| John Williams (missionary) |
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In 1817 he voyaged to the Society Islands , which include Tahiti , and established a station on the island of Raiatea . From there, he visited a number of the Polynesian island chains, becoming the first missionary, for example, to visit Samoa. Landing on Aitutaki in 1821 he used Tahitian converts to carry his message to the Cook Islanders. One island in this group, Rarotonga (said to have been discovered by him) rises out of the sea as jungle-covered mountains of orange soil ringed by coral reef and turquoise lagoon and Williams became fascinated by it. Williams returned to Britain in 1834 to supervise the printing of his translation of the New Testament into the Rarotongan Language . He brought with him a native of Samoa, named 'Leota' who came to live as a Christian in London. At the end of his days Leota was buried in Abney Park Cemetery with a dignified headstone paid for by the London Missionary Society, recording his adventure from the South Seas island of his birth. Whilst back in London, Williams published a ''"Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands"'', making a contribution to English understanding and popularity of the region, before returning to the Polynesian islands in 1837 . Most of Williams' missionary work, and his delivery of a cultural message, was very successful. However, whilst visiting a part of the New Hebrides in November 1839 where he was unknown, he was killed and eaten by Cannibal s on the island of Erromango during an attempt to convey to them the blessings he brought. A memorial stone was erected on the island of Roratonga in 1839 and is still there today. His widow is buried alone at the old Cedar Circle in London's Abney Park Cemetery ; fittingly the name of her husband and the sad record of his death stands first on the modest stone. Useful references: 'On the Missionary Trail: a journey through Polynesia, Asia and Africa with the London Missionary Society' by Tom Hiney (2000); and 'Walks in Abney Park Cemetery' by Rev. James French (1888) |