Obituary of Wattoo, a New Zealander.
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OBITUARY OF WATTOO,
A NEW ZEALANDER.
FROM the last Report of the Church Missionary Society, we extract the following account, by Mr. George Clarke, one of the Society's Teachers in New Zealand, of a very hopeful case of a Native who died near the Society's Settlement at Kiddeekiddee.
About three o'clock this morning died a Native, who had lived with me three months in Port Jackson, and also from my first arrival in this country. His name was Wattoo. For a New Zealander, Wattoo was of a mild disposition, and very much attached to the Europeans. He returned from Port Jackson to New Zealand with Mr. Williams; but Mr. Williams not settling among his tribe, he could not live with him: so that Wattoo was out of a situation, till I came down; when he took up his residence with me. He had lived with me about two months, when he sprained his knee by a fall: he was before lame, but this sprain quite disabled him. I continued to bathe and poultice the part which was affected; but to no purpose: the whole leg and thigh continued to waste, till they became mere skeletons: he sunk into a consumption, which terminated his mortal existence. During the whole of his affliction, he was entirely forsaken of his friends; and would have been starved, had I not taken him under my care.
There were several things pleasing in the character of Wattoo. He was but a poor Savage: but I never knew him to steal the smallest article from me. During his affliction, he seemed concerned about his soul. He told me that he often heard Mr. Marsden talk about Jesus Christ, but could not understand him. He was desirous of being instructed in those things which make for man's everlasting peace; and listened with attention to what was said to him. He wished Mr. Shepherd to visit him, that he might converse and pray with him; which Mr. Shepherd did, and also Mr. Kemp; and Mrs. Clarke and myself have heard him praying for himself. His views respecting himself as a sinner, and of the Gospel plan of salvation, were dark: but let it be remembered, his means of information on the subject were very limited, and it was not till near the close of life that he seemed to feel the need of a Saviour. It was encouraging to me to hear a New Zealander crying, What must I do to be saved? because I am sure, that if it arose from a sense of being a sinner, it was not Nature's cry, but was that work begun by the Spirit of God which would end in eternal salvation. May we not hope, then, in the spirit of charity, that poor Wattoo was a brand plucked from the burning, and a part of the first-fruits which shew that at no distant period we may expect an abundant harvest of souls?
We made a deal coffin for his remains, and interred them at the back of our little Chapel, to await the sound of the Archangel's trumpet, when all that are in their graves shall hear and come forth, to give in their account. May the thought of the impressions made on the mind of poor Wattoo encourage us to be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord!
