Thou know’st the depths from whence we sprung;
Inspire each heart, unloose each tongue,
That all our powers may join to bless
The Lord, our Strength and Righteousness.
In the early part of this year, 1890, the news came that the much-talked-of missionary schooner had been built and would shortly sail on its mission to the Pacific islands; but not until the 25th of November of the same year did she arrive, making Pitcairn Island her first stopping place. The missionaries, who were Elders Gates and Read and their wives and Mr. and Mrs. Tay, were gladly welcomed. After a short rest they began the work of organizing the church and Sabbath school. The rite of baptism was performed, whereby all the adult members of the community were received into the body of the church. This solemn and impressive service was witnessed for the first time by the people, who had hitherto seen and known only the sprinkling of water on the faces of infants.
When the Pitcairn, for so the ship was named, left the island, three of the islanders went away to engage in work in different places. On her return, in July, 1892, two of her company were missing. Mr. Tay, whose name was so closely associated with the ship, and also with the island, had died at Suva, in Fiji, and the captain, Mr. Marsh, had fallen a victim to the influenza, and died in Auckland, New Zealand.
Elder Gates and his wife remained on the island, while the Pitcairn returned to California. Too much cannot be said of the good that their stay accomplished. Although, physically, the gentleman was not strong, he made every effort to elevate the minds of the people, who naturally had, owing to their isolated situation, very narrow and limited views of life. As soon as possible he started a class, which all the young people attended, and, to further help them, organized a literary society of over forty, in which every member took part, and which was thoroughly enjoyed as long as it was kept up.
Four months after his coming he started a paper, giving it the name of the Monthly Pitcairnian, to whose written pages all were invited to contribute. The paper had its own staff of reporters, six in number, who almost invariably failed to send in any news; nevertheless, its pages were always full. There was, first, the opening page, on which generally appeared an original poem. This was followed by the editorial page, which the editor, Elder Gates, contrived to fill with some lively article. The rest of the paper consisted of five other departments, devoted to Moral and Religious Topics, the Home Circle, News Items, Pleasantries, and All Sorts.
On the 18th of February, 1893, the Pitcairn came the second time from San Francisco, bringing, in addition to the other passengers, missionaries to be located on different islands. A teacher from America, Miss Hattie Andre, just graduated from college, came to organize and teach school on Pitcairn Island. After the necessary delay incident on a fresh arrival, immediate steps were taken to have the school fairly started. This was done in the early part of April, and the young people, fully aware of their lack of education, were not slow to avail themselves of the advantages offered them in having for their instructor one so well qualified and fitted for the work. Forty-two young persons, varying in age from fourteen to thirty-nine years, had their names entered as students, one of these being a girl from Mangareva, whose two younger brothers were placed among the other children from the age of seven to thirteen years. These were twenty in number, and were taught by one of the island women.