WITH THE CANNIBALS OF NEW BRITAIN 225 
natives turned for the shore and fled in haste. Mr. Brown 
had no doubt that they were on mischief bent, and at once 
prepared to up anchor and away. 
Thus it was that the gospel was brought to the cannibals 
of New Britain and New Ireland. With restless activity 
the missionary moved from place to place, finding every- 
where the most dreadful cannibalism. But little by little 
his work and purpose became known among them, and 
though light had not yet begun to dawn upon the darkness, 
hope filled his heart, and led him to triumph over all bodily 
weakness and every difficulty that assailed him in his work. 
It was at this time that he wrote, “Truly the spirit is will- 
ing, and I want to do all I can while I am here, but this 
body of mine surely does rebel sometimes.’ Troublous days 
were ahead, but conscious only of God’s great goodness in 
the present, he felt that no mission could have begun more 
promisingly, and looking upon the darkness and the degra- 
dation of the people everywhere about him, he exclaimed, 
“The reception of the religion of Jesus will soon produce 
peace and order where now all is discord and confusion.” 
