In this postcolonial age, many things are said and written concerning missionaries to foreign/ indigenous lands. I have just been reading a source which reveals that in its purest, Christian form, the missionary impulse was, well, pure and Christian. It would also, doubtless, have seemed reckless and ridiculous to many contemporary observers, not to mention present day commentators.

Anyway, I have just been working with a stupendous source from the early missionary story of New Zealand, that being Marianne Williams’ London journal of 1822; this represents about the last half year of active preparations that she and her husband, Henry Williams, took before they left for New Zealand to join the Church Missionary Society mission in the Bay of Islands.

I share one small slice of this now, but much more will be coming in near future, as Marianne gets ample coverage in my biography of Henry – currently in editing.

So this is Marianne Williams, who is around 28 years old, writing from Camden Town, London, Tuesday, 18 June 1822 (MS. 1991/75/1182, Auckland Museum Library):

Henry busy writing. We saw Edward [Marsh] pass on the top of a stage [coach] on his way to the C[hurch] M[issionary] H[ouse] to committee upon the affairs of New Zealand -- He came in just at our dinner at 3 oclock & told us he had much to tell us that would try our faith & perseverance. The news from New Zealand is very unpleasant. the visit of the chiefs to England has been productive of great evil, all the presents Shunghi [Hongi] received were changed at New South Wales for muskets & it is supposed he has a thousand stand of arms. Mr Kendal is implicated. - those missionaries who steadily obey the instructions of the society & refuse to sell muskets are despised by the natives, and two are thinking of returning. We do not feel dismayed our strength
is not in man. We discoursed cheerfully upon these &
many other particulars & Edward staid [to] tea & gave
Henry some hints upon his sermon. - After we walked to
Holloway taking a kite for little Henry... -- Our conversation as we walked was upon the late intelligence & we could rejoice that the prospect of difficulty danger and trials by not discouraging us made us feel cheerful confidence that our motives for going out were not of earthly growth, -- our feelings were of a very elevated kind & oh how sweet are such feelings...