428

PRESENT FROM QUEEN VICTORIA.

some chairs and tables for her drawing-room, and an open chaise that would hold four persons. He looked forward with pleasure to the surprise that would be felt in Tahiti at the sight of a carriage. Till this present arrived the queen could only ride on horseback, but could not drive. It must be delightful to see her with her husband and little children driving round the island, along that beautiful road that has been made by the sea-shore. But no pleasures can make her forget her terror of the French, and her hatred of the false religion of their priests. It will be a joyful day whenever those deceivers are turned out of the island. But there are good reasons why God suffers them to stay. By that means the chaff may be separated from the wheat; the false professors may be persuaded to trust in forms and ceremonies, and to adore images and crucifixes, but the sincere believers will only cleave the more firmly to the truth.

THE AGED MISSIONARIES' HYMN.

LORD, hear thine aged servants raise,
A parting song to thee;

These coral rocks would speak thy praise,
If we should silent be.

Our failing eyes can ne'er forget

The wonders thou hast shown,

And now, before our sun is set,
We make these wonders known.

How sweet the memory of that morn,
When we, by love constrain'd,
Forsook our home, to dwell forlorn
Where heathen darkness reign'd!

Across the sea, in vessel frail,

We did our way pursue;
Hope was the anchor, love the sail,
And faith the compass true.

When first we placed our stranger feet

Upon the coral strand,

And heard the natives warmly greet
Our little Christian band-

O then we thought, they soon will love
That Jesus whom we preach,

And sing his praises in each grove
That skirts the rocky beach.

430

AGED MISSIONARIES' HYMN.

But when they had our message heard,
Our glorious God they scorn'd,
And still their senseless logs preferr'd,
With scarlet plumes adorn'd.

And parents still beneath the sod
Their slaughter'd infants hid:
O how could they adore our God
Who lov'd what He forbid !

We climb'd the crag with bleeding feet,
Through many painful years,
The blessed tidings to repeat

'Midst blasphemies and jeers.

But when our hopes had almost fled,
And news had come from far,
How impious men had wagged the head,
And cried "Aha! aha !"*

O then our God his powerful hand
Out of his bosom drew ;+
His touch snapp'd Satan's iron band,
And forth the captives flew.+

See like a cloud of doves they soar;
How beauteous to behold

Their wings with silver cover'd o'er,
Their feathers tipp'd with gold !§

* Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, Aha, our eye hath seen it. Psalm xxxv. 21.

O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme for ever? Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? Pluck it out of thy bosom. Ps. lxxiv. 10, 11.

Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Isaiah lx. 8.

Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove, covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. Psalm lxviii. 13.

AGED MISSIONARIES' HYMN.

How sweetly now their hours glide by !
How bright their sabbaths shine!
Their little barks they swiftly ply

To hear the word divine!

Unseen, within some leafy nook,

At early dawn they pray—

In groups they sit, and read God's book,
And sing at close of day.

Great God, the glorious things we see,

For joy we scarce believe;

What is our house, and what are we,
Such blessings to receive?

Long while we sow'd the precious grain,
Bedewed with bitter tears;

Now hardly can our arms contain
The sheaves of golden ears.

Is this the manner kings reward
The servants they approve?
This is the manner of the Lord,

And such his faithful love.*

431

* What am I, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And is this the manner of man, O Lord God? 2 Sam. vii.

THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS THAT OCCURRED
DURING THE MISSION TO TAHITI,

Mr. Henry returned to Tahiti.

Mr. Broomhall became an apostate.

Eight missionaries arrived in the Royal Ad

Six missionaries, with their wives and chil

dren, left Tahiti for Huahine.

All the missionaries (except two) left Huahine for Port Jackson.

One missionary returned to Eimeo.

The rest of the missionaries arrived there in Pomare declared he was desirous to become a Christian.

The missionaries first discovered some con

1796. August 10.

1797. March 6.

1797. March.
1797. July.
1797. August.
1798. March.

1798. August.
1798. September.

1798. December.

1799. November.

1799. December.

1800. June.

1801. July.

1801. July.

1802. June.

1803. September.

1808. November.

1809. October.

1810. October.

1811.

1812. July.

christian and heathen natives was fought. 1815. Nov. 12.