Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/276

246 FIJI AND THE riJIAH"8. to our number, except from other parts of the group. "We meet in our chapel daily for teaching school, or preaching; and we often feel that God is with us. Our congre- gations vary very much. We have the greatest number of hearers when strangers are here ; not many of the people of Somosomo can be prevailed upon to hear the word, and none of them regularly. " Our English preaching and Class-meeting have been means of grace to oui own souls. " The principal Chiefs of this place are (though very diflFerent from what they were) not likely to embrace Christianity at present ; and such is their power over the inferior Chiefs and people, that the fear of them almost prevents them thinking for themselves. " "We have visited the other towns and villages on this island during the past year, (some of them several times,) and visited the houses of many of the people to converse with them ; and we trust our labour has not been altogether in vain. The people in all instances are glad to see us, and listen to our instructions ; though many of them, we fear, do not reduce to practice what they learn. Two or three Chiefs profess to be fa- vourable to our cause ; but it is impossible at present to say whether they are sincere or not. " The Lord has seen good again severely to aflflict Mrs. Hunt. She has been literally brought down to the grave and raised up again. Our mercies have been very many, and we are neither faint nor weary in our work. There is an amazing change in many of the people ; and though we do not see that direct and decisive fruit of our labour which we earnestly desire to see, yet we cannot say, even in our most gloomy moments, that we labour in vain or spend our strength for nought. * The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.' " At the same District Meeting, Mr. Cross again obtained leave to go to the colony, believing that another year in Fiji would kill him. Just then came the sad news of Mr. Waterhouse's death. His loss Avas deeply felt ; for he had become most intimately acquainted with every detail of the Mission, and had shown the greatest interest in all. Mr. Cross once more permitted his zeal to go be^^ond due care for his health, and, feeling how slender a staff of labourers were present to do the great w^ork he loved so well, he consented to remain, on condition that he should reside with Mr. Lyth, who, writes Mr. Hunt, " had been made instrumental, in the hands of God, in raising Mrs. Hunt from the margin of the grave, during the previous year ; and it was now fully believed that his professional attention and society w^ould be of essen- tial use to Mr. Cross. He could not have removed with comfort to the colony, if any Station was to be given up in consequence. It was far easier to die in the work than, under such circumstances, to leave it." This arrangement was carried into effect in September, when Mr. Cross joined Mr. Lyth at Somosomo, and Mr. Hunt went to supply his place at Viwa. The fatigue of removal, and want of efficient servants, added to the exhaustion caused by his disease, proved too much for the sick man, and, in spite of Mr. Lyth's diligent attention, he died on the 15th of October, trusting and rejoicing in Christ. A house was built, in native fashion, over the grave of the JMissionary ; and beneath the