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THE TRACTABLE STRANGERS.

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They did not stay at this island, but proceeded to Raiatea, where they were kindly received by Mr. Williams and Mr. Threlkeld. These brethren immediately desired some of the natives to teach the strangers to read. Auura and his wife paid very great attention to all the instructions they received, but some of the others appeared slothful. Auura asked many sensible questions, and expressed a great desire to return to his own land to tell his poor dying countrymen the wonderful news of a Saviour: for he was one of those strangers of whom God says in the eighteenth psalm, "As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me." God seems to have prepared his heart by the Holy Spirit to receive the gospel with gladness.

In a few months Auura could both read and write, and was ready to return to his own land; but he could not venture to make so long a voyage in the canoe in which he had arrived.

At this time a ship visited the island. It was the Hope, commanded by Captain Grimes. The captain kindly offered to take Auura and his companions back to the island of Rurutu.

When Auura heard this proposal he was delighted. Only one thing grieved him: he felt he was not fit to instruct the people of Rurutu, and yet how could he hope that a teacher would

* Mr. Orsmond, who at first was stationed at Raiatea, had removed to the neighbouring island of Bo-ra-bo-ra.

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NATIVE MISSIONARIES.

But

accompany him to his distant land? though the missionaries could not go with him themselves, they determined to see whether any other persons would accompany the strangers. That evening they sent for all the people, who professed openly to love Christ by taking the Lord's Supper, and inquired whether any would go and dwell in Rurutu. Two natives arose, and said, "Here are we; send us." Their names were, Ma-he-me-ne, and Pu-na. The missionaries agreed to send them, as well as their wives and little children, (for one of them had two children.)

That whole night these two good men spent in preparing to leave their native land, in order to sail next morning.

There was another plan that the missionaries had formed. They wished to learn the way to Rurutu; so they asked the captain to tie one of their boats to his ship, and they desired some of the natives to go with the ship, and to return in the boat. By this means they hoped the natives would learn the way to Rurutu, so that they should be able to send men to it whenever they pleased.

This was a busy night indeed. Everybody in the chapel went home to find some present to give the native missionaries at parting. One brought a razor, another a knife, another a roll of cloth, another a few nails. The mission

ARRIVAL OF THE IDOLS.

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aries gave spelling-books, and, what was most valuable of all, a few copies of St. Matthew's Gospel, which Mr. Davies had translated. As there was some difference between the language of Rurutu and of the christian islands, it was difficult for Auura to understand the books, but he could make out the meaning with pains. It was intended that other books should soon be written.

Early in the morning the missionaries and many of the people prayed in the chapel with those who were going to depart, and then accompanied them to the ship.

How anxious the people left behind were to know whether Auura would find any of his countrymen living, and whether he would be able to persuade them to turn from idols to the living and true God!

On July the 5th they parted from the strangers. On August the 9th they beheld the boat (that the captain had taken in tow) returning. And what do you think it brought with it? Some prisoners, deaf, dumb, blind, and lame, who having eyes saw not, and having ears heard not-the frightful idols of Rurutu.

Besides these, the boat brought letters from Mahe-mene to Pomare, and also from Auura. The missionaries knew, from seeing the idols, that these letters contained good news. However, they were anxious to know the particulars.

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AUURA'S RECEPTION AT RURUTU.

The men also who returned in the boat related many things that had happened. I will give you a short account of them.

When Auura and his companions first reached Rurutu, the people were much surprised to see them, for they thought they had been eaten up by the evil spirit of the waters. Auura on his part was glad to find that his countrymen had not all perished by the plague. The king of the island was a youth about seventeen years old. He received Auura kindly, and permitted him to hold a great meeting of the inhabitants very soon after the arrival of the boat.

You know why Auura wished such a meeting to be held. He wanted to propose to the people giving up their idols. One circumstance had already occurred, which had made the people doubt the power of their idols.

The teachers, on first landing, had accidentally knelt down, to return thanks to God, upon a part of the shore sacred to Oro, and yet had not died, as the people had expected. They and some others had afterwards eaten upon a sacred spot, and the women had eaten with their husbands, and had partaken of hog and turtle. The Rurutans looked earnestly at them, (as the barbarians once did at Paul,) expecting some to have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly; but, when they saw no harm come to

PROPOSAL TO BURN THE GODS.

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them, they thought that the gods would come in the night and kill them, and one man actually went that night to inquire whether Auura's wife was still alive. But when in the morning they found the new-comers all well and safe, they began to suspect that they themselves had been deceived by the evil spirit.

In this frame of mind, they assembled according to Auura's request.

Auura spoke first. He said, "Friends! this is my desire, and therefore am I come back to this land, that you may know the name of the Son of God, and the work of the Holy Spirit in enlightening our hearts, and the mercy of God towards us. This is my desire,-Let the evil spirit be this instant cast into the fire; is it agreeable to you, kings and chiefs? Shall we burn the evil spirit even now? Shall we overthrow his kingdom? Let us no more worship him. Let him have no more reign in our hearts. Let the government of these little lands become Jehovah's." Then Auura proposed that they should all, both men and women, assemble and eat together in one place, and see whether they should really die, as the evil spirit had said.

The king and chiefs consented to this proposal, and replied, "We are glad because of your saying, "Burn the evil spirits in the fire."" They also expressed their great surprise when

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