’But why write all this, which is so commonplace?

’I feel more than ever the need of very simple, very short services for ignorant Catechumens.

’They used to throng our morning and evening prayer, perhaps 130 being present, for about that number attend our daily school; but they could not understand one sentence in ten of the Common Prayer-book.  And it is bad for people to accustom themselves to a “formal” service.  So I have stopped that.  We baptized people have our regular service and at the end of my school, held in the dark, 7-8.30 P.M., in the verandah, we kneel down, and I pray extempore, touching the points which have formed the lesson.

’I don’t like teaching these adults who can’t read a form of private prayer.  I try to make them understand that to wish earnestly is to pray; that they must put what they wish for clearly before their own minds, and then pray to God for it, through Christ.  But I must try to supply progressive lessons for the Catechumens and others, with short prayers to be read by the teacher at the end (and beginning, too, perhaps) of the lesson.  Much must depend on the individual teacher’s unction and force.

’Well, I hope and trust to be able to tell you two months hence of some of these people being baptized.  Only three adults have been baptized here on the island, and all three were dying.

’It is very comforting to think that all of us have been engaged in this Mota work, Dudley, and Mr. Pritt, and Mr. Kerr, too, and all our present staff have had much to do with it.  Especially I think now of three young men, all married, who came to me lately, saying, “All these years (an interval of six or seven years) we have been thinking now and then about what we heard years ago, when we were with you in New Zealand for a few months.”  They are now thoroughly in earnest, as far as I can judge, and their wives, as I hope, move along with them.  How one old set must have influenced them a long time ago.  Bice, who speaks Mota very well, was very energetic during his fortnight here.  He is now gone on with Mr. Brooke and Mr. Atkin that he may see the work in the Solomon Isles.  I meant to go; but there seemed to be a special reason why I should stay here just now, vessels seeking labourers for Fiji and Queensland are very frequently calling at these islands.

’Mr. Thurston, late Acting Consul at Fiji, was with me the day before yesterday.  He has taken a very proper view of this labour question; and he assures me that the great majority of the Fiji planters are very anxious that there should be no kidnapping, no unfair treatment of the islanders.  I have engaged to go to Fiji (D.V.) at the end of my island work, i.e., on my return to Norfolk Island, probably about the end of September.  I shall go there in the “Southern Cross,” send her on to her summer quarters in New Zealand, and get from Fiji to New Zealand, after six or eight weeks in Fiji, in some vessel or other.  There are about 4,000 or 5,000 white people in Fiji, mostly Church of England people, but (as I suppose) not very clearly understanding what is really meant by that designation.  It is assumed that I am to act as their Bishop; and I ought to have been there before.  But really a competent man might work these islands into a Bishopric before long.