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CONTENTS
Family Background / My father: the able man / My father: the lay preacher / School days / Dangerous Occupations / Going to Sea I / Going to Sea II / Going to Sea III / Passage to America / First Steps / The Great Lakes / Return to England / A Narrow Escape / Passage to New Zealand / Auckland / Finding a Mission / Fit for Mission Work? / A Suitable Helpmeet / A Bush Honeymoon / Our Worst Night / Missionary Heroes / Sydney to Samoa
Acknowledgments & Links
I was one of the first out, and, to my amazement and horror, I found that we were almost ashore on the west side of Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel. Fortunately for us, there was a strong ebb tide, which took us out of danger, but no ship, I think, ever had a narrower escape. There is a good lighthouse on the island, but we had run almost against the inaccessible cliffs at the rate of about six knots an hour against a strong tide. In a few minutes longer we should have struck the rocks and drifted off immediately down channel, and in all probability every one of the crew would have been drowned, or crushed to death by the floating logs. There were men on board who had lived a life-time at sea, but were so impressed that morning that, with a sailor's superstition, they refused all offers to ship again in any vessel bound for Bristol.
I was glad to get ashore, and as soon as we were paid off I started for my old home in the north. I could not, however, settle down in England, much to my father's sorrow. I had the choice of several situations, either in one of my father's offices, or in other establishments to which I could readily have gone through his influence; but I felt very unwilling to accept any of them. It was a source of wonder to many why I persisted in my wish to go abroad again, and I myself could at that time give no satisfactory reason for it. I can, however, do so now, as I firmly believe in the guiding hand of God. He had something for me to do, though I knew it not, and He was leading me by a hand which I did not see. I decided to go to New Zealand, I think simply because it was the farthest place from England. I would as readily have decided to go to Central Africa if there had been any chance of getting there. My father at last consented, making it a condition, however, that I should go as a passenger and not as a sailor.
Family Background / My father: the able man / My father: the lay preacher / School days / Dangerous Occupations / Going to Sea I / Going to Sea II / Going to Sea III / Passage to America / First Steps / The Great Lakes / Return to England / A Narrow Escape / Passage to New Zealand / Auckland / Finding a Mission / Fit for Mission Work? / A Suitable Helpmeet / A Bush Honeymoon / Our Worst Night / Missionary Heroes / Sydney to Samoa
Acknowledgments & Links