IneverySamoanhouseholdthedayisclosedwithprayerandthesingingofhymns.Theomissionofthissacreddutywouldindicate,notonlyalackofreligioustraininginthehousechief,butashamelessdisregardofallthatisreputableinSamoansociallife.
Nodoubt,tomany,theeveningserviceisnomorethanadutyfulfilled.Thechildwhosayshisprayerathismother\'skneecanhavenorealconceptionofthemeaningofthewordshelispssoreadily,yethegoestohislittlebedwithasenseofheavenlyprotectionthathewouldmissweretheprayerforgotten.TheaverageSamoanisbutalargerchildinmostthings,andwouldlayanuneasyheadonhiswoodenpillowifhehadnotjoined,evenperfunctorily,intheeveningservice.Withmyhusband,prayer,thedirectappeal,wasanecessity.Whenhewashappyhefeltimpelledtoofferthanksforthatundeservedjoy;wheninsorrow,orpain,tocallforstrengthtobearwhatmustbeborne.
VailimalayupsomethreemilesofcontinualrisefromApia,andmorethanhalfthatdistancefromthenearestvillage.Itwasalongwayforatiredmantowalkdowneveryeveningwiththesolepurposeofjoininginfamilyworship;andtheroadthroughthebushwasdark,and,totheSamoanimagination,besetwithsupernaturalterrors.Wherefore,assoonasourhouseholdhadfallenintoaregularroutine,andthebondsofSamoanfamilylifebegantodrawusmorecloselytogether,Tusitalafeltthenecessityofincludingourretainersinoureveningdevotions.Isupposeourswastheonlywhiteman\'sfamilyinallSamoa,exceptthoseofthemissionaries,wherethedaynaturallyendedwiththishomely,patriarchalcustom.Notonlywerethereligiousscruplesofthenativessatisfied,but,whatwedidnotforesee,ourownrespectability—andincidentallythatofourretainers—becameassured,andtheinfluenceofTusitalaincreasedtenfold.
Afterallworkandmealswerefinished,the\'pu,\'orwarconch,wassoundedfromthebackverandaandthefront,sothatitmightbeheardbyall.Idon\'tthinkiteveroccurredtousthattherewasanyincongruityintheuseofthewarconchforthepeacefulinvitationtoprayer.Inresponsetoitssummonsthewhitemembersofthefamilytooktheirusualplacesinoneendofthelargehall,whiletheSamoans—men,women,andchildren—troopedinthroughalltheopendoors,somecarryinglanternsiftheeveningweredark,allmovingquietlyanddroppingwithSamoandecoruminawidesemicircleonthefloorbeneathagreatlampthathungfromtheceiling.TheservicebeganbymysonreadingachapterfromtheSamoanBible,TusitalafollowingwithaprayerinEnglish,sometimesimpromptu,butmoreoftenfromthenotesinthislittlebook,interpolatingorchangingwiththecircumstanceoftheday.
Thencamethesingingofoneormorehymnsinthenativetongue,andtherecitationinconcertoftheLord\'sPrayer,alsoinSamoan.
Manyofthesehymnsweresettoancienttunes,verywildandwarlike,andstrangelyatvariancewiththemissionarywords.
Sometimesapassingbandofhostilewarriors,withblackenedfaces,wouldpeerinatusthroughtheopenwindows,andoftenwewereforcedtopauseuntilthestrangelysavage,monotonousnoiseofthenativedrumshadceased;butnoSamoan,nor,Itrust,whiteperson,changedhisreverentattitude.Once,IrememberalookofsurpriseddismaycrossingthecountenanceofTusitalawhenmyson,contrarytohisusualcustomofreadingthenextchapterfollowingthatofyesterday,turnedbacktheleavesofhisBibletofindachapterfiercelydenunciatory,andonlytooapplicabletotheforeigndictatorsofdistractedSamoa.Onanotheroccasionthechiefhimselfbroughttheservicetoasuddencheck.Hehadjustlearnedofthetreacherousconductofoneinwhomhehadeveryreasontotrust.Thateveningtheprayerseemedunusuallyshortandformal.Asthesingingstoppedhearoseabruptlyandlefttheroom.Ihastenedafterhim,fearingsomesuddenillness.\'Whatisit?\'Iasked.\'Itisthis,\'wasthereply;\'Iamnotyetfittosay,\"Forgiveusourtrespassesasweforgivethosewhotrespassagainstus.\"\'
ItiswithnaturalreluctancethatItouchuponthelastprayerofmyhusband\'slife.Manyhavesupposedthatheshowed,inthewordingofthisprayer,thathehadsomepremonitionofhisapproachingdeath.Iamsurehehadnosuchpremonition.ItwasI
whotoldtheassembledfamilythatIfeltanimpendingdisasterapproachingnearerandnearer.AnyScotwillunderstandthatmystatementwasreceivedseriously.Itcouldnotbe,wethought,thatdangerthreatenedanyonewithinthehouse;butMr.GrahamBalfour,myhusband\'scousin,verynearanddeartous,wasawayonaperilouscruise.Ourfearsfollowedthevariousvessels,moreorlessunseaworthy,inwhichhewasmakinghiswayfromislandtoislandtotheatollwheretheexiledking,Mataafa,wasatthattimeimprisoned.Inmyhusband\'slastprayer,thenightbeforehisdeath,heaskedthatweshouldbegivenstrengthtobearthelossofthisdearfriend,shouldsuchasorrowbefallus.