Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Volume VIII, Number 18, 1 May 1869 — English Column. [ARTICLE]

English Column.

Persecution in Uea: Loyalty Islands.

|L *:os MU«. f r U ] T\vo ycnrs r.;.;0 ihe D r».'elors repui tf:ii that, uiitlcr the t»f the Uonn.-h pricits, cnntinucd wror:ir '.va< t>->irrg 1 titlicteci by the nativ»i chic*fs t>j»on 4he numerous convejts in thc h>i)CK'iv's ,Mis,sion. in i.li tlie Loyalty hland:i r»u»ucTous r?strfctions are plaeeei upon tho froc ;u:tion of the mi.-^ioiiant j s. Tll f V uiust have uo tea«*'»ers trom Sai\ioa. The nativcs of Lii"u ftmi'Marc not be teachers oo L : e;i; nativ_\s inu#t not reniove frocu one to ;inotJier \vithont pennission. The i!iijfsion!iri<*« cannot appoinl a tencher to ;vny cimrch or tli<iricr, (lil he lins bcen approved by the Frenoh coinmaudiint and the chief of the distnct, and both agree that the appointment is necessary. Thcse reguiations have a purpose, and annoy our bretiiren grcatly ; yet they hoid on. J > ermission l too, lias been rufused t'o the Protestant rnissronnries to Mission in New Cale<!onia, \viiere mnny desire their instruction. ]>ut in Cea the opposition takes the form of uutrageatid vioicnce. Chape!saretai{ena\vay. Cimpeis ore destroyed. Christip chiefs aild teaciiers ure unprisoiicd. Keligious .services are interruplcd. !louscs are piundered, and a iarj;e number of the i^ole^iants have been driven from tiieir homes. A summary of the latesl inionuation ts given by the Kev. S. AiaoieU'lane of Lifu, iu a letter dnied June ~7, 15G7: — • 44 In Uea, haii'ihe populrttion are Komau Catholic.->, and wiiole isi t ind is pluced under }K)pisli chiefji. Tiiere the priests have stirred up the \vurst passions of their ioiiowers, and the viiest persccutions of the Protestants have been the cousetjuetice. They have beeu . drivcn from their <?hnpeis by an armed mob, i»e«ded by a priest, who, upon their ejec.tion, immediateiy occupied ihe puipit and eon» ducted the Koman Catholic service with his faithful follo\vers. of their reiigious ediiices have be«n puiied do\vn and the materials cast into the sea ; teachershave heen uialtreatcd in the performau«e of their: icgitimate work; and natives hnve becn murderousiy nttacked and seriously \vounded opposite ihe priest's door; their piantations have bcen destroyed andtheirproperty seized.: Thc Rev. S. Kiia and his wife liave been ; nisuited, and their property has been stolen ; and destroyed. These niisguided peoplo i cveh rushcd in upou Mr. Eiia whiist admt-• nistering the sacrament, neorlv upset the ; communron table, dragged out the teachers,; and luid violent hands upon Mr. Ella him- ] self. lt is exceedingiy painful to receive, as i wo have done from tuue to time, accounts of I these utijusC and dh«graceful proceedmgs, and to sce that no attetnpt has b<?en made by the authorities here, either :o protect the innocent or punUh the guilty." Tha favoumbie repiy whieh was given by thc Em|K?ror of the French to u Memorial prcsented to him sotne time ago on behalf of the persecu(ed Protestant Christians in Lifu, ied the Directors to hope that the nati?e converts iu Uee wouiU obtam some relief | from the opprvJsion to whieh as Pro«; lestnnts, have been sub]ect from the Papist chiefc; butthesehopeshavenot leen realised.' Tne Directors, the.refore, July iast, memo* j rialised Lord Staniey» the Secretarv ofStatel for l*oreign AtKiirs, on the subject, givtng copious e.\tracts frum the letters of Mr. Eila. Ti\is Memonai was most ūvourably received by Lord Su\oicv, who iniormod ihe Djrcctors xhat he has iniitructed HerMajesty*s rainister ' at Pans to address such a representation to the French t*overnment on the subj<?ct, as his L«rdship trusts -»nay hnve (he riilc» of preventmg in Uea aurecurh?nee of the procecdings coniplaiocafT; or the j)eriietrßiion of sumiar acts ot vioience m any isl&nd of the Loya!tyGroup in whieh the the presence of Eoglish iniss;onarieii is rtcognjiced bv the French authcrtties. A secood Memorial, j containing iuoro nx'ent iuformation, and showi!*g that pcr&vutton stil! gws oo unchecked, \vas forwarded to Lord Staniey in M«»veinber. From a copy oi a Meuiorandum ioriv«rded hts Lotviship fiora i\rts, the Directors have iedrned f with pleasure,; that an inquirr into the whole cast3 is being \nsututed by the French ior fhe C«ionies ; and they hope shortly to hear o( a fivourab!e ivsu!t. Meanwhiie, they ask trom ihe friends cf the Society Special Svjupathy o» t*elialf of their broiher, Mr. Eli3, nnd hīs |»erset:uied people. They ask, aiso, that at m?ssionary prayer tneetings very caraest pr*ver u»ay be uflered, nos only tha~t xhey u\s\y be sU&'»ajfted in palienee. bui thal He. by whom 44 pr»nce<s decree ju:;-tKe, v * wdi lc;id ihe F*x«uchi:uthorittCsioseeiheirwn)ngs redreised. 0;eloia, mailoUo ae o 6(H).000 mau Katoiik* ma Nu loka. he 850,000 waie uo e h?l« ana i ka pule, rio Va &ele i kahi ole e heoHMiEa ai. Nb k* luhi no hoi pha o ka haua e ioloiakil» #j.