John Gibson Paton 1824-1907
John G. Paton was born in Dumfries, Scotland. His family later moved to
Torthorwald, where, in a humble thatched cottage of three rooms, his parents
reared five sons and six daughters. The middle room of the cottage was known as
the "Sanctuary," for it was there that John's father went three times a day to
pour out his heart in prayer to God for the needs of his family. At the age of
12, John was helping his father in the stocking business and also studying Latin
and Greek. Later he left home to attend college in Glasgow, where he studied
medicine and theology. Not long after, he became a missionary to the poor,
degraded section of Glasgow. The work was discouraging, but during ten years of
faithful labor, he won many to Christ, including eight boys, who later became
ministers. When John was about 30 years old, the Reformed Church of Scotland
asked for a missionary to help with the work in the New Hebrides Islands. John
answered the call, and soon he and his new bride were on their way to the South
Pacific, in spite of the news that the previous missionaries had been murdered
and eaten by the cannibals. The Patons settled on the island of Tanna, and began
their ministry. Since the natives had no written language, John talked to them
in sign language. One day he learned a few native words, and after many months
of labor, mastered their language and reduced it to writing. While there, his
wife and infant son contracted tropical fever and died. The natives repeatedly
stole his equipment, his life was in constant danger, but still he stayed and
preached to them. Moving to the island of Aniwa, Paton built a home, a mission
house, two orphanages, a church, and a schoolhouse. And, after many years of
patient ministry, he won the entire island to Christ! In 1899 he saw his Aniwa
New Testament printed, and missionaries on 25 of the 30 islands of the New
Hebrides. He went to be with the Lord in 1907.
Source: www.believersweb.org