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South Sea Islands THE NEW SCRAFF-HERZOG is
well-established mission stations in Tanna with scores of out-stations and some thousands of converts. Paton spent afterwards fifteen years at Aniwa. In 1857 the Rev. George N. Gordon, a Presbyterian from Nova Scotia, settled on Erromanga. Three years later he was killed there with his wife, and some twelve years later his brother, James D. Gordon, was also murdered there. In 1864 the Australian Presbyterians took the responsible control of this mission, now called the New Hebrides Mission. It works in the southern islands of the group, and is supported by the Presbyterian Church in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Scotland, with the help of the special John G., Paton Mission Fund. It has now 27 missionaries, 5 hospitals, 300 native teachers, 20,000 professing Christians, and 20,000 other adherents. The work in the northern Hebrides is carried on by the Melanesian Mission. When George Augustus Selwyn (q.v.) was consecrated bishop of New Zealand in 1841, it was suggested that he should carry on a mission among the Melanesian Islands. From 1847 to 1849 he made many missionary voyages among these islands. In 1850 that part of the island world was adopted at a meeting of bishops of Australasia as their special sphere under the Australian Board of Missions. The Rev. John Coleridge Patteson (q.v.) joined the mission in 1855 and was consecrated bishop of Melanesia in 1861; he made many missionary voyages and established teachers in many islands. He was murdered in 1871 at Nakupu in the Solomon Islands (see below). The work was effectively carried on by Rev. H. Codrington and George Sarawia, the native deacon. In 1877 Rev. John Richard Selwyn was made bishop and carried on the work successfully. The headquarters are now in Norfolk Island. The language of Mota in the Banks Islands has been made the lingua franca of the mission, and every scholar is trained in it at Norfolk Island also, and teaches it on his return home. The work is carried on in three of the north islands of the New Hebrides, and also in the Banks Islands and Torres Islands, with 9 clergy, 344 teachers, 1,181 communicants, and 2,202 hearers. It has a hospital and training-school in Norfolk Island, with central schools in several of the groups.
Samoa: The Samoan group, extending over approximately 167°-174° west longitude and 13°-16° south latitude, is (since 1900) partitioned between the United States and Germany, the latter possessing all west of longitude 171°. The largest islands under German rule are Upolu, Manono, Apolinia, and Savaii; and under American, Tutuila and Manua, in the former is the commodious harbor of Pago Pago. The Rev. John Williams visited the islands of this group in 1830, and found that a mission had been started by some Christians from the Marquesas Islands, who after drifting about for three months had been carried to Manua. The first resident white missionary settled in 1836, the printing-press was established in 1839, the Manua Training Institution was founded in 1844. Under the Revs. George Turner and Charles Hardie, a central school for girls at Papauta was opened in 1891. There are now 11 missionaries, 174 ordained natives, 326 preachers, about 200 churches, 8,861
church-members, 232 Sunday-schools with 9,263 scholars, 211 day schools with 7,975 scholars, and 24,912 adherents. The Wesleyan Missionary Society began work in 1835, and that mission is now under the charge of the Methodist Missionary Society of Australasia. It has 47 churches, 29 preachingstations, 3 ~rnissionaries, 5 native ministers, 35 catechists, 96 teachers, 487 class leaders, 255 local preachers, 76 Sunday-schools with 1,783 scholars, and about the same number of day schools and scholars, 2,683 church-members, and 6,778 attendants at public worship. The Roman Catholics began work in 1845, and have a bishop, 22 priests, 12 lay brothers, 13 sisters, 15 stations, 25 schools, and 6,315 adherents. The Mormon Mission has 17 elders and 303 adherents. The Seventh Day Adventists arrived in 1890, and have 2 missionaries, 10 adherents, and one school.
Santa Cruz: This group, under British control, lies north of the New Hebrides between 165° and 170° east longitude and 8°-12° south latitude; is sometimes reckoned with the New Hebrides. The largest islands are Santa Cruz, Tupua, and Vanikoro. Alvaro do Mendana of Peru made a disastrous attempt in 1567 to found a colony in the island which he named Santa Cruz. After his death his widow returned home with the colonists. In 1856 the Rev. John Coleridge Patteson (q.v.) visited the island, but did not land till 1862. Two years later he spent two days in the island, but the mission boat was attacked by the natives and two Norfolk Islanders named Edwin Nobbs and Fisher Young lost their lives. In the next year or two Patteson paid more visits, but was not able to make much advance. In 1871 he attempted to land at Nukapu, one of the islands in the group, and entered a native canoe and went ashore. He was soon killed. Joseph Atkin and Stephen, a native of Bauro, died from wounds they had received. Bishop John Richard Selwyn visited Santa Cruz three years later, and had some of the natives educated at Norfolk Island, the headquarters of the Melanesian Mission. The work is now well established throughout the islands of the group under that mission, with 22 native teachers, 11 schools, 77 baptized, 16 communicants, 4 catechumens, and 221 hearers.
The Society Islands or Tahiti Archipelago: This group, under French rule, extends over 14$°-155° west longitude and 15°-18° south latitude. It is sometimes made to include the Austral Isles (see above). The principal island is Tahiti, with an area of 600 square miles, while Moorea has an area of about 50 square miles. The total population is about 15,000. Missions were begun by the London Missionary Society, whose ship " The Duff " under the command of Captain James Wilson reached Tahiti in 1797 with 30 missionaries. Severe, hardships were endured and the missionary band was soon much reduced in numbers. The first Christian church in the Pacific was dedicated here in 1800, and the long night of toil ended in 1811, when the conversion of King Pomare and the burning of idols in several islands ushered in a brighter day; a printing-press was established in 1817, and a Tahitian Missionary Society started in the following year. The Rev. John Williams arrived in 1817, and for