Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-04-07
MISSIONARY LIFE
IN GILBERT GROUP
CONTINUED from nare u


The Gilbert Islands when Mr.. Gulick
first went there was very undesirable
place. The inhabitants were warlike
and jealousies among the chiefs eXcit
cd constant wars.
Some chiefs under the influence OF
the missionaries began to enact laws
against theft, murder and other crimes
and were trying to establish somewhat
permanent law and order. This state
OF affairs displeased rival chiefs and q
great war threatened.
The king of Apaiang, upon which isl.
and the missionary station was, Joined
forces with the king OF another island
and in Withdrawing his men left the
missionaries to the mercies of the at.
lacking forces which swarmed over
the island when the king and his men
had left.
These people were utter savages and
during the several months of their stay
the lives of the missionaries were new.
er safe.
The savages swarmed about their
houses and allowed themselves all
kinds of liberties. Mr.. Bingham, his
wife, MahOe, a native assistant, and
his wife, were the only missionaries
there and could do nothing.
one incident among the many which
Mr. bingham told may serve to show
how fearful the uncertainty of their
lives was to the little band OF mission.
aries.
one morning Mr. Bingham discover.
ed a big. burly savage crawling
thrnnuh f.ta ri 81, al
a window. As the fellow was evident
ly intent ON stealing, Mr.. Bingham
scared him by letting down the clap.
board with bang by means, OF n
string with which II was generally
opened and shut. The noise so scared
I the savage that he took to his heels
! His comrades, who stood near by.
ridiCuled him on seeing this, and this
made the fellow very angry, as the ma.
tives are very sensitive to ridicule.
ne consequently went up to Mr..
! bingham and pushed him with his
shoulder. Mr.. Bingham stood his
ground for some time, the savage
standing next to him and showing him
every now and then. Mrs. Bingham
I finally appeared and called the hus.
band in to breakfast and Mr. Bingham
gladly took the excuse for getting
away.
I This did not end the incident. After
breakfast, when Mr.. Bingham went in.
to the Westinghouse where there was
la large number of the savages Assem-.
bled, the would.be thief rose fIom
among them and followed behind him
, up to the room, where Mr.. Bingham
sat down In q chair. The native i'm.
mediately squatted down on the floor
/ in front of him and, producing two
pistols, began pointing them at him.
first one and then the other. Mr.. Bling.
ham thought that his last hour had
come. but he remained calm, closed
his eyes and prayed
The native did not fire. however, but
kept on sitting there, lifting up the
, pistols and aiming every now and
then. The rest of the natives filed out
| Of the room gradually. leaving Mr..
Bingham, the savage and the native
assistant alone.
! For two hours they remained thus,
Mr.. Bingham expecting every moment
to be his last, but finally the savage
gottircd and left the room without do
ing any harm.
! This and many other incidents 'serv.
ed to show to Mr.. Binghams audience
, what a terrible strain the life OF the
missionary must have been. and yet
Mr.. Bingham in closing HIS speech re-
mar"ed that ii he were only young
man again he would gladly go through
the same life to have the satisfaction
of spreading the word OF the Lord in
places where 1t had never been heard
Before.
| The meeting closed with prayer by
Rev. MIR. Alexander.
Among those present were: Rev. o.
II. Gulick, Rev. W. Waldron. Rev DR..
Serene Bishop, Rev. W. ID. Wester'
welt, Rev. W. II. Rice, Rev. o. p.
Emerson, Rev. VIM. Kincald, Rev. II.
Bingham, nev. J. p. Erdman, Rev. NJ,
Andrews, Rev. Mr.Alexander, Rev. l..
1 NJ. Pearson, Rev. A. V. Soares, Rev.
Mr.. Manase Rev. Mr.. Elkins, Prof,
Thee. Richards Mr., Lawes, Prof, Dyke
and others.