Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/355

LAKEMBA. 325 ment without having brought " forth fruits meet for repentance," and showed a sincere desire to trust on Christ for salvation. Everywhere, too, was found a great hunger for the word of God. The Mission press could supply but a small number of Testaments, and the Missionaries were pained in being obliged to refuse the people, who were willing to pay well of their property, or make any sacrifice, to obtain the Scriptures. This Circuit was well managed by the two experienced Missionaries, who laboured hard to promote the best interests of the people. The field was so extensive, and the work so various, that it was utterly impossible to do all that was desirable. The appeal to England on behalf of schoolmasters was regarded. On the 24th of May, 1852, Mr. and Mrs. Collis, who had been been trained on the Glasgow system, arived at Lakemba. This was a much-needed and most valuable addition to the Circuit. Mr. Collis wrote, on his arrival, " In Lakemba we find much to encourage. The ground for our labour is well prepared, for which great credit is due to the Rev. John Malvern ; and we hope that, by the blessing of God, our labours in Eiji will not be in vain." Mr. Collis entered on his work heartily ; and the benefit of his labours was soon manifest among the people, and set Mr. Malvern at liberty from his painstaking and devoted efforts in schools. The Missionaries then carried out their plans more fully for the better preparation of Native Agents, in which they were materially assisted by the improved school privileges. Mr. Lyth had long been deeply impressed with the absolute necessity of giving special attention to all who were employed in instructing others. Native Agents of all classes, whether visitors of the sick, Class-Leaders, Prayer-Leaders, Exhorters, Local Preachers, or those who were more fully given up to the work as Evangelists, Pastors, Superintendents of islands or districts, received the special attention of Mr. Lyth and his colleague. He laboured hard, night and day, in season and out of season, in public and in private, to render these Agents more efficient. He felt that attention to this work was the special need of the time in Lakemba, and that, as the Superintendent of the Circuit and Chairman of the District, the duty pre-eminently belonged to him ; and if ever man gave himself fully to any object, and persevered with all possible earnestness in it, ^Ir. Lyth did in this great, necessary, and good work. He acted with the utmost spiritual wisdom in the matter ; attending, with great care, to the right state of the hearts of those engaged. No male or female agent was allowed to engage in the sacred work of teaching others who did not give satis- factory evidence of having been pardoned and regenerated. They