One of the most fascinating stories I’ve ever studied was of the nineteenth century Scottish missionary John Paton. Like many other missionaries, his ministry was filled with both peaks and valleys. There are always obstacles to overcome and setbacks that can cause discouragement. But what really stands out in his story is the supernatural means by which the Lord protected him multiple times in his life. As you read the following article, you can’t help but be encouraged by God’s miraculous power displayed in the life of one of his faithful servants.
While still newlyweds, John and Mary Paton sailed away from their Scotland home to become missionaries to the islands of the South Seas in 1858. Months later they landed in the New Hebrides Islands and began to build a house and start a new life there together. From their home they would work to reach the superstitious natives with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Little did they know how much their own lives would be in danger because of their presence on the islands and their persistence in sharing about Gods love.
As a missionary, Paton would soon have to learn how to endure loss. Shortly after the first year on the islands, Patons young wife contracted a serious illness and died. Just one month after that his infant son died as well. Years later he married again, to his second wife Margaret (Maggie) and had more children. But four out those six children died at birth or in the first year too. In spite of his personal losses, however, Paton worked relentlessly to help the island peoples. He diligently labored to translate the Bible in their native language, and to proclaim the gospel to the unreached, even against strong opposition.
On one occasion when Paton was preaching in one of the villages, three sacred men stood up and declared that they could kill him by Nahak (sorcery), if they could only get possession of any piece of fruit or food of which he had eaten. With the Lords help, Paton decided to turn this challenge into an opportunity to strike a blow at the tremendous power for evil used by the sorcerers. After taking a bite out of three plums, he handed one of them to each of the sacred men. The natives were astounded at his action and expected to see him fall over dead at any moment, as the sorcerers proceeded with their spells. With many gestures and mutterings, they rolled up the three plums in leaves, kindled a sacred fire and burned them. Confident that their gods werent real, Paton began to mock them. (Much like Elijah mocked the false prophets on Mount Carmel in I Kings 18) ”Stir up your gods to help you,” urged Paton. “I am not killed. In fact I am perfectly well.”[i]
Finally, the sorcerers said that they would call all the sacred men together and that they would kill Missi (what the natives called him) before the next Sunday arrived. Paton told the people he would meet them at that same place the next Sunday morning. Great excitement prevailed on the island. Every day messengers came from different places inquiring if the white man was ill. On Sunday morning he appeared before the people in sound health and said: “Now you must admit that your gods have no power over me and that I am protected by the true and living God. He is the only God who can hear and answer prayer. He loves all human beings, despite their great wickedness, and He sent His dear Son, Jesus, to save from sin all who will believe and follow Him.”[ii] From that day two of the sacred men were very friendly. But the others continued to be bitter enemies and incited the natives to new levels of hatred toward him.
About this time, terrible things were happening on the island of Erromanga. Years earlier, two missionary men were beaten to death by clubs and eaten by the Erromangans. But in time other courageous missionaries took their places. Then, after four years of devoted service, the new missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, were beaten and murdered, too.
When the Tannese heard of this horrible deed, they shouted to one another: “Our love to the Erromangans! They are brave men. They have killed their Missi and his wife while we only talk about it.”[iii]
Because of the frequent attacks upon their lives and the murder of one of them, all the native teachers, except Abraham, returned to their own island. This dear fellow, formerly a blood-thirsty savage, was a true hero of the Cross. In the face of imminent death he determined to stay with the missionary at the post of duty and danger. As hundreds of furious cannibals shouted for their death, the two knelt in prayer. ”O Lord,” Abraham prayed, “make us both strong for You and Your cause, and if they kill us, let us die together in Your good work, like Your servants, Missi Gordon the man and Missi Gordon the woman.”
The savages encircled them in a deadly ring and kept urging each other to strike the first blow or fire the first shot. Suddenly a killing-stone, thrown with great force, grazed Abraham’s cheek. The dear old saint turned his gaze heavenward and said, “Missi, I was nearly away to Jesus.”
“In that awful hour,” writes Paton, “I saw Christ’s own words, as if carved in letters of fire upon the clouds of heaven: ‘Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’” As he stood praying, he saw the Lord Jesus hovering close by, watching the scene, and an assurance came to him, as if a voice from heaven had spoken, that not a musket (gun) would be fired, not a club would strike, not a spear leave the hand in which it was held vibrating to be thrown, not an arrow leave the bow, or a killing-stone the fingers, without the permission of Jesus Christ, who rules all nature and restrains even the savages of the South Seas.[iv] How were the savages prevented from carrying out their murderous plot? It was a miracle, coming from the protecting presence of the Lord. When he was asked how he could have survived such an ordeal, Paton said that he was protected from the same hand that restrained the lions from touching Daniel.
On another occasion, the men of the village surrounded the Patons home with the intention of killing them. They were all painted for warfare, wearing their traditional battle attire and carrying spears and other deadly weapons. When it became obvious to the Patons that there was no possible way of escape, they began to pray intensely to the Lord, surrendering their lives to His will. They prepared themselves for the worst, submitting to Gods sovereign purpose if this was how He desired to take them home. After a while, when nothing had happened, they looked out to find the natives quickly retreating to the jungle. Immediately, John and Margaret thanked God for His hand of providence in allowing them to continue to live and do their missionary work. A year later, when the chief of the tribe had come to believe in Jesus Christ, John asked him what prevented the natives from following through with their plan to kill them that day. The chief said it was because of the army that was protecting the house. But John told him that there was no army, for it was just he and wife at the house. Then the chief proceeded to tell him that there was indeed an army there. There were hundreds of large warriors wearing shiny suits of armor with their swords drawn, circled around the home of the two missionaries.[v]
Were these shining warriors really angels that God used to protect His faithful missionaries? Only God knows for sure. But God had certainly used supernatural events to display His victory over false gods in the past. And our God will most surely accomplish His intended purposes, whether it be through natural means or supernatural means. God was greatly glorified through the life and ministry of missionary John Paton. And as a result, many of the natives in the islands he served were harvested for Christ’s kingdom. Praise God for His marvelous protection and providence!
[i] Harrison, Eugene Myers, Heroes of Faith on Pioneer Trails (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1945)
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Ibid.
[v] Graham, Billy, Angels: Gods Secret Agents (Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1975), p. 3.