Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-26
Christian Endeavor Hour
Conducted by Grace Livingston Hrl-Lutz.

Seas" Psalm xcvi liz
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice;
let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
2. Clouds and darkness are round about
him: righteousness and judgment are the
ha bitation of his throne.
3. A fire goeth before him and burneth
up his enemies round about.
4. His lightnings enlightened the world:
the earth saw, and trembled.
s. The hills melted like wax at the pres
ence OF the Lord, at the presence OF the
Lord of the whole earth.
6. The heavens declare his righteousness.
and all the people see his glory.
Z. COMPOUNDED be all they that serve
craven images, that boast themselves OF
idols; worship Him, all ye gods.
s. Zion heard and was glad; and the
daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy
judgments, o Lord.
0. For Thou, Lord. art high above all
earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil: he
preserveth the souls of his saints; he de-
livereth them out of the hand of the
wicked.
IL. Light is sown for the righteous, ana
gladness for the upright IN heart
Il. Rejoice in the Lord, We righteous: give
ness.
John Williams was born at Tottcnham
near London, in 1876. Verify the Lord
chooses His own instruments and pre-
pares them. This one was already started
in the business of an ironmonger, having
not a little experience when at the age
or twenty he was converted and gave his
life to His Masters service as a mission
airy.
One finds wonder at first hearing the
story, that God wasted those years of train
ing upon him. Why should a missionary
need to know about iron and mechanics?
But later, as We read father the romantic
story of this wonderful life and learn how
he went among the heather and taught
them everything. even shipbutlding, making
chairs and tables, and making plaster out
OF the coral, it no longer seems strange that
his wise Master let his hands and head be
trained In all practical matters that he
would need in order to lead the heather to
a higher plane of civilization. John Will
iiarnS was consecrated both heart and hand.
When boat was needed or he saw the
heather should have chairs and tables he
did not write home and beg for those things
to be sent, nor stand back and say he came
10 preach and he was not q carpenter; he
went to work with his hands and the inge-
nuity God had given him and did all he
could In all possible ways to uplift the
people he had come among to- bless He
even taught the people how to develop the
sugar industry.
And God had opened the door for this
brave young man. When he went to the
south seas he was first stationed at Eimeo,
enc OF the Society Islands, where he quickly
learned the language When he went to
his permanent headquarters, Raiatea, he
found that that island had already heard
of the Christian religion and welcomed him
with cordial reception. He straightway
went to work to do all he could for the
elevation of that people. He helped them
make a code of laws and he became the
recognized friend of the people. while they
came from all about to hear him preach
After he had been there but q few years
it is said that the island was transformed
so that cannibalism, infantlcide and idola-
try had ceased.
And not only were these heather convert
ed. but they were taught to give to mis-
sions Think of it! Heather, cannibals,
idolatersl And within a few short years
learning to love the Lord Jesus well enough
to sacrifice something 10 give the knowledge
of Him to othersl
1t is said that he proposed to his converts
that each family Should set apart pig to
be sold for the missionary cause. They
gladly accepted his proposal and the next
morning everywhere the squealing of pigs
could be heard as they received the mark
in the ear which set them apart to the
service of God. The result was contribu-
ton of G103.
From Raiatea he went to Rarotonga,
where he brought about the same wonderful
for eighteen years he went from one island
to another, bringing the news of salvation,
until no island within a reach of a hundred
miles but had heard of Jesus. Can you and
/ say much for the sphere in which our
Father has placed us? Have We tried to
reach every one with whom We come in
daily contact?
Then. when God had most wonderfully
preserved his life through dangers and ter
rors almost unbelievable, among people
thoroughly degraded and sinful, and it had
been proved to him that the Lord pre-
seryeth the souls of His saints" he was
permitted to go up in the fiery chariot of
martyrdom to crown his wonderful life
labors.
For long time the condition of the New
Hebrides had weighed upon his heart, and
at last ne and his young helper and com
panion Harris, unaer the auspices of the
London Missionary Society, landed on the
Island Of Erromanga on the Both of No
yember, 1899.
The people on that island had lately re-
ceiVed a visit from ships crew, who had
slaughtered their children and committed
horrible cruelties, and the natives were
reused against all white people. Within
q few minutes of the landing of these two
brave consecrated men they were dubbed
to death and the savages proceeded to
coon and feast upon their bodies, knowing
not that they had slain their best friends
and that the blood of the martyrs, had bap-
tized the soil of the New Hebrides. 1t
lowed these two men to be taken away
when they might have done so much good,
but God had other workmen, and His
bright crown was ready for these two.
Neither was their death without gain. for
the PRAYERS and tears that came from all
Christian hearts at their death brought the
blessing of God upon the work, and IL was
not long before other missionaries took
their places.
Years later after Drawing much danger
and trial and escaping death In various
ways many times, when John G. Patton
finally sailed back among those islands on,
the missionary ship Dayspring, and planted
mission stations and placed missionaries
here and there, the natives said In wonder:
How is this! We slew or drove them
all away! We plundered their houses and
robbed them Had we been so treated
nothing would have made us return. But
they come back with beautiful new snip
and with more and more missionaries
Ard Is II to trade ana to get money like
Tho other white men? No no! But to tell
ms OF their Jehovah God apd of His Son
Tesns II their God makes them do all
that we may well worship Him, too:
I'm this way" says Mr.. Patton, island
after island was opened up to receive the
missionary. and their chiefs bound them
selves TO protect and cherish him. before
they knew anything whatever of the Cos
pei beyond what they saw In the DISPOSE
ton and character of its preachers, or
heard rumored regarding Its fruits on