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Mohit Thakkar
Building React Apps with Server-Side Rendering
Mohit Thakkar
Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Introduction�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xv
Chapter 3: Next.js��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 93
Introduction to Next.js����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 93
Features of Next.js���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94
Getting Started���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94
Routing in Next.js������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 98
Dynamic Pages������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 101
Adding Multimedia Content Using CSS������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 104
Getting Data from Remote Server��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 109
Creating Interactive App Using Next.js�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 113
Using Redux with Next.js���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 117
Store������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 119
Actions��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 120
Reducers����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 120
Using GraphQL with Next.js������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 131
Summary���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 136
vii
Table of Contents
Index��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 189
viii
About the Author
Mohit Thakkar is a software engineer with a multinational
company. He has a bachelor’s degree in computer
engineering and is the author of several independently
published titles, including Artificial Intelligence, Beginning
Machine Learning in iOS, Data Mining & Business
Intelligence, iOS Programming, and Mobile Computing &
Wireless Communication. He has also published a research
paper titled “Remote Health Monitoring using Implantable
Probes to Prevent Untimely Death of Animals” in the
International Journal of Advanced Research in Management,
Architecture, Technology and Engineering.
ix
About the Technical Reviewer
Alexander Chinedu Nnakwue has a background in
mechanical engineering from the University of Ibadan,
Nigeria, and has been a front-end developer for over three
years working on both web and mobile technologies. He also
has experience as a technical author, writer, and reviewer.
He enjoys programming for the Web, and occasionally, you
can also find him playing soccer. He was born in Benin City
and is currently based in Lagos, Nigeria.
xi
Acknowledgments
The completion of this book could not have been possible without the contribution of
numerous people whose names may not all be cited. Their contributions are sincerely
appreciated and acknowledged. However, I would like to take this opportunity to express
my gratitude particularly to the following:
Louise Corrigan, Senior Editor at Apress, and James Markham, Development
Editor at Apress, who saw potential in the idea behind the book. They helped kick-start
the book with their intuitive suggestions and made sure that the content quality of the
book remains uncompromised.
Alexander Nnakwue, Technical Reviewer of the book, who made sure that the
practical aspects of the book are up to the mark. His insightful comments have been of
great help in the refinement of the book.
Nancy Chen, Coordinating Editor at Apress, who made sure that the process from
penning to publishing the book remains smooth and hassle-free.
Family, friends, and mentors, who have always been supportive of my aspirations
and have guided me throughout my journey.
You, who wish to refine your skills by reading this book so that you can make a
difference in the lives of those around you. You encourage me to contribute toward
collaborative education.
Thank you!
xiii
Introduction
With the popularity of frameworks such as Node, React, and Angular, web developers
tend to render everything on the client-side, but there are several disadvantages to this
approach. To protect sensitive information and optimize response times, developers
might want to add server-side rendering to their applications. This book demonstrates
how a React application can be rendered on the server-side using frameworks such as
Next and Redux.
The book starts with the basic introduction to JavaScript, followed by the
introduction to React. Once the reader is aware of both these concepts, the Next
framework is introduced. The reader will then learn how to integrate Next to a React
application in order to render content on the server-side. The reader will also learn
about state management using Redux, unit testing using Jest, and deployment using
Docker. At the end of this book, the reader will have all the knowledge necessary to build
and deploy a fully server-side rendered application with scripts for unit testing.
To learn more, start reading right away.
xv
CHAPTER 1
JavaScript Prerequisites
This chapter provides insight on JavaScript fundamentals that are necessary in order
to start working with React. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce you to the basic
programming paradigm followed in JavaScript so that you can better understand React
when it is introduced in the following chapter.
Even if you are new to JavaScript, you need not worry as this chapter shall provide
you with all the knowledge you need to get started. You will begin with learning simpler
concepts such as constants, variables, and control loops and will go all the way learning
sophisticated topics such as rest parameters, spread syntax, HTTP requests, and
promises. By the end of this chapter, you will have a thorough understanding of the
language and will be able to start building web applications with JavaScript.
I ntroduction to JavaScript
JavaScript is one of the most popular languages for web development, and it is essential
to learn this language in order to create applications that run on web browsers. Apart
from web applications, JavaScript can also be used to create desktop, mobile, as well as
server-side applications using various frameworks like Meteor, React Native, and Node.js.
However, we will focus on web applications for the scope of this chapter.
JavaScript was created by Brendan Eich in the year 1995 and was standardized
by ECMA (European Computer Manufacturers Association) in 1997. As a result,
JavaScript is also known as ECMAScript (ES). As the web browsers developed over
time, so did JavaScript with the release of ES3 in 1999, ES5 in 2009, and ES6 in 2015.
After ES6, there have been minor updates to JavaScript every year, but ES6 is by far the
latest major release.
Let us now set up our development environment so that we can begin with practical
examples on JavaScript programming.
1
© Mohit Thakkar 2020
M. Thakkar, Building React Apps with Server-Side Rendering, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-5869-9_1
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
S
etting Up the Environment
In order to start programming with JavaScript, I’ll be using the Visual Studio Code editor
which can be downloaded from https://code.visualstudio.com/download. However,
you can use any editor of your choice.
Once the editor is up and running, we will create our starter workspace with index.
html file. This file will contain our page template and a reference to our JavaScript file
(index.js) which will reside in scripts folder. We will use <script> tag to link our JavaScript
file with our HTML template. If you want to add styling to your page template, you can
also add a css file (style.css) under the css folder and add a reference to it in index.html
file using <Link> tag. Your folder structure should look similar to that shown in Figure 1-1.
Talking about individual files, index.html should contain the following code:
<html>
<head>
<title>intro-to-js</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"
href="css/style.css"></script>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Introduction to JavaScript</h1>
<hr/>
2
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
<div id="ResultContainer"></div>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="scripts/index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Here, we have added reference to our JavaScript file (index.js) and css file (style.
css). Other than that, the template contains a page header and a section that we will
manipulate using JavaScript code. Let us now check if the reference to JavaScript file is
working. To do so, add the following code to index.js file:
Note that we have used JavaScript’s getElementById() method to fetch a section from
the template and then altered its text by setting the innerHTML property. You can also
use getElementsByClassName() method and getElementsByTagName() method in order
to access elements by class name and tag name. Since we already set the ID property of
the <div> element in our HTML template, we used getElementById() method to fetch the
section. We initially stored a reference to this section in a variable and then accessed its
property using the variable. This is particularly useful when we have multiple properties
to alter. You might not want to go and search for the section every time you want to
modify a property. Hence, it is always a good programming practice to store references
in variables if you are going to need it multiple times.
You can add the following code to the css file (style.css) in order to apply styling to
the HTML template:
body{
margin-top:20px;
margin-left:20px;
}
h1{
font-size:50px;
}
#ResultContainer{
margin-top:30px;
padding:10px;
3
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
width:450px;
height:200px;
border:1px solid black;
font-size:30px;
}
Now let us run our project and see the output. Visual Studio Code does not have
a built-in method to run HTML files in browser. Hence, we will have to do some
configurations to run our project. Check the documentation for the editor that you are
using to find help on launch configurations. If you are using Visual Studio Code, the
following steps should help you get started:
3. If tasks.json file does not exist, the editor will ask you to create one
with default template. Go ahead with “others” template.
{
"version": "2.0.0",
"command": "Chrome",
"windows": {
"command": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Google\\Chrome\\
Application\\chrome.exe"
},
"args": ["${file}"],
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
}
}
The preceding process is shown graphically in Figure 1-2. Note that the figure shows
the code that is generated by default. We will need to change it to the abovementioned
code to configure the launch setting for our application.
4
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
5
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
To test the configuration, open index.html file and press Ctrl+Shift+B. The file should
open in Chrome, and you should see the output similar to that shown in Figure 1-3.
Now that our development environment is up and running, let’s explore some basic
JavaScript concepts.
Variables in JavaScript can be declared using either “let” or “var” keyword. While
both of these keywords are used for variable declaration, there is a significant difference
in scope of variables declared using each of these keywords. Variables declared with
6
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
“var” keyword are accessible throughout the program, whereas variables declared
using “let” keyword are only available in the block in which they are declared. Let us
understand this with an example:
...
if(true){
let letVariable = "Variable using let";
}
ResultContainer.innerHTML = letVariable;
If you try to execute the preceding piece of code, you might get an error in the
console stating that “letVariable is not defined”. This is because you are trying to access
letVariable outside its scope. Change the code to the following and you should see the
output similar to Figure 1-4:
...
if(true){
var varVariable = "Variable using var";
}
ResultContainer.innerHTML = varVariable;
7
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
Another difference between let and var is that if you try to access a “let” variable
before its declaration, the system will throw an undefined error, but in case of a “var”
variable, the system will not throw any error. For example, consider the piece of code in
Figure 1-5. The last two lines might give you error for accessing a variable that’s never
declared. However, the first two lines will give you no errors. We would always want the
system to throw us an error when we are trying to access a variable before its declaration.
Thus, it is always a good practice to use the “let” keyword instead of “var” keyword to
declare variables.
R
est Parameter
Rest parameter is a feature of JavaScript that was introduced in ES6. It lets us handle
multiple function input parameters as an array. It is particularly helpful in scenarios
where the number of input parameters to a function is indefinite.
8
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
...
function sum(...inputs) {
var result = 0;
for(let i of inputs){
result += i;
}
return result;
}
ResultContainer.innerHTML = sum(5, 10, 5, 5);
This should give you an output of “25” on your HTML template. Now let us
understand what is happening here. When we declare a function with rest parameter
and invoke it, JavaScript automatically takes in all the arguments we pass to the function
and clubs it into an array. The function can then iterate through the array and perform
operations on all the input elements supplied. Rest parameter can also be used with
regular parameters. However, rest parameter should always be the last argument so that
JavaScript can collect all the remaining elements and club it into an array. Consider the
following example:
...
function sum(input1, input2, ...remainingInputs) {
var result = input1 + input2;
for(let i of remainingInputs){
result += i;
}
return result;
}
ResultContainer.innerHTML = sum(5, 10, 5, 5);
The preceding piece of code will also give you an output of “25” on your HTML
template. The only difference here is that only the last two input parameters will be
considered as rest parameters, whereas the first two are regular parameters. One of the
major benefits of rest parameter is that array operations such as filter, sort, pop, push,
reverse, and so on can easily be performed on input parameters.
9
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
...
let fruits = ['Apple', 'Watermelon', 'Grapes'];
let [fruit1, fruit2, fruit3] = fruits;
ResultContainer.innerHTML = fruit2;
The preceding piece of code will give you “Watermelon” as output. This is because
when we use destructuring syntax (variables in square brackets separated by commas
on left and an array or object on right), JavaScript automatically extracts values from the
array on the right-hand side and starts assigning them to the variables on the left-hand
side. Note that the values are assigned from left to right. So, for instance, if there are two
variables on the left-hand side and four array elements on the right-hand side, then the
first two values from the array will be assigned to the variables and the last two values
will be left out. On the contrary, if there are four variables on the left-hand side and just
two array elements on the right-hand side, the values will be assigned to the first two
variables and the last two variables will be undefined.
We can also skip some array elements while assigning it to variables. To do so, add an
extra comma separator on the left-hand side. Consider the following example:
...
let fruits = ['Apple', 'Watermelon', 'Grapes'];
let [fruit1, , fruit2] = fruits;
ResultContainer.innerHTML = fruit2;
This time, the output that will be displayed on your HTML template will be “Grapes”.
This is because when JavaScript tries to find the second variable for assigning second
array element, it finds a null entry because of the comma separator and skips that
particular array element. Another interesting thing you can do with destructuring is
10
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
that you can assign first few array elements to separate variables and assign remaining
array elements to a single variable using the rest parameter syntax. Have a look at the
following example to get a better understanding:
...
let fruits = ['Apple', 'Watermelon', 'Grapes',
'Guava'];
let [fruit1, ...OtherFruits] = fruits;
ResultContainer.innerHTML = OtherFruits;
The preceding piece of code will give you “Watermelon, Grapes, Guava” as output
because the rest parameter syntax will assign all the remaining array elements to the
“OtherFruits” variable.
Objects can be destructured in a similar way to arrays with the only exception being
the use of curly brackets instead of square brackets on the left-hand side to specify
variables. Consider the following example of destructuring object:
...
let Fruits = {Fruit1: 'Apple', Fruit2: 'Watermelon'};
let {Fruit1, Fruit2} = Fruits;
ResultContainer.innerHTML = Fruit1;
The preceding piece of code will give you “Apple” as output. Let us now try to
use destructuring in functions. We will try to pass an array as input parameter and
destructure it in the function definition. Please look at the following piece of code:
...
function sum(a, b, c){
return a+b+c;
}
The output of the preceding code should be “20”. What we are doing here is exactly
opposite of rest parameter. We are creating a single array of input elements and passing it
directly into a function that takes in three different parameters. The function declaration
will be similar to that of a regular function. However, notice the syntax that we are using
11
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
while calling the function (the three dots before the parameter name). This is known
as spread syntax and this will do all the work for us. It is identical to the syntax of rest
parameter. However, if you use it while calling the function, it will work in an opposite
manner. So, instead of collecting input parameters and clubbing it into an array, it
will destructure the array of input parameters and assign the values to the variables
mentioned in the function declaration. You can also use the rest parameter and spread
syntax at the same time. The manner in which it will behave will depend on the context.
Let us now look at control loops.
Control Loops
JavaScript provides multiple ways to iterate through loops. Let us look at each one of
them with examples.
for
The for loop takes in three parameters: the first parameter is for the initialization of
the control variable, the second one is the condition that provides entry to the loop if
true, and the last one is increment or decrement parameter that will modify the value
of control variable in each loop. These three parameters are followed by the body of the
loop:
...
for(let i=0;i<8;i++){
if(i==1){
continue;
}
console.log("i: " + i);
if(i==4){
break;
}
}
We can use break and continue operators with all kinds of JavaScript loops. The
continue operator is used to skip the remaining statements from the body of the loop
and skip to the next iteration, whereas the break operator is used to terminate all the
remaining iterations of the loop.
12
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
Notice the preceding piece of code and its output in Figure 1-6. The loop is
conditioned to run for eight iterations and print the number of iteration in each
execution. However, for the second iteration, the if condition before the print statement
in the body of the loop will evaluate to true and the execution of continue operator
will make the loop jump to the next iteration. Hence, we do not see the value “1” in
the output. Similarly, for the fifth iteration, the if condition after the print statement
will evaluate to true and the execution of break operator will terminate the remaining
iterations of the loop. Thus, we do not see remaining values after “4” printed in the
output.
forEach
forEach loop is called on an array or a list and executes a function for each array element.
The function takes in three parameters: the current value (fruit), the index of the current
value (index), and the array object that the current value belongs to. The second and
third parameters are optional, whereas the first parameter is mandatory. One of the
major benefits of using this control loop is that the function would not be executed for
empty array elements, which results in better response time for the end application:
...
let fruits = ['Apple','Grapes','Watermelon'];
fruits.forEach((fruit, index) => {
console.log(index + ': ' + fruit);
})
13
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
w
hile
while loop is an entry-controlled loop similar to for loop, which means that the condition
that validates the entry to the loop is checked during the beginning of the iteration.
However, unlike for loop, you don’t have to initialize or modify the control variable along
with the condition. The initialization is done before the beginning of the loop and its
value is modified in the loop body:
...
let fruits = ['Apple', 'Grapes', 'Watermelon'];
let i = 0;
while (i < fruits.length) {
console.log(i + ': ' + fruits[i]);
i++;
}
d o...while
do...while loop is a variation of the while loop which is exit-controlled, which means that
the condition that validates the entry to the loop is checked after the completion of an
iteration. If true, the loop will execute the next iteration:
...
let fruits = ['Apple', 'Grapes', 'Watermelon'];
let i = 0;
do{
console.log(i + ': ' + fruits[i]);
i++;
}while (i < fruits.length);
The output for the forEach, while, and do...while control loop examples should be
similar to that shown in Figure 1-7.
14
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
There are some more variations of the forEach loop such as for…in and for…of.
However, the ones listed earlier are major ones and will suffice for the scope of this
chapter. Let us now look at type conversion in JavaScript.
Type Conversion
Often during programming, we need to explicitly convert member of one data type to
another. This can be done by using JavaScript’s built-in methods for type conversion.
Consider the following example for type conversion in JavaScript:
...
let input = [5,9,6];
console.log("Type Of [5,9,6]: " + typeof(input));
console.log("Type Of [5,9,6]: " +
typeof(input.toString()));
console.log("Type Of '2': " + typeof(Number('2')));
console.log("'true' to Number: " + Number(true));
console.log("'hi' to Boolean: " + Boolean('hi'));
console.log("'NaN' to Number: " + Boolean(NaN));
Firstly, we use toString() method which converts an object into a string. Type of a
data member can be determined by passing it to the typeof() method as demonstrated
in the preceding example. Then, we use the Number() method for converting string and
boolean data types to numeric values. We can also convert values to boolean using the
Boolean() method, which is further demonstrated in the example. Note that while doing
so, values such as 0, NaN, Undefined, and so on that are empty will be converted to false,
15
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
whereas all other values will be converted to true. Observe that an empty string will be
converted to false, whereas a string with value “0” will be converted to true. The output
of the preceding code should be similar to that shown in Figure 1-8.
Operators
Operators are used to modify the values in a program. The values we modify using
operators are known as operands. JavaScript provides multiple categories of operators.
Let us discuss each one of them in detail.
Arithmetic Operators
Arithmetic operators are the ones that perform mathematical operations on numeric
operands. Addition (+), Subtraction (–), Multiplication (∗), Division (/), Modulus (%),
Increment (++), and Decrement (--) are examples of arithmetic operators.
16
Chapter 1 JavaScript Prerequisites
Comparison Operators
Comparison operators compare the value of two operands and returns a boolean value
based on the truthfulness of the operator. Equality (==), Type Equality (===), Inequality
(!=), Greater Than (>), Greater Than or Equal To (>=), Less Than (<), and Less Than or
Equal To (<=) are examples of comparison operators.
Assignment Operators
Assignment operators are used to assign values to operands. “=” operator assigns the
value of right operand to the left operand, “+=” operator adds the value of right operand
to left operand and assigns it to left operand, “–=” operator subtracts the value of right
operand from left operand and assigns it to left operand, “∗=” operator multiplies the
value of both operands and assigns it to left operand, “/=” operator divides the value
of left operand to right operand and assigns it to left operand, and lastly, “%=” operand
calculates the modulus after dividing left operand by right operand and assigns it to left
operand.
Logical Operators
Logical operators are used to combine two or more conditions and find out their
combined truthfulness. The operator returns a Boolean value. Logical AND (&&) and
Logical OR (||) are two of the logical operators in JavaScript. NOT (!) is another logical
operator that is used to negate the boolean value that is returned.
Ternary Operator
Ternary operator is made up of three parts: condition, body 1, and body 2. Condition
and body 1 are separated by “?” operator, whereas both the bodies are separated by “:”
operator. Body 1 will be executed if the condition is true, whereas body 2 will be executed
if the condition is false.
17
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For fully three months, all our available time, with all the native
help which I could hire, was spent in erecting a building to serve for
Church and School. It was fifty feet long, by twenty-one feet six
inches broad. The studs were three feet apart, and all fixed by tenon
and mortise into upper and lower wall plates. The beautiful roof of
iron, wood, and sugar-cane leaf, was supported by three massive
pillars of wood, sunk deeply into the ground. The roof extended
about three feet over the wall plates, both to form a verandah and to
carry the rain-drop free beyond the walls. It was made of sugar-cane
leaf and cocoa-nut leaves all around. The floor was laid with white
coral, broken small, and covered with cocoa-nut leaf mats, such as
those on which the Natives sat. Indeed, it was as comfortable a
House of Prayer as any man need wish for in the tropics, though
having only open spaces for doors and windows! I bought the heavy
wood for it on Aneityum—price, fifty pairs of native trousers; and
these again were the gift of my Bible Class in Glasgow, all cut and
sewed by their own hands. I gave also one hundred and thirty yards
of cloth, along with other things, for other needful wood.
My Tannese people at first opposed the erection of a Church. They
did not wish Jehovah to secure a House on their island. On the
opening day, only five men, three women, and three children were
present, besides our Aneityumese Teachers. But after the morning
service, on that day, I visited ten villages, and had worship in each.
The people were generally shy and unfriendly. They said that we
were the cause of the prevailing sickness and fever. They had no idea
of any sickness or death being natural, but believed that all such
events were caused by some one nahaking, i.e., bewitching them.
Hence their incessant feuds; and many were murdered in blind
revenge.
As we were preparing a foundation for the Church, a huge and
singular-looking round stone was dug up, at sight of which the
Tannese stood aghast. The eldest Chief said,—
“Missi, that stone was either brought there by Karapanamun (the
Evil Spirit), or hid there by our great Chief who is dead. That is the
Stone God to which our forefathers offered human sacrifices; these
holes held the blood of the victim till drunk up by the Spirit. The
Spirit of that stone eats up men and women and drinks their blood,
as our fathers taught us. We are in greatest fear!”
A Sacred Man claimed possession, and was exceedingly desirous to
carry it off; but I managed to keep it, and did everything in my power
to show them the absurdity of these foolish notions. Idolatry had not,
indeed, yet fallen throughout Tanna, but one cruel idol, at least, had
to give way for the erection of God’s House on that benighted land.
An ever-memorable event was the printing of my first book in
Tannese. Thomas Binnie, Esq., Glasgow, gave me a printing-press
and a font of type. Printing was one of the things I had never tried,
but having now prepared a booklet in Tannese, I got my press into
order, and began fingering the type. But book-printing turned out to
be for me a much more difficult affair than house-building had been.
Yet by dogged perseverance I succeeded at last. My biggest difficulty
was how to arrange the pages properly! After many failures, I folded
a piece of paper into the number of leaves wanted, cut the corners,
folding them back, and numbering as they would be when correctly
placed in the book; then folding all back without cutting up the sheet,
I found now by these numbers how to arrange the pages in the frame
or case for printing, as indicated on each side. And do you think me
foolish, when I confess that I shouted in an ecstasy of joy when the
first sheet came from the press all correct? It was about one o’clock
in the morning. I was the only white man then on the island, and all
the Natives had been fast asleep for hours! Yet I literally pitched my
hat into the air, and danced like a schoolboy round and round that
printing-press; till I began to think, Am I losing my reason? Would it
not be liker a Missionary to be upon my knees, adoring God for this
first portion of His blessed Word ever printed in this new language?
Friend, bear with me, and believe me, that was as true worship as
ever was David’s dancing before the Ark of his God! Nor think that I
did not, over that first sheet of God’s Word ever printed in the
Tannese tongue, go upon my knees too, and then, and every day
since, plead with the mighty Lord to carry the light and joy of His
own Holy Bible into every dark heart and benighted home on Tanna!
But the Tannese had a superstitious dread of books, and especially of
God’s Book. I afterwards heard that Dr. Turner had printed a small
primer in Tannese, translated by the help of the Samoan Teachers;
but this I never saw till near the close of my work on Tanna. Dr.
Geddie sent me a copy, but it was more Samoan than Tannese,
especially in its spelling, and I could make little or nothing of it.
Shortly after this, I was greatly refreshed by the visit of an
American whaler, the Camden Packet, under Captain Allan. He, his
chief officer, and many of his double company of seamen, were
decided Christians—a great contrast to most of the Traders that had
called at Port Resolution. The Captain cordially invited me on board
to preach and conduct a religious service. That evening I enjoyed
exceedingly—wells in the desert! The Captain introduced me, saying,
—
“This is my ship’s company. My first officer and most of my men
are real Christians, trying to love and serve Jesus Christ. We have
been three years out on this voyage, and are very happy with each
other. You would never hear or see worse on board of this vessel than
you see now. And God has given us gratifying success.”
He afterwards told me that he had a very valuable cargo of sperm
oil on board, the vessel being nearly filled up with it. He was eager to
leave supplies, or do something for me, but I needed nothing that he
could give. His mate, on examining my boat, found a hole in her, and
several planks split and bulged in, as I had gone down on a reef with
her when out on Mission work, and narrowly escaped drowning.
Next morning, the Captain, of his own accord, set his carpenter to
repair the boat, and left it as good as new. Not one farthing of
recompense would any of them take from me; their own Christian
love rewarded them, in the circumstances. I had been longing for a
chance to send it to Sydney for repairs, and felt deeply thankful for
such unexpected and generous aid. The Captain would not admit
that the delay was any loss to him,—his boats spending the day in
purchasing cocoa-nuts and provisions from the Natives for his own
ship. Oh, how the Christlike spirit knits together all true followers of
Christ! What other earthly or human tie could have so bound that
stranger to me? In the heart of Christ we met as brothers.
Dangers again darkened round me. One day, while toiling away at
my house, the war Chief, his brother, and a large party of armed men
surrounded the plot where I was working. They all had muskets,
besides their own native weapons. They watched me for some time in
silence, and then every man levelled a musket straight at my head.
Escape was impossible. Speech would only have increased my
danger. My eyesight came and went for a few moments. I prayed to
my Lord Jesus, either Himself to protect me, or to take me home to
His Glory. I tried to keep working on at my task, as if no one was
near me. In that moment, as never before, the words came to me,
—“Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, I will do it;” and I knew that
I was safe. Retiring a little from their first position, no word having
been spoken, they took up the same attitude somewhat farther off,
and seemed to be urging one another to fire the first shot. But my
dear Lord restrained them once again, and they withdrew, leaving
me with a new cause for trusting Him with all that concerned me for
Time and Eternity. Perils seemed, however, to enclose me on every
hand, and my life was frequently attempted. I had to move about
more cautiously than ever, some days scarcely daring to appear
outside my Mission premises. For I have ever most firmly believed,
and do believe, that only when we use every lawful and possible
means for the preservation of our life, which is God’s second greatest
gift to man (His Son being the first), can we expect God to protect us,
or have we the right to plead His precious promises.
The vessel of one calling himself Prince de Jean Beuve, a French
refugee, who had become a naturalized American, visited Port
Resolution. He said, he had to escape from his own country for
political offences. His large and beautiful ship was fitted up and
armed like a Man-of-war. She was manned chiefly by slaves, whom
he ruled with an iron hand. What a contrast to Captain Allan’s
whaler! Yet he also was very sympathetic and kind to me. Having
heard rumour of my trials and dangers, he came on shore, as soon as
his ship cast anchor, with a body of armed men. He was effusively
polite, with all a Frenchman’s gush and gesticulation, and offered to
do anything possible for me. He would take me to Aneityum or
Sydney or wherever I wished. The ship was his own; he was sailing
chiefly for pleasure, and he had called at our Islands to see if
sufficient trade could be opened up to justify his laying on a line of
steamers to call here in their transit. He urged me, I believe
sincerely, to give him the pleasure of taking me and my belongings to
some place of safety. But I was restrained from leaving, through the
fear that I would never be permitted to return, and that Christ’s work
would suffer. In the still burning hope of being able to lead the
Tannese to love and serve Jesus, I declined with much gratitude his
genuine kindness. He looked truly sorry to leave me in the
circumstances wherein I was placed. After two hours on shore, he
returned to his ship towards evening.
Knowing that the Tannese were threatening to burn my former
house, which I wished to remove to higher ground and add to the
room I now occupied on the hill, I took advantage of the presence of
the Prince’s vessel, and set my Aneityumese Teachers and some
friendly Natives to prepare for the task; but unfortunately, I forgot to
send word to the Frenchman regarding my plans and aims. We
removed the sugar-cane leaf thatch from the roof of the house, and
began burning it on cleared ground, so that I might be able to save
the heavy wood which could not be replaced on Tanna. Our French
friend, on seeing the flames rising up furiously, at once loaded his
heavy guns, and prepared his men for action. Under great
excitement, he came ashore with a large number of armed men,
leaving the rest on board ready at a given signal to protect them with
shot and shell. Leaving one half of those brought on shore to guard
the boats, he came running towards my house, followed by the other
half, wet with perspiration, and crying,—
“Fer are dey? fer are dey? De scoundrels! I vill do for dem, and
protect you. I sall punish dem, de scoundrels!”
He was so excited, he could scarcely compose himself to hear my
explanations, which, when understood, he laughed at heartily. He
again urged me to leave in his vessel; he could not bear me to lead
such a life amongst savages. I explained to him my reasons for not
leaving the island, but these he seemed unable to understand. He put
his men through drill on shore, and left them under officers, ready
for action at a moment’s warning, saying they would all be the better
for a day on shore. He wished to take pot luck with me at our Mission
House of one room for all purposes! My humble dinner and tea must
have been anything but a treat for him, but he seemed to relish the
deliverance for once from all the conventionalisms of the world.
Before he left, he sent of his own accord for all the Chiefs within
reach, and warned them that if they hurt me or took my life, he
would return with his Man-of-war and punish them, by killing
themselves and firing their villages; and that a British Man-of-war
would also come and set their island on fire. They promised all
possible good conduct, being undoubtedly put into great terror. The
kind-hearted Frenchman left, with profuse expressions of admiration
for my courage and of pity for my lot. No doubt he thought me a
foolish dreamer of dreams.
A miserable contrast befell us in the bad impression produced by
the conduct of one of Captain T——’s vessels in the Sydney sandal-
wood trade. Whale-boats had been sent out with Mr. Copeland and
myself from Glasgow, as part of the necessary equipment of every
Missionary on these Islands. Mine being rather large and heavy, I
had sold it to one of T——’s captains; but the other had also been left
to my care. After having used my boat for about twelve months—the
best boat in that trade only being expected to last two years—the
Captain called on Mr. Copeland, and got a note from him to me
regarding the sale of his boat too. He declared, when calling on me,
that Mr. Copeland had authorized him to get his boat from me in
exchange for mine, which he had now been using for a year. I asked
for the letter, and found it to be authority for me to sell his boat for
cash only and at the same price as mine. Captain V—— then raged at
me and stormed, declaring that he would return my old boat, and
take the other in defiance of me. Swearing dreadfully, he made for
his ship, and returned with a large party of men whom he had picked
up amongst the Islands. Collecting also a company of Tannese, and
offering them tobacco, he broke down the fence, burst into the boat-
house, and began to draw out the boat. Here I reached the spot, and
sternly opposed them. He swore and foamed at me, and before the
natives knocked and pulled me about, even kicking at me, though I
evaded his blows. Standing by, I said in Tannese,—
“You are helping that man to steal my boat; he is stealing it as you
see.”
On hearing this, the Tannese ran away, and his own party alone
could not do it. In great wrath, he went off again to his vessel, and
brought on shore as much tobacco as could be held in a large
handkerchief tied by the four corners; but even for that, our own
Natives refused to help him. He offered it then to a crowd of Inland
savages, gathered at the head of the bay, who, regardless of my
remonstrances, launched the boat, he raging at and all but striking
me. Instead of returning, however, the other boat to the house, he
merely set it adrift from his vessel, and it was carried on to the reef,
where it remained fast, and was knocked about by the waves. After
his vessel left, I, with much difficulty, got it off and brought it to the
boat-house. Imagine, when such was their tyrannical treatment of a
Missionary and a British fellow-subject, how they would act towards
these poor native Islanders.
By the earliest opportunity, I wrote all the facts of the case to his
employer, Captain T—— of Sydney, but got not even a reply, while
Captain V—— continued in their trade, a scourge to these Islands,
and a dishonour to his country and to humanity. Unfriendly Tannese
now said,—
“When a white man from his own country can so pull and knock
the Missionary about and steal his boat and chain without being
punished for it, we also may do as we please!”
I hesitate not to record my conviction that that man’s conduct had
a very bad effect, emboldening them in acts of dishonesty and in
attempts upon my life till the Mission Station was ultimately broken
up. After I had to escape from Tanna, with bare life in my hand, one
of the same Captain’s vessels called at Port Resolution and gave the
Natives about three pounds weight of useless tobacco, purchasable at
Sydney for less than one shilling per pound, to allow them to take
away my boat, with oars, sails, mast, and all other belongings. They
also purchased all the plunder from my house. Both boats were so
large and so strongly built, that by adding a plank or two they turned
them into small-decked schooners, admirably suited for the sandal-
wood traffic round the shores, while larger vessels lay at safe
anchorage to receive what they collected. Once, when Dr. Inglis and I
met in Sydney, we called on Captain T—— and stated the whole case,
asking reasonable payment at least for the boats. He admitted that
the boats had been taken and were in his service, and agreed to pay
us for the boats if we would repay the large sum invested therein by
his Captains. Calling one of his clerks, he instructed him to trace in
the office record how much had been paid to the Tannese for the
Missionary’s boat.
The young man innocently returned the reply, “Three pounds of
tobacco.”
In anger, he said, “I understood that a larger value had been
given!”
The clerk assured him, “That is the only record.”
Captain T——, after discussing the worth of the boat as being about
£80, agreed to give us £60, but in writing out the cheque, threw
down the pen and shouted, “I’ll see you —— first!”
Offering £50, to which we agreed, he again resiled, and declared
he would not give a penny above £30.
We appealed to him to regard this as a debt of honour, and to
cease haggling over the price, as he well knew how we had been
wronged in the matter.
Finally we left him declaring, “I am building similar boats just now
at £25 apiece; I will send you one of them, and you may either take
that or want!”
We left, glad to get away on any terms from such a character; and,
though next year he did send one of his promised boats for me to
Aneityum, yet the conduct of his degraded servants engaged in the
sandal-wood trade had a great share in the guilt of breaking up and
ruining our Mission. Thousands upon thousands were made by it
yearly, so long as it lasted; but it was a trade steeped in human blood
and indescribable vice, nor could God’s blessing rest on them and
their ill-gotten gains. Oh, how often did we pray at that time to be
delivered from the hands of unreasonable and wicked men! Sandal-
wood traders murdered many of the Islanders when robbing them of
their wood, and the Islanders murdered many of them and their
servants in revenge. White men, engaged in the trade, also shot dead
and murdered each other in vicious and drunken quarrels, and not a
few put end to their own lives. I have scarcely known one of them
who did not come to ruin and poverty; the money that came even to
the shipowners was a conspicuous curse. Fools there made a mock at
sin, thinking that no one cared for these poor savages, but their sin
did find them out, and God made good in their experience His own
irrepealable law, “The wages of sin is death.”
Ships, highly insured, were said to be sent into our Island trade to
be deliberately wrecked. One Sabbath evening, towards dark, the
notorious Captain H——, in command of a large ship, allowed her to
drift ashore and be wrecked without any apparent effort to save her.
Next morning, the whole company were wading about in the water
and pretending to have lost everything! The Captain, put in prison
when he returned to Sydney for running away with another man’s
wife and property, imposed on Mr. Copeland and myself, getting all
the biscuits, flour, and blankets we could spare for his destitute and
shipwrecked company. We discovered afterwards that she was lying
on a beautiful bank of sand, only a few yards from the shore, and that
everything contained in her could be easily rescued without danger
to life or limb! What we parted with was almost necessary for our life
and health; of course he gave us an order on Captain T—— for
everything, but not one farthing was ever repaid. At first he made a
pretence of paying the Natives for food received; but afterwards, an
armed band went inland night by night and robbed and plundered
whatever came to hand. The Natives, seeing the food of their children
ruthlessly stolen, were shot down without mercy when they dared to
interfere; and the life of every white man was marked for speedy
revenge. Glad were we when a vessel called, and carried away these
white heathen Savages.
The same Captain T—— also began the shocking Kanaka labour-
traffic to the Colonies, after the sandal-wood trade was exhausted,
which has since destroyed so many thousands of the Natives in what
was nothing less than Colonial slavery, and has largely depopulated
the Islands either directly or indirectly. And yet he wrote, and
published in Sydney, a pamphlet declaring that he and his sandal-
wooders and Kanaka labour collectors had done more to civilize the
Islanders than all our Mission efforts combined. Civilize them,
indeed! By spreading disease and vice, misery and death amongst
them, even at the best; at the worst, slaving many of them till they
perished at their toils, shooting down others under one or other
guilty pretence, and positively sweeping thousands into an untimely
grave. A common cry on their lips was,—
“Let them perish and let the white men occupy these Isles.”
It was such conduct as this, that made the Islanders suspect all
foreigners and hate the white man and seek revenge in robbery and
murder. One Trader, for instance, a sandal-wooder and collector of
Kanakas, living at Port Resolution, abominably ill-used a party of
Natives. They determined in revenge to plunder his store. The cellar
was underneath his house, and he himself slept above the trap-door
by which alone it could be entered. Night and day he was guarded by
armed men, Natives of adjoining islands, and all approaches to his
premises were watched by savage dogs that gave timely warning. He
felt himself secure. But the Tannese actually constructed a tunnel
underground from the bush, through which they rolled away
tobacco, ammunition, etc., and nearly emptied his cellar! My heart
bled to see men so capable and clever thus brutally abused and
demoralized and swept away. By the Gospel, and the civilization
which it brings, they were capable of learning anything and being
trained to a useful and even noble manhood. But all influence that
ever I witnessed from these Traders was degrading, and dead against
the work of our Missions.
The Chief, Nowar Noukamara, usually known as Nowar, was my
best and most-to-be-trusted friend He was one of the nine or ten who
were most favourable to the Mission work, attending the Worship
pretty regularly, conducting it also in their own houses and villages,
and making generally a somewhat unstable profession of
Christianity. One or more of them often accompanied me on
Sabbath, when going to conduct the Worship at inland villages, and
sometimes they protected me from personal injury. This Nowar
influenced the Harbour Chiefs and their people for eight or ten miles
around to get up a great feast in favour of the Worship of Jehovah.
All were personally and specially invited, and it was the largest
Assembly of any kind that I ever witnessed on the Islands.
When all was ready, Nowar sent a party of Chiefs to escort me and
my Aneityumese Teachers to the feast. Fourteen Chiefs, in turn,
made speeches to the assembled multitude; the drift of all being, that
war and fighting be given up on Tanna,—that no more people be
killed by nahak, for witchcraft and sorcery were lies,—that Sacred
Men no longer profess to make wind and rain, famine and plenty,
disease and death,—that the dark heathen talk of Tanna should
cease, that all here present should adopt the Worship of Jehovah as
taught to them by the Missionary and the Aneityumese,—and that all
the banished Tribes should be invited to their own lands to live in
peace! These strange speeches did not draw forth a single opposing
voice. Doubtless these men were in earnest, and had there been one
master mind to rule and mould them, their regeneration had
dawned. Though for the moment a feeling of friendliness prevailed,
the Tannese were unstable as water and easily swayed one way or the
other. They are born talkers, and can and will speechify on all
occasions, but most of it means nothing, bears no fruit.
After these speeches, a scene followed which gradually assumed
shape as an idolatrous ceremonial and greatly horrified me. It was in
connection with the immense quantity of food that had been
prepared for the feast, especially pigs and fowls. A great heap had
been piled up for each Tribe represented, and a handsome portion
also set apart for the Missionary and his Teachers. The ceremony was
this, as nearly as I could follow it. One hundred or so of the leading
men marched into the large cleared space in the centre of the
assembled multitudes, and stood there facing each other in equal
lines, with a man at either end closing up the passage between. At the
middle they stood eight or ten feet apart, gradually nearing till they
almost met at either end. Amid tremendous silence for a few
moments all stood hushed; then every man kneeled on his right
knee, extended his right hand, and bent forward till his face nearly
touched the ground. Thereon the man at the one end began
muttering something, his voice rising ever louder as he rose to his
feet, when it ended in a fearful yell as he stood erect. Next the two
long lines of men, all in a body, went through the same ceremonial,
rising gradually to their feet, with mutterings deepening into a howl,
and heightening into a yell as they stood erect. Finally, the man at
the other end went through the same hideous forms. All this was
thrice deliberately repeated, each time with growing frenzy. And
then, all standing on their feet, they united as with one voice in what
sounded like music running mad up and down the scale, closing with
a long, deep-toned, hollow howl as of souls in pain. With smiles of
joy, the men then all shook hands with each other. Nowar and
another Chief briefly spoke, and the food was then divided and
exchanged, a principal man of each Tribe standing by to receive and
watch his portion.
At this stage, Nowar and Nerwangi, as leaders, addressed the
Teachers and the Missionary to this effect:—
“This feast is held to move all the Chiefs and People here to give up
fighting, to become friends, and to worship your Jehovah God. We
wish you to remain, and to teach us all good conduct. As an evidence
of our sincerity, and of our love, we have prepared this pile of food
for you.”
In reply, I addressed the whole multitude, saying how pleased I
was with their speeches and with the resolutions and promises which
they all had made. I further urged them to stick fast by these, and
that grand fruits would arise to their island, to themselves and to
their children.
Having finished a brief address, I then walked forward to the very
middle of the circle, and laid down before them a bundle of stripes of
red calico and pieces of white calico, a number of fish-hooks, knives,
etc. etc., requesting the two Chiefs to divide my offering of goodwill
among the Tribes assembled, and also the pile of food presented to
us, as a token of my love and friendship to them all.
Their insisting upon me taking their present of food, laid upon me
an unpleasant and dangerous necessity of explaining my refusal. I
again thanked them very warmly, and explained that, as they had in
my presence given away all their food to an Idol God and asked his
blessing on it as a sacrifice, even to Karapanamun, the great Evil
Spirit, my people and I durst not and could not eat of it, for that
would be to have fellowship with their Idols and to dishonour
Jehovah God. Christians could acknowledge only the one true and
living God, and ask His blessing on their food, and offer it and
themselves in thanksgiving unto Him, but unto no cruel or evil
Spirit. Yet I explained to them how much I thanked them, and how I
loved them just as much as if we had eaten all their gifts, and how it
would please us to see them all, along with my own gifts, divided
amongst their Tribes.
Not without some doubt, and under considerable trial, did I take
this apparently unfriendly attitude. But I feared to seem even to
approve of any act of devil-worship, or to confirm them in it, being
there to discourage all such scenes, and to lead them to acknowledge
only the true God. I felt as if guilty and as if the hat were rising from
my head, when I heard them imprecating and appeasing their God,
without being able to show them the God of Love and the better way
into His presence through Jesus Christ. My opportunity to do so
arose over the refusal of the food offered unto Idols, and I told them
of the claims of Jehovah, the jealous God, who would not share His
worship with any other. But all the time I felt this qualm,—that it
were better to eat food with men who acknowledged some God and
asked his blessing than with those white Heathens at home, who
asked the blessing of no God, nor thanked Him, in this worse than
the dog which licks the hand that feeds it! Nowar and Nerwangi
explained in great orations what I meant, and how I wished all to be
divided amongst the assembled Tribes to show my love. With this, all
seemed highly satisfied.
Heathen dances were now entered upon, their paint and feathers
and ornaments adding to the wildness of the scene. The men seemed
to dance in an inside ring, and the women in an outside ring, at a
considerable distance from each other. Music was supplied by
singing and clapping of hands. The order was perfect, and the figures
highly intricate. But I have never been able to associate dancing with
things lovely and of good report! After the dancing, all retired to the
bush, and a kind of sham fight followed on the public cleared ground.
A host of painted savages rushed in and took possession with songs
and shoutings. From the bush, on the opposite side, the chanting of
women was heard in the distance, louder and louder as they
approached. Snatching from a burning fire flaming sticks, they
rushed on the men with these, beating them and throwing burning
pieces of wood among them, till with deafening yells amongst
themselves and amidst shouts of laughter from the crowd, they drove
them from the space, and danced thereon and sang a song of victory.
The dancing and fighting, the naked painted figures, and the
constant yells and shoutings gave one a weird sensation, and
suggested strange ideas of Hell broken loose.
The final scene approached, when the men assisted their women to
fill all the allotted food into baskets, to be carried home and eaten
there; for the different Tribes do not sit down together and eat
together as we would do; their coming together is for the purpose of
exchanging and dividing the food presented. And now they broke
into friendly confusion, and freely walked about mingling with each
other; and a kind of savage rehearsal of Jonathan and David took
place. They stripped themselves of their fantastic dresses, their
handsomely woven and twisted grass skirts, leaf skirts, grass and leaf
aprons; they gave away or exchanged all these, and their ornaments
and bows and arrows, besides their less romantic calico and print
dresses more recently acquired. The effusion and ceremonial of the
gifts and exchanges seemed to betoken a loving people; and so they
were for the feast—but that laid not aside a single deadly feud, and
streams of blood and cries of hate would soon efface all traces of this
day.
I had now six Stations, opened up and ministered to by
Aneityumese Teachers, at the leading villages along the coast, and
forming links in a chain towards the other Mission Establishment on
Tanna. And there were villages prepared to receive as many more.
These Teachers had all been cannibals once, yet, with one exception,
they proved themselves to the best of my judgment to be a band of
faithful and devoted followers of Christ. Their names were Abraham,
Kowari, Nomuri, Nerwa, Lazarus, and Eoufati. I visited them
periodically and frequently, encouraging and guiding them, as well
as trying to interest the villagers in their teaching and work. But,
whenever war broke out they had all to return to the Mission House,
and sleep there for safety by night, visiting their Stations, if
practicable, by the light of day. My poor dear Teachers, too, had to
bear persecutions for Jesu’s sake, as the following incident will
sorrowfully prove.
A native woman, with some murderous purpose in her heart,
pretended great friendship to the excellent wife of one of my fellow-
labourers. She was specially effusive in bringing to her dishes of food
from time to time. Having thus gained confidence, she caught a little
black fish of those parts, known to be deadly poisonous, and baked it
up in a mess for the unsuspecting Teacher’s wife. On returning, she
boasted of what she had done, and thereon a friendly neighbour
rushed off to warn the other, but arrived just to learn that the fatal
meal had been taken. Beyond all reach of human skill, this unknown
martyr for Christ died soon after in great agony, and doubtless
received her Master’s reward.
In helping to open up new Stations, those dear native Teachers
often bore the greatest hardships and indignities with a noble self-
denial and positively wonderful patience. Nothing known to men
under Heaven could have produced their new character and
disposition, except only the grace of God in Christ Jesus. Though still
marred by many of the faults of Heathenism, they were at the roots
of their being literally new creatures, trying, according to their best
light, to live for and to please their new Master, Jesus Christ. This
shone out very conspicuously in these two apostolic souls, Abraham
and Kowari, as leaders among all the devoted band.
Let me recall another occasion, on which I prevented a war. Early
one morning, the savage yells of warring Tribes woke me from sleep.
They had broken into a quarrel about a woman, and were fiercely
engaged with their clubs. According to my custom, I rushed in
amongst them, and, not without much difficulty, was blessed in
separating them before deadly wounds had been given or received.
On this occasion, the Chiefs of both Tribes, being very friendly to me,
drove their people back from each other at my earnest appeals.
Sitting down at length within earshot, they had it out in a wild
scolding match, a contest of lung and tongue. Meanwhile I rested on
a canoe midway betwixt them, in the hope of averting a renewal of
hostilities. By-and-by an old Sacred Man, a Chief called Sapa, with
some touch of savage comedy in his breast, volunteered an episode
which restored good humour to the scene. Leaping up, he came
dancing and singing towards me, and there, to the amusement of all,
re-enacted the quarrel, and mimicked rather cleverly my attempt at
separating the combatants. Smashing at the canoe with his club, he
yelled and knocked down imaginary enemies; then, rushing first at
one party and then at the other, he represented me as appealing and
gesticulating and pushing them afar from each other, till he became
quite exhausted. Thereon he came and planted himself in great glee
beside me, and looked around as if to say,—“You must laugh, for I
have played.” At this very juncture, a loud cry of “Sail O!” broke upon
our ears, and all parties leapt to their feet, and prepared for a new
sensation; for in those climes, everything—war itself—is a smaller
interest than a vessel from the Great Unknown World sailing into
your Harbour.
Not many days thereafter, a very horrible transaction occurred.
Before daybreak, I heard shot after shot quickly discharged in the
Harbour. One of my Teachers came running, and cried,—
“Missi, six or seven men have been shot dead this morning for a
great feast. It is to reconcile Tribes that have been at war, and to
allow a banished Tribe to return in peace.”
I learned that the leading men had in council agreed upon this
sacrifice, but the name of each victim was kept a secret till the last
moment. The torture of suspense and uncertainty seemed to be
borne by all as part of their appointed lot, nor did they prepare as if
suspecting any dread assault. Before daylight, the Sacred Men
allocated a murderer to the door of each house where a victim slept.
A signal shot was fired; all rushed to their doors, and the doomed
ones were shot and clubbed to death as they attempted to escape.
Their bodies were then borne to a sacred tree, and hung up there by
the hands for a time, as an offering to the Gods. Being taken down,
they were carried ceremoniously and laid out on the shore near my
house, placed under a special guard.
Information had reached me that my Teachers and I were also
destined victims for this same feast, and sure enough we espied a
band of armed men, the killers, despatched towards our premises.
Instantaneously I had the Teachers and their wives and myself
securely locked into the Mission House; and, cut off from all human
hope, we set ourselves to pray to our dear Lord Jesus, either Himself
to protect us or to take us to His glory. All through that morning and
forenoon we heard them tramp-tramping round our house,
whispering to each other, and hovering near window and door. They
knew that there were a double-barrelled fowling-piece and a revolver
on the premises, though they never had seen me use them, and that
may, under God, have held them back in dread. But such a thought
did not enter our souls even in that awful time. I had gone to save,
and not to destroy. It would be easier for me at any time to die than
to kill one of them. Our safety lay in our appeal to that blessed Lord
who had placed us there, and to whom all power had been given in
Heaven and on Earth. He that was with us was more than all that
could be against us. This is strength; this is peace:—to feel, in
entering on every day, that all its duties and trials have been
committed to the Lord Jesus,—that, come what may, He will use us
for His own glory and our real good!
All through that dreadful morning, and far into the afternoon, we
thus abode together, feeling conscious that we were united to this
dear Lord Jesus, and we had sweet communion with Him,
meditating on the wonders of His person and the hopes and glories
of His kingdom. Oh, that all my readers may learn something of this
in their own experience of the Lord! I can wish them nothing more
precious. Towards sundown, constrained by the Invisible One, they
withdrew from our Mission House, and left us once more in peace.
They bore away the slain to be cooked, and distributed amongst the
Tribes, and eaten in their feast of reconciliation; a covenant sealed in
blood, and soon, alas, to be buried in blood again! For many days
thereafter, we had to take unusual care, and not unduly expose
ourselves to danger; for dark characters were seen prowling about in
the bush near at hand, and we knew that our life was the prize. We
took what care we could, and God the Lord did the rest, or rather He
did all—for His wisdom guided us, and His power baffled them.
Shortly thereafter, war was again declared by the Inland people
attacking our Harbour people. It was an old quarrel; and the war was
renewed and continued, long after the cause thereof had passed
away. Going amongst them every day, I did my utmost to stop
hostilities, setting the evils of war before them, and pleading with the
leading men to renounce it. Thereon arose a characteristic incident
of Island and Heathen life. One day I held a Service in the village
where morning after morning their Tribes assembled, and declared
that if they would believe in and follow the Jehovah God, He would
deliver them from all their enemies and lead them into a happy life.
There were present three Sacred Men, Chiefs, of whom the whole
population lived in terror,—brothers or cousins, heroes of traditional
feats, professors of sorcery, and claiming the power of life and death,
health and sickness, rain and drought, according to their will. On
hearing me, these three stood up and declared they did not believe in
Jehovah, nor did they need His help, for they had the power to kill
my life by Nahak (i.e., sorcery or witchcraft), if only they could get
possession of any piece of the fruit or food that I had eaten. This was
an essential condition of their black art; hence the peel of a banana
or an orange, and every broken scrap of food, is gathered up by the
Natives, lest it should fall into the hands of the Sacred Men, and be
used for Nahak. This superstition was the cause of most of the
bloodshed and terror upon Tanna; and being thus challenged, I
asked God’s help, and determined to strike a blow against it. A
woman was standing near with a bunch of native fruit in her hand,
like our plums, called quonquore. I asked her to be pleased to give
me some; and she, holding out a bunch, said,—
“Take freely what you will!”
Calling the attention of all the Assembly to what I was doing, I took
three fruits from the bunch, and taking a bite out of each, I gave
them one after another to the three Sacred Men, and deliberately
said in the hearing of all,—
“You have seen me eat of this fruit, you have seen me give the
remainder to your Sacred Men; they have said they can kill me by
Nahak, but I challenge them to do it if they can, without arrow or
spear, club or musket, for I deny that they have any power against
me or against any one by their Sorcery.”
The challenge was accepted; the Natives looked terror-struck at
the position in which I was placed! The ceremony of Nahak was
usually performed in secret,—the Tannese fleeing in dread, as
Europeans would from the touch of the plague; but I lingered and
eagerly watched their ritual. As the three Chiefs arose, and drew near
to one of the Sacred Trees, to begin their ceremonial, the Natives fled
in terror, crying,—
“Missi, away! Alas, Missi!”
But I held on at my post of observation. Amidst wavings and
incantations, they rolled up the pieces of the fruit from which I had
eaten, in certain leaves of this Sacred Tree into a shape like a waxen
candle; then they kindled a sacred fire near the root, and continued
their mutterings, gradually burning a little more and a little more of
the candle-shaped things, wheeling them round their heads, blowing
upon them with their breaths, waving them in the air, and glancing
wildly at me as if expecting my sudden destruction. Wondering
whether after all they did not believe their own lie, for they seemed to
be in dead earnest, I, more eager than ever to break the chains of
such vile superstition, urged them again and again, crying,—
“Be quick! Stir up your Gods to help you! I am not killed yet; I am
perfectly well!”
At last they stood up and said,—
“We must delay till we have called all our Sacred Men. We will kill
Missi before his next Sabbath comes round. Let all watch, for he will
soon die and that without fail.”
I replied, “Very good! I challenge all your Priests to unite and kill
me by Sorcery or Nahak. If on Sabbath next I come again to your
village in health, you will all admit that your Gods have no power
over me, and that I am protected by the true and living Jehovah
God!”
For every day throughout the remainder of that week, the Conchs
were sounded, and over that side of the island all their Sacred Men
were at work trying to kill me by their arts. Now and again
messengers arrived from every quarter of the island, inquiring
anxiously after my health, and wondering if I was not feeling sick,
and great excitement prevailed amongst the poor deluded idolaters.
Sabbath dawned upon me peacefully, and I went to that village in
more than my usual health and strength. Large numbers assembled,
and when I appeared they looked at each other in terror, as if it could
not really be I, myself, still spared and well. Entering into the public
ground, I saluted them to this effect,—
“My love to you all, my friends! I have come again to talk to you
about the Jehovah God and His Worship.”
The three Sacred Men, on being asked, admitted that they had
tried to kill me by Nahak, but had failed; and on being questioned,
why they had failed, they gave the acute and subtle reply, that I also
was myself a Sacred Man, and that my God being the stronger had
protected me from their Gods. Addressing the multitude, I answered
thus,—
“Yea, truly; my Jehovah God is stronger than your Gods. He
protected me, and helped me; for He is the only living and true God,
the only God that can hear or answer any prayer from the children of
men. Your Gods cannot hear prayers, but my God can and will hear
and answer you, if you will give heart and life to Him, and love and
serve Him only. This is my God, and He is also your friend if you will
hear and follow His voice.”
Having said this, I sat down on the trunk of a fallen tree, and
addressed them,—
“Come and sit down all around me, and I will talk to you about the
love and mercy of my God, and teach you how to worship and please
Him.”
Two of the Sacred Men then sat down, and all the people gathered
round and seated themselves very quietly. I tried to present to them
ideas of sin, and of salvation through Jesus Christ, as revealed to us
in the Holy Scriptures.
The third Sacred Man, the highest in rank, a man of great stature
and uncommon strength, had meantime gone off for his warrior’s
spear, and returned brandishing it in the air and poising it at me. I
said to the people,—
“Of course he can kill me with his spear, but he undertook to kill
me by Nahak or Sorcery, and promised not to use against me any
weapons of war; and if you let him kill me now, you will kill your
friend, one who lives among you and only tries to do you good, as you
all know so well. I know that if you kill me thus, my God will be angry
and will punish you.”
Thereon I seated myself calmly in the midst of the crowd, while he
leaped about in rage, scolding his brothers and all who were present
for listening to me. The other Sacred Men, however, took my side,
and, as many of the people also were friendly to me and stood closely
packed around me, he did not throw his spear. To allay the tumult
and obviate further bloodshed, I offered to leave with my Teachers at
once, and, in doing so, I ardently pled with them to live at peace.
Though we got safely home, that old Sacred Man seemed still to
hunger after my blood. For weeks thereafter, go where I would, he
would suddenly appear on the path behind me, poising in his right
hand that same Goliath spear. God only kept it from being thrown,
and I, using every lawful precaution, had all the same to attend to my
work, as if no enemy were there, leaving all other results in the hands
of Jesus. This whole incident did, doubtless, shake the prejudices of
many as to Sorcery; but few even of converted Natives ever get
entirely clear of the dread of Nahak.
If not truly converted, the two Priests were fast friends of mine
from that day, as also another leading man in the same district. They
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