John Williams builds Messenger of Peace on Rarotonga

Background. John Williams, commissioned by the London Missionary Society in 1816, arrived in the South Pacific to serve as a missionary. He had previously operated the ship Endeavour for supply purposes, but the LMS objected to his trading strategy, forcing him to sell it by 1827. Upon arriving in Rarotonga, Williams identified nearby islands where inhabitants practiced paganism, prompting the need for a new vessel to reach them.

Construction. The Messenger of Peace was built in Avarua, Rarotonga, using local materials. The construction took fifteen weeks and involved assistance from fellow missionary Aaron Buzacott and a reduced local workforce of former cannibals, as most islanders were occupied with housing projects elsewhere. Williams drew on prior experience repairing an incomplete ship in the Society Islands in 1816.

Purpose. The ship was designed to spread Christianity to Samoa and the Society Islands. Williams sailed the vessel from 1827 to 1836, flying a flag with a white dove on a blue background. He subsidized his missionary efforts by trading between the islands, a practice that had previously caused conflict with the London Missionary Society.