The Work. 2I 
christian native who fell into their hands—spearing, clubbing, 
and sometimes killing them ; and in November they resolved 
to bring the matter to a crisis. On Monday, the 24th day of 
that month, a number of the Christian natives started on an 
evangelistic tour. Mr. Geddie providentially remained, in- 
tending to follow them next day. A little after midnight, Mrs. 
Geddie was roused by the sound and smell of fire; and on 
looking up, saw that the roof was in a blaze. She escaped with 
her two children, and gave the alarm. With much labour the 
fire was got under, before any very extensive damage was done. 
Mr. Geddie immediately sent for Nohoat, who burst into tears 
when he looked on the smouldering roof. He immediately set 
himself to ascertain the guilty parties. He found that the plot 
had been fully organised ; and afraid that the attempt might be 
repeated, a guard was set on the premises. Nohoat himself 
slept in Mr. Geddie’s house every night for two months, that 
he might share the danger with him. And thus the Lord made 
this last device of the heathen folk of none effect. It rallied 
the native christians round them in bonds of strong affection. 
“Tf,” said Nohoat to Mr. Geddie, “ Lucy and Elizabeth had 
been burnt, and my coat (a military one which he kept at the 
mission) we would not have listened to words of peace; there 
would have been many persons killed to-day.” The children 
thus mercifully preserved have consecrated their lives to the 
mission work, and are labouring on the Islands with their 
husbands—Mr. Nelson of Tana and Mr. McDonald of Efate. 
At the end of this year Mr. Geddie could record many un- 
equivocal proofs of progress. The sacred groves were disap- 
pearing. The fear of the false gods and their crafty priests was 
dying away. And next year opened with the removal from 
the island of the most violent opponent of the mission—a 
white man, who delighted in wickedness. From that hour the 
Word of God had free and rapid course. Some of the disease- 
makers came to the mission house and delivered up their ap- 
