The King of the Cannibals
The story of John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides
By Jim Cromarty. Evangelical Press. 288 pages.
ISBN 0 85234 401 5
Jim Cromarty is to be congratulated in writing a book which will inspire those who read it, especially younger people. I deliberately tested parts of it on my oldest son who is ten years old, and he was captivated by the sense of action drama and survival which pervades each chapter. It is also a story which is such a powerful reminder to every Christian of our supreme calling to preach and live out the good news of Christ wherever he sends us.
The story in essence is of the calling of a boy from Scotland to serve his Lord overseas and of his total dedication to that calling. John Paton was a man determined to speak of his faith in Christ even with those who openly hated Christianity. This he showed very clearly in his work with the Glasgow City Mission. It was to be fitting preparation for the supreme challenge of his life to be a missionary to the New Hebrides, in the South Pacific. There he encountered terrible cruelty and savagery and also suffered the heartbreak of losing both his wife and child.
