100 Years Ago

How English Mission Took Christianity to Loyalties

Prom Our Own Correspondent NOUMEA, August 8.

THE island of Lifou, largest of the Loyalty group, which lies 50 miles off and parallel to the east coast of New Caledonia, has just been celebrating a centenary—that of the beginning of the island’s evangelisation by a Samoan named Fao.

In 1840, the English missionary, John Williams, embarked on the brig “Cam den” a number of Samoan teachers who were to spread Christianity throughout the South-west Pacific. They were put ashore at various parts of the New Heb rides; but, on landing at Erromango, John Williams himself was killed and eaten. The “Camden” then touched at the Isle of Pines, and the Loyalties, before landing other teachers on the west coast of New Caledonia, at the Bay of St. Vincent.

Of the Loyalty islands, Mare was the first to receive attention, the three lay brothers, Tataio, Taniela and Fao being landed. Thev were cordially received by hisrh chief Naisseline, grandfather of the present chief, so many of whose subjects

have volunteered for the Free French naval and military forces.

But in 1841, which was the time of the Samoans’ arrival, the neighbouring isle of Lifou was the scene of an insurrection, chief Boula and his family, known as the Api Co, having been chased away by their subjects, the Angaetra. They took refuge at the village of Gaitcha, with chief Zeoula, and sent an envoy, named Nazohri, by canoe, to Mare, to demand help from chief Naisseline.

The latter assembled his best warriors and embarked them on his war fleet, together with the three Samoans. They landed on the beach at Ahrarewed, near a place called Mou, where they camped.

From here, they sent a message to the council of chiefs owning allegiance to Boula, through chief Lue Melem, who had been elected head of the Angaetra at the time of the ruling family’s flight.

Naiselline demanded that Boula should be re-established on the throne and that the Samoan Fao should remain on Lifou to teach the gospel. Otherwise, war to the knife.

Luc Melem accepted these conditions and made his peace with Boula, and Fao was authorised to teach the Lifouans Christianity. He built the first church on Ahrarewed beach, where he had landed, and it is here that a monument recording the centenary has just been erected., Unfortunately, owing to war rationing and drought, the fete could not be kept up for long. One of Lifou’s high chiefs, incidentally, is still a Boula; one meets him, as well as Naisseline, when official business calls to Noumea.

In May, 1884, a decree obliged all schools in the Loyalties to teach French.

Those, which for decades had taught in the native languages and in English were closed altogether. The few English mis sionaries. who had. done sterling work there, were forced out of the country— being sneered at on passing through Noumea as “English Tartuffes.” One of them, the Rev. Mr. Jones, who worked for years in Mare, recently died in Syd ney at a ripe old age. French Protestant missionaries who succeeded him have paid tribute to his work.