On April 19th, 1838, John Williams, his wife, their eldest son, with sixteen missionaries, all destined for the South Seas, sailed in the vessel Camden, from the shores of Great Britain on their return to their field of service in the South Sea Islands. Arriving in his old field of labor in Samoa, from thence he sailed to Raratonga, taking with him 5000 Testaments in the Raratongian language, which were a great boon to the work there.
But Williams longed to teach further afield with the Gospel. His heart was set upon carrying the message to the New Hebrides, and at midnight on November 3rd 1839, he sailed on what proved to be the last voyage on his Master’s service here below.
A voyage of six hundred miles brought the vessel to Rotuma, where they went on shore. The natives, who presented a strange and uninviting appearance, came about them. They were very wild and fierce looking. The men were besmeared all over with a powder prepared from the turmeric root, wearing long hair. The women were even more repulsive, wearing long locks on each side and back of their heads, the center from the forehead to the crown being close cut, and ornamented with turmeric and lime.
The following week they sighted the island of Fatuna, The natives gathered in groups, making signs for them to land. The chief, wearing tortoise shell rings and bracelets came on board. They seemed friendly, but all departed next day, their curiosity having been satisfied. Next morning the Camden sailed for Tanna in the New Hebrides, Mr. Williams making the last entry in his journal, the unfinished sentence with which it concludes being very striking in the light of what followed. It is as follows: “The records of the events which have this day transpired, will exist after those who have taken an active part in them have retired into the shades of oblivion, and the results of this day will be—” Here the writing abruptly ends. The sequel will tell the sad story of that momentous day’s work.