to the house alone. At last a grave was dug, and the living body
buried at the far end of the village. Namu, my pastor, whom I had helped
to educate, offered up a prayer at the hateful scene.

"I felt myself in a very difficult position. Perhaps it was my duty to
have denounced Namu and had him deposed. Perhaps I think so now, but at
the time it seemed less clear. He had a great influence, it might prove
greater than mine. The natives are prone to superstition; perhaps by
stirring them up I might but ingrain and spread these dangerous fancies.
And Namu besides, apart from this novel and accursed influence, was a
good pastor, an able man, and spiritually minded. Where should I look
for a better? How was I to find as good? At that moment, with Namu's
failure fresh in my view, the work of my life appeared a mockery; hope
was dead in me. I would rather repair such tools as I had than go abroad
in quest of others that must certainly prove worse; and a scandal is, at
the best, a thing to be avoided when humanly possible. Right or wrong,
then, I determined on a quiet course. All that night I denounced and
reasoned with the erring pastor, twitted him with his ignorance and want
of faith, twitted him with his wretched attitude, making clean the
outside of the cup and platter, callously helping at a murder,
childishly flying in excitement about a few childish, unnecessary, and
inconvenient gestures; and long before day I had him on his knees and
bathed in the tears of what seemed a genuine repentance. On Sunday I
took the pulpit in the morning, and preached from First Kings,
nineteenth, on the fire, the earthquake, and the voice, distinguishing
the true spiritual power, and referring with such plainness as I dared
to recent events in Falesa. The effect produced was great, and it was
much increased when Namu rose in his turn and confessed that he had been
wanting in faith and conduct, and was convinced of sin. So far, then,
all was well; but there was one unfortunate circumstance. It was nearing
the time of our 'May' in the island, when the native contributions to
the missions are received; it fell in my duty to make a notification on
the subject, and this gave my enemy his chance, by which he was not slow
to profit.

"News of the whole proceedings must have been carried to Case as soon
as church was over, and the same afternoon he made an occasion to meet
me in the midst of the village. He came up with so much intentness and
ani