'The Bricklayer and the King' (Nott of the South Seas) by J. Reason
Read by Laidman Browne
Late in the eighteenth century the famous Captain Cook made his voyages of discovery to the South Seas. The wonderful stories he brought home of lovely coral islands, strange fruit, many-coloured shells, and precious spices aroused a great deal of interest in England, and also a great deal of greed. A number of traders thought at once that here was an easy way of getting rich, by exchanging valuable cargoes for a few knives and beads with the simple natives of the islands. But there were also many people in England who thought of the natives themselves and their needs. They heard that they were worshippers of idols, and were often cannibals; and they decided that they ought to be given a chance to hear the message of Christ.
So in 1795 the London Missionary Society was founded. Its first venture was to send out the little ship Duff to far-off Tahiti in the South Seas. This is the story of one of the young men it carried, Henry Nott, a simple bricklayer, who because of his courage and resolution and keenness of mind became the friend and counsellor of the King of Tahiti.

Hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God
Almighty (A. and M. 160 ; S.P. 187)
Versicles and Responses Psalm xcix
Lesson, St. Matthew xxviii, 16-20
Hymn, Three in one and one in three
(A. and M. 163)
Magnificat
Lord's Prayer and Collects The Grace
Anthem, From the rising of the sun
(Ouseley)
Address by the Rt. Rev. the Lord
Bishop of CHICHESTER
Prayers
Hymn, 0 praise ye the Lord (A. and M. 308 ; S.P. 351)
Blessing
Organist and choirmaster,
George Austin