28 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
islands; and early in 1797, missionary settlements 
were established in the Marquesan, Friendly, and Society 
islands. The missionary left at the Marquesas, after 
spending about a year among the people, returned. 
The establishment in the Friendly Islands was relin¬ 
quished, though not till some of the individuals of which 
it was composed had fallen a sacrifice to the fury of the 
islanders in their intestine wars. The missionaries in 
the Society Islands have been enabled to maintain their 
ground, though exposed to many dangers and priva¬ 
tions, and some ill usage. The greater part of them 
was at one time obliged to leave the islands, in conse¬ 
quence of violent assaults, and the civil wars among the 
natives. Several of those who left, returned after a 
very short absence, and rejoined their companions who 
had remained, and the labours of the missionaries were 
continued with patience and industry for fifteen years, 
from the time of their first establishment, without any 
apparent effect. After this protracted period of dis¬ 
couragement, God has granted them the most astonish¬ 
ing success; and the happy change in the outward cir¬ 
cumstances of the people, and the great moral renova¬ 
tion which the reception of the gospel has effected, 
have more than realized the ardent desires of the mis¬ 
sionaries themselves, and the most sanguine anticipa¬ 
tions of the friends of the mission. 
But though the effects of the London Missionary 
Society were continued under appearances so inauspi¬ 
cious, with a degree of perseverance which has since 
been most amply compensated, various causes pre¬ 
vented their making any efforts towards communicating 
the knowledge of Christ to the Sandwich islanders. 
While their southern neighbours were enjoying all the 
