PR 5f88 P3+ l&SO PRAYERS ~WRI Mr AT VAIL I BY ROBERT LOUIS STKVl-NJ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library PR5488.P9 1890 Prayers written at Vailima. 3 1924 013 554 070 r 'K Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013554070 HElNlRODUO HCN-BFMRS-Rj b STEVENSON *Y7Tf\ ^f evenr .Somoon Ixcv&ehcti fixe bay 1 ^^1 ** c k*ctf wt&i proqer onfl^esingr I JL ^1 mo. of hqmns; The amission of* thi* socrefr outq luoulp in6icatc;ttotxmuj a lack of rcUqwu^trairuua inihe house' chief, out a shameie$$ otsreo,aro of alk that i$ reputable in Pontoon social life^> J4o oouof, to mam\ , the ei>enino^ervice i* nonunvthau aoutij fulfltteo. Tfte clxilo u>ha sous his pi-aqer at hismother* lutee* cat* have no real mtccptiouof die meaning of*he tooro* he lisps So rea&iur,ijerheq0e$ to his little oeo untk a Sense of ReauenUf protection that Ite rooulo miss n>ere ilre^ praujer fotgotteu . Theaverage^anwan/ \i but jalatvjerehil6 in uxosttfunas; ant> ivoulo hui an uneast} hea$ x>nlu$ troofcenv 1 pilloio if he hao ner loineo^even perfuuc v/ ,torvLj ,in the evening service . s4 o sfes&s£° CtUth mq husbotto, proqer, the frirectr^ appeal, xoas a ^ necessity . ttiheu he vxxs* happq he felt impelled to offer thanhgr-* for ihoXunocseroc6 jotj ; tvheniu sorrow, or paiu;to catt^strength to Bear whar^ must be homei ^^sk^^:~&^^^&^^^^d \ /AILJAl A tan up sontetftree miles' V of contmuo^ rise from^Apia, anfr wore titan naif that oistance^ from ther^ -nearest inlhuje'. It was Along umij for a ureo man to unxlh froion euerq eoenuuj" untft the sole purpose of joining in faminj worship; tutfrtheroafc thi*ougtttheouslr was oarh, mtoVto the i5atnoau imagina turn, beset with;SnpcTuaUirarxet*rorsr~ CUhercfore, as soon as our household hai -fatten titto a regular routine, andtnefomte of ^amoan fainiUj Kfebegan to Oram us^ wore closcuj together, Tusirala ^ir xhe 7 ttecessutj of mcuwmg our retainers m omewnutg tfeoouons. X suppose oxtvs^ was the onh| mhite mans famtfq vx aH ;Samoa, except tltose of tlte missionaries, where the daij naturaluj enbe&widx this" homelq, patriarchal custom. Woronhj were axe religious .scruples of tltc natives sotlsfico , but, what wc oio not foresee, our own respectabiUw, — ano liKtomtoiltr* ihat of our rctaiiicr$^— ^ameassurco, cmo iltc utffuenceof lusitala increaseo Lifter xill worfc ano ttfeak were jutishci, jL Xihc *pu f * or war couch, wassouno* e6 from the back reranoaano the frontTso that frm^hrfcehear6 bi\ all. J oonttlunk tr ena*occurreo to us that there wasr ;cuuj inconoTuut| Ut the use of the war ccxxdx -[or the peac*^hu>u^iontoorsr #ome carrqu^loauTmts i£the eventtup' were £arfc, cdTruouutcj cjutetuj ano irop * ping untfe o5amoan occonunutctwtcV^ semicircle on the fCborWneath ct ^reaC" lamp ihcu huna; Vromtheccdliug. Tfie^ ^reroiee began Bif niir sou rea^uuj a chap * l^|riWt]^^atnoan^ltle^ ^sitala^ foUoioma untlt a pratjer In (EttgUslt, some* Wtcs impromptu, hut more cjtm from * „ the note* m mis little book, Lnterpotatma^ or changing wuk the circumstances of the' touj. ' Ilicn came the siitauta ofoncor more lu|iun5 in the native tonaue,au6ihe reei " tation in eotumof meX^o^^roq^abo in^i^amoan. CPanq ofutcse humus u*rc / #ct to oauiainunes, vertj unloano warlike, ano strauach| oa' variance 'with me'nuV sionarvj wcros. ^&° 3'^° s>.i?°&j>'^r &&?£>£ C^omettmes a pacing bano of hostile 7 \ — ) warriors with blackened faces woulo peer mar us thrombi* the open wiuooweC ano often we were-(orceo to pause until the srranijcuj savage, mewtcnous noise' of the native brums had ceased ; but "no ;s*s* 5attu>an , nor, J trusr, white person, chana " co his reverent attitiice . Omc,l remember a look of surprised fosmati ero^uta the'* countenance of "Tusvtala when mtj son, r cotufartf taKis usual custom of rea&ua^ the nyiX ctmpter fottowing tharof ucster " vatj f turned hack the leaves of hts ftibfe 7 to fthfc a ehapler ftcrceuj ^muueiatortfr" ouo ontq too Applicable xo the foreign fac x/ ioJx>r& of $tstraete6 .Samoa . On another occaeicnt jtftc chief himself Ircouahr the j>%> service to a sn$6eu eheck . T}eha6 jusr^ learne6 cfifo treacherous renouctof our' ire whom he ha6 even] reason to trusc^U^ ThaTevemitcjuTepraqer seemeb unusual' Ivj short nno formal, J\sihesuinittcjr;^&: .stoppeo he arose abruptly anb lep *he^4 room, I hasleneo after turn, leaving Lottie 7 6ir66millite5$/aihari^it?^ Tasked 4 It {$ mts r ' wis ihe i*ephr ; Tarn notnet jtir to satf, "|orcjiven50ttf trespasses':^ fcrraive those who n^espasSacjaiustiisV' f ~X<& is n*m^taturaf reluctance taut^X I touch upon thelast praqer of mtjhusfcanfc I h-fe . CPamj haue supposes Axoxfor^ JL shoiuefr, in the ujorotu^cfthis prater, jno4:helro^^cnnepiteruonuion of*Hsr^- nppi-oachura/aeam, Tam.siu-ehehaona such pronm&on . It u>as X who tolo the assemHeo -^unilq that T felt an impenoinc/ disaster approaching nearer an6 nearer* Amji?cotunll imfcerstano ihatrruf state/ 7/ *Anent n>as received serioushj . Jteculo notr^ it ,vx jfawwjht , that ounaer ear to its, n>a^aioau oua perilou* mruise^ Our {ears foUotveo ute varicu&v tz&tW, ®& more or less ;uttseau>ortfui , itt u?lucKueiwi5 tuoRura Jus ami ^om island to islan6*o^ tfxe atoll u>ltere me e^Ueo &uq r (Tlaitaafal tuas at lHat lunr imprisoned, lit mif hu$£an& Wt praifer, ate vtight Before ms £eath\ hc^^ a&keb tnatlve sttouto Beaiueu stfenatfi to", tear ihe loss of tltis dear friend, sfoiUo suclt^ a sorrow Befalf u^ FOf^accieusjs Ye *:/«/""-. [J fceholo cm- jamiuj here 1 assemUeo .-<&*©,.•& ? sw / ]e tttcaak^6hee for .4 ^ jthts place in which we 1 Jewell ; for thelooe that j I unites us ; for me peace L accorfcebusrfusbaij; for die hope Jj u>Uh which ux expect dte morrow: for me heafch ,tne work, die £06,* j onto doe bright skies, that make , ourXiues beEghtjui; forour [fim sire,rt>c beseech of<£*hee this help anfc nteretj for<3hrtsts^ake: ■ •&> 'JS -~.:J-.'^ T[0^ <5i3Hhor rematnshejore ft t^ of our course urithouf __ ■ ftshouour to" ourselves or hurt 10 others, ono, wlwn;d*e oeup comes,mau £te in peaceXMiver xt$ from fear ant) favour : from mean hopes au6 cheap pkastuTCSoS.©® r)ave merctf on each inhi* oeficiencif ; let htm he not-cast fount ; supporT the stumHituj on the u>at( r anayive/ at last rest to the tveartj . -s o O #^f%; •"igC© ■ « flpo^ic^ 3 |JTX3 ijcaj return^ tmngs u£ xhe^ pjeCB^ rounfc of &&■- imfcxting eoncerns' ano ;6utie!S.l7elpu5 to ploaj die incut ,9* I help u$ to pa*foruw diem with laughter antrkuitt^ -(ace5, let icheerfulue$s oJ?ountt^ unth inoustrif X^iue v&Wv^ goMuheuj on our business' ° nil this £cu| , bring us to our <& kj T{ come fce^ore^mee, © L/orti, in mie eno jcfjfaf?* fcou, nod* monl^aunwj: ^^\ur bdeveb in me -far xSjf parte ofthe earmvtfotfe j wRo are nowl^wtung «* iheIahoureofme&u| what time wemb them;ano those with v&wn meaiuineu? stands at me point of noon r hless, help, eousole,an$ prosper mew. &9 f .&4>&&' |p\ur guaro is reKeve^meseruiceo^ ISAhe "oai| is over,ano thehoureome 10 rest .XE e resign intomij hunos jntr sleeping hooie& : omcofoheoxths, atw open£oorsC <^uxnstoau>alie with ^niued^aire us to labour smiling ?3$ me sun returns intheeast;sa let our &&*& pauence be renewco nam ocuvn ; as the $vm lightens the ivortt, sokt our loviny- Kuoness make Bright mis house of our imtitatum. &>&&*&**>&&*&&&, K 73T>C*5bet£(; *W €(V^ir^ OKI , receive our 5nppUeattons for due house, fatuity , on6 eonturlj; ^rotecnhe hiuoeent;re " sCroiu the areeoij onb me uVo^herons, leoo us outr" of our ambulation into a^ quiet lano. i^,:^^m^:,,,j^- n "l^rboh bown upon ourselves aub upon J^i our absent Neurones. I}eip wy anb them ; prd&W our oaus iupeace auoltonour. #ivensheauh, joob, hriaht weather,anb fight heartsrn'. In what ire mebitute ofeuU r fm*trate our wilt ; in what of gooo , further our ertbeaoours .Cause injuries to he ^>r " f" sno benefit* to Be remembered . 3T us lie bowu without feox anb awake anb arise with ^uttatioa I^or his sake, in whose werbs we now eonclube. » i * y \ i tt) simei qh ^aiT> © xl <% R eUxank^SWe^Corb, ^ late xwai£ an-6 die excellent' jaceafrfuf sm/GXetfiaulr I §S|K Oltee forjqboj6 uetwe received. ^etlTankohcc^rtlTe ^; pleasures wehavjtjmjmebjcwxb r those u^ltavefceett aMei tfetecon %In6 ncav,u;Iten the clontexjat&er ^ axxto theraut impend ever die finest rnifc-ourftouse, permit us not whe cast 6eu>n ; let us not lose the^ay * our of past mercies axxb pasfpfoa * ^snres ; Intf, like ate ueaceefa Krd ^wgtita, itrxlte rairt, lettwxteful v ^> tnemeri{ sunmjeiutfolimroj^ darkness. If there 1* in: jron* of xisximj painful putX^sIreugthen: us with tfcegrace of courage; if am] act afmercij , teach us tewerness axto patience^ >^? * > m ^ *.■&. ^ flf ».v&i jarpxsbetRoi) ^1©^ ohbhii^ i<\ 'Wv, m <3^$Z & m <5l*n the xmcoutx&b mixtion* of the fwest^ axib avbe$tike Tree* X& x brink tyceebixujUf. 133* arenerey uponddtisk a puhon^fufe of xnen f iXx%bhowmanuT^ricw^ ■ upon mqriate ofsfalwact lxee& 1 ^£>eacfc us tl%c k^mtxfdxe iree^T ^he^eaarovmbu$ f which M* ' \ rairtmruUMeetns with the raeejtff tish ; teach us,lior6, *fre mcaninqaf 'tfcetfafv*. l^uf^einuselWstor ; uftat ware, onerous ofthe caimuc5^ numfcer jofjfce xlans cfjfe| fraudi * work. . >> :' 0. L^/ 043 00 J2£ € 2 Tv^^jl^ ^eapBBW^etpw^&ioi^ o~oaxr l 9 *7 we 50 fortfe separate, *ure,somex>fWtiiy worship, ^ome %r. upon^uOj :<&o unth iis,jpurx}iute*wfr jonqei;lwfo^5ttcni W^ccu^ itt$wrpwiktt> podx^-dWmorfc -of &ur lowjcaUutg, still xc he< > true t*> what small test tuc jcatr B attorn t*r. I)jeIpu$iirAat7x';, our maker^tn* Spenser x^ 4ucst& — ofiou,if*fa vastr^ fti&ign*, inpivxh w Hmftty laWur, suffer u* # £es* far-?! tQn&Xoxtfftmx&dvze jou$ jout '•^ ; Cfi •T(OJ^; Fjt^QDjSr wm OR fowfr sixes mt. implore itqlowiw K*cpjfomiu lipj&tpxftcmitt ti^dui^faarjtwe. e^ falcvcbbhxshftrv&,Twrwe fyv tfccnt . <3mnt mbuti&ticr, jOiw Je$$er Ub unmckax, fxo$xo^ accept 6eatft,foss,4Ui$&^ xxppcxnttrwitta* it u>mstroo# upon *ne tlie of life, qszct TFtaE^be-UHflHtsT ID w^ o U£ if it be xltq unllanour cwxcerx&.lfaxx tneraf xmihisJan^xutfunnocjenr mil &ttf*anfm& in &V * e^pomtmenfrmtft tfceir fvatfties^ honse^Hesstfnr idan^ndpa^fou wjIwItasTntia^c^nx^Ak place jtff sase jcu^It<^,x3icceptxin^ inflame mir^xtfuufc; Mpnslo repAij , in >jen^rxmetoaiww^,tfefel^ jof^ :tniue unmerited foraftejanS nrer * jcie&40 ritar,xvlwmne period jofJenwj6*Hp £rou#:to ja eonclusion, tyRcnrifce Hrinfcw* fceain v> bzbwck' tntbrwhm tixchonb ^ftlte^uniuf i£ tf&JoaStfMro* sftatt fono Ktter * nei^ jof renters* in mir ftanotVL^ cJ m ith our (Kends,l>e witlt mir j&elues .€fc with each ofx&to rest; ifatupW aiwfo,temper them die tolvlWureefuKUcE inn; and mhenthe&uj retum$ f reuirntousC mu*stmano^m6rter,aitdealln$xtp wiwu morninq ^utfsand with monvimjnearl^-^ tager talaBonr— eaaertoknappti, if Happi ms^sltall kxjur pMion-ano if ttte^tmBe^ tnarfeeo 6r sonw; s4rona0Jmfoire itr^ N manRoluean6prai$Wnee;an^inme | u?or^af Mm to whom mis 6oa\ fezoxrw, close x>ur obranan. 9>'q ^ :** @^< ^x&; ' 1^ ;*yi ^ a Oa'-/ «4C 'OR.-6^1^H-B^H(Q6[ IS '-v. m m m m> &* team that i* in our aunt # e^anoHinau&ttiftfmote' thatisinamfaotfterK^ v- „ Jjjexu^ felxwr jO(pnce$ixJUhin«rlTan^f7' ntafce dtcm^reatjan^Brigftrbcfbivtt^ like xlte^un, mak us *at them xwfr « ^ 6rinl* them 6r our aiet. Blinfr n* totfte offend of our l>*laue6, aeons* litem ^ from our memories, take them out of w mouths for et*er . X(*T all Itere^" | i^^<^b«ejcana{ttn^inea$urc^ah ihe {afee fcalauees of ioue,ano to in ^>^% their njunctures ttemostjnuuj. I~>elpn*at'ihe$ame' titnettfituthea^aeeofrottra^e, thatu*' he ncttttf us iast taunt tultm tve sit^v* iameuunqamiS the niins^ourhappi * ness or our mtearttq ♦♦ touch tie tuith fire from the afror, that tuetnatj he ti» 7 imo Mug to" refcuUo our eutf : # iuthe^ t namx ant) fcu the methoo of itim in * & ' ujfto&e tuoro* of prater tve noivroncluoeC v l&rXteSi 23 ^C^-0^LEHEtQR6€[0F(al^T>€(a8 . W - -ir r i •utiiiiMiufcmiiiinnwm.iuii f" V / t^ Ife > * I c , J? I ifceereoaure$x>frfuj hatiS, ilaj ft»inhma& children, come &4oV*T8we unili ifoiriwofter^ntipidH^xin^ reamer: c o €loU^renipe^u:e f dultoniue6aaUbakeiWaij aboutihatpersm,sorhat" * he shall see temselfanpbe^ ashamed. - oiyn,cau upon ^te^Bone%c[iucfeetr, i enttuen ; recreate in usifee soul # of *mrae,:d^plriTbf peace; ^ c rctttunuu^meVmseof loi| $•£&. fc ill v^i _ ■*. JHUre cxib the praqcrs of *0&. a* tJ^ignc^, written out" &&- ont> UlummatcMur^°sfe fltbcrto^an^pr^ki^reprotwci) 7h| tW Cjmphic Gxyvavixuy G. ^r G\&vf CKaOo ^OCUiftai% volxc publish xfo vdivaxc at' 111 ^traVrtin^bute^s^ Umiwi, -aiCcr>X- All rtalaS r*au'C>. S |Conl) impression.