud 
 passed off, and the young Christian experienced 
 all the fresh brightness which belongs to the 
 morning of the new life. He thus describes it : 
 
28 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 “ In no part of my religions course do I re- 
 member having such near intercourse with God ; 
 such tenderness of conscience ; such delight in 
 his service, and such compassion for the souls of 
 others. I was persecuted by those around me ; 
 but it was ‘ for righteousness 5 sake , 5 according to 
 their own acknowledgment . 55 
 
 The rigid morality and strict observance of 
 the Sabbath which were conspicuous in the 
 young Christian servant, exposed him to much 
 ridicule and annoyance ; and he actually left 
 this situation at last, because his principles were 
 not sufficiently elastic and accommodating to 
 suit the looser notions of others. In regard to 
 all other matters, his situation was very comfort- 
 able ; but his way to leave was plain, though it 
 was by no means so clear what was the next 
 step to be taken : and a time of painful anxiety 
 followed. But the lad’s path was already being 
 turned toward the high career in which he was 
 afterward to be so greatly distinguished, but of 
 which then he had never dreamed. 
 
CALL TO PREACH, 
 
 29 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CALL TO PREACH. 
 
 Another Situation — Reading — Self-culture — First Public Ad- 
 dress — Discouragement — A clear Call — Close Study and Suc- 
 cess — Another Step — Prayer and Diligence — A Candidate for 
 the Wesleyan Ministry — Received for the Foreign Work — Ex- 
 amination in London — Theological Institution. 
 
 John Hunt was next engaged by Mr. Wilkin- 
 son, of Swinderby, for one year. And an im- 
 portant year it was. The new master was a good 
 man ; and, moreover, possessed books, to which 
 his servants had access. Hitherto John’s read- 
 ing had gone very little beyond his Bible. He 
 was now scarcely nineteen years of age, and had 
 read Bunyan’s “ Pilgrim’s Progress,” a part of 
 the Methodist Magazine for 1812, and a few 
 tracts. “ This,” he says, “ was my only library, 
 for the first two years after I begun to serve 
 God.” But now better times had come ; and 
 the unlettered youth stood amazed and delight- 
 ed, as all the treasures of all knowledge seemed 
 to him to be arrayed on the farm-house shelves. 
 Here he first saw the works of Wesley, Paley, 
 and Dwight, and looked with astonishment at 
 the manifold learning of Horne’s “ Introduc- 
 tion,” and other kindred works, each of which 
 seemed to open a new world. From this time 
 
30 A MISSION AK Y AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 he began to be a student. He gave himself up 
 eagerly to the reading of Wesley’s “Notes on 
 the New Testament but the first book that 
 thoroughly got hold of him was Mason on 
 “ Self-Knowdedge and it is impossible to cal- 
 culate how far the wisdom of that book went to 
 lay the foundation of the young reader’s charac- 
 ter. During the rare and scanty leisure left by 
 his farm-work, he read diligently; and new 
 thoughts filled his mind, and the beginnings of a 
 new life were in him, as he strode along beside 
 the team, or followed the plow. Strengthened 
 by the wholesome and nutritious diet afforded 
 by the books within his reach, his mind began 
 to exercise itself ; and lookers-on would never 
 have suspected how, beneath that blue smock, 
 there was a heart often beating high with the 
 consciousness of a power it scarcely dared to 
 - credit. 
 
 Whatever else he read or pondered, John still 
 kept his first book in the first place. As in all 
 his after life, so now, the Bible was the center 
 of his system of study. There his heart was 
 fixed ; and though, as time passed on, his mind, 
 with growing vigor, went forth far, and gathered 
 much wealth of various lore, yet his heart was 
 fixed as at first, and everything he won was 
 stored up where his treasure was. Thus, at the 
 time now referred to, he was accustomed to busj 
 
CALL TO PREACH. 
 
 31 
 
 his mind with a set subject, while his hands 
 were engaged in daily toil. Once only does this 
 habit seem to have interfered with his regular 
 work. Once his master gave him orders to take 
 a load of grain to Newark the next morning. 
 John rose betimes, and fed the horses, and made 
 due preparation for the journey ; but while thus 
 employed, he must have got hold of some speci- 
 ally interesting subject for thought, for he har- 
 nessed the horses and set off to market with 
 an empty wagon ! No doubt his meditations 
 were more profitable to himself than to his 
 master. 
 
 This, however, w r as quite an exceptional oc- 
 currence. No servant more thoroughly served 
 his master. He was always earnest in every- 
 thing, and would sometimes astonish his employ- 
 er by the amount of work he would get through 
 in a short time. ' Generally, the labor of his 
 hands was not hindered by the activity of his 
 mind. Some passage of Scripture usually formed 
 the topic of young Hunt’s meditations ; and he 
 set himself to find the main points contained in 
 it, and to trace out the truths which they indi- 
 cated. Sometimes a feeling would creep over 
 him, as though he were standing before many 
 listeners for whose benefit he unfolded the writ- 
 ten word. But such a thought only startled him, 
 and was soon dismissed. Finding that he was 
 
32 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 much the better for this habit of daily meditation 
 on a fixed passage, he spoke of it to some other 
 members of the society, and recommended them 
 to adopt the same plan. This seems to have 
 deepened the impression felt by some good peo- 
 ple, who had marked the earnest piety of the 
 young man, that he was being prepared for a 
 life of special usefulness. 
 
 One day his master asked him to give a short 
 address on the following Sunday evening, when 
 there was to be no preacher at the Swinderby 
 chapel. John was frightened at the thought; 
 but as several others, for whom he had great 
 respect, backed the request, he gave a timid 
 consent. At the time of service the place was 
 well filled with those who had assembled to hold 
 a prayer-meeting, and before these John stood 
 up in great fear. But his heart was full of 
 young, warm love ; and somehow his thoughts 
 found ready expression in fit wrnrds ; and the 
 address which, perchance, would have offended 
 the nice ears of the refined religionist, neverthe- 
 less greatly warmed the hearts of those plain 
 villagers, and helped them to go forth more 
 cheerily into their next day’s toil. 
 
 They who had asked the young farm-servant 
 to speak at the prayer-meeting felt their con- 
 viction strengthened as to the elements of pow- 
 er which already began to show themselves in 
 
CALL TO PEEACH. 
 
 38 
 
 him ; so they requested him, soon after, to ad- 
 dress the congregation in a little Methodist 
 chapel in another village. His mind was very 
 much disturbed by this application, and he could 
 not think it possible that he had or could have 
 any fitness for such employment. He told all 
 his fears and trouble to his master, and the 
 good man answered in his own plain, honest 
 way, 
 
 “ If the Lord calls thee to the work, he’ll give 
 thee tools to work with.” 
 
 Somewhat enheartened, yet full of misgiving, 
 John, accompanied by a friend, went to the 
 place appointed. He had arranged his thoughts 
 very carefully, and all he intended to say was 
 clearly before him, as he went over it again and 
 again along the road. He reached the little 
 chapel; but when the time came for him to 
 speak his thoughts became confused, and then 
 took flight altogether ; and this first appearance 
 before strangers was by no means a success. 
 Discouraged and sad, he returned home. That 
 was a restless night for him. All he had thought 
 before about his unfitness for such work came 
 back with a force doubled by the remembrance 
 of his failure ; and the only comfort he could 
 find was in resolving never to meddle again with 
 what was clearly no business of his. 
 
 John’s elders, however, still believed that he 
 
81 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 was to preach, and urged him to make fresh 
 trial. There was in Swinderby a local preach- 
 er, in whose class John was a member, and 
 whom he afterward described as “a very pious 
 and clever man, and one of my earliest and 
 best friends . 55 
 
 This Mr. Blyton was appointed to preach one 
 Sunday at the village of Girton; but seeing 
 that something would prevent, asked John to 
 go for him. He could not refuse the urgent 
 request of one in whom he had so much con- 
 fidence. He went to Girton, and got through 
 the service more satisfactorily than at his for- 
 mer attempt. Some good people of respectability 
 and intelligence who attended the chapel were 
 much pleased with this early effort, and greatly 
 delighted the good man who had sent John, by 
 telling him that they hoped he would give them 
 the same substitute whenever he could not come 
 himself. 
 
 But the young man himself was far from sat- 
 isfied, and, from this time, passed through a 
 course of the most distressing doubt and tempt- 
 ation, which lasted some months. He shrank 
 with such unaffected terror from the thought of 
 his presuming, unbidden by God, to touch the 
 holy work of preaching, that for a while he 
 could not receive the encouragements of his 
 friends and fathers of the Church, or admit the 
 
CALL TO PREACH. 
 
 35 
 
 fact, which others rejoiced to see, that his efforts 
 had been made useful. Yielding at last to the 
 judgment of those whom he held in high es- 
 teem, he allowed his name to be put on the cir- 
 cuit plan as an exhorter. On receiving the first 
 plan upon which his name appeared, he took it 
 into his room, and, shutting himself in, spread 
 it before God ; and then he prayed earnestly 
 that he might know whether it was the will of 
 God that he should preach the Gospel. As he 
 knelt, the answer came. His doubts and mis- 
 givings passed away, and a clear conviction 
 came upon him that his duty thenceforth was to 
 preach Christ. From the moment when it was 
 first given, to the day of his death, that con- 
 viction was never disturbed. 
 
 At this important point in his history, John 
 Hunt was not only called by God to preach, but 
 received, with the commission, special grace to 
 fit him for the work. His piety increased, and, 
 under its influence, the noble vigor and earnest- 
 ness of his character soon showed themselves. 
 Conscious of his want of culture, he caught at 
 every chance of training his mind, and was dili- 
 gent in attending an evening school, where he 
 had lessons in writing and English grammar. He 
 soon became a favorite with the village congre- 
 gations whom he addressed. When first he ap- 
 peared before them, many wondered to see such 
 
 Missionary among Cannibals. 3 
 
36 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 a preacher come. His rough and somewhat un- 
 gainly appearance lost none of its effect when he 
 began to speak in rustic brogue ; but as he talk- 
 ed on, among all his blunders, there was some- 
 thing that won the attention. He aimed at 
 nothing grand, but spoke with simplicity that 
 which he evidently thought and felt. When 
 next he came, the wonder was that he improved 
 so fast. Few had any idea of how he had to 
 watch and work to reach that improvement. He 
 was still a servant, and was too genuine a Chris- 
 tian to make religion an excuse for laziness, or 
 to cheat his earthly master under pretext of bet- 
 ter serving his God. Some Sundays he had to 
 preach at a distant place, and could not get back 
 before midnight; but, though he might have 
 walked many miles that day, he was in the 
 stable attending to his horse by four o’clock the 
 next morning. Besides this, he very frequently 
 spent two whole nights a week in prayer and 
 reading the Bible, with Wesley’s, Fletcher’s, 
 and Watson’s w r orks. Nearly twenty years had 
 been lost, and “the King’s business required 
 haste but the young watcher, working with 
 such intense effort, little thought how great was 
 the enterprise for which he was being fitted by 
 Him who strengthened his servant to gather in 
 months the fruit of years. 
 
 John Hunt, the plowboy, as he was still call- 
 
CALL TO PREACH. 
 
 37 
 
 ed, soon became a great favorite at the country 
 chapels in the Lincoln circuit, and the people 
 flocked to hear him, while many had good rea- 
 son to be glad that they had ever listened to 
 his voice. 
 
 In the year 1833 the Rev. William Smith 
 was appointed to superintend the Lincoln cir- 
 cuit, and, soon after his arrival, had an oppor- 
 tunity of hearing John Hunt preach in a vil- 
 lage chapel. There was enough excellence in 
 the young preacher, notwithstanding his rustic 
 bearing, his awkward manner, and broad dialect, 
 to convince Mr. Smith that he was listening to 
 one who gave uncommon promise of future 
 power. After the service Mr. Smith went to 
 speak to Hunt, and was astonished to hear him 
 say that he was only a common farm-servant. 
 The minister then questioned him as to whether 
 he had ever felt any conviction that he ought 
 to give himself up entirely to the work of 
 preaching. The young man was evidently 
 startled at an inquiry which went at once into 
 that secret place of his heart, where, for some 
 time, there had been a confused moving of un- 
 shapen desires and vague longings after some 
 other sphere of action. It was not likely that 
 the plowboy would feel all he had felt, as he 
 found something in himself that claimed kindred 
 with the master-minds whose w T orks he had stud- 
 
38 A MISSIONAKY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 ied with such delight, and yet jog on as a mere 
 plowboy still. The full-winged vigor, which 
 strengthened so fast, could not but feel some 
 impatience at the binding of the old chrysalis 
 shell. There is in all true genius an instinct as 
 unerring as that of the forest-bird which, hatch- 
 • ed in the nest of some homestead fowl, moves 
 restless among the well-fed pensioners at the 
 barn-door, until, finding some day that its pin- 
 ions have grown strong, it starts with exulting 
 cry from the low ground, and makes straight 
 and swiftly away for the freedom of the woods. 
 John Hunt had genius, as true as ever bore up 
 some from the low level where once they walk- 
 ed to the highest and noblest fame. But he 
 had in him more than the impulse of genius. 
 A power, not of this world, wrought mightily 
 in his soul. The word of Him who called those 
 fishermen, so that they left their nets and fol- 
 lowed him, had come to this youth. As yet 
 the word was not all spoken ; but the listener’s 
 soul heard enough to make him feel that he 
 might not always hold that plow. 
 
 When, therefore, Hunt was asked whether he 
 had thought of giving himself to the work of 
 the ministry, he declared that a sense of unfit- 
 ness made him shrink altogether from such a 
 suggestion. But he confessed that he had an 
 “ ambition ”■ — so he expressed it — “ to go to the 
 
CALL TO PREACH. 
 
 39 
 
 Cape, as a servant to Laidman Hodgson,” the 
 missionary, who had occasionally ministered in 
 Lincolnshire ; there, he thought, he might do 
 gardening and farm-work, and perhaps “ a little 
 in teaching children in the Sunday school, and 
 in preaching to the English settlers.” This in- 
 terview confirmed Mr. Smith’s conviction that 
 the young local preacher was to occupy a posi- 
 tion of greater activity in the Church, and he 
 was accordingly sent to some of the larger 
 chapels in the country places, and then into the 
 city. He went on improving rapidly, until, in 
 the beginning of 1834, he entered the service of 
 another Wesleyan, Mr. George Briggs, of Potter 
 Hanworth. 
 
 During his residence in this place Hunt 
 gained much power as a preacher. Not only 
 was he sought after in the country, but the city 
 congregations listened to him with delight. 
 Judging him by the standard of education and 
 refinement, he was seriously deficient; but his 
 defects were forgotten in admiration of his well- 
 chosen and simple language ; his rich imagina- 
 tion adorning the solid, logical structure of his 
 discourse ; the might of earnestness by which the 
 fire in the preacher’s heart mastered his hearers, 
 until sometimes the whole audience bowed be- 
 fore the uplifting of that hard, rough hand, and 
 sobs and tears replied to those earnest, though 
 
40 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 ungrammatical appeals. The secret of his suc- 
 cess is given in a scrap which he wrote about 
 the time of his removing to Potter Hanworth : 
 
 “ I see, to be useful as a public speaker, I must 
 be eminent as a private Christian . 55 And then 
 he upbraids himself for not having visited the 
 sick diligently, or reproved sin faithfully. 
 
 While many admired and sought him, he did 
 not seem to be lifted up by their praise ; but the 
 growing consciousness of his own defects kept 
 him very humble, and led him to continued 
 prayer. The power which he exercised in the 
 pulpit he had gained in the closet. What sea- 
 sons of intense pleading were passed there, none 
 can know but He who “seeth in secret ! 55 On 
 one occasion he had retired before preaching, 
 and a young man went to speak to him, but 
 quickly came back, saying that the preacher had 
 not noticed him entering the room, but seemed 
 so rapt in communion with God that he had not 
 the heart to disturb him. 
 
 On a Sunday morning he often went, as early 
 as four o’clock, to see another local preacher who 
 resided in the same place, and who still remem- 
 bers him with reverent affection ; and these two 
 would diligently prepare themselves by conver- 
 sation and prayer for the work of the day. 
 
 It was now generally known that Hunt was 
 to be proposed as a candidate for the Wesleyan 
 
CALL TO PREACH. 
 
 41 
 
 ministry. The first step was to get the recom- 
 mendation of the circuit quarterly meeting. This 
 was given unanimously and heartily in March, 
 1835. In the following May he passed the dis- 
 trict meeting, and was accepted as a preacher on 
 trial by the conference of the same year. He 
 had never lost his first bias of inclination toward 
 the mission work, and it was at once decided 
 that he should be sent abroad. He still clung 
 to the idea of going to the Cape, and hoped 
 that he should receive an appointment to that 
 colony. 
 
 When he came up to London to be examined, 
 with other candidates, before the missionary com- 
 mittee, his superintendent minister had to send 
 the usual communication about him, containing, 
 among other things, some sketch of the candi- 
 date’s character and attainments. Mr. Smith’s 
 letter about this Lincolnshire farm-boy amused 
 the secretaries, who thought it a piece of good- 
 natured extravagance ; but when they came to 
 examine the young man, they very readily ac- 
 knowledged that he was far beyond the average 
 standard. It was decided that Hunt should be 
 sent to the Theological Institution, which had 
 been established at Hoxton the year before. 
 
 There were some who regarded this step with 
 anxiety and almost with fear. They dreaded 
 the effect of such an entire change upon one in 
 
42 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 whom they felt the deepest interest. They saw 
 the need of refinement, but felt alarm lest, in the 
 process, some of the pure metal might be lost. 
 These were not among the objectors who, almost 
 invariably uneducated themselves, can see no 
 need of an educated ministry, and who hold that 
 there can be no increase of learning or mental 
 culture except at the expense of piety. Those 
 who followed John Hunt to London with their 
 prayers were the first to acknowledge the bene- 
 fit he derived from his residence there, and be- 
 came zealous supporters of the institution, upon 
 which they looked at first with shyness and mis- 
 trust. 
 
 Hunt himself rejoiced at the prospect of going 
 to Hoxton ; and spending the latter part of the 
 time in Lincolnshire with Mr. Grimes, of "Wad- 
 dington, had leisure to prepare himself more 
 fully for regular study. 
 
STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 43 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 STUDENT LIFE. 
 
 Progress — Advice to a Class-leader — Plan of Daily Devotions — 
 Letter to Dr. Bunting — Second Session at Hoxton — Christian 
 Holiness — Spiritual History — The Eev. John M’Lean’s Visit 
 to Hoxton — Eevival — Sanctification — Eapid Improvement — 
 The Preacher — The Man — Oxford — Third Session began. 
 
 In September, 1835, John Hunt entered the 
 Theological Institution, which was then under the 
 government of that most reverend man, Joseph 
 Entwisle. There were about twenty young men 
 in the institution, and among these the Lincoln- 
 shire man soon became a general favorite; 
 though his blunders in reading, his ungainly 
 carriage, and provincial brogue, sometimes pro- 
 voked a smile. 
 
 It was a great change from farm work to stu- 
 dent life, and at first the young countryman 
 found himself suffering from headache ; but be- 
 fore long he was able to apply himself with all 
 his characteristic earnestness to his studies, and, 
 as might be expected, his progress was rapid and 
 sure. He became warmly attached to Mr. En- 
 twisle and the tutors, and won the unceasing 
 esteem and love of his fellow-students. 
 
 As a preacher he was frequently employed, 
 
44 A MISSIONAKY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 and often with marked success. About two 
 months after his arrival in London he writes to 
 a friend : 
 
 “ The Lord has made me a blessing since I 
 came to London. O that I were more holy ! 
 then I believe I should be more useful. I am 
 afraid some will be lost because I am not more 
 holy ! But why should this be the case ? My 
 God is willing to give me all the salvation 
 which Jesus died to purchase for me, and wil- 
 ling now. Lord, I do receive more of thy sal- 
 vation while I am writing ! I do receive by 
 faith an increase of holiness. Lord, help me to 
 believe, and all is mine ! 
 
 ‘ Give, give all my soul requires, 
 
 All, all that is in thee.’ 
 
 “ Let us not be satisfied with being ordinary 
 Christians. Let us pray and believe, until pray- 
 ing and believing become habitual. I believe 
 it is possible to live in the Spirit to such a de- 
 gree that it would be as natural to pray and be- 
 lieve as to breathe.” 
 
 To the same friend, who had recently become 
 a class-leader, he wrote some time afterward : 
 “I am very happy that I have now to think of 
 you and to pray for you in an official character. 
 I think this is one of the most important periods 
 of your life. Although I have not sustained the 
 office myself, perhaps I may give a little instruc- 
 
PEOGEESS. 
 
 45 
 
 tion on this subject. I think, then, that every 
 class-leader should be a diligent student of per- 
 sonal experience. You must in this respect be 
 always at home, reading your own heart, attend- 
 ing to all its workings, and making experiments. 
 You will find this of great use. In connection 
 with reading your own heart, you must read and 
 study, as time will permit, Mr. W esley’s 4 Ser- 
 mons and Notes on the New Testament,’ in 
 which you will find religion taught in the same 
 way in which God teaches it to every child of 
 his, in his own experience, by his Holy Spirit. 
 These things, of course, must be subordinate to 
 the study of your Bible. And, with respect to 
 that blessed book, w T e must always be scholars : 
 I mean literally such. We must never give up 
 the practice of committing Scripture to memory. 
 We never speak to or for God better than when 
 we do it in his own words. Recommend this 
 plan to your charge, and follow it yourself. 
 
 44 As soon as you can, it will be well to ask 
 them to pray in the class. They will often get 
 more spiritual good in this way than in any 
 other. Try to make them active. When you 
 can, take them with you to visit the sick ; and 
 use every possible argument to cure their natu- 
 ral shame of religion. 
 
 44 But you know all these things ; and I beg 
 your pardon for saying so much on the subject. 
 
46 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 Since I last wrote, I have not been so well in 
 health as formerly ; but I am now getting bet- 
 ter. With respect to my experience, it has 
 varied very much — too much, ‘ O how waver- 
 ing is my mind V Sometimes I have been get- 
 ting on well ; at other times I have gone the 
 contrary way ; so that I fear I am not much ad- 
 vanced. Perhaps you think me rather back- 
 ward in stating my Christian experience. It is 
 not for want of Christian love to you, or of 
 Christian confidence in you. No, the one is pure 
 and fervent ; the other firm and unwavering. 
 But the reason (if I have one) is, that I am 
 ashamed of it: not ashamed of the religion I 
 have, but ashamed that I have so little. I find 
 myself reproved, however, for this, in your hon- 
 est confession of fault and unfaithfulness. I 
 have much cause for such confessions. I am a 
 very ungrateful child, and sometimes suffer very 
 much on account of my unfaithfulness. How- 
 ever, I have much cause of gratitude to my long- 
 suffering God. He is good ! He is good ! O 
 that my heart were filled with love ! O that 
 my lips could speak his praise ! I have found 
 the Lord good to me in my public engagements 
 lately. 
 
 4 Tis worth living for this, to administer bliss 
 And salvation in Jesus’ name !’ 
 
 “I enjoyed the missionary anniversaries very 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 47 
 
 much, and I trust was afresh baptized with the 
 missionary spirit. We had very pleasing in- 
 telligence from Africa, the place, I expect, of 
 my future labors. It is probable that I shall 
 have another year in the institution. I hope I 
 shall. I am just getting into my studies, and 
 another year would be of much more use than 
 this has been. But I must submit to the will 
 of my heavenly Father and his Church. 55 
 
 Toward the close of this his first year at the 
 Theological Institution, Hunt had adopted the 
 following plan for his devotions at the beginning 
 and close of the day : 
 
 “ 1. Commence the day with praising God for 
 the mercies of the past night, and repeat the 
 Lord’s Prayer. 2. As far as possible, lay out 
 the business of the day. 3. Bring every part of 
 this business before God in prayer, and ask his 
 help against the probable dangers of the day. 
 4. Bead a portion of the New Testament on my 
 knees. 5. Bead a portion of the Old Testament, 
 and pray for my friends, relatives, the Church, 
 and the world. Altogether this will occupy an 
 hour. 
 
 “ Night. — 1. Commit to memory a passage of 
 Scripture. 2. Self-examination ; confession ; 
 thanksgiving ; prayer. 55 
 
 With much anxiety, and far more satisfaction 
 to the judges than to himself, Hunt passed the 
 
48 A MISSION ARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 examination at the end of the year. He had 
 now learned enough to make him more hungry 
 than ever after knowledge, and was full of fear 
 lest he should be taken away from Hoxton be- 
 fore he had made further progress. In writing 
 to Dr. Bunting, the president of the institution, 
 he says : 
 
 “ Such is the sense which I feel of my 
 privileges in the Wesleyan Theological Institu- 
 tion, that I regard my coming to it as the most 
 important event of my life, my conversion to 
 God excepted. 
 
 “ Among the many privileges which I have 
 enjoyed in the institution, the fatherly and pas- 
 toral care of our honored governor, the Rev. 
 Joseph Entwisle, has not been the least import- 
 ant and useful. From him I have received 
 much Christian counsel and advice. He has 
 endeavored to correct my errors in reading, 
 writing, &c., and has given me much instruc- 
 tion concerning Methodism generally, and the 
 duty of a Methodist preacher in particular. 
 These instructions, together with his holy ex- 
 ample, have been, and I am sure will be, of 
 great service to me. He has always endea- 
 vored, and I trust not without success, to im- 
 press upon our minds the important truth, that 
 the great work of a Christian minister is to ‘ save 
 himself and them that hear him.’ 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 49 
 
 “The instructions which I have received in 
 Christian theology from our honored theological 
 tutor, the Rev. John Hannah, have been of the 
 most beneficial character.” After sketching 
 the theological course, he proceeds : “ I have in- 
 variably retired from these lectures with a deep 
 sense of my own ignorance, and with new and 
 exalted views of the authority, excellence, and 
 truth of the Bible. And I trust that, in some 
 degree, my mind has been stored with its truths, 
 and my heart with its grace.” 
 
 He then goes on to enumerate his other studies, 
 all of which had, of course, been purely ele- 
 mentary. He had begun to enjoy researches 
 into History, Logic, Astronomy, Electricity, and 
 Chemistry, but was paying special attention to 
 English Grammar, Geography, and Arithmetic. 
 In concluding, he writes : “ I have preached 
 eighty-eight times since I have been in the 
 institution, and I hope I have not labored in vain. 
 
 “Allow me, sir, in conclusion, to say, that 
 such is my view of the importance and respon- 
 sibility of the Christian ministry, my own un- 
 fitness for the proper discharge of its various 
 duties, the good which I have already derived 
 from the institution, and the adaptation of every- 
 thing connected with it to make me ‘ a workman 
 that needeth not to be ashaiped,’ that I earnestly 
 request that I may stay another year.” 
 
50 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 The importance of Hunt’s continuing a stu- 
 dent at Hoxton was felt by others as well as 
 himself; and in August, 1836, he resumed his 
 work, after having visited his home, and preach- 
 ed about thirty times during the vacation. 
 
 This session was remarkable in the course of 
 John Hunt’s studies as the time when he began 
 to learn Latin and Greek. But it is far worthier 
 of note in the religious history of the student- 
 preacher. He returned to Hoxton dissatisfied 
 with his own degree of piety, and with a convic- 
 tion of the need of holiness, which seems to 
 have oppressed rather than stimulated him. He 
 addressed himself diligently to the subject of 
 Christian holiness as a part of his theological 
 studies, and a solid foundation of well ascer- 
 tained truth was the result. Already his views 
 on this great matter were clear, well assorted, 
 and carefully guarded. Some who have taught 
 a recklessly loose doctrine of perfection might 
 learn, with advantage to themselves and their 
 disciples, from the young student. 
 
 “ I am very much afraid,” he says, writing to 
 a friend, “ of people who have exalted views of 
 sanctification lowering the standard of justifica- 
 tion. I think this is not a needless fear. I have 
 known some who have professed to enjoy entire 
 sanctification, who have asserted the impossibility 
 of forgiving our enemies, and of loving them 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 51 
 
 that hate us, and of blessing them that curse us, 
 in a justified state. Now I am sure this is con- 
 trary to my experience, and I think to yours, 
 and I think to the word of God. 55 
 
 The more Hunt searched into the teachings 
 and promises of the Bible concerning holiness, 
 the more he reproached himself with living un- 
 blessed by the great good which he saw within 
 his reach. A notable crisis in the young preach- 
 er’s life was close at hand ; and it is well that 
 of this very time we have a brief record, given 
 by himself. 
 
 “Nov. 4, 1836. I now, in the fear of God, 
 commence keeping a diary. I think it will be 
 of use to me. And as this is a very important 
 period of my life, I have no doubt that what I 
 may write will be useful to me in future days. 
 I am now in a poor state in my soul. I have 
 enjoyed much more religion than I enjoy at pres- 
 ent. I have been very unfaithful to my God ; 
 and, although I constantly purpose to be more 
 devoted to him, I am as often unfaithful to my 
 purpose, or I fail in performing it for want of 
 more strength. I trust in Jesus for all that I need. 
 
 “ Saturday , 5. I bless God, I think I have 
 had a better day to-day. I went this afternoon 
 into the town with tracts, and found many poor 
 creatures glad to receive them. Some of these 
 are wretched indeed. I hope I feel for them ; 
 
 Missionary among Cannibals. 4 
 
52 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 but I do not feel half enough. To-night I went 
 to a prayer-meeting. I professed to be in 
 earnest for full salvation. 0 that my future life 
 may give evidence that this profession was a 
 true one ! I need, I very much need, this 
 blessing. I know it is the will of God that I 
 should have it. O why have I not ? Lord, save 
 me, I beseech thee, for Christ’s sake ! 
 
 “ Sunday , 6. I had not so much comfort 
 in preaching as I generally have. I think, how- 
 ever, that I am making some progress in re- 
 ligion. 
 
 “ Monday , 7. I think, on the whole, I have 
 made some improvement in my spiritual con- 
 cerns this day. But I want to be more holy. 
 I am full of sin and am not fit either for God’s 
 service here or for his heaven if he were to 
 call me. Jesus, let me know my interest in 
 thee for full salvation. Nothing but this can 
 fully fit me for the important work of preach- 
 ing the Gospel. O what are all other qualifi- 
 cations ? Lord, save me ! 
 
 “ Tuesday , 8. I think I am making some 
 improvement in the things of God. I have 
 heard Brother IT. to-night, and I think I shall 
 be more earnest than I have been to save sin- 
 ners. 
 
 “ Wednesday , 9. I have had a comfortable 
 day to-day. I believe the Lord is leading me 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 53 
 
 on in the paths of righteousness for his Name’s 
 sake. I want to be more, much more devoted 
 to God. I expect I shall have to go to Africa, 
 and I am sure I am not at all fit for such an 
 undertaking in my present state. I want more 
 of everything, but especially religion . Lord, 
 save me, for Christ's sake ! 
 
 “ Thursday , 10. I have had a tolerably 
 good day. I have to study very hard, perhaps 
 harder than I ought ; but I have much, very 
 much, to learn ; and there are many things 
 which I must learn here, or I will never learn 
 them at all. But what use will it all be if I 
 have not a proportionate degree of religion ? 
 Thank God, I may have this ! I may have as 
 much of the best of all gifts as I am willing 
 to receive. God has placed the whole of the 
 Gospel blessings within my reach. I know I 
 have only to 6 ask and have whate’er I want.’ 
 
 “ Friday , 11. I have had a good day. I 
 think I make some improvement ; but I am not 
 cleansed from all sin. I feel that a want of full 
 salvation is a real hinderance to me. 
 
 “ Tuesday , 15. My silence so long speaks 
 against me and this is only one witness. Con- 
 science also speaks, and I find I am not getting 
 on so well as I have been. I was at Graves- 
 end on Sunday, and preached three times, from 
 Matt, xxii, 37 ; Mai. iii, 16 ; Acts xiii, 38, 39. 
 
54 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 I had a good day, and I was made a blessing 
 in some degree. I want more of God. Last 
 night I heard Mr. Dawson. A blessed man 
 he is. 
 
 “ Wednesday , 23. On Sunday I was at 
 
 Norwood. I preached twice and held a love- 
 feast. I had a good day, and heard what I had 
 never heard in my life. A gentleman told me 
 that he attended a lovefeast at Brixton the Sun- 
 day before, and out of twelve that spoke, eleven 
 enjoyed entire sanctification. What a blessing! 
 Glory be to God ! But I don’t enjoy it. I find 
 
 it is enjoyed by some in the institution: 
 
 professed it to-night in the class-meeting, and I 
 
 believe is near to the kingdom of God. 
 
 Lord, help me ! I am far from it yet. 
 
 “ Thursday , 24. I have had a better day, I 
 think, although I am far from being happy. But 
 I do not expect to be very happy until I get 
 fully sanctified. I seem to be a long way from 
 the kingdom of God. I know it is my privilege. 
 Lord, quicken me, for thy name’s sake ! Amen. 
 
 “ Monday , 28. I bless my God for his 
 goodness to me. If I have not very much de- 
 ceived myself, I have had a good day to-day. I 
 was at Waltham Abbey yesterday and at Cop- 
 thall. I preached in the morning from, ‘ We 
 love him, because he first loved us.’ In the 
 afternoon from, ‘Be careful for nothing,’ etc. 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 55 
 
 In the evening, Acts xiii, 38, 39. I had a good 
 day, and hope I was made a blessing to the 
 people. More of the young men are getting 
 full salvation. Glory be to God ! I hope I 
 shall soon be one of them. Lord, help me ! 
 
 “ Tuesday , 29. Thank God, I have had a 
 good day to-day! I am getting nearer the 
 kingdom of God, and I hope soon to enter in. 
 I feel the Lord is ready to save me. There is 
 a most blessed feeling among us in the institu- 
 tion at this time. I hope the Lord will arise, 
 and maintain his own work among us, and 
 sanctify us all? 
 
 The time now referred to was indeed memor- 
 able at Hoxton. Not long before, the Rev. John 
 M’Lean had visited the institution, and address- 
 ed the students in his own warm, earnest way. 
 His appeal went on sounding in the hearts of 
 his hearers after he had gone, and day by day 
 they were roused more fully. It was evident 
 that a fresh power was at work, quietly but 
 certainly, among the men. When they met 
 they wore a more serious look; and, passing 
 by the study doors, one might have heard from 
 some of the rooms the suppressed pleadings of 
 a man in an agony of prayer. At the house- 
 hold worship, morning and evening, the same 
 power showed itself in the intense feeling with 
 which the hymn was sung, and which caused 
 
56 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 many a response to the petitions of the student 
 whose turn it was to conduct the service. Then 
 at the class-meeting, one day, a brother praised 
 the Lord, and told how he felt that “ the blood 
 of Jesus Christ his Son cleansed from all sin.” 
 That thanksgiving cheered on several who had 
 been secretly weeping before God and longing 
 to be made holy. Then they were drawn to- 
 gether by the common desire, and from one 
 study and another there was heard the voice of 
 those who cried after deliverance, and the ex- 
 ulting praise of those who felt that now sin had 
 no more bonds for them. Those were glorious 
 days in the old institution house. Men got 
 blessed there who have carried blessing to many 
 since. Hearts were hallowed there which have 
 brought the same power of purifying into many 
 a Church and many a home since. Arms got 
 strengthened there for the work and the fight, 
 in which they have wrought and battled as con- 
 querors since. And some, in whose breasts the 
 glory of the Most High then shone, wear that 
 glory on their brows in paradise now. 
 
 When the rich baptism came from heaven 
 upon that band of students, John Hunt’s heart 
 opened to receive it. Of late he had been again 
 and again trouble^ by finding that he had not 
 lost all tendency toward former evil. Some- 
 times such discoveries made him fear lest, after 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 57 
 
 all, he should become a castaway. He knew 
 that the same grace which, through faith in Je- 
 sus, had already changed his heart, while it 
 brought remission of past sin, could also end the 
 perpetual conflict by which only he had since 
 kept his ground. He had 'known this long ; and 
 now the time came when he wholly yielded him- 
 self to the working of that grace. Let him tell 
 the history of it himself : 
 
 “ I was praying in my closet, and saw very 
 clearly that God’s plan of saving was through 
 faith in Jesus. I therefore came to the atone- 
 ment just as I was, polluted indeed, but not so 
 much so that the blood of Christ could not 
 cleanse me. As soon as I ventured I found the 
 Lord faithful to his promise, and the blood of 
 Christ at that moment cleansed me from all sin. 
 Since then (about three weeks before) I have 
 had constant peace and sometimes ecstatic joy. 
 I have felt no sin, and consequently have been 
 preserved from those troubles which inbred cor- 
 ruption used to cause. I now find daily what 
 for years I have thought to be impossible, to live 
 without condemnation. Thank God, all is peace, 
 and calmness, and love ! I begin in the morn- 
 ing to praise him the moment I rise, and thus 
 endeavor to begin, continue, and end the day 
 with God. 
 
 “ I think it is possible to receive fresh bless- 
 
58 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 ings every moment, and to honor God every mo- 
 ment. Why not ? Glory to God ! it must be 
 his will ; and if it be my desire and I have 
 faith, I see nothing to withstand it.” 
 
 This great religious quickening at . the institu- 
 tion was no passing excitement, and its effect 
 was far more than the introduction of an enthu- 
 siastic mysticism among the students. The con- 
 gregations before which they had to minister 
 felt that a new power was upon the young men 
 at Hoxton; and much Church indifference was 
 disturbed, and many sinners awakened by their 
 preaching. Instead of yielding to the thought 
 that they must wait until their full ministerial 
 employment for opportunities of general useful- 
 ness, the brightened light within them showed 
 them the evil and wretchedness which were in 
 their own neighborhood. So they took the poor- 
 er districts as the scene of work, and using the 
 offer of a tract as an introduction, went from 
 house to house trying to do good, and not with- 
 out marked success. 
 
 ' As the session wore on, John Hunt, with his 
 heart overflowing with holy joy, grew rapidly in 
 all knowledge. Already there was a great out- 
 ward change in him. Much of his roughness 
 had gone ; but all the sterling worth of the man 
 remained uninjured. His appearance, manner, 
 and dress were in keeping with his character. 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 59 
 
 As he stood up to preach, everything about him 
 struck the observers with the idea of power. 
 His tall and well-proportioned frame — massive, 
 but not stout, broad of chest and large of limb — 
 was the true type of the soul within. When he 
 spoke, good and solid thoughts came forth, with 
 natural utterance, in plain, manly speech, sinewy 
 and strong; no affectation, no tinsel, nothing 
 weak, nothing small. Yet, with all this power, 
 there was nothing unwieldy or vulgar. True, it 
 wanted no keen critic to discover whence he 
 came ; for his words had a northern sound about 
 them, and the preacher had something of the 
 farmer-look still ; but his frank, expressive face 
 had become pale with thought and hard study, 
 and there was a masterly light in his clear, 
 steady eye that commanded respect. And as 
 he went on, warming as he preached, how that 
 eye would flame sometimes ! and what a token 
 of might was the stretching forth of that long 
 arm ! and in every sentence or action there was 
 a manly grace, as far from all coarseness as from 
 a finicking dandyism. 
 
 By his friends he was greatly loved. And 
 no wonder. He was a man ; a man among the 
 crowds of the human race who call themselves 
 men, and are not. For verily there are those 
 who have naught of great manhood but the 
 form ; and some have been thrust high up, and 
 
60 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 crowned with bay, or laurel, or gold, or other 
 glitter, who would have to go back to childhood 
 again to get a chance of becoming men. In vir- 
 tue, then, of his simple manliness of character, 
 John Hunt was greatly beloved. A cheery 
 brightness made his face shine, and his whole 
 manner was free and happy among friends ; 
 though when, as sometimes it happened, he fell 
 among grand people, he was manifestly ill at 
 ease in the unaccustomed restraints of “ compa- 
 ny. ?? But when at home , he was a companion 
 and a friend to rejoice in. He looked at a sub- 
 ject in a clear, common-sense fashion, and talked 
 accordingly. Ho tinsel, frippery, or sham had 
 any charms for him. He sought after the 
 thoroughly good and real, and gathered a great 
 store of such sterling wealth more quickly than 
 most men. Yet he was by no means of that 
 hard, cast-iron temperament which affects to de- 
 spise the tender and beautiful. His heart readily 
 softened into pity, and was made glad by beauty 
 everywhere. Then, too, he spoke out with such 
 an unmistakable clearness, and all the while 
 looked at you with such a bright honesty, that 
 you felt he could never deceive any one. Yet 
 he was not one of those rude troublers of all 
 peace who rejoice in wounding and disturbing 
 by what they call their plainness, a decent name 
 which they give to the barking of their currish 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 61 
 
 vulgarity. John Hunt had in him the essential 
 principle of all true politeness, (a sensitive regard 
 for the feelings of others,) in the absence of 
 which, the elegances taught by professors and 
 governesses are but a sorry makeshift. The pur- 
 suit of a great object, and constant intercourse 
 with the loftiest truths, raised the man, while the 
 power of a deep and fervent piety made him 
 fruitful in every good word and work. 
 
 At the close of this second year’s study Hunt 
 passed his examinations with great credit, and 
 w T as engaged during the vacation to work in the 
 Oxford circuit for some weeks. Before leaving 
 Hoxton he was glad to learn that he would 
 probably return there, and continue his studies 
 until the time came for him to go abroad. 
 Toward that time he looked with longing. 
 Nothing bent his first missionary purpose, and 
 daily he prayed for fitness to preach the Gospel 
 in Africa. 
 
 “ I am now,” he writes to a friend, “as you 
 see, at the grand city of Oxford. It is a most 
 beautiful place, to be sure. I think God is 
 making me a blessing to the people here. The 
 congregations in Oxford, and in the country 
 places too, have increased much, and there is 
 certainly a deeper interest felt in religious things. 
 I have all the respect that I can possibly desire ; 
 but I want to see a more signal work of God. 
 
62 A MISSION AKY AMONG CANNIBALS 
 
 I thank my God, for myself, I continue to give 
 myself to him, and he gives his blessing to me. 
 Last night we had a missionary tea-meeting, and 
 I got almost to the top of my missionary feeling. 
 We had a very affecting time indeed, and I 
 trust the fruits of it will be seen another day. 
 I think I can say my heart is more than ever in 
 the missionary work. I have been rather pained 
 of late to find people so anxious to keep me at 
 home. I give them credit for their affection 
 and motives, but not for the simplicity of their 
 religion. I think true religion is truly mission- 
 ary, and am glad for the heathen to have the 
 Gospel at any price.” 
 
 Elsewhere he says : “ I think I have not made 
 holiness so prominent as I should have done. I 
 intend to preach on the subject to-morrow if all 
 be well. I suppose some here are opposed to 
 the doctrine or to the manner of stating it. I 
 am only anxious to be faithful and useful. I 
 think the greater part of the people here are 
 right-hearted. I trust we shall have a blessed 
 work of God. I do not think it will be so un- 
 less they have an increase of holiness. ’ Lord, 
 help me ! I pray for an increase myself ; this 
 is the first step to a revival of God’s work.” 
 
 In August Mr. Hunt returned to Hoxton, full 
 of affectionate regard for “ the dear people at 
 Oxford,” of whose kindness he spoke in the 
 
PROGRESS. 
 
 63 
 
 strongest terms. The remaining months of the 
 year were spent in hard study and frequent 
 preaching. In all his laborious preparation, 
 Africa was uppermost in his thoughts, and he 
 worked on to get his mind more fully furnished 
 and equipped, while he liked to think that his 
 agricultural knowledge would help him to raise 
 the condition of the Kaffirs. 
 
 At this period his public advocacy of Chris- 
 tian missions is worthy of note. His speeches 
 on this great subject were very telling, and left 
 a deep impression on his hearers; the effect of 
 which was seen in much of that intense interest 
 which was universally felt in the mission of 
 which Mr. Hunt afterward became such a dis- 
 tinguished member. 
 
64 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBAL8. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MISSION APPOINTMENT. 
 
 “ Pity poor Fiji ” — Test — Triumph — Leaving Hoxton — Visit to 
 Lincolnshire — Marriage — Colleagues — Ordination — Letter to 
 Dr. Hannah. 
 
 While Hunt’s heart and mind were fixed on 
 Africa, as the place of his future service, a great 
 cry reached England from the far Pacific. In 
 Tonga and the Friendly Islands the Wesleyan 
 missionaries had been at work for some time, 
 and with great success. Within two hundred 
 and fifty miles of these islands lay the larger and 
 more important group of Fiji, which was fre- 
 quently visited, in the way of trade, by the Ton- 
 gans, who brought back horrible tales of what 
 they saw and heard. After a time two mission- 
 aries were sent from the Friendly Islands, to try 
 to open a mission in Fiji. They soon found that 
 but a little had been told of the dreadful con- 
 dition of this group, where the most revolting 
 cruelties and systematic cannibalism were all 
 but universal. Then was sent to England that 
 appeal, “ Pity poor Fiji,” which was issued from 
 the Wesleyan mission house, and stirred the 
 Methodist societies throughout the kingdom. It 
 awoke the strongest feeling among the young 
 
MISSION APPOINTMENT. 
 
 65 
 
 men at Hoxton, and Hunt felt as much as any ; 
 but still he regarded it as a settled thing that he 
 was to go to Africa. In the beginning of Feb- 
 ruary, 1838, he received a summons to the mis- 
 sion house, where he was asked whether he 
 would go to Fiji. Startled at such an unexpect- 
 ed request, he returned to Hoxton much troubled, 
 and, making his way to the room of a fellow- 
 student, said, with quick, excited tones : 
 
 “They have proposed that I go to Fiji.” 
 
 His friend felt almost shocked at this sudden 
 announcement, and deeply sympathized with 
 Hunt, whose whole frame seemed writhing with 
 an emotion he had never shown before. He ex- 
 pressed this sympathy, and spoke of the perils 
 and hardships of a mission to those cannibals. 
 
 “ O that’s not it !” exclaimed the other, almost 
 passionately. 
 
 “What is it, then?” Hunt’s strong form was 
 almost convulsed by some intense feeling. At 
 last he said : 
 
 “ I’ll tell you what it is. That poor girl in 
 Lincolnshire will never go with me to Fiji ; her 
 mother will never consent !” 
 
 It was with no craven fear that the young 
 man trembled, but with the yearning of his 
 great heart toward her he had faithfully loved 
 for the last six years, and who had nobly con- 
 sented to share the missionary’s life anywhere. 
 
66 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 But the dreadful things just heard about Fiji 
 made him fear on account of that gentler one 
 who so long had leaned on his strong love. His 
 friend advised him to write at once to Miss 
 Summers, who was then at Leeds on a visit, and 
 to all who were concerned ; and trust in that 
 God who, if he gave the call, would also make 
 the way plain. And, feeling the matter to be 
 too great to admit of anything but simple plain- 
 ness, he sat down and wrote to “ that poor girl 
 in Lincolnshire ” as follows : 
 
 “ My Dear Hannah, 
 
 “ I have some strange news to tell you, and I 
 am not able to use many words in making it 
 known ; you must therefore excuse my abrupt- 
 ness. I have been fixed upon by the missionary 
 committee to go to the South Seas. You must 
 therefore immediately return home, and make * 
 preparations for becoming a missionary’s wife to 
 a most remote station for twenty years. Ho 
 one knows my feelings, dear, for our dear friends. 
 
 I hope the Lord, who has led us hitherto, will 
 still guide and help us. I never had such diffi- 
 culty in seeing my way. I believe it is, of God ; 
 it is entirely unsought for by me. I need say 
 no more. May our God help us and bless us in 
 this most important and distressing affair! I 
 shall be at Newton, if possible, on Thursday. I 
 
MISSION APPOINTMENT. 
 
 67 
 
 hope to see my dear — my more than ever dear — 
 Hannah at the same time. We have only a 
 month or five weeks for everything. God bless 
 my dear ! “ J. Hunt . 55 
 
 Whatever doubts the writer of this letter had* 
 it is clear that he had none concerning her to 
 whom he wrote. Their mutual love had been 
 consecrated, as their earliest offering, to God, 
 without any conditions, and both hearts were too 
 true to draw back. Thus, when Mr. Hunt 
 wrote, it never entered his mind to ask any 
 opinion; but he simply stated the decision of 
 those whom he felt bound to obey, confident 
 that she who had promised to become the mis- 
 sionary’s wife would not fail him now. Yet 
 others might seek to put difficulties in the way ; 
 and, until the answer came, Hunt* went about 
 among the students wearing an appearance of 
 dejection, at which they wondered. After a 
 little while lie hastened to the friend to whom 
 he had confided his fears, and. with a bright 
 face and cheery voice, cried out, 
 
 “ It’s all right ! She’ll go with me any- 
 where !” 
 
 There are some, yes, many, “ who profess 
 and call themselves Christians,” who would not 
 have hesitated to tell Miss Summers that she 
 would be justified in refusing to go. She had 
 
 Missionary among Cannibals. «5 
 
68 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 been brought up in comfort ; she was not of ro- 
 bust health ; and the privations and dangers of 
 such a mission as that to Fiji were very great; 
 and there are many Christian parents who 
 would have refused a daughter for such a work. 
 Their children, genteelly religious, may take a 
 Sunday-school class, or a tract district ; but what 
 is to become of their expensive education, and 
 their elegant accomplishments, if they go to 
 some foreign mission station? So they must 
 stay at home, and practice Christianity made 
 easy. Yerily, they have their reward. Poor 
 things ! it might have been greater if they had 
 been less respectable. 
 
 "Within a few days Mr. Hunt’s appointment to 
 Fiji was settled ; and before the meeting of the 
 committee where the formal decision was given, 
 he had so fully made up his mind that he was to 
 go, that he packed up his books and clothes 
 ready to start at once for Lincolnshire. The 
 parting with his fellow-students was hard work. 
 “They seemed,” he says, “ as if they could not 
 let me go, such was their affection. They made 
 me a present of Bloomfield’s Testament and 
 Robinson’s Lexicon, and left a deep impression 
 on my mind of their sincere love to me. This 
 was all pleasing to me, and will serve, in my 
 future life, to unite me to the institution in 
 affection and in prayer. W e had a prayer-meet- 
 
MISSION APPOINTMENT. 69 
 
 ing before we parted ; and a melting time it 
 was to us all, and to me in particular.” 
 
 About one o’clock on the 14th of February 
 the formal decision of the committee was given ; 
 and by half-past two Hunt was on the coach 
 starting for home. Before five o’clock the next 
 morning he alighted at the toll-gate near Balber- 
 ton. He knew the man at the gate as a fellow- 
 Christian, and had written, intrusting to him the 
 task of telling the news about his appointment 
 to the folks at home. This duty had been 
 judiciously performed; and after making some 
 inquiries, and resting a while, the traveler has- 
 tened to visit his parents, whom he found calmer 
 than he expected. 
 
 The next fortnight was spent among his old 
 friends in Lincolnshire. He preached nearly 
 every night, and sometimes in the morning as 
 well; but wherever it was, and at whatever 
 time, the people crowded to hear him. He 
 writes : u My message was received with glad- 
 ness, and much good was done. Blessed be 
 God !” 
 
 Neither were more substantial marks of esteem 
 wanting ; for contributions to the missionary’s 
 outfit came in on all hands, so that he describes 
 himself as “ laden with gifts.” 
 
 On March 6 Mr. Hunt married Miss Sum- 
 mers, of Newton-on-Trent; and in a few days 
 
70 A MISSIONARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 after brought her to London, to make final ar- 
 rangements for their departure. 
 
 The stirring appeal, “ Pity poor Fiji, 55 had 
 wrought more than excitement among those 
 who heard. New and enlarged contributions 
 were frequent ; and a good lady in Lincolnshire, 
 Mrs. Brackenbury, of Raithby Hall, guaranteed 
 the expenses of Mr. Hunt’s outfit and passage. 
 The same lady nobly promised to pay £50 an- 
 nually, for three years, toward his support, if 
 the committee would send out two missionaries 
 with him, instead of one, as they had resolved. 
 Another was forthwith selected ; and James 
 Calvert, who had been, for a short time, at Hox- 
 ton, was appointed to accompany Messrs. Hunt 
 and Jaggar to Fiji. 
 
 Qn the 27th of March the young missionaries 
 were solemnly ordained in the Wesleyan chapel 
 at Hackney, and many an overflowing heart 
 wished them Godspeed. About three weeks 
 after the whole party left for Gravesend, ac- 
 companied by the four general secretaries. Two 
 days before embarking, Mr. Hunt, writing to 
 his beloved tutor, Dr. Hannah, on several sub- 
 jects, ended his letter in this characteristic way : 
 
 “ Accept of filial love to yourself and Mrs. 
 Hannah. Love also to your dear family. I 
 claim you as my father ; and I humbly demand 
 
MISSION APPOINTMENT. 
 
 11 
 
 that, when you bless your numerous children, 
 some natural, others spiritual, and others minis- 
 terial, whom you nourish and feed, you will ‘ bless 
 me, even me also, O my father ! ? Let me have 
 your blessing, your paternal blessing. At your 
 family altar, where your heart beats highest with 
 fervent affection, there remember me and mine. 
 
 “ I am, and ever shall be, your affectionate 
 son, “ J. Hunt.” 
 
72 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 CHAPTER YII. 
 
 DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL. • 
 
 Voyage out — Sydney — United Farewell Service — u Letitia ” — 
 Tonga — Arrival in Fiji — First District Meeting — Appoint- 
 ment to Eewa. 
 
 On the 29th of April, 1838, the mission party 
 sailed for Sydney, followed by many an earnest 
 prayer for their safety and happiness. Nothing 
 worthy of note occurred during the voyage. Mr. 
 Hunt spent the time on board in diligent study ; 
 a thing which many have resolved to do in like 
 circumstances, but few accomplish it. Family 
 prayer was held in the cabin morning and 
 evening, and preaching twice on the Sunday. 
 Among the mission party, class-meetings were 
 regularly held, much to their enjoyment and 
 profit. In all these services Mr. Hunt took a 
 prominent part. Every one on board respected 
 and loved him, and he tried to do all the good 
 he was able among the sailors as well as the 
 passengers. 
 
 On August 24 the vessel anchored at Syd- 
 ney, and the mission party received a hearty 
 welcome from* their brethren M’Kenny and Wat- 
 kin. Mr. Hunt and his companions remained in 
 the colony about two months, during which time 
 
DEPARTURE \nD ARRIVAL. 
 
 73 
 
 they visited the principal towns, and attended 
 missionary meetings, and preached in the differ- 
 ent chapels. Here they were afresh strength- 
 ened for their work, and cheered by the evident 
 success of their efforts. The good people in 
 Australia were delighted with their visitors, and 
 Mr. Hunt soon became as great a favorite there 
 as he had been in England. In the colony, too, 
 were some who, like those at home, would 
 fain have held back the missionary from his 
 special work. The inducements offered to Mr. 
 Hunt to remain in Australia were made as 
 tempting as they could be. Why should he go 
 any further ? Here was abundant opportunity 
 for useful work. He had already had a long 
 voyage, quite long enough to constitute him a 
 missionary. If he would stay in the colony he 
 should have every comfort secured to him ; but 
 at Fiji, among those disgusting savages, he would 
 have to lead a miserably uncomfortable life ; his 
 dear young wife there, not very strong, would 
 be exposed to suffering and insult, and the peo- 
 ple yonder were by no means particular as to 
 whom they clubbed and cooked. But all this 
 cost had long since been reckoned ; and they 
 little knew the man they dealt with who thought 
 to keep John Hunt back from his duty by any 
 forebodings of difficulty, or allurements of per- 
 sonal comfort. The motives which directed his 
 
^4 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 conduct were far beyond the reach of caprice; 
 and he could not regard his commission to 
 preach to the cannibals the unsearchable riches 
 of Christ, as a matter for him to play with just 
 as people chose. He valued the affection of 
 those who would have seduced him from his 
 right path ; but he thought no more of their 
 religious principle than he would of that of a 
 missionary who would have forsaken the island 
 work, while comforting his conscience with some 
 such cordial as “ a wider field of usefulness in 
 the colony.” 
 
 On October 25, 1838, the missionaries left 
 Sydney. The Rev. John Williams, of the Lon- 
 don Missionary Society, who soon afterward 
 lost his life among the cannibals of Erromanga, 
 sailed with a party of fellow-laborers on the 
 same day. On the previous evening a united 
 farewell service, at which all the missionaries 
 with their respective friends were present, was 
 held in the Baptist chapel. The two vessels lay 
 several miles off, near the Sydney Heads, and 
 the two missionary companies went in the same 
 steamer to join them. Many loving friends ac- 
 companied them thus far, and many more part- 
 ed with them on the shore, with tears and the 
 breathing of earnest blessing. The time on 
 board the steamer was spent in singing and 
 prayer, and with such fitting dismissal the 
 
DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL. 75 
 
 missionary bands set out on their great enter- 
 prise. 
 
 The party bound for Fiji embarked on board 
 the “ Letitia, 55 a small and shaky schooner of 
 seventy-three tons 5 burden. The accommoda- 
 tion was of a very miserable kind, and the pas- 
 sengers had hard times of privation and incon- 
 venience for twenty-six days, after which they 
 reached Tonga. During a stay of about ten 
 days in the Friendly Islands they supplied the 
 mission there with fresh stores, and visited the 
 principal stations ; and being made glad by the 
 greeting of the brethren at work in the Islands, 
 and by witnessing the renewed wonders of the 
 Gospel among the people, they left for Fiji on 
 the 19th of December, and anchored off Lakemba 
 on Saturday, December 22. The next morning 
 the whole party came ashore, and spent thank- 
 fully their first Sunday in Fiji. 
 
 Within the next few days the missionaries 
 held the first Fiji district meeting, under the 
 direction of the Rev. David Cargill, M.A., who 
 had been on the station for about three years. 
 The important question of the most efficient dis- 
 posal of the reinforcement was well considered ; 
 and taking into account the inexperience of the 
 new comers, it was resolved that no fresh station 
 should be tried for the present. Mr. Cross, the 
 companion of Mr. Cargill in the opening of the 
 
76 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 mission, was now ill at Rewa, and had received 
 permission to remove to Australia. His place 
 had to be supplied. Eewa was a long way off, 
 on Yiti Levu, at the other side of the group. 
 It was no light matter for a young man to go 
 there with his young wife, to live alone among 
 a savage people, of whose manners and language 
 they were altogether ignorant. Mr. Hunt was 
 requested to undertake this service, and forth- 
 with gave his consent* 
 
MISSION WORK REWA. 
 
 11 
 
 CHAPTER YHL 
 
 MISSION WORK REWA. 
 
 Entrance on actual Work — First Attempt at Preaching in Fijian — 
 Flood — Progress in the Language — Namosimalua — A Priest’s 
 Dream — Return of the King — Tokens of Success — Intimacy 
 with the Natives — Appointment to Somosomo — Visit to Viwa 
 — First Attempt at Translating — Reading — Persecution — 
 Sympathy. 
 
 On January 3, 1839, Mr. and Mrs. Hunt sail- 
 ed from Lakemba in the “ Letitia,” which steer- 
 ed for Moala, an island about half-way to Rewa, 
 at which the captain wished to trade. The na- 
 tives, however, refused to have any intercourse 
 with their visitors, so that, after standing off and 
 on for some time, the vessel sailed for Rewa. 
 The cause of the captain’s disappointment prov- 
 ed a great advantage to his passengers ; for on 
 reaching the Rewa roads, on the 7th, they found 
 that, had they been a day later, they could not 
 have landed their goods for some time, as the 
 king was about starting, with all his canoes, 
 to attend a feast at the island of Kandavu. 
 
 On this memorable day, the date of Mr. 
 Hunt’s entering on his actual work, he thus 
 writes in his Journal : “ Jim. 7, 1838. This 
 morning we came in sight of Rewa, and in the 
 afternoon anchored safely in our { desired haven,* 
 
78 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 We have long and anxiously looked for it; and 
 for apparent wretchedness, it comes up to all 
 our preconceived notions.* Our anchorage was 
 about five or six miles from the mission station, 
 our way to which was up a most beautiful river, 
 said to be more than one hundred miles long. 
 The island looked exceedingly lovely as we sail- 
 ed along the winding stream. Nature all ap- 
 peared charming till we saw the masterpiece, 
 man ; and a sight — and especially the first sight — 
 of a Fijian is very appalling. The people were 
 much surprised to see us come ; and stood near- 
 ly naked, staring and shouting with astonish- 
 ment, as we passed. Mrs. Hunt, especially, was 
 an object of wonder, as many of the natives had 
 only seen one white woman before.” On reach- 
 ing the station Mr. Hunt found that Mr. Cross’s 
 health was so far improved that he had resolved 
 not to leave, but to stay as long as possible to 
 help the younger missionary, whose heart was 
 much lightened by this decision. 
 
 The same evening they called on the king of 
 Rewa, who kindly undertook to land their goods 
 on the following day ; and though the distance 
 was so great, and there were seven or eight ca- 
 noe-loads, yet all came safely ashore before the 
 
 * Rewa, at this time, presented a very cheerless appearance, as 
 a great part of the town had been destroyed by fire, and was not 
 then properly rebuilt. 
 
MISSION WORK REWA. * *79 
 
 next night. Mr. Hunt says : “ I never saw such 
 dispatch at any of the other islands. We 
 brought a Fijian with us from Tonga who had 
 embraced Christianity, and his application to 
 his book was most gratifying. He might have 
 been making some Newtonian discovery, he was 
 so intent on learning to read. He was making 
 a discovery of greater importance — 6 that* Christ 
 Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’ O 
 that every Fijian knew this glorious truth !” 
 
 Mr. Hunt began his missionary work with all 
 the earnestness of his character controlled and 
 directed by the strongest religious devotion. 
 Writing at this period of his history, he speaks 
 of himself as “ determined by God’s grace to 
 live entirely to his glory, and the advancement 
 of his blessed cause.” How unwaveringly he 
 kept to that determination the following pages 
 will tell. 
 
 While establishing his home among the peo- 
 ple of Hewa, the new missionary set himself 
 diligently to learn their language. Day by day 
 he received fresh and terrible proofs of the deg- 
 radation and cruelty of those among whom he 
 had come to dwell ; and every discovery of this 
 kind made his longing more intense to be able 
 to communicate the treasures of purity and love 
 of which his own heart was so full. His first 
 attempt to address the people in their own lan- 
 
80 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 guage was made in about a month after his ar- 
 rival, and the event is thus recorded in his 
 journal : 
 
 u Feb. 18. Last Wednesday, Mr. Cross having 
 gone to Mbau, I had to take the ^service in the 
 afternoon. I had composed a sermon, intending 
 to preach a week before ; but the rain prevent- 
 ed. Of course I had to read nearly the whole 
 of my sermon ; but the people were, in general, 
 very attentive, and I had, for the first , a com- 
 fortable time.” 
 
 Frightful accounts of cruelty, butchery, and 
 cannibalism frequently reached the station, or 
 came under the actual observation of the mis- 
 sionaries, soon proving that, much as they had 
 heard, the half of Fiji’s horrors had not been 
 told. Amid it all, Mr. Hunt writes : 
 
 “ I feel myself saved from almost all fear, 
 though surrounded with men who have scarcely 
 any regard for human life. We are in the hands 
 of a God whom even the heathen fear when 
 they hear of him. The people at Lakemba say 
 that their god has actually left the island, be- 
 cause our God has beaten him till his bones are 
 sore ! The people are really afraid for the safety 
 of their gods, and some of them have an idea 
 that Christianity will prevail. The king says 
 it must be so ; ‘ for who can stop it ? It will be 
 the religion of all. 5 ” 
 
MISSION WOKK REWA. 
 
 81 
 
 A week after his first attempt Mr, Hunt 
 preached again “ with some comfort,” and found 
 himself able to say a little without notes, “ but,” 
 he simply remarks, “ perhaps not very correctly.” 
 It was an advantage that, while he was thus 
 stumbling through his first efforts in speaking 
 the native tongue, the king and chiefs continued 
 at the feast at Kandavu ; so that the congrega- 
 tions before whom he practiced was scanty, and 
 composed of the commoner sort of people. 
 
 In the early part of March a heavy rain fell, 
 and the river became so swollen as to overspread 
 the country for a considerable distance. The 
 mission-house, which w^as built on a raised ter- 
 race, was surrounded with water, and the ser- 
 vants were able to swim in the garden. 
 
 Under the date of March 18 Mr. Hunt says : 
 “ I am able now to take two or three services in 
 a week. I have to use rather copious notes ; 
 but intend to do this for some time to come, as 
 they will do for the people to read after they 
 have heard them until they can have something 
 better. 
 
 “ I want much more religion. There is need, 
 in preaching, of the power which is necessary 
 to make it the sword of the Spirit, and ‘ the 
 power of God unto salvation.’ I believe that 
 this increase of power will be given when I 
 have more of the Spirit myself. I desire and 
 
82 A MISSION ARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 determine to make known nothing among the 
 poor Fijians but ‘Christ and him crucified.’ O 
 that my speech and my preaching may be 
 with the demonstration of the Spirit and with 
 power !” 
 
 Just before Mr. Hunt’s arrival in Fiji a pro- 
 fession of Christianity had been made by Na- 
 mosimalua, chief of Viwa, a small but import- 
 ant island off the coast of great Fiji, on which 
 Rewa is situated. Namosimalua had been one 
 of the greatest monsters of crime that ever Fiji 
 produced, and hundreds of men and women 
 had fallen beneath his club. There was never 
 any ground for hope that this man had become 
 converted ; yet his profession of religion was 
 certainly attended by the giving up of many of 
 his evil practices, while he at times warmly es- 
 poused the cause of Christianity. What his 
 actual state of heart was may be judged from 
 the following fact. He ordered a chapel to be 
 built on his island, the site chosen for which 
 was a plot sacred to the old religion, and sacred 
 trees, growing there, were cut down to make 
 posts for the new building. At first he deter- 
 mined that none but the Lotu people, or Chris- 
 tians, should help in the work ; but afterward 
 the assistance of the people generally was so- 
 licited, with an intimation that if they refused 
 they should be trampled to death ! When the 
 
MISSION WORK REWA. 83 
 
 chapel was finished, the chief thought it im- 
 portant that a large flag should be attached to 
 a neighboring tree, with something painted on 
 it vaka Pajpalangi , in English style. 
 
 Whatever was the personal state of Namosi- 
 malua, his countenance and help were of great 
 use to the mission, and there were already forty 
 persons in Yiwa who professed to be Christian. 
 In Eewa, also, the power of the Gospel was 
 beginning to be felt. Several poor creatures 
 were saved from being buried alive, and the 
 missionaries were encouraged by seeing the in- 
 direct influence of the truth. 
 
 A priest had a dream, which he published, to 
 the following effect. His god came to him and 
 told him that he was going to leave the land. 
 He was not afraid, he said, when Mr. Cross was 
 alone, for he thought it possible for them all to 
 live together ; but now Mr. Hunt had come he 
 was very much afraid, for Mr. Hunt was so 
 very tall. He feared that he should be killed 
 if he remained at Eewa, so he was preparing to 
 leave at once. 
 
 On the 2d of April the king and his retinue 
 returned from Kandavu. The occasion was 
 celebrated with all Fijian pomp. About twenty 
 gayly decked canoes — some of them very large 
 — passed up the river with the king, who was 
 accompanied by nearly a thousand men, whose 
 
 Missionary among Cannibals. 0 
 
84 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 immense white turbans, and fantastic folds of 
 painted cloth, helped to make the spectacle 
 more striking to the strangers, who had seen 
 nothing like it before. In the afternoon the 
 missionaries visited the king, and were well re- 
 ceived. Taking the position he assigned them 
 near himself, they witnessed the ceremony of 
 presenting food to the king and his party. Pro- 
 visions in vast quantity and great variety were 
 brought, with most scrupulous attention to pre- 
 scribed form. Every attitude was in perfect 
 order ; and, as many scores of bearers advanced 
 and retired in long procession, every hand and 
 foot was moved in strict conformity to the same 
 rule. A dance then took place, performed by 
 the ladies, surrounded by the admiring eyes of 
 many hundreds of the people. But, according 
 to Mr. Hunt’s account, it must have been any- 
 thing but an exciting affair. 
 
 “ The whole ceremony,” he says, “ consisted 
 in taking a particular step very deliberately and 
 uniformly, and in putting their hands into par- 
 ticular postures. A company of well trained 
 infantry could not be more exact in every move- 
 ment either of the hand or foot.” This lively 
 exhibition lasted an hour, and finished the cere- 
 monies of the day. 
 
 In this great festival the missionaries receiv- 
 ed every mark of respect from the king and his 
 
MISSION WORK REWA. 
 
 85 
 
 chiefs, and diligently used the advantage, then 
 and afterward, to urge these men of influence 
 to forsake their false and cruel religion and ac- 
 cept the blessings of the Gospel. On the 15th 
 of April Mr. Hunt writes : 
 
 “ I have preached at Singatoka this evening 
 to a large congregation of natives, some of 
 whom were very attentive, and most of them 
 remained until the service was concluded. I 
 endeavored to explain to them the nature of 
 repentance and faith, and some of them seemed 
 to understand what was said. 
 
 “ I am now in much favor with some of the 
 chiefs. How long it will continue I know not. 
 I place no dependence on the friendship of hea- 
 thens. Two of them, Thokonauto and Yativu- 
 aka, call me their friend, and seem really to have 
 a strong regard for me. I instruct them as much 
 as I can in the religion of Christ, and they seem 
 pleased with all they hear from me. Yativuaka 
 went to the king the other day to ask whether 
 it would not be better for them all to embrace 
 Christianity. The king said Yativuaka might 
 if he pleased ; but he — the king — must wait and 
 look after the land. It appears that the greatest 
 chiefs have not courage to embrace religion be- 
 fore the king, and of course all the people are 
 of the same mind. Some of the chiefs assembled 
 in the king’s house the other day to consult 
 
86 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 about a feast, and one said they had better begin 
 by talking about Christianity. ‘ Are we to em- 
 brace it ?’ he asked, ‘ or are we to take all the 
 people away V The king said, ‘ Why talk about 
 the Lotu ?* Do you wish to Lotu ? ’ Another 
 chief said, ‘You may all Lotu’, I alone will re- 
 main.’ This man and another have universally 
 a bad reputation, and I am afraid will be very 
 troublesome. The Lord has their hearts in his 
 hand. It is rather remarkable that two of the 
 worst men in Bewa have embraced Christianity : 
 one, a most notorious man, some time since ; 
 and very lately another, who, though a Tongan, 
 is said to have eaten more men than any one in 
 Fiji.” 
 
 The changed lives of such men as these could 
 not but awaken interest and inquiry; but the 
 people were afraid to hear the missionaries, lest 
 by listening they should seem to have gone over 
 to the new religion, a step which few dared to 
 take until their rulers set the example. 
 
 Mr. Hunt worked on with unfailing diligence, 
 striving, by hard study at home, and by fre- 
 quent conversations with the people, to get a 
 thorough knowledge of the language. Some- 
 times the friendliness of the natives became a 
 sore trouble. They are wondrously quick in 
 
 * Lotu is the native word for u religion,” but is now the name 
 universally given to Christianity. 
 
MISSION WORK REWA. 87 
 
 reading character, and soon found out the frank 
 kindness and warm generosity of the mission- 
 ary’s heart. There never was a more thorough- 
 ly unselfish man than John Hunt, or one who 
 found it harder to say “ no ” to a plea for help. 
 The natives knew it, and worked their knowl- 
 edge as much to their own profit as his personal 
 loss and the sacrifice of comfort at the mission- 
 house. “We are much teased,” he says, “ with 
 the visits of the people. They seem to think we 
 have nothing to do but to talk to them.” 
 
 Such constant and familiar intercourse, how- 
 ever, served to make Mr. Hunt better acquaint- 
 ed with the true state of the people. And the 
 more he knew, the more their burden of evil 
 seemed to weigh down his own heart, and he 
 toiled and prayed the harder, that he might gain 
 power to spread in Fiji the Gospel of Christ. 
 He thus meditates on the results of his inquiry : 
 “Some have said that the Fijians are com- 
 paratively a virtuous people. Those only have 
 formed his opinion of them who have had only 
 to buy their women and their turtle-shell for 
 muskets and powder. We who have to convert 
 them to Christianity find it very different. All 
 the virtue they possess is a willingness to gratify 
 the lusts of others when, in doing it, they can 
 gratify their own. It is remarkable that those 
 who talk the most about their virtue are the 
 
88 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 most afraid of them ; so that they dare not walk 
 about among them unless well armed with pis- 
 tols, cutlasses, etc.” 
 
 In the following month Messrs. Cargill and 
 Calvert visited Rewa, to join the missionaries 
 there in discussing some important affairs con- 
 nected with the mission. The visit is thus re- 
 corded by Mr. Hunt : 
 
 “ May 10. To-day we have the pleasure of 
 seeing our brethren Cargill and Calvert from 
 Lakemba. We heard last night that they were 
 off Nukulau, and I hastened at once to fetch them 
 in the canoe. My heart danced for joy on hear- 
 ing of their arrival, and most gladly did we wel- 
 come them to our shores. It has been agreed 
 that I shall go to a new station, Somosomo. To 
 this I have consented, trusting it is, as it seems 
 to be, an opening of Providence. We have 
 mentioned our going to some of the chiefs and 
 people, who disapprove of it much.” 
 
 Toward the end of this month Mr. Hunt 
 visited Viwa, and the mission prospects con- 
 tinued to brighten. The following is from his 
 journal : 
 
 “ June 18. Since I wrote last a chief of some 
 importance has embraced Christianity. This is 
 good at this stage of our work, for we want a 
 little influence. The people are much afraid of 
 disobeying their chiefs ; and no wonder, for 
 
MISSION WORK REWA. 89 
 
 they have not many degrees of punishment 
 here ; most crimes are capital.” 
 
 On the same day Mr. Hunt mentions his first 
 attempt at the work of translating, in which he 
 afterward reached such distinguished success, 
 anckby which he has blessed Fiji to the end of 
 time. And concerning this work, thus writes 
 the man who, not long before, followed the plow 
 on a Lincolnshire farm : 
 
 “ I have now been in Rewa five months and 
 a week, and begin to think it time I tried to 
 translate a little. I commence with the Gospels, 
 principally because I have more help in them 
 than in any other part of the Scripture. I have 
 a part done to my hand by Mr. Cross, and a 
 translation in the Lakemba dialect by Mr. Car- 
 gill. I don’t intend to call any man master, but 
 to think for myself. This has been my plan 
 hitherto, and I intend to pursue it. My plan is 
 this : 1. To read over the chapter for translating 
 in the Greek Testament, and examine particu- 
 larly any word about the meaning of which I 
 have any doubt. I read Bloomfield’s Notes, and 
 Campbell’s Translation, and any other books I 
 have, to assist me in ascertaining the meaning of 
 the text. 2. After having, as I think, mastered 
 the chapter, I commence translating. I use as 
 my standard for the text the Greek Testament, 
 together with the English version ; and for the 
 
90 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 translation, not any man exclusively, but myself, 
 all the natives I can have access to, and the 
 translations that have been already made.” 
 While thus engaged, Mr. Hunt gave attention 
 to general reading, and was studying with great 
 delight Blackstone’s “ Commentaries.” He says, 
 too, “ I read an account of Byron the other day, 
 and of Swift to-day.” And then the Methodist 
 missionary in Fiji goes on to moralize about the 
 lordly poet : “ Poor Byron ! I pity him much. 
 He lived a wretched life ; and the best proof 
 one can have of such a man’s unfitness for death 
 is, that he thought himself tolerably well pre- 
 pared. I feel determined to live nearer to God. 
 I am beneath what I should be. I am not in a 
 right element. I pray, and read, and write, and 
 preach, and use all means perhaps ; but I do not 
 use them in the Spirit. I want more Bible re- 
 ligion. ‘Full of faith and of the Holy Ghost,’ 
 is the character I aim at.” 
 
 Before long, the opposition which the truth is 
 sure to provoke began to show itself in Rewa. 
 The conversion of a chief of some influence has 
 been mentioned just above. Another chief, of 
 still higher rank, was offended at his decision, 
 and charged one of the Christians with persuad- 
 ing him. To punish this man, he went to his 
 house and took away an ax and the greater 
 part of his property. Shortly after the great 
 
MISSION WORK REWA. 91 
 
 man seemed to repent, and sent for the Christian 
 to drink yaqona — the native grog — with him in 
 token of peace, saying that he always felt un- 
 happy when he had wronged the Christians. 
 However, on the following Sunday the same 
 chief sent to borrow an ax of the Tongan con- 
 vert, who had formerly gained such celebrity as 
 a cannibal. But now he was trying to conform 
 to all the requirements of the religion which he 
 had lately professed, and refused to lend the ax 
 on the Sunday, but promised to let the messen- 
 ger have it on the next day. This made the 
 chief furious; and he declared that he would 
 have revenge, not only on the old Tongan, by 
 taking his ax by force, but by plundering all 
 the Christians. In the middle of the night, 
 therefore, he collected above five hundred men, 
 and, putting himself at their head, visited and 
 robbed nearly every Lotu family in Rewa, tak- 
 ing away all they possessed, except the grass on 
 which their mats had been spread. It was con- 
 sidered a wonderful thing that, where life was 
 less respected than property, no one, in all this 
 attack, was injured. The sufferers bore, with 
 noble cheerfulness, “the spoiling of their goods.” 
 Mr. Hunt remarks : 
 
 “The Fijians are naturally very covetous, and 
 for them willingly to part with anything is quite 
 contrary to their nature ; and I believe nothing 
 
92 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 would have enabled them to do so but the grace 
 of God. I am thankful, for this as well as for 
 other reasons, that the thing has happened, as it 
 has given me the opportunity of seeing Fiji 
 Christians in the fire, and, all glory to the God 
 of grace ! they bear the test well. 
 
 “I am thankful, on another account, that we 
 have had this persecution. It has led me to 
 examine my own heart before God; and the 
 result has been that I have humbled myself be- 
 fore him, and have determined to trust more 
 fully in the cleansing , as well as the atoning 
 blood of Christ, and to devote myself in heart, 
 and mind, and soul more fully to God.” 
 
 The missionaries went to the king to complain 
 of the outrage which had been committed. He 
 was very angry about it ; and the chief — his own 
 brother — who had perpetrated the offense, was 
 severely reproved. This, however, only tended 
 to irritate him yet more, so that, in the king’s 
 presence, he threatened the missionaries ; at 
 which the king was very much enraged, and, 
 giving his brother a club, seized one himself, and 
 prepared to fight. The chiefs present now inter- 
 fered; but the king said significantly to his 
 brother, “If you injure the missionaries I will 
 begin to eat chiefs.” All knew the meaning of 
 the threat, and the offender was much alarmed, 
 and begged to be forgiven. 
 
MISSION WORK REWA. 93 
 
 “We have had,” writes Mr. Hunt, “many 
 an anxious hour during the trials of our faith. 
 We know so much of the native character as to 
 know that we need always to be ready to part 
 with our property and our lives too. We have 
 endeavored to turn our care into prayer; and 
 God has, in some measure, sanctified our sor- 
 row and anxiety by turning our mourning into 
 
 joy-” 
 
 The following extract shows what skill Mr. 
 Hunt had in giving comfort to those who suf- 
 fered. It is from a letter written to Mr. Calvert, 
 who was then at Lakemba, passing through 
 trouble : 
 
 “We are very glad to learn, from the note we 
 have received to-day, that your minds are kept 
 in peace, and that you c possess your souls in 
 patience . 5 ‘ Let patience have her perfect work, 
 that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking noth- 
 ing . 5 The will of God is your entire salvation ; 
 and sometimes the way to a full meetness for 
 heaven, as well as to heaven itself, is through 
 much tribulation. Indeed, those who have 
 washed their robes and made them white in v the 
 blood of the Lamb, passed through their tribula- 
 tion at the same time that, by faith, they wash- 
 ed their robes ; and perhaps their tribulations 
 were the principal means of bringing them to 
 trust in the blood which cleanseth from all sin. 
 
94 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 If our troubles are not equal to theirs, our bless- 
 ings may be as great. We may possess the 
 same purified nature, and be with them before 
 the throne, and serve God day and night in his 
 temple. 
 
 “We feel much for our dear friends at La- 
 kemba, and especially for Mrs. Calvert ; but we 
 can only help you and them by our prayers. I 
 have no doubt that all will be right. Duties are 
 ours, events are God’s.” 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 95 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 SOMOSOMO. 
 
 Ill Fame of the New Station — Miserable Passage — Cheerless Re- 
 ception — Mission-house — Horrible Scenes — Letter to Mr. Cal- 
 vert — Affliction — An Evening Service — Death of the First- 
 born — Letter to Mr. Cargill — Strangling — Trouble and An- 
 noyance — Enduring Faith — Plan of Theological Study — Small 
 Success — A Cannibal Feast — Danger and Deliverance — Chris- 
 tian Love — Letters on Entire Sanctification commenced — Visit 
 to Rewa — Extracts from Correspondence — Love to the Hea- 
 then — War and Cannibalism — Domestic Affliction — Arrival 
 of the “Triton” — Visitation Tour — Great Peril — Alarm at 
 the Mission-house — Mrs. Hunt’s Illness — Letter to Mr. Cal- 
 vert — New Mission-house — Style of Preaching to the Natives 
 — Divers Occupations — Appointment to Viwa — Sketch of the 
 People — Retrospect of the Mission. 
 
 On July 15 the “Letitia” again arrived at 
 Nukulau, which is off the entrance of the river 
 leading to Rewa, bringing the missionaries who 
 were to occupy the station on Mr. Hunt’s re- 
 moval, and work the printing-press which they 
 brought with them. They were accompanied 
 by Mr. Lyth, who had arrived from the Friendly 
 Islands, and who, to Mr. Hunt’s great comfort, 
 was to share the toil and danger of opening the 
 Somosomo mission.* 
 
 * Somosomo, a town of great importance, and one of the chief 
 centers of power in Fiji, is built on the shore of the picturesque 
 and fruitful island of Taviuni,' which lies off the south-eastern ex- 
 tremity of the large island of Vanua Levu. 
 
96 A MISSIONARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 Mr. Hunt, though very poorly at the time, at 
 once made active preparations for the removal. 
 He felt some pain at leaving a people in whom 
 he had taken great interest, to go to a place, the 
 savage inhabitants of which were regarded, even 
 in Fiji, with something of the same horror that 
 the Fijians generally are thought of in England. 
 This was entirely new ground for the mission ; 
 for no Christian agent had visited it, and no one 
 belonging to the place had joined the Lotu . 
 Mr. Lyth says of it : 
 
 “Its intercourse with the more frequented parts 
 of the group was rare and uncertain, and ships 
 seldom called there. No white man, at the time 
 of our arrival, resided on the island. One, a 
 Scotchman, who had touched at a neighboring 
 island, on his way from the windward to the 
 leeward part of the group, had, but a short time 
 previous to our coming, been barbarously mur- 
 dered for the sake of the little property he pos- 
 sessed.” 
 
 It was not likely that the knowledge of these 
 facts would enliven the prospect of going to 
 dwell at Somosomo. It was true that the king 
 had begged that missionaries might come to his 
 town ; but it was because he hoped they would 
 bring good store of axes, hatchets, knives, and 
 other articles of European manufacture, whereby 
 he and his people should be enriched. The 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 97 
 
 position, however, was very important. The 
 chiefs of Somosomo ruled over many islands, and 
 the authorized presence of missionaries at the 
 head town would be the most efficient charter 
 for the Lotu in all the tributary tribes. Then, 
 too, those very horrors and abominations which 
 would have supplied the best reason for not 
 going near such a den of fiendish cannibals, also 
 furnished the missionaries with the most power- 
 ful motive to settle themselves there. The 
 greater the evil, the more need of the cure ; so 
 they went, and took with them the Gospel to 
 Somosomo. 
 
 Mr. Hunt, in telling how they regretted part- 
 ing with the Rewa Christians, goes on to say : 
 “ But the difficulty of leaving Rewa and going 
 to Somosomo only affected us as mortals : as 
 missionaries we thought nothing of the priva- 
 tions or trials we might have to endure. We 
 expect to sow in tears, as confidently as we hope 
 to reap in joy; and therefore trials and priva- 
 tions are words seldom used by us, and things 
 that are thought much more of by our dear 
 friends at home than by ourselves. 55 
 
 On the 22d of July Messrs. Lyth and Hunt, 
 with their wives, embarked for the new station, 
 accompanied by Mr. Cargill, and came to an- 
 chor off Somosomo on* the morning of the 29th. 
 Mr. Hunt was very ill during the passage, and 
 
98 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 all were about as uncomfortable as being shut 
 in a wretched, filthy little schooner could make 
 them. Moreover, the vessel had a steward who ' 
 in all respects was as dirty as itself ; and a cap- 
 tain who got drunk on arrack, the fumes of 
 which mingled with the foul stench of the hold, 
 which had nothing to divide it from the cabin, 
 where the missionaries and their wives spread 
 mattresses over chests and boxes, and tried, with 
 but sorry success, to sleep at night. Although 
 the people had made such a stir about having 
 the missionaries, yet, now that they were come, 
 no one greeted them ; their arrival was treated 
 with the coolest indifference as they went 
 ashore and quietly made their way to the king’s 
 house. Here they found the king, Tuithakau, 
 a fine old man, above seventy, with a frank and 
 kind face; and his son the regent, Tuikilakila, 
 nearly forty years of age, and of almost gigan- 
 tic stature and frame. The missionaries were 
 well received, and Tuikilakila at once accom- 
 panied them to mark out a site for their house. 
 They then returned to the vessel, and spent the 
 Sunday on board. The next morning they were 
 all to land. Canoes filled with half-naked 
 savages, the most ferocious cannibals in Fiji, 
 crowded about the schooner, to the great terror 
 of the captain and crew, who kept strict watch, 
 with all the boarding nets up, over their ill 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 99 
 
 famed visitors. One canoe is brought close 
 alongside to receive the mission party ; and as 
 the ladies are lifted into it, men stand on deck 
 at either side with loaded muskets and fixed 
 bayonets, to keep off the people among whom 
 those ladies and their husbands are going to live. 
 All reached the shore safely, and what was more 
 surprising, none of their goods were stolen. 
 
 For the temporary accommodation, as he said, 
 of the visitors, the king gave them a large house 
 of his own, which, by the help of Mr. Cargill 
 and a carpenter from Rewa, they soon fitted with 
 doors and windows. The house was divided 
 into three principal rooms and a small study by 
 partitions made of boxes, packing-cases, and 
 mats ; and, says Mr. Hunt, “ we were comfort- 
 ably settled in our new house on the second 
 day.” And there they had to live for two years, 
 during which time the king would not let them 
 build a house for themselves. 
 
 Yery soon the missionaries had fearful proof 
 that the reports they had heard about Somosomo 
 were true. About the time of their arrival news 
 came that Ra Mbithi, one of the king’s sons, was 
 lost at sea ; and it was forthwith ordered that all 
 his wives should be strangled, that they might 
 accompany him to the land of spirits. At once 
 the missionaries entered upon their work of 
 mercy, and went to the king, to pray for the 
 
 Missionary among Cannibals. 7 
 
100 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 women’s lives. Tuithakau was very angry at 
 their interference, but consented to make fur- 
 ther search, to ascertain whether the report of 
 his son’s death was true. It proved to be correct, 
 and the women were doomed. Mr. Hunt plead- 
 ed hard with the ruling chief, Tuikilakila, on 
 behalf of his daughter, who was among the 
 condemned ones ; but the only reply he could 
 get was, “ I have great love to my brother.” 
 The rest is thus told in his journal : 
 
 “ On the morning of August 8 we heard the 
 cries of the poor females and their friends, and 
 soon they were unmercifully strangled. We 
 were obliged to be in the midst of it ; and truly 
 their cries and wailings were awful. Soon after 
 they were murdered, they were brought to be 
 buried about twenty yards from our house.” 
 
 This slaughter of sixteen women was followed 
 by a kind of festival, which lasted for several 
 days and nights ; and at midnight the inmates 
 of the mission-house were startled by the hoarse 
 blast of conchs, and the hideous yells and whoops 
 of the dancers. Many men and women suffered 
 the amputation of a finger-joint in connection 
 with this festival ; and the whole concluded by 
 the distribution, one afternoon, of one hundred 
 baked pigs, one of which was sent to the mis- 
 sionaries. 
 
 The strangers continued to live peaceably in 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 101 
 
 the king’s house, and were treated kindly by 
 the people ; but their attempts to teach seemed 
 of little avail. The old king, indeed, professed 
 to be lotu , though he never showed any good 
 result from it. The people came willingly to 
 hear preaching, and seemed attentive to the 
 missionaries, who soon got hold of the peculiari- 
 ties of the dialect. 
 
 In a letter to Mr. Calvert, dated “August 7th,” 
 Mr. Hunt writes: “I have been reading the 
 Life of the Rev. John Smith, and like it more 
 and more. O what a blessed state of commun- 
 ion with God did he maintain ! When I think 
 of imbibing his spirit, the devil says: ‘It will 
 not do for a missionary ; if you were in England 
 it would be all right.’ I know he is a liar ; yet 
 I practically believe him. I am determined by 
 the grace of God to try. Help me, my dear 
 brother. We are engaged in a glorious work : 
 let us do it well. There is much to discourage 
 us, but God is sufficient for all things. I feel 
 for you now you are alone ; but remember your 
 reward is increasing amazingly now you have 
 these special trials. Do not let unbelief say, 
 t Hay, not for me ; I am so unfaithful.’ Unbelief 
 makes God a liar. Do not listen to it, my 
 brother. ‘ These light afflictions, which are but 
 for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding 
 and eternal weight of glory.’ Your perpetual 
 
102 A MISSION ARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 trial of being alone ; alone, with a bad king ; 
 alone, without being thoroughly acquainted with 
 the language ; alone, among thieves and rob- 
 bers; will make your eternal reward much 
 heavier in glory. Glory is worth the price. 
 Cheer up ! God is with you, and he will yet 
 make you 6 rejoice with joy unspeakable . 5 
 
 “I hope the Lord will spare your dear child 
 to you. I shall often take her to the throne of 
 grace. Tell her mother to give her to the Lord ; 
 and my prayer shall be, that she may hear the 
 word of the Lord while she is but a child .’ 5 
 
 As the year advanced, sorrows and troubles 
 thickened about the missionaries. In September 
 an epidemic influenza, of a very obstinate kind, 
 visited Somosomo. As this broke out during 
 the visit of some Tongan canoes, the people said 
 angry things about it being the disease of the 
 Lotu. Then Mrs. Hunt fell ill with the prevail- 
 ing disease, and, before she recovered, was 
 attacked with dysentery, which brought her 
 very low, and made the prospect of her speedily 
 becoming a mother very alarming. At this 
 anxious time, the presence and affectionate at- 
 tention of Mr. Lyth were an indescribable com- 
 fort, as he had formerly been educated for the 
 medical profession. Such seasons as these prove 
 the importance, nay, the necessity, of giving to 
 missionaries a medical training, to such an ex- 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 103 
 
 tent, at least, as will enable them to treat ordi- 
 nary cases. It was now a time of sore trial for 
 Mr. Hunt. Writing about it to Mr. Calvert, he 
 says : 
 
 “ I began to realize the sorrows of being left 
 alone in this land of need with a feeling quite 
 new to me. Weeping, a strange thing with me, 
 began to be pleasant, and my mind was most 
 severely agitated, though most divinely sup- 
 ported .’ 5 
 
 Earnest prayers were offered on behalf of the 
 sufferer, and help came. The disease was 
 checked, and the next day, Mr. Hunt says : 
 “ We forgot our sorrow for joy that a man was 
 born into the world.” 
 
 But none of these things, deeply as they 
 stirred the loving heart of the man, had any 
 power to move the missionary from his great 
 work. On the day when he received his first- 
 born, as from God, after recording the event in 
 his journal, he says: “I have not been able to 
 do much this week in consequence of having to 
 be nurse. It is some time since I had a good 
 night’s sleep ; but, 
 
 4 Labor is rest, and pain is sweet, 
 
 If thou, my God, art there.’ 
 
 “ My dear wife is doing well, and I hope I 
 shall soon be able to resume my translations, 
 etc., with renewed diligence. I have done four 
 
104 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 or five chapters in a rough way. May God, 
 even our own God, make us thankful for all his 
 mercies, and continue to bless us, for his name’s 
 sake.” 
 
 The light which had gleamed in upon the 
 anxious and fearful ones at the Mission-house 
 was not to shine long. 
 
 “ October T. We have had a week of severe 
 trial: our little boy has been very ill. We have 
 scarcely any hope of his recovery. It is a great 
 trial to us to think of losing our dear babe ; but 
 we must leave it with Him who cannot err. 
 
 “ Last night I preached from James i, 2-4. I 
 trust that we shall be enabled to count it all joy 
 when we fall into divers temptations. One of 
 the greatest trials connected with losing our 
 little boy will be the reproach which the hea- 
 then will cast upon religion and us. I expect 
 they will say to us, ‘ Where is now thy God? 5 ” 
 
 The circumstances of that Sunday evening 
 worship were altogether remarkable, having 
 none of such common-place machinery of devo- 
 tion as architectural beauty, or ceremonial pomp, 
 or artistic aids to the service of God. In the 
 middle of a great, gloomy house, nearly all roof, 
 there was a chamber, divided from an apart- 
 ment on either side by thin matting some six or 
 or seven feet high. In this chamber stood the 
 preacher with a visible congregation of two men, 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 105 
 
 and an invisible audience of two women. His 
 hearers whom he could see were Mr. Lyth, who 
 had just been at the evening service of the 
 natives, and Joseph Eees, a young Englishman, 
 who owed his life to Mr. Hunt’s coming between 
 him and a furious chief, who had already broken 
 his ribs. The two invisible listeners were the 
 two missionaries’ wives, each with a new-born 
 child, Mrs. Hunt’s child dying. Therefore the 
 preacher spoke fitly and earnestly about the trial 
 of faith ; and by that faith great peace and holy 
 joy came to the worshipers, and the old thatched 
 place seemed as near the gate of heaven where 
 God gives alms as even a cathedral. 
 
 In a letter to Mr. Calvert, written at this time, 
 Mr. Hunt says, after stating that there was no 
 hope of the babe’s life : “Here then we are, my 
 dear brother, in the furnace of affliction. But 
 what ? Has God forsaken us ? O no ! Glory 
 be to him, he is with us in all our afflictions, 
 and will, in his own time and way, deliver 
 us out of them all. "We would not alter any- 
 thing if we could. We only say, ‘Thy will be 
 done.’ 
 
 “ My own mind has been prepared, in a cer- 
 tain sense, for what has happened. I had long 
 had an impression on my mind that some great 
 trial awaited me ; but I looked for it from with- 
 out. In this I was wrong. My mind, however, 
 
106 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 was somewhat prepared by such impressions, 
 and the prayer to which they led, and for what 
 may yet come. ‘It is the Lord ; let him do what 
 seemeth him good.’ ” 
 
 On the 10th of October, after suffering for 
 twelve days, the child died. Writing to Mr. 
 Cargill, the father thus tells of his loss : 
 
 “ I was careful to have him baptized in the 
 beginning of his illness, and his name was John. 
 A perfect image of his father, according to his 
 mother’s opinion : and who would dispute the 
 point? But this fair image of his father was 
 torn from our fond embrace ; nay, not torn, but 
 taken from our arms, into the arms of a father, 
 who loves him more than we could, and who 
 loves us, though he has deprived us of what he 
 so kindly gave. Never shall I forget the patience 
 with which his dear, tender-hearted mother bore 
 this, as well as all the trials that preceded it. 
 The only thing which revolted her was laying 
 his dear body among the slain of Fiji. If he 
 could have been buried in Tonga, or any Chris- 
 tian land, the trial would have seemed much 
 less. But another baptism of the Spirit enabled 
 her to bear this also ; and before our child was 
 taken from us, we had freely given him back to 
 God. My mind is cheered with the hope that 
 his body will rise with many who will be the 
 children of our missionary toils in Fiji, and who 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 107 
 
 will accompany him, and perhaps some of ns, 
 from this part of the world, to sit down in the 
 kingdom of God. We laid his dear remains in 
 our garden, and the king sent some of his first 
 carpenters to build a nice house over the grave. 
 Not a word have I heard said on the subject by 
 way of reproach to religion.” 
 
 The grave of this little one was the first con- 
 secrating of Fiji as the missionary’s burial- 
 ground. The soil has become very wealthy 
 since then. 
 
 After reviewing all the recent troubles, Mr. 
 Hunt proceeds : “ But we have had our bless- 
 ings as well as our trials ; and blessings with 
 our trials and by means of our trials. We have 
 had spiritual peace and prosperity; have become 
 further instructed in the power and blessedness 
 of religion, as well as the pleasure of seeing 
 some promises of success in our work. The 
 people have, in general, been very kind to us. 
 They have attended to the means of Christian 
 instruction with evident marks of pleasure and 
 interest. They listen with great attention to 
 the word of life, and many of them seem to 
 understand much of the good tidings which we 
 have brought. We have commenced our school, 
 and it seems to promise well ; and we have made 
 some attempts at enlarging our sphere of useful* 
 ness. On the whole we thank God and take 
 
108 A Mission ARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 courage, praying for his abundant and continued 
 blessing.” 
 
 The very next entry in the journal is this : 
 
 “ ¥e have had another evidence to-day of 
 what heathenism does for this people. A poor 
 old woman, nearly dead with weakness and the 
 infirmities of age, was strangled just before our 
 door. Notwithstanding all this cruelty, they 
 are kind to us.” 
 
 If a bright spot were to be found, Mr. Hunt 
 would find it ; and many a cause of annoyance 
 and even suffering is never mentioned in his 
 journal. For some time the mission party were 
 not allowed to put any fence round the house, 
 or at the windows, which the heat compelled 
 them to keep open. Thus all chance of privacy 
 was lost; and the natives, led by curiosity or 
 baser motives, stood at the open windows. 
 Once, when Mrs. Hunt was bending over her 
 dying babe, she looked up to see dark, savage 
 faces, laughing and mocking at her anguish. 
 Among other sources of trouble was the capri- 
 cious temper of the tyrant chief, Tuikilakila. 
 One day this great savage, in a flaming passion, 
 flung open the mission-house door, crying out, 
 “ An sa cudru sara ! — I am very angry !” He 
 then seized Mr. Hunt and Mr. Lyth, one in each 
 hand, and drew them toward the door, where 
 he had left his club. But God took care of his 
 
SOMQSOMO. 
 
 109 
 
 servants. Their words prevailed, and the chief 
 released them, striking Mr. Lyth contemptuously 
 in the face as he did so. Thus the threatened 
 violence was averted ; but these furious fits of 
 passion on the part of the chief were very 
 alarming. 
 
 The friendship of the great man was some- 
 times as annoying as his rage was terrible. For 
 example, when the mission stores were very low, 
 he would come and eat the meal which had 
 been obtained with great difficulty; or, when 
 very gracious, he would kneel down, and thrust 
 his face into that of the missionary, and, with 
 expressive grimaces and remarks, watch the 
 stranger’s way of eating, while the plate was 
 swept again and again by the observer’s ample 
 beard. 
 
 It required a strong faith in the workers to 
 keep to their work on this mission. In the 
 midst of the worst abominations of Fiji they 
 toiled on, and, but little success appearing, they 
 hoped and trusted that there was good done 
 which they could not yet see. To Mr. Hunt’s 
 earnest heart this must have been a sore trial, 
 and he wrote : “ Our prospects are rather mys- 
 terious. The work of God is going on, I doubt 
 not; but we have not much appearance of good.” 
 It was sowing-time ; and, as the precious seed 
 fell and was hidden, the sowers watched, and 
 
110 A MISSIONARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 watched, eager to begin the ingathering. But 
 the harvest was not to be yet. It was a time 
 of discipline, which, by the long withholding 
 of outward encouragement, strengthened the 
 faith which it tried. Mr. Hunt persisted in 
 believing, and his colleague says of him : “ Such 
 faith and patience, perseverance and equanimity, 
 under circumstances so difficult, were highly 
 characteristic of the man, and inspired all the 
 rest with courage and with hopes of success.” 
 And again: “The want of direct fruit of our 
 labors, of a spiritual kind, was greatly calculated 
 to discourage and retard effort. But it had no 
 such effect on my friend’s mind. His motto 
 was, ‘ Onward:’ he looked at the promise of God, 
 and believing that, depending on him, we should 
 not labor in vain. He received every instance 
 of indirect usefulness as an answer to prayer, 
 and a pledge of future blessings. He pleaded 
 with God with holy boldness, and { against hope 
 believed in hope.’ The result was, that while 
 a, 11 around us was wilderness, our own little 
 inclosure was as a ‘ field which the Lord had 
 blessed.’ I can never forget the happy seasons 
 we enjoyed together in our social means of 
 grace.” 
 
 The Lord had a great work for his servant to 
 do hereafter. His hand was to give to the 
 Fijians the Hew Testament in their own lan- 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 Ill 
 
 guage ; and he had yet to stand in the highest 
 places of that hard-fought mission field, and see 
 renowned strongholds fall before him. Where- 
 fore he was taken to Somosomo for a time, that 
 he might gain power and skill. And here he 
 worked with all his might. To Mr. Calvert he 
 sent the following plan of theological study, 
 which he himself was pursuing : 
 
 “1. I think it of great importance to pay at- 
 tention to studies of this kind in our own lan- 
 guage. It will prevent our losing what we have 
 spent much time and prayer in acquiring, and 
 will greatly tend to our spiritual as well as men- 
 tal improvement. 
 
 “ 2. I think it quite necessary to have a plan, 
 in order to secure time and to save time ; for a 
 good plan will do both. 
 
 “ 3. My plan is this : I devote every Saturday 
 to this kind of work. I am not to be diverted 
 from it by the multiplicity of other engagements. 
 I am determined, when I am well, to devote 
 this day to this work. But does not this inter- 
 fere with my preparations for the Sabbath ? Not 
 at all ; for I have two parts of every day : one 
 to attend to any special work, and the other for 
 such things as may be necessary. The morning 
 is the time for one thing; the afternoon for 
 many things. 
 
 “ 4. However excellent other works on theol- 
 
112 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 ogy may be, I can make best use of what I have 
 studied. I therefore make my own notes of 
 lectures my text-book. I am now going through 
 the Epistle to the Romans. I rewrite my notes, 
 and add anything I may be able to think for 
 myself, as well as anything I can beg, borrow, 
 or steal from others. I intend, by the help of 
 God, to go through in this way all that I have 
 of Dr. Hannah’s. 
 
 “ 5. I have it in my mind to write a treatise 
 on Christian Perfection. I intend to state the 
 subject in a few short propositions, and then 
 treat the Scripture proofs and illustrations his- 
 torically. I then intend to explain and illustrate 
 every passage in the Old and New Testaments, 
 in which I think the doctrine of perfect love to 
 God and man is contained. I turn my attention 
 to the subject on my own account entirely. It 
 has already been made a blessing to me, and I 
 believe it will be ; and for this reason I pursue 
 the subject, intending, by the blessing of God, 
 not to be an author, but to gain personal im- 
 provement in this great subject. 
 
 “ 6. I want to make for myself a table of 
 contents of every chapter in the Bible, including 
 the following particulars : 1st. A clear statement 
 of the subject or subjects in each paragraph. 
 2d. The aspect under which it is there presented. 
 3d, The spirit or strain of the sacred writer. 
 
SOMOSOMO. 113 
 
 This will assist me in understanding the word 
 of God. 
 
 “ I must have something on hand to keep me 
 right. I cannot live unless I am on full stretch, 
 I get to reasoning and other useless things if I 
 have not better employment. 
 
 “ Blessed be God, we have been wonderfully 
 supported in our trials. The Lord has been 
 nigh unto us, and I trust he has sanctified our 
 troubles to us. I am more than ever convinced 
 that religion is the proper remedy for man in 
 his present state, and therefore I more heartily 
 seek it, and more fervently recommend it to 
 others. I am more than ever convinced that all 
 the religion of the Bible is attainable by me, 
 and all who believe, as I do, that it is necessary 
 to eternal life. 
 
 “ We go on praying and preaching, sometimes 
 to many, sometimes to few. What is in the 
 future we cannot tell. ‘ Duties are ours ; events 
 are God’s.’ ” 
 
 At the close of 1839 there was not much to 
 report concerning the Somosomo station. A 
 building had been rudely fitted up for a chapel, 
 and a regular order of public services was es- 
 tablished. The missionaries had succeeded in 
 saving the life of an old woman who was painted 
 ready for strangling, and they had let no chance 
 slip of teaching the people. Mr. Hunt had 
 
114 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 completed a rough draft of the Gospel according 
 to St. Matthew, in Fijian, and had translated 
 Genesis and part of Exodus. 
 
 At the beginning of 1840 things looked darker 
 than ever at Somosomo. One day eleven dead 
 men were dragged just in front of the mission- 
 house. They had been killed at Lauthala, a 
 neighboring town, to avenge the murder of a 
 Somosoman by some of the inhabitants. With 
 exact and ceremonious order, the corpse of a 
 chief was set apart for the god, and the others 
 divided among the several tribes. The chief’s 
 body was quietly and skillfully cut in pieces 
 within a few yards of the mission-house, and 
 the other bodies were taken to different quarters 
 of the town, where they were speedily cooked 
 and eaten. The people seemed to become 
 doubly savage after their horrid feast, and some 
 of the chiefs came and tried hard to get up a 
 quarrel with the missionaries, who for some time 
 were nearly without food ; for the people feared 
 to supply them, lest they should incur the wrath 
 of their king. The missionaries applied to him 
 again and again ; but they and their offerings 
 were slighted. On one occasion the king said: 
 
 “ No, I will not let you have food. Jehovah 
 may give you a pig.” 
 
 When this answer was reported at the mission- 
 house one of the party said : 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 115 
 
 “Now I believe the Lord will make him give 
 us food, since he himself has put us into the 
 hands of God.” 
 
 And so it fell out. In a letter Mr. Hunt says : 
 “We felt our circumstances peculiarly trying; 
 but having no help but our God, and no object 
 but to live or die in his cause, we cast ourselves 
 on his mercy and calmly waited the end. At 
 length we determined to try again what kind- 
 ness would do, and took the king a present. 
 We asked the direction and blessing of God 
 before we took it, and our dear wives continued 
 in earnest prayer, while we were away, that we 
 might be guided aright. The Lord heard prayer. 
 The king received us kindly, was much pleased 
 with our present, and gave us a pig as an offer- 
 ing, he said, to Jehovah. This ended the whole 
 affair. 
 
 “ One day, during a storm, one of the .chiefs 
 told us they had been consulting about us, and 
 the result of their deliberations was that we 
 should go away, for they did not intend to 
 embrace Christianity. We told them plainly 
 that we should not go till we were driven 
 from them. Thank God, for my own part, I 
 feel my love to them increases with their in- 
 gratitude and enmity; and I am determined 
 to spend and be spent in trying to do them 
 good, until God and his Church shall receive 
 
 Missionary among Cannibals. 8 
 
116 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 me from them. This is the sentiment of us 
 all.” 
 
 In Mr. Hunt’s private journal, it is written, 
 under the same date as the above letter: “I 
 thank God especially that I can love these my 
 enemies most cordially and heartily ; so that if 
 they will only allow me to live, I will spend 
 my strength for their welfare.” 
 
 For some time past Mr. Hunt had thought 
 of writing his own views and the fruits of his 
 Scripture searchings on his favorite subject — 
 Christian holiness. He had stated this to Mr. 
 Calvert, and during the voyage out from England 
 they had held much earnest converse on this 
 great topic. In reply to some inquiry of Mr. 
 Calvert’s about this plan, he writes, March 18 : 
 
 “ I had laid aside almost the thought of build- 
 ing any of the castles on the ground which I 
 built in the air some time ago. And, what is 
 worse still, I was becoming more careless about 
 the enjoyment of this blessing than I was some 
 time since. I think I am stirred up by your 
 letters to be more in earnest about the blessing 
 myself, and to be more determined to write 
 something on the subject. As to the plan on 
 which I should proceed, my present opinion is 
 that you and I should correspond on the subject, 
 and whenever opportunity serves write a letter 
 expressly on it. Observe well, I do not mean 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 m 
 
 that we should have a controversy on the sub- 
 ject. but a free, friendly, sanctified, theological, 
 and experimental correspondence. 35 
 
 Thus were commenced those Letters on Entire 
 Sanctification which afterward Mr. Hunt care- 
 fully reconstructed, but did not live to complete 
 fully. After his death they were published, 
 and dedicated, at the writer’s request, to his 
 beloved theological tutor, Dr. Hannah. This 
 volume of Letters is certainly one of the most 
 judicious, sound, and well arranged systems of 
 teaching on Entire Holiness that has been writ- 
 ten, and is full of the vigorous and hearty piety 
 of the writer. 
 
 In a letter to Mr. Calvert, dated April, 1840, 
 Mr. Hunt says of himself : “ I am sure I love 
 God ; and scarcely dare say I do not love him 
 with all my heart. But when I try to think so, 
 a great number of things start up before my 
 mind which are inconsistent with perfect love ; 
 and a still greater number of things that are 
 wanting in me, such as I think a person has who 
 has perfect love. Well, may I not hope that I 
 have perfect love in a small, very small degree? 
 I am willing to acknowledge that I have the 
 least degree any man ever possessed who had it 
 at all ; but have I not the least degree? I think 
 this is my conclusion. I feel I have an entire 
 repose in the blood of Christ. I love his name, 
 
118 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 his book, his people, his work. I feel I love my 
 enemies. I can bless them that curse me. I 
 could give a list of such things in my favor ; but 
 then I could give a greater on the other side. 
 What then am I to do? ‘This is the work of 
 God, that ye believe in him whom he hath sent.’ 
 When I do this all is clear, and I feel God is 
 pleased with me, and Christ saves me to the 
 uttermost. So it is thus : when I look at myself, 
 I am discouraged ; when I look at Christ, I am 
 encouraged and comforted.” 
 
 In June, 1810, Somosomo was in great excite- 
 ment on account of the arrival of three vessels, 
 two of them belonging to the United States 
 Exploring Expedition, and the other a trader. 
 One of these brought intelligence that the good 
 Mrs. Cargill had just died at Rewa. Mr. Hunt, 
 with his usual loving spirit, determined to go 
 and give what comfort he could to his sorrowing 
 brother. Commodore Wilkes, who showed every 
 possible kindness to the missionaries, offered to 
 convey Mr. Hunt to Rewa. While he was there 
 the district meeting was held, and the affairs of 
 the mission carefully examined. In returning 
 to Somosomo he was compelled to make a long, 
 circuitous passage, during which he spent many 
 days in an open boat. This exposure cost Mr. 
 Hunt a severe illness, from the remains of which 
 he never fully recovered, but he uttered no syl- 
 
SOMOSOMO. 119 
 
 lable of complaint. On getting once more 
 settled, he wrote : 
 
 “ Oar work at present seems to be to stand still 
 and see the salvation of God. I am not sanguine 
 at all, nor at all afraid. This is my general state 
 when I am in trouble. I seem as if I dare not 
 say, 4 The Lord will deliver me ;’ I can only say 
 that he will if he see that deliverance will be 
 best. Praise the Lord, he does wonderfully 
 preserve us. Don’t fear, my friends. Praise 
 God, and put your whole trust in him for your- 
 selves and for us. 
 
 “ In our work we seem to labor in vain, but 
 faith can never come to such a conclusion. I 
 would not believe such a thing if all the philos- 
 ophers in the world were to tell me so. If we 
 preach Christ’s truth he is with us, and his pres- 
 ence is not in vain. ‘ He must reign till he 
 hath put all enemies under his feet . 5 
 
 u I love these poor wretches, obstinate as they 
 are; nay, I sometimes wish I could love my 
 brethren as much as I love them. And if I, 
 whose heart is so destitute of compassion, feel 
 thus, what a fullness of love and truth there is 
 in those words which enforce on us the duty of 
 interceding for all men ! ‘ For this is acceptable 
 
 in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have 
 all men to be saved and come to the knowledge 
 of the truth . 5 God does not only not will that 
 
120 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 any should perish, but he does will that all 
 should be saved ; and how does he will it .who 
 gave himself a ransom to accomplish it ! 
 
 “ I want more of this will. I want sympathy. 
 God sets a mark on the men that sigh and that 
 cry for the abominations that are done in the 
 midst of Fiji. And if he should say to the 
 destroyer, 4 Go through Somosomo and smite ; 
 let not your eye spare, neither have pity,’ he 
 will also say : 4 But come not near any man on 
 whom is the mark.’ If God should permit us 
 even to fall by the hands of the rebels, we shall 
 go to heaven with the mark upon us.” 
 
 At the time this was written Somosomo was 
 preparing for a war which lasted till nearly the 
 end of the year. During this time the cannibal 
 feasts were more frequent, and barbarous cere- 
 monies were constantly taking place in the town. 
 The ovens were so near the mission-house that 
 the smell from them -was sickening; and the 
 young king furiously threatened to kill the mis- 
 sionaries and their wives if they shut up their 
 house to exclude the horrible stench. Among 
 all perils and annoyance Mr. Hunt steadily and 
 earnestly went about his work, always, to use 
 his favorite expression, turning his care into 
 prayer. 
 
 The year 1841 opened with rumors of fresh 
 wars, whereby the mission, as far as Somosomo 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 121 
 
 itself was concerned, was greatly hindered, 
 though the consequent influx of strangers gave 
 the missionaries frequent opportunities of teach- 
 ing those whom, otherwise, they could never 
 have reached. 
 
 “ With respect to our work , 55 Mr. Hunt writes, 
 “we are much as usual. We preach daily, 
 visit sometimes, and have a few scholars. We 
 seem to be doing but little, though I am sure I 
 work hard ; and so do all, so far as I am able to 
 judge. For some time past I have been pros- 
 pering in spiritual things, and much blessed in 
 reading and studying the word of Hod . 55 
 
 In February and March all the members of 
 the mission household were ill, and Mr. and 
 Mrs. Lyth lost a child by croup, and buried him 
 under the little house where Mrs. Hunt’s baby 
 was laid. In June the survivors were in good 
 health again, in time to enjoy the great event 
 of the year, the arrival of the “ Triton 55 mission- 
 ship, bringing the general superintendent, Mr. 
 Waterhouse, with the latest letters, some more 
 than a year old, from England. During Mr. 
 Waterhouse’s visit the district meeting was held 
 at Lakemba, and Mr. Hunt accompanied the 
 general superintendent thither, and to some of 
 the more distant stations at Yatoa and Ono. 
 As the “ Triton 55 came near Somosomo, on her 
 return, the natives gathered numerously on the 
 
t 
 
 122 A MISSIONARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 hillside at the back of the mission house, the 
 inmates of which could hear them exulting be- 
 cause she had missed the safe anchorage and 
 was making direct for the rocks, where her 
 destruction seemed inevitable. The savages 
 grew wild with excitement as they watched 
 her perilous course and made sure of a rich 
 prize. Their proposal to fasten up the ladies, 
 who were anxiously expecting the return of the 
 missionaries, in the house was distinctly heard 
 by their intended victims, who thus were made 
 aware of their danger. A few seconds of dread- 
 ful suspense, and then a mad shout rose as the 
 vessel struck on the reef, and the crowd, with 
 fierce cries and whirling clubs, rushed down to 
 the shore, and embarked for their work of blood- 
 shed and plunder. The king was from home, 
 and there was no one to restrain the people. It 
 was a terrible time for the ladies of the mission- 
 house. Their Fijian servant smote her breast 
 as she cried out : “Sa Jcasa na waqa ! Sa kasa 
 na waqa /”• — “The ship is fast ! The ship is fast !” 
 One of the missionaries’ wives went aside 
 and knelt, and looked up, and prayed : “ Al- 
 mighty Jesus, we need thy help !” And as 
 she came out again she met one of her com- 
 panions, who was greatly agitated, and said: 
 “ Don’t be alarmed. There will be nothing the 
 matter.” 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 123 
 
 They opened the door and looked forth over 
 the water to see the “ Triton” gently gliding 
 off into deep water before the canoes could 
 reach her. 
 
 Soon after this Mrs. Hunt was again taken 
 seriously ill, and the sorrowful fear of losing his 
 beloved wife was added to Mr. Hunt’s difficult 
 and discouraging mission work. At the close 
 of the year he wrote to Mr. Calvert : 
 
 “ I am much obliged to you for your sympa- 
 thy, which I need in my present circumstances ; 
 and as you are my bosom friend I shall tell you 
 a few of my troubles, that I may still have your 
 sympathies and prayers. 
 
 “ My dear wife has been afflicted several 
 months together, and a long time must yet elapse 
 before she will be strong. She is just now able 
 to get up for about an hour, and with my help 
 walk twice or thrice over the room. Many times 
 it seemed almost impossible that she should re- 
 cover. I have of course been the principal 
 nurse all the while, and my time has been taken 
 up. These things are a sore trial to me, because 
 they keep me from the other duties of my call- 
 ing. I am almost persuaded at times to think I 
 am of no use, and that the Lord will not accept 
 of me as his laborer, but I would not yield to 
 temptation. I make my case known to God, and 
 he will I trust make my way plain before me. 
 
124 A MISSIONARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 At present I feel it is my work to humble my- 
 self under his mighty hand. My prayer is : 
 ‘ Lord, spare her, and grant that we may live to 
 labor in Fiji. 5 If I am of no use I make one, 
 and am better than none. I hope for better 
 days. 
 
 “ Your kind remarks on my papers encouraged 
 me. I had almost given all up on this subject, 
 but I will begin again by the help of God. 
 
 “ You see I am rather low, but it is not incon- 
 sistent with joy in the Lord. Considering my 
 circumstances I am generally very happy. Mr. 
 Lyth is very kind. I believe he fully under- 
 stands Mrs. Hunt’s case, and has treated it in 
 the best way. 55 
 
 At the beginning of 1842 it was arranged 
 that Mr. Hunt should attend to the towns and 
 villages round about Somosomo, while his col- 
 league took charge of the mission work at home. 
 In addition to this increased labor, and the nurs- 
 ing of his sick wife, Mr. Hunt was employed in 
 building a new house, as the place where the 
 two families had resided together was very un- 
 healthy, and in other respects undesirable. A 
 house had been erected for Mr. Lyth near the 
 shore, and Mr. Hunt thus describes to his wife, 
 for the benefit of her friends in England, the 
 establishment which he was then completing. 
 
 “ Our present dwelling-house is about fifty-six 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 125 
 
 feet long, and twenty -six wide inside. It has no 
 less than twenty upright posts to support it. 
 The roof is well wooded and thatched ; the walls 
 reeded and lined with mats. The bed-room at 
 the south end is floored with boards, except a 
 small part of it which you wished to have as a 
 store. The middle of the house is made into a 
 large dining-room, in which we have a small 
 native fireplace, which is very convenient when 
 we are ill. The dining-room is separated from 
 the bed-room by a reed-wall, lined inside with 
 nice native cloth. At the north end of the house 
 is my study, which is separated from the dining- 
 room in the same way as the bed-room, but it is 
 no‘t lined : I- don’t know why. I have also a 
 little store in my study. 
 
 “The front of our house is open to the sea, 
 and is not more than forty yards from it. About 
 ten yards from the sea is our outside fence, and 
 ten or fifteen yards nearer the house is another 
 well-built fence. These fences inclose two gar- 
 dens which are your own, and planted with 
 bananas, Cape-gooseberries, pine-apples, and 
 native shrubs of various kinds. The .gardens, 
 as you know, are not planted at random. Both 
 your head gardener (myself) and your under 
 gardener (Noah) have endeavored to make them 
 as useful and pleasing as possible. We have 
 rows of tall bananas, and nice walks, and every- 
 
126 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 thing in fact is done so as to meet your own 
 views of neatness, order, and utility. On the 
 other side of the house, and near to it, is a small 
 house for the people to wash and iron in, and 
 which you will find convenient. Further back 
 is the kitchen, and, at a short distance from this, 
 the servants’ house. These houses and a fence 
 form the boundary of the kitchen garden, which 
 is beautifully situated on the side of a hill. The 
 hill is j ust sloping enough to allow of its being 
 planted until you get about half-way up, and 
 then it is nearly perpendicular to the top. The 
 garden part is planted with bananas, taro, kum- 
 eras (sweet potatoes), beans and peas, (a few,) 
 which are all growing most luxuriantly. The 
 part not planted by us is planted by nature with 
 nice shrubs, etc., one of which has a beautiful 
 flower now in full bloom. 
 
 “ Over this nearly perpendicular mountain- 
 side flows, or rather falls, a stream of fresh water, 
 ever-flowing. It comes to the bottom of the 
 mountain, and is there turned inside the garden 
 so as to run quite through ; then, forming an 
 angle, it empties itself into the sea. 
 
 “ This is a brief sketch of our premises. In 
 the same inclosure is Mr. Lyth’s house, with 
 appendages similar to ours. The chapel, which 
 is near the center, and Moses’s house, complete 
 the mission establishment.” 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 127 
 
 Mrs. Hunt now began to get better, and her 
 good husband entered more heartily than ever 
 into his work of study, translation, preaching, 
 and visiting. The following extract from a ser- 
 mon on Matthew xvi, 24, shows his style of giv- 
 ing the truth to the natives : 
 
 “ We must not only deny ourselves but take 
 up our cross, which I explained as consisting in 
 those things which are difficult to us. 
 
 “ Religion is difficult, especially to new begin- 
 ners, because of the badness of our hearts ; and 
 it is impossible for those who think they can be 
 religious of themselves without praying to God 
 to help them. 
 
 “ Religion is difficult. And what is not that 
 is useful ? A garden-full of grass is very easily 
 grown, but of what use is it? A bad canoe is 
 easily made, but it is of no use. A bad house 
 is soon built, but it is of no use. Good gardens, 
 canoes, houses, axes, knives, whales’ teeth, etc., 
 are all difficult to get, but they are useful. Med- 
 icine is sometimes very bitter, but it is very 
 useful. So it is with religion. Our minds don’t 
 like it, but it is that by which we live. 
 
 We don’t like repentance and faith in Christ, 
 and to keep the commandments of God, but 
 this is the way to live. 
 
 “Your way of treating your sick is much 
 easier than ours. When persons are sick you 
 
128 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 neglect them, or bury them alive, or strangle 
 them. This is very easy. We watch our sick, 
 give them medicine, and feed them. This is 
 difficult, but our sick often recover and yours 
 die. Ours is the difficult way, but it is the way 
 to live. Yours is the easy way, but it is the way 
 of death. So it is with your religion. It is 
 easy, but it is the way of death. Ours is diffi- 
 cult, but it is the way of life. 
 
 “ But our religion is not always difficult. It 
 is only so when we first begin. By and by it 
 becomes easy. When we obtain a new heart 
 then our way is easy. Begin, then. Don’t mind 
 the difficulty.” 
 
 In March Mr. Hunt writes : “ I am thankful 
 to say my dear wife is once more well. It is 
 wonderful how the Lord has raised her up. 
 You cannot imagine how she was reduced, or 
 how quickly she recovered. Praise the Lord, O 
 my soul ! Amen and amen.” 
 
 All was thus bright at home, and the mission- 
 ary went more cheerily than ever about his 
 work ; not content with the fixed regulation 
 duties of his office, but catching at every chance 
 of doing good. Thus, while he continued his 
 studies with laborious care, applying himself to 
 the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, and effecting 
 translations into Fijian of the most masterly 
 kind, not forgetting to keep up his reading in 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 129 
 
 English theology and general literature, he made 
 himself known among the natives as their friend 
 by a thousand attentions and helps, which intro- 
 duced them to comforts and advantages they 
 had never dreamed of before. In all times of 
 their trouble he was peculiarly kind. It was no 
 uncommon thing for him to act as nurse as well 
 as doctor to the sick. Stooping very low to get 
 in at the little doorway, he would make his way 
 to the mat whereon the patient lay, and then 
 busy himself in preparing arrowroot at the fire 
 in the middle of the floor, at the risk of scorch- 
 ing or scalding [his fingers in pouring boiling 
 water out of the great earthen pot which did 
 duty as kettle in the native establishment. 
 
 Such continued efforts on the part of the two 
 missionaries could not fail to do some good ; but 
 the results were, with some cheering exceptions, 
 general, mediate, and not of that kind which 
 can be clearly stated or represented by figures. 
 The time of Mr. Hunt’s residence in Somosomo 
 was near its close ; for after the district meeting 
 held in August, 1842, he went to occupy the 
 Yiwa station, vacated by Mr. Cross, whose ill- 
 health suggested the plan of his removal to 
 Somosomo, where he might be under the medi- 
 cal care of Mr. Lyth. 
 
 At the time of Mr. Hunt’s leaving Somosomo 
 he thus sums up his experience on that station : 
 
130 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 “ Somosomo has been a place where every feel- 
 ing of our nature and every principle of our 
 religion has been tested. We believe that we 
 have been made a great blessing at Somosomo, 
 though the fruits of our labors do not yet fully 
 appear, nor perhaps will at present.” 
 
 In a letter written on board the missionary 
 brigantine “Triton,” while Mr. Hunt was on the 
 way to his new station, he gives the following 
 truthful description of the people of Fiji, and 
 of some ascertained results of the mission : 
 
 “ You have heard a great deal on the dark 
 side of the character of the Fijians, I have no 
 doubt, and of the vileness of their moral char- 
 acter too much cannot be said. Some of the 
 worst features of heathenism, in the picture 
 drawn by St. Paul in the first of Romans, are 
 too observable in them not to be seen even by 
 a stranger. 
 
 “The Fijians, however, have some character- 
 istics which make them very interesting to me, 
 and make it a pleasure to labor among them. 
 
 “ They are an industrious people. Their 
 houses, gardens, plantations, and canoes are a 
 proof of this. I was astonished to find a people 
 so deeply depraved in such a state of civiliza- 
 tion in these respects. 
 
 “ They plant as much as provides abundantly 
 for their wants, though in many instances they 
 
SOMOSGMO. 
 
 131 
 
 do not enjoy the fruits of their industry, from 
 their custom of feasting. These feasts often 
 occur, and a large number of people assemble 
 at them for the purpose of eating, trading, etc. 
 The chief of the town where the feast is held 
 considers it his duty to provide very large quan- 
 tities of food, partly out of respect to the chiefs 
 and people who come to the feast, and partly 
 that he may obtain a good report in other lands. 
 The object indeed is not so much to feed the 
 people as to have a very large heap of food. 
 They cannot eat the whole of it, and consequent- 
 ly very much is thrown away; and thus the poor 
 people, who have had to supply food to the vis- 
 itors, see the fruits of their labors thrown into 
 the sea through the foolish ambition of their 
 chiefs. The chiefs are, however, many of them 
 as industrious as their people. They are not 
 ashamed of soiling their hands, or of cultivating 
 their land. 
 
 “ The Fijians are also a commercial people, in 
 their way. They do not sail to other lands for 
 the purpose of trading ; but among themselves 
 they trade a great deal. Some tribes, who are 
 much employed in sailing from island to island 
 to attend feasts and bring the tribute of the 
 small islands to the principal chief, never plant, 
 but obtain their food by purchasing it with na- 
 tive pots made by their wives, baskets, whales’ 
 
 Missionary among Cannibals. 9 
 
132 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 teeth, etc., or receive it in repayment for their 
 services to the chiefs. These men are great 
 traders. Some call them the Jews of Fiji ; and 
 Jews many of them are in many respects, and 
 it is very difficult to make bargains with them, 
 except for their own advantage. 
 
 “ The female part of the population attend to 
 making native cloth, pots, etc. Even the wives 
 of the chiefs are employed in printing the cloth, 
 and in superintending the making of female 
 dresses ( lilcus ) and other things. 
 
 “ You will see from these remaks that there 
 is a good deal of variety in the occupations of 
 the Fijians, and that the people are naturally of 
 an active disposition. Government is easy (I 
 mean easily attended to) in these islands. There 
 is no regular code of laws in existence at present, 
 except some regulations which have been left 
 here by American ships of war, and which are 
 not as yet regarded by the people in general. 
 The law of the land is the will of the principal 
 chief, and he appoints any person he may choose 
 to inflict punishment when he is offended. Per- 
 haps the greatest crime a man can be guilty of 
 is to offend the chief. For stealing they often 
 tut off the fingers of the offender. For adultery 
 the female’s nose is cut off, especially if she was 
 the wife of a chief. Sometimes both parties are 
 punished with death. Some of the chiefs are 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 133 
 
 exceedingly cruel, even to their wives and child- 
 ren, and the whole of their subjects live in con- 
 stant fear. . Others are kind, and enjoy the 
 affections of their people, who seem glad to be 
 entirely devoted to their pleasure. 
 
 “ In war the Fijians are anything but brave. 
 They generally succeed more by stratagem than 
 by fighting ; and in some instances none are 
 killed on either side, except by what might 
 properly be called kidnapping. 
 
 “The domestic character of the Fijians is by 
 far the best part of them in my opinion. They 
 really have a good idea of comfort in their fam- 
 ilies. In some instances I have seen great affec- 
 tion manifested by the different members of a 
 family to one another ; and in preparing their 
 food, comfortable houses, and cleanliness in 
 their food, utensils, etc., they are astonishingly 
 clever. 
 
 “ But there are such contradictions in their 
 character that it is a very difficult thing to form 
 a just idea of what they really are. Children 
 who seem to have a good degree of affection for 
 their parents will, nevertheless, strangle them 
 when they are sick or old, especially if the 
 parent requests it. I have seen a woman of high 
 rank led to her grave alive, and strangled there 
 by her own sons, who appeared to enjoy the 
 horrid act. The contradictions in their charac- 
 
134 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 ter are partly to be attributed to custom, and 
 partly to that fickleness of disposition which is 
 the characteristic of men who have no educa- 
 tion, no good example, no knowledge of God or 
 his word, and, consequently, no fixed principles 
 of action ; and who, in addition to all this, are 
 under the god of this world. Custom, Satan, 
 and their depraved hearts entirely govern them. 
 Custom is one of the great tyrants of Fiji, and 
 to its powerful influence a great part of the 
 murders and much of the cannibalism of Fiji 
 may be traced. A native will do anything if 
 it be vacka-Fiji , that is, according to the custom 
 of Fiji; and until they have had intercourse 
 with missionaries for some time, they think their 
 own customs are the most excellent in the world, 
 and that it is impossible to improve them. 
 
 “ When we first went to Somosomo the prin- 
 cipal chiefs were quite impatient of reproof. 
 They did not hesitate at all to say that the cus- 
 toms of eating human flesh and strangling were 
 good, and considered us their enemies because 
 we lifted up our voice against them. We did 
 not desist, however, until we had told them the 
 truth; and we soon saw the result, in three 
 instances especially: A town had been taken 
 in war without a man being killed ; a large ca- 
 noe has been launched, and has made her first 
 voyage, without a single instance of cannibalism ; 
 
SOMOSOMO. 
 
 135 
 
 and the Somosomo people have feasted their 
 superiors, the Mbau people, for several weeks 
 without a single dead body. In the first instance 
 we were one cause, instrumentally, of the people 
 being spared ; in the second, perhaps, the only 
 cause ; and in the third, perhaps, the only cause 
 too ; but we had not directly to interfere, for the 
 influence which truth had on the minds of the 
 people made our interference unnecessary. 
 
 “ Thus is custom overcome, Satan’s power is 
 broken, and the reign of passion is checked ; 
 and even Fijians are beginning to think, and to 
 allow reason to have a place in their conduct of 
 life. I am quite persuaded that nothing but 
 missionary labor could have effected this ; and 
 it can only effect it instrumentally. If we could 
 have seen chaos, in darkness and confusion, we 
 should not have doubted that God had spoken 
 when ‘ there was light.’ No power but his can 
 effect a change in the heart of man, and without 
 this we labor in vain to teach these people 
 better customs.” 
 
136 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 viwa: 1842, 1848. 
 
 The new Station — Namosimalua — Training of Native Teachers — 
 Light and Dark — Various Engagements — Death of Mr. Cross — 
 Letter to Mr. Calvert — Chairman of the District — Visitation 
 Tour — Searchings of Heart — Unbelief — School Work — A 
 Day’s Eecord — Letters to Mr. Lyth — To Mr. Williams — Lit- 
 erary Work — Kindness imposed upon — Letter to Mr. Calvert. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Hunt reached their new station 
 safely on August 30, 1842, just three years after 
 the commencement of the mission there by Mr. 
 Cross. 
 
 Yiwa is one of the small islets which rise from 
 the reef on the eastern coast of Na Yiti Levu — 
 Great Fiji. At the time of the missionary’s 
 arrival it was of great political importance, and 
 one of the most valuable dependencies of Mbau, 
 the seat of the highest power in the group. It 
 offered great advantages as a mission station, in 
 consequence of its being only two miles from 
 Mbau, where as yet the missionaries had been 
 unable to gain a footing, and because of the fre- 
 quent visits it received from people belonging to 
 all parts of Fiji. The chief of Yiwa, Namosi- 
 malua, was, as already stated, a man of great 
 note. For some years he had been prominent 
 
VIWA. 
 
 137 
 
 in every conspiracy by which Mbau was troub- 
 led, and every war by which its greatness had 
 been increased. In all these scenes Namosima- 
 lua distinguished himself by his craftiness in 
 council and stratagem, while his fame as a war- 
 rior was deemed bloody and savage even in Fiji. 
 This man had renounced heathenism and pro- 
 fessed to be a Christian. It is too true that he 
 never was really a Christian, yet he kept to his 
 profession of it in the face of the displeasure 
 and threats of the powerful king of Mbau. In 
 addition to this, he befriended the missionaries, 
 while he strictly refrained from all the more 
 terrible crimes which had hitherto darkened his 
 character, although in point of domestic moral- 
 ity he showed but little change. 
 
 Under Mr. Cross’s diligent care a good work 
 had been begun in Viwa, and Mr. Hunt found 
 a hundred and twenty persons under religious 
 instruction, many of whom cheered him by 
 plain tokens of a change of heart. Eight native 
 teachers were being employed in the places un- 
 der Mr. Hunt’s care. 
 
 The case of the native teachers had long en- 
 gaged the serious and anxious attention of the 
 missionaries, and Mr. Hunt had considered the 
 matter with all his usual thoroughness. Many 
 good, soundly converted young men had come 
 out from the more prosperous scenes of the mis- 
 
138 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 sion, and showed a strong desire to convey to 
 others the blessedness with which their own 
 hearts were filled. The extension of the work, 
 too, called for more ministering than the few 
 missionaries could render, and thus native agen- 
 cy was already in general use. The land -was 
 being sown with the seed of the first harvest. 
 
 It was about the training of these native 
 Christians that Mr. Hunt had thought so long 
 and so seriously, and several young men were 
 now under his care. This made a very formi- 
 dable addition to his other engagements ; but 
 nothing was neglected. Indeed, he enjoyed 
 hard work. He said he could only live “on 
 full stretch,’ 5 and every day proved it. Then 
 this training work was especially a labor of love, 
 and he took it up and carried it on with great 
 zest and delight. The management of this im- 
 portant branch of the mission had been intrusted 
 to him by his brethren, so that he was engaged 
 in writing simple lectures on theology for the 
 native teachers on other stations, as well as in 
 the instruction of those under his personal care, 
 to whom he lectured three times a week at six 
 o’clock in the morning. 
 
 Living in Yiwa was very different from the 
 residence in Somosomo. Many of the people 
 were Christians by profession, and some in real- 
 ity ; and as the chief protected and helped the 
 
YIWA. 
 
 139 
 
 Lotu , the missionary and his wife had many 
 comforts to which they were strangers at Somo- 
 somo, while they were saved from witnessing 
 some of the horrible things that had so distressed 
 them at their former station. Tet even in Yiwa 
 the old practices of heathen Fiji were not wholly 
 abandoned : witness this extract from Mr. Hunt’s 
 journal: 
 
 “ October 22. This morning a number of 
 women came from Mbau to strangle a poor 
 woman to whom I had been giving medicine 
 for some time. I succeeded in preventing them 
 from strangling her, but they very nearly suc- 
 ceeded in burying her alive unknown to me. I 
 thought I should like to see how she was going 
 on, fearing they would be doing something with 
 her, and when I got into the Tcoro (town) I 
 understood that Yerani, the nephew of the chief 
 of this place, had ordered her to be buried. I 
 immediately went to him, and found him dig- 
 ging her grave with his own hands. I urged him 
 by all means to desist, and succeeded. He 
 ordered the grave to be filled up again, and 
 engaged to leave the woman to me. He rubbed 
 his hands together, saying, 4 Dear me, I have 
 dirtied my hands for nothing evidently some- 
 what disappointed. I saw the woman before I 
 went to him, and found that she did not wish to 
 die, and seemed much pleased at the idea of 
 
140 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 trying a little longer. Katu-Mara, a Mbau chief, 
 to whom she belongs, had sent word for her to 
 be strangled. I gave her some medicine and 
 food. She did not seem at all willing to die. 
 A message came next morning to inform me 
 that she was dead. I expect they assisted her 
 after all, though they said they did not.” 
 
 The next entry shows something of the various 
 character of Mr. Hunt’s employment: 
 
 u October 24. We began in good earnest to 
 floor the study. I have been a good deal em- 
 ployed with the men, and have only had time 
 to write up my journal from the coming of the 
 4 Triton.’ 
 
 44 25 th. I have written my lecture on 4 Justifi- 
 cation.’ I have some difficulty in finding good 
 words. We shall be some time before we are 
 well understood on some of these points, for 
 want of fit words. To-night I have commenced 
 a short catechism, which is to be the basis of the 
 quarterly, and yearly examination of my pupils 
 on the subject of theology. I have got through 
 the Evidences. 
 
 44 1 shall soon be tired of employing such 
 workmen (the carpenters) and do the work my- 
 self. I want more religion, and trust in the 
 mercy of God in Christ for it. 
 
 44 2 6th. I have written my lecture on the 
 Witness of the Spirit, and got to the end of the 
 
VIWA. 
 
 141 
 
 Divine Attributes in my catechism. My car- 
 penters have been three days and have not got 
 all the boards ready to put down yet. Wesley 
 (a native teacher) preached to-day on ‘ If the 
 dead rise not, then is Christ not risen. 5 A bit 
 of good Gospel toward the close cheered me 
 very much. 
 
 “ 2 ^Ith. Prepared my lecture on Regeneration. 
 Got to the ‘image of God in which man was 
 created 5 in my catechism. Began translating 
 1 Corinthians. 
 
 “ 28th. Spent in temporals chiefly. 
 
 “ 29 th. Prepared for the Sabbath. 
 
 “ 30 th. Preached three times to-day in native 
 and once in English. 55 
 
 To his friend, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Hunt writes : 
 
 “ I have at present a Lasakau canoe at my 
 service, so that I am well off. I have good 
 prospects, plenty of work, and pretty good 
 health. I preach three times on the Sabbath, 
 and intend to give three lectures a week and, if 
 possible, visit Ovalau once a month. 
 
 “I feel as if I were in sunshine, and I am 
 always a little afraid in such circumstances. I 
 pray that I may always speak tremblingly. 55 
 
 During the following month Mr. Hunt finished 
 his lectures on the Doctrines of Christianity, 
 and began to prepare a course on Geography. 
 His house was now made more comfortable, 
 
142 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 and he felt thoroughly settled in his work once 
 more. 
 
 On December 8 the sad intelligence of Mr. 
 Cross’s death at Somosomo arrived, and on the 
 following Sunday Mr. Hunt says : “ This morn- 
 ing I led the prayer-meeting, and preached at 
 ten o’clock on the death of Mr. Cross. It was a 
 time to be remembered of a truth. Many wept, 
 and so did I, as heartily as I have ever wept 
 since I left England. I trust the event may be 
 made a blessing to some of the people here. My 
 text was, ‘ Having a desire to depart and be with 
 Christ, which is far better.’ ” 
 
 In January and February, 1843, Mr. Hunt 
 was very poorly, and unable to work so hard as 
 he wished ; but a visit to Rewa did much to- 
 ward his recovery. In March he visited this 
 place once more and wrote to Lakemba : 
 
 “ I am now at Rewa, as you will see from the 
 date of this ; and I am sorry to say I am here 
 again on mournful business. Our friends here 
 (Mr. and Mrs. Jaggar) have been called to part 
 with their little girl. We have buried the beau- 
 tiful clay to-day. She was a most lovely little 
 creature, and her temper was as sweet as her 
 features were pleasing. 
 
 “ Here are four belonging to the mission fam- 
 ilies lying in the same spot, awaiting the morn- 
 ing when c the dead in Christ shall rise first.’ O 
 
VTWA. 
 
 143 
 
 glorious day ! Could we but more fully realize 
 it, how perfectly unreal would all we can enjoy 
 in this world appear to us ! Well, ‘ let us hasten 
 to the day , 5 that we may be quite ready wdien 
 the Son of man shall come. It is a cheering 
 thought to me that death, as well as the judg- 
 ment, should be called the ‘ coming of the Son 
 of man . 5 Death is the servant of Christ ; but 
 he never comes to the faithful without his Mas- 
 ter ; so that the dying saint can say, ( Come, 
 Lord Jesus, come quickly ! 5 a much better dy- 
 ing speech than that which Mr. Pope has devised. 
 Here is the grand secret of an easy passage to 
 another world, as well as how to live usefully in 
 this. To become acquainted with the Saviour 
 is true wisdom. O my Saviour, forgive my 
 neglect of thee. The Saviour of my dear babes 
 and me. Take my body, spirit, soul for thyself, 
 in time and in eternity. Amen, amen. 
 
 “ My health is not so good as formerly, I think. 
 Sometimes I ain quite poorly. Thank God, he 
 sanctifies it, so it is all well. We are doing bet- 
 ter at Yiwa than we were. Sometimes I find it 
 difficult to preach ; but I have been able hitherto 
 to take all my appointments . 55 
 
 At the death of Mr. Cross his place as chair- 
 man of the Fiji district was filled by Mr. Hunt, 
 and thus his already abundant labors were in- 
 creased. For some time he had been anxious to 
 
144 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 sail round Na Yiti Levu, the large island off the 
 coast of which Yiwa was situated. Many tribes 
 of great importance inhabited districts and towns 
 upon the shores of Na Yiti Levu which had 
 never been visited by a missionary, and Mr. 
 Hunt resolved to explore this new ground. In 
 the beginning of April he started from Yiwa on 
 the voyage, which lasted about six weeks. The 
 old and very small schooner in which he sailed 
 had poor accommodation for passengers ; but Mr. 
 Hunt had a marvelous way of making himself 
 at home anywhere, and the trip was very satis- 
 factory, as it gave him the opportunity of visit- 
 ing some places where the Gospel had never 
 been preached, and of forming an acquaintance 
 with several chiefs of considerable influence. 
 Now and then adverse or failing winds detained 
 the vessel, when her distant anchorage prevented 
 any one going ashore. Even these occasions, at 
 a time when he was very anxious to get home, 
 were most profitably employed by the mission- 
 ary.- The following extracts are from his private 
 journal : 
 
 “ Friday, 28th, (April.) To-day I set apart for 
 abstinence and prayer for a speedy passage 
 home and prosperity in my soul and work, as 
 well as for my dear wife, who I am afraid will 
 now begin to be anxious about me. 
 
 “ Monday, Map 1. We made a trial to-day to 
 
VI W A. 
 
 145 
 
 get on a little, but we did not make very much 
 way. I was praying all day for a fair wind, a 
 clean heart, and for my dear wife. I am afraid 
 she will be much concerned for me now. I want 
 more patience than I have to keep me comfort- 
 able when I am from home in this way. 
 
 “ Tuesday , 2. We got under way to-day, but 
 found it of no use, as the wind was not fair and 
 became very strong, so that we were obliged to 
 come to anchor again. The wind increased and 
 blew almost a gale before night, and continued 
 strong all night, so that we were tossing about 
 with the sea, though in as good a place for shel- 
 ter as we could find. To me it was a profitable 
 though a heart-searching time. 
 
 u Wednesday , 3. To-day we were at anchor 
 all day without being able even to make an at- 
 tempt at sailing. It was a good day I trust to 
 me. I feel much more resigned to the will of 
 God than I did, and my faith is somewhat in- 
 creased. O for the full imagQ of God! I want 
 the wisdom, the righteousness, the true holiness, 
 the light, the love, the peace and joy in the 
 Holy Ghost, which I know is the privilege of all 
 the children of God, and therefore mine. I feel 
 I have not this image. 
 
 “ I. I am very ignorant. I have but little of 
 that £ unction of the Holy One 5 by which St. 
 John says believers know all things. (1 John ii, 
 
146 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 20.) I do not always know wliat is the will of 
 God as to what I should believe and teach and 
 practice. I have not the unction of the spirit 
 in prayer as I ought to have. I have not the 
 unction of the spirit in my studies and preach- 
 ing, which is so needful to make me wise to win 
 souls. 
 
 “ II. I have need of righteousness — inward rec- 
 titude. 1. Of desire, so that I shall never desire 
 anything but what pleases God and is calculated 
 to benefit man, and constantly and strongly to 
 desire this. 2. Rectitude of affections , so as to 
 love nothing but what God loves, and to love in 
 the manner in which he loves : to love him su- 
 premely, his people with complacency, and the 
 world with a pity like his. And because I can- 
 not imitate him in the degree of my love, I am 
 to love him with all my heart and mind and 
 soul and strength ; and all and every man as 
 my own soul. 3. Rectitude of conscience ; a con- 
 science so awake that it cannot be surprised, 
 so just that it cannot be bribed, so pleased with 
 that which is right that it shall be cause of con- 
 stant joy, so pained with that which is wrong 
 that he who has it cannot sin : ‘ a conscience 
 void of offense toward God and men. 5 4. Where 
 this is the case there will be rectitude of will . 
 Our will must thus be lost in the will of God. 
 ‘ Thy will be done 5 will be our constant prayer, 
 
VIWA. 
 
 U1 
 
 by us, in us, 6 on earth as it is done in heaven.’ 
 Here is the rule. What I mean by entire resig- 
 nation to the will of God is this : to be fully 
 persuaded that God orders all events, both great 
 and small ; to commit ourselves, body, soul, 
 wife, family, property, influence, character, all 
 into his hands, and to believe that whatever 
 happens is best, and so fully to believe this as to 
 ‘ rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in 
 everything to give thanks.’ We may pray at 
 all times, but we may not murmur or repine 
 under any circumstances whatever. In all these 
 respects I have need of righteousness. 
 
 III. I have need of true holiness. Much 
 that is contrary to the will and nature of God 
 remains in me. Pride, envy, malice, uncharita- 
 bleness, impatience — which sometimes torments 
 me exceedingly, and more or less every day — 
 censoriousness, slander, evil-speaking, deceit, 
 hypocrisy, unbelief, worldly-mindedness, lust, 
 anger, the fear of man, want of meekness and 
 long-suffering, or, to sum up the whole, an awful 
 want of love to God and man. Thus do I need 
 holiness. I trust none of these evils reign in 
 me, but I have had daily proof that they exist 
 and strive to rule. 
 
 “ The natural result of this want of holiness is 
 a corresponding want of happiness and useful- 
 ness. How often my happiness is hindered and 
 
 Missionary among Cannibals. 10 
 
148 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 almost destroyed by pride. How easily pride 
 is wounded, and how painful is the wound. 
 
 “ Envy is itself misery. It repines at anoth- 
 er’s welfare, and prevents us enjoying what we 
 have, though we may have much more than 
 they. 
 
 “ Malice reserves the things which make me 
 miserable to-day to continue my misery. It is 
 the storekeeper of misery. TJncharitahleness 
 prevents me feeling the happiness of compla- 
 cency in others, by leading me to undervalue 
 their excellencies. 
 
 “ j Impatience — wishing and desiring and long- 
 ing for things over which I have no control to 
 be different from what they are, such as winds, 
 weather, health, etc., etc., whereas I ought 
 calmly to rest in God, after having done what I 
 can. Impatience toward men : I expect more 
 from them than I ought, and am dissatisfied, 
 angry, or disappointed when they do not act as 
 I think they should. 
 
 “ Censoriousness , slander , and evil-speaking 
 always leave a sting behind, and hinder me from 
 enjoying the company of those I slander, be- 
 cause I am not sure whether they have heard 
 what I have said against them or not. 
 
 “ Deceit toward men leads me to fear I have 
 not their confidence, because I know I do not 
 deserve it; and hypocrisy toward God can 
 
viwa. 149 
 
 never consist with confidence in him who desires 
 truth in the inward parts. 
 
 “ Unbelief is a fruitful source of misery. It 
 is the parent of a thousand needless fears, and 
 prevents me from drinking of the rivers of 
 pleasure which faith in Christ and in the prom- 
 ises of God secures. 
 
 “ Worldly-mindedness — a desire for more of 
 this world than is needful for holiness and use- 
 fulness ; a desire of riches or honors, or the 
 pleasures of sense or the imagination, or such 
 things as shall make us appear of some account 
 in the world. These things are all more or less 
 difficult to obtain, and when obtained they do 
 not give satisfaction, but produce a painful desire 
 for more. Disappointment and dissatisfaction 
 always accompany a worldly spirit.” 
 
 In pointing out how these several forms of 
 evil not only mar happiness, but hinder useful- 
 ness, especially in a missionary to the heathen, 
 Mr. Hunt says of unbelief : “ How this locks up 
 my spiritual sense to the moral and spiritual 
 world ! How indistinctly I see God’s wrath 
 against sinners, and its terrible consequences ! 
 How seldom my soul hears the weeping and 
 wailing and gnashing of teeth of the millions of 
 the lost! How indistinctly I see the arm of God 
 stretched out to save all who are not actually 
 lost! And how little my soul is aroused when 
 
150 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 I hear him tell me to go and declare his willing- 
 ness to save ! How little I feel the love of the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost to a ruined world, 
 and how coldly I make it known! I can use 
 and hear the words God, Christ, the Holy 
 Ghost, heaven, hell, lost, saved, and such like, 
 with little emotion. O God, where is my faith? 
 Surely if it was alive it would associate these 
 words with burning ideas, which would influence 
 every power of my body and soul. How, I 
 beseech thee, give me faith, and let me not live 
 another moment without its full exercise. How 
 little faith have I in my prayer or my preaching. 
 I do not see and feel in my soul the things I 
 pray about and talk about as a botanist sees 
 plants when he describes them, or as an actor 
 on the stage, or a poet, sees and feels fictions of 
 the imagination. But how much more intense 
 ought the feelings and views of faith to be !” 
 
 In inquiring how he may lose all evil and 
 gain all good, Mr. Hunt likens himself to the 
 leper, and says, “Like him I come to Christ. I 
 fall down at his feet. I worship him. I believe 
 it when I say, ‘ Lord, if thou wilt thou canst 
 make me clean . 5 I not only believe that he can, 
 but that he is my friend ; that he died to cleanse 
 me ; that £ he is able to save unto the uttermost 
 all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever 
 liveth to make intercession for them . 5 I confide 
 
VIWA. 
 
 151 
 
 in him, hang on him, and pray, ‘Lord, increase 
 my faith. 5 I have not so strong a faith as I wish 
 to have, or such as his power, wisdom, and love 
 warrant and his word invites ; but what I have 
 bring peace and some joy, which 1 know is in 
 the Holy Ghost. 55 
 
 Ten days after the above was written Mr. 
 Hunt was still detained on the voyage, and felt 
 much for his wife, who he knew would be pain- 
 fully uneasy about his safety. It was Sunday, 
 and after preaching to the crew he was very 
 dejected, and wrote : “I felt my situation, and 
 was much concerned about my dear wife ; but, 
 above all, I felt my unworthiness and worthless- 
 ness. It seemed as if I had done wrong alto- 
 gether in leaving home, and in everything I had 
 done since I left home ; and, indeed, all that I 
 had ever done seemed wrong. I felt very much 
 for some time, and then the Lord lifted up the 
 light of his countenance upon me and gave me 
 great peace. I felt happy all the day, so that I 
 could have shouted aloud in praise to God. I 
 could trust in Jesus as my perfect Saviour, and 
 rejoice greatly in his love. I trust my Hannah 
 (Mrs. Hunt) feels every moment as I felt then. 
 Praise the Lord! It was a seasonable manifesta- 
 tion of his love. I felt I could come to Christ 
 as my perfect Saviour ; that I could come now, 
 and just as I am, without waiting to be better; 
 
152 A MISSION ARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 and I felt a strong confidence in the unchangea- 
 bleness of the love of Christ, believing that 
 nothing can separate me from his love to me a 
 poor worthless worm . 55 
 
 After four days more Mr. Hunt reached Yiwa, 
 to the great comfort of his wife and friends, who 
 had been much alarmed at his long absence. 
 On his return he again applied himself to the 
 instruction of his students, and his favorite work 
 of translating. Before the end of the year he 
 also had an English and writing school in full 
 operation, his scholars being the children of 
 white residents, a few of whom had settled and 
 married native wives on the island of Ovalau. 
 The domestic aspect of the mission-house was 
 now brightly changed by the birth of a little 
 girl, whose coming brought a father’s joy into 
 the loving and tender heart of the missionary, 
 and helped him to engage the more happily in 
 his great toil. Here are one day’s occupation 
 and notes : 
 
 “ Taught a day-school. Four Levuka* boys. 
 Two Yiwa boys, learning English, read the last 
 lesson in the First Books to-day. Translated 
 part of the baptismal service from the Liturgy. 
 Had the men’s writing school. Loko died. My 
 little girl nicely. Did not enjoy my morning’s 
 
 * Levuka is the chief town of Ovalau and the residence of the 
 whites. 
 
VIWA. 
 
 153 
 
 devotions as well as usual, not using my usual 
 help to devotion, the Litany. Did not enjoy 
 my walk till I began to think of perfect love. 
 Eead the latter part of the first volume of Mil- 
 ner’s Church History. Should like to see a 
 good Church history by a thorough Methodist ; I 
 mean, a man who lives in the full enjoyment of 
 perfect love. 
 
 “ Conversed at tea with Mrs. Hunt on anxious 
 care. There are two kinds of care. One is 
 anxiety to do our duty, which is right. The 
 second is anxiety about providential events, 
 which is wrong.” 
 
 In writing to Mr. Lyth, in September, Mr. 
 Hunt shows how fully he himself has this right 
 anxiety to do his duty. “ I see more than ever 
 that two things only are worth my attention, 
 holiness and usefulness; and I am more than 
 ever determined to devote myself to these two 
 things. I love holiness more than ever, and 
 have had a larger baptism of the Spirit who is 
 most fitly designated Holy. But still I am far 
 from being as holy as I ought to be. I have 
 also a great desire to be useful, though not so 
 great as I should have. I cannot yet say, ‘ The 
 zeal of thy house hath eaten me up.’ 
 
 “ But what must I do to accomplish what I 
 desire ? For I am sure I have a good deal to do 
 with bringing about the accomplishment of my 
 
154 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 own desires, which are not mj own, hut the gift 
 of grace divine. In the first place I must settle 
 the matter with God, that I will, by his grace, 
 be wholly his, and that I will trust entirely in 
 the blood of Christ for full salvation. This 
 God requires, and it is essential, as perfect love 
 and its fruits can only be the results of perfect 
 faith. 
 
 “ My consecration to God must include these 
 three things besides: 1. A determination by 
 his grace never to indulge in any conversation, 
 follow any pursuit, or read any books not in my 
 conscientious opinion calculated to increase my 
 holiness and usefulness. 2. That I will attend 
 to all things which I believe are calculated to 
 help me in these two particulars. 3. I will allow a 
 considerable portion of time every day to be spent 
 in reading the word of God and prayer, that I 
 may know what I should do and what leave 
 undone in order to be entirely holy, and as use- 
 ful as it is the will of God I should be. 
 
 “ One thing I must keep in mind, and that is 
 that I must fully believe that my heavenly 
 Father is of the same mind as myself in these 
 particulars, and that he will manage my outward 
 affairs so as to promote my holiness and useful- 
 ness as well as bless the use of the means. There 
 are two classes of means of grace : those which 
 we use, and those which God uses. Those which 
 
VIWA. 
 
 155 
 
 we use are called in the old Minutes, * Instituted 
 and Prudential . 5 Those which God uses are of 
 two kinds : such as are particularly calculated 
 to make us thankful, and those that are more 
 particularly calculated to humble us. All our 
 blessings and all our trials are intended to be 
 means of grace . 55 
 
 In another letter to the same he writes: 
 “ During the last six months I think I have en- 
 joyed more religion than I ever did in Fiji : but 
 I am not uniform ; I fluctuate a good deal. 
 Sometimes I think I so love God that no evil 
 has any place in me. Then again I feel the 
 stirrings of evil either from my heart or from 
 the devil. So you see I am weak, or I should 
 know more certainly what is from the devil and 
 what is not. My morning devotions are usually 
 seasons of good to me. I generally use the 
 Litany in private prayer in the morning, -and 
 am often blessed with enlargement of heart and 
 freedom of speech before the Lord ; and I be- 
 lieve that I both feel and see answers to prayer. 
 Then I am often dull at family prayer, and 
 sometimes get a little irritated with the boys 
 in the forenoon, or get a little nervous about 
 something that goes wrong. My Sabbaths are 
 good days, only I want to have seven in a week. 
 And why not ? "Why am I not as spiritual over 
 writing as in preaching? Because I am weak 
 
156 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 in faith. I see a great deal yet to be done in 
 me before I am like my Lord and Master.” 
 
 To Mr. Williams, who bad just removed to 
 Somosomo, be writes : “ I am very thankful to 
 hear of your personal, family, and public pros- 
 perity, and trust the Lord will enable you to 
 preach the Gospel successfully at Somosomo 
 also. You will, no doubt, meet with new trials 
 in a new place ; but you will have new mercies 
 also ; and I hope you will be so taken up with 
 mercies, and have so much to do for the Giver, 
 as not to feel the presence of less pleasant things. 
 Live fully to God, my brother, and then all will 
 be well. It appears to me to be folly to expect 
 perfect happiness without perfect holiness. And 
 why not expect perfect holiness? Is not this 
 the cure? Cannot Jesus Christ do as much in 
 the way of saving as sin and the devil have done 
 in the way of polluting and debasing us ? And 
 will he not? ‘For this purpose was the Son of 
 God manifested , that he might destroy the works 
 of the devil. 5 Are not pride, envy, malice, un- 
 charitable feelings and conversations, anger, 
 fretfulness, peevishness, (often called nervous- 
 ness,) love of the world, unbelief, etc., all works 
 of the flesh and of the devil? Jesus the Son of 
 God will surely save us from all these our sins ; 
 for we are his ransomed, believing people. Let 
 us pray for each other, that all the purposes 
 
VIWA. 
 
 157 
 
 of our dying Lord may be accomplished in 
 us, and that he may have the glory of fully 
 saving us. 
 
 “ I must now give you a little news, and good 
 news it is. My dear wife and child are doing 
 nicely. The little girl is very fat, and seems 
 hearty. You have been blessed with a living 
 offspring, and you cannot feel the suspense, the 
 painful suspense, of those wdio, like us, have had 
 to part with all that have been born. We re- 
 joice that God has blessed us again; but it is 
 with trembling. I trust, however, we can say, 
 6 Thy will be done.’ We are both trying to give 
 God our hearts, and in doing this we give him 
 our will and with it our all ; for a man’s will is 
 his all : when that is given there is not much 
 kept back. We can then sing: 
 
 1 Father, into thy hands alone 
 I have my all restored ; 
 
 My all, thy property I own, 
 
 The steward of the Lord.’ ” 
 
 During the year Mr. Hunt had traveled about 
 eleven hundred miles, chiefly by water. He 
 says, in a letter to England : “ One place in my 
 circuit is about a hundred miles off, and another 
 about seventy, and a third thirty. Besides, I 
 have made a missionary tour round an island 
 called N a Yiti Levu, about three hundred and 
 
158 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 forty miles in circumference, and preached the 
 Gospel to the people of five different tribes 
 or kingdoms who have never before seen a 
 missionary . 55 
 
 At the request of Mrs. Cross, Mr. Hunt had 
 commenced a memoir of her late husband, which 
 he afterward completed and sent to England, 
 where it was published. At the same time he 
 worked at intervals in writing upon holiness, and 
 sent what he wrote to Mr. Calvert. His theo- 
 logical lectures and short sermons in Fijian were 
 also being prepared for the press.* In connection 
 with his translating, he set himself to compare 
 the various dialects, as far as they had been 
 ascertained by himself and the other mission- 
 aries ; and his arrangement of the points in 
 which they differed on either side of the strong 
 line of agreement running through all, was clear 
 and philosophical. 
 
 But the work of the mission was hindered by 
 more formidable differences among the people 
 than those of dialect. For a long time threaten- 
 ings of war had disturbed that part of Fiji in 
 which Mr. Hunt was placed, and in the latter 
 part of this year the long conflict between Mbau 
 and Rewa commenced. Another cause of con- 
 stant anxiety was thus given to Mr. Hunt, not so 
 
 * These were published from the Mission press in March, 1844, 
 under the title of Na Vanau Lekaleka , “ Short Sermons.’’ 
 
VIWA. 
 
 159 
 
 much on his own account, as about the mission- 
 ary who was at K-ewa in the very heat of the 
 war, and with whom no direct communication 
 could now be held. 
 
 This invariable unselfishness, together with an 
 intense sympathy for those who were in trouble, 
 was one of the main features in Mr. Hunt’s char- 
 acter. The chief of Mbau comes to the mission- 
 house and begs a blanket. Just then the family 
 is rather troubled by their scanty supply of this 
 very article ; but the chief gets the blanket. A 
 messenger disturbs the missionary at his studies 
 by announcing the frightful illness of some per- 
 son a long way off*. The good man hastens away 
 to the house of the sufferer, and finds that there 
 is scarcely anything the matter with him. This 
 is very annoying ; but the missionary tries to be 
 patient, and goes home to his books again. If, 
 however, the case is really bad, he will give and 
 do all he can to relieve it. The natives know 
 this, and are never backward in applying to Misi 
 Oneti, as they call him. But toward his bro- 
 ther missionaries, when they are afflicted, his 
 tender love is beautiful. Thus he writes to his 
 dear friend Mr. Calvert, who was very ill at 
 Lakemba : 
 
 “ I can only pray for you at present. This we 
 do here continually, both in public and private ; 
 and the Lord, I believe, answers prayer. I have 
 
160 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 great hopes that you will be spared to us and 
 your family. Look up, my dear brother ! Thank 
 God, you are not afraid of death, or anxious for 
 life. What a blessing is religion ! We feel for 
 you being alone, and wish you were at Yiwa with 
 us a while. The air and company might be of 
 much use to you. The Lord will bring you here 
 if it be best. He who numbers the hairs of our 
 heads also marks out our habitation for us, and 
 orders all events, even those which are, in our 
 esteem, of no more importance than a single 
 hair which we pluck out and throw away at 
 random. 
 
 “Thank the Lord, we are nicely. I am much 
 obliged for your concern about me. I consci- 
 entiously take care of my health. Good health 
 is a great blessing, and it requires great grace 
 to use it aright. 
 
 “Well, my dear brother, how does your soul 
 prosper ? Tell me exactly where you are. I 
 am fluttering about the cross ; sometimes taking 
 hold of Christ as a perfect Saviour, and feeling 
 something of the cleansing blood ; then getting 
 away again, and temper rises, or some other 
 bitter thing. I see it is all by faith. We 
 must fully believe, or we make nothing out; 
 not talk about believing, but believe with the 
 heart. 
 
 “ How is dear sister Calvert ? She has 
 
YI W A. 
 
 161 
 
 ‘good report of all, and of the truth itself . 5 
 Do you good friends write to us about your 
 souls. Pray for us. Love us, and assure your- 
 selves you are in our hearts to live and to die 
 with you . 55 
 
162 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS, 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 VI W A, 184 4, 1 84 5. 
 
 Self-examination — Reflections — Economy of Labor — Letters to 
 Mr. Calvert — Hospital Engagements — Murder — Difficulty and 
 Hope — Baptismal Service — The Queen’s Conversion — Letter 
 to Mr. Williams — Opposition to Mbau — First Time of presid- 
 ing over the District Meeting — School — Voyage to Rotuma — 
 Revival — Verani’s Conversion — Birth and Death — Letter to 
 Mr. Calvert — Building, etc. — Another Voyage — Letter to 
 Messrs. Williams and Hazlewood — Penitent Prayer Meeting — 
 Great Revival — Letter to Rev. J. Watkin — War and Persecu- 
 tion — Review of the Year. 
 
 Mr. Hunt began the year 1844, in his journal, 
 with this entry concerning the past and present : 
 “ Thus closes another year of mercies. It has 
 indeed been such to us, and we have not made 
 anything like suitable returns. Lord, be merci- 
 ful to us, and still continue to bless us through 
 Jesus alone. 
 
 “ I am doing a little in my work, but get on 
 slowly. I have been doing something at Mr. 
 Cross’s Memoir, and a little at Entire Holiness. 
 I have more work than I can do, and need more 
 time for both private and public duties, and 
 especially for pastoral duties. Certainly time is 
 not heavy on our hands in these islands. We 
 might easily work ourselves to death by doing 
 
VIWA. 
 
 163 
 
 nothing but what seems necessary to be done. 
 Out of many necessary things, I am obliged to 
 attend to the most necessary. I feel it difficult 
 so to give my heart to God as not to feel anxious ; 
 and yet I see clearly that loving God with the 
 whole heart is the perfect cure of anxiety. If I 
 feel anxious on behalf of any person or thing, it 
 show's that I have an inordinate attachment to 
 them. I want to love God so as to love every- 
 thing else for his sake, so as to have no interest 
 or concern apart from him. 4 Thou wilt keep 
 him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on 
 thee ; because he trusteth in thee.’ I cannot 
 fully express what I want ; but I see it, and 
 trust that the Spirit’s interceding grace will 
 
 ‘ Swell the unutterable groan, 
 
 And breathe my wishes to the throne.’ 
 
 u I sometimes feel a little hurried in spirit 
 through the multiplicity of cares and duties 
 wffiich I have to think about. This shows the 
 weakness of my faith, and leads me to pray for 
 an increase. I sometimes feel uncertain as to 
 the path of duty in particular cases. 
 
 “ Last night a thought occurred to me, which 
 seemed satisfactory, as to the extent to which a 
 Christian should labor for the good of others. 
 We are doing too much for others, when we are 
 obliged to neglect our own souls, or when we are 
 11 
 
164 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 injuring our health. Our Lord, in his most busy 
 days, doubtless found time for private prayer. 
 Nay, he was determined to leave both the multi- 
 tude and his disciples in order to secure this 
 object. We do not, however, see any excess 
 likely to injure the body either in our Lord or 
 his apostles. The same remark will apply to 
 self-denial. Labor and self-denial, to a certain 
 extent, are conducive to the health of both body 
 and soul ; indeed, it is almost impossible to pre- 
 serve either in a state of vigor without both of 
 these. But either labor or self-denial, carried to 
 excess, is undoubtedly injurious both to body 
 and soul. Care of the body was one of the 
 things recommended to Timothy by his inspired 
 tutor St. Paul. This, then, I think ought to be 
 my rule, until I can find another more agreeable 
 to Scripture and reason : to labor and deny my- 
 self so far as my health will permit, and no 
 further. At the same time, I believe that there 
 may be instances in which a man is called to 
 give up health, and even life itself, for the cause 
 of God and the souls of men ; but nothing can 
 make this right but a clear sense of duty. Such, 
 I believe, was the cause with John Smith ; but 
 it would be very wrong in any person to follow 
 his example in this respect without his reason. 
 Nay, it is impossible that a man may be right in 
 imitating Mr. Smith, or any other excellent man, 
 
VIWA. 
 
 165 
 
 merely from admiring his character, without 
 ever inquiring whether it is the will of God that 
 he also should destroy himself for the good of 
 others. John Smith did not admire the plan he 
 adopted, but followed it because he believed it 
 was the will of God. He might be mistaken. 
 Be it so. 4 To his own Master he standeth or 
 falleth.’ Certainly those are wrong who follow 
 him for no other reason than that they and many 
 pthers admired him.” 
 
 Mr. Hunt did not seek by these reasonings 
 with himself to put a good face upon sloth, or to 
 make laziness do duty in the garb of prudence. 
 To some, discussions like these would be a vain 
 pastime, a beating the boundaries of their un- 
 done and uncared-for duty. Not so in his case. 
 Inactivity wearies an earnest soul more than 
 work. John Hunt was wont to say that he 
 must be 44 on full stretch but there were mo- 
 ments of intense zeal when, in the ecstasy of feel- 
 ing, every faculty doing its utmost, a mysterious 
 fear came and warned him that this crisis of 
 power touched upon utter weakness. He knew 
 that when the shaft flew furthest the bow was 
 nearest to breaking ; yet he drew each arrow to 
 the head. It was because he felt himself in 
 danger of attempting too much that he thus 
 argued about the limits of enough. 
 
 Every man in health may work hard, far 
 
166 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 harder than many suppose, or are likely to find 
 out, and there will be in him a vital power mak- 
 ing up for all the wear of toil. If a man keeps 
 up to that mark he glorifies liis manhood ; and 
 if a Christian he glorifies his God. But zeal will 
 thrust some beyond, so that they win grand suc- 
 cess, yet at too heavy a cost. They overdraw 
 the current supply of strength, and intrench on 
 their capital, and thus their life is shortened. 
 Many have done this to gain learning, many to 
 win glory, many to get gold, and very many to 
 catch pleasure; and some, but not many, to 
 serve the Lord Christ. These last have not 
 allowed themselves to yield a slow and exact 
 supply of service, but have crushed the rich 
 cluster into one brimming cup of “ wine which 
 cheereth God and man.” Might they not have 
 done more had they been more careful of them- 
 selves?” asks Prudence; and Faith answers: 
 “Wait till they all shine out hereafter, to judge 
 how one star differeth from another star in 
 glory.” 
 
 No doubt the missionary was right in recog- 
 nizing the principle that in some cases a man’s 
 duty requires him to live in months the life of 
 years. On some special errands of enlightening, 
 God’s lamps have to send forth so fierce a flame 
 that they are the sooner burnt out. It is the 
 same duty that calls for the sacrifice, whether 
 
VIWA. 
 
 167 
 
 the blaze be of zeal or of fagots. Yet, as Mr. 
 Hunt points out, no man is justified in seeking 
 the flame for the flame’s sake. His call must be 
 very clear. Whether John Hunt had such a 
 call no man can tell. His business was urgent ; 
 and he was placed, both as to time and position, 
 in such a momentous crisis of the Fiji mission 
 that a vast work had to be done In a short space, 
 and done not secretly, but with demonstration of 
 power. So the man of God wrought till he fell, 
 and while he laid down his rules of prudence, 
 passed further beyond them every day. Sur- 
 veying the wide-spread evil around him, and 
 confident that the Gospel committed to him was 
 a sufficient remedy for it all, he regarded his 
 most diligent service as all too little. Thus he 
 writes: “I have now been five years in Fiji. 
 How little use I have made of my time ! 
 4 Quicken Thou me according to thy word.’ ” 
 Yet this hard sowing- work and tillage brought 
 great results of manifold good, and for the sower 
 himself the ripe fruit of comfort, which refreshed 
 him when his toil was all done. In his last ill- 
 ness he said to Mr. Lyth : 44 This complaint has 
 been coming on all the last year. My headache 
 has been attended with much fever. Perhaps 
 I have sometimes exceeded my strength ; but I 
 have no condemnation on that head. I could 
 not have done less with a good conscience. Is 
 
168 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 it not a cause of joy that I have not that to blame 
 myself for ?” 
 
 Cause of joy? Yea, verily, as full as that of 
 the man whose dying hour shall be lit up with 
 the sublime reflection : “ Whatever has been 
 done or left undone, I have always taken care 
 of myself.” 
 
 The following letter is dated “ Feb. 10, 1841 
 
 “ My dear Brother Calvert, — I am always 
 glad of an opportunity of writing to you, and 
 much obliged by your losing no opportunity of 
 writing to us. It proves that your valuable 
 friendship is as constant as I believe it is sin- 
 cere. We are well and happy. We had a 
 blessed time last night ; much of the sanctifying 
 influence of the Spirit was among us. We all 
 felt it, and gave God the glory. I wish you 
 could have been with us ; yet the same Spirit is 
 with you. Only believe, and you shall have the 
 same blessed visitation. The ‘times of refresh- 
 ing 5 come from the presence of the Lord in 
 answer to believing prayer. We have been 
 rather dull some time, but are now all quick- 
 ened. 
 
 “ The good work prospers in our circuit grad- 
 ually. We live in uncommon unity as brethren 
 and sisters. O may peace be preserved among 
 us, and increase yet more and more ! 
 
YIWA. 
 
 169 
 
 “I am doing a little at translating. 1 have 
 done but little on our subject. I must do more, 
 or I shall not get on with anything well. . . The 
 Bible is the text-book on the subject. O that I 
 may fully understand its meaning, especially in 
 the extent which has been so little understood 
 by many ! 
 
 “ Yerani is very anxious to Lotu. Sometimes 
 he is almost determined to risk all ; sometimes 
 he hopes for a more convenient season. There 
 is a great change in him, and in the Viwa peo- 
 ple generally ; I mean the heathen. ' Pray for 
 us, that we may have saving power connected 
 with the truth. Believe me, 55 etc. 
 
 Viwa, February 28, 1844. 
 
 “ Dear, very dear Brother Calvert, — I 
 have heard that Kamisese is about to sail to 
 Lau, so I write a line to say we are pretty well. 
 O how we long to hear from you ! Your crit- 
 ical state of health makes it painful to be long 
 without knowing how you are going on. It is a 
 cheering thought that our heavenly Father and 
 loving Saviour are in every place. We are near 
 in him, and we trust you to his power, and wis- 
 dom, and love. 
 
 “ As to writing, you command me. I do as 
 you tell me. I had been a little down about 
 inability, etc.; but you stir me up and encour- 
 
170 A MISSION AKY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 age me. I send you a rough sketch of the 
 memoir (of Mr. Cross.) Perhaps you will be 
 disappointed in me. I do not feel so fully at 
 home as in writing on some other subject. 
 
 “I do not altogether neglect our subject, and 
 cannot get on with other things if I do. The 
 Lord blesses what I write to my own soul, and 
 it furnishes a subject of conversation on a Sab- 
 bath evening for me and Mrs. Hunt. Last Sun- 
 day night we had : ‘ Then will I sprinkle clean 
 water upon you,’ etc. It was a good time. I 
 do not exactly preach; we sit down and talk 
 about it. Blessed be God ! He makes us very 
 happy in our lonely situation. "We are both 
 trusting in the precious blood, and expect to 
 feel its full efficacy. I wonder how yon are 
 going on. . . . Make full use of our blessed Jesus 
 and all will be well.” 
 
 During the earlier months of this year several 
 conversions took place, and a good many made 
 outward profession of Christianity. Growing 
 influence was gained by the administering of 
 medicine, and Mr. Hunt had quite a little hos- 
 pital at Yiwa. Day by day at a fixed time a 
 bell was rung, when very frequently as many as 
 thirty patients would present themselves, some 
 blear-eyed with ophthalmia, some scaly with 
 leprosy, and the rest suffering from divers ail- 
 
VTWA. 
 
 m 
 
 ments. Persons of importance were brought as 
 far as ninety miles, to be under the missionary’s 
 care. He was remarkably successful in his 
 treatment, and in many cases the patients joined 
 the Lotu. 
 
 War continued to rage, and the heathen part 
 of Yiwa still caused the missionary much trouble. 
 One morning after family prayer news came to 
 the Mission-house . that a young man had just 
 been murdered on account of a crime of which 
 there was every reason to believe he was inno- 
 cent. Mr. Hunt says : 
 
 “ I hastened to the spot on the other side of 
 the island, and found the poor fellow laid on his 
 back, with one side of his head laid open, and 
 part of his brains on the ground. He was still 
 struggling and breathing, and seemed to know 
 us when we approached him. We had nothing 
 with us but a spade. By means of this, however, 
 we cut down a tree and got some cocoa-nut leaves 
 to make a litter on which to carry him to the 
 mission premises. By the time this was done 
 the people arrived with a mat and some native 
 cloth. We took him into my study, where he 
 lay till afternoon and then expired. . We buried 
 him as a Christian, he having embraced Chris- 
 tianity ; and, having never been proved to be 
 guilty of the crime laid to his charge, I thought 
 it would be wrong to allow him to be buried as 
 
172 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 a heathen. The murderers were much afraid 
 that he would not die, and sent to me to have 
 him buried before he was dead. I sent to tell 
 them they should have his body if they took it 
 by force, but not otherwise ; but to this they 
 made no reply. It is said there are two others 
 yet who have to be murdered before the affair 
 is finished. It has been a gloomy day. It is a 
 great trial. 
 
 u We were much cheered by letters from Mr. 
 Lyth and Mr. Williams, which were unusually 
 affectionate and exceedingly opportune. Thus 
 the Lord prepares us for our trials, and sustains 
 us under them. We trust also he will sanctify 
 them to us, so that we may have a happy issue 
 out of them. Fiji is very gloomy at present. 
 All is war, murder, and destruction. The war 
 between Mbau and Eewa is of the most malig- 
 nant kind. Nothing but a revolution in one of 
 the places can settle it, humanly speaking. Al- 
 most the whole group is rent with discord. Still 
 the Lord carries on his work. Two embraced 
 Christianity yesterday, and our people are, I 
 trust, growing in grace. How much mission- 
 aries need the prayers of the Church, and the 
 promise, ‘ Lo, I am with you alway, even unto 
 the end of the world ! ’ 
 
 “ The prayers of God’s people act in a power- 
 ful way on the interests of Fiji. There are now 
 
VI W A. 
 
 173 
 
 wheels within wheels. Some are moved by be- 
 lieving prayer, which will have a mighty influ- 
 ence in checking the work of destruction. Fiji 
 is not what it once was. It is not under the sole 
 dominion of the god of this world. There is a 
 Church in Fiji, and Christ will govern the group 
 for its establishment and prosperity. 
 
 “ May 26. Yesterday (Sunday) was a good 
 day, a day of much of the presence of God. 
 The prayer-meeting in the morning was unusu- 
 ally good. After prayer in the forenoon service 
 ten adults were baptized. There was a good 
 feeling during the time I was proposing the 
 questions to the candidates, and impressing on 
 their minds the solemn engagements they were 
 then entering into. When they had answered 
 the whole of the questions I observed to them 
 that angels had witnessed their vows, and per- 
 haps saints too ; and if so their former pastor, 
 Mr. Cross, had with pleasure witnessed them. I 
 urged them to act consistently with their present 
 professions, and with many words exhorted them 
 to save themselves from an untoward generation. 
 Some already began to sob and cry, and showed 
 that it was with the greatest difficulty they could 
 contain themselves. 
 
 “ Almost as soon as I commenced baptizing 
 the candidates the Queen of Yiwa was com- 
 pletely overwhelmed. Her heart seemed liter- 
 
174 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 ally to be broken ; and, though a very strong 
 woman, she fainted twice under the weight of a 
 wounded spirit. She revived only to renew her 
 strong cries and tears, so that it was all we could 
 do to proceed with the service. The effect soon 
 became more general. Several of the women 
 and some of the men literally roared for the dis- 
 quietude of their hearts. As sooir as the bap- 
 tism was concluded as many as could chanted the 
 Te Deum. It was very affecting to see upward 
 of a hundred Fijians, many of whom were, a few 
 years ago, some of the worst cannibals in the 
 group, and even in the world, chanting, ‘We 
 praise thee, O God ; we acknowledge thee to 
 be the Lord while their voices were almost 
 drowned by the cries of broken-hearted peni- 
 tents. I weep while I think of it. What a 
 gracious God is our God ! and blessed be his 
 glorious name forever ! 
 
 “ The queen came to our house after the serv- 
 ice, and with a countenance full of sadness 
 and eyes full of tears, said, Misi Oniti , an sa 
 rere: ‘Mr. Hunt, I am afraid. 5 I directed her 
 to the Lamb of God and prayed with her. She 
 requested the use of my study, in which she 
 could pour out her soul to God without inter- 
 ruption. I of course let her have it, and there 
 she prayed until God spoke peace to her soul. 
 
 “We are thankful for this visitation. O that 
 
VIWA. 
 
 175 
 
 we may be able to retain the blessed influence 
 thus graciously vouchsafed to us, and may it in- 
 crease a thousandfold ! Amen.” 
 
 Thus was the missionary greatly cheered, and 
 he greatly needed it ; for war, attended with 
 endless barbarities, raged all round, and hin- 
 dered the good work. But here, in the midst 
 of the gloom, a light shone out gloriously, mak- 
 ing glad those who dwelt in its brightness, and 
 drawing the attention of those who lived in the 
 surrounding night. Writing to Mr. Williams at 
 Somosomo, Mr. Hunt says of the Queen of 
 Yiwa : 
 
 “She is exposed to many temptations, and 
 will be much tried ; but God is able to make her 
 stand. This is a drop. O that we may have 
 the shower! The devil is very busy. The past 
 year has been one of conflict in this place. The 
 Lord has been working and so has Satan. O for 
 faith ! If Brother Lyth should be stationed 
 here there will be a good work ; he has more 
 faith than I have, and a better way of bringing 
 souls to Christ. 
 
 “ This is the best local news I have to com- 
 municate. There is much, very much, bad news. 
 Fiji is in a dreadful state. But God is working, 
 and will work. There is much labor and suffer- 
 ing before us, my brother. O that we may get 
 and keep at the feet of Jesus, and be clothed 
 
1*7 6 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 with humility, patience, love, zeal, and living 
 faith ! I have never yet been able to feel all 
 the depths of humble love . Once during the 
 last year I seemed to sink into nothing, and O 
 how sweet it was ! But it was gone in a mo- 
 ment. It was to show me what I had not, that I 
 might seek it.” 
 
 Mr. Hunt’s hopes about the queen were for 
 the most part realized, and for three years she 
 not only remained firm in her religion but be- 
 came very zealous in recommending it to others, 
 and not without success. After that time she 
 fell into unfaithfulness for a while, but was ulti- 
 mately and completely restored. Inquiry was 
 aroused in the minds of many ; and not only in 
 Yiwa, but among the people of the royal town 
 of Mbau the good influence was felt, insomuch 
 that it was said that the Lotu formed for a time 
 the main subject of conversation in Mbau. The 
 chiefs were alarmed, for they heard it said openly, 
 “ All Mbau is turning Christian;” and even some 
 of the king’s wives had joined the Lotu. The 
 old man could not live long, and at his death he 
 must be honored by the strangling of many of 
 his wives; but if they Lotued they would de- 
 clare strangling to be against their creed, and 
 thus oppose the due respect belonging to the 
 king’s funeral. Therefore the Lotu must be 
 checked. Many more were ready to renounce 
 
VIWA. 
 
 177 
 
 their old religion ; but the fear of man prevailed, 
 and again the establishing of the mission in Mbau 
 was delayed. 
 
 In August the district meeting was held at 
 Yiwa, and Mr. Hunt had, for the first time, to 
 take his place as the chairman. He thus writes 
 in his journal : 
 
 “ August 10. The ‘Triton’ arrived off Yiwa 
 to-day. We saw her yesterday, so that we were 
 somewhat prepared for our welcome visitors. 
 We were very happy to meet with our old and 
 tried friends, Lyth and Calvert, and also to wel- 
 come two new ones, Messrs. Watsford and Hazle- 
 wood, to Fiji. They appear to be men in every 
 way qualified for their work, and I trust will be 
 a great blessing to Fiji. Our conversation turned 
 chiefly on the work of God in this part of Fiji. 
 That we had been graciously visited was plain 
 in the increase of our number of professing 
 Christians, especially in Mbau. The Mbau chiefs, 
 however, have seen good to oppose the work, 
 and for a time at least it seemed to feel the in- 
 fluence of the opposition. 
 
 “We now began to think of commencing our 
 district meeting. This was to me a great trial, 
 one of the greatest I have ever had to endure. 
 The idea of being chairman of the district seemed 
 to affect me but little when the news first reached 
 me ; but when I had actually to take the chair, 
 
178 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 and be thus placed in any sense over my breth- 
 ren whom I sincerely thought better than my- 
 self, I was so affected that I wept aloud, a rare 
 thing for me, especially in the presence of others. 
 What my brethren thought of me I don’t know, 
 but they urged me to commence the meeting, 
 which, however, I could not do, and Brother 
 Lyth finally commenced for me. After that I 
 was able to go on with more comfort and satis- 
 faction ; and the kindness and brotherly feeling 
 of all were great helps to me in the performance 
 of duties for which, above all others, I am 
 unfit.” 
 
 The meeting went on a)id ended very happily, 
 and the missionaries once more returned to their 
 several stations, leaving Mr. Hunt at Yiwa, to 
 continue his usual work. He had now com- 
 menced a writing school, and paid more atten- 
 tion to catechizing the young people. On a 
 Sunday evening, after the service, about twenty 
 of these, with any adults who chose to come, as- 
 sembled in his study, ranging themselves round 
 the room, while he sat in the midst. He would 
 then ask one of them what, he remembered of 
 the sermon last preached, and make the same 
 inquiry of each in turn. One would recollect 
 the text, another one of the divisions, or an illus- 
 tration, or some particular remark ; and thus the 
 sermon was pretty well reconstructed. After 
 
VIWA. 
 
 179 
 
 all had answered, they were asked to make any 
 further remarks, or put any questions, as they 
 thought fit. Difficulties were removed and ex- 
 planations given ; and the class was in great 
 favor, especially with the lads, some of whom 
 received much advantage from it. 
 
 Toward the close of September Mr. Hunt 
 made a voyage to Rotuma, a lone island about 
 three hundred miles off, where some good was 
 being done by native teachers. During this 
 journey, which occupied nearly a month, he 
 visited several of the more important stations in 
 Fiji, and returned encouraged and strengthened 
 to Yiwa. 
 
 The mission establishment was now consider- 
 ably increased ; for the war and the ruinous con- 
 dition of the house at Rewa had made the leaving 
 of that station necessary, so that the two Rewa 
 missionaries and their wives were residing at 
 Yiwa. In this little company there grew up 
 a holier love and quickened zeal ; and they 
 “ spake often one to another ” of the things of 
 God and their great enterprise. As far as Mr. 
 Hunt was concerned, this association with his 
 fellow-laborers was of great importance. He 
 had but little fondness for merely business mat- 
 ters, and his duties as chairman had thrown upon 
 him more business than was either pleasant or 
 profitable. He did not go about his preaching 
 12 
 
180 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 work with the wonted happy freedom and sense 
 of power, and the life of the native services 
 seemed to wane. Several things had hindered 
 the mission families from holding a class-meet- 
 ing ; but these difficulties were at last overcome, 
 and as brethren and sisters they met together in 
 that social service to which, beyond all other 
 means of human ordering, Methodism has ever 
 owed its peculiar strength and vitality. Then 
 was that little community baptized with power 
 from on high; a new life seemed to quicken 
 them, and in their meetings for Christian fellow- 
 ship they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 
 
 Yery soon the effect of this reviving was seen 
 in the native services, and Mr. Hunt says : “ I 
 began to feel in preaching something of that 
 saving influence which I used to feel last year, 
 when we were so graciously visited.” Just then 
 the missionaries were cheered beyond measure 
 by an event to which they had looked, and for 
 which they had prayed and worked for a long 
 time. The young and renowned warrior Y erani, 
 the nephew of Namosimalua, the chief of Yiwa, 
 became Christian. It was no empty profession 
 that he made ; but in the face of strong opposi- 
 tion from the powerful Thakombau, and with a 
 certainty of consequent loss of influence and 
 wealth, he boldly but calmly renounced hea- 
 thenism, and bowed the knee in the worship of 
 
VIWA. 
 
 181 
 
 Jehovah. Mr. Hunt says of him : “ Yerani has 
 done remarkably well since he became a Chris- 
 tian. He has abandoned all his wives but one, 
 and has been married to her. He attends school 
 regularly, and will begin at once to meet in class. 
 He has been exceedingly attentive to the preach- 
 ing of the word, and to all other means of grace, 
 since he began. He has, of course, some curious 
 notions, as many people have when they first 
 feel the working of divine grace. He has dis- 
 missed all his servants as well as his wives, and 
 wishes to cook his own food, nurse his own child, 
 and do such other things, as a kind of penance 
 for his past sins. He appears also to be very 
 desirous to abandon all connection with Thakom- 
 bau and all his concerns, in which he is encour- 
 aged by some of his people who have great influ- 
 ence over him. 55 
 
 In the middle of March, 1845, another light 
 of joy shone in the missionary’s home, w T hen 
 another little girl brought blessing to the father’s 
 and mother’s hearts. And verily they needed 
 it ; for Hannah, a frail child of unearthly gentle- 
 ness, was sickening unto death ; and having done 
 her angel errand, she got leave to wait till the 
 baby-sister filled her parents’ arms, and then, 
 with a parting smile, went back to God. The 
 baby was a fortnight old when they buried 
 Hannah, and the father wrote, in unconscious 
 
182 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 prophecy, “ A small tomb is raised over her dear 
 remains, to mark the spot, perhaps, when we are 
 living together again in a better world.” And 
 to Mr. Calvert he w T rote thus : 
 
 tl Yiwa, March 29, 1845. 
 
 “My dear Friend, — Though I have written 
 fully to Mr. Lyth, and requested him to let you 
 and all the brethren see what I have written, 
 yet I cannot help telling you again my sad tale, 
 and also my tale of joy. 
 
 “ Poor little Hannah ! she is safe and happy 
 with God. I have now three in heaven. I thank 
 God that they are safe. I feel much my need 
 of them now / but O how awful the thought of 
 their living to sin against God and be lost ! 
 Some of them might have been had they lived. 
 God knows ; and he acts according to his knowl- 
 edge of things, and not according to ours. Yes, 
 it is all right, though very painful. Poor little 
 dear ! I did not think I loved her so much ; for 
 during the first day after she died she seemed 
 essential to my happiness ; I felt as if I could 
 not do without her. I feel more reconciled, in- 
 deed entirely reconciled, now. My dear wife 
 was wonderfully sustained. 
 
 “What a blessing that Yerani has come in 
 among us. Thank God I I hope he will be 
 faithful. Some person wishes to sell him a 
 
YIWA. 
 
 183 
 
 canoe for a musket ; but lie does not like to give 
 one, lest any of the enemy should be shot with 
 it. He wishes to be right altogether. He 
 wishes to be a poor man, and cook his own food, 
 and get to heaven. 
 
 “ I have felt some power in prayer for Thakom- 
 bau lately, and I think most of us have. The 
 Lord can save him. I never thought he could 
 save heathens so easily till I saw it. How shall 
 we secure his power ? Lord, help us ! O how 
 worthless I seem ! I want to be more united to 
 Him who is the sinner’s all. 
 
 “I am doing a little on our subject. I never 
 enjoyed so much as lately, nor was ever so much 
 in love with entire holiness. 
 
 “ Ve remain your ever affectionate friends, 
 
 “ J. and H. Huot.” 
 
 For two years Mr. Hunt had been busy in 
 building a new mission-house, and had now 
 completed the first stone house erected in Fiji. 
 It cost much labor and watchful oversight, but 
 has been a blessing to the mission ever since. 
 The stone for lime and for building was brought 
 from the reef, often by the missionary’s own 
 hands. And many a valuable article of cloth- 
 ing or comfort from the family store was given 
 to pay greedy workmen, who would be satisfied 
 with nothing else. When, after all, the house 
 
184 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 was finished, it was cheerfully given up for the 
 use of the mission printing establishment, and 
 thence issued the first Fijian New Testament. 
 
 The translation of the Gospel according to St. 
 Matthew and the Acts of the Apostles was now 
 complete, after much diligent care bestowed 
 upon it, and many a walk up and down a favor- 
 ite path, where Mr. Hunt would pace for an 
 hour together when he was in difficulty about 
 the best rendering of any passage. Other mat- 
 ters belonging to the educational and general 
 work had received full attention, and in May 
 Mr. Hunt started once more in Yerani’s canoe 
 to visit the out-stations. 
 
 While on this journey he wrote to the mis- 
 sionaries at Somosomo, Messrs. Williams and 
 Hazlewood, dating from Solevu, May 23, 1845. 
 
 “ I am now, as you will see, visiting the out- 
 stations of this circuit. I find things in a very 
 encouraging state so far. We have had some 
 very good seasons, and the people appear to be 
 very much benefited by our visit. To God be 
 all the praise! We have one drawback to our 
 pleasure, and that is the somewhat severe illness 
 of Yerani, our excellent chief, who is with us. 
 I trust the Lord will hear prayer and restore him, 
 and bless him with grace to go on as he has be- 
 gun, zealously serving the Lord. We ha’ve his 
 large and commodious canoe and most of the 
 
VIWA. 
 
 185 
 
 Viwa male population with us ;* the very men 
 and canoe that a short time since were in these 
 parts for the purpose of destroying their fellow- 
 creatures. ‘ Praise God from whom all blessings 
 flow !’ 
 
 “ I am glad to hear of some turning at Somo- 
 somo. and hope that this is the first-fruits of a 
 glorious harvest. O that it may be so! You 
 have many trials, and I believe God will sanctify 
 them to you ; and when he has tried you you 
 shall come forth like gold. We obtain blessings 
 in time of trial, and by the instrumentality of 
 painful events, which we can obtain in no other 
 way ; and this, if there were no other, is a suffi- 
 cient reason why we should be tried. I praise 
 God most for my trials, and doubt not you do 
 the same. Yet a little while and they will be 
 over. I feel eternity »very near. I do not know 
 why, but it seems very near while I write. May 
 God make us all quite ready ! Thank God, the 
 blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all 
 sin. I was much impressed yesterday with the 
 thought of the quantity of the precious blood 
 which Christ shed. It flowed from his temples 
 when they were crowned with thorns, from his 
 back when he was scourged with cords, from 
 his hands and feet when he was nailed to the 
 tree, and from his side when pierced with the 
 
 * A large double canoe carries from eighty to a hundred men. 
 
186 A MISSIONAKY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 soldier’s spear. This thought affects me much. 
 The provision to wash us from sin is abundant. 
 There is a fountain opened in the house of David 
 for the purpose. May we all wash and be 
 clean ! 
 
 “But I must conclude. The c Triton’ may 
 come before I have another opportunity of writ- 
 ing. If she does, I shall hope to see you on our 
 way to the district meeting, and have the pleas- 
 ure of your company thither. I love you all 
 very much, and beg you to love and pray for 
 me. Tour affectionate brother, 
 
 “ J ohn Hunt.” 
 
 This visit to the out-stations, the details of 
 which were of the ordinary kind, ended with 
 Mr. Hunt’s return, on June 13th, to Yiwa, 
 where he found all had gone on well during his 
 month’s absence. A few days afterward Messrs. 
 Calvert, Lyth, and Williams arrived at Yiwa 
 from their several stations, where the district 
 meeting was commenced. It was then adjourn- 
 ed to Lakemba, and in the course of it Mr. 
 Hunt preached, with much power, to his 
 brethren on his one great subject of holi- 
 ness. 
 
 After the district meeting Mr. Hunt continued 
 in his usual course of work, and paid a visit of 
 oversight to several stations. On settling down 
 
VIWA. 
 
 187 
 
 again at Viwa his mind was taken up with the 
 state of the good cause, and with devising means 
 for its improvement. He and his brethren were 
 looking for larger success. Their own hearts had 
 been quickened, and their trust was sound that 
 others should share the gift of life ; for there 
 is ever the closest relation between the state of 
 the workers and the condition of the work, and 
 God commits his grace to men’s hearts, not as to 
 coffers to hoard it, but as to channels to dispense 
 it ; and he who receives good, gets with it the 
 most, effectual charge to do good. Wherefore 
 the members of the mission circle, being filled 
 with heavenly life themselves, looked to see that 
 life spread. Being aware of the dawn, they 
 waited for the day. And the day came. 
 
 Mr. Hunt, finding more earnestness of atten- 
 tion in the native congregations, suggested that 
 a “penitent prayer-meeting” should be held 
 every Saturday. It was arranged accordingly ; 
 and when the time came an unusually large 
 number of people assembled.- Mr. Hunt opened 
 the service with singing and prayer, and then 
 went on to tell the people why such a meeting 
 had been called, for the confession of sin, and 
 pleading for God’s mercy through Jesus Christ. 
 He then stated that any one who felt disposed 
 was to pray aloud, and Paul, a quiet gentle old 
 Christian, began to pray with much feeling. 
 
188 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 All the people bowed down in solemn recogni- 
 tion of the manifest presence of God. And the 
 Spirit of life moved upon those prostrate hearts. 
 There was a general heaving, and then a sound 
 of quiet weeping and emotion that could hardly 
 be repressed. Neither could it be checked long. 
 A deep groan burst out, and a bitter cry answer- 
 ed it ; and one after another sobbed, and called 
 on Jesus for mercy, until many voices joined in 
 prayer and weeping before God. Some would 
 have deemed it a sadly discordant noise ; but 
 it made true harmony with the praise of watch- 
 ing angels. Before long some who had been 
 Christians in name for months trusted fully on 
 Him whose religion they had hitherto only pro- 
 fessed; and, feeling the joy which comes by 
 believing, they prayed on behalf of others, and 
 many cried aloud in an agony. The meeting 
 closed early, but the work went on. The peni- 
 tents went to weep at home, and continued all 
 night in prayer. And now the ingathering 
 began, and God’s servants rejoiced before him 
 “according to the joy in harvest, and as men 
 rejoice when they divide the spoil.” For 
 several days ordinary business was almost sus- 
 pended, and from many a house in Yiwa, and 
 from the chief’s house most of all, could be heard 
 far off the sound of those who mourned and cried 
 for mercy, mingling with the songs of those who 
 
vr wa . 
 
 189 
 
 rejoiced in the Lord. In some cases the strong 
 feeling produced a surprising effect on its sub- 
 jects. Most of the women fainted several times 
 during their distress, and the anguish of the men 
 was almost terrible to hear and see. Some, be- 
 ing thrown down on the ground, were hardly 
 held by four or five strong men. 
 
 Undoubtedly much of this passionate excite- 
 ment could be traced to natural causes, and 
 philosophically accounted for. It has not been 
 confined to one or two instances, but many 
 times and many lands have witnessed the same 
 thing. Yet here is much that science has no 
 power to analyze ; here are phenomena that 
 transcend all philosophy, except the soundest 
 philosophy of a childlike trust in God’s good 
 Spirit. In later days, and nearer home, we have 
 been hearing of similar effects, and have had 
 them discussed psychologically, and classified as 
 peculiar forms of disease. Would that the dis- 
 ease were epidemic among all the nations ! for 
 a strange and sound health has come of it. 
 Some, fond of playing with edged words, say 
 it is largely if not entirely the work of the devil. 
 Then may the Churches have bright hope; for 
 they never witnessed a more authentic case of 
 Satan casting out Satan. “ Righteousness, and 
 peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost,” follow this 
 agony of soul, not after a new fashion, but as it 
 
190 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 was in the beginning, when multitudes, hearing 
 Peter preach, were pricked to the heart. When 
 men’s hearts are elated with common joy will 
 they not shout ? When men’s hearts are broken 
 with sorrow will they not mourn ? And never 
 did any sorrow wound the heart like the convic- 
 tion of sin. There is no fear so appalling as that 
 of God’s wrath, no reproach so keen and sting- 
 ing as that of guilt in the light of his love. A 
 man who knows the love of God for the first 
 time as his, and feels himself rid of guilt and 
 gifted with pardon, never experienced any such 
 joy before. Why, in what moves men most, 
 should they be most unnatural ? 
 
 Mr. Hunt remarked about the most violent 
 cases of distress : “ There was nothing silly or 
 wild in what they said ; indeed, we were aston- 
 ished at the manner in which they expressed 
 themselves, both in prayer and praise, and in 
 their exhortations to others, after they found 
 peace. Generally, after they obtained the fa- 
 vor of God and became a little calm, they would 
 begin to exhort those about them with amazing 
 power and fluency.” Again he writes : “ Some 
 of the cases were the most remarkable I have 
 ever seen, heard of, or read of ; yet only such 
 as one might expect the conversion of such 
 dreadful murderers and cannibals would be. 
 If such men manifest nothing more than ordi- 
 
VIWA. 
 
 191 
 
 nary feeling when they repent, one would sus- 
 pect that they are not yet fully convinced of 
 sin.” 
 
 This state of things continued for some time, 
 during which the missionaries and teachers were 
 employed continually — often at night as well as 
 by day — in visiting those who were in distress 
 about their souls. In the public services the 
 excitement was very great, and tears of joy or 
 sorrow flowed everywhere, the preacher and 
 people sometimes joining together in overwhelm- 
 ing emotion. The Te Deum was chanted with 
 a nobler reality of worship than was ever reach- 
 ed by robed clerks and choristers at a warrior’s 
 triumph. It was the fit victory-song of redeem- 
 ed souls; and the dark faces quivered with joy 
 as they answered one another in that heathen 
 land, saying, “ We praise thee, O God! we ac- 
 knowledge thee to be the Lord.” But when 
 they reached the words, “ Thou art the king of 
 glory, O Christ !” voices failed ; and streaming 
 eyes, and broken cries of “ Jesu ! Jesu !” lifted 
 a more eloquent praise to God. 
 
 “ During the first week of the revival,” says 
 Mr. Hunt, “nearly one hundred persons pro- 
 fessed to obtain the forgiveness of sins through 
 faith in Jesus Christ.” Again : “ The result has 
 been most happy ; the preaching of the word has 
 been attended with more power than before the 
 
192 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 revival. Many who were careless and useless 
 have become sincere and devoted to God. The 
 experience of most has been much improved, and 
 many have become, by adoption and regenera- 
 tion, the sons of God. Others have been much 
 established, and all feel that the revival has con- 
 stituted a new era in their religious history. It 
 has spread through the circuit. Nakorotumbu, 
 Nandi, Mbua, and other places, indeed, I think 
 every place, more or less, has been blessed.* 
 The people that sat in darkness have seen a 
 great light. Many never understood till now 
 what we have been preaching to them for some 
 years. We were delighted when we last visited 
 the out-stations in this circuit. We left them 
 all alive to God, and our ministrations in the 
 word and sacraments were most signally owned 
 of God. The mats of the chapel were wet with 
 tears of the communicants at the table of the 
 Lord ; and in many instances the ministers were 
 scarcely able to minister because of the glory of 
 the Lord. 55 
 
 Mr. Hunt gives his views on the general sub- 
 ject of Revivals in a letter to the Rev. J. Wat- 
 kin, of New Zealand, written in 1846. He re- 
 fers to the late success at Yiwa, and then to 
 
 * No news of the good work at Viwa had reached Ono ; yet at 
 this very time there was a great reviving in that far distant island, 
 and many conversions were the result. 
 
vi w a. 193 
 
 the remarkable work of conversion which had 
 gone on in the Friendly Islands since. 
 
 “They have had another wonderful revival 
 at Tonga ; something like the one yon were fa- 
 vored to promote several years ago, (1833, 1834,) 
 the fruit of which has been very great. I am 
 quite persuaded that this is the blessed means 
 which God has particularly chosen for convert- 
 ing the world. It is a way of saving souls 
 which lays the pride of man in the dust. We 
 like to have souls saved in connection with the 
 gradual use of means, so that we can philosophi- 
 cally trace the event to its cause. But the 
 blessed God goes out of our ordinary way , 
 pours contempt on our philosophy, and, by 
 means we should never have thought of, accom- 
 plishes his own purposes. So be it, blessed 
 Saviour! Do thine own work in thine own 
 way ; and especially take care of thine own 
 honor , about which men in general are so care- 
 less. I know you say, Amen. 
 
 “The work in Fiji has been very remarkable, 
 associated, of course, with much that men would 
 call £ extravagance, enthusiasm, 5 etc. ; such as 
 women praying till they faint, and then recover- 
 ing from their fainting only to pray till they 
 faint again ; men in such agonies of distress, or 
 such ecstasies of joy, as to require three or four 
 persons to prevent their injuring themselves or 
 
194 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 others; the suspension of all worldly business, 
 and exclusive devotedness to the salvation of 
 their own souls and the souls of others ; a total 
 —or nearly total — neglect of food, sleep, and all 
 conversation or thoughts of anything but sal- 
 vation. 
 
 “ This is enthusiasm ! I pity the Christian 
 minister who can call it such. The common 
 way of expecting to get to heaven without using 
 the means, or by using them ineffectually, is the 
 true enthusiasm. We have enough of this in 
 Fiji, and hail the day which has now dawned 
 upon us, the day of His power .’ 5 
 
 It was impossible that such a mighty energy 
 of good should work in that land of wickedness 
 without rousing the opposition of the evil which 
 it assaulted. While the Gospel brought its 
 blessings of peace and love to Yiwa, the old re- 
 ligion of the people seemed to have put on the 
 strength of despair, and cursed and crushed them 
 as it never had before. On either side of them, 
 and very near, the Yiwan Christians watched 
 the fury of the most terrible war that Fiji had 
 known, marked by barbarous cruelties more 
 fiendish than the oldest could remember. The 
 new converts were exposed to danger because 
 of their refusal to join Mbau in the war with 
 Eewa ; and Thakombau himself stated that, had 
 
VIWA. 
 
 195 
 
 it not been for the presence of the missionaries, 
 Viwa should certainly have been destroyed. 
 To a few poor Christians on the island of Ovalau 
 he sent word that they must either give up their 
 Christianity, or come to Mbau and be cooked. 
 They replied : 
 
 “ It is very easy for us to come to Mbau and 
 be cooked, but it is very difficult to renounce 
 Christianity.” 
 
 Soon after they received a message, telling 
 them that Yiwa was to be destroyed, and that 
 they must go to the doomed place and share its 
 punishment. They all went. 
 
 The Christians seemed to be made only more 
 faithful by the discipline of persecution and 
 annoyance to which their religion subjected 
 them; and, to the joy of their teachers, they 
 6tood firm and prospered until the storm passed 
 away, and there was peace once more. 
 
 As the war with Rewa neared its crisis its 
 horrors increased, and the persecution of the 
 Christians became more malignant. At the be- 
 ginning of December a number of Somosomo 
 people came to Mbau. Thirty captured Rewans 
 were cooked for their entertainment, and it was 
 noised abroad that the Christians should furnish 
 tiie next meal. A plot was laid for the destruc- 
 tion of Yiwa, but it failed. 
 
 The Mbau king ordered that no food should be 
 13 
 
196 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 taken to Yiwa ; but before its inhabitants felt 
 the pressure of the prohibition Rewa fell by 
 treachery, and its smoking ruins were the scene 
 of a bloody pillage. The king, with his army, 
 arrived at Yiwa, fresh from the slaughter. The 
 great man came, in savage mood, to the mis- 
 sion-house just as breakfast was ended. Mr. 
 Hunt had gone into the town, but Mr. Watsford 
 was at home. Thakombau sat down by Mrs. 
 Hunt, who offered him tea and food. He drank 
 the tea, but flung the bread back, and asked 
 haughtily for Mr. Hunt. Pie had been sent for, 
 and a messenger was dispatched for the Yiwan 
 chief Namosimalua, who came presentty, enter- 
 ing the house, with submissive respect, <3n his 
 hands and knees. As he crossed the room the 
 king said, “ Split his head with an ax!” Just 
 then Mr. Hunt’s voice was heard, saying, as if 
 all were well, “ 8a loloma SaJca — My love to 
 you, sir!” This made a diversion, and saved 
 the Yiwan’s head. Thakombau then declared 
 that he had come to execute his threats. Mr. 
 Hunt begged him to adjourn to the stone house, 
 and there the missionaries pleaded with him 
 for a long while to be merciful. 
 
 The Christian natives were very firm. Two 
 of them meeting near the mission-house shook 
 hands warmly, and, with a cheerful smile, ex- 
 claimed, “ Heaven is very near!” They even 
 
VIWA. 
 
 197 
 
 prepared food to set before their enemies. They 
 retired to the bush — their usual place for prayer 
 — and many a voice was heard there in exulting 
 praise, and many praying for the salvation of 
 their persecutors. 
 
 The heathens said: “O, if you missionaries 
 would go away ! It is your presence that pre- 
 vents us killing them. If you would go away, 
 you would not have reached Moturiki” (an 
 island close by) “ before all these Yiwa people 
 would be in the ovens !” 
 
 While the consultation was going on in the 
 stone house, Lydia Yatea, the converted queen, 
 entered, and on her knees, with many tears, 
 besought her kinsman Thakombau to join the 
 Lotu which he threatened to destroy. She told 
 how happy the religion of Jesus made her, and 
 how it fortified her against all fear of death. 
 The great chief wondered at this strange relig- 
 ion, which enabled its disciples to be so happy 
 in prospect of the ovens. 
 
 All that day the returning warriors, armed 
 with clubs and muskets, were arriving in Yiwa, 
 until the place was filled and surrounded with 
 the forces of Mbau, against whom the few Chris- 
 tians were powerless. But they showed no 
 wish to resist. They were God’s people, and 
 he in whom they trusted cared for them. In 
 proportion as the heathens grew in number, so 
 
198 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 they seemed to waver in purpose, until they 
 said, u We came to kill these people and we 
 cannot lift a hand.” Toward night they with- 
 drew quietly, acknowledging that the Christians’ 
 God was too strong for them. As they passed 
 through 'the bush to their canoes, many of the 
 converted Yiwans whom they had come to de- 
 stroy accompanied them, carrying for them the 
 clubs which had been brought for the expected 
 slaughter. 
 
 After this the dark and imminent storm 
 passed away, and the missionaries and their 
 charge were left in comparative freedom. 
 
 Amid all these things Mr. Hunt kept simply 
 and earnestly to his work, rejoicing to see the 
 Gospel proving itself still to be “ the power of 
 God unto salvation ” in the case of many. He 
 thus reviews his own feelings and doings during 
 the year: 
 
 “ In my studies I have paid some attention to ' 
 theology, especially to the doctrine of entire 
 sanctification. I have made some improvement 
 in Greek and Hebrew, and also in Fijian. 
 Matthew and Acts have engaged a good deal of 
 my attention in the work of translating; but I 
 have not confined myself to these. I have paid 
 a little attention to general literature ; but it is 
 little indeed that a missionary can do in that 
 way. Spiritual things have been too much neg- 
 
VIWA. 
 
 199 
 
 lected; yet I have been systematically attent- 
 ive to devotional duties, and have enjoyed very 
 much of the presence of God. So far as I can 
 judge, the past year has been the happiest and 
 most useful of my life. O that it may be the 
 beginning of good days ! and that my path of 
 holiness, happiness, and usefulness may be ‘ as 
 the shining light, which shineth more and more 
 unto the perfect day ! 5 
 
 “ I propose to myself three things in which to 
 take a part, according to the ability which God 
 gives me : The conversion of the Fijians to 
 Christianity, not in name, but in power; the 
 translation of the Scriptures into their language ; 
 and the revival of Christian holiness at home. 
 I can assist in the two first by my presence and 
 actual exertions ; in the last only with my pen. 
 Thank God for the success which has attended 
 my labors during the past year in the first two 
 parts of my work ! and I ought to praise him 
 for what he has enabled me to do in the third. 
 I have written, prayed, and lectured on the sub- 
 ject, and have, at any rate, increased in knowl- 
 edge myself in this most important of all mat- 
 ters to a Christian missionary. In the practice 
 of medicine, in instructing youth, and in visiting 
 from house to house, I have not been either so 
 diligent or so successful as I could wish. I 
 think I might have done more in all these re- 
 
200 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 spects. O that I may be more faithful for the 
 future ! 
 
 “ As a family, we have been much blessed. 
 We have had better health, and every needful 
 blessing.” 
 
VIWA. 
 
 201 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 VIWA: 1846, 184 7. 
 
 Visitation Tour — Letter to Mr. Williams — Letter to Mr. Cal- 
 vert — Letter Home — Translating — Esteem of the Natives — 
 Letter to Mr. Calvert — Another Tour — Journal — Secular 
 Work of a Missionary — Journal continued — Sermon — Return 
 — vAnother Child — A new Task — Extracts from Mr. Lawry’s 
 Journal — Letter to Dr. Hannah — Letter to Lincolnshire. 
 
 At the beginning of 1846 Mr. Hunt, accom- 
 panied by Mr. Watsford, paid another visit to 
 the out-stations, the condition of which he gen- 
 erally found to he very encouraging. The jour- 
 ney ended on February 8th, when he writes: 
 “We reached our home in peace and safety. 
 Thank God, I have never enjoyed a trip so much, 
 and was never so much assisted in my work, or 
 so happy in my soul. I pray that it may be a 
 lasting blessing to me and the people. W e found 
 all well at home, which completes our happiness. 
 None but a missionary knows his sorrows or joys. 
 
 “ 9th. Put things a little straight, and begaji 
 to prepare Matthew for the press. I have now 
 several months of hard study before me, and 
 have much need of divine help. Truly we may 
 say, Our sufficiency is of God.” 
 
 The adjoined extracts, from a letter to Mr. 
 
202 A MISSIONARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 Williams, reveal much of the writer’s inner self, 
 and manifest the close and loving fellowship he 
 had with his brethren. 
 
 “ Yiwa, April 23, 1846. 
 
 “My dear Brother Williams, — As our 
 General Letter contains public news, I shall 
 satisfy myself by giving you a little peep into 
 our private affairs. We are all busy, as usual. 
 I have been preparing Matthew and Acts 
 for the press, which I find a laborious task, 
 though I translated them last year. My plan 
 is, 1. To compare my old translation with the 
 Greek as carefully as I have time. 2. To hear 
 a native read it, and inquire about every obscure 
 or doubtful place. 3. To write a fair copy. I 
 manage a chapter a day, on an average, besides 
 my other almost innumerable duties. But for 
 me it is hard work. As I administer all the 
 medicine, purchase food for the three families, 
 and attend to nearly all calls from without, of 
 every kind, I am as fully employed as possible. 
 
 “ I am also, in addition to my regular studies, 
 giving weekly lectures on entire sanctification, 
 an outline of the first of which I send you. I 
 really do not know when I wrote my journal ; 
 not for want of inclination, but actually for want 
 of time. 
 
 “ My worthy colleagues are as fully employed 
 as myself. They have looked over Matthew, 
 
VIWA. 
 
 203 
 
 and are going over John together. ... I wish 
 to confine my own attention to three particulars : 
 The conversion of the people from heathenism to 
 Christianity, and from the power of Satan to 
 God ; the translation of the Scriptures ; and the 
 revival of the great doctrine of entire sanctifi- 
 cation among all with whom I have any influ- 
 ence. I very much doubt my ability to do much 
 toward the last desirable object; but, by the 
 grace of God, I shall attempt something — per- 
 haps something in the way of authorship — 
 though about that I am not fully decided, and 
 shall depend more on the judgment of friends 
 than on my own. Meantime, to maintain a clear 
 consciousness of the pardoning love of God, to 
 be cleansed from all sin, to be filled with all 
 the fullness of God, and to walk in the light as 
 he is in the light, are the daily subjects of my 
 prayers for myself. I make it a point to bring 
 these subjects daily before the throne of grace. 
 O that I did so with becoming fervor, and a 
 realizing faith in Jesus! 
 
 “ I find it profitable to be systematic in my 
 devotions, not only as to time, but as to the 
 blessings prayed for. After I have gone 
 through the topics just referred to, in the order 
 in which I have named them, I endeavor to ad- 
 dress our heavenly Father as the God of nature, 
 and pray to be preserved from all natural evil, 
 
204 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 and to enjoy all natural good, both bodily and 
 mental. Next, as the God of providence in 
 general, as the ruler of all the nations of the 
 earth ; when I pray to be delivered from all po- 
 litical evils and errors, and to be blessed with 
 everything in this respect which will make me 
 more useful ; such as wisdom, and influence 
 over those in power, so far as 1 may be connect- 
 ed with them. My next petition has reference 
 to the blessed God, as the Father of all the 
 families of the earth ; and family blessings and 
 preservation from family evils are the burden 
 of my petition. Next I endeavor to address 
 the great Head of the Church ; and here my 
 brothers, the cause, etc., are remembered. 
 Lastly, I try to sum up all, and apply to the 
 ever-blessed fountain of all grace for that in- 
 struction, help, and comfort that I need. The 
 Lord’s Prayer concludes. Sometimes I feel this 
 part of my prayer is rather an expression of 
 confidence than a cry of need to God. I feel 
 as if I could realize what I pray for, and lose 
 myself in God as the God of providence, as the 
 Father of the families of the earth, as the Head 
 of the Church, and the fountain of all grace and 
 blessing. The former part of the prayer ex- 
 presses much more than I experience ; but I must 
 continue to pray till I receive the full answer. 
 
 “ I said I should write a private letter. And 
 
VI W A. 
 
 205 
 
 so I have. I have made yon acquainted with 
 more than any other person knows. My most 
 private concerns are those between God and 
 myself. I have told now for the first time to 
 man what I am continually telling my heaven- 
 ly Father. I felt led to do so, and hope it may 
 not be unacceptable to you.” 
 
 It was characteristic of Mr. Hunt, whose heart 
 had no power to conceal anything that moved 
 it deeply, that all his letters about this time 
 contained much about his three cherished ob- 
 jects of effort. Thus he writes to Mr. Calvert : — 
 
 “ My Dear Friend and Brother, — Our 
 work is going on gradually. I hope to have 
 it ready to put into your hands by the dis- 
 trict meeting. I want more experience, and 
 more acquaintance with Christians. I cannot 
 learn much that suits my purpose from books ; 
 and I feel the want of observation very much, 
 which a year or two among the good Methodists 
 in England would give me. I think the work 
 must not be published for some years to come. 
 It is not yet ripe. It is too meager. It is my 
 constant prayer that we may be able to do some- 
 thing that may serve the cause of holiness at 
 home, as well as labor successfully in these 
 islands. I have my mind on three points : The 
 conversion of the Fijians, the translation of the 
 
206 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 Scriptures, and the revival of Scriptural holi- 
 ness in our dear country. 
 
 u I have very much ardent love for you, and 
 am thankful for your friendship. I have been 
 much blessed this year, though my prosperity 
 has not been so uniform as I could wish. I hold 
 by the Cross. I need Jesus very, very much 
 indeed. I trust in him, and in him alone. 55 
 
 The above is dated from Ovalau, where Mr. 
 Hunt was visiting the society. About ten days 
 after (July 3) he writes again to Mr. Calvert 
 from Viwa: U I am going on with our work 
 gradually. I have been lecturing on the subject 
 for several weeks, on the Friday evening, which 
 has been a help to me. I should like to go 
 through the whole once more, and then I think 
 I must give it up. The subject is all-important, 
 and forms a part of what I consider the real 
 business of my comparatively useless life. I 
 feel a strong desire to succeed to the utmost of 
 God’s will ; but I hinder myself. I am not 
 self-denying enough. I want more of the 4 per- 
 fection 5 spoken of by James, (iii, 2.) I feel a 
 particular defect in this. I am generally very 
 happy and cheerful, and am in danger of saying 
 too much. How easy to grieve the blessed 
 Spirit! I have faith in Jesus, and love him 
 much. Pray for me. 
 
* KEWA. 
 
 207 
 
 “ My dear brother, you must not distress your- 
 self about anything but vital matters, and in 
 these ‘ by prayer and supplication, with thanks- 
 giving, let your requests be made known unto 
 God ; and the peace of God, which passeth all 
 understanding, shall keep your heart and mind 
 through Christ Jesus. 5 
 
 “ My health is pretty good. On the whole I 
 am worse for wear, and yet I am not ill. I hope 
 Mary will continue to pray and love Jesus, and 
 that Philip and Anne* will follow hard after. 
 What a blessing to have a prospect of a family 
 of praying children ! May the God of families 
 still bless you ! 55 
 
 The following passages from a letter home 
 show how the natural affections of the mission- 
 ary were sanctified, though in nowise abated. 
 Especially the old yearning love for his mother, 
 which had begotten in his boyish heart the first 
 anxiety he had ever felt about salvation, shows 
 its most earnest outgoing still in the same di- 
 rection. 
 
 “Dear Parents and Friends, — Your letter 
 dated April 21, 1845, reached us in August, 
 1846. We were very thankful to see a letter 
 from you, however short. You were well 
 when you wrote ; but you do not say whether 
 
 * Mr. Calvert-’ s children. 
 
208 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 dear mother is happy in the enjoyment of the 
 favor- of God or not. I should like to know 
 particularly how your souls prosper. This is 
 the main thing. If you love God, all things 
 will work together for your good. If you do 
 not, nothing is a blessing to you. Tour desire 
 to see us is perfectly natural ; but you must 
 leave it entirely to God. He sent us out, and 
 he alone must send us back again. If we ought 
 to return we shall . If we ought not, you would 
 not wish us to return. What a blessing that 
 we are employed in so good a work ! What are 
 we that we should be honoured of God to 
 preach the Gospel to the heathen? If the 
 apostle Paul considered it a favor to be so em- 
 ployed, how should we adore divine condescen- 
 sion which has raised us up from ignorance, pov- 
 erty, and sin, to sit among the princes of his 
 people ! 
 
 1 What am I, 0 thou glorious God ! 
 
 And what my father’s house to thee, 
 
 That thou such mercy hast bestowed 
 On me, the vilest reptile, me ? 
 
 I take the lesson from above, 
 
 And wonder at thy boundless love.’ 
 
 “ I trust my dear friends feel thankful that we 
 are so well employed, and will consider it a 
 blessing that we are laboring and suffering in so 
 good a cause.” 
 
 After speaking of domestic affairs and the 
 
VIWA. 
 
 209 
 
 state of the mission, Mr. Hunt continues : “ I 
 only wish my dear parents and brothers and 
 sisters, and all my relations, enjoyed what many 
 of these Fijians enjoy. Many who a little 
 while ago were among the worst cannibals in the 
 world, are now rejoicing in God their Saviour. 
 A few years since they were more like incarnate 
 demons than men. Now they are ‘ sitting at the 
 feet of Jesus, clothed and in their right mind.’ 
 Some have died happy in the Lord since we 
 have been at Yiwa. One who lately died 
 spent his last hours in exhorting his friends to 
 persevere in loving and serving God. He said : 
 
 ‘ I am safe. I have no doubt that I shall go to 
 heaven. You be diligent ; and when I am 
 gone, remember that you have family prayer 
 three times a day.’ Formerly, when Fijians 
 died, they exhorted their friends to avenge their 
 wrongs by killing those who had injured them. 
 But now, thanks be to God ! some of them die 
 in such a way that one can pray, ‘ Let my last 
 end be like his.’ 
 
 “ But what, my dear friends, is the secret of 
 all this ? How is it that these cannibals are get- 
 ting saved, and many who are called Christians 
 are dying in their sins, and going to eternal 
 misery ? This is a serious question. The only 
 answer I can give is, that the heathen believe 
 the Gospel, the Christian heathen do not. We 
 
210 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 preach the same Gospel which you hear at 
 home, and preach it in the same way ; and there 
 is not, I believe, in general, more of the divine 
 influence attending the ministry here than at 
 home ; and yet, all things considered, it is much 
 more successful. The reason must be, as I said 
 before, that the Fiji cannibals believe the glad 
 tidings; English Christians, many of them, do 
 not. 
 
 “ We have, as you may suppose, much oppo- 
 sition as well as success. Sometimes ‘ the 
 heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain 
 thing. The kings of the earth set themselves, 
 and the rulers take counsel together against the 
 Lord and against his Christ.’ But hitherto the 
 Lord has been our deliverer. Our mercies are 
 many and great, and our trials are of the same 
 character. There is nothing ordinary here. 
 You can form no idea in a Christian country of 
 our joys and sorrows. We are perfectly happy 
 in our family, in our own souls, and in the 
 work of God. We have most excellent fellow- 
 laborers, and many, very many dear friends in 
 various parts of England ; some of them you 
 know, others you do not know. We have all 
 w^e need. ‘ Praise God, from whom all bless- 
 ings flow !’ ” 
 
 During the latter part of 1846 Mr. Hunt was 
 working harder than ever at translating, while 
 
VI W A. 
 
 211 
 
 all his other engagements were followed out with 
 unabated zeal. At the district meeting held in 
 August, it had been resolved that Mr. Lyth 
 should remove to Yiwa to assist in completing 
 the Fijian version of the New Testament, and in 
 carrying it through the press. In October he 
 arrived, and thus a fresh impetus was given to 
 this important branch of the work. Not that 
 Mr. Hunt felt free to do less, for he must still 
 be “ on full stretch.” In his little study, which 
 was built at the end of the garden and over- 
 looked the sea, he toiled on with an energy 
 increasing as he proceeded. It is true he took 
 some time for recreation, when be sallied forth 
 to walk, carrying his little girl in his arms, and 
 the Greek and English Testaments and Fijian 
 translation in his hands, in which times of recre- 
 ation his friends have passed close by him with- 
 out being noticed. It was a pain to him to be 
 severed from his favorite employment unless 
 some other part of his high calling demanded 
 attention. No wonder that what was done so 
 lovingly was done well. Others engaged them- 
 selves in the same matter, and did important 
 service ; but several things contributed to put 
 Mr. Hunt at the head of the translating depart- 
 ment. He had studied the language diligently 
 with special reference to this one object; more- 
 over, the version was to be in the dialect of the 
 14 
 
212 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 district in which he resided ; and when his 
 brethren saw the first specimens of his transla- 
 tion they said at once, “ This is what we want,” 
 and by common consent put the managment in 
 his hands. 
 
 The fruits of this daily toil were valuable, and 
 they were costly. Mr. Hunt lost strength while 
 he gained progress. The loss hardly showed 
 itself yet, although now and then anxious eyes, 
 made skillful with love, marked signs of failing, 
 only slight, but causing fear. Perhaps the mis- 
 sionary himself was aware of some such tokens : 
 a hint now and then in his letters seems to 
 show this. But the foreboding never made him 
 slacken his effort. He saw the greatness of the 
 work, and the fear of coming weakness made 
 him crowd more effort into every succeeding 
 week. He had now but two objects to labor 
 for, since he had somewhat hastily wound up 
 his letters on entire sanctification, and sent 
 them to Mr. Calvert. He had managed the 
 building of a large and commodious mission- 
 house, when the white people at Ovalau had 
 rendered valuable service out of their respect 
 for Mr. Hunt. This was now finished, and the 
 beginning of 1847 found the missionary occu- 
 pied with nothing but translating, and the vari- 
 ous branches of strictly mission work. 
 
 One thing was noticed and admired by all. 
 
VIWA. 
 
 213 
 
 However closely Mr. Hunt was engaged, he 
 never hesitated to attend to any one who needed 
 his help. Neither was the help given grudg- 
 ingly, but with as cheerful a good-will as if the 
 student had never been interrupted. The na- 
 tives — even the heathen part of them — learned 
 to reverence and almost love this man of God. 
 They knew that they could reckon on his friend- 
 ship, and that his word never failed. Their 
 trust in his truthfulness was remarkable, and 
 no doubt was all the stronger because of the 
 contrast with the habitual falsehood among 
 themselves, and the gross injustice which had 
 marked the dealings of some of the white 
 traders in Fiji. This was illustrated when a 
 levy Was imposed on certain districts, to raise 
 wherewith to enable their chief to fulfill a con- 
 tract made with a colonial trader. So many 
 gallons of cocoa-nut oil were to be supplied, and 
 in one instance — very likely in more — the 
 trader understated the size of the casks which 
 he se»t ashore to be filled. The people detected 
 the cheat and protested ; thereupon the captain 
 declared that the missionary had deceived them 
 as to the quantity to be supplied. They said 
 promptly, “ Will the sun rise to-morrow?” “Of 
 course it will.” “ Then so certain is the word 
 of Misi Oniti,” (Mr. Hunt.) 
 
 In the earlier part of 1847 the translation of 
 
214 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 the New Testament was complete. Mr. Calvert 
 returned the letters on entire sanctification, 
 which again passed under the careful revision 
 of their author, who worked at them as long as 
 he was able, but left some unfinished at last. 
 On April 26 he writes : 
 
 “ My dear Brother Calvert, — I have been 
 through the letters on entire sanctification 
 again. They are another stage forward. I am 
 not satisfied with them, and was of opinion that 
 they ought not to be printed ; but Brother Wats- 
 ford touches a string that effects me. He says 
 they have been made a blessing to him, and he 
 believes they will be to others. This is the 
 point with me. If they are really calculated to 
 do good I shall be satisfied, and, I trust, thank- 
 ful. I am determined now, more than ever, to 
 try to live as I have written, and prove, by my 
 experience and conduct, that these things are so. 
 Help me by your prayers, letters, etc. 
 
 “ Thank God, he has given me health and 
 strength to go through the New Testament. 
 
 “ I am now preparing for my voyage. I ex- 
 pect to be away six weeks. May the good Mas- 
 ter be with me ! I have felt him very precious 
 the few past days ; but I am an unfaithful serv- 
 ant; yet I feel he is mine, but want to feel it 
 much more. 
 
VIWA. 
 
 215 
 
 “ Be sure you take care of your health, and 
 be very systematic and earnest in your devo- 
 tional exercises. I have been reviewing my 
 own, and find I have greatly declined. I find, 
 if devotion is not made a serious business, it 
 becomes mere formality. I have been prevent- 
 ed for some time from attending as I ought to 
 these duties, and it seems to me that I am just 
 ■where I was when I left them off, and the work 
 too, both among the Christians and heathen. 
 
 “I have now commenced afresh, and have 
 written for my own use a plan for the regula- 
 tion of my private devotions, which I will send 
 you. 
 
 “I. Times for private devotion. From six 
 to seven in the morning. From nine to ten in 
 the evening. 
 
 “II. Devotional exercises. 1. In the morn- 
 ing, while dressing, repeat a hymn of praise or 
 a Psalm, or recount the mercies of God during 
 my past life, and especially those acts of mercy 
 which appear most particularly to call for 
 special acknowledgment. As soon as you are 
 dressed, praise God on your knees. 
 
 “ 2. Read a portion of Scripture. I have 
 commenced Mr. Wesley’s Testament, and intend, 
 to read a chapter morning and evening, with 
 the Notes, if possible, daily. 
 
 “3. Pray especially for the following bless- 
 
216 A MISSION AKY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 ings. (1.) Pardon of all past sins. And do not 
 be satisfied without more and more clearly 
 realizing your acceptance. (2.) For entire 
 holiness in a similar way. (3.) To be filled 
 with the Holy Ghost throughout the day. 
 (4.) For bodily, mental, and spiritual blessings; 
 including protection from all evil, and the 
 bestowal of bodily strength, mental vigor, 
 spiritual guidance, preservation, comfort, etc. 
 (5.) For family, political, and ecclesiastical 
 blessings ; including deliverance from all family 
 evils, all political harm to self and people, and 
 from all evils in the Church, and for help in 
 attending to every part of my work. (6.) Pray 
 particularly for individuals, such as relations, 
 friends, brethren, and others. (7.) Conclude 
 with the Lord’s Prayer ; enlarging on each 
 petition as circumstances require and the Spirit 
 assists. 
 
 “ I find it a good plan to mix meditation and 
 self-examination with prayer, and to walk the 
 room to meditate. It prevents dullness and 
 drowsiness. 
 
 “ Before praying for the pardon of sin think 
 what particular sins you have been guilty of, 
 and confess them particularly on your knees. 
 So of entire holiness. Think what particular 
 things which are wrong still remain in you, 
 and in what you are still particularly deficient. 
 
VIWA. 
 
 217 
 
 “In praying for bodily, mental, spiritual, 
 family, political, and ecclesiastical blessings, I 
 find it very profitable to contemplate the char- 
 acter of God, as the God of nature and mind, 
 the fountain of spiritual good, the Father of all 
 the families of the earth, the King of kings, and 
 the Head of the Church. 
 
 “I think the whole can be performed in an 
 hour. The evening is the same as the morning. 
 I give you this plan, not as a new or excellent 
 one, but one that I have found useful. I follow- 
 ed it in most of its parts a long time since. For 
 some months I have not been so particular, hav- 
 ing yielded to the pressure of work. I have now 
 returned to it, and not without a sensible bless- 
 ing. God be merciful to me, a most unprofita- 
 ble servant ! Amen. 
 
 “My dear wife and child are well, and we 
 are all in peace and comfort. The work is 
 much the same as when I last wrote. Our peo- 
 ple are undergoing a trial from Satan. This is 
 evidently his revival time. But our God will 
 bruise him under our feet. O that it may be 
 shortly !” 
 
 The voyage referred to in the above letter 
 was the usual visitation tour to the out-stations 
 of the circuit. On starting, Mr. Hunt thus 
 commences his journal : 
 
218 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 “April 27, 1847. This morning I parted 
 with my dear wife and friends at Yiwa, and set 
 sail for this place, Kavula, with the intention of 
 paying a pastoral visit to the various places in 
 this circuit. We had a pleasant day, which en- 
 abled me to read part of Reed’s 4 Advance- 
 ment,’ * which I found searching and humbling. 
 Indeed, it was the means of increasing what I 
 have felt for some time, a conviction that I must 
 be a different man, both as a Christian and a 
 minister, before I can answer all my Saviour’s 
 great design in sending mo to Fiji. We reach- 
 ed our port late at night, but had a sweet moon 
 and good pilots. We met Paul a quarter of a 
 mile on his way to Yiwa with a note from Ratu 
 Elijah, (Yerani,) stating that a Mba chief and 
 one or two others had embraced Christianity. 
 Elijah had been to Kavula, and wished to go on 
 to Yiwa, but did not know what to do with his 
 new converts, about whom he feels much con- 
 cerned. I think it is likely we may have to go 
 to Mba ; but whom to place there as a teacher 
 I know not. Lord, direct ! 
 
 44 28 th. I made the necessary inquiries this 
 morning respecting those who had been prepar- 
 ing for baptism. In the afternoon I married two 
 couples, baptized seventeen adults and two chil- 
 
 * 44 The Advancement of Religion, the Claim of the Times. By 
 Andrew Reed D.D.” 
 
VIWA. 
 
 219 
 
 dren, and preached from, ‘1 indeed baptize you 
 with water,’ etc. I had a very bad headache, 
 but that did not prevent a blessing. 
 
 u 2 9th. This morning I preached from, ‘ Si- 
 mon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me V etc. I after- 
 ward questioned several of the society respect- 
 ing their experience on this one point, asking 
 each, ‘ Do you now feel you love Jesus V They 
 all answered in the affirmative. O that all their 
 conduct may show that they spoke the truth ! 
 I afterward administered the Lord’s Supper, and 
 we found a special blessing. I was led to dwell 
 particularly on Christ’s presence in the sacra- 
 ment. Perhaps this truth has been so much 
 perverted by papists that Protestants have gone 
 to the opposite extreme. There is a presence of 
 Christ in the Lord’s Supper which is real to 
 every believer. Of course it can only be a 
 spiritual presence ; for what else can be present 
 to the spirit? Popery holds Christ’s natural 
 presence. Real presence does not appear to me 
 to be a good word. The presence of Christ in 
 the eucharist is undoubedly real, but not his 
 bodily presence. The omnipresence of God is 
 undoubtedly real, yet not natural or bodily, 
 but spiritual, and therefore a proper object of 
 faith. Such also is the presence of Christ in the 
 eucharist. 
 
 “In the afternoon the members of society 
 
220 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 paid ns a visit at the house of the teacher. They 
 bought a quantity of yams, and other property, 
 as an expression of their love, and sang the Te 
 Deum before the house. It was very affecting 
 to see them. They appeared to be sincere in 
 their gratitude to God, and their love to us for 
 his sake. Our teacher here is an excellent 
 man; but a missionary is needed. Wesley (a 
 teacher) preached a useful sermon this after- 
 noon, which I expect closes our services here. 
 
 “30£A. This morning we left our friends at 
 Kavula and proceeded to Nairara, where we 
 found our teacher and people somewhat sur- 
 prised at our appearance. We had a conversa- 
 tion with the chief of the place on the subject 
 of embracing Christianity ; but he appeared un- 
 willing for the present. Namosimalua and 
 Elijah had both tried to pursuade him but in 
 vain. A chief from Na Viti Levu persuaded 
 him not to comply, but to wait. I urged upon 
 him an instant compliance, and explained to 
 him, as affectionately as I w r as able, the awful 
 hell which is the portion of those who refuse and 
 rebel. He did not seem much affected, but lis- 
 tened very attentively. We left him without a 
 definite answer either way, but with the persua- 
 sion that he would soon embrace the truth. At 
 night the teacher came, requesting us to remain 
 over the Sabbath that the chief might Lotu , as 
 
viwa. 221 
 
 he said we might never meet again. Of course 
 we were very glad to stay. 
 
 “ May 1. I spent the day principally in read- 
 ing Reed’s ‘ Advancement,’ which I found to 
 be very profitable. The views there expressed 
 with regard to the con verson of the world are, I 
 think, very just in general, and the spirit 
 ' breathed through the whole work is excellent. 
 One opinion was new to’ me, and appeared at 
 first sight to be very satisfactory ; but I should 
 like to see it more fully explained and tested by 
 the word of God. It is, that those among the 
 heathen will be saved who would have accepted 
 the Gospel had it been proposed to them.* 
 These are not the exact words in which the sen- 
 timent is expressed, but I think the writer is 
 evidently of this opinion. I am persuaded that 
 there are great numbers who would embrace 
 Christianity if they had it proposed to them in 
 a proper way. But who is sufficient thus to pro- 
 'pose it? How difficult is this which many 
 appear to think any one can do ! One view of 
 the writer I think very doubtful, and that is, 
 that Christianity might be much more effectu- 
 ally promoted by mechanics and colonies than 
 it has been. One objection against mechanics 
 
 * Dr. Reed’s words are: “We cheerfully admit. . . that 
 wherever there is such a disposition of mind as would thankfully 
 receive the Gospel if it were presented, there is essentially a 
 state of salvation.” — P. 236. 
 
222 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 in my mind is, that a mechanic is naturally 
 associated, in the minds of the heathen, with a 
 class of men who are the greatest opposers of 
 Christianity. If a man has a secular character 
 he is ranked with captains of vessels, and mer- 
 chants, and a variety of others, whose only object 
 in visiting heathen nations is to get what they 
 can from them without any regard for the tem- 
 poral or spiritual interests of the heathen. I 
 believe the less missionaries have to do even 
 with the arts of life, the more successful they will 
 be in the saving of souls. They might, perhaps, 
 be successful in spreading a kind of secular 
 Christianity which, however useful, does not 
 meet the case. Jesus Christ set his disciples 
 apart from secular things, that they might be at 
 entire liberty to attend to the spiritual kingdom 
 in themselves and others. A man whose busi- 
 ness it is to spread righteousness, and peace, and 
 joy in the Holy Ghost, needs no other employ- 
 ment. This kind of work employs a sedulous 
 attention to the promotion and advancement of 
 this kingdom m his own soul, without which he 
 will not succeed with others ; and his own soul 
 will not prosper in this, unless regular and large 
 portions of time are devoted to private reading 
 of the Scriptures, meditation, and prayer. Those 
 who are necessarily engaged in secular affairs 
 may prosper in their souls without much time 
 
VIWA. 
 
 223 
 
 being given to devotional exercises ; but those 
 who are set apart for the work of the Lord may 
 not waste the time they ought to give to devo- 
 tion in any secular employment whatever. It 
 is nothing to the purpose to say that such a 
 man can maintain the spirit of prayer in the 
 midst of business ; he may , but how few do ! 
 It is not probable that many will. My conclu- 
 sion is, that those whose work it is to spread 
 Scriptural Christianity, should be as free from 
 secular affairs as possible. I wish we could be 
 much more free than we are, even in Fiji.” 
 
 It would be very unjust to Mr. Hunt to argue 
 from the sentiments here recorded, that he 
 thought lightly of the good which a missionary 
 might do to an uncultured people, in the way ot 
 leading them up to the benefits of what is 
 understood by civilization. Before being sent 
 to Fiji, he himself looked forward with delight 
 to the advantage which his agricultural knowl- 
 edge would enable him to confer on the Kaffirs, 
 among whom he expected to be sent ; and he 
 rejoiced as much as any in the better style of 
 houses among the Fijians, and other improve- 
 ments in temporal affairs, which they received 
 through the missionaries, and through Mr. 
 Hunt himself no less than any. He dreaded, 
 however, and with good reason, the reversing 
 of the true order, and the attempt to make 
 
224 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 civilization prepare the way for the Gospel, in- 
 stead of regarding temporal good as consequent 
 upon spiritual blessing. His faith in the Gospel 
 as “ the power of God unto salvation to every 
 one that believeth,” was so simple, so like that 
 of St. Paul, that he was very jealous of anything 
 which seemed to question the efficacy of the 
 mere preaching of .the Gospel. He accepted 
 Paul’s word as to the relative claims of man’s 
 wisdom and “ the foolishness of God.” 
 
 Moreover, Mr. Hunt had sympathy with the 
 apostolic judgment respecting the unfitness of a 
 minister of the word being encumbered with the 
 ministry of secularities. Recognizing the plain 
 principle that success in a spiritual work called 
 for spiritual fitness, and having gained such an 
 intimate knowledge of his own heart, he feared 
 anything that tended to come between him and 
 the source whence he derived all the elements 
 of the only power he cared to possess ; wherefore 
 it was that he would fain have taken the same 
 ground as the twelve who said, in declining to 
 act as purveyors and commissaries, “ But we 
 will give ourselves continually to prayer, and 
 to the ministry of the word.” To resume the 
 Journal : 
 
 “ I may make another observation on the book 
 which has led to these remarks, which is, that I 
 feel sorry that the author has not the Wesleyan 
 
VIWA. 
 
 225 
 
 and Scripture view of entire sanctification, which 
 I think would give a definiteness to the state of 
 religion, which he desires so much to see prevail 
 among the Churches of our beloved country. In 
 reading his work one cannot avoid .thinking of 
 such men as Fletcher, Bramwell, Smith, and 
 many others, who are made by entire sanctifica- 
 tion just what he describes the Churches should 
 be. I do not believe any of these would have 
 been what they were unless they had embraced 
 with all their hearts this doctrine and experi- 
 enced this blessed grace. I have found this de- 
 fect in many works on practical Christianity, 
 whose authors see exactly what Christianity 
 should be, but do not tell us how to attain it. 
 They have not clear views on this part of the 
 subject. Mr. Wesley’s sermons on the Repent- 
 ance of Believers, on the Way to the Kingdom, 
 and on Christian Perfection, should always be 
 read with such works. 
 
 “ 2 d. Sunday morning . At daylight we had 
 a prayer-meeting. The chief with eight or nine 
 others attended, for the purpose of praying the 
 first time to the true God. Praise God ! May 
 he be kept faithful, and be a Christian indeed ! 
 Many of the chiefs have mixed motives in re- 
 nouncing heathenism, but we rejoice when they 
 are brought in any way under the sound of the 
 Gospel. ‘ The entrance of his word giveth light,’ 
 
226 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 but it seldom enters the minds of heathens till 
 they renounce the false gods. Their salvation 
 seems suspended on this condition, to which they 
 have power given them to attend even while 
 they are heathen. After they have complied 
 with this condition, the difference in many 
 cases is very great. They are now benefited by 
 the means. They were in a salvable state before ; 
 but they are now in the way of salvation. 
 
 “ We had a good day. I endeavored to show 
 them the claims of the God of love on them, 
 arising principally out of the fact that he has 
 given his Son for them. This is truly an 
 infant Church, but God is able to make them 
 stand. 
 
 3 d. We left our friends at Nairara this 
 morning, and set out for our next port. We 
 called at two heathen towns on our way and 
 preached the Gospel, persuading the people to 
 ^enounce their false gods. All said it would be 
 well to do so; but they are waiting one for 
 another to take the lead, and all waiting for a 
 termination of war before they can find time to 
 attend to religion. The Fijians have evidence 
 enough before them that nothing but Christian- 
 ity can terminate their wars ; still they are dis- 
 posed to try what they can do by fighting, 
 though every war necessarily lays the foundation 
 for a new one. The only way to have peace 
 
YIWA. 
 
 227 
 
 upon earth is for each contending party to bring 
 their weapons of war, and lay them at the feet 
 of Jesus, and bury all their animosities in the 
 grave of abandoned heathenism. The people of 
 Fiji have an evidence of what Christianity will 
 do for warriors in its influence at Yiwa. The 
 Yiwa people were almost always fighting. In 
 passing through this part of Fiji, you are con- 
 tinually pointed to the scenes of their past con- 
 tests. Here you see an island that was emptied 
 by them, there a town that was entirely destroy- 
 ed by their treachery or power, at another place 
 the miserable remnant of a once populous town 
 (I mean populous for Fiji) are allowing their 
 beards to grow until they can be revenged on 
 the Yiwa people for the destruction of their 
 town and the murder of their friends. Now the 
 Yiwa people are endeavoring to spread the Gos- 
 pel of peace where they once carried the horrors 
 of war. Five of them are now employed as 
 regular catechists, others are local preachers, or 
 undergoing the necessary training for these im- 
 portant stations in the Church. These are evi- 
 dences of Christianity found on the spot, and 
 are more convincing to the natives than trans- 
 lations of Horne, Watson, or Paley would be 
 could they be procured. 
 
 “We reached Nanganga before night, so that 
 I had time to preach in the open air to a some- 
 15 
 
228 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 what attentive congregation. Our teacher here 
 is a good man ; but the old chief wishes to have 
 a Tongan. The poor old man knows but little 
 of Christianity, and does next to nothing for its 
 advancement among his people. It is the day 
 of small things here. 
 
 “ 4cth. We set out for Mba, which we reach- 
 ed late at night, the wind having been light all 
 day. It is between forty and fifty miles from 
 Nanganga, and one hundred and twenty from 
 Yiwa. It was dark before we entered the river, 
 which looked very dismal on account of the 
 dark thick mangroves which grow on its sides. 
 We reached the town in safety, and were wel- 
 comed by the chief, who has renounced heathen- 
 ism. After taking refreshment we had some 
 conversation and prayer and retired to rest. 
 Perhaps a missionary owes it to the grace of 
 God that he is without fear under such circum- 
 stances, as he certainly does to his providence 
 that he is quite safe. The Mba people have the 
 worst character of any people in Fiji for canni- 
 balism. It is said that they have a temple built, 
 but wait till they are able to murder some white 
 man before it is consecrated, in consequence of 
 a Mba chief having been wantonly shot some 
 years ago by an American captain. Whether 
 the report is true or not I cannot say. I have 
 been in their power twice, but have had no rea- 
 
VIWA. 
 
 229 
 
 son to suspect them of any bad intentions toward 
 me. 
 
 “5th. We held a service in the house of the 
 chief, when his household, consisting of eleven 
 persons, embraced Christianity. A number of 
 the heathen were present and listened attent- 
 ively while I endeavored to impress on them 
 the nature and claims of Christianity. 
 
 “We met with a number of Nandronga men 
 here to whom I preached the Gospel, and they 
 appeared somewhat interested, but refused to 
 embrace the truth at once. They urged the old 
 reason warmly, that they must first kill, and of 
 course eat their enemies, and then become Chris- 
 tians. The other two chiefs of Mba gave the 
 same reason. Yet Providence appears to be 
 teaching them that they cannot put an end to 
 war by fighting. O that they would love 
 and embrace the religion of the Prince of 
 peace ! 
 
 “ 6th. The rain fell almost all night and there 
 was no prospect of sailing this morning. I 
 therefore determined to make use of the time in 
 the best way I could. I went to the large bure , 
 (temple,) and found full employment all the 
 forenoon in preaching to a number of natives in 
 the bure , and in writing my journal. The 
 weather is clearing off a little, but there is not 
 much prospect of a fine afternoon. Two em- 
 
230 A MISSIONARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 braced Christianity this morning. Praise God ! 
 I trust the good work will spread. 
 
 “ The houses here are built on quite a differ- 
 ent plan to any I have seen in the Wind- 
 ward Islands. Many of them, especially the 
 bures , appear quite round outside, and taper 
 toward the top in a conical form, so that when 
 finished they look like round haystacks. The 
 inside looks well, as the rafters are close to- 
 gether ; and instead of using reeds they make a 
 kind of net-w’ork of bamboos, which has a nice 
 appearance, is very substantial, and prevents the 
 earth of the grass [with which the roofs are cov- 
 ered] from dropping through. The houses are 
 very durable, and as warm as ovens. 
 
 “We had another service to-night, after 
 which we counted our number, and found that 
 twenty -three had embraced the truth. We 
 spent the evening in teaching them the vakatusa 
 (Confession,) etc. Though their language is 
 very different, yet they understand a great deal 
 of what is said to them in the Mbau dialect. 
 
 “7 th. We set out early this morning for 
 Rakiraki. The wind was fair for a considerable 
 distance and then became light, as well as much 
 less favorable. We therefore called at Yatea, 
 where we found a number of Rakiraki people 
 fishing, to whom we preached the Gospel, but 
 they were not willing to attend. As night came 
 
YIWA. 
 
 231 
 
 on we thought we should have the wind from 
 the land, and determined to sail all night. Ac- 
 cordingly we set off about sunset, and had as 
 comfortable a night as we could expect. We 
 were aground several times. Once our mast, 
 sail and all, fell overboard, and we narrowly 
 escaped harm. We were, however, mercifully 
 preserved, and found ourselves not far from our 
 port at daylight. We had not much sleep, of 
 course, but we managed to keep up a fire ; and 
 had plenty of yams to keep out the cold. 
 
 “8th. We reached Thokova, and found the 
 old chief as usual, so large that he can scarcely 
 stir, and yet begging for health. I asked him 
 what he called health if he did not enjoy it 
 already. But he keeps to his point, “M'e’u bula 
 — Let me live; 55 which would be very well if 
 he included anything besides the body, but 
 beyond this he does not appear to have any 
 conception. His brother, who is also a professor 
 of Christianity, is much of the same mind. The 
 people appear willing to become Christians, 
 but I verily believe that the two chiefs who pro- 
 fess Christianity prevent them. This place re- 
 minds me very much of Somosomo. It is very 
 similar; indeed, it is the Somosomo of this 
 circuit. 
 
 “9th. We held three services to-day. Our 
 old chief had made a kind of promise that his 
 
232 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 household should Lotu to-day; but when it 
 came to the point he told a falsehood and got 
 off. As I had but few hearers I preached in 
 the afternoon principally to the teachers, from 
 the Parable of the Sower. The following is an 
 outline : 
 
 “I. The sowee. II. The seed. III. The 
 
 VARIOUS KINDS OF GROUND INTO WHICH THE 
 SEED FALLS. 
 
 “I. The sower has three things to do: 1. To 
 select the proper seed to be sown ; which re- 
 quires wisdom. 2. To sow the seed ; which re- 
 quires diligence and labor. Sowing is hard 
 work. 3. To see that it is properly covered 
 with earth, protected, weeded, etc. ; which re- 
 quires much care — that is, prayer, pastoral over- 
 sight, and discipline. 
 
 “II. The seed. This must be, 1. The word 
 of God ; Scripture properly read or quoted. 
 2. The genuine meaning of that word. 3. Any 
 other sentiments which correspond to the truth 
 of the Bible, though not expressed in the words 
 of Scripture, or any part of its direct exposition. 
 
 “III. The ground. Here are, 1. The way- 
 side hearer — the hardened, careless sinner. 
 2. The stony -ground hearer, who believes with- 
 out much evidence, and abandons the truth 
 without much reason. 3. The hearer who is 
 tormented by the cares, and deceived by the 
 
VIWA. 
 
 233 
 
 riches of the world. 4. The good hearer, who 
 believes, considers, and practices what he hears. 
 
 “10 th. We determined to start for the Large 
 Land, (Yanna Levu.) The prospect was not 
 very favorable, as the wind was strong. But 
 our crew were in high spirits, and made excel- 
 lent preparations for a stormy passage by reef- 
 ing the sail after the Tonga fashion. This we 
 found to answer well, and w r e reached Mbua in 
 safety before night. We found our friends in 
 health and alive to God, for which we praised 
 the Lord and took courage. What a contrast 
 between visiting such a place as this and the 
 one we have just left! 
 
 “ 11th. This morning I waited on Tui Mbua, 
 (the chief,) and promised to have the house for 
 the missionary built on his side of the river if 
 he would engage to become a Christian. He 
 subsequently refused to comply, by wishing the 
 house to be built at Tiliva, which pleased the 
 people very much. They commenced opera- 
 tions at once, aiyi soon had things in a forward 
 state. We had an interesting service in the 
 evening. 
 
 “12 th. The house proceeded rapidly to-day. 
 About noon I received a note from David 
 Whippy, (an American,) stating that he was 
 very ill, and wished I would go and see him as 
 soon as possible, as it might probably be the 
 
234 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 means of saving his life. I held a service in 
 the evening, and administered the- Sacrament of 
 the Lord’s Supper, intending to sail for Ndama 
 in the morning. The improvement made by 
 this people during the past year is very pleasing. 
 But there is much yet to be done. They have 
 built a nice chapel. 
 
 “ 13th. We set sail for Ndama. I held two 
 services in the new chapel, which exceeds that 
 at Mbua. It is by very far the best building 
 in the place, which is all we can expect. The 
 work has prospered much here during the year. 
 
 “14 th. We proceeded to Solevu. I found 
 David very ill, but a little improved. It is 
 another loud call to the white men here. 
 
 “ 15 th. I preached this morning in native, 
 baptized several persons, and preached after- 
 ward in English. Here too we opened a new 
 chapel, which far exceeds any building in the 
 place, and which the white men have paid for 
 by subscription. It was built by the Nandi 
 people. 
 
 “16th. I attended to the sick, and held a 
 conversation with the Solevu people respecting 
 a piece of ground on which to build a mission- 
 house. I obtained the land, but they wished 
 the Christians of Nandi to build the house. I 
 determined, therefore, to go to Nandi in the 
 morning. 
 
VIWA. 
 
 235 
 
 “ 1 7th. We reached Nandi early. The people 
 were delighted with the prospect of having a 
 missionary. 
 
 “18 th. I spent the day in a variety of ways. 
 At night I married several couples, preached, 
 and afterward had a consultation with the teach- 
 ers on several points of importance. The last 
 day or two I have been reading Cecil. No book 
 affects me so much.” 
 
 After exactly a month’s absence Mr. Hunt 
 returned safely to Yiwa. The great work now 
 was the printing of the New Testament, which 
 went on prosperously, and before August an 
 edition of one thousand copies of the Fijian Tes- 
 tament was worked off, besides a very large 
 number of the Gospel according to Saint Mat- 
 thew and the Acts of the Apostles. When Mr. 
 Lawry attended the district meeting in Septem- 
 ber, well bound Testaments were presented to 
 the meeting, and all rejoiced together in the ac- 
 complishment of so great an\enterprise. In 
 speaking of this visit and meeting Mr. Lawry 
 says : “ In this mission everything takes from 
 the chairman, not a somber hue, but a tinge of 
 evergreen, a glow of life ; and giant strides are 
 being made in every part of the Fijian work.” 
 
 In the same month Mr. Hunt’s family was 
 enlarged by the birth of another daughter, which 
 
236 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 was named after the little one who had died, 
 and thus the parents’ great new gain was made 
 a memorial of their past loss. 
 
 During the district meeting Mr. Hunt was 
 urged by his brethren to undertake the transla- 
 tion of the Old Testament. He consented, but 
 without that hearty cheerfulness with which he 
 had entered upon and finished his late work. It 
 was not that he regarded an accomplished task 
 as a good excuse for future idleness. He knew 
 of no goal while he had strength left to run. 
 But this new undertaking was entered upon as 
 a bare duty, as though he was conscious that he 
 should never live to finish it. His Master had 
 appointed this work to others, and for them was 
 reserved the peculiar grace which would give it 
 a zest. For a faithful soul has as keen a relish 
 in doing its own duty as a healthy body has in 
 taking food. And if alongside this truth — as, 
 indeed, every truth — the devil shapes a corre- 
 sponding lie, it is a very sorry trap, into which 
 no man would step with his eyes open. But 
 that is just it. Let a man’s own inclination 
 blindfold his judgment, and it really does not 
 need much art to snare him. Now this good 
 man, John Hunt, was a hard subject to blind- 
 fold, and, like John Wesley, saw a devilish craft 
 in the theory that a man was never to do any- 
 thing but what he felt free to, that is, what he 
 
VIWA. 
 
 23 1 
 
 liked. So he took up the task at once ; and 
 whatever misgivings he had, there were none 
 about the way of God’s appointed service being 
 the way of God’s given grace. Thus he says in 
 a letter : “It is a great work, but God can give 
 me strength if it please him that I should do it ; 
 and if it be not pleasing to him I do not wish 
 to do it.” 
 
 Soon after the district meeting in the begin- 
 ning of November, Mr. Hunt accompanied the 
 general superintendent, Mr. Lawry, in the 
 “ Wesley,” to establish two new stations on the 
 large island of Yanua Levu, Mbua and Nandi. 
 Yerani, the converted chief, sailed with them as 
 pilot, and they were escorted by a large double 
 canoe commanded by the Yiwa king, Namosi- 
 malua. 
 
 The second Sunday of the cruise, while the 
 “Wesley” was anchored off Mbua, is thus de- 
 scribed by Mr. Lawry : “ In the morning I 
 preached on, c If any man be in Christ Jesus he 
 is a new creature.’ During the reading of the 
 Scriptures and the Litany, as well as through the 
 entire service, a blessed unction rested upon us 
 all. We had two native services; and in the 
 evening Mr. Hunt preached a thoroughly Wes- 
 leyan sermon, on ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thy heart,’ etc. He poured forth 
 thought upon thought so just, so weighty, so 
 
238 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 original, so luminous, that I sat upon the quarter- 
 deck looking at this wonderful man with amaze- 
 ment and admiration. There was an energy and 
 a simplicity about his appeals all but over- 
 whelming. The scene was altogether lovely : 
 the setting sun, the cloud-capped mountains, the 
 placid ocean, the listening crew and native 
 teachers, and the intelligent, zealous preacher, 
 from whom were coming forth ‘ rivers of living 
 water,’ united in giving effect to the occasion, 
 and made me willing to ride upon the mountain 
 wave, and feel at home upon the sea. This was 
 none other than the house of God ! this was the 
 gate of heaven !” 
 
 Mr. La wry concludes his journal of this visit 
 thus : 
 
 “ Viwa , December 6. We weighed anchor 
 this morning for New Zealand, after taking a 
 most affectionate leave of the excellent mission 
 families at Yiwa. They are accomplishing a 
 noble work in Fiji, and a great door and effec- 
 tual is open to them. Mr. Hunt is an extra- 
 ordinary man both in body and mind; and all 
 his fine powers are devoted to Christ and his 
 Fijian infant Churches, for the conversion of 
 these energetic people. By his brethren he is 
 very greatly beloved, and they in turn are 
 much and deservedly beloved by their chair- 
 man.” 
 
VI WA. 
 
 239 
 
 .The following letter, written to his revered 
 and beloved tutor, Dr. Hannah, shows well the 
 nature of Mr. Hunt’s employment about this 
 time, and the state of feeling in which he pur- 
 sued it. 
 
 “ Viwa, Fiji Islands, December 1, 1847. 
 
 “My very dear Friend, — Your very excel- 
 lent and affecting letter, received per ‘John 
 Wesley , 5 was most thankfully welcomed by my- 
 self and Mrs. Hunt. We value our friends at 
 home more than they can well conceive, and 
 more than they would be willing to credit, if we 
 were able to tell them. I am sure, my dear sir, 
 you will believe me when I say, none are more 
 valued than yourself. I should be ashamed of 
 my heart if it did not beat with affection of the 
 purest and most ardent character to one to 
 whom I am under many obligations. I am 
 aware you may say you only did your duty. 
 That may be ; but I see more and more that 
 those who do their duty deserve our best thanks 
 and our warmest gratitude, though before the 
 Great Master they must ever consider themselves 
 unprofitable servants. 
 
 “ I must now begin to give you some account 
 of our affairs here. There are so many things 
 that I wish to mention that I don’t know where 
 to begin. Perhaps I had better commence with 
 what has engaged most of my attention during 
 
240 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 the past year, namely, the translation and print- 
 ing of the entire New Testament in the language 
 of Fiji. 
 
 “We have felt our need for some time of an 
 idiomatical version of the Scriptures of the New 
 Testament. Some portions had been translated 
 by our predecessors ; but these, as might be ex- 
 pected, were very incorrect, and far from being 
 fully intelligible to the natives, in consequence 
 of their being so much in the English idiom. 
 It is easy to learn the words of a language, and 
 not very difficult to put them into a sentence ; 
 but there is much difficulty connected with ex- 
 pressing an idea exactly in the way in which a 
 native would express it if he had the idea in his 
 own mind. This is what has been attempted in 
 this translation, and the brethren in the district say 
 that the difficult task has been performed much 
 to their satisfaction. Some approve of the version 
 even to admiration. To God be all the praise ! 
 
 “ I have now commenced reading for the Old 
 Testament, the brethren having decided that I 
 shall try to translate the whole, and brother 
 Lyth is to examine. I do not approve of the 
 plan myself ; but as it was the only one on which 
 the brethren could be unanimous I submit to it, 
 and, by the help of God, shall proceed with the 
 work as quickly as possible. Five years is the 
 time I have thought of if I have health, and no 
 
VIWA. 
 
 241 
 
 more hinderances than I have had in the New 
 Testament. Pray for me, my dear sir, that I 
 may have wisdom, and patience, and grace to 
 render into correct and idiomatic Fijian the holy 
 book of God. I cannoj; enter into any explana- 
 tion of my plans in the course of a letter. How 
 glad should I be if I had the privilege of an 
 hour’s converse with you about once a week to 
 ask advice, to propound difficulties, etc. ! But 
 I must not anxiously wish for impossible things. 
 
 “My leading principle in translating is to 
 give what I fully believe to be the mind of the 
 Spirit. So far I wish to be servilely literal. 
 The next thing is to give the sense under the 
 same aspect as it is presented by the sacred 
 writers, following as far as possible their mode 
 of expression in words, figures, and everything 
 that constitutes style and manner, yet not so as 
 to injure the sense by adopting foreign idioms. 
 In a word, what Hooker speaks of as being very 
 desirable, but not much to be expected, we are 
 endeavoring to accomplish, namely, a version 
 which shall be neither a mere verbal rendering 
 of the words of Scripture on the one hand, nor 
 a paraphrase on the other. These are not his 
 words, as you know ; but I think it is the sense 
 of what he says.* It is easy to give a mere 
 
 * Mr. Hunt refers to the following passage : u Touching trans- 
 lations of Holy Scripture, albeit we may not disallow of their 
 
242 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 verbal rendering, and equally easy to make a 
 paraphrase ; but that which shall be as faithful 
 as a verbal rendering and as easy to be under- 
 stood as a paraphrase, without being one or the 
 other, is not easy. 
 
 “ I must not enlarge, but now say a word or 
 two about our institution. We have not yet 
 formed a regular establishment for the instruc- 
 tion of native teachers. The reason is, our per- 
 suasion that we can accomplish the object much 
 better on our present plan. That plan is to have 
 an institution in each circuit under the care of 
 the superintendent. As we have a printed 
 course, all is easy. Yiwa is considered as head- 
 quarters, and the plan we pursue here is a model 
 for the rest, so far as it will apply. I have pre- 
 pared an abstract of the short sermons referred 
 to in my last, especially of those on the Doctrines 
 and Duties ; and these, with the rules of the 
 society, constitute a book of twelve closely 
 printed pages 24mo., which has become a great 
 
 painful travels herein who strictly have tied themselves to the very 
 original letter ; yet the judgment of the Church, as we see by the 
 practice of all nations, Greeks, Latins, Persians, Syrians, Ethio- 
 pians, Arabians, hath been ever, that the fittest for public audi- 
 ence are such as follow a middle course between the rigor of lit- 
 eral translators and the liberty of paraphrasts, do with greatest 
 shortness and plainness deliver the meaning of the Holy Ghost. 
 Which, being a labor of so great difficulty, the exact performance 
 thereof we may rather wish than look for .” — Ecclesiastical Polity, 
 book v, chap. xix. 
 
YIWA. 
 
 243 
 
 favorite both among the missionaries and 
 natives. Its only excellence is its adaptation to 
 our people. The plan on which it is prepared 
 is very simple. The question refers to some 
 great theological truth, and the answer is given, 
 if possible, in the words of Scripture. The first 
 question is, ‘ How was man when God made 
 him V Answer : 4 Moses has reported that 
 “ God made man in his own image.” ’ The 
 sixth question is, ‘Are we near falling into hell 
 on account of our sins?’ Answer: ‘Yes. 
 David reports, “ The wficked shall be turned 
 into hell, and all the nations that forget God .” 9 
 Giving the name of the sacred writer makes the 
 passage more interesting to them, as they like 
 much to be acquainted with such things. This 
 catechism was prepared for the native teachers ; 
 but most of our people have committed the 
 whole to memory, and can repeat it, questions 
 and answers, from beginning to end, without 
 making three mistakes. Ho one among us 
 could stand a theological examination better 
 than some of the women of Yiwa if they were 
 allowed to keep to the Catechism. Would that 
 they experienced the truth thus stored in their 
 memories ! This is the case with some ; but 
 not by any means with the majority who pro- 
 fess Christianity in Fiji. We have about forty 
 persons under theological training in the Group, 
 
244 A MISSIONARY AMONG- CANNIBALS. 
 
 many of whom we hope will be useful to their 
 countrymen. 
 
 “The whole subject of education is now 
 engaging much of our attention. ¥e must now 
 become schoolmasters. We have the New Tes- 
 tament printed, and if all be well shall soon 
 have it in the hands of our dear people. But 
 this will not do. They must have it in their 
 minds and hearts, and transcribe its living truths 
 into their lives. Our whole attention in the 
 pulpit and out of it must be directed to the ac- 
 complishment of this end. What a blessed end ! 
 We can only be instruments ; but this we may, 
 nay, must be. 
 
 “We can now report upward of three thou- 
 sand who attend our ministry and that of our 
 teachers every Lord’s day. One pleasing cir- 
 cumstance connected with these is, that they 
 are located in various parts of the Group, em- 
 bracing many distinct political states. Seven of 
 these are included in this circuit, (Viwa.) This 
 is an important fact. We have not the first 
 chiefs in each of these places, but we have chiefs 
 of much influence in each of them, so that this 
 circuit, according to Fijian ideas, is very respect- 
 able. We are now dividing it into three, so that 
 my work in one direction will be much more 
 circumscribed ; but, thank God ! it will not in 
 another. There are one hundred thousand peo- 
 
YIWA. 
 
 245 
 
 pie on the large island just over against us, and 
 our circuit includes three important places on 
 that island, one about sixty miles from Yiwa, 
 another about ninety, and a third one hundred 
 and twenty. Another place about a hundred and 
 eighty miles from us is now opening. I visited 
 it some years ago, and received a message from 
 a chief a few days since, stating that if I would 
 visit them again he would embrace Christianity. 
 I am looking for an opportunity to go. We 
 have abundance of work of every kind, much 
 more than we have strength, or wisdom, or 
 grace to attend to as we ought. We desire to 
 be found faithful. 
 
 “ You will read accounts of the revival with 
 which we have been favored. On that, there- 
 fore, I need not dwell. I fully believe in the 
 great use of revivals in these islands. The 
 natives require much divine influence as well as 
 much divine truth. Pray for us in this respect, 
 even as I know you do. 
 
 “ I wrote you last year by Mrs. Wilson on 
 the subject of entire sanctification, and sent you 
 an outline of my remarks, which I hope you 
 received. I have altered my plan a little, and 
 am pleased to find that my altered plan cor- 
 responds with the sketch you have kindly given 
 in your last almost exactly. I shall inclose a 
 very brief outline. The brethren here wish me to 
 
246 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 publish soon, but I wish to follow what I think 
 I remember your recommending: 4 Write after 
 you have well thought, not before.’ Many 
 authors write first and think afterward. 
 
 44 1 must conclude long before I have done. 
 I fear, however, that my engagements will 
 not allow me to write another letter this 
 time. 
 
 44 And now, my very dear friends, accept 
 again our many, many thanks for your kind re- 
 membrance of us. O, it was kind in dear Mrs. 
 Hannah to send little articles of clothing that 
 your own dear children had worn, and a hand- 
 kerchief for me that you yourself had used. I 
 show it to my friends here as a precious treasure, 
 and they love me more for having so evident a 
 place in your affections. Our last little daugh- 
 ter is named Hannah, after her mother, grand- 
 mother, and yourself. But what am I doing? 
 I am trying to tell you how much we love you, 
 and only prove that our love is untellable, if I 
 may coin a word. 
 
 About going home again I say nothing. I 
 leave that to the great Master, praying, how- 
 ever, that if possible I may live and die in 
 Fiji, much as I love England. I conclude with 
 much love. 
 
 Yours very affectionately, 
 
 44 J. Hunt.” 
 
VIWA. 
 
 247 
 
 The following extracts are from a letter writ- 
 ten by Mr. Hunt to some of his old Lincolnshire 
 friends at about the same date as the last : 
 
 “We sympathize with our dear friends in 
 their various trials, and hope and pray that they 
 may be sanctified, which is indeed their legiti- 
 mate use. We bless God for our trials, which 
 have of course been of a kind that you know 
 little of. But God knows them, and we know 
 that all things, whatever may be their nature, 
 work together for good to them that love God. 
 There is no doubt that things are made a bless- 
 ing to us in proportion as we love God ; so that 
 to love God with all our heart, and with all our 
 mind, and with all our soul, and with all the 
 strength of all, is the way to secure the sanctifica- 
 tion of every mercy and every trial. I trust 
 you all keep to the simplicity and fullness of the 
 Gospel. The preaching of John Smith is still, 
 to my mind, the right kind of preaching. I 
 never think of him and such men without feel- 
 ing ashamed and instructed. I am quite sure 
 that nothing but entire holiness will do for us. 
 Others, who may not have heard of the great 
 salvation, or seen its effects on others, may be 
 indifferent about it, and be innocent ; but the case 
 is different with those who have heard, and 
 seen, and felt the blessedness of this glorious 
 gift of God. 
 
248 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 “ I must now tell you something of our affairs 
 here. In a temporal point of view our circum- 
 stances are much improved. W e have health, 
 and a healthy family; a good house to dwell in, 
 and plenty of all we need for the body, without 
 much care. This is all we desire ; and, thank 
 God ! this we have. The good work in which 
 we are engaged also continues to prosper. We 
 have, of course, some opposition and much 
 indifference to contend against ; but still we see 
 the work of the Lord advance, not stopped by 
 the calm or hindered by the storm. God is 
 still with us, and makes us a blessing. 
 
 “The work of conversion has been going on 
 among our people gradually during the last 
 three years. You are aware that here there are 
 generally two conversions, one from heathenism 
 to Christianity as a system, and a second from 
 sin to God. Both these are of the greatest im- 
 portance. Without the first there is no hope of 
 the second. We seldom witness anything like 
 penitence in a heathen. Generally, it is not 
 until they have professed Christianity for some 
 time that they sincerely seek the Lord. This, I 
 think, is the great difference between the spread 
 of Christianity in our day and its spread in the 
 days of the apostles. Then heathens were at 
 once converted to God. The grossest idolaters 
 became at once true spiritual worshipers of 
 
VIWA. 
 
 249 
 
 Jehovah, and trusted, as humble penitents, in 
 his Son Jesus Christ, receiving the Holy Ghost 
 to assure them of acceptance, and to renew 
 them in righteousness and true holiness. Thus 
 saved, they were at once prepared to be useful, 
 feeling in themselves the reality and comfort of 
 the great truths which constituted the principal 
 subjects of the apostles’ ministry. In our day 
 such conversions are rare, and consequently the 
 work among us assumes a different aspect from 
 that described in the Acts of the Apostles. Our 
 people are like most of our congregations at 
 home. A goodly number are truly converted ; 
 a further number are desiring salvation: 
 others are professing to worship God, but they 
 have only the form of godliness ; the power they 
 know nothing of. We have upward of three 
 thousand professing Christians, and if they were 
 like the three thousand saved on the day of 
 Pentecost, I have no doubt that Fiji would soon 
 be converted to the Saviour. We have now 
 one thousand seven hundred and thirty in society, 
 and one hundred and fifty-nine on trial. 
 
 “ We have been very busy during the past 
 year in the New Testament, which is now print- 
 ed in the native language. This, as you may sup- 
 pose, has cost somebody a good deal of trouble. 
 I hope we may have the Old Testament done in 
 five or six years hence if our life and health 
 
250 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 are spared. These things are little thought of 
 by our friends at home. They know something 
 of that part of our work which consists in visit- 
 ing various places, preaching the Gospel, and 
 teaching schools ; but they know of little that is 
 done in the study ; what hours of anxious thought 
 spent in deciding the meaning of words and 
 phrases, and how the word of God is to be put 
 into the language of the people without altering 
 its meaning, or making it difficult for them to 
 understand it. A pale face, a feverish state of 
 the body, a mind almost distracted, and an 
 appetite perhaps unimpaired, indicate that 
 something severe has been going on behind the 
 scene. Thank God! he affords his aid, and 
 then 
 
 4 Labor is rest and pain is sweet.* 
 
VIWA. 
 
 251 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 VIWA, 1848. 
 
 Extract from Mr. Lawry’s Journal — Letter to a Friend — Letter 
 to Mr. Calvert — Letter of Advice to Mr. Malvern — Trip in 
 the M Calypso ” — Sickness — Relapse — Trouble and Peace — 
 Prayer for the Missionary — Relief — Praise — Patient waiting 
 — Last Letter — Last Relapse. 
 
 Mr. La wry says in his Journal : “ How the 
 missionaries can study or exercise themselves 
 in this oppressive climate is scarcely conceiva- 
 ble, yet they do both and complain not ; but 
 those who are newly arrived feel greatly dis- 
 tressed, until they become seasoned against the 
 heat and the musquitos.” 
 
 A further quotation from the same interesting 
 journal may be fitly given here : “ Our mission- 
 aries here are hard-working men, and men of all 
 work. They rise early and translate the Scrip- 
 tures, or prepare other good books ; they teach 
 the natives useful arts, and guide them in all 
 they do ; one part of the day is devoted to native 
 schools, and another to the schooling of their own 
 children. They preach the Gospel to all who 
 will hear it morning, noon, and night. They 
 administer medicine to the sick, and settle dis- 
 putes for all parties. They are consulted about 
 
252 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 everything that is going on. They are lawyers, 
 physicians, privy counselors, builders, agricul- 
 turists, and frequent travelers on the high seas 
 in the frail native canoes. They are men 
 
 4 Whose path is on the mountain wave, 
 
 Whose home is on the deep.’ 
 
 They study hard that they may give a faithful 
 translation of the word of God. Several of them 
 daily read Hebrew, Greek, and Latin for this 
 end, besides their constant application to the 
 perfecting of their knowledge of the native lan- 
 guage, in which they preach and converse daily 
 with ease and fluency. These things they do in 
 the ordinary course of their daily labor as 
 pastors of the flock of Christ, besides the over- 
 sight they are obliged to take of their own 
 domestic affairs, where the busy housewife plies 
 her care, and where the tedious natives crowd 
 around. 35 
 
 This description applies exactly to Mr. Hunt, 
 as indeed it does to his noble fellow-workers in 
 the Fiji Mission. It was not only the arduous 
 and manifold activities of his office that slowly, 
 yet perceptibly wasted his strength, but that 
 work “ behind the scene 55 had already sapped 
 his constitution. His headaches became more 
 frequent, and though he began the year 1848 
 w T ith as much apparent vigor as ever, and as 
 much industrious and earnest devotion to his 
 
VIWA. 
 
 253 
 
 duties, yet every month’s toil urged on the hid- 
 den under-working of exhaustion which nothing 
 could supply. 
 
 Mr. Hunt addressed himself diligently to 
 translating, as well as to the revision and en- 
 largement of his manual of theology, which con- 
 sisted of a series of short sermons. In February 
 he wrote in a letter to England : “ I am very 
 full of employment from the beginning of the 
 year to the close, and have now some years’ 
 work on hand of the most important kind, in the 
 way of translating and composing works on a 
 small scale in the native language, while I have 
 in addition full work as a pastor, evangelist, etc. 
 Mrs. Hunt has plenty on her hands, and would 
 be very glad of mother’s help ; but we both think 
 at her age your advice is best : i Get ready for 
 heaven and meet them there.’ This is the sure 
 way of seeing us again. All besides is uncer- 
 tain. What is our life ? A vapor, a span, 
 nothing, and vanity. 
 
 “ My friends in the Lincoln circuit can never 
 be thought of by me with ordinary feelings, as 
 it is to them, under God, I owe my all. And 
 though my all is but little, it is my all. May 
 God abundantly prosper them ! 
 
 “This letter is all about little things. Well, 
 life is made up of these. Do not forget the great 
 things, holiness and usefulness. 
 
254 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 About two months later he says, in a letter to 
 Mr. Calvert: “I am writing an entirely new 
 copy of the short sermons, adding several new 
 ones, much enlarging the old ones, etc., so that 
 it is a task of considerable labor. I find it diffi- 
 cult to put Homer in a nutshell. I could easily 
 put as much in as the shell would contain, and 
 leave the rest out; but I find it requires much 
 thought to compress huge volumes in a small 
 book so as to get the most important ideas, and 
 so to express the whole that a native can under- 
 stand it. I must do my best ; but I am more 
 and more dissatisfied with everything I do. 
 
 “ ¥e are much as usual in our work, etc., and 
 I trust in a somewhat prosperous way in our 
 souls. Still there is not that overflowing love 
 to God, one another, and all men that we had 
 last year. I do not know the reason. I state 
 the fact, and ask your prayers for us. My own 
 soul prospers, thank God ! I have my trials and 
 conquests, my joys and sorrows, most of them in 
 God.” 
 
 In the early part of this year Mr. Hunt wrote 
 the following characteristic letter to the Rev. 
 John Malvern, who had recently begun his work 
 as a missionary at Lakemba. The advice con- 
 tained in it was the teaching of his own life as 
 well as of his pen. This is true of what he says 
 about morning preaching. Many a time had he 
 
YIWA. 
 
 255 
 
 preached at home with no listener but Mrs. 
 Hunt, yet every part of the usual service was 
 gone through with as much solemnity and order 
 as if he had been ministering before a crowd. 
 He spoke what he had proved when he said, 
 “ You will never want a sermon.” His own 
 preaching resources seemed unlimited ; and his 
 early and long-continued habit of making some 
 passage of Scripture the main subject of daily 
 meditation, kept up an unfailing supply of well- 
 considered texts. 
 
 “ My dear Brother, — I am obliged for your 
 short note, and should be glad, according to your 
 request, to write you a long letter of advice, etc., 
 if I knew what kind of advice you wanted. 
 Ask me as many questions as you please and I 
 will answer them if I can ; or suggest the sub- 
 jects on which you wish to have my poor 
 opinion. 
 
 “You are just beginning your work, and 
 therefore need much prayer and consideration 
 in order that you may get into the right track 
 at first. Many have suffered much for want of 
 this. I advise you to read and be guided by the 
 rules laid down in the ‘ Large Minutes , 5 the rules 
 of the bands, etc., contained in volume viii of 
 Mr. Wesley’s Works. Let your observance of 
 these rules extend to what is said about needless 
 
256 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 self-indulgence, speaking evil of the absent, and 
 all things, and I am sure you will be a happy 
 and successful missionary. I regret exceedingly 
 my violation of some of these rules, and am 
 fully persuaded that every one of them must be 
 fully attended to by all who would be wholly 
 the Lord’s. The 4 Twelve Rules of a Helper,’ 
 and all that follows, will claim your particular 
 attention. Morning preaching has been long 
 given up among us ; but I think it would do us 
 much good to preach a sermon to ourselves 
 every morning from five to six o’clock, or if 
 that be too early, from six to seven. Go through 
 the service. Sing or read a hymn suitable to 
 the subject of your meditation, and engage in 
 prayer. Then explain a portion of Scripture, 
 and apply it to your own heart and circumstan- 
 ces, and close with another hymn and prayer. 
 You will find this an excellent means of improv- 
 ing your mind, and heart too. During the day 
 you can be thinking of a passage for the next 
 morning, and making any inquiries about it that 
 may be necessary. You will never want a 
 sermon if you follow this plan, and your heart 
 will be kept in tune for preaching, which is a 
 very important and difficult thing in Fiji. Try 
 the plan, and tell me in your next how it suc- 
 ceeds. In the evening you should spend an 
 hour in preparing a native sermon, and in 
 
yi w a. 257 
 
 praying over it and for the prosperity of the 
 work. 
 
 “ Don’t let little things take you from your 
 work. Avoid chit-chat. Talk about something 
 when you talk. 
 
 “ One part of our duty is to take care of the 
 body. Temperance and exercise are both essen- 
 tial. Our food here is coarse, and unless we take 
 at least two hours’ exercise in the open air every 
 day we shall none of us have health, in my 
 opinion. ‘ O, but I have no time !’ You must 
 make it. You can walk and pray, or read any- 
 thing interesting and instructive, or converse. 
 And I assure you that by regularity' in exercise, 
 food, sleep, etc., you will improve your mind as 
 much as your health. A well-educated mind is 
 one which is under our entire control. This is 
 obtained by discipline, and regular habits great- 
 ly assist in disciplining the mind as well as the 
 heart, and are essential to the health of the 
 body.” 
 
 It seems that with regard to the last particu- 
 lar Mr. Hunt was scarcely as wise as he was 
 strict in following his own counsel. He 
 frequently worked in the garden for the sake 
 of exercise at midday, when the fierce heat 
 rendered comparative rest necessary, and when 
 out-door labor served merely to produce ex- 
 
258 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 haustion. He afterward acknowledged that this 
 was wrong, yet he thought it best at the time. 
 Then, if any one wanted his help he seemed 
 unable to refuse it, though his work, already too 
 great, for him, was increased thereby. 
 
 Thus passed the first few months of 1848. In 
 June, H. M. S. “ Calypso, 55 commanded by Cap- 
 tain Worth, visited Fiji. Mr. Hunt accompa- 
 nied the captain to several places, cheerfully 
 rendering all the aid he could, although at the 
 cost of great toil and injurious exposure. On 
 one occasion, after becoming much heated by 
 walking, he remained for some time in the chill, 
 damp night air. The cold struck him where 
 white residents in Fiji have most to dread dis- 
 ease, and symptoms of approaching inflamma- 
 tion of the bowels showed themselves. Now, as 
 in all times of sickness, it was a great comfort to 
 have for a colleague Mr. Lyth, whose medical 
 training had already enabled him to contribute 
 largely to the well-being of the mission families. 
 Mr. Lyth was uneasy at finding that, with in- 
 tervals of relief, the attacks returned again and 
 again without yielding to the usual remedies. 
 Each attack weakened the strong, active man ; 
 but in July he became very much better, and, 
 impatient to be at his loved work again, went 
 for several successive days to the infant school. 
 Another and worse relapse followed, and 
 
VIWA. 
 
 259 
 
 thenceforth the missionary’s work was done. 
 His last sermon was preached in July, at 
 the wooden mission- house, from “ Praying in 
 the Holy Ghost.” 
 
 His tender and faithful attendant says : u It 
 now became evident that there must be some 
 latent cause existing, or some serious mischief 
 going on in the system, to occasion these re- 
 newed attacks ; for, notwithstanding the means 
 used, the symptoms became worse, proceeding 
 from spasm and irritation, till at length decided 
 inflammation of the mucous membrane super- 
 vened. Another feature of this complaint was, 
 that the symptoms were generally aggravated 
 about the day of his accustomed headache, 
 (which now entirely left him,) and continued so 
 for some days, followed by a remission of short- 
 er or longer continuance.” 
 
 In the beginning of August Mr. Hunt was 
 quite prostrated by another and more severe 
 attack, during which he suffered acute and long- 
 continued pain. The question of his removal to 
 one of the colonies had been fully discussed, but 
 he feared lest the voyage should be too much 
 for him. And the missionary’s heart clung to 
 Fiji, and he had reckoned upon dying in the 
 scene of his life’s work ; so he quietly resolved 
 to stay where God had led him, and to leave the 
 issue with him, in whose providence he had 
 17 
 
260 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 from youth up placed such unquestioning trust. 
 The possibility of removal was now taken away, 
 and the sick man’s agony and exhaustion told 
 of approaching death. Then there came a great 
 darkness upon the missionaries, their wives, and 
 their little ones, for they dreaded to lose him 
 to whom they had learned to look with admiring 
 reverence and fond affection so long. And with 
 the bad news the darkness spread into many a 
 Viwan home, and hearts which had received 
 their all of good from the hand of the dying 
 man mourned bitterly as for a father. In his 
 sharpest agony the sufferer’s heart had rest. 
 He said : “ I feel the same uniform peace of 
 mind ; however my pain is, there is no change 
 in that respect; but” — referring to his pain — 
 “I feel my troubles” Again he said: “I 
 want a clearer manifestation of the love of God, 
 to enable me to rejoice in my sufferings. I 
 have peace. Pray for me !” 
 
 Prayer was made without ceasing of the 
 Church unto God for him. Some whom he 
 had been the first to lead to the mercy-seat now 
 prayed mightily that he might be spared. The 
 people, with sad faces, flocked on the Saturday 
 evening to the chapel, and bowed themselves 
 before God. Out of the midst of that prostrate 
 company who wept in their common trouble, 
 the voice of one after another was uplifted on 
 
VIWA. 
 
 261 
 
 behalf of their missionary. Elijah Yerani cried 
 aloud : “ O Lord ! we know we are very bad, 
 but spare thy servant. If one must die take 
 me ! Take ten of us ! But spare thy servant to 
 preach Christ to the people !” 
 
 Once more the disease abated. In a few days 
 Mr. Hunt could sit up again, and walk about the 
 room with a stick, and soon after go out into the 
 verandah. He looked out on the familiar scenes 
 with a new feeling, not weakening but accom- 
 panying the old. His heart yearned as strongly 
 as ever for the success of the work committed to 
 him; but he had just trodden the dim path 
 which lies along the mysterious confines of the 
 two worlds. The light of the eternal and un- 
 changeable had broken up the shadows of that 
 borderland of^darkness and storm, causing him 
 to see things as he never had before ; and a still 
 small voice, which the stooping ear of loving 
 watchers could not catch, had told him that he 
 must die. “I know not how it is , 55 he said; 
 “ but something within me tells me that my 
 work is done.” 
 
 It was but a little bend in the same path that 
 brought him back into life again. But there 
 was something solemn, and almost a mystery of 
 heavenliness, about the tall, thin, stooping fig- 
 ure, and pale face, and earnest eyes of the sick 
 man, as he paced to and fro with slow and feeble 
 
262 A MISSIONAKY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 steps. When he spoke of himself, his wife and 
 friends listened with a kind of awe. 
 
 “ I thought once,” said he, “ that I was very 
 near the port ; you cannot imagine how easy 
 it was for me to go. I felt that I had no tie to 
 earth, not even my wife and children. I felt an 
 entire deadness to the world.” 
 
 Again he said : “ I have settled the matter. I 
 have thought that my case might soon turn either 
 way, so I have solemnly given my body and 
 soul to God, through Jesus Christ, and I feel that 
 he accepts me. I am perfectly resigned to his 
 will.” 
 
 When Mr. Hunt said he was perfectly resign- 
 ed to the will of God, he did not mean as some 
 do, that he crouched in forced silence beneath 
 a heavy yoke. He rejoiced, he* exulted in his 
 trust, and desired his brethren to tell the people 
 at the prayer-meeting how his heart overflowed 
 with love, and to offer his public acknowledg- 
 ment of God’s mercy in so far relieving his pain. 
 The native Christians hoped that their loved 
 pastor was to be restored to them now in an- 
 swer to prayer, and were very glad before the 
 Lord. Ratu David, a Christian chief of Mbau, 
 said in his prayer very fervently : 
 
 “We were in trouble; we feared that Thou 
 wert about to take away the light, and leave us 
 in darkness on account of our sins ; that thou 
 
VIWA. 
 
 263 
 
 were about to quench the light, and remove 
 from us him who had taught us the word of life ; 
 but we stayed thy hands ; we refused to let him 
 go, and for Christ’s sake, thou didst hear the 
 prayers of sinners.” 
 
 For several weeks, during which Mr. Hunt, 
 though very feeble, was comparatively free from 
 pain, he was kept in quiet retirement, and strict- 
 ly forbidden to engage in any part of his work. 
 In this long pause lie looked back carefully 
 over the past, and while every remembrance of 
 evil smote his heart with keen reproach, every 
 stroke brought him once again to his Saviour, 
 to whom he thus clung closer and closer. He 
 was able now to consider the past itself. As far 
 as this life was concerned, no wishes, or cares, or 
 plans for the future withdrew his attention or 
 warped his judgment. All earth’s future for 
 him was narrowed, to the shutting out of every 
 uncertainty. His soul looked forth from the 
 cross by which he held beyond this world ; and 
 between him and the crown laid up for him he 
 saw but one sure event, the fight that was to end 
 his life’s conflict. Neither did he doubt the 
 issue. Already to faith the victory was gained ; 
 and the man of God, girt with the power of God, 
 awaited the struggle in perfect calm. 
 
 In these hushed and solemn days of waiting, 
 Mr. Hunt showed the liveliest interest in the 
 
264 A MISSION ARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 mission to which his best years had been given, 
 and would have taken some part of its activity, 
 by writing or consultation, had he not been 
 strictly forbidden, or, as he said in Fijian style, 
 “ placed under tarnbu ,” by his doctor. In thus 
 taking up, to an extent, his old duties, the old 
 feeling of working-joy quickened again; and 
 under the influence of it he could almost per- 
 suade himself that his course was not yet finish- 
 ed, and that he should once more be spared to 
 preach Jesus. When in the sweet lull which 
 followed his pain, a fuller gift of God’s love 
 stirred his happy spirit into ecstasy, he found it 
 easy to interpret this exulting vigor of soul as 
 an earnest that, after all, his bodily strength 
 should be renewed. Under such feelings he 
 wrote his last letter about August 29th. It was 
 to Mr. Williams, at Mbua. 
 
 “ My dear Brother, — I am going to attempt 
 to write to you a line or two, but know not how 
 I shall succeed, as I am far from being fit for 
 work. You will be thankful to know that I am 
 able to make the attempt, as I trust I truly am. 
 
 “ I thank you and Sister Williams exceeding- 
 ly for your kind sympathy. Indeed, I seldom 
 think of it without tears. It is one of my great- 
 est comforts to see so much kind feeling mani- 
 fested toward one so very unworthy of it, both 
 
VI W A. 
 
 265 
 
 by my brethren and sisters and the natives 
 When Solomon [a beloved Yiwan native teach- 
 er, stationed at Mbua] arrived, the worst was 
 over, and I had got a decided turn toward 
 health. I have been making slow progress in 
 the same direction since then, and hope in a 
 month or two I may be fit for service if it so 
 please God. 
 
 “ My gracious Lord has indeed been kind to 
 me in my affliction. I have seen more of his 
 goodness than ever, and want a thousand 
 tongues to praise him with. I feel he has 
 greatly blessed me. O help me to praise his 
 goodness ! 
 
 66 1 had peace during the early part of my af- 
 fliction, but felt that I needed a clearer manifesta 
 tion of the love of God to enable me to rejoice 
 in the midst of the severe pain I was then suf- 
 fering. When the doctor told me that if I had 
 anything to say I had better say it, (referring 
 to temporal things,) I found myself perfectly 
 ready to make up my final account with the 
 world ; not a single tie seemed to be unbroken. 
 Still I did not feel joy, but a desire to depart, 
 and almost an unwillingness to return to life. 
 On Sunday week, however, the Lord filled me 
 exceedingly with his love, and my cup of joy 
 did run over. O the tenderness of soul I felt ! 
 the melting of the soul into love — grateful, 
 
266 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 tender, humble love ! I never felt anything 
 like it. You may be sure I then longed to be 
 gone ; but the gracious Lord, in connection 
 with this manifestation of love to my soul, gave 
 me a satisfactory persuasion that he could and 
 would heal my body. I said, ‘ Lord, thou canst 
 heal me ; I shall not die, but live and declare 
 the works of the Lord . 5 Since then I have been 
 going on very nicely in body and soul. I am 
 able to read, and find great comfort from the 
 New Testament, Mr. Wesley’s Sermons, and 
 the Lives of Early Methodist Preachers. From 
 these, and waiting upon God, I seem to get a 
 daily blessing. 
 
 “My dear wife has been wonderfully pre- 
 served in health and peace, though of course 
 much harassed. My brethren and Joseph Rees 
 have also been remarkably well during the 
 whole time. Indeed, all have been able to do 
 what they could wish for me, and were as will- 
 ing as able. 
 
 “ I must now say a w T ord respecting your 
 many kind notes, letters, etc., to me. I am 
 much obliged for them. They all breathe a 
 spirit I very much love. If it be any satisfac- 
 tion for you to know that all your plans, labors, 
 etc., meet with my full approbation, I assure 
 you this is more and more the case. You are 
 more and more dear to me in every way, and I 
 
VIWA. 
 
 267 
 
 rejoice much in your present peace and pros- 
 perity. I feel much for your being alone in 
 the coming trial. But you will not be alone. 
 The great and good Physician will be with you. 
 He sent his disciples two and two ; but if the 
 •harvest is so plenteous and the laborers so few 
 that some must be single-handed, he will make 
 up the deficiency. 
 
 “ Your report, accounts, etc., came safe to 
 hand. I like your report. I agree with you 
 exactly about the appointments on Yanua Levu, 
 and what you say will undoubtedly be acted 
 upon. . . I don’t know exactly what the move- 
 ment of the ‘Wesley’ will be after she reaches 
 Yiwa: it will depend much on circumstances. 
 I may see you in her if I should continue to 
 improve, and if she should be yet some distance 
 off. 
 
 “ My dear brother will excuse my going any 
 further. With much love to Sister Williams, 
 and earnest prayers for her comfort and safety 
 in the hour of trial, and again thanking you 
 both for your kind sympathy, in all of which 
 my dear wife most heartily joins, 
 
 “ I remain, very affectionately yours, 
 
 “J. Hunt.” 
 
 Within a day or two after this letter was 
 written the “John Wesley” arrived from New 
 
268 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS 
 
 Zealand. This was always an important event 
 and the housing of stores, the opening of pack- 
 ages, and especially the reading of letters and 
 news — often a year old — kept every one on the 
 alert. It was impossible to shut out Mr. Hunt 
 altogether from the general influence, and the 
 excitement evidently told upon his shattered 
 strength. Then came the district meeting, ac- 
 companied by many anxieties, caused especially 
 by the removal of several missionaries ; and all 
 this, no doubt, hastened the last and fatal attack, 
 which came upon him fiercely on the 15th of 
 September. 
 
THE END. 
 
 269 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 Temptation — Victory — The last Snare — Calm — Prayer for Fiji 
 — Perfect Peace — Joy — Triumph — Death — Visit to the 
 Dead — Burial — Monument — Genius — Holiness — Dr. Han- 
 nah’s Testimony. 
 
 The path had turned again. Once more God’s 
 servant found his face looking toward another 
 world. But now he was to pass over. The last 
 time he walked hard by the way of death he had 
 been unmolested ; now he found himself opposed. 
 The evil one from whose kingdom he had been 
 delivered, whose will he had resolutely resisted, 
 and whose power he had beaten down in the 
 scene of its unhindered triumph, now, in the 
 time of extreme weakness, met him in mortal 
 strife. Already Mr. Hunt had been thrust at 
 with sore temptation since his partial recovery. 
 While he was magnifying the power of his 
 Saviour, shown forth in all his own unworthiness 
 and sin, the devil, with a masked light, took up 
 the lesson of blessed humbling and poisoned it. 
 He fastened the sufferer’s mind with a deadly 
 fascination to that unmixed thought of unwor- 
 thiness until it seemed incapable of hope. It 
 
270 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 was the old device to shut out the Saviour, to 
 ' make a Golgotha without a cross. And for a 
 time a great darkness shrouded the Christian’s 
 soul. He thought of his active service on God’s 
 behalf, of his diligent studies, his many and earn- 
 est preachings, his long and agonizing prayers, 
 and his manifold toil. But not one remem- 
 brance comforted him. Each seemed corrupt, 
 and the pall of his unworthiness covered the 
 whole. Then came the sting : “ My life has 
 been worthless and unprofitable, worse than 
 useless and he groaned with the wound. But 
 a voice whispered into his soul : “ If I be not an 
 apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you ; 
 for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the 
 Lord.” Then was the spell broken, and he saw 
 the Church of Yiwa Christians at prayer; one 
 bright recollection after another came back, of 
 dark cannibals convinced and converted as he 
 led them to the cross of Jesus ; and with the 
 cross light came, and another victory was won, 
 but not the last. 
 
 When the fatal relapse of disease took place, 
 then the inner conflict was renewed more fiercely 
 than ever. Before it was but an outwork ; now 
 it was the citadel that suffered assault. In the 
 midst of his intense pain the dying man saw, 
 prominently thrust forward, sins long repented 
 of and forgiven, and the recollection of his un- 
 
THE END. 271 
 
 faithfulness grew and darkened, till it threatened 
 to hide the cross once more. 
 
 At this time Mr. Calvert was at Yiwa, and to 
 him Mr. Hunt told his distress. He found sym- 
 pathy and good counsel, and was strengthened 
 by the prayers of others, so that full deliverance 
 came, and Satan was cast down conquered ; as 
 he ever is by that faith which rests on the Al- 
 mighty Saviour, and realizes that his salvation is 
 altogether and only for sinners. This battle over, 
 the missionary passed on undisturbed toward 
 his reward, saying : “ I have a strong desire to 
 depart, if it please the Lord, and to be with Je- 
 sus, which would be far better.” 
 
 A day or two after his last seizure, on the Sun- 
 day, he asked Mr. Calvert to read to him the 
 ninth and tenth chapters of the Epistle to the 
 Hebrews. He listened intently, and his heart 
 glowed with love to the great High Priest, and 
 trusted joyfully in his atonement. When the 
 reading was over, and some time had been spent 
 in prayer, he said : “ Paul gives such a view of 
 the work of the Saviour in those two chapters as 
 fills me with admiration of, and feelings about, 
 the Saviour which I cannot express. I feel him 
 a perfect Saviour. I never had such views and 
 hold of the Saviour as I have in this illness.” 
 Another week of increased feebleness and 
 great pain followed. On the 23d the more dis- 
 
272 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 tressing symptoms disappeared, and the sick man 
 had comparative ease, but it was the lull which 
 precedes death. 
 
 He spoke calmly and trustfully about his de- 
 cease. With Mrs. Hunt he reviewed the way 
 in which God had led them, and then, as they 
 looked forth to the coming separation, he said : 
 “ Let us leave it all to the Lord. He knows 
 what is best for each of his own.” 
 
 She replied : “ Yes, my dear, we will give 
 ourselves to him for life and for death.” 
 
 He joyfully answered: “O yes! that is how 
 we began ; and that is how we’ll finish !” 
 
 On the 26th Mr. Calvert read to him John 
 xviii, and then prayed at his bedside. It was 
 evident that Mr. Hunt joined very earnestly in 
 the prayer, and he was observed to weep. 
 When those who had just united in committing 
 their great crushing care to Him who cared for 
 them, stood looking at the dying man, they 
 marked how he kept on silently weeping. % In a 
 little while his emotion increased, and he sob- 
 bed as though in acute distress. Then, when 
 the pent-up feeling could no longer be with- 
 held, he cried out, “ Lord, bless Fiji! save 
 Fiji! Thou knowest my soul has loved Fiji ! 
 my heart has travailed in pain for Fiji !” 
 
 It was no sorrow on his own account that 
 made the Christian weep. His own prospect 
 
THE END. 
 
 273 
 
 was all unclouded brightness ; he had safely 
 stored his last treasures, his wife and children, - 
 in heaven. They were in God’s keeping. But 
 there was something that clung about his heart 
 more closely than these. That object to which 
 all the energies of his great soul had been devot- 
 ed was the last to be left. He had lived for 
 Fiji, and his every thought, and desire, and 
 purpose, and plan, and effort had long gone in 
 this one direction, the conversion of Fiji. For 
 some weeks he had been laid by from his work, 
 his voice hushed and his hand powerless. Yet 
 he had never ceased to pray for the people of 
 the Islands ; but now his prayers were also to 
 cease. Never till then did he feel how Fiji had 
 become identified with his very life. And in 
 his utter feebleness the spirit within him strove 
 and struggled with its great burden. Those who 
 stood by feared to see the weak frame so tossed 
 about, and tried to soothe hinf. Mr. Calvert said : 
 “The Lord knows you love Fiji. We know 
 it, the Fijian Christians know it, and the 
 heathen of Fiji know it. You have labored 
 hard for Fiji when you were strong; now you 
 are so weak you must be silent. God will save 
 Fiji. He is saving Fiji.” 
 
 At this the dying missionary was calmer for 
 a little while; but still he wept. The burden 
 was there yet ; and his spirit, strengthened with 
 
274 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 the powers of an endless life, shook the failing 
 flesh as it rose np and cast the great load down 
 at the cross. He grasped Mr. Calvert with one 
 hand, and lifting the other, mighty in its tremb- 
 ling, he cried aloud : 
 
 44 O let me pray once more for Fiji ! Lord, 
 for Christ’s sake, bless Fiji! save Fiji! Save 
 thy servants, save thy people, save the heathen 
 in Fiji !” 
 
 After this he gradually quieted down, and his 
 peace was unbroken. 
 
 Two days later he said to Mr. Calvert : 44 For 
 two days I can think of nothing but St. Paul’s 
 words : 4 1 am in a strait betwixt two, having a 
 desire to depart and be with Christ ; which is 
 far better.’ ” He then added, with great feeling : 
 44 4 For me to live is Christ.’ If needful for my 
 family and the Church I shall be raised. I have 
 no choice. I am resigned to the will of God. I 
 am more : I love the will of God. He rules.” 
 
 His friend said : 44 If we ruled we should keep 
 you. But the Lord knows best.” 
 
 44 Yes,” he quietly answered, 44 he is my Ruler, 
 my Proprietor. He will soon make it up in 
 many ways.” 
 
 The next day was the quarterly fast. Some 
 one told him, 44 We have had very good meet- 
 ings to-day. The natives pray earnestly for you ; 
 they never forget you in their prayers.” 
 
THE END. 275 
 
 He rejoined : “ I have no doubt of it. I feel 
 the benefit of them. 55 
 
 On this day Mr. Hunt received, for the last 
 time, the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. His 
 peace was perfect. 
 
 The following Sunday found him much 
 weaker, but still more tranquil, and refresh- 
 ed by a better night’s rest. He told Mr. 
 Lyth, in answer to an inquiry about his state 
 of mind : 
 
 “ That continues the same. I have no anxiety, 
 nor is any temptation permitted to assault me.” 
 Yet in all this he said: “I have comfort, con- 
 stant comfort, but I have not joy. I desire 
 a greater manifestation of God’s love ; but 
 perhaps I could not bear more in my weak 
 state.” 
 
 On the Monday he said to Mr. Lyth : “ I can 
 fully confide in Jesus. Jesus is very precious to 
 me, he is very present with me ; I only want 
 more of him.” 
 
 Tuesday brought a slight return of pain. 
 When Mr. Lyth asked, “ Well, Brother Hunt, 
 what do you think the Lord is about to do with 
 you ?” Mr. Hunt replied, with a smile, “ I don’t 
 know, only something very good.” 
 
 On Wednesday morning, October 4th, Mr. 
 Hunt’s face showed that mysterious change, 
 which no one can describe, but which makes 
 18 
 
276 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 those who never saw it before tremble, the 
 change of approaching death. He asked Mr. 
 Lyth to read to him the chapter which so many 
 ask for in their last hours, which has dried so 
 many tears, spoken peace so often in the storms 
 of life, and shed from its immortal brightness 
 a light athwart the great dark of death, and 
 mingling with the excellent glory beyond. The 
 dying saint drank in the strength and comfort 
 and peace that well up in the fourteenth chap- 
 ter of St. John, and said : 
 
 “ It is very encouraging, and very suitable to 
 me, to Mrs. Hunt, and to you all. Its strain, 
 too, is so compassionate and tender; just what 
 we need. There are a thousand things in us 
 needing his forbearance.” 
 
 He then quoted the verse : “ But of him are 
 ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us 
 wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, 
 and redemption.” 1 Cor. i, 30. Then he went 
 on in a clear emphatic whisper : “ Christ is made 
 unto us of God, our wisdom to enlighten us, our 
 righteousness to atone for us, our sanctification 
 to cleanse us, and our redemption to deliver us 
 from a great many temptations, dangers, and 
 difficulties ; and he will deliver us in death, and 
 bring us to glory. What a perfect Saviour ! 
 God makes Christ such to me. These are the 
 views that support me now. I look to Christ 
 
THE END. 277 
 
 alone. I dare not look at myself, or at anything 
 I have done . 55 
 
 Now the Christian’s gaze was all fixed on 
 Christ. Nothing could divert it. He saw noth- 
 ing but Christ : Christ covering past sin, Christ 
 sheltering his widows and orphans, Christ hold- 
 ing his hand with almighty love, and Christ fill- 
 ing heaven with glory for him. The pilgrim 
 was not far from home now ; and this light of 
 home fell upon him as he drew near, and made 
 the still calm of his peaceful trust sparkle with 
 the gladness for which he had longed, so that 
 he exclaimed, “ Now he is my joy !” 
 
 On being told that his end must be very near, 
 Mr. Hunt replied : “ I do not think the time is 
 come yet ; this seems too easy and pleasant for 
 dying.” Turning to his mourning wife he said: 
 “ If this be dying, praise the Lord !” Then he 
 lay still, as if trying to feel that he was about to 
 depart, and after a time said : “ How strange ! 
 I cannot realize that I am dying, and yet you all 
 look as if I were.” 
 
 Noon came swiftly to the watching ones 
 around that bed, and he whom they watched 
 was rapidly getting weaker. An hour after Mr. 
 Lyth said to him, as he lay there often smiling, 
 and always worshiping, “You are very happy, 
 Brother Hunt.” 
 
 He answered: “Yes. I am getting weaker.” 
 
278 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 “ Yes, you are getting near the port, you are 
 crossing the river, and the Lord Jesus is with 
 you.” 
 
 A whisper started from the dying lips, 
 “ Glory !” 
 
 “ You see a bright prospect before you,” con- 
 tinued his faithful friend. 
 
 “ I see nothing but Jesus,” was his answer. 
 His mind was perfectly clear, and his words, 
 though faint in sound, had all their wonted 
 vigor. He turned to Mr. Calvert, saying : “ It 
 is a solemn thing to die, very solemn.” 
 
 His friend replied: “Mr. "Wesley, in dying, 
 clung to Jesus, and you do.” 
 
 “Yes,” he said, “I cleave to Jesus, and am 
 right ; I have nothing else to look to. He is all 
 I have to trust in. If I look from him I am in 
 a vortex ; I have doubts and condemnation. 
 But I have full faith in him. I have peace and 
 pardon in him. I have no disturbance at all.” 
 Then they saw how the saint addressed him- 
 self afresh to pray to the sinner’s Saviour ; and 
 for some time the moving of the white lips and 
 aspect of the face told that he was engaged in 
 intense and silent worship. Presently, as his 
 eyes looked up with a bright joy that defied 
 death, he exclaimed : “ I want strength to praise 
 him abundantly. I am very happy !” 
 
 Mrs. Hunt, who bent over him in the last 
 
THE END. 279 
 
 effort of helpless love, asked, “ Have you had a 
 fresh manifestation of the love of God ?” 
 
 “Yes,” he answered; “^Halleluiah ! praise 
 the Lord Jesus ! I do not depend on this,” he 
 added emphatically, and shaking his head : “ I 
 bless the Lord, I trust in Jesus.” 
 
 Again there was a pause of silence, and the 
 happy triumphant spirit of the Christian forced 
 the dying flesh to do service of praise once more. 
 “How he is my joy ! I thought I should have 
 entered heaven singing, Jesus and salvation ! 
 How I shall enter singing, Jesus, salvation, and 
 glory , eternal glory !” In his ecstasy he tried 
 to raise himself, but could not, and his head fell 
 back, as he said, “ Halleluiah ! Halleluiah !” 
 again and again. He already joined in the 
 praise of paradise. “ Halleluiah !” he repeated 
 twenty or thirty times, every time fainter, till 
 his voice was hushed. 
 
 Presently he spoke again, and left messages 
 to the other missionaries and their wives, to the 
 native Christians and the chiefs, especially Tha- 
 kombau. Afterward he prayed for his children, 
 and urged them to live according to their moth- 
 er’s teaching and example. He solemnly com- 
 mitted that good and faithful woman to God’s 
 holy keeping, and asked heavenly blessing for a 
 devoted native servant. Then he begged Mr. 
 Calvert to pray. 
 
280 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 About three in the afternoon his right arm 
 rose, as if convulsively, and, as he turned on his 
 side, grasped his fellow missionary Calvert, who 
 put his arms round him. For a few minutes 
 there was heavy and broken breathing, and 
 then a solemn hush disturbed by the sob of a 
 widow: “Lord, comfort my poor heart!” and 
 an earnest “Amen” from those who stood 
 round. 
 
 Leaving his body in his brother’s arms, John 
 Hunt, the missionary, died. 
 
 The sad news soon spread through Yiwa, and 
 the natives came to look on their dead pastor 
 and friend ; and many of the hearts gathered 
 round that bed were very full of grateful re- 
 membrance of him who should teach and help 
 them no more. 
 
 Early the next morning came Thakombau to 
 see the body of him before whose warnings his 
 stout heart had often quailed, and who had 
 bound to himself the proud spirit of the savage 
 chief by the charity of the Gospel. Now the 
 great man, attended by the large retinue, gazed 
 at the pale face with evident emotion ; and 
 when told how the good man had died, and how 
 he had left a dying word of love and entreaty 
 for him , he was much moved. 
 
 At three o’clock that afternoon a plain cof- 
 fin borne by native students, was carried out 
 
THE END. 281 
 
 of the mission house. It had on it no emblaz- 
 onry, and no record but this : 
 
 Re y. John Hunt 
 Slept in Jesus 
 October 4th, 1848, 
 
 Aged 36 Years. 
 
 There followed that coffin a woman bowed 
 beneath the weight of her first day’s widowhood. 
 And with her came his fellow-missionaries; 
 after whom, in decent attire, there walked the 
 foreign residents and a crowd of Fijians. At 
 the grave Mr. Lyth read the burial service of 
 the English Church, and Mr. Calvert spoke in 
 the language of the natives, while tears wet 
 many a dark cheek as the earth closed over 
 the remains of the preacher of the Gospel. 
 
 When the news of Mr. Hunt’s death reached 
 England, John Chubb, Esq., of Islington, sent 
 out an iron monument and fence, which stand 
 over the missionary’s grave at Yiwa, a memori- 
 al of a man who loved God wholly, served him 
 faithfully, and left the world better than he 
 found it. 
 
 Here ends the history of John Hunt, whom 
 the Spirit of God found an unlettered plow- 
 boy on the broad plains of Lincolnshire, and 
 changed his heart and gave him pow T er to bless 
 the country folk, and then the citizens, with 
 
282 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 his words ; w T ho left the fields and wrought hard 
 in the study, and being full of faith and the 
 Holy Ghost, did by his preaching turn many 
 to righteousness ; who being sent to the ends of 
 the earth to preach Christ, went forth with 
 cheerful faith ; who made a home among the 
 savage men-eaters of Fiji, and prayed and 
 toiled, until he saw many of these men of blood 
 living blameless, loving, and useful lives, and 
 reading in their own rich language the New 
 Testament of the Lord Jesus, and a literature 
 which, though scanty, was pure ; and who, 
 “ after he had served his own generation by the 
 will of God, fell on sleep.” 
 
 And what raised this man, and other worthies, 
 so far above the average level of ordinary 
 Christianity ? Was it genius? Some things in 
 their history seem to show this, and enforce the 
 conviction that they would have distinguished 
 themselves in any calling. But genius never 
 made a man virtuous, or unselfish, or a devoted 
 helper of his kind. Genius never impelled a 
 man to seek the salvation of souls, or ever se- 
 cured those triumphs which one day will be the 
 only victories that win crowns. 
 
 John Hunt’s greatness consisted in his holi- 
 ness. He saw that God demanded, promised, 
 and provided a complete holiness ; “ and being 
 not weak in faith, he considered not” those 
 
THE END. 
 
 283 
 
 things which reason and experience declare to 
 make a perfect salvation impossible. “He stag- 
 gered not at the promise of God through unbe- 
 lief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to 
 God ; and being fully persuaded that what he 
 had promised he was able also to perform.” If 
 any one would understand the secret of this 
 good man’s distinguished excellence, let him 
 read the Letters on Entire Sanctification, which 
 all who knew the author allow to be a repro- 
 duction of his own experience ; and if any one 
 would serve God and man as well as John Hunt 
 did, he must follow the counsels of that most 
 scriptural volume. 
 
 The different dialects of a various Ohurchism 
 may call it by different names, but the people 
 of God must give more and more prominence 
 to the doctrine of holiness through faith in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ! Thus Mr. Hunt writes, after 
 using the illustration of a sick patient who is 
 always convalescent but never well : 
 
 “This is exactly the case with numbers of 
 Christians of the present day. It must be from 
 one or other of these two causes : either their 
 spiritual physicians do not prescribe the proper 
 remedy, or the people do not use it when pre- 
 scribed. The consequence is that the Church 
 is continually finding fresh cause to lament her 
 inefficiency to accomplish the task assigned her 
 
284 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 by the Saviour, that of letting her light so 
 shine in the family, in the neighborhood, in 
 every part of the country where she is estab- 
 lished, and in the world, that others may see 
 her good works and glorify her Father which is 
 in heaven. Her light does shine, but it does 
 not ‘so shine nor will this be the case until 
 entire holiness is more generally prescribed as 
 the remedy for the present state of the Church. 
 
 Many testimonies might be added to the 
 worth, the love, the piety, the godly nobility of 
 the subject of this memoir, from the hands of 
 those who deem it one of their life’s crowning 
 blessings that they were enriched by his friend- 
 ship. One such testimony is of peculiar inter- 
 est, and may fitly close this record. At the an- 
 nual meeting of the Wesleyan Methodist Mis- 
 sionary Society, held in Exeter Hall, May, 1849, 
 the Reverend Dr. Hannah, the revered tutor 
 and fondly cherished friend of the late mission- 
 ary, who — together with all who have felt the 
 guiding of his faithful and steady hand in the 
 things of God — regarded him with a peculiar 
 affection, said : 
 
 “ Is it a discouragement to us that missiona- 
 ries themselves pass away, and pass away in 
 many instances just in the full tide of their 
 ministerial usefulness ? This also should be 
 employed as a motive for good. I may perhaps 
 
THE EOT). 
 
 285 
 
 be excused if, among the seven missionaries 
 whose deaths are named in the Report, I advert 
 in my own mind particularly to one ; to one 
 who for a season was placed under my own 
 care, and whose character I intimately and 
 gratefully knew. May I say that I refer to the 
 Rev. John Hunt, who lately fell, fell in his ar- 
 mor, gloriously fell, fell to rise for ever, in 
 Fiji ? 
 
 “ He was a man of humble origin, and at 
 first of humble attainments; but he received 
 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in truth, 
 and that grace made him what he was. But 
 for that grace he might have passed through 
 life unknown and unnoted. Grace called forth 
 mind ; that mind discovered unexpected ener- 
 gies; and these energies, under the guidance 
 and blessing of the Lord the Spirit, yielded 
 labors, the fruits of which shall not easily die. 
 
 “I never knew a man more right-hearted 
 with respect to the great work of our Lord and 
 Saviour. I never knew a man whose princi- 
 ples were more staid, whose zeal was more per- 
 petually fed by charity, and who was more dis- 
 posed to devote himself in every possible way to 
 the advancement of his Master’s praise. And 
 although his life, in human estimation, may 
 seem to have been cut short in the midst, yet 
 in abundance of labors and in extraordinary 
 
286 A MISSIONARY AMONG CANNIBALS. 
 
 success, John Hunt lived a long life. He 
 crowded the labors and successes of many years 
 into ten; and although he has passed away 
 when we wished he might remain, I trust his 
 example will yet live and will yet operate.” 
 
 “Now unto Him that is able to do exceed- 
 ing ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR 
 THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH 
 IN US, UNTO HIM BE GLORY IN THE CHURCH BY 
 
 Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world 
 without end. Amen.” 
 
 the end. 
 
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