How the Gospel was First Carried, 243 
consulted together, and soon announced that the king's god 
was so angry at the introduction of Christianity, or ^^Lotu^^ 
that he would send some ^ery severe judgment upon the 
island by way of punishment. Floods and earthquakes 
were to prevail, causing all who had dared to insult the old 
gods by embracing the new religion, to be utterly destroyed. 
Of course all those predictions turned out to be nonsensical 
ravings ; but a more real obstacle sprung up in the shape 
of petty persecution against the new converts. One day a 
party of men went to the houses of some Christian natives, 
robbed them of all that was valuable, destroyed the crops in 
their gardens, and carried off their wives to the king's house. 
On this occasion, however, the Tongan chief interfered, and 
the women were speedily sent back to their homes. The 
persecution only resulted in winning greater respect from 
the people for the new religion and those who professed it ; 
while those native homes into which Christianity had entered, 
were looked upon with curiosity and respect by the natives. 
Progress could be recorded from the very first advent of 
the Gospel. Day schools were estabhshed, spelling books 
circulated, and portions of the Testament printed. The 
early Tongan converts were trained for the work of Scripture 
readers and exhorters, while a system of regular visitation 
was kept up in each town on the island j so that at the end 
of the first year's mission work on Lakemba, the communion 
of the Lord's Supper was administered to over 280 persons. 
The abundant harvest had commenced. 
Yet, amid outward success, the mission workers experi- 
enced many trials of faith and patience, known only to God. 
Their stores failed j their food was of the poorest quality, as 
their barter articles were gone ; their furniture and utensils 
were daily stolen ; and the means of communication between 
Fiji and other lands, was so uncertain and seldom, that 
