From Darkness to Light in Polynesia. By the Rev. William
Wyatt Gill, LL.D. (Religious Tract Society.)—Dr. Gill spent the thirty-three years of his missionary life in Rangaia and Rardanga island, of the Hervey group (under the protectorate of the British Government since 1888). He has pursued the investigation into native legends and folk-lore, keeping up this study alongside of his missionary labours, a practice of which too much cannot be said in praise. The result of his labours has been twofold. He has collected a great body of native lore, which he divides into mythical or spiritual and historical, this division being recognised by the native language, which has two distinct terms, and be is able to illustrate by these the changed condition of things which has been brought about by missionary effort. The historical tradi- tions he considers to be of comparatively recent date, though he claims a certain authority for them, as far as they go. (The same tradition, if found in two hostile tribes, is clearly of some value.) Some of the spiritual portions are, be thinks, of earlier origin. They have assumed a liturgical character, and have been handed down from generation to generation. Dr. Gill is one of the intelligent and devoted students who have done so much of late to raise the status of missionary work. His labours may be ranked with those of Dr. Codrington in another part of the Pacific.
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