that the sum spent directly by our Society in assisting elementary educacation is less than one-fourth of the total cost of the schools Three-fourths are contributed by the churches, spurred on by the personal work and efforts of the missionaries, the prospect of pecuniary help from the London Missionary Society, and in very many instances by, what to many will seem a less worthy motive, a desire to stand well with the Government. And yet, notwithstanding that we pay so small a share of the cost, as far as the kind of teaching given is concerned we have supreme influence— influence which we will use, not for the spread of Anglicanism or sectarianism, but, as we believe, for the growth of the people in knowledge of the Word of God, and in Christian morality. OTHER WORK. Having shown you how examination work has run away with my time, you will be prepared to hear that my direct teaching has been less than formerly. I still do what I can in visiting and superintending the five Congregational schools of the city which lie in my district, in teaching the Palace School on the Wednesday, in teaching the sol-fa notation of music on Thursday afternoon, in my three drawing-classes on Friday, and in my fortnightly class at Ambatofotsy on the Tuesday; but these, to my great sorrow, are being constantly thrust aside by demands for examinations in the country. From the time Mr. Pearse left the Analakely district, in addition to my normal work of school superintendence and examination, I have had to administer the Society's grant to the district, and to attend to the whole school business of the district. Now and again Mr. Moss has assisted me in this to the extent of his power. Miss Cameron also has maintained her connection with Ambatofotsy, and Mrs. Moss has done what she could for the girls in the Analakely (City) School. Had I time I would like to write a report on our Analakely School, with its now 220 scholars, but I must leave it. For the Imarovatana district I have been trying to do what I have done for that of Analakely, in order that it might suffer as little as possible from Mr. Baron's absence. I go regularly to Ambohidratrimo once a month, meet with the teachers of the district, examine their school registers, try to smooth away difficulties for them, pay them the London Missionary Society's help, and supply them from time to time with such books as they need in teaching. The examinations take place with as great regularity as possible. Here I take occasion to acknowledge Mr. Pickersgill's help in conducting examinations in Mr. Baron's district. ASSISTANT-INSPECTOR. Ratsimba, who entered the service of the Society as my assistant in July, 1874, after one year and three months' faithful service, was called to the service above last November. He was chiefly employed in visiting schools in the neighbourhood of the city (reports of which visits he brought to me or to Mr. Lord), and in assisting at examinations. His health began to fail in the beginning of October, and for nearly a month he was in the hospital at Analakely, under Dr. Davidson's care. During his illness I frequently visited him; always found him very submissive to the will of the great Father, and, even to the last, much interested in what had been our common work. Mr. Lord and I are both very anxious to secure another assistant. In conclusion, I would like to assure you that no expenditure of the Society's money is so carefully considered as that upon the elementary schools; and the Directors may feel confident that especially in this branch of mission work they are reaping abundant results. May God increase them! 744 II-South Seas- Rarotongan Evangelist. TE EAVA, the first native teacher from RAROTONGA to the heathen, was ordained in the year 1832 by the late Rev. AARON BUZACOTT, and located by his colleague the Rev. JOHN WILLIAMS on the island of MANONO, during his second visit to the Navigators' Group. From the time of his reception as a member of the native church at Avarua, nearly half a century ago, to the day of his death in the spring of the present year, TEAVA has remained steadfast in his adherence to the truths of Christianity: these he practically embodied in a holy and useful life. The readers of the "Missionary Enterprises" will call to mind an incident that occurred on board the Messenger of Peace in the month of October, 1832, in which vessel Teava was proceeding to his first sphere of labour. Mr. Williams thus describes it : "I requested Teava to conduct our morning's devotions; and, being much pleased with the novelty and excellency of his prayer, and the pious fervour of his manner, I wrote it down immediately after, and have preserved the following extract: "If we fly up to heaven, we shall find Thee there; if we dwell upon the land, Thou art there; if we sail upon the sea, Thou art there; and this affords us comfort; so that we sail upon the ocean without fear, because Thou, O God, art in our ship. The king of our bodies has his subjects, to whom he issues his orders; but, if he him-. self goes with them, his presence stimulates their zeal; they begin it with energy, they do it soon, they do it well. O Lord, Thou art the king of our spirits; Thou hast issued orders to Thy subjects to do a great work; Thou hast commanded them to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; we, O Lord, are going upon that errand; and let Thy presence go with us to quicken us; and enable us to persevere in the great work until we die. Thou hast said that Thy presence shall go with Thy people, even unto the end of the world. Fulfil, O Lord, to us this cheering promise. I see, O Lord, a compass in this vessel, by which the shipmen steer the right way; do Thou be our compass to direct us in the right course, that we may escape obstructions and dangers in our work. Be to us, O Lord, the compass of salvation.'" 2. TEAVA'S LIFE AND LABOURS. In his work among the heathen TEAVA proved himself "apt to teach,' and as the result of his labours whole tribes abandoned idolatry and expressed their readiness to place themselves under Christian instruction. At MANONO and in the SAMOAN Islands he spent more than twenty years. "With his life in his hand," writes Mr. Buzacott, "he travelled in an open canoe from island to island, striving to remove the prejudices of the people, and to prepare the natives to receive European missionaries." He subse quently returned to his native island of RAROTONGA, where he was permitted to spend the evening of his days. The following sketch of TEAVA'S personal character has been kindly furnished by the Rev. JAMES CHALMERS : "During the last nine years, I have seen much of Teava, and learned to admire the man. He lived much in prayer and the study of God's word; at prayer meetings he was always first there at least half an hour before any one else, so that he might have time to pray and receive a blessing for himself and others before the service began. He was never absent from the deacons' Saturday afternoon prayermeeting. He was always ready to speak to the church, pointing ever to Christ and warning them against the many evils to which they are exposed. From his long, true, and earnest life he was able to speak to them as only a very few could. He spoke very plainly, not at all mincing matters when occasion required. He had great regard for the Pilgrim's Progress,' and his great delight was to have me sit with him, when we would go over a part of the Christian's journey to 'Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.' From his position in the land ho was able to speak faithfully to the chiefs. He rejoiced greatly in the good the present Makea was the means of doing. For five weeks before his death he was unable to attend the services in church, but he welcomed any who could spend a short time with him in prayer in his own house. He told me some days before he died that he was just waiting on; he knew it could not be long now till the Master sent for him. He said he was done with all below, and looked only for that in Christ's presence. Not in what he had done did he trust, but in the Cross of Christ alone. On the 16th of March he asked for a little food; it was given him, but he could not eat it; he got up and walked a very short distance in the house when he said, 'I think the messenger has come to fetch me; I shall die.' His wife and another woman laid him down on his mat, when he quietly passed away. What a change; in his youth he was a heathen, had fought, taken his men and cooked them. In his manhood he was converted to Christ, became a true soldier of the Cross, and led many to the Saviour. In his death he trusted alone to Christ, conquered death in Christ, and went up to hear him say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,' and to join in the song, 'Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." As one and another of the earlier converts are removed by the hand of death, it is gratifying to know that their places are being supplied by others like minded, to whom the rising generation may look up as counsellors and guides. "The AITUTAKIANS," adds Mr. Chalmers, have chosen IOANE, pastor of AVARUA, as their pastor. He is a good man, firm and peaceable. We consented to his accepting the call, and he left in the John Williams. The AVARUA church has re-elected TEAOA as their pastor. Teaoa is a good pastor. He preaches well, is a good visitor of the sick, and is true and faithful in dealing personally both with old and young. He has entire charge of the church, receives candidates, baptizes, administers the ordinance, and marries." III.— — Female Education in India and China. T is now more than a year since the LADIES' COMMITTEE Commenced their work, and they feel sure that those friends to whom they look for help and support in the work of FEMALE MISSIONS will be glad to have a short report of what has been done during the past months. Of actual results they have not as yet, of course, much to tell; but something has been accomplished in the way of preparation. Two ladies went out to INDIA last November MISS HEWARD to Bhowanipore, CALCUTTA, and MISS TUBBS to MIRZAPORE. Both were warmly welcomed by the missionaries and their wives, to whom they have been sent as fellowhelpers; and the Committee cannot but express their thankfulness that these two first agents of the mission should give such bright promise of proving themselves in every way just such earnest and efficient labourers as are needed for this great work. They have devoted themselves zealously to their first duty, that of trying to master a difficult language. MISS HEWARD writes: "I am very anxious to interest my friends at home, especially my young lady friends, in a Hindu girls' school of which we have just obtained possession. Our secretary thought we could not undertake it, owing to the scarcity of funds, but the opportunity offered to us of bringing so many (thirty-eight girls now attend) under Christian influences, seemed too good to be lost; and so, trusting in Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly, I have begun this work at Behala. It occurred to me that if I could get a number of young ladies to agree to subscribe a guinea or half-a-guinea a year, I might furnish them with all particulars of our work in the school in the Zenanas (to which I expect to gain access through the children), and in this way their interest in and knowledge of mission work would be greatly increased, and I should be relieved of all anxiety about the necessary funds. It seems to me such a privilege to be a labourer, that I do wonder that labourers are so few. Do pray for us who are bearing the heat and burden of the scorching day. We are weak, and the work is very great, and we need your prayers and sympathy and help. I shall be so glad when I am able to tell the 'old, old story' to the people in their own tongue. "Are you going to send out any more ladies this year? We want more here. I suppose that funds are needed, and I am quite sure that there would be no difficulty in raising them, if this branch of our Mission were brought prominently into notice." "I am glad to hear," writes Miss TUBBS, of MIRZAPORE, "that there is atleast the prospect of three more ladies coming out this year, though I had hoped that many more would offer themselves for the work. I have been told that there must be 5,000 Zenanas at least in Mirzapore, yet our little band of workers - Mr. and Mrs. Hewlett and myself-are the only English workers here! At present, only a few Bengali houses are visited. |