120 ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH SEAS 
Samoan teachers only, to share their labors and trials. A 
long and fierce conflict was yet before them, but in the 
meanwhile their hearts were cheered by some slight indica- 
tions that success would ere a great while crown their efforts. 
The night had been very dark, and indeed it was dark still, 
but the day was not far distant now. 
In December, 1849, Mr. Geddie wrote as follows: 
“Perhaps I am sanguine, but I do think God has given 
some measure of countenance to our labors. I think I can 
discern some faint rays of light beginning to arise over the 
horizon of darkness in which these poor islanders have from 
time immemorial been enveloped. . . . I do hope that the 
Spirit of God has begun to breathe upon the dry bones, and 
that symptoms of animation will at no distant day appear.” 
The good man was right; the “faint rays of light” proved 
the harbingers of day; the Spirit of God had begun to 
breathe upon the dry bones, and symptoms of life speedily 
appeared. During the year 1850 there were a few cases of 
decided conversion, and among these were three natives who 
went out occasionally to itinerate among their heathen coun- 
trymen and tell them of the Saviour in whom they had 
learned to trust. 
Still deeds of darkness and cruelty continued to be prac- 
ticed by the great bulk of the people, and as light spread and 
the truth continued to take hold of one and another, the op- 
position of the heathen became more and more decided, and it 
continued to increase in intensity till the gospel triumphed, 
and Aneityum was rescued from darkness. It was a hard 
struggle: the powers of darkness seemed to dispute every 
inch of ground. More than once Mr. Geddie very narrowly 
escaped being murdered. 
A large new church, on which a great amount of labor had 
been expended, was set afire and burned to the ground, and 
the infuriated people went so far as to attempt the destruc- 
tion of the whole mission family. This was gone about in 
truly diabolical fashion. 
