JOHN PATON
John Paton was born near Dumfries in the south of Scotland, May 1824. The most powerful influence over his life was his godly, praying father, who was actually a stocking maker.Before he was 12 years old, Paton says, "I had given my soul to God, and was resolved to aim at being a missionary of the cross, or a minister of the gospel". As he came to the end of his studies in divinity in Glasgow at the age of 32, he says, "I continually heard... the wail of the perishing Heathen in the South Seas; and I saw that few were caring for them, The Lord kept saying within me, 'Since none better qualified can be got, rise and offer yourself!'"
By 20, he was off to Glasgow to work in the slums among the children. Though discouraging at times, many boys and girls were won to Christ during his service. During this time, he was challenged by the pleas of John Inglis, missionary to the New Hebrides.
"From the moment, every doubt as to my path of duty forever vanished. I saw the hand of God very visibly, not only preparing me before, but now leading me to, the Foreign Mission field. Let me record my immovable conviction that this is the noblest service in which any human being, can spend or be spent; and that, if God gave me back my life to be lived over again, I would without one quiver of hesitation lay it on the altar to Christ, that He might use it as before in similar ministries of love, especially amongst those who have never yet heard the Name of Jesus. Nothing that has been endured, and nothing that can now befall me, makes me tremble - on the contrary, I deeply rejoice - when I breathe the prayer that it may please the blessed Lord to turn the hearts of all my children to the Mission Field and that He may open up their way and make it their pride and joy to live and die in carrying Jesus and His Gospel into the heart of the Heathen World!"
The New Hebrides had taken the life of many of Scotland's finest. The Islands were infamous for cannibalism. One church official sought to discourage John by saying, "You will be eaten by cannibals!" To which John replied, "Sir, 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 but 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 our risen Redeemer."
This gritty toughness was under girded by the strong sense of God's abiding presence. Those who heard Paton speak, never failed to hear his life-long text, "Lo, I am with you always even unto the ends of the earth."
His life-story reads like the wild adventures of Kit Carson, and has challenged hundreds of young people to abandon themselves to the call of God.
"I claimed Anina for Jesus, and by the grace of God, Anina now worships at the Savior's feet!"
When Paton arrived at the island of Anina, there was not one professing Christian. When he left, there was not one heathen! Such was the powerful ministry and sacrifice of John Paton.
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