Beginning on Oneata and Vanua 
Mbalavu 
Forty miles southeast from Lakemba lies the island of 
Oneata. On this island dwelt a fine, sturdy, independent, 
and aggressive tribe of Fijians. Here, in the providence 
of God, the gospel began to take hold of heathen hearts. 
A Fijian Christian settled here, and under his influence many 
soon began to give genuine proof of conversion. A high 
chief, Josiah Tumbola, a kind, intelligent man, who had 
embraced Christianity, became the leader of the Christians. 
“His piety was deep and earnest,’ and in his relations to 
the king of Lakemba, exercised a restraining influence upon 
that savage ruler. 
Mr. Williams records the remarkable conversion of this 
island to Christianity, and tells of its place in giving the 
gospel to many other islands, in the following words: 
“The converts at Oneata increased, until the majority were 
Christians. Early in 1842 a new chapel was built, with great 
labor, and as the missionaries thought, far too large. But 
just then the king of Lakemba sent a message by a heathen 
Oneata priest, requesting that all would Jotu [worship], as 
it was not desirable for so small an island to be divided. 
Many were only waiting for this permission, and forthwith 
the head chief, the priests, and remaining heathen of Oneata 
professed Christianity, and helped to finish the chapel, which 
was now just the right size for the whole of the inhabitants 
fo assemble an. 5/4). 
“Tn April, 1849, the new chapel was opened and filled with 
earnest worshipers. These Oneata people are singularly in- 
dependent in character, and have thus escaped the servitude 
which oppresses so many of the small islands. They are very 
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