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MR. LEWIS'S DEPARTURE.

subject, after evening prayer. It was then agreed by all, (and even by Mr. Lewis himself,) that if any of the brethren were to marry a heathen woman, that he should no longer be considered a missionary, or allowed to take the Lord's supper with his brethren, but should be excommunicated. The same evening Mr. Lewis informed the brethren that he was going to leave them in two days to live with the native man, called his friend, at Ahunu, a place a short distance from the missionaries' dwelling. Thus he was going to follow the example that Mr. Jefferson once set, but without the same motives; for Mr. Lewis appeared to go, not to do good, (as Mr. Jefferson had done,) but to please himself. In vain the brethren warned him to keep out of temptation; two days afterwards he set off with his bed and some of his property.

About three weeks after this event, the brethren received a letter from Mr. Lewis, in which he said he had determined to marry one of the heathen women. The brethren immediately sent for him to their house. He came the next day. They all met together for prayer, and Mr. Eyre read the chapter in Joshua about Achan, who by his wickedness troubled Israel.

you mean to persist in your intention of marrying one of the heathen women ?"

THE EXCOMMUNICATION.

111

He answered," You know my determination." They then asked Mr. Lewis to leave the room, while they consulted together on the subject. They soon called him in, and told him that he was no longer one of their number. He tried to persuade them to alter the sentence, but as he could not prevail, he returned that afternoon to Ahunu. The next day the brethren sent him a letter, declaring that they no longer considered him as a missionary, or as a christian man.

They had come to this resolution with great sorrow, but felt that they ought to obey God's command in 1 Cor. v., where it is written, that if any man who is called a brother commits open sins, Christians ought not even to eat with him. They hoped that Mr. Lewis might be brought to repentance by this punishment, inflicted by many, that they might forgive him, and receive him back to their company.

Mr. Lewis was much displeased with his brethren for refusing to own him any longer. He took up his abode with the heathen, and soon found, as you will hear, that the way of the froward is full of briers and thorns. The missionaries no longer called him brother Lewis, as they used to do, nor would they shake hands with him when they met him. At first he called frequently at their house, to ask for things, and to try to talk with them; but he

112

THE NATIVES' ALARM.

was soon desired not to come there, except to the public worship of God. It grieved the missionaries not to be able to invite him to their table, and to appear to the heathen to behave unkindly to their brother; but they felt that they must show their displeasure against

sin.

CHAPTER XIII.

1798.

THE CASK OF GUNPOWDER.

ON the morning of the 24th of August two ships approached the island, but instead of the natives, showing the joy they usually did at such a sight, they were filled with fear, and began carrying their property to the mountains. Among the rest the man in the blacksmith's shop, carried away all the things he could, to a secure place.

What was the reason of these fears? The natives imagined that the ships were come from England to avenge the ill treatment the four brethren had received some months before, When the missionaries discovered the cause of the fright, they assured the natives that there

TEMARI'S PURCHASE.

113

was no occasion for alarm. The captains soon came on shore. They were Englishmen, and their ships were named the Cornwall, and the Sally, and were employed in the whalefishery. The captains gladdened the eyes of the missionaries by a large packet of letters, magazines, and papers, that they had brought for them.

While the captains were conversing with the brethren in their house, Otu and Tetua approached, riding as usual, and shook hands with the captains through the window: thus the natives found, that no revenge was going to be taken of the wicked deed, that had been committed.

These ships only staid three days near Tahiti; but during this time, many purchases were made by the natives, and presents given on both sides. Amongst other things the great chief Temari procured (what he had long earnestly desired) a large quantity of gunpowder. He already possessed many muskets, and only wanted ammunition. His reason for wishing for it, was most wicked; he was still anxious to join Otu in fighting against Pomare, to deprive him of all the authority he possessed. The time was now come when God would punish him for his crimes, and stop his wicked career. Temari took the gunpowder to an immense house in Pare, called the Nanu, a

I

place where multitudes often assembled to celebrate riotous feasts. In this house he began to examine the gunpowder; but observing that the grain was unusually large, he thought it might not be good; so he proposed to his attendants to try its quality. He accordingly loaded a pistol, and foolishly fired it over the gunpowder. A spark fell in and blew up the whole. Temari and five other persons found their skins covered with powder; at first they felt no hurt; but on trying to rub it off, they were alarmed by the skin peeling off with it. They instantly ran, and plunged in a river near; but finding no good effect, they sent to inform Pomare of the accident.

I do not suppose that he was really sorry to hear the news, for he suspected Temari's plot: however, as Temari was a relation of his, he did not show his joy, even if he felt any, -but went immediately to the missionaries to entreat the assistance of Mr. Broomhall; he did not, however, acquaint them with the particulars of the case, or even with the name of the suffering chief; but only said that a man who had been blown up with gunpowder, lay ill at the Nanu.

Mr. Broomhall, without finishing his dinner, arose, prepared a bottle of stuff for burns, and accompanied by Mr. Harris, set out in a canoe. When he arrived at the Nanu, he was horrified