Thomas Lewis

The Polynesian Wife Of

Letter to the Editor IN your issue of April, 1937, I read with interest an article describing a memorial ceremony, marking the graves of the two first missionaries of the Lon don Mission Society to die in Tahiti — Thomas Lewis, 1799, and John Jefferson, 1807.

I note that a heavy concrete slab laid over the two graves bears the following inscription: “Here lie Thomas Lewis, died November 27, 1799. and John Jef ferson, etc.”

It may be of interest to your many readers to learn that this missionary, with others, landed in Tahiti as early as 1797; but the causes leading up to and the unhappy circumstances some two years later surrounding the death of Thomas Lewis are of significance and importance.

The following is an extract from a publication by William Ellis entitled “Polynesian Researches,” published by Fisher, Son, and Jackson, London, in 1829. Volume I. at page 94, reads: “Towards the close of the year 1799, the missionaries were called to the mel ancholv duty of conveying to the silent grave, i.inder verjf distressing circum stances, Mr. Lewis, one of their number, and the first missionary who had termin ated his life on the shores of Tahiti.

He landed from the ship Duff in 1797, continued to labour with his companions, respected and useful, until about three months after the departure of the Naut ilus with the families to Port Jackson, when he left the mission house, and took up his residence with a taio, or friend, in t.ie eastern part of the district.

“Three weeks afterwards, he intimated to his companions his intention of unit ing in marriage with a native of the

island, solemnly purposing to abide faith ful toward her until death.

“Considering her an idolatress, the missionaries deemed this an inconsistent and unlawful act, but Mr. Lewis, persev ering in his determination, they dissolved the connection that had subsisted be tween him and themselves, as members of the church of Christ, and discontinued all Christian and social intercourse with him. He was still constant in attendance on public worship, industrious in the culture of his garden, and in working for the King and principal chiefs, who were evidently much attached to him.

“On the 23rd of November, the mission aries heard he had died on the preceding evening. They hastened to his house, and found the corpse lying on a bed; the forehead and face considerably disfigured with wounds, apparently inflicted with a stone and a sharp instrument. The female with whom he had lived as his wife in formed them that he went out of his house on the preceding evening, and that, hearing a noise shortly afterwards, she hastened to the spot whence it proceeded and saw him on the pavement in front of the house, beating his head against the stones. On looking at that part of the pavement where he had fallen, one or two of the stones were stained with blood.

“Some of the natives said that the evil spirit had entered into him; but, from several expressions that were used, there was reason to apprehend he had been murdered.

“Assisted by two or three natives, Mr.

Bicknell and Mr. Nott dug his grave in a spot near their dwelling, on the north side of Matavai bay, which had been selected as a place of interment. On the evening of 29th of November, 1799, Mr.

Nott, Mr. Jefferson, Mr, Eyre and Mr.

Bicknell bore his remains to the grave, where Mr. Harris read the 90th Psalm,

and offered up an appropriate prayer to Almighty God.

“The circumstances of his death were truly affecting, and the feelings of the missionaries such as it would be in vain to attempt to describe. They have since learned that he was murdered, and some of them have also regretted that after his separation, kindness and friendly intercourse were not continued, which might perhaps, without compromise of

character, have been consistently main tained . . .”

There are three salient features arising out of this narrative.

Firstly, the date of death of Thomas Lewis given is November 22, and not November 27, as inscribed on the memor ial slab.

Secondly, the Tahitian wife of Mr.

LOwis was libelled an idolatress, although it was the wish of Mr. Lewis that he be

married by his companions according to their Christian faith.

Thirdly, the suicidal suggestions as to the actual cause of deceased’s death were later rebutted, and it is now a proven fact that Mr. Lewis was murdered by intimidated relatives of his wife.

Thus, not only did Thomas Lewis die a Christian martyr, but he was the first and greatest martyr to the cause of those of us who can boast of our part-Poly nesian blood.

I am, etc., Auckland, N.Z. 27/5/37.

Fiame.

Rev. John Bodger, who has been in Sydney on sick leave, returned by the Macdhui on June 5 to take up mission duty at Dogura, Papua.