Headhunters

Brother Jones Among the Headhunters

Letter to the Editor I WAS much interested, to see in your issue of September, that Pastor Cap tain G. F. Jones, of the S.D.A., had done pioneer work in the British Solo mon Islands, and had been a missionary in New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Dutch New Guinea for 45 years.

Probably some of your readers who know the Solomons will be interested in the following outline of the gentleman’s pioneer work in the British Solomon Is lands, which was given by Pastor Watson (chairman of the Australian Union of Seventh Day Advent) in a speech at San Francisco on April 4, 1918, and reported in General Conference Bulletin, Vol. 8, No. 6.

After mentioning that Pastor Jones and his wife arrived in a small launch in 1915, Pastor Watson continued: “The cabin of that launch was only about 5 ft. high, and when they walked in it they had to stoop. And then, dear friends, they found amongst that people savage head-hunters, and didn’t dare sleep on land for eight months.”

He continued: “Then they settled on an island called Gizo. There is a British Resident on the island and some sort of civilisation there; but in much of this group there is absolutely no civilisation.

“Soon Brother Jones started out on a missionary cruise. The first night, after dark, as he was anchored, he heard paddles of canoes coming toward him

and knew they were head-hunters. He did not know but that that would be his last night on earth. The natives crowded over the side of the boat, swarmed over the deck and took possession of the ship.

“But, my friends, Brother Jones is a praying man, and a man of faith. He is only a little man, but, in speaking to me about it, he said T know I am a small man, but I am big enough to take the Solomon Islands for Christ’, and he prayed that night with his boat in pos session of savage head-hunters, and in stead of losing his head he got a crew to pilot him all round the islands.”

Pastor Watson added that “when Brother Jones went to these islands he found the people carrying human flesh to markets in baskets, to exchange for other articles of food.”

Sydney, 23/9/1939.

I am, etc.,

A resident of Apia, Western Samoa, Mr.

F. Rud Gebaner, has asked us to explain the circumstances connected with the re cent departure for Germany of Dr.

Kuebler. Dr. Kuebler visited Samoa in a private capacity; left for Pago on June 29, to catch the Matson liner, but had to return, when the mail-launch broke down, and spend another month in Apia; and finally got to Pago, and caught the liner to U.S.A., through the courtesy of H.M.S. “Achilles”. Some critical com ment had been made concerning Dr.

Kuebler’s “extended stay in the Terri tory”; but Mr. Gebaner points out in dignantly that the doctor’s stay was in voluntary—he was not responsible for the breakdown of the mail-launch.