’Twelve (this season) are counted as sixth form, or monitors, or whatever you please to call them. [Then ensues an account of the rotation of industrial work, &c.]

’The other day I was examining an Ysabel lad, not formally in school, but he happened to be in my room, as they are always hanging about (as you know).  He knew much more than I expected:  “Who taught you all this?  I am very well pleased.”

’"Wogale,” was the answer.

’Edward Wogale is George Sarawai’s own brother, volunteering now to go to Anudha (Florida), near Ysabel Island.  If I see that a young man (by his written notes, little essays so to say, analysis of lessons) understands what he has been taught; and if I see (by the proficiency of his pupils) that he can reproduce and communicate this teaching to others, then one part of the question of his fitness is answered.  If he has been here for years, always well conducted, and if when at home occasionally he has always behaved well and resisted temptation; and perhaps I should add, if he is respectably married, or about to be married, to a decent Christian girl, then we may hope that the matter of moral fitness may be hopefully settled.  Assuming this, and thank God, I believe I may assume that it is the case with several here now, as soon as a Deacon is required in any place that he is willing to work in, I should not hesitate to ordain him; but I can’t specify exactly what his qualifications ought to be, because I can’t undertake to settle the difficult question of what constitutes absolutely essential teaching for a Christian, i.e., the doctrine of fundamentals.  Practically one can settle it; and that quite as well as in England, where there is, and must be any amount of inequality in the attainments and earnestness of the candidates, and where no examination can secure the fitness or even the mental capacity of the minister.

’I say to myself, “Here is an island or a part of an island from which we have had a good many scholars.  Some married ones are going back to live permanently.  They are Christians, and some are Communicants.  They wish to do what they can to get the young ones about them for regular school and to talk to the older people.  They all have and can use their Prayer-books.  The people are friendly.  Is there one among them of whom I can (humanly speaking) feel sure that, by God’s blessing, he will lead a good life among them, and that he can and will teach them faithfully the elements of Christian truth and practice?  If we all agree that there is such a one, why not ordain him?

’But I want to see people recognising the office of Deacon as something very distinct indeed from that of the Priest.  It is a very different matter indeed, when we come to talk about candidates for Priest’s orders.

’Again, look at the missionary clergy of old times.  No doubt in mediaeval times so much stress was laid upon the mere perfunctory performance of the ministerial act, as apart from careful teaching of the meaning and purport of the act, that the mediaeval missionary is so far not a very safe model for us to imitate.