Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/411

MISSION SHIP, GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT, ETC. 381 Australia, and for committing to their care the management and sup- port of the Polynesian Missions, towards the expense of which an annually decreasing grant should be made from the Parent Society. The Rev. Robert Young was deputed to proceed to Australia, and formally constitute the New Conference. Mr. Young's arrival was de- layed for some time ; but in the meanwhile was taking place the great event which has so altered the complexion of the southern colonies, — the gold discovery. The change then so rapidly brought about helped to give still greater influence and stability to the colonial Churches. Mr. Young reached Adelaide on the 4th of May, 1853, and visited Melbourne, Sydney, and Auckland, everywhere receiving a most cordial reception from Ministers and people. He preached to crowded congre- gations at every place, who were delighted with his ministrations. He attended several Missionary and other meetings, and found that all entered heartily into the plans he was intrusted to lay before them. Mr. Young left Auckland in the " Wesley " to visit the Friendly and Fiji Islands, reaching the latter on the 6th of November, and leav- ing on the 18th. The visit of the Deputation was a favourable oppor- tunity for Miss Mary Fletcher's proceeding to Fiji, where she was mar- ried to the Rev. John Polglase. The plan for connecting the Missions with the Australasian Conference having been laid before the Mission- aries whom Mr. Young visited, and approved of by them, he returned to Sydney, and again visited Melbourne and Adelaide, and afterwards Tasmania. All had gone on harmoniously ; and it was wisely judged by Mr. Young to be best to leave the first Australasian Conference to the care of the brethren whose indefatigable and judicious labours, by God's blessing, had prepared for the change. That Conference was held in Sydney in January, 1855, the Rev. William B. Boyce being Presi- dent of the Conference and General Superintendent of the Missions in New Zealand and Polynesia. Sydney now became, and still continues to be, the head-quarters of the " John Wesley," an arrangement by which the various Mission Sta- tions secured a more efficient supply both of men and means. The Rev. John Eggleston, after many years' service as a Wesleyan Minister in the colonies, has been appointed to reside in Sydney as General Secre- tary of Missions, and has entered upon his work with great earnestness and zeal in connexion with the Managing Committee there. Among the minor but very important details of the Mission ma- chinery were the several means of conveyance among the islands, in the constant working of the several Circuits. This was accomplished, to a great extent, by the double and single canoes of the natives, who showed