Glimpses of old Glasgow

Foreign Missionaries

Rev. John Inglis, D.D.

MANY great and useful men both in Church and State have sprung from humble parents, and have first seen the light of day in some unpretending locality. The bitter struggles of their early years fitted to equip them for the worthy positions which their God-given talents enabled them to fill in after years. For example, Dr. Chalmers was born in the parish of Kilmany; the late Principal Fairbairn of the Free Church came from Shetland; the eminent geologist and author, Hugh Miller, spent his early years in an almost unknown district of the north of Scotland; while Dr. Inglis has made illustrious a quiet village in Dumfriesshire. Moniaive, in which he was born, is a hamlet fragrant with memories of Covenanting days.

After a few years' attendance at the parochial schools, John Inglis was apprenticed to the trade of a mason, and became an industrious and efficient operative. The characteristics developed in these years grew both with his growth and his work; whether as a student, as a missionary, or as an author - all was performed in the most satisfactory way. When he was an apprentice all his spare hours were given up to reading and to the study of Greek; it was often remarked of him, "That young man will come to something yet." The ministrations of his pastor, the Rev. T. Roward of Penpont, made a deep impression upon his mind and heart, and led him to connect himself with the Reformed Presbyterian Church.

When he came to Glasgow to attend the university he became a favourite with some of its professors - specially Sir D. Sandford, the famous professor of Greek. After he had finished his arts classes, he joined the divinity hall of the above denomination, its professor being the able and revered Dr. Andrew Symington. As a student of divinity he was earnest and capable, and was duly licensed in 1842.

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The Reformed Presbyterian Church had commenced foreign missionary operations among the aborigines of New Zealand - the Rev. J. Duncan being the pioneer missionary of the denomination. Wishing to cheer and encourage him in his onerous work, the synod invited Dr. Inglis to be a co-worker with him. Accepting the invitation, Inglis left Scotland in 1844. On his arrival in New Zealand, instead of settling where his predecessor had begun his laudable enterprise, he visited the New Hebrides group of islands, and chose one side of the island of Aneityum as the scene of his future self-denying labours. Pitching his tent on an isle where every prospect pleased and "only man was vile" in every sense of the word, the missionary began operations among a people of whom some were addicted to cannibalism. Buckling on his spiritual armour, with strong faith in his God and Saviour, and with the courage of Gideon and the zeal of Paul, he taught the savages the truth as it is in Jesus. His devoted wife greatly helped him.

As time rolled on all things became brighter, and his efforts were rewarded by a success greater than he had ever imagined in his most sanguine moments. There was no written language, and he formed one. While working hard as a missionary of the cross, and striving to win souls for Christ, he was no less unwearied in literary work. He translated and got printed portions of the Bible; also religious books, such as "The Pilgrim's Progress," primers, and elementary school books, which became widely circulated. Several important works bearing on Christian missions, etc., were also written by him.

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Dr. Inglis' early training proved of inestimable value to him. He encouraged and helped the natives to build houses for themselves, and he erected a building which served both as a school and a sanctuary. The island of Aneityum has been, and still is, a great centre of light to other islands, and many converts of this southern "Iona" have left their homes and become gospel pioneers to other benighted islands. All that has been briefly sketched shows only a tithe of the noble missionary work which Dr. Inglis and his wife were, by grace, enabled to do in their day and generation. Mrs. Inglis predeceased her husband, who died on 18th July, 1891.

With Dr. Inglis I had much friendly intercourse. When calling on me on one occasion he sketched an outline of Erromanga Bay, the scene of the Williams tragedy. "Here," he said pointing with his finger to various points on the map - "here was the missionary ship; here the boat containing Williams and Harris; here they were overtaken and killed, and on this part of the shore stands the church erected to the memory of the martyred missionary." Among my most treasured volumes is a book given me by the doctor - his translation of "The Pilgrim's Progress" into the Aneityan tongue.

Dr. Inglis was animated with the spirit of Him who first sent out missionaries among the heathen of the first century. He was resolute, and faced difficulties with calmness and determination. He was full of resource: a most lovable man, and with great love for his work, His career shows that the gospel has not lost its power of elevating even the most degraded race or the vilest of men.