The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1902-12-25
Missionary Tells of
Christmas Incident


healthy appetite, and it was with feel
ings of blissful satisfaction that they
pushed back their chairs from the
table in the dining room of the chap
ter house after the excellent luncheon
had been thoroughly discussed, while
the bishop picked up his cigar, and
bit the end of preparatory to light
ing it.
What a beautiful day this has
BEEN" said the dean; what typical
Christmas day, so bright and peace
full"
Eyes, nature seems to have been
quite in accord with the Christian
sentiment of the day" replied the
canon. but she is not always that
way. | have seen her in some spite
full moods on this the day of the ma
tiYity, and | have no doubt that the
peace of the day has often been Ylo-
lated by deeds of blood and violence"
There can be no doubt about that,
observed the bishop. MANY and many
a service has been brought to an I'M
timely end, and any one who has
been In the missionary service can,
no doubt, recall quite few thrilling
Christmas day experiences personally
If they will but search their memories
far enough"
"You were In the missionary service,
were you not?s asked the dean.
YES" .cp,.ad the bishop. but en-
countered no deeds of violence, though
an incident once happened in my cure
that very nearly precipitated one
1T was when l was stationed on one
of the Samoan islands, and had a
chapel in the village OF Alicia. Alicia
was situated at the head of the tiny
bay of Tamay, a beautiful arm OF the
sea, but one that had long been super
seeded by other and better harbors on
the island, and had fallen into such a
state of disuse that during my entire
incumbency of the Alicia district 1t
was visited but once by any vessel
other than the native fishing boat,
proas and catamarans. And this mem
orable visit occurred on Christmas
morning, when nature had donned her
brightest garb and smiled charming
and respondent on our little commnn-
ity. | hardly believe there was
heart in my congregation around that
bay that wasn't mellowed by the peace
that seemed to fill the air as the little
bell on the chapel summoned my hoek
to the Christmas celebration services.
81 had got as far as the reading OF
the second lesson when suddenly a
crash shook the atmosphere of the bay
and caused even the rafters of my lit
tie chapel to tremble. 1t was followed
by another and another, and as | look
ed up from the Bible, with the roaring
still booming in my ears the amaze
ment written on the faces of my flock
was reflected in my own. Despite my
surprise | continued calmly with the
lesson, though the booming continued
at regular intervals until ! had count
ed twenty-one distinct reports. The
discharges, | knew, could come from
nothing but cannon, but why the dis
charging of cannon in the Bay of Ia
may, and how did the cannon come
there? Though decidedly restless. the
natives In the chapel had for the most
part remained in their seats. but my
own amazement had scarcely begun
to subside when muttering from the
direction of the village growing soon
into a frightened roar was waited
through the open windows, and as the
cries took shape and we could distinct
ly hear the shouts of The Germans. ;"
THE Germans," my congregation was
seized with a panic. Despite my eff
forts to calm them, the natives began
to run from the church, and | was
soon left. solitary and alone. an
amazement-stricken priest, celebraf-
ing Easter services with no congre-
cation. completed the services as
abruptly as possible, and hurriedly re-
moving my surpllce, seized my beret-
ia and ran to the chapel door. which
commanded a fine view of the entire
bay. Judge my complete astonish-
ment when my eyes rested on a little
black German gunboat lying at anchor
in the middle Of the bay and two
boats full of sailors moving rapidly
through the still water toward the
shelving beach saw at a glance
that the village was absolutely desert
ed, and up the mountain side the last
struggling natives were disappearing
in the brush that grew thick close to
the edge Of the clearing.
For a few moments stood irreso-
I,,t 81,
think what mission had brought this
German gunboat TO our peaceful bay,
a place that hsdn't been entered by
any vessel, much less a man-of-war,
for years But standing there trying
to think out a reason for this appar.
emily hostile visit was utter foolish
ness when | could easily ascertain it
from the men in the boats, the first
of which was just then grating on the
floor of the beach. AS the sailors
sprang out to rag the boat further
away from the ayes | started down
the circuitor5 Ia toward the beach
q path that we ed its way in and out
among the roe cf the mountain, so
much that bot men and boats were
entirely hidde from me until
emerged from Aetween two huge
boulders on & he shells and sand
with the wav the bay almost at
my feet. The IT'S We're still there.
and a small stood near them.
but the bulk The men had disap-
peared, thoue' Guild hear them call
ing to one a. r on the other side
OF the yillae 1rIunately, | could
sneak a little man and had not