James Chalmers was born at Ardrishaig, Argyllshire, on August 4th, 1841. His father was an Aberdonian, his mother a Highlander of Luss, on Loch Lomond.
The boy grew up sturdy, manly, full of good spirits and energy and brimming with a love of adventure. Danger always called him. He had many narrow escapes from drowning and many thrashings for getting into such scrapes, but the punishments did not have much effect. He saved more than one person from drowning, one was a schoolfellow near his own age of 10. The going to and from school was thrilling.
They lived in Glenaray, and there was a Glen party and a Town party and fights between these two groups was a regular thing. Turf and stones used to fly and many punishments were administered by the school master for black eyes and damaged heads. There was Sunday School too, and care was shown by the Presbyterian minister, Mr. Meikle. James Chalmers loved Mr. Meikle but very often when he saw him coming, he would get out of his way because the Spirit of God was working in his heart. James was around 14 or 15 and had adopted a rather reckless mode of life. He had left Sunday School but he could not flee his thoughts.
At 15 he heard Mr. Meikle read a letter from a missionary in Fiji, relating stories of cannibalism and the power of the Gospel. When Mr. Meikle said: “I wonder if there is a boy here who will someday become a missionary and take the Gospel to cannibals?": James Chalmers resolved that he would. But, before he could preach salvation to others, James must himself be saved. He was 18 years old before this happened. It is a simple story.
Two evangelists, at the request of Mr. Meikle, were conducting services in a joiner's loft and a Mr. MacNicoll persuaded young Chalmers to attend, lending him a Bible at the same time. The meeting had commenced. Old Hundredth was pealing out. "All people that on earth do dwell" - and as the boy entered, the sounds thrilled him. The text was Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. James wanted to come - he wanted the Water of Life, but it was not until the following Sunday in the Free Church that he was solemnly convicted: heaven could never be for him he felt.
On Monday, Mr. Meikle had the joy of leading him to the Saviour, showing him that and the Blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7) Very soon afterwards, working in the Glasgow City Mission, the young man preached that same Saviour to others. But he must be a missionary, and after some time spent in the London Missionary Society's College, he married and was sent out to Rarotonga. His wife was Miss Jane Hercus. Her grandfather was the first minister of Greenock Church. Her parents went to New Zealand just after her marriage. In every way she was just the wife for James Chalmers, and never failed him.
They headed for Rarotonga from Greenwich in the "John Williams," on January 4th, 1866. The voyage was as adventurous as anyone could desire with much hindrance, beginning with repairs at Weymouth and including the total wreck of the "John Williams” near Niue. They survived further perils in another boat and finally arrived at their destination, Avarua, for Rarotonga on May 20, 1867 having been a year and four months on the way. Chalmers found Rarotonga too civilized for the work on which he had set his heart, but for ten years he and his wife laboured there, encountering many dangers. Jane endured many weeks of loneliness during James’ frequent absences along the coast and in the interior. They found a great foe in the drink. There was the native orange beer and, alas, the drink supplied by white men. Chalmers or "Tamate,” as the natives called him, gained great influence amongst his flock, and as time went on, many native teachers were trained and sent to other stations from Rarotonga, some of whom gave up their lives for the Gospel. For several years before they left Rarotonga, Chalmers longed to go to New Guinea and, in 1878, he and his wife arrived at Suan. Here his brave wife remained alone for six weeks while he went on an exploring expedition to Port Moresby. He also visited the native teachers during the absence of Mr. & Mrs. Lawes.
Not long after, Jane was taken ill and he sent her to friends in Sydney, hoping on her restoration to health that they might both go on to England. However, she passed away at Sydney on February 20, 1879. His first intimation of this was from a newspaper; then came a letter from her friends in Sydney. After a rapid visit to her family in New Zealand, Chalmers buried his sorrow in his work. He did not now wish to return to England. "She is safe with Jesus”, he wrote to Mr. Meikle. "It is mine now to live and labour for Him, more entirely His than ever.” James was greatly helped by the return of Mr. & Mrs. Lawes and the companionship of Mr. Beswick.
The people amongst whom he worked were strange, savage and warlike. With their ferocity was mixed a curious timidity. On one occasion as Chalmers landed, a sailor sat down to remove his boot and the assembled crowd fled because they thought the man was "taking himself to pieces” and they were fearful. On another occasion when "Tamate” landed, his white suit was affectionately handled but his black boots were objects of fear for some time. His power over these poor people was great. Fearlessness of death impressed them deeply. He always stood calm, unmoved, defenseless before them when they looked aggressive. They soon discovered that this fearlessness was based upon his “religion". As they, too, believed in the “deathlessness of the soul”, this joy of a Christian in the thought of life beyond the dark grave was so strange to these poor heathen with their slavish fear of evil spirits. James faith appealed to them as nothing else could with the result that he had the joy and privilege of pointing these perishing souls to his Saviour.
In August, 1886 he arrived in England. He had left her shores 20½ years before and his reception by the Directors of the London Missionary Society was warm and solemnly glad. "Tamate” did not hide his desires or the needs of New Guinea as he stood before his Board. He took a firm hand. "New Guinea wanted men. New Guinea must have men.” His thrilling story of the work in that island (three times the size of Great Britain), was listened to with breathless interest, not only by the Directors, but all over the United Kingdom. There were demands for “Tamate” everywhere.
On June 15th, 1887 he sailed once more for New Guinea in the "Orient”. Adelaide was reached on August, 4th. There were many who delivered addresses, also Royal Geographical meetings where more deputation work was done, but we can imagine he was glad to be at Port Moresby once more. He remained there for a time and stayed to superintend affairs during Mr. & Mrs. Lawes’ absence in Australia.
In 1888 "Tamate” married again. The second Mrs. Chalmers was a widow, Mrs. Harrison. She had been Miss Lizzie Large and was a friend of his first wife. They had corresponded frequently during her lifetime. Soon after the wedding they settled at Motumotu, or Toaripi, as it is called. Here Mrs. Chalmers found plenty to do teaching the natives. There were 3000 around the missionary station and those who were learning seemed to enjoy it. The work shortened her lonely hours, too. Between the different villages there was fierce fighting with the natives spearing one another to death. They stored the skulls of their victims in the village “Dubus" but the presence of "Tamate” and his wife often prevented bloodshed. Souls were won for Christ amongst even these warlike people.
In 1890, Mrs. Chalmers, "Tamate Vaine”, needed a change, so they went to visit Rarotonga, where "Tamate” was well remembered even though he had left 13 years before. Back again at Toaripi, he had to leave his wife whilst he inspected possible stations on the Fly River, where he was to work later. In March, 1892 she had to return to England during his erection of a home and a mission house at Saguane, on the Fly River. In May, 1894, just when the place was finished, the Directors wired for him to come to England for the great Centenary Celebration of the London Missionary Society, in 1895. There was a happy reunion with his wife, and his stepson Bert, and plenty of deputation work. He left England, never to return, on November 13th, 1895 reaching his beloved New Guinea on January 20th, 1896. His wife was with him in 1897 and together they laboured at Saguane for the spread of the Gospel.
On January 28th, 1900 she wrote that they had a New Year gathering of 1700. It was the last this brave woman saw, the last her husband saw too. She was called Home on October 25th of the same year, dying at Daru, where she had been taken by her husband in the hope of reaching Sydney. "Tamate” though he did not know it, was to follow her in six months, by a fearful path. Shortly after her Home-call he and Mr. Tompkins, a dearly loved young colleague who had come to help him in April 1900, started for Goaribari Island in the "Niue”. Both put off for the shore in the whale boat (which had been Mrs. Chalmers' gift to the London Missionary Society) on April 7th, 1901. The captain of the "Niue" never saw them again and it was not until an expeditionary force had landed and caught a prisoner at Dopima, that they received any news.
The story the prisoner told was that "Tamate” and Mr. Tompkins had been felled with stone clubs, beheaded and both their bodies eaten. The natives who had accompanied the missionaries were treated in the same manner. So, through the swift blow of their murderers, was Heaven opened to these two intrepid soldiers of Jesus Christ.
All quotes are taken from the English Standard Version ESV unless otherwise stated.
Taken from “THE WAY OF LIFE POSTAL BIBLE SCHOOL” Magazine July/August 1966.