confirmatory evidence, borne out. The Islanders, according to custom-house papers, came from islands, viz.:-21 from Mustoff, N.E. Island, Banks Group; 10 from Bura Bura, N. Island, Banks Group; 8 from Vanaloe, Great Island; 25 from Mallicolo; 10 from Tanna; 6 from Lifu; 11 from Maré. Total, 91.

66

The 'Syren came in before the 'Polynesian Labourers' Act' was enacted; but I would remind you that the Act does not provide against such horrible transactions being continuously carried on.

"Williamson's statement could easily have been longer in its narration of atrocities, for the half of what took place was not told, though, perhaps, quite enough to convince any one that we are all, as Australians, being disgraced by these acts of plain out-and-out slavery."

STATEMENT of Ishmael Williamson, cook and steward of brig "Syren" when what he says occurred :

"I was cook and steward on board the brig 'Syren,' which sailed from Newcastle, New South Wales, with coals for New Caledonia, about the month of November 1867. We sailed to our destination and discharged our cargo, after which the captain called the men aft, and informed them that he intended to proceed to some of the other islands and take on board a cargo of islanders for Queensland. Having got four of the New Caledonian natives, we sailed away from that group, keeping them (the natives) carefully concealed until after the pilot had quitted the vessel. We then proceeded to Lifu and commenced trading with the natives, offering them pipes and tobacco, when a chief and three men were induced to come on board, under the impression that in Sydney they would receive from £2 to £3 per month. From here we proceeded to Tanna, where a chief named Brown came on board, and bargained to procure men, for which the captain gave him a musket and a piece of red calico. The chief then went ashore and brought on board six men, old and young. Ostensibly to show them the ship, and when they had been placed in the hold, the captain set sail for another part of the island, taking Brown with him, to try and induce the natives to come on board, but was unsuccessful; and in the night the chief took his departure, and returned to his own part of the island.

"We then sailed to an island named Mallicolo, where we put off a boat to trade with the natives, who came swimming out to meet us, bringing plenty of cocoa nuts with them upon sticks in the water; some of them came on board the boats, while others came in their canoes to see the vessel, numbering twentyone, many of them bringing their clubs and implements of war with them. They were relieved of these on deck, and taken down to see the mysteries of the hold, when the vessel set sail, the canoes were cut adrift, and we bore away from the island. The wives of some of these men swam after the ship for more than three miles, crying loudly for the restoration of their kidnapped husbands, "We then went to Mutton Island, where we got a good many natives on board, but as the vessel stopped over night to take in wood, they all made their escape during the darkness, except two. In the morning the captain called the watch and asked them why they had allowed the islanders to escape. The men declared that they had not seen one of them go away. For this neglect of duty the captain stopped their coffee for two days, as he said he had lost over £100 by it. "We then touched at Bura Bura, where the boat went ashore, and brought off nine men, who came to trade. These received Jews' harps and red handkerchiefs, and were secured in the hold while the boat went ashore again, but the second time it was only fortunate enough to get one man, who jumped overboard and swam ashore before he could be brought to the vessel.

"After touching at many other islands and getting men in the same way, to the number of 110 (one hundred and ten), we called at an island, the name of which I forget, where we got six men on board out of a canoe, but the chief immediately came off and demanded their liberation. The captain, on seeing the canoes assembling, and the natives, armed, gathering on the beach, thought it best to comply with his demand. However, to chastise them for their opposition, he manned a boat carrying six muskets and four revolvers, and sent it to chase the natives, who retired to the beach and drew up some of their canoes on the shore. The boat's crew then fired into the huts which contained the women, sunk some of the canoes along the shore, and then returned to the ship.

"We afterwards called at Maré Island, but the natives here were too much civilised, and could speak English, and consequently it would have been dangerous to attempt kidnapping them.

"We then sailed for Brisbane. During the first part of our voyage the islanders suffered severely from sea-sickness; the Mallicolo men, in particular, touched nothing for four days. The captain tried to induce them to eat, by standing over them with a thick stick, threatening to thrash them if they refused. Many of them were attacked with dysentery, and after a passage of six days we came into Moreton Bay, where we remained in quarantine for a month, and altogether losing by death about twenty-one out of the one hundred and ten natives who left the islands with us." (Signed)" ISHMAEL WILLIAMSON."

"Witnesses to signature, WILLIAM CASTLES, DAvid Gray.”

He was afraid lest he should weary the meeting, and would not, therefore, read many more facts. Here was a statement of facts:

"The 'Spunkie' came into the bay on the Queen's last birthday: the islanders remember hearing the guns.

"After the 'Spunkie left Maré they went to Tanna, where the inhabitants are uncivilised, and no missionary or European resident then resided on the island. "Ross Lewin was on board, but not as captain, with a hired boat's crew of his own, all South Sea Islanders. There exists a kind of tribal clanship or rivalry between the islands. The 'Spunkie' went to Remorne, in Tanna. Lewin armed his boat's crew with loaded guns, and went on shore without any other white man who could act as witness.

"A chief named Keki was induced to come into the boat, by promises of presents, then tied in the boat; his tribe on shore were enraged, preparations were made instantly for fighting, as described by two of the crew; two men kept at the oars ready to row off; one at the rope of the boat's anchor, to let go at any moment-the guns were produced, and the Maré men directed to watch the savages on shore closely, because the women and children would be sent away previously, and that act might be taken as a signal for attack. Meantime a man was demanded to go to Brisbane as a ransom for the chief Keki-no one would go, and his daughter (Naxuyi, whose mother's name is Halok) was sent, and Keki released. Naxuyi was dragged through the water to the boat laying off shore by the Tanna men of her father's tribe, and thrown naked into the boat, and taken on board ship. There she cried for two days, and refused food; had her hair cut off-the sign of mourning amongst the South Sea Islanders. Apparently her thought was that now her parents had become as if dead to her. On board she was given to a married man, C. H. Didi, of Maré, for his wife, and the two now work together under one agreement.

"Didi's real wife lives in Maré, and his marriage, I hear, will be found in the register of the missionary, Rev. Mr Creagh.

"Charles Habes Didi, of Maré, and John Kapua, of Toka, both sailors accustomed to ships, and have been, I believe, employed in whaling vessels, were two of the boat's crew who told this account of the capture, which they really witnessed; they both of them understand the nature of an oath, and have sufficient knowledge of Christian duty and the English language to be able to give evidence in a Court of law.

"These natives appear to be afraid of the captains, and both Didi and Kapua would prove witnesses unwilling to say more than they could help, on account of their dread of Lewin.

“Many instances appear to have occurred, according to native testimony, where the ships have set sail and detained the South Sea Islanders who have come on board to visit the ship; some have thrown themselves into the sea and gained their islands again by swimming, but several others have been kept on board and brought away.

"One poor Tanna man, whose heathen state would render his evidence not admissible, said, in his imperfect English, 'Captain steal me.'

With these and similar facts before them, your Committee have, during the past year, brought this matter under the notice of Government, and

have been favoured with several communications from the Foreign Office, which show that the Government which preceded the present one had instituted inquiries into what is most unjustly termed the system of hired labour. It is due to Lord Stanley, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet presided over by Mr Disraeli, to say, that he gave courteous and prompt attention to the matter when brought under his notice. Within the last month a Memorial, embodying certain facts which have more recently come to light, has been forwarded to Lord Clarendon, and your Committee, though not yet in possession of his reply, have no doubt that the matter will engage his Lordship's attention. In these approaches to the Government the Committee have enjoyed the active co-operation of the Hon. Arthur Kinnaird, M.P., who has once and again presented their memorials and interested himself in this matter, which is of such vital importance to the New Hebrides Mission. It affords the Committee unfeigned satisfaction to have the opportunity of thus publicly acknowledging the valuable services of one of our legislators, whose name stands in the front rank of those who in the British House of Commons plead for the oppressed, and who delight to help on every movement which has for its object the amelioration of the condition of the poor and ignorant.

The Report of the Foreign Mission Committee is now in the hands of the Court which appointed them, and in rendering this account of their proceedings during the past year, they desire to feel grateful to the Great Head of the Church for the encouragement which they have received in the important work committed to their superintendence. Whatever steps have been taken, or may yet be taken, towards a Union of the various Churches which have been engaged in negotiations for six years, it is an ascertained fact that the Reformed Presbyterian Church has not felt the slightest inclination to slacken its efforts in the important work of evangelising the heathen. And as the years are passing on, the interest awakened in the heart of other Christians by the efforts of this Church seem to be constantly on the increase. A few months ago £40 were remitted from a noble German lady for the benefit of a missionary labouring on Eromango. From the same quarter came a parcel of clothing for the natives, the making up of which was a labour willingly undertaken from the love borne to Him whose Gospel has blessed the German Fatherland, even as it has blessed all ends of the earth to which it has come. Inquiries are made from time to time by Christians in America, by friends in England and elsewhere, as to the working and success of the Mission. With these and other tokens of the Divine favour resting upon the Committee's work, it is our earnest hope that the Church will continue as it has done to support us by its prayers, by its wealth, by its co-operation in all possible ways, till at last on every island of the New Hebrides there shall be a missionary, and from every island of the Western Pacific shall be heard the song of salvation, and “the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert."-In name of the Committee on Foreign Missions,

JOHN KAY, Convener and Secretary.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO PREPARE QUESTIONS WHICH MAY BE PROPOSED TO APPLICANTS FOR ADMISSION TO THE FULL COMMUNION OF THE CHURCH.

IN submitting their Report to Synod, the Committee deem it expedient to begin by recalling the terms of the overture which was the occasion of their appointment. It came up from the Glasgow Presbytery, and ran in these terms:-"Whereas it is desirable that a Formula of Questions be provided which may be proposed to young persons and others at their admission to the full communion of the Church,-This Presbytery, while not proposing to set aside the Terms of Communion as an authoritative statement of the principles of the Church, respectfully overture the Synod. . . . to take this matter into serious consideration, with a view to the preparation of such a Formula as is desired." This overture having been favourably received by Synod, a small committee was appointed to draw up the Series of Questions proposed. That committee met, and reported at a subsequent sederunt, laying on the table of Synod a draft which they had prepared. It was felt, however, that the matter was too important to be summarily decided upon. Synod, therefore, appointed a much larger committee, remitting to it the draft already prepared, with instructions to consider it ripely, and report at the present meeting of the Court.

The Committee thus appointed has repeatedly met. After mature consideration, they beg to submit to the Court the following Paper of Questions, as, in their judgment, fitted to answer the purpose contemplated by Synod:

DRAFT OF QUESTIONS WHICH MAY BE PROPOSED TO APPLICANTS FOR
ADMISSION TO THE FULL COMMUNION OF THE CHURCH.

1. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Son of God and only Saviour, and do you receive and rest upon Him for salvation, as He is freely offered in the Gospel?

2. Do you acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and only infallible rule of faith and practice?

3. Do you acknowledge, as founded upon and agreeable to the Word of God, the views of divine truth and duty set forth in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which are more fully exhibited in the other Standards of the Covenanted Reformation?

4. Do you acknowledge the Presbyterian form of Church government to be in accordance with the Word of God, and do you promise submission to the oversight of the Session of this Congregation in the Lord?

5. Do you promise that, by the grace of God, you will study to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, by walking in all His commandments and ordinances blamelessly?

It will be observed that, in terms of the overture from the Glasgow Presbytery, the proposal is simply to provide Questions which may be put to applicants, and not to set aside the present Terms of Communion as an authoritative statement of the principles of the Church. There is no doubt that the Terms have sometimes been employed in a way which proceeded on the assumption that they were meant to be a Formula for Admission,

in the same sense in which the other Formulas that are of authority in the Church are Formulas for Ordination and Licensure. But nothing can well be more certain than that this assumption is without solid foundation. The Terms are not expressed in the shape of Questions at all, and can be used as a Formula for Admission only by being thrown into that shape, in some extemporaneous and unauthorised way, by the Moderator of Session in putting them. Besides, there are many facts which can be cited as evidence that our fathers were not guilty of the impropriety of asking from young and ill-informed applicants an assent to the array of documents referred to in the Terms, corresponding to the assent to the Standards of the Church which is demanded from her office-bearers. Not to dwell on the remarkable fact, that neither during the Persecution, nor during the period of the Societies, from the Revolution to the constitution of the Reformed Presbytery in 1743, was there in use amongst us any Formula corresponding to our present Terms,—and not to lay stress on the fact, that for long after 1743 there were congregations in which the Terms were not employed, it is sufficient, for our present purpose, to call attention to the remarkable words in which the Reformed Presbytery was accustomed to explain the sense in which it authorised the Terms to be put. In the authoritative "Explanation and Defence" of the Terms, which was published by the Presbytery in 1801, the following statement occurs:- "In proposing the above Terms of Communion, we wish a difference to be made between persons holding, proclaiming, and propagating sentiments in religion opposite to those which are recognised by our Terms, and persons who may be, comparatively, ignorant, or have private views of their own, but are willing to be farther instructed. The former must be positively debarred from Church fellowship; whereas milder treatment is due to the latter."-(P. 70.) Two things this explanation makes very apparent. In the first place, that the Terms were not intended to exclude from Church fellowship persons otherwise eligible who, from defect of information or capacity, are unable to form an intelligent judgment, one way or another, in regard to the historical points included in the Terms. To exclude such persons, simply because of their deficiency in the knowledge of historical and such like questions, is neither obligatory nor lawful under this authoritative explanation emitted by our fathers. In the second place, it is plain that the Presbytery did not intend by the Terms absolutely to exclude from the membership of the Church persons who hold opinions differing to some extent from those indicated in the Terms, and who, accordingly, are not free to give them an unqualified assent, although anxious to identify themselves with the body by entering into its fellowship. The Presbytery is careful to explain that, notwithstanding these Terms, persons may be received into full communion who hold opinions which, to some extent, diverge from the principles held and taught by the Church, if they do not set themselves to oppose those principles, and thus hinder the Church in carrying out its views of the mind of Christ.

With respect to the Paper of Questions now submitted to Synod, the Committee have only one recommendation to make. It seems to them very undesirable to be adding to the documents of authority in the Church.