The Mission Field. II 
sacrifices were sometimes offered to their deities, but not fre- 
quently. When animals were offered, the priest first partook of 
the flesh, and then the people were allowed to feast upon it. 
The people stood greatly in awe of their imaginary gods, and 
never engaged in any undertaking without invoking their as- 
sistance or propitiating their favour. Among all the multitude 
of them there was not one of them whom they believed to 
be a purely good being. They were quick-sighted, capricious, 
and vindictive beings, exercising a reign of terror over men in 
the flesh. Almost more dreaded than their gods, were the 
disease-makers—men who arrogated to themselves the power of 
inflicting diseases, and levied large contributions from the friends 
of sick people. When a man fell sick, a conch shell was blown, 
which was meant as an appeal to the disease-maker to cease the 
burning which was supposed to cause the disease ; and this was 
followed by presents more or less costly, according to the vio- 
lence of the attack. These men—with the rain-makers, thunder- 
makers, fly and mosquito-makers, Scc.—were the true gods of 
Aneitynm. For an Idol is nothing in the world; but these 
men were a very terrible Something in Aneityum. 
They believed in a future state—a paradise, full of all sensual 
delights; and a place of punishment. To the latter they con- 
signed all murderers and all sémgy persons. In their code ot 
morals stinginess was the crowning vice—generosity the car- 
dinal virtue. This virtue was expected to display itself in large 
offerings of food at the public feasts. Poor people would starve 
themselves for weeks beforehand that they might fatten up the 
consecrated pig, and be credited with having presented the 
finest. 
The oppressive influence of these superstitious beliefs, and 
the formidable barrier which they opposed to the entrance Of 
-God’s Word, will appear in the progress of our story. We turn 
now to their Homes. 
