The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-03-09
AMONG THE SAVAGES
n MISSIONARY LIVES THIRTY
YEARS WITH CANNlBALS.
Experience OF Rev. Or. John G. Patton
in the New Hebrdes lsIands-He
Saved His Life by Ruse-Mission-
aries Eaten by the Natives.

in the New Hebrdes lslands-He
Saved His Life by a Ruse-Mission-
aries Eaten by the Natives.
The career OF Rev. Dr. John q. Pa.
ton, a returned missionary from the
New Hebrides, from the time that he
left Scotland, thirty-one years ago, to
his return 10 America Is "A serial story
of adventure and hardship Of escapes
from death almost incredible. And 1t
was not in the path OF conquest or lead
Ing the serricd ranks Of battle that
DIR. Patton met and surmOuntcd dan
gers and difficulties and brought many
thousands OF ignorant sayagcs To an
understanding OF the art of ciyiliza-
tion, but it was in preaching the Cos
pei that DR. Patton and his associates
wrought their work.
Educated I'm the parish school In
Dumfrios, in southern Scotland and
finishing a course Of study IN the
classical and medical departments Of
the college NJ Glasgow, Dr Patton at
once began work as city missionary
in Glasgow His special field was
among the town police, and so appre-
ciative were the policemen Of his
eleven years labor among them that
upon his departure they gave him a
handsome gold watch. which nc now
carries. DR. Patton has established
clubs and reading circles among the
police. and IL is remarked that both
Protestant and Catholic policemen
contributed TO the gift The watch
bears the inscription: Presented to
DR. John c. Patton. city missionary.
I,, h,. a pt ,r Ipn.
h Ice as "A token OF their appreciation
of his zeal I'm the promotion of their
temporal and eternal welfare, March,
1857"
In 1853 Dr Patton accompanied by
his bride of a year, left for the mis-
sionary field In the New Hebrides
The New Hebrides are "A group of isl.
ands i'm the South Sea- an archipelago
of Polynesia, chain extending from
latitude l3 degrees south, longitude
lG6 degrees east. TO latitude 20 de.
grees south. longitude 10 degrees
east about five hundred miles long.
and adjacent TO the island of Bornco.
Weeks later DR. Patton arrived at
the island of Tanna. one of the north.
crn islands of the group and landing
began his labors. For time the In.
but white trader visiting the islands
made an unwarranted personal attack
upon DR.. Patton, and following this
the savage natives plundcred the
house and hardly day passed with
out some attempt upon the lives Of
the missionaries, compelling them to
leave the islands and seek n refuge
with native chief I'm another island.
When the party landed at Tanna there
was fine harbor capable of aCcOmo.
dating n largo number of vessels, but
an upheaval Of the earth completely
destroyed it After the escape of tho
party from Tanna they We're given
shelter for n time with a friendly
chief. but the natives were hostile,
and an attempt was made To escape
from the island i'm an open boat but
n rough sea compelled the workers 10
land again. On the following night
the missionaries were assailod and
the house In which they were stop
ping burned and the life OF DR.. Patton
was attempted DIR. Patton, in speak
ing OF the attack. said:
81 dehcd the natives, and, apparent
ly In answer to my prayer, "A tornado
came with incredible swiftness, and
SO alarmed the natives that they ran
away and molcsted us no more
The mission passed through hap.
tism of blood in beginning the work
in South Sea Islands, said DR.. Patton.
THE population OF the group was then
estimated at 10000. all Cannihals,
without clothing and with no written
language. On Aneityum, where we did
our first work. every widow was
strangled to death the moment her
husband died. Child murder was com
mon, and children destroyed their par
cnts when long sick or aged Neigh
boring tribes were often at war with
each other. and all they killed were
feasted upon by their conquerors
which was also the fate of all ship.
wrecked sailors and strangers who fell
into their hands while crimes OF the
most revolving character were delight.
ed in. Five missionaries were muir.
dered and two of them eaten on Err
rumaga. A sixth fell by my side
and died In consequence OF an attack
upon our lives az Tanna. Members OF
the mission families and many native
teachers with their wives and chill.
dren either died or were murdered
and eaten by the heather. Those as.
sociated with me either died or were
killed. leaving me the only missionary
north of Aneityum living TO tell the
story
1T was thirty.six years ago that.
barely escaping with my life | found
my way To Australia. and by consid-
cradle effort secured our first mission
schooner. the Dayspring. and since
then the work has steadily progressed
and Christian influence has been ex.
tended TO twenty-five islands. The
Bible has been translated and Is now
read in twenty-five different Ian.
guages. and about eighteen thousand
natives have been redeemed from saw.
agery. Out OF the savage cannibals.
among whom we were first placed. We
have educated over three hundred ma.
tive teachers. The high chief i'm one
island cheerfully gave up eleven
wives in obedience TO the creed we
| taught"