The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-02-09
AMONG THE cANNlBALa
Experience Of . Missionary Wh0
Spent Thirty Years In the
New HehpidAa

OF . Missi0naFy W6O
Spent Thirty Years In the -
New Hebrides.
The career of Rev. DR.. John G. Patton,
a returned missionary from the New
Hebrides, from the time that he left
Scotland, 81 years ago, to his return to-
America is serial story of adventures
and hardships, of escapes from death,
almost incredible. And it was not in
the path of conquest or leading the SER
ried ranks of battle that DR.. Patton met
and surmounted dangers and difficult
ties and brought many thousands Of
ignorant savages to an understanding
of the arts of civilization, but it was in
preaching the Gospel that DR.. Patton
and his associates wrought their work.
Educated in the parish school in
Dumfries, in southern Scotland, and fin
ishing course of study in the classical
and medical departments of the college
at Glasgow, DR.. Patton Immediately be-
gan work as city missionary in Glas-
gov. His special field was among the
town police, and so appreciative were
the policemen of his IL years labor
among them that upon his departure
they gave him handsome gold watch,
which he now carries. i,
In 1858, DR.. Patton, accompanied by
his bride of a year, left for the mission
ary field in the New Hebrides. The New
Hebrides are group of islands in the
South sea, an archipelago of Polynesia.
chain extending from latitude 10 de-
grees south, longitude 166 degrees east.
to latitude 20 degrees south, longitude
40 degrees east, about 500 miles long,
and adjacent to the island of Borneo.
Weeks later DR.. Patton arrived at the
island of Tanna, one of the northern is-
lands of the group, and landing began
his labors. For tim. ahe intrepid mis-
sionaries were unmoles'ed, but white
trader visiting the islands made an I'M
warranted personal attack on DR.. Pa
ton, and following this the savage ma
tives plundered the house and hardly a
day passed without some attempt upon
the lives of the missionaries, compelling
them to leave the islands and seek
refuge with native chief in another
island. When the party landed at Tan
ma there was fine harbor, capable of
accommodating large number of ves-
sells, but an upheaval of the earth COM
pletely destroyed it. After the s,cape
OF the party from Tanna they were
given shelter for time with friendly
chief, but the natives were hostile and
an attempt was made to escape from the
island in an open boat, but rough sea
compelled the gallant workers to land
again. On the following night the mis-
sionaries were assailed and the house
in which they were stopping burned
and the life of Dr. Patton was attempt
ed. DR.. Patton, in speaking of the at
tack, said:
II defied the natives, and apparently
in answer to my prayer tornado came
with incredible swiftness and so
alarmed the natives that they ran away
and molested us no more"
The next day the party escaped by
vessel to Aneityum, an adjoining is
land, one of the missionaries and his
wife dying on board before the port
was reached from the hardships and
dangers through which they had passed.
"The mission passed through bap-
tism of blood in beginning the work in
South Sea islands," said DIR. Patton.
"The population of the group was then
estimated at 100000, all cannibals,
without clothing, and with no written
language. On Aneityum, where we old
our first work, every widow was stran-
gled to death the moment her hus-
band died. Child murder was common,
and children destroyed their parents
when long sick or aged. Neighboring
tribes were often at war with each
other, and all they killed were Toasted
on by the conquerors, which was also
the fate of all shipwrecked sailors and
strangers who fell into their hands,
while crimes of the most revolving
character were delighted in. Five mis-
sionaries were murdered and two of
by my side and died in consequence of
an attack upon our lives at Tanna.
Members of the mission families and
many native teachers with their wives
and children either died or were mur-
dered and eaten by the heather. Those
associated with me either died or were
killed, leaving me the only missionary
north of Aneityum living to tell the
story.
1T was SO years ago that barely
escaping with my life found my way
to Australia, and by considerable eff
fort secured our first mission schoon-
er, the Dayspring, and since then the
work has steadily progressed and
Christian influence has been extended
to % islands. The Bible has been
translated and is now read in % diff
ferent languages and about $4,000 na-
tives have been redeemed from saw.
agery. Out of the savage cannibals,
among whom we were first placed, we
have educated over 300 native teach
ers. The high chief of one island
cheerfully gave up II wives in obedi-
ence to the creed we taught"
DR.. Patton married a second time in
1862 and now has two sons engaged in
missionary work in the islands. From
one he received a letter yesterday
containing a wonderful story, illus
trating the devotion of the converted
natives. It appears that the chief Of
an inland town on one of the islands
invited DR.. Paton's son, a few weeks
ago, to visit him at his home. The
young minister, accompanied by ono
of the native teachers, started with
the chief. They had not proceeded
far when the chief, suddenly turning,
levelcd his rifle at the intrepid young
missionary. Divining the chiefs MUIR