496

PROGRESS AND MEMORIAL OF THE CHIEFS.

shows an acquaintance with the wants of a young people, and their gratitude and confidence towards the good people of the United States, and a degree of readiness to co-operate in measures for the good of all classes. It is addressed to those who had already sent them teachers of learning and religion.

"LAHAINA, AUG. 23, 1836. "Love to you, our obliging friends in America. This is our sentiment as to promoting the order and prosperity of these Hawaiian Islands. Do give us additional teachers, like the teachers who dwell in your own country. These are the teachers whom we would specify, a carpenter, tailor, mason, shoemaker, wheelwright, paper maker, type founder, agriculturists skilled in raising sugar-cane, cotton, and silk, and in making sugar, cloth manufacturers, and makers of machinery to work on a large scale, and a teacher of the chiefs in what pertains to the land, acording to the practice of enlightened countries; and if there be any other teacher that could be serviceable in these matters, such

teachers also.

"Should you assent to our request, and send hither these specified teachers, then will we protect them, and grant facilities for their occupations, and we will back up these works, that they may succeed well.

This appeal, sixteen years and four months after the settlement of our mission among them, shows not only a becoming readiness in the rulers to receive instruction in what pertains to the affairs of this life, as well as in what refers to the life to come, but as in all that our mission proffered, a willingness to consult the good of their subjects generally, by encouraging general instruction in whatever branches of knowledge, industry, or improvement, the mission and its friends were able or willing to give it. Kaikioewa, Keaweamahi, Konia, and Kapiolani, had they been present, would have concurred.

From the first efforts of Kaahumanu to procure for herself a well finished dwelling-house, one and another from among them erected for themselves permanent and pleasant habitations, furnished them as they were able, and by degrees, accommodated themselves to a residence in them, and occasionally invited their missionary and other friends to join them in a social evening party, of which, as proof of their readiness to imitate the example set them, and their success in it, one or two instances may be noticed. At the time of the convention of our mission, in 1834, Miriam Kekauluohi having, with her husband, Kanaina, built an elegant two story house of rock coral, near the mission houses, at Honolulu, received and entertained, one evening, at a well furnished table, thirty-three missionaries, including men and women, presiding

DEPARTURE OF MESSRS. RICHARDS AND SPAULDING.

497

herself with the dignity of a Christian matron. The year following, Kinau and her gentlemanly husband, on entering a house newly built, partly in Hawaiian and partly in foreign style, finished and furnished with considerable elegance, gave to numerous invited guests, a gratifying proof of their advancement in civilized life. Kekauluohi, having tried the routine of civilized domestic life, about two years, in her well finished and furnished habitation, received, at a Christian tea-party, the king, and some twelve or fourteen chiefs-all who were then at Honolulu, except the feeble and unhappy princess-and several missionaries and well-informed natives. The table furniture was respectable-the lamps, candles, and glass-shades were elegant-their bread, biscuit, cake, and tea, chiefly of their own preparing, all good; and the order of the table was managed with kindness and regularity. Two or three tunes were played on a barrel organ, which had been recently and obligingly presented to Kinau, by Capt. Valiant, of the French Corvette, Bonite. After tea, the company being conducted to the large upper drawing-room, united, as was customary, in a hymn and prayer.

To the missionaries, who were deeply solicitous to devise and put in operation the means of similar advancement among the common people, it did not seem too much to hope, when these memorials were prepared, that enterprising men of skill, and virtue, and force of character, might be found, who, under such a pledge from the authorities of the country, and with such a soil and climate as the Sandwich Islands possess, would enter on these employments. It was clearly obvious that the chiefs, in this state of their progress, eminently needed a teacher, well versed in the principles of political economy, of law and government, and thoroughly acquainted with the language, habits, dispositions, and wants of the people, and the capabilities of their soil. But such a teacher it was difficult for the world then to furnish.

The memorial of the chiefs, and the memorial of the mission on the cultivation of the useful arts, and a printed circular of the mission, expressive of their views of the duty of the friends of Christ to engage in greatly increased numbers in spreading the Gospel speedily through the world, were conveyed to the United States by the Rev. William Richards, on his visit with his family, to his native shores. Mr. Spaulding, with constitution greatly impaired, retired, with his family, from the field the same month. Leaving the Lahaina station in charge of Mr. Baldwin, who became established there, and whose constitution did not find Waimea congenial, Messrs. R. and S. embarked in December, and reached the United States in about five months. Mr. S., with feeble voice and the use of one lobe of his lungs, for a time pleaded the cause of the mission not in vain, and soon faded away. Mr. R. remained about six months, attending to the objects of his visit, and having disposed of six children, returned with Mrs. R., a lonely mother, to the islands and to their two youngest in 1838.

EIGHTEENTH YEAR OF THE MISSION AND FIFTH OF KAMEHAMEHA III.-1837.

Death of the Princess--Marriage of the king-Protracted meetings on Oahu-Second congregation at Honolulu-Large and timely Reinforcement-Death of Mrs. Dibble and Mrs. Lyons-Domestic efforts to support the Gospel-Renewed efforts of the Papists-Arrival of Messrs. Walsh and Murphy-Re-entrance of Messrs. Bachelot and Short-Government orders for their departure-Visit of the Sulphur and La Venus-Proceedings of Captains Belcher and Thours-Arrival of Messrs. Maigret and Murphy-Progress of the great Revival on Hawaii-Singular physical phenomenon in the ocean.

THE close of 1836 was marked by the last illness and afflictive death, at Honolulu, of the young princess, Nahienaena. This beautiful flower, once the pride of the nation, and once the joy of the infant church at Lahaina, having been blighted, through the power of the great enemy, was now cut down, and passed away. During the days of her wasting sickness (as for weeks before) efforts were made to lead her to repentance; but with what success is not yet fully known. She was induced to confess her sin and folly, and once more, in her distress, to call on the name of the Lord. She left a faint hope that she may be found to have been heard in an accepted time. Many tears and loud lamentations, among her friends, testified to the interest they felt in her case. Her remains were enclosed in an elegant coffin (having one of lead closely sealed within), and kept some weeks, in the house of her brother. The lofty kahilis of state there stood motionless over her. Her superb, princely robe of feathers, was displayed, and other tokens of respect, intended to correspond with her rank, were exhibited. The gay and bustling little world of Honolulu was partially hushed by this event, and by the influence of the Spirit of God on the people, while the body of the princess reposed in silence. A series of protracted meetings having been arranged, for the different stations, on Oahu, were anticipated with interest. The marriage of his majesty with his favorite Kalama, was solemnized on the 4th of Feb., 1837. Soon after this the remains of his sister, with considerable pomp and display, a large military guard being called out to attend, were borne, in procession, to the church, where a concourse assembled. A sermon was delivered on the occasion, and a great degree of order and solemnity prevailed. A ship was purchased and fitted up, on board

PROTRACTED MEETINGS ON OAHU.

499

which, the king removed the remains of his sister, to Lahaina, where they were deposited beside her mother.

On Oahu, protracted meetings, of six days each, were successively held at Honolulu, Ewa, Waialua, and Kaneohe, and attended with interest, by great numbers. The preaching, exhortations, prayer and inquiry meetings were accompanied with the blessing of God. The missionaries passed from station to station, with some of their people, and felt themselves refreshed. The presence of the Spirit of God was manifest, at all these meetings. "The Holy Spirit," says Mr. Parker, of Kaneohe, "was evidently with us. The church was awake to pray. Those who had hardened themselves in sin, trembled under the exhibition of divine truth."

That the Gospel should strip away the pride of self-righteousness among the degraded heathen, as it does in thousands of instances, is one of the wonderful phenomena which the missionary is allowed to witness. Self-justification, before the Spirit sets home the Gospel, and self-condemnation after, for the violation of God's law, and for the death of Christ, are illustrated in the experience of many a Hawaiian. The following is a specimen. A hopeful convert at Wailua, attempting to persuade his fellow sinners to come to Christ, said, in an address to the children, "You have heard of the wickenness of the Jews who crucified Christ. It was I who drove the nails into his hands and feet. It

was I who pierced his side with a spear. By my sins, I have consented to all that the Jews did to the Messiah. Formerly I thought that I was as good as others: but now I see that I am guilty of violating every command of the decalogue. I am ruined by my sins. I hope for mercy only in Christ."

Difficult as it is, in a Christian country, to convince the sinner that he is responsible for the sufferings of Christ, it may be supposed to be far more difficult to do it in the Sandwich Islands, or any heathen country. Enlarged views of the need of an atonement, and a clear conviction that Christ's sufferings were for us, that he bore our sins in his body, on the tree, and that sin in us, as really as the wrong-doing of the Jews of his time, caused his unparalleled sufferings and death, are necessary to the feeling of high personal responsibility for the indignity and wrong inflicted on our Substitute, the agony he freely bore, and the blood he freely poured out for our salvation.

The aborigines of the Oregon, when they were told that their sins were the occasion of the sufferings and death of Christ, rejected the doctrine, not only as incompatible with their honor, but as impossible, from the distance of time and place. Another Indian of North America, whose tribes have not been remarkable for integrity, a sense of justice, or a regard to character, age, or sex, but who, like all the race, are given to self-justification, when he was told by a missionary, that the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, who had done no wrong, was put to death by wicked men, replied with earnestness, "It must have been white men then, for Indians

500

SECOND CONGREGATION AT HONOLULU.

never kill a good man." So when History mourns over the bloody persecutions which myriads of martyrs have suffered at the hands of Rome, one of her prelates declares, with about as much truth as the Indian apologist, "Holy mother Church never persecutes." Thus the generation which killed the Son of God, absolved themselves from the charge of persecution, and most men feel free from all responsibility for the sufferings which he endured on Calvary, and for the reproach that is now cast upon his name and upon his cause.

The congregation at Honolulu, the seat of the government, amounting to three or four thousand, and the population of the district, embracing about 12,000 souls, besides the numerous visitors there, were deemed large enough for two, and as a dangerous heresy was watching to thrust itself in there, we established a second church in the same village with the first, but half a mile distant. The charge of this was assigned to Rev. L. Smith, who found abundant room and opportunity for missionary labor. For many months, he devoted much of his time to the instruction of children, and in February, March, and April, had a season of spiritual interest and a number of hopeful conversions among them. Mr. Bishop took charge of Ewa.

The prayers and hopes of the American churches were greatly encouraged in respect to the Sandwich Islands; and at the close of 1836, the American Board, desirous to ensure the victory, sent forth, December 14th, a large and timely reinforcement, consisting of four preachers, one physician, a secular agent, and eight male school teachers, the wives of these fourteen, and two unmarried female teachers. Their passage from Boston was delightful. Their accommodations were good, their captain kind and courteous, and his officers obliging, and the crew respectful. Their arrival, April 9, 1837, was opportune, and their reception cordial. The spirit of harmony prevailed on board ship. Morning and evening prayers, preaching on the Sabbath, and other means of grace suited to promote a revival, persevered in (though for a time despised by some of the ship's company), were attended with the reviving influences of God's Spirit, much like what was, at the same time, experienced at the islands. Capt. Sumner, one of the officers, and several others of the ship's company, appeared to renounce the world, and to choose the service of God, and desired to unite with his people.

The examination of these before the native church, at Honolulu, and their taking on them there, in the presence of that nation, and of the world, and of angels, the vows of God's covenant, was one of the most interesting scenes that ever occurred in those islands, where the transaction was between sea-faring men and the natives. To the latter, it was a wonderful demonstration of the power of religion, and of the sameness of the spirit produced in the foreigner and the native, when both bowed to the authority of God's Word, and they were led to rejoice, not only