hes
built, one of which was capable of holding more than a thousand people;
and many young men were anxious to be trained, that they might carry the
gospel to other lands. I might give you a similar account of the way
Christianity has been introduced into many other islands, and small
groups of islands in this part of the Pacific; but I have a very
different one to give of the western part, or of those islands which
form what is called Melanesia. They consist of five groups, and not
only do the inhabitants of each group speak different languages, but
frequently those of neighbouring islands.

"We will begin with the large island of New Caledonia, on which the
French have lately formed a convict establishment. To the south of it
is the Isle of Pines, and to the east the three islands of Mare, Livu,
and Uea, forming the Loyalty group. At Mare and Livu chiefly,
Christianity has made progress, and Protestant missionaries have for
some years been residing on them, while the people of Uea have gladly
received the word; but the Isle of Pines has been stained with the blood
of several native missionaries; and not only did the savage people
reject the offer themselves, but they impeded its progress on New
Caledonia, by threatening all who became Christians, till the French
arrived and put a stop to the promulgation of Protestant truth among the
people. Altogether, the influence of Romanism has been most pernicious
in these islands.

"To the north-east of them are the New Hebrides, the most southern of
which is Aneiteum; next Tanna, Eromanga, Fate, Malicolo, Espiritu Santo,
and many others. The next group is that of Banks' Island, with Santa
Maria, and many small isles. The Santa Cruz group is the fourth in the
list; and to the north-west of them the Solomon Isles, consisting of
many large islands, make the fifth group. The London Missionary Society
have made every effort to carry the gospel to the inhabitants of the two
first named groups, and in some instances successfully.

"It was at Eromanga that the devoted missionary John Williams fell, with
his young companion Mr Harris, struck down by the club of a chief.
This sad murder did not prevent the Society from making further efforts
to send the gospel to the benighted inhabitants. Those efforts have
been blessed, and among the converts was the chief who committed the
deed, and who gave up to a missionary the very weapon with which the
fatal blow was struck. On Anei