The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-08-05
The ROrOtOnga New Testament
By REV. EDGAR CORDELL POWERS
Executive Secretary


By REV. EDGAR CORDELL POWERS
Executive Secretary
One hundred and one years ago las
January, the Editorial Committee o.
the British and Foreign Bible Society
had an interview with one. of the mos
remarkable men who ever wore shoe
leather. He had brought to England
from the South Seas the manuscript o.
the New Testament in the language Of
Rorotonga. In his comment upon the
rigid examination to which. his worl
was subjected by the Committee, he
revealed a measure. of scholarship
which fitted him admirably for this
task of translation. Every verse haG
been diligently compared. with the
Greek original, also with the Tahitiar
with which it closely corresp0nded. He
stated as principle of translation
this fundamental conception, that ex-
cellence of traslation depends equally
upon acquaintance with the language
from which it is to be made and the
language into which it is to be- rem
dered. Both of these qualifications met
in John Williams and his associates.
John Williams was born in Londan,
June 20, 1896. He had little schooling.
and at fourteen years was apprenticed
to an ironmonger in the City Road.
Besides serving as a clerk, he found
time to learn the use of tools and be-
came very expert craftsman.
Coming under the influence of Mat
thew Wilkes, the missionary-minded
pastor of Moorfelds Tabernacle, he
offered himself as a missionary, and
was accepted by the London Mis-
sionary Society when he was only
twenty years old. On July %, 1916, a
great congregation in Surrey Chapel
babe Godspeed to Robert Moffat, to
John Williams and some others.
Those were the days of sailing ships,
the voyage to the Island of Eimeo re-
quired year. After a few months at
Eimeo they went on to Raiatea, the
largest island of the Society Group.
Eleven months later he was preaching
regularly in the language of which he
knew not a word when he landed, a
tribute indeed to his linguistic ability.
Not only did he labor hard and success
fully to win the islanders for Christ,
but he also taught them useful arts.
Daily he translated portions of the
Scriptures for the natives, and some
felt the urge to carry the Gospel to
other islands of this archipelago. The
adventurous voyages now undertaken
place him among the greatest of mis-
sionary pioneers. In the course of a
memorable voyage of 1928 John Will
liams discovered the Island of Roro-
tonga, left heroic evangelist Papeiha,
who landed carrying with him moth
ing but his Clothes" Later Williams
returned to this island, and in seven
months had so far mastered the Ian
guage that he felt he could make a
beginning of his translation of the
New Testament into that tongue.
When the work was completed after
seven years, he returned to London in
order to publish his Rorotonga Testa-
ment. In making his report of this
missionary enterprise he said: 81
found the people in whose language
this book is now printed, all heathens.
I left them all Christians. 1 found
them idolaters. I left the stone affairs
of idolatry broken down, and Christian
churches erected in their places. l
found them without a written Ian
guage; 1 left them reading in their
own tongue the wonderful works of
God" --.. g..
At what fearful cost has the world
been evangelical! The trail of Chris
tian victories is marked at every step
by the blood of it's martyrs. John Will
liams died a martyrs death in Novem-
Der, 1889. His ship touched at Tanna.
He landed among a crowd of 'savages
who despite his friendly oyertures,
dubbed him to death. Verify che count
ed not his life dear unto himself"
The Book For the Whole of Life
The story of Sir Walter? Scott re-
questing his son-in-law, Loekhart, to
read to him from "The Book" has been
told in many lands, but is always in
spring, however familiar it may be.
Lockhart asked, "What Book? 2" know
ing Sir Walters wide knowledge Of
books and that he had written many,
To this question came the startling
reply Of the dying scholar and poet:
There is but one Book, the Bible; read
to me from that Book" - ''.''.
Coleridge, an omniverous reader
of the worlds greatest PHILOSOPHERS
bore testimony that the Bible "found
him" in all his moods. This well known
verdict on the efficacy of the Holy
Scriptures to touch heart and con-
science has heen ECHOED INV Rihln low