John Hunt (missionary)

Christianity • Protestantism John Hunt (13 June 1812 – 4 October 1848) was an English missionary known for converting Fijian cannibals to Methodism.

[2] A serious bout of brain fever at age 16 inspired Hunt to "begin to serve God there and then";[3] upon recovering he started attending a Methodist chapel and converted to Methodism shortly after.

[4] While continuing to work at the farm in the day, Hunt also preached to the rural congregation at church, with whom he found much favour in spite of his "somewhat ungainly appearance".

[7] Initially reluctant to accept the offer for fear of leaving his longtime sweetheart Hannah Summers behind, Hunt soon began confirming his travel arrangements after she agreed to accompany him;[8] they got married on 6 March 1838 at Newton on Trent, Lincolnshire.

[9] Hunt and his fellow Fiji-bound missionaries were ordained on 27 March in Hackney, London,[10] and departed for Sydney, Australia on 29 April, arriving on 24 August.