Sarah Hazlewood

Notes:

IN MEMORIAM MISS SARAH HAZLEWOOD.
The decease, on the 16th May last, of Miss Sarah Hazlewood, revives missionary history. For Miss Hazlewood was the eldest child of Rev. David Hazlewood, of Fiji fame. Her distinguished father was married on February 8, 1844, to Miss Jane McIntyre, by Rev. J. McKenny, in the old Princes Street Chapel. He was ordained the same day as the late Rev. John Watsford. These two missionaries went to Fiji together, and arrived in Viwa on the 10th August, 1844. Miss Sarah Hazlewood was born on December 22, 1844, at Somo-somo, Fiji.
The Rev. D. Hazlewood made a definite mark on Fiji missions, for it was he who compiled the excellent grammar and dictionary which has been used ever since by Government officials and missionaries alike. No subsequent attempt has ever superseded it. Mr. Hazlewood also was the first to translate the Old Testament (with the exception of Pss. 1-28) into the native tongue. This translation was probably used in the first printed bible, though the latter departed considerably from Mr. Hazlewood 's work. Miss Hazlewood inherited all her father 's missionary zeal. Her ardour displayed itself in wide sympathy for the work of God either abroad or at home. She was well-known as the matron of the C.M.M. Hojne for the Sisters.
On her retirement to Epping she continued to subscribe liberally from her slender resources to Foreign and Home Missions, besides numerous charities. Towards the end of her life she became very frail, but she had much peace of heart. Her decease came suddenly, as she could have wished, at the residence of her half-brother, Mr. D. Hazlewood, who is the last surviving member of the missionary's family. At the grave-side, the Rev. W. Deane (who married a granddaughter of the Rev. John Watsford) com-mitted the remains to the ground. The Revs. J. W. Collier and G. Cranston (Presbyterian) also took part. There were representatives of six missionary families present to pay their last respects to a worthy daughter of a singularly useful and devoted missionary. IN MEMORIAM (1925, June 27). The Methodist (Sydney, NSW : 1892 - 1954), p. 13.

Notes:

OBITUARY. - The Reverend David Hazlewood, Wesleyan Minister, died at Maitland, on the 30th October, aged 36, after a lingering illness of a pulmonary character. The deceased was born at Fakenham, in Norfolk, England January 8th, 1820. His father was a gentleman's bailiff. At a very early age the deceased was employed as a shepherd. His mother kept a village school, which afforded young David almost the only means of instruction he ever had.
At the age of fourteen he joined the Methodist Society, and remained a constant member of it until the end of his life. The Methodists are peculiarly distinguished amongst religious bodies by the care they manifest in placing all their available talent in a situation where it may operate to advantage. They accordingly soon perceived that David Hazlewood had talents of a peculiar order, and which qualified him to perform certain duties necessary to the success of missionary enterprise.
About fourteen years ago he arrived in this colony, and became a local preacher among the Methodists. He had previously acquired a knowledge of Latin, Greek, and French, which of course paved the way for the acquirement of other languages. He was finally called to the ministry and sent as a missionary to the Feejee Islands. His province in the missionary field was that of a translator. He studied the Hebrew in Feejee in order that he might comply with the requirements of the Bible Society, and then translated the whole of the Old Testament into Feejeean, and also revised the translation of the New ; he also compiled a Grammar and Dictionary of the Feejeean language. He was engaged for many months past whilst residing in this town, in revising his translation of the Old Testament and had death terminated his valuable life. We cannot allow a great man like this?albeit his virtues were of the quiet order?to pass away from us without passing notice imbued with sorrowful regret. He has accomplished a great work, and future generations of men in the islands of the Pacific will regard him with a veneration.
We understand that the deceased in addition to the languages already mentioned was acquainted with the Tongese and the Maori and that from the shortness of his life and the unremunerative character of the work to which he was devoted, has left but a scanty provision for his family. Should this be the the case it is the duty of the Christian public to see that of the descendants of Mr Hazlewood do not experience want.--Hunter River Journal. NEW SOUTH WALES. (1855, November 30). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser

Reverend Hazlewood was the first person to convert the Old Testament from the Hebrew into the Fijian Language. He served as a missionary in Fiji and is very famous within the Wesleyan Church. Many students in the UK study his work. Fiji did not treat his family well, three of the four children he had with second wife Sarah died as infants. It seems a shame that the Reverend died so young, at only 35, as he achieved so much in such a short time. His original translation which was later revised before publishing is now being reprinted by Andrew Thornley, a Fijian Methodism historian from Sydney.

There is a diary in existence, see details below, the transcript is held by the State Library of NSW.
Diary of Reverend David Hazlewood (transcription of 1841-1850 journal made in 1994 lby Daphne Penalver):
Reverend David Hazlewood [1820-1855] arrived in Sydney from England in 1842. In 1844 he left as a missionary to Fiji, arriving there after a four month stay in Tonga. He stayed in Fiji until 1853 when he returned to New South Wales in failing health and died at Maitland in 1855. A skilled linguist, his publications include "A compendious grammar of the Feejeean language; with examples of native idioms" [1850] and" A Feejeean and English dictionary; with examples of common and peculiar modes of expression, and uses of words."..[1850].
--Thanks to Sandra Stevens for assistance with this information

Some extracts regarding David taken from the book below chronicling missionary experiences in Australia and Fiji.

MISSIONARY TRIUMPHS AMONG THE SETTLERS IN AUSTRALIA AND THE SAVAGES OF THE SOUTH SEAS
A Twofold Centenary Volume
BY JOHN BLACKET
Author of 'The History of South Australia,' 'Not Left Without Witness; or, Divine Truth in the Light of Reason and Revelation,' 'A South Australian Romance,' 'Social Diseases and Suggested Remedies' (being a Criticism of some Socialistic Theories), &c., &c. Ton&on

CHARLES H. KELLY
25-35 CITY ROAD, AND 26 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C
First Edition, 1914
THE NOBLE BAND OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE WORKED AND TO THOSE WHO ARE NOW WORKING IN THE FOREIGN MISSION FIELD

THE FOUNDING OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN FIJI
We now turn our attention for a few minutes to an oasis in the dark and dreary spiritual desert this was the island of Ono, in the Fijian group. Work was begun in this island by a converted Tongan. A number of natives accepted the gospel. These were much persecuted by the heathen ; but their numbers increased, until they felt that they were able to defend themselves against the attacks of the heathen party. They took up arms against them, and the heathen fled before them to their stronghold in the mountains. The Christians followed them, and took the town. Scarcely any one fell on either side. Instead of killing the vanquished the native Christians ran up to them, fell on their necks, and wept over them. Such a thing had not been known in Fiji. Aforetime they would have been killed and eaten. This treatment made such an impression on the minds of the heathen that they decided to accept the gospel at once.
When Richard Lyth left Somosomo for Lakemba the gentle and scholarly David Hazelwood joined Thomas Williams in that dark and discouraging field. When Somosomo was abandoned David Hazelwood was sent to Ono. It was like a translation from midnight darkness to noonday. In a communication to the Methodist Missionary Committee in London Mr. Hazelwood said: 'The last time I wrote you was from Somosomo, a land of darkness and the shadow of death, where eminently Satan's seat is; a land of thick darkness, bordering on the regions of eternal night; where heathenism in the form of savage cannibalism, with all its horrors, lifts up an unblushing countenance. I am happy now to write to you from a place on which "the Light of the World" has poured His enlightening rays, and I trust for ever dispelled the gloom of heathenism! I could almost beg and entreat : never send me again to a heathen land.... What is not Christianity able to effect! I have seen its effects at home; I have seen them in the colony (New South Wales); but I have never seen its effects so general on a people as on the people of Ono.... As compared with Somosomo, we have removed from the verge of hell to the precincts of heaven.'*
The following are a few testimonies given by the converted Fijians at Ono in connexion with a lovefeast presided over by David Hazelwood: 'One great thing I know is my sins; another is the love of God. It is a new thing for me to love men.... I know this is the effect of the love of God.' Another (a woman) said: 'My child died, but I loved God the more; my body has been much afflicted, but I love Him the more. I know that death would only unite me to God. In this testimony we hear again the voice of Paul: 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors.'Another convert said: 'I am a very bad man; there is no good thing in me; but I know the love of God. There are not two great things in my mind; there is only one the love of God for the sake of Christ'
David Hazelwood soon had to pass through deep waters. His youngest daughter died of dysentery, and the father had to read the burial service over his own child. A fortnight later his wife was confined, and three days after passed away. The Rev. Thomas Williams arrived just in time to save his afflicted brother from the sore trial of reading the burial service over the mortal remains of his own wife.
In 1885 Thomas Williams, one of the pioneer Methodist missionaries, revisited Fiji. What a marvellous transformation greeted his glad vision 1 Said he: 'I passed a night at my old and horror crowded station Somosomo, where, with the brethren Lyth, Hunt, Cross, and Hazelwood, and our noble wives, I endured sufferings of no ordinary kind. But they are passed, and on the ground where I once walked amongst the slain, amongst open ovens and devil temples, I have addressed a neatly attired and attentive audience. I witnessed strange scenes here from the year 1843 to the year 1849, and those which are daily passing before me are by contrast equally strange. Jehovah hath confounded the gods of the heathen, and gotten to Himself a glorious victory. Hallelujah!'

David married Jane McIntyre on 25 Feb 1844 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Jane was born in Aug 1812 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, United Kingdom; died on 23 Feb 1849 in Nadi, Ba Province, Fiji. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
David needed a wife so he could go to Fiji as a missionary and married Jane after a courtship of three months.

George married Sarah Wissett on 3 Jul 1799 in Fakenham, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom. Sarah was born in 1776; was christened on 22 Dec 1776 in England, United Kingdom; died in 1837 in Mildenhall, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom; was buried in St Mary's Church, Tuddenham, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Sarah Polley on 29 Jul 1755 in Horringer, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom. Sarah was born in 1738 in Horringer, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom; died in 1820; was buried in Church of Saint Leonard Horringer Churchyard, Horringer, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]