Evening journal., 1900-02-15
AMONG THE SAvAGES
"a MISSIONARY LIVES THIRTY
YEARS WITH cANNl5ALs.


Saved His Life by Ruse-Mlssion.
aries Eaten by the Natives.
The career OF Rev. DR.. John c. Pa
IA. a returned missionary from the
Jew Hebrides, from the time that he
III Scotland. thirty-one years ago. 10
is return to America. is a serial story
adventure and hardship. of escapes
rom death almost incredible. And it
fas not In the path OF conquest or lead
IS the serried ranks of battle that
Jr. Patton met and surmounted dan
,crs and difficulties and brought many
thousands Of ignorant savages to an
understanding of the art OF Ciyiliza-
ton. but II was In preaching the Cos
pei that DR.. Patton and his associates
wrought their work.
Educated In the parish school in
Dumfries, in southern Scotland and
finishing a course of study In the
classical and medical departments OF
the college at Glasgow, DR.. Patton at
once began work as a city missionary
ga Glasgow. His special field was
among the town police. and so appre-
cic i've were the policemen OF his
eleven years labor among them thai
upon his departure they gave him a
handsome gold watch, which he now
carries. DR.. Patton has established
Gibbs and reading circles among the
rolice and II Is remarked that both
3 Protestant and Catholic policemen
contributed to the gift. The watch
hears the inscription: Presented to
Dr. John G. Patton. city missionary
BY the G Division OF the Glasgow Po-
ice as a token Of their appreciation
81 his zeal in the promotion Of their
temporal and eternal welfare, March,
1851"
Ia 1858 Or. Patton. accompanied by
his bride Of a year. left for the mis-.
sionary field in the New Hebrides
TIE New Hebrides are a group of isl.
ands 10 the South Sea, an archipelago
Of Polynesia. a chain extending from
, latitude 10 degrees south. longitude
CO degrees east. to latitude 20 de-
oTces south. longitude 10 degrees
cast about five hundred miles long.
md adjacent to the island Of Borneo.
Weeks later Dr. Patton arrived at
be island Of Tanna. one of the north
GRO islands of the group, and landing
loan his labors. For time the in
frepid missionaries we're unmolested
iri a white trader visiting the islands
nede an unwarranted personal attack
Fon Dr. Patton. and following this
be savage natives plundered the
! house and hardly a day passed with.
lrt some attempt upon the lives OF
be missionaries. compelling them to
& We the islands and seek a refuge
= vfh a native chief in another island.
When the party landed at Tanna there
Era oh .f a.
81 dating a large number Of vessels but
e M uphoaval of the earth completely
: destroyed Il. After the escape Of tho
e uarty from Tanna they we're given
I shelter for q time with a friendly
. chief. but the natives we're hostile
! and an attempt was made to escape
rom the island in an open boat. but
d p rough sea compelled the workers 70
S and again. On the following night
q The missionaries were assailed and
q The house In which they were stop
= ping burned and the life Of DR.. Patton
was attempted. Dr. Patton, In speak
! ing of the attack. said:
4 Il defled the natives. and. apparent
Il ly In answer to my prayer a tornado
9 came with incredible swiftness, ant
= 20 alarmed the natives that they ran
= way and molested us no more"
a The mission passed through a bap
Ism Of blood in beginning the work
South Sea Islands, said Dr. Patton
he population of the group was Their
estimated at $50 000 all cannibals
without clothing and with no writer
language On Aneityum. where we die
our first work. every widow wal
J. strangled to death the moment hei
@ husband died Child murder was com
non. and children destroyed their par
l. ants when long sick or aged. Neigh
boring tribes were often at war witt
b each other, and all they killed wer'
q toasted upon by their cOnquerors
e which was also the fate of all ship
y wrecked sailors and strangers who fel
g into their hands. while crimes of thl
l. most revolving character were delight
n ed in. Five missionaries were nun
e. dered and two of them eaten on Er
10 Umaga. A sixth fell by my sid
l. and died in consequence OF an attac'
upon our lives at rsnna. Members o
! he mission families and many nativ
j. teachers with their wives and chi
70 iren either died or we're murderer
z aud eaten by the heather. Those rs
of ISOLATED with me either died or wer
4 diled, leaving me the only missionar
or north Of Aneityum living to tell tn
~ story.
N 1T was thirty-six years ago that
4, barely escaping with my life. l foun
~ my way to Australia, and by a consid
VI CRADLE effort secured our first mission
IL schooner, the Dayspring, and sine
! hen the work has steadily progresse
~ and Christian influence has been ea
!; tended to twenty-five islands. Tn
y, Bible has been translated and is nov
y read In twenty-five different Ian
" giages. and about eighteen thousan
natives have been reueemed from say
4eery. Out Of the savage cannibali
aInong whom we we're first placed, W
hove educated over three hundred M
b, tive teachers. The high chief in on
o island cheerfully gave up eleve
er wives in obedience to the creed W
Us t5ught"
No DR. Patton married a seconu tim
ic in 1862 and has now two sons engage
IN missionary work in the island
as from one he received a letter recent
az containing a wonderful story, illustra
c- ing the devotion Of the converted III
ss ives It appears that the chief {
10 IN inland town on one Of the island
invited DR.. Paton's son to visit him q