ce of mind, and that gaiety and dissipation most assuredly quench
spiritual life. She had found, too, that even a decent church-attending
style of existence may be unprofitable to the soul, and as certain to
lead to spiritual death. My sister-in-law was not entirely alone.
There were two other stations on the island, which was large, and the
missionaries and their wives enjoyed frequent intercourse, thus
encouraging and supporting each other.

Indeed, I have as a rule found the stations the most prosperous both
spiritually and physically where two missionary families have been
living together, or where they are near enough to meet frequently. A
missionary's wife has to attend to her household duties, often not
slightly onerous when she has children requiring instruction. Then she
has the female schools to look after, adult classes to receive at her
own house, to afford advice to all who ask it, to call on the sick and
to administer medicine, and to visit often from house to house. She
must correspond with friends at home; she has her private devotions, and
must take time for reading and self-examination, or she will find that
she can ill perform her other duties. I do not believe that I have
overstated the amount of work I have known my sister-in-law and other
missionaries' wives perform. Indeed, my own wife was in the habit of
getting through not less daily, for weeks together.

Although the greater number of the inhabitants of the island had become
Christians in name, there was still a large district the powerful chief
of which remained a stubborn heathen. He seemed to hate the gospel with
a deadly hatred, and threatened to club any of his subjects who should
venture to lotu. Notwithstanding this, several who had heard the truth,
either directly or through their friends, had secretly escaped to
Christian villages. Many of these persons had become really converted,
and were of course longing to induce their relatives and friends to
become Christians likewise.

Such was the state of things when the _Olive Branch_ arrived at the
island. A more beautiful picture could scarcely be found than that
presented by the calm bay on which our little vessel floated, with her
mission-flag flying,--the glittering sand, the tall cocoa-nut and
bread-fruit trees, the wild rocks and fantastic-shaped hills, the green
fields, the foaming waterfalls and shining streams, and the rows of neat
habitations, the church and school-ho