e
my Litsi with you, I want you to train her for Jesus."

She was a very intelligent child, learned things like any white girl,
and soon became quite a help to Mrs. Paton. On seeing his niece dressed,
and so smart-looking, the old Chief's only brother, the Sacred Man that
had attempted to shoot me, also brought his child, Litsi Sisi (=the
Little) to be trained like her cousin. The mothers of both were dead.
The children reported all they saw, and all we taught them, and so their
fathers became more deeply interested in our work, and the news of the
Gospel spread far and wide. Soon we had all the Orphans committed to us,
whose guardians were willing to part with them, and our Home become
literally the School of Christ--the boys growing up to help all my
plans, and the girls to help my wife and to be civilized and trained by
her, and many of them developing into devoted Teachers and Evangelists.

Our earlier Sabbath Services were sad affairs. Every man came
armed--indeed, every man slept with his weapons of war at his side--and
bow and arrow, spear and tomahawk, club and musket, were always ready
for action. On fair days we assembled under the banyan tree, on rainy
days in a Native hut partly built for the purpose. One or two seemed to
listen, but the most lay about on their backs or sides, smoking,
talking, sleeping! When we stopped the feast at the close, which the
Aneityumese Teacher had been forced to prepare before our coming, and
for which they were always ready, the audiences at first went down to
two or three; but these actually came to learn, and a better tone began
immediately to pervade the Service. We informed them that it was for
their good that we taught them, and that they would get no "pay" for
attending Church or School, and the greater number departed in high
dudgeon as very ill-used persons! Others of a more commercial turn came
offering to sell their "idols," and when we would not purchase them, but
urged them to give up and cast them away for love to Jesus, they carried
them off, saying they would have nothing to do with this new Worship.

Amidst our frequent trials and dangers in those earlier times on Aniwa,
our little Orphans often warned us privately and and saved our lives
from cruel plots. When, in baffled rage, our enemies demanded who had
revealed things to us, I always said, "It was a little bird from the
bush." So the dear children grew to have perfect confidence in us. They
knew we would