Part 1
On May 29, 1847, Reverend Walter Lawry left Auckland in the missionary brig John Wesley on a voyage to Tonga and Fiji.
Mr Lawry was appointed as the General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Society’s Missions in New-Zealand, and Visitor of the Missions in the Friendly Islands and Fiji Islands in 1843.
After visiting Tonga, he left on September 8 for Fiji with two other families and made it to Lakeba on September 12, 1847.
Mr Lawry gives an insight into his journey in the book, ‘Friendly and Feejee Islands, (a missionary visit in the South Seas), and stated as soon as he arrived that day, he preached in the native chapel in the afternoon with Mr Calvert acting as the interpreter to a large congregation.
After the service, he was shown the mission house and premises which according to Mr Lawry was sufficiently established with good judgement and taste.
With Mr Calvert, he visited the Tui Nayau who was surrounded by many wives in his large bure house.
“I saw nothing, but sombre wretchedness at this palace of a Pagan,” Mr Lawry wrote.
“Through Mr. Calvert I lectured to him on the truths of Christ, faith, and eternity; to all which he, and those who were with him, listened as though they tolerated, rather than enjoyed, what was said.”
Visit to Viwa Island and the local congregation
After completing his short visit in Lakeba, Mr Lawry proceeded to sail for Viwa with the missionaries and attended the district meeting that were attended by many mission families. “We were now surrounded by man-eating, dark-coloured, and almost nude men and women, whose appearance made nothing in their favour, and whose history scandalises human nature. “In addition to what they were born in, they possess a fine set of white teeth, and a large bushy head of hair, which some of them take great pains to set off to advantage. “One has his natural hair set up and powdered grey, like a judge; another spreads it out like a forest oak in full foliage; while a third has the front white, and the back part jet black.” During his time in Viwa, he received also a visit from the King of Fiji, Ratu Cakobau, who at the time was about 35-years-old. “This pagan king has very little majesty, having little cultivation, but he has a feeling of pride or consciousness of power, which oozes out at all points. “He has ceased to blaspheme our holy faith, as was his custom formerly. His hair is neatly dressed, and he has a small bandage round his loins, with a string of blue beads round each arm and round his neck, to which is suspended a circular boar’s tooth. “These are all his clothes and ornaments except a strong black beard projecting about eight inches from his chin, and an abundance of oil besmearing his sable skin.” Later at one of the prayer meetings in the early hours of the morning, Mr Lawry preached to the native people and was surprised to see how everyone was listening with a fixed and earnest attention. What surprised him even more was when he saw many in tears, and amongst them was the Chief of Viwa Ratu Varani and his wife. “In the last religious revival at Viwa, the anguish of many was awfully severe, and showed the work of the Holy Spirit to be very deep and powerful, producing such pungent sorrow for sin as to startle even the men of God who witnessed what was passing.”
The lives of missionaries at Viwa
Mr Lawry’s time on the island provided him a chance to observe how the missionaries and their families lived in a climate he called ‘oppressive,’ and despite this they did not complain. “But those who are newly arrived feel greatly distressed until they become seasoned against the heat and the mosquitoes. “Not only feel very much inconvenience from the heat, but the perspiration flows down over my bald head, and the evaporation from the rolling stream, as it passes down over my face while writing, spreads a dense mist over the spectacle-glasses, so that I am unable to proceed, until I have cooled myself by a plunge into the water.” Mr Lawry said the missionaries were hardworking men who rose early to teach the native children useful arts while also teaching their own children. They were not preachers of Christianity only as they administered to the sick and helped settled disputes. “They are lawyers, physicians, privy counsellors, builders, agriculturists, and frequent travellers on the high seas in the frail native canoes.” At their dinner tables, a spread of pork, yam and water were a must, however, it wasn’t always the best of quality; a frugal life they lived. “Poultry and fish are obtained, now and then, and breadfruit when in season.” In those old days, natives would see a missionary dressed in their usual suit which consisted of a thin pair of cotton trousers and a calico coat with their head covered with a wide straw hat to brave the heat.
Observing the natives and receiving native items
To Mr Lawry’s amusement, the natives tried to dress as the English did, but it was a complete failure. “An English bonnet instead of the beautiful way in which the natives dress their hair, causes a sad falling off in their dark faces. “A white shirt, and a sable skin above and below, contrast rather unfavourably. “But in Fiji, where the native fashion is to go very nearly without clothing, and where the sons and daughters of chiefs are not allowed to have anything to cover them until they are grown up, Christianity has done its proper work; and where there are Christians, the naked are clothed.” He said the natives valued cotton and calico fabric to cover themselves which lasted longer than the material they made from the bark of trees. “I have procured three Fijian wigs of different sizes and coloured variously. “They are certainly an exact imitation of the several ways in which the chiefs dress their natural hair or rather get it dressed. “Many hours are spent over this work and there are professed hair dressers among them.” Mr Lawry saw how an elderly woman came down to the mission house to exchange her native dress which was about eight inches wide for some calico fabric to cover her entire body; this was because the woman had begun to lotu the day before. “Of course, we gave her the calico; and I shall take her lego, or garment, to the bazaar at Auckland, to assist us, by its sale, in building the house of the Lord. “It is cheering to witness in all persons who lotu here, that two things are desired by them; namely a garment to appear decent in when they assemble with the worshippers of God; and a book from which they may gather further instructions.” Time flew by fast as Mr Lawry experienced life on the island, taking note of the work of the gospel and the bizarre ways of the natives before departing to the other mission stations in the Fiji group.
