nd in the Church, and
that was the first avenue by which the New Religion winged its way into
the heart of Cannibal and Savage.

The old Chief was particularly eager that this same aged lady, his wife
Yauwaki, should be taught to read. But her sight was far gone. So, one
day, he brought her to me, saying, "Missi, can you give my wife also a
pair of new glass eyes like mine? She tries to learn, but she cannot see
the letters. She tries to sew, but she pricks her finger, and throws
away the needle, saying, 'The ways of the white people are not good!' If
she could get a pair of glass eyes, she would be in a new world like
Namakei." In my bundle I found a pair that suited her. She was in
positive terror about putting them on her face, but at last she cried
with delight, "Oh, my new eyes! my new eyes! I have the sight of a
little girl. Oh, my new eyes!"

CHAPTER LXX.
A ROOF-TREE FOR JESUS.

AT first we moved about amongst the Natives from village to village,
acquired their language, and taught them everywhere,--by the roadside,
under the shade of a tree, or on the public Tillage Ground. Our old
Native Hut, when we removed to the Mission House formerly referred to,
was also used for all sorts of public meetings. Feeling by and by,
however, that the time had come to interest them in building a new
Church, and that it would be every way helpful, I laid the proposal
before them, carefully explaining that for this work no one would be
paid, that the Church was for all the Islanders and for the Worship
alone, and that every one must build purely for the love of Jesus.

I told them that God would be pleased with such materials as they had to
give, that they must not begin till they had divided the work and
counted the cost, and that for my part I would do all that I could to
direct and help, and would supply the sinnet (= cocoanut fiber rope)
which I had brought from Aneityum, and the nails from Sydney.

They held meeting after meeting throughout the Island. Chiefs made long
speeches; orators chanted their palavers; and warriors acted their part
by waving of club and tomahawk. An unprecedented friendliness sprang up
amongst them. They agreed to sink every quarrel, and unite in building
the first Church on Aniwa,--one Chief only holding back. Women and
children began to gather and prepare the sugar-cane leaf for thatch. Men
searched for and cut down suitable trees.

The Church measured sixty-two feet by twenty-four. The w