PEOUT ' S LIFE OF MISSIONARY WILLIAMS. EXCEPT in his violent death
at Erromanga, an island of the Hebrides group, the personal career of JoHN WILLIAMS differs little from that of any other modern Protestant missionary. Born iu 1796, of ---.._ parents, as we guess, in the lower class of middle life, he received a common education, and was apprenticed in 1810 to a smith and ironmonger. Though his mother and his master's family were pious folks, JOHN WILLtaus himself was considered to be in a " most perilous position "—moral, but irreligious. In his eighteenth year, accident prevented him from spending a Sunday evening at a tavern ; and he was induced by his master's wife to accompany her to the " Tabernacle," so celebrated in the early days of Method- ism. A sermon delivered by Mr. EAST of Birmingham effected his conversion; and, after filling the office of Sunday-school teacher, joining a serious debating society, and going through some prelimi- nary preparation under the guidance of his pastor, he offered him- self to the Directors of the London Missionary Society, and was accepted. In October 1816 be married; and in the following No- vember departed for the South Sea ; among the islands of which he passed the remainder of his life, with the exception of some three or four years, (1834-1838,) during which lie was a religious lion in England, and published his Missionary Enterprises—one of the most striking and attractive narratives of its class that has appeared.* In all this there is nothing but what might be paralleled by num- bers in the religious world. The distinctive peculiarity of JOHN WILLILMS was in his missionary character, and the principle he so fully though unconsciously illustrated—that to christianize you must civilize. His success, so minutely described in Missionary Enterprises, was not attributable to any peculiar eloquence or in- tellectual qualities, for in these he was excelled by many : he as- sailed the superstitious principles of the people through their se- cular interests, and indirectly inculcated a belief in the unseen by a display of power in things visible. Unlike many missionaries sent to the heathen, " talkee, talkee" was secondary to " workee, workee" in the case of WILLIAMS. Possessing ardent zeal, inde- fatigable industry, a strong constitution, and a powerful frame, nature had also gifted him with quick observation, ready adapta- bility, and a mechanical genius. A clause in his indentures had stipulated that his services were to be confined to the desk and the counter—he was not to be called upon for labour in the workshop : in despite of this proviso for gentility, WILLIAMS snatched every opportunity to practice the mechanical art of the smith, and soon became so skilful, that, with his own consent, he was employed upon any work requiring nicety and finish. Partly by observation, partly by books, and the spur of the " mother of invention," he became a competent carpenter, lime-burner, plasterer, painter, ship-builder, rope-maker, cultivator, sugar-boiler, furniture-maker, and any other trade that the wants of a simple community could require. The introduction of these arts in regions where they were unknown in practice, and the instruction of such of the natives as desired to be taught them, gave him an influence which mere talking could never have attained. With this view, his first labour on arriving at llaiatea (one of the Society Islands) was to build a house on the European plan, with French windows, and verandahs, and to furnish it as well as he could in the same fashion—not merely to impress the natives, but to stimulate their industry. He also looked to civilization as a collateral religious end, as well as a means of conversion- " From the commencement of the mission, they had proceeded -upon, the conviction that the labours of the hand and the culture of the mind were so closely connected as to preclude the hope of maturing the fruits of righteous- ness among an indolent community. This had been their chief inducement for instructing the natives in so many useful arts. And experience had con- firmed their calculations. Secular labours had yielded sonic spiritual increase. By counteracting the natural inertness of the natives, and by quickening into vigorous exercise their sluggish intellect, they had prepared the way for Scrip- tural truth. The value of these labours was every day more obvious; and, in proportion as the missionaries became acquainted with the native character, the convictiost had grown upon them, that without a constant stimulus to labour, their minds would stagnate and their circumstances retrograde." Its furtherance of this object, JOHN WILLIAMS purchased a vessel, and established an agency at Sydney for the sale of such articles as the natives could produce; intending to manage the business on their account. In this plan he was bailed, in two ways. Interested parties at New South Wales prevailed upon the Governor to impose heavy duties on the tobacco, &c. of the Poly- nesian group ; the Directors at home censured his conduct, and ordered the discontinuance of his mercantile proceedings. In this last there is nothing to wonder at. The plan involved a mixture of secular and religious dealings incongruous in itself, liable to • Reviewed in the Spectator, No. 476; 12th August 1837. gross abuse in many hands, and always open to public remark. A body, like the Missionary Directors, who had to consider many
stations, to conciliate many supporters, and to proceed upon a simple principle, could hardly he expected to sanction a system exposed to much misconception, and containing in itself many tendencies to abuse. Some such stimulus as a regular and pro- fitable demand for the products of their industry is, however, absolutely necessary to prevent the new converts from lapsing into
their former indolence, which brings in its train all their habits of violence and open vice. To retain the natives in their new career, was indeed much more difficult than to start them in it. The presence of an ill-conducted ship—or the death of a well-disposed chief—or mere childish caprice or impatience of restraint, (for savages are but children in their minds)—was sufficient to undo with the mass much that had been done. Above all, the absence of WILLIAMS himself was pretty sure to cause a retrograde move- ment; a fact which renders it doubtful how far the extraordinary results he produced in the Society, Hervey, and Marquesan groups, will be permanent, when so much depends upon the individual mis- sionary, and social practices of order and industry can with difficulty be established, from the opposition which native habits and foreign circumstances offer to their firm foundation. A system of juvenile schools of industry seems the surest plan : but here the difficulties are great, if not insurmountable. As long as the novelty offers an excitement, or the natives are not called upon for steady applica- tion, things go on smoothly ; but when continuous work is neces- sary, or the novelty wears off, they fall back upon their old habits, and prefer the monotony of laziness to the monotony of labour. It should be observed that civilization seems to thrive best in those islands where nature has been least indulgent. The natives of the Hervey group, who obtain provisions with difficulty, seem more capable of going alone than the people of the Society Islands, where food almost produces itself. Another reason may be that the Hervey group is less infested by whalers. To any one wishing to get an idea of the public career and cha- racter of JOHN NA lwams, we should rather recommend his own Missionary Enterprises than the Memoirs before us. The volume, indeed, is large enough to have embraced any thing; and though verbose, after the fashion of a sermon-writer or meeting-orator, it goes over the stages of the hero's missionary career with sufficient particularity. But, compared with his own narrative, it does not sufficiently develop the great point of his success—the manner in which his mechanical skill impressed the potentates and people with whom he came in contact. Nor, amid much panegyric and many words, do we think that it does the labours of WILLIAMS full justice. The truth is, that his missionary life was told by himself; and much of this volume, relating to that topic, is a book of leav- ings—extracts from letters or documents which Wieerams had altogether thrown aside, or whose spirit he had extracted. The rest consists of a reproduction of the leading facts of the Mis- sionary Enterprises, or of Mr. Peones fluent but prolix com- mentary. A point no doubt is here and there elicited, but bearing no proportion to the surrounding verboseness. Of the Polynesian Missionary's private life there was not much to tell ; for his time on his return to England was chiefly occupied in speeches at religious gatherings, and in other public efforts con- nected with the South Sea missions. His youth furnished, as we have said, little that differs from hundreds of others who have ex- perienced religion ; and the few anecdotes connected with him are, from the practical character of his mind, much less racy than those told of many other professors. Upon the whole, the volume strikes us as being rather an eminent example of stuffing. Its six hundred pages might be reduced by two-thirds, and yet convey a much more vivid picture of the life and character of JOAN WILLIASIS.
The volume contains some pictures of savage life, striking but not of any generic novelty ; and several passages connected with the opinions of the hero or his views upon the conduct of mission- aries : but in a notice of the life of " the Martyr of Erromanga," the most appropriate extract will be the description of his death. He had proceeded to the New Hebrides in a ship chartered by the Society, with the ulterior object of extending missions over the Archipelago lying to the East of New Holland ; and he attached great importance to establishing a footing in Erromanga, on account of its position and the savage character of its people. The following narrative of the preliminaries is by the captain of the vessel.
" On reaching the bead of the bay, we saw several natives standing at a dis- tance: we made signs to them to them to come towards us, but they made signs for us to go away. We threw them some beads on shore; which they eagerly picked up, and came a little closer, and received from us some fish- hooks and beads, and a small looking-glass. On coming to a beautiful valley between the mountains, having a small run of water, we wished to ascertain if it was fresh ; and we gave the chiefs boat-bucket to fetch us some; and in about half an hour he returned running with the water; which, 1 think, gave Mr. Williams and myself more confidence in the natives. They ran and brought us some cocoa-nuts, but were still extremely shy. Mr.Williams drank of the water the native brought, and I held his bat to screen him from the sun. Ile seemed pleased with the natives, and attributed their shyness to the ill-treatment they must have received from foreigners visiting the island on some former occasion. Mr. Cunningham asked him if he thought of going on shore. I think he said he should not have the slightest fear ; and then remarked to me, Captain, you know we like to take possession of the land ; and if we can only leave good im- pressions on the minds of the natives, we can come again and leave teachers: we must be content to do a little ; you know Babel was not built in a day.' He did not intend to leave a teacher this time. Mr. Harris asked him if he might go on shore, or if he had any objection : he said, ' No, not any.' Mr. Harris then waded on shore: as soon as lie landed, the natives ran from him ; but Mr. Williams told him to sit down : he did ea, and the natives came close to him, and brought him some cocoa-nuts, and opened them for him to drink. " Mr. Williams remarked he saw a number of native boys playing, and thought it a good sign, as implying that the natives had no bad intentions: I said, I thought so too, but I would rather see some women also ; because when the natives resolve on mischief they send the women out of the way; there were no women on the beach. At last he got up, went forward in the boat, and landed. He presented his hand to the natives ; which they were unwilling to.take: he then called to me to hand some cloth out of the boat ; and he sat down and divided it among them, endeavouring to win their confidence. All three walked up the beach ; Mr. Harris first; Mr. Williams and Mr. Cunning- ham followed."
Mr. CCNNINGHAM, the last-mentioned gentleman, can best tell the remainder.
Mr. Williams called for a few pieces of print ; which he divided in small pieces to throw around him. Mr. Harris said he wished to have a stroll inland; which was not objected to; and be walked on, followed by a party of the natives. Mr. Williams and I followed, directing our course up the side of the brook. The looks and manners of the savages I much distrusted, and remarked to Mr. Williams, that probably we had to dread the revenge of the natives in conse- quence of their former quarrel with strangers, wherein perhaps some of their friends had been killed. Mr. Williams, I think, did not return me an answer; being engaged at the instant repeating the Samoan numerals to a crowd of boys, one of whom was repeating them after him. I was also trying to get the names of a few things around us, and walked onward. Finding a few shells lying on the bank, I picked them up. On noticing they were of a spe- cies unknown to me, I was in the act of potting them into my pocket, when I heard a yell, and instantly Mr. Harris rushed out of the bushes about twenty yards before me. I instantly perceived it was runt or die. I shouted to Mr. Williams to run, (he being as far behind me as Mr. Harris was in advance,) and I sprung forward through the natives that were on the banks of the brook, who all gave way. I looked round, and saw Mr. Harris fall in the brook, and the water dash over him ; a number of savages beating him with clubs. Mr. Williams did not run at the instant I called to him, till we heard a shell blow: it was an instant, but too much to lose. I again called to Mr. Williams to run, and sprang forward for the boat, which was out of sight ; it was round a point of hush. "Mr. Williams, instead of making for the boat, ran directly down the beach into the water, and a savage after him. It seemed to me that Mr. Williams's intention was to swim off till the boat picked him up. At the instant I sighted the boat, I heard a yell behind me; and, looking round, found a savage close after me with a club. I stooped, and picking up a stone, struck him so as to stop his further pursuit. The men in the boat had, on seeing Mr. Williams and me running, given the alarm to Captain Morgan, who was on the beach at the time. He and 1 jumped into the boat at the same instant ; several stones were thrown at the boat. Mr. Williams ran into deep water, and the savage close after him. On entering the water, he fell forward, but did not attempt to swim ; when lie raceived several blows from the club of the native on the arms and over the head. He twice dashed his had under water to avoid the club, with which the savage stood over him ready to strike the instant he rose. I threw' two stones from the boat ; which for a moment averted the pro. gress of the other native, who was a few paces behind; but it was only for an instant. The two rushed on our friend, and beat his head, and soon several others joined them. I saw a whole handful of arrows stuck into his body. Though every exertion was used to get up the boat to his assistance, and though only about eighty yards distant, before we got half the distance our friend was dead, and about a dozen savages were dragging the body on the beach, beating it in the most furious manner. A crowd of boys surrounded the body as it lay in the ripple of the beach, and beat it with stones, till the waves dashed red on the shore with the blood of their victim. Alas! that mo- ment of sorrow and agony—I almost shrieked in distress. Several arrows were shot at us ; and one, passing under the arm of one of the men, passed through the lining and entered the timber. This alarmed the men ; who re- monstrated, as, having no fire-arms to frighten the savages away, it would be madness to approach them, as Mr. Williams was now dead. To this Captain Morgan reluctantly assented, and pulled off out of reach of the arrows."
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