"8 Yoel Bulu: an Autobiography.
children. Teach them religion, that they may thereby know Jesus their Saviour.”
“J will take care of them,” said I. “Trouble not yourself about them, but attend to your own soul.”
Then he said, “Of a truth the love of God is with me. Great indeed is my pain; but this pain of mine is not worthy to be compared with the good things which our God will soon give me on the right hand of His lordly throne.”
Presently, as we were talking together, he said, “Now is the time of my going near at hand.” And seeing that he had but a little while to live, we thought we had better take him to the great house, because he was of the blood of the chiefs, and many people were coming to see him, so that the house wherein he lay was crowded. Nor was it long after we had carried him away before he died (as we thought), while his friends were gathering together that they might kiss him, and perform upon him the “custom of the dead.” Great then was the wailing because of their grief that their friend was dead—a man so useful in the land.
But in a little while we saw that he was breathing gently. Then he opened his eyes, and - lifting up his hand he beckoned us to be silent, saying, “ Weep not; weep not.”
Then was there a great silence in our midst; and we were afraid, for we thought he had been dead. But the dying man spoke again: “Why are you weeping?” he asked.
“We are weeping,” answered one of his friends — “we are weeping because of your death.”
“Weep not for me,” he said; “weep for yourselves. As for me, I live. The Lord and His angels are hastening to take me with them, But yet once more will I speak a little to you. Be earnest in religion. If you love me, hold fast the lotu. While I was in health, I believed that which is told us in the holy Book, and thence came to me pardon for all my sins. I read of heaven in the Bible, and believed it; and now this very day shall I look with mine eyes upon
80) Foel Bulu: an Autobwgraphy.
the things which I believed, though I saw them not—those things that Paul speaks of, whose words I have so often read, where he tells of heaven and of my Saviour, Now am I going to possess them all.”
“ Reuben,” I cried, for my soul was hot within me, “tell me once again—for my own sake, and for the sake of these others—tell us whether you now find the truth of the lotu. Tell us whether you now trust in our Saviour, and whether He comforts you.”
Then he smiled, and his face shone. “Do you see that post, Joel?” he asked. “Yes,” said I, “T see it.”;
“Do you see it plainly?” “I see it quite plainly,” I answered, surprised that he should ask me such questions, and fearing that his mind _ was wandering. But he looked earnestly in my face, and said, “Joel, as plainly as you see that post, so plainly do I see the Lord. Do you not see Him? Look! The house is full of angels. My Saviour is hastening me away. Farewell. Great is my love to you.” And, laying his hand upon his breast, he raised it gently two or three times, and so fell asleep. Thus ended his mortal ° life in this world; but angels took the hand of his soul, and led him up to heaven.
We, with his father, his wife, and his friends, even we, heard and saw these things. Our souls - were filled with joy. It was not to us like a day of death, but like the day of a feast, as we saw the love of God to him that was dead. Our faith in God was made even as a burning fire; and we said, “There is nothing in the world like true religion.”
Very different from the comforts and: encouragements wherewith the Lord blessed me at Ono, were the hardships and disheartenings which I met with at Nandi, when I was appointed there again.! Grievous indeed was the state of things which I found there; for war had broken out, and the heathen were raging furiously, being fully resolved to drive the lotu out of. all the land. We could not stir out of the town without danger, for the enemy were lurking in the forest round about; where they killed two of our men who had gone to-cut grass for thatching our chapel. They smote one of our outlying towns with a great slaughter, the remnant of death fleeing to us with the dismal tale; and, to crown all, our missionary died,’ so that we were left as — sheep without a shepherd. The enemy grew | bolder and ever bolder as our people grew weaker and more discouraged, until at length ~ they came in great force and began to build a war-fence against our town, surrounding us so that none might escape. We expected nothing less than utter destruction, But the Lord delivered us once more; for a great storm arose, with heavy rains, lasting for many days, from which we were well sheltered within the town; but they, having no shelter, stayed till they were half dead with the cold and wet, and then fled away, every man to his own town; whereupon we sallied forth and destroyed the war-fences | which they had built.
But though we were thus saved from destruction, yet were we still in great straits; for, when the fine weather returned, the enemy lay in wait for us in the forest as before, killing those who went out to search for food, so that we durst not go far beyond our war-fence, and sharp hunger made itself felt in our midst: “wherefore I resolved to take my wife and children to Mbua, that they might live. “If we fall in with the enemy by the way,” said I, “if we meet them in the path, and they kill us, we can but die; and if you stay here, you will die of hunger.”
So we rose up and went to Mbua, making a circuit for fear of the enemy; and here again the Lord wrought out a great deliverance for us, for, as we were passing across an open place, bare of trees and every kind of shelter, a great company of heathen warriors went marching by. We -were full in their view, and they in ours; but they saw us not, though we saw them so plainly that we could have counted every man of them 3 and I believe that the Lord blinded their eyes, even as He blinded the eyes of the Syrian army who were sent to kill the prophet -in the olden days.
Leaving my wife and children at Mbua, I went back to Nandi, and stayed with the people, comforting them as well as I could, and exhorting them to put their trust in God; but our faith was very weak, for indeed, what with hunger and fear, we were in evil case. After some time I went again to Mbua to see my family, intending to stay three days; but while I was there a young man came running after me, to tell me that the King of Levuka’ had come over from Ovalau with a large war-party to help the heathen, and that he wanted to see me. I spoke about it to Mr. Wilson, the missionary at Mbua, and he told me not to go; for, said he, “a letter has come from Mr. Binner,! saying that the King of Levuka has promised to see that no harm come to the teachers, and to spare the lives of the people also. It were useless for you to go. Why should you go when you can do no good? for the town is surely taken before now.”
And so it was; for, upon the king’s promise to spare their lives, the townsfolk opened their gates to him; whereupon all the heathen warriors rushed in and burned the town. They wanted to slaughter the people also, but the king would not have it so. “Let there be no killing,” said he; and they were afraid to go against his word. Howbeit he allowed the townsfolk to be taken away captive among their enemies. Thus ended that war, and therewith my stay at Nandi also,
I lived now with Mr. Wilson at Mbua, helping him in the work; and once, when I went with him in the Mission schooner to the back of the land, we came near being killed at a town called Mouta—he and I. This was the way of it:—-We went to see a powerful chief called Ramere; but when we landed at his town we found that he was gone to a great trade-feast at. this Mouta,—whither Mr. Wilson decided to follow him. We pulled far inland, in the schooner’s little boat, up a winding river; and when we reached the town we found it crowded with heathen, who had come down from the hills to trade. As we went along the path, there came swaggering up to us a big man, who, without more ado, seized Mr. Wilson by the nose, and shook him to and fro after a most unmerciful fashion, putting him thereby to great pain of both body and mind; and when, having got rid of this tormentor, we came to where the chiefs were sitting in the public square, they did not care to listen to our report, for they were» busy with their market. Meanwhile the people crowded round us, pushing and jostling one another, pinching us (especially Mr. Wilson), and feeling our arms and legs, so that we had no peace. Wherefore we left them as soon as we could, and, slipping away out of the crowd, we looked for a place wherein we could hide ourselves till morning, for night was coming on. At length we found a little hut at a distance from the town, which might perhaps have been a storehouse for yams; and here we lay down in one corner on the grass, with which it was strewn, hoping they would not be able to find us. But after dark we heard shouts in all directions; and, looking forth, we saw a great number of men with torches in their hands coming towards us, shouting and yelling and ' calling one to the other. So we commended our souls to God, and prepared for death.
“Here they are!” cried a tall fellow, as he stood in the doorway with a torch in one hand, and a battle-axe held over his shoulder by the other; and, raising his torch, he set fire to the thatch; but some of those who came running up behind him put it out in a moment,—why, I know not, unless it were that they were unwilling to lose the house,
Then he sprang in, and flourished his axe over our heads, the others also threatening us with their weapons of war. Whether they really intended to kill us or not I cannot say, —perhaps they were only trying to frighten us; but they continued acting thus far into the night, crowding upon us with threatening words — and weapons, one houseful going out only to make room for another, who acted in like manner, making a terrible noise, while we sat in one corner of the hut with our backs against the wall, looking them in the face, and praying silently to our God. At length they left us in peace, and we passed the remainder of the night — as best we could, in doubt as to whether they would come back again or not, and make a full end of us, In spite of all this, Mr. Wilson took me with him into the town in the morning, and asked leave to preach,—which was granted, - somewhat to our astonishment; and, standing up in the midst of a great crowd of heathen, he told them of the one true God, and of Jesus Christ our Saviour; after which we went down to our boat, in no small wonder that we were allowed to leave the town alive.
My next appointment was to the Thakaundrove kingdom, Aaron Fotofili being sent with me. We lived at Wairiki, where we saw much fruit of our labours, for many turned from heathenism. The women and the children were especially zealous in the schools, learning to read with great quickness; while not a few of the young men gave themselves to us as our sons in the Gospel, and these we were careful to teach, and train as helpers in the work. Nor, in spite of all the evil that befell us afterwards, was this labour of ours altogether in vain; for some of these youths are workers together with us at this very day, among whom is Ratu
90 36 Foe Bulu: an Autobiography.
William Vutikalulu, the native missionary who. is now stationed at Tokatoka..
Ratu Ngolea (he who is now Tui Thakau ’) was a heathen; but nevertheless he was very friendly towards us, helping us in many ways, so that we were cheered in our work, and went’ joyfully on from day to day, hoping for still better things. Then two missionaries were appointed to the station, even Mr. Waterhouse and Mr. Carey; 2nd after living for some time at Wairiki in great discomfort and with feeble health (for it is a place of much rain and of burning heat), it was thought good to remove the station to Waikava (Fawn Harbour); and thither I also went, having the Training Institution given into my hands. I went, but my wife went not with me; for she died at Wairiki, andgsthere I buried her.
Some time afterwards the chief Ritova sent whales’ teeth to Ngolea — whales’ teeth of war —praying him to go down to help him in his fighting at Mathuata. Five times came the _ messenger, and five times he went back with a refusal; but at length Ngolea consented, and two of his men were sent for me, that I might go with the war-party. I was away from home at the time holding missionary meetings; but when I came back the matter was talked over, and it was deemed prudent that we should keep ourselves altogether apart from such affairs, cleaving to our right and proper work of preaching the Gospel, and teaching from house to house. So it was decided that I should not go. The lotu people also refused to join in this war. “Why should we kill those who have done us no harm?” they asked. “Let the chief go, since it is his mind to go. As for us, we will stay at home, and attend to our plantations.” “It ‘is well,’ said Ngolea. “Stay and look after your gardens. I shall go and attack that folk; and -when I have done with them, I will make a raid upon you.”
These words sank down into the hearts of our people; and they of Lauthala sent to Wai ni
92 §©6 Foel Bulu; an Autobiography.
Nggolo, the Tongan chief, who was then at
Vanua Mbalavu, praying for help. Now it has been said that it was I who brought this chief down to fight against Ngolea; but indeed it was not so, for I had no hand in it, nor did I even know of the message sent by the Lauthala folk.
The warriors went away in many canoes; and it was not long before we heard of burnings and slaughters, as town after town was taken, none being able te stand against them. Then the missionaries, being assembled at Levuka for their yearly meeting, spoke to the British Consul, beseeching him to use his influence to stop the war, which had already caused such awful woe; and he sent a messenger to Ngolea, with a request that I should go with him.
“Let us go first to Tui Thakau,” said I.
“Tt were well for us to tell him of our errand, and to ask for one of his messengers to go with us in the path.” So we went to the king, and laid our request before him,
“Sleep to-night,” said he, “and in the morning we will hold a council.” But when the council was over, we found that no help was to be given us. “Go you two,” said the king. “Go to Ngolea, and tell him the Consul’s words. As for us, we will sit waiting here until you return.”,
So we went on our way; and when our canoe drew near to the shore where the army was, we saw a great cloud of smoke rolling up from a burning town, which the chief had taken on that very day. Going ashore, we found that he had climbed up into the mountains to attack yet another town belonging to the hillfolk; and as we also went up on the following morning, we met a great number of prisoners being brought down to the beach, for they had yielded themselves up without a fight. When we found N golea, he met me with a pleasant look, and showed so friendly a spirit that my heart grew very glad; and sitting down with him, I made my report.
“We are come,” said I, “we two, bringing with us the word of the English Consul. This is his messenger whom you see before you; and as for me, I am come to help him in carrying the word,—for it was the mind of our elders, and of the Consul also, that we should be comrades in the path. Hear, therefore, I beseech you, the word which we bring, even the word of the English chief. Let there be no more fighting. Itis enough, Many are dead: wherefore” here let the slaughter end.”
“Good is your coming,” said Ngolea; “and good are the words you bring. Look, Joel, here is a whale’s tooth, brought to me that the war may go on; but I say it is over. There shall be no more fighting.”
So I went back again to Waikava with a light heart and thankful; but when I told my tale to our lotu folk, great then was their unbelief, “He is deceiving you, Joel,” they cried. “It is his mind to kill us all, because we would not go with him to the war.”
In vain did I try to persuade them,—they were not to be persuaded; and when the
“warriors, as they came back, did many despite- ful acts towards the lotu people, spoiling their gardens, robbing their houses, and wreaking their vengeance even on the graves of the dead, by digging up and scattering abroad the bones of them that slept therein, then they said, “Did we not tell you so? He was deceiving you, Joel. There is no truth in him.” Moreover, there were many idle tales going about—as is ever the manner in Fiji at such times—which made them sure that they were in danger. Thus it was reported that four of our chiefs were to be killed, in revenge for their not going to the “war; but I do not believe that this was the mind of Ratu Ngolea. It was but a foolish story, spread abroad by evil men, who were minded to work us a mischief.
At length there came to me Ratu Manasseh, who was one of the four, and he told me that they had agreed to put up war-fences, for they were sure Ngolea had evil in his heart against them,:
“Do you tell me this,” I asked, “ because you want to know my mind thereon; or do you only report what you have already resolved upon?”
“Nay,” said he; “but that we may know your mind,”
“ Well,” said I, “if it be so, I will tell you what I think. Forbear, Ratu Manasseh; if you love me, forbear. If this thing be done, that chief will say at once that we are defying him. Moreover, these are idle tales which we hear: wherefore let there be no war-fences.”
“Tt is good,” said he; “ there shall be none.”
But it was not long before he came to me with another report which he had heard. “ Now we must fortify our towns, Joel,” he said. “We must put up our fences, that we may live—we, with our women and the children.”
Again I strove with him, and again I prevailed; but when he came for the third time, and for the third time I besought him to forbear, he looked sourly and suspiciously upon me,. saying, “It is easy for you to say, ‘ Let there be no fences.’ You know well enough that Ngolea won't kill you, It is our skulls upon which the club will fall” (and here he rapped his head with his clenched fists), “When we are all clubbed, you will be left alive—you and yours: wherefore are you bold to say continually, ‘ Forbear, forbear; let not the fences be built.’”
My heart was sore when I heard this saying, nor could I urge him any further. “I have told you what is right,” I cried; “but you are suspicious of me, wherefore I can say no more. Go now, and do as you please, lest, when your warriors are slain, your wives and daughters dragged away, and your children clubbed before your eyes—lest when you have brought this evil upon yourselves by giving heed to these idle tales — you say, ‘It is Joel who has brought these things upon us.’”
So they put up their war-fences; and presently a canoe came in bringing two of Wai ni Nggolo’s men, whom he had sent to carry his word to our chiefs, and to take back theirs to him. These men came to my house (for they were my countrymen), and began to talk to me about the war; but I would not listen to them, “ Why do you come here?” I asked. “Am T a fighting man, that you come to me? You have brought evil upon me already, for Ngolea will think I am. one with you in this matter. Go, therefore, both of you, and come to my house no more.” So they went sailing back to the land whence they came..
Then came Wai ni Negolo himself, and he also entered my house; but beyond the customary salutations I spoke no word to him, good or bad, nor he to me, for I grieved at his coming. ~ And on the morrow, in the early morning, I took myself off to a distant town, where I stayed preaching and baptizing until there was no more work to do; and when I returned he was gone, whereat I was very glad, Nevertheless I heard of his doings, in this wise:—He and Ratu Kuila’ went into a house which they thought to be empty, and there took counsel together; but it so happened that a countryman of mine was lying sick in that very house, and being covered up with a sail mat, they did not see him; wherefore he heard their words, and reported them to me,—even that Ratu Kuila begged for help in fighting against Ngolea. Whereupon Wai ni -Nggolo replied, “ Whatsoever you tell me to do, that will I do. War or peace, according to what you tell me.” And when I heard these words, I knew that evil was near; for this Ratu Kuila was a great stirrer-up of evil, who joined himself to us, not because he loved the lotu, but because he wanted to kill Ngolea, who stood in his way. Nor was it long before the fighting began, which ended in Wai ni Nggolo’s death in front of the Wairiki war-fence, and the great slaughter of his army; Ngolea also being wounded in the fight by a musket ball, which broke his arm. Before the fighting began, he sent two messengers for me. “Let Joel come,” said he, “and I will lotu.” But these men, instead of coming to me, went to Ratu Kuila, who was very angry when he heard their report, and sent them away with evil words.
“Go back to Ngolea,” he cried. “Tell him to use his own teacher if he wants to lotu. Is not Wesley’ with him? Why should he rob me of my teacher?”
Ngolea was wroth at this; and when Wai ni Nggolo was killed he turned Roman Catholic, forcing his people also to follow him, and doing many things to vex and harass those who still held to the truth. Nor did he spare me in his wrath; for he dragged away a daughter of mine during my absence from home, and forced her to live with him,
After these things I was removed from Wairiki to Mbau, where I have been living ever since, doing what I could to help on the great work; and here the Lord has been very gracious to me, giving me the hearts of the chiefs and of the people, so that I have lived among them in peace and comfort, seeing not a few turn from their evil ways to serve the living God, and burying others who finished their course with joy. Many and great also are the deliverances which He has wrought out for me during my stay in this place—deliverances from dangers by sea and by land, for which I bless and praise His holy name. But perhaps the greatest and the most wonderful of them all was His saving me, and them that were with me, in the great storm which raged in the month of March (1869), whereof I will now tell you. In that month our missionary said to me, “How would it be, Joel, if you were to go to the islands and hold the missionary meetings?” So we asked the Vunivalu? to lend me a canoe, as ours is rather small for deep-water sailing in March, which is, above all others, the month of storms; and he lent us that large canoe, whose name is the Kinikinilau. After waiting for some days windbound at Ovalau, we hoisted sail on a Saturday afternoon, thinking to make some one or other of the islands during the night; but when we had gone only a little way, being then about half-way between Ovalau and
Wakaya, my mind misgave me, as I saw the threatening look of the sky, for it had grown black with heavy clouds. The wind, moreover, was not steady, but shifted about from point to point, with heavy rain squalls; so I said, “How if we put back, or run in here to Wakaya?” But no one seconded me, and we went sailing onward.
Again, when we had passed Wakaya, I spoke ~ a second time; but none of our ship-folk gave heed to my words, and we held on our course until there came rushing down upon us a fierce squall with blinding rain, and then they were all sorry that they had not taken my advice. With great difficulty we put the canoe about, and tried to run back; but we were too late, for the storm grew in rage, the canoe rolled and plunged so violently as to endanger her fastenings, and, ~ to add to our distress, the point of the sailyard was jerked up from its place where it rests on the bow, and fell down into the sea. Springing to the work, we tugged and strained until we got it up again, though it was as much as we could do, for many of our crew had hidden themselves in the hold, giving themselves up to © death. And still the tempest grew ever fiercer,. the rain-drops stinging and burning wherever they struck, so that our bodies felt as if they were being burned with fire; and all hope of life departed from us.
“There is but one thing left,” I cried. “Lower the sail, for we can carry it no longer.” And when the sail was lowered on deck, and lashed securely, I said, “ Come, let us report ourselves ' to our God. He can save us alive; and if we are to die, how can we die better than while praying to Him?” So we knelt down, and _ Stephen, the Lasakauan, prayed, saying:—
“Lord, it is Thou Who hast created the heavens and the earth, and all that in them is, We also are the work of Thy hands. All things are obedient unto Thee, for Thou didst fashion them, Thou rulest the winds and the waves, so also the lives of men. Thou ordainest, and Thou alone, our life and our death, for Thou art our Creator. Wherefore do we now bow down in prayer before Thee. Hear our cry, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Give unto us, we beseech Thee, Thy Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts, and turn away our thoughts from all earthly things, that we may prepare ourselves for eternal life.”
When we had said Amen to our prayer, a great awe fell upon us; for with the ending of our prayer the storm also came to an end, not growing weaker, and ceasing gradually, but suddenly, in one moment. And there was a great calm. We looked around for the wind, but it was gone; and gazing in wonderment at each other’s faces, we sat in silence for a long while, until at length -Erone [Aaron], the Mbauan, cried with a loud voice, “ Vekaveka!? Now I know the profit of true religion!”
“The Lord has delivered us,’ I said. “Let us praise Him for His marvellous loving-kindness.” And our praises came forth from hearts too full for many words.
Then we lowered the anchor! down into thesea; “for,” said I, “if the wind should rise again, it will help to keep her head on to the waves.” But there was no more wind. All that night, even till morning, the canoe lay as steady and quiet as if we had been lying in a river, for the waves which had: been raging so furiously went down with the ending of the storm; and two great sharks stayed by us all night, one across the bows, and the other across the stern, At daybreak I roused the skulkers out of the hold, that we might go on our way. “Come up here, if fear has not killed you outright,” I cried. “Get the oars out, and let us scull to land. If we were all like you, what would become of us?” Slowly, and with much shame and confusion of face, they crawled on deck; and after we had sculled for a while a_ breeze sprang up, to which we hoisted sail, Tunning before it to Nairai. The wind grew stronger and stronger, driving us swiftly along, till, when we entered the passage through the reef, it was blowing a hard gale; and so heavy a sea came rolling into the harbour, that our cable parted once and again after we had let go the anchor. Wherefore, not being able to haul the canoe ashore because it was low tide, we stood by her in the water, holding her with all our might against the waves, that she might not come broadside on, and so be dashed to pieces; and as the tide made, we dragged her farther and farther up, until we got her high and dry on the shore, out of the reach of the sea. By this time a fierce hurricane was blowing, before which many trees and most of the houses fell; but our lives were safe; and throughout all the storm our hearts were singing praises to God for His wonderful goodness.
I am now an old man, and my body is weak; but my soul is as strong as ever, rejoicing in the work of the Lord. When I look forward to the Good Land, which is now so near me, my heart burns, and my eyes, fill with tears of joy as I think of the glory which I shall soon behold, for the Lord is ever present with me, both night ‘and day; and, after putting my trust in Him throughout all these years, I am not going to begin to doubt Him now. No! “I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” Also, when I look around and note what great things our Lord has wrought, and is working—when I see the people moved under my sermons—when sinners come to me, crying, “ What must I do to be saved?” —when I hear good words in the class-meeting, or from the lips of the dying—and when I bury the dead who have died in the Lord,—then my soul rejoices with an exceeding great joy. But when I think of this people’s earthly concerns— of the ill-blood among the chiefs—of the divisions and hatreds between the various tribes—of how readily a little spark flames up into a blaze of war, and of the impossibility of healing all the breaches, and making the land-folk one in heart,—then indeed my heart is sad within me, and. I am ready to weep for the slain of the daughter of my people. For I have seen that the good days of peace have ever been few and short; evil has soon arisen again, undoing the work? that was scarce begun; and now, in addition to the causes of evil which we had in the olden times, very many of the chiefs and of the people are becoming great drunkards—more and more of them every year. The very boys and girls are now drinking the white man’s yanggona;? wherefore is my heart very sad within me; and I would that I could turn mine eyes away, like Hagar of old, that I may not look upon the destruction of this people, whom I love even as my own sons and daughters.