Kalli, the Esquimaux Christian Part 3

The writer of this Memoir well recollects the circ.u.mstances of a visit which he paid with his family to St. Augustine's College, Canterbury, on a bright day, in August, 1853, when (it being the vacation) only three students remained in residence. These were 1. Kallihirua, 2. a young Hindoo by name Mark Pitamber Paul, and 3. Lambert McKenzie, a youth of colour, a native of Africa, sent to the College by the Bishop of Guiana. Kalli, who was the only one of these personally known to the author, did not at first appear. He had strolled out to witness a cricket-match in a field near Canterbury, but Blunsom, the College porter, said that he had promised to return by two o'clock, and that he was very punctual.

It is here due both to Blunsom and his wife, to say that they were most kind friends to Kalli, watching over him with the most thoughtful attention, and the tenderest care throughout.

As the Cathedral clock struck two, Kalli entered the College-gates.

With hair black as the raven's wing, and eyes sparkling with good-humour, he made his appearance; and soon showed a desire to do the honours of the College. His dress was neat, like that of a young English gentleman, and he had a gaiety of look and manner, but far removed from foppery of apparel or demeanour. With true politeness--that of the heart--he accompanied the visitors over the Library, the Chapel, the Common Hall and the Dormitories of the College; each student having a small bed-room and study to himself.

His Amus.e.m.e.nts and Occupations

Kalli took great pleasure in exhibiting the carpenter's shop, a s.p.a.cious crypt below the Library. Attention was there called to the wooden frame of a small house, in the construction of which, it appeared, he had borne a part. He said, when asked, that he should most probably find the knowledge of carpentering valuable some day, and that he should like to teach his countrymen the many good and useful things which he had learned in his College. He spoke little, and was evidently conscious of his imperfect p.r.o.nunciation, but in answer to a question on the subject, he said he hoped to tell his people about religion, and the truths of the Gospel which he had been taught in England.

His amus.e.m.e.nts were of a quiet and innocent kind. He made small models of his country sledges, one of which, a very creditable performance, is in the Museum in the College Library, and a rough rustic chair, now in the College garden, is of his manufacture. He was fond of drawing ships, and figures of the Seal, the Walrus, the Reindeer, the Esquimaux Dog, and other objects familiar to him in the Arctic regions.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WALRUS AND SEAL.]

His sketches of animals and ships were very correct, and he used sometimes to draw them for the amus.e.m.e.nt of children.

When on board the "a.s.sistance," he made a good sketch of the coast line of the region which his tribe frequented, from Cape York to Smith's Sound.

The use which he made of the needle must not be forgotten. For a year and a half, whilst at Canterbury, he went regularly for five hours a day to a tailor to learn the trade, and was found very handy with his needle. He proved to be of much use in the ordinary work of the trade.

Baptism of Kallihirua

We now come to an important event in the history of Kallihirua; his Baptism, which took place on Advent Sunday, Nov. 27th, 1853, in St.

Martin's Church, near Canterbury. "The visitors present on the occasion," said an eye-witness[6], "were, the Rev. John Philip Gell (late Warden of Christ's College, Tasmania), accompanied by Mrs. Gell, daughter of the late Sir John Franklin; Captain Erasmus Ommanney, R.N.

(who brought Kallihirua to England), and Mrs. Ommanney, Captain Washington, R.N., of the Admiralty, and the Rev. W. T. Bullock. The Rev. T. B. Murray, Secretary of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, who had been invited, was, in consequence of engagements in London, unfortunately unable to be present".

[Footnote 6: St. Augustine's Occasional Paper.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: St. Martin's Church]

"Towards three o'clock in the afternoon, small parties began to issue from the College gateway in the direction of St. Martin's,--that picturesque little church, looking from its calm hill-side over the broad Stour valley, and over the cathedral and the steeples of the town half emerging from the smoke. In the interior of this oldest of the English churches there is an ancient font, which stands upon the spot (if it be not the very font itself), where King Ethelbert, the firstfruits of the Anglo-Saxon race, was baptized more than twelve hundred and fifty years ago by Augustine.

"In the enclosure round this font sat Kallihirua, and his 'chosen witnesses' Captain Ommanney, and the Subwarden, Mrs. Bailey, and Mrs.

Gell. The remainder of the church was quite filled with an attentive and apparently deeply-interested congregation, many of them of the poorer cla.s.s to whom Kalli is well known either by face (as indeed he could not well fail to be), or as the comrade of their children in the spelling-cla.s.s at school.

"After the Second Lesson, the Warden proceeded to the font, and the Baptismal Service commenced. Kallihirua, as an adult, made the responses for himself, and in a clear firm tone, which seemed to intimate that he had made his choice for once and for ever, that he had cast in his lot with us, and taken our people for his people, and our G.o.d for his G.o.d, and felt with an intelligent appreciation the privilege of that new brotherhood into which he was admitted.

"May his admission within the pale of Christ's holy Church be, (as was the prayer of many, beyond the walls of St. Martin's, on that day,) both to himself and to many of his race, an event pregnant of eternal issues! 'May the fulness of G.o.d's blessing,' to use the words of one of our most valued friends, 'rest upon it, and make it the first streak of a clear and steady light, shining from St. Augustine's into the far North.' The Christian names added to his original Esquimaux name, were 'Erasmus,' after Captain Ommanney, and 'Augustine,' in remembrance of the College.

"The service being concluded, an excellent sermon was preached by the Rev. J. P. Gell, on the text, Isaiah lxv. 1: 'I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.'

Afterwards the same kind friend attended our Sunday evening meeting in the Warden's house, and gave us some interesting details of the missionary work (in which he had himself borne a part) in Van Diemen's Land. The drift of his remarks was to give encouragement to the principle of steady faithful persevering energy, undamped by early difficulties, and not impatient of the day of small things; and to show by convincing examples (especially that of Mr. Davis, a devoted missionary in that country) how such conduct is sure in the end to meet with a success of the soundest and most permanent kind, because founded on the spontaneous sympathy of the people, and on the blessings of the poor, 'not loud but deep.'

"Kallihirua had received a very handsome present in the shape of a beautifully bound Bible and Prayer Book, as a baptismal gift from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge."

It may be interesting to add, that the water used in the baptism was from the river Jordan, and that it had been brought from thence by Captain Ommanney himself.

In the _Gospel Missionary_ for February, 1854, was a pleasing description of the Baptism of Kallihirua: and this was the sound and practical conclusion:--

"Before we conclude, we may, perhaps, express the hope that our young friends will sometimes think kindly of their new Christian brother, ERASMUS AUGUSTINE KALLIHIRUA, and that they will pray that G.o.d will bless him, and make him to advance more and more in the knowledge and the love of His dear Son JESUS CHRIST. When they thus think of him who is now made their own brother by baptism, and is thus brought into the family of CHRIST'S people, let them learn to value the good things which G.o.d has given _them_ in such rich abundance. Let them be thankful that they were born in a Christian country, in which they have been taught from children to know the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make them wise unto salvation through faith which is in CHRIST JESUS."

Stanzas by the Warden

The following stanzas, written by the Warden on the occasion of the baptism, will be read with pleasure, especially by those who are aware how faithfully the amiable writer of them fulfilled his part in preparing Kallihirua, not only for the right performance of such duties as seemed to await him in life, but (what was far more important) for an early death.

THE BAPTISM OF KALLIHIRUA

"I WILL TAKE YOU ONE OF A CITY, AND TWO OF A FAMILY, AND I WILL BRING YOU TO ZION."--Jer. iii. 14.

Far through the icy bounds Of Greenland's barren sh.o.r.e, At duty's call, on mercy sent, The brave are gone before.

Beyond the haunts of men They urge their tedious way, When lo! a wandering tribe appears By yonder northern bay.

But who so wild, so lost In ignorance and sin!

No G.o.d they know, no Saviour own, Is there a soul to win?

Yes, in that heathen race One heart at least is found That yearns for better things, by grace In unseen fetters bound.

Warm is the Christian's heart, Outstretch'd the Christian's hand, "a.s.sistance" lends her friendly aid To reach a Christian land.

In this our calm retreat He finds a peaceful home, Is taught such learning as is meet, In store for years to come.

He learns to know and love His Saviour and his G.o.d, And now he is a brother dear, By faith in Jesu's blood.

O gracious Spirit! hear Our prayer with one accord; And train this new-born Christian heart In thy most holy Word.

Have pity on his race!

And bring them still to see Their wretched state, and teach them all The Father, Son, and Thee!

To G.o.d the Father, Son, And Spirit, glory be, Who call'd, and saved, and sanctifies, The co-eternal Three!

Some of these verses were sung in the College Chapel on the evening of Advent Sunday, 1853.