in Tonga.
Taufaahau, now King George, was king only of Haabai, and Feenau was king
of Vavou. The first became a Christian, as did his queen, and was
baptised on January 10, 1830. He died in 1845, Feenau having previously
died; thus George became king in chief, and reigns over the three
groups, Tonga, Haabai, and Vavou, or the whole of the Friendly Islands.
The labours of the two zealous missionaries just mentioned were largely
blessed, and when Tubou was baptised the congregation amounted to six
hundred professing Christians.

King Josiah's reign was not altogether free from difficulties. The
heathen party was strong, and took up arms against him, being supported
by some French Roman Catholic priests who had settled in the islands.
They tried to embroil him, as they had already done Queen Pomare, of
Tahiti, with their own government, but were unsuccessful, and with the
assistance of King George the rebels were put down.

King George had himself become a Christian and a preacher, and
contributed greatly to the spread of the Gospel among his countrymen.
He is thus described by Mr Lawry, after he had become sovereign of the
whole group; it was in the large chapel of Nukualofa: "The king was in
the pulpit. The attention of his audience was riveted while he
expounded the words of our Lord, `I am come that ye might have life.'
The king is a tall, graceful person; in the pulpit he was dressed in a
black coat, and his manner was solemn and earnest. He held in his hand
a small bound manuscript book, in which his sermon was written, but he
seldom looked at it. His action was dignified, his delivery fluent and
graceful, and not without majesty. His hearers hung upon his lips with
earnest and increasing interest. Much of what he said was put
interrogatively, a mode of address which is very acceptable among the
Tongans. It was affecting to see this dignified man stretching out his
hand over his people, and to observe that one of his little fingers had
been cut off: this was formerly done as an offering to a heathen god, a
custom among his people before they became Christians. But while he
bore this mark of Pagan origin, he clearly showed that to him was grace
given to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."

The Tongans have been especially blessed in having had several
missionaries of high character, abilities, and zeal sent among them.
There are schools sufficient for the wants of the whole popul