Paton

John G. Paton was a Scottish missionary to the New Hebrides of the South Pacific during the 19th century. The inhabitants of the islands were cannibals; in 1839 the London Missionary Society had sent John Williams and James Harris there to be missionaries. Both were killed and eaten by cannibals. This, therefore, was risky, perilous business for Paton as he began work in 1858.

Before he left a certain Mr. Dickson said to Paton, "The cannibals! You will be eaten by the cannibals!" Paton's response is classic: "Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of the risen Redeemer."

In 1887, Paton wrote the following: "On our New Hebrides, more than 12,000 cannibals have been brought to sit at the feet of Christ . . . and 133 of the Natives have been trained and sent forth as teachers and preachers of the Gospel."