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MISSIONARY LETTERS
(typed copies)
From the Sandwich Islands Mission
to the
American Board of Commissioners
for
Foreign M issions
1819 - 1837
8 vols.
"Supplementary to the letters published in the
Missionary Herald
of the same dates."
Vol. 8
�Pages
ARMSTRONG, RICHARD: Oahu, May 5, 1836 ........ ......... .2300-2304
BISHOP, ARTEMUS
: To Chamberlain, K ailua, Oct 2 7 ,1831- 2446
CHAMBERLAIN, LEVI : Lahaina, Aug. 13,1828 ............ —
2405-2409
Honolulu, Aug. 16,1830 --’----------- -2410
"
Oct.2,1830 — ........ .... .2411-2413
"
Nov.6,1831 -------------- -2414-2416
"
N o v .19,1830 ............. .2417-2420
"
Nov.20,1830 -------- ----- -2421-2422
"
Apr.20,1831 ............. .2423-2424
"
Aug.3 & Sept.14,1831 -----2425-2426
"
Sept.13, & 23, 1831 ------2427-2428
"
Sept.14,1831 ............ .2429-2431
"
Nov.23,1831 ............. .2432-2433
"
Dec.5,1831 ........... — - 2434-2440
"
Feb.6,1832 — ------------ -2441-2444
"
Feb.18,1832 ....... ...... .2445-2447
"
Oct. 16,1832
-----2448-2459
"
Dec.19,1832 .....-...... - 2460
"
Mar.26,1833 - ............ .2461-2467
”
A p r .6,1833 -------------- 2468-2470
"
Aug.29 & Oct.7,1833 -----2471-2474
"
Dec.3,1833 -------------- -2475-2477
"
Dec.23,1833 ------------- -2478-2479
"
Jan. 4,1834 -------------- -2480-2481
"
May 9,1834 ............. - 2482-2483
"
Aug. 26,1834 ---------- --- 2484-2485
"
Oct.9,1834 .............. .2486-2493
"
May 18,1835 ............. .2494-2495
"
June 27,1835 ............ .2496-2497
"
Aug.3,1835 ............... (2498-2506.)
(2509-2510)
"
Nov.26,1835 ............ - 2507-2508
"
Jan.21,1836 ------------- -2511-2516
"
Mar.22,1836 - ............ .2517-2521
"
Apr.26,1836 ------------- -2522-2523
"
May 14,1836 ............. .2524
"
Sept.22,1836 -----:------- -2525
"
Oct.31,1836 -............ .2626-2527
"
Dec.10,1836 ------------- -2528-2531
"
Dec.15,1836 ........... ... 2532-2533
To A . Johnstone,Honolulu,Mar.6,1833- 2510,2503
" "
"
■
Mar.9,1833- 2504
See Bishop, Artemus, O ct 27,1831 ---- 2446
CHAPIN, ALONZO
: Ship Averick, Jan.2,1832 .......... .2389-2390
Bay of Rio de Janeiro,Jan.25,1832 - 2391
Honoruru, May 1832 ------------------2392-2393
�-2Pages
C HAPIN, ALONZO :: Lahaina, Nov,19,1832 ...............2394
Hilo, Oct.6,1833 ------------------ -2395-2399
Lahaina, Sept.24,1834 ------------ -2401-2402
W.Springfield,Mass, May 21,1836 -- 2403
Boston, June 12,1836 ------- ----- --2404
COAN, TITUS
: Ship Hellespont, Valparaiso,
Mar.12 & 26,1835 ............. —
2379-2381
Hilo, Nov.13,1835 ..................2382-2383
Hilo, May 24,1836 -.............. - 2384-2387
DAVIS, FRANCIS
: See Joint Letter, Oct.27,1831 -----2446
DIMOND, HENRY
: Honolulu, Aug.4,1835 ------------- -2588
FORBES, COCHRAN : Kaawaloa, Nov.1832 -------- ----- 2305-2309
Kaawaloa, Nov.or Dec.1833 ------- --2310
Kuapehu, Nov.8,1834 -------------- -2311-2319
Kaawaloa, Mar.29,1835 ----------- --2320
Honolulu, June 23,1835 — --------- -2321-2323
Kaawaloa, July 23,1836 ----------- -2324-2332
Kaawaloa, Oct.1,1836 --— -------- --2333-2335
Kaawaloa, Oct.10,1836 ----------- --2336-2349
FULLER, LEMUEL
: Sandwich Islands, May 5,1833 ......2559-2560
Attleborough, [Mass.], June 23,1834- 2562
GULICK, PETER J . : See Shepard,S., June 28,1830 ------2541
"
"
"
Feb. 22,1831 ...... .2545
"
"
"
Mar. 8,1831 ....... .2546-2547
"
"
"
July 4,1833 ------ -2558
JOHNSTONE,ANDREW: Oahu Charity School report,[1834]- 2563-2565
"
"
"
"
[1835]- 2566-2569
Sandwich Islands, Oahu, Aug. 4,1835 - 2571-2573
Honolulu, Aug.5,1835 ------- -—
2574-2575
To L.Chamberlain, Mar . 7,1835 -- --- 2503-2504
See Chamberlain,L., Mar.6,1833 ----2510,2503
"
"
"
Mar.9,1833 --- 2504
JOINT LETTER
: F .Davis & J.Martin, [Affadavit],
Kailua,Oct.27,1831 ------------- -2446
R.Tinker & E.Spaulding,Honolulu,
Aug. 3,1835 ...................... .2570
MARTIN, JEREMIAH : [A ffadav it] , Kailua,Oct .27,1831 -- 2445
See Joint Letter, Oct.27,1831 ---- -2446
OAHU CHARITY SCHOOL: Report, 1834 ................ .....2563-2565
Report,1835 ....... -........... .2566-2569
PARKER, BENJ. W . : Ship Mentor, Apr.27 & May 6, 1833- 2370-2371
Kaneohe, Jan.11,1836 ------------- -2375-2376
Kaneohe, May 4,1836 -------------- -2377-2378
�Pages
ROGERS.EDMUND H . : Oahu, Oct.2,1832 .................. .2576-2579
Honolulu, Dec.5,1832 -- ---------- -2580-2581
Honolulu, Aug.29,1834 ------ ----- - 2582-2583
Honolulu, Feb.12,1835 ----------- --2584-2585
Honolulu, Feb.12,1835 ------------ -2586-2587
RUGGLES, SAMUEL
: Kuapehu, Sept. 1832 -------------- -2534-2535
Ship Telegraph off Sag Harbor,
June 20,1834 -------------------- -2536
Pontiac,Mich., Nov.14,1836 ------- -2537-2538
Pontiac,Mich., Feb.9,1837 -------- -2539-2540
SHEPARD,STEPHEN : Honolulu, Oct.23,1830 ............ .2542-2544
Lahaina, Nov.24,1831 --— --------- -2548-2550
Honolulu, Nov.12,1832 ------------ -2551-2557
To Mr.Gulick, Honolulu,June 28,1830 2541
" "
"
Honolulu,Feb.22,1831- 2545
" "
"
Honolulu.Mar.8,1831 - 2546-2647
" "
"
Honolulu,July,4,1833- 2558
SMITH, LOWELL
: Ship Mentor, Dec. 15,1832 ....... —
2350
"
"
Jan.17,1833 — ...... - 2351-2352
"
"
Feb.2,1833 .......... .2353
"
"
Feb. 11,1833 --------- -2354
"
"
Apr.25,1833 ......... .2355-2357
Honolulu, May 7,1833 -— -------- —
2357-2358
Kaluaaha, Oct.24,1833 ------------ -2359-2360
Kaluaaha, Nov.5,1833 ----- ------- --2361
Ewa, Nov.1,1834 ------------------- -2362-2363
Ewa, July 21,1835 ----------------- -2364
Ewa, Jan.19,1836 ------------------ -2365-2366
Honolulu, Dec.3,1836 ---------------2367-2369
SPAULDING, E.
: See Joint Letter, Aug.3,1835 ----- -2570
TINKER, REUBEN
: See Joint Letter, Aug.3,1835 ------2570
�To Secretaries of A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
Mass
U.S.A.
Rev. Richard Armstrong
Dated S.M. Oc t. 25, 1835
Recd May 7 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 6
Ansd June 18
marked
copied
articles needed
�2301
99
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
Sandwich Islands
Island of Oahu May 5, 1836
T o Secretaries of A.B.C.F.M.
Dear Brethren;
Aside from the statements
contained in our station letters it may be acceptable to you
to be informed occasionally of the circumstances, feelings &
labours of individuals in your service. Four days ago I
came to this island with my family, in order to secure the
services of a physician in Mrs. A' s approaching confinement.
At Wailuku where I have laboured during the last
year the state of the people is much the same as it was when
our station letter was written last fall. There has been how
ever an increase in our congregations on the Sabbath both at
Wailuku & Kaiku. Attention also to the concerns of the soul
has been evidently increased on the part of individuals, of
late. There is about our station a considerably large class
of persons, not in the church, of whom we cherish a pleasing
hope, that they are the children of God. They wait constant
ly on the means of grace, are never missing from the meeting
on the sabbath, study with apparent interest & pleasure the
word of God and appear to be conscientious in the discharge of
the common duties of Life. Yet though we cherish this hope,
these persons are not yet received into the church, for want
of more positive evidence of their sincerity. We are waiting
for something to test their descipleship, lest they deceive
themselves & us too, as many others have done.
The young Princess Hariet has been at Wailuku
for the last three months--talks of taking up her permanent
abode there - At first she appeared as though madness was in
her heart - Sometimes she attended worship on the sabbath
& sometimes not, & when she did attend, it was only to laugh,
whisper & do other mischiefs - she occasioned much disturbance
in the congregation, & us much vexation of spirit. At home
she played at cards, and encouraged her people to do so tooBut for six weeks past an external change at least has taken
place in her conduct - She has attended all the meetings &
Been quiet & attentive - Has attended my school on Wednesday
afternoon, of which I shall speak presently; has had a school
of her own with her people - Her cards I understand are also
put away & she has declared her intention to come back again
to the pono.
I have no confidence in her word u n l e s s her actions
correspond, yet she appears to me not yet to have lost all
conscience & feeling - At times she is miserable & much cast
down, though not broken hearted in view of her iniquities -
�2302
She requested me to see her several times ( Mr. Green being
absent) but considering how much she loves to be noticed &
caressed, I thought it best to stand aloof from her, until
I was better satisfied of her sincerity. Among her servants
& attendants there are several church members, who occasion
us some solicitude lest they, by improper familiarity with
her, should injure her & themselves both.
I ventured frecent
ly to caution them on the subject, & advised them that while
they should be faithful as servants, they were bound to keep
at a distance from her, not even eating, drinking or conversing
with her/
I wished them also in order to avoid censure, to go
& tell her what had been said to them. They did so & she took
it kindly, even weeping while they were conversing togethershe has sent to me almost daily for one thing or another (a
sure evidence in a Hawaiian of a desire to be friendly) such
as books, quills, paper, & c, and has sent me frequently presents
of fish in return - Thus you see how it is with this poor
unhappy chief, once the idol of this nation - As to her in
fluence even should she continue her wicked course, for one,
I do not dread it so much as some. With all the evil that may
be said of the people, the word of God has too firm a grasp
upon them generally to be led astray even by their once belov
ed Princess - At least this has been the case heretofore & I
trust it will continue to be.
During the past year I have preached as much as I
did on any former year, and spent much of my time in attending
to the interests of schools, teaching, disposing of books and
I am happy to say the interest in books & schools about our
station has greatly increased - During the two or three previous
years the call for books was small, but since last August I
have not been able to meet the demand - Scarcely a day, & often
scarcely an hour in the day has passed without our having calls
for school & other books.
Some of the schools also taught by
natives have been well attended & well sustained during the
year.
See 33 Missionary Herald 73 Feb. 1837
�2303
I thank you for the books & other articles you
sent me - I will try to make a good use of them - The bearer
of this Capt. Broughton, says, he may return shortly to the
islands, will you remember our request fo r a pair of stout
ox cart wheels for Wailuku station? We are in much need of
them;
Mr. Chamberlain has written you on the subject of
cooking stov es- They will very soon save their value in the
article of wood wh. is going to be a heavy expense to us.
If
you send a supply for all the families, however, I need not
make a request as an individual - You will do me a favor also
if you will send me a cloak for myself of strong & substantial
material - In the winter season such an article is of great
service at our station & also on our tours from one island
to another.
We have just heard of the appointment of Mr.
Armstrong to one of the secretaryships in your Board. Will
he accept the Christian salutations of an unworthy namesake;
and may he possess a double portion of the spirit of his
lamented predessors.
The station he occupies is a high &
honourable one, but it is, as we have seen not shielded from
the shafts of death M ay its present occupant be spared to see
the south & the north,
the east & the west, coming up as
with the heart of one man, to the work of converting the
Gentiles With sentiments of cordial affection & esteem
I remain your Bro. in the Lord
R. Armstrong
N.B. Our effects wh. were left behind when we
returned from the Marquesas have at lenght reached us.
They
were brought in two whale ships (gratis) after going a cruise
on the coast of Japan. Most of them were safe, but some com
pletely spoiled - we hope to be more comfortable hereafter with
these & our new house, so that we can give more u ndivide d
attention to our work - I will say here what I intended to say
before, That to my view, the state & prospects of our mission,
have not been more encouraging since I came to the islands,
than they now are - The nation litterally lies at our feet,
ready to be operated upon, in any way & to any extent, we
may choose.
Others no doubt will tell you of the disturbance
produced among us by a letter published in the N.Y . observer
of Aug 29, 1836.
By reference to it you will readily perceive
�2304
that it is very objectionable & calculated to do great mischiefWho the author is, is not known; It is our belief, that it is not
any of our present number
R. A.
May 7, 183-
To Rev. Rufus Anderson
Miss Rooms
Boston
Rev. Richard Armstrong
Dated Oahu, M a y 5, 1836
Recd .Oct 17, 1836
Ackd in G. L. Dec 5
cloak wanted
marked
copied
�2305
100
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Station of Kaawaloa, on Hawaii
Nov 1832
Rev. & Dear Sir
Probably I have too long delayed writing, But
presuming you would timely hear of our saf e arrival by brother
Spaulding's letter which he w rote on behalf of the company
& transmitted soon after our arrival, I have purposely deferred
writing as long as the season would permit, for our almost
only certain opportunity of sending home is during the months
of Sept Oct & Novem When the ships bound home from the coast
of Japan &c. touch here for supplies.
Yo u will probably have
learned ere this, that I & Mrs. F have been appointed to the
station at Kaawaloa on the western side of Hawaii, the spot
where fell the ill fated Capt. Cook in 1779:
15 miles south
of the station at Kailua. There Mr. Ely (now in America)
commenced a station in 1825 I think & laboured till he lost
his health. Mr. Ruggles was sent here as an associate & teach
er, for he is not as probably you know, licensed, But has
also had ill health for some time p a s t . he is now however able
to labor & has moved some 2 miles up the mountain where the
climate is much cooler than among the burning rocks on the
shore, The chiefs & also many of the people have moved up
& have erected a building there for a schoolhouse in which
for the present worship is conducted. We arrived here on the
10th of July last after a very unpleasant voyage of nearly
4 days in a dirty little native vessel.
Journeying here from
Island to Island is not like you r steam boats from Boston to
N York &c.
In those excursions there is some pleasure, But
scarcely do we dread anything more here than the necessity
of going from one Island to another in a native vessel. 4 days
is the general voyage from Oahu here, sometimes it is perform
ed in less, and the native vessels which usually are from
|
40 to 100 tons, are mostly crowded with natives. The old Neo
in which we came seemed as if she would go to pieces before a heavy
swell of the seawith but little wind wh i le we were obliged
to remain on deck day & night, generally the night was the
most pleasant time for an almost vertical sun deprived us
of comfort during the day. The vessel was so crowded with
natives too that we could scarce mov e from place to place
�2306
without treading on them. Most heartily did we rejoice when
early on the morning of the 4th day our eyes beheld the shores
of Hawaii- - These difficulties as well as the uncertainty
of an opportunity fo r an immediate return render our visits
from Island to Island very seldom, being confined to cases
of urging necessity. So you see that it is necessary in
a great measure for every station to possess whatever is nec
essary & not depend on the u n c e r t a i n l y of sending a message
for a book or any such article as we might not get it under
2 or 3 months & know not when we could return it. These
remarks apply to all the Islands as well as this. The head
man of Kaawaloa died a short time before our arrival, But
his widow Kapiolani still lives an exemplary christian &
probably the most advanced in civilized manners of any native
on the Islands. She is very kind to us, frequently making us
little presents of food & c . The natives all may be remarked
for that trait of character on which I am affraid however some
of them place too much dependance, One encouraging fact is
their greate anxiety to obtain books & c . A l t h o ' I fear few
of them read them intelligently I suspect from all I can learn
& have seen that most of them think the mere p ossession of
a book or at most saying over the words in it, is all that is
needed. Mere however I fear the anxiety of most of them
terminates without any concern whether they get proper ideas
or any ideas at all. In fact some of the teachers have con
fessed that they taught the children the letters & how to
read but did not teach them that there was any meaning in it !
and were quite surprised to hear that the words had the same
meaning in the book as when spoken at one, This is a specimen
of native schools. But we hope when more enlightened teachers
shall be raised up. These difficulties will vanish, After
all, It will be a long time ere this people learn to think for
themselves. They are so habituated to customs of ignorance &
idleness, There are but few of them now in whom we can place
confidence as we could in even an affrican at home their
ideas of truth & punctuality are so limited, for they might
be formerly called a nation of liars but are reforming & we
hope under the blessing of God much good will be done by the
universal circulation of the scriptures when they can be
brough t to think, They read them much now in their way of
reading but we must look to God to enlighten their dark minds?
While we bear in mind that their reading is done more as child
ren read at school than like people searching after knowledge.
Most of our time since our arrival has been spent in endeavour
ing to acquire the lang. as soon as I was able to talk sufficient
ly I commenced teaching a little arithmetic & writing. I
have now gathered up a class of 40 or 50 & teach them geography,
writing & mental arithmetic, we have no maps except what we
draw that they can understand. I have finished for m y scholars
a map of the world of 32 inches in diameter, They manifest
much curiosity in looking out the places mentioned in the
�2307
geography especially America & Britain of which they have heard
so much. Mrs. F. Also had a school of females hut from ill
health has been obliged to commit it to a Native female who
i s very diligent & faithful. Most of the people round
about u s can read as they come more immediately under missionary
influence. Kamahau is not so advanced in civilized manners
as we could wish nor as one would be led to suspect from the
place he holds in former publications of the h e r a l d . many
of them however & I believe Kamahau has given up the eating
of dog meat formerly so universal among them I have not yet
attempted to preach as I have not considered myself sufficient
ly acquainted with the language to make a discourse understood
intelligibly. Mr. Bishop & Thurston still visit us from Kailua
& n maintain preaching 3 sabbaths out of 4. In the course of
2 or 3 sabbaths more I shall try preaching God willing, but
know not how the delivery will be managed for much depends
on the proper accent and enunciation of this language.
(I
am affraid from what I heard myself in America & from some
things we have lately seen in print, that the friends of
missions are too sanguine in their views of this peoples
improvement. You would be probably astounded to hear they
had turned again to their idols & yet multitudes of them would
rejoice to hear of liberty to return. I do not mean those
who have joined the ch. I will give you what has happened under
my own eyes but a few days ago only across the narrow bay from
the spot where I write, & near the spot where Obookia was taught
to pray to his idols & where for this purpose he had a heiau
built.— Some of them last week undertook to teach the people
that the wine which the missionaries use at communion is real
human blood, boldly & solemnly declaring that for this purpose
members murdered people for the b l o o d ! They also named one
of the most exemplary & enlightened members as being guilty of
this and to seal the truth of it an old man came forward &
raising his tapa showed a large scar (which he had received
probably by a fall) declaring he was there wounded by a me m
ber of the ch who would have killed him to get his blood! His
little son then stepping forward very innocently says Yes I
saw the man stab my pa there !!— This we fear is a specimen of
the Spirit of numbers of the common people. The chief, Kapiolani,
has put most of the leaders of this base transaction (which
in fact was a step towards insurrection) to work making road,
the common punishment of thieves, adulterers drunkards, liars &c
As a nation they are 'tis true wonderfully altered,
yet the body of them have turned & pay regard to Christianity
simply because the chiefs & most influential part
taken
a stand in favour of & joined the church, and not from any
conviction of its superiority over paganism. Because they
�2308
h ave never been accustomed to think for themselves, but
have followed & done whatever the chiefs approved. Hence
you see they would be just the materials for popery to
work upon as they do not like the trouble of thinking for
themselves. One great object with us is to lead them to
think, But much self-denying labor must yet be performed
& we fear much time spent before they can be called an
enlightened people. At least God must yet work a greate
work among them. Nothing but the powerful influence of
the Holy Spirit, Sanctifying the gospel can save them.
Here is our dependance we trust & here is our consolation.
God is able & we have his promise which cannot be broken
that his word shall not return unto him void, & we also
have encouragement, by seeing those occasionally, whom we
deem truly anxious souls on whom God has shed light, coming
& asking the way to Zion. The ch. here consists of 80 mem
bers, most if not all of whom can & do read the scriptures
much. We have preaching twice on the sabbath, a lecture
on Wednesday, a prayer meeting on Friday & a conference meet
ing on Saturday night.) Yesterday was our monthly concert
at which were present a good number. But I must come to
a close, have thought it better to embody these few remarks
in a letter t h a n to copy my journal, much of which is but
common place - I have commenced building a native house as
lime & good stone would be difficult to obtain here, plenty
of lime & good stone would be the coral down at the sea but
it would be a vast labor to bring it 2 miles up this steep
hill? We here can get Koa boards (very beautiful hard timber)
by paying foreigners $ 40 per 1000 feet for sawing them in the
mountain & bringing than down. They do not require their
pay in money but take tapas & other articles of barter. The
chief has given us a spot of ground to build on & assists us
much of course the building will not cost us much except some
few native books, some slates some writing paper &c. We have
received the general letter with some numbers of the Herald.
Cannot you send us bound no. of the h e r a l d . There are now 3
distinct school here & when Mrs. F. Shall be able we hope another
school will be formed besides the native s chools. My health is
as good thus (torn) as it was in America--With very affectionate regards to you all I am
Yours most sincerely & affection
ately in Christ Jesus
Cochran Forbes
P.S. I had forgotten to say that I could have purchased my
books & clothes 20 per cent cheaper in Philadelphia than we
get them in Boston, & in conversing with Mr. Bishop I find
he has the same mind and always thought himself imposed
on by your Taylor, I believe his name is Palmer. He gave us
* There is no vehicle belonging to this station. The natives
have to carry on their shoulders (rest is torn)
�2309
but very inferior stuff & very inferior work & yet charged
more than my tailor at Princeton used to charge me. Had
I known what I know now, I could have saved thrice the
freight by purchasing books & clothes at Philadele & N
York I believe Sir did you know the secret of the business,
that those who furnish articles of outfit for your missionaries always make a hands cane speculation of it. Because
no one then has time to examine the matter. They are honest
dealers forsooth & are trusted to do as we expect them, But
either your missionaries should see to every article & its
price, or your agent should. Near one fourth of our crockery was
broken.
I think it was badly packed. This sir comes out of
your fund & not out of their pockets so they are easy about
it. In fitting our 20 missionaries, how much might be saved
by 20 percent? more than ten times the wages of a judicious
agent for 3 months, my calculation may be too high, but is worth
looking at
C.F .
400
20
$1600
Edgartown Ms
Apr 29
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms Boston
United States Amer
R e v Cochran Forbes
April 30, 1833
Remarks in the actual progress of the mission
On the purchase of clothes &c
Mr. Hill
Ackd in Gen Letter Oct 30
�2310
101
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Kaawaloa, Island of Hawaii
Rev. & Dear Sir
No doubt you feel as if this station had
neglected an important duty the year past.
I mean, in
not writing ere this a station letter. But perhaps we
can as we ought to explain mat t e r s . F rom the departure
of Mr. Ely this station has been in a greate measure com
bined with the neighboring station at Kailua Mr. Ruggles,
whose health as you know has allowed of his performing but
little systematic labor, was with his family stationed here
and most of the time has resided here, awhile as you know
he spent at Waimea for a trial of the climate. Mr. Forbes
was stationed here one year ago entirely ignorant of the
language & of course unable to do anything for several months
except to assist A little in schools. The congregation was
supplied as formerly from Kailua. In this state things con
tinued till our last general meeting altho' Mr. F. was able
to preach blunderingly. So that we did not feel it of much
importance to write a station letter having little or nothing
to communicate that was not perhaps communicated in our
private letters. We know our communications should be so
framed as to convey to you a clear idea of the precise condition
of things— The facilities we have for doing good. The peculiar
difficulties that lie in our way. The ungarnished success with
which we labor. What reason we have to rejoice & what reason
we have to mourn. But judging from past experience & from the
effect we perceive past communications have produced in some
instances, we quite despair of giving ideas such as we our
selves entertain & would wish to communicate.
Simply b e
cause no one of your number has ever spent a year or two at the
S. Islands. You have no standard by which to judge of things
here, and we cannot easily give you one.
Remainder of letter printed 30 Missionary Herald
367 Oct. 1834
Dec. 1833.
Rev. Mr. Forbes. Written probably in Nov. or
Recd. July 18, 1834
Ackd in G . let Sept 5/34
marked, (copied) Ju ly 25, 1834 H S K
Ansd Dec 6
Rev. Rufus Anderson Missny Boston U. S. America
�2311
102
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Kuapeh u November 8 1834
To the secretaries of
the A.B.C.F.M.
R e v . & Dear sirs
By some kind of unaccountable
flight of time another year has passed & I have not written
you as I had intended convinced as I am that the correspondence
of the Board with their missionaries ought to be full & fre
quent. I wrote you a year ago by Mr. Ruggles when he return
ed to the U.S. which you have doubtly received ere this, since
that time the labours of all this field, have devolved on
myself & wife, with the exception of a visit on the sabbath
once in three weeks till seme time last may, from the Brethren
at Kailua, to supply my pulpit while I visited an outpost about
ten miles off. (Kealia) Such assistance however is merely
trifling in this land, towards supporting the laborsof a
station. Kealia you will perceive is the post marked out for
a new station, not so much because of its distance from this
station as from the fact that it is pretty thickly settled and
the only eligible spot for a station south of this, & north
of the point, and also that very few from these attend here
either on the sabbath or at any other time except when they
wish to be married.
I usually had a congregation there, of
from 600 to a thousand on the sabbath if they knew of my
intention to preach there— The head man is a member of this
church & hopefully pious--Accompanying this letter you will have a rough
sketch of a map of this field from the Kailua boundaries
to Puna the southern border of the Hilo station. You can
there see the different locations & distances of the propos
ed new posts &c The Lord has enabled us to maintain pretty
uninterrupted the labors of this station during the last year
tho' we have felt the task more than we had strength for—
About the first of January we perceived, as we thought a
more than usual excitement. Several persons, in the neighbor
hood of Kaawaloa * appeared truly concerned for their souls.
some old & some young, our meetings on Sabbath were unusually
well attended for seme reason or other. We had an increase
on the sabbath of perhaps 6 or 8 hundreds which swelled
our congregation to 17 or 1800 or more who were always
* Kaawaloa is a small district perhaps a mile wide & 5 or
6 long running from the sea back
�2312
orderly and paid more serious attention as we thought, than
we had seen. The circumstances we thought, called for some
special improvement of the opportunity God ha d put into our
hands, for making an impression, & I appointed a protracted
meeting which commenced January 5th 1834 & continued for
6 days as much interest apparently was manifested & we hoped
some good inpressions made, I was assisted during the labors
of the protracted meeting by Bro. Baldwin from Waimea & by
the brethren from Kailua, We think some 4 or 5 souls were
brought from darkness to light & much good done for the cause
otherwise, which we may never be able to estimate till the
day when Christ shall show to men & angels the results of all
efforts. For particulars I refer you to my journal, extracts
from which accompanies this letter. I send it that you may
see how I am employed & c not that there is anything of interest
related. I wish also you would send it on to my friends after
you have looked over it as it will be of no farther use to you-—
send it to Wm. Townly Princeton—
Under date of Jan. 1834 page 26 you will find more
particulars related— In may we held another protracted meeting,
having been so much encouraged by the results of the first. I
cannot however say we saw any decided conversions from it—
We think it a matter of great importance to make
Bible impressions among a heathen people I believe however
some souls have been brought in, th e not manifests at our
meetings yet by that means. I feel that we must put our dependance on God & no longer on Chiefs to convert sinners— I am
sorry that I cannot give myself wholly up to preaching, But
must support also the schools which too much divides a preach
e r 's attention no preacher ought to be obliged to teach school
I am obliged in tills way, there is no one else & even our station
school will go down if I do not attend it in person. But I
must keep it up even at a sacrifice, for much, in this land,
depends on well regulated schools, especially ought the child
ren to have schools. They are growing up in ignorance simply
because there is no schools for them & no one to teach them,
If anything is to be done for this people it must be done so o n .
The influence of unprincipled foreigners is daily extending
& they will lose no opportunity to impede our success as
their interests & the interests of the gospel are directly
opposite—
My present labours in preaching are two sermons on
the sabbath, besides our sabbath school which is quite as
fatiguing to me as a third service, a lecture every Wednes
day, a sermon on friday at either Napopo on the south side
of the bay, or at Nawawa which lies north west of us some
3 miles, see the ma p — Then I have the monthly concert one day
in every month. Besides my schools and all the concerns of
my fanily and attendance on the sick &c &c. The above Mention
ed labors are more than I can properly discharge. So you
�2313
see I have but little time to make tours without neglecting
important work just around my door. The consequence is I
seldom get so far as even Honaunau , which I might visit &
return the same day, nor do I get so much among the people at
Napopo & K ei as I wish. I suppose there are, something like
2000 inhabitants on that si de of the bay in the villages of
Kealakekua, Napopo— Keii &c yet but few of them have any regard
at all for sacred things.— If you wish me to extend my labors
with a clear conscience send me help, one cannot keep up
the labors of this station and visit his people— In teaching
geography, of which my scholars are very fond, I find myself
much relieved since the arrival of your skeleton maps, Before
that I had to sit down & with m y own hands make maps for our
schools & even then only the station schools were supplied
while schools at a distance h a d to learn without learning
geography. The eye is all important among this people in all
their studies; for that reason I am of opinion that Infant
school apparatus would be admirably suited to this people They
need everything to be presented to the eye— if possible. The
skeletons are not so distinct as t could have wished yet
answer well for outlines & some of m y scholars have painted
off the sections that they m i ght be the more distinct Mrs. F .
has also been able to attend to a class of girls from ten to
20 years of age, most of the year, besides attending generally
to the children's apartment, whom we divided off under
different native teachers— We made & special effort soon after
our protracted meeting in January to have all the children &
young people, we could influence, collected into schools every
afternoon except friday & Saturday. Their usual custom was
one afternoon in the week W e succeeded in collecting about 70
children who showed a cheerfulness and constancy at school
which surprised me. But as we had no Teachers only such
natives as chose to assist us we have not been able to keep
them all at school for frequently the children would come &
find no Teachers, then I must either put them with some other
class or let them run. However by giving them little rewards for
diligence & good behaviour we succeeded in keeping them at
school so long as there were Teachers, But for the last 2
or three weeks our Teachers have been so irregular, that our
school is almost broken up. The Teachers are principally from
among Kapiolani’s attendants and her illness has been a cloak
at least, if not a sufficient reason for their negligence.
So long as we must depend on the good pleasure of natives for
Teachers I have but little hope for the schools of this
nation. We must have our schools put more on an independent
footing or they will even drag on inefficiently as th ey ever
have done:— We must have Teachers independent of Chiefs or
they will never be stable— Kapiolani herself, attended daily
while able, & taught her class of children Mrs. F . Also of
�2314
of late has been able to attend but little to her school in
person, I find it impossible also to attend every day—
Brother Baldwin has been here some 3 or 4 weeks, partly on
account of Kapiolani's illness & partly on Mrs F ’s account
Bro. B. has been ill from a bad cold & has been unable to
preach except once since his arrival. He improves slowly
however--Kapiolani has been very ill for 5 or 6 weeks she
is now recovering. See the end of my journal.
Before you receive this you will have received
and read our answers to your circular, with other items of
intelligence, You will see in the minutes of our last meet
ing page 34— a resolution that each of us furnish you with,
"sketches of our particular fields of labor exhibiting the
several preaching places & c . ” I have therefore made out a
rough outline of our field where the several posts &
villages of any importance are marked.
It may not precisely
accord with the correct distances always as I have no means of
knowing that--The attempt at sketching our situation I am
aware is very imperfect but is perhaps better than nothing.
I
do not pretend to know anything about painting.
I intended
it for yourselves, not for-the publiok
You can see from the map h o w utterly impossible it
is for one missionary to supply this field and how important
it is that we be reinforced and that immediately if we would
keep the ground already occupied. There is now also full
opening far all the proposed new laborers, as It regards this
field— I would not urge the claims of Hawaii in disregard of
Africa, India & south America and the N. W . coast, where
missions ought to be immediately established. But there are
men enoughs in th e ch. if God would only root them out. O
that he would! There is money enough too for all the world—
But before I proceed farther I must meet your
objections. You will say we have h ad all the Marquesas mission
added to ours during the last year. True we have, and you will
be surprised to find that instead of Hawaii being strengthened
we are weakened. Br. Ruggles h ad just left for the United
States, and every one must see that his place ought to have
been supplied immediately. Before that also, Bro. Baldwin
had been but little called upon to visit other stations as
a physician, but now not only the southern half of Kona & all
Kau must be put off with one missionary, But M r . Baldwin must
�2315
be Physician for all Hawaii, which is in effect giving
but one missionary for all that field — H ad M r . Baldwin
been left to pursue uninterrupted his missionary labors
at Waimea or had we given him an assistant, it had not
been so bad, but making him Physician for all the Island
was too bad! when there were two other healthy physicians
in the mission! Still you will ask, w as it not with the
mission?"
It was with the mission, just as it was with the
Board whether Mr, Judson should desert them & join the
Baptists or not, because it pleased hi m better— th e chose
to turn baptist & the Board consented. Who would constrain
a man to act unwillingly? I do not mean that it was Mr. B's
choice to be physician--But—
Hawaii might now have been supplied with a physician
independent of Mr.B
.
if not with other laborers also, did
we all possess as much of the missionary spirit now , as when
we left home & friends to embark for the Islands.— Do I
speak severely? do you think. Would there were no cause for it.
I do not however say at whose door this charge should lie.
That would do no good— I thought I would just let you know in
part how we cogitate at the Sandwich Islands.
I know, or at
least I was alway taught, that a telltale is a hated character,
I do confess however that it is to me an unaccountable fact
that Hawaii was left as it was left & for the reasons that it
was left at our last yearly meeting, if I admit we all possess
enough of the Spirit of Missions, or self denial or even as
much as we stand accredited for before the world---I say it is
unaccountable to me & would that I were singular in such an opinio
n
I will only remark however that, for one I fully believe that
Hawaii and even Kau ( frightful a place as it is deemed to be)
would have easily found both laborers and a physician had the
merchants & polite company of Honolulu only resided at
Waiohinu!---Perhaps I have said enough on this subject. I
have made these remarks in order that you might see, it is not
the opinion of all this m ission, that we are all located to
the best advantage for promoting most efficiently the cause
of Christ in the Islands--Perhaps the subject may not be of
sufficient importance in your minds to justify my saying so
m u c h , yet I do think it important that you should know, at
least, that we do not all give a blind consent to every
thing we may, from a kind of necessity think best to yield
an assent to— Expediency only, & that too, not arising from any
providential or uncontrolable circumstances but from what
no missionary should possess, partialities, or local attach
ments , led us to pursue such a course as we did at our last
meeting in reference to location.---
�2316
In looking over our fields you cannot but see that
Hawaii needs immediate aid. I am afriad our good friends
at home who prayed & gave alms with so much zeal for these
Islan ds before our embarkation feel too much as if the work was
done I am afraid they think the Sandwich Ild are converted !
D o you begin to console yourselves now as tho' your work was
done here?
I fear God is only just beginning to cut out work
for you, he is giving the wickedness of this people, so long
smothered under an appearance of regard for the truth, liberty
to show itself. He has long restrained it, for wise purposes
but I fear he does not see fit to restrain it any any longer.
For one I shall not be surprised to find all the high chiefs,
ie The King, Princess, Kinau, Kekauluohe, if not Gov. Adams
allopposed to every effort made for the extention of the gospel
Here in less than three years more ! Do not he astonished,
the days of implicit confidence are past. We trust only in
God now, after what our eyes have seen with regard to some from
whom we were induced to hope better things. Yet do not
misunderstand me, we don't despair because Satan's chain is
lengthned we know well who still holds & ever will hold it.
Our confidence in God is not shaken, but rather increased by
the desertion of Chiefs.
I fear the smiles of Chiefs has
been one of the greatest impediments to Christs kingdom in
these Islands & I think God is about to show as that his
kingdom does not hang on the word of any human being.---Of course it is unnecessary to tell you never to
publish what we speak freely about c hiefs. I write for you
But what, because c hiefs desert us, will you despair ? W ill
we desert the field? Never; never while God allows us a
resting place for the soles of our feet— But we must have
aid— There is now only one missionary besides our debilitated
physician for all that extensiv e region lying on the north
& north east point of this Island with a population of 15000
souls ! all accessible— Over all that district there are
schools established whose teachers must all be not only, sup
erintended but actually prepared & taught by the missionaries.
Our inability to procure compentent teachers is one chief
reason why our schools have sunk to nothing. We think they
might about as well be annihilated as to dragon merely nominally,
as they have for three years past.— We hope for nothing from
our schools till we can have teachers of principle & prepared
to teach something more than p-a,pa, in a monotonous sing,
song tone— There is only one missionary also for all the
Southern half of Kona and all K a u , with a population of ten
or more thousands, and spread along a sea coast of more than
80 miles ! almost inaccessible in any other way than by water
the sailing is frequently very dangerous ! Over all this
field there is full opening for schools & all kind of missionary
& preaching for them all. Superintend & instruct their
�2317
teachers, Besides, the teachers get no recompense for their
labor, & will not come so far to school— They are not worth
recompensing. Very few of them can teach anything but read
ing in a drawling antirational unmeaning manner. But I
feel that an effort must be made for better schools & better
teachers we must employ them independent of Chiefs & we
must have them better able to teach than any now are, for
because of imcompetent teachers the people despise schools,
thinking they are only a ceremony to keep them in subjection,
as the chiefs have always had something to say about them.
My scholars said a few days ago, after I had given them some
illustrations in geometry & showed them the connection b e
tween geometry & arithmetic and the utility of both in common
life, “Well now we see there is some meaning & some use in
learning formerly we could not see it." That was the language
of those whose opportunities have been good; who have lived
long at the station--What then must be the views of those
who rarely hear anything but an endless round of the same
thing without any explanation or application? No doubt it
is the language of some--"The palapala is all useless or false
wahahee & not worth m inding , we don't want it."-- Our station embraces the coast delineated on the map from
Kainalin on the north west, to Puna on the south east; a coast
of near 90 miles. Two weeks is the very least in which the
whole field can be hastily visited by simply preaching at
the more important villages without pretending to go from
house to house or even visiting all the villages. A month
is the very least in which I could pretend to give a faith
ful visit to all the field. But you can easily see it will
not do for me to be a month absent from my charge & family.
This people need a missionary's eye to be constantly over
them. We ought never to be absent a week.
One greate evil
of the present system is that very few children a r e taught.
They run wild at all the villages, because neither the parents
nor the teachers have influence or interest sufficient to keep them
at school ! We are gaining very little indeed so long as the
children are suffered to grow up in ignorance, We shall in
that way have a new generation of heathen as fast as the
children grow up. The on ly remedy is to enable us to put our
schools on such a footing that children can be in terested
& taught & that Parents may see there is a meaning in schools
Send us quick all the apparatus you can, for interesting children
& send us more helpers. Kau & the southern part of Kona
must both soon be occupied if anything efficient is to b e
done— It would be more deception for me to tell you I can
supply this part of Kona y ou would with reason think I either
had unpardonably low views of my duty, or that I was deceiv
ing you with fair words— If one minister cannot supply 20
large v illages over a distance of 30 miles in that enlightened
land, where there is no need of his concerning himself about
�2318
schools, much less can be here where he must do everything.
No missionary should come out with prediliction
Let no one be engaged, saying I choose Kau or Kealia , or
I choose east Maui, or Hamakua such a man will never make
a good missionary. A m a n to be a good missionary must choose
no spot because it is pleasant. Such ought never to leave
home as cannot cheerfully say, I go wherever God in his
providence points out. The man who goes to K a u must possess,
a m i ssionary’s portion of self denial, no other will do. He
must "be willing to be shut out from fashionable visits and
polite entertainments & to forge the pleasure of refined
society. He must feel that those are all more than made
up in having Christ in his soul and denying himself for Christs
sake even to the death. Such should every missionary be, but
especially he who would labor confortably at K a u . At Kau he
will not, as at Lahaina & Honolulu, have ships twice a year
and have friendly calls from the captains & officers; &c &c
He will perhaps never see a ship within speaking distance at
Kau. He will also have more difficulty in getting his supplies
He may sometimes be even destitute before his supplies can be
got to him, as native vessels rarely go there unless sent
expressly, and and we cannot hope long to enjoy the favor of
the chiefs in conveying our stores gratuitously, perhaps we
are now near the end of their favors, & we hope God is going
to purify his church.— Small vessels can anchor at Kau but
not very convenient to where a station is proposed,
I be
lieve alualu in longitude 1 5 5 .41 is the only safe place and
there is no good road from that to Waiohiue—
Kealia may appear near to this station, but there is
no doubt in m y mind that there ought to be a new station there
for very few come from there to our meetings here & there is a
large population in the neighborhood over whom I can exert very
little direct influence from Kuapehu You will see that only
a layman is applied for as an associate for me at this station,
I am however afraid that laymen of the right stamp will be full
as difficult to obtain as clergymen not every pious layman is
fit for a missionary If you can find a doz or twenty Levi
Chamberlains you will be happy in your choice,
I ought to have before mentioned that we have not
thought best to admit any to the ch. the last year. I have
trouble enough with those already in & do not wish to make
work for myself or successor to undo by being too hasty in
doing— A few of our ch. members adorn their profession, would
that I could say so of all ! A number appear serious & severe
(15) are p r o p o s e d , among whom is one of our domestics who
conducts herself well & we think gives good evidence of being
a Christian, One was suspended last winter for Adultery,
fie one excommunicated, who h ad long been on suspension but
grew worse. Two have died since I last wrote, died as they
lived moral m e n — O for spirituality among Hawaiian Christians I
�2319
Kapiolani & K amakau appear well. But wait— don't be in a
hurry blowing abroad her name. Remember the Princess &
remember too it is possible for even Kapiolani to follow
in her foot steps. Naihe is gone; his race is run, we
don’t now fear his fall. But there is not a professor in
the S. Islands of whom I dare to say the same— O when the
sifting time shall come ! I tremble for our sleepy professors
for God. is about to give them up to Satan to be sifted as
wheat. Would that they may prove wheat & not tares. We
who are among the people, see, you who are there only hear-& hear but half— Once more; have patience, I write but once
a year— There was a sentence in your last otherwise pleasant
letter, that struck me when it was read at our last meeting
as not well advised---I refer to that part relative to sending
our letters open to Honolulu, I did not then think & do not
now think--& I have had 6 months to think, that the object
proposed, was any sufficient reason at all, any more than to
send them to Lahaina They send them ope n to Honolulu. The
principal part of our letters will be taken up perhaps in
discussing particulartopics— Or you may wish to scold some of
us, or convey something else not for every eye why should it
be exposed at Honolulu? I shall be m uch disappointed if a
vote is not taken next meeting requesting that our letters may
come sealed. If there be anything particular of news. One
line would tell us to let the other brethren know t h a t . I
hope my letters will be sent sealed. Requesting an interest in
your prayers & assuring you that you always have & ever shall
have mine I am you fellow servant in Christ Jesus
C. F orbes
Rev. Cochran Forbes
Date Nov. 8 1834
R e cd July 3, 1835
Ackd in G. L. Sep. 16
Ansd June 20/36
�2320
103
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXV II
Kaawaloa March 29th 1835
Journal of the Visit to Kau in
January 1835
Secretaries of
the
A.B.C.F.M.
Beloved Sirs
Before you receive this you will prob
ably have received a letter from me, with some extracts from
my journal, written in October last, from that letter &
journal you will see more distinctly the field of my labors
and the urgent necessity there is for aid in this wide field.
I sent also a rough sketch of the coast on a sheet of paper
designed to give you some more definite idea of the extent
of the field & of the utter impossibility of our missionary ever
serving it. I regretted then that I was not able to mark
more definitely the precise location of places &c. In January
I made a tour of Kau, being absent 13 days & now design giving
a more particular view of that field.
I left home on monday
evening the 12th of Jany. about dusk sailed all night o n a
double canoe, had a pleasant sail and a comfortable nap on
the board.
C . Forbes
Remainder of letter printed 32 Missionary Herald 147
April 1836
�2321
104
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Honolulu June 23d 1835
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec Amer. Bd. Com. for Mission
Rev. & Dear Sir
A few days ago I
received from you, per Hellespont a few lines acknowledging the
acct. of my undated letter, I don't know how I came to make
such a blunder, but am glad it was nothing more serious. You
also refer to a letter written by Mr. W isner I have duly
received it and think I can say from my heart I feel thankful
for the openness & freedom with which he has expressed his
feelings.
I should direct my letter to him, but it is here
believed he has gone to his rest with Cornelius & Evarts, tho'
no statements are received from the Rooms to that effect— —
As to the letter, I regret it was published, unless the Lord
has made it a means of good. When I wrote it I never thought
of such a blunder as poking it into the publick prints and
now cheerfully acknowledge my error in not positively forbidding
its publication.
If it has, as was suggested by Mr. W.
detered any one from going on a mission I shall feel deeply
distressed, for if I know my own heart there is no cause lies
so near it as that of the spread of Christ’s kingdom among
the heathen and God forbid that my pen sh ould ever throw one
hair in the way of missionaries devoting themselves for life
to this glorious work.—
My object in writing that letter was not to injure
the cause, nor aid it enter m y mind that it would Tis true,
had I only thought a moment, as I should have done, "perhaps
my friends may be thoughtless enough to publish this." I
might have been more guarded, but cannot agree with Mr. Wisner,
that those statements "ought not to have been made" I still
think they ought. Yet you will readily perceive it was not
on account of any solicitation for my own children as I had
but one & he only a few weeks old, of course the support of
him or provision for his education, 12 or 14 years hence could
not be a motive for writing a letter then on that subject,
It was not that.—
I would just ask, why, when pressed by our friends
should we not tell them just how we and our children are
provided for? I think they ought to know— perhaps there are
good reasons, tho' unknown to me, why friends should not
know. One statement in Mr. W's reply is not clear to me
�2322
He says “the Board have not shewn themselves unwilling
to to make proper allowance for the children of their
missionaries."
I am far from wishing to enter into a
controversy on this subject But do not understand what
he means by charging me with publishing a falsehood.
If it is a falsehood I certainly deserve even a more
severe rebuke than he has given. He who could either
deliberately or thoughtlessly promulge a falsehood to in
jure the A . B . C . F . M . guilty of a greate sin. I was be
fore, aware they allowed §40 per. an. but does Mr. W. or
any other person believe that $40 is a proper support for
one of his children for 12 months. Does twice 40 doll,
board, clothe,school & otherwise provide for any child
of the Prudential Com. over 12 years of age for a year? I
suppose not. But at your last meeting of the Board, one men
asked, why not give more? Mr. W. if I was not misinformed
gave many & perhaps good reasons why the Board ought not
t o give more than they have voted to give, & yet all see that
$50 per an. will not support a child.— It is true, friends
could easily supply the deficiency, But still was it a false
hood to say that the Board were unwilling to do the whole,
when Mr. W. t ook pains to prove they ought not to do the whole?
What I meant by “a proper allowance," was, a full support.
Tis true there may be many a good reasons why a full support
should not be allowed our children yet the statement of the
fact is nothing the less true for that— Mr W. also may mean
by a “proper support” , merely such a support as is proper in the
minds of the Board
In that sense I misstate d the case, but
my meaning was, support proper for the child wants I pray God
that m y letter, instead of d oing hurt my be blessed of him to
awaken christians to their duty in supporting the children of
your missionaries, since it has contrary to both my wishes &
expectations get before the publick, and I freely own to you that
I am sorry it has been published, if it were on no other account
than the unpleasant feelings it has occasioned—
I hope the Committee will rightly appreciate my
motives in thus freely & candidly expressing m y v ie w s . I do
not do it with any acrimonious feelings, I rather feel dis
posed to put the more confidence in your candor for the
plainness with which you thought it necessary to reprove me,
& bless God for it: while I do not feel it inconsistent
with my own duty to God & my constituents thus plainly to
express my own views. But subscribe myself sincerely your
fellow laborer in the cause of Xs
C. Forbes
P. S. I should add that you will receive a petition for
more physicians before you receive this and I do hope it
m a y not be in vain, as Dr, Chapin contemplates an immedi-
�2323
ate return, so that Hawaii is entirely destitute & Dr.
Judd feels that his hands are full at Honolulu
C.F .
Rev. Cochran Forbes
Dated Honolulu, June 23, 1835
Reed D e c . 31, 1835
Ackd in G. L. June 15
Ansd June 20
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Missy Rooms Boston
U. S. America
postmark New York
Dec 28
ship
�2324
105
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Kaawaloa July 23d 1836
Rev & Dear Sir
It is now a year since my last communication
dated at Honolulu in June 1835 which I presume you have duly
received. Since that we have been still laboring at this
station. By the mercy of God we have been permitted to
pursue our labours without any unusual interruption from
sickness. Our labors however have been of course much cir
cumscribed from the fact that we are single-handed. A
single missionary at a station with his family labors with
much disadvantage in these Islands, from the fact that he
must in the first place attend to all his family concerns, &
2dly, at an outstation, as most of the stations must of
course be, he must be, not only his own family physician
(no small undertaking) but he must be physician for the
people around him! 3d He must be schoolteacher if, he would have
his people & the rising generation grow in knowledge. We
have yet no native Teachers who are able to teach other than
the first rudiments. The best qualified of our Teachers as
yet do we ll, when they can carry a class thro' the first
elements of arith. geography & writing. We have never had
one yet at this station who is able to do that.—
4th He must be bookseller too; I find it quite
impossible to get a native who is capable of taking this off
my hands
If I give him a lot of books and say, sell them at
such a rate. He sticks to the price nor can vary a pin's
point till he sees m e — One will come to him to buy, & wants
to pay in fowls— Another so many sticks of wood— another so
many measures of potatoes, another desires to know what
peace of work he can be employed to do for such a book. It
is new work for a native to have such complex business on hand,
and the consequence is I am obliged after all, frequently
to make the bargain myself with perhaps more trouble than
selling the book would be— At these distant stations there
is no money in circulation We must therefore accept what
ever commodity the poor people may have to offer.
In short
there are few things, I find that we can commit to native
agency excepting the mere manual labor of our business. A
faithful foreigner could not be employed without giving a
price the business would not justify.
You will at once see how my time is always cut up
�2325
independt of unforseen, but daily occasional interruptions
and how utterly impossible it is for me to act faithfully
the part of pastor to these 10,000 souls-My time was much broken up the past year in build
ing a bed-room cook house & study, which cost perhaps $800..
I am not certain what it cost within $50. but it made a
very undesirable interruption in my labors, not that I gave
up either preaching schools or any of the stated labors, but
was much hindred, perplexed and distracted— "of course you
will say,— & so say I, But I do wish some of our zealous
friends there who are looking for so much from missionaries
& expecting 20 of us to supply these Islands with the gospel,
might enjoy the luxury of conducting a building, teaching a
school acting physician & preacher all for one year. If you
did not see them at the Rooms the next year with different
views from what they now appear to entertain, they would be
no ordinary characters,-- Do you ask me what ails m e — Nothing,
only I desire some of those zealous missionary characters to
come out & h e lp us. Why don't M r . Kirk--Mr. Eddy— Mr. Tracy,
D r . Tyler Mr L u d l o w and a host of dithers there who m i g ht be
mentioned come, but why do they so much talk about this glorious
cause and all sit still when there is such a pressi ng call
for laborers & no one willing to step forward?— Why don't
they lead the van? and our worthy secretaries,— O if they would
only throw the responsibility on the churches & say, if you
will not give us men, we will desert you & go ourselves, look
ye to the secretaryships & Agencies, we go to the heathen.
It would be to them a n electric shock that would cause them
to open their eyes and look duty in the face as one half of
them have never done yet after all their ta l k .—
But you will say I have wandered from the point; well
to come back—
My course of labors have been as usual. Preaching
twice on the sabbath with a sabbath school at 9. in the morn
ing & a Bible class between the two sermons . My congregation
numbered about 800 in the morning & 500 perhaps in the after
noon, sabbath school numbers about 200 adults & 100 children.
schools
I attended my children's school 4 days in the week
with many interruptions from building, usually spent about
3 h ours per day in school. Mrs. F. maintained her school of
girls part of the year, b u t w as not able to do much after the
first of January. W e felt much encouraged by the progress of
our scholars. Another difficulty was our want of a schoolhouse.
We had no building fit for a school house or worthy of the
name. Hope to have one this year as you have kindly appropriated
�2326
a small sum to be devoted to that object— Besides common
schools, have had a weekly singing school in which the young
people who manifest a taste for m u s ick exercise. This
school embraces about 20 scholars who are fond of the science
& made commendable improvement ;--I should have said that my
day school is always closed with singing & prayer. To forbid
a child to join in marching & singing at the close of the
school is punishment enough to keep all good order in the
school. If any boy or girl is known to be guilty of a false
hood, or of pilfering (two things of which they never made
any scruple in a heathen state) or of promiscuous bathing
ie boys & girls together, a common practise all over the
I slands, or of smoking tobacco, such offender, was obliged
to stand in the centre while the rest marched round & sang
a hymn adapted to their circumstances. This punishment was
so effectual that I believe it quite broke up those vile
practises among the scholars— The scholars were from 6 years
old to 16 & the youngest of them were addicted to all the
above practices t— -We have just got home from our general
meeting at Oahu & of c o u r s e have not yet opened our schools
again, but hope to in a few days.
Meetings
Besides my sabbath labors I always preached a lecture
on Wednesdays and usually one down at the sea side on fridays,
but this meeting failed much last year from interruptions
already mentioned. Every morning attended the prayer meeting
at daylight, with a few who assemble at the ringing of the bell
This meeting is by no means so fully attended as when first
commenced during an excitement 2 years ago.--Have also held
a meeting for the chh. once in two weeks on Saturday evening
Mrs. F . held regularly a meeting for prayer among the females
on Thursdays & a meeting for mothers on fridays in which their
duty as mothers was discussed & urged on the m . These female
meetings have had a very perceptible influence in families
& on individuals.
It is true here, as in civilized lands
that the female fills an important sphere and may be the means
of doing much mischief or much good, just as her influence
is e x e r t e d
Indeed the mothers are capable of doing more
here for the rising generation generally than the males are,
and where they are vile (which is 9 cases out of ten) their
influence is worse than that of m e n th o ' exerted in another
way. Among all the members of this chh. I know of few cases
where the mother is a member & the father not that the
children are not being brought under comparatively good
government (yet it is miserable government still) and where
the influence on the husband is not apparent, while there are
many cases where the husband is a professor and his wife not,
but the children are still under the mother’s baleful influence
�2327
& from her learn to despise the gospel even while the
Father has been years in the chh. These facts convince me of the
influence of females among this people.
I have often asked
myself “Ought I not to discipline such Fathers as give
their baptised children almost exclusively into the hand
& under the influence of heathen mothers." Perhaps you will
say I ought It is a difficult case & often have I prayed over
it and talked with them. Urged on them their awful respon
sibilities & the danger of the child's soul. His influence
on Society &c &c. They admit it all, say I a m right, give
a sigh & say, but we can do nothing! The children are
paakiki--stubborn, will not obey and if we attempt to chastise
them their mothers interfere & snatch away the child or
set up a wailing as tho' we were killing it.” All this
I know is true, m y own eyes have seen it. But where we
get the mother on the right side most of the difficulty is
removed. If she be a Christian she will go about her duty
cheerfully & boldly; some noble examples of which we now
have here & which encourage our hearts, But alas not all
who are in the church thus obey christ. We hope however by
the blessing of God on means & particularly the mother's
society at the station that they will be convinced of duty.
My determination is to make this a particular point on ad
missions to the chh. They are so dark that we must specify
every particular duty, but perhaps the chief reason of their
obtuseness is that they possess too little vital godliness
if any at all Besides the schools & meetings I also try to
visit a little but your will readily see I have no time left
for properly performing pastoral visits unless I neglect my
study, Here is the greate difficulty. Missionaries are
greatly tempted to neglect their study or mental improvements
not to say their closets, by being ever under a kind of high
pressure from without, much to do & few to do it, multitudes
perishing & no one to care for them. There is no use in my
pretending that I can do more work than is manageable. I
do not pretend that I efficiently execute all I lay out ,
nor all I have related to you, I call it labor performed,
simply because it is undertaken and driven thro' . Something
as a school Teacher who should undertake to instruct 100
pupils & after a year report his labors as properly executed,You would not believe him, but would advise him to procure
assistance for the next year. Especially would you think
him absurd if he at the same time professed to perform faithfully
all the duties of P astor for a chh of 70 members, besides
being bookseller for all his town. Yet what is thought im
possible at home is expected of missionaries among the heathen !
I don't therefore pretend that I am able to do properly
�2528
all that is stated on pages 3 & 4 as m y course of labors.
I am sorry that any such feelings should exist in the
churches at home as to render it almost necessary for
their fellow laborers among the heathen to misrepresent things
or run the risk of forfeiting their confidence! I refer
now to a developement of facts or rather feelings brought
before us by a letter from yourself, I think, to one of our
number, received a few months ago. I am sorry I cannot now
command a reference to the particular letter & quote the
precise words, but you will doubtless remember it—
The sentiment was as follows. That the discouraging accounts
written home of late from this mission, have a bad effect.
Many good? people are beginning to think that after all,
little has been done; and such dark statements tend to hinder
the progress of this good cause by discouraging those who
would go on a m i s s i o n !! O my dear Sir is it true? Has the
love of Jesus got to that low ebb? Is it possible that your
missionaries (like brandy prescribing physicians) must ad
minister false & baneful stimulants
in order to keep up
the action!!
Must we then represent that as done which
in the nature of things you could not reasonably expect to
be accomplished? I do not attribute those sentiments to the
Committee.
I hope you better understand matters.
I understand
you as telling us how our Brethren at home the ministers &
people feel. The ministers are in the fault— Like priests
like people. If they properly instructed their people in their
duty to christ, as consecrated to him just as much as are
missionaries, their people would not need false stimulus to
keep alive missionary feeling & missionary action, neither
would Pastors complain— "Our people are discouraged and think
nothing is doing because missionary reports are so dark."
0 when will the time come that Christians will exert them
selves because they love Christ & his cause & not because
their missionaries return flaming reports & puff up their
pride by telling them how much they are accomplishing for
Chirst! O when will the church learn to labor from morning
till night & say— "We are unprofitable servants, we have done
no more than was our duty to do." —
In what I have said in this digression, I say for
myself, If it be wrong the blame falls on me. I freely express
m y feelings to you and think it is time the false impressions-:
of the churches were rectified. If their own ministers have
created this whimsical false moral appetite, theyought to
repent and come boldly up to duty. Are not many of them afraid
to present the subject of missions in bold relief, as demanding
�2329
of right the suffrages of the whole christian community,
ministers & people, lest perhaps some one might whisper,
"& why don't sane of our ministers arise & go? we
would support them!" Why do so many of the ministers feel as
if the subject of spreading christ's kingdom thro' the
world, was committed entirely to foreign missionaries? They
who are quietly nestled at h o m e , persuade themselves they
have nothing more to do with this cause except it be to
speculate a letter on missionary subjects; just enought to
keep their heads above the tide that occasionally swells
among their people in despite of the barrier opposed by
their mistaken Pastors.—
How many pastors take to themselves the credit
of what their people are doing to spread the gospel abroad;
when, if the truth were known the whole ought to be ascribed
to a few pious, praying, effective females! Who perhaps
would do far more if their pastor's influence were less f e l t !!
You may think me "censorious" but I fear the great day will
demonstrate that "the half has not been told."—
The churches must equalise the labors before even
they will see christ's kingdom coming with power. He has
been trying now for 40 years to convert the heathen by
sending one out of a thousand of her laborers among them!
Only look at the absurdity of the thing. "Send off the
surpluss
to the heathen", is the doctrine of the chh.—
W h a t ! will the chh. make herself a mere canal for carrying
off the redundant stock; rather than a greate resorvoir
flowing out in ten thousand rivers to fill the world & bless
all mankind !
0 horrible, horrible selfishness ! What base perver
sion to baptize it with the name of Christian charity. Was
Pharaoh a cruel task master. What is the church doing.
Is
she not tasking her missionaries to death. Expecting a
handful of missionaries to convert 700.0000, while twenty
time their number are busily ? employed to bear up the
standard among 13,0000! Where too everything is ready to
their hand & all their soldiers ready disciplined.—
My patience deserts me, I must leave the subject
& pray God to open the eyes of ministers & people and sav e
them from the curse their stupidity will inevitably bring
on them.—
We are hoping & praying that next spring will
bring us aid, that at least those of us who are laboring
single handed & therefore obliged to slight the Lord's work—
Yes obliged, by the churche's indifference to s light our
blessed master's work ! — May be reinforced and enabled to
do the work more as it ought to be done.
This church contains now 70 members in good standing,
One was dismissed to Honolulu during the past year, and a
�233 0
number others are are residing, some there & some at other
stations whom I shall request to take dismissions this year, as
I cannot watch over them while there.-- Have admitted eight
on profession during the past year. None were excommunicat
ed & none suspended.--Several stand suspended who were dis
ciplined the previous year, one at least I shall cut off
soon, for total disregard to the house of God & all the
ordinances. No death in the chh.— Monthly concert is regular
ly maintained and a little missy society is formed who con
tribute what they will; not of so much value to the cause
as to their own souls
Of marriages, I performed 78 during the past year. N. B.The statistics here given are correct..
I am not sure they
are correct in the general letter If the general letter
differs from this, you will please correct it by this. Last
fall I had every house numbered and its inhabitants from
the borders of the Kailua station southward & round to the
borders of this station on the south east and found the
whole population of my field to be as follows. This part
of Kona 3,536 adults; 1,473 children --total 5,009-Kau adults, 3,365--children 1,401— total in Kau 4,766
which makes in all 2874 children, and 6901 adults, for whom
I and m y wife are the only instructors while many of them
are desirous for instruction and all of them are now accessible.
I do hope the committee will thunder in the ears of the church
till some of her ministers arise and come speedllyand not
wait till the young men come from colleges & Seminaries. Not
wait four year more till this population have diminished 2 1 ,421
as it did in the last four years.—
Again, you perceive we now have no missionary physician
on this Island. Two physicians-one for the east & one for the
west side” , is the very least that this Island ought to be
left With, as it is divided by mountains impassible, except
at the north & south. Last fall Bro. Baldwin being at
Lahaina for his health, was called here as physician and was
obliged to pay a dirty little native schooner of 22 tons the
sum of $50 to bring him and to offer the same before they
would take him back. That sum was deemed moderate. We
suppose we lost our second child 15 months ago by having no
physician within 40 miles, Bro Baldwin was then at Waimea
and came at our call but did not reach us till it was too la t e .
still we would not murmer. We would only suggest wether if
any of us should be laid aside from his labors & from usefulness
for the want of a physician, the church will not be held
responsible at the bar of God, while she sleeps over her duty
with more physicians in her lap than she can nurse. I do hope
the appeal of Bro. Thompson from Jerusalem will torment their
sleeping hours till they arise and do their duty.
I may appear in my above remarks to forget that,
Africa & Asia & south America all peopled by heathen But
I have not. The church ought to furnish men for them too
�2331
and for all the world. What we do for the Sandwich Islands
must he done soon
A few more generations & they will he extinct. T h e
door is open now & wide open The people on this Island often
express their disappointment & grief that year after year
passes and no more missionaries come to them. There are now
no more missionaries on Hawaii than there were five years ago
while on all the other Islands they are more than doubled.
The people here are just as accessible as there. I wish you
would ask the mission to give the reasons. I hope you will
excuse me for cross writing as my paper is full
I am obliged to write across and here must beg
pardon for the interesting & amendments I have introduced
my only apology is, I have no time to copy. But am obliged
to hurry off the first rough draught. I have a few wants,
I desire to make known yet
My first want is books Ho missionary at home, so much
needs a good library as the missionary among the heathen.
I very much feel the want of books of reference I shall
feel thankful if you will send me the following by the first
opportunity. A few copies of most of them do belong to the
library but books of reference ought to be in our studies
not in our libraries for the publick— 1st send me Webster's
Dictionary— 2"Encyclopedia of religious knowledge" It is
said this work will (bound in) else I should write for
"R obinson's Calmet" Your (torn) not send Calmet now unless
you are sure the (bound in) of the kind. 4th Report of the
Board for 1834. or a bound vol. of all your reports from 1820
5th Stewart's Hebrew Chrestomath y .
Once more I feel greately my need of a watch, when
I came out I brought a Lepiene watch but as there was no one
here who could mend it I was obliged to send it home with a
broken main spring & a crystal & a clock was returned in its
place. It serves me well in the house. Send a good w a t c h .
A poor one will soon cost double here for repairs!
I wish
also a good microscope. We need such things in teaching
this people as well as our own children.
I wish the above
things to be sent to Mr. Chamberlain on my name as written
you. With those kind regards which are due & which relative
situation prompts towards every member of the Committee I
subscribe myself your fellow laborer in X t
I would add as an individual many thanks for the
kind supply of late publications added to our library the
past year.
C . Forbes
�2332
R e v . C. Forbes
Date July 23, 1836
Recd April 28, 1837
Ackd July 21 in G. L.
Books requests rednk
show this to Mr. Richards
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Secretary of the A.B.C.F.M.
Boston Mass
U. S. America
Single sheet
postmark New London Ct
Apr 20
�2333
106
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837 Part Third
XXVII
Kaawaloa Oct 1st 1836
Rev. & Dear Sir
Some time ago I wrote you a letter of a large
sheet. But as Bro. Richards goes soon to the U.S. I wish to
say a few things more. Some of them have been touched on in
my former letter.—
First I would say, lest you may not gethe other
letter, I have written for same articles, the need of which
I very much & often feel. They are as follows
1-a good watch
2 -Encyclopedia of useful religious knowledge
3-Webster's Dictionary octavo
4-A good modern geography. Perhaps "Goodrichs"
5-Stuarts chrestomathy
6-A good microscope also a full bound set of Reports
from 1820 to 1836.
I need hardly add a words t o you on the importance of
every missionary having books of reference, Indeed a few years
has convinced me that no man so needs valuable works of reference
as the missionary needs them. Were I again in the U.S. my
present feelings are that no argument whould induce me to
leave till I had procured in some honest way a good encyclopedia
or some works answering instead, if such works could be found.
It is altogether a fa lse notion that a missionary needs few
substantial w orks. W e have host of useless books in this mission
sent out by the good but mistaken friends of the cause.
If
freight, to say nothing of first cost, most be laid out for
books they ought to be such as will warrant it. Were it not
that I think you would startle at the expence, I should also
put down a literary encyclopedia.
I wish some of those
would try a missionary life, who think he has nothing to do
but read his Bible, pray & preach, & therefore needs nothing
more than a Bible & a few good biographies.—
Again. The Amer. Almanac has been sent out and we get
one copy for all this Island! A valuable volume of pure
statistics, a purely reference work just as much as any other
�2334
Almanac and as much more important, by as much as its
statistics are more valuable & more miscellaneous I
wish one copy if possible for this station every year
Other Brethren must speak for themselves.—
Secondly. I am sorry & have been fifty times that we wrote
to you sane two years ago for so few physicians. This
Island n eeds tw o at this h o u r , one on the west side, where
there are four familes (Mr. Bishop is absent for the present)
and one on the east side where there are two families.
But
if you send out next fall, as we hope you will a reinforce
ment of some ten or 20 more to be located at new stations
perhaps, at least to need the attentions of a physician
we ought then to have a third physician on this Isd. Bro.
Richds can inform you of the absolute necessity of a
Physician being stationed at Kau, so soon as a family or
families occupy that post and that will take three out of
four for this Island. Physicians ought to abandon that
antiscriptural idea that they will be uselessly employed
every hour that is not spent in weighing drugs or handling
the pestle. They may teach a school as well as ministers
if leisure from the office will permit why should physicians
think that Me r e physic should be the all absorbing theme,
simply because they have expended much in that special depart
ment of education?
If their education has filled them to
labor for Xt in any other way, Is it therefore a less so to
labor for him? I for one can see no reason why a pious
physician should not feel himself as much at the call of
Christ as should a pious minister.—
We have now no physic ian on H a w a i i . And I cannot
help thinking we lost our little son 18 months ago thro'
the absence of a Physician We are I trust willing to submit
to the will of God who we know could as easily have bereft us
with a physician at our side as out of reach, yet all that
does not alter facts The moral probability is that the disease
would have been checked had a physician been at hand.
O! how
much w a ste of missionary life & time will the churches and the
ease loving physicians of the U.S. have to answer for at the
last day !— O what time do we lose in "studying medec after
our arrival here with all our disadvantages. We are obliged
to practice; have no alternative and therefare are obliged
to study beginning as often at the wrong end as at the right
end. It is bad economy to establish a mission without phys
icians unless each one has acquired a competent knowledge of
the subject before embarking
One other point I hope, as Bro
Richards goes home this fall, he will be full & particular in
conferring with you on some points relative to co nducting m i s
sions. First, in regard to the character of secular men you
send out (Schoolteachers, Physicians, Mechanics Agents, &c)
Every pious man is not fit fit for an assistant missionary,
any more th an every pious minister is fit for a missionary
�233 5
On this subject you have learned a little & yet have much
to learn— Again, with regard to the importance of visit
ing the missions of the Board. You ought with your own
eyes to see, the fields and be able to speak to the chh s .
of what you have seen— Fifteen months would return one
of you to the Rooms after visiting this mission and spend
ing 2 weeks at every station The same may be said of Ceylon
mission— We are the largest mission you have & Ceylon is
next, out of America. The Secretaries ought to be visitors
of their mission, & some one of the Prudential committee.
Hope however some new plans will be hit on after reading
our Resolutions. The churches ought & must come up to
this work— Money must be spent for the Lord
We must hear
of missionary ships of discovery. We must see such m e n &
such movements as Daniel Wheeler and his enterprize . It
is useless to cloak the matter, the chh. is yet asleep, the
assertion of some one notwithstanding, that "they are going
ahead of their missionaries"— Whose place is it to go ahead,
if not the churches? Whose place to furnish men & money if
not the churches? And yet where is the proportion of either,
compared with the navy or with mercantile zeal Where is
the pious mercht who does as much for Xt as he does for h i m
self?— And s o may it be asked of all classes of christains-I shall send, with this a journal of incidents for
a few days which is intended principally to give you some
idea of our every day life. Yo u will never learn that part
of missionary work from letters or journals written for pub
lication— We cannot doubt that we in common with all your
Brethren under the patronage of the Bd have your prayers, &
we feel we need them. With best regards I a m truly yours
fellow servt in Xt
C . Forbes
Rev.
Sect
Miss
U.S.
Rufus Anderson
of A.B.C.F.M.
Rooms
America Boston
postmark New York ship
Apr 24
Rev . C . Forbes
Date Oct 1, 1836
R e cd April 25, 1837
Ackd in G. L. July21
Articles requested--have they been sent?
show Mr. Richards
�2336
107
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Kaawaloa Oct. 10,1836
This morng arose at dawn; went to our morng prayr
meeting; returned at sunrise,--a woman followed me with
some fish for a bound T e s t . and wanted a hymn book and she
would bring firewood. Then her husband wanted two or three
files for firewood— then another woman wanted a Test and
hymn book to pay in firewood or fish -- I h ad not got thro'
with them when a man called to see about gettinh lime for
the school house, and before I was free from him two men
came on me for medicine. Thus my whole morning is fe t t e r ed
away and now another comes to ask me about his clock which
I advised him to buy a few months ago of a whale ship.
It
does not strike right he says.—
O
for retirement to read my Bible ! Eight oclo
have had half an hour in private am called to breadfast and
that over, spend half an hour in family devotions.
9 oclk Have just got thro' with family dev ot
A
man brought up a bundle from the sea side and I must go &
pay him
Now I must go and put right my neighbors clock-No one else in the neighborhood can do it. If I don't go
& do it, shall incur hard feelings! Must leave all & go
Eleven oclock Have just returned from my visit
during which I fixed the clock and called on a sick person,
to give some directions about her medicine (she has been
ill several days of the pleurisy s) Called also on Kamakau
& Kapiolani Have made arrangements for a tour of four or
five days and as Mrs. F. is feeble and finds her lungs
initable, shall go with her to Kailua (15 miles) to day,
where she will remain till my return, hoping to be benefited
by the relaxation and change of air & circumstances
Octo 11. Last evening started for Kailua on a canoe.
Arrived there at 8 oclock at night. Left Mrs. F. & the child
ren there and at 5 this morng left for Kaawaloa. We arrived
at Kaawaloa about 9 oclock & before noon sailed again on
my tour arrived at Konaunau. Preached to a congregation in the
school house. Then we left for Kealia where we have just
arrived Alas for these poor souls. Here are perhaps 50
children growing up in ignorance No one to teach them; and
their chief (Akahi) does not encourage schools-She has placed
two canoes in the school house, thus making it a store house!
Instead of having her people collected for instruction as
she ought, she collects her canoes in the school house & has
no school Her coming to reside among them has manifestly al-
�2337
tered things for the worse. Formerly they had a school
and showed some signs of improvement. Now they are more
like heathen than they were 7 years a g o !! Still she does
not openly oppose
9 oclock at night. Have just closed a little
meeting with all who assembled at the blowing of the
shell.— The head man has just now presented us a baked hog,
weighing perhaps 80 lbs. and we, according to native custom,
sit down to our evening meal, in the night
0 if these poor
souls would only receive Christ, how cheerfully could I
pass the night without eating, altho' have eaten very little
for the last 30 hours.— The head man here(under the chief
woman mentioned on the other page) is a member of my chh. &
I think a pious, tho' inefficient man.— Here is also an old
man (member of the chh. under discipline for sanctioning
sorcery.— Poor old creature, he gives but little evidence of love
to christ.—
Wednesday Oct. 12— 10 oclk. This morning we left
Kealia before daylight in order to avail ourselves of the
land breeze; Had a pleasant sail & fair wind to Kapua, some
20 miles where we have just arrived. Perhaps there are
40 souls in all in this village almost as dark as 20 years
ago. Their children of 3 to five years old are running
as stark naked as they were born, I reproved the head man
and he said they abused mar o's when given them! A sufficient
excuse with a heathen, for letting his children run naked!
While I am writing I am seated on their door sill as the
Best seat I can find. Asked the head man “Have you no school
here?" He replied"no" "You are all living with dark hearts
are you.” "Yes, in that way truly."
shall now in a few minutes collect them and preach
c hrist to them and pass on to the next village whither we shall
have to go by land; as a violent head wind now blows and per
haps will not moderate till sane time in the night
Three oclock. Having preached Christ to the poor
sinners at Kapua and distributed some tracts among them and
taken the names of about 20 who promished to meet daily to
read as a school (they have no Teacher) till I shall again
visit them-I came by foot to the next village(Okoe) where I
got together about 30 souls and have just closed my meeting.
They are civil But alas do not seem to feel their need of
Christ. Must distribute some tracts and proceed as tis now
getting late, I have two more villages to visit & preach at
tonight
�2338
9oclk.
at night. came on from Okoe to
Honomalino. There collected the people & preached Christ
to them. They were very attentive. O Lord that those wouldst
make thy word effectual. No school there the teacher is sick.
But the head m a n who formerly was the Teacher promised to
try & have a school
Distributed tracts to all who could read & left for
this place (Miloli) where a few collected in the Teacher's
house and I preached to them before sundown Again since
dark collected & preached to them again as many were absent at
fishing during the first meeting. Have given them sane tracts.
At first they were shy, supposing I wanted pay for the paper
as they call the tracts. When they found I made no charge,
they came & got for themselves & friends.
Thursday Oct 13 Left Miloli this morning by day light
and came on here to Hoopuloa the nearest village.— The residents
are all absent— gone up in the county for food. But found
some forty here from a distant village. They have come here
to get kukuis to pay their tax, laid by G ov. Adams & finish
the Kailua church— collected them & preached to them and have
just distributed tracts, they were careful to ask tracts for
all their absent friends, who are gone back into the county for
food. While I write seated on a stone they are sitting around
s ome on the stone wall & some on the sand reading their tracts
& examining the cuts &c &c. O for the Holy Spirit to descent
& regenerate their hearts.— Preached to them this morng on
our saviour's discourse with Nicodem us John III.—
After preaching and breaking our fast on a roast fish
& piece of bread we pursued our course to the next village, but
the sea was so rough we could not get ashore and were obliged to
pass by that and three other villages when we came to Opihali,
where with much difficulty I got ashore and preached Christ to
them and distributed tracts to all who could read. Attempting
to get aboard of the canoe again I got both my feet soaking wet
with the surf. Leaving Opihali we came on to Olelomoana and
kolo, two villages close together but could not get ashore,
for the surf.-The origin of the names of these villages is worth
of notice. The first is called "Olelo moana" ie, "word of
the Ocean." Some fishermen of that village, a number of
years ago consulted while out fishing, how they might take
two helpless old men who lived alone on the same land but
up back from the sea shore, and make fishhooks of their bones !
Hence their village was called, "Word, or consultation of the
Ocean" The two old men got intelligence however before hand
of the designs of their neighbors and left their dwellings, and
note being able to walk, from age, they crawled to the nearest
houses but on another land. That land received its present
name ("Kolo" ie to crawl") from that circumstance. One land
is therefore called, "word of the ocean"the other -"crawl" and
* It was customary to make fishhooks of human bones in old times,
especially of the bones of those offered in sacrifice, whose fle sh
was also taken for baits !
�2330
thus is perpetuated the narrow escape of the two poor h e l p
less old men and the vile plot of the inhuman fishermen
their neighbors--Just so much confidence can be placed in
& so much mercy expected from those under the debasing
influence of heathenism & idolatry .— Those who think that
the heathen are happy and well enough without the gospel,
should live awhile among them and learn a little of their
good morals— good faith— tender mercies and natural affection,
of all of which it is no; disparagement to say they are desti
tute while governed by their idolatrous ma x i m s .
We next came to Koohe a s m a
ll village as inaccessi b l e
as Opihali, must jump from the canoe on the rocks at some
hazard for one unacquainted with such places, as the canoe
was kept in constant & sometines violent motion by the sea.
However I got safely ashore, assembled the people, preached
repentance & faith to them distributed some tracts and left
them after obtaining their names & a promise that they would
assemble frequently for the purpose of reading & mutual improvem e n t .—
I ought to say that all these villages are destitute
of regular schools, tho I found in all of them a number who
can read & in some cases almost the whole village could read.
The Teachers who had taught them that much, have deserted
their posts and gone, many of them after Chiefs. They being
the most capable men of their villages, in many cases, have
been greedily courted by the chiefs, for head men or for men
to wait about their persons, and a prospect of earthly gain
is as attractive to these poor heathen as to u s . They have
therefore renounced the arduous & in this country unpleasant
task of teaching the Alphabet & F o w l ’s little Arithmetic for
the prospect of being head me n of a few acres of land or of
some trifling imployment where they may gain the approbation
of a chief, w h i ch always is connected with advantages not en
joyed by the common people-- Nor indeed can I blame them—
But we must now have better Teachers to supply their places.
I f o u n d the people in all the villages, remarkably kind &
docil & believe they would generally be glad to have schools
if they had competent Teachers The above remarks apply to
mostly every Village from Honaunau, 10 miles south of us, to
K a u .—
Leaving Koohe we came to Honokua, Alae and Haliili,
and Waiea all of which we were obliged to pass by on account
of their being built on rocky eminences which could not be
s afely approached in so rough a sea, yet the sea was not so
rough as to render sailing either dangerous or very unpleasant
out a distance from the rocks, but a heavy swell breaking
against the rocks endangered the canoe if drawn too close, with
out much care, Our limbs also, not to say lives would have
been exposed by such a course.--Indeed there is no safe landing
�2340
place for a canoe, from Kaohako to Miloli (20 miles) unless
the sea be calm. We therefore passed on only gazing on the
straw huts placed up on the rocks like birds nests as tho'
they had selected the spot of its difficulty of access, and
could do nothing more than wish we could land. Thus we
passed on to Kealia by which time the sun was almost down.
Here we spent the night
Having been able to visit only
three villages today & preach three times. The travelling
over the lava by land is so bad that no one undertakes it
who can go by water.--I almost think however I should have
been tempted to undertake the land course forbidding as
the journey is, had I known we should be able to get a shore
at so few of the villages as my only object in this tour was
to go among the people & preach Christ to them
Friday 14the This morning early I left Kealia on
foot to visit two villages we had passed by yesterday.
Kalahiki & Kaohako— Went to Kaohako & found the head man very
ill in a kind of stupor. He started in his canoe last night
to carry his tax to the Gov. at Kailua and was suddenly taken
ill, with something like billious cholic and they were obliged
to put back This morning he is quite ill. 9 months ago this
man being ejected from his office came to Kaawaloa and
appeared to be a serious inquirer after truth. He certainly
was seriously desirous of getting into the church . Probably
thinking it his only remedy in poverty. But after a while his
lands were restored to him and since that (for the last three
months) we have seen little of him
I asked him this morning how it was with him now
with death in view. He replied he had lost his concern-"You live without prayer, I fear since your lands have been
restored.” Yes I do not pray now"! was his answer. Truly
a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
We went on to Kalahiki The teacher of this village has re
mained faithful to his post ever since the days of Mr. Ely.
T h o ' he knows but little more than how to read lamely, He still
keeps his school together. I examined his scholars and
preached to as many of the villagers as could be got together
at that time in the morning on a working day, perhaps 100—
Distributed some tracts and returned to Kaohako. Collected
the people here, a goodly number on the sand under the
cocoanut trees by the beach. I had scarcely commenced when
an insane woman appeared on a stone walk some distance off
and began by antic gestures and much vociferation to act
her part as t h o ' she were possessed of satan.
she evidently
used artifice to divert the people from listening. I
beckoned to her to come & sit down and after a chh. member
went to her she came and leaping in the air wildly she placed
herself at my feet and was quite silent while we sung and read
the account of the marriage fea s t . When she began again and
�2341
could not be quieted. She frequently declared herself to be
the "tempting serpent” referring to Eve's temptation I presume,
the history of which is familiar to most of the natives
No one now took much notice of her & she walked
off her language & gestures were obscene & blasphemous while
her only covering was a piece of filthy tapa tied around the
waist— Our meeting closed I left the people who appeared to
feel the force of the truth, may the Lord seal it to their
salvation-Passing thro the village my attention was arrested
by a loud wailing in one of houses--Going in, I found a n aged
man apparently dying and his wife & daughter & s ome others
bathed in tea r s . I asked the circumstances— They replied
that they had been to meeting and left h i m comfortable but on
their return found him speechless and almost lifeless. He
had a deep abscess on one side and gave no other signs of
life but slow pulsations and gentle respiration I could do
nothing for him, but took the occasion to make a few remarks on
the uncertainty of life and importance of preparation for
death, and left them as time would not admit of delay.
Just in the outskirts of the village we came to
three females in a corner by the way side sitting together
and each with an old rusty knife scraping off the outer rind
of some bark of the tapa tree, which is the first process
in preparing it for the mallet— Their whole appearance evidently
told that they had been idling away their morning in the surf
(a common practise in many places all over the Islands) so
that the question, ("Have you been to meeting?) was almost
useless-They replied, they had not been at meeting, when the
way was open for reproving them and preaching Christ to them
One was an aged woman, the other two, young and I verily
believe I could have put into my hat every stitch of clothes
that was on any one of them, which was nothing more than
a tattered piece of filthy tapa tied around the waist and
poorly covering even t h a t !-Passing on we came to Kealia about 11 oclk and
collected the people. Preached and distributed some tracts.
After taking some refreshmt we left for Honounau, and on
our way stopped at Kilai which, as many other villages, is perched
upon high rocks almost inaccessible from the sea unless when
smooth. In attempting to spring on the rocks, I unhappily
stepped just as a surf raised the canoe some four or five
feet from its possition and of course missed my calculation,
when having to descend instead of stepping u p , I fell prostrate
on the rocks and should have rolled into the sea had not one
of the natives caught me & supported me till, I recovered enough
to sit erect . The shock was so great as to quite deprive
me of all power for a time tho' no bones were broken. The
kind sympathy of one or two who rowed the canoe was to me very
affecting and will I think never be forgotten. Blessed be
�2342
thy goodness O Lord who ever makest our lives thy care--Recovered a little, we asscended to the village and the
people soon collected in the head man's house to whom I
preached, distributed some tracts and left them amid many
a sympathising (aloha) for my bruised bones.
O that the
truth may be sanctified to their souls. They listened with
apparent interest and gratefully received the tracts I
gave them, and also begged tracts for those of their child
ren or other relations & friends who could read, but were
not present at the meeting. Most of those present could
read. The head man's Daughter formerly taught school in
this village. Her Husband accompanied Mr. Ruggles to
America and has not yet returned. She too has forsaken
her school & wandered off to Tauai. O ! How my heart aches
for these poor villagers. Why have we not some one from
home willing to teach them? Why are all so willing to pay
for sending others and so unwilling, t o go themselves? The
well supplied Sandwich Islds The "christianized” Sandwich
Islands, are going down to death thro' the neglect of those
Christians who are boasting of what is done here and proclaim
ing to the world what a warm interest they feel in the
salvation of the heathen! O where is our interest when we
are unwilling to do more for them than to give for their
salvation a few of our surplus pennies? Why not give life
& talents? Is the Sacrifice greater than the importance
of the object? Leaving Kilai we arrived at Honaunau about
3 oclk Here found the children collected in school. After
school the people were assembled to whom I preached. This
closed the labors of this day. Preached five times today
and married one couple. O that this may not all be as water
spilt on the rock which cannot be gathered again, but that
at the last day I may meet many heathen in Heaven the fruits
of this days labors.—
The head nan (a member of the ch. at Kaawaloa) kind
ly entertains us; has presented us fish and a small baked
pig for our entertainment. Their custom is to take back nothing
presented at such entertainments. The dozen fish, pig, potatoes,
&c are therefore to be disposed of as I please The master of
the house claims no more disposal of it after it is once pre
sented before me. We generally carry with us the f r a g m e n t s
which will sometimes serve us for three or four meals if the
company be small. To night I gave one quarter of the pig
to a poor old blind woman who is a member of my chh. and
a heavenly character I think. The natives seeing me give to
her Expressed their surprise, saying. "The blind & lame never
get anything from us. We always give to such as that o n e ,"
pointing to our host who was sitting by, "because they can
give us something again."
I asked them how Jesus Christ
did, at the same time answering the question myself for their
full satisfaction.—
�2343
The poor old blind sister appeared unfiegnedly
grateful for her little portion. Her husbahd*also quite
blind, so that they are very poor and all such are in this
country despised & neglected tho' not treated quite so
bad as formerly. During the reign of idolatry a blind or
lame or insane person, appearing in publi ck, was sure to
be stoned & hooted by the mob of children & adults .—
Saturday Oct 15. This morning at the first
appearance of dawn we set sail for Kaawaloa and the land
breeze carried us along finely so that we were at Kaawaloa
by sunrise. Having no horse at the shore, I walked up &
reached my dwelling by 8 oclock. Mrs. F. had returned
from Kailua yesterday and with her Bro & sister Hall from
Honolulu who have come to try the cooler air of Kuapehu
for Mrs. H ’s health. Mrs. F. is more comfortable than when
I left her at Kailua. Thanks to thy holy name Heavenly Father
for all they goodness. O help us to love the more & serve
th e more devotedly among these poor heathen, Amen
During m y tour of four days, have visited and
preached at 12 villages and at two of them (Honaunau &
Kealia) preached both going & returning , making in all four
teen sermons; and have distributed about 1000 tracts. O
lord let not. all this seed sown fall by the way side and
among thorns or on stony places but water thou it with divine
grace that the fruits may appear to thy glory at last.—
Monday Oct 17 Today Mrs. F. is confined to her bed,
with a distressing pain in the head & face. I am obliged
to be housewife, physician, nurse, and try to keep up all my
other labors besides. Then when the mother here is sick we
have no faithful nurse to whom we can commit our children
Still the Lord is good to us in sparing my health while my dear
wife is prostrated If I had come home with fractured bones
(as might have been the case) how much worse would now be
our situation.--Went into my school as usual this afternoon
found the children all present, t h o ' during m y absence some
played truant.-Tuesday morng
Immediately after breakfast cam e in the koeli crier
(that is the man who goes round to see that all the people go
to work today for the Governor, to draw down a canoe from the
mountain, perhaps 50 men to one canoe which a yoke of good
oxen would draw)
to say that it was his wish our washman
and that of Bro Hall should not go to w a sh today; as every
native but those who live in our families is fined if he
does not work today for the Gov. Hence no canoe is allowed
to sail & no fire to be built, & no native man to go abroad
out of his house who does not go too the Governor’s work, as
* is
�2344
all who are able are fined if they do not run when they
are called. The fellow knew well enough that our natives
were exempted by the chiefs from all calls of head men
and only are to do our work but wishing to show his
authority stopped the man and threatn ed to take away
the clothes. The men told him to take them. They were
the Teacher's clothes He then had the impudence to come
to me If I had yielded in this trifle, the next thing
would be an attempt to have our native go to his work. So,
I told him to go about his business and do the Governor's
work and not meddle with our natives, that this is our day
for washing & always has been & he had no right to interfere.
He looked ashamed & skulked away saying no more & I heard
no more of the matter Our natives have to carry the coiled
clothes some distance to wash in the mountain. The fellow
doubtless feared the influence of our natives having liberty
on this day when all others are bound down like slaves to
run at his bidding and be gone a day or two dragging a
canoe.Mrs. F. is worse again today. Her head & face very
painful & swelled.—
Went to my school today again as usual & spent
two & a half hours in trying to instruct these heathen minds,—
Very wet this afternoon.
Wednesday 19
Mrs. F. very little better this morng Had to attend
to getting breakfast myself Our youngest child ill, has a
good deal of fever. One native brought a calabash of food
to sell, had nothing to pay that he wanted He wanted tapas
to pay his tax h e said. Several native called for medicine
and others to have their names registered to be married,
(Wednesday is my day for marrying) Another called & wanted
to do a job of work for some needles and another for some
fishhooks and in their estimation I might just as well neglect
my sick wife & children & much better neglect my studies than
their cal l s !! (O for patience to ha ve her perfect work!)
Evening: After dinner went to my school again 8c
spent two hours as usual. School out all the scholars retire
to the meeting house and I follow them to serve them there.
Today, married those who had presented themselves and then
lectured on the relative duties of husbands & wives; a point
almost entirely disregarded among the heathen. Had a goodly
audience but pitied many of the poor creatures who had come
two 8c three miles thro' the rain and had to return thro' a
still harder shower. They contrive to shelter themselves
a little by holding a banana leaf over the head,
It keeps
the head dry & if a large one shelters the shoulders This
evening our little boy is worse, feverhigher and a disposition
to drowsiness, cannot conjecture the cause of his illness.
He has also a sore mouth. I have given him a dose of calomel.
The will of the Lord be done.—
�2345
Thursday morng 20th
Last night our little boy was very restless and
caused us not a little anxiety of mind as well as loss of
rest O ! for a physician within call: Were I again going
on a mission; no arguments I have ever yet heard could
induce me to go with so little knowledge of medicine and
anatomy as I processed o n sailing for the Sand. Isld.
This morng however, thanks to our heavenly Father
the fever is abated and he appears better. Mrs. F. is
also more comfortable is now a b l e to be up a little at 9
oclk a pleasant morng. after the rain. Thermometer stands
at 72 in the open air.—
Have got Kapiolan i and other native to go to every
house for two miles around a nd take down the names of all
the parents with their children capable of attending school.
The last returns were made this morning. Poor little neglect
ed creatures, O! that I had more time to attend to them.—
This people must be educated or we preach to them
in vain-Evening.
Our babe appear better, Mrs. F's face is more
comfortable. Rain again today Friday evg. Several calls
today for medicine my own family are more comfortable &
Sister Hall improves in health—
Mrs. F. does not however get rid of her cough. This
afternoon Held our usual meeting with parents. Mrs. F. not
able to be present.
I talked to them on the importance of
keeping their children ignorant on certain subjects. It is
common for children here at all ages to hear & see & talk of
everything that is transacted from the sick cham of parturition
to the hour of marriage and from the o b s c e n e practises of
the brothel and the debasing intercourse of the street to the
hall of judgment; of course none of the scenes mentioned, even
the "hall of judgment” or the "sick chamber", are in this land
managed with any modesty at a l l . Modesty is an anomaly in
heathen character.-The parents admitted the correctness of my remarks
and condemned their management yet perhaps tomorrow they will
do much of precisely the same evil tendency and not think they
are neglecting at all my instructions & just so devoid are
they of a sense of propriety, and what is still more strange
even professors of religion are as hard to reform on those points
(ie are as immodest and as unguarded in their speech & obscene
gestures as are others who have had equal advantages but
do not profess religion) These things call for patience &
wisdom in missionaries. They will not dispute our word when
we repr ove them even so severely, but unless every trifling
particular is named & unless our instructions branch out into
all the endless minutia of every occurrence they rarely have
judgment to carry out the principle themselves,
But seem
to suppose they have complyed when they observe the particular
act forbidden. For instance, urge them to guard their
�2346
children against contaminatus vices and companions. They
will be very particular to tell the children perhaps and
to forbid them playing in the surf and associating with vile
playmates in the streets. While they will talk over in
their presence all the, street occurrences and all affairs
of demestic difficulty and even filthy obscene things ! and
commit them to a nurse who will lead them into everything
vile and h e a t h e n !!
Old Kamakau sometime ago took a notion to go a fishing,
and left all to go, was absent from church meetings and also
on the sabbath which he knew was forbidden unless there existed
a greater necessity than merely fishing I called him to an
account for i t . He quite got into a passion— said that "Mr.
Ely and Mr. Ruggles used to tell them to fish & plant & not
be lazy" !! That, however was his obstinacy in defence of his
practise rather than his ignorance, yet h e much as his
name is sounded abroad, is a very dark heathenish old man, and
tho' I think him a Christian, yet am often grieved by his,
dark, heathenish manner of life in many things—
I suspended him for that conduct & for his manner,
together, when called to an account, as he did not appear
among us till the evening before the communion. He has
appeared better since that & was of course restored to church
privileges.—
O ! every village needs a missionary among them to
teac h , exhort, protest, perswade, counsel, watch over, in short
to lead them. One missionary for 10,000 or even for five
thousand heathen souls! ought to make every chh. in the U. S.
hang its head and blush, instead of boasting what they are
doing.—
Saturday Morng. 22. This morning we all are comfort
able but the babe, he is still unwell One of our natives
who takes care of the cow and does other jobs besides milking
and watering the cow and tending her in the commons, Got into
a great passionbecause Mrs. F . reproved him for something he
did wrong. He us ed insulting language and told her to find
another m a n — O what patience is requisite! If we tell them
the kingdom of heaven must be sought first, they make it an ex
cuse for neglecting work & for idling time away in the houseIf we reprove them for idleness & laz iness, they say we teach
them to not give themselves to worldly concerns, and perhaps
leave off meeting, and schools as did Kamakau because M r Ely
as I do, taught them they must be industrious..—
O
Lord give us wisdom & patience !
Just now came in a man to mend our fence for a book
while I was looking at his work he said, "I want to be wholly
given up to Christ, m y heart wants o ften to talk with you.
O
now I see what vast love God has for us sinners his own
son died for us" & c — This man, ten months ago, was one of the
�2347
vilest & most ungovernable wretches in the neighborhood.
He has taken a. sudden turn; says he cannot account for it.
says, "formerly I hated you but now my heart sticks to you,
and I dream about you; I see you--in my dreams coming to
me and taking hold of m y arm and persuading m e to go after
the pono (the way of salvation) what does this mean?
I do
not know whether God will save me or not, I have been so
wicked; I used to oppose you." &c &c-His change is the most remarkable I ever saw in these
Islands-- I mention him in particular tho' several appear
unfeignedly under conviction. One woman came in the other
night and in conversation about Christ and duty she shed tears
freely, & said she had been much depressed in mind because
the word of God like the rain from heaven fell all about her
& on her ears but her heart could retain so little of it.
said, "I had been thinking while in the house 'Well, her
God looks at me, but what does he care about me if my heart
is not right. He will not regard my person, nor all m y
external performances; it is my heart he looks at, I am nothing
before him if my heart be not right."
She probably had been meditating on the sermon as
I preached from the text. "God is love & he that dwelleth
in love dwelleth in God & God in him." Attempted to show
that a man is nothing without love. That love ought to
Govern the Father, the Master, the chief & the judge as well
as the people, & that we might perform all ceremonies, but
to no purpose where love was wanting. That this love would
lead us to look less at our own interest than at God's glory,
less at temporal advantages than at eternal realities. Hence,
much that men call love is not esteemed as such by God & angels
Such sermons I find are remembered, because they touch on
daily occurrences & lead to figures of common use, but an
abstract sermon on the nature of God or the necessity of an
Atonement or the question whether the Atonement be limited
or general, &c would be time thrown away. They would go
home with some confused idea of the subject and ask them
next day what they heard, they would reply"nalowale" (it
is lost.) Often have I heard that reply—
Evening. About 3 o'clk came to anchor the British
whale ship "Lord Cockburn" many of the crew ill of the scurvy
This evening spent an hour as usual with my singers in practis
ing music Our babe is somewhat better but his mouth is still
sore.—
Sabath 23
This morning attended my sab . school as usual.
300
scholars, think it a more interesting service than my preaching
0 for a helper.
At half past eleven preached to my people, text
"Love is the fulfilling of the whole law" . Endeavored to
show them that if we all loved each other as we should there
�2348
would be no violations of law either hum an or divine— Several
of the crew of the ship & the Physician were present after
my sermon was ended I could not close without giving them an
abstract in English s one of them were enraged at what I
said on the law forbidding adultery attempting to show them
that if they loved God & their neighbor they would no more
violate the 7th commandmt than any other, and that it is
because there is so little love to God & man that there is so
much sin of every kind. They sat v ery uneasy & I perceived
the truth was scalding them but felt bound to pour on only not
wishing to sear They had hardly got out of the house till
they gave vent to their feelings. The physician (to his
praise be it spoken) reproved them and forbid such conduct,
t h o ' out of my hearing I understand a regular complaint is
to be presented to the captain. Have not yet spoken to any
of than out of meeting house. O my God may thy truth be not
a saver of death but of life unto life. Amen
At three oclk again preached to the natives, no
foreigners present— Blessed be God for sabbath & sabbath
privileges.—
Monday morng
This morng. at dawn attended my prayermeeting, a
goodly num ber present. Gave them a* review of yesterdays
two sermons.— After meeting a foreigner, (Englishman) who
resides here & is serious, called, saying, the Physician of
the ship (who with some of the sick crew, boarding with him)
had requested him to apologise to me for the ill behaviour
of the crew yesterday and that he was now going to enter
a complaint to the Capt. I have not yet spoken to the physician.
God grant that the whole may event in good. They did not
abuse me to m y face.
Some calls for medicine this morning A letter from
Bro. Lyons at Waimea has just come to hand, stating that
his infant child, (4 months old) was suddenly taken off a
few days ago by crou p. They did not apprehend d a nger till
a few minutes before its death ! O how trying and no other
mission family within thirty or forty miles. We expect to
visit them in a few days—
4 oclock. Have just had a call from the Physician
of the "Admiral Cockburn" He is a modest, intelligent young
man
Wednesday 29
This evening we start to visit Bro, Lyons after I
preach to m y people, Return, spend a few days here; administer
the Lord's supper, and go on to Kau. In haste I must close-Respectfully yours
C.
F orbes
Kaawaloa
Oct. 26, 1836
Journal of occurrences showing my manner of
spending m y time
short
�Rev. C. Forbes
Oct 10, 1836
Recd April 25, 1837
Journal at Kaawaloa
October
Ackd in G. L. July 2 1 .
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Sec of A.B.C.F .M.
Miss Rooms
Boston
U. S. America
�2350
108
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Ship Mentor, Dec. 15, 1832
Lat. 25.30 N. Long. 27.50 W.
Rev. Mr. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
the man at head mast has just
saluted us with the cry, "Sail ho " Capt. says, "Prepare
your letter, for I shall speak her if possible." We have
passed a number of brigs since we left N . London but have
not been able to speak any of them. The missions have all
been Sea Si c k , but have recovered— are al now in good health—
good spirits— & sailing very pleasantly, Capt. Rice is a
very skilful sailor--& has spared no pains to render the
mission family comfortable & happy. We have not a
of fault to find in any respect--- The vissel is strong— &
"sails like a duck." We have encountered one or two severe
gales of wind— the 2d Sabbath after we left was a day long
to be remembered by the fresh water sailors. The gale commenc
ed Sat. night. & contind till monday morning. Sunday 4. P. M.
capt. ordered the sails all reefed— the vessel hauled to-the
boats all taken on deck & the vessel permited to drift before
the wind. The prospects of the night were dubious— but we
were floating on the waves rolling mt high next morng.— —
We are well— the vessel has arrive & I m ust close
L. Smith
(Thermometer 71 )
Rev. Lowell Smith
Feb. 1. 1833
Sec. A.B.C.F .M.
Boston Mass
U. S. A.
Gloucester Mass
Jan 4
�2351
109
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Ship Mentor Jan 17, 1833
Lat 27° 34° south
Long 33° 30° lest
(55 days out.)
Rev. Mr. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
By the special request of brother
Fuller, now quite ill, I devote a few moments in addressing
the Board in his behalf. Brother F. has complained of
having a violent headache ever since we came under the influ
ence of a tropical Sun. His state room, you may recollect was
located so that very little air could circulate through it.
The capt. was so kind as to make h im a hammoc, & suspend
it in the cabin; but this did not remove his complaint. On
the 26 of D e c . L at 4° 30° N. after m uch persuasion, he con
sented to be bled; which gave relief for a few hours! The
next day he was bled again, & the evening following a large
blister was applied to the back of his neck & draught to his
feet. This gave him much relief for a few days. But his
complaint soon returning, he was bled again. The relief how
ever was temporary. We find it difficult to n ame his
disease— At first it appeared to be the nervous headache— —
inflamatlon on the brain. It seems to be a compound; & so
far as we can learn from him, it is hereditary on his mother's
side. His complaint still lingers about him, even to an
alarming degree. Much of the time for a week past he has
been in a state of mental derangement. He has turns of
sinking very low, apparently in the arms of death; & then,
to our utter astonishment, in a few minutes he will revive—
& soon go up on deck.
The capt. & his wife have treated him with parental
kindness. They have done everything in their power to relieve
his pains & restore him to health. The mission family also,
take unwearied pains to administer to his w a n t s . Should
he be taken away, it will not be owing to neglect on our part.
We regard his sickness as providential; & though we feel
the need of divine rebukes, still we can assign no reason
why our brother should be the greatest sufferer.
When rational, he appears entirely resigned, & is
always r eady to give a reason of his hope in Christ, And so far
as we can judge his "hope" is one which "maketh not ashamed"
& will not fail him when God shall call him to give an
account of his Steward S h i p .
�2352
Such is the nature of his disease, that we despair
of his ever being of any service to the mission. So fully
are we convinced of this fact, that on the 10 inst— Lat 20°
30° S. we called a council-consisting of the c a p t . the
missionaries & one or two other gentlemen, to inquire into the
propriety & expediency of stoping at "Rio De. Jenairo", &
leave brother F . in the care of some judicious man, till he
might have an opportunity to return to his friends in the
U. States. It was the opinion of all the council that it
would be best for him & best for the mission, that he re
turn to his friends as soon as possible. The capt. told us
however that his "Instructions" gave him no license to go
into port, except for repairing & recruiting the ship. Said
the whole expense of anchoring at "Rio" would probably be
$500. & might be detained ten days &c. He said he would
consult his officers--& the final decision was to abide by
the capt’s instructions, & proceed directly to Oahu"
Mr. Brown, the first mate, has very kindly given
him the privilege of occupying his state room; so that in
this respect, he is as well accommodated as any one on
board.
Perhaps I ought to remark that brother Fuller
was decidedly opposed to being left at "Rio" . Said he had
embarked in a good cause— his plans were matured & his
purpose fixed: & come life or death, he must go forward.
J a n 22. 1839 L at 35° 58° south— Long 41°2'.
The mission family except brother F. are now en
joying good health. You perceive by our Latitude that we are
approaching the Cape. Having encountered a number of pretty
severe gales of wind without harm or loss, we shrink not at
the prospect immediately before us. We are a happy little
band--have every enjoyment that could reasonably be expected
on hoard of a whaling ship. The capt. & his wife are very
kind & obliging & take unwearied pains to render us comfort
able & happy. On the Sabbath we have preaching on deck at
10 A. M. & at 3 P. M. Evening prayers daily about sundown,
when most of the Sailors attend. No special seriousness among
the crew, though some few have expressed some anxiety about
their future welfare. Brother Deill has a Bible class among
them, & often distributes tracts— books & papers among them.
Every man has been furnished with a Bible & hymn book.
We have a Bible class among ourselves. Have commenc
ed with "Romans."
Our zeal for the promotion of christs km among the
hearers has not abated in the least. "Salvation, O Salvation,
The gospel sound proclaim, Till earth's remotest nation,
has learned Mesiah's name."
Please remember us all very off-to the members of
the Board & to all others who patronize the cause of missions.
Your humble & obedient Servant
Lowell Smith
�2355
Feb. 2d 1833, Lat 50° 30' South Long 62° 00' West
(71 days out.) Have just discovered a whaling vessel cuting in a whale. We all hasten to date our letters anew.
Mission family all well & in good spirits, except
brother Fuller Since the above was written, he has been
worse if possible than before— so raving in one instance
that we found it necessary to bind h i m . During the present
week he has been much better & today, especially--since
the cry "Sail ho" he has taken his pen to write a few lines.
The capt. has just told me that he thinks he will recover.
We are sailing prosperously.
(Half way to the Islands
Rev. Lowell Smith
June 3, 1833
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
Boston Mass
United States
America
s ingle
postmark
New Bedford Ms
June 1st
�2354
110
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Ship M e n t o r Feb. 11, 1833
Off Cape Horn.
Rev. Mr. Anderson,
We have just spoken the ship "Ann", capt.
Brayton - bound directly to the U. States.
Capt. B. is
now on board the " M e n t o r " .
He h a s communications from the Islands—
W e hav e spoken three vessels before this— &
forwarded comments in eac h — but this m a y arrive in America before
m m of them. W e have h a d a good passage thus f a r — fine
weather in this v i c i n i t y — wind m o s t l y in our favour.
Mission
family all well except Brother F u l l e r . I forwarded a letter
with Mary"- C apt Hawse-New Bedford-three or four days ago,
giving particulars about his illness on the passage - & the
prospect of his usefulness.
He is m u c h better than he was
a few weeks ago— but he wished me to inform you that there
is little probability that he will ever be of m uch service
to the mission.
We h a v e paid h i m every possible attention in his
sicknees-the capt & his wife have treated h i m with p arental
k i n d n e s s , as indeed they have all the mission family.
Capt. is waiting & I must close.
In h a s t e — but in love unfeigned
Lowell Smith
Rev. Lowell Smith
A pril 30, 1833
A c k d to Mr. Chamberlain
May 14
short notice for Herald.
Edga r t o w n Ms
A p r 29
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M. Mis s i o n
Boston Mass
United States America
s ingle
�2355
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
111
Ship Mentor A pril 25, 1833
Lat 18° North.
Long 140 ° West.
(5 months & 2 days out.)
Rev Mr. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
I take this early opportunity to
give you a brief outline of our voyage.
I do not know that
any thing very uncommon has occured during this passage in
the physical w o r ld; though something new & interesting to
me has occurred almost daily.
Favourable & unfavourable
winds--storms--squalls--gales & hurricanes are the common lot
of those who follow the seas.
More, they occasionally have
calms, more to be dreaded than the roaring tempest.
The
mission family were all more or less troubled wit h sea sick
ness.
This being a common ceremony for all who are initiated
into the seamens Lodge, we had no occasion for murmering.
The 2d of Dec we encountered a severe gale of wind--so violent
were the elements that the ship was hove to & permited to
drift broad side before the wind . The gale continued about
35 hours.
No damage however was done--our faith & courage
being pretty well tested, we were the better prepared to brave
the dangers of the deep.
The winds for the most part were
propitious & bore us on pleasantly till we came within the
vicinity of C ape Horn.
W e made the C ape de Verd Islands-Falkland Islands --Terra d e l Fuego & Staten Land.
We spoke
some four or f ive ships before-we doubled the cape & for w a r d
ed letters to our friends in America.
Some two or three
which I directed to you, sir, you probably have received ere
this.
On the 11 of Feb. we spoke the Ship "A n n " , capt. Brayton,
Nantucket, Mass.
Though we were at this time directly off
Cape Horn, yet
mild was the weather that capt. B. came on
board 3c breakfasted with us.
He appeared to be a very inter
esting, pious man, full of news from the Islands.
While at
the breakfast table he droped a remark which ought to be
published as w i t h an angels voice in the hearing of every
proprietor--agent & master of whale ships.
"I have whaled
only six days in a week - & have filled my ship--many others
whaled on the sabbath & have been very unsuccessful."
I
have thought much upon the condition of poor sailors being
obliged to voilate the sabbath.
Men of wealth--members of the
church too some of them, who would sooner cut off their right
hand than compel men to cultivate their farms-labour in their
ships of trade goods for them on the sabbath--will employ
men to labour for them on the Sea & charge them to "loose no
�2356
opportunity of taking whales."
"These things ought not so to
be."
They need not so be.
The sailor needs a sabbath as
much as a merchant or mechanic or f a r m e r . A nd he might e n
joy it, except whe n obliged to take care of the ship.
I
speak not in reference to this crew; f o r , however much they
may have wished to pursue whales on Sunday, they have not had
an opportunity.
Our sabbaths have generally been very still
& solemn days, & it is hoped that some two or three have
been made wise unto salvation by means of religious instruction
on the Sabbath & at other times.
We doubled Cape Horn in
13 days; having had no winds or waves that would begin to c o m
pare with those in the "Gulf Stream."
And we were compelled
to exclaim, "If the lines have not fallen to us in pleasant
places; pleasant lines have fallen to us in r o u g h places."
But though E olus, the custom house officer of Cape Horn h a r
bour, permited us to pass without paying the common toll we
afterwards found that honesty is the best policy; & that if
the gate is open it is better to stop & pay as we pass, than
provoke the consul to pursue us with legal fury & demand
not only a common toll but 4 whale boats - a large grindstonetwo or three gallant yards, besides threatning to destroy the
lives of a number of the crew.
But such was our lot, for very
soon after the capt. informed us that we had doubled the C ape,
a gale of wind commenced which made every weather beaten sail
or turn pale.
Two or three gales followed each other in quick
succession & we were driven about at the mercy of the winds &
waves for 13 days more before we could really make any advance
on our passage to the Islands.
Like the frog jumping out of
the w e l l, we generally lost by night, what we gained by day.
The most severe gale commenced on the morning
of the 27th of Feb.
The wind continued to increase in violence
till about noon, when a tremendous sea broke over the weather
bow--stove two boats that lay across the brig w o r k s — the
water proceeded across the ship & tore away another boat
lashed to the side of the ship.
As the water came to the lee
side, the ship rolled almost upon her beam's e n d — swept a
grindstone of 150 lbs. weight over board-injured the bulworks
very much, &c &c.
Soon after this another sea stove the
boat lashed across the stern, the ropes were cut Sc she was
permited to fall off.
The head of the ship was also c o n
siderably injured.
The whole damage is estimated at about
600 d ollars.
No lives were lost though one man was carried
over the gunnels--but was so fortunate as to catch hold of
the rigging & save himself.
For two or three days we were
sailing in the immediate vicinity of ice bergs, which r e n d e r
ed our situation somewhat perilous, especially in the dark night;
but we suffered no harm from them.
Only one person has fallen
over board- (viz) John Jepson, a lad of 14 years of age.
His water bath was the fruit of extreme carelessness.
By
great dexterity on the part of the officer & crew the ship
�2357
was brought about- a boat lowered & rowed 1/2 of a mile with
all possible speed & the poor creature was rescued from a
watery g r a v e . ----- Oh the 15th of April W m . Field, one of
the crew, departed this life.
H e had been ill a number of
weeks with the consumption.
Being sensible that he could
not live, he turned his attention to the interests of his
soul; & it is hoped that he left the world a true, peni t e n t
& firm believer in Christ.
Since the death of Field one
or two of the most profane & hopeless characters on board;
have come to themselves & given some evidence of their
spiritual adoption.
To say the least their external change is
great.
Be gone u n b e l i e f ! Gods grace (hole in paper)
sufficient even for hardened, profligate-dissipated & b l a s
phemous sailors.
We lay nearly becalmed some 10, or 12 days
in the vicinity of the Equator, with the rays of a vertical
sun pouring upon us.
And I can assure you it was reviving
to come within the influence of the N. E. trades.
Since we
have been blessed with these winds, we have sailed wit h great
speed---making more than 200 miles a day.
One day 255.
We
hope to be in the e m b r a c e
of our friends at "Oahu" in the
course of six or seven days from this.
The mission family
are in good health. & spirits except Mr Fuller.
He has been
a very unhappy & destressed man the greater part of the
voyage; is better at present than he was some weeks ago;
still I think there is but little prospect of his being useful to the mission.
We have all been treated with great
kindness
& attention by the Capt. & his wife; & so far as
meats & d rinks are concerned, we have not the least fault
to find.
Honolulu M ay 7 1833.
A Brig is in port expecting to embark in the
morning, bound to the states by the way of Manilla.
We
anchored on the morning of the 1st of May at 9. oclock all
well except Mr Fuller; his health has been ver y delicate
ever since we came on shore - his prospects dubious
Immediately after the ship was made fast, the
missionaries presented the capt. with a communication test
ifying our gratitude to h i m & his companion for their unwearied
kindness & respect to us during the v oyage--the following
is an extract of the letter.
"Although several circumstances have conspired to
render the passage one of great anxiety to the commander,
we cannot but yield our cheerful testimony to the ability with
which this ship has been navigated & to the prudence &
caution with which dangers have been avoided by not- i n
curring risks.
Bu t we should fall far short of what our
feelings dictate, were we not to tender our special acknowments f o r the many & continued attentions which we & our
companions have experienced from e a c h of you throughout
the passage.
In sickness we have met with paternal k i n d
ness, & every day has made us feel that a studious desire to
promote our individual comfort has marked your intercourse
with us."
�2358
Br. P. & wife are at Mr . Binghams , myself &
wife & Mr. F uller at Dr. J u d ’s.
Yours truly & forever
Lowell Smith
Rev. Lowell Smith.
Jan 20, 1834
Dates April 25 & M ay 7, 1833
Rev. Lowell Smith
Recd Jany 2 0 1834
Dates April 25 & M ay 7, 1833
Ackd in G Let. Sep. 5/34
Asd to Mr. H. Dec 5
Rev. Mr. Anderson
Secretary of the
A .B .C .F .M .
Boston
United States America
�2359
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
112
Kaluaaha, Molokai, Sandwich Islands
Oct. 24.
1833
Rev. Mr. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
I write y o u a few lines to inform
you concerning my location, health, prospects &c.
Brother
Hitchcock will write the Station letter.
Yo u probably have
h eard ere this, of our arrival at the Islands, which occurred
the first day of May 1833.
We stoped at Honolulu till the
first of June--boarded with Dr. Judd's family.--On the first
of June we left for Lahaina to attend the general meeting -were very happy to meet so many brethren & sisters, though
most of them were strangers to us except through the public
prints.
The "Marquesas Question" was the first of importance
b o u g h t before the meeting.
After a thorough discussion
of the subject; It was resolved to proceed to adopt measures
to establish a mission at the Marquesas Islands forthwith.
Two candidates#, who were elected last year considered the m
selves already elected, & willing to go.
A third clergyman &
a physician were wanted.
But owing to particular circumstances
neither of the physicians could consistently go.
A committee
were appointed to consult the brethren & nominate candidates to
the meeting.
Brother Parker & myself consented to be held up
as candidates--but we both offered objections which were p r e s
ented or laid before the meeting for their consideration. W e
both fe lt reluctant to go without a physician.
And Brother
Parker said the Board had sent him to these Islands & not to
the Marquesas.
My other principal objection was the climate.
Brother P. was elected as the third clergyman.
They e m
barked from Oahu the first or 2d day of J uly.
We have heard
of their safe arrival.
For some days the brethren were in
some danger of loosing their wives & children.
But the
principal chief put a "tabu" upon the women & children, &
their prospects were some better.
You will doubtless hear
particulars from the brethren themselves
The meeting associated me with Mr Hitchcock on
Molokai.
With him I was well acquainted in Wms. College &
Auburn Theo. Sem.
And I need n o t tell you that it is a
source of great consolation to be connected, in these I sles of
the sea, wi t h an old acquaintance & fellow student.
The climate at this station is very congenial to
my health; indeed, I have not enjoyed so good health for ten
years, as I have on M olokai.
W e are constantly favored by the
trade winds,& we have showers of rain very frequently.
I
cannot feel greatful enough that the providence of God has so
highly favoured me in regard to c l i m a t e .
# Brothers Alexander, & Armstrong
�2360
But owing to imprudence in washing--ironing-studying--teaching & writing when we first came here, Mrs.
Smith was taken ill, & has not been able to accomplish much
as yet.
At present she is at Lahaina, with some of her
old a cqu a i n t a n c e s ; I have just received a line from her,
informing me that her health is improving as fast as can be
expected.
We have no house that is suitable to live in on
Molokai.
We have occupyed a small one, which has answered our
purpose very well i n dry weather; but when it rains--it leaks
badly--Mrs.
being feeble, was constantly subject to take
cold--& suffered much.
I am building a stone h ouse--the
walls are up--40 ft by 20. 8 ft high.
I am obliged t o put
on a native roof for the present; the timber & boards all
being assigned to those who have been longer in the field.
I have laid a stone floor - shall make partitions with matsAnd when I am old enough, I expect that my parents will
build me a house ; or r a t h e r , finish off this one.
I am
the youngest in the family, & I am very confident they will
not permit me to suffer for the want of a comfortable place to
live.
Have been plodding slowly up the Hawaiian hill
of science.
Preached my first native sermon the 25th of
August; in less than 4 months after our arrival.
Preached
my fifth sermon last sabbath.
I selected texts as follows.
Luke 2:10. Ps. 1:1,2. John 3 :15-Mat 11:28 . & Luke 11:1 " Lo rd
teach us to pray.” The people are very kind to us, bring
us many presents.
But on this Islands they are in a wretched
condition as it regards clothing.
If it can be said in truth
(hole in paper) they are christianized, I doubt whether they
can be properly call civilized beings.
I should n o t think the
people of Boston or N. Y or k would evince much civilization, if
they should strip off all their clothes except a small girdle
about their loins, & go about their business in this manner.
That however is n ot strictly a parallel case, because there
are some here who would wear clothes if they could obtain
them.
The people are very attentive to meetings--& apparently
listen with deep interest.
I am purposing, to commence a
singing school in two or three w e e k s — Mr F uller is a destress
ed man. I have not heard from him for some weeks; but I have
the impression that he is expecting to return this fall, if
any captain will take him--Love to all the officers of the
Board & their dear families— & to all the patrons of Missions
Your brother in Christ
Lowell Smith.
Rev. Mr. Anderson
Secretary of the A.B.C.F .M.
Boston U. S. America
Rev.
Date
R e cd
Ackd
Luke
postmark New Bedford Ms
M ay 20
Lowell Smith
Oct 24, 1833
M ay 1834
in G. L. Sep 5/34
needed
ansd Dec 6
�2361
68 Sandwich islands
1831-1837
Part Third
XXVII
113
Printed
31 Missionary Herald
May 183 5
Kaluaaha
__
Molokai Sand Is. Nov. 5th 1833
Lowell Smith
187
�2362
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
114
Oahu, district of Ewa Nov 1, 1834
Dear Br. Anderson,
I devote a little time this morning in
giving you a brief outline of my labours, circumstances & c .
during the past year.
Yo u have doubtless been informed by
communications previously received, that M r s. S mith & myself
were associated the first year after our arrival, with Mr &
Mrs. Hitchcock on Molokai.
And before this shall arrive at
the rooms you may recei
e
v the minutes of our last general meet
ing, which will inform you that Mrs. S. & myself have been
appointed to a new station on the Island of Oahu.
Whe n we went to Molokai the last of June 1833, we
by no means anticipated this early removal from that Island.
But a number of circumstances have rendered it apparent to the
mission as well as ourselves that it was our duty to remove
to a new station.
The first reason which was obvious to the whole
mission was the ill health of Mrs. S .
By labouring too
hard the first few weeks after our arrival on Molokai, she was
taken sick, & for several months, instead of regaining her
health, she appeard to be constantly declining.
Sometimes for a few day the means used by our
good physicians appeared to be b l e s s e d — but at the expiration
of one year, it was evident that s h e was dec l i n i n g . by the
way, the c l imate at the station on Molokai is v ery damp.
The
trades blow there almost constantly; & the mountain wind
is often very cold & penetrating.
Moreover, at the time M rs. S. was first taken
sick, we resided in a small native house, perhaps 15 ft. by
12 having neither door nor windows except mats of cloth
such as we could fasten up.
And the roof of the house c o m
pared wit h the door & windows: for when it rained, (& it
rained almost every day), the house leaked like a riddleing
seive.
Our clothes were damp & our bed also.
In t h i s situation
Mrs S was making efforts to recover her health.
But the
prospect w a s such that I came to the settled conviction that
we must either have a better habitation or I should soon
be deprived of her society.
I immediately employed a number
of natives who aided me in erecting the walls of house & the
scholars of our school pu t on a thatched roof.
In the mean time, Mrs S . went to Lahaina where
the climate is w a r m & dry & there her
health improved very
much.
When our house was finished she returned again to
Molokai; but soon had a relapse & was scarcely able to
walk about the house for several months.
Dr. Chapin visited
�2363
us occasionally from Lahaina, but it was still evident, that
even with a pretty good house the climate was not congenial
to h er health.
On assembling at our last general meeting the
physicians advised the brethren to remove us to a station
where the climate is much w a r m e r - -less rain &c.
And they
were unaminous in so doing.
Here I remark that the sentiment prevailed among us at our last session that in all ordinary cases it
is not best for two ordained missionaries to be located
at the same station.
Consequently a number of important
changes have been made & a number of new stations taken.
Remainder of letter printed 31 Missionary Herald 257
July 1835
Lowell Smith
�68 San dwich Islands
1831--1837
P art Third
115
Printed in 32 Missionary Herald
257
July 1836
Oahu-Distrlct of Ew a July 21, 1835
Lowell Smith
XXVII
�2365
68 Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Third
XXVII
116
Ewa, Oahu,
Jan 19,
1836
Rev. M r. Anderson,
Dear Brother,
As an opportunity offers to
forward communications to N. England at this time, I propose to
direct a few more lines to the Rooms.
It is a comfort to children to make known to
their beloved parents theirs joys & sorrows; so it is for
the missionary to acquaint his beloved patrons of his prosper
ity & adversity.
Since I last wrote to the Rooms, we have organized
a church at this new station.
The interesting transactions
took place on the first Sabbath of the present year.
Rev.
Mr. B i n g h a m , one of the good fathers of this mission was p r e s
ent w i t h his family, & also Rev. Mr. Emerson.
The day was p l e a s a n t — the congregation unusually
large & the exercises solemn & impressive.
Eighteen persons were admitted to its organization,
six of them by letter from the Honolulu church, & twelve
upon examination of their faith in Christ.
At present they
are an interesting little band; most of them in the prime
of life, & promise to be useful
Most of those received upon
examination, we regard as the subjects of a protracted meet
ing held at this place some months ago.
They all appear very
near to us, & come around us like humble & dutiful children;
& indeed they call us their spiritual parents.
Those who
have been settled pastors & have had an ingathering of souls
after many severe trials & discouragements will know something
of the missionaries joys when ever a f ew turn to the Lord through
their instrumentality.
At such times, new resolutions are almost v o l
untarily m a d e - n e w zeal is called for th— our former trials are
all forgotten; & this, though a remote corner of the globe,
becomes the home of our choice, & here we resolve to wear
out in the cause of our Blessed Master.
As the heathen rise from their degraded d e s t i
tute condition, & advance towards civilization & christianity,
their wants are created.
Consequently the missionary is
obliged to make frequent calls upon the Christian public for
helps.
The furniture of our own table, such as tea-pot
cups & plates make a tolerable appearance upon the Lord's
table; still we think that if our Christian friends could
look in upon us at one of our sacremental occasions, they
would voluntarily provide the Lords table with furniture
�2366
devoted exclusively to that purpose.
We therefore cheerfully
& confidently petition the Board to provide this little church
with suitable furniture f or the Lords table on communion
seasons ;& we should be happy to have them forwarded the earliest opportunity.
W ill net the Board also furnish me with a copy
of Henry's Comentary on the Bible?
f feel the need of that
work very much; & think I may be enough more useful to meet the
expense.
We know that your hearts are set (hole in paper) this
mission & that you will withhold nothing that will aid us in
the great wor k before us.
A protracted meeting is to commence at Honolulu
next week on Wednesday.
Mrs. Smith continues to gain strength gradually,
& is able to perform considerable missionary labour.
Our joint love to yourself & all the members of
the Board
Your brother
Lowell Smith
Woods Hole
May 21
Rev R Anderson
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill Boston
U S America
Rev . Lowel l Smith
Dated Oahu Jan 19, 1836
Recd M ay 24, 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 15
Ansd June 22
1 plate for chh. at Ewa
Sand Islands
H e n r y ’s Commentary
�2367
68 Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
117
Honolulu S.
I Dec 3,
1836
Rev. Mr. Anderson,
Dear Brother,
Y o u will perceive by the minutes
of our last gen. meeting that the mission removed Mrs. Smith
& myself from our charge at Ewa to this place to engage in
teaching the youth of this great village.
I hardly need inform you that our unexpected
removal from that interesting church & the people of that
large district was a sore trial both to ourselves & to them.
But we have ever found it safe to follow the leadings of
divine providence .
We as a mission at our last gen. meeting, felt
that our best efforts must be directed towards the youth
of this n a t i o n , & that if we fail there, the nation is gone.
The King & principal chiefs reside at this place; & their
children who are to be the future guides of the Hawaiian
people were growing up in idleness & ignorance & wickedness.
If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
Most of the brethren located at this station are
employed for the nation at large.
Here reside our physician—
secular agent-- pr int er, book binder, editor--translator &c.
No one of whom is at leisure to teach school; occasionally
some one of the sisters would make an attempt at school
keeping; but most of them being blessed with a numerous
offspring, & others enjoying feeble health, their schools
have been little else but a name.
And we voted unamimously
that it was the d u ty of some one of the clergyman to leave
his church & p eople & engage e x c lusively in teaching the
youth of this great village, containing a population of
9.000 souls.
One reason why I was the candidate for this
post, was the state of Mrs. Smith's health.
She has not
enjoyed firm health since our arrival at these Islands,
& it is thought by some that she nev er will be well again
in this climate.
Dr. Ruchenberger of the U. S. Ship of War,
Peacock, while here some two months ago, advised that she
return immediately to the U. States.
But we do not feel
prepared to leave this field of labour.
We feel the need
of 20 more clergymen & 40 school masters at t h i s moment, &
the nation is s inking for want of them.
And nothing will
give us so mu c h p a i n as to be obliged to return home to
America.
But as I before remarked, it is safe to follow the
leadings of divine providence, & it is possible that the
time is not far distant when we shall be advised by the m is
sion to return to the U. States
�2368
At our meeting in June, it was thought advisable
that she reside near a physician & also near some of her
sisters who could administer to her wants in time of need.
Mr Bishop & wife were requested to take our place at E w a .
We removed to this place the first of July,
& on the 8th of that month I commencd my schools.
Scholars
poured in upon me from all parts of the village to the
number of 400. the first term, thought not more than 225
proved to be regular attendants.
I soon found it necessary
to seperate that sexes, & meet the boys one part of the
day & the girls the other.
I also employed some four or
five native assistants to teach the primary branches.
I
meet with them twice every Sabbath for religious instruction,
at which time many other youth are present who do not attend
the school during the week.
These meetings I conduct some
thing on the plan of sabbath schools.
I ask many q u e s t i o n s
during the exercise in order to keep their attention.
In all my mis sionary labour at these Islands
I have never had any thing make such a tax u p o n my whole
system, soul & body, faith & patience as my labours the first
term with these ignorant, lawless Hawaiian youth.
The youth
on Molokai, & at Ewa do not begin to compare with these
trained up in this New Sodom.
I have found it necessary to
resort to corporeal punishment in very many instances.
In
this I have been quite successful, their parents having
expressed their entire approbation.
Consequently not a
scholar has left the school because he had been corrected.
And n ow in, my second term, I have the happiness
of informing y o u that my schools are reduced to order, &
some of the larger scholars have drawn up a code of laws
by which they are willing to be governed.
Their minds have
become a little sobered down, & they begin to make some
progress in their studies.
I open & close every school with
singing & prayer, & I am looking wit h deep anxiety to the
throne to decend & regenerate them, that they may grow up a
generation to the praise of God.# During my vacation i n .
Oct. I accompanied Mrs. Smith on board a native vessell to
Molokai, & from there to Wailuku on Maui.
A protracted meet
ing was held at Wailuku while we were there which was apparent
ly much blessed.
There was much seriousness among the youth,
a circumstance very rare at these Islands. Some two or
three of them about 10 yrs. of age; gave pleasing evidence
of conversion during the meeting; & also one or two adult
scholars, gradua tes from the High School were very much e x
ercised in mind for a few days, & afterwards gave evidence
o f penitence before God.
The meeting was much blessed to
the Church at that place.
Before we left the Island, we
laboured with the brethren at the High School in a protracted
meeting of four days.
There had been considerable serious
ness among the scholars for several weeks & a number were
# I teach a singing school two evenings pr. week.
80 scholars.
�2369
indulging hopes.
Our labours were much blessed; new cases
of conviction immediately occurred, & some two or three
more indulged hopes during the meeting.
Since our return we find that our v oyage had
done us much good both in body & mind.
And we now feel
more than ever for the wicked place--This Sodom of the
S. Islands.
A calm at sea, with the current carrying you
directed upon an iron bound coast is deeply to be deplored;
but not more so than a calm on the
subject of religion,
with the current of this wretched world carrying y o u down to
the gates of eternal death I The Spiritual state of things
is lamentable among us at the present time.
The political
affairs are in no better state than those of religion.
There
have been a number of ships of war here this fall, & they all
have left things in a worse state than they found them so f ar
as I can judge.
And for several weeks a Roman Catholic
Priest has been here trying to get permission to teach Rom an
ism to this poor superstitious people.
The plague could n ot
do more mischief among this people than that doctrine, should
the chiefs permit it to be taught. But as Mr R ichards, &
Mr. Parker will both probably visit y o u immediately after
their arrival at the States & will he able to give y o u definite
information concerning this nation & this mission, both in
a temporal & spiritual point of view, I shall add no more at
present.
Mrs. Smith requests me to write y o u for a work
on Conchology & also for Lavoisne' s Atlas.
Our joint love to yourself & family & all the
members of the Board
Your br
Lowell Smith
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill, Boston
U. S. America
Rev. Lowell Smith
Date Dec. 3 1836
R e cd May 26/37
Books
Ackd in G. L. July 21
�2370
68 Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
P art Third
XXVII
118
Ship Mentor at Sea April 27
Lat 20° 10°
Long 144
Rev. Mr. Anderson
Boston Mass
Dear Sir
Should
continue to be prospered on our
voyage we hope in five or six days from this to see the land of
our long expectation.
The last intelligence y o u received from
us was probably by Capt. Brayton whose ship we spoke off Cape
Horn.
Our voyage from there has been in many respects more
tedious than it had been previous to that time.
We had u n
usually pleasant weather and favourable winds in doubling
the Cape.
Our progress round was more retarded by calms than
by head winds.
Our captain oft e n expressed his surprise
at the mildness of the weather, and remarked that were he
to go round the Cape a thousand times he shouldn't expect
to have the wind and weather so favourable again.
We made
Staten land on the 6 th of February and in thirteen day from
this having
gotas far west as Long 79° and in Lat 54° So.
we thought ourselves well round Cape Horn.
Here however
instead of the usual southwest wind it blew hard from the
north and northwest.
So that we were obliged tack
ship
and stand to the south again.
We were baffled by these winds
for more than two weeks during which time we made very little
progress.
Here we had a heavy gale from the north far more
severe than any we had encountered since we left America.
We were much endangered by shipping an unlucky sea while lying
too in the gale.
The ship sustained considerable damage, and
our captain remaremared that had she been an old one she must
have been crushed by the weight of w ater that came over her.
Our most experienced seamen afterwards said that they thought
she would never rise again.
Between t h e S. E. and N. E. trade winds we were
becalmed
several days but we have now the prospect of mak
ing the voyage quite as quick as has been usual.
The mission family have generally enjoyed health
during the Voyage with the exception of brother F uller.
His
general heath however is better than when we last wrote you
and his turns of derangement less frequent.
We hope and
think that he will be able to enter immediately upon the
business of printing.
The captain says he has no doubt but
that he will.
His sickness has occasioned Capt Rice c onsid
erable expense and much care and anxiety.
Fro m the Capt. and M rs. Rice we have received
the kindest attention the whole voyage.
They have spared no
pains to make our passage comfortable and pleasant.
When any
�2371
of the mission family have been sick they have always
taken a parental care of us and have brought to our
rooms with their own hands whatever the ship afforded that
would contribute to our comfort.
We have prepared a letter
to present to them at the c l o s e of the voyage expressing
our thanks for their unwearied kindness to us during our
voyage.
The ladies of the mission are much attached to
Mrs. Rice and we all feel that she is entitled to our h i g h
est esteem.
Brother Deil the seam ans Chaplail has had charge
of all the public religious services on board the v e s s e l .
there have been prayers at evening on deck and preaching
usually twice on the sabbath beside the three monthly concerts
observed by c hr istians in America and o c c a s i o n a l prayermeetings among ourselves
He has always requested yo u r mis
sionaries to take a part in the public religious exercises.
He has usually preached one part of the sabbath and brother
Smith or myself the other.
W e have reason to beleive that
some good has been done to the souls of those o n board.
One
of the crew has found a grave in the ocean but not untill
he had given comfortable evidence that death would be to him
unspeakable gain.
He was anxious on the subject of religion
before his sickness but after his confinement his religious
impressions were deepened.
The chaplain visited him almost
daily to read to h im the scriptures converse and pray with him.
His exercises were evident blessed to his spiritual good.
He
was happy in the im immediate pro spect of death.
Others of
the crew have b e e n serious and of one we have had hope that he
has become a Christian.
Por t of Honolullelu M ay 6 th We came to Anchor
on Wednesday morning the first day of May.
We remain here till
the general meeting which is at Lahina the first week in June.
Brother Puller is much as he was when I wrote y o u on board
the ship.
To
with Dr. Judd--An opportunity i s found of s e n d
ing to America by the way of Maui
and I have only time say
that we are well and want much to understand the language of
this people that we may teach and preach to them the everlast
ing gospel.
Yours very truly B. W . Parker
Rev. Rufus Anderson
United States of America
Boston M ass
Rev.
Date
Recd
Ackd
Benj W . Parker
April 27 & May 6
Jany 20 1834
in G. Let Sept 5/34
Rev. Benj W . Parker
Jan 29 1834
Date April 27 & May 6 , 1833
�2372
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
119
Omit: Washington Islands
Massachusetts Bay
Nuuhiva
Aug 21 1833
B en j . W.
Parker
XXVII
�2373
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
120
Omit: Washington Islands
Nuuhiva Feb . 24, 1834
B. W. Parker
XXVII
�2374
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
121
Omit: Washington Islands
Honolulu, i s land of Oahu
Augst 29th 1834
B. W. Parker
XXVII
�2375
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
P art Third
XXVII
122
Kaneohe Oahu Jan 11th 1836
Secretaries A . B .C.F.M.
Miss Rooms Boston Mass
Dear
Sirs
The numerous communications you
receive from the Sandwich Islands make it desirable that they
be as short as is consistent with giving the information you
wish to receive.
I have been at my station little more than one
year.
I have become quite attached to the people of my
charge, have a population of 4000 and a little over on this
part of the island which comes under my care.
The people
are much more disposed to attend meetings & schools than
when this station was first taken.
I have been trying to bring the children into schools
& have succeeded beyond what I had expected--But with the
other duties of station I can teach school but little.
Does
not every station ought to have a missionary teacher who
shall make it his buisness to take care of schools--I am
convinced that native teachers are & will n ot be for a long
time to come worth but little.
I have had a class of lads to
w h o m I have devoted as much time as I could consistently with
other duties.
S ome of these I hope to send to the high
School at Lahaina.
As missionaries both Mrs. Parker & myself are
happy in our work.
I can truly say we love it.
There is h o w
ever one subject on which I wish to say a word, but not by
way of finding fault, I refer to a missionarys living alone
at an out station.
This is by far the severest trial we find.
We are cut off from all social intercouse have none with whom
we can consult in any case of difficulty.
In time of sickness
& distress we are alone.
If two missionaries occupying two
out stations should come together & labour both at one post
one devoting himself to school teaching, I believe more would
be accomplished than by the same two labouring at different
posts,
They would help each other.
We have no church at our station though I hope
ere long to organize one, had a protracted meeting two
months since.
Brethren Bingham Tinker Emers on & S m ith
assisted continued six days, the meeting was fully attended by
the natives & some souls we think were savingly benef i t t e d .
Henry H. P arker was born at Nuuhiva Marquesas
islands March 2d 1834.
Mary S. Parker at K aneohe Island of Oahu Oct
�2376
16 th 1835.
Yours very truly
Benj W . Parker
Secretaries A.B.C.F .M.
Miss Rooms
B oston Mass
Rev. Benj. W . Parker
Date Oahu Jan 11 1836
Recd June 10, 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 15
Ansd June 22, 1836
His children
�2377
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
X X V II
123
Kaneohe May 4th 1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Dear Sir
I wish to procure a bell for this
station.
I think the natives would pay for one the cost
of which should not exceed two hundred dollars.
I have
sugested to Mr. Chamberlain the expediency or requesting you
to send me such a bell.
He thinks favourably of it & told
me he would write to Mr. H ill mentioning the subject to him.
I should not wish the cost to exceed 200 dollars.
Could not
such a bell be sent me by the Board as so much toward the
support of the Sandwich Island mission?
and on its being
delivered here I will pay to our secular agent the cost of the
bell.
I mention a few other articles that I need &
yet invariably find it difficult toget from the depositary
of our general agent.
1
1
1
2
3
1
Black broad cloth coat & pantaloons
Black Silk vest
Black camlet coat & pantaloons
Linen Jackets, brown
pr. Linen Pantaloons, brown
d o z . Pr. cotton hose.
I make the request that the above articles may be
sent to me because I have so much needed them since being
here & yet have not been able to procure them.
There is at present much more interest in meetings
& schools at this station than there was a year since.
Con
gregations on the sabbath are much increased in number.
Many who during the first year of my residence at this station
were w ere given up to intoxication & other vices now statedly
find their way to the house of G od on the sabbath.
There has
been externally at least a very great reformation among the
natives generally on that part or Oahu where I am stationed .
A year since there were a large number of distilleries in co n
stant operation here & drunkenness both among males & females
was alarmingly prevalent.
The distilleries have been stoped
& the people are again sober.
Our efforts for children are among the most
interesting part of our labour.
Over 100 children constantly
attend the sabbath school. The same children also attend school
�2378
during the w e e k . Many of them have learned to read i nte ll ig
ibly in the New Testament & some have attended to arithmetic
& geography, I h a v e spent more time in the childrens school
than in any other, feeling that this is the field which
promises most.
Yesterday there was an examination of all
the c h i l d r e n ’s schools in this part of the island.
About
400 f rom the age of four to twelve years were present.
There
ought to be a teacher devoted exclusively to schools here
& he ought to give the childrens schools the first place in
his efforts.
I shall do all I can in this school— but with
the various duties that come on a single missionary at a
station alone I cannot give it that attention which it ought
to have.
I hope it may not be a long time before we shall
have a supply of teachers.
I have hope of few that they have recently b e
come savingly converted to God.
Numbers from this station
attended the recent protracted meetings at H onolulu & Waialua,
s ome were seriously impressed at these meetings & of a few
I have hope that they have given their hearts to the Saviour.
The Spirit of G od has been with us for a few months past,
I cannot doubt it,
There is yet no church formed at this
station but the w ay seems n ow prepared to organize one &
I hope it w i l l be done without much delay.
Yours very truly
Benj W. Parker
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill
Boston
Rev. Benj W . ParkerDate Oah u May 4, 1836
R e cd O ct 17 1836
Ackd in G. L. Dec 5
Articles requested
Ask his size of Dea Lattord
�2379
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
124
Ship Hellespont Valparaiso March 12th
1835
Rev. R. Anderson
Secty of A.B.C.F .M.
Boston
Very Dear Brother
Knowing the interest y o u will f e e l
in learning our progress I drop y o u a line from this port.
We arrived here on the 8 th inst after a voyage of 93 days.
The first two or three weeks, of our passage were extremely
rough & stormy; the wind ahead & blowing a constant gale.
During this time our decks were continually drenched, &
what was worse, we found them leaky so that the water dripped
down upon our berths and rippled & gurgled among the trunks
3c boxes in our state rooms.
The water also found its w ay
down by the M i sse n M ast & through this hatch into the steerage
so that our parlour floor was submurged most of the time.
The
cabin was little better as the water often found its way into
it in torrents.
In fact for a long time there was no place
of retreat from this searching element.
Many of our things
were wet, but I believe no very considerable damage was done.
My books suffered most of any of my goods, but none of them
were lost.
The ship rode out the gale well & suffered no
material damage.
Our stern boat was swept from the davits and
lost.
Our little family were all sea sick for about
a week, & some longer. W e kept our berths & made little
noise execpt by responding to each other's r e t c h i n g s . Sister
Dimond suffered the most.
The Capt was kind, but he had
hardly a moment to spare; the care of the ship required all
his skill & strength.
But out of all these evils the Lord
delivered us.
After this storm was over our voyage was for the
most part pleasant till we made Cape Horn, which was on the
14 of Feb.
The day we were opposite the Cape was extremely
fine, & we had a noble view of that promontory & of the bold
southern shores & bleak mountains of Terra del Puego.
F or
a week after this we have severe head winds, and raging seas
& made little headway.
During this gale the Capt. & S u p e r
cargo came within a ''hair's breadth" of being swept overboard
by a heavy sea which boarded us. When this gale was over we
had a quiet and pleasant run to this port.
�2380
Mr. Wells, the 2d mate took a violent cold on the
way which settled on his lungs, & which,it is to be feared
has brought on a rapid consumption.
He has a dreadful cough
& is mostly confined to his bed.
He has been carried on shore,
& will probably be left in the care of our consul, M r. Hobson.
I fe a r he will never see his native land again.
His mind has
been exercised on the subject of religion, & he has seemed
anxious to read tracts & religious book's; but he has no hope
in the Redeemer.
The Capt. has been kind & accommodating & nothing
is wanting but the love of God shed abroad in-his heart to
render our intercourse with him all that we could desire.
He
has often appeared tender on the subject of religion & more
than once I have seen his whole frame agitated & the tear
start in his eye under a sermon.
But as yet the word seems
to have been to h i m as seed sown * thorns.
We have preach
ing on the Sabbath when the weather is favourable, & tracts
are distributed among t h e men weekly.
No direct personal c o n
versation with them is yet allowed.
In the mission family
we have prayers morning & evening & a semi w e e k l y B ible class
which is very sweet & I trust profitable to us.
The sister also
have a stated prayer meeting by themselves.
We are a ll in good health, I think w e may say
improved health, and are cheerful & happy.
A spirit of entire
harmony has prevailed among us, so far as I know, and the
bonds of Christian affection seem to be drawing us closer &
closer together every day.
In our social (hole in paper)
& in our approaches to the throne of Grace, you dear s ir, and
your brethren of the prudential C ommittee are often remembered
with strong affection.
The Great Head of the church preside
in all your deliberations, direct all y our decisions and give
energy & success to all your measures, till this lost world
ip filled w i t h salvation.
I had like to have forgotten to tell y o u of the
dreadful earthquake which shook this country on the 20 th Ult.
The towns of Conception & Talcahuano were entirely destroyed
as were m ost of the villages in that province.
At Talcahuano
the sea first receeded from the harbor & left the shipping dry;
it then returned & carried them up into the town w h i ch it swept
into one entire mass of ruins . It is said that the sea rose
so as to sweep over the very tops of the houses.
March 19th Another earthquake occurred in the
Province of Conception on the 8th inst.
he suffering there
is very great.
It is no t yet known whe n we leave this post.
The market is over stocked with goods so that our Supercarge
cannot make rapid sales
We send this by the Ship Ann, Mr Kim of Baltimore.
Yours truly
T C
be left.
*among
26th W e are just leaving Valparaiso for Callao.
M r. W ells, the 2d mate is in the hospital & will
He is no better & probably never will be.
�2381
Mrs. Coan & myself wish to be affectionately
remembered to Mr. & Mrs. P arker
T C
It is not yet determined when we leave this port.
We shall probably stop a while at Callao -- Valparaiso has
improved much since M r. Hill was here.
Our Consul tells
me the population is now 25 thousand.
My love to the brethren at the Rooms, & to
your dear Family All the members of our little circle send
their affectionate remembrance.
Yours in the best of bonds
T. Coan
Rev. Titus Coan
Dated Valparaiso
March 12, 2 1 . 26, th/1835
R e cd June 8 thA
Ackd in Sept 16 in G. L.
Ansd July 19
postmark
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Secretary of A . B . C .F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
U. S.
Baltimore
June 4
Md
�2382
63 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1387
Part Third
XXVII
125
Hilo Hawaii S.
I . Nov.
13, 1835
Rev. R. Anderson
M issy Rooms Boston
Very dear Brother
As a dear member of this
station is about to leave the field of labor he has so long
occupied, I feel it a duty, & a privilege, to present y o u a
line through him.
Y o u are already aware of the providential disp en
sations which have brought Bro & sister Goodrich to feel that
it is their duty to return to their native land.
W ith uncertain
health, & with a numerous & dependent family who deeply need the
privileges of our thrice happy country, they are affectionately
commended to your favor your sympathies & y o u r prayers.
Having been but little more than three months at
this station, my acquaintance with Br. G. has of course been
short, but it affords me no little pleasure to say that our
intercourse has been unexceptionably kind, & I esteem him
an amiable, affectionate, & beloved Brother.
The same is
strictly true of Sister G.
Duty & expediency seem to call on them to re
turn to America this season; but the necessity of such a step
will probably be reckoned, by them among the severest trials
of this earthly pilgrimage.
I think there is unequivocal
evidence that they are strongly attached to this station
& this people; and that it touches chords of keen sensibility
to leave them forever.
And you will permit me to say that
while I see the pressing need of laborers in this field, it.
pains my h eart, & brings tears into my eyes, to witness o u r
family after another forced to retire w i t h wasted health &
blighted hopes from this land which they expected would have
been the urn of their ash es till the resurrection morning.
But I wil l not enlarge.
"The Lord reigneth, let the earth
rejoice"; and the "Lord of the harvest" can "send forth
laborers into the harvest."
So it seems to be the duty of Bro. G & family
to leave the Islands.
I think they will go with the prayers
& sympathies, & good wishes of their brethren sisters of
this mission, & with the strong, affections of this poor people.
The Lord in mercy restore them in peace, to y o u r
arms, to the bosom of friends & country, & to the arms of our
beloved Zion.
In the bonds of our Redeemer
Your Bro
Titus Coan.
�2383
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Secretary of A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
B oston Mass
U . S.
Rev. Titus Coan
Dated Hilo, Nov. 13,
Recd July 29, 1836
1835
�2384
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
126
Hilo Hawaii
M ay 24,
1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Missy Rooms Boston
Dear Sir.
Since April 22, 1833 the date of the
last station letter from this place, several important changes
have occurred.
At the subsequent annual meeting of the mission,
Mr. Dibble who had then been absent several mont hs for the
purpose of obtaining medical aid for his family, was assigned
to another field of labor, & Mr Coan was appointed to share in
the labors of this station.
After the close of the meeting we embraced the
first opportunity to embark for this place, & arrived here
July 22nd after a passage of 9 days.
In Nov. Mr. Goodrich &
family sailed from this place for Honolulu, where they have
more recently embarked for the United States.
"With unfeigned gratitude to the author of all
our mercies, would we record, that our health & that of our
families has been, in general, good the last year.
Pro m the census taken in Dec. last, the population
of Hilo & Puna appears to have been 12,058.
The prospect for the health & comfort of our
families has been very considerably increased the past year, by
the erection of a good frame dwelling house 34 feet by 28 one
story high, at an expense of about 1,600 dollars.
The erection
of this house & the repairing of the one built some years
since, with such workmen as we could obtain, was, during the
first part of the year, no small tax upon our time & patience.
In teaching school we have done what we could
without neglecting other duties equally i m p e r i o u s . Our school
for children has been prospered.
W ith the exception of v a c a
tions, amounting in all to 7 or 8 weeks, it has been continued
with out interruption.
The average daily attendance has *
been r e g u l a r attendants through the year.
The whole number
enrolled as members of the school during the year is about
200.
Many of these, however, have attended but a few months,
& some only a few days.
The number present at the last e x
amination was 145 of w h o m 108 could read.
Forty were examined
in Arithmetic, about the same number in Geography, 39 in
writing, & a few girls exhibited specimens of needle work.
In comparing the state of the children's school
with what it was a year ago, we notice that the proportion
of readers is larger, & that the most forward class of girls
*been from 90 to 1 0 0 .
S ixty or seventy, perhaps, have
�2385
are more advanced in their studies than any class then in
school; but that among the boys, the advance has been in
bringing forward younger classes, while those most a d
vanced have left the school.
The former part of the year our school for
teachers was small.
Average attendance about 25, & was
instructed only 3 days per week, one day by ourselves, &
two by a native assistant.
During that part of the year
Arithmetic was taught in the c h i l d r e n ’s school.
Since
Jany; the school for teachers has been taught 5 days per
week, & the number of men belonging to it has been 50.
These w i t h about 40 of the most forward members of the
c h i l d r e n ’s school have, 3 days per week, been arranged in
four classes & instructed by ourselves & two native monitors,
the monitors uniformly instructing the adult classes.
The
two remaining days, the teachers who have recently entered
the school & w h o do not teach in the vicinity amounting to
about 25, together with the children already mentioned, have
been instructed by one of us in Geography, which the teachers
who have been 4 years members of the school or who belong w i t h
in 6 miles of this place, have been employed in teaching
their own schools.
We have through the year given regular daily
instruction at our houses, to one, & a part of the time to
two of our native teachers who have made greater proficiency
in study than their companions.
Another adult station school, taught under our
supervision by two of our best native teachers, with such
assistance as they have needed, has been continued three
days per w ee k through the year.
Daily attendance from 80
to 100, about three fourths of whom are females.
The number
who exhibited as members of this school at the last examin
ation was 141.
W e have, through the year, employed three native
teachers to assist us in the station schools, 5c have paid
them one yard of cotton cloth per week each.
It will
probably be necessary to make them more compensation in
future.
Wit h respect to native schools generally, perhaps
it is sufficient to say, that there are as many schools as
teachers.
The first of Jany there had been only one school
in operation for more than 16 months at a distance greater than
4 miles from our residence, except in Waiakea, & in the r e
moter part of that destrict the scholars could not be i n
duced to attend examination.
There is now, if we may credit
native reports, something called a school at most of the
places at wh i c h schools were ever established.
Many of them
have been commenced the last 4 months, & may not half of
them remain in existance four months longer.
The number of readers who exhibited at our
last examination was 1580. nine hundred of w h o m live within
ten miles of our residence.
The result of this examination
taken in its connexions, leads us to conjecture that the
number of readers in our field is nearly perhaps quite as
large as it has ever been estimated, or about 2,500.
�2386
Our chiefs & a large share of the head men
cannot read intelligibly.
Yet there are many places for
which teachers are requested.
Some ask us to give them a
teacher who can instruct them, & not one who is as ignor
ant & vicious as themselves.
New books were never, p e r
haps, in better demand than at the p r e s e n t time.
And so
far as the people are concerned, the present is a favo ur
able time for establishing qualified teachers at all the
more important posts of Hilo & Puna.
For abvious reasons, we have been able to preach
but little at o u t stations the last year.
At one residence,
we have continued the morning prayer meeting, a w e e k l y lec
ture, or exposition on Wed. the monthly concert, a weekly
meeting for the church, a weekly meeting for the female m e m
bers of the church, & on the sabbath two public religious
excereises besides a School for
children & another for adults.
The general attendance in the S. school for
children has been from 100 to 140.
We regard this school as
claiming our first attention, & were we able to do for it as
we would, we doubt not it would soon become a fruitful nursery
for the church.
One member of the school, a little girl 7
or 8 years of age, did a few weeks since professing love to
the Saviour. & we have some hope that she has gone to dwell
with him.
The average attendance on our a d u l t S. School has
been about 300.
Next to the S abbath School for children, we
have regarded this as our most promising field of labor.
At the date of the last annual report of our
station, there were 35 members of the church.
Since that time
13 have been dismissed to churches at other stations.
The
number admitted during the same time has been 2 3 — on profession
20, by letter 3.
The present number in the church is 45. all
but one of w h o m are in regular standing.
We have during the year baptized 14 children of
native church members, & solemnised 163 marriages.
The attendance on meetings has been about the
same the past, as during the two preceeding years.
We have
seen no general revival during the year, though for some
months past there has appeared to be considerable enquiry on
the subject of religion.
We hope that a few have experienced
that change of feeling which a considerable number profess.
During the months of Feb, & March, we made the
tour of Hilo & Puna together, for the purpose of examining
the readers & preaching to the p e o p l e .
This tour occupied
15 days.
We found the people more ready to listen than we
had anticipated.
In the vicinity of Kaimu Puna, we found a
field which seemed truly white for the harvest, six or seven
hundred a s s e m b l e d . M any gave good attention, & some, we hope
desire to know what they shall do to be saved.
We think
it exceedingly important that this post be occupied by a
�238V
mission family as soon as our number will justify.
Desiring an interest in your prayers for the
descent of the Holy Spirit upon ourselves & upon the church
& people committed to our charge we subscribe ourselves,
Your brethren in the gospel
D. B. Lyman
Titus Coan
Rev. R. Anderson
Missy Rooms
Boston
U. S. A
Rev.
Date
R e cd
Ackd
postmark New London Ct.
Apr 26
Titus Coan
M ay 24, 1836
Apr. 28,/37
in G. L. July 21.
ship
�2388
6 8 Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1387
Part Third
XXVII
127— 3
17
All letters from Dr. G. P. Judd omitted.
printed by Gov. Carter.
These have been
�2389
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
138
Ship Averick S. L at 1° 30° W Long 28°
Jan 2 , 1832
My Dear S ir.
W e have just been admonished of the probability
of soon meeting vessels on their return to the U . States
and have commenced letters to be in readiness.
I know not
whether you have heard from us, s ince our embarkation.
We
spoke a ship, bound for N. York, the 2 Dec. in Lat 34° 2 1 '.
Till we entered the Swamp, Dec 22, in N. Lat 7°
we had almost incessant storms; severe gales, heavy rains,
and rough seas.
Our sea sickness and unpleasant weather
rendered us irresolute and inactive, and incapable of paying
much attention to our effects.
They suffered much in c o n
sequence.
Articles were stored and destroyed.
We were in
experienced in sea-management, and the seamen permitted some
things to go to waste, which might have been saved by a simple
request, to have them secured, had we been able to foresee
all consequences.
The oil put up for us was left on deck and
lost the first week.
That belonging to the ship was thrown
on to the side of the open b un g hole and shared the same
fate.
We had afterwards to spend our evenings without lights,
excepting as we made glimmering ones with butter and lard,
and we feared the necessity of doubling Cape Horn in the dark.
Tw o fine whales taken a little more than a wee k since, have
furnished an a b an dan ce. The quantity put up for our voyage was
s m a l l , only 5 gals.
Ten would not be too much.
Our stores
are, for the most part, ample and in fine order.
Our table
is well s u p p l i e d . We miss but one. article really needed i e .
pearlash and have to use as a substitute, soda worth 50
or 60cts per pound.
Should another family be sent out a great
improvement might be made in the storing of articles, by
placing their stores if possible in one place.
Let it be
the runn between decks or any accesible part.
We experience
great inconvenience from having our articles much scattered,
all over the ship and after are unable to get at stores
much needed, and which are sometimes spoiling, till occasion
renders it necessary to break open the hold.
M any small
articles also are so placed that we have to move boxes and
barrels, and this too almost daily, to get at them.
The
Capt. is good natured, pleasant and accommodating, the crew
for the most part friendly.
Our seasons of worship daily
and on the sabbaths are now much attended.
W e have no
visible manifestations of the out-pouring of the spirit.
Mrs. Lyman has been sick all of the time since
our embarkation the last three weeks with acute gastrits,
inflammations of the bowels.
Her case has been very critical
�2390
but we hope through the divine blessing is now c on vales
cent.
Mrs. Spaulding is now sick w ith pyrosis, water
brash, she is more comfortable today, but it is uncertain
as to the termination.
Mr S. has had a comfortable time.
We
have all been quite sea sick, some have had severer indis
positions, and the ladies particularly have suffered from
change of situation, habits &c.
My sick list among our
company and the crew, now amounts to twelve, some but
slightly affected, others nearly well.
Mr. Alexander is
convalescent from Intermittentfever.
My duties on board are numerous, official and
professional.
The steward and cabin boys are unfaithful
and need constant looking after.
They use that which is most
convenient, our own or the ship's stores, unless attended to.
I have to deal out the tea, coffee, cheese, butter, etc etc and
keep as many things nailed up as p o s s i b l e . Our eggs put up
in lime water nearly all spoiled, the shells were dissolved.
I mention this for benefit of such as may hereafter put up
stores.
I should think too, it might be questionable, whether
in consideration of the losses, it might not be the more
economical plan to let stores be furnished by the ship.
Jan 11. S lat 19° N long 39 We are now making
rapidly for Rio Janeiro, to repair a defective mast.
We
shall probably be detained two or three weeks.
Our company
are well execp t ing Mrs. Lyman.
She went today on deck for
the first time and is rapidly recovering.
I will add still
further at "Rio".
Jan 15 Sunday evening.
We are now at anchor in
the harbour of R i o Janeiro.
We arrived to day, at 9 oclock
in the morn, a vessel sails in the morning for Boston.
We
improve the opportunity.
I have time to add no more.
My
respects to the gentlemen of the rooms.
Yours truly
A. Chapin.
Doct Alonzo Chapin
March 21, 1832
�2391
68 Sandwich
Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Third
XXVII
139
Bay of Rio Janeiro Jan 25,
1832
My Dear Sir,
We are still here, and have a prospect of mak
ing up, at least two full weeks before leaving.
The mast
is repaired, but different causes will detain us still a
few days.
We have remained on board the ship, in consequ
ence of the great expense attending a residence on shore.
W e have found it needful to use some money and have b o rr ow
ed from the keg, and will account to Mr . Chamberlain.
Our visit has, we trust, been designed for good.
We have very unexpectedly met with Christian friends, who
have shown us much kindness, and while we have been cheered
by their sympathies and attentions they have been warmed and
animated by our presence.
One gentleman hoists the Bethel
flag, on board some ship every sabbath and reads a sermon to
such as he can collect.
He is otherways entirely engaged.
Meetings for prayer, are held weekly, in a private house,
attended by a few English and Scotch residents.
The "Beast"
has almost unlimited sway, and in no place can his power,
hardly, be more deplorable.
A corrupt priesthood directs
the ecclesiastical affairs, a b oddy so dissolute as to e x
ert a limited influence, and yie ld infidelity as its fruits.
The laws would interfere with the labours of a protestant
clergyman, among the inhabitants but there are enough s ea
m a n , at all times in port, to employ a missionary . When
we arrived there were 20 vessels in port from the U. S.
The
captains have shown us much politeness.
Last Sabbath the
Bethel flag was hoisted on board one of their ships and Mr.
Alexander, preached. The attendance was respectable for
numbers and attention.
In the evening, we divided and
held a meeting in the city and, in Botafago, 4 miles out.
Our company are all well.
In haste
Yours affectionately
A . Chapin
Rev. R. Anderson
Assist, Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Rev. R. Anderson
Assist Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
Doct Alonzo Chapin
April 2, 1832
�2392
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1S37
Part Third.
XXVII
140
Honoruru, M ay 1832
My.Dear Sir
The letter sent to the Prudential Committee by the
reinforcement will acquaint you with most of the more p r o m
inent incidents of our voyage.
We there stated that God
had seen fit to visit our number with sickness, and that he
had laid his hand heavily upon us.
We had not left the
harbour of R io Janeiro before M r s Chapin was attacked with
dysentery, of a severe character.
This yielded with difficulty
to remediate applications, but there soon supervened inflam
mation of the bowels (entero peritonitis) of a very alarming
and dangerous nature.
Of this she was gradually relieved,
and seemed to be convalesceing when the bilious colic
attacked her, and produced s y m p t o m s
nearly as alarming as
any previous.
Mrs. Emerson and M rs. Spaulding nearly at
the same time were brought low with the colic, and all three
were at once dangerously ill.
In this condition we commenced
our passage round the cape, and had not our Father in Heaven
commanded the winds and waves to "be still,” I do not think
they could have survived.
They had become almost exhausted
by the continual motion of the s hi p - they were affected with
obstinate and distressing vomiting which was increased by
the roughness of the sea, and in more than one instance I
felt that M r s . S and Mrs. C. could not survive many hours.
In our distress we called upon God and he heard us.
Mrs.
Emer so n and Mr s . S. were able to leave their births at the
end of 9 or 10 w e e k s . Mrs. C. had repeated improvements and
relapses till our arrival here and could then with assistance
get on deck.
Our capt, too had repeated attachs of colic,
but did not lay himself by.
My wife has rapidly convalesced
since our arrival.
We are n ow well and rejoice that God
has made us messengers of peace to the Heathen.
Our annual
meeting w ill soon take place w he n we shall receive our a s
signations.
I
send inclosed a list of stores consumed
on our passage, believing it may be of use in future outfits
June 5 We had met, organized & commenced our
missionary business, when we were necessitated to adjourn in
consequence of the dangerous illness of Kaahamanua, the
queen.
She died this morning at a little after 3 of a
chronic diarrhoea. I was present to witness her disease.
My
arrival was timely as was that of us all.
She lived to w e l
come us to the Islands, and I attended her near three weeks
�2393
with Dr. Judd and relieved him, much of the weighty feeling
of responsibility.
She died as the righteous die, and look
ed to her mansion in the skies.
W e are sorely afflicted
but she had accomplished her work and God took her to his
home.
W e would not call her back.
Yours in Christian love.
Alonzo Chapin
Doct Alonzo Chapin
March 18 , 1833
Ackd in Gen. Lett. April 11.
Sickness in the voyage
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
�2394
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
P art Third
XXVII
141
Lahaina Nov 19,
1832
My D e a r Sir,
Since our general meeting last spring, it has
been left with me to choose my place of residence, and I
have spent two months with Mr. Gulick on Kauai and came here
two months since to attend M r s. Andrews in confinement, she
and her Infant have got along well.
I spend my leisure time
in assisting Mr A.
I have hung his grindstone, made a tool
chest, a shave horse, an electrical mac hi n e , an arithmometer,
have put up his lathe etc, etc.
The electrical machine does
not work.
I have nothing suitable for a cylender, A green
glass medicine bottle is the best we can furnish.
Some things
of the kind are very much needed, and a good chemical and
philosophical apparatus, might gradually be brought into
full use.
I spent two or three days on the electrical machine
a good one might be purchased ch eaper than we could make one
with all the material furnished.
I
somehow omitted taking a work on the
of females, and wish you would send me Dewees, on that sub
ject,
It is a work I very much need, also two graduated
glass measures, one an ounce and a half or two ounces, and
the other four or five ounces (Zi or Ziss and Ziv or Zd
)
The case of instruments presented by Dr. H ale has been sold,
but for the present, I shall get along without one.
I shall
greatly prize the medico, chirurgical Review, or American
Journal of Medical Sciences, or both.
Perhaps Dr. Storen
may have something to send.
Mrs. Chapin is still sick with cr onic gastritis.
I feel much apprehension as to the result.
Our deputation
bring a favorable report, and we have prayed much that God
would op en a door for sending his word to other isles, but
we are deprived the privilege of going, at least for the
present.
Mrs. C. with myself are anxious to be of the mission
and pray that health and strength may be given that we may
go- forward.
But God knows best and we would submit.
If you have good medical works at the rooms,
which can be spared, they can be used with advantage among us.
I do not f e e l l that I am writing my most "interesting letter"
to you.
It is hard to get hold of matter which you have not
heard time and ag ain.
I shall be glad to hear from you often
as your numerous engagements will admit.
Our best respects to
you all
Your friend and brother
A. Chapin
Doct A. Chapin
Aug 20, 1833
Ackd in Gen. Leter
Oct 30
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
�2395
63 Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
142
Hilo Oct. 6 , 1833
Rev. R. Anderson
My dear Sir
I have not written you very
fully since I came to the islands, because I have at
no time been quite ready.
But matters have doubtless been
sufficiently c omm u n i c a t e d , by others of our number.
You
will perceive by the minuets of our general meeting that
this is not my home.
I a m here with M r s. Chapin to attend
Mrs. Dibble in confinement.
She gave birth this morning
to a fine girl.
Her former one is but little more than
a year o l d . We left Lahaina the beginning of s e p t . three
weeks sooner than we s h o u l d be needed to improve the only
opportunity whic h would offer in season; were eight days on
our passage, and must n ow wait an indefinite number of weeks
for another opportunity to get back.
Such breakings up of
life are extremely unpleasant, and they very frequently occur
in this mission.
Another physician, stationed on this
island, might have a good practice, and find a profitable
employ for his extra time.
The missionaries of Hawaii make
strong claims to one of the physicians, and will probably,
move a resolution, at our next meeting that I be r e stationed
and placed among them.
They not u nf re q u e n t l y , are without
opportunity, for months, to send to the Leeward islands.
An objection exists on my part, that it would be necessary
to make my visits on foot, at distances of two and three
days fatigueing travel.
Now I can, as at this time, go
by water, and take along M r s. Chapin.
The Washington Island Mission has sailed.
The
Lord would not let me go.
My mind had been fully set, to be
of the number, but Our Father who ordereth all things well,
has a wor k here for us.
The state of Mrs.
h
C a p i n ’s health,
which was the obstacle to our going, has been very variable
the past year.
Sometimes she has been rather co mfortable,
and then has been brought to the borders of another world.
Our residence, of two months at Waimea produced no perceivable
benefit.
We left the early part of febuary
for Kaawaloa, and
soon after our arrival she declined to an entire state of
helplessness, and on one occasion we collected around her
bed to witness those struggles which should terminate her earth
ly existence.
But God was present in our extremity, heard our
prayers, blessed our efforts, and raised her contrary to all
our fears.
She now sits up most of the day, sews and writes,
but can do nothing requiring bodily effort.
I fear she
will not regain vigorous health.
She has n o w no constitution,
and it is not common to regain one on missionary ground.
The question is sometimes asked, in reference to her enfeebled
state "Do y o u think of going to America",
We do think of
�2396
it, and have many fears that it may yet be necessary to
return; but shall not be willing to leave the work which we
have chosen, and which we love, till God makes it plain
that it i s his will.
As yet I see no reason to believe
that Mrs. Ch a p i n ’s health would be benefitted by a residence
in America.
We have tried every climate that these islands
afford, and have found none to agree better than Lahaina.
When she becomes so enfeebled as to burthen the families
of the mission, we shall think it time to return.
At
present we can keep house, she so far relieves me from the
care of our domestic affairs as to allow me considerable
time for missionary work.
During the past season my time has been devoted
to the high school.
We were unable to secure the services
of a mechanic, and as Mr. Andrews labors had become very
heavy, it seemed indispensible that he should be assisted,
although by aiding h i m it became necessary to give up my
professional practice, and move back from Lahaina to the
site of the school.
I have during the past year, spent a good
deal of time in making maps, and have just finished a set
to accompany Worcester's scripture Geography, now translating
by Mr. Thurston.
They are on a large scale, and are for
the high school.
I am now making some cuts to accompany a
wo r k on animal history for all the schools.
It is entirely
new w o r k for me and of course are not very finished.
I send
one or two, wh ic h I have printed by the pressure only of my
hands.
It occupies me pretty busily, half a day to make one.
Had we cuts of a similar kind from America, it would save
much time.
Is there no one who has just finished the p u b
lication of some useful work, & who would be willing to make
us a donation of the cuts?
I am copying Comstock plates of
animals. We need something to interest, something that will be
a greater variety, or we cannot keep up the schools.
I
think more would be accomplished for the present good of the
people by preparing a good school book than by translating the
scriptures.
We have just heard from K aawaloa, that Mr.
Ruggles is making preparations to return to America.
He has
suffered a good deal the past year, and has no prospect of
enjoying better health at the islands.
And will probably
not be benefitted in that respect by his return.
A vote
passed at our last meeting, to consult with Mr. Goodrich, on
the propriety of going back to America.
I am one of a
committee appointed for that purpose and have just conversed
with him on the subject.
His health has improved of late
and thus one reason specified in our resolution is rendered
negatory.
He does not wish to return and the mission ought
not to have taken such a resulution, as the circumstances
mentioned in it were not such as operated principally in
considering the subject (see next page.) There ought to
have been more candor in the proceedings, and and a more
ingenuous statement of the true state of feeling.
I find
Mr . Goodrich quite ignorant of the prevailing sentiments of the
older brethren, and quite unsuspicious of the existence of
�2397
such opinions as were expressed by some of then at the g e n
eral meeting.
It is not easy to foresee what may be the
end of the affair.
The brethren associated with him are
dissatisfied and do not think and act in all respects with him.
I think that there is no member of the mission who would
willingly be associated with him, if circumstances did not
render it necessary.
There appears to be a great deficiency
in missionary capacities, and in the performance of missionary
duties.
W e all need purifying.
There is too much of the
world among us, and too much striving for the things of the
world.
The impropriety of missionaries holding lands, tenant
ed by b y native families, and exercising the authority and
responsibility of chiefs, was discussed at our last general
meeting, and a vote passed requiring those holding lands, to make a report to the mission of the condition of their lands,
the amount received f r o m them, and the method of taxation, or
obtaining the income.
This, though not the form, I believe
is the purport of the resolution.
I believe it would be
for the good of Christ's cause, that the lands should be
mostly returned to the chiefs, from w h o m they were received.
The large houses numerous domestics, and extensive tenanted
domains, possessed by individuals of this mission exhibit
an appearance of prosperity and worlding inconsistent with
the self, denying spirit, which we profess, and is at
variance with every effort we may make to secure the assent
of the natives to our benevolent and disinterested motives
in living among them.
The chiefs are already jealous of
our acquisitions, and have dlminis h e d "greatly" t h e i r f a v o r s ,
and the common people can conceive of no wealth to be desired
above fields well stocked with men and food.
The captains
and seamen, too, who visit our harbors, and our families, will
soon be credited in their accounts of us at home, and may not
we expect a diminution of sympathy and assistance from those
who contribute to our support.
We have a strong temptation before us in our
depository.
While it is discretionary with us to call for
such articles from it as we please, we are in danger, and
yet I am not ready to say a salary would be better.
My
mind is unsettled by the many objections, presented by both
systems.
With a common stock we are prodigal and jealous of
each others possessions.
Perhaps the same evils might exist
with salaries, and in addition, we might fall into h oarding
spirits and might seek to accumulate worldly possessions.
Salaries would probably be least expensive with a moderate
sum allowed us, for our subsistence, and w ith no permission
to exceed it, I am confient there would be a retrenching and
economising, in many cases where there is now a prodigality.
With agents in America, we should be more exactly and suitably
supplied than now, with a prospect of reserving something for
contribution, monthly or annually, we should also possess a
strong incentive to economy.
We now sell so few books, they
offer no obstacle to a salary system.
The holding of lands
may be an objection.
If they are retained, the avails might
constitute a portion of a salary.
On the other hand with
our necessities well supplied without anxious thought on our
�2398
part, we are enabled quietly and steadily to pursue our work,
and to have less concern with the world, than would other
wise fall to our lot.
Y ou told me, when in Boston that you had written
repeatedly, to ascertain the quantity and quality of cloth
ing, needed annually by each missionary.
I have n o w worn
out my stock, of clothing, b r o u g h t wit h m e , for common ware,
and wish I had brought more,
Our washing is done with
cold water, and clothes wear out much sooner in the hands
of a native than if washed as in America, and besides my
voyaging and miscellaneous work taxes heavily my wardrobe.
I need annually
1 Better suit of clothing, for sundays and
extra occasions.
3 spencor coats and partaloons, of drilling
lasting, nankin, or other strong article
of ware, Dark color is best
2 vests. Dark and strong
3 Shirts
4 Pairs of cotton stockings
1 Black and 1 white cravat
1 Silk pocket handkerchief
3 Pairs of shoes.
Of most of these articles I have a supply.
My lame foot requires boots made to fit it I am under the
necessity of sending my measure and hope they will not fail
to come,
If so I shall be very D estitute.
I have not
enough medical books.
I brought but a few, only $25.00
worth in addition to those I had before.
In cases of
D ifficulty we are of necessity our own counsellors, and I
have in more than one instance, felt imperiously the need
of some authors not on my shelves.
I send a list of books
which I should like much.
Those, at the rooms, may be of use
to us here.
I also send for medicine, such as I need, and
such as is not on Dr Judd's bill,
I send tay bill in your
letter to obviate the necessity of waiting another.
I have penned in a hasty manner my thoughts as
they have occurred.
I hope in due time, to hear from you.
Meanwhile I remain
Your brother in the Lord
Alonzo Chapin
The purport of the resolution is this, as near as
I can recollect. "Resolved that this mission deeply sympathiz
ing wit h Mr. Goodrich, in consequence of his own and his
w i f e ’s impaired health, and the condition of his family,
appoint a committee, to consult with him on the expediency
of seeking a change of climate or i f necessary of r et urn
ing to A merica."
On a reperusal of my letter, I find that some
of my sentences are strongly and plainly expressed.
�2399
I believe they are correct.
no
other person in America.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec A . B .C.F.Missions
Missionary Rooms
Boston Massachusetts
U. S. A.
I should write
in this way to
postmark New Bedford Ms
M ay 29
Doct Alonzo Chapin
Date Oct 6 , 1833
Recd M a y 1834
Ackd in G. Let Sep 5/34
Articles wanted
Ansd Dec 8
�2400
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
143
Dr. Chapin's list of
medicines needed at Lahaina
�2401
68 Sandwich
Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Third
XXVII
144
^ahaina Sept. 24,
1834
Rev. R. Anderson
Cor Sec. A.B.C.F .M.
Dear Brother
Another season has arrived for
sending letters to America, and owing to the continued
blessings of a kind Providence, the lives of M rs Chapin and
myself have been preserved and we are both permitted, once
more, to transmit our communications to our friends.
The
Health of Mrs. C. has remained through the year, much as
whe n I last wrote you.
She moves about her room, sometimes
pretty comfortably, and than again is necessitated to keep
her bed.
She is at no time able to walk out, or even to
take the entire charge of her domestic concerns.
We occupy a
small two story store house, purchased for our use by the
m i s s i o n . The lower story is on the ground, and does not
furnish a comfortable dwelling room, and we consequently
occupy the upper apartment,
Mrs. C. does not descend the
stairs without assistance, and remains for weeks together in
her room, and as a matter of necessity,
I attend to the
superintendance of our domestics, and owing to their insta
bility and ignorance, much of the household drudgery rests
on me', and this together with my medical practice leaves me
no time at present for engaging in school, except on the
sabbath.
I am also building a one story addition to my house,
which requires at this time a good deal of attention.
Such being our situation, it has at different
times, be e n a serious question what is the path of duty.
We'
are both inefficient members in our present situation, we
can neither labor actively, nor attend the calls of the f a m
ilies at other stations . Were we in America we should e x
perience the kind attentions of friends, and while Mrs. Ch a p
in could have the society and assistance of a sister I could
pursue uninteruptedly my callings, and should feel as if I
were living to some purpose.
The care and perplexity which
she here suffers might be removed, and leave her opportunity,
if not to recover, at all events t o enjoy more rest and p e r
haps would subject her to fewer relapses.
I apprehend she has
ulcers in the intestines, and will not recover, and c on
sequently would not be permanently benefitted by a return,
but as she might be more comfortable, and as we are inefficient
here, we have thought it our duty to lay our plans to r e
turn to our native l a n d . But we are prevented this season,
and must delay at least another year.
I am building, b e
cause we are not only inconveniently, but uncomfort
situated, and because we hope that under more favorable cir-
�2402
cumstances, an other year may so affect our prospects,
as to obviate the necessity of a return.
And further, as
if we should leave, the house will be needed by some one
else, we hope by another physician.
And, by the way, we
greatly need another physician for Hawaii.
At present I
am needed there, but cannot attend, and even if the f e e b l e
ness of my wife did not prevent, a visit there, is attended
with great inconvenience.
A vessel must either be chartered
to take me there at the time, and go for me again, or else I
must go whenever opportunity offers, one or two months, p e r
haps In advance and remain an indefinite number of weeks or
months for a passage to return.
Last year I went to Hilo
four weeks sooner than I was needed, lest no other op portun
ity should offer, was eight day. on the way with a feeble
wife, and after waiting six or seven weeks for a conveyance,
and being twelve days in getting back, eight days of the time
on the water, we arrived after an absence of three months
from home.
Mr and Mrs. Diel l have bee n at Hilo ever since
last July without any opportunity to return. Our mission
is large, and to attend to every c a ll,the physician, must
be almost continually on the move, unless it is prevented
by an increased number, of medical men.
Y ou will ere long receive the printed p r o c e e d
ings of our last general meeting, and will learn from them
that we had a long and laborious session.
Mr. G o o d r i c h 's
case was before us, but received by no means a satisfactory
examination, and the resolutions in reference were not u n
animous.
W e have heard his character impeached, and a
part of us were not satisfied, that the accusations which
have been so current, were not examined, and Mr. Goodrich, made
to stand in a true light.
At present there appears to be an
obscurity resting over his case.
He has the consent of the
mission to return whenever he sees fit, but no reasons are
assigned which will in my mind satisfy the publick at home,
or even at these islands.
Secularity the main point in his
confession, may be made to bear against almost every member
of the mission, in a greater or less degree, and is a b e
setting sin, of w hich we are, perhaps all g u i l t y , and that
was not shewn, at our meeting, to have been sufficiently ag g r a
vated, in his case, to be the only cause for sending hi m
away.
I write freely on the subject, as I suppose others will
d o , and if I write strongly you will make allowance.
The
same sentiments were expressed by myself and others when the
case was before us.
I hope ere long to hear from you.
I wish I could
have your opinion on the subject of our situation, our duty
in reference to a return &c.
W ith respectful remembrance to
yourself and the other gentlemen at the rooms.
I remain yours truly A. Chapin
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Doct A lonzo Chapin
Boston toss
Dated Sept 24, 1834
t
Recd May 4, 1835
Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
�2403
68 Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Third
XXVII
145
W. Springfield
2 1 , 1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Dear Sir,
I have this day called on Mr.
Amasa Holcomb, the telescope maker, living in Southwick and .
the following is the result of my inquiries.
He has at present constant employ in fulfilling
engagements, made with different i n s t i t u t i o n s .
He has furnished several academies and colleges
with telescopes, and there is an increasing demand for his
work.
He has on hand several telescopes in a nearly
finished state, which he will sell at prices varying accord
ing to the size, from $75.00 to $600.00 and will discount
five per cent in consideration of the object for which it
is desired.
The two smallest are five feet in length and
he warrants them fully equ al to the one at Yale College
imported at a price of $1000.00.
One of them has a wooden
cylender and he will sell at $75.00 the other is metallic;
price. $ 1 0 0 .0 0 . Five per cent discount will be made on either.
Mr. Holcombs telescopes have been examined
by committees at New Haven and Philadelphia, and interesting
reports are published in S i l l i m a n ’s Journal of science nnd
arts.
The report of the committee of the Franklin Institute
at Philadelphia is at page 11. vol 16 of the Journal of the
Franklin Institute.
The other reports are in previous v o l
umes.
The telescope sent one or two years since to
the High School has a magnifying power too small to the
satisfactory; and is of but little use.
One is much nee d
ed of a better order, that the impression may be be more
perfect and as Mr. Holcomb will furnish them of the first
order at so cheap a rate, the instructers of the High School
are very desirous that one may be purchased for them.
Respectfully submitted by
Your brother tr u ly
A. Chapin
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary R ooms
B oston
Doct Alonzo Chapin
R e c d May 24, 1836
�2404
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
146
B oston June 12, 1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Dear Brother
When I left the Sandwich Islands,
I brought wi t h me little except such articles of clothing
as belonged to my wife, and were furnished her by her father.,
The furniture, books and other things comprising my outfit
I left with the mission.
My books- and some few articles
comprising my private property I left and received of Mr.
Chamberlain an order for their v a l u e . B efore leaving this
country I expended $62.00 promiscuously with money furnished
me at the Rooms, in purchaseing books, clothing, tools, etc,
of which no account was made when I left the mission.
The charge for the passage of myself and family
to this country, was $100.00.
For freight of articles just
arrived in the Maydacre $30.00 or $35.00 are due.
$20.00
handed me to appropriate in articles to send back to the
islands,
I found necessary to use at the Soc. Islands to
procure additional supplies.
On my arrival, I was destitute
of clothing and purchased a full suit which is paid for only
in part.
I have also purchased some household articles,
depending on aid from the Rooms to pay for them.
As to our future prospects, we are now the
inmates of the house of Dea. S T enney the father of Mrs.
C hapin.
Where we have gratuitous board.
I design commenc
ing the practice of my profession in this city and hope
ultimately to get a support.
For the present I shall need
some extra means.
Dr. Jackson urges the necessity of r e s i d
ing for a time in the country on Mrs. Chapins account.
If
we go I shall need some additional aid.
While in this city or elsewhere I hold myself
in readiness to do in any way, whatsoever is in my power,
to further the cause to which I had consecrated myself and
my all.
Wi t h sincere respects
Y our brother truly
A. Chapin
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Doct A l o n zo Chapin
Dated Boston June 12, 1836
Re cd June 13
for P . Com
�2405
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
147
Lahaina August 13th 1828
Very Dear Sir
Another year has elapsed since my last annual
account was made out of the expenditures of the Sandwich
Island Mission.
I herewith present y ou with an account of
our expenses for the year ending April 30th 1828.
In ma k
ing out this account I have pursued the order and plan adopt
ed on former occasions.
It would be possible for me to be
more particular in putting down the items of expense, but I
have supposed that a general account is all that is necessary.
The expenses of all the stations are somewhat less this year
than they were last; and the amount of presents, according
to my statement of them , considerably smaller.
The sum would
doubtless have been larger--had a full account been rendered
from all the stations, of all the presents received.
Of the
receipts at Kailua & Kaawaloa, and the station at Hile only
an imperfect account has been given.
In the department of building very little has
been done the present year, except what has been done at
Honolulu and Lahaina, and the attendant expenses have not
been very large, as you will perceive from the annual acct.
The amount carried out against the printing d e
partment is larger this year than it has been any former year,
for reasons stated in a note affixed to that article in the
annual account.
The sum against the Medical department includes
the cost of medicines received by the Parthian, increased
by the addition of 50 per cent to cover all charges.
The
expenses of this department will probably receive very little
abatement for compensation rendered for medicine or medical ser
vices.
Presents will occasionally be made to the physicians,
by foreigners & natives; but not in such frequency, nor in
articles of so much value, as materially to lessen the e x
penses of the department.
But notwithstanding the expense
of the department, we consider such an appendage to the
mission as of essential importantance to its interest, aside
from the necessity of its existence in order to the c o nti n
uance of the lives, & the preservation of the health of its.
members.
The seeds of disease and death are scattered in
profusion by the licentious visitants of these islands; and
multitudes of unhappy sufferers pine in sickness, and need
the benevolent agency of a skilful physician to apply suit
able remedies.
The disinterested services of a physician
connected with the mission, relieving the maladies of the
body, and pausing health and cheerfulness to revisit the
abodes of disease & wretchedness, fro m one of the best
exemplifications that can be given of the benevolence
of that Gospel which we preach, and may be cited as an
�2406
evidence of our wish to do good and as the result of
principles, which have their origin in love to God, and
love to men.
The labors of a physician will not be confined
to natives,- foreigners will frequently need, and often
receive medical advice and assistance.
The bodily ills of
many may thus be relieved, and an opportunity afforded of
giving a word of exhortation and advice, or of uttering
some truth of the G o spel, whi ch by a divine blessing, may
be made to some souls the means of salvation.
Our wants during t h e year have been comfortably
supplied.
Of a few articles we should have used somewhat
more, had our supply been more abundant.
Coffee is one
of these a r t i c l e s ,-sugar, butter & lard are others; but i n
stead of complaining on account of a little deficiency, we
would render thanks that our comforts have been so abundant,
and that our wants have been so much better supplied than
we once had reason to expect they ever would be.
We feel
more than we can express our obligations to y o u my dear sir,
to Mr. Evarts, & the other members of the Prudential C ommittee,
for the vigilence employed in procuring conveyances for supplies for the support & comfort of your missionaries in these
islands.
The deficiency of flour occasioned by the failure
of the shipment of 20 barrels from Edgartown, was made u p by a
purchase which I was enabled to make at the islands.
The
Board I trust w i l l justify the measure.
The amount of cash sent out by the Board has
been uniformly less than our wants.
I was obliged to borrow
last year, to meet our cash demands, 400 dollars at an a d
vance of 20 percent, and this notwithstanding 500 dollars r e
ceived b y the Triton, 300 by the H arvest, and 1 8 0 for the flour
shipped from Edgartown.
Having made the foregoing remarks respecting
the expenditures of the last year, it remains for me to
say something concerning what may be expected to be the e x
penditures of the current year, and our wants for the future.
The increase of families will obviously occasion an
increase of expenditure.
The means which the Bd has f u r n
ished for the multiplication of our comforts, create a necessity
for additional expense.
The house frames which have been
received, must be set up, and, to a certain extent, finished:
other buildings in the mission, which were in a state of
forwardness, require the laying out of expense in the way
of finishing; and at every station building w i l l be going
on at the fall extent of bur means.
Kauai.
Mr Whitney has commenced the building
of a permanent house, the walls of which are to be of stone,
and laid in lime, 46 feet by 2 4 , and two stories high with
a verandah in front.
He has engaged three workmen, who are
now employed, to two of who m the masons he has agreed to
give $1 per day, and their board; to the other, a carpenter,
$25 per month, half cash, and his board.
The materials
most of which have been procured, were obtained at very
�2407
good advantage, mostly wit h slates and native books.
Kaikioewa the Governor has afforded very important
assistance in the way of furnishing men to collect the
materials.
The expense for labor in building this year
in case the work is carried on according to the present
arrangement, will probably be not much less than four hundred
dollars.
Honolulu.
The receipt o f the lumber by the
Parthian has placed it in our power to go on with the f i n
ishing of the buildings which have for a long time been in
in state of forwardness at this station.
In reference
to this work, and other work of the kind necessary to be
done in the Mission, I have hired a house-joiner for one
year, to w h o m I have agreed to give 400 dolls & his board.
A small room designed for a bed room 15 1/2 feet by 17, with
a cellar under it, to be attached to Mr. Bingham's a p a r t
ment in the framed house, has been commenced, the expense
for labor, in the construction of which, will, probably,
be not less than 100 dollars.
Two native houses will be
needed at this station, each of which will cost not less than
50 dollars; and a new covering to the roof of the store house,
which will cost about 50 dollars more.
It is my wish to add
another story to this building, and to put on a shingled
roof, and I have begun to collect materials for the walls.
Grass is a very insufficent covering to a building like this;and aside from its exposing the building to fire, it is an
expensive covering, as it needs to be frequently renewed.
Lahaina. The house frame designed for Mr.
Richards was by h i m assigned to Mr . A n d r e w s , together wit h
400 feet of lumber.
It is not probable however, that the
frame will be put up this year; but it is the wish of Mr.
Richards to add another story to the stone house which he
has recently erected, and to put on a differently construct
ed roof, as the present roof, being very flat & covered only
with tarred ta p a , is not proof against rain.
A new house,
of native construction, has been commenced for the accommoda
tion of Mr. Andrews. It wil l be built in the v ery best manner,
b u t as the materials have been procured with books & slates,
and as the labor of building will be paid for in books, the
expense will not be gre at.
Kailua & Kaawaloa, The house frame originally
designed for Mr. Stewart, but sent out fo r the disposal
of the mission, has been assigned to M r. Thurston, together
with 4000 feet of lumber.
The frame and lumber with other
materials for building have been forwarded to the station;
and I presume that it will be the wish of Mr. T h u r ston to put
up the house as soon as possible.
It is the intention of Mr. Bishop to collect
materials for a permanent house, which he now thinks of
constructing of stone, to be laid in lime, and covered with
a shingled roof.
T o Mr. Ely were assigned 2250 feet of
lumber, whi ch has been forwarded to his station.
What his
plans for building a r e , I have not been informed; but probably
�2408
they are not such as to involve much expense for building
the present year.
Hilo.--Mr. Goodrich returned to his station in
June, and carried with him a division of lumber & building
materials.
It was his expectation to commence the building
of a permanent house as soon as p o s s i b l e . T he frequent
rains of Hilo. ’ the humid state of the atmosphere, render
it necessary that the missionaries there should have tight
houses.
It is Mr. G's intention to send to the mountains
& procure timber of suitable size for hewing, & to erect
a frame house, and he hopes to accomplish his object the
present year.
Mr. Ruggles is now on a vis it for his health
to Kaawaloa, and no arrangement can be at Present made for
a dwelling for him.
A division of 2250 feet of lumber was
assigned to him, which will be kept in reserve.
In opening my list of wants, I shall begin by
putting down first, cash.
This is becoming annually a more
important article in our exp end i t u r e s . I find it difficult
to employ foreigners for anything but money, and natives are
becoming more desirous to be paid for labor & produce in cash.
As it respects small bargains with natives, we can effect a
trade without offering money.
We are however, in this respect,
less advantageously circumstanced at Honolulu, than the
brethren are at any of the other stations.
As a supply of cash
for the next y e a r , I will put down 2500 dollars.
If we were
well supplied with cash, I should not be under the necessity of
drawing upon y o u bills at 20 or 25 per cent advance.
Articles of trade.
It is impossible for me now
to state definitely what amount we shall need.
We have as
much on hand as we can use to advantage the present year.-Bleached and unbleached factory cotton, blue cotton
3/4 or 7/8 wide, and 10 yards pieces of b lue nankin will always
be good articles.
Slates are still in good demand, and I do
not fear that you will send us too many.
I think that each
slate s ent out by the Parthian will go as far towards our
support, as 75 cents in cash used to the best advantage, could
go.
I will remark in regard to the articles of trade received
b y the Parthian, that they are all of a kind that will turn
to good advantage, whenever we may have occasion to use articles
of trade.
The bleached cottons are most valuable.
I have
not yet had occasion to use many of the checks or ginghams.
Lumber.
Notwithstanding the large quantity of
lumber shipped on board the
P
a rthian, our wants are yet not
supplied.
Had all the lumber, invoiced as belonging to the
house frames, been appropriated by the mission exclusively
to those houses, h o t so much as 8000 feet would have r e
mained to be divided in the mission for other p u r p o s e s .
Six thousand feet only were assigned to Honolulu
for finishing two houses, and for all the purposes for which
lumber is needed at this station.
The store house, a very
important building to the mission, must stand unfinished until
we are furnished with more lumber.
Clap b o a r d s answer v a l
uable purposes where there is a deficiency or boards, and I
�2409
would recommend the purchase of them for our use. Shingles
will be needed, as soon, probably, as you will f i n d it convenient to ship them.
Door handles & latches:
butt hinges of different
sizes and screws to suit them, a great many are needed.
They are ch eap i n America, but expensive here.
Draw and trunk loc k s :— white lead, paint oil#
& putty.
House furniture & kitchen utensils.
Chairs of a strong and durable kind.
The last
chairs sent out were of a very inferior kind as to strength
& durability: very few of them n ow remain in the mission.
It
is obvious that where we are so frequently visited by the
chiefs, who are remarkable for bulk & ponderousness the
chairs for them to sit upon should be firm & well made.—
The new missionaries are very destitute of chairs; 18 of
those put up for their use having
Mr. Levi Chamberlain Aug 13 & Sept 29 1828
Feb 14 1829
A M ar 9
#It wil l be well to put up paint oil in painted tin cannisters
or in demijohns as it is almost impossible to send it in
barrels or kegs without its leaking out.
More than half of the
quantity put on board the Parthian leaked out before it reached
the islands.
�2410
68 Sandwich Islands
18 31--1837
Part Third
XXVII
148
Honolulu, August 16th 1830
Respected & very dear, Sir;
I have learned to day that a vessel
is about to sail for the coast of California, by which a c o n
veyance w il l be afforded for letters.
The two last opportun
ities for communicating with our patrons have been by this
way.
One occurred on the 23rd of March, and the other on the
28th of June: the letter was by the ship Pocahontas, which
brought our last supplies.
By both of these we sent c o m m un i
cations from this station, and by the former some from other
stations.
I also wrote to you by the former, and to M r . Hill
by both.
The general letter of this station under date
of March 20th made you acquainted wi t h our operations up to
that time.
The letter was not forwarded, however, till the
28th of J u n e .
I hope that another general letter will be written
in the course of next month which w i l l give you a fair account
of our operations.
In the mean time, it may not be unacceptable
to you, to receive a plain account of some of the most import
ant events that have transpired around us, since the date of
the last letter.
I will state a few things very briefly respecting
all the stations.
Remainder of letter printed 27 Missionary Herald 118
April 1831
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
�2411
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XX V I I
149
Honolulu Sand
Isls Octr 2, 1830
Respected & very Dear Sir,
Under date of the 21st ult. I wrote
to Mr. Hill and stated that I should probably draw soon for
$562.50, as I had concluded to accept of M r. H u n n e w e l l ’s
offer of $500 at 12 1/2 pr ct and thereby make a saving of at
least 7 1/2 pr ct. to the mission.
I have concluded however to lessen the sum a
little, and make out a bill for $500 including the advance.
I have therefore under date of today drawn on the treasurer
for $500 at sixty days sight in favor of Mr. James Hunnewell.
After such abundant supplies as have been recently
forwarded, by the Board to t h i s mission it may be matter of
surprise to you that I should so soon draw for money, especially
as the amount of my drafts for the last year has exceeded that
of any other year since the establishment of the mission.
I have had some debate with myself as to the
absolute necessity of borrowing money at the present time,
as I have about $500 in cash on hand, and not less than that
amount of factory goods, besides a very comfortable supply
of provisions; but after viewing the subj ec
t on every side, I
have concluded that the pecuniary interests of the mission
will be subserved by the measure, and I trust I shall have
the approbation of the Board.
I have almost daily demands, for cash, to pay
workmen employed in building a new stone house at this
station designed for a store house as w ell as a dwelling for
myself, and also to defray the growing expenses of the
printing department, besides very many incidental expenses.
Cash paid for work done in the office for the year ending
on last day of April, amounted to $ 6 2 0 . 4 4 .
This sum was
paid to natives, wit h the exception of a small amount paid
a foreigner, simply for composition, press work & folding.
It is doubtless expected by the Board that the
Printing department, after all that the mission has wri tt en
upon the subject of selling books and the large expense
incurred f o r paper, if it does not prove an auxiliary to
the support of the mission, will, at least, support itself.
We hope that to a certain extent the department will support
itself; but what we are now doing is only of the nature of
an experiment.
The mission has derived much help from the
department; but it has been mostly in the way of affording
additional comforts to the families, and not altogether that
which has b een indispensable to our subsistence. But for
the printing office, however, we should have lacked many
things of comfort, and -what have contributed very much to
our usefulness.
As soon as I can get time I shall make out the
�2412
Annual account of our expenditures, and in connexion with
a statement of the expenses of the printing department, I
hope to find time to say something respecting the disposal
of hooks, the commodities &c that are received for them,
and the advantages thence derived to the mission, as well
as the labor & care which the prosecution of our present
plan of disposal will occasion together with the reproach
to ourselves as sp e c u l a t o r s it will involve.
The special object of this letter is to assign
a reson for my borrowing the money for which my last bills were
made out and also for incurring at the present time a large
bill of expense for a new store house.
The ho u se erected several years ago for a store
house was insufficient for the storage & proper keeping of all
the mission property under my care.
I was obliged to store
our supplies in the different cellars and houses of this
station, which has bee n very inconvenient to me and has been
a great tax upon my strength and time, particularly at the
season of receiving and dividing supplies.
A house o f larger
dimensions having chambers & rooms for the preservation of
the most valuable articles of support, seemed necessary, and
my own comfort and that of my family required better accommoda
tions than a grass house, the chamber of the printing office
which I have occupied as a place of business for writing and
attending to accounts, is called for by the increasing b u s
iness of the printing department taking all these things to
gether, I concluded that a new building, wh i c h should be
spacious enough for a store house and include a dwelling for
myself, was needed, and the brethren not only approved of, but
recommended the step.
The house has been commen ced and the cellar walls
are going up.
It will be a good while probably before the
house is completed and the wages of masons for laying the
walls will not be less probably than $ 200, and may considerably
exceed that sum.
The materials will not cost much money as
I have stones enough purchased which were obtained for books
& slates & a few other articles.
I have on hand most of the
lumber that will be needed, but shall be under the necessity
of purchasing some.
By the time the house is covered & rendered
habitable, the lumber now on hand will be all expended.
Mr. Gulick is about erecting a house for himself at Kauai
and he will need all that can possibly be spared from my
building.
More lumber then from America will be absolutely
necessary in order to carry on the work of finishing permanent
& comfortable houses for our families that are now not a c c o m
modated & are suffering inconvenience.
In haste very affecty
& truly your friend & servt
Levi Chamberlain
�2413
Jeremiah Evarts Esqu
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F .M.
Missiony Ro oms
Boston Mass
Mr/ Levi Chamberlain
March 5, 1831
Ackd Nov. 16
Wrote Nov 16
Lumber needed
Read by HH
postmark New B edford Ms ship
M ar 4
�2414
63 Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
150
Honolulu, O ahu, S.
I Nov
6 , 1831
M r . David G r e e n e ,
Miss Rooms Boston
Dear Sir,
Yours of Feby 14 and of the 7th
& 9th of March 1829 of the ship Houqua were duly received,
and should have been long ago ackn owl edg ed . I could write
y o u a long apology and assign many reasons for my s i l e n c e ,
but you do n o t need it.
A missionary's life must be a n active
and busy one if he would fulfill his trust--mine is both of
these, in a ver y full sense, but it is not worthy to be c al l
ed missionary.
My time was never more occupied than it is
now, and yet but a very small portion of it is taken up in
direct effort to instru ct the heathen.
I regret that my thoughts
and strength and time must be so much devoted to secular
concerns and yet I do not see how it can well be otherwise. I
an now superintending the erection of a new building designed
to be a store house for the mission, and a dw elling house for
myself.
This work I should never have undertaken merely for
my own accommodation notwithstanding my need of a better
dwelling than a grass house--When this work is off my hands,
if I am spared to complete it in the enjoyment of health; I
hope to have more time to labor for the heathen in the way
of teaching & examining schools.
W e feel the importance of
teaching the people to read & write and think they are not
deficient in intellect, but they do not know how to use it
to advantage.
It is cheering to hope that the time is not
distant wh e n the whole mass of the people will be elevated
immeasurably above the state in which the first missionaries.
Many are already very much raised above it, and the p r e s e n t
system of instruction, imperfect and inadequate as it is, if
not interrupted, will in a few years so remove the ignorance
& darkness from the minds of a great multitude, that they will
find themselves living in quite a new world.
Much is to be d o ne--O h o w much--before the g e n
erality of the people will possess that knowledge which will
entitle them to the appellation of enlightened.
The light
of knowledge and pure Ch r i s t i a n i t y may have to conflict
& struggle hard with darkness & sin, not only of paganism,
but of what has received the name of Christianity.
The enemy of souls in the plenitude of his m i s
chief has put it into the hearts of some French Catholic's
to attempt a settlement among this people in our midst,
and their attempts to proselyte have not been altogether
in vain, as you w ill have learned from other communications
�Page 2415 omitted in numbering
2416
from the islands.
W e are exceedingly troubled with their
residence here, and sincerely wish that the Lord would
open the way for their removal.--What was the intention of
the great Head of the Church in permitting them to land
here and to obtain a settlement, it is not easy to d e t e r
mine.
Perhaps it was to keep the missionaries at their
posts & awake; to make them more sensible that they have e n
listed to enter into a war, that they must never for a moment
lay down the sword of the spirit, nor cease to pray for help
from heaven.
Another design perhaps was to excite the
solicitudes of Christians at home, to draw f o r th their prayers
and cooperation both in the way of support--and sending more
l a borers.
Accept my thanks f o r the volumes of 22 you sent
me, and you r congratulations on the union I was permitted to
form.
I am happy to be furnished with an occasion of r e t u r n
ing the salutations and reciprocating your kind wishes for my
increased happiness & usefulness.
Express my regards to
Mrs. Greene with the assurance of Mrs. C's rememberance &
affection.
I am very sincerely yr frd & bro.
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. David Greene
Mission
a r y Rooms
Boston U . S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
April 15, 183 2
Nov. 16
Wrote Nov. 16
�2417
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVI I
151
Honolulu,
Nov 19,
18 3 0
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q
Respected and very dear Sir,
By the statements
which I forward by this opportunity to Mr. Hill, you will
get a view of the comparative expenses of the different
stations.
I do not consider the acct perfectly exact, as
to the s u m which the mission has cost the Board; but
sufficiently correct to answer the end for which an account
is kept.
I am as particular in keeping my books, as the
nature of the case will admit, though there exists, doubtless,
a great difference between my estimate of expenditures, and
the actual cost of maintaining the mission, as found on the
books of the Board.
Some of my brethren think that the regulations
of the mission require too much particularity in regard to
accounts.
I have always supposed that our relation to the
Board requires, that we give an account to them of the manner
in which the means of support are used, which they place at our
disposal.
And as our regulations have been submitted to the
Committee, and my accounts have been forwarded annually to
them, I have taken it for granted that they were approved.
Our late regulations require, that a particular
account be rendered to the Agent, of the manner in which
native books are employed.
The reasons for this particularity
were that the Agent might have it in his power to forward to
the Board a satisfactory account of the expenses & income of
the printing department, and that the members of the mission
might make a difference between the means of support derived
from books, and means derived from other sources.
It has also b een considered, by a majority of us,
desirable and expedient, that a statement should be annually
made of all the resources from which we derive a support on
missionary g r o u n d ;--whether direct from the funds of the Board,
from persons at the islands, friends in America or elsewhere,
avails of books, income of land or earnings; and, consequent
ly, a regulation was passed at our last general meeting
to that effect.
It is not to be concealed, that in regard
to presents from America, to particular individuals, a differ
ence of opinion exists, on the ground that these presents
are made with a view to supply the deficiency of a full
support from the Society.
It was not the design of the
regulations, to abridge any one, receiving presents, of the
full and exclusive enjoyment of all the articles he might
receive from private friends; but only to require a fair account
of them, to be preserved with the statements of resources &
expenditures.
These regulations have been submitted to the
�2418
Committee, in the Minutes of our last General Meeting, for
their inspection & approval; and it is my hope, that they
will, in due time, express their opinion respecting them.
I have alluded to the reasons for requiring
of the stations a particular account of the use of native
books.
Those reasons, I trust, will be satisfactory to the
B o a r d : though in order to conform to the regulations some
special attention is requisite on the part of individuals.
The importance of keeping the account of the Printing D e
partment separate from the general account of the e x p e n d
itures of the mission, is obvious to my mind; though I
should probably fail to impart my views on the subject in
a manner sufficiently clear to be perfectly intelligible to
you.
In my letter of Oct. 2d I said, I hoped, in
connection with a, statement of the expenditures of the
Printing department, "to say something respecting the
disposal of books, the commodities &c received for them, and
the advantages thence derived to the mission; as well as the
labor & care which the prosecution of our present plan of dis
posal will occasion & c".
The account itself will, I trust, give you some
insight into, the subject.
The native books, as soon as they are printed
folded & gathered, are divided, and put up for the stations,
to be forwarded as opportunities are presented.
The division
is made according to the following rule:
Oahu, for the disposal of the missionaries at
Honolulu 8/40; Kauai 4/40; M a ui 8/40, Molokai & Lanai 2/40,
for the disposal of the missionaries at L ahain a ; Hawaii 18/40
for the disposal of the missionaries at K ailua & Kaawaloa,
Waimea & Hilo, in the following proportions: vi z Kailau 3/40
Kaawaloa 5/40, Waimea 4/40, & Hilo 6/40.
By this, it will
be seen, that in the division, no reference is had to the
number of missionaries composing a station, nor to individual
wants; but to the population of the islands, and the number
of learners under the superintendence of the several stations
The facilities for disposing of books to advantage vary at
the different stations.
The natives at Hawaii make wha t is
called mamaki k apa (a kind of dark strong native cloth) of
which great use is made by the common people, for outside coverings, and sleeping clothes; which sell readily
for money.
These are received for books at all the stations
on that island; fire wood also is brought for books, in
such quantities as to be sold by the cord to ships for cash
or articles needed by the families: labor is performed, fences
are made, ground cultivated, water brought, vegetables, fowls
eggs &c procured, in quantities more or less, for books; all
of which go towards the support of the station, where they
are received.
Kapa of a different kind is made on the island
of Maui from the bark of the wauki; but it is not so saleble
as the mamaki.
This is received for books in considerable
quantities, and sold for cash: dried fish also have been
�24 1 9a
received.
This is an article of traffic among the natives.
Wood is offered for books, and might be collected in some
parts of the island in great quantities; but a market for
it cannot be readily secured, except to the shipping which
touch at Lahaina, and it must be*be done.
Much aid has
been derived to this station in the w a y of buildings &
building
materials; also in labor, fences, vegetables,
fowls, eggs & c .
The articles received at Oahu are vegetables,
fowls, eggs, fruit, fuel, mats which answer for flooring
to our native houses, a nd various other small articles of
no great value; small jobs of work, also about the premises
are performed, and some aid in the construction of native
houses afforded.
Cash also is offered for books, though to
n o large amount.
During the present season, I have made use of
books to ver y good advantage for the purchase of stone; and
I hope to derive considerable aid from them, in carrying
forward our new building.
The demand for books at Kauai is great; and
the natives are willing to do any kind of work to avail them
selves of them.
The brethren have had stone walls built, and
enclosures made f o r the cultivation of yams: and the yams
have been planted and tended for books.
Goats are received for them also; and herds of them
have been collected, as avails of books.
Yams & goats have
been disposed of to advantage for the support and comfort of
the families, and for building materials, or aid in building.
Not. much of anything obtained at this station fir books has
yet been turned into cash; but important assistance will be
derived from them, in carrying on the work of building.
Prom the foregoing statement, it will be seen,
that the business of selling books is beginning to be an i m
portant one;--As our books multiply, and the demand for them
increases, the disposal of them will make no small addition
to the labor and care of the missionary.
As to the prices received, and advantage derived
from the sale of books, a remark or two must be made.
The
nominal value, which we have set upon the books is as follows:
The Gospels of Matt, Mark & John, printed in America, 50cts;
Luke, Acts, Genesis, Exodus and the Hymns, 25cts each;**the
smaller books less, according to their size.
W hen we sell for
cash, the above are the prices; but cash, or what is equal to
cash, forms but a small part of our receipts; We frequently
receive articles, which are of little or no value to ourselves,
only for the sake of supplying the people.
So it is at
several of the stations, in regard to work performed:
Appl ic a
tion is made for books, and a w i l l ingness expressed to
labor, something is given the p e r s o n to do, not because he
can labor profitably, but because he needs the book.
The
practice-holds good in regard to many other things received,
not because an advantage will be secured to us, but to the
cause of instruction.
We are not without apprehensions that reproach
will arise from the practice of selling books for cash, or
�2419 b
*brought there for sale; which cannot easily
**History of Joseph and Tract from Psalms 12 1/2cts. each;
�2420
turning the avails of them into cash:
but tru st, while
we keep ou rse lves free from interested motives in the trans
action, we shall be able to defend ourselves a n d cause from
aspersion.
Mr. Hunnewell will be the bearer of this.
He
has showed himself worthy of our esteem and he returns to
America w i t h an unblemished character.
The signal gun for
the sailing of the vessel has been fired, and I must close
before I have said all that I should be glad to say.
Very respectfully your frd. & servt
Levi Chamberlain.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
April 15, 1831
Wrote Nov. 16
Ackd Nov. 16
�2421
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
X X VII
152
Honolulu, Novr 20th 1830
Rev. R. Anderson
My dear Sir,
I cannot persuade myself to let
the present opportunity pass without attempting to write,
at least, a short letter to you.
It is now upwards of a year since the date of
my last letter.
W e have heard of your departure for Palestine,
and at the date of our last letters, learned that your r e
turn was daily expected:
S ome account of your visit to that
land, anciently so favored with Gospel privileges, we shall
expect to receive by the next arrival f rom our native country.
Other interesting information also we shall hope to receive.
The fate of the poor indians has a wak e n e d deep interest in
our minds: what the decisions of government have been in
regard to them, we hope to hear; together with the present
state of the Missionary establishments among them.--The views
of the Board respecting a Mission upon the North W est Coast we
feel a great interest i n . The r e c e i p t of Mr. G r e e n ’s journal
has placed much valuable information before them.
Our hearts
ache when we think of the degraded condition of the aboriginese of that inhospitable c o a st. — T h e time, I doubt not, is
drawing near, when they with open arms will receive missionaries
and with eager minds attend to instruction.
About 30 natives of the Kigana trib e have recently
visited this place.
They came wi t h Capt. Taylor on board the
Brig Griffon and have been employed by him for a hunting exp idition to the Coast of California.
They remained here
upwards of a fortnight, visited the missionary establishment
at number of times, and seemed to feel an interest in our
operations.
They all had s e e n Mr. Green while he was on his
visit to the N. W. Coast and spake of him frequently in a
manner that showed that his visit had awakened an interest
in their minds.
One of t h e m , Cowe, showed a writing which
Mr. Green gave him, & wh ich he has preserved very carefully.
They attended worship in the meeting house several ti m e s .--Sever
al of them seemed to desire that the missionaries, or some of
them at least, would go to the N. W. Coast to teach them to
read and write.
We regretted very much that Mr. Green was not
at this station to see them, and to attempt to communicate
to them our solicitude for their welfare.
It is expected
that they w i l l stop at the islands again on their return from
the Coast of California, & it is possible that one or more
of them will be disposed to remain for a season at the islands.
�2422
Columbia River seems to be the place most
eligible for the commencement of operations.
Capt Dominis
of the B rig Owhyhee has spent sometime in that region.
I
hope that yo u may be afforded an opportunity of conversing
with him.
Mr. Hunnewell will be the bearer of this ,
I am happy to speak of him in very favorable ter m s.
He has
showed himself uniformly kind and attentive: and returns
with an unblemished character.
In very great haste
Your friend & bro.
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain.
April 15, 1831.
Ackd Nov 16
W rote Nov. 16
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Asst Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary House
Boston USA
Hand of Mr. James Hunnewell
�2423
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1387
Part Third
XXVII
153
Honolulu April 20th 1831
Respected & very dear Sir,
This letter will be conveyed first
to California and thence to the U. S. by the way o f Cape Horn
by a vessel which is expected to leave the coast sometime in the
course of July.
I have only time to write a very hasty letter:
but I regret it the less as the conveyance is somewhat pr e c a
rious.
Much might be written, and after all the events trans
piring or that have recently transpired at this island would
only be glanced at.
The absence of the former G ov. of this island, &
the almost absolute certainty of his being lost, has rendered
it necessary that a new Gov. should be appointed.
This has be en
done; and the present chief magistrate is John Adams.
He is
under Kaahumanu who takes possession of the island agreeably
to the grant of the king.
Adams jointly with Naihe is also Gov.
of Hawaii, and it is expected they will alteranately have the
g o v e r n m e n t here.
A commendable effort has been made to reform
the morals of the village of Honolulu.
A strict tabu has
been laid up o n the sale of r u m and upon gambling, u p o n lewd
ness also & Sabbath breaking; and these efforts thus far
have succeeded as well as could have been expected, not h o w
ever w ithou t opposition, nor without an armed force being
called out daily to. perambulate the village; wh i c h has of
course given great offense to those whose pursuits are pleasure
or gain.
All the high chiefs except the Princess and
Hoapil iwahine are now at this place, the movements of go vern
ment being of so important a nature, & the changes to be made
involving so many consequences, that the presence of all those
whose rank entitles to a seat in council became a matter-of
expediency.
I could tell you of many things if I had time;
One and not the least would be, that at a time not long since
gone b y, sy mptoms not a little alarming showed themselves
of a civil war.
But providence defeated the plan; (how serious
soever it might have been in its design;) and I trust it will
turn out to the furtherance of the Gospel, as it evidently has
to the disgrace of those who allowed themselves to be engaged
in it.— to their disgrace, I mean, in the estimation of the
friends of good order & religion, and these embrace most of
the Chiefs of the land.
N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g the excitement a m o n g these f r o m
abroad o c c a s i o n e d by the recent m o v ements of the C h i e f s , and
�2424
some disappointment among some of those who are of the
country, the work of instruction and improvement has not
been impeded.
Multitudes are pressing into the inquiry
meeting; and very many also stand read y to avouch the Lord
to be their God in the most public manner, and most solemnly and sacredly b ind themselves to his s ervice.
On the 20th of March 13 persons w h o had been
for many months propounded were received at this place to
the fellow ship of the Chh. and about 30 others were prop o u n d e d . There are more than 100 persons more, who are
promising, besides u p w a r d s of 1,000 who have been admitted
to the poaha. - or Fourth day meeting--our highest Moral
Society.
A Temperance Society has also been formed & or
ganized of which Gov. Adams is President, and the three
Governors of the other islands vice presidents, with a
B oard of Directors consisting of twelve of our most in
fluential men.
I will now proceed to state what I principal
ly commenced this letter for, Viz to say that we have been
much rejoiced to learn that we may e x p e c t a reenforcement
this spring and to state that I have received letters this
season from the Missionary Rooms as f o l l o w s .Mr. Hill's of Sept 25, 1 8 3 0 , on the 28th of M arch
containing the drafts on B aring Brother's
ditto of O c t 5, 1831, by the hand of Mr Kilham
on the 12th day of March.
ditto of June 25th Novr 10th 183 0 on the 4th of
Apl
ditto of Augt 23d pr W & L Packet Apl 19
Mr. Anderson's of Nov 10, 1830 on the 4th of Apl
ditto of Augt 21, 183?
" 1 7 Apl
Besides the supplies now onboa rd the W & L
Packet, which will be landed as soon as the vessel gets into
the harbor, I have r e cd articles this spring by ship Praganza, Young Phenix & Lusan.
The Lord has graciously given me and my Companion
another son, born on the 5th day of March, which we have,
as a token of respect and affection for yourself named
Jeremiah Evarts.
When I first heard of this opportunity I did
intend to improve it to write both to Mr. Hill & Mr. Anderson,
but I must give it up for want of tim e- with kind regards to
them, and to Mr. Fay, whose letter I r e cd by the W & L
Packet, I must close.
I am very respectfully and very truly
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Boston
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Feb 25, 1832
Ansd Dec 22d
Ackd March 29 (in Gen let)
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Corresponding Secretary
of the A.B.C.F.M.
B o s ton U SA
�2425
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
154
Honolu lu, August 3d 1831.
Respected & very dear Sir,
I write you a line in great haste just to
inclose the order for my one share in the Manufacturers and
Mechanics Bank.
The money when received I wi l l thank you
to pass to my credit.
I am now just about setting out for Hilo to
accompany Mr & Mrs. Dibble who have been assigned to that
station in connexion with Mr. & Mrs. Green.
The health
of Mr. Shepard having failed, M r . Goodrich has been appo int
ed to superintend the printing b u s i n e s s , until a printer can
be sent to us from America
I write this hasty note to leave in the hands of
Mr. Johnstone, who will forward it in case an opportunity
should offer of sending letters to America before my return
which I do not expect will take place under four weeks.
I am dear Sir,
with g r e a t respect
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Cor. Sec A.B.C.F.M .
Boston
H o n o l u l u Septr 14th 1831
P. S.
I performed the voyage to Hilo and was absent 30 days.
Mr. Green had gone on previously, and we found him and his
family in very comfortable circumstances, surrounded by their
work, and deeply interested in it.
Since the General Meeting
he has erected a small stone building of one story, designed
to be an appendage to a permanent house to be erected as soon
as he shall be furnished w i t h the means.
The station at Hilo is a very important one and
it is now by the acquisition of Messrs Green and Dibble, so
strengthened, that a system of school instruction may be carried
into efficient operation, and the standard of improvement so
raised that the people of this station shall not suffer by a
comparison with our most favored stations.
Mr. Goodrich and family are expected to leave som e
time in the course of the fall to come to this place— The
health of Mr. G. is not very good, but it is hoped that a r e
moval w i l l not be prejudical to it.
I found the state of things interesting, the
congregation on the Sabbath large, b e t w e e n 3000 & 4000.
A
sabbath school is conducted and many a tt en t— Schools for the
�2426
improvement of the teachers are established, and know ledge
in increasing.
On our way to Hilo we put into W a i lu ku on the
windward side of M aui, and spent the Sabbath there.
W e were
very much gratified with the state of things Sr. the appearance
of the people.
Though it was late in the afternoon of S a t u r
day when we landed, yet notice that there w ould be religious
worship conducted at the place next day, w a s so widely ci r c u
lated, that at the hour for meeting o n the Sabbath, not f e w
er than t h ree t h o u s a n dspersons had assembled, a n d in great
order & decency taken their seats under the shade of a
spacious lanai & native house erected for the accomodation of
a c o n gre ga tio n. At the close of the first service the people
instead of separating, retained their seats, & the native
teachers took their stand in different parts of the congrega
tion to impart additional instruction.
As soon as the
teachers had finished their work, the second service commenced
at the close of which the. people separated in good order to
return to their homes.
W ailuku possesses many advantages for a Mis si on
ary station, and is, I think, the best place on the islands
of M aui for the establishment of the High School; but we have
not strength sufficient to maintain a station there unless
Waimea on Hawaii is given up, which I think far from being the
duty of the Mission.
I a m very
your
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Feb. 1, 1832
By the Columbus
Ackd March 29
(in Gen Let)
Ansd Dec 22d
s i n cerely and e f f e c t y
servant
Levi C h a m b e r l a i n
postmark New Bedford Mass
Jan 31
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Cor Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary R ooms
Boston
U.S.A.
�\
2427
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
155
Honolulu, Sept 13th 1831
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Respected & very dear Sir,
By the Ship Columbus, to sail in a few
days for the United States, an opportunity is afforded for send
ing letters; which will be gladly embraced by all the Mission
aries at this station, for communicating with our friends
and patrons.— You will be fully informed, independently of the
notices in the printed sheets herewith, containing extracts
from the Minutes of the last General Meeting of the Sandwich
Island Mission, of the arrival of the New England and of the
precious company who embarked in her for these islands.
Their
arrival was hailed with joy, and Welcome was not only the
language of our hearts, but of thousands of these islanders,
who with extended hands and open hearts received this new boon
of the Board & of the American Churches for the dark islands
of the sea.— Arrangements ha d been so made for the General
Meeting, that the brethren were convinced very soon after the
arrival of our new helpers; & you will perceive that the
Meeting was the fullest we have ever had, one only of the
brethren being absent.--The Marquesas question was one which
early engaged the attention of the Meeting,--the minutes will
inform you how it was treated.
Independently of what is con
tained in the Minutes, it became the duty of one of our number
to address the Board upon the subject; this duty is yet to be
performed.
In the m ean time, however, it may not be amiss for
other individuals to write upon the subject.--It is my opinion
that the islands, viewed as a field for Missionary enterprize,
are of great importance, and that the time when they are to be
taken possession of by the great Head of the Church is not
far distant; and that, Missionaries sent out under the auspices
of the American Board should be the ones to erect the Standard
there, appears to me very desirable.
But I do not think that
a Mission to to those islands can be maintained, at present,
thro' the Agency of this Mission, without involving great
expense to the Board.
But perhaps it was not the design of the
Committee to establish the Mission w ith the design of so
connecting the two, as to make the latter dependant on the
former for support. At present there is no inducement of
trade for Merchants to send vessels to those islands.
If a
Mission should be commenced from these islands, a vessel must
be chartered for the express purpose; and this cannot now be
done at a rate less than from 600 to 700 dollars pr. month.
It was suggested in your letter, that the Sandwich Island
Government might send a vessel for the sake of promoting
the object.
The C hiefs would doubtless allow the Mission the
use of a vessel, had they ones to spare; but the acceptance of
one would be assuming the responsibility of fitting the vessel
for the voyage, and seeking a Captain & crew; all the expenses
�2428
and care of which would fall upon ourselves, while the outfit
& charge would amount to a large sum,-perhaps little less
than the charter of one from a mercantile house in this p l a c e . The Chiefs have lost so many of their vessels within a few
years that they have few remaining that are fit to perform
a distant voyage; and all of their vessels are more or less out
of repair, and none of them properly taken care of.
In a
few years they wil l have no vessels exceeding 50 tons, and as
their sandal Wood is about gone, and the value of what r e
mains greatly d e p r e c i a t e d they will not have the means of p u r
chasing n e w ones, and at the same time of paying off old debts.
Y o u will doubtless be very desirous to know what the prospect
is of a commencement of a Mission at the Marquesas Islands
being undertaken by this mission wi thin the time specified
in your letter.
Perhaps some of the brethren will state more
fully than I n o w feel able to do their views of the practicab
ility and expediency of such an undertaking. T o my mind much
darkness hangs over the prospect.
I desire to hold myself at
the disposal of Providence, to go to a new field or to stay
here, as it shall appear to be the will of God: and it is
my prayer that the path of duty may be made plain.
Your
letters by the New England were duly received; the order for
the Bank Stock is enclosed in another letter which will go by
the present o p p o r t u n i t y . - The vessel will sail sooner than
I expected, and I shall not have time to write all I intended.W ith affectionate regards & respectful salutations to all your
honored associates & fellow laborers,
I am very sincerely,
Yours in the bonds, of the G ospel,
Levi Chamberlain
P. S. Sept 22nd 1831
Be kind enough to inform Mr. Hill that I drew
on him under date of June 17th at sight, in favor of Capn
A F Parker for $ 69.75, being for the freight of 3 3/8 tons
of supplies remaining of the stores put on board the ship.
New England for the use of the missionaries during their
passage from New Bedford to these islands.
Mr. L Chamberlain
Feb. 25, 1832
Ackd M arch 29
(in Gen let)
Ansd Dec 22
postmark New York
22
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Cor, Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
USA
�2429
68 Sandwich Islands
18 31--1837
Part Third
XXVII
156
Honolulu, Sept. 14th 1831
Rev. R. Anderson
Boston
My dear Brother,
I have not time to write a long
letter, but I an unwilling to let the present opportunity
pass without its bearing a line to you expressive of my
affectionate regards & continued remembrance.
Y our letters
of August 21st and Nov. 10 came to hand in due time but
the long letters we had hoped to receive by the reinforce
ment, are yet behind: perhaps they will come to hand at
a time when epistolary correspondence will be most accept
able. While we were extending to our brethren, just arrived
from the Board, the right hand of fellowship and listening
to the testemonials of affection and r e m e m b r a n c e uttered by
the living voice, we could dispense w i t h written testimonials.
I hope you will, as you can find time, allow me
to enjoy your correspondence, I shall always prize it and
hope to be profited by it.
Separated as we are from the e n
lightened world, and from all, except our own scattered num
bers, from whom w e can derive advantage in our spiritual con
cerns, we fell the need of the warm effusions of our friends
streaming through the medium of their pen s .
I have no cause to complain.
I feel that I have
been favored much beyond my desert with your correspondence.
I must ever remain in your debt, and as I have nothing of
worth to say, you will have the happiness of granting a
free discharge.
I have now more cares than formerly, and of
course find less time for correspondence with my friends.
It is now more than a year since I commenced superintending
the erection of a building designed for a store and dwell
ing house.
It being new business, and the mechanics not
fully competent for the work, I have been greatly harrassed
and perplexed;
but the building will I hope be off my
hands i n a few months, and I hope to be in more comfortable
circumstances.
To be free of care I do not expect, every
addition to our numbers and increase to our store of comforts
adds to my cares and responsibilities; and this will continue
to be the case so long as I am Superintendent of secular con
cerns for the mission.
The Board have sent very liberally to
us of things designed for our comfort At present we have all
and abound, so far as food and the means of carrying on our work
are concerned.
I hope, having received liberally, we shall
be enabled to give liberally of our strength, and time &
talents for the promotion of the cause, and be ready to deny
�2430
ourselves and to take whatever cross the Savior may impose
upon us.
Th e subject of a mission to the Marquesas islands
has occupied much of my thoughts of late.
The Board desire
that we should undertake the commencement of a mission to
those islands; but our duty in the present state of things
is not sufficiently clear.
To charter a vessel on purpose
to make a survey would we think involve too much expense.
There is very much work to be done here yet, and we should
be glad of more missionaries.
The indications we think should
be very clear before we decide on sending away a portion of
our present numbers, though we have resolved to hold ourselves
in readiness to go, w hen ever Providence shall make our duty
plain.
As it respects myself, I doubt whether I can labor in
a more useful sphere, than the one I now occupy, but I may
perhaps be mistaken, a n d I desire to hold myself at the
disposal of Providence, and I pray, and beg y o u will pray for
me, that I may have no will but to do the will of God.
The helper whom the Board has sent out for me
appears to be a man of good spirit; and he is very deeply
interested for the spiritual welfare of seamen, and I think
he would make a very excellent helper for a missionary under
the direction of the Seaman's Friend Society.
He has p r o b
ably not been much accustomed to such kind of business in the
department of which I have felt an assistant desirable; and I
should be unwilling to impose upon him a service which would
be likely to be irksome.
He has been appointed to this
station, but while the Lord blesses me with health, I shall
be unwilling to call for the services of one who can be more
profitable employed in other departments of missionary work.
I have recently made a trip to Hilo.
I accom
panied Mr. and Mr s . Dibble who were assigned to that station.
We had a very long passage not being less than 14 1/2 days on
the water including our passage from this place to Lahaina,
where we stopped two days.
After setting out from Lahaina,
and being out more than three days, we put in at Wailuku on the
windward side of M aui, not six hours sail from Lahaina.
There
we spent the sabbath and staid 2 1/2 days.
This is a very
desirable pla ce for a missionary station, and the best place
on the island for locating the High School.
But we have not
men to spare, even to fix one missionary there, without der
anging some of our other plans.
The congregation on the
sabbath, for whose benefit I undertook to perform religious
w orship, amounted to upwards of 3,000; and a more attentive
and orderly assemblage I have seldom seen.
The prospects of
a missionary, who might be established there, would be of
the best kind, not on l y of doing good to the people in the
immediate vicinity of the station, but to the inh abitats of
all the East ern districts of the island. On our arrival at
Hilo we found brother and sister Green waiting with open arms
to receive their associates; and I had the happiness of s e e
ing them take up their new abode and enter upon their duties
wit h hearts zealously affected for the promotion of the cause.
Hilo is now well provided for and I trust many souls will be
brought to a saving acquaintance with the savior through the
�2431
instrumintality of the laborers there.
Sept 24th
My letter w as commenced to send by another
opportunity; but the vessel got off before I had finished
what I wished to write.
Perhaps it may reach y o u sooner
than it would by the other opportunity.
Mrs. Chamberlain wishes me to say that she
received Mrs. Andersons kind letter by the New England,
which she intends to acknowledge hereafter.
W e have
now two children, the youngest born in February, whom we have
done ourselves the honor to name Jeremiah Evarts.
Desiring you to present my respects to Mrs.
Anderson in which I am joined by Mrs. C.
I am very sincerely
Your friend & brother
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Feb 25 1832
Ackd March 29
(in Gen let)
And Dec 22d
Postmark New York
Feb 22
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Asst Sec A . B . C . F . M .
Missionary R ooms
Boston U. S. A.
�2432
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
157
Honolulu, Novr 1831
Respected & very dear Sir,
My communications to the Board
this fall have been few and short.
I should have been glad
to have written more fully; but I have not found it c on ven
ient.
I hope however when the work of building is off my
hands, I shall have more time for c or re spo nde nc e.
The object of this letter is to inform you that
I have shipped on board the ship Cyrus , Captn Hussey of
Nantucket, four bundles of native kapa addressed to the care
of M r . Albert Gardner of Nantucket, which I have requested him
to forward to the Missionary Rooms in Boston.
The kapa has been collected in pursuance of
a vote passed at our last general meeting, and is forwarded
to the Board in order that a trial may be made of the manufacture
of the article into paper.
If it should prove valuable, as
we hope, for that purpose, i t m a y be expedient, as it certainly would be desirable, that a manufactury for paper should
be established at the islands.
The Prudential Committee will
be able to determine whether it can properly be done under
the patronage of the Board.
I am entirely ignorant of the
nature of the machinery or the amount of the expense or
skill requisite to carry on the business.
On these points
the Board may very easily g et information.
I trust they will
place the material now forwarded in the hands of some m an
ufacturer, who will give it a fair trial and report the r e
sult of the experiment.
W e resolved at our last General Meeting to attempt
the establishment of a B i n d e r y and Mr. Goodrich was appointed
to superintend the business.
Mr. G. has removed with his
family to this station and it is expected he will continue
here till a printer shall be sent out from the Board to take
direction of the business of the office.
In the mean time
he will do what he can to carry on the business of binding
books in connexion with the printing.
It is very certain that as our books increase
in size the importance will increase that they should be
better bound than heretofore.
A good binding will not only
greatly preserve the books but make them more valuable.
With a little instruction the natives the nativ es will be
able to do all the work.
Materials are wanted such as pa s t e
board and leather for covers & b a cks, thread for stitching,
implements for marking, a little gold leaf for lettering,
cloth suitable for head bands, a large pair of shears for c u t
ting pasteboard as used by book binders, a few pairs of
common shears & c
Pasteboard m a y be made here; but if manufactured
to any considerable extent a standing press will be needed
�2433
and a full assortment of press boards.
The press now in use
was forwarded by the London Miss. S o c . to Mr. Ellis, but this
is constantly needed for pressing the paper of the office.
The Board have furnished a cutting press and this
is in use.
Should the business of binding be carried on to
a large extent another will be needed.
Goat skins can be obtained here in great a b u n d
ance; but if employed for books they must be tanned.
This
the natives may be taught to do with the use of alum; and
in that case we shall need a quantity of that article.
It
may perhaps be well for you to send out a keg of it for that
express purpose.
A letter upon the general subject of book-making
will hereafter be written, by the committee appointed for the
purpose, as you will perceive by the minutes of our last
general meeting.
It has been suggested, however, that I
should in this communication refer to the subject of a bindery,
and make out a memorandum of materials wanted for carrying
on the business.
The general work of the mission is going on as
usual.
The contemplated High School has been opened at
Lahaina, and the Scholars have commenced their studies.
The
regular duties of the school, however, were for a little season
suspended on account of some difficulties with the shipping
in consequence of which the natives were called out to defend
the town.
The difficulties however were settled.
With affectionate regards to your associates
and fellow laborers at the Missionary Rooms
I am very respectfully your servt in the bonds
of the Gospel
Levi Chamberlain
Date Nov 23 1832
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
May 7, 1832
attended
to
binding
&
c Articles
needed
Ansd Dec 22d
Edgartown Ms
May 4
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Corresponding Secretary
A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
�2434
63
Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
158
Honolulu, Dec 5th 1831
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Re s p e c t e d & very dear Sir,
By a vote passed at
our last general meeting it was recommended to Mr. Clark,
Dr. Judd and myself to write to the Board stating to them,
all the important particulars that had come to our knowledge
respecting the excitement at this place during the early
part of the year.
It was not expected that we should write
jointly, and I now sit down to perf or m the duty assigned to me,
and which I should have performed before, but for w a n t of time.
The government of this island descended to
Boki from his brother Kalaimoku, who held it under Kaahumanu.
She a s the king's guardian and head of the national council
received the island from Kamehameha whose it was by right of
conquest.
W hen Boki left the island to embark on the e x p e d
ition for Sandal wood, which proved so disasterous to him &
his associates, he committed the government of it into the
hands of his wife.
But neither the administration of Boki
nor that of his wife gave satisfaction to the high chiefs.
The
high Chiefs here meant are Kaahumanu, Kaikioewa, John A d a m s ,
Hoapili and his wife, Kekauluohe, Kinau & Naihe.
The conduct
of Boki was considered highly reprehensible by Kaahumanu, who
would gladly have removed him, could she have done it without
endangering the peace of the nation.
She chose to pursue a very
forbearing course in preference to the adoption of coercive
measures and she hoped to accomplish by degrees what seemed not
policy to undertake at once.
Divine truth assures us that
Destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity,” a truth
which we have more than once seen-verified before our eyes.
In December of last year, the chiefs being then
at Hawaii, Kaikioewa the governor of Kauai arrived at this
island on his way to join the chiefs'.
His object was to c on
vene a council of the nation with a view to the appointment
of a new governor for this island and the correction of
certain evils here, as well as to effect if possible the r e
moval of the Jesuits.
Early in the m onth of January the chiefs assembled
at Kaikua and Kaiioewa made known his views to the council.
He expressed great dissatisfaction at the manner in which the
government of Oahu had been admistered and proposed the r e
moval of Liliha and her entire divestiture of authority &
possession.
The ground he took against her was very decided
and designed to put her down entirely.
She had ingratiated
herself with the king to the no small dissatisfaction &
�2435
disgust of Kaahumanu and the other chifes, and was very much
a favorite of course her entire disgrace was a measure not at
all calculated to meet the approbation of his majesty.
When
the plan of depriving her of her possessions was made known
to the king his unwillingness to favor it w a s made known by
strong expressions of grief.
Liliha could not have been ignorant of the
general design of her removal from office;
but had she
not mistrusted it previous to t h e meeting of the chiefs at
Kailua, she was informed of it by the first vessel which
arrived at Oahu after that w e n t ; but with this alleviating
circumstance that the king was exceedingly affected when
the proposal of the council was made known to him.
Pretty soon after the consultations going on
at Hawaii had been made known here, warl ike movements w e
perceived to be on foot at this place. The impolicy of r e
sistance to the will of the principal chiefs was so obvious
to us that we could not at first believe that any serirous
designs of open and direct opposition had been entertained
by the governess and her party; but the nature of the move
ments and the public excitement left no room for doubt, that
something serious was intended and we learned from very good
authority that the Governess had said., "If she were ejected
from her lands she would fight."
It was reported that the king
had ordered the purchase of fire arms and amunition; and
this was construed as an expression of his disposition to
favor the cause of the governess.
M any reports were in cir
culation respecting the foreigners-some that they were ready
to join Liliha-and others that they would take no part in
the quarrel.
The fort was strengthened and double manned
and we w e re told that the foreigners stood ready t o go in
& aid the cause of the governess.
W hile affairs were in this
state private orders were received by Kekuanaoa from Kaikioewa
to be in readiness with the guards to receive the king at his
landing; and he was to be apprized before hand of his approach.
Kekuanaoa being commander of the kings guards was in the habit of
calling them out two or three times a week to drill.
The g o v
erness having received secret information or suspecting some
thing forbade him not only to wait upon the king but forbade
his calling out the guards for exercise.
Saying that the
foreigners were the king's men to wait upon him at his landing.
This we thought had the appearance of a plot to get
possession of the king & by persuasion or force to gain his
consent to the plans of the governess & her party: and we
were assured by Kekuanaoa th a t should the king declare in
favor of Lilika all the hi gh chiefs would be slain.
Though
we did not for a moment allow o u r s elves to believe that the
king would be so blind to his true interests as to declare
in her favor against all the high chiefs in the nation, yet
we felt no small solicitude, and so did the chiefs that were
here upon the spot and had their eye upon the movements
particularly Kinau the wife of K ekuanaoa and one of the h i g h
est chiefs, and who was also d e p u ted by the king
Kaahumanu
on their departure to the windward, to manage in conjunction
�2436
the affairs of the island.
Providence was pleased to delay the return of
the Chiefs from the windward until full information of all
the movements on foot here had been communicated to them:
and this proved the entire defeat of every thing which had
been devised to frustrate the plans of the chiefs in council,
or to overthrow the administration of the whole islands.
We
were constrained to feel that the hand of the Lord was in
this delay to prevent the effusion of blood all the f e a r
ful evils attendant on civil commotion.
As soon as the chiefs who had now returned to Maui
had been apprised of the attitude of the governess and of the
state of things here they dispatched her father Hoapili to
mediate with his daughter and if possible induce her to meet
the Chiefs in council at Lahaina.
This he effected and c a l l
ed in all the arm s of both parties deposited them in armoury
of the fort and took possession himself of the key.
The foreigners now deemed it necessary to do
something to clear themselves from what they called aspersion.
A letter they said had been written and sent to Maui accusing
them of designs against the king.
Some of the principal r e s i
dents presented themselves before Hoapili to assure him that
they were his m a j e s t y ’s faithful friends, and that the letter
in question contained false charges against them.
Hoapili
declared that he had no t seen such a letter and stated that
his business was not with them but with his daughter.
I had
been requested by Mr. Charlton in behalf of the principal
residents to act as interpreter, and I was not a little amus
ed at the solicitude which the gentlemen discovered to vindicate
themselves; and to have it understood that they were the sincere
friends of the king, and always had been and still were ready
to serve h ime.
Here they declared that they had taken no
part whatever in the measures of the governess and had given
her no advice in relation to her movements.
No person present
was so talkative as the English Consul , and so forward to free
himself from blame and this too before he or any one of their
number had been charged by the Chiefs with acting an improper
part.
Looking at me full in the face, he said he had very
little doubt who the person was that wrote the letter contain
ing the charges against them.
If, he added he were a white
man, he would positively have him tied up and w h i p p e d , if a
native, when the king arrived he would complain of him and
have him punished; at any rate the business should be sifted
to the bottom on the return of the king:
So far, he said,
from having designs against the king, M adam Boki had requ es t
ed him to go off in his own cutter on the arrival of the
king off the h a r b o r and bring him on shore.
This was a
confirmation of a report whic h had before come to our ears,
that Liliha had invited the English & American Consuls to
go out, on the appearance of the king's vessel in the roads,
& conduct hi m on shore.
The Consuls were however so chagrinned with the
turn which the providence of God gave to affairs that they
would not avail themselves of permission from Hoapili to go
off after his majesty, or even to wait upon him at the land
ing, when he arrived.
Had they been permitted to pursue their
with Liliha,
�2437
own plan they would have gone off with an escort of twenty
boats, but Hoapili would give permission to no more than
the two Consuls to go; and this gave them offence.
I never
saw the principal residents more effectually disappointed
than they seemed to be on this occasion: they wished
probably to testify to the king their respect & loyalty:
but this they were not permitted to d o .
I will now venture to express an opinion respect
ing the warlike movements at this place to which I have been
alluding.
Liliha does not relish the restraints of the
Gospel, but chooses a dissolute course.
Her particular
associates are of the same character; and it is needless to
say that the majority of those who reside here from foreign
lands h ave the same taste & propensities: of course Liliha
would be popular with not a small class of the community.
Boki was also pretty deeply in debt to several
of the merchants and it would have been for their interests
to have had her remain in office; n ot in reference only to their
debts, but to trade also.
It was well known that Kaahumanu
was dissatisfied with the selling of ardent spirits, and not
at all pleased w ith many other things which existed here. Ob
stacles the residents well k n e w would be o pposed to not a
few of their sources of gain or pleasure should she take the
reins into her own hands.
All these things together made it
an object with them that Liliha should retain the management
of the islands
It was also supposed that the ki n g was under
an irksome restraint f rom Kaahumanu, and that he would g l a d
ly break away from her, and yield himself to the influence
of others who would be more disposed than the old regent to
favor his natural inclinations and who would allow h im to
hold almost entirely in his own hands the reins of government.
This would do wel l for the residents while they could m a i n
tain a controlling influence over him.
The disposition of the king, as it was thought,
to favor Liliha, and her disposition to resist the will of
the other chiefs, afforded ground for a plan: and all the
movements we witnessed and all the reports that have come to
our ears, whe n united together, lead to the conclusion in
my mind that a plan was formed to get possession of the king
and induce him to proclaim Liliha governess of the island,
and gain his consent to her manageing according to her own
pleasure the business of establishing herself in office.
Had
she and those that were with her (and I consider the residents
as all ready, in such a case, to have stood on her side,)
effected their purpose, all the high Chiefs and all connected
with them would have been declared to be in a state of r eb el l
ion against the king, and would have been punished with instant
death, had it been in their power to inflict it.
And some
of the missionaries would have shared the same fate.
It is
said they went so far as to nominate the executioners.
The difficulties in the nation having been
happily settled and the government of this island committed
into the hands of Governor Adams, on occasion for uneasiness
�2438
arose from another quarter, in consequence of an attempt
of the Chiefs to effect reform and establish good order.
The traffic in ardent spirits was too lucrative to admit of
its suppression without strong expressions of dissatisfaction
on the part of thos e whose gains were touched and it could
hardly but be expected that an attempt to shut up gambling
houses and to secure to the Sabbath its peaceful observance,
would excite very strenuous opposition; and so it was; and
the mission was accused of being the instrumental cause of
all the restrictive measures adopted by the Chiefs.
Meet
ings we were informed were held by the residents, and a
fixed determination manifested not to submit to the will of
the Chiefs.
We have also good reason to believe that on
the part of some— the baser sort at least, threats were
uttered against the life of Mr. Bingham.
But as Mr. B.
has written to you respecting a correspondence between h i m
self and some of the principal residents, which o riginated
in the supposition that Mr. B ingham had been informed of
a conspiracy against his life and had reported i t in a
public meeting of the people, it will n ot be necessary to
enter into the particulars of the excitement which it
occasioned.
A short time before and during the time of this
excitement the village was perambulated daily by armed guards
for the purpose of looking into the state of things and
enforcing the regulations of the Chiefs.
One of the principal
billiard rooms was entered by a file of these guards and the
sports of the table interrupted for the evening.
In fact
this was the circumstance wh ich most of all exasperated the
foreigners & residents and gave rise to the meeting before
spoken of and to a memorial complaining of the infringements
of their rights the danger to which their lives were exposed
from armed men let loose upon the village.
This memorial
though it contained many names, among which were several
sea captains than in port and all that were classed among
the respectable of the place, did not receive the prompt
attention which the memorialists desired; but it was probable
n o t altogether without effect.
The sale of ardent spirits
though not allowed by the giving of licences is connived
at, and the billiard table is still frequented.
Some of the
disorders have been checked: the observance of the Sabbath
has been secured so far that there is no riding on that
day, and no such rioting as formerly.
One step has been
taken and maintained in the midst of reproaches & the way
is open for taking more.
The vessel by which I expect to send this is all
ready for sea and I have not time to enlarge.
Y o u will h o w
ever be sufficiently well informed from the different c o m
munications that have been transmitted this fall respecting
the disposition of the disposition of the fo reigners, the
state of the mission & of the Sandwich Island nation.
I have in this expressed some opinions very free-
�Page 2439 omitted in numbering
2440
ly, but this is done in entire confidence.
You will there
fore consider this communication as designed to be suppress
ed.
It night be a serious injury to our case h e r e , should
anything be stated as coming from any of the missionaries
in which Liliha has been materially concerned.
Though she
is quite low at present, a change may take place, ana the
foreigners are quick sighted to perceive what would do us
an injury & not slow to make use of it.
I perceive that the vessel has made signal for
sailing and I must close abruptly
I am with very great respect
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Sept 12, 1832
Ansd Ded 22
Jeremiah Evarts E sq
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Mission Rooms
Boston U. S. A
postmark Newport R.
Sep 10
I.
�2441
68 Sandwich Islands
18 3 1 — 1837
Part Third
XXVII
159
Honolulu, February
6th 1832
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Very dear brother,
Various communications
from the mission dated in the fall of last year will have
reached the Missionary Rooms before this will come to your
hands, and you will have been informed of the state of things
in the islands up to the last month of the year.
It will be
my object in this letter to state some things that have
happened since the last dates, and such general things as may
occur to my mind and I may have room for in this sheet.
I will begin, by telling; you that the Catholics
have been sent from the islands, an event which calls forth our
gratitude to God.
They embarked for the coast of California
on the 24th of December in the Brig Waverly, wh ich had been
fitted out by the Chiefs for the express purpose of carrying
them away.
It was w i t h much deliberation and no small degree
of trembling that they came to the decision of taking this
step, and not till the Catholics had been most fully apprised
of the wishes o f the Government in reference to their depart
ure.
They could not but have known that their landing at first
was opposed by Kaahumanu who had the principal voice in the
government; and they well knew that it had been, and still
continued to be the policy of government to prevent proselytes
being made to their sentiments; and besides all this they
had been, in April last, formerly ordered to leave the islands,
within three months, and threatened with imprisonment if they
refused compliance.
But notwithstanding all these things,
they adhered to their purpose of remaining, and continued
to make improvements on their premises by increasing the
number of their buildings.
W hen the time arrived for com mu ni
cating the new order, it seemed to be received with much s u r
prise by the gentlemen, and they undertook to say they had
the permission of government to reside in the country & had
not been charged with any offence for whi ch they should be
r e m o v e d .--They forthwith made application to the English C o n
sul— one of them on the ground of being an English subject,
being a n Irishman by b i r th--the other on the ground of having
no one else to apply to for protection, seeing there was no
French Consul in the islands.
The E nglish Consul addressed
an official communication to Kaahumanu making k n o w n to her
the application, and protesting against their removal to
any place except to Great Britain or some of her dependencies.
It was fe ared that the residents would remonstrate
against, a n d oppose their removal, and that the Catholics
themselves would refuse compliance in such a manner as grea t
ly to try firmness of the Chiefs:
but whe n the time fixed
�2442
upon for their departure arrived, a chief went to their
residence accompanied by a file of men, and conducted them
peacebly to the boat in waiting to carry them to the
vessel: thus they embarked, & the vessel was quickly under
way.
The residents, at least some of them, speak
of the act of the Chiefs In sending these men away from the
islands as most iniquitous and unjust; and probably an
account will be given of it setting it off in that light, and
implicating the missionaries as accessory to it.
How it
will be viewed by the Christian public at home is yet to
be learned.
It will b e very difficult for the people, in
general, of our country, to form a correct judgement of the
step,--the government of this country being so different from
that of our favored land, and the state and character of the
people so unlike.
Very few of the people are sufficiently
enlightened to think for themselves, and multitudes would
embrace the popish superstition were permission granted for
a f r e e propagation of those sentiments.
If but a single
influential Chief were to become a proselyte to Romanism,
the contagion would spread and the evil would take such
root, that it could not be eradicated, but by the power
of that hand which alone is able to uproot the kingdom of
the beast in all places of the earth.
We shall wait with
some feelings of solicitude for the return of the Waverly
to be informed at what place and under what circumstances
the men were landed.
Since their departure we have obtained
the testimony of a man who was much in their secrets, and
who has made k n o w n to us this information, that the p r i n
cipal Ecclesiastic, Mr. Bachelot, stated to him in a c o n
versation, before the decision of the chiefs had been made
known, that in the event of being sent away by govern
ment he should go to California, in order to be near these
islands, as he s h o u l d expect to return at a future period,
in case circumstances turned out to his mind.
Whatever the event may be of their return, I
most repeat i t , that I heartily rejoice that those men are
removed; and I look upon i t as a s t r i k i n g Providence that
their removal was effected at the time it was; for had the
v essel remained only a few days longer, it is very possible
she would not have sailed at all, and the Catholics would
have been here now, and might have gained a triumph.
Just
one week after the sailing of the vessel I was called up
before light by Deborah Kapule, our very firm friend, who
came to inform us that the king was intoxicated, and to
the sin of drunkenness sought to add that of a criminal
connexion with a young female in the train of his attendants.
This the Chiefs endeavored to prevent, and it greatly e n
raged his majesty.
Only the evening before, intelligence
had been received, by an express from Hawaii, that N aike
was dangerously ill; and Kaahumanu had been making arrange
ments to leave forthwith, to visit him, and, in case of his
decease, to settle his estate.
This unexpected occurrence
�2443
induced her to change her design, as her presence seemed
to be necessary at t hi s place; to watch over the interests
of the kingdom, and counteract any evil that might spring
up in consequence of this irregular step of the king.
We
continued to hear for a day or two of the obstinate p e r
severance of the youth in his wayward course, and at last
the he had got possession of the female, and had trampled
on his own laws as well as the laws of God.
Kaahumanu
was greatly distressed, and ceased not to f o l l
ow h i m with
entreaties and advice; but he gave no heed to her faithful
warnings and affectionate counsels, but thrust her from
him in a very unbecoming manner, to follow a harlot.
He
seemed to be trying his utmost, to undo all he had before
done to promote the cause of religion morality and good
order, and to raise a party to take an opposite course.
But
he found more to contend against than he. had been aware of.
Many among his personal attendants were too firmly fixed in
Christian principles to be turned by him; and he found in
one of them at least, a faithful & wise reprover. John Ii
took him aside from his attendants, at a time when matters
seeded to be at their worst, and reasoned with him fa ith
fully and affectionately, and made such an appeal to his
conscience as was irresistible.
He kneeled down, and p r e
vailed upon the king to kneel down wit h him, and both of
them pr ayed, the king confessing his sin with apparent emotion
He then went back to the company he had left and addressed
them solemnly on the course some of them were taking , and
warned them
the consequences of pursuing it; and observ
ing the ringleader in sin pouring out ardent spirits to give
the rest, he boldly bid him desist and cease to put the intox
icating draught to the lips of his companions; and he was
obeyed.
The confessions of the king to John Ii, and s ub
sequently to Mr. Bingham are evidence of strong compu n c t i o n s ,
and prove that too much light has shone upon his mind to
allow of his pursuing a sinful course without much internal
struggling and reproof of conscience.
His conduct viewed in
the whole we cannot regard other than very singular and
unaccountable.
Satan seems to have made a most strenuous
effort to ruin the lad, and make use of him to overturn the
cause.
However successful he may have been as to the first,
the cause is safe, and neither wicked men nor devils can
overthrow it.
This the king seems now to be aware of, and
he has professed his astonishment that the cau se was so firm;
for he had supposed that when he declared on the side of sin,
it would have been the overthrow of all order, and the introduc
tion of confusion and evil of every kind.
So infatuated was
he at that time, that he sent a message to Kaahumanu, saying,
that "he had done caring for the kingdom for the law or for
order--what remained would be confusion only."
He now says,
"Powerful exce e lingly is God and powerful too is the truth"—
4
�2444
We were gratified after such a state as he had been in,
to hear h i m make such a declaration; and we rejoice too
that his heart is in the hand of the Lord, and we do
n o t cease to pray that he would turn it to himself and
make him a rich trophy of sovereign grace.
There is at present more attention than usual to
the subject of religion, and within a few months the number
of serious inquirers has considerably increased.
The Lord
we trust is still carrying on his work, and though Satan
opposes, we are assured that the gates of hell will not prevail.
N. B. What notice soever y ou may think best to take of any
thing contained in this letter, I would recommend that nothing
be disclosed respecting the conduct of the king, which may
be made use of by our enemies to prejudice his m a jesty against
us, should it ever come back to the islands in print.
I
have alluded to the notice received at Oahu, of Naihe's
dangerous illness;
he died at Kaawaloa about the time the
tidings were communicated here of his sickness.
His death
was unexpected, he had been ill only about a fortnight, and
was not considered dangerou s till two days before his d e a t h .
T he nation has sustained a great loss in the decease of
this chief, who was one of its firmest supports.
A n other o f its pillars is shaken,
Kaikioewa the
Governor of Kauai, who is affected with a malady which i n
capacitates him for any business of the nation, and renders
his life precarious.
The health of the different members of the Mission
is as good as usual.
My own health is better than it was two
years ago; and I hope by the blessing of God to be able to
attend to all the duties of the Secular department as Ihave
hitherto been enabled to d o . I have now removed into the
permanent house wh i c h I have been building for a depository
and dwelling for the Secular agent.
Desiring very affectionate rememberance to
all your honored helpers & associates.
I am yours, most
truly,
Levi C hamberlain
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Asst Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston U. S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Sep. 11, 1832
Ansd Dec 22
forwarded by Russel & Co
Canton
�2445
68 Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Third XXVII
160
I Jeremiah Martin do solemnly declare that on
Saturday the 1st of Oc tober instant at about 11 oclock before
noon while I was at the pond washing my clothes back of the
village of Honolulu, after returning from a voyage to the
Spanish Main, I was suddenly slapped on the back by David
Owen and another person whose name I do not know, who said,
c ome here Capt. Charlton and Capt. Hinckley want to see you
down to the store.
I asked, "What for?"
He said "they had
a bill against me from M r . B ishop about building the wall
of his house."
When I came to Cap. Hinckley's store, I
found Mr. Charlton, Cap. Hinckley, Mr. Jones, Mr. F rench
Mr Peirce and a house full of others among whom was the King
and Kaikioewa.
As I came In Mr. Charlton says, "Here's the man
who worked for 'im; isn't your name Jerry Martin?"
I said,
"Yes'” --Wel l here's a bill against you for a hundred & ninety
dollars from Mr. Bishop."
I said I don't know Sir, I can't
owe hi m s o much.
He said, "Here 'tis"; and so he read off
the articles one by one.
This took m e all aback and made me
feel afraid.
They then asked m e , if I had received those
things from him.
I said, Y e s Sir; Well says he, Will you just
sign this paper to say that you have had them, for if you
don't, we don' t know what will be done to you.
I said I
wasn't owing him so much, and Mr. Chamberlain told me yester
day It was only 17 dollars
a half.
0, they said, This is
only the articles y o u received, we don't want you to own that
y o u owe it all to him.
They then read on, and asked, "Did you
have this."
Yes Sir, and this, Yes Sir, Well did you have some
gin of him, No S ir, we boug ht the gin and he gave an order
to the China-man to pay for it. Well Mr. Charlton said, that's
all the same and here " tis on the bill, 2 gallons of gin $ 6.00
Mr French, did y o u have the conscience to ask Mr. Bishop $ 3 a
gallon for gin half water?"
Mr. French said he knew nothing
about it, he was in Canton at the time, and his China-man sold
it.
Mr. Jones or Mr. Charlton says to me, Don't be afraid you
had better sign, it is nothing that will hurt you.
So I sign
ed it.
I did not read the paper, I do not know what was in
it, only they said it was acknowledging the bill that it was
a true one.
Mr. Charlton said "the missionaries had stopped
the grog shops a n d now they were selling grog themselves." I
asked them what they were going to do with the paper, they said
It was going to be sent to America.
I asked for what, I hoped
they were not going to send me to America with it:
There w as
a great many other things said, about the prices of the bill,
and that the missionaries h a d no business to sell any cloth or
merchandise; but pay in money for work.
There were some glasses
charged to me on the b ill; and they asked me if they were glass
es of rum.
I said no Sir, they were little looking glasses.
I do not know how they came by the bill; I never saw it before,
but they made me think Mr. Bishop sent it down to them to
collect, and that they only wanted me to say that the bill was
a correct one.
Subscribed by my own hand
signed
Jeremiah Martin
Kailua Octr 27 1831
�2446
6 8 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XX V II
Kailua Octr 27th 1831
We do solemnly declare that Mr. Bishop never
sold us any gin or spirits of any kind either when we were at
work on his house or at any other time:
and that the charges
contained i n Mr. Bishop's bill against us of 2 gallons of gin
and also one gallon and a half of rum, were made in consequ
ence of his giving an order to the China-man for the liquor
whic h we had purchased and that it was given at our request
and on condition that it should be served out to us by
the glass one a day to each.
(signed)
Francis Davis
Jeremiah Martin
Kailua Octr 27,
1831
"Dear brother
I have given you a peep behind the curtain and you
are at liberty to make what use you please of it.
There is
only one thing more that remains to be explained, and that
Is how the Consuls came by the bill of articles which I paid
to the stone masons.
I never made out but one copy of the
account as it stands on my book, and that I gave to D a v i s
when I returned from Oah u in the winter of 1829.
He says he
afterwards took it down to the store to get Munn, then a clerk
there, to l o ok it over and see if the account was correct, that
he left it there having forgotten it, and when he afterwards
searched for it he could not find it, the rest remains a
mystery.”
Y ours affect
A B ishop"
Honolulu Feby 18th 1832
Respected & very Dear S ir,
The reason of my transmitting the above state
ment will be explained by my transcribing part of a letter from
Mr. Bishop dated Decr 24th 1831— " I thank you for the kind in
terest you have taken in the Rum business, and what you have
done meets my entire approbation.
Y o u wish to know of me
whether you had better send a copy of Martins statement to the
Board.
I agree with you in the doubt whether his statement can
be relied on.
I have no confidence in its entire veracity,
tho' I think it may be substantially correct.
I had heard
that W m . B a cle said he told him the glasses charged were
glasses of rum; but Martin roundly denies it, and says, he
told Mr . Charlton they were looking glasses.
He supposes it
very probable that the paper they compelled him to sign c o n
tained a statement that they were glasses of rum.
As an
�2447
antedote to the poison of that statement it may be well
enough to send home a copy: for tho' the accuracy may in
itself be questionable, yet it is as good as the other and
was made of his own free offer an dwas taken down from his
mouth and afterwards read to hi m . ” -----In haste y ours very truly
Levi Chamberlain
P.S.
The statement represents Mr. Jones to have been present
at the time the inquiries were made of all, and taken a
part in the affair, but in an interview with him upon the sub
ject he denied h a v i n g taken any interest or part in the
transaction.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Aug 10 1832
Ackd Dec 22
M r . Bishop's affair
postmark Salem Ms
Aug 8
Jeremiah Everts Esq
Cor Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Missy Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�2448
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
1611/2
Honolulu,
October
16th,
1832
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
V ery dear Sir,
It will be expected of me
that I write to the Board on a subject suggested i n your
letter to the mission received by the last reinforcement;
namely, Whether it be practicable in the Sandwich Islands,
to substitute the salary instead of the common stock system
in the support of the missionars of the Board located there.
It is easy to suppose a case; in which a salary
would be far preferable to a common stock system.
Were I to
suppose a case, it would be somewhat like that of a missionary,
who should be located in Boston, where every convenience and
every comfort is at hand, and nothing is needed but money to
put the individual in possession of every desirable thing in
the way of s u p p o r t . I might also suppose a missionary less
favorably situated for supplying himself with the necessaries
and c o n v e n i e n c e s of life, and at the same time decide in favor
of a s a l a r y . It is exceedingly agreeable to the mind to be
independent, and to be master of ones means of support; and
as a general thing it is best to be thus independent of
others.
Y o u will doubtless receive communications from
some of our number in which such a feeling will be expressed.
Y ou say "The question has now a l o n g time been
before the Committee whether economy would not be promoted
in t h e conducting of missions among the heathen by establish
ing fixed salaries instead of the common stock system."
The principle of economy seems to be the one in
which the system is to turn: if so, it is only necessary to d e
cide, whether in regard to this mission, one be more economical
than the other to determine on which side to give the p r e
ference.
I shall endeavor in this communication to direct your
attention to that point, and with all the clearness I am
able to lay the subject before you.
In order to open a way to understand the subject,
it will be necessary to advert to the circumstances of the
different stations in these islands, the wants of the stations
and means of supply.
The advantages of the station at Kauai for
supporting itself are considerable.
They consist in the
privilege of occupying & cultivating land, of pasturing
cattle and herds of goats, and disposing of produce as
opportunities are afforded; from which much support may be
derived to the station, and something rendered to the mission
�2449
for general use.
Fourteen barrels of very excellent m olass
es, and three or four good hogs have been forwarded from
that quarter for general use during the year past.
But
opportunities for obtaining foreign supplies are not of
frequent occurrence.
For these the missionaries must be
dependent on Honolulu.
As lands and privileges are held at
the will of the chiefs, and may be taken aw ay at pleasure
or in consequence of the death the chief who granted them,
may pass into other hands, the missionaries regard such
advantages as very precarious; and they are not willing to
rely upon them for support, to the relinquishment of a claim
upon the B o a r d # ; but while these privileges are continued,
they are w i l l i n g to make use of them to the pecu nia ry advant
age of the Board, and the lessening of the general expenditure
of the mission.
It would not be easy to fix upon a salary
for the missionaries at this 'station, which would secure a
smaller e xpe nd i t u r e from the funds of the Board than is secured
by the present, system.
Honolulu has the advantage of being the principal
part of the islands, of being the metropolis of the nation
and most frequented by vessels, w h e r e is set forth for sale,
more of the commodities of other countries that at all other
places in the islands besides.
But though the stores contain
m a n y of the articles which are needed for the comfort of the
families, and which are requisite for carrying on the work
of building houses, yet many things cannot be obtained, or
not in sufficient quantities or only at an exorbitant price.
Besides, for such things as can be obtained in sufficient
quantities the prices are generally double what the same things
are sold for in America, somethimes thrible, and many small
things quadruple.
Native produce however c a n be obtained in
sufficient abundance; but generally n ot as advantageously
as in other places of the islands.
W aialua Station will be entirely dependent on
Honolulu for foreign supplies; but possesses good advantages
for native supplies, which can be purchased to a g r e a t extent
with native books.
Lahaina is much frequented two seasons of the
year by whaling ships; but very few of them bring such articles
as the families need, - however, by having access to all the
ships and at the same time enjoying the privilege of sending
to Honolulu, the families located there might be supplied
with foreign commodities.
Wailuku on Maui and the station at M olukai must
be dependent on Lahaina and Oahu Native produce at all these
stations is abundant; but cash would not be the most economical
medium.
This remark fully applies to all the stations in
the islands.
A few whaling ships touch in Kealakekua bay;
but as no considerable amount of supplies could at any time, be
#In this sentiment I have particular reference to Mr. Whitney,
Mr Gulick not having expressed his opinion to me on the subject.
�2450
procured from them, either for the families at Kailua or K a a w a l oa)--and W aimea is too remote to be benefitted by the shipping:
The families at this station must be entirely dependent on
Honolulu for foreign supplies. —
At Hilo several whaling ships stop semiannually
and afford advantages for procuring foreign articles, beyond
what are enjoyed at Kaawaloa; but not equal to what are e n
joyed at Lahaina.
Native productions can be obtained in
abundance, and the advantage is possessed of having gardens,
in w h i ch m any things may be raised for the comfort of the
families located there.
At no places in the islands are there stores or
ware houses, in which there is any thing like an assortment
of foreign goods to be found; except at Honolulu.
It is clear
then that the stations, whatever system should be adopted
for our support, must depend almost entirely upon Honolulu
for foreign articles, either to be purchased there, or fur nis h
ed from a deposit supplied by the Board.
It is obvious that the wants of the stations are
many, and that a m a jority of these wants are of a kind which
must if supplied at all, be from a foreign source.
Much that
is needed to carry on building is of this kind. Flour, sugar,
rice, coffee &c untensils, furniture, clothing, and almost
every kind of manufactured article needed in a family, must
be obtained from abroad, or what is the same thing, be man
ufacture here by foreigners.
The question returns, in what way can these wants
be supplied with the least expense to the Board.
If the Board
give their missionaries a salary, they will be disposed to fix
on a sum whi ch will be likely to be a sufficient support; u n
less they adopt the plan of some missions of giving a partial
support, and allowing their missionaries to make up the
deficiency, by entering into trade or attending so much to
secular business as to secure a full support.
It is granted that each family must have a comfort
able dwelling, furniture, apparel, and table supplies.
If
the salary is in money, it is supposed that advantages are posseessed at each station, or at least, in the islands, of p ro
curing all things needful.
But it has b e e n shown, that very
few of the families possess these advantages, particularly in
relation to foreign articles.
Dwellings there are none which we can hire, that
would accommodate any of our families; - as a matter of
course then, they must be built by ourselves, and at the e x
pense of the mission, or, at the expense of particular families,
if habitations are to be included in the salary.
Before I make any further remarks respecting
a salary system, I will state as well as I am able in what
manner bur common stock system is now conducted.
�2451
When supplies are received from America they are
taken into the depository; and every individual of the
mission is regarded as having an interest in them according
to his n e c e s s i t i e s ,--our regulations being founded on the well
known and established principles of the Board constituting
the common stock.
Private donations, however, are to be enjoy
ed by the i n d i v i d u a l s receiving them, as implied in the
following resolution of the Mission.
"That we make a distinction between such private
presents as are made by relatives and particular friends
in America,- and those donations which are made at the islands,
or are by strangers sent to us as missionaries of the Board
the latter to be placed precisely on the same ground with
assignments from the depository, the former to be placed e n
tirely at the discretion of the individual receiving them, e x
cept that they be mentioned summarily in the annual account
of the station."
The plan of division which I have adopted for
my own regulation is much as follows: and I believe it has
given general satisfaction.
Flour, rice, coffee, sugar and such like articles
of consumption, are divided according to the number of adults,
in regard to some of the articles, making an allowance for
children.
If the quantity of any one of the kinds is large,
an entire division is not made, but a part of the supply is
allowed to remain in the depository, to meet future wants and
exigencies: and. this has been found a good arrangement for
our stations are subject to many changes.
As the wants of
the families in regard to salt provisions are various, these
are given out according to wants, and not according to an
exact division; in consequence of which we have on hand at
the present time a pretty large quantity.
Kitchen and table
furniture are furnished as applications are made for them or
according to the known wants of the families.
Small articlesas pins, needles, thread, tape, scissors and all articles
of this kind, are divided equally among the ladies:-so in g e n
eral, are spices--also stockings, handkerchiefs, prints &c
su i table for the ladies & children of the Mission, unless a
pretty large quantity of any particular articles has been
received, then a reserve is made of the redundant article.
But factory cottons, and all articles sent out for trade, hard
ware, and all articles for building are retained in the
depository till they are called for by those who most need them
Wearing apparel, shoes, and all articles of stationery are
given out according to the needs of individuals.
Slates are
divided according to the scheme made out for apportioning
native books; in which no reference is had to the number of
families at the stations, nor to pecuniary wants; but to the
number of learners which came under the superintendence of
the respective stations.
The principle of division is, as a present arrange
�2452
ment, as follows:
K aua i .....
Oah u........
Maui, Molokai
& Lanai.....
Kailua......
Kaawaloa....
Waimea......
Hilo.........
..6/40 ths
7 1/2 /40 "
..91/2 / 40 "
3 1/2/40 "
4 1/2/40 "
4/40 "
5/40 "
Here it may be proper to make a few remarks
respecting the disposal of native books and the use made
of them; but as a separate communication is to be written
respecting this department of our work, I shall not be
very particular, It is an important object with us to get
into circulation, as extensively as possible, all the
productions of our presses issued in the native language.
And as a gratuitous disposal of them, is not, in general, the
best method, we contrive to find some way to get them into
the hands of the people for a compensation.
Much then, in the
way of support at every station may reasonably be supposed to
arise from the disposal of books.
Assistance, however, derived
in this way, is not always of the most valued kind; though
taken in the whole, it is not without its advantages to the
cause. W e encourage natives to work upon our premises and to
make improvements upon and within our enclosures, which we
should not feel justified in doing, were we obliged to pay for
the same any article but books. We often purchase articles that
we do not want, because they are brought to us as the means
to procure books. W hen such things as we want are brought
along for this kind of pay, we purchase them and feel that in
the exchange there is a twofold advantage. At many of the
stations books are found to answer most of the purposes of
a circulating medium between the missionaries and natives;
of course they are made an important article of support at
the stations where they can be thus advantageously employed.
It is not true of all the stations that native books take
the place of all other articles of trade, and it is not true
of any that other kinds are never required.
As it respects
permanent buildings, it is not found that they can be carried
on at any of the stations exclusively with native books, and not
without many foreign articles and an expanse which bocks can
not defray.
To return to the depository.
Some things are,
and must, to a great extent, be permanently held in common
for the advantage of particular stations or of the whole
mission; for instance--store houses, the printing establish
ment, the privilege of three months use of the Missionary
Packet--vehicles as carts & wagons, draft or saddle horses,
working cattle, herds of cattle, goats &c.
Included in our present common stock system
are avails of native books, avails of services, avails of lan d
granted by the chiefs and donations at the islands both from
�2453
natives and foreigners.
Native presents consist of vegetables,
fruit, fish, poultry, pieces of fresh meat, live hogs, sheep
& goats; native kapa, mats and sometimes foreign articles of
clothing.
P re s e n t s from foreigners are various; but of late
years they have not been made to a large amount.
For the
value of the above advantages and the proportions for the
several stations, I must refer you to the annual accounts
of the mission now in the hands of the Treasurer.
The manner in which accounts are kept is next
to be shown; but here I shall not be very p a r t i cu lar .
Each station is made debtor for whatever its
particular members receive from the depository, and for every
thing of a general nature from the same source.
It is also
made debtor for presents received at the station, avails of
land income of every kind and avails of books.
All these
items added together constitute the annual expense of the
station, without substracting any thing for what m a y remain
on hand unapplied.
It will be seen that the charges are of
two kin ds-positive, as those made for articles from the
depository; and n o m i n a l , as those for presents & c . One is
actual expense to the Board, the other is not.
There are a number of general charges to be found
in every annual account of the expenditures of the mission.
The accounts which embrace these are kept distinct from those
of the stations.
There are the Depository, including cost
of carts, b u ildings for store houses & c ; the Printing & Medical
Departments; Missionary propriety be assigned to a particular
account.
I keep no other account of supplies from America
wh e n they are received than the invoices of them;--they are
charged w he n they are given out.
I cannot therefore tell by
my books how much remains on hand.
I can get at this only
by taking a particular account of articles.
This however
does not apply to cash, that is entered in the cash book as
soon as i t is received, to be minutely accounted for.
Articles
purchased here are treated in the same manner.
The accounts for the printing department are
kept with much particularity.
The d e b t o r side shows cost of
materials; expense laid out on buildings, and all the expenses
of carrying on the wo r k of the office--as composition, press
work, folding, stitching, binding & c . The creditor side
shows the avails of books according to all the different ways
in which they may have been disposed of, also whatever may
have been received for job work.
As the accounts for the
different stations are kept distinct, it is easy to see how
much advantage is estimated to arise from books at each station.
The stations, it should be mentioned, are not made debtor to
the books assigned to them, until they are disposed of, and
the avails in some way realized, either to the station or the
mission; and then the amount is passed to the credit of the
*Packet and such other general things as cannot with convenience
or
�2454
department.
By looking at my last annual account transmitted
to M r. Hill, you will probably get a better idea of the manner
the accounts are kept, than you will gain by all I have written
on the subject.
If the common stock system is abandoned and the
salary system adopted, the method of support must be one
of the following.
1st. The present agency must exist, and each family
must made known its wants to the secular agent; and he must
meet them in the best way he can.
The amount which each may
draw will be fixed; and it will either include building m a t
erials or not, as may have been the decision of the mission or
of the Board.
2nd
The application for supplies may be made d i
rectly to the Board by each family to a certain amount, to
consist of money, provisions, furniture, apparel &c to be put
up specially for and forwarded directly to the family so
applying.
In this case there will need to be a special agent
in America.
If a salary system is adopted, great difficulty will
be experienced in fixing the amount of support which each
family may draw from the funds of the Board.
One family has
a grant of land which may be made productive, another resides
in the neighborhood of, or is connected with friendly chiefs,
who are disposed to afford assistance in the way of support.
At one station much greater advantage is derived from the
disposal of books, than at another; and at all, it is very
difficult to determine the exact amount of benefit derived from
that source.
Very many books may be turned to the advantage
of a station, and for the benefit of the cause, by getting
books into circulation; and yet the particular expenses of
the families not be diminished.
I can illustrate what I
mean by an example.
I need a fence to surround my house.
The
natives will build one for books--Ten rods square or less will
answer my purpose; but because I can get it made for books,
and I wish to furnish the natives with them, I get a fence
made thirty rods square, and set out in a certain part of it
shade trees, for the same reason: but this expense
in books
adds to the expenses of the station, and my own family e x
penses are not lessened.
This is a mere supposition, but it
answers the purpose of an illustration.
In addition to the above difficulties there are
others, which arise from the receipt of presents;
S ome r e
ceive and some do not; still no family can so certainly rely
upon receiving presents from America, or from any other
quarters, as to feel it safe to lessen the annual stipend
from such an expectation.
At some stations presents are
sometimes made by visitants:
at other stations none are ever
made.
In the common stock system all advantages whatever, though
enjoyed by the individuals who are the immediate subjects of
them", go to lessen the sum total of the expenses of the mission.
�2455
Supposing all the difficulties overcome in the
way of settling upon a salary--and supposing the amount
f i x e d now with respect to the first method of executing
the plan, many difficulties exist.
Each family must make
known its wants to the secular agent.
Money will not,
probably, to a great extent, be the article applied for;
but provisions, and other necessaries for the support of the
families, and for carrying on the business of the mission.
The agent, if he have them not on hand as previously sent
out from America, most purchase them here, if they can be
obtained.
And he must, as a part of the plan, make provision
to have at his disposal an assortment of all such articles as
are needed in the mission; which he must send to the Board
for, or obtain in other ways, as he may be able.
If the articles
needed are on h a n d , they will probably be of different qualities
and different prices, an d it w i l l not be easy to fix the
prices so as to fit the salary, and at the same time to give
satisfaction to all concerned.
If the articles must be p u r
chased here, who must be the looser in consequence of the
advanced cost?
If the family thus under the necessity of
purchasing,--is there not the appearance of injustice: - if
the Board- where is the economy?
If the agent send to the
Board for supplies in anticipation of the want of the mission
as he does now, some of the articles wh e n received, may not
be a pplied for; and a division of them among the families,
instead of the articles desired, will not be likely to give
general satisfaction.
Again, some of the articles ordered may not be
shipped from America in season to reach here to meet the wants,
when most pressing, or not in sufficient quantities for all.
The duties of the agent herein will be rendered very difficult
and besides no economy of means secured.
With r e g a r d to the second method, namely, a p p l ica
tion directly to the Board, I have a few remarks to make.
Suppose that each family should make out its
list complete at one time, to be sent by the same conveyance;
which can hardly be expected, and that the memorandum of wants
should reach Boston in the spring.
The memorandum would be
put into the hand of an agent to fill out.
Now supposing the
list of each family accomplished, the articles all packed and
addressed, it would be found that a large shipment had been
collected.
The next thing is to secure the articles a c on
veyance.
They cannot all be sent by one vessel, perhaps not
all sent that season.
What is to be done with the supplies
that remain?
what are the families to do to w h o m none are
sent, or only a part of what was written for?
When they arrive
at the islands, what is the agent to do, but to send the
packages received to the families to w h o m they are addressed.
The destitute families must either purchase here, if they
can, or the families who are supplied must divide with them
and this would be found no easy thing, when some families are
�2456
three hundred miles or more apart from others, and the
stations
n five different islands.
Another plan I think of is a union of the two
just mentioned, combining the, advantages and disadvantages
of both, and whic h will probably be chosen, if the salary
system should be adopted.
Some thoughts naturally suggest themselves, when
looking at the subject of salaries, and this inquiry arises.
H ow wi l l a salary affect the future condition of the individ
ual receiving it?
Suppose for example, I receive a salary of
$500 per annum, for myself and wife, and an additional amount
for my children, shall I do right by saving and the most rigid
economy to try to lay up a small portion annually out of my
stipend for a future exigency, for the education of my children
or their future use?
If some advantage falls to me on mission
ary ground, as of presents from America or some other quarter
or perhaps of something else, may I, without transgressing any
rule, e ither of honesty or propriety, enjoy it, without r e l i n
quishing any part of the sum I should otherwise receive from
the Board?--thus drawing money to lay up for future use.
If
not, the salary must be constantly varying.
If all, over and
above as support, is to be refunded, How does the system differ
materially in effect from a common s tock?— Again, am I by r e
ceiving a salary placed in such a relation to the Board that
I have no claim upon them for help, if disabled and obliged
to return to my native land?
Perhaps I need not ask this
question; but the querey arose, If I may lay up any part of my
salary, ought I not t o apply it according to its design--a future
exigency;— unless the saving be appropriated exclusively to the
benefit of children.
Another subject for consideration offers itself
in the article of dwellings & accommodations.
This I have
just alluded to, but it deserves some further attention.
Thirteen families are accommodated with what we may call p e r
manent dwellings.
Now considering the whole number of mission
aries for these islands to be fifty one#, we are equal to
2 5 1/2 f a m i l i e s . There are then 12 families for whom better
accommodations must b e provided than simple grass houses,
w h i c h are the kind of dwellings they now occupy, excepting the
family which occupies the house of Mr. Ellis, now going
to decay.
All our houses are the property of the mission,
as are also all the improvements made upon our premises.
There would d o u b t l ess continue the property of the Board should
the manner of our receiving support be changed.
And it would
seem desirable that all the houses that may hereafter be erected
should be owned in the same manner:--if so, provision must
be made independent of the s a l a r y for dwelling houses.
This
might be done as a general expenditure according to the present
manner of supporting the Printing and Medical departments; or
by allowing each family to draw for a specified amount for
that particular object.
Another difficulty occurs to my mind as an objection
to a change of system, though not an insermountable one.
It is
#Six now assigned for
the Marquesas
left out
�2457
in the fact that, families of the mission are not infrequent
ly obliged to leave their appropriate station for a season
to reside at some other.
This occurs very frequently with
regard to the physicians.
If the families cannot apply to
depository in this exigency this moving about will occasion
inconvenience,
if nothing more;
Our general meetings will
be a serious tax upon the station where it is held, or the
members of the mission must carry their supplies with them;
which would In general be very inconvenient.
At our last
general meeting held at this place, I supplied no less than
five families with the means of keeping house out of the d e
pository; and besides this, eight individuals together with
all the families of the reinforcement were cast upon the
families of this station.
The support of all these for a
month or more, out of the salaries of this station, would have
been an inconvenience of no trifling importance.
An allow
ance it i s true might be made for general objects; but it is
far from being clear to me that the Board would make a saving
in expense.
There are a number of families in t h e mission in
favor of a salary, and I should rejoice if they might be
gratified in their wishes without placing the mission in
general in less favorable circumstances in regard to support,
and subjecting the Board to a greater expense than they are
now at in carrying on missionary operations in these islands.
I will say further, that I am so far from being
an enemy to salaries, that I shall be altogether in favor of
them so soon as I shall be satisfied that the expenditures of
the mission will be lessened, and the convenience of the
families promoted by the adoption of that system.
Y o u w i l l p e r c e i v e by the m i n u t e s of our last
G e n e r a l M e e t i n g , w h i c h w i l l be f o r w a r d e d to y o u b y this c o n
v e y a n c e , t h a t t h e s u b j e c t is n o t d i s m i s s e d .
We shall still
k e e p a n e y e u p o n it; a n d I s h o u l d b e g l a d to h a v e e a c h f a m i l y
so a t t e n d t o it, a s to be a b l e t o m a k e o u t a s t a t e m e n t of its
w a n t s e m b r a c i n g the a m o u n t of i ts a n n u a l s t i p e n d .
I say, I shall be in favor of a salary, if the
giving of one will tend to lessen the expenses of the Board,
and will not expose us to the temptation of laying up p r o p e r
ty, or awaken a selfish spirit.
I do not consider the common stock system calculated,
as some do, to close the sources of benevolent feeling; but if
acted upon as it ought to be, it promotes the contrary.
I
think it opens the way for the exercise of a benevolence
as expansive as that of the Board in the purpose and effort to
bring the whole human family under the influence of the
Gospel--not to be seen of men but to do good and glorify God.
I just referred to the practice of some missions
giving a partial support to their missionaries and allowing
them to do something to help themselves.
This is I believe
true with regard to the missionaries at the Society Islands,
but to what extent they are expected to go in order to make
out their support, whether they are limited as to the ac qui si
tion of property, and what effect this system has upon the
character of the missionaries or upon the missionary cause, I am
�2458
not able to state.
Or whether it has a worse tendency
upon the character to save for the society which supports us,
or for ones private advantage, is a question I cannot answer
from the effects in an experiment of both; but exercising
my own judgement upon it, I should conclude that saving for
ones personal advantage would have far the worse effect.
I should wish very thoroughly to consider the
subject before I should be willing to adopt a system that
should include in it the necessity of a missionary's devoting
part of his time or any considerable of his attention to se
cular engagements for a support, especially if it should
admit the acquisition of property for future exigencies.
I will not say it were better not to attempt to
carry on missions, than to take them up on such a plan.
It
is certain that missionaries of the right stamp will be
disposed to give as little attention as possible to every
kind of business not connected with making known the Gospel
of salvation; and if they have sacrificed pecuniary advantages
in their own country, for the sake of carrying the Gospel to
the heathen, they will not, for trifling advantages of the
same kind, sacrifice the cause of Christ in heathen lands.
Still I am in favor of a full support.
The apostles did not
think it meet to leave the word of God and serve tables; and
I am very sure that it is not desirable that a missionary should
have his mind distracted with cares as to wha t he shall eat,
or how he shall be supported.
It is moreover to many a great
snare, to be placed in a lucrative situation, where by some
exertion, property may be brought into ones possession.
It
is natural for mankind to desire to possess a competency of
the good things of this life, and to be placed above the
reach of want, and to provide too for ones household.
Great
grace would be needed, if a system should be adopted granting
the privilege of acquiring something on missionary ground of
the nature of private property.
One subject more remains t o be noticed which in
my view has a connexion with the manner of our support--this is,
provision for the future wants of children.
Y o u are aware
that great solicitude is felt by the parents in general of
this mission,, respecting their offspring.
The missionaries
in Ceylon have taken up the subject, and have given utterence
to their feelings in language which has secured them a hearing.
Their statements do indeed represent
the prospects of their
children as very dark.
The missionaries in these islands
have feelings very strongly excited in regard to their c hi ld
ren, whose prospects are very little if any brighter than
those of their brethren in Ceylon. It will not be strange
then if there should be found parents here, who would feel
it a privilege to be able to improve all the advantages they
may possess to lay up something for their c h i idren;--both
that they may have the means of paying their passage to
America, if a gratuitous one could not be provided; but to
defray expenses which might arise for their support and edu ca
�2459
tion there.
The common stock s y s t e m , as conducted by this
mission, preludes making any provision at all for the ch i l d
ren, except as a present support:
W e do not even assign in any
systematic way articles of the depository to them.
They do
indeed get a support because they share w ith their parents
in whatever com e s * ha nd.
Perhaps it is the expectation of the Board that
their missionaries, in being s upported with a salary fixed
in its amount, will manage their pecuniary concerns more
economically than they do now, and with the same or a less
amount from the general funds, be able to make a provision
for their children, that will in some sense be satisfactory.
It is conjectured by one at least of our number, but this
is the intention of the Board in proposing a salary.
I am not able to say what an effect such a principle
if adopted as a rule of practice, will have upon the point
in question, economy on the conducting of missions among the
heathen:
But I should depreciate the necessity of adopting
a principle which should sanction the acquiring in any degree of
personal property on heathen ground.
I will now leave the subject, which you will
perceive is a difficult one, begging pardon for haveing
trespassed so long on your time; and praying that you and
your beloved associates may be indued with heavenly wisdom and
much of the unction of the Holy Spirit? I subscribe myself
your very affectionate friend and servant in our Lord Jesus
Christ-Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
August 16, 1833
on salaries
Ackd in Gen Let April 11
�2460
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
162
Honolulu December 19th 1832
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
B oston
Very Dear Sir,
For about a month past the attention of the
brethren at this station or a committee of the mission has been
much occupied in considering the expediency of establishing
forthwith a mission at the Washington islands; and the subject
has also received the consideration of all the brethren a t
the windward except Hilo.
The result of the deliberations is
expressed in the following vote passed this morning by the
brethren at this station.
’’Having heard the report of the deputation a p
pointed to confer with ou r brethren at the windward and c o n
sidered the obstacles to an immediate establishment of a m i s
sion to the Washington islands as expressed in the minutes
of their proceedings,
Resolved that it is the opinion of this committee
that the subject should be posponed till further light is
thrown upon it, or till a general meeting of a mission shall
resume it."
A letter embracing a full account of our proc ee d
ing in reference to the subject will be written as soon
convenient; from which you will learn what obstacles exist
in the way of an immediate establishment of the mission,
and you will be able to judge whether the reasons for a
postponement are sufficient.
You are also referred for some general informa
tion to a letter of Mr . Armstrong written before the within
resolution was adopted.
I am Sir
with much respect & affection
Your friend & servt.
Levi Chamberlain
Scribe of the Committee
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
May 4, 1833
Write to Washington Islands
Ackd May 14, 1833 by
of Valparaiso
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Asst Sec. of A.B . C .F.M.
postmark New Bedford Ms
May 1
Rooms
Boston U..
A
S
Missionary
�2461
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
163
Honolulu March 26th 1833
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Very dear Sir,
It is very natural that the
patrons and friends of mission should desire to receive e n
couraging accounts from their missionaries and stations, and
that your missionaries in heathen lands should feel a strong
desire to gratify you as well as themselves in this respect.
The general character of our statements has hitherto been
to represent our work prosperous
incouraging altogether w i t h
out a parallel in the history of missions.
The length and
breadth of what we have done or what has been done, have been
spread out and filled up with bright views of improvement &
order & the foundation laid of a broad superstructure, d e s t i n
ed to rise a monument of what the grace of God is able to
effect in a short time upon a barbarous people, when the means
of salvation are faithfully applied.
There may have been too
much of pride in some of the statements which have been made,
or too much ambition to count number won to virtue from the
p a ths of sin, or territory gained from the dominion of satan;
or too strong a desire to impart intelligence of an encouraging
kind to our patrons, which is known to be eagerly sought by
the Christian community; - or, what is probably still more in
accordance with fact, as it respects some communications,a true picture has been drawn, presenting every striking o b
ject in its most favorable attitude, dressed in pleasing colors
to the eye.
Thus presented the idea has been almost precluded
that a reverse was possible.
It is acknowledged that it is
extremely difficult to make a statement of things that will
not be liable to misapprehension: and it is not intimated
that any thing has ever been written with a design to deceive,
or that might not be defended in the sense intended by the
writer.
Still the community in general entertain by far too
favorable an idea of the condition of the people of these
islands.
Any judge, it is feared, of the nation as a whole,
by partial statements; and do not seem to consider that the
desperate wickedness of the human heart, which has been held
from its natural b i a s for a season, b y the novelty of the
things disclosed as by some powerful charm, may break forth
and show itself in its most malignant forms, and in greater
excess in consequence of its having been checked for a season.
The C h r i s t i a n public h a v i n g been accustomed to p e r u s e encourage
ment only from the Sandwich Islands, are hardly prepared to
read anything else.
I pray most sincerely that there may never
be occasion to write anything from these islands of a charac
ter the reverse of encouragement.
But there are movements
�2462
at the present time at this place particularly, which
indicate that a reverse would not only not be strange, but
that it is a thing to be expected.
It is probably to a
great extent supposed by Christians in the United States
that the return of the Sandwich Islands to heathenism
is a thing impossible.
Perhaps the return of a ll to h e a t h
enism or t o a state as bad is n ot possible; but the return
of great numbers, and even of a majority is not only
impossible; but, if the Lord prevent not, altogether
probable.
We have seen and heard more of heathenism within
a few weeks, than for eight years' p r e v i o u s , and this too in
the highly favored village of Honolulu.
Sports and dances
have been resumed,- gambling and intemperance are witnessed
in the most public places; and it has not been in the power
of Kinau or Gov. Adams to prevent these irregularities.
You will of course understand that the authority of the
king has not been employed to prevent them, and you will then
not be surprised to learn that he is considered a patron of
them.
W e are to learn that our trust must not be in chiefs &
rules but in God only.
The heads of the nation have hitherto
been patrons of learning, good order & religion, and have lent
their aid and employed their authority to promote our cause
to the utmost of their ability.
But the person who possessed
the greatest influence and on whom we most r e l ied f or cooper
ation has been remov e d from t h i s w o r l d . The king who is
but a youth has assumed the reins.
How well qualified he
is to be supreme, to hold right and wrong, life and death
in subjection to his will, and to withhold
dispense favors
at his pleasure, you will be able to judge when you c a r e
fully consider his history.
He has u n iform l y been accessible
by foreigners and his intercourse w i th them has not be
confined to persons of unexceptionable characters.
Persons
of the lowest grade and of morals the most depraved have
enjoyed his society as freely as the polished gentleman or
man of science.
Y ou will not have forgotten what arts have
been employed to prevent the king from coming under the
influence of the word of God, and how he has been seduced to
follow the inclinations of his own heart in the eager p u r
suit, of pleasure.
Y o u will have received an account of his d e p a r t
ure from moral rectitude communicated in letters of last
year.
He could not be prevailed upon by religious , moral
or political motives to forsake his sin; but he has persevered
in it even to the present time against the remonstrances
of all the chiefs of the highest grade except Liliha who is
now his principal adviser.
I am desirous that you should understand the cha racter of the man who is hereafter to be the supreme ruler of
this n a t i o n . What I write is for your information but not
for publication--at any rate, not in the form It is communicat
ed. Our enemies here are constantly on the watch for some
thing to use against us; and as they now stand quite as
fair to be in favor with the king as ourselves, a good deal
of caution will be requisite, particularly as the Missionary
�2463
Herald and other religious publications fall into their
hands.
The Eng. C onsul is one of our m ost bitter en e m ies,
and he entertains an irreconcilable hatred of Mr. Bingham.
Mr . Reynolds is another, the American Consul is not an
exception though his outward conduct is gentlemanly and he
has recently delivered an address in which he has spoken h a n d
somely of the mission; Mr. French one of the principal merchants
cannot be reckoned a friend; and several other names might
be mentioned, to which unfriendly might with equal truth be
applied.
Capt Hinckley is respectful, but any thing which
interfers with the selfish pursuits of men of the world
will very soon occasion a breach.
The Herald o f March 1832
has recently fallen into the hands of the gentlemen here;
and they feel themselves very much wronged by us, to have been
represented as they say they have been in our joint communica
tion, as having combined to oppose the k i n g !
i
Wth h ow much
truth they make the assertion, and how well they can support
it, you can, by reference to the article on page 75, decide as
easily as we.
This publication has excited the rage of a n u m
ber, and of none more than Mr. Charlton
Mr. Reynolds; as
both Mr. Bingham & myself are able to testify, though I have
not time to state particulars.
The British C onsul has threat
ened stoutly respecting any one of us that shall presume to
use his name in any of our comm uni ca tio ns, a sure sign of
guilt & fear of exposure.
I uniformly let the gentlemen know
that we shall state every thing which transpires any way
materially affecting our work, and that we shall not be
scrupulous with respect to mentioning n a m e s . I t is our dutyI say, and we claim it as our privilege also to be particular,
for one of our, weapons of self d e f e n c e is public o pinion.’
Though we think it a necessary piece of self defence to hold
up to our opposers our determination to expose them, if their
proceedings materially interfere w ith our work:
still we are
far from wishing a public exposure to be made of the opposi
tion of any, unless the cause will be essentially subserved
by it. And I request that nothing in this letter implicating
in any w a y any person either foreigner, or native m ay be o f f e r
ed to public view, unless upon mature consideration it shall
be thought wrong to withhold it.
This of course d o e s not
apply to the general information respecting the islands.--It i s not to be expected that men who are pursuing the world
as their chief good, or those who have no fear of G od before
their eyes, will approve of all our measure, or of any, if their
pleasures or gains are likely t o suffer in consequence of
them.
To r e t u r n from this digression:
There was a
time when we supposed the king to be somewhat impressed with
the truth; and there can be no doubt but his understanding
is enlightened.
But we have the fullest e v i d e n c e that his
heart is opposed to the principles of the Gospel.
During
the administration of Kaahumanu he s anctioned laws for the
suppression of g r o g s h o p s & gambling h o u s e s : but his own
example was such a dead weight in the scale of vice, that
the hands of the chiefs who were disposed to carry the laws
into effect, hung down; and the grog shops were kept open,
and intemperance reeled in the streets.
It was then principally
�2464
confined to foreigners: recently however in consequence
of royal patronage, the mania has seized upon the natives.
The king seemed to be f o r a time properly
affected by the death of Kaahumanu; and the responsibilities
of a new statio n appeared to bear with weight upo n his
mind; but his sorrow and concern were of no very long
continuance.
He went t o Maui with a few of his attendants
to avail himself of the advantages of the High School; but
his residence there was short.
On the arrival of the U. S.
Frigate Potomac, he was sent for to come to Oahu.
His inter
course with the officers of that vessel was undoubtedly c o n g e n
ial to his feelings.
And the advice which was poured into
his ears was not calculated to confirm him in respect for the
word of G o d , but to embolden him to cast off its res t r a i n t s ,
both as it respects his own practice & the principles of his
government.
The word of God was by the Commodore himself
declared to be an improper basis of laws for a civil governmentprostitution was alledged to be a necessary evil, and great
lenity proper to be exercised towards those who should be
guilty; and so far was he from using his influence against
the grog shops, those public nuisances, that he expressed
the hope that the man might not be punished who in violation
of the laws*persevered in keeping open a shop; and had en t e r
tained his crew while on shore:
He wished h i m shielded on
account of the service probably he had rendered to his men.
The influence of such teaching as this could not be salutary.
The restraints of the word of God are always
irksome to sinners, and however for a time they may be w i t h
held from practicing according to their own inclinations and
acting out the depravity within, they will eventually break
away from restraint, and follow the native impulse of their
hearts.
And to what an amazing extent of wickedness some
will go, if not arrested by the strong arm of law we need go
back but a few years t o find examples in the Sandwich Islands
to say nothing of other nations in a state of barbarism.
I
suppose there are multitudes in these islands who pant for
liberty to riot in sin, and there are multitudes more that
want only the current to be sat in motion in order to fall into
it and be carried along through the whole length of its course.
Those who desire a lawless course seem to have
had a fair chance for gratifying their wishes.
About two
months ago the king took a freak,--bought a quantity of spirit
uous liquors- drank himself, and encouraged drinking among
his attendants: the glass was circulated freely and many were
importuned and felt constrained to drink against their in
clinations.
Some persons were deprived of their lands, b e
cause they used their influence to stop the spread of the
evil; and these lands were given to persons who take the
lead in s e ducing the people to intemperance, and in reviving
the sports of former times.
The one most active and influen
tial in this business is a man by the name of Kaomi, whose
*had
�2465
father is a Tahitian; he had been once efficient as a teach
er, had twice made the tour of this Island each time in c o m
pany wit h a missionary to establish schools and address the
people on the subject, of salvation; but at the time Boki drew
off a party to drinking rum he forsook us & has ever since
been attached to that party.
He possesses a good deal of
force of character & natural cunning, is well instructed and
understands enough of the G o s p e l to hate its purity & to have
it prove his ruin.
The king has placed great confidence in
him and has given him permission to act much as he pleases
in reviving the sports.
He is supposed to be a principal
tool of Liliha.
The hula (native song & dance) was set on
foot in the king's own house and enclosure. - Liliha is
supposed to be the principal agent in getting up this amuse
ment of the wa kahiko (old time) and in fact as at the bottom
of all the irregularities. Persons acquainted with the art
were sought after and decorated for the performance and
brought before the king to dance and sing for his diversion
and that of his attendants. His company drank and caroused
and spirits were free to all who chose to join themselves
to his party.
For a season the disorder was l imited to the
kings house and yard.
Bu t it was not long confined to such
narrow limits:
it burst out & drunken natives were seen
reeling in the streets, the sound of the hula drum was heard
in one of the most public places: the pahee, ulu maika and
other sports drew great numbers into the streets to witness
or engage in them, and groups of persons were seen gambling
in the most public places without fear.
Restraint seemed
taken away, and every one so f a r as the authority of the
king was concerned, was at liberty to follow his own inclinations.
The games & sports, however, were in Honolulu vicinity confined
to week days, tho threats were uttered by some of the party
of breaking over the sanctity of the Sabbath and coming out
wit h an array of s p o r t s for the express purpose of levelling
the di s t inciton of days; and the threat extended even to the
taking of the life of Kinau, w ho had been acknowledged soon
after the death of Kaahumanu as the protector of the laws and
a sharer with the king in the responsibilities of the govern
ment.
The ancient high priest of the islands was sent for by
the king from his residence on another part of the island,
to join his party, and it was not without reason believed
that it was with a view to the revival of the old system of
idolatry.
But we learn that the old man told the king he
was on the side of the p o n o (the side or right) We do not
know, however, how much the old man's integrity is to be
relied on, and whether he would, be able to withstand very
long the temptation s o f s t r o n g drink, to which he was form er
ly addicted.
Had the irregularities been confined to persons
professedly unfriendly, our hearts would have been less
grieved and our concern for the cause less pungent; but some
who had been our professed friends, and even some who had
subscribed with their hards unto the Lord had not firmness
�2466
to resist the glass when offered; and by drinking in c o m p l i
ance to the wish of the king, gave countenance to his sin
ful course.
And it was a. church member who was the king's
principal agent in purchasing the ardent spirits consumed
during all these irregularities.
The king by a bold stroke seemed about to
overturn every thing connected with the old administration
& ancient usage and to bring things into a state entirely new.
He convened the chiefs and people and made a public declaration,
that he took to himself all the lands which his father had
gained by personal exposure of life; and granted to all other
chiefs the lands which they or their f a t h e r ’s had gained by
a like exposure; he assumed to himself the prerogative of
holding life and death, deciding right & wrong at his sovereign
will;-of making laws & controling the sport. He granted to
Kinau the Stewardship of the kingdom; and the other chiefs
he placed at her command to act in subserviency to her in
accomplishing his own wishes.
This declaration of the king
did not give satisfaction to either p a r t y . The old chiefs
were aggrieved that the laws had been taken out of their
h ands by usurpation, the right of deciding in case of life
& de at h & many other things having been theirs from time
immemorial.
The other party was dissatisfied that Liliha
had not been elevated to the place held by K a a h u m a n u ’s successor
An elevation to which she aspired, and which she probably
supposed was within her grasp.
The hand of God is to be
gratefully acknowledged in disposing the king to recommit
that trust into the hands of Kinau, to wh o m it of right belonged
and it saved the nation probably greater difficulty than can
easily be imagined.
The old chiefs from that time to the present have
been using their utmost ability to prevail upon the king to
abandon the step he has taken in taking the laws out of their
hands, and restore things to the state they were in before.
They have gained some points, but it is doubtful whether they
will gain all, as the king has advisers who are not friendly
to the casue of morality & religion; and w e fear he is by far
more disposed to listen to them than to his true friends and
the true friends of the people.
His advisers are not confined
to his own people.
We have every reason to believe that in
terested foreigners have great influence with him, and not the
least, the Eng. Consul.
It would not be so easy to prove as to
imagine the course this would be thought friend of the king,
is taking with him.
The time for the arrival of ships has now come,
& if those who are disposed to keep order and restrain vice
as far as possible, and who have hitherto executed the laws,
do not feel at liberty to use coersion t o accomplish their
wishes, the ships will be filled wit h prostitutes, & our
quays will present the same disgusting scenes as they did in the
day's when we had to contend with a Percival.
It is said the
king has given into the hands of his m i s t r e s s or rather into
�2467
the hands of her mother the management of that class of his
subjects.
Whether it is expected she will be a patron of
that infamous course & use her influence to make it r e p u t
able as far as possible & increase the number of those who
f o l l o w it, or only receive the emolument arising from the
licenses, is more than I am able to state.
It is very
certain that there has been an increase of late in the n u m
ber of prostitutes.
The picture I have drawn is dark, but it would
be much darker, or rather this side of it, if the whole land
from Hawaii to Kauai were spread out before you.
You would
see in many places, natives who but a little while ago were
numbered as our scholars, now devoted to play, to making
& drinking intoxicationg liquors.
In some places once very
still and orderly you would see confusion and the day of the
Lord violated by the hula.
In the district of W aianae on
this island you w ould find scarce none attending to i n s t r u c
tion and you would find the Sabbath almost entirely disregard
ed, and by some violated by card playing.
Y o u would hear
of idol worship and you would see in cone places the dark clouds
of the w a kahiko rolling back.
But there is a bright side; though some go
back and walk no more with us, there are others, who if a s k
ed.
W ill ye also go a w a y , ’ are ready to say, rTo whom shall
we go? W ith you are the words of eternal life;-you have the
work of God and the salvation of our souls we desire above
all things. ' Though things should grow worse and great d i s
order should fill the land, we shall not feel that our cause
has lost anything.
The Lord knoweth he will thoroughly
purge his floor: not a kernel of the wheat will be lost; it will
all be gathered into the garner.
I have not time nor room here to enlarge on the
pleasing state of things.
The object of this letter has
been to give y o u some account of the unfavorable things that
have sprung up, and to forewarn you that great obstacles and
obstructions may be cast in the way of our work by S atan &
wicked men.
We may be made to experience great trials,
and shall certainly need your most fervent prayers for the
presence of the Lord with us and his little flock.
With effectionate salutations to your fellow
laborers and helpers in every department of your laborious
and responsible work. I am with Christian affection
Y o u r servant in the bonds of the
Gospel
Levi Chamberlain
�2468
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
164
P. S. April
6th 1833
I have filled two sheets, and they
contain much which at first sight wears the appearance
of great discouragement.
But I think it could be made to
appear that all which has taken place was to have been expected
and if things had been, or should hereafter be worse, that
there would be no real occasion for being disheartened.
It is natural that the contributors to the
benevolent object of sending the Gospel to the heathen
should desire to receive animating accounts of success from
those whom they support in heathen lands.
But the motive
for contributing should not be confined to the hope of h e a r
ing that the Gospel has produced an immedia te effect in
transforming the heathen.
The cause of Christ must be
mainly supported by those who labor and contribute purely
out of regard to the authority of the great Head of the
Church, and in obedience to his command, without reference
to present success.
Every effort made from a right motive
will have an effect in bringing about the accomplishment of
the great w ork of the wo rld ' s salvation.
No heart must be
discouraged on account of the difficulties which spring up
at any time in the missionary's course; because the very
success which crow ned first efforts may have excited the rage
of Satan, and raised the storm which beats against him.
These
very obstacles & difficulties, which in the progress of the
work are met with, are a part of the plan of divine providence,
and are as much connected with the final success & triumph
of the cause, and as necessary to it, as any part more
obviously in accordance with the grand result.
Since the first sheets of this letter were written
the aspect of some things has undergone a c h a n g e . The king
has professedly restored tilings to about the state in w hich
they were before the commencement of the present irregularities
The execution of the laws against murder, adultery & theft
he has recommitted to the proper au thority & has given his
sanction to the enforcement of them.
An order has been
proclaimed against the sports in the streets of Honolulu,
though they are allowed to be carried on in other places out of
the village.
This has produced quietness in our neighborhood,
though our hearts have been pained to see numbers going out
upon the plain to engage in them for the purpose of gam b l ing
and pastime.
Wh a t is to be the state of things hereafter it
is impossible to say: for it is not possible to state with
much definiteness what it is now.
It is much easier to
�2469
throw a nation into agitation t h a n to allay it afterwards;
and it will be much more difficult for the chiefs to restrain
those who have set out in an evil course than to have kept
them in check b e f o r e .
W e have abundant occasion to thank God for
the order w hich now prevail s ;--that no obstacles have been
thrown in the way of our disclosing our message to the
fullest extent of our desires; — that the people have not
been forbidden attending on instruction & the means of
grace and that no public and authorised effort has been
made to establish idolatry.
Our congregations on the Sabbath
have been as large as usual: that is, as large as they had
been for a considerable time before the disorders took place.
The congregation at this place had been falling off in n u m
bers for a considerable length of time.
The average- attend
ance for more than a year on Sabbath morning has probably not
exceeded 2 ,000, and in the afternoon it has been much less.
Hoapili has exerted a good influence upon the
king.
He was sent for to come and advise with him, and it
was in consequence of his representations & advice that
the king was induced to restore to the chiefs so many of their
original rights, which he had been disposed to take from
them.
He has now returned to Lahaina, and Kinau holds her
standing.
Things just now wear a more favorable appearance
than they did a month ago.
We hope every thing will settle
down into confirmed quiet; but of this there is no certainty.
The king is surrounded with the same friends and advisers as
before, who will exert an influence ov e r h i m :-his authority
will be more and more regarded, his wishes more and more
consulted, and his influence will constantly increase.
He is
now of age, as his friends say; and he will hereafter have the
principal management of affairs:
everything depends upon
his disposition & the influence w hich shall be exerted over
him.
Since the commencement of the troubles, those whom
we have reason to regard as our true friends and the friends
of good order & religion have been more attentive than or d i n
ary to instruction, and more decided in their adherence to
the word of God.
There are several hundreds of this class.
About a thousand in Honolulu & vicinity learn a verse a day of
the Holy Scriptures and assemble on the Sabbath to recite what
they have committed to memory.
The number is not small who
call at our houses to make known their thoughts, and to e x
press their desires to be united to us in Church fellowship.
The number of adults who attend the Sabbath School has rather
increased lately-the average number of scholars at the pres
ent time is about 150 , and nothing has been lost in the i n
terest of the school.:-- The Sabbath through the whole time
of the irregu larities was a still day in our vicinity,
though we heard of improprieties in other places.
It was
very commendable in the king, that he would not use his
�2470
authority for the violation of the Sabbath, but probably
for its observance.
He is not as constant as formerly in
his attendance at meeting; for a while he absented himself
entirely: but he has recently attended a few times.
In view of both, sides, it will seem to you
doubtless that a new state of things has commenced in the
Sandwich I s ls.
Our cause must depend for success upon the
blessing of God:
this we must feel, and that it does not
depend upon princes. W hen a door of usefullness is o pe n
ed among the gentiles, it cannot be otherwise than that there
will be many adversaries.
We should not be surprised a t
the r e t u r n of the Jesuits from California, but we should
begreatly humbled and afflicted by such an event.
It is
very certain that they have their eyes turned towards this
field, and only wait for an opening.
Their buildings still
remin in the care of the seculars whom they left behind.
The notice of K a a h u n a n u ’s death has been r e cd by them, and they
have written for information respecting the state of things,
and expressed their wish that the permission of the king may
be obtained for their return.
W e shall not cease to pray
that the Lord would interpose to prevent their return to these
islands.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Ass Secretary of the A.B.C.F.M .
Boston
U . S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Oct 5 , 1833
Ackd in Gen Letter O c t 30
read
(for
reference)
�2471
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
165
Honolulu, Oahu, August 29th,
1833
Rev. Rufus Anderson
C o r . Sec. A .B .C . F .M.
Boston
Very Dear Sir,
When I last wrote w h ich was
in a letter dated June 6 th to be forwarded by the way of
Mexico, the brethren had assembled at Lahaina to attend
to the business of a general meeting.
I stated that the
first subject which would engage their attention was that
of a mission to the Washington islands.
When the subject
came up for discussion the decision was in favor of admission
and the Rev. Messrs. Armstrong Alexander & Parker w e r e a p
pointed to be the missionaries.
The minutes of the general
meeting, which will be forwarded to y o u w h e n printed, will
make yo u acquainted with the reasons for the decision.
As soon as the measure was concluded upon the brethren design
ated for that mission began to make preparations for their d e
parture for the field of their future labors; and I was i n
structed to provide a conveyance for them.
The Brig Dhaul l e
having been offered for that purpose, I secured a passage for
the families in her and agreed to pay for the same the sum
of $1500, it b e ing stipulated that the vessel without any
expense for detention should remain 14 days at the islands;
if the missionaries after their arrival should require it.
On. the 2nd day of July they left us, being ac co m
panied to the place of embarkation by most of the brethren &
sisters of the station, and by several of the chiefs and
native members of the Church, and were by prayer, offered upon
the wharf, commended to God and the word of his grace; whose
blessing upon the self denying and dangerous enterprize and
upon the degraded objects of their benevolent embassy was
devoutly implored.
The length of time necessary t o perform
the voyage it was not easy to calculate, and therefore I
chose to give the above mentioned sum, which included the
whole expense of the the passage rather than take the vessel
at $600 per month, at which it had been offered, and find proviisions for the passengers and pay for detention both here and
at Nukuhiva.
During the s um m e r season the S. E. trades
prevail to the Northward of the line, and consequently a vessel
bound from the Sandwich to the Marquesas islands will come
in contact wi th the S. E. trades before she gets far enough
�2472
to the Eastward to fetch those islands.
If a vessel cannot
get to the Eastward in the variables between the two trades,
which is very precarious, she must run into the southern
variables to make it, in consequence of which the voyage
will be greatly protracted.
This is one of the disadvantages
of supporting a mission there from these islands and which
has in connecton with others led us to say to our brethren
that their dependence must b e principally upon the help direct
from the Board.
October
th
7
The above was written to be sent by the way
of Canton; but pressure of business prevented my finishing
the letter.
I am now able to state that on the 4th in
stant the Lagoda arrived and we recd your numerous communica
tions from the Rooms.
The publications have not yet come to
hand not having got at the boxes which contain them, the
vessel having but just begun to discharge her carge.
W e are
now abundantly supplied with flour and with the means of
carrying on extensively our building & particularly our
printing operations. For all the helps you have sent us
to carry forward our work with vigour & effect please accept
our unfeigned thanks.
I must reserve to another opportunity
remarks which I wish to make in regard to our pecuniary
concerns.
You will have recd letters which give some
account of a change in the state of things in these islands.
The more full and circu mstantial account of the prospects of
the nation and of the mission will be found in station
letters, in the joint letter of the mission & in letters of
individual members.
These will be forwarded by ships bound
home round Cape Horn, the pres- opportunity being to the Coast
of Mexico, the letters on account of the expense of postage
across the Continent, must be limited to a few.
Native books have been with us an important
article of traffic with the native for the purchase of
supplies for the families and in paying for labor.
But
the prospect is that until there is a change in the state
of things at the head of government, the demand for them
will decrease particularly for books that are not bound
with leather on with some permanent kind of binding.
Form
erly, at least for a time, we could get almost any kind of
w ork done by the natives, to which they were adequate, for
pay in books; but this is not the case now, particularly at
this station,
I am obliged to pay cloth or money to the
natives for the assistance they render me in taking care of
the s upplies & bringing them to the mission store house:
books were once sought with eagerness for such kind of work.
The reason which I assign for this decrease in the demand
for books is that the novelty of possessing them has subsided,
or rather the novelty of attending school has worn off & the
�2473
desire of possessing them has departed.
This is true to a very
great extent in this island, and from the communications of
the brethren of other islands it appears to be so with their
scholars.
Kauai how ever should be excepted, that island does
not appear to be very much affected as yet by the times.
I
do not wish to convey the idea that there is no desire among
the natives left for books, or that there are not very many
who prize instruction (the falling off has been in the
multitude;) but I wish it to be known that there has been a
great falling off, & that this falling off is want of in
terest, in many instances on the part of teachers to instruc
tion, but in many more on the part of scholars, and the
countenance which from a high source has been given to vice,-the liberty from the same source for every one to follow his
own favorite wishes, the native depravity of the heart in
these as in all people which rises in opposition against
what is intrinsically excellent, and the absence of that
authority which was formerly exerted in a general way in
favor of schools.
Most of these remarks ap ply with more force
to Oahu than to the other islands at the present time, or rath
er the influence of unrestrained liberty to sin & neglect
instruction, is more felt here than else where, the high chiefs
of the other islands being better able to sustain their in
fluence over the people, being at a distance from the head
charters of licentiousness.
We do not fear the result of the contest now go ing
on in these islands between light & darkness.
The enemy may
gain a partial advantage, but triumph on the part of truth and
righteousness is in the end certain.
I have referred in my last communications to the
unfavorable state of things and have endeavored, not to ex
aggerate.
One reason why I have dwelt on the dark side is,
that it is our general belief that the Christian public,
entertain by far too favorable an opinion respecting the
progress of the work in these islands, and the advances
made by the people in civilization and virtue, and are not
sufficiently aware of the instability of the people and
the shallowness of the impressions yet made upon the mass
of the population. Another reason is that we may have in times
past written with too much confidence respecting the p e r
manency of the impressions made, and not ascribed them, so
much as we ought, to the influence of a popular movement and
the smiles of the chiefs. W e now see how easily the multitude
might be turned, so as to lay violent hands upon us, if the
Lord should permit--W e believe that what has taken place,
apparently unfavorable to the cause, will be overruled to
promote it; and it would be easy to show in w hat respects.
By an arrival this day we learn that the vessel
which carried our brethren to the Washington islands had retunned to the S o c . Islands having landed the missionaries in
as favorable circumstances as could be expected.
The arrival
�2474
of that vessel here in the course of a few days is looked
for. W e shall then be able to communicate to you the
particulars of their reception, and make known their
prospects.
With respectful salutations to all your associates
& helpers I am very affectionately yours
Levi Chamberlain
P. S. Octr 8th
Please inform Mr. Hill that I have drawn on him
this day for two hundred & fifty dollars in favor of Alexander
Thomas.
It was for cash obtained at par.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Date Aug 29, 1833
Recd March 8, 1834
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Corresponding Secretary
A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms •
Boston U . S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Date Aug 29, 1833
Recd March 8, 1834
Ackd in G. let Sept 5/34
�2475
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XX V I I
166
Honolulu, Decr, 3rd 1833
Very dear Sir,
I am so exceedingly pressed with business
and cares that if I write at all I must write in very
great haste.
I hoped to find time t o write a long letter
this fall, and t o state a great many things about our
pecuniary concerns; but every day brings with it so much
that must not be neglected that I begin to fear my writing
will be shoved aside from day to day till all the opportunities
for sending this fall have passed by.
It has always been my design to keep correct accounts
of the expenditures of the Mission, and to forward annually
an abstract of the same to the Board.
It is my wish now to
do this; but my cares multiply so rapidly upon my hands, that
I am afraid I shall fail, at least in punctuality.
The Committee are doubtless aware that I have no
helper in the secular department.
The reason that I have none
should probably be told.
Mr. Johnstones habits were very di f
ferent from mine, and his inclinations led him to prefer a
different department of labor to do good.
Having been
instrumental of exciting an interest in favor of the instruc
tion of foreigners children in the English language, and of
the erection by subscription of a school house for their
accommodation, he was invited by the Trustees of the School,
to become the principal, and was offered the compensation
of $500, for at least one year, in order that he might be
able to devote his entire attention to the interests of the
School.
The proposition was submitted to the brethren
assembled in General Meeting, and the vote, which will be
found in the Extracts from the Minutes, was the result.-As the Mission has no control over this course of study pur
sued e x c e p t so far as the teacher, being a missionary, shall,
by his prudence & good management, exert an influence, I have
had doubts whether the school can strictly be regarded a
Missionary School.
But expediency, probably, requires, at
least for the present, that the mission should not object
to the school’s being instructed by one who holds a connexion
with the Board.
The mission having been greatly enlarged, the
business of the secular department, as a matter of course, has
been greatly increased. But I am willing to toil as long
as the Lord sees best, and as long as he give me health, I shall
�2476
esteem it a privilege to labor, & in the discharge of my
duties, to exhaust my strength.
The labors of the body are not the only ones I
am called to endure, nor are they the most oppressive.
I
stand in such a relation to the pecuniary operations of the
Mission, that whatever relates to expense must to a certain
extent engage my attention.
The objects are b e c o m i n g so
numerous, and some of them are assuming such an importance,
that sometimes I am almost borne down with the weight of
responsibility, which attaches to my station.
If there were
no lack of funds, nor fear of lack, I should feel differently.
But to have the expenditures of the Sandwich Islands Mission
exceed the calculations of the Board and the Christian public,
and to have a suspicion arise that the Secular concerns of
the Mission are managed with improvidence, occasions me much
anxiety, on the one hand;-and on the other, that by too
much parsimony the operations should be cramped, the comforts
and usefulness of my brethren abridged, occasions equally
painful sensations.
My principal object in writing this letter is
to apprize the Committee, that, in my view the expenditures
of this missions will, for a considerable time to come, be
greater, in proportion to our numbers, than during former
years of the mission, and for these reasons. 1st Books are
depreciating in value, and a t the present time are in much
less demand than formerly.
2nd The expenses of the print
ing department including the bindery are greatly increased
& if we continue to bind books (a thing we must do, if books
are to be used to any extent towards our support) will contin
ue to increase.
3rd. In prosecuting our work of building,
cloth and money will be called for, to a much greater extent,
than when we could get almost every kind of native material
and the labor of natives performed; to a great extent, for
books from the largest to the smallest.
4th The numerical
increase on the ground,# of those dependent upon the Board
for support.
Perhaps the increase in this respect
is not
proportionably greater, but as the children of the mission
aries increase in age, more means will be required for their
support.
I have been requested to state to the Board
what sum is required for the yearly support of a child of
a missionary in the islands.
I have not been able to give
my thoughts enough to the subject to venture an opinion fully
satisfactory to myself.
I do not think that the sum the
Committee have fixed upon as a temporary arrangement any
too large, and probably not large enough, if the average
of age be calculated for 9 or 10 years.
In calculating for the
expense of maintaining a child, it Is not e asy to arrive
at the exact sum, there are so many things to be considered.
I do not think that in direct expenditure that one of my
children costs the Board $40 pr year.
But every thing taken
# I refer to children
�2477
into account, it may have cost that, or more.
In conse
quence of having a family of children, more domestics
are needed-additional furniture & utensils, furnitures
is injured, utensils are broken, parents clothes are worn out,
medical attendance is required, a system of instruction,
which costs something, must be adopted.
If there is but
one child the difference of expense is so merged in the
general expense for supporting the family that it is not
easy to get at it.
W e have now at The Sand Isl ds 53 children.T
e
h
expense for the support of these at $40 pr yr. w ould amount
to $2120.
If the families were all situated alike, and each
were obliged to purchase every article of consumption wi th
money, or articles of trade obtained from abroad, the child
ren would be poorly maintained; but as ou r circumstances
now are feeding our children, as we do, mostly with vegetables
and articles of food of Hawaiian production, and clothing
them in the most common apparel; I think the above sum covers
the expenditure for their support.
Desiring an interest in your prayers and a very
affectionate rememberance to your associates & helpers at the
Missionary Rooms
I am very truly,
Your affectionate friend
servant
Levi Chamberlain
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Associate Secretary
of the A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
postmark New Bedford Ms
May 29
Rev. L. Chamberlain
Date December 3, 1833
Recd May 1834
Ackd in G. Let Sep 5/34
Secular associate needed
Mr. Whiston
children of missionaries
�2478
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
167
Honolulu, De cr, 23rd 1833
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Very Dear Sir,
The catalogue herewith is
a part of the public Library of the Mission.
I have transcrib
ed the lists just as they have been sent to me.
Most of the books received from America since
the last General Meeting of the Mission are still in the
depository, together with some books previously received.
The mission have not as yet formed any definite
regulations for the Public Library nor appointed a Librarian.
But it is expected this business will be attended to at the
next General Meeting.
Mr. Ruggles is about returning to the United
States accompanied by his family, in consequence of the
failure of his health; not being well supplied with books of
his own, it seems to be proper that he should be furnished with
some books from the public library, he has therefore with
our approbation taken the following.
Bible Dictionary
Smith's Grammar
Do
Arithmetic
Memoirs of H Martyn
Sermons of
do
Stewarts Journal
do Visit to So.S
2
s
a
e
Young Reader
First Day of the Week
Last day of the W eek
The Week Completed
Family Sermons
Scott's Sermons
Theol. Class Book
Scripture Illustrations
Christian Researches
Pollok's Course of Time
Memo of N D ickerman
Scenes in Switzerland
W inter evenings,
Wilbur's Astronomy
Youth's Library
Little Philosopher
Geometry
Missionary Herald
It is referred to you whether he shall retain
these volumes, or return then to the Rooms.
Perhaps you will
think it best not only to grant him these, but to furnish
him the means of purchasing others he may feel it desirable
to possess.
His library furnished by the Board originally
as outfit was slender, and most of that was destroyed during
the war at Kauai several years ago. His children will need
books, and he will be dependent on the Board and. the charity
of the friends of missions, at least for a while after his
�2479
return, and will not h ave the means of furnishing himself
with a library.
Many letters have been written this fall to the
Rooms and you will doubtless be well informed as to the
state of things in the islands and the progress of Missionary
work here. You will feel a deep interest in reference to the
changes that have taken place.
But it Is a consoling thought
that the Lord reigns and that he will accomplish all his
designs of mercy how unlikely soever to that end some of the
things that take place may seem to b e .
Some things, even at this station, the most
tried of any in the islands, are beginning to assume a more
favorable appearance.
Two Church members who were suspended
for irregular conduct have made a public confession & will
shortly be restored to the privileges of the church from
which they were suspended.
The schools at this place are
still neglected, and there is not much prospect of their
being revived immediately; at least to any considerable
extent.
It the Lord should revive his work among us, we might
hope for the revival of schools on a good basis.
But if the
people in general need the authority of the King to secure,
even for a limited time, their attention to instruction,
royal authority will do but little to advance our cause. We
feel that our cause is the cause of Go d ; and though we
desire the favor and good will of men, and of Kings and prince
still our re lyance is upon God.
There is a part of the community that attend more
or less to instruction at their own houses an d in a private
way, and a considerable number learn a verse a day according
to the Verse a day system, as it is practiced in America.
I
continue my Sabbath School as usual and have at present about
50 scholars-the number has been much larger in times past.
My labors to promote the spiritual good of the people are
comparative few in the way of direct effort.
But what I
am able to do on the Sabbath, I hope is not altogether in vain
Those who attend the School seem to have desires to become
acquainted with the truth and to perform their duty.
Mrs. Chamberlain has many cares, and will not
be able to write to Mrs. A. She desires affectionate remember
ance
I am v ery sincerely
Your friend and servant
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Dec 23, 1833
Recd July 17, 1834
Ackd in G. Let Sep 5/34
Boods given to Mr. Ruggles
�2480
68 Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Third
XXVII
168
Honolulu Jan 4th 1834
Rev. R u fus Anderson
Very Dear Sir
We have found it necessary to r e
sume the ownership & possession of the Missionary Packet,
in consequence of a failure on the part of the chiefs to f u l
fil the conditions of the agreement, by which the vessel b e
came the property of the Princess.
The p e r s o n to whose
care and direction the vessel was intrusted was not able to
keep her in repair and instead of our being allowed a free
use of her three months annually, according to the agreement
it came at last to this, that we were required to pay the wages
of the seamen w h i c h , however, we objected to do, though for
a month or two we consented to bear half of the expense.
As we had expended considerable of a sum for
repairs, and as more repairs were needed, which the mission
would have to make, if made at all, we thought it advisable
to propose taking her back; unless the conditions of sale
should should be fully and promptly complies with.
The
Princess seemed to fee l desirous to retain the vessel, and
fulfil the contract But we were very sure that, however,
ready she might be to do her part, there would be a failure
on the part of others; and therefore concluded to take
possession of the v e s s e l . Consequently she was given up to
us, & the agreement concelled; and it was done very che er
fully .
We have now made an arrangement with Messrs.
Brinsmade, Ladd & Hooper extending to the term of ten years,
by which we are to have two months free use of her an nual
ly, and the privilege of sending supplies to the stations
free of expense to us when it can be done without detriment
to their business while the vessel is passing from island to
island in their employ, also by giving suitable notice, and
paying a part of her net expenses in proportion to the time
she may be in our employ, we are at other times to have
the use of her when needed by us.
The vessel is to be put
into complete repair by us at our expense, and to be kept
so at their expense.
She is to b e insured & kept insured
and the parties are to bear the expense in proportion to
the time she may be in the employ of e a c h . The charter
party includes one foreign voyage of three or four months
to be made in the service of Messrs B. L & H and one in
cur service to the Marquesas Islands, if we should need her
for that purpose.
At the expiration of the term she is to
�2481
be returned to us in as good repair & condition as she was
delivered to them, necessary depreciation of value in con
sequence of age and wear excepted.
It is our determination to take out a policy of
insurance in Canton.
The terms we do not know--The policy
will be made out in my name, and it is my wish that arrange
ments may be made for the payment of the money in Canton.
You will need only to remit a larger amount to your mission
aries there, and request them to honor my bills.
I expect to write to Mr. Hill before long and
to send him a copy of the Charter party that he may fully
understand the nature of the agreement.
And I shall probably
suggest the expediency of funds in Canton or of his remitting
to me more bills in London.
If I had bills of exchange now on
London I could use them to better advantage than bills on the
United States.
I shall draw soon for Two thousand dollars in
favor of Messrs Brinsmade, Ladd & Hooper.
The particulars
which make up the amount I shall communicate to M r . Hill in
connexion with the advice of the bills when drawn.
It is a
great grief to me that I have been obliged to draw so heavily
on the Treasury of late.
I hope the Board will not loose their
Confidence in us for the economical management of our secular
concerns. I do not know what I can do more than I now attempt
to do, to secure greater economy in the use of the means of
support.
Much money is needed to keep our presses & the bus
iness of binding books in brisk operation, & the expense of
carrying on building is also great.
Our number of missionaries
you are aware also is great compared with most other fields
under the care of the Board.
In haste, I am with respectful salutations to
your associates, and with prayers for the divine blessing upon
you in all your labors & trials
Your affectionate friend & servant in
Christian bonds
Levi Chamberlain
Rev. Rufus Anderson
one of the Secretaries
of the A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms Bost
on
U . S. A.
postmark Sag Har N Y.
Jun 20
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated June 4, 1834
Recd June 23, 1834
Ackd in G. Let Sept 5/34
show to Mr. Hill
�2482
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
169
Honolulu, May 9th 1834
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Very dear Sir,
I wrote a few days ago to
Mr. Hill on pecuniary matters; the vessel by which that is
to go to the coast has not vet sailed, and time is afforded
of communicating further with our patrons.
The time has arrived for sending after the
families of the mission to attend the general meeting; and I
fear the bringing of the members together will be attended
with considerable expense, as special conveyances must be
provided.
The Missionary Packet, in the serv ice of Brinsmade,
Ladd & Hooper, has not returned from her voyage undertaken in
January, and therefore we shall lose the convenience of that
vessel, though the firm are obligated to provide a substitute.
It may not however, be possible for them to obtain a vessel
which will answer our purpose as well as the Packet.
We hope we may hear again from our brethren at
the Washington Islands before the meeting shall have closed,
if not before it is convened.
The only intelligence which
we have had from them, since the return of the Dhaulle, has
been merely v e rbal. A ship left the port of Nuuhiva about
the first of March, from the Captain of which, we learn that
at that time the Missionaries were in good health and spirits.
They had built three convenient houses in the native mode of
building, in which they were comfortably situated, & trying
to make an impression upon the untoward and dissolute people
by whom they are surrounded.
A child had been born to Mrs.
Armstrong, to whom the young chief, Moana, had given his own
name, an act which is said to be in the strongest sense
friendly, and a pledge of protection.
Hape the friendly chief
and guardian of Moano is dead.
His son is said to be wa r
like; but will not probably act as regent, as Moana is old
enough to act for himself; if indeed a chief has any power
& influence above a common person, which our informant
says is only nominally the case.
It is impossible for us to
form an idea of the degree of encouragement, or the reverse,
the brethren labor under, from the information we have received,
as the vessel stopped but a short time, and the captain gain
ed his impressions very much under the force of fear, as he
felt it necessary to carry a drawn sword in his hand whenever
on shore.
The brethren, however, were not apprehensive of
�2483
personal danger; and in one instance the three went on
board of the vessel while at anchor, leaving their families
exnosed to the natives, which would have been a very
imprudent act, had they thought their families would be in
d
a
n
g
e
r
.
Peace was general at that time throughout the
island, a great feast being in prospect, for which great
preparations had been made, & which was to be observed with
much ceremony. After the feast, war might break out again,
The interim will be favorable to the objects of the brethren;
which they will no doubt improve.
They need a boat at their
disposal, to go from place to place along the coast, other
places, it is said, being difficult of access by land from
Massachusetts Bay, on account of high precipices.
It is possible you may receive communications
from the brethren before this letter reaches you: but you
will perceive the importance of making arrangements to send
them supplies direct from home, a s forwarding them from these
islands will be attended with great expense.
I am not able to tell whether we shall send to
them or not this summer.
The expense will be too great to in
cur, unless it becomes absolutely necessary, we shall there
fore wait to hear from them before we make any positive arrange
ments to send a vessel.
The state of things at these islands,
is quiet at the present time,
There is reason to hope that
the affair s of government will soon be fully & satisfactorily
settled on a fair basis, and that the chiefs will then feel
an energy to set forward the work of school instruction among
the people.
Of this, however, it will not be well that we
be too confident, as-we learn from past experience that promis
ing appearances are not to be relied on. Very much(hole in
paper) is to be done on the department of school teaching, the
(hole in paper) lack of competent instructors, of patience
and perseverance adequate to the business of teaching success
fully, is very great and by us very deeply felt.
S ince my letter to Mr. Hill was closed, I have
drawn a bill on him for $ 500 in favor of Brinsmade, Ladd &
Hooper, at 60 days sight, dated 6th instant.
It was given in
part to cancel 10 pr cent advance# on 3000 dollars amount of
purchases & receipts in account against me since they have
had an account open with the mission.
The balance they will
pay me in cash deducting from the amount 12 1/2pr ct. for pre
mium on money. You will please advise Mr. Hill of the draft.
With very respectful salutations to all your
associates & helpers, I am with very great esteem yo bro.
Levi Chamberlain
#The principal is discharged.
To the Secretaries of the A.B. C.F.
M.
Missionary Rooms
No 28 Cornhill
via Mexico.
Boston U. S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain Sand Isds
Date May 9, 1834
Received Aug 25, 1834
Ackd G. Let Sep 5/34
�2484
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
170
Honolulu, August 26th 1834
Rev. D. Greene
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Very dear Sir,
I received your letter of October 14th 1833,
and I have made inquiries respecting James Kehoe, and learn
that he was one of the expedition to the New Hebrides for
sandal wood under the direction of Boki; which terminated so
disasterously, as you have heard.
He was in the Brig Becket,
which returned.
The voyage proved fatal to him,
He died at
the island of Roturu sometime in the month of April, of
the year 1830, of a distemper which prevailed on board, and
which carried off most of the crew. He was buried on the
beach by the side of a comrade, who died of the same disease.
I had the facts from a survivor, and. they can be relied upon
as true.
Sometime ago Mr. Hill forwarded a letter for a
person by the name of John H. Trowbridge of Cambridge Ms
who was said to have left a Whaling ship at the island of
Maui some three or more years ago.
I have made inquiries
relative to this person, but learn nothing respecting him.
He is probably not in the islands.
I have two letters in my
possession addressed to him, which I shall return by the first
opportunity I may have of sending directly to Boston.
The intelligence which we have to send from
the islands this season will not in general be of the most
encouraging nature.
The Lord is suffering the enemy in some
respects to triumph.
Our hearts have been distressed by the
fall of some who have been numbered among the followers of
Christ, particularly that of the Princess, who is, we fear,
irrecoverably gone.
She has consented to become the wife of
her brother and is now living with him in that relation--and
living too in other respects according to the course of this
world influenced altogether we fear by the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience;
And to form a perfect
idea of what this spirit is you must be an eye witness of
its operations as exhibited among those who cast off entire
ly tho fear of God, as the majority here now do.
You will have heard that the brethren sent to
the Washington islands have left that field and returned
here.
The giving up of that post was to us all a very painful
subject.
The future will show the good or the ill which is
�2485
to result from the step.
The brethren who came back have
received a new location which will be seen In the minutes
of our last General meeting, to be forwarded to the Rooms
as soon as printed.
From the different communications that will
be forwarded at this time you will gain much information
respecting our work.
Much and important business was attended to
at our meeting in June.
The minutes and the answers to
the circular will make you acquainted with what was done.
It may be sometime however before the answers are copied
so as to be in a state to forward.
The minutes are in
the press.
I am very truly and affectionately yours
Levi Chamberlain
Rev. David Greene
one of the Cor Sec. of the
A .B.C.F.M.
Boston U . S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Aug 26, 1834
Recd Feb 26, 1835 D. G
Ackd in G. Let Sep 16
No answer required
Ansd N ov. 4
postmark New Bedford Ms
Feb 26
�2486
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part
Third
XXVII
171
Honolulu, October, 9th 1834
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Very dear Sir,
You will pardon me for commencing
my letter to you rather than addressing it to the Secretaries
jointly.--I shall feel more freedom in writing in this way,
and, I trust, I shall not be thought wanting in respect to
your much esteemed & honored associates.
My last letter was date M ay 9th, just before the
return of our brethren from the Washington Islands.
It may
perhaps not be improper for me to say, that the return of
these brethren was so unexpected & our disappointment so great
that it was a good while before our feelings could recover
from the shock which they experienced.
The minutes of our
General Meeting, which will accompany this letter, will in
form you what notice we thought proper to take in reference
to their return.
We felt that as a body we could neither
commend nor censure the step which they thought it necessary
to take.
My own feelings of disappointment were accu te:
I
had felt a deep interest in the mission, not because the
islands were near us and advantageously situated for uniting
that with this field of labor, nor because my convictions
from the first had been, that the establishment of a mission
there by missionaries from these islands was in all respects
well advised; (for none of these in my judgement were true)
but because the inhabitants of those islands were in a mo st
distressing state of degradation & need of help, and this
help had been extended to them at a very great expense of
solicitude & not a little of personal effort & money, besides
sacrifice on the part of ourselves in giving up our brethren
& sisters who went, and on their part in relinquishing a wide
and interesting field here, & submitting to privation and hard
ship in entering that, in so many respects less inviting one.
But as they have returned, and as the London Miss Soc. to
whom the field geographically & properly belongs, are about
to establish a mission in Marquesas proper, the measure we
trust will prove for the best, particularly as their labors
in these islands are so much needed.
You will see by the Minutes what disposition
has been made of our numbers.
By some It is thought not t o
be a wise measure to scatter our numbers as we have done;
�2487
whether it was so or not, the event must prove.
I was in
favor of multiplying stations, as it seemed to me, the
more we are distributed among the people, the greater influ
ence we shall have upon the body of the community.
And,
moreover, the expense of building permanent houses is so
great that two, it has appeared to me, ought not to be
erected at any out station, unless the second be designed
for a school teacher permanently located.
In answering the 1st 2 & 4th questions of the
"Circular," much time was taken up, and in the examination &
discussion of the subject many views presented.
The duty
of the Church to send laborers into the field--the world-and to support them liberally while engaged in their work of
faith & labor of love, is unquestioned, but it is not clear
to me, that the Sandwich Islands have not already received
their full proportion of ordained laborers.
It may perhaps
be the duty of the Church to send more laymen to be occupied
as school teachers &c; and to keep our present number of
ordained missionaries in the field good.
I will hot tax
your time any more at present upon the subject; far be it
from me to oppose the sending of more missionaries into this
field, if other fields do not more need them, and if funds
will not be required for the support of these, which should
be devoted to the support of missionaries in other portions
of the heathen world & thus they be robbed by the Church's
liberality to the Sandwich Islands.
I trust however, the
answers to these questions will be so full from all your
missions to which you have sent the Circulars, that there will
be no danger of mistake as to the field into which missionar
ies ought to be sent.
My letters from time to time to Mr. Hill, have
presented a view of our pecuniary concerns, not indeed so
full as I could wish, but sufficient to show that we have
many wants, and that it is not .in the power of my hand to
prevent heavy drafts upon the Board.
Since the arrival of Brinsmade, Ladd & Hooper
a little more than a year ago, my bills upon the Board
have amounted to $8367.76; of which sum $6617.76 has been
for drafts since the present year commenced; Besides this, I
have employed
500 stg in bills on London; the last of which
I have within a few days paid for a lot of North west lumber,
at $45 p r . m.
I owe Brinsmade, Ladd & Hooper and others about
$2500, besides what I am indebted for the use of the Mission
ary Packet amounting perhaps to $500 more. For the High
School we have a mechanic employed at the rate of $400 pr
ann. & his board. At Lahaina & Molokai the brethren have in
their employ not less than five mechanics at an expense
probably of $150 pr month for all and I have at this place
a carpenter in our service, at $30 pr month and his board;
�2488
which should not be estimated less than $3 pr week.
I
shall need to employ two more mechanics soon to carry
forward a new building for a printing office, materials
for which are mostly collected.
The demands which will be made upon the Treas
ury of the Board for the support of this mission must un
avoidably, for a considerable time to come, be great.
The
Minutes will make you acquainted with the claims of Individuals for buildings.
Nothing was said in the report upon the
exigencies of the Depository respecting public buildings.
The report of the Directors of the High School refers to the
w ants of the School in respect to buildings; and the report
of the Printing Committee refers to the fact that stones
have been collected for a new printing office. A new build
ing is now much needed for the printing department it is
important that our accommodations should be ample:
at
present we are cramped for r o o m . When the work of building
is commenced it will be o u r purpose to carry it on briskly.
The instructors of the High School are urgent
in pressing their claims for materials and means for carrying
on the work of building for that institution.
A school house,
chapel & other buildings are very much needed.
Mr. C lark gave up a good house & very comfortable
accommodations here, and the mission are pledged to afford
him good accommodations at Lahaina and these are to be furn
ished by means derived from the Depository.
The work is in
deed going on, and it has been to furnish In part these
means that I have been obliged to make considerable purchases
of cotton cloth.
The work of erecting the building for the new
printing office will, I hope, very soon be commenced; & this
will require no small amount of means, though I design that
it shall be carried on in the most economical manner.
At the six new stations, more or less expense must
be laid out immediately in the erecting of new buildings or
fitting up such as are for temporary accommodation.
In a few
instances native houses have been erected by the people,
without expense to the mission, and at one o f the stations
the missionary is occupying the house of the Chief of the
place; but it is well known that grass houses are not durable;
and their place must be supplied with others, and that as
soon as possible, of a more permanent kind.
Two of those whose names are mentioned in the
report as having claims for permanent buildings are in a
fair way of having their claims cancelled : Namely; Messrs
Spaulding & Chapin at Lahaina both of whom have their work
in a state of forwardness . .Mr . Hitchcock was not mentioned
as having claims, not b e c a u s e his permanent house had been
completed, but because an appropriation of lumber and other
necessary articles had been made, and the work of building
had been commenced.
Pay to workmen is yet to be rendered,
and this will amount to a considerable sum. Several hundred
�2489
dollars since Gen meeting, have been calle d for by Mr.
D ibble to carry forward buildings at Hilo, which had been
commenced for his accommodation; and further drafts upon
the depository will probably be made before the work is
completed. Drafts have also been made upon me within a
short time for the payment of workmen employed by M r. Green
on his buildings just now completed.
Some debts rem a i n ,
I believe, still due, which I shall be called upon to pay.
Mr. Clark has commenced building at Lahainaluna
and will wish to carry forward his work as fast as our
means and his time for superintendence will allow.
Our wants do not end with the subject of build
ing as it must be obvious upon a moments reflection.
Applica
tions are frequently made for various kinds of furniture and
utensils.
Our wants in these particulars are not fully
supplied by an outfit.
Wants are discovered when a mission
ary arrives on the ground, & begins to have a family, which
were unthought of before.
Articles wear out and get broken,
& must be replaced: and to keep good a requisite supply
of such things as are needful in keeping house, In a mission
consisting of 29 families & 59 children, no small amount of
means will be annually required.
From furniture of all kinds wooden, iron & tin;
glass, crockery, earthen &c.
I come to clothing and the name
less little articles required in a family, known only to
those who have a family & known best by the female--all are
needed & must, to a certain extent, be possessed, or very
great inconvenience will be felt.
Men must have garments-shirts, coats, jackets, vests, pantaloons, stockings &
shoes, (and shoes need shoe strings,an article of wh i ch we
have been generally destitute,) cravats, pocket handkerchiefs,
hats, umbrellas.
My memory & skill would fail me to enumerate
every thing needed for the females & children.
But clothing
for them is no less needed nor less important than for the
men--dresses for common wear & dress handkerchiefs, (muslin
& silk ) stockings & shoes (soft leather or cloth,) -childrens
clothes of all sizes & kinds for males & females--a supply
for 59 mow, and the number constantly increasing--Buttons,
& hooks & eyes should accompany cloth for garments & other
trimmings--I have enumerated nothing which will not be needed
for every member of the mission in due time, and some one or
other of the articles is in requisition almost every time a
letter comes to hand, and this is almost daily-at least very
frequently from one station or another--near or remote. A
comfortable supply, for the term of one year, of all things
needed to satisfy our present number, would make a long
catalogue of articles, and amount to a large sum, leaving out
of the accou n t the supplies needed for the table, such as
flour ric , beef, pork, fish &c coffee, tea, sugar, molasses,
apples &c & c . Of coffee & tea the consumption in the mission
�2490
hereafter w ill probably be less than in former years.
Soap
is so important an article that it deserves to be mentioned
separately.
Building materials are another class of articles
which we shall continue to need till all the families are
supplied, with comfortable houses, and which will swell our
annual expenses.
I need not mention particulars, as they
have been mentioned in former letters.
Printing materials: these I shall not attempt
to enumerate, as the business of doing it devolves upon
the Printing committee. But as I am called upon to pay
all bills of work and to provide for all repairs & the erec
tion of new buildings, I may refer to the expense of the
department.
From one to two thousand dollars in cash must
be expended annually, to pay workmen employed in printing
& engaged in the bindery; a considerable amount too, must go
for incidental expenses, besides the support of the printer,
& the work of erecting new buildings.
I refer to all these sources of expenses (&
these are by no means all that might be mentioned) in the
way of self justification for drawing so largely.
And I
would now say, if it were in my power to avoid it, I should
exercise the power.
I often wish it was it my power to con-,
suit the Fru. Com. and advise with them respecting my duty.
Requests arrive from various quarters for lumber & other
means of building--for other things also perhaps a horse, a
mule, a harness, a saddle, a yoke of oxen, a cart-wheelbarrows
& other implements.
I am in a strait.
Some I have not on
hand - others are appropriated.
What shall I do ! - perhaps
I can procure them at some rate or other; but they will be ex
pensive if purchased, and an advance must be paid on the money.
A mechanic is applied for--or work ordered.
Again I hardly
know what to do--perhaps I can hire a man: but he wants high
wages.
Again, a family needs a physician— perhaps at Hilo,
perhaps at Kauai--a child is sick--or it is an obstetric case.
In the latter case the physician feels that he ought not to
leave his family a month or more before his services will be
needed merely because an opportunity then offers for a gr a
tuitous passage; nor, after he is liberated from attendance
upon the sick, is he willing to wait a month or six weeks
in hopes that another will present for his return.
It comes
to this, a vessel must be chartered at an expense of 8 or
10 or more dollars pr day, for the purpose. A trip to Hilo
& back with only a moderate time to remain would upon an
average occupy the space of 20 days; and if there is a
probability of much detention in the case, two trips must be
taken.
To Kauai & back the passage will vary from 6 to 10 or
12 days.
So that it is expensive business to charter a vessel
to carry a family from island to island.
Our general meet
ings too are likely to involve a heavy bill of expense: $500
�2491
to 1000 merely for getting the families together & return
ing them if a full meeting, unless Providence should fav or
us by throwing gratuitous passages in our way.
In view of all the demands which are made upon
the funds of the Board for our support, it would be natural
to enquire whether we are influenced as much as we ought to
be by strict rules of economy.
To say that there are no ex
ceptions in the mission to strict regard in every respect
to economy would perhaps be saying too much: but as views of
economy are various, and as our numbers are composed of per
sons who have been in various conditions of life and are of
different habits, it would not be surprising that there should
be some diversity of feeling on this subject; - still it will
not be saying too much to say, that probably in no community
consisting of an equal number of persons are the rules of
economy less transgressed.
There are only one or two particu
lars in which we are much in danger of overstepping very strict
rules.
These are the articles of building, and furniture.
In both these particulars we need to be cautious; and as we
have no definite rules and cannot easily establish rules that
will not be liable to great exceptions we are in danger of
going beyond the strict views of those who mark out for the
missionary a narrow and rugged path.
I am much oppressed with
my duties & responsibilities.
It is expected by my brethren
that I attend to their wants & that I provide the means for
carrying on their plans.
I would gladly have our building
operations which are now by far the most expensive of any in
the mission, posponed in part- so that the expenses of this
department of mechanical labor should not all or in great part
come into the expenses of one or two years, but h e extended
so as to be equalized upon many.
But those who are destitute
of comfortable habitations do not feel that this is admissible —
at least-all do not feel so-though some of our number with a
very laudable feeling are willing to live in houses of native
structure till Providence shall plainly indicate that the time
has come for the erection of those that are better.
I may be inquired whether the introduction of the
salary system would not relieve the embarrassments which are
now felt & complained of. There are two great difficulties
in the way of the salary system: namely, our buildings &
supplies.
Until we are all provided with comfortable habita
tions it will not be easy to introduce the system.
If we
were all furnished with suitable accommodations, and these
permanent in their kind, one great difficulty would be r e
moved, but supplies would remain.
I stated In a former letter
the difficulty in the way of fully supplying the wants of all
the stations, some of which are removed by the establishment
of a new trading house at this place: but difficulties still
remain, which I hope, however, may eventually be removed, so
that we may be able to come into the salary system, at least,
In part.
Messrs Brinsmade, Ladd & Hooper have proposed
to do all our business for us on the following conditions.
�2492
1st By receiving our orders for all goods needed,
to be executed in 18 months.
2.5
Commission for purchase
33.3
Freight
1.0
Truckage &c
1.7
Insurance
10.01
4
t
c
r
p
2
/
General Commission
They will furnish 4/5 of all goods which we may
want on the above terms and 1/5 from their store at the same
rate of advance upon invoice, if we choose.
The 1/5 from
their store is proposed as an accommodation.
They will supply
all the money we may need to use here, at par, on interest.
The whole transaction to be on interest account.
2nd They will act as our agents, execute all
orders and do the whole business of provcuring supplies for
us, at 10 pr cent, goods landed at Honolulu, or 15 pr cent,
goods delivered at the stations.
Furnish all the money we need at the current rate
of exchange.
On this proposition the Board are to advance
the money for all purchases and pay all charges.
You will judge how advantageous such an arrange
ment will be for the Board.
It appears to me the terms are
high for doing the business-particularly the latter proposition.
I am not in the least disposed to accede to either at present.
Perhaps my views on the subject may undergo a change after
further reflection & investigation.
I shall be very willing
to have the Board make any arrangement with this house which
they think expedient and I shall be very willing also to be
released from the almost insupportable weight of responsibility
& care which I feel pressing upon me.
The Board and you,
my dear Sir, can relieve me; and if I shall succeed in con
vincing you that I have been faithful to my trust now (as in
former times I have been by y our kindness so judged) notwith
standing all our expenses, I shall feel that I am well reward
ed for all my labor but if after all my toil & care &
solicitude to save expense, besides all my personal effort,
they should feel that our expenses are greater than they ought
to be and that I have been improvident of their sacred funds,
I shall feel that I am an "unprofitable servant indeed.
But
it seems to me, after looking at the terms of B. L & H. that
my services have been of some value to the mission, and to
the Board too.
If these gentlemen are reasonable in their
offer, I cannot but think that I have saved to the Board 10
per cent on the full amount of all their purchases for this
mission for the last 10 years.
My own support should
perhaps come out of it, & perhaps not.--It may not be in
my power to save as much in future, as I imagine has been
saved in past time, by a gratuitous agency.
But I hope
to be faithful to my trust as long as I am permitted to be
a steward.
I find myself wearing out and I am admonished
�2493
that my time is short.
May I be found faithful and devotedlaboring for Christ.
This is my earnest prayer; and when
I am called to give up an account of my steward ship, may
I be able to do it in such a manner as to receive the appro
bation of my judge.
I ought perhaps to say something respecting our
books.
When you receive the answers to the circular you
will find a considerable on that subject. Books are not
likely to be i n future as profitable to the mission as in
times past; they cannot be sent out in as cheap binding as
formerly with any prospect at all of being profitable.
The
people who have a desire for books wish to receive them in
better binding, and the wish is very reasonable.
Our books
ought to be bound in a decent & serviceable manner, and this
will make them cost so much that other kind of articles of
trade could be used more economically in the way of getting
supplies, & jobs of work done for our families.
At the pres
ent time we sell next to no books at all at this station.
If
I want a job of work done I must pay in cloth or in money:
and so I must do if I want to purchase supplies for our famil
ies. All our wood must be purchased for cash at the rate of
$10 pr cord; and all those little articles which were brought
to our doors in great abundance for small books are now
carried by to find a market where money is given.
This remark replies in full force to this station.
At some of the
stations small books & those in frail binding are still to a
certain extent used to advantage.
The prospect is not very favorable for an arrange
ment with B. L. & H. to do the business of selling our native
books.
With very respectful salutations to your associates
& helpers I am very truly y r . friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Date Oct 9, 1834
Recd May 4, 1835
Ackd in G. Let Sep 16
Ansd Nov. 4
�2494
68 Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
Honolulu, May 18th 1835
To the Secretaries of
the A.B .C.F .M.
Boston
Very dear Sirs,
I have within a few moths past written
freely, and w i t h a l pretty fully, to Mr. Hill, on the sub
ject of expense.
I have given him an account of the sums
which I have drawn upon the treasury, and the reasons for
drawing.
I have told him what we are doing in the building line, and what remains to be done, and have given him a
list (imperfect indeed) of things wanted for the comfort of
the families and to enable us to carry on the different
departments of our work.
The frequent apologies which I
obtrude upon you for drawing upon our funds, would seem to
imply a suspicion, on my part, either that I draw too large
ly for the support of the mission, or that I fear our patrons
will think so.
I use the first person singular, as I do
not know that any other person in the mission feels or writes
as I do upon the subject.
It may be true that the Bills upon
your treasury for the support* this mission, may sometimes
exceed your expectations. But we trust you are prepared
to have it so; and if we can only show that the funds for
which we draw are judiciously applied, we have your full and
cordial approbation.
If I fail to give a satisfactory account,
let it be attributed to the difficulty of the subject, and
not to a want of care or interest on my part.
The most expensive pa rt of the secular work at
present going on in the mission, is that of building.
At
the last general meeting, it w as decided that eleven families
had claims upon the Depository for the means of erecting
permanent and comfortable houses.
A very few only of this
number have as yet been supplied: and it does not seem exped
ient that the destitute brethren should remain as long with
out the comfort of good accommodations, as the first mission
aries were, from the nature of circumstances, obliged to
remain during the early stage of the mission.
Most of the
earlier missionaries are now furnished with what may be re
garded comfortable dwellings, though many additions and im
provements are found necessary, owing to increase of family
and other circumstances. Those who have been the shortest
time on the ground feel that they have been long enough to
be better accomodated than they now are, though direct com
plaining has not been heard, except in one instance, and this
not so much against the Board as their Secular agent.
Those who are most destitute at present are
�2495
the following, and these have borne their privations with
much missionary self denial & patience.
Messrs Baldwin,
Dibble, Lyons, Lyman, Armstrong, Alexander & Gulick.
Mr.
Gulick had built a comfortable house at W aimea on Kauai,
which he cheerfully relinquished for very poor accommodations at Koloa a new station, And these since his removal
there have been consumed by fire, and replaced by the
kindness of the natives.-The health of Mr. Baldwin Is some
what impaired & poor accommodations have had their full
share of influence In the case. Mrs. Lyman also is feeble,
arid her illness should no doubt be attributed almost if not
altogether to the influence of a wet climate and an un
comfortable habitation.
Mr. Smith seizing upon a favorable opportunity
and by personal effort, has been able to secure to himself
accommodations which are comfortable for the present, but
these will need additions and various improvements & fix
tures to render them convenient and suitable for permanency.
A house is now in a state of forwardness for the accommodation
of Mr. Parker; but a better house is contemplated by him,
to be erected when more means shall be at his disposal.
The
work of building is now in progress for the accommodation both
of Mr. Clark & Mr. Andrews of the High School. A consider
able amount has been laid out by Mr. Andrews for houses; but
his accommodations were not sufficient.
The house was badly
planned and must be pulled down.
Most of the materials ?rill
be of use to put into other buildings, and much work in that
department must be carried on at the High School.
If
buildings are put up for the accommodation of the school, a
great (hole in paper) of money will be called for to meet
the expenses.
The (hole in paper) subject of building &
expense in relation to the High School will come before the
mission at the general meeting of the mission which is about
being convened at this place.
If ten thousand dollars
were at the disposal of the High School for its use for the
current year, the whole might be advantageously employed
provided arrangements could be made with the chiefs for a
tract of land for the use of the School & Scholars.
One hundred dollars a year for each of our station
s
chools would be a small amount; and yet applied to the
schools of 17 stations will make in the aggregate consider
able of a sum to draw for-You will perceive that our calls
upon you for pecuniary means are likely to be frequent and
loud.-W ith sentiments of great respect,
I am very truly yours in the service of Christ
Levi Chamberlain
To The Secretaries of the A.B .C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
No 28 Cornhill Boston U . S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Date May 18 1835
4
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postmark New York
Aug 29
�2496
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
172
Honolulu June 27th 1835
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Very Dear Sir,
The ship Hellespont arrived at this port
on the 6th inst. and we had the pleasure of welcoming the
sixth reinforcement to this mission all in good health and
spirits to engage in missionary duties. The supplies were
seasonable and we thank you for the liberality with which
they have been sent.--The Hellespont left Valparaiso b e
fore the arrival of the Hardy in consequence of which the
goods in that vessel have not been received.
The letters
were forwarded to Callao where they met the Hellespont and
they have come to hand.
Our General Meeting has been in session since the
3d inst. - all the families of the mission are at this
place except Dr. Chapin Mr. Hitchcock & Mr Goodrich and the
wives of Messrs Andrews and Dibble.
One subject has been brought before the General
Meeting, which occasioned considerable discussion- That is
the Case of Mr . Johnstone.
He thinks the school has been
misrepresented, and a vote of the mission was passed declar
ing that the Instructions of the Pru. Com. to him would not
affect his standing with the mission until he could have
time to communicate with you--To this vote I as well as
several others was strongly opposed , as we though it w as not
in accordance with your wishes that Mr. J.should continue
in the school and at the same time not have his standing
with us affected. W e did not any of us feel that it belong
ed to us to sever Mr. J. from the mission: but we were un
willing to approve of his continuing in the school as here
tofore. A letter has been written to the Trustees of the
School in the sentiments of which the meeting was united and
this stated that Mr. J ’s connection w ith the mission would
not be affected by your instructions to him until he should
choose one, of the three ways marked out in those instruc tion sBut our vote allows him to hold correspondence with you
before his connexion is affected.
I believe no member of
the Mission wishes M r. Johnstone to dissolve his connexion
with the school and they equally believe that Mr. Johnstone
can labor very usefully there.
But I fully accord with
the decisions of the Pru. Committee that the school belongs
to another class of operations.
�2497
It may be proper for me to state that Mr. J.
continues to teach the school--and that he seems to feel
that he has the approbation of the mission, as in fact he
has; but not of all, without its affecting his connexion
with the mission.
In great haste,
I am very truly
Your friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain.
P. S. Dr. Chapin & family have the approbation of the mission
to return to the U. S. on account of the feeble health of
Mrs C . Mrs. Spaulding is very low and there is little or no
prospect of her recovery and the family may possibly leave
the islands this fall for the U. S.-p "Saxon", R. E. Orm
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F .M.
Missionary Rooms
No 28 Cornhill
B oston U. S. A.
pr Hellespont
via Batavia
postmark New York ship
Dec 28
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Honolulu June 27, 1835
Recd Dec 31, 1835
Mr. Johnstone’s case
�2498
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
173
Honolulu, August 3rd 1835
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Very dear Sir,
I feel myself constrained to present
a subject before you, which, deference to an appointment
of the Board made in very great kindness to me, would have
lead me to withhold but duty to myself requires that it should
not be passed over in utter silence.
The letter of the B o a r d to Mr. Johnstone, the
deliberations of the general meeting and the course adopted
in reference to his case, though all designed to be pacific
have called forth an expression of feeling on the par t of Mr.
Johnstone; injurious to the character of individuals, and cal
culated to injure the cause.
We have been told, however, that it is n o t new
occurrence which gave rise to his feelings--W hat gave rise
to them, in part at least, as I suppose, so far as I am con
cerned, I shall attempt in a very plain, unstudied and explic
it manner to lay before you.
I shall enter into detail of
some things, as they will not be intelligible without a
considerable particularity.
Mr. Johnstone has been conversed with by several
individuals of the mission with a view to an amicable ad
justment of differencies and in hopes to obtain con
cessions from him; but the well meant efforts have been invain, and have only drawn forth the declaration that the
case must be laid before the public.
In what way or form
we have not been positively told.
It has been stated to us that ii. is the intention
of Mr. Johnstone to visit the U. S . and that Mr. J intends
to improve the earliest opportunity that may be presented
of forwarding communications.
I shall not in this letter attempt to give an
account of the recent occurrence nor of all the difficulties
which exist in reference to Mr. Johnstone.
I shall mention
the things only, in which I am likely to be implicated.
In a confidential letter from M r. Evarts, recd
by the New England, Mr. & M r s. Johnstone were spoken of
in high terms--but he was said to be delicate in his feeling,
and she, though possessing a high character for benevolence,
and public spirit and a heart full of kindness, was in danger,
it was thought of suffereing from an apprehension on her
part, that she is slighted or overlooked.--I refer to the
above sentiments that you may see that peculiarities were
supposed to exist in the character of the individuals who were
sent out to be helpers in my department.
�2499
Early after Mr. Johnstones arrival on the
ground-and ever before all the goods brought out by the
New England had been properly arranged, such words as
the following were reported to me as from the lips of
Mrs. Johnstone-whether with a view to their being repeat
ed to me or not I do not know.
Mr. Johnstone can never do
as M r . Chamberlain does; a little hard work and running
about quite overcomes him, he cannot bear fatigue.
These
(or expressions similar) made an impression on my mind,
and, added to what I saw of want of tact for that kind of
secular business with wh ich I was most burdened, and for
the relief of which I had asked for help, led me to feel
that I must renew my strength:— in other words, led me to
feel that I had really no assistant.
So I went on with my
work in the main just as I had gone on with it before,
accepting of such assistance as I apposed would be most agree
able to Mr. Johnstone to render, which extended to divisions
of a particular kind, such as boxes of donation, thread,
needles, pins, tape &c spices, dried apples & perhaps a few
other things.--He h as besides afforded me assistance in posting
my books;-a help which I would thankfully acknowledge.
From the first Mr. Johnstone seemed t o have a
predilection for another employment, laudable indeed in its
direct sphere of our labor as missionaries to the heathen.-This was the promotion of the spirital good of seamen and
foreign residents--a w ork which he accused us of having crim
inally neglected.
How he could benefit this class of men
seemed to be a subject which had long occupied his thoughts;
and soon after his arrival he began to attempt something.
The very first Sabbath after his arrival, if I
mistake not, he appointed, w i thout even consulting, as I recollect, an individual upon the subject, a meeting at the
house of Mr. Allen, a colored resident, about two miles from
the village; and the meeting was held there; but afterwards
it was removed to the village, and subsequently to his res
idence in Mr. E llis' house.
It was about the time of the
change of the meeting to his house, that he applied to me
for a f lg staff upon which to suspend a Bethel flag.
He had
not consulted an individual of the station as to the views
entertained by us upon the subject, notwithstanding that one
of the clergymen had a particular interest in it, inasmuch
as he had an assignment of labors connected with the spirit
ual interests of seamen.-As I had no timber which could be well spared
for the purpose nor workman to do the work, I did not pay so
much attention to the application as Mr. Johnstone thought
ought to have been given to it.
About this time he informed
me of a f lag staff, which could be bought for $ 10 . As I
was too full of business to attend to the purchase, nothing
was done.
A day or two passed, when he called upon me with
a proposition to sell to me a great coat or carpet which he
had of his own private property - wishing, as he said, to raise
�2500
money to purchase the flag staff.
I objected to his sell
ing his property for that purpose, and proposed letting
him have the money from the funds of the mission.
I expect
ed he would apply for the money; but he did not.
These are circumstances trifling in themselves,
but as they have been construed as acts of unkindness and
opposition, I have introduced them.
Others might be mention
ed; but these are sufficient.
I have no reason to think that
any other member of the mission would have taken exception
to any thing I said or did upon the occasion.--We are in the
habit of consulting freely with one another, & of expressing
our views freely on all points connected with our work. And
it is considered irregular for one to act contrary to the
views of the majority.
In the fall of 1831, I had considerable conver
sation with Mr. Johnstone.
I think it was in consequence of
hearing of some remarks of Mr.
J. implying a doubt as to
their remaining permanently in the islands.
His feelings
appeared to be very strong and the tenor of his words I thought
implied a harsh censure upon the mission.
He found things
different - very different from what he had expected, and
was greatly disappointed.
There were many things wrong not as they should be - and he had no doubt but we should
see an agent here before long sent out by the Board to look
into things. - He laid much stress upon our neglect of seamenour apathy in regard to their cause and criminal indifference
to their spiritual interests.
It was a subject upon which
he seemed unable to employ language sufficiently forcible.
All I could say as to its being not our appropriate work, and
that the mission had done much for seamen subordinately to
our main business, seemed to have no weight with him.
In this conversation he alluded to his appoint
ment, which , if I rightly understood him, he did n ot regard
for life, (as I intimated to him we regarded ours) Mr Evarts
having said to him, there was no necessity of his regarding
it so! As to his laboring for the benefit of seamen, he had
stated to Mr. Evarts that his leisure time, of which he
hoped to have much, he wished to devote to their cause ! I
expressed my satisfaction with his zeal for their cause, and
sincerely approved of his laboring for their good so far as
he could do it consistently with other duties.
But I gave
him to understand that I needed much help in my department,
and that he could afford me important assistance. To this
he replied that I should probably be able, after the store
house which was then in p rogress of being erected, should be
completed, and the depository arranged, to attend to all
the secular business unaided, and added that he should be
ashamed to have it stated publicly, t h a t this mission had
secular buisiness enough to employ the time of two men. How
he should be occupied he did not positively say; but did not
seem to expect to remain here; - but w d . be ready to go to the
�2501
Marquesas islands, should a mission he established there.
It may seem to you trivial that I should so fully relate a
private conversation of such a nature.
I do it that you may
see the operations of his mind, from so early a period of
his residence in the Mission, and be able to assign to its
true cause his departure from the work originally assigned
him.
In June 1832, Mr. Johnstone was appointed in
connection with Dr. Judd and myself to fit out the Mission
ary Packet for the proposed visit of a deputation of this
mission, to the Society and Washington islands. While this
work was in hand an unpleasant circumstance occurred which
gave ri se to strong feelings.
Though I was not the immediate
cause of the excitement, the feeling was extended so as to
reach to me. At this time I had much conversation with Mr.
Johnstone, in which he gave me to understand that he felt
himself much injured, both by myself and others.
I, he
said, had manifested a want of confidence in him and had not
treated him as I was in the habit of treating other members
of the mission.
They too were, he said prejudiced against
him because he was a Baptist.
I answered to these points
as well as I was able and tried my utmost to conciliate.
As
to want of confidence, what had appeared such was the effect
of delicacy.
I had felt a delicacy in calling upon him
to perform the laborious part of my work or that which was
of the nature of. drudgery.
Having myself, I said, been in
the habit of putting my hand to every kind of business in
my department, I felt that if I had time to attend to such
work, it were better for me to do it.
I gave him credit
for much assistance rendered in the secular department,
which was of great importance to me; said I was unwilling
to place upon him labors, which I might, I thought, without
any disparagement to his qualifications, be permitted to
say my habits of life had rendered me better able to perform.
It was painful to hear from the lips of a brother
missionary such expressions as these.
I have fully made up
my mind as to the course I shall pursue so soon as the
Missionary Packet Is off my hands:
I am not concerned but
what I can get employment.
I can get a lving as an account
ant or I can find employment under the patronage of the
Tract Society or of the Seamen's Friend Society. Even the
sacred office, I inferred from some of his remarks, was not
inaccessible,-or had b een once accessible and might be
again.-Another remark of his at this time should be
noticed in this connection: namely: That it were better
for him to be separated from the Mission than to remain
while such feelings existed in the minds of the brethren
against him.
I assured him that the help he could render me
in the secular department was very much needed— that it was
indispensable and would be highly valued. You can, he said,
�2502
w i th the aid of Dr. Judd who is a secular man, perform
all the work of your department.
It has been decided at
this general meeting that Dr. Judd is a secular man, he
will be able to help you where you are not able to do the
work yourself.
Expressions like these and my being referred
to Dr. Judd for assistance in my department led me to the
full determination never to apply again to Mr . Johnstone
for aid In the secular department of my work, which I r e
garded h i m from that time as having declined.
He however
assisted me in posting books and in taking account of supplies
when any large shipment arrived from America.
And h e aid
ed in teaching a native school part of one quarter after
this.
Not long after the above difficulty I held
another conversation with him.
It had been intimated
by one and another of our number (in consequence of expression
which had been uttered by Mrs. J.) that Mr . & Mrs. J. seem
ed not to regard their connection with the mission as per
manent.
I thought it possible that Mr. J. might have regard
ed something which he had said to me in our last conversa
tion as an application for dismission.
I therefore inquired
of him whe ther he regarded anything he said to me in the
light of such an application.
He said he had supposed that
after all the mission or rather individuals had said respect
ing his conduct, the subject of his connection would by taken
up at another General Meeting.
He did, he said, feel uncom
fortable in his connection and thought that his being discon
nected would be more agreeable to us than his remaining with
us.
I said if he wished to dissolve his connection with the
mission it would be proper for him to state his wish in writ
ing with his reasons for desiring a separation.
He said he
had no intention of making application to the mission for
separation; but wished the mission to apply to him to leave.
This, I said, the mission will not do: the mission did not wish
him to separate--there was work enough for all our hands.
Then he wished, he said, to be permitted to proceed according
to his own views and not to be censured for doing things which
some of the members did not approve: for there were some, he
said, at this station, who wished to have things go according
to their own views and nothing could be done unless their
opinions coincided.
I said that was rather a h arsh censure:that we -acted upon republican principles and every man's voice
had is weight, and no mans opinion would have any greater
influence than it had weight.
Somewhere about this time, which was July 1832,
the residents made efforts at the instance of Mr. Johnstone
to collect funds by subscription for the erection of a school
house for the accommodation of of foreigners children to be
collected in a school to be taught by one of the missionaries-The effort was successful, a house was built and M r . J. who
�2503
had previously taught the children of foreigners at his
own house was invited to teach them in the house recent
ly opened for their accommodation. The school was now
upon a new basis-being under the direction of a board of
trustees having bye laws enacted, and rules established
for their own regulation as well as regulation of the school
over which the mission had no control . The regulations of
the school though not published were known, and it was b e
lieved that some of these rules were formed on purpose to
exclude from the use of the scholars the books, or some at
least, which the mission would wish to have introduced.
Sometime before Mr. Johnstone entered on his
duties as teacher of the Oahu Cha rity School in accordance
with the expectations of its patrons, he consulted with me
respecting a better house to live in than the one he then
occupied.
I sp ake in terms of approval of the
(See page 2509) #175, page misplaced in binding
for the payment of the bills or on the Treasr. of the
American Board in Boston, as you may deem expedient.
A house also for domestics, and whatever
appendage shall be needed for your accommodation are in
cluded in this permission.
I am, Sir,
Very truly yours,
Levi Chamberlain
Supt. of Secular concerns.
To the above I received the following answer.
7 March 1833.
Dear
Sir,
In reply to your letter of yesterday, I must be
allowed to remark' , that there never existed in my mind any
doubt until Saturday last- that you and your brethren were
not perfectly willing (when the time came) to allow me a
very different dwelling- compared with the one we are now
occupying.
Judge then what would have been your surprise in
similar circumstances, to find a small native building suggest
ed ! and to be informed - 'this was the best accommodations the
the Mission could afford.'
To denominate such a house sufficient for a temporary residence, unless you could at the
�2504
same time point out where the intended permanent one would
certainly stand, say when it would be begun, and state by what
time it might probably be completed, is giving a latitude
to the term, I have not yet learnt to assign.
The minds of
the Mission I perceive from your own letter, are not yet
made up with regard to this building: and desirous of being
saved any further altercations on the subject, I have applied
and expect to be furnished with a suitable tenement protem.
from those. Gentlemen interested in the school with which I
am connected.
I can assure you my heart is pained to reflect
that the matter of where we shall lodge, should have called
forth any angry feelings, and, which could so easily have
been spared by a little more candor on y our part.
Respectfully
I remain S ir,
Yours very truly,
Andrew Johnstone.
To this I penned the following reply
March 9 1833
Mr. Andrew Johnstone,
Dear Sir,
I feel it due to myself and to the
brethren to state, that the native building referred to in
your letter of the 7th in answer to mine of the 6th was not
designed as your permanent accommodations, nor as the
'best the Mission could afford'; but only temporary, till
more desirable ones could be provided.
That they were not
the only temporary ones offered, I think you will freely
allow, when you call to mind the repeated offer of rooms
in the house I now occupy; which have been used for the
accommodation of different families of the mission no small
part of the time since the house was in a condition to be
improved as a dwelling.
'The minds of the mission, you say, I perceive
are not yet made up with regard to this building.'
Permit me
to say that no doubt was intended to be conveyed as to its
being rebuilt, provided you approved of it; but if you did
not, you would consider yourself at liberty to take measures
for building a house for your family, without any reference
to the plans of the mission in regard to that house.
I am Sir
as ever, yours
very respectfully
Levi Chamberlain
�2505
Several letters besides the foregoing passed
between us.
It will suffice my purpose to add an extract
from two--The first from M r. Johnston in reply to my last,
is as follows:
------ I can if required give you the names of
three Gentlemen with whom I have conversed from first to la st
on this subject and whose testimony will no doubt suffice-that you had offered me apartments in your dwelling.
I conceived it quite unnecessary to give them all my reasons for
declining such a proposal, further than simply to state —
there were objection to our occupying them."
"I have now to say, I shall be pleased to know
whether in the case of our deciding to take lodgings with
you rather than embrace the offer of a dwelling from, com
parative strangers this will not be disappointing the ex
pectations of Mr. Rogers, and frustrating at any rate in
part your designs with respect to others."
The second from myself in reply to the above is
as follows.------------ "I am able to say unhesitatingly it will
not.-----I am happy to say that Mr s . C. & myself will
welcome you and M rs. J. to our house, whenever it shall suit
your convenience to change your accommodations, either to
take y o u r meals at our table or to cook at our fire place,
or in some temporary cooking place that may be erected, as
shall be most agreeable to yourselves.
I have been thus particular in giving an account
of the affair of the house, because M r. J. has recently stat
ed that it is entirely
owing to me that the house he now
occupies cost so much money.
If it is owing to-me, it is b e
cause he had permission to b u i l d independent of my aid; which
by the way was not done entirely without it: for I provided
almost all the stones and lime, which had he been obliged
to do unaided by me, the cost w ould have been much more than
it actually has been.
The roof proved a very expensive one,
owing to its being of zink, and put on unskilfully, in con
sequence of which the rain came through and injured the plas
tering, and expense was incurred to repair the injury.
This
however was not the fault of Mr. Johnstone nor of any other
person particularly.
Mr. J. and he alone is accountable for the plan
of the house, which is not large on the ground and two stories
high, not so large as the house built for Mr Clark--somewhat of the same appearance externally but a little more ex
pensive --not in consequence of being better finished, but
because the work was not done to so good advantage.
I have
not been disposed to complain very much of the cost of the
house, though a larger and more convenient building might
have been erected for the same amount of expense.
I believe
�2506
he intended to be economical.--------Augt 5th Mr. Bingham is making out a communica
tion and he will doubtless give you all the information in
reference to the case of Mr. J. as it now stands.--I have
already prolonged my communication to an undue length, and I
fear you will think in giving undue particularity to affairs
of trivial moment, which perhaps ought never to have been
disclosed.
The whole subject has been a very painful one
to me and I have been tempted more than once to drop my
communication and lay it aside entirely and let the whole rest
in silence.
Mr. J. I suppose now considers himself no longer
a member of the mission, we having given him to understand
that he has forfeited our confidence, is no longer in good
standing, and not entitled to the privileges of the mission.
He has today however made acknowledgements so
far as to say, he spoke hastily to Mir . B ingham and under the
influence of strong excitement, and had he been acquainted
with Christian policy he should probably have expressed him
self differently--though of this Christian p o lic y , he said,
he knew nothing.
It is evident however that his feelings
of unkindness are not renounced any farther than this, he
has referred the whole case just as it stands to the Lord-has cast off the responsibility of it, and left it to be
adjusted at the last assize: And provided we w i l l let the
subject entirely drop (wishing to say no more upon it-to
have no more said to him in reference to it, having no conceessions to make an requiring none) he on these conditions
is willing to be on sociable terms.
It seems to me, however, impossible that the
subject should rest--even should Mr. J. never take it up
again.
The feelings he has manifested have been made known
to the foreign community--to some extent at least.
He ac
knowledges that Mrs. J. has reported it to the Charlton family,
and we have heard of it from other quarters. The feeling he
has cherished that the mission has injured him will be
transferred to others and will no doubt b e made the occasion
of much evil speaking.
With very respectful salutations to all your
associates & helpers at the Missionary Rooms
I am with Christian affection your
servant in the work of the Redeemer
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
D ated Honolulu, Aug 3, 1835
Recd Dec 30
Case of Mr. Johnstone
Ackd in G L. June 15
�2507
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
, Part T hird
XXVII
174
Honolulu, November 26, 1835.
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Very dear Sir,
It would give me great pleasure to
write you a long letter and to tell you how my cares and
labors have increased.
But I am so pressed with business
and concerns that I must write briefly.
Dr. C hapin is on the eve of departure with
his family, the reason of his leaving the field you will
fully learn from himself and from other sources.
Mr. Goodrich, and wife and their five children
have recently arrived at this place from H i l o ; and we are
seeking a passage for them to the United States. We fear
they will not be as much favored as Dr. Chapin and family
have been in obtaining a free passage.
We are indebted, as
y ou will learn, for their passage, to the kindness of Cap.
Coleman, of ship Mariner, the same that so kindly afforded
Mr. & Mrs. Ellis and their little ones a gratuitous passage
to the United States some years ago.
My frequent drafts upon the Treasury will
apprise you that our mission has been expensive during the
last year.
I have written to Mr. Hill from time to time
giving information of my drafts and assigning the reasons,
as fully as my time would admit, of their having been
drawn.
I am sorry that I could not write with more particularity and that I have not been able to make out annual state
ments of our pecuniary affairs, giving as in years past, a
concise account of the expenditures of the different stations
and of the various departments of our work.
The means for
doing this I possess in full, the leisure to enable me to
accomplish it is what I want.
But this it is impossible
for me at present to command.
Every station and every
individual claim me as common property.
The secular concerns of the mission are so
various & pressing; so much correspondence is to be main
tained with stations & individuals in relation to secular
affairs; so much work in the depository with my own hands
to be done; so much running, seeking of conveyances for
supplies, and, when obtained, shipping the same; receiving
articles which come from the stations, as well as those
which you send to us from home; so much miscellany which can
not be mentioned, besides the care of my own family, (now
large#) and superintendence of buildings at this station,
together with proof reading, (the doing of which is not a
task but a pleasing r e laxat ion;) -- all these, together with
#Five in all - three sons & two daughters.
�2508
the care, responsibility and exhaustion which attach to then,
falling upon one, you will not think it strange that this
one, possessing very moderate abilities, should find it
impossible to post books by double entry, make out annual
statements of expenditures and full memorandum, of w ants.
I write this by way of apology for having wri t
ten so briefly of late on the subject of our expenses, while
I have drawn so heavily on your treasury.
It has seemed to be unavoidable that great ex
penditures for building should be incurred.
The work of
building has been going on at almost all the stations.
The
last Gen Meetg. as you will have learned, voted 5,000 dollars
to the High Sch.
Independently of this grant the High
Sch. station has been expensive in the particular of
buildings.
At Wailuku, Hilo, W aimea or Hawaii, Kaawaloa,
Koloa & Waioli, on Kauai & Ewa & K aneohe on this island
the work of building has made drafts upon the Depository
since the last Gen. Meeting;--some of them heavily; and
most of them will continue to make drafts, not only for
materials to complete the work commenced but for means to pay
workmen.
I have also paid heavy bills for work previously
performed at Lahainaluna & Molokai; besides paying about
$ 140 pr mo. to workmen employed in the Printing & B inding
Departments.
With very kind and respectful salutations to
all your associates I am most sincerely and
with Christian affection,
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston U. S.
Dr. Chapin
Ship Mariner
Cap Coleman
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Honolulu, Nov. 26, 1855
Recd May 7, 1836
Ackd in G. L June 15
Ansd July 21
�2509
(This and the following pages misplaced in binding
the original letter. See middle of page 2503)
175
idea, and was willing to afford assistance.
I treated the
subject just as I should have treated it had it been present
ed by any other member of the mission.
The materials were
to be provided, workmen employed, a scite chosen and the
kind and dimensions of the building settled, and the work
performed.
I could not therefore speak very definitely as
to the time the w ork would be done - particularly as to
despatch, so much would depend upon the amount of help which
he could himself afford.
We had conversation several times upon the sub
ject.
He one time told me what kind of a house would be
agreeable: namely: a dobie house 44 feet long by 24 feet wide
plastered and finished; the carpenter's work of which as by
proposal of a mechanic desirous to do the work w ould cost, I
think, $550; end this not include the roof, which he had not
decided whether to cover with boards & shingles or thatch.
I expressed myself freely upon the subject and reasoned again
such a kind of a house.
I treated it something in the
following way.
If so much money is to be laid out in finish
ing a hou se, the walls should be substantial-dobies are not
substantial they are liable to decomposition by the action
of the atmosphere and are exposed to accident and injury
from contact.
If so expensive a finish is put upon a
building the roof should be better than native thatching.
I therefore decided that for such a finish as was contemplat
ed the walls should be of stone and the roof of boards and
shingles.
As the house in which Mr. Johnstone resided
was not comfortable and as he had seen fit to decline my
offer of temporary accommodations in my house I suggested the
erection of a dobie house, as soon as possible, about 16
feet by 24 or 28 ft. for temporary accommodations, till a
better house could be provided. This dobie house to be
vacated for the use of Mr. Js domestics, as soon as better
accommodations were in readiness for his family.
H e made various inquiries respecting the tempor
ary house suggested and also with respect to the permanent
one proposed, all of which I endeavored to answer, though
I could not speak definitely as to the time when the work
of the permanent house would probably be completed nor even
certainly when it would be commenced.
I intimated that it
might possibly be from 8 months to a year before the work
would be finished. I could not tell anything certainly about
it there were so many things to interrupt and embarrass the
business.
I felt too much pressed with other duties and
cares.
This conversation took place on Saturday.
On
Monday I met Mr. J. opposite my house and introduced the
�2510
subject again.
Much to my surprise and regret he treated the.
suggestion as an insult offered to him and spoke in the most
contemptuous language of accommodations such a house would
afford.
His feelings were much excited, and I tried in
vain to convince him that I had on intention of proposing
such a house as a permanent residence -- that I merely
suggested a small native bu i lding-that it was only a suggestion - that the house was designed to be eventually for
the accommodation of his own domestics, after It had served
the purpose of a temporary dwelling for himself.
He rose
exceedingly high in his feelings,-alluded to various thingsand added expressions unwarranted by any thing which I was
conscious of having said or done- He alluded also to my own
house and made unkind remarks respecting its plan - said he
would not have any thing to do with any plan I would suggest,
nor live in a house I would plan or in fine with which I
should have anything to do.
This I thought was unkind and
the treatment of the whole subject of my suggestion unreason
able.
And the harshest expression I remember to have e m
ployed was, that he was unreasonable-- very unreasonable
in h's treatment of the subject, And I thought in view of
all he had said that I should be justified in casting the
whole subject of building a house upon himself to bear the
responsibility.
After consulting freely with the brethren of
the station I addressed him the following letter.
Honolulu March 6th 1833
Mr. Andrew Johnstone
Dear Sir,
That a comfortable dwelling should be
furnished for you by the mission has always been the expecta
tion of the brethren, and it was in accordance with this
presuming that you would approve of it, that the plan of r e
building the Ellis house was proposed and is still proposed
and for the carrying of which into effect preparations have
been made.
But if you feel that the house will not accommo
date you, if rebuilt you will consider yourself at liberty
to erect a house for the accommodation of your family of such
dimensions and of such materials as you think best, having
that regard to economy, to neatness, convenience & comfort
in the plan and structure that your own feelings shall dictate
drawing on me
�2511
60
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third.
XXVII
176
Honolulu,
Jany 21, 1836
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Very dear Sir,
As my letters are mostly on the
pecuniary concerns of the mission, they are generally
addressed to Mr. Hill.
But I am unwilling that my letters
to the Rooms, though on secular subjects should be confinedto him.
I have recently written a pretty long letter to
Mr. Hill inclosing my account with Ladd & C o and giving a
summary of my drafts upon the treasury during the year 1835.
Y o u will probably be surprised to see that the drafts amount
to more than 25,000 dollars, and be disposed to inquire the
reason why this mission has become so expensive.
I need not refer to our numbers; you w e ll
know how many are connected with this mission, and need not
be told that no inconsiderable sum is required for the support
of thirty families, some of which are large.
Had I time to
made out amy pecuniary account I could show in what way the
means of support, which we have drawn from y our treasury, have
been applied.
I could show you how much has been appropriat
ed to each station, how much to buildings, how much to the
printing department, to the medical department to the charter
of vessels and to the High School & station connected with it.
During no year since the establishment of the mission has so
much expense been-laid out in building as during the year 1835.
W hether more has been expended on this department of work
than was expedient or than you will approve, I do not feel
myself competent to decide.
Certain it is, however, that
several of the families are still in undesirable circumstances
in regard to habitation; and much money must yet be laid out
before they will be comfortable.
I have made statements in former letters respect
ing the uncomfortableness of native houses, and the desira
bleness that each family should be funished as soon as prac
ticable with a substantial and comfortable dwelling house.
In the first stage of the mission the pioneers
were obliged to accept of such houses as could be obtained.
These were of native structure, made by fixing posts in the
ground, fastening- poles in the form of rafters to them, and
tying in a compact manner bundles of long grass to transverse
sticks, thus forming what we term a native house; having no
floor but mats laid upon the ground, no partitions but the
same native material, no closets, no clothes presses, and no
�2512
celling except a covering overhead of frail native kapa.
Such are the kind of houses w h i c h our mission
aries are obliged to occupy on taking a new station; & they
are generally built gratuitously for them by the chiefs.
If we build houses of this kind at the expense of the
mission it is generally at little expense, & we do not
think it expedient to lay out much on such houses in the way
of finishing.
It is upon houses of a more permanent charac
ter that we think expense is judiciously bestowed.
You will readily conceive that, in the ex
change of such frail & cheap accommodations for those
that are constructed with firm walls, board floors, & shingl
ed roofs, with plastered walls, p a r t i t i o n s & ceilings,
with closets, book c a s e s & clothes presses, and a due pro
portion of glazed windows & pannel doors, a great difference
of expenditure must be exhibited in the pecuniary accounts
of the mission; and this will appear more clearly when you
consider that lumber costs from 40 to 8 0 dollars and some
even 125 dollars pr thousand feet, and every thing, from a
foreign source, if purchased here, 100 pr cent, at least upon
an average, over what it would cost i n Boston, and to this
super-added the difference of exchange,-10 to 15 pr cent.
The work of building or finishing has during the
year been prosecuted at nearly all the stations. At
Lahainaluna more of it has been carried on than at any other
station.
The expenses of this station alone for the year
1835 amount to about $11,000; by far the greatest part of
which has been expended on account of buildings for the school
and the instructors.
During the year I have purchased
90,920 feet of lumber, which cost $4,530.70; a large amount
of which has been forwarded to this station & I have purchased 17,630 yds of factory cotton which cost $2963.37; also
cloth, duck, prints, cotton handkfs, soap and nankeen for
trade, amtg to $1,362.10.
At Honolulu station a new durable stone building
has been erected for a printing office, 20 feet by 32, 2
stories and a half high; which cost between 1500 and 2000
dollars.
Also has been finished with some additions & alter
ations, at the expense of about $900, a dwelling house and
dispensary for Dr. Judd.
In all the charges for building the wages of
workmen form an important item: and these are such workmen,
generally, as in America would find it difficult to obtain
employment.
But we are obliged to employ such as we can
get, or such as we can afford to h i r e for there are a few
who may be called good workmen: but they ask high wages, and
we do not feel willing except in urgent cases, to employ
men at $2.50 or $3.00 pr day.
Much yet remains to be done in the department
of building for the comfort of the families,--much for the
High School and much for schools in general.
�2513
Buildings are in an unfinished state at Koloa,
for Mr. Gulick; at W aioli for Mr. Alexander, (the w ork is
but just commenced at this station;) and at Ewa, for Mr.
Smith.
At Kaneohe, though a thousand dollars, probably,
have been laid out in buildings, it is doubtful whether the
work is regarded as finished.
At Honolulu several houses
of a cheap kind are needed for the accommodation of the
families that assemble from year to year to attend the General
meeting. At W ailuku on Maui the work of building has been
commenced; but a pretty large sum must be expended before
it will be completed.
At Kaawaloa & Waimea on Hawaii the
work is going on: at the latter place it is nearly through;
at the former it will probably not be finished under several
months.
Work is in a state of forwardness at Hilo, and a
few months more will release the workmen which are now em
ployed there.
To complete all the work contemplated in the
above survey not less probably than $5,500 will be called for.
Though a large sum has been expended for build
ings at Lahainaluna, yet, if the work which is contemplated
should be carried on, the building operations of that
station may be regarded as only well commenced. A new house
for the Principal, now well along, will cost when finished ,
it is estimated about $2500.
Accommodations for Mr. Dibble
have been commenced; these will not be so expensive.
M
r
.
Rogers will need a house, and he contemplates building as
soon as practicable.
A printing office is needed, and the
work of erecting one will be taken up soon. T he building of
a Chapel, lecture rooms and other buildings for the School
will be undertaken just as soon as the directors can see
the way open to commence.
Mr. Clark has I suppose laid b e
fore you the views of the Directors and the plans they think
of carrying into effect for the prosperity of the institu
tion.
To Mr . Cs letter allow me to refer you for information
respecting their plans and their wants.
The mission thought it expedient at the last
General Meeting to grant a small amount to the station at
Molokai to aid in the building of a meeting; house.
Grants
may be made at our next meeting to other stations.
A meet
ing house is much needed at Ewa, where a Church consisting
of eighteen members was organized the first Sabbath o f this
year.
The. people have done something in the way of providing
materials, and they are ready to take, hold with their hands
and work; but there are parts of the work to which their
skill is not adequate; and there are foreign materials, for
which money will be required as well as for the pay of foreign
workmen.
The building cannot be completed without help from
the Chiefs or from the Mission.
The Chiefs will be urged
to help; but it may be necessary s t i l l for the mission to do
something.
A meeting house is needed at this station.
The
old one is of native structure and has become uncomfortable
and does not exhibit a respectable appearance for a place
so much visited by foreigners as Honolulu, and as a house of
�2514
worship to which the principal personages of the nation resort.
It may be a question whether the mission ought not to make
a grant of funds to aid in the erection of a decent and
commodious house of worship at this place.
I do not, how
ever, give it as my opinion that they ought to do it.
Nor
do I think the question will be submitted, but if the
Christian public would justify the appropriation of a few
thousand dollars for building churches in this land, by
their liberal contributions, I doubt not the cause of the
mission would be advanced and the best interests of the
nation promoted.
Allied to the erection of meeting houses is anoth
er work, that of building school houses for the good of the
nation; and I may add to it compensation to school teachers
for their services.
A good school house is needed at each
station for the use of the missionaries themselves; and many
more are needed in each of the several divisions of the
islands, where missionaries reside, for the use of approved
native teachers.
These houses should be more substantial
than wood and hay thrown together in the form of a house.
Until more durable, and better contrived houses are provid
ed, than those by that name, in which schools have been
taught in times past, little progress can be expected to be
made in teaching; and little improvement among those to whom
instruction is attempted to be communicated.
More than this;
unless a class of the best instructed and most competent
natives are selected, and placed by the missionaries over
schools, but few results can be expected worthy of the cause.
It has come to this in my mind: the cause will
advance very slowly, until an efficient & vigorous system of
school instruction is instituted,-and one which shall have
respect principally to the children & youth of the land. But
I see not how much can be done, in the present state of
things, unless the mission take up the work of building
school houses, and supporting teachers.
If. a teacher is not
properly supported he will be much embarrassed, and it will
be a rare case if he be not discouraged, and either slight
his work or forsake it altogether.
Will the Board bear us out in spending 4000
dollars of their money this year or next in erecting 40 or
50 school houses in as many of the principal districts
of the several islands? Will they justify us in paying a
salary to each teacher of $50 to 100 dollars a year to
occupy as many houses, if so many competent persons can be
found?
If the number be too great, how many will they justify
us in building? or, if the wages be too high, how much will
they justify us in giving?
I am fully of the belief, that in
order to have teachers diligent, faithful and laborious in
the performance of their duties, they should be paid for
their services.
Hitherto this has n ot been the cas e; and,
generally, the services of the teachers that have been em
�2515
ployed have not been worth remuneration.
But we may hope
to have a class of men to engage in the work of teaching,
whose services shall be worth paying for: but we cannot
expect the government at present to pay them, and the people
will not be likely to do it; it follows then, that they
must, in general , labor for nothing or under great disad
vantages, or the mission must in part or in whole, compensate
them.
The brethren already at several of the stations have
engaged teachers with the offer of compensation; and good
results are likely to follow.
I would have the labors of such
teachers confined to children, collected in schools to be
under the direct and particular superintendence of the
missionaries.
There is not a doubt in my mind of the exped
iency of this measure; and if some plan of this kind is not
adopted, I know of no way in which the children and youth of
this land can be instructed.
The only objection to it will
be found in the want of time of the missionary to superintend
properly the school, and the deficiency of suitable teachers.
But I am calculating that the High School and the Station
schools will i n as few years furnish a competent number, to
a good degree qualified for such a service. Should this
expectation be realized, (and why should it not?) native
teachers may be sent into every division of the islands, and
sustain schools, and Christian worship too, in places where
it would not be practicable to support a foreign missionary.
I do believe that the natives must themselves carry on and
perfect what the mission aided by the Christian public, have
so successfully commenced
Teachers & preachers must be
raised up in the midst of this nation: for how can foreign
countries do any more than begin the work,--show how it is
to be done, encourage and help it forward in the early
stages of it, and then leave the perfecting of it to the
people themselves.
This may be a speculation but it seems
to me a rational one.
I do not advance the idea that aid
should be withdrawn or withheld, but that it should be ex
tended in an increased ratio; - that it should be proffered
in a way to encourage effort on the part of the people to
help themselves.
The business of teaching the children must not
be left t o teachers who are so only in name, and receive nothing
for their services, and are liable to be called from the
business of teaching to perform public work, as well as to
look up the means of paying their taxes.
But the best per
sons that can be found must be put into this work, and for
their services they must be paid.
If we are permitted to expend funds for the
erection of school houses; and, if we are not, school houses
properly constructed will not soon if ever be built, and
if we remunerate school teachers; then our expenses, now
already great, will be much increased. A small grant will
�2516
be better than none; .but we need a large grant.
It is not
to the High School only that grants should be made: they are
needed for the support of teachers throughout the islands.
If that institution should prosper so as to corne up to our
highest hopes and wishes, and be the means of raising up
a class of enlightened, wise and good men; yet in the present,
state of the government their influence would not be felt
speedily in the nation, but if a portion of them could be em
ployed under a wise direction in imparting knowledge to the
rising generation. -the elements of the future nation, what
results may n ot be expected to follow.
I feel that we must
get hold of the children, and in order to this we must have
good teachers for them.
Will not the Board, will not the
Christian public help us? A few hundred do l l ars are not enough; we want thousands all the islands and the whole nation
are before us.
A hundred d ollars for each station school
is not enough we*$ 1 0 , 0 0 0 for the building of as many houses
and the support of as many teachers as that amount of money
will effect: if not the present year,-as soon as suitable teach
ers can be obtained, and the work of building and fitting the
houses accomplished.
I have drawn out my letter to such a length that
I have neither room or time now to say much more. M r . Good
rich
family consisting of his wife & five children take
passage in the ship Awashonks.
The letters of the brethren
will make known the reasons of his going and his standing
in the mission. We pay for his passage $500 at the islands
and find stores for the voyage; all of which Mr. G. has been
able to provide without calling upon the deposy except a
c o w #
and 5 barrles of flour.
I remain with great resp ect & esteem.
Your servt in the Gospel
-Levi Chamberlain
#Two thirds of the value o f the cow has been paid to the missn
by the ship & other passengers.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Date J une 21, 1836
Recd May 24
Marked
School houses
School writers
copied
*want
�2517
68 Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Third
XXVII
177
Honolulu, March, 22, 1836
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Cor Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston.
Very dear Sir,
An opportunity will be offered soon of
sending letters to the Coast of Mexico, or hence they may be
conveyed across the continent.
I wrote a few days ago to Mr. Hill, via Canton:
a duplicate of that letter is reserved to be sent across the
continent.
Since that was written we have had the pleasure
of receiving your letters by the Gen. Glover, and also by the
La Grange.
Both v essels arrived yesterday just about the
same time.
W e feel grateful to you for the very prompt
attention bestowed upon our requests.
The confidence which
you repose in this mission imposes upon us a very great res
ponsibility.
It would be a crime in us to take advantage
of it to ask for things that were not, upon the whole, necessary
for the advancement of the cause.
That we have ever made any
such request it might not be easy to prove; but your kindness
more than throws a mantle over our defects.
The manner in which you speak of my agency & the
commendation you are pleased to bestow upon my poor services,
are calculated to make me feel ashamed that I so ill deserve
your praise.
The Lord grant that I may be more worthy of it
in future.
It is, a comfort to me to know that my patrons
approve of my course.
I am oftimes perplexed to determine my
duty. I do feel my responsibilities, and sometimes their
weight is almost insupportable.
Bu t after all I would not
really wish them to be less.
I rejoice that there is so much
to be done, and that so much devolves upon me.
It has never
been my prayer that my burden, should be less; but that my
strength might be more.
To the increase I would fix no limit,
but refer it all to Him who judges right, and orders all things
in wisdom & kindness.
Perhaps there is pride, or ambition
in this wish, and God sees fit to make me see my worthlesness,
and to feel my weakness, in order that I may be humbled.
You say in regard to an associate for me, "As a
last resort, we may perhaps send out a clerk*coming out with
the expectation of being a mere clerk would be disappointed.
He would expect to keep my books, and do what copying were
necessary. The performance of this work would indeed be a
relief. But there is yet a more laborious department of work
*for a limited time on wages."------ I fear that a person
�2518
in which I need relief, and should be glad of help.
I will
not say it is indispensable:
I have hitherto performed it
with my own hands, and shall continue to do so: namely:
dividing, packing & shipping supplies for the different fam
ilies & stations.
If I had a trusty, laborious man possess
ed of a lowly temper of mind, active, kind and patient, who
would be willing to go into the cellar to draw off oil,
molasses &c cooper barrels, handle boxes, weigh out sugar,
coffee, nails &c keep the articles of the depository in order,
sort & measure lumber and attend to packing and shipping
supplies:--this would be the kind of helper that would re
lieve me most to my satisfaction.
Perhaps such an one I
ought not to expect--one who would do all this for no compen
sation except a bare support & the consciousness of serving
the cause with the best of his powers.
I repeat, I ask not
that my labors, cares & responsibilities should be less: but
it is my earnest desire and prayer that my strength and
capabilities may be more,
May it be, not for the gratification
of vanity or selfishness; but for the more noble satisfac
tion of accomplishing more for the cause of the blessed Re
deemer.
If it were in my power to do all the work of my d e
partment with my own hands, I would not ask to be relieved.
I love my work notwithstanding its arduousness, and would
not exchange my condition for that of the most prosperous
merchant in the United States; who is. pursuing business,
merely for its gold and worldly advantages.
Let it not be
inferred from what I have written, that I feel dissatisfaction
on account of not being furnished with a helper this spring.
Your conclusions and proceedings have yielded the most entire
satisfaction.
It were much better that the sending of a help
er in my department were delayed , than that an unsuitable per
son should be sent. Relief Is not the object of my solicitude:
it is to be able to perform all the duties of the secular
department to the satisfaction of the Board and the Christian
public, and in a manner too to gain the approval of the great
Head of the Church.
I feel entire satisfaction in the
decisions of providence, both in reference to myself and the
mission.
My fear is that none of us make such returns as we
ought to the divine Savior for his favors, which are incessant
and are showered upon us in profusion.
I do not know that any of the brethren will
write by the present opportunity of sending t o the Continent.
I cannot forbear writing a few lines respecting the present
state of things at this station. Ever since the government
-became settled the state of things has been improving, and
though they are not, by any means; what we would have them
to be, they are still very much altered for the better:
I
mean better than they were when confusion seemed to reign,
after the death of Kaahumanu.
A protracted meeting was held
the last week in February, which, including one Sabbath, was
�2519
contined six days.
The meeting was w el l attended.
Our large
house was for the most part filled, not indeed so full that
by sitting closly, it could contain no more, although at
some of the meetings there w ere many about the doors; but so
full as to pressent from one end to the other, and on each
side, a mass o f faces turned with seriousness, and listening
attention to the missionary, who as the messenger of the
Lord Jesus Christ, stood up to persuade them to forsake their
sins and to be reconciled unto God, who, after so long a
time and notwithstanding their multiplied provocations, was
ready still to pardon & serve them.. A daily prayer meeting
was held in the meeting house, commencing at six oclock in
the morning: this was but the continuance of a practice
which has been of about a years standing; the numbers how
ever on this occasion were greatly increased. The brethren
of the different stations on this island came to assist in
the labors of the meeting; and preached, and exhorted and
prayed with much fervency and faithfulness.
A regular ser
vice was conducted every day at 10 ock A. M . & another at
4 P. M. At 2 ock the church met for prayer, confession &
exhortation.
Some of the native members seemed to enter
into the spirit of the occasion, and we though w e saw evid
ence that the Spirit of God was in the midst of us. Bus
iness so far as the natives were concerned was pretty gen
erally suspended.
The chiefs released their people from all
their ordinary labors; and not only gave them permission to
attend the meetings; but used such persuasions as would be
calculated to induce them to be present. W e cannot but hope
that permanently good results will be witnessed in consequ
ence of this meeting.
Many have been aroused to give a more
serious attention to the things of religion; and some who
till the time of the meeting had been pursuing a course of
sin, have been alarmed, and professedly have forsaken their
wicked courses.
How many will prove to have been savingly
benefitted, we are not able to say.
Some undoubtedly who
profess repentance will turn back, and others who seem to be
awakened will settle down again, into indifference & security.
Had we time to converse with the people; and were it the best
way to do them good, to spend our time in hearing them tell
their thoughts, and in giving them oral instruction, we
might have our houses frequented all hours of the day, and
perhaps of the night; but we wish not to encourage the old
habit of telling thoughts a t our houses. We hope the Lord is
doing a good work among us, and that the seed, which has
been scattered with patience & with tears, is here and there
springing up to bear fruit to the glory of God. We d o not
wish to make too much of the excitement: what we witness may
prove to be too much like the morning cloud and the early dew.
But we ought not to despise the day of small things: it is
due to the praise of God's grace to speak of what we believe
�2520
has been accomplished by it.
It is the Lord, surely, that
has inclined the hearts of any to turn from vanity and
the pursuit of those things that vain the soul.
I can men
tion one case which displays the sovereignty of God. At
the time the efforts were made to break down the observance
of the Sabbath, and to trample the institutions of this
holy day under feet, one man, a chief of some influence, in
stituted a hula - native song & dance - at his house, around
which a company collected, while those who trembled at the
word were assembling at the house of God.
This man was
bold in sin, and took a leading part in the attempt to revive
the ancient sports and games & and was one of the foremost
in opposing the truth.
He drank freely himself, and encourag
ed the manufacture and sale of ardent spirits for the ruin
of others.
He was commended by those who were in the broad
road to death, and spoken of as an alii maikai, by those
who wished to see the institutions of the Gospel fall pros
trate, and to witness the triumph of dissipation & misrule
This man we hope has been brought down, by Him who Is strong
er than the strong man armed. F or a month or two previous
to the protracted meeting he was seen coming to the house
of God on the Sabbath, and also attending orderly on instruc
tion in the Sabbath School, committing to memory a select por tion of God's word., During the time of the meeting he was
uniformly present and attentive, and seemed to hear as one
who had a personal interest in the truths addressed.
He has
made known his purpose to devote himself to the service of
the Lord, and to seek henceforth the things connected with
the souls salvation, and the interests of Christs kingdom.
The adult Sabbath School which it is my privilege
to superintend, is, at present, in an interesting state.
The
attendance varies from 1200 to 1400 enbracing all classes from
the highest chiefs to the lowest makaainana-cultivation of
the soil.
Select portions of Scripture printed on a small sheet
or handbill and given out on the Sabbath is the subject for
the week, and the lesson for recitation in the School. A
card or shoot tract of one duodecimo page containing a new
lesson is given out each Sabbath.
By doing this the attend
ance is kept up, and the interest in the school kept from
flagging.
These little tracts printed at the expense of the
Anerican Tract Society & offered gratuitously, will, we hope,
bring salvation to some, and prove to many to be leaves from
the tree of life which are for the healing of the nations.
As it respects the other stations I have nothing
particular to communicate. The work of teaching and preaching
is going on as usual, without interruption and without im
pediment.
The truth, as we believe, is taking deeper root,
and the benign influence of the Gospel shedding itself more
fully and happily upon the benighted minds of the people.
This be it said to the praise of that grace which wills not
the death but the salvation of the most degrade & lost of our
race.
We cannot repose too much confidence in God, but in
man we may not trust. We have seen too much of the duplicity
�2521
and fickleness of the, people to confide in their professions.
But still, we believe, that where the Lord has begun*
work
in any heart he will carry it on, and not suffer that indiv
idual to fall irrecoverably.
Many cases could be mentioned
of departure from the precepts of the gospel, and the recov
ery to the paths of rectitude - with evidences of genuine r e
pentance.
We have cases too of coldness and of apparent
indifference in regard to the great things of religion and
of subsequent awakening and new engagedness in the all import
ant subject.
The protracted meeting has had the affect to
arouse the dormant feelings of many and of stimulating them
to new efforts for gaining evidence of belonging to the
kingdom of Christ.
Consequently a number were examined in re
ference to being offered as candidates for Church membership;
and on the first sabbath of the present month 40 persons were
propounded for baptism and admission at our next communion.
Before I close this letter I feel it a duty to
refer again to the case of Mr. Johnstone.
Not long since f or
certain reasons which made his accommodations provided by the
Trustees of the Oahu charity School not agreeable to him,
he applied to Mr. Tinker for temporary accommodations with
him, which were readily granted.
This application we regard
ed as a pledge of willingness on his part to be on friendly
terms with the mission; and our judgement was correct.
We
have been willing to wave entirely the subject of former di f
ficulties, and to extend to him our kind attentions.
We have
not felt that concessions were due from us, and we have not
felt it necessary that they should be extorted from him.
He has met Mr. Bingham on friendly terms, and Mr. B. with a
truly Christian spirit has required no more,
I am very truly & very affecty your friend & servt
Levi Chamberlain
:-a good
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Coresponding Secretary
of the A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston U. S. A
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Honolulu March 22, 1836
Recd July 12, 1836
Ansd July 21
�2522
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
178
Honolulu April 26th 1836
Rev. Rufus Andersen
Cor Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
Very dear Sir,
One object of writing to you via Mexico
by an opportunity just now presented, is to refer to an article
in the New York Observer of Aug 29, 1835, headed "Sandwich
Island's Mission.” it is an anonymous letter, dated Sandwich
Islands, Decr 1834, having the appearance of having been
written by one of our number.
It contains a severe attack up
on the King and his sister, representing him as "a thorough
drunkard and debauchee” , and the Princess as "using intoxicat
ing drink continually and excessively, and of living in the
practice of habitual incest with her brother.
This article has come under the observation of
the King, and, as might well be supposed, has produced strong
feelings in his mind.
On the supposition that it was written
by a missionary he has requested us to make known to him the
author.
As our general meeting is approaching an inquiry
will be instituted, and, if the author should prove to be one
of the missionaries on the ground, proper measures will be
taken to conciliate the king and princess, and to commend
ourselves to the powers that be, to whom we are in duty
bound to be obedient.
Those of us who have seen the article are in doubt
as to whom the authorship should be atributed and I can hard
ly pursuade myself to believe that a missionary would commit
such thoughts to paper, and send them unguarded across the
ocean to find their way into a public vehicle of news, es
pecially one of so much celebrity as the New York Observer.
The spirit of the piece is hostile to the chiefs and unfriend
ly to the government, so much so that some of the rulers and
even residents are disposed to exhono rate the mission, and
say, An enemy hath done this.
Besides breathing an unkind
spirit, the article contains somethings that are not true. I
have not time to enlarge upon the subject, and it is not
necessary for my present purpose that I should send you a
review of the article.
You will probably hear more of this
business, after our general meeting shall have closed.
I
could suggest, that in the mean time, you endeavor to find out
from the editors of the New Y ork Observer the writer of the
letter, and the circumstances in which it was presented for
publication.
I think the King is disposed to feel kindly to
wards the mission as a body; but will entertain a prejudice
�2523
against any who intruduce him to the public in so disadvantage
ous a light as the letter in question presents him, and as
he has been presented in the communication of one of our
number, sometime ago published in the United States.
If the
advice you have given us on the subject of our communications
had never been violated, we should probably not have been
placed in our present uncomfortable circumstances.
I will now refer to another subject:
it is
this, a helper for the secular department of this mission.
Mr. Hall our printer, who is an efficient and active labor
er in his department, has signified to me that he is ready
to become my assistant.
To this however, I could not consent
until his place should be well supplied in the Printing D epartment.
Nor did his proposition imply other than this,
He thinks you will not find the same difficulty in procuring
a printer, as in securing a suitable helper in my department.
Mr. Hall possesses qulifications and trails of character
which recommend him to consideration as a helper for me; and
the fact, that after having seen the wants of the depart
ment & been a witness of the toils and labors of it, he should
voluntarily offer his services, speaks much in his favor.
You will please take into consideration the
subject, and act in the case as your judgement shall direct.
I am very respectfully and very affectionately
Your friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain
Rev . Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec A . B .C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Honolulu, April 26/36
Recd Oct Oct 17, 1836
Ackd in G. L Dec 5
To be shown to the Mission
�2524
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
179
Honolulu May 14th 1836
Rev Rufus Anderson
Cor-- Sec A . B .C.F .M.
Boston
Very dear Sir,
Inclosed are two letters returned
to the Missionary Rooms for your direction. One you will
perceive is for one of our number returned, and the other
appears to have been sent here by mistake.
I send a few boxes pr General Glover on freight.
They are principally from individuals for their friends, &
will subject you to the cost of freight and the trouble of
forwarding.
In a small bundle
containing a few publications
is a manuscript unsealed, addressed to the publishing Committee
of the American T ract Socy.
This is a translation into English
of the Tract called "Food of the D a y " . I refer you to the
letter addressed to the Publishing Committee by Mr. Emerson
the author of the work and translator of it into English,
attached to the manuscript.
The shortness of time for sending
by this opportunity, and the multiplicity of our engagements
has precluded a review of the manuscript.
But we consider
Mr. E. as abundantly qualified to the labor assigned him and
I should have no hesitancy in recommending it as a correct
translation of the original in the native language.
The text
is from our revised and uniform editior of the New Testament
recently issued from our press.
I am very respectfully & very affectionately,
your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
M i s s i o n a r y Rooms
Boston U . S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Honolulu May 14,/36
Recd Oct 17, 1836
Ackd in G. L . Dec 5.
�2525
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part T h i r d
XXVII
180
Honolulu, Sept
22/36
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Secy A.B.C.F.M.
Miss Rooms
Boston
My dear Sir,
The enclosed letter was written
by M r . Spaulding by direction of the General Meeting
and, should have been enclosed unsealed to the Secretaries.
I am requested by Mr. Spaulding to place it in an envelope
addressed to you.
I am very sincerely
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Sept 22, 1836
Recd Apr 28, 1837
Ackd in G. L. July 21
postmark New London Ct.
April 28
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�2526
68 Sandwich
Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXV II
181
Honolulu, October 31st 1836
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
Very dear Sir,
I have written to Mr. Hill via Mexico
& Valparaiso, since our last opportunity of sending via
Cape Horn; which was apr. Gen. Glover which sailed May 15.
I send by ship Superior, of New London, the
Gen. letter of the mission and letters of various individ
uals of our number addressed to you, together with the
printed abstract of Minutes of Gen. Meeting.
By mistake the filling out of the ’’Annual”
Tabular View" was not assigned at our Gen. Meeting, and the
work has not; been done.
It is. my intention to fill it
out, as well as I am able, as soon as I can find time to
do it. But I have much labor on hand pressing upon me;
and when I shall have time to do this, and also to fulfill
an appointment of the Gen. Meeting to write to the Board
respecting the inconveniences that are felt by the families
in regard to conveyance in convening to attend Gen. Meeting,
I do not know.
You will perceive by the Minutes that Mr.
Richards was appointed to visit the U. States to confer with
the officers & members of the Board on the subject of
pleading with the Churches in Reference to their duty to the
heathen.
Mr. R . has accepted the appointment, and he will
improve the first favorable opportunity to embark with his
family.
The health of Mrs. Richards is declining, and it is
hoped the voyage will prove beneficial to her.
The Rev. Samuel Parker an Agent of the Board,
employed to explore the region of Indian tribes in the neigh
b o r h o o d & west of the Rocky mountains, is now at the islands
seeking a passage to the U. S. He arrived here in July,
expecting an opportunity to return by the Joseph Peabody:
but that vessel has been detained beyond what was expected,
& Mr. P. has been obliged to wait. We hope some homeward
bound whaling ship will ere long afford him a conveyance to
his native land.
Should the opportunity be favorable, we
shall send our two oldest children, Warren Fay now in his
eighth year, and Jeremiah Evarts now most six years of age.
It will be a heavy trial to us to part with them at their
tender age: and they have yet to realize what it is to leave
father & mother and the endearments of home, to be cast upon
�2527
strangers for protection & support.
Nothing but the strong
est conviction that duty requires this sacrifice, could induce
us to make it:
this conviction has been forced upon us from
the circumstances in which we are placed.
Ours is the public
house of the mission , my employments preclude the ability
on my part of paying attention to their education, and in
terruptions are constantly occurring to frustrate the plans
of Mrs. C. for training the children properly.
We feel if
our children remain here they will be greatly exposed, a n d
to fail to enjoy such advantages of education as will fit
them for usefulness in after life, should they be spared to
arrive at the age of maturity.
The inquiry, upon whom shall we cast them, has
occupied much thought; and we know not what answer to give
to it, but this, Cast them upon the Church of Christ in
our native land, and upon the officers of the Board, at the
Missionary Rooms.
May I not venture upon your kindness, upon
that of Mr. Hill, - of Mr. J. Green,-of Mr. F ay-in fine of
the Prudential Committee:--May I not most confidently expect
that a suitable guardianship will be early provided for them,
and that they will be placed in a pious family where they will
enjoy advantages of education as well as of moral culture.
I write in great haste, and must necassarily omit
many thing about which I should be glad to write.
W ith very kind regards to Mrs. A. in which Mrs.
C. joins with much affection.
I am y r . frd & servt. in chr bonds
Levi Chamberlain
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M,
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Date Oct 31, 1836
Recd Aprl 28, 1837
Ackd in G . L. July 21.
postmark New London Ct.
Par 26
�2528
68 Sandwich
Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Third
XXVII
182
Honolulu Decr 10, 1836
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
Very dear Sir,
I do not know that I have referred direct
ly to the receipt of your letters of April 26th Augt 31st
&
Nov. 4th 1835; which were duly received and are now before
me .
The letter of Mr. Warren from his daughter I
delivered in person.
He appeared to feel glad to know that
his daughter was well taken care of; but manifested no con
cern about her, nor intimated the least disposition to
afford her any pecuniary assistance, though I apprehend he
has not much means.
He said he had received a letter from his
brother residing in Boston stating that she was well provided
for and wanted for nothing.
I was much pleased with the letter
of the daughter and endeavored to follow up with some serious
counsels here pious expressions for her father's good as well
as her other friends.
Bu t s i n seems to have hardened the
father's heart and exhortation appeared to be no welcome sound
to his ears. Another daughter of his was taken to the United
States in the care of Mrs. Johnstone: and I hope she may have
fallen into good hands.
In respect t o sending his children
from these islands, he. has done well; for to have continued
them here would have been to expose them to certain ruin.
The general -letter of the mission, which you
will, doubtless, have received, contains every thing of
importance that was needful to be said upon the subject of
our operations and success, together with the state of the
mission up to the time of our General meeting; and you will
doubtless ere this reaches you have had an interview with
the Rev. M r . R ichards, who was commissioned to visit the
United States with our circular in his hands to confer with
the officers and members of the Board on the important sub
ject of our connection with the Christian world, and concern
ing the world's salvation.
I was sorry not to be able to write you by bro.
Richards, who left this port yesterday in the ship Danl.
Webster, of Sag Harbor, with his wife, six of his own
children and the daughter of Mr. Bishop.
I was prevented
by the many d u t i e s of my station increased by the miscellany
to which the fitting.out of a family for a foreign land and
of two of my own children also soon to follow has given
rise. And now I have time to say but a few words compared
with what I should be glad to say.
But there is less need
�2529
now of my being full on some subject, about which a duty
has been imposed on me to write, than would have been the
case, had not a member of this mission been appointed to
visit the Board.
Your inquiries respecting our buildings can
be answered by bro. Richards verbally in a much better and
more satisfactory manner than any answer could be written.
The average cost of the dwelling houses of the mission of
which there are twenty seven, may be fairly estimated at
1,500 dollars each.
The most expensive house simply for
the accommodation of a family cost about $2,400. Several
more have cost upwards of $ 2,000.
The house which I occupy
as a dwelling and store house for the mission is only
partially finished, and it has cost upwards of three thous
and dollars.
It is the largest building in the mission, and
was built as economically as any other house at the station.
S ome of the houses in this estimate are only dobie houses.
That is, houses the walls of which are composed of earth,
first compressed in bo x es, and then laid up, after having
been thoroughly dried, with moistened earth.
The stability
of such houses depends upon the nature of the earth, if
compact and solid the walls will be durable.
Some of our
dobie houses are of this description, and s o m e are formed
of earth of a looser kind and liable to crumble. Such
houses must be renewed. M r. Parker' s house at Kaneohe is
of this kind; and he is making preparations to build anew
of stone.
Respecting a vessel for the mission, of greater
burden and more ample accommodations for carrying passengers
than, the Packet, I must you to converse with Mr. Richards.
That conveyances must, at some rate or other, be provided for
supplies, and the families to attend the General meeting of
the mission, as well as for the visits of physicians and
occasional visits of families, will readily be seen.
vessels cannot at all times be obtained, and very few if
any of those employed in business about the islands are
adapted to the purpose of carrying passengers.
Unless we
have a vessel of our own which we can in a great measure con
trol, we shall be liable to suffer many inconveniencies; and
besides, the expense for freight, and the charter of such
vessels as it may be in our power to ob tain would annually
amount to a large sum, probably not less than 2000, and it
might amount to much more.
On the. other hand, t h e first cost
of a vessel of ample accommodations & tonage suitable for our
purpose, superadded to the expense of repairs, insurance and
ordinary sailing, would amount to a large sum. According to
Ladd & Co ’s account, the expenses of the Missionary Packet,
exclusive of insurance, for the ye a r ending Octobe r 1st, 1836,
were $2205.02.
A vessel supported entirely at our expense,
doing nothing to lessen the amt. of h e r bills, by
freight &c for others, wou l d make such a change annually
as would scarcely be admissible.
Should the Board think it expedient to pur
chase and send out a vessel, she must have a man for cap-
�2530
tain possessing a missionary spirit, and competent every
way to sustain the responsibility of managing the whole
business of sailing and keeping the vessel in repair .
Though I am not now prepared to give my advice in favor
of the measure, yet I foresee that without a vessel of
our own, we shall sometimes suffer material inconvenience,
or be obliged to pay exorbitant sums for charter.
It is
now pretty much of an established practice to ask eight
dollars pr ton freight for barrels, boxes &c and for lum
ber five dollars pr thousand feet.
I think it may be fairly
calculated that a vessel belonging to the mission, under
the command of a suitable man, may be. made to earn enough
by freight, passage and charter to cover no small part of
her current expenses.
vessel to be fitted up conveniently for carry
ing passengers should be as much, probably as 100 tons
burden; and it has been suggested that a v e ssel might be
fitted up with state rooms so constructed as to be taken
down and put up again at pleasure. Such a construction
would be for the advantage of carrying freight, at all times
when accommodations for carrying passengers are not needed.
When the vessel should be needed for carrying passengers,
these moveable accommodations might be put up, and, when
not needed, they might be taken down and stored on shore.
In my last letter to Mr . Hill I mentioned that
a survey had been held upon the Missionary Packet, as her
upper works were in a bad condition.
The persons who examin
ed her wer competent to the business, and they reported that,
to make her sea worthy, the schooner needs to be built up
anew from her copper, including by this new outside and
new decks, and that the probable cost of su ch repairs or re
building will not be less than Two thousand five hundred
dollars.
This report of survey is regarded by Messrs. Ladd
& Co as amounting to a condemnation of the vessel and a
discharge from their obligation. The Schr. is already dis
mantled, and we shall, probably, employ Ladd & Co. to sell
her masts, rigging, sails anchors &c to the best advantage,
and to break up her hull & sell what remains to the best
advantage.
It may seem unaccountable to the Committee that
the Packet should have failed so soon.
One reason that may
be stated is, that, while she was in the hands of the chiefs,
she was not properly attended to; and her water ways from
not having been kept well calked & covered with pitch became
upon & admitted the water around the timber heads; these have
rotted, and her planks also above the copper, the state of
her deck planks also is bad & most of every thing above water
which has been exposed to sun & water needs to be renewed.
The repairs might be made at home for very much less than the
�2531
sum reported; but in these islands every foot of oa k will
cost at least 12 1/2 cts. and every thing else in proportion.
I shou ld be glad to write upon the subject of
our expenses, but time will not admit of it. You will
doubtless have much conversation with Mr. R ichards for all
subjects relating to this mission, and also with Mr. Parker,
who w i ll be able to state what he has seen and report us
fairly.
I remain with sentiments of much respect and
esteem
Your very affectionate friend and brother
Levi Chamberlain
P. S.
Decr 17, 1836
I
shall send in the Chest of o
boys three circulars, which I intended to have put into the
hands of Mr. Richards.
I wish these to be disposed of in the
same manner as the other C irculars addressed by the brethren
and forwarded by the hand of bro. Richards.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston U. S. A.
pr Phoenix,
post mark New London Ct.
May 22
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated Honolulu, Dec. 10, 1836
Recd M ay 24/37
Ackd in G. L July 21
Missionaries vessel -- for P. Com
�2532
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
183
Honolulu, Decr 15, 1836
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
My very dear Sir,
My letter of Oct 31st contained
notice of our expectation to send our two oldest children to
the United States in the care of the Rev. Samuel P arker,
should the opportunity by w hich he night go be favorable
to that purpose.
A conveyance has been offered on board the whal
ing ship Phoenix, Cap. Allyn, of New London and the vessel
will be ready for sea tommorow.
The accommodations are not
so good as we could wish, but as the superintendence of Mr.
Parker will make amends for some inconvenience, we have concluded to send them.
It is not certain that Mr . Parker will
accompany them to Boston; but we trust friends will appear
for them in New London, and that they will in due time arrive
in Boston.
I take the liberty of entrusting them to your
care, until they can be disposed of in a proper manner.
We
should be glad to have them live together; but if this can
not be effected, we shall acquiesce in the will of provid
ence. But it will not cease to be our prayer that the Lord
would provide friends who shall seek the good of their souls
as the first and most important thing.
Nothing else is, in
our minds, of paramount importance; we could not, for a
moment, think of sending them from us, at their tender age,
but for the hope that wise and pious guardians will be raised
up for them in our native land, who wil l lead forward these
lambs of the flock, and bring them early into the fold of
the great Shepherd; to whom they have been dedicated, and
for whose service alone it is desired their lives may be pro
longed.
They are lent to the Lord as long as they live; and
we send them thus early from us, that they may be trained up
under the guardianship of his holy priesthood, as was Samuel:
The Lord make them like him.
I have written to Dea Proctor and also to the
Rev. Dr. Fay respecting them: but I shall refer the disposal
of them entirely to your wisdom. We do not expect or wish
them to remain in Boston; but hope the Lord will dispose the
heart of some devoted servant of his residing in the country
to take up these (in a certain sense,) orphans; for father
& mother have for Christ’s sake forsaken them. And we have
�2533
done it in reliance upon the promise that "the Lord will take
them u p ” . None who have not been called to the trial of
parting with their offspring as we now do, know the anguish of
our hearts but we yield these our dear children cheerfully
believing that we are called to do it.
We hope they will very
ear ly be placed in good schools, where they shall be daily
under instruction, and acquire studious and industrious habits
of order & subordination:
this is a subject of very great
importance in our minds.
The manner of their support is also referred to
you counsel.
Should the stipulated annual sum for the support
of children, be allowed to ours for that purpose, from the
funds of the Board, during their early years, the income of
my property may have so increased by the time the term expires,
for which provision is made by the Board, as to form a fund;
the interest of which shall be sufficient to carry them for
ward afterwards, so as to enable them to complete their
education.
I (hole in paper) also contemplate sending the
rest of my children as soon as they arrive at proper ages
for being sent.
The expense of their passage, whatever it may be,
will, I expect, be settled b y Mr. Parker on his arrival in
New London, in connection with his own.
It will be left with
the owners of the Phoenix to fix upon the amount.
I repose with entire confidence in the wisdom of
the Board to manage ray pecuniary concerns, to settle for
the passage of the boys, and to decide upon the manner 6f
their support.
The little earthly property which I am per
mitted to call my own is held entirely at the Lor d ’s disposal,
to be applied as his wi
s dom shall direct.
Mrs. Chamberlain has written to M rs. Anderson
on the subject of the boys.
And now I would say, The Lord
Almighty bless the lads, and carry them in safety to your
care & kind attentions.
With very kind regards to all your associates
and helpers at the Rooms and elsewhere,
I remain, very affectionately,
Your friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dated H o n o l u l u Dec 15, 1836
Recd May 22, 1837
Ackd in G. L. July 21
Ansd July 24
His children
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston U. S. A.
postmark New London Ct.
May 19
�2534
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
184
Kuapehu Hill, Kaawaloa Sept 1832
Very Dear Sir,
With pleasure I acknowledge the receipt of
your kind letter by the late reinforcement.
I frankly con
fess that I have not been as punctual as I ought in w riting
to the Missionary Rooms and I have no excuse for my neglect
only that I could say nothing good of myself, having been
for a number of years past by reason of ill health a mere
cypher in the missionary field as it respects labour. F orgive
me, and I will try to do better for the future.
Bo th my
self and companion have great cause for thankfulness, that
our covenant Father permits us still to sojourn on Missionery
ground, and although I can do but little labour, yet we are
allowed the blessed privilege of recommending to the natives
around us the holy religion of our dear Saviour, and of doing
what we can.
My health is pretty comfortable at present,
though far from being established; I have done more labour
the year past than for four year previous.
We left Waimea in
January 1831 and have since resided at Ku apeh u in the hill
country of Kaawaloa.
W e have sought for health from- one extent of
the Sandwich Islands to the other, and have found no place
so favorable as Kuapehu.
It is n o t quite so cool here as at
W aimea but it is comfortably so, and the air less subject to
dampness.
The chiefs and people have nearly all left the
shore and built them houses near us.
They have also built
a convenient meeting house 144 feet by 50 which is well
filled on the Sabbath.
Our good chief N aihe died suddenly
in Dec last, of Apoplexy.
Haw aii feels the loss, but we
have good, reason to think that though the loss to us is great,
in is infinite gain to h i m . His widow, Kapiolani is still
with us. She is a precious sister, a burning and a shin
ing light in the midst of her benighted countrymen.
The
chief desire of her soul seems to be the conversion of
sinners, and she is always ready to every good word and
work.
Our Church contains between 70 & 80 members the most
of whom as regards their outward appearance adorn their
profession.
One member in under censure.
Our Sabbath school has over 400 scholars and is
in an interesting state.
The scholars all commit their
verse a day according to the verse a day system.
The common
schools which come under the influence of this station are
60 in number, and contain about 6000 learners, nearly 3000
of whom are able to read.
We feel very happy after being
so long alone, in having associates stationed with us; and
�2535
we hope with the new strength they give us, to do much more
fore the schools and for the people generally than we have
here tofor been able to do. At present, I have a school of
50, the greater p art of whom are teachers, whose studies are
Geography, Arithmetic and reading the scriptures.
Mrs. R.
has also a day school of 40 adults in the study of Geography
& Arithmetic, and an evening school of the same scholars
who read scripture and rehearse the Ninau Koike.
Mr. & Mrs.
Forbes take hold of the language in earnest and will soon be
able to labour efficiently. Mrs. W hitney is now with us on
a visit during her husbands mission to the Washington Islands.
She and Mrs. R. unite with me in kind regards to you and your
family and to all your fellow labourers at the Missionary
Rooms.
Dear Sir pray for us,
Your sincerely
Samual Ruggles.
P. S. Will you allow me to ask you to send for the use of our
children two or three books, and much oblige your unworthy
brother & sister
Woodbridges System of Universal Geography
The infant school manual, and
Colbourn' s Arithmetic, his Sequel.
Rev. Saml Ruggles.
March 16, 1833
Ackd in Ge . Lett April 11
Ansd Dec 19
K apiolani
Schools
Books needed
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
U. S. A .
postmark New B edford Mass
Mar 16
�2536
63 Sandwich
Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
185
Ship Telegraph off Sag Harbor
June 20, 1834
Very dear Sir.
I hasten to inform you of the safe arrival
of myself and family at this place after a voyage of 165
days from the Sandwich and 119 from the Society Islands.
Our passage has been long but as pleasant as we could have
expected.
Capt. M. Layre, Master of the Telegraph has been
unwearied in his attention, and kindness to us, besides his
generosity in giving us a free passage. A daughter of
M r . Bingham and one of Mr . Whitney's are with us. My health
though at present feeble is better than when I left the
Islands. We left all the families in health except Mr.
Shepard who was very low . All the concerns of the mission
were in a prosperous state.
I have communications from
the mission to you but as I expect to be in Boston in a few
days have concluded to be the bearer of them myself.
Mrs. R. and our children are in good health
and write with me in affectionate salutations to you and
yours, and to your fellow lab ourers in the Lord.
Yours affectionately
Saml Ruggles
Rev. Rufus Anderson
One of the Secretaries of the
A.B .C.F .M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston U. S. A.
Mr. Samuel Ruggles
Dated June 2C, 1834
Recd June 23d
Ackd
Received June 23, 1834
�2537
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
X XVI I
186
Pontiac Mish . Nov. 14, 1836.
Rev. and dear S ir,
I have now been four weeks in this Territor y
and ought before this to have given some account of myself;
but one and anotherthing has prevented, and I wished also to
know myself where I shou ld take up my winter quarters before
I wrote.
I am now with my brother in this place, in whose
family I shall make my home for the present, and most likely
for the winter.
I left my family in E. Windsor immediately
after the meeting of the Board.
Previous to that time after
I left Boston, my time was spent in visiting such places as
I had been requested to visit and endeavoring to give such
info rmation on the subject of missions as would be cal
culated to increase missionary feeling and excite greater
efforts in the course. A public meeting, previously appoint
ed as held generally in the evenin g,where I gave an outline
of the history of the S. I. M . from its commencement to the
present time, with exhortations endeavoring to stir up
Christians to a livelier zeal, a stronger faith, and a more
self-denying benevolence.
I also generally met with the
Lady's Benevolent society of the place, and told stories
calculated to interest them and excite to greater effort.
I visited Springfield, Northhampton, Hadley and some other
places in that region, and also Middletown, Plymouth, Litch -field Stratford &c & c . I hope and think that these visits
were not entirely useless to the cause.
My journey w est was
in most respects pleasant; I made no stop on the way except
at Rochester, to visit my daughters
whom I found well and
very happy that their parents were not to return to the
Islands.
Pontiac is a very pleasant and. flourishing village
24 miles N. W . from Detroit, and contains about 6 or 700
inhabitants. A railroad is making between this and Detroit
which is nearly half completed. M y brother was the first
presbyterian minister on in this country.
He offers to
give me two acres of excellent land about a quarter of a
mile from the meeting and court house if I will build a
house upon it.
The situation is the finest in the village and
will overlook every part of it.
I think I should not hesitate
to accept the offer were I able to build a comfortable house;
but this would r equire a good deal of money, more than I
should feel like asking the Board for.
Should I conclude
to settle here, it would be my object to keep a small board
ing school and should wish to calculate my house so as to
accommodate 8 or 10 young lads.
I think in this way we
�2538
might support ourselves and be useful to others; and if
our daughters should live to complete their education they
might come in with us and our plans could be enlarged. But
our way looks dark, darker than it ever did at the Islands.
My health is miserable and this makes little mole hills
look like mountains before me. W e exceedingly desire a
place of rest that we can call our home, and we shall have
such a place if it is best.
I will thank you to write and
freely express your views as to what you would advise me to
do.
I wish much to hear whether the missionaries sail for
the Islands this fall or not.
It is probably expected that I should request
a dismission from the service of the American Board, if so,
I will now request such a dismission, though I must confess
it is not a little trying to give up the thought of being
no more engaged in the S. I . M.
Mrs. Ruggles is in E.
Windsor and will probably spend the winter there. My kind
regards to Mrs. A. and your family.
I am yours affectionately
Saml Ruggles
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Ms
postmark Pontiac Mic
Nov 15
M r . Saml Ruggles
D at-d Pontiac Mish. Nov 14, 1836
Recd Nov 24
Ansd March1
for P. C om
�2539
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
187
Pontiac Mn. Feb. 9th 1837
Rev. and Dear Sir,
I wrote you in Nov last, and not having heard
anything from you, I have thought that perhaps my letter
did not reach you, or that through your multiplied cares
and business about that time, it had sliped your memory.
I mentioned my visiting a number of places in Mass & Ct.
during the six weeks previous to the meeting of the Board
in Hartford and my journey to Michigan &c &c . S ince I
wrote, I have been confined almost wholly to the house and
yard from ill health.
Besides my old disease of the liv e r ,
I have been threatened ever since the severe cold weather
set in with inflamation of the lungs; so that I have not
been able to expose myself without doors.- I am considerably
better now, however, and hope that when spring opens, I m a y
enjoy comfortable health again. As it respects my finding
a home for myself and family in Michigan, the prospect is still
dark, and my poor health makes it more gloomy. My Brother,
with whom I spend the winter, o f f e r s to give me two acres
of land in a valuable situation about one fourth of a mile
from the village of Pontiac providing I can build a house
upon it.
The two acres are valued at 500 dollars.
It is a
delightful situation for a school establishment, and should
my daughters live and prosper in their education, I know
of no place in this country where the prospect of their
being useful would be greater than this.
But to build a
comfortable house would cost not less than 1000 or 1200
dollars, which is twice as much as w e are worth.
I have had
some encouragement of assistance from a number of individuals
but nothing on which I can at all depend.
I dislike ver y
much to ask the Board for money to build, for should I get
a house, I should then be obliged t o apply for assistance
to furnish it and to begin to live.
Nothing is so hard for
me as to make use of money consecrated to the Lord, when I
am doing nothing for the promotion of his cause. B ut I
suppose I must live somewhere, my appointed time. My broth
er in Brookfield Ct. has also offered to give me 80 or 90
acres of good land there, if I will build a house upon it.
Perhaps I could build cheaper in Brookfield, but we desire
to be located in some place where we may be useful. Will
you be kind enough to write and give*your friendly counsel.
O for my little ki leaf cottage at Hawaii.
I am sure, if
we are ever permitted to be settled where we can say we are
at home, we shall be among the happiest of families.
I
shall return to E . Windsor to my family.
Love to Mrs. Ander
son and your child
Affectionately yours Samuel Ruggles
*me
�2540.
When I wrote before I requested a dismission
from the service of the Board.
I would now make the same
request.
Rev, Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
postmark Pontiac Mich.
Feb. 9
M r . Samuel Ruggles
Dated Pontiac Mn. Feb. 9/37
Recd Feb. 22, 1837
Ansd March 1.
�2541
68 Sandwich
Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
188
Honolulu,
June 28, 1830
Dear brother Gulick,
A kind note from you is before me requir
ing an answer; & I snatch a few moments just to say aloha
to you, as my time is very much taken up this morning.
I am exceedingly grieved on account of your
affliction, in the continuance of the inflamation in your
eyes.
But how consoling the reflection that even this
shall work together for your good; and for the glory of
God. "All things work together for good to those that love
God” . His own course is clear to his "heart" : & he knows
best when to deprive us of the blessed privilege of laboring
in his service.
I think I love the work in which I am
engaged more & more, and should esteem it a great afliction
to be obliged to leave it: but how easy for God to send
another in my room, who would do much more than I can for
him. My health is about the same as it has been for some time
I am still subject to bilious turns.
M r . Bingham & family are now at Lahaina on their
way to W aim e a . Our Station seems somewhat lonely in compari
son of last year.
Nearly all the chiefs with the king are
now absent.
But still there seems to be something on the mind
of the people, which indicates that the good (hole in paper)
is still advancing.
Send you 1000 Halelu; and 1000Hapa Piapa W e are
about commencing a new edition of Hymns.
Joseph has been revised is now ready.
W ith the first opportunity in ha ste
Your brother
S. Shepard
Rev. Peter J. Gulick
Waimea
Hawaii
�2542
68
Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVI I
189
Honolulu Oct 23, 1830
Honored and Dear Sir,
It is with no ordinary emoti o ns that
I now address you.
God, who doeth all things well, and to
whose heart the cause of Christ in the earth is dearer, in
finitely dearer, than it can possibly be to any of his
people, has seen best, in his holy & wise, providence to lay
his hand upon me, and to indicate that my work on earth
is in human probability, nearly finished.
You will learn from other sources something
respecting the failure of my health; but I think I proper to
write you my own views & feelings on the subject;--The first
year after our arrival, I enjoyed as good health as I ever
did for a single year. In July 1829, I was attacked with
bilious fever; was prevented from attending to office for
about 20 days; went to work again, in a weak state, as it
seemed necessary, (on account of Mr. Richards’ being here
to attend to the printing of his translation,) to keep the
press at work.
In Nov. I had another attack, which was
soon checked by the early use of medicine.
In Jan, I had
another slight attack; but in Feb. I experienced a very
severe attack, owing, as I suppose, to over exertion at
work. As Doct. Judd was absent, the brethren proposed to
call Doct Roo k e , a physician who had recently commenced
practice here,--by the blessing of God upon the means used,
I was in a few days relieved. My health improved very much
for some weeks; and strong hopes were entertained that I
should again enjoy good health; but I have had renewed at
tacks of a bilious nature; and my health has been in a declin
ing state for some time past.
My disease is now called
by Doct. Judd an affection of t h e lungs; and I am taking
mercury & c . in hopes that the disease may not become seated.
My cough is quite troublesome, and has been so for 3 or 4
months past; have been affected for a considerable time with
a severe palpitation, have had frequent night sweats, some
pain in the left side and also in the left shoulder, & c .
In A u g . last, supposing it would be beneficial,
and having the approval of the brethren, I made a voyage to
the windward; & visited Lahaina, Kailua & Waimea.
I spent 18
days at the latter place, and seemed to derive
some benefit
from the cool air, and relaxation from business; but I re
turned the latter part of Sept. having received no material
benefit.
In company with Mr . Clark & family, & my own
family, I spend several days about the first of the present
�2543
month in the valley about 5 miles back of Honolulu, where the
heat is 8 or 9 degs less than it is on these plains, but
received but very little if any benefit.
I have , not w ithstanding my poor state of health,
endeavoured to keep the natives in the office at work; but
have accomplished only the average work of one press. al
though both have been in operation a part of the time.
The
amount of work done this year you will find in our last two
station letters.
One press is now busy, the natives doing
nearly all the work.
The advice of physicians to me is such, that if
followed it would entirely lay me aside from my work, and
leave the office without the care of a printer. D oct Judd
says I ought not to labour, and has recommended that I
change my place of residence to Lahaina, which, perhaps, it
will be best to do, unless my complaint should prove mild.
If it should be come necessary for me to relinquish entire
ly the duties of the office, the question becomes exceed
ingly important.
"Who is to supply my place ? I know the
Lord' is able to raise up instruments for his own work, and
call men whenever he sees best; but it may not be improp
er for us to enquire who will supply the place of those who
in providence are laid aside from their labours, either
by sickness or death. Almost any one of the brethren here
might be able to take the general oversight of the office
after a little attention; but their services seem quite as
much demanded in their various and laborous stations.
If
Mr. Goodrich is requested to do it, he must leave his station,
and his people, and his present labours, which seems very
undesirable.
If Mr. B ingham, he must leave his translations,
as well as a good share of his other laborers, and his own
health is quite too feeble.
Mr. Andrews is thought of some,
as he has paid some attention to the business formerly; but
he is occupying an important post at Lahaina.
After everyview
I can take of the subject, it appears to me very desirable
that another printer should be sent out from America at as
early an opportunity as possible.
In addition to the usual
qualifications, both as a missionary and a printer, he should
possess a robust constitution.
If he is an ordained preach
er, he will be more useful than he can otherwise be, and
feel more interest in his work.
He should be willing to
labour with his own hands if occasion require; though it
is expected the natives will do nearly a ll the work, and it
will be for the interest of the nation for them to do it.
If he is acquainted with binding, so as to be a b l e to teach
natives it will be well.
If he should understand stereotyping and introduce that business into the office it will be a
g reat saving to the Board.
If he possesses any one of these
qualifications he will be able to use his talents to great
advantage.
If he possesses none of them except his trade, he
will still be able to do much for the accomplishment of the
�2544
work of evangelizing the inhabitants of these distant isles
of the Ocean.
God has indeed commenced a great and power
ful work here; and I have the fullest confidence that it
will be completed in his own good time and way; whatever
may become of me.
I rejoice in the evidence I have that
his watchful providence superintends this mission; and in
the manifestation of his love to this nation. Whilst my
health fails, whilst this earthly house of my tabernacle
shows symtoms of decay, I cease not to adore Him, whose
is the kingdom, and glory & dominion, forever.
Asking an interest in your counsels, and rememberance in the prayers of those that pray for the prosperity
of Zion, I subscribe myself yours & c .
Stephen Shepard
P. S. I feel it to be a duty to state, that we feel under
great obligation to Doct. Rooke, for his kind & gratuitous
services in our family during the (line bound in) on our
little boy during a severe attack of thresh; administered
medicine, & c , and steadily refused to take any compensa
tion.
His services, would be estimated at least at $50.
for our family, besides attentions paid to Mr. Bingham's.
S. Shepard
J. Evarts Esq
Mr. Stephen Shepard
April 15, 1831.
Ackd Nov. 16
Need of another printer
Binding
Stereotyping
W rote Nov. 17.
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass U. S. A .
�2545
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1387
Part Third
XXVII
190
Honolulu Feb. 22, 1831.
Dear brother Gulick,
A lthough I have received no note from
you since your return; yet I will write you in short this
time .
My health still continues very poor, and is
declining, instead of mending.
I have continued the blue
pill almost constantly without any very especial relief
from it; and my cough at present is very troublesome. What
will be the issue is but known to Him who directs all events
in the best possible manner, and for the best possible good.
Mrs. S. and the two little boys are at present
in comfortable heal th; Philo has had another slight attack
of the thresh; but has apparently got over it.
God is good to us in all his dealings to us, and
with us,
How grateful should we be for health & life &
salvation
& all the other favors we enj oy.
I expect to send you a bundle of "Epistles”,
if Mr. Jones will ae mai; & as they contain that w h i c h is
more interesting than mine I shall not write much.
Mr. Bingham & family with Miss W. have return
ed as far as Lahaina
, & will be here in a few days.
We expect quite a war here; perhaps you may
hear something by others on the subject. W e shall keep your
Gov. awhile, &c . & c . Preparations are making on both sides
for war; but we trust it will all be settled quietly.
Give our love to Mr. & Mrs. Whitney & Mrs.
Gulick; and write soon.
Yours truly
S. Shepard
Rev. Peter J. G ulick
Kauai
�2546
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
191
Honolulu March 8, 1831.
Dear bro Gulick,
Yours of the 1st inst w as received yesterday
and as a vessel will probably sail for Kau a i to-morrow I
sit down to scratch a few lines to you, in answer.
It is a source of consolation to me that I enjoy
the sympathy of my brethren in my afflction.
Since I wrote
by Oliver, I have experienced a very ill turn; but am at
present more comfortable: the tra de winds appear to have an
effect to excite my cough & when they blow, I am confined; bu t
when they cease I am better.
I shall ask the advice of the
brth n as soon as M r . B . returns, respecting the propriety
of trying the climate of Lahaina.
Life seems desirable for several reasons; but
especially that we might labor for Christ.
It is no small
trial to me to be obliged to leave the office, with the boys,
and the great call for native books which reaches me from the
different stations especially when the remainder of the
New Testament is about ready for the press; and when the
people are to such an extent destitute of the Saviour's words
& his Gospel. But God, who knows best who to employ, may
have accomplished by me, all that he sees best to employ
me to do.
Probably some other person, better qualified, more
engaged, of stronger faith, of more patience, & more abun
dant in his labors of love to the heathen; will soon occupy
my present post; and be more successful in the work--But
whilst he has the pleasure of seeing this work of the Lord
prospering in his hands, I hope to be standing on mount
Zion above, participating in his pleasure; and rejoicing in
his success.
Yes, my dear brother, it is sweet to think, and
in some measure to realize, that when we shall die, that we
shall not only see Jesus & dwell with him; but we shall also
see our dear friends that have gone before us, and shall
meet those that shall follow. And not only so, but we shall
probably see or know of the triumphs of the Redeemer's course
on earth.
St John tells us at the sounding of the 7th trumpet
"There were great voices in heaven, saying the kingdoms of this
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, & of his Christ ;
& he shall reign forever." And it seems that when mystical
B abylon fell, her ruin was celebrated by all the hosts above.
They must have known it of course.
And we are sure that the
Angels rejoice over one sinner that repententeth.
But I must close as my paper is nearly written
over. You will no doubt learn "the news" from other pens,
�2547
and it will only be a repetition for me to say anything.
Mrs. S . untes in love to Mrs. G. & the little
ones.
Your bro
S. Shepard
P . S. If you have any Goat Skins, that are new; you w ill
please send them if you have an opportunity.
The follow
ing is the No. of of the new books I sent you.
2,000
piapa by the Enterprise & 1,000 Epistles by Oliver.
S. S.
Rev. Peter J. Gulick
W aimea Kauai
F avrd by
Capt Backle
�2548
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 183 7
Part Third
XXVII
192
Lahaina, Nov. 24, 1831.
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Very Dear Sir,-About one year ago I
wrote you by the Owyhee, informing you of the failure of my
health, and the probable necessity of another printer being
sent to our help.
Since that time my symptoms have give
more decisive evidence of my complaint being consumption;
and such has been the weakness of body that I have been able
to labor only a small portion of the time, and this has been
contrary to the advice of physicians, and also to the im
plied opinion of the members of the mission.
As early as Oct. 1830, Doct Rooke gave me to un
derstand that the sooner I left the office the better it
would be for me. And Doct. Judd said I ought not to labor;
and he thought it best, that I should remove to some other
station, less subject to the influence of the trade winds,
and where I should in a great degree be free from cares.
I
did not then feel inclined to follow this advice, for physicians
give their advice as physicians; and it behooves a missionary
or a missionary helper to be well satisfied that it is best
for the cause in which he is laboring as well as for himself,
that he should leave his employment, or change the place of
his location.
I however, believed their advice proper, and
that they acted with special reference to my
interest. But
as no provision had then been made for the superintendence
of the office, I thought it my duty to remain at Honolulu .
In February my complaint assumed a more malignant aspect, and
in the private opinion of those members of the mission, best
acquainted with my case, it was desirable that my immediate
removal, either to Lahaina or K ailua, should take place.
In M arch I requested a meeting of the brethren
of the station,-they took my situation into consideration and
recommended my removing, either to Lahaina or Kailua, as
I should prefer. Accordingly I commenced making preparations
for removing,
Mr. Clark and Doct Judd were appointed to
superintend the office till the General Meeting.
Our babe,
(who had been ailing from his birth,) was now taken very ill,
and consequently we could not leave then. Mrs. S. was also
ill at the same time.
Shortly we learnt the intention of the
Board to send us a reinforcement.
And it was also expected
that, in consequence of this intelligence, the place of
the General Meeting would be changed from Lahaina to Honolulu
�2549
For these reasons I concluded to remain till June.
In the same month (March,) a letter was address
ed by the members of the stations of Honolulu, Lahaina,
Kailua & Kaawaloa, (and afterwards approved by the members
of Hilo, & Kauai,) to Mr. Goodrich, inviting him to r e
move to Oahu, and take charge of the Printing business.
It
was hoped by us all that he would be ready to enter on the
duties of the office, at the time of the General Meeting
in June.
He, however, declined.
At the meeting he was ap
pointed to supply the printer's place, or more properly "to
afford” him "such relief in his labors as the nature of his
case requires." Mr. G. seemed to think that he could not
come till fall; and as it was left optional with me how
far to engage in the duties of the office and as there were
some doubts whether Mr. G. would feel It his duty to remove
at all,
I determined to remain for a time longer.
Early in August I had a severe attack of fever
and ague, which left me in such a weak state, that I could
do no labor for about a month.
In S ept. my strength began to
increase again; I then worked a few hours each day, and con
tinued to labor some every day till Oct 11th when M r . G.
arrived with his family.
We then removed into t h e upper
story of the office, and made some calculations on remain
ing some time longer at Honolulu,--But my health was sen
sibly affected by going up stairs, and the cares still
devolving on me. The opinion of the brethren of the station,
though not expressed in due form, was against my remaining
under such circumstances.
I accordingly invited Mr. G. to
take the entire care of the office; and having a good
opportunity to come to Lahaina, I prepared to leave forthwith
and on the 27th Oct. we sailed in a native schooner for
this place, Hoapili, governor of M aui, was on board; and
he was very kind and attentive to us. Early on the m o r n i n g
of the 29th we reached Lahaina, and were received by Mr.
& Mrs. Richards with their usual kindness.
We have now
resided about 4 weeks in their family. W e have to collect
timber, and build a native house for our accommodation. We
have been hindered in this labor, by the difficulties between
the ships & the government.
But we hope now to be settled in
a short time.
The question, wether I have ac ted right in r e
moving from Honolulu, and consequently from my particular
business, I leave with the Committee.
I have endeavored to
give you the reasons of my removing, an d I hope they are
satisfactory.
I have simply acted on the opinion of my
brethren, without deciding the question on any other ground.
I would here mention that the brethren at this
station gave me a pressing invitation to remove to Lahaina
and that Mr. Bishop also invited me to Kailua.
The length of time which I shall remain at
Lahaina must depend very much on the effect of the climate
on my health.
If I am benefitted by the change of air and
�2550
place, then it will be evidently my duty to make a thorough
trial here; if not, I ought to go to Hawaii, and try som e of
the places on the island.
I hope we shall be able to d e
termine by the time of the General m eting in June.
I know that "it is not in man that walketh to
direct his steps".
But G od , our Coventent Father guides,
corrects, or orders all events according to the infinite
pleasure of his own will. W e plan the course we would pursue,
but "God sees not as man sees", and he finds it best to
defeat our plans by taking away our health, or otherwise
(hole in paper) still goes on, as he finds other instruments
for it progress.
He will employ his own instruments; he will
use them as long as he pleases, or as long as the work is
best advanced by their labors, and then lay them aside, or
call them home by death. W e will not complain.
No. W e will
rejoice; for it is wonderful condesension in God that he
should use us, sinful, erring mortal, at all in his work.
Upon the mercy of God, through the atonement of
his Son, do I still cast myself for time & eternity "seeking
no sacrifice beside".
Here I rest my hope.
Wishing a rememberance in your prayers, and in
the prayers o f all who pray for Zion
I remain, yours affectionately
•Stephen Shepard
J. Evarts Esq.
P. S. In a list of materials for the office, which I recent
ly sent to Honolulu I overlooked the article of Brushes.
Send us two pair of Lye Brushes.
S. Shepard
Jeremiah Evarts E SQ
Cor. Sec. A .B .C.F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
U. S. A.
Mr. Stephen Shepard
May 29, 1832
Ansd Nov.
by Mentor
�2 551
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
193
Honolulu, Nov.
12,
1832
Rev. R. Anderson
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.Mission
My Very Dear Sir,
Through the mercy of God, my
Heavenly Father, and his abounding kindness and preserving
care to me, I am once more permitted to address my dear
friends & patrons at the missionary rooms.
Yes, he has watched over me & mine, in sickness and sorrow, and has kept
our feet from sliding and our souls death.
W e have again to
sing of this loviving kindness and tender mercy, and say
with Psalmist, "B less the Lord, Oh, my soul, and forget not
all M s ben e f i t s ”
My last letter to the Rooms w as dated Lahaina,
Nov 24, 1831, giving the reasons of my removing to that
place.
That letter I trust you have received before this
time.
I remained at Lahaina six months and an half.
My
health inproved considerably the first four m o n t h s . B ut, as
the winter was a very wet one I found the dampness of a
grass house to be rather injurious to my health.
According
ly in March and April, I looked forward to the prospect of a
return to Oahu with strong emotions of satisfaction.
Near the close of April an opportunity present
ed itself, and I thought best to improve it, from the fo llow
ing considerations;
1. If I remained at Lahaina when I was able to
ride every day, it might be though t b y others and especially
by the natives, that I passed an easy life; and thus prejudice
them in a measure.
2. If I remained, I could do nothing but copy
or write for my brethren; and it seemed desirable to do all
I could.
If I returned, I could work in the office a part
of the time, read proof sheets, &c.
3. The employment of my mind; if I remained,
there seemed to be no labor into which I could enter so as
to find employment for my mind; and an unployed mind I find
to be a poor thing to exercise its sway over a diseased body.
Aside from the principles of religion, I can easily p e r
ceive w hy it is that active men have sustained their suffer
ings.
It is from the employment of the mind; witness Lindly,
Murray & o t h e r s .
4. My wish to meet the new printer, & to assist
him in arrangeing the office ; and assisting him till he
should understand enough of the language to get along with the
natives employed in the office.
�2552
Having resided a few months at Lahaina as a visitor,
you may expect me to say a few words respecting the progress
of improvement there, especially as regards the great work
in which the mission is engaged. You need no information r e
specting Mr. R. the missionary and pastor of the church, as
his character is too well drawn in his labors for the advance
ment of the cause of truth, to need any emendation by me.
I
may simply remark, however, that he appears to be a faithful
steward.
He was laid aside, by sickness, from his be loved
labors, early in March, and was still confined to his b ed
when I left the last of the following month.
His health con
tinued poor for several months; but I believe he has nor recoved his former state of health, and is prosecuting his
labors with his usual energy.
His sufferings he bore in
Christian hope, even to rejoicing, in the smiles of his
Master & Savior.
The state and number of the church you probably
know from Mr. R 's own pen.
The native of influence who
had wandered from the path of duty and fallen, was the means
of causing much uneasiness at the time, and especially to
the dear pastor, who labored with all his might for her re
covery; and blessed be Jesus, the Good Shepherd, for his ten
der care of this lamb of the flock.
There is good reason to
believe that she not only heard the voice of the Great
Shepherd, but, knew it and returned, and is now following
him.
The house for public worship, which has been
built principally by the chiefs and the people of the dis
trict of Lahaina, and finished something in the manner of
country meeting houses in America, is the first of the kind,
that has been built in the Sandwich Islands.
But it is
proposed to build one also at this place, and another at
Wailuku on Maui.
There is one objection to the buildings
of this construction; they cannot well be built large enough
to accommodate all the people that come together to hear the
joyful sound of the gospel.
The building at Lahaina will
accommodate between 3 or 4 thousand people, while many stand
or sit outside.
It is an airy, pleasant & comfortable place
of worship.
The general improvements in the village of
Lahaina are such as generally may be expected to appear, on
the introduction of the gospel and the arts and us
ages of
civilized life among a heathen people. A little time only
say 9 or 10 years, has passed away since this village
presented all the appearances of a heathen, dissolute, place,
composed of wretched miserable hovels for houses, and only
one building that was any better than grass & poles.
Now,
besides the mission house, there is a stone church and
school house, three dwelling houses of wood or stone, and
two more erecting, and there is evidently a great improve
ment in the construction of native buildings.
The people
�2553
generally appear in some kind of dress; and they have recent
ly introduced the general fashio n of English garments made
of kapa or native cloth. Efforts are now making to introduce
the spinning
weaving of cotton among the people; and I
have been recently informed that a piece of cloth is actually
in its progress through the loom.
Your letter by the Averick was duty received, I
was much gratified by. its perusal, especially as it placed
the contract with Mr. Rogers in quite a different light from
what it would otherwise have been viewed by us.
I am more
than gratified that you have sent such a helper as he seems
to be into this field.
He has taken hold of the work with a
disposition to do all he can; and he is making arrangements
to become a permanent member of the. mission.
May his health,
talents
life be entirely devoted to this good work, &
may the smiles of Jesus attend him.
W e shall hail the arrival of the 3d printer as
evidence that you intend to prosecute vigorously this
important branch of missionary labor, in some measure accord
ing to the necessities of a dying pagan nation.
In my opin
ion, there is work enough for two men in good health, espe
cially till you send a book binder; and by that time there will
be work enough to require the attention of one man in the
press & warehouse room, and that of another in the composition
room with reading first and second proofs.
If there should
any leisure time occur it could easily b e directed to
schools.
There will be full employment for a binder in his
department.
My health continues much the same as when I last
wrote.
I think,however, there has been a gradual failure
during the summer; but I am a little more comfortable again
this fall.
I am able to assist Mr.R
.
some in the office,
read proof sheets some, write some, &c &c; but if I under
take anything that requires strength I soon fail in accom
plishing it.
There is not strength sufficient in ray hands
to tighten properly a composing stick, or to start it when
so tightened.
The lifting of a few pound weight excites
palpitation; and my flesh is so much gone a s that I may with
safety say, my bones they stare at me. But thanks to an
indulgent Savior, he keeps my mind generally in place.
The other members of my family have not enjoy
ed very good health: and the climate at this station seems
particularly to affect Mrs. Shepard,
Her health is such,
that she can do but little besides taking care of her family,
especially as I am unable to do much for them.
I have had strong thoughts of returning to
America; not as a measure calculated to do me much good in
a medical point of view; though it is my own opinion that
the Voyage would do me good.
It is my wish, if I die, that
�2554
my family should return; and if I could see them there it
would be gratifying.
I should have attempted it, (with
the approbation of my brethren,) this fall, but we did not
feel quite willing to take our youngest child to sea now,
as he has always been a feeble, sickly child, and is now
using milk as a principal article of food. As the subject
is given up for the present year, and as we know not what
may be the events of another year, I say no more. You may
rest assured of one thing, I shall not return unless my
brethren approve of the measure.
I love rny work here; and
so long as I can read a proof sheet or give a word of ad
vice respecting the office I hope I shall not be useless.
Some advice from the rooms respecting my future duty if
I live wou ld be very acceptable.
I rejoice that your care of us in regard to
materials for printing, so abounds. We have been greatly
cramped in our operations for w ant of types, proper presses,
a good supply of paper, &c & c . but you have now given us
substantial proof that you intend that this important branch
of missionary labor shall not want.
Taking encouragement
from what you have written and done, we have made out another
list of such things as we need now in the present office and
bindery.
I hope you will make special exertion to send every
thing mentioned, (unless you should have sent some of them
previously.) as they are necessary to put the office in a
proper situation for printing large editions.
For instance
we have only one press in which we put any confidence for
doing good work.
With four natives to change it wil l
take about a year to work off an edition of 10,000 Testaments.
If we had two good presses that would work alike, we could
do the work sheetwise and thus reduce th e time t o six
months. These remarks apply to any work of a large size.
One of the old presses can be employed on tracts, &c while
the other will be needed for a proof press.
If we run two
or more presses we need a standing press, and cannot get
along without it.
If we bind we need the materials f or
that business.
I trust you will send all these things by
the first ship, remembering that we shall not have call for
them every year.
Of ink we have a good supply, and you will
do well not to forward any more till so requested; by some
mistake a double quantity has been forwarded to us for the
last two or three years. B allskins,
other materials for
making balls, we shall not need, as the glue & molasses
roller answers a much better purpose.
If you will add to
the list sent you 3 or 4 doz. good stout folders they will
be very acceptable.
You will perceive that we have made no calcula
tion in reference to the establishment of another office.
Should it be be ever so desirable, we cannot do it with the
materials we now have at the Islands; and if it is the deter
mination of the Committee to establish another office, it w ill
be necessary to send out all the necessary materials for it ;
�2555
not only types, & press, but also chases, cases, sticks,
imposing stone, standing press, and the various other
things needed for an entire office & a second bindery.
It is a fact, and the Committee ought to know it, that
we cannot spare any of the materials from the present
establishment without injuring it. And it is admitted
b y
all persons acquainted with the business that one good
office is better than two poor ones.
Besides, the estab
lishment of an office at present on Hawaii is thought to
be inexpedient by those members of the mission acquainted
with the practical operations of the press.
To say
nothing further, if you send all the materials from America
they will generally be landed here, and it seems undesir
able to rehip them so long as they can be used here, and the
paper especially may as well be sent away printed as otherw i s e . The plan of an office at Hawaii would involve much
more expense than to do the work in one office,
It is
contrary to the usuages of benevolent societies generally
and to your own plans as regards the work in the
Mediterranean; concentration of means being the general
practice.
The principal argument need by the brethren at
Kailua in the i r request to you has long ago ceased to be
valid, as different arrangements have been made respecting
proofs.
I
send you the following lists of what co
poses my library at present.
I never have had any opportunit
y
of enriching it either in America or here.
The first
column are the property of the Board the other private
property or such books as I owned in America.
Scott's family Bible 4 v o l s ;
Scott's Reference do;
Worcester's P s a l m s & hymns;
Missionary Herald beging with 18th vol.
Webster's 12 mo dictionary;
Saint's Rest;
Retrospect;
Memoirs of Martyn;
"
" Mrs. Huntington;
"
" Richmond;
Stewart's Visit to the South Seas;
Secret instructions of the Jesuits;
Edwards against Channing;
do on the affections;
F uller's Gospel;
Horae Solitare; 1 vol.
Martyn's Sermons;
Pilgrims Progress;
Miller on Clerical Manners;
�2556
Ob o k i a h :
Morse School Geography;
Murrays Grammar;
do
Reader;
Blairs Lec tures;
Memors of Townsend;
Interesting Expositor;
And a few books from the
division of the children’s
books per ship Averick.
2
One Octavo BibleConfession of Faith (Pres)
Hornes Introduction
The Decision
Father Clement
Pastor’s Sketch Book
Lees Sermons
Memoirs of 1. Murray
Ponds Concert Lecture
B r o w n ’s Dictionary
Lord’s history of missions
Sunday School Flans
Go l d ’s Stenography
Profession is not principle
W ar inconsistent.
My last' books were left at my father's when I came
to New York, and I suppose are there still.
Most of the
above were picked up in New York .
Some kind unknown friend sent me by the Rasselas
a few children's books.
They are such as we need now for
our little boys, being confined principally to first lessons
calculated for learners between five & seven years we
shall be much indebted to you; say Peter Parley's Worcester's
Geography, some good history of America. do. England; some
good work in Natural History Goodrich's & Gaulladets works perhaps and some such works as you may think w ill be useful.
We do not need story books, but useful books. I particularly
wish you would send me W oodbrige's Geography & Atlas, latest
Octavo edition.
I sh ould be (hole in paper) of "Hosack’s
Life of Dewitt Clinton."
But I must stop begging,& close this long
letter, too long to be of any use; but I have no time or
strength to make it shorter.
It may be the last that I
shall ever write, If so, accept the assurance that I love
you all. Remember to all who are engaged at the Rooms as
well all their familes, especially the dear Mrs. Evarts,
if she is with you.
May you all be endowed with Heavenly
�2557
W isdom, & may the losses you have sustained be abundantly
made up by the presence of Christ; he is our hope and our
Shield.
Blessed are all they that put, their trust in him.
Yours truly
Stephen Shepard.
Mr. Spephen Shepard
April 30, 1333,
Books presses, type & c .
Ackd in Gen. Letter at 30
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec. A .B .C.Foreign Mission
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill
Boston U. S. A.
postmark Edgartown Ms
April 29
�2558
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
194
Honolulu July 4, 1833
My Dear bro. Gulick,
Your kind favor of the 27th ult. found
me under very different circumstances from those in which
you left me . Yes, the Lord has again heard, my prayer; he
looked upon my distress; he has put beneath me the ever
lasting arms of mercy & has raised me up to praise him yet
in the love of the living.
I began to gain strength about
the time you left, so that by the time Mr. Rogers returned
I had begun to walk about, I have contined to gain slowly
since, but I am still weak and my palpitation still troubles
me, as well as my cough.
I have no reason to think that
I shall be much better than I am at present.
I shall prob
ably have poor turns as long as I live; but shortly I shall
have done with suffering and with sin.
My Heavenly Father has not only raised me
up, but he has added another blessing in the birth of a
little daughter, now two days old.
The time of s orrow has
been rather the time of comfort and joy. Both mothe r and chil
d
seem to be doing well; and unless some reverse takes place,
I shall expect to Mrs. S. about as soon as it will be prudent
for her, and before perhaps.
I
am thankful to learn that my brethren f
such an interest in my ease, and especially that they re
member me at the throne of grace.
God hears and answers prayers and it is for this reason that I value them.
I am likewise gratified in learning that there
is a growing interest in the subject of revivals among our
number.
It is when the servants of the Lord take delight in
the fallen stones of Zion, and favor the dust thereof, that
he appears to build her walls.
where are the praying men
and women who daily mourn over the desolations of Zion?
Prayer, prevailing prayer, would lift the curtain of night
off this nation and usher in the morning of her redemption.
There is every reason to belive that the Church in America
have left off praying for us and this people, as they think
the nation is converted.
And do we not feel so too?
B u t I must cl o s e.
-— Let us remember th a t the
lives and health of our children and in the Lo r d ’s hands.
Let us alway trust him, and be always grateful for his favors.
Mrs. S. joins in love to you & Mrs. G. and the
little ones.
Your b r o .
Stephen Shepard
Let us hear from)
you again soon. )
Rev Peter J Gulick
Lahaina
�2559
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
195
Sandwich Islands,
May 5th 1833
Rev. Mr. Anderson
Dear Sir
You in all probability are aware
of the state of my health during the early part of the
voyage, and can imagine the trying and uncomfortable situation
in which I was placed. At first however, I passed or
three weeks in unusual health, and looked fo r w a r d with
d e e p an d thrilling interest at the time when I should
be permitted to take my station among those benighted
heathen who were perishing for
the want know ledge and
instruction.
This aided me in examining my own heart and the
for which seemed clear and distinct.
But alas !
how soon are the bright and shining prospects in this
life changed and enveloped in a dark and mysterious
cloud which shuts from our view the objects of futurity,
and tells the approach of that evening when the sun of our
life is to decline and this world cease forever to be our
home.
I have often separated myself from the busy
scenes of life, and endeavored to draw aside the curtain
of mortality and look into the vast abyss, to prepare
myself for the great and last change.
The time was, when
I could willingly have breathed my last in exaltations
of praise to him, "the chief among ten thousands and the
one altogether lovely"--and my attendants tell me since
that it was almost as I wished - that in t h e mean time
my strength failed with my spirits and voice, and I sunk
into what they imagined would have prove a fatal delirium.
I was afterward informed by our beloved Capt. that he had no
expectation of ever seeing me raised from the bead of
death.
But while my body was firing and fainting under
the load of its distemper, I passed calmness of thought
and if conscious of my situation, felt a perfect willing
ness to depart. But it pleased the Lord to interfere be
tween me and death and raised me to a tolerable degree
of health and permitted me to place my feet upon the land that
I have long sought.
I am yet feeble and suffer much pain, and at times
I think that I shall never be able to fill my station. My
complaint is very singular in its course, -it at first affects
the back of my head, passes through to ray forehead-and then
with increasing pain until i t deprives me of my reason-Yet, when passing my reason-my system is so debilitated
that I am unable to perform either mental or manual labor.
�2560
But God is able to restore me to health, should he see
fit in his gracious Providence so to order events.
I
have suffered much from the excitement that our land
ing has caused, which tends to strengthen and iritate
the disorder.
But remember Dear Sir, that I do not
murmur nor complain at the providence of God— But I
do say that the disappoint which it will undoubtedly
cause in the Board and the affairs at home, has caus
ed me tears and much agitation.
But as I have been
prospero s thus far, it induces me with deep emotions
of heart to indulge the sentiment that I shall be able
to conduct in some measure the affa i r s of the office,
for which I am set apart.
Since I seated myself to write, I have suffer
ed much, very much of this accute pain across my forehead.
But I have found no remedy but bleeding and that will
soon reduce m e — Capt Prior bled me fourteen times on the
Voyage. Doct Jud twice since I came on shore. The opperation of bleeding last night renders me unqualified for
writing to day.
Sh
o uld I recover my health I should be
pleased and anxious to go forward, but otherwise should
think of returning to the States, My prayer is that I
may be able to maintain and uphold the standing of Christ
among this people. My weakness induces me to close. And
may the blessings of Almighty God attend the labors of the
board and prosper all their efforts. Yours in brotherly
love with Church
Lemuel Puller
R e v . R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Massachusetts
J
Mr. Lemuel Fuller
an 20, 1834
Date May 5, 1833
Mr. Lemuel F uller
Date May 5, 1833
Recd Jany 2 0 , 1834
Ackd
ship
�2561
Letter 196
Wailuku, M aui , Oct. 21st 1833
Letter from Dr. Judd relating to the case of Mr. Fuller.
Omitted, already printed by Gov. Carter.
�2562
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
197
Attleborough June 23d 1834
South
To the Rev. R. Anderson
Dear Sir
Having until n o w been unable
to write I have defered the subject of a c q u a i n t i n g you
particularly in regard to my health and present situation.
In the first place my health is so very feeble that the
journy from New Bedford, (of about thirty miles) caused
much severe pain, and since my arrival have been confined
mostly to my bead.
The scene is particularly trying to
me, as I am unable to perform either mental or manual
labor, and my Father says that he is not able to take
care of me his means are so limited. He still retains the
same views of the Mission as formerly.
I have send a
letter from Dr. Judd, who requested me to deliver it
personally, but owing to my severe illness I shall be
obliged to relinquish it.
Please to write me as soon
as convenient for I need your kind advice. Everything
I could dispose of I left with the Mission.
I received
from Mr. Chamberlain Cash $10 Cotton shirts six most
of my clothing much injured on the outward passage.
I
now stand in of some things, but leave it entirely to
your disgretion and whatever devine Providence directs
will be acceptible at present. Please to excuse me me
dear Sir, for the pain in my head is so excessive that,
almost overcomes me.
I now feel a willingness to leave
all things in the hands of h i m who has protected both by
sea and land, and who is ever willing to relieve the dis
tressed who fear Him.
I now subscribe myself your humble
Servent
Lemuel Fuller jr.
Lemuel Fuller
June, S. Attleboro, Mass
Bate June 23, 1834
Received June 25, 1831
Read to the Committee July 1, 1834
Answered Ju ly 2, 1834
Wrote about him, some day to
Rev. S. W. Colburn of S. Attleboro
So Attleboro Mass June
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
�2563
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
198
Mr. Johnstone's Report
In presenting this first report of what has
been affected in ' T h e Oahu Charity School' during the
past year; I wd beg leave most respectfully to assure
the Chairman, that nothing but a feeling of obligation
to this Meeting - compells me to submit even the follow
ing short statement:-conscious as I am of the uninterest
ing nature of what has been our engagements, while endeavour
ing to impart the elementary principles of a common
English education to a small community of too much n e g
lected, yea, despised, and in some cases-almost forgotten
children.
I
deem it unnecessary to state here the
difficulties which have been met with, in attempting to
gain that moral influence over the youth - in all cases
so exceedingly desirable.
It is sufficient perhaps to
say, that whatever obstacles are now found to the promotion
of christianization & civilization among the aborigines;
they are methinks still more formidable save in a few
instances -as regards the children with whom we are labour
ing. Should It be demanded, has any visible good as yet
resulted from our exertions? We can but answer, that to
a certain extent we have been successful in securing the
attendance of the scholars-), the practicability of
which some doubted: and although neither a prophet, nor
the son of a prophet I believe with the apostle of the
Indians-'that prayers and pains with the blessing of
Christ Jesus can do any thing? Elliott
Since occupying the School House, dedicated
on the 10th Jany 1833 & opened on 14th idea, for the
purpose for which it was primarily erected--70 Scholars
have been received.
This number includes the young chief
Lealeahohu since removed to Hawaii with Kuakini; and a
girl named Caroline some time since deceased.
The first few weeks of the present term was
attended by 29 boys & 18 girls; add to which 3 lads absent
from the Island:- made a total number of 50 belonging to
the school. This number however has since been reduced 3 girls & 1 boy having been withdrawn; peradventure in
expectation they will attend with greater profit after a
season's suspension.— The number 50, might with very little
exertion be kept good; subject also to being increased by
others from the coast of California; who in the event of
a well qualified teacher filling the situation, would resort
hither for an education.
�2564
Under the influence of that very precious
promise, v i z . 'I love them that love me &c and in
obedience to the Divine command to Train up a child in
the w ay that he should go:-the scholars were early gather
ed into a sort of Sabbath School.-the attendance on
which was encouraging for some time- Within the last
three months however, there has been a falling off among
the boys; owing perhaps in some measure to a different
arrangement with respect to the girls.
Previous to the
time just mentioned, both sexes were in the habit of
assembling together.
The effect of dividing them, was
nothing else than might have been anticipated had we
maturely reflected on the associations o r childhood.—
I rejoice that they are so well provided for, in having
Mrs. Diell as their instructor every Sabbath afternoon at
her own residence.
The time spent together on the Lord's day, has
been occupied for several months in reading from the word
of God, e specially the N ew Test. I judged it indispensable
for their sakes, & found it even profitable to myself,to read also (tho' but every imperfectly)-the Hawaiian
translation.
Watts' minor, & young childs catechisms; Hymns
for Infant minds; together with a portion of the A S. S.
Unions printed card lesso ns; have been the only books used
o n that day.--Within a few months, some 6 or 8 of the
scholars have become so far advanced in knowledge of letters,
ast o b
able to read tho' with some difflculty-the more
e
easy passages found in the New Tes . - To the number of
16 or 18, sixteen, or eighteen, are in the habit of follow
ing the teacher w h ile he reads a part of the lively oracles
dally on commencing school— This part of his duty, has
lately become by far the most pleasant:
and an indiscribable
satisfaction has been felt, when they have sometimes met
with an incident which they appeared tolerably well to
understand.
They have been exhorted, to 'Remember their
Creator in the days of their youth'; & invited now to say
unto him, 'M y father, be thou the guide of my youth '.
Sometimes they appear to give a listening ear: but the
leaven of Deism, if not Atheism, has already infected in
the minds of some; and I have been asked whether God can
see through the roof of a school house.
They have as yet
received no ideas i t may fairly be said, from books, and
feel too much satisfied with merely reading the letter,
without applying their understandings to come at the meaning
of what they read.
The greatest obstacles are yet to be
surmounted in getting them to search after wisdom, and not
to rest contended in the bare hearing of right understand
ing.
I believe the remark to be strictly true with
but very few exceptions, viz that reading parents will have
reading children:
'that the poor man who can read, & who
possesses a taste for reading, can find entertainment
at home without being tempted to repair to the public house
�2565
for that purpose.— “He who has gained a taste for good
books will in all likelihood become thoughtful; and when
you have given the poor a habit of thinking, you have
conferred on them a much greater favour than by the gift
of a large sum of money, since you have put them in
possession of the principle of all legitimate prosperity.
It is only within the last 2 two months that
a supply of Books have been received from Boston-Worcester's
primer & 12 copies of his 2nd Book are now in the hands
of the children. Donations of Stationary kind have once
& again been granted on application by the Supt of Sec.
Concerns which justice to the Mission requires me here to
acknowledge. We very much need something of the nature
of Cards on Natural history, to interest & engage the
attention of the younger children.
All which Is respectfully submitted.
Andrew Johnstone.
Mr. Johnstone's Report
concerning the Oahu Charity School
Recd Feb. 28, 1835
Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
�2566
68c Sandwich
Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
199
Copy of Mr. Johnstone' s Report of the Oahu Charity School.
"In presenting this second Report of the
Oahu Charlty School, may I not hope for your indulgence,
while first of all I would record w i th heart-felt gratitude—
the good hand of our God which has followed us during the
past y e a r . While in his inscrutable providence He has
seen fit to visit during this period, yes , even within the
last 7 months, not less than 5 of the mission families with
death;
it has also pleased Him, toward more than an
equal number of children belonging to another class to
deal mercifully - and spare so far as I 'm aware - the life
of every individual.
"Shortly after the conclusion of the last
General Meeting the school was necessarily suspended for
about 4 weeks - because of the bodily affliction of one
of the teachers. During the time of his confinement,
the attentions of the mission physician were kind, and
unremitted; and I hope he will accept this public acknowledge
ment which I feel bound to m ake: and not only for his
professional services performed on that occasion, but
also previously & subsequently.
In the midst of surrounding obstacles; beset
with numerous difficulties: and a mid many hindrances of
a certain nature— not peculiar however to those alone with
whom we have labored,-but common to all children who are
suffered to grow up in ignorance of God and of the know
ledge of Jesus Christ, we trust it has been our object
to impart unto them so much of the elementary branches of
an English education, as that their lives may be useful;
and so much of religion— as that their deaths may be happy.
And although we would not arrogate to ourselves any praise
for what we have done, we wd feel there is reason for thankfulness on our part that no greater barriers to doing good
have been thrown in our w a y . Touching certain revolutions
passed a t the first meeting appointed to organise a constitu
tion for the School; unless by mere hearsay— I am ignorant
of their nature, and have always acted independently of
them. "It is not scholarship alone” as one has well said
"but s c h o l a r s h i p impregnated with religion, that tells on
the great mass of society"— I have no faith any more than
the author from whom I now quote , "in the efficacy of mech
anics institutes, or even of primary or elementary schools,
for building up a vir t u
o u s & well conditioned people, so
�2567
long as they stand reserved from the lessons of Christian
piety."
and with an American divine--"I hold it to be a
sound principle, " that the school which does not make the
cultivation of the heart a primary object, had better never
have been founded. Such will prove a curse to the world."-With the Hawaiian New Testament, and 23 Psalms,
bound together with the English;--selections from the 'Kumu'
& sometimes a translation from the 'Lama' we have enjoyed
great facilities for giving and the scholars for receiving—
the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ-) compared with the
condition of similar youth in former years The attendance
has been more regular than was ever anticipated: being
on an average 7/8ths during the present year.— Only a few
it is true can yet read with ease to themselves, or so as
to edify others, and while I grant with a large proportion
the pronunciation retards their more rapid advancement in the
science of reading, these same individuals are perhaps the
most forward in writing and cyphering.— "The aggregate number
of pupils, which any be reckoned as belonging to the school
amounts to 70— where of 7 are now absent from the islands,
6 irregular in attendance, & 57 of v arious ages who may
be regarded as uniformly present. Admitting as I am w i l l
ing to do, the full force of that axiom "it is easier to
plant than to make to grow," still It does not follow that
all is planted will certainly d i e ! for were this the fact,
where would be the encouragement for your labouring in
N atives or any one in the English language? I confess
with regret, the boys attendance on the sabbath, has not
been for some time past, in proportion to the girls.
It
has required somewhat greater efforts, to secure the pres
ence of a certain ratio of the one--and been found comparitively easy to get together the larger number if not near
ly all— the other--”In all our addresses to the children,
two points have been, and we intend shall be, constantly
kept in mind, i.e. simplicity & utility. When questioned
by them on any subject not clearly & plainly revealed in
the Bible; we have never hesitated to say-we cannot tell
you, for the w ord of G od has not told us.
some who now listen to this Report, may per
haps wish to know one or two of the first lessons of
practical piety we endeavor to instil into the minds of our
scholars, and would gladly be informed, what are some of the
grand truths which we strive to exhibit & i llustrate— in
our poor way & to their understandings-When such are in
formed that we most commonly commence with that grand & noble
aphorism. "God is love": our instructions will possibly
appear to them altogether preposterous: as these very
words or rather a question arising out of them viz, "what is
God"? employed the mind & occupied the attention of a
famous ancient day after day. Notwithstanding it is
indeed no easy matter to gain the affections of chlldrenyet a God in Christ ready to forgive iniquity, transgression
and sin in those who truly & sincerely forsake & renounce
�2568
every evil & kicked way, and believe in his son Jesus—
has been & doubtless still can be made, sufficiently
manifest even to a childs capacity; and having first
told them.
What wicked children they have been !
Alass! how soon they learnd to sin ! and e x
plained to them what sin is, as revealed in the scriptures:
that God hates sin, & will hereafter punish it with ever
lasting destruction;-in the Apostles most consoling &
encouraging languages we try to assure them, & seek to
persuade them or "that faithful saying and which is worthy
of their exceptation. Also that this infinitely holy
& just, great, & condescending Being who made & governs
all things will hear
Even when a few poor children raise,
To Him a song of humble praise !
That all the love & gratitude which their hearts can possibly
render is due to that Saviour who gives his life a
sacrifice even for the redemption of little children.
We oftentimes remind them that Gods eye is constantly
upon them, watching all their actions that he knows all
they think, and hears all they speak; and did they but
love his character then they would fear and honor him
continually. We repeat again & again to them, that now
they have unholy & wicked hearts. That they need to have
and must seek to obtain new hearts from this moment or
they cannot be fitted to enjoy the blessedness of heaven,—
But we seem to them as setters forth at least of a strange
God, and hitherto they have appeared very little interested
to learn concerning Jesus and the resurrection. When we
would lead them to a Throne of grace they are many times
noisy during the exercise, unaccustomed as they all probably
are with one or two exceptions--to any such service in
their own dwellings.
It is due by me to the Seamen's preacher to
mention, that he has very kindly furnished several with
copies of the word of Goa as they are brought forward
to peruse and desire to possess that blessed Volume. Be
sides he has distributed among them children's Tracts,
and allowed each individual (sufficiently advanced) to
draw suitable books from the Library.
The good thereby
accomplished will prove to have been (may I not hope)
of a twofold nature; inasmuch as most parents see, and
some peruse the books thus placed in their childrens
hands.
But, what is of still more importance perhaps
in the sight of God, is his exertions for the good of the
school in another way. He prays for the teachers, and
counsels, prays and labors for the souls salvation of the
scholars.
M ay the Spirit from on high be poured down
upon us in answer to prayed ! "And will not a large
majority of this meeting entreat God to have mercy on the
scholars, and to give more grace to the teachers ! so th at
�2569
they may always experience, especially if called to
suffer perplexity--"the eternal God to be their refuge
and that underneath them are the everlasting arms"
Very respectfully submitted
Andrew Johnstone
M r . Andrew Johnstone's Report
Recd Dec 30, 1835
Ackd June 21/36
�2570
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
200
Honolulu Aug 3, 1835
Bro Johnstone,
When Messrs. Thurston, Bishop, Forbes, &
Lyons were at Maui, they with Messrs. Richard, Andrews,
Clark, Dibble, Hitchcock, Armstrong, Chapin and Rogers
considered what ought to be done in view of your un
christian treatment of Mr. Bingham; and in withholding
and refusing further intercourse with him and two other
members of the mission; and especially in refusing to
make concessions & to seek a reconciliation, when advis
ed by several members of the mission to do it; — and
they were unanimous in the opinion that y o u have for
feited the confidence of the Mission & cannot be regard
ed as in regular standing In the mission, nor entitled
to its privileges.
Such is also the opinion of Mr .
Green & Mr. Smith and the members of this station. The
views of the other members have not been received; but
It is probable there will be but one opinion in the case.
Unless a reconciliation is affected the facts in the case,
will, it is expected, be forwarded to the Prudential
Committee by the Canton Packet.
In consequence of the wishes of the brethren
at the Windward, as already expressed, and by request
also of the members of this station and with sincere r e
gret at what has happened and a sincere desire that the
matter may be speedily and amicably adjusted we have
written the preceding;
And remain yours &c
Signed (R. Tinker
(E. Spaulding
Messrs Tinker & Spaulding
letter to Mr. Johnstone
Dated Honolulu Aug 3, 1835
Recd Dec 30
Ackd in G. L. June 15
�2571
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
201
Sandwich Islands
Oahu, 4th Augt 1835
Rev. R. Anderson
Secy of tho A.B.C.F.M.
Very Dear Sir
I would embrace the present oppy
which is thus early afforded me, of acknowledging your very
kind & affectionate communication dated 4th Dec last; con
veying in the most Christian manner your Board's determin
ation regarding the School which I hav e been instrumental
in gathering at this place.
Allow me to assure you, I am perfectly satisfied
from what y o u have stated, that the Committee did not d e
cide in the case of t h e 'Oahu Charity School', without
sufficient reasons pperating on their minds for so doing.—
But I feel regret to perceive from your letter, that the
matter has either not been so candidly or fully represented
to them, as perhaps its object merits: otherwise I think—
numbers--language--or future influence— would never have
constituted the Beard's principal objections.
I deem it altogether unnecessary after the
decision you have come to— entering into a detail of the
circumstances conspiring in my mint & which led to
attempt the doing of anything of a missionary kind for
the benefit of the youth referred to.
I will merely re
mark, --my dear companion & myself engaged in the employ
ment at first--not without experiencing a due share of
fearfulness & trembling:
and our duties hitherto have
been performed amid conflicts & trials enough sometimes
to shake even the strongest faith.
But whatever were
the causes which induced us to undertake the work, may
still be urged (only with increased arguments) wherefore
it should not at present be abandoned.
In resolving to continue in the situation, I
have endeavoured to throw aside, my own inclination: and
try if possible to discover apparent duty in the affair.
Those individuals of the Mission with whom I consulted,
gave it as their opinion that I ought not to give up my
present enterprise— especially as they consider the
situation one— affording an opportunity of doing good:
that
as the Trustees were wishful of our continuance therein, &
had expressed their satisfaction with what we had done here
tofore; and could not provide themselves with another
teacher at least for some ti m e ; my friends regarded it by
no means advisable to adop t measures whereby the children
would become scattered.
A committee of the mission having been appoint
ed to wait on me & ascertain our determination regarding
�2572
the purport of yr. letter; I submitted to them the follow
ing proposition; viz, 'That my connexion with the Mission,
might be allowed to remain as formerly; until we could
hear again from Boston’--Permit me to say, that in making
this suggestion— my object was chiefly to mitigate
asperity in a certain quarter; and also afford the Board
an opportunity of knowing more impartially -- if wished
for -- the real nature of my engagements. The proposal
I understood was carried after considerable debate; and as
I also requested, a committee was chosen to address yo u on
the subject of the school. Subsequently however resolutions
passed on the topic b y the mission--were recinded: and
those w ho are best enabled to form an idea , have given it
as th e ir opinion--That your determination would not be
reversed by any thing which might be written--We have like
wise been told, that by commencing a new term with your
letter in our possession— determines the matter; as there
by we select one of three proposals made us by the Board;
& this step virtually dissolves our connexion.
Perhaps I have said all that is needful by
way of reply to that part of your letter touching the
subject of the school.
It only remains further for the
Board to give such an honest statement of the cause for
discontinuing their patronage, as will lend to offer no
offence to any within or without the pale of the Saviour's
church I will just mention;
Mrs. Johnstone's expectations
are to visit her friends in the United States— to leave here
during the ensuing fall; and yo u may resolve to continue
our names on yr missionary list unti l after her arrival or
consider us entirely distinct from this time— as may appear
to your better judgment the most proper.
Actuated as we trust from Gospel motives, & con
strained by the same love of Christ to devote ourselves
to his service; permit us to remark in this place--we have
never felt that we were intruding o n another's fields of
labor in whatever little we have sought to effect in time
past for the interests of foreigners children. W e re
joice in all the good that is accomplished among the native
population: but it has appeared to us exceedingly desirable
to labour also for a reformation of morals which we hold
to be not only practicable but absolutely indispensable in
this community, ere these islands will be converted to the
Lord. We do not arrogate to ourselves an unwarrantable
sentiment In thus addressing you. We would hasten if
possible the coming of that desireable period, when there
shall be nothing to hurt nor destroy in all this holy
mountain— In reflecting on what Is our object of attainment?
we reply— to be instrumental under God in performing any
thing, however trifling, which strikes at the fountain of
the torrent of iniquity, for it appears to us that so
far important good was done to society.'
�2573
Implor
Imploring
& responsible duties—
to fill the place y o u
I remain
the Divine blessing on your arduous
& preying that you may long continue
now occupy
My dear Sir
Yours in Gospel bonds
Andrew Johnstone
Mr. Andrew Johnstone
Dated Honolulu, Aug 4, 1835
Recd Dec 30
Ansd June 21/36
for Pru Com
Bristol R. I.
Dec. 29
Rev. R. Anderson
Secy of the A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
pr Canton Packet via Bristol
�2574
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
202
Honolulu 5 Aug 1835
Rev. R. Tinker
& E. Spaulding
Bear Brethren
With your letter of the 3d Inst
before me I had taken my seat to frame a reply— when
Brother S. favored me with a call, to whom I communicated
in substance the following; v i z That all controversy in
my mind with Rev. Mr. B ingham— towards whom with shame
I confess having acted in a manner unbecoming a professing
Christian— now is and allow me to assure you has been end
ed several days ago. On a review of my conduct on that
occasion, I am deeply conscious of having widely departed from the Divine pattern,— But having asked & obtain
ed pardon as I trust for this offence committed against
God, may I not hope also to be forgiven of man? My
treatment of M r . Bingham was the more aggravated when I
reflect, on the disparity of my obscure situation, com
pared with the prominent place he occupies in the church
of Christ— This acknowledgment is n o w made, totally
irrespective of any intelligence conveyed in your letter;
and was not sent at an earlier moment, when perhaps it
might have, been conceived-- a fear of the matter going
before the Board — had alone induced me to offer an
apology
I take this opportunity of acquainting the
Brethren that we have this day taken the necessary steps
to provide ourselves with another dwelling; and we expect
to vacate these premises, within a very few days. We
regret not a little the loss we shall sustain, by the
withdrawing of the friendship of certain individuals you
have enumerated.— We have greatly felt the want of sound
counsel in time past; and our prospects for the future
lead us rather to anticipate yet greater need of judicious
advisers.--With a single remark we shall conclude the
communication; & however little weight our opinion may
have with you, buffer us honestly to tell you, that we think
too great precipitation has been manifested by the members
at this station. The matter we believe remained with them
entirely, otherwise the statements which your letter con
tains would probably never have been written
I remain with much esteem
Because of your work's sake ' for the
gospels sake
yours in the Bonds of
Jesus Christ
Andrew Johnstone
Copy of a letter received from Mr. Johnstone Aug 9, Just
�as the ship is ready to sail.
Yours G. P. Judd
M r . Alexander Johnstone's Reply to
Messrs Tinker & Spaulding's
letter
D ated S . Islands A u g 5 1835
Reed Dee 30
Ackd in G. L. June 15
for P. Com
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
ship
Bristol R.I
.
Dec. 29
�2576
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
203
Oahu, Oct, 2, 1832
Dear Sir,
As you have already received all the necessary
particulars of our voyage, I shall not go into a general
account of it, except so far as it relates to myself.-Owing to some misunderstanding on the part of M r . Chapman
the suitable bedding, &c was not procured till the day
before we sailed, by accident I asked for it, and he
supposed
had procured it for myself.
However he purchas
ed two pieces of cloth and Mrs. Nichols, of N. B. made
4 sheets for me, and 2 pillow cases, and Mr s . Chapin
made 1 while on the waters, which was all I had;-- not
a single towel or anything of the kind that I could get at;
and various other things of the kind that I did expect
were not to be had; did you expect me to find them?
Passing by all these thing I say do not send another man
to sea again to room with the mate, (unless the mates
are pious, and then it is not desirable.)
I had a cross,
surly, and drunken man, he was a sore trial to m e , he was
swearing the greater part of the time when in the way, he
could not go to rest nor rise in the night without it.
I
do not speak of this to complain, but for you to know
what a person may have to suffer in the midst of fair
promises; I hope it has done me good to go through what
have; I have learnt some useful lessons by it. I had
good health a l l the, way.
We arrived here, as you know, on the 17th of
may; Immediately visited the office, and found it as I
expected no floor in the composition room, cases all pie,
window seats and boxes full of it too, in short it was in a
sad state, brother Shepard's health was and has been such
as not to give due attention to it, in fact none at all.
Br. Goodrich had no taste for the printing business, the
binding he liked better, he had the last form of Revelations
on the press when I arrived.— As there was no lumber to
be had a stone f l oor was laid, and I tried, in connexion
with Br. Shepherd to put things to rights, and have
succeeded beyond my expectations.
I must say in regard to
Br. S. he is deeply interested in the office, and has
rendered me most important assistance in the commencement
of my undertaking — it is no t to be expected that the
men in the office will feel so much interest in a new
as in an old master, but now I find no difficulty.
At the General meeting of the mission soon after
�2577
our arrival Br. Bingham brought in a resolution which
you will find on page 4th of the printed minutes for 1832:
which was the first intimation I had that there was to
be a marked distinction;— the one that introduced the resol
ution considered me to stand in the light of a journeyman,
which I do not think y o u had any idea of. However
I soon left the room, and two hours were spent in discussing
the subject, when a Com. was chosen to wait upon me and
ascertain my views on this subject, when you will see the
result on page 5 "that we receive M r . R . &c ". I do not
wish to impute anything to Mr. B. or the rest of my dear
Br. here, it originated in your saying in the general
Letter "Mr. Rogers goes out as a hired printer,” in your
letter to Br. Shepard you say I am Missionary printer and
the brethren did not see how to have their rules apply
to my case.
And also yo u will see by looking at my con
tract with the Board some informality in the wording of
the article which relates to my return--it reads thus:—
"4. That he bear the expense of his return, should he,
at his own suggestion, leave the service of the Board
w ithin four years," & c — Now I did no t not mean to say
I wished to have the power of leaving in my own hands,
by no means;— my brethren, have, or some of them at least
did so understand it— I wish to say I was disappointed in
many things and one important one was, the 3d in my agree
ment, vis:— "3. That he board in one of the Mission famil
ies, they all in the first place have small children—
and consequently have enough to d o — and are not in a
situation to take a boarder,— and 2d, they have to see to
every thing done, for natives do not know and have not
much judgment in managing domestic concerns:--consequently
I cannot in justice ask them to give a regular boarding
place. I have thought and prayed much o n this subject,
and have conversed with the brethren here; and I have
come to the resolution to cast in my lot, and become
as one of the missi on;--I will give you some of the reasons
for this course: --I think I shall fee l a deeper interest
in my work— I shall not have to look forward and think in
such a time I can quit the field and return to America—
I shall not have to say give me my money, you may get along
as you can.— But you may say why did you not think of this
before?— I say why did you not give me perfect idea of
the state of things here--it was impossible, no one who
has never been here can form a right idea in respect to
matters here.--But there are some difficulties which you
knew of before you left America, v i z. -- in respect to your
si ster, how can she get along?
I reply it is m y wish to do
all I can for her, but I say it is not my duty, or I can
not see it to be so, for me to be burdened with her support
in my important work here--and more so as I think and
believe our friends will not desire it when they know the
circumstances— and further ther e is no good reason that I
�2578
knov of in the c a s e .
And therefore I have felt it my duty to become a
missionary indeed, I do trust in the Lord, knowing that he
will order all things aright; - I now feel it incumbent on
me to give you some account of the business of the office-I have both departments in my charge--binding and folding,
printing &c. there are now 16 men in almost constant
employ, 2 presses are now in operation, by the way we have
but one press fit to do heavy work on-- the two Ramage
are most worn out--from June 25th to Sept 1st
Press
1,347,000 pages printed, - 165 rms paper used 10 at
different works issued or nearly completed, 6,414 books
done up in cloth and printed paper covers— the men in the
office are very industrious, are engaged in the work.
George Sandwich has lately taken hold of the business and
does well.
I shall try to do all I can in aiding forward
the work here, it is very encouraging to see the anxiety
manifested for books, and I do hope the day is not far
distant when this nation will become a reading and think
ing nation. There is much very much to do in this inter
esting field and much to encourage us in the work.
I do rejoice that another printer is on his
way here, one man cannot superintend both printing and book
binding as it ought to be;— the rollers succeed admirably
here and y o u had better not send us any more skins but
send us glue in their stead, we have used nearly all the
skins I brought to bind the Testament with.
Oct 20— If you think best to accept of my ser
vices as a regular missionary printer you will please
send me a certificate to that effect, we greatly need a
bookbinder, although I have learnt to bind since I came
to these islands.
Nov. 13--I have but just returned from
Lahaina, having been gone 2 weeks, and 3 days. During
this time I have been placed in new circumstances:--you
will will see I am not happy in my present situation, and
after much prayer a nd deliberation I determined to see
Miss Ward, and make offer of marriage after some acquaint
ance, which I have done, and have been accepted and
probably our marriage will take place next June providence
willing, do not let another person come out without knowing
the state of the families here, they are willing to do all
they can, but there is no society here and a person can
not have much comfort by himself. I do not know what you
will think of it, but providence has made the path plain
to me. In respect to my salary, if you see fit to accept
of my services as a missionary, instead of a hired printer.
I should prefer to do as the rest do, I wish for — nothing
more than a bare support. The path of duty has been made
�2579
very plain to me, and I have tried to follow it with out
murmuring, but in many things I come far short;--I consider
it a providence in leaving my country and friends in the
manner I did;--in finding things here as they are, and
being placed in such a situation as I have been since any
arival here, and having such prospects as are now before methe climate agrees perfectly with my constitution.— Y ou
will please write by the first opportunity what your views
and feelings are, and how you regard, and have regarded
ny relation to the mission, I think I understand them m y
self, but for others I should like to have them in writing.If my situation is changed I shall want some furniture of
course, you need not send a bureau;Pray for me dear sir that I may do my Master's
work faithfully, I do or shall rely much upon your advice
and encouragement.
I remain your,
servant in the Lord,
Edmund B. Rogers
R e v . R. Anderson
Mr. Edmund H. Rogers
April 12, 1833
Ackd in Gen. Letter of April 13
His passage
N ot understanding terms &c.
His acceptance &c
Marriage
Furniture
glue
Ansd April 18
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
U . S. A.
postmark New Bedford Mass
April 11
�2580
68 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
204
Honolulu, Oahu, Dec 5. 1832
Rev. and dear Sir,--Having but lately sent you a long
communication I have not much of interest here to write.
The work of the office goes on with some speed, we have
now in press the reprint of Ninouhouiki and a Tract of
Numbers;--the bindery rather drags for the want of the
necessary materials to do the work with we have one cut
ting press, which is rather the worse for wear, no book
binder's press, one poor pair of cuiting shears, three
serving frames made by br. Goodrich, ten small press
boards made by him--we are now depending on the paste
boards from the books printed in America for doing the
Testament in — I have had 100 bound for br. Richards, 25
in the wash leather skins you sent by me for ball skins,
the rest in cloth, 15 or 20 for br. Bishop in the same
style, 25 for br, Cham, in skins from Kauai, one of which
I will send you if I can, 50 or 60 for the natives who
bring the different parts and pay a trifle to have them
bounds, and I now have on hand 30 for natives, 18 done,
300 for br. Richards, 25 done;--also, in the bindery 10,000
Ui Ku m alii, 15,000 Buke Hua Mua to be done up in pasted
covers, 1000 Geog. waiting for paste board. You will
see by this that there is a good deal of work to be done,
and it must all be overseen by us, br. Shepard takes the
charge of overseeing the composition, proof reading, &c.
I have the press-work; folding, binding, packing up, &c
to my share.
I have now learnt to bind books; there is
an old book binder here, who has lost one of his arms,
and has let me into the art very much, I suffer for the
want of the proper tools to work with/ we want every article
in a book-binders shop, we have written for them.—
As you will see by nay letter sent I have joined the mission,
the reasons you will also see, I have after much delibera
tion, prayer, and counsel done it, and now I feel happy;
I have given all up I trust to the Lord; you will by look
ing at the situation of the families here see one good
reason for it , not that they are actually unwilling, but
are n o t able to, on account of other engagements, the
most of them have 2 or 3 small children, and some have
sickness as br. Shepard, and I can say it is not pleasant
to stay here a time and there a time and yet never at home.
If you see fit to accept of my services you w i l l forwar d
me a certificate to that effect; my mind was made up in this
way, viewing things as they are, if Miss Ward did not see
fit to accept of my offer of marriage, to return to
America as soon as providence should clearly open the way,
�2581
but I am not under the necessity, the Lord has led me in a
path I know not of, she has consented and providence willing
we shall be married next June. Will you send me two common
sized tables, I say two because they are very scar ce and
costly here, 1 dozen chairs, they are three dollars a piece
here cash !! You will, if you send them direct them to
Mr. Cham. for me, if y o u do not, I may not get them for
others have sent for them, I do not wish you to send any
thing else for the present, perhaps you may send these as
I received no outfit from the Board. You will write me
freely and fully as you have opportunity.
The work of
the Lord is, I think increasing, although there is much to
put it back, there is nothing like a revival here.
Intem
perance prevails now the ship are in, there have been two
murders and one man drowned' by it, i.e. rum, within 2
month, a native killed one of Capt, Jory's men, 2 foreign
ers, fighting one stabbed the other so that he died in one
or two minutes, the man drowned in attempting to swim
to his ship.
I hope you will be able to send all our last
order as the things are much needed.
I remain your servant for Christs sake
E. H. Rogers
R e v . R . Anderson
Mr. E. H. Rogers
M ay 6, 1833
Needed for the Bindery, & for
himself
Ackd in Ge n . Letter Oct 30
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Miss Rooms
Boston Ms.
U. S. A.
�2582
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
204
Honolulu Aug 29, 34
R e v . and dear Sir
It is my duty to inform you of the death of
Mrs, R. she died May 23, 1834. She was taken sick
May 18th and died Friday morning the 23. after giving
birth to a son and daughter, it was a most distressing
time to us all, to see her suffer so much and not able
to relieve her. At times she was deranged;— not a
word of complaint o r mu^meing was heard to escape from
her lips, but was calm and composed in all her sufferings.
All of Thursday she lay in rather a drowsy state, occasion
ally waking to take medicine, & in the evening after two
hours most Intense suffering she gave birth to a son, for
a short time we had some hopes she would survive, Bro.
Bingham asked her if she could unite in prayer, ’’yes",
she replied, and after adjusting the pillows to her
back with her own hands, she said, "pray to God and praise
his holy name, pray for the Holy Spirit, pray that my
sins may be pardoned, which have made it necessary for
me to suffer all I have suffered, pray that I may be
prepared for more usefulness," Parts she repeated with
great emphasis, in a short time she became restless,
and it became apparent the hand of death was upon her,
and she ceased to breath without a struggle or a groan
15 minutes past 12, Friday morning.
On Friday after
noon we committed her remains to the dust in full
assurance of a glorious resurrection thus in five short
days have all that is dear to me been taken from me,
and my house left to desolate,— but it is the Lord who
has done it, and he does all thing well: therefore I dare
not complain, no, I have no wish to, for it is better with
them all to be with their Saviour, than in this vale of
tears,
I feel my loss, yes, I deeply feel it, for she
was a dear companion, so affectionate, so kind, so faithful,
so persevering, and so engaged in her Masters work. Her
work on earth is done, and well done, we have good reason
to believe. And if the affection of the natives is any
thing she had a large share of it, the room was filled
most of Friday with natives in tears, and most all of them
had been taught by her. They manifested deep and sincere
feelings. Bro. Bingham preached a sermon in native
at the native church in the forenoon; and in the evening
of the Sabbath at the Seaman's Chapel on the occasion
in English from Phi lip ians 3.21,22,
I cannot but hope
some good will result from this afflicting and solemn
dispensation.
Pray that it may awaken us to more
activity in our work, for we are admonished time is
�2583
short, and what we do mus t be do n e quikly.
In six weeks after M r s . R oger's death we were
ca lled to stand around the death bed of our dear brother
Shepard, he was called after a long and lingering illness,
and be was prepared, he was in a mos t calm and peaceful
frame of nind, end longed for the joys of heaven. He
h as been a faithful servant of the Lord and h a s done much
m uch good f o r this poor people.— Th u s we have been called
twice within a short time to look into t he grave , and be
reminde d of our f raility and God has a l s o spoken t o us
by the sudden death of others to be also r e a d y .
I know not of any thing of inportanee to
communicate, bu t what y ou w ill have i n o ther letters.
W e have much to encourage u s an d a l s o to disc ourage us,
Prey for us, dear Si r , that w e m ay be made the
instrument of much good to a ll around us, both foreign and
n a t i v , f o r all need an interest i n Christ. When will
the time c ome that men fron Christian lands shall s e t
a better example to the people around them. W e look for
a blessing o n brother Diel's labors , he is much r e spected an
among the foreigns, and we hope he may be the means of
m u c h v y m uch good among them .
We keep the press going first and second
Samuel are near ly through the press , the Hymn book is
c o m m e n c e d and we hope s oon to finish the r e p r i n t of
the new testament. I send you a few cop ies of the Ga m u
t
and hope soon to fo rward the Hymn Book.
\
I am yours in Christian fellowship
E .H. Rogers
R e v . R . Anderson,&
MR. E. H. Rogers
Dated Honolulu, Aug 29, 1934
Recd Feb. "6, 1835
Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
Abstract f or Herald
Death of Mrs. Rogers
- Rev. Rufus Anderson
One of the see of the A.B.C.F .M.
Boston Mass
�2584
08 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
205
Oahu, Honolulu F eb. 12, 1835
Dear Sir,
You will see by our last communications that
we have bean afflic ted, death has been commissioned to
enter into our midst and cu t down two of our number, You
will have learned the particulars from Brethren Bingham
and Judd.
It was a trying scene we were called to witness,
but all her sufferings were boren with a patience and
fortitude honorable to the profession she made not, a
murmur from her lips, not a repining word was heard
escape her lips. S h e ha s gone to her re st, and many
of t
h i s people w ill long cherish her memory with affection.
I n a few short weeks B r o . Shepard left this v ale of
tears in a triumphant maner. "It is w e ll with him."
My Bro Rogers may hand you this letter, it
will contain a request of you thr
o ugh the Board.
It is
this that a young friend of m ine may be sent out to
these islands, if she and you think it bes tt . Y ou will
have all the mean s before you of judg
ing her qualifica
tions . I thin k she is j u s t the person I want for a
companion. As it is a matter of great interest to me
I have advised with my brethren, and some of them think
i t is best for me to pursue this course.
Or make a request for permission to return home for a season. I
can hardly reconcile my feelings to the last course.
Y o u are aware that m uch is to be done in printing for
the people and though thee is we hope another printer
soon to be here, L ah
i naluna has a great claim for o n e .
a
Still I make the request to return for a season in case
neither of the young ladies fe e l it duty to come out
as they now are , but would one of them come if I were
in America. This my brother will let you know, or
y o u will inquire in case my brother should be sick,
I
as in hopes the Board will see fit to comply with m y re q
u
e
s
t
if possib l e . --I feel the want of society very much,
and feel it that my usefulness will be much increased
by having a p ious , devoted companion. You are aware that
there are but few of u s at this station, and we all have
our hands full. Still I might ge t along for a time as
I do now, but it is a t r y
i ng situation to be as it were
shut out out from all society. Save one or two individvals. I will not enter into a detail of the reasons ,
trusting the Board and my own friends will do, and think
for themselves in this important subject.-I rejoice a book binder is on his way he will
be a valuable addition t o the mission.
�2585
Permit, dear Sir, to ask an interest in your
prayers that I may be kept in the path of duty, and kept
faithful to my Master. And may you and the Board have
wisdom from on high to guide you in all your ways, is
the prayers
of yours in the Common cause,
E. H. Rogers.
Rev. R. Anderson
Cor. Sec. of A.B.C.F.M.
Mr. E . H. Rogers
D ated Honolulu Feb. 12, 1835
Recd Aug 29, 1835
Ackd in G . L. Sep 16
Ansd Sept 18
M r . John T. Rogers
N o 605 Washington St.
Boston, Mass
�2586
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
206
Honolulu, Feb. 12, 183 5.
Rev. and Dear Sir,
You will see by letters already sent that we
have been afflicted, death has been commissioned to enter
our midst and take two of our number, you will have learned
all the particulars from Brothers Bingham and Judd, much
better than I could have given you.
My own feelings were
so wrought up by the distressing agony of my dearest earth
ly friend, it was with the greatest difficulty I could
write at a l l . And even now the effort is a painful one
to my feelings.
In the midst of my affliction I could
measure cast my burdens on the Lord, and trust Him,
who never leaves nor forsakes these who put ther trust
in him. I have reason to bel ie
v e my dear friend is now
in heaven and perfectly happy in the presence of her
Saviour. And that my loss is her g a i n . May we who sur
vive imitate her so far as she followed Christ, already
are some of her scholars gone to meet her in judgment, and
some we trust love the same Saviour.
She is often spoken
of with the greatest respect by the natives, and she was
largely acquainted among them.— Soon our beloved Br.
Shepard died in the triumphs of faith, and we have reason
to think it is "well with him."
I sent letter by way of Canton to the care of
my brother Rogers in it I mentioned to him to exercise
his judgment in regard to a request I make of him to co
n sult
M iss Bond engaig as a missionary and coming to these
islands in particular referred to myself, she is a person
I have the greatest confidin in, and think it w ould be
for my good. My breth. of the mission apprve of this
course so far as I have had them say anything Of course,
dear Sir, the Board will think w e l l of it and satisfy them
selves in regard to her c h a c t
er. I would simply state
I need a friend and counsellor much vy. much
April 16— I send you our paper up to the present
date 12 number in all. Will you see if Mr. Andrews
ordered a mould to cast rollers in, if he did not it is
important one be sent forth with, as not much can be
done without one.
I would also suggest the seding of
any improvements in the printing line, for instance tym
pans of India rubber, we are much troubled to get parch
ment large enough for our use.
We are here and remain about as we have for
a year or two past. We need the influences of the spirit
to crow
n our labors with success, we are pained to see so
much
�2587
sin around us. but I hope our eye is to the Lord our
strengh.
Permit me dear Sir to ask a continuance of
your p-yrs and counsel. And may our labors be croned
with abundant success.
I remain yours in Christian love
E. H. Rogers.
Rev. A Anderson
Mr. E. H. Rogers
D ated Honolulu Feb. 12, 1835
Recd Aug 13, 1835
Ansd Sept 18
miss--Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec of A.B.C.F.M.
M iss Rooms Boston
Ms
�2588
68 Sandwich Islands
183 1— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
207
Honolulu August 4, 1835
Mr. Anderson
Dear Sir
Although I have nothing special to
communicate still I thought perhaps you would like to
recive a few lines from me on that subject connected with
my business.
Before I arrived Mr Rogers had the manage ment o f the binding department and before h im several others
all of whom knew little or nothing about it; of course
it was not very well managed.
I however set about my
work, fixed up the shop and arranged the tools and regulat
ed the pieces for work The number of men employed at
present is 4 and when the testament is ready more will be
wanted They will not work all day like men in America
they however make about 3 or 4 dollars a week The pieces a
are little less than American The money earned is not
badly spent One man I hired with nothing but a few rags
on his back, has since bought himself a new suit, and
the men genally keep themselves clean Natives frequently
come to see the men work and the effect I think is good
they see what industry is and that it clothes a man
With the advise of some of the committee Mr
Tinkers letter is closed I would write for some muslin
o r covering books it is rather strong and the worms do
f
not eat it as leather That which the Bible society use
is very cheap and stron That which is thiner would
answer well We were much surprised and greived on our
arrival to hear of Dr W i s n e r ’s death God means it for good,
you are remembered in our prayer
yours
Henry Dimond
Mr. Henry Dimond
Dated Honolulu A u g . 4, 1835
Recd Dec 30
Ackd in G . L. June 15
Ansd July 2
Muslin for binding
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Secretary A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
United States
�
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Title
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.)
Dublin Core
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.) - Volume 08- 1828-1837
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1828, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837
-
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/1420f7a1c5faa041818a01006d07dbc1.pdf
f9bd8d86dadac6578f7d9c516c31aa51
PDF Text
Text
MISSIONARY
LETTERS
(typed copies)
From the Sandwich Islands Mission
to the
American Board of Commissioners
for
Foreign M issions
1819 - 18 37
8 v ols.
" S
u
p
p
l
e
m
e
n
t
a
r
y
t o
the letters published in the
M issionary Herald
of the same d a t e s ."
Vol . 7
�-2Pages
EMERSON, JOHN S . : Waialua, Dec.23,1834 ... ........ -.2117-2119
Waialua, Apr.8,1835 -------------- -2120-2122
Waialua, Nov.19,1835 — ...........2123-2127
Waialua, Sept.5,1836 ------------- -2128
HITCHCOCK, H.R.
: Lahaina, Oct.5,1832 ........ ...... .2179-2181
Lahaina, Oct.24,1832 ------ -------2182-2183
Kaluaaha, July 31,1833 — .... .....2190-2192
Kaluaaha, Sept.
1834 ---- --------2184-2189
Kaluaaha, Nov. 1835 ------------- -2193-2195
Kaluaaha, Apr.
1836 ------------- -2196-2198
Kaluaaha, Apr. 1836 ------------- -2199-2202
Kaluaaha, Aug. 1836 ------------- -2203-2206
Lahaina, Dec.22,1836 ------------- -2207-2209
JOHNSTONE, A.
: See Joint Letter, June 17,1831 — - 2003-2004
JOINT LETTER
: Johnstone,Baldwin,Tinker & Dibble,
Honolulu, June 1 7 , 1 8 3 1 ----- ------2003-2004
LYMAN, DAVID B. : Hilo, Nov.13,1832 ................ .2210-2212
Hilo, Nov.20,1832 ---------------- -2213-2216
Hilo, Aug.25,1834 — .... -...... —
2217-2219
Hilo, Dec.2,1834 — ............—
2220-2222
Hilo, Sept.1,1836 ........-...... - 2226-2227
Hilo, Dec.6,1836 ... ......... .....2228-2229
Hilo, Dec.13,1836 ---------------- -2230
Hilo, Dec.13,1836 ---------------- -2231
To his brother, Henry Lyman, Hilo,
Dec.29,1834 ---- ------ --------- -2223-2225
LYONS, LORENZO
: Waimea,Hawaii,
Waimea,Hawaii,
Waimea,Hawaii,
Honolulu, June
Waimea,Hawaii,
Waimea,Hawaii,
Waimea,Hawaii,
Sept.28,1832 -------2147-2150
Sept.6,1833 ------ -2151-2157
Aug.27,1834 — ------2158-2159
25,1835 ------------2160-2162
Sept.15,1835 — --- -2163-2167
Oct.2,1835 ------- -2168-2170
Report,1835 ------ -2171-2178
PARKER,CAPT.A.F. : Reply, Ship New England, June 20,
1831 — -....................... .2004
SPAULDING, E.
: Rio de Janeiro, Jan.15,1832 ----- -2232-2234
Rio de Janeiro, Feb.3,1832 ------ -2235-2237
Lahaina, July 3 0 , 1 8 3 2 ------------ -2242-2244
Lahaina, Oct. 1832 -------------- -2238-2241
Lahaina, Oct.23,1832 ------------- -2245-2246
Lahaina, Oct.25,1832 ------ ------ -2247
Lahaina, Nov.20,1832 ------------- -2248
Oukumehame-Oloalu, Jan.24-Mar .15,
1834 .............. ............. .2249-2254
Lahaina, Dec.22,1834 ------------- -2255
Honolulu, Aug.3,1835 — ---------- -2260-2262
�-3Pages
SPAULDING, E.
: Honolulu, Aug.4,1835 -------------Lahaina, Nov.20,1835 -------------Lahaina, Nov.25,1835 -- ----------Lahaina, Nov.30,1835 -------------Lahaina, July 15,1836 -------------Lahaina, Nov.20,1836 -------------Newburyport,Mass, June 26,1837 --Worcester, Mass, July 10,1837 ---Buckland,Mass, July 23,1837 ------On Tobacco, Dec.19,1834 -----------
2263-2264
2265-2266
2267
2268
2269
2270-2271
2272-2273
2274
2275-2276
2256-2259
STEWART, C.S.
: See Dibble’s Review of A Visit to
the South Seas. -----------------
2086-2098
TINKER, REUBEN : Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
See Joint
TOBACCO
July 9,1832 ------------Dec.6,1832 -------------Nov.27,1832 ------------Aug.29,1834 ------------Oct.15,1834 ------------Dec.12,1834 ---- -------Dec.22,1834 ------------Nov.26,1835 ------------Dec.15,1835 ------------May 3,1836 -------------Dec.1,1836 -------------Letter, June 17,1831 ---
: See Spaulding, Dec.19,1834
2050-2051
2052-2053
2055
2057-2058
2059-2067
2068-2069
2070-2071
20722073
2074-2075
2076-2077
2003-2004
2256-2259
�2 001
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
1
New Bedford
Dec. 23, 1830.
To M r. J. Evarts,
Dear Sir,
I
spoke to you of p
wished to receive when abroad. I mentioned the N. Y .
Observer, Home Missionary— Quart. Jour. of the Am. Education
Soc. & the Herald. I should wish to see these as regularly as
they can be sent to the Isls.
If the board should find it for the good of the cause to
furnish a part or all these, they would come as conveniently
thro them as in any way. But they would be probably some
expense to the Board, & it may be best for me,receive them
another way. I have it in my power I suppose to pay for them
thro Mrs. B.— I have written to N . York in regard to the
Observer & H ome Miss'y--that if the Board did not think best
to supply them, they might be sent & paid for that way.
In regard to the Quart'y Jour. I would say the same. I
should wish you to procure it. I may perhaps have it gratis—
if not, Chs. M. Fowler Northford might pay for it. The fol
l o w i n g is a list of my debts which I leave unsettled—
Hotchkiss & Van Auden Auburn
$31.74
Hezekiah Baldwin-Durham
(2 notes)
85.00
Mr. Vreman Durham
(Shoemaker)
2.00
J . Crane hatter Durham
2.50
Amos Cornwall (Merchant) Cat skill
7.50
The people of Durham had begun to contribute something
to defray these before I left & I hope they will pay at least
those in Durham. But I leave no one legally responsible &
wish the Board to become responsible for what remains after
they have raised what they will in Durham. I shall write to
Deac. David Baldwin, an uncle, on the subject, & request him
to inform you how it stands before long. I hope at this time
ofpressure
you will not be obliged to pay much.
I must mention also that my H erald has run in arrears
for about three years whh I want shd be balanced. The
numbers will be directed to say father in future. I shall
wish you to inform me respecting all these matters.
Tours sincerely
D . Baldwin
�68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
1
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Present.
R
.
e
Dwight
v
Baldwin,
D ec. 30, 18 30
Herald attended to
The Quarterly Journal
& Register, is now sent to the
Islands— several copies
The N . Y . Observer, from
Jan . 1. 1831, to b e kept for
Mr. Johnstone, at the S . I. by
M r. Tracy— Also the Sailor's
Magazine.
Part Third
XXVII
�2003
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
2
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Boston, M ass.
Honolulu, Sept. 26th 1831.
Dear Sir,
It has been suggested to us, that
it would be pleasing to you, in addition to our general letter
to see, our letter to Capt. Parker, at the close of our voy
age, & his reply. Th e following is a copy of each.
To Capt. A. F. Parker
Ship New England
Honolulu June 17th 1831.
Dear Sir,
Having at length arrived at this
port, where we are called to separate from you and the ship's
company, who have been so long our only associates, we take
much pleasure in expressing our gratitude to you, for all the
kind attentions you have shown us & our companions during the
voyage.
We shall not forget, that for the 23 weeks, we have been
on the sea, your ship has been to us all a pleasant home—
that no pains have been spared, on your part, to make our
situation agreeable, & that those under you have treated us
u n i f o r m l y with kindness & attention. Please present our
thanks to the other officers of the ship.
It is not the least pleasing of our reflections, that
yourself & other individuals of the ship have been so often
engaged with us in our devotions, & that you have given us
full liberty to do all we could for the spiritual benefit of
those on board. We hope a blessing may follow all the truths,
we have communicated to you & them.
We shall still take a deep interest in your future wel
fare, as well as that of your family; & our prayers, we trust
�2004
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
2
will follow you, as you proceed on your voyage, not only
that God would bless you with temporal good, but that
your souls may be prospered;-- & then whether we meet on
earth again, or not till we are summoned before our common
Judge, we may hope to be admitted into a better world, to be
separated no more forever.
Tours respectfully
Signed
Andrew Johnstone
Dwight Baldwin
Reuben Tinker
Shel don Dibble
Capt. Parker's R eply.
Ship N ew England
June 20th 1831.
To the Mission family, passengers in the N ew England.
Esteemed Friends,
I received your kind favour of the 17th
inst. expressing your thanks for the kind treatment you
received on board this ship. It is highly gratifying to me,
that you are generally satisfied; though I am conscious, that
I have done nothing more than I ought, & I fear much less than
I might have done, to have made your situation more comfortable, & the ship a more pleasant home to you, during our long
passage from America.
Accept m y thinks for the interest you have taken in our
spiritual as well as temporal welfare, while on board; & I
shall esteem it a favour to be remembered in your prayers,
when we are far separated, perhaps never more to meet in this
world. But may it please Go d to prepare us to meet in his
kingdom, where the pangs of separation are not known.
I
shall always be pleased to hear from you, & hope you
will write me, should a favourable opportunity offer.
Respectfully yours,
(signed) Avery F. Parker
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We are gratified, that we can give you this favourable
account of our passage, & that we can say, there was nothing
occurred during the whole time, to interrupt cordial feel
ings between us & Our Capt. or these under him. We found
him of a mild & benevolent disposition, & valued his attention
the more, as they seemed to come from heart. We did not view
him a Christian, nor did he think himself such; but we loved
him as a brother. He gave us, as you will learn in our general
letter, full liberty to do good among the crew, & our friendship was not, I think, the result of concealing the doctrines
of the cross # & especially in regard to God's holy day. Of
the eleven whales they took in this ocean, seven of them were
caught on one Sabbath— & I think, it will appear in the great
day, that we did not knowingly conceal from them any of the
consequences of such violation of God's commands. We longed
for their good & trembled for ship owners, especially such as
belonged to the chh* who could employ men to trample on God's
laws. Our letter to Capt. P. was given him just as he was
leaving this place— In two or three days, after putting to
sea, he stood in, to take a man on board, & sent by the boat
his reply, with whh we were unexpectedly gratified. You will
learn our location from the general letter of the mission.W
e
expected to have gone to Waimea before this— but have been
unavoidably detained— shall probably go up in about two months.
In the mean time, we are learning the language, that when we do
go to our station, we may be ready to enter upon useful labour.
I found our Medicine chest, was not quite the one wanted h e r e suited rather to the voyage. The medicines needed here, were
almost altogether wanting. But I must consult Dr. Judd, be
fore I can write what is wanted. Two books, however, I can
mention now, whh I shall need much, viz. Thatcher's Dis
pensatory, & Dewees on Female diseases, without whh, his
system of midwifery is imperfect. M rs. B. unites with me
in expressing affection to you, Mrs. E. & all your family. I
remain yours sincerely, D. Baldwin.
Rev. Dwight Baldwin
Feb. 25, 1832.
Ack'd March 29
(in Gen. Let.)
Ans'd Dec. 26
Jeremiah Evarts E sq.
Missionary Booms,
Boston, Mass.
Ship Louisa
Capt. Cook
#
Post-marked
New York
for we testified these plainly, both in public &
Feb.
22
in private;
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To R e v . Rufus Anderson
Mission Rooms Boston
R ev.
&
Waimea Aug. 8th 1832
Dear Sir,
As your letter to the mission contained a
request for the opinions of the mission on the subject of
salaries, the subject was discussed at our last general
meeting; & it was resolved, that all the members, or, at
least, some from each station, shd write to the committee
their views on the subject.
Though my opportunities for observation, on this subject, have been small compared with those who have been long
on the ground, & experienced all the conveniences & incon
veniences of the plan whh has heretofore been followed, yet
after residing here a year, visiting all the stations ex
cept two, & becoming in some measure acquainted with the
operations at all, I can form some opinion on the matter.
As M r. Chamberlain will probably write you fully on the
subject, I need not say any thing as to supplies, in case
salaries shd be given. He will probably say to you, that the
reception of supplies from America is very uncertain, as to
time; that, were they directed to individuals, some must
necessarily be destitute, while others m y be well supplied;
or if the salary be paid in money, that most articles would
be vastly higher here than in America. I heard his statements before the mission, & cannot see, wherein they are
defective. He will also be able to estimate the comparative
expense of both systems. Leaving these po ints for others,
there is still one poin/t on whh we can all form some opinion& that is the effect whh salaries would be likely to have
on the piety of the mission. This is a point on which I shd
feel guilty, did I not express my opinion, as far as I have
had an opportunity for observing. The resources, whh mission
aries have in these Islands, for placing themselves in easy
& comfortable circumstances, not to say of getting rich,
are far greater than the Christian public generally suppose,
perhaps than is even known to the committee. Besides the
liberal manner in whh the mission is supplied from th e Board,
private friends often make presents, both in money & other
articles; & undoubtedly do so, to some extent, if they had
salaries. The chiefs also make presents, whh are sometimes
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extravagant, & whh may always,by such moderate hints as we
all I feel at liberty to give, in case of need, be increased
to a l m o s t any extent. To these must be added, that every
station has a wide field of trade with the natives, & most
of them some with forreign vessels. Most of the stations
have flocks of goats & herds of cattle, whh are a source
of comfort & support, & sometimes of trade. Every mission
ary may besides cultivate as much land, as he pleases, &
most of the older ones hold lands, w h h they have received
from the chiefs, on whh tenants live, free from the enorm o u s taxes, whh others pay to chiefs, & receiving no other
compensation than their food; the lands furnishing besides
such food as the mission family needs, & for as large a
train of servants as they choose to keep. Most of these
resources, as you will readily see, are over & above what
ministers have at home; & I cannot but think we are in far more
danger of imbibing. # These resources are so accessible, that
I have heard s o m e of the older missionaries observe, that
we might support ourselves without any assistance from the
Board, as doubtless we might, though at the expense of the
great werk for whh we came. I believe some individuals have
advocated swinging clear of the Board as to support, a thing
I shd rue as much as I shd the day that shd furnish the
mission with salaries.
That the causes I have mentioned have already contri
buted to lower the standard of piety among us, I think, can
hardly be questioned. But on the common stock system, the
temptation to be involved in secular concerns, has been comparatively small; & I shd hope, that as self denial & piety
advance, as we trust, they will in the chh & among missionaries,
these resources will all be used to further, instead of re
tarding, the progress of the Gospel. —
But what w d be the effect of salaries in the situation in
whh this mission stands? Would they not throw every man open to
this flood of temptations? H ow could it be otherwise, when
with a moderate attention to opportunities $100. might be made
to go as far, as 3 or 400, in one who neglected such opportun
ities, & was wholly devoted to his wo r k . In such a state of
things as we shd all then be placed in, if wordly or sensual
appetites were wanting, "the Devil, as Dr. Payson observes, "has
baits for the conscience." H e w d , perhaps, tell u s not to
despise the bounties whh God had placed within our reach. H e
w d bring up before us, our worn out constitutions, with all the
care & sustenance we shd need, when we cd no longer procure a
livelihood for ourselves; & he w d bring up too our little ones
with their eloquent pleas. Nobody feels more tenderly for his
children than the missionary; for he thinkgs often of the piti
ful vicissitudes to whh they may be exposed, even in their ten-d
.
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them against the storms of the world. I am not the only
one, that thinks, that the immediate effect of salaries
on this mission would be to secularise & ruin it.-- In
saying this, I must not be understood to question the piety
of my brethren; but only to say, that, while some wd he more
affected than others by these temptations to a wordly spirit,
all would be more or less influenced, would b e more in
volved in wordly plans than they now are, & their tone of
piety wd decline even lower than it now is.
The conflicting interests, jealousies & consequent dis
union, which wd necessarily grow out of salaries in this mission, whatever might toe the effect in other parts of the
world, would make them a fearful experiment. They are such,
that probably, at but few of the stations, could two mission
aries be associated together with comfort to themselves &
advantage to the cause. At our late general meeting, two
of the brethren said considerable in favour of salaries,
whether from sincere conviction or not, I cannot say, (they
can speak for themselves); but one of them did not hesitate
afterwards to say, that "no two missionaries could live at
a station together, & he though it would b e b etter to have
each his own station."
The difficulties of adjusting the amount of salaries here
so as to give anything like general satisfaction, it appears
to me, wd not be small. If they were to be equal, the matter
wd be easy. If they were rated by the importance of the
stations, we severally occupy, it might not be very difficult.
But neither of these wd be doing justice or giving satisfaction,
For some live, where there are chiefs, who take a pleasure
in supplying all their wants, as far as they can know them,
while others derive but little from such sources; & some have
lands, whh others do not wish to be encumbered with. It ap
pears to me, that the amount of salaries cd never be adjusted
among the missionaries themselves from a general estimate of
the committee, & that the committee cd not do it justly without actually coming on to the ground.
Of property whh has fallen into the hands of missionaries
here, there have been different views entertained by different
individuals; some considering what came into their hands from
certain sources, as more exclusively their own, while other
property belonged to the Board; so that the phrase "my own private property" or "my own private money"— is not a stranger
among our consecrated band. Against these views some of the
mission have contended, with a watchful eye & steady hand,
ever since they came upon the ground, as being in the face
of their instructions, & intruducing evils, that shd never
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be encountered on missionary ground. And they have not
laboured in vain. Their views have evidently gained ground.
You have received the resolutions relating to this sub
ject, passed two years ago. But if salaries are intro
duced, all that they have thought it necessary, to do,
in this respect, for the prosperity of the mission, will
be more than undone at once; & as it appears to me, they
must look forward to greater evils than they ever feared be
fore.
Viewing this whole subject, as I do, of vital im
portance to the cause of Christ here, I cannot but re
joice, from what I heard in our meeting, that you are like
ly to have, from several of the most faithful in this mission,
pretty strong expressions of disapprobation to salaries, &
I have full confidence in the committee, that they will give
them all that candid attention whh they deserve. Nor can
I say, that I read your expression, that "the Com. are more
& more inclined to the plan of salaries, " without some
trembling emotions, lest other missions shd, in some im
portant features, resemble that of the Sandwich Islands.
I shd not have written my mind so freely, especially
on a subject involving so many particulars as this, if I
were alone; but when I see such men as Messrs. Chamberlain,
Clark, Richards, & Green, men who have had both opportunities
& abilities for judging, & who are too deeply interested
in the prosperity of the Mission to allow me to suspect
their motives, when I see them take up zealously against
salaries here, Iam emboldened to speak out my views, without
any reserve.
There may be great advantages in giving salaries in
some cases; but I am unable to see what advantages can
result from them to this mission. They must be great
indeed over the common stock-system, to counterbalance all
the evils to whh they wd expose us.
As to diminishing the expense of the mission those
who are better judges of this than I am, say , it is impos
sible for salaries to diminish it. For my own part, I cann o t see why they wd not increase it; for I can hardly suppose, that any missionary would be willing to take, for a
fixed salary, a sum as small as that whh he found he was
actually living upon, out of the common stock.
As to promoting economy, I cd not hope for any such re
sults; for to repeat what I have said, Before, the resources
in this mission, afforded by presents, agriculture & trade
are so accessible & abundant, that, in most cases, it wd be
far more reasonable to expect a wordly spirit & self indul-
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gent habits to be increased, than that economy wd be pro
moted. And indeed these consequences, as it appears to me,
must be the inevitable result of salaries, whether they are
so large as ordinarily to leave an overplus, or so small as
hardly to afford a subsistence; & even where they are so
nicely adjusted, as exactly to meet the real wants of a
family. We are not left to theory alone in this matter; for
if I mistake not, there are some facts, obvious to the most
superficial observer, that justify such a conclusion.
As to the expense of the mission, I shd hope that fut
ure years, wd show it on the decline; at least, that it wd
not be so great, as in years past, in proportion to the
n umber of missionaries. Some resolutions were passed last
year to this end, whh if attended to, will effect something.
There are some advocates for retrenchment among us— a con
siderable number have begun to retrench in some things, &
there is perhaps room enough left for further improvement.
I cannot but think, that if the Board cd diminish the
style of building here, that is, if they could persuade the
mission, that houses of one half the siz e, & one half the cost,
would subserve their purpose & the souls of the heathen, equally
well, it wd not only save much direct expense to their t r e a s
ury, but confer a great benefit on the mission, & prevent some
reproaches of those, who are alway ready to find occasion
against the cause of Christ. Large houses not only swallow
up cost in the building, but if they are more than sufficient
to contain the "little all" of a missionary, they must neces
sarily swallow up furniture in the filling, some articles of
whh are not so easily purchased here as they would be at
home. It is to be feared, they will swallow up much pre
cious time of the missionary; & if besides, they shd swallow
up some part of his heart also, it is easy to see, that many
souls of the heathen may sink down after it to perdition.
I have sometimes feared, that the foundation for fine
houses, & perhaps other extravagance, was sometimes laid
among missionaries before they left their native land. Friends
are, sometimes liberal; & without presuming to question the
w isdom of the committee, in whom I have great confidence, (in
whom cd I have confidence, if not in Mr. Evarts?) I wd say,
I have often wondered, especially since I ca me upon heathen
ground, why 4 or 500 dollars shd be allowed as an outfit of a
mission family to the heathen; a sum quite sufficient for a
good & even a fashionable "setting out" in most of the coun
try villages of our native land. F ew of the missionaries, I
suppose, are from the higher ranks of life, or have been bred
up in the midst of abundance. On the contrary, I suppose
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most of them have been inured to the hardships & privations
of the middle ft lower ranks of society; & not a few of them
been obliged to use the most rigid economy in acquiring an
education. Among the latter class, I think, have been some
of the most promising & useful missionaries of the Board.
It is on such habits as these, as appears to me from a great
many reasons, that the conversion of the world is principally
to depend; these are the habits whh the Education society
encourages, & whh, no doubt, the Board whould encourage,
among their missionaries, by all the means in their power.
I think, Mr. Evarts informed me, that they were governed
in some degree by the Land. Mis. Soc. in fixing the sum for
an outfit. Of the wisdom of this, they were competent judges.
I always admired the liberal disposition, whh I saw in the
Committee towards their missionaries. But if such a liberal
sum set before them as the limit, to whh they may go, tempts
them to set a higher standard than they otherwise would, or
than is absolutely necessary, it must have an evil tendency.
For my own part, in procuring my outfit, I consulted my own
judgment ft former habits but little. I t o o k it for granted
that others knew better than my self, what was wanted on
Mission ground, & therefore, procured what they did, or what
they advised; ft though, I suppose, I stopped considerably
short of the limit allowed, yet, were I to go over the ground
again, I think, I shd diminish the cost of my outfit, at
least, one third, ft still be furnished so as to live comfort
ably, on heathen ground.
How far other young men are governed by the liberality
of the Board, or the example of their predecessors to the
heathen, I am unable to say. But I can easily see, there
might be a gradual increase in the amount of what they take
with them. Such, I am informed, has been the fact with
this mission; & perhaps it is a fact to be regretted. When
I told, one of the brethren of the last reinforcement to this
mission, (one who was formerly accustomed to the plainest
habits,) that I was disappointed in not hearing more, in
their sermons, about selfdenial for the cause of Christ, com
ing, as they did, from home, when religion had received a new
impulse all over the land, he replied, "I must get rid of some
of my stuff, before I can preach selfdenial." I said to him,
I though the Board had been very cruel to him, if they had
sent him out as a missionary, & yet so stopped his mouth that
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he could not preach the gospel. His outfit, I believe, was
not beyond, that of many of
us who have come to this
mission, or of those who have gone to other missions.
Pardon me if, I have said too much, on this matter. I
have written much longer than I intended.
I hope you will
always be free in giving us such advice as may conduce to our
usefulness, among the multitudes of this benighted land; &
that you & your associates may be aided by infinite wisdom, in
the discharge of your important duties.
I have said nothing respecting our station, as I expect to
say all that, in another letter, as well as give you an ac
count of my library, agreeably to your request of the mission.
Mrs. B. & our little son, who is now about 9 months old,
as well as our associates, (Br. & sister Lyons) are all enjoy
ing good health, & wish to be remembered affectionately to your
self & family & your associates at the missionary R ooms.-—
R ev. Rufus Anderson
I remain yours sincerely,
D. Baldwin
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Rev. Dwight Baldwin
March 16, 1833
Assistant Secretary
Missionary Rooms
Boston
United State.
Post-marked
N ew Bedford
Mar. 16
"Ship"
Salaries--Common stock
Outfit— read to Committee
Ack'd in Gen. Let.
Ap ril 1 1 - -
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To Rev. R. Anderson
Assist. Sec'y Miss. Rooms
Waimea
Aug. 10th 1832
Rev. ft Dear Sir,
Though it is but a short
period, since I was able to come to this place, whh is as
signed me as the field of my labours, yet I presum e, you will
expect some account of the station, the present season.
You perhaps heard of my detention at Honolulu, the last
year, by the letter of that station. I regretted much that I
could not leave there immediately after the general meeting.
But it seemed impossible; & perhaps my stay was not wholly
useless, as I preached in English, most of the time, twice every
Sabbath. In the morning the service was held in the native chh,
at whh, besides the members of the station, & some residents
from the village, there was usually a goodly number of sail
ors, from the ships. The number was greatly increased by the
effort s of Br. Johnstone, in visiting the ships & wharves, as
well as the sick on shore, & distributing tracts among them;
but after all, the wretched
holes of the village, had,
doubtless, far the greatest part of those in port, on the
holy day. I know not what should fire the seal of those en
gaged in the temperance cause more than the fact, that rum
draws men from the house of God, who have, at most, but three
or four sabbaths, in the year, when they can hear the word
of God. Our second service was held, a part of the time, at
the house of one of the residents in the village, & a part
of the time, at the house of Mr. Ellis, now occupied by M r .
Johnstone, at whh, besides some of the residents, we usually
found a considerable number of officers & others from on board,
who always gave good attention to the word. Once only we held
our services on board; not because we could not have obtained
a ship oftener, but because it was thought best to hold them on
shore. The whalesh i p left the harbour, about the time, we
sailed for Hawaii ft how much good they have carried over the
ocean from the preaching of our reinforcement, must be left
for the great day to disclose.
We reached this place about the middle of Jany— & found
the people anxiously waiting our arrival. They expressed
great satisfaction, that their teachers were come;— numbers
were engaged in preparing food for us, ft they all testified
their good will, by bringing in, for our comfort, such supplies
*last
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as the land afforded; consisting of sweet & I rish pota
toes, taro, onions, fowls, ducks, turkeys, eggs, & hogs.
The houses whh were previously built here, for two mis
sion families, as well as the house of God, we found all in
good repair; the former have afforded us very comfortable
shelters from the strong winds & frequent rains, whh we
find here, & the latter, calculated to hold about 3,000
people, has afforded as good a place for worship, as most
have on these Islands. M r . Bishop came up with us, as a temporary associate, till we should acquire the language.
As many of the people from the neighbouring districts
of Kohala & H amakua were here, at the time of our arrival,
engaged in public work, our meeting house was generally well
filled, on the sabbath; & the congregation, though it exhibi
ted all that wildness & ignorance whh might be expected in
heathen, who had seldom attended public worship, yet exhibi
ted an attention & interest, whh would lead us to think, we
were in a field white for the harvest.
We formed a sabbath school, at the close of our morn
ing services, on the first sabbath, whh consisted of the
greater part of the congregation. Of this I have as yet
taken the superintendance;-- we have now introduced the
verse system, & have, from the first, regarded this, as one
of the most promising fields, in whh we can sow the pre
cious seed. The want of qualified & efficient teachers is
what we expected in this uncultivated region, & , at present
this is the greatest obstacle to success in the school.—
On the first sabbath in F eb'y, a church was formed
here. E ight members were admitted, who had been previously
examined at Kailua; & beside these, there were eleven mem
bers of the Kailua chh, who live in the districts, whh fall
to this station, & som e from Lahaina, who sat down with us,
(about 30 in all), to commemmorate the dying love of Jesus.
The house was crowded, at an early hour, to over-flowing,
all seated so compactly on the matted ground, that little
was to be seen but a solid & extensive mass of heads. A
native member of the chh was sent to address & pray with,
those who could not gain admittance, who thronged the doors,
amounting, perhaps, in all, to 1000. The day was deeply
interesting to us , not merely on account of the great throng,
of immortals, who were present; but because it was, as we
supposed, the first time, the first time, that these dark
heights had ever witnessed such a scene, since the world
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was made; & because, we viewed the events of it, as inti
mately connected with the success of our labours for the
salvation of these thousands.
On the succeeding week, an examination of the school
of this & the two neighbouring districts, whh comprise
the
whole field belonging to this station, was held, at this
place. About 2,000 were examined as readers, though a large
portion of them hardly deserve the name. They were the
most enlightened part of the population, & yet we could
see in them, enough to show that gross darkness still broods
over all this region.
M r. Bishop & his family a s continued here three months.
Most of the preaching devolved on him, while here; & this
together with such business as had been assigned him, by
t h e mission, constituted the principal part of his work.
Mr s . Bishop, besides aiding us
the sabbath school, had
a large school of females, whh she taught, every day in the
week, in reading, spelling, ar/ ithmetic, &c.
As we had not been able to make much progress in the
language, at Honolulu, we considered this as our first &
most import ant work here. We were able, however, to enter
immediately upon the instruction of school, a work, whh
we could not but see the need of, wherever we came in contact with the people. Mrs. Baldwin has had a school of
children in the forenoon & of the female teachers of the
Sab. school in the afternoon, except on Saturday; & on
Mondays & fridays females of all ages from this & the neigh
bouring settlements attended; a large portion of whom were
unable to read. I have had a school whh has met three times
a week— & the month of March I devoted entirely to a school
of the teachers from this & the neighbouring districts of
Kohala & Hamakua. About 130 attended— appeared eager to
learn-- & I thought this a good means of raising the standard
of education among them, as well as of correcting the management
of their schools, whh is generally miserable in the extreme.
I hope we shall be able to have such a school for some con
siderable length of time every year. We have also had a
singing school, in whh some have improved a little, & we hope
in time, that we may have a considerable number here, who
will perform this part of public worship acceptably.
F ar the greatest part of the population in the neigh
bourhood of this station are unable to read— the native schools
a
reveryefficient in instructing them, even where they attend,
whh
greater part of them are too indifferent to do; & there
are many obstacles to our instructing them directly. Still,
as our station is now strengthened by the arrival of brother
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& sister Lyons, we hope to be able to do something towards banishing their darkness.
I commenced preaching in F eby;— -- & from the time Mr.
Bishop left us, whh was the middle of April, this work, as
well as the other duties of the station have devolved en
tirely upon me, & I have endeavored to discharge them as
well as my imperfect knowledge of the language wd permit.
Our meetings have been mostly the same as at other stations.
Besides preaching twice on the sabbath, Sc a third meeting
for conversation & prayer, w e have a weekly lecture on Wed.
when the 7 verses of the Sab. school lesson are the subject.
We have attended also with the natives their tabu meeting
on friday. These, together with the monthly & sab. school
concerts, & some meetings for prayer with the chh, are
all our public services. The ninauinau on Thur: tabu meeting , whh was once established here, we have not revived,
believing its consequences to be only pernicious. The
friday tabu meeting, whh has undergone a change at several
stations, we hope so to modify here, that it shall not lead
the people to change the way
salvation into a scheme of
selfrighteousness.
Of the effect of these labours, we can say nothing at
present. There has been an encouraging attention on the
means we have used, though many at a distance have seldom been
at the house of God. Their scattered condition, & the al
most constant rains with strong winds, are no small obstacles
to their forming regular meeting going habits.
Waimea was once crowded with people; & the marks of
cultivation are still visible, a l m o s t to the tops of some
of the mountains near us, But disease, war, & other causes
had nearly depopulated it, before the arrival of the first
missionaries; St there are so many obstacles to its re
settlement, that it is, doubtfull to us, whether it ever
will have agreat population. The principal of these are the
difficulty of raising food here for one half the year, owing
to worms whh destroy it, & the heavy burdens, whh rest on
the people here, over & above the taxes whh are laid on other
parts. Our schools are always irregular, & sometimes broken
up, for a week together, by the calls made on the people to
carry beef St hides & timber to the shore, & to bring up salt,
& c. The beef catching is increasing at present, & with it
the burdens on the people. Unless the population is increased
here, or unless cattle can be substituted for men to carry
or draw beef, it seems to u s, that it will soon occupy most
of the time of the people. This district, together with two
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places on the shore West, has but little more than 2000
people at present. Kohala N . W. has 8,000 ft Hamakua
East nearly 5,000. In the former, a chh is completed,
whh will hold a bout 4000 ft is not more than 15 or 18 miles
distant from this place.— One will be built, before long, in
Hamakua; ft as soon as Br. Lyons can conduct services in nativ e, we hope to have regular preaching in each of these dis
tricts.
We have a dark field assigned us, & greatly need the
prayers of all Go d 's people to stay up our hands. Even since
our arrival, a company of 20 or 30, two miles from us, left
their lands & fled to the mountains, for the purposes of
idolatry & vice; ft the absurd ft cruel ceremonies of knocking
out the teeth, cutting the hair, ft burning the (margin torn)
were practised by many in K ohala & Hamakua, at the death of
Kaahumanu, even while those in authority did all they could
to prevent it.
But notwithstanding all these signs of darkness, we
find some things to encourage us. We have continually fresh
proofs of the sincere affection of his people towards us,
though we are but strangers among them; & especially of the
heads of these districts, who are all members of the chh, &
have furnished us, of their own accord with most of our food,
from our first arrival. And while we mention their kindness
& rejoice in it as a token that the field is wide open to
receive the glad tidings we have brought them, we wd not forgit to make grateful mention of M r . Young, who is now 80 years
& lives at K a w a i h a e He has stored our goods, when
for ourselves, m ade us many presents
of things we needed, & shown, in every respect, the kindness
of a brother. His wife who is a chief & a member of the chh
is a great aid in our work. We wd remember all their favours
& not forget that it is God, who has put it into their hearts
to do us good; & therefore give him all the glory & endea
vour to be the more faithful in his service. We were all deep
ly afflicted in the death of M r. Evarts. He was perhaps taken
away in mercy, that he might not see he shameful & cruel
lengths whh some of our citizens have since gone with the
poor Indians & their missionaries; conduct whh has filled
us with astonishment ft horror, in t h e s e ends of the earth.
Remember me affectionately to Mrs. Evarts & her family,
in whh Mrs. B . unites. We rejoice, that, in her children,
ft we trust also, by the consolation of the Spirit, she has
so much to comfort her, under the loss of so excellent a
partner. Mrs. B . also unites with me in the kindest regards
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Sandwich Islands
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to Mrs. A . to yourself & your associates.
I remain yours affectionately,
D. Baldwin
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Assistant Secretary
Missionary Rooms,
Boston
R ev. Dwight Baldwin,
M arch 16, 1833.
Ac k 'd in Gen. Lett. April 1 1 - Removal to Waimea
Account of the station &c.
Sacramental season.
Postmarked
N ew Bedford, Mass.
March 16.
"Ship"
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Rev. R. Anderson
M iss. Rooms, Boston
*
Waimea (Hawaii) Sept. 5, 1832.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
Agreeably to your request of each
member of the mission, I proceed to give you a list of my
library, making a distinction between such books as were purchased, by private property before leaving America, or were
given by particular friends; & su ch as were purchased with
property of the Board, or given to us more as missionaries.
The former I would denominate my
Private Library
Bruden's Concordance
Scott's Commentary
Henry's Do
Stuart's Heb. Chrestomathy
"
course of Heb. study
"
Com. on Hebrews
"
Future punishment
Woods on Baptism
Horne’s Introduction
Buck’s Theol. Dictionary
Faber's Romanism.
"
Infidelity
Croly on the Apocalypse
Paley's Nat. Theol.—
" Evidences of Christianity
Alexander on the Canon.
"
Evidences of Chris'y
" Bible Dictionary
Greek Lexicon
Latin Dictionary
French do.
Heb. Lexicon (Buxtorf's)
Schlensner's Greek Lex. on N. G.
Johnson's Eng. Dictionary
Adam's Latin Grammar
Goodrich’s Gr. do
Perrin's French do
Stuart's Heb. do
Davidson's virgil
Cicero's Orations
Clarke's Homer
Biblia Hebraica
Knapp's Gr. Testament
Greek Test. (pocket Edit.)
Fenelon's Telemachus
Cowper's Task
Shakespeare
Pollok's course of Time
Musica Sacra
Zions's Harp
Rollin's Ancient History
Robbin's Ancient & M od. do.
Willard's Am. Republic
Goldsmith's Manners & customs
�68
Sandwich. Islands
1831— 1837
5
Ward's History of India
Steward'
s Journal
Marsh's Eccl. History
Lord's History of Missions
Brown's
do.
Josephus
M i s s . Herald & Vols. 1821— 1828
Home Missionary 1st, 2d & 3d vols.
Am. Tract Mag. Vols 1st 2d & 3d—
Ancient Atlass
Morse's Atlass
Missionary Gaz etteer
Christian Traveller
Life of Lady Guion
"
" Henry O bokiah
"
" Catherine Brown
"
" Susanna Anthony
" Mrs. Ramsey
” Mrs. Graham
" Mrs. Huntington
" Mrs. Judson
" Harriet Newell
" Doddridge
" Brainerd
" Martyn
" Spencer
" Matthew Henry
" Thos. Scott
" Richmond
" Dr. Good
" I . Halloch
" Payson
" S. I. Mills
" Parsons
" Fisk
" Urquuhart
" N.
W. Dickerman
" M. Luther
Eaton’s Botanical Dictionary
"
Manual of Botany
Conversation's of Chemistry
Blair's
do.
Day's Algebra
Playfair's Euclid
Flint's Surveying
Vince's Fluxion's
Part Third
XXVII
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Sandwich Islands
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Part Third
5
Infant Sch. Manuel
Good 's Book of Nature
Linnaeus on Insects
Paley’s Mor. Philosophy
Lockes Essay
Christian Philosopher
Nat. Hist. of Enthusiasm
N ew Model of Missions
Salvation Sure
Mental Discipline
Pascal's Letters
Miller's do.
Union Questions
Williston's Sermons
"
on Sabbath
Lansing's
do.
Beecher on Intemperance
Humphrey on the Sab.
Bickersteth on Prayer
Clarke on Promises
Horne on Missions
Baxter's Saints Rest
Doddridge's Rise & prog.
Edwards on Affections
Mrs. Opie on Lying
Pilgrims Progress
Family Monitor
James Christian Charity
Set of Am. Tracts 7 Vols.
Blair's& Lectures (abridged)
Baxter's Call.
Douglas on Society
Swan's Letters on Missions
Every Man his own Doctor
Journal of Health 10th Vol.
Cooke on White Mustard
Books from the Board, &c.
Scott's Reference Bible
John’s Heb. Commonwealth
Selections in French
Hall’s Voyages
Anderson's Observations
Stewarts Letters
Smith's Botany
XXVII
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Sandwich Islands
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Wistar’s Anatomy
M a g e n d i e ’s Physiology
Good's Study of Med.
Paris' Pharmacologia
Cooper’s Surg. Dictionary
Dorsey's Surgery
Chapman's Therapenties
Dewees Midwifery
"
on Children
Ratier's Formulary
Desau lt's Surgery
Bell's Anatomy
Thomas' Practice
Received (of those sent by the Averick) for W aimea
Station
Handel & Hayden Collection
Instructions of Jesuits
Chh. Members Guide
Payson's Sermons
Hawies Lectures
Wilson on Sabbath
Book of Priesthood
I have not divided my library into public & private as,
perhaps, you would expect; & the reason is , that I can see,
as it respects using these books, but little difference, be
tween books, purchased with my own money, & with that of the
Board. As to a public library, whh you sometimes mention,
I think, it can hardly be said, there is su ch a thing, in the
Sandwich Islands. Perhaps some books, commentaries for instance, may be more likely to pass from one h and to another,
if they belong to the Beard, than if they were private
property merely; but, for one, I should hope no books wd ever
be sent to this mission, hereafter, except to the order of
individuals, & directed particularly to them. I wrote for two
books, Dewees on females & Thatcher's Dispensatory, whh I hope
I may receive, so directed, next spring. I wrote for these,
not because I was not liberally furnished with med. books, but
because the only system of midwifery I have (Dewees) is de
ficient without the former, & I have nothing to supply the
place of the latter, except one whh I have borrowed, for the
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present, from Kailua.
I think, Dr. Hale had not read all
the books he recommended. I have now another request to make,
& that is, that you send me a pair of midwifery forceps.
Davis' patent is best; or if that kind cannot be procured,
or are too costly, others, of nearly the same form, may
be had in Boston, of only 3 or 4 dollars cost. The short,
broad one of Hamilton, I think, I could never use, in cases
where I shd need them. They shd be directed to me at this
station, &, if smeared with blue mers, unguent, will come
free from rust. Dr. Ju dd has a pain ; but his business is
such & that distance, such, that it is not probably, that I
cd ever avail myself of the use of his. I am the more de
sirous of procuring a good instrument of this kind, as the
life of our only child, & perhaps also of the mother was
saved by its use. And besides it may be needed among the
natives. We are commonly called, when all their skill has
failed; & some of the missionaries have attended cases of
severe labour, of five days continuance, without the means
of affording any assistance.
We were much disappointed in not receiving papers this
spring; as by Mr. Evarts request, I sent from N. Bedford,
an account of what we wished. We have now written to our
friends, & hope they will not fail another year. I am not
aware, that there is a single file of any religious paper
except the Herald, at any station on this Island. At Kailua,
part of a file of a purely political paper is all, besides the
Herald, they have to tell them the wonders whh the Lord has
done the year past. Shall we keep up to the spirit of the
times so?— I shd have been more destituted still had not
br. Johnstone kindly divided the N. York Observer with me.
With kind regards to all from M rs. B . & myself, I remain Yours
D. Baldwin
R ev. Rufus Anderson
Rev. Dwight Baldwin
March 16, 1833
M issionary Room
Boston, U. S. A .
His private library
Books & instrument needed
Religious papers—
Ac k ’d in Gen. Letter
April 11.
Post-marked N ew Bedford, Mass.
Mar. 16 "Ship"
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To Rev. R . Anderson
Miss. Rooms, Boston
Waimea, Nov. 21st, 1833
Rev. & very dear Sir,
I have heretofore mentioned,
that only a small part of the souls, who are expected to
receive the Gospel at our hands, belong to Waimea. On
this account, ever since br . Lyons became able to conduct
services in native, it has been our intention that one of our
families should reside, at least occasionally, in one of our
outdistricts, in order to bring a greater number under the
more immediate instructions of the Gospel. Different cir
cumstances, however, for a long time, hindered this design, one
of the last of whh was my being thrown, in May last, from a
horse whh broke my arm & laid me aside from labour for about
two months. In Sept. obstacles seemed to be removed, & I
went* with my family to reside in Kohala, expecting to stay
only a very short tim e. We however prolonged our visit to
seven weeks; & as it is a district, where no missionary has
resided & but few travelled heretofore, I doubt not you will
be pleased with some account of our visit & labours there.
Th e district of K ohala occupies all the N . W . part of
Hawaii--is about 30 miles long, from N . to S. & a little
less from E. to W. embracing, within its bounds, Waimea &
Kawaihae. The district to which my labours were confined is
separated from Waimea by mountains & by many deep gulphs,
over which is a winding foot or horse path, the only means
of access by land. The inland part of the district is
mountains & covered with wood, from which there is a
gradual descent to the Northern & Western shores. All the
lower parts are clear, covered only with grass & low shrub
bery, except as the breadfruit ohia & candle tree are gen
erally found in the hollows; & the prospect; as one looks
from above towards the shores is delightful. It leads one
instinctively to say, 0 that God who has given these Is
landers such a delightsome land, & enriched it with so
much beautiful & grand scenery, would lift the people out
of darknessthey might see & admire his works & praise him,
for his goodness to them.
"Let all the people praise him."
Remainder of letter printed 30 Missionary Herald 403,
Nov. 1834.
Yours, D. B .
�68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
6
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Secy of A. B. C. F . M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston,
Mass.
Rev. D. Baldwin
Dated Waimea, Nov. 21, 1833
Rec'd June 23, 1834
Book s
M idwiferyforceps
H is debts
Marked good
(Copied)
Ans'd Dec. 6
3 sheets
Edgartown
20 June
Ship
Received June 23
39 1/2
Part Third
XXVII
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Sandwich Islands
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Secretaries of A. B. C. F. M .
Miss'y Rooms, Boston
Part Third
XXVII
K aawaloa, Nov, 3d 1834
Dear Sirs,
Our last communications from
the station of Waimea, on Hawaii, were made in Dec. last.
Ill health & want of opportunity to send to Oahu since are
the reasons why I have not written you earlier this year.
During the past year, Mr. Lyons has spent several months
at Hamakua, the district East of us; & we have endeavoured also,
as far as we have been able, to preach occasionally & super
intend schools both in that district & in Kohala, where, as you
are aware, the greatest portion of the people reside, who are
committed to our charge. But we have been compelled to con
fine our labours much more to the district of Waimea than we
could have wished; owing partly to my being called occasionally
to reside at other stations, & sometimes to ill health in one
or other of our f a m i l i e s . For the last two months, I have been
unable to preach. My ill health was occasioned by too much
exposure to the weather in visiting the sick, at a time when
I had a h ard cold. The fever brought on continued but a few
days; but the weakness whh followed, & the delicate state of my
lungs accompany ing it, have been such that I have not thought
it prudent to attempt speaking much in public till yesterday,
when I preached half the day for Bro. Forbes. I have great
occasion to bless God for restoring me so far to my usual
health & strength; &, though I have mentioned this instance
of illness in myself, & though other members of our families
have, at times, been slightly ill, yet we would not forget to
render thanks to God, that most of the time our health has been
unimpaired, & we have been allowed to pursue our labours with
out interruption.
I
expected to have been sent for, about the 1st of Oct.,
to reside, for a time, as physician at this station; but my
inability to labour at Waimea & a dangerous attack of sickness of
K apiolani, at this place, who has now pretty much recovered,
led them to send for me somewhat earlier; & we considered it a
kind ordering of Providence, that I was called here at that
time, as the climate here seemed much congenial to my feeble
state than the winds & storms of Waimea.
The meetings we have held, & the ordinary means we have
employed, for enlightening & s ving the people, h a ve been, the
past year, su ch as we have mentioned in former communications.
We have also held one protracted meeting at Waimea, which was
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Sandwich Islands
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continued for a week. This appeared to be blessed above the
ordinary means of grace. It evidently increased the amount
of Gospel light among members of the church. It corrected
many of their false views; & awakened in them more in
quiry into the state of their own souls , than I had wit
nessed from the services of many sabbaths. The same re
marks might be true also, in some degree, of all who reg
ularly attended the meeting. A few seemed more especially
impressed. Two o f ‘them have since given so much evidence,
that they were really born again, that they have been pro
pounded for admission to the church. The meeting was not
attended with so great apparent effects, or with such a
multitude of convicted & converted, as have often been
witnessed at such meetings in our native land; & for this
we might perhaps ascribe the following reasons.
1 . W an
t of deep engagedness & of great faith on our part.
2 . This people have been greatly prove to trust in a
round of mere external observances, often perhaps in a
mere attendance on public worship, thinking it constituted
them servants of God, while the heart was wholly neglected.
Our efforts were therefore more directed to break up these
false views, which stood in the way of the sinner*s coming
Christ, than to produce immediate conviction.
3. Where we attempted to portray the sinner's guilt,
we doubtless failed to give it all that point, which we
shd in our own vernacular tongue. We are compelled here
to use language, which has long been consecrated to heathen
worship; & nothing but time & the Spirit of God can divest
it of the low, false, & perhaps in some instances, even
wile ideas with which it was associated in the dark &
horrid days of pagan idolatry.
4. I may mention, as another reason, the tardiness with
which the consciences of this people, who have, from time
immemorial, wallowed in sin, wake up to a sense of their
sin & need of a Saviour. This is a great obstacle in the
way of our work among this people; so much so that it is
often distressing to witness, in those who give undoubted
evidence of piety, how little sense they have of the evil
of sin, or of the amount of it in their own hearts; & how
easily they fall into it, when not under the constant
vigilance of a missionary. But this obstacle, we trust will
not stand in he way, if we have the Spirit poured out upon
us from on high.
Our daily services, during this protracted meeting
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Sandwich Islands
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were a meeting for exhortation & prayer at light in the
morning; two sermons, at the same hours as on the Sabbath; & a fourth service more in form of a conference.
We had not seat or meeting for special conversation with
those who professed, to he anxious, “because we have found,
that this people, in their ignorance, are very prone to make
a righteousness of confessiong their sins & telling what
good feelings they have under the preaching of the truth.
The meeting before sunrise, at Waimea, we have continued through the year; & had increasing proof, that it is
a means of doing good.
The tendency to selfrighteousness is natural to every
carnal heart; & trusting in mere external forms is peculiar
ly so to those whose former notions of religion have been en
tirely confined to external observances. Y ou have doubtless
heard much of this trait of character in communications from
every station on the islands. But perhaps it has prevailed,
on the North part of Hawaii, to a greater extent than in
almost any other quarter. That field lay, for many years,
so remote from the station, on which they depended for in
struction, that their views on religious subjects were
bat little under the forming hand of a missionary.
These
perverted views of the Gospel, which we found among church
members as well as among the body of the people, we have
laboured, on all occasions, to correct; &, I would fain hope,
not without some signs of success. Even before our protracted meeting at Waimea, a case of decided conversion took
place, which was of a different stamp from what we have seen
in most others, who have professed to turn to the Lord. It
was the case of a woman, one of our domestics, who had never
belonged to the class called "seekers." She had been pro
verbially stupid in regard to the things of the soul. She
was, however, suddenly awakened during a season of prayer,
& appears to have had genuine conviction for sin. She
communicated her feelings to her husband, but we knew nothing
of them until a fortnight afterwards, when she gave evidence
of being born again. Her feelings, from that time forward,
were as glowing as I have ever seen in converts in our native
land; a striking contrast to the brutish insensibility she
showed before. She was often so deeply exercised, as to be
unable to sleep at night spending the whole in night in pray
er & praise; & often Waking up her impenitent husband to pray
with her* Her love to the Saviour, for what he has done for
sinners, was very conspicuous. When once asked, Where Jesus
Christ was, in her views, when she prayed to him? her lacon-
�2029
ic reply was, "It is we two together"
On another occasion,
she said with all the simplicity of a child, that "she had
a great desire to see Jesus, he had done so much for her”
when asked sometimes, if she might not be deceived
as many others had been her uniform
reply was decidedly in the negative; & she once added,
that the power of God was mighty in her. Yet she has never
seemed to think much of her attainments in grace. Her whole
appearance has been the opposite of pride & self righteousness.
She often remarked, that God brought salvation to her soul,
when she sought it not; & that she knew nothing at all about
praying; but God gave her a praying heart from heaven. Her
countenance in all our religious meetings exhibited the deep
est interest. Those truths, which before made no more im
pression than they would on a rock, new appeared to be drunk
in, & to have a dwelling in her soul . The Bible, or at
least such parts as are printed in this language, soon be
came a precious treasure— She read it much, & soon had many
verses & chapters, which became standing favourites. The
feelings she manifested for her friends & others were such as
we should wish to see in every one who is called by the name
of Christ. Soon after her hopeful conversion she was ad
mitted to the church & her life as yet seems to justify all our
expectations respecting her. It has been such, we believe, as
to convince the church & all her acquaintance, that the power
of God had been at work in her heart. The contrast between
her former & present life has been striking & plan to all; &
we have rejoiced much in her case, as calculated to show, in
its true light, the power & grace of the Gospel; & to convince
our church & others, that a long round of ceremonies was not
absolutely necessary, in order, that God might convert the soul.
We pray, that we may soon see many more such exhibitions of the
mercy of God among us. We were not aware, that she ever tried
to put any of her thoughts upon paper; but since fee have been
at this place, she has written us. Her letter commences as
follows:— "Love to you Baldwin, & to Baldwin's wife & the
children, & to the God of us all."
The general face of things in our field is not materially
different from w h a t it was at the date of our last communica
tions. The apparent reverse in the islands, of which you have
already been fully informed, has affected us to some extent.
It was just a reverse as was to be, expected from the manner
in which the Gospel was first received here; but so far from
being a matter of alarm or of sorrow, the general conviction in
the mission, I believe, is, that it will, in the end, multiply
the number of souls saved; & therefore, instead fo disheartening
the Churches at home, it shoud only stimulate them in the work
they have begun. For my own part, I have no doubt, that some
such change as has taken place, was a necessary to the pros
perity of Zion in the Islands, as was the landing of mission-
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Sandwich. Islands
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aries & the Bible at first.
As to our church at Waimea, we have suspended two dur
ing the past year, one of whom has since been restored. Two
have been admitted by profession, & two as already mentioned,
stand propounded for admission. It is not certain, because
so few have been received into the church at our station,
that the Gospel has had less effect, in our region than it
has in other parts. We have always wished to be on the side
of caution, principally for three reasons:— 1. We have
considered it a matter of infinite importance, that the com
mencement of churches, in these islands & in all heathen
lands, be pure. 2d We have supposed, that we were of course
as yet limited in our knowled of native character, & very
gross mistakes in selecting— the selections whh
our church members have often made for us we have had no
confidence in at all. 3d We have seen, that with all the
wisdom & experience & caution of our older brethren, some
have found their way into the church, who still belonged to
Satan’s camp. There have been some grievous falls, such as
that of the princess, of whom you will hear from others; & some
who have fallen were those who have been held in high estima
tion for piety. Had we proceeded, in admitting to the church,
at the same rate, which seems to have been followed, when taboo
meetings were in their full tide of popularity, we should
probably, by this time, have admitted fifty or more; as many
times that number have stood all the while, even to this day,
at the door, knocking hard for entrance. But there is more
fear on this subject, among all the brethren now than there
was some two or three years since; & without pretending to be
any more discerning than my brethren, I will venture to pre
dict, that there will be more caution a few years hence, than
there is even now; especially if religion should become more
unpopular, & so try the faith of some, who now seem to run
well.
The schools of our region are mostly prostrate. They
have had their day, & done much good; but considering the
many imperfections which attended them, of which I gave some
account in our communication of last year, I can hardly mourn,
that they are so near out of existence, hoping something better
may here after take their place. Gov. Adams has ordered the school_
houses of H a m a k u a & Kohala to be rebuilt. Those of the latter
district are in a good degree of forwardness.
I have been de
lighted as I have travelled through it, to see good, substantial
buildings rising up in place of those which have tumbled into
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Sandwich Islands
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Part Third
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7
ruins. But I have no hope of having any efficient schools,
unless we can live on the ground & qualify efficient teach
ers.
Nov. 6th
We have now been here a little more than six
weeks, & have accomplished the object of our coming; Mrs. F .
having, on the 26th ult., given birth to a second son, &
having, in a good measure, recovered. Kapiolani also is
nearly as well as ever, she was---she is now at the sea for the
sake of warmer air. We hope ere long to be on our return to
Waimea. Mr. Lyons, as soon as convenient, will take up his
future residence in Hamakua. Whether we shall reside at
Waimea, or in Kohala, will depend much on circumstances.
I had forgotten to mention, that Gov. Adams has taken
up his residence at Waimea, & expects to spend at least a
part of his time there for the future. He manifests a friend
ly spirit to us Is to the cause of Christ— has visited us of
ten & occasionally sends presents; but whether he will be of
any advantage to the cause of piety is extremely doubtful.
His residing there will doubtless increase the population
some, & therefore increase the claims of the place upon
our labours; but the 8000 in Kohala, dwelling in "the shadow
of death, have claims which lie painfully on my heart by night
& day.
At present, I am very liable to be interrupted in my
labours as a missionary. We have two physicians; but their
situation is such, that it seems, at present, almost un
avoidable, that I shd act as physician for this island. I
have spent one month, in that capacity, at Hilo, the past
year; & was called on to go there a second time, when I was
on the point of coming, & had hardly strength to come to this
place. The time spent at other stations is not the only time
lost to our own. Leaving a congregation here, for a time, is
attended with far more detriment, than it would be in America;
& the difficulty of maintaining station schools, if subject
to frequent interruptions, is still more apparent. The mission are of the same opinion with myself on this subject, as
you will see by the printed minuets of their last general
meeting. Th ey have accordingly requested a physician to be
sent out for this island; & we shall all rejoice to see a
real, devoted man of God arrive to act in that capacity. We
have this moment received the news brought by the Rasselas.
& perceive that the committee had resolved on sending one to
the Marquesas islands; he may be the man perhaps for Hawaii.
You will see by the answers to the circular, that the
mission have requested more labourers for these islands. We
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shall not be oversupplied, when they all arrive. We have
still the pain of knowing, that many thousands around us can
only hear the Gospel at very distant intervals; & if left
thus, they, will certainly most of them perish. Hawaii is
the poorest supplied of all. But still we are sorry to have
the help of these whom we had given away to the Marquesians.
We would much rather have given a new company to some other
portion of the destitute. For one, I often feel pained &
grieved at heart, when I think of so many of us in these
islands, sitting comfortably" under their vines & figtrees,"
(both grow here), while such a vast extent of coast & so
many islands lie around us, which have not one ray of light
from above ten thousand miles of the coast of our own Ameri
can continent without a missionary; & more than half of it
probably open now to receive the Gospel. Notwithstanding all
the burden & responsibility that rests upon this mission, can
you not still charge us with the evangelization of some por
tions of this side of the globe. It seems to me we need
some such work pressing upon us, to keep up a missionary
Spirit in our hearts, as much as the churches at home need
such work to keep them alive. They would die without it;
& why not we? We may some of us need plucking up & trans
planting occasionally lest we get rooted too deeply. There
is danger of Christians in every part of the world, being
"rooted & grounded" in the dirt.
I should have given a more particular account of our
station, in this had not the full answers to the question
of the circular superseded the necessity of it. I have now
only to add my kind regards to you & to your families, in
which Mrs. B. unites; & to request you to remember us always
in your prayers, that the Spirit may be poured on us & on
this people, as we hear it is again with you.
I remain Yours in the bonds of the Gospel,
D . Baldwin.
P. S. On your proposition to send individual letters enclosed
but unsealed, to the brethren at Honolulu, I intended to have
said a word. My opinion is, that such a course would be at
tended with more evil than good effects. This was the opin
ion I formed, without knowing the mind of any other individ
ual. I cannot dictate for others; but whatever is written to
me, I would m u ch rather should pass under my own eye before
it was seen by others. If matters of public moment are in
cluded, they can always be communicated to those concerned,
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& no "business, I think, will ever be retarded- - D. B.
Secretaries of A . B. C . F. M.
Missionary Rooms
No. 28
Cornhill
Boston, U . S. A .
Rev. Dwight Baldwin
Date Nov. 3, 1834
Rec'd July 3, 1835
A c k 'd in G . L.
16
An s 'd June 21, 1836
Post-marked "ship 52"
N ew London Ct. Jul 1.
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(Duplicate)
Honolulu
June
26 th 1835
To the Secretaries of
the A. B. C. F . M.
R ev. & dear Sirs,
In attending to dif
ferent subjects, which the future prosperity of our mission
has required us to consider, during our present meeting, we
have found ourselves embarrassed, in many points, for the
want of more medical aid; & in no one point, perhaps, more
so, than in that of locating the different members of the
mission. The difficulty, or perhaps we should say, the al
most utter impossibility, of maintaining some important
stations, without an increase of medical men, has been very
apparent; & our object, in addressing this communication
to you, is, that you may be apprised of our necessities, by
the earliest opportunity; & that, if possible, they may be
promptly supplied.
In answering the 10th question of the Circular of the
Board, sent to us the last year, we stated to you, that we
needed four physicians of these islands; i.e. one for each of
the principal islands in the groups; & we also explained, at
considerable length, the reasons, on which that application
was founded, for which we must now refer you to the answer
itself of the circular. That number of physicians would
then have been but two, in addition to those already on the
ground. But in the allwise providence of God, our situation,
as to medical aid, is now far different from what it was one
year since. Then Doct. Chapin could attend to most of the
medical wants of Maui & M o l o k a i ; & one of our number acted
both as a missionary & physician on Hawaii. The health of
the latter is, at present, so precarious, that it has been
thought expedient for him, to remove from his station; &
Doct . Chapin owing to the protracted illness of Mrs. Chapin,
has applied for, & received the approbation of the mission
to return to America. You p e r
ceive, therefore, that most of
medical labours of the mission are likely soon to develve upon a single individual; & some parts, especially
Hawaii, will, in this respect, we fear, be left destitute.
It is unnecessary for us here to remark, upon the
difficulties or uncertainty of communicating intelligence
from one island to another— the difficulty which distant
stations find in making known their wants to a single phy
sician, or the length, uncertainty, or cost, of voyages to
reach many of the more retired stations. On most of these
points, in the document above referred to, as well as in
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other communications from this mission, you have been al
ready fully informed. Suffice it to say, that, in all these
respects so far as they operate as reasons for increasing the
number of our physicians, our situation is not materially
different from what it has been heretofore. You are aware,
that, notwithstanding these islands seem near together , on
the map, they are, in reality, wide apart; & your own reflec
tion will suggest to you, what we often see in fact , that,
with 30 or more families scattered throughout this group,
calls for medical aid will come from the opposite extremes
of the mission, & not unfrequently from each of the four
principal islands, at one & the same time.
In view of these considerations, we are induced to ap
peal to you, for at least three additional physicians, to be
sent, as soon as practicable, to this field. We hope, if
you have them not at command, that you will lose no time in
sending forth, in such way, as you may deem expedient, an
appeal to the medical profession th t they may feel, that
they have something to d o in the conversion of the world.
We need young men, sound in body, sound in faith, of
decided piety, willing to "endure hardness as good soldiers
of Jesus Christ"— & such as are not likely to be "entangled
with the affairs of this life ". Such men will always find
useful employ among us; generally in their ow n profession,
& when not, they may find it, in teaching school, or, in
divers ways, aiding those who are engaged i n te
c h i n g , or
a
aiding the operations of the press, as they may be able. It
is every way in point to temark here, that we have lately
turned our attention more specially to the subject of
education, & have devoted some of our number principally to
that department. We feel deeply the necessity of maintaining
efficient schools at all our stations, not only to raise up
promising scholars for the High School, but to raise up ef
ficient & pious men, Who will immediately exert a powerful
& salutary i n f l u e n c e on the people, & help to give per
manency to all the institutions of civilization & religion in
this nation. Any helpers, therefore, in this department, will
be valuable.
We feel confident, dear brethren, that, in applying for
the above number of physicians, for these islands, we are
asking not only for that, which the comfort & safety of our
selves & our families requires, but for that which the cause
of Christ imperiously demands; & we hope, therefore, our call
will meet the approbation, not o n l y of the Committee, but of
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the churches of Christ in our beloved country.
Tours sincerely in the bonds of the Gospel,
D. Baldwin
Com. in behalf of the mission.
Resolution of the Sandwich island mission,
June 26th 1835, ordered to accompany, to the missionary
Rooms, the letter requesting more physicians.
"In view of the distressing circumstances of H ilo & of
many other portions of the Sandwich islands, for want of
medical aid, now more especially felt than heretofore, in
consequence of the contemplated return of Doct. Chapin to
America, & such a failure of Mr. Baldwin's health, as to
require his removal from his station.
Resolved, that a committee be chosen to draw up an
appeal to the Board for more physicians; & that a copy of it
be sent across the continent, by the opportunity, which, it
is expected, will soon offer; & that a duplicate of Canton;
& that should a physician or physicians arrive, we consid
er th e station at Hilo, as having a demand for the first
supply."
Copy from the minuets of the meeting
D. Baldwin
*of it be forwarded by
the Hellespont by way
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Honolulu June 26th. 1835
Secretaries of the
A .B
.
C. F.M .
Rev. & Dear Sirs,
The letter whh accom
panies this, requesting more medical aid for the islands,
was read to the mission & approved, so that it goes to you
as their language, & not my own; & so also of the resolution
whh accompanies this, according to their request. My health
is referred to in both these. I believe, I wrote you re
specting the state of it, the last fall.
The attack whh I suffered the last summer was violent;
but through the fall & winter & I m y say, even to this time,
I have gained gradually, I have not omitted preaching the
past winter & spring, & continued also the station school, as
long as we were at Waimea;*state, so easily affected by a
moist atmosphere, that I have been adivised to be cautious,
lest the complaint assume a decidedly chronic form. It is
for this reason, that the mission have voted, that I re
main unlocated this year, residing, where the climate may be
most favourable & perhaps taking a voyage.
We have expected to reside at Lahaina, as perhpas the
place most favourable to me, for the present year; but a
considerable number of medical calls expected this fall, will
doubtless oblige us to live, some part of the year, at other
places. With suitable precautions for a year or more, I see
no reason, why I may not have as good health hereafter as I
have ever had.
Mr, Anderson's letter to me, by the Hardy, came to hand
by the Hellespont, I wd acknowledge also the forceps &
medical books, whh were received some time since— the
school apparatus also by the Hellespont, for whh we / are
grateful, St whh, we hope, will ere long be put to u s e .
The reinforcement arrived on the 6th inst. after a very
favourable voyage, during whh they were blessed with health,
& treated with unremitted kindness by the Capt. & officers
of t h e ship.
Our genl meeting; thus far has been one of interest &,
I trust, profit to us all. There has been a spirit of en
quiry among us to learn what more effectual we could do for
this perishing people— May the spirit of God inspire us!
We are loudly admonished every year to do with our might. The
lamented death of Dr. Wisner, of whh we h eard, just before we
*but still my lungs are in a very delicate
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assembled, is but an oft repeated lesson.
Mrs. B. unites w ith me in kind regards to yourselves
& your families.
Yours truly
D. Baldwin
Secretaries of the
A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Booms
Boston, U . S. A.
Rev. D. Baldwin— Gen'l letter
(Duplicate)
Dated Honolulu, June 26, 1835
R e c 'd Dec. 31. 1835.
A n s 'd June 15/36
N eed of Physician
Post-marked New York Ship Dec.
"Ship Hellespont"
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To the Secretaries of the
A. B. C. F . M. Miss. Rooms
Boston
Lahaina N o v . 30th 1835
Rev. & Dear Sirs,
You will probably, before
you see this, have received a letter, & duplicate, which I
wrote for the mission, during our last general meeting,
respecting physicians.
In that I gave you some account of my
health the past year, & of the necessity of my leaving
Waimea, for some warmer & drier atmosphere. The mission left
it with us to select our place of residence, for the present
year; & we, with the advice of brethren here, have chosen
this as a very favourable place. We are now occupying the
house recently left by Doct. Chapin.
I also mentioned, in the letter above referred to, the
favourable opportunity which presented of taking a voyage,
in the Packet, to the Georgain & Society Islands; & the
advice of physicians & others, that I ought to go, as affording
not only hopes of benefit to my health, but of getting & im
parting good, & of continuing that intercourse with the mis
sion of the South Seas, which had already been a source of
pleasure & much profit, both to our mission & theirs. I
accordingly embraced the opportunity, & we sailed from Ho
nolulu, the 14th of July. The voyage was somewhat a rough
one, owing to the strong trades from the East, which blew,
almost without intermission, on our voyage out & returning;
but the weather was almost uniformly pleasant, & the wind
so generally fair, that we made only the usual passage of
a month. We landed at Tahiti, (Oteheile) on the 14th day of
August. The bay, where we anchored called Papeete, the
station of Mr. Pritchard, is on the N . W. side of the is
land, &
six or seven miles west of Mataioai bay, where
the Duff anchored, with the first missionaries, A where
they all lived together,the most of them left for N ew Hol
land, after the expiration of a year.
Remainder of letter printed 32 Miss. Herald 390
Oct. 1836
Rev. D. Baldwin
Dated Lahaina Nov. 30, 1835
Rec'd June 10, 1836
A c k 'd in G. L . June 15
A ns'd June 21
Heralds for Tahiti
Marked names of ships copied &
captains to be
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Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Lahaina Nov.15th 1836
Rev. & dear Sir,
As the time draws near
when Mr. Richards & family expect to embark for the United
States, I m ust prepare a few lines for you. Last year I
came to this place as an invalid. The voyage to Tahiti had
considerably improved my health; & the favourable climate
of this place promised to do the remainder for my speedy &
entire recovery.
Last Feb., however, it seemed indispensably necessary,
that I should go back to Hawaii, for a season, to attend
to one or two of the families of that island. We went the
last of Feb. intending to return in one month. Instead
of this, however, such was the situation of the families at
Kaawaloa & Waimea, that we were obliged to prolong our stay
to three months; & that too, when it was very wet & cold
at those stations. The event was just what might be anti
cipated, a very thorough renewal of the complaint on my
lungs, so that in June last, it seemed doubtful, whether I
should ever enjoy good health again. On account of my want
of health, & the lack of medical help & the unusual number
of sick in this part of the mission, it was judged best, that
I should devote most of the present year to the practice of
medicine. That has as yet been my principal employment, &
must occupy a large share of my attention for the remain
der of the year. My health has, however, improved faster
than we had expected; & if new physicians are sent to our
help, I hope the time is not far off, when I shall be both
able & at liberty to give a large share of my attention
directly to the work of preaching the Gospel.
During the three first years of my residence at these
islands, I endeavoured, for a large portion of the time, to
maintain a station entirely alone. I found it extremely
difficult; absolutely impossible, I may say, to keep up
schools & other labours of a station, & yet be subject to
be called off to other stations, Many of them several days
journey distant. I tried, therefore, all I could to throw
off the practice of medicine upon those who were exclusively
devoted to it. The mission also sympathized with me, & passed
resolutions, as you can see by some of their minuets, to free
me from that burden. But all was of no avail. Even while
Doct. Chapin was here, he was greatly confined at home by the
sickness of his w i f e - - the families of the mission were too
numerous & scattered for Doct. Judd to accommodate them all;
& in other cases the difficulty & cost of chartering a vessel
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or getting other conveyance was such, that I had the prac
tice. In short I was obliged to be physician for Hawaii.
Notwithstanding all the effort, I have made to avoid medi
cal practice, yet I have had considerable among the people
& more & more, among the families of the mission, every year
that I have been on the ground; & such, I think, will be
the case as long as I continue a missionary. I have long
since given up the idea of laying aside the duties of a phy
sician; & so far as I understand the views of the mission,
they do not expect me to abandon th t department. Even if
the number of medical men you have promised us should come,
there will doubtless be an enlargement of the mission by
the addition of those of other professions, & I shall be
called on often to exercise all the skill I can acquire in
the healing art.
Such being my views of the case, I have turned my
attention more, for the last one or two years, to qualify
ing myself to act as physician. When I left America, n o thing
was said to me, either in public or private instructions,
on the subject of practising medicine. It was matter of
doubt, in my mind, whether I should ever be called upon
much; & therefore, I took but few books & instruments— no
thing indeed of the latter but such as are of the most com
mon use; & of the former, the only object aimed at, in selecting, was to have some work in each department of the
science. On the theory & practice of medicine, I had no
work, but one which I suppose, no physician makes his
steady dependence for reference in practice. I have added
another in that department here; but still I have felt a
great lack of such works for reference; more probably than
I should have done in America; inasmuch as this climate
differs from any in which medical works have been written--diseases also vary. Instead of finding a full description
of the complaint, with which we are to deal, in any one
author, I think, we much oftener find it deficient in very
important points, which must be made up by a reference to
some other author.
The work of prescribing for missionary families is a
very responsible work; & I feel the need of all the help,
which books can be expected to afford. The following are
the works which I have thought ought to be sent to me as
soon as may be convenient, & which should, of course, be
directed particularly to me; otherwise they either go to
Doct. J. who keeps the Med. depository of the mission, or
*but that of Dr. Good, a valuable work,
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to some of the families who are dependent upon him.
Bell on Venereal
Cazenave & Schedel on cutaneous
diseases 1 vol. 8 vo.
Laennec on diseases of the chest 1 vol.
Orfila on poisons, 1 Vol. 12 m o .
Shaw's Manual of anatomy 1 Vol. 12 mo.
Philip on Indigestion, 1 Vol. 8 vo.
Abernethy on Tumours 1 Vol 8 vo.
Bichat's Epitome of physiology, anatomy
& pathology, 1 Vol. 8 vo.
Solomon's Guide to health, &
Charles Bell’s exposition of the natural
system of the nerves, 1 Vol. 8 vo.
If I should not be under the necessity of using all these,
or be unable to do it, I think, they will not be lost, but
will be valuable in the hands of some others, who may have
the medical practice to attend to in this mission. Most
of these works are upon subjects, which are presented to
the practitioner very often in these islands. The whole
will make 10 volumes— & if you should think the list longer
than you would be warranted in sending to me, I will just add,
that I think I could dispense with either of the four last
much easier than I could with either of the six first.
I need also the following instruments in the surgical
line-—
One small Trochar for hydrocele.
A good Scarificator & cupping glasses.
(one with an exhausting apparatus)
A Tooth forceps
A Double Canula
Some silver wire, &
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2 or 3 good trusses, of different sizes, which
may serve as patterns for making others here. I think also,
a small case of instrum ents for the eye would be useful to
me, & would wish them sent if they could be without much ex
pense. I had thought of making this list of instruments
much more extended, but, on enquiry, I find there are some
belonging to the mission, whh may perhaps hereafter fall into
my hands. Some of those, which would be most necessary to
me, have been sent home to be put in order.
There are also two other books I must request you to
send me, which do not come into the medical department.
viz. Webster’s English Dictionary,
& the Encyclopedia of Religious knowledge, in
one volume, lately published by Brown; a few copies of which
were sent to the mission the last year. The latter would be
an invaluable book of reference for us, in teaching our
children, & the former seems to me absolutely indispensable
in the situation, in which we are here called to act. For,
amid the great variety of language, which we hear, from per
sons of different occupations, in these mongrelized ends of
the earth, Johnson is not sufficient authority to enable me
to determine, what is real English, & what has been manu
factured by seafaring men & others; of course, we are often
at a loss what to use ourselves, & what to teach our children,
who h ave no other teachers but us. We need the best of
dictionary help to prevent our losing our own tongue, talk
ing as we constantly do in the language of a foreign people.
The mission wrote home, in 1834, for such books, as
each individual put down, which h e wanted himself. As I did
not avail myself of that opportunity, I have felt, that per
haps I had so much the more right to ask for some now. There
is one answer tothe circular which was sent here, to which I
intended to have turned your attention before this. I h ave not
the document by me, but think it is the 10th. It is that
respecting physicians. It was given me to answer, & like the
others was careffully reviewed by the whole mission assembled
in general meeting, & all the alteration made, whh they voted
or suggested. Among the alterations made, by the mission, to
the answer of the 10th, was the addition, at the commence
ment, of all the remarks respecting the Bo ard’s giving dir
ections to all candidates for missionary service, to turn their
attention early, as far as possible, to medical subjects, to
collect & treasure up facts, opinions, &c. I did not object
then to such an addition---nor did I then feel so much op
posed to it, as I have since, upon more mature reflection.
I
n o w feel bound to give my opinion against such a recommendation
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to missionary candidates, except in some particular cases.
Of course, I do not wish my voice to outweigh that of the
mission. I speak only as an individual. Of the reasons
which I should have against the sentiments referred to, I
will mention only two general ones. 1st Such a recommenda
tion, to a theological student, would give a diversion to
his mind to a great variety of subjects. It would greatly
detract from the progress he ought to make in his more ap
propriate studies; & that too without any great advantage in
return. It would not le t him far into the secrets of med
icine; &, in my view, after all it wd cost him, he wd be
little or nothing better prepared to adt the physician , for him
self or others, than the man who (margin torn) entirely upon
books on missionary, 2d. It would lay the foundation for the
missionary's attending to a greater variety of matters on
missionary ground; an evil which in many things, cannot be
avoided, but which ought always to be shunned as far as pos
sible. This mission, as a general thing, have always con
tended against a variety of employments, in one individual;
& why they should recommend it, when they come to the subject
of medicine, I can hardly conceive, unless it be, that one
is easier initiated into the science & practice of medicine
than into any other art. Whether such is the fact, you can
easily ascertain of any of the judicious, common-sense phy
sicians of Boston. I have nothing more to add, at present than
my affectionate salutations, in which Mrs. B . unites, to
yourself & family, & to your associates—
May God dwell with
you, & direct you all, in the responsible work, which rests
upon you, is the prayer of Your affectionate friend & brother,
Dwight Baldwin
P . S . You will doubtless hear some accounts of conversions
at these islands this year; but, for one, I hope you will be
cautious about publishing. Nothing is more common than san
guine hopes in regard to numbers, converted. It is much better
to have real conversions unpublished to the world than to have
spurious ones published, in order to raise the courage of the
chhs.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. of A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms, Boston, Mass.
Rev. Dwight Baldwin
Dated N o v .15,
1836
Rec'd may 26/37
Ack'd in G. L. July 2 1
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Rev. R. Anderson
Miss. Rooms
Lahaina
N o v . 26th 1836
Boston
Rev. & dear Sir,
Since writing you a few
days since a letter to go by the same ,conveyance with this,
I have concluded instead of shortening the list of medical
books which I requested, I must make it a little longer. In
addition to the medical books I then requested, I need Arm
strong on fevers. It is the volume on fevers, consumption,
measles, &c. that I wish, & not not the work on typhus fever.
This is a large & important class of diseases, & I have no
work, which treats at large upon them.
I have concluded also to request you to send me a cook
ing stove, either when Mr. Richards returns or before. One
reason for his request is the great convenience it affords,
over the common fire, for cooking in this hot climate. An
other reason is the high price of fuel here. I have used
the stove which Doct. Chapin left, for part of the last year,
& I judge, it has consumed only from one fourth to one half
of the fuel, which we use on a common fire. One hundred
sticks of wood here cost 7 or 8 dollars, whh is not far from
10 dollars for a cord. Such a family as mine consumes, I
think, between 3 & 4 cords a year. If so, & one half is
saved by a stove, it will b e 15 or 20 dollars saved in a year.
From the observations which I have made the past year, I am
led to believe, that a stove which cost but 25 dollars in
America would be saved in fuel in, at most, two & a half or
three years. The argument from economy would apply to this
station, or to any other, where I am likely to be placed in
the Sandwich Islands. It would not apply to some of the
cold stations, as Waimea & Kaawaloa, nor to many, where wood
is nearer & is purchased for books. At the latter we should
not think much of the cost, as it would be the means of
scattering books among the people.
But there is another reason why, I wish a stove, aside
from convenience or ecomomy. It is, that I have to prepare
medicines, some of which require long standing over the fire.
There are some medicines called for by the families of the
mission occasionally, which I do not prepare, merely because
I must do it myself & have not been able to bear the fire
well enough in this hot climate. A cooking stove would be
�2046
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a great convenience for this work.
As to the kind of stove which would suit us, I would
leave it partly to your judgment. The pattern which Doct.
Chapin brought out we have liked very well.
It cost, I was
told, $25.00, in Boston, & is marked Wilson N ew York"-—
It has an even e ver the fire place, both doors opening in
(margin torn) the blue goes from the middle of the (margin
torn) & on each side is a place for kettles &c.
If you should have objections to sending us such an article,
we wish you to forward this request to Charles M . Fowler,
Northford Conn. that he may purchase it, or as it wd be diffor him to attend to it, back as they are in the country, you
might purchase & ship it, & send a bill of it to him. We
will request him, in that case, to pay it.
We again add our affectionate salutations to you all—
Y our affectionate brother,
Dwight Baldwin
Nov. 28th Mr. Richards & his family are now about embarking
for Oahu. where the ship is in Which they expect to sail for
America. They object for which he goes, aside from the cir
cumstances of his family, is, in our view one of infinite
importance.
We hope & pray the Lord to qualify & help him
to do good in America— to prosper him in all we have laid up
on him.
Yours & c.
D. Baldwin
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass.
By Rev. Mr. R ichards
Ship Dan'l Webster
Rev. Dwight Baldwin
Dated Lahaina, Nov. 26, 1836
Rec’d May 26/37
Ac k 'd in G. L. July 21.
Book
Stove
�2047
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Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Booms
Boston.
Lahaina
Dec. 24th
1836
R ev. & dear Sir,
As our beloved brother
Spaulding is now about embarking for the United States of
America, with his family, it is highly proper, & what he
wishes also, that I should make some statement respecting his
case to the officers of the Board; especially as I have had
more to do with him as physician, the past year or more, than
any one else.
It is now nearly two years si n c e the mission voted, that
M r . Spaulding & family might return to America, & it was then
expected they would go. Had they gone, they would have gone
with the entire approbation of the mission, owing to the long
protracted illness of Mrs. S.— But Mr. S. washable to pursue
his labours as a missionary; they had some hopes, that she
might yet enjoy better health; & they have, therefore, contin
ued, till this time, to occupy their station at this place.
They have continued here, in the midst of many afflictions,
from sincere love, as we believe, to their work; afflictions,
which have often called forth our sympathies, & which would
long ago, as we thin k , have driven many other from the field.
There have been many secular cares connected with this
station, & these have rested principally upon brother Spauld
ing. This, together with the mildness of the climate, at this
place, has, doubtless, been the reason, that he has enjoyed
far better health heretofore, at this place, than he did gen
erally in America. But for the last six months, his health
has been poorer; & these cares & labours have been more than
he could well sustain. We have seen him sinking under them.
Still, however, he has not relaxed his exertio ns any father
than failure of strength has absolutely complelled him to do.
He has often perhaps rather increased them. His zeal has
carried him, as it has seemed to us, farther than the strength
of his system would allow him to go. Though suffering much
from bodily infirmity, & sister Spaulding almost constantly
confined, still they had not, so far as it has been known to
us, any intention of leaving the field, so early as when Mr.
Richards & family left the station, one month ago. They,
have, at last, therefore, come very suddenly to the conclu
sion to return to America; & the following is a brief ac
count of their reasons for so doing.
On the 2d day of the present month bro. Spaulding was
attacked suddenly with coughing which was succeeded immediate
ly by bleeding from the lungs; a complaint to which he had
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been subject many years ago in America. Then however, it
was only in small quantities; now it continued, for a short
time, very profusely, & considerably exhausted his strength.
In two days the bleeding returned again; & a fever, to which
he had been very subject for several previous months, setting
in, at this time, he was brought so low, that we almost des
paired of his life. He soon, however, began to recover from
his great exhaustion. Still we all considered his case as
one of great danger; & immediately sent for Doct. Judd to
come & assist, that, at this cri/tical juncture, he might have
all the medical advice, which was within our command. Doct.
Judd came. He watched all his symptoms for a week, & we
often consulted together on his case. Doct. J. gave it as
his opinion, & it was the united opinion of us both, that if
bro. S. continued here to engage in his ordinary avocations,
there was no hope of his life;-— that "he should on no ac
count, engage in any employment; that every care & every
pursuit should be laid aside; & that his only hope was in
embracing the first opportunity of making a sea voyage, prefering that which would keep him longest at sea."
To this sentiment both bro. & sister Spaulding seemed
fully to assent; & though it was very trying to think of a
separation from his family in their present circumstances, yet
he began immediately to make preparations for a voyage. His
first proposal was to go in some whaleship, which would cruise
several months & then return to this place again. But the
season for whaleships, at this place, was so far advanced,
that no such ship could be found. The next proposal which
he made was to go in the ship now here to the Society Islands,
from whence he might find an indirect conveyance back to this
place, in a year or more. But, in his present feeble & al
most helpless state, such a course seemed to be one which
might be fraught with troubles & dangers to himself it to his
family; all perhaps, without any advantage to himself or to
the cause of Christ. So many clouds hung over it, that all
of us looked upon it as a last it desperate resource, at best,
which, of course, should be avoided, if possible.
It was at this trying juncture, that Capt. Buckley of
the Adeline arrived here; a man who has already done us many
favours, & who loves the cause to which we are devoted. He
was bound almost directly to the United States, & offered to
to take bro. Spaulding & his family with him. When the plan
was first conversed upon among us, there seemed to be so many
difficulties in the way as to render it utterly impracticable.
�2049
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But further consideration removed some of them; & the fact,
that the present was an uncommonly favourable opportunity
contributed not a little to remove them all. A meeting of
all the brethren at this station & at the High School near
was called, to deliberate upon the course he ought to pur
sue; all possible plans were fully examined; & each one present
was of opinion, that the best course f o r them was to im
prove the present opportunity to go to the United States. We
k n e w well the good he had done, & he yet had in his heart
to do here; we had also before us the great necessity, which
this station has now especially of his labours. But this
could not affect our minds at all in this matter; for the
Lord had denied him strength of body to engage in the work.
We considered it as clear that his work here, for the pre
sent, at least, was done; & that a return with his family to
America afforded perhaps the greater hope, that he might here
after do somethin for Christ's cause, wherever his lot might
be cast. It is with these views that we now part with our
beloved brother & sister to return to their former friends
& their homes; sending with them our united testimony, that
they have done what they could to build up the kingdom of their
Lord & Master; & feeling assured, that, when they stand, at
last, before the Judge of all, he will say to them, "Well
done good & faithful servants."
Their voyage will be undertaken under more trying circumstances than perhaps that of any missionaries before them.
We deeply sympathize with them in their situation. But we
commend them to the mercy & care of Him who rules the winds
& waves; & who can & will give strength according to our day.
May he guide them & keep them safely. We hope to hear, that
they arrive safely in the land of their fathers, & that their
patrons receive them with all confidence & affection.
It will
give us sincere satisfaction to hear, that the trials of
their voyage are far less than have been anticipated.
With kind & Christian salutions to yourself, your family
& associates, I am as ever, Yours truly,
D. Baldwin
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec. of A. B. C. F . M .
Missionary Rooms, Boston
By Rev. E. Spaulding
Rev. Dwight Baldwin
Dated Dec. 24, 1836
Rec'd June 28/37
Ack'd in G. L. July 21
Mr. & Mrs. Spaulding’s return
�2050
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Sandwich Islands
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Honolulu,
July 9th. 1832
Revd. Mr. Anderson
Dear Sir,
At the general meeting soon
after our arrival in 1831 no permanent location was assigned
to me, as it was thought best to explore the Washington Is
lands, if a favorable opportunity should present. It was not
deemed expedient to charter a vessel for the purpose till we
should hear again from the board;— and M r . Richards was ap
pointed to write a letter expressing the views of the mission
on the subject—
the difficulties, which seemed to us, lying
in the way,— -which letter you have probably received.
Half of the past year I spent at Honolulu preaching to
the foreign residents and seamen and studying the language,
and half of the year at Lahaina, where most of the ships at
present touch for supplies. F ifty were there this spring, and
on several of the sabbaths a large assembly of the officers
and men attended the religious service in English. I preached
two sabb. evenings on board the ship Royal Sovereign at the
request of the master, Capt. Greene, who is a pious man. The
sailors frequently called for tracts and testaments, which
they received gratefully and were attentive to the advice
which was given them. A few gave us some trouble last fall.—
We have no occasion to be discouraged in making efforts in
their behalf, but our confidence is rather increased that
the word spoken to mariners will not return void,— -that the
bread cart on the waters will be found after many days.
While at Maui I preached perhaps twenty time in the
native language.
At the general meeting last month, the question of a
mission to the Marqu e s a s was resumed, and a deputation
consisting of Mr. Whitney, Mr. Alexander, and myself ap
pointed to visit the Georgian & Society Islands to confer
with the missionaries there, and to survey the Washington
Islands on su ch other groups as may be thought expedient. We
go in the missionary Packet, which is now fitting up, and
will be ready in a few days. We shall hardly accomplish the
objects of our voyage, in time to report ourselves by the
ships going to America in the fall, but shall improve the
first opportunity of doing it.
You request a list of our private libraries. I send
mine herewith. —
�2051
You ask for facts and opinions on the subject of sal
aries & common stock system. I have no facts, and an opin
ion without facts for its foundation is worth little. There
can be perhaps no doubt, but that, as a general rule, salaries
would be attended with less expense to the Board than common
stock. To this rule there may be exceptions-- the Sandwich
Islands may be one, but, as I said I am not sufficiently ac
quaint ed.
I should be glad to write a longer letter if there was
time; but the general letter, and station letters, and in
dividual letters, w i l l f
ail to inform you (hole in paper)
thoroughly concerning the mission at these Islands. Mrs . T.
joins me in affectionate salutations to yourself, (margin
torn) and all our other friends at Boston.
Yours affectionately,
R euben Tinker.
Revd. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms,
Rev. Reuben Tinker,
March 16, 1833.
Ack'd in Gen. Letter April 11.
Boston, M ass.
United States, N . America.
*not
Post-marked N ew Bedford, M ass.
Mar. 16 "Ship" 12
�2052
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1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
14
Honolulu, Decr. 6, 1832.
Revd. R. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
The deputation
to the Society & Washington Islands were directed by their
brethren to keep a joint Journal for the benefit of this
mission, and the use of the American Board. Mr. Whitney
and Mr. Alexander expect me to prepare this joint journal
or report, a work I have not been able to do since our re
turn, and shall not perhaps, till the opportunities for send
ing this fall are part— though I hope to find one during the
winter. I regret that it is not ready now. I think, however,
you will have the sum of all the information we obtained, in
the private journal of Mr. Alexander, which he sends to the
"Rooms" by the Brig Plant. Mr. Whitney also intends to send
you his journal not many days hence. The only contribution
I can make at present is enclosed--- A discourse on the duty
& difficulty of reporting on missions, and an outline of
our voyage & visit. Both were written at Sea for my brethren
at the Sandwich Islands.
It is extremely difficult to order one's conversation
aright in reference to the State of the Georgian & Society
Islands. It seems to us that the friends of the cause have
given accounts too flattering in times past, when the mission
was most prosperous. And now that God hath covered the daugh
ter of Zion there with a cloud in his anger, the danger with
me and my brethren, I think, is, that we shall err on the
other hand, and draw our report too dark; and so the last
error will be worse than the first: for while charity rejoiceth in the truth, she also hopeth all things and thinketh
no evil, and would sooner praise than blame.
Suppose some of the Brethren have informed you how we
progress on the Washington Islands mission. The feeble
health of Mrs. Chapin is an obstacle just now, but perhaps
it will not be long. Whether I shall go or not is not fully
decided. In my own mind the reasons for my continuing here
have hitherto been greater than for joining the mission to the
Washington Islands, though I stand for that field in the
transactions of the last general meeting, and in the vote
of most of the brethren at Honolulu while considering the
subject a few days since. I hope the Lord will direct me in
�2053
the right way; and my prayer is that God would bless the
secretaries & directors from whom he is so often removing
ood men-- " the chariot of Isreal & the horsemen thereof."
If my purpose to write to you freely as often as I have anything
to s a y .
Mrs. T. joins me in an affectionate rembrance to you &
yours, and to all associated with you in the good work.
f
Yours truly,
Reuben Tinker
Will you say to Mr. Hubbard, I have rec'd the 8th volume of the
Ama. Encya. by the Rassilas, and I thank him and hope to write
him. His letter to me, if h e has sent one, is not yet here.
At present I am employed a part of the time in a native
school, and in preaching to the foreigners of whom more & more
attend divine service, and we trust that the word of God hath
taken some effect among the seamen. I can preach only a little
in the native tongue, as I have not lately devoted much time
to the language.
Rev. Reuben Tinker.
May 6, 1833
A c k 'd in Gen. Letter
Oct. 30.
�2054
Number 15
Sermon omitted
Mr. Tinker's Sermon on his mission to th e Society & Washington
Islands.
No. I
May 6, 1833.
Ack'd in Gen. Letter Oct. 30. '33.
A c k 'd Dec. 6
�2055
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16
Honolulu, N o v. 27th 1832.
Revd. R . Anderson
Dear Sir,
This will make you ac
quainted with Captain Brayton, who has during his late
voyage in the Pacific become hopefully a Christian, and has
been extremely kind to the missionaries and the missionary
cause, and deserves our gratitude and the grateful regard
of our friend.
Yours as ever
R . Tinker
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Boston, Mass.
Capt. Brayton
Rev. R . Tinker
May 31, 1833.
Ack'd in Gen. Letter
Oct. 30/
�2056
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Sandwich. Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
Number 17 Sermon omitted
Visit to Tahaiti
Mr. Tinker’s Sermon
No II
May 6, 1833
A c k 'd in Gen'l letter Oct. 30, '33
Ack'd Dec. 6
Number 18 sermon omitted
Preached to the missionaries at the General Meeting, at
Lahaina, June 9, 1833.
Rev. Mr. Tinker's Sermon
Rec'd Sep. 24, 1834
A c k 'd Dec. 6
Humber 19 Sermon omitted
Letter to the members of the Sandwich Islands' mission.
Rev. Reuben Tinker's Letter to Sandh Isl. M ission,
Reasons why he should not b e sent to the Marquesas.
R e c 'd Sept. 24, 1834
A n s 'd Dec. 6
Number 20 Sermon omitted
On Society,Marquesas & Georgian Islands
Rev. Reuben Tinker
Date Oct. 23, 1833
Rec'd May 1834
Ack'd in G. Let. Sep 5/34
Ac k 'd Dec. 6
Books
Pencils
Secretaries of the
A . B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms, 28 Cornhill,
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. A
Triple
Pot-marked N ew Bedford, Ms . May 29.
"Ship 32"
/
�2057
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Part Third
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21
Honolulu, August, 29, 1834
Secretaries of the A. B. C. F . M.
Rev. & Dear Sirs,
The general letter of the mis
s i o n is fowarded with this. The minutes of the annual meet
ing are now in type, and shall be sent the first opportunity
after they are ready. The vessel now about to sail is the
Parker of N ew Bedford, Capt. Brown. His progress homeward
will be delayed a little to obtain a hundred barrels of oil,
and perhaps some ship, which will sail subsequently, will
arrive at home first; but this is too uncertain to justify
delay.
The answers to the questions of the Circular were given
to a Committee of six to copy and forward to the Rooms.
These are not yet ready. They will be forwarded in the
course of the season, perhaps by Mr. Ladd, who is expecting
to visit the United States.
Soon after the general meeting was adjourned, I returned
to Wailuku to remove our furniture &c., to this village,
where, if I remain twelve months, it will be longer than my
continuous residence at any place since leaving Auburn. The
particular work assigned m e, in addition to the miscellaneous
work which falls to those at Honolulu, is the editing of a
religious newspaper in the Hawaiian language.-— I do not
myself feel very sanguine in relation to this measure; for
I am not yet sufficiently familiar with the language, and
must depend principally on my brethren for matter; and they
will perhaps be too much occupied with their own labors to
write much for the paper, at least there is reason to fear
that their contributions will not reach the office in time
and in sufficient quantity; and it is probably the p eople
will not be greatly interested in the publication. These
and other embarrassments are not peculiar to this project.
nor should they prevent its execution;— they should, how
ever, be borne in mind as a regulator of our hopes in re
lation tothe results which may follow any measure new or
old that are from time to time adopted here. Our expecta
tions must be moderate as to what can be accomplished by
our instrumentality further than it pleases God to make
weakness strong. We do not move fast. We cannot. The way
is not cast up, the stumbling blocks are not removed. Our
team goes like the emigrants to the new countries, waiting
�2058
f o r a road to be cut through the woods, and then sinking
to the hubs in the mire;— quite unlike their speed whose
carriages rattle on paved streets. So in Boston and N ew
York large daily papers are issued and read by thousands,
while it is doubtful whether a small one can be issued at the
Sandwich Islands once a fortnight or whether one column in
eight will be read by one in a thousand of the people. We,
nevertheless, regard a paper of the right sort a probable
means of doing the people good, and of awakening and in
creasing their interest in reading the scriptures and other
books. They must have line upon line, line upon line, pre
cept upon precept, precept upon precept, here a little and
there a little. We must not be weary, for in due time we
shall reap if we faint not. The harvest however, will not
be great, till the sowing is more bountiful, and that will
not probably be much increased, till more laborers are put
forth. We have ventured to advise that the Board furnish
for this field about 20 preachers & 20 teachers in addition
to our present number, a small supply for the islands, and
how easily furnished if the hearts of all Christians were
right in the sight of God.
I
rec'd. a letter from Mr. Anderson by the Avon dated
Decr. 20th/33 and was happy to learn that the report of the
deputation had reached you and that it was acceptable. The
reasons of the missionaries for relinquishing the Washington
Islands will go by this opportunity.
There is only room to add, it surprised me to find that
the Board had printed the "Address to Theo. Students". There
are some errors in it, as might be expected, when it is consid
ered that it was transcribed by another and no one but the
printer to examine the proof, when, inthe first instance, it
was printed at Dedham. The errors are not very material, but
worthy of correction had I known that it would have been
circulated to any extent. Please send twenty copies.
With kind regards to your families, I am as ever yours
affectionately,
R. Tinker
Secretaries of the A. B . C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms, 28 Cornhill,
Boston , Massachusetts
Ship Parker
Captain Brown
Rev. Reuben Tinker
Dated Honolulu Aug. 29,
1834
Rec'd Feb. 26, 1835
Religious newspaper
Marked Ack'd in G. L. Ap. 16
20 copies of his address wanted
Ans'd Sep. 18
Post-marked
N ew Bedford, Ms.
Feb. 26 "Ship"
�2059
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Honolulu, Oct. 15, 1834
Secretaries of the A . B. C. F . M.
Rev. & Dear Sirs;
There are
a few topics connected withthe business of the last general
meeting on which permit me to say a few words.
Last fall I forwarded to the Rooms, in a box to the
care of Mr. Hubbard, my reasons for not becoming a member
of the Washington Islands' mission. They were contained
in a letter addressed to my brethren of the Sandwich Islands,
Febr. 1833. Also some reasons rendering it questionable
whether it would be expedient to commence that Mission by
sending thither any of our present number, as it might be
surrenderingthe prospect of a greater good for a less.
On the arrival of Mr. Anderson’s letter of No v . 5, 1832,
by the Mentor, in which he informed in that a correspondence
was then going on with Mr. Ellis in reference to the Marques
as, I of course supposed, as others also did, that the subject
was to rest at least till we heard from you again.
But there had been information received at Lahaina, by
a ship lately from Nuuhiva that the natives were waiting our
arrival, had built us a house, and planted a walk of bananas
leading to it from the shore, and this weighed in the minds
of some as a call to proceed. It was hoped also that the occupancy of that field would operate us a stimulus to the Am.
churches, and be a blessing to the churches here, which had
already done something by their contributions for the con
templated mission. We had gone so far it was considered
difficult to stop.
The brethren, in their letter to you, justifying their re
turn from that field, say, among other things, that one of the
deputation was opposed to that field’s being taken. I am in
tended, as Mr. Whitney was in favor of it, and Mr. Alexander
was a volunteer to go. It seemed to me that the more ef
fectual door of usefulness was at that time open here-— that
you had said, "Stop, if you can, till you hear again from us!"
The report which the ship brought seemed to deserve no particular weight in determining us; for we supposed before, that
they would receive us readily, which was all the encourage
ment on that head either needful or desirable. F o r it were
better, perhaps, that such a people should not have high
expectations of the benefits to result to them from receiving
missionaries, and embracing the Christian religion; because
they cannot appreciate the kind of benefits which Christianity
�2060
confers;-— they have no discernment of spritiual things;—
they count only on temporal blessings; their hopes of these
cannot be directly realised to any great extent, and the
consequent change in their feelings will be unhappy in propor
tion to the strength of their erroneous expectations. The
report, therefore, had it been true; which it was not, that
the natives waited for our coming, and had built us a house,
was, to my mind, no new argument for urging our way thither.
In respect to the churches at home, it seemd to me a
simple statement of t
he case would satsify them— for instance—
the London Society can sustain a mission there better than the
Am. Board. And if not, how shall any of us leave a hundred
thousand here destitute ofthe means of grace to supply eight
thousand in another part of the ocean. Let the Am. Churches
supply the Marquesas and send others hither. And let it
electrify the churches to know that we cannot well carry the
war into new territories, for the old is not half taken. For
as motives operate on my mind, "the very much land which
remaineth to be possessed", constrains me more to be a mis
sionary, and to beseech others to become so, than the consid
eration of what has already been accomplished, For the argu
ment from the world's wants is forcible in proportion to the
extent of them, while the argument from success is less forci
ble as it is increased, and when increased to the utmost will
possess no force whatever, a subdued world having no need of
soldiers.
It should however be our aim to present to the Christian
community the light and the shade, the painful truth and the
joyful truth, the victories, and the hosts unvanquished. But
it is not easy to do this. It requires much wisdom to ascer
tain our progress, to keep our reckoning. This is evident
from the fact, that of 48 questions in the Circular, an answer
of some sort was furnished and sanctioned by the meeting to all
but the 47th— the one in reference to progress in our work.
Connected with the question, what has geen done? is the
important one, "What shall we advise the Board yet to do?"
And it perplexed us to decide as we looked at different sec
tions, whether we ought to advise one or two or three mission
aries, or none. And we did not interpret the Circular alike.
Some maintaining that it authorised & required us to ask for
missionaries according to our wants, taking it for granted
that they could be supplied, while on the other hand, in ans
wering the question, "How many missionaries is it advisable to
send"? it was found by others almost or quite impossible to
reply without taking into account the various destitute por
tions of the world, and the scanty supply of men and money
at the command of the Board. So that there existed among us
the extreme opinions that we should request from fifty to one
hundred more men, and also that we had already more than we
could claim, and that to ask an addition would be to deprive
�2061
China and the rest of the six hundred millions of the means
of salvation.
It was said on the other hand that the Board would
look to the distribution; as they must know better than we;
that it was our business to lay before them this field, to
say where another man might be useful, or rather where one
is much needed; that we had already written you one letter
with our eye on all the world, and you had sent the work
back to be done again, making emphatic the sentence
"Let not the estimates be influenced at all by the probable
supply of either men or money. The estimates are designed
to be employed as a means of procuring both."
I was maintained that the more the churches did the
more they might; that the call from here and other countries
should be made loud as possible that the sleeping churches
might hear; that if we could augment the sense of responsi
bility which they feel in the world’s conversion, we should
thereby bless the nations; and that for he sak eo f men in
the interior of Africa, we ought to exposulate earnestly with
Christendom for leaving so many thousands almost destitute
in the islands of the Pacfic.
But it would require too much time to report what it
required no little time to say; though the time occupied in
this discussion was far from unprofitably spent. And at may
be proper just to remark, that we need before us every year a
mission to the Marquesas, or a Circular, or something of the
same general character, to call forth our feelings, that it
may be apparent how well we keep along with the movements of
the age,— how much the churches at home are with us, or be
fore us, or behind us in their zeal. It was with reference to
the Circular with his eye, perhaps, on the narrowness of our
requests for men, that Mr. Anderson said in his letter of
Apr. 11, 1833, "The churches are running before their M i
ssionaries in zeal for the conversion of the world," a sentence
obscure to some, and heterodox to others, but true it is to
be hoped, else what prospect that the world will ever be
converted.
It was remarked, as a reason why we should not ask for
more missionaries, that, with the blessing of God, we have
men enough now to save this nation. But whether the means
of salvation are so many and faithfully employed as to be.
followed by so great a blessing demands a doubt, especially
as little help can be expected, for a long time, from teachers
and preachers to be raised up here. The principal of the
High School gave it as his opinion that for many years little
efficient help in preaching could b e counted upon.
�2062
As it respects a division of our counsels by the multi
plication of our number, it will probably be an evil of much
the same nature with that wh. attends the increase of minis
ters & christians at home,-- an evil more than counterbalanced
by the safity found in a multitude of counsellors, the sharp
ening of each others faces, and the increased amount of piety,
prayer, and labor here, and an increase of prayer and contutritions offered for us at home. We cannot enlarge our
families and churches, nor could the early disciples become
thousands instead of hundreds, without ground for similar ap
prehension as to divided counsels, which we should feel, if
blessed with an addition of intelligent Christians, the light
of the world, & the salt of the earth.
Should the chiefs at any time object that our number is
too large, let them send us away as they did the catholics.
The world is wide enough and they could hardly set us down in
a wrong spot.— — But so far are they at present from opposing
the enlargement of your operations here, that several of them,
Kinau, Hoapiliwahine, Kek/auluohi, and Kanaina, when asked,
in the gen'r. meeting, how many missionaries they desired
for the different islands, gave us a number greater than the
mission itself had ventured to advise the Board to send;-—
so that even from this quarter, we are admonished to enlarge
our hearts and speak out, lest we be destroyed between the
pressure of the American Israel on one side and the Sandwich
Island Israel on the other, and deliverance break forth from
some other quarter.
It was objected that the mission further enlarged would
become a colony, and our offspring fill the land, and the
Sandwich Islanders become few or extinct. But our children
will be sent to America; if not, we hope they will do this
nation good and not evil. And if, in well doing, they in
crease, and do ill in the land and are fed; is the fault ours?
We are exiles here to save this nation for time and eternity,
& not to root out the inhabitants; and should God here--after he worshipped on these shores by our posterity it is
no objection to immediate & increased efforts to christianise
this nation. #
Besides, the islands are every year becoming more and
more the abode of white men, and will perhaps be filled with
them without the mission's assistance. I would not discourage
the pious from coming here, and from going elsewhere, but
exhort them, of all trades and professions to go and do good,
and be the blessed of the Lord and their offspring with them.
Otherwise the unprincipled will preoccupy every spot, render
ing it more difficult to save the contaminated natives; and if
the natives dwindle before them, and the the land be filled
with a foreign progeny, missionary exertions will still be
#
And should the descendants of the Pilgrims dwell here during the
millennium would they not sing as loud a song as the descendants
o f the Kam ehameha.
�2063
necessary in their behalf no less than in behalf of the
original savage inhabitants.
It seems, therefore, to be the policy of the church,
founded on the command of Christ, that good men of all sorts
go every where into all the world— to enlighten and save it.
There should be more running to and fro for the Kingdom of
God's sake. Men go almost every where for the sake of al
most every thing else. They are soomer at the lakes for
furs; and at Patagonia for seals; and in the Pacific for whales;
& in the Indies for pearls; than Christians are at the same
places to proclaim salvation. And the obligation, which
Christians generally feel to the dying nations, seems to
them discharged by contributing a few dollars or a few cents
to send forth here and there a clergyman, whom they regard
somewhat as the ancient Israelite, did their scape goats
carrying into the wilderness their sins;--- so easily do they
dispose of the guilt of neglecting a dying world.
In leaving our want of men, it may be proper to ob
serve, that though different opinions were expressed and de
fended, the meeting were almost unanimous in advising you
to send us the number proposed. The number, who think the
request too small, probably exceeds the number who think it
too large, A few only, four or five, so far as I know,
questioned the advisableness of calling on the churches fur
ther; and they, not because we do not need help, but because
others need help more;--- a point which may be decided quite
as well at Boston as at Honolulu.
The answers to the 'Circular' were prepared by different
members of the mission before the meeting, in which they were
read and altered till they became the voice of the body, and
generally the unanimous voice* There are some points per
haps on which you will gather as good a judgment from our
multudinous and multifarious letters as from any decision
of a general council, For instance, the mission are gen
erally pleased with the last (1833) Report of the Board
in reference to these Islands; they do not think the picture
too dark; and yet we could not have sent you a general let
ter from which you could have taken that picture. A circular
setting forth the state of this mission, its progress &e.
was drawn up at the meeting og 1833, with the intention of
printing it, but if failed, as did the answer of the 47th
question this year, and as it probably will next year. The
state of the mission will however be better understood by us,
and others who visit us. Most of the brethren have been here
but a little while, and the oldest only fifteen years. It is
not strange that we cannot see eye to eye. We hardly see
twice alike with our own eyes. What is true one month may not
�2064
be the next. We sk etch from different posts of observation,
and our pictures differ as theirs would who should take the
outline of an island from different stations, or on a ves
sel in motion, and the island itself moving also. Allow me
to say again , that differences of opinion among us should
not prevent the increase of our number; for while these dif
ferences produce little or no alienation of brotherly regard
and love, we weigh more thoroughly our opinions, and write
more carefully to the United States, since what is written
may meet there with antagonist letters, and what is printed
will return here to be tried in the balances of a larger
brotherhood. Furthermore, it is one of the trials of mission
ary life at these islands, that the number engaged in; any
one field
so small. Hence we have not the benefit of the
good example, conversation, watch, and counsel of the pious;
nor indeed are we rendered circumspect and diligent by those
who watch to find fault, and who are wiser in their genera
tion than the children of light. But we are constantly in
contact with a stupid population, who, with few exceptions,
know too little of religion either to love or hate;-— they
look only on the outward appearance, and if they find us free
from actual sin we pass among them of course for saints. Com
passion is in danger of being blunted by a constant survey
of distresses which it cannot even try to alleviate they are
so many; and zeal abated to find how slow the dawning light
of a nation shines more and more unto the perfect day.
But on the contrary our pride, and vanity, and selfconceit, and self importance and whatever else is indigenous
in a depraved heart finds here a congenial soil, and an at
mosphere grateful as the sea breeze; for the people from the
highest to the lowest have been disposed to regard us as their
oracles so far as we have spok en. #The attention and deference
paid us in times past were greater than at present, and even
in matters of government, on which we profess not to speak,
our opinion is apt to be gathered from our "expressive silence." It will be natural for us, who for years have not
endured contradiction, to feel that we are doubtless the
people and that wisdom will die with us.—
The readiness
with which our wishes have been met, os far as the natives
knew how to supply them in making hay buildings, and fur
nishing our tables with vegetables, fowl, and fish; savants
to cook, and wash, and brush away the flies, and milk the goats,
and rub our weary bones;— and when we travel by land, if we
say, "let there be a horse", and if by water, "let there be a
canoe", and the horse & canoe wait our will, with a company
to paddle the one, and to run before, and hold on to the tail
*Paragraph
�2065
of the other; these things are adapted to resemble us in our
spirits more to some eastern nabor or southern planter, or
Polynesian chief, than to the King of Zion meek and lowly.
And these acts of accommodation, which sound so pompous in the
rehearsal, are all so awkwardly, so imperfectly, so heathenishly performed, that patience is in danger of being fretted,
the sweet temper soured, and the amiable of becoming scolds.
If we preach a sermon with or without preparation, or the
same one many times, it will be, for the most part, esteemed
equally good, it is so little they actually understand; so
imperfectly that they discriminate between the better and
the worse, the precious and the vile. If we move slow we
are ahead of those who move more moderately; and it would be
strange if, in breathing the air of this,latitude, one should
not be disposed to slumber in body, intellect, & soul, as
were the Pilgrims of Bunyan on the Enchanted Ground, where
Hopeful was kept from sleeping only by the efforts of his
fellow traveller; so that they found that true which the wise
man saith, "Two are better than one". Two christian missionaries are also better than one, and ten than two, and a hun
dred than ten, whether they be in the Great valley, the
Islands of the Sea, or the Celestial empire; not only be
cause they will reflect more light on the heathen, but on each
other also. #You of course will not understand me to intimate
that your missionaries here are asleep, or idle, or selfsufficient, ar that they fail in any respect of being among
the chief of modern apostles. I mean to say that we are
placed in circumstances of trial, which would be in some mea
sure alleviated by an increase of our number. For to live in
a heathen country alone, or with two or three to constitute
the intelligent christian society in which, with the excep
tion of the gen. meeting, most of us move from year to year,
is to be placed in a situation of trial that we did not es
timate once as we now do, & one in which few of our friends
at home know how to sympathise with us. But it calls for
sympathy & relief.
It was a point of discussion in June, whether our general
meetings, which occupy us one or two months annually, and are
attended with expense in our passing from one island to another
ought not to diminished in frequency, recurring at intervals
of two or three years. We concluded quite unanimously that
at least one meeting is desirable, standing as it does to us
instead of associations, general assemblies, and society an
niversaries, and college and seminary commencements, and what
ever else of a general and interesting character brings men
Paragraph
�2066
together from Dan to Beersheba. We hope our 'bodily health
will be improved, our intellect sharpened, & our hearts en
larged, We hope, if it does not prevent, it will at least
retard, our sinking to the common level around us; and that
we shall perform as much missionary work and to as good
purpose, if a month of each year be spent together; especially
as question are every year arising among the members which
require the decision of the body.
In concluding this long letter, allow me to recommend,
as I did last year, that a deputation from the board visit us
to put us in remembrance.
That you regard with much favor all improvements in
travelling both in the directness of the route and the rapid
ity of movement, that intelligence may come and go quick,
and that missionaries may, without too much expense of time
and money, visit their native country to be refreshed, and
then return again.
We need also frequent addresses and letters from our
patrons and other devoted Christians to provoke us to love
and to good works.
We need many fervent prayers offered for us and for
this nation, that times of refreshing may come from the
presence of the L o r d .
And may they, who pray for us, feel, that their mission
aries are poor, weak, sinful, erring men, burdened with weight
and encompassed with obstacles in their labors; and that
these labors are performed among a people ignorant and de
based in past generations, and ignorant and debased now. A
people not to be laid down on moral charts as situated in
the neighborhood of heaven; but so far off in the ocean of
night that the first rays of salvation have but lately reached
them, in which few walk, the multitude groping their way still
in the thick darkness.
Let us not be weary in well doing; in due time we shall
reap if we faint not.
The Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make his
face to S hine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord
lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
With Christian affection,
Yours in the missionary work,
Reuben Tinker
�Rev. Reuben Tinker
Date Oct. 15, 1834
Rec’d July 3, 1835
Ack'd in G. L. Sep.1
6
A ns'd Sep. 18
f o r reference
�2068
68
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
23
Honolulu, Dec. 12, 1834
Secretaries of the A. B. C. F. M.
\
Rev. & Dear Sirs,
The answers to the
to the questions of theCircular are forwarded herewith, in
a small box which contains several copies of the Kumu Hawaii.
We have concluded not to send a duplicate of the answers
and of the general letter, it would take so much time to
write them, and it is bo seldom anything we send you fails
of reaching the Rooms} unless through miscarriage or other
reasons you should request it.
I hoped to have been able to send in connection withthe
answers a map of each island with the names of districts and
places mentioned in the answers; but cannot at present be
ing much occupied; and it may be unnecessary, for it was voted
that each station should send its own sketch and pictures.
A committe was appointed at the last meeting to write
to the Board for such books, as, in their opinion, are ad
visable either for individuals or for the public library.
Inclosed is a list for a few individuals.
A part of the mission are of opinion that a circulating
library at these islands is not practicable, we are situated
at such distances, and the communication so uncertain and
seldom. But this disadvantage attaches to other things as
well as to books. Articles of food and building materials
&c., are going and coming moderately from Hilo to
and though a circulating library at Philadelphia might meet
the wants of men at Portland, New Orleans and Detroit as
readily as one at Honolulu will our most distant stations,
it is not an inconvenience peculiar to the Library. We
might as well have no depository, because it is so far off
we cannot obtain tea & flour from it sooner than a man in
Massachusetts could be supplied from a store in the Southern
States. The fact is our movements generally require months
instead of days; as plan/ets far off from the centre demand
much time for a revolution. And the sum of the objections to
a circulating library amounts to this— It is better to have
the books we want always standing in o u r own private libraries
than to draw them from a public one,--- overlooking a question
you will be prone to ask "Whence shall w e obtain books that
�2069
each may have a full supply?
We print at present 2,000 copies of the Newspaper. It
is subscribed for by 150 or more in this place and vicinity;
but we have not learned from the stations generally how many
they will need. A part of the numbers will be bound at the
close of the year presuming that if not wanted now, it will
be hereafter.
The purpose of the foreign residents to publish a paper
is, I believe, relinquished.
It was proposed by the Newspaper Committeeof last Gen
eral meeting that a Magazine of perhaps 36 pages should be
issued quarterly at our press; but the resolution was stricken
out. Will you be so good as to express your opinion in
reference to it, as it may be up again hereafter.
I bought an iron patent pump last summer the responsi
bility of which Mr. Chamberlain did not then like to take on
him and I took it on myself. It is employed in my leisure
moments to refresh & beautify that portion of the mission
premises under my care; and if it strikes you favorably
please allow the agent to place it with the property of the
establishment. It cost $20,65.
I forward herewith an unsealed letter to the A. S. S.
Union.
As ever yours,
Tinker
Secretaries of the A. B. C. F. M .
Missionary Rooms, 28 Cornhill,
Boston, Massachusetts
Rev. Reuben Tinker
Date Dec. 12, 1834
Rec'd July 3, 1835
Ack'd in G . L. Sep. 16
Ans'd Sept. 18
Quarterly Magazine?
Iron patent pump?
Post-marked New London, Ct.
Jul 1 "Ship 52"
�2070
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
24
Honolulu, Dec’r. 22nd, 1834
Secretaries of the A.B. C. F. M.
Gentlemen,
The committee
appointed to write for books have decided to send the lists
as they received them from the brethren, leaving it with
you wholly to determine on the advisableness of sending
them; of which you can best judge, having by you, as we
suppose, lists of the libraries of the applicants.
Mr. Enerson
Encyclopaedia Americana.
Mr. Parker
Robinson’s Calm et
Smith & Dwight' s Researches
Village Hymns, 2 copies
Singing Book, Handel & Haydn
All of Gallandett's Works
M
r. Lyons
Bound Volumes of the Herald 1831, 32, 33, 34.
Stuart's Com. on Romans & Hebrews
The N ew Com. by Drs. Wisner & Jenks
A set of Mathematical Books
Mr. Armstrong
Gibbs large Hebrew Lexicon
Robinson's Calmet
Foster’s Works
Stuart' s Romans
Journals of the A. E. Society bound
Gallau det's Natural Theology and Picture Ex
plainer, and whatever else
he may publish.
A full copy of Colburn's Works
" "
"
" Peter Parley’s Works
1 copy of Church Psalmody
2 Village Hymns
Mr. Tinker
Herald bound 1830, 31, 32, 33, 34.
Armes Reaearches in Armenia by S. L. D.
�2071
The Committee on books desire me to add that the
Missionaries generally will need a good supply of children's
books, among which they highly esteem the works of Mr.
Gallaudet and Peter Parley.
They are aware how e v e r , that you are in a better
situation to determine what is best to be sent as new publica
tions for children are constantly appearing, and prefer
leaving the selection with you.
In behalf of the Committee,
Yours as ever,
Reuben Tinker, Librarian
Secretaries of the A . B . C. F. M .
Missionary Rooms, 28 Cornhill,
Boston, Massachusetts
Rev. Reuben Tinker
Date Decb. 22, 1834
Rec'd July 3, 1835
Ans'd Sep. 18
Books needed
Post-marked
Jul 1.
"Ship 14 1/2"
N ew London, Ct
�2072
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
25
Honolulu, Nov. 26, 1835
Rev. Mr. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
Your letter to Mr. Green and
myself by Brig Hardy & ship Hellespont, came to hand in
June, for which we thank you.
I wrote you a year since in reference to my removal from
Wailuku to this place, for the purpose of editing the KumuHawaii. The first volume is now nearly completed,---two
numbers only are wanting. The next volume is to commence
at the beginning of the year 1836, half the size of the
present. The mission at the last Gen'r Meeting thought the
paper too large.
Besides the time devoted to the KumuHawaii, I have com monly preached twice on the Sabbath in native at some neigh
boring post, 3,4 or 5 miles distant, and occasionally in
English to Mr. Diell's congregation. I have the care of a
weekly lecture in Eng. on Wednesday evenings for the mission
families and others who please to attend. A share of the
proof reading falls to me with some other miscellaneous
business,--so that I need not, unless I choose, stand any
of the day idle for lack of employment.
My health and that of my family is good. We have
three children. You had before the name and birth of the
oldest. The second is Joseph Emerson, Jan. 20, 1833. The
third Sarah Hills, Sep’r. 18, 1834.
I would not now write you a long letter, if I could,
for you will have a large mail by Doct. Chapin.
I have written some thoughts on missions, but in kindness
to the Secretaries, who have so many communications to read
I addressed them to one of the Prudential Committee Dr. Fay—
Perhaps he is now one of the Secretaries. We have not heard
who fills the place of Doct. Wisner. The Lord provide the
right one, and lengthen his days, and yours, and Mr. Greene's.
With kindest regards to your family and associates, I
am, Dr Sir, as ever,
Your affectionate and faithful,
friend,
Tinker
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Boston, Mass.
Ans’d July 21
Names of his children
Rev. Reuben Tinker
Dated Honolulu Nov. 26
1835
Rec'd May 7, 1836
Ack'd in G.L
.
June 18
�2073
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
26
Honolulu, Dec. 15, 1835
Sec. of the A. B. C. F . M.
Dear Sirs,
Mr. Hall, the
printer at this place, request the 100 l b s of Long Primer
be added to the fount of 700 lbs. ordered last July
Also
1 Pair Medium Chases
6 Pair of Cases
200 lbs R eal Double Pica with sorts proportioned to the
Hawaiian Alphabet, with Italic.
2 lbs. 2 line Minion Title Letter proportioned to the
Hawaiian Alphabet
2 lbs 2 line long Primer to fit the fount ordered pro
portioned to the Hawaiian Alphabet.
Yours in behalf of the print'g Com'tee
Reuben Tinker, Sec'y.
Secretaries of the A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms,
28 Cornhill, Boston, Mass.
Brig Maydaore
Capt. Lambert
Rev. Reuben Tinker
Dated Honolulu Dec. 15, 1835
Rec'd June 10, 1836
Ack'd June 15 inG
.
L.
Articles for print'g estab.
Ans'd July 21
*
�2074
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
27
Honolulu, May 3, 1836
Rev. R . Anderson,
My dear Brother;
Yours, dated September
18, 1835, reached me on the 21 ult, for which I am much
obliged. We are happy to hear from our friends, especially
those at the Rooms who counsel and sustain us in our labors.
My employments are such as to furnish few incidents to
communicate. Editing the paper, preaching at an out station
on the Sabbath, and sometimes in Eng. for M r . D iell; con
ducting a Wednesday evening meeting for the members of the
mission at this place, together with reading proof sheets,
looking after the public library, writing letters, with other
miscellaneous business, which falls to missionaries generally;
these occupy me from day to day, and week to week, as the
months and years pass rapidly away.
My health and that of my family is good, I am pleased
with my missionary work, which, if not the most agreeable in
itself, is so certainly in view of all the considerations
which should weigh with us to leave pur countr
y and kindred.
A good work, for which, we are sorry to hear, that few offer
themselves.
I have, at your suggestion, looked over the address, and
made a few corrections. I thought at first of adding con
siderably to it, but it is long enough now, and changing it
much would not consist with its being what it claims to be,
An Address delivered &c. Perhaps I shall, in some other form
and time write to the Young men who are strong &c. At present
I feel as much disposed to urge the gathers to become mis
sionaries as any class; and then again I fear it would be to
little purpose. One settled pastor has, I perceive, offered
his services, Mr. Eddy. I hope the Board willby no means
fail to do him, and the church, and the heathen the favor to
send him.
The Kumu Hawaii is attended with as much success, I
believe, as was expected. About 3000 copies of the first
volume were circulated. The second is half the size of the
first, as that was thought to be too large. About the same
number are distributed. It is used to some extent in schools,
and read more or less at their houses as other books are read
by such a people. Natives write more and more for it, and we
�2075
hope it may prove more and more useful as their intelligence
increases and also our skill in adapting it to their wants.
I was almost sorry that I said anything about the pump,
or having said what I did, that a little more was not added.
M r . Ch’n. had purchased one for himself with his own money,
and was of the opinion it would be the best made of obtaining
water. I was satisfied that it would be. Still it was not
certain from any long experiment. H e thought, moreover,
(knowing how a common stock community conducts) that if one
had an iron pump another night want one, who perhaps could
do without, and he was s little backward to start on a course
of which he could not see the end. This in the general was
prudent and well on his part, but as it did not meet my in
dividual wants, I became responsible myself. I know, and
feel, probably more than I should if I had not myself been
some years a merchant’s clerk, the difficulties of his work,
and the admirable manner in which he discharges it. H e is an
excellent man, and we do not expect to see his equal. H e
deserves and has the entire confidence of all who know him.
He does everything he can for our welfare, & that is a great
deal.
We forward you a box of publications. # The binding
entirely by the native workmen. We thank you for sending
us so many books. The care of the library falls to me. I
have devoted some time to it, and must a good deal more to
brush it up, ascertain as well as I can what books belong
to it, and publish a complete catalogue of them, which shall
be sent to you as soon as ready. You ask also after its
value. I do not know how we can tell you and yet I am glad
you inquire, glad to see any questions or schedule which
calls on us to take our reckoning, whether it respect our
Christian, intellectual or pecuniary progress and situation.
For we need all possible helps to keep in alive to our
accountability as stewards of God’s manifold grace and
the daily blessings of his common providence.
With much affection, your brother,
R. Tinker
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Massachusetts
Rev. Reuben Tinker
Dated Honolulu May 3,
1836
Rec’d Oct. 17, 1836
Ack'd in G. L. Dec. 5
m arked
copied
�2076
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
28
Honolulu, Dec’r. 1, 1836
Rev. Mr. Anderson;
Dear Brother;
I forward herewith a letter
to Dr. Edwards, and an article On parents sending their sons
to the Pacific for reformation, which you will look over if
you please and forward to him with any suggestions you may
have to make.
Also six letters, occasioned by a recent visit to K auai.
Others will follow, if I find time to write them. They are
addressed to Mr. Bullard, who has solicited from me some
thing for a work he is publishing. If, however, you should
think them better adapted to any other publication---please
make the necessary alterations, or if better not printed at
all, that willbe satisfactory;---and those which follow shall
be committed to you as in the present instance. The accom
panying letter to Mr. Bullard-— if you think it b
e s t to dis
pose of the letters otherwise— -may be destroyed. I would
not trouble you at all with this, only anything r especting
these islands and our work in them is due especially to the
Miss'y R ooms. I should, have addressed the letters directly
to yourself had I deemed them of a character adapted to the
Herald, or your individual information. # Since writing the
preceding I have been looking over Mr. Richards bag of letters
and I see you cannot have a moments time to look at my papers,
and will only request you to forward them.
M r. Parker, of the Rocky Mountains Mission has been with
us some months waiting an opportunity to sail for the United
States. We have been much gratified with his visit, though
he has been less so— owing tohis anxiety to return to the
country whence he came out. He has visited very little lest
in M s absence from Honolulu, a vessel should sail, so that
he has become less acquainted with the brethren, the stations,
and islands than he would otherwise have been; which we re
gret, both for his sake and ours, and the common cause. It
does us good to be visited by good men; and hoping that it
will do the churchs at home good also the be visited, Bro.
Richards is going to you. Of the general objects of his
agency all will appear from other sources. There is one
subject, however, on which I wish to say a word: Provision for
our children. If the mission is enlarged half as much as our
answers to yr. circular require, or if good familiar are added
�2077
to us on th e plan of colonizing &c., ought we not to educate
our children here? We shall soon have twelve, fifteen, or
twenty annually to send to the United States. You do not
need our children in America, but heathen lands need them.
True, our own is a better land,-- so it is a better one
for their fathers, but that is not a sufficient reason why we
should have continued h ere, or, being absent, should return.
Besides, sending home our children to be educated and converted
has a tendency to dimish our sense of obligation to instruct
them, and obtain for them, if I may so say, a new heart. They
will seldom be converted here, if, we feel that they must be
sent to America for that end, and if our offspring cannot be
converted here, why do we hope that the heathen will be? Be
sides, by sending children away families are broken up, the
bonds which should bind parents and children, brothers &
sisters, broken. It is a very unnatural course, and it deserves
serious consideration whether it will ong be the best thing
that can be done. At least, might we not have a public school
for them till they do go home? — I do not lay great stress
on the S. S. Academy at be Geo. Islands as discouraging the
establishment of something of the kind here; and the the. in
fluence of native society on their children was probably
greater than it need to have been.— — I cannot inlarge. You
will perhaps have some conversation with Mr. Richards on the
subject, and the best path be apparent by & bye; if the one
we are now taking be not the best; if it is, I have three
children who ought to be in America now.
The printing is stopped at present for want of paper and
I am occuped in reding, writing, and preaching, with mis
cellanies. Have been as remarked before at Kauai lately on
a visit. The Lord be with you dear brother and bless you,
and yr. family.
Yrs. truly
Tinker
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms,
Boston
Rev. Mr. Tinker
Dated Honolulu Ded. 1 ,
1836
Rec'd May 26/37
Ack ’d in G. L. J u l y 21
�2078
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
29
Hilo
Nov'r 9th 1832
Rev, Rufus Anderson
Dear Sir,
Your letter of May last to the
missionaries at these Islands was rec'd at Oahu forwarded
to Maui & from thence to this station on Hawaii where it
arrived the first of October. A short time after, a note
was rec'd at this station from Mr. Chamberlain, requesting us
to send a copy of the letter to Honolulu that the brethren
there might answer the inquiries in it by ships now returning
to America. The request arrived too late, for after a simple
perusal of the letter we had sent it tothe brethren on the
opposite side of the Islands. As it is therefore most cer
tain that you will not receive specific answers to all the
inquiries contained in your letter; I though it proper for me
to write toyou on those points which remain impressed upon
my mind from a simple perusal;--supposing that if others did
the same you would receive all the information for which
you ask.
On the reading of your letter I could not but be sen
sible of the painful conviction which I have before ex
pressed, that you suppose the work in which we are en
gaged father advanced than it really i s . From whence you
hav e rec'd too favourable an impression it is not difficult
to see. I n the first place it ought not to be expected that
you should realize to its full extent the degradation of
a heathen people. Nothing but personal acquaintance can
convey an adequate notion of the deplarable depth wh ere they
lie last to all that dignified & ennables human nature;
thought in the veriest infancy of its being; conscience
uninformed & its existence almost imperceptible; & vice
reigning uncontroled & almost unadmonished. It is not in
the power of language properly to represent their condition;
much less to exhibit, so as may be seen at one view, all
the changes which the Christian missionary aims to effect &
the difficulties attending their accomplishment. Trace the
history of the conversion of Great Britain from a state of
heathenism to that of enlightened christianity & you must
count the years by centuries before you find many valuable
changes effected. The distance is immense from the depth
of heathenism to the elavation of christianity; the
results to b e realized many & various before the high
�2079
& holy requisitions of the Bible shall have secured
even an imperfect obedience.
Another reason is presented in our disposition
to communicate & receive information that is favourable
rather than the opposite. And it may even have been
supposed by some that such information was m ore cal
culated than the reverse to enlist the prayers & call
forth the energies of the christian world & on that
account felt themselves justifiable in confining their
conmunications mostly to facts of a favourable kind.
But whatever motives have had an influence the fact is
obvious; that the favourable rather than the unfavourable
has been presented inthe letters of your missionaries &
that not for the reason that a darker picture might not
with more ease have been drawn. Such being the case
it is easy to see why the impression you have rec*d.
respecting the progress of Christianity in these Islands
should be too favourable. I had supposed that another
reason existed in the high coloured representations of
visitors; & cannot even now divert myself of the opinion,
notwithstanding a remark of the Prudential Committee
to the late reinforcement that "after the first occupation
of a field, the Committee depend for information respect.
ing it chiefly on their missionaries". By their mis
sionaries I suppose them to mean those who are actually
engaged in the field.
But it is not so essential that you know the
source from which you have received a too favourable im
pression as to be apprized of the fact that your views
are such. That such is the fact I have no doubt. My
own impressions were too favourable before reaching these
Islands. Such also were the views of those of the late
reinforcement with whom I have conversed on this point.
And from editorial remarks in the Missionary Herald,
from remarks in the printed instructions to the brethren
who sailed in the Averick, from remarks which I myself
heard in conversation, fromthe Prudential Committeee
while at Boston & N ew Bedford, fromremarks heard by mem
bers of the last reinforcement & especially from your
letter lately received, I cannot resist the conclusion
that your impressions also are too favourable.
You seem to think that there is a state of anxious
inquiry among the multitudes of this people respecting
the salvation of their souls ;— that they listen with
fixed attention to the instruction of the missionary
& with a readiness of mind to comply withhis advice; that
they are eager to obtain the whole volume of inspiration
& to inform themselves of its precious contents.
This can
�2080
b e said of only a choice few. With the thousands of this
people the state of things is quite the reverse.
There is a feature in the character of this people
which ought never to he forgotten. A n of this people ex
cept a very small number more enlightened than others, per
form almost every act out of regard to command not in obed
ience to the dictates of their own understand s . And what
else could he expected of thoughtless minds accustomed to a
species of tyrany the most oppressive from time immemorial?
What other motives should the people seek for than the com
mand of their chiefs whom they worshiped as gods? This
habit of acting out of respect to comm
a n d only, not in obed
ience to their own convictions of justness & propriety, is
so fixed that it is nearly if not quite impossible for
chiefs to give advice to their subjects. Advice is a strange
thing of which they have little or no conception. Therefore
when
in whose hand is the heart of kings & who turneth it
as the rivers of water are turned disposed the chiefs to
receive Christianity as the religion of the nation, & they
advised the people (as we say) to embrace it, their advice
amounted to nothing more or less in the minds of the multi
tude than an authorotative command.—
And whenever the
chiefs have exhorted the people to give attention to the
instruction ofthe missionaries, to listen to their admoni
tions, to attend upon the preaching of the ward & to schools,
their exhortations have not been regarded as mere advice but
as commands. Of appeals to their own understanding their
notions are the most vague & indistinct. A chief commands,
or advises.(if you prefer the term without the meaning) the
people obey. If it be to attend church, they attend; to study
the word of God in schools, they study it; to‘ purchase books,
they purchase them; to become religious, they put on the "form
of godliness."—
If he neglects to command, they sit in
indifference & inactivity. Such has been the condition of
this people & such in a great measure it continues to be.
And such being their state, what should we look for but much
of the form of godliness without its power. There can be no
doubt that much of the appearance of religion has been &
still continues to be of a specious kind; in some cases a
mere servile obedience to rulers, in other cases a sycophantic
crouching for favour. A fact which corroborates this state
ment is, that as the people become convinced that their chiefs
are not deities & begin in some measure to understand that
attention to the word of God is a matter of choice not of
compulsion, the congregation on the Sabbath decreases, schools
are more irregularly attended & the desire to obtain the
ward of God diminishes, and were it not for the redeeming
influence which through the grace of God we are enabled to
exert, the defection would be still more perceptible. I
�2081
design these remarks as of a general nature. They admit
of exception & qualification in the case of individuals &
of places according as different causes have had a counter
acting or modifying influence.
That there is a state of religious inquiry among a
certain class of this people is perhaps true; but that a state
of anxious solicitude on the subject of the souls salvation
has existed or does at present exist throughout these Islands
is very wide from the truth. And though at different stations
a more t
han usual attention to the subject of religion has at
times existed, yet the missionaries at none of the stations
profess to have witnessed in their congregations a state of
deep toned excitement. And the term revival applied without
qualification to these seasons of unusual attention & calculated
to mislead; for it answers not to the definition of that
term as used in our beloved land of revivals. A day of re
vivals such as your eyes behold is one for which we labour
& pray, not one over which we rejoice.
It is true that a certain class of the people give an
encouraging attention to our instructions & that a large
congregation crowds the house of God on the Sabbath; but
while we are cheered by the interest manifested in a few,
our hearts are also pained & sickened by the insensibility,
thoughtlessness & brutish stupidity of the multitude. The
greater part know not for what purpose they come together;
& would not have left their sleeping mats for the house of
God, were they not prompted by some other motive than a
desire to hear the word of God. And the respect which they
pay to us & the difference which they yield to our advice
is founded more on the fact that we are in favour with the
chiefs & are far superior to themselves, than because we are
the messengers of the Lord of Hosts & bear the tidings of
everlasting salvation.
In regard to the eagerness of this people to possess
the whole volume of inspiration it is by no means such as you
suppose in your letter. It can be said only of a very few
that they are eager to obtain the Scriptures. The great
body of the people seldom apply for books except when ad
monished to do so by their chiefs or teachers. And as I
somewhere mentioned in a former letter, when books are sold
articles of value are seldom exchanged for them. And I
might also mention that the geography, because it contains
some things pleasing meets with a m u
ch readier market than
the scripture. of eternal life. An instance occured a
few weeks since in the district of Puna which shows the
little value which many of the people place upon the Scrip
tures. A large school in which there are sixty readers re-
�2082
turned their books with one consent to their teacher, say
ing, that they wished no more to do withthe word of God,
that they chose to follow a certain jugler who had appeared
among them. The interposition of civil authority brought
them back tothe school & finished their leader. On the sub
ject of selling books furnished at the expense of the Bible
Society I need not write as you will see clearly the impractibility of so disposing of books from letterson the subject
of salary.---In regard to the progress which has been made in trans
lating the Scriptures into this language you have also a very
wrong impression. In the instructions of the Prudential
Committee to the last reinforcement I find the following par
agraph. "You will find the New Testament & part of the Old
translated intothe native tongue & arrangements made for
rendering the whole Bible into the Hawaiian language. Those
of you, therefore, who remain at the Sandwich Islands, will
not need to be translators of Gods word". And your letter
supposes the whole Bible nearly neady for the press & parts
of it sufficiently perfect for stereotyping. How you could
have formed such an opinion I shall not attempt to conjecture.
The whole of the N ew Testament is now in the hands of
the people but a reprint of it entire is deemed very unadvisable by the mission, until it shall have undergone a
thorough review; & as to a stereotype edition that is too
much
matter in prespect to be made a subject of actual
calculation.
Of the Old Testament, the first twenty three pslams
have been p rinted & parts of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus
& Joshua. As to assignments for translation, those printed
in the minutes of the general meeting*it was voted,
that it was inexpedient to make new assignments, as those
of the meeting previous remained unfinished. Instead
therefore of saying that the Bible is neatly translated
into the native tongue, it would be much more proper to
say that the great work of translating the Bible into the
Hawaiian language remains to be done. And instead of so
liciting aid to print the Bible in this language, you would
subserve the cause of God's word much more effectually by
obtaining assistance to furnish your missionaries with helps
in translation.
You must be aware that the circumstances of the mis
sionaries at these Islands are quite different from those
of missionaries in som e other fields. Dr. Morrison & Milne
precluded from direct labours among the people could trans
late the Bible in twelve years, but your missionaries here
* of 1831 still remain.
At our last general meeting
�2083
are not so situated. Pressed down withthe labours of preach
ing the gospel, taking care of be churches, teaching &
superintending school giving advise to numerous inquiries
&c. how should it be expected that your missionaries here
should make rapid progress in translating. Our labours sep
arate from translating are such as even those ministers
groan under who breathe the bracing atmosphere of more north
ern climes.
Besides the labour of preparing to become translators
from the original Scriptures is very great. At our last
general meeting, the committe on the inquiry suggested by
the Board, "In what manner can the Physiciansrender them
selves useful to the missionary cause in the highest degree"
laid it down as a general principle, that it cannot be ex
pected, men can prepare themselves for a new & distinct sphere
of action after they arrive on missionary ground. But if well
educated physicians cannot prepare themselves on missionary
ground to become preachers of the gospel, neither can minis
ters with the limited knowledge of Biblical Criticism which
they possess when they enter on the missionary work, pre
pare themselves to become thorough translators of the word
of God. Much less can they do this without the helps which
are usually afforded to the Biblical student,
I recalled the advice of the much lamented Mr. Evarts
that there should be more division of labour among the
missionaries at these Islands; that individuals should be
selected who should be released from other duties & should
devote themselves to the study of the original Scriptures
& to a translation of them into the language, I will not assume the responsibility of saying how far such a plan is
practicable. It is certainly more practicable now since the
mission has been so strongly reinforced than it was formly.
But I am not satisfied that the Brethren would deem such a
course expedient even were it practicable. It is sufficient for
me to state, that no such plan is adopted; that the circum
stances of no one admit of making much proficiency in the
original languages; & that of course translations must be
conducted slowly or else very imperfectly.
I did not intend to have written so long a letter but I
could not express my views more briefly without danger of
being misunderstood & if even now what I have written pos
sesses in the least an appearance of censariousness of ar
rogance or of melancholy, impute it not to my feelings but
to want of perspicuity in my language. Asking a continuance
of your prayers I subscribe myself
Y our missionary to the Heathen
Sheldon Dibble
�2084
P. S. In your letter brought by the reinforcement you re
quest a list of our private libraries. You will recollect
that I gave you a list of my library before leaving Boston.
S. D.
Rev. Sheldon Dibble
April 30, 1833
Actual state of the mission:-ought it not to be published?
Ack'd in Gen. Letter
Oct. 30
�2085
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
30
At a meeting of the Hawaiian Association in
Lahaina, June 10, 1833.
On motion, Voted, that Mr. Dibble be requested
to send to the American Board a copy of the Review read by
M m before this Association.
A true copy from the minutes.
Attest:
Reuben Tinker, Sec'y, protem.
Lahaina, June 21, 1833
Mr. Dibble's Strictures
on Rev. C. S. Stewart's "Visit
to the South Seas."
Rec'd April 15, 1834
Ack'd in G. Let. Sep 5/34
Ack'd Dec. 6
�2086
68
Sandwich Islands 1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
31
A review of the letters of the Rev. C. S. Stewart
respecting the Sandwich Islands contained in his book
entitled:
"A visit to the South Seas" &c.
In a recent publication of the Rev’d. C. S. Stewart en
titled: "A visit to the South Seas"&c, he has, as was expected,
written copiously respecting the Sandwich Islands, A description
from his pen of scenes in these islands was anticipated by many
with much pleasure:— not so by all.— These different expectations
were produced by the Journal of his residence in these islands.
Most who had read his Journal were ready to welcome the new pro
duction from his pen; but a certain class of his readers awaited its
publication with trembling solicitude. Those friends of the Re
deemer who had been eyewitnesses of scenes described & events nar
rated in the Journal, looked forward to a new & similar production
from the same author with painful & anxious emotions. These fears
of a few were not unfounded. On the appearance of the "Visit" it
was found to possess the image of the "Journal." And it remains
for us to mourn over the popularity of a work so ill adapted to the
end for which all books should be written, that of deseminating
light & truth thoughout the world.-The great evil likely to be produced by this publication
is an impression al
together too favourable respecting the progress
of Christianity on these still heathen shores.-This evil is greatly increased by the light in which the
author stands before the publick. In judging of representations
given by different individuals we are always governed by the
character which we had previously attributed to those individuals.
We by
means extend the same rules of interpretation alike to a
poetical description & a sober narration; to the dreams of a novelist & the serious statements of a philosopher; to the stories
of a voyager whose chief aim is to interest, amuse & astonish &
to the representations of one who traverses the globe &w r
ites
a journal professedly with a more serious & useful intention.
The character in which M r. Steward places himself before the world is
that of a minister of religion & a missionary of the cross of Christ.
N ow then will the publlck, at least, the christian part of it be
predisposed to judge of his productions? Surely in a manner con
sistent with the dignity & sacredness of his office. They will
make but little allowance for a lively fancy & a vivid imagina
tion & none at all for unworthy motives.— They will be slow to
suspect some insignificant thing set off with circumstance &
�2087
embellishment for the purpose of filling a page, or that any
scene is described in more glowing terms than the truth would
admit for the sak
e of rendering it more interesting. They will
expect in his book what they ought to have found, a statement
of facts & a description of scenes, conscientiously exact &
scrupulously guarded against every expression calculated to
mislead. The author must have been aware of the implicit con
fidence & entire credence with which the Christian publick
were strongly predisposed to receive his statements & cannot
therefore plead in extenuation of his error an ignorance of the
manner in which his writings would be interpreted.
I shall not attempt an examination of the descriptions
of natural scenery in which the author abounds. Sufficient time
has been spent in writing them; no more should be consumed in
discussing their merits.
I shall notice only some of those paragraphs in which
the author affects to communicate to the world important information.
In these paragraphs the author evidently seems inclined to dwell
upon th e favourable rather than the unfavourable, to speak of the
victory won in these islands than of the conquest yet to be achieved;
to portray in lively colours the changes which the preaching of the
cross has effected among this people, rather than to delineate the many
dark & sickening traits of their former character which still remain.
Everything of a bright & cheering aspect he has carefully noted &
as studiously avoided the mention of things of an opposite character.
Looking at the pleasing picture he has presented one would almost
imagine that every thing which met the eye at the Sandwich Islands
was lovely in its aspect & grateful to the pious heart. Should
another Journalist visit these shores & instead of describing the
brighter scenes which should meet his observation, present only
those of a dark & sickening character; instead of noticing the
acquisitions made on the side of virtue & godliness, should take
pains only to exhibit the immense distance between the present
degraded state of the people & that high standard of purity &
holiness which the gospel holds forth; instead of remarkings fav
ourable circumstances, should carefully note only those that were
dark & discouraging, he would present a gloomy picture indeed, but
one as true to nature & as worthy of confidence as that drawn by
the author of the visit to the South Seas. The two would be so
dissimilar as not to be recognized as representations of the same
people of the same age.— Two distinct impressions, the reverse of
each other & equally wide from the truth, would be produced upon
the publick mind. Happy the writer who shall avoid both these
extremes. He shall have our blessing & highest commendation.
The paragraph from M r. Stewarts letters which I shall first
notice are those description of an outpouring of the Spirit on
the island of Hawaii. Respecting the congregation at Hilo the author
writes: (See vol II p. 73 )
"I have gazed on many worshiping assemblies & of every variety
of characters from those formed of the high & the princely— with
a splendor & pageantry of train befitting the magnificence of the
�2088
cathedrals in which they bowed— to the humblest "two or three” who
ever came together at a place "where prayer is wont to be made."
I have listened with delighted attention to some of the highest elo
quence, the pulpits of America & England of the present day can boast
& have watched with sympathetic excitement the effect produced by it,
till all who heard were wrapt into an enthusiasm of high toned feel
ing, at the sublimity of the therne presented. I have seen tears of
conviction & of penitence flow freely even to the seeming breaking
of the heart under the sterner truth of the word of God; & not unfrequently too, have witnessed as the annunciation of "Peace— be of
good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee" , has fallen on the soul, smiles
of hope & joy, such as would adorn an angels brow, rapidly take their
place. But it was left for a worshiping assembly at Hilo, the most
obscure corner of these distant islands, to excite the liveliest
emotions ever experienced & leave the deepest impressions of the ex
tent Sc unsearchable riches of the gospel, which I have ever known—
emotions Sc impressions derived simply from an ocular demonstration
of the power of the word of God on untutored man which is without a
parallel in existing events, if not in the records of history. It
seemed, even while I gazed, that the majectic of the power might be
seen rising & erecting to itself a throne, permanent as glorious, in
the hearts of these, but late utterly benighted & deeply polluted people.
And when I compared them, as they had once been known to me & as they
now appeared, the change seemed the effect of a mandate scarce less
mighty in its power or speedy in its result than that exhibited when
it was said: "Let there be light— & there was light." The depth of
the impression arose from the irresistible conviction that the
Spirit of God was there; it could have been nothing else.......... The
breathless silence, the eager attention, the half suppressed sigh,
the tear, the various feeling, sad, peaceful, joyous— discoverable
in the faces of many— all spoke the presence or an invisible but
omnipotent power, the power that can alone melt & renew the heart
of man, even as it alone first brought it into existence. It was,
in a word, a heathen congregation laying hold on the hopes of eternity
a heathen congregation, fully sensible of the darkness & despair of
their original state, exalting in the first beams of truth & in the
no uncertain dawning of the sun of righteousness: thirsting after
knowledge, even while they sweetly drank of the waters of life; is
under the reviving & inspiring influence by every look, expressing
the heartfelt truth-— "Beautiful on the mountains are the feet of
him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth salvation!-— —
From the thousands present I might select many individuals whose
appearance was such as to stamp these impressions indelibly on my
heart.”
�2089
Here follows a very picturesque description of an elderly
female, listening with "
, attention &" sinking before her
God in tears of gratitude & of joy." That the description of
her is Just can neither be affirmed nor denied as she has nev
er been known to the mission.—
In the above extract, let the following expressions be
carefully noted: "the power of the word of God on untutored
man, which is without a parallel in existing events, if not
in the records of history":— "The breathless silence, the
eager attention, the half suppressed sigh, the tear, the
various feeling, sad, peaceful, joyous:"--- a heathen con
gregation fully sensible of the darkness & despair of their
original state, exulting in the first beams of truth......
thirsting after knowledge."— Now what is here described but a powerful revival of
religion, or perhaps more nearly the authors sentiment, a
new & more glorious era in the dispensations of the Spirit-—
a power from on high before unparalleled. This revival, it
would seem from the following paragraph/written on the op
posite side of the island, was not confined tothe district
of Hilo.---- (See vol II p. 194)
"Such is the interest & excitement on the subject of
religion & of personal piety along the whole coast & over
a good portion of the island, that Mr. & Mrs. Thurston as
sured me it was literally true that they were denied the
ordinary hours of sleep & eating, by the visit of persons
demanding instruction in the way of salvation. Numbers
daily crowded their premises for this purpose, not only
from their immediate neighborhood, but from regions at a
distance—
parties traveling on
many weary miles &
carrying their food with them, to supply their wants while
encamped for a few days, or even for a few hours near the
mission house, their only business the monotonous inquiry:
"What shall we do to be saved"
Far be it from me to withhold from the Holy Spirit that
praise which is his due.-- All the desirable changes that have
been effected in these isles of the Seas let us thankfully
ascribe to his influences.--His power has been exerted upon
the chiefs, restraining them in times past from measures op
posed to the interests of Christianity, leading them in the ir
public acts & external behaviour to favour the progress of
truth & piety & in some cases it is
hoped & confidently
believed, renewing & sanctifying the heart. Neither is it to
be doubted that the Spirit of God, even previous to the visit
of Mr. Stewart to these islands had been sometimes present in
the congregations, producing in numbers an attentiveness &
seriousness of department & in a few cases at least convicting
of sin & leading to the Saviour.—
But so far from experiencing
such an abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the above ex-
�2090
tracts represent, these islands had never been visited,
in any partof them, with such a refreshing from on high as
might properly be called a powerful revival. Such an ex
pression as used In the United States embraces more in its
signification than had ever been witnessed on these shares.
There had been no time of general anxiety & distress for sin
on the island of Hawaii. A few individuals it is hoped, had
seen their last condition & fled to Christ for salvation, but
they were as so many grains of sand on the sea shore, bearing
no proportion to the multitude. A few others were seriously
inquiring the way of life, but they too compared with the
whole population, were but so many drops of the ocean. The
mass of the people experienced a shock at the change of
their gods f
o r the Great Jehovah & of their superstitious
rites for the services of Christianity; were arrested for
a time in their sinful courses & stood aghast at the mighty
revolution which was effected, but soon recovering from their
amazement, they manifested that they were then as now lying
in the ignorance, apathy & Unconcern of heathenism; influenced
more by such motives as control the brute creation than by
those which act upon the reason & conscience; exhibiting
vastly more eagerness for a calabash of poi & a basket of
fish than for the word of God & evidently showing a greater
concern for the loss of these articles of food than for the
loss of their souls. They lie in beastly stupidity, un
moved by the threats or the offers of the Gospel, lounging
upon their mats with an unmeaning & thoughtless gaze &
ready upon the removal of civil restraint & the presentation
of any considerable inducement to their carnal appetite to turn
anew to the worship of idols 3c the practice of superstitious
rites.
From the last of the extracts quoted above, it will
be perceived that a principal circumstance relied upon as
evidence of the outpouring of the Spirit of God on the
island of Hawaii was the crowding of the people from for
& nearto the houses of the missionaries. The author supposes
the object of their coming to have been seriously to enquire
the way of salvation. That this was the object of a few who
came cannot be doubted, but a remark or two will have that
the multitude were prompted by anything else than distress
of mind or deep anxiety on the subject of their souls sal
vation.
It was no uncommon circumstance for a company of men
living at a distance to assemble together & announce their
intention of visiting the missionary, not, let it be not
iced for the object of gaining instruction but for the pur
pose of telllng a thought. Upon the annunciation of this
intention one of the company would furnish his more ignorant
companions with a sentence or two, which they committed to
memory 3c then marched off to relate it to the missionary,
or if he was not accessible to a member of the church.
�2091
If upon their arrival one of their number had forgotten a
part of his thought his companion of more retentive memory
would secretly prompt him. After they had obtained a hear
ing, they would return to their places of residence in all
the ignorance, apathy & brute stupidity with which they came,
but with something of the same self-satisfaction as pilgrims
feel on their return from Jerusalem.—
Some time since a false prophetess arose in the dis
trict of Puna & the people from all quarters flocked around
her to tell their thoughts, exhibiting something of the
same seriousness on their approach & the same satisfaction
on their departure as when visiting the missionary of the
cross of Christ.
During the present year a member of my congregation
gave pleasing evidence of being born of the Spirit. A
worthy member of the church, named Bartimea, after hearing
him give a relation of his feelings, advised him not to
communicate the exercises of his mind, lest all the people
should commit his narration to memory & flock about the
missionary to tell it as their own experience.
This rage for telling thoughts has not been confined
to any one station, but has existed through/out the islands,
to be attended with so little good & so much
evil, that it is discouraged by all the missionaries so far
as it can be done without turning away serious inquirers.
Respecting the extraordinary appearances in the congre
gation at Hilo which to the mind of Mr. Stewart could indi
cate nothing else than the overwhelming influences of the
Holy Spirit, I cannot write very deffinitely as I was not
an eyewitness.— I have endeavored to collect information
respecting that period but am still utterly unable to account
for that exstacy of feeling produced in the author’s mind
which led him to write so glowingly. Such an unparalleled
effusion of the Holy Spirit as he represents should have been
attended with abundant fruits that might be seen at the pres
ent time. During a work so powerful a multitude should have
been born again. But instead of a multitude only a few in
dividuals can be found & some of them of doubtful character
who profess to have realized a change of heart near that
period.
I am inclined to spread the mantle of charity over
Mr. Stewarts representations & make it cover as much as it
can. I can readily c o n ceive that he was surprised & aston
ished at the change which had taken place in these islands
during the few years of his abscence. The suspicion with
which the people formerly regarded the missionary & the re
ligion which he taught had in a great measure ceased to be
felt. Publick sentiment had changed & the curren/t ran
strong in favour of Christianity. And in consequence of
this change an external respect was paid to religion truly
astonishing. A reflecting beholder however could not have
�2092
failed to discover that a respect based on so fickle a
foundation as the publick opinion of a dark, benighted,
thoughtless, heathen people was destined to diminish &
even to a mere ephemeral existence, unless prevented by
the most strenuous efforts of the missionary aided by the
interposition of the Almighty.
But to a person not thus
reflecting, the universal respect paid to the externals
of religion, m u s t certainly have been very imposing.—
The sight of thousands assembled in the house of God &
apparently engaged in his worship might produce an impression
on the mind of a visitor which a more thorough acquaintance
would correct. His mind night be wrought into an enthusiasm
of feeling whilst the same congregation to one who was inti
mately acquainted with it would present more to sicken & to
grieve the sou l than to cheer & enliven it. Whilst borne
away by this enthusiasm of feeling he might notice an attentive
eye an eager look & a falling tear, though a sober observer
would more naturally remark a thousand vacant expressions &
hundreds more indicative of nothing better than the form
of religion without its power. This is all the excuse I
have been enabled to frame & if it appear to be "a covering
narrower than that one can wrap himself in it, " it is so
from the necessity of the case not from an unwillingness of
mine that it should be wider.
F rom all that I can learn the congregation at Hilo at
the period of M r . Stewart's visit possessed in reality little
more to interest than at the present time. Though the as
sembly then was larger than now & apparently more attentive
& serious, yet there is reason to believe that the solemnity
& interest were in a great measure of a specious character.
The people at present are far from being "fully sensible of
the darkness & despair of their original state." Such an
assertion so far from being true of the whole congregation is
applicable only in a qualified sense to the most hopeful mem
bers of the church.
Of this chosen few it may be said that
they appear in some measure sensible of their lost condition
by nature & of the deep degradation of their heathen state.
To this number also with a few additions perhaps the expres
sion should be restricted, "thirsting for knowledge.” It
may be said of some hundred that they are in some degree de
sirous of instruction but they possess not that strong de
sire which is expressed by the term "thirsting."— This class
of persons are constant attendants at the house of G od & lis
ten with some interest tothe preaching of the Gospel; but it
would be more than the truth to assert that their attention
is "riveted" upon the preachers or that they manifest an
"eagerness" for divine truth.
In respect to the multitude
who come to the house of worship nothing can be more dis
tressing & sickening to the soul of the true Christian than
the aspect which they exhibit. Some may be seen gazing about
with a vacant stare indicative of a thoughtlessness & stupidity scarcely above that of the brute others may be observed bowed down in sleep, & others still leaving the house much
�2093
to the disturbance of the congregation.
It would be far too
much to say that they listen with attention or seem desirous
of the word of life.
much at variance with these remarks but in character
with his own glowing description is the following passage of
Stewart respecting Hilo & its vicinity.
(See vol II p . 110)
"The inhabitants of this section of Hawaii, as I have before
remarked, are among the most primitive & rude of the islanders,
still they are no longer a pagan population, but, from every
observation that our ships company have been able to make,
strictly & most conspicuously a Christian people."
Very similar to this remark is another respecting Lahaina.
(see vol II p. 162)
"Peace, order, gratitude & external good morals alone,
now characterize the settlement, & in every aspect & developement of character, the inhabitants of Lahaina are decidedly
& interestingly a Christian people."
Such broad assertion as these are evidently calculated
to mislead.
It is not only affirmed that Christianity had
become professedly the religion of this nation; that the
people attended upon the instruction of the missionary,
were learning to read the sacred scriptures & that the chiefs
enforced the prohibitions of the Holy decalogue against im
morality. Much more is asserted. Even that the benign in
fluence of the Christian religion had been already so deeply
felt as to produce an entire change in the whole appearance
of society, had powerfully wrought upon the whole moral con
stitutions, & effected so wonderful a transformation as to
render the population,in every aspect & d e v e l o p m e n t , of char
acter " worthy of the appellation of a Christian people.
Language can scarcely express how far this sentiment is from
the truth.
Such a change, without a more powerful operation of the
Holy Spirit than the history of the church has yet exhibited
must be the work of centuries.
I have already remarked in r e
spect to the great body of the people that they are still bound
in the sleep of ages, the enervating influence of which has
reduced their intellects to the capacity of a child & strang e l y
bewildered the operations of conscience.
The gospel has done
but little as yet to awaken their moral sense.
In respect
to thought & conscience therefore, most prominent features of
character, can the Sandwich Islanders be termed a christian
people? Surely they exhibit the imbecility, ignorance,
brute s t u p d i t y & wild conception of a heathen state.—
Another striking feature of a Christian people is the
order, subjection, affectionate behaviour & tender interest
of the family circle. The effect which the Christian religion
exerts upon families is one of its choicest ornaments & the
people whose domestic circles do not exhibit this happy in
fluence merely cannot claim the name of Christian. That
domestic happiness has been very much promoted among the
inhabitants of these islands by the introduction of Chris t
�2094
ianity, admits of no doubt. The change is very apparent
not only in those families where the regenerating influences
of the Holy Spirit have been felt, but also in others where
Christian knowledge has been imparted. A beneficial effect
also is exerted upon thewhole mass of the people by the
Christian law of marriage & by the punishment of licentious
ness. But, though a pleasing change has been produced, still
the condition of families among this people with a very few
exception s is so deplorable that a person of refinement &
sensibility must sicken at the sight & turn away in disgust.
Family government is almost entirely unknown. Children are
born & grow up much /lik e the beasts of the forest. Parents
feel little or no obligation to train up their offspring in
the fear of the Lord & possess still less competence than wil
lingness for so aduous a task. They have no just notion of
what is expressed by the term education. The mind, heart &
disposition of children are entirely disregarded Sc so little
care la taken even of their bodies that most of them find
an infants grave.— It is almost as common now as formerly
for a mother to give away her child soon after its birth
to a relative or a friend & thenceforth to release her
self from all care of it .
If the child is so robust as to
attain to years of manhood, he will possess some affection
for the persons who tended him, but his real parents will
be justly repaid with coldness & indifference. Parents
are very rarely seen surrounded by their offspring & even
where it is the case, it is oftener for want of friends who
are willing to take care of their children than from any un
common affection of their own towards them.
It is impossible to conjecture who are husbands & wives
parents Sc children from their appearance as assembled on the
Sabbath or at any other time, walking the streets or visiting
our houses. Nothing of that courtesy or attention is shown
to each other by persons most intimately related which is
every where so observable & conspicuous among a christian
population.
The houses, dress & manner of eating & sleeping among
the great body of the people are much the same as before
the arrival of the first reinforcement to this mission. A
pleasing improvement is observable among the higher orders
of society & among the better informed portion of the com
mon people, but the great mass of the community exhibit
in their mode of life much the appearance of their ancestors
Scarcely any attention to cleanliness is exhibited in about
their dwellings & as little regard to propriety & decency.
Most houses are unfurnished with proper partitions or screens
Large families of both sexes, lounge & sleep in one depart
ment & in some cases upon one mat.— Men may be seen still
at almost every turn with nothing on them but the malo It
women with simply the pau.
�2095
The advancement which the great mass of the people have
made in the departments of civilisation & refinement
certainly ought not to be judged of from the improved—
dwellings, dress & manners of the nobility or from the appearance of a few of the more intelligent & better informed
of the common people.— Yet it may be fairly conjectured if
not plainly infered from the following sentence of Mr.
Stewart, that he formed his estimation simply from a re
ception at the palace of the king. (See vol. II p. 132)
"The officers expressed themselves astonished at the
reception & seemed half disposed to charge me with having
deceived them in the representation I had made both in my
published account & in private conversations— of the state
of advancement among the people. On disavowing this &
expressing the surprise I had myself experienced, notwith
standing my knowledge of their state only four years ago—
they replied that the truth then must be, which is un
questionably the fact that the reports given of the people
by the missionaries & by visitors, have by no means kept
pace with the rapid strides making by them, in the various
departments of civilization & refinement."—
The supposition whould be too preposterous to be for a
moment admitted that the opinion expressed in this extract
was the result of a careful examination through the different
grades of society. The sentence seems to have been written
immediately after a formal introduction to the king & higher
chiefs. And the conjecture m ost favourable to the author
that can be made is that he formed his judgment simply from
appearances at that reception. Had he borned in mind the
naked rabble by whom he & his companions were annoyed from
the place of their landing till they reached the gate of the
palace, or had he remarked as he passed through the street
& looked into the miserable habitations on his right hand
& on his left, the filthy & squalid appearance of an in
dolent population lounging on their mats, surely he would
not have expressed the sentiment contained in the extract
just quoted. But nothing can be more absurd than to judge
of the civilization & refinement of the whole population
from the appearance of the chiefs convened to receive in a
formal manner a visit from strangers. With quite as much
propriety an estimation might be made of the state of the
people from some dens & caves of the earth to be seen
ontheseislands,whichbeingstrewedwithgrass&closedattheentrancebyamatconstitutedthecommonhabitations
of the brute & human species.
Had Mr. Stewart instead of confining his observation
to the more improved part of the population, carefully noticed
all the portions of the community, he certainly must have been
convinced that the advance of the people in civilization &
�2096
refinement was far from being rapid, & that their appearance
in this respect instead of being decidedly & conspicuously
Christian was obviously 8c lamentable heathen.
The family altar is a very prominent 8c interesting spec
tacle among a Christian population. This spectacle is exhibi
ted upon these islands in a few instances in all its love
liness & heavenly character. But these instances are very few
indeed. I have before remarked that parents seldom take care
of their own offspring. Of course the family altar, if family
altar it may be called, the children being absent, is de
prived of half its interest 8c loveliness. It can rarely be
said that "the father with his offspring dear bends the knee
to God." Most families throughout the islands offer up a form of
prayer both morning & evening, but with a few exceptions, it
is simply & emphatically a form of devotion. In most cases
the reading of the scriptures & the song of praise are neglected.
The father at some convenient moment drops upon his knees,
chatters awhile like the swallow & rises up with something of
the same self-satisfaction & idea of meritoriousness as is felt
by one who pays his morning & evening arisons at the feet of the
virgin Mary.
It would be tedious to examine all of the more prominent
feature of the condition of these Islanders. Sufficient has
been said to show that they are far from being “in every as
pect & developement of character decidedly & interestingly a
Christian people." With more propriety they may be termed
still a heathen population.—
Entertaining the views which I have advanced of the pre
sent state of the inhabitants of these islands I cannot re
frain from expressing my astonishment & disgust at the follow
ing sentiment. (See vol I p. 170 8c 171)
......"Let but a few such visits as that of the Vincennes be
made to her distant shares a few such documents as that of Mr.
Southard be placed in the hands of h e r rulers, & a few such
friends as Captain F inch impart to them his enlightened views
& important counsels in reference to their municipal enact
ments, commercial engagements 8c political relations & the
captivity of Hawaii will not only be high, but fully to an
end"!
Were I to express my opinion of the great thing needed in
addition to the means now used for delivering the inhabitants
of Hawaii from the thraldom in which they are held, I should
name not another visit of the Vincennes, not another document
like that of Mr. Southard, not the advice of such friends as
Captain F inch, but the outpouring of the Spirit of God. I
would say to the people of these islands: "If the Son shall
make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
But besides the solicitude arising from the conviction
that a too favourable impression is made on the public of the
progress of Christianity among this heathen population, other
emotions scarcely less painful must be forced upon the pious
�2097
mind by almost every page of Mr. Stewart's letters. The general
character of the book must excite emotions of concern other than
those felt for the cause of light & truth; even an anxiety & sol
icitude for the individual welfare of the writers soul.-- "Out
of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." We have no better
means in this life of forming an opinion respecting the disposition
of a man’s soul than his conversation & writings. And were I an
intimate friend of the author of the "Visit to the South Seas",
I should feel myself called, in the performance of one of the most
painful duties of Christian fidelity towards him to use something
like the following address.
My dear friend, since the perusal of your book I have had
much anxiety on your behalf. The impression left on my mind re
specting the state of your soul with God, is, to say the least,
truly alarming. So fa r from perceiving in your writings the traces
of a heavenly mind, (I must state the fact however painful) I was
at a loss to recognize the least evidence of vital piety.-- Can
it be that you hold intimate communion with your Heavenly Father
or partake in any measure of spiritual communications from on
high S t yet stamp on your writings no more marks of humble, de
voted Sc Christian feeling. Whilst reading your book I could not
force myself to believe that the writer was a sober grave, devoted
missionary pursuing with fixed Sc undiverted attention the sal
vation of souls & the glory of his Redeemer. I searched but in
vain for the garment of humility, the spirit of prayer, a conscientious
devotement of time & strength to the duties of his sacred office,
proper endeavours to introduce the doctrines of the cross as a
subject of conversation in the circles in which he moved; some
evidence of whatever cast or complexion that the author had a
common interest with Christ & soared in his conceptions & desires
to the glory of his God.— But unwelcome as was the idea, I could
not divert myself, of it, that the author if a servant of Christ,
had become far too unmindful of his heavenly occupation, had contracted
an exquisite fondness for the fashions & recreations of the polite
world, Sc wrote more to amuse than to benefit, more to captivate than
to save the soul. You seem to be more entertained by that which
strikes the eye of fancy than by that which commends itself to
the heart of the pious; more engrossed in the contemplation of
natural scenery, external appearance of the people, princely equip
age Sc display, than in adoring views of the Son of God Sc careful
observation of the advancement of his kingdom; better acquainted
with the evolutions of a sumptuous entertainment & the minu tiae of
a lady’s toilet, than with the secrets of a Saviours love & the
peculiar manifestations of his presence. Were you favoured with
intimate communion with the Redeemer of souls, could you at his
sacramental table descend so low as to "notice with satisfaction"
& describe with minuteness "the singular propriety of a females
dress" (p. 191) In short such is the cast & complexion of y o u r
back, standing out in bold relief before the minds of your readers,
�2098
that a correspondent of mine in America, much predisposed in your
favour, cannot repress his astonishment at what he terms a "let
ting down of pious feeling."
An address something like this Christian fidelity would most
certainly demand & a deep concern for the immortal interests
of a friend would most readily prompt.
But the reputation of the author for piety, Christian devotedness,
& love of truth cannot suffer alone. If "one member" of the body
"suffer, all the members suffer with it." The low standard of piety
& undue colouring of facts which his back exhibits will be at
tributed by many to all missionaries of the cross, & even the more
discriminating class of the Christian community will insensibly
& though with a direct intention to the contrary, lose their
high estimation of the heralds of salvation to heathen lands, less
implic ity assent to their statements, & not without some abatement
credit their descriptions & representations.
Surely, Brethren, we have occasion for fearfulness & trem
bling. A cloud hangs upon pur prospects. For the confidence of
the Christian community in our reports must be lessened, their
prayers of which we stand in perishing need at this moment be
wanting in earnestness & importunity, & their high raised hopes,
unless God prevent by speed & powerful outpourings of his spirit,
be succeeded by a painful & chilly disappointment.— - —
�2099
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
32
\
Lahaina
June 20th 1833
Revd. Rufus Anderson
Very dear Sir
In your letter to us dated Novr.
16th 1831 the inquiry was instituted: "How many missionaries
ought to he placed on the Sandwich Islands"? This inquiry came
before us at our meeting in June 1832. Notwithstanding the
difficulty of furnishing an answer to the question, yet we
hazarded a few general statements on the minutes of our meeting which
ere this time you have probably seen. A committe was also appointed
to give you more full information on the subject whose letter of
July 10th 1832 we hope you have received.
But some additional light during the past year has been thrown
upon this subject which we feel it our duty to communicate.
At bur meeting a year ago the subject of establishing a
mission on the Washington Islands was involved in such difficulties
that we rather expected that the brethren designated for that
field would take up their residence upon these shores. The clouds
& mist which observed the prospects of that mission have in part
broken away & three of our number with their wives & little ones
are about to embark on a message of m ercy to those wild & benighted
Islanders. Should these brethren find the way hedged up before
them & deem it expedient to return to this field, the weakness
of some of our posts will be relieved.
But it is not only our prayer but fond expectation that they
will find the door open before them, or that a lest no inseparable
obstacle will lie in the way of their planting the standard of
the cross upon those isles of darkness & of the shadow of death.—
The remaining two missionaries not locate, Mr. Tinker & Mr.
Smith, have been stationed this present session, the former at
Wailuku on Maui & the latter on Malokai. The physician, Dr. Chapin,
has been located for the present at Lahaina.-— The location of
these brethren was attended with much difficulty, not on account
of any predilections of their own, but on account of the numerous
claims of almost equal urgency from different portions of the field.
The wants of the different islands have been fully & distinctly
placed before you by the Committee appointed for that purpose the
last year.
The call from Kauai was then loud but is now still louder,
since God in his providence has withered in some measure the ener
gies of his servants there & obliged them frequently to look upon
�2100
32
the multitudes perishing for lack of knowledge with a mere
silent compassion. Mr. Whitney is prevented from preaching
except occasionally by the state of h is lungs & Mr. Gulick is
now on his way to Hawaii for the benifit o f his health where
he will probably remain for number
a
of months.
The wants of Oahu are as pressing as they were last
yearexcept that the brethren at Honolulu feel themselves re
lieved from a part of their cares by the arrival of the Seamen's
preacher.
The station of Kaawaloa is weakened by the increasing
illness of Mr. Ruggles which has almost entirely laid him aside
from active labour . The district of Kau which is attached to
this station, but far remote & di f f i c u lt access still re
mains a moral heath upon which scarcely a ny rain or dew descends.
The three districts of Kohala, Hamakua & Waimea are
still on the hands of the two brethren located at the latter
place. Their field is so large & most of the people so far
distant from the place of their residence that their influence
over the people is small compared with what it might be were their
exertions concentrated upon a more limited space. They earnestly
desire that Kohala the district most distant from them, night
be taken off their hands. In this district there are a bout
8,000 souls. A large meeting house is in readiness & a dwelling
house for a missionary nearly completed. The climate is cool
& invigorating. A station at this place would be of easy access
by means of small vessels which can anchor here in pleasant
weather & without departing much from their course in visiting
Hilo or Kawaihae. Supplies could be brought also from Kawaihae
bay to this place by means of a canoe of boat. It seems desirable that a station should be taken here by two men without
much delay.
The station at Hilo being the only one which can be
conveniently taken on the Eastern side of Hawaii, being at the
centre of influence on that side of the island & at a port fre
quented by foreign ships as well as by native vessels, deserves
to be maintained with more than its present strength. The preach
ing at the station, at the two outposts connected with it, at
at other convenient places in the region & to seamen when in
port; the care of the church, superintendance of schools, teach
ing of station schools & attention to the sick, are labours which
require the time & strength of at least three men. Mr. Goodrich
has not been able to render much assistance during the past
years & you will perceive from our minutes at this session, the
appointment of a committee to correspond with him respecting a
return to America. In ease of such an event no will exist in re
spect to the propriety of stationing another labourer at Hilo.
�2101
What now is true in fact will then be so in appearance ..
The High School in order to answer in any consider
able degree the expectations originally indulged respecting it
must have an additional instructor. The High School is an ex
periment & our hopes in respect to it might be disappointed,
even were twoindivlduals instead of one devoted to its interests.
But, in like manner it may be said of many of our operations on
heathens ground that they are experiments the success or failure
of which time must determine. With careful deliberation & much
prayer we must lay our plans & rely solely on the smiles of
Heaven for their success. We are unw illing to relinquish the
hope, not withstanding the discouragements which present themselves, that the school which we have founded with much anxiety
& prayers to God, shall experience his fostering care & prove
to be what its friends desire a rich blessing to these islands.
Fondly indulging such hopes, we would enter the claims of the
High School for an additional labourer. We would,however, take
the liberty to suggest, that no individual should be sent forth
especially designed for the High School, nor indeed in reference
to any station in particular which we have mentioned.
It may affect the subject of our present & future wants
to state that the time is very far distant, if indeed it shall
ever arrive, when Hawaiian youth shall be qualified for the re
sponsible office of preaching the gospet to their country men.
Fo r very many years to come & the Lord only knows how long, this
people must be supplied with ministers from Christian lands.
On this point hopes perhaps exist in your minds which will never
be realised, & which may lead you to make very erroneous calcula
tions .
It ought also to be remarked that on account of the
unfavourable aspect of political affairs & for other causes of
which you will be particularly informed in our general letter
& circular, our mode or operation is likely to be more circum
scribed & our influence in a great measure limited to the neigh
borhood of our personal exertions. If such shall be the result,
it will be clearly seen, that though the door of usefulness may
still be perfectly open before us,yet that our present number
will be a far more inadequate supply than has been formerly sup
posed.
In what manner additional labourers would be received
by the King & chiefs we would not venture to predict. Neither
can we express any opinion of the countenance & support which
your missionaries already in this field will hereafter receive .
A dark & threatening cloud hangs upon our prospects. Our hope
& consolation are founded on the fact that the heart of the
King is in the hand of the Lord & thatevery event will be ordered
by his allwise providence. Relying on the providence of the
Almighty which has hitherto been so eminently propitious to our
cause, we would go forward. We would humbly & prayerfully an
ticipate such kind & timely interpositions from on High as are
�2102
already recorded of this mission. We find occasion to rely
less upon princes, but more reason to confide in God.
We deem it expedient however, before sending for
missionaries to consult the king on the subject & his answer
whether favourable or unfavourable will be communicated to you
& probably accompany this letter. We also think it unadvisable,
considering the present posture of political affairs to ask per
mission of the King to send for more than three missionaries
& a bookbinder though you will perceive from what has been stated
above that we are in want of a much larger number.
I have neglected to mention in the former part of this
letter our need of a bookbinder. Owing to the entire failure of
Mr. Shephard's health & the illness & mental derangement of Mr.
Fuller, the labours of conducting both the press & the bookbindery
are devolved upon one man. We earnestly solicit therefore a book
binder that Mr . Rogers may be at liberty to devote his whole time
& attention to t h e business of printing.
In concluding this appeal for more labourers we would
add another request, that in these*of anxiety & of dark fore
bodings the cause of the Redeemer at these islands may be re
membered at the throne of grace by you & by the churches with deep
feeling & unyielding importunity.
In behalf of the Mission at their session
in June 1833
Sheldon Dibble.
Read before the brethren, approved & ordered to be sent.
S. D.
Rev. Rufus Anderson Sec’ry of the A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
U .States America.
Postmark New Bedford May 8
Rev. Sheldon Dibble
Date June 20, 1833
Rec 'd May 1834
Ack'd in G. Let. Sept 5/34
Ans'd Dec. 6
* days
�2105
68 Sandwich Islands 1831--1837
Part Third
XXVII
55
Lahainaluna Oct. 31st 1834
Dear Brother Anderson
You will perceive from the date of this
letter that I am absent from my station. The reason of my
absence is the sickness of my family. Our youngest daughter
(Mary Douglas) has been dangerously ill for a number of months.
Her complaint has seemed to be a chronic diahrea of long stand
ing which has resulted in an inflamation of the stomach & bowels.
Before an opportunity presented of leaving our station which
did not occur till last week, our little one had become very
feeble and ematiated. It was trying to us to leave th e church
& people to whom we were much attached but still more distressing to behold our little one fast sinking into the grave with
out the attendance of any physician. Upon our arrival here it
seemed that the child could not survive more than a day or two
but it has since revived a little & Doctor Chapin. thinks there
is a bare possibility of its recovery.
previous to leaving our station I wrote to Brother
Baldwin to come & see the child, but he was too unwell to
perform a journey from Waimea to Hilo & besides his attendance
upon the families at Kaawoloa & Kailua could not be dispensed
with. I wrote also to Drs Judd & Chapin but in consequence of
sickness in the families on Oahu & Maui neither of them could
be obtained.. There was no alternative but to remain without a
a physician or remove with my family to some other station. And
a good opportunity occurring we concluded that it was our duty
to take the latter course. Additional reasons also existed.
Our oldest child (Maria Cushman) was troubled with scrofulous
tumors on her neck which needed medical attention. The constant
dampness also of Hilo atmosphere was unfavourable to that disease.
We are residing at present at Lahainaluna, the situation
of the High School. I came here able to do something for the
school while we receive the daily attentions of Doctor Chapin
Thus you see the Lord is afflicting as but he does
it in mercy. His hand is heavy upon us but we have abundant
evidence that it is for our good. He intends to santify us &
take us to Heaven & why should we complain if he chances to do
it by means of affliction.
The situation of my family is such, that even should
our child be soon removed, it would not be advisable for us to
return to Hilo for a number of months. And in consideration
of the frequent & drenching rains to which that place is subject,
which are rather unfavourable to my health, being constitution
ally predisposed to consumption, & injurious also to the health
of our child who is of a scrofulous disposition, it may perhaps,
be best for us to turn our attention to some other post. Of
this however the mission will be able to judge at the next general
�2104
meeting.
Whilst detained at this place I shall endeavor to fill
up all the time I can command in preaching to the scholars of
the school & in preparing books for their use.
With much affection
your brother
S. Dibble
'd
Ship 12
Rev.Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. States America
Post Mark
FairHaven Mass
Apr 29
Rev. Sheldon Dibble
Date Oct.31, 1834
Rec'd . April 30, 1835
Ack'd in G. L . Sept. 16
Ans'd June 20, 1836
�2165
68 Sandwich Islands 1831— 1837
Part Third XXVll
54
Harbour of Rio de Janeiro, Jan. 25, 1832
R e v . Rufus Anderson,
Dear S ir, We have now been at anchor in this harbour eleven
or twelve days— our call & delay is wholly occasioned by a defeet discovered in the mast, which is now under repair— we shall
now probably leave in two or three days, before which I hasten
to state a few things to you by the favour of Capt Welch of the
Andes , who sa ils for Boston tomorrow.
We have been treated with much attention & kindness
by English & American residents in the city & from some of them
have gained a few items of intelligence respecting Brazi l ,
whichwere new to us, although perhaps not at a l l so to yo u . A
few of these I will hasten to communicate— most of them are on
the authority of Mr. Ker (whom you know) Mr. Wilson, Mr. Thorn
ton, Mr. Johnson, & Mr. Norris, who is the superintendent or
President of an English College in the city— all of whom are
English people, & two or three American Residents.
Rio-Do Jeneiro the capital of Brazil is in reality
Brazil itself for it chooses her king & dethrones him at
pleasure, it makes laws for the whole land & repeals them with
out consulting other parte of the kingdom in respect to it. In
this city are about — one hundred & fifty thousand souls, perhaps
200,000, 2/3 of wh om are slaves, & a small portion of the rest
are free blacks; butblack or white bond or free nearly all are
in a state of ignorance truly deplorable— If the slaves are
questioned on the subject of Salvation, they profess total
ignorance. "What", say they, "think a Negro should know about
that? The Roman Catholic religion does not appear to exert
much influence upon the people as at some former times. The
priests I am told are noted for the baseness & profligacy of
their characters. Their intemperance & debauchery i s not at
concealed from publick view, it is notorious. In the city is
an old convent, wh ich last spring was closed by the king in
the time of the disturbances— since then a ledge of rooks that
lay between the convent & the harbour has been partially dug
away, & through this ledge is discovered a secret avenue to the
convent-for what this is
it is more easy to conjecture
than affirm— it was probably dug however with no good intent.
I had some conversation with Mr. Morris of the College--he is
a Roman Catholick— yet he said almost everybody in the city
regarded him as a Protestant— he said he wished the Protestants
of England & America would
Missionaries to this place— for
they need it enough— & he thought they might do good, but in
�2106
what capacity he had not thought very fully. Although dis
tributing tracts & making proselytes is in the face & eyes of
the laws of Rio— yet there is evidently a great deal that can
be done here to prepare the* of the Lord. Last sabbath the
Bethel flag was raised on board an American ship in the morn
ing, perhaps 100 or more were present, most of them Americans—
one of the Brethren preached. In the Evening we divided into
two bands & sent a part to the City, & a part to Botafago--so
that we had two exercises at the same time, one at Mr. Thorntons
in the City, & one other at M r . Kers— a few attended each meeting and listened with apparent interest. Evening— A few of u s
have Just returned from M r . Kers where at his request we hare
preached another sermon On the way I conversed with the boatsteerer
by an interpreter— He is a Portugee-Creole— I asked can you
read? N o , but my children can. Did you ever hear the Bible read?
Ho. Would you hear your children read it through if one were
given you? Y e s . Suppose the priest should say you must give it
up as he would not pardon you? I would not do it--& he further
added that the priest could not send him to pergatory, or save
him from it for he had not power. This man is evidently in gross
ignorance, but has but little faith or fear in respect to the
priests; & such is evidently the case generally among the com
mon people. I think from the kind attentions we have received
from the people here that a missionary might feel himself in a
good degree at hime in this place, M r . Ker, who wishes a kind
remembrance to you & to Dr. Beecherwill undoubtedly d o rnuch for
a Missionary were he sent here. Mr. & Mrs. Lyman have been in
his family almost the whole time we have been in th e harbour &
treated with such attention as her health demanded. M r . Ker
wishes to become a subscriber for the Missionary Herald & to have
it forwarded to him from time to time as you may— beginning with
this year— he says he will sittle for it at suitable times — his
address is Stewart K er . No. 18
Suppose you should send out Br. Hatheway to l a b o r among the sea
men in the harbour of Rio & other wise as he might have opportun
ity for a period of 2 years or more on an experiment..
Our company are now in pretty good health & spirits &
hope not to suffer so much the rest of the way from filth as want
of room & air as during the former part of the voyage . Had we
known in what a predicament we were to be thrown by being too
much crowded, I doubt whether one of us would have thought it
out duty t o embark under such circumstances. I for one should
remonstrate against Missionaries ever going so many together with
so small accommodation especially on so long a voyage. It is
a complete sacrifice of time especially in hot & rainy weather—
I say these things not to complain or to censure— we trust our
circumstances will be better the rest of the voyage— & we all
�2107
rejoice to be on our way to the heathen.
Yours with much respect
John S. Emerson
Re member us to all in the rooms & their families affectionately
R ec . J . S. Emerson,
April 2, 1832
Capt. Welsh
Brig Andes
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Boston, Mass.
U . States of America
�2108
68
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
XXVII
35
Waialua
Dec 'r 3 1832
Rev. R. Anderson,
My Dear Brother, by deferring to write you until after
M r . C . had given you some account of this station its establish
ment & c . I am driven into the last hour or two which I can
hope to improve in writing you this fall. But before speak
ing of the present, I wish to say a little of the past. In
respect to our voyage we were as happy & prosperous as w e
could hope to be under existing circumstances. But I would
recommend never to send so many Missionaries in one ship again
with so small accommodations as we enjoyed. I never would
consent to cross the water again in such straitened circum
stances if it were not an extreme case. I would feel myself just
ified in spending a week in writing letters if that were necessary to prevent any other conp any of missionaries from going on
board a ship for so long a voyage with so narrow accommodations.
So far as study was concerned our time was about all lost— we
read & wrote some & that was about all we could do--& much of
this was done on deck from dire necessity. There is another
mistake which I think the Rooms are guilty of— in sending off
Missionaries. It is that of supposing that our wants can all
- be supplied from the depository here. For instance clothingseveral of us brought but little because we were told that there
was enough here which we could obtain at any time. And the con
sequence is our wives must turn tailors & make us clothes— especially clothes suitable to wear on the Sabbath. The c lothes which
are sent are light coloured cottons, & of a very ordinary quality
& poorly made, easily dirtied, constantly ripping & soon good for
nothing. The Beaureaus also are very unsuitable things t o be
carried so far, where the freight is two or three times the price
of the furniture. Mine is to a considerable extent unglued, &
until I had spent a good part of a days work upon it, in stopping
up cracks & holes, every drawer, in it lay open to the constant
depredation of cockroaches. Were I to act in the case again I
would give 30 or 40 dollars for a beaurea sooner than to accept
of the one I now have as a gift.
It is miserable policy to send poor articles to these
islands. The freight is large
a worthless thing is worthless
when it gets here. Whetstones-& hatchets were put up for us the
former made of sand stone & the latter of iron only & both good
for nothing. A good whetstone costs here from one to three dol
lars.
Our crockery was very badly packed by those of whom it
�2109
Was purchased --besides many other things every tea saucer
which was put up for us was found broken--! mention the tea
saucers because they were the easiest of all things to pack
well. But I will stop this strain of talk with only saying
I think that economy demands of you, to send good articles to
these Islands & to see that they are well packed.
How in respect to my location at these Islands, I
feel that I am placed in a good spot & favourably situated for
usefulness— I am happy to be here. Mr. Clarke & family leave
us after one w eek--then we shall be alone, with no white people
within 30 miles of us— none nearer than the brethren at Honolulu.
The field is large & apparently white for the harvest. A good
part if not all the people around us appear favourably dis
posed toward us & our object so far as they know anything about.
there is the great obstacle to the Gospel, it is ignorance, gross
ignorance among the people. One of the school teachers has said
lately that when we first came to this station she was afraid to
come & visit us, because she thought that we were the gods. These
were the views of a school teacher. What then must be the views
of her pupils? In our school Mr. C. has taught reading & geo
graphy it I have taught writing & Arithmetics. Our scholars are
all school teachers. My arithmetiok is Fowls-a rithmetic for
children, it is translated. Although I have laboured hard with
them now more than (hole In paper) & Mr. Chamberlain has taught
these same scholars in arithmetick a good deal in days past, yet
there is not one now (the chief Laanui not excepted) who can do,
mentally or any other way near all of the sums in that simple
book. I think, notwithstanding this, that about all of these
persons are possessed of good sense; & in many subjects they ex
hibit excellent judgement. But so prostrating to all powers of
reasoning especially on abstract subjects is a state of uncultivated heathenism. I do not think that the Christian com
munity are at all aware of the ignorance that still exists among
the post enlightened in the best instructed parts of these Islands.
I have not heard a teacher here or at Honolulu who has read in a
manner that in a common school in N. England would be called
decently. Scarcely one will attempt to read until he has first
looked the line over & read it to himself. From the candour and
caution with which the missionaries write in respect to the state
of things here one is disposed to think more favourably of things
than even the missionaries themselves would ask. I think that if
all the concessions of the Missionaried & all their cautions against an impression too favourable, if these are allowed to have
their full weight you*the Christian community will get far near
er the real state of things here. Very much is yet to be done
before, things will be any where equal to what M r.Stewart represents. If there are thousands who go to meeting & attend school.
of this n u b
mer who do not know whether
*
&
�2110
But I feel that It is good t o try to enlighten their dark
minds & hope yet to see the arm of the Lord stretched out to save
them from eternal death. Since the birth of our little son Mrs.
E . has recovered quite fast, she is now doing some thing with
schools. I have preached yet but six or eight sermons in native,
but begin to feel at home a little in the use of the language.
Hope soon to use it with ease . Mr. E. wishes love to Mrs. Anderson— remember us to the brethren at the Room s .
Your affectionate br.
John S. Emerson
Rev. John S. Emerson
May 5, 1833
Remarks about the voyage & outfit
also, the progress of the mission
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass.
U . S . A.
�2111
68 Sandwich Islands 1831— 1837
Part Three
XXVII
36
Isl. of Oahu— Walalua
N ov. 25, 1833
Rev. R. Anderson,
Very dear Sir,
About a year since Mr. Clark & I wrote you
a station letter, I also wrote at the same time a private letter;
since which time I have not written to the R ooms. Immediately
after the sending of our joint letter Mr. C. returned to his
station at Honolulu &- Mrs. Emerson & myself have the past year
laboured at this station without associates. W e have had dur
ing this year past some things to encourage us & some to damp
our spirits.
W e have been fovoured generally with a good degree of
health--have felt a growing attachment to this people, an In
creasing sympathy for them, both in respect to their temporal
& spiritual w e lfar; & have, on their part, been as fully assured
of their increasing confidence in us, so far as it respects a
considerable portion of the people, who give us opportunity to
become acquainted with them. Our Meetinghouse of which we spoke
the last year has after a long struggle & m uch delay been com
pleted— it is built of firm materials & is one of the best
specimens of native workmanship I have seen— it will contain 16 0 0
or 1800 people to be seated in native style— if proper care is
taken of the thatch it will doubtless be a good building for quite
a number of years .
The house was dedicated on Wednesday the 26th of Sept 'r;
at which time all the people in the several districts belonging
to this station who wished to be considered on the Lords side were
requested to attend. The house was filled. Mr B ingham was pres
ent & preached, we continued to hold meetings daily till after the
following sabbath, having a prayer meeting each morning & even
ing & a sermon in the afternoon. The remainder of the time was
principally occupied in conversing with those, who wished toconverse with us in relation to the concerns of religion, & in particularly examining some, who had been thought of as suitable per
sons to be admitted to church fellowship. On the Sabbath a church
was organised consisting of 16 native members— five of whom were
rec ’d by letter from the Honolulu ch ch. & eleven by examination—
the sacrament was also administered & baptisms performed. The
occasion was to m e , & I think to all present truely interesting;
and although we cannot reckon up converts here as is often done
in America* yet we hu m b l y hope that this season, connected with
4
�2112
the meeting of several days continuance will be forever a source
of joy, as forming a happy era in the history of some immortal
souls.
Since entering our new Church our congregation has been
considerably increased owing in part doubtless tothe
better
accommodations of the new house, &
part to & bell * which the
n
i
people have purchased & paid for at an expence of $144. & in part
we have reason to hope from the excitement occasioned b y the dedic
ation of the house. Looking at the present appearance of car con
gregation & its appearance only one year ago I think there is sat
isfactory reason to conclude that the feeble efforts bestowed upon
them have not been in vain. The congregation is indeed not so large
now as for the few first weeks of our residence at the station—
but then some came through the influence of authority on the part
of head men & some perhaps through motives of curiosity: at the
present time, both these motives have their power, & al l who come
to hear the gospel come of a willing mind. Now there is with some
at least, an attentive ear, and an apparent desire to know what
the lord would have them do. But I find myself extremely liable
to be deceived in all m y estimates in respect to the feelings views
& real character of this people both as it respects the mind & the
heart,if the estimates are made from bare appearances--often times
there it apparent deep interest when there is in fact nothing but
the thoughtless stare; & apparent devotion, where by a little
acquaintance with the life it becomes evident there can be no piety
there. For these reasons it appears very desirable to me to wait
a long time, not to say years after a person appears to have be
come pious before he is rec'd into the church at the Sandwich Isls.
Nearly all rec'd into our church profess to have been decided in
their determinations to serve the Lord for eight years. As to (Mr
labours for the past year. I have attempted to preach to the people
twice every sabbath besides explaining the seven verses for the
week to about 250 or 300 persons who meet sabbath noon to recite
them to each other. Mr. Emerson has at the same time a sabbath
school of nearly 100 children which we think increases in interest.
I also preach to the people, or rather explain scripture
in the order of Judsons Questions on each Wednesday, & on friday
meet them again, in t h e form of a bible class, to question them
particularly in respect to the meaning of the passages explained
in w ednesday.
Astoschools,we have had a singing school once or
tw i c eA
f a
n
,
m
v
e
w
l
h
c
y
a
d
r
u
o
t
s
w e e k
n e a r l y
a l l
t h e
y e a r
.
three & one half months , the other of nearly five months. During
these two terms I have had a school of male teachers from the
various districts connected with the station & have taught them
* I am sorry to say that we had used our new bell only two
weeks before we found it was cracked badly--it will be worthless
to us .
�2113
reading writing arithmetick & geography. During the mean
time M r . S . had a school of about 40 females most of them teachers
& another of of about 40 children all of whom are readers— with
these two schools, the has occupied the forenoon of each day four
days in the week. In the school for children Mr. E. has attended
to reading, writing on the slate & mental arithmetick— & in the
school for women to the same branches with the addition of geo
graphy.
At our examination of these schools which took place
on the 14th of the present month our new church was quite or
namented in the view of the natives with fifty maps of the World
which were drawn printed & painted by the scholars of my
school. Some of the maps were destitute of tooth taste & correct
ness, there were others also which we thought would not have
graced a N . England Academy— either in the drawing, the printing
or the painting. Although in drawing a straight stick or ruler
answered all their purpose for dividers; & in paintin g vegetable
paints of their own procuring served well instead of the v arities
found in the paint box.
We hope these maps when carried back by the teachers to
their several districts will serve as a stimulant to bring to
life again the schools taught by natives — which have for nearly
all the past year been but a name without meaning or use.
N ow as to some things of a truely painful character I
will mention first that to which I have already alluded viz . the
suspension or entire discontinuance of all or nearly all our
schools taught by natives. Schools have indeed been but little
better than a name without substance, so far as my observation has
extended, ever since I have been at the Islands, but to c onfine
my remarks to this station, it may with propriety be said now t h a t
the name is now with but few exceptions laid aside. We have ho
Schools taught by natives except perhaps 6 or 8 persons are in
the habit of meeting with six or 8 children each, three or four
hours in the week, when they can collect them together; all the
other schools are nothing more than the hearing of the seven verses
of scripture for the weekrecited from memory some time during the
sabbath. This reciting & hearing recited the seven verses for the
week, is all the bond, of any consequence that holds together,
teachers & scholars -- I know lot however that this fact is applicable
exclusively to the Station at
W aialua.
Since the crimes of licensiousness, drunkeness &c & c
h ave been countenanced & patronized at Honolulu the people on this
side of the Island, have to a very considerable extent shown that
their hearts were bent on sin. The drinking of native rum
intoxication has been very common, adultery,
m ost*uncleanness has been practised by I know not how many, pe
r
*
every
�2114
haps the majority of the grown people— the sale of native
books has been almost entirely suspended, & for a while it
seemed as though almost everything was going to destruction—
tru e l y iniquity abounded on every side because the vilest men
were exalted. The tide of inequity is now in a degree stayed,
but oh ! how different is the appearence, the actual face of
things presents from the description of a journalist much read
& admired at home when he said "the Sandwich Islanders promise
at no very distant period to become one of the most literary &
pious people on the earth." I know the Lord can make windows in
heaven— But unless more fervent prayers are put up for this
people & more strenuous efforts are made for their temporal &
etermal salvation than have ever yet been made, I fear that many
generations will go down to the gates of death before that proph
ecy will meet with a fulfillment. The fact is this people are
& ought so to be considered at home, a heathen people with the
exception of a very few hundreds they are heathen in minds &manners--& I fear the remnant would be very small who would not go
back to sins even more hateful than their sins of old.
I mention these things not because I think the Lord
has not a people here, but because I feel that the great battle
with satan is in these Islands yet to be fought— I think What
has been done here may b e u n a p t l y compared to a forest through
which a sweeping fire has run; the underbrush is burned & many
sturdy trees are killed & seared--but the stumps & stones & dry
trees are all standing--true a littlecultivation has been com
menced— cut to clear the ground of rubbish stumps & stones &
prepare it for successful cultivation, & withall to check a
growth, still worse than the former "hic labor, hoc opus est."
It is some times really trying to know that the good people at
hom e are chanting the Jubilee of this peoples Salvation--while
we who do & must yet bear the heat & burden of the day need your
prayers that we may not faint & grow weary Do tell the good
people to pray for us. That we may with Christian zeal and use
hardness a good soldiers & finally reap the reward of those who
have turned at least one sinner from the error of his ways.
N ow I wish to say a word about the necessity of more
(h ole in paper), Waving
all considerations arising from the
solitary (hole in paper) of a single family located 30 miles
from 7000 to 10,000 located on a coast of 50 or 60 miles in
length & looking to us alone for medicine, for Instruction & for
every thing else to improve the mind & heart, have a claim for the
labours of more than one man. The King told Mr. Bingham a few
days since that he wanted three more Missionaries for Oahu, one
at Ewa, one at Wainae & one at Koulau— the two last named dis
tricts are the extremes of the Waialua Station Wainae is
�2116
separated from Waialua by an almost impassable mountain— con
tains from 1500 to 2000 people & could be much better accom
modated by a Missionary located at Eva than by the Missionary
at Waialua. Could there be but two missionaries more sent
out for this Island one to be located at Ewa & one up Kou lau. There two could do very much that never could be done by
the present missionary. Thousands I fear will go down to hell
in those two districts without even having learned enough of a
Saviour to know what they must do to be saved unless more aid
is sent them. Have you no Missionaries to spare for these two
fields?
It is now very late & my letter must be sealed without
saying half I wish, to say— I must only ask one or two favours.
The first is that you will send Mrs. E. a side-saddle in case
none is sent to the rooms by our friends before your-first op
portunity after th e receipt of this-There is no side-saddle within 30 miles of us--& M r s .
E. can go no where except she walks without one.
My next request is that you will send for the Waialua
station a good ox-cart — it would be of much advantage not only
to our station but to the mission to have a cart here. Now I
have one question to ask--Does the object of our Missionary so
ciety authorise you to support a man at Honolulu with hit wife
to be employed in nothing else than in attempting to teach Eng
lish to about 40 half-breed children, who are more ignorant of
the English than their teachers are of the Native language; &
this too when there is a Seaman's preacher sent out expressly
to teach this class of people as well as the seamen.
When there are but about 200 or 300 at most perma
nent residents for the Seamans preacher to take care of & there
are more than one thousand native children in the village who go
to no school at all can you consistently suppose a man to be
devoted with his wife exclusively to that 40 children?
Very Respectfully your Br. in church
John S. Emerson
Re v . Rufus Anderson
Missionary R ooms
Boston, Mass.
U. States
J. S .
Date
R e c'd
side-saddle
Ack 'd
ox-cart
Ans'd
Mr. Johnstone & wife
Post Mark
New Bedford
Emerson
Nov. 25, 1833
May 1834
in G . Let. Sept 5/34
Dec 6
Mass.May 29
�2116
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXV11
37
Waialua Oahu Aug. 20 1834
Printed 32 Missionary Herald 427 Nov. 1836
Rev. John S. Emerson
Dated Waialua, Aug 21, 1836
Rec 'd Feb. 26, 1835
Ack’d in G . L. Sept 16
Ans'd June 20/36
marked
clothing
saddle
1/4 oz
52
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Mis'y Rooms
Boston Mass
U. States
Post Mark
New Bedford
Mass.
copied
Feb. 26
�2117
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
38
Waialua, Dec'r 23, 1834
Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear Brother,
In August last I wrote to the Rooms
giving some account of the Station & also stating reasons why
we needed School teachers from America. Since that time our
school house has been finished & fitted up with seats & benches
to accommodate about 50 writers. I have also divided my child
ren's school & taken about 30 of the most forward into the new
school-house under my own instruction with a native assistant-the remainder I have put under native teachers. Have continued
my M en's School with littleinterruptlon to the present time . A
few of the men have made obvious improvement. But the improvement
in the children's school has been far more obvious. A few of
the children 8 or 10 years of age have learned to read during these
four months & more than 50 have learned the alphabet & can spell
out syllables, & have also learned the names, from the picture,of a
hundred or two animals & implements of husbandry— furniture &c .
Some of these same children have been reckoned scholars in the
schools taught by native teachers for years without learning five
letters of the alphabet. Under the existing form of government
I do not think we shall ever be able to teach this people gener
ally ever the art of reading, unless we do it through teachers,
who are under pay— either natives or missionaries. Supposing a
class in the high school were qualified for teachers, there is not
at the present time to my knowledge a single Chief ready to furnish
them with food & clothing & let them be devoted to teaching,unless
perhaps they will accept of the most ordinary accommodations &
native kapa for clothing.
I am now giving a trifling compensation per week to
two men, who assist me in my schools, & their efforts are worth ten
fold as much as teachers without pay. As to schools, taught on
the old system, I know of nothing worthy the name of a school on
the Island of Oahu, although I have been nearly round the Island
within the past six weeks. In going round the Island to the N. E.
I may pass 12 miles to Kahuku through a population of at least
1000 & find no school house, & scarcely one who was ever called
a teacher, who is not of late in habits of intemperance or adultery
or both. At Kahuku is a school house & 2 or 3 teachers, & by
the exercise of some authority & threats the head man gets the
�2118
people together one or two hours per week to teach them. And
what are they taught; & how? The grown people are taught to
recite in concert the 7 verses for the week; & the children t o
recite the alphabet in pretty much the same way. There is but
very little effort to teach any to learn to read; & in fact, the
teachers themselves are not capable at it.
From Kahuku to Laie 5 miles there is no teacher or
school house. At Laie is a large house, but no teacher, that
will make any effort for schools, although the population of the
place is 400 or 500. From Laie to Kahana a distance of about
12 miles perhaps 14, there is no school-house at the present time
& no school, neither has there been for nearly 2 years, although
there are upwards of 800 people scattered along the shore. At
Kahana are 200 people and a school house & a very little attention
is paid to the children. But from Kahua to Kaneohe (where Mr.
Parker is stationed) there is I think but one school house— &
nothing worthy the name of a school, although there 2000 people .
So you see, that from Waialua to Kaneohe, a distance of 45 miles
there are but four school houses & two or 3 small schools at the
present time; yet a- population of about 5000 people. Leaving
Waialua & passing to the W. & South through Waianae there is n o
school until you arrive at Mr. Smiths station at Ewa--a distance
of from 40 to 50 miles. And as to the for
m e r teachers, there are
all with one ot two exceptions living as the people are in drunkeness & rioting. The efforts & success of these efforts at
Honolulu in beh alf of schools is no better than may be said of
almost any other part of this Island. Such is the state of Native*
on the Island of Oahu. I greatly f ear, that unless a great charge
takes place in not only the officers of government, but the system
itself we never shall see them in a better state, unless it be
through the instrumentality of men patronized to some extent by
the funds of the Am. Board. I can not wonder, that men should be
unwilling to teach school without pay, & at the sane time be obliged
not only to work for the support of their own families, but for the
Chiefs as much as any other kanakas ;this they are called to do at
the present time. While schools are sinking, death is raging among
this people. During the past four months the Chief at Waialua has
h ad kept a careful & I suppose accurate account of the births &
deaths in the district of Waialua— births have been but 20,
deaths 44, yet no special sickness in the place. At this rate of
decrease the native popu l ation in the Sandwich Islands will in
40 years be reduced to about 1/3 of the present number— & that it
will thus decrease I think there is great reason to expect both
from the present character & habits of the people, & from what t h e
natives all say of the past. I should judge from their remark
that 40 years ago there were at least 3 times as many people in
these Islands as there at the present t ime; & the numerous kalo
* sc hools
�2119
lands once cultivated but now left overgrown with weeds strongly
favours this presumption. The conclusion I am disposed to
w if we would do any thing efI
.
k
q
n
d
b
m
p
s
i
h
r
o
f
y
l
a
u
t
c
draw from these facts is, thate
f
m
v
s
&
n
r
i
h
c
a
e
t
d
l
u
o
w
ignorance
of their fathers, we must be in earnest now about it. A
ndfor
one I should rejoice to see a troop of 200 pious & devoted school
teachers from America come immediately on the ground, unless the
Am. Board can devote their strength to a better purpose in some
other field. Scattered round as we are so wide apart, & devoted
as we must be to so many other things besides preaching the
gospel. I feel myself in danger of losing the power of religion
in my own heart. I want somebody to take of from my hands secular
cases that I may preach the gospel & be devoted to that mainly,
if not exclusively. This very day since I commenced this letter I
have taught s c h o o l 4 or 5 hours, dealt out medicine for 3 sick
conversed with eight or ten who came with some inquiry as the mean
ing of a passage of scripture; & have been interrupted perhaps 10
or 12 other times by things of entirely a secular character, such
as lending to one neighbour a hoe. to another a h a mmer to another
a trowel, & again to inform the same how to make mortor to plaster
his house &c & c .
If these cares could be in part shared by a devoted
school teacher, one toowhose piety would be to us as iron, which
sharpenethiron I think the effect would be happy upon us. Can we
not have such a man beside the female that I requested. The field
is large, & who is there to reap it? Had we competent & efficient
natives, it would be a great help, but such are not to be found at
present. One request--please to send to me the A m e r l c a n Encyclopedia & Websters Dictionary. The former I very much need. Mrs. E. writes in Xm. Salutations.
Yours affec .
J . S . Emerson
Since I last wrote our family has been increased by the birth
of a second son whom we call Wm. Schaufflar--was born Nov .22
We are all in pretty good health.
R e v . R . Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass.
U. States
Post Mark
Books
New London
Ct.
July 1
Rev. J. S . Emerson
date Dec'r 23, 1834
Ack'd in G. L. Sept. 16
Ans'd June 20/36
14 1/2
�2120
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
39
Waialua, Oahu, April 8, 1835
Rev. R . Anderson,
Dear Br.
I have just been perusing
your
& Dr. W ' s letters of June & Sept'r last, & am on the whole
much pleased with the spirit of them. I think if you write
us a few more such letters we shall begin to rech open our
eyes a little; if we do not no w .
We have been making great calculation on seeing a
nation grow up like a forest, & perfect itself as it grew, with
the extraneous aid of only a blow here & there to clip some
ugly or unprofitable branch. God has of late been showing us
that this is not the way; but that instead of trying to convert
a nation, we should labout to save the individuals of which
that nation is composed. We have had but little to do with
individuals except chiefs, & too much with the people en mass.
ment as an alarming or discouraging sympton.
I
havef
e
h
t
m
o
r
first, regarded it as an event, which I did believe & do still,
will in the hands of God, tend more to open the eyes of this
people & of this mission, & prepare the way for the gospel to
become a two edged sword in our hands, than all the kind laws
& kind offices in the power of the rulers of the land to make
or to bestow.
From the notes of my Brethren, I believe there has never
been a period for several years, if there has since the com
mencement of the mission, when vital godlings has been taking
root so deep & firm among the people as during these 12 or 18
months ; & this too, in the midst of apparent adversity. This
season of confusion has furnished something like a vision through
which the natives can be more easily made to see their own
characters as sinners, than before. “Whom the Lord loveth he
rebukes & chastens.” Had not this rebuke been sent upon us, I
fear the eyes of some would
soon have been opened, to see the
rottenness of some who profess to love the Saviour.
There have been several protracted meetings on the
Islands of late. We have had one at Waialua, closed a week since.
We trust it has been instrumental of good.
A few who formerly came almost every week to tell us
how good they were & how much they desired
have since the meeting come & said that all their former pre
�2121
tentions to piety were hypocricy — a few at the present time
give some evidence of conviction of sin; but a few months
tim e will better prove their true characters.
As to infants|schools; we have had one, the past
7 or 8 months at this station; i . e . a school as much partak
ing of the character of an infant school, as our apparatus,
skill & circumstances would al l ow. From our experiment I am ready
to give m y opinion that there is no more difficulty in having an
infant school in this village than in the city of Boston; & that
too, under equally good regulations; & more under the control of
the teacher, if he can spend the time requisite to sustain that
influence. After being in this infant school one month I
found many of the children who were dragged into school at, first
& ready to cry every time I went near them, were almost ready to
eat off my shoe-strings through fondness.
But, my Brother, we need more help in order, to carry on
infant schools boarding schools & c as they ought to be carried
on. Suppose you were in a country village in America of 4000
people, suppose you were school teacher, doctor, book -seller &
minister for the people with but very little help except from your
wife. Suppose her the mother of two children,( the elder of
whom needs the constant care of his mother or father to prevent
him from becoming a native in language & habits), suppose her
teacher of singing school, also teacher of a select class of young
mothers or married women, also sabbath school-teacher--suppose her
also to some extent tailor for her husband & herself & children.
With these employments, who is there to do much for an infant
school be it ever so much needed? W ere you i n the circumstances
above described would you not cry out with perhaps a little vex
ation,if your people or patrons should propose to you to under
take such a school either yourself or wife? Located as we are,
one family al one , a child who is learning to talk needs almost
constant care, or he will talk native, it is so much easier to
speak than our language.
I wish to see infant schools & boarding schools go ahead
but what can we young men do? While s ome of our brethren who have
been longest on the ground are moving along with the spirit of 1820
(a little ?u?ted. with all) whether submission is a virtue or crime
I do not know.
I do not wish to complain of our older brethren, I believe
that they mean to do what they think is exactly correct.
One suggestion. Would it not be well for you to send us
a deputation to visit us & stir us up & see how we actually are?
Let President Allen come & visit these millenial Islands, & come
yourself— if this cannot be call (h ole in paper) two or three of
the elder brethren to visit the (hole in paper) & spend two or
�2122
three years in a visit to America. I believe the churches, & this
mission also, will be on thewhole gainers by i t .
One thing more I should like to know if you have seen any
thing in press that I have written since I left America either
good or bad? if not & you have rec'd only one letter from me, how
comes the conclusion that we young men, all had wrong notions of
the light in which American Christians received the Sandwich Isl.
Mission at the time w e left? For myself I feel that I ought to
ask pardon of the churches for statements that I made when an agent
but I did it ignorantly. Many ministers had the same views as
my in relation to the state of these Islands; & I have some times
felt guilty that I have never written anything to the Newspaper
in m y own native State with the express purpose of retrying to correct what was then most surely an incorrect, impression. A lead
ing minister in the management of the N.H. Bible class tried to
convince me that the people of the Sand. Isls. stood in less need
of further M i s s . aid than some counties in the State of N . H. Many
such opinions I have heard among some of the leading men in the
churches; & if I mistake not I heard one of the secretaries of th e
state, at a meeting of the Board that the Sand. Isl. Mission
would soon need no more aid, or in words to that amount. Now I
think I should need a pill of opium to enable me to see the Sand
wich Isl. Mission in that point of light at the present time.
Yet I know it is in the power of this people had they
that He will hasten forward that day when this people shall with
a willing mind serve him & him alone.
While we do not despise the day of small things, let
us remember that simple truth & the whole truth is easier to tell
& to maintain than anything else. Please to write me. Mrs. E .
united in X m salutations.
Your affec. B r .
J. S. Emerson
Rev. R. Anderson
Sec . Am Board
Boston, Mass.
U. States.
marked
Post Mark
Rev. J. S. Emerson
Dated Waialua, April 8 , 1835
Rec'd Aug 1?/35
Adk'd G. L . June 15
Ans'd June 20
N ew London
Ship Aug. 11
22
�2123
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
40
Waialua, Oahu Nov. 19 1835
Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear Brother
Yours by the Hellespont I rec'd in
due time, the only line I have re c 'd from you since leaving
America. I have on hand the copy of six sheets that I have
sent to the Rooms at different times. The side saddle did
not arrive for Mrs. E. so I have purchased one at Honolulu.
How as to our station &c at Waialua— Mrs. E. & I
are still without a helper in our work; and although we are in
the enjoyment of many things for which we desire to be grateful,yet in some respects we are quite deficient in strength &
ability to conduct successfully the business of a Missionary
station.
We are in the enjoyment of a good degree of favour among
the people, & trust that we are made useful in communicating ,
light & knowledge among them--& during the past year we think a
few have been rewarded in the temper of their minds by the Holy
Ghost.--But still we feel that we are unable to carry on success
fully the business of a station alone. We have now two children,
the youngest of the two more than a year old, of course to keep
them from talking the native language, & imbibing almost to the
full, native habits, one of us must be most of the time with them
when they are not asleep. Mrs. E 's health, for the past two
years, has been far from perfect, & does not appear to be im
proving, although she is constrained to be in sc hool a part of
almost every day.
All our efforts to teach the natives mussick must de
volve on Mrs. E. as I have no skill in that important science.
Of course, when from ill health or any other cause Mr. E. is de
tained from meetings on the Sabbath & other days, our mussick is
of a character, far f
r om edefying to the preacher, if it is to
the people. Had We a brother with us to teach mussick & to lead
in singing on the sabbath, I feel as though it would strengthen
me much— our day schools also stand in much need of such a helper.
I am full of the opinion that it is a long time yet before we shall
h ave natives at this station qualifies to t e a c h sucessfullyt
e
h
branches, that need to be taught in a primary school.
W e h ave now in the two districts, connected with this
station about 400 children, most of whom are some what regular in
�2124
their attendance a t school 4 mornings each week , about 1/4 part of
whom can read. (I ought to mention that the districts of Waialua
& Koolau only are connected with this station at present. Waianae
is attached the station at Ewa, being more conveniently visited
from that part than from this.) These children are under the best
native instruction, that I can command; yet some of the teachers
would assoon teach the children the alphabet by rote, as any way.
Only a few weeks since a class of 20 children were presented to
me for examination— the teacher & scholars all without books, the
children at the word of command all commenced to recite from mem
ory the alphabet. On inquiry where their books were, with which
I had furnished them only a few days before, I found that teacher
& all had left them at hom e . But perhaps this is one of the very
poorst of our childrens schools, others do better. But our child
rens schools are a burden which I bear aboutwith me daily. Gould
I take 40 children & feel that these were m y charges & that by
doing my duty to theseI should be approved by God— it would much
relieve me, but now, I am holding on to several hundred with the
hope that ere*helpers will be furnished me from home. The highschool is beginning to furnish a few whom the teachers think it
not be profitable to keep longer in school on account of age and
want of quickness to learn— but of these none came f r o m our place
& of course none will be expected to cone to our help.
We at Waialua are so cut off from the High School both
by distance & want of intercourse between the people of this re
gion & Lahainathat I have with much effort succeded in getting
only four persons to that school out of the 6000 now connected with
this station & one of those has returned back to me saying he has
well nigh starved at Lahai
a & will not return again. So I have
n
now only 3 persons in the high school. These circumstances I
think furnish a strong argument why weshould have help at this
station from America.
At our last general meeting, we actually voted to have
one boarding school, & locate it at this place, Waialua,**or two
spent on the subject the teacher thought he shouldlike to have his
school in the suburbs of Honolulu, just where the majority of the
Mission thought it should not be— the consequence was we spent
two days in talking about it & gained nothing— became tired of
the subject & gave it u p , to my great regret.
She most that, I can see as objections to boarding
schools at these Isls. is the fact that we shall have to, build,
house, furnish books & board the children gratuitously, in order
to make the school go well & have it under our own command; & to
do all this without an atom of gratitude on the part of parents
chiefs or children is rather trying to our feelings. But this
is what you are doing at home, in giving the Bible to those
who will not purchase— & shall we not do the same for those, who
*long** we also chose a teacher for the school— but after a day
�2125
can not appreciate the worth of education & civiliz ation & r e
ligion? For my part I want an experiment I am becoming dis
heartened with our prospects in the old w a y .
In the childrens sc hool whi c h we have had for 3 years
under our superintendence & most of the time either under Mrs. E 's
or my own instruction, were several boys of some considerable prom
ise— one of these is now the most skillful teacher that I can com
mand; one has committed adultery & is of course taken out of
school & put to work for the chiefs several others have gone one
for one cause & another for another, unprepared to d o an y thing but
t o fill up the train of some chief. Could they have been under
daily moral & religious instruction & have had a prospect of some
compensation for teaching after they might be qualified for the
work, I should have hoped much from them; but as it is I feel that
our strength is laid out to very poor advantage. I am willing to
labour even this way, if I cannot be better employed, & if this
must be the way I have no doubt but that God will in due time cause
the efforts to amount to something in promoting the glorious plan
of salvation. But the way in which I am at work & the way in
which we are in general a t work is quite different from all m y
views of the best way. Concentrated effort is what you speak much
about at home, and God has blessed it much in protracted meet
ings. In most respects our efforts are far from bei n g concentrated.
Look at Honolulu with 10,000 people & one school taught
by a native woman for boys, 4 half days per wee k — & lately Mrs.
Dimond & Mrs. Hall are teaching girls, each two hours per day 3
or 4 days per week. This is all the school teaching I know of for
that station either by natives or Missionaries (Except Mr. Johnsons
English school). I feel that schools are muc h needed at that
place, taught b y m e n of skill, & unless there are much w e have every
reason to expect it will continue ai it n o w is, the fountain of
pollution & iniquity. The families at Honolulu all are f
u ll o f
business & have no time for school, & unless w e have m e n devoted
to that work we have no reason to expect that it will be done.
As to ourselves; I hope the female for w h o m we made
request is o n her way to the islands, & a teacher with h is family
also. The f i e l d is large, & the encouragement as great as can
reasonable be expected. There is nothing to hinder the pro
gress of schools & the progress of knowledge at these Islands,
more thanexists in many other places, & all that
wanting to
overcome thereal obstacles that do exist is prayerful & pe r serving effort. The acquirements of a few boys, who have been under
our instruction a part of the time for three years, encourages
us much to increase our e f f o r t s . The best teacher we now have at
Waialua is a boy of 16 years w h o could barely read 3 years since.
now is master of C olburns first lessons, has some knowledge
geography, writing & the elements of geometry by Holbrook—
f
o
�2126
He has also studied somewhat thoroughly the history of about
40 beasts. His skill in teaching is not surpassed by any
native at the Station. A few other boys are doing almost equally
as well.
A s to the prospects of religion a t our station. I
think
have had encouragement the past season. Two now stand
propounded for admission to the church, & we think that two
others at least will be rec'd before many months. We have hope
for several that they have during the past year experienced a
change of heart. The people are learning more fully now than
formerly what constitutes a qualification for chch. membership.
Not many days since a church member at Waialua said that formerly
individuals came into the church by a long process of effort; but
now there was a new way of getting into the church, which was by
getting a new heart.
Although our views are all alike about the qualifications
requisite for church membership, yet the remark of the native alone shows that their views are altering & improving. I feel sat
isfied that the leaven of truth is working its way gradually am ong this people, but the process must be alow, unless the efforts
are very great, & greatly increased.
I believe the sentiment is very general among us that,
this government must receive a great change if not a complete
revolution before the people can become very intelligent, interprising or promising in any one good thing that is to ripen the
people for this revolution.
But I am writing this sheet at Honolulu & the Capt.
who takes Dr. Chapin & family has called & says he must be off
soon. So I must close. But one thing more; I suspect that the
letters which I have written to the Rooms have conveyed to your
minds wrong impress ions--you suggest that we write as though
discouraged &c. far be from me to feel so. I have never had that
feeling for a day. But thisis my feeling & ever has been, I have
not been ready to take up the subject of the refformation already
produced & call it equal to what American publications have made
it & because I have not instating things as they exist come up to
the extent of the wished at those, who yet look with a poets eye
at the religions state of these Isls . I probably appear to fall
far below truth.
But this I can say I rejoice in what has been done &
pray God that vastly more may yet be effected & that speedily— &
I hope that my heart or hands will not be feeble in the work .
Dr. Chapin will recieve from us a request to purchase
for us a bureau with our funds, which bureau I hope will be fill
ed with articles for us & others & forwarded in due time.
If the articles have not been forwarded to us or may
have not been previously to the receipt of this I should like to
have Mr. Hill send me in the bureau 3 suits (hole in paper)black
�2127
suitable for sabbath.
One large coarse plaid cloak— & to sleep in when in
the dirty huts of the natives— 2 pairs of good boots.*
I also want a commentary on the Old. T est. & the
Epistles I hav e none but Scotts . Perhaps you will send me Jenks,
perhaps some other.
I also need an Encyclopedia, I have frequent use for
information that I here no means for obtaining & those who own
the work at the Islands, generally with it for their own use, &
it is little to m uch injury from wet & c . M ay it not be consistent
to furnish them for me? if not please inform me the first op
portunity; that I m ay seek the work from some other source. I
should like also to have permission given to Dr. Chapin to select for me & my family such school books,books for ohlldren &
books for teacher as hemay think I need. Unless I as a teacher
can read books addressed to teachers I shall Inevitably fall be
hind the times. I have not yet had a chance to Read Abbots
Teacher.
With much love to your companion--& also to your
fellow labourers I am yours
Very respectfully
John S. Emerson
Do not fail to write me.
* My measure round the waist is 39 inches— length of my arms
from finger end to fingers end just 6 feet— Length of my shoe
just 111/2 inches. N o 8.—
R ev . Rufus Anderson
Mi s'ry Rooms
Boston
Dr. Chapin
U . States
Rev. J . S. Emerson's letters,
Dated W aialua, Nov. 19, 1835, Rec 'd May 7th, 1836
Ack 'd in G . L. June 15-Ans's June 20
Rec'd May 7, 1836
Articles needed
Marked
�2128
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
41
R e v . R. Anderson,
Waialua, Sept. 5 , 1836
My dear Brother,
The last letter I wrote you bears date N ov.
20, 1835; the copy of which, if I kept one, is mislaid & its
contents I have forgotten so I may write some of the same things
over again. I have rec'd but one letter from you since we have
been at the Isls . four years & more. but most of my requests
have been answered, & I have no occasion to complain, considering your numerous occasions for letter writing.
W e remain alone at out station as yet, & share alone
its pleasures & its toils & trials; except as an occasional visit
from some one of the brethren quickens the relish for society.
We are not however unhappy. Every day has brought along with it
its labours, & more of them than we could perform; & things be
yond our control we have not been *disposed convert into real
sources of unhappiness. Society would be pleasant & particularly
for my family when I am gone; but a fellow labourer to help carry
on the labours of this station is in my view very desirable.
Our health & the health of our little ones is in gener
al good. My own health very good;— Mrs. E .,although she has
suffered some what from ill health is perhaps as healthy as most
of the ladies of the mission. On the score of health we have much
occasion for gratitude & thanksgiving.
Reminder
of letter printed
33 Missionary Herald 281 July 1837
S igned) J. S. Emerson
(
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Miss. Rooms,
Boston Mass.
U .States
Post Mark
New London C t . A P R . 26.
Ship
R e v . J. S. Emerson
Date Sept. 6, 1836
Rec'd April 28, 1837
Ack 's in G. L. July 21
publish
copied
(microscope, bell, & c.)
* to
391/2
�2129
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
42
Dated--Honolulu Oahu, Nov 28th, 1832
Signed— W. P. Alexander
contains 32 pages
Rev. Wm . P . Alexander
M ay 6, 1833
Ack'd in Gen Letter. Oct. 30
Account of his visit to the London Society's Missionaries
in the S . Pacific, & to the Washington Islands .
Included in Report on Washington Islands.
�2130
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
X X V II
43
Dated — M ay 6, 1833
Signed— Rev. W. P. Alexander
A brief answer to the various questions proposed in our letter
o f Instructions—
F irst, in reference to the Society of Georgian Islands.
(
c ontains 56 pages)
Included in Report of Society of Georgian Islands
�2131
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three XXVI I .
Harrisburg Fe b !ry 12, 1833
Dear Sir:
Not having seen the following information published
in any of the periodicals, and supposing it might be interesting
to the board--I transmit it. I should have done it before but
presumed that you had received intelligence by the same con
veyance.
Mrs . McKinne y 's family— (M r s . M c K . is the mother of Mrs.
Alexander ) & mysel f have received letters from M r . & Mrs. Alex
ander of the Sandwich Island Mission, down to Sept 18th, 1832.
The letters were sent by the Potomac Comodore Downes, who it was
stated was bound for Valaparaiso & they were postmarked, New
Bedford Jan'ry 8 .
The 1st letter is dated Honolulu July 14, 1832. It is
from Mr. Alexander to myself. It mentioned their arrival at the
Sandwich Islands in May, It states that by the 1st of Ju ne the
brethren of the different stations having h e a r d of their arrival
assembled, the mission commenced its annual session. So much
important business eame up before them that it continued in
session 3 weeks. The propiety & duty of sending a mission to the
Marquesas Islands were considered with that caution & deliberation
which the importance of the subject demanded. "Soon after the
arrival of the re-inforcement last year' , says Mr. A ., "letters
were addressed to the Tahitian Missionaries asking information
respecting the Marquesas. Replieswere received from Rev'd.
Pritchard and Darling previous to our arrival. In these replies
these brethren make no distinction between the Marquesas & Wash
ington islands. They state that they have native converts fr o m
labouring on almost allthe Marquesas Islands that they
have lately visited them & found the people so favourably disposed
that they have written home to England for 6 missionaries to be
sent out immediately for the Marquesas, and they ask, whether, since
they have taken such measures it would not be better to turn our
attention to some of the Leeward Islands. But in the other hand
we thought it very doubtful whether the London S oc . would attend
to the call from the Marquesas in as much as before this call
would reach them they would learn from the publications of the
A . B. that American Missionaries destined for the Marquesas had
sailed for the pacific last fall. Viewing matters in this light
& considering the expectations & instructions of the board, the
High Expectations of the American Churches & the prospect of ad
vancing the cause of it in the Pacific we resolved to send a
�2132
deputation to confer with the Tahitian Missionaries & explore
the Marquesas Islands. Brethren T inker Whitney & myself
were appointed on this deputation & we expect to sail next
tuesday. We shall first direct our course to Tahiti confer with
the brethren then respecting the Marquesas Islands. get all the
information concerning them & other groupes in the Southern
Pacific which the TahltianBrethrencan give & form, if we can some
plan of co-operation by which we may evangelize all the Islanders
of the pacific. We will then proceed to survey the Marquesas
Islands & make arrangements to establish a mission there if we
judge it expedient. We are also at liberty to visit any other
Islands in the Southern Pacific at our discretion. About 4
Missionaries will he necessary to accomplish the object of the
deputation. We go in a vessel chartered for the purpose & which
is therefore entirely under our direction. Mrs. A will most
probably remain in Honolulu during my absence. She & Mrs. Tinker
together with M r . & M r s . Armstrong will probably keep house to
gether .X X X X X X X X
“Brethren Tinker Armstrong, Dr. Chapin & myself were
appointed to hold ourselves in readiness to go & establish a
Mission in the Marquesas Islands should it be deemed expedient
on the return of the deputation.
"After the deputation returns, should it be deemed
expedient to send a mission to the Marquesas a committee was ap
pointed*survey the region about the mouth of the Columbia River
with a view to select a Missionary post there. x x x x x x x x
In the s ame letter under date July 17, in a note Mr.
Alexander states "Yesterday afternoon the first missionary effort
ever made by the natives was made. Having been notifies but one
day they assembled & contributed $111.81 to sustain the de
putation to the Marquesas. Some who contributed are too poor to
afford to wear a shirt. They prize the gospel it consider no sac
rifice too great if, by submitting to it, they may impert it to
others.
The second letter is from M r s . Alexander to her mother.
I have it not by me. It is dated in August at the time the Po
tomac was there after Mr. A. had left for the Marquesas.
She states that the Mission family were all well.
The third letter if from Mr. Alexander to Judge McKinney hie brother-in-law of this place, it is dated Tahiti Georg
ian Islands, Sept 18th, 1832. He says-We embarked on this embassey ( referring to their deputation as above) at Honolulu
July 18 & making a stop of a few days at Kailua &, Kaawaloa or
Hawaii we sailed thenceJuly 24. & after being tossed on the
Pacific 27 days the towering shafts of Bolabola one of the Soci
ety Islands arose before us. S ince that we have visited the
* to
�2133
Brethren on Raiatea, Huahine, Tahiti & Moorea generally known
by the name of Eimeeo. We were at this latter Island having bid
farewell to Tahiti, expecting in a day or two to steer away for
the Marquesas when news arrived that an American Frigate had arrived at Tahiti we immediately returned hoping it might be di
rect from the Marquesas & bound for the Sandwich Islands. It
proved to be the Potomac Comodore Downes direct from the Sand
wich Islands & bound for Valaparaiso . x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
X xx.x.x.xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
"I have time only to tell you the result of our visit so
far as the Marquesas Mission is concerned.
The Brethren of these Islands having assembled & con
ferred with us on this subject were of opinion that although the
London Society have taken various steps toward establishing a
mission in those Islands & have lately been requested to send six
missionaries to occupy them, they cannot expert this request will
be complied with because before it would reach them they would
have heard that the A. B. had already sent to the Pacific several
missionaries for that field. They therefore recommended to us
to wait if not too inconvenient for a few months untlll they
shall have heard from England. But if we cannot without great
inconvenience they cordially welcome us to go forward & occupy one
of the groupes leaving the others for their Missionaries in case
any should be sent . It is our opinion that a mission will be
undertaken by us in those Islands. But I must hasten to a close
for the party whom I am to join is visiting Comodore Downes are
Just ready. To-morrow we expect to sail for the Marquesas--thence
to the Sandwich I.— whence perhaps as soon as we can get ready
we shall gather our forces & return to Nakahiva than to get up
the standard of the cross."
I have copied all that I thought you would deem im
portant. I ought to have done it before & should but precieved
you had rec'd letters by the same conveyance giving you all the
information we had.
Not having seen it published in any paper— I noq
conclude you have not rec'd the information & therefore send it.
Yours &c
W. R. DeWitt
Signed Rev. W . R. DeWitt
Dated. Feb. 18, 1833
Post Mark
Harrisburg, Penn.
Feb. 12
Extracts of letter from S and'ch Isls. Mission.
Secretaries of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
No. 28 Cornhill, Boston
�2134
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
45
Honolulu Oahu
Dec 4th 1832
to Rev. R. Anderson
signed W . P. Alexander
Washington Island report
ack ’d in Gen. Letter Oct. 30
�2135
68 Sandw ich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
46
Honolulu Dec 19th 1832
Rev . R. Anderson:
Dear Sir:
You will probably learn before this reaches
you that Dr. Judd and myself were appointed by our brethren
of this station, to visit the brethren to the windward and
consult them in reference to the Marquesas Mission. Having per
formed the tour, we have just this moment returned, and as a ves
sel will sail for U. S . within two hours I hasten to tell you
the result of our deliberations.
One obstacle in the way of the mission sailing im
mediately was the want of a physician, as the families of Messrs.
Alexander & Tinker were in such a state as to render it out of the
question to go without one. Dr. Chapin being at Lahaina we first
visited him and the two physicians having consulted freely on the
case of M r s . Chapin, both gave it as their opinion that she can
not go at present. The low state of her health would render it
highly imprudent. The Brethren on M a u i and Morokai being called
together were decidedly of opinion, that unless B r . Baldwin
could be procured as a permanent missionary, the whole business
had better be defered until the general meeting next June. Having
con sulted them, wesailed for Waimea, taking Dr. Chapin & wife &
Br. Spaulding & wife who is in very poor health with us, with
View to improve their health. We laid the subject before Br.
Baldwin of going as a permanent member of the Marquesas Mission.
After deliberati n g upon it for 4 days, he gave his answer in the
negative, and the following were some of his reasons.
1. He considers himself as incompetent to attend to the medical
wants of a mission, as he is entirely without experience in the
practice of medicine.
2. It i s probable that Dr. Chapin will be able to fulfill his
appointment within a few months.
3. He has a c quired a good knowledge of the Hawaiianlanguage, has
got well settled down with fine prospect of usefulness where he
is , and hisconnexion with his people ought not to be broken up
without very strong reasons.
4. He does not wish to encounter the difficulties of learning a
--- language, especially as his time for getting a language with
ease is past.
5. There are other reasons besides the want of a physician for de
fering the mission until after general meeting— such as the
present stall of Brs. Alexanders& Tinkers wives one of whom at
�2136
least would probably be confined in child birth on the passage
should the mission sail immediately--the probability, though slight,
that English Miss's. may be sent to the Marquesas Ils .--Br Tinker
does not feel willing to go on a mission to the Marquesas, and
should he not go it will be desirable to obtain some one to go
in his place. This must be done however at general meeting.
Br. Baldwin has given us encouragement however to hope
that in case Dr. C . cannot go after general meeting, he will stand
ready to take his place, i n case the mission should call upon him.
From what I have said you will see the state of that mission. It
drags heavily, but I hope still we shall be able to sail within
6 or 7 months on that long-delayed enterprise. But what obstacles
the Lord maty throw in our way hereafterI cannot tell. Sometimes
I fear it is not his will that we should occupy that field at all.
Yours affectionate brother in Christ.
R. Armstrong
Rev. Wm. P. Alexander
May 4, 1833,
Ack 'd in Gen Letter Oct. 30
May 4, 1833
Rev . Rufus Anderson
Boston
U. S.
Post Mark
N ew Bedford
Mass
May 1
12
�2137
68 Sandwich Islands
Fart Three
XXVII
47
Honolulu, March 15th 1833
Rev. R. Anderson
Boston
Dear brother,
The subject of the Marquesas Mission is
still discussed among us, but it seems almost to remain statuquo. Whether more light or darkness has been thrown upon it
since I last wrote to you, I cannot determine. Still you would
doubtless be glad to know the posture in which it stands.
Brother Tinker still thinks it is not his duty to
form one of the Mission— Dr . Chapin is now at Kaawaloa with his
wife; who is so low that all hope of her recovery is lost— at
present, therefore, it is plain he cannot g o on that mission.
None of the old missionaries think it their duty to go; & they
believe the Board, if they knewtheir situation & circumstances,
would heartily agree with them. It remains therefore, I suppose
pretty much with Br. Armstrong & myself whether that mission
shall be taken from these islands or not. We feel ourselves
therefore placed in a very responsible attitude, & need heavenly
wisdom to guide us aright . Such consideration as the following
indicate that it is our duty to go.
1. If we do not go the sending a mission thither from these
Islands will fail.
2'd. That field has been surveyed, & found open beyond our most
sanguine expectations--& the people there have been encouraged to
expect us.
3’d. After all that has been said & done, if the mission should
fail, it would be difficult to make the American Chhs. understand
how out of 20 or 30 missionaries here none can be found to carry
the gospel to Nakohiva , & thus their zeal in the cause of Miss
ions would be diminished.
4th. Though we have learned too little of the Hawaiian tongue
to turn it to any good account in the Marquesas Islands, still
what we have learned of Polnesian character from Observation &
from the experience of others might be
great of great ad
vantage in establishing a mission at Nakuhiva.
But there are also considerations which have weight
in the opposite scale.
1st. The grand object of the Board in having the Mission establ
i
s
h
e
d
f
r
o
m
t
h
s
e
I
l
a
n
d
w
o
u
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e
f
r
s
t
a
d
,
V
i
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a
o
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e
r
�2138
two old missionaries, should form part of the mission whose
acquaintance with the Hawaiian tongue would enable them v ery soon
after their arrived to preach, & make books for the people.
2 'd. We would go entirely too weak handed— & being ignorant of
medicine ourselves, & without a physician nearer than 3000 miles,
we would run a risque of life, which perhaps is not necessary as
the gospel can be seat thither direct from the U. S.
3'd. Though what we have learned gives us advantages for taking
that field, which a mission sent from the U . S . direct would
not possess, yet perhaps the increased incumbrance of our families
more than counterbalances it.
4th. The expense of sending a mission thither will be greater,
than direct from the U.S. Indeed it would be so much lost, for
this mission would expect to be reinforced if we go away & it
would cost as little to send the reinforcement to the Marquesas
as to these Islands.
5th. There is a loud call for our labors here, for the time
perhaps is not distant when the people will not present an open
ear to hear the gospel, as they now do. The young king has re
cently revived the ancient heathen dance & gambling sports, & used
all his influence to encourage drunkness & pollution: & multi
tudes, tired of the restraints of the gospel eagerly followhim.
Perhaps the time is not far distant when it will require many
years to do so much good in this nation as must now be effected
in one. Besides two thirds of the population. i .e. 100,000,
seven or eight times as many as the whole population of the Mar
quesas Islands, are still in reality out of the reach of the
gospel; except what they hear two or three times a year, when the
brethren make circuits round the Islands. They are too ignorant
to be saved.
Thus I have endeavoured to show you, dear brother, the
state of the case. My own mind hesitates, but I hope by the time
of the Gen'l meeting, we shall see plainly what we ought to do.
Affectionately your brother in the gospel
W . P . A lexander
Rev. W. P. Alexander
Oct. 25, 1833
Ack'd in Gen Letter Oct. 30
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary R ooms
28 Cornhill
Boston, Mass
U .S.A.
�2139
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
48
At Sea on Board the Dhaulle
S. Lat 19°— W . Long 144°
Aug. 3, 1833
to Rev. A. Anderson,
Rev. Wm. P. Alexander
Jan. 21, 1834
Dated Aug 3'd to Aug. 18, 1833
At sea, & at Washington Islands.
Rec'd Jan'ry 21, 1834
Ack'd in G . Let. Sept. 5/34
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill
Boston
Mass.
U .S .A.
Post Mark
New York
Jan. 12
Included in report on Washington Islands
39/
2
1
�2140
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
49
Talohae , Nakuhiva
S ept . 4th, 1833
to Rev. R. Anderson
Boston
signed
W . P. Alexander
R e v . W m . P . Alexander's
Journal at Washington Islands.
8 3 5
Rec'd Feb 26, 11835
Ack'd Sept. 16 in G.L.
Ant'd June 20/56
marked
Has any part of this been published?
Included in report on Washington Islands.
�2141
68 Sandwich Islands
-Part Three
XXVII
50
W a ioli K auai. Oct 17 th 183 5
Secretaries of the
A.B .C.F.M.
Dear Brethren,
We, who labour in these isles of
the sea, are abundantly reminded th atwe have herenoabiding
city. Four years ha v e almost elapsed since I left*
y
e
v
o
l
shores of my native land, & they have been emphatically years
of pilgrimage, doubtless ordered in wisdom by him who sees the
end from the beginning. For a little more than a year past, I
have been allowed to labour at this solitary post in the erection
of the Lord's temple in Polynesia.
One year has elapsed today since brother Whitney as
sisted in organising a church here, consisting of ten members:
fiveof whom were transfered from the church at Waimea, & five
admitted on examination. July 26th 1835 two others were admitted
on examination & one on certificate from the oh at Waimea. so that
the church at Waioli now consists of 15 member s. Five others
stand propounded, who will probably be admitted atthe next com
munion. There are a number of other individuals of whom I have
hopes yet they do not give so decided evidence at piety as would
justify me in admitting them to the church. The admission of
persons to church fellowship is here a work of peculiar respon
sibility. “The kingdom of God here suffers violence." Church
membership is honorable, gives influence & office; hence the
multitude are pressing eagerly to get into the church. M any ex
hibit this eagerness who give no signs of conviction for sin. others
who have learned somewhat of what a Christian ought to be, make
good professions, but discover too clearly that it is no more than
empty profession. Of others I sometimes hope they are sincere,
& again am made to for they are hypocrites. Hence our difficulty.
How shall we distinguish the sincere? What ought to be esteemed
satisfactory evidence of piety in the Sandwich Islands?
It is true, we are to expect tares among the wheat, yet
we are in danger of cultivating fields covered almost exclusively
with tares .
Preaching is well attended. The number of hearers on
Sabbath mornings is usually about 1000, & afternoons 600 or 800.
We have prayer
m e e t i n g s every morning at daybreak, whence I read
& expounded the gospels in course; the number who attend varies
from 400 to 1000. About 400 commit the verse a day. Meetings
*
the
�2142
for monthly concert are attended with interest.
The attention to the means of grace for a few months
past has been particularly encouraging. Among the multitudes of
professed enquirers after the way of life, some have appeared
to have real convictions of sin. The little church here has been
arroused, several of its member alarmed & with heavy hearts led
to seek anew the evidence of pardoned sin. We would not despise the
day of small things, but would thank God & take courage, while
laboring among a people so dark-hearted, deceitful & polluted.
The schools taught by native teachers, though suspended
to most of the islands, are still in operation here; & though
far below wh at we would have them, they are certainly useful. At
the last public examination, which was held last month, I counted
those only who could read, & found the number to bit 1125 out of
a population of 3107. More than one third, therefore, of the whole
population in which I labor can read, not all with facility, yet
they can all so read as to get the meaning of a plain passage of
scripture & most of them have been taught— by native teachers.
Two teachers are appointed for each school, so that each, for six
months in the year, may enjoy the advantages of the station school,
to which I attend five days in each week. Mrs. Alexander has in
interesting school of seventy children, to which she attends twice
a day when she is able, a school of women once a week & a maternal
meeting once in two weeks.
Books are eagerly sought for. When it is known that
new books have come, they are often disposed of in a few days.
Seven hundred in my bounds take the Kumu Hawaii, our Hawaiian
Newspaper--they pay for it principally in arrowroot.
(2)
Soon after our return from the last general meeting of
the mission, br. Gulick & I held a protracted meeting at Wailua
on the East side of this island. Simeona Kaiu, & his wife Debora
Kapule, who are well known to the Board as standing among the most
valuable native helpers we have in the islands, had taken up their
residence there— had erected a meeting house, & animated with the
hope of getting a missionary to reside there, had erected for him
a large & commodious thatch dwelling. During the meeting, the
attentions to the word was pleasing, & though we witnessed no special
results, yet we hope the truth was not published in vain.
But Simona Kaiu was not allowed to see the day
for which he longed, when that waiting people should have one set
tled among them to break unto them the bread of life. On the 11th
ult. he was suddenly removed by death. He accompanied the deputa
tion three years ago in their visit to t
h e South Seas. He & his
�2143
wife were among the first who were admitted to the church at
Honolulu. His life was consistent with his profession. His end
was peace. He rests from his labors & his works will follow him.
We greatly felt the need of a physician on Kauai this
year. In extreme cases where a physician isreally needed, one
residing at Honolulu can be of little more service to us, than if
he were in Boston. Weeks may elapse & the crisis pass before we
can send him word. Such was the case, when a few months ago Mrs.
Whitney was brought to the very gate of death. The Lord in mercy
removed the violent symptoms before medical aid could be sought.
In consequence of her illness, I made six voyages around the Pali
in a canoe, a distance of 35 or 40 miles. We now hope she may
recover, though she is still confined to her bed.
Since our return from Nukuhiva I have laboured under
great disadvantages for the want of books.. The vessel in which
we returned was able only to bring our families & a few articles
of clothing; & we sent our books & other thing by Cap. Green of
the Royal Sovereign to the Society Islands. The only helps in
the way of books, which I have had in preparing instruction for
the people, have been a pocket Bible & Butterworth Concordance.
Last July, the mission dispatched the Packet to bring our Goods,
but She has returned without them, they having been previously
shipped by W. Barff on board two whalemen, who expect to touch
at Honolulu this fall. Without society & without books the
mind flags & its furniture grows rusty . But I wait patiently, with
the hope both of getting my library & that you will send me an
associate to take charge of schools & of the disposal of native
books. By looking at the map of Kauai, you will see that this
station, Waioli, is on the North side of the island; & like most
places on the windward side of these islands it is covered with
perpetual green, owing to frequent rains. The average hight of
the thermometer, since we have been here, has been about 70°
Farenheit. It has sometimes been so low as 57° & rarely so high
as 80°. The frequent ra i ns make our thatched dwelling very un
comfortable. It sometimes rains daily for two or three weeks in
succession, then our bedding & all clothing not in close trunks
become damp. At such times, we feel strongly the importance of
getting a dwelling better adapted to preserve our health. The
frequent rains forbid our building with brick dried in the sun ;
we cannot make them here. I have therefore concluded to attempt
to build with stome, although the stome must be brought a dis
tance of four miles by sea in canoes. It will be a troublesome
& expensive work. We cannot build so economically here as in
the U.S. Besides the necessity of superintending the work, i n a
great measure, ourselves, a large portion of our materials must
be shipped all the way from the U. S . & we must employ workmen,
not the most skillful, at from 11/2¢ to 3¢ per day. It ought not
therefore be thought strange or extravagant, if a comfortable
�2144
house here should cost much more than a similar one in Boston.
During the past year I h ave kept an a a
c u r a t e account o f
the births & deaths within my bounds, & the following is the result . F rom S e p . 1834 until Sept (1836)there were 80 births & 164
deaths, which in a population of 3107 shows a decrease of 1/34
in a single year! The accounts I have received from other stations
incline me to believe, that the ratio of decrease throughout the
islands will be found to be still greater than this. The causes
why the births are so few are doubtless to be found in the diseases
brought upon the people by their extreme pofligacy. What we do
for this nation, we must do quickly— they are repidly melting
away. Cease not to pray for us who are in the field, that we may
have grace to labo u r unto the End, with untiring fidelity; &
haste to send us the helpers, for whom we have been pleading.
Yours with much esteem & affection
W . P. Alexander
marked
Rev. Wm. P. Alexander
Dated Kaui , Oct. 17, 1835
Rec 'd May 7, 1836
Ack' d in G . L. June 15
in.C.
Ans 'd June 20
Secrataries of the A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill
Boston, Mass.
U.S.A.
�68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
51
2145
XXVII
Waioli K auai. Sand'ch Islands
Jan 5th 1837
Rev. R. Anderson
Boston
Dear brother
Yesterday I had the pleasure of greeting your favor of July 1835. Thank you for it. A letter, though
brief, from that good land is devoured as a precious morsel at
this solitary post. I rejoice to hear that you have received two
physicians for our mission, & at the same time regret that you have
not also obtained the third. Would that we were all physicians.
Why are physicians so backward about engaging in the Missionary
work? & why do those who have enlisted so readily seize upon an
occasion to abandon it? I have thought that it requires more grace
to make a good missionary physician than a good pastor on heathen
ground. The latter is maingly stationary & enjoys the comfort of
being with his family most of the time; while the former is a
servant both to the Jew & the Greek & must often leave his family
month after month, so that he can hardly be said to have a place
on which to rest the sole of his foot. He may readily conclude
that his brethren have a comparatively easy time, & that they under
value his services here discontent may spring up & unless destroyed
by grace may result in his return to his n a tive land.
I
ought to have written you last Oct. but many thin
have conspired to hinder me. It will be unnecessary for me now
to tell you anything concerning the mission generally; as br. Richards will have reached you before this letter & will have told you
all about our affairs & how we do. T
h
ec
o
mo
ns
c
h
ol
si
nm
yb
o
u
n
d
sh
a
v
ed
i
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i
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i
s
h
e
di
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e
r
-e
s
ts
i
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a
s
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,a
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a
de
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.W
i
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of 5 schools for children, none taught by natives deserves the name
of school. I however continue to have public examinations, as it
affords me an opportunity of seeing the people from Dan to Beersheba & preaching to them, & keeps up a sort of relation between me
& those who live at a distance, While at the same time it probably
prevents much evil by billing the blank occasioned by the abolition
of their ancient heathen festivals. At our station schools we have
mainly devoted our time to the instruction of the children. With
the help of native assistants I have taught 120 children 5 days in
or
80 women to read the scriptures & converse on religious subjects,
is a semi monthly meeting with mothers to teach them their duty to
�2146
their children & urge them to perform it. I also meet twice a
week with my old school of teachers. I am however persuaded that
it is not economy to spend much time in teaching adults. You will
perceive that we have, at length, acted on this conviction in regard to the High School.
Our church at Waioli now consists of 24 members in good
standing, & one under suspension. It was last week
was called,
for the first time, to the painful task of exercising discipline.
A horrid evil has been conceiled in our churches on Kauai for al
most year, in which that member of this church now suspended was
implicated, also several of the church at Koloa, & a member of
the Waimea church was principle actor. David said in his haste
"all men are liars” had he lived on Kauai, he would probably have
added deliberately, "& unclean".
Many continue professedly to seek the way of life. But
alas, how shall we distinguish the precious from the vile? A large
multitude, from 800 to 1000; continue to come out to hear the gos
pel. O that the Lord would open their hearts to receive the truth
as he did Lydia's.
I have been much perplexed with building this year. The
difficulty of getting stone was so great, that I was obliged to abandon the plan of building a stone house; & have been laboring
to erect a frame dwelling. Got the frame out of the green mts.
at whose base we live, & have had two Slow carpenters putting it
together; give them 45$ each per month. It will not be ready for
us to move into it till next summer. Since the last Gen'l meeting
we have been cheered in our loneliness by a visit from B r. Tinker
& family, Br. Whitney, Br. Gulick, & br. Bingham & family. The
latter spent the month of Oct. With us, a visit long to be remembered
during which time our Heavenly Father placed a third son in our
arms to train up for his service. May we have wisdom to order the
child aright. We wait with impatience for more American News.
your's & Dr. Chapins letter to me contain all the forei gnnews I
have received. I feel anxious to know what helpers you propose
sending us beside the two physicians. We have asked largely, but
I fear the spirit of Missions is too low in the churches to en
able you to furnish the men, without neglecting other portions of
the world still covered with darkness. The Lord increase the Miss
ionary spirit a thousand fold, & cause many to run to and fro
that knowledge may be increased, & the kingdom of the Lord Jesus
come & his will be done on earth as angels do it in heaven.
Mrs. Alexander joins me in the kindest regards to you
& Mrs. Anderson & to all your fellow laborers at the Rooms.
I remain affectionately
Your brother in the gospel
W. P. A lexander.
Rev. Wm. P. Alexander
Dated W. K. Jan 5 1837
Rec'd July 12/37
Ack'd in G. L. July 21
�2147
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
52
Waimea Hawaii
Sept 28, 1832
To the corresponding Secretary of the A .B.C.F.M.
Dear Sirs
In the general letter to this mission, you request
each missionary to send to the missionary rooms a list of the
books in his private library. It is with a view to this request
that I address you at this time. As I am confident that you are
deeply interested in all that relates to your missionaries I
feel at liberty to communicate such intelligence as you may be
desirous o f receiving. Through the smiles of an allwise Providence
we have e n t e r
d the missionary field & henceforward to us shall
e
be welcome. The t
a i ls of a missionary life— If we can but be
instrumental in advancing the cause inwhich we have enlisted if
we can but fulfil in any measure the expectations of the churches
in relation to us & prove an honor instead of a reproach to that
distinguished body under whose patronage we are sent out we trust
we shall never retrace with regret, thesteps by which we have
been led to this portion of missionary ground. But all this we are
assured, we shall not be, without that spirit whose
energy
is to subdue the pride of man, & bring the world into subjection
to him who is king of kings & Lord of Lords— on this spirit we w-would ever feel our dependence & for his refining & all conquering
power, we would continually pray.
As we have just commenced our labors, it cannot be
expected that we have much to to write, of an interesting char
acter. T h e f i e l d assigned us is large— as it is new much is to
be done & many things wear a discouraging aspect. My associate
has no doubt given you a particular account of the condition of
the station as far as his knowledge. Should I attempt to draw a
picture-of the apparent state of things my imperfect knowledge of
the native language might lead me astray. If I can form any
judgment from observation, we are surrounded with the deepest ignorance & are in t h e midst of a thoughtless multitude. Mr. Bald
win & myself visited the other day a small portion of our station.
we net with almost all conditions of people. The poor & the naked
the deaf & the blind— t
h e maimed & the m aniac -- th e sick &the
dying we found, out of 720 vigorous individuals that but few were
accustomed to enter the sanctuary, upon the sabbath— that most of
those who were thus accustomed, could give no account of any thing
that was said, whether of the word of God or the word of man. Some
we found that chose rather to gratify their several appetites by
eating & sleeping upon the sabbath, than to engage in the pure
�2148
worship of him who made them— some we found w h o could hardly tell
whether there was a God of n o t , w ho could give no other account
of a future state than than it was altogether dark to them, & that
their only concern was to take care of the body. By their own
confession they placed themselves on a level with the beasts that
were grazing around them. W e meet with no open opposi t ion--such
as is met with in such visits in our own land— but we met with
what might try the faith of even a Paul. But our hope is in G o d .
Therefore we will not faint at the threshold of our course.
As to our schools, we cannot say that they are flourish
ing just at present. They meet with many interruptions from the
frequent demands of the pupils, time & labour for different chiefs.
The present form of this government prevents a strong & one would
think, an insurmountable barrier to the
& enlightening
of this nati o n . There must be a change in the political aspect
of the nation before Christianity will smile in all its loveliness
upon the sable sons of Hawaii. That a change maybe affected it the
missionaries, most fervent prayer, & we trust, it is the prayer
of our Christian brethren at h o m e .
Perhaps it may not be out of the way to mention my prog
ress in the language. This is slow but it is such that I am enabled
to preach every sabbath In the Hawaiian tongue. My first sermon
I preached three months after reaching the Islands. Mrs. L. can
talk & understand morereadily than m y s e l f . It is a source of grat
itude to God, that we are enabled thus early, to enter directly
upon our work.
Our prayer is that by our instrumentality a number of
souls may be redeemed from pollution & wo e , & raised to all the
g lories of heaven. M r s . L. desires to be remembered to you 8c
rs. R . She with myself desires to be remembered likewise to
M
Mrs. & Mr. Green, Mrs. & Mr. Hills, M r . Chapman, & c
.-Yours respectfully
L. Lyons
On the other side is a list of the v aluable books belonging to
m y library.*
Henry: Commentary
Doddredge:
dO
Hebrew Bible.
Buxtorft: Heb. Lexicon
N ewark., M i s s . Grammar
Septuagint
Robinson, Gre .Lex icon
Polymierian Library
Dwight, Theology
Horne's Reproduction
Wilson, Evideneces
�2149
Buck Theo'l Dictionary
Garbon's Collection
Brown’s Bib. Dictionary
Parish's Bib. Gazeteer
Horae Solitariae
Preacher's Manual
Marsh's Eccl History
Payson's Sermons
Bradley's, do.
Dwight's, do.
Martyn's, do.
Martyn's Life
Payson's, do.
Zirk's , do.
Brainerd's, do.
Legh. Richmond, do
Mrs. Judson's, do
Christian Instructor
Fuller's Gospel Acceptation
Sprague's Lectures
Griffin's, do
Howe's , do
Lay's, do
Stewart's 1st Journal
Selections on the Atonement
Payne's Elements
Paley's Theology
Wood., on Baptism
"
" Inspiration
Biblical Antiquities
Missionary Gazetteer
Tracts— 4 Vols— select
Errors in Religion & Thots on prayer
Law's serious call
Bantor's call, do. Saint's Rest
Communicant's Companion
Polyglot Bible
Rise & Progress
Faber on Fidelity
Dick's Christian Philosopher
Comstock's Philosophy & chemistry
Rollin's ancient History
Goldsmith's Greece
do.
England
do.
Rome
Goodrichs Hist. of U.S.A
Tytler's History
Woodbridges' Willard's Geography & atlas
�2150
Pollok's Course of Time
Young’s Right Thoughts
Thompson's Seasons
Paradise Lost
Cruden's Concordance
Websters Dictionary--Large
Lempsiers— Classical Dictionary
Missionary Herald from 1822
If I may be allowed to mention any book that I should
like to add to here, I would say a critical Commentary on the N .T.
Rosen Muler, perhaps, Qibb's Heb. Lexicon, Stewart' s Chrutomatly
Edward's work's, especially the most valuable. If the Missionary
Herald was published separately before 1822 & I should like the
previous volumes if you have any to spare. I wish these books to
be directed to me. But the Board will act their pleasure as to
sending any of them.
here & to give my opinion respecting any points it would be this
that it is not a good plan to send out books to the mission to be
divided here. I of course was disinterested in the division of
books .This year— but I saw the evil & I do most sincerely pray that
there m y not be another occasion for the repetition of the evil.
If such & such books are sent to such & such individuals, the evil
will be r e m i d i d
Books
.
e
that are for common stock can benifit but
one station. This appears to be a fact.
Another opinion, I do not think it wise to have, crockery
put up in barrels— because it is not so secure, by any means, in
this way, as when put up in crates, very much of ours was broken,
that more particularly, that we valued most.— Pardon me, if I do
wrong in m a k i n g e
t
s
suggestions.
h
Yours respectfully Lorenzo Lyns
Rev. Lorenzo Lyons
March 16, 1833
Ack'd in Gen Lett. April
Removed to Waimea
Evils of the movement
Stupidity of the people
Acquisitions of the Language
Catalogue of his library
needed for himself
Evils of sending out books
manner of preaching
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Post Mark New Bedford Mass
Boston, Mass
Mar. 16
�68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
2151
XXVI I .
WaimeaHawaii Sept. 6, 1833
Very dear Sir:
More than a year has past since the commencement
of my labors in this field. During this time I have endeavored
to do something towards the salvation of perishing sou l , but alas
I have accomplished but little. I do not design at this time to
you a full account of all that I have done or endeavored to
five
d
o, b ut to make a few extracts from my journal, in the course of
which something may be learned concerning the character, con
ditions &c of the people in the midst of whom I dwell.
Views of parents with regard to their children.
November 1, 1832. A member of our church came several miles to day,
on a very singular errand in our judgment. The errand was to beg
an infant child whose father & mother are both church members reaiding at this p l a c e . The parents were perfectly willing to give
u p , yea give away their little one of not more than a month old.
W e advised to the contrary& our advice was received, but the
applicant returned sorely disappointed. The practice of giving
away children in their infancy has been long standing. Hence it
is that there is so much mortality among infants hence also it
is there
so little filial affection exhibited-in children towards
their parents. Here, there is none of that mother, fondness of
her darling child, & that childs attachment,to its affectionate
m o t h e r which is * in enlightened America.
The people more influenced by novelty than in regard to
religion 4 — a church member called on us today, & expressed much
concern for the people,--he said formerly the house of God was
crowed with h e a r e r , but now the number was small, we asked the
reason— he replied, it was because the people were lazy we
mentioned the novelty of meetings as being one reason why so many
attended formerly-& that now the novelty had past & the thing be
come an old story— many had forsaken them. This is no doubt one
great reason— & hence though we can now say, that we have a con
gregation of 4,000 in one part of our field on sabbath morning
you must not be astonished should you after awhile hear that
this number had dwindled to 400. The Lord pour out his spirit
(hole in paper) will his housebe filled with sincere & devoted
worshippers.
A native Examination.
22— D uring parts of the last 3 weeks Mr. B & myself have
been occupied in the examination of native schools— about 140
schools in all & 6,000 scholars. Examinations are regarded as
great days by the natives, & a spectator would think so sh ould he
* seen
�2152
witness the wonderful display &
perade on the part both of teachers
& scholars.
In the mornin g schools will be seen marching in due
order from all quarters, to the place of exhibition, some schools
be*in uniform, that is, in blue, yellow, white or some other
coloured kapa— with heads decked with flowers & evergreen, gathered
on the way & sometimes whole schools will appear in neat Kapa gowns
which at a distance can hardly be distinguished from European dress.
Other schools will exhibit an endless variety of dress— one will
be clad in a shirt & kapa, another in a long r e d military coat
without pantaloons, another in nothing but a shirt &a vest, another
in a vest & a malo only, another in pantaloons & a shirt, another
in nothing, but a shirt, some in handkerchiefs, some in silk some
complete European dress— so that taken as a whole they, for the
first time, exhibit quite a ludicrous appearance--as they all re
gard themselves about on an equality as to knowledge, the grey
headed classes w i t h their piapa or a b c book under their arm feel
as proud as any of them. N ow to the examination of the scholars
orratherofthosewhocametobeexaminedforIsupposenothalfofthemhaveseentheinsideofaschoolhouse,orheardthevoice
of instruction, since the last examination, six months ago, out
of the 6,000 however, there were 2,000 or more who were ranked with
readers. Some of them having been taught without a book could read
as well with the book bottom upwards as any other way & in fact
could not tell the difference& some had been accostom ed to read w ith
the book nearly upside down for the convenience of the teacherswho
were not over expert in reading, themselves. M ost however knew
how a book ought to be held, & could by hav ing time enough make
out to read a verse in t h e new Testament, some 3 or 400 could read
very well, I do not wonder that there are so few good readers or
so few readers of any k i n d . ( I rather wonder that there are so many
considering the qualifications of the teachers.
It must be acknow
ledged that, our schools are very slow & low they w i l l be till we
hav e teachers of more knowledge & efficiency such teachers we are
designing to have as soon as possible. I should like to introduce a
native teacher & a native school house to some of our good people
inAmerica . I am inclined to thing they would regard me in sport,
or say, where? what, this fellow a school teacher!? & this spectre
of a house a school house?— this ma n that can hardly read , a teach
er, & this house without a floor, save the earth covered with grass
& destitute of every kind of school house furniture, save a seat
for th e teacher, & not ever this in many cases--this house, a school
hous e ? ! ! But the day of small things is not to b e despised.
A visit to K awaihae
De c . 15.
R ode to Ka w a ihae 12 miles
m
p
3
u
.
K
c
,
l
&
n
b
y
a
e
f
s
d
r
i
h
t
o
w
T
distant to spend the sabbath.
r
s
u
l
f
w
v
k
o
m
i
t
d
a
h
c
n
e
H
heathen temples
The w alls merely now remains then only in part. Thereare immense
*arrayed
�2153
masses of stone— one is 200 feet long I should judge— 100 w ide
— &40 high in s o m e p l a c e . I stood on these relics of fallen
idolatry & thought of the truimphs of the gospel on these once
dark & blood stained shores. At the time these temples were
dedicated 13 human victims w ere sacrafi ced. This I have from
the mouth of Mr . Young who was present at the time. I found a
vast change in the climate. It was like passing on a sudden
from a cold November morning at home to the warmest day in July.
Yet give me Waimea with all its cold & wind & rain instead of
scorched withered & desolate Kawaihae. Yet the evenings at the
latter place are comfortable & pleasant & the ocean as the sun
sets appears indescribably beautiful.
Preached 3 limes on the sabbath & superintended the
sabbath school. Some of the audience listened & some did noti
my soul was filled with deep anxiety for the salvation of those
I addressed.
The conversation with Mr. Y — h e related the following
incident. In the days of dark hearts a man & wife had a quarrel
about their little child of a year old. To end the quarrel the
inhuman husband took the child & broke its back over his knee.
The child was much loved by Mr. Y . Entering the house h e saw its
mangled body & the savage man & woman weeping by its side— he was
moved with indignation,— he took the man to the king to have him
hang. The king laughed at him & asked if a man had not a right
to with h i s own as he pleased.
17. returned to Waimea
31. M r . B. returned from K ohala 20 miles distant where he spent
the sabbath. H ere he found much heathenism. Last week the people
having heard it was somewhere near the beginning of a new year
thought they must pay some regard to a feast held formerly on
t h i s occasion, which was to eat abundantly of all such things as
they chanced to have & pray to Lono,(Captain Cook). They did not
observe it exactly in the same way now— some of them
collected together& read & prayed— when told we had no such thing
here they were quite astonished.
Jan. 19, 1833— Rode to Koh a l a today 20 miles--reached there about
4 P.M. much fatigued from riding a native read & a native saddle—
within 5 miles of the church I was met by a company of natives
who saluted me with their aloha & prevented me with two large cal
abashes of baked potatoes, or baked fowl & a calabash of water.
I could do nothing less than to dismount & partake. This was in
deed a table spread in the wilderness. From this place onward the
path was lined, as it were, with natives, men women & children &
old & young, all following in a noisy train, pretending much respect when I reached K. I found a congregation already assembled
to whom I preached the words of l i f e .
Sun.20 A.M
Prea ched to a large congregation--400 immortal souls
were before me- -oh how small I seemed I seemedin my own eyes.
If over I felt my need of divine assistance it was now. The meet
�2154
lag house is of native stile & exceedingly large. As I stood on
-the matted floor, their being no pulpit the exercise of speaking
almost completely exhausted my lungs & my strength. I however
preached 3 times & attended the sabbath school, at the close of
which I made such remarks as I thought useful. Oh Lord, let it
not be in vain that thy poor, unworthy servant has thus worn him
self out this day in proclaiming thy awful truth to this dying
multitude. There is but little observance of the sabbath at this
place, my soul was grieved, i n witnessing the noise & confusion
the running & talking, at the close of the services. Theyare
profoundly ignorant of the nature of the sabbath & everthing divineeven a church member asked me if Jesus was not an angel.
21. Returned to my home, a very welcome spot indeed after living
a while quite like a heathen, eating on the floor, & sleeping in
kapa. On the way I called at a smallcollection of houses & held
some conversation with the people. Most seemed to know nothing
at all of the way of salvation, all would say they were after the
good but what the good was, they could not tell. They had the word
of God in their hands, yet they knownot its import,& so it is with
many of this people. They read but do not understand because they
care but little about the meaning. Accordingto their own confession
when they pretend to read. They will read a verse & then sleep
& on awaking will read another verse & then sleep again & so on—
w e tell them repeatedly this is not goo d -yet they do not hear
us--Oh for the spirit of the living God to breathe upon thisdead
m ass, that it may live.
F e b .5. Attended the funeral of a middle aged man. This afternoon
— found quite an assembly at the house of the deceased while talk
ing to them they appeared attentive & solemn. The dead was laid
in a coffin rudely made fron a certain native tree called wiliwili.
The grave was near the house. It was lined with mats. In deposit
ing the coffin the natives were rath e r awkward some getting into
the grave & some doing onething & someanother. Over the coffin
was first placed mats 2 boards & then earth. I was pained to see
the l e v ity manifested on this solemn work. A view of death & the
grave appears to make but little impression on the heart of a
native. Though, when one dies, the relatives those of the more ig
norant class— raise a great wailing. A day or two since, as I
was passing a certainplace the voice of wailing sounded dismally
in my ears.
Though rude coffins like the present one are sometimesto
be seen, yet generally the dead are wrapped in kapas, merely, as
many as 40 kapas were formerly wrapped around the body of distin
guished persons.
Graves are not very numerous in this part of the Island.
Caves, the work of nature, areconverted into sepulchres. There
are several of these in this vicinity,— one of which I visited a
few days since. It is some 50 feet below the earth's surface &
�2155
a more terrific place I never visited. Such a mass of rocks
hanging frightfully over my head brought a kind of unspeakable
horror over my soul. What then must be thehorror that shall
seize upon those who at the last day shall hide them selves in
the dens & the rocks of the mountains & shall*to the rocks & to
mountains to fall on them & hide them from coming wrath. What
added to the horror of the cavern was this, it was the sepulchre
of the dead & I saw several human skulls & relics of human bodies
wrapped in kapa. By the side of these were placed sugar cane &
calabashes once containing water & provision for the spirit of the
dead. Here were masks of former heathenism. When graves were
first introduced which is not many years since, the relatives of
the dead, for a time, built houses over the grave in which they
placed wa te
r & provision for the spirit to partake of at night.
This practice is now at an end, at leas I do not know thatit
still exists.
Visits amoung the people.
April 4 — During a few weeks past, I have visited more or less some
of the adjoining districts, f ound the people ready to receive books,
but found but few that could read
Some appeared very ignorant.
They c ould not tell whether they had soulsor not, & consequently
were entirely ignorant of the savior. Today I visited from morn
ing till sun down— called at many houses— but found but few people
160 in the whole— found the most awful stupidity on the. subject
of religion, many were not much disposed to listen to my remarks.
They would continue their work , whatever it might be unless re
quested to stop. In one region I was not known. The people asked
me my business, what I was seeking, supposingme to be some pass
ing foreigner & probably having some bad intention. I told them
I was seeking the people. They wished to know whom, in particular
I asked them if they did not know me. They replied no. One finally
said I was a teacher. I told them, if they had been accustomed to
attend meeting on the sabbath. They would have known me, upon which
one woman more lordly than the rest, reproved the others very
sharply for not going to meeting, n ot aware probably,
b r i n ging
herself into the same condemnation.
I called at a house where was an elderly man sitting at
his meal. I began to talk with him. Suddenly he stopt, saying
let us pray— an expression in this language, which implies the
presence of 3 or more persons— he muttered over a few words &
said amen. This he did I suppose to show how pious he w a s . At
another house I asked an aged woman just going into eternity if
she had repented of her sins? Yes she said, she had repented of
her sins. I told her she must repent aright of sin— yes, she
replied, I must repent of righteousness & sin— oh how dark this
people are--& how opposed many are to the truth— most were employed
* call
�2156
about some houses All were fast asleep. I cannot say that I found
any that cared for their souls.
Many other things might be extracted from my journal, but
as they will be mentioned in another formIpurposely omit them here.
As I have a little vacant space left , I will fill it up with some
miscellaneous things.
Our field is very large, the population is 15,000. There
are scattered over a very wide territory. I very frequently ask,
what can two missionaried do among these scattered thousands?Waimea
is our station 1,000 people here, 20 miles distant is a large meet
ing house. The road is a mere foot or horse path some of the way
waggons cannot pass. This meeting house will hold 4,000 souls.
this is only half of the population of that district. Another c
church is certainly needed, 12 miles another way, is another m eet
ing house, holding 1,200 souls only 5,000--12 miles another way
is a large school house which answers very well for a church— 12,000
people in this district. These districts are all large, some are
30 miles long & 15 broad.
The people are almost as dark as they were 40 years ago.
I am told by the natives that some still worship stones. But 4
or 5 months since & drunkenness on fermented potatoes was all over
this field; but littlehowever in W aimea. This has subsided as po
tatoes are scarce, this may be the reason * -adultery (hole inpaper)
to an awful extent)an adulterusy song has been form ed, the words
are sung backwards. It consists of & parts, the call & the answer.
This is spreading over this fields.
Another evil is the beef establishment here, which
draws thousands around it weekly. Hence there is but little desire
for books. Indeed it is almost impossible to hire any work done
for books--schools are all forsaken--at least many of them, I know
this by inquiry. I go put 2 or 3 miles & meet with numbers who
have left their schools to follow the beef— what shall we do? We
are not discouraged, the gospel shall triumph. But I will assure
you, our hearts are often filled with sadness. We live in native
houses perhaps always shall: There is a great building spirit
among us, large comfortable houses, some like. It is not very
strange that it should be reported that the missionaries are be
coming rich. The Lord deliver us from this worldly spirit. I
havepreached about 100 times the past year, besides many talks,
have had schools most of the time, since the 1st of March most of
the care of schools has fallen on me as Mr. B has been otherwise
employed making a Hawaiian vocabulary, & laid aside several weeks
with a broken arm-22 or 3 weeksor 3 weeks to the volcano,
some
* Drunkenness on awa. a native root is now not unfrequent. Am
a
n
informed me the other day, that he saw 50 he should think dead
drunk at one house about a mile distant.
�2157
of the time is visiting schools & different parts of the field.
About 2 months, or more I have devoted to map making,
that is, all the leisure time I could find. Our maps are made of
cloth oiled, painted &c . We had a school of 40 or 56, at first
9 is all I can get to attend now. Mrs. L. has 2 schools now, adult
& children. Mr. & Mrs. B. are at Kohala now, 20 miles distant-a wide field there—
He certainly need more help. We cannot do much till we
have more help. Some think it would not be policy to send out many
more missionaries at present but some think differently, I think we
must have more or it will (hole in paper) long time before the millenium will commence here.
This half of the sheet must be confined to the Rooms.
One request--if you have not put up Glbb's Hebrew Lex
icon for me you will oblige me much-by doing it, alsoStewarts
Chrestomathy as far as it goes. I want something to help in under
standing the old testament, as I wish to explain it to the natives.
There is not much of the O.T. translated yet--salvation goes on
on very slowly.W i l l you be so kind as to direct these books to
me?
Mrs. L joins with me in kind regards to you & Mrs. A.
likewise to all connected with the Rooms.
Yours affectionately,
L.Lyons
Rev. Lorenzo Lyons
Date Sept. 6, 1833
Rec'd April 15th 1834
Extracts from his Journal
Ach'd in G .L .Sept. 16
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill
(2 sheets)
U .S.A.
Boston, Mass
Post Mark
NewBedford Mass
Arp 14
copied
�2158
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
44
XXVII
Waimea Aug. 27, 1834
To the Rev. Ru.Anderson
Dear Sir;
The enclosed is a journal to my brother in Roches
ter. I send it to you unsealed that you & the other members of
the rooms may have the perusal of it & select such parts for the
Herald as you may think proper, if any such parts can be found in
it. As it is, it will probably give you a better view of things
in our field especially Hamakua than
you will get from our
general station letter. I would transcribe it, but this will ac
quire much time & patience, & time is precious especially that of
the missionary, I acknowledge I have been very free in waiting
to friends, & things (hole in paper) been published which I never
designed for that purpose. I am very sorry(hole in paper) see
them back again at the Sandwich Islands. I hope it will lead me
(hole in paper) m e more careful for the future.
I sent you two sheets last year consisting of extracts
from my journ al. I have secured the books whichwere sent to m e
from the Rooms, & am very grateful for them.
The Journal you will please seal & for
w ard to my brother
after you h ave read it sufficiently, please forward it as soon
as possible.
Mrs. L . gains with me, k i n d regards to you & the other
members of the Rooms & your companions.
Yours affectionately
Lorenzo Lyons
A u g .30
P.S. I did not think of sending this journal to the Rooms till
I had finished it & was looking it over for the sake of mak
ing some extracts, but not being able to determine what parts
would be most profitable I concluded to send the whole— you will
please pardon the egotism discoverable in some parts, what is
included *a parenthesis is to be regarded as tabu to the public.
We shall probably send you a joint letter before long.
Mr. Baldwin is quite sick. He has a very bad cough which has been
followed by a fever & chills. The fever has been broken somewhat,
but he is still feverish. We hope he will soon be restored to
health, but this is wi t h the Lord
Sept .27--Mr .B hadso far recovered as to be able to be go to
Kaawaloa a few days since with his family where he expects to be
detained several weeks as physician.
L.L.
* in
�2159
Rev . Loranzo Lyons
Date Aug. &Sept .1835
Rec'dMay
4, 1835
Ack'd in G. L. Sept .16
Import. School Apparatus
Measures & weights
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
U.S.A.
No. 28 Cornhill
May 1
Edgartown Ms.
2 oz Ship 102
�2160
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
45
Honolulu, June 25, 1835
To the Secretaries of the A B C F M
Rev. & dear Sirs:
As the Hellespont wh brot the 6th reinforcement , to this mission is about to sail for Batavia & hence af
fording an opportunity for sending to America * I deem it im
portant to say a few things to you respecting our lab or the
past year & our present prospects. I shall however be brief,
reserving a fuller account for another time. After our return from
the general meeting of the mission last July, we spent some months
at Waimea, in consequence of the sickness of Mr. Baldwin & after
wards, of his absence to another station. On the first of Decem
ber we left for Waimea & took up ourresidence in Hamakua where
wecontinued till we were called away, to attend the general meet
ing. We have been alone with exception of 2 months & consequently
our laborshave been numerous.
I have attended four meetings upon the sabbath & sometimes
five, & two sabbath schools, one of which however was not commenced
till within a few weeks before we left. One of the sabbath schools
has been in a flourishing state. The same will no doubt be true
of the other if continued. My congregation has been encouragingly
large in the morning & a l s o in t h e afternoon for some months previous to pur leaving. Besides meetings on the sabbath I have had
several during the weeksome at the station & others in the neigh
boring districts. I believe I have attended not for from 700
meetings during the past year, in which nearly all the exercises
have devolved on myself. I have sometimes felt exhausted, but the
Lord has given me strength. I have endeavored to devote as much
time to schools as I deemed advisable & in pastoral visiting no
inconsiderable portion of my time has been employed. Mrs. L. has
been occupied from day to day in instructing children, adult females
&c. I intend to be particular at another time. We have labored
abundantly, but after all we have accomplished but little.
Hot
that our labors have been in vain, , I trust much good has been
done, much evil presented, but I meanthat our field has been so
extensive & our efforts so widely diffused, that the effect has
been less than it would have been had they been more concentrated .
We feel our need of more help. And it is my object at this time
to present our claims for another missionary. My reasons are:
* This letter will go by
continent.
�2161
1— M r . Baldwin in consequence of ill health is r e m o v e d from
Waimea, never expects to return. Hence 15,000 souls are thrown
upon m e , a burden greater than I can bear.
2— By looking at the map you will see how the field is situated,
& yet you will not have a very correct idea of its situation, nor
ca n I give you a correct idea. I will just say, Waimea is the most
central, but a man located there can do something though not much
for Kohala & Hamakua, located at either of these posts he c o u
ld
do still less for th e whole region. Waimea ought to be supplied,
for it has become the residence of Governor Adams & there is a
church of 23 members & besides several members from other churches
& many foreigners reside there whose influence is pernicious.
Kohola requests a permanent missionary & ought to have one immediat
ely & it is a matter of astonishment to the people that no one goes
to their aid. You are already acquainted with the fact that there
la a large native meeting house in that district. H amak ua should
hav e a permanent teacher as speedily as possible. I suppose the
are now engaged in putting up a commodious house of worship, & they
will feel greatly disappointed if we do not return to that place.
From a view of the whole field & from the consideration that some
considerable labor has been bestowed upon it, it is thought advis
able to maintain the field, though with no other strength than that
of one man*
3— N o missionary can be found on these Islands who think s it on
the wholedu ty to leave his present post to assist in maintaining
Waimea station even for a year. Several stations have been taken
since that of Waimea, & those who occupy then regard them as too
important to be givenu
.
p
I have been led to conjecture that one of the reasons
is the field on the northen part of Hawaii is not sufficiently
inviting; it will require much selfdenial to live there. It
is my conviction & it is the conviction of many others that Waimea
station including its out posts is the most difficult & univiting
of all the stations now occupied. No one who is acquainted with
it wished to be located there, so it seems perhaps I am mistaken.
A t any rate we are to return alone & labor single landed till another
reinforcement arrives from America. Such is the present prospect.
My request is that a missionary be cent forthwith, designated for
the Northen part of Hawaii & whose designation be specified in
the general letter to the mission. The missionary & his wife
should be willing to make great sacraficies & indure great s elf
denials. I plead for myself & yet not for myself but for the
of Christ, the cause of perishing souls. I shall sink unless I
am speedily aided. To be alone in that wide & desolate & lone
region 40 or 50 miles from say missionary brother, & no physician
nearer that Oahu, u s unpleasant, but to have the care of so many
�2162
thousandsouls weighing upon me, is
& listen to my request. I presume
important field better than I have
missionary as that is what*I would
of a letter from( illegible) to Mr.
the Hellespont--ourkind regards to
legible) well.
insupportable. Pray for me
others will plead for that
done . I ask but for but one
gratefully acknowledge (illegible)
Baldwin & myself received by
you all & your companions (il-
*is absolutely needed now this very moment many more are needed
& we hope they will be sent as soon as practicable.
Yours affectionately
L .Lyons
Rev. L.Lyons
Dated Honolulu: June 25, 1835
Rec'd Nov. 2
To the Secretaries of the A B C F M
Missionary rooms
No. 28, Cornhill
Boston
M a ss.
Post Mark Oct 17
23
Missy acked
Ack'd in G. Letter
Ans’d June 20/30
Nov.6
�2163
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
46
Waimea Hawaii, Sept 15, 1835
To the Secretaries of the A B C F M
Rev'd Dear Sir:
The time has come forpreparing letters for
America & of course for the Missionary Rooms in Boston. I have
written you several times, some times letters& some times Journals
.
The first journal I transsitted had reference to my first year's
residence at Waimea. I have not seen this acknowledged in your
communication to the I
sland, & hence conclude you never received
it. Perhaps, if lost; it is all for the best. Last year I sent
you a journal of several sheets designed for my brother in Rocheser, but directed to the Missionairy Rooms for your persual, I
appended to that several
extranious things, one of which was our
intention to write a joint letter to the Rooms, but this letter
was not written. In June 1835 I directed a letter to you by way
of the Continent. In that I gave a general view of my labors dur
ing the past year, of the removal of M r . Baldwin my beloved as
sociate from this field in consequence of ill health of the con
sequent increase of labor devolving on me, & an earnest request
for another helper. It is my object now to give you a more min
ute account of what we have been doing since last August 1834. &
to this I may occasionally make some extracts from my journal.
Soon after our return from general meetings(
July 1834)
Mr. Baldwin was taken sick & was obliged to relinquish his labors.
In October having recovered a little, though not entirely he &
his family were called to Kaawaloa (his medical services being
demanded.) The first of Dec. They returned M r . B's health being
much better than it was at the time he left, we according to our
previous design, went to Hamakua, where we labored till we were
called away to the general meeting at Honolulu. You perceive we
have labored alone for the most of the year of my own labors I
shall now speak— I shall begin with
1 meetings. Meetings on the sabbath have been the morning meet
ing in common with other days. & sermon & a lecture on the verses
for the week & an occasional inquiry meeting or a meeting for
those of a serious character. On week days there have been meet
ings every morning at day light, the regular Wednesday afternoon
meeting, designed for marriages & the reciting of the text of
sermons preached the previous sabbath, with questions & remarks
on the same. The weekly female prayer meeting— frequent meetings
�2164
in different school districts & the two concerts of prayer for the
conversion of the world & for sabbath schools. Meetings on the
sabbath, have been held in Waimea, & in Waikoekoe & Waipio in
H aneakua. I will say a word of the meetings in Waipio. Waipio
is a beautiful valley containing many inhabitants. But to get to
it/or from it requires considerable exertion of muscular power &
a/considerable exhaustion of both muscular & mental strength, for
the time being. I speak in reference tothose not accustomed to
such tremendous ascents & descents. Over this v alley Satan had
acquired an almost universal sway, as he has over other parts of
the wicked world. The meeting house at Hamakua in which I preached
from sabbath to sabbath was but a little distance from the valley,
& formerly it was frequented by many Waipio people. But now very
few attend. What should be done? I visited the valley often,
during the week & exhorted the people to come to meeting upon the
sabbath, but all my exhortations were unavailing. The people did
not come. What shall be done? Shall I leave my regular meeting
& sabbath school once in two or three sabbaths to preach to the
perishing inhabitants of the valley? This will not do, for my
people, especially my sabbath school scholars are so much like
ungoverned children, that if left alone or in the care of such
native teachers as I have, for a sabbath they will scatter to the
winds. I will do this--After the morning services, consisting of
a sermon It sabbath school, I will take a little refreshment & go
down the dizzy precipice into the v alley& preach to the people there,
peradventure they will like this, & come out to meeting. After
meeting I will form a sabbath school & when its exercises are ended
I will return & hold my lecture in the usual place. This plan I
put into operation & it succeeded well. I need not say that at the
close of a sabbath thus spent I often found myself completely ex
hausted, & probably I should not have been able to have continued
the plan to any great length of time. I felt for dying sinners
& duty compelled me to persue this laborious course.
After preaching on a certain Sabbath— Waimea— I found the following
record in my Journal, "
T he gospel of t
h e son of God has been pro
claimed in the ears of dying yet immortal audience. But Paul may
plant & Apollo water, man may preach from the rising of the sun
to the going down of the same, & spend their nights in prayer upon
the cold mountain or in the retired
chamber, but what will it
all avail if God withhold the life giving energies of his Holy
Spiril? These energies are withheld from us, & the poor people
are bound in iron slumbers, not to be awaked, I sometimes fear,
till aw aked by the knell of eternal death."
On a certain sabbath I preached in a sermon on the 4th
commandment & preached on many things in reference to the obser
vance of the Lord's day, & here I spake of the practice of for
saking meetings in the afternoon mentioned its wickedness, that
it was a very strange custom, & urged th em to give it up as it
came n ot from God but from the devil, & if continued would surely
�2165
ruin their souls. After all that has hitherto been said, & we have
often spoken against th i s ruin, yet but little reformation seems
to have been effected. Mo reason in the world can be assigned for
it, but the enmity of the carnal heart to the holy ordinances of
God.
Sunday Sept 7 was communion sabbath & is thus noted in
my journal. "The congregation in the morning was very large, con
sisting of people from the various parts of this field & from
Kona. As Mr. B is still confined to his room , all the exercises
of the day devolved on me. In the morning I preached to the church
from 1 pm 1.13-15. In the afternoon I baptised an infant & ad
ministered the sacrament of the Lord's supper to about 60 coma m n i c a n t s . Several are members of the church at Kailua. The
communicants on the whole appeared well, some however savored some
what of vanity & thotlessness. To the crowd of spectators I made
a few remarks, showing that Christ had died for them & hence they
were under the highestobligations to love him & to commemorate
his dying love by coming around his tab le. I urged them to come
to the supper of the Lord not with their impenitent & unbelieving
hearts, but with hearts broken for sin & trusting in the merits
of Chri st for salvation. We then sung a hymn & the exercises closed.
At 4 p m I preached to the church & to impenitent sinners, & en
deavored to show the difference between therighteous & the wicked.
The Lord add his blessing to the efforts of today.”
S abbath N ov 16. I spent at Hamakua & its exercises are
ed."I have been very busy today, I can say with Paul,
in labors more abundant" In the morning at sunrise, I called the
people together as my custom is & spoke to them of death, judgment,
& eternity. N ext followed the great congregation, & after it the
sabbath school. The school expecially the children's department,
showed the want of a permanent teacher. In the afternoon I preached
twice in the meeting house. As but few were present I went out
after the last sermon to see what had become of the people. At
one house
I found a sort of a universalist he didn't know as to
that quenchless fire . I entered another house, it was the house
of mourning, many were assembled there to weep over the lifeless
body of an infant. Perceiving a man not at meeting in the after
noon, I asked the reason--he said he staid at home to repent of
his sins, another assigned a similar reason. I conversed with
those present on the subject of death. I addressed myself par
ticularly to the parents, one of whom I hope is a Christian. I
then urged the afflicted &
weeping group to prepare for that sol
emn event which would soon remove us all from time to eternity.
Having prayed, I proceeded on till I came to a village where I
collected the people together on a high precipice overhanging the
ocean, to whom I related the parable of the marriage supper, &
made a proper application. After this I returned to my lodging,
where at candlelight in the evening 20 or 30 individuals assembled
to recite the verse for the day. Some solemn remarks closed the
exercises of the day, fruitless exercises unless followed by the
�2166
power of God.
N o v . 23 another Sabbath is thus noted— the day light
meetings are becoming more interesting, they are attended by great
er numbers, the public assembly was considerably increased, many
more Waimea people were present than usual--A.M. I preached on
the decietfulness of the heart, which I illustrated in a variety
of ways, some seemed to feel. PM. I preached from Esau’s selling
his birthright, & applied it to sinners selling their immortal
souls, for a mere trifle, a mere present gratification & after
it is too late they see their folly & seek he aven even with tears
but God's patience abused is changed into inexorable justice & they
sink to endless perdition their own destroyers.
Sun . Jan 4, 1835 With regard to this sabbath I have
spoken in the following manner "
l preach often, not the sabbath
merely but every day in the week can testify to my efforts to bring
souls to Christ. Sinners are called upon to give up their con
troversy with God, & close in with the offers of salvation. Through
Christ & that without delay. But where is the evidence that any
comply with my earnest entreaties." The harps of heaven are silent,
nor are angels bosoms swelled with joy over repenting sinners
who attend to my instructions. My soul is cast down & I inquire
why is it? I have been showing the people today what it is to
live to the glory of God & used many arguments to urge the people
thus to live. 1 have also been speaking of the quiet of impenitence,
& the awful doom of those who sit long under the sound of gospel
but remain destitute of its spirit. F ar more tolerable than theirs
will be the condition of whom
already suffering the vengeance
of eternal fire, & to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness
for ever.
Another Sabbath is just departing, & I am afraid,
that most of those whom I have addressed today will venture to
sleep on under the wrath of God without any concern. The Saviors
calls will remain as usual unh eeded & the soul will not be saved.
My text a.m. was that most pathetic,question "Is there no balm in
Gilead is there no physician th ere?" & p.m. "Behold I stand at the
door & knock", from the subject I remarked that many of my hearers
treated the Lord Jesus Christ worse by far than they did their fel
low beings. They would not keep a fellow being knocking at their
doors without bidding him come in. But the Lord Jesus Christ had
been knocking day & after day, & they refused to let him in. He
had stood by their door in the dawn of the morning & knocked till
his limbe were chilled with the cold & his locks wet with the dew
of the night & at last was compelled to return without obtaining
admission. Oh, worse than brutal cruelty to the savior of the world!
Remainder of letter
printed 32 Missionary Herald 430
(Signed )
Yours respectfully
L. Lyons
Nov.1836
�marked
copied
Rev. L. Lyons Journal
Rec 'd May 7 , 1836
Ack'd in G.L. June 15
Ans’d June 20
�2168
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
47
Waimea O c t . 2, 1835
To the Secretaries of the A B C F M
Rev. & dear Sirs:
I have written at some length respect
ing my missionary labors the past year, & shall now say a few words
in reference to the present. Before this reaches you yo u will
have heard of the failure of Mr . Baldwin's health & his consequent
removal from this station. I need not say that this unexpected
seperation from those w i t h whom we had been associated for three
years was painful to our feelings. But we must cheerfully acquiese
in all the dispensations of providence, assured that they are of
wise & benevolent import.
We returned alon e to this field. It was rather dif
ficult to deter
m i n e in what part of the field we should fix our
permanent residence, whether in Waimea, Kohala or Hamakua, Sever
al reasons induced us to give Waimea the preference. At Waimea
is a native church, which requires the constant exercise of a pastor's
care. H ere also is the residence of the governor of
Hawaii, & his numerous attendants, all needing the instructions
of the missionary, & the majority disposed to receive instruction.
Waimea also is the most central spot. Located here , we can have
some influence upon the other parts of the field. In addition to
these reasons another might be mentioned which has some weight.
There are many foreigners in & about this place. A mis
sionary residing here can be of some benifit to them. Though
their occupations are of such a nature that hewillexert no very
great amount of direct influence over them, yet the influence of
an indirect character will be considerable. Besides these reasons
we h a d t h e advice of some of our missionary
brethren
to aid us in forming our decision in reference to this spot. We
recommenced our labors at W aimea about the first of August. In
consequent of the prevalence of wickedness at that time, the
prospect was not very flattering. During our absence the adverssary
of souls had been making great strides over this whole region.
Multitudes had been led astray by his cunning arts, some one way
&someanother.Somehadbeenintroducedtoconverttheirbooksintoplayingcards&manyhadrevivedformer
heathenishpractices,suchaspaintingthebody,&c.
Aswepassedalongtheroad,leadingfromtheshoretoWaimea,wesawamultitudeofcriminalsatwork.
presenttime,outwardwickednesshasconsiderablydiminished;&theaspectofthingsappearsmoreencouragingthan
Atthe
�2169
at first.
Meetings on the sabbath are very well attended in the
morning. The sabbath school, has increased from 60 or 70 scholare,
to upwards of 300. Many have returned to the school, who I feared
had forsaken forever. My labors on week days are 3 schools a day,
meeting on Wednesday afternoon singing school thursday evening,
the monthly concerts, parents' meeting & pastoral writing.
Mrs. L. has a school every day & a female meeting every
week. Sun. four individuals were received to the church on examin
ation, & two suspended members were restored.
Since my return I have made a tour through the whole
field, excepting some places difficult of access. My object was
to examine native schools & preach to the people.
A faithful tour through this field would require four
or five weeks, & the exercise of no small degree of strength, pa
tience & self denial. Sometimes you can rid e on horse back; again
you will find it necessary to crawl on yourhands & feet, you will
look above & 1 0 , a high precipice will threaten the exhaustion of
all your strength, you will look below & wonder how you will reach
the bottom. Sometimes you will find yourself walking over scorch
ing lava & burning sand. The eye will look around for some pleas
ing verdant spot o n which to repose, but look in vain. The still
unruffled ocean will be on one side, & on the other, desolation
in its drearest form. Sometimes as you travel on, you imagine
yourself amid the rural scenes of your native land. Night comes
on, you spread your table on a mat, sit on the floor & eat as much
like a native as you can consistently. Supper ended & you must
spread your mat on the grass floor, wherever you chance to be in
an old tottering native school house perhaps, & perhaps in a neat
native dwelling, & lying down, you may sleep as sweetly, as the
novelty of your dormitory will permit. Occasionally you may find
a place a little r a i s e d from the ground on which to sleep. I men
tion these things for the benefit of others. Having just completed
a tour through my field of L abor, I feel more than ever my need of
fellow laborers. When I am absent meetings & schools at home lan
guish. Scholars for the most part go back instead of forward, spend
their time in idleness rather than at school. Besides what can
I do for so many thousands of people, scattered over such an extensive
territory? And why should I labor here alone? Are there none to
come to ray assistance? I trust that while I am writing this, there are
some preparing to embark for this forsaken & perishing portion of
Hawaii. We have long been looking for help. Even while Mr. Baldwin
was in the field we sent our appeals for more missionaries. In
how much louder tones then should we now send our appeals? now
that we are deprived
of that valuable laborer? Remember K ohala
& Hamakua while you are looking for missionary posts. Remember
us in our solitude, & cheer us by a reasonable reinforcement from
�2110
that benevolent land. Tw o missionaries are wanted immediately,
one for Kohala & one for Hamakua & 4 would find abundance of employ
ment, & 4 we h ope to have--in due time.
At Hamakua is a good native dwelling house & other houses
allready for a missionary. We built them last year expecting to
make that our station. We occupied them about a month. A good
neat native meeting house will soone be completed at that place.
The meeting house at Kohala is in a bad condition, but could be
soon made better, & a native dwelling house could soon be erected.
Send us the missionaries, & though they maybe obliged to
make many sacrafices, yet they will not be left to suffer. The
Lord will provide for them. The command is "go ye into all the
world & preech the gospel to every creature." No exceptions.
But, I must come bo a close—
I have a great secular work on my hands for the present
that is the building of a comfortable dwelling house in this re
gion of cold & wind & rain. It is to be of wood. Living as far
as we do from the shore & from timber I expect it will be a rather
expensive house. Our present building is old & decaying. Native
houses do not last long. The preservation of our health seems to
require a good house. Our house is to be one story, no cellar,
the dimensions 24, by 28 or 30. We may build, & another occupy.
The great thing is to live for Christ that when we die we may be
received into some of those many mansions which are in his
Fathers house.
We enjoy tolerably good health, as likewise our little
son. Mrs. joins with me in wishing to be affectionabely remember
ed to all the members of the missionary Booms & their families.
I remain yours sincerely
Lorenzo Lyons
P.S. Being obliged to deal in medicine considerably now that our
physician is taken from us,will you please to send me a pair of
medical scales, as I am destitute & nonecan be procured on the
l s l an
ds. I hope to receive the medical books which Dr. Judd requested to be sent, as I have n one of much consequence.
R e v . L . Lyons letters
dated Waimea Oct. 2, 1835; Rec'd May 7th 1836
Ack'd in G. L. June 15
Ans'd June 20/36
articles heeded
medical scales?
marked
Secretaries of the A B C F M
Missionary Rooms
28
C ornhill, Boston
Mass. U.S.A.
�2171
68 Sandwich
Islands
Part Three
XX VII
48
Waimea Hawaii
1835
to the Secretaries of the A B C F M
Dear brethren,
About a year ago I sent you a report
of the station in connexion with extracts from my journal, oc
cupying in all eight sheets. The time for making out a report for
the past year has arrived & I hasten to perform the duty. I shall
endeavor to give such an account as will embrace everything of im
portance.
1 Secular department.
Of secular concerns a missionary has no small share.
Some times his house is thronged from morning till night with
individuals whose object is to obtain m edicine, relate difficul
ties, & request advise, procure books & other small articles with
such things as they may chance to bring or can bring, or with such
work as they are capable of performing, & about this these must
some times be no small amount of conversation.
Sometimes his stock of provision is about exhausted &
he must see that it is replemished. His wood pile is gone, &
hence he must bestir him self to procure a new supply.
Sometimes he must superintend the building of a dwelling
house, school house & perhaps a meeting house. Foreign workmen
must be employed. These may not be at hand; nor is it at first
known where they can be obtained. Inquiries must be made perhaps
from one end of the Islands to the other, & after much trouble,
some one may be procured, & then he must be furnished with mat
erials for his work, and these materials are sometimes from 10
to 200 miles distant, & to obtain them will require no small effort.
Native workmen must also be employed. With these he must
make contracts, contracts will often be violated, & hence new ones
must be made, & though made & the work commenced & half completed
there is no certainty that it will not after all be relinquished,
is perhaps what has been done be all undone, from some fit of anger
or some other cause. Then he must have all the trouble of a se
cond undertaking,*not only employ them, but he must lay out the
work for them, & give directions how it should be done; not give
directions merely, he must see that the directions are performed,
& this will require an almost constant superintendence. If for
instance he employes an individual to build a wall around his dwell
ing he must in the first place see that it has not more than four
corners, & in the second place, that it is square, & in the third
*
With regards to native workmen the missionary must
�2172
place that it is straight; for neither squareness nor straight-ness enter into a native's notion of beauty. If in building
a house, one side is considerably longer or higher than the
other & the corners acute & obtuse angles, that does not affect
its beauty.
When the work is done payment must be made. This will
require more or less time according to the variety of articles
of which the payment may consist, X the different notions different
individuals way have about these articles.
With the above explanations you may form a somewhat
correct estimate of the secular work that has devolved on me the
past year. A comfortable framed dwelling house has been completed.
We have occupied if for several months; & find it no small ad
dition to our convenience & comfort in this cold, damp, windy
region. We have in progress a stone cooke house, a part of which
is designed for our domesticks & a stone wall around our premises.
All of which have demanded not a little thought, & time & trouble,
not to say vexation. But we must have houses & enclosures. We
must make provisions for the body while we have bodies & we must
also teach the natives population what civilization is, & how can
we do this better than by example?
2 Medical department.
Since the removal of Mr. Baldwin I have had more or less
to do with medicine. Meeting with the sick in every direction,
I feel constrained to do something for their poor perishing bodies.
Hence I make frequent applications to my medicine case which bye
the bye is furnished with a good supply of medicine, I pretend
to no skill in this line of business. Would that I possessed skill.
Alone as we are & without a physician, we feel at times no small
measure of anxiety, both in reference to ourselves & to others.
Sickness comes & death threatens a speedy dissolution. Something
must be done. From medical books we desire some assistance, though
they frequently leave us in the dark, or recommend remedies not
in our possission or if in our possession we may not know in what
manner, in what quantities, or how often to apply them. But we
act according to the best of our knowledge & judgment, & leave
the result with the Lord. It is vastly important that missionaries
furnish themselves with a good share of medical knowledge. It
will never come amiss.
3 Census.
During the past year I have taken a census of the
population of this field, & found it to be as follows, in Waimea
1, 396; in Kohala, 6,175, in Hamakua, 4, 015— total 11,586; from
Which it appears there has been a diminution of about 3,500 people
within three years & a ha l f . If the population should diminish
in the same ratio for 20 years to come, you may be under the nec
essity of calling home your missionaries for want of employment.
�2173
Of the causes of the diminution in general on the Islands, you
have already been informed. It is not because people do not marry.
Marriages are numerous. But the progeny in a vast number of cases
are wanting; & why? in the first place, children are not as a gen
eral thing objects of desire. They are regarded by many as a
burden. As the taxes of the government are in proportion to the
number of children, those who have the greatest number, have of
course the heaviest taxes to pay. Hence the people are disposed
to look upon children rather as curses than blessings, & to inquire
among themselves what would be the impropriety of putting them se
cretly to death. And in the second place from the testimony of
natives with whom I have conversed, I am inclined to think there
are in existence some base & inhuma n practises which are the cause
in part of so small a number of actual births.
4
School department.
1. School houses. At Waimea a good native school house has been
erected ihe past year, by the p e o p l e & f a m i s h e d with seats,
writing desks, maps &c at the expense of the mission. Three other
school houses in different districts of Wainea are soon to be built.
One is already on the way.
At t h e out posts, school houses have been erected to th e
number of 6 or 7--others are in progress, & others still about
commencing.
2. Schools, bible classes &c. Schools at Waimea are as follows,
A school tor adults four evenings in the week--a school for child
ren twice a day, Saturday excepted— another school for children
has lately commenced & others soon to commence. In these schools
a graduate from the High school, renders important assistance,
other schools are, a weekly singing school, 2 seperate sabbath
schools, one on sabbath morning for children, & the other at Sab
bath noon for adults; & a dally bible class, a substitute for the
morning meeting.
At the out districts there are 10 schools for adults,
& 15 for children, under the instruction of native teachers,
those of whom are graduates from the High School & may be regard
ed as efficient assistants.
The sabbath schools may perhaps embrace from 1,000 to
1,500 scholars.
3. Examinations. There have been three general examinations embrac
ing the scholars of the whole field. They were held at Waimea,
Kohala, Hamakua & Kawaihae, three at each place, except the last.
The greatest number that attended any one of these examinations
was 1718,393 of whom were children. The number of children has
lately increased to about 500. My plan now is to hold monthly ex
aminations in the three large districts, intended solely for child
ren. Adult schools are to be examined quarterly.
4. Books. The school & examinations have created considerable
- demand for books from different parts of the field. About 5,000
of one kind & another have been disposed of . The new testament
�2174
has many calls ; not many however from Waimea; they are mostly
from out districts. Some come the distance of 25 miles to pro
cure the new & neatly bound volume, bringing the pay upon th eir
backs, if it chances to be heavy articles, such as food, mats
& c . But perhaps their pains arise not so much from a desire after
the word of God, as a desire for a book. Yet some, we trust, act
from bettermotives. The Kumu Hawaii (Hawaiian newspaper) has
quite an extensive circulation. The number of subscribers this
year exceeds that of the past year by 150. How much good the
paper is I cannot say. Some read it & are profited by it. Others
do not read it. They are preserving it, till it is large enough
to be bound into a v olume. Indeed one reason why some subscribe
for it, is that they may have a book.
5. Results of schools & books, The scholars taught in the schools
at Waimea have made some attainments in the studies to which they
have attended, such as reading, writing, mental arithmetic, to
pographical geography, natural history, geometry, & biblical history.
The lessons of the bible class have embraced most of those parts
of the Old Testament which are accessable to the natives, & the
historical parts of the gospels. The lessons of the sabbath school
have embraced the verse for the day, select portion of scripture
printed on sepera te cards, a biblical catechism & hymns for child
ren. In the art of singing some proficiency has been made. The
new hymn book with music excites some interest; & there are a few
who can read musical notes with as much fluency as their teacher.
But to give the notes their proper sounds is more difficult. The
children are the most successful in efforts of this kind. At
the out districts, about 200 have been added to the list of read
ers, consisting of children & adults, about an equal number of each.
Some little attainment
as alao been made in writing, mental arith
metic geography & natural history.
Whether any souls among the children or adults have been
converted.in consequence of school instruction, I cannot say. Much
religious truth has been communicated, & the understandings of many
have been enlightened & would that I could say that their wills
have been brought in sweet s ubjection to the will of God.
6. Obstacles to schools. Of these there are many.
(1) Parents for the most part take no interest in the instruction
of their children. To them it is the same thing whether they go
t o school, or stay at home, or play the truant on the way. Hence
the teacher must expect to find many vacant seats & that repeatedlywhich must not discourage but stimulate him to renewed efforts.
(2) Children lose much of the salutory effects of religious instruc
tion, by mingling with their vicious parents & others, & observing
all their heathenish & polluting habits & practices. With such
a tide of heathenism & vice bearing them on to perdition, what
progress can they be expected to make in civilization , knowledge
virtue & salvation.
(3) another obstacle arises from the want of objects in prospect
�to draw out the latent energies of the pupils & stimulate them
on in the acquisition of the knowledge. They d o not look forward
to the office of ministers,— physicians, lawyers, magistrates,
or any post of respect, honor, or usefulness, as is the case with
pupils in our own country. In the absence of these & similar
motives, is it a matter of wonder that they should evince a want
of application? The love of knowledge is a sufficient motive for
some, but all have not this love.
'4) Another obstacle arises from the character of the government.
Parents & children are taxed in articles that cannot be obtained
in the neighborhood. They must go in search of them at a distance
from home requiring
an absence of several days, & sometimes
several weeks. This draws away the children from schools. It is
the same in respect to work. For Instance, men & women are order
ed by their chief to build a stone wall some 10 or 20 miles distant
from their place of residence. The children in this case must leave
the schools to accompany their parents.
(5) Another obstacle arises from foreign influence. Foreigners
of no very virtuous character are scattered all over the district
of Waimea, and such has been their influence over the youthful
portion of the papulation, that they have done more to injure
schools than all other causes put together. Children attach themselves to their company & their employments & in a little time
you find them as wild as the wild ass's colt. But the establish
ment of Boarding Schools will remove most of these obstacles as
far as boarding scholars are concerned, & hence we rejoice that
such schools are going into operation in different parts of these
Islands.
5. Meeting department.
1. Meeting houses. The meeting house at Waimea was blown down sometime during the past year. Since that time meetings have been held
la the new school house which is sufficiently large to accommodate
the present congregation. The prospect is that in the course of
few months, a stone meeting house will be erected by the assistance
of the governor.
At Hamakua a neat commodious native church has been built
at the expense of the people & dedicated to the warship of the liv
ing God. The native meeting house at Kohala is now undergoing re
pairs, which w i l l soon be completed.
2. Meetings. Meetings at Waimea are as follows, 3 public meetings
on the sabbath, beside the bible class & sabbath schools, a weekly
church meeting till (now suspended) a regular lecture Wednesday
afternoon, a weekly female prayer meeting*for fathers & mothers-Monthly meetings commencing friday morning previous to the first
monday of every month & closing with the monthly concert, designed
* a
monthly meeting for mothers— a quarterly meeting for
�2176
for the benefit of church members & others residing at the
different out districts— & a meeting every second monday in
the monthe for sabbath schools.
These meetings are not attended by great numbers;
but the number is sufficient to encourage us to labor, though we
sometimes think we might be more useful somewhere else. The force
of temptation arising from foreign influence & other causes is draw
ing many from the house of God & leading them swift to destruction.
Unless the Lord interpose Waimea ere long will become a So d o m .
It is not far from it now. I sometimes fear the judgments of God
will come suddently upon us & our fair & beautiful plain be converted
into a lake of fire.
The meetings at the outstations are principally confined
to the sabbath, & are for the most part conducted by native church
members . They are not numerously attended. When I have preached
at Kohala there has be£n a congregation of between 2000 & 3000 peo
ple .
6. Pastoral visiting.
T o this branch of missionary labor I devote some con
siderable time— though, with a multitude of other things pressing
upon me, I find it impossible to visit as much now as in former
years. When I go out, I generally take a bundle of tracts in my
hand for gratuitous distribution. These find a ready & apparently
kind reception, wherever given. It is frequently the case that
but few people are found at home, & these are composed of the sick,
the lame, the blind, the maimed & the hoary head. The youthful
& active portion are absent, some cultivating their taro patch
others in quest of fish some 12 miles distance, other at play or
wandering about as idlers.
Pastoral visits have ceased to produce the effects f o r
merly produced. Formerly this was a very effectual m ethod in draw
ing out the people to meetings & the sabbath school. It isnot so
new except in a small degree. Yet I am not disposed to discontinue
these visits, but rather multiply them. Perhaps the Lord will
bless them. If no other good is accomplished, I shall free my own
garments from the blood of those of my people who may perish.
7.
Marriages.
The number of marriages of this station the past year,
have been not far from 150. Ther e have been many violations of the
marriage contract. I will mention one instance. A young man a
short time since murdered in cold blood the individual to whom he
had been married but a few months previous. And why? merely because
he wished to marry another person. H e was tried & executed at this
place. Thousands of people collected together to witness the
horrible & ignominous death of a fellow creature. I was present
�2177
to address the multitude & the criminal. All was solemn. The still
ness of death reigned over the vast assembly. It was a spectacle
never before witnessed on this Island since the introduction of
christianity. The Lord grant it may be the last.
8.
Church
One member of the church has closed his earthly career
& gone to give up his account. Whether he died in the Lord I cannot
say. Of baptisms there have been six, all children.
Would that I could speak of wonderful or at leastof some
accessions to this c h u r c h . But of these there have been none since
my last communication. There are many as worthy of churchmembership as some of the present members. Many come from a great distance,
even 20 or 25 miles, to hear the word of God & to converse on the
subject of religion,
some of these I entertain hopes that they
have been born of the spirit & are preparing for heaven. The same
may be said of some few individuals at Waimea. At some future day
they may be admitted to the ordinances of the church. And yet I
cannot say that I have confidence in any number of them nor even in
the majority of the church members.
And for this want of confidence I have some reasons .While
some stand firm & appear to let their light shine around them, others
give painful evidence that they are strangers to that holiness with
out which no man can enter heaven. In the hour of temptation their
*proves too weak to sustain them. H ence they become an easy prey
to the seductive arts of the adversary. Of the truth of this as
sertion there has of late been convincing & destressing proof,
in the defection of several individuals.
The sins of which they
are g uilty are intoxication, the violation of the seventh com
mandment , lying &c. The number detected th these different kinds
of iniquity is nine! of whom one is a chief & the rest, persons
of influence. The result is their suspension from church privileges
for the present . The Lord bring good out of this unexpected & over
whelming evil, by leading us to deep humility &the offenders to
genuine repentance. Some appear to be pentient, but whether sin
cere of not, time must decide.
Since the above, three individuals have been received to
the chh by letter. Several individuals may be regarded as candidates.
9. Miscellany.
Besides, the public duties above mentioned, there are
others of a more private character— I mean those of the study.
I generally spend Saturdays in preparing for the exercises of the
sabbath.
Other employments have been, epistolary writing, gen
eral reading, religious conversation with natives, for the Kumu
Hawaii, & of late I have been preparing a book of hymns for child
ren. Hereafter I shall have an occasional piece to write for the
* religion
�2178
Kuma H amalii(children's Newspaper).
I have at present but little time to devote to studies
requiring much application. For this purpose I hope to have more
leisure when my field is a little more contracted through the labors
of additional missionaries.
There are many other private duties which it is not essential to mention. I only mention the above that you may know
now your missionary is employed.
Conclusion.
I have thus given you an account of things at this sta
tion. Something has been done. A vast deal remains to be done—
& the time in which to labor is short. W hat we do must be done
quickly. The devil & his servants are all active. No slumbering
spirit retards their work of desolation. No day is allowed to pass
without witnessing accessions to their dark dominions. And shall
the servants of the living God sleep? Shall they sit brooding in
despondency over the loneliness of their situation, the difficul
ties of their work, the failure of success & the ten thousand cir
cumstances calculated to perplex, distress & discourage? from whom
r e ceived they their commision? & whose is the cause they are labor
ing to sustain.
f the cause was theirs well might they sink down
I
in hopeless despair of sustaining i t . But the battle is not theirs
but God's--with him are the weapons & the power by which it is to
be carried on till it gains a complete & everlasting triumph.
Here is our hope, our support, our encouragement. Lean
ing upon the arm of him in whose cause we are enlisted, we will
continue to labor till he remove us from our field of action & call
as to an account.
\
W ith affectionate remembrance to you all in which I am
joined by M
rs. L
I remain your Missionary
Lorenzo Lyons
R e v . Lorenzo Lyons
Rec'd April 28, 1837
Ack'd in G . L . July 21
Secretaries, of the A B C F M
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill,
Boston,
U .S .A.
Mass.
Post Mark
New London Ct Apr
26
�2179
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
49
Lahaina, Oct. 5,th
1832
Rev. & dear Sir:
I feel disposed to give you a very general outline of
the dealings of providence, with myself and dear companion since
we left B . As I can have no doubt that the circumstances of your
missionaries whether prosperous or otherwise is a subject ever in
teresting to you.
We were both of us unwell when we embarked--we had
anticipated hard seasickness, and in the event were not in the
least disappointed. Mrs. H. was confined to her birthwithin
an hour after we sailed and did not leave it in more than 4 days.
I was nearly as bad. We did not begin to recover short 3 or 4 weeks
We were both of us sick if the sea was at all rough during the
whole of the passage. I suffered more from this disagreeable com
plaint than any other one on board. This on the whole however I
do not count amoung ills of the voyage for I have no doubt of its
good influence on my subsequent health.
Our birth for the first half of the voyage was the
least commodious of way save one in the ship. During the last
half we hadone the most comfortable, owing to the generosity of
the Company— in view of the peculiar situation of Mrs . H.
As it regards my spiritual concerns during the passage
the history is far more dark to my own mind. We were admonished
by yourself before our embarkation of the obstacles which might
be expected to present themselves to our devotion— there I found
promt at ther Post--and efficient in their influence. Many a time
during,the passage did I mourn the coldness of my affections, the
weakness of my faith, amid the levity of my life, still at times
I felt differently— hope I had sweet communion with god and some
right desires toward the people who were carrying me to the field
of my future labours, and much assistance in preaching to them the
gospel of Repentance.
/
Twelve days from the time, we landed in H. we became the
parents of a fine healthy boy. Mrs. H. had a comfortable time and
recovered sooner than we had reason to anticipate. Soon after
this we had our station assigned us and on the 5 of July left
H. for this place, since which time we have been preparing as fast
circumstances would permit for our work.
Soon after our arrival here I went in company with
B ro
ther Andrews to Molokai to select a site for a station. We went
in a double canoe well manned, and landed in about 3 hours a dis
tance of 18 or 20 miles. Wewent in a canoe because there was
no vessel for us, it is not considered safe as the trade winds blow
�2180
frequently with great violence, and these canoes if upset are
with, great difficulty c leared of water. Brother A preached on the
Sabbath the first Sermons that were ever preached on the Island,
to a congregation of 1500, perhaps. The native schools on Molokai
are as efficient as the same schools on any of the Islands & about
the same proportion of the inhabitants can read. We were told to
select a building spot without limitation. W e soon found a most
delightful spot, on whose land we knew not, nor did we consider
it of any consequence--high land,first rate soil, frequent rains,
for in the trade wind not far from good water having a commanding
view of the ocean, at the threshold of an ancient heathen temple
and fortified on either hand & in the rear by lofty and verdant
mountains. Here a native house was soon raised and all the in
habitants
had assembled to finish it when an agent from the
owner
of the premises bade them take it down. Anouncing at
the same time the message of his master that "There was no place
for the foreigner on his land.” We were some what surprised at
this conduct, Coming as it did from a member of the Church, Espec
ially as fixing the station there could but benifit him. His
sister a high Chief was much displeased with his conduct, and forthwith dispatched a (hole in paper) message to him unbeknown to me,
the result of which was the reference of the whole matter to her
self. She again referred it to us and the house would have been
rebuilt on the same spot had w e insisted upon it. She however thought
it would be better to have the station on her own land, assuring
us at the same time she would be "our Chief". She is a good woman,
one of the highest Chiefs in the nation, we concluded it best to
build on her own land. Brother S and myself went over and selected
another spot in some respects not so pleasant as the former, and
in others more so. Our house is finished, and the people anxiously
waiting our arrival among them.
We are expecting to remove in three weeks from this
time. We should have removed sooner, but the fact that we shall have
not an individual who can talk English and native makes it necess
ary hav e a better knowledge of the language. I finished my first
ser m o n the last of August, havewritten 5, and preached 5 times.
Brother S has a native(adult) school of 80 scholars. I spend 15
hours, per week in this, teach Geography, map drawing, reading &
penmanship. Mrs . H. spends about 20 hours a week in Mrs . O ’s
school. Our health and that of our babe is good, The Climate agrees with me well never had better health than since I have been
here. I am sometimes almost overwhelmed with the awful responsi
bility that is thrown upon me.
But am greatly encouraged with the
thought that the Cause is God's, and that I am remembered by his
people, and especially by the Board, in their prayers. If possible
Dear
Sir please to write me. Still retaining a lively sense of
your kindness I remaindear Sir
Your Brother in the Lord
H . R . Hitchcock
�2181
Rev. H. R. Hitchcock
March 26, 1835
The voyage
Settlement at Molokai
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Edgartown M 's .
Nov. 25
Ship 14 1/2
/
�2182
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
50
Lahaina
Oct 24, 1832
R ev, Sir:
The object of this letter is to request the Board if they
shall think proper to send out a female teacher for the station at
Morokai.
•
The following are my reasons-F irst a teacher is much needed. The people are ignorant and must
of necessity remain so until instructed by a missionary. This in
struction cannot be efficiently imparted with a regular and per
manent school. Such a school cannot be sustained without a well
qualified and and permanent teacher. The anxiety of all classes
of the people to learn, and attend schools is very great, and
such as to afford peculiar encouragement to a teacher. Some of them
feel a great desirefor the improvement of their neighbours. One
woman has been in the habit of coming to Lahaina, and attending
Mrs. O 's school until she learn a particular branch, and them
returning to her own neighbourhood communicating her knowledge to
her scholars.
This she has done several times and the success
she had in her efforts demonstrates most strikingly the great util
ity of an efficient scholar on that Island. Indeed respecting
the utility of such schools I believe there is but one opinion among all the members of the mission, and could there be one or more
at every station double repidity would undoubtedly be given not
only to the advancement of the Cause of Education in the Islands
but to that of the gospel.
The state of the people is such as to render it inexped
ient for me to devote any considerable portion of my time to the
instruction of schools. The necessary preaching, visiting from
house to house, and the general superintendence of the schools taught
by the n atives, will so occupy my time as to leave little if any
for instructing a particular school.
The same may be said respecting Mrs. H. The unavoid
able cares of a family, the oversight of the female meetings, and
the instruction necessary to be given them in sewing, spinning,
and weaving & c will of necessity render it impossible for her to
devote to it that attendance which an efficient and permanent school
requires.
Such a teacher will be a great comfort and in case of
sickness a great blessing to Mrs. H. There is not a person on the
Island*from the nearest station by the deep and stormy ocean to
converse with our friends will be in a great measure out off. A
companion for her would be very pleasant, and useful too to me as
I should be able to enlarge the sphere of my operations on the is
land. Not being obliged for the safety of my family to beconstantly
at home.
*
that can talk our language and being separated 20 miles
�2183
I have a sister whose qualifications for the place I
deem ample, and whose love for the cause, as well as experience
in teaching give me every reason to think she would be unwearied
for the good of the people--I mention m y sister not only because
she is my sister, but because
she comes she will be at home,
and her contentment, and happiness in her work maybe relied upon.
Two qualifications she certainly possess, resolution, and perseve rance, and if shewas
not my sister I should add aptness to teach.
For further information I refer you to the Rev. S. Burt of East
Barrington. She is now teaching a school among the mohegan Indians
in Montville, Connecticut.
I do not know that she will consider it her duty to come
I have reason to think she woul d .
If it will not be a departure from the rules of the Board
it will be a favour to me if you will address to her an invitation
from the Board to become their missionary to the Island of Molokai,
if you should do this and she should resolve on becoming your
missionary she will need particular information concerning prepar
ation for the voyage.
Should it be thought lnexpedlant to invite her or
should she not think it duty toaccept an invitation. I have
no other choice but do earnestly plead for someone.
I am confident
there are many young ladies whom if they knew how inviting a field
of usefulness is here presented to them would consider it a pleasure
to embark in the cause. Any one who shall come out as .a teacher
to Morok a i may be assured our house will be her home and no ef
forts will be spared on our part to render her comfortable useful
and happy.
Should a teacher come, please to provide her with
complete apparatus both for a school on the Monitorial plan, and
for our infant school, here the children are all infants . Thus
far for the (hole in paper)
We are obliged to prepare our own (hole in paper) for
those who learn geography.
Please to send to the station on
Molokai a case of Surveyors instruments. Also a box or two
paints. I n ed Gib's Hebrew & English lexicon.
I have no Lexicon
of any kind also Rosemuller on the new Testament. I have no
critical exposition of the new testament. But need one every ser
mon I write. You will do me a great favour.
Yoursaffectionately
H . R . Hitchcock
Rev. H . R. Hitchcock
March 26, 1833
Ach'd in Gen. Letter, April 11
A ns'd Dec. 19
asks for
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Female teacher
Cor. Secretary of the A B C F M
School apparatus
Boston, Mass
Case of Mathematical Instruments
Gibb's H eb. L exicon
Comments on N .T.
Edgartown, M's
Mar 25
Ship 141
2
/
�2184
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
51
K aluaaha
Molokai Sept 1834
To the Prudential Committee
of the A B C F M
Dear Brethren:
Another year has nearly elapsed since
I last wrote you, with regard to the Providence of God toward my
self and family I still have to say that goodness and mercy have
folowed me, my own health has been in general good, much better than
it was in the United States. F or this I cannot be sufficiently
thankful since the great amount of labour necessary to be performed
in the field in which I am stationed.
Several circumstances however have occurred during the
past year apparently untoward as it regards the interest of the
station. Owing to the ill health of Mrs. Smith it was judged by
the mission inexpident for them to return to Molokai . This place
here of course became vacant. There were indeed unlocated members
of the mission that might have been stationed here in this
room; but the brethren did not see fit to allow us an associate.
They voted against it on the principle that the more we dispense,
the more the good that will be done . Of t h e correctness or in
correctness of this principle in general I have nothing to say;
but of its being applicable to the is land of Molokai, * as applied
to Molokai were stated to the meeting.
The consequence of mybeing deprived of an associate is
that two important out posts have been abandoned places where the
people have at much expense to themselves built meeting houses
and comfortable dwellinghouses for us expecting that much of the
time of one of the missionaries would be devoted to them. Brother
Smith and myself have commenced preaching at these places with
encouragement that much good might be done one of these out posts
is about 20 miles west of Kaluaaha and contains a population of
7 or 800 the other is at the east about 15 miles and contains
about as many more; so that from 15 to 1600 souls have been deprived
of the bread of lif e ; and and that too after they had been favoured
with it for a season, hence this privation but a tempory one, it
woldbe to be deplored; how then must one feel when he sees so many
immortal souls permanently deprived of the Gospel, as the assign
ment of but one missionary to Molokai seems to imply. The loss
of my associate was therefore an event seemingly untoward.
Another is, the ill health Mrs. H. She is affected with
a disease whichwe have no means at present for removing, i e the
prolapsus uteri, occasioned by rising soon after the birt h of our
son. Her naturally strong constitution however enabled her to
* I have my sincere doubts.
My objections
�surmount the debilitating
effects of the disease,for two
years, and to attend her domestic concerns, as also for some
time two schools a day and for the whole timeone, to lead in
two weekly meetings receive visits from natives besides having
much care of another family who hoarded with us. These multiplied labours together w i t h a debilitating climate have finally
overcome her, and she is at present unable to attend to the
superintendence of the household affairs. While she lay sick of
a fever all this devolved on me, which in addition to taking care
of her was quite as much as I could do beside preaching on the sab
bath without previous preparation. And even now I am confined
much to the house in consequence of h e rillness. The schools which
she instructed have fallen to me, whom together with the schools
for the teachers takes up much of my time which I should like
to dev ote to pastoral duty.
The above are occurrences to which I refered as being
unfavourable to the interests of the station. I am practically
convinced that the maxim "Two is better than one* is a good one,
and that one Saviour acted widely when he sent out the disciples
two and tw o . W ere there two missionaries at this station, the one
might give perhaps his whole attention to the
business of instruct
ing the people, while the other was taken off f
r om such business
by the sickness of his family. Were there two missionaries at this
station all the inhabitants on this side the island might hear the
Gospel once in two weeks;when as the m ajority only of them cannot now
hear it at all on the isSabbath, and many of them not at all, per
haps during the year. Had I an associate perhaps some of ray time
might be devoted to study and such reading as would increase my
usefulness by increasing my knowledge. Two here would be better
than one for they would stimulate each other and provoke each
other to good works, and because they would each stren g then each
by theircouncels and their prayers. In sickness they would assist
each other and sympathyze to gether. I make not these remarks by
way of complaint but merely to let you how much I feel upon
the subject of having a fellow labourer. I do not dispair of yet
being blessed with one.
And here let me say & thank y o u with all my heart for your
excellent"circul a r . " It i s the very document we wanted. None but
He that knows the value of the World's Conversion can sufficiently
appreciate the importance of the ground you have there taken. It
seems to be the very thing the interest of the cause demands. It
promises to present to the church a chart embracing the whole fie ld
of its labour in one grand view together with all those circumstances
and facts which are the best calculated to enlist the feelings and
secure the efforts of the disciples of Christ for the conversion
of the world. Especially in my opinion was it wise to request your
missionaries to tell you how many labourers were needed in the
various fields, and how many it would be adviseable to send, and
that they should answer these questions irrespective of the "probable supply either of men or money". But that they might take
it for granted if they pleased that both would be provided. You
�2186
have frequently before requested this mission to tell you how many
missionaries were wanted. But I believe that the answer has al
ways been given in view of the wants of the world. But in the
circular you are explicit and request not only not to limit the
number by the probable supply but to give you" all the information
necessary to to induce the churches and enable you to supply our
respective fields with the means of salvation in the shortest pos
sible time." This is my opinion is as it should be. I know not
what comments you may receive from others upon the Report of our
last General meeting; But I hope you will understand m e for one a s
having voted for the number of Missionaries and teachers stated
in the R eport as the number adviseable to be sent to these i slan ds
in view of our wants. In voting far this number I did not ask
myself how many can we probably get. I did not t
h ink it consistent
with the express injunctions of the Board in the circular in ad
vising how many should be sent here to sit down and and make out
a complete statistic account of the supply or distribution of the
whole missionary field and ballance between its claims and that
of these islands. Such a process would h ave been making our "ans
wer in view of the probable supply of men and money" . I had no
disposition to take upon myself a work which more properly belonged
to the prudential comittee. That of canvassing the claims of dif
ferent parts of the world to missionaries. I took it for granted
that those claims would be properly adjusted at the mission Rooms.
I am aware that there are other parts of the field much more des
titute than ours. These however I took not into the account; sup
posing that appeals for those parts will come from other sources.
Our app e a l to the churches and to you as I understand
it is designed to procure for these islands the number of mission
aries at least, which is specified in the Report and that without
regard on our part to the number needed else where. I cannot
therefore but entreat you by all that is valuable in a hundred
thousand immortal souls to send as soon as possible to the Sand
wich Islands the number of men advised in our Report. It is the
least number that can avail. If it be one less the trend of life
cannot be broken to the people to such a degree as to take the
blame of their damnation from the church and threw it all upon
themselves. This request is no more than what is justified by the
Circular. Thereforepray that you may put it down as an intigral
part of the whole number of labours needed for the whole field;
Send it to the churches and press her by their gratitude for her
own redemption, by our regard to the deathless souls that must
perish without it, and above all by the awful authority of the
salvation to send us as well as other parts of the field the men
we earnestly crave at their h ands. The population of these islands
according to the most recent estimation is one hundred and thirty
thousand. Of these at least one hundred thousand have not the
means of Salvation; and were they all to die in an impenitent
state, would undoubtedly be treated in the judgement as the other
nations who have not known the Lord Jesus Christ. For the sal
vation therefore of these hundred thousand souls; it is my hearts
�2187
desire and prayer to God that the information furnished by our
answer to the circular will induce the churchs to enable the
Board to send us the men we ask, and it is devoutly to be hoped
to send to other parts of the field also the number advised by the
missions in those parts .And O that the Holy spirit may enable you
to send out these appeals to the churches in such style as as shall
effectually put into operation her mighty energies, that the men
may be sent, aid the harvest secured
. I pray that the men may
be sent, Am wailing for them, and shall be disappointed if they
are not sent.
And why may they not be sent? Is it to much to expect
that the church, after having thechart of the field of her labours
spread out before her, will soon very soon resolve to do all in
her power to plant the gospel all over it without delay, Is it
too m u c h to be expected that ninety nine out of a hundred of the
present candidates for the ministry in the United States with the
wants of a perishing world so particularly defined as they must
by the answers to the circular. I say is it too much to be ex
pected that ninety nine out of a hundred of the candidates for the
ministry should should offer themselves for the foreign field?
And more is it too much to be expected that many very many of those
who have recently written in the ministry, when appeals from all
the perishing heathen shall fall simultaneously on their ears; feel
constrained to commit their charges to others, and hasten to declare saluations to the millions who without them will never enter
into the kingdon of heaven! And why should not nearly all the can
didates for the ministry go to the heathen? To what part of our
beloved land can they go, where the people if they do not go, will
actually be destitute of the meansof salvation? And why too whould
not many who are actually pastors, and evangilists leave their
places?How can so numerous a class of men who love to do good above
all things, and who are continally inquiring how they m ay do the
most good, reconcile their present employment or circumstances with
an enlightened benevolence, or with the command of the Saviour!
Should they resolve onle aving their people for the benefit of the
heathen, what m oral probability is that so benevolent an act on
their part would result in the disad- of their people! Would not
one Revival of religion which it might occasion be an ample guar
antee against any loss from the step he had taken? But admitting
the removal to be disadvantageous to the people thus left, will
not the evil be justly chargeable upon themselves? Have they not
for a long time heard the gospel? And has not the command of the
Saviour been fulfilled with respect to them And the impenitent
among them, could they with propriety complain if, after having
requested the invitations of the Gospel so long, theyshould cease,
should be taken from them and given to those who never before heard
them? And whould they ever perish in their sins, could their blood
be charged upon the faithful pastor who Should feel his duty to
leave them under the influence of the truths so frequently inocu
lated, that he might preach those truths to far greater numbers,
who have never heard them? But the churches m ay perhaps say: Such
�2188
a breaking up of ministers will ruin us. We shallfamish for the
bread of life. Our children will perish. Our hope under God rests
upon our ministers take them and what have we more? How is it pos
sible for you to famish? Is not the shew bread of the divine pre
sence continually on Gods table before you. Have you not all of
you the Bible, And more, do not all of you understand so much
of it as is necessary for salvation. Are there not many among you
able ,to instruct the ignorant, reprove the guilty, exhort the im
pertinent, comfort the feeble and edify the people of God. How
can you famish while, if three out of 4 of your ministers were to
go to the heathen there would be still left you within the distance
of 6 or 7 miles one who could administer to you the ordinances—
and preach to you and your children the gospel? No you c a nnot famish
--yourchildren can never suffer; will never suffer, should your
compassion to the heathen swell to its utmost bounds and compel
you, and many of you too, to urge you ministers by their duty to
God, b y their compassion for the millions who never heard the gos
pel, and by their love to their flocks to leave them under the care
of the Gracious Spirit of God, and go forth and labour for the
salvation of those who must otherwise perish ignorant of the great
salvation! The very spirit which should constrain you to do thus
would infinitely overbalance all the benefits which might occurr
even from the instruction of the pastors they love. Can we f o r a
moment suppose that a church who should dismiss its minister for
this purpose, would ever have reason to regret it would not the
very act itself show a state of religious feeling too holy, and
too deeply grounded in faith, to be the occasion of ill to their
souls, would not the consciousness of depriving themselves of
their dearest earthly privileges, for the salvation of others,
sweeten the privation and convert it into a blessing and when they
actually heard from their old pastor that heathen had been made
real Christians by his instrumentality, that the wilderness and
solitary places around him were budding and blossoming as the rose
would would their own souls faint, would their own garden wither?
Or rather--would not the news be to it as a shower and as the dews
from heaven imparting to it new verdure, and fruitfulness? And
O when that church and their pastor should meet in heaven and they
are permitted to salute the saints redeemed from among the heathen
by their self denial; when will they cease praising God that he
gave them a heart to cut the tender tie that bound than to their
minister and to send him among the destitute.
When I look at New England, New York, and many other por
tions of my native land, my heart is pained not because they have
more ministers than they need, but that they have man y hundreds more
than benevolence, or ever justice to the heathen would alow them.
I can but ask myself: uponwhat principle is it that one hundred
thousand there, are entitled to more ministers than the same number
at the Sandwich Islands, and especially upon what principle is it,
that they are entitled to so many while the hundred thousand here
have none. Is it because they a re able to pay them for their
services? If this be the principle then the heathen world can never
�2189
be saved for the church is and probably ever will be able to
pay all the trueministers of God who may wish to preach to them
the gospel of Christ. Though this cannot be the principle in
question, yet ability to support at home, demonstrates the ability
to support them abroad. Is it a fact that a people need or that
they should in justice have missionaries— ministers in proportion
to their light— civilization, religious advance, and the other
faculties which they possess for obtaining salvation of this be
the principle then, all, or nearly all the missionaries already
in the field must quit their stations and return to the land of
their birth; for however great, the disproportion m a y b e between
the number of ministers there and in heathen lands. Yet the dis
proportion between the light and civilization, and religious priv
ileges of the latter bears
no proportion at all to those of the
former But is not the directly opposite principle more nearly correct! do not a people need teachers, and ministers, in direct
proportion to their ignorance of of God and the way of Salvation.
The people in New England have many other resources of good, and
of knowledge, and of Salvation beside the minister, and thenumber of ministers may be consequently reduced by all those
without rendering the salvation of the people impossible. Not
so the heathen. All must be done by the teacher; and done re
peatedly too before the people can get even an intellectual view
of those truths a knowledge which is essential to salvation. The
time has by no means come when, to sa y nothing of the other dark
portions of the earth, the church can say to
the inhabitants
of the Sandwich Islands: We have given you the gospel, and now if you
perish in your sins it will be entirely at your own responsibility.
To the great majority of the people language like this would be
unjust and cruel.
Many very many of them never heard a gospel ser
mon and by far the greater portion of those who have have heard
so unfrequently and so indistinctly as to be perfectly unbenifited
by i t . The heathen generally are mere children in knowledge-and as well might a parent divert himself of responsibility in re
gard to the salvation of his child by a single and uninteligible
exhibition of the plan of salvation as the church divert herself
of her responsibility in regard to the heathen by the mere and oc
casional presentation of the truth as it is in Jesus. To con
clude therefore this long and when I commenced unintended dis
cussion; suffer me to repeat as an individual my ardent request
that the number of ministers advised in the answer of this missionto your circular of missionaries actually heeded and desireable to
be to be sent immediately in the field.
(Signed
H.R .Hitchcock)
Rev. Harvey R. Hitchcock
Date September 1834
Rec. May 2, 1835
Ack’d in G. L. Sept. 10
(dated Kalnaaha Molakai Sept 1834 )
Remainder of letter printed 31 Missionary H erald 258
July 1835
�2190
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
52
K aluaaha. July 31st 1835
Beloved & R ev'd Brother in the Lord
Your note by the Hellespont came safe to hand, as
also the “ loving epistle” to which it alluded for both of which
I need not tell you I am unfeignedly thankful.
Sister arrived in good health and spirits much better
than when she left Boston and as yet no change has occurred to
make us apprehend that her health may not be as good at least,
hereafter, and with a moderate degree of health her prospects of
usefulness are flattering indeed. I have just finished a fine
school house of stone, 54 feet by 26 and have it tolerably well
furnished with means for facilitating instruction; have a school
of 150 active children from the ages of 4 to 15; and have as yet
found no difficulty in securing their attendance, or in interest
ing them. We employ several native assistants.
With regard to the affairs of the station in other re
spects I have little new to communicate. Much of the labour
which had been commenced with promise of usefulness has been
necessarily abandoned in consequence of the withdrawal of Bro.
Smith from the station. These of course cannot be resumed until
the station is reinforced.
And here permit me to state the grounds on which I deem
it important that another family be sent forthwith to Molokai.
The island you are aware is about 40 miles long and 8 wide and
that the opposite side is cut off from ours by an impassible range
of mountain's passing fron one end to the other. The whole popula
tion amounts to six thousand; only about two thousand of these,
perhaps two thousand and five hundred, can be benefitted by the
station at Kaluaaha. The others are divided into three portions,
one of which is east and the other west of us the third is on the
opposite side of the island. The t o former portions are so situated,
that were there two missionaries at the station, they might be al
ternately supplied with preaching on the sabbath, and a very con
siderable superintendence taken of their religions concerns. The
third portion might be visited occasionally, and the people might
hear the gospel so frequently that many of them might be saved.
What I have to say is that it is not possible for me without sac
rificing the good the cause to exert any essential influence upon
them and that unless someone comes to my help they must perishin
their sins, without sufficient knowledge of the way of salv ation
by a Redeemer t o enable them to embrace him. And what renders
their distribution aggravatedly bad is that they have in both places
built both a meeting house and a dwelling house for the accommoda
tion of the minister who shall visit them. I t distresses me to
see them on the same little is l a n d with myself, perishing for
�lack of vision.
Another reason why I wish another Brother to he sent
to Molok ai is that two are better than one, there is not except
myself a white man on th e island, and I am not certain that it is
necessary of that the scriptures require that missionaries be
deprived of the benefit both moral and intellectual, and might,
also add physical which depend upon the contact of mind wit h mind
I am very serious in my queries whether the church can be justified
in stationing one of his numbers where he may not have the priv
ilege of social intercourse with at least one of his brethren.
I
do think that the lord of missions would be willing I should have
a brother in the ministry with me on Molokai expecially as he
sent out the disciples by couples and as Paul the holy Apostle
was almost always accompanied by one or more of the saints. I
greatly feel the want of a brother in the ministry with whom I
may consult, pray and study, and from whose living example I
might be excite d to more diligence in the blessed cause in which
I am engaged.
I have been prevented from attending general meeting
this year. Had I attended
should have made an effort to have the
mission subscribe a formal petition to the Board to send a man for
Molokai and think I should have succeeded. Should you send out two
men(many are this moment wanted) one of them would in all probabil
ity be stationed with us. W e shall feel ourselves as exiles while
we are refused an associate. But understand that we infinitely
prefer this exile to abandoning the people. Duty on our part is
plain, ie to remain, whether we are reinforc ed or not. But it seems
to us equally clear or nearly so, that the churches should send us
another minister.
There have been no additions to the church during the
year. There are however several individuals whom we regard as hope
ful candidates, and probably be admitted soon after our return to
our people. The Regular exercises at the station have been kept
up during the year, the morning prayermeetings which were commenced
Feb. 1833 have been attended every morning si n ce. In these meet
ings I usually expound the scriptures in course, they have been truly
profitable meetings. The
itinerating preaching has been necessarily
droped.
Much of my time the past year has been devoted eitherto
m y family on account of the illness of Mrs. H. The former part
of the year, or to building— dwelling houses schoolhouse and meet
inghouse. The two former are completed, & considerable advance
has been in building a stone house for public worship. My dwelling
house is one story high 32 feet by 24 inside stone walls, covered
with shingles, it will probly cost the Board from 1000 to 1200 dol
lars possibly 1300. Considerable of this amount has been defrayed
however with books which it was necessary by some means or other
to put into the hands of the natives in consequence of hearing that
sister was coming I had the garret done off into rooms for her wh i c h
�2198
increased th e expense, otherwise it would not have amounted to
over a thousand dollars. I hope in the course of the current
year to have the m e etinghouse completed and then so far as I
can discover now, we shall be free from secular interruptions,
and be left to go on with our efforts for the immediate good of
the people.
I am pained to hear of the feeble state of your health.
Willnot a voyageto Hawaii recruit you as well as prove a blessing
to the Mission?
We have been several weeks at Lahaina for medical aid.
Our second son was born on the 22nd inst. He bears my name. Mrs
H. is improving and we hope will soon be well and that she will
have permanent relief from the disease by which she has been af
flicted.
To conclude we have still great reason to feel that it
was the finger of God that led us to this field and that his kind
providence has in a remarkable measure supported us; and what is
truly refreshing and encouraging to our h e a r t s that we may hope
our labours have in some measure crowned with his blessing.
With kind regards to Mrs. A . and yourself in which
I am joined with Mrs. H. & Sister G I am dear Sir your fellow
labourer in th e G ospel.
H. R. Hitchcock
P. S. Will you please to send me Robinson's Cabinet , Stewarts
Commentary on the Romans— L empieres Classical dictionaries— and
Robinsons Greek H armony of the Gospels?
I have not a black thin coat for the sabbath and
it is difficult to procure any here. Will you please to send me
two suits of thin clothes for the sabbath--also
1 Doz pair of substantial mix coloured socks. In purchasing the
clothes let whoever does it remember that I am a small man and
have very unusually short arms.
I am hot certain but I should have written to Mr. Hill
for the articles. If so please to excuse me and show him my wants.
H.R.Hitchc
ock
Mrs. H. wishes me to request you to circasian for a warm dress
for her and for the children.
Rev. H . R . Hitchcock
Dated Kaluaaha July 31, 1835
Rec'd Dec. 30
Ack'd in G. L. June 15
Ans'd June 21, 1836
2 suits
books
per capt. Bradford
Canton Packet
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass
requested
�2193
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
53& 54
Kaluaaha
Nov. 1835
Rev. & dear Brother.
I wrote you last spring giving you some
account of the affairs of this station up to the date ofJuly
last. As I am to busy to write my letters in general I forget
probably some things and write them the second time.
I am not certain of having informed you of the birth
of our second son which took place at Lahaina July 22nd of the
present year.
(printed 52 Missionary H erald 429 Nov 1836)
I am happy to inform you that most of the drudgery of
the station is completed and at present I see not why we may not
proceed in the discharge of our more appropriate as well more
pleasant duties as missionaries.
When we arrived here no preparation had been made ex
cept a a native dwelling house. This though as good as com
mon, was so damp and unfit to live in that Mrs. H. lost her
health. A more comfortable dwelling house was therefore nec
essary. We had no school house, nor meetinghouse, native ones were
just up but they were shortlived, had no doors, no windows at all
only large spaces, were left in the sides of the house where we
entered. Through these the trade winds which are almost continually
blowing whistled bearing away the voice of the speaker to the leward.
The house afforded us as little protection from the hard
and frequent rains as from the wind. So hard is it to speak in
that my voice, which is not all weak is worn out by preaching
once, so that it is always with difficulty that I preached the
second sermon on the sabbath. Our dwelling house is finished and
we are now living in it. Our Schoolhouse is finished without five
dollars expence to the mission.
And our New Meetinghouse will
I hope be completed in a month from this time at a cost to the
Board of not more than 120 dollars . You will percieve by the
minutes of our last General meeting that 100 dollars were voted for
the purpose. The house when finished could not have been built
by contract short of 12 or 14 hundred dollars. It is spacious and
will doubtless be durable. Our schoolhouse though large is by no
means Sufficiently so for all our scholars. We must have another
one, and as the people have had so much to do to build the meeting
house and are withal so oppressed with taxes by the chief that it
will not be expident to require them to build the schoolhouse they
will find the timber and do something about the work. This
being done, I hope to be free from secular cares— and of course
to have more time for the duties of my profession.
I have written you I believe frequently concerning an
�2194
associate. To say more would probably be improper as what
I have said has I suppose elicited no reply. I would say however
that my desire for one remains the same and my views also of the
importance that another should be stationed here remain unchanged.
Were
an other reinforcement to come which we are all praying
may be case. I hope that one may be assigned to Molokai. Most
of my brethren are opposed to the doctrine of a missionary's labor
ing alone especially on an island where there there is no other
labourer and where there is abundant room for three. Most of the
Brethren either have associates or have at no great distance by
land from other stations and can and do see each other frequently.
I cannot see a brother withoutexposing myself to the dangers of
a passage of twenty miles bn the deep. Were there not enough for
two to do, and more than enough, and were not the poor heathen on
the right hand and of the left of me actualy cut off from the means
of grace from the want of one to take part with me in the great
work, I would not ask for a fellow labourer, but forever give up
the thought of deriving any benefit or pleasure to myself from the
counsel the help and the prayers of a brother in the ministry, but
as it is, I will pray and hope. Were I surrounded with minds in
contrast with which my own might be spurred forward, and sharpened
and invigorated; so far as I should be concerned, to say nothing
of the poor people the consequence of being without a brother min
ister would not be so disastrous but as it in fact is, disastrous
is not tor hard a term. You will say you have books consult them,
to refresh, replenish and improve your m ind. Th is would be but
a meager substitute for social intercourse even had I time to de
vote to it. But my missionary duties imperatively demand more time
than I have to spare.
If therefore, it would not be begging you to depart from
the principles of the Board, I would beg you to send a man and
his wife, an ordained minister with an assignation from the Residen
tial committee to this station.
I believe I have written you for books, of which Robin
son's cabinetis the most important. In addition to those will
you please to send me by the first opportunity Eberlies Practice
of Medicine. I need it much.
In conclusion I would in grateful acknowledgement of the
Mercy of God the past six months say that we have all been blessed
with health to an unexpected degree, the health of my dear companion which we feared would fail entirely has been in a good mea
sure restored; our Dear Sister has been preserved while journeying
to us on the deep, and now a number of our family; the people are
kind to us and many of them love us; the word has not been utterly
without efect; and we hope our little zion has been increased by
some who shall be saved while we can but hope that others are
seriously affected. O may we have grace and love to God and love
souls sufficient to make us faithful in the blessed work assigned
us. I have written you letters of which there is no acknowledgment
�2195
in the General letters you have sent us.
With very great respect to yourself and Mrs. A.
in which M r s . H . And Sister cordially unite I am Dear Sir your
brother and fellow labourer in the Lord.
H. R. Hitchcock
Rev. H. R. Hitchcock
Dated Kaluaaha, Nov. 1835
R e c . May 7th 1836
Ack'd in G. L. June 15
marked
Robinson's Cabinet
Eberlies Practice of M edicine
copied
�2196
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
55
Kaluaaha
April
18 3 6
Rev. & dear Brother:
Though pressed out of measure with with
bussiness I am unwilling the present opportunity should pass
without writing you as I am confident you have a deep interest
in the field in which I am labouring. But I must be brief on
each of the topics I am to touch upon.
My last letter to you was dated July. Since that time
we have been favoured with health in the family and ability to
prosecute our labours without interruption.
(See 33 Missionary Herald 71 Feb. 1837)
I rejoice greatly in the prospects of having a teacher
for this interesting group of young immortals, may he arrive
speedily,and may the God of Missions be with him. Until a teacher
arrives and acquires the language I must sustain the school. Let
the effect on my other labours be what it may. The seed to bene
fit Molokai must be sown now in the hearts of this infant race who
are now and are hereafter to be wholly under our influence or we
may hang down our hands in despair. Surrounded as they are by
increasing light. bearly sufficient to discover the absurdity of
their fathers superstition they never will grow up in the harmless
kind of ignorance which distinguished the present generation. O it
so far as I can discover a solemn fact that the fate of this poor
people is to be decided by the character of the children now in
our schools.
But our station school is not the only one that calls
loudly for aid. On each side of the sta tion at the distance of 4
or five miles only, a school of more than 200 children may be in
stituted at any moment a teacher is found to take or them, and
in a rich and beautiful valey 10 miles distant a native school
of more than 100 children is how in operation.
the oposite
side of the island also is a populous district where a school pro
bably of more then 200 children might be collected. I would re
mark here that all the children on the island of suitable age
attend school under native teachers. They are required to do it
by law.
Our Sabbath school for children consists of the station
school, and of the two districts 4 or 5 miles distant mentioned
above, its average number of scholars is not less than 540 many
of whom recite the 7 verses.On every fourth or fifth sabbath the
number is greater,as the children from more distant districts at
tend. Prom what I have now said with regard to the children, you
�2197
will percieve the nature of the work that it to devolve upon the
teachers you send us— as well as their prospects of usefulness.
( See 33 Missionary H erald 72 Feb. 1837)
I hope therefore that you will appoint a teacher for this school
before he leaves America; to be located at Kaluaaha if on h is arival at the islands no reason should exist why he should be located
else where. If he unitesan acquaintance with music with other
qualifications it will it will fit him so much the better for this
station. He will of course be a married man. The c a s e of the
woman is not so with the man. However good the arguments may be
for sending unmarried ladies to this field; nothing can be said
in favour of sending unmarried men.
But you will see that the sequel disagrees with the
preface of my letter. I have dwelt much longer on the subject of
schools than I intended and yet the case is not stated with that
clearness which it merits.
As it regards the religious concerns of the station there
is much that would interest you.. There has been decidedly more
concern on the subject of the soul for several months past than
before since our arrival on the island. Nothing indeed in the form
of a Revival, but an obvious increase of the influence of divine
truth. Several individuals have been unusually concerned for some
time, and others are giving us more and more reason to hope that
they love the Saviour.
In my last letter I think I stated that the congregation
on the sabbath had greatly diminished. Since the destruction of
the new meeting house the congregation has been uniformly large
and for four or five sabbaths past has been unusually full. The
house which contains 12 or thirteen hundred is now always full and
frequently hundreds cannot get in— four sabbaths ago there was more
than could be accommodated in both the meetinghouse and schoolhouses,
and last sabbath the two meetinghouses were both crowded at the
same time although the old house held more than 1000.
A protracted meetingmeeting of 7 days closes this day—
I am now called to preach and c a n write no more as I must send
the letter forthwith or loose the opportunity of sending it by the
first ship that sails, I have written the whole of it in a great
hurry and only inthe intervals between our meetings, and other
pressing duties, you will therefore please to excuse its errours
which are many probably.
The Herald for May 1835 .Under the head of "Sandwich is
lands" page 187 contains three errours— first in the editorial re
marks— it is said that the missionaries from the other islands had
occasionally visited this and preached". No sermon had been preach
ed on the island previous to my arrival. The second is that the
letter is ascribed
to Brother Smith--whereas it is a joint letter
�2198
written by myself. The third is population, said to b e 600, it
should be 6000. This last especially I would wish to have corrected
It is possible that it is a mistake of my own.— Praying dear Sir
that the Lord may abundantly bless, and be peculiarly near you,
and your family, give you health add prolong your useful life and
prosper the work of your hands, I am with love and respect for Mrs.
A,
Your affectionate Bro in Christ
H. R. Hitchcock
Rev. H . R. Hitchcock
Dated K
aluaeha, April/36
Rec'd Oct 17, 1836
Ack'd in G. L. Dec. 5/36
marked
published
copied
2 sheets
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
�2199
68 Sandwich I slands
56
Part
Three
&
57
Kaluaaha
XXVII
April
1836
Dear, Bro:
I believe I have said nothing as yet on the
subject of Boarding schools.
My heart is continually pained at
the amazing loss o f labour that the mission is constantly sustain-ing from the pernicious influence of parents and relatives on the
mindsof the children that attend our schools.
It is by no means an impracticable thing to produce
thoughtfulness . or make good impressions on the minds of the
scholars; other thingsbeing equal, they are as susceptible of favour
able impression as any children with which I am acquainted. The
great difficulty lies in keeping good impressions alive long enough
for them to exert an influence on the character.
Here we are well nigh baffled in all our attempts to
improve either the social, moral, religious, or intellectual characterof the rising generation. Two hundred and forty children at
tend our station school six days out of seven. Most of them are
disgustingly filthy and indecent in their personal appearance; we
lecture them on the evil as well as shame of appearances so and
continuing to practice the indecencies of which they are gullty;they
hear and seem willing to amend — ; school is dismissed, they return
to their homes where all the mighty force of parental example in
the grosest indecencies quickly disperse to the winds all the in
fluence we have exerted. We show them the evils of quarreling,
deception, and falsehood; they see plainly that we are right and
probably many of them resolve never more to be guilty of them, but
home cannot fail to make them ashamed of such resolutions, or to
them to be less affected with the evil of the sins afterward. We
frequently preach to them the gospel, and urge them to flee from
the wrath to come; they are solemn and one would hope that something
had been affected. But the hope is a continually delusive one, for
the sneers of the impious, and the beastly in diference of all with
whom they associate are vastly more successful arguments against
religion, than than all we can say is in its favour. Nor is the
case much better as it relates to mental improvement. They learn
while in school; but when out, all the weight of parental influence
goes directly to discourage them.
Nor
es it appear that any modification of our pla n s
o
d
for communicating instruction, which does not involve a removal
of the schools from the influence of relatives, and a constant
supervision from ourselves, can essentially retrive us from the
embarrasment.
I believe that the opinion is prety general in the
mission that Boarding Schools for children is the only resort.
�2200
At least that the experiment m ust be made. And as soon too as
means may be furnished by the churches for the purpose.
The most important consideration will be suitable
families to manage them.
I am very desirous of comenc ing one at our station, and
shall proceed forthwith to make the necessary arrangements for build
ing. Scholars of both sexes I am confident may be obtained to any
number will be desirous at present. In looking for school teachers
for this island, I hope you will have an eye on one for a perma
nent boarding school One in whose capacity for the able management
of such a school you can confide. If but one teacher should arrive
the boarding cannot go into successful operation until another is
sent for the purpose; for the superintendance and instruction of
the common schools will be even more than one man can attend t o .
I hope however to commence the present year and do what we can,
relying on the interest which the Christian public take in subject,
for a family duly qualified for so important a trust.
Alow me to recommend a family for keeping a boarding
school at these islands. A Mr. Sanford and wife wh o when I left
home were at the Deaf and Dumb Assylum Hartford. He had the charge
of the mechanical department in that institution--an intelegent and
devotedly pious man. Mrs. Sanford is an experienced teacher, and
deeply interested in the cause of mission. I think they have no
children. I w o u l d m
e
r
l
ysuggest the propriety of your writing to
Mr. S .
I would merely say in conclusion we have much to encour
age us at present. At no time since the commencement of the sta
tion has there been so much concern for the soul as at the present
moment. Several are evidently under genuine conviction for sin.
Our protracted meeting has had a manifestly hapey
effect— and
will no doubt be found in eternity to have the birth time of souls
into the kingdom of God. Brother Green has been with us from
the commencement, and has been unwearied in his efforts to lead
the ignorant and the guilty to Christ, and his efforts have no doubt
been blessed. Do you ask, has it resulted in a Revival of religion?
If a considerable increase of activety in the church; additional
evidence infavour of those for whom we before had indulged some hope
and a much deeper anxiety on the part of those who have for for
sometime past been serious inquirers besides an increase of desire
and prayer, and effort on our own part. If these constitute a Re
vival, we are now blessed with one. But if By a Revival be meant
a strictly pente cost season, we have not. Upon the question "why
we have not", the already too great length of my letters forbids
me to enlarge asIotherwise might.
I would say however to those dear Brethren in the ministry
who are agitating the question that it would admit of a more easy
solution were they fully acquainted with the character and circum
stances of the peopled of these islands can never be known by those
who have not been on the ground. They must necessarily be ignorant
of it till the last judgments. But a knowledge sufficient for prac
tical use in the question before, us may acquired by the folowing
process. First— Reduce every soul in N ew England back to the ignoranceand mental imbecility of our ancestors in Druidical times—
Then from 80 at least out of a hundred strike out every vestige of
« A knowledge of the character and circumstances of the people
�2201
concience— Dilute that of the remaining twenty, till weaker than
that of very childhood; Having done this involve the whole of them
in the wildest and unreasonable superstitions,--transform them
all into sorcerers, thieves, murderers, infanticides and the grosest
idolaters. Th en just extricate them from those dark sins— and all
odious and disgusting as they would be— let little or none of their
indolence be removed, let them in Mass remain utterly averse as
well as unaccustomed to thought, let them all live in common with
no place for retirement and meditation, and, without proceeding any
farther let the dear brethren who are perplexed that there are so
few revivals among the heathens. I should say at these islands,
station themselves among their people thus modified, one minister
only, to 6,000 souls. Let them, thus stationed with no other in
fluence than their own, labour preach and hold protracted meetings;
the answer they would probably think proper to give to the above
question if refered to them, would, If I mistake not be the-proper
the proper one for us. For such, with few exceptions join their
favour, and many which aggravate their degradation, are the char
acter and circumstances of the people for whose salvation we are
labouring. W e do feel that there is mearly as good ground to have
been disappointed, that the brethren who have just returned from
the Washington islands had, during their residence there, no Reviv
als asthat we have so few and so partial ones here. The people
there are no doubt of an order of mind much superiour to these.
But while I feel that the Holy spirit ordinarily works, by the
application of his word and ordinances to subjects previously pre
pared, I would by no means limit his power. But w ould only say
that it is the failure of his ordinary operations that should
suprise us and not that of operations which are to be expected only
in some extraordinary way.
Far be it from me, and I rejoice that I can say the
same of my brethren, to justify my inactivity, want of faith in
God, or of love to the poor people of m y charge. No doubt that
a more Payson or Brainard like course would have resulted in the
conversion of more souls to God. That myself and brethren may be
more successful, in ourwork plead for the prayers of all who desire
the conversion of the heathen.
ButI must close, Elizabeth is engaged school and with
success. She also a school for braiding hats of the palm leaf—
the natives are now repidly supplying themselves with this necessary article of dress, and growing more industrious .
W ill you please to send us by the first opportunity
300 paper slates, 100 stone slates, 1 slate globe, a quantity of
pencils, both stone and lead. L eads for silver pencils, A q u an
ty
of cheap Ribbons, and coloured cambric for native bonet trimings.
I dozen stone jars of diferent sizes. We need these exceedingly.
Hanaah More's works, Barnes on Acts, and Romans, and other new
works; one good fur
h at.
Yours in great love and respect.
H . R . Hitchcock
P.S.
A good long letter from you would be highly acceptable.
�Rev. H . R. Hitchcock
Dated Kaluaaha April, 1836
R e c 'd Oct 17, 1836
Ack'd in G. L. Dec. 5
articles requested.
2 sheets
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Boston Missionary Rooms
Mass.
�2203
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
Kaluaaha
XXVII
Aug.
1836
Rev. & dear sir:
My letter to you dated sometime last spring con
tained all important notices of the station u p to that time. Since
then but little of importance has transpired. Things continue to
have as favourable an aspect as considering our great want of la
bourers we could reasonably h ope for . Ever since the dedi cation
of the new meetinghouse eight months ago our congregations have
been large; at no time less than 1,000 more generally from 1200
to 14. And though this has been owing in some degree probably to
the influence of the chief, yet a good opportunity has thereby
been given me to preach to them. Our church members now are 31
one having recently died. He was an old man and for some time
previous to his death been deranged. There are several persons
who have not yet been received into the church whom I hope are the
real deciples of Christ. But so anxious are the people to be r e
ceived into our number and so prone are they to dissembel for this
purpose that we find it more and more necessary to exercise the
greatest caution in admitting them even though we can but entertain
a favourable opinion of their piety. There are still several among us who seem to be concerned for their souls.
Our schools both common and sabbath are as to numbers
as they were when I last wrote you. Not so however of the persons
to teach them. You will not be surprized to hear that my sister
is married to Mr. Rodgers and has left Molokai for Lahain aluna.
She had lived with us just one year and become somewhat useful as
teacher in our schools. I had hoped that we should be able to con
duct our schools on a more efficient plan than we have hitherto
been able to do. But her leaving the station h a s rendered any im
provement out of the question. This is the second time our hopes
of help at the station have been blasted by the early removal of
our associates. As my plans have all been devised with reference
to having help in carrying them on I am now left with much more
on ray hands than at any former time, an d with less strength to do
it with. C ould I have foreseen that my sister would have left me
prudence might have dictated not have laid out so much work. But
since it is laid out, the evil of abandoning any part of it is so
great that we cannot think of it unless driven to it from absolute
necessity and shall to carry it all along as well as we can until
help arrives from America. I hope that before this reaches you
another reinforcement of the mission will, be on its way and that
consequently we shall soon have more help. Should this however
not be the case I must again
entreat you as you value the souls
of this rapidly dying people, to s end us more men. I leave my other
brethren,some of whom are in as urgent need of fellow helpers as
�2204
as myself to plead their own cause. And plead they will I am
s u r e . I give you the naked facts upon which I ground, my plea forfor more labours for Molokai. (1) There are 6,000 inhabitants
and the tour of the island m ay be made in one week and the gospel
preached to nearly the whole population.(2) Fifteen hundred of the
6,000 are children between the ages of 4 and 14 all ofwhom maybe
collected into schools and kept in for a number of years if the
schools could be properly superintended.(3) Our congregation is
large, and probably will not be much less than one thousand from
thistime onward. (4) There are several important outposts at dif
ferent distances from the station at which there should be preaching
every week, connected with the superintendence of schools. (5)The
station school for children consists of an average number of 250
most of whom maybe kept under our instruction for at least ten years.
(6) The station sabbath school for children has the average number
of five hundred scholars and the adult school of from three to four
hundred.(7) A singing school of thirty or forty, 8 money is already
voted for the institution of a Boarding school for children. (9)
Molokai is almost perfectly free from the pernicious influences
experienced at the other islands from the presence of chiefs of
trading ships, and of vicious and unprincipled white men. Of these
souls we have none. So that we are in this respect well located
for schools. More so perhaps than any other station in the mission.
To the isolated condition of this island probably , is owin g the
interesting fact that while the population of all the other islands
is decreasing at a fearful rate; on this the number of births exceed
that of deaths. It will be seen from these statements that the field
here is white and prepared for the harvest. There is however but
one labourer to do the whole of it. Unless therefore the station
can be reinforced the greater part of these precious souls must
remain destitute of the only boon that can save them from death
dismal the knowledge of the Saviour that died for them. The child
ren though gathered into schools cannot with our present means be
so instructed as to give any reasonable ground for hope that they
will be any better than their parents. As we now are, there is but
one alternative. Either the multiplied calls upon the present
missionary's time must be attended to so superficially as to
promise little or no good, or many of them must be disregarded en
tirely. And O will the ministers or candidates for the ministry,
advise to the adoption of one of these. What will be the result
of labour so divided as a single mans must be among so many differ
ent callings. W ill it be said to me give
up some of them. Which
shall I give up, shall I give up my schools, now the children are
already under our controul especially as upon the instruction of
the rising generation depends salvation of the nation. Shall I
give up my pastoral labours. More consistent would it be for the
shepherd to leave caring for those of his flock already pursued by
beasts of pray. It cannot be. All must be done while we striv e
with all the b enevolence of the gospel to save souls now going of
the stage we must not neglect them that are coming on. And what is
�2205
done for the poor people of these island m u s t be done effectially,
and must become off hand too. There can be no half way work, nor
any delay but at the loss of immortal souls. No fact in the his
tory of this nation is better established than that is rapidly
running down toward final exhaustion. Nothing can save them from
this fate but the prompt and effecient application of the remedy
which the gospel provides in such cases. And even should this
remedy be thus applied should the Blessed Spirit of God bless the
labours of a full supply of faithful missionaries and pure re
ligion take hold of the nation at large many years after all must
elapse before this tide of death will begin to ebb. It is in the
b lood of old and young and must roll on till many thousands of
the wretched Hawaiians are overwhelmed by it. But should the
nation have gone too far in the downward course ever to be recovered
shall its more than hundred thousand souls be suffered to go down
to darkness without a desperate struggle to save them. Will min isters of Jesus in the United States suffer them to go to hell
merely because they are separated from them by the ocean. O could
a congregation of this people be transported in their poverty, wild
erness, and ignorance of Christ and located hard by almost any min
ister in New England how would his bowels
yearn over their wretched
condition and could he save them in no other way than by abandon
ing his flock how soon would he do i t . But as I made some remark
on this subject in my last I forbear though my heart is full.
However deaf the the authorized members of the gospel may be to
the calls which react them from this nation. The nation is calling
upon them by its unparrelled ignorance, its enslaved condition
.
By its squalid poverty its moral polution. By its rapid
approach to extinction, by its value of heaven, and by its fears
of hell to come over and help them.
But I must close. I think I wrote you for the articles
I need for my school ie station school. As soon as a teacher arrives
for the station we shall commence a boarding school, and shall
want clothing for them, children from 4 to 12 years of age of both
sexes, will not some of the churches in Boston prepare a box for
the purpose.
If you have not sent a pair of Globes(cheap ones) for
this station
do it without fail, (especially the Terrestial)
also several slate globes. C ombs for the children are as neces
sary as that their heads should be free from vermen.
Mrs.H.'s complaint is about the same. She is about
house, and beside taking care of the family, attends a weekly
meeting with the females. I have symptons of a disease in my
throat which affects my voice. Mr s . H. joins w i t h me in affection
ate regards to Mrs. A. and yourself.
Yours Respectfully and in love
H. R. Hitchcock
�Rev. H. R. Hitchcock
Dated August 1836
Rec'd May 20/-- 37
Ack'd in G . L. July 21
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Mission Rooms
Boston
U.S.
terrestrial globe if not sent
two slate globes
�2207
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
59
Lahaina
Dec. 2 2 'nd 1836
Rev. & dear Bro.
My letter to you by Bro Richards was dated
several months ago . I have but little of importance to comcommunicate respecting the station not noticed in that.
Owing to unavoidable causes less has been done since the
last general meeting than usual in way of direct labour among the
people. For several months our congregations continued very full
on the sabbath, but for several months past owing principally no
doubt to the repeal of the law prohibiting the use of tobacco the
number has greatly diminished. Including children however it still
is not far from a thousand. The sabbath school for children still
continues with the average number of 500 scholars and nothing but
a competent superintendant is wanting to render it a great bless
ing to the rising generation. My duties on the sabbath are so
many that I can give but a very partial attention to t h i s . I am
pained throughout my whole soul at the spectacle of 500 children
coming from sabbath to sabbath for instruction and no one to im
part it to them. Unless they \ can be taught they will soon be out
of the way of benefit from our efforts, for their good. O why
will christains say to these dying heathen children go your way
and come again, when they have by them the things they need! The
children's school continued to be the same as stated in the other
letter until suspended in order to enlarge the house being altogher to small to accommodate them. It is now nearly completed
is 112 feet long and 30 wide of stone with a Native
roof. The
school will be soon recommenced and I hope that we shall not be
called to suspend it again. As it is a manifest disadvantage to
the children. We shall however be able to do but little with so
many until a man can be devoted entirely to them. Our native
teachers cannot keep order, it is out of the question; nor can
they teach so as to promise much benefit to the scholars unless
they are led by a missionary. I am still looking for an associate.
I hope when he arrives and becomes acquainted with the language to
give up the preaching and care of the church to him and to devote
my time almost wholly to the schools. Owing to an affection in
throat which perhaps I mentioned in my last and which injures
the strength of my voice the change will I hope be a favourable
one. We must have two families more at the station beside my own.
One man ought to do no more than attend to the pastoral department
and an attention even to this such as it should be together, with
the cares of a family will shortly wean him out. The second can
not be dispensed with from the childrens school. It is a task
�2208
more than the talents and the strength of any man can properly per
form. The third is wanted for a boarding school, which may be opened the moment a family is ready to engage in it. This I had
hoped would have been commencedbefore this, but the marriage of
Sister ? . has rendered it impractical. I cannot by any means convey
to you in language the strength of my feeling on the subject of the
children of this island. They are all of them, amounting to more
than 1200 hundred absolutely waiting for instruction, and may doubt
less be kept under instruction for many years. Six teachers be
side one at the station might embrace the whole of them; and are
there not many pious school teachers among you who have greater
prospects of usefulness here with the care of 200 heathen children
than they can have by remaining at home with less than the
port of that number? O if usefulness is the object of their wishes
here is the spot for them before any that can be found in our own
land; there the children will be educated without them; here they
will not. A n d now is the ti m e to save thesey o u n g i m m o r t a l s e v e n
before a man can get on the ground and learn the language. Many
many, perhaps most of them, will be past recovery. While I am on
the subject of fellow helpers for Molokai I would say also that
if a man understanding the practice of medicine were stationed
among us it would greatly augment our usefulness. Now, much of
my time is necessarily taken up in attending to calls for medicine.
But this is not all. Should we have ever so many families on the
island and no one with the knowledge of medicine we should all be
subject to undesirable interruption in our labours. I am now as
you will see by the date of this letter away from my post. I have
been absent from my people m ore than a month, and shall not pro
bably return under two months from this time. A 4th part of the
year will therefore have been lost to our people so far as it re
spects my labours among them in consequence of not being able to
obtain medical aid there. I spent also the month of August there
for the same reason which will make one third of the whole year.
Had we had an associate who could have administered to our necesities
by his knowledge of medicine this time would have been saved while
he could have done as much in the school or in preaching as could
one destitute of that knowledge. I cannot I know expect a physician
so long as H awaii, and Kauai are unsupplied; But
can hardly be
I
lieve that among the great number of young and pious physician s
which abound in my native land enough cannot be found to supply us
(hole in paper) should the station be reinforced with a man unit
ing the qualities of physicians and teacher for boarding school
we should no more be required to transport our families across the
channels in a native canoe to obtain medical aid nor would the af
fairs of the station any more meet with an annual drawback of four
months in the year, which as it seems to me is an event most undesireable. I have been sitting in consultation with the brethren
of these stations respecting what course it best for brother
Spaulding to take. The unanimous opinion is that he had better
return to America if his feelings accord with it, and it appears
�2209
to him to be safe. W e feel deeply for our Dear Brother and
S ister of all our Reinforeementnow have been better qualified for
extensive usefulness than they, and none have had more of a heart
for the blessed work; but God's ways are many times involved in
darkness to us, and expecially so in their case. But how consoling
the thought that all is light with H im . The station is now des
titute of any to manage its concerns. Bro.Baldwin is not able
to preach but little, and at present am not much better. The
people as well as ourselves will earnestly and constantly pray for
the return of Mr. Richards. Mrs. Dibble is still alive, she seems
as one however who has arrived to the w a t e r ' s edge, and who is
anxiously waiting to be led down into Jordan
, with all the glories
of the promised inheritance in full view. How full of majesty does
the Religion of the crop appear when seen in its effects, upon its
dying professors; especially where they are so masked and indis
putable as in the case of S ister D.
We wish soon to commence teaching David the *language.
le think that the sooner he commences after he can read our own
the better. Will you please to send us some of the mo st of the
most approved books for small children. Also will you direct to
Kaluaaha station a copy of the quarterly Register i.e. the former
volumes bound, and continue to send the future ones. W e greatly
need the work expecially for the statistics it contains. Also a
file of the Boston Recorder, we are so detatched from the other
stations, as not to have the benefit of their papers. And now
dear Sir I pray the Lord to be with you, strengthen your body,
prolong your useful life, cause you to see the great cause for
which your toilings go forward, and give you at last an abundant
entrance into the Rest that r emaineth for the people of God.
Remember us afectionately to Mrs. Anderson. And do write me if
you can, and you will oblige your Brother and fellow labourer in
the Gospel.
H.R .Hitchcock
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass
Post Mark
Newbury Port, Mass.
By the Adaline C apt. Buckly
June 26
Rev . H . R . Hitchcock
Dated Dec. 22 1836
Rec’d June 26 1837
Ack'd in G. L. July 25
Latin
Book
*latin
ship 12
�2210
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
60
Hilo Hawaii, Nov. 13 , 1832
Rev. R. Anderson
M iss'y Rooms Boston
Dear Sir:
The letter of the Prudential Committee
dated Nov. 1831, called the attention of this mission at their
general meeting in June to the subject of salaries instead of the
common stock system as the basis of our support. It was then
resolved that a letter should be written on the subject from each
station, & it has devolved on me to write at this place.
That there will be almost necessarily some evils attend
ing the common stock system admits of no doubt. And the natural
tendency of things is that these evils should be increased by every
enlargement of t h e mission. Had we almost any other man for a sec
ular agent in stead of Mr. Chamberlain, those evils would probab
ly be felt in this, mission for more than they now are. It would,
therefore, in our opinion, be desireable that each missionary should
receive a fixed salary were there nothingin our circumstances to
render it impracticable.
One of the principal difficulties arises from the present
mode of selling books. We think it our duty to put them within
reach of all who will make an effort to obtain them. We therefore
place a quantity in the hands of a native agent, for the supply of
them who call for single copies, to be sold at fixed prices. But
in receiving pay, he is necessarily governed more by the native
prices of different articles, & by the disposition & ability of dif
ferent persons to pay, than by the value to us of the articles re
ceived. When a school is to be supplied we inquire of the teacher
how his scholars can pay. If there appears to be more than one
article in which they would pay me select the one most valuable to
the mission, but if there is only one article in which they would
probably pay we do not withold the books on that account. The
teacher acts as our agent, sells the books to his scholars & brings
us the pay when he has received the amount, which is from 3 months
to as many years from the time he received the books.
In disposing of books at present we have no inducement
to deviate from that course by which, in ouropinion the improvement of the people & the interests of the cause will be most promoted
Whereas it given us as a salary there might, at times, be some temptation to dispose of them in a manner which might do injury. Per
example, therewas lately published a small edition of geographies.
The proportion for this station was less than one half the immediate
demand. Many who had not half the other books;& who did not wish
to purchase them, were anxious to,procure these. So that, though
money or anything which could have been immediately turned for money
was out of the question, we might have sold them for better pay
�2211
than we can get for other books. But had we required better pay
for the Geogrphy than we did for the scriptures, the evidence would
have been conclusive in the minds of the natives that we considered
the Geography more valuable than the Bible. Remarks of the same
character would be in some measure applicable to some of the other
books.
Hence you will see that missionaries who are devoted to
their work could not receive books at a fixed price as a part of
their s a l a r y & that those disposed to speculation should not be
entrusted with them. You will also perceive that the books must
either b e used for our support or be given away. So that, if we
receive a salary, either the books must be given away, & thus the
expense of the mission greatly increased, & the indolence of the
people encouraged, or the books must be sold as they n o w are, &
the value received & welcomed as part of the salary. This w ould
render it necessary for us to adopt such a system of keeping ac
counts as would be no small addition to our secular cares. At
present it is only necessary to keep an account of t he books deliver
ed to the teachers, specifying the article or articles in which
each is to pay, & erase the account when payment is made. Whatever
be the value, if it remains at this station it is the property of
the mission. If it is not needed here, but is needed at some
other station or can be sold*M r .Chamberlain,
it is forwarded to him, & he credits it to the station; so that
our trouble of keeping accounts is comparatively little.
If any plan can be devised to free us from the business
of selling books we shall rejoice to have it done as soon as pos
sible; but our duty to the Board obliges us to say that we see no
way in which this can be done at present. The appointment of a
man whose sole business it should be to dispose of all the books
of the mission would not releive us at all. And, in our opinion,
it would releive no one but the Printer, M r . Chamberlain, & the
brethren of the station where he might reside. Our cares cannot
be lessened by anything short of a bookseller’s constant residence
at this station. A man competent for the business would not find
it a lucrative employment
sell books here, even if they were
furnished gratuitously. And a man living at the Honolulu or L ahaina & selling books here, would need the same kind of agent that
he would if living in Boston & selling books in Cinci nati or New
Orleans, Such agents as cannot at present be found amoung the natives
of these Islands.
There would be some difficulty, also, in fixing on any
rule which would give anything like an equal support to the members
of the different stations. Though this might not perhaps present
a very serious obstacle, if the expenses incurred in going to &
returning from general meeting, & of Conveying supplies to the
different stationswere defrayed by the secular agent from the
common stock.
I might mention several other things which many of the
brethren consider as nearly insuperable obstacles to our being
supported by a salary; as for instance the fact that our sup
plies must come from America, & thechance of the supplies for an
*by
�2212
individual or a station failing to arrive for a year. But as
things of that sort, in my opinion, only go to shew that, if the
salary system is to be adopted, it will be necessary that the
system should be adopted to our circumstances & be somewhat nat
ural before it goes into operation; I shall not dwe ll upon them.
The difficulty which next to that of our relation to
the book business, appears greatest t o me, is the possession of
people & lands by a considerable number of the missionaries. You
are probably aware that the form of government here is such that
the common people are entirely under the control of their chiefs.
If he tells them to work for him an hour a day or a week, to bring
him so many Kapas, so m a n y calabashes of pee,
a fatted pig, or
whatever they have which he may please to call for, they obey.
The penalty for disobedience is the loss of whatever they call
their own. If they find their service too hard, they may leave
what they have & become the servants of any chief-who will receive
them(hole in paper) liberty of choosing new owners when(hole in
paper) please to relinquish their buildings & improvements for that
purpose, is all the freedom known by this people. This is the au
thority of each chief over his own people. It is the authority
which every owner of land has over the people residing on his land
I do not say that this authority has been abused by any of your
missionaries. I only say that this is the authority which some
of them possess, that each individual is left to his own judgement
& inclination with regard to the manner of exercising it, & that
if we received salaries there might be a temptation to abuse it which
should not be placed before missionaries.
Whether this should be considered as an objection to
salaries, or whether it would not be as well for the mission, even
if the present system of support should be continued,to have all
the people & lands, held b y the missionaries, returned to the
chiefs, I am not fully prepared to s a y . The majority of your mis isionaries a t this station believe that the cause of Christ is not
on the whole, promoted by the possesion of people & land by the
m ission at this station. With regard to their influence at the
other stations w e are not particularly informed.
F rom other letters you will learn the general state of
things at this station. Our health is about the same as it was
in the United states. I advance rather slowly in the language.
Have preached but seven times in native.
Requesting a continued interest in your prayers, I re
main
Yours truly,
D .B.Lyman
Rev. D. B. Lyman
April 30, 1833
Edgartown M
April
Salaries
Rev. R. Anderson Asst. Sec'y A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U.S.A.
Ship 27
�2213
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
61
Hilo, Hawaii, Nov. 20, 1832
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss'y Rooms Boston
Dear Sir:
Knowing it to be your wish that your mis
sionaries abroad should write with the utmost freedom on every sub
ject connected with their work, I have concluded to give you a
brief outline of certain things, here, as they struck my eye on
seeing them for the first time.
We come to anchor at Honolulu about 7 o'clock A.M. Some
of our elder brethren soon visited us
About 10A.M. we reached the
wharf which was crowded by hundreds of natives eager to catch the
first glance at the newly arrived missionaries, & to assist in
carrying our b aggage to the mission premises . We were much pleased
with their friendly appearance, but some what surprised that so
many of them should come to give us their first salutation with
no clothing on except the malo; notwithstanding, we had been in
a measure hardened to suchsights by thenakedness of the blacks at
R io. We found our brethren & sisters in good spirits & with no
lack of employment.
The picture I had formed in my own mind of the state of
things at these Islands before my arrival was not so definitely
filled out, as that of some of my brethren. In reading the published
accounts, I had noticed that almost every thing looked bright, I
therefore concluded that I had not seen the dark side, I was waiting
to see it before completing my picture. I was not therefore so much
disapointed as were some of my brethre n .
Within a few days after our arrival, the common inquiry
of the elder brethren & sisters was, “How do things seem to you?
do they appear as you expected,” & other questions of the like
character. My common reply was, that m y expections had not been
very definite, that I saw nothing which led me to question the truth
of the published accounts, though, if I were to judge from what I
had yet seen, I should say a person who had always lived in a Christ
ian land must necessarily derive from them too favourable an impres
sion respecting the existing state of things. This was almost as
uniformly followed by an expression of regret, on the part of the
interrogator, that the opinions of the Boar d & of the churches at
home respecting things here was so much in advance of the reality.
With the elder members of the mission it was not an unfrequent re
mark that we could not expect in ten years to do more than just
bring things up to the state in which our patrons in America sup
pose they now are.
�2214
The general feeling seemed to be that Mr. Stewarts late
book had been the great means of giving wrong impressions, some
or the brethren remarked, that from what he told them when here
in the Vincennes they had feared he would do as he has done. With
regard to the fact whether his book is adapted to give an impression
different from that which is made by the communications of your
missionaries, you are competent to judge.
As I have been but a short time on missionary ground,
it would perhaps be more in place for me to qualify myself for the
work to be done, & leave it for those who have been longer in the
field to inform you what had been accomplished, & what is yet to
be done. This would be in accordance with my own feelings. I have
also supposed from my knowledge of many of the elder brethren's
opinions, there was little danger but that your impressions if in
any measure incorrect will be connected. But on seeing some express
ions in the numbers of the Herald lately received to form a correct
opinion of which does not require a protracted residence at these
Islands, & reflecting also that it may not exactly fall in with the
natural course of station letters to say all that should be said
on the subject I have concluded to advert to it, though I intend
not protract my remarks. And as my remarks will relate to the
schools I should deem it unnecessary to say what I am about to,
were
sure that the essay read by Mr. Andrews at the last general
meeting, & which the brethren unanimously requested him to forward
_
to the Miss'y R ooms would be forwarded. But from what
he told me two or three weeks after,
suppose it is doubtful
whether it will be sent. If you receive it you will find our re
marks, respecting the native schools under our direction, written
in Sept. by br. Dibble in accordance with it.
I presume I need not make an apology for referring to
places in the Herald where it seems to me the expressions are not
such as they would have been had you been more fully acquainted
with the schools of these Islands. At page 5th of the number for
Jan 1832 it is said, “The readers are not all now members of the
schools," & again in the M arch number of the same volume page 72.
“While the population remains the same the number of schools & learn
ers cannot be expected to increase much. More than one fourth of
all the people are now enrolled in the schools."
Without attaching blame to any one, I shall merely state
what I suppose to be fact with reference to the points here brought
into view.
The number of schools on an Island or on a given part
of an Island, does not depend on the extent of country now? on the
number of people in that division. The land is divided into lots,
some larger, & some smaller, & each lot given in charge to a man
who has the direction of all the people who do or may at a future
time reside upon it, & there is a school for the people of each
land. The teacher holds the same relation to all the people of
that land, he is their teacher, we marry none who are not recommended
by their teacher as persons who may lawfully become man & wife. He
�2215
instructs at his school house so many as resort there. But all
the people of the land, on which he teaches, are considered equal
ly his scholars, at all times, except on examination days, with
this exception that some play the truant more than others. This
class is not included in the 50,000 readers & learners.
Some never attend school. Others attend at no time ex
cept a few days before examination. Others again attend occassionally from the time of one examination to another. If there is any
class attending the native schools regularly from day to day their
number is very small. Two months have now elapsed since the ex
amination of the schools within the limits of this station, & only
two monthe remain before they are to be examined again. The schools
have been continued & we have done what we could to induce the
people to attend. Yet the number usually present in a day is only
4 or 5 & from that up to one fourth very rarely going so high as
one half the number of readers belonging to the school. Yet, asa
general remark, the best readers attend school more regularly than
any other class of persons.
Such a thing as an enrollment of scholars, I suppose to
be unknown in the native schools of these Islands. A record is
kept of the teachers' names, and all who can read are careful to
arrange themselves on examination days under the teachers of their
respective bands. At stations where those who cannot read are
examined others possessing the qualifications required, are no
less eager to be examined than the readers. When a school is ex
amined, the number sustaining the examination is counted, & noted
in the records . This is the only kind of record which is known
to your missionaries at this station. We hope to be able to have
some better system ere long but have no plan yet matured.
Page 42nd of the number for Feb. there is a mistake in
the extracts from
Goodrich's Journal respecting the number of
readers in the schools of Hilo & Puna. The whole number of scholars
is stated to have been 4904. It reads in the Herald thus:"The
whole number spell readily, and read and recite lessons." T o make
it accord with the truth & with the meaning of the writer the last
clause should read, "and read or recite lessons."
The number able
to read a t that time Mr. G. does not know. Probably it was not
over about 1500 or 1700.
Anyone can spell who has learnt to distinguish native
sounds. Reciting lessons at our examinations is repeating the ten
commandments or something else which they have committed to mem
ory for that purpose, when perhaps they do not even know their letters. Whether the mistake was made by the printers boy or or
iginated in the hurry of the writer is immaterial, I should not
have mentioned it, had
not supposed you might find some difficulty
in reconciling it as it now stands in the Herald, with the present
number of readers within the limits of the station, Mr. G. thinks
the mistake was made in printing.
When in Boston I paid for the 4th volume of the Quarterly
�2216
Register of the Am Ed. Society. The other brethren of the station
unite with me in requesting that the subsequent volumes should be
sent out for the station. We wish also the Biblical Repository
by Mr. Robinson, Prof. Stuart on Romans, & such other new publica
tions as it is necessary for us to have. Our situation is such
that we derive no benefit from books at the other stations.
Desiring a continued interest in your prayers, I remain
dear Sir,
Yours in the bonds of the Gospel,
D.B. Lyman
R e v . D . B . Lyman
April 30, 1833
Ack’d in Gen. L etter Oct. 30
Books needed
Rev. R. Anderson Asst. Secty.A.B.C.F.M.
Miss'y Rooms
Boston
U.S.A.
double
Edgartown
Ms .
April 29
Ship 27
�2217
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
62
Hilo, Hawaii
August 25, 1834
Rev. R. A nderson
Miss'y Rooms Boston,
Dear Sir:
Whether I am censureable for not
writing you in months past, or whether I deserve credit for not
troubling you with communications of little importance, I do not
know. However that may be,
I have been aware that your communications from this mission are
voluminous, & conscious of having nothing to write, particularly
deserving your notice.
But having been informed, how correctly I do not know,
that you wish every missionary to give a detailed account of his
own labors independently of station reports, I shall give a very
brief account of the manner in which Mrs. L. & myself have spent
our time since our arrival at Hilo.
shall do it with the hope
& confident expectation that nothing of a personal character, or
which relates particularly to our labours will meet the public eye.
A large part of our time the first year of our residence
on missionary ground, was of course devoted to the acquisition of
the language. With our efforts in school teaching that year you
have been sufficiently informed in the station letters. During
the year ending July 15, 1833, the anniversary of our arrival at
the station I preached in English to seamen five times. In native
I preached 16 times at this place, 65 times in other parts of Hilo
&
Puna, once at Waimea, & once at Lahai n a .
During the first 15 weeks of the last year I spent two
Sabbaths at Hakalau & five at Kuolo. When at either of these places,
I preached two sermons, conducted a sabbath school & held a third
meeting towards evening for reviewing the sermons of the day. One
Sabbath
was here*preaching to attend communion. One other
Sabbath I was here & preached one sermon & conducted the third
exercise. Two other Sabbaths I was here preached once each day
at this place, & once at evening two or 3 miles distant. Pour
other Sabbaths I was here & performed all the ordinary public ex
ercises. During these & a few subsequent weeks I usually preached
on Thursday P.M. at some place 4 or 5 miles distant from our residence.
The remainder of the year up to the time of sailing for
general meeting or 6 1/2 months I was detained at this place; part
of the time by the presence of whale ships which c a lled for English
preaching; part of the time by the delicate state of Mr. Dibble’s
health which disabled him from performing all the ordinary Sabbath
exercises, part of the time, by the multiplicit of our labors
here which for about three months called for the exertion of all
our strength together with all the assistance which Mr . Goodrichwas
*without
�2218
able to render, & lastly, by the health of my own family,
which for a few weeks called for the trial of my skill as a
nurse. During this time I usually preached but one sermon on the
Sabbath. On other days I preached twelve or fifteen sermons in
the course of this time.
I conducted meetings also in which
I addressed the people extempore
usually from 3 to 6 times a
week.
In English I preached to seamen & other foreigners four
times at this place & once in the seamen's Chapel at Honolulu.
The time which I regularly devoted through the year to
teaching school was about 6 hours a week, or two hours a day, three
days a week. This time was spent in the teacher's school. The
three remaining days of the week it was instructed by Mr. Dibble.
I have occasionally devoted some other time to teaching but not
permanently.
Mrs. L. has continued her school for females the last
year ,on much the same plan as the year before. It is made up of
females of all ages from 8 to 60 years. Most of them, from age
or other circumstances, cannot be expected to make much progress
in education. It is the general influence of the school, & par
ticularly its effect in bringing the scholars & others connected
with them more regularly under the means of grace, that renders
it especially important that they should be kept in school. This
class of scholars simply read, are questioned on what they read,
& recite their verse for the day. A class of young women & girls
have made, considering their advantages & previous habits, good
proficiency in Geography & Arithmetic. Their progress has been
equal to that of the most forward half of our teachers. There
is also a younger class, from 8 to 10 years of age, who have paid
some attention to Arithmetic & are capable of doing well.
Till about the first of Feb'y. Mrs. L. instructed the
school without assistance, hearing the recitiations in Geo
graphy & Arithmetic at a different hour. She then called in Banenaba
to instruct in Geography, she continuing to teach the
other branches as before till March, when her health failing she
committed the whole school to his care, giving him daily, however
such advice & directions as she was able at our own house, & re
quiring the scholars to come to her as before for leave of abscence.
He was so successful in the management of the school that Mrs.L.
again, before, for the quarter which closed August 12th instructing
herself at her own house the two younger classes already mentioned.
Be was no less successful than before.
Remainder of letter printed in 31 Missionary Herald 256 July 1835
Kainu is a compact settlement of 400 people half a
distant from Kalapana, one of the places named by the mission
a new station. A residence at Kalapana would be more retired
difficult of access probably than at any other place proposed
* committed it to his hands in the same manner as
mile
for
&
on
�2219
the Islands. It is a hard day's walk through the interior
from this place, the most retired station, as it respects comminication with other stations, now occupied. Mules might pass
probably without much difficulty. No vessels have ever anchored
in the vicinity. Baggage has been loded and unloded from small
vessels. This can be done without much difficulty in good weather
when the sea is quiet. When the sea is rough the surf presents an
almost insuperable obstacle to landing. Vessels would not probably
pass there once in 3 years, unless chartered for that purpose.
The charter, however, of a small vessel bound to this place would
(hole in paper) small.
The difficulty of reaching the place being overcome a
missionary located at Kalapana would find an eligible field for
labor. There is no other place in our whole field, our present
residence not excepted, from which a missionary would find so easy
access to 1,500 people as from Kalapana or one of the neighboring
villages. They all live on the seashore, & there is no water or
ravines. The influence of a station at Kalapana would be more di rect upon three or four thousand people than that exerted upon any
portion of them from this station. Were a station taken at that
place, three or four members of this church would reside permanen
tly in the vicinity. Some of the people are desirous of having mis
sionaries reside among them. The necessary native buildings might
doubtless be erected without expense to the mission. There is a
great reason to fear that every delay to occupy the station, will
increase the difficulties to be overcome.
Wishing to be remembered to your associates at the Rooms
I requesting an interest in your prayers, I remain
Yours in the Gospel
D. B. Lyman
P. S. Since the birth of our son Mrs. L. has been much troubled
with weakness of eyes, & has found great relief from the use of
colored glasses when exposed to the light. Ilf you can take the
trouble to see that a pair of plane colored glasses are sent here,
we shall be much obliged. The length of the bars between the glasses
should be one inch 21/8th. A few loose glasses which can be put in
then necessary would be desirable. Colour purple light.
Rev. David B. Lyman
Date Aug 25, 1834
Rec. May 2, 1835
Ack'd in G. L. Sep. 16
(marked)Rec'd June 21/36
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sect'y A.B.C.F .M.
glasses
Miss'y Rooms
Boston
U.S.A.
Edgartown M s . M a y 1
Ship 29
Ship Grace & Mary
Capt. Lawrence
�2220
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
63
Hilo, Hawaii
Dec . 2, 1834
Rev. R. Anderson
Missr’y Rooms Boston
Dear Sir:
You will probably have heard, ere
this reaches you, of the afflictive dispensation of providence
in removing bro. Dibble from this field of labor.
Soon after general meeting both their children were
sick.
They administered such remedies as they were able. The
eldest soon recovered. The youngest went into a decline. Early
in Sept. they sent to Waimea requesting a visit from Mr. Baldwin,
He wan sick & advised them to embrace the first opportunity for
visiting a physician atthe Leeward. An opportunity occasioning
the youngest child b eing no better, the eldest being afflicted
with the scrofula,& Mrs. D 's health requiring medical attention,
they left us f o r Lahaina the 21st of Oct. Their littleone died
the 13th of Nov. We have received no intelligence direct from
Lahaina since that event. Mr. Chamberlain writes from Honolulu
that Mr. D. with the advice of the brethren at Maui has decided
to remain at the High school till the next general meeting.
Whether he will ever return to this station is un
certain. It is the general opinion of the mission that his constitution is not well adapted to this climate. There is undoubt
edly too much damp weather here for children affected with scrofula.
And he regards it, ( as every man should do who has a family need
ing frequent medical attention,) a serious thing to be so out off
from medical aid as he must be at t h is station.
To obtain the services of either physician without going
to him is out of the question, except in cases of midwifery, & nearly
so in those. A vessel arrived here, last evening from Honolu lu,the
first arrival from there for more than 4 months. It is nearly
five months since an arrival from Lahaina. Opportunities for send
ing there are not usually frequent. If w e send for Mr. Baldwin
four days is the least time in which he can be obtained. It is
two hard days walk for m e n who are accustomed to traveling in that
way. For us it is three hard days walk. If unable to walk there
is no alternative but to remain at home. It is supposed that at
some future day a road may be made across the mountain so that a
fleet horse may go from here to Waimea in a day. Fifteen miles
of the way in that direction is , now, almost impassable on foot.
A few days before Mr. D. & family left, Mrs. Lyman was
attacked with a remittent fever. During the second week of her
illness we were visited by a Mr. Smith, Surgeon of an English ship
�2221
then in the harbor. When he left her fever seemed to be broken
up. For a few days after she seemed to be doing well. Soon the
weather became unpleasant, & living in a native house she could
not be
properly screenedfrom it. In consequence of this, as
we suppose, she experienced a relaps e. A physician could not be
obtained; & Mr. Baldwin was at Kaawaloa to render medical aid at
that station, & was too unwell to take the journey if he had been
at home. For more than five weeks my time was principally engrossed
with the care of her & with such attentions to our little son as
the nature of t h e c a s e absolutely required. During the night I
was h o t absent from her couch more than two hours at a time, & n ever
slept out of the room, A considerable part of the time I felt no
small solicitude on account of my ignorance with respect to the
remedies proper to be employed. But the L ord has been gracious to
us, so that we have occasion to speak of mercies rather than of
afflication. Mrs. L 's. health is, now, so far restored that she
sits up more than half the day. When the atmosphere is dry she
seems to gain fast. Native houses on this part of the Islands b e
ing thatched principally with the leaf of the Lauhala, furnishe
d
a shelter from the rain, but are no screen from the dampness of
the atmosphere which our frequent showers occasion. Such in fact,
is the construction of the thatching that when the sun shines upon
it while wet the vapor enters the house of course.. From this cause
the air is sometimes exceedingly moist in our house for a whole
day or more, even in our pleasantest & most drying weather. The
dampness of the atmosphere at such seasons has always effected M r s .
L. unpleasantly. And from the manner in which it affects her at
the present time I fear it frill present a serious obstacle to her
complete recovery.
My own health has been a s good as could be except considering the circumstances in which I have been placed. The care
of Mrs. L. which has, of course, necessarily devolved principally
upon me, h as made my attendance or meetings very irregular till
the last two weeks. I have been able to attend, or rather I have
attended the Sabbath school regularly, & lectured on the verses
for the week every Sabbath evening. I also attended most of the
other meetings two weeks excepted. What preaching I have done,
however, has necessarily been done with but very little previous
study.
Most of the time during the sickness of M r s . L . Mr.
Goodrich was able to do more than usu a l . H is health is now delicate
as it has been a considerable portion of the time since general
meeting.
The school for teachers I have succeeded in keeping
together during M r s . L’s sickness by instructing a small class
of monoto rs, & leaving them to instruct the others, keeping my
eye o n the school, however, & instructing personally whenever
circumstances would permit.
We have seen a copy of your letter t o Mr. Bingham, sent
by the Rasselas. We rejoice in the thought that another reinforce
ment are on their way h e r e . S ome of our church members always re-
�2222
member, in their public prayers, to pray for their safe arrival.
We hope to find some ministers of the gospel among them when they
arrive.
Since the date of my last the lord has taken, as we
trust, one of the female members of this church to himself. Her
native name was Arapu. She was probably not less than 60 years
of age. She was admitted to the church in the beginningof the year
1832 & received the name of Elina.
She has uniformly
maintained a christian character.
I never conversed with her when she did not seem to realize that
religion should be the one great business of her life. Nor was
this the expression of the lips merely. I h a ve often felt re
proved by seeing her devotedness to the saviour as evidenced in
her daily walk. In conversing with her, I have been no less sur
prised then delighted with the evidence that she had been taught
by the Holy Spirit. She was poor, & had nothing to bring her into
notice, except her attachment to the saviour, & perhaps more strength
of mind than is usual among this people for persons of her age.
She had been in a decline for some months. The morning
of her death she conversed with her husband & daughter, exhorting
them to go to the Savior, & beseach ing them, by their love to her,
to follow her as she had followed Christ. At the close of the
conversation she asked for food. It being brought she ate a few
mouthfuls reclining upon her elbow. The food was removed & she
lay upon her pillow. Her daughter sat down to eat in another
part of the room. After a few minutes she rose & went to her moth
er. At first, she supposed her to be asleep, but on examination
found that the spirit had departed.
Would that all our church members were like Elina. But
alas, there are but few who do not seem to resemble the world as
much as they resemble her. One of the members who has been liv
ing in Puna a number of months is reported to be guilty of the
common sin of the Islands. The chiefs have sent (hole in paper)
him & he is daily expected here. When he arrives, the case must
be inquired into in the church.
Requesting a continued interest in your prayers, I remain
as ever,
Yours in the Gospel
D . B . Lyman
Rev. D . B . Lyman
Date Dec'r 2, 1834
Rec'd July 3, 1835
Ack'd June 21, 1836
marked biography
copied
Rev. R. Anderson
Sect'y A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, U.S.A.
Post Mark New London Ct. July 1
ship
21
�2223
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
X X V II
64
Hilo, Hawaii
Dec. 29, 1834
Dear Bro Lyman;
Yo u r s written at Batavia Nov 7, 1833 was received
just one year after date.
We became considerably acquainted with Capt.Hardie
while at Rio Janeiro. He treated us with much kindness, as did
several other masters of vessels there in the harbor.
We are surprised to learn that you did not receive a let
ter from us, written at Rio, & sent by Capt Gardiner of Boston.
We received two letters from you by bro. Smith. I believe that
I acknowledged them in a letter written Sept 1833, & directed to
you at Batavia. I also wrote you last June from Honolulu & being
able to write brother Tracy before the vessel sailed. I superscribed
it to him requesting him to forward it to you.
Y o u inquired respecting our living on ship board, Whyis
it that the Board
so little attention to the vessels in which,
& the officers with whom, they send their missionaries? Our company
fully believed when we arrived at the Islands, & several months
before that the churches w o u l d have justified the Board in charter
ing a vessel for us, rather than to have us come in the way we
did. It was well, however, no doubt. We shall none of u s wish to
cross the ocean again similarly situated.
Our Captain was a kind
pleasant man. And had it not been for rum he might have been a
valuable man. he fell a victim to the great destroyer, as it is
said,
about a year after our arrival. It is said that his
wife was a lovely woman. We have always avoided writing anything
which would be calculated to injure her feelings or those of his
other friends. His treatment of us on board ship was always kind
& respectful.
We sympathise with you & Mrs. L. in view of her feeble
health. Bro. D ibble & his family left us the 21st of Oct. to seek
medical aid. They lost their youngest child about 3 weeks after
they left. A few days b efore they left, Mrs. Lyman was taken
with a fever so that
was confined to her room m ost of the time
for six weeks,
I was obliged to be both physician & nurse. She
does not regain her strength so as to be able to resume her labours
she is scarcely a b l e to take care of our little son.
Dear Brother & S ister Lyman:
My husband commenced this letter hop
ing to finish it before the sailing of the vessel which takes it
to Lahaina, but w a s called away & will not probably return in sea
son to write more. I will therefore add a few words.
Ir is now nearly three months since I was attacked with
a fever, from which I have not yet recovered.
It is no small trial
to be placed in a fiel d where so much remains to be done, & then
�2224
unfitted
him.
for labour.
But the L ord knows how we can best glorify
I sympathise with you sisterElisa, in your affliction.
As it is one year since your husband wrote, there has probably
been a change ere this. I hope to hear that you are restored to
perfect health, & that you will yet be enabled to do much to. aid
your companion in his arduous & self denying work. But should you
as some of our reinforcement have been, be called to experience days
& nights of suffering & never have strength to do anything for be
nighted heathens, I trust you will never regret having said "Here
am I lord, send me." If we enjoy the presence of the S aviour we
can glor ify him even on a sickbed. Indeed, I have sometimes thought
that my sick sisters did more for the glory of God, than those who
had health . Mr s . Spaulding & Mrs . Chapin, were sick nearly the
whole voyage, & have never been able to put their hand to the work,
but have been confined to their beds much of the time. Mrs. L.
has two little babes & has never been able to attend to the wants
of either. She seems declining of late. Mrs. C is very feeble.
Her case will probably be decided in the course of two months.
She will have better health, or will not survive long. Mrs. Smith
of the last reinforcement, has feeble health. It has been quite
sickly in the mission of late. Death has also entered, & taken
away some of our members during the past year. Mrs. Rogers died
last May & Mr. Shepherd not many weeks after. Mrs. S. with her
three children sail for America about this time.
I suppose you have both, ere this, learned something of
the trials of missionary life. Privation, hardship & suffering are
the lot of the missionary. But then we get home, it will all be
over.
Brother Henry, will you not tell us something about
the poor immortals you have met with in your exploring tour?
You must not think that these islands are all converted
to God. Unless we have many more helpers, great multitudes of
this & generations after, will go to endless perdition, notwithstand
ing all, have heard of a savior.
There have been no recent additions
to our church, but appearances are more favourable than they have
been. You have no idea what an unthinking, unfeeling, ungrateful
people we dwell among. W e need much grace to stay us up. W e s a y
much more, but my sheet is full. My husband has not returned &
my letter is called for. We think of you often--talk together about you & wish much to hear how it is with you now. Do write us
often if you can send by way of China, as I doubt not you can.
Little David Brainerd is a healthy child, & is a great comfort to
us.
You will please accept our united love & best wishes for
your success in labour. F rom your affectionate sister. Sarah L.
Lyman.
I find my letterfolded & as it must not b e detained longer
I can only say the Lord be with you & subscribe myself your affection
ate brother,
D .B .Lyman
Love to Bro Munson & family
�2225
letter from Rev. D. B. Lyman
to H enry Lyman
dated Dec. 29, 1834
Rev. Henry Lyman
Am Missionary
Batavia
Java
to the care of Rev.E.Stevens
Canton
�2226
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
X X VII
65
Hilo Sept. 1, 183 6
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss'y Rooms Boston
Dear S ir:
You will perceive from the m i n u t e s
of the last annual meeting of this mission, that the members of
this station were instructed at that to commence a Boarding School.
We have not been able to make so much of a division of
labor as we should all like, would circumstances permit. Bro. Coan
does not regard himself as having sufficient knowledge of the lang
uage to justify him in taking charge of the Boarding school. Bor
the same reason he does not feel like taking the entire charge of
the church,
Our present arrangement is therefore, for Mr. & Mrs.
Coan to take the principal charge of the schools heretofore taught
by us all, for Mrs. Lyman & myself to take charge of the Board
ing school, & that the preaching & pastoral labor be shared in com
mon on the same principle as the last year. This, now, requires
me to do about three fourths of the preaching. Bro Coan is making
sure progress in the language & is on the whole getting along well
in it, & will, I think, soon be able to preach two sermons a week.
If we continue in the boarding school he will doubtless take all
the pastoral labor among the people within a year from this time.
You will perceive at once that this is a private letter
designed for you own eye merely. Y o u will, therefore, allow me
to express the great pleasure w e feel in having Bro & Sister Coan
for our associates. We have no doubt they are laborers whom the
Lord will own & bless. We believe too, & rejoice in the thought,
that they were selected by the great head of the church to labor
in this very spot.
We have during the last two months been most impressively
taught that we are travellers to the eternal world. Our eldest
son David Brainerd, a healthy blooming child 27 1/2 months old, was
attacked with the bowel complaint on the 28th of June. M edicine
seemed only to check without removing the disease. On the 7th of
July in compliance with the advice of Dr. Judd we sailed for
this place by way of Lahaina. Instead of being benefitted by the
voyage he was so much worse on board that we feared he would not
liver to reach that place. H is life was spared, however, & we
permitted to minister to his wants, till, as we trust, God had,
in answer to our prayers & those of our dear Brethren & sisters,
prepared the little sufferer for the employments of heaven, when
on the 28th just one month from the time ofth i s attack he sweetly
breathed out his life. To the partial eye of his parents, at least
he was a lovely child. The next day we deposited his mortal remains
�2227
by the side of those of Wm. Nevins Armstrong, & Corneliu s Ogden
Spaulding in the church yard at Lahaina, weeping in view of our
loss, but rejoicing in God as a merciful &a covenant keeping
God. Pray for us, dear Sir, that we may be enabled to train Henry
Munson, the little one that is still spared to us, for heaven.
We sailed from Lahiana the 1st & arrived here the 6th
ult. I have made some progress since our return in erecting native
buildings for the accommodation of scholars & hope to be able to
commence the school within 3 or 4 weeks.
Meetings & schools were well sustained during our
absence. The people never seemed to treat us with more kindness
than since our return. Still there does not appear to be any special
attention. The presence of the Holy Spirit*convince, convert, &
sactify is the one great thing we need to give affect in your pray
ers & in those of your associates at the Rooms for this object,&
believe m e yours in the Gospel.
D.B .Lyman
Rev. D. B. Lyman
Date Sept. 1, 183 6
Rec'd April 28, 1837
Ack'd in G. L. July 21
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss’y R ooms
Boston
U.S.A.
Post Mark
New London Ct.
Apr 20
Ship 121
2
/
�2228
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
66
Hilo, Hawaii
Dec. 6, 1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Dear Sir:
As Capt. Buckley of the Adeline f r o m
Newburyport is now here bound home, & kindly offers to take
charge of any t h i n g for Boston, I cannot deny myself the privilege
of addressing you a line.
By letters from Bro & S ister Lyons we learn there is quite
an interesting state of things at Waimea. Bro Coan set out a week
since to visit that place, assist in a protracted meeting, which
is probably new, in progress, & to make the tour of the island. We
expect him to be absent about five weeks longer.
In our own field there is nothing of peculiar interest.
The prospect with reference to native schools is in some respects
more encouraging than at any previous time since I came to this
station. Though a large part of them have been prostrate for two
or three years, 8c most of them are little more than apologies for
schools, there are very many more who realize in some measure the
value of education than there were 4 years since. The difference
b etween*who have remained regular attendants of our station Schools
& those who have turned their backs upon instruction is even more
prominent, especially to the native mind, than it could have been
if the schools had held on an even course. It is, also , more easy
to put things in a new train where we have the means of doing it
than it probably would have been had there been no apparent turning
away f r om the means of instruction. And, perhaps, it is not too
much to say that these very verses have led the more reflecting
part of the people to take a more intelligent view of the means
of rendering the native schools of any value.
Our station schools are in a flourishing state. About
80 teachers are, now, here receiving instruction under the direc
tion of Mr. Coan. The school for Children instructed by Mrs.
Coan, is large & is doing well. We opened a boarding school for
boys the 3rd of Oct with 7 scholars . This number has since been
increased to 11 . Mrs. L . takes the principal charge of them from
9 A.M. to 4P.M . Their ages are from 7 to 14. Ten of them read
as w e
ll as ourteachers, & had some knowledge of Arithmetic & Geo
graphy, before they entered the school. They require our constant
attention, though we find less difficulty in controling them than
we expected. Their studies at the present time are reading, writing,
arithmetic, & geography, together with some little attention to
music.
The school is strictly on the manual labor system. When
not prevented by rain they labor 11/2h our in the morning, & 1 hour at
*those
�2229
evening. In this way they diminish the expense of their board
at lea s t one half, at the present time, besides placing themselves
in a situation to board themselves without expense after the pre
sent year, so far as vegetables are concerned.
We did not originally intend to take boys as old as the
eldest now in the school, but Providence seemed to direct in this
matter. They yield prompt & cheerful obedience to all our requisi
tions. Most of t h e s c h ool give pleasing attention to religious
instruction, & the eldest seems to be considerably serious.
Our health is good & we have abundance of labor, so m u c h
that we scarcely know where to select, so much that is important
must be left undone. We are anxious to learn that helpers are on
the way sufficient to justify the taking of two or three new
stations on this side of H awaii, as well as to strengthen this sta
tion.
Yours in the Gospel
D.B. Lyman
P.S. Capt B. the bearer of this, is a pious man of the methodist
denomination to whom we feel much obliged for his kindness. He is
a true friend of the mission.
Please to send s i x copies of the Church Psalmody for
the use of this station. The Village Collection is the only Hymn
Book w e are able to use in our social meetings, & of that we have
none for company. I wish a l s o Crab's Synonimes & Murray's Grammar.
A few Whalers recruit here every year. When in port we
always preach to them on the Sabbath. We have given from our private
libraries all the books we can spare suitable for their use, & some
that we knew not how to spare. Can you not without much trouble
obtain from the Am. Tract Society or f r o m some other source, Tracts
& bounds volumes suitable for distribution among seamen & other
foreigners at this place?
D. B . L .
Rev. D. B. Lyman
Dated Dec. 6, 1836
Rec .'d June 26, 1836
Ack'd in G. L. July
21
books requested
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Mission Rooms of the A B C F M
Boston
U.S. A.
Post M ark
Newbury Port Mass
Jun 26
Ship 12
Ship Adeline
Capt Buckley
�2230
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
67
Hilo Hawaii
Dec, 13, 1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Dear Sir:
In anticipation I have the pleasure of
introducing to your acquaintance Capt. Wm. Buckely, a pious
m an who has sailed this ocean many years in the whaling service,
& has long been a tried friend of this mission.
He has by h i skindness laid us under many obligations
& you may rest assured that any attentions you may be able to
show h im will be rendered to one who loves the cause of Christ.
Yours sincerely
D. B. Lyman
R e v . D.B. Lyman
Dated D e c . 13, 1836
Rec’d June 21, 1837
Ack'd in G. L. July 21
Capt. Wm. Buckley
Rev . R . Anderson
M iss'y Rooms
28 Cornhill
Boston
U.S.A.
�2231
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
68
Hilo Dec. 13, 1836
Rev. & dear Sir:
I wrote you a few days since by the ship
Adeline Capt. Buckley. You will probably receive that through
the Post Office, This he will probably deliver in person.
The silver bows accompanying this I brought with me when
I left Boston. One of the glasses was broken on board ship, the
other has bean broken since. You will oblige me by having new
glasses of the same colour fitted in. The surface of glasses for
my use. at present, should be entirely plane. If I live to see them
return I shall be an old man of 35 or 40 years of age.
I do not know what your feelings are with reference to
furnishing grave stones for our children that die in this part of
the world.
f you approve of their being furnished by the Board
I
we should like to have moderate sized stones sent out with the fol
lowing inscription:
David Brainerd
eldest son of
D . B . & S . J . Lyman
died July 28, 1836
aged 2 years 23 months
---"Hope looks beyond the bounds of time
When what we now deplore,
Shall rise in full immortal prime
And bloom to fade no more.”
Some have used a kind of stone found near Lahaina but it
soon crumbles to pieces on being exposed to the weather. We do not
wish anything expensive.
Yours truly,
D. B. Lyman
Rev. D. B. Lyman
Dated. G. L. Dec.13,1836
Rec’d July 12, 1837
Ack'd in G. L.Nov. 1
Spectacles attend to H.H.
Grave stones ?
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss'y Rooms
28 Cornhill
per Capt. Buckley
Boston
U.S.A.
�2232
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
69
Rio
Janeiro
Jan 15th 1832
Rev. & dear Sir:
In consequence of a defective fore mast,
it has been deemed expedient by our prudent Capt. to put into
this port for a repair. Yesterday at 4 o'clock P.M. we m ade
Cape Frio, 60 miles distant & came to anchor this morning at 10
o 'clock. W e are two miles, distant from the proud Emporium of
Brazil & expect to go on shore in the morning. We are highly
delighted with the prospect, which the city & the surrounding
scenery present, but our pleasure is mingled with pain. When we
remember that Rio is the seat of the great Re
.We may be
detained here a week, of so we hope to preach the gospel in as many
different places as possible, though the doors of the Catholic
Church are shut against us.
Dr. Chapin has informed me, that he has written you a
letter giving an account of our passage & but, as in consequence
of a billious fever, I was
a mere skeleton, when I embark'd,
you may wish to know the effect of a 50 days voyage at Sea, on my
self.
It has been favourable, much more so than I expected.
I was seasick for a few days, but in the very midst of it, gained
strength daily . At the end of two weeks, my strength was restored
& my health decidedly better, than it has been before for 6 months.
Since that time, I have not been ill a day, unless I may except y e s
terday. A high sea brought on a squeamishness, which our skillful
physician thought, called for an emetic
I consequently borrowed
a portion from the sailors medicine chest, i.e. drank a half pint
a seawater & am well again.
The soreness at the stomach which has troubled me ex
ceedingly, for more than five years, has been entirely removed,
so that now, instead of being completely exhausted, in*three stanzas as I have frequently bee n I
am able even to teach a singing school
four evenings in a week without the least inconvenience. I am
perfectly surprised at the apparent happy effect & cannot flatter
myself that a difficulty, which has caused me so much and which
I have for a long time expected would accompany me all my days, is.
to be so easily removed. I need not say perhaps that the spirit
has revived with the body for this is almost a natural consequence.
For a number of weeks, I have felt an unusual desire to press for
ward in the missionary cause & never felt more like doubling Cape
Horn & laboring for the good of soul than I do this evening. On
the whole, I am happily disappointed at the effect of the voyage
*singing
�2233
thus far, both on body & mind, for we have certainlypassed
through such scenes, as I should have supposed would have had
an entirely different effect.
The sun had scarcely set on the day of our embarkation,
when a storm arose & continued to beat upon us violently for 11\days.
During this time, I might almost adopt the language of the Apostle
Paul & say,"we have neither sun moon nor stars . We had not one
hour of sunshine during the whole time, & the stars were few and
v a g r a n t We had gales by day & by night. The sea raged and foamed
and dashed over our decks continually, the Avrick plunged into
every billow we m et only, rising now & then to take breath, the
masts made as regular attempts at a semi circular sweep as the
pendulum of a aleck, & it often seemed that that ship must be thrown
upon her bean ends: had she not 35 tons ballast she must have cap
sized.. During the first part of the storm, we wereall sea sick
(Julia expepted) & most of us were confined to our berths only a
few of our number had resolution enough to get on deck, & they were
driven up by compulsion that they must find a better place to
v omit.
During most of the storm the "dead lights" were in & we
had no fresh air. We were obliged to burn Lamps by day & by night
which rendered our rolling, floating, plunging
prison exceedingly
gloomy. During a dismal night we
shiped a sea” as the sailors
"
call it, i .e. a heavy sea broke over deck & buried the helms man
under its wave, it knocked the Av erick stif & she trembled & groaned
as in the last agonies of an expiring moment. Across our cabin
which than was our only parlour, dining room, store house, & hos
pital, our trunks boxes &c. were
in an instant, a terrible crash & ginglein the stewards pantry told the destruction
of crockery, the Lamps were extinguished. The water washed into
the windows of our cabin in torrents, yes into our berth & on to
our faces! There were 8 or us in the cabin, still there was
neither a shriek or groan or sigh; each one seemed to betake him
self to his own reflections, as if preparing to commit his spirit
into the minds of his God. We all expected that the Averick was
wrecked & that we should immediately sink in the flood. Does
not the compositor of spirits manifest
a good word for religion?
Still not a hair of our head has perished &we are all in good health
& spirits. Mrs Lyman excepted & she is almost a perfect example
of patience. She is convalescent & dined with us today for the
first time.
When I inform you, th at it is near 3 o'clock & that I
have pushed the quill hard till this time, it may answer for an
apology for the style & general effect of my letter. Will write
you again from this place if convenient.
My best regards to Misses Hill Green & Chapman & accept
for yourself, sir, my warmest desires for your health & spiritual
prosperity,
Ephraim Spaulding
Remember me to br. Hale & if you please show him this letter.
�223
4
Rev. Ephraim Spaulding
March 21, 1832
Ship 141
2
/
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
U.S.A
Holmes Hole M s .
March 19
�2235
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XX VII
70
Rio de Janeiro
Feb. 3 1832
Rev. & dear Sir:
We mere obliged to put into this port to re
pair a rotten fore mast, & it has been found to be, even more defec
tive than was supposed by Capt. Swain, when at sea. We have un
expectedly been detained here 18 days. This morning we weighed
anchor, & were making fine progress out of port, when we were visited
by the police, & compelled to cast anchor again. The regulations
of the port require, that the master of a vessel, shall call at
theconsulate & obtain certificates of passport for his passengers
&c two days previous to the intended day for sailing. This was
not understood by Capt S . but we do not think him in the fault,
as a stranger seldom clears this harbour, without being sorely
perplexed with the intricate regulations of the police & subjected
to heavy charges.
We have seen enough of the Emporium of Brazil & we are
all anxious todepart, but we may be detained now, two days, before
a clearance from the harbour can be obtained. Did we not believe
this disappointment, to be the providence of God & wisely ordered
for our good, we should be disposed to murmur, for it will probably
prolong our passage to the Islands a whole month.
We do not regret, however, that we have seen this in
teresting part of the world, for we hope that goodwill be accomplished by our visit,here. Of the 150,000 souls in this city, some
10 or 12 give evidence of being christians By four of this number,
viz. Me ssrs Ker, McKay, Thornton & W ilson our company was immediately
searched out & treated with the greatest kindness & respect.
It
has been a season of thankfulness & joy with them that they have
been permitted to receive a visit from Missionaries who are sent
out by the American churches. Many drooping spirits have obviously
been refreshed, & they have spared no pains to make us comfortable
& cheer us in our passage. Som e of us h ave engaged their hospitality
both in the city & country. Had their circumstancesrendered it
convenient, I have every reason to think, that they would not have
suffered any of our company to board on the Averick during our stay
in the harbour. You may be interested to know, that they are Eng
lish & Scotch residents, but they are sincere friends to our mis
sion, & have b id us God speed.
We rejoice also, to acknowledge the kind attention we
have received from 15 or 20, sea captains & super cargoes, mostly
from the U.S. Men boats and attendants have been offered us every
day since we have been in port. A number have spent considerable
time with our company, & some interesting acquaintances have been
formed which we hope will not be soon forgotten.
On the Sabbath, the bethel flag has been hoisted on
board the Tuscaloosa Capt. Chase of Baltimore & the gospel has been
preached to a respect able, & attentive audience. Much interest
�2236
was manifested by a number of Captains to make all suitable pre
parations for our worship. Such accommodations w ere made, & such
decorum &
attention manifest, that we could but exclaim "this
is m e other but the House of God & this is the gate of heaven"
On sabbath evening lectures have been delivered in a private
dwelling, in the city, & at Botalogo 3 miles distant. Our sermon
was presented at Botalogo on thursday evening. The audiences in
the city & country have been small, but some it is beleived, have
heard the go spel for the first time. The catholic religion is estab
lished here by law & no other is tolerated, but it is brought into
disrepute by the unholy lives of the priests, who are acknowledged
by all to be the most licentious p a r t of community.
Though the people stick to the numerous forms & cerimonies
of Catholism, rank infidelity is in reality the religion of Rio.
The people know nothing of the Catholic religion but from the lives
of the priests, but infidelity chalenges investigation & the works
of Tom. Paine & Voltaire make the doctrine plain, 8c hence they em
brace it as pure gospel. The word of God is generally rejected &
hence "gross darkness covers the people"
About 2/3 of the whole
population are slaves who throng the filthy streets almost naked
& are about as ignorant as the brutes that perish. Their instruction
confined principally to a few forms of latin prayers, the Ave Maria
& c. in the repitition of whi c h great use is made of the Rosary.
I have visited too monestaries & a number of churches,
have attended mass & been present on festival occasions, but if my
soul was ever sickend with disgust it was to see the blasphemy &
foolish mummery of the priests. I have no time for description
but it appears to me that religion could not have been lower in
the dark ages than it is in the Emporium of Brazil. I have met
with a number of monks who are said to be the most learned of the
priests & uniformly asked the question; dicis linguam latinae?
& with one exception, always met with the reply in Portugee "non
intancle” .
The priesthood, as a class are extremely ignorant. Many
of them learn to say mass in latin parrot like, & know no more.
May the Lord grant that this system of superstition & erorer may
never get a foothold in the U.S .
I wrote you a hasty letter
immediately after we arrived
in port, but have been all most of the time since from a sore throat.
I took cold; an ulcer gathered & broke so that I am now nearly
well again. Our company are in tolerable health & anxious to
see Rio retreat from our view.
Evening. Capt S. has just returned from the city with
this good news that we are all ready now to sail in the morning.
I have a packet of letters & will thank you to put them into the
Post office as soon as they arrive.
One circumstances I forgot to mention which may be inter
esting for you to know. When Capt. S. went on shore this morning,
the police wished all his passengers to come ashore that their
dimensions might be taken & a perfect description of their persons
recorded. His object was to detain us two or three days longer
�2237
& make each passenger pay eight millrays about 5 dollars. But
Mr. Wright our consul remonstrated against such injustice & op
pression & pointed to our War Ship just entering the harbour &
by this means, we got a clearance by paying 28 millrays, or about
$15.
My best regards to the gentlemen of the Rooms & be
assured dear Sir that I remain as ever
Yours respectfully
Ephraim Spaulding
Rev. Ephraim Spaulding
April 24, 1832
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Missionary R ooms
Boston
Mass.
U.S.A.
�2238
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
On the 12th of Sept. Mr. Hitchcock & myself with the
Govenor of Maui & suitable attendants visited Molokai to select
a site for a new station. We set out from Lahaina at 7 o'clock,
A. M. in a double canoe accompanied by 4 single canoes & arrived
at 11 o'clock A.M. In a few moments after our arrival a small
house 12 ft. square, without windows & without one door 2 ft. by
2, was furnished for our accommodation. It was without chairs or
tables, green grass was pluck ed up & spread upon the ground & cov
ered with the best mats which served us for a floor & bed & table
& chairs. We had scarcely arrived at our temporary habitation ,
when some natives were seen scorching the hair off of a goat &
pig, others plucking the feathers off of some fowls & others still
reasting potatoes, taro &c. to entertain the company. We had a
great supply of provisions cooked in leaves in the ground & served
in leaves & calabashes . After dinner we surveyed the field & se
lected the most eligible situation for a station. I t is on the
west side of the I
sland at the foot of high mountains & within one
quarter of a mile from the ocean. The intervale at the base of
the mountains in many places is very rich . The spot selected is
certainly delightful, the soil supports the most luxuriant growth
of grass I have ever witnessed. The land is watered by frequent
rains & not by a stream from the mountains as in Lahaina. The
spot selected is in sight at this station & we rejoice that br.
H. is to be so near us. We selected a spot for his dwelling house
which is now completed by the natives without expense to the
mission. We marked out the ground out the ground for a meeting
house which will soon be built in the same manner. At 5o'clock
P.M. we examined a school of 80 scholars, all adults but 5 some had
infants in their arms. They read with fluencey as they had committed some parts of their books to memory. Sabbath morning at
8 o ’clock a procession one mile long or more approached a cluster
of Hala trees a place appointed for worship. Br. H. preached in
the morning for the first time. The governor of the I
sland made
the prayers. I preached in the afternoon from 2 Cor. 4:5" for we
preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord: & ourselves your
servants for J esus sake." About 1500 as we judged were present
& listened to our stammering tongues. As it was only 3 months &
3 weeks since we landed at Oahu, we could not be expected to preach
with such fluency though we were probably understood by the audience.
This assembly reminded me of a place in the tour round Hawaii,
though the natives are better clad now. than they are represented
to be. If there is a nything on earth interesting, it is to , see
these ignorant Islanders flock togetherfrom all quarters to hear
the gospel.
�On Monday morning, we arose at daylight & found one
school of 40 scolars seated on the green grass before our thatched
hut to be examined. When we say saw their anxiety on the sub
ject we could not deny them, though we had previously told the
teacher on Saturday that we should not have time. Th ey arose by
classes read from the N. Testament, and other books. Some of these
had little children in their arms, all adults but 5 or 6,
After examination & a breadfast of fish, fowl, sweet
potatoes, poe &c. prepared in the native style, shaking hand & ex
changing the ”aloha" with many natives we set sail again in our
canoes. I ought to mention perhaps, that the governess bound a
wreath of green weeds about her head & made a noble speach to the
school in the morning. I call it noble judging only from her per
sonal appearance & the fluency with which she spoke. In 4 hours
we were at Lahina having a pleasant passage both ways, though when
the tradewinds are strong it is dangerous crossingthe channel in
canoes. Molokai is mountainous like Maui, has 6 or 7000 inhabitants
many of whom will cluster around their Missionary. It furnishes
a field of provise where we hope much good will be done.
I have received the first no of your Journal of Temper
ance & read i t with pleasure. I wish I had 50 copies & would dis
tribute them forthwith among the 300 seamen now at Lahaina. I will
thank you to send 2 copies to my father(Z echer iah Spaulding Ludlow).
He will pay you for them & when they are read in his family they
will be sent to the missionary Rooms. I wish to see the progress
of temperance in H. I had supposed that they were about
forming new societies in H . if not, it may be good policy to attend
to it immediately, for, if I mistake not, the time is coming when
every Soc. will be glad t o date its origen farther back. A Tem
perance Soc. has just been formed at Honolulu, the Emporium of
the Sandwich Islands, it was formed, not for the natives but for
eign: residents 300 in number, some of whom continue to trafic in
this liquid poison contrary to law! Icannot give you the no. of
members probably not more than half a dozen. Were it not for for
eigners, who seek their own and not the thin gs which are Jesus
Ch r ists, there would be no farther need of a temperance Soc. at
that place than what already exhists in the laws of the land.
This Island has 35000 souls & is without a temperance
Soc!! This fact may not be generally known in Am. but it really
so. There is n o temperance Soc. in Maui, but if any man is detect
ed in buying, selling or manufacturing ardent spirits, he isforthwith put into the fort, sentenced to make public road, or otherwise
fined, according to law. About 4 years ago a tabu was proclaimed
b y t h e Governour of this Island upon the use of ardent spirits.
Soon after a native who had a barrel of rum in his possession act
ing as an agent for a man on Hawaii, ventured to sell one bottle
& was fined $150 to be paid in Sandal wood, & he immediately col
lected it. Another native undertook to sell a little & was fined
�2240
A 3r'd man a foreigner was detected in selling it to ships
& was banished to another I
sl and during the season of shipping.
About one year since a foreign resident in L. was suspected of
selling ardent spirits to the sailors, h i s home & premises were
immediately searched without finding it. Some time after it was
ascertained that he had one keg concealed in a hogs head of coal
in his black's smiths shop. The same individual has been since
suspected, but if he sells at all it is with closed doors &
probably under promises of secrecy. A short time since a schooner
engaged in Merchant Service arrived from Honolulu with Rum on
board. A native ventured to purchase a little to sell again to
the Seamen. Soon its
effects were discovered by the
quarrelling of some sailors & in less than 24 hours from the ar
rival of the schooner the native was in its proper place i. e . in
the fort. About the same time a foreigner, about to establish
himself at L. was detected with 4 bottles of rum & for certain
reasons, I do not that he told what, he went immediately on board
a Whale ship & left the place. It is
Richards opinion that
not one gallon has been drank by all the inhabitants of this
Island the past year. We have no evidence that ardent spirits are
now sold at this place, consequently all is comparatively quiet
& more than this we have some evidence that the spirit of the Lord
is with us. Not a week since an evening meeting was held at Mr.
Richards for Seaman. At the close of the meeting those who were
determined to make the salvation of their souls their first concern
& who wished for the prayers of Christians were requested to rise.
Five or 6 rose. The next sabbath a large no. of seamen listened
to the gospel in the house of God, 1 in the 100 perhaps, attended
meeting on board ship. The evening meeting was peculiarly solemn
Last evening more attended meeting at Mr. Richards than before
there is a call for more meetings, the no. who are serious ap
pears to be increasing. We are much encouraged, the more encouraged
from the fact I
that we have no ardent spirits to contend
with.
A few words on the subject of tobacco & I shall end.
In May 1st while Mr. Richards was absent at the general meeting,
Mrs. R ichards drew up a paper on the principles of entire abstenence, for the natives in her family.
When they has subscribed
to it the thought occured that it might be proper to present it to
the "poalema" a Soc. of females associatedfor moral improvement.
It was carried before the "poalema" by Mrs. Richards & Miss Ogden
who addressed the Soc. on the evils oftobacco & presented the
paper for their subscription. Tobacco is principally used at the
Sandwich Islands in smoking both by males & females without any
regard to the sex. A number of females gave in their names at
that meeting. More prevailed on their husbands to relinquish
smoking & from that time for some days after they flocked to Mr.
Richards house in companies bringing their tobacco pipes & tobac
co with them. Some come with their pipes in their mouths , & took
the last whiff at the threshhold of the Missionaries door. Others
�2241
immediately send word that they had a little more tobacco & when
that was gone they would bring their pipes. One says "when Mr.
Richards returns I hope h e will point out some other evil of ours
that we may know tha blessedness of reformation." The Reformation
commenced in Mr. Richards absence & in the absence of the chiefs
& no other means was used but the moral suasion of Mrs. Richards
& Mrs. Ogden. Now there are more than 2500subscribers, a majority
of this no gave in their names & their pipes before Mr. Richards
returned from the general meeting. The native pipes are made of
native wood & generally ornamented with brass. The common price
of a pipe is one dollar, instead of one penny as in Am. A tobacco
pipe & a dog are of equal value. One goat is worth two tobacco
pipes. I have just measured the box which contains the pipes de
livered into hands of Mr. R ichards. It is 4ft. long 2 ft. wide
& 11/2ft. deep & is literally filled with pipes. Here are 12 solid
feet of tobacco pipes which a few weeks since were in the mouths
of more than 2500 natives many of whom had probably smoked so as
to be intoxicated. The reformation, has progressed thus far very
repidly, & we hope it will soon be general over the Islands.
Some of the pipes that have been received will be reserved
as matters of curiosity for our friends at home, the remainder will
be reserved for a public bonfire, which the people are encouraged
to expest in due time. The arrangements are not fully made for the
occassion, but it has been suggested, that it would be proper to
have an address at the same time. I see no difficulty in the way
of such an arrangement provided the wind should blow steadily in
one direction, so that the speaker & audience might remain during
service unmolested on the windward side of the conflagration.
Whatever the use of tobacco may be in Am. at the Sandwich Islands
it is an evil & a great evil. Within a f e w days Mr. Richards has
been collecting facts on the subject, & has ascertained that 260
m ouses have been destroyed by fire, 28 individuals burned to death,
26 burned so as to be badly deforced & a multitude so intoxicated
as to fall to the earth dead drunk!! These facts will probably be
published in the native language & we shall be d isappointed if they
do not kill the s oil of S. Islands for the further cultivation
of that posonous plant. Does not this information speak a word
for the good affects of the gospel among this people? We think it
does.
Rev. Eph. Spaulding
March 16, 1833
�2242
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
72
Lahaina July 30th 1832
Rev. & dear Sir:
We have two copies of our general letter to be sent by
different conveyances. This will give you some account of our
passage to these Islands. We had some trials as we had reason to
expect, when
we embarked, but aside from sickness, of wh. we
had an uncommon share, our passage was prosperous & as pleasant
as our crowded circumstances would admit. We accomplished but
little by way of study. To preserve
any regular cour se we
found impracticable. Considerable time was spent in miscellaneous
reading, we hope with some profit.
In Capt. Swain we found a friend, & we wish we could say
a brother, H e has not particular regard for religion, but it is
our united opinion, that not one man in a thousand would have treated
us more like a gentlemen . He gave us all the liberty we wished
for & we felt as much at home, as if the whole ship had been ours.
We never heard a profane word from his lips, never saw
him angry, though we are confident that his patience was often tried
from our company. Where so many passengers are huddled together
in a whale ship, it is impossible that it should be otherwise, but
we never did evil by design & always greived when we saw anything
wh. we feared would meet with his disapprobation. The fact was,
we loved him dearly, for he was kind and accommodating, paid great
respect to our devotions, was always familiar & sociable. If anything is published in regard to him, as we desire there may be,
we wish it to be of the most favorable kind, showing that mission aries can sail in whale ships even to the Isles of the Pacific
& live peaceably with officers & crew.
I will mention one fact, confidentially wh. was in
teresting to us & may be to you. The first mate came on board,
according to his own confession, fully determined to be at "swords
points with all the way to the Islands” . We found it impossible
to please him in any thing. He was perfectly inaccessible 8c al
ways cross, W e never saw him smile till we crossed the equator
& then he immediately turned with apparent regret, that a smile
had been extorted from by the remark of a brother. We were daily
provoked with him, but strove to please him, He wielded his
weapons alone, till he became tired of it, & after we left Rio de
Janeiro, he turned about, of his own accord, & became our most cor
dial friend. I never saw a greater change in any person whose heart
was not renewed, than in the first mate.
Ever after, he was sociable& pleasant, ready to anticipate our wants & provide for them.
Indeed, we could do nothing to displease him. W e became attentive
to religious instruction, read his bible daily, appeared concerned
for the welfare of his soul, left of swearing & we were much en
couraged to hope that he would become a. Christian. He gave no
evidence of piety but we hope God may yet blessthe instructions
he received for his everlasting good.
�As we approached Honolulu, we formed a temperance soc.
among the Seamen & induced every man on board but one to subscribe
resolutions to abstain entirely from the use of ardent spirits &
illicit intercourse with women, while in port. We were much encour
aged from the fair promises tha t were made, but I regret to say,
that those wholesome resolutions were almost universally broken b e
fore the ship left harbour.
You w i l l hear of the death of the lamented Kaahumanu
from other sources. She lived to witness our arival & rejoice at
the new accession of missionary strength on these Islands. She
was an interesting character & her memoirs would be more interesting
& profitable to the public than was ever Scotts life of Napoleon.
You will be informed of the disposition that has been made
of your missionaries & I will only say, there is general satisfaction
among us. I have assigned several reasons for bein g pleased with
Lahaina
as I have not time to write you particularly on that sub
ject, I shall take the liberty to enclosd the letter unsealed in
this, requesting that you will send it to my friend, to whom it
is directed.
You will probably see nothing in it new or important,
though you are at liberty to make use of any of the statements, If
you find anything that will serve any good purpose.
Our general letter will inform you of the harmony & broth
erly feeling that prevails among us.
We have not yet seen the time
wh. M r. Greene said we might see, viz. that the time might come
when we should be tired of seeing each others faces. W e found how
e v e r , that we were constantly exposed to danger of the selfish prin
ciple than we had ever imagined.
Every individual had always proffessed to despise it, in others, & here we have an opportunity to
see it in ourselves.
By our circumstances we were compelled to
look at ourselves & I trust that some of us have profited by the
humiliating disclosures that were frequently made. One thing I
think should be observed in fitting out missionaries.
Let each
individual (hole in paper) his own as far as possible.
Put up
no thing
in common, wh. belong to everybody & nothing but
which are to be divided at the end of the passage.
Do not take too much for granted in regard to good men for
good men are often deceived in regard to themselves. Every good theory
will not bear reducing to practice. A little matter often kindles a
great fire, & it is always safe to avoid all occasion for evil. I do
not make these from any serious difficulty that occured among our
selves, for it is our opinion that there never was a happier company
that ever sailed to the heathen world, but from the natural depra
vity of the heart, wh. is too treacherous always to be trusted with
safety.
Our new grass house is nearly completed & we may enter
it the present week.
M r . R. thinks it may stand two years & hopes
that we shall not be under the necessity of building another of the
kind, as it is a waste of time & property. W e shall be ready to
build a house of coral like Mr. R ’s as soon as the B oar d can send
us lumber.
It is the settled opinion of missionaries here, that
it is most economical & will subserve the cause of missions best
to erect good hou ses.
Mr. Chamberlain will inform of the destruction of the
�2244
lumber sent to the Islands last fall.
It was a misfortune to the
mission as the boards were greatly needed & everything of the kind
is more precious here than silver.
My health is better, than it was for some months
before I embarked & I am happily disappointed in not finding the
climate as warm & uncomfortable as I. expected. W hat effect the
continuous warm weather of Lahaina will have I cannot tell. Mrs.
Spauldings health improves. She has gone into school this after
noon.
Mr. Richards has been laid aside from his lab
ours for more than 5 months, but is convalescent. He will
probably give you the particulars of his illness & the state of
things in L. Brother Greene takes the new station at "Wairuku 14
miles distant. The people there are po maitai (blessed, or very
happy) with the thought of having a missionary among them, They
are building him a house & have the materials prepared for a
stone meeting house, & perhaps a school house.
Please to remember us affectionately to all the
Rooms & accept the cordial salutations of your friend & br in
the Lord.
E p h r 'm Spaulding.
Rev. E ph'm Spaulding
March 16, 1833
Ack, in Gen. letter April 11
Mr. Richard’s illness.
Remarks on the voyage, his health, Etc.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass U. S. A.
postmark Now Bedford Mass. Mar 16.
�2245
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
73
Extracts from M r . Spaulding's letter, dated
L ahaina, Maui, Oc t . 23r’d 1832
Lahaina is one of the most delightful places on al l the
Sandwich Islands. The village contains 4,000 souls— is very fertile,
& affords every encouragement for missionary exertion that a man
could wish. The people are thirsting for instruction, & religion
is popular, almost universally, popular, not only here, but on all
the I
s lands. Missionaries are obliged to act as it were on the de
fensive of the natives would crowd into the Churches without re
ligion. It is a v ery rare thing to find a family in this place,
or on this Island, embracing 25,000 souls, living without morning
& evening prayers. Mr. Richards says that this was one of the
first things that struck the minds of the natives, as being
suitable and proper for Christians who worship Jehovah for their
God. Consequently, when they cast away their idols, & chose
(Jehovah for their God, they began to direct their prayers to him
daily. This nation is now professedly a Christian nation, and in
this respedt they act consistently withtheir profession. The men
who does not pray to Jehovah, is regarded by the nation as an
inconsistent man.
Multitudes hear the gospel every Sabbath, the smallestcongregation on the Islands will exceed 1,000 and some exceed 3,000
or 4,000. The congregation at L ahaina numbers about 2,500 all are
accommodated in a new stone church (with a gallery)104 ft. by 50.
The house is plastered and white washed within and without, the roof
is covered with Ti leaf, one foot thick. When well put on, the
Ti leaf is said to last longer than shingles.
As Mr. A n d r e w swas absent, a native conducted the service
in the P.M. I went to meeting trembling with solicitude, but re
turned, delighted, and astonished. As to the sentiment expressed
and the amount of instruction communicated, I could form no correct
idea but the service, from beginning to end, was conducted in a
manner which would not disgrace a Dr. in Divinity in the U.S.A.
His personal appearance commanded respect, his position, gestures
and distinct articulation would shame many a student from Theol.
Seminaries. He was really eloquent, entirely free from embarrass
ment, and apparently had not lack of words or thoughts, It is a
remarkable fact that bashfulness is scarcely known among the natives
of the Sand. Islands. Probably not one in a hundred would be the
least intimidated to make a prayer or public address in any native
assembly. There are four members of the Church at La. often em
ployed by M r. Richards to conduct public exercises on the Sabbath
in different places. Two of these are considered superior to the
one I have described; one is a teacher from the Society Islands,
the other three assumed Christian names at their baptism via. David
�2246
Joseph and Daniel, We hope the time will come when natives on
these Islands shall not only be instituted regular ministers here,
but shall be sent forth as missionaries to other Islands, still
in the bondage of heathenism.
Mr. Spaulding
Family
Prayer.
�2247
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
74
Lahaina Maui
XXVII
Oct. 25, 1832
Rev. & dear Sir:
I have written 3 sheets directed to the Editors of
the Vermont Chronicle & have enclosed them unsealed for your in
spection & use even, if they contain anything you desire.
ne sheet
O
is a particular account of our visit & observation at Juan Fernandez
The other 2 sheets containsuch miscellaneous matter as I should
have written had I been waiting particularly for the Board. The
reasons for my directing them to the Editors of the Chronicle are,
It was suppossed that many of the facts mentioned might be commun
icated to the Board by older missionaries & sane of them in the
general letter of this station which Mr. Richards is now preparing
(M.R. will not be able to send by the present conveyance); I feel
under prior obligations to the Board & seriously to the Chronicle
as I have friends in A. to whom
cannot write,that migh t see the
facts in the Chron. Again
have promised to remember the Editors
I
but shall send tham nothing which is not first submitted to your
inspection. My health is tolerably good, am pleased with, the
climate generally if it does not prove too warm. Mr s . S's health
is very poor. She was sick on the passage, migh unto death, &
remain ill now. She has been able to sit up but 5 whole days since
w e embarked. She had such health in Am. that no one ever question
ed the expediency of her becoming a Missionary. We still live in
hope th ough prospects appear dark.
She has an almost incessant
headache, frequent pain in the chest & side & suffers from general
prostration & strength. She is cheerful & happy wishes to be re
membered to all
friends in B.
Remember us affectionately to all at the R ooms & the
Com. & be assured, dear Sir of the constant & increasing regard
of
Your friend & brother in the Lord
Ephraim Spaulding.
N.B. Brother H itchock has probably told you that he has a fine
son, br. Armstrong has a find daughter & b r . Emerson has probably
good news to tell by this time. The rest of your reinforcement
have nothing v e r y special to communicate.
Rev. Eph'm Spaulding
March 26, 1833
Ack'd in Gen Letter April 11
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary R ooms
Boston
Mass. U.S.A.
4 sheets Edgartown M s
Mar. 25
3 1/4 ship 1,64 1/2
�2248
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
75
Lahina Nov 20th.
Rev. & dear Sir:
I have sent a peice of tapa containing my journal
& a paper directed to my mother.
wish them to be left at the
rooms till my father sends for them. You can see my journal if
you wish though it contains nothing of importance which you will
not see in some letters I have sent to your care for Messrs.
Richards & Tracy Windson Vt.
The Journal is for my fathers family & not for the
public. In great hurry. Remember us affectionately to all at the
Rooms.
Yours respectfully
Ephraim Spaulding
Rev. Ephraim Spaulding
Aug. 20, 1835
Ack'd in Gen. L etter Oct. 30
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary R
ooms
Boston
Mass.
U.S.A.
I have not seen the Journal which came with this .
R.A.
�2249
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
76
Oukumehame
Island of Maui Ja n .24, 1834
Removed with my family to this place, 7 or 8 miles from
L ahaina & took up residence in the house of Pikenele, the head
man & chief of this district. At 9 O'clock this morning, our bag
gage was all on board a double canoe rowed by 10men & after a
pleasant sail of two hours, we entered Our present; habitation,
which had been vacated by its occupants for our reception.
The house is 18 ft. by 30 & divided by a neat partition
into two rooms, one large & one small, The large room has pebbles
for a floor, the other is covered with mats. Each room has an out
side door 2 ft. by 3 & one in the partition of the seme dimensions,
so that in passing from one room to another, & out doors & in, we
are obliged to stoop very low. These are the only aperture for
the admission of light or air. One of the doors placed upon stones
in the middle of the Rooms serves us for a table. The natives quick
ly provided a place for our bed, by enclosing a space in one corner
of the room with stones & filling it with grass, upon which our
matresses are spread.
le seem to be cordially welcome here Sc have just been
told by the head man, that we shall have pork , fish, fowls, po
tatoes Sec. whenever we want them. We had not even reached the house
a distance of 10 rods from the shore before a large black pig was
brought to be slain for our dinner. Frequently when a missionary
goes out among t h e people for a visit, or to reside ashort time,
such expressions of kindness are numerous at first tho after a short
time they sometimes diminish.
Our object in removing to this place is, to spend 6 or 8
weeks among the people superintend their schools, teach young& old
to read visit them at their houses & preach the gospel. W e thought
that more good might be accomplished by living for a seasons among
the people & thus entering more fully into their condition, than
to dwell always at the station, which, has long been occupied & only
visit them o ccasionally & preach to them on the Sabbath. Two dis
tricts, Oukumehame & Oloalu, extending along the sea shore 5 or
6 miles Sc embracing a population of about 1400, will be b
e nefitted
by this measure. One half mile back from the sea, the mountains
are abrupt Sc barren, plainly exhibiting the tremendous effects of
volcanic agencey in former times.
These mountains, like all others on the Sandwich Islands
once- heated in the bosom of volcanoes, have been disgorged & left
in frightful piles to enjoy the milder influence of the tropical
sun.
25. yesterday afternoon, I gave out notice that there would be
a school for children this morning & we wereawaked at daylight by
the blowing of the conch along the shore as a signal for them to
�2250
collect. At sunrise, 77 had assembled under a ranai attached to
our thatched habitation. A few brought slates & were able to write
legibly, but by far the greater number were in the p-a-pa or childs
spelling book, learning their letters.
Mrs. Spaulding attempted to hear a class but was quickly
compelled to retire to her bed. The entire failure of her health
is a great trial & disappointment to us both & apparently a great
loss to the poor ignorant natives.
We were assisted by some native teachers, the best in
the place, but their aid is little better than none.
I commenced with the small children--wrote p-o-i-in large
letters, first showed them - & made them all look at it, & pronounce
it, till I had reason to suppose they knew it perfectly & then o&
i in the same manner. They then joined these letters into a syl
lable, which spells poi, the principal food among the natives. This
method, I intend to pursue till they shall know their letters & be
able to read. The school is commenced & closed with prayer.
27. Rose early & made preparation for the childrens school, whichmeets
at sunrise. M ore children present this morning than on Saturday
morning.
Was unwell yesterday & unable to preach in the morning.
The service was conducted by the head man of Oukumeham e a member
of the church. He chose for his text John 13, 17 "If ye know these
things, happy are ye if ye do them.”. As the congregation assembled
under a ranai attacked to our home,
was able to hear the speaker,
& should judge that the services were conducted with as much reg
ularity & spirit as if a missionary had preached.
This is us
ually the case with native speakers. T h e y have no lack of words
or confidence & the larger the congregation, the greater the
privilege. There are probably but few members in the church that
would not speak, or preach on any occasion, if requested. This
remark will apply to some extent out of the church as well as in
it. In conversation, they often acknowledge themselves noau po
or dark hearted, but they seem not to distrust their abilities,
when they have a prospect of promotion, which plainly shows their
deplorable ignorance.
The speaker, yesterday, made many just & appropriate
remarks & undoubtedly communicated sane instruction to the ignorant
but as in all native teachings, there was great lack of depth &
heart searching.
He commenced by saying, that there were the words of Jesus
to his disciples, that the things of which he spoke referedto all
the commands revealed in the word of God.
He proceeded to tell what the commands of God were, re
peating most of the dialogue & at the close of his remarks on each
command, he would appropriately add,"If ye know these things, h appy
are ye if ye do them" We dwell much on keeping the Sabbath & other
commands in the decalogue & insisted upon external obedience, wi t h
out showing the state of heart necessary to keep these commands
acceptably with God. Many natives are very conscientious in regard
�2251
to external obedience, while they seem to feel no concern about
the state of their hearts towards God. If they keep all the com
mands of God, as did the young man in the Gospel, like him they
are ready to ask "whatlack I yet” , And it is one of the most
difficult things in missionary work, to show them that they lack
every thing & are ready to perish. If we tell them to pray,re
pent, believe, love God, forsake sin, &c.&c. they will reply, we
have done all these things & are doing them daily, & yet there is
no evidence that there is the least change except in their exter
nal conduct. That a man prays in his family is no sign that he
is a Christian, for there are few families where morning & evening
prayers are neglected. They have forsaken their idols for the
true God, but unless they are renewed by the Holy Ghost, they will
not be found his children in the last day.
In the evening, I preached from Mat. 7 :7 "seek & ye shall
find"&c. when I attempted to show what things they ought to seek
& what they must find in order to be saved. This afternoon had
90 men & women at school all able to read. About 40 of the men
brought slates & I gave out miscellaneous, practical sums in the
simple rules of Arithmetic, which t h e y preformed with considerable
readiness tho they seldom make use of Arithmetic in conducting
business.
29. Had 95 children at school this morning, all present at sunrise. As the number of men & women were so great this afternoon,
as to render it inconvenient for them to meet together, the school
for adults has been divided, the men meet one day & the women
the next. This afternoon had 60 women about a doz. of whom were
unable to read. After school the men & women assembled to attend
the Wednesday lecture.
Preached from John 5:39 "Search the
scriptures, for in them"&c.
Feb. 1 Had a meeting this evening with the few members of the church
in these districts, & some others who had previously attended a meet
ing in Lahaina, which was designed more particularly, for ascertain
ing what persons were suitable to be admitted to the church.
10. P reached yesterday in the forenoon to parents on the importance
& their duty of teaching their children. Text Deut-6:7. but, alas
little comparatively, do they care for their children.
how little need
do they feel of educating them. Had a large congregation for this
place, but did not ascertain the number.
In the afternoon preached from Rom. 8:9 "Now if any man
have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his."
Last night it rained powerfully & our miserable native
house leaked so badly that we were obliged to spread our unbrellas
over our heads to keep the rain from our faces.
Our number of scholars has been daily increasing. We
have now about 250 more than 90 children in the morning at sunrise
& about an equal number of men & women who meet alternately in th e
afternoon. There a number of adults learning their letters, tut
�2252
they are so far advanced in age, that the little attention I can
give them, will do them but little good. I fear they will die with
out feeing able to read the word of God. I encourage them to come
however, that the influence of their example may not be lost.
We have, what the natives call, a school every evening.
Fifteen or sixteen of the nearest neighbors, meet every evening,
at our house & recite the verse for the day. I ask them questions
on the meaning of the verse, make explanations & then lead in prayer.
10. The wind this evening is exceedingly high . It comes in trem
endous gusts from the mountains & makes the native houses here sh ake
like reeds in the wind.
Within a half hour, the house of Pikenea has been crushed
by the wind. The posts & rafters on one side were broken, while
the other side remains uninjured.
There were a number of persons in the house, but they had
sufficient warning to escape. This is generally the case with
native houses, for they are so thoroughly tied together with strings
that they often shake a long time before they fall.
11. Arose this morning & found our cookhouse prostrate.
was
blown down last night by the high wind. There were two families
in the house & as it began to fall, they gathered up their mats
& calabashes, comprising all their furniture & escaped. We were
awake much of the night watching our own frail habitation, ready
to vacate it, if necessary.
15. Our presents of fowls, eggs & potatoes have been quite frequent
of late. It would amuse American friends to see one women come
with a bundle of potatoes wrapped up in her tapa, an other with a
fowl under her arms & a third with a melon & as they bend down
to enter the little door say "aloha".
Numbers have come with presents, told a thought & re
quested permission to enter the Saturday evening meeting.
They seemed to regard this meeting which I designed only
for church members & hope, as a tabu meeting & to suppose that
whoever enters it will, by & by be admitted to the church. By
their presents they design to conciliate our favor & by their
thoughts to give us an impression of their seriousness & as many
are anxious to enter the church, they leave no plausible means un
tried.
To belong to the Church, seems to be regarded by s ome
as the heights of perfection upon earth & it would be the easiest
thing imaginable to add as many to the here in one day as the
Apostles did on the day of Pentecost. But, then, we should have
no better evidence that they were the disciples of Christ, than
we have now. Many seek to enter the church & probably know not
why they are kept out.
17. Our schools are doing well, The people expect that our stay
will be short & they seem anxious to make the most of it. I have
a large class of men & a dozen girls, much interested in geography.
More than 40 will draw an outline map of the world, embracing the
latitudes, longitudes & circles, correctly & some mark out the
countrieswith tolerable exactness.
Oloalu
Feb. 17, 1834
Asthegreaterpartofourscholarsresideinthedis-trict,wewereearnestlysolicitedbythemtoremovehere,that
�2253
we might live more in the centre of the population. Maria, a churchmember & head woman of the district, having cheerfully offered us
her house, the best in the place, we conc luded last evening to come
& occupy it. This morning, at the close of the childrens school,
having packed up our effects we gave each child a bundle & getting
into a canoe ourselves, in the space of two hours had all things
comfortably arranged again in our present habitation. We live now,
near the line between the two districts & all the people by com
ing a distance of three miles may attend school or hear the gospel.
Our schools increase in numbers & interest, the people
are more & more anxious for books.
19. Today we have been refreshed by a visit from brother Tinker
& family. They arrived in a double canoe from Wailuku, about 16
miles distant & expect to visit the brethren at Lahaina tomorrow.
Brother T preached the Wednesday lecture.
20. This morning at the close the childrens school in which Br.
T. assisted, we took an excursion & visited the spot, where a few
years since human sacrifices were offered.
It is a large platform of rude stones, built in a
conspicuous place upon the side of a hill. Near by, is the former
dwelling place of the old priest, whose sepulchre is not known
to the people to this day. Not because the Lord buried him, but
because he was buried secretly by man, according to the ancient
custom. As I stood on this spot once wet with the blood of human
victims, offered in sacrifice to Idols, I could not but contrast
the present condition of this nation with the past. F ormerly,
all was darkness, & the nation groaned under the iron sceptre
of the prince of darkness. Now light from on high, shines in their
path. They have all heard of a Savior. Thousands read the word
of God & hear the preached gospel from sabbath to sabbath. Such
reflections were precious & calculated in inspire us with new en
ergy in our work.
March 2.
At Oukumehame 15 or 16 or the nearest neighbors always
met with us in the evening to recite the verse for the day & at
tend prayers. When we removed to this place, the nearest neighbors
wished for the same privilege, which we could not refuse, & as those
at O . seemed unwilling to relinquish theirs, tho they coma a mile
every evening to enjoy it, we consequently have 35 who recite the
verse evening & attend prayers. As I always ask questions & make
remarkd, this is often quite a meeting & I trust is both interest
ing & profitable to them. They always come early & sit upon the
ground about the door or in some place near, so as to enter at the
appointed tim e. This number might be greatly increased, probably
if I would encourage it, but as I hav e two meetings each week for
this purpose, one for the men & the other for the w o
men, we do not
think it expedient to increase the number.
5. L ast week, I limited the Saturday evening meeting exclusively
to church members, for it became obvious, that many were makingus
little presents & telling us thoughts, that they mi g ht enter that
meeting, which seem to regard as a stepping stone to the church.
�2254
Some thought thought strange of this, for it seemed to shut up the
kingdom of God against them. After being importuned a long time
for
permission to enter the meeting,without gaining my consent,
they say "you do not wish to prepare any to enter the church do
you"? Yes, I wish every man woman & child were prepared, & for this
purpose I preach three times a week, attend two bible classes,
one sabbath school, two common schools, every day, labor & pray.I
tried to show them, that attending any particular meeting could
not fit them for the church & that whenwe had sufficient evidence
that their hearts w ere renewed we should not fail to admit them,
15. Left Oloalu & returned to L ahaina. As the spring season of
shipping had returned we were called home to preach the Gospel to
those who do business upon great waters. We felt it a trial to
leave our schools & the people, inwhom we had become interested,
but as many of them would be engaged in tradi ng with ships & as
there was no one to preach the gospel to the hundreds of poor
Seamen, who might visit Lahaina within a few w eeks, the path of
duty deemed to be plain. There is a luxury in doing good, which
the world knows not of. If we are ever happy on among the heathen,
it is when we do most for Christ, & I am confident we shall never
regret on account of the additional sacrifices we have made for
this purpose for the two months past.
�2255
68 Sandwich I slands
Part Three
X X V II
77
Lahaina D ec. 22, 1834
To Reb. R. Anderson
Dear Brother
The foregoing sheets contain all the
journal I kept during our short residence at Oukumehame & Oloalu
& to which I refered in my letter sent to Honolulu a short time
since. If you think i t worthy of a place in the H erald, you are at
liberty to insert it. Br. Richards will send you an account of
his tour of Ranai by this opportunity. Though we have enough to
do at Lahaina it has been my intention, & is now my ardent wish
to spend this winter at Kaanapali about 10 miles distant, but Mrs.
Spalding is confined entirely to her bed, & we are daily dependant
on M i s s Ogden for some assistance. I wish not only to live out
among the
but to travel & visit the waste places in our
region, but the circumstances of m y family forbid it. The most
I expect to do abroad is to preach on the sabbath& make occassional
visits. The hand of the Lord is heavy upon us, but pray, as we
trust you do, that we may be submissive & the better fitted for
heaven.
Mrs.S wished t o be remembered affectionately to Mrs.
Anderson.
Your brother in the Lord
Ephraim Spaulding
R e v . E. Spaulding
R e c ’d July 3, 1835
Ack'd June 21, 1836
marked
Journal
copied
�2256
68
Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
78
Tobacco dead & plucked up by the roots.
A few weeks since, at a meeting of a respectable
number of people in Lahaina, Hoapili, the Governor of the Island
proposed to put a final stop to the use of tobacco by law. He
was induced to make this proposition, having frequently exhorted
the people to discontinue the use of it, without the desired ef
fect, & trying the minds of the people by note, found the vote to
be nearly unanimous in favor of his proposition. Accordingly a
law was passed entirely prohibiting the further use, or cultivation
of tobacco, & that now growing, was to be forthwith plucked up by
the roots.
The law was to take effect after a sufficitent time for
universal proclamation & criers were sent round by night, according
to custon, to inform the people. The penally, in case the law
should be violated, was not definitely fixed, but is to depend up
on the will of t
h e chiefs.
The prohibition extends, not only over Maui but Molokai
& Ranai, two neighboring Islands, embracing nearly one third of
the whole Sandwich Island population.
The Governor has visited Ranai, to see that his law is
carried into effect, & as far as we know it has been universally
obeyed, so that we may now, that on three of the Sand. Islands
tobacco is dead & plucked up by the roots.
This is not our work, any farther than it has been
done by moral reasoning derived from facts. We knew nothing of
the law until it was passed & had we been consulted we should have
questioned the policy of such a measure. But, it is only doing
to tobacco which kills people here, what legislators ought to d o ,
ardent spirits which kills people in civilized lands.
It ought to be fully understood & must never be forgotten
that tobacco is used here principally in smoking by all classes
of people without distinction of sex & the smoke is almost uniformly inhaled into the lungs. Their houses are grass with grass or
mats f o r a floor; & as many rise by night to smoke, their dwellings
are constantly exposed to fire from their pipes & fire kept to light
them.
A little more than two years since a brief examination
of facta was undertaken, which quickly showed that 260 houses had
been destroyed by fire, 28 lives had been lost by being burned to
death, many had been intoxicated so as to fall drunk to the earth,
beside daily family quarrellings about the pipe & all this within
a short period.
These facts, appalling as they are, are but a small part
probably of what might easily be collected. In Lahaina, within the
past year three children have been burned t o death & an other so
�2257
badly deformed as be a cripple for life, by fire from the pipe.
(See p .6).
At Kailua within the same time & from the same cause,
a large cluster of houses & a considerable amount of property have
been destroyed.
A few year since, if & man in the U .S. died a drunk
ard, no one seemed to know the cause, or, atleast publicly to
acknowledge it, but now if a man dies a drunkard all know & say
that ardent spirits killed him. So here three years since, if a
house was burned & a family consumed by fire from the pipe, it
was regarded as a calamity almost without a cause; but now if a
house is burned & lives are lost in the same manner, all know &
& say that it is the work of tobacco.
By the Herald & other publications, many have been
apprised of the commencement & rapid process of the tobacco refor
mation at the Sandwich Islands, & some perhaps may wish to know
more particularly what has been its progress untilthe recent law
was passed. The following is briefly its history.
For a short time after the reformation commenced, it
progressed with unparalled rapidity until about 3,000 on the three
Islands above mentioned had voluntarily delivered up their wooden
pipes & gave a pledge of total abstinence.
After a few months th e reformation came to a s t an
d, as
might well have been expected, for, no particular efforts were made
either by missionaries or chiefs, to carry it forward, Until that
time it had gone forward of itself impelled by no energy except
our occasional advice & example. We did not know the extent of
the evil at the I
slands & were but half awake on the subject. But
when the question arose, what can be done to revive the reformation?
facts quickly opened our own eyes, & being spread before the people
in a sermon from the text,"avoid every kind of evil" did much to
open the eyes of the people. The original paper, also, to which
many had given their names was printed & a copy given to those who
were determined to abide by their resolutions.
Since students in colleges & theological Seminaries &
ministers of the Gospel even in enlightened lands, who form resol
utions of total abstinence, often break them & turn again”like a
dog to his vomit” , it will not be thought strange that some Sand
wich Islanders should do the same.
The temptation to return, must be much stronger than
with most persons in civilized lands, for the habit of smoking here
is so strongly fixed, that they often identify the pipe with their
own extistence.
Governor H oapili, previous to his reformation, in calling
to an attendant for a pipe, would almost uniformly say, " homai i
ke ola", bring me the life, & his attendant would understand his
meaning as well, as if he had said, bring me a pipe. Among the
common people, this is a very common way of asking for the pipe.
Some returned openly to the practice & the poisoned breath
of others showed, that they smoked in secret, bat it is our opinion
�2258
that the number on the three Islands above mentioned, who had abandoned the practice, has never been less, than the number who
originally subscribed the paper.
Ephraim Spaulding
6
Statements from Mr. R ichards collection of facts on
the subject of tobacco.
The following affecting incident occured in Lahaina last
July.
A woman by the name of Makuaole had a babe 6 months old,
which she m s talcing care of alone, her husband having forsaken
her & absconded to another Island.
Not being able to nurse the child herself she went
frequently to the house of a friend, by the name of Kanana who
nursed it for her. Kanana became attached to the child & proposed
to keep it, but the mother did not at first consen t . She said she
was afraid that some evil would befall the child & as her husband
had already forsaken her, she could not give if up. But being
strongly importuned, she consented to leave it for a few days,
before she left it, however, she gave a special charge to the foster
parents, not to neglect the child & if anything should be the mat
ter with it, to inform her immediately.
The new nurse doubtless intended to be faithful to her
trust. At night she committed her own child to the care of her
husband, while the foster child slept on her ar m . But the man &
the woman were both smokers, & according to a common custom in this
country had made a small hole in the ground a few feet from the
mat on which they shept, Where they preserved fire to light the
pipe, When they should awake during the night.
They all went to sleep, but the poor little foster child
awoke before its nurse, crept to the hole & fell in where it lay
helpless upon its back. The nurse did not awake till near morning,
when she at once began to feel for the infant, but it was gone.
After searching a while she found it in the hole dead & one of
its shoulders & its back literally consumed. She awake her husband
& they wailed aloud, when they saw that the fire which they had
so carefully preserved to light their pipe has proved the death
of the child.
This account is given as it was related to Mr. Richards
by the mother of the child & it is his opinion that there are a
hundred mothers on the Sandwich islands who could tell a similar
tale. This man & woman, as may well be supposed, have never since
lighted their pipe.
Another infant has recently been maimed for life in a
similar manner.
The following incidents still more horrid, have occured
with the past year.
The sufferers were a boy about 10 & a girl about 9 years
old, both members of Miss Ogdens School. They had gone quietly
to rest in the house of their foster parents. Late in the evening
�2259
the man of the house was called away on business of the cheifs &
as he was going out of the door, his wife said to him, "blow
out the lamp before you go." H e replied "let it be to light the
pipe for us when I return." He did not return till near morning
when, 10! by his land, his house & all its goods were consumed.
The daughter had been roasted in the flames & was dead. The son
was just alive & survived but few hours. The foster mother an
old woman of perhaps 60 years, was so badly burned, that her life
for considerable time, hung in suspense, but at last she recovered
The above facts have occurred in Lahaina, with the past
year when the practice of smoking had diminished at least one half
Lahaina Maui Dec. 19, 1834
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Dear Sir,
I have written the above communication for the
Herald if you think it w ill do any good to publish it. W e have
thought it desirable to say something on the subject & wish to
say much. There are numerous interesting facts which might easily
be collected if you want them. A few days since I forwarded to
Honolulu 3 or 3 sheets, directed to you which I expect will go by
the Don Quixotte. Perhaps you will find nothing it for publica
tion unless it be something in regard to Seamen. Remember us affectiontely to all at the Rooms.
Your brother in the Lord
Ephraim Spaulding
Rev. E. Spaulding
Rec. July 3, 1835
A ck
'd
in G. L. Sept 16
Ans’d June 21, 1836
on
Tobacco
�2260
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
79
Honolulu
Aug 5, 1835
To Reb. R. Anderson
Sec. of A B C F M
Dear Sir:
Communications from Messrs. Bingham,
Chamberlain & Judd will inform you of the disaffection of Br.
Johnstone towards them & the reasons for it. On the 11th ult.
soon after the general meeting had closed, Mr. B. called at
Mr. Johnstones to see Mr. Parker, when Mr. J. refused him his
hand, calling him "artful, deceitful,unworthy of the character
of a christian minister," repeated the expression again & again
in angry tines. Through Mrs. Johnstone we immediately heard of
this attack & were overwhelmed with astonishment. On tuesday
following B r . Richards urged me to converse with B r . J. & encouraged
me to think that I might perhaps, be the means of producing a re
conciliation. We both concluded to converse with him. As Br. R.
was about to leave for Lahaina, he spent a half hour with Mr. J
without gaining any satisfaction, but as Mr. J . acknowledged, that
his assevecations towards M r . B. on Saturday, were rather strong,
he thought there was some prospect, that Mr.J. might retract what
he had said & urged me again to visit him immediately & follow up
the conversation, which he had commenced.
I immediately called on Mr. J. for three days in succes
sion. The two first calls might be regarded as incidental 8c the
conversation was various, but in it, Mr. & Mrs. J. both expressed
their grievances & showed plainly that they were strongly disaf
fected, not only towards Mr. B. but also, towards Messrs. Chamberlain & Judd. No one could tell how much they had suffered & borne
from the members at this station during their four years residence
h ere. They had had as much difficulty with Mr.C. as with Mr. B..
that the house of wh. the Board seemed to complain was very in
convenient, and not such a one, by any means, as they should have
had, if they could have had their own way, that the fault was wholly
Mr. Chamberlain ' s that they had all three opposed Oahu charity
school from the commencement, & in doing so, had opposed them.
It will be impossible & perhaps unnecessary, to state all the grievances expressed in thesetwo conversations, I listened to them as
one receiving instruction & took all that was said for granted, with
out offering any contradiction. I found that Mr. J. was living
in an ideal world, that all his fancies, which seemed to me to re
sult from jealousy, were real facts, which would admit of nor op
posite reasoning or explanation, that one might as soon pluck up
the Andes, as convince him that he had not real ground for all
his imaginings, or produce a reconciliation by explanation.
In the forenoon of the next day I visited the Oahu charity
school, where 19 boys were present. Mr. J . gave a n exhitibion of
�2261
their improvement, after wh. I delivered an address to the scholars
& closed with prayer. The scholars immediately retired & as we
were alone in the school house, we resumed the topic of the two
preceeding days, wh. continued 2 1/2hours, when I pressed the fol
lowing question, viz. does what you said to Mr. B. on Saturday &
your refusal to have any further intercourse with him, manifest a
Christian spirit? His reply was, in substance that Mr. B. had al
ways opposed the Oahu charity school but manifested no interest
in it &c. I observed, supposing all these things to be so, does
what you said to Mr. B. & your refusal to have any further inter
course with him manifest the spirit of Christ? But Mr . B. has done
so & (hole in paper). After pressing the question for along time,
I at length got an answer, viz that it did not manifest the spirit
of Christ, that Christ probably would not do so. At this concession
I rejoiced exceedingly & thought scarcely that my object would
be accomplished, and immediately pressed another question viz.
are you not willing, then to take back what you said to Mr. B. &
relinguish the ground of non intercourse? But to this he replied,
"I have no concessions to make; I am not amenable to Mr. B. For
four years he has been seeking to have me out off from the mission
& had effected his object, I will have nothing to do with him.”
Remarks of this kind were all that I could obtain on the duty of
concession. I refered him to the evil that would result from such
a course, that our enimies, who had always opposed the mission,
would rejoice & have occasion to reproach religion.
He thought that the foreigners would regard it as a
little thing that they knew how matters stood & that it had been
virtually so for two years past. It is impossible for me to give
on paper, even our outline of this conversation. It was perfectly
cordial & for ought I know, he regards me with as much affection
as ever.
Mr. J. takesthe ground of non intercourse with Messrs.
Chamberlain & Judd. The reason he assigned to me, was that they
united with Mr. B. in opposing the O .C .School.
Messrs Bishop
Forbes & Tinker have also conversed with Mr. J. without getting
any satisfaction or making the least progress towardsa reconcilia
tion. This is an unhappy affair & why the Lord has suffered it
to come upon us is more than we can tell. May he overrule it for
good. I have been induced to write this, not having unkind feelings
towards Mr. J. but by request from the members at this station &
also from my own conviction of duty.
With kind regards to all at the Rooms, I remain yours
as ever
E. Spaulding
�Rev. Ephraim Spaulding
Dated Honolulu Aug. 3, 1835
Rec'd Dec. 30
Ack'd in G. L. June 11
Difficulties
with Rev. Johnstone
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U.S.A.
Post Mark
Bristol
R.I.
Dec. 29
ship
�2263
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
80
Honolulu
Aug. 4, 1835
Rev. R. Anderson
Sec. of the A.B.C.F.M.
Dear Sir:
You will see by the printed minutes of our
general meeting a copy of wh. I presume will be sent by this vessel,
that we have permission to return to the U . S . As we are pleased
with with our situation & work as far as we have been able to enter
into it, we feel no disposition to return & have been reluctant
to think on the subject. We did not of laying our case before the
mission until during the session of gen meeting, though the pro
priety of returning had been suggested & considerably urged by
Dr. Chapin & Judd. In private conversation, with nearly all*number,
I found the opinion to be, that if there had been a n y clear case
where duty required a family to return on account of the sickness
of one member, ours was one. Ascertaining this, we were induced
to lay our case before the mission who passed the resolutions
you will find in the minutes.
Since gen. meet. closed have remained with Dr. Judd
where Mr s . S. had recieved all necessary attention. We rejoice
to say that the means now used seem to be attended with some be
nefit . Mr s . S . is much more comfortable than when we left Lahaina
or than she has been at any time during the year. She is in good
spirits as usual & perfectly willing to remain & die here, tho'
she may be required to live many years in her present situation.
We have not yet determined whether it is our duty leave
this fall or not. We havebeen greatly tried on the subject, especially during & since gen. meeting. Could any arrangement have
been made by the mission to have our place supplied, it would have
been less perplexing. A s Br. C. is about to leave, if we leave
also, Br. Richards will be alone & when the cares of his family,
pastoral duties, the secular cares of the station & seamen come
upon him, it will be absolutely impossible for him to do any thing
at translation. This weights much upon our minds, especially as
his labors in translating are so much needed & so valuable. We
feel that a great sacrafice ought to be made, before Mr. R. be
levt in such circumstances that he can perform no public labors
for the mission.
We expect to return to Lahaina in about four weeks &
if Mrs. S. grows no worse, we shall not probably return to the
U.S. this fall. Should she be no better the coming year, than the
year past, it may be moreplainly our duty to leave a year from this
�2264
fall.
In a letter to Mr. Hill sent across the continent a few
weeks since, I think I mentioned the death of our little son
(Cornelius Ogden) on the 8th of April. He was 6 months & 16 days
old, — disease, dropsy in the head.
Mrs. S joins in kind regards to your self & family & all
at the Rooms.
Your br. in the Lord,
E. Spaulding
Rev. Eph.Spaulding
Dated Honolulu, Aug. 4, 1835
Rec’d Dec. 30
Ack'd in G. L . June 15, 1836
Ans'd June 21
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U.S.A.
Post Mark
Bristol
R.I.
Dec .29
Ship 12
�68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
X X V II
2265
81
Lahaina Nov. 20, 1835
To Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear Sir:
The Mariner C a p t . Coleman of Nantucket,
who formerly carried home Mr. Ellis, will leave this place to
morrow or next day & take Dr. Chapin & family to the U.S. By the
minutes of the General Meeting, forwarded early in Aug. by the
Canton Packet of Bristol, you will percieve that w e have permission,
to return on the account of the continued illness ot Mrs. Spaulding.
In the latter part of May we went to Honolulu & spent four months
with Dr. Judd in whose skill
as a physician, we have great confi
dence. We were induced to ask advice of gen. meet, in consequence
of an opinion previously expressed b y D r . Judd, Chapin & some others,
that it was probably our duty to return to the U.S. By the gen.
m e e t . the subject was refered wholy to us to act according to our
own feelings & judgment & the judgment of those whom we might con
sult, when it became necessary for us finally to decide.
We have consulted our brethren freely & fully & preyed
much for direction, but it has not seemed perfectly clear to us that
it was our duty to leave this fall. The fact that we might have
Dr. Chapins attention on the passage has had great weight with us.
S t i l l w e have felt that it was better to remain in doubt a while
longer & trust P
r ovidence, than to leave mission ground doubting.
Th ethought of leaving the field is a great trial to us both, we
have no secret, lingering wish to return, but are perfectly will
ing to return if it is du t y . W e are not concerned for the providences
of God & have never felt more disinterested & honest in our inquiries
after dut y .
As Dr. C
h apin has be e n our Physician since we left the
U.S. we must refer you to him for particulars.
It has seemed to
us 8c to our associates that duty will be plainer by another fall.
If this Mrs. S. is not materially better b y another f a l l . we
feel it duty to return.
Some reasons for waiting still longer are, that Mr. Rich
ards w o u l d be left alone, with the care of Seamen, the instruction
secular affairs, & pastoral labors all upon him, & would decline
all public labors for the mission. His labors in translating are
too valuable to be dispensed with, except by the most urgent neces
sity. H e wished also three of four of his children to return with
us & there seemed to be no prospect that this could be, if we ac
companied Dr. Chapin.
My health is pretty good, though frequently unwell, I
seldom laid aside entirely for many days at a time.
You will infer of course, that the situation of my family
must be an interruption to labor, if I bestow proper attention.
�2266
We have had 34 ships here this fall & some more may come
in. The Lord has permitted us to see, within a few weeks the most
of a revival among Seamen we have ever seen at this place. I
designto write you about the Seamens cause here. In haste.
Your Brother in the Lord
E . Spaulding
Rev. E. Spaulding
Dated L ahaina, Nov. 20, 1835
R ec'd May 10, 1836
Ack'd in G.L. June 25
Ans'd in June 21
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass
Edgartown Ms .
9 May
Ship 14 1/2
By Ship Mariner
Capt. Coleman
�2667
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
82
Lahaina N ov. 25, 35
To R e v . R . Anderson
Dear Sir:
We have conducluded not to send you
a formal station report this fall but shall write on various
topics wh. are divided between us. As I have written to S. T .
Soc. nearly all that I should write to the Board as my part of the
report, I have concluded to sent it to you, with permission to
extract f o r the Herald if you wish. Will you please to forward
it to Mr. Greeleaf as early as convenient.
We are much encouraged of
as it regards temper
ance. All things considered it is making rapid progress in the
Pacific. We have some things wh. we think would do good to be
published.
As thevessel is about to sail I can write no more.
That the Lord may be with you is the prayer of
Your brother
E. Spaulding
Rev.
Dated
Rec'd
Ack'd
Ans'd
E. Spaulding
Lahaina, Nov. 25, 1835
May 7, 183 6
In G. L. June 15
in June 21
�2668
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
83
Lahaina Nov. 30, 1835
To Rev. I. Tracy
Editor of the Boston Recorder
Dear Sir:
With assistance from Bro. Richards I
have written a brief history of Temperance of M aui & its de
pendencies for 12 years & shall send it for the inspection of Mr.
Anderson. If he finds nothing objectionable in it, as we think
he will not, we should be pleased to have you give it a place in
the Record.
You may divide it into numbers at your discretion.
We wish the names of the members of the Temp. Soc. not to be
omitted as every man counts one in the Pacific & we wish to keep
every inch of ground that can be gained. Friends also will be
pleased to see the list.
We take the liberty to send a duplicate to the Tem
perance Recorder printed at Albany that it may be inserted also
in that paper. We shall accompany it with a letter, informing
the Editors that we have sent a c o p y to you for that purpose.
We should send *copies to the Rooms, but it would in
cur unnecessary postage, & we think none at the Rooms will find
objections to its being published. As both copies go by the
same opportunity, a line from
R . to the Editors of the Temp.
.
r
M
Recorder, would be in season, should any part of the history be
thought to have a bad tendency.
You will see that we are greatly encouraged to expect
final victory tho it may not be gained in a moment. The adversary
has been foiled, nipped up, wounded & is greatly displeased but
the light of heaven will drive him away into darkness in due time.
Yours sincerely
E. Spaulding
Rev. E. Spaulding
Dated L ah ina Nov. 30, 1835
R ec‘d June 10, 1836
Ack’d in G. L. June 15
Ans'd June 21
•both
�2269
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
84
Lahaina July 15, 1836
Dear Brother Anderson
I will
letter enclosed directly to
one of the Baptist churches
acquainted with his address
pointment of the mission, I
it.
be obliged to you to forward the
Mr. A. Morrill, who is a Deacon in
in boston. I am not particularly
& as it is a letter writen by ap
will thank you to see that he recieves
Yours truly,
E. Spaulding
Rev. E. Spaulding
DatedJuly 15, 1836
Rec’d Apr. 28, 1837
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U.S.A.
Post Mark
N ew London
Ct.
Apr. 26
ship
39 1/2
�69 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
2270
XXVII
85
Lahaina Maui Nov. 20, 1836
To Rev. Rufus Anderson
Dear Sir
Brother Richards with his family are
about to leave for the U.S. & he must be my epistle
to you as
I am unable to write but little.
I have been ill since
the first of Sept. unable to preach or do but little. My health
begins to improve & I hope shortly tobe able to do, at least a
fraction of the great work, which ought to be done at this station.
Br. Richards absence will greatly increase my cares & responsibili
ties, but God will give strength & grace equal to our day. I have
been reluctant to part with him, even for a season,
lest something
should occur to prevent his return. You once remarked to me that
the com. has thoughts of recalling him, but you will percieve,
from our Resolutions, that the reasons then assigned would, by no
means meet with the approbation of this mission & I trust the Com.
have long since abandoned them. There is no man on earth who can
fill his station at this place, except so me of the older mission
aries who cannot be spared, & nothing but absolute inability to
labor anywhere, would be a sufficient reason for his not returning
We shall pray for his success & wait for his return.
Mrs . Spaulding remains in the same afflicted state pretty
much confined to her bed & without any prospect of ever recovering
her health. We decided last fall, not to return to the U.S. tho'
we had permission & were by many advised so to do. We feel now
more than ever before that we decided right as some of us must stay
& labor in po
o r health or our mission must be nearly abandoned.
It may soon be our day to return, but we have no thought of it
at present.
Mr. R ichards will represent to your Com & also the Seamans
T. Soc. the facilitieswhich are here afforded for doing good to
& also our plans & wants. We are attempting to build a permanent
Sailors Reading Room & Chapel in one building &
hope it will be completed during the year 1837 .
Nov. 28
-Br. Richards expects to leave us today & I am confi
dent that I shall feel deeply his loss as not only preaching to
Seamen, but the pastoral care of this great church & people will
devolve on me. The Lord will give strength equal to our day, We
are so situated in regard Lahaina, that I can have aid from there
in necessity.
My health is improving & I hope soon to be well.
With kind regards to all at the Rooms
Your Brother in the Lord
Eph. Spaulding
�R e v . Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass .
Rev. Eph. Spaulding
Dated L a h a i
na, Nov 20/36
Rec'd May 28/37
�2272
68 Sandwish
Islands
Part Three
XXVII
86
Ship Adeline Newburyport June 26, 1857
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss. R ooms
Boston,
Dear Sir:
You will doubtless be surprised to
hear from us at this place, as our last communications from the
S .Islands gave no intimations of our returning to the United States.
And we had not the slightest expectation of so doing, two weeks
previous to embarking. The reason of our coming thus suddenly to
a decision to take the voyage, was the failure of Mr. Spaulding's
health. S ince Dec. last, he has had frequent attacks of bleeding
at the lungs, which have several times reduced him quite low. He
is now so weak as to be unable to write you, having had a recurrence
of the bleeding two days since. Communications from the mission,
will state in full, the reasons for our return. My own health has
very greatly improved during the passage.
It is our intention to go to Boston as soon as convenient.
We have two children, & have also two natives of the S. I
slands
a man & his wife with us.
The Lord has dealt kindly with us during our tedious voy
age, & we have enjoyed many comforts, for which we have the highest
occasion for gratitude. The Master of the Adeline, Capt. Buckley, is
a pious man & has been very kind to us, & given us all the assist
ance in his power, & made our passage far more comfortable than
we could have expected.
Mr. Spaulding desires an affectionate remembrance to you
requesting your prayers that this affliction, which has driven us
from our chosen field of labor, may be for the furtherance of the
gospel, & our own spiritual good.
Our kind regards to Mrs. Anderson.
Yours respectfully,
Julia B. Spaulding
Ship Adeline Boston H arbor
4 o'clock P.M. June 27
Dear R ev. Anderson,
The Adeline having been ordered by t h e owners
to Boston, this will inform you that we are on board & should be
glad to see you or any one from the Rooms as soon as convenient.
Your brother
E.Spaulding
�2273
Rev.. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
M r s . Cumnings
Howard Street N o . 5 or 7
Mr. & Mrs. Spaulding
2 children & 2 natives
�2274
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
87
Worcester July 10th 1837
Dear Brother
Our chest trunk & basket which Mr. Chapman carried to
the Depo.was left behind as Kuhau, I found after wards knew
nothing about it, so that we were obliged to stop at this place
till the cars
come in this morning. This is all well for
had we gone on as we expected neither of us could have endured
the ride half the way to Amherst. We are at the Temp. Soc. but
Esqr. Poster & others are so interested in our welfare as to
provide a private conveyance for us to Amherst & we expect to
leave as soon as our baggage comes. It is should not arrive this
morning, will you requestMr. Chapman to take it to the Rooms where
it may be left till I can send for it.
Yours in haste
E . Spaulding
Rev. Eph. Spaulding
Rec. & Ack’d July 11, 1837
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Post Mark
Worcester Ms .
July 11
�2275
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
Buckland July 23'd 1837
Rev. R . Anderson
Dear Sir:
Yours of the 11th inst. was duly received, also
the baggage wh. was left behind. In a letter from M r . Foster he
says that it arrived at Worcester in the baggage cars on the
sabbath. He paid the freight to Greenfield & sent it on by stage
where it arrived the day we reached Buckland. Esqr. Foster was ex
ceedingly kind, also Mr. Porter, who entertained us at the Am.T.
house till Monday free of expense. Mr. Foster procured an easy
carriage & sent us to Amherst at his own charge & other influenced
by his example have given us a gratuitous passage to Buckland.
We spent the first night at the Rev. Mr. Yales, Ware village,
where we were most cordially entertained Sc the 2nd night at Amherst
with
Root the cashier of the Bank whose wife is sister to M r s .
.
r
M
Lowell Smith at Honolulu. We found Mrs. Smith's mother there
our visit was peculiarly acceptable as we were able to answer many
inquiries & especially to satisfy them that while Mr. Smith has
health to be as useful as he now is, it is by no means his duty
to return on his wife's account.
We reached Buckland on Thursday at 2o'clockP.M. & of
course are made welcome home. We are happily disappointed thus
far in the influence wh. the natives are exerting. Everywhere they
have been objects of much curiosity & the people are highly delighted
to see them, hear them read & us converse with them. Thus far they
have done good & of course much to silence our fears for the fu ture.
I think they will do good to the cause of missions, be of use to
us & get good themselves. We have some fears that the influence
on them will not be salutary tho' we shall endeavor to make it so.
When we left Boston I had no idea that I could have endured the
journey without injury but after we left Worcester I found that
every mile I rode did me good. The fatigue only prepared me to
rest better at night. Since we arrived at B.
have rode daily,
except one, & am obviously much benefitted by it, It is a pas
sive kind of
exercise
wh. promises to be beneficial & I intend
to pursue it daily while it has so favorable an effect.
My lungs have gained a little strength tho' I cannot con
verse at all without sensible injury. I have thus far avoided
company as much as possible & have not made a solitary visit.
Last week I rode to Northampton 28 miles & returned the next day
in company with Miss Grant who had previously made two visits at
B. hoping to meet with Mrs. S. who is an old pupil.
Mrs. S. endured the ride much better than we expected,
tho' it is obviously an exercise wh. she cannot endure without
�2276
danger & it must be avoided as much as possible. Has Doct. Hale
given you any written directions touching her care? Y ou spoke
about it, but we have seen none, If any directions are given on
paper we should be exceedingly glad of them & will thank you to
forward them to us at Ludlow Vt. where the Lord willing, we hope
be in a few days.
Brother Richards has not yet returned from Wheeling &it
is uncertain when he may be expected.
Should any unexpected opportunity occur of sending to
the Islands we should be exceedingly glad to know it.
I will thank you to hand this letter to Dea. Kittredge
to whom we are under many obligations. We shall write to him or
some one of the family when we arrive at Ludlow.
Remember us affectionately to all at the Rooms & others
who may feel interested to inquire for u s .
Your Brother in the Lord
Ephraim Spaulding
Rev. Ep h . Spaulding
Dated Buckland, in July 23, 1837
Rec'd July 28
Ack'd in Br. Hiler's Letter Aug. 5, 1837
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Shelburn
Talks
July 26
�2277
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
X X VII
89
Honolulu Sandwich Islands
Oct. 22, 1832
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Dear Brother:
As you will doubtless receive all the
important intelligence, concerning this mission from other communications , I do not feel as though I have anything special to write
except to let you know where I am and how employed. The general
letter will inform you how the Marquesas business has been managed
that a deputation consisting of Messrs. Tinker, Whitney and Alex
ander, has been sent to consult our brethren of the Society Islands,
and explore these islands. It will also m ake known to you the
reasons for this proceeding. So that I need only refer you to
that document & the report of the general meeting in June for all
necessary information on that subject. I was appointed on deputa
tion at first, but was obliged to decline goin in consequence of
the situation of Mr s . A . who about time of their departure became
the happy mother of a fine little daughter. Should that field be
open to us, I am also one of those who have been appointed to oc
cupy it. This was rather unexpected to me, yet I hope through
grace never to be disposed to shrink from a task so honourable,
and so delightful as proclaiming the name of Jesus to those who
have never heard of a Saviour. Since the departure of the depu
tation on the 18th of July, I have been endeavouring to acquire
some knowledge of the Hawaiian language, and preaching in English
to foreign residents, Seamen & the mission family. I have gener
ally preached on the Sabbath in the morning in the church and lec
tured in the evening in one of the mission houses. The number
of hearers seems to increase a little, I think, and good attention
is given but that is all I can say. The grand difficulty in the
way of doing good either to seamen or foreign residents here is
rum. Take this away and I will preach with some hope of success
but in the present state of thing I see but little. Although the
lays of the islands forbid the sail of ardent spirits, about thirty
houses in this village & vicinity are grog shops! and from them
streams of fiery ruin continually flow, blighting all that is val
uable in morals, proffesions, or prospects. I have lately preached
on the subject of intemperance, and we have held several meetings
for the consideration of it, but our success has not been great,
as most of those who are engaged in the unholy traffic stood aloof
from our meetings, and gave us no o pportunity of laying the sub
ject before them.
�2278
Some love it and some get money by it two very strong
motives for clinging to it. When will men learn to be governed
by reason rather than by appetite, and by a sense of duty than by
interest! This is a subject in which I feel more & more interested
the more I reflect upon it. It touches the most vital interests
of seamen who call at this port, and It threatens this nation with
ruin. The former suffer evils untold from the use of the fatal
liquid, and the latter possess the materials( viz
sugar cane) for
making it in any quantity and of course have the means of self
destruction at hand. Let American merchants look upon this in
fant nation as parent looks on his Child and not sent them scor
pions and serpents when they only ask for bread.
Yesterday I preached my first sermon in the native language, and succeeded as well I expected to. My preaching in Eng
lish has retarded my progress considerably in learning the native
language. I am also attempting to teach a class in geography and
arithmetic, and next week expect to enter a large school for
teachers, Mrs. A. teaches a class of women to read, and a class
of children to spell, count, sing, & c . on the infant plan. What
we want here exceedingly is maps with Hawaiian names, with out
these, knowledge of geography must be very indistinct and imperfect.
I have just had a protracted conversation with three
masters of vessels, who have recently been at the Marquesas Ils ;
one of them Capt. Bapet of N.Z. being unwell left his vessel and
went ashore there sometime last March, and remained 40 days alone
among the natives. He gives the most flattering account of their
hospitality and friendship to him. He states that they are indolent
in the extreme, perhaps owing to the climate and theabundant spon
taneous productions of the soil, bread fruit, karo, sweet potatoes
& other vegetables being plenty. Their internal wars continued,
but a high chief on Nuguhiva told the captain, if a missionary would
go there, they would cease their wars, break their tabu’s and *his
instructions. They even insisted upon his sending them a missionary
and the Capt. promised them, that he would represent their case to
Christians in U.S. and persuade them to send a miss'ry there. Capt.
Griffith also was on shore, traveled to and fro and felt perfectly
secure. H e says one difficulty in the way of Christianity or civilizing them is their want of a general government. There seems to
be no head chief of all or anyone of the islands, but every chief
is monarch of his own small district alone ,and they are often at
en m ity with one another. Capt Barny master of an Eng'sh whale
ship, had not so favourable opinion of the Marquesians as either
of the other two. He considered them cruel, treacherous, thievish
cannabals, and it was unsafe for missionaries to go there. One
thing however is here to be remarked, this gentlemen seemed to be
no friend to missionaries, and of course would rather none should
go there. But we shall be able I hope, to tell you more about this
whole matter in a few weeks.
The natives of these Sandwich Islands are a most interest
ing people. The mildness & harmlessness, as well ash
y
l
a
t
i
p
s
o
*receive
�2279
of their character I have been much pleased
with, and also
with their improvement in civilization, learning and religion. But
it has often seemed to me since my arrival that the impression
of A m 'n. Christians respecting the improvement of this people are
much too favourable. That wondrous things has been effected by
the gospel & the grace of God is to be acknowledged with the most
unfeinged gratitude. But do not many in the U.S. suppose, that
this nation is already evangelized, civilized, and considerably
advanced in education? and this is scarcely any longer missionary
ground? If this impression, or anything like it exists, it egregiously erroneous. The f act is as it seems to me, the work is
only just fairly commenced, civilization is in its very infancy,
and the great mass of the people though favourable to the gospel,
and doubtless in some measure benefited by it, are still indolent
ignorant, and stupid, and unthinking, Verily there is a great
work yet to .done here, the fields are already white unto the
harvest, but the harvest is large and the labourers are few. I
hope than that American Christians will not cease to feel, and
pray for the sweep of the gospel among these poor islanders, and
for those who have the honour of breaking unto them the bread of
life.
We have lately been much interested in the news you
sent us from America, particularly with the decision of the U.S .
court in reference to Georgia & the Indians & missionaries, I
trust we sincerely sympathise with our brethren in prison, and
“remember their bonds" for the gospel sake. May they be enable
to endure hardness as good soldiers of the cross, bear patiently
their unjust prosecution, and glorify their Redeemer in all things,
is the prayer of one at least of their brethren in the Lord,
Yours affectionately
Rich'd Armstrong
Rev. Richard Armstrong
March 16, 1835
Ack'd in Gen. Letter, April 11
Intemperance at Honolulu
Marquesian mission
state of land, Islands
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U.S.
Post Mark New Bedford Mass
Mar. 16
per Capt. Quinnelle
ship commodore Rodgers
New Bedford
�2280
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
90
Honolulu June 24, 1833
Rev. R. Anderson
Dear Brother:
I forbear to occupy your time in reading
an account of the state of things now at these islands as you will
learn it all from other letters, and only w ish to say a few words
to you on some small matters of business. Rev. John Blatchford
of Bridgeport Conn, writes us that he sent $50 dollars to you to
be laid out in articles of convenience for Mrs. Armstrong. We see
no account of this in the H erald, and have heard or seen nothing
from yourself on the subject. Perhaps, we shall in the Mentor
which has not yet arrived or perhaps you may retain the money in
your hands or deposit it in the Treasurers hands until you hear
what are our wants. If so, and if it is agreeable to yourselves,
Mrs. A wishes you to send her the following articles or as many
of them as the specified sum will purchase. A good brass clock
and case of a small kind 2 small chairs for children, one of them
high for sitting at the table, a box of water paints & brushes,
a large handbelle for family use & for use inschool, also a few
books, Grunds Plane Geometry, Gauladet‘s Natural Theology for
children. Frugal housewife, Book nature, Woodbridges best Atlas.
Some of these articles we brought out with us but have either used
them up, or finding the families in need of them have parted with
them. Perhaps you cannot send us all that are specified, and if
not, we value the clock most, as we are often at a loss in these
ends of the earth for a regulator of time, & of course for a regulator
of business. Punc tuality & the value of time are two important
things to be keep in view by those who would accomplish anything
in life, butthings of which all Polynesians have but little sense,
and therefore need to be taught the importance of th em. The chairs
& paint we value next as of the former we have none, and without
the latter Mrs. A cannot make maps or draw sketches from nature.
We have a few however at present.
My principal reason for writing you at present is to
give you a list of my books which t have hitherto neglected to do,
not having unpacked them. For the same reason I have not labeled
them as you requested us and at present there are no labels at this
station. So I must request you to send me two or three hundred
by the first opportunity.
Well, you see the long teadious and perplexing subject
of a mission to the Marquesas Ils, is at last settled. Within a
few days Mrs . Alexander, Parker and myself with our families,are
to sail for Nuuhiva in a vessel called the Dhalle, Capt. Bancroft,
an English gentleman of pleasant manners. The length of time we
expedt to be on the voyage is from 25 to 50 days. The vessel
�2281
a Baltimore cutter, a fast sailor, and affords good accommoda
tions, The owners agree to convey us with our goods and 3 or 4
head of young cattle, with three natives, to Nuuhiva for $1500.
They also board us on the passage. This we consider on the whole
a reasonable contract, much more so thanwe expected to find.
In the deliberations of the General meeting this Mar
quesas question occasioned a good deal of discussion, and after
all a difference of opinion existed & still exists in regard to
occupying that field at present & from these Islands. Against
it were urged the following arguments viz. 1. The intention of
the London Miss'y. 2. Society to occupy at least one of the groups,*
seeing we differ from them in some important views & practices. 2 .
The claims of these islands, the wants of thousands here who yet
sit in darkness & have no light and who are relapsing into former
indifference & degradation. 3. The want of a physician to accom
pany us. In favour of going forward were urged the following ar
guments. 1. The present favourable posture of the Marquesians&
their strong desires to have missionaries go among them. 2. The
judgement of the Prud'l Committee & the expectations of the churches.
3. The expectations of the churches in these islands who have Con
tributed something to the support of that mission, and a favour
able opportunity afforded for conveying it to those islands.
The decision of the meeting will show you that the reasons
in favour of going preponderated, and we shall, soon be on our way
to that land of darkness & sin if nothing providential prevents.
The general meeting have addressed a letter to the London Miss'y
Society requesting that they leave the whole group to us, will
not the Board unite its influence to accomplish the same object?
For one I feel very unwilling to be so closely connected with the
missionaries of the society however wise & good they may be. But
my reasons I cannot here state.
Now dear Brother when you and our fellow Christians in
the U.S. he ar that we, your weak and unworthy servants have gone
to publish the great salvation in the land, where the Prince of
darkness now reigns, that land where licentiousness, theft, treach
ery , cannibalism, war, & murder are not even regarded as crimes;
where conscience lies prostrate, and virtue is u nknown, and above
all a. land on which one ray of the light which came down from above
has never shown; will it not stimulate you & them to increased prayer
& effort for the success of ourcause? I never felt more my need
of the prayers of Christians than I now do what is to be our lot
among a people, whose passions are uncontr ouled by principle, &
who drink in inquity like water, we know not, neither should we
be anxious to know, for if in answer to the prayers of Christians,
the Saviours presence & blessing be with us , we have nothing to fear.
Darkness will become light and croaked places smooth before us.
Difficulties will meet us, and dangers may threaten us; but if the
Saviours spirit & presence be with us. so that our faith be strong
and our zeal fervent, we shall have strength to overcome the one
and courage to face the other. The longer I live and the more I
learn of the wisdom, and glory of the gospel, as well as of the
*and as they are after all one cluster of islands & pretty closely
located, it wd be inexpedient for us to occupy the other groups
�2282
opposition of a fallen world to its divine principles, the more
I feel the necessity of an unwavering, living active faith in the
promises and grace of the Saviour. O what are we vessels of clay
worms of the dust, shadows, flowers that quickly fade, without
assurance of aid from on high in our arduous and responsible work?
We are withered branches that have no strength or life, In going
to a perfectly heathen land, I do not fear so much outward difficulties
& trials, as
do an evil heart of unbelief, that wanders from God,
the fountain of living waters, and lies with me cold & dead. Wh en
my heart sweetly and confidently rests on the promises, then"none
of these things move me neither count I my life dear to me" . May
the churches then pray for you and us that our faith fail not.
I cannot but hope & shall expect that when Christians at home hear
that we are attempting to make new inroads upon the empire of dark
ness, and to give H e a t h e n to the Saviour for his inheritance,
it will arouse them, cause them to enlarge their hearts, and excite
them to pray for our wellfare & success. May the blessing of the
lord be upon you.
R . Armstrong
Rev. R . Armstrong
Date June 24, 1833
Rec'd March 8, 1834
Ack'd in G . Let Sept. 5/34
Miss'y to Wash. Isls .
�2285
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
91
Brief journal of a voyage from the Sandwich to the Washington
Islands.
July 2, 1833— On board the Brigantine Dhaulle
Relates to visit to Washington Islands,
Missionary Herald
marked for inclusion in
Rev. R ichard Armstrong
Journal of his voyage to Nuuhiva
Washington Islands
Rec'd Ja n . 21, 1834
copied
From July 2 , 1833 to Aug 21, 1833
Ack'd in G. L. Sept. 5/34
marked
copied
�2284
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
92
Honolulu Sandwich Islands
August 11, 1834
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
Dear Brethren
In the printed minutes of our
last general meeting you will find a report on Periodicals which
may possibly excite some surprise in your minds,
in as much
as the number of publications requested by us seems at first sight
unnecessarily great. It was therefore deemed proper to accompany
the report with some explanations.
1. T h e r e are some periodicals of such a character, that it is desir
able, that every missionary should have them in his possession, at
least that a copy should be at each station. A single perusal of
them is not sufficient, expecially since they must often be read
with haste, and passed on to another. They are needed as papers
of reference, for the sake of the acts, suggestions ,& statistics
which they contain as w ell as for the pleasing variety they afford
to the w earied mind. Every reason why a minister in our country
should have these important periodicals in his possession, is equally strong why every missionary in these islands should have
constant access to them with the important additional reason in tike
later case, that they are vastly more needed here in order to keep
us up with the spirit & improvements of the age. We are here des
titute of the powerful exciting influence of an active christian
community. Kept active by the constant collision of minds, the
power of example and the circulation of periodicals; and what can
do more to supply these deficiencies than as near a compliance as
possible with the request made in the contemplated report?
2. The infrequency and diffuculty of communications between sta
tions on different islands and different stations on the same is
land, render it important that the number of our periodicals, as
well as the number of copies of the same periodical be greatly in
creased. When contemplated from a distance we seem to be close
together, and as though communications between our stations were
frequent & easy, but the matter of fact is far different. Had
you one station in Maine, another in Louisiana, and another in
Illinois, you could circulate a periodical all of them with much
more certainty & rapidity, than one can be circulated around our
different stations on these islands. When publications arrive,
unless there is a sufficient supply, they are first perused by
the membersone station or perhaps two( and with all the labours
and cares of a station this cannot be done in a day or two, or even
a week or two) and then circulated as opportunities may offer to
the remoter stations, and at each successive station they are to
be delayed for perusal then sent on &c. But as these opportuni
ties are very irregular & uncertain, it often happens that the
�2285
brethren on Hawaii or Kauai, do not get a single glance at a
periodical for months after the arrival, and then with our
present supply they can receive but a scanty allowance indeed.
Should a copy of the N.Y. observer, for instance, he sent to ...
Hawaii they might perhaps first arrive at Kaulua or Kaawaloa
but three months would commonly elapse, before they would
reach Hilo. These remarks will also apply to Kauai and more orless
to all the islands. The consequence is thatmany of us especially
at the remote stations, have very inadequate meansof knowing what
is passing in the civilized & Christian world.
3. We are now about to establish five more, if not seven more,
new stations, some of which are quite remote. These will make
in all sixteen or eighteen, that is including the High School as
a station. It will be at once obvious to your minds, that a
large number of periodicals, such as are specified in our minutes
will be requisite to afford an adequate supply for so many stations.
( In behalf
of the mission)
Yours in the fellowship of the gospel
Rich'd Armstrong.
Rev. Richard Armstrong
Dated Aug. 11, 1836
Rec‘d Feb. 26, 1835
Ans'd Oct .31
on the subject of Periodicals
To Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.
Boston
Mass.
U.S.
New Bedford Ms.
Feb. 25
�2286
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
93
To Mr. Anderson
Dated Nuuhiva August 21, 1832
By Richard Armstrong
Dated Washington Islands Aug. 21, 1833
Rec'd Jan’y 21, 1834
supplies
Ack'd in G. Let sept. 5/34
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U.S.
New York
Jan 18.
�2287
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
94
Sandwich Islands Aug. 28, 1834
Rev . Br. B. Wisner
Dear Brother
Befo re this comes to hand you will probably
have heard of our return to these islands and the principal reasons
for this are stated in the joint letter we have forwarded to the
prudential committee. But there is one circumstance not mentioned
in that communication and which could not with propriety be men
tioned in it, which I desire that you should be aware of: This
was the state of Brother P
arker’s mind. H e has I believe himself
made the committee acquainted with his views and feelings in regard
to remaining at Nuuhiva. It was evident to us that in such a state
of mind, it was inexpedient tor him to remain, and Mr. Alexander
& myself had come to the conclusion that Br. P. had better leave
the field whether we did or not. Such was his disappointment and
consequent dissatisfaction accompanied with defection of mind and
feelings of discouragement, that in our opinion to have remained
would have greatly abridged, if not entirely destroyed both his
happiness & usefulness. Having come to this conclusion, the
question arose whether considering all circumstances, it was ex
pedient for two of us with our families to remain. In such a
perfectly lawless & savage state of society, so far from civilized
inhabitants, we regarded two families as too small a number to sustain that mission unless there was a prospect of our being speedily
reinforced from America. And of this we had little hope; because
in the first place we could not concienciously call for helpers to
enter afield so contracted & difficult, while so many wide and
promising fields are open equally destitute, more especially while
another organ of christs church(the London Miss. s.) were about
sending the bread of life to the M arquesian and have great advantageover us in doing it, both as to expense & location. And in the
second place because were the nature of that field known as it should
be to persons going there, it would have been difficult for you
to have procured suitable persons willing to come to our aid, hadyou b een desirous of doing so, to say nothing of the privations,
dangers & hardships which must be encountered, what intelligent
missionary would be willing to settle amidst a scattered popula
tion of 500 or 600 so far from civilized inhabitants, where he must
be supported at a great expense, while he m ight as easily be labour
ing amidst a dense population of as many thousands, equally exposed
to th e will of God? You can easily perceive then that we were re
duced almost to a point of necessity.
In abandoning that field without an expression of the
approbation of the Board we certainly have taken on our selves great
responsibility, and this has weighed so heavily on my mind at times
as to entirely disqualify me for business. My eyes have refused
to sleep and while reflecting on that whole undertaking & itsfinal
�2288
issue, I have feared that I should never recover my accustomed
courage & resolutions. But through divine grace I hope to over
come this, and yet be able to do something for this benighted pe
ople. One thing I feel conscious of that I have sought the path
of duty & endeavoured to follow it with no small sacrifice of
feeling & even hazard of reputation, I went cheerfully & cane away
reluctantly, impeled by a sense of duty.
But respecting our having your approbationwe reasoned
thus. The management of the M arquesas mission was commited to the
Hawaian mission, and it was the decided opinion of this mission
that i n c a s e the London Miss. S . would not leave us the whole
field(both groups) we should not occupy either. So strong was this
opinion that this mission addressed a letter to the London Mis. S.
stating reasons why one society only should occupy both groups;
and went so far as to say that in case their missionaries came on,
we who were sent to the W . group could take a whale ship and return
to these islands. For my own part after the return of the deputa
tion I was so decided on this point that I declared an entire u n willingness to be connected with that mission at all unless we
could occupy both groups; so were my associates. Now on learn
ing that missionaries w ere actually appointed
sent out for the
Marquesas proper, we considered ourselves as having the judgment
of this mission virtually in favour of the course we have favoured
& it being your organ, as having *some sense yours also.
I have learned a few days ago that our English brethren
destined for the Marquesas have built a small schooner at Iahiti
to take on with th em. W ith this (if the natives do not take it from
them) they can go from one group to the other and even to Iahiti
if necessary. In fact Nuuhiva is not much more disadvantageously
situated in relation to Iahiti than Hilo is to Oahu; From N. to
F the length of the voyage with a good vessel is com only 4 days
from F. to N . from 2 to 2 weeks. All this time & frequently more
it taken up in going from Oahu to Hilo , & from Hilo to Oahu.
I mention this to show the great advantage our Southern Brethren
have over us in point of location in supplying that field with the
gospel; and as regards expense if will be actually no more expense
for them to convey supplies to the M arquesas islands than to visit
their out stations, because they are but little out of the way of
their regular route. I should have mentioned above that our Eng.
Brethren coincided with us in opinion as to both groups being
occupied by one society.
In what I have said of br. Parker I am far from wish
ing to cast any reflection upon that brother. Indeed I never
could blame him a moment, as I had often similar feelings myself,
and I esteem him very highly as a Christian and a missionary. But
I desire that you may be aware of all the circumstances which
influenced our minds in that affair, so that whatever judgement
you form of the course we have pursued, it may be founded on a
knowledge of all the facts in the case.
But I desire to say moreover; if the Board should think
we have acted unwisely in the course we have taken in regard to
that mission, and should think proper, inthelight of all the i n formation we have been able to give you in regard to the Washington
*in
�2289
Islands to send a mission there directly from America, I hold
my self in readiness, unless Providence throw insurmountable obstacles
in my way, to go & join them whenever you shall advise it, I would
prefer to do so if you are to have a mission there Mrs.A
is also
willing to return if it appears to b e duty.
This I write rather as a private letter, but if you think
proper, you may lay it before the whole Committee.
Yours affectionately in the fellowship of the Gospel.
Richard Armstrong
R e v . R ichard Armstrong
Dated Sand. Isl. Aug. 28, 1834
Rec'dFe . 2 , 1835
Ack‘d in G.L. Sept'r 16
Ans'd Oct. 31
�2290
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
95
Sandwich Islands
Island of Maui Nov. 25, 1834
Dear Brethren:
I have written you so often during the past year
that I had concluded to forbear sending you anymore letters
this fall. But in as much as a direct opportunity is n ow af
forded, and as my location was not definitely fixed by Gen'l
Meeting, I have concluded to let you know at least where I am
what I am doing, & how situated.
At the close of Gen'l meeting I came to Maui and in
company with Mr. Green made a tour around the Eastern peninsula
of this island with a view to select a spot Cor my station. After
spending a week in exploring the different destitute places, look
ing at the situation of the people, & consulting the Brethren on
this island, Haiku in Hamakualoa was fixed upon; not because in
its self considered it is the most eligible, but because other
places preferable in themselves were thought to be too remote &
difficult of access to be occupied by a single missionary. We
came to this station in September & were kindly received by the
people, expecially by two members of the Lahaina church, who have
not failed thus far to supply our temporal wants pretty w e l l . They
had built us a native house & a small house for cooking, but we
have suffered considerably from the inclemency of the weather
our house being very leaky. Our station being on the windward
side of the island is cool&rather pleasant, though exposed to a
strong and almost invariable trade wind. We have frequent & heavy
rains which renders every thing in nature around us green & flourishing a matter of some consequence in these islands. In the
winter or rainy season woollen clothing is most comfortable. Our
house stands on an extensive open plane of considerable elevation,
& about two miles from sea shore, affording some prospects by no
means void of beauty & grandeur. On the north we look down upon
the great Pacific, occasionally agitated into a fury by the reckless
winds & rolling a tremendous surf with the voice of thunder on a
bold & rocky shore on the east we look over an uneven & virdent
plane richly variegated with clustres of the hibiscus & pan danus
and a fine stream of water meandering through the midst of it from
the m ountain to the sea, & here & there a clustre of grass houses,
presenting rather the appearance of dreary solitudy & squalid
poverty, than of industry & comfort. On the South we have a delight
ful prospect of mountain scenery, extending to the very top of the
high mountain called by the natives the hale a Kala, the house of
the sun. The dense silvery groves of the candle tree the towering
delicate Koa, not unlike the wild locust of the Susquehanna
yet
in appearance, present a most lovely picture, especially when viewed
in the light of the evening sun. In the West we have a di s t in
ct
�2291
view of the Wailuku station though it is 14 or 15 miles distant.
The isthmus between presents rather a barren & dreary appearance
but M r. Green's neat dwelling together with the outbuilding &
publicbuildings, the church, school house & c . viewed in connexion
with the remantic scenery beyond appear well. With the exception
of one deep ravine there is a good carriage road from this station
to that.
In regard to the people of this region I can say but little
that is encouraging. A few profess to be seeking the way of life,
& walk circumspectly, but the great body of them"drink in inquity
like water" , and manifest no concern for their souls. We have
daily evidence of their deceitfulness, lying, treachery, backbiting,
unconquerable indolence &c. The schools taught by natives are al
most entirely extinct, and there is little demand for books.
Idols
have been worshi
p e d here within the past year & a great many com
menced drinking rum & engaged in their former sports, but the gover
nor has suppressed these evils f or the present at least, though
nothing but the civil arm keeps them down.*
There are ten church
members within the bounds of my parish, of whom eight appear well
though their character as christian is entirely negative. The other
two are very inconsistent & cause me much solicitude.
Labours:
Since we came here I have preached regularly
two sermons on the Sab. & once during the week. We have also on
the Sabba th a school of 125 children who learn the shorter catechism,
another of 130 adults who repeat the verse a day. The number who
attend preaching is from 600 to 800, though our house of worship
will not hold the half of them. It is an old shattered grass house
too low for one to stand erect in some places & is neither a shelter
from the wind nor the rain. This is the only house we have yet
had for either teaching or preaching. We expect a new one before
long.
our station schools thus far flourish, though the scholars
are very rough & very stupid & very ignorant of books. But a few
of them have ever had any instruction directly from a missionary,
& what they have learned is very imperfect. I have a school of 35
teachers 4 days in theweeks who have commenced geography & arithmetic
besides reading, also a school of 125 children many of whom know
not the alphabet, but some of are very bright & promising. Mrs. A .
teaches also a large school of women. But though I thus attempt
to teach school, from a conviction that the business of teaching
must be urged forward in order to the success of our labours, yet
I every day feel that it is done at the expense of neglecting many
other important duties more properly belonging t o my office. Many
pastoral duties, such as attending funerals, visi t i ng the sick
& the people at their houses, preaching at outstations where the
inhabitants sit in darkness & r arely ever hear the word of life,
I cannot p e r f o r m & sustain myschool. Besides, with the cares of
a family, & acting as physician for the neighborhood, what I do
at schools is only half done. Are matters then as they should be?
Ought I not to have help?
And will you not send me a helper?
Our mission have concluded to call upon you for a number of school
teachers, on the strength of this I have written to Re v . E . Davis
of Westfield Academy, to
A. Chapman Esq. of Ware, I am about
.
R
writing Mr. Coulton of Amhert, to procure & recommend to you a suitable
*
see next page
�2292
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
teacher to be sent to my assistance. In these gentlemen I have
much confidence, & hope they will be able to recommend some in
dividual who will do great good to the people of H amakualoa. The
policy of labouring single handed I can hardly feel reconciled to
though if you will send me a good teacher I will not complain-I have just had the pleasure of perusing a letter from Mr. Ander
son to Mr. Bingham, part of which relates to the Marquesas mission.
I feel more thanever persuaded now that you will coincide with
us in opinion as t o that matter. I feel anxious to hear from you
& that subject.
You will doubtless hear that our mission has of late
been much afflicted. W e too have been called to taste the bitter
cup. Our youngest child now 10 months old has been nigh unto death
for dome time & his recovery is yet doubtful. But it is the Lord,
who doeth all things well. I have applied for books through the
committee & hope to receive some as I have a scanty supply.
M r s . A . unites with me in kind regards to you & your
families.
Yours respectfully & affectionately
Rich'd Armstrong
Rev. Richard Armstrong
Dated Nov. 25, 1834
Rec'd July 3, 1835
Ack'd in G. L . Sept. 16
Ans'd June .18/36
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.
Missionary Rooms, 28 Cornhill
Boston
Post Mark
New London
Ct.
July 1
# From previous page
The use of tobacco is now prohibited by law on this island.
�68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVII
96
Journal written at the islands of Nuuhiva
Aug. 21, 1833
to March 22,
4
3
8
1
Rev. Richard Armstrong's Journal at Nauuhiva
R e c 'd March 21, 1835
Ack'd in G.L. Sep t . 16
Ack'd O c t . 31
�2294
68 Sandwich Islands
Part Three
XXVll
97
Sandwich Islands
Island Of Maui
Sept . 21, 1835
to secretaries of A .B.C.F.M.
Dear Brethren:
The inclosed letter directed to R ev. Wm. Nevins, I wish to commit to your hands, to be
perused by you if you see proper & forwarded. You will find in
it an expression, though an imperfect one, of my own views in re
gard to the subject of education in these islands end if these v iews
are not orthodox, in other words not in accordance with some resol
utions passed by the Board at its annual meeting in Utica, I can
only say they are honest & not expressed hastily. Since I have
been in these Polynesian regions, I have spent much time in study
ing the character of the people, examining the whole frame work
of society, and analyzing the effects of missionary effort, & my
own mind is well satisfied that in order to secure permanent results
among nations so destitute of knowledge & reflection, as those to
education, thorough education united with evangelical labours. In
order to reach the heart & conscience and witness a full developement of Christian character, some mental exercise & intelligence
is necessary, and moreoverif we design, as we undoubtedly should
to raise up teachers for the people from among themselves, either
teachers of religion or of sciences, it is obvious that the busin
ess of education must command much of our attention in these Islands
Those who have no personal acquaintance with such a people cannot
conceive of their consummate ignorance & mental torpidity until
aroused & stimulated to reflect for themselves. Everything that
concerns the mind as well as the heart is out of joint, & requires
the unmost toil & skill of thesurgeon to put it right.
Moreover
the moral restraining, redeeming influence christian education in
these islands, so far as it has been possessed has been & is inval
uable. Those who attend to books & schools with interest are gener
ally respectable people & so far as I know universally moral. The
pouo & the palapala do & may they ever to hand in hand.
Allow me to write just as I think on this subject. I
am of opinion that our system of education in these islands has
not been & is not yet such as it should be. It had been & is in
my opinion too superficial. Except
y
r
e
v
at the High school, nothing
thorough in the way of education has been undertaken. At the
station one, two, or three hours a day is devoted to schools, four
days in the week & then some of the station schools contain over
100 scholars, some as many as one hundred & fifty. Now when this
small amount of time is devoted to many, & the small amount of
labour distributed over so wide a surface, must not the effect be
necessarily superficial? And yet I
w ’d not say that the b r e t h ren & sisters can devote more time & labour to schools in their
�2295
present circumstances. Many of them now labour single
handed, a plan which I have never thought well of, &
therefore with their multitude of cares & labours can
do but little for schools or for education in any way.
But if a division of labour were made, two men located
together, so that at the most important stations at least
a thorough system of schools could be sustained, by the
united efforts of the two missionaries & their wives,
each having a distinct department, the results could not
but be more substantial & happy.
It has in my opinion been
almost a misfortune that so many have crowded into our
schools for instruction.
It has prevented a concentration
of effort on a few, so that their education might be more
thorough & they qualified to teach others. Perhaps the schools
in Ceylon are more excellent than ours on this account,
that they are smaller & the objects of more concentrated
effort-You will perceive in the minutes of your Gen-l Meet
ing that I am now located with Mr. Green at Wailuku - We
have divided as far as possible the labour of the station,
so that Mr. G. being pastor of our small church, leaves me
at liberty to labour a great deal in schools , & him at
liberty to devote more undivided attention to evangelical
labour.
I have a school of adult males, whom we intend to
appoint teachers when qualified, to which I devoted 3 hours
each day, but devote my principal attention to a select
school of lads, who are quite promising & some of whom will
soon be qualified to enter the High School. Mrs. A. also
teaches a select school of 20 young girls who are equally
interesting with the boys - I preach however, every sabbath
at our out station, & preach here & M r . G. goes out. We
have talked & thought much of boarding schools & Gen-l Meet
ing laboured & travailed on the subject but brought forth
nothing, simply for want of unanimity - Perhaps by another
year we shall do something - I made a tour of this island
in May & came home with the full persuasion that we must,
as with the heart of man, set about the work of education in
earnest, or we shall soon have but small means of influencing
the great mass of the people.
We are all in good health at our station. Nothing
specially interesting among the people, except that demand
for books has greatly increased of late, owing to our increas
ed efforts to sustain the native schools.
I am trying to
build a house of native bricks wh. are merely clay dried in
sun , & have bought all my timber for books - Miss Brown is
doing well; has good success in her department. She has
finished one webb of cloth with which the natives are much
gratified.
Yours in the bonds of Christ
R. Armstrong
�Rev. R. Armstrong
Dated Maui Sep 21, 1836
Recd May 7, 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 15
Ansd June 18
�2297
98
68 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Third
Sandwich Islands
XXVII
Island of M aui
Oct 25 , 1835
To Secretaries of A.B.C.F .M.,
Dear Brethren,
A few weeks since
I wrote you a sheet respecting the school & expressing some
views in regard to the state and importance of education in
the islands - I would say more on that subject now but I
never sit down to write you without feeling a strong impres
sion that you must be overwhelmed with letters from various
quarters, & that your time is too precious to be taken up
with anything but matters of special importance. Such cargoes
of letters go to you from the islands that you cannot fail
to get from all of them about the correct impression of the
state of things there. As I wish to write you now respecting
a few small matters of business, I will only say that appearences about us are quite encouraging, at present, if a large
congregation on the sabbath, good attention to the work, &
good attention to the schools at our station, may be consider
ed encouraging symptoms. All that is wanting is the convert
ing influences of the spirit to gather in a precious harvest.
You will be gratified to hear that there appears to be a
simultaneous increase of interest throughout the mission in
the native children. At our station (Wailuku) I have a select
school of 40 promising boys & girls, & besides have a general
superintendence of another school of children containing over
160, scholars.
I am greatly interested in this part of my
work & having the hearty co-operation of our excellent chief'
have no difficulty in keeping the children together. They are
a s bright & capable children as I ever knew anywhere. The
only thing I have to lament is my utter inability to do justice
to such a number. We can place but little dependence on
native teachers-F ive graduates the first fruits of the High
School, belong to our part of the vineyard, and we are about
locating them in different places as teachers. We have
commenced the business of rewarding teachers for their services
according to their work, but have as yet proceeded on a small
scale, as the utility of the plan, considering the character
of the teachers is doubtful in some degree.
There are a few things of which we stand in need
& I know of no other way of obtaining them, than making known
our want directly to you. The first is a matress either a
double one or two single ones. Those we brought out with us
�2298
are so poor that we have forsaken them & now sleep on the
native pulu (something of the character of feathers, though
taken from a vegetable). The second want is books. By
reference to your bills you will perceive that my supply of
books in my outfit was very small & no accessions of any
consequence have been made to my library since. More than this,
when we left the Marquesas Islands, we left, as you are aware,
most of our effects, with all our books, behind us, so that,
as our goods have not yet arrived, I have been for the last
year & a half almost entirely destitute of books of any kind.
At our Gen-l Meeting of 1834 a committee was appointed, through
whom to make known our wants to you in regard to books. Through
that committee I wrote for several works which may probably
be now on their way to the islands, if you have seen fit to
grant my request. The sort of books I need most is such as
may be kept for books of reference. A Dictionary of the Sciences
or an Encyclopedia, we need much at our station, as we are
called upon frequently for advice & direction on an endless
variety of subjects such as, agriculture, growth of cotton,
coffee, sugar cane, grapes, architecture, ship-building mak
ing of cloth, &c, & besides need such books in making school
books for the natives, which is now a work of great necessity
& importance.
I would like also such books as the following,
Websters Dictionary, the Universal Biography, Peter Parleys
magazine (bound) the Journal of education, a set (bound), the
missionary Herald (bound) Family Library, and a large family
Bible - The books I applied for last year so far as I recol
lect (for I did not copy the list) were Gibbs Heb. Lexicon.,
Robinsons Calmet, Fosters works, all the works of Peter Parley
& Gauladet & the works of Andrew Fuller.
In some of your recent communications, you have
dropped a word of caution occasionally to us younger mission
aries, in regard to our correspondence with friends in America.
The admonitions I for one receive gratefully, as the thought
of doing anything to wound the cause dearest of all to my
heat is extremely painful, but it appears to me that if any
are deserving of censure, it is due to the older Brethren also,
for, of all the communications from the islands, which have re
turned to us, none appear to me to be more of the character
which you complain of than a letter from Messrs Bishop &
Andrews to the seminary in Princeton, several letters from
Mr. Green published in the Vermont Chronicle & a letter from
Mr Judd published in the Western Recorder; But neither of
these can be considered as very young missionaries, having been
over eigh years in the field - I fear the impression rests
on your minds that there is a want of harmony in opinion &
feeling in this mission between the younger & older brethren,& that the former are disposed to place a low estimate on
what has been done by the latter:
If so, be assured it is a
mistaken impression, never was one more so; That there is a
�2299
wide difference of opinion among us as to the amount of
good which has been accomplished in the nation, the con
fidence which is to be placed in the professions of natives
&c I need not inform you - It must as I supposed be made
more evident to your minds by every arrival from the is
lands, and it would be strange if it were not so, seeing
nearly half the states in the American Union are represent
ed in our mission; But what I wish to observe is that this
difference of opinion is not defined by the line which
separates the older from the younger Brethren
not at all.
Were it proper to mention names it would be easy to make
this plain. Every one seems to have adopted his views from
what he has seen & felt, & the difference of opinion,which
I do not regard as anything either wonderful or dangerous,
is no doubt to be attributed in some degree to the various
degrees of intercourse which different brethren have with the
natives, & also to the different kinds of intercourse. I
know of no one in the mission who puts a lower estimate on
what has been accomplished in the islands, than one of the
beloved pioneers, and on the other hand, of no one who puts
a high estimate on what has been done, than-another of the
pioneers. So it is thoughout, every reinforcement is divid
ed against itself - on regard to writing home however, since
we cannot in candour, write such tiding as the churches desire
to hear or can hear to hear, the only proper plan seems to me,
to attend to our work & say but little about it. If our older
Brethren contone to write dark things however, I hope you will
drop a word of caution to them.
I few days ago I attended an examination of the
High School & was much gratified indeed with the improvement
of the students. In all the branches to which they had attend
ed they were as ready as any students I ever saw in Americaindeed much more so than hundreds I have seen.
As I looked & listened to their performances, I
could not but say to myself these tauny, half-naked islands
are capable of being as fine statesmen, philosophers, or
Doctors of divinity as the world can produce. (O that the
Redeemer may send down his Holy spirit upon this institution
& make it a fountain of life to this poor nation.
The subject of building houses is refered to in
one of your last letters. Lest I may fall under the imputa
tion of extravigance, I will here to say that I am building
a house which is intended as a permanent one, with merely
native bricks (dobies) & native roof, the whole cost of
which may be something over $600; But building is a serious
business in these islands.
In requesting a matress I neglected to mention
pillows Two pillows are also requested.
In the fellowship of the Gospel I remain as ever
your unworthy missionary
R. Armstrong
�
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.)
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.) - Volume 07 - 1831-1837
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1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837
-
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/f265f5c8fe56662db44dcb3a7c52f70e.pdf
2f0be2bc9dbc376b6cb1b35de95cfa93
PDF Text
Text
MISSIONARY LETTERS
(typed copies)
From the Sandwich Islands Mission
to the
American Board of Commissioners
for
Foreign Missions
1819 - 1837
8 vols.
"Supplementary to the letters published in the
Missionary Herald
of the same dates."
Vol. 6
THIS IS A REPRODUCTION OF
A N UNPUBLISHED M A NUSCRIPT
FOR REFERENCE A ND STUDY O N LY
N O T TO BE REPRODUCED IN ANY W A Y
WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF
THE COPYRIGHT O W N ER
�Pages
ANDREWS, LORRIN : Lahaina, Nov.3,1829 .... -....... — 1818-1821
Essay on native schools, June 13,1832 1822-1847
Lahainaluna, Nov.15,1833 ---------- -1848-1851
Lahainaluna, Oct.1,1834 — --------- -1852-1875
Lahainaluna, Dec.21,1834 --------- -1876-1877
Lahainaluna, Nov.24,1835 --------- -1878-1898
Lahainaluna, Dec.1,1835 — --------- -1899-1900
Lahainaluna, Dec.2,1835 ---------- --1901-1903
Lahainaluna, Dec.7,1835 -— -------- -1904
Lahainaluna, Apr. 1836 ------- -—
1905-1908
Lahainaluna, Nov.25,1836 --------— 1909-1910
Lahainaluna, Dec.21,1836 -- ------- -1911-1920
BINGHAM, HIRAM
BISHOP, ARTEMAS:
CLARK, E. W.
: See Richards, April 1831----- ----- -1613
Kailua, Nov.22,1831 -------------- -1671-1674
Kailua, Oct.3,1832 ............ — - 1675-1679
Kailua, Nov.12,1833 ... ............1680-1681
Honolulu, June 24,1835 ---------- --1682-1683
Waiawa,Ewa, Oct.16,1836 ---------- -1684-1686
See Joint Letter, Oct.20,1835 ----- -1605-1606
: Honolulu, Nov. 10,1830
1777-1782
Honolulu, Apr .20,1831
1783-1784
Honolulu, Sept. 14,1831 -....... ... .1785-1788
Waialua, Sept.6,1832 -............ .1789-1793
Honolulu, Mar. 20,1833 ------ -—
1794-1797
Honolulu, Sept.28,1833
1798-1804a
Lahainaluna, Nov.10,1834 --- ------ 1804b-1805
Honolulu, June 30,1835
1806-1807
Lahainaluna, Sept.10,1835 -— -— --- -1808-1810
Lahainaluna, Nov. 14, 1835
1811-1814
Lahainaluna, Oct.6,1836 ........ — 1815-1817
GOODRICH, JOSEPH: Journal at Byron’s Bay, Nov.22,1828Jan. 1830 ... ............-...... .1567-1582
Byron’s Bay, Dec.30,1830 ---------- -1583-1584
Byron’s Bay, Sept.15,1831 -......... 1585-1886
Byron’s Bay, Oct.25,1832 -----.... - 1587-1590
Byron’s Bay, Oct.21,1833 ........ - 1591-1593
Report of the case of, Aug.30,1834 - 1594-1597
Byron’s Bay, Dec.8,1834 ------------1598-1604
Agreement with Ladd & Co.,
Jan.20,1836 ............... .... .1607
Wethersfield,Ct., July 25,1836 ---- -1608
GREEN, J. S.
: Lahaina, Mar.24,1830 ... ...........1688-1690
Honolulu, July 17,1830 .... ....... .1691-1693
�-2-
Pages
GREEN, J. S.
: Lahaina, Sept.29,1830 -----------Lahaina, Oct.1,1830 ..............
Lah aina, Oct. 1830 -------------Byron’s Bay, Sept.30,1831 — -------[No place], May 7,1832 ----------Wailuku, Oct. 1832 .............. Wailuku, Oct.17,1832 ------------Wailuku, Oct.29,1832 ------------Wailuku, Nov.12,1832 ............—
Wailuku, Dec.8,1832 -------------Wailuku, Nov.28,1833 --------- --- Wailuku, Dec.6,1833 -------------Wailuku, Aug.28,1834 ------------Wailuku, Nov.12,1834 -............
Wailuku, Nov.25,1834 ------------Wailuku, Dec.16,1834 ------------Honolulu, June 22,1835 -- ---------Wailuku, Aug.4,1835 -------------Wailuku, Sept.22,1835 -----------Wailuku, Oct.6,1835 ---------- --Wailuku, Nov.7,1835 -......— — --Wailuku, Nov.30,1835 .............
Wailuku, Dec.23,1835 ------------Lahainaluna, Apr.10,1836 -- ------Molokai, Apr.19,1836 --------------Wailuku, Apr.26,1836 ------------Wailuku, July 22,1836 -- ---------Wailuku, Aug.20,1836 ----- -------Wailuku, Nov.21,1836 -------Wailuku, Nov.25,1836 ------------Wailuku, Dec.3,1836 -.............
Wailuku, Dec.19,1836 ..... -.... ..
Wailuku, Dec.24,1836 -------------
1694
1695-1696
1697-1700
1702-1703
1704
1705
1706-1709
1711-1712
1713-1715
1716-1718
1719-1721
1722-1724
1725-1726
1730-1736
1727-1729
1737-1738
1739-1741
1742-1745
1746-1747
1748-1749
1750-1751
1752-1753
1754-1755
1756-1757
1758-1759
1760
1761-1762
1763-1964
1765-1768
1769-1770
1771-1772
1773-1774
1775-1776
GULICK, P.J.
: Waimea,Kauai, July 18,1830 -------Honolulu, Sept.30,1830 ------------
1921
1922-1925
JOINT LETTER
: Thurston & Bishop, Hawaii,
Oct.20,1835 -......-.............
1605-1606
LADD & CO.
: Agreement with Goodrich,Jan.20,1836-
1607
RICHARDS, WM. : Lahaina, Aug. 18,1830
—
Lahaina, July 21,1831 -----------Lahaina, Dec.7,1832 — ---- -— -----Lahaina, Sept.4,1834 ------------Lahaina, Oct.15,1834 .............
Lahaina, Dec. 10,1834
— -------Lahaina, Dec.25,1834
.... —
Lahaina, Feb. 17,1835
------—
Lahaina, May 23,1835
---- ---Lahaina, Aug.7,1835 ..............
Sag Harbor, May 13,1837 ----------
1609-1612
1614-1617
1618-1622
1623-1633
1634-1640
1641-1643
1644-1654
1655-1657
1658-1660
1661-1663
1664-1665
�-3Pages
RICHARDS, WM. : [No place, May 1837] ............. .1666
Boston, [June 1837?] -............ .1667
Charlestown, [June 1837?] -.......- 1668
Hew Haven, July 3,1837 -.......... .1669-1670
To Bingham, Apr. 1831----------- -1613
SCHOOLS FOR NATIVES: See Andrews, June 13,1832------1822-1847
THURSTON, ASA : See Joint Letter, Oct.20,1835 ----- -1605-1606
�1567
67
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
67
Journal at Byron's Bay,
Saturday Nov. 22, 1828.
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Missionary Rooms
Boston.
My Dear Sir;
It is gratifying to learn that the truth is silently
yet effectually extending its benign influence in various
parts of the island. To day a teacher with 5 or 6 others
came from Kohala , a distance of 70 or 80 miles, to make
enquiries respecting the way of life. They said that they had
no one there to instruct them in things pertaining to the
kingdom of heaven, they also said that they were strong &
persevering in what they did know, although they knew but
very little pertaining to the way of life. Mr. Bishop they
said visited them but once or twice a year for the examination
of the schools, & then his stay was so short that they could
make but little progress in the knowledge of divine things:
they spent about a week with us making simular enquiries to
those above mentioned. I endeavoured to divert them to Jesus
as the one great sacrifice for the sins of the world; to the
atoning blood that was shed on Calvary's mount, as every way
adequate to cancel the sins of the vilest who applied for
pardon, through faith & repentance. After answering their
various enquiries, they took leave of us, pursuing their journey
around the, island by way of Puna, Kuau& K o n a designing to
visit Kaawaloa & Kailua on their way home.
Nov. 23
A bout 4 P. M. the Dawn of N York come to anchor
in the Bay, a boat from the Logan Capt Coffin (a ship owned
in New Bedford but chartered by a company in Holland), came
on shore & informed us that the Dawn was about 10 months out,
came around the cape of Good Hope through the chinese seas:
& that Capt Gardner who comanded the Dawn the present voyage
had broughthis wife with him. Shortly after Capt G. with
his lady came on shore in time to take tea with us, forming a
scocial circle at our frugal repast which reminded us of those
happy seasons which we were wont to enjoy in our native land.
Mrs. G said it was peculiarly pleasing to her to behold the
lure of a female friend from America, especially as she had
not seen one for upwards of 5 months. Capt Gardner said he
believed that he had set an example to the American whalers
being the first that had even taken his companion with him
on a whaling voyage.
I would here add my testimony of respect & grattitude
to the Captains of the Whalers that have visited this port
this fall: their repeated favours & the kindness which they
have uniformly shown us. The Dawn,makes the 10th ship that
has put in here this fall to recruit & American & 2 English
from 3 of the Captains we were presented with 2 1/2 bbls of
flour an article that we much needed: from one of the same
�1568
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
67
a bucket of sugar, from another a bucket of coffee, a bag
of hops & a dozen vials of the oil of spruce, which is very
acceptable for making beer, from another a nice cheese, from
another 2 Dutch cheeses a bucket of salts, & a quantity of
dried apples, & also some raisins from another rice & dried
apples, from, another several articles of crockery & oil
of spruice, 11/2 doz. of porter from another, 15 or 20 yds. of calico
& shirting, old iron &c from another. A circumstance happened
not long since which I am informed was a thing of frequent occurrence. A native who had lived promiscuously with two females a
year or so with one, & then for a time with the other. The
laws being such at present as to prohibit poligamy, he came to
the resolution that he would leave the one with whom he was then
living, & marry the other his former wife: he at length make
known his intentions of leaving his present wife & marrying the
other, she replied if he did leave her she would kill herself
by jumping off a precipice: he supposing her to be in .jest,
took not much notice of it at the time. A few days after he
made a visit with her to her friend not far distant: while in
the course of the conversation he made known his intentions of
leaving her, & taking his former wife: she again replied if he
did she would kill herself. Shortly after they left their
friends to return home, on their way home he stopped to gather
some sticks to heat his oven: she proceeded on her way: it
being about midday if I remember rightly: he having accomplish
ed the object for which he stopped went home supposed his wife had
proceeded him: not finding her at home he went to some of his
neighbors & enquired, but could obtain no information: he
then went back to his friends house & was there equally unsucessful, having seen nothing of her since they went away together: he
also enquired among his & her friends but found her not: he
then commenced looking abroad & continued searching till near
night, when he found her dead hung upon a bread fruit tree:
being suspenced to a large limb of the tree by his own malo: he
took her down, & then gave information to his & her friends.
Such has been the case frequently if am correctly informed of
disappointed love.
The chiefs applied to me, desiring me to give
sentence against him, of what punishment he was worthy. I
thought it most expedient to decline, telling them that I did
not come to give, nor execute laws upon them. The chiefs
sentenced him to some months hard labour since cancelling his
his debt he has married his former wife.
"Dec 22, 1828
See 28 Missionary Herald 41
Feb 1832
�1569
67
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
67
January 9, 1829.
Finished miling a years supply of sugar
& molasses, & probably more than I shall need for my own
fam ily; the mill being one of my own construction consisting
of 3 upright wooden cylinders about 14 inches in diameter:
make I suppose simular to sugar mills in general: mine however
is turned by hand I generally used to grind out about 80 or 90
gallons in about 2 hours & a half or 2 hours & boil it the same
day, making about 10 or 12 gallons of syrup some days it would
nearly all given to sugar, & others there would be but very
little sugar, the difference I was unable to explain. The
luxuriance of the cane here exceeds anything that I have read
or heard of as the produce of other places where cane is
cultivated, I had the curiosity to measure one of the largest
of the canes, the length when broke off at the top fit for
grinding was 12 feet; length of the joints 8 inches, diameter
3 inches, circumference 8 1/2 inches, juice expressed measured
in a pint measure a little exceeded 7 pints. I have counted
22 canes sprung from one cutting they would average 1 1/2 inch
in diameter & 7 feet long, the natives take but very little
pains in the cultivation of the cane, the land in many places
is full of it, but it does not come to perfection, however,
with very little attention to cultivation it yields a great
abundance. Since writing the above I have taken 39 canes
that have sprung from one cutting another of 37, another of 3634, 29 &c all growing in a row: it was planted about 14
months since the former of 39 I ground by itself & it measured
14 galls 1 qt & 1 gill of juice the production of a single
cutting in the same hill or cutting there remained 22 ratoons
or succers that will come to maturity a year hence.
15
Mr. Ruggles arrived from Haanaloa to attend the
examination of the schools. the interesting state of which
Mr. R. said the he should give to the board so that it is
unnecessary for me to say any farther. Feb 1. Thermometer
55 1/2 the lowest that I have ever seen it on sea shore.
Feb.6
H aving spent the greater part of the last fort
night in the woods in hewing timber for a dwelling house
with some foreign help I succeded in finishing the frame,
but when I shall be able to have a carpenter to frame & &
put it up time must determine.
Feb 7
s e e Missionary Herald 41
Feb. 15see 28 Missionary Herald 41
Feb 1832.
Feb 1832
�1570
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
67
March 7
A sudden & surprising change took place
on the feelings & disposition of a native who has not been
serious heretofore; he came to me to make known his feelings
it evidently appeared that the spirit of truth had commenced
a work of grace in his heart, which I hope & trust is the
commencement of a revival of religion here a few weeks prie-vious
to this, the few members that compose the church here togeth
er with some others who have been serious for some time, desired
the privilege of uniting with us in setting apart seasons for
prayer & fasting. It seems that while we were speaking the
Most High heard & answered, I know of no one about here who has
been more bitter & averse to the interests of the mission than
the one above mentioned.
March 14
The same person whose name is Wailuu came
and asked me if it was right for him to go & talk with the
king & Boki, & request them to turn from their foolish &
sinful ways & seek the salvation of their souls &c. I replied
it to him to do as he thought best he accordingly went &
as it appeared afterwards had a very interesting conversa
tion with him, the king said yes to all that he had to say
approving of it as the one thing needful.
Apr. 10 see 28 Miss. Herald 41
�1571
67
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
67
April 12th Sunday morning
While bowing the knee in humble adoration of the
Great Supreme in our family devotions we were somewhat alarmed by the sudden convulsions of the earth the rocking
our house over us, & the rattleing of the crockery a slight
shock of an earthquake which we occasionly experience at this
place they are so common here & so slight that they are not
much thought of by the natives: it continued by a few seconds
quite severe to many that we have experienced heretofore.
17th
Mr. Shepard prolonged his visit for sevral
days in consequence of Mrs. G's illness having been repeat
edly attached with violent pains in her chest & bowels since
our return from Oahu it being very trying to be left alone
i n such distressing turns; from accounts that I gave to
Dr. Judd he concluded that Mrs. G. illness was in consequence
of the passing of a biliary calculi, her symptoms having some
what abated Mr. Shepard took his leave & departed for Oahu.
�1572
67
Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
67
12th
By the request of the Gov together with a desire to
ascend the mountain directly from the bay at this place, &
also to kill 2 dp 3 beef for our own use & that of the Gov, &
farther to take up some turnips St set out in a colder climate
to see if they would not then go to seed, upon the mountains,
for they do not go to seed down near the shore. Set out about
day light to ascend to the higher regions, course about west,
the distance from the shore to the woody region is about 5
miles the region that is principally used for the cultivation
of talo, patatoes, sugar cane, bananas &c, about 3 miles in
the woods is one of the highest cataracts on this part of the
island. I judge it to be 100 & 40 or 50 feet high, in the
heavy rains an immens, body of water rushes down with tremend
ous violence at other time the stream of water is quite small,
a little farther up the whole bed of the river runs under ground
for about 40 or 50 rods about mid way which is a dark & dismal
hole 30 or 40 feet to the water called by the natives Puka o
Maui. The door, hole or entrance of Maul, one of their former
gods, the oven of this deity according to the natives is about
a mile from the south west shore of the bay it is an old crater
60 or 70 feet deep & about 1/3 of mile in circumference, I now
occupy it as pasture for my cows there are 18 craters that are
directly back of one another in a right line, the lower one
is the oven here he used to cook his food as the natives say.
The road or path more properly lay along the river
Wailuku, sometimes it led into the woods, then, to the margin,
again into the woods, & back to the river the bed of which is
composed entire of lava, the path was sometimes one side &
the other continually crossing & recrosing, the woody region,
is very heavy timbered many of the trees are 2. 3. & 4 ft.
in diameter, the timber consists chiefly of ohia, & koa the
former is a species of the apple tree of these islands the
latter seems to be an inferior kind of mahogany, some of it
makes good furnitur, it is also the kind of timber out of which
their canoes are made. The ascent, in the woody region is very
above the woods it is much more abrupt, after travelgradual,
n
ig hard all day with very short spells of resting: about sun
set I got throught the woods, leaving all the natives behind
who did not arrive till the next day. The woods terminate very
abruptly they are so thick of trees St underbrush that are al
most impassible a few rods only can be seen ahead, on emerging from
the woods a wide extended plain presents itself along the side
of Maunakea, the plain is 6 or 8 miles wide interspresed with
clumps and groves of koa trees of stinted growth resembling
orchards of apple trees with numerous herds of wild cattle,
grazing in almost every direction. The plain if I may so call
it for so it appears at a distance is broken into ridges &
valleys, & very stony, the rocks all volcanic, the whortlebery
& strawberry here flourish to perfection in the season of them, which
is from July to Nov or even later especially the whortleberry
In reaching the place of our lodging, I found a large fire pre-
�1573
pared by Honolii who had proceeded me in opening the path
to the mountain, the fire was truly acceptable as I was
wet & cold, having traveled most of the day among the clouds
which do not commonly extend higher up than the woody region,
& are perpettually distilling their waters in the woody region
below. It was in
cave where we took u p our lodgings, in
some parts it was quite spacious, & others so low that we
could not set upright the place where I laid ray head was about
18 inches high it however was a very comfortable resting place.
Early in the morning set out in pursuit of a bullock they were
to be seen in almost every direction. I diverted my course
towards 2 bulls that were near the skirts of a small grove of
koa trees, in about half an hour I shot at One who went a few
rods & fell dead the other went but a few rods farther & stood
watching his fallen companion, I d id not succed in getting
near to him but shot at a long distance, the g un being an
indifferent one faild of execution & he made off with himself.
I sometime wish that I had a good rifle, as the chiefs have
given me permission to kill a beef whenever I am of disposed
I have availed myself of the right of killing one or two about
twice in the course of a year: the greatest objection to
killing oftener is the badness of the road through the woody
region, the natives are from a day & a half-to two days in
coming down with a load of beef, For several succeeding days
I was unable to kill any , in consequence of the mountain being en
veloped in clouds, at length the mountain became clear from
clouds I stated early in the morning, & in about an hours time
I was treading frozen ground being near the upper extremity
of the region of vegitation, where I soon succeded in killing
a fine cow & towards night I killed another for the Gov. The
cows are far better beef than the bulls the latter are uniform
ly dry & lean, while the cows are almost always as fat as stall
fed beef. There is not much danger in killing wild cattle pro
vided I had a good rifle, but with a poor one like the one that
I have, it is rather disagreeable, shooting & wounding so that
they either chase me or I must them & frequently loose them
after all. Having spent 4 or 5 days, I could not well spare
the time to ascend the mountain & so the returned having obtained
a good supply of beef.
June 4th
Mr. & Mrs. Clark were soon pleasantly occupied
with each an interesting school of natives, M r . C 's school
consisted of about 70 teachers from Hilo & Puna, Mrs. C 's was
composed of about 30 of the most interesting natives females
about here: the proficiency made in both their schools was
but very little if any inferior to the same number of scholars,
under similar circumstances in our country The day being fin e ,
we took a walk that we had had for some days in comtemplation,
up to a beautiful cascade in W ailuku, called by the natives waianuenue, or rainbow waters water of the rainbow, it being about
11/2 mile & the walking bad we fitted up a kind of hammoc & strung
it to a pole, to c arry the females when fatugued; On reaching
the bank of the river about 3/4 of mile below the falls, the
�1574
natives that accompanied us pointed out to us the limb
of a tree that hung over the bank where a native a few years since
was gathering flowers of the ohia lei hua, when the limb
suddenly broke & precipitated her down about 100 ft upon
the rocks below & was instantly killed. Just before reaching
the falls they suddenly burst upon our view. The falls are
100 feet high, & are projected over the rocks under which is
a large cavern, having much the appearance of an arched bridge
over which the water falls in one entire sheet of foam; in
heavy rains it is tremendous the roaring is so loud that it
is with difficulty that we can hear one another speak while
standing 20 or 30 rods below the falls, at which place the lava
has much the appearance of the basaltic culums of the giants
causeway in the north of Ireland according to the description
that I have seen of it. After spending an hour or two viewing
beauties of the scenery we returned amply satisfied with the
excursion, During our walk originated the thought of paying
a visit to the volcano, by a simular mode of conveyance.
July 7th
For some days we have been making preparations
to make an excursion to the Volcano: the question being put
to the teachers as to their going with us, when they almost all
of them offered to go & assist us in our journey, they also
provided for themselves, so that we had only to provide for
ourselves Having made three hammocks one for Mrs. C. the
2nd for Mrs. G. the 3rd for our two children each attached to
a pole to be carried by 2 natives as occasion might require#
The morning was quite rainy & unpleasant but as we were all
prepared for our Journey, we concluded to set forward, our
company consisted of Mr. & Mrs. C, Mr. & Mrs. G. & their two
children, about 40 teachers, & a number of other natives that
wished to accompany us, making our whole number about 60,
We had not proceeded a mile before it commenced raining which
continued with frequent & heavy showers through the day: but
as we were residents of a rainy region we took the precaution
to be well provided for against the rain; the natives however
considered the clouds as quite in their favour being so much
more cool & comfortable carrying burdens, after rather a
fatigueing days travel we arrived at the residence of Hanai
the head man of Olaa a cordial friend to the mission, about
4 oclock P. M. where we found 3 large & neat native dwellings
ready for our reception, a s most of our company was more
or less wet : a number of large fires were immdiately kindled
which were very acceptable as most were shivering with the
wet & cold, our reception here seemed more like that of
civilized(blotted) society, than the rude sons of the forest.
The house into which we were received was bisected by a
neat mat portion, the part that we occupied was again divided
into a sitting room & two bed rooms patitioned off by neat
calico curtains we found ourselves so comfortable that we
soon forgot the fatigues of the day. Soon after we were
presented by K anai with a fine baked
pig,wetalo,
u
a
o
,
s
g
r
p
e ourselves, the
which
took &to
mainder w a s divided among the natives who appeared to be
well repaid for all their toils.
�1575
After supper the good man of the house together
with many others made many interesting enquiries, respecting
the way of life what they must do, to perform that which was
lawful
& right, one old lady staid till nearly midnight
&, appeared in quite a serious frame of mind evidently seeking
a better
than any of their former systems would make
known to their deluded votaries.
The next day being rather more favourable we set
forward at an early hour, the sun being over oast with clouds
rendered our traveling very comfortable which is generally
very oppressive under a clear & vertical sun, about 10 o'clock
we passed the last houses in Olaa 12 miles from the volcano,
when we made a short stop & took some refreshment soon
however we resumed our journey, & about 4 o'clock we reached the
confines of that former dreaded place the object of our visit;
about a mile from the crater we began to descend the sunken
plain leaving hard on our right a precipice presenting a
mural front from 5 to 150 feet, the weather being thick &
foggy having ascended so high as to be up in the region of the
Clouds, nothing very interesting presented itself until emerging
from a little thicket we all in a sudden saw the steam & smokes
issuing from a hundred fisures & chasms, as if the very bowels
of the earth were in flame, at the sight of whiche
r
f
a
took of hold of some our number, here the female courage was
shaken & earnestly desired to commence a retreat. Our path
led through the misdts of them some were highly scented with
sulphur the heat of others was intense; it was driven up with
so much violence as to create loud whizing as if almost choked,
ready to burst its molten lands as sunder & overwhelm every
obstacle, & deluge all around in one common desolution. Not
withstanding these frightful appearances our path for the last
half mile was litterally lined with whortleberries.
We regaled ourselves upon them as we passed allong,
& reached our huts where we put up for the night about 4 P. M.
The huts were built by some natives who were to work about the
skirts of Maunaloa & had resorted to this place to cook their
food where their oven is always in readiness, being heat by the
fires below. The wind was high from the north cold & chilly,
the huts were about loo rods from the edge of the crater. We
crawled into the house to rest for a few minutes, & set ourselves
in order to visit the yawning gulf below, some of the natives
who had proceeded us came running back & said that there was
nul loa he aki malalo, paap , a great deal of fire down below, all full. This made us haste to view the aweful scene
the object of our toilsome journey. A few minutes walk brought
us on the verge of on aweful precipice 1200 or 1400 feet, a
place where no foreign female footstep had ever trod before, &
here pen cannot describe or pencil paint the scenery as it
actually is. No person who has not beheld with his own eyes
can have any correct idea of the place from the description
of another.
The scene that burst upon our view was appauling
�1576
& frichtful beyond description: standing upon the verge
of the crater we looked down 1200 or 1400 feet & almost
directly under us (so near that the natives who proceeded us
did not discover it) & saw a river of liquid fire roling its firey
billows from shore to shore in a most terrific manner, the
river was about ths of mile long from 6 to 8 rods wide in
some places the lava thrown up a great distance & with the
utmost violence scatering it out in every direction; at one
end of it was a cataract of liquid lava precipitating its
firey bellows surges down an aweful precipice into the yawn
ing gulf below forming one of the most aweful & sublime
specticles that we ever beheld; or even imagination could
conceive.
We stood gazing with astonishment at its ever
varied tumultu os surges; no two visits out of 8 has it has
has it ever appeared to present the same form. It is not
now so deep by 600 feet as it was on our first visit. The
sun had now sunk behind maunalou's hoary summit, & we were so
chiled by the pircing north wind, that we r epaired to our own
cabin; being seated on our mats & baggage we soon perceived
that our feet began to feel warm supposing it to be the effect
of traveling hastily over a gravelly hard pan that is at the
north side of the crater
After taking some refreshment & commending ourselves
to the guardian care & protection of him who controls the
raging fires in the aweful gulph below we reposed ourselves
to rest: but here we found ourselves quite uncomfortable the
under side of our bodies being almost roasted from the heat
of the rocks or lava upon which we slept with only a little
grass of our mats between us & the hot lava, at the same
time the uper side chiled with the piercing north wind
accompanied with fine rain or rather clouds themselves as we
were up so high as to be in the region of the clouds which
as they passed over the crater exhibited the most brilliant
appearance from the reflection of the fires below, presenting
an ever varied fire works, from a faint light, to the m ost
brilliant & vivid flashes of light, as if the whole crater was
in the most intense action mingling its fires with the clouds.
thus passed the night with but very little sleep shifting from
side to side b y turns, like a person in a raging fever. I presume
that you will not be surprised at our being uncomfortable,
when you are correctly informed that the thermometer showed the
difference of heat to which we were exposed. the upper side
at 43 the under 120°, Rising with the sun Mr. G. took a walk
out about 1 mile N W of the crater to look for wild geese, &
found a flock feeding on strawberries, & in shooting twice
killed four so that we had a fine roast goose for dinner.
After a cup of tea made of water distilled from the volcano
(the steam rises out of the fissures of the works in various
places & is condensed by the cold night air). Mr. C & G
(blot) a number of the native set out to circumambulate the
crater in the mean time Mrs. C & G with some other natives
�1577
set out a strawberrying, Mrs. C being somewhat fatigued with
the preceeding day’s journey returned to the cabin. Mrs. G.
in the course of 2 or 5 hours gathered upwards of a half
a bushel of very fine strawberries which allowed a nice
desert to our roast goose. The walk around the crater was
both interesting & fatigueing, the awefullnes & grandeur of
the crater at the different views so much surpasses description
that it is in vain to attempt it. We descended into the
crater & approached so near the boiling caldrens as to char
the external surface of our canes & hear them off as curious
specimens of our tour, the natives also were much gratified
with a smoke from the fire of pele, about 2 oclock P. M.
we ascended from that aweful abyss, & found our dinner well
cooked & made ready for our repast.
In the afternoon we took the precaution to gather
some green ferns to spread under our mats to render the
heat rather more tolerable, but we had not reposed long be
fore the heat was equal to the preceeding night; & to our
surprise on turning up our mats in the morning we found that
the ferns which we spread under us were baked as brown as
if they had been laid upon the fire.
We left the crater early in the morning in good spirit
well satisfied with our visit particularly the females being
the first foreign ladies that ever beheld that aweful place,
our journey down was not so fatigueing as our ascent being
greatly inclining towards the sea: we reached the place where
we lodged on our way up about 4 P. M. we soon had a baked
pig, talo &c served up, being very acceptable as our stock
of provision was about exhausted.
July Saturday 11
Set out at a seasonable hour (blot )
proceeded homeward being necessitated to take shelter
occasionly from the drenching showers that passed from the sea
towards the mountains we traveled on with as much rapidity as
circumstances would admit & reached home about 4 P. M. & were
welcomed by hundreds of the natives that greeted our return.
July 13 see 28 Missionary Herald
�1578
Sept 2nd The time for which Mr. & Mrs Clark came up here to
spend with us having expired we were called upon to part
with them having laboured unitedly together for about 4
months we were obliged to separate though the parting was
to be left here alone we know not how long. Mrs.
gainful,
&Mrs. C. having prieviously had an exhibition of their
schools which appeared well having made good proficiency in
reading, writting, & arithmetick
Sept 25
Closed the examination of the schools of Hilo
& Puna having been constantly occupied for 4 days, the
sabbath preceding the new meeting was crowded to overflowing
probably upwards of 7000 people assembled for public worship,
judging of the numbers from the area of the house 9955 square
feet the natives sit in the house as thick as they can stand
& probably a 1000 were unable to enter the house at all, so
that they assembled under the bread fruit tree where they
were addressed by Batimea & Taio, at the same time with those
in the house; allowing a square foot & a half to a person
I should think that the above statement as to numbers very
nearly correct. A remarkable stillness & good attention
was paid throughout the service. The numbers of scholars
has considerably increased since the last examination: but
as Mr. Ruggles superintended that examination I do not
know precisely the number of scholars the schools then con tained. the following is a list of the scholars that were
examined.
There are 85 schools & the same number of teachers,
about 300 write quite a legible hand on slates. The whole
number spell readily read & recite lessons. The church was
constantly crowded to overflowing during the whole examination:
which is a season that is highly enjoyed by all simular to
holy days in America.
time is wholly occupied upwards of
a week while not engaged in examination they are constantly
crowding our house some wanting other asking counsel at our
hands, is it lawful to do this, or expedient to do that, & a
great number appear anxious, to find the way of life. A slight
shock of an earthquake on the 26, 10 A. M..
Oct 2nd
Our hearts were made to rejoice by the
arrival of our former friend & fellow labourer Mr. Stewart
in the Vincennes: we were highly favoured by his coming here
to make his first visit at the Islands, & the cheering in
telligence from distant friends. The natives were highly
gratified at once more beholding Mr. S.
also the testimonials
which he brought from our patrons & particularly
�1579
communications from President &c to the king & others
in authority here. Capt Finch recommended some of the
officers to improve the opportunity in visiting the volcano:
an opportunity that was gladly improved by a number of them
on which account Mr. S.s visit with us was quite too short.
Another earthquake occurred on the 24th
18th Nov.
Four whaling ships have visited here this
fall the Logan, Capt Reuben F. Coffin Lancaster Capt Weeks.
Iris, Capt Norton. & Independance, Capt Ray. All of them
were uniformly kind and obliging presenting us with many
articles for our comfort. Accepted an invitation to take
tea with them one evening, when returning about 8 oclock
there was one of the most brilliant illuminations of the
volcano that I ever wittnised here: about one quarter of the
heavens were brightly illuminated doubtless by the eruption of lava
at the bottom of the crater.
Dec. 8
Received information that some of the brethren
were exploring Waimea to ascertain the salubrityof the climate
there, & that some of their number would like to visit Hilo.
I sent them information that I would endeavour to meet them
above the woody region, & wait upon them down to the bay on
16th where I met Mr. Andrews & Green shot a beef. & returned on
the 17th as their time was nearly expired for them to return
to the lieaurrf of the Island, they left on their return by
way of the volcano on the 21st. The same day also commenced
another examination of the schools, it being rather short of
the usual time in consequence of the king' s decree requiring the
people to go into the interior t o cut sandal wood The exhibi
tion occupied 4 days & was not in any degree inferior to any
of the former examinations. There was a goodly increase in
the numbers of the scholars amounting in all to 6535. Increase
from the examination in Sept 1571. On the 22nd 2 oclock P. M.
another shock of an earthquake, & as I afterwards was inform
ed that Mr. Andrews & Green were down at the bottom of the crater;
& that many rocks & stones were precipitated from the walls
at the sided of the crater. I felt no small degree of anxiety
the
supposing that was about the hour that they would
J
a
n
.
1
8
3
0T
he past year closed & the new one commenced
in a very for
happy
manner:
testified
their
affection
us by
givingmany
is freely
a
h
f
y
m
c
s
b
t
o
,
i
w
l
e
n
g
&
pof native
such things
as they
were
also express t
h e mselves with lively gratitude that they have
been permitted to close the past & commence the new year: that
they have been made sensible of their sins & follies, & been
enable to seek that better part that shallaway
never
fromthem;Numbebe
rswehav
taken
egoodreasonto
think have passed
from death into life the year past: many a
s
r
e
v
x
d
p
h
n
g
t
s
u
l
r
a
h
w
i
e
d
c
o
,
j
m
q
b
&
y
v
I
�1580
of others whose lives & conversation are blameless, but
being alone, with no one, with whom I may take counsel together
& to assist in examining candidates for admission into
the church: I feel a weight of responsibility resting upon me
to use the utmost caution lest I should act impropperly.
When will the time once be that I shall be favored with
a fellow laborer, must anotheryear pass away & find us still
alone.
April 1830
see 28 Miss Herald 42
�1581
S P i f S W M
it.
for a dwelling, house,
a
t planes &c having in the first place
S
S
t
'
S
f e w goat skins for b o o k b i n d i n g ,
while in the midst of my work I must repeatedly break of &
tend to the calls of the natives.
One wants medicine for the sick, another some tracts,
a third has something to well another to converse on the
subject of religion some one thing, & some another, scarecely
an hour in the d ay passes without more or less calls about
100 teachers some are constan
tly coming to enquire into the
expediency of this, that, or the other, others have difficulties
to solve, it is scarcely possible that a public house in
America to have so many & repeated calls as we do. An anecdote
of the natives respecting the origin of arrowroot is so singular
& amusing that I cant forbear to mention it which is as follows,
one of their gods called Mahalii scized all the arrowroot, &
various other vegetables & put them into a sack & being so
avaricious to scrape up all, accidentalya mouse went in with
the rest, having taken all. he drew or pulled up the sack to
regions above, the mouse soon set himself to eating & as
it happened he eat a hole in the sack that was formed of net
work, & down fell the arrowroot &c, to the earth where it soon
sprung up & produced fruit, hence originated all their vegetables
of all kinds also.
I ought not to omit to mention one man that has been
for
years; who gives good evidence of having met
with a saving change he lives about a mile & a half from us, he
some one to lead him to meeting, he became awakened
t
h ing moving, but now he comes &
by day w ithout a guide, or
rainy or clear, dark or light s
em
s or even
between
here
&
where
he
lives
there
f ord, & when the
there not
are
converses with us that
up hasto
swim
just discern somemeeting both by
a walking stick
toriver
trouble
2
st
op
a
so
r him any,
over
pass or
(or know) that true is he ithua. I am happy, because I can see
both to see & to
the word of
worbecause I can see
ike is used
�Many here give good evidence of a work
grace
begun in their hearts, & would be an ornament in the church
of our God. yet I forbear to admit them because I am alone
& there is no one to unite with me, & with whom I may
take counsel for the best interests of the Redeemers king
dom. I am still in hope that it some future time, I shall
be fav oured with an asscociate. who will assist in proclaim
ing the u nsearchable riches of redeeming love to thier
previous souls 3000 & 4000 is a usual congregation besides
the multitudes that are daily coming & going from 40 to 60 &
sometimes a 100 miles to enquire the way of life.
But when I shall be favoured with a permanent asscociate.
The friends of our Redeemer, & our dear native land must
determine.
That infinite wisdom may ever guide you, & all
glory of the mostg
.
i
h
best of bonds
shall be most for the honour
&
m y self yours v ery affectionately in the
Joseph Goodrich
Jereh Evarts Esq
Rev. Joseph Goodrich’s
Journal
March 5, 1831
Ackd Nov. 16
write Nov 17
Feb.
1832.
�1583
68
Byron's Bay Hawaii
Jereh Evarts Esq
Very Dear Sir
Being favoured with an asscociate Mr. Andrews &
left home the latter part of May in company with 8 or 10
natives we went directly up the mountain till we reached the
upper region of vegetation, then turning to the left of
the mountain, as we were passing along to the south east of
the summit being probably 12000 feet above the level of the
sea,
e
came
w
in contact with a hall storm, being the first
that I had been since passing Cape Horn. Here it was quite
amusing to see the natives to use their endeavours to catch
it as it fell, some with their hats & some with the tops
of their callabashes held out to catch it; but they were
disappointed for some time saying that it went into their hats
or callabashes but that it flew directly out again, at last
having collected some they commenced eating them & here they
expressed surprize exclaiming "huihui eha loa ha iho" it was
very col d & hurt the teeth, they call hail stones, hua ke hekili,
or fruit eggs of thunder, one one asks me, "No ke ahala
e noho wale no ke anuanu maluna o ka mauna" Why does cold dwell
or stay only upon the mountain, one says that he has no hand,
another that his feet are thick, another that his nose is beWe descended again into the valley between the mountains,
our right, & mauna loa on the left, some
I persued the first
we
followed the same
water of which I
We discovered nothing
seen
Mr.
Bingham has
�1584
been up then & seen it, I presume that he has given a
particular account of it, & it is therefor unnecessary for
me to do it. I also saw as before fragments of granite
imbeded in lava, the cohesion of almost allof it was
very feeble which was probably destroyed by the action of
volcanic fires. In traveling ore the loose masses & fragments
of lava, the sound under foot would very nearly resemble that of
traveling ove plates of iron; solid mural precipices, slags,
scinder, scoria, & sand compose the principal part of the summit
of mauna kea while mauna loa, is composed almost entirely of
black impact lava of a hard confused mass of jet back apptaramce
while some inclines to a clay colour. I find it very distressing
to ascend the summit being affected with a sever pain in the head
natives also complaining of the same, Sevral times while in the
upper regions I have been attacked with violent vomiting of billlous
matter, all these complaints subside as we descend the mountain.
The prosperity of the station still continues the last
examination in Nov of the schools then was a considerable in
crease especially of the children amounting to 683, Serious enquriy
still continues 5 have lately been admitted into the church
25 more propounded, many press to hear the word, & the Lord still
appears to be carrying on his own glorious work yet in the midts
of the labours here I am left entirely alone, Mr. & Mrs. Andrews
being under the necessity of visiting Lahaina, for a season. Mrs.
G. having but partially recover from confinement, when the King
Kaahumanu & company arrived on a tour of the islands Some false
report's were set in circulation that so affected her health as
to produce some aberrations of intellect it was thought best far
her to go down with Mr. & Mrs M . to Lahaina for a time. It
seemed impossible for me to have having a carpenter employed in
building a house, & the constant calls of the natives, together
with various other duties required me to stay. I have lately
heard that Mrs. Gs health is improving, The King & other chiefs
appeard very well while they remained here for 9 weeks, & then
proceeded on around the islands
With kindest salutations to yourself & your associates
I subscribe myself yours in the best of bonds
Joseph Goodrich
Dec 30th 1830
Jeremiah Evarts Esq Corresponding
Secretary Missionary Rooms,
Stone Church, Hannover Street,
Boston
Mass.
U. S. America
Postmark
N. York Feb 22nd
ship
Rev. Joseph Goodrich,
Feb. 25, 1832
Ansd Dec 21.
Ackd March 29
( Gen Let.
�1585
69
Byron's Bay, Hawaii Sept . 15, 1831.
My Very Dear Sir;
As the time draws near when ships are expe
cted to
visit these islands some of which will doubtless be full &
homeward bound, a few lines from this place may notbe un
acceptable, (As to the general state of feeling among the
natives, it is about the same as when I wrote last, many
are still anxiously enquiring respecting their immortal in
terests, we have rather to check their calls upon us, than
to encourage them, or we should have no time to attend to our
own private duties. There have been added to the church since
I wrote last 8 members, making in all 14 members, 22 more are
propounded for admission into the church, besides many other
who give good evidence of hopeful piety humbly endevouring to
regulate their lives by the Word of truth. The number of
marriages within a year is 261. The most High still continues
to own our humble endeavor to do them good, both schools &
scholars are increasing, the number of scholars at the last
examination was 7587 being an increase of about 1000 scholars,
since the last examination: among the number are 10 7 children,
as many of them have just commenced attending school of course
they cannot be expected to have made much progress yet
it is
very evident that there is an increasing thirst for knowledge
among the people, In weiveing what has been done among these
poor heathen by such feeble means, it may be well laid what
hath Good wrought . To his Name be all the prize whohath done
such wonders for them.) As Mr. Shepards health has failed my
brethren think it advisable for me to remove to Oahu to superintend the press, & also took binding, I find it very un
comfortable to be moving back ft forth with my family, es
pecially as Mrs. G is so distressingly stick when she goes upon
the water, but more particularly as we have become attached to the
people here & they to us. When we first mentioned it to some of them,
that we thought of going to leave them they said, Uoki mai olelo
aku, stop say no more about it, when walking out among them
many would meet with tears in their eyes saying Aloha ino ha mea
nana u naauao mai." Very great affection for these that have en
lightend us". Others would ask us. "Pehea la ke keiki ina haalele
ka makua," How shall the children do, if their parents forsake
them. We informed them they need not feel so unhappy that there
were some that would remain as their teachers, to instruct them
they replied, "He mea hou mai lahou" thou have lately come, but
that we had lived among them a long time, & they loved us as
children do parents they said also that they should pray earn
estly for our speedy return, as they had done when we left them
before, l& now that their love was rooted & could not be torn up,
�1586
& that if our bodies were separated, our hearts should
still be united.
Oct 10
About a fortnight since Capt Bliss of the
Ship Warrens came into the harbour, & being the same Captain
with whom we went down 4 years ago, before the ship came to
anchor the natives come to ask us if we were going down
in the ship. The Capt with his accustomed politeness gave
us an invitation to take passage with him to Oahu, & we
accepted his kind invitation as soon as it was concluded that we
should go the natives began to flock in upon us so that it was
difficult to get things ready, the night that we calculated
to go many of the natives kept awake all night lest we should
go & they not give a parting aloha a few nights after, the
cannon was fired abou 3 oclock in the morning, before we
could get up & get ready our house was filled many out of
2000 weeping at the view of parting, at about 4, while it
was yet dark they accompanied
down to the shore & weeping
bid us farewell, Aloha, Aloha, being the last words heard &
launched forth for Oahu, here we arrived on the second day,
found friends as well as usual. Ever yours, I remain
with sentiments of high esteem
Joseph Goodrich
Rev. Joseph Goodrich.
May 7, 1832
Church--School— attachment
of the people
Ansd Dec 2/32
Date Sep. 15 & Oct 10
Edgartown Mass
May 4th
ship
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Corresponding Secretary, Missionary Rooms, No 22
Cornhill (late Market Street)
Boston, Mass.
U. S. A .
14 1/2
�1587
70
Byrons bay Hawaii Oct 25th, 1832.
Revd Rufus Anderson
My dear Sir
You will perceive by this
that I have again returned to my former field of labour
multitudes flocked around us, & with joy hailed our re
turn many expressing their feelings of joy, said that they
felt joyful on seeing us again, like unto a pursing child, whose
mother had long been absent is overjoyed to see her return,
others could say, that they were like children whose parents
had a long time been away from them would be full of joy on
their return to behold them again, On asking them why they
felt so happy in seeing us again, they would say, Alola ino
ka mea nana e hoonaoao mai ia makou, Very great affection
for you who have been the means of enlightening us. On ask
ing why they had the such feelings of affection to us more
than others, their answer, was that we had been with them a
long time, when they were benighted & ignorent that they
reproached & reviled, & mocked us, but that notwithstanding
all this we had long suffering, patience, & forbearance with
them, & forsook them not. that others of our numbers had
been here occasionly but had not resided here so long a time
as we two had. There are now three of us labouring here Br
others Dibble, Lyman, & myself. Schools we have in active
operation, & can have any number of scholars we choose to in
struct, there is about the same number of schools in Hilo
& Puna as formerly besides those of our own here, My health
is such that I feell able to preach only occasionally, I have
about 40 scholars that I am able to instruct daily, Mrs. G
also has a female class, which together with a school twice
a day with the children, & family cares occupies most of her
time We are blessed with four children the youngest we have
given the name of William Reed, as I was more acquainted with
him than any other member of the Board, a name I doubt not
that is dear to all who have the pleasure of being acquainted
with him. You will perceive by the minutes of the general
meeting last June, that I was requested to provide pasteboard for
the book binding I feel very much the need of an iron screw,
box, such as book binders use, & bar, the wood work can be
handily procured here, the pasteboard I design to make from the
mamaki kapa by
a number together to make them sufficient
ly thick, the press that I have begun I make use of the wedge, to
procure the po wer for the press, simular to to one that I con
trived to press oil from the kukui nuts it answered very well.
�1588
I sun not able to state any particular attention to religion
at present they seem quite too slow of heart to believe the all
important truths of the gospel, yet they are ever ready to re
ceive me with Joy when ever I go out among them to proclaim
among them the messages of Mercy. Agreeable to your request
in the General letter I send a list of my private library.
Atheneum 6 vols
Aithens & Puller
Beechers Occasional sermons
Baxters Call
Bennetts Letters
Blairs Lectures
Brown's Dictionary of the Bible
Buchans Domestic Medicine
Buck's Theological Dictionary
Bunyon's holy war
Butterworth Concordance
Catlins Theology
Christian Sputator 1. 2 . 3. vols
Clark on the Promises
Cleaveland's Minerology
Columbus Life of by Erving
Colemans Dr Memoirs of
Coopers Sermons
Cottage Sket/ches
Cowpers poems
Day's Mathematics
Dwights Theology
Encyclopedia, Edinburgh
Dolson's Edition
Earles exercises
Edinburgh, Dispensatory
Edwards against Chauncy
Enfield's philosophy
Falers Sermons
Havels Works
Gilles Greece
Gardiness Life
Gospel Sonnets
Guardian 1. 2. & 3 vols
"alls works of Robert
Henry’s Chemistry
Horne, on Missions
Hopkin's life of
Huntington Mrs. memoirs of
Jamieson's Rhetoric
�do Sacred history
Jay's Sermons
Lees's Botany
Locke's Common place Book
do Essays
Lyric Poems
Mackenzie's 5000 reciepts
Martyns Memoirs
do
Sermon's
Mason on self knowledge
do
remains
Mills S. I. Life of
Missonary Herald 18-25vol
Missions sketch of
Morse's Gazetteer
do geography
Obookiah Life of
Paleys philosophy
do
Theology
Paridise lost
Panoplist, 3rd & 5th vol
Popes works
Pulpit orater
Reign of Grace
Richmond & memoirs
Rodgers Dr do
Scotts family bible th vols
(1st-5th & 13, 14th
Silliman s journal of science
do
Tour
do
Travels
Spectator, Adisons
Stewarts Journal
do
visit to the S. Seas
Thomas Practic
Thompson's Seasons
Trumbull on Revalations
Wards letters
Weeks poems
do Sermons
Winter's memoirs
Whitfield Life
Wrights life of Christ
Woodbury Fanny
Zions pilgrim
Youngs night thought
�1590
The general state of the mission you will doubtless learn
from others who are better able to give a
account
therof than myself, your kind letter of Nov 17, 1831 was
duly received I remain truly yours in the bonds of the
Gospel.
Joseph Goodrich
P. s. Respecting books for children we feell quite deficient there
has been some sent out but not near enough to go around among
all the families we have 4 children & should be glad if a
supply of childrens books could be sent to us a selection
of such as you judge to be suitable for children 10 years of age
& under. Yours&c J. G.
Rev Rufus Anderson Dor Sec
Missionary Rooms No 28
Cornhill Boston
U. S. America
New Bedford, Mass.
April 11
Ship
Rev. Joseph Goodrich
April 12, 1833
Acd
k in Gen Letter
April 13.
Ansd April 19
�1591
71
Byrons bay Hawaii,
Oct. 21 1833
Rev
Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
My very Dear Sir
Your letter of Dec 21, 1832 was
received in the early part of the summer: being twice attacked
with something like the cholera, vomiting & purging copiously
for about 12 hours each the latter part of Mays: One of the
turns happened the night before I designed to leave for
Lahaina to attend the general meeting, but my health was so
much reduced that I was unable to attend, “any of the natives
also were taken very violently with delirium, vomiting, &
other alarming symptoms many of them said if I had left them at
that time they should all have died. Although I was quite
feeble I attended a good many, bleeding & administering
such medicine as I judged best all that I attended recoverd:
while a number that were taken ill & applied not for medicine
died within 10 or 12 hours after they were taken, the symp
toms did not resemble the Asiatic cholera, those that recover
ed were ready to asscribe their recovery to the blessing of
God on my humble endeavours for their restoration to health
We feel under peculiar obligations to those benevolent
societies that have contributed so freely to aid in the great
& glorious work of evangelizing the heathen, My health having
been feeble I have not been enabled to do so much as I could
ardently have wished, In a tour of thi s Island in January
& Feb last Preached about 60 times in the different villages
thro u g h which I passed. Being somewhat recovered I made an
excursion in Aug through Puna & preached 22 times in all the
principal villages & returned by way of the volcano to collect
specimens for the use of the High School at the request of the
committee appointed to collect what curriousities they could
for the use of the School, there were two places in the volcano
where the red hot liquid lava was running from north to South
at the rate of nearly 3 miles an hour, dashing & foaming Its
firey billows against the massy walls by which it is surrounded.
I go to one or the other out stations as usual when health &
weather will permit, Not many weeks since I just escaped being
taken over a tremdous precipice & dashed to pieces, crossing
over one of the streams on Saturday to an out station in Hilo
the water being high r
my feet slipped I was taken down the stream
�1592
over the rocks some distance before I could recover myself
& escape from the cateract below, I proceeded on however
wet & bruised, & spent the sabbath in preaching three times
to numbers that were disposed to attend & on my return home
on Monday, slipped & fell again over the rocks in one of
the ravines & was so badly bruised that I was laid by for
several weeks the joint letter from this station will inform
you as to the success of our labours among these poor heathen.
You requested a particular account of the shrub aft?
the manner of making the native kapa. There are two kinds
of plants from which the two kinds of kapa are made; the mamaki
& the wauki, both of them a variety of the morus papyrifera or
paper mulberry, the former makes the strongest kapa the process also of making it is more tedious & requires much longer
time, white kapa is never made from this plant. It is the latter
kind only from which the white kapa is made, & is cultivated
in the following manner, the young plants or succours of the wauki
are obtained from other plantations where the crop has been
gathered they are transplanted into places prepared for the
purpose where the land is rich the foundation of an old
building that has fallen down, is quite common they are from
6 inches to two feet high when transplanted, they are kept
clean from weeds &c in the same manner as kalo & potatoes.
If the land is in a high state of cultivation it will come to
maturity in 8 or 10 months generally however it requires about
1 years growth; it is kept trimed to a single shoot, the leaves
are also trimed off within about a foot & a half or 2 feet of the
top . When ripe though it has neither flowers nor fruit, it
is cut down & the back striped off the whole length the inner
back is only used ; it is next put up in small bundles moistened
with water & wrapped in banana leaves from 2 to 6 days sometimes
it is put into water & sometimes not , it is next beaten with
wooden mallets about a foot long with fine longitudinal grooves,
which gives various textures to the cloth according to the
grooves in the mallets, the time occupied in beating it varies
from 2, to 6 or 8 days If they spend but little time in beat
ing it, it is of but little value; the plants grow from 6 to
12 or 14 feet high, & from half an inch to 3 inches in diameter
at the largest end. I know of nothing to prevent its being
cultivated to any extent I believe it is cultivated with ease
in all parts of the islands though not very extensively at
present. The mamaki is cultivated somewhat different, in
order to procure a crop it is only necessary to go Into the woods
& clear away the under brush so that it may dry, when dry it is
burnt over, & the ashes the natives say produces the seed,of the
mamaki, at any rate where there is little or nothing else but
rocks & stones, it springs up full of the mamake so much so
that it is necessary to pull many of the plants that other may
come to perfection it does not require a great deal of labour
except in clearing away the under brush at first; this kind
has both flowers & fruit; but little use is made of the fruit,
I do not knew that it is cultivated on any other of the islands
you will find a pretty full account of the manufacture of kapa
from the wauki in the vol & Stewarts residence at the islands
page 142, 143, 144. I do not think of any thing else that is
�1593
necessary to communicate upon the subject. Mrs. G. joins
in an affectionate remembrance to you & your fellow helpers
in the great & glorious work of evangelizing the heathen,
I remain unworthily yours in the bonds of the Gospel
J. Goodrich
Revd Rufus Anderson Secretary
A . B.
C.F. M.
28 Cornhill
Missionary Rooms, Boston Mass
U . A. America
New Bedford May 20
Ship
Rev Joseph Goodrich
Date Oct 21, 1833
Recd May 1834
Making kapa
(marked)
Ansd Dec 6
�1594
72
Honolulu, Augt 30, 1834
Rev & Dear Sirs,
The printing committee did not think it
to
print in the minutes the proceedings of the general meeting
in relation to Mr. Goodrich, but that a copy be forwarded,
which is as follows.
"The Committee appointed to take into serious
consideration the case of Mr. Goodrich as directed by the
Board, beg leave to state that they have prayerfully attend
ed to the delicate and difficult business committed to them;
that they have conversed freely with Mr. Goodrich, and he
has cheerfully prepared for the meeting the following expression
of his own views & feelings in relation to his past labors as
a missionary and minister of the gospel.
Statement of Mr. Goodrich:
Dear Brother,
In acknowledging my numerous errors I scarcely
know what to say or where to begin. For taking revelation
for my guide as a sure unerring rule of duty, therein do I
find thoseholy men of whom the world was not w orthy deeply
deploring, bewailing & confessing their sins, in the
following language, “I am unworthy of the least of all mercies",
said Jacob; "Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee", said
Job to his Maker "Behold I was shapen in iniquity, & in sin
did my mother conceive me", said David, the man after God's own
heart. To me belongeth shame & confusion of face because I
have sinned against thee," said Daniel. "O wretched man
that I am, Who shall deliver me from the body of this
death", said St Paul.
Such being the language & feelings of the most
holy men that ever lived as sojourners hereon earth, where
can I find language expressive of my guilt & shame before
my Maker & before my brethern. When I turn my eyes within
I find so much to disapprove & so little to commend, I
am almost ready to ask, can there be hope for one who deserves
to be cast off, and no more allowed to take part with you in
the ministry of reconciliation. $ have erred even by departing
from the path of duty, by neglecting to prepare myself as I
ought t o proclaim the insearchable riches of redeeming love.
I have a l s o erred in spending so much of my precious time
in secular employments in instances too numerous to mention,
when I ought to have been engaged in the work of the ministry.
Thoughts have arisen in my mind urging me to lay aside so
many secular concerns & attend more directly to missionary
work, when another thought would arise and press me to get
�1595
the work done off hand as soon as might be, that I
might not be troubled thereby;-but alas! too many &
repeated instances have crowded upon me & left too
little time for study St meditation. I also feel that
I have been a wayward & wandering child and deserved ten
fold more chastisements & afflictions than I have ever
yet suffered. I exceedingly regret that so much time
has been spent in fishing, bullock hunting, mechanical
work &c, which has been to little or no account. I have
fallen so far short of what I ought to be in times & ways
almost innumerable, It grieves me that I have wounded my
dear brethren & the cause of Christ in so many instances
that I hardly dare to utter the language of the humble
penitent,
O wash my soul from every sin,
And make my guilty conscience clear,
Here on my heart the burden lies.
And past offences pain ray eyes.My lips with shame my sins confess,
Against thy laws, against thy grace,
And should thy judgment grow severe,
I am condemned but thou art clear.
Brethren, I ask forgiveness seeing that I have so
often wandered & forgotten my vows. If reproach & blame
fall any where let it fall on me & not on the cause which
is dearer, far dearer to the blessed Redeemer than the
whole universe. I had rather that you would exclude me
from your number than the cause should suffer by my re
maining among you, rather let me go to banishment than that
the cause of Christ should be dishonored by one so unworthy
as I am. The above are in some humble measure my feelings
though I freely confess that they are far, far less, than I
ought to feel concerning my guilt & ill desert. That in
finite w isdome may guide you to devise that which shall be
most for his honor & glory & for the good of the cause of
our blessed Lord in the humble prayer of yours unworthily.
(signed) J. Goodrich.
In consideration of the sentiments here expressed
your committee would submit the following.
Resolved, 1. That this meeting regard with satisfac
tion the spirit manifested by Mr. Goodrich in the above
concessions.
* Resolved, 2nd. That in the opinion of this meeting
the Christian St missionary character of Mr. Goodrich is as
good now as when he entered on missionary work; & that he is
now as worthy as then of the Confidence St patronage of the
Board.
�1596
The Committee has also received the following note
from Mr. Goodrich expressive of his feelings in re
lation to his future situation.
Dear Brethren
You kindly ask me what are my feelings
& wishes. I would humbly and candidly answer, that it Is
my wish to labour unitedly with ray brethren at Hilo as
equals for the year to come that it may be apparent to all
that whenever we may be called to part, that we are of one
heart & one mind desiring only the upbuilding of the Redeem
er's kingdom. As there is some apprehension that the mission
& the cause of Christ may be reproached if I should return
to America just now;- Mrs. Goodrich & I have talked of re
turning on account of our children & my own health also in
times past. Perhaps it may be a year, & possibly it may
be over a year before a good opportunity will offer. Mrs. G .
said that she should be willing to wait a year with the
hopes of getting a passage with Capt. Brayton; Capt Stetson
also may be full about the same time. I wouldtherefore
humbly ask of the mission to allow me the privelege of re
turning at that time or sooner should providence seem to open the way to return. My health I have thought to be some
what better for some months past, & I hope to be able to do
more for the cause of Christ for the time to come than here
tofore.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) J. Goodrich.
In consideration of the above request of Mr. Goodrich
with the reasons he has suggested, & from the fact that his
residence is 90 far from a majority of the mission whom he
should feel it his duty to consult, in case of so important
a change as a return to America.
Resolved 3rd that Mr. Goodrich have liberty to
embrace the first opportunity which he shall consider eligible
for id doing.
Resolved 4th. That it be recommended to Mr. Goodrich
to continue his missionary labor at the Hilo station so far
as health & the cares of his family will admit.
Resolved 5th. That the above concessions and request
of Mr. Goodrich together with the resolutions of the meeting
concerning his case be forwarded to the Board as an account of
our proceedings in relation to it.
Artemas Bishop :
E. W. Clark
:
Wm. P Alexander:
Dwight Baldwin :
Lorrin Andrews :
The foregoing a true copy of the report
Committee
�1597
Attest
Levi Chamberlain :
Reuben Tinker :
Scribes
Prom the minutes of the meeting
“June 23d 1834.
V
The committee to whom was refered the case of
Mr. Goodrich presented their report which was accepted. On
motion, voted that it be considered article by article in
reference to adoption. Each article was considered, some amend
ed & thus adopted, and the report as a whole adopted."
Attest
Levi Chamberlain :
Reuben Tinker : Scribes
Edgartown
May 1
Ship 27
Secretaries of the A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms 28 Cornhill
Boston
Massachusetts
U. S. A.
Report on the case of Mr. Goodrich
Recd May 2, 1835
�1598
73
Byron's Bay, Hilo Hawaii
Dec. 8th 1834
Revd Rufus Anderson,
My Dear Sir .
As the mission have complied
with your directions in respect to myself perhaps it is not
necessary for me to enlarge, as their proceedings will doubt
less be received long before you will receive this communica
tion. Agreeable to Mr. Bingham's request & suggestion, I may
be allowed to make some statements which may serve in some
measure to explain what is past.
What I have dome as a missionary it may be difficult
to relate all, When this station was first taken it was
some time before schools could be set in opperation, When
the natives could be induced to attend schools, Mrs. G &
myself used to keep school 6 hours in a day each day in the
week except Saturday, Mr Ruggles had left us prieveous to
this. the schools were continued for a long time, till teachers
were raised up to teach others. When schools became numerous
it required a considerable portion of my time to select
teachers, & examine them, give them proper directions to
give out books, & received such compensation as they make,
& turn it to the depository wood, kapa, & arrowroot, were the
principal, such were the state of things & they continued
increasing till the fall of 1831, when the scholars amount
ed to 7,587 that exhibited at the last examination that I
had before I left for Oahu.
A large share of my time has been taken up in
medical attendance, almost dally calls for medicine, & to
visit the sick, I kept an account of the numbers of patients
to whom I administered medicence for 2 years & it did not
vary much from 300 patients a year the natives many times
have expressed their obligations for the services that I
have been enabled to render them; when something like fevers
have prevailed among them They said (to use their manner
of expression) that they should all have died if I had not
been here to administer unto them. My missionary labors as
a preacher has been to preach 3 times a week twice on the
sabbath, & once on Wednesday, to attend funerals, when not
too far off; to counsel & divert those who came to seek
advice, & direction, in matters pertaining to their evelasting wellfare. such being the general course of labors when
alone.
My mechanical labors at one time & another have
been considerable; & I did them for two reasons, first by
laboring with my own hands to keep from being too burdensome
to my patrons & by so doing to lessen my expenses, & second-
�1599
ly, because there was no mechanic to be hired here for
any compensation. If I was in want of a door to my
house I had to make it: If I wanted a window I had to
make it, being under the necessity in the first place to
make the tools such as sash planes&c, that I might be en
abled to do with. If a pulpit was wanted for the meet
ing house I had to make it, seats, doors, &c, I have also
labored for other at their request in doing such kind of
work as the above, I have been requested at one time and
another to purchase plank far some of the other stations
this being the only place where such lumber could be pur
chased of the natives, & that could only in small lots at
a time sometimes 30 feet in a day at other time from 50
to 100 feet in a day, & then after that to ship it away to
Kailua, Kaawaloa, Lahaina, & Oahu. When I set about build
ing the house in which I now live I went into the woods &
hewed with my own hands about the whole frame of the house.
Leaving the station at 2 different times to go down to
Oahu to attend to the printing department &c, has broken
in upon my regular plan so that I could not do as if I had
been constantly at my station.
In consulting with my superiors what course I thought
best or wished them to persue in reference to their duties
enjoined upon them by the Board, I replied that it was my
wish for them to do just as they thought best that I had no
will of my own about it They were united in their opinions that
if I was willing to make concessions it would be the happiest
way of healing the difficulty. I therefore cheerfully com
piled with their advice. Mr. Bingham thought it would be
well to make some explanations in refference to some parts
of the concessions as was requested of me verbally in the
general meeting. You will see in the concessions reference
is made to fishing, & bullock hunting, &c The fact was
this, that my asscociate had a fish net given him, I assisted
to fit it up as is the custom to fix nets in our country.
We used to go a fishing, sometime together, & at other time I
went without my asscociate, sometimes 3 or 4 hours was thus
spent in the course of the week, and at other times not so
frequent; by so doing the fami
lies were well supplied with
fresh fish, nothing was said by my associates or those
that were here occasionly said nothing against it. When
some of my other Brethren at the other stations heard of it,
they advised me not to do it, I cheerfully complied with
their advice, & never repeated it in a single instance.
Respecting bullock hunting only in one instance
have I been for that object only & that was when this station
was first taken & that was with the approbation of these
who were with me; the main object then was to take a young
calf & bring it down & rear it that we might have a cow at
some future time. I succeded in taking a calf, but it did not
�1600
live a great while, all the other times that I have been
would not exceed a half a dozen, & always had some other ob
ject in view either to go through Hilo & preach going & re
turning, or to go up directly through the woods from here
in order to find out a suitable place to make a road to
Waimea, as it is now & has been heretofore to go from here
there, I also acted in complyence with the Gov's request,
so that a road is now making through the woody region from here
to Waimea which when it is done it will only be a days journey
from here, to W. now it is 3 or 4 days journey between us.
In Respect to secular or mechanicial labors, it has been more
for other members of the mission then it has been for myself,
some has been done by the request of individuals, & some
by the vote of the mission, some of the members of the mission
said in the last general meeting that they should have thought
hard of me if I had not done as they requested me. A resolution
was drawn up at the general meeting by one of the pioneers, of
the mission stating "that they ought to ask my forgiveness
for having drawn me into those labors as well as for me to ask
theirs.” But as the younger brethren thought that it did not
apply to them, they did not favor its adoption.
Perhaps some explanation concerning the letter that
was written by Messrs. Dibble & Lyman may not be improper.
If they had stated things as they were, the aspect of their
letter would have been quite different For instance where
they state, "that it was contemplated, at the time of his
ordination that his relation to this people as pastor should
cease, whenever the station could be reinforced.” A circum
stance that every individual of the ordaining council denies
of having had such a thought arise in their minds till they
saw it in the letter that was sent back from the Miss Rooms,
They state also "that I had preached but 4 times during the
three month" the fact was that I had preached nine times.
How could they judge of my preaching for neither of them had
heard me preach till 6 or 8 months after that time.
They also mention, “that Mr. G spends an hour & a
half each day in teaching school— & devotes the remaining
hours to business of a secular kind". If I spent only an
hour & a half each day, that was as much as both of them
devoted to schools for one took the school one day & the other
another day 11/2 hour each day. The fact was that at that time,
I was daily attending to the study of the language almost
daily calls to visit the sick & administer medicine, calling
also upon the native from house to house, to converse with
them upon the important concerns of their souls eternal wellfare, daily school also with my own children, I studied & wrote
sermons when I felt able in health. A Physician who happened
to touch in here for the purpose of recruitings the ship in
which he was after a fortnights attention gave it as his
candid opinion as a physician, "that it was my duty to lay
aside entirely the business of a minister, & schoolmaster
�1601
as attend to my health, for it was a duty that I owed to my
self, to my family, & to the heathen." But as I did not
feel it to be right to be doing nothing for the heathen, I
did not comply with his advice.
They also state in their letter that the most of
my time was devoted to labors of a secular kind, Why did
they conceal the part that it was only in complyance with
a vote of the mission, that my time was thus occupied (see
minutes of genial meeting 1832 page 32) I found it a
heavy job to make a standing press to make paste board of
mamaka kapa when my health was feeble, I was also requested
by Br Dibble to make hinges & hang the doors for the meeting house
here, to remodel the pulpit &c, I was also farther requested
by Br. Rogers to make 3 or 4 sewing presses, & a number of
folders for the binding at Oahu; also learning some natives
here to bind books upwards of 500 copies were put up under
my superintendance, also the making of a cutting press for
the Brethren, at Kailua, & another for the High school. I
also made a supply of soap for all the families here for
at least 2 years. such were my labors principally, beside
what was stated in their letter They say "it is believed
by us that no advantage will result to the mission at large
&c" I should like to know why I am requested to make & do
such things if it is of no advantage to the mission. A few
extracts from the letters of some of the other brethren will
show what were their views in respect of some of my secular
labors They were written without knowing that anything had
been written to the Board upon the subject
"June 28-18
'The molasses particularly was very acceptable,
as we had none on hand, & can get none from Kauai, can you
not send us some more. W R"
“Sept 6, 1833
The molasses too was timely as we were just out at
the station. W.R."
Sept 26, 1833 By the Packet from Hilo I reced the molasses which
was very acceptable & is worth $15. I am very glad that you
are able to manufacture the article for the families, & if
it does not cost too much time & attention a saving of ex
pense will be gained to the mission. L C"
"Aug 22 1833 The molasses was received by the Schooner last
from Hilo It was very acceptable as we are just out of good
molasses, & have little prospect of more at present L.C."
There are sevral others of the same import, I omit a copy of them
as I presume it is unnecessary. “Sept 25, 1832. I wish to
enquire how you are gitting along with making paste board We
need paste board very much & must look to you for a supply—
Now cannot you forward by the Waverly when she returns, a
quantity of paste board, I hope that you will be able to do
this I know that you must labor under disadvantages, but I trust
that you will have overcome them & that you will be able to
send from time to time the article down to us, so as to keep
the office supplies with what is needed for the binding of the
�1602
gospels, L C"
Two or three letters from some of the
other Brethren of the same tenor, I would only add in
respect to molasses that this Station has been supplied
with sugar & molasses of my own manufacture, & that with
in 2 or 3 years 10 or 12 barrels have been sent away to
other stations 25 or 6 bbls of sugar, when I first began
to make sugar &c it required much more of my time than
it does now. the natives do about all that is to be done
from one to two hours a day is all that is necessary for
me to spend about it*
It is also farther stated in their letter that "the
inefficiency of Mr G as a missionary was made a topic of con
versation at a social meeting lately held at his house &C"
I knew nothing of the conversation being sick at that time
confined to my bed & of course heard not a word of what was
said in the meeting, Another expression that they make in respect
to my health, "which he says will not admit of the least
application to study" I am confident that I never made such
an expression, for I was daily attending to the study of the
language & writing sermons when I felt able as to health.
After their letter was returned to them from the Rooms &
became public, we enquired why he Mr. Dibble wrote such a letter
without saying a word to us about it & asked what his
object was: he replied without hessitation, "that his object
was to get us away from here" but also said "that there were
things in the letter that he wished was"'
not there, that
he regretted i t & that he did not think that the Board would
make so much of it"
it is I believe stated in the genial letter to the
mission, that Mr Greens letter to one of the Secretaries "was
written with all the freedom of private correspondence" The
letter which was sent back to him has not as far as I can learn
been seen by any member of the mission. Mr. Green did not
attend the genral Meeting; One of the pioneers said to me "that
he thought that is was well he did not attend. For no man's
character was safe where he was prejudiced." I presume that you
would be surprised to know with what freedom he, Mr Green writes
here respecting one and another here on the ground; one or
two extracts from some of his letters may not perhaps be amiss,
"I hear by the by that wooden thing (Mr Johnstone at Honolulu
is making trouble, A shame on him & all his helpers & say J S G"
"I am ashamed of brother Baldwin & unless he does better I shall
give him up, that he should at the communion table abase all
he Mission, & then abase our good Dr. Judd; for the sake of
advocating that indolent, lounging neighbor of yours, is shockingly
abusive, I hope the time will soon arrive when we shall not
blush nor make apologies for calling things by their prosper
names, I will not. & the man who finds no heart white here
to work for the heathen, I will call an idler, so I call & will
call that same Mr. Johnstone, & so the Doct should have Called him
J S G"
�1603
The above extracts were from Mr Green to Mr Dibble Something
like to such expressions was Mr Green's language to one at
a certain time, calling me a hypocrite , in the gall of
bitterness & in the land of iniquity &c, Such also was a
letter that was sent to Kaavaloa, while I was at Dahu, as
I am credibly informed by these who saw the letter, though
my name was not expressly mentioned yet they said that it
was plain enough the he had refference to me saying "Let
us pray that the curse of Hilo may never return.”
Mr Dibble who has tried toget me away from here, has
been under the necessity of going first himsef, on account
of his own health, & also that of his family.
The labors of this station are divided between Mr.
Lyman & myself, my health being such that I am not able to
study & write sermons constantly yet do it the greater part of
time, The probability is that I shall return next fall agreeable
to the voice of the mission if a good opportunity offers, I
wish to find a gratuitous passage if I can, in order to save
all the expense that I can, which has been the principal
reason of my labouring so much with my own hands.
You will doubtless have heard of the lamented death of
Mr David Douglas, a distingiused naturalist sent out by
the horticultural society of London, who has been exploring the
North West regions of America, He came to these islands last
fall, St spent about 3 months here in ray family, after which
he went to Oahu but not finding an opportunity to leave the Islands
He set out to return here in July last but in crossing over
Mauna Kea, He by some fatal step fell into a pit in which was
a wild bull, & was soon killed, as he was found dead shortly
after by some natives passing that way Therewas no person with
him when he fell into the pit. that is we have no knowledge of
any person being with him, as he parted with his guide a few
hours previous.
I will only add, that notwithstanding what Mr. Dibble
has written, Since the last genral meeting there being no
carpenter here that he could hire, Mr D did not hessitate
to call on me to assist in framing & raising his house, to
case his doors & windows to hang his doors &c. This will
serve in some measure to show what I have been under the
necessity of doing heretofore.
*ln which Mrs G joins:
With affectionate salutations to you*
& all your
fellow helpers,
I am Dear Sir very truly though unworthily yours
Joseph Goodrich
�1604
New London, Ct
July 1
Ship
Revd Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
U . S. America
Rev. J. Goodrich
Date Dec 8, 1834
Recd July 3, 1835
Ackd Sep 16 in G. L.
P
52
�74
67 Sandwich Islands
1605
1831-- 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Hawaii, Sandwich Islands, October 20th,
To the Revd Rufus Anderson,
and all whom it may concern?
Rev & Dear Sir,
The sad and painful task again
devolves upon us to give the parting hand to another be
loved Brother & Sister, about to return from us to their
native shores. The Rev. Joseph Goodrich and his companion
Mrs. Martha Goodrich, who have for twelve years past dwelt
at this island as Missionaries, and with us have borne the
burden & heat of the days are now on the eve of departure
with their family to the United States.
The circumstances which have made it their duty
to return are already well known to yourself and the
P rudential Committee, and will not need a recapitulation here:
but for the satisfaction of others, it shall suffice to say,
that the feebleness of Mr. Goodrich's health, the frequent
returns of distressing illness to Mrs. Goodrich, and the
exposed condition ofalarge family of children who are eminently
needing such privileges as an enlightened land can afford,
are in our minds the only & sufficient reasons that justify
their return.
They go in full possession of our liveliest affections
and entire confidence, as a dear Christian Brother & Sister. Mr
Goodrich is a member of our Hawaiian Clerical Association.
Mrs. Goodrich is also a member of the Mission Church, and they
both are in full and regular standing. As such we cordially
recommend them to the fellowship and communion of the churches
in the United States, wherever their lot may be cast. A s
we received them from you, so also we restore them again,
affectionately conmending them to your confidence and patron
age, in the hope that some situation of usefulness may be
found for them, where they may serve God & their generation
with acceptance.
We believe it to be their desire to follow the
leadings
Divine Providence in this as well as in every
other step which they may hereafter take. And had it been
his will to have detained them here they would gladly have
spent their days with us, in the labor of love which first
brought them hither. May the Head of the Church, whose
they are whom they serve, afford them His presence and the
consolations of his spirit, through all the long way which
they are to pass on their homeward v oyage: may be open
unto them a door of usefulness in America, and afford unto
them the continued tokens of His losing kindness, & bring
them & their little ones at length into his heavenly kingdom.
We remain Dear Sir
Affectionately yours,
A Thurston
Artemas Bishop
�Southington 65
June 8
The Revd Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Ms.
U. S. A.
Rev. Messrs. Thurston & Bishop
(Mr. Goodrich's return)
Dated Oct. 20, 1835,
Recd June 9, 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 15 36
Ansd June 18
�75
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
1607
This agreement entered into on this twentieth day
of January 1836 between Ladd & Co oh the one part and Joseph
Goodrich on the other, witnesseth that for & in consideration
of the sum herein after mentioned the said Joseph Goodrich
(being now about to embark for the United States, promises
that within sixmonths after he shall have received a satis
factory release from his engagements with the Am. Board of
Foreign Mission in Boston he will embark on board some vessel
bound for these Islands and as soon after his arrival here
as circumstances will permit, (torn) proceed to Koloa Island
of Kauai and take up hi s residence on the plantation now under the
direction of said Ladd & Co, for the purpose of being a
general superintendant of all affairs connected with a Sugar
& Coffee Plantation and said J Goodrich further agrees to remain
on said plantation for the term of five years. The said Ladd
& C. agree on their part to pay said Goodrich the sum of Eight
hundred dollars per year (torn) good Bills on U. States at
par and also to furnish him with a house and the necessary
provisions for his table. Wages to commence from the date of
the arrival of said Goodrich at Koloa.
(signed) Ladd & Co
(torn)
Copy of Mr. Goodrich's
Agreements
with Messrs. Ladd & Co.
�76
67 Sandwich Islands
1608
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wethersfield Ct July 25, 1836
Rev R. Anderson
Missy Rooms Boston
My Dear Brother
Your kind letter in answer to
mine in June was duly received. and as you suggested that
there was "no special need of haste in our visiting Boston"
I have delayed till the present time.
In complyance with your kind request, I could in
form you, that it is our design with the leave of Providence
to leave here to morrow about noon, in a private conveyance,
& shall hope to be in Boston on thursday evening. As we hope
to see you at that time, it is unnecessary for me to write more
With kind regards to you & yours I remain
affectionately yours in the best of bonds.
J. Goodrich
Revd Rufus Anderson
Secretary of A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
Rev Joseph Goodrich
Date July 25, 1836
Reed July 27—
No answer needed
�1609
77
67
Sandwich Islands
1831 -1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina August 18th 1830
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Having received from friends in America,
through the Board, Materials for a house, it becomes me to in
form you how I have disposed of them. I might have informed
you at an earlier period, but I chose to wait till I had completed the stone house which I commenced in 1826, in order
that I might give you an account of the expence of this at the
same time. When I commenced it, I had very little lumber
on hand, and was under the necessity of adapting my plan to
the materials in possession. The house in 42 feet long & 17
wide, with a Jut back at one end of six feet. There are
four rooms on the floor & a bedroom, a kitchen & dining room,
a sitting room, and a room in whitch I see common native company.
This room I occupy as a study in those parts of the day in which
I allow myself to be interrupted by the common call of the people.
When I moved into the house in Sept. 1827 only two of there
rooms were floored. The other two had small poles laid across
the joist and mats spread on the poles. These constituted our
floors until the arrival of the Parthian, with lumber.
The roof was almost flat, and covered with boards which
the natives hewed in the mountains and then brought a distance of
from three to 10 miles on their backs, Over these I spread five
thick (torn) of kapa dipped in tar. This answered a good
purpose for about two years. I had a small room on the roof
which I occupied for a retired study, when it was at liberty from
company.
This house I found quite too small, for the accommodation
of my family, having no room for our children and none for Miss
Ogden who expects to be permanently connected with with this
station. We are also so central between the other stations as
that rarely more than a few weeks elapse in which we are not
visited by some of the families from the other stations and
are therefore much needed accommodations for th
,s. For these
reasons, with the additional one that the old roof was of
frail materials, I concluded in accordance with the advise
of other members of the mission to raise my house another story.
This I have done the past year & it is now completed, with
a piazza in front. The small house on the old roof I took down
whole, and have placed it under a large kou tree in ray front
yard and still occupy it for a retired study.
The house is now sufficiently large, and would even
in Boston, be considered, convenient, decent and comfortable.
It is finished in as plain a manner as could possibly consist
with neatness and convenience. It is of durable materials
the rooms are all plastered, on lathing prepared principally
by natives, and is painted principally with oil from the native
candle nut, and with a red & yellow ochue from the back side
of this island. It is plastered on the out side and white
washed.
�1610
On the opposite page is a full account of the whole
expense and also of the manner in which that expense had been
defrayed. By "My own funds" I mean those presents which I
have received from American friends and relations aside from
those received through the Board. All surplus articles of
clothing and the like I have expending toward my house.
By real value, I mean the ture cost of the articles. In
presents the real value of articles is what they would be
worth to us in barter, and the nominal is the common market
price. The books were expended procuring stone & lime, native
lumber and native workmen.
Expense of 1st story
Foreign Labour
1000 Hymns and some small
tracts
Building materials from
Depository
Materials by the Parthian
expended on 1st story
Presents from various sources
Board of workmen
My own actual labour, aside from
My own funds
_____ _
Real Nom
143.00 429.33
Funds of the
Board
Real Nom
147.50 208.84
60.00
300.00
139.16
199.79
150.00
200.00
40.00
80.00
general
care, equal to a mechanic for 3 months
Total expense of 1st story.
.143.00.. 536.66
Expense of second story
together with the piazza
Materials from the Board
Foreign labour
Books of various kinds
Presents
My own labour as above
Board of Workmen
Total 2nd story & piazza
Total of the whole house
including my study which is
(torn) separate
97.00
121.50
207.00
249.18
75.00
988.63
300.00
338.75
300.00
30.00
60.00
-- 97.00— 121.50-- 561.18--- 998.75
240.10 530. 83
1,097.84
1,987.38
�1611
Expense of 1st story
Presents &c
Nom
Real
Foreign Labour
1000 Hymns and some
small tracts
Building materials from
Depository
Materials by the Parthian
expended on 1st story
Presents from various sources 41.13
80.00
Board of workmen
My own actual labour, aside
from general care, equal
to a mechanic for 3 months
91.76
160.00
Total 2nd story & piazza
Total of the whole house
including my study which is
(torn) separate
12.00
50.00
90.00
60.00
120.00
7 2 . 0 0 260.00
193.13
60.00
300.00
139.16
199.79
150.00
41.13
120.00
200.00
91.76
240.00
117.00
121.13 3 6 8 . 7 6
Expense of second story
together with the piazza
Materials from the Board
Foreign labour
Books of various kinds
Presents
My own labour as above
Board of workmen
Total Expense
Real
Nom
290.60
638.09
628.76
117.00
800.89
1,786.64
207.00
346.18
75.00
12.00
300.00
460.25
300.00
50.00
90.00
90.00
180.00
730.18 1,380.35
1,531.07 3,166.89
When the parthian arrived with the lumber furnished by the
Northampton friends, the first story of my house was so far
completed that we were liv ing in it. I therefore renounced
all claim to the lumber, with the exception of 1/2 the shingles,
1/6 of the boards and a few of the trimmings. The frame of the
house was assigned to Mr. Andrews together with a proportion
of the board shingles and other materials.
In the completion of my house, I feel that a great
work is off my hands, a work which has occupied not a little
of ray time. I hope hereafter to be able to devote myself more
exclusively to that which is appropriately missionary work.
With gratitude to yourself and those friends, through whose
instrumentality I have been furnished with the means of
providing
comfortable a dwelling.
I am very affectionately yours,
Wm. Richards
�Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Cor Sec A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, U. S. A.
Rev Wm. Richards
April 15, 1831
Ackd Nov. 16
Write Nov. 16
�1613
78
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
Lahaina Monday Eve
XXVI
April 1831
Dear Brother Bingham
When I wrote you last I felt extremely
anxious to see you face to face, rather than to write, The
same I now much desire, though for a diferent reason. There
is a time to speak and a time to be silent. Had I known
all you had to occupy your mind when I wrote last, I should
probably have been silent or nearly so, on the subject which I
introduced.
The present conflict, however much it has been anticipated
requires all our energies— Not that I think the enemy very power
ful, or have any doubt as to the general issue; but it re
quires a great deal of back-aching and heart aching thought—
a great deal of sweet praying and a great deal of Divine direction,
to enable one to manage every thing in the best way in your
present circumstances. Be assured that in my warmest prayers
you are the subject of my sincerest petitions: and I take
great pleasure in the firmest belief, that you are about to
win a victory as important in its consequences as your strugle
is painful. If the enemyt h e mselves do not give a false
report this is theirs desperate strugle, and they already
nearly despair of victory. The Lord alone be praised for
all that his powerful arm is doing.
You will rejoice to hear that Capt Russel formerly
of the swift is now here and will soon be at Oahu.
I wish here to say nothing more respecting my former
letter, than this, You will let it lie until you are relieved
from the violence of your present strugle, and then at the
proper time, I trust it will receive your attention. Should
we meet soon I have not the least doubt you would in a few
moments be fully convinced not only of the truth, of the general
facts alluded to, but also of their importance in the con
nection in which they stand. When I received your letter my
feelings were strong, and I longed to be with you to mingle tears
of joy & sorrow as we have often done, and together pour out
our souls before him, who has always been our Help St our Shield.
Mrs. R. sends her love as the only thing she Is
capable of sending by this opportunity.
Your Brother
William Richards
Rev Hiram Bingham
Honolulu
Oahu
Rev W. Richards to Rev
H. Bingham
Recd at the Miss Rooms,
Feb. 25, 1832
Ackd
�1614
79
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--18 37
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina Island of Maui
Iulai 21st 1831
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Corresponding Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Dear Sir,
At the meeting of the mission
at Honolulu during the last month, I was directed to address
the Prudential Committeeon the subject to which you have
directed our attention, and one which it appears is now
awakening the warmest feelings of the Christian community.
I allude to the subject of a mission to the Marquesas Islands.
Our meeting was held immediately on the arrival
of the reinforcement & the reception of your letters, and the
subject occupied our whole attention for several days. On
the most important points there was but one opinion among
our number.
The general view which we took of the subject, to
gether with the resolutions passed in relation to it, you
will learn from the minutes of the meeting which we send you.
But it is important that we should be more particular.
We are compelled to say that we do not now see
the way open for the immediate establishment of a mission
at the Marquesas Islands. We should however feel ourselves
justified in making a survey, if a favorable opportunity should
occur. The survey however would not be undertaken, with the
expectation that the plan of a speedy establishment would be
found feasible.
Before I proceed to state the objections which
operate on our minds against an immediate establishment, I
ought to mention, that these objections would be worthy of
little consideration were it not that we think there are other
fields to which the objections do not apply, Of this, however,
the Committee will judge when they hear them stated.
I ought also to premise , that we are aware of some
weighty reasons for taking possessions of the field at once.
The most important one of all, is that their increasing
intercourse with foreigners, will render many of their vices
more inveterate. Their superstitions attachment to idols will
however at the same time diminish.
The important reasons in favor of occupying the field
now, are already in your possession, and perhaps you have those
that we have not.
The objections against a mission to the Marguesas
I shall mention, as they operate on our minds again fitting it
out from the Sandwich Islands.
Should a mission be fitted out from this place, a suitable
vessel must be chartered for the purpose.
In the present state of the funds of the nation we
can not think of asking any aid from the chiefs, except of a
very general nature. At this place, a suitable vessel for the
conveyance of a Mission family could not be obtained at a lower
�1615
rate than 600 dollars pr. month. Victualing and manning
her would be at least 200 more. Pour months would be a
very moderate calculation as to the length of time the vessel
must be employed, for the families must be well located before
the vessel could leave, and some time must necessarily elapse
before this could be done.
This would make the expense of a vessel 2400 dollars,
and adding the 20 pr . Cent, for bills drawn, would increase the
sum to 2680 dollars. This is simply for the vessel, without
any outfit for the missionaries.
We do not know that there has ever yet occurred an
opportunity of going to the Marquesas Islands from this place,
under such circumstances, as that a mission family could with
any propriety take passage. We have therefore no reason to antici
pate an opportunity in future, and may be almost stare that if
a mission should be fitted out from here, it must be at an
expense at least as great as the above calculation.
But this leads me to mention
2
We are seriously apprehensive that families could not
in the present state of things be rendered safe & comfortable.
By safe, we do not mean, merely from hostile attacks
of natives. We have learned, many of us by experience, that
it is extremely difficult to anticipate the wants of a family,
going to a strange country. We are fully of opinion that the
health of our number has heretofore been as much affected by
a want of t h e necessaries and comforts of life, as it has by
the change of climate. We are now in different circumstances
and we perceive the improvement in our health. Yet the cir
cumstances of the first missionaries here were far more favour
able than they can possibly be supposed to be at the Marquesas.
Stones were established, and ships were constantly lying here,
from which could be procured, and from which we did, and from
which we still procure a great many necessaries & comforts.
Were this resource cut off we should often be in straitened
circumstances now, ever with our regular supplies, and with the
firm friendship of the whole nation.
I ought also to add that we do not place implicit
confidence In the evidence that a family would be safe from the
hostility of the natives. Our anxiety on this subject would
arrise principally from their frequent wars. Of this however
you have as much knowledge as we, and of itself would not
weigh very much.
3
One of the greatest objections In our minds is the extreme
difficulty of procuring supplies. This is in our minds an
almost insuperable difficulty. Perhaps the Committee have some
definite plan in view. But of this we feel sure, that some
previous arrangement must necessarily be made, or a family
could not with any propriety be left there.
Ships rarely touch there directly from the U. S. A.
& probably would never engage to touch there, so that supplies
could not be sent direct from America, unless it were at a great
expensed. A considerable number of whaling ships now touch
there, but it is usually after spending a season on Whaling ground
�1616
and therefore would not like to take supplies.
They some times go directly from these Islands to
those, but even there ships would not engage to touch there,
for as the eastern winds always prevail, a great proportion
of the ships are driven to the leeward of the Marquesas. We
therefore see no feasible plan but to annually charter a
vessel here to carry them supplies. Were they near by us
as they are the Society islands and would the winds permit
of sailing directly there, we should not think very much over
of this. But in the present state of the funds of the Board,
it is now with us a great objection
4
we feel ourselves too feeble here to spare any of our
number to engage in another mission, We need all the strength
we have to support the stations already taken even without taking
others which to us appear very important.
The whole eastern peninsula of Maui, with probably
nearly as many inhabitants as all the Marquesas islands, has
no missionary. The island of Morokai, with as many inhabitant
as any one of the Marquesas, has no missionary. And these two
places are in the same circumstances, as Nantucket & Cape
Cod would be, if dependant on two ministers located at N.
Bedford. In these circumstances we can not feel that it
would be economy to send any of our number to other islands,
especially while the expense of supporting them at those other
islands would be double what it is here.
Could any Christian merchant be induced to send
a ship yearly to the Pacific Ocean, and thus bring supplies
to the Marquesas & from thense to these islands, the way
would perhaps then be open for the establishment of a mission
there. But in the present state of things, the mission here
& at the Marquesas can not be connected so easily as the one
here & at China.
Perhaps another feasible plan would be to make an
arrangement with the London Missionary Society, so that
supplies might be sent by way of the Society Islands.
The time may not be far distant when there will be a
favorable change in regard to the course taken by the whale
ships, and should they take the Marquesas on their course from
America here, it will remove nearly all the difficulties which
we now feel.
In behalf of the Mission,
I am Dear Sir,
Your devoted Missionary.
William Richards.
�Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Cor Sec A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Rev. William Richards
May 29 1832
Ansd Dec 21st.
ship
�80
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
1618
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina Dec 7th 1832
Dear Brother Anderson,
I wrote you a few days ago giving you a
list of books in my possession, and have also with the last
month written you twice in connection with my associate.
There is one opportunity still remains, and then the season
closes for sending letters around Cape Horn.
There is one unpleasant subject on which I feel it
my duty to write you. When Mr. Stewart was here in 1829 he
took of the Princess &
Kekauonohe, if I mistake not, 120
dollars in money, for which he was to send them elegant
bonnets. He sent two plain bonnets by Mr. Baldwin, at an
expense of $12.50 each and wished me to say definitely to them,
that there was nearly 100 dollars in his hands, and that he (torn)
send the bonnets designed by the next opportunity. Pour years
have now elapsed since he received the money. They have frequent
ly spoken to me on the subject, and unquestionably think very
strange that they do not arrive. Our reputation is involved
in Mr Stewarts I think that immediately on the reception of
this you had better purchast two bonnets, of the first quality, and
if they do not come up to 95 dollars. purchase some lace veils,
or some other articles of female dress— put the name of
Nahienaena on a paper for one, & Kekauonohe for the other, and
then then the box which contains them direct to me. Please also
direct me what to with them with them in case Mr. Stewart should
have sent his, previous to the arroval of yours.
I should not feel so much anxiety, were it not that
during the last 18 months, no member of the mission has re
ceived a line from Mr. Stewart, and report says that he has
married a gay lady of no piety, and that he is now in the
Medeterranian. If he is out of the country, it is not probable
that he will soon if ever send the articles. I have written
to him twice since I received his last, and now inclose an
other letter on this subject. When you send this, if he is in
the country, it may be well for you to write him and request
him to forward any letters or boxes he may have for the Sand
wich Islands, to the Missionary rooms within some given time.
You may perhaps thus know whether anything is sent by him. We
feel a good deal of anxiety on the subject.
I must also tell you, that his South Sea Voyage, has
pained us all extremely. He has painted the scenes in so bright
colors, that we can scarcely trace them, and indeed there are
some that we can not recognize at all. There is but one feel
ing in the mission and that is that he & Mr. Ellis too, are
doing great injury to the Missions of the Pacific. If you
appeal to our letters & journals you will find the important
facts mentioned by them are corroborated, but they have
given them such a colouring as the truth ought never to have
�1619
& can not bear. I can not lay my finger on a single sentence,
and say, that is false, though there are some evident mistakes.
The same remarks apply to Capt. Fincher letter. He saw but
one side, and as the Princess remarked a little while since,
"We shewed them only one side.” As we look back, we now
blame ourselves for the same fault which we change on Messrs.
Ellis, Stewart, & Finch. There is one paragraph in Capt.
"Beechy's Narative" which we believe is truly candid, (though
almost the only one we have noticed in that author’s wrintings)
You will find it on the 146th page of Ellis's "Vindication
of the South Sea Missions". The general ideas of that pargraph exactly express what I would say of Mr. Stewart's writings,
and would take it in some degree to myself.
It certainly is a fact at which we are now alarmed ,
that the good people of America & England have an idea that the
people of the Sandwich Islands are much farther advanced in civilizi
tion and Christianity than they really are. We fear the re
action, which must be felt, when the Christian community know
the truth, especially if they learn it through our enemies.
We must therefore strive to correct the error ourselves. There
is in reality so much accomplished that I do not fear to risk
the reputation of missions, on a candid statement of facts as
they really exist at the Sandwich islands. But in the end I
do believe that it is better for the community to have too low
than too high ideas of the progress of religions principles
here. You are, from your own personal observations doubtless
well aware of the great difficulty of giving the public a
correct view of a heathen people. It is something that can not
well be learned except by long personal observation. The grand
difficulty seems to be, that the difference between a Barbarous
heathen, and a civilized christian is far greater than any
person can conceive who has not actual knowledge an the subject,
gained through his own senses. Perhaps it may be said in
truth, that as much has been accomplished, as the Christian
public, think has been. But still much more remains to be
done than the public generally supposed there was when we
first arrived at the islands; so that the people are now
below the mark which it is generally supposed they have reached.
The minds of the benevolent naturally fix on the brightest
part of what we say, while that which is of a different char
acter does not make a strong impression. This we see most
clearly in those who have recently come from America.
There is one subject in particular in which there is
probably a wrong impression, and that is the virtue of the
female community. There has been much said of the taboos, and
the anger of the sailors, and the mobs &c, & the natural inference
in, that licentiousness, particularly here in Maui, is almost
�1620
stopped. This is not the truth. The females do not visit
ships for prostitution, but our shores are extensively
polluted with this crime. Our laws are probably more
severe on the subject than true wisdom would enact but still
there is scarcely a week passes in which several do not
suffer its penalty. This I should not think much of, were
there not fearful evidence that the crime is very common, even
where it does not come under the eye of the civil law. The
public opinion, independantly of the law, is not yet so much
arrayed against the crime as to present any considerable barrier
to the commission of it, we think there is quite a number over
whom the scriptures exert a powerful influence, and who in
favorable circumstances would without doubt be chaste and
virtuous, and some we think are proof against temptaion. But
this number we fear is small. In New England there are three
great barries against female licentiousness, which are almost
unknown here, and without which chastity would even with you,
be comparitively rare. 1st Public opinion, 2nd Modesty and
reserve, 3d Real ignorance. The latter is not the least.
Here there is no such thing as ignorance, not even among child
ren, and the sexes play together in every immodest manner without
the least reserve, and never contract any thing like modesty or
reserve. The construction of their houses and manner of sleep
ing are also very unfavorable to chastity. It would take a
volume to give a full view of this subject, which I trust no
one will write, though still I think it desirable you should
know some thing on the subject. There must be a general and
a radical change in the manner of educating children before
it is possible that chastity should be a common virtue among
the peoples and past experience would lead us to believe that
generations must pass before this can be effected. We do be
lieve however that progress in religious principle & Christian
civilization will be more and more rapid until the full introduction of the millennium.
I might take up several other partial points on which
the Christian public are deceived respecting the state of
things at the Sandwich Islands. But perhaps I have said enough
for the present.
Our Deputation have returned from the Society Islands,
and in regard to that nation, "our harps are on the willows".
were we now to write you respection our children, we should write
more strongly than formerly & with hearts much more alive to the
subject than they have ever been before. Chastity is almost
as rare among the children of the missionaries as it is
among the natives !!! How much good will those children do to
the cause of missions?!!!
I hope & pray that my children, some of them at
least, will be missionaries, here at Maui, while I sleep
in yonder church yard with the hundred & thousands of those
who now listen to my voice, and wait on my instruction. But
�1621
if they m ust receive all their education here, under the
circumstance a in which they are and must fee, I should have
a thousand times more hope, from Native teachers,and Native
children. The temptations before them when they come to
maturity will be far greater than those before the common
natives. I do not however wish to enlarge on this subject,
as the last votes of the Board are quite satisfactory.
I have as you perhaps know, four sons and two daughters.
Our oldest sons in nine. We think we can keep him here a
while longer, though it must occupy considerable of my time.
Who in America will take the charge of our children we know
not, though we fully believe "The Lord will provide". We
have never questioned our own duty, and having taken the path
which providence has so clearly marked out for us, we can
trust our children with Him. We do feel that there are promises,
emphatically to us and our children, and even though we
should be deceived in ourselves, all the world must ere long
know that the promises of God can not be plead in vain.
We are now left rather alone again at this station.
Mr. & Mrs Spaulding have just left us to try the cold air of
Waimea, Hawaii. Mrs. Spaulding has been growing weak for
considerable time, & we are at length quite alarmed about her.
She was so feeble when she left that we almost feared the effect
even of a 24 hours voyage. But there seemed to be little hope
from any other course ex(torn) change of climate. We love them
much and (torn) not how to spare them. Mr. Spaulding has already
been exceedingly useful in his school, and Mrs. S. if she had
her health, would perhaps be equally useful with her husband.
They have both first rate qualifications for missionaries. If
they should not return to this station perhaps Mr. & Mrs Tinker
will take their place as they can not embark for the Washington
Islands at present if at all.
My own health continues good, though I have almost
every day some rheumatic pains, and really feel myself to be
growing old.
Mrs. R. is as usual, feeble, but not sick,
and our six children are all blessed with health. Our lives
On the whole pass pleasantly away, though our cheeks are often
bedewed with tears, and we are compelled to feel that this
is not a place of rest", but we look for one to come, and if
it is but the "rest of the Saints", it surely will be season
able.
With kind remembrance to Mrs. A. b oth by myself
& Mrs. R. I am, dear Brother,
Yours Affectionately
Wm. Richards
�Rev Rufus Anderson
One of the Sec. A. B. C . F. M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Rev. Wm. Richards
Oct 25, 1833
Ansd Dec 18, 1833
Mr. Hill wrote Nov.
Mr. Stewart
Date Dec 7, 1832
wrote Mr. Stewart,
Jan 10, 1834
�81
67 Sandwich Islands
1623
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina Sept 4th, 1834
To the Rev. Rufus Anderson, one of the Secretaries
of the A. B . C. F . M.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
Your letter of the 18th
Dec, last, I received in June. The box containing the
bonnets for the Princess and Kekauohe have also come to hand.
They have been forwarded to them at Oahu; but I have r e
ceived no intelligence whether they were in good state or
not.
I did not unseal the cases.-— I have received no
letter from Mr. Stewart since he was in Glasgow, and no
intelligence from him since he was in Paris.
I was glad to see a view of the adverse circum
stances in our mission, as contained in the Herald, or
rather the Report. That view answers well instead of the
circular, ordered by the Mission, but suppressed by the
Printing committee.
I feel that it is almost a matter of course that
friends will get too exalted a view of what is effected
here, while enemies will undervalue and ev en stigmatize
the most important changes, and most animating improvements.
If we who are on the ground differ in our views & in our
accounts of the state of things, it is not strange that
those who are thousands of miles distant should differ also.
It is however a pleasing fact, that those who have been in
the same circumstances for judging, have never materially
differed in opinion. All the missionaries, who visited Lahaina in
1825 had the same views respecting the interesting excite
ment which existed.— All who were at Kai lua in 1828 formed
the same opinion respecting the work which was then going on
there.--All who visited Hilo about the time the Vincennes
was there, spoke in the same animated terms, respecting the
extraordinary attention at that place, and the whole mission
acted under animated views when they voted to send a new
labourer to that poet. The same general remarks might be
made respecting a number of other cases of excitement, and
important occurrences in the mission. As I have alluded
to Hilo, I wish to say that the criticism of Mr. Stewart’s
Journal sent to you a year ago, though sent by the association
did not express the opinion of the association.
It was
however wrong that it went without a full explanation. We
have all mourned over Mr. Stewart’s Journal on account of the
high coloring it gives to the changes here, but none who had
any personal acquaintance with the facts at the time, consid
ered the criticism just.
I f ully believe that you, or any
�1624
other Christian of ardent feeling, would have written much, as
Stewart did, unless restrained by some circumstance or motive
which was not presented to him. We, now, perceive the danger
of speaking in strong terms even of encouraging things. That
danger he did not perceive, and neither did we at that time.—
This leads me to speak of another subject on which I ought to
hav e written a year ago.
I refer to the communications of the
committee respecting Brother Goodrich.
It is now too late to conceal that we have in some
respects been tried with him, even from his first arrival on
mission ground.
Indeed the trial commenced farther back and
if I mistake not, was felt, by some members of the committee,
previous to his embarcation.
I know of no new trait in his
character which has been disclosed on the Sandwich Islands.
His mind is such as might naturally he expected in a man,
who has a partial acquaintance with almost every mechanic
art, and a natural tact at almost every kind of manual labor.
He has not manifested that warmth of feeling, and that engaged
ness in the appropriate work of a missionary which he ought?
& I have often talked with him about it. He has uniformly r e
ceived reproof with meekness & as far as I could judge with a
Christian Spirit. Where advise has been given as to any particu
lar thing which he ought to do, he has almost without exception
been ready to do it. But still the general outline of his
character has remained essentially the same. After a thorough
acquaintance with h i m . the association thought best to ordain
him. There were some who doubted as to the propriety of that
step, among whom I was one. But in 1829 there was not a dis
senting voice to his being appointed pastor of the church, though
there was at the same meeting provision made for his having an
associate. With all his faults it was then thought that he was
a useful man, and it was evident from the report of all who visit
ed Hilo at that time, that the Holy Spirit was owning his labours.
He might in some respects have been more usefuly by a permanent
residence at Oahu, but as his most vulnerable point is in his
treatment or intercourse with foreigners, it has on the whole
been the uniform opinion that that was not the post for him. He
has therefore been continued at Hilo, though he has in several
instances been removed for a season, to answer some special purpose.
He has been as ready to follow the direction of the mission as
the rest of our number have been. The study was never his
home, but since he has received direct advise from the association,
which was about 3 years ago he has written at full length a
considerable number of sermons, and probably advise rarely
produces a greater effect than it has done in h i s case.
In the
garden & the workshop he is at home.
But I an far from thinking
that his time spent there has been lost. The natives have
learnt from him many things which they could learn from no one else,
& though it would be better that the knowledge should be con
veyed by a secular man, yet, perhaps it had better be conveyed
by him than not conveyed at all.
�1625
Those who have lived at the station with him, re
late some facts which when looked at in a detached state,
appear very unaccountable, and without explanation, unchristian.
I do not suppose however that it Is your wish that I should
enter into an examination of them.
I have feared however
that some letters which have been written, spoke more strongly than
they should have done, though I would not by any means lay it
to the charge of a missionary brother that he felt somewhat strong
ly, particularly if he could not look back and see the past.
It
is however hardly just to judge of any m a n ’s character from
detached facts. Had Mr. G. remained in America, no one acquaint
ed with him would have expected that he would have made even
a respectable appearance as a Minister. But I have no doubt
he would have sustained a good and respectable character as a
c hristian mechanic. As much as this should be said of him here
& then added that as a minister he has done much more than he
could probably have done there. Since Mr. G. f irst learned the
feelings of some of his brethren towards him and particularly
since he saw the letter from the Committee, his health has
suffered materially. The physicians think that it has been al
most wholly from the state of his mind. He has some of the
time been in rather a d ispairing state of mind. He is now however in a better state of health; and in a better state of mind;
though I think his usefulness in materially diminished, and
probably there would be no doubt as to the expediency of his
return to America, were it not for the great excitement which
it would produce among the foreigners here.
He is more beloved
by them than any other member of the mission. While Mr. F uller
was here by him the foreigners got hold of some facts in relation
to Mr. G. & the mission, which have have led them to watch very
closely, & should he leave now, I should fear it would do more
hurt than for him to remain.
I think you should not be left in ignorance as to
the state of feeling manifested by Mr. & Mrs. G. since the
reception of your letter.
I should have copied some of their
letters to me had I received them seasonable to have sen t
them last fall.
I will now make some extracts.
Mr. Goodrich wrote to me under date of
Nov. 1st 1833,
"Your kind & affectionate letter came safe to
hand, a little predeeding the others which should have accompanied
it.
I was not a little surprised to learn what kind of a letter
had gone home from this station.
I knew a letter was sent which
I was not allowed to see & therefore had some suspicions respecting
its contents.
In addition to the secular business mentened in
that letter It should have mentioned, that about that time, I
was at the request of the brethren, making & hanging the doors
of the Meeting-house, 8 in number,--cutting down and altering the
pulpit— making a press which is now in opperation for making paste
board of Ma m a k i kapa— attending to numerous calls of the sick
for medicine--and daily visiting among the natives to converse with
their souls, & at the same time in a miserable state of health.
I
�1626
think now that I did not do so much as I might have done,
but my heart was then sinking within me.
I felt myself
friendless & forsaken, and I presume no one on earth
knows the anguish of spirit that I endured that year
down to the general meeting.
It does however seem to me that
peace may even now be restored, not only to my own mind,
but to those around me, if we do but exercise that charity
which suffereth long and is kind.
I hope & pray that I may
exercise that meekness & forbearance which becomes a follow
er of the meek & lowly Jesus. Most cheerfully & cordially
would I forgive though I may not be forgiven.
though my crimes may exceed the number of those
specified, & I be undeserving of forgiviness, yet I humbly
trust that my brethren will be ennabled to do that which will be
most for the honor of Christ, & the glory of his precious
name, & the advancement of his cause, whether it be by forgiv
ing one another in love or by letting the whole subject be
known to the world.
If the honor of religion and the good of the
cause requires that there should be a public investigation,
I hope that I may be the last to o ppose i t .-"May the will of
the Lord be done".
May the Lord guide the mission in that
unerring way, which will be most for his own glory, and
the greatest advancement of the cause of our dear Savior among
these heathens, that souls many be saved.— Advise me freely,
my dear brother, & reprove me where I am wrong, & may the Most
High guide you and keep you from the errors into which I have
fallen.
You may think that I mean to criminate my brethren,
Par be it from me. Neither would I attempt to justify my
self, for I have grievously sinned and erred from the path
of duty.--- -Judge & act dear brother as God shall give you
wisdom, though I should be covered with shame & confusion."
The following was from Mrs. Goodrich to me of
the same date.
The letter contained four full sheets.
I
shall only make some extracts.
"My dear Brother
After long consideration & many conflicts in
my bosom, whether I ought to take such a step, I have concluded
to write you on account of the things which have transpired
since my return from Lahaina.
I do it, confiding in your
kindness & christian charity, and believing that if I do wrong,
you will kindly tell me wherein I err, and not expose me to
others any farther than you shall consider it for the glory
Of God and the good of immortal souls.
I do it, praying that
God would grant me the right spirits and that I may say nothing
but what is the most perfect truth without the least exageration.
I will commence by saying, that when I left Lahaina, I rejoiced,
I felt that a brighter day was dawning for Hilo— I felt that
�1627
Mr. G . was the very person to some here, that he was full
of zeal in the cause of Christ, and that he would go right
forward and supply what was wanting in my h u s b a n d . -- 1
very well recollect the state of the people at that time.
My husband had been with them alone for two months. He had
exhorted them to love and good works, and so far as we could
judge, they were in a most pleasing state of mind, and many
of them under the opperations of the Holy Spirit— That blessed
comforter was then present, And Mr. Green spoke of the favor
able state of things, and said he though we ought to improve
it in commencing a Sabbath School, which was accordingly done.
But oh, when I think how the Holy Spirit was grieved away—
how soon his blessed influences were withdrawn , that we have
very little, reason to believe he has been with us since for
any length of time, I mourn, and feel grieved.
Perhaps we are
the cause.
If so, certainly we ought to be removed.--- -I will now give you, my dear brother, a history of things since
our return from Oahu.— Before Mr. Goodrich went about making
sugar, he asked the opinion of Brother Green & Lyman respecting
the propriety of it, & from what they said Mr. Goodrich con
cluded they approved of his making it. He accordingly set
about it, not even supposing that there could be any thing out
of the way in it, as it took up but very little of his time,
probably not an hour a day upon an average. He attended also
to the binding of books, & making a press for paste-board,
which was no small task. When he got that done, he attended
to making the paste-board. When I was in my school he took
care of the children, & as we understood Mr. Dibble thought it
a good way of doing good to go out among the people to converse
with them, we made it a general rule to go; he at 11 oclock,
& spend the time in that way until 12, and at 1 oclock I would
go, & he would take care of the children while I was gone.
Look, brother Richards, at the manner in which my husband spent
his time as a general thing, there must of course have been
exceptions. He felt that it was for his health to spend the cool
hour before breakfast in the garden. After breakfast, & family
worship, he spent, perhaps another hour in labour, according,
as he supposed to the wishes of his brethren.
Then he went to
his study, sta id there unless called out to wait on the natives,
until 11 oclock— from 11 to 12 conversing with the natives upon
the things that concern their souls— then the dinner hour-from 1 until 2, taking care of the children, that I might have
the opportunity of trying to do some thing for the natives —
the next hour and a half in his school and on his return I
went into mine & he had the care of the children again--------Though I state these facts I do not think but what
my husband has often been in an error. I do feel that he has
been & I have told him so many a time, & I rejoice that I can
now say that I believe my reproofs have done him good, & it
was in consequence of what he flaw me feel for him at the time
�1628
of general meeting
of God to humble &
proved, and he has
sermons, than ever
pare his sermons. —
that he was brought through the blessing
deep repentance.
His health has much im
done much more in the way of writing
before.
He has taken great pains to pre
-------------- ------- --------------------
Do you not think, dear brother, that it is our duty to return
to America? So far as I am concerned, I am ready to say, here
we are, send us home, if you please, although poverty & perhaps
disgrace await us there.
I had rather be there, after all that
has passed, than here.
I have the comfort of thinking that by
leaving the Islands, I shall not leave the work of the Lord.
If I am a Christian I shall find enough to do for my Lord and
master in America.
I shall at least suffer all his holy will,
and at length be received to the mansions of rest. Yes, dear
brother, I am willing to go to America.
I shall in some
respects rejoice in that kind dispensation of Providence, that
leads me and ray little family there, although at present I
feel deeply tried, deeply afflicted, and ray heart at times
almost ready to break.
I feel comforted with the thought, that
whom the lord loveth he chasteneth.
If ye suffer chastisement
then the Lord dealeth with you as with sons. And 0, how
precious the evidence that we are the children of God, even
though we gain that evidence by correction for our sins.
I
feel that I need all that I have suffered.
I have been a
wayward, wandering child, and if God sees that I need affliction
to bring me to the right place, I ought to be willing that he
should afflict me just in the manner he sees best, although it
be exceedingly trying to nature. No doubt I need to be tried this
very way. God knows perfectly well.
It might have been very
different, but G od did not see fit that it should be.
It was
his holy will that I should come on this mission, just as I
have done; that this should be my lot, rather than that I should
be settled in affluent circumstances at home, which might have
been the case, had he not given me a very strong desire to go on
a mission.
He knew best, & I trust I acquiese in his holy will,
& feel that all is right.
If it is through such tribulation
I must enter the kingdom of heaven, it will be sweet enjoying
that heavenly rest at the close of my pilgrimage here below. Do
you not love to think of Heaven, & that glorious company who
came out of great tribulation, having their garments washed and
made white in the blood of there Lamb? 0, to be clothed,
even here, with the spotless robe of the Saviors, and with humility
as with a garment, with charity which covereth a multitude of
sins, and with all the Christian graces.--------------------If Mr. G. has erred, I hope the brethren will all
think of him who maketh them to differ, & be thankful that they
have been kept, by the power & g race of God.
I do hope the
brethren will treat Mr. G. the short time he remains with them,
just as they will wish they had done when they meet him at
the bar of Christ.
If the investigation of the subject must
come up at the next general meeting, I do hope that each brother
will try to put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness;
that they will be faithful, tender & affectionate— that love
may preside in every meeting, & that there may be nothing to
�1629
prevent the presence & assistance of the holy Spirit, which
will be especially needed at such a time.----- ----- -------I have thought much since this subject came up that if we do
go to America according to the wishes of the brethren, the
time will come, when they will think of Mr. Goodrich— when
they will wish they had treated him in a different manner.
Is there a man In the mission who has manifested a greater
willingness to be a hewer of wood & drawer of water, or to
put his hand to any kind of work, if necessity required for
the general good?
If he has made somethings for the com
fort of his family, I know not how it can hardly be called labor in
g for himself.
If we go home, those things will be left
for the use of the mission. We, of course, shall not take
them with us.
The house where the principal part of his labor
has been bestowed, will be ready for the comfort of those who
live at the station.
I do not pretend to excuse him for la
boring so much.
I think It was wrong.
It would have been
better had he attended more to the instruction of the people
and let other things go. Still as his turn of mind was such and
we needed a house, he had a great temptation to attend to it.
I know it was a pitty he did not resist the temptation.
It
would doubtless have been better, had he let building alone &
all other secular employments, and attended to the one great
work of saving souls. May others be warned by his example, to
beware of getting too much engaged In the same w a y .-------And now, Dear Brother, if I have done wrong in writing
this letter forgive me, and do not expose me to others, but
write and faithfully repr ove me, that I may do so no more.
If
I have said any thing disrespectful let me know it. My opening
my heart in this manner has relieved it of a heavy burden.
I
feel comforted, & if I have done wrong, I trust it has not been
from any bad motive. You will excuse me when you think of our
peculiarly trying situation.
If I have gone out of my place as
a woman, you will tell me so, or if I have overstepped the bound
of propriety in writing this letter. A t all events, I wish
you would write me and tell me your own private opinion about
our going home.
I wish you also to request the other brethren
on Maui to do the same, each one for himself.
It will be a
comfort to know how the state of feeling Is. When you write
again to my dear husband, tell him your real feelings in regard
to his case, & give him your best advise.
I really feel as if
the brethren have a great work to d o — to treat him Just as he
ought to be treated, in the best manner to lead him to repent
ance if he is wrong— They ought to aim at nothing less than that
he should become an eminently pious & devoted man. Tell me
plainly too whether in writing this letter, or in any other
if mine in regard to this subject, as far as you know, I have
done wrong— Tell me whether I show a wrong spirit.
I can not
�1630
judge for myself.
I think I have trusted in the Lord, and
prayed earnestly for direction, and assistance. I feel as
if I had it, but yet I may be deceived, & if you think I
am wrong, inform me of it the first opportunity, for my
own improvement, that I may know wherein I err.
Perhaps I
never felt so much my need of heavenly wisdom as I do now.-------I do not mean to justify either my husband or my
self in any thing that is wrong or contrary to Gods holy
word.
I feel that this trial has come upon me on account of
my unfaithfulness in the cause of Christ, & because I have
not been a more devoted missionary. I feel as if I could say,
both in regard to myself and husband, we have erred; we have
exceedingly.
God has been, merciful, kind and gracious in
dealing with us, just as he has done.--Perhaps you, and other
dear friends, may think that I am now overwhelmed with sorrow.
But it is not so. He has given me light in the midst of
darkness, and even now, I am rejoicing inthe Lord, and Joying
in the God of my salvation.
I did feel very much tried at
first.
Sabbath evening Dr. C. brough over your letter to him
& read it to us.
I felt bad, felt that we had been treated
unkindly— Slept none of consequence that night— Monday I
felt as if I was sinking in deep water through the day & evening--Tuesday I was more composed and commenced writing to
you, spent almost the whole day in that manner— in the even
ing called over to see sister Dibble & had a precious season.
This morning awoke with the same calm and composed fee l ng
which I had yesterday and last night; and now I can say, I
have a peace which passeth all understanding.
I feel that
God is doing right— that all will be well--that I would not
wish to order my future steps, but leave all with him.
Let
him govern, while I lie passive in my feeling today. How I
shall feel tomorrow God, only knows, "O for a closer walk with Go d
"A calm and heavenly frame,
a realizing sense of eternal things, before which all these
trials will vanish like the morning dew before the rising sun.
Brother, forgive me for taking up so much of your
time.
I think if this letter s hould be seen by all, it might
injure me, perhaps it will injure me in your estimation.
I
feel inclined to send it however, believing you have prudence
to guide you & sufficient regard for me not to expose any part
of it which you think will injure m e . If you do not approve of it
at all please correct it and return it to me.
If you do not
on the whole disapprove of i t, let me know it for my comfort,
for I shall be anxious respecting it until I hear from you----Dear Brother, in conclusion, I would say, We are
deeply afflicted, but we s ee through the dark cloud, a kind
unerring hand, guiding us and comforting us. Do remember us in
you prayers at the throne of mercy. This is the feeling of us
both.
If the mission advise us to go to America, we should
try to go cheerfully, believing it to be duty. Excuse me to
�1631
Mrs. Richards, as I shall n ot be able to write to her now.
Love to all at your station--I subscribe myself.
With grateful feelings, Your affectionate
Sister”
Signed
Martha B. Goodrich
I have made much longer extracts than I designed,
but I trust not longer than you will be interested in read
ing .------------------------There was a remark in your letter respecting the
small portion of time devoted by Mrs. Goodrich to the natives.
Though I may injure the reputation of the other ladies, yet
in behalf of Mrs. Goodrich I feel bound to say, that no
married female of the mission, after being ton the ground three
years has ever spent, regularly, so much as two hours a day in
labouring directly for the natives.
Indeed the idea is
entirely erased,
I believe from all our minds, that a married
woman can long do much by direct labor for the people, or
rather those who have the care of a family of children.
Near
ly all, when, they first come on mission ground, commence schools,
and some have continued them till they have two or three child
ren; but after that, it is out of the question, The principal .
that they do is, by general influence in training their families;
by receiving visits and some times making them, and by attend
ing occasional meetings among the native females.------Probably Mr. & Mrs. Goodrich have written you for
themselves, but as I know nothing what they have written, I
have taken the liberty to say thus much, which is much more
than I thought of when I began.----— ----—
You request in your last letter that I would give
you some further account of my views of the excitement here,
which you in America, called a revival.------Early in the year 1825, the people here began for
the first time to manifest an interest in religion.
Our
audience on the sabbath was in the course of a few weeks more
than doubled— Occasional meeting were thronged,
Hundreds &
perhaps thousands in the course of a few months commenced
family prayer. Great multitudes called daily to converse
on the subject of religion— It seemed to be the common topic
of conversation among the people, and the minds of many seemed
to be entirely absorbed in the subject.
Our own hearts were
cheered and we felt that a new era had dawned on the Sandwich
Islands. Multitudes professed to believe in and love the Savior,
and some manifested a warmth of of feeling. We have since
that period received, 227 persons to our church, more than half
of whom, if converted at all, were probably converted about
that time, and many of the rest received their first impression
then. The fruits of that excitement too are now the most
stable and hopeful members of our church.
There have been two
or three periods of excitement since of a similar character,
but none so remarkable as the first.
Now whether these inter-
�1632
esting seasons deserve the name of revival or not, you
must be the judge.
It may be remarked that almost every term in
our langage when u sed to describe the people here has a
shade or meaning different from what it has when used with
you.
We speak of a king ! What was he when we came to
the islands, or what is he now? We speak of a c h u r c h !
That is, in every case but one, a lofty, hollow hays tack !
We speak of houses, but it is only here ad there one, that
a Hew Englander would suspect could be the residence of
h uman beings, especially should he look within. We speak
of schools; but with you, nine tenths of them would be a
disgrace to the name, and would not be recognized as such,
& even our High school can not muster so many books in the
language as are required in the merest infant school with
y o u !
If then, we use other words in or somewhat different
sense when applied to things here, from what we do when applied
to things in N. England, then of course the word r e v i v a l
may be used in the same way.
The question you ask, is in
my mind merely a question of propriety as to the use of terms.
The facts are clear. There was a great excitement on the
subject of Religion— The Holy Spirit was evidently here , a large
number, jud ing by their fruits, became christians, No bystand
er could doubt on this subject, unless he doubt "whether there
be any Holy Ghost or no,"
after making these remarks it is proper to add, that
the solemnity of N. E ngland revival was never conceived of,
much less enjoyed at the Sandwich islands.. The intense feeling
of a convicted sinner, the heavenly peace and joy of the
young convert, the breathless silence of the conference room,
with you, are things which we do not witness here. When we
think of the revivals we are witnessed in our Native land,
we can not hear our excitements at the Sandwich Islands call
ed by that name, without a sigh--But when we contrast these
seasons of excitement with that Beliel like state in which we
some times see the people, then, no term is strong enough to
convey an adequate idea of the charge.
The tender interest with which you speak of our
children, and the course which the Committe is pursueing
in relation to Missionary children generally draws out hearts
towards you, and gives us a confidece in your Paternal care,
and indeed in all your movements in relation to us, which
would never be so effectually awakened by any other means.
I design to write you a separate letter respecting the state
of my family.
I shall therefore not say much here.
I will
just remark however, that we do not design to send any of them
to America immediately.
Our fourth child, a daughter is al
ready adopted by Mrs. Emerson of Newburyport, but she will not
probably go thier two years yet.— I shall not fail to inform
you from time to time of all that it is necessary you should
know, in order most effectually to cooperate with us in promot
ing their good. The time is not far distant, when the character
and condition of the children of missionaries will have a most
important hearing on the missionary cause. May God give you
& the Parents wisdom and guide us all, in relation to this dark
�1633
subject.
Mrs. R. & myself often talk of you & yours, with
interest, and she now joins me in the most affectionate
salutation to yourself & Mrs. A.--Never since our separation
would I have given more for a personal interview, than
n o w . For a dozen years, never have I met a man whom I could
recognize as an "Old Friend” How much would I give to meet such
an one. But I hope soon to meet, not one, but many. Sure
ly the toils & cares and anxieties, and imperfections of
this life are well calculated to make us prize just such a
place as heaven is.
Where may we meet, & it shall be enough.
With unabated affection, I am
Dear Sir
Your Christian Brother
William Richards
Rev William Richards
Date Sep t 4, 1834
Recd July 3, 1835
Case of Mr. Goodrich
Former revival at Lahaina.
Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
Ansd Sep 19
�1634
82
67
Sandwich Islands
1831-- 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina Islands of Maui
Sandwich Islands ct, 15th 1834
To Rev R. Anderson or
one of the Secretaries of
the A. B. C. F. M.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
The subject of this letter
will be to you as it is to us, one of the most painful interest.
I have delayed writing it, longer than I should otherwise have
done from the hope that I have tried to cherish that there might
yet be some m i t i g a t i n g circumstance, or some sign of repent
ance that I might mention in connention with the painful his
tory which I must now give you.
But alas ! I have waited in
vain. Every week brings with it new evidence, that some of
our most fondly cherished hopes are blasted for ever. The last
public letter may in some degree have prepared your minds
for this intelligence.
In that letter we mentioned that our
tears were often called to flow for the princess whom we saw
standing on slippery ground, and exposed to the same aweful
vortex in which her brother had already plunged. The year
has proved that our fears were but too well founded.
In Oct. of 1831 she was guilty of intoxication for
which she made a public confe sser, & we hoped was truly penitent.
As far as we had opportunity to know, she entirely laid aside
the use of intoxicating drinks and in her public addresses as
well as in her conversation with us condemned the use of them
in full. We saw nothing new to excite our fears, except such
things as were mentioned in our general letter, until March of
last year.
There were then several of her young companions
who kept in the same house with the Princess who were found in
toxicated and when they were called for to be punished, the
Princess refused to deliver them up.
Our suspicions were then
excited anew, and were never releived, though we could get
no direct evidence that the Princess was herself involved.
After this she in most respects appeared as well as she had done
within two or three years. Her moral character as far as we
knew was untarnished, except in the respect above mentioned.
About 10 days after the date of our last public letter, she
commenced a tour round the back part of this Island, during
which we heard several things unfavorable to her Christian
character.
She neglected religious meetings almost entirely,
and even when we wrote you last, was often absent, and when
present did not show that her mind and heart were there.
In
December, Hoapili came up from Oahu & as he was about to
return, she proposed to accompany him; and asked my approbation.
�1635
I hesitated: I was well aware that she was on dangerous ground.
At Oahu she would be more directly exposed to strong tempta
tion, but there were several chiefs who would exert a restrain
ing influence. Here there was no chief, and I perceived my
influence over her to be diminishing.
Opposing her wishes too,
where I could not make her feel the reason, I had found to
have a bad influence.
I consented to her going, at the same
time she gave her promise to return in a few weeks. The first
sabbath in January was to be our season of communion, and
Hoapili proposed to remain until that was past.
On the week
previous to communion
, we usually observe a day as a
day of fasting and prayer preparatory to the interesting
occasion. This we did on that occasion, & the Princess spent
most of the day while out of meeting, at my house. The season
was a solemn, one & I had strong hopes that the motives set
before her on that day would have an abiding influence on
conduct and character.
I had so much apprehension respecting
her anticipated visit at Oahu , that I endeavored in the full
est degree to free my conscience, and to labor with her as
though it were the last time. She wept floods of tears during
the day & I could but hope that they were the tears of the
Christian, so that when w e parted I had many hopes mingled
with my fears.-------The evening previous to her embarcation I was sent
for by Hoapili & on going to his house found him & the Princess
by themselves conversing on the subject of her marriage. A
young chief had been proposed to her, whom she objected to
marry, on the ground of his being a man of suspicious character,
and manifested a decided preference to Leleohoka, the son
of the late Kalaimoku.
The gov. then proposed that she should
make only a short visit to Oahu, & that immediately on her
return, a vessel should be sent to Hawaii, and that Gov. A d a m s ,
the guardian of Leleohoka, should be invited to come, and
take the young chief with him. With this the Princess appeared
pleased at the same time saying that in case they should be
married, the time of our General meeting would be a good time,
and If the marriage should take place at Hawaii, which was
already known to be Gov. Adams's
wish, she proposed that
I should accompany her and the other chiefs there, to which
I assented. After this conversation, I felt less anxiety
as to the result of her visit at Oahu, She left Lahaina
on Tuesday, January 7th. As we parted on the beach, while she
had hold of my hand, she alluded to the conversation of the
evening before, implying that she should not be gone long,
and that soon after her return she hoped to accompany me to
Hawaii.— That was our last interview, & we may not soon meet
agai n . Several persons of influence and good standing in the
church accompanied her, & from them I received frequent communi
cations respecting her & the course she was pursuing. For
several months, t h e y uniformly spoke favorably of her.
I also
received three pleasant letters from her own hand; one written
in January, one in February and the last in April.
In one of
�1636
them, she spoke particularly of the day of fasting, and my
charge to her, which she said she had by no means forgotten.
About the last of May, I received a letter from one of my
correspondents, expressing great anxiety respecting the
Princess & requesting me to go down immediately & use my
influence with her to induce her to return immediately to
Lahaina. About the same time I received a letter of similar
purport from one of the missionaries. The state of my family
would not allow of my going down, I therefore wrote to her
and also sent a very special message by a woman, who I thought
would be most likely to gain access & have influence over her.
The letter she received, but the messenger never gained access
and consequently did not deliver the message. The intelligence
from her continued to be more and more discouraging until
Friday the 25th of July, when I was suddenly awaked at 4 oclock
in the morning by the arrival of Ii one of our most ding u ished
church members who had been residing with her. The moment
I opened the door, in his countenance, I read the news, but
was by no means prepared to hea r it in all its aggravation.
I was well aware that she was exposed to become intemperate
and even to some other vices.
But I had never even feared that
she would so abandon herself to disgrace in this life, and
distruction forever, as to live in an incestuous connection
with her own brother ! This she had done and had done it too
in opposition to the remonstrance of every chief of distinction
who could get access to her.
It was no hasty act, but she
had evidently deliberated on the subject, and in full view of
the awful crime, and well aware of the disgrace that would
follow the commission
of it, she laid her plans so that the
design could not well be frustrated, and then the crier went
out and proclaimed the ignominious u n i o n ! The entreaties of
her guardians and Christian friends, the authority of the
chiefs and the authority of God were all alike disregarded
& her common associates who she feared would oppose her, were
all driven from her presence, and the house was patrolled
by the kings armed guard to prevent their return. As soon as
I received the news, I immediately wrote to her entreating
her, by the vows she had made to God, the promises she had
given me and the world, the high character she had sustained,
the dying charge of her mother, the interests of the nation
and the eternal interests of her own soul to at once abandon
the course she was p u r s u i n g , and by sincere repentance to seek
the pardon of her h e ighnous crimes. Agrgeble to a custom
here, on import occasions, I sent a man of distinction, on
purpose to bear the letter, though there were many passengers
to whom I might have committed it. As soon as he arrived a
messenger was sent forward to announce to her, that a man
had arrived, sent by Mr. Richards, and wished an opportunity
for an interview with her. She gave a favorable answer, and
though she and a large company about her were engaged in
listening to a recitation of some ancient legends, yet she
soon dismissed the company and when the bearer of the letter
arrived, she was almost alone. As soon as he delivered the
�1637
letter she broke the seal, and read a few lines, but then
dropped the letter, threw herself back, & wept aloud. After
weeping for some time, she took the letter and read a few
lines more, but was unable to proceed.
It was considerable
length of time before she was able to finish the letter, and
even then, she did not return to her wicked companions
or permit them to return to her. The bearer of the letter
and his companion spent the evening with her, and had a
favorable opportunity for free conversation, during, which
she manifested considerable shame and mortification, but
nothing like penitence. The next morning, the messenger called
on her again and found her still retired. She spent the fore
noon in the same retired manner during which she wrote an
answer to my letter.
She assented to the truth of all I said,
expressed herself in terms of affection towards me, charged
me to continue my instructions to the People, & not to forsake
her, confessed her guilt, & that she had destroyed her soul,
but at the same time charged me not to go down after her,
according to one of the proposals in my letter.
The messenger when he returned with her letter, in
formed me that most of her time was spent in listening to
such ancient songs as should never be repeated, and in attend
ance
the hula which has so often been described.
Indeed,
all restraint from God and man was thrown off and she was a
s t r i k i n g example of one into whom the Evil spirit has enter- ed the second time, "with seven others more wicked than him
self” .----Since that period I have written to her twice more,
but have received no answer.
She would ere this have been
fully severed from the church had not the distance rendered
it so difficult to conduct the dicipline as it should be.-We can hear nothing from her, which affords any rational grond
of hope that she will listen to the church; but every vessel
that brings intelligence from her, gives us more and more
reason to fear that God is about to exhibit her to the nation
and the world, as a monument of his wrath.
You may well suppose that while these things have
been transpiring here, our feelings have been indiscribable.
She was bequeathed to us by her pious mother, from whom too,
she she received a dying charge to listen to our counsel.—
She has had our unwearied attention in every way we could
devise to do her good.— She has resided two years in our
family--She has been the subject of our prayers by night &
by day, and the constant object of our hopes, both in respect
to the nation and the church.
But our hopes are worse than
blasted, and we are ever denied the privilege of labouring
for her good, we can only weep & pray, while a great object
of our labour must be to counteract the influence of her
example and save her subjects from following in her steps .
�1638
On this point it becomes us to speak with adm ination and praise ; for scarcely in our lives have we
seen such evidence of a hand unseen averting expected
evils, and disappointing the hopes of the wicked. Though
many in our church, are as regards the concerns of this
life entirely dependent on her will, yet, as far as we
know, not a single one has followed in her steps, and among
her dependents in Lahaina there is, on three days in the
week a regular concert for prayer on her behalf.
As soon as the entelligence of her fall reached
Lahaina, there appeared an unusu l degree of good feeling
in the church, which encouraged us to improve the season
for a protracted meeting, which we had had in contemplation
for considerable time.
The meeting commenced on Sunday Aug.17th and was
continued eight days, except that on Saturday we did not
assemble, except for prayer at sunrise, and then for conference
in the evening.
On all the other days we had prayer meetings In the
morning, preaching twice during the day, and a meeting of
the church at evening.
Mr. Green & Mr. Hitchcock were with
us a part of the time.
It was a solemn & interesting time.
The attention, and apparent interest increased, from the
first to the last day. Some who had before, been thoughtless,
had their attention,arrested, and others who had been
thoughtful, became more deeply so. Christians were more
awake and religion became the common subject of conversation.
Pew treated the meetings with neglect, though there were
some instances of more marked opposition than I have before
witnessed.
One member of the church who had been under
dicipline for two years, manifested signs of penitence & we hope
has since become truly so. Several whom we had never known
before, as exhibiting a Christian character have since,
awakened pleasing hopes that they love the truth. The atten
tion to public worship & private religious meetings, has
been gradually increasing since, and the number of those
who now attend is as great as it has ever been since I have
been in Lahaina. There have been a few marked instance of
conviction but no one person to whom we can point, and say,
we believe this one has been recently converted, yet the
number of those for whom we have hope, is considerable greater
now, than it was six months ago. We are not aware that the
interest which was awakened first at the protracted meeting
and afterwards increased, has at all diminished.
There is
apparently a greater oneness of feeling on the subject of
religion, than there was six months ago,
and the number of
those who speak lightly of it, is much smaller than it has
been.The return of the Governor, Hoapili to this island has
done good. He and his wife, have both exerted themselves to d®
good, and though they are unwise in some of their measures,
�1639
yet they are valuable rulers and all who wish well to the
Sandwich Islands, should pray that their lives should be
prolonged.
While speaking on the state of religion, I might
have mentioned, that 14 persons have been added to the
church during the year making the whole number received at
this station 227.
Probably 13 more will be received at the
next communion. The number of applications to unite with
the church has not at all diminished. As some of the lead
ing chiefs have been removed by death and others, have abandon
ed our cause, and the cause of Christ we have been expecting
that the church would become less popular, and applications
from improper persons be less frequent.
But this has not
proved the fact.
It is still the case that almost every form
of hypocrisy is devised by which to induce us to receive them
to the church, and we have no doubt but our refusal, is often
considered as evidence of personal unkindness, If a persons
of fair moral character apply for admission to the church,
especially if they are persons of distinction, and are re
fused, it is almost impossible to convince them that they
are refused for any good reason. This great evil will not
probably cease to exist until the people become much more
enlightened, and that cannot be until the people are more
industrious in searching for knowledge. Few as their books
are, multitudes own more than they h ave read or are likely soon
to read, and few really study the word of God.—
We are now about to adopt a new system in order
to try to increase the attention of the people to the scriptures.
The "Scripture Union Questions have been published for the
benefit of the High School; and we have concluded to introduse
those, in place of the "verse a day". The people need some thing
in the form of questions to direct their minds to the points
of examination.
This they do not have in the "verse a day"
and we think therefore that it will be best to make trial of
a system of question.--These too will be intruduced into the
Sabbath School under the care of Dr. Chapin & Miss Ogden, which
consists of children only, but embraces at present more than
200 scholars.
The Bible class is composed of adults and has
embraced 600 persons, and we hope when it is reorganized that
the number will be nearly as large as it has ever been.--When I commenced this letter I designed to con
fine myself to a history of the p r incess but some other things
being so directly connected I have been led to speak of them.
You will not cease to pray that God would sanctify to us that
afflictive dispensation, and still continue to protect his
church & the nation, from her corrupting influence.
Very affectionately
Your Brother in the Gospel
Wm. Richards.
�Rev. William Richards
Date Oct 15,
1834
Recd July 3 , 1835
Ackd in G. L. Ap 16
Apostasy
Ansd Sep 19
�1641
83
67
Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina Dec 10th 1834
Rev & Very dear Sir
In a letter which I wrote you in the fore
part of Sept. I mentioned that it was my design to give you
farther particulars respecting ray family.
That is the object
of the present letter.
Since I sent you my Family Register, the Lord has
kindly added another daughter to our number,— Helen Clarissa,
born June 10th of the present year. This circumstance pre
vented my being present at the general meeting. We have now
7 children, 4 sons and 3 daughters.
The eldest, William Lyman, now eleven years old,
has a pretty good knowledge of geography, of Colburn's
First Lessons & Sequel, has paid considerable attention to
several other light branches of study; and can now read from
two to four pages a day in Roman History from Jacob's Latin
Reader.
He has considerable acquaintance with the scriptures,
gained not only by reading them but by studing various Sunday
School works, but particularly the Union Questions.- His mind
is often tender on the subject of Religion, and in his general
conduct exhibits a strengh of principle, or of conscience which
I think is promising in a boy of his age. He has a taste for
study & under favorable circumstance would make rapid prof
iciency in almost any branch.
Charles Stewart, now nearly nine years old, is not
so forward as William, according to his age, though he has
been through with Maltabruns School G eo
g raphy and has con
siderable knowledge of it & also of Colburn's First Lessons.
He has not so much taste for study as Wm. and would not make
so good proficiency.
He has just commenced the study of Latin.
James Austin, now 7 years old, has acquired
some knowledge of geography and of 1st half of Colburn's
first lessons, would be fond of study could he have regular
attention.
Harriet Keopuolani, 5 1/2 years old, reads well, and
loves to read, and commits to memmory with ease.
Levi Lyman, now 4 years old, is just beginning to
read in the bible and needs a good deal of attention from
a teacher.
Elizabeth Lyman, almost three years old, should be
put on infant school instruction immediately, but we have
not yet commenced.
I have been thus particular in order that you may
see the real state of m y family and thereby be the better pre
pared to judge of the propriety and expediency of what I am
about to propose.
My proposal is, that you send out a single female to
live in my family & perform, what would in England be done
by a governess. That is, to be the instructress of our child ren, to watch them in their hours of relaxation, to prevent all
improper intercourse between them and native, to be their
�1642
companion too, and then when they return to America to act
some thing the part of a guardian of them there.
This is the only plan I can think of by which our
children can receive proper instruction, without occupying a
large portion of my time.
I could hear their recitations,
but that is not the great lab or,
It is to see that they
study & get their lessons.
During the last two years the children have occupied
my time or that of Mrs. Spaulding directly and wholly, equal
to two hours in a day, beside the general care,
They are then,
far from receiving the attention that they need, and when they
can not receive the attention of their parents, are greatly
exposed to the society of the natives. They demand more &
more of my time, & I should even now feel justified in devoting
four hours a day to them. Three out of 4 of these hours might
be saved by a n instructress.
Recitations in languages and
the higher branches I should still expect to hear. The same
person might give school instruction to the children of M r s .
Spaulding, and Dr. Chapin (should he remain at the Islands)
but would be able to exercise no superintendance of them while
out of school.
By this plan, our children would not only r e
ceive better instruction & I be saved two or three hours
time, but Mrs. R. too would be able to do much more for the
natives, and we should both be greatly relieved from an
anxity which we now always feel when our children are n ot with
u s . Such a person would of course, as suggested above, come
out for a limited period. The precise time I should not think
it best to specify; but might be left conditional.
The objection to the above proposition in your minds,
I have no doubt, will be the same as has already presented it
self to us, v iz, the difficulty of finding a suitable person.
I had several persons in m i n d ; but so many years have passed
since I knew anything respecting them, that it would be a
risk to write to them. We have therefore advised with Mrs.
Spaulding, who is a particular acquaintance of Miss L. P.
Grant, & she thinks it would be safe to trust to her selection.
She has therefore written to Miss Grant at our request, and
I inclose the letter to you, and if you approve, you will
please sea l and forward it to her. The subject is one of im
portance and one which we have long had under consideration.
I thought of writing a year ago, but as the subject of emply
ing single females in our mission was coming up, at the Genral meeting I thought best to delay. The sphere of labor
however which I propose, is some what different from any
case proposed
considered at the General meeting.-It is proper to add, that the residence of a single
lady in our family would mak
e very little difference in the
expenses of the station.
The room which Miss Ogden has
occupied will be ready for her, & she will in no way add to
the expense except merely the food she eats & the clothes she
wears.
�1643
I should have mentioned before that in consequence of
Mrs. Spauldings illness Miss Ogden has the care of their
youngest child, and as soon as Mr. Spaulding’s house is
finished she will take up her residence with then. Her time
too, is too much dev oted to native schools, to render essen
tial service in instructing our children.
It is unquestionably
better that one should come out for the express purpose, than
that one who came to labour among the natives, should be taken
from that department of labor.
The Committee will I trust give this subject the
consideration it deserves, and inform me at once of their
conclusion; for on that must I depend most o f our future
plans respecting our children.
I might have alluded before, to the low state of
Mrs. Spaoulding’s & Mrs. Chapin's health as an additional
reason why it is desirable to have another single female at
this station.
But as you are fully acquainted with their
state of health from other communications, I need not enlarge
on this.
May the Lord direct you & us in that course which will
be far the greatest good of the children, and the cause of missions
With unabated affection I am
Your Brother in the G ospel
Wm. Richards
P. S. Should the Committe approve of the above perhaps, it
will be best to forward this letter or a copy of it, to
Miss Grant.
W. R.
M r . W. Richards
Date D ec 10 1834
Recd July 3, 1835
Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
Account of Children
Request for a single female
Ansd Feb 19
Rev. Rufus Anderson
one of the Secretaries
of the A. B. C. F. M.
Boston
U. S. A
Postmark'd New London Ct.
Jul 1
�1644
84
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Se cond
XXVI
Lahaina Island of Maui
Sandwich Islands Dec 25th 1834
To the Rev. Rufus Anderson
One of the Secretaries of A. B. C. F . M.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
As it is especially desirable
that you have correct information respecting all our fields
of labor, I propose in this letter to give you some account
of Lanai, the little island which lies directly opposite
Lahaina & about seven miles distant. You will perceive by
the accompanying map that its greatest length is about 17 1/2
miles and its greatest breadth about 12 miles. The land rises
from the shore to the interior, and terminates in lofty
points. The sides of the mountains are cut up by innumerable
ravines, or alternate ridges and hollows.
But these valleys
are not like the vallies on the windward side of the other
islands, furnished with springs & riveulets. There is but one
permanent brook on the island, and that is so small that it is
all lost in a few small talo ponds, and therefore does not reach
the shore except in the wet seasons of the year.
There is not
a well of good water on the island, except such as are prepared
after the manner of the
of the Hebrews. These w e ll, though
few on Lanai, are common cm many parts of the Sandwich Islands.
They are either natural or artificial pits, sometimes only a few
feet in diameter, and at other times many yards. They are so
p rep ared as that when it rains the water for a distance may
flow into them.
There are steps to go down into them, but
they are n o t often very deep.
In places where they are exposed
to dust & dirt from the wind, they are uniformly covered, and
even where they are not thus exposed they are often covered, to
prevent the water from drying up as soon as it would otherwise.
Some of these wells are never exhausted even though they are
not replenished for eight of nine months.
Others which are
small depend entirely on the almost nightly rains which fall
on most of the high mountains of the Sandwich islands; though
in many places these rains are little more than heavy dews.
There are many people who make no use of water for
washing, either themselves or their clothes., except the dew
or water on the grass and shrubs. And some times, there is so
little of this that they resort to the juice of the suculent
plants which they collect. Most of these people however, have
two places of residence, and only spend a part of the year on
the mountain where there so great a scarcity of w a t e r . On the
sea shore, both at Lanai and throughout the islands, with few
exceptions, there is a full supply of brackish water, but such
as none can drink except those who are accustomed to it.
I
know not a single well on the Sandwich islands, supplied with
water from the bottom, except such as are on the sea shore & on
a level with the sea.
Owning to the scarcity of water on Lanai, the island
is barren almost beyond conception.
I have recently been
�1645
quite round the island, and visited every principal village
on the island except one, and during my whole tour, I saw
but one good well of water, and no spring or brook, and I
saw nothing growing which was suitable for food, either for man
or beast, and nothing green except sea weeds and sea grass.
I should except a few cocoanut trees and two or three and
three or four shade-trees.
Most of the people live near the shore for the
purpose of taking fish, in which the shores of Lanai abound,
and a considerable portion of their v e g itable food they re
ceive from Lahaina, in barter for fish. There is however one
inland plantation of some extent, which furnishes considerable
food.
It is watered by the mist or light rains which falls
during the night, in sufficient quantities for the growth
of potatoes and in wet seasons some upland-taro is raised.
There are few people that reside at that place constantly,
but considerable number who resid generally on the shore, go
up & spend a month or two at a time, so as to keep their land
under cultivation, and then return again to the sea side where
they can have abundance of fish, and water too, such as it is,
for there is a plenty of that which is brackish.
The number of inhabitants on the island, has been
estimated at about 1600; but at the present time I think
there are not so many though there has been no regular census
of the island taken & it impossible to make such an estimate
as can be relied upon.
The island is always under the same Gov. as the
island of Maui, but the direct care of it has for year been
given to Kapaleaumoku, an elderly man, who is a member of
our church, and a man of established reputation.
Several years
ago I wrote an account of almost stricking incident in his
life, which I designed to have sent you at the time, but did
n o t get it copied seasonable to go with my other letters, and
so it was neglected.
In a letter of mine written Oct. 11th
182
I alluded to a tour around the island of Lan ai made by
myself in company with the Princess a promised a full acount
of it. The following is from my journal kept at that time,
but which was never sent.
Lanai, July 22nd 1828.
This morning at sun-rise
I left Lahaina, and crossed the channel with the Princess
in a double canoe and arrived here about 10 oclock. The dis
tance is not more than 8 or (7 miles) nine miles, but it is
slow rowing a canoe against the strong currents which o ften
prevail here.
It is not very safe crossing the channel in a
canoe, for between the islands the winds are irregular, and
some times rise suddenly so that canoes that sail with only
a pleasant breeze, are soon driven before a heavy wind to
such a distance that they can not reach the land, or which
is more common, overwhelmed by the waves & find a quicker g r a v e .
�1646
Another danger arises from the multitude of sharks which
often infest the shores of this island. The surf on many
parts of the islands breaks at a distance from the shore,
and within the reef is a distance of a mile or more of still
deep water.
In bad weather, canoes are exposed to be
filled in crossing the reef, but the natives are so expert at
swimming that they do not consider themselves in any danger
except from the sharks. David Malo told me that as he was
crossing the channel a few years ago several canoes in sight
of his, were filled and the people were under the necessity of
swimming to the shore. He saw a large shark take a man in his
mouth and swim along on the top of the water, so that the mans
head was out; and while in the mouth of the shark he heard
him speak, and distinctly articulate the name of his wife,
though what he said respecting her they could not understand.
Some supposed that he was commpeding her to their care, and
others supposed he was merely expressing his affection for
her. A few minutes after this, the same shark as was supposed
returned and took another man in a similar way.
We had a pretty good passage over, though the wind
was rather high before we landed. As soon as we arrived,
inquiry was made by the Princess for Kapaleaumoku, who left
Lahaina yesterday noon, in a single canoe, that he might give
notice of our arrival & make some preparation for the reception
of the Princess.
The people had heard nothing respecting him,
and it is supposed that he is either lost at sea, are has
been driven by the wind to Molokai on Molokini.
Canoes have
been dispatched to those islands, and also back to Lahaina
in search for him.
It is probable however that he and his
wife and two adopted children who accompanied them are all at
the bottom of the sea, for a calabash known to have his mark
upon it, has been found on the beach , driven on shore by the
wind. His friends are much agitated and many are wailing from the
apprehension that he is dead. As soon as the canoes were dis
patched to the other islands & men had started on foot to go
round the coast of this island in search for him we again took
our canoe, sailed round the south point and landed at the south
east part of the island. We then ass ended the mountain to this
place which is about four miles from the shore.
The top of the
mountain is at the east of us. This is the only inland village
on the island and the only spot on which food will grow during
the dry season of the year. At present there is considerable
ver dure, there having recently been more rain than usual.
But
there are no springs of water, and the people suffer much on
this account, They wash their hands and food in the dew, and
bring the water which they drink from a distance, where it is
caught during the rains in a pit prepared for the purpose. F ood
is carried from this place to all the other parts of the island.
It is a pleasant place & there is a large school house here,
which is occupied as a meeting house. The teacher of the school
�1647
here, is a valuable man. He was connected with the school
of the princess at Lahaina, and was selected by her to take
charge of all the schools in this district. He resides here
most of the time, but occasionally goes to Lahaina and leaves
the schools under the care of an under teacher.
Wednesday 23.
I was waked at about one oclock this morning
by the loud talking about the door occasioned by the news
that Kapaleaumoku & wife are still alive and have landed on
the nothern part of this island; but the two children are
d e a d . We shall ascertain the particulars when we reach the
shore.
At sunrise I commenced the examination of the schools,
and was gratified to find so many able to read. About one
half of the scholars can read easy sentences, and about one
third can with considerable facility read any book which is
given them.
I have in course of the day examined 237 scholars,
and have preached twice to attentive audiences.
Some of my
hearers never heard the sound of the Gospel before except
from native teachers, and probably never will again.
O tha t
God would bless to them what they have this day heard. The
people are fast wasting away, but alas ! how few know, or have
the means of learning the way of life. Had they but the
bible which they would read, they might then better do without
any one to break to them the bread of life.” After examining
the schools at the place where we staid last night and preaching
to the people there, we came over the mountain to this place,
Maunalei, which is on the Nothern part of the island. We are
about two miles from the shore, in a the only valley on the
island where running water is to be found.
It is a small
brook, so small that during the dry season of the year it does
not reach the shore.
There is timber of considerable size here,
but which is of no value in building as it is not durable. There
is.no valuable timber on the island, thought it is obtained
of sufficient size for their small thatched houses. As we were
traveling to day, we passed the house where lived the mother of
the two children mentioned above who were drowned on tuesday.
She was wailing at an immoderate rate, & refused to be com
forted.
Poor woman ! She thinks of nothing but their mortal
bodies.
She is little idea of a future world, and as I passed
her I was deeply affected at the thought she would in all
probability so soon follow them and that, unprepared.
I tried
to lead her to the "Balm of Gilead", but I seemed to her like
one that mocked.
May the Lord enlighten her.
Lahaina, Thursday 24th We left Maunalei this
morning at day-light and at 3 oclock arrived at the place where
we first landed from Lahaina. There I met Kapaleaumoku &
wife from whose mouth I had the particulars of their almost
miraculous escape from a watery grave.
They left Lahaina about noon on Monday in an old
canoe, and had with them two lads, the one about 12 and the
other about 10 years old.
It was pleasant weather when
they started but ere they had proceeded two miles the ocean
�1648
became so rough that the canoe was filled with water, and
a board covering the forepart of the canoe being washed
away by the violence of the waves, they could not clear it
again. When the canoe filled which was about 10 clock
the nearest point of Lanai bore about S. W. 8 miles distant;
the nearest point of Maui bore about N. E. 3 miles distant.
(they not being between the two nearest points) A strong
current was taking them N. W. towards Mor okai which was about
16 miles distant.
They were well aware that they could not
by swimming cross the current and reach either Maui or Lanai.
The man therefore committed himself to the sea, took hold
of the stern of the canoe with one hand and paddled with the
other toward Molokai.
They said the afternoon was long and
they never saw the sea & land wear such an appearnace before.
The land looked very pleasant, but the sea looked dreadfull.
As the sun went down they thought the three islands about
equidistant, and they said to each other "we shall see the
sun no more. The woman and the two boys remained in the canoe
though were nearly as much in the water as the man who towed it.
They said the waited for the moon to go down but it did not
move. They at length however to their unspeakable joy saw lights
on the shores of Molokai by which they were sure that land was
not far distant. The woman then committed herself to the sea
in order to help her husband.
The moon then seemed to move
and to their astonishment was soon nearly down; but the lights,
though at one time very bright were becoming more dim. They
soon found that the current had changed and was against them ,
and they had been worse than waiting their strength in trying
to stem it.
It was now midnight, and the half moon was about
to descend below the horizon. The man and woman both crawled
up into the canoe again to look at the moon, and look at the
different points of land before she should go down.
They look
ed and after looking awhile, the man said, "There is yet one
land left for us, and that is Lanai, for the current is taking
us in that direction.
But we have no strength of our own
remaining, and we know it is beyond our old gods to save in
such a case as this. Our only hope must be in Jehovah to give
them strength and keep the warmth of their bodies in them till
they should reach the shore. After this they took the most of
the canoe and the outrigger, and some other light sticks and
bound them together, and the woman and boys having got in to
these, they abandoned the canoe, for they found it too heavy
to be towed by a single man.
The man asked his wife and each
of the boys if they were faint with hunger, or if they were
chilled by being so long in the water, to which they all
answered no.
Then, said he, Cling fast to the sticks & I will
exert all my might in s w i m m i n g . - T h e moon went down, and it
was only now and then that they could catch a glimpse of the land
w h i c h w a s at least 16 miles distant.
The sea raged so violently that it was not long before the youngest boy found it difficult
�1649
to retain his hold on the sticks , but was frequently separated
from them. The woman then tried to assist him, by keeping
hold of one of his hands.
But they soon found that he ceased
to help himself, and when they spoke to him he returned no
answer; for he had ceased to breathe.
They then tried to
lash his cold corpse to the poles, but the waves soon separated
them again, and before the day dawned they were obliged to
abandon him to the waves and sharks of the ocean. As soon
as he was dead, they said the water felt colder to them all.
But the sun soon rose and by the pleasant view it gave them
of the land increased their hopes that they yet should reach
it. These hopes however soon grew fainter, for the sun had
scarsely risen above the high mountains of Maui before the
oldest boy became so weak that he could no longer retain his
hold, and notwithstanding the exertion s of the woman, he soon
sho w ed the same fate with the youngest, though they did not
abandon his corpse until they had made every exertion to keep
it with them and found their exertions vain. Not long after
the death of the oldest boy, the woman became so chilly,
and so benummed, that she though she could not survive long.
Her husband went to her relief, and commenced rubbing or
shampooing her limbs and whole body, which he continued,
till her natural warmth returned, and then he commenced swim
ming again. About the time the sun was over head, she had
another, chill, which he treated as before and with the same
success.
Not long after this he saw the surf, which was break
ing high at a distance from the shore. He took courage &
said to his wife, "We live",--"let us put to all our strength
and prepare to encounter that high surf, for there is that one
place of death still before us. — They reached the surf, which
they passed without any difficulty.
Being now within the reef
though in deep water and a mile from the shore they considered
themselves so safe that they ceased to exert themselves, and
were consequently a long time in reaching the shore. When
they arrived to the shallow water, the woman attempted to
stand. Her limbs were unmanageable and she fell Her husband
on attesting to assist her, found that he was in the same state
and fell also.
They then swam a little farther and crawled up
on the sand, but had scarcely reached the dry bank before they
both dropped to sleep, and remained, untill they were awaked by
one of the men we had sent in search for them. The man had
walked along the beach and had gone so far, and had seen no
canoe, and heard nothing, that he was nearly discouraged, and
had kneeled down to pray.
It was far from any dwelling and he
supposed he was alone.
It was his voice in prayer that waked
Kapaleaumoku & wife from their sleep, and by his help they
were enabled to reach a house where they took food and spent
the night. As near as we could tell, it was 4 oclock when
they reached the shore having been in the water about 27 hours,
and having passed a distance of about 30 miles
�1650
When I met them this morning, they walked with
difficulty— the eyes of the man were swo len so that they
appeared to be bursting from their sockets and were exceed
ingly inflamed the skin was almost all worn from the chest
of the woman and and from the inner part of her arms by
her having clung so long to the rough poles and they were
unable to accompany us back.
After our interview with Kapaleaumoku and wife we
proceeded to the examination of two more small schools, and
then the people being collected, I preached again to a con
gregation of about 600 people. Not having the scriptures
in their hands they are too ignorant to be much benefited
by a single sermon.
I hope however that by this visit a
new interest has been awakened in some of the people to learn
the palapala, and to hear the gospel. There is a large clan
of people there who can easily visit Lahaina whenever they
are disposed, so that if they prise the gospel they will
often hear it though they must cross the channel for the
purpose. After sermon we embarked for L a h a i
a & after a
n
pleasant passage of about three hours we reached this place
at about five oclock.
I might make further extracts from my journal
kept at that time but they would give no additional light on the
present state of Lanai as the changes have been so great
since that time.
The island has been frequently visited by
native members of our church, and in one instance a good pious
teacher was employed in one of the principal schools for
two years.
I have several times visited the island myself
but in Sept. last I again made the tour of the island preached
in every principal village and endeavored to ascertain the real
state of the people.
I spent a week on the island during which
time I preached 17 times, generally to small congregations,
but frequently to very attentive ones.
On the north side of
the island there is a meeting house of sufficient size to
contain all the people who can with convenience assemble there.
When I have preached there on the sabbath I have generally had an
audience of about 100 people, and those who assemble there are
among the most enlightenened on the island and they have made
far better improvement or their privileges than most of the
people with whom I have been acquainted.
They many of them have
engaged the benefit of a pious native teacher for two years, and
they have at other times been visited by some of the best
members of our church & a considerable number have occasionally
spent a season in Lahaina.
But all their other privileges have
been small, compared with the one they enjoyed in having the
New Testament in their hands & which they have read much more
than many others who have had it in their hands much bnger than
they have had.
�1651
Many of the people have gained a knowledge of of
the scriptures which speakes well for their interest in them,
and is truly incouraging.
Out of the six or seven hundred who
attended meeting on the sabbath, more than 200 remained after
service to recite the verse a day. When I visited them in
Sept. they recited but 7 verses, having recited them previous
ly to the native teachers from sabbath to sabbath.
But when
I visited them again in Oct. they recited the 28 verses of the
preceding month. Some of them manifested an understanding of
the subject on which they had studied, which shewed that they
had not committed the verses merely as a matter of form. You
would be interested to hear some of their answers to question
which I asked them.
The lessons which I heard them recite
commenced with Acts xxvi. 31 and closed Acts, xxvil. 33. One
question was, Who was Agrippa. Ans.''He was a king of some
country, but of what country I can not perceive as the scrip
tures do not mention.
I have examined all the places that he
is spoken of, and can only find that he was a king and came
from his place in compnay with Bern ice to Cesarea to visit
Fectus." Ques. Who was F ectus? Ans. "He must have been the
king of the country extending from Cesarea to Jerusalem.”
Ques. By what means did you learn that? Ans. ”Paul was taken
by the people at Jerusalem, but he was carried to Cesarea to
be tried.
Jerusalem & Cesarea must have been therefore under
the same chief." Ques. What is the meaning of centurion?
It
must mean, an officer in the army, for he commanded soldiers.”
Ques, Who was this centurion, "He was one of the officers under
Augustus."
Ques, Who was Augustus? Ans. I am not certain,
but I think he is the same as Cesar for it is said in Chap. xxv.
11th that Paul appealed unto Cesar, and in the 20st verse it
is said he appealed to Augustus, and was therefore sent to Cesar
For these reasons I think Cesar and Augustus are the same king,
and he must have been above all the other chiefs, or Paul would
not have appealed to him after he had been tried by the rest,"
I might go on and mention many other questions and
answers which manifested the same degree of thought & study as
the above, but these will answer as a specimen. There was also
quite a number who not only showed that they had an understand
ing of the scriptures, but really appeared to love the truth,
and I trust will find the way to Heaven. A large company
accompanied me arr ound the island, and it was very evedent that
many had their minds mainly on the subject of religion, for it
was the grand subject not only of general but of incidental
conversation.
I shall endeavor to visit the island oftener
hereafter than I have done heretofore.
Occasional visits to
those who have the scriptures, it seems to me are of great value
and I have been led by recent observation to prise them much
more than I have ever done before.
To those who have no means of gaining a knowledge of
�1652
the scriptures except from preaching, a single sermon once in
a month or two, can do but little good, but to those who read the
scriptures, even a single sermon is of great value. For this
reason, more than any other it seems to me desirable that there
should generally be two missionaries at a station, so that they
may be able to go out and visit those who do not come under their
immediate influence, and do not hear regular preaching.
There
is however a difference of opinion in relation to this subject
and the plan of dividing our numbers as w as done at the last
general meeting was not adopted without a good deal of hesita
tion in the minds of many of our number.
The above objection is in my own mind the greatest
though It would not apply equally to all stations. Another
objection, and one which Providence has been making us to
feel of late, is the exposure to sickness. Were the plan adopt
ed of locating the missionaries so near together, as that
every person should be brought under the weekly sound of the
gospel, both of the above mentioned objections would be remov
ed. This is the plan recommended to the Prudential Committee
at the last general meeting.
It should be kept most distantly
in mind however that that recommendation was made entirely
"without reference to men or money. There was no reference to
any comparative claims.
No account was made of the instructions
of native teachers. Every man was accounted destitute, who can
not conveniently attend on a preached gospel from sabbath to sabbath
and preached too, by a fully competent man. No account was made
of the additional expense of supporting missionaries at remote
places seldom or never visited by vessels, and the hope of
raising up good native preachers, being indefinite as to, time,
was made no account of.
It was first decided that the jealously
of chiefs would not be a sufficient objection to the increase
of the number of missionaries, though it was felt by all that
it would be some objection. These things being left out of
account it was felt pretty strongly by most of the elder mission
aries that the Prudential Committee were liable to get a wrong
idea of the real views of the mission as to the increase of our
number. There was some difference of opinion too as to the value
of the Gospel, without preaching as to the value of native schools
& native teachers and catechists, and as to the usefulness of
occasional preaching.— As to the general facts stated in the
communications I believe there is no difference of opinion. A
few additional facts however might be stated which would throw
some light on the subject.
One of the most important is the
following.
A few missionaries located at the principal places on
each of the islands exert an important influence not only over
those in habitants who receive their constant instructions, but
also over all the inhabitants of the several islands. This they
do in part, through the chiefs, in part, through native teachers,
but principally, in consequence of the roving habits of the
people, which induce them often to visit the principal places,
�1653
by which means they are brought under the occasional sound
of the gospel, and for a season under the direct influence
of missionary instruction.
The chiefs too are often call
ing the people to the places where they reside to do work
for them.
In the winter & spring of 1832, all the able bodied
men of Maui, Molokai & Lanai were called to Lahaina, and most
of them spent several weeks there.
It is probable that scarce
ly a year passes in which most of the people are not thus
called to the residence of the chiefs.
Owe ing to this state
of things, while the missionaries are few, each one exerts a
great influence beyond the sphere of his special labors; but
as the small out stations are occupied this general influence
proportionably lessens.
But when we leave men and money out
of account this is not to be regarded; but if there is a
deficiency of either then strength must be laid out in the
most economical way. Economy will always require that there
should be such a number of men as that each one may lay out
his strength to the best advantage.
In some circumstances,
two men can do much more than double what is done by one,
which in others circumstances, an increase of numbers does
not give a proportional increase of strength. As to these
general facts there is an agreement of opinion among most
of our number. But my mind has been of late, while I have
been trav eling, more than usual, particularly called to the
general, or indirect influence of missionaries, by finding
so many people in remote places who are deeply interested in
religion, and not a few, I trust who are truly in the way to
heaven. The difference between those places which have enjoyed
constant & direct missionary labor and those which have enjoy
ed only ind irectly or occasionally, is far less than would generally
be expected.
Wailuku
Jan 9th 1835.
I began this letter in Lahaina but
was called to visit Mr. Armstrong at H a m a k u a , who has now
been confined to his bed three weeks with a remittent fever.
Dr. Chapin's family is in such a state that he can not leave
it, and Mrs. Chapin can not be removed. And there was no one
who could go to the relief of Mr. & Mrs. Armstrong so well as
myself.
On Friday P. M. the 26th ult . I left Lahaina and
reached Haiku the next morning where I remained until the
Monday following, and then returned to Lahaina for my family.
We left some of our children under the care of Miss Ogden
and some under the care of the families on the hill, and on
Wednesday Dec 31st left Lahaina, with only two of our children
and reached this place a little after noon.
The state of Mr. Green's family makes it quite improp
er they should be left alone many days, and we determined there
fore that notwithstanding Mr. Armstrong's low state, he must
be r e m o v e d to this place or be left alone. We therefore had
a kind of palaukeen prepared & on the first day of Jan, he was
removed to this place. He is still quite low though we hope
better. His fever has left him and nothing now seems to be
�1654
wanting but strength.
This is the first case of remittent
fever that I have seen on this island. Surely we have the
greatest occasion to speak of the goodness of God to us in
so remarkably preserving us from fatal diseases.
M y own
health is uniformly good, though I am not as vigorous as
I was previous to my sickness a little less than three years
ago.
Very affectionately, I am, Rev. & Dear Sir,
Your Brother in the Gospel
Wm. Richards.
Rev. William Richards
Account of the Island of Lanai
Date D e c . 25, 1834
Recd July 27, 1835
Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
Ackd Apr. 19
�1655
85
67 Sandwich Islands
1831-1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina Island of Maui
Sandwich Islands, Feb 17th 1835
To Rev Rufus Anderson
One of the Secretaries
of A B C F M
Rev. and dear Sir,
By a vessel which has just
touched here and bound to Oahu I learn that there is opportunity
sending directly to Boston by way of Panama, & I hasten to address
you a line, though I may have but a few moments to do it in.
I letter of some length commenced at this place on
December 25th and closed at Wailuku I suppose is still lying
at Oahu, & I shall direct to have it sent by thi s conveyance.
Several private letters went from this station, but no formal
general letter was sent last fall.
I returned from Wailuku with my family on Saturday last,
having been absent from home more than six weeks.
Mr. Armstrong
has perfectly recovered from his sickness, and their babe is
convalescing.
They however have remomoved to this station to
spend a little season.
The health of the members of this station is much
as when our last letters were written. My own family is in
good health.
During my six weeks residence at Wailuku I visit
ed Lahaina four times, twice on acount of the Princess who
has recently returned to this place. She came as it were in
triumph--bringing with her a company selected from among the
wicked, such as she thought would be best able to keep her in
countenance in her iniquity. She brought bottles— cards— the
hula— the pipe &c and in her own house and yard exhibited these
by night and day.
She went to the houses of some of the resedent
missionaries who treated her with neglect & some refused to
see her.
I soon received a letter from her written in affection
ate manner.
I arrived in length spreading out in the clearest
manner before her, the aggravation of her crimes, in introduc
ing on Maul crimes and indecences which had not for 10 years
before been seen in open day, and charging her with the gross
est hypocrisy in professing love for her teacher while she was
going so contrary to his instructions.
In the same letter I
informed her that while she continued to act in the character
of an open enemy to the Saviour I could never meet her again,
and must inculcate on all members of the church their clear
duty of abstaining entirely from her society.
A few days after this I visited Lahai n a , and immedi
ately on my arrival addressed her a line, saying " I have just
arrived, and now only one thing lies in the way of our meeting
& embracing each other as formerly, & that is that you have
come as a public enemy of the Saviour, and in that character
I will never meet you.
But write to me at once, & say whether
�1656
you will from this moment forever abandon your wicked
practices and seek at once to turn your feet into the
way of peace; and if so we will meet and I will again
meet you and be your teacher.
She answered immediately,
but her answer was not full, and not such as I had r e
quired, though it was kindly written, and extremely
said that I had done right in refusing to see her. After
this she came to the house, but I remained in my chamber
and sent a messenger inquiring directly whether she had
acceded to my terms. After the messenger had passed two or
three times, I returned to Wailuku without meeting her.
I
left a letter to the church however which was read i n p u b lick on the sabbath, in which I stated what the scriptures
require of church members in such cases viz to abstain from
all intercourse with such offending persons, giving a s full
a view of the subject as I could do in a short letter.
On the next Wednesday I came to Lahania for the ex
press purpose of excommunicating her entirely from the church.
We had several church meetings--a day of fasting & prayer &
appointed a committee to communicate with her either by letter
or in p e r s o n . At the first interview the committee received
no satisfaction.
At the second, when they informed her that
the letter of final excommunication would be read the next
day, she h a lted & wept a little. From this one of the com
mittee took encouragement to go again, & on sabbath morning,
she sent a messenger saying that she assented in full to my
letter, & begging that her excommunication might be delayed.
It was, and on the succeeding evening I had an interview with
her. One fact I think is certain.
Her conscience and her
judgement are wholly on the side of religion and she trembles
at the thought of being utterly severed from the church.
Since
that time, R u m , Cards, hula, and other crimes have disappeared,
but she has an unclean heart which no external means can sub
due, and no human instrumentality can sanctify.
Our hearts
are heavy on her account, and our tears run down both night and
day.
But there is a brighter side. Since her return she
has been treated in such a manner by the church and people here
as proves beyond a doubt that the public voice is against her.
The countenances of hundreds as they pass her, shew that they
consider the crown to have fallen from her head. Her house
is comparatively forsaken, she has no guests but those she
brought with her, and has not to our knowledge, since her r e
turn been the means of leading a single individual into open
sin 8c to use her own words "I have not a friend left on Maui” .
0 how easy it is for the head of the church to cause the wrath
of man to praise him. There surely does at present appear
to be a stronger conviction among the people generally of the
reality of religion than I have even seen before, & nothing but
the Holy Spirit is wanting to crown the means now in opperation
with the most heavenly 8c triumphant success. Why this is
withheld, we would now make it our more special business t o in-
�1657
quire. To this inquiry we feel that we are bound to direct
our special attention and particularly so since we received the
last letter of the committee, written by Mr. Weisner. May God
in his infinite mercy point out to us the true course.
In Haste, I am as ever
Very affectionately
Your Brother in the Gospel
W. Richards
P. S. The letter from Mr. Spaulding "Tobacco dead & plucked
up by the roots” had better be used cautiously, as it is
to be feared that change will not be permanent.
Though the
facts mentioned in that letter may many of them be used with
propriety.
There is a great opposing influence from other
islands & from Foreigners. W. R.
Rev. William Richards
Date Lahaina Feb 17, 1835
Rece July ., 1835
Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
Ansd Sep 19
�1658
86
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina Island of Maui
May 23d 1835
To the Rev. Rufus Anderson
One of the Secretaries of
the A.B.C.F .M.
Very dear Sir,
The brig Griffin, bound to St.
Blas, has just anchored here and will sail in an hour or
two. The Capt. has offered to take letters and forward them
across the continent by which means I hope this may reach you
in 70 or 80 days.— -My last letter to you was written in Fe b
ruary and sent via Panama,
In that letter I gave you some account
of the princess, and her relation to the Church. She spent
the last two months on Hawaii, where her conduct was such as
to convince all that she was far from being penitent for her
crimes.
She will probably be excommunicated without further
reproof.
Some other members will be cut off at the same time,
and others still will be suspended.
Since our last letter, Providence has been laying
his hand heavily on the families residing here. There has
scarcely been a week that there has not been a new attack of
disease.
There have been three deaths, (C.O. Spaulding, W.
N. Armstrong, and Mary Clark), but the rest are now restored,
excepting Mrs. Chapin who is expecting to return to America the
first opportunity , and Mrs. Spaulding who remains quite low.
It has also been sickly among the natives, particularly among
children, and many have died.
Indeed it is quite certain that
the population of the islands is diminishing, and in some places,
rapidly.
In the general state of religion among the people there
is no particular change.
Some give evidence of having their
hearts most deeply interested in all that relates to the salvation
of their souls and to the salvation of others. Many even in
the church appear to have their minds occupied with some thing
else rather than religion, and some have openly, gone away,
and there is no prospect at present that they will ever return;
though I think we ought never to fell that the case of any is
really hopeless.
Probably there has never been a time when
faithful preaching and persevering instruction would produce a
preater effect here than now.-— ..........
One object of this letter is to say, that we feel more
& more the importance of devising some plan for the instruc
tion of our children as my time is more and more occupied.
The plan which I proposed last fall, of having a
single woman sent for the express purpose still appears the most
feasible.
�1659
Should a woman be sent or should the committee con
clude to send one as soon as one can be found, it will materially
affect our plans in relation to our children, so that we shall
be in suspense until we hear from you on the subject.
I take the liberty also to mention a number of books
which we need for the use of our children, We now find great
difficulty from the fact that we have but one book of a kind.
This requires much more time of the teacher and also makes it
bad for the scholar.
I therefore send for several copies of each
of the books.
If they are not wanted in my familythey will
be in the other.
The books we have thought of are as follows
All Peter Parleys works
All Charles A. Goodriches words for child
All Galandetts books for children
Colburn's First Lessons
Colburns Sequel
Colburns Algebra
Barnum's 1st, 2nd & 3d Lessons
Juvenille Lyre by Mason & Ives
Mama's Lessons
Porters Rhetorical Reader
Improved Reader
Young Reader
Infant School Manual
Hymns for Infant minds with an analysis
Stewart's Hebrew Grammar
Gibb's, or some newer Heb. Lexicon
Hebrew Bible
3 copies
3 copies
3 Do
3 Do
3 Do
2 Do
3 Do
3 Do
2 Do
1 Do
2 Do
3 Do
2 Do
3 Do
1 Do
1 Do
1 Do
Two or three setts of Pictures with select portions of Scripture
under them, on Past-board for the use of Sunday Schools, such as
published by Perkin's & Marvin 114 Wash St. Boston
It may be thought that the above can not all be
needed in one family at once; & they may not be in one year, but
will be eventually; and we often lose a good deal by not having
an assortment of books on hand so as to make a selection accord
ing to the the capacity and taste of the child. We also want
several work's on history, such as Charles 12 of Sweden—
Goldsmith's Rome, Goldsmith's Greece, Goldsmith's England,
or some newer and better works.
With the kindest regards both for yourself &
Mrs. A, I am
Very affectionately
Your Brother in the Gospel
W m. Richards
�1660
Rev Rufus Anderson
One off the Secretaries of A B C F M
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Rev. Wm. Richards
Dated Lahaina, May 23,
1835
Recd Sep 1, 1835
Ackd in G. L. Sep 16
Books
Ansd July 21
Postmark New York Aug 29
Ship
�1661
87
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
Lahaina Maui Sand.
August 7th 1835
XXVI
Islands
To the Rev. Rufus Anderson
one of the Secretaries of the
A. B. C. F . M.
Rev. and very dear Sir.
Yours of Dec 8th 1834,
directed to Messrs. Spaulding, Chapin and myself, was receiv
ed in June, by the Hellespont.
One subject referred to in that letter, I think
demands an immediate answer. viz "That some of the brethren in
the mission hold lands to which native are attached as serfs."
The idea was a new one to me, and probably, was to
nearly all who saw the letter,
I know of no individual either
in the mission or out of it who could give you so exact informa
tion on the subject as Mr . Ruggles.
He has held land at three
or four different places & and under several different chiefs, and
his intercourse with the people was such as to giv e him the best
knowledge of the sustem by which the lands are regulated.---I
will however give you an account of my experience.
When Mr. Stewart and I came to Maui, Kalaimoku gave us
a little piece of land, and at the same time pointed out an man
who he said would like to take charge of it for us, if we ap
proved. We did approve, and he has ever since had charge of the
land. A few years after another small piece of land was given,
and the man who had charge of it at the time chose to leave it
& did.
I procured another man to take charge of it, but in a
year or two he was guilty of stealing from one of the chiefs & I
dismissed him.
I then requested the man who had charge of the
1st land to take charge of both, & he has done it employing a s
sistance at his discretion.
He has usually had some of his r e
lations to assist him.
He has now one man and a boy with him
on the lands.
He has even been faithful, and is pleased with
his circumstances, but might today pull up two thirds of all
that is growing on the land & then desert it & I should have
no means of preventing it, or of getting any redress.
There
is a certain portion of the ground marked out as mine, which
he must cultivate for me; and then he does as he pleases with
the rest. The amonnt I receive is about equal to the support
of six native in poi ; and kalo for my own table; so that the
domestics in my family, Mr. Spaulding's & Dr. Chapin's have
usually a supply of poi from that source.
I have also a right to call on the head man of the
land for an undefined amonnt of labour.
A native land holder
would probably require all the persons on the land both male
& female to work for him, at least one, and often two days in
the week.
I have usually had the washing for my family done
by them, and that is 9/10 of all the labors they do besides
cultivating my
or perhaps 1/3 of the land. At any moment
when they are dissatisfied with my requirements or think they
�1662
can do better, they can leave. And whenever I am dissatisfied,
I can turn them off.
They are in every respect perfectly f r e e .
Though still there are usually some disadvantages in changing
one situation for another.
Though it is impossible for any
except a high chief materially to oppress a native, and especially
so far a foreigner to do it. The systim of government, as you are
already aware, is a most defective, and at the same time, a
very oppressive one.
How it can be altered is a great question.
I would be unsafe to offer the lands for sale, & yet it is very
desirable that those who cultivate the soil should own it.
I
think however that the greatest evil that exists is in the irrigularity or instability of the goverment.
The amount of
taxation is not such as to be very oppressive, in case it could
be levied in a right way.
But the people are often called 10,
or 20, or 30 or even 40 miles from their homes to perform some
light service; and in this way they are often distressed.
The
taxation is also very irregular, so that the people know not
what to rely upon— It is probable you will see Dr. Chapin as
soon as you see this letter, and will talk with him on this
subject.
I do not know whether he has altered his mind in re
lation to it or not.
I believe he has recently been trying to
collect some definite information and I think has received letters
in reply to his inquiries, from, Mr. Whitney, Gulick, and other.
I have never heard any of our enemies on the ground
ever hint at any impropriety in our holding lands, on the ground
refered to; though I have heard the people all called slaves.
I shall write you other letters on other subjects. Mr.
Spaulding is still at Oahu, where he is spending the summer,
that he may receive the attention of Dr. Judd in the afflick ing
illness of his wife.
I think there is but little doubt, but
what he will finally return to America; though probably not immedi
ately.
If he does, it seems to me a matter of the first impartance that the Seamen's Friend's Society either support a
chaplain here, or else that they defray so much of the expense
of a missionary that he may be devoted to seamen during the
shipping season. After seeing what I have, I should feel unhappy
to see that department of labour given up, as it must be when
ever I am left alone,
With the sinceres t affection and respect
I am Rev. & dear Sir
Your Brother In Christ
W i l liam Richards
�Rev. Rufus Anderson
One of Secretaries of
the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Rev. Wm. Richards
Dated Maui Aug 7, 1835
Recd May 7 1836
Ackd in
L. June 15
.
G
Ansd July 21
Lahaina Sandwich Islands.
�1664
88
67
Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Sag Harbor May 13th 1837
To Rev R u f u s Anderson, Corresponding Secretary
of the A.B.C.F .M.
Rev & dear Sir,
Your have doubtless been
apprised ere this, that the Sandwich Island Mission at their
last General Meeting appointed me a committee to visit the U. S.
A.
Letters were also written by the brethren at Oahu and for
warded by the Joseph Peabody in November mentioning that my
passage was engaged on board the Daniel Webster.
On the 9th of Dec. I embarked from Oahu with my family,
consisting of Mr s. Richards, and six of our children, together
with Mr. Bishop' s oldest daughter nine of us in all. We have left
our two youngest children at the islands.
Mrs. R's general health
is much as it was when we left the islands, having some cough
and her general health being rather low. The rest of us are all
in good health. He who we fully believe first let us, or pointed
us to those islands, we think has now pointed us back, and we
hope will soon again conduct us to that home of our hearts.
The
smiles of Providence have been on us during our passage which has
been prosperous and pleasant, though we fear that there have been
no real conversions as the result of our exertions on board.
We touched at the Society Islands but had little op
portunity to become acquainted with the state of the the mission
there.
We arrived here yesterday after a verry pleasant passage.
We must remain here a few days in order to procure suitable cloth
ing, and have some washing done, and shall then proceed directly
to Boston by the most economical conveyance we can find. We
shall not probably reach Boston under 10 or 12 days.— I expect
to ship some of our baggage on board a small vessel n ow lying
at the wharf which may sail on Monday.
We are kindly received at this place and hope not to
be at much expense till we reach you----Very affectionately, I remain,
Dear Brother
Your devoted missionary
Wm. Richards.
P. S. Permit me to forward with this, the Circular of our mission
referred to in the minutes of the General Meeting.
The Prudential Committee may have time to peruse it
or consult upon it, before we reach Boston, so as to be better
prepared to advise and direct me without delay.
W. R.
�1665
Rev Rufus Anderson
One of the S e c r e t a r y
of the A.B.C.F .M.
Boston
Rev. Wm. Richards
Dated Sagg Harbor May 13, 1837
Rec May 19
Ansd
postmark
New London Ct.
May 17
�89
67 Sandwich Islands
1666
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wednesday Morn
Brother Anderson
W ill you be so good as to hand the inclosed to
Mr Lord--My health is not so good as when I saw you last--sore
lungs— head-ache-and some feverish action— If I should not be
over tomorrow--I w ill send you one or two native letters to be
r e a d .------I hope however to be better-Yours affectionately
William Richards
Rev. Rufus Anderson
No 28 Cornhill
Boston
Rev. Wm. Richards
Recd May 31 1837
�1667
90
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Hanover House, Boston
Friday Morn, 8 oclock
My dear Mr. Anderson,
Kindly protected by Providence I arrived
at this place last eve, with my wife and six children.
The Miss.
Rooms were closed before we arrived.
I have so severe a cold that I think it imprudent to
walk out this morning--must therefore remain at this place until
we hear from you.
In the mean time I am as heretofore
Very affectionately
Your devoted missionary
Wm. Richards
Rev. Rufus Anderson, or either of the secretaries of the
A.B.C.F.M.
No 28 Cornhill
�91
67
Sandwich Islands
1668
1831- -1837
Part Second
XXVI
Charlestown Sat Morn
Dear Br. Anderson
I understand that my Brother is in the City in
search for me.
I have also been in pursuit of him ever since
six oclock last eve.— Should he inquire please direct him to
my lodgings here at M r .Hunnewells
I shall be here until
about two P. M. and then shall go over to the city and will call
at the rooms.
Yours affectionately
W. Richards
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.
No 28 Cornhill Boston
Rev. Wm. Richards
Recd June 3 1837
�92
67
Sandwich Islands
1831- -1837
166 9
Part Second
XXVI
New Haven July 3d 1837
Dear Brother Anderson
Contrary to my expectations when I left you,
I visited Nashua, N. H. and attended the annual meetings of the
Hillsborough County benevolent societies.
We had a pleasant
season & I hope my time was not lost. From thence we proceeded
through Worcester to Northampton and Plainfield— Found my dear
father alive and in health- -a precious visit- -a sufficient re
ward for all we have suffered during a 5 m o n t h ’s voyage. We left
Northampton last tuesday morn quite too early for health. We
both took severe colds and have now been three days confined
to this place without being able to visit much or speak in pu b
lick at all.
I am today preparing something to be read at month
ly concert tonight. We hope to proceed on our way to New York
and Wheeling tomorrow. We have one child, the youngest with us,
expecting to leave her with her Aunt Elizabeth.
I regret that
I have nothing to show that I am an approved agent of the Board.
The fact that I have been one at the Sandwi ch I
slands, is not of
course, evidence that I am one now.
Should letters be sent to your care for me, or should
you write me, they will find me at Wheeling until about the 25th
inst,— after which they had better be directed to Northampton,
care of David Whitney Edq.
While at Wheeling please direct to the care of George
A. Clark E s q —
An opening has been very Providentially made for two
of our children in the family of a Mr. Williston East Hampton;
but I can speak more fully at a future period. We see no dis
tinct opening yet for our three eldest boys but do not feel
greatly anxious.
My mind is much occupied with the subject of the res
olutions of our mission, & I am by no means satisfied that a
large portion of what said in them might not be presented to the
public in such a form as to do great good in the present state
of the churches.
While at Nashua I visited Dr. Woodbury, a good pious
man, on the subject of the Sandwich Island consullate.
He gave
me letter of introduction to his brother the farmer Secretary
of the Navy and present Secretary of the Treasury.
I expect also
that one of our good friends in Nantucket will soon forward a
request from a large number of Captains to have Peter A. Brinsmade take the place of John C. Jones.— Should I receive that
communication, and should you approve I should then think it
best to visit Washington— shall therefore wish youradvise and
direction on the subject.
With kind regards to your associates, I am, very affectionately
your Christian Broth
and Fellow laborer
Wm. Richards
R ev. R . Anderson.
�Rev. Rufus Anderson
One of the secretaries of the
A.B.C.F.M. No 28
Cornhill
Boston
Rev. Wm. Richards
Date New Haven July3
,
Recd July 5
Wrote him July 6
postmark New H aven
Jul
1837
Mr. Richards appointed Agent to go to Washington
�167 1
93
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1 8 37
Part Second
XXVI
Kailua Nov 22, 1831
My Dear Brother
Yours of Oct last year to me and my associate
was received last spring; for which please to accept our sincere
thanks.
I have defered answering it until this late period in
order to bring down the affairs of our station a little later
than the date of our joint letter.
There is very little however
of peculiar interest that has occurred of late among us here.
Fifteen persons have lately been propounded for admission to
the church, and the number of inquirers- appears to be on the
increase. We are making some special efforts for the revival
of learning among us, which has for a year or two past appeared
to languish. We shall give out word, that all who have been
members of the moral society for some time and have never yet
learnd to read are to be excluded until they do learn.
It is
here as elsewhere when the novelty of a thing passes away there
is a tendency to fall off from every good work.
Our sp e c i a l object in my writing you at this time is to
apprize you of the facts relating to an affair of late occurrence
in which my name has been i mplicated.
I am informed from several
sources that a charge has been made out angainst me by the Consuls
and Merchants at Oahu of having sold rum and taken the money for
it, and that said charge among others has been sent home to
America to be published.
Now I feel as little solicetude about
such a thing, as I should about the blowing of the winds. Yet
as they have a bill in th e ir own hands of my writing which con
tains a charge of rum, It will be necessary to explain the
transaction. When I built the wall of my house, the two men I
employed to do the work, went to mr. F r e n c h ’s store in this place
without my knowledge and purchased spirits at 2 different times,
and came to me for an order to the merchant to pay for it, As
I was sw i n g
them I gave the order on condition they would put
the rum in my house and allow me to deal it out to them a glass
each day. After the work was completed I made out a bill of
articles paid to their workmen in which was contained the charge
or charges for rum for which I had paid the merchant. A copy
of this I gave to one of the men, the other having gone a voyage.
The mail to whom I gave it, took it down to the store to learn
whether it was footed up correctly.
This was at least a year
after the work had been done, and about the time he settled
with me. The merchant however, instead of returning the bill
to the right owner, sent or took it to Oahu, and it came into
the hands of Mr. Charlton, Capt. Hinkley &c. After the return
of Martin (one of the men whom I had employed for a voyage) to
Oahu, these Consuls & merchants assembled in'solemn council
as I am informed, sent for Martin to come before them, told him
that they had a bill against him in my favor to a considerable
amou
n t which I had sent down to them to be collected, and that
if he would acknowledge the justice of the account they would
not trouble him any further at present.
Partly by threats
�(1672 omitted)
1673
partly by making the fellow drunk, they succeeded in getting
a statement from him which they have thought worthy to be
printed against the mission.
The principal charges as I under
stand are selling rum, and selling cloth &c at enormous prices.
I ought not here to omit mentioning that some small looking
glasses I let him have, and put down in the bill "glasses” ,
are made out by them to be glasses of rum, and from this they
have propagated the story that I am keeping a grog shop. These
things are all perfectly comtempteble in themselves, but
coming from the mouths of consuls and merchants, they will be
believed in by many who will look upon them as serious changes.
This however is only a small specimen of the bitterness and
rancour which they are continuall belching out against the
chiefs & the Missionaries for every salutary regulation that
that has been made to repress licentiousness and restore the
reign of good order.
As to the selling of cloth at enormous prices, I
have to reply that I uniformly sold my articles at a rate
of 25 and some even 50 percent lower than Mr. French the
principal merchant at the islands was then selling here in
this village.
But my selling was only paying my workmen, and
the offence in this was, that I should have paid money which
would have by that means come into their hands and procurred
a market for their commodities. It would be great injustice
to ourselves not to sell cloth &c with a profit in payment
for work, as the market prices are fixed upon by the merchants,
and moreover the price of work is higher in proportion to
the prices of articles.
If therefore I agree to give 300
dollars for a job of work which I could get done in A. for
$150, it is no more than justice to ask 100 percent profit,
on articles by which I pay the workmen. And even with this
profit, the prices come far short of what the Merchant asks.
It is true that of late the prices of dry goods have fallen as
much as 33 1/3 percent lower than they were formerly , so
that my prices 2 or 3 years ago were higher somewhat than what
is now asked in the market.
Then fine white wide cotton was
(torn) 75 cts per yeard, now it can be had for 50 cts, and the
unbleached is retailing in the market at 25 cts, then it was
50 cts.
I have also a bill before me for 3 gallons of paint
taken form a bill made out by mr. French; the charge to me on
the bill is $4 per gallon. Nov if there is anythin to equal
that which I have done, I am ready to acknowledge myself in
the wrong.
I cannot conceal the fact, that we have sad forbearings of the future about the state of things in these
islands.
The determined unyielding spirit of opposition man
ifested by foreign residents and the numerous sh ips that
touch here, the unwearied pains that are taken to prejudice all
strangers against the rulers, the heedless manner also in which
�1674
the goverment transact their affairs, the impositions &
insults continually heaped upon the chiefs, and their al
most inextricable debts to the merchants, which give them
such a hold & such boldness over them, seem to indicate a
crisis, perhaps a bloody crisis not far distant.
The debts
however are principally Rihorihb's the present k i n g ’s and the
late Gov. B o k i ’s for which the government are made responsible.
Their sandalwood is gone, and they have not money enough to
liquidate them. What remains then but the islands.
Things
appear evidently to be tending to their siezure by some for
eign power. And yet, the king is still running in debt!
I have much love to send to many Boston friends, but
the limits of my paper will hardly allow me to name them all.
To yourself and Lady to the families of Mr. Evarts, Mr. Hill,
Mr. Green, Mr. Wisner, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Burnsted, Mr. Brewster
and to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.
Your Brother in the Gospel
A. Bishop
Mrs. Bishop joins with me in salutations
Rev. Artemas Bishop
Sep 12, 1832
Ansd Dec 24
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Ms
U. S. America.
postmark Newport R. I.
Sep 10
�1675
94
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Kailua Hawaii Oct 3, 1832
Mr Dear Brother,
Your favor conjointly to Mr. Thurston and myself
was received in May shortly after the arrival of the rein
forcement.
The mention which you made of a new printing press
for this island was gratifying and afforded the appearance
that our patrons & the churches at home are not only desirous
to send us out helpers, but also the materials with which
to labor.
The press is now in successful operation at Oahu.
It is the only good press in the islands, the two old ones are
Ramage presses and nearly worn out. We have therefore given
up our claim to the new press, the more especially as they
had the claim of actual possession. We however do not complain,
but are satisfied to have it remain there, until a vote of
the mission shall say whether it is best or not to have 2 print
ing establishments.
I am apprehensive that the question will be
negatived, on account of the difficulty if not impossibility of
procuring furniture sufficient for 2 separate establishments.
So say the Printers.
It will also be some addition to the ex
pense, & in the great works in which sevral of as have a share
it cannot be expected that all will be accommodated with a
press at his door.
The whole of the N. T. for instance should
be printed at one place, altho the translators live at 3 dif
ferent islands, and to accommodate us at Kailua would still leave
Mr. Richards destitute.
It is also urged that printing can be
done cheaper in one place than 2, and that books can be better
conveyed to the distant stations on Hawaii from Oahu than from
this place, because communications are more frequent.
So that
for aught I see we are likely to remain as before. My principal
object in writing at present is to say some thing on the subject of salaries in reply to your inquiry in your general letter.
A t the general meeting it was voted that a letter from each of
the missionaries be written to the board on the subject. It was
a divided question in which the brethren were net agreed.
Several
of the older brethren together with the agent were against it,
but most of the younger ones were in favor of salaries.
My own
private opinion was and is still th
a t salaries are desirable were it
practicable to fix upon a system which should be a saving of ex
pense.
It was stated by the Agent that the actual expense of the
families of the mission exclusive of building and other mis
cellanies dld not much overrun 300 dollars to each family.
If
such be the fact, I should hardly think of proposing a fixed salary
as a saving of expenses.
I have now a comfortable house built
at the expense of the Board, at something a little more than
1000 dollars, and I can procure all my vegetables, and most of
my meat for the support of my family with books, and this is about
all that can be obtained with books at this place. While
building I could dispose of books for labour & materials upon
my hous e , but that over, there is no money nor much of anything
that is merchantable which will turn as avails far books, tho
there appears a willingness on the part of the people to buy
�1676
had they the means.
These remarks however apply principally
to this station.
Books therefore are our principal dependance
for food for ourselves & servants.
But I should be unwill
ing to have a half of the books appropriated to this station
charged to my salary so long as most of the avails of them at
present are comsumed in our families.
It will be remembered
that only 3 1/2 fortieths of the whole books are given us since
taking Waimea station. What I shall want hereafter from America
for myself and family yearly is clothing shoes a few articles of
household furniture & some cloth for family consumption & trade,
2 bbls flour, 1/2 barred beef, do of pork, do of salted fish, do
of rice and a division of the sundry articles usually sent out,
and that is about all that I need.
As to laying up in store I
have no wish.
The only anxiety about the future is for my child
ren and if the Board will allow them for 6 years in America what
shall be the estimated cost to keep them at the islands between
the ages of 12 and 18, I will then say, "Begone care & salaries
together.” We have no reason to be dissatisfied with living
upon the common stock system so f
a r, tho it allows us a supply
only for the present, and allows us to make no provision for the
future either for ourselves or children.
My opinion is, that it
is a good principle, and if the difficulty on the score of
children be taken away then I am fully content.
It appeared in the discussion of this subject, that the
brethren generally were willing to refer this whole question back
to the committee often stating our views pro. & con. Salaries
we all confessed were a good thing & desirable, but we cannot
tell precisely how much it would take to k e e p u s , moreover
we have no market to which to go and purchase our provisions &
supplies short of America, which would be attended with more
trouble & purplexity than that to which we are accustomed.
Should the Committee on the whole think favorably of
fixed salaries, the most practicable plan in my opinion to
carry it into effect, would be to enter into engagement with
some friendly mervhant, such as Mr. Hunnewell for instance, to
supply us all we want at a moderate profit above the first cost,
*
that we give him a list beforehand of such supplies as we want,
and that the order them at his own expense and trouble, thus
saving to the Board all the entra expense to which it is now
subjected.
Let then a stated salary be settled upon each
missionary, so much, his wife so much; and each of the child
ren between certain ages so much.
Let the missionary receive
his pay at the islands, partly in money and partly in books
or the avails of them, then let him take up of this merchant
all his supplies which he wants and, pay him the ready cash,
and let the over plus of his salary if there be any be dis
posed of as the mission shall think best, approved by the
Board. The plan I have not digested nor is it necessary, I
only throw out hints and leave it to others to make such
use of them as they please, or reject them altogether.
I
have no strong partialities for such a plan, tho I think
�1677
it may be practicable.
The Book affair alluded to in your general
letter might also be put into the hands of the same merchant,
and perhaps some suitable man may be obtained who will take the
whole burden of providing for us on advantageous terms to him
self & the Board.
In many respects I should like such a plan
better than the common stock system could it be carried into
effect with no more expense, and be attended with no vexatious
impositions upon the mission.
I have endeavoured to make a
calculation how much on the most economical plan I can keep
my family for, and it appears to me that we might get along
comfortably for 400 dollars on the system above mentioned; i.e.
200 for myself, 100 for my wife & 50 each of my children, in
this I may mistake, it may be too much or it may not be enough,
but I should fee willing to make trial for a year or two, should
a salary system be adopted.
One of the evils of the common
stock system is the loss of so many articles sent out and not
taken up-they remain in the depository until spoiled, but this
on a salary system might be avoided. What I am most afraid of
in adopting any new plan, is lest the expense of supporting
us be increased rather than diminished, and for this reason
feel willing to continue as we are unless something better be
substituted.
Another circumstance favorable to the above plan would
be a direct manner of furnishing supplies to the Marquesas
Mission should that post be taken. I t has been a question
with us whether- whale ships could be prevailed upon to touch
at these islands on their out, the captains themselves have
said the same, and it was the opinion of our agent was that
supplies must be forwarded to them from these islands by send
ing annually a vessel for that purpose.
But a contract with
a merchant to supply us might include also the Marquesas mission,
and a vessel bringing supplies & trade might always touch at
Nukuhiva and leave their portion there.
In making the above statements I have thrown my
thoughts together without system just as they arose in my
mind, and the great purpose of others cares prevents my
transcribing and arrainging my ideas as I could wish. You
must therefore take them in their crude state as they here
stand.
One of the principal evils that I feel on the common
stock system is, that I have never been benefited with any
articles of clothing sent out, they are all too small, &
I have felt myself precluded from ordering clothing for my
self on the very account that I had no salary from the Board,
whereas were a stipulated sum to be offered, I should then
feel myself at liberty to order many things to be sent me which
I have never received or could receive on the co mmon stock
system unless they were to fall to me in the division of articles.
In this respect the remote stations are not so well supplied
with many things as those which are near. An article or two
is sent out and immediately taken at Oahu because it is as
much wanted there as elsewhere, and we have conceded the right,
because the families there are more numerous
than elsewhere,
�1678
and other things being equal they generally have the first
claim.
It has often been a feeling with most of us on the
common stock plan not to ask for a thing which we feel we
want so long as others may want the same and there is not
a supply for all. Many articles sent out to the mission I
have never dared to ask for because there was not a supply for
all, and I felt that others had an equal claim with myself,
and so I gave up my claim altho the article would have been
very acceptable. There are many little things of this sort
belonging to the common stock system that would be obviated if
salaries were given, because each one would then feel a free
dom to write for what he wants to America or to the agent
through whom he is to receive his supplies.
But those are
small matters.
In speaking of them however to Mr. Chamberlain
he observed that he thought the treasurer of the Board would
be willing to put up for me such articles of clothing as
I need were I to let him know my situation even tho the present
system should not be changed.
I think therefore I shall try
him.
But there was one view which most of the brethren took
of this affair, that would make the whole business of salaries
a mere name if they were to be given.
It was that whatever
of salaries were remaining unconsumed during the year should
go again into the general funds of the Board as public proper
ty. This plan would probably be though best by a majority of
the mission.
Now I would ask, what could be the object of
salaries if every man is to return what remains at the end of
the year into the general fund. Such a doctrine sounds orthodox
in my ears while we are acting under the common fund system;
but if it be followed under a salary system, I conceive it will
neutralize the whole plan. What motive could I have in desiring
a certain sum to be allowed me, if at the end of the year I give
all back which remains, any more than I have now in receiving
only as my wants arise?
I submit to your consideration, whether
on the plan of salaries the principle of common stock must not
be given up so far as to admit of personal property in all
that is paid as a salary?
If so then how can the principle stand,
that what remains at the end of the year is to be repaid? Does
it not wholly do away what you are desirous of establishing
in fixing salaries for us?
With much respect, I remain Dear Brother
Yours in the Gospel Bonds.
A Bishop
Rev. A Anderson
P. S. I am happy to perceive, in your general letter of March
29th of the present year, just received, a request that we
communicate freely concerning books for our children, and ex
pressing an apprehension that they are poorly provided for.
Indeed I conceive there is nothing they are so happy in r e
ceiving as books, and these furnish them alm ost the only amuse
�1679
ment or occupation of their time.
Besides a yearly supply
to the children’s miscellaneous reading library already begun,
I would suggest the propriety of sending a supply of classical
books for the study of the Latin & Greek languages these are
what is most needed.
My children have already become sufficiently
advanced to commence the study of Latin, but I have not even a
grammar to begin with.
I suppose that second hand works might
be obtained by making application to some college or academies.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Ms.
U. S. America
Edgartown Ms
Ship 14 1/2
Rev. Artemas Bishop
April 30, 1833
Ackd in Gen Letter
Classical books requested for the children
Salaries.
Apr 29
�1680
95
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Kailua, Nov. 12th 1833
Rev. & Dear Sir
Your favor of last year which I think was brought
by the Hellespont, came to hand in due season, and I gratefully
thank you for the brotherly hints therein contained.
I was not
much apprehensive of any difficulty of a serious nature being
raised by the enemy on account of that affair concerning which
I wrote 2 years since.
But I thought it best to have the
antidote at hand in case any attempt of the kind should be made.
As to your views concerning furnishing workmen with ardent
spirits, I have for many years acted in accordance with that prin
ciple.
Indeed I have never done it except in that single in
stance in 1829, when they purchased the article without my know
ledge and came to me for the money to pay for it as I was owing
them.
They afterwards requested me to deal It out to them
a glass a day, which I did, knowing the abuse they would make
with it had I refused. But I then resolved never to do it
again, whatever might be the consequence. You will perceive that
happened antecedent to the formation of our temperance society.
I have not yet seen the General letter from the Board
to this mission received by the Ladoga, but hope shortly to h a v e
the pleasure of perusing it. Nor have I had an opportunity of
consulting the feelings of the Brethren generally in relation
to Investigating the case of Br. Goodrich in reference to the
statements made to the Board by his associates, at Hilo. Y ou
will probably learn something from the Oahu brethren and many
particulars concerning his case by Mr. Ruggles who is about to
leave us on his return to his native land.
One thing however
is certain that he has the confidence of the natives at his
station, which I think he has never abused. He has always
preached the gospel to them evangelically, and not entirely
without some seals to his ministry. His character also stands
high with all the foreign residents at the islands, and his
kind deportment and attentions to the captains & crews of vessels
trucking at the post has raised him high in thier esteem. As
I know not the nature of those charges brought against him by
his brethren at Hilo, which would be considered of so serious
a nature as to require a judicial investigation, it is not in
my power to express an opinion of its expediency wh. should be
decisive in my mind.
I should not be surprized if the late
mandate of the Prud. Com. should bow him down to the very dust,
and prove disastrous to his family, especially to Mrs. G. who
is a sister of sorrowful spirit, and whose afflictions arising
partly from the difficulties of her husband with some of his
�1681
brethren have more than once brought her to the verge of
... derangement.
Most of the members of this mission consider
Br. Goodrich as possessing a peacable, a forgiving & humble
spirit, whose heart is in the work of missions, but most
immoderately fond of mechanical employments even to the
hindrance of much usefulness as as a missionary. He has been
privately admonished for his peculiarities by authority of
the mission, and gave entire satisfaction to the brethren who
waited on him. And as he was sent out by the Board as a
mechanic, I do not see how any charges on the ground could be
made of so serious a nature as to require a trial of his case.
Of this I am confident that should such a whisper get abrod,
it would bring down upon this mission a flood of abuse & of
censure from all the foreign residents and all the captains
who visit these islands. And it would be almost impossible to
keep such a thing a perfect secret.
I might say much more on this
subject but perhaps it is not prudent at present.
Our brethren
at Hilo are good men but young and inexperienced, and made
their report to you without having m ade any intimation of it to.
Br. G. or to the mission.
I believe the opinions of the elder
brethren generally are different from theirs, and we have been
grieved that they have taken such a stand as to prohibit him
from preaching in his own pulpit whlle*was under no censure
from the mission.
These things you can learn more particularly
from Mr. Ruggles.
Pray for us my dear Brother, that we may live in
harmony and brotherly love, all of us, and that the work of the
Lord may prosper in our hands. We have of late been much en
couraged by hopeful appearences o f renewed attention to religion
both among the church and the inquiries at our station.
Your Brother in the Gospel Bonds
A, Bishop
Rev. R . Anderson
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Ms
U. S. America
Pr. Favor of
Mr. R u g g l e s
Rev. Artemas Bishop
Dated Nov. 12, 1833
Recd.July 18, 1834
Ackd in G. L. Sep 5/34
Ansd Dec 6
Mr. Goodrich
* he
�1682
96
Honolulu June 24th 1835
Rev & Dear S ir
By a conveyance across the continent about to
leave this place, I am happy to acknowledge your favor to Mr.
Thurston & myself of Decr last by the Hellespont.
The en
closed proposal of Rev. Mr. Beatty to take charge of the education of my daughter Jane Elizabeth I shall most gladly avail
myself of.
The offer is just such an one as we desired, and
we look upon it as a kind indication of Providence in behalf
of our children.
Be so kind as to inform him of this determina
tion.
I shall write to him by the fall ships, as the expense
of mail transportation of letters across the continent is con
siderable & the uncertainty of safe arrival in the U. S. is
also considered. We hope that with the assistance of the Board
the means of support at Mr. B 's school may be sustained by funds
belonging to Mrs. Bishop at Rochester, But of this I cannot
speak definitely owning to the difficulty in converting real
estate into money; when that shall be done it will be easy to
say what can be depended on. We propose to send our children
to America in about a year from next fall if a good opportunity
shall offer.
I am very much in need of an Algebra to translate
for the high School.
Colborn' s was appointed me by the mission,
but I have somewhere seen a notice of a more recent work pub
lished in Boston. (the name of the author I have forgotten)
which was recommended to be still in advance of Colborn,
Be
so kind as to procure me copies of 2 or 3 kinds, perhaps duplic
ates of each should be furnished for the school & for myself
also, in order to enable the teachers there to revise the work.
They will be needed as soon as possible, & should this
arrive in season to forward them by the ships coming out next
fall it will be so much the better. My children are also much
in need of a copy of Cicero's Orations Virgil to study. As I
do not recollect to have written for them before you will do
me a favor by putting them down on your list of books for the
missionaries, & if they shall come too late for my children to
use them, I can just hand them over to others who will equally
need them. We need also they key of Colborn' s Algebra.
In order to save the expense of a separate letter to
Mr. Hill you will please to inform him that it is my wish to have
the money for the draft on my account forwarded by Mr. Chamberlain in May last, deposited in the savings Bank for the benefit
of my children when they shall arrive in America, to be expended
on their education.
The sum I paid over to Mr. C. was $126,
leaving it with himself & Mr. Hill to say what shall be the
premium.
The money was given by Mrs. Bishop out of her own
funds for the purpose.
The business of general meeting here is
just concluded. M r . Coan goes to Hilo in place of Mr. Dibble
who goes to the high school. Mr. Rogers also goes as printer
to the High School 8c Mr. Hall takes his place here. We expect
�1683
to have the N. Testament through the press in 3 months
when we shall immediately begin upon the O . T. which has
already been translated through Proverbs, with the exception
of Leviticus . Genesis is now ready to be printed & Exodus
will be as soon as wanted perhaps not more than that of the
new edition will be printed the present year.
Our most
difficult business this session has been to get rid of en
gaging in the Affair s of the Oahu Charity school with the
teachers & trustees of the same. Mr. J. will continue his
connexion with us at his own particular request until he
can hear again from Boston.
Yours affectionately
A . Bishop
Rev. R. Anderson Boston
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass
U. S. America
postmark New Orleans
Oct 17
Rev. Artemas B ishop
Dated Honolulu, June 21, 1835
Recd Nov. 2
Ackd in G. Let
Nov 6
Request for Mr. Hill
�1684
97
Waiawa, District of Ewa, Oahu Oct. 16th 1836
Rev. & Dear Sir
perhaps y o u w i l l have heard before this reaches you,
that I have been appointed as a stated supply for the Ewa station
during the present year.
The failure of the health of Mrs.
Bishop, & the prescription of our Physician, that she leave her
schools & employ much of her time in active exercise in the
open air, both on horseback & in a garden, indicated to our
minds the necessity of a removal to some place where these objects
could be obtained.
Our residence at Kailua was on a barren
rock of lava, where there are neither gardens or good horse roads.
During the course of the Gen. meeting in June last, the station
of Ewa became vacant by the removal of mr. Smith, and we applied
for permission to occupy it , Permission for a temporary removal
was given, w ith the prospect that if some person can be hereafter
obtained as an associate to Mr. Thurston my permanent residence
here will be confirmed.
The belief that we were in the path of
duty in taking so painful a step, has been since more fully
confirmed by the gradual improvement of Mrs B ’s health.
We are situated in the midst of a people less numerous
indeed than i s the population in the vicinity of Kailua, but
also possessing less religious knowledge, and less improved in
the common branches of education.
During the two years residence
of mr. Smith at this place, a good beginning has been made, a
small congregation has been collected of about 6 or 700 persons,
a church of 23 members organized, and a permanant house of worship
commenced.
He found the people (with the exception of here and
there one) in a total state of apathy in regard to religion, and
began his labors with a congregation of less than 1 0 0 persons.
It however gradually increased until the place of worship was
filled, when it became stationary, and remains so to this time.
Of between 3 or 4000 people within 5 miles of this place, but
about one eighth part have as yet availed themselves of the
religious previleges here offered.
The straitness of our school
house in which we worship, plainly indicated the necessity of a
large and durable building for this purpose.
C o n t r i b u t i o n s here
have been made by the people the year & a half past f o r this p u r
pose, which being sold in the market at Honolulu, has procured
the boards, nails, glass &c for a meeting house.
Soon after my
arrival at this place, the people began to make dish bricks
nicked with a tough grass & baked in the sun. Wit h these the
walls have been erected 90 feet by 45, containing 4 doors & 12
w i n d ows, but no gallery.
It is now being t hatched together with
a verandah of 8 feet in w i d t h all around it. A handsome pulpit
in erected, and w hen it shall be plastered inside & out with
lime mortar, it will present a very neat appearance.
Wit h the
exception of the carpenters work, the labor will all be p e r
formed by the natives.
Two hundred dollars have been loaned by
the mission to assist in defraying the wages of carpenters &c.
the remainder will probably be made up by contributions
from other churches.
The whole cost of the building including
the voluntary labors performed by the natives will not be far
from 3000 d ollars
�1685
The state of religious inquiry with us at present is
low.
There are but few who appear truly desirous of giving
up all for Christ.
A general apathy prevails in the minds
of most of the people around us.
Still the general interest
excited in behalf of religious things is considerable, when
contrasted wit h the state of things here two years ago.
Then the face of society was much lower than it ha s been
for several years previous to the death of Kaahumanu.
The
general falling off from schools & instruction of every kind
which after her death took place throughout the island, was
peculiarly so here w h e n the leaders in iniquity for a long
season made their h e a d q u a r t e r s . The then discouraging face
of affairs has since assumed quite a different aspect, and
the progress of moral principles in evidently advancing.
The
members of the church here appear united, and engage with
readiness in lending their countenance and assistence in putting
into operation the plans set on foot by their minister for the
public benefit.
Among the ch. members there are several young
&
enterprizing men who bid fair to become hereafter valuable
aids in spreading a Christian influence over the whole district.
As yet there has been no case of discipline among us.
But I
feel myself as yet a stranger here, and (torn) therefore enter very deeply into detail (torn) may expect to hear more hereafter as
I become better acquainted.
I am about to send my daughter Jane Elizabeth to the
U. S. wit h the family of Mr. Richards.
I shall commit her to
your charge in the expectation that she will be taken to educate
by my friend Mr. Beatty of Steubenville, Ohio.
I give this
previous intimation of my intention to you in order that arrange
ments may immediately be made with Mr. Beatty as to the method
best for her conveyance to him.
As it is expected she will
come about the first of May.
I suppose if he takes her, she
might travel on to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh w ith some of
the delegates to Gen. Assembly.
But if he does not take her,
a guardian must be found in some religious & pleasant family who
will give her a welcome home, and remove as far as possible the
pangs of orphanage. & the friends of her mother in Boston must
assist in defraying the expenses of an education.
By all means
she must find a home in the land of her f a t h e r ’s nativity, or
I shall certainly not feel happy to stay here and leave her to
suffer for wan t of a fathers house.
The little fund now in the
hands of Mr. Hill are to be expended towards h er support when it
shall be most needed, and that is to be left with yourselves and
her future guardian to determine.
The annual stipend from the
Board will also help som e , and perhaps the friends of my wife in
Rochester wil l gladly do something also, so that I hope she
will not wholly depend upon a
charity.
But I cannot
at this distance undertake to say what Shall b e done, tho my
principal expectations are that mr. Beatty w i l l educate her.
I have written to h i m to this effect.
W e hope that the appeal of this Mission to the church-
�1686
es may meet w i t h the approbation & cordial cooperation of
the Board, tho I do not suppose but that some things in it
may be modified, as for instance the charge of actual blood
guiltiness upon the chs. may be too strongly expressed.
It is now many months since we have heard from
America, we have long been expecting an arrival.
Our
presses are standing still for want of paper, & some important works
most be delayed, if not entirely given up.
We have been
preveliged w i t h the presence of our excellent Mr. Parker
for the last 3 months who will probably be the bearer of this.
I remain Dear Br. Y o u r
fellow laborer
A . Bishop
Rev. R . Anderson
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Mission Rooms
Boston Ms.
U. S. America
postmark New London Ct
Apr 26
Rev. A. Bishop
Date Oct 16 1836
Recd Apr 28 1837
Ackd in G. L. Ju ly 21
His daughter Ansd July 24
affectionate
�1687
98 & 99
Report of an exploring tour on the North
of North America, performed in the spring, summer,
of the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
nine.
By Jonathan S Green, member of the Sandwich
mission.
west coast
and Autumn
and twenty
Island
This report has been printed separately a few
years ago.
�1688
100
67 Sandwich
Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina S. Islands March 24,
1830
Rev. Rufus Anderson
A s s . Sec of A.B.C.F .M. Missions.
Dear brother,
I have an e x c e e d
ingly strong inclination just now to commune with you thro
the only medium we have of interchanging thoughts and good
wishes.
I should greatly rejoice c o u ld I see one precious
evening.
Perhaps we might, to advantage compare notes.
Since
I learned, which was n o t till after my return from the coast,
that you too had left your family and associates, and gone to
explore some part of Christs possession now held by that foe
which he will shortly tread beneath his feet, I have f e l t a
kind of nearness to you, which, tho I loved and valued you,
I had not kn own before.
Had I known it as I wandered o n the
coast, all alone the fact would have cheered me exceedingly.
I long to hear f r o m you.
Your tour, compared with mine must
have been f u l l
interest.
I trust y o u saw many a brother,
during your absence; that * w i t h the indications of rising
light upon the dark lands which y o u visited; that y o u witnessed
some immediate and mos t blessed results f rom your labors; and
returning to your home, that y o u found your beloved family
alive and in health.
Of the dealings of God with me during my absence, y o u
will have heard probably, before this reaches y o u . I hope
my report which I sent in November, will reach you in due time.
Lest it should n ot, however, I have, with the advice of the
brethren, copied it again, and shall send it with this.
Should
not the other reach you, I shall be somewhat mortified that the
principle of ecomony induced me to write it in ruled paper
and
poor paper too.
I wrote it too admidst the pressure of business
chiefly after having sat till prudence bade me stand at my desk.
I can assure y o u that I feel n o ordinary solicitude
for the Indians w h o m I visited.
I think of those chiefs of the
Kiganu but w i t h w h o m I had considerable intercourse, w ith a
strong desire for their redemption from the thraldom of sin and
misery in which they are held
Can nothing more be done for
them?
Must they then perish?
Certainly, the field of mission
ary exertion on the North w es t coast is wide, and less obstruct
ed than the field of missionary effort on the coast of Greernland.
Indeed there is no compare.
Oh that God would raise up men in
whose bosoms should burn as intense a flame of love to these
men as glowed in the bosoms of those devoted men who toild and
died on the dreary shores of Greenland ! There would the shouts of
bloody savages be exchanged for songs of praise.
A pril 19. The letter of Captain Pierce on the subject
of the Northwest coast is tolerably correct, but what do such
men know, or care about the heathen, or the gospel?
This man
* you are cheered
�1689
says the Indians are shockingly degraded; they are so, indeed
b ut I should like to ask h i m how many mistakes he found among
them in addition to the one he carried with him from the
islands.
Such men would gladly rool back upon these Islands
the darkness of paganism, and rather than their foul deeds
should be disclosed would they shut up the only door of hope
to the polluted dying occupants of the north w e s t coast.
I am astonished at the fact that I have been on the coast.
The hand of God, I clearly see in this business, and I do
hope and pray, that good will result.
Will not an attempt
be made to explore the country about the Columbia side?
Indeed, I am fully of the opinion that missionaries would
be nearly as safe than as among the trib es within the limits
of the U. States.
I should rejoice to have under my care
a few children from all the scatered tribes on the coast.
Had
we a vessel of decent size, I should be willing to go and seek
some of these wanderes, and bring them under Christian instruc
tion.
The Christian publick may perhaps think that I did
not take sufficient pains to p r ocure children.
In regard to
this I can only s a y , that for a long time before we left the
c oast Captain Taylor did not visit the tribes whose language I
had acquired a smattering of and with w h o m I had conversed
on the subject.
The sad quarrel at Kiganu had an unhappy in
fluence on all our movements, and so provoked Taylor that I
doubt whether he would have brought down a child, at any rate.
They are fond of their children, as I remarked in my report t h o ' the
assertion of Capt Pierce that only slaves are guilty of infantecide
is untrue.
I was n o t a little inquisitive on the point and
I believe I got at the truth.
I certainly had the authority of
the highest and best chiefs at K iganu who had no possible motive
to deceive me.
Should a man of right stamp visit the coast, I
should send by h i m for a few of their children.
When such a
man will be found is doubtful.
October 1. 1830
We have a favorable opportunity of
sending to the rooms by a whale ship now laying on the offing,
and nearly ready to sail.
We shall improve it of course.
The
state of things here you wil l have from Mr . Richards.
Y o u will
perceive that I belong no where as usual, yet tho not located
I am contentedly and ahppily toiling on Maui.
I recollect the
remarks yo u made to me respecting my classmate Richards - "that
the field
of his labor would be earthly wide at the Sandwich
Islands than at Kanastown."
The remark I know to be true,
would rather call wailulu, a district twenty miles from L
a haina,
my parish, than to preside over any parish in N
e w England.
In the best time I hope to be located - perhaps
I should have been before - I am however satisfied with the
course wh i c h the brethren took with me last spring.
Mr.
n drews
A
is now at Hilo.
He will probably return next month, when,
if we are spared and favored wit h health, I think we shall, at
�1690
last, visit that place.
I am fully aw are of the importance
of the place, and if possible I shall try to stay there.
W i l l y o u not write me occasionally?
We wait
anxiously to hea r of your return - and of the success of your
tour.
With my kind regards to Mrs. Anderson in which I am
joined by Mrs. Green, I close by subscribing myself your brother
in the gospel.
J. S. Green.
Rev. J. S. Green
April 5, 1831
Ackd Nov. 16
An s d . Nov 16
�1691
101
Honolulu, Oahu, S. Islands, July 17,
Mr. dear brother David,
1830
I left Lahaina, and Mrs. Green at Lahaina
ten days ago, and came down reluc t a n t l y ,tho cheerfully, to stammer
a little in Mr. C l a r k ’s p u lpit and to assist in correcting
matter for the press.
On account of the Binghams absence, so
great was the load on Mr. Clarks shoulders, that Mr. Richards'
and your brother J onathan feared that he would sink under it.
so after mutual consultation, Mr. Richards concluded to spare
his associate, Mrs. Green her husband and I to come down, and
here I am scribbling away to brother David.
I should have been gratified with a line fro m you, by
some one of the many vessels which left Boston the last season.
I do not think y o u were quite generous perhaps however you have
a sufficient excuse in the multiplicity of business--Perhaps y ou
will say, I r ecently married a wife, and therefore I could not
write. Perhaps you think I h ave teased so often on the subject
of books, that y o u will no more w r i t e . But I tell you, Sir,
I am not to lose you so if y o u do not write, I will pour upon
y o u a flood of palapala that will make y o u sick of resentment.
But to be serious; we almost felt that we were neglected by you
at the rooms, and I for one beg that you wil l not be quite so
sparing of your thoughts especially when so*an opportunity of
sending occurs.
I congratulate you on the ocassion
of y our happiness
in your union w i t h Mrs. Evarts.
I pray God to dwell with you
to sanctify your affections, and long continue y o u to each
other.
Your find, I doubt not, something unspeakably ende a r
ing in this connexion.
Blessed be God, in the sincerity of my
soul can I say, that the half of earthly happiness in connexion
with my beloved wife, I never anticipated, tho from a long
acquaintance I anticipated so much that I occasionally tumbled
but I should feel the pang of disappointment.
May you be
enabled to say this when y o u shall have been as long married
and may we all be enabled to say this many years hence.
Things at Lahaina are about as usual.
On the first
Sabbath in July a goodly number were admitted to the church.
The particulars I will not here give you as we s h a l l send y o u
on a full account of the station ere long. We have some tours
to make before we write our general letter.
I spend my Sabbaths
from Lahaina - am enabled to stammer considerably in the language
and if I a m not mistaken I greatly lov
e my work.
Could I be estab
lished wit h Mr. Richards, I should not d esire a happier lot. We
are very happy in their society, but there is no probability that
we shall be associated at the same s t a t i o n . after this year.
What
will become of me at the end of the year, I cannot say . I wish I
could see you one hour to advise with you on the subject of my
location.
I know where my services are needed, but how can I go.
*favorable
�1692
Indeed, one may be very useful, if he will labor,
on any part of the Islands.
The field is wide, and blessed
by God, our encouragement to toil is great.
I am preaching
occasionally at W ailuku 20 miles, perhaps from Lahaina, where
I have from 2 to 4000 hearers.
From the people of this place
I hear a call to settle, a pulsing one, ought I not to accept?
The weather is cool comparativily at that place and access
may be had to a large part of the Island we greatly need help,
my dear brother I assure you, we greatly need help.
Are you
contimpating sending out another reinforcement soon?
The
people are nearly all ready to receive instruction, shall it be
sent them?
or must they die in thier sins?
Nothing can be
plainer to my mind, than the duty of the churches to saill us
a large reinforcement immediately.
Where or when will the
church awake and act like living members of Christs holy family?
I know that the cries of other tribes of men have reached your
ears, & that you have the whole world before you; but it seems
to me that the call from these Islands is peculiarly loud - the
field peculiarly inviting.
Here are the Jesuits ready to sieze
upon the people and only waiting some favorable moment to commence
their work of d e a t h — why should not this favorable time be (torn)
proved to urge forward the work, under God the Holy Spirit of
saving souls, before the poison begins to t a i n t . D o pray for
us, plead for us--with God, with the churches and send us help.
Boki I suppose is no more. In December last, contrary
to the advice of all the chiefs he fitted out two v essels and
with 500 men sailed for a small Island near to, or one of +,he
Fegee islands.
Several foreign vessels have been there since
ana on their return, reported only one vessel - Last Sabbath
morning a vessel carrived and reported that one of the vessels
was on her w a y back w i t h 2 0 of 2 2 0 men.
The other supposed, from
some small pieces picked up to have blown up.
The air was filled
with wailing on Monday & tuesday.
Many are the widows left here
& deep the sorrow.
S t i l l w e cannot but r e g a r d it as a kind providence so far
as Boki, and indeed so far as the nation is concerned.
He had
given his ear and we fear his heart to unprincipled foreigners,
and had once attempted to kindle the flame of civil war.
Manua,
who c ommanded*is dead, and he was another man over w h o m the
foreignors had great influence.
Thus had God appeared for this
mission.
Nothing has occured of late which has so astounded
the wicked of this plac e as the loss of Boki.
May God overrule
this event for good,
I am about to return to Lahaina, and must close my shee t.
Do let me hear from y o u f r e q u e n t l y . I love y o u much and shall
greatly value your c o r r e spondence. Remember me w ith much affec
tion to your wife. Mrs. Green would send love, we she here. Dr. Judd
has just returned from the windward, and says all is well in that
quater.
Pray for us and believe me as ever your affectionate
brother.
Jonathan.
*one of the vessels
�M r . David Greene
Miss Rooms
Hanover Street. Boston
Mass.
Sand I s ls.
Oct 4, 1830
Rev. Jonathan S. Green,
March 5, 1831
Ackd Nov 16
Wrote h im Nov 16
postmark New Bedford
Mar 4
Ms
�1694
102
67 Sandwich Islands
1831-1 8 37
Part Second
Lahaina, Maui, Sept
XXVI
29,
1830
Very dear Sir,
I send the inclosed to y o u for the eye of the American
B ible Society; provided, whe n your eye shall have glanced it over,
it shall seem worthy of being s e e n : if worthless, please b u r n
it; for tho in that case I shall regret that an expression of
our thanks must be deferred till another year, yet this is of
less consequence then the mortification y o u might feel that one
of your missionaries had written a foolish letter .
I should have been more definite in my acknowledgment
of books sent us, had i t been in my power, When at Honolulu I
endeavoured to get at facts, but I could only learn that the
American and Hartford Con.
i ble Societies had sent us books
B
but h ow many each had sent, was not plain.
I do not know that
the society has defrayed any of the expense which you have in
cured in printing books for us.
If they have, we give them thro
you, many thanks and we pray that the blessing of many (blotted)
to perish may
come on them - Certainly, the encouragement
to toil for this people is far greater than the encouragement to
labour for our own countrymen in their ends of the earth, where
most seem to think the eye of God cannot reach.
In my opinion,
one dollar expanded on a portion of the Bible may be put into
the hands of the natives of the Islands with greater prospect
of realizeing immediate fruit, than could be expressed from
50 dollars expended in furnishing English Bibles and puting
them into the hands of those who reside at those Islands and
do business in these seas.
I could be happy to receive a letter from your hand.
May I not expect one?
Mrs. Green is comfortable, as we all are
at Lahaina.
I need not enlarge here, as y o u wil l have other
h ad more interesting communications.
Desiring a remembrance
to Mrs. Evarts & your family generally.
I subscribe myself
as ever, y o u brother in the gospel.
J.S
.
Green.
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Cor Sec. A . B. C. F . M.
Miss Rooms
Hanover St.
Boston
Rev. J. S. Green
April 5, 1831
Ackd Nov. 16
Write Nov 16
�1695
103
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahaina, Maui S . Islands Oct 1 1830
My
dear brother D a v i d ,
I wrote y o u in July from Honolulu.
That sheet I suppose
you will have received before this reaches you.
I have time
just now to say a few words only.
In the box which contains this letter you will find
something which I wrote with the hope of doing good.
I sand it
to the rooms.
If y o u think it of little or no value, just
send it on to
W i t h a screw driver, y o u can open the
box to my brother, and put in those papers.
On the top of
that box- I mean inside, I have deposited a journal of my
tour "around Hawaii" last winter, and have said something r e
lative to the state of the mission up nearby to the present
date.
I hesitated for some time to w h o m to send it.
I finally
concluded that, it being old, and you having published so
much on that subject, y o u would not value it, but that much
of it might interest people in the country.
It is at your d i s
posal however.
Of right it belongs to you, and by turning the
screws in the lid of the box. you c a n lay your hand upon it. I
only wish I trust that all I say and all I write may promote the
cause of missions.
I know not that I had done less missionary
labor for writing those pieces.
By the blessing of God I have
been enabled to do more than I expected to do, this season.
Pray for me, that I may do all to the glory of God.
M y description of the valley of Waip i o I wrote long
before I saw M r . B i s h o p ’s Wh i c h of them is the best, I will
have you to judge.
By the way, writing journals is the thing
in which Mr. Bishop excels.
Sermons, English or Hawaiian, of his,
want thought strength and arrangement. I did n o t presume to
attempt much of a description of t h e V o l c a n o s . I was disappointed,
I confess at the appearance of things there.
Mr. Ellis description
reminded me of the ventriloquist whose imitation of the squeal
ing pig turned the laugh on the poor countryman who carried the
real pig under his cloak.
I have no doubt, however that there
has been a great change since his visit &here.
The letter of the station, Mr. Richards intended to
have prepared a sent by Capt. Chase.
He cannot, however, get
it off.
It will soon be sent, and may reach you as soon as
this, Y o u will be hearing from all the stations about this
time so that I need not speak particularly of the state of
things at any of them.
Indeed, we have not heard from any one
of them very lately.
God has been gracious to us all this
season as respects health.
Mr. Ruggles, whe n we last heard
was much better than he was the last year.
The wickedness of
Capt Rice, God oreruled to the saving of a valuable family to
the mission, tho he "Thought not so neither was it in his heart
to do so."
Let me hear from y o u frequently.
I shall expect now
and then a letter from you, and tho I am not a man of much
consequence, still I may feel a neglect of this kind.
I know
�1696
you are busy and so am I . Y o u can get time I think to write
me occasionally.
Can y o u not for twenty five cents buy for
me, "The miniature of the world in the 19th cen t u r y , by I
W Barber, Hartford, Con?
It is a striking thing and interests
the natives.
Any thing of this kind may be made u s e f u l . I can
frame i t .
The boxes in wh i c h I send these letters, papers &c
I made from and "akua" or a wooden god which Kaihu gave me
whe n I was at Kaavaloa last year.
The one I send to the rooms
you may give it to the man who at monthly concert w ill get the
most dollars put into it for the furtherance of the cause of
missions.
The Saviour bless y o u and yours always.
Mrs. Green
remembers y o u and Mrs. Greene wit h a sisters affection and so
does her husband.
In the bonds of the gospel, I remain wit h much affec
tion your brother
Jonathan.
Oct. 2
Today I gave a receipt to Capt. Fisher of the Atlantic
for three boxes of paper.
He started Jan 1. 1830.
On second thought, I have concluded not to fasten the
said boxes - as the screws will rust in. Wil l y o u be so good
as to send on the boxes?
Do not frown on me for making you
trouble.
I have matter in brothers box for Shepard & Kent,
classmates.
The cause of mission will not suffer I trust on
this account.
Capt Chase says he wil l carry the box with
pleasure.
I must send the report and a b o x of large d i m e n s ions
will not cost much more than a small one would.
My box to Mr.
Merill contains minerals, or rather sulphur and Lava.
brother
J. S. G
Mr. David Greene
Ass Cor S e c . A . B. C. F. M.
Miss rooms
Hanover Street
Boston.
Capt Chase
Triton
Rev. J. S. Green
A pril 5, 1831
Ackd Nov 16
Write Nov 16
�1697
104
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
Lahaian, S.
XXVI
Islands Oct 1830
Dear Christian friend,
The monthly concert of prayer has returned, and may
I not conclude that y o u all hail it with peculiar emotions a
of satisfaction as a season sacredly consecrated to Christ and
the church; that y o u eagerly desert your field and your shop
and hasten to mingle your prayers with those who, in every
place, are supplicating the influences of the Holy Spirit.
I
will take it f or granted that, as Christians, you thus regard
a portion of this day, and that, to detain y o u from the p r a y
ing room would require as strong a reason as would be necessary
to keep you fro m hastening to the relief of a beloved child or
friend, who should be languishing in an adjoining neighborhood.
A t the monthly concert I see you:I see you a l l . The smile of
satisfaction sits upon the face of your minister, as he beholds
his beloved people each in his place, eager to listen to the
report of Zions prosperity, and prompt to pray for her success.
It is communicated to each of you.
The love of Christ of Z ionof souls has brought y o u all here
The saviour will be wit h you.
I dare predict that y o u will have a precious season.
From
these heathen shores, I think of y o u with unuterably strong
affection, and ere I am aware, I cry, "Oh that I could meet
with you !
But no I may not, would not leave my honourable, t h o '
responsible and difficult w o r k even to enjoy your precious
society.
But let me say a few words, that if possible, I may
assist y o u to improve this hour to the highest purpose.
How
should y o u p r a y ?
W i t h stronger love to C h r i s t . This, I take it for
granted, is the moving c a u s e of your prayers.
He is to you
the "chief among the thousands", the "precious, altogether
lovely" Saviour.
But, dear friends, if y o u loved h i m more
would not your prayers be more fervent - effectual?
Only
think, a moment, - this world he has purchased, and "overpaid its value wit h his blood", and yet, of how small a part
has he act u a l possession.
How large a share of it is s u b
ject to the control of the god of this world - the most d e t ermin
ed enemy of the cross.
How many hasten after other gods?
How
many pour contempt on the atoneing sacrifice of the son of God,
by approaching the m a j esty of heaven through other intercessors?
How many are the very bond slaves of sin?
And by all these, is
not the blessed Jesus, your G od and Redeemer, shockingly d i s
honoured?
And if y o u loved him more ardently should you not
pray more importunately, that he would sieze the throne
and scepter of the universe and crush the enemies of the church
beneath his feet?
�1698
W i t h deeper pity to the heathen should y o u pray.
Y o u profess to regard the soul of infinite value.
Y o u know something of the preciousness of gospel p r i v i l e g e s .
But you can never know - can never fully realize what it is
to be distitute of the gospel.
Should y o u see a fellow c r e a
ture whose eye had never opened to the light of heaven- whose
ear had never drank in the secret sounds, w h i c h as the medium
of social intercourse, cheer y o u daily and hourly would not your
heart be moved.
Now go w i t h me to some dark habitation of
paganism.
Sit beside that poor degraded man on whose ear has never
fallen an accent of good n e w s ” from the upper world - upon w h o s e
mind no ray of gospel light has been shed.
He has no God no
Saviour no hope.
All before h i m is dark and uncertain.
He is
the slave of superstition the servant of sin - is travelling to
perdition, and unless arested by Christian kindness, will invevitably perish.
Think Christian, w hat a state is this ! Place
yourself, in imagination, for a moment, in the circumstances of this
pagan and then say - "how should I pray?
Yet in all the d a r k
ness and pollution of heathenism, multitudes of your fellowmen
are now living and will probably die.
Labor to appreciate
this amazing loss of souls, and tell me, will y o u not pray
more ferently?
Y o u should also pray w i t h a faith, more simple and strong.
Y o u look around you, and are pained to perceive that
obstacles, numerous and p o w e r f u l , are to be removed ere the
kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of Christ.
In your
own neighborhoods y o u see very many who scorn his authority,
and to the extent of their ability, thwart every be n e v olent
effort made to bring perishing men to his feet.
Y o u are pained
to learn that a host of faithful ministers must be raised up
speedily, or your own country will be lost. And when y o u sur
vey the heathen world and ascertain that a frightful majority
of your fellowmen are enveloped in midnight darkness, how intense
becomes your anguish.
Now, Christian, have faith in G od,
Be
lieve all that he has revealed of the future state of the world,
simply because he has revealed it.
To Jesus every knee shall
bow - every tongue confess.
Every fountain of pollution shall
be cleansed.
The streams of error which threaten to sweep from
the earth every mound which the mercy of God has raised, shall
be dried up, and in their channels shall flow the river of
righteousness.
All shall hear and obey the gospel God shall
dwell w i t h men - Earth resemble heaven.
Such are the promises
of God; and on these brethren, let your faith fasten.
Your faith
may be genuine, but is it not too feeble?
Y o u may lean on
Christ, r e a l l y , but do
not lean timidly?
Oh let his promises
draw you to him with the constant and restless force of attraction.
Him y ou will pray with a sprit of interassion which shall have
power with God.
Finally, with a sp ir it of entire d e v o t e d n e s s , should
y o u pray.
Y o u are sick of that mockery of G od w h i c h says, "thy
kingdom co m e , ” but puts forth no correspondent efforts to advance
�1699
that kingdom.
Y o u have fully determined that the sincerity of
your prayers, must be tested by the fruits of your benefactions.
But, dear friends, are y o u sufficiently awake to a sense of
your obligations?
Do you feel that y o u are C h r i s t ’s that he
has bought y o u with h i s blood; and redeemed y o u that you should
not hence forth live for yourselves, but for h i m who died for you?
Do you regard all the property which God has put into your hands,
as a fund belonging to Christ, entrusted to y o u to be e m
ployed as he shall direct for the upbuilding of his church?
And
do y ou shudder at the thought of squandering a farthing of this
sacred deposit in the pampering of selfish lusts, as you would
at the thought of embezzling the property of your neighbor, e n
trusted to your care?
If you do not thus feel, the ground
which y o u have taken is not sufficiently high why, dear brethren,
shall y o u not be entirely devoted?
Who shall be more so? Y o u
would have your missionaries devoted men.
Your hearts would
ache to hear,- what God of mercy forbid that you should ever hearthat they are seeking to hoard up wealth - to lay up for old age.
to provide f o r their children- are enquiring, ”what shall we eat,
and what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed”?
But wh a t greater inconsistency would there be in such conduct,
than may be seen in the conduct of ministers and Christians at
home, who are intent on gain?
Have these missionary brethren been
bought with richer blood, - saved from a more aggreaved hell?
bound to a more exalted heaven?
are there wants fewer and their
temptations to provide for themselves, more f e eble than their
brethren in Christian lands?
None of these i s true.
F r o m the
nature of the case,
the self-denial of his brother at home,
and if he acts from disinterested love to his master, his r e
ward, bestowed f rom the hand of his gracious Lord, will be grater.
The christian at home has numberless comforts and p r i v i ledges
which the missionary cannot enjoy, but on account of these shall
he be less devoted?
Oh no - he m a y n o t , cannot be. Ye ministers
of Christ, who are called to labor in fields already won; - to
secure the conquests already achieved by Christ, may y o u be less
devoted to h i m to w h o m y o u have sworn eternal allegience than
your brothren who are called to contend in the field of battle?
Are y ou children so much more exposed to w a n t in that land of
civil and religious liberty where they have friends and hom and
a thousand means of instruction - than the children of your
brethren in lands of darkness, where they have few friends, and
no home, and scanty means of instruction; that you should toil
to lay up for them whe n y o u are gone while these your brethren
must avoid a sim ilar course?
It can not be.
Christians of America,
ye who dwell by the water courses of salvation, who sit beneath
the droppings of the sanctuary, may y e be less devoted to him
who has appointed your happy lot, than your brethren and sisters
who from love to Christ and souls have relinquished these d elight
ful p r i v i l e g e s , for dry and thirsty places where no water is? Oh,
�1700
no.
To say ye might be less thankful, would obviously involve
the greatest absurdity;- but if y o u should be more gr atefu l,
then your obligations are greater; consequently, the same entire
devoteness y o u are required to manifest.
And how would y o u
pray, were y o u thus devoted ! While conscious that there would
be the most entire agreement between your prayers and efforts,
how earnestly might y o u b e s each God to let his kingdom come",
to fill the earth w i t h his glory.
Be assured, beloved brethren, that the missionaries of
the cross feel no ordinary interest in your monthly concerts.
In their name I would b eseach y o u to pray without ceasing.
All our hope of success, as laborers among the heathen are that
God w i l l hear the united prayers of y o u and us - will shed down
upon us his Holy Spirit, and make efficient the means which, by
your benefactions, we are enabled to employ.
Oh then, ye that "make mention of the Lord, keep not
silence; and give him no rest, till he establish, till he make
Jerusalem a praise in the earth"
wit h an inextinguishable
flame of love to Christ; a deep compassion for the deathless
spirits of the heathen; wit h a simple but strong faith in the
declarations of God; and w i t h a devotion of to the cause of
the son of God, w h i c h shall regard the withholding of a farthing
of your property when demanded by him for the salvation of a p erishi
n
g
world, as the sin of Ananias and Sapphira - cast yourselves at the
feet of sovereign mercy.
Thus shall y o u have power wit h God.
In
answer to your prayers, and by means of your self- denying efforts,
to the east and to the west; to the south and to the north, "many
shall run and knowledge shall be increased" . Every tribe and
kindred of men shall read and h ear the gospel wherever its accents
shall reach the ear, the Holy Spirit, descending from above,
shall touch the heart and transform the sinner to the child
of God.
Thus, multitudes, by your instrumentality shall be
redeemed from the pangs of the second death, and raised to seats
at Gods right hand.
Happy they who by their personal services,
their prayers, or their property shall be instrumental of
effecting a transformation so desireable of lessening the
amount of misery, and augmenting the sum of holy Joy.
G. S. J.
Rev. J. S. Green.
April 5, 1831
Ackd
Copied & sent to
Vermont Chronicle
�1701
105
Articles number II and III by J. S. Green copied and sent to
Vermont Chronicle
not copied
�1702
67
Sandwich Islands
1831-1837
Part Second
XXVI
106
Byrons Bay. Hilo Hawaii. Sept 30,
1831
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss rooms
My dear Brother,
I hasten to acknowledge a note from
you of date Aug. 23, 1830, also one from Mr. Evarts of Dec 27.
I thank y o u for any the smallest remembrance in the way of
writing and t h o ’ I have no postage to pay for the letters
which y o u send, yet I am always grieved to find a sheet but
half filled.
I suppose I expected more the last season from the
fact that I had been for a season employed in a special agency
for the board.
I can easily excuse you, as I well know that
you are doing a great work; and all that can be dispensed with
should be suggested.
To brother David I have no time to say a
ward, as I have no evidence that he wishes to hear me, having
repeatedly w r i t t e n without receiving a word in reply.
He may
be pressed w i t h business but I dare v enture to say not more so
then his brother Jonathan, w i t h a charge of 20,000 s o u ls or
more, who depend on him for instruction, and to w h o m he must
preach three times each we e k and to w h o se calls he must attend,
let come wha t will.
By
Evarts letter, y o u will learn what I am try
ing to do at Hilo.
My health, and the health of Mrs. Green
is quite good.
We have also a little daughter Born Dec. 14.
at Lahaina, who has generally been well.
The climate of this
place is very pleasant.
Tho' we have sometimes an excess of
rain, yet the weather is cool and pleasant compared with the
weather at Lahaina.
Yet I must not say, we left Lahaina with
a heavy heart - To Mr. And Mrs. Richards,- the Saviour bless
them we were and are fondly attached.
Take them all in all,
no society can boast of superior laborers sent forth to any
part of the world.
As you request me to write freely on the subject of
books I will say a few words.
It really seems to me that you
gentleman at the rooms, who have been at Andover, better know
what books we need than we do here.
F o r instance, if a new book
is sent from Germany which w ill aid us in our work, or if a
new work is published at Andover which w i l l help us as transla
tors or as interpreters of the Bible, it surely cannot be d i s
puted that we, at this remote corner of the world should write
for this, and have it sent in season.
For one I felt g r ieved
that only one new HebrewGrammar should be sent to 7 or 8 who
you, of course, must suppose, would want i t the moment they
heard it was out, expecially as only one or two could possibly be
benefitted by it,
F o r one I beg for all the v aluable boo k s
�1703
published at Andover and all other new and valuable works wh i c h
you think will help us in our arduous work.
I cannot of course
name particular works.
Th is I must leave to your discretion
and kindness.
I have no commentary at all on the old testament
and only Romumullue on the new.
The books which were sent
out which I was absent on the coast, were nearly all distributed
before my return.
Y o u know better which books we need than we
do, that is certain; better than we possibly can.
But perhaps
we are unreasonable in wishing for books.
As Mr. David says
we must think more and read less.
To professor Stuart I should
like to appeal - if he says, or will say that we do not need
books to aid us in translating I for one will acquiesce in
his decision.
But I will say no more,
only adding ray hearty
prayer that you & we may all be under the direction of infinite
wisdom.
I am as ever your brother in the bonds of the Gospel,
J. S. Green
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Miss Rooms
Boston
Mass
Rev. J. S. Green
May 7 1832
Date Sept 30
Ans d Dec 22
Books asked for
Edgartown Mass
May 4th
ship
�67 Sandwich Islands
My dear
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Sir,
Let me on this envelope tender you and the
Christian public my thank s for the unexpected kindness
you have shown in sending us additional helpers in our
delightful, but arduous work.
In behalf of the 20,000
or more perishing men of the districts where I am c a lled
to labor, do I thank you for sending them forth.
The
field is wide and ripe for the harvest.
One man who has
a heart to w o r k may do more now than 1 0 could do five years
since.
I thank y o u for enabling the Mi s s i o n so greatly
to increase the amount of labor in this part of the field.
I hope (torn) trust you will have
increased efforts here
much & of great good accomplished yet - thousands & (torn)
can seldom hear the gospel even n o w - thousands on this
Island are living and dying ignorant of the effiency of a
S a v i o u r ’s blood.
Gladly would I multiply myself into a
hundred heralds of the cross and proclaim to these immort
al perishing men the riches of atoneing blood.
Oh may it
appear in the great day of account, that this offering of
Christian benevolence which has brought to our shores these
beloved brethren resulted in the eternal salv ation of many
souls to the glory of infinite grace in Christ our Lord.
With great affection I remain in the bonds of the gospel your
brother
J. S . Green
Rev. J. S. Green
May 7 1832
Ack
ed Dec 22
Jeremiah Evarts E sq.
Cor Sec of the A.B.C.F .M.
Missionary R ooms
Boston Mass
Edgartown Mass
May 4th
�1705
108
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wailuku Maui Sand Islands October 1832
Rev. Rufus Anderson
My dear Brother
Changes of considerable import
ance in my circumstances having taken place since I last wrote,
in M a y , I send you extracts from my journal to this date.
V ery affectionately yours,
J. S. Green
Byrons Bay, Hilo, Hawaii.
August 10 1832.
Nearly
four weeks since, I returned with my family f rom Oahu to this
place and am waiting an opportunity to remove my goods to
Wailuku, on Maui, having been located there at our general
meeting in June.
The people having been destitute of prea c h
ing for ten sabbaths received us with great apparent cordiality.
T h o ' they have been thus destitute, I believe the wakeful eye of
the good Shepherd has been upon them.
I cannot learn that the
adversary of souls has been permitted to lead astray any of the
little flock.
Some irrigularities, In the neighborhood, connect
ed with their former superstitions, occured on hearing of the
death of Kaahumanu their beloved chief.
These, however, were
soon checked, and one of the principle actors confessed his
folly with shame, and apparent sorrow.
Expecting soon to leave
the people, I have endeavored to fill up these few weeks with
useful labor.
In addition to preaching on the Sabbath, lecturing
in the evening t o the bible class, superintending Sabbath day
and singing schools I have visited schools at some little distance,
and have spent some time in visiting from house to house.
This
evening Mr. Dibble with his family, arrived from O ahu and I
am preparing to leave.
Sabbath 12.
Today I addressed my people, perhaps for
the last time - baptized the infant child of Mr. Dibble, and
administered the ordinance of the Lords supper.
To us, who are
doing our labors at this station, the day has been deeply inter
esting.
I believe it has been so to the people.
Remainder of letter printed 20 Missionary Herald 238
July 1833
J. S. Green.
March 26, 1833
Ackd in Gen.
e tter April 11
l
�1706
109
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wailuku, Maui, Sand,
Islands Oct 17,
1832
Rev. Rufus Anderson
My dear Brother
On the subject of substituting
fixed salaries for the common stock system in conducting your
mission at the Sandwich Islands, I wish to say a few words.
Others will write you, and will furnish you with more facts
than I can.
Yet my opinion I will give y o u because 1. Y o u
have requested it; 2.
At the last general meeting we r e s o lved
that on this subject, one letter, at least be w ritten from each
station to the board; and 3 should I not write, and a salary
be saddled upon my shoulders I should blame myself for my stupidity.
After having assigned this last as a reason for writing,
I need not say that I am opposed to a change.
On the ground
of economy, Mr. Chamberlain will tell you, I think that nothing
will be gained by the proposed substitution. He assured me that
he should furnish you with facts.
Depending on h i m therefore I
have n o t sought facts, and shall say nothing on this part of the
subject.
Another difficulty in the way of substituting fixed
salaries for the common stock system, would be found in varying
the salary so as to suit the circumstances of i n dividuals.ours being very dissimilar.
Some of the older members of the
mission who have thought much on the subject, regard this as an
insuperable objection.
But admitting that economy - so far as
the funds of the board are concerned - would be promoted by the
proposed substitution and that no difficulty would be found in
adjusting the salary of each to his peculiar circumstances, still
I should deprecate the thought of a change in the present method
od supporting your missionaries at these Islands.
My reasons I
will now give you.
1. The substitution of a fixed salary for the common
stock system would occasion a great loss of individual feeling
and strength, wh i c h we all need to the successful prosecution of
our work.
Y o u know something of the nature of our work and of
our multiplied and pressing engagements.
We have a nation
of children "very small", and exceedingly dark hearted to in
struct - to give them the B ible and other books; to teach
them to read and think; to watch over them by day and by night;
in short, to exercise sleepless viligence lest our labor in
the Lord be in v ain,
Y o u know too, that at present we can all
of us employ to the highest advantage every moment of our time
not necessarily employed in domestic cares, and not needed for
exercise.
In these circumstances, permit me as an individual,
�1707
to give you many thanks for the method you have taken to
supply our wants.
For one, I can freely say, that I have
very little care on this subject.
When I need food or
raiment, our good agent, who, I presume is as economical as
any other man, supplies me and I eat, and drink and wear
what he gives me without asking any farther questions.
Now
would y ou have me waste my feeling and strength in trading
for myself?
If you desire it, I must submit, but I shall
regard it as a severe trial, and if my services are of any
value to the people, I am certain they will be great losers.
This however, I regard as a comparativily small objection.
I remark then.
2ndly
To support us by fixed salaries would have a
tendency to secularize us as a mission.
In your letter to us of Nov. 16 1831 you expressed a
wish that we should devise some way to free ourselves from the
sale of native books, and y o u conclude by saying, "as the
apostles took measures to free themselves from secular cares
that they might give themselves wholly to the preaching of
the word, so the committee desire you to d o ” &c For one, I
do think the service suitable, such as Paul the aged would
have given and I thank you for it.
But my dear Sir, would
not the substituting of a fixed salary for the common stock
system increase greatly the probability that we, as a mission,
should be overwhelmed w ith secular cares?
To my mind, nothing
is more certain.
Say we have fixed s a l a r i e s . We have children.
We have the feelings of parents.
We are exiles.
We think of
the future w h e n we look upon our little ones and our hearts
bleed.
We are selfish somewhat - pardon me if I judge my
brethren by myself - and now for securing a support for our
families w h e n perhaps we are dead.
Thus circumstanced, my
dear Sir, your eye should it be directed to this field might
follow one t 6 his farm, and another to his m e r c h antize". It
is very easy to turn our presents, and the avails of books to
good account, if we will become speculators.
On this point
I could point to facts, but as they do not now exist, I forbear,
To the eyes of the world, instead of having a secular agent, we
should become a secular community.
I know y o u w i l l join with
me in beseeching God our heavenly father to save us from assum
ing this posture, and sustaining this character.
But even this is not the greatest evil, which, in my
opinion, would result from the contemplated substitution, for
2dly In supporting us by fixed salaries, you would
take from us the ability of standing up before the world as
men who demonstrably show that they "seek not their own, but
the things of Jesus Christ."
Y o u are wel l aware of the character of the foreign
residents at these Islands.
Now I take it upon me to say that
with nothing in our character and circumstances are these men
so much affected, as w i t h the fact that we are self-devoted men
and women, who have given ourselves to Christ and the heathen to
toil till we die merely for our support from year to year.
I
�1708
know that they are forcibly struck w i t h this fact.
And I
ask are not both good and bad men, at home affected with this
fact?
And is not the influence of such a fact worth some
thing to us, and to you? Do not our friends love to point to
up, and say to their neighbors, who may be under the influence
of selfishness, "In those self-devoted men and women see the dis
interested spirit of the g o s p e l ” ! Does not the knowledge of this
fact do something to stop the months of gainsayers?
Do not then,
I beseech you, take from us the blessed privilege - if not of
being,- yet of showing ourselves to be disinterested men &
women.
For one, I had rather you would withhold support a l t o
gether than grant it in the shape of a salary.
I do therefore
humbly, but earnestly entreat y o u to save us from a change in
our present mode of living which would so obviously increase
our cares as individuals, secularize us as a mission and in its
influence deprives us og being regarded as disinterested men a privilege w h i c h I value more than untold gold and silver.
In the meantime I promise to do all in my power, c o n
sistently w i t h the duties w h i c h I owe my people, to lessen the
expenses of the board while I shall studiously avoid appropriating
the time wh i c h should be devoted to my labors among them, I will
endeavour to turn my needful exercise to a good account.
I have
done so hitherto, and have been enabled to help myself to all
necessary furniture for my kitchen, and my s t u d y . and I have done
something in this department for several of my brethren.
May y o u have w i s d o m to devise good things for Zion to adopt measures wh i c h shall soonest, and in the best manner
effect the great object, which is dear to your heart and ours.
With much affection my dear brother I remain yours in
the labors of the Gospel
J. S. Green.
Oct
10
I will give you a list of my books of all
which I value as helps. I have many common kinds of books which
I lend to foreign residents and if they were on the book shelf
of the doners I should not, on my own account miss them.
I
would not for their value, make out a catalogue of them..
I have
F e b . Bible. ( Simonis)
Jaspis Epistolae
do
Lexicon ( do
)
Eichhorn in A pocalyp
do
do
Gibbs
Tittman on John
do Grammar 2ed. Stuart
Lempriere Class dic
do do
4 ed.
do
Youngs La t D i c .
do c
do
Winer Gram.
(torn)
Common Lat & Greek Gram
(tor n )
Jahn's Bib. Arch.
Knapp. Testament New
Fourth Heb. Postrey & Isaiah
Lexicon Sehleusner N. T.
Stuarts Hebrews
do Rickuing
Campbells Gospels
Septu a g i n t
Cavallos Philosophy.
R o senmullu on Novem Test.
Lemprieres Biog Di c .
Stoor & Flatt
Worcester
Ga z e teer
Doedulien institution
Newtown Works
borstius Hebreism
BrownsPhilosophy
Dwight's Theology
�1709
Edwards works in part 5. vol
Johnsons
do
Prideaus & Therekford
Hannah M o r e ’s work e s
Owins Hebrews. Christian O bserver12 vol
Biography of Martyn, Brainar d Buchannan.
Richmond Scott,
Sermons of Worcester Chalmers, Emmons
Miscelany Butlers Analogy Halls Polemin
F osters Essays & Pop Fy Bucks Dictionary
Preachers manual. Ministers Companion
C r u d i n ’s Concordance
classics I have
Vergil- Horace- Cicero's oration
De oratore D o Officis
Sallu s t Tacitus Livius
Graeca Maj ora et manora. C a e s a r ’s commentaries
these are my b o o k s , and include all excepting a few above
described
J. S. Green
With respect to books, I only wish that y o u would send me
new books - Books that we cannot, of course have in our
librar i e s . All the books w h i c h the professors at Andover
publish, I should like, and whe n any book which you think
would enable me to be useful, come out, either from Germany
or from any other place, I should be thankful if y o u would
send it.
I greatly need a good critical commentary on the
old Testament. I should like Robinsons Greek Lexicon, and
Knaps Le c t u r e s : and K u i n o e l ’s Commentary.
your brother J. S Green
Edgartown Mass
ship 12
Rev. Rufu s A nderson
Ass Cor Sec A.B.C.F .M.
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill Boston
Mass
U. State s
Rev. Jon a
S. Green
M arch 26, 1833
Ackd in Gen Letter
A pril 1 1
Salaries
List of Books
Books needed
R o b i n s o n ’s Gr. Lexicon
Knapp's lectures
Kuinoels Co m?
Com on O . Test?
send Rones abridged
�1710
110
Printed in
Ver m o n t Chronicle
�1711
111
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wailuku Maui, Sandwich Islands October,
29, 1832.
My dear brother David,
I am reminded by the return of autumn
of the duty I owe my patrons and friends in A merica w h o kin d
ly wrote my by the last reinforcement.
Among the letters
which reached me by the Averick, I had the happiness of f i n d
ing one f r o m your hand.
F or this I give y o u many thanks, and
I hasten to prepare an answer.
And so y o u expected to hear that in two or three years,
brother Jonathan had killed himself by real hard tugging ! I
confess that what y o u wrote on that subject g r a t i f i e d , and
humbled me, or rather, made me ashamed of myself. — gratified
me - to k n ow that my good friends do n ot think me a lounger
on Missionary ground.
Yes, I had rather they would think me
dead forty times that to fear even that I am lounging in this
field of sacred t o i l ! I felt ashamed however that there should
be no more ground for your apprehensions; and I shall try to
improve the hint, as a spur rather than a c ure to my industry,
which at the same time I promise y o u that I wil l be economical
of my strength, for I do certainly w i s h to live a great many
years, and to live to the highest p u r p o s e .
F r o m my letters of last year, and fro m written in
May of the present year, y o u will have heard considerably
respecting me and my poor labors up to that date.
In my
communications to Mr Anderson I have said nothing as to the
grounds of my leaving Hilo.
I w i l l now say to y o u that I
labored at that place with great pleasure and as I f latterd
myself wit h success.
I obtained, for an associate a man
to my liking, to w h o m I became exceedingly attached and who,
I am well assures loved me as a brother.
Wi th the hearty and
efficient co-operation of Mr.
i bble, I had reduced things to
D
tolerable order, and the prospect seemed flattering that we
might do something the p r e s e n t . year.
Yet, as Mr. Goodrich
would at all events return, and as I well knew that I could
not live with a man who would do all for himself and nothing
for Jesus Christ, in anguish of soul, I volunteered to leave
the field.
Th o ’ Mr. Goodrich is at Hilo, yet my good brother
Dibble is acting pastor of the church and he has M r . Lyman
for an a s s o c i a t e . Mr. D ibble you know, has been in the field
one whole y e a r .
If you have received the station letter which Mr.
Dibble and I sent y o u last October, you wil l perhaps perceive
some discrepency between that and a certain journal which
�1713
y ou published in the Herald for February of this year.
I stated that there had never been a bible class at Hilo.
This I can prove.
Mrs. G. herself declared that t h o ' she
had attempted it she could never induce the people to
commit scripture to memory - not even 2 or 3 verses a week
I am almost indignant that he should make such re p r e s e n t a
tions.
Why Sir, he used to keep a great bouncing dog chain
ed near his house and gate, and I have myself leaped with
all my strength to save myself from his grasp.
Nothing was
more nonsensical than his examination of schools.
A fine
holiday truly! A s k Mr. Clark who was there in 1829 and Mr.
in 1830, about the revival of which he speaks. "Little
or no time of our o w n ” --I spy nothing of Mrs. Goodrich - but
in regard to h i m nothing could be farther f rom fact - all his time
when not in the pulpit was his own, at least he used it as
his own.
And so it has always been, at least all say so who
have been w ith him.
I was w ith h i m nearly 5 months & of all
the trials which I have ever been called to endure living
w it h him was the g r e a t e s t ! I state facts my dear brother,
& I have a journal wh i c h I kept w hen w ith h i m which has
some tough
t h i n g s it in.
I assure you I hope, however, he
will do better tho
I do confess that I have little ground
to expect it till Lord in mercy had given him a better m i n d !
I have written so much to Mr. A nderson respecting things
at this place, that I shall not add any thing farther.
Mrs.
g reen enjoys tolerably good health.
We have a little daughter
nearly two years old.
We have much to do, but this we do
not regard as an evil.
We should be pleased wit h good associates,
as our f i e l d is v e r y large yet, we wil l do what we can, and
we pray that we may n o t live in vain.
Oct 30.
I must say good bye, brother David, for this
time.
The Lord bless thee & thine ! I send a few sheets for
the Chronicle which y o u may if you please send on.
I have
sent 9 sheets to Mr. Anderson by the H abius.
With much af f ec
tion your brother
J. S. Green
Mr. David Greene
Miss Rooms
28 C ornh i l l Boston
postmark Ne w Bedford Mass
April 11
Rev. J o n a
t han Green
p ril 12, 1833
A
Ackd in Gen. Letter April 13
Write him April 19
Mr. G o o d r i c h ’s case
Glass e s for Mrs. Green
Mrs. Green needs greatly spectacles.
She now has a pair of Mrs.
Richards white g l a s s . focus 21 inches.
glasses spare ones
I mean Do send them.
J. S. Green
�1713
112
67 Sandwich Islands 1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
W ailuku, Maui, Sandwich Islands
Nov. 12, 1832
Rev. R. A nd e r s o n ,
My very dear Brother,
By the H abius, Capt
Coffin who sailed about two weeks since, I fowarded several sheets
to the rooms.
I wrote also by the R odman, Capt. Joy, and
still later I sent a few sheets to Lahaina to be forwarded
by the earliest opportunity.
I a m not quite sure, after all,
that I distinctly acknowledged your favor of Nov. 16, 1831 &
will therefore add another sheet to my somewhat voluminous
correspondence.
I thank y o u for communicating to me the opinion of
the committee respecting my tour to the coast.
The report
I had not, at that time, seen.
There is but one that belong
ing to Mr. Emmerson - in the mission will you, dear Sir, have
the goodness to send me one?
I desire to bles s God that I was enabled while on that
somewhat difficult agency, to give satisfaction to my patrons.
I wish I could have done more - expecially that I could have
visited the Columbia River.
I have made as many enquiries as
I have been able, respecting the country about the said river.
The governor of the English colony up the Columbia was at
Honolulu last summer.
I did not see him, but am informed that
he gave much the same account of the country wh i c h I have r e
ceived before.
I should rejoice in the establishment of a
mission on that coast and I think something should be attempted
soon.
O r w hen will all the wandering, darkened tribe s of
men sit at the feet of our Emmanuel, his happy subjects?
w he n
w ill the earth be filled with his glory?
Do you fear my dear brother, that we shall cease to feel
deeply for the benighted heathen, situa t e d as we are in the
midst of so interesting a people who have abandoned their
idols - have obtained, and learned to read the word of God, who
”keep holy d a y ” and, throng the house of God? Do you fear
especially, that we shall lose our enterprizing spirit,shall
become indolent and effeminate?
Pray that we n ever may so
far forget our obligations, and our vows,
But, my dear brother,
y ou will forgive me for saying that there is nothing in our
circumstances peculiarly calculated to extinguish our ardorto dry up the fountain of our compassion for benighted men,
or to wither the arm of our enterprize.
True it is, if we
will be satisfied with external appearances, if a mere perform
ance of the ordinary labors of the sabbath if the breaking
off of some outward sins, the attendance on the public services
of the sanctuary is all we expect to result from our labors,
then, we may become devoid of feeling & enterprize.
u t the
B
zeal which burns for no higher end than this, was never kindled
at the altar of God, and ma y easily be shared.
But to the
�1714
man who pants to see all this people become truly Christian,
who accounts nothing done to the purpose till the hearts
of his people are made to yield to the claims of the gospel,
there is much, very much to keep awaked his compassion and to
nerve his arm to long continued and Vigorous action.
May
I ask y o u to look at my circumstances.
More than 25,000
twenty five thousand souls belong to my parish and of all these
have no evidence that twenty five are savingly acquainted
with the Lord Jesus Christ.
On all east Maui, the only means
of instruction at present enjoyed, are contained in a few
scraps of the word of God.
The people have all perhaps, heard
something of the Savior, but judging of them from those who
have for months constantly lessened to the preached gospel,
they are exceedingly dark hearted.
My congregation on the
Sabbath consists of some 2,500 but alas how few of them give
satisfactory evidence that they are w alking in the way which
conducts to heaven!
and yet, I am fully persuaded that nearly
all of this great congregation are confident of, their good
estate - are fondly dreaming of eternal l i f e . To be placed
in the midst of such a people; to have the oversight of so
many dying men - to be called to labor single handed for
their temporal and spiritual welfare - to instruct (torn)
ignorant, guide the wandering, to administer to the sufferings
of the body, and especially to preach the gospel to the poor,
I need not say has not the least tendency to dry up the source
of compassion, or to induce habits of indolence.
As I look
about me and see wha t must be done for my poor people to save
them from perdition, m y heart is full, and my hands are e x
tended to snatch them from endless burnings.
Yet I am well
aware that my pity is ineffective, and my hands are too feeble
to save a soul f rom death.
Pray for me, my dear brother,
that He who is powerful to save would appear for us, and
that I may yet be permitted to see the salvation of God.
These
remarks respecting my people are applicable to all the people
on the Islands with w h o m I am acquainted and you know where I
I have resided.
I hear wit h untold joy, that something like
a New England revival, has commenced at Kauai.
Y o u will hear.
Such a season I have never seen, and my hearts, if I am not
mistaken, pants for it, as the heart for the water brooks !
My good and excellent brother Dibble recently wrote me that
a single n e w and sticking case of conviction and hopeful
conver s i o n , has occured at Hilo.
Pray that such cases,
now exceedingly rare, may be multiplied.
I could say much more
but have no more time nor room.
Think not that I am d iscourag
ed, or paint darkly.
Oh No I I am as happy as a King, and am
determined to do allin my power to save all my people from Hell
But I will say that they are all pressing on tow a r d heaven for
it is quite so I The Lord bless thee & thine,
Pray for us.
I
wrote to br David for glasses for my dear wife. She greatly
needs them .
In enduring bonds your brother
J. S . Green
�1715
Rev.
Jonathan S. Green
May 17, 1833
Ackd in Gen.
Oct 30
Letter
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Miss Rooms 28 Corn Hill
Boston
Mass
post mark New Bedford
March 16
Mass
�1716
113
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wa i l u k u Maui, Sandwich Islands Dec. 8 ,
1832
My very dear brother
Y o u will excuse me for not noticing your
letter of May last.
I have not seen it, and w h e n I shall is
quite uncertain.
W e do not live in the same neighborhood, and
have sometimes to wait long for information from our brethren.
I need not say again that we cannot use the same library.
I
much need a commentary on the Old Testament--I hope to aid in
translating some part of the Bible, that is, if I can have helps.
I may not, shall not attempt without helps.
I cast myself on
your kindness, my dear brethren - I do not w a n t a salary - I
do n o t wish to lay up anything for my family - I only wish to
be enabled to aid in enlightening the poor people
One other
book I greatly need as I think it would increase my usefulness
"a medical D ictionary.
"
I have a few medical books but no
dictionary.
Were not the facts from the Society Islands astound
ing?
They were so to us; but my dear Sir, we have all occasion
to bless God that we have learned them so soon; before our
already too large churches had become a mass of moral pollution.
Pray for us, my dear brother, that we may n o t be covered with
shame.
Y o u are greatly deceived in respect to the true state
of things at these Islands,
If I have done anything to deceive
you I am sorry.
I cannot now recollect anything.
I will write
you in the fear of God, and y o u shall have the dark as well as
the bright side of the picture.
I am cheerful and happy in
my work, and had I a thousand lives, I would gladly spend them
in your service among this poor people.
They are a rising p eopleGod had done great things for them - but oh my dear S ir, you
know not h o w to pray for us, and cannot,
while you regard the
people as so far advanced.
I could fill several sheets on
this subject, but I forbear.
All that I can I will do to
elevate, bless and save them, and I do hope that I may be
spared to communicate tidings w h i c h shall gladden your heart.
But God forbid that I should endeavour to gladden your heart
with a statement of appearances which w ill ultimately disappoint
you& cover my fear with shame !
I presume you will hear that the English brethren
are becoming mere secular men - have to beg and teach to get
a living and those of them who would
if they could, be devoted
men said to
b r e t h r e n of the deputation, "do not ask for a
salary".
My feelings on the subject of a salary have all along
been strong.
I need not say they are not less strong now
�1717
On my bended knees, I beseech you save me from becoming
a secular man.
I am well assured you will not sink us
so low in the estimation of the people.
I will fill my sheet w ith extracts fro m my Journal.
Monday, November 12 1832 In my walks of usefulness
today, I called a t the doors of some 1 0 or 1 2 native cottages,
many of them being so low that I could not enter standing erect,
and most of them being so filthy, that I could not have sat
comfortably, had I entered.
How ver y different, thought I
this labor from that of my brethren in Christian lands.
In
their parochial visits even among the poor, th e often find
a clean cottage, frequently, the best of accomodations.
Yet
I found no little satisfaction in pointing them to the lamb
of God whose blood cleanses from all polution, and whose grace
can fit these poor degraded men for the purity and bliss of
heaven!
13 While my heart has been pained with the wan t of
self knowledge - low views of the Saviour, and dependence on
their own efforts - of several persons who were recommended as
candidates for church membership, and w h o m I have been e x aming this evening, I conversed w i t h one whose account of himself, and of the Saviour's dealings w i t h him, cheered me
greatly, and convinced me that he had been taught of the Spirit
of God.
A few such cases have occured where I have labored
and. they are sufficient to convince me that the same convictions
of sin may be expected here as in the churches of my own
country.
14 At the grave of a man who suddenly died while
at this place on a visit, I addressed his widow, a middle
aged woman who sat near me with a child in her arms.
I found
her utterly ignorant of the great and interesting truths of
the gospel, nor could I ascertain that she had the slightest
knowledge of Jesus C h r i s t . I greatly fear that many similar
cases might be found on these Islands.
19. In my w alk today, I addressed several persons
as is my custom, by sitting a few minutes at the doo r of their
cottages.
At length I found some 30 persons who had collected
for a school to w h o m I preached Christ crucified.
In the course
of the afternoon, I conversed w ith a large number, and endeavour
ed to fasten religious truth upon their minds, w h i c h by the
blessing of God may result In the salvation of their s o u l s .
They gave me a respectful hearing, but oh w hat evidence do they
give that they feel no deep interest in what they hear - and
that their assent is exceedingly heartless -"They want think
ing souls, they want them” . They have not feeling enough to
gainsay.
If I could excite opposition, I should have more
hope of their salvation.
Spirit of grace, new create their dead
souls !
Dec 10.--I must now close, my dear brother, we
are in tolerable h e a l t h and have much pleasant labor on hand.
Pray that we may be useful.
I do greatly need an associate, I
�1718
think of my beloved brother Dibble - a rare young man &
an indefatigable labour! with much interest and with strong
desire to have him again with me, but the prospect of our
laboring together again is rather dark.
Reports for 1830 of the Board have at length
reached us.
Mrs. Green wishes to be remembered to you and
your dear companion as does her husband, your affectionate
brother & fellow labour in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
J. S. Green.
Rev. Rufus Anderson Cor Sec A.B.C.F .M.
Miss R ooms
No 28 C ornhill
Boston Mass
postmark New Y o r k ship
u g 14
A
Rev. J. S. Green
Re cd Aug 15, 1833
Dictionary medical points
Ackd in Gen Letter
Oct 30
�1719
114
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
Wailuku,
Maui, Sand,
XXVI
Islands. Nov 28,
1833
To David Greene
Miss Rooms
Dear brother,
I enclose a letter to your particular
care of which I now give you the following account.
Mr. William
M c Lane, a neighbor of mine, and a worthy member, as I suppose
of our church, has been a r e s i d e n t at these islands for several
years, say 10 or more.
He is from Boston where he left a
mother and other relations
But tho' he has often written to
them, he cannot ascertain that they have heard one word from
him, and he earnestly desired as the last resort that I would
assist him.
I know of no so direct way as to send this letter
to you and in behalf of McLane I do r equest you to take the
enclosed letter and if possible find out the said woman or
some of his other friends.
Here follows a list of names.
Mary Tucker. Catherine Fitzgerald. Mary D. Fitzgerald - also
William T and Michel, and Morris L. Fitzgerald Edward Barington.
Boston. Also. Joseph. Thomas and Solomon Harley of Charleston.
Let me say that though the business should cost you a little
trouble, Mr. McLane is won t to do many favors for the mission has labored for Mr. Richards in tending masons
- land r efused
to take as great wages as Mr. Richards offered him. and he is
now at w ork for me.
I feel indebted to him and believe that to
has saved the mission many d o l l a r s . ha pau ae la k iea m a n a o .
I hoped to have filled another sheet or two for
your perusal at the rooms.
I hope yet to reply to Mr. A n d e r
s o n ’s by the Lagoda.
I will here say the t h o ’ I wrote respecting
Mr. Goodrich for your eye I have no objection to its being
known to the Prudential C ommittee.
I am ready to make as full
statements as y o u wis h and so will my brethren Andrews and
Clark.
Brethren of a longer residence would have done so
once, but now they are mute e n o u g h . But I hope not to be
obliged to say more.
I will say nothing wh i c h I cannot prove.
Mr. G talks of going home, though I fear he will not.
And now my brethren, w h a t do you think of the
occupants of these favored islands?
Y o u have new things I
suppose, this year.
Now I pray that y o u may not be discouraged.
Depend upon it, the church of Christ here w ill be benefitted
by these changes.
I do feel that the church was coming into
a bad shape.
The news from Otaheite broke upon us like a thunder
clap, and though some of us had prophicied a change in the
state of things here yet we did not dream that it would so soon
�1720
succed the news from the south.
I know not what my brethren
have written home this f a l l . nor how they explain, or whether
they try to explain at all - the causes w hich led to this state
of things.
Y o u may be told that fore ign influence has wrought
this ch ange”
that men from christian lands have wrough this
dreadful d e e d . Now no man on this sod has a more correct
impression of the merits of these scoundrels than your friend
Jonathan, though I say it m y self. What
they could do they
have done to fill the land w ith pollution, shame darkness and
misery; and they have doubtless laughed, and exulted as they
have seen the people plunging into the sink of iniquity.
They
have done all they could to ruin the young king and their
influence has but too well succeeded
Still I would not a t trib
ute more to them than they fairly merit.
They have done much
but much must be attributed to the f
a c t that the people are
depraved deeply depraved.
Why does not this explain all.
It seems
to me that you have not thu s regarded them, or somehow or
other a charm has been cast upon the face of things here and
we have been thought to be occupying a kind of Eden;
But my
dear brother, it is not so and I trust y o u will be enable to say
so in the best manner to the people.
Beseech them not to feel
that because success of glorious character they imagined has
not been realized at Hawaii, that they may do less, and feel
less interest in our cause, and in the cause of the brethren
in general.
Far otherwise, How we need their sympathy and prayers
and co- o p e r a t i o n . D o not let them forget us, though in regard
to this mission I freely (hole in paper) that the ”first w i ll
be last," and that the people of Siam, and of eastern Asia will
become christianized before this people.
The fact is, my good
brother, this is not a reading people, and I am distressed about it
I am delighted with your resolution permitting us to appropriate
a large sum of money for schools.
But a newspaper this is 50
years too soon for such a thing.
Pray for us my brethren.
Mrs. Green sends much love
to you and yours.
We have another little one- born 3 0
c tober.
O
a son.
I have written to the e d i t o r of the C h r o n i c l e . perhaps
I should have sent it you but I though I would not t r o u b l e
y o u too much in this way.
I also wrote a long childrens letter to
my nephew-Hudson Ohio which may be printed in the Observer &
Telegraph.
I have written this brother David in the greatest
haste because I must send it n o w , or perhaps not at all.
I am
ashamed to have it go in to the f i le and do not quite like
your arrangement on that point. B u t , be it known to you, my
good and very dear Sir, that I will w i s h you my heart, go where
it will after it gets into your hands
Will you not tell me into how many dialects Mr.
Gatzlaff translated the bible in one year besides writing
tracts dictionary &c &c.
That is the biggest fish story
my b rother
you have told lately,
I had a hearty laugh
over it. B u t let that go so you saw it & so told it but
I will never believe it.
Pray for me.
Love to your wife and
a s s o cia t e s .
Your affectionate brother
J .S
. Green
�1721
Rev. David Greene
Corresponding Sec A.B.C.F .M.
Miss R ooms 28 Cornhill
Boston Mass
Rev.
Date
Reed
Ansd
Jonathan S . Green
Nov 28, 1832
June 23 1834
June 24 D G
postmark Sag Har N. Y.
June 20
�1722
115
67 Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Second
Wailuku, Maui,
XXVI
Sandwich Islands Dec 6 ,
1833
Rev. R. Anderson
Ver y dear Brother,
I unaccountably forgot to
give you in our station letter a table, b y reference to which
y ou might ascertain the number of r e a d e r s in our schools, tho'
I said, see table b e low” . I will now make it out hoping that
I may be able to get off this letter to Honolulu in time to
go by the Telegraph, Capt Sayre, of Sag Harbor.
S ince my
residence here, I have examined the following schools,
all
living within 6 or 8 miles. Viz schools of Wailuku. of Walkipu
of Hapoko, Waiehu, and W a i h e e . I will give you the number
of r e a d e r s in January, and May, since which we have had no
examination.
May 1833
Jany 1833
males.
males & females
fem
325
93
Wailuku 204 Viz 111
88
48
38
Waikepu
86
63
26
33
Napoko
50
44
22
11
W aiehu
33
114
33
Waihee
77
44
534
251
2 0 8...
Total
459
In August, as I informed you, I made the tour
of Eas t Maui, for the purpose of examining schools.
I
will now give you the number of readers.
see page E
fem
total
males
97
109
206
Hamakualoa
1313
154
285
Kolou
187
340
153
Hana
125
269
144
K i p a h u lu
195
213
408
Kaupo
26
32
58
Kahikinui
172
358
Kula
186
Hamakuapoko
24
54
130
140
142
282
Honuaula
1143
2260
1117
These you will understand can all read with
pains taking, and some of them tolerably well, a few only
read fl u e n t l y . Perhaps in all thirty children were examined.
�1723
I almost fear to have another examination.
The
interest in schools is diminishing I fear, very rapidly, We
hope i t w i l l increase w h e n our school house shall be completed,
and we shall divide , as we are determined to do, our schools
for teachers b oth male a n d female.
We hope to c o m m e n c e the
first of January*sp ared.
Things with us are rather discouraging
but on God our helper, we desire to hear, and to confide in his
wisdom and kindness.
Oh for more of the S aviors s p i r i t . for
more love to souls more zeal and devotedness.
Do pray for us,
my dear brother.
Beseech God to uphold us in this day of rebuke
and save us from dishonoring his great and holy name.
Pray too
for the church at these islands, for I fear that very many are
in her bosom, who are#slur and curse to her though they may do
nothing which shall lead to their separation.
Pray for the
poor people who are passing the road to ruin, and who will
perish in multitudes, unless God interpose.
Perhaps some of
my brethren write more-encouragingly than I do. though when
they write to me from other stations they write darkly enough.
I pray God my fears respecting the people may be groundless
but I cannot help writing just as things seem to me.
I do
hope and pray that the painful intelligence from Hawaii may
not put a damper on the zeal of christians of the U. S tates on
the subject of missions.
Things are bad enough, and are pro b
ably growing worse, but oh, do not cease to pray for us and
labor with us for the salvation of the people.
I know you will
not, nor will intelligent Christians, (torn) greatly fear that
too much stress has been laid upon success, and that many who
(torn) now hear of the sad apparent reverse in the state of
things here, w i l l be disheartened.
God grant it may not be so.
I will not believe that the church of Christ will be consumed
in the fire of persecution which has recently been kindled up
on these shores.
I give you many thanks for y our letters, and for
the glasses sent to Mrs. Green.
I hope you w ill send me
Rossenmuler on the Old Test.
I shall depend upon your generosity
to send me such books as shall come out from the press at
Andover.
I will not expend any of your funds for tea nor
coffee, and as I am not a salary man I cannot gain any thing
in this way.
You wil l therefore help me.
Mr. George Shepard of
Hallowell Maine recently sent me Rob Hall 3 works 2 vols Stuart
on R omans.
Saturday evening. English prose writers 6 vol so many
books y o u will please add to my catalogue.
I w i s h you to send
me the bound volumes of tracts which remain.
I have 6 vol. I
earnestly request you to send me a pocket Psalter.
Mr. Tinker
gave me his and I wish to return it. also the Concordance of
Schimiding a Greek testament of Greenfield, and Lexicon by
the same A u t h o r . all pocket volumes. V e r y handy to carry with
one when itinerating.
The Lord bless thee and thine and all
at the rooms.
Your brother in the gospel of our Lord
J. S. Green
* if
# a
�Rev Rufus Anderson
Cor Sect A.B.C.F.M.
Miss Rooms
28 Cornhill Boston
U.
Rev. J . S. Green
Dated Dec. 6 , 1833
R e cd June 23, 1834
Ackd i n G. L. Ap 5/34
B ooks
Marked HSK
Ansd Dec 6
Received June 23,
Wants books
1834
�1725
116
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
Wailuku,
Maul, Sand
XXVI
Islands Aug 28,
1834
My dear brother David,
Without a word of apology I shall pour out
my heart into your bosom ! and if I do not make an impression
on your heart mine shall not be the f a u l t . D id you not hear
how very narrowly I escaped breaking my neck last winter?
As
I lay on the ground, full of anguish, and viewed the stars
above and around me, for I was somewhat elevated, I though of
my brother David and his brotherly concern once expressed, lest
I should kill myself, and I said now perhaps, brother D avid will
hear that I am dead sure enough.
But God graciously heard my
cry, and saved me from the yawning grave, and, I am nearly as
vigorous as before.
But now that I am recovered, my brethren
are bent on making a n end of me.
After having toiled all the
last year, and built a school house, and dwelling house, and
laid out my plans for extensive labor, the mission have decided
that I shall live alone, till a schoolmaster forsooth can be
sent me - a man by the way, wh i c h I do not want, unless you can
find a rare one who might be, at least a licenced preacher.
Say brother David, will you send me a man directly, a man to
my liking. a vigorous, whole souled fellow who will toil because
he loves work, and toil among the benighted with cheerfulness till
he dies, without pining for foreign company?
Send me a man
like Sheldon Dibble — - -but no — I do not expect to look upon
his like a g a i n ! Why will not Cephas H. Kent come out and be
my associate?
I love Kent better than any other man on the
footstool whose name is not Greene ! and should leap to see
him here t h o ’ the land is dark, and polluted and our prospects
not very bright.
But this I leave with you.
I am overwhelmed.
Let me give y o u a scrap of my journal.
"Aug 27 1834 10 o.c.
All called out of my study to attend a funeral, one mile d i s
tant.
Could not reach the place on account of a rise of the
river 11. Called out of my study to see a man supposed to be
near his end - Hastened and found h i m sick enough - administered
to his necessity as well as I could, but who am I that I
should be dealing out medicine to the sick and dying?
2 o.c.
P. M. walked half mile and attened a funeral. 3 o.c. entered
my school, opened it, then walked a little distance and attended
another funeral - On my way back to the school house, had a
call for medicine - administered- attended school - then
singing school.
Thence to the meeting house where I preached
my usual Wednesday lecture and solemnized five marriages.
Closed the day by hearing the natives in (torn) family read a
�1726
chapter and praying with them.
Thus y o u see brother, that
my hands are (wax) of business, and I fear I shall sink.
I
need not say that I cannot do all these things well. I have
a tract on ecclesiastical history which I a m copying for the
press. 2 Chronicles is given me to translate and I assure you
that I shall, if spared assist in this blessed w ork, for you
may k n o w that the B ible is but just begun, and it goes on,
oh how slowly ! Pray for me.
I feel anxious to do something
for the people, and I entreat you, if you desire that I
should live long, send me a h e l p e r .
Y o u will hear of the situation and prospects of
the heads of this people.
The Jesuits--oh we are c o v e r e d
w ith confusion.
But the Lord r e i gns . I pity the man who still
insists upon it that the real and apparant state of things
here, is the same ! or rather has been the same for the real
and apparant are becoming nearly the same at present.
Pray
for us.
Love to your wife and all at the rooms.
I hope to
write more at large soon.
We are comfortable as a family.
Have
two childrens. Mrs. Green unites with me in sending much love
to you and yours.
In the sweet bonds of the gospel, I am your
affectionate brother.
J. S. Green
Rev. David Greene
Miss Rooms
Boston
Mass
Rev. J. S. Green
Dated Aug 28 1834
R e cd May 4, 1835
Ackd inG
.
L. Sep 16
Write him in 4 R. Co
Edgartown Ms
May 1 Ship 14 1/2
�1727
117
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
Wailuku, Maui. Sand.
XXVI
Islands Nov 25,
1834
Dear Brother David,
I supposed I had finished my correspondence
with you, for the present: but in looking over my papers y e s ter
day, I laid my hand on the letter of a certain Mr. F inlayson to
Mr. Bingham which letter I believe Mr. Bingham has sent to the
rooms with the request that you would publish it request of
Mr. F inlayson not Mr. Bingham.
Now t h o ' I am not concerned
lest you publish the said letter, yet as it may possibly be
published in some paper, for F inlayson talks of visiting the Unit
ed States, I will make a few remarks on his letter.
In making out my report, I wished to lay before
the Board all the information I could obtain respecting the
coast, from California to Norfolk sound I was particularly so
licitous to glean information respecting the country and in
habitants about the C olumbia river.
Before I left Honolulu, I
had considerable conversation wit h a Mr. Simpson who was in
some w ay connected with the Hudson Bay Company.
I also saw C a p
tain D ominis soon after the loss of the English Brig.
F rom him,
and especially from Mr. Young his first officer, I gained
considerable information respecting the country.
After my return
to Honolulu I saw Capt Thompson and as he was directly from
the river, and saw the brig w h e n she struck I made many enquiries.
These are my sources of information.
Capt Thompson did say, that in his opinion there
was "no evidence that a single individual ever reached the shore”
&c Capt D ominis did assure me that "the English applied to him
for men to assist them in chastising the Indians."
Perhaps his
testimony is of as much value as Mr. F inlayson's who, by the
w ay was not on the ground at the time.
The gentleman has given what he calls the true state
of the case without any extenuation "Two schooners of about
60 tons each" &c &c
Now I take it upon me to say that this account is,
to say the least, a very improbable one.
My reasons for d i s
believing it I shall n o w state.
Mr. or Capt S impson assured
me that the English on the Columbia river, punished every
aggression of the natives in the most summary m a n n e r . Now I
ask, is it at all probable that having the evidence of which Mr.
F inlayson says they were in possession of that the Indians
most wantonly murdered the crew of the B r i g . and plundered her;
I ask, is it at all probable that they would proceed in so
pacific a manner, as not even to return their enemy's fire?
No man can be supposed, for a moment to credit so extravagant an
assr tion.
Eve n the murder of a single individual, by the Indians
near the straits of Juan de F uca, cost the Indians several lives,
�1728
t h o ’ it is said the natives had the highest provocation.
I will send y o u several extracts from letters
which I have received from Mr. Chamberlain, and Mr. Bingham,
to w h o m I wrote asking information on this subject.
Mr.
Chamberlain wrote me as f o l l o w s : "You wish me to tell you what
I heard on the subject of the measure taken by the Hudson Bay
Company to chastise the Indians of Columbia river f o r what the
Hon C ompany regarded an aggression.
I do not recollect to have heard Capt Dominis say
much about the affair: but I remember he told me that he r e
garded the Indians residing near the mouth of the river, quite
friendly in their disposition.
Cap. Thompson told me what his opinion was respect
ing the step taken by the Company's soldiers in punishing the
Indians.
His account of the loss of the Brig was for substance,
as I now remember it , as follows.
He saw the Brig strike, and
hasted with his boats to her relief.
It was near night, and the
surf was so high that be dared not venture near enough to board
her, and returned.
He thought none could have escaped from
the wreck
Notice having been sent to the Company's settlement
of the loss of the vessel, a detachment of men came down and landed at the Indian settlement, and demanded the goods w h i c h had
been plundered from the wreck.
The Indians brought forward a
few things and said they had no more.
The soldiers charged them
with murdering the crew and plundering the wr e c k which the
Indians denied having done.
The soldiers then proceeded to
take vengance and Capt T. thought without sufficient evidence
of their crime.
He said to me there was no evidence that the
Indians had massacrred any of the white men.------ There are
several of the brethren of this station and fir. Ruggles now on
his way to America, who heard the Captain of the Ganymead, one
of the Company's vessels, say, that he had the head of an
Indian chief killed on that occasion, in his possession.
The
story wh i c h Capt Haynes told of the affair carried the idea that
it was bloody in the extreme.
If he bore false witness - it.
was against himself and his employers, and he ought to be r e s
ponsible” . Thus far Mr. Chamberlain. Mr. Bingham writes t h u s :
" I had considerable conversation with Capt Haynes------ He said
he had the head of the chief on board his ship (the Ganymead)
He said that they had burned their village and killed a con
siderable number 16 I think, and that they ought all to have
been killed".
With these extracts,. I am willing to leave the
whole subject w i t h you.
Looking at the broad principle which
the Hudson Bay Company have laid down of punishing in a
summary manner any aggression on the part of the Indians; and
listening to the testimony of one of their own servants who, I
believe was one of the party who punished the Indians, I am quite
willing the public should decide whether the Honorable gent l e
man has ground to accuse me of vilifying, wit h dishonorable
motives the H. B. Comp any and of uttering malicious falsehoods.
�1729
Several minor critisisms I might make but I do not think
they will even be needed as I doubt whether his abusive letter
will ever see the light.
. Ha pau hua manao
J. S. Green.
In filling up this side, let me say that I should
like a full letter from your hand.
Do find time to say a word
more-unofficial off hand account of yourself.
Will you send
me an associate? or must I go home a poor broken down missionary?
I wi s h I could see your blessed face one long November evening
W e want men, not money from the Bible society brother David.
Why donation after donation from the S o. whe n the B ible is
not likely to be out these long years?
Psalms are reported
to be ready 18 months ago, but they are not printed nor are they
like to b e . I merely state a fact.
By looking over our m i n
utes y o u will see what is p r i n t e d . ----You say in your last report
of these islands, "when the chiefs were moved by the Holy Ghost,
as they doubtless were, to embrace the Christian religion” &c
alas did you know them.
I do not think you could think so.
Oh, my brother, my heart aches when I think so many of those
wicked chiefs are in the church!
I do not think many of them
give the least evidence of piety.
I can give y o u H o a p i l i ’s
character in a very few words, and I do it seriously - He is
stupid, obstinate, covetous, oppressive, I could illustrate each
of these traits by a r e f e r e n c e to facts.
I am deeply grieved to
say so, but my heart is almost broken v i euing the abominably
wicked exactions of the chiefs, and none is much before Hoapili.
Do not cease to pray for us,
my dear brother.
We need, I do
certainly more faith, patience, love- zeal.
I love you much
& love to think of you & pray for you.
Love to Mrs. Greene &
all at the rooms.
Your haikoina aloha
J. S. Green
The chiefs were influenced in some measure doubtless
agency
The thing was b r o ugh about by
David Malo, who is 50 years before every one in
the islands says he would die for the people if he could save
them.
by the H. S.
Rev. David Greene
Mission Rooms
28 Cornhill
Boston
Rev. Jona S. Green
Date Nov 25 1834
R e c . July 3, 1835
postmark New London Ct
Jul 1
ship 27
�1730
118
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wailuku, Maui, November 12,
1834
Rev. R. Anderson
My dear Brother,
For several weeks I have been
afflicted w ith a cough and an opprossion of the lungs.
I am
still very feeble, so that my prospect of communicating with
you at present is not v ery good I regret that I cannot do
more; and I pray you accept my desire to write fully for the
deed.
I cannot write a single page but at the expence of
a severe head ache a complaint to which I am unaccustomed--I have some fears that I shall not enjoy as good health as
heretofore---- but why should I always be indulged with health?
I have been able to endure much hardship, and perform consid
erable labor If the Savior has more for me to do, He will restore
me to health.
To Him who has been w i t h me in six and in seven
troubles, I commend the keeping of my soul and body, humbly
desireous to say always "His holy will be do n e . ”
Mrs. Green enjoys tolerable health - has been e n
abled during the summer not only to take care of our own family,
and to do much for the people, but to assist our dear Sister
Richards in a season of trial.
Our little ones, two in number,
are healthy.
Help us to praise God, our heavenly Father, for
his providential care and kindness.
I am distressed w h e n I attempt giving you an
account of our station.
I know not what to say.
Things are
dark.
I cannot cheer your heart by telling of the increase of
light and holy lave among our people.
Still, I would not
withhold from you the true state of our people.
We need your
sympathy, and your prayers.
The Savior is my witness that I
have endeavored, in ill my communications to the board to use
the ’’words of truth and soberness” I certainly do not wish to
represent things worse than they are.
Some things, as the
schollars in our schools, I can represent exactly, or nearly so;
other things, as the state of the churches, and the prosperity
of the people, I can only give y o u my opinion, with what facts
have come to my knowledge.
I only w i s h you to give to my opinion
the wright which it, in your opinion d eserves.
And here, my dear Sir, 1 solemnly protest against
the policy of the mission, in accordance with which I am again
left alo n e .
Early in May of this year, Mr. and Mrs T inker left
�1731
us, since wh i c h time the labors and responsibilities of
the station have devolved upon Mrs. Green and myself.
We would not complain of the mission nor would we shrink
from labor; but we do assure you that under these labors and r e s
ponsibilities we groan, being burdened.
We feel that we
cannot sustain these labors, and we call upon our patrons to
send us helpers.
If left alone, we shall probably s i n k , b e
come useless to the mission, be under the necessity of r e
visiting our native country, or we shall sink to an early
grave.
Or, in case we do not utterly sink it is obvious
that we cannot do well half the labors of the station who is
sufficient to labor as a paster, physician, schoolteacher,
not to say mechanic, among a people who almost more than any
other on earth need constant instruction and aid in each of
these departments?
Do n o t think, my dear brother, that I
write thus being unwell, and low spirited.
It is not so.
Let me give y o u a single leaf from my journal.
"August 27,
1834 According to my custom, devoted the morning to study.
At 10 o.c. called out of my study to attend a funeral, one
mile distant.
Could not reach the place, a recent rain in the
mountains having swollen the river.
At 11. o.c. another
call to see a man supposed to be dying. Went hastily, found
him in a critical situation.
Did all I could for him, but
who am I that I should administer medicine to the sick and
dying?
Gladly at such seasons would I point the dying to
the Lord Jesus Christ but I am too little skilled in the
healing science to be looked up top on such o c c a s i o n s . At
2 o.c. P. M. attended a funeral half-mile distant.
At 3 entered
my school, commenced exercises, left and attended another
funeral.
On my way back to the schoolhouse, met a messenger
sent from a neighboring village for medicine - administeredclosed my school, after which I preached my weekly lecture,
and solemnized five marriages.
Closed, the day by hearing
the natives in our family read a chapter of the bible and
praying with them."
I admit that I am not c alled every day to attend
as many funerals, t h o ' I have attended even m o r e ; but no
day passes in which I have not many interuptions. I cheerfully
submit to the judgment of the Prudential Committee whether I
should not have an associate sent m e as speedily as possible.
But let me inform y o u of what we have attempted
to do since we last addressed you.
While Mr. T inker staid, we
did considerable itinerary labor.
Not much was done in our
station school, as we had no house convenient for communiating
instruction Mr. and Mrs. Tinker had a small school in their
own house.
Soon after they left our school house was finished,
and fitted up w ith benches and writing desks ; and we have
since, each of us, taught a school four and five days, every
week.
Oct 31. we examined the school.
Some 70 of both sexes
were examined in writing, Geography, and arithmetic, and
appeared very well.
We have also a school of children under
our superintendence, instructed by native teachers we have a
commodious room large enough to accomodate a hundred children,
�1732
but oh Sir, our hearts are h e a v y , heavy w h e n we think of
the children of the Sandwich Islands.
It is my most
sincere belief that not one inch has been gained by the
mission so far as children are concerned.
Their circum
stances are truly alarming.
All that I can say seems to
have no more effect on parents, and professedly Christian
parents to, than the idle wind which whistles over their
h a b i t a t i o n s . All are not equally bad, but I do not believe
there is a properly governed child on these islands.
They
are growing up, with few exceptions, as ignorant and more
vicious than their fathers.
I see no w a y but to discipline
parents who are members of the church.
Do think my dear
brother of us in respect to these half naked, ignorant, ungoverned children, and pray God to have mercy on us, and on them
and save them from inpending ruin.
In regard to schools disconnected w i t h the station,
one word: will express their condition - " d o w n " . There is
nothing except at our station, and at Haiku the station
occupied by Mr. Armstrong, worthy of the name of school.
In May last I examined the schools of 5 districts,
Honuaula, some 15 miles to the south , Hamakualoa, about the
same distance to the east, Kula, between the two former p l a nts,
Hamakuapoko, which joins Wailuku on the east. and Wailuku with
neighboring vilages. I will give you the number of readers.
total
women
men
112
103
215
Honuaula
409
Hamakualoa
173
236
139
159
Kula
298
Hamakuapoko
50
38
88
220
Wailuku and
268
488
neighboring villages
1498
Such was the result of my examination in May.
F rom all I can learn, I am confident that nothing like a
school has since been taught in any of these districts e x cept
ing Hamakua, the residence of Mr. Armstrong.
Probably n o t
two thirds of the above could now be induced to submit to
an examination.
In this connexion it may be proper to say that
during the past year there have been very few calls for
books.
Scarcely no books at the station have been sold,
Those
who come to trade w i t h us, want any thing in exchange for
their articles of trade rather than the word of God. Y o u will
judge from this fact whether the loud call for books should
ever have been regarded as infallible evidence of attachment
to the oracles of God.
A w ord respecting the church.
We are still a
" li
ttle f l o c k ” .
Since our last communication, a single
individual has been added to the church, making the whole
number e l e v e n . No individual is at present propounded.
On
the subject of a d m itting members to the church at these islands
�1733
my heart is full.
Could I see you, I would tell y o u all my
heart, but I have neither time nor strength to tell y o u on
paper.
I will say however, that I can by no means concede
to what y o u say in your last report, page 77. r e s p e c t i n g
the qualifications of natives for church membership.
On all
other points in respect to these islands you are, in my o p
inion, correct; and I was exceedingly glad to see things stated
so correctly.
So w i t h respect to members of our churches, I
freely admit that y o u described, to the life, the great majority
of those w h o m we have received.
But I assure you, dear Brother,
they dp not wear w e l l . Multitudes in our churches give
f
a ec ting evidence of being unreconciled to God.
Y o u will have
heard of the apostacy of many, the present year; but the cause of
our Lord is not so deeply wounded by these apostares as by
the lives of m any— I fear m o s t , who are in regular standing !
Y ou will see that with these views - not got up in my study,
but the result of long continued and attentive observation, and
enquiry - I cannot admit natives to the church, till I have more
evidence of a change of heart.
During the year the gospel has been preached regular
ly at the station.
All who would listen have been affectionate
ly urged to accept of the terms of salvation and become recon
ciled to God.
Our congregation has been quite irregular.
So
dreadful have been the shocks to which the land has been sub
jected, during the last two years, that it is a matter of sur
prize that our congregations have not all been shaken to
pieces ! Our congregation gradually increased during the last
spring and summer.
The last visit of the Princess did us
much injury, and the news of her fall was doubtless the means
of hardening many, and leading them from the h o u s e of God.
We may have 800 hearers in the morning, and 200 hundred in the
evening and on Wednesdays.
How different this y o u will*before the station was
taken, when occasional help - one Sabbath perhaps in four
weeks - was afforded them from Lahaina !
- and I tenderly
sympathize w ith you in your disappointment, but my dear Brother,
I will say a w ork to mitigate your sorrow.
The real and apparent
state of things, at that time were wholly unlike.
People then,
I know, were ordered out; and their appearance in the house of
God gave slight evidence of their desire to worship God.
Besides,
they made the Sabbath a king of holy day - they came to see
and be seen
and to talk over matters and things relative to
their temporal concerns.
I do not believe that previous to
the taking of the station the people knew enough of the gospel
to hate it.
So gross is the darkness
which still broods on
the greater part of these islands, that preaching once in 4
weeks makes no inpression, and in such cases all favorable
indications as the assembling of the multitudes, and telling
say from the state of things
�1734
thoughts &c are in my opinion, deceptive.
"The fire & the
hammer are indeed applied, but so seldom, that the heat
becomes not intense and the blows are unavailing - the rocks
remains unbroken.
In these words, the dormant mind is not roused,
and will n o t be roused till "line upon line, line up on line,
precept upon precept, precept upon precept" by the blessing
of God shall rend the vail and let the light of truth in upon
the dark soul.
And as this light discloses the deformity
of the sinner, will he love it?
in other words, ought you and
ought the churches to calculate that in proportion as light in
creases among the heathen, in the same ratio will be the atta ch
ment of degraded men to the truth?
So it was not in the days
of our Lord and of his apostles.
Then, men hated the light just
in proportion to its brightness, and thus it is at the Sandwich
Islands now! Gladly would I proclaim the messages of salvation
to listening thousands,
but much rather would I preach the
gospel to hundreds w h o enter the house of God in some measure under
standingly.
In July, accompanied by Mr. Armstrong, I made
the tour of East Maui.
We called at every considerable village,
assembled the inhabitants, and proclaimed in their ears the
glorious gospel of the blessed G od.
We were absent nearly a
week preached twenty two sermons, and addressed all to whom
we gained access.
This is the third time I have made the tour
of the island, and the more I see of the people, the deeper is
my impression of their dying circumstances, and of their imperious
need of assistance.
Nor can I do my duty without earnestly e n
treating y o u to send these unhappy men the gospel.
Mr. Armstrong
has settled at Haiku, in Hamakualoa about 14 miles from Wailuku.
Had we associates we would both do all in our power for the
destitute t h o ’ as I have said, such labor is not as valuable as
at home.
But, single handed as we are, we can do nothing for
out stations. These should then, in order to a supply for East
Maui, be two labours at Hoolau.
They might settle at a place
called Waianu.
Small vessels anchor at this place.
It has
a good climate, considerable rain, and affords, abundantly,
means of support.
From this place, easy access would be had
to about 1 , 0 0 0 people, most of whom might attend on the prea ch
ing of the gospel.
Hana is the next district;-large , populous,
densely inhabited.
Two men ought to be sent thither without
delay - w o r k enough for four.
All who have ever been at
Hana feel that it should be taken as soon as p o s s i b l e . S ince
I was there in July, multitudes have rushed headlong into the
slough of sensual indulgence.
Kipahulu is the next district.
The country is
rather rough, tho fertile and populous.
Here should be a
station.
Two families might settle at Maulill, and by the
blessing of God, the desert would b l o s s o m as the rose.
�1735
H Kau p o is a distric t similar in appearance to
the above, hut larger and more populous.
Had we men good
might be done at this place, at all these places, small
vessels frequently anchor.
The next district, Kahikinui is small and poorfew inhabitants, and scanty means of living.
The country is
one vast bed of lava, and the few inhabitants are obliged to
go far into the country to cultivate their food.
Yet they
are perishing for lack of vision.
Honuaula the next district we passed in going
round the island, is about 15 or 20 miles from Wailuku.
It
is warm, but populous, and needs imperiously the labor of
two men.
Kula is a mountainous country, not densly p o p u
lated, but containing many inhabitants, and two men are here
needed.
I am confident, my dear brother, that the people
of these districts are sinking to perdition daily, and nothing
but the gospel will save them.
Few of them can read understandingly and fewer still have a disposition to read.
And who
shall guide t h e m to heaven, who point them to the cross?
They
are growing worse.
They should be helped immediately.
We
cannot for many years depend on the high school.
It is all out
of the q u e s t i o n . Why should not additional helpers be sent us,
especially as active young men may begin to preach so soon.
In
three or four months they might begin to labor directly for
the good of the people.
My heart is full of anguish when I
know that multitudes almost in sight of my house, have no Sabbath,
no Savior no hope, because they have none to teach them these
momentous realities I know ful well that some of our number
say we have men e n o u g h , b u t how it can be said that we have men
enough when so overwhelming a majority of the people are
perishing for lack of vision, I cannot see. The facts I wish to
I
state clearly, and I pray you send the dying occupants of this
I
and other islands the gospel.
Now it seems to me to be the
time ----but I need not add.
The circular will g ive you light.
I have written freely because I have been among the people
a good deal, on Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii, & I know the n a k e d
ness of the land; and they need living teachers, rather than
appropriations of money to furnish them with Bible, which few
of them could read, even if they had it I May the Savior in
cline your hearts to send us a host of able and faithful men, and
may his holy name be magnified in the salvation of multitudes
of this poor people.
At the commencement of the year, I gave public
notice to the head men, and teachers of Wailuku, that I w i s h
ed to be in formed of all the births and deaths which should
ta ke place during the year.
I send y o u my register to this
date.
Births to Nov 17 1834 for Jany 1. 1834
Births
15
Deaths
84
�4
1736
I may not have registered quite all the births.
I think nearly all however.
You will be surprized at the
fact that so many more die than are born.
We had about two
weeks unusually sickly whe n some 10 or 15 died.
What will
become of the people.
Since our last letter, I have solemnized some
2 0 0 marriages.
In concluding my report I earnestly entrust
on our behalf and on behalf of the people, your frequent and
earnest prayers.
May God our heavenly Father bless thee,
and thine.
Your affectionate brother,and fellow laborer
in the vineyard of our Lord.
J. S. Green
Remainder of letter printed 31 Missionary Herald 463
Dec. 1835
�1737
119
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
W ailuku Maul Dec 16 1834
My dear Brother,
I supposed I had closed my communications
to the Board f o r this season but since the date of my last,
things at this place have taken rather an unexpected turn,
and it becomes a duty to add another sheet.
On his death bed Auwae desired that a nephew
of his, Kawailepolepo by name, should come into possession
of this place.
This, however, depended as Auwae well knew, upon
the will of the King.
Kawailepolepo was, in accordance w ith
the advice of David Malo and others dispatched to Honolulu before
Auwae was in his grave, to inform the King of his death, and
after informing him of Auwae dying request, to wait his decision.
We all prayed that God would incline the heart of the King to
give the land to Kawailepolepo, as he is a very superor man one of the first schollars in the high school, and a man of
very consistent piety.
To our surprize and joy, he returned
last week, as the head man of the place.
I hope much from
him, and I have great confidence that, unless the King should
dispossess him, I shall find a real helper in schools and in
other ways.
He is very anxious to improve - to civilize and
christianize the people, and he is about to encourage the
cultivation of cotton, and he very much wants some one to teach
the people to manufacture cloth.
On this account, chiefly, I
address you.
I am not without hope that Miss Lydia Brown, if
she arrives, may be stationed here.
Mr. Richards thinks well
of her coming; but there will be many applications for her,
I presume.
I therefore petition y o u to remember us at Wailuku
in reference to some one who may be devoted to the people in
the department of manufacturing cloth.
I should think well of
a man and w o m a n - a woman skilful as a spinner and weaver,
and having a husband capable of assisting her to tackling - if
a wheel wright - so much the better.
I think a man of this
occupation would be very useful if disinterested.
Indeed we
do greatly need mechanics of various kinds, and I wish I could
see them entering the field, not exactly under your w i n g - but
men in who m y o u and the Christian public have confidence, if
such men come you will unite w i t h us in praying that our hearts
may not be wrung with the anguish of disappointment as they
have been in the case of Mr
Ladd, and Brinsmade !
I trust you will remember my request.
I could
fill many sheets of paper in giving reasons why, in my opinion,
we should have helpers of this kind.
But, I need not.
The
people are haIf-naked
to say the least.
Multitudes of women
do nothing - of' course are the (torn) of Satan.
Cotton grows
beautifully here (torn) I am confident
ca use would receive
�1738
a powerful auxiliary in the sending hither of such a class.
May we speedily welcome such to these shores.
Would that I could show you the nakedness of
this land - oh my dear brother - I entreat you think with
pity of the 1 0 0 0 's sinking to perdition without the gospel
on these islands.
Y o u w i l l pity them and send them help
speedily.
I know there are 2 o r 3 of us who say - "no no - send no more" - but if you do not; I will endeavor to
clear my hands of their blood.
I have tried to tell you
of their degradation & dying circumstances and I can do no
more.
I trust you will see the wants of the people more
fully than ever whe n the answers to the circular reach you.
I had not the priv iledge of writing any of them, but the
meeting was a full one, and you have there the feelings of the
mission.
In sending me an associate, y o u wil l do as you
plase about sending a layman.
I shall not object to a
thorough-going man if he is only a school master.
I am full,
or I should perhaps keep teaching.
In the bonds of the gospel, I am affec yours
J. S. Green
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Secretary of A . B .C.F.M.
Miss Rooms 28 C ornhill
Boston
ship single 14 1/2
postmark New London Ct.
July 1
Rev. J. S. Green
Date Dec 16 1834
Recd July 3, 1835
Ansd Nov 4
marked biography
& Nov 12
�/
1739
120
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second XXVI
Honolulu,
Oahu, Sand
Islands June 22,
1835
Dear Brother David,
It is thought by some of our number, now
convened at this place to transact our annual business, that
our letters to the Rooms are not read . I was shocked at the
bare suggestion and I said publicly - aole loa p e l a ! It is
not so.
At any rate I beg you to read this because I have
some wants w h i c h I wish you to supply, and I shall say several
things which I wish y o u would hear.
Let me say that I tender
ly sympathise wit h you in the affliction which you have been
called to sustain in the death of your excellent brother Rev.
Samuel Green.
Oh my brother, how loudly are we called upon to
do what our hands find to do wit h all our might.
The Lord p r e
pare us for a re-union with our beloved friends who have gone
before us to the world of light and love.
I wrote you a long letter some three months since,
which I regret to say, never reached this place.
I answered
the one wh i c h y o u sent by the Velocity, but as I cannot recall
it, I shall not be able to give you even an abstract of the
letter.
I shall not say much respecting general meeting as
y ou will hear all from another quarter.
June 26. Today the mission voted me Mr. Armstrong
as an associate Miss Brown also goes to Wailuku.
She will
increase not, a little my cares of a secular kind, but I think
it an important object and shall do all in my power to make
the experiment a successful one.
Mr. Armstrong and I divide the
labors of the station, he taking the schools and doing all he
can for his former station, I doing the pastoral labor, secular
business, visiting neighboring villages &c &c.
I hope and trust
we may do much by this arrangement.
Pray for us.
Mrs. Green says we are in pressing need of a
matress, as we have no means of making an additional bed. Will
you send one as soon as possible?
a couple of pillows also.
Please remember us and send as soon as possible.
I thank you
for the books which you sent this spring.
I wish you could
send me Porters lectures on preaching and every new and good
book which comes forth from the seminary, at Andover.*Do
not w a i t
till I hear that a new book is printed, and then
write you for it.
This takes a long time.
About general
meeting, Mr. Chamberlain will inform you of the "Oahu
charity school” subject.
My heart aches for Mr. Chamberlain.
Mr. Johnstone is still in school and in the mission, much to
my sorrow, and that of many in the mission.
He is there not
withstanding the letter of Mr. Anderson.
Many of us thought
*I have never had an English commentary.
�1740
that the case was clearly between him and the Board, that
we had nothing to do with it:
so I thought &. said, yet
some would drag it up before us.
A sad concern.
I wis h to say
that I feel as do the prudential committee, unless I m i s
understand their letter.
There are some 50 o r 60 schollars
instead of 40, otherwise I fully agree with the statements of
the letter, and I do not see how you can sustain him in the
school,
The vileness of the trustees of the school, or the
most of them, I cannot write on paper.
They hate the savior trample on the day of God hate his servants - have voted
Mr. Bingham out of their school house, yet they can hug Mr.
Johnstone.
I am willing he should teach their school, but
I hope he may be disconnected from us.
They tell of support
ing him, but they do n o t do it, and will not unless he is d i s
connected from the mission,
S ome of us, indeed all at this
station think that Mr. Anderson intended to
us of
difficulty of meddling with a very difficult subject, and
for doing it, we thank him,
But we are in the minority, and
must wait till we h e ar from you again.
I could fill many sheets in telling y o u of the
state of the mission, and in giving you an account of the
general meeting now near its close.
But you will hear from
another quarter soon I will n o t enlarge.
As moderator of the
association I wil l give y o u a notice of the subjects which
engaged our attention. 1. Subjects brought forward by the
committee of overtures.
A systen o f rules for disciplining
the c h u r c h e s . viz. transfering church membership. —
the giving
away of baptized children - Oppression of rulers - discipline
of bapt i z e d children. 2. Appointment of pastors for the ensuing
year.
3. Marriage and divorce.
4. Committee of assignments.
5. What fruits ought a Sandwich Islander to exhibit as evidence
of piety & how long a probation before admitting h i m to the
church.
2 Assignments performed, viz - To whom shall we go
native sermon.
Marquesas language Eng Mr. Alexander.
Humility; native, Character of Marquesases.
Eng - Armstrong.
On missions native sermon, Baldwin character of David as a pious
ruler, native s e r m o n . B ishop Existence of God. native sermon.
Importance of division of labor in mission.
Clark.
Natural
men G o d ’s enemies. n ative sermon Dibble.
Associational sermon
Diel l . Sins of others no excuse for our own.
native sermon.
Exegesis of 126 Psalm. Emerson.
The wages of sin: native
sermon.
Importance of consistency in opinion and practice.
Forbes. Future torments of the wicked, native sermon.
Exegesis
of Rom 9:1 3 G r e e n . What the benefits and what the evils of
Habitual use of tea and coffee En g l i s h essay Gulick . The
command of God an all sufficient encouragement to labor Eng
sermon.
They who preach the gospel shall live of the g o s p e l .
native essay Lyman.
The new creature native sermon what
may be considered satisfactory evidence of piety in a native?
Eng essay. Lyons.
Temptation. native sermon Richards. Crucio
ad chrum.
Walking with God native essay.
Smith. 1. Timothy
2.9.10 Thurston. Christ our foundation; native sermon Whitney.
English s e r m o n . T inker
�1741
June 29. We are nearly through our meeting and
hope soon to return to our people.
Oh to return accompanied
with the smiles of- Jesus Christ and with the special influence
of the Holy S p i r i t . D o pray for us. and let us hear as often
as possible.
We feel deeply afflicted at you & our loss in
the death of Doc Wisner.
How mysterious the providence !
Yet God is good - wise - and we will trust & not despond.
Mrs. G r e e n unites with me in love to you & Mrs. Greene.
Do
come & see us ! In the joint bonds of the gospel - I remain
your brother
Jonathan
Rev. David Greene
Secretary A.B.C.F .M.
28 Cornhill
Boston
postmark New Orleans La
Oct 17
ship
Rev. J. S. Green
Date June 29, 1835
R e cd Nov 2 1835
Wrote Nov 4 R a
Mattress & pillows
B ooks
�1742
121
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
Wailuku, Maui August 4,
XXVI
1835
Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear Brother,
I received a letter from you
by Mr. Coan, addressed to Mr. Tinker and myself.
It is now
in Mr. T. hands.
I cannot recollect of any item of the letter
which I ought to answer, but as I have many things to say I hasten
to fill a sheet or two without delay.
Y o u have long since
heard that Mr. Tinker has left Wailuku.
I am happy to say
however that God has inclined the hearts of my brethren to
give me another associate, as you will have heard before this
reaches you.
He has recently arrived with his family and will
soon commence laboring for the people, in t h e department of
schools principally.
I do hope that we shall be able, if spared,
to report progress in our w o r k - to tell you that our schools
prosper, and especially that God is visiting us in mercy, and
shedding upon us the influences of the Holy Spirit.
Let me tell you briefly how things are now. Since
I last wrote y o u we have been much as we then were.
On the
one hand , the circumstances, which appear discourageing, are
1. The mortality of the people - why should not our hearts bleed
within us w hen we see our people dying around us;
two or three
deaths to one birth?
2. The insensibility of survivors on the
deeply solemn subject of death and eternity.
3. Falling off
of schools and indifference in regard to books.
4. Fewness
of conversions among the people.
On the other hand, I desire
to bless God 1. for the restraints of his grace - no particular
falling off from publick worship - marriage convenant r e s
pected &c &c 2 . A g o odlly number continue to attend school, and
increase in knowledge.
6.
Special efforts for parents and
children partially successful.
4 Meeting house finished Commodious - better houses going up.
I could speak of other
improvements, but must defer it dill, if spared, I am permitted
to write by and by.
Y o u have heard of the results of our last general
meeting.
Miss Brown, y o u know is w i t h us at Wailuku.
You
can easily perceive that my cares are not a little increased
in consequence but I rejoi ce to help forward what we all regard
as a very important experiment.
No one of the brethren, except
perhaps Mr. Bishop, was quite prepared to assist Miss Brown,
and very few believe that the business will succeed.
I need
not say that there are so many and great obstacles that you
�1743
will not be greatly surprized if you hear of an entire failure.
All that I c an do, I w ill most cheerfully do that the e x peri
ment may s u c c e e d . We have eight wheels at w ork, and I have
put up two of the looms.
If nothing more be done, we shall
do some good by keeping some of the females employed.
We
have not a great supply of cotton on hand, but a good deal is
planted w h i c h will soon be ready for use.
Miss Brown wishes
me to say that she is pleased with the appearance of her
pupils, thus far - say one wee k ! and we all fear chiefly the
wan t of p e r s e r v e r a n c e . They have capacity enough - no fear
on that account.
Indolent habits are the great obstacle to
be met and overcome.
Miss B. a lso wishes me say that only five
pair of cotton cards were put up.
I w ish you would send us
more cards as soon as possible: as high as No 9.
She says
we need, perhaps some higher.
We shall also need wheel heads,
patent h e a d s .
The other parts of the wheels can probably be made
here tho our timber is inferior to yours.
Pray that God would
bless us in making this e x p e r i m e n t , and thus make us instru
mental of raising the people from their degraded state.
I am
willing to devote a part of my time to teaching the people the
use of cabinet makers tools and I suppose our head man will
soon build us a w o r k shop.
I suppose you k now that I have some
experience, not to say skill, in this business.
All my own
furniture I make; desks, book cases, tables, chairs, bureaus,
wash stands, cradles &c &c.
This I do for exercise and with
the additional care of superintending spinning and weaveing,
I think I can safely say you need not, at present send me
Hitchcock on diet and exercise for I have not one sympton
of the despeopsia, tho' by the mercy of God I am able to
do not a little in my study.
Y o u fear, ray dear brother, that we are looking
too much on the dark side of things relating to our labors;
and it was intimated in your letter or that of Doc Wisner,
that many of the churches think that your missionaries at the
Islands are discouraged.
Now could I speak so loudly that all
the churches in the United States could hear, I would say, we
are not discouraged.
Will you permit me to say to all who
read the record of Zions labors, that not one of the laborers
w hom you have sent hither is all disheartened in consequence of
recent, and in some respects, distressing c h a n g e s . D o you
demand proof of the correctness of this statement?
Let me assure
you that I have recently seen, and repeatedly conversed with every
member of the mission excepting one, and I do solemnly aver,
that neither in their private intercourse with me, nor in their
public preaching and deliberations, did I see anything which in
the least indicated discouragement; on the contrary every thing
which I saw indicated hearts filled w i t h consolation and hope.
�1744
All returned to their stations, I believe, fully determined
to do all-in their power for the salvation of his poor dying
people,
The recent developement of character of which you
have heard, the fact that the great mass of the people are
dark hearted, and superstitious, and polluted only as I b e
lieve, awaken more thoroughly our compassion, send us more
frequently to out closets to plead w i t h God on their b e h a l f , arm us wit h a warmer zeal in the prosecution of our wor k that if possible, we may be instrumental of redeeming many
of them from perdition.
Can I believe that the chills of
discouragement have settled on the brow of a single man or
woman who m y o u have sen t hither?
It cannot be, is not so.
Besides, we voted 5,000 dollars to the High school; so d e e p
ly did we feel that now is a favorable time to p u t forth all
our energies in the blessed w o r k of training up a people for
God and the c h u r c h . D oes this look like despondency?
More
over, could you visit our stations, one and all, you would see a
the brethren and sisters so cheerful, so busy, so devoted that
if you had thought for a moment that we were fainting w i th
discouragement, you would forever abandon the thought.
And
why should we be discouraged?
Has n o t God done great things
for this people?
Palsied be the tongue that would deny it.
Bl
e ssed be his name, He has done great things, and we will
not refuse h i m the tribute of our gratitude.
I desire for
one and perhaps no one of the mission has said more of discourageing circumstances than I - to tell to the world that
God has done great things for us.
H ad but a single individual
been redeemed from his people; all the labor and suffering,
and expense which have been b e s t o w e d w ould utterly unworthy
of mention in comparicon - yea had the wealth of the universe
been expended, it would have been but a bauble in exchange
for the throne of g l o r y ! But I verily believe that many souls
have been renewed among this people, and are now near the throne
of God, and the L a m b ; and tho' I fully believe the church c o n
tains more unworthy members then true Christians, yet I trust
that not a few are now in the road which will conduct them to
the New Jerusalem.
The fact is, as we one and all fully b e
lieve and desire to have it known, there never was so much r e
ligion at these islands as now, appearances to the contrary
notwithstanding. No, brethren, we are not discouraged ou
hands do n o t hang down, our knees do not faint.
True we see
much to make us sad, much pollution and darkness remain; but
in God do we confide.
His promises are our solace, and we
trust that he will overule all circumstances which have s eem
ed unfavorable, for the promotion of his own glory and the
good of his cause.
If we have of late, written too much which
seemed discourageing, believe me, we did so because it seemsto us that you had nearly done praying for us, and would soon
�1745
become weary in furnishing us a support, - because an impression
had become somewhat general that missionary work at the S a n d wich Islands was about f i n i s h e d . N ow that you know the real
state of things here, let m e entreat you to plead with God on
our behalf, and hasten to supply the still destitute portions
of these islands.
"Be not weary in well doing, for in due sea
son we shall reap if we faint n o t . ” Let fervent prayer from
the hearts of Christians ascend and mingle with our poor petitions
in behalf of this poor degraded people, and let these our
united requests be accompanied with untiring labor in the p u l
pit, in t h e school room, and by the wayside, and we (torn)
soon see signal triumphs of grace from one end of(torn) islands
to the other.
The good Lord hasten the day. (torn).
I will close by transcribing a short letter which
I received a few days since from Honolulu.
It will need no
comments of mine.
I give verbatim et literatim.
Dear Brother Green
July 19
We are soused in hot water.
If your faithfulness
to Brinsmade & Ladd, has brought us into the flood you must
help us out.
They have heard of the missions want of confidence
in M r . L a d d .
But that is a trifle compared wit h the edicts of
nonintercourse passed by Mr. Johnstone respecting myself and
Dr. Judd & Mr.
h amberlain.
C
He has refused m e his hand, said his intercourse
with me is at an end &c &c
What shall I do?
Messrs Richards, Spaulding, Forbes & Bishop have
labored with him, but to no purpose.
At least he has given them no
satosfaction.
Give me your prayers & your best counsel, that I
may have wisdom, meekness, patience, & zeal too for the honor
of one divine master - Love to Mrs. G & your associate all from
us both your affectionate brother H. Bingham.
Thus for the letter.
The last I heard all Honolulu
had heard of these circumstances & I doubt not all who hate our
c a u s e unite heartily in abusing our dear brethren.
And yet he
must b
e still a member of our mission !!!
Pray for us, your affec brother
J. S. Green
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms
28 C ornhill Boston
ackd in G. L.
June 15
a nsd Dec 10.36
postmark New
Mar 8
Bedford Ms
Rev. Jonathan S. Green
Dated M a u Aug 4, 1835
Recd March 8 1836
�1746
122
46 S a n d w ich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
W ailuku Maud Sandwich Islands Sept 22,
1835
Dear Brother David,
I send this by Doc Chapin.
I also send b y
him several packages of letters and Hawaiian books.
I wish
the one to Mess. Tracy and Richards to lie in the Rooms till
they send for it, or till you know of a favorable opportunity
to send to them.
Also the package to my old clasmate Phelps.
I may send others by Dr. Chapin unless he goes very soon.
We
are sorry to part with the D o ctor.
He has been u seful in various
ways, and we hope that Mrs.
h a p i n s ' health will be so far
C
restored that he may be comfortable, and that they may both
be very useful.
A letter which I sent to Honolulu for you in
the spring of the year, I regret to say was lost on the way.
I
will fill this sheet if I can find thoughts enough, as 'tis too
bad to send w h i t e paper.
We are all v e r y well, and very happy
and think of you with affection.
Oh h o w much need have you of
strong confidence in God.
How severly has He affected you in
the death of Mr. Evarts, Cornelius, Wisner, and Samuel Green.
We tenderly sympathize with y o u May the Lord Jesus be better
to you then all these.
Oh is he not?
Do you not find it
difficult to persuade the Christian public that it is their
duty and priviledge too t o "Wal k by faith,*in obeying the command
of their risen Lord, to send the gospel to every creature.
Has He commanded it?
This is the great question, and he who
believes it, has no right to make success the reason why he
should persevere in his labors, or abandon them.
God c ommand
ed the prophet to prophecy over the valley of dry b o n e s . A n d
did the prophet object?
Did he say, the bones are very dry they can never, never live?
Why shou ld I spend my breath in
so hopeless a case?
No. It was e n o u g h that God commanded
in whose hands is the breath of all, who can raise the dead and
call into being from nothing, living forms, that God had c o m
manded I say was to him a sufficient reason why he should address
dry bones.
Disciple of Christ, do you possess this docile temp
er?
Are y o u acting faith, in laboring to spread the gospel?
I assure you, my brother, whoever thou art, thy faith will be
tested most severely, ere thy w ork be finished.
Think not that
he whose malice of old led him to assail the son of God, and
whose rage has been strengthening with every successive d e
feat. who has held the whole world in bondage till this very
day, I say, think not that he will fear your w eak brethren,
or that he will remit a single exertion to hold his cruel throne
in dark places of the earth.
No, no, brother, a struggle long
and bloody is before thee,
It cannot be otherwise.
Have w e -
*not by sight"?
Christians should especial walk by faith
�1747
not thought - I will not say too much of the efficacy of the
gospel - of that there is little danger but thought too
much of our own s t r e n g t h , (torn) of the amazing depths of h e a t h
en depravity (torn) G od, so. cannot we see a reason why God,
who is jealous of his honor, has suffered you and your mission
aries to labor with little success - and w hy the dear y o u t h
ful soldiers, Munson and Lyman were permitted to fall in their
very first onset?
Now say, my brethren, have y o u counted the
cost?
Have you enlisted a soldier of C hrist, for life?
Will
you though faint, pursue?
tho' fallen, arise and press onward?
Will y o u labor till you die, let w hat will befall you, think
ing only of Chrlst, of his command - ’’preach my g o spel”? Oh
my friend, love to a crucified, exalted Redeemer, and strong
faith in his promises will enable us all to labor for h i m even
in the darkest times, with the greatest cheerfulness.
Could
I speak so as to be heard from one corner of our beloved land
to the other, how affectionately yet earnestly would I beseech
all who name the name of Christ to resolve from this day o n w a r d .
to act with a single determination that Christ shall be glorified
in you and by you, and that the promotion of his glory In the
upbuilding of his cause and the salvation of sinners shall
secure your most ardent prayers, and your persevereing efforts.
Could this be the case - oh how soon would the kingdoms of the
world be the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
C ome that blessed
day.
Your a f f e c brother
J. S. Green
Pray for us.
Love to your family and associates from us all.
Rev. David Greene
M i s s Rooms
B oston mass
A Chapin M. D .
Rev.
Date
R e cd
Ackd
J. S. Green
Sept 22, 1835
May 7, 1836
July 24th D.G.
�1748
123
67
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
Wailuku, Maui Sand Islands
X XVI
Oct 6, 1835
Rev. R. Anderson,
I send to Mr. Tracy of the Boston Recorder
several sheets, containing some account of Robert Sellar, a
young man who died in Pittsfield several years since.
I hope
the account will do good, and if so, it will do good to the
precious cause, of missions.
I commit it to Doc Chapin,
and request him to hand the bundle to you:
if Mr. Tracy does
not want it, please keep it till some one of my friends shall
call for it, my brother perhaps - Rev. G. Shepard, or one of
the clergymen at Newton
. I have not concluded fully to
who m to send it, if it does not go into the Recorder; but I
wil l write to one of these brethren, and direct h i m to ask for
it at the Missionary Rooms.I enclose these sheets in cotton
cloth manufactured at Wailuku b y n
a t i v e females under the sup
erintendence of Miss Brown.
Please send a specimen to Mr.
Tracy of the Recorder.
Mess Tracy and Richards, of the V e r
mont Chroncile, and to who m else you please.
We feel encouraged
to go forward in this business, and I think we shall succeed
unless the chiefs, who are to be sure sufficiently selfish shall so entirely turn all avails of their industry to their
own account, that the poor people become discouraged.
I shall
do my best to put it, in good part, into the hands of the people
I want to see a wheel, at least, in every considerable house.
We
want no other kind of machinery than that you have already sent.
Any thing farther to lessen labor would be no blessing to them.
Our head man K a w a i l e p o l i p o , of w h o m I have told you something,
made an exhibition yesterday of the cloth recently cut from the
loom, and he gave his people a thorough-going talk.
I do g r e a t
ly desire that manufactures should break up trade - the former
would be a source of happiness and rational prosperity - the
latter a heavy curse, unless it can be conducted on better
principles.
The stand taken by Brinsmade and Ladd distresses
us as a mission exceedingly.
Y o u may not think fo r a moment
that these men are auxiliaries in our w o r k in any sense of the
word.
They do us more h urt than all the infidels in the place.
Dear Proctor would be shocked did he know w h a t a hard character
Ladd exhibits.
The Lord send some man here who shall show the
natives that Christians breathe a better temper than men of the
world.
Mr. Hu nnewel l was an angel to these men !!
Pray that
we may act with a single eye to the glory of our master whether
we teach the people to read, to think or to manufacture
their
own cloth.
In other sheets, we shall if spared, communicate
with y o u on other subjects.
In the mean time - believe me to
be with unfeigned respect and much affection your bro t h e r and
fellow laborer in the vineyard of our Lord.
J. S. Green.
�1749
Specimen of stocking y a r n . spun by the n ativ es .
engaged in k n it t in g .
N ,B .
They are
I have enclosed Mr. T rac y 's i n the said cloth
Rev. R . Anderson
Cor Sec A . B . C . F .M.
Boston Mass
Rev. J . S . Green
Dated Maui Oct 6 , 1835
Recd May 7 , 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 15
cloth Yard
an sd Dec 1836
�1750
124
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wailuku, Maui, Sandwich Islands
Nov 7, 1835
Dear Brother David,
For so I shall continue to call you even if we
live to three score years old a thing by the way, not very
likely to take place.
This is an envelope merely, and yet it
must go on the r e c o r d s . Why do you not have two b o o k s , one
for important matter and the other for non important?
And yet,
wait a little, I might never get higher than the non important
and tha t you know, would be not a little h u m i l i a t i n g . So let
it go as it is - We write prodigious good letters, do we not?
Only think, such men as Goodel and Temple, and Bird and Smith
and Poor, and Worcester, and Bingham and Bridgman and G r e e n !
I tell you what brother David, you had better leave off that
awkward e, at the end of your name, resign your secretaryship,
and become a missionary that you may be one of us, and have all
you write, however playful, or silly, or wise, go down large
as life, upon the Records, or book of correspondence.
However,
I find no fault, and you will, of course say, "write to the
purpose, and you will not be ashamed" Oiaio - so let it be.
Enclosed I send y o u a couple of sheets to Rev
Asa Bullard, or to the Secretary of the Mass Sab School
Society, a s Mr. B may have left changes of officers and agents
b e ing so frequent and sudden.
I have not sealed the commun
ication; of course you may read it. if you wis h to.
And
here I w ish to say distinctly that I have never written a
word which I could not have sent to the rooms unsealed.
But
it is really said that letters w h i c h "missionaries" send
to the rooms are not always read.
Now I wish to say distinct
ly that I have no jealousy - not a spice - lest you should not
read my letters. Indeed, I am confident that mine are read,
and all indeed sent to the Rooms.
Still I would not deluge
you with letters designed for my friends in Vermont, or New
York.
I therefore have of late, sent direct to my friends of
the Chronicle &c&c I have written more, perhaps, this year than
any year before.
I neglected last year to write till fall, and
I found it very hard work.
But after my hand was fairly in, I
concluded that I could keep it in, in other words, would write
more frequently than I had done before.
So I wrote some in
February and I have written some every month since.
The reason of my writing to the Mass Sab School
Society, is that my good friends in Newton have made me a life
member, and I w i s h to do something for the society.
Perhaps
what I have w r i t t en may be of some value - perhaps not (aole
au il e pono)
I have half a mind to write a better history of
the Sand islands mission than the one they have in their library.
But p e r h a p s I can better employ my time.
What think you?
I am very happy w ith my new associate, Mr. Armstrong,
and we are trying to raise up our schools.
With the blessing
of God we shall doubtless succeed.
Things are very encourage-
�1751
ing in regard to our children's schools.
I have recently made
the tour of E ast Maui.
Br. Clark accompanied me.
But of this
and other things, I must forward an account in an other c o m
munication.
Mrs. Green and our little ones are all well.
I
am reviewing for the press, 2 Chronicles.
Br. Dibble helps
me.
By the way, he is one of the very best translators in the
mission.
Mr. Richards says he hardly has his equal.
He is
an extraordinary young man and promises great good to the mis
sion.
Accounts from Hilo are bad, b ad enough Mr. Lyman says
he cannot and w ill not stay unless there can be a change. On
that subject I have nothing to say.
I can and do pity Lyman
and C oan, but it is with the mission to act.
I shall do all
I can as a member of the Mission when called to vote.
And
then I shall stop.
Now brother David, can you not read this
scroll by the lamp, near the fire place.
Y o u will of course
nod, and in doing so, let the paper and the blaze of the lamp
come In contact then throw all into the fire place, and say
nothing about it?
Do, I beseech you.
Let us hear.
Pray
for us and believe me to be your brother
J. S . Green
N.B. Did I say it in my last?
if not t h o ’ I am grieved to
be compelled to say it Mr. Stevens
turned out to be
a-a-a-dandy.
He disgusted everybody at the islands both
good & ---I am sorry, sorry.
Rev. David Greene
a secretary of the A.B.C.F.M.
Miss Rooms 28 Cornhill
Boston
Mass
Rev. J. S. Green
Dated Nov 7th 1835
R e cd April 27 1831
Ackd July 14th D.G.
Portsmouth N.H.
Apr 26
Ship
�1752
125
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXV I
Wailuku,Maul, Sand Isl. Nov 30,
1835
Dear Brother David,
Mr M c Lane gives you many thanks f o r your
kindness in regard to his letters.
He has this day brought
down a couple more letters to the same friends, and I now
enclose them to your care.
He is the same kind neighbor and
good man - and does us all the favors in his power.
I regard
his assistance and influence as of great v a l u e . ha pau kiea
manao.
And now for matter to fill my sheet, for you know
I may not send y o u white paper even though it be an envelope.
Our station letter has not yet gone for the substantial reason
that it is not written.
W hether we shall get one off this season
or not, remains to be seen.
I am very full of pleasent business,
and brother Armstrong is as busy as a bee, so between us we
may fail, t h o ' I think we shall not.
Your heart has been wrung with anguish by the
intelligence of the martyrdom of Munson and Lyman.
What a
s h o c k ! And what effect had the intelligence on the churches?
In view of that painful dispensation of providence, are
Christians becoming despondent?
Are they disposed to relax
their efforts, and to conclude that the kingdoms of this
world can never become the kingdom of Christ?
that the God
of this world must always retain his cruel sway?
that they
may as well give over their efforts and let generation after
generation of heathen go down to the pit?
It cannot be that
Christians feel thus? that the voice of this providence which
calls upon them to be up and doing to re-double their efforts
till all, all shall hear the joyous sound of the gospel, I
say it cannot be that Christians interpret this as a permission
to abandon their work, or even to relax their efforts for a
single day.
No, no it may n o t cannot be.
Why my dear brother,
I do confidently expect to hear that the death of these y o u t h
ful soldiers of the cross will infuse a new life into the
bosoms of Christians - that man y a youth at our theological
seminaries who but for this providence would have remained in
New-England, will now hasten as soon as possible to tell the
dying heathen of redemption through the blood of calvary part even to go to the very spot where these dear brethren
fell, and proclaim in the ears of these very men who im
bued their hands in innocent blood the messages of mercy.
I
do expect to hear that in consequence of the death of Munson
and Lyman, many who have hitherto meted out their scanty
benefactions wit h a parsimonious hand, and a misers heart,
will now be ashamed of their nigardly course, and will hasten
to redeem their character by the consecretion of their all
�to God.
Is so, these dear brethren will not have died in
vain - they wil l have occasion eternally to enjoy that the
church but half awake, and sinking again into the arms of
slumber, was thoroughly awakened at so cheap a price as their
b l o o d . But if this providence is unheeded - if missionaries
and Ch ris ti an s are not awakened to do more than heretofore
they have done, then, dear, murdered brethren, ye have died
in vain - ye t not in vain - God will be glorified in inflict
ing still severer strokes on his (torn) p e o p l e . Oh may it n ot
be t h a t t h e a w f u l (torn) of the church on the infinitely im
portant subject of the conversion of the world, shall draw
down upon us all the righteous judgments of a holy God.
Oh
my brother, why will not the church awake to their duty to
the heathen?
Wha t can be said to arouse Christians to aban
don forever their criminal sloth, and no more rest till the
gospel shall be arrived to every creature?
Cannot more soul
stirring appeals be made more of the glowing elequence of
Paul be employed to awaken Christians to do all in their power
without a moments delay to bless and save a dying world?
Come the blessed day when the love of Christ shall be sufficient
to constrain all to do their duty to the heathen.
Till you hear again advise dear brother
Yours in the best of bonds
J. S. Green
Rev. David Greene
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill Boston
Mass
Rev. J. S. Green
Dated Nov 30 1835
R e cd June 10 1830
Ackd July 14th D.G.
�1754
126
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
Wailuku,
XXV I
Maui, Sand Islands, Dec 23,
183
To Rev. R. Anderson,
My very Dear Brother,
The regular season for
forwarding communications from the islands is about closing,
and as we have just finished our station report, I need not,
wil l not, trouble y o u with a long letter.
A short one you may
find time to read,
I think of you with a great deal of a f f e c
tion, and must therefore be indulged in saying some things
rather unofficially.
Yet I will write systematically.
1. In our station report perhaps I have been quite
full enough, but I will add a word or two.
I forsee that you
and your brethren will have to contend w i t h a prejudice in
regard to education
at these islands.
It is quite easy for
a zealous man like M r -- to make a flaming speech at a m e e t
ing of the Board in support of a resolution, indirectly, at
least, disapproving of too great efforts to raise up-an
intelligent and thinking people.
I have heard that some things
if d one too well would be spoiled - perhaps this is one of
them.
I have not a D. D. to make my opinion of great weight,
nor am I stiringly eloquent, yet I should love dearly to be
w i t h y o u at one of these meetings with permission to make a
speech.
Should you not like to hear me?
After all, men will
think as they please - but Truth Is mighty, and will prevail.
May y o u and we have wisdom & prudence and zeal too that God
may be glorified in us and by us in all things.
2 . We are very happy in the society of Mr & Mrs
Armstrong.
He is a sterling man, prompt, active and efficient.
He does the greatest part of the teaching & seems to have
a good tact at this business.
I hope I may be allowed to re
tain him as my associate, but of this I cannot speak decidedly.
Y o u know I have had many associates.
Yet I can say that my
dear brother Dibble and Tinker are my chosen friends.
Mr Goodrich and family I hear are at Honolulu,
on the point of embarking for the U. States.
Of course, if he
returns, y o u will be likely to see him.
I wi l l only say, that
I know nothing respecting his return.
I have not seen him
since Aug. 1832 was not present at general meeting when his
case was discussed at general meeting, 1834.
I have no
agency therefore in his return, only so far as my prayers, for
the poor people of Hilo are concerned.
I have no anxiety to
know what he will say to you respecting my dealings with him
�1755
when at H ilo.
I have no r e tractions to make of what I wrote
you.
The one half was n o t told.
I owe him no ill will, and
I pray that he may become what he ought to be.
3. Y o u have been very kind in sending me books of
late.
I pray you remember me still in this respect.
All the
new helps from Andover, I greatly desire.
More commentary
on the Old Te stment, I also need.
Please send any thing of this
kind just as soon as possible.
I think I wrote you for a matress
sometime since we greatly need one.
4 . I have written to one or two private individuals
for tools for making cabinet furniture &c whether I shall ever
receive any thing in this w a y or not, I cannot tell.
We need
more tools, and if y o u know of any one who wishes to help
us in this department of labor, y o u may say to h i m send us saws,
planes- axes- chissels &c &C Captain Brayton, our good friend,
kindly made me an iron lathe w h i c h is very valuable.
I need not say any thing of other stations, as all
are pouring letters upon us to overflowing from different stations
W e are a l w a y s glad to hear from you, and I do certainly need
and shall greatly value your advice.
I have w ritten to c o n
siderable to the Tracy's and to D Phelps my aid classmates and
to others,
Pray for us.
M r s . Green and our little ones are
all well.
Mrs. G. desires her affectionate Aloha to our dear
brother and sister Anderson, to whom present mine, and believe
me to be truly and affectionately your brother.
J. S. Green
Rev. R u fus Anderson
Cor Secretary A.B.C.F .M.
No 28 Cornhill Boston
U. S.
Rev. J. S. Green
Dated Dec 23, 1835
R e cd June 10 1836
Ackd in G. L . June 15
Ansd Dec 10/36
Mattress if not lately sent.
�1756
127
67
Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahainaluna, April 10, 1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss Rooms
M y Dear Brother,
I have, with my family been at Lahaina
three weeks.
We came down on Mrs Rlchardsaccount who needed
help, as you wil l hear from another s o u r c e . I have spent the
most of my time on the hill.
Br. Clark has been assisting me
in reviewing ’’K o h eleth” and Solomons song - they have now
gone to press. 2 Chronicles which I translated last year has
also been reviewed and printed.
I desire to (torn) thankful that I have been permitted to do a little of the good
work of translating the blessed bible.
We hope, ere another
year closes, to see the entire boo k of God in the Hawaiian
language.
Y o u will rejoin with us to know that such a boon
is likely soon to be in the hands of the people.
Oh that they
were a r e a d i n g people - how greatly could we multiply our
labors.
Nothing so much dampens my joy in regard to the people
as the fact that not one in fifty can read understandingly, nor
cares a jig whether he ever sees a book.
Pray for our schools,
and send us teachers, that, if possible, we may cause the people
to become a reading, thinking, intelligent people.
I am glad
that I wrote to br. David Greene, on the subject of reading
missionary letters.
Your reply is perfectly satisfactory, and
will be I doubt not to every member of the mission.
I shall
communicate your reply.
I do not care to mention names and
there will be no more said,
I presume. Things with us at
Wailuku are much as when I last wrote you.
Miss Brown Is g e t
ting on very well, t h o ' I am sorry to say that she will not
try to learn the language, and cannot, of course be nearly as
useful as she might be . We do not find our young chief to
be (torn) enterprizing a s we expected, and I have my fears that
unless we take the business into our own hands:- buy cotton,
and hire labor es &c little will be effected.
The young women
learn redily to spin, but when learned, what can they do?
No
wheels nor loom nor place to work.
However we will hope for
the best, and drive ahead, as fast as possible.
We have some
thought of a female boarding school at Wailuku, and if one
should be established, the business of Miss B. should , and
doubtless would be connected w i t h it.
All we c a n we shall do
that the experiment m a y not be a failure.
I could fill many
sheets in giving you an account of my hopes, and fears, mercies
and trials.
God is very gracious to me and mine.
Mrs. Green
has been rather poorly, but has on the whole pretty good
health.
Our children are healthy.
We are happy in our
�1757
associates Mr. & Mrs Armstrong - not Alexander as you seemed
to suppose.
He has been so much engaged of late in building,
that he has not been able to do much for the schools. The
demand for books has been great for several months.
The
wretched, polluted, Nahianaena is at Wailuku, doing great
mischief.
She threatens to take up her abode there.
The
Savior deliver my poor people for her hateful influence. I
wish to make known a few of our wants.
1. a small b e l l , if
only 75 lbs weight.
We have none for meetings nor schools.
I do think it would be the salvation of some s ouls - h o w ,
you will understand.
2. Mrs. Green & myself need clothes especially for travelling - 3. we have no commentary of the
Bible in E nglish - Please send us one for family reading 4.
Will y o u be so good as to send me Websters Dictionary Octo.
I think it is, about 1000 pages.
I much need one, more even
than if at home, as we write & speak so seldom in English that
we are in danger not merely of becoming lean but of losing all
we have.
Another book - The Encycloped
ia of Religious knowledge
Encycloped
ia of R el igious knowledge - Edited J. W. Brown. 1. Vol
1280 pages. I much w ant it.
Praying that God our heavenly
f a t h e r would, bless you always.
I conclude by assuring you
that I am truly & affectionately your brother
J. S. G r e e n
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill
Boston
Mass U. S.
Rev. Jona S. Green
Dated April 10 1836
Rec Oct 17, 1836
Ackd in G. L. Dec 5
A n s d Dec 10/36
Articles requested
�1758
12 8
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Kaluaahu, Molokai, A pril 19 1836
Mr dear Brother David,
I did not intend troubling you at
present, with a letter , but partly in compliance with the
request of my brother Hitchcock, and partly in consequence
of a strong desire to speak with you, I have determined to
fill a solitary sheet.
I have been here nearly a week asisting Mr. H. in the labors of a protracted meeting.
We
preach day and night, visit the people, and do all in our
power for the promotion of a revival. Nor are we left to
labor in vain.
True, we see nothing like that powerful effu sion of the Holy Spirit w h i c h you sometimes witness at home,
but we do Bee indications of His gracious presence sufficiently
marked To encourage us; and I trust we shall see greater things
than these.
Oh pray much for us and for the poor people.
I am very happy to hear that the prudential
committee have determined to send us helpers.
We need many
teachers.
I cannot forbear saying that here on Molokai (there)
is a field for a thorough going, faithful teacher, which promises
an early and rich harvest, and I entreat you to thrust in a
man of this character as soon as may be.
Just place the c o n
dition of this island distinctly before the churches; and if
a statement would come with any better grace from me, being
from another Island, y o u may make use of this letter.
I do
greatly desire that my brother Hitchcock should have an associate
clergyman.
He is a devoted brother, whose labors I do fully
believe the Lord has blessed.
But he is a feeble man, and I
greatly fear that he will spend too fast.
He needs counsel also,
and co-operation; and when feeble and sickly, he would rejoice
to have some one to address the people,
I am fully of the
opinion that he should have a clerical associate.
Last sabbath
morning there were not less than two thousand people assembled
to hear the word of God.
I suppose there are not less than six
thousand souls on this island.
Can you not, w i l lnot the c h u r c h
es send my brother Hitchcock a helper speedily?
Does not economy demand an aditional laborer on Molokai?
On my tour round
this island w ith Mr. Andrews in 1828, the expression of my
heart was "Oh that we had fellow laborers whom we might send hither
to spread the light of heaven upon these mountains, and wake
the throb of joy through these v a l l e y s . ”
Blessed by God that
my prayer has been answered - I bless y o u , dear brothren in
the Savior's name for confering on Molokai so rich a gift. The
gospel is now faithfully preached, and I do fully believe that
sinners are converted to God, Can you not, ought y o u not,
will y o u not send other helpers,
now that the people are in a
�1759
kind of waiting posture ready in a measure to welcome other
labours? At any rate, I must plead wit h y o u to send to Mr.
Hitchcock, a teacher of schools.
There is a wide and important field.
Sabbath morning last, I addressed some 500
children who come regularly to the school on the sabbath
morning.
And Mr. H assures me that 250 attend daily.
Ought
not these precious children and youth to have instruction more
amply than a clergyman can impart who has a flock to oversee,
the gospel to preach medicine to administer, and all the secular
cares of the station devolving upon him?
I pray you, dear
brethren, by the worth of the souls of these benighted children,
hasten hither a thorough, judicious man, who shall superintend
these schools, pour instruction into their minds and endeavor
to lead them to Christ.
I could fill sheets in writing on this
subject.
Now seems the time to push forward our labors - e s
pecially our schools.
Hoapilihane the governor of Mau i seems
to be disposed to aid us in getting children to school, and there
may be
soon.
Oh hasten dear friends to enlighten every
part of the land, and by the blessing of God to fill it with
light & purity and love.
I way write again soon, if spared,
Your affectionate brother
J. S. Green
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.
Missionary Rooms
28 Cornhill
Boston
Rev.
Date
Re cd
Ackd
J.S
.
Green
Ap r i l 19 1836
Oct 17
in G. L. Dec 5
�1760
129
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
W ailu ku , Maui, A p r il 2 6 ,
1836
Dear Brother D a v id ,
So favorable an opportunity now offers
of sending d ir e c tly home, that I w i l l f i l l a sheet or two
from my jo u rn a l.
I w i l l try to do rather more than I have
done in this l i n e , as my frie n d s complain that they see
scarcely anything of me.
Your affectio n ate brother
Jonathan.
Remainder of letter printed 32 Missionary Herald 472 Dec 1836
�1761
130
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1387
Part Second
Wailuku, Maui,
July 22,
XXVI
1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
B oston Massa
My Dear Brother
The general letter, minutes of the
general meeting &c &c will probably go across the continent,
and may reach you sooner than any thing which I can prepare.
I will however, fill a single sheet, hoping that it may by
means of a conveyance across the continent, reach you before
all the fall shipping shall have left for the islands.
On the 5th of the present month while at Honolulu,
we were called to resign, suddenly and under affecting circ um
stances our youngest child, a little daughter of near 18 months,
to God who gave her.
She was scalded by turning into her
bosom a cup of boiling milk.
Our hearts still bleed, though
I trust we can say, "it is the Lord, let Him do as seemth Him
good.” Blessed be His holy name.
We are His, all we have and
are and hold dear.
h to feel always that He is one covenant
honor our Lord under all circumstances.
Y o u will learn by looking over the minutes of
the general meeting that Mrs. Green and myself are a ppoint
ed to the business of instructing a female boarding school
at this place.
We have no buildings, and I shall be much
occupied for six months, at least, in making preparation.
I need not write you at large showing the great necessity of
opening a school of this kind.
The state of the nation im
periously demands it. We should not, perhaps, have chosen
this post; and we look forward to the labor and responsibility
connected w i t h such a school, with no little solicetude; but
we feel so deeply the importance of such an institution at
these islands that we have no disposition to make a single
objection to devoting all we are and have to the work.
If the
school should flourish as we hope it may, we shall, at no d i s
tant period, need help, assistant teachers.
I have engaged
for the present, Mr M c Lane as an assistant, but I need or
shall soon need I hope, a better qualified man.
I now request
you to send me helps in the way of books, periodicals, papers,
school apparatus & c & c I wish the "Annals of Education" and
other other things of a similar character, calculated, in your
opinion, to aid us in our work.
Mr. Armstrong is my (torn) in the pastoral work.
I have great confidence in him, trust he will do good; I
greatly rejoice to leave my poor people to the care of so
faithful, able, and thorough a man.
Things here about as when
we last wrote ; only that the king and his wretched, polluted
sister are here , and the character of their influence you can
�1762
easily understand.
Pray for us.
& Mrs. Anderson.
Mrs. Green unites in love to you
N.B. One of our neighbors is a tailor who occasionally does
wor k for us.
He has requested me several time to write to
Boston and procure for him a "cutting book", i.e. I suppose a
treatise on cutting clothes. Please send me one with the
price as I wish to accomodate him and the book may enable
him better to cut our clothes.
Yours truly
J. S. Green
N.B. I beg you to send me as soon as possible
of Rev. J. Todd.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Secretary of A.B.C.F .M.
no 28 Cornhill
Boston Mass
Rev J. S. Green
Date July 22, 1836
R e cd Apr 28/37
Ackd in G. L. July 21
Female Board's school
the " Index
postmark New London Ct.
Apr 26
ship
�1763
131
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
Wailuku, Maui, Sand Islands
XXVI
Aug 20, 1836
Rev. David Greene
Missionary Rooms
My Dear Brother,
You know full well that I am
a priviledged being so far as addressing you is concerned. In
deed, I have determined to extend somewhat my right to address
my brethren in the ministry. I trust, brother David that the
time is near even at the door when your missionaries will rise
en masse, and make an appeal to ministers, who know their duty
but will not do it, an appeal which will be heard. I for one,
will not cease to do my duty, and I shall sound my first note
in your ear.
Let me say, then, that the speakers at the last
meeting of the Board put into our hands weapons which we shall
wield to your discomfiture, unless you and others will acknow
ledge your sin and do your duty. Really if they said truly,
and I see not how their glowing speeches can possibly be
controverted - I see not how you can possibly stay at home
and be (guiltless of the blood of souls: and I call upon you in
the name of the Lord to select your field and go as speedily
as possible and do your duty to the heathen. Unless you do so
and do so speedily: you will make bitter work for repentance.
Astonishing is the infatuation which keeps you from doing your
duty! I am amazed and confounded, and woe is me if I do not
hold up your duty till your heart ache worse than it has ever
yet ached. How can you keep qui
et your conscience? How can
you flatter yourself that young men will do the work, while now
go stay where one can be induced to go? No delusion, it seems
to me can be greater, I do not believe that young men can be
found in sufficient numbers yet unprepared by education, to go
and preach the gospel to the heathen. And suppose they could
be found and brought forward some ten years hence, why in the
name of Him who died on Calvary, do you wait so long, when so
many men are already in the ministry and have no better excuse
for staying at home than we in the field have for returning?
How many heathen, think you will die, the next ten years, while
you are training up men to carry them the gospel? I beseech
you to make an estimate, and you will not find it in your
heart to talk of young men - will not again bid them go - Nono I do not se how you can make up your mouth to any young man
to go - Change your style of address - say here - come - let us
go to the heathen - now - let us hasten before they die and sink
�1764
to hell.
Let us clear our garments of the blood of souls.
A style of address of this sort would fill the missionary r e a d
ers,
I fully believe.
But no - you and brother Anderson,
I suppose, mean to s tay at Boston, and Gilbert and Bates, think
they have as good a right to stay at Newton, and (torn)
and
Shepard wil l stay in Maine, and y o u may continue to expect
young men to do their duty !!I And suppose they should do their
duty, who will do y o u r s ? who will answer for your neglect?
Ah, my brother, The subject is full of interest, and I beseech
you to look at it and act as y o u shall wish you had when you
see the heathen in multitudes sinking to perdition.
I a m amazed and ashamed of myself that I have bee n so long silent,
or but half awake.
May you and my brethren beseech God to
save us from b l o o d - g u i tl n
i e s s . I sent this to New York by the
Joseph Peabody and I hope to write more at large soon. Come
brother David, let us awake - and without delay do our duty to
the heathen.
When will thy kingdom come Oh thou son of God
unless we awaken & obey thee.
Let me hear how you are these
days - We are as usual - Mr C lark was here quite recently all well I know of no one of the brethren who is laid aside
from his work.
Things with us as they have been for a year or
two.
Love to your dear wife from us both.
I hope she pants
to be a missionary Your affectionate brother, J. S.
Jonathan
But my sheet is f u ll and I must stop for the present.
But you
may not conclude that I have done.
Oh my dear brother only
think of the state of the h e a t h e n ! How deeply affecting:
How
can you be content to stay at home while they are dying in such
frightful multitudes?
Rev. David Greene
Miss Rooms
Boston
Rev.
Date
R e cd
Ansd
J. S. Green
Aug 20, 1838
Apr 28, 1837
Aug 12, D.G.
postmark New London Ct
Apr, 26
�1765
132
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXV I
W a iluku, Maui Sandwich Islands
North Pacific Ocean Nov 21, 1836
Rev R. Anderson
Miss R ooms
Boston Mass
My Dear Brother,
Wit h Mr. Armstrong who is my valued
associate still, I have just finished our station letter, but
I wish to say several things in a more private way.
You will
see soon I trust your old and loved friend Rev. William R ichards.
He goes home, the hand of God being upon him for good.
You
will not fail to help him on his amazingly important agency.
O that he may be successful in winning men to C h r ist - not sinners
exactly - yet why not sinners?
rebels certainly - Men who
know, but who will not do, their duty - Ministers from one end
of the land to the other who can make glowing speeches at
Missionary meetings respecting the heathen appeal to others to do
their duty but not an inch will they budge towards the field,
though they know full well that the heathen are sinking to hell
every day.
Such men I pray God to give to Br. Richards as
seals of his faithful labors.
Will you ardently pray that such
men be the result?
Of one thing I am pretty certain my dear brother,
and that is you will not be apt to think that your missionary
brethren at these islands are behind their brethren at home in
zeal for the conversion of the world ! Pardon me, I make not
the remark unkindly.
I have n o t had half zeal enough nor have
my brethren.
I hope and believe that we are now waking.
God
of mercy forb id that we should slumber again over so deeply
interesting a subject ! I pray and beseech you, send Mr. Eddy
(Ansel), and those other warm speechmakers, to the heathen.
O
do not let the conversion of the w orld be delayed five centuries !
How can you bear the thought?
Intolerable ! I do hope that
brother Richards wil l p i n c h many a conscience so severely, that
only one thing wil l for a moment ease the smart; and that one
thing.
THE HEATHEN.
But I need not e n l a r g e . though
I feel unutterable things, I do assure you, and I could write
a solid REAM.
May God incline you., my dear Brother, to do
your duty, for I may not spare you in writing on this sweet
subject.
I wis h you were among the heathen, that is certain.
I dont know why your should not go- Brother David must c e r
tainly go.
I cannot excuse him, and the Savior will not, it
seems to me excuse him.
Whether he can and will excuse you,
my brother, I trust you will ask conscience.
�1766 skipped in numbering
1767
Brother Richards will enlighten you in multi
tudes of dark points.
He is very luminous.
I am heartily
glad he is going.
The question of the political interests
of this poor nation is a deeply interesting one.
I know
not but the fatal blow to all independence at the islands,
independence of the chiefs, I mean, will be struck even before
brother Richards leaves.
One of his majesty's ships of war
is now at Honolulu threatening to blow down the fort unless
the chiefs will give up their right of soil.. Y o u will easily
perc ive that there are very many things here which greatly try
one patience, and faith.
W e at Wai l u k u have our own trials.
Our interesting head man of w h o m I have so frequently spoken
does not turn out so well as I expected.
He has no enterprize .
The people wil l not obey him, and he is much discouraged.
The
wife of Auwae, our former head man, has not appeard well since
his death.
Tho' a member of the church, we stand in great
doubt of her.
She acknowledges that her heart is full of lust;
and that she has n o t been g u i l t y , we are not sure, though cannot prove any thing against her.
She talks of taking for her
husband a man belonging to the King.
He is now at the high
school, and the teachers say he has no character - is a worthless
fellow on the whole.
Still things w ith us are as pleasent,
perhaps, as at any other station on the islands.
M r. S m ith
from Oahu who was providentially present at our protracted
meeting, said that he had never, at the islands attended so in
teresting a meeting.
Indeed, I am sure that our discussion of
the subject of the worlds conversion, at Honolulu, and our w r i t
ing on the subject since our return, has done us great good,
and the influence seems to be felt on the people.
"He that
watered others shall be watered also himself".
I need not add respecting the boarding school.
I
long to be at this new and arduous business.
The house is going
up. Mr. M c Lane is a great help to me as he superintends the
building, and saves my time not a little.
I shall need his
services till y o u send me some one and this I wis h you to do,
as Mr Lane has poor health, and had rather not be so much
confined as a man must be with me.
I have all along been hoping that we should hear
from y o u before brother Richards left, but it does not seem
at all probable that we shall, at any rate, I must close my
communication for the present, as brother Richards is about
to leave for Honolulu.
He may remain there a w eek or two, and
if any thing new come up, I hope to be able to send down.
I wrote some time ago for a mattress, which I
doubt not we shall soon have, unless my letter miscarried.
Brother Richards will tell you how convenient a Common Library
is for brethren who reside on five islands, and at fourteen
�1768
or fifteen stations.
To him I refer you.
You will hear
from Miss Brown from her own pen, I presume.
She lived with
us about a year and a half, and is now with Mr. Armstrong.
Y ou will see that she is put down as an assistant with Mrs
Green and myself, I did not object, at the time, though I
am frank to say to you that she cannot be connected with the
school.
She is a good woman.
We v a l ue her in her department
and I think she is, and will be u s e f u l . But she declines
learning the language of the islands.
She talks, and castigat
as perioribus verbis serves discipulas in broad English.
I
say this not by w a y of fault finding but to show you that we
cannot at all depend upon Miss Brown.
I shall do all I can
to assist her, and I think she is doing well,
My hopes are
a good deal raised, and though our young chief lacks enterprize yet there is another man Raauwai, the Treasurer of the
government, who lives near us is a member of the church and
has a good deal of enterprize.
I think he will do a good deal
in the line of cloth making.
I think I wrote for wheel heads.
We need several more, also cards for cotton.
I think you had
better send several dozen heads.
I suppose they can be p u r
chased cheap by the quantity.
Nov 26 I could add many things - but brother
Richards will tell y o u how we are and what we need.
To
him I refer you.
God grant that he may safely arrive in
Boston, and be the instrument of divers great good from one
end of the land to the other and in God' s good time be brought
back to us.
Pray for me and mine for the school which we may
be commen ceing about the time this reaches you.
The smile s of Jesus Christ be yours always Mrs
Green's affectionate salutations to y o u rself and Mrs. Anderson.
Your affectionate brother
J. S. Green
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec A.B.C.F .M.
Miss Room 28 Cornhill
Boston Mass U. S.
Rev Wm. R ichards
Rev. J. S. Green
Dated W ailuku, Nov. 21,
Re cd May 26/37
Ackd in G. L. July 21
W heel-heads
1836
�1769
133
67 Sandwich Islands
1831-- 1837
Wailuku,
Part S e c o n d
Sand
XXVI
Islands Nov 25, 1836
Dear Brother David,
In August last I wrote you on the subject
of going to the heathen.
I hope before this reaches you,
you wil l have re-considered the subject, and fully made up
your mind to be off as soon as possible.
I cannot excuse you;
and I pray you take with you those glowing speechmakers who
were reported in the New York Observer.
It is a shame of shames
for the E d d y ’s to stay longer at home ! O if the staying at
home of the members of the board will retard the conversion of
the world five generations, how tremendous the guilt which
will rest upon that board .
Think not that brother ’’Jonathan”
is beside himself.
He was never more sane.
We must all wake
up brother
avid, that is certain, or the world will be lost.
"On such a theme
”Tis impious to be c a l m "!
But I leave you to
conscience, and brother
Richards.
May God, our heavenly Father, teach us all exactly what
he would have us to d o .
I send to your care twelve sheets written to
Christians in Vermont.
I wish to have them read generally;
and to be read they must be printed.
I have directed them to
Messrs Richards and Tracy of the Chronicle.
I did not send
to them directly, because, as they have done sending me their
paper, I do not know as they will insert anything more from
me w ithout p a y . Even if they are willing to print them, would
it not be wel l to say to other editors friendly to missions
you may consider the papers designed for your pakahi (paper?
I only suggest.
Do not think that I regard the
letters as
very remarkably weighty.
I think however that there is a
call for them In Vermont
sent now, and I should be very happy
to hear them circulated extensively.
In reading them over (for
you may read them if you please), if you object seriously to
the last number, on the state of things at these islands you
may say so to your brother
Tracy; or you may retain It, tell
ing him you have my consent; though I had rather it would go.
I for one, am not for covering up things here.
The S . I slands
are too near home to do so, or to attempt it.
Let the whole
truth b e told, and we shall come out incomparably better, in
the long run.
I have been writing a thing which may be print
ed on the condition of the heathen.
Something like this is an
abstract.
1. The heathen are wretched.
2 They die rapidly.
3. They die eternally - 4. They need not die 5. The guilt o f
�1770
their
is changeable to the chh - It is a plain appeal
and perhaps it would be useful as a missionary paper.
That
however is for y o u to say.
The letters for Cophas H. Kent
I will thank you to keep u n t i
l you can send it otherwise than
by mail.
How I should like to see you and have a good
long t a l k ! Do let me hear occasionally.
Pray for me and
mine - Love to thee and thine Mrs G unites with me in affection
ate salutations
Your affectionate brother
Jonathan
Rev David Greene
Sec A.B.C.F .M.
Miss Rooms 28 Cornhill
Boston
Rev.
Richards
Rev.
Date
Recd
Ansd
Jonathan S. Green
Nov 25, 1836
M ay 28, 1837
Aug 12, D G
�1771
134
67 Sandwich Islands
1831 — 1837
Part Second
X XVI
Wailuku, Dec 3, 1836
Dear Brother Anderson,
Mr. Richards has left Maui and is about
to embark, I suppose, for the United States; I wrote you some
what largely, by him, and yet I have not said all which I wish
to say.
One thing I could repeat, our need of a secular man at
this station.
I am sick at heart at the thought of doing
business with the natives - trade - buying - selling, hiring,
bantering &c &c &c is more than I can stand under.
I loathe
the whole business.
Hence, in part, my opposition to a s a l a r y .
I can never have a salary, and if y o u wish to drive me from the
field, you could n o t take a more effectual measure.
Y o u will
talk with Mr. Richards on the subject, an d learn the difficult
ies in the way of the salary system, I need not re-state my
objections to this plan of supporting missionaries.
Another thing which I wish to say, is, guard
against a mistake as to the disposition of this people to be
co-workers w i t h Christ in building up his kingdom.
I mention
this because there have been two or three efforts made to
keep spread the gospel, and if the result should be pub l i s h
ed as it may be, the public might be disposed to think that the
people here are prompt and cheerful in efforts, self denying
and severe, to build up the kingdom of Christ.
N o such thing,
my dear b r other, no such thing.
They are anything but w i l l
ing to deny themselves for Christ - Many a member of our
churches are even unwilling to let us have a horse to ride
6 or 8 miles to preach to their own kindred.
A few of the
poorer sort, and now and then one
in better circumstances
do something, but as a church, I do not think there i s a
body of professing christians on earth more thoroughly steeped in selfishness.
I say it with grief, but I m a y not conceal
it, and I pray you, save us the anguish , if you can, of
knowing that c h ristians at home regard the people here as b en
evolent.
My heart aches for brother Richards.
The foolish
things which have been said of the people, their having become a Christian nation - their reading habits, their freedom
from p r i d e , l u s t , contetudness and cool, * &c &c have rendered
his agency a mong the churches exceedingly difficult.
How can
he answer the 1000 questions which will be proposed, so to
save Christians, professedly so from disappointment?
I wish
* Please remember that I do not censure the men who said these
things so much as those who furnished the data.
�1772
I could say in the ears of christians from one end of the
land to the other - How long will ye make success the
main spring of your efforts to save the world? See Mat
28: 19 :20 : Mark 16:16 . When will ye learn that S a t a n ’s
kingdom is not to be overthrown by a few sallies of insolated
soldiers? O my brother I feel like weeping for very shame
and sorrow, on view of the amazing folly of ministers for
It cannot be called by softer name
To think of sending forth
so few soldiers to subdue the world to Christ, while so many
stay at home to keep garrison?
’Tis the most humiliating
fact under the broad canopy of heaven. Yes.
I do not think
there is any thing comparable to it from one end of the universe
to the other! Angels bleed - if they can bleed, over this
disgraceful sight ! Devils hold, as Mr. Twing would say, a
grand jubilee ! Oh my brother let'st not be, I would not be
a minister in the United States, unless I were a incurable
invalid, for 10,000 worlds ! How can so many stay? How, how
can it be?
God grant that we may soon see a new era in mission
aries . I think we shall too. May we all pray most devoutly
that God would hasten it. Amen, even so come Lord Jesus.
I believe that I wrote you for a cooking stove.
We need one, and think they would be economical. A small one
would answer.
Love us - pray for us. and oh let us hear that
Christ's army is feeling up faith officers who have long been
recruiting
Your brother in Christ
J. S. Green.
P. S. I pray you excuse my great plainness and eagerness.
I
honor and love you but I am amazed at the conduct of ministers.
Are they not as Howe said the most d- relly - c - (w ax) set
of men on earth?
Rev. J. S. Green
Dated Dec 3, 1836
Recd May 22,/37
Ackd in G . L . July 21
REV. Rufus Anderson
Sec A.B.C.F.M.
Miss Rooms 28 Cornhill
Boston
postmark New London
May 19
cooking stove
Ct
�1773
135
67
Sandwich Islands
183 1— 1837
Part Second
Wailuku, Maui,
Sand Islands
XXVI
Dec 19,
1836
Dear Brother David,
The Adeline, Capt Burkley is about to sail
for Newburyport,
and I hasten to say a few words by her, b e
cause I wish to say something by sundry ships.
By the Daniel
Webster we sent lots of letters, tracts, appeals &c of various
sorts, besides a living epistle.
May they all reach y o u in
God ’s good time and be read to purpose by the ministry.
I
will add a single sheet to go by the Adeline.
How is it about news-papers, periodicals &c &c
The Vermont Chron cile I once received, b u t since Joseph Tracy
left, I do not get i t.
No wai ka huva?
Whose is the fault?
I write for it, enough in all conscience, and if they will
not send it, ought I to continue to write?
Mr. Tracy of
the Recorder has begun to send his paper.
Can y o u not agree
(for me) w i t h some editor to send me his paper and take his
pay in real coin, such as my mint produces?
I much wish two
or three papers and w i l l write - I cannot say, how admirably.
What is the Worcester Palladium?
I have seen several pieces
from that paper which I much admired - How with the N.
England Spectator?
I want one abolition paper.
Did you never
conjecture that brother Jonathan would be a flaming Abolitionist,
were he in New England?
George Shepard my good old chum, says
he knows I should be so - I half think so.
Indeed I can scarce
ly endure pieces which I read in the Recorder and Chronicle.
Many of us, many of this mission think that Mr. Tracy of the
Recorder laughts at mobs - I cou ld refer you to the Chapter
and Verse, but I am to much of a hurry to look up the paper
now.
Yet I shall not at present trouble my head greatly about
slavery.. I am too far off, and we have slavery enough here to
occupy all my thoughts,
Yet I pray you let me have a paper
on that s ide . Wil l not Garrison send me the sma - paper which
he edits - I cannot now recollect its name - It has a picture negro sale on its first p a g e ! I will write for him on some
missionary subject, and it may not injure the paper nor the
cause.
We are so-so Mrs Green rather poorly.
I am g r o w
ing old too.
If I live till tomorrow, I shall be 40 years old.
I have a young (t orn) Gulick is as gr ay as a rat - I have (torn)
gray hair - But I cannot bustle about quite so strong as I
once could - True I am able now to travel 14 miles a day and
preach six times.
But I feel the worse for it the next
day.
�1774
I desire to be active while the day lasts, as the night
cometh when nothing can be done.
Remember if you please that I am writing for
a paper or two for Wailuku- not for the S and. Islands
mission - nor for the reading room at Lahaina.
Talk with
Mr. Richards respecting the convenience of having a library
in CommonMuch love to you and your wife and associates.
Things so-so w ith us- Do let us hear - We pant
to hear !
The Lord bless you - send you forth in to his
great harvest & make your
useful & happy your affec
brother
Jonathan
Rev. David Greene
Miss Rooms
28 C o rnhill Boston
Mass
Rev.
Date
Recd
Ansd
Jonathan S. Green
Dect 19, 1836
June 27, 1837
Aug 12, D. G
postmark Newburyport Mass
Jun 6
�1775
136
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Wailuku, Maul, Sand Islands Dec 24,
1836
My dear Br Anderson,
There i s no need that I should write y ou just now,
and yet I can n o t suffer brother Spaulding to go to the Rooms,
without at least a single sheet from me.
This going is quite
unexpected; that is, we did not expect it at present.
Had
he gone last year, no one would have been at all surprised, and
now no one can object.
Nothing but a generous attachment to
the cause of Christ at these islands would have kept him here
these last few years.
Mrs. Spaulding has been a great sufferer
these three or four years.
Yet she has been quiet an d happy.
I trust y o u will sympathize In his affliction in being laid
aside from active service, and that the c hristian public will
be enable to see that there is a cause.
Some of the p rofessed
ly devoted friends of missions may complain, though they c e r
tainly will have no reason to do so in the case of Mr. Spau ld
ing.
No family in the mission has ever had so good an excuse
for going home as M r . S. I pray that he may be spared to do
something at home for the cause of missions, n o w that he can do
no more here.
Y o u wil l percive that we, of this mission, are
in favor of returned missionaries doing the agency among the
churches.
Not that we desire this labor, or shall be h a s t e n
ing home to do anything of the kind (except such a kind of
agency as Mr Richards may possibly perform.)
I think were
I now at home, I would devote all my energies of s o u l a nd
body to the wor k of rousing the churches to their duty, and
waking up, if possible my fathers and brethren in the ministry.
But I do assure you that, except perhaps so far as the
fun is concerned - it is a most undesireable work,
What
little I have done as an agent of the board has shown me that
both ministers and private Christians are far enough from d o
ing as they ought in assisting Agents in making appeals to
their people.
Yet, it cannot, I think be desired that, other
things being equal, missionaries who have been returned in
the providence of God, to their country are the men for
agents.
My dear wife has been quite poorly for a few
days.
I hope however that she will soon be better.
You will
not forget our boarding school.
I long to be actively en g a g
ed in teaching.
But I shall, if spared soon need help, for
I am not expecting much assistance from Mrs. Green, and I
have informed you that I cannot think of expecting any from
Miss Brown.
But I need not add more on this subject, at
present.
We are longing to hear from you, and hope to
hear that the Spirit of God is sending multitudes of your
educated men into the worde harvest.
Your affectionate brother J. S. Green.
�1776
Rev Rufus Anderson
Corresponding S e c r e t a r y
A. B. C . F. M.
Boston ass
Rev. E. Spaulding
Rev. J. S. Green
Dated Dec 24, 1836
R e cd June 28/37
Ackd in G. L. July 2 1
Mr. & Mrs. Spaulding return
�1777
137
67 Sandwich Islands
1S31--1837
Part Second
Honolulu,
Oahu, Nov 10,
X XVI
1830
Mr. Anderson,
Ve r y dear Sir,
Although we have recently forward
ed a pretty full report from this station to the Board I
fe el anxious to add something more upon a subject in which,
I know, y o u feel deeply interested as w ell as w e . I refer
to the Jesuits, who are establishing themselves here. We
need all the wisdom, which the Board are able to afford u s .
in relation to this subject.
It is with the hope, that you
will be the better able to afford us advice, that I now u n d e r
take to make you acquainted, as near as I can, with the state
of things here in relation to these men.
Y o u have been informed of the time & manner of
their arrival &c.
It has been said, that they were induced
to come here by one Rives, who greviously disappointed them.
It is true, I suppose, that they were extremely poor, when
they arrived here, so that some church furniture w h i c h they
brought, was taken from them, it is said, to pay their passage.
On their arrival, the chiefs learning who they were &c, re
quested the Captain to take them back.
He refu s ed, saying,
he had received nothing for bringing them here, & he could
not take them away, as he should receive no pay for it.
They
finally landed, & took up their residence in a retired part
of the village, though w ithout any express permission f rom the
Government.
Those, who came out as secular men engaged in
their several employments, like other mechanics in the village.
The two priests one an Irishman by birth, th e other a french
man kept themselves very much secluded for some time, under
the apprehension as they said, that they should be molested,
or sent away.
I think, they had not been seen so as to be
known by any of the missionaries, whe n the last reinforcement
arrived, although they had resided almost a year within half
a mile of the mission premises.
W h e n we arrived, the mis
sionaries expressed no very special apprehensions about them.
It was not certainly known, that they had done anything to
propagate their religion, or that they really intended to
establish themselves here.
It seems, however, that they were
applying themselves with diligence to the language, & as they
were unmolested by the Gov
e rnament they began, at length, to
make some efforts to gain pro s e ly t e s to their religion.
About this time, a native woman, who had been absent some time
�1778
from the Islands, & who during her absence, had been in
itiated in the catholic religion returned, & afforded
essential aid to the Jesuits in promoting their cause.
They began, at length, to hold meetings p u b l ickly, & to
baptise.
The missionaries of course, signified to the
chiefs & others their decided disapprobation of them &
their religion.
This had been done f r o m the very first.
The
Government apprehending serious evils, both to religion &
to the peace & prosperity of the nation, assembled the
people, who had attended upo n the Catholics, talked to them
& forbid their going to the catholic meeting.
They also forb id the catholics making any efforts to proselyte the people,
but did not prohibit them from worshiping among themselves.
This gave a great check to their cause, but did not root out
the evil.
The chiefs, most of them, at least, continued to
use the ir influence against them.
While on a tour around
this Island in F eby last, in company with Kaahumanu, the old
lady, in addressing the people, repeatedly charged them, to have
nothing to do with the Frenchmen, as she called them.
She
said, we have our king & one company of teachers, & we must
all go together !
But notwithstanding all which the chiefs have
said & done, the Jesuits hav e continued to make efforts,
privately, at least; to propagate their religion.
Last spring
Mr B ingham, by accident, called where the above mentioned
woman then lived, & took up a manuscript book, which she had
received from the Jesuits in which he found prayers to the
virgin Mary in the native l a n g u a g e , & the ten commandments
wit h the 2nd left out & the 10th divided in two.
The woman
seemed to place great confidence in her teachers.
Whe n the
ch i e
fs left this place for the windward in June, Kaahumanu
took this woman with her, but not without occasioning some
angry remarks from the E ng.
o nsul & others.
C
When the king
left this place in June, he committed the charge of things
here to Kinau & Li
liha, the wife of Gov. Boki.
Some time
after they had been gone, Kekuanaoa the husband of Kinau,
came to us to know what they should do with several persons,
natives who were endeavouring to make proselytes to the
catholic religion.
We could not learn, that these persons
attended worship w i t h the Jesuits, but it was supposed, that they
had intercoursed w i t h them which was no doubt true.
They
had been before expressly forbidden to teach the Catholic
mummeries & has assented to this injunction of the king.
He
hardly knew what to say to the request of Kekuanaoa.
He
endeavoured, however, to lead him to see where the root of
the evil was to be found, & that, while that remained here, it
would sprout up, whatever he might do to the branches.
He
e n q u i r e d if it would not be well to punish, or fine these natives
�1779
who appeared to be obstinate. We, (that is, Mr. Chamberlain & myself,) rather discouraged this.
We told him,
however, that we saw no impropriety in their sending them to
the king, if they were disposed, as they had disobeyed his
injunction . They finally concluded to call them up, talk
to them & let them go.
But they still persisted in the
same course, put up to it, no doubt, by the Jesuits.
Not long after, the king wrote to Kinau r e
questing h i m to make known his w ill to these persons, & if
they refused to obey, to treat them as criminals.
Kekuanaoa
came to us again to k n o w what should be done.
We declined
giving any advice.
We told him, the business was with them &
the king, they must do as they thought best.
We did not, of
course, consider it p r o per f o r us to say any thing to counter
act the command of the king, especially as Mr. Richards had
written to us, that, he thought, we should be careful how we
held back the chiefs from taking any measures, which, they
thought best.
The persons above mentioned were again sent for,
14 in number, 8 men & 6 women.
It seems the Jesuits had used
all their subtlety to inspire them with a determined spirit.
They appeared quite obstinate.
Some of them said, if you bind
us with cords, "e moku w a i no he h a ula,” the cords will break
off of themselves; if y o u put us into hot water "e maalili wa l e
no ka wai ” the water w i l l be cool to us; if you put us into
the fire, " e pio wale no ke a h i ,"
the fire will go out, it will
not hurt us.
This is instruction, which they had probably r e
ceived from their teachers.
They were put into the port, &
set to work,
They had enough to eat & were kindly treated.
This
was not done, so far as I could learn, for any belief, which they
entertained; but for persisting in spreading the catholic notions
& mode of worship, in opposition to the command of the king.
Eight of these persons have professed submission to the wishes
of the king & chiefs, & they were released,
Six are still at
work.
The Jesuits, all this time are standing behind
the curtain.
I cannot learn, that they are doing anything
publickly to propagate their religion.
But they are, no doubt
working secretly wit h all the subtlety of Jesuits.
They are
also laying out considerable expense upon buildings, which are
more permanent than common native houses.
The question now is, what course ought we to take
in relation to this destressing evil, which has crept in among
us, the extent of which cannot easily be conceived by any one
unacquainted with the character of the people & the true state
of things here.
If we should come out openly & plainly, the
king & chiefs would probably endeavour to follow our advice.
But it is not certain, that they would succeed.
They have
not sufficient independence & decision of character to cope
with foreigners.
If the high chiefs were united & fully decided
�1780
& the king, who is but a boy,
intimidated by the high
sounding words of public agents here, all would be at a
stand.
They would feel unwilling to do anything without
his consent.
The only way, which we can see to remove the
evil entirely, is to remote the Jesuits from the Islands.
But if the chiefs undertake to do this, they must stern the
current against all the foreigners on the Islands, or n e a r
ly all except the missionaries.
Besides, they cannot oblige
ship-masters to take them, & they cannot carry them away in
their own vessels, without the help of foreigners as navigators.
If they had sufficient decision & energy, they might take
from them the land upon which, they are building, as no foreigner
has secured the right of soil, & they might order them to
leave the Islands, &, in case they refused, they might c o n
fine them.
But this would raise the cry of persecution, &
make such a stir among f o r e i g n e r s that the Government would
hardly be able to carry it through, & if they should fail, a
triumph would be gained, w h i c h would be greatly to be dreaded.
The chiefs are not afraid to do wha t they please w i t h their
own people, but they are slow to meddle w i t h foreigners.
This
is the reason, why they are taking severe measures with their
own people, while the Jesuits are unmolested.
It is even said,
that the king & some of the chiefs have made friendly c a l l
upon the Jesuits, I cannot think however that they have done
it with the design to give them countenance.
But the fact is,
we hardly know where to find those who are n o t decidedly pious.
Now the Gov. of this Islands is gone who was the most noted for
wearing two faces nearly all the high chiefs are hope fully
pious , &c we learn, that the king appears very well.
Y o u have now the subject pretty fully before you,
& will be able, I hope, to give us a d v i c e . S ome of our number
are for taking decided & open measures for the removal of the
Jesuits.
But I am not satisfied how far it is wise or proper for
us to go, in persuading the Gov. to remove them.
The cry
of persecution both against the chiefs & missionaries has a l
ready been raised, & will probably soon be resounded in A merica.
But I do not as yet feel any special concern on this account.
This subject lays with a great weight upon my
mind & u pon the minds of others in the mission.
I hope, h o w e v e r ,
that we shall not indulge any improper anxiety upon it.
It
is a comfort to think that the Lord reigns, & that he (blotted)
good out of evil.
Perhaps, he has sent these men here to
keep us & our patrons at home awake to our duty, & to make us
feel our dependence upon divine help.
If these men were not
here, we, who are in this field, would be greatly in dan ger
of feeling, that the victory is won, & that we may now g o to
seeking our own instead of the things, which are Jesus C h r i s t ’s
�1781
P. S. Some of our friends, who have always lived
in a land of civil & religious liberty, may think, that the
only proper way to combat the heresy, which has crept in
among us, i s to make use of moral weapons.
This is, no
doubt, the most unexceptionable way, & the only way, in which
we can combat it directly.
And we & our friends at home are
called upon to apply with greater diligence the moral power,
w hich God has put into our hands.
B ut, if we should tell the
chiefs, that they must use no coercive means to stop the
progress of this evil, it would, in effect, be (torn)
our
assent to the increase & spread of the evil.
The people
generally are not sufficiently enlightened to feel the form
of moral weapons, & the chiefs have never been in the habit
of controling them in this way.
True civil liberty has not
yet dawned upon this land ; nor will it for a long time to
come.
The people are not prepared f o r it.
Considering, therefore, the ignorance of the
people, & the
proneness of ignorant people to be pleased
& satisfied with a few outward ceremonies, without the
trouble of investigating & thinking & deciding for them
selves, & also the great licence, w h i c h the catholic r e
ligion gives to the corruptions of the natural heart; we
have reason to think, that this evil will rapidly increase
& spread, unless the strong arm of civil power is called in
to check Its progress.
And should it ever gain an a s c e n d
ency, I need not portray the fatal consequences to this mission
& to the temporal & eternal happiness of this interesting
people.
May the Saviour preserve us & them from such a
calamity.
Yours &c E. W . C.
�1782
138
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
The mission is on the whole, highly prosperous,
yet the enemy of all good is buisy;
if the evil, of which
I have spoken, was removed, we should not be free from danger.
A visit here from one of the committee would, no d oubt, be
attended w i t h the happiest results.
I cannot but think, that
the good effected would abundantly compensate for all the sac
rifices of time & money & worldly comfort, which it would cost.
But we can hardly expect such a visit in these ends of the
earth.
Y o u will excuse the imperfections of this letter.
It has been written in great haste.
I have now more labor
upon my hands than I can well attend to, as Mr B. is absent.
My health has suffered, somewhat, during the labors & heat
of the summer.
It is improving, as the weather becomes cool
er.
Mr. B. is expected back in the course of two months.
Y ou will perceive from other communications, that we are
pleading for more help.
V ery affectionately your brother,
E.W. Clark
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss Room Boston
P. S. I have called these men Jesuits.
I cannot
say for a certainty, that they belong to this order.
It has
been said, that they do not.
It is, however, of little consequ
ence .
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Assis
Sec of the A . B.C.F .M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
Rev. E. W. C l a r k
A pril 15, 1831
Respecting the Jesuits
Ackd Nov 16
Wrote, Nov. 17
�1733
139
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Honolulu, Oahu, April 20, 1831.
Mr. Anderson,
Very dear Sir,
I sit down after a hard days work
in examining schools to scribbe a few lines to you. I shall
not write much as the present opportunity is not very direct.
Your letter of the 23d of Aug 1831 came to hand
three days since. Letters of a later date were received some
time before. We are truly happy to hear, that a reinforcement
is on the way to this inviting field. I trust they will be
men & women of the right spirit, & will be an invaluable addi
tion to our little band. We shall hope to see them in a few
weeks. Send us a competent number of men & women of good
common sense, diligent habits, & benevolent hearts, or hearts
free from every thing like self seeking, & with the blessing
of God, this nation will be speedily & happily converted to
Christ.
I can think of many things to say which would be
interesting, but we hope to make out a full account of this
station & of the mission before long.
Mr. Bingham returned to this place March 12th
after an absence of 9 months, somewhat recruited in strength.
Mr. Shepard’s health has failed, as you will probably learn
before you receive this. He is expecting to remove to Lahaina
soon for a more favourable climate. Much of his business now
comes upon my hands. I little thought of being a printer,
when I came here, but if this is the way in which I can most
effectually serve our common cause, I shall willingly become
one.
There has been some important changes here since
we last wrote, The one of most consequence is the removal
of Gov. Adams to this island. Providence, in a mysterious
way removed the former governor, & prepared the way, we trust,
for better things at this island.
Gov. Adams has entered upon his new station with a
vigor & decision which surprises us all. If he goes on as he
has begun, ten grog-shops will no longer in this village "yawn
upon him, who passes the streets, & send forth their*.’’ He has
given orders for their entire suppression, & he is carrying
these orders into execution with a strong hand. He is also
in a fair way to suppress sabbath breaking & other vices. We,
of course, receive our full share of reproach for these measures,
but we feel little concerned, so long as we turn not aside
from the great & good work to which we have devoted our lives.
I wrote you in Nov. last a pretty full account
of the Jesuits here. We still have many fears respecting them.
loathsome & pestiferous exhalations"
�1784
They have lately received peremptory orders signed by the
king & principal chiefs to leave the islands in three
months.
If they are obstinate, as there is some reason to
expect, they will be, there may yet be trouble.
The chiefs
appear quite decided.
I hope they will have all needed
wisdom.
Pray for them & for us.
In haste your affectionate
brother.
E.W.Clark
Rev. Rufus Anderson
A sst Sec of the A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
Mass
United States.
Rev. E.W. C lark
Feb. 25, 1832
ansd Dec 26
ackd March 29
in Gen Let
postmark New York
Feb 22
�1785
140
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Honolulu, Oahu, Sept 14, 1831.
To J. Evarts Esq
Very dear Sir,
You will perceive from the
minutes of our last General Meeting, that Mr. Chamberlain,
myself & Dr. Judd were requested to write you stating what
we knew respecting a recent excitement among foreigners in
this place. It is in compliance with this request that I
now address you. But neither time, nor inclination will
allow me to be very particular; nor do I think it necessary.
The correspondence of the foreigners with Mr. Bingham, together with his statements will probably give you all the
information I can communicate.
In a previous letter to Mr. Anderson, I referre
to the change in the affairs of government at this island,
& you have probably had the particulars from others. The fact
is, the former Governor here, whom Providence has in a mysteri
ous way removed, was no friend to us & our cause, although he
often endeavored to wear the garb of friendship. He was almost
entirely under the influence of a few leading men among the
foreigners. When he left the Islands, he committed the care
of things here so far as he was concerned to Liliha his wife,
who has long been even more inclined to dissipation than her
husband. The port was left in the hands of Pakii, a young
chief of similar character.
The other chiefs have long been dissatisfied with
Boki, & were, of course, dissatisfied with his wife & Pakii.
As soon, therefore, as it became manifest, that Boki would
not return, the chiefs, who were then most of them at the
windward, determined on putting this island & the fort into
new hands, very much to the dissatisfaction of Madam Boki
& her party, & of the foreigners generally. Some hostile
movements were made to keep possession of the island, under
the pretence that they were sanctioned by the king. How
far foreigners aided and abetted the movements, it is im- ,
possible to say. It is certain, however, that they were gen
erally warm friends of Madam Boki & her party; but they were
not ready to espouse her cause very openly. For a time we
felt exceedingly anxious for the result, not to say for our
personal safety; but a kind Providence so ordered things ,
that the weapons of warfare were laid aside & the soldiers
dispersed without resistance; & the chiefs came down & took
quiet possession of the island & the fort. The king, then,
committed the island publickly into the hands of Kaahumanu;
& Adams (Kuakini) formerly Governor of Hawaii was appointed
Governor of this island.
He immediately gave out orders for
�1786
for the suppression of grog shop, gaming houses &c, & f o l
lowed up his orders by keeping an armed guard in the str e e t s.
Riding on the sabbath for amusement was also strictly f o r
bidden, & several horses of foreigners were seized in the
act of violating the law, b u t were afterward given up.
All
these things put together, as you might well suppose, produced
no little excitement among the foreigners.
They disdained
to be brought under the oppressive laws of a people so much
inferior to themselves . M any hard things were said as usual
against the missionaries, but they were generally of the same
character as the things which are said against christian in
our own country by those who dislike the restraints of
religion.
We, of course, took but little notice of them.
We
have no certain evidence that the life of Mr. Bingham, or
of any other member of the mission was deliberately threatened
by foreigners, & I have not myself felt any special apprehension
for our safety.
The correspondence refferred to will speak for
itself.
The salutary laws of the c h i e f s designed to bear p a r
ticularly upon foreigners met at first strong opposition, &
afterwards evasion and were not fully carried into effect.
The Government had not sufficient w i s d o m & energy.
Riding on
the sabbath for amusement is, however, entirely stopped, &
other vices have received a very great check.
The principal residents & visitors treat us with
as much politeness as ever, & are generally very ready to do
us a favor . But they are like all other men, who hate the
restraints of strict morality & religion, & at the same time
wish to be regarded as gentlemen.
The majority of them are
probably not quite so degraded & lost to all shame as our
friends suppose.
To a transient visitor many of them appear
ver y much like respectable merchants & men of business in our
own seaports; & some of them especially among the second class
appear to wish us & our cause well.
But they are all seeking
their o w n , with little or no regard to the good of the ignor
ant people around them; & we are not without our fears, that
the people here will ultimately suffer the same fate with the
aboriginese of our own country.
I need not put any restrictions upon this letter.
I k n o w you are cautious what you publish.
We wish our friends
& other editors were as cautious.
We have certainly no wish
to expose the bad conduct of any man, or body of men, unless
some good is obviously to result from it, & we presume the
Board have not.
We expect there will still be a struggle here
between light & darkness, sin & holiness just as there is in
America, but they that are far as are more than they that be
against us; & we have no fears as to the final result.
The catholics about w hom we have felt much
solicitude are still here.
They have been ordered away by
Government, but manifest no disposition to leave.
The chiefs
�1787
have made some preparations to send a vessel on purpose to
carry them away, & there is some probability that they will
succeed, but it is yet uncertain. Whether they succeed or
not, much odium will probably be cast upon -the mission. But
we wish to stand ready to defend ourselves, if it should be
found necessary. We have been disappointed in not receiving
advice from the Board on this subject, as we have repeatedly
asked it. But we would confide in him who has so signally
favoured this mission to avert this, as well as every other
evil, which threatens us.
You will probably receive by this opportunity
a general letter of the mission giving you much information
respecting the progress of our work, the arrival of the re
inforcement &c. We feel truly grateful for the seasonable
aid, which you have sent us. You will see from the minutes
of the last general meeting how we have disposed of the new
helpers.
To carry all our plans into operation, we very
much felt the need of one more clergyman & a printer; & we
should then have none that we could well spare for the Mar
quesas. We have, however, no reason to complain. We are
thankful to the great head of the church, that he prepares
work to our hands so much faster than we can perform it.
Mr. Richards is to write you respecting the
mission to the Marquesas. He will probably present to your
minds all the difficulties. I cannot, however, think there
is any insurmountable obstacle in the way, unless it is want
of men & money. To support the mission from this place would
be attended with great expense, as a vessel must be chartered
to carry supplies. All the help we now have is very much
needed here, besides, it would be no small sacrifice for one
who has a wife & children to expose them to all the hardships
of a new & untried field. I hope, however, we are any of us
ready to make this sacrifice, if we can see the path of duty
pain. The sacrifice would be far greater than that which any
of us made in leaving America for the Sandwich Islands; I
mean for one who has been any time in this field & has a
family. A survey will probably be made soon, if it can be
done without too much expense. It is doubtful however, whether
we shall think ourselves justified in being at the expense
necessary. A ship is now here directly from the Marquesas,
from which we have obtained some information. If the people
were all under one king, there would probably be no danger
as to personal safety, & I do not apprehend much as it is. I
think, however, if a mission should be sent without a survey
they should have the control of a vessel for a few months, so
that they could stay or leave, as they thought best. But
you will hear more upon this subject from others.
�1788
The Saviour still continues to give success to
our labors, &, I would hope, we have hearts to say, not unto
us, rot unto us, but unto thy name be all the praise.
I hope the Seamen’s Friend Society will continue
to remember this field.
I need not ask you to remember us
& the people of our charge in your prayers.
Yours very affectionately,
E. W. Clark
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Cor Sec of A.B.C.F.M.
Boston
Mass
United States
New Bedford Mass
Jan 31
Rev E. W. C lark
Feb. 1, 1832
Ackd March 29 (in Gen Letter)
Ansd Dec 26
By the Columbus.
ship Columbus
Capt Osburn
�1789
141
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Waialua, Oahu, Sept 6th 1832,
To Rev. R. Anderson,
Very Dear Sir,
In the general letter to the
mission dated Nov 16, 1831, the subject of salaries is introd
uced, & the wish expressed, that opinions & facts may be
communicated on the subject to the Board.
At our General Meeting in June, the subject came up,
but as we were nearly equally divided in opinion, no decision
was made by the meeting for or against salaries.
It was thought
best that individuals should express fully their opinion & as
many facts as they please to the Board, & leave it for them to
decide.
As it respects the principle of salaries in prefer
ence to the common stock system, in the present age & circum
stances of the church, there can hardly be but one opinion.
I cannot think that the plan adopted by the apostles would be
congenial to the feelings of very many of even the best men in
America, & of those too who are supported by the property of
the church provided it was practicable. It is perfectly
obvious to any one who has ever thought upon the subject, that
it requires more than ordinary disinterestedness for a large
number of families of different education, dispositions &
habits, to live comfortably & in perfect harmony on the common
stock system. We love to know what is our own, & to be independent too well to fall in readily with this system. If I con
sult only my own natural feelings, I certainly should prefer
the salary system; but the objections to introducing it into
this mission appear to me to be next to insurmountable .
Perhaps I am mistaken. The principal reason advanced in favor
of it, aside from the private feelings of individuals, is
that It will conduce to economy. This may be true with regard
to some few individuals, but I cannot think there are many
persons in this mission who would be less extravagant with
a salary, than without.
It is very certain they would not,
unless they are induced to be so by a principle in which self
is deeply concerned, for we have every motive now which be
nevolence can present to be economical. It can hardly be ex
pected, that the whole mission will agree to a salary, which
will oblige them to be more economical, then they are will
ing to be without one.
There Is one plan of a salary which would probably
diminish the expense of the mission to the Board, but it is
a plan which I consider as the most objectionable. The plan is
�1790
this, let a salary from the Board be fixed lower than will
afford a full support, & let each individual be at liberty
to add to his salary as much as he is able by presents,
avails of land, trading &c &c . The objection to this plan
is, that without more piety than most of us have, it would
convert us into worldlings,
of course, destroy, in a great
measure, our usefulness as missionaries.
At least, this is
the effect which, I think, it would have on me. Each one
would be in great danger of seeking his own instead of the
things
which are Jesus C h r i s t ’s.
Another plan is to fix upon a salary which would
be an adequate support for each missionary, & then let all
income from every quarter be turned in as a part of the salary.
To this plan there are, in my opinion, less objections than
to the former, provided it could be carried into practice.
But this plan will probably increase rather than diminish the
expenses of the mission to the Board.
My reason for this opinion
is founded on the firm belief, that w e cannot as a body fix
upon any s u m for salaries, which will not on the whole render
the mission more expensive to the Board, than it is on the
present system.
There are besides difficulties in the way
of carrying this plan into practice.
In the first place, I
am not certain that this plan would meet the views of the
m a j o r i t y of those who are in favor of salaries.
2. There
would be some difficulty in fixing upon salaries varying
according to circumstances, which would be satisfactory to
all, but f ar less difficulty on this plan than on the other.
3.
There will be difficulty in fixing a value upon income
received from various sources independant of the Board.
This
income would not be money but a great variety of articles for
family use, of which a strict account must be kept, & a cer
tain value placed upon them.
If this income was trifling, it
mightbe easily disposed of; but, in this mission, it certain
ly is not.
Some families would receive a considerable part of
their salaries, others would receive very little.
In addition to
the difficulty of fixing a value upon these articles which
would be satisfactory to all, the question must be decided,
shall presents from friends in America sent in boxes &c to
individuals be accounted for as part of the salary?
This
question would not be easily decided by this mission unless it
was previously decided by the Board.
I shall mention but one other difficulty, that is,
the difficulty of procuring supplies & dividing them in a
satisfactory manner.
The question must be decided what portion
of our salaries we shall receive in supplies, & what in money.
Shall we receive articles of trade & to what extent?
Su pposing
these questions to be decided, then each one will wish to r e
ceive his portion of supplies in ceratin articles & no others.
Every one must, therefore, make out a yearly list of articles,
& send it to the Board himself, or through the agent; & the
�1791
articles must be p u t up separately & forwarded to individ
uals, or put together & forwarded to the agent to divide out.
In either case there will be some difficulty.
The Memorandums
o f some w ill not be attended to in season, on account of the
difficulty of getting supplies sent.
And those who are
destitute will be under the necessity of purchasing here at an
advanced price.
This will be a source of difficulty, unless
in such cases the difference in the price of articles purchased
here & those purchases in America be put to the account of the
Board & not to the individuals receiving them.
There might be some difficulty wit h regard to
buildings.
But it would probably be best, that buildings should
not be included in the salary, but furnished from a separate
fund & held as the property of the Board.
There may be other difficulties in the way of
adopting the plan of salaries last mentioned, but I do not think
of any, which are not equally applicable to the common stock
system, to which system, I freely admit, there a re strong o b
jections; & if the difficulties now mentioned could be removed,
perhaps salaries on the last plain I have suggested would be
preferable.
But I must confess, I have my fears, respecting
its influence o n missionary devotedness.
It is very certain,
that adopting fully the principles & practice involved in the
common stock system constitutes no small item in the self
denial of missionaries.
It is a self denial which is seldom
if ever fully anticipated.
But its effect upon the piety of those
who conscientiously practice it, cannot fail to be salutary.
Perhaps it is an unnecessary self denial & the good of the
cause requires, that it should be removed.
But of this I am
not quite certain.
See Dr. Worcester's instructions to the
first missionaries to this field.
It should be stated, that
we have got along quite comfortably on this system thus far.
Perhaps the increase of our number may render it a little more
objectionable.
I should consider the first plan of a salary above
mentioned, as dangerous in the extreme; that is, the plan of
giving eac h one the privilege of adding to his salary as much
as he pleases.
It is certainly pleasant to have something which
one can call his own, & also to have the privilege of bettering
one's condition ' of laying up something for beloved offspring,
if it can be done by economy & enterprise.
But to open a
door to this in this mission, seems to me would be attended
with the greatest danger.
The Board have probably learned
long before this, that their missionaries are men.
And con
sidering them such, you c a m easily perceive that great evils
might arise from salaries on the plan just mentioned.
But the
evils w o u l d probably appear to y o u ten fold greater, if you
could be here & become intimately acquainted wit h all the c i r
cumstances of each individual in the mission.
I c o u l d say m uch more on this subject, but I
have perhaps said more than is necessary already.
Others who
�1792
may write you will perhaps express views at variance with
mine on some points.
So far as I am personally concerned,
I shall cheerfully concur in any plan of support which the
Board may see fit to adopt.
As to what would be an adequate salary on either
plan which I have mentioned, I am not now prepared to e x
press an opinion.
Mr. Chamberlain can judge on this subject
better than any other one, as he has had a good oportunity for
knowing the expenses of the different families.
If the 2d plan suggested should adopted, we should
perhaps be better able to satisfy faultfinders, that we are
not trading in books &c for our own advantage, than we are
on our present system.
Y o u have requested that a cataloge of our private
libraries should be sent to the Rooms.
I h ave made out a
list of mine, which I send with this.
I regret that I did
not take a little more pains in selecting a library before
I left home.
I hope the Board will remember us with regard
to books every year.
Of all good works newly published, e s
pecially school books for children, we need many copies, for
the plain r e a s on that we are many & far apart.
I hope to write y o u again by the fall ships, &
give you some account of the new station, where I am now la
boring in company with Mr. E merson- I will only add, at p r e s
ent, a few words in answer to yours of Nov 17th 1831, received
by the reinforcement.
Y o u will learn from other communications, that
the Jesuits have been removed from the islands.
This measure
of the rulers wil l probably be commended by some & condemned
by others.
It was entirely their own act.
It is true they
had the countenance of the mission & of Capt Hill & other
foreigners but the whole business was managed by themselves.
They were doubtless influenced mainly by political motives.
They saw plainly, that if these men remained here & propogated
their sentiments, division, insubordination, & perhaps r e
bellion would arise.
The chiefs, Kaahu manu in particular p r o
ceeded w i t h greater decision than could have been expected;
while at the same time, they treated the Jesuits with the
greatest levity. While they were expending one or two thousand
dollars to remove them, they suffered not their persons or
property to be molested or injured in the least.
The right
of the chiefs to remove these men from the islands, or any other
foreigners who are obnoxious to them, I suppose, cannot be
questioned.
About the propriety & justice of the thing, there
may be different opinions, but the people in America are
poorly qualified to judge on this subject.
Commodore Downes
took pains to express to the chiefs his disapproval of this
measure.
But, however, the removal of these men may be v i e w
ed, I cannot think that the course w h i c h we have pursued, when
fully understood, will be condemned by candid protestants.
We would not flatter ourselves, that the evil is
permanently removed.
As Kaahumanu, the most activ e persons in
�1793
removing them is now gone, we are not without some fears,
that they will find their way back, & cause us more trouble.
We would not, however, borrow any anxiety on this subject.
The Lord w i l l take care of his own cause.
W ith my best respects to your as s o c i a t e s , I
remain, Dear sir, your brother in the Gospel
E.W. Clark
P . S. It shoud be understood, that we never have
approved of tasks being imposed on the followers of the
Jesuits, but the contrary.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Ast Sec A .B .C.F .M.
Boston Mass
United States
New Bedford Mass
March 16
Rev. E. W. Clark
March 16, 1833
Ackd April 11
in Gen Letter
Salaries
Jesuits
Com Downes opinion of their renewal.
�1794
142
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
Honolulu, March 30, 1833.
To Rev. R. Anderson
Ast. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Very dear Sir,
As you will probably receive
communications from others by the present opportunity, I might,
perhaps, be spared the trouble of writing; but as the state
of things among us is rather critical at the present time, you
will, perhaps, be glad to know how they appear to different
individuals.
In our communications we have, perhaps, been too
much inclined to give the fair side of the picture. (And have
not our friends been inclined to give to the public the fair
est side, which we have presented to them?) This is very
natural. We feel a laudable desire to interest & encourage our
friends & patrons. But this desire has, perhaps, caused us
to err with regard to some of our communications. Besides, it
is exceedingly difficult to make our friends acquanted with
the true sate of things here. If we state simply facts with
out any qualification, we shall be almost sure to mislead.
In order to understand correctly facts which we state, it is
necessary to have some knowledge of a people somewhat similar
to this. But very few in America have this knowledge. The
system of government, the state of knowledge among the people,
their habits &c are almost totally unlike any thing with which
they have been acquainted. Without, therefore, a constant
& even tedious explination on our part, they are exceedingly
liable to be deceived. And we must confess, that we have
reason to fear that we have been somewhat deceived ourselves
with regard to some things. "Charity hopeth all things."
We have, perhaps, made too much account of professions. For a
year or two past some of us, &, perhaps, all have been led
to fear, that there was much chaff among the wheat; & the
visit of our brethren to the Society Islands has greatly con
firmed our fears. For some wise reason, the chiefs have been
remarkably inclined to favor our cause. From what motives
we cannot now say; probably not in all cases from sincere love
to the truth. But this, circumstance has had a great influence
upon the nation at large, perhaps greater than we were aware.
Owing to the nature of the government & the ignorance of the
people, much has been affected by the word or the chiefs, which
would not have been affected by the Gospel alone. Of this
we have not been ignorant, & h ave not been without our fears,
that we should be called to experience sad reverses, at least,
so far as external appearance is concerned. We have probably
been much less sanguine in the continued prosperity of our
�1795
cause than our friends at home, & are, therefore, better pre
pared for reverses than they.
I would not intimate, however, that all is, at
present, darkness & gloom. I never felt more courage to
labor, or more confident of the final success of our cause,
than for a few weeks past. But some things have lately
arisen to try our faith.
The young king, you are aware, we have never
regarded as pious, but far from it. He has been induced,
however, to coincide with the other chiefs in all public acts.
His conduct, therefore, as a private person, though far from
correct, has had but little influence. But recently, he has
asserted more openly his independence; & he has done it by
pursuing a course, which he knew was altogether opposed to
the wishes of nearly all the high chiefs. He has revived the
hula, or native dance St some other sports, St encouraged the
drinking of rum, & even in some cases enforced it by his
authority. The evil which commenced here, with the approba
tion of the king, is spreading to other parts of this island.
What will be the result is yet uncertain. The serious chiefs
seem rather at a loss to know what to do. it would not be
strange, if some of them, of whom we have entertained high
hopes, should abandon our cause. We hope, however, for the
best.. But we wish to be prepared, St we wish our patrons to
be prepared for a very great falling off in the number, who
attend schools, public worship &c. And they must not be
disappointed, if many of our church members, & those whom we
have regarded as candidates for church membership should be found
hypocrites, or at least self-deceived. There has as yet been
but very few cases of discipline in the church at this place;
St there are probably now 200 or 300 here who are very urgent
to be admitted to the privileges of the church, but this very
urgency makes us suspicious that they are not fit persons,
though we know nothing bad of them. After all, we have many
proofs, that the Lord has a seed here to serve him, who will
endure unto the end. But there will probably be less outward
attention to the means of grace than there has been, & more
open immorality; & perhaps even idolatry will stalk abroad,
but the light will appear the brighter for the surrounding
darkness; St we are not without hopes that there will be more
true converts to Christ, St fewer hypocritical professors. It
is very difficult, however, to predict what will be the state
of things here in a year from this time. We would remember
the many signal interpositions of Providence in behalf of this
mission, & take courage. The Lord will order all things for the
best. We feel very deeply our responsibility, & would earnest
ly solicit your prayers.
I would make one remark before I close respecting
�1796
the resolutions passed with regard to the Catholics, as
they have occasioned your some anxiety.
Perhaps It was
unwise to print them. They were drawn up, that those,
who were more particularly called to speak, or act might
refer to them, & feel that they had the sanction of the
mission. We felt at that time & ever since as strong ob
jection, probably, to their being made public, as you have
felt. They were printed only for our own use. No copy
has ever gone out of our hands, except, perhaps a duplicate
to the Rooms; & we could now easily destroy them all except
those in your possession. Yet it is admitted, that printing
them rendered it more difficult to keep them from the pub
lic eye, & perhaps, they had better not have been printed.
In what we have said, or done about the catholic,
we have not been unmindful of the principles of religious
toleration; & we are not aware that we have violated these
principles though we shall, perhaps, be accused of so doing.
Sending away the catholics
entirely the
doings of the chiefs, & they acted probably more from political
than religious motives.. It is true, we gave them some account
of the principles & conduct of Catholics, & they knew that we
did not disapprove of their sending them away; & they were
advised to it strongly by Capt Hill, & some others. I mention
these things, as you may feel it necessary to defend us from
attacks of our enemies, who, we are aware, are not idle. I
would remark by the bye, that it would not be very strange,
if these same Catholics should yet gain a footing here. We
can only pray that this may not be the case.
We have just received a small pamphlet from Mr.
Ellis recently published in London for private distribution
It purports to be a letter addressed to a noble Lord by a
Mr Janes, who was here about 2 years ago. Its object seems
to be to persuade the British Government to take immediate
possession of the islands. A barefaced attack is made upon us,
the chiefs &c; but it is so full of falsehood & misrepresenta
tion, that it will probably have no influence with the noble
Lord, or any body else of any candor or common sense. We have
very little to fear from such caricatures.
We are now anxiously looking for news from home.
With the best wishes for yourself & associates
I remain yours in the fellowship of the Gospel.
E. W. Clark
P. S. April 8. The king appears some better. He has attended
meeting for a few sabbaths past. You will be cautious, I trust,
what you publish about the king, as our opposers may make use
of it to our disadvantage.
�1797
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Ast Sec A.B.C.F .M.
Boston Mass
United States
Rev. E. W. Clark
Oct 25, 1833
Ackd in Gen Letter
Oct 30
�1798
143
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Honolulu Oahu, sept 28, 1833
Rev. R. Anderson
Sec of A.B.C.F.M.
Very dear Sir,
I am happy to acknowledge yours of
Dec 26, 1832, received by the Hellespont, in July last. The
reinforcement arrived in safety May 1st I was exceeding happy
that they were accompanied by a seaman’s preacher. The way
is open, I think, for him to exert a very happy influence.
Foreign residents have much increased within a few years; &
they have been gradually acquiring more self respect, especially
since the arrival of several foreign ladies. I would trust,
that this department of our labors has not been without some
fruit. Public sentiment is somewhat improved, & one or two
persons give evidence of a saving change, & are now making
themselves industrious & useful mechanics. A neat & sub
stantial school house of stone has been built, St a school is
now maintained by the residents for the instruction of halfwhite children. We are much pleased with Rev. Mr. Diell, &
think the Society was fortunate in securing the services of
such a man. He has a hard field to cultivate, but with the
advantages, which his Reading Rooms, Library & chapel give
him, he cannot fail to be highly useful, both to seamen St
residents. I trust, he will have the prayers, not only of
the friends of seamen, but of all who love Zion.
In my last letter dated March 30, 1833, I gave
you some account of recent changes here apparently of an ad
verse nature. Things continue much the same, as at that
time. There has been a great falling off in our schools, in
attendance on public worship &c; & drunkenness, fornication,
St sabbath breaking have again stalked abroad, especially in
this island, where the unpropitious influence of royal
authority & example have been most felt. Things are becoming
more settled just now, but whether the next breeze will
be propitious, or adverse, it is impossible to foresee. The
late changes have had a salutary influence; I think, upon the
professed disciples of Christ; but the trial of their faith
has not been perfect. It is yet impossible to decide with very
much certainty, who are for Christ & who are against him.
Some, who run well for a season, have forsaken the right way
of the Lord, & given themselves up to folly & vice. Very few,
however, who have publickly professed religion, have fallen
into upon sin. But we have reason to think, if religion should
�1799
become more unpopular, & be attended with more self denial,
a greater number would go over to the ranks of the enemy.
A profession of religion is still highly respectable, as
most of the chiefs & leading members of the community con
tinue, so far as appears, the decided friends of morality
& religion. Experience has convinced us, however that the
great majority of the people have but little real thirst for
knowledge, & still less relish for the restraints of religion.
Too high expectations have probably been raised in America
by the fact, that the people so suddenly & so generally abondoned their vicious practices. But we are taught to repress
these expectations, when we see them as suddenly, if not as
generally returning to their vices, “like the dog to his
vomit." The fact is, their reformation did not result from
enlightened principle, but from a kind of mechanical imitation
of their rulers, to which they have been addicted from time
immemorial.
It is unreasonable to suppose, it should be other
wise.
(I speak now of the mass of the people. There are, I
trust, many exceptions.)
It cannot be supposed, that a people
so degraded should become, as a b ody, the enlightened consis
tent, & decided friends of morality & religion, in the short
space of a few years. After all abatements, a great work has
certainly been wrought here. The nation has become nominally
a Christian nation. But we see the need every day, of more
vigorous & systematic efforts to enlighten the people. Until
the people generally are more enlightened, we cannot calculate
with much certainty, who will be on the morrow; for they ma
y
be turned about by every breeze. To enlighten the people &
deepen principle seems to be the great thing now needed. And,
in my opinion, the recent reverses will contribute to help
forward this very thing, although Satan meant it not so. The
difference between the righteous & the wicked will be more
clearly marked, & the excellence of the Gospel will stand forth
in bold relief, & carry stronger conviction to the heart St
conscience.
You will find most of your in quiries respecting
printing &c, answered in the general letter or the mission.
It affords us great satisfaction to be so much encouraged &
strengthened, in this department of our work, by the Bible &
Tract Societies. We will do all we can to apply their liberal
donations to the best advantage. They must not, however, indulge
too high expectations. Much time must yet elapse before the
Bible can all be translated & corrected for a uniform edition,
besides the Sandwich Islanders are not yet a reading people.
Although 20,000 or more can read, a small portion only of this
number have acquired the habit of reading books, for the sake
of knowing & understanding the contents. They need more school
instruction, more mental discipline, in order to read our
books with profit. Great multitudes, however, & even all our
readers would derive much advantage from having the scriptures,
& other books in their own hands; & they ought, I think, all
to be supplied, at least, with the New Testament as soon as
4
�1800
possible. Our schools must also be furnished with school
books tracts &c.
I would observe, in this connection, tha t we
are quite weak yet in the department of printing & bookbind
ing. Our hopes of receiving aid from Mr. Puller, you will
learn, are disappointed. Mr. Shepard is on his bed most of the
time, but even in this situation, he does something to aid
forward the work. We need, at least, one more efficient man
in this department. He may be either a bookbinder, or a print
er. If he is both so much the better. Mr. Rogers would prob
ably be able to carry on the business of bookbinding if he
could be wholly devoted to it. But it would be better, per
haps, to send a bookbinder, if you can find one of the right
stamp. Have you any difficulty in finding missionary printers
&c? I have a brother, who is a printer, & who has had his
thoughts somewhat turned to the islands. If you cannot find
a more suitable man, I should be happy to see him here. He has
been a Journeyman printer for some years, & is, I hope, truly
pious. His name is Joseph C lark. When I last heard from
him, he was in the Chronicle Office, Windsor Vt. He was
young, when I left home but from his letters, I should judge,
he had made very good improvement since that time. If you
should wish any information respecting him, you can probably
obtain it from Mr. Tracy editor of the Vt. Chronicle.
It would
probably be hard for his father & sisters to part with him but
they would, perhaps, consent to it, if it was thought best he
should come. I should be pleased to have him connected with
the press here, & from my experience on missionary ground
could, probably, be useful to him. I make these suggestions
not wishing you to be governed by them any farther than you
are fully persuaded will be for the good of the cause. I have
not mentioned the subject to my brother, & shall not, probably,
say much to him about it, as it is very uncertain whether you
will find it expedient to send him. Besides, if he comes, I
wish him to come without any undue persuasion. Whoever may
come out as printer, or bookbinder, I think it desirable, on
the whole, that he should be married.
It has been expected, it seems, by the Board,
that one press would be placed on Hawaii. The mission, as
a body, I believe, have never thought this expedient; & at
present there is but one opinion on the subject. All the
books, which the mission can prepare for the press, can be
printed at one establishment, if we can have printers, materlals &c ; & with far less labor & expense than at two. For
Hawaii to supply her own islands with books, you can see at
once, would be a great increase of labor & expense. There
would, in the first place, be the expense of two establishments,
instead of one, of bindery, as well as printing office. The
it
�1801
labor of composition, & proof-reading would also be about
double, as we can strike off copies enough for all the
stations, when an edition is once in type, as well as for
a part. Besides, al the stations except Kailua, Kaamaloa
& Waimea can be more easily & regularly furnished with books
from this place than from K ailua; &, in any case, all the
paper, &c. must be sent from the place. There would be some
advantages from having a press on Hawaii, but, at present,
they would be small compared with the disadvantage. We have
thought b est that one of the old presses should be sent to
Haul, not for the purpose of printing for the nation, but
to facilitate the studies of the High School. Mr. Andrews
has some knowledge of printing.
What are the views of the Board about sending
to the islands more single females? I have a few remarks
to make on this subject, to which you will give no more weight
than they deserve.
It seems to me that something more ef
ficient must be done for our schools. How are the thousands
of children on the Sandwich Islands to be instructed? The
great majority of them are growing up as their fathers grew
up in ignorance and vice. We all have business enough aside
from teaching school; yet most of us feel ourselves under
the necessity of spending considerable time in instructing
school teachers. As for our wives teaching school, it is
out of the question. Most of them have several children to
take care of & instruct, in this land of temptation, besides
attending to their domestic concerns, making clothes for
themselves, their husbands & their children. This is quite
too much for their strength in this debilitating climate.
Yet most or all of them have endeavored to do a little some
thing by way of instructing classes of females, or of children,
or both. The single females who came out in the Parthian
have made themselves very useful in various ways; but they
are now all married except one. The mission have neglected
to urge the sending of more single females, not because they
are not greatly needed here; but principally on account of
the particular circumstances of such helpers. If they come
as strangers, without knowing where they are to live, or
what their employment is to be, they are liable to be placed in
circumstances, where they will be discontented & unhappy. I
have thought this objection would be removed, if females of
the right spirit could come out at the request of particular
families, expecting to be permanent members of those families .
It is desirable they should be relatives, or particular friends
of the family in which they are to reside. They will, then,
feel themselves at home, & neither party will fell burdened.
I am fully of the opinion, that, at least, one active pious
single female at every station, would be a great acquisition
to the mission; & that the money required for their support
�1802
would be well laid out. Indeed I cannot well see how this
people are to be enlightened & civilized without more effort
of this kind.
It is the A.B.C. instruction which they need.
Single females can be very useful here in instructing child
ren of the mission, w ell as n a t i ve children. They can also,
by attentions to the sick, save much precious time to the
clergymen of the mission.
It has been said, that the Board do not send
out any more single females, because the mission do n o t think
it best. The mission has never expressed an opinion on the
subject, their silence has been owing to the reason which
I have stated above. No member of the mission has ever r e
gretted, that the four single females came out in the Parthian,
nor have any of the single females themselves, to my knowledge,
ever regretted it.
I have made the remarks partly for the purpose
of inviting a sister of Mrs. Clark's, Miss Lovey Kittredge
to come out & live in my family. If her health is sufficient,
she is a person in every way qualified to be useful here . You
can easily become acquainted with her, as she spends consid
erable time with her brother in Boston, Mr. Alvah Kittredge.
I am, by no means, certain that she & her friends will think
it best for her to come. But I suppose no harm will be done
by extending to her an invitation. It will, of course, be of
no avail without your full concurrence. I have also a sister
Miss Hannah W. Clark of Peacham Vt. to whom I shall perhaps
suggest the subject.
If Miss Kittredge should not come, I
should be happy to see her here, in case she and her friends
can be perfectly cheerful in making the sacrifice. She is
professedly pious, & has spent considerable time in teaching
school. If you should wish to make any inquiries about her,
you can address a line to the Rev. Mr. Worcester of Peacham
Vt. If any single females should come, they should come with
the expectation that their great business will be teaching.
You will pardon me for introducing to your
notice so many of my relatives. You will not think, I trust,
that I should wish any of them to come out, however much I
may desire to see them, unless I supposed the good of the
cause would be promoted by it. I wish you not to consult my
wishes, & my feelings, in the least, but simply what will be
for the good of the cause.
One remark more, & I will close, I wrote you
last autumn on the subject of salaries. My opinion since
that time is not materially changed, though some of the
difficulties in the way of a salary may, perhaps, be removed,
through the agency of Messrs Brinsmade, Ladd & Hooper. The
greater our number, the greater the objections, I think, to
the common stock system. I should, however, oppose to the
last the system pursued at the Society Islands, of giving a
partial support, & leaving the way open to make up the re
mainder by trafic, cultivating land, begging&c.
If a salary
is given, if should be sufficient for a comfortable support;
& income from different sources should be turned in as a part
of the salary.
* as
To such a salary system, I should have no
�1803
objections, as soon as it can be wisely & economically adopt
ed.
I have now three children, one son & two daughters.
The youngest not quite two months old. Mrs. C ’s health is, at
present, rather feeble.
I shall ever cherish an affectionate remembrance
of the lamented Evarts, & others with whom I became acquaint
ed at the Rooms.
Desiring affectionate regards to Mrs. A . & your
associates at the Rooms, I remain
Yours truly
E. W. Clark
Oct. 18, 1833.
M r . Anderson,
Dear Sir,
Since writing the above, the Ladoga has
brought us many interesting communications from the land of
our fathers.
As inquiries are made in your letter to the mission
just received respecting female helpers, the opinion of the
mission will probably be expressed on the subject at our
General Meeting in June next. A letter from Miss Kittredge in
forms us, that she things of going to the west with the hopes
of doing good in the valley or the Mississippi. One of her
brothers has recently gone there in the service of the H. M.
Society. If she has not gone, perhaps, she will think of the
Sandwich Islands. I have also just learnt from the Vt.
Chronicle, that my own sister mentioned above is married to Dr.
Nathan Ward of Durham N. H. So that you will need make no
inquiries about her. I am not without hopes, however, that
we shall have more female help at the islands. If females of
Miss Ogden's spirit, with little firmer health, can come, they
cannot fail to be useful. I am glad to hear, that you have
resolved to send us a bookbinder. We shall hope to see him
in the spring. His services are greatly needed here. It is
probable, we shall need another printer also in a year or two.
Mr. Shepard*Mr. Rogers think another will certainly be needed.
You ought not, in your calculations, to make any dependence on
Mr. Shepard & Mr. Fuller. The latter will probable go home
soon. He has not been able to do an hours work in the office
since he arrived. Mr. Shepard, to human appearance, has near
ly finished his labors. I cannot well see, how we can c a r r y
on the business of printing according to your expectations,
& the expectations of the Bible & Tract Societies without another
printer. But if you cannot afford us another, we will do the
best we can with our present help.
Other letters will inform you of the safe arrival
of our brethren, Alexander, Armstrong & Parker at the Washington
* &
�1804 a
islands. We are, at present, a little more encouraged respect
ing the state of things here.
I remain, Dear Sir, yours in the fellowship
of the Gospel.
E. W. Clark
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Say of A.B.C.F.M.
Boston Mass
United States
Rev. E. W. Clark
Dated Sept 28th Oct 18 1833
Recd April 15, 1834
Rev. E. W. Clark
Dated Sept 28, & Oct 1833
Recd April 15, 1834.
postmark New Bedford Ms.
Apr 14
�1804 b
144
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lehainaluna, Nov 10, 1834
Rev. R. Anderson
Sec. of A. B. C. F. M.
Very dear Sir,
You will learn from the
minuets of the last Gen. Meeting of the mission, that a
change has taken place in my location. This change may be
as unexpected to you as it was to me. Honolulu was designated
by the Prudential Committee as my place of residence, & I
Have labored there since my arrival at the islands with the
full approbation of the mission, it with comfort to myself, &
as I have much reason to think, to my associates. I had become
much attached to my fellow laborers & to the people - had built
a good house at no little trouble to myself & to Mrs. C. & had
become comfortably settled. The place is also becoming much
more inviting in many respects, than when I first landed there.
It was not, therefore, without some sacrifice on my part, that
I consented to leave, & not w ithoutsome emotions that I bid
farewell to Honolulu. & to the dear friends with whom I had shared
the toils, the joys & the sorrows of the missionary life for six
long years. But the change was not without my full approbation.
All were of one opinion, that the High School
must have another man, & it was very important, that it should
be some one acquainted with the language, who could enter
immediately upon the business of preparing school books & in
structing in the school. It was proposed to me by the Principal
& Director of the school to remove to this place, & sustain
part of the labors of the school; to which I cheerfully con
sented, as this was clearly the voice of the mission. I am
poorly qualified for the task assigned me, but the change
will be, I hope, for the good of the mission. The High School
is becoming a very important branch of our work. I t is clear
to my mind
I believe, to the minds of all the members of the
mission, that if the school cannot be sustained & carried for
ward, all hopes with regard to the permanent success of the
Gospel here are cut off.
I cannot well see how the operations
of the mission can be carried forward with any success without
it. Our school operations among the people are now at a stand,
& must remain so, until something more efficient can be done.
The first & most important thing to be done is to procure
suitable teachers. But this cannot be done without the High
School. And how shall the destitute in these islands, & in
the Washington islands & in other islands in this ocean be
suppled with the preaching of the Gospel? I hope you will not
�1805
rest satisfied until the school is raised into a Polynesian
College, which shall send forth teachers & preachers of the
Gospel, not only to the distitute parts of these islands,
but to other islands of the Pacific. We assure you, that
we shall rest satisfied with nothing short of this, We will
not spare our poor bodies, or minds, if you will send us the
means to work with. But Mr. Andrews has written you very
fully respecting the school, so that it is unnecessary for
me to say any thing more at present. Does not the failure
of the mission to the Washington Islands call for more
efforts to raise up native preachers? I remain very effectionately your fellow laborer in the Gospel.
E. W. Clark
P. S. Please inform Mr. Hill that gold leaf, cloth &c have
been received from M r. Bridgman to the amount of $23, which is
to be charged to this mission.
postmark New London Ct.
Jul 1
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec of the A.B. C.F. M.
Boston Mass
United States
Rev. E. W . Clark
Date Nov 18, 1834
Recd July 3, 1835
Ackd in G. L.
Ment for Mr. Hill
�1806
145
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Honolulu, Oahu June 30, 1835
To Rev. R. Anderson
Sec of A.B.C.F .M.
Dear Sir,
As a vessel is about to sail for
the coast of America, we embrace the opportunity to request
that a bell may be sent by the frist conveyance for the
use of the High School. We have been hoping to procure one
here, but no suitable one has yet been found. Messrs Brinsmade, Ladd & Hooper have given one hundred dollars towards
procuring a good bell for the school. A bell of 200 or 300
pounds is about the size we wish. You will do us a great
favor to send a good toned bell of about this size by the
fall ships, if possible. It is greatly needed.
At the present Gen. Meeting, which is now in
session, an additional teacher, Mr. Dibble, has been appointed
to the High School.
Mr. Rogers will also remove to Lahainahuna to
take charge of the Printing Office &c . We must, therefore,
repeat the request that the things sent for last autumn for
the office may be forwarded as early as possible. The Greek
type have not come as we expected. We hoped also to receive
by the Hellespont a font of pica. We still hope to receive
such a font soon, & the other things which we have written
for. Brass rule is especially needed.
We are glad to receive the apparatus sent by the
Hellespont.
The telescope has not yet arrived. Blank globes
we hope will be sent as we think them well adapted to be use
ful here. The High School now consists of 118 scholars, &
we feel it highly important that more means for instructing
them should be added to our scanty stock. All the help you
can afford us in this respect will be gratefully received. New
publications, especially those which will aford us aid in our
appropriate work are much desired. You will not be surprised,
if we lay out considerable expense for a few years to come in
procuring buildings &c for the High School. We are at present
put to great inconvenience for the want of such buildings . We
hope much from this infant institution. May our hopes not be
disappointed. We shall write you more fully respecting the
school soon.
In behalf of the teachers of the High School, I re
main yours very affectionately
E. W. Clark
P. S. Books sent for the High School should be designated for
the High School library which is a branch of the mission library.
�Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec of A.B.C.F .M.
Boston Mass
United States
postmark New Orleans La
Oct 17
Rev.
W . Clark
.
E
Dated Honolulu, June 30, 1835
Recd Nov 21
Ackd in Gen Let Nov 6
Bell for the school
�1808
.
67 Sandwich Islands
146
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahainaluna Sept 10, 1835
Rev, R. Anderson,
M iss Rooms Boston
\
Dear Sir,
Your favor of Dec 8 , 1824 was re
ceived by the reinforcement in June. I learned with pleasure
before receiving your letter that my sister had embarked for
Ceylon to spend her days in the service of Christ among the
heathen. It would have been gratifying to me, if she could
have been located in this field, but it is well as it is. I
regret very much that Miss Kittredge’s health would not allow
her to come to the islands. Since we have been connected with
the High School, we feel the need of her services more than
ever, as a teacher for the wives & children of our scholars.
Mrs. C. has endeavored to do something, the past year, but
the care of her own children together with boarding workmen
has rendered it impossible for her to do much. I am glad
you have decided to send us a female teacher. I hope she will
be a person of the right stamp - humble, devoted, self deny
ing & ready to spend & be spent for the good of the heathen.
We learned by the reinforcement, that Mrs. Packard, formerly
Miss Marla Grozer felt rather desirous to come out as a teach
e r . Mrs. Clark says, she can think of no person she should
prefer to have in her family to Mrs. P. if her sister cannot
come. Mrs. Anderson is acquainted I believe, with Mrs. Packard.
You can easily consult Mrs. P. on the subject, if you think
best.
We have been called to suffer a severe domestic
affliction since I wrote you last autumn. Our oldest child,
a beloved daughter 5 1/2 years old was suddenly removed from us
in March last by the croup. She had greatly endeared her
self to her fond parents by heruniform obedience,
tender
conscience affectionate disposition & fondness for books,
expecially religious books such as Mary Lathrop & others of
similar kind, which she had read over repeatedly with much
interest. She had been the picture of health from her in
fancy until a few days before her death. The anguish which
her fond parents experienced at her sudden departure can be
better felt than described, but we were kindly sustained under
the trial, & have reason to think it has been blessed to
our spiritual good. Br. Bingham wrote an obituary notice of
our little daughter for the Kuma Hawaii, which was read with
much interest.
�1809
For a few weeks past Mrs. C . has been afflict
ed with sickness, & is still confined to her bed, but is,
we hope, recovering.
I should be glad to say much respecting our school,
but time will not permit me to do it by the present opportunity.
Some account of the school was forwarded to you last autumn,
& you will see something more in the Minuets of the last Gen.
Meeting of the Mission. You will perceive from what has been
done, that we are attaching no little importance to the High
School; & you will not be surprised at this after receiving the
documents which were forwarded to you the past year. If the
house of the Lord is to be reared here we must lay deep the
foundation, or it will soon be swept away. We have a lesson
from the Mission at the Society Islands not to say our own
mission which should never be forgotten. How much better the
method pursued by our brethren at Ceylon.
To carry on efficiently the operations of the
High School will require considerable expense, at least, for
a few years to come - I say for a few years to come, f or
our principal expense is in building & these when completed
will last for many years. We would make a direct appeal to
the friends of our cause to defray this expense but from what
you have written we suppose you prefer to sustain the schools
directly from the treasury of the Board. You will learn from
the minue ts of our last Meeting the sum which we comtemplate
expending the present year. An equ al or greater sum will
be needed next year.
The land which has been given by the king & chiefs
to the school, we regard as an invaluable help to the schools,
as it will afford the scholars the means of procuring their
own food, A give us full control over the land in the vicinity
of the schoo le, the importance of which we have greatly felt.
The land has as yet cost us little or nothing, though we have
not been put in possession of so much of the valley as is
described in the Minuets of our meeting. The taro land is
divided out in equal portions to the scholars to be cultivated
by them for their own use. You will perceive from the minuets
of our meeting that it is recommended that a farmer be procur
ed. We have thought it v ery desirable to have a farmer to take
charge of the land & the secular business connected with the
land &c. He could introduce some improvements in agriculture
which might be of essential benefit to the nation. But this
would be a secondary object. It is of very great importance
that our scholars should support themselves by their own
industry, but this cannot be done without some one to direct
them & superintend their labor. O n this account there is full
scope here for the labors of the mechanic & a farmer, the one to
superintend the erection of building & instruct the scholars
in the work shop, & the other to take charge of the land &
the business connected with it. If you should conclude to send
a mechanic & farmer it is of the first importance, that they
should be men of the right stamp. We want men of good common
sense, who are ready to wear themselves out for the good of
their fellow men without any prospect of an earthly rewar d .
�1810
They should have much humility & much patience, but no
pride & no selfishness, if such can be found. And their
wives should be of a similar stamp. They should be men of
deligent habits accostomed to labor with their own hands.
During the last year a great weight of secular
care devolved on me; but we have now committed this care in
a great measure to Mr. Burnham, a pious carpenter, who came
out with Mr. Deill to erect the seaman's chapel. He has been
with us more than a year, & has greatly endeared himself to
us by his kind & Christian deportment, & by skill & faithful
ness in his business.
The other brethren at this station will perhaps
write you something by the present opportunity. We will send
you soon the laws & regulations of our school adopted at our
last Gen - Meeting. They will not probably be printed in season
to go by this opportunity.
We have been greatly pained to hear of the death
of Dr. Wisner, How mysterious that three such men should be
cut off in such rapid succession!
With affectionate remembrance to your associates,
I remain your brother in the bonds of the Gospel
E. W. Clark
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Cor Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston Mass
United States.
New Bedford Mass
May 8
Rev. E. W. Clark
Dated Lahainaluna, Sept 10, 1835
Recd March 9, 1836
Ackd in G . L. June 15
Mrs Packard Ansd June 20
�1811
147
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahainaluna Nov 14, 1835.
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss Rooms, Boston
Dear Sir,
Mr. Anderson is preparing a report
of our school to foward to the Rooms by the fall ships.
ut
B
there is one point upon which he may not perhaps be so definite
as you may like. I refer to our expenditures. You have a
right to know how we dispose of the funds of the Board, and we
feel it a privilege to acquaint you most fully; and we should
feel it a still greater privilege, if you could visit us, and
consult with us on this, as well as on many other points relat
ing to our work. When I was appointed to the High School, I
was requested to act as treasurer of the institution. Some
statement, therefore, may be expected from me with regard to
the expenses of the station & school, in addition to what you
will learn from Mr. Chamberlain' s annual account.
Before I removed here a little more than a year
ago, very little had been expended directly for the school.
The school was regarded at first as an experiment, and it was
not thought best to lay out much expense untill the experiment
was fully tried. The scholars had erected the walls of a
school house and covered it, but little was done to the inside.
Mr. Andrews had erected a small stone house for himself, which
he intended to enlarge, but the walls were laid up by native
workmen w ithout lime, & were found not to be durable. Since
I have been here, I have erected a stone house laid in lime,
40 feet by 13 Inside two stories on one side, that is, with
a basement story partly under ground, which, ( the basement story,)
serves for a cook room, eating room & storeroom. This is a
good house, the walls of which will last as long; I trust, as
the Board will need to sustain a mission here. A few feet from
this, I have a small house made of dobies, or mud brick with
a thatched roof. This is my study. It is floored & plastered
and is a very pleasant & comfortable room. The expense of these
buildings with one or two but houses, I have not ascertained
exactly. They will not, however, be much short of $1500. reckon
ing 12 or 15 per cent advance on money. Mr. A n d r e w s has erect
ed the past year similar houses, though somewhat larger. They
are not yet quite finished. Mr. Dibble, who, as you will
learn, is now connected with the High School, is erecting
houses for his accomodation. They will probably be finished
in a few months.
They will not be quite so durable, or so
expensive as my house & Mr. Andrews; but they will afford
very good accomodations for his family. In addition to these
buildings, we have finished the inside of our school house
with floor, seats &c. We make use of it now as a chapel as
�1812
well as schoolroom, we are now putting up the walls of
another school-house of the same size on the ground as the
old 50 ft by 27 inside two stories high. The w a lls are
of stone laid in lime. The stone a re mostly of a soft kind
easily hewn, obtained very near. The lime is not v ery ex
pensive. This building will probably be finished before
this letter reaches you, & will afford two good school
rooms, & two small rooms for apparatus &c. These two build
ings will afford us pretty good accomodations for the
present. But we shall wish in a few years, if the school
prospers, & we have the approbation of our patrons to erect
another building for a chapel. These buildings, you will
perceive afford no rooms for scholars. For this purpose we
are erecting small doby houses, or rather the scholars are
ercting them with our help. Sand has been given by the
chiefs for this purpose, which we have divided off into
small lots. The scholars put up the walls of the houses &
thatch them. W e find doors, windows, timber for roof, lime
M r plastering &c. Between 30 & 40 of these houses are now
building. Some of them are nearly finished.
The houses be
long to the mission. The scholars, who put up the walls &c
have the use of them while they remain in school. These houses
will cost the mission about 40 dollars each. We shall not
probably erect many more on the present plan. We think of
erecting a few on a different plan for the accomodation of
boys, whom we hope to bring into a kind of boarding school.
We feel satisfied that our school should be so changed as to
consist in a great measure of boys. But this change will
involve considerable expense, as they must be under a more
strict guardianship, & must be in a great measure supported.
But from what we received from Dr. Wi sner & yourself last
year, we are satisfied you will approve of this measure, although it be attended with considerable more expense, than
our present plan. We have some boys in our school now, who
far outstrip our middle aged scholars. And nothing is want
ing to increase this number to any extent, but the requisite
funds. Mr. Andrews will probably write you more fully on
this subject.
We have laid out some expense upon our printing
office, & must lay out still more soon. We shall be under
the necessity of ejecting a building for a printing office
soon, & some more accommodations for one printer. The above
buildings including our own houses, when finished will cost
several thousand dollars, but they will be of permanent use
to the mission. The institution could not exist & flourish
without them, & when once finished they will serve for many
years with very little additional expense. It may be thought
we have laid out funds too rapidly, without receiving more
definitely your approbation. But we were led to it by the
�1813
urgency of the case, & from the fact that these improvements
could be made now probably as cheap as at any future time. We
considered too, that we had your implied approbation at least,
from the following remarks in Dr. Wisner's letter of June 23,
1834, viz; "In reference to this (the expense of a boarding
school) & similar matters, you will not feel bound to govern
yourselves by special appropriations previously by the Committee,
but do what seems to the mission to be manifestly required
for the advancement of your great work, trusting that the Com
mittee will approve what you have done, & that the funds to
meet the expense will be furnished? The same sentiment has
been conveyed in your letters. We have thus far had the appro
bation of the mission, & have no doubt we shall have yours also.
These secular improvements have brought much care
& responsibility upon me as well as others, but we have been
highly favoured in obtaining a pious & excellent young wan to
take charge of this work,- Mr. Charles Burnham of Springfield
Mass., who came out to erect the Seamen's Chapel. He has now been
with us more than a year & has laboured to our entire satisfac
tion. We now entrust to him, with perfect confidence, nearly
the whole management of our secular concerns. This saves us
much previous time for our more appropriate work. We are not
without hopes that he will become permanently connected with us.
The mission, as you will see from the minutes of
the Gen. Meeting in June, gave us liberty to draw on the
Secular Agent for our public buildings &c, to the amount of
$ 5,000 during the present year. This is probably about as much
as we shall expend the present year, exclusive of our private
dwellings & c ; but we shall need considerably more to complete
our plans; &c our boarding school department for boys will
be an annual expense of some considerable amount.
We feel anxious to know as soon as possible what
you think of our plans, & how far we may lay out the funds
of the Board in putting them into execution.
There is now here a young man by the name of Milo
Calkin belonging to the Independent, Capt. Brayton. He is
a member of a Baptist church in Auburn N. Y.
He is a very
ingenious young man, & appears remarkably well on a short
acquaintance. He has been very much afflicted with the asthma in
America. This was the cause of his coming to sea. He has been
well at sea & at these islands. He feels desirous to come out
to the islands as a mechanic & assistant missionary. He is
recommended, in the strongest terms, by Capt Brayton in
whom we have, great confidence. It was rather by accident that
he became connected with a baptist church. He has no objection
to removing his relation to our church. We think he would
be very useful as a mechanic & secular agent at this place,
or at Lahaina, or as a helper to M r . C
hamberlain. He is ac
quainted with teaching music, & would be able to help in this
department. We have concluded to recommend him to you as an
assistant missionary at the islands.
If he should get a wife
of the right stamp, we shll be happy to see him here as a
�1814
helper in our work.
It will probably be nearly a year from
this time before he will arive in America. We should have
prefered to employ him a year or two on wages, but Capt.
Brayton felt unwilling to part with him, & he was desirous
to go home & come out again with a companion. He will prob
ably present to you some testimonials besides what he takes
from here. We have recommended to him to attend to engrav
ing to the lithographic art while he is at home.
We wrote you in June last across the Continent
requesting a good bel l of about 200 lbs. We hope to receive it
in the spring, it is greatly needed. I wrote you also a
hasty letter a few weeks since.
As Dr. Chapin is about to return home, we have
requested him to aid us in procuring various things we need
in carrying on our work. We fee l grateful for the prompt assistance you have afforded us in regard to apparatus &c. We hope
you will still remember us in this respect.
I remain your brother in the Gospel.
E. W . Clark
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec. of A.B.C.F.M.
Boston Mass
United States.
postmark
Portsmouth N. H .
Apr 26
Pocahontas
Capt Barnard
Rev. E. W. Clark
Dated Lahainaluna, Nov 14, 1835
Recd April 27, 1836
Ackd inG
.
L. June 15
Ansd June 20/36
Bell
M ilo Calkin
�1815
148
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part
Second
XXVI
Lahainaluna Oct 6 , 1836
To Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
You doubtless feel anxious to know
the particulars respecting the operations of our High School.
we should be glad to write you more fully but our time is so
incessantly occupied with our various labours, that we find but
little left for correspondence.
My last letter was dated Nov. 14, 1835. In that
letter I gave you some account of our secular affairs. Since
that time we have been much encouraged by the grant of $5000,
and the books & apparatus, which you have sent for the benefit
of the school. We understand this as a pledge that you will
sustain us in every Judicious plan, which we may adopt for
enlightning & saving this people. We have recently been en
couraged also by a donation from Dr. Gardner consisting of
various Philosophical Instruments of the best construction,
among which is a Sextant, Mountain Barometer, Microscope,
Artificial Horison, Field Compase, Thermometers &c &c. Dr.
Gardner is a scientific gentleman connected with the Hudson's
Bay Company. He has been some months at the Islands, &, is now
supposed to be in the last stages of a consumption. We have
reason to think he will die a pious man; though he has not
very long indulged a hope of salvation. He is from Scotland.
Since I last wrote you, we have made some import
ant changes in the plan of our school, which have resulted
both from our own experience, & repeated suggestions from the
Missionary Rooms. We have recently taken a class of 35 boys on
the plan of a boarding school. We still retain a class of
adults on our former plan; but the school will probably in time
be wholly changed into a boarding school, somewhat similar to
the Seminary of Ceylon. The experiment has answered our ex
pectations thus far. The expenses of the establishment, will
be considerably increased by this change, but we trust they
will be cheerfully borne by the Board & the Christian community,
when they consider that his is the only way in which boys
can, with advantage, be brought into the High School. The
care & expense of such an establishment here will probably
be greater than at Ceylon. But as our plan embraces manual
labor, we expect the boys will earn something towards sup
porting themselves. A few will also be aided, by the ir parents
& friends.
This change in our school has rendered it necessary
to make some change in our plans of building, & to carry them
forward more rapidly than we expected, when I last wrote. We
hope to have them completed, or nearly so by next June. The
�1816
buildings more immediately connected with the school will
embrace a dwelling house for one of the teachers, & one
for a secular agent, a chapel, two or three school rooms,
lodging rooms for the boys, a cook house, dining room &c.
The expenses of the whole with yards &c, will not be less
than $ 10,0 0 0 , probably more. But the buildings will be
permanent, as they are mostly of stone. Strict regard to
economy will be observed in their erection, & no more money will
be laid out than is absolutely necessary to carry on
successfully our operations.
We could not do less than we have done w ithout
being guilty of neglecting the trust committed to us. But
if the churches withhold the funds, we must content our
selves with doing less. But while the harvest is so great
& the laborers are sofew, will the churches withhold from
these few the necessary means for carrying on their work.
Ten thousand, or twenty thousand dollars is certainly a
very small sum compared with the object to be accomplished
by the High School. Our plans are the resu lt of much con
sultation & prayer.
They may not always be wise, but they
are adopted with a conscientious regard to the best interests
of the Redeemer's kingdom.
In laying out so much money, some
few mistakes & errors will unavoidably be committed, but we
have much reason to think that our general plans & expenditures
will meet with the approbation of the wise & good every where.
The agency which I have had in the work has caused me much solicitude
& anxiety, from which I would gladly be freed. But necessity
was laid upon me.
With regard to the present state & prospects of
the school, I must refer you to our annual report, which will be
forwarded soon. Our expectations with regard to some indiv
iduals have been disappointed, but the school on the whole has
accomplished as much good as could reasonably be expected.
Our late change in the school has not been made because no
good has been accomplished on our f
o rmer plan. More than 40
pupils have gone out from the school & most of them are use
fully employed as school teachers.
They are far in advance of
former teachers, both in knowledge & industry. They are more
in advance of their pupils than the teachers of common schools
in our own country.
One of the brethren from a neighboring
station writes, “The teachers from the High School do very well
so far, much to their credit & that of their teachers." We
have the same testimony from other stations. One of our former
pupils is stationed at Kaanapali about 8 miles distant, where
I preach on the sabbath. He has collected a large number of
children, who were entirely untaught, into day schools &
sabbath schools, & brings them with him in a group to meeting
on the sabbath. He is exerting an influence in other ways
highly beneficial to the place.
But It must be understood,
when we speak of our school teachers, church members &c, we
�1817
speak of them comparatively. The best of them are in many
respects far behind persons trained up in a civilized &
christian land.
My time on week days is employed in teaching
& in preparing books for the school. My sabbaths are spent
at N aanapali. The number of hearers there has increased
of late. The people have recently built a very substantial
meeting house, which was dedicated a few days since to the
worship of God. The walls are built of dobies or mud brick,
three feet thick plastered & whitewashed inside & out. It
is covered with the ti leaf a very durable material, & is
77 ft by 30 inside with glass windows, doors, pulpit &c. It
is a very comfortable house, & will probably last as long as
the life of a missionary. The people sustained the expense of
the carpenter work, glass, lumber &c by furnishing us with
ti leaf to cover our buildings at this station.
Oct 21st.
Since writing the above, we have reason to
think that God has been visiting us with the influences of
his Holy Spirit. We hope a few of our best scholars have
recently become the true followers of Christ. Others are more
or less serious. I have not seen anything before at the
islands which appeared to me so much like the operations of
the spirit; but we may be deceived. Time will decide. We
deeply feel our responsibility & our need of the prayers
of God’s people. Unless our pupils become pious the labor
& money laid out upon the school will be, in a great measure,
lost & , in some cases, worse than lost.
We feel a deep interest in the result of our
late efforts to wake up our christian friends at home on the
subject of missions.
I have written a few sheets "On the
duty of the present generation of ministers to preach the
Gospel to the heathen," which we shall perhaps print agreeably
to a vote of the mission at our last meeting.
Mr. Calkin, whom we recommended to you last year
as an assistant missionary, is expected here, as I have just
learned, soon. Capt. Brayton lost his ship in a few months
after leaving this place, & Mr. Calkin is now on board another
ship. We may employ him for a year or two on wages. Mr.
Burnham is still in our employ, & very useful.
You will probably see Mr. Richards soon after re
ceiving this. We shall write by him & make known some of our
wants.
Please tell us all your thoughts & wishes with
regard to our school.
With kind regards to your associates, I remain
yours in the bonds of the Gospel.
E. W. Clark
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec of A. B . C . F . M.
Boston Mass
U. States
postmark New London Ct.
Apr 20
Rev. E. W Clark
DateOct6,1836
Ackd in
G.L
. July 21
�1818
149
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
Lahaina (Island
XXVI
of Maui) Nov. 3rd 1829
Rev. Dr. Wisner
Boston Mass
Rev. & Dear Sir,
It is Just two years today since we
left your hospitable roof and embarked for these Islands of the
sea. On account of my many engagements and my indolence per
haps I have delayed to express to you my thanks for the hos
pitable manner in which I was received and entertained at your
house while preparing to sail. God has heard and answered the
prayers, of our friends, - opened to us an abundant entrance
into these wide fields and we hope in due time we shall be en
abled to do something for the spread of his gospel and the
establishment of his kingdom in the world. The cause of the
Redeemer has nev er perhaps been more flourishing on these
islands than at the present time, though w i t h i n six months
past there have been several instances of back sliding
amongst the native professors of religion. Two of them
were members of the church at this place. The particulars
of these cases will be stated in the general letter of the
mission or in the letters of the different stations. The
Missionaries are all in usual health except Mr. Ruggles who
we fear must soon embark for his native country. Would it
not be a saving of expense to the mission to expend a few
hundred or if needs be a few thousand dollars to have an es
tablishment for invalids on some of the mountains of these
islands? F or even here we have all temperatures of the at
mosphere from the torrid to the frigid zones. In such a re
treat our northern constitutions might regain their original
strength while the work of translations would not altogether
stop. This is on the supposition that such a retreat would
or must be where the natives do not live. But in the district
of Waimea on Hawaii it is said the people are not unacquainted
with cold weather. As our circumstances now are, just as we are
beginning to be useful - just as we become acquainted with
the language of the people - with their manners and customs
and habits &c and gain an access to their hearts, we are one
after another laid aside by sickness, to drag out a useless
painful existence of some months or years, or we must return
to our native land and our places be supplied by fresh labourers.
To begin such an establishment here, we think not only practicable
but not very expenseve. The only doubt is as to the result
& this cannot be known until actual experiment has been made.
�1819
Just as the above was written I received a letter
from Mr. Chamberlain at Honolulu containing the following
remarks.
"A retreat for invalids is talked of with us,
and we have resolved to send a deputation to Hawaii to ex
plore the district of Waimea in the division of Kohala upon
the declivity of Maunakea and ascertain whether it is
eligible for a Missionary station & the climate such there
as would greatly promote the health of those who are labouring
under infirmity induced by the climate. Dr. Judd & myself
have volunteered our services.
I shall be willing to leave
my business for an absence of six weeks unless some other
member of the mission now at Honolulu can be better spared.
It is thought desirable that you should be one of the
deputation.
If our plan is carried into effect, we shall
stop at Lahaina & go on to Kawaihae and thence to Waimea
by land it being from there about a half a day's travel.
At Waimea we shall expect to stay until we shall have
accomplished the object for which we go. Do take the sub
ject into consideration & if you can possibly leave home
be ready to accompany those who go.
The reason for a special
effort at this time is to see if something cannot be done
to aleviate the necessity for Mr. Ruggles' return to his
native lands."
The U. S. Ship V incennes is now at Oahu & in
consequence of dispatches from the government of the United
States, the chiefs are these holding a counsel.
It is really
a matter of
thanksgiv ing to us that the Vincennes has visit
ed us at this time.
The chiefs have received new life & anima
tion and will hereafter exhibit more energy in their transactions
with foreigners.
The two Consuls are extremely unpopular
amongst the chiefs and people, & I should not be surprised
if both of them should shortly be sent away.
The desire of the people for books & their ability
to read & understand them are both increasing.
I have for
several days past been engaged in drawing & translating some
Maps to be taken to America by M r . Stewart for printing introduc
tory to the study of Geography. There are many schollars &
schools ready for Geography Arithmetick & similar studies and
will pursue them to any length with which we can possibly
furnish the means. We need an apparatus here for striking off
maps copy slips &c. To send to America to get our printing
done is to send it where it where it cannot be correctly done
& when it returns it seems like last year's Almanachs. Thus
in many things we labour at great disadvantage.
But from the
history of all past Missionary efforts we are convinced that
literature must go hand in hand with religion or religion will
stand on a very feeble foundation. No people can be expected
to exhibit stability of character until they are taught to think/
The human mind needs to be expanded & exercised before it
knows what use to make of moral or religious truths.
Though
religious truths themselves have this tendency & do produce this
effect, yet on account of the depravity of the heart, people
�1820
will not allow them to have their legitimate effect; there
fore science & literature must expand the mind and religion
must sanctify it.
I must request the board to send Prof. Stuarts
Hebrew Grammar third or last edition. His Christomathy has
helped me much in Hebrew, but it constantly refers to rules
and principles not contained in the former editions of his
Grammar. In short I wish for a copy of every new work on
biblical literature published at Andover. We have lately
received some valuable books for which we fell thankful. But
one which I need every day is not yet come Viz Taylor’s Hebrew
Concordance. Hindrance arising from the want of proper reference
books in making translations, especially from the scriptures
have been greater than from all other sources whatever. Let
any thoroughgoing student in the United States sit down to
translate the the bible into English & he will soon understand
what we mean when we write so often for books. I am waiting
also for the arrival of Syriac & Arabic books as cognate dialects
of the Hebrew 8c necessary to be understood by every translator
of the b ible & am anxious to begin the study of them. My
conscience will not be satisfied with any translation of the
scripture where every effort has not been used to ascertain
the sense of the original.
As we are the representatives of literature as
well as religion from the United States we hope our friends
and the friends of the Mission will not permit us to disgrace
ourselves and them by withholding the mean s of our own im
provement as well as doing all that can be done by man for
this people.
The most learned man on earth were he in our
places would be obliged to draw upon all his resources. The
notion that any ignoramus if he has piety will do for a
missionary we hope will soon be unknown in missionary operations.
If there be a place in the whole world where sound extensive
learning connected with vital piety is needed it is at the
Sandwich Islands at this present time. Besides translating
the scriptures and other religious books for the use of the
church we or the native will need books in a very few years in
all the sciences & different branches of learning that are culti
vated in other countries. Their curosities and their enquiries
are awake and inquisitive. We must feed them enough at least
to keep their appetites good or they will become indifferent
to anything that we can present to them. This is now very much
the case at the society islands. The people have had little
or nothing put into their hands but religious books and the
people are beginning to think that they are in possession of
all the learning in the world & consequently have little respect
for the Missionaries.
May God bless his own appointed means in filling
the earth with the knowledge of himself & his glorious works.
�1821
Pray for us that we may glorify God & become
instrumental in bringing souls to repentance.
Mrs. A. unites with me in Christian salutation
to yourself & Mrs. Wisner.
Yours affectionately
Lorrin Andrews
N. B. Several accounts of an interesting nature respecting
the mission will be sent from Oahu as also the probable or
actual result of the visit of the Vincennes. Mr. Stewart
appears pleased with the prospects of the mission. L. A.
The Rev. Dr. Wisner
Boston Mass
ship Vincennes
Politeness of Mr. Stewart
Rev . Lorrin Andrews
Respecting the need of Books at
the Sandwich Islands
Wrote Nov. 21, 1831. R. A.
�150
1822
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
An Essay
on
the best practical methods of conducting native schools.
Read before the Hawaiian
Association
June 13th 1832
By Lorrin Andrews
�1823
Extract from the minutes of the Hawaiian Association.
"Voted that Mr. Andrews be requested to send to the
Missionary Rooms a copy of the Essay just read by him, "On the
best practical method of conducting native schools"
E.W.Clark sec."
When the above vote was taken and for several
months afterwards I resolved within myself not to comply
with the request of my Brethren and risque the consequences.
The principal reason was, I was ashamed of the E ssay as a
literary composition and well knew that I should have no time
to make it better. The truth was, nearly all the last half
of the year previous to the general meeting, Mr. Richards
being sick, I was obliged to preach three times a week in
Lahaina to his congregation and digest & prepare studies (as
they had no books) for the High School containing upwards of
70 scholars, besides my own domestic cases, and hence, could
find no time to arrange or digest the mass of materials I
had collected any better than it is here done. The matter of
the Essay cost me much labour & time. The composition of it
may be called extemporaneous : and considerable of it was
written after the hurry & business of General Meeting commenced.
On account of the resolution I had taken as
stated just now, the Essay lay rolled up in my drawer until
after the fall ships had all sailed for America. Since that
I have thought perhaps I ought to send it. I have therefore
taken (not found) time to transcribe and preface it with the
apology I am now writing.
I have altered nothing. It goes
verbatim as it was first written. To the end, I have added
a few notes out of the mass of matter I had collected for
the Essay.# No part of the Essay is intended for publication.
If the Board should suppose that any of the facts or state
ments contained in it are proper to be published, they are
the judges , & of course will be responsible for the good or
bad English in which they may appear. The truth of the state
ments I am responsible for.
If the Essay shall serve to correct any mistakes
existing in the minds of the Boards or of our Patrons res
pecting the state of the schools on these islands I shall feel
that I have my reward.
High School
near Lahaina April 2nd 1833
Lorrin Andrews
# Some of the observations in the notes refer to facts that
occurred since the Essay was written.
�1824
On the best practical method of conducting
native schools.
The general diffusion of knowledge, is among
the great events spoken of by the Prophets as tending to
introduce the latter day glory. As a previous step to the
coming of Christ's kingdom, it was announced to Daniel that
"Many should run to & from and knowledge should be increas
ed." Isaiah, also, when describing the happiness of the age
when religion should be prevalent, declares, that there
should be nothing to hurt or destroy; "For the earth shall
be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters
cover the sea."
It is consonant with historical testimony
and our own experience as well as the multiplied declarations
of scripture, that the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of
light & of knowledge.--of virtue and happiness; while the
opposite one is darkness, ignorance, misery and sin.
The increase of knowledge, therfore, expecially
of religious knowledge, is one of the most direct means of
hastening the kingdom of our Saviour. Indeed almost all the
Christian efforts of the present day may be resolved into
this. The importance therefore of the increase of knowledge
is a theme not soon exhausted.
It is broad as the east is
from the west; for it enters all the intere tices of the
curiously wrought moral & intellectual structure of man, as
well as all the outward forms of civilized Society. In
this view of the subject, it is impossible to forsee the
fruits of the efforts of the learned proffessor or the teach
er of a common school, or even the less ostentatious labours
of the nursery or of the infant school; for the fruit of such
labours appears in after generations.
A full discussion of the subject of education and
its importance to the people of these islands cannot be brought
into the compass of a short essay; for to do anything like
justice to the subject, the different branches of moral,
physical, political & religious education would require each
a volume. S till something must be said, for whatever is not
commenced will not be finished.
When the question is asked, what Is the best
practical method of conducting native schools? the word practi
cal is not to be understood as apposed to theoretical or
speculative merely, but reference must be had to existing
means for conducting native schools.
It may be desirable to
introduce a system of education the practical tendency of
which may be very good & yet our circumstances may be such
as to render it impossible. The word practical, therefore, in
�1825
this place, should be understood as nearly synonynous
with practicable or feasible. The question then assumes
this form. What is the best method of conducting native
schools, when the want of suitably furnished school houses the want of proper apparatus for communicating instruction the utter destitution of proper schoolbooks - paper - slates the want of qualified teachers & c : and also the diversified
and constant call for missionary labour in other departments;
are all taken into the account? For these things, however
they may seem to our patrons, do in reality put a new face upon
our efforts to conduct schools.
or instance, as it regards
a single item in apparatus. It has been thought that the
Lancasterian system of education would, on many accounts,
suit the habits of this people & be well adapted to their
wants: but experiments have repeatedly demon trated it to be,
at present, impracticable. For schools are everywhere found
See
to be more or less deficient in the first & most indispenNote A sible article - a slate. Nor have they any thing which
they can substitute for it. Even the scholars of the High
School, composed as it is of teachers, are not yet all furnish
ed. To go a step further & speak of writing paper & quills
& inkstands and school books & black boards & other apparatus
considered necessary in enlightened countries, is all out of
the question. They cannot, at present, be procured so as to
be in any degree general.
These statements are made to show that when we
are considering what ought to be done and must be done. The
question of duty with respect to direct labour in schools, would
assume a very different aspect could we command time, talents,
money and apparatus to the extent of our wishes. But such is
not the case. The question then is, How much time and talent
can be spared for this branch of missionary labour; and how
can the time & talent which can be spared, be beat employed?
These are questions of great interest to th is people - of great
interest also to us - and questions of some difficulty to solve.
That a part of missionary time & labour may
& should be laid out in direct application to the business of
school instruction is taken for granted. Or rather it is
strongly enjoined upon us as may be seen in the instructions
to the pioneers of this mission. "We are to aim at nothing
short or raising up the people to an elevated state of Christian
civilization;— to make them acquainted with letters, to give
them the Bible with skill to read it." In raising up a people
sunk so low as were the people of these islands on the arrival
of the first missionaries, no thing must be left to inference;
every thing is to be taught, efforts must be persevered in
until an effect is produced.
See
In order that we nay make as correct an estimate
Note B of the importance of native schools as possible, it may be
well to notice something respecting their origin - progress kind of books that have been in use - character & qualifications
�1826
of teachers and the present state of the schools.
Let it
be premised that when schools are spoken of generally,
reference is had to them as a whole; neither best nor
poorest are meant unless particularly mentioned .
The first native schools on the islands were
collected early in the year 1822. The missionaries were
the first teachers. The first scholars consisted of a class
of people immediately connected with the chiefs.
The only
school book was the Piapa which also was first printed in
the beginning of the year 1822. The first edition consisted
of 500 copies, & contained 16 pages.
These schools had con
tinued but a few months, when a desire was expressed by some
of the high chiefs to attend to instruction, and schools were
formed for their particular benefit. The missionaries of
course were their teachers.
The schools were generally made
up of the chiefs & some of the principal people of both sex
es in their trains. These schools for the chiefs were com
menced at Oahu Sc Kauai about the same time. When the mission
aries became the immediate instructors of the chiefs, their
former schools were committed to the care of some of the
natives, either to those who had resided sometime in America
or those who had made the greatest progress in the schools
here during the short time that schools had existed.
These schools continued reading the Piapa, when
the scholars attended school at all, until the latter part of
the year 1823 when a a small edition of a Hymn book contain
ing 47 hymns was published, and used somewhat as a school book.
The next year (1824) was noted for the rebell
ion on Kauai.
Soon after this was quelled, that is in the
latter part of the year 1824, a general desire was manifested
over the islands to attend to instruction.
The chiefs became
more interested - teachers were sent out - school houses were
erected and a great demand existed for the Pia-pa.
In the year following (1825) the Pooolelo, a
tract of four pages containing texts of scripture - the Ui
or catechism of eight pages were pu blished & introduced into
the schools, and also the Thoughts of the Chiefs, & the
Kanawai or ten commandm e n t s. The thoughts of the chiefs has
never been valued by the people, nor much read.
In the year 1827 the sermon on the Mount was
printed.
In 1 828, and Arithmetick of eight pages--the
History of Joseph - a part of Luke's Gospel and an addition
to the spelling book or Pia-pa were published.
In 1829 the gospels of Mat. Mark & John were
returned printed from America, and the Acts of the Apostles
and the first part of Genesis were printed at the islands .
�1827
In 1830 the Pia-pa kamalii or child's spelling
book was published, since which time no visible change has
taken place in the schools.
Other books have been added,
such as a Historical catechism of the Bible, a part of the
Epistles, Exodus & Joshua, These are all the books of a
Hawaiian students library when he has been so successful as
to procure them all. But probably one half of all the
scholars on the islands have at this day nothing to read
but th e Pia-pa. These books may all be termed religious
books except the Arithmetick & the hope or supplement to
the Pia-pa.
But it is time to notice the character &
qualifications of the teachers. The first teachers were
persons of such stability of character as the chiefs could
trust and regarded as favourable to the new religion, or the
religion of the Bible as far as they understood it, & thus
were men of influence & undoubtedly exerted a powerful in
fluence in favour of instruction.
But their literary qualifications were of course
exceedingly scanty. At the time schools first spread over
the islands, the Pia-pa, (at first 16 pages but reduced in the
second edition to 8 pages) and the Hymn book were the only
books that existed in their own language, and the latter, has,
it is believed, never been used very extensively as a school
book. The Pia-pa therefore in most cases was all they could
teach, for it was all they knew. And it is remarkable that
the teachers have showed very little skill in teaching them
selves; in other words, have added nothing of consequence to
their stock of knowledge by their own exertions. With just
the same qualifications with which they commence, they continue,
Note C from year to year, unless indeed they return for a time to the
Missionary stations and again attend a school taught by some
missionary. Either the mists of ignorance are so thick that
a little light cannot penetrate, or the system of instruction
is too scanty to enable them to get ideas from what they read,
or to teach them to combine ideas so as to form new ones; or
from wrong notions of what instruction in itself consists; or
all these causes together, the fact is notorious. Generally
poor readers when they commenced teachers, they continue so
from year to year without apparently making the least progress
in the art of reading & so of other things.
The matter of instruction also should be noticed
or the branches taught. These are, 1st; Reading & spelling,
Note D the latter however is so very simple in this language as hard
ly to require a distinct notice. The reading consists in
saying over the words in a book very slowly with many stops
re p e t i t i o n s & blunders until repeated so frequently as to be
fixed in the memory. The books read are just such books as the
schools have been enabled to procure. As before observed,
probably one half of the whole are confined to the Pia-pa:
�1828
and perhaps one half of the remainder have a Pia-pa, a
Pooolelo or a Hanawai and a Mataio or the sermon on the
mount. 2ndly. Committing to memory. At this the natives
have ever shown themselves very skillfull: but the ability
to repeat and the fact that they do repeat the Pia-pa &
the Ui & the Mataio & other books from beginning to end
does not imply that they can read a word. 3rdly. Writing
on slates where a class can be found that owned slates.
But probably not so much as one scholar out of twenty has ever
been able to procure a slate. Teachers generaly own them &
are thus able to write. 4thly. Writing on paper.
This is
confined to a few of the schools of the chiefs and of the
people immediately about them. The want of paper will for a
long time yet to come keep the people generally in ignorance
of this branch of education. 5thly. Arithmetick has been
taught only to a very small extent except where some one of
the missionaries has devoted his time especially to it. And
even then it has been confined to the first rules for want of
terms in the language to convey the ideas. Probably no
native by himself has been able to get the least information
from the tract on Arithmetick except perhaps the names and
numerical value of the figures.
The same is true with regard
to a portion of the Hope no ka Pia-pa or supplement to the
spelling book.
The present slate of the schools is such as
might be expected from such beginnings, The number of
scholars is supposed to be about 40,000. The whole number
of schools and of course the number of teachers about 1200.
The number of books added within four years past
has been considerable. The Gospels, Acts, a part of the
Epistles, a small part of Psalms Genesis, Exodus, Joshua &
a large catechetical history of the B ible. But from the necessity
of the case only a small portion of the scholars possess these
books. Even if the editions of 10,000 copies of these printed
books were all distributed & no allowance made for wear, there
would be but one copy for every four scholars.
The present set of teachers is probably not so
good as a year or two ago. as above sixty of the best teachers on
the islands are now attending the High School.
The method of reading among scholars & even teach
ers is very bad. It consists in a hitching, hesitating, half spell
ing method of pronouncing the words, with frequent stops,
repetitions & blunders;-- either no attention at all to pauses
or what is almost universal, every pause is used as a period both
as it relates to the length of the pause & the cadence of the
voice.
Writing on slates, as before observed, is attended
to only by few in comparison of the whole: writing on paper
to still fewer.
The missionaries, have taught the first rules of
Arithmetick to a few & these again to others, but there it has
stopped.
�1829
The most important change in the schools during
the last three years is the introduction of children as
scholars.
This is a pleasing feature in the present condition
of our schools.
It should be stated also that efforts have
been made at nearly all the stations within two years past
to ra ise the qualifications of teachers not only as it res
pects knowledge, but also in the art of communicating instruc
tion to others.
But for want of books & want of time among the
missionaries, it is believed that very little advance has been
made.
All these schools, have, from the beginning, been
Note F subject to frequent interruptions. For months together the
people of the schools have been separated gathering sandal
wood for the chiefs & other labours of a similar kind; and not
a few have been broken up by the changes of landholders & the
removal of chiefs from place to place.
If it should be thought that the above view of the
schools is too deeply shaded, it must be remembered that the
schools now existing at the different stations and under the
care of some one of the missionaries are not taken into the
account.
These remarks apply chiefly to schools taught by
native te achers.
Besides it is respectfully submitted whether
we may not have been deceived ourselves in estimating so highly
the benefits which the people have received through the medium
of the native schools.
The simple statement that there are
now twelve hundred schools and forty thousand scholars, & that
so m any millions of pages of books have been printed & circulat
ed among the people carries with it the idea of a great advance
in literature, or at least of mental improvement. And it is ad
mitted that the books above mentioned in the hands of judicious,
intelligent, faithful teachers, might be made instrumental in
conveying knowledge & information to a considerable extent &
of the highest importance to the people.
But if we reason from
possibility to fact & thence draw conclusions of what has
actually been accomplished, we are extremely liable to be d e
ceived.
The statement of the fact that we have so many native
schools, so many native teachers, so many thousand scholars and
have printed so many books, while it serves to round the periods
in our communications & is read with pleasure & surprise by
our friends; causes a very different set of feelings in us when
we travel round one of the islands and thoroughly examine the
schools & notice the qualifications of the teachers.
From the best information, it is apparent that
Note G our native schools have not accomplished what they are suppos
ed
to have done by our friends in America.
This has resulted prob
ably from several causes which cannot be noticed here. We
shall exonerate ourselves of course from any design to de
ceive.
1st.
The great ignorance of the teachers.
It
is a principle in nature that a stream cannot of itself rise
higher than the fountain.
The same principle seem to be enstamped on the literature of these islands.
It is manifest
�1830
from the foregoing statements that the first teachers were
but poorly furnished for their employment: F rom the necessity
of the case, their stock of information was exceedingly scanty.
And It appears also from observation that they have been slow
in making improvements by their own exertions.
But suppose
their stock of acquired ideas to have been considerable, still
they were entirely ignorant of the art of communicating know
ledge to others except in the same form in which they had re
ceived it themselves.
And further, that which they had learn
ed themselves was all new to them & its connexion & relation
to any of the affairs of life were not at all apparent.
Such
teachers could not make wise scholars.
2.
The ideas of natives as to what instruction is in
Note H itself, has been & probably is now to a great extent a hindrance
to improvement.
The opinion is almost universally prevalent
that the whole of instruction and the benefit to be derived
from it consists in the being able to read or say over the
words in a book or out of it as the case may be, with very little
or no regard to the meaning.
To this their highest wishes
aspire.
To this point they are encouraged to aim by their
teachers. And naturally enough: for it is considered a great
acquisition by them even the very best have scarcely reached
it.
To get ideas from what they read is no part of school
instruction; though now & then it seems that a sentiment con
tained in the school books has made its way to the conscience.
But most of those who have made much advance in this respect
have lived near the missionary stations or have frequently attend
ed worship.
In connection with this may be mentioned the habit
of committing to memory. At this the natives have shown a
great deal of readiness.
Like ball barbarous nations they have
een accustomed from time immemorial to commit to memory their
legends, tales, war songs, odes &c' &c. by hearing them repeated
by others; & it was not found difficult to transfer this practice
to the school & make one reader the organ of communication to
the whole school. And whole schools have been found able to re
peat fluently the P ia-pa, the Sermon on the Mount or the Ui,
without being able to read a sentence.
The business itself
of committing to memory has been of very little value to this
people, as they were accustomed to it before; and the matter
committed even if retained is of no great profit without the
proper application of the other faculties of the mind, but
lies like useless lumber in a store house; and if not retained
is certainly of no value.
Mental improvement, i t is well known,
is obtained only by the exercise of all the faculties of the
mind in due proportion. While, therefore, as before, it may
be admitted that some few have gained real matter for reflection
from what they have committed to memory, yet it is ev ident that
a vast majority of the scholars rest perfectly satisfied with
their attainments when they have the words in their memories.
This is manifest by the avidity with which they c ommit to
memory long lists of names as contained in genealagies & even
�abstract numbers, & which it is done, feel as fully rewardNote I ed for their trouble as though they had gained a new chapter
on morals or religion.
3.
The indolence or unfaithfulness of teachers does
much to counteract what might be done in our native schools.
Authority & indolence on these islands are almost inseparably
connected. A school teacher is vested with a little authority
and hence cannot stoop to the minutiae of school tactick s.
This shows itseIf in want of care and faithfulness in attend
ing to the real improvement of the scholars. Whether the scholars
hold the book one end up or the other or side ways, or whether
they have a book at all, or whether they skip over or miscall
words seems to be no matter of interest to them. This every
See missionary has seen who has at any time employed a native to
N o t e K hear a class for him. And this too when the one employed knew
how to correct & how to teach. To pass away the time or get
through the lesson seems to be the only object. A school is
a school with them whether anything be learned or not.
To this may be added, the method of teaching
enerally practiced. The teacher takes a Pia-pa, sits down
n front of a row or several rows of scholars from 10 to 100
i
perhaps in number all sitting on the ground, furnished perhaps
with Pia-pas, perhaps not. The teacher begins; says
The
scholars all repeat in concert after him A. The teacher then
says E. They repeat all together as before E. and so on re
peating over and over after the teacher until all the Alphabet
is fixed in the memory just in the order the letters stand in
the book; and all this just as well without a book as with one.
The abbs & spelling lessons are t a u g t i n the same way. There
may be some exceptions to this general method of teaching; but
the cases are few. In this manner schools have been know to
exist for two or three years in succession and never get beyond the Pia-pa. This results from ignorance in the method
of teaching and the great indolence or the teachers and for
which they have frequently been reproved by the missionaries.
But improvement in this respect is scarcely visible.
4.
Another evil existing in native schools and
tending to lessen the good they might otherwise accomplish
is the method of teaching by proxy. When a teacher considers
himself as having become expert, that is, when the novelty of
his authority has gone by & he has had a little experience —
when he arrives at the point just where we should say he might
begin to be useful; that is. the point where he thinks he ought to
stop; and generally does stop and gives his work up into the
hands of others, who when they also in their own opinions become
skilfull resign in favour of others, while the original teacher
is considered the teacher of the school, though perhaps nine
months out of the year he resides on a distant part of the
island, or perhaps on another. This system of labouring by
proxy however is not peculiar to schools, but runs through all
the affairs of government from the highest K uhina of the king
to the pipe lighter of the most petty officer: & it is easy
to see unless stopped or corrected will be an effectual bar
to the establishment of good native schools.
These are some of the reasons but by no means
g
�1832
all why the native schools are not so efficient as it might
be expected they would be, or as it may be thought they are.
Facts might be mentioned in connection with all
there reasons but the limits of this essay do not admit and
they are familiar to us all.
No allowance has been made for the stupidity or
dullness of the people, because such stupidity or dullness,
it is believed, does not exist; or at least to any such de
gree or in any such form as to require any change in the or
dinary methods of disciplining the mind.
If this be so, it may be asked, if the native
schools are so deficient, how has so much knowledge been
communicated to this people? How have so many millions of
pages of books been printed & circulated? How could so many
hundred teachers be employed, and so many tens of thousands
of scholars be enrolled in the schools? To all which it may
be replied, that this shows that there has existed and does
now exist among the people a great desire for instruction which
has not been denied. But a great circulation of books does
not prove here that the books are much understood. It is fully
believed, that were the mission to print off an edition of
Logarithmlck tables, there would be just as great a call for
it as for any book that has been printed. This is manifes also
by the call that has been made for three editions of the "Hope
no ka Pia-pa", for it can be demonstrated that with the excep
tion of two or three sentences, scarce a single idea has been
gain ed that was intended to be conveyed, except where it has
been taught & explained by some one of the missionaries. The
same is true with respect to the Helu. The native cannot
be found who without any instruction was able to understand
any principle it contained or to understand any rule. The
truth is, a palapala is a palapala, it is all new to them and
all considered equally good. They have been told that the
perusal of these 3c similar books constitutes the diference
between them 3c ourselves; - that they are able to make people
wise; and what is still more, most of our books we could call
the word of God. Still it will be said, there is a vast
increase of information among the people within a few years,
whence has it come if not from the native schools?
It is cheerfully admitted that much knowledge has
been gained by the people — that it is increas
ing — that
curiosity is excited — that attention is awake -- that mental
improvement even u n d e r numberless disadvantages has received
a powerful impulse. But that much of this influence should
be attributed to native schools is by no means clear.
For first, where do the people live who have
made the most improvement? This will be answered at once.
They live generally at or near the missionary stations, or are
in the habit of visiting the stations very frequently. Now
it is known that there i s a direct address made to the people
at every station at least three times a week by one of the
�1833
missionaries, besides something done more or less in direct
teaching, and to this should be added, & by no means least,
the direct & frequent personal interviews that take place
between the chiefs & other more intelligent people on the
one part and the missionaries on the other. There conver
sation are frequently of the most interesting kind on a
variety of subjects, & in which perhaps a missionary conveys
in a single hour more information than ever the people could
get from native teachers for they have it not to give. These
observations might be illustrated by facts; but we are all
acquainted with them.
But Secondly, what is the definite kind of know
ledge which this people have gained? Doubtless something of
them all. But let the great mass of people be examined today
respecting the knowledge they have acquired since the residence
of missionaries among them, and it is believed that all the
moral, political & scientific knowledge which they have gained
put together, would not equal their religious knowledge.
In
deed Theology Is the principal science to which they have
attended. Not to descend to particulars, it may safely be
said that every body knows that Jehovah is different from other
gods & can generally state some things wherein that difference
consists--They know that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of men—
they know that God has g iven a law and multitudes can repeat
the ten commandments -- all this & much more they will tell
you they know; and this certainly is farther than the mass of
the people have advanced in any other science. And it is re
markable that these ideas are distinct or indistinct, clear or
confused, not in proportion to their advantages in schools where
they have read n othing but scripture, or to their ability to
procure our books, but to their frequent intercourse direct or
indirect with the missionary stations.— This intercourse is
sometimes direct, as when a person or family visits a station
& remains several sabbaths; or indirect, through the medium of
some of the principal teachers who endeavour to communicate to
their scholars what they have learned while at the missionary
station. The missionaries therefore have been the real teachers
of the people inasmuch as the branch in which they have made the
greatest attainments could be communicated only by the mission
aries: and their knowledge moreover is mere knowledge with
little or no mental improvement.
It was stated just now that there are regularly
three studied discourses on acme topick of Biblical truth delivered to the people at every station in each week & I need
not say how much study & exertion are made to render these
truths intelligible to the people. These discourses are or
ought to be full of instruction & are designed to be so by
those who address them. But where is there anything to
correspond with this unwearied and faithful teaching in relig
ion, in any of the departments of literature & science? We
look in vain at the feeble efforts which have been made at the
�1834
different stations--they are feeble, because those who en
gage in the business of teaching, do it only for a short
time and then subject to a multitude of interruptions as it
is not considered their appropriate work & at the call of
anything more urgent the school is suspended or wholly dropped.
Or if the schools are designed to be permanent, they must
be leas frequent, only one or two days in a week and an hour
perhaps at a lesson. It is perfectly obvious that with such a
method of instruction progress must be slow. We look in vain
also to the native teachers, because they cannot teach what they
have never learned .
From all this, it is plainly to be seen, that the
people as a mass are increasing slowly in information--their
minds are expanding--their views enlarging--But it is mostly
a knowledge connected with Bible truths, & for this knowledge
the people are indebted mostly to the direct lab o u r s of the
missionaries as preachers of the gospel, & secondarily, to
the missionaries as direct teachers of schools, & least of all
compared with the others, to the influence of native schools.
It is not intended by any o f these remarks to
say anything to the prejudice of native schools as they now
exist: but to set their present influence in its true light.
They have been useful in years past. These schools have been
a great blessing to the people. They have been of great use
as a moral institution. They have performed that in the
hand of God which probably no other means could better have
effected. Their existence during these few years past has
supplied a vacuum in the civil & religious affairs of this
government which to all human appearance nothing else could
have filled. When the people & the nation were literally
w ithout a god, and without an altar and without a faith— when
ancient religious customs & ceremonies were declared to be no
more— when the pulse of the nation was feeble & fluttering and
ominous of an awful pause--in the dispensations of Providence,
the schools were made to act as a reviving cordial & restored
life to the chiefs & people,--gave them a consciousness of
existence they never felt before--in short, supplied them with
matter for thought, conversation & action. Nor have they fail
ed entirely to communicate important knowledge to the people.
Even to know that knowledge is contained in books is something.
To know the letters of the Alphabet is something.
To know
that* it is possible for them to learn to read is something.
That the teachers have existed in any degree as a medium of
communication between the missionaries and the distant parts
of the islands is something. They have only failed to do what
their name implies in a civilized country. They have failed
to do, not what one would expect when acquainted with all the
circumstances of their existence; but they have failed to do
what the Board, our patrons & our friends suppose they have
done. This is evident from various accounts of the manner in
which our schools are spoken of at home. And now it only re
mains for us to do something immediately for the benefit of
these schools, or make out a statement of full length of what they
�1835
See
Note M
are doing, in order to undeceive those who take such an interest
in our proceedings.
But to return to the schools. In stating the
reasons why they were not more efficient, the remarks, necessarily exhibited the darkest side of the picture. The schools
have done good in a variety of ways, and a history of them
should be preserved as an extraordinary occurrence in the
annals of this nation. But the influence they have exerted
is probably diminishing and will continue to diminish as a
general thing until better teachers can be furnished. In many
schools nearly all the scholars are as wise as the teacher.
And when this is the case the influence of the teacher must in
a measure cease.
Here, therefore, we may stop, just to enquire,
whether it is not possible that too little attention has been
paid to direct instruction in schools? In other words, may
there not be a want of proportion between our exertions to
inculcate religious truth on the one hand, and mental improve
ment on the other? It has just been mentioned that we have
on the islands at least eighteen regular sermons, discourses
or lectures every week. Upon these, the time
talents of
the mission are laid out while the literary department is left
to any who will take it up, to devote a few odd hours each
week, to be dropped at any time as circumstances may occur
or inclination dictate; or if persevered in at all, it is to
a few of the Ladles of the mission that the people are indebted.
The question arises, is this a full compliance
with the directions of the Prudential Committee to the first
missionaries & by implication to us all? "Your views," say
they, "are not to be limited to a low or narrow scale; but
you are to open your hearts wide & set your mark high. You
are to aim at nothing short of covering those islands with
fruitful fields & pleasant dwellings, & schools and churches,
& raising up the whole people to an elevated state of Christian
civilization.— To make them acquainted with letters; to give
them the Bible with skill to read it/ to introduce, & get into
extended operation & influence among them the arts and in
stitutions & usages of civilized life & society. "I would ask
further, have we complied in the best manner we were able with
the real wants of the nation, by preaching to them so much &
teaching them so little? Are not many of our sermons & dis
courses & lectures scattered to the winds for want of some
previous mental discipline in the hearers? It should be re
membered, we are labouring for future generations & not merely
for the people now on the islands. And though the people
need a great deal of preaching, and a great deal of religions
knowledge; do they not also need mental discipline in order to
make a right Use of this knowledge? Would not our church
members stand stronger and become more efficient coworkers
with us if they had more mental discipline? In short are not
enlightened christians the best christians?
�1836
If the question be asked which is the safest,
to neglict religious or literary instruction? The answer
is, do neither: but give them their just proportion.
It
is obviously the duty of a missionary the very first day
he can stammer a sentence in the language of an ignorant
people to inculcate the duties of repentence for sin & faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ, and obedience to the commands of
God. But it is just as obvious that he should on the same
day begin to instruct them in everything which will open their
minds-which will enable them to understand the word of Godtheir relation to their fellow men--in short, everything per
taining to civilized society.
But waiving these things for the present; it is
easy to perceive that the great point to be gained is to
give the people mental improvement, not merely knowledge, but
the ability to employ knowledge to some practical purpose— in
other words, to teach them to think, and to think to some end.
This then should be the main point to which everything in
the shape of schools should tend, whatever particular method
should be adopted for conducting them. Here is the labour, to
wake up the almost inert mass of mind & excite it to action-to rouse the dormant energies of the people that have slumber
ed for ages— to teach them their own resources, mental, moral
& physical.
It was observed in the former part of this essay,
that in seeking the best practical method of conducting native
schools, regard must be had to the resources of the mission.
We have seen that there is room for improvement in the manage
ment of the schools. The question next is, what resources
have the mission and how can they apply them to better advant
age than heretofore? How much money can be spared towards
fitting up schoolhouses with writing tables & c & furnishing
slates, pencils, blackboards, paper, quills &c. belongs to
another department to say. We need expect nothing from
chiefs here, as they know not the value or importance of such
things & their finances are exceedingly low.
Of the resources of the mission as it respects
talent or ability to conduct every department of literature
from the Infant school to the Theological chair, nothing need
be said here, since it has been said by others.
It only remains to enquire further, whether any
more of the time of the mission can or ought to be devoted
to this business. And the result will rest entirely on the
degree of importance attached to it by the mission.
If It
is supposed that the native schools are doing all that is
immediately necessary,— that they are making progress equal
to the wants of the people or to the religious instruction
they receive,— that the direct preaching of the gospel is of
more importance than mental improvement;--then, it will be
easy to say, we have no resources of time to spare for teach
ing school: for we are all occupied now both night & day in
teaching the people religion. But if, on the other hand, In
our endeavours to lay a broad & deep foundation upon which
the future welfare of the islands may rest--we wish to give
�1837
stability to this kingdom & the churches we are now plant
ing— to build up & perpetuate those institutions which are
the glory of all lands— if to do this, we are persuaded
that literatures & religion, as means, should go hand in
hand--that knowledge should expand the mind & religion purify
the heart;— then, it will be found that we have the resource
of time, for that is the very business for which we came here,
And in turning our attention to it, we only direct more of our
strength for a time into a little different channal. And it
will appear hereafter that something wrong was connected with
our plans, if such an important item in missionary labours
as thorough education should be crowded out of its place.
Innovations are not of themselves desirable, but it should
be remembered that perpetuating error is sinful.
Perhaps it will be expected that some general
plan will be exhibited in this essay for conducting native
schools: but good plans are always the result of experience;
and the labours of the mission have been so little directed
to this point that perhaps it is impossible, at this time, to
lay down any pl an that will not be liable to many objections.
The following however is with much deference submitted.
1st
Let the subject of education be taken up by the
mission as a matter of importance to the nation. Let every
missionary feel himself particularly interested. But that
something may be done efficiently, let a committee of educa
tion be appointed, consisting either of the Trustees of the
High School, or probably better a separate.
Let it be the
duty of the committee as far as possible to gain an accurate
knowledge of the present state of the schools.
Let them examine
schools personally if possible— look to the qualifications
of teachers— their faithfulness or unfaithfulness & suggest
improvements to them. Let them reccommend or cause to be
prepared proper school books--Let them on this subject look
to the real wants of the nation--Let them hold out such
inducements & motives to diligence & faithfulness in teachers
as shall be thought consistent with their, duty & calculated
to do good. Let them keep examinations and exhibitions
perfectly distinct--Let examination be thorough. In short,
let them attend to every thing connected with native schools
3c make a report at each General meeting of the mission.
2ndly. Let the whole system of school education on the
islands be divided into four departments.
First.
Infant or children's schools. Second, Common
schools, that is, the schools now taugh t by*missionaries
& F ourth; the High School.
1st
The infant schools. These schools will not
exactly correspond to schools of the same name in civilized
countries as may be expected from the nature of the case.
Let the schools be composed of any small children that can
be induced to attend. The importance of beginning w i t h
young children need not here be urged. Let one at least of
these schools be got up at each station and under such circumstances if possible as to be permanent. The management of
*natives. Third select or station schools, to he taught by
�1838
these schools will devolve probably on some one of the
Ladies of the station: and if possible, let one alone
have the control, or if necessary for another a part of
the tirne, let the matter of instruction be entirely distinct.
The reason is obvious to all experienced teachers. Let
the committee above mentioned write to the Board or to
individuals for plans for conducting these schools--for
apparatus— for books either to be translated or used as
models in preparing books for that department. Let the
teachers qualify themselves, by getting all the information
in their power. And here, let the process of teaching
scholars to think be commenced & persevered in. Let no
great stress he laid on committing to memory, but in
understanding what they are about.. Let all lawful in
ducements be held out as encouragements to perseverence in
the scholars--Let examination be thorough.
2.
Native or common schools. Little need be
said here, as the design of them is obvious, and were the
teachers properly qualified & faithful, they would hold
an important place in missionary operations. Let the number
of these schools be increased if possible & the very best
teachers set over them that can be procured. Let the people
be encouraged to learn to read & get information by reading;
& let the practice of getting the palapala by rote be dis
couraged. Let it be publickly announced by the missionaries
that they will not examine the schools until the scholars
can read in any book. And at the examinations, let the mis
sionaries satisfy themselves that they can read. Let them
bestow commendation or some token of approbation upon such
schools as excell. An offer may be held out to teachers who
are faithful & diligent in the management of their schools
of entering at some future period either the select or station
schools taught by a missionary, or the High School, according
to their attainments. Here, also, as before, let the wisdome of the committee on schools be exercised in furnishing
suitable school books— books so formed as, to excite curiosity
or a desire to learn, and then to gratify it. The Bible as
far as printed should hold a conspicuous place, but by no
means to the exclusion of other books. But in order that it
may be better understood, let large maps of Palestine &
adjacent countries be drawn for each school, with names of
places mentioned in the New Testament in order to direct their
attention to particular points which otherwise they would pass
over in reading without gaining any information. Let this
system run through all the school books--in short let every
thing be done possible to help the teachers convey knowledge.
3rd.
The select or station schools. Let a school
of this kind be formed at each station and taught in person
by one of the missionaries. It should be composed of the
most promising scholars, & the object should be to train
them up for teachers of the common schools or to qualify
them to enter the High School. It is evident, the higher
the scholars can be raised here, the further they can be
�1839
carried forward in a given time in the High School. The
system of instruction therfore should be as uniform as
possible in all of them & might be agreed upon by the
mission or the several teachers, and at any rate thorough.
Let those who devote themselves to the instruction of
these schools make known to the committee of Education the
kind of books & apparatus they need in conducting them, and
let their invention be awake to teach the scholars to
supply themselves as far aspossible with apparatus of their
own manufacture.
The management of these schools will by no
means take all the time of a missionary. If he be a
translator he will acquire many new words through the
scholars.
If he be not yet able to translate, the school
will be some assistance to him in acquiring the language.
These schools, like all others ought to undergo a thorough
examination, especially those scholars who are expected
to enter the High School. The number of scholars to be
admitted into these select schools may be regulated by the mis
sionaries at each of the stations. It should at least be
sufficiently large to supply an annual proportion of the
scholars for the High School.
In this class of schools
should be included perhaps the female schools both for
work & other purposes now in operation at several of the
stations.
4th.
The High School. To this no small share of the
attention of the mission should be directed.
Its design &
plan need not be stated here, as they may be seen as far as
developed, in the minutes of last General Meeting.
This
school if rightly managed & attended with the divine blessing,
may be the means of great good not only to these islands but
to others of this wide Pacific Ocean. This school is now
in the act of struggling into existence.
It needs the fos
tering case of the mission & the patronage of the friends of
missions & civilization in our own country.
A more definite plan however of the course of
study to be pursued should be made out as soon as practicable
that books in the several departments may be in a course of
preparation. The course of instruction should speedily em
brace every branch of learning or literature calculated to call
into action every faculty of the human mind. These will be
no want of students nor want of ability in students except
the influence of hollow minded ignorance. If there shall
be any lack, it will be in the want of a suitable number of
instructors, & in proper books & apparatus for comminicating
knowledge.
Nothing further need be said respecting this
school as the Trustees are capable of directing, and it may
seem like dictating to urge anything further in this place.
Permit me to conclude these remarks by suggest
ing the fullowing queries for the consideration of the
missions.
�1840
1st
Has a proper portion of our Missionary labour on
these islands been directed to direct instruction in schools;
or, considering the great ignorance of the people, has there
been & is there now a due proportion between religious in
struction & mental improvement?
2.
Would not the members of our churches, be less
wavering, stand stronger & exhibit more of the influence of
christianity if they had more mental improvement?
3
How many efficient literary teachers are re
quired in well regulated societies in christian lands to
one preacher of the gospel?
4/
Will not our books, even the New Testament it
self, be more extensively read, & better understood and hence
be more extensively useful & more valuable in the opinions
of the people, if more pains were taken to give them mental
improvement?
June 11th 1832
�151
1841
67
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Notes &c.
After the foregoing was read the Moderator of
the Association according to custom called severally upon
the brethren for their remarks or criticisms. Instead,
however, of criticising the the Essay, the whole evening
was spent in criticising the Subject of the Essay, that is,
the present condition of the schools.
I am sorry that
cannot now state anything like a summary of the remarks that
were made. It was admitted over & over again that the view
I had taken of the schools, that is, the facts stated in general
terms in the Essay were literally true.
I am happy to say that since the last General
Meeting the Brethren at all the stations have been more en
gaged on this subject. They are trying, besides getting up
new schools at the stations, to get the old ones in better
operation.
If the result should be prosperous, the Brethren
will not fail to make it known to the Board in due time.
Only a single remark or two intended as a
criticism of the foregoing essay was made one of which was,
That in speaking of the good which had been accomplished by
means of native schools (page 27 & 28) I forgot to say
as fully as I should, that the schools had been of great use
as a moral institution. This remark is correct & the idea
would have been expressed more fully but with a great many
other ideas was thrown out for want of time & room. It ought
to be added here however that as a general thing the moral in
fluence is not so great as formerly & for the reason somewhere
expressed in the Essay that the influence of the teachers was
very much diminished.
Note A.
Page 4th.
Several of us have frequently conversed on the sub
ject of Lancasterian schools as being suited well to the
wants of this people; but I believe there is now more hes
itancy insaying so, however we may feel.
It is well known that
on the Lancasterian plan of conducting schools, much depends
on the faithfulness of Monitors. But at the Sandwich islands
there is no words for faithfulness in the language, of course
the thing does not exist. And it is now my private opinion
after two years experience in teaching and introducing this
system as far as I could, that if a school should be institut
ed entirely on this plan, it would fail. In the High School
I employ some native assistants but they act the part of
professors rather than that of Monitors.
Note B. Page 5
It is remarkable that we are obliged to teach
�1842
in a formal manner many things to this people which are
easily understood by the most illiterate in civilized
countries or which they would find out by inference.
And
we are called upon frequently to answer questions which
appear to us foolish.
To mention only one:
about three
months ago the wife of Kauwa one of the Society Island
teachers died, a very respectable and I believe a pious
woman.
She died on sabbath day. S ome few days after her
death, the question was agitated among our Lahaina church
members, Whether or no she could now be happy? And the conclu
sion pretty generally if not universally was that she must
be miserable, since the last act of her life consisted in
dying on the sabbath; in other words in breaking the sabbath,
and as they had been taught that there was no repentance
after death it was not discoverable at all by them how she
could be saved. This reasoning was among the best informed
people of Lahaina and who have enjoyed almost ten years of
faithful instruction.
Kaio, my teacher, who for thought,
reflection and knowledge of the scriptures, stands third
if not second on the islands, was completely puzzled with the
question and came to me for a solution.
Note
page 9
Multitudes of cases might be mentioned in Illustra
tion of this.
Moku the teacher of the Princess' school is
a young man of some considerable mind when led on to think, but
knows not how to spur up himself.
In 1828, he was taught with
a good many others the ground rules of arithmetick on the
old plan, as far as into reduction.
He has continued teach
ing school ever since. At his exhibition in 1832, he had add
ed a single new sum, and probably had not gained a single new
idea respecting Arithmetick though he had been teaching it at
least every week for nearly four years.
It ought to be stated
however, that they have no use for arithmetick in their ordin
ary transactions.
They have very little buying & selling
among themselves and hence there is no stimulus except the
love of thinking, which is here considered a burden instead
of a pleasure.
Note
page 10.
Some of the scholars n o w in the High School had
previous to entering been teachers of schools some four, five
& six years; and yet three months at least have been spent upon
every one that has entered to teach him to read tolerably. A
few have made but little or no proficiency in this respect at
the end of a year and a half. So fixed are their old bad
habits.
�1843
Note E. page 12
The worst thing in their reading is, that they
get no ideas.
I have taken great pains to ascertain this
fact and I am convinced that ninety out of a hundred that are
called readers, hardly know that any meaning ought to be
attached to the words.
Indeed a great many think there is
a kind of mystery or perhaps magic in reading. Their notions
is, that they must say over a word or two or a sentence and
then from some quarter or another a thought will come to them.
that is when they have any thoughts at all.
I have spent hours
at a time in the High School trying to make the scholars b e
lieve that a word written on paper or printed in a book meant
just the same thing as when spoken with the mouth.
From several things it is manifes t to me that the
common readers understand but v ery little of what they read.
For, First, they are not able after reading a sentence or
paragraph to tell anything about it. The following is an instan ce
not long ago.
"Abraham died being an hundred and seventy
five years old.” I immediately asked, "how old was Abraham
when he died?” The scholar replied,
"I dont know, I never
heard, how should I know?"
Secondly, when they misscall a
word or make a blunder so as to make perfect nonsense or a
falsehood they pay no attention to it nor do they even think
of recalling it.
Thirdly, it is universally the case that
when a scholar gets a little forward and begins to know that
there is meaning in a book or in words printed, he turns back
when he makes a mistake and corrects it. And the doing so is
generally the first sign that they begin to get ideas in read
ing.
Oral instruction is better understood; though
a wrong construction is put upon many things said in our
preachings.
A few months ago I preached at Kanipale about eight
miles from Lahaina;--congregation about 1500.
I took u n
common pains to make my sermon clear; it was written.
The
text was, "Jesus stood and cried, if any man thirst let him
come to me and drink."
The body of the sermon was taken up
in running a parallel between the feelings, conduct & fears
of a man perishing with thirst, and one earnestly seeking
the salvation of his soul; and supposed a man perishing with
thirst on top of the mountain near to us.
I thought the
sermon must be understood.
After meeting was out a respectable
looking man followed me Into the house & after sitting a
minute said to me, ”What is the name of that man who lives on
the mountain?" Without replying directly to his question, I
said, "Did you hear my sermon?" He replied, "Yes."
"Did
you understand it?" "Yes, it was exceedingly plain."
"Well"
�1844
said I, "what did you learn from it?" "Why" said he, there
w ere two men, one up on the mountain and one on the sea shore
here, the one on the mountain was thirsty and wanted the other
to bring him some water." "Was this all you heard?" He replied,
"Yes, that was all of it." Besides losing the whole tenor
of the sermon, the man on the sea shore was from hiso
n
w
imagina
tion.
Note P.
It has been the universal practice of missionaries
to these islands to commence their missionary work by teaching
school. They engage in this work because they cannot preach.
But as soon as they can preach or write a sermon in a week,
that is, when they begin to be able to teach a little the
school must be dropped for the more important work of preaching.
Now however this may sound in our reports to the Board or in
letters to our friends, it in fact amounts to little or nothing
of benefit to the people. The very idea of teaching a school
presupposes an ability to communicate knowledge; but how can
he do this when the teacher is utterly unacquainted with the
languageof his pupils. Suppose a learned pundit on his first
arrival at Boston s hould set himself up for a teacher of the
English language? Though we might applaud his zeal we should
not soon expect to see much advance in his pupils. And yet
something like this has been the manner in which every missionary
has commenced & carried on his work.
I did so when I first
arrived at the islands; but I would not do it again. This in
part perhaps will account for unfaithfulness in teachers. They
have never yet seen a well conducted school; because no one
has taught school who has been qualified to communicate ins truc tion. Even after a residence of above four years among the
people and writing & preaching a great many sermons I am
puzzled every day for want of wards & terms to communicate
ideas to my scholars.
Note G.
It ought to be stated that very little time is
really spent in school. Those teachers who pretend to have
school every day (and they are very few) have it only five
days in a week and not more than a half hour of at most an
hour at a time. And besides they have long vacations. But
the common practice is to have school only two or three
days in a week and about an hour at a time. Thus they go on
until a proclamation is made by a governor or a missionary to
prepare for examination, they then wake up and make a real
push for several days if so many are allowed. Their memories
�1845
are literally crammed with this & that to make a show. After
examination is over or rather exhibition all is forgotten &
they go on as before until again summoned to examination.
Note H.
It should be kept in mind that the scholars In
the native schools are in totally different circumstances
from schools in any other country or age. The great majority
are adults grown up in all the Ignorance of heathenism--that
the native teachers are darkminded ignorant men just like
themselves, perhaps do not know any more than their scholars.
The mass of people gain nothing from conversation with those
who are better informed as in enlightened countries, for they
are all alike unthinking. A person born & raised in a Christian
country though he should never go to school or learn a letter
has unspeakable advantages for mental improvement above this
people.
Note I
It is my opinion that the people attach very little
if any more meaning to what they commit to memory than to what
they read. I mention only one fact that we have all noticed as
singular. No chapter in all the new Testament has interested
the people so much as the genealogies in the first of Matthew
& third of Luke, and none which they have been more desirous to
commit to memory. The rows of figures also put down us sums
in the little Arithmetick, have all been very accurately
committed to memory, without the least idea of the nature or
design of numerical figures except the name & the numerical
value.
Note K
Instances of unfaithfulness in teachers are in
numerable.
I only mention two, though I might mention multitudes.
They occur under my own observation every day. Miss Ogden
has had a school for children in Lahaina for two or three years
In which she occasionally employs native assistants. Not
long since she employed Kaamoku an experienced teacher & good
woman to instruct a class. A few minutes after, passing by
that class Miss 0. perceived the teacher standing in front of
a little child, holding the book right end up to herself and
wrong end up to the child and teaching it to read the words
backwards.
Dr. Judd, a short time time ago set o n e his most
trusty scholars to hear a class read.
On looking about the
school her perceived the man teaching a boy to to read from
the bottom of the page upward in the Testament !
�1846
The truth is, as the people have been taught
anyhow so they they are able (if able at all) to read every
now . It is a v e r y common thing to see two, three, four &
sometimes as many as six persons all reading out of one
book at the same time and all reading loud and each in a
different place. When six are reading at one the process
is this. The book is laid down on the ground or if in a
house in the middle of the room as the center. The persons
then prostrate themselves around as radii from that center
with their heads over the book. Hence to some the book must
be right end up, to other wrong end up and others most read
towards them or from them as the case may be. They always
read loud in all cases and generally each read in a different
place though within the compass of the two pages spread before
them. I have never noticed a native read silently to himself & get any idea whatever.
Thes e remarks apply particularly
to m e best scholars on the islands.
Note L.
The following is a pleasing specimen of memory,
r e fliction &c-. Some year or two after Mr. Richards was
stationed at Lahaina, Hoapili and some other chiefs in conver
sation with Mr. R. enquired t he name of the wood of which the
sheeves in the pully blocks of ships was made. Mr. R. told
them we called it lignum vitae; this however, they could not
frame to pronounce, so Mr. R . gave the interpretation in their
own language, thus laau o ke ola, that is wood or tree of life.
The conversation passed off & nothing more was thought of it.
During the second summer after I came to the islands, (that is,
three of four years after the above conversation,) Mr. R. with
his family spent several months at Honolulu superintending the
printing of Acts and Genesis and left me the only missionary at
Maul. As the sheets of the above works were printed off, Mr.
R. sent me a few & I distributed them among the chiefs. Not
many days after I had given out several numbers of the first
shee t of Genesis, while I was lying on my bed in great agony
with the sick head ache, Hoapili the governor, Kealiiahonui,
Kehekili and a number of the lower class of chiefs with their
attendants to the number of thirty or more came to ray house
enquiring very earnestly for me. Mrs. A. told them I was sick
unable to get up. They enquired whether I was able to talk?
Mrs. A. told them I could speak, but it would give me great
pain to converse much. They seemed unwilling to go, and It
wa s evident that they had business which in their estimation
was of importance. With Mrs. A's assistance I got up and
staggered out into the room where they were sitting. At this
time I could converse but poorly in Hawaiian though I could
read & write it some. They commenced their enquiries by
talking about ships and sails and ropes and p u l l i
es; at least,
this was all I could make of i t. However, by perseverance, they
led me along from one thing to another about a ship until they
�1847
came to the pulley. "Well do you know the little wheel in
side?"Y
s
e
"What sort of wood do you call it?" I said,
we call it lignum vitae. "O", said they, with a great deal
of satisfaction, "that is what Mr. Richards told us.” They
they now began to pronounce it, calling the words anything
and everything except lignum vitae. After a few minutes spent
in trying to pronounce these words & in correcting each
others pronunciation; they asked me what the meaning of it
was in their language. I told them, laau o ke ola. Here
again they expressed great satisfaction, saying, "So Mr.
Richards told us." And now every one who had it, pulled
out of his pocket the first sheet of Genesis and turned
to the 2nd chap. & 9th verse, and enquired if the laau o ke
ola (tree of life) those mentioned, was the same as t h a t
of which the little wheels in the pullles of ships were made?
To get this question solved was the object of
their visit. The conversation lasted about an hour and the
exictement in my mind together with the result, nearly cured
my head ache.
Note M.
I would beg leave to remark here, that Miss
Ogden has been, and is now, most persevering and indefatigable
in the business of teaching, besides being of great help
to Mrs. Richards in her family. As a teacher of children and
of female schools she has been extensively useful. And I see
no reason why the number of such helpers could not be multi
plied to the great advancement of knowledge, industry, virtue
and piety.
Rev. Lorrin Andrews
Essay on the best manner of conducting schools
Read June 1832
Recd M a y 1834
Ackd in Gen Let Sep 5/34
Ansd Dec 3
For P. Com
Copy
from Mr. Baldwins
letter Nov 21, 1833, about
�1848
152
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
High School (near Lahaina)
Maui Nov 15th 1833
The Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms, Boston
Rev & Dear Sir,
Although the High School
has been in operation above two years, yet I believe I have
never given any account of it to the Board. The reasons will
be stated hereafter.
I now write in great haste, as the last ships
are about to sail that are expected to leave this season.
You will see some notice of the school in the printed minutes
of our last General Meeting, but from that source alone, you
will get too favourable an opinion of what it really is. The
institution is designed by us to be of no ordinary character.
With the blessing of God, It may give light to all the islands
of the Pacific, and even be reflected to the two continents
and its influence descend to future generations.
But neither
light nor truth nor happiness will result from wise plans
merely, they must be followed up with energy and perseverance.
We were greatly rejoiced, on reading in your last letter to the
Mission, received a few days ago, on account of the readiness
of the friends of missions in the U. S. to help us in the
business of education. It will be a vast work yet to get
this people to be a thinking people.
It was proposed at our last General Meeting to send
a circular to the rooms to be printed in behalf of the school.
Whether this will be done is now uncertain. Probably the
directors expected me to write it, but I confess I do not
know how.
If spared, however, i propose to write for the
Information of the Board a historical account of the school,
which if condensed, would answer all the purposes of a cir
cular. It will be proper that the public be informed that
frequent & urgent calls will be made upon them for help in
order to sustain this great undertaking.
The point, however, to which I would invite the
attention of the Board at present, is one of novelty in the
annals of Education and perhaps will be disapproved. It will
at once be perceived that in commencing a school such as ours,
is, among a barbarous unlettered people, that everything is to
be done. The whole machinery is to be constructed before the
main work can be commenced. All the books and apparatus,
as far as such are needed, are in some way to be brought Into
existence, before the educator can act. On this account, the
�1849
High School has been exceedingly embarrassed from the begin
ning and is more so now than ever, as far as relates to books,
for the scholars improve faster than books can be made for
them.
Soon after the school commenced, it became a
serious enquiry with me, what the great or principal studies
of the school should be in order to discipline the mind?
Should they be Languages or Mathematics or both? If both
are necessary, it is plain, the scholars for many years to
come must leave the school with minds undisciplined or but
partially so, as books for both branches could not at present,
nor for many years to come be prepared. Which then shall
we drop? Here the result of my experience & observation is
as follows.
1st The minds of the scholars are not so well,
or so naturally adapted to mathematical studies as to some
others. 2ndly It appears that the Islanders have at present
very little or no use for mathematics beyond common Arithmetick
& Navigation. 3dly Though Mathematics tends to discipline
and strengthen the mind, it is more of a specific discipline
than a general one; adapted to a particular business rather
than the common occupations of life.
I speak here only of
their influence comparatively.
But on the other hand, my experience in past years
(in America) has led me to the following conclusion respecting
the study of languages. That when rightly and thoroughly con
ducted, the study of the ancient languages tends to improve
& discipline the minds equally with mathematics, and in addition,
leaves the mind much better prepared to engage in other studiesto Investigate moral truths and better fitted for the active
duties of life.
It is our design also, with the leave of Providence,
to train up in the High School those who shall preach the
Gospel on these & other Islands of the Pacific. Both mental
discipline & Bible knowledge will be necessary; Besides,
I am not a whit behind the most zealous in the opinion that
that Bible ought to be a standard, classic-text book in the
business of education -- that it ought to be read in the
original where it can be.
Another idea has weight with me. It is my opinion
that the Sandwich Islanders will never have a good translation
of tho Bible until some of them shall be able to read the
original. Respecting the study of Modern languages, there is
but one opinion among us, that is, that it is utterly inexpedient.
To the study of English at present, there are many & weighty
objections.
I made known my opinion on the subject to the
directors of the school at our last General Meeting; ( the
above is only a sketch,) the result was, th e privilege of
�1850
trying the experiment, as expressed in the Minutes p. 16.
If there were any objections in the minds of the Directors
of of the Mission generally it was from the fact that it
would be a great work to prepose Grammers & Lexicons. But
this applies equally to all studies .
Accordingly, a class of twelve commenced the
study of Greek about the first of August last. We should
have commenced with Hebrew but we had not Bibles to spare.
Af ter three months trial, I am fully satisfied that the
scheme is practicable & that the effect will be good. #
I fully believe that a class might be taught to read &
understand the Greek Testament much sooner than they could
to read & understand the English Testament.
The question is , is such an experiment worth
following up? Or ought I to desist? This I leave for the
Board to determine, & only say further, if it be thought
best to persevere & make the original languages of scripture
a study of the school, that proper books, such as Hebrew
Bibles & Greek Testaments will be essential. Moreover Greek
& Hebrew type (with points) will be necessary to print
Grammars & Lexicons or some thing in their place. These
must be made & printed here. In Heb. the Christomathy o f
Prof. Stuart (The Heb. part is all that could be of use)
would answer for a while. In Greek, the best introductions
such as Goodriches' or Cleveland’s would be important. Jacob's
Greek reader too, these with Testaments would be sufficient
for the present. I should use those & similar works in
preparing books for future classes. #
If those remarks should strike you unfavourably
the subject can be dropped.
I cannot carry my class much
further without making preparations for permanent studies in
this department.
It Is to be observed that what we have yet
done in Greek is all extra work.
It has cost me two addition
al hours each day that it might not interfere with the regu
lar studies of the school.
On the subject of Books I intend to write in full.
As you will read in the Minutes of our last meet
ing what we did respecting appropriation for the High School,
it will be proper to state that probably but little of what is
there mentioned will be accomplished.
I now see no way of
carrying on any further the Manual Labour part of the school,
though I consider it of almost equal importance with the
# I have not time to state the process.
It was the Jacotrian
system as far as I understand it. We need no books but
Gr Testaments.
— - I think I may safely add the Hawaiian Testament espec
ially if much stress is laid upon understanding it.
# We shall want a dozen copies of each besides one for
myself. These books to belong to the library of the school.
t
�1851
academical deportment. We have neither funds nor men. One
of the old Ramage presses has come up from Honolulu but we
have not half type enough for our purpose. I hope to be
able to get up a small periodical for the school but cannot
without more materials & help.
Can you send me a regular file of the little Greek
News paper I forget the name? Are there any Modern Greek
Lexicons & Grammar.
One subject more & I close. Most of my scholars
have wives, but they have no teacher & no means of instruction.
Their husbands are increasing in knowledge, but their wives
are not. They are living in idleness ignorance & sin. Miss
Ward was their teacher a while, but she became Mrs. Rogers &
returned to Honolulu. Miss Ogden has as much as she can do
with her schools at Lahaina. Here is a field of usefulness for
a female teacher, not merely school instruction but the arts
of domestic life.
With many prayers for your temporal & spiritual
prosperity and long continued usefulness I am
Yours in the bonds of the Gospel
Lorrin Andrews.
The Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
28 /Cornhill Boston
Rev. Lorrin Andrews
Date Nov 15 1833
Recd May 1834
Ackd in G. Let Sep 5/34
Circular
Female teacher
Books
■Type
ansd Dec 3/34
New Bedford Ms
May 20
ship
�1852
153
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
High School Lahainaluna
Oct 1st 1834
The Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms, Boston, Mass
Rev. & Dear Sir,
As an opportunity
is about to offer of sending letters to America, I sit down
in the midst of a variety of other business to give the Board
some account of the High School. There are several reasons
why I have not done it before. The principal one was the
slender foundation on which the school has stood; & the uncer
tainly of its continuance.
(See Note A) The school was
commenced as an experiment; it has been continued as an exper
iment, until I believe there is but one opinion in the Mission
respecting its practicability & that its continuance is
essental to the future welfare of these islands if not to
many others in the Pacific Ocean. All I design, however, at
present, is, to give a historical outline of the origin &
progress of the school, that the Board may fully know the
difficulties we have had to contend with,-the obstacles that
were to be overcome,-the progress that has been made,-the
wants that still exist & the prospects for the future.
Previously to the year 1831, there had been no
concentrated effort of the Mission to increase the qualifications
of the teachers, or indeed to secure that permanency of the
school system thenin operation which the state of the islands
seemed to need. At our annual meetings we had voted to do
something; and at each of the stations individuals had attempted
by means of select schools, to raise the standard of education;
but the want of convenieces, school houses, school books, a
knowledge of technical language so useful in communicating
instruction, & the multiplicity of other engagements in which
missionaries are nesessarily employed, prevented the schools
from assuming that character which it was desirable & im
portant they should do.
At the General Meeting of the Mission in June
1831, it was resolved to establish a High School for the
purpose of a more general & thorough diffusion of sound know
ledge over the islands & the training up of more efficient school
e a c h e rs; but especially for the purpose of preparing young
t
men to preach the gospel. As the mission at the time was
very deficient in means for commencing or conducting such an
institution, little was attempted towards drawing up a full
plan leaving it for time & experience to make known what should
be proper and practicable. The minutes of the General Meeting
�1853
of that year will show that in the opinion of the Mission
something ought to be done, at the same time the little
that was done in detail towards putting the school on a
good foundation shows that the mission were in very great
doubt respecting the best method of proceeding. See Note B .
Lahaina or some spot in the neighborhood was
chosen as suitable place for the location of the school, &
my brethren entrusted to me the care of it; an awfully re
ponsible office, one requiring in constant exercise every
moral, Christian & literary qualification.
As soon as practicable after the General Meet
ing above mentioned, Mr. Richards & myself commenced the
examination of several cites in the neighbourhood of Lahaina
for the Location of the school. We at length fixed upon the
present spot, which has since been named by the scholars
Lahainaluna or Upper Lahaina. It is situated back of Lahaina
about two miles & its elevation above it has been estimated
at 750 feet. Hence we look down upon Lahaina as upon a
As yet there is no road except a foot path, & that a poor one,
from the school house to the sea shore , The site was in a
wild" barren rude state, but by cultivation & art capable of being
made very fertile & pleasant. The prospect is extensive &
fine.
As soon as the site was fixed upon, notice was
sent to the different stations that the school would commence
on the first of September. Previously to that time, some
scholars had arrived from Hawaii, but none as yet from the
Leward islands. During the week or ten days previous to the
first monday of Sept. a native house was put up for my family
whither we removed. On the Saturday before the school commenc
ed, some of the Lahaina scholars erected a Lanai or shed of
kukui poles & grass for a schoolhouse . It served only as a
screen from the sun, as it would not shed rain at all, St from
the nature of the materials it could not last but a few months .
My own house was with out doors or windows for several weeks,
St it was about two months before we had any place for cooking
except the open air.
The school commenced on the 5th of Sept. 1831.
About twenty five scholars chiefly from Maui & Hawaii were
all that had assembled from their respective islands. Their
qualifications were exceedingly scanty. Not an individual of
them, could with any propriety be called a good reader. That
is, no one could pronounce the words of a single sentence
without leaking one or more mistakes, or without spelling out
the words a s he went; though most or them had been teachers
of schools for several years. As a matter of course they got
few or no ideas from what they read, or if they did, were con
stantly liable to get wrong ones. The first thing then, was to
teach them to read St to get ideas by reading. Almost the only
�1854
books then in use were the scripture tracts that had been
from time to time published. A little tract of eight pages,
a part of which related to the principles of language was the
only text book in that department.
The scholars were in age, from 15 years to 35;
all adults, all moral as far as morality could be predicated
of people in their condition, and a few of them members of
the church. Our accommodations for communicating & receiving
instruction were few, or rather none. We had neither seats
nor tables nor anything to make them of. Some dry grass
spread upon the earth was our floor, & indeed the only
convenience the place afforded. We had school twice a day,
morning & afternoon. Often did I look round upon my half
naked pupils sitting on the ground, & conning over some chapter
of the New testament (our only reading book,) and think,
What a field for the exercise of faith & patience ! Here is
the highest school on the Sandwich islands;— Here in almost
savage ignorance, without the least vestage of civilization,
are the future lawyers and Doctors & schoolmasters & preachers
of the Sandwich islands. H ere are the persons, who, under God,
are to give tone & character to this nation & be the perpectuators of the infant churches just now planted. O how much
labour & toil & perseverance & patience & faith must be brought
Into exercise before this transformation can take place ! An
omnipotent arm & a divine skill are necessay to effect it; but
the means are with men & on their faithful application the
result depends.
Most of the scholars had wives, and some few
of them had children. The chiefs at Lahaina had partly grant
ed some land for the use of the school in the neighbourhood
of its location, and this seemed to be the only resource of
many of them as it respected support. Every scholar, however,
entered the school with the full understanding that manual
labour was a part of the business of the school.
After the school had continued about two weeks,
& it was manifest the scholars were interested in it; I ven
tured to propose the subject of building a school house.
I
told them this school was designed to be a permanent one—
that many things yet remained for them to learn, but that we
had no conveniences — that upon them depended the success
of the school— that when it was manifest that they wished for
instruction & would do anything to gain it, the good people
of christian lands would assist them -- that learning was
not only a good thing, but it was a duty to labour to attain
it &c &c. but that knowledge could be obtained without con
veniences, such as a permanent house, tables, seats, books,
paper &c. that books would be made by us as fast as we could
make them; but that we were not then able to build a house.
�1855
They all assented that what I had said was proper & that they
would work if I would show them how, that I must be their
teacher & their chief.
I told them I would be their teacher
but not their chief. If they worked, they must work willing
ly & cheerfully. It was for their own benefit & not for mine--Such was the drift of the conversation at that time. I dismiss
ed them by requesting them to think well of the matter and
tomorrow we would talk more about it. After school, the next
day therefore, I asked them what they though of a school house?
They said they had thought some about it, and their thought
was they could build one if I would show them how. The kind
of building was agreed upon the day before. As stones were
convenient it was thought a stone house would be the quickest
& easiest to build,
It only remained settle the time of
commencing the work. As usual with Hawaiians, some said next
week; some next month &c . but no one though of the present as
at all suitable.
I asked them where the harm was of beginning
now? They made several objections without answering my question
I asked again, where would be the harm of beginning now? They
said we know no harm, but it is not the custom of Hawaiian
people to be quick at work.
I then said, Those of you who are
willing to commence now, follow me; those who wish to wait till
next month may sit still. I then took up such a sized stone
at I could conveniently carry & walked to the site of the
contemplated house, twelve or fifteen rods perhaps where I
laid it down . More than half the school very promptly follow
ed & imitated my example, and all of them from curiosity or
some other motive within ten or fifteen minutes came on to the
ground. We worked about an hour & I then dismissed them.
From this time on we worked regularly an hour or two immed
iately after after school both in the morning and afternoon.
I taxed myself to do as much as any one of the, though I
could not carry so large stones.
In about fifteen days it was
judged we had stones enough collected for the body of the
house & we commenced laying them up. I found it nescessary
h ere to bring all my knowledge of masonry to bear on our work,
as my most skilfull scholars were utterly ignorant of such
wor k. However, by constantly telling all I knew on the subject
& guessing at somethings I did not know, and by keeping a rule
& plumb in my hands & carefully watching all the work, the
walls were possible as far as strength was concerned.
It ought to be stated here, that faithfulness
in the execution of work is a thing utterly unknown among
Hawaiians. However well they are paid if they are not
watched, & even if they are, they fee l themselves perfectly
justifiable in sleighting their work all they can. They
even do so when they work for chiefs. It was so here, &
I found it necessary in inculcate upon them again & again
the importance of doing their work well, that is as well
as they knew how. That in sleighting their work, they did
�1856
wrong;--that they did not cheat the chiefs--that they did
not cheat me, but they cheated themselves, that if their
house fell down they would suffer a loss as well as the
ridicule of the ignorant. Still there was much unfaithful
ness, but the work went on. When about one third up, that is
about five or six weeks after the school commenced, several
scholars arrived from Oahu & Kauai. With this accession to
their strength, the work went on more rapidly, though I was
obliged to repeat all my instruction to the new comers on
the subject of building stone houses.
About the first of Nov. the walls were finished.
The house was 46 feet by 26 Inside, walls three feet thick.
The building stood on a side hill & we designed to have the
floor an inclined plane or rather steps at regular intervals.
The walls therefore were about, 8 feet in heighth at the
upper end, & about 12 at the lower.
It ought to be stated that our instruments in
building were few. We had but one iron crow bar for digging
stones; for the rest the scholars went several miles & cut
wooden levers. F or hewing stones we had one black-smith's
sledge, one black-smith's small hammer & one hatchet. For
making mortar or rather mud, we had nothing but the native
oo & our hands & feet, & no trowels except wooden ones, to
which the natives preferred their own hands.
When the walls were up, It was necessary the
school should be dismissed to go & get timber. The nearest
timber suitable for beams & rafters for the school house was
twenty five miles and more of it upwards of thirty. The sticks
of timber were divided out to companies & the school was
dismissed with a charge to return as soon as they could obtain
their timber. They went to different places on East Maui as
they supposed they should succeed best. As there were then
about sixty scholars the timber required would be equal to
one stick to a scholar, and I supposed a week or ten days
would be sufficient. After waiting, however, four or five
weeks in which time I scarcely heard from them, I sent for them
to return whether they had any timber or not. The fact was there
had been some very severe stormy weather; but the principal
reason of their delay was, that the chiefs at Lahaina had
given direction to the people in the neighborhood of the tim
ber to supply the scholars with food while thus engaged and the
scholars finding themselves so much better provided for than
they had been at school were in no hurry to shorten their
stay. And on the other hand the scholars told such marvellous
stories about the difference between vowels & consonants &
the position of the mouth In pronouncing them & the wonder
ful influence of commas, semicolons & periods on the meaning
of a sentence all which they had learned at the High School
that they were considered by no means unwelcome guests by
their more illiterate neighbours.
In the course of ten days
or so from the time I sent for them they all got back. During
�1857
their a b s e n c e however, there had come a long storm of rain
together with as strong wind and as the house was built on
a side hill the rain that fell within the walls was prevented from running off by the wall on the lower side & thus
soaked into the ground rendering the foundation soft when
two thirds of the house fell flat to the ground. After the
scholars returned, we held a council to see what should be
done. It was thought best to rebuild the house, but not
until after the rainy season should be over which would be
in a few weeks. We therefore laid aside regular labour &
attended to study as well as we could for one half our lanai
or shed had been blown away by the storm. We were frequently
driven by showers from our school place to our houses. One
of my most intering bible class meetings was in a shower that
compelled the scholars to hold their slates perpendicularly
to prevent the rain from washing out their questions nor could
I get their consent to dismiss until we had gone through with
the lesson.
Our business in school was still reading, nor
were the scholars yet able to read well, so inveterate were
their bad habits.
It should be kept in mind that during the time the
house was building a good number of the scholars were scantily
supplied with food. The chiefs at Oahu had made some provision
for their scholars, a part at least. Some of the Maui scholars
had lands & could supply themselves; but no provision had
been made for the Hawaiian or the Kauai scholars. As we were
at work one day at the school house, a Hawaiian scholar in
attempting to toss a small stone to another on the wall
fell backwards to the ground. The one on the wall asked what
the matter was? Not knowing that I overheard him, he said
he was faint(dizzy) for want of food. He asked, how long
since he had eaten? He replied, he had fasted since day be
fore yesterday morning.
It was then late in the afternoon.
The other one replied, there are a good many of us so.
I encouraged them on all occasion to plant food
that they might not be hungry. And during the winter months
of January & February, considerable was planted.
As yet the direct religious instruction of the
school had been little. Our reading books were portions of
scripture but so much pains were necessary to make them
get ideas by reading that much of the religious influence
that might have been expected was lost. The school was
turned into a Bible class every Wednesday until our shed was
blown down & then we postponed it as is common with religious
matters to a more convenient season.
About the first of Feb. it was supposed the
storms of the season were over & we began to think of rebuild
ing our schoolhouse. We held a consultation & formed a reso
lution to that effect. We altered the plan of our building
& somewhat enlarged it. The house was now 50 feet by 26 inside
8c stood fronting the sea. At this second building the scholars
�1858
worked more regularly & faithfully than at the other. They
had profited much by their experience, About the time it
was up, M r . Richards was taken sick and it became necessary
for me to preach three times a week in Lahaina, besides
managing the school, superintend the building of the school
house, and this continued for several months.
When the walls were again up, school was dis
missed in order that the scholars might go and fetch their
timber, as the most of it still remained in the places where
it was cut. The timber (most of it large & heavy particular
ly the rafters) was carried on their shoulders or dragged
on the ground with ropes except perhaps a few sticks brought
on canoes a part of the way.
In a week or two it was brought
on the ground. And now it became me to lay aside the mason
& assume the carpenter. When all our tools were collected,
they consisted of one broad axe, one narrow axe, two hand
saws, one inch framing chisel, one inch auger, two adzes and
a sash square. These were all we could get for sixty men
to work with. But I met with an unexpected difficulty. The
scholars could n o t trust to my measuring. With a fathom stick
I proceeded to take the length & breadth of the building very
exactly preparatory to laying out the plates & beams, when
the scholars insisted that that method would not insure correct
ness; that nothing short of laying the timber on the walls
would answer. I told them I would be responsible for that,
that it was a good ways to carry the timber (15 rods perhaps)
that it was heavy, that my measuring would answer &c. and
with much difficulty I was permitted to lay out the plates
and beams. The next day David Malo one of wisest of them,
not being present the day before, insisted that I had cut
the beams too short.
I requested him to take the fathom
stick & measure and compare it with the width of the house.
He said it would not be pla in fromthat measurement. He
then ordered eight or nine of the Lahaina scholars to take up
one of the beams and carry it up to the house: but he was
obliged to call for three or four more to assist in getting
the timber to the top of the building & lay it in its place.
After all it appeared the timber was cut exactly right. Two
or three hours were spent or rather lost in this proceeding.
This is only one of a multitude of the pe tty whims of ignor
ance with which I have been obliged to contend.
It was however
owing in part to my method of instruction. Had I assumed the
authority of a chief over them from the first, they would
never have disputed my word or plan. But it had been my
object to break up that passive obedience & to require a reason
why they did so & so & why they thought so & so; hence I
allowed them to dispute my word & my opinion at all times if
they though it not correct. The above I suppose to be the
fruit of such instruction & though troublesome at the time
the result in the end gave me greater influence over them
than though I had dictated to them as a chief besides the
influence It had on them in causing them to think for them-
�1859
selves & convinced only by evedience.
On raising the r o o f we met with another accident.
As the rafters were raised one pair after another framed
into a king post at the top, thus were fastened together
by a rope at the top; it appeared however that the last
pair but one did not stand perpendicularly, and I requested
two or three of them to pull at the rope until they should
be perpendicular in order to thier being*very particularly
not to pull but little & go carefully. Instead of follow
ing my directions, some eight or ten of them caught hold
of the rope & with a sailor’s whoop gave a full that not
only raised up the rafters that were inclining but pulled
the others out of their perpendicular position and like a
row of bricks set on end they came tumbling against each
other with a crash that broke one pair of rafters, spilt
the head of one king post and broke three of the six beams
in two. This was a good specimen of Hawaiian carelessness.
We were now put back some weeks as the same process had to
be gone through in getting timber as before.
I tried to im
prove the occasion however by giving them a lecture on
carelessness.
In less than a month we had the roof raised once
more. It was then necessary the school should be suspended for
the purpose of getting aho and ki leaves for the roof instead
of boards & shingles but which i s far more expensive. During
the months of April & M a y the scholars were engaged in furnishing the materials and in covering the roof & when not in
the mountains collecting aho and ki leaf we had school as usual.
The house was just covered before our General Meeting in June.
(see minutes 1832).
The school was taught in the school house fr om
the time the walls were up & long before the roof was on, as
the lanai our former shed had been demolished in part at least
by the storms. Here the scholars sitting on the stones in the
hot sun, read their books & continued to learn the wonderful
properties of commas, semicolons & interrogation points, and
the art of raising & depressing the voice and of attaching
different ideas to the same words according as they were used.
When they began to understand these things they though them
selves wonderfully learned.
I have frequently been amused to hear them tell
what notions they had formed of instruction at the time they
entered school. They had supposed they should have nothing to
do but be passive recipients of knowledge -that they should have
nothing to do but remember what the teacher told them. The
idea of any mental effort in themselves was never thought of.
simple questions in practice would often come up, like the
following; How many are twice 25? Instead of calculating they
* fastened with stay lathes.
I cautioned them
�1860
set to guessing supposing it to be found out in that way.
Their answers would be something like this; twice 25 is
thirty perhaps, forty perhaps, & then say to me what do you
think of it? Before I had much experience, I used to reply
it is fifty. "Yes, well it is fifty is it? Just as you
say, for you know, we are ignorant.
As was observed before,
I found it a great labour to get them to think for them
selves. This remark however applies particularly to in
struction in school.
I would willingly have put up with
any objections, opposition & contradiction if I could have
succeeded in putting them in a way of thinking. In some
things however I have found them stubborn enough, partic
ularly in matters relative to the manners & customs.
At the General Meeting of the Missionaries in
June 1852 it was given as the opinion of the Directors, "that
the school had, on the whole, accomplished all that could
have been reasonably expected; & that the prospect was
sufficiently encouraging to warrant the laying out of con
siderably expense in carrying it on." (p.8 .) Accordingly
one hundred and fifty dollars were voted for the purpose of
procuring materials for work, & tools for several kinds of
handicraft in the manual labor department. The General Agent
together with the principal were empowered to employ for a
part of the year an ingenious mechanic to superintend the
work &c (p. 20 min 1832)
It was also recommended that another class
of fifty scholars should enter the school as soon as
practicable & that the wives of the scholars also be furn
ished with a teacher.
It is proper to say here, we were disappointed
in obtaining the services of the mechanic the mission had in
view.
After the General Meeting the school commenced
again & as it was expected a mechanic would soon be sent to
assist the scholars in finishing their house and instructs In
other business I did not urge them to work as before, partic
ularly as we now had a shelter & as I had other business that
required my attention. We had the prospect of some new
books. A translation of Fowles' childs Arithmetic was in
type and a Geography had been printed & served as a reading
book.
It was necessary therefore that some maps should be
prepared. At this I employed my Leisure hours for two or
three months. Experience had taught me that small school
maps such as are used by children at home would be of little
or no value here. Unaccustomed as they are to looking at
small letters they cannot read them as they are printed on
small school maps. As we had no mapping paper I tried the
experiment on wide fine cotton cloth oiled. For a few
months these maps answered a valuable purpose but afterwards
faded & as we had nothin but common ink to write with the
cockroaches completely spoiled them.
�1861
At the commencement of the school in July we
had some difficulties not easily adjusted.
It had been
contemplated from the beginning to introduce the Monitorial
system in part at least; but when I attempted to put it
in practice the scholars objected & utterly refused to be
taught by monitors. They said, these monitors, what do they
know? They have had no advantages above ourselves and know
no more, why should they be our teachers? &c Probably jealousy had considerable to do with it, but so it was & I was obliged
to teach each individual personally. At the same time another
difficulty unexpectedly arose. It was supposed the childs'
Arithmetick before mentioned would be a good introduction to
Co lburn s ’ Mental Arithmetick; but when it was presented to
them gratis to be used in school, it was with reluctance
they took It. The very title page they considered an in
sult to their understanding. They said, Th is is a Helu
kamalii, (a childs’ arithmetic,) what have we to do with
a childs arithmetic? We are grown men. Give us something
for men to learn. However, I persuaded them to try it and if
there was nothing in it but what they understood it would
not take them long to go through with it. To this they con
sented.
The business of the school, however went very
slowly as, upwards of sixty scholars were to be taught in one
class.
I Sept. some Geographical questions were printed and
assisted w ith the Maps in studying topographical Geography.
n attempt also was made to direct a class in the study of
he Grammar of their own language on the indic itive method
and some progress was made. This was found useful in various
respects; the mental discipline was considerable, but the
want of technical terms rendered the study difficult as well
as the total dissimilarity of the language itself with any
civilized language. In all this time, the unfinished state
of the school house— that frequent stopping of the school
in order that the scholars might go to procure materials for
the completion of the building prevented them from making
much progress in the literary department.
In the manual labor department very little
was done under my control. As soon as school commenced, I
told the scholars I could not any longer superintend their
work as I had work of my own in preparing studies & books
for their instruction. I advised them however to persevere
& finish the school house. They seemed disposed to do so.
The first thing requisite was to procure plank for writing
tables. For this purpose, with such axes & adzes as they
could procure, they went into the mountains & hewed plank
from large trees & brought them down on their backs from two
to four miles. While at this work we sometimes had school
& sometimes not. Legs or rather posts for the writing tables
were also to be procured in the same way. The posts of the
A
�1862
writing tables were set deep in the ground In order to
make them strong & permanent. Some kind of floor seem
ed necessary. A soft species of stone were easily to be
obtained, with these hewed on the upper surface & some
perhaps on the sides a tolerable floor was made. The next
labor was to plaster the house to secure it from the influ
ence of future storms. The scholars preposed to have the
school down In Lahaina once a day while they should be en
gaged in digging
coral out of the sea for lime to which
I assented. Taking advantage of low tides they waded Into
the water & with crowbars, axes &c loosened such masses as they
could bring ashore. At this they would work three or four
hours each day until they had procured a sufficient quanti
ty. The school was then dismissed entirely while they should
procure wood to burn it. This they did by going up back of the
school house three or four miles cutting it & carrying on
their backs to the sea shore; and when the lime was burnt they
carried the lime (on their backs) up the hill two miles to the
school house. The sand also for the plastering was brought
up on their backs from the sea shore. After the house was
plastered, (which was mostly done with wooden trowels, there
being but one mason's trowel & one plastering trowel for all
the scholars,) the same process of going to the mountains
& hewing plank had to be gone through in order that they
might have seats to sit on. After most of the work was
finished, we received a supply of tools, such as augers,
handsaws chisels &c &c.
It should be observed this work was
not all accomplished between July & January, the scholars
worked when they pleased & rested when they pleased, I
found myself sufficiently employed in preparing matter for
the Intellectual part.
Many other things might be mentioned showing
what difficulties were in the way of the successful progress
of the school. More than once it seemed best to dismiss the
school altogether, until some preparations were made for it.
And yet it seemed that this discipline was as useful to the
scholars as any other. Besides, sometimes the scholars were
disobedient, and at all times ungrateful for any favor show
ed them.
One thing ought not to be forgotten as illustra
tive of Hawaiian character. That is, when the scholars were
comfortably supplied with food as they sometimes were through
the kindness of the chiefs, they were universally lazy about
work, cross & fractious among themselves, & impudent & dis
obedient to me. This state of feeling would last from four
to ten days according to the quantity of food given by the
chiefs, and when they became what a civilized person would
�1863
call half starved, they would return to their obedience
and good feeling again. This state of feeling & kind of
conduct was utterly inexplicable to me until explained by
one of themselves, and my future observation confirmed
it. He said it was not customary for the common people to
obey their chiefs when they had plenty of their own to
eat. Hence the chiefs keep all the property in their own
hands. It is said to have been the policy of Kamehameha
to keep the people poor & dependant in order that they
might be obedient.
Soon after the first of January, an addition of
scholars was received amounting to between twenty five &
thirty. The manual labor of these freshmen (a matter of
their own choice) consisted in bringing s tones for a new
school house, while the now sophomores were making window
shutters, door &c. for the house alread up. As for glass
we have none yet.
Prom the first of Feb. until June our house
presented a scene far different from anything we had before
witnessed. We had now a house, seats to sit on and about
ninety grown men in one room. Some are trying to write on
slates - some at mental arithmetic - some, (all the new
scholars) at reading - some at Grammar & c &c and all accus
tomed to read aloud whenever they read a book. By this
time it became evident to the old scholars that they must
a part at least consent to be taught by monitors or not
at at all, as it was plain I could not personally teach so
many & have the instruction of any value. The school was
therefore remoddled.
I spent two hours extra each day with
the monitors so that they might be able to communicate in
struction to their classes. The study of Hawaiian Grammar
was also an extra study. This last was at length laid
aside & in place of it we took up the manuscript of Co lburn's
Intellectual Arithmetic translated by Mr. Bishop. We, that
is the monitors & myself not only studied it, but reviewed
the manuscript for the press. The study of this work has
done more than all our other books in teaching the scholars
to think. Geography has greatly enlarged their views of
things and added much to their stock or knowledge but for
much mental discipline in a little space this little book has
exceeded all others they have yet had. After going half
way through the book they were astonished at themselves.
When I commenced with it they laughed at the simplicity of the
questions on the first page & said it was like the child's
Arithmetic. I turned over thirty or forty pages of the man
uscript & read off several questions; they thought of them awhile and said, Nobody knows these things; they are exceed
ingly entangled. I told them they would soon comprehend
them if they would go straight on from the beginning of the
book. They said, perhaps so. Sometime however after they
had passed over the place which they thought so difficult they
�1864
asked me when they should get to the hard questions I had
formerly read to them?
On being told they had passed over
those questions without making a mistake, they exclaimed,
What fools we were
Here I would mention a fact relative to the
tenaciousness of their memories.
The case occurred every
day, & sometimes many times a day. After reading a ques
tion to the class, (for I kept the manuscript in my own
hands) a question that in the old method would have been
solved by the rule of three, the one whose turn it was to
answer would commence m aking his calculations, aloud so that
all might hear; after advancing a step or t w o, something
would occur to turn off his attention, or he would stop to
enquire about some part of the data or if any slight interrup
tion should occur, he would stop short his reasoning, - ask
a question perhaps of some one sitting by or tell of some
thing entirely foreign from his question & when done, commence
his reasoning again precisely at the point where he stopped
as though nothing had occurred & so if interrupted two or
three times in a single question would never go back a single
step beyond where he left off the last time. This fact both
surprised and pleased me as it afforded evidence of strength
of mind sufficient at least for mathematics. Four or five
of the twelve monitors were exceedingly quick 8c correct in
their calculations.
About the first of April, the scholars for the
first time many of them commenced writing on paper; and a
month or six weeks after commenced drawing maps.
They learn
ed to write a good legible business hand in about four weeks,
and their maps would not suffer by companion with maps drawn
by the same number of scholars in the United States.
At
the examination in June, five of the seven classes had gone
through with topographical Geography.
Besides preparing
lessons & c . every day, I had translated a principle part of
Holbrook's Geometry & some things of less note.
I had redrawn
most of the maps of different countries for the use of the
school on large paper.
Our cloth maps were by this time were
worthless.
But we have never had any good mapping paper.
According to a request of the mission Miss Ward
came & took charge of the wives of the scholars who had been
living in idleness 8c ignorance 8c mischief, but they were as
destitute of facilities for making progress as were their
husbands when they commenced but without their energy of
character.
They had but poor accommodations for a house; but
few of them had any desire for school - many were exceeding
ly dull 8c indolent, 8c with all the exertions of Miss Ward
she could report but little progress at the end of the year.
During this year, the school failed to accomplish
many things expected of them on account of the failure of
the mechanic. F or it has been a remarkable fact that the
two kinds of business have had a reciprocal influence upon
�1865
each other. W hen I have been able to give them plenty
of regular employment out of doors, they have done better
at their books, and when I drive them at their books, they
have done more manual labor than though there were no
school. But hither too for want of facilities they have not
had full employment in either place.
About a month before the vacation in June the
scholars proposed to build a workshop to which I assented,
& encouraged them to go on.
They have always been exceed
ingly anxious to learn different kinds of handicraft, but
many things have stood in the way of putting*practice what
is so desirable. (Note
The report of the school - the report of the
Directors and the vote of the General Meeting will show how
the school stood in the estimation of the Mission generally
at the end of the seesion in May 1833.
On the first of July, the school again assembled.
About forty scholars were on the ground; the others had not
yet returned after the vacation, but most of them returned in
a few days.
Ten or twelve new scholars entered the school some
at the opening of the session & some three or four weeks after
wards & one or two more in the course of the year. A number
also was dismissed or never returned so that we were rather
diminished than increased by the accession.
The average
number that session was about eighty. Among those who were
dismissed was one for stealing & one for adultery.
The latter
had been for a number of years a man of standing, stood high
with the chiefs, was supposed a substantial church member,
& while in school a respectable scholar.
He is now in the
train of the Princess & is probably a lost man.
It has been
my object since that time to diminish the school whenever I
could with safty & propriety. The experiment of trying to
give instruction to so many with so few facilities has not
succeeded & the scholars learn the habit of doing slowly
what they might do with much greater rapidity.
When the school commenced in July a plan was
formed for assisting the school. Mr. Spalding &
Chapin
p roposed to assist in the manual labor department & Mr.
Richards offered to instruct a class at his own house in
Geometry.
Mr. Spalding however after the experiment of
three or four days was obliged to desist. About the middle
of July Dr. Chapin moved up onto the hill and rendered re
gular assistance in school and in the manual labour depart
ment until the sixth of September when his services were
needed at Hilo as Physician.
The labour done by the former
scholars was the erection of the body of their workshop.
The labour of the new scholars consisted in laying the
foundation of a new building for a school house - the bring
ing of sand &c. for future use. After Dr. Chapin, left,
it was optional with the scholars to work or not & they
* in
�1866
gradually ceased to work except for their own accommodation.
It should be mentioned here that an unpleasant
state of feeling existed to a considerable extent among the
people not only in the school but at Lahaina. A rumor had
been circulated that the missionaries were growing rich at
the expense of the people - that those who worked for the
missionaries ought to be better paid--that the missionaries
had more property than the chiefs &c. That this was subject
of frequent conversation among the scholars I learned after
wards.
This manifested itself in several cases of disobed
ience and a general coldness to me.
If I needed any work
done, they asked or rather demanded a much greater price
than before, and in some cases a price they knew I would not
give. For about three weeks in Oct. I was obliged to carry
up on my own shoulders all the fuel we used for cooking,
ironing &cfrom Lahaina a distance of two miles or pay a
price equal to the original cost of the fuel which was
$8.00per cord.
This unpleasant state of feeling existed until
the school was dismissed in October, perhaps longer.
The
cause I have never fully learned.
Before going to Hilo Dr. Chapin had commenced
engraving on wood & while there he continued occasionally
to do something at it, & has been able since to do much for
the school in that department.
He also drew on a large scale
the maps belonging to Worcester’s Sacred Geography which
has aided the scholars very much in obtaining a knowledge
of places mentioned in the scriptures.
The branch of instruction in which Dr. Chapin
assisted principally was writing on paper.
Mr. Richards continued to instruct a part of.
the first class in the rudiments of Geometry by making use
of them to correct for the press a translation of Holbrook's
Geometry a part of which had been previously made, until the
last of August & then commenced Astronomy but soon stopped.
The other part of the first class spent an extra
hour with me in Hawaiian Grammar The regular school studies
went on as usual, Geography, Arithmetic (mental) Writing, Draw
ing maps &c. A few lessons were given to a class on the
Globes. A tract of eight pages was translated from Woodbridge's
Atlass describing the animals of the earth &c.
The chart
w a s copied on an enlarged plan by Mr Tinker.
Worcester's Sacred Geography was translated b y
Mr. Thurston & was received in January.
The experiment I was allowed to make of a class
in Greek was commenced about the middle of July and continued
with some interruptions until the school stopped in October.
This experiment succeeded as well as I expected & in some res
pects even better.
It is perfectly demonstrable that they can
�1867
learn the dead languages.
It is exceedingly desirable
that some of them should read the original language of
Scripture & it may be said essentially necessary to a
correct translation of the scriptures.
As a means of in
tellectual improvement and mental discipline, independant of the
knowledge obtained, the study of the scr iptures in their
original languages, is, in ray opinion not inferior to any
other study, not even mathematics. For want of books we
were obliged to made great use of the Black board & had to
proceed partly on the Jaco toian system. The two studies
Hawaiian Grammar & Greek Grammar at the same time have had
a mutual influence on each other very beneficial, though
there is scarcly anything common to them both.
*On the 14th of O c t. the scholars requested a
vacation for the purpose of trading with ships & getting
such things as they wanted.
In complying with their r e
quest, there was an evil to be dreaded & a benefit to be
gained. The evil consisted in their learning the profane
& filthy language of sailors and in copying their wicked
example. After ships have recruited at Lahaina there is
always a draw back upon the natives & it takes several
w eeks to get them back where they were before. The benefit
consisted in exchanging a few potatoes, beans, squashes &c
for cloth, knives, buttons, lamps. thread &c &c.
I assent
ed to their request for several reasons.
1st. That I might
have time to prepare letters assigned by the mission to the
Board & others in America as well as to friends, which could
not be done if the school continued.
2ndly. For the
purpose of superintending the building of my own house & study.
Our house was not comfortable.
It was built in haste at
first & never had those fixtures about it which render a house
comfortable. Mrs. A 's health had suffered considerable in
consequence of it and although I had workmen, yet it required
much of ray time to procure materials & give directions &c.
In connection with my house I needed a study as I never had
had a place deserving the name since I came to the islands.
At this time, everything respecting the school
seemed gloomy.
The scholars were in the condition mentioned
just now impudent & ungratful. The want of books made it a
great & constantly laborious business to prepare studies.
The press promised by the mission at the last General meeting
had not been sent & we had no house to put i t in if it had
been sent.
Notwithstanding my exertions, we had the prospect
of living another winter in our old leaky straw house. None
of the appropriations made at the last General meeting had
been applied except that some specimens of coins had been
received & a set of weights, but they were neither of them
in such a condition as to be used for the benefit of the
school.
Besides these things my own health was suffering.
�1868
Considering all these circumstances with many other things
difficult to explain to those not acquainted with the is
lands, I dismissed the school indefinetely. I thought the
probability great that the school would never be called
together again until remoddled & put on a different footing.
Great things were expected of us and yet our hands were
tied; we could not proceed.
Still, notwithstanding all these gloomy appear
ances, my confidence in the usefulness of the school, if
well conducted, was unabated.
No want of disposition or
ability on the part of the scholars but the means afforded
by the mission for giving instruction did not by any means
keep an even pace with the acquisitions of the scholars,
slow as they were, & this disproportion was constantly in
creasing. As yet the High School had received no appropria
tions above what were allowed to be made at evey station
to their station schools.
However, on the first of January 1834, seeing
how much better employed the scholars in the school were
though not supplied with business than the people out of it,
and feeling every day more & more the Importance of educat
ing the people as a means of saving the nation from destruction,
as well as the people from their sins; although few of the
objects for which the school had been dismissed had been
gained, I thought It best to call the school together again.
In December, the press had arrived with types paper &c
though the building for the office was not finished nor my
own home nor study .
At the blowing of the conch shell, for that is
our bell, without any further notice twenty seven scholars
came in. The next day forty five attended & the most of
them soon returned.
But al found on examination that they
had lost much during the v acation. They had been scattered
over the islands doing nothing to profit either themselves
or others. A better state of feeling however soon manifest
ed itself & I hoped that s ome good would result by trying
to keep the school together until General Meeting.
All attempts at manual labor have been aban
doned & must be until that department is put on a better
footing. The walls of the wor k shop stand uncovered & there
is no one to go forward in the business.
About the midd le of January a native printer
arrived from Oahu & commenced unpacking the type & putting
them in the cases though the office was not yet finished.
About the 22 of Jan. the office was finished & on the 23
the press was set up. The first book put to press was a
translation of Worcester's Scripture Geography mentioned
before.
On the third of February the first sheet of the
Geography was worked off. We soon found our press to be
a poor one. Our types also were of two kinds mixed togeth
er some longer than others & which we did not know until the
experiment taught us. By separating however we made better
work afterwards.
Several of the scholars expressed a desire.
�to work in the office which they were allowed to do after
they had made themselves printing sticks, for we had but
one iron one in the office for several months, and even
now we have not a supply. For the first six weeks or
two months we did all our press work even the News paper
without a frisket.
The office, though exceedingly beneficial to
the school, brought with it a host of cares that lay heavi
ly u p o n me.
Though I had worked considerable in a print
ing office at different times in former years, yet I never
supposed that I understood the business.
I never served an
apprentice ship I had never even made up a form.
I had
worked only as a compositor & press man.
Hence I felt very
awkward for I soon discovered that our Hawaiian printer
knew much more of the business in detail than I did.
I
found it good exercise however to work the press which I
did for several hours
twice a week at least.__
On the fourteenth of February we published the first
Hawaiian Newspaper ever printed at the Sandwich islands.
Of
the style in which it was got up I say nothing as we had but
one sort of type & those had once been so much worn out as
to be be thrown aside, as had also our press. We called the
paper, Ka Lama Hawaii, that is, the Hawaiian L uminary.
Its object was, first, to give the scholars of
the High School the idea of a Newspaper - to show them how
information of various kinds was circulated through the
medium of a periodical.
Secondly, to communicate to them
ideas on many subjects directly & indirectly, such as we
should not put into sermons nor into books written formally for
the nation.
Thirdly, it was designed as a channel through
which the scholars might communicate their own opinions freely
on any subject they chose.
The last page has been almost e x
clusively devoted to their use. Previously to this they had
commenced writing composition as a regular exercise in school.
The paper has thus far been exceedingly interesting to the
scholars. They have read it with avidity & such parts as
were designed for that purpose have been recited as other
school books.
The cuts were engraved on wood as also the
title by Dr. Chapin. It was designed merely for the school
& has not been extensively circulated beyond it.
Indeed
the sphere of our printing was limited to the school. The
no. of copies printed was 2 0 0 .
The books printed at the High School between
the 27th Jan & the last of May were as f o llows;
Worcester's Scripture Geography 99pp
16 mo.
200cop
1 No Bible class Book (F isk &
Abbot)
6 6 pp
do
d®
Lama Hawaii, 14 Nos.
56
Quarto
do
First form of Geometry translation
chiefly of Flints Surveying
8
Octavo
50
On the Sabbath 12th Jan I commenced preaching to
the scholars, their wives, children & servants in the school
house as a separate congregation which has since been continued.
�1870
In connection with this was a Bible class & sabbath school.
In the sabbath school I engaged some of my best scholars as
teachers, gave them instruction previously with respect to
the method of teaching, the motives for doing it and the end
to be gained by it.
I requested them t o bring in all the
children & others they could find. And they literally went
into the wilderness & the caves to get them.
The school
consists of about seventy five scholars of all ages from 60
years down to two & a half.
These meet at 8 oclock in the morn
ing. At 10 oclock I try to preach to as many as choose to
attend.
Not far from a hundred is the common congregation.
Many of the scholars live in Lahaina and attend meeting there.
At 2 o'clock P. M. we have Sabbath school again & at four
a Bible C lass for whose use the Bible class book w as trans
lated & printed.
In the Sabbath school & bible class the
scholars have taken much interest, and it is to be hoped that
some spiritual good has been received by two or three of the
scholars. This way of spending the sabbath, nearly equal to
preaching four sermons, has been laborious but it has served
to keep the scholars from sleep & mischief even should no
spiritual good result from it. The direct instruction in
scriptural knowledge has been considerable & will be more
as more & better helps shall be prepared. We need the in
fluence of the spirit of God to cause the seed sown to grow
& bring forth fruit. Without this all our labour is in
vain.
On account of the many kinds of business necessary
to be attended to in school, I could not find time for an
extra h o u r ’s instruction in Greek, without neglecting some
other class; it was therefore laid as
ide.
Two classes went through & revived the Scripture
Geography, making themselves very thoroughly acquainted
with the places mentioned on the map.
While, however, we were in the midst of our
studies & preparing for a thorough examination, the Lord
saw fit to stop my efforts by sickness.
From the first of
May, I was unable to attend school until after General Meet
ing & even then had not my usual strength.
The apparent
cause of my sickness was a cold taken while in school for
want of a window shutter in the school house.
Probably a
want of sufficient & proper exercise was also a predisposing
cause.
In the good providence of God my health has been re
stored again & I have been permitted to labour anew.
The transactions relative to the school at our
last General Meeting may be seen in the minutes, pages 7 -- 1 2 .
Only a small part of the appropriations made at the General
Meeting at Lahaina had been expended inasmuch as we failed
in obtaining a mechanic. Still, the school in some respects
had on the whole gained something. Some of the scholars had
fallen off for no pains had been taken to keep them. But in
those who remained the desire was still strong to learn. This
�1871
desire increases as they proceed & the school has the same
transforming influence on the manners & habits that education
has in all countries.
The foregoing is a brief sketch of the school
from the commencement until June 1834.
It has to me been
full of interest & incident.
It has caused me many an axious
day & sleepless night.
But considering all the circumstances
of the nation--that state of the people--the scantiness of
the means used — the point to which we have been brought-the hold which the school has of the minds of the mission and
of the scholars who have been connected with it; I trust I
shall not be accused of enthusiasm when I say that God has
blessed the institution; nay more, that he has protected &
prospered it.
It would be easy for me to add many more
particulars, but they would not be easily understood without
an intimate acquaintance with Hawaiian character & Hawaiian
manners & customs.
It only remains that I mention the present state
of the school— its immediate wants & future prospects.
The present state of the school Is not essentially
different from what it was at the close of the last year, that
is about the first of August M r . Clark removed to L a h a i n a
luna
& entered upon the duties of an instructor a s is mentioned in the
minutes.
The school has not yet bean very much attened though
we have some improvements in contemplation.
It is obvious
we both have much to do. Mr. C lark besides his labours in
school is also necessarily engaged in building & will be for
several months at least.
We are now engaged in three distinct branches of
business each of which is sufficient of itself to employ all
our energies.
1 st Giving instruction in school & preaching on
the sabbath.
If we had all the accommodations we could desire
in respect to school house, our own houses, and all the books
made ready at our hands; considering the difficulty of commun
icating instruction to a people that only ju st begin to think,
and through the medium of a language deficient in terms for
conveying ideas & very imperfectly understood by us; we
should think we were engaged in a laborious business, if we
had no other on our hands.
Secondly. The preparation of all the books. To
make good school books in any language is n o small business,
but the trouble of making them here cannot be understood with
out experience. We think the studies of Colleges & Academies
in christian countries would drag heavily if the teachers
had not only all the text books to make but also all the books
of reference,
But we are not only obliged to write them but
we must also print them or at least superintend the printing
& that too in every department of it.
Thirdly;
The secular department is of itself
sufficient to employ us both, at least at present. This may
seem strange to you, but it is ever so.
The time & trouble
�1872
of procuring materials — the laying out of plans — employing
& overseeing native workmen and paying them — employing
foreign workmen & boarding and a multitude of cares which in
other circumstances would not be felt, are here sufficient to
take all our time. And yet these three distinct branches of
business must be attended to as their hourly & daily & weekly
wants occur. With this weight of cares on our shoulders we
go along & carry on our business as God in his providence gives
us strength & wisdom to do. But it ought not to be expected
that the institution will make rapid progress under such in
cumbrances.
These observations with other papers we hope to
send you will make you acquainted with out present condition.
You will easily imagine the immediate wants of
the school from the proceeding statements.
In one word it
wants everything necessary to make it immediately a College
or rather a University in the full sense of the term.
The
state of the people will admit it — the state of the nation
requires it -- The spiritual wants of millions in the Pacific
Ocean and on the Western coast of America demand it - And
there is no obstacle in the way but the want of funds. These
are its wants in general.
But to be more particular.
The institution wants
immediately an addition to its buildings.
The building now
occupied needs to be raised another story. Another building
of the same size commenced by the students needs to be finished
together with a chapel & a connecting building between them,
all which are necessary & when finished would accommodate as
many students as would be proper at present to collect together.
A draught of the building and of the different rooms will
accompany this letter.
Again, the school needs immediately an enlargement
of its printing establishment.
Nearly everything that is to
be learned in school, must be printed here.
The mission press
at Oahu will have enough to do to print books for general cir
culation.
Belonging to the office should be types for printing
in every language that should be intruduced into the school; that
is Grammars, Vocabularies &c. Books themselves, the classicks
for instance must be imported at present.
The office need not
be so extensive as a book es t abl ishment in the United States,
but it is evident we shall need a great variety of work done.
The school urgently needs at this time at least two men in
the book making department, that is men acquainted with the
language who should be engaged in writing, translating & com
piling books for the school independently of giving i n s t r u c tion & of the care of the office.
It also needs a good print
er, one well acquainted with the business in all its branches
to superintend the office.
The present state of the school
requires all these in order that the scholars may pursue
their studies to advantage. Anything short of these will
diminish from what the school might be.
�1873
But another want essential to the highest useful
ness of the school & its best influence on the nation is a
manual labour establishment.
I should be pleased to go into
detail here but I am afraid of making this communication too
long.
I have always considered it equally important with the
school itself. Along with knowledge the scholars ought to
be taught industry and good hab its.
If this kind of schools
is beneficial at home they will be t e n fold more so here.
Every thing useful must be taught. It will not grow up in this
land itself.
Besides, this seems the only way at present in
which civilized habits can be taught, to any great extent. And
here they may be taught successfully.
The scholars are all
willing to learn & adopt civilized habits, nay they are desirous
to do so. They have begged of me repeatedly to write to
America for some machinery for making cotton cloth & for a
pair of millstones for grinding corn &c. &c.
This department
therefore needs an industrious, economical, ingenious, pious
man & his wife. He should be a practical mechanic from the
country, one who will have a great share of patience and
perseverance & who will feel a deep interest in the prosperity
of the school and of the nation. It is almost certain that this
department will be an expense to some body for some years,
but the probability is now that next to the direct missionary
work of preaching the gospel & translating the B ible, nothing
will tend more to wake up the energies of the people & of course
to civilize them espiecially if carried on in conjunction with
the school.
Moreover if something of the kind is not under
taken by the friends of missions it will not be done at all
during the present generation.
As to the future prospects of the school, it
is manifest we can say nothing, except that it bids fair,
with the blessing of Heaven, to be extensively useful not
only to the islands of Hawaii but to others in the Pacific
Ocean.
It ought to be regarded as necessary to the spread
of the gospel in all lands, that native heralds of the cross
be raised up in all lands. The gospel must & may be introduced
by missionaries from Christian countries; but every land
must have its own preachers & teachers & legislators before
they can be a christian civilized people. But people in a
state of barbarism know not the value of such things until
they are taught.
The church in christian lands must teach
them.
If it be asked what the real advances of the
scholars of the High School are above that of the common
people who have attended school; I have no hesitation in say
ing that about one half of the school bear the same relation
to the mass of common people that Sophomores in colleges do
to the mass of people in the United States both in point of
knowledge gained & also of mental improvement.
The remainder
of the school may be said to be a degree or two behind.
In the
school are twenty three professors of religion.
If one third
of them should preach the gospel (and I see nothing to prevent
�1874
it) they may be educated & prepared for the ministry here
a s soon as young men at home from the Sophomore year up.
But this is only on the supposition that the school meet
with no more draw backs.
If we have in years to come the
same difficulties to contend with that we have had or
similar ones, the object will not be gained.
And now, permit me to say that under God it
depends entirely on the aid that Christians & philanthropists
shall render the institution whether it shall prosper o r not.
For more than three years it has struggled hard for existence.
It yet lives.
Shall it grow & flourish & send out fruit as
food for the famishing or shall it wither & die?
Does it
not need-does it n ot deserve the fostering care of those who
wish well to their fellow men?
Does not its history show
that there are materials here for an institution of learning?
If this is doubted, we ask for a parallel in history.
In
wha t age & country did seventy or eighty young men in a state
of barbarism, under rigid subjection to the w il l of their
chiefs & accustomed to do nothing but at their command,
assemble together merely at the suggestion of those who cl a i m
ed no authority over then for the purpose of gaining instruc
tion?
In what age & country did such a company come together
with their wives & children without patronage, without property
save their own efforts, without any means of support, vo luntar
ily undergoing hunger, engaging in a series of labours c o n t r a r y ,
all their former habits, building themselves houses and er e c t
ing at great inconvenience a building for public use merely
that they might gain instruction?
In what age & country did
an institution raise itself up from such small beginnings to
such a state of preparation for future enlargement as the
High School of these islands; and in so short a time?
Though the students of the High School have with
the blessing of God done these things thus far, it is evident
from the nature of the case that if they undertake to carry
it all through themselves the institution must hereafter drag
heavily.
They therefore greatly need assistance.
It is not
supposed the c hristian public in the United States will for a
moment withhold what is so important when these facts are
known.
The reason why the state of the school has hot been
made known before is stated in the beginning of this letter.
The churches in the United States have undertaken to christianze
& civilize the people of the Sandwich islands.
Let it be
keept in mind that this is a great w o r k . In former ages such
a work has been the labour of centuries.
If our work is to
be permanent, it must be gradual, it must be thorough.
Let
it be remembered that in overturning the habits & manners &
customs of a people a vast deal is to be undone before but
little can be done.
In the United States, it is admitted
that knowledge is essential to civilization & the religion of
the gospel.
This we are trying to inculcate upon the Sandwich
islanders; but we lack the means.
We therefore ask that while
Colleges & Seminaries and institutions of learning are building
�1875
up at home, the friends of knowledge, of literature, of
science and of religion will put forth a helping hand
& aid this infant institution of the Sandwich Islands.
Yours truly
Lorrin Andrews
N. B. it will be perceived that I have referred to Notes
in the proceeding statements; much might have been added in
this way but I have no time without leaving undone this
missionary duties.
Rev. Lorrin Andrews
Account of High School
Dated Oct 1. 183\ - 18 3 4 V.A.S.
Recd July 3, 1835
Ackd in
. L. Sep 16
G
Ands
4
�1876
154
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
High School Lahainaluna, Maui Dec 21st, 1834
The Rev R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass
Rev. & Dear Sir,
I have had for a long time a desire
to write you on several subjects relative to the affairs of the
mission; but the daily & imperios calls for my time & strength
in the duties in which I am engaged forbids it.
I could possibly
write some extem porar
y letters but that which would cost nothing
to me would be worth nothing to you.
I have received two letters from you which I
have not answered.
One of Nov 21 1831, the other of Dec 18,
1833.
In the last, it is hinted or rather said that you
would like to hear oftener from me.
Th ere are many reasons why I have not written more
to the Board.
Such as F irst: A good number of my brethren are
fond of writing & think themselves justified in taking mission
ary time for such business.
I have had & still have samples
on that subject.
In the office at this moment there are two
compositors idle, because I take time to write this letter.
Secondly.
I have been sadly disappointed in the letters I
wrote the two or three first years of residence here.
The
le tter to Dr. Wisner is a fair sample.
I have written con
siderable for publication but I have never heard from it. I
have written to private friends but they have not replied.
Thirdly.
It is not to be denied that I have differed in opin
ion from my brethren with regard to our missionary operations
& the progress of our work.
I do not differ from all of them nor
does this difference amount to anything that at all interfers with out most friendly communicaties & joint labors.
I do not despise the day of small things nor do I deny there
is a true church of Christ here & that the whole kingdom is
benefitted by the religion we have tried to teach the people,
but it can be perfectly demonstrated that the people as a
nation & the church as a body do not begin to compare with
what they are supposed to be in the United States.
But I must break off here for one quire of paper
nor two would not be sufficient if I should go into detail.
But this being the case I have preferred to be silent rather
than state things differently from my brethren merely on my own
authority & I have never supposed that I should be justified
in taking the time to collect the proof.
There are several important subjects on which
I should be glad to give my opinion in full to the Board.
The
�1877
following are some of them.
The conditions of Messrs Good
rich 3c Johnstone at the island.— The state of the islands in
a moral & political point of view.— The state of our churches,
— The Washington islands— and my Book story.
At present I shall confine myself to the last.
Just I had got here my letters is called for &
I break off.
I send however a file of the Lama Hawaii— one
copy of Worcester's Sacred Geography & one of Fisk & Abbot's
Bible class book No 1. We have other work in press.
I also
send a few Catalogues of the High School.
Wishing you every spiritual & temporal blessing
Divine guidance in all things
(torn) am yours truly
Lorrin Andrews
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary R o o m s
Boston Mass
Rev.
Date
Recd
Ackd
Ansd
Lorrin Andrews
Dec 21 1834
July 3, 1835
in G. L. Sep 16
Nov 4
postmark New London Ct.
Jul 1
ship
�1878
155
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahainaluna Maui Sand Is. Nov. 24th 1835
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.
N o 28 Cornhill B oston
Dear Brethren,
God has spared us another year, and though it seems
but a few days, the time has arrived when we ought again to
inform you respecting our labours and the measure of success
that God has granted us, and also some of the obstacles that
lie in the way of immediate & full success to our efforts. And
we consider that you and the ch r istian public ought to be fully
apprised of the latter as well as the former.
As a short historical account of the High School
was sent to the rooms last fall, it will be the object of the
present communication to bring down the history of the school
to the present date with such notes or observations as seem
necessary to make it intelligible to y o u .
In continuing the history of the school, I shall
transcribe verbatim the report made last June to the mission,
that all the transactions of the school may stand before you
as they did before us at our last Gen. Meeting.
Most of the
report has been printed in the minutes of the meeting; but I
transcribe the whole.
Report of the High School for the year ending in
May 30th 1835.
Weeks of term time & number of s cholars.
Owing to the protracted session of the General
Meeting at Honolulu in June 1834, the Summer session of the
High School did not commence until July 20th. Between that
time & the month of December following, there were about four
weeks of interruption in the school, at different times &
for different purposes. About the last w eek of April & the
first of May, the school was suspended a week or more for the
purpose of making a road to the sea shore; making in all about
five weeks, besides the regular vacation months of December &
June. The school has, therefore been in session about thirty
nine weeks; a much longer period than that of any pre
c eeding
year.
Of the eighty scholars who attended school during
the preceeding year; only sixty six returned. No new scholars
entered the school during the first part of the present year,
that is, previous to the first of January. Since that time,
scholars have entered the school from different islands as
follows.
�1879
From Hawaii
Maui
Lanai
Molokai
Oahu
Kauai
Total
15
16
6
4
5
5
51
The scholars have generally enjoyed uniterrupted health, at least very few cases of sickness have occurred
to prevent regular attendance at school. And it may be stat
ed also, that since January in particular, the attendance of
the scholars on the duties of the school has been good, prob
ably as good as at any institution of learning with the same
number of scholars. A greater portion than heretofore of the
scholars that have lately entered the school are young & un
married.
Several small boys have entered from the ages of
ten to sixteen.
In continuing this report, it will be proper
here to refer to the measures recommended by the Directors,
and approved by the Mission at the last General Meeting.
See Min of Gen Meeting for 1834 ps, 10 , 11, & 12. They will
be noticed in the order in which they stand in our last
minutes.
1. That the printing of the Geometry be continued
& such Logarithmetical tables &c as should be needed.
The printing of the Geometry has been continued
as the High School press. F our forms have been printed & three
of them studied by two of the highest classes.
The printing
of the Tables were commenced at the Honolulu press and are
about one fifth completed.
2 The continuance at the discretion of the principal,
of the Lama Hawaii.
The Lama Hawaii was continued for the most part
regularly from July 25th to December 25th making eleven numbers.
It was then with reluctance on the part of the Principal and
the scholars discontinued.
The circumstances of the school
however, and the want of means in the office, rendered it
necessary.
The circumstances of the school rendering such a
step necessary, were, the great & increasing want of books,
the preparation and printing of which required all the time &
means that could be devoted to it. The want of means consis
ted in the fewness of types in the office; far too few for
conducting a weekly periodical together with the printing
of necessary books. Experience proves that next to books des
igned for regular study in school, a periodical particular
ly devoted to its interests is the highest importance. As yet
there has been no want of matter & probably nev er would be,
still it would require much time & judgment to make such a
periodical as instructive, interesting and profitable as it
should be.
3 That a good second hand Ramage press be devoted
to the High School with additional type & apparratus to aid
in printing &c.
�1880
The press was taken to Lahainaluna and set
up by Mr. Rogers immediately after General Meeting, but
the type & apparratus received were too few to make any
essential enlargement in the affairs of the office or to
undertake any works more than was anticipated before any
additions were made.
4 That a screw for a standing press & other
means for pressing & binding be granted.
The screw was received soon after General meet
ing. The timber for the standing press arrived at Lahaina
in January.
It still lies on the sea beach, there being no
carpenter to make it into a press. The bar for turning the
screw was recived in February.
5 That a library, distinct from the general
library of the mission be established, in & for the High
School.
This recommendation, though of much importance,
has not been complied with for the following reasons.
1 st.
There Is no spare room proper for the safe keeping of such
a libraryin connection with any of the buildings at Lahaina
luna. 2ly There are no book cases suitable for keeping
the books of such a library in, neither has there been boards
that could be spared for making such cases, nor workmen to
make them.
3rdly.
The books set apart for this purpose are
yet too few to deserve the name of a library. Notice has
been given to the Board of the wants of the school in this
respect.
6 . That a house be erected on the premises for
a female school for the wives of the students and for a
primary school for the children.
The doors, windows & roof
be furnished by the mission &c.
This recommendation has not been complied with on
account of the want o f time to oversee the construction of
such a building but principally, for want of means, for it has
been with difficulty that the instructors have been supplied
with means for constructing their own necessary dwellings.
7. No 7 . containing a resolution to send for
a pious carpenter &c being prospective in its nature, was
not expected to be complied with this year.
8 . That a church be formed in the High School
under the pastoral care of the Principal &c.
This recommendation has not been complied with,
& the*is willing to state his reasons.
The subject of the formation of a church at the
High School occupied many of the most serious & prayerful
thoughts of the Principal from the time it was proposed at
last General Meeting, until it was finally abandoned.
The
responsibility seemed awful.
The measure was undoubtedly
* Principal
�1881
recommenced from a motive to increase a pure faith, & spread
a pure morality & exhibit practical godliness in conjunction
with literary acquirements.
It appeared obvious that a church
at the High School would eventually exert a greater influence
over the islands than any other individual church.
Its members
would have more information than common church members — they
would be expected to hold higher stations hereafter than others,
and of course, every where exert a greater influence wher e v e r
they should live or go. The responsibility, therefore, was
not the ordinary responsibility of establishing a church.
Its
individual character must have much influence upon surround
ing churches, & that too for a long time to come.
Hence the
organizing of a church at the high school, would he, in effect
organizing a church that would eventually give tone & charac
ter to all the other churches on the islands.
It seemed then
absolutely essential to the spiritual welfare of the islands,
that such a church when formed should possess characteristics
of a superior order; in other words, should exhibit more of
the Christian virtues, more decided piety, whose every day char
acter should demonstrate that they seek some other happiness
than that of sensual gratification. At least, as they advance
in knowledge, they should be expected to advance in humility,
In c hristian zeal, and in a desire to do good to their fellow
men. Since then, such importance was likely to attach itself
to the formation of a church, it was obvious, that undoubt
ed piety ought to be looked for among the great majority
of its anticipated members, as the basis
building up the
characters, moral, literary & religious of its members.
The next consideration was the character of the
materials out of which the church was to be formed.
The Principal had been acquainted with the mora l
& religious characters of the proffessors of religion in school
from one to three years.
They had daily been under his eye,
& he had tried to study their characters. The number of prof
essors of religion was twenty five, besides some few of their wives
none of whom, as far as known, had been guilty of any open
immorality since they had entered school. And this, concern
ing the most of them is all that could be said.
A few seemed
to consider the religion of the bible as of some importance
and was willing to make efforts to obtain it.
They showed some
evidence that they were seeking to lay up treasure in heaven.
Others evinced strong evidence of attachment, supreme attach
ment to the things of the world.
They made every thing sub
servient to getting property, regardless, in a measure, of the
means by which It was obtained & the company with which they
associated. Another class, of whom it is difficult to a ffirm
or deny anything, exhibited a mere negative goodness.
These
three classes were pretty equally divided, Thus, seven out
of the twenty five might be put down as giving some positive
evidence of piety; that is, they generally evinced a desire to
know & do their duty as Christians. Eight or nine might be
put down as giving sad evidence that they know nothing of
vital religion.
The remainder, eight or nine, a s doubtful,
�1882
that is, give no evidence of piety but negative evidence.
Of course, nothing is positively asserted respecting any
of them. They have been put down according as their fruit
has appeared. Now the question was, would it be best under
such responsibility, & with such materials, and with such
prospects, to form a church? Here were twenty five persons
to be formed into a church, eighteen of whom, the person
about to take the pastoral charge, would not have received
into a church, had he been forming one anew. And there was
no alternative recognised in the reccommendation but to
receive the whole as in good standing.
Indeed any other
course seemed fraught with more evil than good.
To have
formed a new church without regard to previous membership,
would have been to set our church above all others and
effectually to have cut off all fellowship with other church
es. And to have formed a church with such materials, would
have been the means of perpetuating an exceedingly low stand
ard of piety & that for a great while to come.
Things being so, in the opinion of the Principal,
it was thought not best, at present, to establish a church
in the High School.
9 That an additional instructor be provided for the
school.
An additional instructor entered upon the
duties of his office about the first week in August, and as
far as could be, such division of labor was made as was r e
cognized in the reccommendation.
10 That the Teacher of Mathematics & c . be requested
to act as treasurer & librarian of the school &c.
This recommend a t i o n has been complied with so
far as acting treasurer was concerned. With regard to the
remaining items in this reccommendation, there is no occassion
f o r notice as nothing has been done.
11 That the General Agent be requested to regard
the High School and its instructors as a distinct station &c.
This has been complied with in full as the books
of the Gen. Agent & the treasurer of the school will show.
12 That tuition be regarded, with consent of the
present students, as nominally at five dolars a term &c.
Nothing has been done in this respect, though
it seemed desirable. A grand difficulty seemed to be, the
fear of a failure in making the scholars understand the sub
ject. Another was, the school needed to be put on a better
footing In regard to rules, bye laws &c in order that it
might have the appearance as well as the reality of a regular
school.
It was therefore defered in order that a set of
rules and regulations relative to the duties of the Directors,
professors & scholars &c &c might be drawn up & if approved
published for the use of the school.
13 Relating to appropriations for buildings &c.
No appropriations of any amount except for the
�1883
teacher's houses have been made during the year.
The
school has received an accession of fifty one scholars
without any addition to the very scanty school room before
in the occupation of the school, and no other accommodations
whatever for giving instruction.
On this point there is
room for the wisdom & energies of the mission to exert them
selves.
It is proper to state, however, some of the reasons
why an object so desirable as suitable buildings should not
be accomplished, particularly, after appropriations have
been liberally made.
1st. A want of definiteness in the
reccommendation respecting the pr son whose duty it should
be to make the appropriations.
2 nd. the want of materials
for the building.
3rd.
The want of workman.
The regular report is now resumed.
Of the scholars who have entered the past year.
The qualifications of the scholars that have
entered the school since January have generally been of a high
er order than that of any proceeding number of scholars, show
ing the great importance of increased efforts at the different
stations.
One thing here aught to be mentioned & kept in mind
hereafter; that is the importance of having scholars designed
for a new class all enter the school at the same time.
Scholars
have been entering, of different qualifications and attain
ments almost every week during the last term, thereby re
quiring constant changes in the classes, or great trouble &
extra time in the teachers.
Of the Studies & moral character of the scholars.
The studies pursued in school during the past
year have been a continuance of the studies commenced the
year before. Viz. Geography principally topographical, or
on maps, Sacred Geography, topographical, historical & descrip
tive, Geometry, Arithmetic, both mental and cyphering, Trig
onometry, Ru d iments of the Greek Language 8c Composition in
their own language.
According to the reccommendation of the Directors
8c the vote of General meeting, Mr. Clark removed to Lahainaluna
and engaged as assistant instructor in the school about the
first of August.
His department, as specified at the time
of his appointment, has been that of the natural sciences,
which the Principal has been more confined to sacred Geography
& the Greek Language.
The progress made in these branches has
not been great, owing to a variety of causes.
The want of
suitable school rooms— the want of apparratus & books— &
the quantity of extraneous labor that h a s either been given
to the Teachers, such as the preparation of books not directly
connected with the studies of the school; or the secular labors
which have devolved on them in carrying on the operations of
the institution, such as building their own houses, looking
out for materials, providing for the wants of the families,
overseeing the Printing office & c. &c. by which much time has
been necessarily taken from the school and from the preparation
�1884
of books & studies &c and the consequent progress of the
school.
No diminution of interest in the school, or
a desire to acquire knowledge has shown itself; it has rather
increased, and a few of those scholars who live in Lahaina
or neighborhood have turned their acquirements to immediate
account by keeping up Saturday 8c Sabbath schools. The pro
priety of this however may be considered doubtful.
During the past year there has been no such
delinquency or irregularity of conduct as to occasion any
difficulty or require any severe censure from the teachers.
Connection of Mr. Dibble with the High School.
About the 20th of October Mr. Dibble and
family arrived at Lahaina from Hilo on Hawaii, principally
for medical aid for a sick child.
In the wise providence
of God, their child was taken from them about the middle of
November.
After consultation with the Brethren at Lahaina,
Mr. Dibble was invited, (as will appear from other documents)
to engage as assistant in the High School. Accordingly, about
the last of Nov. Mr. Dibble commenced hearing the recitations
of some classes, but most of h is time & attention have been
given to the religious instruction of the school.
The branch
which Mr. D. taught were Sacred Geography & natural History.
Mr. D. Was requested by the Principal to take charge of the
religious instructions of the school inasmuch as experience
had shown that the labors of the week days in school & in
the office rendered it impossible to make such preparations
as were necessary for preaching twice 8c attending a bible class
8c two Sabbathschools, all which appeared essential to the
welfare of the school.
Mr. C lark has acted as stated supply for the year
past at Kaanapali.
Of the religious instruction of the school.
From the commencement or the school in July until
the last of Nov. the religious instructions of the school was
conducted by the Principal, and consisted of a sabbath school
which met at eight o'clock in the morning— made up of the
scholar's wives, servants 8c children 8c a few kamaainas together
with as many of the scholars of the High School as chose to
attend.
The Principal was assisted by some of the best scholars
who acted as monitors. At ten o'clock, preaching. A two
oclock P. M. the same sabbath school met again. At four o'clock
P. M. a bible class met, making use of the B ible class book
translated from Fisk and Abbot. All the scholars of the
High School, however, could not belong to the Bible class for
want of the portions of the Old testament that have been
printed.
The religious services of the day closed with a
sermon in the evening.
Since the last of Nov. some changes have taken
place for the better. With much trouble, most of the scholars
�1885
have been able to procure the portions of the Old Testament
that had been printed, and all the scholars have nominally
been brought into the Bible class which now meets on Wednes
day after the regular exercises of the school have closed.
The sabbath school has also been remoddled and a sermon is
preached at half past ten o'clock A.M
.
and at four o'clock
P. M. and another in the evening. A sermon is also preached
on Thursday e v e n i n g , making in all four sermons a week.
The
second week in March was set apart entirely for religious
instruction.
A protracted meeting was continued eight days,
including two sabbaths.
Of the fruit of these religious
instructions we have nothing to say, except that all classes
old and young have increased in knowledge.
But the spirit
has not visited us.
It is to be feared that nearly all those
scholars wh o are shortly to exert and important influence on the
affairs of state and upon the churches, are yet in the gall
of bitterness & bonds of iniquity, deceiving themselves with
the thought, that because they have forsaken some sins, be
cause they are not now upon worshippers of false gods, there
fore they are on the side of the Lord walking in the straight
& narrow path to Heaven.
Let it not be considered out, of place here, to
reccommend that the members of this mission observe the last
Thursday of F e b . in each year as a day of special prayer for
the High School.
Surely if special prayer is needed for
colleges, academies & seminaries in the United States, it is
doubly so here.
Of the school for the Scholar's w i v e s .
Some time in August, a school was opened for
the benefit of the scholar's wives, alternately superintended
in person, a week each by the two instructors of the High
School.
This school, owing to circumstances already mention
ed dragged heavily.
After Mr. Dibble's connection with the
school, it was remoddled, has been continued, and has n o w
for several weeks been under the superintendance of Mrs. C lark.
This branch of the High School has often been alluded to in
reports, but has never yet received the attention it deserves.
It will be in vain to educate the male part of the popula
tion, if the female portion remain ignorant, idle and debased.
At least, the influence their husbands might be expected to
exert hereafter will be neutralized or greatly diminished by
the ignorance & stupidity of their wives.
Of the week day school for children.
For about five months past, there has been a
regular week day school for children superintended by Mr. &
Mrs. Dibble & Mrs. Clark.
The whole number of children about
forty; average & regular number 35. These children were
mostly taken literally from the waysides & from the palls
in the neighborhood of Lahainaluna.
But they have made very
commendable progress in learning; have been very regular &
punctual In attendance, thereby showing that well directed
efforts at this point will not be in vain.
It is the opinion
�1886
of those who have had the care of this school, that there
are no obstacles on the part of the children to their
speedy & thorough improvement. And hithertoo, there has
been no obstacles on the part of the parents.
The whole number of persons, therefore, under
daily instruction at the High School, is as follows.
High School proper
Scholar's wives & others
Children
118
80
45
Of the Press & printing
It was mentioned b e f o r e that a second hand Ramage
press was received & set up in July last by Mr. Rogers.
Long
primer types also were furnished to the amount of 12 duode
cimo pages, besides some sorts, a few feet of brass rule &
some furniture. A few other things have also been furnished
from time to time, but still not sufficient to enable us to
do work with neatness or expedition.
The printing, so far as
composition & press work is concerned, has been conducted
entirely by the scholars of the High School, for which they
have been paid according to the work done, at Honolulu
prices. A cutting press was received during the year, and one
of the scholars, with little or no instruction, commenced the
business of book-binding & has done considerable, & his work
is respectable.
The works that have been printed during the year
are as follows.
Lama Hawaii (News Paper)
Mooolelo Holoholuna (Nat Hist of animals
Anahonua (Geometry
Huliano (Union Questions)
Ikemua (child's book)
Nehemia (Nehemiah)
Mooolelo Ek alesia (Church History
NokaLa Sabati (On the Sabbath
Haiao (Sermons
Forms pages size
11
44 40
192 12
4
32 800
7 112 16mo
48 12mo
31 12mo
95 12
12 12
8
64 12
Making in all 630 continuous pages of
Besides this, covers have been printed for several
catalogues of the scholars of the High School & an
one thousand copies of the plates accompanying the
History & some other things of less note.
No.
200
1500
1500
1200
1000
1000
500(
500
500
printed matter.
tracts,
edition of
Natural
�1887
It may be also stated that some Incipient attempts
have been made at engraving on copper by two or three of the
scholar .
Treasurer’s Report of the High School will
show the expense of the establishment.
The importance of a complete printing establishment
in connection with the High School is felt more & more by
all who are conversant with the details of its operations.
Undoubtedly much more might have been done at the High School
press during the past year, had the office been superintended
by a skilful workman devoted entirely to the business. But
the office is very deficient in many things necessary to dis
patch & neatness of workmanship. Among other things, it may
be proper to state that a font of type for printing English
is very much needed. As was observed before, a statement has
been made to the Board respecting the importance and wants
of the office and assistance may be expected in due time.
If,
however, some present help could be rendered, it would un
doubtedly tend to advance the interests of the school.
Net gain to the School during the past y e a r .
1.
It may be considered as gain, in that Providence
has so ordered events that nothing injurious or detrimental
to the school has transpired during the year.
2.. A new class of 51 scholars has entered the school,
generally better prepared, by having higher qualifications than
any class that has heretofore entered.
3. No complaint has been made respecting the want of
the means of subsistance.
This has been matter of complaint
heretofore.
4. The gain to the school in acquired information is
but little in comparison with what it should be, owing to
causes before mentioned, but still is sufficient to keep the
scholars from despondency while they & the instructors hope for
better accommodations hereafter.
5. The gain to the school in moral & religious
instruction has been considerable, much above that of any preeceeding year.
6 . The gain in accommodations for imparting instruction,
or internal facilities for conducting the school have been
nothing; for reasons before mentioned. Neither has there been
anything in the long wished for and necessary department of
manual labor.
In accommodations, dwellings ,&c. for the instruc
tors, the gain has been considerable.
Mr. C larke's house is
nerely completed--also a study has been built & some other
fixtures.
The walls of a house for the Principal are up & some
other things are in progress for the comfort of the families.
Since, therefore, something has actually been
gained, and no obstacles o ppose themselves to the future pro
gress of the school, let the mission take courage & go for
ward, trusting in Him who has commanded us to "teach all
�(number of page 1888 skipped)
1889
nations” , and praying that his wisdom may guide us, and that
by his blessing our institution may be the means of preserva
tion to the nation, but especially of salvation to a multi tude
of souls now perishing in their sins.
The Directors at the Suggestion of the Principal
and his associate beg leave to lay before this
meeting the following subjects for consideration.
I. An assistant instructor.
The reasons have in part appeared in the pro
ceeding report.
They, however, may be cursorily stated.
1. The great & increasing importance of urging
forward education among the people of these islands without
delay; hence the duty of using every lawful means.
The means,
among others, for producing such an end is a full supply of
teachers for the institutions already in existence.
2. The fact that the experiment of a High School
has successfully been made,--that Hawaiians are capable of
being taught any art or science,— that they are desirious to
learn,— that no obstacles at present exist to the speedy es
tablishment of an institution such as the mission need, the
Board wish, & the exigencies of the nation requ i r e , is as
reason why nothing s
o u l d be left undone that can be done, to
h
put the High School on a solid and firm basis .
3. The great need of an assistant instructor.
The great work that is to be done, and the comparatively few
facilities for doing it, render more help necessary,
In say
ing this, we make no use of the fact that in all civilized
countries, no institution of learning with the same number of
scholars as the High School & where education is designed to be
extended beyond the elementary branches, is expected to go into
operation, much less to flourish, short of three & often four
or five Professors; and that too where there is no care of
erecting buildings, superintending secular concerns, managing
a printing office, and where too all their books, both classic
& reference books are made ready at hand; but we urge the
claim from the great work to be done, and must be done speedily
or will never be done at all.
4. The fact that the operations of the school must
necessarily be exceedingly slow & inefficient without more
help, and the encouragement the Board have repeatedly given to
go forward are strong reasons, why, at least one other teacher
should be appointed now, with the full expectation that others
will be needed hereafter,
II Secular Agent for the High School
The reasons are,
1. The great quantity of secular business that
must be done before the school can go into full operation.
�1890
Such as, appropriating judiciously the funds designated-keeping the accounts of the station— procuring materials for
buildings hiring workmen— superintending work--such as the
instructor's houses— houses of the scholars--and the build
ings of the institution &c &c requires assistance in this
department.
2. The fact that if one of the present instruc tors
should devote his time to this department he can do nothing
for the immediate instruction of the scholars, is a reason why
some individual should be devoted to this business.
Wherefore, Resolved, that application be made to
the Board for a secular agent for the High School, and that for
the present, the Gen. Agent of the mission be authorized to
furnish the funds for hiring a person to fill that office.
It is strongly reccommended also, that definite arrangements
be made for the public buildings of the school.
(Article 3, 4 and 5 are crossed off with large
crosses drawn across the page.)
III An organization of the mission better adapt
ed to the prosperity of schools.
The instructors of the High School, looking
at the state of the people, the necessity for increased and more
efficient efforts in the department of education; would beg
leave to suggest, whether it is too late to effect a better
organization of the Mission, or in other words, such an arrangement as would cause the preaching of the gospel & the regular
& thorough instruction is schools to bear an equal or proper
proportion.
They make this suggestion with the more confidence,
inasmuch as several in the mission have expressed themselves ready
& willing to be devoted to the business of teaching school,
should a proper division of labor be agreed upon, & should they
receive such an appointment; and inasmuch as with the present
organization, almost all the station schools are far more in
efficient than they might be.
IV. Boarding School in connection with the High
School
In conformity with the suggestions of the Board,
and taking into account the experiment that has been made at
Lahainaluna; the instructors of the High School consider it
a question, whether or n o t a Boarding School for children should
not be connected with, & become an itegral part of the High
School, and thus the High School, in time, become a large board
ing school. We do not however go i n t o detail on this subject.
But the fact that the instruction of adults in schools not
only fails of securing a thorough education, but has little in
fluence on their manners & habits; & the fact that all great
& permanent changes, both literary & moral, in a community
or government are effected prin cipally through the medium of
instruction given to children, seems to give importance to this
�1891
question.
V. Thorough or superifcial education.
The fact that there is a great call for native
assistants in schools and other departments, makes it a
practical question whether the system of instruction in the
High School should be adopted merely to the present exigencies of
affairs, or whether it will not be better to give the students
a more thorough training; in other words, whether the scholars
had better learn a little of a good many thing, or be more
thorough in a few things . In theory this question is easily
settled; but in practice it is not so easy, if the frequent calls
that have been made on the High School for help, are to be
regarded as evidence.
In connection with this, its important that a
fixed period, as a general thing, be agreed upon as the time
of attendance at school, the instructors being permitted, for
special purposes, to retain some for a longer period.
It is
important also that a system of study be made out for the term
for which It is thought best for the scholars to continue at
school, that on leaving school, they sustain a thorough examine
ation and receive a certificate of their moral character and
literary attainments.
VI. Security of the land at Lahainaluna and
vicinity for the use of the school.
1. The instructors reccommend that the land
between the two ravines between w h i c h Lahainaluna lies, begin-ning at about half way up from the sea shore to the school
house at Lahainaluna, and from some distance below the house
of the principal, including the ravine on the left with its
water privileges & extending to the top of the mountain including the large nob just above Lahainaluna; be secured by grant,
lease or otherwise, (provided it can be obtained for a reason
able sum,) to be entirely at the control of the mission & for
the use & benefit of the High School.
2. It is r e c o m m e n d e d that the land in the
valley now generally wrought into kalo patches be divided
out to the scholars, making allowance for wife & children, but
for no others.
3.
That the land on the side hill in front of the
school houses & of the teacher' s houses, be divided into bullding lots of one half acre each:
that a house be erected on
each lot of a sufficient size for one family & one unmarried
scholars, (say 30 feet by 14,)
the mission to procure timber
for the roof, furnish doors, windows & plaster the house; the
rest to be done by the persons who first inhabit the house.
When finished, the house & yar d to be the property of the school,
and the labor bestowed by the occupants to be recognized as
rent during the time they shall continue students of the school.
�1892
4. That a farmer be procured to teach agriculture
who shall take charge of the secular concerns of the school.
5. That the scholars be required to cultivate
the land or procure their town food by their own personal industry, but individuals shall not be allowed to sell their
overpluss stock of provisions in market.
If any provisions are
raised for sale, the sales shall be made through an agent
appointed for that purpose, & such articles procured as are
most needed by the scholars & their families.
6 . That until such a person is procured, a
person be appointed whose business it shall be, to divide out
the ground to the scholars and see that it is cultivated,
and direct with regard to whatever is to be sold from the
land — to divide out the building lots & furnish the means
for building--provide the scholars with books & stationary for
labor or otherwise, to see that each scholar labors on public
work to the amount of tuition fixed upon last year— to super
intend public works--provide materials— keep accounts &c. and
render an annual account to the mission of the secular affairs
of the school.
The foregoing was accepted as the report of the
High School.
Of the several subjects r e c o m m e n d e d to the
consideration of the mission, the 1 st. 2 nd, & 6 th w e r e acted
upon & adopted as will appear by the printed minutes.
The
others were made subjects of conversation, but were not adopt
ed , and are noted above by drawing a mark over them, They
are retained merely to show what the opinions of the present
instructors of the school were at that time.
I here make a few remarks on different parts of
the forgoing report.
1. On recommend a t i o n 3rd Page 6 --Respecting a
press.
The press proves to be but little better than the old
one, & we can never do good work until we have a new pre s s .W
e
wrote for an iron one last fall, we hope it will arrive nex t
spring.
2. On No. 5 age 7, Respecting a Library.
A few books of little or n o value have been added since last
spring. Mr. Dibble has just handed me a list of such books
as he will need in his department soon & which we suppose ought
to be in the Library.
3. On No. 8 Page 9. Respecting a church.
There was but little said on this subject at
Gen. meeting, the whole business now comes into Mr. Dibble's
department. At General meeting he was strongly in favor of
forming a church, but has not done it yet.
The whole however
is a good index to the state of all the chur ch e s o n the islands.
�1893
4. On No. 12. Page 16, Respecting tuition.
We have done nothing yet & we know not how to
go about it.
It is admitted by every member of the mission,
that it would be a benefit to the scholars themselves to pay
something for their tuition, and yet the question is, how it
can be done.
The scholars have no money nor any other proper
ty.
They can work, & would do so if one of us could superin
tend them in person.
But we neither have, n o r can we afford
the time. It is retained in the Laws h owever & perhaps we
shall try to carry it into execution.
5. On recommen d a t i o n 1st of the Director’s page
33 Importance of another instructor,
General Meeting granted
another instructor, nearly unanimously; none opposed.
6 . On recommendations 3rd, 4th & 5th pages 37,
38 & 39 I could enlarge to a great length, but must defer to
another time, if ever.
It is sufficient to say, however, that
we all at the High School are strongly in favor of both infant
& boarding schools & see no insuperable difficulty in the way.
7. On recomm e n d a t i o n 6 , Page 40,
It will
be seen at page 25th of the printed minutes, that the chiefs
very generously granted to the school some land; though it
is not all that is specified in the report, it is sufficient for
the present.
The quantity of land that they consider of any
value does not amount to more than 15 or 20 acres, yet the
whole amount, as granted, is several hundred acres, a great
part at present perfectly barren.
I send a plan of our village,
school house, dwelling houses &c & a survey of the land as well
as it could be surveyed, partly by the chain & partly by the
eye.
It will be inferred from some of the sections of
this article that we have had difficulty with the scholars in
regard to their money making schemes.
They carried the business
of raising beans, y ams, potatoes &c to such a pitch last fall,
that we have been obliged to interfere. While ships were r e
cruiting at Lahaina that season, it was supposed that they
sold upwards $ 3 0 0 worth of these articles in the space of six
weeks.
Their minds were entirely engrossed in the business;
and yet they got nothing in return which was of much value to
them.
The foregoing will give you some idea of the
state of things at the school on the first of June last.
On our return from General Meeting in July, we
set about putting the school in better order, as we had been
reinforced with a permanent assistant laborer.
One of the
first things w a s , to disburden ourselves of such scholars,
particularly of those who had lately entered, as gave no promise
�1894
of usefulness, and who were a great hindrance to their
classmates.
This was effected without much difficulty,
though they were sorry to leave the school.
The number
we thought best to dismiss in this way was eleven.
The next step was, to dismiss some of the first
class who had now been at school about four years, but for
want of capacity in some, and age in others, they had made
no great attainments. We, however, allowed them to stay until
the end of the first session, & make some further preparation
for returning to their former schools.
By reference to the Laws, Chap. 5 See 9 it will
be seen that we now have three vacation a year.
The above
mentioned scholars were notified that they would be expected
to leave after the examination on the Second Wednesday in
October.
The examination at that time was the first thorough
examination we have ever had.
It occupied the most of three
days; and the school, on the whole, appeared as well as could
have been expected.
The scholars were examined,
however, on
no branches except those to which they had attended the proceed
ing session.
They were examined on Topographical Geography,
on Penmanship, Colburn’s First Lessons & the Sequel, on
Scripture Geography, and Composition in their own Language.
At the close of the whole the class about to leave the school
came forward and in a formal manner were dismissed from the
school, each one receiving his certificate, showing that he
had been a regular attendant at school for four years, and was
qualified to instruct others.
Mr. Richards made an address on the occasion, cal
culated to benefit the whole school though more particularly
directed to those about to leave. The impression of the whole
was favorable to the school.
Several of those who were dis
missed have already engaged in teaching and show considerable
zeal in the cause.
The remainder of the first class, with the
exception of ten whom we design to retain longer, will leave
at the end of next May. From these, with the blessing of God,
we may expect some assistance In the way of school teaching.
We are trying to qualify them as well as we can, for that
business.
The number that will then leave will be twenty six.
The ten whom we have selected, will act as assistants in
various ways--as monitors of particular classes--as teachers in
our children's school— as assistants in translating into their
own language &c &c and we strongly hope that a few of them may
eventually enter upon the study of Theology & be able to preach
the gospel to their countrymen;-a point greatly to be desired.
On entering on our duties at the H igh School after
General Meeting, we divided out our particular fields of labor,
as follows; I still retain the office of Principal & design
to give instruction in several branches of moral studies, in
Languages & Theology.
Mr. Clark has taken the scientific
department; he already instructs in Arithmetic, Geography &
Geometry. Trigonometry will be added as soon as the requisite
�1895
tables can be printed. Mr. Dibble has already engaged in
the duties assigned him. Viz. "to take charge of the depart
ment of religious instruction in the High School, prepare
books & instruct in civil and Ecclesiastical History.
Since General meeting, I have done little in my
appropriate department, but have had classes in Colburn's
Sequel--in Geography & in writing.
The writing of about 32
or 3 pages of Hawaiian Grammar is a l l that I have done, but
I hope to do more.
We were disappointed in not receiving the font
of Greek types, and for want of them, have postponed all in
struction in Greek. We have gone as far as it is practicable
to go with no other helps but a black-board. From what we have
done, however, we could soon prepare a Grammar & something
has been done towards a Lexicon of the New Testament.
Since General meeting Mr. Clark has made some
progress in mathematical works.
Mr. Dibble has in the same time written a History
of animals ofr children,— a Sacred Geography & is now writing
something on the Chronology of the bible.
No further specifications are necessary.
The
copies of the different works we send you, will show you what
we are doing.
The scholars have made some progress in engraving
on copper as the specimens we send you will show. All that
has been done, however, in the business, has been done under
the most disadvantageous circumstances.
But we hope to be able
shortly to furnish scholars with an Atlass in their own language,
not indeed done in the manner of Artists, but done by Hawaiians,
& done in a manner to be useful.
The religious instruction of the school has been
continued & the scholars regularly attend. According to the
Laws of the institution, the scholars meet for prayers every
morning at day light, the roll being called, and a portion of
Scripture read.
On the sabbath, there is preaching at half
past 10 o ’clock A.M. at 4 P.M. and at candle light, and on
Wednesday evening of each week.
Besides this, there is a
Bible class which meets on the Sabbath, and two Sabbath schools,
one of which meets twice.
We see improvement in all these things as far as
it relates to mind & morals; but the hearts of the scholars
are not touched.
It is interesting to the speaker to preach
to our congregation— to notice their comparative intelligence—
their attention to what is delivered; but it is painful to no tice
that that the word preached seems like water spilled upon the
ground.
The spirit does not visit us, and we fear that many
will remain hardened & impenitent, and will go out to exert a
greater influence in the cause of the enemy of souls than
though they had never been members of the school.
Our school for the children still continues,
being superintended by Mr . Dibble, but taught by members of
�1896
the High School, for which we pay them a small compensation.
The books printed at the High School press Since
General Meeting are as follows.
Three last forms of Huliano
Koike Holoholona History of Animals
Scripture Geography
Chronology of Scripture (two forms)
Trigonometry
(one form)
Esther & Isaiah (six forms)
Hawaiian Grammar (four forms)
Vocabulary (five forms)
Laws of the school
size
12 mo
12
12
12
8
12
8
8
12
pages
48
84
84
24
8
72
32
40
24
TIE
The works now in press are the vocabulary,
Hawaiian Grammar, a Sermon by Mr. Hitchcock, Isaia, translated
by Mr. Richards, Proverbs, Scripture Chronology Trigonometry &c.
The printing is still done by the scholars of the school, super
intended by Mr. Rogers. As we wrote so fully respecting the
state of the office & its importance last year, we need only
say here, that the experience of another year makes us feel
the necessity of an increasing printing establishment connected
with the school.
Since General meeting, something considerable has
been done in respect to buildings.
The walls of a new school
house are now two thirds up, fifty feet by twenty six inside
(same size with the other) two stories high, designed for four
rooms, two lecture or recitation rooms & two other smaller ones
for apparatus, a museum &c. During the two weeks vacation in
Oct. a new floor of boards was laid in the old school house
& better writing tables were fitted up.
It now answers the
double purpose of a chapel on the sabbath days and a school
room on week days, but is too small for a chapel half of the
school will still be obliged to occupy a miserably dirty place
for a schoolroom until our new building shall be completed.
Our past & our anticipated expenses may seem great
to you, but after an experiment of almost four years, I am
fully convinced they are absolutely necessary. Whatever is
permanent must be more or less expensive; and our work here will
not be accomplished in two or three generations.
We wish it
to be expressly understood by the friends of missions, that
every thing which is necessary to the welfare, comfort,
progress & prosperity of an institution of learning in the U. S.
is just as necessary here, and just as far as we have not such
accommodations, so far the institution must fail to accomplish
its desired end. And as they have undertaken to christianize
the world, they should know, that Institutions of learning are
�1897a
just as valuable, as a means, and just as necessary here as
in U. S. or or other Christian countries. And further, that
Preachers, of the gospel, in all ordinary cases, must be
raised up in all lands to preach the gospel to their own
countrymen.
And the kingdom of Christ will never prevail
over the earth until this is done.
To build up and sustain
a literary institution in a foreign c o untry and on heathen
ground must cost money, but unless It be done, heathenism
& ignorance will remain, and remain an effectual barrier to
the blessings of the gospel.
My own house will be completed in a month or
two. Mr. Dibble has one in progress.
About thirty five
houses have been erected, or commenced by the scholars since
General Meeting.
These are constructed of Dobeys, such as
are bui lt on the Spanish main & thatched in the usual way,
and will cost in all about $ 50 each.
The land in front of
the school buildings, has been laid out into lots of 10 rods in
length by 6 in breadth. Houses will be built on all these
lots or not, according to the future circumstances of the
school.
If our scholars should continue to be adults & married,
each family ought to have a house.
If boys or children shall
be brought into school, we shall not need so many houses.
For expenses of the school, see other documents.
We have received at different times apparratus
for illustrating the Sciences of Natural Philosophy, Astronomy
& Chemistry. We consider ourselves In a good degree furnished
In these departments for the present. We regret very much that
the thing called a Telescope which we lately received is no
better.
It does not in any degree answer the purpose of a
Telescope. We need one very much & we do not think that money
could be better expended than in procuring a first rate one for
us.
We have heard that good ones are now manufactured in the
U.S.A.
We have requested Dr. Chapin to make statements to
you in our behalf & have noted down some points of more immediate
importance than others.
He will be able to tell you m
a n y things
respecting the schooll which we shall probably fail to write.
You will be surprised perhaps to see nothing
said in our minutes respecting infant or boarding schools;
particularly after what you have said to us on that subject.
The truth is, we spent several days on that
business;
but failed, partly because some of us have no great c onfidence
that either infant or bording schools would be successful
if attempted; but principally, because we could not commence
a boarding school without breaking up one of our stations,
which no one was disposed to do.
In a letter of Mr. Anderson's to the Mission of
Sept. 5 1834 is the following sentence. "In your High School
you have commenced with adult married pupils.
Probably
this was necessary; but it is not the most natural method.”
�1897b
To this sentiment we agree most cordially; but
necessity compelled us to it, or rather the providence of
God seemed to say that it was duty. You are aware that when
the schools first became popular at the islands, the first scholars
were not only adults, but chiefs.
From this circumstance, every
body was desirous of entering school. Children were not thought
of, & if they had been, could have received no attention, as
it was preoccupied with those who must be taught now or never.
This state of things contined as long as Kaahumanu lived . Add
to this, the fact that children were no more thought of, no
not half as much thought of by chiefs & people as their dogs
or hogs were: and even now, teaching children, is thought
by the people generally to be small business.
On this
account, we had no children to commence with, nor even young
boys when the school was first established.
But now the whole face of things is changed. No
chiefs attend school & of course, but few people. W e are
now brought in the wisdom of Providence to begin our labors
in some respects anew. We must now take children into our
school if we have any. And we rejoice to say there is no
want of them.
The accounts from the different stations, will,
no doubt, inform you of this fact.
And here is where we, at the High school find our
selves in difficulty. We shall, perhaps, be requested next
July, to receive some twenty five or thirty boys into the
school, fitted as our laws direct.
This, in itself, would
be exceedingly desirable.
Bu t who will take care of them?
They will come destitute of fr iends - -of home— or clothes &c &c
Their wildness must be tamed--their heathenish habits must
be broken up--civillzation must be taught them— employment
must be furnished &c &c.
Now the question with us, is, how
can we attend to these things & attend at the same time to
instruction of the school? For you are aware, we have all
our books to make & remake as we go along, and all the other
cares of which we have spoken before. We have neither the
men nor the money.
Still, we see no other way but to go for
ward, trusting that the great head of the church will furnish
means & men to carry on his own work. We are heartily tired
with teaching adults who have grown up without any mental
discipline & addicted to all that is vile, even if we hope
they are pious.
There is no doubt that children can be obtain
ed to any amount, only by promising to support them. We have
not the least solicitude on that ground.
I have yet many other things to say, but time
will not admit at present.
On the subject of schools, I may
say in one word, that we have just commenced the work, We are
now just where you & the Christian community supposed we were
eight years ago
----For other items we must refer you to our indiv
idual letters. We pray that you may be guided in all things
by wisdom from on high.
Yours truly
Lorrin Andrews
�1898
N.B. I have requested Mr. B urnham our Carpenter to make out
a plan of our village, school house &c with explanations which
will accompany this.
L.
Andrews
As Mr. Dibble was not connected with us last
fall when a list of books was made out for the use of the
school, he has made out the following list of books as need
ed in his department; of which we all approve.
Historical Class book by Dr. Sullivan
Political & moral class Book by do for Mr. A. M illm a n ’s history
of the Jews
History of Nations spoken of in the Old Testament by the
Author of Jewish History.
National & Domestic manners & customs of the Jews, designed
for Bible classes & c .
A sketch of Sacred Geography by a friend of youth.
The sacred History of the world by Sharon Turrner
Bible Atlass by John Lothian
Lessons o n the Old Testament by Joseph Emerson
Scripture Natural History for youth by Esther Hewlett (now Copley)
Missionary Gazetteer by B. B. Edwards.
History of Missions b y -----a new work
Biblical Manual by Horace Spaulding
B a r n e ’s Notes on Gospels & Acts.
Barens Questions
A full sett of Gallaudet' s works
Works by Mr. Abbotts
A full set of cuts illustrating the manners, customs & history
of the Jews.
Lorrin Andrews.
N. B. I forgot to mention that we greatly need a quantity
of paints (water c olors) for painting maps & c .
L. A.
Mr. Andrews Report of High School at Lahainaluna
Dated Nov. 2 4, 1835
Recd May 7 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 15, 1836
An sd July 1
Books &
last two pages.
�1899
156
67 Sandwich Islands 1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
High School Lahainaluna Dec. 1st, 1835
The Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Dear Sir,
There is a sentence in some of the late letters
from the rooms like this; "If anything not absolutely essential
to your work should be written for, It should be so stated."
This referred I suppose to some personal convenience.
I have
a story to tell with regard to myself, & leave it entirely
with you to pay any attention to it or not. At twelve years old I began to cultivate music,
in other words, learned to sing, & became more thorough in the
rudiments of music than most boys do at that age. From that
time until I left to United States I paid considerable atten
tion to music--was fond of it--particularly Sacred music--constructed a Bass Viol & taught myself to play on it some years
before I ever saw one--go t a flute, but was obliged to study
out scale as I could not procure one--Taught music several
times with some success to those who knew less than I did &c
& c — was chief leader of Music on board the Parthian to the
great annoyance of Capt Blinn, still I never considered my
self as very skilfull. My ear h a s always been delighted
with "the concord of sweet sounds” . Since coming here, I
have sung hymns in the face of the trade winds— out of doors —
under trees or in grass houses, nearly as bad,-perhaps the
only singer in a congregation of two or three thousand or if
the native assisted it was necessary to drown their discord
ant voices by the loudness of my own, until my voice is com
pletely ruined for singing.
It is still good & strong for
preaching, but is nearly unmanageable in singing & is constant
ly growing worse.
Now, what I was about to ask was, would it be
lawful for a missionary in such a case to have a Piano or
a Parlor Organ?
That after the cares & fatigues and labors
of the day, I might try at least to sooth my mind a little
before going to rest.
There are two three Bass Viols in
the mission but the strings are always breaking, besides the y
do not make harmony.
I should much prefer an Organ to a Piano but
would be glad of either.
I do not think it would ad d to my
�1900
usefulness any as a missionary except perhaps to ray health
in certain cares.
I do not wish the funds of the Board to
be employed in gratifying me in this respect. Is it not
possible that some friend of missions may enter into my
feelings & furnish one without expense to the Board? If
so, you will have my thanks for any interest you may take
in the affair.
I need not say, I should greatly need such
books as would give minute instruction, for I have not time
to spend in studying out all that would be necessary to know.
While I am on this subject, I would just add that
I should be glad of some of the late works on music f
o r chi l d
ren for the use of my own children--perhaps also for natives.
I have no work on music except the Tiemple Cosmina. Also a
Thorough Bass Primer— r u l e s for writing harmonies &c.
I shall,
perhaps, for some time be obliged to teach the Theory of
music to some extent though I can not sing.
Yours as ever
Lorrin Andrews
The Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Rev. Lorrin Andrews,
Dated Dec. 1. 1835
R e c . June 10 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 15
Ansd July 1
Some late works in Music
ship
�1901
157
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
High School Lahainaluna Dec 2, 1835
Rev. Rev. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Dear Sir,
The ship does not sail & I keep
writing.
In your last of Dec. 3 1834 you say, "There is
a point touched upon in your Essay on Schools, Viz, the
unthinking character of the native mind." You ask for more
facts in relation to the case.
I could enumerate facts with
out end, but I consider it unnecessary when we take into account
the circumstances of a Hawaiian's life.
What is there in the
condition of Hawaiians to make them otherwise than unthinking?
They are born & grow up literally like wild asse's colts.
One half of their food grows spontaneously, and in procuring the
other half, there is no faculty of mind brought into exercise
but memory.
They need little or no clothing— they have no
necessity for laying up anything for tomorrow.— Hence they have
no property to care o f . ( I speak of them as they were)
Their ancient religion required no mental effort.
Their priests
told them what to do & it was death to do otherwise,
Their
sports & wars, therefore, were all that called forth their
mental energies.
Add to this, the sensuality in which they in
dulged, and and it must be that they are an unthinking people.
Accordingly facts abound on all sides illustrating this.
Every conversation we have with them--every lesson we hear
evinces it.
I have heard several persons converse together
hours upon one simple thought, too silly for even children
to talk about for a minute.
The scholars have frequently
said to me, "we cant think as you do"
I may state as evidence that they do not think
unless driven to it, that they have no idea of generalizing,
or of deducing a general rule from particular cases, or of
drawing a conclusion from premises made ever so clear; hence
they need the same instruction to teach them how to use their
knowledge as they did in giving them the original ideas. For
instance, Mr. Burnham set several of the scholars whom he has
to work with him, to calculate the number of rafters they should
need for a particular number of houses, at a given number
of rafters per house.
These same scholars had gone about
half through Colburn's Arithmetic & really understood what they
had gone over, but they had m et with no question about rafters
before, they were therefore completely puzzled though they
�1902
had probably wrought out a hundred sums involving the same
principle.
Certain things in their language evinces the
same thing. Viz. the great want of abstract & general
terms.
Thus, to break as a plate is naka, to break as a
rope is moku,to break as a stick is hai but no word for the
general term; so in unnumerable instances. Every thing is
specific & of particular application.
So in moral subjects.
In translating the seventh commandment, it was found they
had about twenty ways of committing adultery, & of course
as many specific names; and to select any one of them would
be to forbid the crime in that one form & tacitly permit it in
all the other cases.
It was necessary therefore to express the
idea in another way, Viz "Thou shalt not sleep mischievously.”
They have no word answering to our word color, they canot ask
"what color is it”? they can only ask, is it black, red, blue
& c . but have no general term.
They have no term answering to
our word Number &c &c The whole language shows that they never
have been a thinking people.
Their habits & manners show that
every thing is considered individually.
The property of a
husband & wife are perfectly distinct.
Hoapili & his wife have
two perfectly distinct establishments, they rarely eat together.
No man ever uses his wife's book & vice versa & so of a slate
& other property, each must have one of his own. No scholar
thinks of borrowing a pen knife, nor any one of lending in'
school without grumbling.
And I have often been exceedingly
provoked on occasions like this; During a recitation, I have
had occasion to explain or illustrate some point & my address
would be more particularly to the individual reciting. My
explanation would be satisfactory to him.
Pass on to the next
one, when perhaps the same principle would be involved & he
would pay no attention to what I had just said.
Ask him if
he had not heard what I just said, "Yes, but you did not tell
me, what you said belonged to him.” And frequently at the
close of a school, I have made some appointment or mentioned
something that applied to them all, & state it in the most
explicit terms, & sometimes half the schools would follow
me home, to have me say it to them personally.
You will not understand me to say, the Hawaiians
are destitute of minds, by no means. All my accounts show facts
to the contrary.
But what I have said goes to show that we
must begin with children or the most of our labor must be lost,
I mean as far as civilization & mental improvement are concerned
I break off in the middle
Yours,
Lorrin Andrews
N.B. If I have not written for them before I would say we
greatly need some large slates such as are used in schools
for the deaf & dumb.
For want of books we have much writing
to do and black boards & chalk, though good, are not so good
as slates would be.
L.A.
�Rev. Lorrin Andrews
Date Dec. 2, 1835
Recd June 10 1836
slates
ansd July 1
marked M.C.
Copied
�1904
158
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
Lahainaluna Dec. 7th 1835
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
Boston Mass
Brethren,
Here are most of the books mentioned
in the report of the High School as having been printed at the
High School press during the past year. The report itself was
sent several days ago by the hand of Dr. Chapin.
I have much
more to write on the subject of the High School & of schools
in general on the islands, & also of some other affairs of
the mission, but for want of time I cannot do it without omitting
other pressing missionary duties. I should fill out this
sheet this morning but the sickness of a child (with the croup)
not out of danger calls my attention.
May God give you wisdom & all the directors of
Missionary operations that he may be glorified— that souls
may be saved— that the kingdom of Christ may come.
Yours truly
Lorrin Andrews
Over
P.S. Allow me to, mention if I have not d o n e it else where that
w e need at the High School a quantity of Mapping paper both
for printing on copper & for drawing maps. We h ave none here
that is good. Also if I have not mentioned it before a quantity
of water colors for painting maps-Lorrin Andrews
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
N o 28 Cornhill
Boston
Rev. Lorring Andrews
Dated Lahainaluna Dec 7, 1835
Recd June 10, 1836
Ackd in G. L. June 15
Ansd July 1
mapping paper
�1905
159
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
High School Lahainaluna April 1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Rev. & Dear Sir,
I received yours of Dec. 4th 1835 a few
days ago.
I have only time however now to acknowledge its
receipt as I am engaged, besides regularly instructing in school,
in transcribing & carrying the book of proverbs through the
press (Mr. Rogers being absent,) — preparing the annual re
port of the school for General Meeting in which I wish to
prove
that the High School ought forthwith to be turned into
a boarding school and to receive henceforth but few scholars
except lads— also superintending some boys engaged in engrav
ing & printing maps, some specimens of which I send you.
I am fully aware of the importance of keeping you
thoroughly acquainted with the state of the school; but to
write*must be so much taken from the school.
I have doubted
the propriety of saying much until I had something to say, that
is, something that had actually been done & something now doing
as well as what was intended to be done.
I sent you some account of the school last fall
by Dr. Chapin.
I believe I then said that it was our opinion
(that is, the opinion of us who were the instructors of the
school) that no insuperable difficulty existed in the way of
establishing several boarding schools on the islands, if not
one at each station. We now see no way in which our High School
will be of much service to the mis sion or the islands unless
the scholars can be brought under a different kind of superintendance.
They enter the school heathens as it relates to manners
habits & morals & go away so. As the school is now, we haveno
influence over them except in the school room, which of course
is but a small portion of time.
I cannot however go into detail
on this subject now.
The subject we expect to bring before
General meeting in a few weeks.
Mr. Clark is writing you and will probably ac
knowledge the reception of apparratus, printing materials and
books. Of the latter we stood in great need.
We thank you
for them.
A few plates of polished copper have been re-
* much
�1907
(number of page 1906 skipped)
ceived for engraving.
I am glad to see them as they are
the first I ever saw except what we have manufactured here.
We shall need a quantity of a larger size besides paper
suitable for printing copper plate printing.
It is all im
portant that our maps be made on as large a scale as possible.
Adults cannot read small print, their eyes not being accustom
ed to the exercise; nor do they get correct ideas from maps
where the matter is crowded.
You will perceive we have hithertoo used common ship copper full width.
I ought to say that
this work is as new to me as to the natives & of course you
will not expect perfection at once.
The specimens I send consist of 1st A map of the
islands, not perfectly correct however.
This Is our first
effort done b y three different boys. 2 A map of the globes,
this is the very first effort of one of the scholars about
14 years old 3 A map of the U. S. A. by a b oy of the same
age n ot a scholar. 4 A map of Africa by a boy & scholar .
formerly lived with Dr. Chapin.
5 North America by a scholar
aged about 17 the two last are only proof sheets, the plates
are not perfectly finished. We have in hand Map s of S outh
America, Europe, Asia & one of the Hawaiian islands of smaller
size. We do not succeed well yet in printing maps as you will
perceive.
I am not able to state the quantity of printing
we shall probably do at the High School press this year. We
taxed ourselves a thousand pages of original matter for this
year, & I hope we shall not fall far short.
I send two copies
of the Vocabulary.
Other specimens hereafter.
Among the
rest we have nearly completed the parts of the Old Test. from
beginning of Proverbs to the end of Lamentations . Most of
this is the extra exertion of the brethren on Maui.
We have not been altogether unmindful of the im
portance of instruction in spiritual things at the High School.
It was for this purpose that we asked, & the mission granted
the assistance of Mr. Dibble in that department. We hope to
be able to tell you that the Lord has blessed us in turning
many to righteousness.
Mrs. Dibble has been afflicted by a stroke of the
palsy she is slowly recovering.
Pray for us that we may be kept in the path of
duty
Yours truly
Lorrin Andrews
�The Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
With a bundle
Rev. Lorrin Andrews
Dated April
1836
Recd Oct 17
Ackd in G. L. Dec 5
Copper for engraving
�1909
160
67 Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
High School Lahainaluna Nov. 25, 1836
Rev.
Anderson
M i s s Rooms, Boston
Rev. & Dear Sir
I write just to say that
I have put up the report of the school & a list of some things
that will probably be wanted in the future operations of the
school. You will see that we are changing the form of the
school as fast as we can into a boarding school.
We could say much respecting the moral & religious
state of the school. . Events have transpired within a few
weeks part both pleasing & painful. Within that period we
have had more than ordinary attention to religion among the
scholars.
If we had not been so frequently & so greviously dis
appointed before we should not hesitate to say we believe
several of the scholars have been born again.
There is this that is peculiar about it. The
force of conscience has been such among the scholars that
they found no peace until they confessed their sins.
I
doing this such awful disclosures of iniquity depravity & sin were
brought to light as even to shock us who have been fami liar with
all that is vile these many years.
I cannot go into detail
now as I hope to write again in a few weeks, if not particulars
will be detailed in the next report of the school.
You have referred to the subject of Books once
or twice in your letter to me; I must also postpone that
matter.
I would only say however that Mrs. A. wishes a
family B ible.
I am not able to mention any particular edition
or quality of binding A quarto with some plates & the Apocraphy
I suppose would suit her.
In my own behalf I would say that
I need a new watch.
I good patent lever
Last fall we all
got turned over in a canoe when out at sea & my watch was
ruined.
It was a cheap one & of course a poor one.
I send Books from our Press as follows
1 20 Vocabularies for the use of Missionies on the voyage
here & other uses
2
6 of Mr. Clark's work on Geom & Trigonomty
3
8 History of Beasts for children
4
1 Sacred Geography
5
2 Vol. of Sermoms written by different p r sons
6
1 Vol. of different parts of the scriptures, sowed
7
6 Catalogues of the school the present year
8
Some specimens of Maps of Hawaiian drawing & engraving
�1910
We are not so far forward in this business as we expected to
be at this time.
It will be seen however that the boys are
improving.
The map of the islands is not good we must cut
another.
Br. Richards will give you the news of the
Mission.
Mrs. Dibble is apparently near the end of her labors
& suffering.
I have much I would say but cannot command the time.
Yours truly,
Lorrin Andrews
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary R ooms
Boston Mass
Rev.
Date
Recd
Ac d
Lorrin Andrews
Lahainaluna Nov 25, 1836
May 28/37
in G . L. July 21
Lever watch
B ible
Water colors
�1911
161
67 Sandwich Islands
1831—-1837
Part Second
XXVI
High School Lahainaluna Dec 21, 1836
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
B oston.
Rev. & Dear Sir
I wrote a few days ago by Mr. Richards
& intimated that I should probably write again soon. A vessel
is now recruiting at Lahaina & will sail in a day or two for
the United States.
I have a word or two to say on the subject
of books— a subject upon which you have invited me to write
you.
Perhaps on this subject I have felt more deeply than
moat of my brethren & in some respects have been more trouble
some . I can make no better apology than by giving some account
of myself previous to my becoming a missionary and of my
peculiar situation since I have been on missionary ground.
My education was extremely limited. At a
period when most boys are at school, I was felling the first
trees of Ohio or chasing the wild beasts or holding inter
course with the Indians.
I had but a slight preparation for
College and most of what I had pretended to learn I was
obliged to learn over again at College. M y College course
consisted of three Sumn e r ’s tuition & one winter.
I was
then obliged to leave for want of funds.
I spent several
years in teaching school, working as a mechanic, printer &c.
until I entered the Theological Seminary at Princeton. At
that institution I spent a year & a half or two winters &
one summer.
I was then licenced to preach, but was obliged
to teach an Academy to get money to pay my debts, as in the
Western states preaching was not a money making business. As
soon as I had paid most of my debts I offered myself as a
missionary to the American Board.
The rest I need not tell.
All the use I would make of this story is to show that I was
deficient in point of literary acquirements for the work of
a missiony.
I considered myself so.
I knew in some respects
what missionaries ought to be for I was educated on mi ssiony
gr o u n d . I did not know how the Presbytery could in good faithl
icence me to preach the gospel.
I was ashamed of my style
of writing & ashamed of my manner of speaking. But the only
way was to go ahead & make up deficiences by hard study. Most
of my education was obtained not in the usual way but literally
as a Peripatetic for in getting i t . I travelled on different
routs from Ohio & Kentucky to New England six times, three times
on foot, besides smaller journies of two & three hundred miles
�1912
always on foot.
My rule was to keep my eyes & ears open and
my mouth shut as much as possible.
Strange as it may seem, however, from the habits
of my early life I had been to school just enough to form
a taste for literature; that is, a taste for books & book
learning & deeply lamented that I had neither books to study
nor much time to study them.
But I had been looking forward
to the time when Providence should favor me in this respect
& believed that if I were realy called to preach the gospel
I should thus be favored.
I did not offer myself as a missionry because I was not qualified to preach to civilized
people, because I well knew how such were estimated & how
they always must be estimated.
Hard labor & long study to
gain a little information was no new thing & I felt willing
to qualify myself as far as in my power for the very highest
post in a missionary field.
When I was licened to preach I scarcely owned
a single volume.
While I was teaching school I picked up one
book & another which I valued very much as I was able to pay
for them.
On reciving my appointment I said something to
Mr. Evarts respecting my books for I feared that I must sac frafice them. Mr. E. informed me that I need not be anxious
about my books, as books would be furnished & suggested that
I could probably get them transfered from Kentucky to Boston,
But as I was unacquainted with business of that kind I con
sidered it next to impossible that my books should ever reach
so distant a part unless I was with them.
I therefore packed
up a few volumes & took on to Boston and of the rest, I gave
away some & sold some at half price.
My books were principally
classical & Theological.
On arriving at the Rooms in Boston, among other
parts of an outfit I was requested by Mr. David Green to make
out a list of such books as I should need.
My appointment as
contained in a letter from Mr. Evarts was to proceed to the
Sandwich islands & there besides preaching the gospel to have
in view the work of translating from the Hebrew the Old Test
ament into the language of Hawaii.
(I quote from memory &
do not recollect the words) At Mr. Green's request I made out
the best list I could & offered to go with Mr. Green to the
bookstore so that by seeing the books I might perhaps make
out a better list as I had no catalogue to refer to. Mr.
Green refused me the privilege of accompanying him.
I proposed
the second & third time & was refused each time.
The morning
we sailed Mr. G. informed me that my books were procured &
had gone on board the ship. About two hour s before we sailed
the bill containing a list of my books was handed me.
It was
no time for making enquiries or correcting mistakes or enter
ing a protest, all was hurry & confusion.
My feelings were
then what they ever have been since & what they are now.
If
I had known tw e n ty four hours sooner what a library I was to
have I should have absolutly refused to set my foot on board
of the ship to come to these shores as a missionay. To come
withsuch a library, with an appointment to such a work was
|
�1913
painful to my feelings.
If I had been sent here to do
the best I could & help where I could it would have been
different. Whether Mr. Green did what he did through economy
or whether he supposed that because I was from the back
woods I should not know much about books & therefore not
fed my want I do not know.
If it was the former it has been
a great mistake
I have lost many hundred dol l a r ’s worth of
time for want of proper books.
If the latter it was a mis
take also for I had seen the libraries of Princeton & Andover
& Cambridge & knew what was on the outside of the books at
least.
I felt this the more because I was conscious that
I was not qualified for the post assigned me nor could I be
without proper helps.
I had many things to learn which most
missionaries in similar circumstances already knew.
I well
knew also that the best Hebrew scholar in the United States
would never have consented to begin a translation of the
Hebrew Bible into English with the helps that I had.
I fet
this too because all my expences from Kentucky were charged
to my outfit and after getting my outfit about a hundred
dollars was left.
(The outfit allowed att that time was
$600.)
But the consciousness that I w a s entering upon a
great and important piece of work without a full preparation
and without the means of preparation caused unpleasant feel
ings at least for a time.
I did not wish a library of books
for reading.
I never read much in my life.
I had studied
a few books & knew the value of books of reference.
The fact, however, that I had not as many books
as I wished had no practical influence on my efforts to
qualify myself, for as soon as sea-sickness was over I set to
work with Mr. J.S.Green of our reinforcement to make myself
better acquainted with my Hebrew Bible Grammar & c . and in fact
I never did more studying in any four mon th in my life:
The
Parthian difficulties notwithstanding.
But still I felt cramped
Several hours would sometimes be spent in investigations which
would have cost only as many minutes if we had had the requisite
helps. To this kind of work I should have had no objection
if had been some ten years younger.
On my arrival at the islands I wrote you a letter
in which I suppose were some things rather of an impudent
cast, as you never replied.
(I kept no copy of it.) The same
fall if I mistake not Mr. R ichards wrote on the subject of
books, whether I signed the letter or not I have forgotten,
I believe, however, that I made out the list of books which
he wrote for.
In due time these books came, but as they
came to the mission generally we only shared with the rest &
I believe that I have none now that were sent then except
Tromice’s Concordance of the Sept.
In the fall of 1829 I wrote to Mr. Signer prin
cipally on the subject of books.
To this I never received
any answer.
The next year I thought of trying my influence
�1914
with individuals.
I wrote to the Rev. Wm. L. McAtla of
Philadelphia with whom I had been acquainted in Kentucky
who knew the value of books & who talked well about
missionaries &c. I told him my pressing necessities.
He
never answered my letter.
I saw it however printed in the
Western L uminary & credited to the Philadelphian, and that
was the last of it.
Not having much confidence that I should be
successful with M r . McAtla I wrote a letter to the Rev.
Andrew Todd of Flemingsbury Ky. a particular friend of mine,
requesting him to raise a little money in his congregation
& send it to the Rev. Cyrus Mason of N. York city to whom
I also wrote requesting him to lay out the money, as far as
it would go in procuring a full set of Greek classic k s . In
due time I received a package of books from Mr. Mason, say
ing in a very short note, "that he had procured some books
for me & hoped they would be found useful.” . The package
consisted of Dr. Johnson's works, a Superb London edition,
Dr. Chalmer's works N. York edition, Payne's elements of
Moral science &c. & c . with books of still less value to a
missionay to the amount of $25.00, but not a single book
that I wrote f o r .
I might also mention that when Mr. Stewart was
here in the Vincennes he offered to see that I was fully
supplied with books--that his friends in N. York, Philadelphia
& Baltimore would be glad of the opportunity &c. & c . Accord
ingly I furnish him with a list & that was the last I have
heard of it.
In the mean time I was not the only person in the
mission that grumbled on the subject of books.
It was more
than once mentioned in our smaller meetings that we must
send one of our number ot Europe for books.
I believed it
never was formally brought before Gen. Meeting. A t our Gen.
Meeting in 1831, the subject came up and Mr. Whitney if I
mistake not, Mr. Green & myself were appointed to write to the
Board. Mr. Green was a subcommittee to draught the letter.
The committee agreed to the draught, but on presenting it to
Gen. Meeting, it was rejected on the ground that it was too
strong.
It was however recommitted.
Mr. Green refused to
write anything more, I refused on the ground that if I wrote
anything, it could not be in substance different from what
had been reported & there the matter ended.
If I mistake not it was at this meeting that a
suggestion came from the Rooms some thing like this that
whatever was written for must have the sanction of the mis
sion or at least as may of the mission as could be consulted.
Whereupon a resolution was carried by a majority that if
any individual wrote for books except through the General
Agent he must e ither have the sanction of the mission or of
the brethren of his station or island.
Such a resolution
�1915
never received my vote.
I said if my common sense is not
sufficient to teach me what I want or if the Board have no
confidence in my judgment then I ought not to be on missionay ground.
The existence of this resulutlon is the reason
why I have said so little on the subject of books for four
years past.
For two or three years past not much has been
done on the subject by the mission except talk; of that h ow
ever there has been a good deal.
I cannot describe the
manner in which books are received each year.
Imagine twenty
or twenty five hungry half starved dogs to come together at
one place & some one should throw a half a dozen bones to
them; what a scene ! The similarity only consists in the
desire & grediness of the dogs after the bones & the scrambling
there would b e to get them. For the growling, biting & fighting
is here exhibited by a sullen indifference & a despair of
ever being gratified. There has been, however, no little that
might be called snatching. Why shouldit not be so? We are
all profesedly literary characters, interested in all the new
dlscoveries--new literature--increase of knowledge, light &c &c.
We have no book stores to go to-- no reviews to read in order
to keep up even a shallow acquaintance with what is going
on in the literary & scientific world.
Once a year indeed
we get some Newspapers which give us some idea what is going
on. We read the advertisements of books but the books them
selves do not reach us.
I wish to say here that you & some of us here
have made a great deal too much of the thing called the
Library of Sandwich island's mission. It is one of the many
things connected with missions that sound well and is a fine
theme for writing & talking, but is of no practical benefit.
The library has been a subject of legislation for several GenMeetings but has never been of any material assistance to any
of tine mission except to those stationed at Honolulu & its
name has been an injury,
Many resolutions have been brought
before Gen- Meeting to this effect, "that the best books
be picked out & the rest burnt, or thrown into the sea, or
that the books be distributed among individuals and the
n ame of the library abolished.
The brethren, however of Oahu
& some others out of respect to the Board have fe l t so strong
ly on the subject that the library continued to stand--food
for worms.
From our local situation- a library for the
Sandwich island's mission can never be any thing but a name.
It can never be of any more practical utility than a single
library would be for the clergymen of Boston, Baltimore &
Liverpool.
Indeed we are not so near together in reality
as those cities are. Geographically we are nearer, but con
sidering the difficulties of going & sending we are much
farther apart.
�1916
On this point we have labored in vain for many
years to make our friends understand.
If there must be a
circulating library some of our number would chose to have the
mass of books kept at Boston.
I believe it has been ascertained
that the missionaries at Honolulu hear twice from Boston
where the missionaries at Hilo on Hawaii hear once from Honolulu.
A host of facts could be stated to show the great difficulty
of exchanging books or of conveying intelligence.
In 1830
Mr. Whitney wrote me a letter from Kauai in June,; I was
then living at Hilo, Hawaii.
In Dec. I met it (almost half
way) at Lahaina.
Mr. Emerson wrote me last summer from Waialua ,
the letter was four months in reaching me at Lahainaluna— a letter
on business.
These are not extreme cases they are of rather
frequent occurrence, besides many letters & packages that
n ever reach at all.
I believe no missionay thinks of sending
a valuable book by the common conveyances.
And this difficulty
is increasing rather then diminishing as the chiefs are becom
ing more indifferent to our work & care less about accommodat
ing us.
I was three years in pursuit of Cook's voyages after
I came to the island before I obtained a single vulume, and
yet it was in the library or rather out of it. A calculation
has been made, founded on the experience of several years, that
if only a single volume is sent to the mission it cannot in
ordinary cases be read by all the families short of six years
& probably by the great majority of the mission never would be
read at all.
I believe it is a fact that books sent by indiv
iduals to private individuals are more read than those belong
ing to the B oard, It was week before last that I first got
the opportunity of reading the life of Mrs. Winslow, though
I tried my best to read it sooner & there were two copies
on this Island.
I was anxious to read it inasmuch as I was
appointed by the mission to write to Mr. Poor of the Ceylon
Mission & wished to gain all the information I could before
I w ro t e .
As to Reviews & such works, they rarely ever get
off from the island of Oahu or at least no further than Lahaina.
The truth is no missionary can sit down to read such works
at once & then send them to his neighbor.
There are two evils,
first, he cannot do it without stopping the general course
of his missionay work.
Secondly, if he could do it, it would
be no profit.
The hasty reading of several books, or several
kinds of books as near together as possible is of no advantage;
but they must be read so or not at all, for his neighbors are
clamorous to see the new books, but before they get round it
is a matter of indifference to most whether they are read or
not.
But I have said enough on this point.
It is evident
that a Library of the Sandwi c h island's mission can never be
a circulating even for common reading books; & reference
books for missionay purposes never ought to be in a cir
culating library. For if the exchange can take place only
once a year, then as many years must elapse, in the most
�1917
favorable circumstances, as there are islands before a book
can circulate through the mission.
As to myself, I have suffered somewhat from my
peculiar business at the High School.
It is true I have no
very learned lectures to deliver, nor am I much afraid; that
the scholars will outstrip me in knowledge.
But I have
scholars that can ask questions & they expect to be answer
ed. Some two or three years ago the scholars on reading an
account of the revolution in France in the Geography enquired,
as it would be natural for Hawaiians to do, how many persons
were killed during the revolution?
I could not tell.
I told
them however I would look. On examining I found that I had
nothing that would give me the information.
I went as usual
to Mr. Richards but he had nothing on the subject & by further
enquiring I found that there was probably no book in the
mission that would give even a probable answer.
At another time one of the scholars asked me a
practical respecting building his house.
The question in
volved a sum in the cube root.
I answered his question by
carpenter's rule but he wanted to see how I came to the
conclusion.
But I had not worked a sum in the cube root for
ten years & then after the old fashing of following the rule.
On trying to think I found I had forgotten the rule & put him
off until I should look.
I went to look for a book but could
find none.
Indeed I had not an Arithmetic of any kind though
Principal of the High School.
I went to Mr . Richards and he
had none, though he though he had an old Pike somewhere but
he could not then find it. So I was obliged to postpone the
answer indefinitely. You will think probably that it was
a very great shame that the Principal of the High School should
not be able to work a sum in the cube root without looking
at a rule.
I think so too, & I felt so & it only proves that
my education is very limited & that I am not fit for the post
I occupy. But I could not help think also, what a privilege
it would have been to have had a book to help me out of such
a difficulty.
A few months ago I was trying to write something
like a comparative view of the two languages English &
Hawaiian. Among other things a comparison of the simple sounds
in both were necessary & hence the number of characters for
representing those sounds.
This led to an enquiry how may
letters originally belonged to the Saxon English excluding those
which had been introduced from the Greek & perhaps other languages
But after enquiry I know of no book in the mission to give
the information.
I do not wish to weary your patience with details
of this kind, as I easily could.
I will only mention one more.
After I had spent many months & suffered much from the backache
�1918
in drawing maps for schools.
I said I would engrave them.
But I lost several months in experiments in trying to
polish copper.
The Encyclopedias all began on the subject
of Engraving thus, "Take a piece of copper well polished".
But how should it be polished, was the question. But all
the enquiries I made showed me there was not a book in the
mission at that time that gave any instruction on the sub
ject.
I had to feel my way in the dark, while some of my
brethren were laughing at the strange notions that had got
in ray head.
It is true I have in some way been enabled to
surmount most of the difficulties of this kind, but I have
necessarily spent a great deal of time that might other
wise have been saved, for it has added nothing either to science
or literature & time with missionaries ought to be esteemem money.
All the books I have or that are at my disposal
that are of any value to me as a missionary stand on two
shelves each five feet long. Besides I have about two thirds
as much more, part of which may in some sense be considered
valuable but most may be called trash such as E l l i s Polynesian
Researchs, Stewart's visit &c.
I did not make a book case for
several years as they all could stand conveninty on my study
table.
I have none that can be called family books except
the bound volumes of tracts given me when I left Boston.
We have commenced a library for the use of the
school. Mr. Clark is Librarian & has I suppose given you an
account of the books then deposited.
Some of these we consider
very valuable.
You have said, "make out a list of such books
as you need &c."
This is utterly impossible for we cover
such a field.
I do not know what book I shall want to look
into tomorrow.
I must of course dabble in almost all branch
es. Sometimes in the higher species of Philology in the Hebrew,
Greek & Hawaiian languages,
Perhaps in the next hour I am teaching
penmanship or drawing--the next reading proof sheets & then
break off & fix a tool for one of the boys who are engraving.
Perhaps the next hour an interesting question i n ’Ethics is to
be settled and so on. At any rate Sermons are to be preached
whether they are prepared or n o t .
My single department in school includes Theology,
Languages, Moral Philosophy, Geography, Penmanship & Drawing.
My daily business at present consists in giving instruction in
the English Language, Geography, Penmanship & Drawing besides,
booking frequently at the boys who are engraving. We hope to
teach Moral Philosophy or at least Theology before long, that
is as soon as a class can be got forward enough.
The question
is not what we want; but what does every such institution want,
in order that the instructors may do justice to the scholars.
We need all that any set of Professors need in a similar in
stitution in any country.
The fact that we are on heathen
ground does not make it l ess important that we be thoroughly
furnished.
�1919
I will only mention one thing more which has
troubled me a little, not much. You will attach what im
portance to it you please.
When the school has been visit
ed by literary gentlemen from different parts of the world,
I take them to see the school house & apparatus and the
Printing office & lately the copper plate engraving &c. & c .
and then I take them to my study.---------------You will perhaps infer from what I have said that
I am a kind of Jack of all trades.
I admit it. Bu t it arises
from the necessity of the case & not from any choice of mine.
I long for the time to come when I shall be permitted to labor
more in a single department & above all when I shall labor
more directly for the glory of God .
And now, I have said most of what I intended to
say.
I have written without preparation & without much
thought & as rapidly as my pen could pass over the paper.
If
y o u have patience to read it through, I beg you will burn
it & think no more of it.
I ought perhaps to correct a mis
take that I have inadvertently made.
The foregoing remarks
will perhaps lead you to think that what I have written are
my present feelings.
It is not so.
I only meant to speak of
past feelings & occurrences.
I have for the last year felt
the most perfect indifference on the whole subject.
This is
in part owing to the probability that I shall not long occupy
the station I now occupy. We have evidences all around us that
the world is full of changes.
If God has made use of me in
any degree for the furtherance of his designes of mercy to the
people to his name be all the glory.
I have given up too the idea that I shall ever be
a learned man, that is, that I shall ever attain to the point
where most men are when they are ordained to preach the
gospel. My business is too miscellaneous to allow of my being
vary thorough in any one thing.
Indeed I am sometimes almost
distracted with the harrassing cares that press upon me as
well as the great quantity of work.
I am also too far advanc
ed in life to make any very great attainments in knowledge of
any kind . It has always been a wonder to me why my brethren
entrusted the care of the school to me, but so it was.
I
accounted for it on the supposition that I should never do
much as a preacher or a translator & perhaps I might do some
thing in a school. Whatever their motives were I am made to
feel often that almost any of them are better qualified for the
post than I am.
The school is in as prosperous circumstances as
when I wrote a week or two ago. About the time M r . Richards
sailed Mr. Spaulding was attacked with his former complaint
spitting of blood--he has now so far recovered as to think
of returning to the U. S . A. & has our approbation for so doing.
Mrs. Dibble is a little more comfortable Just
now— is daily looking for her release.
Mr. D. is entirely
confined with her & can do nothing for the school.
The school
house building is in progress. We have just printed a letter
�1920
to the Brethren respecting the qualifications of the next
class of boys which we hope to receive next June or July.
You will perceive that Lahaina is now left
without a missionary or a stated preacher. Mr. Baldwin
is a resident but does not consider himself off from
the invalid list & will probably go soon to Kauai for his
own health.
So God removes one & another of us. & it becomes
us to learn that what we do must be dole quickly.
It should
excite professing*christian lands to co me forward & do the
work given to the church to d o .
May you be enabled to send forth a host more
of laborers into this field as well a s all others & may
Christ soon be preached in all the dark places of the earth.
Yours truly
Lorrin Andrews
N.B. Mrs. Andrews wishee a few family books.
We have no
commentary in English I would suggest the comprehensive
commentary that is now printing. Also four of the Christian
Psalmody. We have never been able to get one.
I should be glad of a copy of the New London
Polyglott in folio if not too expensive with apparratus
for reading it.
If God should spare my life & continue me at
the school I hope yet to teach some Hawaiians to read the
original Languages of scripture. There is no want of ability
in them nor want of desire
Y ours &c
L. Andrews
Rev. L. Andrews
Dated Dec. 21, 1836
Recd June 26, 1837
(On books)
Ackd in G. L. Nov 1.
Books last page but one
ackd in G. L. July 21
Ansd Nov 7
Library for Semin
*christians in
�1921
162
67 Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
Waimea Kauai,
XXVI
July 18th 1830
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Dear Sir
You are aware, that a considerable
portion of your missionaries' time, must be spent, In acquiring
a knowledge of the language, in which they are to address the
objects of their care. This has been my chief object of pursuits,
since I arrived at these islands. And though my progress
has been slow; for several months, I have been able to converse
intelligibly with the native; & have sometimes enjoyed not a
little
my intercourse with this simple hearted, uncultivated
people. Hoping that occurrences which were interesting to me,
will not be wholly destitute of interest to yourself, & your
coadjutors I send you a few extracts from my diary.
Remainder of letter copied 27 Missionary Herald 381
Dec. 1831
Written by Rev. P. J. G ulick
(not signed)
�1922
Honolulu Oahu Sept 30th 1830
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq
My Dear Sir
By the preceding extracts
you will become in a measure acquainted wit h affairs at Kauai,
up to the 21st of July last. About that period Mr. Whitney in
company with the governor made the tour of the island examin
ing the schools, & urging the people to attend to instruction.
As my appetite had been poor, & health rather declining, dur
ing several weeks; & as the state of my family in other respects
rendered it desirable that we should be near the physician,
Mr. Bingham being absent from Honolulu, It was thought adviseable, that we should spend a few months at this station; that
we might have the benefit of medical aid, & that I might assist
brother Clark in his arduous duties. Accordingly we embarked
Aug 4th and arrived safely at this station, after a rough,
& to Mrs. Gulick distressing passage of four days.
She lay
almost the whole time night, & day on deck.
The cabin was
at our service.
But she was so extremely sick, that she could
not stay in it; though the sun was scorching, & the decks
were crowded, with natives, hogs, goats & fowls. When recover
ed from the sickness of our voyage, we both found our health
benefited by it.--We are now comfortably located in Mr.
Bingham's apartments under the same roof, with our dear fellow
labourers, the Dr & Mrs. Judd.--There is here a very encour
aging attention to the means of grace.
The meeting house
which is remarkably large, is allways full,
Sabbath mornings.
The afternoon congregations are also large, though considerably
less than in the morning.
But you will learn particulars from
the resident missionaries.
I have received letters from brother Whitney at
Kaua i, dated Aug 23rd & Sept 4th.
In the former, he writes,
'I never knew so great a call for books'; in the latter, 'The
state of religion is still interesting. A few who have been
under serious impressions for some time, have lately given
evidence of a well grounded hope.
Others are trembling; among
whom are a few new cases .' - -You will learn by the enclosed
extracts that one of our domestics, J ohn Hopu, is propounded
for admission to the church.
His conduct appears consistent.
And we think his influence, is beneficial, to his relatives,
& associates. H e is a man of ordinary capacity; & probably
more than 30 years old. T hree others, who reside with us, have
manifested considerable seriousness. And we sometimes think
they have'become new creatures.'
One of them is the female
named Jane, mentioned March 29.--There has at least, been
a very pleasing change in our family.
Habits, & customs to
which they were wedded in infancy, have been cheerfully relin-
�1923
quished.
Their natural, & habitual indolence, appears to
be in a good measure overcome. And they exhibit an unusual
readiness to be instructed in any useful employment.
One
of the three last mentioned, is a lad 14, or 15 years old.
When we embarked for this station, he was left at Kauai,
in charge of our house, & some domestic animals.
I have
before me a letter recently received from him.
The follow
ing is a litteral translation of it.
"Love to you Mr.
Gulick the husband & Mrs. Gulick the wife.
This is my
thought to you two.
I am seeking after God, by night, & by
day. My love is turned towards God, whilst my body dwells
here. My heart fears God at this time. Therefore my heart
thanks you two for teaching me the word of God. Much love
to you two.
Love also to you all.
This thought is finish
ed, Here is another thought for you two. My heart fears
you two on account of the hog.
He leaped out of the pen.
It was not right, perhaps to go after it on the Sabbath, to
catch it. Therefore my heart fears you two on account of
the hog.”
It seems the writer had some apprehensions, lest
we should be offended, that he had not secured the hog, that
escaped on the Sabbath, t h r
o ugh his regard to the fourth
commandment.
This knowledge of the art of writing, as far
as we know, has been acquired by his own efforts.
If he has
had any assistance, it must have been very small. For he
has lived with us, since we f irst landed at Kauai. And we
know in his previous situation he could have had little if
any aid, in learning to write.
I doubt, whether he has fill
ed three sheets in practicing.
He shews remarkable skill at imitating many
kinds of workmanship.
He recently returned from a visit to
his relatives, on the back part of Maui, & brought with him
an elder brother, whom he desired should live with us (as
he said) that he might hear the word of God. You will doubtless say we have abundant encouragement to labour among this
people. And it is true. But it is found more in the promise
of God, than in what we see around us.
"As the earth bringeth
forth
bud, & as the garden causeth the things that are
sown in it, to spring forth; so the Lord, God will cause
righteousness, & praise, to spring forth before all the nations.
Whenever I reflect on the extreme ignorance, &
various other obstacles, to the conversion of the great body
of this people, I am ready to exclaim "can these bones live?”
My faith even in the swee word of promise, seems to need that
confirmation, which can only be obtained by witnessing &
"shaking; & bone coming to his bone;" & some of them coming
forth in newness of life. When I attempt to shew this
people the objects of their sinful attachment I often feel
myself at a loss. For if I speak of riches; a moments r e
flection, tells me, that few of them desire more than their
daily food, & a very moderate supply of raiment.
If I tell
them they must love Christ more than their dearest relatives,
�1924
or even more than all of them, still to most of them this
would be a very small sacrifice.
Nor do they at present
appear to have much regard for pleasure.
Their seeming i n
difference, to objects which in civilized society are so
all absorbing, arises I believe, from their extreme depres
sion; which prevents their aspiring after riches, & from
that awful state of morals, which has
till recently existed.
These causes, are the fruits, & accompaniments of idolatry.
Their pursuit of pleasure is checked, I presume, by a pre
vailing reverence for the word of God, & fear of their chiefs.
There are multitudes, who have not only broken off their gross
vices, but read the Scriptures daily; pray in their families,
& sometimes in private; regularly attend the public worship
of God; & attempt to do every duty, that is pointed out to
them. They have none of that dread of G o d ’s word which is
experienced by "those who rebel against the light.” They
think they love it; & there is evidently a great change in
their characters.
And now they ask, with a degree of earnest
ness, ’’What lack I yet?” We endeavour publicly, & privately
to convince them that their prayers & supposed good works,
can never make an attonement for their sins. But none ex
cept the Holy Spirit, can make them feel this, or can effect
ually point them to him, whose ’’blood cleanseth from all sin”
Oh that those who pray for the prosperity of Zion, & who are
anxiously looking towards these interesting islands, could
ever feel, that unless they are taught by the Spirit of God,
their external reformation, will be but the first step toward
the more hopeless character of the pharisee. And to secure his
teaching, Christians in America, may labour as effectually, as
missionaries in a heathen land; And many of them have advant
ages for this employment, far superior to those of most mission
aries.-----We rejoice in the assurance, that to a considerable
number, the word of God has already proved, a ’savour of life
unto life.'’ And we believe through its publication, 8c the school
instructions, ’the way of the Lord is preparing' in all parts
of this islands.
The affection of chiefs, 8c people towards
the mission family, continues unabated.
Since we arrived here
Kaikioeva, the governor of Kauai, has informed me, through
brother Whitney, that he will assist us in building a permanent
house. Stone , & lime for this purpose had been previously
engaged, for the Gospels sent from America.
My last communication to you was dated I believe
in March, & sent across the continent.
It was rather discourag
ing, in a few particulars; & I am sorry to add, I see no good
grounds for a more favourable opinion, than I then expressed .- With sentiments of esteem, 8c Christian affection towards your
self, & all who love our Lord, Jesus Christ, in sincerity,
I am, Dear Sir, your brother in Christ
P. J. Gulick
�1925
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Missionary Room®
Boston
postmark New Bedford Ms
Journal & letter
Rev. P. J. Gulick
March 5, 1831
Ackd Nov 16
Write Nov 17
ship
�1926
163
printed 28 Missionary Herald 329 Oct 1832
164
really is part of 163
�
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.)
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.) - Volume 06 - 1828-1837
Date
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1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837
-
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/e3bcf439890d5698fe5e9edc8af15e87.pdf
cb78f8aea60eae5dce7f7a9b79085b29
PDF Text
Text
MI S S O N A RY LETTERS
(typed copies)
From the Sandwich Islands Mission
to the
American Board of Commissioners
for
Foreign Missions
1819 - 1837
8 vols.
"Supplementary to the letters published in the
Missionary Herald
of the same dates."
Vol. 5
t h is is a r e p r o d u c t i o n o f
a n u n p u b l is h e d m a n u s c r ip t
FOR REFERENCE AND STUDY O N LY
NOT TO BE REPRODUCED IN A N Y W A Y
WITHOUT WRITTEN PERM ISSION OF
THE COPYRIGHT OWNER
�INDEX
Pages
BINGHAM, HIRAM: Oahu, Apr.21,1831 ... .............. Oahu, Sept.8,1831 ,--- — ......... ....
Oahu, Nov.23,1831 ------------------Oahu, Nov.25,1831 ...................
Honolulu, Nov. 27,1831-Feb. 16,-1832 --Oahu, Dec.13,1831 ....... .......... Oahu, Feb.6,1832 ------ -------------Honolulu, May 22,1832 ... ...........
Oahu, June 5,1832 ------------------Honolulu, Oct.2,1832 -- ------- ----Oahu, Apr.6,1832 -------------------Oahu, Nov.14,1832...................
Oahu, Dec.19,1832 ............ ......
[Honolulu?], Dec.1832 .............. Oahu, May 7,1833 ------ -------------Oahu, June 1,1833 ------------- ----Honolulu, Aug.16,1833 ------ --------Honolulu, Oct.8,1833 — ------- -----Oahu, Oct.9,1833 ------------ — -----Honolulu, Oct.9,1833 ------ ---------Oahu, Oct. 16,1833 .... ....... .......
Oahu, Mar.20,1833 ............ .......
Honolulu, Feb.4,1834 ............... Oahu, Feb.5,1834 ....................
[Honolulu?, Jan.?,1835] ------------Honolulu, Jan.6,1835 ----- --------- Honolulu, Aug.5,1835 --------------- Appendix copies, 1832-1835 ------Honolulu, Aug.5,1835,-------- -----Honolulu, Aug.8,1835 -------------- Honolulu, Jan.11,1836 -- Honolulu, Jan.11,1836 ...............
Honolulu, Jan.26,1836 --------------Honolulu, Mar.27,1836 ...............
Honolulu, [Apr.20,1836?] ............
Sandwich Islands, Oct.1836 --- -----Honolulu, Dec.16,1836 ---- ------ Honolulu, Jan.16,1837 --------- From Capt.J.Hill, Sept . 8t 17,1831 ----From Wm.Miller, Sept.25,1831 ------- To Wm. Miller, Sept.26,1831 .........
From Stephen Reynolds, Sept.26,1831 -To
Stephen Reynolds, Sept.26,1831 -From D.Finlayson, Jan.20,1834 -----— To
D. Finlayson, Honolulu, Ja,n. 24,1834Obituary of Stephen Shepard --------See Joint Letter, Oct.15,1833 -------
1327-1328
1329-1333
1334-1356
1357-1359
1360-1371
1372-1383
1394-1396
1397-1402
1403-1404
1405-1407
1408-1411
1412-1432
1433-1436
1437-1438
1439-1443
1444-1446
1447-1451
1452-1454
1455-1459
1460
1461
1465-1476
1483-1485
1486-1488
1492
1493-1497
1498-1511
1512-1522
1532-1534
1503a-1507a
1508a-1509a
1510a4l311a
1512a
1513a-1519a
1520a
1521a-1522a
1523a
I524a-1525a
1384-1387
1387-1391,
1393
1391-1392
1392
1392-1393
1477-1480
1481-1482
1489-1491
1463-1474
�-2
Pages
BINGHAM, SYBIL M . : Waimea,Hawaii, Sept.17,1830 --To her sisters, Honolulu,
Aug.5,1835 --- ---------------
1320-1326
1523-1531
CHAMBERLAIN,LBVI : See Joint Letter, Oct.15,1833 --
1462-1464
CLARK, E. W.
: See Joint Letter, Oct.15,1833 --
1462-1464
FINLAYSON, D.
: To Bingham, Honolulu,Jan. 20,3834 See Bingham, Jan.24,1834 ------
1477-1480
1481-1482
GOODELL,ABIGAIL
: See Thurston,L.G., Oct.24,1834 -
1538-1543
GOODELL, WILLIAM : See Thurston,L.G., Oct.16,1829 - 1530a-1532a
"
"
" "
Oct.23,1834 - 1536-1537
"
"
Oct.24,1834 - 1538-1543
JOINT LETTER
MILLER, WILLIAM
: Bingham,Clark, & Chamberlain,
Oahu, Oct. 15, 1833 --- -— -----: To Bingham, Sept.25,1831 -----See Bingham, Sept.26,1831 ------
1462-1464
1387t 1391,
1393
1391-1392
REYNOLDS,STEPHEN : To Bingham, Sept.26,1831 -----See Bingham, Sept.26,1831 .....
1392
1392-1393
SHEPARD, STEPHEN : Obituary by Bingham -----------
1489-1491
THURSTON, ASA
: Honolulu, July 2,1835 --------- -1526a-1527a
Kailua, Oct.18,1836 .. .... .... 1529a
THURSTON, LUCY G.: Honolulu, July 2,1835 --------- -1526a-1528a
Kailua, Nov.9,1832 ------ ----- -1533a-1534a
Kailua, Sept.17,1833 ---------1835
To Wm.Goodell,S.Is.,Oct.16,1829- 1530a-1532a
To Wm.Goodell, Hawaii, Oct.23,
1834 — -............... .....
1536-1537
To Mr & Mrs. Goodell, Kailua,
Oct.24,1834 ----------------- -1538-1543
WHITNEY, SAMUEL
i
: Kauai, Oct.25,1830 -----------1544-1545
Kauai, Nov.19,1831 -.......... - 1546-1547
Honolulu, July 8,1832 ---------- 1549-1551
Oahu, Nov.25,1832 -............ .1552-1553
Kauai, Dec.18,1832 -- -----------1554-1555
Kauai, Dec.25,1832 -— ---------- 1556-1559
Kaua i, Sept.9,1833 ............ .1560-1561
Waimea,Kauai, Sept.18,1833 ----- 1562-1563
Waimea,Kauai, Oct.4,1834 -------- 1564
Waimea,Kauai, Oct.15,1835 ----- -1565
Waimea,Kauai, Oct.15,1836 ----- -1566
�1320
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 1.
Waimea Hawaii, Sept. 17, 1835
Very Dear Sir
'The providence which allowed me your personal friendship
and your personal correspondence has often in the course
of the last eleven years, awoke my heart to gratitude, and
raised my thanks to Him whose mercies to me, all my life,
have been many and great.
The date of your last, which now lies before me, was almost
five years since; but the words of kindness and encouragement
which were then so precious to me, have still the effect to
call forth the silent tear, and animate the desire to be
found faithful unto the end.
I have never forgotten that
this letter demanded of me an acknowledgernent. It has often
met my eye among my precious letters; nor would the many
hindrances which so frequently arise when my mind turns to the
subject of writing to my friends, have deterred me all this
while, had I not felt a diffidence in seeming to ask of you,
amid your thousand cares of greater moments, a continuance
of your correspondence with one so little, & so ill deserving
your attention.
I have, however, habitually cherished the
hope that it is not closed. And tho' I have been slow to
reply, I am led, just at this time, to address you, from an
unusual concurrence of circumstances.
We are daily expecting
an opportunity to forward letters. - M y dear M r. B. has, at
present, engagements which wholly preclude the prospect of his
having any communications prepared for you. - The passing events
of the day, around us, are not without interest, and in all
our various circumstances, whether adverse or prosperous, we
naturally turn our thoughts to you.
You will probably have heard before this reaches you, of our
removal from Oahu for a temporary sojourn upon the elevated
land of the Northern part of Hawaii. The proposal for a
missionary station at Waimea, and the vote of the Mission
recommending Mr. B. to make trial, for a season, of the climate,
retirement, & c , of the new Station, with many things connected
with these anticipated movements, were communicated to the
Board, soon after the General Meeting of the Mission, at Oahu,
about the commencement of the present year.
I will only add, we left our post, at Honolulu, on the 14th
of June, - sailed for Lahaina, where, from various causes, we
were led to make a stay of something like 20 days - reembarked
for Kowaihae, which place we reached safely, after two nights
spent at sea.
Thence, by a gentle ascent, we came 14 or 15
miles into the interior of the island, to the new establish
ment, which had already begun to assume an inviting appearance
through the kind attentions of Gov. Adams, and the efforts of
D r . Judd and M r . Ruggles, whom, with their families, we found
�1321.
comfortable, the former waiting our arrival to return to Oahu.
The same week on which we left Oahu, the King, K aahumanu,
and Auhea, with many attendants, sailed for the windward,
and joined us at Lahaina. The day after we left that place,
they sailed for M olokai and Lanai.
Having visited and com
passed those two islands, they made the tour of M aui; then
sailed for Hawaii - spent a few days at Kowaihae, where, at
the invitation of the king, M r. B. met them, and spent the
sabbath.
On Wednesday morning following, they reached this
place - have now been here ten days.
It is their visit which
gives the particular interest to our circumstances at present.
The king & Kaahumanu, and the young chief Kamehameha are
lodged with us under the roof of our thatched cottage, and
are daily seated with us at table, and at the family altar.
This arrangement brings with it care and labour, but it brings
also, opportunities of usefulness which we have not always
enjoyed. N ote A.
I trust we do feel a steady desire to seek God’s blessing upon
it. I find it costs me some weary steps, and allows me but
here & there a quiet hour; but if the labour of my hands, with
the sacrifice of domestic order, may, in Divine providence,
contribute to the good work, I desire to take up the burden
cheerfully. M uch of this has been found in my path, since I
entered upon missionary ground; but I have looked upon it as
of the appointment of my blessed Master, to whose service I
engaged to devote all, making no stipulations as to the kind of
work to be performed, or the sacrifices to be made.
It well
becomes me, however, to grieve that in all, I have fallen so
far below the spirit of the divine injunction, "whatsoever ye
do, do it heartily, as to the Lord" .
I know you feel, dear Sir, in common with us, an interest in
the dear youth who is looked up to as head of this nation.
The interest we have felt for him is increasing in our breasts;
and I suppose it is proper we should cherish it. His soul, as
has doubtless often been acknowledged, is no more precious
than that of any other of the fallen sons of Adam; but with his
accepting or rejecting the offers of salvation may be closely
connected the future, temporal and eternal condition of a
multitude.
The general deportment of Kauikeaouli is pleasant.
We find
a pleasure in marking his undisguised steps, and in watching
over his paths, when we have opportunity.
The language of our
hearts to him is, "C ome thou with us, and we will do thee
good." But we see our weakness.
While he is affable, regular
in attendance upon the external duties of religion, and often
listens with seriousness to the demands of the word of God
upon the heart, there is little reason to hope he is experiment
ally acquainted with the path in which the people of God are
travelling. May supplications be continued for him.
The circumstances in which we are at present placed with the
Chiefs afford us some exceedingly pleasant opportunities for
�1322.
conversation with them.
Kapiolani, from Kaawaloa, joined them at Kownihae, and
is now visiting with them here.
She is lodged with M r .
Ruggles’ family.
A few mornings since, she called in with
Auhea, as they often do, two or three times a day, and
the conversation, in the little circle, turned upon the
burden of their national debts - B oki's late administration,
and things connected with these. We could but pity them.
They are really in trouble from the management of the late
G o v of Oahu, with that of Manuia.
We much desire they
might be freed from this yoke of debts, for it operates as
a hindrance to the mental improvement of the people.
To
"bear one another’s burdens" is divinely enjoined, but we
rejoice that the burden of setting straight some of their
entangled affairs, is not on our shoulders.
W e try to pray
that they may be guided aright.
Sat. eve’g 19. We have had a meeting of the members of the
church at our house.
Solemnity and tenderness of heart
seemed to mark the season.
I trust the presence of Jesus
has been with his little flock.
Monday eve’g. 21. Some of the scenes of yesterday were new,
in this wilderness. For the morning, a congregation of
between 2 and 3,000 assembled in a grove, the usual place of
public worship here, at this time, and were addressed by
M r . B. from the words, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of the world". At the close, the ordinance
of baptism was administered to a family of five little
children; and then, sixty two individuals, members of the
different churches in the islands, i n the providence of
God now collected here, sat down to the sacremental table,
to show forth the dying love of their beloved Redeemer.
The last struggle for idol worship was in a battle fought
on a neighboring hill, within sight of the grove where we
were yesterday, assembled. M arking the quick succession
of these two very different scenes, upon this spot, well
may we exclaim, what hath God wrought!
Many interesting topics of conversation arose this morning,
at breakfast.
The feelings of the king seemed unusually
awake. Kapiolani came in before we had left our seats.
Learning something of the nature of our conversation, she
brought up a subject, tho' it had not then been touched,
was nearly allied to some that had been.
She says, 'is it not the pule pa-rani (Catholics ) which will
be n o w the grand thing in the hand of the Enemy?
We had
been watching, for several days, for just such a moment as
this appeared to be, to speak on this subject. Letters
from Messrs. Richards and Chamberlain, received a few days
since, had called our minds, with new solicitude, to this
matter, and Mr. B. was waiting for a good opportunity to
communicate a part of what Mr. C. particularly, had written.
Previously to leaving Oahu, I had given, in detached parts,
�1323.
the translation of Mr. K ing’s farewell letter to his
friends in Syria, to Auhea and K inau, as lessons for
writing.
N ote B. ) Auhea had brought her copy with her.
I was intending to give it to Kapiolani, and hoped also
it might he read among us when it was a happy season to
attend to family devotion.
At the close of this, I whispered
to Kauikeaouli that if he were not engaged out, immediately,
we would have a little reading.
He very readily assented; and Mr. B. sitting down in the
circle, which was by this time pretty large, began to read.
It was exceedingly pleasant to observe the wakeful remark
or inquiry - Kapiolani says, ’these things you have long
known; but they are new to us - "When Naihe and I, at Oahu,
expressed our fears to Boki that if the new teachers were
suffered to dwell in the land, evil would arise, it was
urged by him, that it was Jehovah whom we all worshipped.'
"Aole like - aole like", she would often exclaim, during
the reading, meaning that the doctrines of the R omish
Church were unlike those of the Apostles.' After this, Mr. E's
letter was read.
He has stated what he had recently noticed
of their more open operations; and given his manao (to us,
indeed, and not to them) in his usually energetic language;
closing with exhortations to carry the matter much to God.
(Note C .) Thus the greater part of the forenoon passed away.
I felt a desire to be thankful for the season that had been
allowed us, since we took our seats for breakfast; and I
trembled too, as I thought how busy the great adversary
would be to make mischief with what he could. It seemed a
precious comfort to leave i t with the Lord.
Auhea and the king went out to give orders concerning the
king's intended journey, tomorrow, with Mr. B. to the top
of M ounakea. Forty men have been sent forward, today, to
make some preparation.
The little circle of the morning
principally dispersed -’’K apiolani and a few members of the
church only remained.
Among themselves they were remarking
upon some occurrences of the last two or three years, in
which the haughtiness & opposition of Manuia's spirit had
been particularly manifest. From this they glanced at the
late fatal expedition.
A sort of solemn pause was made,
a moment or two, when one broke the silence by repeating,
with happy effect, the first Psalm.
At the close of the
4th verse, "Aka, u a like ia me ka opala i puchu i ka makani"
a simultaneous expression of feeling, from the little company,
was truly affecting.
I write at little intervals, as I can take up the pen.
I have not attempted to give you much information of the gen
eral state and more extended operations of the Mission.
I leave that to those to whose province it more properly
belongs.
I have indulged myself as I should be likely to
do, were we so happy as to have a little visit with you, now,
at Waimea, in speaking of what is done and said within the
walls of our cottage.
I hope, my dear Sir, the freedom I
take will not be unacceptable to you. We often think how
pleasant it would be to tell you some of the smaller things
found in our way, if we could do it without the formality of
the pen.
�1324.
Thursday night.
My dear husband, with the king, has been absent three
days, in their journey to the mountain. It is late, and
they do not come. I think another day must be added to
the three.
They have been favored with remarkably fine
weather.
The snow lies now upon the summit of the mountain.
Sept. 29. M r . B. and the king, with their party of about two
hundred returned in safety, on Saturday last, having been
absent, five days, in their excursion to the mountain.
I
hope Mr. B. will be able himself, to communicate something
to you of the observations he has made of a spot where but
few human feet have trod. He has been much occupied since
his return, tho' so exceedingly needing rest.
Our visitors,
after a stay of twenty tw o days, with us, are about proceeding
on their tour. Kaahumanu left us, today, to return to
Kowaihae, whence she goes by water around to Waipio.
The
king, Auhea, &c leave, in the morning, to pursue their journey
across the island, to the latter place. W hen the chiefs and
people are assembled there, my dear husband, if providence
permit, will join the company, to proceed to Hilo. It will
probably afford an opportunity of addressing some thousands
of immortal souls on the great subjects connected with
eternity.
The people of one or two districts are expected
to be assembled at Waipio.
This has been a very busy day - I hope the fruits of it will
be happy.
'Paul may plant - Apollos water - God alone can
give the increase'.
As to Mr. B.'s present plan, I feel some solicitude lest
the contemplated journey, considering the very great roughness
of the way, the want of accommodations, &c, prove too much
for him. His health has evidently been mending during our
short residence in this cool sequestered spot; and he feels
much courage for the undertaking.
A few weeks previously to our leaving Oahu, he accompanied
Kaahumanu some 12 or 15 miles, along the coast, as she
commenced the tour of that island - preached - attended on
the opening of a new school house and returned the same day,
which, with being driven immediately, by his work in the
press, quite laid him by, so that he was confined to his bed,
through a sabbath.
The change of climate has also appeared to be attended with
happy effects in the case of our two little daughters, the
youngest of whom is of a particularly delicate constitution.
Tho' she was seventeen months when we came to this place,
she had never walked. She, however, soon gained in her
general health, surprisingly - now runs about and enjoys her
infantile sports, much to the comfort of her parents. - My
own health is better than it usually has been at Oahu. No
change of climate would probably ever give me entire soundness
of constitution.
I have been sustained, and strengthened to
labor, and to suffer, beyond all that we felt warranted, in
the summer of 1825, ever again to expect.
It seems to me a
�1325.
great mercy to be spared to my much loved husband - to
my little ones - and to a share in this blessed work;
but, Oh, my soul longs so to lean on Jesus, that when
his summons comes, I may sweetly leave these dear objects
with him, and go and be at rest, from sin & sorrow,
where he dwells.
I desire an affectionate remembrance to dear Mrs. Evarts,
and your children.
The recollection of having, for a
little season, enjoyed a place in that precious family
group never fails to give me pleasure. Tenderly ordered,
too, were all the events in which I was concerned, during
that, to me, memorable period, which intervened between
the evening Dr. Worcester first placed this mission before
my mind, and the hour my native shores faded from my sight.
Tender have been God’s dealings with this feeble spirit since.
Well may my little all be devoted to him - and, Oh, how
does this all dwindle away as nothing, placed by the side of
infinite love received.
We hope, dear Sir, you have seen our beloved Sophia M. so
far, so long separated from her parents.
It would be
pleasant to learn that she had received the welcome, and heard
some counsel from the lips of one, whom, from her infancy,
she had been taught to love and respect.
W e long to converse with you respecting our dear offspring, The tear drops - my heart is full. - Me have your sympathies we have your prayers. Let me add, however, that tho' the
parental heart is often time affected with tender solicitude,
it is not distressed.
God is good - "the earth is the Lord's,
and the fulness thereof" - his covenant mercies are sure.
Through his goodness, we are enabled to carry these dear ones
to him - lay them in his holy hands, feeling sweet hope that
he will make them his.
My dear M r . B. joins me in very cordial salutations. We
would also desire a kind remembrance to Mr. & Mrs. Hill. W e
have sympathized in their sorrows.
You and we, with them,
have known the tenderness of such sorrow. But how happy
if enabled to say, "it is good that I have been afflicted".
I feel myself privileged, after this lapse of time, to subscribe
myself again,
Yours, respectfully & affectionately,
S.M.Bingham.
A. Kaahumanu, the other day, as we were sitting at table,
in conversation, referred to the circumstance of his having
been deterred, through t h e influence of certain individuals,
from being one of our number in a visit to Hawaii, in 1826.
There is no question but that a steady effort has been made
to keep him, as much as possible, from the society of the
missionaries, and the more serious part of the chiefs.
B.
It is considered an extremely difficult matter to
�1326.
determine what, and how much, is proper to bring before
the minds of the people, in their present state, on the
subject of the Catholic religion.
Getting the approbation
and assistance of my dear husband, I ventured upon giving
M r. King's letter out in this silent way.
C. M r . C. has also informed us, that several individuals
for refusing to obey the order of the king, which required
them to disclaim all religious connexion with the Catholics,
have lately been, by another order, put in confinement, at
Oahu. Hot knowing what to say, no remarks were made on that
point, in our conversation, this morning.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esc.,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M .,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S. of America.
�1327.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Two
L etter 2.
Oahu, April 21, 1831.
Rev. M r . Anderson
My Dear Brother
Your kind letters by the Crusader & the Wilmington &
Liverpool Packet have been recently received and afforded
much satisfaction and encouragement.
We are very happy
in the prospect of being speedily reinforced by a number
of Laborers who you say appear to be of the right spirit;
no others would be likely to lighten our cares or toils,
or benefit the people at the present interesting crisis.
Four men are indispensable now for our mission, to say
nothing of the Marquesas, that is to say one for Waimea
on Hawaii, one for Kilo, and one for Roawaloa, and ore at
least for Honolulu besides a new Printer unless Mr. Good
rich should take the post.
Our cause appears by the bless
ing of God on our poor efforts, to be gaining strength, tho
Satan still dares to oppose it. Let no one who knows his
history for six thousand years, think for a moment that he
has laid down his arms, or ceased to deceive, accuse, blaspheme,
and destroy, to the extent of his power, and especially in
this his acknowledged & ancient seat.
The orders of the Government of have been given to the two
Roman Catholic ecclesiastics to depart within three months.
It is not expected they will go voluntarily.
Extract from letter printed 28 Missionary Herald 115,
April 1832.
We think the good effects of the public investigation of
Percivals case will abundantly pay for the trouble it cost
us and the Board.
In conversation with a young merchant
not long since he remarked that Percival was "acquitted".
I replied that if a reprimand from the highest authority
was an acquittal, he had got it, - such an acquittal as I
hoped I might never receive from the hands of my fellow
men. - He soon changed his ground, and increased his charges
against us & the Board, saying "it was wrong, unreasonable,
and unchristion to persecute a man to death to ruin his
property & reputation & c &c, and all for nothing."
Our letters, sent by an English Brig Capt. King, about a
year ago have not been noticed. And my impression is that
a pretty full letter to you on the subject of the education
of the children of missionaries in the Pacific written about
the time Mr. E ly left us, did not reach you.
Our minds are sweetly at rest in respect to our beloved
Sophia, who is so kindly provided for by Mrs. B.'s friends.
�1328.
Our great business seems to be to improve the shining
hours & teach our 150,000 children the w a y of life.
By your remark that many prayers were daily offered for
us, & that as much health would be given me as would be
necessary for the accomplishment of the divine purposes,
I was led to feel a special glow of gratitude that prayers
had been thus offered, and that they had been so obviously
answered in respect to my health.
Within the year past
I have been enabled to continue my work with constancy &
courage, have prepared for the press about 100 pages of my
Scripture History, translated eight of Pauls Epistles,
Jonas King's letter to his friends in the East, a sketch
of the religious experience of the Emperor Alexander, &
the proclamation of William IV, have written several Hymns,
received the translation of the History of Joseph, and the
Book of Joshua, have travelled and preached, at Lahaina,
at Railua, Kaavaloa, Ruapehu, W a i m e a , Rowaihai, Waipio,
Laupahoehoe, & Hilo, written about 100 letters, conversed
with more than a thousand inquirers, and maintained an almost
daily intercourse with the king and some of the principal
chiefs of the nation.
If any good is accomplished in answer
to your prayers let God have all the glory.
If I have ever
had the means of doing good to this nation, I have the means
now by such labors as I have alluded to, and by such an in
fluence as those labors are calculated or intended to exert;
an influence greatly complained of by those who dislike the
starting morality of the New Testament.
I hope to forward this by J.C.Jones, Esq. either across the
continent or around Cape Horn.
I have prepared it in haste,
not knowing till today that we could send by him.
I will
enclose a hasty note from one of my beloved fellow laborers,
whose sympathy is of no doubtful character.
It is in reference
to the present struggle in which we are engaged.
It will
speak volumes on the nature of our work.
Will you have the goodness to tender my cordial salutations
to Mr. Evarts our revered Secy, to M r. Hill and others of the
Prudential Committee and
Believe to be very affectionately,
Your brother in Christ,
H. Bingham.
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, M ass.
United State of America.
Ansd. Dec. 20.
Ackd. March 29 (in Gen. Let.)
Recd. Feb. 25, 1832.
�1 329.
Oahu, 3ept. 8, 1831.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Boston.
Very dear Sir
By the Columbus, Capt. Osborn, the first homeward bound
Whaleship for the season, now in port, I shall undertake
to acknowledge the receipt of several letters from you
fraught with kindness, for which I am under special
obligations.
In a letter of Sept. 22nd 1829 you acknowledged the re
ception of the power of attorney which was found to answer
the purpose.
We hope the sacred deposit to which it refers
will continue to prove beneficial to the cause of missions
until the work of converting the nations shall be complete,
& the darkest and most hopeless tribes shall rejoice to
gether with the most enlightened, in the happy & glorious
reign of the Prince of Peace.
In your letter of the 27th N ov. 1829 you mention your en
gagements with the Indian Question, and some other particulars
concerning which I am not certain that I have replied. Oh,
when will the spirit of Wm. Penn predominate in the cabinet
and councils of earthly Rulers! When will the superior in
rank and power learn to respect the just rights of their
inferiors!
That able defence of the rights of the injured
and insulted indians, encouraged the hope that the eyes of
the nation would be opened, and that for her own sake if not
for justice’s sake, she would not trample her treaties in
the dust & violate the unalienable rights of the original
possessors of the soil, to repel from their homes, their
farms, schools & churches the rising tribes whose recovery from
ruin, & whose improvement and salvation, the wisdom & energy
of the Board & the munificence of the churches had been em
ployed to secure.
Should all the efforts of the wise and
good for their benefit be frustrated by worldly policy &
worldly power, & the foundations you have laid be subverted,
we may weep for our country & for our children as well as
for the children of the forest, for "if the foundations be
destroyed what can the righteous do”?
Tho’ I have entertained fears that ere long British Power,
would take the direction of affairs here in such a sense as
to deprive the nation of the right of self government to the
great injury of the people, to the interruption of moral
improvement, and the extreme embarrassment of the missionary
cause, (for what would such men as the British Consul, Beechey,
& the patrons of the Quarterly review do with your missionaries,
had they the power to molest them?) but I did hope b etter
things of our own beloved country whose motto is "that all men
are free and Equal" whose faith was pledged by solemn treaties,
and whose early history and revolutionary struggle proved her
high abhorrence of oppression and of every unreasonable encroac h-
�1330.
ment of the powerful upon the rights of others.
The case of Capt. Taylor you mention also, in reference
to Mr. Green's mission to the N orth West Coast, & express
the opinion that with what you know of his conduct during
the passage in the Parthian you would not have advised to
trust him. Some of Mr. Green's friends have spoken very
strongly against the measure.
Probably they had judged
Capt. T. too severely for I do not think his character
differs materially from the general character of the N.W .
Traders while on their own ground. You will allow me there
fore to state some of the reasons which led me to approve
of Mr. Green's accompanying Capt. T.
1st Your contract or partial engagement with Capt. Taylor
to give Mr. Green a Passage to the N .W. Coast had not a
little weight in my mind in favor of trying the experiment
with him, when he appeared to be ready to perform that ser
vice, which he offered to do as soon as he made himself
master of a vessel and had settled the plan of his voyage.
2dly. His treatment of the missionaries on board the Parthian,
though not kind, nor polite, yet was of such a nature and
under such circumstances as almost entirely to shield him from
responsibility.
It was my opinion that Taylor & Marshall in
exerting their influence over Capt. Blinn felt that whatever
they might induce the Capt. to do to the discomfort of the
other p a s s e n g e r s the Capt. must bear the blame, while they
as passengers could in no way be answerable. Had Taylor been
the Commander & Blinn a passenger it is probable he would
have pursued a more dignified course. A species of roguisness
in Taylor and Marshall in their unresponsible situation, and
of native and habitual clownishness in Blinn all put together
was unfortunate for the Parthian passengers.
Mr. Jones the consul I am told, has
those who made the contract for the
in the Parthian, "If the owners had
shown to the passengers, they might
on the Quarter deck as Capt. Blinn.
said in reference to
passage of the missionaries
expected politeness to be
as well have put an Ox
3dly The improbability of obtaining any other conveyance for
Mr. Green more eligible. Mr. Hammett who had been thought
at least polite absolutely refused. Capt. Simpson in the
Hudson Bay Company service tho' apparently civil, and even
friendly declined also, and there seemed to be a general
aversion among the traders to our attempting a mission in that
Quarter.
4thly
favorable time & plan of the Voyage. Mr. Green
e
h
T
had been designed to go, & was held in reserve for that
service; if he was to undertake it at all with any view to
future operations then it seemed desirable to do it before he
got regularly established in a system of operations here, and
the plan of the voyage according as it was stated to us both
by Mr. Jones and Capt. T. was calculated to afford as good
�1331.
opportunities for collecting information as could be
expected in almost any case.
5t h l y
The expectations of the Christian public in
reference to the establishment of a mission there, being
then raised, it was desirable that the survey should be
made even at considerable sacrifice, and certainly such
a service could not well be expected to be wholly performed
on the smoothest sea.
6thly If my estimate of Capt. Taylor's character be
correct in comparison with the general character of traders
to the coast, then most certainly Mr. G. might as safely
trust himself with him after 6 months acquaintance as with
any stranger that might be found bound to the coast.
These are some of the considerations which led me to favor
Mr. Green's attempt to explore the coast in company with
Capt. Taylor rather than to abandon the object or to defer
it to an indefinite period. The Polite & friendly appearance
of Capt. Simpson, and the accounts he gave me of the
efforts made by some in the service of the Hudson Bay Company
to raise the character of the aborigines led me to hope, &
to express too much respecting the prospect of any aid from
that Quarter. I have since been told that company is under
R oman Catholic influence, which united with no small share
of national prejudice would not promise much of comfort,
security or aid to the American Protestant, in attempting to
evangelize those heathen tribes, with whom they are trading
and especially on the Oregon. You appear to have turned your attention from the N .W. Coast
to the Marquesas where you anticipate the commencement of
a mission soon, if men and money can be found for the en terprize. In some of your communications you have invited us
individually to remark on that subject.
We
to
to
at
or
have been allowed to hail the arrival of a reinforcement
our mission, but if two of the older missionaries are
join a part of that reinforcement to establish a mission
the Marquesas, you will perceive we should lose ground
strength here instead of being strengthened for the present.
It is probable that Mr. Stewart's representations were too
glowing.
It was not long after the Vincennes was there that
the Taipi's (or Typees) though they had promised Capt. Finch
to refrain from war, fell upon the tribes which had appeared
to offer the best encouragement to missionary efforts, &
gained a decided advantage over them.
I will here give you a few extracts from my correspondence
with the missionaries at the Society Islands.
Rev. Mr. Pritchard in a letter dated Sept. 24th 1828 says
"You have perhaps heard that M r . Simpson my brother-in law
and myself are about to attempt a mission to the Marquesas,
we expect to sail in a few days.
The accounts which we
have lately received from those Islands are of a very
�1332.
discouraging nature.
Two of the native teachers
have lately returned.
We fear that we shall not be able
to remain among them.”
In a subsequent letter dated Augt. 6th 1829 not far from
the time of the visit of the Vincennes to the Marquesas
Mr. Pritchard says, "Brother Simpson and I have lately
returned from the Marquesas. We were not able to remain
among them.
The only way in which we are likely to succeed
is by native teachers. We have two there at Present and
we intend to take the first opportunity to send others”.
Rev. M r . Orsmond in a letter dated July 27 1829 just after
their expedition says, "We are all much greived that nothing
has been effected at the Marquesas” . This is the substance
of the information which I have received from them on the
subject of a mission to the Marquesas.
A ship has lately arrived here from Port Jackson, which on
her way touched at the Marquesas. Capt. Harrison the Master
represents the Huuhivans as an interesting people and
questions whether civilization would render them more happy
than they now are. He says the people at Massachusetts or
Porter's Bay appeared very friendly. The Captain and his
wife a Port Jackson lady were on shore there and were treated
kindly.
Whether we shall be able to undertake even a survey of that
field is at present doubtful.
We suppose the expense of a
survey would perhaps amount to 3,000 or 4,000 dollars - and
our strength is hardly sufficient to occupy the ground we
have already taken. Kaawaloa is still without an ordained
resident missionary.
One of the new missionaries is assigned
to H ilo, and one to Waimea - the other it is thought by some
ought to be sent to Maui, as the high school is to go into
operation there, & a church is about to be organized at
Wailuku on the w indward side of that Island, where preaching
has been maintained a considerable part of the time for a
year past.
I have just made a few private remarks on this subject,
but M r . R. who is designated by the mission to write you on
the subject will probably communicate to you soon what in
formation he has obtained or may be able to collect respecting
that field.
You must not be too sanguine as to our prospects or plans
respecting that subject from what you may see in the printed
minutes of the general meeting. You will doubtless be led
to inquire again, whether, in case it will be too expensive
to attempt to sustain a mission there, through the Sandwich
Island Mission; you will be able to supply the mission there
frequently and directly from home.
Letter so far in handwriting of Mrs. Bingham.
Yours of the 28 September 1830, together with a letter of
�introduction for Capt. Joshua W. Hill, I have received.
Capt. Hill has arrived and has spent about 3 months and
a half at this place residing with the British Consul.
He appears to be deposed to exact a good influence over
the chiefs, and foreign residents.
Has advised the
Catholics to go away, and the chiefs to send them away Recommends to the chiefs to ask the Brittish Government
to appoint a Resident for the Sandwich Islands.
He has heard that the inhabitants of Pit
Islands
have been removed to the Society Islands, that 12 have
died there, 12 have returned, the remainder discontented
and wish to return. Capt. H. seems now to think it de
sirable that they should be restored.
Yours of Dec. 24, 1830 Respecting Mr. J.'s appointment I
have received. He, tho' a Baptist appears to breathe a
good spirit, and I trust will be useful, but I fear not
quite so happy as he perhaps might have been in close con
nection with us had he been led to cherish similar views
with us on the subject of baptism.
The field is the Lords, & with him is the direction of the
laborers.
By the advise of the mission I spent with my family six
months at Waimea on Hawaii last year, & think my health
was benefitted by the experiment.
I hope to be able to
give you a more full account of that period of my labors
in another form.
I must now close with cordial saltations, praying God to
bless and keep you while I subscribe myself your brother in
Christ our Lord.
H. Bingham.
Recd . Feb. 1, 1832.
Ackd. March 29 (in Gen. L e t . )
Ansd. Dec. 20th.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. ,
Corresponding Secretary,
A.B.C.F.M.,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
�1334.
67
1831-1837
XXV
Part Second
Letter 4.
Dea r Sir:
By the advice of the General meeting, and in compliance
with what the nature of the case seems to require, I
now undertake to lay before you a singular correspondence
between several of the foreign residents at Honolulu and
myself, together with such explanatory remarks as will
enable you to understand the subject.
While I was at Maui last spring, with the principal chiefs
of the nation then about to return to this place, the king
received a letter from Honolulu signed by the two consuls
and several other principal residents, complaining in bitter
terms that a letter had been written here by some evil
disposed person, to produce a separation between his Majesty
& his best friends, and industriously circulated at Maui,
accusing them of an intention to oppose his majesty's land
ing.
Now the actual complaint was that the governess, Madam Boki,
had forbidden the commander of the king's gard to attend
him on his landing, saying that the foreigners would do it
in their stead.
I left Maui before the king and Kaahumanu left and arrived
here soonest. When the kings arrived in the roads, such
was the jealousy of Hoapili who had now the quiet possesion
of the fort, that he prohibited all foreigners except the
Brittish & American consuls from going out to salute him
previous to his landing.
With a view to pay our respects to him when he should land
I walked down with my brethren and called in at the American
Consul's where a large portion of the principal residents
were assembled.
Mr. Jones alluding to the unknown letter which they had
suspected of accusing them of opposing the king, said that
one man told him he had seen such a letter and afterward
said he had not seen it. This appeared to be the evidence
on which he had lent his name to support the assertion that
such a letter had been written and circulated at Maui.
When the king landed, neither the consuls nor any of that
class, showed him any attention; we however walked to
the house of the Govenor to salute him, when he and the
chiefs and ourselves repaired to the residence of Kinau
the famed house of Kiaomoku, where prayer and thanksgiving
were offered for the safe and peaceful return of the king
and those who had travelled with him, and for the protection
which God had also given those who remained here.
The folling day the two following notes passed between
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Mr. Jones and myself, which though they are of little
importance, and have perhaps no connexion with the main
subject which I am about to present, may serve to show
at least, that we were on terms of civility, which in
deed I had studied to maintain with him tho' I knew that
he was daily saying and doing things respecting me &
the cause of truth, which required no small share of
forbearance to endure.
Copy of a letter to J.C.Jones, Esq.
"Dear Sir
Your kindness in offering to lend me some papers recently
received induces me to take the liberty of requesting you
to send them by the bearer if you can conveniently spare
them now.
"If you get any new evidence on which yon can rely of the
existence of such a letter as you alluded to yesterday
you will confer a favor on me by acquainting me with the
fact. Your manner of mentioning the subject led me to
suppose that you considered the report of such a letter
as not entitled to much credit. In this you are probsibly correct."
"Yours truly,
(Signed)
H. Bingham"
J.C.Jones Esq.
Copy of Mr. J. 's answer
Wednesday Eve
"Dear Sir
I send you a few papers such as I received from Boston
per Brig Lamma. There are some in the village of later
date but not in my possession. Those which I send you
contain but little of interest or information.
With regard to the letter &c mentioned yesterday I have
heard nothing more, shall take the liberty in a few days
to converse with you on the subject if convenient to you.
"Yours truly,
(Signed)
John C. Jones"
Rev. H. Bingham
He has never since mentioned that subject to me.
On the first of April the orders of Government were made
known to the foreigners and people, The king declared publicly that he committed the control
of Oahu to Kaahumanu who then read the paper previously
drawn up with the king's signature, stating the reasons
of the change, and investing Kaahumanu with the possession
of the island. Kuakini having been appointed by her with
the consent of the chiefs in consul, made what might be
�1336.
termed his inaugural address, in which he declared his
determination to enforce the laws for restraining crime
and immorality - not to renew the licenses# for retailing
spirits, nor to allow gambling.
Charlton immediately demanded of him where he got his
authority for prohibiting the sale of spirits. Be pointed
his Consulship to the king’s proclamation published about
18 months before.
The governor waited five days to sea what attention would
be given to his orders, then directed his under officers,
& the town watch to carry his orders into execution.
On the evening of 6 of April the watchmen went into a
billiard room, built by Capt. Dousett but rented by the
American Consul, and directed the players to desist. Some
call it a private billard room, others public. It is the
second story of Capt. D o u setts house - and over the door,
the ingenious window sash exhibits by day and by night the
bold and glaring capitals "BILLIARDS".
The decision of the Gov. and the boldness of the guard in
attempting to stop billiards, was made the signal for
resistance, and the occasion of much bitter execration
against the missionaries.
Of this I was early informed the following morning by
Mills and others, who mentioned the efforts of the govern
ment to suppress gambling and the retailing of spirits,
and the resistance they met with from the consult and other
gentlemen at the house of Capt. Dousett, some of whom it
is said lifted their hands and swore by the God of heaven
they would never be deprived of their billiards but with
their lives - Charlton it is said hastened to the billiard
room with his pistols to defend the game from the encroach
ments of the Governor.
Mills assured me with apparent concern for my safety that
the foreigners were very angry with me and other mission
aries, and that he feared some of them would soon come to
call me to an account for interrupting their games and
gains. Let them come said I, if I have given them just
cause of complaint I am ready to meet and answer them. As
I was assisting at the printing office, in getting ready
a few hand bills for the people containing the general
principles of abstinence from using or dealing in ardent
spirits, Doct. Rooke an Englishman who has been practising
physic in the place about two years, and who has endeavored
to keep on good terms with all parties, called at the house
and requested an interview with me which was readily granted,
when with no small agitation he undertook to tell me what
He deemed of importance to as, & to the people & the foreign
residents - He mentioned the attempt last evening to stop
the game of billiards at which he was present, & the effect
it produced, - said the foreigners were now assembled in
a distant part of the village and were drawing up resolutions
�1337.
to present to the chiefs, that they trembled at every
resolution they penned; were proceeding with caution
and moderation, he thought, considering the great provocation they had received; that they would probably in
the course of the day present this paper to the king &
chiefs, and would probably request me to interpret for
them; that they were determined not to surrender their
billiards, though he knew of none that wished to retain
the game for the sake of Gambling but only for amusement.
"Now" said I, "as a friend, advise me - what ought I to
do in this matter"? He replied "You ought to go to the
chiefs and use your influence to get them to assort to
the very reasonable demands of the foreign residents to
be allowed unmolested to enjoy their billiards, & especially
to explain the difference between gambling and playing for
amusement". I replied "The chiefs understand the difference
now. It has often been explained to them, from the com
mencement of our preaching to them; but if you allow me
to use my influence to get the present regulations of govern.
ment repealed, you grant the right to use my influence to
get others established. He said he feared if I would not
so far comply with their wishes, or if the chiefs should
insist on the rigid enforcement of the order, there would
be blood shed. When referring to the ambiguous phrase,
respecting the danger of "blood shed", I asked if he thought
the foreign residents were prepared for that, he intimated
that his fears were respecting the lower class. This led
me to enquire again, for I had some desire to feel the
pulse of the doctor, as well as he mine, "Bo you not think
there is influence enough in the higher class of residents
to keep down the lower class, should they be disposed to
raise a mob to do mischief of that sort". He replied
"No - they would not if they could. They are all exasper
ated - all classes are crossed in some way. The grogshop
keepers are disappointed in their gains, and others are
interrupted in their pleasures" &c.
I said, "If there is not influence enough in the higher
classes of the foreign residents to keep down the lower
in such a case, it is time the chiefs knew what they are
about, - and considering the state of feeling os both
sides, it is my opinion the marbles had better lie still
for the present".
He plead for the game simply as an amusement, could not
justify gambling - said the loser in every game paid for
the use of the table which was the only stake. I asked
if the retail of spiritous liquors was not supposed by
the rulers to be connected with the billiard tables, le
replied that no billiard table could be supported in this
place without it. He said the young king was fond of the
game and did not wish it prohibited as an amusement, &
for himself he could see no harm in it. I signified that
houses of amusement were sometimes injurious by drawing
away the young & unweary from the great & important duties
of life, and if persons of distinction were thus drawn
�1338.
away, it was possible that much evil would be the
co n seq u en ce.
Before our conversation closed several of the family
came into the room & one of the natives Haalilio, to
whom I mentioned what Dr. R. had said of the anger of
the foreigners,, and the object of his visit to me, &
his apprehension that th.. might be blood shed if the
chiefs should persevere.
Some of the family spoke of going down to one of the
nearest stores, in the presents of the doctor "O you
had better not go”, said Dr. Rooke , "the merchants have
all left their shops to attend to this business".
Having understood that Dr. Rooke wished me to consider
his sail as a matter of his own, & not as having been
sent by the assembled foreigners. I remarked, as he was
about leaving my house, "As yon are not sent by any class
of men, you will have no report to make of course. I
vent quietly to my work again. As soon as the handbills
were ready, repaired to the church where the members of
the church had proposed to meet the friends of temperance
improvement, assisted in the forenoon in organising a
temperance society on the principles of general abstinence,
made known to them a year before, - and was glad to see
several high chiefs, & the members of the church at this
place, & others amounting to about one thousand sign their
names to the articles in these troublous times, in which
they humbly follow the noble example of the American
Temperance Society. In the afternoon I preached the
regular Wednesday lecture which service closed about sunset.
After tea, the evening setting in dark and rainy, Mr.
Reynolds whom I had twice met since my return from an
absence at the windward of nine months, but who had not
granted me any token of common civility knocked at our
door, and as he was admitted, inquired for me and handed me
a curious note, signed by himself and three other American
merchants including the American Consul, probably prepared
by them as a committee of the assembled foreigners mentioned by Dr. Rooke in the morning & which at first I sup
posed might be on the subject of their communications with
government. It is as follows.
"Honolulu April 6, 1831.
"To Rev. Hiram Bingham
Sir A report is in circulation that you have been told
the principal Residents in this place have conspired against
your life, will you give an explicit answer if It be the
fast or not.
Ton must toe aware of our surprise on hearing such a report,
so injurious to our reputation, so contrary to the cause
which we have ever pursued, we do not know of anything ever
having been uttered by any one with whom we would wish to
associate, or number among our acquaintance, whatever may
have been said by the thoughtless or profligate is beyond
our knowledge. Trusting to your sense of duty and your
sailing, we unhesitatingly repeat our request for an
�1339.
explicit answer.
Tour Obt. Sts.
(Signed)
John C. Jones
William French
Henry A. Pierce
Stephen Reynolds"
While I was looking at this note and trying to guess
at the cause, and design of it, Mr. Reynolds made some
conversation with the family, (Mrs. Bingham, Dr. Judd,
Mrs. Judd & Miss Ward being present), and spoke of a
report having cone through the natives that I had proclaimed in the church that day that I had heard of the
design of the foreign residents to kill me', Dr. Judd
asked him if that was the cause of the letter; he said
"it Was not altogether for he heard of it after the
letter was finished". This rumour. which none of the
family had heard of except from him appeared so ground
less that I did not think it necessary to notice it myself, supposing it to be named as a mere trick; for if I
had made such a public declaration, not only could a
thousand witnesses have been produced to prove it without
coming to my house to inquire about it, but we might have
expected an uproar among the people, and a guard around
my person day and night.
Mysterious as the real design of the letter was, I en
deavored to answer it in as unequivocal terms as I could,
& put the following reply immediately into the hands of
Mr. Reynolds, viz.
"Mission House April 6, 1831.
"Gentlemen
I have received your note of this day's date, and as
an explicit answer to your inquiry I can state that I
have not "been told that the principal residents have
conspired against my life".
Yours truly,
(Signed) H. Bingham"
J.C. Jones, Esq. Messrs. William French, Henry A. Pierce,
& Stephen Reynolds.
And what could I have said explicitly, more or less, in
reference to their question? I showed my answer to Dr. J.
who thought it was precisely what the case demanded.
the following morning, the American Consul, who it seems
had appeared not a little disturbed, showed his colors
again by writing the following note to Dr. Rooke which
he immediately sent to me, viz.
"Dear Sir
She Rev. Mr. Bingham has communicated to certain persons
and also published it in the church that you informed
�1340.
him yesterday morning that the Residents at Oahu had
concerted a plan to murder him Mr. Bingham. The report
has spread through the village and is believed by many;
will you have the goodness to say if this be correct or
not, That Mr. B. has asserted the above can be proved;
if false he should suffer for the consequences,
Yours truly,
(Signed) J.C.Jones"
The above was enclosed to me by Dr. Rooke with the following which shows in some measure how difficult it appears
to be for a young man here to maintain a dignified indepen
dence of mind and character. Why should Rooke feel bound
to suffer this exasperated committee to extort from him a
full account of his private conversation with me in my own
house, was a query which rushed through my mind attended
with very little complacency in that kind of influence
which was employed to prejudice his mind against me, as I
hastily perused his note as follows
"Thursday morning Mar. (April) 7, 1831
Sir I have just received the inclosed, with a request
to appear before the committee now assembled. I shall
there answer all questions put to me respecting our con
versation yesterday with truth and candour. Should I be
obliged to refer to you, I hope that you will answer, for
my credits sake with that firm regard to truth which the
circumstances require.
Yours obediently,
(Signed) T. Chas. Byde Rooke”
Be kind enough to return me the inclosed.
Hoping to check the process against Dr. Rooke founded on
a false charge against me, & to stop the circulation of
such a falsehood as Mr. J.' s note contained & which was
calculated to fan the flame of rage against me, I instantly
wrote an urgent note to Mr. Jones as follows:
"Mission House April 7, 1831"
"Dear Sir
I have ever maintained a respectful intercourse with you.
I am not a little surprised that you should now attempt
to fix on me a falsehood.
Your handwriting & signature oblige me to believe that
you have asserted the following, to wit
"The Rev. Mr. Bingham has communicated to certain persons
and also published it in the church that you (Dr. Rooke )
informed him yesterday morning that the residents at Oahu
had concerted a plan to murder him Mr. Bingham, - that Mr. B.
has asserted the above can be proved".
This assertion Sir of yours, I call on you to take back in
the whole length and breadth of it, and without any un
reasonable delay - otherwise I shall feel at liberty to
�1341.
complain of you for abuse both to the government of the
Sandwich Islands and to the Secretary of the U.S. Navy".
I am Sir with due respect yours
(Signed)
H. Bingham”
J. C. Jones, Esq.
At the same time I wrote to Dr. Rooke, assuring him that
I had no apprehension that any man or any set of men could
prove that Mr. J. had asserted, and objected to the un
reasonable claim made on him to appear before any unauthorized
committee to relate whatever might have passed between him
and me in a professedly private interview. But my note to
him was not seasonable, he had already stated to them what
they required, and on securing my note came to my house to
say that he had endeavored to give them to understand that
he had simply expressed to me his fears, that in some of
the aggrieved parties, "the dispute mightproceed from words
to blows, and from blows to blood”.
He was therefore honorably acquited of the charge of having
divulged a conspiracy against my life, but the allegations
of Mr. Jones against me and the impression he had given to
the community of foreigners still remained, in respect to
which either or I must have been egregiously in fault. But
this is a ease of no uncommon occurrence at Honolulu. In
this state of things I received from Mr. Jones the following
in which he attempts to justify and support his assertions, viz.
To Rev. H. Bingham
Dear Sir
I have this moment received your, communication and am not a
little surprised at the spirit in which it is written. I
should hare thought any thing rather than such a note from
one who professed to be a follower of the humble Jesus. The
note you have quoted addressed to Dr. Rooke was written by
me, but with no hostility to you. Such a thought when
writing it did not occur to my mind. You have entirely mis
taken me. It was reported yesterday in the village that
you had said to some individuals and at some congregation of
people (I understand in the Church) that the white Residents
at Oahu had concerted to kill you & that Dr. Rooke had said
so - all who heard the report felt injured not by you but
with Doct. Rooke; you call on me to take back the whole
length and breadth of what I have said - I shall not retract
(me syllable, that is I shall not deny that I heard the
report - as to its truth I cannot affirm. My authors are
Hills, - the wife of Rino (Nabutana) and a female who was
formerly a companion of a Mr. Gale; if they have reported
what is wrong I shall be happy to acknowledge my error, till
then rever "You are at perfect liberty to make any complaints to whom
ever you may think proper. I am unconscious of having in
jured you in the least, or in this last done any more than
�1342.
was my duty.
With due respect
I am Sir, your obedient servant
(Signed J.C.Jones"
Thursday Eve.
Mr. J.'s surprise may be accountedfor in part from the
degree or forbearance he had long witnessed, and in part
from the fact that his note to Dr. Rooke was so much in
the every day style of this latitude & Longitude that he
could see no special reason for recalling it, & if he
could write such a note without any hostile intention,
it shows how easy it is for him to trifle with the name
and character of a missionary who he supposed would not
be forward in self defense.
As to his authors whom he mentions with an air of triumph.
I knew that Mills, whom I had not seen after my enterview
with Rooke could not be relied on as a witness that I had
reported any thing about a conspiracy, & though he had
doubtless mentioned in his family with whom the wife of
Kino is connected, the fact that he had seen Rooke at my
house that morning, & that he had come as he had reason
to think to talk with me about the anger of the foreign
residents, this I was satisfied was the amount of what
Mr. Jones could prove if he should undertake so desperate
a case, His second and third witness doubtless got their
information from Mills.
"If they have reported what is wrong" Mr. J. says "I shall
be happy to acknowledge my error, till then never”. It
was, & is still, clearly my opinion, that Mills & the wife
of Kino both members of our church had not reported what
was wrong, but Mr. J. took occasion from such a statement
of M il
ls as above, to assert and propagate what he did.
Now he will acknowledge his error if it shall be made to
appear that they reported what is wrong.
If he supposed that I should undertake to ascertain or to
show whether two or three obscure natives, (one of whom is
not mentioned under a very honorable title) had reported
wrong or right before I could reasonably expect him to acknowledge his error in a very gross misrepresentation of me,
he was under no small mistake. For reasons which appeared
obvious to my brethren Messrs. Clark, Chamberlain, and Judd,
I wrote him the following, explaining more fully the ground
of my demand than I had time to do in my first note, which
perhaps had too much the appearance of abruptness.
"Dear Sir
On the sixth instant I received a note from you and others
stating that a report was in circulation that I had been told
the principal residents in the place had conspired against
my life, a report which you complained of as very injurious
�1343.
to your characters, and therefore repeated your request
that I would give an explicit answer whether the report
was true or not.
"I therefore plainly contradicted the report just in the
shape that it was prescribed to me, and put my answer into
the hands of one of the signers of the letter to which I
refer.
"Norwithstanding, it appears that on the following morning,
that is on the 7th inst. in a note to Dr. Rooke you assert
positively and affirm likewise that it can be proved that
I published on the day preceding, the report that I had been
told that the residents at Oahu had concerted a plan to
murder me, and that I had made use of Dr. Rooke's name
publicly as the author of my information of a conspiracy of
the residents of Oahu against my life; you call on Dr. Rooke
to say whether this is correct or net, and with most positive
assurance 'that my having repeated it can be proved'. 'If
false, I shall suffer for the consequences' , that is of pub
lishing a false report.
"Now is it not easy to see that your letter to Doct. Rooke
fixes on me a glaring falsehood and also holds me up as the
Slanderer of Dr. Rooke and of the other residents? Not
indeed in a matter of trivial moment, which might have been
allowed to pass away as perfectly idle, but in a matter
so important that all the residents who heard the report,
felt injured.
"If the report is false which you say I published, let the
consequences fall on me. Let this principle be applied to
the unqualified assertions in your letter to Doct. Rooke,
ant to your influence in giving currency to that same injurious
report.
"I do not write this to prolong a dispute nor to repeat my
reasonable requisition - but simply to place my grievance
in a clearer light.
"If it was injurious for Doct. Rooke to tell me of a conspiracy
is it not equally injurious for me to telltheo
e
p p l e that
I have heard by Dr. Rooke of a conspiracy among the residents
against my life? If I have not told the people is it not
equally injurious in you to assure Dr. Rooke without any ap
pearance of doubt that I had so told the people?
"I gave you a fair opportunity to
unfair ground you have taken, but
tain it and moreover say you have
of an American Consul to do to an
appeal to Caesar.
retract at once from the
since you choose to main
done only what was the duty
American Missionary, I
Yours truly,
J.C.Jones, Esq.
,
H. Bingham"
.
�1344.
Before I had sent the above, Doct. Rooke called on me
in the evening at Mr. J.'s request to get my consent to
have an interview with Mr. J. either at his office or at
my house, to talk over the matter coolly &c. - I replied
to the proposal, "I do not wish an interview with Mr. Jones
on this subject so long as his assertions remain unrestrained;
until he is willing to take them back, I have not sufficient
confidence in him or in myself to think we could long converse together o
c olly on the subject; when he shall have
complied with my requisition I shall be ready to meet him on
this subject or any other, but then the proposed interview
would not perhaps be necessary”. Mr. J. therefore, before
receiving my explanatory letter, wrote me again as follows,
under date of "March" which should have been April "8, 1831".
"Dear Sir
I requested Doct. Rooke to state to you last evening that I
should be happy to meet you this morning if convenient to you
to converse with you on the subject of your letter of yester
day. I was not a little surprised to learn from Doct. Rooke
a few moments since that you declined a meeting with me, but
for what reason I am quite at a loss to conjecture.
"If you felt yourself aggrieved at anything I have said re
specting you I stood ready to make any acknowledgements,
where I should be convinced that I had injured you or done
wrong. Doct. Rooke is perfectly satisfied that I had full
cause and reason to state what I did respecting the report;
for my own part I am satisfied that Doct. Rooke was in no
way guilty of the charge that was preferred against him,
with Doct. R. and all the gentlemen of the village all is at
rest, it might have been so with us had you thought proper
to have met me this morning - I did not attack the least
blame to you when I understood that you had informed the
natives that the white residents intended to murder you for
I conceived there was not a doubt you had been so informed,
and it was your duty to have it made known; the charges were
made against Doct. Rooke whom it had been reported was your
informer when Mr. Reynolds called on you on the subject you
did not deny (tho the question was twice put) that you had
informed the natives that the whites intended to murder you,
your answer (to the letter addressed to you by several gentle
men) was by them thought only an evasion of the question,
and it was deemed proper then to make known the report to
Doct. Rooke which was the cause of your letter to me yester
day, and which for your own sake and that of the cause in
which you are engaged I wish you had not written. - For my
own part, I do not feel the least culpable for what I have
said or written, under existing circumstances, I did what
was my duty to myself, my countrymen, and to Doct. Rooke all that I have stated or meant to state is, that a report
was in circulation that you had told the natives that the
white residents intended to murder you and that Doct. Rooke
had told you so. I never said that you had said so, but
that report said that you had. Had you denied the truth of
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the Report to Mr. Reynolds, nothing more would have been
done or said - I shall never take back that I heard the
report as I stated it. I do not however now believe from
an examination of Mills that you ever mentioned a word to
him on the subject referred to or that you have said to
any one that Dr. Rooke told you that the whites intended
to murder you. In stating this I make no acknowledgement
of having done what was not correct throughout the whole
transaction. If you feel that I have injured you, I can
see no cause for such a feeling & did not intend you any
abuse or to have done anything but what was proper between
man and man. My feelings would lead me to say much more on
this subject, but I forbear. If you have any communication
to make to me I am to be found at my house at any hour”.
"With due respect your obd. St.
J.C.Jones"
Rev. H. Bingham.
To this I made the following reply which I sent in connexion
with my second or explanatory letter to Mr. Jones.
"Mission House April 8, 1831
Dear Sir,
I had prepared my second letter to you before I received
your second. It is the opinion of my brethren who are
one with me in this sentiment that I have no occasion to
alter a single position I have taken.
"You now deny having asserted anything more than that a
report was in circulation &c: It may be proper therefore
simply to copy your note, which I do not regard as a
mere careless expression between two individuals, discon
nected with a considerable community, and under circumstances
of no excitement to give it importance. Your note to
Dr. Rooke is as follows.
"Dear Sir
The Rev. Mr. Bingham has communicated to certain persons
and also published it in the church that you informed him
yesterday morning that the Residents at Oahu had concerted
a plan to murder him Mr. Bingham. The report has spread
through the village and is believed by many, will you have
the goodness to say if this be correct or not. That Mr.
B . has asserted the above can be proved, if false he should
suffer for the consequences,
Yours truly,
J.C.Jones"
"The nature of existing circumstances which you suppose
required you to treat me thus unfairly might have been
looked upon by some as a palliation, but by us it is viewed
differently.
As ever yours,
H. Bingham".
�1346.
Existing circumstances do not require a consul's influence
to expose me to danger but to protect me from injury.
To my two last addressed to Mr. Jones, I received from
him the same day the following reply;
Dear Sir
Your two notes have been received and contents noted. It
is far, very far from my wish to prolong this altercation
with yon or with any member of the mission Family. I pro
fess no hostility to any - peace I desire above every other
enjoyment - I most therefore decline any further communica
tion on this subject - I have only to say that if my note
to Doct. Rooke implies that I intended to state to him
that yon had positively asserted that he (Dr.R. ) told you
that the white Residents intended to murder you, it was
wrongly expressed. I only intended to state the fact of
the existence of the report, and that the people could be
produced who had given the report. Doct. R. is perfectly
satisfied that I had every reason to assert what I did,
and that your note to the Gentlemen was not a denial of
the fact. From what I had heard on Wednesday I believed
most confidently that you had made the referred to assertion,
and that Dr. Rook was your author. I could not have
thought otherwise. I have now made every explanation that
I am willing or capable of, - further the deponent will
say not.
If the conduct of the American mission to the American
Consul, and the conduct of the American Consul to the
American Mission were weighted in a balance to find on which
side was the justice and the good, there are too many facts
on record to leave long in doubt which side would prepon
derate - However be this as it may, ever man if a right to
his own opinion. I wish not to interfere with any concerns
of yours, and I beg you will not with mine - I wish to ex
tend to all the members of the mission family respect and
friendship, and if it might be in my power in any way to
assist or do them any kindness no person would be more
willing - You appeal Sir to Caesar, I appeal to no man God is my Judge and to his tribunal alone I bow.
If you should deem it proper or necessary to make any
complaint to the American Government of my abuse to you,
you will allow me to inform yon that the Secretary of State
and not the Secretary of the Navy is the person to whom you
Should address yourself - I can only add that I am indeed
sorry that any midunderstanding has happened between myself
and any member of the mission. It is the first & I hope it
may be the last.
Yours as ever
(signed)
John C. Jones
By the last declaration, it would seem that the members
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of the mission had not been very injurious neighbors
for ten years, hard & difficult as the times have often
been in this period, & in the present case he must allow
the unprovoked aggression was on his part. His note
"was wrongly worded" - But we will pass by the "balance"
in which he would have our "conduct weighed", and give
him all due credit for this desire of peace, and for his
readiness to bow to the decisions of a Judge, who, he
maintains, is too merciful to punish his creatures
hereafter. Though he will not appeal to any human tribunal,
and though he confesses his assertions in his note to
Dr. Rooke were "wrongly worded", or declared what was not
true & was incapable or a voted proof, yet 'from what he
had heard on Wednesday, he, at the time he wrote, fully
believed what he asserted', though he only meant to speak
of a report: still heappeals to Dr. Rooke as having
justified his assertions, for after all, my first note in
answer to the gentlemen's question was "an evasion” and
"not a denial of the fact". - From such a medley of ideas
I should have been disposed to turn away my thoughts and
inquiries, to something more intelligble, or solid, dis
missing the hopeless subject. But his laying so much stress,
in his notes, on the evasive character of my first answer,
his repeated reference to the approving opinion of Dr.
Rooke, - the opinion of the Gentlemen respecting my evasion,
and the false alusion or assertion he made in one of his
letters that I "did not deny (to Mr. Reynolds) tho' the
question was twice put" respecting my publishing in the
church the account of the conspiracy, all together seemed
to make it important to get the opinion of the persons
concerned, in their own language. I therefore addressed to
them direct inquiries respecting these three prominent points,
which I apprehended would not bear a very severe scrutiny
even though the other gentlemen might have given Mr. J.
"full cause and reason" to assert what he did respecting
them.
To Dr. Rooke I wrote as follows;
"Dear Sir,
It is asserted that you are perfectly satisfied that
Mr. Jones had full cause and reason to state what he did
respecting the report" which is ascribed to me respecting
a conspiracy against my life. Will you have the goodness
to give me an explicit answer whether this assertion is
correct or not and oblige your friend.
H. Bingham.
"P.S. If you have any reluctance to reply on account of
your situation or business, or any apprehension of any
trouble from any other quarter I will not insist on an
answer. You will perceive that Mr. Jones' letter to you,
contains two or three positive assertions which he cannot
prove and for which it appears he alone is responsible.
All his witnesses have failed him; this I assured you would
be the fact. Was it right for him to fix on me the odium
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of reporting a falsehood respecting you which might have
ruined your business, and left me to hear the whole re
sponsibility of all the difficulty unless I should devote
hours and days to the business of detecting the author of
the report? Believe me sincerely yours, H.B.
To this I received a note which tho' obviously written by
an advocate for Mr. J. the author cautiously conceals the
statements of the natives on which Mr. J. is supposed to
have grounded his assertions, tho' he Is 'quite satisfied'
that they had told him something for him to build on. That the natives had reported Dr. Rooks visit to my house,
at which Mr. J. took great offence, I had no good reason
to doubt. The following is Dr.'s cautious answer to my
inquiry.
"My Dear Sir,
I scarce know how to reply to your note, misunderstandings
and misconstrutions appear to be so muoh in vogue, that I
am puzzled how to choose my words, however you shall have
my answer as plain as I can give it. After I had satisfied
Mr. Jones that the report respecting me was untrue, he
asked me to step up to his house, that he might produce his
evidence and satisfy me that he had heard so. I went, saw
him informers, and heard them repeat what they had before
told him. Mr. Jones turned to me and asked if I was satis
fied, I replied instantly, "Quite so" How you must judge
whether it was meant to enquire more of me than whether I
was satisfied that he had heard the report on which he
grounded his assertion? - My impression was that it did
not, and as such I answered it. Mr. Jones might have meant
differently, even If he did, it was not for me to tell Mr.
Jones whether I thought his evidence worthy of credence or not,
or sufficient ground to found the assertions he had made
upon it.
Thus was the situation of things as I take it. My personal
interest was to prove to Mr. Jones that I had n o t made the
communication complained of, to you. His was to prove that
he had heard that I had done so.
I hope you will consider that this as explicit. I have
given you my view of circumstances as they were, the question
put to me and the answer I gave.
If you have occasion to use this, it is at your service,
but if not absolutely necessary I would rather your note and
this answer are not publicly used.
Yours sincerely,
Thos. Chas. Byde Hooke
P.S. I should have sent this sooner, but I have written
much before I could frame an answer to please myself".
Nothing appears in the above, from which I could infer that
Mr. Jones' informers had said anything respecting my having
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published anything about a conspiracy, and from an
examination of Mills. Mr. J. acknowledges his conviction
that I had said 'nothing to him on the subject.'
It is very obvious too that in Dr. Rooke's reply to Mr.
Jones' question he had no reference to the injustice Mr. J.
had done me or at least his answer was no justification of
his conduct toward me if it was even intended to be in
reference to himself. I had therefore no further claims on
Dr. Rooke and professed myself satisfied with his note to
me as all I could reasonably require him to say under
present circumstances in answer to my inquiry - To assure
him I had no quarrel with him I quickly wrote him as follows,
"My dear Sir,
I have just received your note, and admire the wisdom of
your answer. It is all I ask of you. You may rest satisfied
that I regard you with increasing confidence and esteem &
hope our trials in which you and I seem to know how to
sympathise, will do us good.
Yours truly,
H. Bingham".
To the supposed committee who first addressed me on the
subject of the reported conspiracy, and to whose question I
replied decidedly in the negative, I addressed the follow
ing inquiry, dated April 8, 1831.
"Gentlemen
I am informed by the American Consul 'that my answer to
the letter addressed to me by several gentlemen was by them
thought only an evasion of the question'. Will you have the
goodness to give me a n explicit answer whether this is
correct or not, in reference to my answer to your note of
the 6th instant, and oblige your friend & well wisher H. Bingham.
Messrs J.C. Jones, Wm. French, H.A.Pierce, S. Reynolds"
Though Mr. Jones had declined, or wished to decline any
further communication on the subject, I could not well omit
his name in the address to the committee, without seeming
to attempt to invite or lead the others to state something
which should contradict him. My question was doubtless
a difficult one to answer; for to answer in the negative
would be a desertion of Mr. J. with whom the dispute originated,
to answer in the affirmative would be at soma hazzard of their
reputation for common sense or common candor, I can hardly
say I had any choice which course they should take.
Their answer will show their choice, as follows "Friday April 8 "Mr. Bingham
Sir
The gentlemen who addressed you on the 6th Instant did
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conceive that year answer to their communication was
an evasion only of their question"
" William French
Stephen Reynolds
Henry A. Pierce"
The other point concerning which I thought it needful to
inquire was respecting my having had a question put to me
twice on the subject of my publishing the report of the
conspiracy which M.J. maintains I did not negative. My
inquiry was as follows
Mission House April 8, 1831
Dear Sir
It is asserted, that when you called on me, I did not deny
(tho the question was twice put) that I had informed the
natives that the whites intended to murder me'.
Will you have the goodness to say whether you put such a
question to me and I refused to answer you and oblige your
friend and neighbor
H. Bingham
Mr. Stephen Reynolds
To this Mr. R. replied as follows
"Honolulu April 8, 1831
"To Rev. Hiram Bingham
Sir
In answer to your note whether I put any question to you
and you refused to answer me &c. I state that when I
mentioned to you in the presence of the members of the
mission family the report in circulation coming from the
natives that you had said from the pulpit or at some meeting
in the course of the day that you had been told the residents
intending to murder you, Ms. Bingham said twice she had not
been to the meeting but Mr. Bingham is present and can speak
for himself, you made no reply either time. I have mentioned
to several people the above observations but have not said,
nor has any one other ground than the above from which to
infer that I asked you any question. Believing that the re
quest which I handed you to be better than any quere I could
put, I must say I was not a little disappointed in your
answer as I viewed not more explicit than evasive, - I must
add however although what I related to you concerning the
report of the natives of your declaration at the meeting was
not in the request I handed you I believe you would notice it
in your answer. I do not think you were absolutely required
to do so from the request, but I do think you was in justice
bound to mention it that all unpleasant feelings in the minds
of those whom it deeply implicated should be calmed in
stead of leaving doubts that would create rather than dis
perse the excitement. I cannot forbear observing that I
felt myself awkwardly and unpleasantly situated from the
moment I handed you the request until after we rose to look
at the Portrait of Sophia, because I thought you treated the
�1351.
matter and me more arrogantly and cavalierly, than open
and reciprocal cordiality. Had I not felt embarrassed I
should have asked questions, very many - and should have
been highly gratified that my call had in any way been the
means of dissipating rumors so injurious to the residents
collectively, and to some individually, as well as your
self - Whatever may be the result of my calling, or what
ever motives ascribed, I assure you it was not intended nor
expected to produce any but the best ends and purest views. Your obedient Servant
Stephen Reynolds”
The remark which he ascribes to Mrs. B. is not recollected
by us, but if she said anything analogous to it in reply
to his statement, it would be a good evidence that his
statement was not made to me personally, and whatever she
might have said to him, it is certain that both she and the
others present did not think it necessary for me to reply
to him, or to say more on the subject than what I said in
my note.
To say, in my note, as I did, "I have not beentold" of the
said conspiracy, is in my mind about equivolent to saying
I have not stated to the people that I have been told of the
said conspiracy, & how any reasonable man should think that
I was."in justice bound" to do more to "disperse" the ex
citement which I had not created and for which I was not re
sponsible, is not easy to see. It would seem by the commu
nication of Mr. R. as well as of Mr. Jones, that those
"rumors" and"reports" respecting threatened violence to my
person were somehow exceedingly wounding to some of the
residents, "injurious to the residents collectively & to
some individually", But according to Mr. Jones' letter they
were "all at rest" as soon as they learned that Dr. Rooke
had not exposed them, or rather as soon as he told them he
had not.
Probably the object of Mr. Reynolds' visit was to draw from
me or the family what Dr. Rooke had said, for we all as by
common consent, avoided alluding to his visits and his re
marks, but failing in that, it was necessary they thought,
to apply to Rooke himself, charge him with having communicated
to me their threats, and using my name as their witness, to
force him to till them just how far he did go in his commu
nications. Mr. R. said one reason of his call was to prevent
us from publishing as we had done before, that the residents
threatened our lives.
It is a little curious that Mr. Reynolds a man of considerable
boasted acouteness, and sometimes Deputy Consul, should on
the same day and on the same occasion speak of my note as
"an evasion only", and as "not more explicit than evasive,
when it is obvious that it directly met the question. It
is true it did not go so far as to say I had no evidence, or
apprehension that any of the residents, or even the principal
�1352.
resident had threatened my life - Nor did it carry the
impression that I felt specially solicitous to calm their
"unpleasant feelings", or trembled at their united rage.
This course perhaps added to their vexation but I was
persuaded it would not increase the danger if there was
any, from the excitement which had been created by other
causes entirely independent of the pretext of only having
published an evil report, or my having left "doubts that
would create rather than disperse the excitement". But it
is quite in character for some of my correspondents and
their associates artfully to conceal the real causes of
their hostility to call things by wrong names, & throw the
blame of the really injuries upon the injured, just as the
advocates of the Latin church charge the evils of her per
secutions, upon the Reformation.
If Mr. Reynold's visit was intended "to produce the best
ends and the purest views" why did he so industriously
misrepresent to the exasperated residents the conversation
he had with the family and lay so much stress upon my not
replying verbally. Dr. Judd said at once he had not heard
of my reporting what he referred to, and asked him if that
was the cause of the letter which he handed me, to which he
replied in the negative. Mrs. Judd, and Mrs. Bingham both
spoke of the sermon which he mentioned, as too idle to need
the formality of a contradiction, not precisely in these
words but in language, tone, and manner calculated to con
vince him that the verbal report which he brought or made
had no foundation in fact.
Mr. R. complains of my 'treating the matter & him' "more
arrogantly & cavalierly, than open and reciprocal cordiality".
I do not fully understand his language. Perhaps he meant,
a temperate reserve on the subject: for which I did not think
it necessary to attempt a very humble apology. His letter
however I thought deserved an answer, at least one or two
points in it, especially as he seems to allow that my answer
to the committee was about half explicit & half evasive. &
expresses so great surprise that I had not thrown into my
answer to the committee something about the rumor he had
superadded verbally after he subscribed & sealed and delivered
their letter. - I thought too I could notice in my answer
to him, the construction the committee had put upon my
answer to them, better than to address them again in company.
I therefore wrote him on the following day or the third day
from the commencement of this controversy, as follows;
"Mission House April 9, 1831
"Mr. Stephen Reynolds,
Dear Sir,
Your note in reply to my request has just been handed me. It
appears that you put no question to me that I did not answer
on the evening of the interview referred to. My main
business was with the letter which you handed me and for
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which you expected an immediate answer.
"When repaired to speak explicitly whether I had been told
or not what others had done to me, should I not have wander
ed sally from my subject to have spoken of what I h a d not
said to others?
"Direct and plain as my answer was, it is nevertheless
spoken of by one of the gentlemen as "only an evasion of
the question"- by three of them jointly as "An evasion only
of their question" and by yourself as "N ot more explicit than
evasive".
The question which I was called on to answer explicitly is
this, "A report is in circulation that you have been told the
principal residents in this place have conspired against
your life, will you give an explicit answer if it be the
fact or not". As I understood the question, it is substantially
this,
"Will you give an explicit answer whether it be the fact or
not that you have been told the principal residents in this
place have conspired against your life?"
"To this question I intended to reply directly, emphatically
and explicitly, and with that view said, "I have not been told
that the principal residents have conspired against my life".
"This I think, and my associates think fairly met the
question. To render my answer an evasion, it should have
omitted, or turned away from the point in question. To
render it an invasion only of the question, it should have
avoided wholly the point in question, and turned wholly on
some other point. To render my answer as much evasive as it
was explicit I should have made my reply but just half as
broad as the question.
Is there any attempt in my answer to evade the main point,
or as I understood it the only point to be replied to? Do
not the principal terms, "have been told" principal residents,
have conspired" &c , mean precisely the same thing in my
answer that they do in the question? If then my answer was
fair and explicit, who is responsible for the consequences
which are said to have resulted from considering it "an
evasion of the question?"
That threats against my life had been made I did not intend
to deny, for this you^did not doubt. I told you moreover
expressly I should infer from the very existence of such
a letter as you handed me, that there had been such threats
in circulation as were alluded to or implied in several
of its expressions.
The cautious distinctions attempted to be made between
those with whom the writers "would wish to associate” , the
writers themselves personally who complained of the
injury done their reputation by the report that "I had been told
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the principal residents had conspired against my life";
their 'not having heard anything uttered by those whom'
the writers "would wish to number among their acquaintance"; their disavowing their knowledge of what "the
thoughtless and profligate” might have said; all this
together with what I knew on the subject of hostility to
myself and other missionaries, especially since the
recent orders of government left it very obvious to my
mind that threats had been uttered, in which the writers
of that letter would be very unwilling to be implicated.
You are at liberty to shew my explanations to those who
misconstrued my answer or the 6th instant No answer is required Yours truly
H. Bingham
Three days and nights, this correspondence, and the
subjects connected with it had now engrossed my attention,
& exhausted my spirits - twenty letters having passed
between us, & several interviews, in all of which it re
quired no small concern to walk amid snares and not be en
tangled, & in every case to turn back the assailing weapon
upon the assailant, to watch against insidious thrusts,
not to say murderous designs, to be in such close collision
with men who find it easy to speak evil, & give them no
just occasion to speak reproachfully of us or our cause,
to be obliged to speak to them in terms that imply censure,
disrespect or want of confidence in their candor, or in
tegrity, all was to me a painful, trying service, and
unprepared as I was for the more delightful public duties of
the Sabbath I was glad to hail its return, with the oppor
tunity of again attempting to direct the thoughts and
hearts of thousands to the oracles of inspired truth, &
urge them to enter the kingdom of the Prince of peace. Having some difficulty in the choice of a text, I addressed
the following note the brethren of the station who had
by their counsel & sympathy stood by me in this struggle,
designating Ps. 46. 4,5 - Ps. 72, 7.8 - Matth. 6. 33 Luke 13. 24 - Heb. 4.9.
"Brethren, will you have the goodness to designate one of
the above texts as the theme of my discourse this morning;
I wish to avoid the appearance of a contest with my
enemies, & yet preach Christ & his cross with unfaltering
tongue, yours in weakness but in love.
H. Bingham”
They chose the following, "But seek ye first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness and all these things shall
be added unto you”. Math. 6. 33. and from this subject
I was enabled to preach with more than usual freedom
though with less than usual bodily vigor. Retiring from
the field of sweat, and dust and toll, where I was called
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to struggle with those who despise & oppose this
kingdom I felt a pleasure in explaining and enforcing
the duty of seeding to enter the kingdom of God; seeking
to promote its interests till it should fill the world
with peace; and of seeking that righteousness which God
requires as the measure of our duty to him, and that
which comes from Christ as the ground of our justification.
On Monday the 11th of April I received from Mr. Reynolds
the following
Honolulu April 11, 1831
To Rev. H. Bingham
Sir when I "allowed to you that I did not doubt threats
had been made against you” I made the allowance with very
particular qualifications, which you have omitted in your
letter to me of the 9 inst.
I wish you to do me the justice and yourself the credit
to put it
I expressed it, that it may read as it ought
that is with the qualifications.
"No answer is required" you say in your note or I should
have pointed out what I view as serious invectives as well
as contradictions.
A correct statement of the doubts &c.
As you have never contradicted to me the statement I made
of the report of the natives of your declaration at the
meeting I consider your silence as an assent to the truth
of the report.
Your Obt. Sert.
Stephen Reynolds
To this I made no reply, & thus terminated the correspondence.
I saw no object to be gained by prolonging the dispute, which
would be a compensation for the trouble. And I had enough
of more important business. Whether I can be justified in
giving as much time and attention to it as I did and whether
the course I pursued was proper or not, I leave for others
to decide. So far as I know, my brethren approved of it.
Mr. Jones so
met him that
which I told
which I said
far retreated from the ground on which I first
I chose to waive my complaint against him
him I should feel myself at liberty to do, &
in part to cut short his prosecution of Rooke.
When I again repeated that I would appeal to Cesar I still
had in view a complaint to civil authority or an appeal to
the public, but do not now think either to be advisable.
.The excitement his blustering occasioned has subsided.
�1356.
When I mentioned to Kaahumanu, (who took a lively interest
in our correspondence, the question which they put to
me in their joint letter of the 6 of April, "whether or
not I had been told the principal residents had conspired
against my life” - she said "That is much the same as
telling of it themselves”.
It remains to add that the determined supporters of the
game of billiards continue their sport at the billiard table
defended by the consuls, and that a number of the interested
advocates of retailing spirits at this port, continue their
practice, particularly in retailing to foreign residents
& seamen, though neither are licensed by the government.
The government undertook soon after the above dispute, to
break up some of the sabbath day amusements of the foreigners,
such as fiddling, dancing & carousing in the town and riding
into the country & back. In this effort they have perhaps
been more successful than in the others. For after two or
three attempts of the foreigners to carry it through by
force and to ride as usual, that practice has ceased so that
we can say the horses in Honolulu rest on the Sabbath.
though it is said of some of those men who are not willing
to rest, that "they work like horses on board ship in the
harbor".
But I will here make no further comment, but after the long
and tedious detail, beg leave to subscribe myself as ever
very affectionately yours in Christ our Lord
H. Bingham
Oahu Nov. 23, 1831.
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Boston
U.S.A.
Recd. May 7, 1832.
Ackd. Dec. 20.
�1357.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 5.
Oahu Nov. 25, 1831.
To Jer. Evarts Esq.
Cor. Secy. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston.
Very Dear Sir
I have just closed for you a long communication exhibiting
a correspondence between several residents and myself
which occured between the 6th & 11th of April last in which
I noticed the change of the government of Oahu, some
efforts at reformation which Gov. Adams early made, the
opposition some of his orders met with, the supposed danger
of bloodshed in case the chiefs should attempt to deprive
the foreign residents of their billiards, and the cause and
character of two reports in respect to myself, the first
of which was "that I had been told the Principal Residents
at this place had conspired against my life”, and the
second, 'that I had published in the church that I had been
told the residents had concerted a plan to murder me, or
had concerted to kill, or intended to kill me,' & the in
terest which the Consul, and deputy consul took in these reports,
and the inference which I drew from circumstances that my
life had been threatened.
If your patience is not quite exhausted, you will allow me,
though my state of health at this moment will hardly warrant
it, to add a few particulars, which though not necessarily
connected with that correspondence may be regarded as per
haps a convenient appendix to my account of it.
Foreign Population of Oahu - N ot definitely known nor very
easily ascertained. General Miller asked my opinion as to
the number of foreign residents in Oahu saying that Mr.
Charlton had said he thought there were 800. I gave my
opinion that 1/4 or 1/5 of that number would be much nearer
the truth. Probably the number of all classes from Christian
countries is between 250 & 300. - General Miller after a
visit of 3 or 4 months made his estimate at 300. Let
this be the estimate for the 1st of April last.
Of these, say, 10 merchants or mercantile agents, and 15
clerks.
20 keepers of dram shops, taverns, boarding houses &c. - Cooks
& stewards 40 Carpenters & Joiners 25 - Blacksmiths 16, Masons, 5, Tailors
3 - Sailmakers & calkers 6 - Herdsmen 5 - Seamen or residents
attached to native vessels 10 - discharged officers & sea
men 25 to 40 - invalids from sea 10, - occupying land 20.
Doctors 3. - foreign missionaries 15 including Jesuits and the estimate will still allow a considerable number
unaccounted for.
�1358.
Of the above there were 20 who signed the paper drawn up
probably on the 6th of April under circumstances mentioned
by Dr. R. but dated the 7th of April 1831, containing a
representation of their greivance in respect to billiards
and harmless amusements, their determination not to submit
to it without remonstrance, some taunts respecting the
unsettled claims of individuals, and the neglect of the
government to do them justice, & the injury to their
interests which the sudden changes had occasioned &c &c,
& which commences as follows,
"We the undersigned Foreigners residing at Oahu, and
Masters of ships now lying in the Harbor, viewing with alarm
the encroachments made on our Liberties, Religion and harmless amusements, beg leave to address your Majesty and your
chiefs in council on the subject".
The following are the "undersigned" residents, and "masters
of ships" viz.
William French, Stephen Reynolds, John C. Jones, Henry A.
Pierce, Richard Charlton, Charles P. Swain, Eliab Grimes,
T. Chas. Byde R ooke, William Swain, Shuball Cottle, Frederick
Swain, P. D. de Periere, Richard Ford, John Meek, Wm, Blanchard, Septimus Hildyard, William Hinkley, Wm. R. Warren,
Alex. D. Banker, Frederic Raymond, Thomas Cummins, Joseph
Navarro, Jn. L. Vigne , F. Giraud, Wm. H. Pearce, John Meak
Eugure, 26 in all, who took so much interest in the cause of
their liberty, religion. and amusements as to make a united
appeal t o the king and chiefs in council on the encroach
ments they were making upon them, the "unheard of outrage"
of stopping "two gentlemen" from playing at billiards, - in
respect to which they say, "To strike so sudden, so deadly
a blow, to Jeopardize persons and property, without any
means of redress, enters not into our views of moral right,
nor can it b e supported by any precedent from any country
or the Bible"
They ask protection, not so much in their
commercial pursuits, nor their avocations, nor their prayers
or modes of worship, but in their "harmless amusements".
Whether the government have ever given any formal answer
to that appeal or not, I am not informed. Probably they
have not. I must hasten to close this sheet, for the Cyrus, now
(hole in paper) for sea.
I send you ai copy of the work on scripture history which
was (hole) signed to me and which I have endeavored to
execute according to my ability. I inserted two or three
rude cuts as an experiment, for the want of better, but it
cost too much trouble to make them, That representing the
destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah, I engraved on wood in
the space of about one hour. Should you approve of having
the next edition ornamented with a proper sett of cuts to
illustrate scripture history I should be gratified to
have them furnished. Please accept the little work as it
�13 59.
is - as a token of Remembrance. - Also a copy of Paul's
Epistles, eight of which, from Gal. to Heb. inclusive, I
have done what I could to render into the language of this
country. I will add as a specimen of what is now in press,
a sheet of Hawaiian Geography - or Geography in the Hawaiian
Language, And the constitution of our church drawn up by
the pen of our lamented Dr. Worcester, in your house, and
my 2d translation of it for the native churches in the Sand
wich islands. She little handbill referred to in the pre
ceding communication, may not be unacceptable as connected
with this appendix, and with the little package which I
should try to forward to Mr. Albert Gardner, Nantucket,
for you.
With kind salutations I remain as ever Yours in Christ
H. Bingham
P.S. I hope are long to send something more respecting the
visit of the gentlemen mentioned in this sheet, the celebrated
Gen. Miller, an Englishman in the Service of Peru, and also of
Capt. Hill's visit, and some account of my labors on Hawaii,
and Of my resent tour around this island.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Ship Cyrus
Capt. Hussey
Recd. May 7, 1832.
Ansd. Dec. 20th.
�1360.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 6.
Honolulu Oahu
Nov. 27, 1831. Having been unwell several days and unable
to continue my labors as usual among the people, the king,
G ov . Adams, and several other chiefs called to see me and
express their friendly aloha. The king tarried after the
others left, and took a plain cup of tea with Mrs. B. &
myself. The following is the substance of our conversation
at the table.
I. "What is the state of feeling at present among the foreign
residents respecting the laws of the land in favor of moral
ity?"
King. "They say very little to me about it; some of them
approve of the laws and some do not".
I. "But were they not angry when Adams began his execution
of the laws respecting the Sabbath, ardent spirits &c".
King. "Yes they were angry then, and some of them said to me
if it should be tabu here, no ships would come here - Why,
said I, provisions are not tabu, why will not ships come here
as before?"
I. "Do you think there is as much drunkenness among the foreigners now as formerly?"
King. "I see much less of it, but I hear that sailors continue
to get drunk".
I. "Yes, occasionally some of them pass by our doors in a
state of intoxication; but how is it with the natives, do they
g et drunk still as they used to do?”
i
Kng. "They have entirely left it off, but there are some
Tahitians here who drink and are very troublesome. One of them
being drunk the other day, threw a stick at my horse, and I
ordered him put in irons, and carried into the fort".
I. "It is to be expected of those who are made acquainted
with the true light, and afterwards abandon the right way; it
is to be expected that such men will excel in wickedness. But
I have seen but one native of these islands drunken for a long
time; that was Joe Banks, who met you at the fort when you
returned from your windward tour".
King. "Yes he was drunk then, and crazy, but he has since
gone away to the Society Islands".
I. "Dr. Judd told me the other day he had seen but two
natives drunk during his residence at the Islands of four years.
Capt. Hussey of the Cyrus, who says he never drank a glass
of spirits at sea in his life, spoke with decided approbation
of the shutting up of the grogshop on the wharf when formerly
a boat's crew would get drunk in half an hour, though ordered
to stay by the boat while the officer was attending to his
duties. "N ow" said he "it is much more difficult for them,
which I think an improvement.
King. Yes, it is better now. M r . Read told me the other day
that this place is distinguished for drinking spirits, but it
is a bad thing, It is not so on the Spanish coast. Then I
replied, It was once very bad here, there was much drinking at
this place formerly.
�1361.
I. "Intemperance is a very great evil, very destructive.
It is very difficult to govern men who are drunken, there
was a case in Lord Wellington's army, when the Soldiers got
drank and would not obey the officers, their enemies were
expected to come suddenly upon them, and several of the
soldiers were hung before the army could be put in order.
Now if I were really angry with the foreign residents and
wished to destroy them I should wish not only to have them
abundantly supplied with ardent spirits, but I would endeavor
to entice them to drink it freely. General Miller, remarking
to me on tho difference between English, American, & Spanish
soldiers in their habits of drinking, said the Spanish were
by far the most temperate, and added "If I were to fight a
Brittish or American Army I would endeavor to deposit somewhere
near their quarters, a large quantity of rum - the soldiers
would be sure to get it and then their defeat would be easy".
King. "I have seen that illustrated. I have seen a for
eigner angry with another foreigner, stronger than himself, and
fearing to attack him in his full strength, he would first
intice him to drink rum till he was tipsy, then beat him".
I. "Some ship owners are afraid to have their ships come often
to this port. Capt. Joy it others have been ordered by their
owners not to come into this harbor to recruit lest their men
should be tempted to leave their vessels or otherwise be led
astray, and induced to make trouble, in consequence of the
facilities for getting drunk and bringing other evils on
themselves.
"Capt. Beechey in the Blossom on his way to the north, said to
Kraimoku, "If you do not suppress the grogshops I will not
bring my ship into the harbor when I return". Kraimoku said
"I wish to suppress them, but the Brittish Consul owns one of
them” "Then" said Beechey "put on a duty so heavy upon spirits
that nobody can afford to get drunk". Capt. Jennings when
he was here before, said, ”I wish that rum were 100 doll. a
bottle, then nobody could get drink with it".
Dec. 3. After spending several days with my family at Punahou
Spring, just at the opening of the vally of Manoa, I called,
as I was returning, at a little cluster of huts where a number
of the followers of the Jesuits sojourn, being engaged with
many others in building a wall for the king to protect the
plantations from the herds of cattle on the plain. At the
door of the first hut I met two women of about middle age,
& after the common salutations had passed I asked "Do you know
the palapala?” "Aole”-no-was their reply. "Do you not desire
the palapala" I asked again, "Aole" was readily returned.
"But if you could obtain a teacher who would instruct you in
palapala would you not like to learn, that you may know
what is right", "Aole", was again promptly & emphatically pro
nounced. I had taken a handful of tracts with a design to
give them to them if they wished to read them - and asked again
"Have not any of you learned to read?" "None" was their
reply, though it was not strictly correct. I passed on to the
next house or hut where a larger number were together. I
saluted the house and very soon inquired ifany
of them were
�1362.
able to read to which they replied in the negative as the
two women had before. I asked again if they did not wish
to learn; nearly all maintained a sort of suspicious silence;
one man signified that they did not wish it. "Why" continued
I "do you not wish to learn"? All were silent. "On what are
your thoughts placed"? They deigned me no answer - The man
who had answered one or two questions and who had returned
my salutation, rose and went to the hut I had left. A woman,
who I suppose to be the sister of Punihaole one of the
members of our church, came up from toward the seashore,
I bade her aloha which she returned, but not recognizing her distinct
I asked her her name, which most natives are pleased with
opportunity of making known to us; she declined an answer.
I repeated my question, and made several inquiries, but she
appeared speechless - & soon disappeared, and those who remained
in, and about the hut, would not speak to me. I left in the
hands of a friendly native who had daily intercourse with them
a number of copies of a tract containing to ten commandments
as we teach and explain them directing him, if he found any
of them who would read it or who would take it, to give it to
them. The thought they would be averse to reading the scriptures,
and not desirous to learn to read at all. O dreadful delusion,
to be willing slaves of ignorance, without the desire or means
of knowing the truth! How dreadful to have the offended Author
of sternal truth send upon us strong delusions that we might
believe a lie, that we might be damned, because we receive not.
the love of the truth. I rode home with some feelings, I hope,
of compassion for these thrice deluded children of pagans who
had no w been led apparently, to hate the only light that shines
in this dark world to give the knowledge of the glory of GOD.
‘ Dec. 4. P reached, Sabbath morning, to a full congregation
from the interesting interrogatory and injunction of Moses when
Israel had turned aside and made, and worshipped a golden calf.
"Who is on the Lord's side? -let him come unto me". Showed
the occasion on which Moses made this inquiry, and the fitness
of our attempting to answer for ourselves - showed the char
acter of those who are on the Lord's side, and the reasons why
we should be on the Lord's side, and show ourselves by word &
deed, to be there.
Dec. 6th. Preached the Monthly Concert lecture from Isaia 49.6.
"He mea uuku ke lilo oe i kauwa na'u, e hoala i na ohana
a Jakoba, a e hoihoi mai i ke koena o ka Iseraela; e haawi aku
an ia oe i malamaloma no na lahuikanaka, i lilo oe i kuu ola
no na welau o ka honua".
In the evening addressed a company of seamen from the ship
Fanny. I read the 49. of Isaiah and remarked on the character
& condition of all the true church of God - as obedient, happy
& safe, while all others were entirely different, disobedient,
unhappy, and in danger of endless ruin.
Dec. 6. Wrote to Messrs. Shepard, Tinker, Green, and to the
king & Kaahumanu. Attended the monthly meeting of the native
church - urged them to live and act as children of the same
blessed father - to encourage, to reclaim, to strengthen one
�1363.
another - to labour together - to act in concert and unison to show clearly by lives of holy obedience and zealous
activity that we are on the Lord's side, and that we use no
weapon in assailing or opposing the enemies of truth but the
word of GOD - that as church members we have no sword but
the word of God, tho rulers had, in a different capacity, a
sword put into their hands, by God himself, for the punish
ment of evil doers.
One of the members repeated a question which he had put, ,many
months ago, but which was then waived. "Is it right for a man
to marry the sister of his deceased wife, or for a woman to
marry the brother of her deceased husband?" With some hesitation,
I answered, that the safe course would be to avoid both,
though some supposed that both were admissible; - that the latter
appears to have been pretty clearly prohibited to the Jews,
except in special cases, tho the other appears not to be dis
tinctly forbidden. The man said, "we had best to let it alone
in both cases". I replied that would obviously be right.
Now a case exists in the church in point. Kalauwalu, a steward
of the king, lost his wife, and married her sister - they were
married by Mr. R. at Lahaina - The recent wife having now, for
a considerable time, given evidence of piety, was at the last
communion, admitted to the church - and the husband was pro
pounded. Their admission will sanction the practice of a man's
marrying the sister of his deceased wife, tho not that of marry
ing the widow of a deceased brother. I was informed by Kaahumanu
that she had got the king to engage to attend with his kumu to
some writing, respecting his vessel, which is now fitting for
the Coast of California - and to which she wished me to attend,
tomorrow, after breakfast. Dec. 7 - Rode down from Punahou, after breakfast. Called at
Kaahumaau's, found her conversing with Capt. Sumner, who is
engaged to navigate her brig to the Coast of California, with
two French gentlemen as passengers, He said the English Ship
masters were in favour of the measure Kaahumanu had proposed,
to remove the Catholics, but the Americans were all against
it. How is this? said he, they cant be Catholics, can they?
They can t wish to have the catholic religion established here.
I think it is only in opposition to you. O, they threaten
to hang me - they say I shall be killed - I shall lose the
vessel, and all these things, - but I don't care for them they don't help me, nor my children. I do not wish to have
my children engaged in a rebellion, which I think might be
the case, if these men remain here".
The king was sent for, and came - was very cheerful - smiled
to hear some of Sumner's queer remarks. A stranger called
to ask the king the favor of a passage in his brig to Califor
nia. Sumner rather objected - said, "I should not like too
many - those two I could hold in, but if there were more,
they might be going away with me". - Capt. Clark, of the
John Palmer, called on them - passed cool salutations. Kaahumanu rose to leave the lanai to go into her house, and said to
�1364.
Capt. C. "salute the British" Sumner said he was not
going to England, but a whaling. "Salute the whales", she
added, and left him to think of his conduct toward her
people, at Lahaina. I followed her without making any
conversation with the man who had so wantonly thrown c an
non
balls over my head, and who had again recently joined with
four others in threatening to fire on Lahaina. The king
& Capt. Sumner continued to converse with him a few minutes,
an
d then the king joined us in the chamber, made ready for
attending to the writing. What was required of me was to
translate the order as drawn up in Eng. commissioning Sumner
to receive on board the Waverly, two French gentlemen, with
what they might have to bring on board, and proceed on to
California - land them safe on shore, with their goods, where
they might subsist, and them, to return back to the Sandwich
Islands. - This I translated on a Slate, from which the king
copied it on the third page of the sheet on which it was
originally written & signed, on the 5th of Nov. ult. I took
copies, both in Eng. and Hawaii, to be reserved by them.
Gov. Adams, having been sent for, came, and signed the paper
with the king and Kaahumanu; after which the king set his seal
to both sides of the Commission - that is, to the English
& Hawaii. Gov. Adams thought it necessary to state some reasons
for sending away the French gentlemen - he drafted these for
an article for that purpose, This I copied & translated into
English. -It is as follows:
"This is our reason for sending away the Frenchmen. In the
first place, the chiefs never assented to their dwelling at
Oahu, and when they turned some of our people to stand opposed
to us then we said to them, "Return to the country whence ye
came". At seven different times we gave them that order;
and again, in speaking to them,
” we said, Go away, ye Frenchmen, we allow you three months to get ready" - but they did not go
during the three months, but remained eight months, saying,
"we have no vessel to return in”. Therefore, we put them on
board our own vessel, to carry them to a place where the
service is like their own.
Because their doings are different from ours and because we
cannot agree, therefore, we send away these men".
Kaahmaanu said to me, I wish to go in person to the Catholics,
and tell them I have ordered my vessel to be made ready to
carry them kindly away, and that they must be ready to go.
I rather objected, saying, I thought the Gov. could better
carry her message to them than for her to go in person.
8.
He l d a church-meeting for the examination of candidates examined 4, and selected eight to be examined, tomorrow. Made
some remarks to them to show that not those who were simply
regular in their lives, but those who were renewed in heart,
and engaged in God's service were suitable candidates.
The members who were well acquainted with the candidates
whose names we announced, were allowed to express their opinion
in favor or against their being brought forward, which would,
in our opinion, on the whole, tend to promote union & fellow-
�1365.
ship among the members; tho' we take the principal
responsibility and direction of their examination &
admission.
The ninth whom we announced, had been recommended by
several of the members, and was distinctly approved by a
considerable number present who appeared to be acquainted
with her, but John I i said, "If we know any reason why
she should be deferred it is not right to conceal it. I
do not censure her as evil, but it is my opinion she ought
to be deferred". Ka-pau was accordingly deferred.
Dec. 8th. The British Consul called on the chiefs.
Kaahumanu asked him what he came for. He replied, on account
of his aloha. Seeing them handling some kind of provisions,
he asked what it was for. Kaahumanu said, "It is for my
vessel - I am going to send her to a foreign country to carry
away the Catholics (he shook his head). What do you think
of it, - is it right or not? He said, my king has made it
kapu for me to speak on the subject". She said, "It was
thought you came here to help us, and you told me you would,
yourself, take them away, now you shake your head, and say
it is kapu for you to speak about it".
Dec. 9. Today Kekuanaoa, having received his orders from
Kuakini, informed the gentlemen that the brig was about ready
to carry them away, and that they must be ready to sail when
he should call again. They said they should be glad to
go back to their own country - hoped they might not be carried
to an unfrequented island.
10. The eight above mentioned candidates were today examined,
All of whom gave evidence of loving the truth, and of desiring
to follow Christ and to trust in him for salvation.
11. Sab. I preached, in the morning, with reference to the
solemn transactions anticipated for the afternoon - the admission of members, baptism & the Lord's supper. My theme
was the declaration of the good king Hezekiah who said, "Now
it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord GOD of
Israel that his fierce wrath may turn away from us", II Chron.
XXIX, 10. - illustrated the nature of the transaction of
making a covenant with GOD, and the advantages of such a
transaction In the afternoon, I baptised the following persons, vis.
William Kalauwalu, Jonathan Alapai, Elisha Maewa, Ezra
Leleahana, Eleazer Kauwaima, Ruth Pukaiakea, Hana Kauli and
Rebeka Awala, who had been propounded on the 11th Sep. last,
and been under special instructions from that time with
reference to the doctrines & duties connected with a proper
profession of Christ before the world and who now took upon
them the vows of the covenant. This addition makes the whole
number admitted at Oahu 166. Twelve others were propounded.
Then the church, with occasional communicants, celebrated
the Lord's supper.
�Dr. Judd noticed, in distributing the wine, that the
first cup, which he passed to the newly received can
didates, and containing near two gills, served for them
and 14 more, making 22 persons, so that each took about
the 11th or 12th part of a gill of wine. - but suppose
166 communicants to have used 1 gall, of wine, the average
would be eleven persons to two gills, or 2/11 of a gill
a piece.
This is a singular circumstance to remark upon, on so in
teresting an occasion, though Paul does not hesitate to
speak of the manner in which the Corinthians used wine at
this feast - And this notice of the practice of our people
will give some evidence of their decency in this respect.
Dec. 12th. This morning, the British Consul sent an official
communication to Kaahumanu stating that Mr. Short and Mr.
Batchelot had informed him that they had been warned by the
Government to get ready immediately to quit the island, transmitting a translation of both their communications to
him, for her perusal, in which they represent that they had
had Boki's permission to stay; - and asking his protection.
The consul speaks of one of them as a British subject does not intend to go into a discussion of the question of
the legality or illegality of their banishing an Englishman
without accusing him of any crime; - and he wished to know
of what crime he was accused, and to what country he was to
be sent; - informing her that if she sent him away she must
send him to his native country, or some of her colonies.
I translated this communication, at the close of which she
expressed some contempt at the dissimulation in which he with
every consideration of respect subscribed himself her obedient
e
Srvant.
In the evening, she called together the king and some of the
other chiefs to talk over the subject. - Dec. 13. She called
at our house and said they felt disposed, unaminously, to
proceed in the plan they had adapted, both in respect to the
voyage, and the suppression of intemperance, that at the
close of the interview, the king prayed with them, - implored
GOD'S blessing on their efforts, - acknowledged their weakness
and asked his aid & guardianship, and the outpouring of his
Spirit on them, and his influence in their hearts - thanked
God that he had made them acquainted with the right way, and
asked GOD to separate those that stood opposed and caused
division' As Kaahumanu related this part of the occurrence of the
evening, her eyes filled with tears, and her rising feelings
interrupted her utterance.
She called on Adams for more money to complete the outfit
of the Brig - he furnished 400 dol. Phelps told me, this
evening, he thought the brig was about ready. They have pur
chased two bolts of duck, today, for spare canvass for her.
�1367.
Phelps has bean taking the census of the Village - makes
5,522 inhabitants, including 180 foreigners - The in
habitants living on the plantations of Honolulu are not
included - these, where added, will probably make from
7 ,5 0 0 to 8,000.
14th. I preached the Wednesday lecture - an exposition
and application of Matth. IV, 12-17 - the Bible class
lesson for this week. Insisted on immediate repentance, obeying & imitating Christ in diffusing light and preparing
for the coming of his kingdom. - Today one of the members
of the church was called away from his labours to his last
account. Prayer meeting, for the first time, at Mr. Chamberlain's
new house - more than usually interesting - Attempted to
make a consecration of the house and all it contains or
was to contain, and its conveniences, to the service of
the Lord for the furtherance of his cause among this people,
and in the world. Felt unusual freedom in acknowledging
the abundant mercies of GOD, and asking, tho unworthy,
for a continuance of undeserved favor. 15. Attended the Bible class, this afternoon, - reviewed
the discourse of yesterday, or rather, by questions on the
portion of Matthew IV , 12-17, brought out what they were
able to answer as to the prominent points - on which they
manifested a good degree of readiness.
16. The funeral of Amos Kupo who died on the 14 was at
tended, at the church, this afternoon. Probably 2,000
persons were present, chiefly belonging to the friday prayer
meetings. I preached from Gal. I, 23, 24. Described the
character of Paul before & after his conversion - showed the
cause of his conversion - gave some account of the character
of Kupo a former sorcerer - who appears to resemble Paul
in many respects.
S'
Sunday 18. Preached, in the morning, from Eph. VI, 1-4 on
the duties of parents and children - Baptised eleven children.
Wed. 21. Preached the lecture - Matth. IV, 17 to 25.
Thurs. 22. Bible class - In the evening, Sumner called to
show me two notes he had received from Mr. Batchelot, the
Jesuit. In the first, he thanked Capt. Sumner for his
information respecting the Brig and the offer of assistance,
saying, they should hold themselves in readiness, and wait
another visit of the chiefs as had been announced to them;
but if it were possible, they would wish to stay till after
the sabbath, to spend Christmas on shore. This he showed
to Gov. Adams, who, thinking it a small matter on the whole,
reasonably assented to it; and Sumner made known to them
his assent. But Kaahumanu did not assent. Sumner tried to
prevail with her; but Mr. Batehelot wrote him to say his
former note was to him in confidence, not the chiefs - that
nothing but force could induce him to quit the islands, without
�1368.
a compromise with duty - and it was not with him to fix
the day when the chiefs should choose to employ it; and
if hie note was understood as a request to stay till after
the Sabbath, he would wish to have it considered as of no
import. Sumner appeared rather vexed at what he called
a turning about and an insult to him - Said Kaahumanu wished
him to come to me to see if I understood it. I said to
Sumner, "It does not appear necessary to show these notes to
Kaahumanu - they are intended for yourself - nor need you
be troubled at all with them - just be quiet, and follow
Kaahumanu's orders. - You may very properly say to Gov. Adams
they have taken back the request which he had granted; so
that the case stands just where it did before it was granted".
Fri. 23. Kaahumanu supported by Deborah Tapule who was
awake to the business, went straight forward and had a con
sultation with Adams, who assented to ship their baggage forth
with; ant seat Phelps with men, and a cart, to the catholics
to take their baggage to the vessel, - but he did not succeed Completed their preparations. Kaahumanu concluded to lodge
at the fort till the brig should sail Dec. 24th. About 9 o'clock, Gov. Adams ordered Kekuanaoa to
go for the catholics and order them on board - He asked for
a file of men with guns, which was granted - he took with him
six - called on them and said, "I have come for yon to go as
I informed you before - are you ready to go"? "We do not
know" they replied. "By whose authority do you come?" By
the authority of the king through Kaahumanu & Kuakini. "It is
right", they replied. "But wait a little". "Now" said Kekuanaoa,
emphatically. At which they took up, each a book, and followed
him towards the wharf - Stopped at the door of Charlton's store
and conversed a few moments with him. Charlton asked Kekuanaoa,
"Where is their baggage?" "I do not know", replied K. "their
persons is what I am concerned with". Charlton added, ”lf a
button, shoe or stocking of theirs is missing, you will answer
for it, or you will be like thieves". "I do not know about
that - w e sent a cart yesterday to take their baggage aboard,
but they did not deliver it - we waited till this morning, but
obtained nothing - now I take their bodies". He marched on,
and ordered them to follow him to the boat which the Pilot,
Alexander Adams, commanded, and directed him to take them and
deliver them to Sumner, on board the Waverly. They requested
the Pilot to send for their baggage, and he mentioned this
request to Kekuanaoa, who readily assented. De Seriere took
their memorandum; and their baggage, ready packed, was brought
forthwith, and shipped with them. Kekuanaoa asked De Seriere
if there were nothing more, he said, "No more".
Gov. Adams ordered a royal salute for the King's Brig from
the forts - The Brig fired several guns - Sumner called on
me, as he said, by the direction of Kaahumanu, to take leave
of us. I asked him if he had seen anything in the conduct
of the chiefs, towards the Catholics, that looked like anger
or revenge? He said, "he had not - he thought they had
treated them very kindly, and that they had done it very
handsomely. "But you know, Sir", said he, "They are all against
�1369.
me for it” - meaning the foreign residents who had either
spoken against his undertaking it, or those who objected
to the principle of removing foreigners at all. He said
that the pilot had said that he would take them , if he
(Sumner) was afraid; for he did not wish his children to
he brought up in the Catholic religion.
Mr. Pierce has been heard to say that he thought the chiefs
were right in removing them, considered in a political point
of view, tho he could not approve of persecution. Little
has been said in our hearing.
Colcard also has expressed an opinion that the Catholic
religion did not make men any better, and of course was useless,
& the chiefs right in requesting it.
DeSeriere, a Dutch Physician, opposed it, though he calls
himself sometimes a Turk, sometimes a protestant, a Hugonot, &c.Mr. Jones objects to the principle as a dangerous one, tho as
he says he hates Catholics.
We are surprised that this step has been taken with so very
little noise. It does not appear that the. Catholics made any
appeal, at all, to the government, to be allowed to stay Nor that Charlton objected to their removal, after Kaahumanu
had stated the reason for removing them. Nor does it appear
that any foreigner has said a word to Kaahumanu to convince
hershe was doing wrong, or to deter her from her purpose,
except the little that Charlton said: but his having offered
before to take them away, was, in her mind, an assent to the
principle of removing them, if they were not wanted here, or
were deemed dangerous to the interests of the country.
Tho some efforts were made to dissuade or deter Sumner from
undertaking the service, no direct opposition has, to our
knowledge, been made to the government, and certainly we could
not reasonably object to such a measure, under present cir
cumstances: - We feel ourselves rather bound to approve of
the measure, as the mildest, and perhaps the best that could
have been adopted to accomplish the united wishes of the
rulers, and to prevent divisions which would hereafter endanger
the peace & safety of the State.
The chiefs have been greatly strengthened in this measure by the
opinion of Capt. Hill - not only that they had a right to send
the Catholics away, but that they ought to go, and if they
would not go by being ordered away, they ought to be compelled
to go; and spoke of two men, with whom he was acquainted, as
suitable persons to take charge of the vessel - expressed a
willingness to go in the same vessel. Gen. Miller, also had,
in some way, expressed an opinion that the chiefs had a
right to send them away, provided they furnished them with
the means. 25th. Christmas Sabbath. I preached to a full house from the
song of the heavenly host. - "Glory to GOD in the highest -
�1370.
and on earth peace - good will towards men".
Shewed that the birth of a Saviour was a manifestation of
divine benevolence to men - the means of establishing peace
on earth, and of promoting the glory of GOD. Oahu, Sandwich Islands Feb. 16, 1832.
Rev. Mr. Anderson
Dear Brother
A few days since I forwarded to Mr. Evarts, by way of Lima
some account of an interview with two of the residents and
of the visit of Captain Hill and Gen. Miller, and of my
engagements for two weeks previous to their departure, drawn
chiefly from my minutes and correspondence with them; & by
the same conveance, (Mr. Read, - Convoy) a notice of some
prominent facts of later date, particularly, the departure
of Messrs. Batchelot & Short, with whom I have not had an
hour's conversation during their residence at this place.
I have thought, that, in addition to my letter mentioning
the departure of the Jesuits, which I prepared hastily, with,
the hope it might go quickly across the continent, and in
addition to the letter for the station, which touches the
reasons for their removal, my minutes during the last month
of their residence here, or from Nov. 27 to Dec. 26, might,
perhaps, if thrown into any proper form be of some service
at the rooms, as the facts, are in some respects more im
portant than those of more ordinary occurrence.
I therefore undertook, in the pressure of other engagements,
which are always equal or more than equal to my strength,
to rewrite them, to go by the Diana bound to Canton, and
under sailing orders, the last chance we may have these
many months. But in order to get them ready in season, Mrs. B.
kindly undertook yesterday to copy them in their rude state,
after I had filled one sheet, taking as the case required
some hours from needful sleep, and I forward them to you as
they are, by Capt. W.C.Little, with the hope that they may
reach you in good time, and that the circumstances will be
some apology, and the freshness some compensation for the
want of a better habit.
In expressing your solicitude for our cause here and your
fears that the Jesuits would give us more trouble, or does
more injury than all the rest of the foreigners together,
you made the inquiry "can they not be removed?" These pages
must be my reply. They may find difficulty in landing at
California and may come back in the vessel. But we have
heard that the Catholics there were ready to receive them.
I will now in my turn ask you, whether the Christian public
particularly in America, can be easily satisfied that the
chiefs have done right in removing them? and whether you
think the cause of missions in general will suffer any
injury in the estimation of intelligent men of the world,
in consequence of this measure, as ill timed, or injudicious,
�1371.
or intolerant, in your converts here, or as a violation
of the rights of nations on the part of the native rulers
under missionary instruction? We have looked on, with
solicitude for the ark. We have pitied the sufferers on
both sides. It has been a sharp trial to Kaahumanu, & to
us, and to all. Sometimes we have given it up as not
agreeable to the will of Providence that they should be
removed. We have said let Providence decide - We have
preached & printed the pure word of God & made but plain
inferences, have avoided, hitherto, a dispute. But had
they remained, or should they return, we should not long
avoid a battle. We know the truth can stand, The truth
of God against the devices of men, We are weakness, In God
there is strength. The Lord reigns. The ark is safe. But
when any of the priests of the sanctury, abuse their office,
and are in any way brought into suffering by our instrumen
tality, the feelings of awe are more becoming the place on
which we stand, than those of exultation. With kind regards to all at the Rooms, Your affect. brother
H. Bingham.
Recd. Sep. 11, 1832.
Ackd. Dec. 20.
�1372.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Letter 7
Part Second
Oahu Dec. 13, 1831.
Vary Dear Sir
By tho Ship Cyrus, Capt. Hussey, which sailed 2 weeks
since, and which is to convey Mr. Whitney's two sons
to your shores, you will probably receive my long account .
of a movement of the foreign residents last Spring in
which I was in some special manner interested, with a
sort of appendix to the principal account in which some
notice of the number and the occupations of the foreign
population was given, My estimate of the number being
from 250, to 300, on this Island.
We are now endeavoring to make an accurate census of the
island partly for the statistical tables in the geography
which we are about publishing and which we are about, publish
ing and which is printed in an edition of 5000 copies;
except the tables. The number of inhabitants in this village
exclusive of the valley or the plantations has been reported
to me this evening by Phelps to be 5522 including 180 for
eigners. So far this seems to confirm my general estimate.
In this letter I hope, in part to redeem my promise in my
last, tho I fear I shall not be able to answer your expecta
tions. Though I may perhaps be more prolix & circumstantial
than will suit your convenience, time, or wishes to peruse,
et the importance of the question respecting the right and
he mode of foreigners gaining a residence in this land, &
the character and condition of several individuals, who
have expressed an opinion on the subject, will perhaps justify
my intended particularity, especially in drawing largely from
my notes for the 15th, 16th & 17th of Sept. last, for I see
not how I can better give you a view of the state of the
question than by embracing circumstances which would in
ordinary oases, or disconnected, appear very trivial. You will
expect some account of Capt. Hill & Gen. Miller.
y
Sept. 15, 1831. While I was very busily employed preparing
a packet of letters for America to be forwarded by the Ship
Columbus just hoisting her signal for sailing, Capt. Cole,
an English merchant or mercantile agent, called on me express
ing some dissatisfaction respecting a partial failure of his
plan for opening a shop at Maui, and requesting me to go
with him to Kaahumanu or the king to assist him in the matter
of an explanation. I said "I am very busy making out commu
nications for the ship, and tho I would not absolutely refuse
to interpret for you in this case, I should be glad to be
excused if you can get anybody else.
He replied, "No other person would do as well, it is an
explanation that I want, & I think it may be well for you to
�1373.
take pains to find out the truth, for it is said, though
I do not believe it, that the missionaries are unwilling
that others should settle in the country because they wish
to get the trade into their own hands". I remarked in
reply "That is idle, & nonsense" but you must excuse me now;
I must get off my letters".
"When will you go with me to
the chiefs", he asked; to which I replied "When you the ship
out of the Harbor you may call for me” I closed & sent
my package, and by the time the ship let go her hauser at the
wharf, Capt. Cole was at my Gate accompanied by M r . Stephen
Reynolds then deputy Consul for the United States. I was
ready to go, indeed met them accidentally at the gate, in
vited them in but they declined being too much occupied with
the business in hand. As we were walking over, and knowing
that the deputy professed a good deal of skill in the native
language as well as English I said to Capt. Cole, "perhaps
you have engaged M r . Reynolds to interpret for you".
"N o"
he replied, "Mr. Reynolds desired to come on his own account"
Mr. Reynolds offered as a sort of apology for what might
seem obtrusive, 'that it was his duty to acquaint his govern
ment with whatever there might be found unfavorable to the
interests of commerce'.
We appeared before Kaahumanu and after the usual salutations,
Capt. Cole stated that he had sent a man to Maui to engage
in trade there for the furtherance of his plans & that Hoapili
had refused him the privilege of opening a house for the
purpose, and he wished to know if he was not to be allowed
the privilege of trading there.
This at his request I care
fully interpreted to Kaahumanu, & returned her reply as
follows, "You are at liberty to trade there on board vessel,
but if Hoapili has not allowed you to trade on shore so let
it be” .
After repeating his question & again receiving a similar
answer implying that it was with the chiefs of the country
to consent or not to consent as they pleased, to his opening,
or establishing a store at Maui , he produced a copy of the
articles agreed on by Capt. Jones of the Peac ock and the
chiefs and wished me to explain to her that by the provisions
of that treaty he had a right to establish a mercantile house
at Maui if he could hire or buy a house of any person for the
purpose, I asked him if he wished me to interpret for her
their own language which she could read and understand? He
said "They do not understand it or they are unwilling to com
ply with its provisions, for it does grant to American citizens
the right to trade wherever they please, and no distinction
was contemplated or would be allowed in their favor above
others". Pointing to the third article he insisted that it
engaged to allow any man to come and establish himself on
shore for the purposes of trade.
I said "I do not understand
it so, even with respect to American citizens, without other
permission from the chiefs".
Mr. Reynolds expressed his surprise that I should entertain
such an opinion, I assured him I had not from the time the
�1374.
articles were signed to the present time understood them
to imply what Capt. Cole had interpreted them to mean, nor
had I before heard any one express the sentiment he had ex
pressed, and begged to know if Mr. R . understood it as
Capt. Cole had explained it. He answered in the affermative.
I maintained that so long as no foreigner owned a foot of
land on the Sandwich Islands, the owners of the soil most cer
tainly have a right, if they choose to exercise it, to object
to any foreigner gaining a residence in their country, and
the treaty allows men to trade in conformity to the regulations
of the country, and promises them protection in their trade
while they infringe on none of the laws of the land, & surely
Capt. Jones who drafted those articles could have understood
nothing more for he had in his eye it is presumed, commercial
treaties with Indian tribes where a residence is prohibited
to the whites, so that the treaty of commerce & amity does not
in itself imply a right in any foreigner to settle in the
country.
I certainlarlly never understood those articles as
granting a residence to any & every man who might wish to
acquire it a right to settle in the country when and where he
pleased without other permission from the rulers. M r . Reynolds
asked, "Are you willing to put that on paper"? "I am" I
replied, "why do you wish it?" "So serve me the disagreeable
task of writing it myself" he replied "for I suppose you know
that it is necessary once in six months to report to the
government everything that effects the commerce of American
citizens. I begged the privilege of stating a case which I
thought would well illustrate my principle & requested a
direct answer from each. Suppose 500 Russians should arrive
here with money enough to buy you all out and should offer
you enough to induce every one of you who has houses, yards
or goods of any kind, to sell out, would the chiefs have any
right to object to the 500 wealthy Russians settling in the
country? M r . Reynolds said they would not, at least the prin
ciple established in the treaty would give the Russians the
right to buy out the present occupants and to take their places.
Capt. Cole, said five hundred was so large a number that the
chiefs might very properly object to their settlement, but
if one or two should come and buy him out they would have no
right to object to it. Mr . Reynolds maintained that the prin
ciple was the same in both cases, and the greater number in
One case was only a circumstance. Capt. Hill had not long
before cautioned the chiefs against allowing any considerable
number of Russians getting a foot hold in the country.
The
rejection of certain Russians in former days is never com
plained of as an abuse of power on the part of the natives,
neither would it be now if there were any good reason to
suspect they were not sincerely attached to the interests of this
nation.
Capt. Cole utimated that he saw clearly that the difficulties
against which he and others were strugling arose from my en
tertaining such views of that treaty? "H ow does that appear?
Though I have not understood the treaty as granting a residence
to any one I have not expressed that opinion to the natives, &
�1375.
of course my ignorance respecting what you suppose to be
implied in the treaty could not influence their decisions.
But if wish me to state your opinion of the treaty to
Kaahumanu, I will do it", "Certainly" he replied. I there
fore without alluding to my own views of the treaty at all,
stated clearly to her his opinion 'that it gave him and any
other man a right to noho (settle, dwell, sit, or stay) in
the island' She said at once "We do not think so, we are
entangled if that is the meaning”
Capt Cole then said to her he wished to know whether he might
have liberty to trade at Maui the same as they do here at
Honolulu, She replied "You sell rum here contrary to our
orders and we do not wish it".
Capt. Cole said to me, "I wish you to tell her I wish to
drink Brandy every day myself and give rum every day to my
people, who work for me - I suppose you drink a glass of grog
every day yourself" I said to him. We are strictly temperance
men; but do you wish me to interpret to her the last part
of your sentence?" "Oh no, no" he replied.
I added "I will
do it if you wish it, but please to distinguish what you wish
me to interpret to her and what you intend for me only".
I
then interpreted the sentence he had dictated for her, to
which she replied "I do not choose to assent to it, but go to
Kuakimi". He said he would write her a letter on the subject
of his trading at Maui , She said in not a very pleasant mood,
"O hoi," return. - "Come, come" said the deputy to his com
panion "let us go she is tired"
When they were gone she asked me what we were talking about,
together, & I repeated the substance of what had passed b e
tween us respecting the import of the treaty, the supposed
case which I stated and the answers they gave.
She again very fully expressed her opinion that they, the
rulers, have a right to object, to forbid, oppose and prevent,
any foreigner's gaining a residence, who does not get their
consent, or who does not conform to their rules.#
On finishing this business, or rather dismissing it, Kaahumanu
requested me to call on the king and ask him when he would
set out on the contemplated tour round this island. As I
was walking towards the king's house I met Capt. Hill who said
he had set out with a view to call on me. I said I had it
in mind to call on him and General Miller as soon as I had
made a call on the king with a message from Kaahumanu. He
said he would walk with me to the king's but would not in
terrupt my business.
I assured him it would not interrupt me
as I had but a question or two of little importance.
We came
to the gate of the king's court which was kept closed by the
guard till we could get permission from within. We were ad
mitted to his house.
Capt. Hill amused himself a few minutes in conversing with a
#See bottom of next sheet.
�1376.
young Englishman whom he calls the king's chamberlain,
while I spent the same time in conversation with the king
who after the salutations asked me when we should set out
on the tour round the island.
I replied It is in part with
you.
He fixed on Friday, I took my leave of him in his
bedroom.
Leaving the house in company w i t h Capt. Hill we walked to
gether to the house of Mr. Charlton to call on General
Miller, who is in the Service of Peru, now visiting the
Islands on account of his health, and who had just returned
from an excursion to Maui , H ilo and the volcano.
After a
little pleasant conversation with him I requested both Gen.
M. & Capt. H . to take a social cup of tea with my family at
sunset, to which they cheerfully consented.
Capt. Hill and myself continued our walk to Kaahumanu's , to
whom I reported the king's decision to set off on Friday.
Capt. Hill who had some time before proposed to the Chiefs
to ask the Brittish goverment to appoint a Brittish resident
for these islands, & had pleasantly said if he should ever
return to these islands he should like to adopt a very plain
mode of living, very much by himself, using principally the
productions of the country, now said to her in much the same
style, "I am about finishing m y business here, sha ll soon
proceed on to the Society Islands and then home, and when I
c o m e b a c k here I shall want you to give me a very small
piece of land to build a small house on".
She without hesita
tion said to him, "Aole au e ae aku" I shall not assent to
it.
It would seem that she, though friendly to Capt. Hill,
and cherishing some times a hope that he would be serviceable
to the cause of improvement here, was still in doubt as to
what his real object or business was at the islands, and as to
the character of the body, or class of men whose agent he might
be, so that in her view prudence might dictate great reserve
in pledging herself as an individual chief or as Queen Regent
to give him a residence, at some future period even by
assenting: i n pleasantry to an informal proposition of that
kind.
Still i t is likely that the previous interview an
hour before with Capt. Cole & Mr. Reynold's had prepared
her for the a n
s wer which she gave. With Capt. Hill I proceeded
to the church to attend the Wednesday lecture.
Returning from the lecture to my house, I said to Capt. H.
"You chose an unfavorable time to make your proposition to
Kaah u m
anu, as she had not forgotten the trouble the two gentlemen had given her about getting a footing at M aui" . This
circumstance I had mentioned to him in our walk.
He said she
ought to have known the difference between his case and theirs,
&
wondered s he had taken him in earnest. W e were soon joined
# I learned some days afterward that Capt. Cole had attempted a
few hours previous to this interview to get the king to admit his
construction of the treaty to be correct, but that the king had
t a k e n the same ground that Kaahumanu did.
Hoapili from the cause
he pursued u n doubtedly does not understand the treaty as binding
him to admit an y and every stranger to set up a shop in Lahaina.
H
o
a
p
i
l
&
K
a
h
u
m
n
a
r
e
the only tow remaining signers of that
�1377.
at my house by General Miller to whom Capt. Hill mentioned
the result of his interview with the Queen, "her morose
answer” as he called it to his "jocular proposition” which
he said he had made to her to give her an opportunity to
say something smart or pleasant such as this, "When you come
back we will then see about it", or the like. "Yes” , said
Gen. M. "you might have expected a Lady of education to have
said something like that” .
After tea the evening's conversation became very interesting,
particularly on the state and prospects of the nation on
which I endeavored to elicit the views of General Miller, and
who in a very pleasant and unassuming manner exhibited very
handsome powers of conversation, while he spoke of the im
portance of establishing a more defined form of government
by the native rulers, of the a doption of good laws, of giving
encouragement to industry by granting the right of soil to
deserving native cultivators, encouraging commerce by liberal
regulations & the protection of property & c. He said he
thought the question would be decided in six months whether
the natives would be able to make the requisite regulations
themselves or whether they must be made for them.
Thinking
it possible he might have some definite data from which he
concluded the decision must be made within 6 months I asked
him his reasons for fixing on that period as deciding so
important a question, h e added that he thought the importance
of the islands in a commercial point of view, particularly as
a depot, was becoming more and more obvious, every year; that
it was hardly to be expected that the commercial world would
allow the control of so important a post to be in the hands
of a few natives unless they should make such regulations
as would be agreeable to those of the commercial world who
wished to avail themselves of the advantages which the islands
naturally afforded for trade, otherwise they would make them
for themselves, for said he "Knowledge is power".
Be remarked moreover that it would not be for the interests
of the natives to sell their lands to foreigners, for should
they begin to do this, "the time" said he 'is not far distant
when very few of the aborigines would be seen on the islands” .
Capt. Hill did not fully accord with him in this point, said
'they might sell or lease their land to good men but not to
bad'. It was remarked that it would not always be easy for
them to distinguish.
I refered to the diferenoe of opinion as
to the right or the native rulers to object to, or prevent
the settlement of foreigners,in their country, & the extent of
the provision of the articles agreed on by Capt. Jones of the
Peacock and the chiefs and asked their opinion, whether the
provisions of that treaty implied that any man who chose might
land a cargo and open a mercantile house without other per
mission from the rulers.
Gen. Miller said he did not know whether that treaty had been
ratified by the government of the United States, and if not
it was not binding though it might be well enough to hold it
up to the people; but he should be disposed were he a merchant
to go on a broader seale , the protection they had promised to
�1378.
traders in general if not in writing yet otherwise, and
as they do allow some to land their cargoes and stay as
long as they please to sell them, if he were denied the same
right he should apply to the consul the commercial represen
tative of his country to have the reason explained why: he
should not he allowed the same rights as others had been,
He did not directly give his opinion as to the import of
the article itself, whether its provisions had in any way
deminished the sovereignty of the native rulers, or the
force of the common law of the land which makes the soil
unalinable.
Capt. Hill, said he should choose to take the copy to his
room and look it over carefully in the morning before he made
up his mind fully on it.
On rising to take leave he said
to me with a good degree of decision and emphasis, "Once
for all I give it as my opinion that you will find Gen.
Miller's remark true, that within six months the question will
be decided whether this people will make their own laws or
have them made for them".
Sept. 16, 1831. Hoping that something useful and important
might be secured for the people from the experience and
wisdom of General Millar and the kind wishes and bevenolent
efforts of Capt. Hill, who were both about to leave the
country, & feeling it necessary to leave the place myself
tomorrow I made an early call on the two gentlemen at the
house of Mr. Charlton where they lodged, resumed the subject
of last evening's conversation, expressed my approbation of
the proposed measure for encouraging industry, which Gen.
M. had recommended, and intimated that suggestions of that
kind would come perhaps much better from him than from
Missionaries.
I remarked to them both that as they had now been on the
ground some time and had seen the people in various situations,
and had doubtless noticed something of our general plan of
operation and were now preparing to leave the country I
should esteem as a favor if they would leave in writing any
suggestions or plane for improvement which they might think
would be useful to us or beneficial to the nation.
As
another apology for asking them to write, I mentioned that
I was to set off on the morrow with the chiefs on a tour
round the island and might not be able to see them again before
they should sail.
"Gen Miller said he should not be unwilling
to commit his views to paper though he had nothing very
definite to offer."
Capt. Hill said he had begun to write something for me
in reference to the construction of the articles of agreement
mentioned last evening, but promised nothing further. He
had indeed commended and encouraged the chiefs in their at
tempts to suppress immorality, and to encourage the prop
agation of the potestant faith which he regarded as the true
faith of the gospel, & as the only religion that could do
them any good, and so far, they cherish a grateful regard
for his kindness and advice. He had told me that he had
�1379.
been willing to assist them in improving their code of
laws, (tho Charlton told him they wanted no laws) but
he thought they had not duly appreciated some of his
suggestions, that it was now too late to attend to it as
he was making his arrangements to sail.
A t evening I received from him a communication bearing
marks of being written today the 16, as an answer either
to my inquiry last evening or of my request this morning,
tho' there is something rather puzzling in the date as
well as in the style, to wit, "Honolulu Sept. 8/31" &c
(See N ote A. )
He probably made a mistake in referring twice to the third
article of the treaty when he intended to refer to the third
and fifth.
In the third article "Their majesties bind themselves to
receive into their ports and harbors all ships and vessels
of the United States & to protect to the utmost of their
capacity all such ships and vessels, their cargoes officers
and crews so long as they shall behave themselves peacefully
and not infringe the established laws of the land; the
citizens of the United States being permitted to trade free
ly with the people of the Sandwich Islands” .
This certainly promises potection to ships, crews, and
cargoes in the ports and harbors, where no law of the land
is infringed, & this the chiefs would not deny to Capt. Cole
at Lahaina, so long as he conformed to the laws of the land.
The fifth article engages, that Citizens of the United States
whether resident or transient, engaged in commerce or trading
to the Sandwich Islands, shall be inviolably protected in
their lawful pursuits.
Lawful pursuits must certainly be such as conform to the
rightful laws of the land which receive the unalienable
right of soil to the king, without whose permission therefore
none can lawfully occupy a foot of soil and of course, land
a cargo or open a mercantile house on shore or take up a
residence. Such as have regularly gained, or have been
allowed a residence are to be protected, where they are al
lowed to dwell, and transient persons are to be protected
In their lawful pursuits. The right or permission to settle
must be derived from some other quarter, besides this
treaty. So the chiefs understand it, and as William Penn
says very justly, "The true import of any instrument is that
which the parties had in their minds at the time of signing
it". K aikioewa, just returned (with M r . Charlton) from
Kauai called and spent a considerable part of the evening
with me.
Sept. 17, 1831. Assisted in selecting our portion of the
pupils for the High School at Maui, or rather getting them
ready to go by the first conveyance. The following were
�were approved Kamaunu, Nahuilele, Kulilwaiwaiole,
Kau hi, Kapena, Kulepe & Mahuka; - Kekapala on account of
the illness of his sister a widow with several children
and several other friends declined, and afterward Kaaipuaa
& Opunui went in his stead. As I was about to set off,
on the tour my horse waiting at the door, I received a
request from Capt. Hill for a line of introduction to
Capt. Kelley formerly of the Ship Eagle with whom I had had some
acquaintance. (See note B . ) Kaahumanu & the king had by
this time reached Waititi, & it was not proper for me to
make them wait longer for me. I concluded to defer my
answer till evening, hoping difficult as was the task and
pressing as were my labors, I might be able to say something
that would answer the purpose & send it back in the morning
from my lodging place. R ode to Waikiki, found Kaahumanu
& the king pleasantly waiting for me and the people asembled
waiting patiently. The king and Kaahumanu addressed them
on the business of the present tour which they declared to
be the same for which they had together made the tour of the
other islands, to enc ourage instruction, and obedience to
the commands of God and the laws of the land. When they
were through I commenced public worship by singing the 53 Hymn
"Guide me O thou Great Jehova , Pilgrim through this barren
land”, then preached from Ps. V, 8. "Lead me O Lord in thy
righteousness, because of men's enemies make thy way straight
before my face", explained the text, stated the reasons why
David offered such a prayer, & urged two important duties
binding on us all, 1, to pray God to guide us in the right way,
and 2ly, to follow him where he is pleased to lead us, Travelled o n to W aialae and after the addresses of the chiefs
preached again from Ezekiel XXXVI, 27, 'I will put my spirit
within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall
keep my judgements and do them'. Left Waialae at sunset and
rode 5 or 6 miles further to Maunalua, where we pu t up for the
night, & before I slept prepared a memorandum of our missionary
stations for Capt. Hill, an answer to his two notes (See N ote C)
& a line of introduction to Capt. Kelly (See N ote D ). N one
but those on the ground could duly appreciate the difficulty
of answering Capt. Hill's letters at this time without missing
the mark somewhere. Had I plead very hard with Capt. Kelly
to give Capt. Hill a passage he might have thought we wished
him sway, and even the assurance which he as It were dictated
for me that he would give no trouble on board would be likely
to provoke M r. Reynolds or some of Capt. Kelly's acquaintance
to contradict it by slanderously refering to his passage from
the c oast, and from Lahaina to this place. I could not say
with respec t to his first note that I was fully satisfied.
partly from its ambiguity, and partly from th e difference
between his views and mine as to the treaty, & partly because
it seemed to fall so far short of what I had expected of
one who professed to have been born out of due time and who
certainly knows something of the difficulties connected
with a work of reformation among the heathen, something of
the strength of these various influences against which we
have to struggle at this place to gain anything, and because
he lays more stress or etiquette in judging of the character
and conduct of the rulers, compared with their regard to
�1381.
the word of God, than the circumstances of this newly
instructed people will warrant.
On leaving Lahaina he brought a line of introduction from
Nahienaena to Kaahumanu and the king requesting them to
address him a line inviting him to stay here as long as he
chose. He delivered his letter, & Kaahumanu seemed disposed
to comply and asked the king if they should do it.
The
king replied by asking her "What is his business?" She
not being able very fully to satisfy him, let it pass.
Their omission to comply with the request of the princess,
he mentioned several times as an evidence that they did
not well understand their own interest. What he means by
their seeming "to lack to such a degree that conspictuity
so essential between those of our immoderate friends and
such as may be thought otherwise" must be guessed at, I
apprehend, from several circumstances which I have detailed.
Thus far for the three days 15, 16 & 17 Sept.
from the 17 to the 24 inclusive I made the tour of this
island with the chiefs, travelling about 170 miles, &
preaching 21 times, on an average to about 1,000 hearers
each time including the travelling company.#
Sept. 25. Received a polite note from Gen. Miller (See
Note E) who was purposing to sail on the 26, and a memoran
dum of his views relative to the islands (see Note F).
The same evening, Capt. Hill called, showed me for the first
time a part of the original plan with which he set out from
England, with the names of several clergymen who had approved
of it. In respect to the state of things here he dropt a
remark like this, "If I were here with my secretary, & Gov.
Adams to do the things that I should point out to him, I
would keep every thing in perfect order".
Sept. 26. As soon as the sabbath was past I read Gen.
Miller's note and memorandum to the brethren at the station
& with their approbation addressed him a very hasty answer
as he was getting his things on board to sail (See Note G).
While preparing it, principally to correct some wrong
impressions relative to some matters of fact, respecting
which we have reason to think he had been misinformed by
Messrs. Charlton & Cole & others, I received a note from
Mr. Reynolds asking for my opinion of the treaty (see Note H).
To this with scarcely taking breath from my arduous but
short tour, I briefly replied (see Note I). With this I
enclosed a memorandum of the sentiment I had expressed re
specting the treaty (See Note J.)
#1 still hope to give you a letter or more detailed account
of this tour than is contained in these short lines.
�1382.
In the evening of the same day, agreeably to my wishes
expressed in my answer to Gen. Miller, & to the promise
he gave in his note (See N ote K) we were favored with
another interview with this distinguished visitor at
the islands, which afforded us an opportunity of explain
ing some things which had been passed over in my answer
to him in the morning.
He allowed that he might have been misinformed in reference
to the points
I had touched on in my letter.
In the
conversation he referred to a statement of Capt. Cole
that Kaahumanu had attempted to prevent him from drinking
wine & spirits at his table. I mentioned the circumstance
which I supposed to be the foundation of his remark as
detailed in the account of his interview with Kaahumanu.
He spoke of Honolulu as a place where few or none were
disposed to game. - M r . Chamberlain mentioned the fact of
one of the officers of the Packet having lost 50 Doll.
once evening, & Dr. Judd mentioned a young man who was
left under his care for a few months as being at one time
1400 Doll. in debt for losses at gaming in the village,
simply as evidences that gaming existed or had existed,
to no small extent. I assured him that as to the natives
almost every species of their sports was not only connected
with gaming, but owed their interest and existence almost
entirely to the fondness of the people to that very thing,
so that as soon as gaming was prohibited a very great p art
of their sports were laid aside because without staking
property they did not possess sufficient interest to keep
them in use.
He said he had offered some boys a prize if they would
run for it, that some of them seemed desirous to get it
but others said "it is tabu" .
At his request we showed him the letter of Capt. Jones
of the Peacock. He remarked that from what he had seen
of Mr. Jones the consul he was disposed to take different
ground.
In allusion to the taking of the horses for a violation
of the Sabbath, I noticed some of the circumstances under
which the government justified that measure.
They
considered the attempt of a considerable number of men
banding together partially armed with clubs or otherwise
attempting to brave their orders, & to set the authority
of the rulers at defiance was such an insult as demanded
exemplary damages. - The day following this riot in which
one of the king's men was wounded in the head, the Gov.
made careful inquiry, & on Tuesday went in person to those
whom he pronounced guilty and demanded eight of the horses
that were engaged in the affair.
These however were after
wards mostly restored on the payment of a trifle.
The
practice has from that time ceased.
�1383.
His recommendation respecting a new form of government
appears to be the result of thought and reflection as
well as some experience in such affairs, whether the
existing rulers will think they are prepared to follow
his suggestions is uncertain. As to giving the right
of soil in fee simple to any of their subjects at present,
it is hardly to be expected, thought it might be the
best inducement to industry provided the whole system
of taxation should be thoroughly changed or corrected.
His apprehension that the natives of the Pacific are in
danger of injuring their intellect by attention to the
doctrines & duties of the Christian religion as contained
and taught in the Bible is not well founded in fact,
though he might have supposed that much more time was re
quired by us to be given to evangelical pursuits than is
the fact. Indolence is the great obstacle to improvement
& probably nothing short of the motives and influence of
the bible will overcome it.
A s to the existing form of Government, union in the national
council will give it a respectable degree of efficiency,
& if they cannot carry into effect all the laws they attempt
to establish, let them ever cautiously avoid being
accessory to the sins of others.
On the. 27 Sept. Capt. Hill & Gen. Miller embarked with
Capt. Kelly bound to the Society Islands.
In taking leave
of the chiefs Capt. Hill encouraged them to stand by the
word of God and be strong. He received from Kaahumanu
some presents as a token of friendship. Gen. Miller told
the king he had left a palapala with Mr. Bingham for him,
encouraged him to be strong and to establish good laws
without being afraid of those that were opposed to him the king expressed his. friendly regard to him by present
ing him a feather cloak.
Thus closed the visit of the
two travelers and here I beg leave to close this long
letter, by subscribing myself very affectionately your
brother & fellow laborer, for Christ
H. Bingham.
�1384.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 8.
N ote A copy of a letter From C apt. J. Hill
to Mr. Bingham.
Honolulu, Oahu, Sept. 8/31.
Rev. & dear Sir,
From the beginning, on my arrival here, I have been
"zealously affected” in regard to the welfare &
prosperity (both temporal & spiritual) of those Islanders:
from the rich chief, to the poor kanaka.
And I have to regret the more that they should seem to
lack, to such a degree, that conspectuity; so essential
between those of our immediate friends & such as may
be thought otherwise:
Of which, by the bye, we had a
specimen even yesterday; in the first instance, by the
homebred young chief or K ing Kauikeaouli, in the
second
by the supe rcilious negatio n of the old Queen (Dowager)
Kaahumanu, herself. But it is perhaps, quite supererogating to animadvert further on the subject: Hence what
ever remarks I may have to make, by any possibility, in
reference to these Islands, will not be reiterating to
them, but to a quarter where my humble suggestions may
be more fully if not better appreciated.
But in relation & as it respects the completion of your
Missionary work upon this station, not only in regard to
Evangelizing, (from superstition & darkness) but besides
teaching ethics & school instruction, & though much has
thus been affected, yet there still remains considerable
to be done: - you gentlemen, will, I hope, be pleased
to accept the assurance of my very best wishes; besides
your ultimate success thus in furtherance of the Redeemer's
cause.
With respect to the paper which you handed me last evening
perporting to be a commercial treaty between the U.N .States
& these Islands, I have agreeably to your request, duly
considered over their meaning.
The third article, in which
it is expressly stated that, "the citizens of the U.N .States
are permitted to trade freely with the people of the
Sandwich Islands” ; If taken literally, as far as it goes,
& s o long as they shall behave themselves peacefully, &
not infringe the established laws”, would, I concieve,
imply; either way, that is to say, on board of ship or
that on shore. But upon taking the context i.e. the third
article to wit, Citizens of the U.N.States, whether
resident or transient engaged in commerce or trading to
the Sandwich Islands, shall be inviolably protected in
their lawful persuits &c. We are compelled, I think, to
take, not only the letter, but as well the spirit, &
�1385.
thus there is no withstanding the construction.
Otherwise, indeed, there could b e no latitude or
freedom in said trade, & consequently the said docu
ment & privileges becomes at once, null & void, - a
mere dead letter I am, very respectfully.
Rev. & dear Sir
Your faithful & most ob. servant
J. Hill
P. S. I beg to reiterate to you, that any command which
you may have for the Brethren at the Society Islands I
shall be happy to take under my special care. And also
beg to remind you, in regard to the li s t or memorandum
respecting this Station, which you was so kind to Bay,
some time back, you would furnish me. Be so good besides
to send me M r . Ellis’s work.
Yours &c,
J .H.
To the Rev. H. Bingham
&-&- & c .
Honolulu.
Note B. copy of a letter from Capt Hill
Friday Morning.
Dear Sir,
May I beg the favour of you to enclose me a line of
introduction to Captain Kelly: as I think you mentioned
that he is an old acquaintance of yours; it might
further my object in getting on with him to the Society
Islands. Although he may rest assured that I should
not give any trouble to him or any one on board his
vessel. Besides, being an old captain myself, I ask
only that accommodation which I have so often given
to others of my profession, but as he has been a whale
commander perhaps he may think I might expect otherwise
than he would be willing to furnish: in this however
there would be an entire mistake. The general has also
some notion of taking the same round on his way to the
Coast.
The letter which I sent you last evening, I hope meets
your views. Wishing you health, & a pleasant tour;
I am Rev. & dear Sir,
Yours faithfully
Rev. H. Bingham.
J. Hill
�1386.
N ote C.
Copy of a letter to Capt. Hill
Mannalua Sept. 17, 1831
Dear Sir,
I regret that I was not able to answer your two notes
as soon as they were handed me, & to have returned the
volumes of "Polynesian Researches" which ought to have
been returned sooner; And also to have furnished you
with the memorandum I had promised. But I presume you
are aware of the reason.
I will endeavor now to comply
with your several requests. In returning the volumes
which you had the goodness to lend me I would tender
you my thanks for the loan of them & for the kind wishes
you have expressed for our welfare & your earnest desire
for the ultimate success of our Redeemer's cause at these
Islands.
I beg yon will accept the assurance of our united desire
that God may bless your efforts for the furtherance of
that blessed cause which is worthy of the beat affections
of our hearts , the best design of our minds & the best
labours of our hands. I enclose you a memorandum of our
station & a line to Capt. Kelly.
If they can be of any
use to you they will I hope testify to my readiness to
serve you, Could you appreciate the circumstances under
which I have prepared them, in a native hut 14 miles from
home, fatigued with the labors of the day, at a late hour
at night.
I remain sincearly
Your friend & servant
H. Bingham.
N ote D. Copy of a line of introduction for
Capt. Hill to Capt. Kelly .
Dear Sir,
As I am called away from home, somewhat against my wishes,
at the present time, to be absent some days, allow me to
take this method to introduce to your acquaintance, Capt.
Joshua W. Hill, a gentleman from Liverpool with whome I
have been favored to have a short acquaintance of three or
four months, & who wishes to pursue his bourse to the
Society Islands.
Should you find it in your way to further his wishes by
receiving him as a passenger you would I think find him
not only an intelligent companion, but disposed to give you
no trouble nor any other person on board & to expect no
�1387.
more accommodations or attentions than he as an old
ship master has been accustomed to afford others of
that profession. His designs for the good of the
inhabitants of Pitcairns Islands he will doubtless
make known to you. Should you sail before I return
this will assure you of my unfeigned desire for your
prosperity.
Sincerely yours,
H . Bingham.
Note E .
Copy of a note from Gen. Miller
Sunday 25 Sept. 1831
My Dear Sir,
I have agreeably to your wishes put upon paper my thoughts
relative to the subject you mentioned the other day. You
can either keep or send me back the accompanying memorandum.
However I may perhaps differ in opinion with you on some
minor points, I feel persuaded you will not hesitate to do
me, the justice to believe that I most sincerely wish you
& your excellent Brethren, a continuance of success in
your Missionary labours; & that these interesting people may
all become good & true Christians, through your laudable
exertions, is the unfeigned hope of
M y dear sir
Yours ever sincerely,
Wm. Miller
The Rev. Hiram Bingham
Honolulu.
Note F. Copy of Gen. Miller's memorandum
on the improvement of the nation.
Memorandum
It is hardly, necessary to observe, because it will be
admitted by those who reflect on the subject that the
advantageous geographical position of the Sandwich Islands,
their great fertility, salubrious climate, & safe com
modious port, render them of considerable importance to
the commercial World; that as they become better known so
they will be more frequented by foreigners; That Honolulu
can scarcely fail to become a depot for European &
Indian goods whence they will be reshipped for the new
States of Spanish America & for the North West Coast, &
that the increasing whale fishery & other commercial
speculations, will all contribute to augment the trade
�1388.
of the place. This therefore being the natural order
of things it can barely be supposed that foreign
nations will permit so important a source of commerce
to be impeded or seriously molested, by capricious &
arbitrary measures of the native rulers, especially
when the presence of a single ship of war would be
amply sufficient to protect foreigners from oppressive
measures made known by a town crier as is now the case
and ensure to them that liberty & free traffic which
have been promised to them by former as well as the actual
authorities.
If then the natives wish to retain the government of the
Islands in their own hands, & become a nation, if they are
anxious to avoid being dictated to by any foreign command
ing officer that may be sent to this station, it seems to
be absolutely necessary that they should establish some
defined form of government, & a few fundamental laws that
will afford security for property; & such commercial reg
ulations as will serve for their own guidance & well as
for that of foreigners: if these regulations be liberal,
as they ought to be, commerce will flourish, & all classes
of people will be gainers.
Suppose the King from his youth or other causes, to be
unfit to govern of himself would it not be prudent for the
chiefs to assemble & having been made acquainted with the
dying injunction of Kamehamaha the 1st for them to nominate
a council, composed of three individuals of which the
Queen dowager Kaahumanu might be the President; & to es
tablish as a fundamental law that no decrees should be
promulgated or important transactions of state, take place,
without the consent of the council, which would in fact
be placing the power in the hands of Kaahumanu whose firm
ness of character renders her perhaps the fittest person
to wield the reins of government.
All laws madeshould of course be printed & circulated not
only to the several governors of islands, but to the foreign
consuls residing at the capital. For the performance of
this duty a Secretary of State would be required who might
also be Secretary of the Council - and he should be the
organ of all official communications with government & of
course chosen from the most enlightened & trust worthy persons.
I am of opinion that one of the first objects of the new
government ought to be to ameliorate the condition of the
people; to do away gradually with the actual despotic feudal
system & thus convert the degraded serfs as the Kanakas now
may be styled, into industrious & respectable citizens.
It is a mistaken idea of the present rulers to fancy
power & dignity arises from the King being the sole owner
of all lands, this is indeed the root of all evil, for which
�1389.
no one has a field that he can call his own, or which
is liable to be taken away at the caprice of the King
or influence of his favorites, the temporary occupant
will never cultivate it properly much less will he think
of forming plantations where such industry would tend
to place in jeopardy the fruits of his labours.
The question of how a beginning ought to be made may
arise. Having formed the executive, as proposed, some
thing like the following might be attempted. Let the
government, that is, the King with the consent of his
council, declare a portion of the land now possessed by
Chiefs to belong to them & their heirs forever. Half
a dozen Kanakas on each island might also be granted
small tracts in the same way on condition that they gave
one tenth of the produce to the King, & that they or their
dependants bestowed one day's labour in every week in
favor of the local or general govt, provided such services
were required.
A few deserving kanakas might be thus encouraged every
year, & care should be taken to select them from those
who are married & have brought up a certain number of
children, which alms perhaps would tend more then anything
else to increase the aboriginal population which there is
too much reason to believe will otherwise become extinct.
At all events it would be the means of or eating a middle
class of society composed of free men whose fidelity might
be depended upon since it would be to their interest to
support the Government that protected them. It is true
that in the course of two or three generations the Chiefs
would lose much of their absolute power, but on the other
hand they would gain by becoming rich proprietors not
altogether dependant as before upon court favor: in fact
all conditions of society would be benefitted.
As foreigners are not allowed to purchace land their place
of residence might be easily confined to Honolulu, & one
or two other ports so that they could be prevented from
seriously injuring by bad examples, or otherwise the
morals of the natives at large. Commerce should be en
couraged, all restrictions & excessive charges being highly
impolitic, & the circulation of money would be consider
able, the natives would find a ready market for their
produce, they might be made comparatively both wealthy and
happy, & the government assume a dignity hitherto unknown
to it.
As nothing is more capable of bringing a new government
into disrepute than enacting laws which are not enforced,
it is of vital importance to enact only such as can & ought,
according to the principles established by civilized
nations to be obeyed.
The late attempt to prevent foreign residents from drink
ing wine & spirituous liquors at their own tables, to
close the billiard room, & to take away the horses of those
�who should ride on a Sunday for innocent recreation,
appears to me despotic & vexatious & to emanate rather
from sectarian enthusiasm, not to say intolerance, than
from justice or sound policy.
Instead of these fruitless arbitrary measures it would
have been, it appears to me, much more advisable to have
allowed the sale of spirituous liquors on certain conditions only by granting licence to a few persons known
for their good conduct, as is the case in other countries;
to have prohibited gambling at the billiard room making
the owners of the establishment responsible for any
breach of the law; & to have enforced a fine upon such as
should break the Lord's day by improper conduct agreeably
to the practice in the most civilized, & the most religious
nations.
Too much, in my opinion, cannot be said in praise of
the respectable members of the Missionary Society established
at the Sandwich Islands for their persevering efforts to
civilize, educate & christianize the natives, efforts which
from occular demonstration I can state have been crowned with
a degree of success truly astonishing to the unprejudiced
observer.
The veil which previously kept this heathen people in darkness
has been removed & they now assiduously study & begin to
understand the divine truths of the Christian Religion
without which no people can be truly civilized or happy a
fact proved by history, that the most malicious unbeliever
cannot controvert.- Great however as is the praise due to
these well deserving teachers of the gospel, it is, I think
to be, regretted that their evangelical zeal sometimes carries
them to extremes by enacting, or by their influence causing
to be enacted certain restrictions on society which I
conceive ought to be attributed rather to over-righteous
opinions peculiar to their sect than to true religion.
The
natives had formily numerous games such as running, wrestling,
throwing the spear &o, but these have either been prohibited
or discounten anc ed so efficaciously as to cause their pro
hibition, by the Missionaries under the pretext of being
too nearly allied to idolatry, as an excitement to gambling,
or as time ill spent which ought to be employed in religion.
How this strikes me to be drawing the cord too tight, the
consequence is that all innocent & manly recreative sports
have ceased; that even swimming is no longer an amusement,
that from not bathing so frequently as formerly the people
become more filthy & filthy every day; in short, that they
have lost much of that baronial character & dexterity as
athletic exertions for which in former times they were so
distinguished. It is well known that a too constant applica
tion of the mind to a ny one object whether religion or
otherwise often bewilders & impairs the human faculties:
will it not therefore be well for the Missionaries to con
sider the probable consequences of obliging the natives to
�1391.
devote too much of their time & thoughts to evangelical
avocations lest they should in the end assume the gash
of hypocrisy instead of becoming charitable christians.
Wm. Miller
Honolulu Sept. 25 1831.
N ote G. Copy of a reply to Gen. Miller’s
Note and Memorandum
My Dear Sir,
I received your kind note last evening together with the
accompanying memorandum, for both of which I beg you will
accept my very grateful acknowledgements.
For the frank & friendly manner with which you have expressed
your views with respect to our work & the state of the people,
for the valuable hints you have given relative to the
improvement of the nation as well as for the uniformly
gentlemanly deportment you have exhibited to the gentlemen
with whom I have the happiness to be associated in the
Missionary work, my Brethren join with me in tendering our
cordial thanks & the assurance of our kind wishes for your
best prosperity.
We ought not perhaps, however, to conceal our apprehension,
that you may have been materially misled with reference
to the prohibition by authority of the innocent amusements
of the people.
We certainly are not aware that the health
ful exercises of swimming, riding on the surf, board, or
on horse back, or any athletic exercises to which the people
are attached, disconnected with immorality, are prohibited.
In these exercises we allow & encourage our own children
& certainly we would not have force employed to restrain
the people.
We do not think the people are becoming more filthy.
There
is certainly an increase of attention to their dress and
habitations in some respect's - though perhaps their eating
& sleeping in the same house, may give in some instances
the appearance of less neatness in their houses. As to
the degree of time & attention which the people devote, or
are required to devote to evangelical pursuits, your views
may, perhaps, be corrected, if I assure you that we maintain
unwaveringly that all attention to religion should be volun
tary, & that no compulsion can force the human mind to offer
acceptable worship or service to God; - and as to matter of
fact we do not think that the people generally connected with
our schools, or who attend our meetings, spend on an average
more than one hour a day in school, & one hour in a day in
devotional exercises.
It is true that many persons of leisure spend more time in
amusing themselves with a book, a pen, or slate, and thus
beguile some hours which would otherwise perhaps have been
�1392.
devoted to very unprofitable engagements. The mistakes & errors of the government must not be
charged on us, nor must the adoption of good laws be
put down to our account, unless these result from the
diffusion of the "divine truths of the christian re
ligion" the light which shines in the inspired bible
& the example of those who attempt to follow its dictates.
The encouragement of industry & profitable labor, we
feel to be an important object at which we ought to aim not
only as a means of an honorable & comfortable life, but as
a grand safeguard against immorality & every vice & as a
christian duty inculcated by the sacred scriptures.
I hope my statements may assist in forming your estimate
of the real state of things at the Islands.
I still hope to meet you before you leave.
If not allow
me to beg you will favor me with your address and believe
me to be yours very sincerely,
H. Bingham.
Sept. 26, 1831.
Note H . Copy of M r . Reynolds request for my
opinion of the treaty or my statement to Capt.
Cole.
Revd. Hiram Bingham,
Sir If you can let me have, the paper which I requested
of you relative to the treaty for the reason I gave, you
will oblige your obedient servant
S. Reynolds.
Monday morn* Sept. 26, 1831.
N ote I. Copy of the reply to M r . R.'s request.
Oahu, Sept. 26, 1831.
To Mr. Reynolds
Sir, When your note of this day's date was handed me, I
was specially engaged, but I now send you my memorandum
at your request hoping it is reasonable & satisfactory.
You are at liberty to forward it to the American government
agreeably to your proposal.
Yours truly,
H . Bingham.
N ote J. Copy of a memorandum given Mr. Reynolds
at his request.
Memorandum
My statement to Capt. Cole which I have been requested to
�1393.
put on paper relative to the articles of arrangement
agreed on by Capt. Jones and the Chiefs of these
Islands, amounts to this, 'that I had never understood
those articles as granting a residence to any & every
man who might wish to acquire it, or a right to settle
in the country when & where he pleased, without other
permission from the Rulers.
H . Bingham
N ote K. Copy of Gen. Miller's note the evening
before his departure.
My dear Sir,
We do not sail, it seems, until tomorrow.
I will therefore
see you before I embark. I am at this moment troubled with
a violent tooth ache; if it subsides I will give you a call
in the evening.
Yours very sincerely,
Win. Miller
Monday 2 P.M.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F .M.,
Boston.
Recd. Sept. 15, 1832.
Ansd. Dec . 20.
�1394.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 9.
Oahu, Feb. 6, 1832.
Very Dear Sir
In my last I attempted to give you some account of the
visit and departure of General Miller & Capt. Hill, in
connexion with some discussion relative to the import
of the articles of arrangement agreed on by Capt. Jones
and the chiefs. That communication I have committed to
the care of Mr. Read who has been a Lieut, in the army
of Peru with Gen. Miller, and who was expected to sail
today on board Brig Con voy bound to Lima. With the hope
of a speedy conveyance I shall endeavor here briefly to
notice several prominent facts concerning which I have
pretty copious minutes but have not time now to copy or
write them out.
On the 5 of Nov. the mission families at this station
observed a season of fasting and prayer with special
reference to that cause of solicitude which for four years
had been increasing in our borders, the Jesuit Mission,
and which we have besought the Lord to remove from us;
if that would best promote his cause. On that day, the
king signed a commission authorising William Sumner to
transport on Board the king's Brig Waverly, "two French
Gentlemen" to the coast of California, with their baggage,
&c.
On the 7 Dec. I translated that commission, & the king,
Kaahumanu & Gov. Adams signed it and the king set his
seal both to the English & Hawaii. This was the more
noticeable as Kaahumanu had entertained some apprehensions
that his young Majesty might not be ready to carry through
the plan with bar.
You have doubtless been informed that in the early part of
April last the two principal Jesuits were ordered by
this government to quit the country within three months.
On the 9th of Dec. the G ov. announced to them their deter
mination to remove them in a vessel of their own then fitting
for the voyage.
They said they should be glad to go to
their own country, hoped they might not be carried to an
unfrequented island.
On the 1& Dec. M r . Charlton sent a communication to
Kaahumanu saying that Mr. Short, and Mr. Batchelot had in
formed him that the government intended to banish them
without accusing them of any crime, or acquainting then
with the place where they were to be sent. He does not
intend to go into a discussion of the question of the
legality or the illegality of their banishing an Englishman
�1395
.
without accusing h i m of any crime, (speaking of
Mr. Short as a Brittish subject,) informs her that if
she sends him away she must send him to his native
country or to some of her colonies, and asks the reason
of her proceedings, to which inquiry she made a direct
& dignified, tho' not very full reply, & then proceeded
with the preparations as before.
On the 22 of Dec. Sumner showed me two notes from Mr.
Batchelot to him, in the first of which he thanks Capt. S.
for his information respecting the Brig, his offer of
assistance & c respecting their baggage, saying they should
hold themselves in readiness and wait another visit of the
chief as they had been required, but if possible they would
wish to stay till after the Sabbath that they might spend
Christmas on shore, which happened on Sunday, to which,
Sumner, having consulted Adams, replied, that the request
would be granted. The second note above referred to, as
sures Capt. S. that the first was in confidence to him.
not to the chiefs, that if it was understood as a request
to stay till after the sabbath the writer would wish to
have it considered as of no import, for it was not for him
to fix the day when the chiefs were to employ force, which
only could induce them to quit the islands without a com
promise with duty.
On the 24 Dec. Kekuanaoa called on them saying "I have
come for you to embark as I informed you before, are you
ready to go?" "We do not know" they replied, "By whose
authority do you come?" "By the authority of the king,
through Kaahumanu & Kuakini". "It is right" said they, But
wait a little” - Nlow” , said Kekuanaoa; & they followed
him to the boat in which the Pilot took them to the Brig.
Gov. Adams had a royal salute fired for the "King's Brig"
& she sailed about noon on Saturday Dec. 24, 1831.
On Friday the 30 Dec. the chiefs while in consultation
on the suggestions of Gen. Miller respecting the improvement
of the government & administration, heard of the dangerous
illness of Naihe. Kaahumanu & the king made arrangements
to sail immediately for Kaawaloa, - But the king left the
chiefs, went to the Billiard Boom, and thence to the house
of M r . Charlton where he took the intoxicating cup and
wrought confusion. Seems to be resolved on having the
daughter of Naihekukui, (
?
called Jack) who died
at Valparaiso, who is not a person of rank, & which will
give the older chiefs some trouble on the question of succession. - Aikanaka, & Dr. Judd embarked for Kaawaloa,
but found on their arrival that Naihe died on the 29 Dec.
Since that, Dr. Judd has been called to visit Kaikiowa,
Gov. of Kanai who is ill and is partially deranged, and who
has applied to the chiefs to appoint a successor for Him,
Kinau and Kekuanao a have gone down to be ready to take his
�1396.
place should he not be able to sustain the duties of
his office. Such are some of the sorrows of the nation.
Still God is merciful to us, & we have reason to believe
he is carrying steadily forward his great and good work.
Let us ever trust in him, he will accomplish his own
most glorious designs - I close this in haste, & subscribe
myself your ever affectionate friend and Brother
H . Bingham
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C .F.M.,
Boston, Mass.
United States of America.
Recd . Sept. 15, 1832.
Ansd. Dec. 20th.
�1397.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 10.
Honolulu Oahu, May 22, 1832.
Rev. R. Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston.
My Dear Brother,
Your kind letter of N ov. 17, 1831, (more than 12 years
subsequent to my embarkation from Boston) announcing
and introducing the fourth reinforcement of our mission,
has been duly received, as also one of earlier date &
of similar import by Capt. Steele of the Chalcedony.
I regret that our letters to the Rooms, of the early part
of 1851, forwarded to the American Coast by Mr. Jones
in March had not reached you, nor any information of the
arrival of the third reenforcement, and the transactions
of our last general meeting. But I hope you have ere
this, received sufficiently full accounts of that very
interesting period. I wrote you in April 1831 mentioning
my return from Waimea, & the peculiar state of the people
at Honolulu.
In November forwarded to M r . Evarts a little
correspondence which I had had the infelicity to hold with
some not very partial to the influence which some of our
number were thought to exert in what we call the cause of
improvement.
In September, I wrote Mr.. Evarts, and forwarded the general
letter for the mission, by the Whaleship Columbus, Capt.
Orsborne.
In Dec. 1831 I wrote M r . Evarts a long account of the visit
of Capt. Hill, & Genl. Miller, and a brief notice of my
tour round Oahu with the king & Kaahumanu.
Our Station letter of Jan. 17, 1832, & my letter of general
notices to M r . Evarts, of 6 Feb. & my note to you of Feb. 16
accompanied by my memoranda respecting the removal of the
catholic s, will if they reach the Rooms give you very full
i
n formation on that very interesting, & difficult subject.
I will here add that We have heard that the Catholic 's were
kindly ------ received by their brethren on the Coast.
The Waverly has just returned to this place, & the Master
Capt. Sumner, as I was one day at the house of the Queen
Regent, showed me the certificate which his passengers gave
him as follows,
"This is to certify that we the underwritten Cath.Missioners,
to the Sandwich Islands have been debarked with all our
effects at a place called San Pedro on the coast of Cali
fornia, and that we have been treated by Capt. Sumner
�1398.
during our voyage with all the attention and interest
we could have expected".
(Signed) F.J.A.A. Batchelott
0. Short
It has been whispered that their intention is to stay
away till the death of Kaahumanu, & then make another
attempt to establish the rulers here on a firmer footing.
Divine Providence appears to have wonderfully supplied
their plan, in great mercy, as I believe to this nation.
Different views may perhaps be taken of the right or
reasonableness of the proceedings of the rulers in the
matter of their removal.
But he who will soon have the kingdoms of this world,
instead of Antichrist, will I think show that it is not
his command, nor his pleasure, nor his purpose that Romanism
should gain any ascendency here. While writing this sheet
the proof of the last sheet of the N ew Testament is laid on
my table.
I finished the revisal of the Revelation last
week. If the scriptures can be made to circulate freely as
they have begun to do, and as we hope they will continue to
do, there is reason to hope that the unscriptural dogmas
of the Romish church will never prevail here to the ex
clusion of the true gospel, or to the material hindrance of
the cause which we are sent forth to promote. But the
field is the Lord's, & with him is the disposal of all the
means of its cultivation, & we know and are sure that it is
his good pleasure that his servants should sow the good
seed, though the enemy may be ready to seize any occasion,
when mean sleep, to sow tares.
You and our friends will I doubt not rejoice with us to
know that we have now been allowed to hall with joy the
arrival in safety of the fourth and large reinforcement under
circumstances of great mercy. Some of them had been sick
on the passage, & were obliged to put in and were detained
two or three weeks at Rio Jenaire, to make some repairs but were all able to leave the ship at anchor outside of the
reef & come immediately on shore. They arrived, landed, and
were welcomed to our habitations, on Thursday the 17 inst.
when with a large part of the missionaries in the field
already assembling here for the general meeting, being with
one accord in one place, they attended to the reading of
your general letter, and united in the precious hymn
"Kindred in Christ for his dear sake
A hearty welcome here receive"
and in a prayer, of thanksgiving for the manifestations of
the Divine goodness to us & to them, and to the isles of
the sea, and of supplication for the continuance of God's
blessing on the labors of our mission, or the diffusion
of the scriptures, on the Board & the churches at home,
recently so wonderfully refreshed, and whose bounty has now
�1399.
so signally flourished again, in sending forth 19 helpers
to hold up our hands, & urge forward our work & enlarge
our borders - a precious pledge that we are not, and
shall not be forgotten.
Three paragraphs from this letter printed 29 Missionary
Herald 201, June 1833.
Allow me here frankly to mention what may perhaps be of
use in future, as successive bands are sent forth to the
distant nations of the earth, that a direct communication
from the Board to the Government, people or tribe to whom
they send their missionaries, touching the object for
which they are sent, & if convenient some sensible token
of friendship, will in most cases be likely to have a
favorable influence, committed to the hands of pioneers,
or reinforcements.
It was to us a matter of some regret, tho' perhaps it was
not noticed by the chiefs, that there was no letter from
the board to them, no little present to be placed directly
& kindly in their hands, no direct salutation from the churches,
which tho' not necessary might have been both pleasant and
useful, and still more so had a feeling of opposition to
their landing prevailed to any extent, among the nobles or
ignobles of the land.
In the place of it I presented to the inspection of the
king their protections from the department of State, &
their commissions from the Board, read the inserted para
graph of their public instructions relative to their general
object, and assured the king and chiefs that the missionaries
themselves were the true aloha of the Board and of the
churches towards them, the living expressions of their kind
regard, and of their desire to promote the welfare of the
nation here on earth and the salvation of their souls in
heaven.
Mr. Armstrong as the representative of the whole, after the
king had given permission to land their effects and enter
on the work, made an address in which he expressed the
general object for which they had left their homes, and
come to the Sandwich Islands to teach the word of God, to
show them the way of life & to promote to the extent of their
ability, the true interests of the nation, and the salvation
of all who should come within the reach of their influence.
To this, the king made a very appropriate reply to this
effect. "I give you our af f ec
t ionate salutation. You are
fully permitted to enter on your work - We were in darkness,
unable to help ourselves, - you have brought us the means
of light and salvation. We rejoice in the blessing bestowed
on this country through you” .
On Saturday evening 19 M r . Armstrong preached from the
sacred injunction of scripture, "Let this mind be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus” .
�1400.
On the Sabbath at Mid day. M r . Alexander preached
at the church, from the exhortation of Paul to the
Hebrews . Let us labor therefore to enter into that
rest lest any man fall after the same example of un
belief.
Mr. Spaulding preached on Board the Ship inn Capt.
Brayton, on the parable of the talents, The same evening,
Mr. Lyons preached from the solemn interrogatory ex
clamation of Paul, "Who is sufficient for these things?"
Thus you see they have early begun to sound the gospel
trumpet on these shores, & have given the promise that
they will engage in the work of Christ with the spirit
of evangelists who feel it important to possess and ex
ercise the spirit of Christ, to labor to enter into his
rest, to occupy. diligently & faithfully till he come,
& to feel and acknowledge that all their sufficency is
of him.
You and the Board & the churches who have sent them forth
with their benedictories and prayers, & who will give
thanks to G od for their safe arrival & entrance into this
field, may well suppose that we are ready to receive to
our fellowship such men, such helpers in the cause of God.
Such, you will allow me to say tho' you know we are not
remarkable for praising one another, such I trust they will
prove themselves to be, by patient continuance in well doing.
On the Sabbath morning I preached as usual to our native
congregation which filled the church, just giving room for
the missionaries to be seated together.
The king was in
his place, and took a pleasant part with the native's choir,
who joined with the missionaries in singing the hymns with
tolerable accuracy & solemnity.
After imploring a blessing on the services, and reading the
2 Psalm they sung to the air of Greenville with tenor and
treble voices accompanied with the bass, the native hymn
of which the following is a translation, and which though
it possesses little poetic merit, may show a little of the
style of our native hymns - & the simple strain in which
our social & public worship often commences Hail all hail beloved brethren,
Who by Christ are sanctified,
Hie be all our best affections,
For him be this hour employed;
let us worship,
Him who is our common Guide.
2.
Glorious is his guardian kindness,
Watching o'er us where we dwell,
Glorious is his arm, and mighty,
Bearing us thus onward s till:
O
adore him!
Blessed Leader of our way!
�1401.
3.
Jointly let us seek his counsels,
And his law together hear;
Turn our hearts to his commandments,
Firmly stand and persevere;
Still exulting,
In the righteous ways of life.
4.
What the Lord has done to bless us,
We will joyfully admire;
What he suffered for our tresspass,
What revealed our hope to inspire;
With thanksgiving,
Our Redeeming Pr
ophet praise.
5.
Thus, our mutual love augmented,
Consolation true will prove;
When our sojourn here is ended
We shall meet again above
There abiding,
Separations know no more.
The second hymn is a translation of the 46 Psalm, cele
brating the security & peace of the church arising from
the presence and the word of God, the favorite song of
Martin Luther, and was sung to Old Hundred.
My discourse was founded on II Tim. IV 5,6,7,8 and I
was led to speak of the design & the duties of the office
of the evangelist or Christian missionary, of the advantages
both temporal and spiritual, resulting from his labors
to all who receive his message, and of the reward of the
faithful missionary and of all who obey the commands of
Christ and love his appearing.
It was easy to infer the obligations of this nation grate
fully to bless God for having sent them his word, and begun
to produce those results in these islands which it is the
design of the gospel and its ministers to produce, & had
also now in following up his own merciful designs towards
them, sent a large reinforcement of additional laborers to
carry forward the blessed work which had been begun among
them, and to extend it also to other isles of this ocean.
And it was natural and easy to bid God speed to our new
associates & helpers in this public introduction to the
people.
This I attempted to do extemporaneously much in the
following language, which on some accounts, it may not be
amiss to give you as entire as is convenient, in the form
of direct address to your newly arrived laborers Dear Brethren and sisters; The nature and design of the
office of the Evangelist and propagator of the gospel, it
is hardly necessary that I should attempt to illustrate to
you. It is presumed you are aquainted with it. But you
will allow me in the name of the mission to tender you our
affectionate salutations and bid you welcome to all the
toils and trials and blessed privileges of missionary life.
�1402.
It is indeed a self denying toil on which you are
entering: but if the sentiments advanced last evening,
are burning in your bosoms, if "This mind be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus" you will find it a
pleasant, a delightful service. Say not "There are
yet four months, and then cometh the harvest". Lift
up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white,
ready to the harvest; put ye in the sickle therefore
and reap . "He that reapeth, receiveth wages, and gathers
the fruit unto eternal life".
In this large, crowded, attentive assembly, you see a
little of what God has begun to do in the field on which
you are now entering, where something has indeed been com
mended but where everything is yet to be accomplished.
Remainder of letter printed 29 Missionary Herald 201,
June 1833.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Asst Secy. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Ship Commodore Rogers.
From H. Bingham
Ackd. in Gen. Letter April 11.
Recd. March 16, 1833.
�1403.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 11
Oahu, June 5, 1832.
My dear Brother:
I write you a hasty line, with some hope it may have a
speedy conveyance across the continent to announce an
event which will be felt to be of some importance in
reference to your mission in the Pacific, & especially
to the state of political affairs at these islands, and
the cause of moral Improvement here. We have lost a
warm friend, an able supporter of your cause, a distin
guished reformer of her nation, - She has finished her
course, she has fought a good fight. She has kept the
faith, she has fallen asleep we trust in Jesus, & her
spirit released from the clogs and cares of earth, gone
to be with Christ, where he is, to behold his glory' and to experience the fullness of blessedness which the
Gospel had taught her to hope for through the Redeemer's
Blood. Kaahumanu, took leave of us this morning at 10
minutes past 3 o'clock, after an illness of about 3 weeks
in which she exhibited her unabated attachment to the
Christian teachers and reliance on Christ, her Savior,
About the last words she used of a religious character,
were two lines of a hymn designed to express the feelings
of a self condemned penitent coming & submitting to Christ,
"Here, here am I, O Jesus, oh Grant me a gracious smile”
A little after this she called me to her, and as I took
her hand, she asked, "Is this Bingham?" I replied "It is
I" - She looked upon me & added "I am going now" I replied
"Ehele pu Jesu me oe,- Ehele pomaikai aku. - "May Jesus
go with you, - go in peace" - She said no more, - Her last
conflict was then soon over, - in 10 or 15 minutes she
ceased to breathe, and now appears as one asleep* Sleep
on dear saint, unaffected by the praises or reproaches of
human breath "How blessed is our Sister ?
Of all that could ? her mind"
N early every chief in the islands was present, and there
is such a decided majority in favor of the gospel, that
we do not think much is to be feared as to any rupture,
or material sudden changes in the measures of Government.
If it is true that the works (hole in paper) the righteous
follow them - we shall hope her influence, example and
authority, will continue to Speak, and m ove the national
council, to some good extent, so l ong as we remain to be
�1404.
affected by it, if not to the latest generations. - The
young king appears tenderly affected, but not decided as
to the course he will pursue. We do not, & you must not,
confide in princes - but in the king of Zion.
Kaahumanu was quite ill when the reinforcement arrived.
She took each by the hand with her salutation, expressed
her satisfaction at their arrival, covered her face with
her handkerchief, as she sat in armed chains and wept
tenderly.
Others will write, - & you may expect more particulars
from your unworthy Brother
H . Bingham.
Recd. March 16, 1833.
Ackd. in Gen. Letter April 11.
To Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
United States of America.
�1405.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
L etter 12
Honolulu, Oahu, Oct . 2, 1832.
Rev. R. Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston.
My dear Brother
We have recently been favored with your communications
by the Rapelas, which brings very interesting intelligence
from various portions of the civilised world. We are
shocked and deeply impressed with the stroke by which the
Board is again and so suddenly & so deeply smitten. Hardly
had our chosen and much loved Elisha seized with holy ardor
the mantle of his predecessor when he was commanded by
the God of Elljah to smite the waters of the Jordon and
pass over to the promised land. How readily did he obey?
How the waters divided before him! How triumphantly did
he pass over, where the true Joshua had gone before him,
& when he gives his people rest! How quickly did he join
his notes of victory with Evarts & Worcester, & all the holy
throng who sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the
kingdom of God to behold the glories of the Lamb and to
adore him forever and ever. O that we might be equally pre
pared to join that blessed company of the church of the
first born whose names are written in heaven.
Last evening at our monthly prayer meeting, in concert with
the friends of missions, the dying appeal of our dear brother
Cornelius, was read, and in reference to a desire expressed
by him as recorded in Mr. Howes Sermon at his funeral, to
request the missionaries to observe the friday previous to
the Monthly concert of prayer as a day of fasting & prayer for
higher attainments in themselves and in Christians at home,
we agreed to notice the day in that manner, & to recommend it
to our brethren at the other Stations.
If the death of Mr. C.
who was perhaps too much depended on, should lead the friends
of Christ to cease from man and duty to seek and trust the
Grace of our Redeemer, it will not be the first case in
which the faithful accomplish more by their death than by
their life.
We are gratified with the decision of the United States,
court in favor of our dear brethren in bonds, and of the
Cherokees in affliction and oppression - though the position
which Georgia has assumed is by no means amicable, for it
appears to me that holding that position she must draw on
herself the chastisment, which but for the averting shield
interposed by the righteous decision of the Supreme court,
must have visited our nation.
I say we are gratified with that decision, because it opens
�1406.
a door of hope for the release of our imprisoned
brethren, and for a return to honor and justice towards
the Cherokees from which our country seemed so strangely
to be departing. - The decision will be an honor to our
country throughout the world if carried into execution,
but its failure will shake if not demolish the pillars
of our union & bring on our constution & government the
reproach of the world. - At our monthly prayer meeting
with the natives I addressed them from the words of
Isaiah, "Learn to do well, seek judgement, relieve the
oppressed". I blushed to tell them that magistrates in
my own country had torn some of our brother missionaries
from their work among the Indians, & shut them up in
prison, & sentenced them to four years hard labor, for no
other cause than their perseverance in the good work among
the Indians, which good men, and the General government,
& the indians themselves had approved for several years ,
& now it was the duty of Sandwich Islanders in seeking to
relieve the oppressed, to pray that God would deliver our
brethren from the confinement, and cause the gospel to
have free course in every land as the best means of check
ing the power of the oppressor, and delivering men from
the bondage of Satan & the slavery of Sin.
We are highly gratified with the temperance reformation
in the U.S. & in Great Britain & Ireland, & are encouraged
to persevere in our efforts in this little field in the
midst of this wide ocean; not however without a counter
effort.
Though the government withold licenses, & allow their
people to seize and destroy the prohibited article when
sold, yet there are some who continue to sell & some to
drink & be drunken. We have had several meetings to
discuss with the foreign residents the subject of temper
ance reformation. Not more than twenty have appeared
willing to attend, & not half that number appear to look
favorably at the cause. We shall not relinguish the
object of getting a temperance society among the foreigners,
unless it shall be found that those who have begun to
favor the cause are disheartened by the tide that sets
against them.
One of these an industrious mechanic who has now for some
months been trying the experiment of abstinence contrary
to the advice of a physician, says, "I feel much better
for it. I have often wished there were not such a thing
in existence as ardent spirits. I am convinced that I
should have been three thousand dollars richer now if I
had let liquor alone since I have been at the Sandwich
Islands". He has resolved to abstain, and seek the safety
of his soul, and the good of his family, & now, instead
of the deceptive aid which he sought from the morning &
evening glass, he seeks & I trust finds substantial and
durable strength at the morning & evening sacrifice off
prayer and praise in his family.
The Lord make him a
�1407.
blessing to Honolulu.
We have lost the most substantial native reformer by
the death of Kaahumanu, & the chiefs have in some measure
beam paralized by the shook, & the king is more ready
than is for his good or that of his people, to wink at
those views which it would wound the delicacy of some
of the principal residents to frown on with due severity. Naihe too is gone & Kaikioeoa has by disease lost his
enemy & influence. We are looking to see what Kinau &
Adams & Hoapili will do in connexion with the king in the
administration of Government! Kinau has made a proclamation
which promises well.
The Lord is our hope.
Yours faithfully,
H . Bingham
To: R e v Rufus Anderson,
Asst. Sec. A .B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Recd. March 16, 1833.
Ackd. in Gen. letter, April 11.
�1408.
‘67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 13.
Oahu, Sand. Isl. April 6, 1832.
My Dear Brother:
Recent items of intelligence from America, in addition
to your former claims upon me, induce me to commence what
I would fain promise myself is a new series of letters to
you, with whom I was allowed more than twelve years ago
to form an agreeable acquaintance and which 1 hope may
now be more assiduously cultivated than it has been during
this period of our separation. By the late arrivals I
learn that four of my most valued friends & correspondents,
have finished their course on earth, & gone as I do joy
fully believe to the rest that is prepared by Christ for
those that love him. These are my honored father of
fourscore years, mostly spent in the service of our divine
master; my beloved mother aged 73, who followed in the
same path, and almost simultaneously passed the Jordon to
the promised land; my brother in law the Rev. R. Cushman,
the ardent and devoted agent of the Home Miss. Soc . for
the valley of the M iss i s sippi , and our mutual friend the Dear
Mr . Evarts Cor. Sec. of the Board, the friend of the heathen,
whose praise is in all the churches. So these I was ac
customed to write with the freedom of a son and a brother,
& it might be some satisfaction to you to know, how sweetly
& freely my thoughts now turn to you, when an opportunity
of sending to America is announced.
Seeing an intimation in the papers that you are to be the
successor in office of our lamented counsellor and friend
M r . E. I take this very early opportunity to address you
believing that you will not be displeased with me if I
write with the same freedom on any and every point relative
to our mission that I have been disposed to use in cor
respondence with both the former Secretaries of the Board,
in whose office you will find the most ample scope for all
your ardor, wisdom, strength, courage, experience, and
benevolence; in the exercise of which you may vest assured
that the prayers of ten thousands of the friends of the
heathen will aid you, & that le who dwells "in the high &
holy place", will "send thee help out of the sanctuary &
strengthen thee out of Zion".
O the responsibility of such a trust! Is it not sufficient
to crush an Angel, unsustained by Jehovah's arm? But faint
not my Brother, while the everlasting arms are underneath
you for your support, When you are forced to exclaim, "who
is sufficient for these things", your hands can be "made
strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob", "as thy
day so shall thy strength be".
If for a moment your heart shrinks from the incessant care
�1409.
and toil inseparable from the office, think of the
amazing weight of glory, & the crown of endless joy
inherited by your predecessors, in the faithful discharge
of their duties, & which you too may inherit, and of
the bliss of endless eternity bestowed freely by Christ
on hundreds of millions of souls, brought under the
controlling & sanctifying power of the gospel through the
influence of the A. Board, and the happy agency of its
successive Secretaries, among whom, may you, dear brother,
have a full share of the blessed instrumentality, which,
while it brings unspeakable happiness to the instrument
is in itself so feeble as to secure all the praise of
efficiency and success to God who is the only truly efficient
agent in the universe.
Having from your earliest public efforts made yourself
acquainted with the movements of the Board and with our
operations, you will I presume look with peculiar interest
at the eventful period of the history of our mission in
which you are called to its supervision, and eagerly inquire
for news from this quarter, which has for some years been
the scene of strife between light and darkness, between
moral restraint and moral pollution, between the religion
of Christ and the irreligion of the world.
We have several communications on the way which if they
reach you in safety will make you acquainted with the most
important particulars for the last year and up to a very
recent date.
The last joint letter of this station was dated on the
10th ult. & addressed to the Prudential Committe, and for
warded by the Ivanhoe via St. Bias, to be sent across the
continent. A copy of our correspondence with the English
Missionaries at Tahiti, since the date of the above, on
the subject of a mission to the M arqu sas I beg leave to
submit to the committee.
Shall hope to say something more
definite when we see the reinforcement now expected soon We often look for news from Honolulu, even in the ponderous
volumes of celebrated journalists, who circumnavigate the
globe and contribute a part of their hard earnings to the
stock of useful knowledge in aid of commerce and natural
history, and not an inconsiderable part to the department
of romance for their own amusement during the tedious hours
at sea, and for the benefit of those who, they are disposed
to think would be as well pleased with fables as with
sober fact. We have recently got hold of Mr. Stewart's
visit to the South Seas, written with great ability and
vivacity, in glowing colors, but as it respects the Sandwich
Islands true to the originals, present company always excepted, and calcula- to throw much light on many subjects,
which it seemed desirable that such men as Capt. F. and
Mr. S. should carefully investigate.
We have not seen Mr.
Montgomery's Journal of Messrs. Tyerman & Bennet, nor M.
Von Kotzebues "N ew voyage round the world".
�1410.
But have today for the first time had a half hour’s
glance at Capt. Beechys voyage of the Blossom, & cannot
but think I opened to the apocryphal part first, & may
perhaps in lay next make some remarks on his mistakes, in
reference to scenes quite familiar to myself.
After the experience of twelve years on these isles of
the Pacific, I cannot cease to wonder that such men of
science and Rank as Capt. Kotzebue, & Capt. Beechey who
enjoy the confidence of their sovereign and their country,
and need nothing but undisguised and sober truth to adorn
their journals, and to report their scientific labors,
should not have confined their scenes of romance to countries
less known than the Society or Sandwich Islands, or have
fixed their date like the Chinese to s ome period which sober
history would not attempt to controvert, and which would
leave the tours of the marvellous, satisfied without the
trouble of looking for any opposite testimony, and the
writers veracity withal quite unimpeachable.
Had the well bred Von Kotzebue laid the scene of the
evangelicalconquests of his Tahitian Majesty "King Tajo"
in some of the deserts of Arabia, in about the seventh
century, and called him the Brother of Mahomet, instead of
the coadjutor of the venerable N ott & Henry & their
associates, and represented him as establishing in the
minds of his subjects the faith of what he called Christ
ianity' by the force of arms, the murder of all infidels,
and the extermination of the neighboring tribes, his account
would have been quite as useful to the world, and quite as
acceptable to sober men, as the destinguished friend of
Missions, Mr. Montgomery, has allowed him credit for giving
of the well known establishment Of Christianity in the Society
Islands.
As to what he has said in his journal respecting the Sandwich
Islands Mission I know nothing, except what appears in
Mr. Stewart's "visit". From a remark which a Capt. E. in
formed me that Gentleman had made respecting us, I could not
have expected a very favorable sentence from him, who could
say in jest or in earnest, "The man who kills another is
deemed worthy of the halter, but the Missionaries have murder
ed this whole nation in respect to any good feeling". As
this sentence is so sweeping as to include of course Mr.
Stewart and all my associates not excepting M r . Ellis, and
the American Board and London Missionary Society, I could
without much effort or grief make up my mind to swing with
them all, when the big Quarto should come before the world;
especially as I am well aware there was no more collision
between me and that gentleman, than between him and Mr. Stewart
or Esq. Evarts, or any other supporter of this mission. N ot a
word of dispute, ever passed between him and me, to my recol
lection.
I once asked of him the favor of the assistance
of his surgeon to set the fractured arm of Abner Morse one of
my pupils which he kindly granted.
I know of no other
�1411.
personal offence.
With earnest prayers for you & all that love Christ
I remain, your affectionate brother and fellow laborer
H . Bingham.
Rev. E. Cornelius D.D.
To: R ev. Elias Cornelius D.D.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, United States of America.
Recd . Oct. 12, 1832.
Ansd. Dec. 20.
�1412.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 14.
Oahu Nov. 14, 1832.
Rev. M r . Anderson,
Ass. Sec. A.B.C.F .M.
My Dear Brother
I wrote you last month, and forwarded a long letter of
May & June, and also the general letter of the Mission,
by the Commodore Rogers.
I propose now to give you a
sort of journal or narrative of a ten days missionary
excursion to Kauai, where I recently spent a week very
pleasantly in preaching to the listening natives & con
versing with such as appeared to have some serious concern
for the salvation of their souls, where the gospel is,
it is thought, producing its legitimate effect, in leading
sinners to Christ, & the Holy Spirit appears to be pre
paring some for the kingdom of heaven.
(Oct 29, 1832). While employed in making out a package
for the Rooms, I was informed that a native Brig, the
Becket was about to sail for Kauai for a cargo of supplies
for the shipping, yams, potatoes, hogs and goats &c.
Capt. Brayton who takes a lively interest in our affairs,
had just visited the station at Waimea, was much gratified
with the interesting state of the people, thought some one
of us ought to go down to assist Mr. Gulick, who was now
alone and not very well. Mr. G. had asked for help also. A few minutes consultation with my brethren resulted in
the conclusion that if the Brig would wait till the morning
light, it would be the duty of one of us to go down in her,
& the lot seemed to fall upon me. Dr. Judd applied to the
king, who said the Brig should wait till morning. Scarcely
had I settled the point to break away from my work here.
& sail in the morning for Kauai, when Saml . J. Miles, came
in who is principal agent for the Brig, & said she could
not wait, that her anchor was up, & she was holding by a
hauser, and must go out now, (3 o'clook P.M.) for it would
be too much trouble to moor her again.
"Let her go out of
the harbor then" I replied "and stand off and on & I will
go out in a boat at sunset & join her." To this he agreed,
and he took her out of the harbor. At sunset I left the
wharf in a boat politely furnished by Kaiana a pleasant
native whom Mr. Stewart describes as being baptised with his
wife, when he was herein, the Vincennes, but before I had
reached the mouth of the harbor, perceived the Brig which
had tacked twice, waiting, for me, now filled away at the
distance of a mile or two on her course, & I met Mills re
turning in his boat who told me he had sent her off; but was
very sorry to have disappointed me, having heard I was not
going.
I fear his apology was not sufficient, but thought
my plan so providentially defeated that it was best to give
it over.
�1413.
(Oct. 30). Deborah, the exqueen of Kauai, & Daniel
Oleloa who has been head man of Kaikioewa at that island,
who were equally disappointed in their design to board
the Brig for a passage to Kauai having set off in canoe
a little before me, but n o w got permission to go in a
small schooner belonging to Park! lately a captain at this
fort under Madam Boki.
This, it was thought would afford
me a safe if not comfortable passage down, & I presumed
a chance might still be detained to return, in ten days,
in the Brig. laving renewed the resolution to go, Capt.
Brayton & Dr. Judd accompanied me to the king's to obtain
permission to return in the Brig, but he was reported as
asleep, & we repaired to Mill's for the same purpose; found
him nursing two young bears, one of which he said was from
the Columbia river, & the other from the Spanish coast.
He consented to my request and accompanied us to the schooner
to give his message to Daniel.
Passing through the village, we met Capt. Evetts and M r .
French riding in a chaise, the former recently from America
& the latter from Canton - bowed to Dr. Rooke an English
physician, and his wife a daughter of the old resident Mr.
J. Young, as they sat in their veranda; met and shook hands
with Mr. Jones the American consul; and Capt. Little, recently
from Norfolk Sound, as they were walking the street near
the Brittish consulate. When I had stepped on board the
vessel and taken leave of our friend Brayton, & Dr. Judd, Capt. N orris in the Whaling service, and Capt. Cole who has
recently engaged in the speculation of fitting out a whale
ship from this port, gave me their hands and salutation
standing on the wharf - just as our little native crew were
"hoisting up the main sail to the wind" - We sailed at half
past 4 P.M. leaving 12 ships in the harbor and 6 outside of
the reef, and one, the Commodore Rogers, just squaring away
& stretching off on her long road to America with a full
cargo & a gross of letters from the Missionaries, on board.
Our little vessel a schooner of about 20 tons, which made
but a small figure as it wound its way along out among the
shipping, I imagine to be about the site of the little ships
in which our blessed Savior with his disciples used to cross
the sea of Tiberias.
The passengers besides myself, were, Deborah, a "Queen
Charlotte Tapule" the exqueen of "Atooi" whose husband has
gone with the deputation to the Washington Islands; a man
servant and two female attendants, & Josiah Taumuarii her
sprightly little son whom I baptised 4 or five years ago;
whom she loves very tenderly and cherishes with great care;
Daniel Oleloa, lately head man at Kauai, a member of the
church there, Thomas Apii, & Paul Kanow, two active young
men in our church here, who have been selected to accompany
me; and Rufus Namakuakaae one of my domestics, who has
recently been admitted to the church, & who was formerly a
servant of Deborah at Kauai. - I had requested of Kinau
that John Ii (Ee-ee) and Thomas Apii (Ah-pee-ee) might ac
company m e, to assist in the missionary work, and to get
acquainted with what there might be found of a specially new
�1414.
or interesting nature at Kauai at the present time. But
after consulting with John who is much employed about the
king particularly as captain of the guard, She sent me word
he could not go, and nominated Paul to go in his stead.
These with Daniel's right hand man, who is a professor of
religion made our number 7 professed disciples of Christ,
& most of us going professedly to engage in promoting the
cause of the gospel. As we cleared the reef bending our
course Westward I called the attention of the crew and
passengers, and made a short address on the design of the
voyage, & exhorted them to seek help and direction from God,
to hold themselves at his disposal, and to labor to promote
his cause, by making known his will, & the way of salvation,
joining humbly in his worship, and carefully avoiding what
might grieve his spirit; then kneeled down on the deck and
prayed with and for them.
About sunset, being requested by the captain, Limaiole
(Mouse hand) to go below, I went down & threw myself upon a
hard platform within the trunk of the vessel, & after the
motion of the vessel had occasioned what I regard as for
me a salutary vomiting, I fell asleep, and with various turn
ings & tossings lay till sunrise. Having passed round Barber's
point when the course is Northwest we were becalmed some hours
under the lee of Waianae Mountains.
This, tho it prolonged
Our passage, afforded me more quiet sleep, which was probably
favorable to my health as I had slept but 2 1/2 hours the
night before.
(Oct. 31.) Rose at sunrise tolerably comfortable, but the
motion of the vessel soon reproduced seasickness, or vomiting,
offering the morning sacrifice. As the Sun was about sinking
to his ocean bed, while I was lounging on the trunk of the
vessel, I overheard Debora say to Daniel "The earth turns over;
one day and one night, is one turn of the earth "Yes” said
Daniel, "& that was a very thinking man who concluded that
the earth was round, and went by ship in search of another con
tinent, and just before he reached it his people threatening
to kill him & return, he prevailed on them to persevere three
days longer within which time they saw the land". "Yes" said
Deborah, "and when they got on shore they were very joyful".
We were then sailing along the southern shores of Kauai where
she and Tammualii once had the principal control. We passed
by the little place of the unfortunate "Geo. P. Tamoree". I
thought of the interview I had with him there to persuade him
not to regard Kraimoku as his enemy, but to take a wiser course
to seek true promotion & happiness, & of the issue of the
vain struggle, for he knew not what, in resisting the government
of the Sandwich Islands.
Thomas Apii, before we reached Waimea, offered the prayer at
the evening sacrifice of our little ships company, sailing
along with a gentle breeze. As we came to the anchoring ground
by moonlight , after a smooth passage, we saw the Brig Becket
on Board which I had intended to sail, to this place, and
heard the sailors' song as her native crew were raising her
anchor to go to Niihau for 100 barrels of yams for the shipping
�1415.
at Oahu. - Heard the sound of voices from the shore of
persona who had noticed our approach towards the mouth
of the river near the fort. Before the schoner came to
anchor, a moderate sized single canoe came off with three
men and offered us a passage to the shore, and such was
my confidence in their dexterity though they were strangers,
and the plane of landing often difficult, I unhesitatingly
stepped into it with two of the passengers, and glided
Silently along towards the shore. As we came near, they
turned the stem of the canoe toward the land so as to give
me a little better chance to escape being wet by the surf
should it break at all, one gentle swell after another
lifting us along. - "There comes a large sea" said one of
the men, "look out" - I sprang up and stood upon the top
of the canoe as the wave curled sharp, and swept along
over it from stem to stem, drenching the men, and wetting
me to the knees.
One of the men caught me up on his
shoulder and carried me up the bank.
The wave subsiding
left the canoe on the sand, heavy with the water it took
in, to be drawn up on the beach. Landed at nine o'clock
in the evening. A number of the people met us thus ex
tending their hands and repeating aloha, aloha, as we walked
along. Daniel led me to the house belonging to himself and
Davida the principal assistant teacher here at present.
Dav id received me with a kind salutation, and soon offered
to conduct me to Mr. Gulick's.
Passed through a cluster
of houses that line the sand beach for a quarter of a mile
along West from the mouth of the River, behind which, at
the distance of 90 rods stand the neat and commodious, &
comfortable new stone houses of Gov. Kaikioewa, M r . Whitney,
& M r . Gulick, on a line nearly parallel with the seashore,
all of which have been built since my last visit here, and
add materially to the improved appearance of the place.
The
situation of the Governor's makes it showy, and of the
three, it exhibits perhaps the most taste in its plan and
finish. It stands on much the most elevated ground which
tho it rises gradually from the sea towards the north, pre
sents a bold precipice on the east, which overlooks the
narrow, level, richly cultivated valley of Waimea, out
down as it were to the level of the sea and extending some
distance towards the mountains in the interior.
The
cocoanut trees that grow in this valley raise their ever
green and palmy tops to the level of the governor's seat.
His house is of one story, having dormant windows in the
roof, has a large elegant veranda about 10 feet in breadth
250 in length with light railing around, and a range of
white, well turned etuscan, pillars supporting its roof.
The floors including the veranda instead of being earth
& mats, are of boards well laid and painted, about 3 1/2 feet
from the ground. The doors are all made of fine specimens
of a high colored wood imported from Port Jackson, pannelled, varnished, & well trimmed and are as beautiful
and as expensive as tolerably good mahogany - The entrance
is by a very regular pyramidal flight of steps , in front
of the center of the veranda.
To the Westward the ground descends gradualy about 80
�1416.
rods to M r . Whitney's house, & 20 farther to Mr. Gulick's.
These are both of two stories, having verandas in front,
with light railing in the second story, a very plain roof,
suported by plain, small square posts, with green vines
climbing upon them, which with a few trees & shrubs which
they have planted here, have greatly altered the appearance
of this dry and once dreary spot.
The Brethren have each a
field of 5 acres inclosed with a mud wall, in front of
their houses, between them and the village on the shore.
These will produce potatoes & yams &c, if the whole surface
of the ground is shielded from the sun by a layer of grass
or stubble.
Tamarind & other trees will grow here also by
the same means. Kaikioewa's and Mr. Whitney's are not now
occupied, M r . Whitney having gone as one of the deputation
to the Society & Washington Islands, Mrs. Whitney & her
little daughter being in the meantime with Mr. & M r s . Ruggles
at Kaawaloa - & Kaikioewa & his family on account of his
ill health being at Oahu. At Mr. Gulick's I was very kindly
received, and after a little refreshment, and a united
tribute of praise to God, retired to rest.
(N ov. L. ) Rose, refreshed, at half past 5, & renewed my
thanksgiving, and endeavored to seek preparation to meet
the people. A s we rose from the breakfast table, a number
of the people were standing at the door who appeared to
have come to see me. Among them was an old man, who was
an adult when Capt. Cook was here 48 years ago; he may be
65 or 70 years of age. He said, giving me his hand and his
aloha, which I reciprocated, "God has brought us together”
"Yes" said I "it is of the goodness of God that we are
allowed to meet this morning, let us give our hearts to him".
A silent tear stole down the old man's cheek, and he was
not alone. Mr. G. spoke of him, as having recently obtained
a hope in Christ. Eleventh hour laborers may perhaps be as
likely to be found here among old idolators, as in Christian
lands where the light has long shined, is far more intense,
but has long been resisted.
After morning prayers in the family, as the door was opened,
a larger number still were waiting, some of whom appeared
to have come on account of my visit, and others as is cus
tomary to be conversed with by Mr. G. - "Love to you all feet your affections on Christ" was my salutation to them.
An elderly woman among them, who has made a profession of
religion, & who is almost blind, held my hand in both of
hers, expressed her gratitude to God that she had seen me
before, & that she was now allowed to see me again. Her
obscured eyes were full of tears, as she spoke of the
loving kindness of God. Gentle tears rolled down the faces
of others who stood by, while some sat on the ground with
heads drooping like a bulrush. Mr. G. as is his custom,
soon gave directions that one at a time of those whom David
had sent there, might come up the veranda stairs to his
study to be conversed with on the state of their minds & the
�1417
subject of salvation, where they were questioned on
various points of belief, & experience, & concerning
their fears & hopes, and a verse or two of scripture read
to them, or direct advice given adapted to their state,
or a small religious tract, to read at home, designed
to assist them in examining themselves, or to bring home
the truths of God's word, either to increase their con
viction of sin or their hope and joy in Christ.
This
service Mr. G. requested me to attend to as much as I
could, while I should stay, except what time might be
employed in preac hing more publicly.
Mr. G. puts down the name of the individual he converses
with as "hoping", or as "anxious", or as "careless". I found it necessary to add a fourth column for "doubtful"
cases which I could not assign to either of the three.
Among the first whom I heard Mr. G. question, and who
manifested considerable feeling, one man spoke particularly
both of his distress and of his consolation. Mr. G. asked
him when he found consolation? He instantly referred to
C hapt. & verse "II Tim. 2, 19" Nevertheless the foundation
of God standeth sure having this seal, The Lord knoweth
them that are his, And let every one that mak eth the name
of Christ depart from inquity". A woman who spoke of
having comfort, was asked by Mr. G. why she took comfort.
"Because I have seen my sins”, was her reply. Mr. G. said
"Do you take comfort because you have seen that you have
broken the law of God? The wages of sin is death - but
what has Jesus done that our sins may be pardoned?" "Jesus
died on the cross, that our sins may be pardoned", was her
reply.
Of a man, who spoke of his sin, I inquired, "what was it
that convinced you of your sin?" He said, "Going out to
pray & make confession, my sin was shown to me" - "Where
was you when you first felt distressed about your sins"?
"At public worship where I heard the word of God and felt
afraid of death". "I am afraid of you" said Mr. G. "lest
you are still ignorant how great a sinner you are; go and
examine yourself and strive to know what the word of God
says".
K iaipoli, a young man, said he was distressed on account of
his sins, that he belonged to his place but was impressed
at Puna on the other side of the island three weeks ago,
and he had now come to talk with the teacher. I asked.
What has Jesus done by which your sins may be pardoned?"
"H e was hung upon the cross", he replied.
"Do you not
love Christ and desire to believe on Him"? "I desire to
believe on Christ, I love him, and mean to follow him all
ay days".
I gave him a tract, bade him go and sin no more.
Namakani, a woman, in tears spoke of the distress she had
had. "By what means have you found relief", "By him (Christ)
I am relieved." What was done to Christ that our sins
�1418.
might he pardoned? He "was hung upon the cross that
our sins may be pardoned." "If you have comfort in
Christ in hoping that your sin is pardoned, why then
do you weep now?" "Because of my love and because
of the greatness of my sin."
Catechism not copied.
An old warrior came in and sat down at my feet, and represented
himself as a great sinner. His faculty of hearing is con
siderably impaired. His name is Kaniwi, or (Ka-nee-vee)
and is mentioned by Vancouver.
I asked him what sins he had
committed that made him appear like a very wicked man. In
connection with this & some other questions, he gave the
following account of himself.
"I have been a worshipper of Idols, a thief and a murderer.
Some of the people of Oahu, in the reign of Kehekili killed
some Englishmen at Waimea - When Capt. Vancouver, subsequent
ly came to Waikiki, the king sent me to take the murderers,
but they were gone and could not be found - I caught three
men at random, and gave them up to Vancouver in payment for
the Englishmen that were killed - he gave me a loaded pistol
to shoot them with, and I shot them.
I am a murderer a
great sinner - When Capt. Brown arrived, I showed him the
harbor at Honolulu, which had not before been known to for
eigners. He showed me some dollars, and said these were the
best waiwai of his country - I stole three forties of dollars
from his chest, was seized before I got ashore, was put in
irons and the money recovered.
I am a thief a great sinner.
What shall I do on account of these sins?"
"You are indeed a great sinner to worship foolish idols, to
kill unoffending men for the crimes of others, & to steal
the property of others - you have broken the laws of God,
you must repent and look to Jesus for pardon, & trust in him
for salvation".
The murder alluded to I suppose to be that of Lieut. Hergest,
and his
?
of the English store Ship Dedalus, who as
they landed at Waimea on Oahu were almost instantaneously
massacred. - Vancouver subsequently attempted to bring the
perpetrators to punishment, put in at Waikiki bay and de
manded them, & when two or three persons were brought to him,
as though they had been guilty he had them put to death.
On reading some years ago his account of the transaction,
in which he mentioned if I recollect right, the name of
Kanivi as the person into whose hand he put the pistol loaded
and cooked, to kill the supposed murderers, it stuck my mind
that there was no good evidence that those men were the
murderers of Mr. Hergest and of his party, or of others.
The transaction now stings the conscience of a savage in
his old age, having obtained a little knowledge of that
divine law which says thou shalt not kill. What then ought
to be the feelings, & what will be the end of those who
having the control of armies, or of ships of war, visit
�1419.
with indiscriminate slaughter and conflagration whole
comm unities , for the offences of individuals, without
any attempt to obtain satisfaction from the rulers or
to discover the criminals, or to give the innocent op
portunity to escape? And what will posterity think of
such men, who having in their hands the sacred volume,
thus teach barbarians barbarism under the pretence of
teaching them justice and the advantages of civilization
& c hristianity? What if Vancouver had devoted to in
discriminate slaughter some 150 of the inhabitants of
Waikiki and Honolulu, & burnt up their villages because
some of the people of Oahu had murdered a British officer.
And suppose Geo. the third had distinctly and positively
ordered this indiscriminate slaughter, who, it may be
asked would have been the greater sinner, not to say bar
barian, he, the king of England, or this savage warrior
Kaniwi, who seized three unimplic ated, and unoffensive
men, and sacrifized them to justice for the crimes of
murderers whom he could not find? And if the feeble light
of the gospel that has begun to shine here, and may be sup
posed to have reached the mind of this heathen brings him
as an awakened sinner to inquire what he must do to be
saved, what will the light of Eternity do when it pours its
strong, concentrated light upon the hearts of those who
now despise the blessed gospel and continue in their crimes
till they leave the world and go to the Judgement with
all their sins of a whole life spent in opposition to God
unforgiven? May not the children of pious parents who
have net yet submitted to Christ take a lesson from the
humble teachable posture of this poor old pagan warrior
who was brought up to worship Idols and to delight in
pollution & violence, but now comes to enquire about Christ
& to seek his salvation? O that he and they may find in
Jesus that eternal salvation which they alike need.
Conversed a few moments with Maluela a woman of Hanapepe
who came with her husband, both appear solemn and tender.
She was bathed in tears, acknowledged herself a sinner
says she loves Christ and is willing to serve him.
They
have both been among the Spaniards in the islands towards
Manilla, where some attempts were made to initiate them
in the Romish faith.
Our tea was now ready and the people were gathering by
hundreds to the church as they do daily an hour before
sunset for prayer and attention to the scriptures. Turned
from the conversation with these interesting inquirers,
took a hasty cup of tea, & repaired to the house of prayer,
which stands on the right hand side of the road that leads
from the mission houses to the Governor's.
It is a well
made neat commodious native building 155 feet in length
& 48 in breadth, has seven large doors, accessible on all
sides; a good pulpit, and 30 or 40 long seats with backs
& arms, made by the natives. About 1200, I should say,
M r . Gulick thought it quite within bounds, were present.
We sung a hymn.
I read from Luke's gospel, a part of the
account of the crucifixion of Christ, and of the two
�1420.
malefactors, and remarked on the design for which Christ
was lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness that he might draw all men wounded by the
serpent, unto him, the great sacrifice for all, that he
might heal them of the fatal malady of sin, and affect
the salvation of their souls in his kingdom, and urged
the people, if they felt as the poor penitent thief did,
that they were dying in their sins, and deserved to die
for their sins, to look Unto Jesus who takes away the
sin of the world, to look with faith & love, and penitence,
not with ingratitude, scorn and dirision, but to give
themselves to him to be saved by his death.
A general solemnity, stillness, and attention prevailed,
no restlessness to get out of the house or to hasten away.
When I proposed to lead them in prayer, all rose at once
to join in the solemn exercise, & I could not but hope
the spirit of God was influencing some to attend to the
concerns of their souls, and I would bless God for the
circumstances & sacred of this day in which I have met
the people, so different from the confusion and strife
and blood and tenor of that day of insurrection when I
and my family left this place on my last visit. On returning to Mr. G.'s a considerable number collected
around the gate, and doors, as though they wished for
something more. After a little conversation, Mr. G. called
together his family, his domestics some of whom appear
truly serious, and the other natives present, to attended
family worship, which in the evening he conducts in the
native language - A portion of scripture was read, a hymn
sang, & a prayer offered, under circumstances calculated
to be useful, adding something to that "line upon line”
which is required to make up the needful moral influence
to establish and maintain the kingdom of God in the hearts
of men.
In the account which I have here given of one day’s inter
course with the people, I have endeavored very fully, and
minutely to present them just as I found them, without
making up or expressing very fully any opinion as to the
question whether the individuals conversed with, have been
back again or not.
It is a comfort to feel that "the Lord
knoweth them that are his", & to know that where he begins
a good work he will perfect it.
(Nov. 2) This was the friday preceding the monthly concert
& though we mean to notice the request of M r . Cornelius to
make it a season of special fasting and prayer, it was
thought desirable that I should for a part of the day con
verse with eight or ten of the people who came for that
purpose. And I concluded to attend to them and for my
own satisfaction and that of others to note down in English
the conversations as they passed in Hawaiian between us.
I called in 10 into the study, and when they were seated
endeavored to direct their thoughts to Christ, read to
�1421.
them from the 11th of Matthew, "Come unto me all you
that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest
& c , and prayed with and for them. About half of the
number appeared affected to tears. From the eyes of
one woman, large tears dropped freely & silently upon
her kapa. A large man, sobbed like a little child and wiped the tears from his face.
To pursue the method
of questioning one at a time alone, I allowed all but
one to go out so that the answers of one might not be
influenced by those of another, & that neither sympathy
nor embarrassment might prevent a fair discovery of
their real feelings, as I proceeded one by one.
To some I put a very few questions to others more, and
endeavored to form some judgement of their standing, by
their answers, & their appearance, and various signs of
emotion, of fear, of penitence, of joy, of earnestness
or indifference.
Catechism not copied.
At the hour of prayer 1000 or 1200 went up to their
temple to worship, some we hope, with the temper of the
publican, & some we fear, with the spirit of the Pharisee.
While Mr. G . read and expounded a portion of scripture
and offered a prayer there appeared to be good attention
among them.
On returning from the service, the sun being
three or four degrees above the horizon, a little to
the left or South of Niihau, a singular perpendicular
pillar of cloud which seemed to connect the stratum of
cloud in the horizon with another which appeared just
above the sun's upper limb, divided the sun’s broad disk
so as to eclipse completely with its impervious darkness,
six digits, leaving the other half shining with mildness
and grandeur, forming as it were the ? or brilliant side
of the pillars, thus both presented a lively picture of
that wondrous pillar that once rested on the bottom of the
Red sea laid bare by the arm of the Almighty, and stood
as an angel of light to the Israelites and as a pillar of
darkness and terror to the Egyptians.
It afforded also
an emblem of the kingdom of light & the kingdom of darkness
in the world, so closely in contact, and yet so different
and distinct, and exhibited a contrast not unlike that
between a sanctified holy heart rejoicing in supreme love
to God, and the impenitent, depraved benighted heart of
the sinner who loves him not.
In the evening spent a pleasant hour in conversing with
Mr. & Mrs. Gulick, on the possibility & comparative
probability of the conversion of the aged and of the young
of the present generation particularly in the Sandwich
Islands, the interesting story of "J.H.Esq." of my native
town, the importance of trusting the promise of God to
convert the nation to Christ, the pretext for our unbelief
which we find in the long delay or postponement of this
work which all must allow is to be wrought by the spirit
�1422.
of God who can convert three thousand in a day by the
very same amount of means which would have been requisite
in the same assembly to convert one soul, & the reason
ableness of excepting when we preach, or pray, that the
Spirit is now going to take his work in hand, & to keep
on expecting so long as we keep on using the means of
his appointment, tho we a thousand times fall of seeing
an immediate saving effect. God's word will not return
to him void nor will be refuse to hear the prayers of
his people, his own
? who cry unto him day and night.
What a pleasure to stand and plead with a dying nation,
while Zion is praying God to give that nation to Christ
for his inheritance.
(Saturday Nov. 3) Walked out to call at the neat, white
cottage of Debora, which stands between M r . Gulick's and
the sea at the distance of about 1/4 of mile, has a few
shrubs about it and is frequented with many doves.
Found her at the house of Houpu, whom she calls her father,
in the range of native houses along the beach. She was
conversing with some persons in the yard. As we entered
the house found 20 or 30 persons in and about the house,
very still for natives.
One elderly woman gave me her
hand and salutation with a tear in her eye.
I asked her
if she had given herself to Christ. She said she had
given her heart and body & soul to him.
To my inquiry,
"When”? I understood her to say, "When Mr. Whitney went
away" - When Debora took her seat upon a native couch
this woman sat down upon the mats at her feet and talked
a little with her in a low voice or whisper respecting
her feelings.
The house of Haupu is above the middling size of native
habitations - has an outside door at each side, and at
each end, and is divided by light partitions into three
apartments which communicate with each other, - Neighbors,
and some from a distance came in upon all sides; 60 were
shortly present, all quiet, & before the unexpected inter
view was closed from 80 to 100 were assembled - I spoke
to them from the words of the prophet "It is time to seek
the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon you” .
Urged them to seek now; to seek earnestly; & to seek con
tinually till they should find him meeting them and pouring
his spirit and his salvation upon them.
Several were in
tsars.
Two or three old warriors besides Kaniwi, were
present, among whom was Tupia; Who has been very vile
since the establishment of the mission, continuing the gross
habits of a heathen, and being guilty of drunkenness and
manslaughter in which his own wife was the subject of his
violence. - He appears teachable now, and somewhat concerned
for himself.
Thomas Apii followed my remark with a short, kind and
penitent address - exhorted them "if any had retained their
sins, to cast them away now; if any had a little love to
Christ, to have more; if any had looked a little to the
word of God, to look much; and if any had heard a little, to
�1423.
hear much more, since now is the time to seek God while
he is near.'
I sung the crucifixion hymn, to which they seemed to
listen with becoming attention.
Paul Kanoa Prayed at
my request, - It is not seldom that young men engage in
prayer with great propriety both as to matter and manner,
never to my knowledge by a form - they were in some oases
scriptual language, and adapt their thanksgivings, con
fessions & petitions to the present occasion, and they
are attended with a slow, distinct, natural, & reveren
tial enunciation.
Paul Kanoa commenced his prayer this
morning in this manner.
"O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and of
Jacob, thou art the God of the living and not of the dead.
The living live by thee. We have assembled in thy pre
sence, to praise thee, and to pray unto thee, because we
are burdened with sin and distressed.
O rain upon us now,
and let the power of the Highest over shadow us.
The
hearts of the chiefs and of the people are in thine hand
and thou canst turn them". Among other petitions were
the following for missionaries - "Bless the missionaries
who have sowed the good seed here, which has produced some
a hundred fold, some sixty, & some ten. Bless those who
have gone to carry the word of God to Nuuhiva, and to
other parts of the world".
After the prayer I signified a desire to go down 4 or 5
miles to Kekaha and preach there in the afternoon, and to
preach at the church at Waimea on the following morning,
which was sabbath, and at Hanapepe in the afternoon, and
they undertook to give notice.
I returned to Mr. Whitney's
house where I had agreed to meet a few inquirers, and
found from 100 to 150, assembed & assembling there to
hear me or to converse with me on the subject of salvation.
One woman among them was trembling, and appeared to be
much agitated with concern for her soul, seemed unable to
say much, or to answer any question readily. But in reply
to my inquiries, she said she considered herself a sinner
and Jesus a savior. I endeavored to direct her mind steady
to him as all Sufficient, ready, and desirous to save
the penitent and believing soul, While speaking to her in
a very low tone, a man called my attention and wished to
tell me his thoughts, - I saw nothing very interesting or
peculiar in his thoughts and dismissing him turned my
attention to the whole group, part of whom had been sent
there by David, and a part by Daniel Oleloa, who begins
to take a part in the work as well as Debora, Thomas and
Paul. - I unlocked the door and sat down in the door way,
& the people drew near, some sitting under the veranda
and others in the area before it. I addressed them from
Rev. 22, 17 "Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever
will, let him take of the water of life freely".
Prayed
with them; and went up into Mr. W . 's study where I con
versed particularly with 10 or 12 individuals, some of
�1424.
whom appeared tenderly affected. Most of those I
conversed with individually were from Hanapepe, and
exhibited marks of seriousness and tenderness similar
to those I had conversed with before.
After dinner, and the abating of a smart shower,
rode on horseback in company with Mr. Gulick, to Kekaha.
Mr. G. returned early to attend a prayer meeting of the
members of the church, and the usual evening service.
I
preached under the kou trees to a small collection of
people, old, middle aged, youth, and children, from
Luke 13, 24. "Strive to enter in at the straight gate & c".
Urged them to strive, immediately, with all the heart, by
prayer repentance and faith to enter the straight gate
into the kingdom of heaven, for some who should seek to enter
would fall, because of the want of earnestness, some be
cause they seek in the wrong way, relying on their own
works or goodness, some because they would seek too late.
Before the first prayer, I read the parallel passage from
Matthew; and after the closing prayer said to them, As
this is the first time I address you at this place and may
be the last, I should like to be informed now whether there
are any here ready to obey the injunction of the text. after some hesitation four individuals reported themselves
as of that number. Said a word or two to them and asked
if there were no more. A young man, who had been sitting
a little back upon a heap of dry pressed sugar cane, came
forward, and said he had at this meeting made up his
mind to seek salvation in earnest, but there was great
evil in his heart. His name I learned is Pahoa. I
directed him to the Savior for pardon and saltation.
One
of the others spoke of the truth of what I had said in
respect to himself, of persons trusting to thine own
doings as the means of salvation. He had thus trusted to
his attention to the forms of religion. Returned about an hour before sunset, upon an easy gallop
over a comfortable road along the plain, part of the way,
among cocoanut trees. (Sabbath N ov. 4. ) The church was filled at 1/2 past
9 A.M. I preached to a listening audience from the passage
read by Christ from Isaiah, & recorded by Luke, "The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me
to preach, the gospel to the poor &c" and which he applied
to himself. My discourse consisted chiefly of an exposition
of the passage, and an application of the instruction it
afforded to the audience, to the humble, poor, meek, the
distressed, the blind, the stains of sin and captives of
Satan, offering Christ and his salvation as admirably
adapted to the wants of every class, & as the only adequate
means of relief.
At the close of the sermon agreeably, with the wishes of
Mr. G ulick and an arrangement between us, subsequent to
the spiritual prayermeeting of the church for the influences
�1425.
of the Spirit, guarding as well as we could against a
deceptive expression of their views and purposes in
so solemn and important an affair, those who had come
distinctly and fully to the resolution to give themselves
up to Christ, to renounce their sins, and to follow him
as their L ord and Savior, were requested to rise. About
300 rose.
These, at least a majority of them appeared
to be persons who had been conversed with during this
season of special attention.
Some who had been conversed with, and of whom Mr. G.
thought very favorably, did not rise. From the appearance
of the individuals whom I had heard and seen in their
conversation with Mr. G. & myself there is reason to hope
that at least one third of this number are built upon
the rock. Suppose 100 of the 300 who rose to be among
the true disciples of Christ, it is not in my opinion to
be concluded that they are all the fruits of the recent
work, but that numbers, if they prove to be the sheep of
Christ, will be found to have heard and obeyed his voice
before. Still it may be hoped that equal numbers, not now
recorded as the fruits of this work will hereafter be
found to have been brought to true repentance, during this
season of refreshing.
The doubt that still hangs over
every case and of course over the whole, and the great
danger of deception, is a great check to the joy which the
-pleasing evidences that the Spirit of God is among them, is
calculated to give.
The gospel has been preached to them
as I believe in its unadulterated purity, in language as
plain and as faithful as the missionaries can employ.
They have had "line upon line & precept upon precept" & we
know that when the spirit blows upon the valley of dry bones,
an army can be raised up from them; & we know too, that God
in his wisdom, sometimes passes by the learned, noble,
sick, wise, men of this world, and chooses the debased, the
ignorant, the poor, the vile things of this world, and
makes them vessels of mercy, and prepares them for glory
and honor, & thus magnifies the riches of his grace, and
the glory of his sovereignty, therefore we are the more en
couraged to hope, that those around us who listen to our
message with attention from year to year, and who appear
to be reformed in life, who have been distressed for sin,
and say they repent and believe in Christ as the only Savior,
and are resolved to follow, & so far as appears, do follow
him according to the light they are supposed to have; are
in fact his own sheep who "shall never perish". We hope
they are his.
The Lord knoweth them that are his. But we
are always liable to be deceived. Suppose a hundred to
have been recently converted, it is but one to a hundred
of the inhabitants of Kawai.
One of the persons who rose, a man of perhaps 50 years, and
who has heretofore made some pretentions to more than
ordinary sagacity or skill, for which he seems recently to
be ashamed, appeared to be seized with a sort of convulsive
agitation or involuntary shaking, of his whole body, head,
�1426.
& limbs, as he stood, tho he seemed unable to stand a man who stood by clasped his arms around his body,
and eat down with him upon a form holding him with con
siderable strength, while he continued to shake less and
lees for about 10 minutes. As soon as the meeting closed
I spoke with him to see if I could discover that he had
any peculiarly striking views of his own sin, or danger,
or of the excellence of Christ and of his salvation.
I c o u l d not from a few moments conversation perceive
that he had any discoveries materially different from others.
He spoke of having trembled on account of sin, and of
having fallen on account of sin, and of having repented
of his sin, & of believing in Christ; these things he
said with as much calmness and composure in answer to my
inquiries, as others who in great numbers represent them
selves ? , as having repented and believed on Christ.
Hie convulsions, in my estimation, prove nothing for, or
against the genuineness of his conviction of sin, of his
repentance, or of his faith in Christ.
Possibly it may be
the result of religious excitement either of fear or of
joy, or it may have been produced by some other influence
on the nervous system. His case was singular among the 300.
In the afternoon a crossed the river in a very small canoe
paddled by one man, and hardly steady enough to keep from
being capsized. I found a horse in readiness for me and
Ioane the captain of the fort, who is a professed disciple,
mounted and ready to accompany me - We rode to Hanapepe
the valley about 7 miles from Waimea, in which Mr. Ruggles
resided a short time previous to the insurrection & where
the brethren still go occasionally to preach. A house of
prayer sufficiently large to accommodate the inhabitants
of the valley say 400 or a 1000, has just been erected
here, where I found three or four hundred had assembled
and were waiting for me. R esting 15 or 20 minutes from
the fatigue of the forenoon service and riding 7 miles in
the sun I commenced the regular exercises of public worship
and preached to them from the declaration of Paul I Tim. I, 15,
"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation
that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of
whom I am chief".
Some appeared to be solemn and tender.
It was the opinion
of Mr. G . that special seriousness existed among the people
of this valley, & that about 20 of the most interested
at the present time were at Waimea now. When the service
was closed, a considerable number came around me to give
their hands and aloha some of whose I had seen before.
I
had not time to converse much with any though I presumed
they desired it, & quickly left them lest it should be
quite dark before. I could rec r o
ss the river on my return,
& I hoped to see them on Tuesday at Waimea when a special
meeting was appointed for the people all along the coast
for 20 miles who might wish to attend them.
R eturned safely but rather late, and as I passed over
the two or three building spots where Messrs. Whitney and
�Ruggles had lived in my earlier visits to Kauai, and
"King Tamoree", and "George P. Tamoree" and others, &
saw the places desolate, it was affecting to notice the
changes that are constantly taking place all around us .
As I walked slowly & silently along from the fort and
river to M r . Gulick ’s by the light of the moon, I ob
served some little groups of persons, who seemed to be
conversing quietly and seriously with each other, &
having passed the church several men one after another
joined me who wished to speak with me on the subject of
religion.
They seemed tender and solemn.
I continued
walking very slowly along the way till I came to the
missionary premises when the case of a young man who was
speaking to me appeared so interesting that I stopped to
hear him, and advised him to submit to Christ, and rely
on him as the all sufficient, only Savior.
(Monday N ov. 5) In the forenoon conversed with ten or
twelve persons, several of whom are thought by Mr. Gulick
to have been made acquainted with their sin and danger,
and been enabled to rejoice in hope. They appeared to
exhibit some pleasing evidence of this.
One woman not of that number, advanced in years, sat down
and embraced my feet, wept, but did not appear to have
any distinct views of her sinfulness, or of the necessity
of trusting in Christ alone, allowed that she had once
been sinful, but represented herself as having no sin in
her heart, remaining, but as being now very good. Among
various questions, I asked her her name, which with a
whining tone and new gush of tears, she said was "Lupua".
I told her she appeared to me much like a Pharisee, & I
thought her repentance and her love to Christ were not
genuine and permanent, & recommended her to begin anew.
Thomas Apii expressed to her a similar opinion. She said
"Perhaps I shall not be saved".
In the afternoon I preached to the congregation of perhaps
a thousand, who assembled at the church for the monthly
prayermeeting. My text was chosen with reference to the
occasion; from Isaiah II 3, "And many people shall go and
say, "come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of
his ways and we will walk in his paths" - Thomas Apii
offered the closing prayer.
Joined with Mr. & Mrs. Gulick in the evening in the monthly
concert. Among other objects of interest to pray for was
the deliverance of our brethren in the Georgia penitentiary,
from the hand of oppression, and the prosperous return of
our associates who have gone to the Washington Islands.
(Tuesday N ov. 6 1832). Agreeably with a previous appointment
the people assembled at the sound of the bell at 1/2 past
9 in the forenoon.
I preached to them from the declaration
�1428.
of Christ to the Jews, "Ye will not come to me that
ye might have life". - Endeavored to show what it is
to come to Christ, 2ndly - Why sinners ought to come
to Christ & 3rdly Why impenitent sinners d o not come
to Christ and remarked on the folly, sinfulness and
ruin of refusing to come to him. M r . Gulick preached
in the afternoon, when a considerable number more rose
to express their determination to be on the Lord's
side. - A prayermeeting was appointed for the follow
ing morning.
(Wednesday Nov. 7 ) I attended the morning prayermeeting, & read the last chapter of I Thess. & com
mented on the 3rd verse "For when they shall say peace
& safety their sudden destruction cometh upon them
as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not
escape" - Applied it as closely as possible to those
who believed themselves to be safe in Christ, while
as yet they had not been converted nor led to renounce
themselves and their sins, and to believe with all the
heart on the son of God, showing the awful danger of
those who, were at ease without hope, and of those who
were resting on hopes not well founded.
Paul Kanoa
offered the concluding prayer.
In the course of the forenoon several persons came to
talk with me.
Two of the young men I took into my
chamber, & prayed with them and they with me - One of
them appeared to me like a decided c hristian.
The other
a son of Mr. Young who has been very wicked and wild;
appeared for the present to be brought to a stand to
consider that he was a sinner, in danger, needing help,
but not as supremely relying on Christ for the help
he needed, is laboring perhaps now to establish a right
eousness of his own.
The Spirit can bow his ? and will,
and enable him to submit to Christ, otherwise he like
all other inquirers, who expect to save themselves, will
fail of eternal life.
At 12 o'clock a message was sent from the Brig 15 miles
off that she was about ready to sail for Oahu & the
passengers bound there must set off to join her at Koloa.
As I was about to leave, considerable number of the
people came to Mr. G.'s, I prayed with them, & with
mutual tears gave my hand to Mr. & Mrs. Gulick, and others,
and hastened to the canoe that was waiting for me, tho
several of the members of the church had urged me to
stay.
Deborah, Thomas & Paul, embarked in other canoes, and we
were soon under sail. In three hours we reached Koloa,
& while the Brig was taking on Board the residue of her
cargo, I had an opportunity to preach to the people of
Koloa on shore when we landed about 4 o'clock, having
sent on previous notice that if there were time I should
�1429.
preach.
I addressed them from the touching declaration
of our savior, "God so loved the world that he gave
his only begotton son that whosoever believeth on him
should not perish but have everlasting life" - Some
appeared indifferent, others attentive to the gracious
message - Several after the service, as I sat down,
seemed disposed to converse with me, at least t o say
they were thinking on these things, & were disposed to
choose the salvation of their souls rather than the
p l e a s u r e of t h e world.
Some may have come rationally
to the conclusion that the soul is of the most im
portance, but probably most of those who heard me here,
are, (like the multitudes in other countries who have
heard of Christ and eternal salvation) c aring chiefly
to secure the little this world can afford, with a vague,
unoperative hope, which neither purifies the heart nor
impels to holy action, that somehow, at last, if there
be any heaven, they shall have their portion there,
when the pleasures and pursuits of this world can no
longer engage their attention.
Took leave of them & the island at sunset.
The anchor
was hove up, the sails set and we "filled away" with a
light fair wind for Oahu, and had no occasion to tack,
or o h a n g e a sail, except a studden s ail & stay sail,
till we came into the roads off Honolulu - 40 hours.
This was a rare case. - I was once 6 days making the
passage.
•
The Brig was now manned and commanded b y natives.
The
supercargo, who belongs to Kauai, is under church censure.
He showed me kindness - gave me two forties of Kauai
oranges, and a good hog.
I conversed with him in reference
to his sin.
He appeared in some measure humble and
penitent.
One of the passengers with whom I conversed appeared
tender on the subject of religion.
Another of the passen
gers, who is the mother of four sons and a daughter,
and is perhaps 45 or 50 years old made the passage under
peculiar circumstances.
She is the wife of a foreigner.
She had gone from Honolulu her place of residence, on
a visit with her little daughter, to a sick relative at
Kauai, leaving her four sons at Oahu, Isaac, John, Joseph
and Henry Louis.
The three former grown up, and the
latter a youth, a pretty stout lad of 14 or 15 as I sup
pose.
Just before I left Waimea I learned by Capt.
Ebbetts, that, Henry Louis had struck, with a club, and
killed a foreign seaman on Sunday the 4 inst. - This was
the amount of the information I received on the subject.
The mother embarked from Kauai on her return, without
having heard a syllable of it.
It became my duty as I
conceived, to inform her of what I heard, & which proved
to be a fact.
I had seen her before, and in the early
part of the mission had two or three of her children
�1430.
under tuition.
I asked her after a salutation, "Have
you heard the tidings from Oahu today".
She replied,
"N o - what tidings?" After a little pause, I answered
with a low, soft tone of voice which none but herself
& daughter perhaps understood, "I have been told by
Capt. Ebbetts that your son Henry has killed a foreigner
by the stroke of a club".
"Oh - I am in heaviness",
she exclaimed, how could he do such an evil?
I charged
my children to do what is right, & left them to visit our
sick relative, and this child has done this evil deed
and brought us into trouble, I am distressed - Must he
not die?" I replied, "that is the law of the king co n
cerning murder, but if the blame was principally the
foreigners, or if your son did not intend to kill, perhaps
he will escape" - "that is the law of the king. - she said,
with a s
i
gn
.I directed her to put her trust in God
who could sustain her, and to seek his blessing on herself
and her children. - Her case was noticed in the morning
and evening sacrifice on board.
Before the Brig came to anchor, the two elder sons Isael
and John - came off in a boat, kissed their mother,
told her their troubles, & gave a short account of what
they understood of the affair - that the foreigner came
into the house and was very insolent to Henry, having
taken some strong drink, that Henry bore with him long,
reasoned with him, and lead him out, where the foreigner
struck him twice with a Whalebone cane, & Henry caught
up a hardwood stick about half a yard in length and struck
him back twice, the second blow falling accidentally
upon the temple of the sailor.
That the sailor then went
away to the tavern & Henry returned quietly into his
house without thinking of having injured the seaman
materially.
In the night it appeared that he had received a fatal
wound of which he di
e d before morning, and that Henry had
been tried for hie life, and the general sentiment so
far as it was known appeared to be that it was not a ease
of murder but manslaughter".
Touc hing as this case is,
& trying as it must be to the mother and the brothers, I
did not perceive any more unequivocal signs of tenderness,
and interest, and distress, in them, than I thought I
had seen in some of the people of Kauai, (on the subject
of religion) who have been warned to flee from the wrath
to come and lay hold on eternal life, who confess that
they are sinners, and exposed to death, & who call on
God for help.
Our friend Capt. Brayton came off in his boat and took
me on shore, gave me a hearty welcome, & accompanied me
home, where I was allowed with thankfulness to meet my
family in better health than I left them, & to resume my
regular round of missionary labors, where my principal at
tention has been required for twelve and a half years.
I
have reason to think ray health and spirits have been im-
�1431 *
proved by this excursion, and that m y general health
is now better than it was 5 years ago, and that we
all have new occasion for gratitude, from what I have
witnessed at Kauai, for all the smiles of heaven upon
our mission thus far.
Let all the glory be to him
to whom alone it is due, if a few hundreds have been
raised up to his praise, from this great valley of
dry bones, and if the spirit is beginning now to blow afresh
upon the great remainder which are
? very dry. May
those who are called to prophesy here, and those who pray
in foreign lands for us, all feel, and deeply & habitually
feel, -that without the aid of the spirit, to move the hearts of
our hearers, we might as well preach among the tombs, or
command the stones to become the children of Abraham.
But the residue of the spirit is with him.
His arm is
not shortened that it cannot saw nor his ear heavy that
it cannot hear.
0 that his spirit might come down upon
us like a mighty rushing wind, & fill the land and c o n
vert the souls of the nation to God, and cause them to
fly as clouds and as doves to their windows, to enter into
the kingdom of Christ.
H. Bingham
P.S. Nov. 26.
I have endeavored to give you as full
an account of my excursion as circumstances would admit
and as would be of any material service in enabling you
to judge yourself of the state of the people, the nature
of our intercourse with them, and of the evidence we
have that some are the subjects of conviction, and of
conversion by the spirit of God.
I have been the more
particular, that you might mark the difference between
what appears here and what appears among those who from
children have resisted the clear shining of the light, as it may be of some use to us and our brethren, by
furnishing you as definite means as are in my power of
adapting your specific advice to our circumstances, and
your prayers, to our necessities, while the great work
of evangelizing the world is going forward, & you are
called to speak through your missionaries to many of
the darkest nations of the earth. - I have been the more
particular in writing out various dialogues between
myself and individuals who were supposed to be more
or less interested, in a season of revival, whether
their answers to various unlooked for questions, would
describe their own state to you better than I could
tell it, and because Mr. G. felt that he had not time
to give you many of these particulars, & would approve
of my being very full and minute as to what I saw ft
heard; while he gives you a general view of the work
which I heard read, & which I have forwarded by the
ship Rodman - I have sketched this narrative rudely,
in the midst of other labors.
Badly as it is done, it
will give you one more proof of my willingness to write
�1432.
you when I c a n .
Pray excuse it, and believe me, as ever, affectionately
your brother & fellow laborer in the gospel
H. Bingham.
�1433.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 15.
Oahu Dec. 19, 1832.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Dear Sir
Your letter to the Mission by the Rasselas was duly
received and has afforded us much pleasure.
Circumstances do not allow us at present to give the
voice of the whole body in reply to every part of this
very interesting communication, still we have thought
it desirable to try to do something before the general
meeting towards furnishing an answer to the 16 important
questions which you proposed.
But perhaps we cannot
accomplish it at present better than by refering you
to the letter of the last meeting, and to the letter
of the printing committee and other particular letters
required by that meeting.
Perhaps a full answer will be given by the next general
meeting.
It seems desirable that the questions should
all be very carefully, deliberately and as definitely
as possible, answered by the whole meeting, as different
individuals view ‘things differently and many things
implied in the questions are supposed to depend on our
judgment or conjecture in reference to the future.
I will undertake to furnish a few hints on several points.
Should choose to write again.
1. As to the number of readers at the islands who might
be able to derive instruction and benefit from the
perusal of parts or the whole of the sacred volume if
they were supplied.
I think from our returns, it would
be safe to say 23,000.
It is hoped this number may be
increased 2,000 a year with our present means, unless we
meet with some unforeseen reverse.
2. As to the extent to which they are supplied, say that
4,000 or 5,000 have received the whole volume of the
new Testament, that ten thousand more have received equal
to 1/3 of the N. Testament - and 5,000 more have received
a portion of it equal to Luke or Acts - and three thousand
more, have received the sermon on the mount, as their
only portion of the N .Testament.
Apply the Same rule of distribution to the portions
published from the old Testament - ? portions of Gen.
�1434.
Ex. L ev. Joshua and 23 Ps. and you will have a
tolerable idea of the extent to which the readers
are supplied with the scriptures. - Many of our
tracts may have gone in the hands of those who
are learning hut not returned as readers.
I fear we have not been liberal enough in the gratuitous
distribution of the scriptures.
3.
When the people will be generally able to read, it
is not easy to predict, - Suppose the increase of
readers to be 2,000 a year, the average number to be
supplied with books, tracts, bibles &c will be 38,000,
during 15 years.
4.
The readers receive the scriptures with a good degree
of interest and many are ready to buy them at a reason
able rate. Many appear to be unable to buy at all, who
are still glad to receive & read, and study the scrip
tures.
Probably 6 or 8 thousand have commenced the
verse system.
5.
The N ew Testament, ? , Genesis, Exodus, Numbers,
Joshua, have all with parts omitted been printed, a part
of Leviticus and 23 Ps.
6.
In the translation great care is taken to follow
the original, and with the aid of the best Lexicon, &
conversations, ? the best native's assistants, to give
an exact, and faithful translation, availing ourselves
of the aid of Krapp, Grisbeck, Robinson, Gibbs, Somonis,
& M u charles, Schlernes, & the best ? we can command,
The common Esq. Campbell in the ? ? ?
? &c.
7.
The whole Bible may be translated in 5 years, and
issued in separate books in editions of 10,000 copies after which a uniform edition should be undertaken of
10
to 20,000 copies.
8. 10,000 Bibles would cost 20,000 doll. and 20,000
Testaments would cost about 16,000 doll. This may be
gathered from the following estimate made with care on
the new Testament 10,000 copies.
For the composition of one form = (13 1/2 thousand ems
at, 18 per thousand
2.43
Presswork
42 tokens - 20 cuts
8.40
Folding 220 Quires
- 2 cuts
4.40
?
work
1 .25
Total for printing one signa16.45
ture
Whole New Testament 43 signatures, or 516 pages
43 signatures
3 per cent for trans
portation of cash.
( cont. )
7 08.64
21.25
�1435.
Brot. over
Rollers
Paper 473 Reams, at 3.12 1/2
Types 500 lb. long primer at 50
Ink one ob. a signature at 75
Proof reading
Half of Printers support
Office rent
Wear and tare
Binding, 6 for skins, 2 for
Pasteboard imported & 4 1/2 for
the work = 12 1/2
Superintendence of the binding
Total for 10,000 copies aside
from the expense of translation,
and secular agency
For 20,000 do
do
=
Secular Agency 5 percent
Translation 516 pages at 2.00
Total
729.89
27.00
1478.12 1/2
250.00
32.27
50.00
250.00
50.00
15.00
1250.00
125 00
4 2 5 7 . 2 8 1/2 ÷ 10,000 =
4257 a copy.
514.57
425.72
1032.00
2.29
÷
20,000 =
49 cents 8 mills
& 6/10 a copy
The grant from the Bible Society of 5000 dollars will
furnish 10,000 copies of the N ew Testament.
This would be 43 weeks work for one press - We could use
1000 Reams a year.
We can issue tracts, stiched & trimmed in printed covers
or bound in small volumes 12 mo - like the ordinary
publications of the Am. Tract Society, at a mill a page
or a doll, a thousand pages - without any pecuniary
sacrifice if funds are furnished for that purpose.
In 15 years to come, in all probability, it will be re
quired, to furnish 30,000 readers, or 30,000 families
with a Bible, = 60,000 doll. - and each one outs work
of tracts a month, for the whole period - 54,000 = 174,000.
This is moderate, and the people themselves must do it,
(hole in paper) Christian public must help them - What is
done for the present generation must be done soon.
Supose a generation to pass away in 30 years - then 75,000
of the Sandwich Islands will pass away in 15 years - and
15,000 of our readers will if favorably or amply supplied,
lay aside their books and tracts for the solemnities of
the grace & the Judgment.
I fear we are greatly too slow in furnishing them - &
that we hold our books too high or two close. But then
how are you missions to be supported?
how are w e if our
books will not aid us? - take away all aid from the sale
of books - and allow 500 doll. to a family - and in 15
years - we shall cost the enormous sum of 210,000 or
14,000 doll. a year. What shall be done? - We must live
�1436
more economically - labor with more ardor & diligence,
& the friends of the heathen must help with a liberal
hand, and a praying heart.
Means must be divis ed for
making books cheaper here, & in other parts of the
world - & Missionaries, and Missionary Agents, & con
tributors must be more holy & active - And the Lord mast
o the work.
I shall write to the Tract Society soon,
perhaps to the Bible Society.
Have recently written
to the Society of Inquiry at Andover & Amherst, and to
yourself - by Ship inn, Capt. Brayton.
We shall soon
report the state of the Marquesas mission contemplated.
d
M y cordial salutations to the gentlemen at the rooms.
Pray that you may have the happiness of aiding and direct
ing a thousand missionaries going annually forth from the
United States to every part of the world when their labors
are receded - that the purest generation may hear, believe
and be sound.
Your affectionate brother
H. Bingham.
To: R e v . Rufus Anderson,
A s s . Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S. America.
Recd. Sep. 30, 1833.
Ack. in Gen. Letter Oct. 30
Per Diana, Capt. Carter.
�67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 16
Rev. B.B.Wiener D.D.
Revd. & dear Sir
I have just committed to the hands of Mr. Paty a long
letter to Mr. Anderson, and another to Mr. Hallock en
closed to you, & which I beg you will forward to him
with a copy of our "daily Food" for verse learners.
I hope Mr. Paty will call at the Rooms.
He is one of
the builders of the "Oahu Charity School" erected b y
subscription at the expense of 2000 doll, for the bene
fit of the children of foreigners, who are at present
instructed by Mr. & Mrs. Johnstone.
He is connected
with Capt. Nye in business, where for 6 months past
the friends of intemperance have not been able to procure the destructive luxury of ardent spirits, & he
would I think be able to answer some inquiries which
you would like to make of one of our very quiet neighbors.
We have seen a brief notice of the last meeting of
the Board and observe with pleasure your name among the
secretaries.
May the Great Director of Christian Missions
guide, strengthen, sustain, comfort & prosper you in
the active, humble, faithful discharge of the duties of
that highly responsible post, where Worcester, Evarts
& Cornelius stood, and burned, & shined, with cheering,
guiding, & irreproachable light, till fit for brighter
scenes, they were admitted to the joy of their Lord in
the N ew Jerusalem.
There may you meet them and receive
as bright a crown, after a long, & happy and very useful
life, devolved to Christ, the interests of the church &
the conversion of the world.
As a trifling token of my fellowship with you in the
missionary work, I beg you will accept a copy of my b i b
lical history, which though very small contains a pretty
full outline of the history of the bible, & probably
cost me more labor them it would you to write a half a
dozen volumes.
We have looked in vain to see that the order of the U.S.
Court for the release of our brethren from the Georgia
prison has been obeyed tho we have seen the Heralds sent
to Capt. Hirckly as late as September, and have seen ?
papers as late as Dec .
We cannot make up our minds that George or South Carolina,
will declare their independence or wage war with the union,
although they talk loud and hard.
�1438.
The Sandwich Islands is not the only scene of strife.
The Lord reigns - let the earth rejoice. Let the
multitude of the isles be glad thereof.
Affectionately your brother
H. Bingham
P.S. Kinau, the friendly chieftain in whom we have
much confidence, has directed me to give her aloha to
our friends in America.
We are hourly expecting the chaplain for the Port of
Honolulu.
We rejoice in the prospect and shall hail
his arrival.
He will need & I trust (hole in paper)
much of that charity which is "not (hole) provoked" By the Statistical view I enclosed, you will see the
extent of his field.
H.B.
To: Rev. B.B.Wisner, D.D.
Sec. A.B.C.F.M/,
Missionary Rooms,
28 Cornhill, Boston.
Obliged by Mr. Henry Paty.
Recd. Oct. 25, 1833.
Ansd. D ec . 16, 1833.
Ack. in Gen. Letter Oct. 30.
�67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Seoond
Letter 17
Oahu May 7, 1833.
Dear Brother
A very unexpected opportunity occurs to forward letters
by way of Manilla, & I am happy to avail myself of it
to drop you a line though in haste.
I wrote last month,
and forwarded a package to the rooms, containing a
letter to you of M arch 20 & April 9, a letter to D r .
Wiener, of April 13, enclosing a letter to the H. Tract
Soc. with some trifling tokens of friendship from our
press, by the hand of Mr. Paty, who sailed with Mr.
J.C. Jones, expecting to meet Capt. Heele of the Chalcedary
at Calafornia by which to return to Boston.
In those communications you will find some occasion for
solicitude but none for despair.
The king tho he has assumed his full powers, is still
accessible, is still in the hands of the same almighty
& alwise providence which has so wonderfully marked out
our w a y , and prospered the work of our hands - Last
evening he came at my invitation and in a very social
manner took tea with us. - at his own suggestion stayed
unexpectedly till 9 o'clock through the exercises of
our monthly concert prayermeeting in English & joined
with us in singing the hymns one of which was Bishops
Heber Missionary hymn the tune to which b y Mr. L. Mason
he has correctly learned.
God enabled us I trust to
pray for the king of the Sandwich Islands with the hope
that all the prayers that have been offered for him will
not have been in vain.
I can
?
remember when I have more freedom in prayer.
It was a solemn time.
And we hoped the spirit helped
us - We had on the 1st inst. been allowed to hail the
arrival of the fifth reinforcement of our mission, and
the arrival of the chaplain for this port.
On the 2 inst. I had the pleasure of introducing the
brothers and sisters of our mission to K i n a u , Kekauluohe,
Kaiheowa, Debora &c, & on the 3rd to Kauekeaouli and
Kuakine.
The king received them very civilly - & a p
peared pleased to welcome their arrival.
Kinau and
the others very cordially.
We rejoice at the arrival of Mr. Deill in hope that he
will not only do great good to the cause of seamen,
but be an important coajutor with use in his indirect
efforts to benefit the nation - greatly relieving us of
one very important branch of our labor, to which we have
�1440.
devoted considerable attention for 13 years, as you
are aware, particularly, since, 2 years past, we have
in general given weekly two sermons in English care
fully prepared, besides a weekly lecture or conference.
A stone schoolhouse has lately been erected by sub
scription, where pleasant accommodations are afforded by
the trustees for a small audience of about 100 persons. this was nearly filled last Sabbath morning at 11 o'clock
when Dr. Diell entered on his arduous self denying course
and was listened to with respectful & pleasing attention,
while he conducted the services, and addressed his hearers,
from a very appropriately chosen text - "Hinder me not
seeing the Lord hath prospered m y w a y ” , from which he
exhibited the sentiment that 'the review of God's goodness
towards us ought to induce us to devote all our energies
to his services, & to the good of our fellow men' - made
a very easy reference to the smiles of providence on the
cause of seamen, and on his particular enterprise thus
far, and very reasonably & seasonably called on all for
cooperation.
We bid him God speed, hold ourselves ready to aid his
objects, and to second his labors - We trust he has
entered on the work with large measures of that wisdom
& moral courage which it demands, that humility &
ardor of piety, & patience of toil & suffering to which
he will be called, & much of that charity which is ”not
easily provoked".
Last evening I read publicly at our monthly concert, in
my front room, consecrated for such purposes, your in
structions to the fifth reinforcement, & we felt it good
to review with you, the wonderful dealings of providence
with this mission thus far, & tho' i n less prosperous
circumstances than you & our friends are accustomed to
pray for, to look forward to the time when light would
break forth anew; and extent its benign influence to
the mass of the population, and to the period when the
churches at home would no longer be burdened with a
heavy taxation for the support of missionary operations
here.
None of the interest of our meeting, even in the
perusal of the instructions, was diminished by having
the presence of the young king, & two or three foreign
residents, for whom favorable hopes are entertained.
On Sabbath morning I preached to our people from
I Chron. 12, 18, in reference to the arrival of new helpers.
"Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the
captains and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy
side thou son of Jesse, Peac e, peace, be unto thee & peace
be to the helpers for thy God helpeth thee".
Remarked
on the union, fellowship & cooperation among the follow
ers of the true David, the greatness & importance of the
work which they have to accomplish the prosperity that
�1441,
has attended and will attend their efforts - since the
Almighty, all gracious & unchanging God is their helper,
will bring his work to its consummation in due time.
The strain of the instructions of the Prudential com
mittee, of Mr. Diell's introductory discourse, & of this
subject all seemed to harmonize, as I hope your efforts
& ours, those of the Seamen’s Friend Society & of their
Chaplain here may always harmonize.
Thus we are streng
thened, & thus we hope to be still, so long as God may
have any work for us to do. M y sermon in the afternoon
of 8 ch. was from II Cor. II - 14-17.
The sum of the three last monthly concert contributions
(by natives only) at this place amounts to about 100 doll,
for sending the gospel abroad.
We have occasion to rejoice in the prosperity of the Board,
and the openings for their efforts in ? E. Asia and other
ports. - With the reorganization of the department of
correspondence, & the manner in w h i c h is now filled I am
well satisfied & presume the feelings of the mission will
fully accord.
The Marquesas question appears to be about as puzzling
to you as it does to us. - We have made vigorous efforts
to get possession there, in compliance with instructions
from the Board, presuming that in your estimation the
field was open to us notwithstanding prior attempts of a
Sister Society - & presuming you & they understood each
other.
The views of the Society Islands Missionaries, our
correspondents have been transmitted to you, but we know
nothing further of the views of the society unless the
article you have copied from the chronicle from that
society throws open the whole Marquesas to the efforts of
Brittish churches as well as the Navigators.
Tho we were
receiving proposals for the charter of a vessel to convey
a mission thither next July, tho not absolutely and finally
resolved on, must not now wait till we hear from you again,
or till we learn you have resolved to send a mission
directly from your shores to Nuuhiva? And must we not
therefore locate the unsettled brethren here?
I attempted to aid the deputation which we sent, as well
as to facilitate the introduction of the gospel among
the Marquesas - by preparing & printing a little elementary
book of 16 pages, 16 mo. but it is thought to be not
very correct. M y means were very limited.
I availed
myself of the assistance of two or three natives of those
Islands, who reside among us, but, they easily allow them
selves, here, to depart from their own, to follow the
style &. idiom of the Sandwich Island dialect. - I per
ceive there is some diversity among the natives of dif
ferent islands of that group, vastly more than there was
�1442.
here.
So that a name or phrase which would suit one
island would not certainly suit all equally.
I have since learned that Mr. Crook had done something
towards a spelling book & had printed 8 pages, & that
some others of the L.M.Society's missionaries had
undertaken something of that kind.
Who shall give them letters? Who shall translate the
Bible for them?
- Who shall preach Jesus to them?
and solemn questions, which seem not to admit of prompt
answers - A recent letter from Mr. Pritchard assures
us that they have heard nothing yet from this society
in reply to their application for missionaries for the
Marquesas - that Mr. Williams' scheme had been ? ,
and their anticipated visit to these islands this spring,
by which we were assured we should have further informa
tion, is given up.
They have war at Tahiti, but of the cause, the character,
& extent & prospects, we are not distinctly informed.
Mr. Pritchard to Mr. Tinker says, The Queens party lost
about 5 or 6, & the opposite party about 22 - many wounded
on both sides.
He is about to visit Eng. as he expects.
He says (March 2/33)
"I am happy to hear that you met with as favorable a
reception at Nuguhiva.
When they go to commence the
mission there, I hope they will succeed.
We have not
yet heard from England, consequently do not know whether
our Directors will send any out for those islands.
I
should think it most likely that they will not.
They
must have heard what your society is doing".
This of course is cloudy enough. Mr.Ellis has written
us without alluding to the subject at all. - so we get
no light from that quarter when we might have anticipated
it, if he had expected us to direct our attention to
that field.
I have seen the ill natured and ill advised pamphlet of
T.E.Jarvis, Esq. on the settlement of the Sandwich Islands,
I have shown it to the young king - Mr. Ellis had the
kindness to forward it to me, & also to send information
to the proper quarter to prevent the mischief intended.
I often think how Mr. Ellis & M r . (hole in paper) have
it in their power "to succor out Of the city" The Lord bless you & your beloved associates, & all that
�1443
pray for the Sandwich Islands mission.
Your affectionate brother
H. Bingham
(excuse errors)
To: R e v Rufus Anderson,
Asso. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Via Manilla
Recd.Jan. 20 ,1834.
Ackd. May 7, 1834.
�1444.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 18.
Oahu, June 1, 1833.
R ev.& Dear Sir
One of the Whale Ships having recently changed her
destination, gives us an opportunity to send a line
more direct to your shores than the recent conveyance
by way of Manilla of which I availed myself to for
ward you a letter announcing the arrival of the fifth
reinforcement, and of the Seamen's Chaplain for this
port.
They all arrived in comfortable health except Mr.
Puller who we are sorry to say is quite ill, subject
to much pain in his head, and frequent mental aberration,
for several months past, almost from the commencement
of the voyage, & from which he seems not likely soon
to recover - N o reliance can be placed on his aid.
Mr. Shepard is declining.
M r . R ogers has expressed
a wish to be permanently connected with the Mission &
has recently received the hand of Miss Ward.
The period of our Annual General Meeting has now arrived,
& most of the brethren are assembling at Lahaina.
Mr. & Mrs. Armstrong, Mr. & M r s . Alexander, Mr. & Mrs.
Parker, Mr. & Mrs. Emerson, Messrs. Clark, Whitney &
R ogers have in succession gone up, & I expect to embark
on Monday with Mr. & Mrs. Sm ith, & Mr. & Mr s . Gulick,
the three latter of whom are at present indisposed.
Though your letter to the Mission has rather thrown
a check upon our ardor in reference to the Marquesas,
still as we hear of no new efforts of the Enlish Society
& as we learn that 16 ships have recently put in at
Massachusetts Bay for water & refreshments, & that the
chiefs there have built a house for missionaries anticipated
and promised - we are not entirely at rest yet - The
questions must come up, shall any of us go there? and Who?
The Dbaull has recently put in here bound to Tahiti &
offers to take 3 mission families to the Washington Islands,
at 600 doll. a month
? for the 20 inst. till they are
disembarked, and going the shortest route.
All things as they are, would it be right or wrong expedient or inexpedient to go?
�1445.
The question of location will occupy some attention
to know, & agree, where to place our men most advan
tageously.
There are five preachers to be located, & if they do
not go to the Marquesas, there is room & work enough
for them here.
Kauai needs another fresh hand.
Oahu also, & Maui, & Monkai & Hawaii.
Nay 2 on this
island, 2 on Maui, & 2 on Hawaii would find room &
work enough.
Since the king has assumed as fully as he can his
regal power, some of the regulations restraining vi c e &
crime have been relaxed, & the cause of instruction some
what embarrassed particularly at this place - This makes
more work for us, but does not perhaps furnish any
argument in reality against carrying the gospel to
other cities.
We are not without our fears that we may see a (hole in
paper) here to limit the purogatives of those in power.
But our hope is in God.
Let us not despair while he
reigns.
Many things are likely to be said by all of our number
with reference to the king & chiefs - some of which we
should not like to see back again here.
At present
caution should be observed in publishing anything which
could give just cause of offence to the king.
Much more
caution than we are likely to use in writing, as you
have said you wish to be fully informed - & we tell things
about our neighbors sometimes whi ch th e y think rather
hard & not the less so because they are true.
I write this in great fatigue & lassitude, or with my
mind jaded either, with care, or labor, or d ?
, or
bad management, and with too much haste. - In most of our
churches we have several oases of discipline, we have
3 at this place including Saml . J. Mills whom I have
before mentioned - but of whom there is no w little hope.
He is Agent for the king in managing a Brig, & in the
care of prisoners, deserters from ships &c. - e x c eedingly
exposed to temptation, which in such circumstances he
is not, or appears not to be, able to withstand - Some
of our members appear well in laboring to reclaim him.
Offe n c e s must come - & we must meet them, but woe to
him by whom the offence cometh.
You will kindly excuse what is ill done though well
intended & expect by the next conveyance a full account
�1446.
of our affairs for the general meeting,
Affectionately your Brother
H . Bingham
To: Rufus Anderson
Associate Secy. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Rec d. Jan. 23, 1834.
A ckd. May 7, 1834.
Ansd. Dec . 3.
- & believe me
�67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 19
Honolulu Aug. 16, 1833.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
Your kind letters of Dec . 20 & 24/32 have been duly
received by the Hellesport which brings Temperance
merchants to this port.
I wrote to you March 20;
April 9 & May 7/33, the last via Manilla, & the former
with a package to go b y the Chalcedony from the coast,
around Cape Horn.
By the same c onveyance I wrote to
Dr. Wisner and enclosed a letter T o the American tract
Society in which I think you will find the most impor
tant inquiries, in your last,anticipated.
I have
before addressed to you a brief answer to several in
quiries of the same nature, but intended to make a more
full and official answer at the general meeting which
? in June at Lahaina; I was appointed however to write
to the Lond. Miss. Society & to the A . Bible Society.
The Gen. letter of the mission to the Board, was assigned
to Mr. Andrews & the particular part of it which from
my connexion & acquaintance with the office I had rather
anticipated, was assigned to M r . Thurston.
From that
quarter you will then expect an answer to all your ques
tions contained in your general letter to the mission.
I have not seen the result.
Should there be any de
ficiency in reference to the printing department, not
anticipated in our letters of the last year, I will en
deavor to supply it either in my letter to the Bible
Society enclosed to you, or otherwise so as to meet as
fully as possible your inquiries.
You ask if we have two establishments.
As yet we have
but one, and it is not likely we shall ever have one
at Kailua when their washing must be done 4 miles from
home, and their water to drink must be brought that
distance on the shoulders of natives.
We are able to
print 10,000,000 a year, or equal to 20,000 copies of
the N.Testament at our establishment at Honolulu,
We
printed 9 1/2 millions last year.
Muc h of it was on a
small page.
With the addition of our new press by the
Hellesport which is highly recommended b y Mr. Harwood
the artisan who made it, -I think 10 or 12 million pages
12 mo. quite possible. - We shall send one of the old
Ramage presses to the high school not for publishing books
for the nation but to facilitate the business of preparing
lessons for the school - and by the aid of the scholars,
preparing books for our other schools. Mr. Shepard lingers
on these shores yet. Mr. Fuller, from intense headache,
�& frequent mental aberration is totally disqualified for
rendering any aid to the department, and will probably
return by the first opportunity.
Mr. Rogers is much
occupied in the Bindery.
We shall need another printer
or a Binder without delay.
About 20 natives have acquired
some knowledge of printing, folding, binding &c ; 17 have
been employed at once. At present there is a serious
check on our school system, and of course on the issuing
of books.
The Rasselas brought out a considerable quan
tity of spirits.
The king has been induced to buy the
destroyer and to license the sale of i t . Staunch anti temperance men will rejoice at this, though it will be
to the cost of some of them.
The Hellesport brought
none of this bewitching, maddening, reason, life & soul
destroying article, & of this we are glad.
Six days
before her arrival, or on the 21 of July 1833, (I give
the date as a memorable one) Sabbath riding for amusement
(or rebellion) was introduced again at Honolulu after a
cessation of two years & four months, but under circum
stances so marked and so truly characteristic, that the
irreligious natives freely acknowledge it to have been
an act of impiety rather than anything suitable to the
Sabbath, or accordant with decency or morality.
The
majority of the riders were natives, some of then drunk,
one of them a member of the church, who has been dis
ciplined and has made his confession.
I believe that
the foreign residents allow that excesses have been
"carried too far".
Ten days after the ride on the Sabbath
from Honolulu to Waikiki, above mentioned, I heard Adams
expressing his regret at the excesses tolerated by the
king.
I said I think the foreigners are now ashamed of
it.
"Which of them?" he asked hastily.
I replied', "Mr.
Charlton & Mr. French & others", "W hy then did t h e y ride
with the king on the sabbath?" he asked.
I said "they did
not ride last Sabbath" . - He added, "Neither did the king".
He said that from the time he became Gov. at this place
he had prohibited riding on the Sabbath except in the
case of a person going to attend religious worship, or
of a physician attending to his business which might re
quire it, & that he had not during this whole period
given a license to sell liquors. - In one case he had a
cask seized as it passed along the street, supposing it
to be in violation of his prohibition, but finding it
contained wine he sent it back to the proprietor, who
instead of receiving it, made a charge of 90 doll. against
the Gov. for the value of the cask, and threatened to
appeal to the Govmt. of the United States to collect it.
He said he had not paid it, nor had he recently heard
anything more about it.
The Gov. sailed on the 1st inst.
for Hawaii.
Hoapili & his wife, Kaikiouoa & Kapiolani
are here, who with Kinau, Kekauluoki and Kekauonohi are
trying to come to some arrangement with the king by
which order may be restored and peace secured.
As this sheet may perhaps bring the first intelligence
�1449 .
to you respecting the results of the last General
Meeting it may be proper to say that we had previous
to the arrival of the Mentor gone so far, having our
efforts and plans on the instructions, the energy &
assurance with which the committee had espoused the cause
of the Nuuhivans, & finding those barbarians ready for
us, that we could not well retreat, unless superseded,
or former instructions countermanded, we therefore re
solved to go forward still farther, & beat a retreat
w h e n necessary.
On the 2 of July last, at 12 M. the Rev. Messrs. Alex
ander, Armstrong & Parker & their wives & two infant
children of the two former sailed on board the Daulle
Capt. Bancroft bound to Huuhiva.
They were commended to
God's care & blessing on the wharf, and accompanied on
Board by several of the missionaries & residents, to
whom with a becoming buoyancy of spirits they gave the
parting hand.
The Rev. Mr. Diell, Seamen's Chaplain
at this port kindly accompanied them out of the harbor.
With brisk N .E .Trades they were quickly out of sight
laying their course directly towards the Washington Is
lands, whither, in reliance on devine providence, they
have gone to set up a "banner" for Christ"in the name of
our God".
On the evening preceding their departure,
being monthly concert, Mr. Armstrong preached with ref
erence to this, enterprise from their and our appropriate
motto, which I trust they adopt with the Spirit of
Nehemiah, "The God of heaven, he will prosper us, there
fore we his servants will arise and build".
By the first
conveyance they will wish you to send them a physician,
printer and press, unless the London Miss. Society shall
on the whole choose to supply the whole field.
The letter
to that Soc. is fully prepared, & will be forwarded under
cover to you by as direct a route as the first whale ships
will offer. - I will try to send you herewith, two or
three specimens of the Nuuhivan elementary books which I
have prepared for them, and had printed here. - The prin
cipal reading lessons they have taken with them in type,
so that when they are able to correct the errors, they
can work off new impressions by hand (as proof sheets
are sometimes taken without a press) in case they should
need them before a press and printer can reach t hem from you.
Deborah the exqueen of Kauai was ver y desirous to accompany
them, as an assistant propagator of the gospel with her
husband, though she felt some concern about taking her
much loved little Josiah to that heathen land.
It was how
ever the wish of Kinau & Nahioraena that she should remain
here as they thought she might be useful to Kinau and to
the country at home.
With the hope of writing before long by returning Whaleships , I now close with affectionate salutations to your
self and coadjutors at the Rooms and subscribe myself
�1450.
Sincerely yours
H . Bingham.
P.S.
One of the members of our association has written
a severe criticism on some passages of Mr. Stewart's
journal at a visit to the South Seas, and by a vote of
the Association he w as requested to forward a copy of
it to the Rooms. - Men are much disposed at least very
liable, to go to extremes; & writers who undertake
directly to oppose other: writers, are not the least
apt to discover a tendency of this nature.
Perhaps the
reports of our brethren who visited the South Sea Islands
will be tinged a little with this imperfection, and it
would not be very strange if on a comparison of our
various letters you see something of it, that may em
barrass you.
I have read what is said in your last report respecting
the Sandwich Islands, and am much pleased with it.
The writer of the criticism above alluded to, and others
among us would not perhaps accord with your conclusion
that this is a c hristian, rather than a heathen nation.
Though there may be thousands ready to relapse into
Idolatry, as it was among the Jews - yet, if the Christian
religion is the religion of the country, if the government
acknowledge the bible, the sabbath, & c hristian institu
tions, - and not pagan - then the term Christian applies
better than heathen to the nation.
But if it be main
tained that much ignorance, pollution & wickedness make
the appellation heathen the most suitable, then Paris,
London and New York must be heathen cities for many scores
of thousands of the
? , profane, intemperate and extreme
ly ignorant in respect to divine truth, may be found there.
I particularly thank you for your kind notice of my
letters to you, received the last year - It seems that a
letter of April 6/32 arrived sooner than one of April 21/31
which last was forwarded to the coast of South America by
Mr. Jones about the time it was dated.
I wrote you
Feb. 16/32, May 22/32, June 8/32, June 23/32 (public letter
in part) Oct. 2/32 - Oct. 30/32 to Mr. Hill, as I embarked
for a visit to Kauai of which I sent you m y journal, &
a letter N ov./32 - If you have received all these (as
there has been time for it) you will find about the same
amount of pages & perhaps of matter, as you acknowledged
for the year before.
I may not have mentioned all. - I
am glad if my letters on the subject of temperance do
any good. They cost me some hard names & hard wishes
among some of my neighbors, and perhaps on account of the
publication particularly that published in the Journal
of Humanity a certain class here have been more disposed
�1451
than ever to oppose me, particularly a gentleman
from w h o m James probably borrowed his "stereotype"
stories, who threatens to cane, horsewhip or shoot
any missionary that shall publish his name again.
Threats like this are loud and boisterous and very
open of late.
Your kind return of our dear Sophia
was very gratifying to us both.
I shall beg to say
something about my children by & by.
Mrs. B. & myself have from the beginning ever endeavor
ed to make the Board very little expense. - We have
lived very economically, done many things with our own
hands rather than hire it at your expense - & often
gone without what might have been easily & reasonably
purchased with with money for our comfort and convenience
without going beyond others in expense or a very
moderate minister's salary at home.
As y o u have kindly
offered to allow me to draw something for Sophia's
support, & I have not yet consulted friends in Hartford,
I will just state that we have here 10 or 12 head of
cattle which have sprung from a calf given by Capt. Dixey
Wilds to Sophia in her early childhood, and they are
rapidly increasing now. - They are marked for the A. Board
They are perhaps worth 15 to 20 doll. each - What would
you prefer to have done with them?
There is about 100
head belonging to you. besides, at our stations.
And
those from Sophia's, both cows & oxen are used like the
others for the benefit of the mission.
H.B.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Associate Secy. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Ma s s . U.S. America.
Care of Mr. Hooper, Hellesport.
Recd . March 28, 1834.
Ackd. May 7, 1834.
Ansd. D ec. 3.
�1452,
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 20.
Honolulu Oct . 8, 1833.
Rev. R. Anderson,
For. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Dear Brother,
By the Lagoda which arrived on the 4 inst. your long
letter, full of interesting matter, to the mission
was received, in which a good deal of work is laid
out for u s , much of it of a very pleasant kind &
some the reverse.
It may be some relief to your
.feelings to hear that during the 6 months between the
dates of the complaints against Mr. G. (which I think
the mission did not know nor Mr. G. had been sent till
your letter arrived) and the date of your letter to
us on the subject.
M r . Goodrich, with feeble health,
made the tour of Hawaii, preached about 60 times b e
sides, his preaching occasionally at the out stations,
administered medicine to about 200 patients, drew from
observation, a map of Hawaii; generally when at home,
worked in his garden from half an hour before sunrise
till 7, spent 2 or three hours a day in study, am hour
an
d a half teaching school, and about the same time
teaching his own children, while Mrs. G. was teaching
natives.
It is not m y object to justify M r . G. or to
exonerate the mission in reference to their arrangements,
but to relieve the committee in some measure from the
difficulty in accounting for the location of three men
at Hilo when we said the Board ought, at least, to
maintain two there'.
Mr. G. had labored almost alone
at Hilo for several years and I suppose was useful.
He had just got into a comfortable house when he was
called away by the Mission to labor a year at Honolulu,
when he thought his own health & that of Mrs. G . 's suf
fered so much that it was reasonable on the arrival of
M r . Rogers, that he should return, if he chose it.
This none could deny. - In that case, it was obviously
better to have three men there than only one.
N ay, three
efficient men is now insisted on by Mr. Dibble as th e
least proper supply of Hilo. - As to its being "contem
plated that Mr. Goodrich should be dissolved from his
pastoral relation to the chh. at Hilo when that station
should b e reinforced", I was not aware of the fact, till
I learned it from your extracts from Mr. Dibble &
Lyman's letter, - Mr. G. was ordained at Kailua when
there was no church at Hilo.
He gathered a little church
there & was confirmed in the Pastorship by vote of our
association in 1830 ne arly two years after the arrival
of Messrs. Green & Andrews, both of whom recommended it. -
�1453.
At that time, there was no other proper opening for
Mr. Green but at Hilo, unless he took a new station,
and he could not bring his mind to be joint Pastor
with Mr. Goodrich.
This may be the case with others.
Perhaps I have said enough, not to exonerate any man
or class of men, but to explain what seems to you a
mystery - I really suppose Mr. Goodrich to be just such
a man as your Recording Secretary, knew him to be when
he recommended him to the Board. - What the mission can
do in the case, or what they will do, I cannot predict.
We have a committee to
consult with him on a change of
location,
I have not failed to notice Mr. Goodrich's
course, & to admonish & prompt him to action as I thought
my duty required.
I presume others have done the same.
In a letter to me dated April 1/33 he says.
"I received your kind communication just as I w a s making
preparation to set out on a tour of the Islands.
One
great object was to try in some humble measure to comply
with your parting, paternal counsel to do the work of
an evangelist" - In his last letter to me dated Sept. 14/33
he speaks of having spent three days of fasting under a
? of sin and unworthiness, and after quoting a passage
from Brainerd, where he speaks of his delight in serving
God, M r . Goodrich says, "Oh that I could
aim without
sin, with supreme love, with untiring zeal in the cause
of this blessed king of Heaven.
Seeing that there is
so much sin mixed in all that I do, that I hardly dare
hope in his mercy, I humbly desire to repent of my sins,
& sin in my repentance, I pray for forgiveness and sin
in my prayers.
When shall it be that I shall serve him
without sin, with my whole heart, with love supreme".
At the time Mr. Goodrich returned to Hilo we were over ?
full at Honolulu, having 5 laymen, or secular men, & from
one to 5 preachers - this may be some apology for not
detaining Mr. Goodrich and his family of four children.
Our accommodations were not sufficient for those who
remained, though M r . Clark spent part of the season at
Waialua. Mr. G. had a good house at Hilo, where he hoped
to have better health & be among the people to whom he
was attached. - I had always hoped that a wise and
prudent man at Hilo could help Mr. Goodric h to benefit
the people there.
With these facts before you I feel
assured you will not be disposed to censure me severely
for not entering a complaint at the Rooms against Mr. G.
nor for not stating very explicitly why three men rather
than two was placed at Hilo in 1832. I cannot go into
the subject now, & perhaps it will not be necessary at
all.
I have hastily written the above in a jaded state
when I ought to have been in bed, but as the package to
cross the continent is to be closed in the morning I
�1454.
thought I would send you a preface at least of
what you ask for on one point.
I would gladly
now give you an account of our proceedings respect
ing the Marquesas Mission, which, in the kind Providence
of God, is at length planted.
But I beg to refer you
to the accompanying 24 pages which are chiefly taken
up with that subject and which I beg you will forward
to London.
Whether Mr. Andrews, in the General letter
to you will take it up as fully, is uncertain.
You
will doubtless be glad to make sure of the facts, &
see the views we have taken, & make what use of them
your wisdom shall dictate - You will of course know
better how to treat with the Sister Society, for
having this early account which we send to them through
you. - The official letter of the mission to M r . Ellis,
was not only approved but the distinctive feature of
it, at which you may, perhaps, startle, was insisted
on by the brethren enlisted in the Mission to the
Marquesas - particularly by Mr. Alexander. - A copy
was forwarded by them to the Missionaries at the
Georgian & Society Islands, & we understand they ap
prove.
I wrote you in March 20/33 and April 9/33, also to
D r . Wiener April 13 enclosing a letter to Tract S.
& to yourself, May 7/33 and Aug. 16 1833.
I have begun to write to D r . Edwards, but Mr. Chamberlain says if I sent it, I "must not be afraid of steel".
I shall not probably send him the two sheets I have
written.
The occasion of my taking up my pen for that
purpose was the circumstances of my translating a
letter for him, from Gov. Adams, by the Hellesport.
M r . Fuller's health has failed.
see an accomplished bookbinder.
We shall be glad to
I must try soon to prepare a letter for the Bible Society,
if I have strength and wisdom given me to accomplish
it - M y head aches.
I must close.
With very kind salutations I remain yours faithfully in
the gospel
H. Bingham.
Recd. March 8, 1834.
Ackd. May 7, 1834.
Ansd . Dec. 3.
�1455.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Oahu, Honolulu,
Letter 21
Oct. 9, 1833.
R e v . Rufus Anderson,
Se c . A.B.C .F .M.
Dear Brother,
Since closing my account of the mission to the
Marquesas, which I enclosed to you with a note of this
day's date, the B r i g a d i n e Dhau lle, Capt. Bancroft has
arrived from the Marquesas by way of Tahiti and brought
us letters dated at Nuuhiva from Aug. 13 to 21/33, from
our beloved brethren, who went forth with their wives
& little ones, on the 2nd of July, touched at Tahiti
on the 24th, reached Nuuhiva, the place of their des
tination, on the 10th of Aug. were welcomed on shore
on the 15th by Hape the old chief, & took leave of
their captain on the 21st of the same month.
As the Griffin, Capt. Little, bound to the coast of Cali
fornia is detained a few hours longer than was expected
I seize the opportunity to communicate by the same con
veyance the substance of the information which we have
now received; and which, I trust, while it will call
forth thanksgiving, that God is tendering his mercy at
the door of one of the darkest and most barbarous families
of the earth, will also help you & the friends of the
lost heathen to lift up your supplicating cries together,
that the offered mercy may be accepted, & that our
brethren and their wives and children may be kept in
safety from every danger, surrounded by debased heathens
who are shockingly destitute of modesty & decency, & given
up to the indulgence of lust, and the practice of such
vices and crimes a s claim kindred with human sacrifices
& cannibalism.
Voyage & arrival.
M r . Alexander says, "In the good providence of God we
arrived here safely last Saturday, Aug. 10-39 days from
Oahu.
Capt. Bancroft has uniformly treated us politely
& richly furnished our table".
They passed through the
"Dangerous Archepellago" going no further south than
19° - were 15 days from Tahiti.
Reception by the chiefs.
Mr. Alexander says "All the chiefs in this Bay (Massachusetts)
received us favorably as far as we can judge". Mr. Parker
says, "We oannot yet tell what are the feelings of the
people towards us, yet everything seems as favorable
�1456.
as we expected.
The chief here seemed highly gratified
at our arrival and has shown us such favors as it was
in his power to do. Houses were not built for us as
was reported at the Sand. Islds.
Nor was any prepara
tion made for Missionaries and indeed so far as we can
learn none were expected."
Mr. Alexander says, (on the 20 Aug.) "We are now safely
settled in Hape's house.
He lives just opposite us,
supplies us with Breadfruit and coaconuts, has given us
a pig, and Bananas, probably will not live long". M r .
Armstrong says of him "Owing to his vigilance we have
lost nothing yet of any consequence.
When our goods ware
landed he had himself carried to them and lay from morning
till night watching them.
He is ready to forsake his
gods and all his kapus. but most of his people say the
hamane (the book) is kikino (bad) but pauda (powder) is
motake (good).
Curiosity & indelicacy of the common people, in reference
to the ladies.
M r. Alexander says. "Nothing has excited
the curiosity of the natives so much as our wives and
children.
The lascivious gestures with which they are
constantly assailing our wives is shocking in the extreme.
I have no doubt but if we should leave our wives but a
little while, there are many who like ravening wild beasts
would make haste to abuse them - but the Lord is our
refuge & in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength".
Mr. Armstrong says, "S ome of them became almost completely
besides themselves when they first saw the ladies and the
children.
They jumped on the deck, made the most wild
gestures, and uttered the most deafening exclamations.
When the ladies came on deck it was difficult to keep the
natives from coming and taking hold of them.
They tried
to get them in their arms frequently".
General manners & appearance of the Marqusanes. Mr.
Armstrong says "I had not been on shore 5 minutes before
a woman threw her arms around me and expressed her las
civious desires - They are shockingly destitute of all
modesty & completely given up so far as I can see to the
indulgence of unclean lusts.
But these are naturally
a fine sorce of people, their form & Physiognomy please
me better than any Polynesians I have seen yet.
Their
minds seem to be keen and active, & independent, tho'
they are filled with all manner of iniquity.
There
appears to be but little subordination amongst them.
Every man is his own master, & you would have been a s
tonished to see how independently the naked creatures
would strut about the ship as though it all belonged to
them. Many of the women are quite handsome & so would
the men be if they were not so much tattooed. F rom what
I have seen I do not think they are so filthy in their
habits or houses as either the Sandwich or the Society
Islands.
When the women pretend to dress, they can do
�1457.
it with considerable taste.
We have not seen any of
the Talpis yet & do not think it safe to venture amongst
them, but we hope to be able to do it soon.
Human sacrifices.
Mr. Alexander says, "A king of the
gods in this bay, is now lying very ill, at whose death,
human sacrifices will doubtless be offered.
Two weeks
ago when serious apprehensions of his death were enter
tained, an assault was made on the Tai pis and several
killed".
Intemperance, manslaughter. & cannibalism at N uuhiva.
Under date of Aug. 13, M r . Alexander says, About a week
ago four foreigners and a number of natives went to a
valley on the opposite side of this island for kava a
root that makes an intoxicating drink.
The inhabitants
fell upon them and killed two of the foreigners and ate
them, the others made their escape in a boat". Mr.
Armstrong says, "The murder was owing to a dispute some
of these foreigners had had a short time before with
the chief of Taioa".
It is said the Marquesans are not
fond of rum, if so this, is a favorable circumstance.
Temperature at N uuhiva compared with Oahu. Mr. Armstrong
says ("the heat is very oppressive in the middle of the
day.
The thermometer commonly rises to about 85° & at
night falls to 76° or 77° . This is not higher than it
was at Honolulu at the same time.
It has repeatedly
risen to 87° here the summer past, and now stands at 80°
at 1/2 past 10 P.M.
Feelings of Morrison & other foreigners at Nuuhiva on their
arrival. M r . A rmstrong says, "The foreigners are quite
pleased with our coming, some of them intended to have
left the islands as soon as possible, had we not arrived,
owing to their fears of being killed".
Accommodations & feelings of the missionaries in their
new location.
M r . Parker says, "We staid on Board the
Brig five days after we came to anchor as we were
obliged to work some days on our houses before we could
go into them. We have now each of us a little room about
12 feet each way and a store house in one end of the
building.
We shall live here only a few months until we
can build native houses.
In residing here we shall feel
ourselves safe only as we have divine protection.
The
different tribes are constantly at war with each other.
We hope to have the prayers of all God's children at
the Sandwich Islands.
Remember us dear Sir & the
cause of our Savior in these dark Islands."
M r . Armstrong says "Hape and Moana received us very
cordially. He has given us his house to live in as there
was no other built.
We have divided his house into four
apartments leaving one for a store room which holds all
our goods, & though our rooms are not more than 12 feet
�1458.
square we are tolerably comfortable.
Pray for us
that we may succeed in our work and at last come off
conquorers".
Mr. Alexander says, "We prize our natives very much"
(meaning the three Hawaiian domestics they took with
them)
"I do not know what we should have done without
them.
Our cattle ashore doing well.
Our Tahitian cow
gives plenty of milk — Capt. Bancroft merits our high
regards for his gentlemanly conduct towards us, — We
are all in good spirits — pray for us - farewell."
Mr. Parker speaking of a boy who went with him from my
family, says, "Kalaira affords us much help.
He does
well so far as we know, though we fear he may not have
principle enough to withstand all the temptations to
which he will be here exposed".
This boy in a letter to
me says, "On account of your charging me, thus, "If any
one shall entice you, consent than not" therefore it is
plain to m e. Great is the love of Jehovah to us.
Our
hearts compassionate them on account of their dying in
darkness; they have not heard of Jesus & his word (or
they do not obey Jesus & his voice).
God pities them
while they often worship vain gods". Mr. Parker says
'they just begin to feel at home, & hopes for an early
opportunity to tell us of their prospects.
I have now embodied the information down from their sev
eral letters addressed to myself and other members of
this station. - You see how we catch at every word.
I
suppose our friends do the same at home when they get
a line from us. - They will doubtless write much more
fully & systematically to you by the first opportunity,
but we thought it important to forward this information
without the least delay, to help to direct the prayers
of our friends & to facilitate the maturing of your
plans for that field.
I will here add on the authority
of Mr. Smith a Passenger with them from America & from
this place to Tahiti, that Mr.(?hole in paper) is desig
nated by the missionaries to make a tour (hole) from
Tahiti to their out station and will expect to visit our
brethren at Taiohae or Massachusetts Bay N uuhiva in the
course of three or four months.
This will be a very kind
arrangement in case they should be in distress.
A
number of ships may probably touch there in the course of
6 months, from which they can get supplies or aid if they
need.
We have prayed, that, if the Lord would not go up with
them, he would hedge up their path so that they could
not go. But he has opened the way for their entrance
there, will he notbewith them? and bless them? Will he
not hear their prayers & yours?
Will not that nation be
given to Christ?
It will. - The harvest will be gathered
there, though the seed should be nourished by the blood
of martyrs & some of our beloved brothers & sisters
�1459.
should early fall a sacrifice to the zeal with which
they have gone up single handed into that camp of
uncircumc ised Philistines - If not one shall he left
to preach & plead like Stephen or Peter, the Author
of the gospel will "not fail nor he discouraged till
he have set judgement in the earth, and the sisters
shall wait for his laws” .
The old friendly chief Hape is quite ill, will not
perhaps continue long.
His early death may he a
detriment to the anticipated early success of our
brethren. But God, in whosecause they are engaged,
will take care of that.
The youthful M oana (or Kemoana)
may make a better ruler soon than he.
'We would not
trust in princes.
The king of Zion alone is worthy of
our confidence' - In him let the churches trust.
Affectionately yours in Christ
H. Bingham.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
For. Sec. A .B.C.F .M.,
Missionary Rooms,
28 Cornhill,
Boston, U.S. America.
Recd. March 8, 1834.
Ackd. May 7, 1834.
Ansd. Dec. 3 .
�1460.
67
P.S.
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 22.
Oct. 9
Dear Sir
It will be easy to see that the rough sheet which is
here invelpped tho' a sort of key for yourself, is
not intended for the public eye, & it will not be
difficult from it to infer that different views may
be taken of the same subjects by different individuals
all of whom may be seeking the truth & aiming at duty.
When I think of 60 individuals in our mission, sending
home their quires & reams of paper, not all squared &
trimmed, as they ought to be, I have reason for some
solicitude.
God grant his Servants at the Rooms a
hundred fold more wisdom than we possess.
Wisdom in
selecting men, in choosing their spheres of action, in
directing them, and in using their communications to
promote the glory of God.
Pray excuse the rudeness, and if you please the partial
views of my letter to you.
I do not pretend to give
a full view — If you think the letter will do harm,
destroy it before any other eye shall see it - Do the
same with this envelope, and any other letter I send
you in my own name. And if on the perusal of my letter
to Mr. Ellis you see a paragraph, a sentence, or a word
which you think I had better not have said, draw your
pen over it - I have no copy.
The other letter is
authorized by the mission - a copy has been forwarded
to the South - cannot be materially altered, but you
will be able to explain, modify, counteract as you
choose. - We shall be happy to know how it strikes your
minds.
Hope it will be forwarded with care. It is
a matter of regret that we had not a more full under
standing from the first. But it may be all for the
best.
Probably we shall have the whole field.
And a
very hard one it will be, without the Special grace of
God.
With God nothing is impossible.
May the prayers of God's people now go up in union
for the mission at the Sandwich & the Marquesas Isles,
& God we trust will send answers (hole in paper)
I am well
H. Bingham.
To: R e v Rufus Anderson,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms, 28 Cornhill,
Boston, U.S. America.
Recd. March 8, 1834. Ackd. May 7, 1834.
�1461
67
P.S.
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 23.
Oahu 16 Oct 1833.
The king attended church last Sabbath, just after hie
tour round Oahu - Joined the chiefs at my house on the
evening of the 14th at a social cup of tea, appeared
sociable & pleasant, sung with us 137 Ps. & Bishop
Heber's Miss. hymn.
Gave his consent that more mission
aries should be sent to these Islands.
H.B.
We hope to forward the enclosed by Capt. Little, Brig
Griffin, to the coast, to go by mail.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson
For. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
28 Cornhill,
Boston U.S.A.
By favor of Capt. Little, Brig Griffin
Recd. March 8, 1834.
A ck d . May 7.
Ands. Dec. 3.
\
�1462.
67
1831-1837
XXV I
Part Second
Oahu
Letter 24.
Oct. 15, 1833.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
Several letters have recently been put up to be for
warded to the Rooms across the continent by way of
Mexico, by w h ich, if they reach you as soon as it is
hoped, you will hear in 3 months of the arrival of the
Hellesport, and of the Logoda with supplies for us,
& also of the establishment of a Mission at N uuhiva,
where our brethren Alexander, Armstrong & Parker with
their wives took up their residence on the 15 of
August last amidst barbarians & cannibals, in the deep,
& dreadful gloom of Paganism, but with the hope that the
rays of the Sun of Righteousness would ere long dispel
that gloom, and illumine and purify the dark & polluted
hearts of the Marquesas idolators, feeling themselves
to be safe only as they should have divine protection.
The Printing Committee would hereby tender you cordial
thanks for the additional provision you have made for
carrying forward this branch of our work, which we have
received by the Hellesport and the Lagoda.
The new
printing press manufactured by our old friend B.R.Harwood,
the first rate standing press, Bookbinder's press, cutting
press, shears, all make a very valuable & truly accept
able addition to our means of manufacturing books, as
well as the p aper & materials for binding. All the
cuts for scripture History, & for geography, the new
and metal ornaments, & plates for skeleton and outline
maps will be useful.
Most of the scripture outs are very small but neat.
Thirty six of the more interesting of the small set have
been already used in an appendix of 9 pages to a 2nd
edition of the catechetical Scripture history of 10,000
copies, which was nearly through the press when the
outs arrived.
Other scripture outs if you can procure
them, conveniently, would be thankfully received, as
also any additional outs to illustrate the arts & usages
and customs of civilized life, manufactures, & c . We
hope to make good use of every article of the kind which
we receive, both by multiplying the attractions for our
books, & making them more instructive and impressive.
We have taken a proof of what you sent, and you would
be amused to see with what interest the king & older
chiefs examine them and enquire about them.
It appears that by mistake, no foreign letters were sent
with the font of Great Primer and the font of Minion.
�1463.
How we shall need foreign letters for both these fonts.
Especially shall we need them for the Minion if we at
tempt to fill up the skeleton and outline maps.
Though we might for some words use the larger kinds of
type in the office, still the need of the font is so
much felt that we think it desirable to write forthwith
across the continent to apply for what remains.
We request therefore that a regular English font of
30 lb of Minion be forwarded to us by the first conveyance,
which added to our Hawaiian letter of that kind (marked
E - 4 ) will make us a useful font of 60 lb. minion.
We request also that an ordinary English font of 30 lb.
Great Primer, be sent, to be added to our Hawaiian
letter of that kind.
Also that a few capitals for the beginning of Chapters.
2 lines Long Primer. N o. 2
A.E.I .O.U.
20 of each
H.K.L.M.H.P.W. 12 of each
B.D.C. F . G.J.Q.R.S.T.V.X.Y.& Z.
6 of e a c h .
Also for school cards, a Roman Alphabet, or two,
upper & lower case, of eight lines Pica.
4 Alphabets, upper and lower case,
four lines Pica.
6 Alphabets upper and lower case
American can o n , or a
regular Hawaiian font of 10 or 12 lb. of this size
type with a proper proportion of foreign letters.
6 Alphabets of Elegant Script which will answer in some
measure for Chyrographic copies for learners; or a
Stereotype plate containing the elements of letters, &
the alphabet, figures & c.
We shall attempt an Almanac, perhaps on a very limited
scale at first, though we hope it will eventually b e
to the Sandwich Islands what your "Christian Almanac " is
to the U.S. making all reasonable allowance for the
difference of Latitude & Longitude.
We wish therefore that appropriate signs & symbols for
the work may be sent us - The Zodiacal signs, Planetary
signs, Aspects & c, - cast to the size of Long primer.
Should we ever attempt a Hawaiian Herald a metal ornament,
appropriate, like Willis's Specimen 124 1/2 "I am set
for the defence of the gospel" on 184, "Behold I bring you
glad tidings" would render it, perhaps, more welcome to
the people. - The first of these, as it exhibits considerable
taste, and has a very literary aspect, we should like to
have, even if we should not use it for that purpose.
It
is rather too large for an octavo page.
Willis' 131 for
bills of Lading, would also be acceptable.
�1464.
Dr. Judd is engraving elementary Geometrical diagrams
to suit a translation of Holbrook's Geometry for
children, otherwise we should apply for a set of such
diagrams.
What further aid can you render us in this way, towards
teaching geometry, Astronomy, & N atural Phylosophy, &
Natural History, should any of the Sandwich Islanders
ever wish to learn? You have already sent 40 or 50
different beasts & birds, which would enable us to make
a good beginning in that branch. We will send a list
or a proof of what we have, hereafter, and hope to be
supplied with all reasonable facilities for the work
of instruction.
Very respectfully & affectionately yours
H. Bingham
E.W.Clark
L evi Chamberlain
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston.
Rec d. March 8, 1834.
Ackd. May 7, 1834.
�1465.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 25
Oahu March 20, 1833.
R ev. Mr. R. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
Your letter of June 22nd 1831 from N ew York City,
giving an account of the death of our lamented Mr.
Evarts with a package of books & pamphlets, I re
c eived safely on the fifth inst.
They have been nearly
two years on the way, and in justice & gratitude to
the gentlemen who seem kindly to have done the best
they could with them to get them to me, I will mention
the history of the Package with which I have been made
fully acquainted.
Capt. John Collings Long of the U.S.Sch. Dolphin an
excellent man, as I am told, & from whom I have received
a very kind note from the Bay of Calla o, left N ew York
in July 1831 and brought the package into the Pacific,
but had it not in his power to forward it directly to me.
He sent it therefore to the coast of Mexico in Nov.
1832 by Capt. Moses Hilliard of the McLellan of New York,
of whom he speaks as 'a good pious man who will do any
thing to forward it to m e '. B y a friendly note from him
dated at Marathan the 14 ult. received yesterday by Mr.
Thompson of the Sch. Unity, I learn that as he had no
opportunity on his arrival on that coast to forward the
package of books & letters to me he had sent them to
San B lass to be forwarded by the Ivonhoe.' On Capt.
Belah's "requesting Capt. Snow" (of the Ivonhoe) "to take
them he declined "as they were directed to a missionary".
Capt. Belah however "wisely left them for Mr. Perkins the
Supercargo" then on his way with his family from Boston,
across the Isthmus, by San Blass to the Sandwich Islands,
and to whom I presume I am indebted for bringing them
down.
I received them while the Ivonhoe was in this port,
tho this information came to me two or three days after
the Ivonhoe sailed for Manilla or Canton.
They were handed me by a little servant girl of Mrs.
Susan Reynolds, who said they were from M r . Reynolds.
Such is the history of the tour of your package of nearly
two years, in which it appears that every reasonable care
and attention has been bestowed to forward it, except
in the case of one individual, whose unwillingness to take
it because it was addressed to a missionary it seems did
not delay it an hour.
Perhaps he knew it would not, when,
he declined, but wished to show that he was not desirous
to do a favor to the missionary cause.
�1466.
The contents of the Package, we have, for the most
part been acquainted with before, by means of more
speedy conveyances.
I write this under circumstances of trial, & suspense,
and hardly know how to speak on the subject.
Our very
guarded & cautious communication published in the March
Herald in which we speak of "apprehensions that the
foreign residents would be disposed to unite in opposing
the wishes of the older chiefs" appears to have given
great offence to some of our neighbors particularly to
Mr. Charlton and Mr. Reynolds.
At least these two men
have been free to let us know some of their strong
feelings on the subject. - But most of what Mr. Stewart
wrote respecting the Residents is very offensive to them.
No pains, I think will be spared to prove his work un
worthy of credit. And it is to be regretted that his
work is written in such glowing colors, as to appear
overdone by those of us who have been steady lookers on.
f o r 10 or 12 years, and that in some things there are
inaccuracies, in particular where the original was before
him, and where on the whole the painting is not greatly
over drawn.
For instance the doors of the king's house,
which he calls "folding doors of glass" and associates
with the word "palace". Others perhaps would describe
them as Venetian doors, with a tier of glass on each side
and over the top. - They appear much like folding glass
doors, at a hasty glance.
The building is represented as
about 100 feet long.
I should say about 58 or 60.
In
one place he supposed 2/3 of the length to be 60.
He speaks of Kauikeaouli & Nahienaena, as the "civilized
& Christian Brother and Sister".
N ow some readers would
understand this as representing the king as a true
christian, or a c hristian in the same sense as he has
described N ahienaena. We never speak of him as such.
We have never to my knowledge spoken of him as a real
convert to Christianity or as truly pious, & though he
had aided the cause of Christian instruction, yet it was
hardly safe to speak of him as a christian.
For two
years past we have had lamentable evidence that he is not
a Christian.
Great efforts have been made to get him to abolish the
regulations he had before sanctioned for restraining vice
& crime, & too successfully, so far as his individual self
is concerned.
A considerable quantity of spirits has been
sold or given to the king & his favorites, and that class
of the people who d o not acknowledge the claims of the
gospel, & this has produced and is producing its legitimate
effect, drunkenness, revels, quarrels, sickness, crimes,
poverty, death - The hula, and games for gambling have been
encouraged b y the king without the consent of his proper
council, and fears have been entertained that he would
�1467.
attempt to establish an absolute despotism, instead
of the limited monarchy of his predecessors, indeed
he has drawn up an edict to that effect & presented
to the chiefs, & it remains for the nation to receive
or reject it, - The chiefs have not assented to it,
and he appears to be receding from the demand, which
is obviously in violation of the constitution of the
country as understood by the chiefs & the proclamation
issued b y himself & Kinau, some months ago.
He is supposed to have been urged to this by Madame Boki
who has for some time been very sottish, and heathenish,
& who appears to have looked to him to be reinstated in
the government of Oahu.
It is not easy to tell what
would be the amount of evil to the nation by such a change.
Hoapili has come down to attend to the business.
We are standing in awe - May the Lord interpose in mercy
as he has done, in times past, and save our cause from
retrograde, the king from infatuation, & the people from
ruin.
The members of the church at Oahu nearly 200 in number
appear yet to stand the trial pretty well.
Only one is
now under censure.
It is Saml . J. Mills, but he h a s promised to reform & to g
o
on with us. - We hope God will hear
the prayers of those that pray to him. Mrs. Chapin
if
alive, is. supposed to be ready to leave us for a better
world "where the wicked cease from troubling, & the weary
are at rest".
April 9. I hastily enclosed the preceding sheet to go
by Capt. Hinckly of the Crusader which sailed 20 days
since, but it failed to get on Board, & I am now allowed
to add a few particulars, though not all so gratifying
as you would desire.
We learn today that Mrs. Chapin
is still alive and is thought to be in less danger than
about the time of the preceding date.
She is at Kaawaloa,
happily resigned to the will of God, & meekly waiting for
the manifestation of the good pleasure of her divine master,
to restore or remove her, to lay her aside or employ her
longer in the blessed service to which she has devoted her
self.
Her anxious husband and friends around her catch
at the hope of a gradual recovery but the case seems very
doubtful.
Mrs. Spaulding, at Kailua is in very delicate
health.
M r . Spaulding is about to return with her to
Lahina.
M r . Shepard, tho very feeble, still as a matter
of choice, attended to proof reading for native compositors.
M y own health, I have good reason to believe was improved
by my sojourn at Waimea and my excursions on Hawaii.
I
am comfortable, but have not the vigor & elasticity I
once thought I had.
It appears to be my lot, more than
some of my associates to live in a sort of strife, which
is not agreeable to m e , & which affects my health sometimes
�1468.
more than it depresses my spirits. A gentleman resident
told me a few days ago that I had sunk for him 7000 doll.
by stopping the distillery at this place.
I was not
aware of it.
Nor do I think he could honestly come on
me or the Board for damages, since it appears he embarked
his capital in that c ause when it was so obviously going
down, that others were abandoning it to keep from sinking.
Still, in his estimation I am the blameworthy c ause of
his loss, though I do not think so.
True the temperance
measures adopted here two or three years ago, might
have had a powerful influence in depating his hopes of
gain by the distillery & I could wish there were virtue
enough in the government so to regulate or restrain the
traffic in ardent spirits as that no more drunkards should
be made or killed by it here.
But while the most enlightened Christian governments, (I
do not say M a h ammedan & Pagan) encourage, or countenance
the traffic as a source of wealth & luxury, it pan hardly
be expected that the youthful monarch of the Sandwich
Islands, who loves money and pleasure, would lay a very
strict tabu on this traffic, to the great annoyance of a
large portion of foreigners, and of his own favorites.
He has during the last two years been too pusillanimous
to enforce the existing tabu in respect to foreigners, and
for two or three months in respect to natives also.
N ow, he has given licenses to retailers for 80 doll. a
year.
This will probably diminish the number of petty
grogshops, which have been a sort of smuggling concern
for two years, but by giving the R oyal sanction to the
traffic, will probably increase the consumption.
Merc hants
are now allowed to sell freely over a gall.
Some of these however, much to their credit, do not sell, Among them are Mr. Henry A. Prince, Agent for Mr. Hunnewell,
& Capt. Nye, & Henry Paty.
Capt. Nye assured me a few days since that he had sold
none for 6 months, tho the call had increased & tho he
supposed he might, during this period, have made 6 or 700
doll. had he continued to sell, he did not grudge it.
He thought himself as well off without it .
When dealers generally come to see that the traffic,
even when it brings in a temporary, pecuniary profit,
is productive of so many and so great evils that they are
willing to forego the profits conscientiously, we shall
expect to see them honored and prospered in some other way,
while the evils of intemperance will be greatly diminished.
Their capital might as well be vested in other stock or
articles of trade for this market, without diminishing
the interests of commerce, for in a two fold proportion
as the natives buy & consume ardent spirits will their
ability to purchase other articles of foreign merchandize
be diminished.
In the measures we adopt, and the influence
we endeavor to exert to lessen the manufacture, sale and
�1469.
consumption of this article in the Sandwich Islands, we
do not consider ourselves as opposing the interests of
commerce.
Several residents, for instance Mr. Charlton, Capt. Cole,
& Mr. Reynolds admit that the grogshops in Honolulu are
a nuisance, yet they maintain that they are a necessary
evil, which ought not to be suppressed.
And the two
instances of homicide which occurred among them last fall
and the many cases of death by intemperance seem not to
shake the sentiment that these nuisances are necessary
evils. Mr. R. a few days ago said they were necessary for
the accommodation of sailors ashore on liberty.
When I
maintained that it was not necessary to furnish the
sailor on shore with the means of intoxication, for two
reasons first because ardent spirits were not necessary
to his health, strength, or happiness, & secondly if it
were deemed to be necessary b y ship owners & ship masters,
they could be furnished on board with as much as was
necessary, so that it was not necessary to sell it to them
on shore, but to furnish them with food & as they had
need. - Mr. R. said no man could get a living b y selling
victuals merely.
The necessity therefore seems to lie
in the wants of the landlord rather than the circumstances
of his customers.
So for the sake of furnishing a support to 20 grogshop
keepers these nuisances are to be necessarily kept open
for the ruin of as many hundred seamen, & the pestiferous
example, and ruin of this nation.
Another grand argument
for the necessity of the evil, is that "Gentlemen" ought
to be allowed at all times, whatever may he the consequences,
to buy and drink their grog, brandy & wine, as they choose,
& therefore the sailor, the day laborer, & the native ought
to have the same privilege, though the consequences should
naturally be quarrels, rounders, desertion, mutiny, rebellion,
disease, poverty, ruin.
How much more rational to conclude
that such evils as these ought to be opposed & prevented
if possible, & therefore gentlemen ought at least to forego
a privilege which is of little or no advantage to them,
& which if used freely & habitually, is followed by such
disasterous consequences to individuals & to the community.
Is it not clear therefore that government, ought not to
grant privileges which will be of no advantage to itself
or to the community to whom the grant is made, or in other
words that this nation ought not to authorize these public
nuisances which will prove ruinous to itself & to the
strangers who claim the indulgence.
Will not the time come
when Governments will not encourage the trafic to ardent
spirits for the sake of the revenue, nor serve out this
poison to their armies & navies, in part pay for services,
or hold it out as a trail to attract the vicious and unwary.
We had hoped that this government having once closed all
her own distilleries, and refused to give licenses to
foreigners would not so soon defile herself for filthy
?
�1470.
sake, n or directly encourage the manufacture or traffic
of ar dent spirits. - But the determination of foreign
traders to sell at some rate, & the plea continually
urged that in England and America, the traffic is sup
ported by a c hristian community & authorized by the
governments; added to the disposition of some of the
natives to avail themselves of this privilege which
gentlemen & Christians claim & enjoy, are motives s uf
ficiently strong in the mind of the king to induce him
to sanction the traffic even though it is contrary to
the riches of most of the chiefs.
When the Potomac
was here the American colors, & penant were flying at one
of the shops at which we were told there was an understanding
between the officers of the ship & Smith the keeper, to
supply & trust the men if they had not money or goods
enough to pay their bills, & collect his dues on board.
The Commodore expressed an earnest wish that the Government
would not punish Smith who had so kindly entertained his
men. When the Potomac was gone, Smith boasted that he
had cleared 900 doll. during the visit of this man of war.
One of the residents said he never knew a crew of a man
of war behave so bad as this crew did when on liberty.
A considerable number were put in irons by the governor,
and punished by the Commodore.
The Commodore in his
communications to the government gave his opinion pretty
clearly 'that the Jesuits though they worship images
ought nevertheless to be tolerated, that the rules of the
bib l e ' (except perhaps the 6th & 8th commandments) 'are
so strict that the people will not obey them, & ought not
to be enforced by law or by the civil arm.
The impression given was that the measures of the govern
ment, to remove the Jesuits, to restrain the trifling sins
of sabbath breaking, drunkenness, gambling, and lewdness
were unjustifiable and ought to be relaxed.
His remarks on the importance of securing the rights of
property, promoting industry, agriculture, punctuality in
the fulfilment of all business contracts &c were very ap
propriate.
His account of his attack on Quallah Brattoo,
which he gave to show the power & the will of our Govern
ment to avenge the wrongs done by foreign tribes to any
of our citizens was sufficiently shocking, but whether
the natives here were aided in any just conceptions of
justice or mercy by that means, remains a question.
It
is easy to see however that the argument couched in it,
would tend to embarrass or weaken the hands of the govern
ment, in enforcing their laws on foreigners, where those
laws might be construed to oppose their private interests.
But if the government grow remiss, their fate will soon
be seated as to their own political consequence.
We are now enabled to see or think we see the ground on
which the prediction of two distinguished gentlemen prob
ably rested some 18 months ago, that "in six months the
�1471.
question would be decided whether the rulers here
would be able to retain the government of the Islands
or not".
It appears that a M r . James, once an editor
at Port Jackson, now engaged in commercial speculations
at that Place & New Zealand & the Sandwich Islands, was
then preparing to recommend the occupancy or settlement
of the Sandwich Islands by the Brittish government "on
the plan of a Proprietary government" either "colonizing"
them, or "granting them to a joint stock company" to be
sold for the benefit of the company, and of the settlers
& to support a governor.
He has published his recommendation in London in the
form of a letter to a Noble Lord, - in which he represents
the people as but slightly advanced above the natives of
New Holland & Van Dieman Land; as having no government,
that can be any objection to their taking possession,
and as all fading away and coming to ruin under the foolish
& oppressive policy of the missionaries, the whole popula
tion being reduced from 400,000 to 75,000.
Among other
false representations, he says the people generally
earnestly desire to be taken out from under the oppression
of the chiefs & missionaries, and that all the foreign
residents American& English desire to have a Brittish govenor who would promote the settlement of the country, &
wished him to make known their wishes as soon as he should
arrive in London, "all to a man" except the Missionaries,
who desire no change but wish to have the islands all to
themselves'. - that' "the missionaries have prohibited
fishing, bathing, Jews harps, & the surf board, and every
species of amusement", that they will not let foreigners
play at billiards, or ride on the sabbath, though they
themselves are driven about the town & country on the
Sabbath and all days, drawn by the natives four in hand,
that they will not marry a black native without exacting
a Spanish dollar, that our business is a money making
business altogether, that the missionaries & their families
are living in great profusion & luxury, and that one of
the missionaries the si de vant chairmaker, has accumulated
(as he is told) 20,000 doll.” Now all this you know is
trash of the lowest kind. And the audacity, cupidity,
malevolence, and falsehood of the author of these state
ments are so barefaced & obvious, as to stand little
chance of effecting his iniquitous designs.
Still it
may show what some men would desire to accomplish, and
though misanthropic sneers, and ribaldry will not be
likely to effect the subjugation of this nation to any
"joint stock company" from abroad, yet the mild character
of the people and of the climate, & the prospect which
Mr. James thinks is here afforded of making another
West Indies, for the production of "sugar", "rum", "Cotton"
"coffee" & "tobacco", may invite the cupidity of specu
lators, & men of broken fortune to try this field of
adventure, to the annoyance, & perhaps to the eventual
extermination of the native government, and even of the
population. - Decision & energy & a divine blessing on
�1472.
the part of the rulers, may prevent such a result.
Our steady opposition to r u m , & tobacco, and the evils
promoted by their use, may, by such men, be regarded as
a very unwelcome "interference" with their plans.
However this may be, we have thought it proper, not
only to continue to exert the little influence we have
to diminish those evils as they now exist, but also to
translate Mr. James's pamphlet for the information of
the king & chiefs.
Of its merits they will be as com
petent judges as we are.
Still we have no assurance that
a gay and youthful monarch who occasionally drinks to
excess, & is not suspected of any excess of patriotism,
may not be circumvented by the intrigues which the prospect
of pleasure or gain may invite unprincipled men to em
ploy to get possession of the country or to gain an as
cendency over the hereditary rulers, & the only rightful
owners of the soil.
What a loss to the nation was the death of Kaahumanu! We must not put our trust in earthly rulers.
We have
long ago had occasion to say, & still have reason to
feel that ’"the king of Zion alone is worthy of our con
fidence".
In his almighty hand t he ark is sa f e . To be
employed for him, in the way of his appointment, is
enough for us in this world, & to have his approving smile,
enough in the world to come.
His laws do not change; his
care and faithfulness towards his people never fails, nor
will his benevolent regard to the rebellious nations of
the earth be exhausted or discouraged till they are
brought under the influence of his sceptre of love, and
have the title to heavenly ?
confessed on them through
his amazing kindness & self moved goodness.
Though we have had for two months unusual confusion at
this place, & there has been an obvious increase of
drunkenness, gambling & debauchery, and our congregation
reduced to 2000, still we continue to have 1000 at least
in Honolulu who commit a verse a day of scripture, and
recite weekly on sabbath morning, & the number of those
who come to converse with us or to attend the inquiry
meeting or bible class seems not to be diminished.
A
short time since I preached with satisfaction from the
comforting declaration, and seasonable exhortation,
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having
this seal.
The Lord knoweth them that are his, and Let
any one that nameth the name of Christ depart from in
iquity".
On the 24th ult. I preached to a very attention audience,
from the impressive injunction of
?
, "Turn ye to
the strong holds ye prisoners of hope" from which I held
up Christ as the refuge for all and urged such as were
out of him, in bondage to sin and Satan, but not abandoned
to despair nor fixed in ruin, but greatly exposed to it
�1473.
now, to turn and fly to this strong hold, and by
earnest striving, with penitence and faith & prayer,
speedily to enter this city of refuge, while there
was hope, that they might there rest securely forever.
For their warning I mentioned the fact, that two
natives at Waikiki, drank off the day before a bottle
of rum, and one of them lay down drunk, to sleep, and
woke no more.
On the third inst. we observed a public fast appointed
by Kinau, with reference to the state of the nation.
About the same number of persons attended at the place
of public worship both morning & afternoon as has been
usual on Sabbath mornings for several weeks past, not
far from two thousand.
A large portion of these we
supposed not only abstained from service, labor, and
amusement, but literally fasted.
I preached in the
forenoon from the 2nd of Joel,
"For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible, and
who can abide it?
Therefore also now, saith the Lord,
Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting
and with weeping and with mourning, and rend your heart
and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God,
for he is gracious & merciful, & slow to anger, and of
great kindness".
Last Sabbath morning, the king was in his place at
church and sang with the choir, - I preached from Rev.
28, 14, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that
they may have right to the tree of life and may enter
in through the gates into the city".
W hile we watch
over the king and the people as parents would over
their own children, it is with such words as these which
I have above quoted, that we would continue to "reprove,
rebuke & exhort with all long suffering and doctrine",
leaving the result with God whose word will not return
to him void.
I have recently glanced at "The Protestant"; - and at
the last monthly concert (which was rather better at
tended than usual, perhaps, on account of its proximity
to the public fast).
I remarked on some of the promi
nent topics of the 2nd Chap. of II Thess. - We fear,
though we hope, it may not be the case, that, superadded
to the confusion and trouble already surrounding us,
the attempt will be made to renew the Romish mission.
Indeed this has been intimated.
Kinau has expressed
her decided unwillingness that the Jesuits should return
here.
It is believed the king and chiefs would generally
oppose them.
The monthly collection amounts this month
to 60 doll. for sending the gospel abroad.
K ekuanooa
recently gave 60 to procure windows for rebuilding our
schoolhouse that is blown down.
�1474.
Opposition to the exclusive claims of the gospel,
from the unregenerate, deaided, open violent opposition
among the natives as well as others might long ago have
been reasonably expected.
Neither you nor we ought
to be disappointed, at what appears, at Honolulu, like
a revolt, nor even if this spirit of opposition should
be manifested by multitudes throughout the whole country.
It would be nothing materially different from what ap
pears in Europe, America and the South seas.
Though we
are distressed by it, as ministers are at home, yet we are
not greatly disappointed or disconcerted.
We have our steady plan to meet such exegencies, when
they occur;
Our duty is plainly marked out, ’’Preach the
word".
This is our strong hold.
And our duty would probably
remain about the same, whether we have a lawless despotism,
a limited monarchy, or hereditary aristocracy, or the
government & policy of James and C o. or, the ascendency
of Jesuitism, or whether the country be infected every
where with rum dealers and gamblers, or visited by a
not more dreaded or destructive plague, the colera, the
scourge of cities and nations. How great soever & how
greatly to be deprecated may be the evils of Despotism,
of Jesuitism, of Jamesism of atheism, of paganism, of
intemperance, gambling, war, famine, pestilence, they
cannot materially diminish the necessity of missionary
work, nor materially alter its nature, for it would still
be our great business, so to preach, & pray, & live, &
think, and feel, and act, as most effectually to secure
the eternal salvation of those who are naturally dead in
sin, & who need the instructions of inspired truth &
the sanctifying influences of the Spirit of God.
Without
the influence of the word & spirit of God, all the laws,
and tabus of kings & chiefs, however wisely constructed
or faithfully enforced, all the dogmas, & forms & rites,
of pagan or papal superstition, all the maxims of philos
ophy, & the influence of the arts, would fail, utterly
fail, to fit a single soul for heaven.
The word and Spirit of God are sufficient to accomplish
this even if kings and Popes should agree to have no
human laws for the check of vice & crime, or even to
abrogate as far as they are able, the commands of God, which
he will never abrogate.
The king has publicly declared his intention to maintain
the laws against murder, theft, and adultery in the high
est sense. - The Sabbath is still respected.
Since his late
proclamation in which he seemed to degrade Kinau, & yet
confirmed her in a very important agency, he has applied
to us for 200 copies of the last number of the new Testament,
which we were very happy to give him, for his school to
�1475.
read, extending from Peter to the close of Revelation.
I have had repeated interviews with him, since he
took offence at Kinau, "because she was unwilling to
increase the national debt 12 ,000 doll. to buy for him
the Brig Bolivar, while they felt unable to pay off
wholly the old sc ore.
He always meets me with a smile,
and with aloha, and apparently the willing right hand,
& listens to what I have to say to him, & I hope my
appeals, & the appeals of others, may yet, by the divine
blessing, prove the means of saving him from ruin.
The
many prayers that have been and continue to be offered
for the king of the Sandwich Islands both here and in
distant countries, it is yet to be presumed will not
fail of procuring important benefits in respect to him,
& the country, even though he should claim to have in
his own individual person, the exclusive right to all the
lands hie father fought for, the power of life and death.
th e sole right to dictate and establish laws, & to control
the services & the amusements and gains of the people.
This is the import of the edict to which I alluded in
the former part of this letter, and concerning which
Hoapili and other chiefs have endeavored to moderate his
claims, and correct his views.
Hoapili has returned to Maui, after attempting in vain
to get the king to accompany him. Kinau & Kuakiri are
entrusted with the execution of the laws, that is such
laws as the king proclaims.
We have had no occasion to
alter our forms of praying "for the king & all in authority"
or to alter our style of preaching on modes of instruction,
or intercourse with the people. - Religion, we think
will shine with a pure light, when Royal patronage is
withdrawn from it.
Though unhappily, multitudes may be
led to ruin by Royal influence and authority when exerted
against the gospel, since the natural tendencies of men
are downward, & the multitude is easily led in the broad
road.
We must not look upon the ignorance, or stupidity or
depravity of the people as obstacles to our success, for
the very success at which we aim is to remove or over
come them.
To this we would then cheerfully address
ourselves anew without being able to predict what shall
be our state next month or next year, and for this,
let me entreat that you & the friends of our cause,
and especially those who conceived the victory was
achieved, will renew & continue your fervent prayers,
with the assured confidence that the fervent effectual
prayer of the righteous avail th much.
With cordial salutations to the Gentlemen at the Rooms,
not omitting Dr. Wisner, & to the Prudential Committee
�1476.
I subscribe myself as ever
Your affectionate Brother and
fellow laborer
H. Bingham.
To: R e v . Rufus Anderson
Associate Sec. A .B .C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
28 Cornhill,
Boston, U.S.A.
Received Oct. 25, 1833.
A ckd. in Gen. Letter Oct. 30.
Ansd. Dec. 3.
�1477.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 26.
Honolulu 20th Jany. 1834.
Rev. H. Bingham
Sir,
H aving since my arrival here, perused a note appended
to "Extracts from the Report of an exploring tour to
the N .W . Coast of America in 1839, by Revd. I.J.Green"
in the Missionary Herald of 1831-Vol. 27 - page 106,
purporting to give an account of the loss of a brig
& her c r e w , belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company,
in the Columbia river; and containing unmerited &
unjustifiable reflections, on the conduct pursued by
"the English” towards the natives in consequence of
that loss, I conceive it to be a mark of justice to
the Hudson's Bay Company, & the Gentlemen representing
that respectable body, to give an unqualified con
tradiction to the principal part of Mr. Green's State
ment, & the uncharitable inferences he so ingeniously
has deduced there from.
Having had the means, from a three years residence in
the Columbia, of ascertaining the particulars of this
unfortunate affair, with more accuracy than Mr. Green,
I shall take the liberty of quoting some passages
from the above note, for the purpose of exposing (to
say the least) their fallacy; trusting, that you, as
the head of the missions in this part of the world, will
according to your promise, convey the facts of the case
to the public, through the same channel which gave
publicity to those specious misrepresentations.
Mr. Green says, or makes Captain Thompson say, "There
is no evidence that a solitary individual reached the
shore, or that the Indians had the slightest agency
in their death; on the contrary, that the probability
is, that all the crew perished in the river". - What
Mr. Green would consider as evidence in such cases, I
shall not stop to inquire; but the finding the body of
one of the unfortunate crew decapitated, and those of
two or three others mangled in a manner, which nothing
but savage barbarity could dictate concealed within a
short distance of the Indian huts, would be considered
as evidence, which any jury in the world, could not
conscientiously dispute.
Even the perpetrators of this savage act, feel, now,
less scruple in acknowledging the crime, they had so
wantonly committed on a few unprotected persons, thrown
by the waves upon their shore, than Mr. Green would
probably wish them to admit; and, this gentleman must
�1478.
be aware that it is an axiom in the laws of civilized
& barbarous nations, to require no further proof of
a culprit's guilt, than his own free & unsolicited
confession of having committed the crime of which he
was accused.
The assertion that "they (the English) applied to
Captain Dominis for men to chastise the Indians", - is
also erroneous. - The fact is, - the Company's Super
intendent then in the Columbia, - a more honorable,
humane & benevolent gentleman can seldom be met with,
finding the natives much elated, from the success that
had already attended the exploits of
? the wreck of
the brig & the murdering of her crew, requested Captain
Dominis to sell neither arms nor ammunition to them,
until the safe arrival of another of the company’s
vessels, which was daily expected as her crew, might
in like manner, fall a prey to these lawless savages.
Equally destitute of truth, is the assertion, that "The Indians brought out a few articles, & delivered
them up.
The English were dissatisfied & demanded a
large quantity of goods, &c" - The poor savages were
in the power of the English - In vain did they plead their
innocency, many of them were massacred, their village
burned, & the head of a chief taken as a momento of their
love of justice". - The following, without any extenuation,
is the true state of the case. - Two Schooners of
about 60 Tons each, were not marched. but sailed down
with a party of between thirty & forty men to what Mr.
Green dignifies by the name of a villege, which consisted
of a few log huts, having no pretensions to arc hetectural
stability; but being rather designed & used as temporary
residences, are easily put up & as easily pulled down. Before these huts, the two schooners anchored, and as
the instructions to their commander were, to obtain the
goods taken from the wreck, without using any violent
measure in the performance thereof - he sent a message
on shore, to that effect. - An old scrubbing brush,
accompanied by a defiance of a volley of musketry was
returned in answer. - The party then, & not till then,
landed, before whom, without a shot being fired, - the
Indians fled to the neighboring woods. - The remains of
the plundered goods were then embarked, without molestation,
and fire set to the huts, which contained nothing of
any utility to their owners. - Previous, however, to
the departure of the schooners, two men, who had strayed
to the woods were attacked by the Indians, & in self
defence killed two of them; but as the bodies of these
were never out of the possession of the tribe, their
heads could not possibly have been exhibited to save
as a momento of the English's love of justice. - From
the conclusion of the paragraph I have just quoted, one
would fancy, that M r . Green had in his possession some
glaring proof of the injustice of the English,(by which
I presume, is meant the Hudson's Bay Company). - If such
he in his possession, let it be produced - I now
�1479.
challenge him to do so,- or, even, to point out a
solitary instance, wherein the officers of the Company,
who are guided in all their actions, "by a principle
which will tear the strongest light, have deviated
from that path of rectitude, which uniformly character
ises men of honor & humanity.
N ext follows - "I have made these remarks, that no
apprehension of danger, may he felt in consequence of
the loss of the English brig, & of the statement which
will doubtless be made of the bloody disposition of
the Indians". That apprehension of danger should be entertained, by
strangers amongst the natives of the N.W. coast of
America, and that they have proved their disposition to
be bloody, by many melancholy instances, which could
now be enumerated, are too well attested to be easily
refuted. - Experience has shown that all the Indians
of the N.W. coast of America are savage, treacherous and
hostile. - How many massacres have taken place in the
Columbia? From Mr. Green's report, I should imagine,
he is not altogether ignorant of some of these. - Let
me, however, be understood - I do not wish to insinuate,
that Mr. Green has assisted in depriving a human being
of life, although he appears less scrupulous in regard
to that of character; but I mean to say, that as he
has mentioned, a Mr. Smith, an American trapper or
hunter, as having "discovered a considerable river",
(which, by the way, will be found in Arrowsm ith's
Charts of North America previous to the travels of both
these gentlemen) he might also have told his readers,
that this same Mr. Smith had all his party, with the
exception of two men, killed by the Columbia Indians,
and very narrowly escaped with his own life, to the
Hudson's Bay Company's Settlement; where, he readily
met with that asylum, which humanity invariably affords
to the unprotected, & with that assistance to enable
him to prosecute his journey, which his unfortunate
situation so much required. - The same Indians had
formed a plot to take the brig Conway, (Captain Thompson)
whilst laying aground in the rapids, but were prevented
fr o m putting their diabolical plan into execution, by
the timely interference of the very same English, who
in M r . Green's estimation, have given such sad proof
of their love of justice. - No later than last year,
two men were barbarously murdered by the Columbia
Indians, for the sake of obtaining possession of the few
articles these men carried with them. - One would fancy,
that the glowing description M r . Green gives of the
encounter at Kygainie, would sufficiently show the
disposition of these Indians, - but, he is willing to
ascribe this, to their intercourse with foreigners, as
according to his reports, - "The Russian fur, the
�1480.
North West, and the Hudson's Bay Companies, and the
traders from the United States, have occupied every
post of importance from Norfolk Sound to the Colum
bia” - In this assertion he is, likewise, far from
the truth. - The North West Company never did occupy
any post on that coast, to the North of the Colum
bia - neither did the Hudson's Bay Company, previous
to 1831; and the intercourse the latter have had
with the natives, was solely carried on from their
vessels, and never formed nor occupied any posts to
the north of the Columbia river.
I will not attempt to disguise that I have felt very
keenly these unmerited remarks, which the hasty zeal
of Mr. Green has laid upon hearsay before the public.
The readiness with which this gentleman seemed to
grasp & propagate vague rumours for the purpose of
vilifying with dishonorable motives, the actions of
persons with whom he had not the slightest acquaint
ance, has laid him open to the imputation (to use the
mildest term) of injustice - as every individual ac
quainted with the gentlemen connected with the Company
will testify, that they are utterly incapable of
walking in the path, in which this reverend preacher
has so ingeniously, & with so little regard to truth,
placed them.
Should any of these remarks, which I have now made,
be construed into severity. - It must be observed in
reply - that nothing can be too severe for an individ
ual, who without the least shadow of cause invades
the sacred sanctuary of honorable & respectable men
for the purpose of dragging them forth in a distorted
light before the public - and, although, Character
may be of little value in the estimation of M r . Green,
in that of those gentlemen, it is a precious jewel;
he, therefore, who attempts to rob them of it, unjustly,
deserves the severest reprehension - whether Mr. Green
has attempted to do so, or not, I shall now leave the
public to decide. - Trusting that the nature of the
subject & the uncalled for manner in which it came
before the public, will excuse the length of this, &
regretting the occasion which has made me so obtrusive
& unwillingly troublesome, I am
R e v d . Sir, Your obedt . Servant
D. Finlayson
Recd. Sep. 4, 1834.
Ackd. in G.L . Sep. 5.
�1481.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Sec ond
Honolulu,
Letter 27.
Jan. 24, 1834.
To Duncan Finlayson, E s q .
Sir,
Yours of the 20 inst. has recently been handed me, and
carefully and candidly perused.
To acknowledge its
reception and my readiness to fulfil my engagement, with
a brief notice of the limits of my responsibility in
the case, appears to be all the reply required of me,
promising, however, that my refraining from speak i ng on
the merits of the question must not be construed into a
want of due respect to the character of the respectable
gentlemen with whom either you or I claim to be con
nected, or regarded as an approval of what you rightly
suppose is liable to "be construed into severity".
For the sake of a fair understanding with respect to
myself, it may not be improper to observe that you a p
pear by mistake to have assigned me a post of too much
responsibility in general, and implying too much in
particular with regard to M r . Green's note, which by
the way I did not see in manuscript and had no agency
whatever in publishing.
I am not as you supposed, The "Head of the missions in
this part of the world", nor even of the Sandwich Islands
Mission, from which the agency to N orth West Coast, was
somewhat distinct; and though I am sometimes kindly
looked upon as one of the pioneers of the missionary work
in this quarter, and as a senior missionary at this
station from its commencement, I claim no control over
the journals or proceedings of my associates in the
mission more than they over mine.
Yon will see therefore the capacity in which, as an
individual missionary and friend to the cause of truth,
in a late conversation with you at my house relative to
"the loss of a Brig and her crew belonging to the Hon.
Hudson's Bay Company, in the Columbia River" and the
recovery of part of her cargo from the neighboring natives,
an account of which you expressed a wish to make public,
I pledged myself that if you would furnish me with a
statement of the facts of the case as they occurred, and
of any other important facts respecting that region, I
would transmit it to the Missionary R o o m s that is to the
general depository of our communications, to which Mr.
Green's account had been sent, and which his patrons laid
before the public.
�1482.
This perhaps is all you claim of me, though you
seem to imply that I have pledged the Missionary
Herald, which neither I nor the mission have a right
to do for a paragraph of our own.
Your statement therefore of "the particulars of the u n
fortunate affair" w h i c h I h ave recently rec eived
connected with your
on the note appended to Mr.
Green's Journal, I will, agreeably with your wishes,
transmit to the Missionary R ooms, to the Secretaries
of the A.B.C.F .M. as a missionary of that body, not
however as possessing any control over their public
Journal, or as having assumed any responsibility in
the case further than to place the information you
might please to furnish at the discretion of our Directors
who, I am persuaded, are above being swayed in their
publications by national prejudice or partiality to
party names; whose path needs to be enlightened, not
only by the fullest intelligence that can be collected,
respecting the moral character, condition and prospects
of the barbarous tribes and heathen nations to whom
they are desirous to extend the blessings of Christianity,
but also by the rays of heavenly wisdom, to guide them
in all their measures for the general go o d .
Hoping that the conflicting testimony they may have in
their possession will not discourage or embarrass them,
or retard their great work, and relying on them to take
such notice of your communication as they shall deem
most proper you will allow me Sir, to subscribe myself,
Your Obt. Sevt.
H. Bingham.
R eed. Sep. 4, 1834.
Ackd. in G.L. Sep. 6.
A n s . Dec. 3.
�1483.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 28.
Honolulu Feby. 4, 1834.
To the Secretaries of the
A.B.C.F.M., Boston.
Rev. and dear Sirs,
I herewith transmit to you by the Brig Diana, Capt.
I .O. Carter, bound to Canton, a communication ad
dressed to me by Mr. D . Finlayson, the Superintendent
of the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company's establishments
on the Columbia River and in its vicinity, concerning
Mr. Green's very brief account of a rencounter between
the natives and a party of men interested in the loss
of a Brig and her crew, wrecked on the bar, at the
mouth of that river, some four or five years ago.
This Gentleman is from Scotland. He crossed the
American continent from Hudson's Bay a little more than
three years since, and came into the Columbia, subse
quently to the events detailed b y Mr. G. and by himself.
He has twice visited this place, and has been received
repeatedly at our houses, and tables, with kindness, and
treated with marked civility.
At my table he signified a willingness to give one of
our number a passage to the Columbia River but said
"I can give you n o encouragement when you get there".
He represents the country as good, and the various tribes
in the vicinity of Vancouver as not very troublesome.
He speaks of the Missionary Society of the Church of
England as having undertaken to evangelize the Indians
of the Columbia, having a chaplain at one of the posts
on the Red River East of the Rocky mountains who is i n
structing in English some of the native youths from
the Columbia.
The great objection to establishing a
mission at the Columbia he supposes to be the very great
variety of languages and dialects spoken by the various
tribes, which would render the task of teaching them in
their own tongue, learning their different languages
and translating the scriptures for them so laborious and
endless.
On his second visit recently to this place it would seem
that some person directed his attention to M r . Green’s
note as rather severe on the Gentlemen with whom he
was connected, and some of our neighbors have appeared
to take a pleasure in the prospect that now, this gentle
man would help to throw discredit on missionary journals,
by proving a falsehood on M r . Green.
You will see of
course the view he has taken of M r . Green's account, and
from your own opinions.
�1484.
His "unqualified contradiction of the principal
parts of M r . Green’s statements", his severe repre
hension of the inferences and motives of the writer
of the offensive note, and his eu logium on that class
of the English who are accustomed to have intercourse
with the aborigines of that region, will be very likely,
for a moment to tickle the moderation of Brother Green,
when he comes to read these strictures , how just soever
the writer’s estimation may be of the Hon. Hudson’s Bay
Company itself, or its representatives.
In my brief reply to his communication, a copy of which
you will receive with this, you will perceive that I
decline intering the lists, or acting as umpire in the
case, and w hile I avoid multiplying undigestible terms,
or approving of his conclusion, I endeavor to give him
no encouragement that you will lend him the pages of
the Herald,
It was not necessary that I should meet him
at all; and certainly it was not easy, to answer him
fully, without calling in question his knowledge of the
subject, or his impartiality, or the fidelity or com
petency of his informers, on the one hand, or the veracity
and competency of Mr. Green’s witnesses, Capt. Thompson,
Capt. Dominis, & perhaps Capt. Haynes, or his own candor
on the other.
Perhaps Mr. G. would wish to reply, for
himself, & we shall send him a copy, though it is thought
best here to forward the original to you without delay.
Though M r . F. doubtless had an opportunity of becoming
acquainted with some particulars of the case which Mr.
Green had not, it does not appear that he had taken special
pains to investigate it, more than Capt. Thompson &
Capt. Dominis, who claim to have had some part in the
scenes described. Mr. F. urges some points by insinuation,
rather than by giving authority.
Where I referred M r . F.
to the spontaneous declarations made openly here by
Capt. Hayne Master of the Hudson Bay Company's Ship Garemede,
'that a considerable number of the tribe in question were
killed, and their village burnt, & that he had the head
of the chief on board his vessel while in this port', he
objected to the credibility of his testimony, 'as a man
who has been taken out of the Ship by the Company for his
irregularities'; but there was no perceptible reason to
think he would give an account of that affair worse for
himself, or his employers than the real state of facts
would warrant.
Grant that the Company would not approve
of his irregularity, or of the injustice of any in their
employment, in punishing or chastising the Indians for
alledged offences, or any direct trampling on the natural
rights of the Indian tribes, yet, from the difficulty of
understanding the true merits of a case of difference
where barbarians, and unknown tongues are so much concerned,
and the great difficulty of deciding impartially when
acting as sole jude in ones own cause where there is no
appeal, and while there is none to plead the cause of
�1485,
the accused, or to tell the wrongs of the injured, how
often it might happen that undue severity would he
exercised even where equal justice, or what is, at
the time, deemed reasonable punishment, or chastise
ment is aimed at.
N or will those in the least ac
quainted with Indian history, think it strange, if
abuses should sometimes happen in the dark wilds of
the North West, even though the Honorable Companies who
exercise a control there, & the humane gentlemen whom
they employ as superintendents would not approve of such
abuses.
Persons acting under them are not always the
most humane, prudent, just and free from "iniquities".
I am happy to learn that M r . F. forbids those under his
control to supply the natives with ardent spirits.
If
all were as prudent & correct, who have intercourse with
the heathen, what incalculable evils might be prevented.
Had a brig been wrecked or any civilized coast, two
miles from shore, where the worst of surf was running the
whole distance, & had any of the crew been found dead
on the shore, & a part of the cargo in the hands or houses
of the inhabitants, would they have been treated otherwise
than "wreckers" ordinarily are? Would it be allowed to
assail them with fire & sword, t o burn down their
habitations, indiscriminately, and then to kill, if the
possessors attempted to repel force by force? But I must
not be a judge in such matters.
Pardon me for prolonging
my explanatory letter, which seemed in some sense suitable
to be added to the correspondence it encloses. I will
just add, that Mr. F. did not notice my letter to him.
He
has sailed for the Columbia.
He talks of returning next
summer to Scotland by way of the Rocky Mountains, Montreal,
Platesburg, Albany & New York.
With cordial salutations allow me to subscribe myself
sincerely yours,
H. Bingham.
�1486.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 29.
Oahu Feb. 5, 1834.
To the Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.,
Boston.
R e v . and dear Sirs,
Though we have sensibly felt the serious loss of some
of our valued earthly helpers, yet we have encouragement
to press forward, with the comforting assurance that our
"God helpeth” us, and that he will not abandon the work
which he has in mercy begun for the redemption of these
Isles of the sea.
There is a pretty quiet state of
things at the Islands at present. The king and chiefs
are attempting to remodel their code of laws, a part
of which have been sent to the press, of which a proof is
now in their hands. Our congregation at Honolulu amounts
to about 1000; 200 of whom are professors of religion;
4 00 attend more or less to the verse a day Sabbath
school lesson, and a large proportion of the whole give
marked and pleasing attention to the word preached.
Mr. Whitney who has recently visited and examined the
schools of Kauai, says he has never found them in a
better state, nor the p e o ple more kind and attentive,
& regards it as a privilege to labor for them.
The brethren at Hilo, speak of instances of special
seri o u s
among the people at that station, and of the
obvious readiness of the Holy Spirit to pour them out
a blessing.
They have had a four days meeting there,
and they think they have the same kind of evidence of the
conviction and conversion of some individuals there, as
appear under the influences of the Spirit in seasons of
refreshing in the United States.
Protracted meetings
have recently been held at W aimea and Kaawaloa or
Hawaii, and at Waialua or Oahurei, with apparently good
effect, though the fruits do not at present seem very
extensive.
We hope that these special efforts, at a
time when specially needed with have their use in pre
paring the way of the Lord in our field which, compared
with what you & we would wish to see it is yet a wilderness.
We need more laborers.
Nine adults have left this
field sinc e our last general meeting, six to pluck the
resides of Marquesan barbarians as brands from the burnning, & to bring them to Christ.
The others are home
ward bound.
We trust, that while those three men
Alexander, Armstrong & Parker, are treading the furnace
among the cannibals of Nuuhiva, your prayers may
�1487.
ascend for them that the Son of God may walk with
them there, and bring them out with their wives &
children, unhurt, when they have accomplished the
will of him who in mercy commanded "Go teach all
nations" and in mercy promised "Lo I am with you".
We have heard not a syllable from them since the
Brigandine which carried them there left them in
August, feeling safe only in the divine protection.
We have recently parted with Brother & Sister Ruggles
who with their two children, and our second daughter,
Lucy Whiting and Mr. & Mrs. Whitney's youngest child
Emily, took their departure from the Sandwich Islands
on the 10th ult. and sailed for America, on Board the
Telegraph, Capt. Matthew Sayre of Sag Harbor, who may
cruise about a month, making his way moderately towards
the South to complete his cargo of oil, but hopes to
reach your shores about the last of June next.
The failure of Mr. R.'s health and the hope of restor
ing it, is the reason for his leaving the field.
You will see therefore that five men will be required
to fill their places or to make our number equal to
what it was last spring, and it is likely a claim will
be made out for twice that number.
The chiefs have
expressed a desire, & the king a willingness to have
at least 14 additional men sent to this field.
At
a social evening interview with the king and chiefs
at my house, this subject was introduced, & I asked
the king how many more missionaries he would like for
Oahu.
H e said "three, one for Ewa, one for Waianae,
and one for Koolau".
I asked Kaikiowa how many he
wished for Kauai.
He said "three” . I asked the gover
nor of Maui how many more he wanted for that Island,
& he replied like the others "three", for the districts
that are still unsupplied.
Asking Kekauluohi the
Governess of Morokai how many more she would wish for
that Island, she said "two".
It was agreed also that
at least three more were needed on Hawaii, to all of
which the king was understood as asserting.
This was
without any reference to the departure of Mr. Ruggles,
or the need of a Bookbinder, which has before been
mentioned, or the indifferent health of Mr. Gulick and
M r . Goodrich and others.
M y own health is mercifully sustained in a comfortable
state, at present, and I cannot but hope I am materially
better than four years ago, when in company with Mr.
Ruggles I sought the refreshment and retirement of the
cooler station at Waimea, & where continuing my attention
to the king, chiefs & people, I traversed the cooler
forests and wilds, and climbed the loftiest of the snowy
heights of Hawaii in hope of arresting a disease which
appeared for several years to be preying on the liver.
�1488.
That experiment, with other able advice from Dr. Judd
has doubtless been of great service in my case, as well
as the seasonable aid in respect to labor sent forth
by the Board.
This will doubtless be gratifying to
you and be an additional claim on your gratitude to
God the giver of all good, as you know we have hard and
important work enough to do for many men, able bodied,
ardent, & devoted, to accomplish with unremitted toil,
with steady and united tug, for many a weary year, with
a common blessing on the best plans their wisdom and
experience can devise.
We are greatly relieved in one department of our labor
at this post by the establishment of a seamen's Chaplain
at this port, who appears to be warmly and steadily
devoted to t h e objects of his embassy, and who tho'
vigorously sustained by the liberal Soc iety by which he
is employed, finds some embarrassments in the way of
accomplishing all for the foreigners & seamen which his
benevolence would lead him to wish. His soundness in
the faith he preaches, his kindness and courteousness
of manners, his faithfulness to souls, his assiduity
in distributing Bibles & tracts, & seeking the good of
his fellow men, will not fail, followed up by the prayers
of the Christian public, of accomplishing good for the
cause of righteousness.
The cost of the Chapel and
reading rooms is about 3000 doll. & of the dwelling house
and study 1600.
To have got them all so nearly c o m
pleted in so short a time, shows a good degree of energy
in the Soc iety, & their agent, & speaks well for the
increase of the facilities for doing such things here,
since our arrival.
The government generously furnished
building lots.
The king and chiefs were present at
the dedication of the chapel, N ov. 28/33.
They manifest
a desire that it may prove beneficial.
We of course bid
that cause God speed.
With cordial salutations, I remain
Yours faithfully,
H . Bingham.
�1489.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter30.
To the Secretaries of the A . B .C.F .M.
Rev. and Dear Sirs,
Standing as you do as the agents & representatives
of a great Christian community and endeavoring to
give a right impulse and direction to the energies
of the Church towards the unevangelized nations,
and accustoming yourselves to seek and acknowledge
the guidance of infinite wisdom and goodness, you
are, it is presumed, prepared to bow submissively to
the expressions of God's will should any dispensations
of his providence appear to thwart even your most
favorite plans, or unexpectedly to retard the accom
plishment of your most ardent wishes.
In the removal,
in rapid succession of your predcessors, God has
taught u s a lesson that his ways are not our ways, and
in the early release from useful toil of other agents
in the same cause, he seems to say emphatically "Trust
in me, - all power is in my hands”. While you leave
to him every movement of the vast machinery which the
work of Redemption is and will be carried forward to
its final and most glorious consummation, and though
in his wisdom & love he not unfrequently causes you &
your coadjutors grief, it must ever be a great alleviation
to your sorrows when your valued laborers fade and die
in the missionary field, to know that they were faithful
unto the end; that they left their dying testimony before
the heathen world, to the excellence of the blessed
gospel which gives the dying Christian the joy of victory
in death, enabling him thus to furnish a new and power
ful argument for the truth of that purifying, elevating,
guiding, consoling, hope inspiring religion, which,
with self denying toil, he labored to inculcate.
Does it not help you to bless God with a full heart to
have evidence that those whom he employed under your
direction, and has called away in his own good time,
are removed by him to a higher sphere of benevolent action,
and to the enjoyment of that glorious and everlasting
inheritance which Christ has purchased for his followers,
that holy and eternal rest which remains to all the
people of God, & which will be peculiarly sweet & dear
to the weary and wayworn pilgrim?
Then may consolation,
& praise mingle with your tears, while you read the
record of the departure of our Brother & Sister, Mr.
Shepard & M r s . Rogers, of this mission, who died at this
station, the latter May 23rd & the f ormer July 6/34.
�1490.
Though we feel their loss, and the people of lan d
must feel it too, yet the reflection that t heir end
was peace, and that in reference to themselves, so
far as w e competent to judge, to die was gain, & the
full belief that God will cause their departure to work
for good to those whom he has chosen in these isles of
the sea, & to all his friends who are affected by it,
is more than sufficient to hush our mummering, while
we are called on to adore the grace that carried them
through.
Of M r . Shepard's decline you were made fully and repeated
ly acquainted, & with accustomed promptitude, you made
provision in due course that his post should not be wholly
vacant, when he should fall, or as you anticipated, he
should be called to go up higher.
Some further particu
lars may naturally be expected by you now, & since from
what was implied in the letter of the General Meeting
you will look to me for them it may be proper for me to
state them, tho' exceedingly pressed with other labors.
I must be brief,
Obituary of Stephen Shepard printed 31 Missionary Herald
460, Dec. 1835.
from H. Bingham.
Recd. July 9, 1835
Ackd. Sep. 16.
�67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 31
To the Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
From H. Bingham.
Recd. July 9, 1835.
Obituary of Stephen Shepard printed 31 Missionary
Herald 460, Deo. 1835.
�1492
67
1831-1837.
IXVI
Part Second
.
Letter 32.
To the Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
Rev. Messrs. Wisner, Anderson & Greene.
Gentlemen
Permit me to introduce to your acquaintance the Bearer
Capt. John Stetson of Nantucket Master of the Ship
Enterprise, as a friend who has shown your Missionaries
very kind attentions and made laudable exertions to
promote the cause of temperance and religion in the
Pacific, whose kindness to Mr. & M r s . Ely & our
daughter on their passage to America, and to others of
our number has conferred a pleasant obligation and
leads us to rejoice that the family now embarking for
your shores may confidently expect the protection of
Christian kindness on the long and trying passage now
before them.
Capt. Stetson having his health materially impaired,
and being recently deeply afflicted by the loss of his
best earthly friend has left his ship, & embarks for
Home, but possibly may sail from Boston to this place.
Presuming an acquaintance at the Rooms will be mutually
gratifying to you & Mr. Hill & himself, I have requested
him to call, & have promised him a line of introduction,
and hope he may give you useful information from this
quarter of the world, & encourage your hearts in your
great work.
Respectfully & Affectionately yours,
H. Bingham.
R e cd. July 17, 1835.
Ackd. in G.L. Sep. 16.
Ans. Oct. 31.
�1493.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 33.
Honolulu, Oahu, S.I. Jan. 6, 1835.
To the Rev. Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.,
Boston U.S.A.
Dear Brethren
In compliance with an implied and perhaps expressed
wish of the General Meeting, and my own feelings, I
have recently closed for you a brief account of our
departed brother Shepard, a mere outline, embracing
a few notices of his correspondence and conversations
with me, as indices to his views & general character.
It was with difficulty I could command 24 hours for
that service, without holding back important works
in hand.
I could wish I had opportunity to correct and copy
for you a hastily prepared sermon which I preached at
the funeral of Mrs. Rogers.
Hope to find a little time
for it before long. M r . Anderson's letter by the
La Grange, & Dr. Wiener's by the Avon have been thank
fully received and ought ere this to have been grate
fully acknowledged.
I am much indebted too for Mr.
Anderson's by the Rasselas, which I translated in season
for a clolumn of the first number of our, not to say your.
"Hawaiian Teacher" of which you will receive copies by
this conveyance.
It costs labor, & time, but the ex
periment will I think succeed and will pay for the a t
tention it requires.
I have commenced in it as you may see, a commentary on
the Book of R omans with the text carefully revised, with
special reference to the verse aday for the current
year, but hope to stamp upon it the character of per
manent utility.
Stuart's labors on that Epistle, as
also on the Hebrews, are of vast assistance to us.
While I refer to his useful labors, I am reminded of the
affecting termination of the bright, useful, heavenly
course of one of his associates at Andover, who from
the long continued & patient toil of teaching many
happy learners to understand the word and successfully
to plead the cause of God, has gone to learn anew the ways
of God on high, the service of the upper sanctuary, the
eloquence of heaven from ransomed tongues, that high
Archangels will not disdain to hear.
Peace to the blessed memory of our much loved Instructor.
�1494.
Our Beloved Andover, and other literary, theological,
& benevolent institutions, and our country itself,
under whose distinguished prosperity Porter stood a
well formed noble pillar, will feel his removal; but
it is our comfort to know that he, who, in any peril,
could steady the ark without the aid of human muscles,
and enwrap the bush in brilliant flames without c on
suming it, can sustain and build up our country's
institutions, in any circumstances, and give permanency
to her prosperity, by means of any agency he may graoiously deign to employ.
God's ability, readiness, and
engagement to do for his people what is best for them
& most for his own glory, is a rock on which your
missionaries here m ay rest secure, even if those who
hold the helm of state, are disposed to run madly on
destruction where fatal quicksands are known to lie in
their course.
Your solicitude for the nation where we toil cannot,
we think have much subsided since you heard of Kaahumanu's
death, & you will doubtless feel as we are taught to
feel, even what we were ready to confess before, that
we cannot safe put our trust in princes or princesses.
A c ode of laws, drawn up by the chiefs, abridged &
signed by the king, & printed some months ago, were
yesterday publicly proclaimed by the king & Kinau , as
the laws of the land, and Kinau intrusted with their
execution.
All the principal chiefs were present.
Hoapili
offered a prayer on the occasion. What we fear, is
that a repugnance to stern morality in one who has for
months postponed the publication of this code, will still
go far towards nulifying their influence especially in
respect to chastity. - But we hope for good, though
several things which Kaahumanu & others would have in
serted are omitted.
N ews from the South.
A letter from Rev. M. Barff dated
Tahiti March 4, 1834 says - "The Lord continues to bless
us at Huchine. We continue to receive a few additions
to Church fellowship; I trust such as have really felt
the power of Divine grace.
Our present number of com
municants 320.
I am happy to inform you that there is
a disposition among the chiefs & people to do away with
spirits through the islands, a source of great evils
both to body & soul".
In a letter from the same Gentlemen dated Racotia
Oct. 17, 1834, he mentions the death. of Rev. M. Laxton
of that mission, the return to Eng. of Mr. & Mrs. Williams,
& his own recent visit to the N avigators, where he found
the people disposed to hear the gospel, having cast
away their idols and built a considerable number of
places of worship for Jehovah, five of these being
plastered with lime and otherwise made neat.
�1495.
He says, The Directors have informed them that they
have selected 5 laborers for that field, 4 missionaries
& a printer, who were then daily expected to arrive The work of translating the scriptures in the Society
Islands was advancing & the sacred volume was expected
soon to be completed.
The Missionaries from England for the Marquesas, had
arrived at Tahiti, and had gone on to commence their
work.
The Queen of Tahiti has prohibited the use of
ardent spirits.
Prom the Columbia River, I have recently received a
letter from Dr. Gajrdner a young gentleman from Scot
land in the service of the Hudson Bay Company, who
writes under date of Nov . 8/34 - at Port Vancouver, as
follows:
"Mr. M a cloughlin the Gentleman at the head of the Com
pany's affairs in this part of the world is laudably
endeavoring to reduce as much as possible the expenditure
of ardent spirits among the natives.
This could easily
be effected were it not for the opposition in trade so
frequent here.
It was proposed to the last American
here to abstain on both sides from dealing out this
deleterious drug to the natives, but to this he did not
consent on the alledged ground of the chief part of
his outfit consisting of spirits.
Two missionaries of
the Methodist persuasion Messrs. Leaghs, have lately
come from the States here, for the purpose of civilizing
the Indians & perhaps converting them.
They have com
menced farming in the Walomet.
Whatever may be their
ulterior views, for some time their sole attention must
be directed to the acquisition of the means of subsistence.
There is a wide field, not only among the Indians but
also among the Co.'s servants, both whites an d Sandwich
Islanders.
Most of the formertis true have been baptized
into the Romish Church, but of religion they generally
retain nothing but the name. So that the laborers of a
liberal missionary could hot fail of being productive
of much benefit".
Professor N utall, the Botanist, has just arrived at
Honolulu from that Quarter, having crossed the continent.
Have not yet seen him.
But hope to soon.
The singular
fate of Mr. D. Douglas, a Botanist you will see in the
K u m a Hawaii.
A year ago today we endured the trial of
parting with our second daughter, Lucy Whiting.
Have
not heard of her approach to your shores.
W e sent her
to the care of Mrs. Chas. Whiting, but have now thank
fully accepted the proffered kindness of the Maternal
Association of Hartford, Conn., and expect her to enjoy
its guardianship & fostering care. Your kind interest in
�1496.
our dear children is very grateful to us. May
richest blessing crown you & your coadjutors, &
your absorbing work.
Affectionately yours,
H. Bingham.
To: Messrs. B.B.Wisner,
R. Anderson, D. Greene
�1497.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Seoond
Letter 34.
P. S. Mrs. B. joins me in cordial salutations to you,
and your good Ladies, to M r . & M r s . Hill, Mrs. Evarts
& Mrs. Cornelius, if they are near you still, and
their children, all of whom we hope from the eldest to
the youngest will be found on the Lord's side, & allowed
to stand with Moses & Paul & your predecessors in
office, at Jesus feet, and sing (hole in paper) bleeding
love.
Some of them may be disposed to help us (hole)
that the precious Christmas Gift, kindly laid (hole)
13 days since, may from her infancy, enter on the service
of Christ, a delightful service which will never end.
H. Bingham.
Honolulu, Sandwich Islands.
Jan. 6, 1835.
To the Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.,
Missionary R ooms,
Boston, Mass.
U.S.A.
Recd. July 3.
Ackd. in G.L. Sept. 16.
Ansd. Oct. 37.
�1498.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Honolulu
Letter 35.
5 Aug. 1835.
Rev. R. Anderson
M y Dear Brother
Were I allowed to t e n d e r you this right hand in the
fullness of missionary fellowship, and the sincerity
of brotherly love, within the peaceful doors of the
oldest missionary cottage in the Sandwich Islands,
or those of the Missionary Rooms, at Boston, or of
your own domestic sanctuary, I should feel at a loss
for words, looks and gestures how to ask your advice
in a case in which I am somewhat interested, the bare
statement of which may affect the interests and perhaps
character of some engaged in a work of charity, a case
however on which I should feel more at ease were not
the interests of the mission, of the Oahu. Charity
School, of the Board & of Christianity in the islands
in some measure involved.
I cannot greet you in a personal interview, and I
feel reluctant to commit to paper facts that ought
not to exist, to be sent across the wide ocean.
I
feel constrained however, after deliberation, at least
to suppose a case on which I should value your opinion
and do deem it of so much importance as to justify me
in occasioning the very unwelcome troubles it may
make you.
As a vessel is to sail in a day or two for your shores,
& your advice is wanted immediately, I will, without
further apology, ask what ought to be done supposing
one of your missionaries, who has for fifteen years,
been laboring through good report & evil, to sustain
a very difficult post with the full approbation of the
Board, as he supposed, and of the mission too with
which he has ever been happily connected, should, on
an errand of kindness, call in at the house of a younger
missionary, sent out by the same board, to be an assistant
missionary in the same work, & to relieve o p p r e s s i v e
burdens, and after 4 years familiar acquaintance, and
friendly intercourse, should offer his hand as usual,
& the younger missionary should refuse hie hand, declare
all intercourse with him at an end, denouncing with angry
tone & gestures the elder missionary as "artful, deceitful.
and unworthy of the character of a c hristian minister".
and suppose the elder missionary, no t much disconcerted,
having seen similar instances of folly and self importance,
in several Gentlemen of different cloth, should fold
his arms and say in effect, & as he could find a place,
"I am sorry to have our intercourse suspended thus", "I
�1499.
have given you no occasion to treat me in this
manner", "Your opinion of me, thus expressed, is
unfounded, unjust, & unbecoming a Christian", "Will
you mention a single instance in which I have wronged
you", and should the younger, declining to specify
a single fact, repeat the opprobrious terms of the
denunciation over and over, with unabated warmth &
vocifration walking the house to and fro in a passion;
my question is, what ought to be done in such a case.
-
Possibly you may say as one of my brothers did in
reply to a similar question, "It is hardly a supporable
case".
Still I must ask again what ought the elder
Missionary to do if such a case should occur? Will
you say as the other counsellor did, "He ought to lay
the case before his brethren for the sake of their
counsel and mediation", that the breach might for the
sake of the sacred interests at stake be healed as soon
as possible, unless some concessions or explanations
were made before the sun should go down more than twice
upon such unprovoked wrath.
Suppose then, that after two days the elder consults
his brethren, & five of them from four different stations
should kindly and faithfully converse with, the agressor,
in succession and at intervals during a week, b o t h to
ascertain the ground of his conduct, and to induce him
to retrace his hasty step at least so far as to have
an interview, for the sake of a mutual understanding
of the case, and they find no disposition to retreat
and nothing to justify or palliate the attack, or to
mend the matter, but see it grow worse more to their
surprize than the first ebulitions of jealousy & anger,
Ought not the elder brother then to consult the advice
of his directors, in the case, especially if after 3
weeks, the younger Brother would not reciprocate a
salutation or any token of courtesy?
I an assure you
dear brother I had rather suffer wrong than do wrong.
I had rather suffer in silence, than complain, - I love
peace.
I love my brethren.
I have hitherto supposed
I enjoyed the confidence of them all.
But I have not been supposing a strong case for the
sake of eliciting your advice on a principle that would
be useful in the ordinary round of missionary or Christian
duty, nor have I been pointing a futitious scene to
amuse or distress you, or carricaturing a fall for the sake
of effect, nor as I before hinted have I obtruded on
your notice, amidst your many case s , a case in which
I have no personal concern, for there is special reason why
I should receive your counsel in t h e case supposed - I
am that elder brother, & Mr. Johnstone is the younger.
�1500.
Messrs. Richards, Spaulding, Forbes, Bishop &
Tinker are the five brethren of different stations
who kindly lent their mediation, as I presume you
will be informed by them or by the mission.
While
their efforts were in progress they learned that
he would withold all intercourse with M r . Chamberlain
& Dr. Judd, who I think have given him no reason for
this course.
They will for themselves each appeal to the
Board, unless a reconciliation is effected b efore the
sailing of the ship in the roads.
One reason for addressing you now is the fa c t , that
he considers himself o n "independent ground" (i.e. I
suppose not amenable to the mission, nor to any church
in the Sandwich Islands,) 'means to act only on the
defensive', 'make an expose of facts on another arena'
to justify his late offensive measures &c, &c.
In
the mean time the majority of the Brethren consider him
as having forfeited their confidence, by this late
movement & not as holding a regular standing in the
mission.
This has been communicated to him by a letter written
by Mr. Tinker & Mr. Spaulding as a committee at this
place, to which he proposes to reply after our letters
are off.
The opportunity is unexpected.
But does not
his non intercouse act fully justify the appeal to you?
He seems to have thought that I or w e at this station
have written you desparagingly respecting the Oa. Charity
School. & thus procured a decision by the committee
of your Board unfavorable to him.
I am willing to a p
peal to your files and records for a single sentence of
mine that can be construed to the disparagement of the
school. But then, 'my silence and reserve respecting
the school has been injurious to it', and has proved a
ground of offence in his esteem.
True these two faults
might exist at one and the same time, to write injurious
ly, & to be injuriously silent about the charity school;
but few it is presumed, would, on such a suspicion,
think it right to excommunicate me as the first step.
If the school fails, I am to bear the blame, I concluded.
But if on these grounds I must with my beloved brethren
& helpers be placed under an uncourteous edict of non
intercourse, it appears to me I may, without tresspass,
state a few particulars to you on this subject, since
it seems necessary to vindicate myself in reference to
the assumed grounds of complaint, and put you now in
possion of some facts which may be of use to you in
dependently of my petty interests, some of which I
might justly have communicated before, but for the delicacy
of my situation, and the fear of injuring the cause of
the Oahu Charity School.
�1501.
I was indeed in favor of having the General Meeting
furnish you with full information respecting the
school, that your decisions respecting M r. J. might
he well advised and based on solid, and unobjectionable
ground, and the high character of the Board what I
maintained was vastly more important in the conversion
of the world, than ours in the estimation of our neighbors,
might remain unimpeachable. I supposed moreover, that
Mr. Johnstone, choosing to continue in the school, &
feeling as he did that you had proceeded on wrong i n
formation, would in connexion with a full statement of
the character and design, importance & prospects of the
school, say in substance to you, "If with these views
of the Oahu Charity School you think I can continue in
it retaining my connexion with you & receiving my sup
port from the trustees of the school, I shall be glad
to do so, but if you think otherwise I w i s h you to give
me a discharge".
This, I supposed, would be, according to your phrasiology,
to seek a dissolution of his connexion with the Board
in the wisest manner for himself (if his connexion with
the school would require a dissolution) the safest for
us, and the most satisfactory for yo u . I was not will
ing to interfere with your course, nor have the mission
take any step which should contravene your orders to him.
Whether I was right or wrong in this case, & whatever
need I may have of indulgence from m y friends in respect
to personal character, I have endeavored to have a
conscience void of offence towards Mr. Johnstone, and
am happy in the assurance I feel that I have not derived
at his hands the reward he has given me. But of this
others must judge when the facts in the case are more
fully developed, I mean others not now acquainted with
it, for there appears to be but one voice in the mission
on the subject.
Our beloved friend & Director M r . Evarts thought it
advisable to give me personally some kind advice respect
ing the excellencies & peculiarities of Mr. Johnstone,
in order the more certainly to secure the full advan
tages his qualifications could bring us, though his
ecclesiastic connexions are not alluded to.
The recommender is high & the advice wise and has been carefully
followed.
It is as follows: "N ew Bedford Dec. 24, 1830.
M y Dear Sir
I would now say a few words to you respecting Mr. John
stone who is sent out to attend to your secular affairs.
This man has not been long known to us; but from the
recommendation which he has received from Mr. Holmes
(a good minister of this place and one who has long
been a warm friend of missions) and from the general
character for piety which he sustains, as well as from
his business qualifications, we hope & believe he will
be a great acquisition to you.
�1502.
He is a Scotchman by birth, - has lived in the West
Indies and is thoroughly acquainted with mercantile
officers. Being a foreigner and of course not much
acquainted with the character of Americans, there
will be the more need of caution and delicacy in the
treatment of him.
He is represented as being ( and
certainly he appears to be) very far from pushing
himself forward and encroaching on the rights of
others.
It is the more proper that others should not
appear to encroach on his rights. He must, therefore,
as all others must, be treated with great frankness.
His views should be sought, and if duties are assigned
him he should be consulted about them” .
He took a pretty early occasion to say he had said to
Mr. Evarts, ’He should wish to devote his leisure time,
of which he hoped to have a good deal, to seamen’.
It was scarcely a year after his arrival before it b e
came quite apparent that he was not disposed to address
himself with much energy to the secular labors which
had been assigned by the Board, but preferred to labor
for Seamen & foreigners, & their children, instead
of taking his share of the labors & cares under which
Mr. C. was crushed.
He assisted for a while in teach
ing a school of native teachers, and finally chose to
give his chief attention to the children of foreigners.
He took a class of boys into his house.
This was not
objected to.
I afterward approved of his enlarging it.
About the close of the visit of U.S. Frigate Potomac,
in Aug./32 Mr. Warriner, a pious school master attached
to the ship, who had spent several days with us having
taken leave of us & gone on board to sail the next
morning, addressed me a note in the evening making many
inquiries, among which was a most singular paragraph
implying the existence of a species of scandal, near
to me, and which I supposed could be silenced by a few
words from Mr. Johnstone and myself. (see N ote A.)
To show my readiness to refute the columny and also to
preclude the possibility of such a state of things
ever arising as was implied in the reports I immediate
ly addressed a note to Mr. J. believing that he would
readily avail himself of the opportunity to join with
me in shutting the mouths of our enemies and requested
hie assistance,
(see note B . ) An answer was promptly
received but too ambiguous to meet my wishes, contain
ing a "challenge” to Mr. Warriner, and a side long
thrust at some "layman” whom he suspected of having said
something as the foundation of the report in part at
least (see Note C.) A note however, which I had
written Mr. J. a month or 5 weeks before, which had been
�1503.
providentially preserved was no w returned to me,
and which he allows expresses my concurrence with
his views in favor of something of a more exclusive
nature being done for the children of the foreigners.
(Note D. ) Copying most of this note I drew up, as
well as I could in haste, my answer to many inquiries,
of Mr. W. devoting one paragraph to those which r e
lated to Mr. J. & myself. Before closing it I stated
to Mr. J. that it was not a "lengthy detail" that I
asked of him for Mr. Warriner, but a few words to
correct what I believed to be false reports, and wished
he would if he could signify his approval of the para
graph I had prepared to meet the case, in my answer to
Mr. W. His reply was that "Mr. B. might say what he
chose".
What I did say appeared to satisfy Mr. W. who was sur
rounded with captious, & bitter accuses of the Mission,
and was desirous of having the means of meeting them
in every attack.
Though I abated something from what
I should have felt willing to say without consulting
Mr. J. still as he subscribed himself "yours in gospel
bonds", and seemed to imply that he had not said he
wished to be detached from the mission and insinuated
that some layman had by mistake given the impression
or at least unguardedly that he had lifted the heal
or the horn against me, I felt that I could say honestly
what I did say respecting my ignorance of any ?
enmity &c between us.
About two months subsequently to this, on hearing of
the state of things at Kauai, the lonely and debilitated
state of Mr. Gulick & the evidences of the outpouring
of the spirit there, I was advised to go, and took leave of
the Brethren here, Mr. Johnstone among the rest with as
I supposed, mutual cordiality.
During my absence an opportunity occurred for sending
to England and it was necessary to pay some attention
to Mr. Ellis's things in my care, in the chamber of
Mr. E.'s house, in the lower part of which Mr. J.'s
family were accomodated.
Mrs. B. though feeble, together with Mrs. Judd, went
over twice to attend to them.
The second time they were
admitted by M r . J. & soon followed by two native domestics
who assisted in removing a bureau.
As Mrs. B. came down
to return, she bade Mr. J. good afternoon.
But he
instead of returning the complement or instead of having
offered the slightest assistance, which indeed was not
expected of him,reprimanded her for attending to those
things on a monthly concert day, coming over without
giving previous notice by writing a note, taking natives
into the chamber, and exposing M rs.Js clothes which
�1504.
hung there, to b e soiled.
Assuring him that there
was not in her mind the slightest thought of showing
disrespect to him or of doing any wrong in the case,
she begged him as a Christian brother to overlook &
forgive it if he thought it an impropriety She said
she had used great care lest Mrs. J.'s clothes
should be soiled, thought they had not been, but if
they had, would gladly take & wash them.
He persisted
in unkind censures, and she in her persuasive plea
for forgiveness, as his gigantic form stood over her,
and she retreated slowly from the t h r e s h o l d , to the
first doorstep, & from the 1st to the 2nd, & from the
2nd to the ground for 10 or fifteen minutes, till finding
him inexorable, maintaining that the impropriety of her
conduct was "inexcusable", she returned reluctantly
feeling that she had never before in all her intercourse
with the world experienced such a rebuke.
The Brethren
and Sisters at the station though exceedingly grieved
at the uncalled for rebuke, chose to wait for my advice
on the subject, and I on becoming acquainted with the
unpleasant occurrence, chose for the sake of peace not
to notice it.
I have followed him with kind attention
till he has excluded me from intercourse with him &
my brethren tell me to give you his history.
He has
made no apology to this day.
About this time a subscription was filled partly by residents
& partly by strangers, for building a school house for
the benefit of the children of foreigners, it being
understood that a missionary of the American board had
proposed to teach them provided they would erect a suit
able building for the purpose.#
Among the principal subscribers for this building were
Mr. Charlton, & Capt. Cole, (English) Gov. Finlayson,
of the H.Bay Com. Capt. Reed who had been a Lie u t . in
the Peruvian army, & Capt. Adams the Pilot (Scotch)
Messrs. J.C.Jones, Wm. French, Wm . S. Hinckley, Stephen
Reynolds, H. A. Pierce & E liab Grimes (American).
Giving a statement of a former charity of 1820 & 21 to one of
the subscribers, & asking for information respecting the
present I received a note from him who soon left the
place & has not returned, which shows how he expected
we should regard the school.
(Note F. )
The following month Jan. 10, 1833 the school house was
opened called the "Oahu Charity School", and we were
invited by the Trustees to join in the exercises. (Note G . )
W ith this we cheerfully complied, congratulating the
rising generation on the provision made for their
education, as you may see by my answer dated 7 Jan./33.
(See N ote H . )
�1505.
Between the 7 & 10 I called on the
Mr. Pierce, and he showed me their
bye Laws one of which was "that no
should be admitted into the school
Secretary
records &
religious book
except the Bible” .
The procession, on entering the house, passed under
three national flags Eng. Amer. & Hawaiian.
The exercises, would not have been materially un
suitable to the
? of a chapel on missionary ground.
The oration was respectable & gratifying - Order of
exercises.
1. Watts 100 th Ps. read by Mr. Tinker
& sung to Denmark.
2. Opening prayer by M r . Bingham.
3. Heber's M i s s . Hymn read by Mr. B.
and sung in M a s o n ’s tune adapted to it.
4. Oration by Mr. J.C.Jones
5. Concluding prayer by M r . Tinker
6. 117 Ps. read by Mr. T. and sung to old 100.
7. Benediction by Mr. Bingham.
8. Dismission anthem sung.
All harmonious.
Permission was soon granted us to use
the house on the Sabbath for English services.
Messrs. Tinker, Alexander & Clark preached them.
The accommodations were pleasant for 80 or 100 persons.
I was requested to preach and readily complied and
preached several times Sabbath evenings, and was heard
with rather unexpectedly favorable attention.
An invitation to preach from the Secretary of the
O.C.School Mr. H. A. Pierce a partner of our old friend
Mr. Hunnewell, opened a little correspondence which
if one of the sisters will copy, & you find time to
read may not be
?
here.
His reply to my acceptance
of his inquest, was written on Saturday but withheld
till after my sermon & then sent with a postscript
which shows deliberation.
(See Note I . )
Of the concession of the Sec. of the O.C.S. as to the
value of the Sabbath, and the importance of public
opinion to support at that time when Sabbath laws were
disregarded, I gladly availed myself to plead the
cause of the school, and of morality in general at
the Islands.
I replied immediately showing my answer
to Mr. Johnstone who allowed the argument to be con
clusive on the supposition that he felt much interest
in the prosperity of the school. (Note J.)
His reply shows a struggle of conscience, and a
desperate struggle with reason to evade or nullify
the conclusion drawn from his own concessions &
positions; a struggle which evinces that it is doctrine,
and not phraseology, after all, that pinches. (Note K . )
�1506.
As he was disposed to waive it, the correspondence
rested of course; but the following Sabbath evening
I preached from the words of Christ "the Sabbath
was made for men", & insisted on its claim to sup
port for every friend of man, from its sacred
character & benevolent design.
Soon after, I preached
at the same place, a funeral sermon for one of the
pupils.
And I once called in to the Sabbath school
taught there by Mr. & Mrs. J. and addressed the
school at Mr. J . 's request.
A few weeks after my Sabbath sermon, M r . Deill arrived
May 1/33.
In a few days I joined with my brother in
a polite note of thanks to the trustees for the use
of the house, and expressed a wish that the same privi
lege might now be enjoyed by M r . Diell as Seamen’s
Chaplain.
This request they readily granted, but in
their answer addressed to us they copied a resolution
from their records to this effect "that Mr. Bingham
in consequence of his scandalous, unfounded, false
& unceasing libels on the foreign residents be prohibited
from ever performing any religious service in the Oahu
Charity School” .#
This was felt by us to be a dishonorable and uncalled
for thrust from the trustees of a charitable institution,
whom as such I had ever treated with courtesy, and
whose school the mission & the Board had so materially
helped into existence, especially as they specified no
particular instances, and gave me no opportunity to
answer for myself.
I did not, however, unpleasant as
the occurrence was, feel myself greatly proscribed
or circumscribed in my sphere of labors, or very much
belittled by being classed by them with good books
such as our press was issuing for teaching Christianity.
And as I had understood one of the gentlemen whom I
supposed at the bottom of this, say ’’the greater the
truth the greater the libel", I had only to take silent
ly their civility, & the brethren did not think it worth
while to enter the lists for contortion, & I did not,
If I remember right even name it to you lest it should
i n j u r e t h e O a h u C h a r i t y S c h o o l your estimation.
I was told by a gentleman not connected with them that
they were offended with my temperance letter published
in the Journal of Humanity which had just been received
by them in which the writer, they say, represents one
sixth of the foreign residents as intemperate, and
makes no distinction between sailors and gentlemen.
About this time overtures were made to Mr. Johnstone
by the trustees to get him to devote his whole attention
#Messrs. Jones & Hinckley were absent, on the coast.
�1507.
exclusively to the Oahu Charity School offering
500 doll. for one year.
These overtures were
shown by Mr. J. to the rest of the members of this
station.
I mentioned to him the existence of a
b ye law of the School excluding religious books ex
cept the Bible.
He said he did not intend to be
governed by it. He knew too of the resolution on
their Records which stood so pointedly against me as
one of your missionaries.
I stated some difficulties
he must expect to encounter in teaching English, &c,
but did not oppose his wishes which were decided in
favor of that service.
I drew up with the advice of
the brethren here a resolution to meet the case to
be laid before the General meeting then about to meet
at Lahaina June/33 and submitted it to Mr. J.'s in
spection, who suggested two or three alterations, one
of which was to convey the idea that the provision made
by the trustees for the support of himself and Mrs.
Johnstone was ample, instead of the idea that they
had offered to contribute liberally towards their sup
port.
The resolution with the preamble was given to
a committee of the meeting at Lahaina and after con
siderable discussion, & some alterations, was adopted
in the main by a full meeting and sent to Mr. J. ap
proving of their continuing their attention to the
instruction of the children of foreigners &c . (See
Minutes for 1833 p. 20, 21.)
In June 1834 Mr. Johnstone's report being accepted
his connexion with the Oahu Charity School was fully
recognized and the meeting voted to approve of Mr. &
Mrs. Johnstone's continuing their connexion with that school
for the present year on the same conditions and for
the same reasons as the last year. (Minutes for
1834 p. 32.)
Thus stood the case when your letter arrived at the
close of the year.
The trustees never to my knowledge
recognized the mission as a body or the Board in re f erence to Mr. Johnstone's labors in the Sc hool, till,
Mr. J. laid your late letter before them, and a
committee of ours some 10 days later asked them for
information respecting the school to be forwarded to
you, to correct your mistakes.
The information asked
for was promised promptly but has not yet been given.
The trustees on seeing your letter to Mr. J. offered
him a house, and full support, and were sharp with him
because he did not withdraw his connexion wholly &
at once from us.
But he felt as others did there was
some danger that they might oppress him if he could
have no claim on your protection.
As accommodation was attempted, and found to be rather
difficult, but finally it was left to Mr. J. & yourselves.
It was the wish of the mission fully expressed that
Mr. J. might continue to ?
himself to the satisfaction
�1508
of his employees in the school, & that the school
might prosper, and so far as the mission were
concerned he, Mr. J., might hold his standing in
the mission till he could consult you, and then
be guided by further advice.
About ten days after
this matter was thus settled the occurrence took
place which has occasioned this communication.
Had
I given Mr. J. a single unpleasant word, or suspended
my courteous attention to him, there would perhaps
have been less cause to wonder why he should break
out upon me as he did, & why he should for three
weeks maintain his non intercourse ground, a course
which has forfeited the confidence of the mission,
as has now been expressed to him by a committee, who
have apprised him of our design to lay the case
before you unless a reconciliation takes place before
the ship shall sail, to which he does not object.
I have not designedly opposed the School.
And what
right, or desire could I have to do so?
Two of the
subscribers are members of our church & several of
the children I have baptised, & feel a deep interest
in them.
True the spirit of one of the byelaws and
of one of the bulls on its Records, I do not like,
of course, & I think, & may have said, they ought
never to have been there, if the proprietors of the
School expected a missionary of the American Board
to teach it.
I was not aware of any rule of the Board which would
be opposed to our teaching English to the children
of native mothers, provided religion, & the good of
the nation were the prominent object. This I had
reason to suppose Mr. & Mrs. Johnstone would seek
while they were in office, but who could predict what
their successors after a short period would do?
The children of Captain & Mrs. Dousett, I believe
are the only unmixed English children in the school.
There has been one pupil from California, & a half
bread from Kanschatka, b oth active lads, & deriving
benefit from this charity.
The desire of English parents to give their children
an English education is laudable, and the liberality
with which some of the gentlemen have subscribed a
pittance of their wealth, and others of their daily
earnings to provide for their own children & the
children of others, instructors like Mr. & Mrs. Johnstone
is I think commendable, and I should hope those in
structions bestowed year after year, & especially their
sabbath school instruction, which I suppose the trustees
do not regulate or care for, would not be otherwise than
useful.
The united influence of the Hawaiian and
�1509.
English Testament in the School under pious teachers,
cannot I think but be useful.
Still I have supposed that children could be taught ?
and religion more advantageously through the medium
of their own than a foreign tongue, for children
unaccustomed to much application and averse to piety,
could not be expected without a great trial of their
patience to learn religion successfully through the
medium of a foreign language.
I have supposed too that any children mixed or unmixed,
of native mothers, brought in or about the dram shops,
or otherwise very much exposed to the influence of
profane men, & opposers of the truth, would be liable
to get about as much hurt as good by having a smattering
of English, and on that account have not felt myself
warranted after making the experiment, to devote much
of my time to teaching natives English, preferring like
most of my brethren to make knowledge accessible to them
through the medium of their own tongue.
But then,
parents must be their own judges and have an undisputed
right to. choose the language their children shall learn,
and I hope while I do not interfere, they will not
quarrel with me, or subject me to any maltreatment for
my honest principles. That the merchants should wish to
train up boys to aid in their business is all fair, and
commendable, & I do not object to Mr. J.'s doing all in
his power to assist them, and if, I, and the mission,
& the Board, have not thus far honorably & liberally
aided their design, let us patiently take the consequences,
& still rejoice in the better efforts of- others, and
in the prosperity of the school.
My feelings are & have been unruffled under abuse,
though it may have added to my grey hairs.
If I have
spoken in a wrong spirit, I beg to be forgiven.
When I was a boy of fourteen my teacher told my mother,
that "Hiram was a peacemaker in the school".
After
the test of a college life, I received a similar testimony
from my reverend President, who has himself, since,
gone through fire & flood.
And I have lived long enough
in Honolulu to know whether I can be i n s u l
ted by friend
or foe, and not be angry or resent it, whether I can
bear reproach & not be disheartened or depressed, whether
I can keep cool and collected, and see my beloved asso
ciates ill used, the mission & the Board maltreated, and
the cause of Christ trodden under foot, and yet studiously
seek to do good in meekness to those that oppose them
selves: but I have not lived in strife long enough to
love it. Yet ’when I am for peace, they are for w a r ’.
And I would fain know how I may in future avoid the
stings of these thorns in my side? When will they cease?
�1510.
If, on the perusal of these sheets, with the appendix,
you should feel that I have not been sufficiently
frank with you on several points no w noticed fully,
forgive me this wrong, and by the earliest opportunity
let me have your advice. If I have wronged any man,
let the righteous smite me, it shall be like excellent
oil.
Tell me my errors that I may correct them that
the sacred cause which you & we would plead may not
be injured.
Pray for us, & forgive us all.
Very affectionately, as ever, your
Brother & fellow laborer in the gospel,
H. Bingham.
P.S.
Aug. 6
12 o'clock.
M r . Spaulding informed me last evening that Mr.
Johnstone was willing to give me his hand now, but
not to confess his fault, or in reality, make any
concession to me that would imply that he had tress
passed against me, or that he repented of what he
had done, nor even to talk over my grievance.
I
said "I am ready to be satisfied with what my brethren
shall say is satisfactory, though I do not think my
duty to them and the cause, will allow me to dispense
with some concession.
We have always been yielding".
H.B.
P.S.
Thursday evening 6 Aug. 1835.
Dear Sir
Since closing this package, and sending to Ladd & C o.
to be forwarded by the Canton Packet, I have learned
from Mr. Spaulding that Mr. J. not as naming a case of
injustice to him, referred last evening to my preserving
and filing and forwarding to you my correspondence with
the foreign r esidents some years ago, as an instance of
my being artful & deceitful.
Probable the correspondence respecting the report of a
conspiracy against my life, which occurred a few weeks
before Mr. J.'s arrival.
I have therefore sent a
messenger a half a mile to bring back my defence against
his attack, that I may insert this explanation.
You
have, you perceive, the evidence against me already in
your hands, in my own name.
I perceive too that I am again
�1511.
taken in my own snare by filing other correspondence
in this package for your perusal, and marking the
articles A.B.C.&c., according to the phraseology
of Mr. J.
Probably in the case of "the good M r.
Finlayson" too, I offended.
If to exercise what
being swallowed up,
the exact testimony
& deceitful, I need
little sagacity I have to avoid
and then to bring before wise men
of my opposers, is to be artful
not attempt to repel the charge.
The chronology of the attack and of this explanation
are noticeable, the first a little after he was left
by the General meeting to settle with you his future
standing, & the last, two days after he received the
censure of the mission for that attack on me & my
associates & for refusing intercourse, & refusing, tho
advised to it, to seek a reconciliation, - Can he really
blame me for the course I took with that troublesome
correspondence? What thanks will not be due to him
from those concerned in it?
Whatever conjectures may have been made by one or two
of the brethren; that on one single point, and a main
one, he is subject to a kind of hypochondriacal delirium
must it not be admitted by those who k now his circum
stances, that in this ingenious explanation he had "done
wisely?"
------- - He proposes to leave the house he
built at your expense soon.
Mrs. Johnstone it is hinted
is to visit the U.S. this fall.
Let the wisdom of your wise committee be put in requisition.
The Lord can guide us through.
In the day of trial
and trouble it is a consolation to know that all things
will work for good to those that love him'.
There is
more than usual interest in our congregation which is
increasing considerably.
What will they say? What will
our enemies say?
Again Farewell,
H.B.
�1512.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
L etter 25
Appendix copies &c
A
Mr. W arriner's Inquiries respecting
enmity & c .
It is said that you and Mr. Johnstone are at enmity
with each other - That he Mr. J. has lifted his heel
against you - that he wishes to detach himself from
the mission - Will you be good enough to state in
what the difference between you consists?
Did you
ever oppose the instruction of the children of for
eigners?
It is the general belief that you and Mr. J.
are at variance.
Yours sincerely,
(signed)
F. Warriner
Wednesday 14 1832 (Ship's time)
B.
Mr. Bingham's note to Mr. Johnstone.
Tuesday eve. 13 Aug. 1832 (our time - same day)
Dear Brother
You will certainly excuse me for troubling you with
a note tonight, but having just received from the
Potomac a letter in which I am earnestly requested to
answer many questions & feeling it desirable to prepare
my answer tonight, I have to request you will drop me
a line by which I may correct some mistakes which ap
pear to be afloat. - From the uniform kindness which
has marked your conduct towards me and from the un
interrupted kindness which I have had it in my heart
to show you, I should feel myself inarranted to say
there is no collision, enmity or opposition between
Mr. Johnstone & myself.
"That Mr. J. has not lifted up
his heel against me” & I have no apprehension he ever
will, while I am engaged in the service of our common
master. - That the belief if it exists is not founded
on fact nor supported by evidence - and also that I have
never opposed the instruction of the children of the
foreigners.
All this I should feel warranted to say
without any reply from you, but believing that a reply
from you would be more satisfactory, I will just copy
the part of the letter which I have just received on
the points referred to, & beg you will notice them before
�1513.
we sleep. — "It is said that you and Mr. Johnstone
are at enmity with each other - that he Mr. J. has
lifted up his heel against you, that he wishes to
detach himself from the mission - will you be good
enough to state in what the differences between you
& M r . J. are? Did you ever oppose the instruction
of the children of foreigners?
It is a general belief
that you and M r . J. are at varianc e” . In addition
to what you will I presume be willing to say on the above
extract I shall be obliged if you can send me a copy
of a note which I wrote you about a month ago on the
subject of enlarging your class of boys.
I should like
to make an extract from it.
Your affectionate brother,
(signed)
H. Bingham
C.
Mr. Johnstone's reply to Mr. B.
respecting the reports.
Rev. & dear Sir.
The late hour at which your kind note is sent precludes
my entering into any lengthy detail in reply this
evening.
I simply send you the note to which you
refer expressing your concurrence with my wishes that
something of a more extensive nature should be under
taken for the children of the foreigners.
I have in
every interview with the officers of the U.S. frigate
Potomac observed the utmost caution & have carefully
refrained from so much as hinting that anything in
my conduct had been the subject of so much an inadversion with individuals of the mission: and I challenge
Mr. Warrimer who no doubt heard many things - to say if
it was from me or from any one of the residents - that
my wish was to dissolve my connection.
As to the expression "that I had lifted up my heel
against you" you appear to justify me from such a
heinous charge: nor am I hope mu c h disturbed b y an un
guarded expression like this - u ttered probably by a
layman and one too who has eaten bread with me.
Yours in gospel bonds
(signed)
Andrew Johnstone.
D.
Note respecting the class of boys
to Mr. Johnstone.
Dear Brother
I have received a request from Capt.
Thomas Meek that
�1514.
the two little sons of his brother may be instructed
in English & c .
It would be agreeable to me if you will admit them to
your class of boys & also enlarge your class to any
extent you may think advisable or agreeable to your
self - whether of the children of foreigners or of
theunmixed aborigines and to teach & manage them in
such a way as shall to yourself appear most likely to
promote their good and the good of the nation in
the highest degree.
The eldest of these two boys has
been instructed four years in America.
I have examined
him in Arithmetic in which he has made a good beginning.
I think him a promising boy if he could be received
from the temptations of the place.
I should be very free to converse with you or Mrs. J.
on the subject of schools whenever it is desired,
though I am very far from wishing to assign labors or
duties to any member of the mission except myself.
Your Brother,
Affectionate,
(Signed) H. Bingham.
E.
Mr. B. 's answer to M r . W arriner
about the reports.
I know of no enmity or collision or opposition between
Mr. J. and myself if he has felt any, he has not ex
pressed it to me & neither Mrs. B. nor myself have
been in the least degree aware of it. As to the charge
that he has lifted up his heel against me I am disposed
to acquit him entirely.
I have not heard him express
any wish to be detached from the mission, he has vol
unteered to go to the Marquesas should a secular agent
be wanted there.# - I have never opposed the instruction
of the children of the foreigners but have aided in
the instruction of about 40 for several years. As a
proof of what I have stated I send you an extract of a
note which I wrote to Mr. J. some weeks ago which he
has sent m e back for the purpose of helping out my answer
to your note.
#Mr. J. we believe to be firmly attached to the cause
of evangelical piety, he may have peculiar views on some
points.
Yours &o
(Signed)
H. Bingham.
�1515.
F.
Capt. Cole's note respecting the
Charity School.
Dear Sir
I have handed over your clear statement of the
proceedings of the former charity to Mr. H. A. Pierce
the secretary f
o r the present one.
I did this with
a view that might be ready to answer my enquiries that
might be made hereafter, and therefore I should wish
you to leave it in his hands.
I must refer you to
him for information for I have not time to go into it
& he will show the ballance on hand paid over to French
& Co. the present treasurer, between 15 & 1600 dollars
and shall be glad when at leisure if you would do so
as all accounts connected with public charities cannot
be too public.
I am sure it will have yours and your
brethren's cordial cooperation, and feel sure that
success will attend your efforts.
Yours very truly,
(signed) George W. Cole.
Dec. 18, 1832.
G.
Invitation respecting opening
the school.
Dear Sir
It being intended to open the Oahu Charity School
with some formality on the 10th inst. I have been
requested by the Trustees to invite you and the other
members of the Mission family to join in the arrange
ments which have been made for the occasion. It is
proposed to meet at Mr. French's house at 10 A.M. move in procession (at 11) to the school house.
Mr.
Jones will deliver the address; and it is requested
that yourself & Mr. Tinker will offer the opening &
concluding prayer.
Seats will be provided for the
ladies.
With respect
Yours truly,
(signed) Henry A. Pierce.
Honolulu Jan. 7th, 1833.
�1516.
H.
M r . Bingham's acceptance.
Mr. Henry A. Pierce
Dear Sir,
I have received with pleasure, your kind note of
this day's date, with the request which is extended
to my associates.
While the members of the Mission
family congratulate the rising generation on the
efforts made to provide for their education; we
cheerfully accept the invitation of the Trustees to
join in the arrangements for opening the "Oahu
Charity School” on the 10th inst. agreeably with
your wishes.
Mr. Tinker and myself hold ourselves in
readiness to perform the parts assigned us, to offer
the opening and concluding prayer.
With respect,
yours truly,
(signed) H. Bingham
Honolulu Jan. 7, 1833.
I.
Mr.
Pierce's N ote on the Sabbath
and its services.
Saturday 2 March/33
R ev. H. Bingham
Dear Sir
Your letter, complying with my request to you to
preach tomorrow evening I have received with pleasure.
The cause of the non attendance of most of the Residents
to Sabbath services, I believe arises in some measure
(as you mention) from the Doctrines preached not being
popular, but m ore so from the language, expressions
and sentiments with which they have in many instances
been sent forth, doing no good, from their creating a
disgust in the mind.
I have never however heard any
thing in your sermons but that which was consonant
with my ideas of and belief of those D o c
trines as
preached by our Savior.
In this sentiment I believe
I express that of many others here.
As regards the excellency of the Institution of the
Sabbath, no one will deny; but when force, coercion and
the ? of the law is employed to compel men to keep
it "holy” , the object is destroyed.
It must be by
persuasion, by the force of public opinion alone that
�1517.
its observance and good effect will be realized.
The seeds which you sent me are very acceptable indeed.
Please receive my thanks for them and believe me, I
remain
Yours,
(signed)
Henry A. Pierce.
Monday,
D. Sir, - I had written the above to send to you on
Saturday, but omitted it - perhaps it is not out of
time now.
Yours,
H.A. Pierce.
I.
Reply to Mr. Pierce on Sabbath and
Sabbath Services.
March 4, 1833.
Mr. Henry A. Peirce Dear Sir, I have just received yours of Saturday,
thank you.
for which I
It is an unexpected suggestion that the language or
manner of expression in my sermons is less objection
able than that of my brethren.
I know that my object is not to wound, but to convince,
not to repel, but to win to Christ, not to excite
disgust for the doctrines which our Savior taught but
reverence; and this I believe to be a sacred object
with those of my brethren who from time to time, with
earnestness and zeal attempt to plead the cause of God
and ‘of salvation.
O how the residents in this dark and wretched land
would bless God to all eternity, if they should all be
induced to come with one heart to the Gospel feast and
receive the gift of eternal life, notwithstanding the
imperfections in the language and manner which we,
the servants employ to envite, and urge, and compell the
guests to come in, that the house of God, a glorious
heaven, may be filled. - And what everlasting regret
to us will it be, if they fail of it, through our
defects.
I am glad that you so readily admit the excellency of
the institution of the Sabbath.
By persuasion, and the
force of public opinion I hope the Sab bath will be
sustained.
�1518.
It is on that ground that I hope you and I shall
urge the residents and the people to observe it.
It is the united example and the united opinion of
the residents in favor of the sacredness of the
Sabbath that is wanted.
Admitting the Sabbath as a day of rest, a day of
devotion, a day of public or private instruction to
be an excellent institution, calculated to improve
society, to promote virtue, honesty, honor, happiness
and prosperity in this world, and salvation in the
world to come, and admitting that its influence on the
young must be of special importance, does it not
follow that the example, influence, precepts and per
suasions of parents in favor of the Sabbath, must be
of vast importance to their children?
let us suppose that without the Sabbath the rising
generation would not be virtuous or happy to any consider
able extent.
And suppose Mr. & Mrs. Johnstone, or
others equally faithful and kind, should devote their
lives with unwearied care to teaching the children of
the residents useful knowledge and to regard the
Sabbath sacredly as the best means of securing their
virtue, happiness, prosperity and salvation, and suppose
their parents, and the residents generally, and the
rulers and the people generally, should continue their
secular employments, or devote the day to amusement
and pleasure and by precept and example, and influence
teach the children so - would you not expect that the
efforts of Mr. & Mrs. Johnstone would prove an absolute
failure? And if so, is it not clear that every resident,
and every ruler, ought to give his voice, his example,
and his influence, in favor of the Sabbath.
How suppose again that three fourths of the residents
and a majority of the rulers and people were in favor
of the observance of the day as a season of quietude,
and public instruction, and that 40 out of the 50
children at the charity school, should wish to attend
to the duties of the day in quiet and peace; to attend
to their studies, read their Bibles, listen to the
faithful connsels of Mr. & Mrs. Johnstone; but 10 out
of the 50 children should choose to play about the
School House, fly kites, sing vain songs, and dance
to instruments of music, would you not think that the
arm of the law of the school ought to restrain them,
if precept, example, influence and public opinion
should fail to do it? N ot, indeed, to force them to
keep the day holy, but to prevent them from absolutely
defeating the object of the day in reference to those who
wish to avail themselves of its advantages.
�1519.
But should the ten persevere in their course of
trampling on the day, and get the neighboring boys
to help them until the others are discouraged, or
till their natural love of mirth or impatience of
moral restraint should induce them to join the ten,
would not the ten, in such a case, deprive the others
of a privilege to which they were justly entitled, by
the regulations of the school - by reason, the public
voice, the public good, and by divine appointment, too;
and deprive them of it as really and injuriously, as if
they had taken away by force the means of instruction
which the founders of the school had provided, or
pulled up the plants which were growing in their grounds?
But if these c ases are too strong for practical purposes,
let us suppose one which an indifferent spectator would
hardly regard as objectionable, as to its bearing on
the Sabbath.
Admitting, as you do, the excellence of the Sabbath;
admitting what I claim, and what I think, can be sup
ported, that without the Sabbath the members of your
school will not be very virtuous or happy, and suppose
that the Directors and the parents and all the members
of the school but two or three of the oldest boys were
disposed to secure the utmost advantages of the
Sabbath, not only to make the members virtuous, happy
and prosperous themselves, but to make it a rich
blessing to the nation where it is founded, and whose
authorities are expected to afford it protection; and
to whom it is expected to impart some of the blessings
of civilization and Christianity, - but two or three
of the oldest boys, not thinking that the Sabbath was
different from any other day, no w wishing to avail
themselves of the instructions given and the influence
exerted by the teachers on that day, nor wishing to
disturb the peace of the other scholars, should take
a carriage and ride about the other parts of the town,
or on horseback ride quietly into the country, at
tracting the attention of thousands to this very
agreeable amusement, and exciting the desire of others
to join them, and though well taught in the school,
now saying publicly by their example they thought it
right for every body to make the day a day of amuse
ment and pleasure; a day for neglecting study and
duty - the worship of God, and works of charity,
necessity and mercy, would not those two or three boys
do very much towards defeating the object of the school,
and nearly counteract the good influence of the
teachers? And would it not be the duty of the parents
of those boys to restrain them; at least, to deny
them the use of a horse on that day; and if they would
still borrow the neighbor's horses, and continue the
practice, would not the good of the school and the good
�1520.
of the nation require that the voice of the magistrate
should forbid the practice? Not to make them keep
the day holy, but to secure to the School and the
nation the advantages of the Sabbath, w h i c h are
offered as an unspeakable privilege?
But if the voice of the magistrate may not be heard
on that Subject, is it not still more important that
the parents should not countenance the practice, and
by no means join them in it.
Should it be urged that the boys, if they do not ride,
will hang about the grog-shops on that day, and learn
to fight, and drink, and curse and swear; and nothing
would be gained, by objecting to their riding.
I grant
it, if the parents encourage them to do that; for they
could as easily ruin themselves and the school, and
the nation by that course as the other.
What then? Shall both flood-gates to ruin be kept
open because if one is shut and the other left open it
will prove fatal?
Let them both be shut
if not b y authority, yet by
the public— — and private opinion of every parent, every
subscriber to the School, every ruler, every resident,
and stranger from sea, and every native.
When I took my pen to answer your note, I did not think
of writing an essay on the general subject of morality,
or reformation in the Sandwich Islands.
If the views
I have here expressed to you as one specially interested
in the School, are correct, I hope they will aid you
in seeking the good of our countrymen, of the School,
and of the nation; and if they are not well founded, I
beg you show me their fallacy.
I remain very sincerely yours,
(signed)
H. Bingham.
K.
Mr. Peirce’s answer to the above
March 5th,/33.
Rev. H. Bingham,
Dear Sir,
In reply to some of your remarks on my note of Satur
day, I will observe, that while I admit the Sabbath
to be some a day of rest, of public and private instruction
�1521.
and devotion I will also claim and allow it for
others to be a day of rejoicing of pleasure and of
amusement.
I cannot agree with your supposition
that the rising generation, without a religious
observance of the Sabbath cannot be virtuous or
happy; because we have practical examples before us
to the contrary.
Are the French, Dutch, and many
other nations, who dance, sing and make merry on
that day, less happy and virtuous than those who
spend it in prayer? Give me a cheerful and happy
countenance, to one that is stern and gloomy.
While
I admit the excellency of the institution of the Sab
bath, I would wish to allow people to keep the day
as they think proper - no one encroaching on the
privileges of another - if one class, according to
the opinions of another, should commit sin by the
manner in which they observe the day, let them be
answerable to God alone.
The Protestant worshippers
in Paris do not complain of being disturbed in their
devotions on the Sabbath by Catholic dancers.
Neither
do the religious congregations in Boston attempt to
stop, or complain, or feel annoyed at the thousands
of carriages which are constantly passing through
the streets on that day; because each know their privi
leges are equal and sacred.
As I said before, I do
not wish to see the Sabbath ’’religiously observed"
"according to law". Keep down ecclesiastical tyranny.
Look at the United States; there the Sabbath is as
"religiously observed" as much or more as in any
nation - yet it is done by public opinion solely - and
which, although it suspends the hammer of the black
smith because it disturbs his neighbor yet it allows
him to spend the day as he pleases, so long as the
public tranquility is not broken.
If men can be per
suaded that it is a sin to ride, to dance, & to be
merry on that day - well and good - but go no farther.
You must and do know that the force of law will never
make men good and virtuous Christians. Prayers are
not morality, nor kneeling religion.
We all know
what effect the Inquisition had upon the religious creed
which it was meant to promulgate, defend, and protect.
I do not write this with a wish to enter into a con
troversy with you upon the subjects touched upon, because I am unused to arguing upon them, and am not
scholar enough to state and write my ideas upon such
subjects so clearly and so convincingly as I would wish.
There is an old saying that a good cause will suffer
more from a bad preacher in its favor, than from its
worse enemies.
Were I to say you are too strict and
�severe upon such subjects, you, in return, perhaps
might say, I am too liberal and loose, - so let
it rest.
Yours truly,
(signed)
Henry A. Peirce.
Postscript.
I hope nothing in these sheets unfavorable to any
one may be used unless necessary, obviously so.
H .B .
Aug. 6, 1835.
Recd. Dec. 30.
Ackd. in G.L. June 15.
Ansd. June 18, 1836.
�1523.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
letter 37.
Honolulu Aug. 5, 1835.
M y dear Sisters,
I said, last evening, in closing my letter to L u c y ,
that if the vessel should stop another day, I should
make an effort to write, either a letter to the
children, or unburden my mind of something which op
presses it, to you.
The vessel will not sail till
evening or morning.
So far of the day (now ten O'clock)
has been filled up with the usual morning cares, domes
tic, maternal, & c . - with some three or four of the
people from abroad, constantly filling the avenues of
the house to talk with us on the subject of religion there may have been twenty already, this morning.
In
this valley of dry bones there seems to be a stirring Oh for the breath of the Spirit ! We hope with trembling.
For some f o u r or five months past there has been a
gradual filling up of our congregation on the Sabbath.
I did not think to have filled a sheet yesterday, wi t h
out telling you something about it.
Pray for us - pray
for the poor people.
No new request, but of great
weight - ponder over it, dear Sisters.
But - my mea kaumaha - I must begin, believing it my
duty.
One brother, in the midst of us, feels as if he
was injured - injured by his brethren - by my dear
husband - by us all.
Now we cannot see it so.
I do
verily believe the honest wish of our hearts, these
four years past, has been to have him, and his wife,
love us, overlook our imperfections, and go hand in
hand with us to our Divine Master's work.
We are in
trouble & perplexity; but there is a consciousness of
integrity in our inmost hearts, so strong, that we are
not distressed.
It is worth everything to us now.
I
would not trouble you, dear Sisters, with all this,
but before long, among things to be heard from this
mission, will be the unwelcome news, the enemy, having
given them some respite, they have set to afflicting
themselves - turned their powers against one retiring,
unobtrusive brother, till they have severed him from
among them. You will hear, moreover, that "that one
Bingham" ('tis your own phrase, dear Lucy, so please
exouse it) is, as ever, at the bottom of all.
Now it
will be hard for you to believe this.
You will be
likely to wish, that by some means, you could have plain
matter of fact letters, to help you judge for your
self.
This will not be all you may hear.
It may
be said, that even, your sister so contributed to this
wrong (forgetting the early lessons of her pious mother forgetting what was due to the dignity of her female
�1524.
character and the station which she held - as to
make it difficult for herself to enter the ag
grieved brother's doors, for two years or more.
And how much more you will hear I cannot tell.
N ow, dear Sisters, I only wish I could lay it all
out fairly, from the beginning - inward feeling
and all; and I should feel a relief greater than
I c a n express.
This I cannot do - I have not the time.
You will perhaps think I might have inproved yes
terday.
It was supposed the vessel would have sailed
last evening.
I had not written any of you, for
some time; and this was really too awkward a subject
to commence with.
As the ship stops, the desire
increases to tell you something about it.
At two
o ’clock, today, I have an engagement to go out.
I
begin school with some 40 or 50 little girls.
It was apparent very early after the arrival of Mr.
& Mrs. Johnstone, that something like disappointment
was experienced by them with regard to the nation,
the mission, &c. - everything stamped with imperfection.
Sometimes we had the mortification to hear her express
a determination of writing home faithfully that the
christian public might be undeceived - sometimes of
going home to make a faithful report, &c, &c. But
while it was a matter of much regret and some concern
to see new labourers equiping themselves for the
sacred work with such kind of feelings, we yet kept
up much hope - rather disposed to know as little as
we could of any thing of this kind.
I believe there
was a feeling common among us, that when they came
to know us - our plans, our difficulties, indeed, all
about us, imperfect as we were, there would be more
fellowship, and we should secure, on a firm Christian
basis, their love & confidence.
They had no children.
She had been much in the employment of school teaching
at home.
We had had before they arrived, and some
time afterward, some two or three hundred children, at
this station, hanging upon us for instruction.
We did
exceedingly need her help - h onestly wished it, and,as
we thought with Christian symplicity, not overlooking
suitable respect, sought it.
But we were all along
(we - I mean the Sisters) in troubled waters - distressed
to have it insinuated - not unfrequently expressed,
that she greatly desired to labor - left her country
for that - school had long been her province; but here
she was embarrassed - could receive no aid & c , &c.
We
were not only grieved, but sometimes well nigh astonished
we could not unravel the case.
I think it was during the first year that I was par
ticularly engaged with a hundred or more, children,
two hours regularly on the sabbath.
I do not now
�1525.
remember exactly how that charge came upon me
solely, at that period - something particular in
the circumstances of the sisters, just at that time,
would doubtless account for it.
These matters are
very fluctuating with us, as you will see they must
be.
I remember I was there alone, from Sab. to Sab. my own little ones left as it happened, and this I
remember most distinctly - I set myself to enlisting
her feelings, and drawing her into that work.
There
seemed such a propriety in it that she should have
the sole charge of that as soon as her knowledge of
the language should any way admit of it.
They both
expressed particular interest in what was doing
abroad in Sabbath Schools; and tho matters worked so
ill in our attempts to convince her of the real
state of our feelings in reference to the school in
other days, I did think this would succeed. I knew
not how to sustain it; and tho I do not now remember
why, yet the impression is very distinct that I could
not urge it on. Mrs. Judd, Clark or Chamberlain, Dear
Sisters - they have needed no urging.
But - I failed wholly.
I cannot have it put to the want of an honest
effort.
Tho it wounds my pride, I can yet bear to
have it put to my want of address.
Well, as to a school for the week.
My recollection fails
me in many particulars. Some three months or so, I
know she was engaged in it, having the sole charge.
And
why it did not all go smoothly is not now clear to me.
There was, however, some clog in the wheel; and I
remember we had a little meeting one evening (then
several sisters at the station) and formally solicited
the continued attentions of Mrs. J. to that school. I
was not without my fears at such a kind of formal step;
but we endeavored so to manage the affair as to divest
it of this appearance as much as possible. We all
felt that the case demanded that our. simple views &
wishes should be unitedly made known to M r s . J.
Things
went pleasantly, that evening.
The result of our con
ference was, that we must excuse; Mrs. J. from engaging
personally, any longer there, as the state of her hus
band's school among the children of the foreigners was
such as to require her aid there, for at least, the
following term.
How matters stood, for some time after
this, I do not remember - more laid at r e st, I should
think.
I have just touched this matter of schools because, in
those days, it was our chief trouble.
I have begun in
this little story, as you will see, without much plan the present attitude in which we stand being the great
thing in my mind.
These were only little perplexities we did not consider we had any difficulties.
Some time
�1526.
in the summer of /33 just as the Potomac was leav
ing these shores, a little incident seemed to
develops something like a difficulty. give you
the circumstances in short - M r . Warriner, whom you
have doubtless seen before this, then taking leave,
wrote, from on board the Man of war, a kind note to
Mr. Bingham, telling him of the strange stories which
assailed his ears on board.
He had been, in the midst
of us, a week or two - had discovered nothing to
prepare him for such reports - begged Mr. B. before
the ship should take up her anchor, to put something
in his hands to parry off the weapon in the hand of
the enemy.
My dear husband read the note - set down,
and in the fulness of his heart, addressed a kind note
to Mr. J. enclosing or transcribing what he had just
received.
We felt no distress, I do not remember a
doubt in the mind as to obtaining, quickly, what
Mr. W. seemed to want.
Late in the evening, an answer
came from Mr. J. Husband read - I read - looked one
at the other - thought surely, what we wanted must be
there. - read again, seeming to need the very plainest
words to assure us it was not.
But we could not find
it.
It was rainy - midnight too - the ship would
most probably, be off, early in the morning.
We could
not help it.
We each looked sad - tried to tell our
troubles to the Lord, and went to rest - slept some.
In the m orning, the answer to Mr. W.'s note being
prepared, it was concluded to show it to Mr. J. think
ing still we should obtain something marking his con
currence in the sentiments there expressed.
Mr. B.
addressed a few words again to him in the most kind
manner, signifying that nothing long or laboured was
required - something simply to show what he was sure
was the fact - oneness of purpose and feeling as
christian brethren.
It was farther concluded that I
should be the bearer of these.
I went with cheerful &
light step, notwithstanding the clouds of the night
upon the subject.
It was then nine or ten o ’clock he was engaged in school with some 12 or 15 boys, in
one of the rooms of his house.
I made my errand - his
countenance fell - the clouds of the night had not put
the hope of sunshine farther off.
I felt myself in
altogether a new attitude.
I hope I lifted up my heart
to the Lord. - felt tender, whether I looked so or not said but little, and came away; getting thus much from
him, that Mr. B. was at liberty to. say t o Mr. W. what
he pleased.
My dear husband looked rather sad; but we
had become in a measure familiar with new turns in our
affairs, all of which we had seen Divine Providence
manage with wisdom & kindness such as often times made
us stand and admire, and adore.
This matter could now
only be committed to Him. Mr. B. dispatched his answer
to Mr. Warriner.
We addressed ourselves again to
other and pressing duties, still determined to know no
difficulty - assisted by grace, to feel in our hearts
none.
This was Aug. 1832.
Sometime i n Oct. Mr. B.
�1527.
visited Kauai - something of a revival there - Mr.
Gulick alone.
He took kind leave of the brethren Mr. J. among the rest.
Some days after he left us,
a vessel put in - bound direct for London.
It has
been determined to put up a small bo x of Mr. Ellis'
best things, left in our care, and send him by the
first good opportunity.
Mr. Chamberlain conferred
with me.
We were of opinion the present must be
improved.
The lighter articles of Mr. E.'s possess
ions had been considered rather as in the care of
Mr. B. and myself.
We had left them in Mr. E.'s
house which we had occupied, as you know, two years
or so after his departure.
Mr. & Mrs. J. now occu
pied it.
To send a few articles we thought of, some
of Mrs. E.'s clothing, a silver, ladle, spoons, &c, it
was necessary for some one to select them. M r . Chamberlain took care about some papers Mr. E. had named.
I
regretted Mr. B. could not improve the opportunity in
writing our dear bro. Ellis.
As a poor substitute, I
wrote at some length; and as bro. C . seemed to desire
my attention to the business, I made it my concern
with him, to fill up the box.
It was one of the many
seasons in which I have been feeble.
It was thought
I was not able to walk there, tho a little distance M y good sister Judd kindly offered to help me.
This
was on Thursday.
We went over - were of course polite
ly received. As we turned the keys we found things
greatly needing attention.
I knew they had lain too
long, but, always busy, I had needed some particular
occasion for turning my hand there.
We hung up some
things from out of a trunk or two, and concluded we
would take the contents of the bureau over to our house,
and put them in some better state before we put them
down, perhaps, to lie for years again.
(I really was
not able to attend properly to what appeared necessary
to be done before the ship should sail.
We had but a
little while we could devote that afternoon).
On l e a v ing, we solicited Mrs. J . 's patience, and also, as was
natural, a little eye over them as they lay in such a
loose state.
They were up stairs, in the half story of
the house, which part was never finished off.
The next
day, Friday, was observed by the mission as a day of
fasting & prayer.
Of course, this work lay still.
The
ne x t ,Saturday, was full of engagements. The next Sabbath
The next - Month. Concert.
It was very undesirable to
be troubled with that business; but it hung in such a
state as appeared, in our view, to demand attention then.
Mrs. Judd continued to proffer her assistance.
We
gathered up our little ones, (for they must go with us
to our work, you know) locked up our doors, and went over
I ventured upon walking this time. Mr. C. expressed
some concern lest the whole would prove an effort too
great for me, and seemed desirous to take of the burden
what he could. We knocked and were admitted politely
�1528.
by Mrs. J. Sitting a moment or two, I said, you
will excuse us, and allow us to pass along to our work
which lies in so unfinished a state - if we stay to sit
we shall consume the time.
We passed along with our
children, and one little native boy, up stairs.
She
came up, two or three times, pleasantly - conversing
upon one subject and another.
Having been there a
little while, two of our domestics, young lads, came up.
I said, where do you come from now? then thinking a moment
what I would do with them, for I felt embarrassed to
have too many of us about, I pointed to the bureau - the
drawers having been taken out, and asked if they thought
they were sufficiently ikaika to take that home safely
& quietly?
They said a s , and took it up.
I followed
along after them down the stairs, to see how they managed Saw Mr. J. had returned from school.
I said a few words,
but noticed his countenance was very heavy - Immediately,
however, it turned in my mind that he was affected, as
we all were, by the passing scene before the house - that
of committing a murdered man to the grave - a foreigner.
No prayer - no missionary attending.
I went up again did a little more with Mrs. Judd - left a few things out
still, and we all came down to hasten home - she & I
desirous of being rested and prepared for our prayer meet
ing. Mrs. Judd stepped along with the children, leaving
me a little behind to see Mrs. J. and bespeak, once more,
her patience till we could come over an hour in the
morning and finish off.
I could not find Mrs. J. and
was going to pass along, bidding Mr. J. good evening,
in all the simplicity of a child.
He abruptly says, without
any preface, ”I think those things all better be taken
away" - then went on with such a repremand, in tones, and
manner, and looks, as I never received from any person
in my life.
Nothing I can call to recollection of the
days of my childhood that will at all compare with it.
Shall I say I was astonished and confounded?
I do not
know what words would express what came over my mind.
I cannot now, - I dare not; nor did I even the next day,
tho I penned the particulars of the occurrence, venture
to put down the things he said, in his own words.
I was
absolutely so surprised & confused that in calling it up
it was somewhat like a dream - difficult to get hold of.
The points of my offence were very clear - attending to
such business on the Month. Con. day - coming into his
house, with children and natives without having g iven them
notice before hand; and soiling Mrs. J.'s washed clothes
which hung in the chamber.
In vain I plead the urgency
of the case, in our minds, from the ship's being about
to sail - in vain I attempted to apologize for what might
have the appearance of abrupt intrusion upon the family,
by refering him to the commencement of the work on Thursday,
and the understanding we had had with Mrs. J. to come
the first convenient hour we could get - in vain I said
we had felt some concern for the clean clothes, and had
been, as we thought, extremely particular lest they should
be soiled - - all was in vain - then begging to be
�1529.
allowed positively to assure him that it was not in
my heart to show the slightest disrespect to him,
or disregard of the day, I begged, since it did
appear as so great an impropriety in his eyes, he
would excuse it. 'No - it was perfectly inexcusable'.
Admit my c onduct as so reprehensible, still, I beg
you will forgive it - 'It is altogether unpardonable'.
'But Mr. Johnstone, I cannot leave your house so - you
feel that I have wronged you - I am sincerely grieved
for it, and I beg you to forgive me - for the sake
of our religion, as a Christian brother, forgive me.
All availd nothing.
I stepped down one step from the
door - then a second, still pleading to have my offence
forgiven; and he, standing on the t h r e s h o l d , a tall
man, in most angry tone & countenance declaring it
could not be.
I did not know but my feeble limbs would
fail me, and I should sink at his feet.
It seemed next
to impossible for them to carry me home.
I however,
reached the door of Mr. Chamberlain's - entered the room
where M r s . C. was.
She, in her kind way, met me, and
says, Sister, what's the matter? She put me into a
chair, and tears coming to my relief, she indulged me in
sobbing till I could tell her my adventure.
I got into
the next door - home.
Doctor & Mrs. Judd were soon
around me - Mr. Chamberlain soon - all tender - they
took care of my concerns, children, &c, and I was able
to be with them at meeting. Mr. & M rs. J. did not come.
On e of his high toned injunctions to me was to see to
it that I was there.
After meeting there was some
consultation to know what was best to be done. - In the
morning, took up the subject again, with Mr. Clark.
Several things were proposed - finally concluded to wait
for Mr. B.'s advice. Well, when my good husband came
home what do you think he did? He heard the affair,
not without some feeling,
I assure you. But after
thinking, and praying, and talking, the conclusion was to
take no notice of it - if he was ever disposed to offer
any apology receive it kindly, - and if not, take it
patiently - the honor of our holy religion seemed to
demand it.
Surely, it was an affair which would not go
abroad from them - it was with us whether it should be
known.
And we did keep it. Mr. B. called on them before
long, as having returned to the station - made no allusion
to the occurrence, and ever after pursued one uniform
courteous deportment towards him. Some few of the
members abroad learned it from some of the brethren &
sisters here. F eeling myself under a long interdict at
the house, concluding I should not err, in determining
for myself, that it would require, either the voice of
distress, or that of kind invitation, to, draw me under
the roof again, there was, in a few cases a strong
temptation to give some explanation.
But I did not see,
possibly, how it could be done without injury to the man.
About a year ago, he was confined some time with a
�1530.
faver.
Mr. B. made his visits somewhat frequently.
I thought, perhaps, it would open the way for me
to the house; but I could not clearly discover that
it did.
It however, afforded me a fine opportunity
to bestow my attentions, and that I did not fail
to improve.
After he got out, at the close of the
first meeting he attended here, he came to my chair,
and very obligingly expressed his thanks.
These I
honestly confess, I received with pleasure, and d e
termined to watch for opportunities to continue the
same - think I did.
Some time in Feb. last, we both had a polite invitation
to take tea there with other company.
I had then made
no visit after my confinement.
It was Saturday, and
we had made our arrangements for publicly dedicating
our infant by baptism, the next d a y . Of course, visit
ing out, that evening was undesirable.
I do not know
how, in an ordinary case, we could have accepted the
invitation.
But we did here, without hesitancy.
We
went - had a pleasant visit.
At the station, we all had rather the hope that matters
were mending - we should at length, have the happiness
to approve ourselves to them. M r s . J. 's calls were
more & more frequent and familiar. So the Gen. Meeting,
this year, found us.
The reinforcement brought with
them, among other letters, one from the Board to Mr. J.
It was handsome and kind; but signified to Mr. J. that
the school in which he was engaged was not regarded by
them as coming properly within their sphere of operation.
This was a grief, at once.
Somebody must have misrep
resented matters at home.
This station must take that
hewa - Mr. B. his full share.
It seemed to be to little
purpose to declare that was not the case.
There was
no great concern felt - it was considered that the case
was, providentially, in wise hands (the Board's) with
out its having been brought around by any interference
of the mission, or seeming to require any.
Gen. Meeting passed along, and one week more, Mr. B.
having occasion to call at Mr. J. 's went to the house was met by Mr. J. at the door, to whom he extended his
hand in the usual manner of salutation.
Mr. J. at
once refused his, declaring all farther intercouse at
an end - in loud and angry tones pronouncing him
"artful, deceitful & unworthy the character of a christian
minister".
This he repeated again & again in a manner
indicative of the most purturbed state of feeling.
Mr. B. replied, he should be sorry to have all inter
course at an end - assured him he had given him no
occasion to feel & speak thus, and begged him to point
out a single case in which he had wronged him.
This
he declined. Mr. B. c ame home - told me at once.
I
�1531.
could, as you may suppose, sympathise with him.
It was not easy to determine what course to take.
My dinner was waiting - several brethren & sisters
of the Gen. Meeting still left in our family.
I
thought I should hardly be composed at table - but
dear husband set me a good example.
No allusion to
the rencounter was made.
He waited till the sun
had twice gone down - nothing appeared like seeking
a reconciliation, or desiring it.
He then laid the
case before his brethren for advice.
One and another immediately labored with Mr. Johnstone all to no purpose.
M r . Chamberlain and Doctor Judd
came also under the same intellect of non intercourse.
And here we stand.
It was so ordered that many of the
brethren were still left with us, waiting for passages
to their several stations. Mr. R ichards, M r . Thurston,
among the number.
I think they all labored with him,
individually.
On their arrival at Lahaina, the M aui
& Hawaiian brethren met - discussed the case fully,
and have forwarded to us the result of their deliber
ation.
There seems, at present, in the views of
all, but one course to be taken.
May GOD of his mercy
guide.
Why all this wrath should burst upon the head of one
who has had as much to bear as my dear husband has,
I cannot tell.
His whole deportment towards Mr. J.
under all circumstances, had been the most courteous.
Sure I am, feeling too, that without a day's or
night's exception.
I have had as much access to the
recesses of his heart as ever wife had to that of a
beloved husband's - sure I am, that I have been im
pressed with the conviction of his humble, earnest,
steady desire to "study the things that make for peace."
What will the enemy say?
"Ah, so we would have it".
If you become acquainted with these circumstances you
will not fail to pray that the Lord will overrule
them for good.
We do try to leave it all in his hands,
asking to be guided every step of the way, in present
duty.
I cannot but hope, through the rich grace of
God, it is working good to our own souls.
But, we
need to watch with all diligence such hearts as ours,
under such circumstances.
Dear Sisters, pray for u s .
My heart misgives me in sending such a record as this
from my hands.
If nothing demands it but the feeling
in my bosom of wanting your sympathies, perhaps I ought
not.
I have committed it to paper - have been allowed
more time too, than I anticipated - ship delayed from
day to day - still time to consider.
I pray the Lord
direct me, as to what farther I ought to do.
Adieu, beloved Sisters, yours very affectionately,
S.M. Bingham.
�1532.
67
1831-1837
XXVI
Part Second
Letter 38
Honolulu 7 lug. 1835.
R e v . R . Anderson
M y dear Brother,
I have this moment received letters from all the
Brethren at Kauai.
Perhaps they will not write you
now not knowing of this opportunity. Mrs. Whitney
has been ill but is recovering.
They all speak,
from three different points of the islands of a very
encouraging state of the people in their different
districts.
They all speak too of the most singular case described
in my letter of the 5 inst.
Mr. Gulick says, "If my sympathy is worth anything in
your trying circumstances, rest assured you have it.
And I will add, in my humble opinion, while pursuing
such a course as you have hitherto done towards that
school, you may boldly say 'The Lord is my Helper I
will not fear what man shall do unto me' - I think
bro. J. will find he has listened to bad counsellors,
to his own injury, & that of the cause which he professess to serve”.
Mr. Alexander says July 28th ”1 greatly regret that
the enemy should have gained such an advantage. Alas!
how will they rejoice, and blaspheme, and say "Aha, f or
so would we have it". - I trust the Master will give
you wisdom and grace to pursue the even tenor of your
way even unto the end” .
Mr. Whitney says, July 28, respecting Mr. J.
"As he
is not disposed to hear what the brethren have to
say to him it seems to me, your duty is plain to "tell
it to the church" of which he is a member, and I should
think, through the Pru. Com."
Mr. Smith writes me from Waiawa July 22. "One piece
of advice which I would give is that you inform the Rooms
as fully as you have us, and that by the earliest oppor
tunity.
Let them be prepared to meet Mrs. Johnstone in
whatever attitude she may present herself.
I would
also advise that you exercise forgiveness towards Mr.
Johnstone, and render good for evil, blessing for cursing
and if possible overcome evil with good.
If Mr. J. has
occasion to be offended with any one or more persons,
those persons must be the members of the A.B.C.F .M. And
instead of being offended he ought to be thankful that
they suffered him to have his own way as long as they did
�1533
Mr. Green says, "I am sorry for you, but not greatly
concerned, I love to see the character acted out".
Mr. Richards, who conversed with Mr. J . the third day
after his outbreaking, writes from Lahaina, July 28th.
"We think here that some one at Oahu should write
a full history of his conduct including an account of
the mild course of the brethren at Oahu and of the
mission and that this history should close with a re
quest to Mr. Chamberlain to consider him no longer a
member of the mission".
Mr. Chamberlain (who has borne with great patience) in
a note to me requesting a meeting of the members of
the station, as to the course best for us to pursue,
says July 31.
"We have borne the burdens of the case
hitherto, and we must bear it still.
Whatever course
is taken, the Three, the favored three must bear the
responsibility".
At this meeting it was proposed by Brother Spaulding
that the three alluded to should state the facts to
you. - And Mr. Tinker and Mr. Spaulding were appointed
to state by letter the visit of the brethren to Mr. J.
I expressed a strong reluctance to give the detail,
but "What could I do less than to tell you the story?"
Will it not in Honolulu phraseology be libelous? Will
it not expose me to the insolence of individuals who
have probably warped our friend to his injury?
I feel my responsibility, and the dificulties of my
situation.
I see not how I, or my brethren, or you,
can stir a step in my defence against Mr. Johnstone
without increasing the prejudices of Messrs. Charlton,
Jones, French, Grimes, Peirce, Reynolds & c . These
men by the way have been on terms of civility with me
of late.
Mr. R. once refused me his hand in consequence of a
paragraph in the Herald.
Mr. Charlton for some cause,
was several years without offering his.
But he in
troduced to me Capt. Seymour of the Brittish Ship of
War Challanger, about a year ago, & ha s since been
on speakable terms.
I think they have all heard me
preach since the Bull of exclusion from the O.C.S. Messrs. Jones, French, Grimes, & Peirce, several times,
at the Seamen's Chapel, where Mr. R. never attends .
Sinc e the death of M r s . Rogers, M r . Diell who is on
good terms with us all, tho' in a peculiarly trying
post, has occasionally asked me to preach at the Seamen's
Chapel on a Sabbath evening.
When I have complied I
have perceived no diminution of numbers or interest in the
�1534.
small congregation to which he preaches, unless it
be the vacant seat of Mr. C . to whose influence in
a great degree I attribute my exclusion from the desk
of the School House, & now from intercourse with Mr. J.
From such men I can bear reproach, rather as a matter
to be expected than to be wondered at. Better men
than I have suffered vastly more.
You will perceive that the Mission cautiously make a
marked distinction between M r. Johnstone's connexion
with the Oahu Charity School, and his recent conduct
towards us.
It is the latter that they censure. I
presume you will endeavor to keep them as distinct as
possible in your deliberations and decisions on his
case.
Kindest salutations to the committee.
Affectionately yours as ever,
H. Bingham.
R e cd. Dec. 30.
Ackd. in G.L. June 15.
Ans. June 18, 1836.
�1503a
67
Sandwich Islands
1831--1837
Part Second
XXVI
39
Honolulu Aug. 8, 1835
A
Rev. R. Hnderson
Dear Brother
Having closed 40 pages for you yesterday on
a very trying and perplexing subject, you will allow me to
beseech your patience that I may report progress today, as by
some means, the ship is still detained in the roads, possibly
I may add a little to your means of comprehending our present
situation.
I had closed my letter on the sixt i n s t . I sent it off
to the depot, but learning that the ship would remain 24 hour s
longer, I recovered my package, added a 2¢ P. S . under the 6,
and a sheet under the 7, and hastened it off again between 2 a n d
3 P. M . when the package was required to be delivered in order
to go.
At 4 P . M . Mr. J.' s answer to the letter of the committee
was received, read to the brethren of this station, copied and
sent to the ship to accompany the letter of the committee, and
tofollow our statements, which had been called forth in defence
by the bold offensive - - - - - - M r . J . had begun to a d o p t . Those
statements which I made o n the case would probably have been
modified and abridged naturally had he not purposely withheld
his answer two days after it was written and several days after
he could have made it, delayed to make his sincerity as it would
seem more apparent,-- Last evening the brethren consulted together
as to the next s t e p . I renewed my assurance that I was ready to
receive as satisfactory what my brethren should say ought to be
considered satisfactory and a s k ed advice in the present case, all
hesitated.
The concepions not what they would have wished,
yet they amounted to something, and all felt like assuring Mr . J.
that he might expect to find forgiven e s s or on part to the full
extentof his concepions, but yet it was difficult to define--It was argued that Mr. Chamberlain should go over and reply to his
proposal to vacate the house & assure him that it would be agreeable to us, that he should still continue to occupy i t . the c o mmittee was requested to consult the absent brethren on the -----of the question .
As he had, as I considered it, though it is not quite cer
tain from his answer, removed at least in respect to me his tabu
if nonintercourse, I set myself to study for the best possible
mode of renewinga c o u r t e o u s and Christian intercourse with h i m .
The controversy in his o wn mind with me ' having been at an end
for some days, I could freely invite him to my h o u s e .
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I have done so . By the hand of Mr . Chamberlain who
went over at 9 o clock this morning to assure him of our
willingness that he should still occupy the house, I sent
him the following note, having first obtained the approba
tion of several of the brethren who were of the opinion that
if M r . J . were reasonable, or if his apology was intended to
heal the break he had made he could not decline my invita
tion, v i s .
Aug /35
8
"Mr. A. Johnstone,
Dear Brother, being relieved
from an embarrassment under which I have labored for four
weeks, I now assure you I have not from my first acquaintance with you ever wished a kind courteous, and Christian
intercourse between us should be suspended and asa proof
of my readiness to renew it, I take this early opportunity
to present you and M r s . my own and Mrs . B ' s compliments,
and cordially invite you both to favor us with your company at tea this afternoon. Yours faithfully H . Bingham"
At 11 o clock I received his reply, which, if you have
heard the history of the case thus far, you will be desirous to see though sufficiently
already. I copy it as
a duty to you, as follows
"Honolulu 8th A ug . 1835
"Rev H . B ingham
Bear Brother,
On returning home
I found your duly esteemed note of this morning handed in
by Brother Chamberlain waiting for m e . Allow me to assure
you in the most positive manner that I likewise feel it to
be desirable to maintain an appearance at least if not
merely friendly but also Christian intercourse, notwithstanding our laboring in different fields . The opinion
expressed in Messrs . Tinker and Spaulding's letter of the
3d inst . ought I think to forbid our visiting each other
at present, viewing this as one of the '
p r i v i l e g e s ' where
of we are precluded accordingto our construction of that
document.
Yours very faithfuly
Andrew Johnstone."
Could you or any body else but himself have conceived
that a censure for departing from his duty, was intended,
or could be construed, to prevent him from returning to it,
or from putting on "
t h e appearance at least"of friendly and
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Christian intercourse if he felt that to be desirable. I
should hav e supposed he would hav e felt at liberty to come
to my house and given me his hand without an invitation
from me as soon as the struggle in his own mind against me
was "at an e n d " . If however he thinks h e h as put a right
construction on the letter of the brethren Tinker and
Spaulding, must he not conclude that my invitation was as
"artful"and"deceitful" show of civility just to trifle with
his feelings when he was cut off from "the privilege" of
visiting m e . But it is more likely that he might have sup
posed I should look for some further account of his unac
countable treatment of his brethren to comment .
In my account of the affair I have addressed myself to
you individually throughout, that it case Mr. J. should give
full satisfaction I might request you to withold from the
committee everything personal relative to M r . J .
It is
however all at your discretion. But in due s eason, let us
have your advice, and if possible by way of Vera Cruz, and
Mexico, a letter could come to us in 70 d a y s . You will
perhaps have to guess at the position Mr. J. may occupy
when you write him, or the position in which your advices
may find us, and therefore several conditions may be sup.
posed . The removal in some measure of the nonintercourse,
leads me to urge again that my petty affairs may not be
confounded with M r . Johnstone's connexion with the Oa h u
Charity School, and that the letter of M e s s r s . Tinker and
Spaulding in expression of the views of a majority of the
mission respecting M r . J 's conduct since the 11th of July
may be considered as having no reference at all to his
connexion with that school.
Should the difficulty between him and us for the last
four weeks be healed, or not, you might still judge his
case up to the 11 of July as though this had not occurred;
that is, your views of his course in respect to the school
may be giv en irrespective of this juvenile collision, for I
am no longer able to say I am not aware that any has existed
tho' I have studiously avowed it . I feel sorry to trouble
you with it . But it is impossible that n o report of the
case should reach you, and from what we know of the facili
ties in the Pacific for carr icaturingeverything that can be
said or conceived about missionaries, we should not think
it strange if very erroneous r u m o rs of this affair should
attract the attention of the P u b l i c .
It has proved a tax on my time and h e a l t h . You must
not however think I am much occupied with i t . I bless God
that he has so ordered it that so many of the brethren
from other stations were here and ready to look into the
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affair at once and thus so kindly and faithfully to re
lieve me and M r . Chamberlain and D r . Judd of a part of the
burden and responsibility. Our large meeting house w a s I
think more full last Sabbath than it has been before for
2 years. I preached with usual satisfaction and a couragement. M r . J. was present. More than an ordinary number
of the natives have come to me to talk of religion this w eek.
God has not left us.
Through the blessing of God my family is in comfortable
health.
Kind aloha to you all from your Brother
H . Bingham
P . S . Oct. 19
On finishing the above I stepped
to my window and saw the ship was under weigh. An d I am now
able to add a line. I have since the above was written pro
secuted m y work with as much vigor as at any time. I have
not yet received M r . J 's hand— H e has removed to a house
rented by the trustees of the O. C . School. He attends our
meetings except the celebration of the Lo r d 's supper. Dr.
Ch apin is at Honolulu waiting for a passage to your shores.
M r . Goodrich will hardly get away this season. As to M r .
Spaulding it is very doubtful. He is at Lahaina . Last
Friday I came with my family through the Alpine pass called
Nuuanu and descended the celebrated Pali into Koolau, this
was the first time M r s . B . ever saw it t h o ' living within
8 miles for 15 years. It was an errand of kindness that led
her down that rugged steep now. M r s . Parker was confined
here the same day— Mother and Babe now comfortable— A pro
tracted meeting was held here of 6 days, closing a week ago.
All your preachers on this island were present. The house
was filled to overflowing and we believe the spirit of God
was present, and that some good was done. I hope to as
sist M r . P . in following it up 2 or 3 weeks, and then re
turn to my station, and
superintend the prin
ting of John, Acts, & Romans, which completes the N. T . as
Luke will probably be though when I return I am so near that
I can read the proofs while
of the
of that.
A pioneer Catholic is supposed to have landed secretly
at Honolulu, lately by the N ame of Murphy, from a Brig from
the Isle of F rance. He attemted to land at Iihiti but was p r o
hibited by the chiefs because it was understood that he
wished to establish Roman Catholic religion— The missionaries
told M r . Baldwin that it was Mr. M u r p h y ’s intention to come
incog to the Sandwich Islands. On receiving this hint from
M r . Baldw in, I immediately ascertained that a man by that name
had landed here, without the knowledge of the Governess and
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that the Brig had left. She ordered a search
for him but what the result is a do not k n o w . M r . Jones
says he is not a preist . He is expected to be followed
by others .
It is sai d the Catholics have full possession
Gambier Islands, having gained a footing by the liberal dis
tribution of presents. What shall be d o n e . If the Lord
does not build a ball of fire around his little flock in
Polynesia it will be destroyed. There are many adversaries.
And how is it, are not your own beloved United States
becoming the seal of infidelity and Atheism and R o m a n i s m .
I hope to send this by C apt (page torn) to the coast
of California to cress the continent. He is to sail t o d a y .
H . B.
Rev . Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston Mass .
United States of America
Rev . Hiram Bingham
Dated Honolulu Aug. 8, 1835
Received Feb . 29/86
Acknowledged in G . L . June 25
Answered June 18, 1836
Mr .
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Honolulu
Jan . 11,
1836
Rev . R . Anderson,
Dear Brother,
You have probably ere this receive some of our last
General meeting, and may not far from this time receive some
particulars, not very pleasant respecting
M r . Johnston’s
case .
There is no material or apparrent change in the state of
that case since our last d a t e s .
We are at a loss what to do or what to say.
The accompanying narrative of the case of M r . and M r s .
Johnstone so far as the writer has felt herself particularly
and personally concerned. She drew up f o r her sisters M r s .
Whiting of Hartford and M r s . Cushman of Manlius N. Y. with a
wish at least to inform them of a personal trial in the case,
or to guard them against false impressions through reports
that might reach their ears, respecting the withdrawal or
detachment of some of our members who stand pretty high in the
estimation, and commendation of a part of the w o r l d .
But we have not been in the habit of interesting our
dearest private friends with such matters, nor does it seen
very desirable n o w . And though we both have great confid
ence in the wisdom prudence, and kindness of those much
loved sisters, I am not willing, without stronger reasons
first, to entrust them with these sheets. But supposing, with
M r . C . and D r . J . that they may he of some us to the secretary
who has a special interest in the case, and who may he desir
ous to be fully informed, I have with Mrs . B ' s full consent
concluded to commit them to your discretion.
The account was put into this form about 6 months ago,
when others of us supposed ourselves to he called on to give
you some acount particularly of M r . Johnstone's course.
The picture, not carricature, of this part of the originals is so wide from t h e character which our p a t rons expected,
and which we long hoped they would exhibit, that it is no
pleasurable task to draw it, or look at it, or present to
any one who loves us or the precious cause in which we have
enlisted.
But if submitting it to your disposal will help at all
to enlighten your path in investigating the trying case
already before you, the writer will not have last the pain
and labor it has cost her, tho, (unless you judge it best, )
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she may not unbosom herself to her excellent sympathising sis
ters .
M r s . Johnstone is expected to embark with M r s .
and M r . Goodriches family in a few days, for the United States,
or Board the Awashunks
Th e Lord guide and Bless you .
Your affectionate Brother
Mr . Hiram Bingham
Dated Honolulu J a n . 11, 1836
Received June 10, 1836
Acknowledged in G. L. June 15-June 18--
H . Bingham
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Honolulu
Jan . 11,
1836
Rev . R . Anderson
I
have felt myself rather jaded f
tle season past but find no place for relaxation. A few
more proof sheets of the New Test, will bring an important
piece of work to a close .
On the first Sabbath of this year I assisted in organ
izing a new church of 18 members at Ewa
14 miles from
this plan where M r . Smith is stationed alone, and where
I think he has begun well, with pleasing prospects of use
fulness Yesterday and today have found me almost unfit to
labor, suffering from a severe c o l d . Instead of my usual
sermon yesterday morning a Quaker preacher Daniel Wheeler
from England, delivered an address to the people, which
was interpreted sentence by sentence by D o c t . J u d d . This
singular philanthropist arrived here on the 25 of last m o n t h .
Has a certificate of recommendation from the Balby Monthly
meeting of Quakers of York County, and from the quarterly
meeting of ministers in London, and also letters of intro
duction to us from our friend Ellis . On the 2d day after
his arrival here, he at my request addressed our congrega
tion and I interpreted. His discourses are for the most part
evangelical, and practical, and calculated to be useful,
having here and there a shade of Quakerish obscurity peculiar to the sect. He has spent considerable time in Russia,
and endeavoring to aid the cause of improvement in that
empire
from the days of the merdian of the Russian Bible
society. Has supposed himself called by the spirit to quit
that field to proclaim Christ to the people of Van Diemans
land, N ew SouthWales and the Society & other isles of the
P a c i f i c . He spent 6 months at the Society & Georgia Islands.
Mr . Barff acted as his interpreter a part of the time and
spoke well of his efforts .
He has twice addressed the congregation at the Seama n ' s
Chapel. He is too orthodox to suit the taste of the A m e r .
Con & others
who hoped to hear something from a Quaker,
which would not require faith in the Divine Savior sincere
repentance for past transgressions, and holiness of heart
and life, in order to
the kingdom of God .
M r . Wheeler and h i s son, a young gentleman of pleasing
manners, correct words, and good education, (page torn) appear
to be voyaging in their own vessel at their e x p e n s e Both
h a v e expressed much satisfaction in the state of the congre-.
gation, printing establishment, the t a b u which excludes vile
women from th e ships, & c.
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I hope to send this by the May Dacre and write more
fully by the Awashunks
on board which M r . and M r s .
Goodrich, and M r s . Johnstone are expected before many days
to embark for your shores.
In haste but affectionately your Brother
H . Bingham
Rev . Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms .
Boston, U . S . A .
Rev . Hiram Bingham.
Dated Honolulu Jan . 11, 1836
Received June 10, 1836
Acknowledged in G . L . June 15-Marked copied
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To the Secretaries
of the A . B . C . F . M .
R ev . and Dear Sirs
I herewith transmit to you the answer of the mis
sion to your question relative to the progress of our work,
comparing the former with the present state and character of
the people, which I read at the last general meeting of the
mission, which was then approved in the main, and is now
altered and amended agreeably with their directions.
It should have been completed and forwarded earlier, but
I hope it will be found acceptable n o w .
It may not be out of place here to say that we yester
day received in trust, from the king and Kinau Fifteen Hun
dred D o l l . for the purpose of procuring in America materials
for a large stone church at this plan, which we beg you will
invest this when you receive our memorandum, and use your
endeavors to get the avails shipped
for the government
here as favorably as possible.
As ever very affectionally
Your Brother H . Bingham
J a n . 26, 1836
R e v . Hiram Bingham
Dated Oahu Jan . 26, 1836
Received May 24, 1836
Acknowledged in G . L . June 15
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Rev . R . Anderson
Sec . A . B . C . F . M .
Boston .
My Dear Brother
Your truly welcome letter of Oct .
31/35 pr Lagrange I have recently received, and hasten to
acknowledge it by the Griffon Bound to St . B las and expecting
to sail tomorrow. Your request I presume will be attended
to at our general meeting now approaching.
For one, however, I have paid but little attention to
the grosser misrepresentations of those who seek directly
to do us injury. Perhaps I have, from some cause, abused
the kind advice of one of your esteemed predecessors, "Give
yourselves no concern about (page torn) defence of your
characters in this country."
The kindness which our friends have (page torn) us in
defending us from aspersions, has been truly gratifying,
though from the late resolution if the Board in our favor,
and from the remarks in your letter to me, I feel concerned
to think the public confidence had been much more shaken in
respect to our cause or our characters, than we had supposed.
I know that several unfortunate things have escaped from
our own numbers, which I think I
have as sincerely deplored
as yourself; but which I have not ba d wisdom enough to correct.
I hope the late document which I drew up and which has the
sanction
of the mission, will help you in some points of no
small importance.
I think there is a mistaken impression received by you
with regard to the ability of native readers to get ideas
from books, and that this arose in part from the reported fact
that a native reader, asked the meaning of a passage and ex
pressed surprise when told that it meant what it said and
nothing more, nor less. Every preacher o f the mission is
accustomed on announcing a text, to give some sort of an
xxxxxxxxxand this
we call the xxx . -- The same word is used
also to express form, character, d esign, of a thing, as well
as the simple idea, conveyed by a sentence, in its own w o r d s .
How I suppose the pupil in question, asked his teacher for the
xxxxxxxxof a passage and was surprised when he was told that
i t admitted (margin torn) except the very words of the, sent
ence undefined. This discovery would be the more surprising
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to him, from knowing the practice of our preachers, and
from knowing that their own native speeches, letters, conversations, ancient songs, etc. are highly figurative, and
that their own ideas may be variously expressed. Some
injudicious letters from us have gone into the papers,
some with, and some without the designs of the writers but
as Dr. Wisner justly said, such as ought not to have been
written . Probably only a part of what you deplore has
fallen under my x
.
From the early days of M. S . to the
present time, I think there has been and unduedesire in
some of the juniors to appear in print, add probably too great
a reluctance in the seniors to write for the information of
the public, or they have bound down to the work at their
hands, so as to find less time for writing for the Herald,
or other papers . The stri ctureson a remark of yours, a
remark the ana of which was n o t rightly or clearly understood#as a paper of my native state. What ever construction
the remark was capable of the stri cture should never have
appeared in that form without your consent . The strictures
are in my opinion very far from doing honor to the beloved
brother who penned and sent them before the public* By
the expression, "The churches are going before their missionaries in zeal for the conversion of the world, and yet
this is saying very little, " you doubtless intended to encourage us with the assurance that the churches (margin torn)
sustain us, and that theywere more ready to give the money
for the publication of the bible and tracts than missionaries were to go forth and do the work for th eaccomplishment of their wishes . E ven this is a happy contrast to the
impression given us by one of your predecessors when I was
comparatively alone in this dark field, when he said to
"We are 20,000 dollars in debt, and you may be cast on your ow n
resources in a great measure for support."
We rejoice that the community at home are now indeed more
ready than when I came onto the ground 16 years ago, to give
their money to (margin torn) the gospel, and we have rejoiced
in the t hrongsof the great and powerful revivals
in that
country, during this period, but alas'. wher e are the missionaries
which they have produced. You are ready to send forth 90 or 100
this year and have hardly 10 at your (margin torn)
We are
pained to hear of the lamentable deficiency'. We should be afraid to say give us your ten, unless there is a prospect that
your 80 or 9 0 or more can be round to seek after the lost s h e e p
on other mountains when the dying love of the gr eat sheperd
has not yet been proclaimed at a l l . Do ask the slumbering
churches, the students of theology, the students in the colleges
#
b y our own wise heads . I was very sorry to see published in
(a paper of m y native state).
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and academies if we must, where we stretched out our hands
to welcome a newer reinforcement when it comes, be subjected
to the painful reflection, that we have robbed other nations
to relieve ourselves. Because there is not bread enough,
"that each may take a little. "
If we allude to the strife among the clergy of our
country that we may deplore it together, we may be admon
ished to look nearer home, and cautiously leave off contestion among ourselves before it is meddled
It is possible that the case of M r . J . left this coun
try to visit the United States, (as we suppose, to plead the
cause of the Oahu Charity School whose directors have now
turned their backs on the Seaman’s Chapel) . Mr . J . has
appeared more companionable towards us, has come to board
at M r . Tinkers; meets me and lather of our number as he used
to d o —
I alluded to the possibility of further trouble, as
I have recently heard that some few of the brethren think
the letter of suspension was irregular or hasty, and probably
the subject will be thoroughly reviewed at our next general
meeting, Mr . J . came to our co m munions
the first Sabbath
of this m o n t h . It appears to me there cannot be much dis
pute about the past, and I hope we shall as a body be ready
to see, and to follow the path of duty in future . I have
filled a large sheet which I received from our good Quaker
friends, who are still in port, but have hardly begun to say
what I wished to, yet perhaps I am drawing on your time un
duly, hope in this you are materially aided by the wise, kind,
and efficient cooperation of R e v . M r . Armstrong whom you were
so sanguinely expecting to join your circle and relieve your
labors soon -- Give him, tho' a stranger if you think it
acceptable, my cordial salutations; He has doubtless heard Of
a very obnoxious disturber of the peace in the Sandwich Is-,
lands, bearing my name, which worthly as it is, serves very
well for a s c ape goat for the (margin torn) of the mission
in opposing idolatry, intemperance,
and (m argin torn) in
the Sandwich I s lands. Perhaps it would (margin torn) out of
time to inform him that the R e v . Professor F isk was threatened
being thrown overboard from a steamboat for attempting to de
fend m e . I am still very troublesome to my neighbors. Since
commencing these sheets, I hav e had two documents to translate
for the king, being letters to him, "On his Brittannic Majes
ty' s service, " demanding the immediate and unconditional r e l e a s e
of a man held in custody for the payment of a fine for insuiting a married native female— If "Bingha m " is not "at the
bottom of this” it is a rare case.
You are, D ear Sir, probably aware by this time of the
#
may cost us more trouble yet.
Since M r s . J.
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spirit which on the arrival of Mr . Diell formally excluded
me from ever again performing any religious service in the
Oahu Charity School House-- Since that
period Mr, Diell
has been very attentive to the interests of that school, and has
done what he could to secure the favor of the trustees. Most
of them, (except M r . Reynolds, who it is believed never attend
ed worship in the Season's Chapel, ) have often attended at
M r . Diell's Chapel and heard him and other missionaries from
time to time --- — -Just before our last communion the first Sabbath of this
month, M r . Jones and a number of his companions, made arrange
ments fora ball, giving out their tickets in the name of the
Batchelors of this plan, and the ball now called the Batchelors
Bali occurred on the same evening of our Quarterly prepar atory
lectures for the communion. Seven professors of religion, from
yourcountry, who were expecting to commune with us, received
invitations to attend. M r . Ladd and his wife declined. The
rest attended and joined in the amusements, not however without
being kindly admonished on the inconsistency of professors of
religion attending such amusements and then going to the communion table. M r . Diell said distinctly to some of them before
the ball, "I do not think you can consistently g
then to the
o
communion next Sabbath, " or to that effect — They , however,
attended. Cards, dancing, and intoxicating liquors were in
vogue-— the ladies staid till two or three o clock, and some
of the gentlemen till break of day. In the morning one of the
Ladies appealed to me, quoting M r . Diell's opinion, as expressed
above, and asking mine, — I assured her, "Not if our impression
of the character and designof such enjoyments was correct. I
sa w no good reasons for dissenting from the opinion of M r . Diell.
But should repeat the usual invitation to members of the churches
who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, to join with us in
his dying
and added all who con
"do
th is in remembrance of him" we consider pledging themselves publicly A solemnly
to
wholly the Lord's, and as engaging
to exert their best influence
to promote his cause---.
Four ladies staid from the communion, and one attended. About
a dozen residents turned their backs on the Seaman's Chapel,
including the trustees of the Oahu Charity School. The Bachelor's
or proprietors of the Ball, wrote M r . Diell two letters to r eprove him f or his interference, and to assure him that they were
"prepared to resist the first step towards an availment on
their rights", etc. supposing there was a design to deprive them of their lawful amusements as the nations had been. Some talk of
establishing a theater, some of sending for a Unitarian preacher
to enlighten the For three weeks past several of us have met once a
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week to spend an hour in special prayer for a revival among them. Mr. D. deals faithfully for the pulpit and in
his correspondence with those who will not now hear him
preach. This is the first time he has been fairly called to
sympathise with me in matters of this kind. Mr. Brinsmade
has since this occurrence appeared to come out boldly on the
right side to plead with us for these men lest they fatally
resist the light that has begun to disturb their conscience.
Mr. Brinsmade
has maintained a respectable Bible Class
more than a year.
I ought to wave that subject and tell you more about
our own people. We made arrangements at the commencement of
this year for a protractedmeeting be held here from the 27 of
Jan. till the 11 of February.
The 26 was observed as a day of fasting by some of the
Messrs. Smith, Emerson, and Parker were present, and 2 or 3
hundred of their people came with them to attend. We had
4 meetings a day for 6 days. Our larg e meeting house was
filled to overflowing.Evangelical
held forth with great
plainness.
Some native church members and assistant brothers, made addresses, and offered prayers that would have been
creditablefor men of education. At the close of the 5th day
the question was put to the congregation whether they wished
the meeting to continue another day, nearly all rose-—
To follow up the impression I with the advice of the native
church appointed a special meeting for the evening 4 days
after the close.--- They came together again readily, from
4000 to 5000 and listened with good attention. We have rea
son to believe that the power of the spirit of Go d was present
at the protractedmeeting and this special meeting, and that
good has accomplished by the special efforts made. Numbers
came to tell us with what feeling they listened to the truth.
Some of these we hope were materially benefitted. Some pro
fess to have come over them on the Lord's side, and we cannot
but cherish the hope that several of those with whom I have
conversed particularly and others will be found to have been
truly converted to God as the result oft this meeting.
Yesterday Brother Tinker returned from a protract meet
ing at Waialua— when there was also pleasing attention. Besides
the people of Waialua
district and a Mr.
care
there were more than 800 strangers found, 315 from Honolulu.
on people who went over was Paki a young chief
who has recently abandoned the manufacture, sale, and intemperate use of rum and has become apparently a sober wor
shipper of him
whom he had been accustomed to ridicule and
revile.At the time o f o u r protracted
meeting. he came
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1831— 1 8 37
Second Part
XXVI
43
to me and sa i d he wished now to serve God. He had long
opposed
him. He had scarcely heard a sermon for several
years (margin torn). I preached at the salt lake a few months
since about which time he had given up his r u m , and came now
to tell me he was going to pursue a different course; asked me
for a testament for which he had formerly had no desire! I
had not a copy then to give him. His wife by his side also
asked for one. I replied, "wait a little, till they can be
hound, get your three quarters
ready, and you shall
(margin torn) have your testaments.
I am very happy to say now the revised edition of 10,000
copies i s printed, and Mr. Dimond
is with his native
help
less binding from 50 to 100 copies a day, and I and Mrs. B . have
had the pleasure of distributing about 50 copies, chiefly for
labors to the full amount of cost.
H a d we paper on hand, we should soon commence
another
edition,— I am hard at work to bring the revised Hymn Book,
with music, to a close; but we have hardly paper enough in the
office to finish the books in press.— There must I think have
been some mistake about sending our annual supply. If the
next ship does not bring us paper we shall be exceedingly em
barrassed. A donation of 10 reams is all the printing paper
we have received from your quarter this season.
Our Kumu
Hawaii has been cut down one half.
There is a great demand for Hymn Books. It is a popular
and useful book. It is not unfrequent that natives quote pas
sages from it as having been the means of impressing their minds
favorably. M y expectations are the revised and enlarged work
will be much more valuable than the former. H a d we paper we
should as soon as the work with the music printed, commence an
edition of the Hymns without the music.
Mr. Stevens, I perceive has made a terrible use of one
of our hymns, which Commodore Downs, and the Rev. Mr.
were honestly informed was a mere imitation of Bp . Hev er ' s Furtherremarks on this in my next.
April 2.
D r . Judd has gone to Lahaina, on account of a
severe apoplectic shock which M r s . Dibblehas rec e n t l y
) experienced.— He goes with little hope that she will
recover! How important that we always stand with our loins girt,
and our lamps burning!
With kind salutations
Your Brother
H . Bingham
*is
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Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
43
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Sec. A. B. C.
F . M.
Missionary R ooms,
Boston, Mass.
U. S. A .
Pr. Griffon,
Capt. Little,
Via Vera Cruz.
Rev. Hiram Bingham,
Dated Honolulu, March 27, 1836
Received July 12, 1836
Acknowledged to M r. Chamberlain,
July 21.
Second Part
XXVI
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Second Part
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Honolulu.
Dear Brother
I enclose to you a line to the American Bible Society,
which you will do me a favor to forward, with a dozen copies
of the N. Testament.
A dozen will he sent for the Board. I feel a pleasure
in presenting one to you, I hope to forward a copy of the new
hymn book by this conveyance.— The revise of the last sheet
is in the office, 360 pages 16 mo.
The stanza which, Mr. Reynolds, (whom I accidentally re
ferred to by the name of Stevens) strongly objects to, which
deplores the relapse of Rome, my Brothers were not disposed to
on account of his rebuke.
I send you herewith a drawing recently taken by Mr.
Charles Wheeler, son of the Quaker Preacher, presenting you
a view of our station. I have subjoined hastily an explana
tion. Mr. Wheeler objected to taking in the church because it
was to be considered now as only temporary. It should appear
a little to the left of Mr. Chamberlain’s, and nearly abreast
of Mr. Dimond's. Had I time, I would append the
of it as also of the school house lately completed which
would appear in the same range.
If some of your children will procure and forward to My
Daughters Sophia and Lucy, a copy of this drawing, I should
feel obliged by the favor.
You will excuse this brevityand haste, and bleive me very
sincerely yours
H. Bingham
Rev. R . Anderson
Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Boston, U . S. A.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec. A . B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston.
Pr. Gen. Glover
Rev. Hiram Bingham,
Written about April20
Rec'd. Oct. 17, 1836
Ack'd.
L. Dec. 5
.
G
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Sandwich Islands, Oct. 1836
To the Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Sec. A . B. C. F . M .
Dear Brother,
To you and your worthy associates
we comend the Bearer, the Rev. Wm. Richards our esteemed
brother and fellowlaborer, and his family, who are about to
embark for a visit to your shores. The enfeebled health of
M rs. Richards, and the state of their numerous family of
children, appeared to us to furnish an argument in favor of
his undertaking a voyage with them to the United States, which,
together with our earnest wishes to consult personally with
the Board, and other Philanthropists in our country, on sever
al important subjects, has induced the general meeting to ap
point him to perform an agency for the mission in our native
land and to return to us in due time.
H e comes to you therefore as the living epistle of our
mission to you and your coadjutors
to present you our
warm Christian salutations, make known to you our state, and
our wishes, answer your inquiries, respecting our affairs, and
to consult with you freely on several important points rela
tive to the missionary work, especially as it respects its
further and successful prosecution in this part of the world.
You will receive him as the messenger and representative
of the mission who will lay before you our views on the duty
of our fellow Christians to engage personally in the work of
evangelizing the world without delay, and on th e importance
of giving increased attention to the cause of political econemy in connexion with the gospel, in these islands, and
elsewhere.
H e is expected to answer your inquiries respecting this
mission, and this portion of your field, the obstacles and
facilities it presents etc. with as much particularity as
you desire, as far as he is able, and to procure from you
more full and specific instructions and more ample aid, than
could otherwise be expected for the laborers employed here,
and to engage for a few months in such services for the fur
therance of your cause as the Committee may see fit to direct.
It has been to us a grief, in which we doubt not you have
sympathized, that so many of your laborers sent to this feild,
should so early find occasion to return to the United States,
and never resume their labors here, four men and four women of
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45
the pioneers, four men and four women of the first rein
forcement, and M rs. Shepard, M r. Fuller, and Dr. and
Mrs. Chapin, 20 in all!
We have great satisfaction in the full, and fondly
cherished expectation that the present case will furnish
an exception, the result of which will he the good of this
nation, and the promotion of your cause in general. We ex
pect for him a kind and warm reception at the Missionary
Rooms, and among other faithful servants of the Redeemer
of the nations. May the smiles of Heaven attend his inter
course with our friends, and ever make prosperous the cause
in which he is embarked.
With what earnest solicitude shall we look for the
return of our brother and sister, and for the report which
they shall bring us from the good land!
We solicit for their tender offspring a kind welcome
among the friends of our cause, and such provision for their
support and education by those who cannot go on missions, as
will leave their parents unembarrassed to resume their labors
here, which for 13 years, they have indefatigably prosecuted
as the representatives of the Christian public.
With cordial salutations to yourself, and the other
gentlemen at the Rooms, to the Pru. Com. and the members
of the Board, we remain your affectionate brethren.
By order and on behalf of the Mission.
H . Bingham
Rev. Hiram Bingham
Dated Oct. 1836
Rec'd M ay 26, 1837
A ck 'd in G. L . July 21
M r. Richard's Return
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To Rev. R . A n derson
My dear Brother
We have recently parted with Brother Richards and
his family to visit the U . S. & do good there, leave his
children and return to us. Brother Parker on an agency for
you, having been some months with us in much patience, and
earnest longings to be on his way, has at length found a
passage, and will soon embark w i t h two of Brother Cham berlain's children.
We trust his visit here will not have been in vain. We
commend him and the children to you. The Lord bless the lads
it make them good ministers in foreign lands.
Your affectionate Brother
H. Bingham
Honolulu D ec. 16, 1836
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec. A. B. C. F . M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Post Mark
N ew London,
May 19
Ship
R ev. H i r a m Bingham
Dated Honolulu Dec. 16 1836
Rec'd May 22/37
Ack'd in G. L. July 21
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Honolulu
Jan. 16. 1837
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Sec. A . B. C. F . M . Boston
Dear Brother
Your interesting letter of June 18/36
addressed to me, and your general letter to the mission by the
Hamilton, have been duly received. The general letter is in
the press, with the exception of a few paragraphs which we
thought it will not to print. Our mission is so extensive now
that it is found desirable to strike off a few copies of your
general letters to the mission for the use of the different
stations.
I am glad the Committee were able to dispose of the case
of M r. Johnstone so easily. He has mentioned to me your sug
gestion that should h e return to America on receiving your let
ter the Board would alow a reasonable sum for his passage, as
a very strange proposition, to come from a man of your age, and
one who has a family. Strange, because of the impropriety of
his going now when he would be in danger of passing Mrs. J.
on her return, & because if he should go the Trustees of the
O . C . School would de- --- expenses as they had those of Mrs. J
It would be difficult I think to convince him that you made the
proposition in kindness to relieve him from all embarsassment
on that score should he resolve to go home.
When I look at the struggle in the general Assembly, and
see how very small a majority decided in your favor, I cannot
but feel that if the fact that a baptist of such high preten
tions, and if so exceeding uncomplying a cast, had been sent
forth by your Board as an assistant missionary, even unwitting
ly, had been known in the general assembly, it would have un
questionly reversed the decision of closely contested questions
I trusthowever that your present caution will secure you
from danger on
that point. The allwise
Director of Christ
ian Missions deserves our grateful praise for his kind dealings
with your Board and with this mission in a special manner. The
Christian Examiner in reviewing one of your Reports which I have
not seen entire, pronounces our enterprise a failure with ap
parent triumph. He ought at least to give us what he regards
as a reasonable time for translating the Bible before he exalts
in the complete failure of enterprise.
We have sometimes thought that the care and labor bestowered on the princess was lost, but there is some hope that it
was not, even to herself. She grievously departed from the
Christian path, & the hand of God was laid heavily on her,
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& she long withstood him. But she mourned at the last, and
expressed with tears her desire to return to him whom she
had forsaken and
She has faded away in the bloom
of youth, and is gone. She died on the 30 ult. and her re
mains enclosed in a metallic coffin, covered with the royal
robe, & surround with the national Kahili
are still
lying in state in the house of the king where she finished her
course, amidst her weeping relatives & friends. During the
last 14 days of her illness she gave evidence, some evidence
of penitence, professedly renouncing her sins, begging for
mercy, and exhorting her brother to forsake his course &
turn to the Lord. Though this was after the conviction was
pretty strong that she must die, and cannot be relied on as
satisfactory, yet it affords a ray of hope that she may be
found among the trophies of redeeming grace & that the
renunciation so openly & distinctly made of her sins, will
go far to counteract
the influence of her defection. Some
thinkthe evidence of her brokenness of heart and sincere re
pentance was pretty clear during the two last weeks of her
life.
On hearing her express her desire to return to the
Savior I rehearsed to her the declaration of Paul "It is
a faithful saying & worthy of all acceptation that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."
She replied, "U a ku pono ia iau. That is well suited to my
self." In her confessions, looking uward with streaming eyes
as one of her friends sat by her, she said, "E ke Akua, ua
pono oe; ua hewa wau; ua hoomaau aku wau ia oe. 0 God thou
art righteous; I am guilty; I have persecuted thee."
Her early departure is to us and to all her acquaintance
an admonition to do quickly what we have to do for our own
salvation or for that of other.
I close in haste, but with the warmest salutation, of
your aff brother
H. Bingham
Rev. Hiram Bingham.
D ated Honolulu Jan. 16, 1837
Rec'd July 12, 1837
Ack'd in G. L. July 21.
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Honolulu Oahu
July 2, 1835.
Dear Sir,
Your letter to myself & Mr. Bishop was duly received
by the Hellespont, which brought to our aid the sixth rein
forcement of this mission. The interest which the Board &
Christian friends have manifested in behalf of our children,
as well as the ai d promised, in case of their being sent to
America demand our warmest gratitude, & leave us no room to
doubt but that they would be taken care of; still that
home would be unlike that of a parent’s, and that care would
be different in many important respects from that which par
ents themselves would exercise. We are not quite prepared
in our minds as rpct to part with our children, though we
feel that some of them must go to America before many years,
either with or without their parents. Perhaps it will be
advisable to send them with one of their parents, the mother,
for instance, that she might see that they were provided with
suitable places, where they might be trained up for usefulness
fitted to become teachers themselves & missionaries, should
the Great Head of the church prepare their hearts for such a
service. We wish however to inquire, how the Board would re
gard such a measure before it shall be entered upon* With my
present views, I cannot feel it my duty to leave this whiten
ing harvest field for such an object, if the responsibility,
which I owe to my children, as a parent, can be in part sus
tained by others. Were I to leave now, I should feel that I
was going from home--that I was deserting a post, where I
may, with the assistance of my Lord do something for the bene
fit of my fellow men for a place where my usefulness would be
greatly diminished. Before entering one the missionary work,
I consecrated myself, my life, my all to the service of
Christ among the heathen. I never have left any reserve in
this consecration. For the salvation of this people I wish
to labor directly till Christ shall call me home.
But my object in writing at the present time is for
books for myself & children. The following works I need for
myself : viz. Robinson’s Greek Lexicon;--Gibbs Heb. do.; —
Stevarts Heb. Grammar:--Heb.
Heb. Study, lat
est editions. Stevart's commentary on Romans & Hebrews, lat
est editions. Jenks' Bible & commentary. Webster's Diction
ary octavo latest edition. It is important that these books
be well bound. Edwards
on redemption.
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For our children we want one set of classical books
of Greek St Latin, such as are generally studied previous to
altering colleges for instance the 2d vol. of the Latin
Reader &c. Cicero's Orations, Gould’s Virgil &c. Second
hand books would answer, if they are not too much worn. Colburn's sequel:— W o o
dbridge's Universal Geography & Atlas.—
Watts on the improvement of the Mind. Gallaudet's works:—
Worcester' s Elements of History with charts; Goldsmith's His
tory of England; Grund's Geometry. Lessons of Shells, as
given in a Pestalozzian School at Cheam. Survey, by the
Author of Lessons on Objects. This or some other approved
elementary work on Conchology.— F ive copies of Church
Psalmody.
Our children as well as ourselves have suffered much for
want of h ooks & may still suffer from this cause. Pray for
us & for our children, that both we & they may belong to the
family of Christ. I am yours sincerely
A . Thurston.
Rev. R . Anderson.
Bear Sir,
Since Mr. Thurston has, in this letter, touched on a
subject which affects the future destiny of our family, I
beg leave of him & of you to add another proposition, viz;
That at the expiration of a twenty years service, Mr.
Thurston be permitted to return with his family to the land
of his fathers, with the liberty of there spending a few
years, should a door of usefulness be opened; but not ne
cessarily of there spending his days.
A Christian missionary owes obligation to the heathen,
a Christian parent owes obligation to his children. Cannot
this two fold weight of responsibility be discharged with
out sundering those ties which seem to stand opposed to
revelation, to reason, & to nature. Let the experiment be
made.
Again, a public teacher who has spent twenty years in
the heart of an uncivilized heathen nation, & who is still to
give impulse to action, St impress to character, should again
open his eyes upon an enlightened Christian community, should
by personal inspection, in this age of improvement become
acquainted with new modes of thinking, & acting, & doing
good. Then having set his house in order, & caught the
spirit of the times, he can return with heart & tongue girded
for his work.
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Having thus with freedom expressed ay own personal
views on this subject, I need only add my sense of obliga
tion for past care & kindness, together with my entire con
fidence in that clemency & wisdom, which will dictate future
changes. With mingled-feeling of love & obedience, of gra
titude, submission, & hope, I am, dear Sir,
yours truly,
Lucy G. Thurston
To,
The Rev. R. Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
U. S. A.
Post Mark— Ship
Rev. Asa Thurston & wife
Dated Honolulu July 2, 1835.
Rec’d Dec. 30
Ack. in G. L. June 15/36
Ans'd June 18
Books requested.
Proposition for P. Com.
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Kailua, Oct. 18, 1836.
Printed 33 Missionary Herald 279, July 1837.
A. Thurston to Rev. R. Anderson.
Rev. Asa Thurston,
R e c 'd April 25th, 1837.
Ack'd in G . L. July 21.
Copied
Published
�1530-a
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On the children of Missionaries—
Extract of a letter from Mrs. Thurston to Mr. Goodell, dated
"Sandwich Islands, Oct. 16, 1829
"I am placed in a situation, replete with cares & re
sponsibilities— To my own children I have to blend the
duties of the servant, the playmate, the mother, & the
preceptress— My wardrobe, my house, ay table, all hang sus
pended on my own exertions, & the imperfect services of na
tives— Added to this, I am mistress of a public house,
which may well be compared to public houses in America on
public days— During the forenoon, it is necessary, in order
to live, to have our house under a Kapu ; that is, people
are not allowed to visit— Yet, to this general rule, chiefs
& principal teachers must be made an exception.Afternoons,
our doors are open to any— to all; & our house is thronged.
"What is to become of our children? has been a ques
tion agitated throughout our mission families, & a question,
which has pressed heavily upon parental feelings— The gen
eral sentiment has been, send them to America for education—
A joint letter was written to the Board, expressive of such
desires— An answer has been received, but they can grant no
facilities, & advise, that they remain with their parents—
However, of the four families from Brig Thaddeus, who still
remain in the field, ours is the only one, that has not, by
gratuitous passages, sent home the precious gift of a child to
p e r sonal friends— To send away children at an age so early.
while I am sustained in active life, is a thing, at which every
feeling of my heart revolts— But when the period arrives, when
they must pass from under the ever watchful eye of a parent,
when an employment, or trade, or profession for future life is
chosen, the Sandwich Islands is no longer a place for them—
I have not felt like some of our mothers, that they must early
be sent away, or be ruined— I harp upon another thing, & say,
make better provision for them, or that will likely be the
result— And in the first place houses & door yards a must be
laid out to meet the character of the people, & the exigences
of the times— Ours is planned for comfort & usefulness on heathen ground— As you will thereby get a better glimpse of Lucy
& her home, I will trace some of the outlines— The first rule
to be attended to in regard to children is, that they must not
sneak the native language— It is an easy thing to make such a
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law, but it is a mother's duty to guard it from being vio
lated, & to form in her children fixed habits of doing, as
they are required— A thing, that follows of course, is,
that they are never left to the care of natives after rea
ching the age of prattling— No intercourse whatever should
subsist between children & heathen— On this point I am very
particular— Establish a loose system here, & I should say
with every body else, send children to America, & no matter
how soon"—
Our yard is capacious, surrounded & divided by stone wall
6 feet high-- As few doors as possible, as the natives are like
children, ready to press through every gap— These houses are
all thatched; but the one in the family yardwill soon be pulled
down, & a wooden one, sent out from America, erected on the
spot-- I know not how it will seem again to occupy a wooden
house, with cellar, floors, windows, chambers, plaistered walls
&c. Thatched buildings are comfortable summer houses, but,
during the rainy season, slight barriers to winds & dampness"—
Extract from Mrs. Thurston's letter
to Mr. Goodell.
of children of Missionaries
Nov. 6, 1830.
Ack'd Jan. 4, 1831.
The Rev. R. Anderson,
Assist. Sec. of A . B. C. F . M .
Boston,
State of Massachusetts
U. S. A .
�1532 -a
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
House built for Mrs. Bishop a
& in which
Family retired yard
Children's castle, when every
Setting room.
English study
Native rooms, where we receive
Dining room
Bed room
Cook house
Store house
Children's yard
Children's yard
Native yard for visiters
Native yard for domestics
House for servants
few weeks before her death,
she died.
other spot is occupied with company.
every day calls
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Kailua, Island of Hawaii, No v. 9 , 1832.
To the Rev. Mr. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
In your two last communi
cations the interest with which you speak of books, & the
invitation given to make known our wants for ouselves &
our children, fall gratefully upon our hearts. Thus encouraged
by yourself, & authorized by Mr. Thurston, I take up my pen to
make out a list of such wants as have been for years accumula
ting. But upon what data am I to proceed? Wants are to be
measured by means. Yet to us, these limits are not definite.
Here calculation is nothing, the sacrifice of economizing is
nothing; I have only to do what I am called upon to do, & what
alone lies in my power to do, express wishes with black marks
on white paper; agents & the public treasury will do the rest.
Thus much for the common stock system. But waving this point.
There dwells a family on the dark Island of Hawaii,
destined by Providence, if they fulfil his will, to be a
fountain of light. They want an Encyclopedia;- Josephus History
of the Jews;- Woodbridges Universal Geography, 2 copies;- Gold
smith's History of England;- Watts on the Improvement of the
Mind;- Edwards on Redemption;- Colburn's Sequel, 2 copies;Wilbur's Lexicon of Useful Knowledge;- The Delectus, (Rudi
ments of Greek;)- The Introduction, by Clarke, (Rudiments of
Latin;)- Woodbridge's Rudiments of Geography;- Union Questions,
2 copies;- Infant School Manuel;- Peter Parley's Sea Voyages;A case of Mathematical Instruments.
We have a friend & brother in Mr. Parkhurst, Precep
tor of Gilmanton Academy N . H. in whose advice it judgment in
education & the choice of books, we have the fullest confidence.
Had we any salary committed wholly to our own discretion, as
counsellor & as agent, he would be of great importance to us
in educating our family in our exiled state. But destitute of
resources, notwithstanding supplies have rolled in upon us year
after year, beyond what I had ever any reason to expect, no
such aid could be solicited. Thus situated in an uncivilized
land, a land not yet washed from the pollution of ages, it thus
embarrassed in obtaining what is here our most powerful, I had
almost said our only engine, in forming the moral & intellec
tual characters of our offspring, I have left, till I have done
feeling. And taking for my motto, "She hath done what she
could." know that Go d will strengthen, is man assist in so far
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raising them in the scale of intelligence, as to fit them to form the very link in the scale of providences, for which be
ing was given them.
Assuring you of the affection & confidence in
which you are held by each individual at our station, &
that this interest is extended to Mrs. Anderson, to your
colleagues at the Rooms, & their families,
I am
Very dear Sir,
Yours gratefully,
L u c y G. Thurston.
Sandwich Islands.
Rev. Rufus Anderson.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston,
U . S. A .
Mrs. L. G . Thurston,
Aug. 15, 183 3 .
Books
Clothes
Ack'd in Gen. Letter
Oct. 30
Ans'd Nov. 1
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Kailua, Island of Hawaii, Sept. 17, 1833
To the Rev. Mr. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
Bear with me while I once
more present myself before you to make known my wants. They
are these.
Colburn's Algebra
Eaton’s Botany
Fowle's Linear Drawing Book
Abbott's Young Christian
In the situation in which our children are placed, they
must be fed with knowledge, or be left to extract poison.
Having no where else to go, I turn first to Go d, & then to
you. Whatever else comes up wan ting, by way of Personal
wants, let us have facilities for nearing the moral & in
tellectual characters of our children. Resting assured that
your paternal care of us, in our exiled state, will lead you to do all that is consistent with your obligations to the
heathen, & to the Christian public,
I am
Very dear Sir,
Yours very gratefully,
Lucy G. Thurston.
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Post Marked New Bedford Ms
May 29
Boston,
Massachusetts,
Ship
U. S. A .
Mrs. Lucy G. Thurston,
Dated Sept. 19, 1833
Rec'd May 1834
Ack'd in G. Let. Sep. 5/34
Ans'd Dec. 6
Books
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(Copy)
Sandwich Islands, Hwaii, Oct. 23, 1834
In taking up my pen to address the Rev. Mr. Wm. Goodell,
I wish to forget that he is in Europe, in the great city Con
stantinople, seated, perhaps, by the side of Commodore Porter.
I wish only to recognize you as an early Cousin and Brother,
as a fellow laborer, whose profession in life involves within it peculiar trials. I wish for an unreserved & confiden
tial communication, such as we deem it a duty to lay before all
the members of our own mission. I wish to tell you, that of all
the knowledge derived from the experience of mortals, none ex
cites in my mind such unfeigned feelings of gratitude (& 1 may
add of dismay) as that obtained from the missionaries at Tahiti.
But for the warning voice both of precept & example, which has
reached us from those shores, what might have been the present
state of our children!
It was after we had been two years at the Sandwich Islands.
that M r. Ellis visited us from the Society Islands. Mr. Cham
berlain's children were then members of the mission. He actualy found them associated with the interesting native youth in
our large mission family, in studies, in labors, ft in amusements.
In native languages I think they were even before the missionaries
Who had ever conceived that idea of separating them from the na
tives! Mr. Ellis first opened our eyes to the dangers of such a
course. They had them at the Society Islands children of dif
ferent ages up to adult years, who had been bred on heathen ground
Among other communications, of which I had never before conceived
any idea, it was from him we learned, that one of the daughters of
that mission eloped from her fathers house, was afterwards for
given and restored, again eloped, & after passing from place to
place, & from one paramour to another, landed in England, and
was pursuing her career among the most degraded ft hopeless class,
which walk the streets of London.
It was from a letter from the principal of the South Sea
Academy, that we found the statement, that several of the sons
of missionaries, members of the school, ran away, & spent sev
eral days in the mountains. They had to apply to the magistrates
of the land to search for & bring them back.
About two years ago a Deputation of our mission visited those
Islands on their way to the Marquesas. They brought back fresh
intelligence respecting the state of the children. Two sons of
the missionaries had lately been expelled the South Sea Academy
seducing natives. About two months previous to the arrival of
the Deputation, a daughter of one of the missionaries became a
mother under circumstances the most afflicting, her child a native
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extract. The wife of one of the missionaries one night, hear
ing a noise in her daughter’s bed chamber, arose, lighted a
candle, & visited the room, where her three daughters slept.
But when she entered, & beheld three native man within, she
fainted, & fell prostrate. Mean time they escaped. These
daughters had employed a "confidential servant" the day be
fore to secrete them in their apartment. It is a fact, that
most of the children of that mission, both sons & daughters,
who have risen to adult years, thus painfully wide have swerv
ed from the path of rectitude. Several of the missionaries,
who have been laboring there some 16 or 17 years, intend,
after a time, to retire from the field by returning to Eng
land. (Amen. ) They say that the present & eternal wel
fare of their children require: such a measure. Mr. Crook with
a numerous family left the Islands in 1830 after a residence
of 14 years. I trust they went with unsullied characters. I
have heared nothing to the contrary, & their reputation former
ly stood highMrs. Crook being distinguished for wise management & prudent care.
It was only a few months since that Mrs. Ruggles wrote
us from those Islands on her way to America. Visiting one of
the missionary families in the course of conversation, the lady
remarked, "Our children do not speak the Tahitian language,
you know ." Some time after she was expatiating on the excel
lences of her household woman. She even taught her children
their prayers. How, interrogated Mrs. Ruggles, is it possible
for her to do that in English. The reply was, "She does it in
T ahite, you know."
Some of the children there have been educated with care,
& are lovely & promissing. One family in particular, to whose
domestic education, the father, though an active missionary, de
votes six hours in a day* le thought that intercourse between
the children & natives was a fatal error. "Yet, he says, the
missionaries say they can't keep their children from them. I
know they can" he said, & added, "I would as soon have a
rattlesnake among my children, as to have a native." To our
missionaries his advice way, "Unless you wish your sons to become vagabonds & your daughters harlots, remove them from the
Islands". It is in the old world you breath a moral atmo
sphere so pure, that your children are safe from contagion, &
you have no need of practical hints from the voice of experience, put this sheet in the fire, & a seal on your lips.
If you stand in as much need of such a warning as we once did,
read it for your profit, but tell it not in Gath, publish it
not it the streets of Ashkalon.
From your early Friend,
Lucy G. Thurston.
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Kailua, Hawaii, Oct. 24, 1834.
M y very dear Cousins, William & Abigail,
I again take m y pen. When we went down to Oahu to the
general Meeting of the Mission, last June, we repaired immidiatly
to Mr. Bingham's . His family w a s soon collected in the parlor,
& it was at once suggested to our minds, that the presence of M r .
& Mrs. Whitney were alone wanting to make out all that remained of
the pioneers of our mission.
Being in a neighbouring house, they
w ere immediatly called in,& for the first time since quitting Brig
Thaddeus 1820, all whose feet continud to press the soil of the
Sandwich Is lands, were together in one shot. Mr. & Mrs. Whitney
had no children by their side. They, four in number, were far away
from their parents. & from each other. M r . & Mrs. Bingham appeared
with two little children. Two they had sent home, & two they had
laid in their graves.
Ourselves with our four children alone
appeared an unbroken family.
Mr. Whitney remarked, that his heart
never came so near breaking, as when he sent away his last child.
"But", he says, "if I had not sent away my children, 1835 w o uld
not find me at the Sandwich Islands."
It was after learning the last distressing intelligence
from the Society Islands, that Mr. Thurston said to me, "You must
take our children & go home with them".
I answered, " It is recorded in the minutes of the general Meeting, that twenty years is as
l
ong a service, in this climate, as can be expected of any one
missionary . Such a term would carry Persis & Lucy up to the age
of 16 & 1
,
8
& Asa up to 12.
In our situation, with our regulations,
to sustain matenal responsibilities in this land so
long, out no longer.
Let us perform our measure of aservicewithin
that period, & then go home all together. This was entering upon
a n e w s u b j e c t , n e v e r b e f o r e during the struggles of
13 years.
But, thought I, n o w will such sounds fall on the ears
of our associates, destitute as we are of any such well known
passport as the dyspepsia, the liver complaint, etc. However, I
suggested the plan to our a ssociate, Mr. Bishop, & was a little
surprised a few days after to hear him say, that it was a measure,
approved. As opportunity occurred, I conversed
Mrs. Richards on the subject.
She thought that retaining a
child in this land for a period ofa
d 18 years was incurring too great
p
m
g
n
o
y
h
,
t
Y
"
.
e
u
q
s
i
r
v
w
H
"
m
b
d
a
h
Y
.
g
r
u
y
n
e
s
i
l
o
t
several months later after, coming in contact with some of our young
members, e
the
h
g
n
i
t
c
p
of thorough
future going
prospects
character,
of our
I was
children
interrogated
with an
resinterest, & a
sympathy, t o o ; which will ever endear them to my heart. To the
inquiry, "Can you see your way through"?
I replied, "I have dared
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to say that if the God of nature upholds me in being during a period
of six more years, I shall then hold myself in readiness to quit
this country. Yet it does not depend on us, but on our associates
& patrons. The answer was, "No one on either side the ocean can
object to such a measure.” Here the subject rests, & my heart is
at rest. For the present I only wish to stand in my lot, & to ful
fil as an hireling my day.
_
Mr. Bishop has only two children, Jane & Sereno. Their
stepmother, who has been very faithful in care & instruction, has
sufficient property in America to educate them, where after half
a dozen years perhaps they propose sending them. Mr. Richards has
seven children; the most numerous family of any upon the ground.
With the exception of St. Goodrich's family, who will ere long prob
ably, sail for America, our three families alone furnish children
over 6 or 7 years of age. Still at our last General Meeting no less
than 47 children of the Mission were brought together. The mission
aries daily assembled in a retired schoolhouse, near the Mission hous
so that the children were allowed at any hour to repair thither.
I often used to attend, & was sometimes amused to see the scene which
was spread out before us. One father would be seen with a child
on his knee, another with one slumbering at his feet, a third walk
ing to & fro on the vacant end of the house, leading one by the
hand. Here a little boy by his fathers side would be making dogs
& horses not to be distinguished; there a group formed, trying
their skill in drawing geometrical diagrams or perhaps braiding,
the rush at the feet furnishing facilities; while at a little
distance their sisters would be seated, engaged in a book, or plying
with their needles. In this way I have seen twenty children dispers
ed through the house, while their fathers were engaged in their sage
discussions.
Mrs. Judson assigns as a reason why a missionary should
have a wife, because she "presumes Mrs. Marshman does more good in
he r school than one half the ministers in America". I don't know
as to that; but in our situation I approve the motto, that the
missionary best serves his generation who serves the public, & his
his wife serves her generation who serves her family. I have been
gradualy drawing more and more aside in order to have our children
more distinct from the natives, till I sometimes feel that I am a
double exile, first from my country, & then from the people among
whom I I sojourn. Our morning prayer meetings I have never attended.
At our public lectures on Wednes. our conference meetings on Friday
evenings, & our church meetings on Saturday evenings. I have not
been present for years. At church I attend as often, perhaps as
once in 4 or 6 weeks. Until about two years ago, I uniformly attende
every Sabbath when health permited, taking all the children with me.
But as they were in the same predicament of the poor unlettered
Jesuits, Whose devotions were performed in Latin, they took their
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books along with them. So while the minister preached, they read.
However as Pertis increased in years, the practice of walking half
a mile beneath a tropic sun, & then being seated in a crowded
assembly, for the sake of being within sounds which she could
neither understand, or was allowed to utter, became exceedingly
irksome, & many a time has she returned home in tears, saying,
"Ma, what do I go to church for"? To require her thus statedly
to attend, when likely to imprint on the mind indelible im
pressions of pain, connected with the days of God, & the house of
prayer, appeared to me the greatest trial attending a continued
residence in this land of exile. I proposed to her an alterna
tive, that of staying at home, & having the hour dedicated to
religious instruction in her own language. They all acquiessed
cheerfully in this. So did their father. I explained the subject
to the natives at a female meeting, that they might not be led
astray by my example. I told them of the privileges with which
their young freinds & relatives were blessed in America on the
Sabbathe, that the children of several of our families had been
sent away to enjoy the advantages of that good land, that ours re
mained in an insulated state. 'They go to church', I added, "but
there is no there, instruction for them. They see their own father
there, but he speaks not to them, his voice never reaches their heart
For your sakes it is, that he labors. For your sakes it is that his
children are here alone, cut off from kindred & country. Yet they
love to have it so, they love to dwell among you, they love to have
their parents teach you one thing they only ask, & they ask it
with tears: let the return of the Sabbath bring privileges to us,
let us attend on instruction in o u r own language. In consideration
of these feelings, & of their destitude and exiled state, I have
thought fit, while their father was devoted to you to be myself
devoted to them. The same bell which calls you to church, assembles
them at their own house to he tought the worship & the will of
their Maker. And, you, when you see me feel the importance of
making such provission for my children, if you follow my example,
will every sabbath lead yours to your place of worship & instruction.
When I thus presented the subject to their minds they wept, & said,
yes, it is right; you take care of your children but we do not take
care of ours.
I have however my appointed seasons for meeting a bible
class, & an arithmetical school, at which times Mr. Thurston not
only stands sentinal, but improves the opportunity of teaching the
children sacred music. Yes, for notwithstanding all, they, too,
have learned to sing, & thus their efforts were introdused, Two
years ago, Mrs. Armstrong opened an Infant School during the session
of a General Meeting. All were to sing. No excuse. If they could
not sing they must make a noise. Of course they had a noise.
Whether the influence of hope or shame was produced in the mind of
their father by these public exhibitions, I know not. Be that as
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it may, soon after returning home he walked in one day after
dinner with a singing book under his arm, & from that time
to this has in his instructions been both perserving & successful.
We style him, too, our professor in the Latin language, & have it
regularly served up at the conclusion of every meal. This forms
one of the most pleasent exercises, & with the exception of the
little prattling Mary, our whole family circle is included. I
joined in for the sake of relieving their father as much as possible
& besides that I could be companionable, & in this manner attach
the children to their home to their studies, to their parents,—
turning it all to the formation of their characters. Their
other studies, are under my direction, such as Grammer, Geography,
History, Arithmetic, Philosophy, Chymistry, etc. I cannot for
bear expressing the high value which I affix to Colburn's First
Lessons, & to his Sequel. Hope your children have them. I
have adopted many methods of management by way of conducting our
family school, but in nothing have succeeded so well as with
the clock & bell. At 8 in the morning the bell rings which brings
us all to our assigned seats. The first half our is silence, &
application, when the bell gives a signal for release. We then
all engage in active employments, performing the various duties,
which go to promote the comfort & happiness of the family. The
bell rings nine. All learn punctuality by repairing at once to
their studies. Half past nine the tinkling of the bell is
heard, & whoever wishes may be released. Thus we pass most of
the day, by regular half hour divisions. It saves from in
dolence & yawning beneath a tropic sun, gives an impulse in circum
stances where there is nothing to stimulate, & to system adds
interest & industry. In this way, too, they are so under the direction
of the clock, that in case of my absence, lessons are not interrupt
ed.
Persis Goodale was 13 years old the 28th of last Sept
ember, Lucy Goodale 11 the 25th of last April, Asa Goodale
Tyerman 7the 1st of last Aug.,& Mary Howe, 3 the 3d of last June.
We style her Daughter of the Oce a n from the fact, that her birth
place was on the great deep, on board a native vessel between
here & Lahaina, being on our way to Oahu, the residence of Dr.
Judd.
Were our oldet children sons, I would by no means
retain them here till they were far advanced in their teens,
no longer indeed than would be suitable to place them under
the same regulations as daughters, within a mother's province.
Our associates used to tell me, "It is because your children
are girls, that you can keep them within prescribed limits;
you will be never able to do so with a boy".
reply has
y
M
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been. "On no other conditions will I retain one in this
land”. I do not however with uplifted hands ex c l a i m .
"What, a devoted missionary furnish amusements for his
children". Our home affods no recreation at once so happy &
so healthful as that of immersing in the waters of the
ocean with a high sea & a spring tide; in order to the en
joyment of this, Ma, & her children form a party, & repair
half a mile to the ocean, having a couple of natives in the
rear to carry accommodations such as a tent, changes, &
raiment etc. Pa comparing us in looks to a caravan
on the
plains of Shinur. In no lighter matters do they egage with
deeper interest, then in preparing with their own hands suit
able food for the sick.
A wooden house sent out from America to Mr. Stuart
by his friends, was by the mission sent to Mr. Thurston. it
placed in our large retired yard, & both yard and house are
specially devoted to the accommodation of our children. It has
been to me like the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
Here is our schoolroom & sleeping apartments. Our other house,
which is capacious, is open to all our h ousehold employments,
performed by natives, there too is Mr. Thurstons study so sit
uated that his school & people can ever have access to him
without in the least annoying my department.
There are eight mission families on the Island of
Hawaii. All have set aside the use of tea & coffee. So has
Geo. Adams & Kapiolani, who had adopted the practice. Thus
the strong chain on our speck of earth is broken. Individual
families on the other islands have cast their influence into
the same scale. I do not now think of my present comfort in
connection with those stimulating draughts, but with gratitude
that I am delivered from their slavery. As a substitude we
t
g
e
l
f
s
i
n
h
,
c
.
k
m
a
y
u
I
o the crystal stream, with the
have our glasses replenished from
n
h
e
d
o
,
l
f
y
a
i
t
r
c
s
m
p
&
w
u
g
b
the refined
beverages producedbythehandofart.
'
I became acquainted with a lady at Oahu, who one day
mentioned Mr. Goodell, the missionary at Constantinople. She
that he once said to her he hoped she would sometime go
d
k
r
a
m
e
thousand miles. O, no, she answered, she never should go a
thousand miles. Her name then was Eliza Goodale, Hallowell,
Maine, now Mrs. Brinsmade, wife of one of the pious merchants
who has lately come out from America to reside at the Islands.
My Brother Abner has gone to his long home, your
brother Joel has buried his wife.— My niece Mary Goodale is
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Sandwich Islands
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who thus writes me, "I do think that Edward is worthy of
Mary, & in so saying, I know how much I say”— It gives me
great satisfaction to know, that your brother finds an
asylum beneath my paternal roof with such freinds as David
& Milliscent.
When I commenced my letter I only thought of send
ing one sheet, but addressing an old and dear friend has put
me quite, in the mood for writing. I received your letter dated
Malta, July 23, 1830 in due time & the oft repeated perusals,
which I give it, always a f f o r d me unmingled pleasure. When
will my heart be gladdened by another such communication from
the eastern world? My love to your dear children. O may they
be such as parents pray for. I long to hear from them. Con
tinue to pray for me, & mine. I shall ever remember yours &
those you most love. I read your Journal with great interest.
Must refer you to the Herald for Missionary intelligence from
these Islands. Adieu, my dear Freinds. Fifteen years out
From America, & all is well.
"I will praise God for all that is past
A n d trust Him for all that’s to come."
Yours with much affection
Lucy Thurston
Rev. William Goodell &
Mrs. Abigaill P. D. Goodell.
Copied by Kynos Panayotes
Copies of letters from Mrs. Asa Thurston,
of Sand. Islands, to Rev. Mr. Goodell.
Recd April 26, 1836.
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Sandwich Islands
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Kau a i San-Isl-Oct 25th 1830.
Dear Bro.Greene,
On March last, I wrote to Mr. Evarts, via Mexico. Since then we
have had but few changes— are still freshened , and I am
happy to say were never in a situation to be more extensively
useful to the people, than at present. For many months past,
there has been an increasing attention to learning and religion.
The preaching and reading of the word of God have most evidently
been accompanied by the influence of the Holy Spirit, and a good
ly number have given evidence of having passed from death into life.
At our last communion, seven were received to the church, in
which there are now thirty native members. Among them are almost
all our chiefs, and since others of extensive influence as
a body they are united, zealous, and perservering, in their efforts
to get and do good; as individualy, humble, consistant, and
Christians— a precious pledge, that the labors of the saints
and their missionaries, have not been in vain— With but few
exceptions, the whole mass of population who are capable of
learning are more or less engaged in the schools. The call
for books is increasing, so that of late we have not been able
to supply one half, though the presses are constantly at work,
and we have our share of all that are printed. At our last
examination, there were two thousand and five hundred who
cotold read in any book in their language, that having the part
required for admission to an examination. As there is much
anxiety of late to gain that point, we anticipate a rapid in
crease of scholars for a year or two to come, provided they
can be supplied with books.— On account of the health of his
family, Bro. L--has been absent some months at Oahu;
he is expected to return shortly. We are much in want of
conmunion plate at this station, that which we have used, was nob
designed for the purpose, and as the church increases, is rather
inconvenient. Something suitable, decent, but not expensive,
would be considered a great favour.— Do not forget the books
(nor eliments of Greek and Latin) I mentioned for the use of
m y children.— Your old friend and my new one, Bro Jonathan,
will make a famous preacher in the Hawaii language, if he don’t
injure his health with hard study, which is to be feared. Never
did our old classmate Shaw work harder to get the valedictory
in Yale, than he does (margin torn) fit himself for usefulness
among the heathen. (margin torn) I have been disappointed in
not receiving a line from you the year past, and shall be. in
every future year you are silent, while you and I are connected
with the A. Board. We are all distressed in regard to the French
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Sandwich Islands
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Jesuits at Oahu— all the art and cunning of that order is
employed to propegate their religion among us. Should they
succeed in gaining some of the influencial chiefs to their
party, a conflict will doubtless ensue which will shake the
Sand. Isl. to the center.- With much love to all, I am dear
Bro.
Yours sincerely,
S. Whitney
P. S. As Mr. Heady had left Worcester the last we heard of him
you will do me a favor to direct the letters enclosed with this
to the place where he bow resides.
S. W .
Mr.
David Greene
Missionary Rooms
Boston,
Mass.
Rev. Samuel Whitney.
April 15, 1831
Ack'd. Nov. 16
Write Nov. 17. Rh.
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Kauai, S. I. Nov. 19th 1831.
My dear sir,
By the ship Cyrus Capt. Benjm . R. Hussey of
Nantucket, we are about to send our two sons Samuel Worcester
and Henry Martyn, to America. They go at the request of our
friends Mr. & Mrs. Hervey Ely, of Rochester, N . Y. to be
supported and educated, at their expense.
Capt. Hussey is a pious man, of the Methodist Church,
he has kindly offered the children a gratuitous passage. M r .
Ely will doubtless provide soon for their removal to the West.
But as their sister is In Bradford which they are anxious to see,
a nd their rout to Rochester will probable be through Pittsfield,
the residence of maternal friends, we have said to Mr. E. that
the children will proceed immediately to Boston, and have re
ferred him to you, for information respecting them. Brother
Johnstone has told me, that he is quite sure our friends in New
Bedford, will defray the expense of the journey from thence to
Boston. They have letters to the Rev. Mr. Holms, and others
of that place.
I am aware dear Sir, of your many cares and labors,
and perhaps should apologize for the liberty I take, in send
ing them to your care. But I have the happiness to believe, that
whatever relates to us or our children has a share among your
parental feelings, and that in Boston they will find friends,
who will not feel it a burden to provide them a temparary
residence.
The kindness of the Board in paying the expense of
our daughter in the family of Mr. Headly, has releived us from
much anxiety. We thank them, and feel that we are pledged to
Christ and his Church, to devote ourselves more entirely to the
instruction of the heathen.
As the number of schools and scholars for Kauai given
at our late meeting was much larger than usual, perhaps it will
be well for me to state the reason. Our schools which before
were large, have been divided and Subdivisioned and considerably
increased the year past. Heretofore, we have given the n umber
of readers only. but as this is not the practice of the other
Stations, we have included the whole, though certainly we have
not much to expect from many who attend the schools.
Our Church
of forty-five members, is in a good state with the exception of
two cases of discipline. Our old Gov, has been absent most of the
year past and has felt the chilling influence of foreign residents
at Oahu, but he has now returned ana appears well.
Please to present ray affectionate Salutation to Mr.
Anderson, and Mr. Greene
I hope to answer both of their letters
shortly. With much love to yourself and family in which Mrs.
W. units, I am
dear Sir as ever,
Yours sincerely,
S. Whitney
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
P. S. The children have a packet of letters which you
are re-
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quested to open and forward as soon as convenient.
Edgartown Mass
May 4th
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Cor Sec. of A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
U. S. A.
Per Capt. Hussey
Ship Cyrus.
Rev. S. Whitney,
May 7, 1832.
Two sons sent--schools— church.
Ack'd Dec. 22d
Date Nov. 19. 1831.
Two sons went Rochester
His two children—
chln at Kauai
�1548
56 and 57
Journal of a visit to the Soc. Georgian & Marquesas Islands.
July 18th, 1832
Omitted
�1549
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Honolulu, Oahu, S. Island July 8th, 1832.
My Dear Bro Greene,
In your kind letter by the Averick, y ou seem to
anticipate our feelings on the arrival of the reenforcement.
It is thus, we do indeed think you “mean to deal liberally
with us". By this goodly accession, our hearts have been
cheered, and our hand strengthened. The good news too which
they have brought us of what God is doing in our native land,
"is like cold water to a thirsty soul” But amid the cheering
inteligence, our hearts have all been pained by the loss of our
revered Cor. Sec.
Though I had not the privilege of a long
personal acquaintance with him before our departure, yet it was
sufficient to know, that in him I had found a friend of no
ordinary character. His affectionate councels and parental
solicitude for our comfort and usefulness; made a deep impression
on my mind at the time, and never shall I forget parting with the
dear man, who together with the beloved Worceste r , stood waveing
their white handkerchiefs till we were lost from their sight.
His continued efforts to do us good in his frequent communications,
greatly endeared him to us all, so that with you and your good wife,
we feel that we have lost a father.
You will learn by the minutes of our late meeting
that I have been appointed an agent of the mission to go in
company with brother Tinker & Alexander, to visit our bretheren at the Soc. Is l. and survey the Washington Islands, for the
purpose of establishing a mission at the latter. Prom the style
of the letters written from the Soc. Isl. we think our bretheren
will not cheerfuly give up the Marquesas, as they write in the true
spirit of
that the field is theirs, though except by
native teachers they are not, and probably will not soon, be
able to occupy them. Should we not succeed at the Marquesas
perhaps we shall visit same other groups, but as yet we have no t
sufficient information to act deffinitely in regard to any.
There are large fields in this Ocean which must be
occupied by some benevolent Society, but how shall they be
occupied, until they are known? and how shall they be known,
unless, they are explored?
and who can explore them, better
than American christians? I believe it is well worth the in
quiry of the Committee, whether it may not be expedient and
necessary to employ a vessel of good size, to explore the
ground, plant mission, and carry them supplies on the Islands,
and coasts of the Pacific. There are doubtless hundreds of
Islands in this Ocean to which the Gospel might be sent immediately
if we had the information and means necessary to carry on the
work. There can never be a better time, to plant missions in
and brambles, imported from Christian lands, which will, cost
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more strength to eradicate, than all the darkness of united ages.
I did not intend giving you my thoughts on this subject but
such as they are you have them.
Be so good as to say to Mr. Anderson, that I have not
time to answer his kind letter before we embark. I shall write
him on our return and send him my private journal. I left
Kauai last week; things were going on well; but as you will get
the particulars from Bro. Gulick and the report of the station
in the general letter, I need not enlarge.
You have probably seen a couple of lads, I (covered
with wax) to America last year. I hope in your next to (covered
with wax) that they arrived in safety and of their visits in
Boston, Settlement at Rochester, &c.
Thank you for the kind offer, to send us more books
for children. We much need the following. Infants School
manuals are by William Wilson, published by G & C & H Cavvill
N. York 1830. Another, the authors name not mentioned, but
published by Dorr & Howland at Worcester 1830. The childs book
on the soul, and Gauledetts other books for children. The re
maining numbers of the Little Phylosopher; the two first you sent
us. There are not all the books we need but if you can send us
any more perhaps we may be allowed to depute Mrs. Greene to
select them. She is a mother, and can feel a mothers anxiety on
the subject. I cannot express, the gratitude our ladies feel
that they and their children were so kindly remembered by you
but am requested to give you the hearty thanks of one to
which I had the pleasure of introducing you, in Goshen I
believe, before we embarked? Mrs. W. has a school of 150
children and will feel it a high privilege to have a good
assortment of books to select and translate from, as well as
for the use of our own remaining child.
I am glad to hear such good things from my nephew
and hope you will continue to lend information respecting
him. If he is with you, be so kind as present him my affection
ate Salutation, and all our old friends, together with those
who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincereity.
I am dear Bro.
Yours affectionately,
S. Whitney.
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Mr.
David Greene
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Rev. Saml. Whitney
March 17, 1833.
Missionary Vessel needed
Books requested
�1552
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Oahu, San. Isl. Nov. 25, 1832.
Revd. & Dear
Owing to the fact that I have but j ust arrived from
a visit to the South Seas, and am almost constantly engaged
with the bretheren on the subject of the Marquesan mission,
I am unable to write you so fully, as I could wish at present.
In a few days I hope to send you my Journal, and
answer some questions of a general nature, made in your letter
last season. The way for establishing a mission at Nuvahina
is open, and I trust we shall be able to proceed soon. The
greatest difficulty seems to be, the want of a Physitian.
Dr. Chapin it is thought can not go, owing to the ill health
of his wife. Mr. Evarts suggested, that an old missionary from
there Islands should go too. Aggreeable to that suggestion,
I and several of my brethren, offered ourselves as candidates.
They chose me. But the fact, that the older breth eren who knew
my situation and circle of influence at Kauai could not vote
for me, together with my own views of duty, (which however
would have been regulated by a vote of the mission) led me to
state some reasons, why I should not go. These reasons were
satisfactory to the mission, and I was unanimously excused.
I was however chosen an the deputation, and trust I shall not
have cause to regret the appointment. I have learned much In
this visit, which I trust will be of use to me in my work, as
a missionary at these Islands. In regard to the Tahitian
mission, I can only say here, that we were much disappointed;
things there are in a bad state, as you will see by our report
and journals. Alas that such men as Ellis & Stewart, should
say so much in their praise. True there has been a relapse
since those men were there, but say our brethren at the Islands
"no man can read their books, with o u t being deceived. They
have given a coloring to things, which never had a reality"
This is undoubtedly a fact, and as regards the latter gentle
man's descriptions at the Sand, Islands, they are notoriously
so, to all who come here. I need only mention one case, which
is well known to the mission, i.e. his description of the
dress which the Princess wore on a certain occassion, and her
taste at selection, when he, Mr. S. and a sister missionary
made the selection. I tremble dear Sir for such men. No
man, I speak on mature conviction, no man has ever been at the
Islands, who has done us the injury that Mr. S. has in his
visit. We need no such helpers, and I beseech you if possible,
to stop the influence of his book.
From Kauai we have good news. I hope to be there
next week. Bro. Gulick I am told, has written you a particu
lar account of the station. I would suggest caution to all
our friends, about what they publish in the Herald on the
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subject of Sand.Isl. revivals. Too much stress has been laid
on them. fruits have not thus far answered our expectations,
and I fear many good people by comparing them to what they
see in those (hole in paper) in America, are deceived. This
remark is (hole in paper) with particular reference to what
Bro. J. has written, for I know nothing of what he has said.
But it is the the besetting sin of Missionaries ( among whom
I place myself) to give only the bright side of the picture.
I am willing the Christian public should have all to encourage
them, that is consistant with Christian honesty to give. But
my dear Sir, I have seen and read much about the San. Islands,
which has filled me with shame and disgust. I do not say that
we have been dishonest, in giving our Statements, but
do say,
that in my view of things, too little regard has been paid to
the influence obtained from those statements by those who
read them. Without a previous knowledge of native character;
and in future I shall be more guarded and try to do my duty to
my brethren, on that point.
I am Dear Sir, yours affectionately,
S. Whitney
Edgartown, Mass, A p l. 29.
,
Ship 14 1/2
Rev. Rufus Anderson.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
U. S. A.
Rev. S. Whitney,
April 30, 1833.
Ack'd in Gen Letter
Oct. 30.
\
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Kauai, San. Isl. Dec. 18th 1832.
Rev. & Dear Si r,
Enclosed I send you a few sheets of journal, have
not yet had time to copy the whole, choosing rather to send
a part than risk loosing the opportunity.
The remainder I will
endeavour to s end you, by the first ship.
On looking it over, you will see at once that it was
not intended for the public eye. The most prominent fact re
lative to the objects of our visit have been embodied in the
joint report of the deputation. What I have here written was
intended, particularly for my own benifit and that of my brethren
of this mission; expecting at the same time to send you a copy,
to acquaint you more fully with our labours during the visit
and the situation of the South Sea Mission.
Should you see a n y
thing which looks like joining with the calumniators of that
mission, you may be assured that I have endeavored to be on
my guard. Had I seen the facts recorded by an unknown hand
six months ago which I have now in my journal, I certainly
should have been slow to believe them. Owing t o the high
opinion which I had of the bretheren and their labours at
these Islands.
The reason is, we have never seen a candid
view of but one side of the picture, and that, my dear sir,
I believe to be too much the case, with Christians in America
in regard to the Sandwich Islands.
Nothing which I have mentioned in my journal, has been
"s et down with malice", or with a view to detract a single
iota from the merits of our bretheren, and nothing I believe
which as a body they would be unwilling to acknowledge as correct
though they would not choose to have all I have said, published
to the world.
Many of the facts, the more glaring of which I
have yet to relate, were told me by the bretheren, with the
declared purpose, that we and our partners, might amend the evils
into which they have fallen.
As to the Washington Islands, I suppose the bretheren
at Oahu have written fully which together with our report,
will enable you to see what our prospects are in regard to
these Islands. Nothing is in the way now, but the want of a
Physit ian to its speedy establishment.
It is somewhat doubtful
whether one can be ready till after our meeting in June next.
Our prospects at Kauai, were never more encouraging.
I have no
doubt but the spirit of God is in the midst of us. and a glorious
harvest of lands we hope will be the result, but there is much
very much that still calls for deep humility, faith, and prayer.
The great mass of the people are yet in darkness and ignorance,
and far from the Kingdom of Heaven.
With much love to yourself and associates, I am dear
sir, yours affectionately
Saml . Whitney
Rev. Rufus Anderson
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Revd. Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. of the A . B. C. F . M .
Boston
Mass
U. S. A.
Postmark New York
Ship
A ug. 14
Rev. S. Whitney
Date Dec. 18, 1832
Rec'd Aug. 15, 1833
Ack'd in Gen. letter Oct. 30
Ans.'d Dec 8.
Rev. S. Whitney
Rec'd Aug 15, 1833
Date Dec. 18, 1832
Ack'd in Gen Letter
Oct. 30
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Kauai, San. Isl, Dec. 25th, 1832.
Revd
Rufus Anderson,
Dear Sir,
On the 18th inst I sent you eight sheets of ray
Journal, and promised to forward the remainder, as soon
as I could. I have just now finished copying it, and send it in
this envelop. I regret that I have been obliged to copy it
under such a pressure of business, that it has been detained
so long, and received so little attention. It should have
been prepared on the way home from the lslands, but sea-sickness
prevented, as I was so much affected with it to the end of
the voyage, as to be unable to write but a little except in
light winds, and smooth sea. Since my return, the state of
the people has been such, as seemed to demand much of my
time, I trust therefore you will excuse what may seem to be
neglect.
What I said in my former communication about not
having written for the public eye as far as the San. Isls .
are concerned, you will see, will also apply to this.
In your letter to the mission last Spring you re
quested us all to give an opinion on the subject of fixed
salaries, ”as the subject had been before the Com. for a
long time”, and the question agitated whether ec on
my would
o
not be promoted by it. I do not think it would, though I
am not very decided, on the point of economy.
The agent of the mission (as is well known to the
Com) is a man of the strictest integrity, and possessed of
talents and disposition , peculiarly adopted to promote
rigid economy. According to the rules of the mission, he is
to be made acquainted with the wants of missionaries, and
supply them according to his best judgment. While I have
never known him inattentive to their wants, I am happy to
add, I have never known him deal out with a lavish hand.
Possibly there are some among us, whose wants are more numer
ous now than they would be if the Salary System was adopted,
but I should hope the number is small. As to obtaining sup
plies for the mission, I believe it can be done on the
present system much cheaper, and with more general satisfaction,
than in any other way. As I am unacquainted however with
the best plans for obtaining supplies in care of a Salary,
on the actual expense it would be necessary to incurr, I am
not prepared to speak decidedly on the point. But it appears
to me that if you give your missionaries a Salary, it must be
a liberal one or the subject involves a question of much
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greater magnitude than economy, I mean, the general good.
A partial support, or a Salary on which we cannot
live without engaging in persuits foreign to our work as
embassadors of Christ, would I fear, bring upon us many of
the evils which are now felt at the Soc. Islands-a few of
which I will mention as were written in my journal at the time
we were there, "In order to save expense to the Soc". Say the
bretheren, "we set our salary at so low a sum that we cannot
support our families, except in cases of the most rigid economy,
and in order to make up the dlficiency, we are obliged to ex
change with ships", or in other words to trade with them, we
to purchase supplies of the natives, and sell them at an advanc
ed price, for such things as are necessary in the families.
This say they, diverts us from our proper work, produces a
worldly spirit, coldness in our prayer and preaching. It
brings us in contact with one of the worst passions in a natives
heart, (covetousness). To get things of them at a reasonable
price, we must barter with them, and they will say we are seek
ing theirs & not them; we are getting things of them at a low
price and selling them at a great profit, and there are foreign
ers enough to tell them, when we get a good bargin. From the
ship with which we trade, we get the name of merchants, and are
reported as such to the ends of the earth". In addition to
this, I believe it gives of them, occassion for the remark I
have heard made by men of judgment and sound principles when
speaking of them, "a t e m p e r i n g spirit is apparent in those
missionaries”. In order to trade with residents cm those who
visit them, It is necessary to be on terms of intimacy with
them, at least this is the fact whether necessary or not, so
intimate I mean, as in my view, to degrade the character of
a minister of Christ. The manner of obtaining supplies, is
with them a subject of some hard feelings toward the directory.
One of them said to me, "When our agent in London has found
a good opportunity to send us supplies, he has sometimes asked
the directors for a little in advance, but they would not allow
him a six months salary more than was due, lest the missionary
should die, and they should loose it" !
I do not think that all theee evils would follow of
course, if the Salary System were pursued at the San. Isl.
I believe that many of them might be avoided; Still I see very
great temptations for your missionaries, and fear the consequences
At present, there is a good degree of harmony and
kind feelings throughout the mission, and the System of Support ,
undoubtedly has a tendency to strengthen it. We at this Station
have the privilege of sending occasionally, a choice bit of the
fruits of the land to our bretheren and sisters on the other
Islands, and it does us good mutually. But in case of a Salary
I see, (If not an end to it) a great many things which would
militate against it, and if I mistake not introduce an envious,
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cold, sordid , calculating spirit, from which I must beg
to be excused. I am willing to live, labour and die in the
service of the Board, with merely a comfortable support for
myself and family, and this I know you are ready to give me
as long as I shall deserve it. While minister of Christ at
the San-Isl-Iwish never to see myself or bretheren, in a
situation where we can lay up money for ourselves and families.
I have now given you my mind freely because you
wished it. But if on the whole the Com.— think best to give
salaries, I shall endeavour to make myself and others, satisfied
with the System.
In the report of the Board for 1829-page 49 I find
the following statement. Speaking of this station, "This
Island has not yet been brought so thoroughly under the influ
ence of the School System as some others." Ag a i n , report for
1830 page 65. "The people are not so far advanced in a
knowledge of Christianity as the inhabitants of some Islands
of the group." Though I do not feel like casting any blame
on the
of these articles, yet I am prepared to say
they are both incorrect a fact I should not mention but to
prevent the like mistakes in future.
Prom the commencement of the mission, there has
not been an Island in the group more completely under the
influence of the School System, than Kauai; and not one
which has so many readers in proportion to the number of in
habitants, as is evident from statistics now in my possession.
It is true we do not number so many church members as
they do at some of the other stations, though in proportion to
the number of inhabitants there is not much difference# It is
owing however, not so much to the fact that candidates have
been wanting, equal in ray view both in piety and Christian
knowledge, as to the difference of opinion in regard to the
qualifications necessary for admission to the Church.
t o explain wherein this difference or opinion con
sists and the course persued here and at the other stations is,
perhaps, unnecessary, it would take more time than I have now
at command, and lead me into a course of reflection which might
look something like a censure upon those in which knowledge and
judgment, it is reasonable to suppose, you have more confidence
than in mine: but from whom I have most conscientiously dissented
in practice on the subject in question.
Enclosed with this, I send a list of the books in
my library, according to your request.
I am dear sir,
Yours affectionately
S. Whitney
P. S. As the residence of Mr. Hoadly is unknown to me,
you will oblige me by directing the enclosed letter to
Rev. Rufus Anderson
�1559
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Sandwich Islands
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61
Rev. S. Whitney.
Nov. 29, 1833
Date Dec. 25, 1832
Ack'd Dec. 18th
Rev S. Whitney
Nov . 29, 1833
Date Dec. 25, 1832
Ack'd Dec. 25, 1832
Ans'd. Dec 8, 1834
Second
t
r
a
P
XXVI
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Kauai, S . S. Sept. 9th 1833.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Assoc. Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Boston, Mass.
MY Dear Sir,
On my return from a tour of the Island last week, I
was happy to find your letter of Dec 22nd-/32. Though person
ally unknown to you, I feel it both a privilege and a duty to
write you with all the freedom, and openness of heart, with
which I would address an own brother, and intimate friend. But
in the outset I am met by a difficulty which has always had
an influence on my mind, in writing to American friends, and
especialy to those whose duty it is to make known to the Chris
tian public, the progress & success of their missionaries. It
is the want of skill to communicate a correct idea of things as
they exist, & is produced principally by the peculiarities of Sam.
Isl character, I may set down and tell you what a man says, what
he does' and h ow he appears &c, But unless "I know him through &
through", I am liable to be de deceived, either by his dexterity
in the art of deception, or toy his mistaken view of himself, as
by his habits of looking to others for thoughts rather than
thinking for himself, he is in great danger of taking the experi
ence of another, and working himself into the belief that it Is
his own & the idea you get of the man agrees with characters
such as you have seen or known. To illustrate my meaning I will
give you an example. I was reading yesterday in the fifth report
of the A. T. soc. the reply of the Gov of Oahu to one who applied
to him for the privilege of selling spirits.
was this. “To
cattle and hogs you may sell rum, but to real men you
must not on these shores" . This was a good reply and aught to
be sent through the world in large capitals. But were it known that
this same Gen, was habitually drinking brandy at the time he
made the declaration, and still continues the practice, (not
indeed without the excuse of every habitual drinker, "using it
as a medicine") he would not have acquired the character which
is now attached to him in the mind of every reader of that short
sentence. The reporter of the Gov. speech probably did not know
at the time that such was his practice. Again, about a year
since there was a great excitement on the subject of religion at
this Station. Had I set down and written in my journal a des
cription of the trembling limbs— the faultering voice— the fall
ing tear-- the penitent look and in a word the exact representation
of man under deep conviction of sin, or rejoicing in hope, It
would have been an Interesting subject for the ten thousand
readers, of religious papers. But had I known, or, from my
knowledge of the character of the people, had I possessed the
evidencetobelieve,whathassinceproved to be a fact, that
most of the apparently anxious were actuated by no better motive
than to gain admittance to the Church, I should justly have
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merited the censure of all Christendom. Do not here mis
understand me. I do not mean to intimate that the Spirit
of God has not been here; or that all in the late excite
ment, neve actuated by the motive above mentioned. To
the praise of redeeming grace would I record it, that there
are some over whom I have watched with a careful eye for
the last nine months, who still appear
and I believe
are renewed by the Spirit Of God. The number however I
fear is small, much smaller, than at first I had reason
to hope. It now appears by the confession of some and the
conduct of many, that by observation & the instruction of
others more deeply skilled in hyprocricy,
they had learned
what t o say and how to act in th e presence of their teachers,
in order to make a favourable impression, and it is but justice
to add that in most eases, their information thus obtained,
has been put in practice with the most consummate address.
Connected as this subject is, with the natural desire which
every missionary has, to give as good an account of his labours
and success as he can, you will see my difficulty, excuse
my errors, and give such advise as you wisdom shall dictate.
Before this reaches America, you will have heard of the
ill health of Mr. & Mrs. Gulick, and their removal to Waimea
on Hawaii. My own health, has not been good a part of the
past year. Prom about the first of March till the middle of
June, I was obliged to desist almost entirely from public
speaking, owing to weakness of lungs.
Remainder of letter printed,
30 Mission Herald 448, Dec. 1834.
Rev. Saml . W h
itney.
Date Sept. 9th. 1833
Recd. A p r i l 15, 1834
Copied
Ack Dec 8
Recd April 15, 1834
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Waimea, Kauai, (S. Is) Sept 18th, 1833.
Mr. Dear Bro. Greene,
Though I have received no letter from you this
season, I must write in order to keep up a correspondence,
at least once a year. By my letter to Mr. Anderson , you will
see that I am alone, and probably shall remain so, till you
can send me an associate from America which I hope you will
do before long. If so, do do send me a man of a liberal spirit.
By that word however, I do not mean that which is falsely so
called in Mass, but the opposite of a little, jealous, cold,
calculating mind, conscientiously stubborn in small things to
to the neglect of those of immense interest. The presence of
such a man would be enough to drive me into the hypochondriac
and I want no greater misery than to see him on Kauai, though
he may have the wisdom of Soloman, or the piety of Paul. If
you can send me such a man as our old classmate John Smith,
or the lamented Goodwin, or Alexander, Armstrong, Spaulding,
and others I could name of the late reenforcements, you will
do me a great favor. Situated as we missionaries are, the re
ceiving an a ssociate is like taking a wife, and wo to the man
who gets one with whom he cannot cordially cooperate.
There are two places on this Island almost equidistant
from Waimea, Hanalei to the north, and Wailua to the east,
where mission stations are much needed. Were & missionary
located at either of these places, the number of inhabitants
would not be much if any less in their immediate vicinity,
than at the station which I occupy. In that case, neither
of the stations would indispensably need the services of two
men in good health. It would prevent the removal of numbers
from the back parts of the Island, which is now an evil begining to be seriously felt by the landholders in these districts.
They ought to be taken immediately. The people are ready, and
desirous to receive teachers. To join their confidence now,is
an easy task, to what it will be when error and prejudice shall
have preoccupied the ground. The American churches it is true
have done nobly, in recruiting this mission, but if they mean
to occupy the field and keep it cultivated, they must do more.
I have now more than twelve thousand people looking to me for
instruction, (a thought which often sinks me in the dust) my
health and strength at best but weakness and of doubtful continuence even through an other year, and such the health of the
brethren now on the Islands and the impenious demands for their
labours at the other stations, that I shall probably be left
alone to drag along according to the ability which God shall
give me, till assistance can be sent from America. In the
name of the Great Head of the church therefore and in behalf
of perishing thousands w ould I plead & could I raise a voice
which should reach the heart of every christian in the land,
�1563
67
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
63
I would ask. Shall there be a want of men to gather the fruits
of a field white for the harvest? Shall the progress of the
Gospel stop here? and the dark waves of superstition and
idolatry again roll their desolating flood over a portion of
that inheritance, which the Son of God has purchased with
his blood? The (covered with wax) of the Gospel-the present
efforts of the church— and the displays of redeeming grace,
all forbid us to expect it.
if time and health will permit I hope you write
by every opportunity.
With affectionate salutations to all our dear friends,
I am your bro. in the Gospel of Christ,
S. Whitney.
Mr. David Greene
David Greene
Assoc-Cor-Sec of the
A . B. C. F . M.
Boston
Mass
U . S. A .
Rev. Samuel Whitney,
Date Sept. 18, 1833,
Recd May 30, 1834
A n s d June 24
D. G.
Postmark
New Bedford, May 20
Ms.
�1564
67
Sandwich Islands
1851— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
64
Waimea, Kauai (S I) Oct 4th, 1834.
Revd Rufus Anderson AssocCor-Sec- of A. B. C. F . M. Boston.
My Dear BroYours by the Avon of Dec. last, came to hand in June,
while we were at Oahu at Gen. Meet. It gave us much pleasure
to hear of the cordial approbation of the Committee, relative
to the visit of the deputation to the South Pacific. The
failure of the Mission to the Washington Islands, we regard as
one of those events which are calculated to distress, but
give up that field, without much prayer to God, and a deep sense
of the responsibility that lay upon them. You will have heard
ere this reaches you, that one of them Bro. Alexander, is now
with us on Kauai. A better man, or a more efficient missionary
and beloved associate, I could not expect you to send us, were
to fit out another company as large and as precious, as that
you
y the Averick. He is one with whom I hope to live and labour,
b
till the Great Head of the Church shall call me to my rest. Bro.
A. has commenced his labours on the northern part of this Isl. under
circumstances favorable to the building up of an interesting
station. Bro. Gulick is still in rather feeble health. He
is now with, us, but expects to go to his new station in a few
weeks.
Remainder of letter printed
31 Missionary Herald 260, July 1835.
Edgartown Us .
Mass
Ship 39 1/2
Revd
Rufus Anderson
Assoc Cor. Sec. at the A. B. C . F . M .
Miss Rooms
Boston
U. S. A .
Rev. Saml Whitney
Date Oct. 4. 1834
Rec May 2, 1838
(Marked )
Ackd in G. L.
16
Ansd June 22, 1836
Books
* ought not to discourage the freinds of Missions,
bretheren did not
Our good
�1565
67
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837
Part Second
XXVI
65
Waimea, Kauai (S. I.) Oct 15, 1835.
Revd R. Anderson,
Dear Bro.
By the Hellespont, we received yours of Dec. 8th direct
ed to bro Gulick and myself. We had then just heard, by
communications over the continent, of the death of our be
loved Doct. Wisner, who was taken from you after the date of
your letter. The death of such a man must be felt deeply
by the churches, and especially by you, who were associated with
him at the rooms. We too, feel, that we have lost a counselor
and a friend. His last letters to the mission, will not
soon be forgotten. They will do good. Let us have the like
again, when we deserve them.
You are acquainted with the fact, that two new
s tations have been taken on this Island. Another is about
commencing though as yet we have no missionary to occupy it.
Remainder of letter printed
32 Missionary Herald 428, Nov. 1836
To
Revd Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. of the A . B. C. F. M.
Boston, Mass.
U.S.A.
Rev. Saml. Whitney,
Dated Kauai, Oct 15, 1835.
Recd May 7, 1836
to be sent by Mr. Anderson.
�1566
67
Sandwich Islands
1831— 1837, Part Second
XXVI
66
Waimea Kauai (S. I.) Oct 15, 1836.
Revd Rufus Anderson.
Dear Bro.
We have just heard that there is a ship at Oahu
which will soon leave for the U. States, and though I have
nothing new or specially interesting to communicate relative
to our station, I feel it a duty and a privilege, to write
you. In my last, I mentioned the ill health of Mrs. WShe has since recovered so far as to be able to attend to
the domestic concerns of the family, but still too feeble
to engage in teaching school, except that she has one scholarour young chief Moses. The son of Kinau , and heir apparent
to the government of this Island.
Remainder of letter printed
33 Missionary Herald 280 July, 1837
Revd Rufus Anderson
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Boston
Mass.
U. S. A.
Rev. Saml Whitney
Date Oct. 15, 1836
Recd Apr. 28, 1837
Ackd in G. L. July 21
Books requested
copied
Published
�
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Title
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.)
Dublin Core
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Title
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.) - Volume 05 - 1831-1836
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836
-
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/02c6a97d92a2c497b80515fb50af0811.pdf
ad2e166597af64e39230ea4eaf15be64
PDF Text
Text
I N D E X
Pages
ALEXANDER, W. P. : Honolulu, May 18,1832 ------------- -1086-1087
Honolulu, June 25,1832 ----- ------ --1104-1105
See Joint Letter, May 29,1832 ------1088-1094
"
"
"
Sept. 13,1832 --- -1120
"
"
"
Sept.17,1832 --- --1121-1121a
"
"
«
June 26,1833 --- --1157-1159
"
"
"
May 13,1834 ---- --1207-1209
"
"
"
June 4,1834 .... ..1211-1225
"
"
"
July 3,1835 ---- --1255-1263
ANDREWS, LORRIN
: Lahaina, July 1,1833 -------------- -1161-1169
See Joint Letter, Nov.2,1831 -------1075
"
«
w
Dec.20,1831 ---- -1076-1079
"
"
"
July 18,1832 --- -1114
"
"
"
Nov.15,1832 ---- -1133-1135
"
"
"
Nov.2 7 , 1 8 3 2 ---- -1136-1137
"
"
"
Nov. 20,1833 ---- -1190
"
"
"
Oct.4,1834 .......1235-1236
"
"
"
Nov. 12,1834 --- --1238
"
"
"
Nov.16,1836 ......1292-1303
"
"
"
Dec. 25,1836 .... .1314
ANONYMOUS
: Honolulu, June 1835 ..... ......... .1264
Honolulu, Oct.29,1832 — -— — — -— 1122
ARMSTRONG,RICHARD: See Joint Letter, May 18,1832 ---- -1086-1087
"
"
"
May 29,1832 ---- -1088-1094
"
"
"
June 26,1833 --- -1157-1159
"
"
"
May 13,1834 — — 1207-1209
"
"
"
June 4,1834 .... .1211-1225
"
"
"
Dec.17,1835 ------1284-1285
"
"
"
Nov.16,1836 ---- -1304-1313
"
"
"
Dec. 25,1836 ---- -1314
BALDWIN, DWIGHT : Waimea, Hawaii, Nov.29,1833 ------ -1187
See Joint Letter, Sept.12,1831 — — 1069
"
"
"
Oct. 26,1833 .... .1186
"
"
"
July 15,1834 — - 1226
"
"
"
Dec.25,1836 ---- -1314
BINGHAM, HIRAM
: [Honolulu,after June 28,1831?] — —
1068
See Joint Letter, Mar.20,1830 ---- -1061
"
"
"
Mar.22,1831 ---- -1066-1067
"
"
"
June 15,1831 — —
1156-1156
"
"
"
Nov. 23,1831 ------1074
"
"
"
Jan. 17,1832 ---- -1080
"
"
"
Apr.2,1832 ..... .1110-1113
"
"
"
June 23,1832 --- -1098-1103
�--2Pages
See Joint Letter, July 18,1832 —
M
n
«
Oct.10,1832 --n
tt
tt
Dec.27,1832 --n
n
tt
Nov.28,1833 --n
n
n
Jan.6,1834 --- N
h
it
Jan.25,1836 --It
tt
it
Dec.29,1836 ---
1114
1123-1124
1146-1152
1191-1194
1195-1197
1286-1287
1315-1317
BISHOP, ARTEMUS
: See Joint Letter, May 13,1830 --n
tt
tt
Dec.25,1830 --it
tt
it
Oct.15,1831 --it
it
n
May 7,1832 ---w
n
tt
Nov.3,1832 ---«
tt
tt
Sept.20,1833 -n
tt
n
Nov.9,1833 ---n
n
tt
May 22,1834 --tt
it
n
Nov.5,1834 -------tt
N
tt
May 21,1835 --tt
tt
tt
Nov.10,1835 ------
1062
1065
1073
1096-1097
1130-1132
1170
1188-1189
1210
1237
1251-1252
1270
BROWN, LYDIA
: See Joint Letter, June 25,1835
----
1253-1254
CHAMBERLAIN, LEVI: See Joint Letter, Mar.20,1830 -----tt
n
tt
Sept.20,1830
tt
tt
it
Mar.22,1831 --tt
n
tt
Nov.23,1831 --tt
tt
it
Dec.20,1831 --tt
it
tt
Jan.17,1832
»
«
tt
Apr. 2,1832 ---n
n
n
July 18,1832 —
tt
it
n
Oct.10,1832 --tt
tt
it
Dee.11,1832 --ti
tt
«
Dee.27,1832 --tt
tt
it
Nov.28,1833 --n
tt
n
Jan.6,1834 -- —
n
tt
ti
Jan. 25,1836 --«
tt
it
Dec.2 9 ,1836 ----
1061
1063
1066-1067
1074
1076-1079
1080
1110-1113
1114
1123-1124
1139-1145
1146-1152
1191-1194
1195-1197
1286-1287
1315-1317
BINGHAM, HIRAM
CHAPIN, ALONZO
CLARK, E. W.
: See Joint Letter, May 18,1832
it
ti
n
May 29,1832
n
n
h
Nov.15,1832
N
tt
it
Nov.20,1833
; See Joint Letter,
tt
«
n
it
it
n
tt
it
n
N
it
H
tt
N
n
N
ti
n
It
tt
n
tt
tt
n
tt
it
ti
---------------------
Mar.20,1830 -----Sept.20,1830 --Mar.22,1831 --Nov.23,1831
Dec.20,1831 --Jan.17,1832 — ———
Apr.2,1832 ---July 10,1832 —
0ct.l0,1832 "•••
Dec.3,1832 -----
1086-1087
1088-1094
1133-1135
1190
1061
1063
1066-1067
1074
1076-1079
1080
1110-1113
1115-1119
1123-1124
1138
�-3Pages
.CLARK, E. W.
See Joint Letter, Dec.27,1832 ——it
tt
n
Nov.28,1833 -H
h
N
Jan.6,1835 ————
tt
tt
N
Oct.4,1834 --tt
ft
tt
Nov.12,1834 —
It
n
tt
Nov. 16,1836 - —
tt
n
tt
Dec.25,1836
1146-1152
1191-1194
1195-1197
1235-1236
1238
1292-1303
1314
COAN, TITUS
Honolulu, June 26 ,1835 ..........
See Joint Letter, June 25,1835 -tt
tt
tt
Nov.17,1835 —
1254
1253-1254
1271-1272
DARLING, DAVID
To Missionaries at Sandwich Is.,
Tahiti, Jan.28,1832 -----------
1109
DIBBLE, SHELDON
See Joint Letter, Sept.12,1831 —
n
it
tt
Oct.4,1831 --n
tt
tt
May 7,1832 ---tt
tt
tt
Oct.10,1832 - —
tt
tt
tt
Mar.25,1833 ----tt
tt
tt
Oct.14,1833 —
tt
tt
N
Mar.28,1834 — tt
tt
n
Nov.16,1836 —
tf
n
tt
Dec.25,1836 -----
1069
1070-1072
1095
1125-1129
1180-1185
1171-1175
1201-1203
1292-1303
1314
DIHDND, HENRY
See Joint Letter, June 25,1835 - n
«
tt
Jan.25 i 1836 — — —
tt
tt
tt
Dec.29,1836 --
1253-1254
1286-1287
1315-1317
EMERSON, J. S.
See Joint Letter, May 18,1832 -tt
it
n
May 29,1832 —
tt
ti
tt
Dec.3,1832 ————
1086-1087
1088-1094
1138
FORBES, COCHRAN
See Joint Letter, May 18,1832 —
tt
ti
n
May 29,1832 —
tt
N
it
Nov.9,1833 ----
1086-1087
1088-1094
1188-1189
FOREIGN RESIDENTS IN OAHU: [Late in 1 8 3 5 ] ...........1283
GOODRICH, JOSEPH
See Joint Letter, Jan.17,1832 —
1080
"
"
"
Apr.2,1832 ---- -1110-1113
"
"
"
Mar.25,1833 —
1180-1185^
"
"
"
Oct.14,1833 —
1171-117^
"
"
"
M a r .28,1834 —
1201-1203
M
*
M
Apr.22,1835 —
1247-1249
GREEN, J. S.
See Joint Letter, Oct.2,1830 ---- -1064
"
"
w
Oct.4,1831 -----1070-1072
"
"
*
May 7,1832 -----1095
"
"
"
June 23,1832 —
1098-1103
"
"
»
Oct.19,1833 —
1176-1179
"
"
»
Dec.17,1835 —
1284-1285
"
"
"
Nov.16,1836 —
1304-1313
"
w
M
Dec. 25,1836 —
1314
�-4Pages
GULICK,PETER J . : S&e Joint Letter, Jan.6,1834 ..... .1195-1197
HALL, EDWIN 0. : See Joint Letter, June 25,1835 --- -1253-1254
"
»
"
Jan.25,1836 ---- -1286-1287
B
"
"
Dec.29,1836 ---- -1315-1317
HITCHCOCK, E.M.: See Joint Letter, June 25,1835 --- -1253-1254
HITCHCOCK, H.R.: See Joint Letter, May 18,1832 ---- -1086-1087
"
"
"
May 29,1832 ---- -1088-1094
"
"
"
Dec. 25,1836 .... .1314
JOHNSTONE, A.
: See Joint Letter, Sept.12,1831 --- -1069
"
"
"
Jan. 17,1832 ---- -1080
"
"
"
Apr.2,1832 .... - 1110-1113
"
"
"
Dec.27,1832 .... .1146-1152
"
M
"
Nov.28,1833 ---- -1191-1194
JOINT LETTER
: Bingham,Clark,Chamberlain & Shepard,
Oahu, Mar.20,1830 -- ;------------- --1061
Thurston & Bishop, Kailua,May 13,
1830 -.......................... ....1062
Clark,Judd,Chamberlain & Shepard,
Honolulu, Sept.20,1830 ------------ -1063
Richards & Green, Lahaina, Oct.2,
1830 ------------------ ------------ -1064
Thurston & Bishop,Kailua,Dec.251830- 1065
Clark,Bingham,Chamberlain & Judd,
Honolulu, Mar.22,1831 ------------- -1066-1067
Bingham,Richards & Whitney, to Wm .
Ellis, Lahaina, June 15,1831 --- --- 1155-1156
Baldwin,Tinker.Dibble.Johnstone,
[Honolulu?], Sept.12,1831 -....... .1069
Green,& Dibble, Hilo, Oct.4,1831 —
Bishop & Thurston,Kailua,Oct.15,]831-
1070-1072
1073
Richards,Andrews,Tinker & Shepard,
Maui, Nov.2,1831 ------------------ -1075
Bingham,Clark & Chamberlain,
Honolulu, Nov.23,1831 ------------- -1074
<3
Clark,Chamberlain & Andrews
Honolulu, Dec. 20,1831 ----
�-5Pages
JOINT LETTER : Bingham,Clark,Goodrich,Chamberlain,
Johnstone & Judd, Honolulu,Jan. 17,1832
1080
Bingham,Clark,Goodrich,Chamberlain,
& Johnstone, to Missionaries in Soci
ety Islands, Apr.2,1832 -- ----------
1110-1113
Dibble & Green, Honolulu, May 7,1832-
1095
Thurston & Bishop, Kailua,May 7,1832-
1096-1097
Alexander, Armstrong ,Chapin,Emerson,
Forbes,Hitchcock,Lyman,Lyons,Spaul
ding & wives & Rogers, to Capt.Swain,
Honolulu, May 18,1832 ---------------
1086-1087
Spaulding,Emerson,Lyons,Chapin, Lyman,
Armstrong,Alexander,Rogers,Hitchcock
& Forbes, Oahu,May 29,1832 ---- -----
1088-1094
Bingham, Green & Whitney, Honolulu,
June 23,1832 ------------------------
1098-1103
Clark & Thurston, Oahu,July 10,1832 -
1115-1119
Bingham,Thurston,Andrews & Chamberlain,
To Missionaries in Society & Georgian
Islands, Sandwich Islands,July 18,£32 1114
Whitney,Tinker & Alexander, Tahiti,
Sept. 13,1832 ----- ------------------
1120
Whitney,Tinker & Alexander, Tahiti,
Sept.17,1832 ----- ------------------
1121-1121a
Dibble & Lyman, Hilo,Oct.10,1832 ---
1125-1129
Clark,Bingham, Chamberlain & Judd,
1123-1124
(Honolulu, Oct. 10,1832 ...... -......
Bishop & Thurston, Kailua,Nov.3,1832-
1130-1132
Richards,Andrews,Spaulding & Chapin,
Lahaina, N ov.15,1832 ----------------
1133-1135
Richards,Andrews & Spaulding, Lahaina,
1136-1137
Nov.27,1832 .... -------- -----------Clark & Emerson, Waialua,Dec.3,1832 -
1138
Chamberlain & Judd, Honolulu,
Dec.11,1832 -------------------------
1139-1145
�- 6-
Pages
JOINT LETTER: Bingham,Clark,Tinker,Chamberlain,Judd,
Johnstone,Shepard & Rogers, Honolulu
Dec.27,1832 .............. ...... ..... ...
1146-1152
Goodrich,Dibble,Lyman, Hilo,M a r .25,1833-
1180-1185
Alexander.Armstrong & Parker, Honolulu,
June 26,1833 --------- --------- --------
1157-1159
Thurston & Bishop, Kailu$,Sept.20,1833 -
1170
Dibble,Lyman,Goodrich, Hilo,Oc t .14,1833-
1171-1175
Green & Tinker, Wailuku,Oct.l9,1833 ----
1176-1179
Baldwin & Lyons, Waimea,Hawaii,
Oct.26,1833 ... .......... .....--...... -
1186
Bishop, Thurston & Forbes, Hawaii,
Nov.9,1833 ----------------------- ------
1188-1189
Richards,Andrews & Chapin, Lahaina,
Nov.20,1833 ------------------------ ----
1190
Bingham, Clark,Judd,Ruggles,Chamberlain,
Johnstone & Shepard, Oahu,Nov.28,1833 —
1191-1194
Bingham,Clark,Chamberlain,Shepard,Judd,
Whitney,& Gulick, Oahu,Jan.6,1834 -----
1195-1197
Lyman,Dibble,Goodrich, Hilo,Mar.28,1834-
1201-1203
Armstrong,Alexander & Parker, Honolulu,
May 13,1834 -.... -........ -........... -
1207-1209
Thurston & Bishop, Kailua, May 22,1834 -
1210
Armstrong,Parker & Alexander, Honolulu,
June 4,1834 -----------------------------
1211-1225
Thurston,Baldwin & Tinker, Honolulu,
July 15,1834 — ----- ------------------
1226
Andrews & Clark, Lahainaluna,0ct.4,1834-
1235-1236
Bishop & Thurston, Kailua,Nov.5,1834 --
1237
Andrews & Clark, Lahainaluna,Nov. 12,1834-
1238
Richards,& Spaulding, Lahaina, Dec.15,
1834 ------ --------------- -----— -.....
1239-1242,
1244-1246
�Page s
JOINT LETTER: Goodrich & Lyman, Hilo, Apr.22,1835 ---
1247-1249
Thurston & Bishop, Kailua,May 21,1835 — . 1251-1252
Coan,Dimond,Hall,Lydia Brown & Elizabeth
M.Hitchcock, Honolulu, June 25,1835 ---
1253-1254
Richards.Alexander & Tinker, Honolulu,
July 3,1835 ---------------- ------- -----
1255-1263
Bishop & Thurston, Kailua, Nov.10,1835 -
1270
Lyman ,Coan, Judd & Rogers, Hilo, Nov.17,
1835 — ...... -............... -...... —
1271-1272
Green & Armstrong, Wailuku, Dec.17,1835-
1284-1285
Bingham,Tinker,Chamberlain,Judd,Dimond,
& Hall, Honolulu, Jan.25,1836 --------- -
1286-1287
Andrews,Clark & Dibble, Lahainaluna,
Nov.16,1836, [Report of High School,for
year ending May 2 0 , 1 8 3 6 ] ---------------
1292-1303
Green & Armstrong, Wailuku,Nov.16,1836 -
1304-1313
Andrews.Hitchcock,Dibble,Armstrong,Clark,
Baldwin,Rogers & Green, Lahaina,
Dec.25,1836 .. ........ -........ ........
1314
Bingham,Tinker,L.Smith,Judd,Chamberlain,
Hall,Dimond, Honolulu, Dec.29,1836 ----
1315-1317
Spaulding & Richards, History of Temper
ance for 12 years at Maui, Molokai, &
Lanai, [1823-1835].................. —
1273-1282
See Joint Letter, Sept.30,1830 --------"
"
"
Mar.22,1831 ---- ----"
"
"
Jan. 17,1832 .........H
"
"
Oct.10,1832 ..........
"
"
"
Dec.11,1832 ---------"
"
"
Dec.27,1832 ........."
"
"
Nov.28,1833 -........"
"
"
Jan.6,1834 ----------"
"
"
Nov.17,1835 ---------"
"
"
Jan.25,1836 ..........
"
"
"
Dec.29,1836 -.......—
1063
1066-1067
1080
1123-1124
1139-1145
1146-1152
1191-1194
1195-1197
1271-1272
1286-1287
1315-1317
KIVINI, JOHN AROHA: See Miller,Wm.
Speech made in
Peru, 1832 .................... -........
1081-1082
LAHAINALDNA SEMINARY, Report,1836: See Joint Letter,
Nov.16,1836 ----------------------------
1292-1303
JUDD, G.P.
:
�- 8-
Pages
LYMAN, D.B.
: Lahaina, May 22,1835 --..... ........ ... 1249-1250
See Joint Letter, May 18,1832 ----------1086-1087
•'
"
"
May 29,1832 — ..... - 1088-1094
«
"
"
Oct.10,1832 ----------1125-1129
"
"
"
Mar.25,1833 -.........1180-1185
"
"
"
Oct.14,1833 -.... .... 1171-1175
"
"
"
Mar.28,1834 -.........1201-1203
"
"
"
Apr.22,1835 .......—
1247-1249
"
"
"
Nov.17,1835 — ----- -1271-1272
LYONS, L.
: See Joint Letter, May 18,1832 ----------1086-1087
"
"
"
May 29,1832 -..... —
1088-1094
MILLER, WM.
: To Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru.
Bay of Callao, Apr.29,1832. In re John
Aroha'Kivini -------------------------- -1081-1082
To Bingham. Bay of Callao,May 1,1832 --
PARKER, B.W.
1083-1085
: See Joint Letter, June 26,1833 ---------1157-1159
"
"
«
May 13,1834 -....... .1207-1209
"
"
"
June 4,1834 -.......- 1211-1225
PARKER,REV .S.: To D.Greene, Honolulu, Nov.14,1836 --- -1318-1319
PRINTING IN HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE, 1822-1830 ------------- -1228-1234
PRITCHARD, G . : To Bingham & Chamberlain, Tahiti,
Feb.1832 ------------- ----------------- -1107-1108
RICHARDS, WM.: See Joint Letter, Oct.2,1830 ---------- -1064
«
"
"
June 15,1831 -...... .1155-1156
"
"
"
Nov.2,1831 ------------1075
"
"
■«
Nov. 15,1832 ----------1133-1135
"
»
"
Nov. 2 7 , 1 8 3 2 .. ........1136-1137
"
"
*•
Nov. 20,1833 ----------1190
"
«
M
Dec.15,1834 ..........1239-1242,
1244-1246
"
"
"
July 3,1835 ... ..... .1255-1263
w
n
"
Temperance History -- 1273-1282
Rogers, E.H. : See Joint Letter, May 18,1832 --- -------1086-1087
"
*'
"
May 29,1832 ... .......1088-1094
"
M
"
Dec.27,1832 ........- 1146-1152
"
*'
"
Nov.17,1835 ...........1271-1272
"
"
"
Dec. 25,1836 — .........1314
RUGGLES,SAM'L : See Joint Letter, Nov.28,1833 -----------1191-1194
SHEPARD, S.
: See Joint Letter, Mar.20,1830 -----------1061
"
w
M
Sept. 20,1830 ----------1063
"
M
"
Nov.2,1831 ... ...... ..1075
'»
"
"
Dec. 27,1832 ---- — —
1146-1152
�-9-
Pages
: See Joint Letter, Nov.28,1833 --------••
tt
tt
Jan.6,1834 ----------
1191-1194
1195-1197
SMITH, LOWELL: See Joint Letter, Dec.29,1836 -- ------
1315-1317
SPAULDING, E. : See Joint Letter, May 18,1832
m
N
tt
May 29,1832
*t
h
tt
Nov.15,1832
tt
«
tt
Nov.27,1832
n
n
tt
Dec. 15,1834
1086-1087
1088-1094
1133-1135
1136-1137
1239-1242,
1244-1246
1273-1282
SHEPARD, S .
ft
tt
«
— ......
.................
... .....
---------
Temperance History —
TEMPERANCE HISTORY for 12 years at Maui, Molokai &
Lanai, [1832-1835] --------------------
1273-1282
THURSTON, ASA: See Joint Letter, May 13,1830 — ------n
«
h
Dec.25,1830 --------»
ti
n
Oct.15,1831 .........
tt
tt
tt
May 7,1832 ... .....n
tt
n
July 10,1832 -------tt
n
n
July 18,1832 — .....
«
tt
n
Nov.3,1832 ---------(1
tt
n
tt
tt
«
Nov.9,1833 ---------tt
94
tt
May 22,1834 --------tt
n
M
July 15,1834 -.......
tt
«
M
Nov.5,1834 -.......—
tt
tt
tt
May 21,1835 ..... .
tt
«
tt
Nov.10,1835 .........
1062
1065
1073
1096-1097
1115-1119
1114
1130-1132
1170
1188-1189
1210
1226
1237
1251-1252
1270
TINKER, REUBEN: Honolulu,
Honolulu,
Honolulu,
See Joint
n
H
n
tt
n
tt
tt
tt
tt
tt
n
tt
n
tt
«
f«
tt
tt
July 31 ,1835 .............. —
Sept.27 ,1835 ----------- ----May 3,1836
Letter, Nov.2,1831 ---------it
Feb. 1832 ----------n
Sept.13,1832 -------n
Sept.17,1832 -------n
Dec.27,1832 --------n
Oct.19,1833 --------M
July 15,1834 -......
H
July 3,1835 — ..... «
Jan.25,1836 --------H
Dec.29, 1836 --------
1265-1266
1269
1288
1075
1069
1120
1121-1121a
1146-1152
1176-1179
1226
1255-1263
1286-1287
1315-1317
WASHINGTON ISLANDS MISSION: Supplies requested, 1834 -
1199-2000
WHITNEY,SAM'L: See Joint Letter, June 15,1831 -------(•
tt
m
June 23,1832 -------it
H
m
Sept.13,1832 -..... w
tt
n
Sept .17,1832 ........
tt
it
w
Jan.6,1834 ----------
1155-1156
1098-1103
1120
1121-1121a
1195-1197
�1060
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 1.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C.F.M.,
Boston, M a s s .
From: E .W. Clark
H .Bingham
L .A n d r e w s
Received April 15, 1 8 3 1 .
This letter printed 26 Missionary Herald,
October 1 8 3 0 .
311,
�1061
XXV
66
1831-1837
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F .M.
Boston, M a s s .
Part First
Letter 2
From: H .Bingham
Clark
Levi Chamberlain
Stephen Shepard.
Received March 4, 1 8 3 1 .
This letter printed 27, Missionary H e r a l d , 113.
April 1831*
�1062.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
letter 3.
Kailua, M a y 13,
1830.
Very Dear Sir:
Our last joint letter to you was dated O c t . 1 8 2 9 .
M r . B . with his family, was then on the eve of sailing
for Oahu to superintend the printing of the Tract on
G e n . and the Epistle to the R o ma ns. Having seen the
former through the press, and the proof sheets of the
latter struck off, he returned on the 29th D e c . Since
that time, we have been employed in translating the
Epistles, 2 C o r . G a l . E p h . and P h i l ., but have not yet
revised t h e m .
Remainder of this letter printed 27, Missionary Herald,
145, May 1831.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. S e c . A .B .C .F .M . ,
Boston, M a s s .
From: A . Thurston
A .B i s h o p .
Received Marc h 5, 1 8 3 1 .
�1063 .
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Honolulu,
Letter 4 .
Oahu,
S e p t . 20,
1830.
V ery Dear S i r :
Six months has elapsed since the date of the last joint
communication from this stati on. It behooves us, t h e r e
fore, to make you further acquainted with our labors
& trials, & encour ag eme nts . As w e dwelt at considerable
length in our last letter upon printing, schools, &c,
these subjects will require less attention in the present
communication. We shall give you simply a brief history
of our work & of the changes, which have taken place
among us since the date of our last joint letter.
English preaching was continued from the date of our last
letter to about the middle of M ay, when our audience being
much diminished by the departure of the spring ships, a
printed sermon & devotional exercises were substituted
for regular preaching.
During the spring months, M r . B i n g h a m 's time was much
occupied in preparing a catechism upon scripture history
in the native l an guage. Early in June, agreeably to the
advice of the general meeting, he made preparations to
leave this place for Waimea on Hawaii, to try the benefit
of a cooler climate on his enfeebled health. And on the
14th of the same month, he & M r s . B . & their little ones,
sailed for that place by w a y of Lahaina, accompanied by
the prayers & best wishes of their associates.
As M r . B . was the only old missionary at this station,
besides the superintendent of secular concerns, his a b
sence was sensibly f el t . We have endeavoured, however, to
keep along with the usual labors of the, s t a t i o n . Preaching
has been maintained three times a week with about the usual
number of hearers. Other more private meetings & personal
conversation with individuals has also occupied no small
share of our t i m e . The labors of the females of the mission
mentioned in our last letter have been continued, with every
encouragement to persevere.
The press has been kept in operation as usual, until within
a few weeks, when the new matter in the office being ex
hausted & M r . Shepard's health being such as to require
some relaxation, he concluded to make a visit to the w i n d w a r d ,
from which he has just return ed .
Remainder of this letter printed 27, Missionary Herald,
Ma y 1 8 3 1 .
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
Boston, M a s s .
Received March 5, 1831.
From:
E .W .Clark
Levi Chamberlain
144,
Gerrit P .Judd
Stephen Sh epard
�1064.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
L ahaina,
L etter 5
Island of Maui,
Oct. 2, 1830.
Honoured & dear S i r :
The Ship Triton, C a p t . Chase of N . Bedford, is now re
cruiting at this place and is bound direct to the United
States.
It is n ow nearly a year since we knew of any opportunity
of sending to America, and no letters therefore have gone
from this station during this period, and the station
is in arrears in its publick c omm unications.
During the year past, there has much transpired of an
interesting character, which it is the object of this
letter to communicate; and though it may be similar in
kind to what has often been communicated, yet we trust it
will be considered of some importance, particularly in
the history of the s t a t i o n .
The members of the station have consisted of Mr. & M r s .
Andrews, M r . & M r s . R ichards & Miss Ogden. M r . & M r s .Green
also joined the station soon after the general meeting in
February & M r . & M r s . Andrews left it in April, for Hilo
on Hawaii .
We would here speak with gratitude of the inestimable
blessing conferred on the station, in the health which the
several members have been permitted to enjoy during the
last y e a r . Of this there has been no considerable i n t e r
ruption; though we are all affected in some degree with
that oppresive languor, which is so universal among those
who leave a cold for a warmer climate, and which is the
characteristic of those who inhabit the torid
zone.
•
The general state of the station is much as it was at the
time of our last dates, except that the sphere of its
labours is enlarged, and the improvement of the people which
was then flattering, has since been more r a p i d .
Remainder of this letter printed 27, Missionary Herald,
June 1 8 3 1 .
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
C o r . Sec. A .B .C .F .M .,
Boston, M a s s .
From William Richards
Jonathan Green
Received April 15,
1831.
180,
�1065.
66
To:
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 6 .
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
Cor. Sec. A . B .C .F.M.,
Boston, M a s s .
From:
A .Thurston
A .Bishop
Received Feb.
25, 1 8 3 2 .
This letter printed 28 Missionary Herald 155, M ay 1832 .
�1066.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 7.
Honolulu, M a r c h 22, 1 8 3 1 .
Very Dear Sir:
The last report from this station was dated S e p t . 20, 1 8 3 0 .
As six months have now elapsed, we would embrace the present
opportunity to give you some further account of our labors,
though for want of time, it must be much more concise than
we could w i s h .
During the last six months, the labors of the station have
been carried forward very much in the same manner as d e s
cribed in our last letter.
The meetings there mentioned
have been continued with the addition of a meeting for the
special instruction of candidates for church membership.
In addition to our other meetings, a religious service for
seamen was maintained on board the w haleship Enterprise
every sabbath evening while she remained in port, whic h was
five or six w e e k s . The meeting was attended at the so licita
tion of C a p t . Stetson, whose kindness & polite attentions
we would gratefully ackno wle dge .
There has been no special change during the last six months
in the interest manifested by the people generally in
preaching, schools, & c .
The persons mentioned as propounded in our last, after
being under a course of special instruction for six months
were admitted to the c hurch on the 20th i n s t . together with
two others propounded at Waimea, thirteen i n a l l . Thirty
tw o more were then propounded for admission at our next c o m
munion.
On the same day, we had the happiness to sit down to the
table of our Lord with more than 150 persons gathered into
the visible fold of Christ from among this once degraded
people, among whom were nearly all the rulers of the n a t i o n .
If you could have been with us, dear sir, your heart would
have beat with gratitude to the giver of all good for what
he has here w r o u g h t . M a y we have hearts to give him all the
p r ais e.
The number of learners in our schools have considerably in
creased within a few m o n t h s . The whole number who came for
ward at our quarterly examinations in January, amounted to
10 ,3 36. Some progress is made from one quarter to another
in reading & writing, though far less than we could wish,
& far less than would be made, if the schools could be
furnished w i t h well qualified teachers.
The qualifications of all our native teachers are exceeding
ly deficient, & will be for a long time to c o m e . W e hope,
�1067.
however, something more effectual will soon be done, to
raise up, at least, a partial supply of teachers, who will
be far better qualified than any now emp loyed.
Our press has been kept in pretty constant operation for
the last six months.
W e are able to print from 8 to 12
pages of matter a wee k in editions of 10,000 c o p i e s , making
on an average 100,000 pages in a week, or 5,200,000 pages
in a y ea r . The operations of our press become more & more
important as the people become better able to receive in
struction from our b o o k s . Listlessness & inactivity of
mind is a striking characteristic of the people generally;
we regard, therefore, every advance made in learning the
think & consequently in furnishing them matter for thought
& reflection, as an important progress in our w o r k . In
this light the press must be considered as an invaluable
auxiliary in accomplishing the work committed to our hands;
& we hope we shall not be restricted in this department of
our operation, for want of paper & other means for carrying
on the business of printing, bookbinding &c. to the best
advantage.
Since the date of our last letter, there has b e e n some im
portant political changes in the islands, which we regard
as highly auspicious to the cause of morality & religion in
this place, & in the nation g e n e r a l l y . For particulars we
must refer you to other communications.
Mr. Bingham & family returned to this place on the 12th ins t .
with improved health, after an absence of nine m o n t h s .
During his absence Mr. B . visited all the windward stations,
& was most of the time favourably situated for exerting a
good influence upon the king & chiefs, & of promoting the
interests of the mission g e n e r a l l y .
You will excuse the brevity of this lette r. We hope in
future to be more full.
We think of nothing more at present
of special importance, which you w ill not learn from other
communications.
Begging the continuance of your prayers, we subscribe our
selves yours in the best of b o n d s .
E. W. Clark
H.Bingham
Levi Chamberlain
Gerrit P . Judd
To: Jeremiah Ev a r t s , E s q . ,
C o r . SEC. of A .B.C.F.M . ,
Boston, M a s s .
Received S e p t . 12, 1 8 3 2 .
�1068
66
To:
1831-1837
XXV
.
Letter 8
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
Cor. S e c . A . B .C . F .M.,
Boston, M a s s .
From H . B i n g h a m .
Received Feb . 1. 1 8 3 2 .
This letter printed 28 Missionary Herald,
72, March 1 8 3 2 .
�1069.
66
1831 - 1837
To:
XXV
Letter 9
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
c/o Barque Louisa
From. Dwight Baldwin
Reuben Tinker
Sheldon Dibble
Andrew Johnstone
Received Feb. 25,
1832
This letter printed 28 Mis sionary Herald,
114, April
1832
�1070.
66
1831-1837
XXV
letter 10.
Byron's Bay, Hilo, Hawaii,
Oct. 4, 1831.
M y very dear Sir:
I regret that M r . Andrews who spent six months here last
year, did not give you an account of the true state of
things at this station.
He said he more than once purposed
it, but shrunk from what seemed to him an ungracious task.
Justice to myself and associates, no less than justice to
you, demand that such a statement should be made.
If I
am not greatly mistaken, you have never had a very clear
a n d full account of the state of things on the windward
side of Hawaii.
In giving you a statement of this kind,
I must beg you to excuse me for saying so much of m y s e l f .
This I cannot well avoid in speaking of the labors which
have b e e n performed here the past season.
Jan. 28, 1 8 3 1 . I reached this place with my family, and
as there seemed scarcely a doubt that this would be my
station, I immediately felt at h o m e . I soon ascertained
that much, very much
remained to be done; and that in labor
ing in this wide field, I should not enter "into other men's
labor in endeavouring to prepare stones for the Saviour's
spiritual temple, and assisting to rear them up, I should
not build upon another man's foundation".
N o school had
been taught, excepting a small one for females by Mrs. Andrews,
b y any missionary since Mr. Clark left in 1 8 2 9 . N o bible
class had ever been formed, and the only sabbath school,
ever taught, consisted of a few individuals who during the
recess between meeting - fifteen or twenty minutes had re
hearsed together the "hi" a small catechism.
I arrived Friday.
afternoon and immediately made arrangements for a school of
teachers, a bible class, and sabbath school . On the Sabbath
I addressed the people on this subject, and g ave them a lesson
for the next s a b b at h. On Monday I met a class of teachers,
& for more than three months I instructed some sixty teachers
in reading and arithmetic. M r s . Green, during the same
period, instructed two schools, one in the morning & one in
the afte rno on. The next Sabbath evening, I explained a few
verses from the new testament to 30 or 40 men & w o m e n whom
we had selected as teachers in the Sabbath school, and
the Sabbath following we commenced the s c h o o l . This system
of bible class & sabbath school instruction has been regularly
pursued, and is now in successful operation.
During this
time, or till M a y 8, I preached half of the time in the meeting
house, and when the weather permitted, I walked out - once ten
miles - and preached extra lectures. Since May 8, I have done
everything for the people which has been done; or rather all
till in infinite, unexpected kindness, the Saviour sent me a
helper in M r . D i b b l e .
�1071
But I have, as the saying is, run before my st o r y . In
June, as you will learn, we had a general m e e t i n g . I
need not mention the doings of the meeting, as you will
have seen the m. Suffice it to say, duty seemed to urge
my return to H i l o . As the services of the old incombent
at Hilo were needed at Honolulu, the brethren voted me
M r . Dibble. I returned immediately and labored about
six weeks before he arrived.
On his arrival, he immediate
ly relieved me of no inconsiderable part of my burden,
b y superintending the s c h oo ls.
The last examination of schools at this place was in May
las t. The number of schools and pupils you will have seen
in the general l ett er. The number given is cor re ct. With
regard to the number of readers, I know that the statement
was all guess w o r k . Indeed, the examination of schools at
this place, for years, has b e e n merely c h i l d r e n ’s p l a y ,
thousands having come forward and exhibited as large as life
who did not know a single letter. At the last, with no
small struggle against the tide, I appointed assistants, and
going forward, we pointed each to his letters, and found
that an over-whitening -majority knew just nothing at a l l .
The schools at this place were, and still are, less forward
than the schools were on M olokai when M r . Andrews and I
visited them in 1828. I do not mean to s ay that there are
not some here more forward than any on that Island, but
that a very far greater number in these schools, in p ro
portion, are unable to r ead. This being true, I need not say
that I was astonished and pained when I read a paragraph
in a letter from some gentleman on board the Vincennes,
stating, that there were 10,000 readers in the schools at
Hilo.of 7,000 actually enrolled in these schools, there may
be 1,500 who know their letters, tho' I think there are not
more than 1 , 0 0 0 . Indeed, reading with the eyes is very
unpopular, so much so that we are almost daily exhausting
our strength to convince the people that it is of any
possible importance. If spared, we hope to send you regular
and full accounts of the state of the s c h o o l s .
Of what we are now attempting at this station in regard to
schools & meetings &c, I will remark under another hea d.
Let me here mention a change which has occurred during the
past year, a change which has afforded me no little satis
faction, as I know it will afford y o u . I allude to a
change in the habits of the people in their intercourse
with unprincipled fore ign er s.
One year only has elapsed since a whale Captain pronounced
Hilo, in respect to lewdness, "as bad as Ho nolulu” . This
he told the missionary of the place. I do not think this
statement was strictly true, still, Mr.G....
seemed to
know that there was ground for the a ssertion. A M r . Blake
who built M r . G .'s house, a steady & I hope a pious man,
who came here in a whaleship in the spring of 1830, d i s
tinctly assured me that sailors w ere fully gratified in their
wishes on shore, and that he knew of one man, a low chief,
who pocketed quite a sum of money as his share of unrighteous
�1072.
ga i n . You will believe me when I say that my feelings are
alive to this subject. I did not sigh merely over an
evil so over-whelming in its conse qu enc es. I resolved
that no time should be lost in opposing this hateful foe,
t h o ’ I should die in the c o n t e s t . At an extra meeting on
the other side of the bay, where the greatest amount of
evil had been detected, I told the people my whole heart,
and warned them solemnly to abandon this evil and ruinous
practice. Soon after I preached on the Sabbath, and showed
the people the hateful and ruinous nature of the sin of
uncleanness; called upon the chiefs, the head men of t h e
land, upon the church and the teachers of schools, to aid
me in the efforts which I was determined to make to cleanse
their houses from this defilement, and to banish from their
land this abomination.
One ship was then in port with
several on board who were then suffering from disease c o n
tracted at this place one year b e f o r e . I was happy in seeing
an immediate effect from these exertions. Two members of
the church that very evening, visited W aiakea, and exhorted
the people to stand fast b y the p o n o . Since then, t h o ' I
have had a good opportunity for making enquiry, I have not
known of a single instance of lewdness committed by a sailor
with a native w o m a n . I well know that I must recur to this
subject frequently, and sound a note which the people shall
distinctly understand, still I see no insuperable obstacle to the
suppression of this e vi l . So indeed, of many evils which
now e x i s t . M r . Ellis long since said of this people that he
knew of no people on these Islands who could be more easily
led - more easily trained up for God and the c h u r c h .
I will now with great pleasure, exchange the singular for
the plural number, subscribing myself with much affection,
your brother in the bonds of the gospel of Jesus C h r i s t .
J .S .G r e e n .
W e wish, dear Sir, to present to you and our beloved patrons,
a brief statement of our circumstances as laborers in your
service, at a station concerning w h i c h less is known, we
believe, than is known to the C h r i s t i a n public concerning
other stations on these islands. In doing this, we will speak
of our encouragements to labor; of the obstacles to success
in our work; and of the means we are employing to elevate
and save the p e o p l e .
Remainder of this letter printed 28, Missionary Herald,
July 1 8 3 2 .
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F.M . ,
Boston, M a s s . U . S . A .
From Jonathan S .Green
Sheldon D i b b l e .
Received M a y 7, 1832.
218,
�1073.
66
1831-1837
XXV
letter 11
From : Artimas Bishop
Asa Thurston.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C. F . M . ,
Boston , M a s s .
U. S. A .
Received K a y 7, 1832.
This letter printed 28 Missionary Herald,
220,
July 1 8 3 2 .
�1074.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Letter 12.
Honolulu,
Nov.
23, 1 8 3 1 .
Very dear Sir:
As committee for superintending the press, providing
type, & c . , for the office, we would forward for your
direction, a brief memorandum of articles, w h i c h will
be needed in the office as soon as they can be c o n veniently s e n t .
Memorandum of Printing M a t e r i a l s .
1 Pair Printer's Cards (for wool)
6 "
Ball Stocks (to be immersed in oil before they
are sent)
2000 Ball N ails (of good quality)
4 D o z . " skins (Indian smoked)
2 set of straps for Ramage presses (being 6 straps in all)
2 pair spring points of common s i z e .
200 feet M i n i o n R e g l e t .
200
"
Great Primer R e g l e t .
200
" Furniture for side s t i c k s .
10 Pair of c a s e s .
1 Gross press papers (royal size)
1 d o z . press boards (do)
10 l b s . Space Rules (for table work)
2 0 " Minion Type (to be selected with great care for
the Hawaiian language)
20
” Great Primer Type (selected as the above)
1/2 ”
Pearl Spaces & Quadrats (without fail)
1 Iron Press (royal size)
1 Pair chases (do)
We have now but one press, which can be used to any purpose,
& M r . Shepard thinks we ought not to rely upon this, a s it
may give out; besides two good presses will soon be very
much needed in the o ffice.
It was probably an oversight that the Pearl spaces & quadrats
were not sent with the f r act io ns. They are v e r y much needed
immediately.
We have put down no paper, as the Board are i n
formed as to the quantity which will be needed a nn ually.
We feel grateful for the lib eral supply of paper, type & c .
which was sent us by the N ew E n g l a n d . If our patrons wish u s to
carry on our work with the greatest efficiency, they will continue
to afford us agood supply of the articles.
Yours v e r y affectionately,
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
C o r . S e c. A .B .C. F .M .,
Boston, M a s s .
Received May 7, 1832.
E . W .Clark
Levi Chamberlain
H.Bingham
�1075.
66
1831 - 1837
XXV
letter 13
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C.F. M .
Boston, Mass.
From: William Richards
Lorrin Andrews
Reubin Tinker
Stephen Shepard
Received M a y 29, 1832.
This letter printed 28 Missionary Herald,
249,
August 1 8 3 2 .
�66
1831-1837
XXV
Letter 14
Honolulu,
Dec. 20 , 1831.
Very Dear Sir:
You will perceive from the printed minuets of our last
G e n . Meeting, that among other subjects which came
before the meeting was the following: "N ew plans of
book-making, including the subjects of a bindery, papermill, stereotyping, lithographic stone, type foundery,
& c.”
One of the measures taken on this subject was to
appoint a committee to forward a quantity of kapa to
the United States, that an experiment may be made of
the manufacture of the material into p ape r. The same
committee were to write to the Board on the subject
above n a m e d . The committee have fulfilled the first
part of their d u t y . We would now make a few remarks
on the business of making books for the Sandwich Islands,
which may perhaps be of some service to the Board in
determining how much & what kind of aid to afford us in
this department of our l a b o r s .
We shall not now attempt to show the importance of f ur
nishing this people with the Bible & other books as fast
as they are capable of receiving instruction from them,
for this you are fully sensible of as well as w e . The
inquiry is, in what manner can this object be best a c
complished. It is obvious that the business of furnish
ing the nation with books to the extent desired must
involve great labor & great e x p e n s e . The labor, so far
as translating & preparing works for the press, & super
intending their publication is concerned, must devolve
upon the missionaries now in the field, or those who shall
succeed them for a long time to c o m e . But there is also
great expense & much mechanical labor involved in making
b o o k s . As to expense, we think it proper & best that the
people should hear this the mse lv es. They certainly are
abundantly able to do it in one way or a n o t h e r . But in
what way they can be best furnished w ith books at their
own expense is difficult to det e r m i n e . They are not
capable of taking the business of procuring paper, of
printing, binding & selling books into their own hands.
This must either be done by the missionaries of the Board,
or b y some foreigner, or foreigners unconnected with the
B o a r d . If, therefore, the people are to be supplied
with books, in our opinion, one of the three following
plans must be adopted.
We must devote much attention to traffic, & endeavor
to make the book business support the mission as far as
possible; or, we must let our books go for little, or
nothing so as to make the business as it increases very
�1077.
expensive to the Board, or we must put the business
into the hands of some person or persons unconnected
with the Board, & let them manage it as printers &
booksellers do in A m e r ic a.
There are objections to all these pl a n s . The objections
to the first are, it would call us o f f very much from
our appropriate work, & expose us to the imputation of
being engaged in traffic & g a i n . W e could sell but a
small portion of the books for money.
Most of them
must be sold for fire wood, timber, kapas, hogs, goats,
vegitables, & c . Most of these articles to be profitable
to the mission must be sold for cash, or something which
w e need in our fam il ies .
This will require much time & labor, & w i ll give us too
much the appearance of a trading comp any . Whether the
business can be so managed as to remove in the minds of
candid men, all reproach, which may be cast upon us, is
somewhat d ou btful. Besides, we are not certain, that so
much secular business will not lead us to indulge too
much in a worldly spirit, & of course, lower the tone of
piety among u s . But on the other hand, if this course
should be pursued, the mission will probably soon be able
to support itself, or nearly so, with what little help
can be o b t a i n e d in other ways from the people; provided
the Board will furnish us with paper & other material
for carrying on the business of making books; & if things
should take a favourable turn, the Board would in time
be relieved from all expense in supporting the mis sio n.
The printing department has probably hitherto more than
supported itself; that is, the property procured for
books, would amount to more than the property, expended
on the printing department, exclusive of the support of
the printer*
Some of this property has been expended
towards our support, some of it is in such a state as to
be of little use to the mission, but much of it is in
houses & other things of permanent value to the m i s s i o n .
We have heretofore disposed of many of our books for
labor & other things t o aid in procuring permanent dwelling
But we hope in a few years (unless the mission should be
considerably enlarged) to be done, or nearly so, with the
business of b uil d i n g . We must, then, to make the books
profitable to the mission, engage more directly in traffic;
but, before we do this, we w i s h to know the opinion of our
patrons.
With regard to the second plan mentioned, it is obvious to
us, if we mean to urge forward the business of the printing
department, &, at the same time, avoid the imputation of
traffic & gain, a large portion of our books must be given
away or disposed of for little or nothing, & of course,
much expense incurred by the printing department. Whether
the Christian public will sustain this expense, or tell us
to relax our efforts in this department rather than adopt
any other course, the Board can judge better than w e .
�1078
.
There is also strong objection to this plan on the
ground that the books will not be so much valued, or
so well preserved by the people; & it will have a tendency
to lead them to think, that we are bound to labor for
them without any remuneration on their p a r t . It is
evident they will not, in this way, be very soon brought
to support the Gospel, schools & c . as is the duty of
every c hristian n a t i o n .
As it respects the last course mentioned, there are also
some advantages & some disadvantages. If some pious person
or persons could be induced to come out unconnected with
the Board, & take the business of printing books or, at
least, of binding & selling them, into their own hands,
so as to relieve the Board from all expense in the pr int
ing department, i t would obviate some of the difficulties
suggested ab o v e . But it might be difficult to find a
suitable person, or persons to embark in this business;
& if they should be found, the business would not probably
be managed so as to suit the mission & Board in all r e
spects. Besides, the mission would probably be deprived
of all pecuniary profit from the books to which as the
author of the works it would be justly entitled, & nearly
the whole expense of supporting the families of the mission
must be borne by the American churches for a long time to
come.
After the remarks now made, it will be necessary to say
but little respecting the several branches of business
mentioned at the commencement of this l e t t e r . They are
all connected with the business of making books & must be
carried on, if carried on at all at the islands, by f o r
eigners, although natives may be employed to do much of
the manual labor, & in this & other respects, it would
be of great advantage to the nation, if the business of
making paper & c . could be carried on at the Islands.
With regard to binding books, you will perceive we made
some provision for this at our last General M e e t i n g . Our
books are becoming so numerous & large, that we do not
think it proper they should go out without some kind of
binding.
M r . Goodrich (if he should remain at this s t a
tion) is sufficiently acquainted with the business to
carry it on to advantage. The work can be done p r inc i
pally by natives. Goat Skins can be obtained & if they
could be tanned, would answer a good purpose for covers.
Pasteboard may be made with some labor of the mamake k a p a .
but it would probably cost as much & more than pasteboard
from Am eri ca. A pre s s & some other implements are wanted
to carry on the business to advantage.
With regard to paper making, we would simply say, if the
white kapa will make paper, it may be procured in sufficient
quantities.
There are also streams of water sufficient
to carry a paper mill, & much of the lumber & other materials
for constructing a mill m ay be obtained at the Islands,
& much of the work also may be performed by native hands;
�1079 .
but the whole must be managed b y some foreigner
acquainted with the b u s i n e s s . In carrying on the
business of printing, it would be very convenient to
have the paper at hand rather than to depend upon having
it shipped from A m e ri ca. But whether the advantages would
counterbalance the expense & trouble of establishing a
mill here, is somewhat d oub tf ul.
With regard to stereotyping, we can only say, it would
probably in the end be a great saving of labor & expense,
if it could be introduced h ere. As to the practicability
of introducing it, the Board can judge better than we c a n .
It cannot probably be done, unless some one is sent out
better acquainted with the business than any now he r e .
With respect to casting type here, we do not consider it
of very great importance, as the freight of type from
America is not much compared with the freight of paper
& many other t hi ng s. It would be convenient to have a
foundry at hand to which we could go whenever our type
failed us, & select such as we most needed, & we could
then dispose of our old type to adva nt age . We leave it
with the Board to determine whether it is best to furnish
us with the means of casting type here or n o t .
We have thought that a lithographic stone would be of
great service to us in printing maps, music & other things
of which we are in great want, but we are not certain
that it could be used to advantage without more knowledge
of the art than any of us now possess. It is our opinion,
however, that there is sufficient skill in the mission to
turn the art to very good account, if we could be furnished
with the necessary m a t eri al s.
But we submit this as well as the whole subject of this
letter to the wisdom of the B o a r d . We hope they will give
it due consideration, & afford us such aid & such i n
structions as their best judgment shall d i c t ate . Our
object, we trust, is the same with theirs, & we only wish
to know the best means & the best w a y of employing them
for accomplishing this object, which the nature of the
case will admit.
We subscribe ourselves yours very affectionately in behalf
of the m i s s i o n .
E .W .Clark
Levi Chamberlain
L. Andrews
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F .M .,
Boston, M a s s .
Received S e p t . 15, 1 8 3 2 .
�66
1831 - 1837
XXV
Part First
L etter 15.
To Jeremiah Evarts, E s q. ,
C o r . S ec . A .B .C .F .M .,
Boston, M a s s . U . S . A .
From: H .Bingham
E .W .Clark
J.Goodrich
L evi Chamberlain
Andrew Johnstone
Gerrit P.Judd.
Received April 11,
1832.
?
This letter printed 28 Mis si ona ry Herald 350, November,
183
�1081.
66
1831 - 1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 16.
Translation of an official letter written by G e n l .
Miller to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the
G o v t . of P eru.
Bay of Callao,
29th of April,
1832.
To the Ministe r of Foreign Affairs,
Senor Ministro:
The gentleman who will have the honor of delivering
this note to your E x c y . is M r . John Aroha Kivini,
who b y order of His M a j es ty Tamehameha the 3rd, king
of the Sandwich Islands, to whom he is chamberlain,
has been sent direct from that archiapelago, for the
sole purpose of visiting Peru, and will return, he
tells me, to his native country in a few weeks in the
same vessel that has brought him here, the American
brig Captain M e r r i l .
I have thought it m y duty by means of this communica
tion to present to your E x c y . this interesting young
traveller, because he belongs to a nation which, a l though almost unknown in South America, may at some
future period not far distant, attract the attention
of the G o v t . of Peru, as it has already done that
of the governments of England and of the United States,
both of which have consuls residing there; and because
also that during m y late residence at Waohoo I r e
ceived marked and kind attention from King Tamehameha
on account of my being a general officer in the service
of Per u .
It will not perhaps be amiss likewise to inform your
Excy. that this is the first time Mr. Kivini ever
quitted his native isles; that he can read and write, his
own language (Kanaka) and that he understands tolerably
well a r i t hm et ic. Neither may it be improper to add that
Honolulu, the capital city of the S a n d w i c h Islan ds, c o n
tains a population of 6000 souls, including 400 foreigners;
two forts of 40 pieces of heavy ordinance, and an excellent
port in which it is not uncommon to see at anchor eighty
sail of vessels, principally whale ships, each from three
to five hundred tons.
God preserve your Excellency.
Senor M i n i s t r o .
W m . Miller, General
of Division.
M r . Kivini after having had an interview with the Minister
of Foreign Affairs, and receiving a return visit from
�1082.
that functionary, was presented on the 5th of M a y in
due form at the Palace, upon wh i c h occasion he made a
speech in the Kanaka language of which the following
is a translation.
"Excellent Sir,
M a y the Lord bless us a l l .
Tamehameha the 3rd,K i n g of the Sandwich Islands, had
often heard much of the riches of the splendor of Peru,
and of her wars to free herself of tyrants.
The names
of Your Excellency of San M a r tin
O'Higgins and Bolivar
were not unknown in our i s l e s . Some foreigners had even
told us that we were descended from the same family as
the children of the Sun, for we, like them, were idolators
until the Christian religion was introduced amongst u s .
Therefore, His Majesty, m y master, desirous of knowing
the truth, and more about our neighbors the Peruvians, has
sent me to this capital to see and learn all I can; and
when I return to my native country I shall not forget to
make known how well I have been received here, the fine
things that I have seen, and the honor this day conferred
upon me by being presented to your Excellency.
This is
say, and may Jesus & our Lord bless your Excellency
and all of u s .
John K iv ini .
Received M a y 6, 1 8 3 3 .
�1083.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Bay of Callao,
Letter 17.
1st M a y 1832.
My dear Sir:
Many thanks for your letter of the 6th of February
which was handed to me the other day b y Mr. Reid. The
information it contains is v e r y interesting, but you
say too little of yourself and missionary family in
general. I should like to have been told how M r s . B i n g
ham and children were, and to have heard something of
my friends at Mowee and the H i d o .
The death of Nahi, and affliction of my friend Kaike
are much to be regretted, and I am afraid it will not
be easy to fill up their vacancies.
The King, like most
young men, will have youthful follies, but it is to be
hoped that he will have good sense enough to discern
evil from good and follow the advice of those who are
interested in his and his people's welfare, rather than
be led b y loose characters wh o m it is degrading to him
to associate w i t h .
Whatever may be alleged as to the justice or injustice
of sending the Roman Catholic missionaries away, no i m
partial person will, I think, question the right, govern
ment had to do so, or the policy of the measure.
What
in some enlightened countries might be considered a
stretch of power, may be proper and expedient in a n infant
state of society emerging from barbarism.
To divide the
natives into two sects of religion - so opposed to each
other - would be entailing upon them the evils of ext er
minating strife, and, this being the case, it is well
for the interests of the foreign residents, as well as
of the aborigines, tha t the Jesuits have departed, at
least so it appears to m e .
I left Captain Will at Otaheite, but not having been
favored with the confidence or friendship of that mysterious
gentleman, I am ignorant as to what he intended do i n g .
He is a character, an amusing one, and you will I dare say,
hear more of h i m .
I was only four days on shore at Bola Bola, and as many
more at Otaheite, therefore, it would be presumptuous
in me to give my opinion - such as you might wish - relative
to the Society I s l a nds . However, from what little I
saw and could learn, it appears that the code of laws
established there is better understood and adhered to
amongst the natives than is generally allowed by those who
think that it is useless, if not pernicious, to attempt
to improve them.
�1004.
The islands are divided into districts, each being
governed b y a chief w ho has a judge
a number of
constables to assist h i m . The power of Queen Pomare
is scarcely more than nominal, and the chiefs, those
that I saw, appear to be actuated b y good feelings,
and have certainly no wish to return to idolatrous
w o r s h i p . They have their little comforts, and seem to
be anxious to increase them.
I was as pleased as s u r
prised to see so m any large families of children whereever I went, and was happy to learn from M r . Davis, a
most worthy and well informed missionary, that he c o n
sidered the population on the increase in spite of
severe endemnical diseases which are so general through
out the group.
Their churches are not so numerously or
regularly attended as those on the Sandwich Islands, but
the edifices themselves are better and much more commodiously built, having excellent pulpits, forms, wooden
floors, and numerous large windows to admit a free c i r
culation of a i r . The interior arrangement is altogether
superior, and a greater degree of cleanliness exists than
I observed in the meeting houses at H anare, Waohoo and the
Hido.
You request m e to say something relative to the affairs
of South A m e r i c a . The republics of Chile and Boliva are
quiet, whilst those of the United Provinces of the R iver
Plate and Columbia are apparently becoming more so than
they have been of la t e .
The celebrated Doctor Francia,
Dictator of Paraquay, is dead, and the communication with
that interesting, and perhaps the finest country of S. A m e r
ica is thrown open to the rest of the world after having
been effectively closed for twenty y e a r s . Peru has been
for the last year, and still is, in a v e r y unsettled stat e.
The truth is that in no part of South America ought we to
expect more than intervals of peace and quietness until the
people become more moral than they are at present, and
until they have acquired experience by paying dearly for i t .
All previous forms of government and institutions having
been upset, they cannot be easily or hastily replaced b y
others framed b y inexperienced people emerged from Spanish
b o n d a g e . Time and much time must elapse before the new
governments can acquire stabi li ty. In the mean time, however
it is pleasing to observe that improvements and civilization
are making rapid strides throughout this vast contin en t.
Having now noticed almost, if not quite all, the subjects
alluded to in your letter, I will in conclusion say a few
words relative to my own m o v e m e n t s . I reached Valparaiso
on the 7th of January, remained a month in Chile, & then
re-embarked for this place where I arrived on the 29th of
February.
From political motives I have not been allowed
to disembark. I have, however, been granted an extension
of my leave of absence and in a few days think of proceeding
to Guayaquil and thence to Qu i t o . Probably I may return
to Peru via Chile: at all events I expect to be at Lima
in four m o n t h s .
�I almost forgot to say that John will be attended to
h e r e . Yesterday he went all over the fortifications
of C a l l a o which are worth seeing, and today he will
deliver in Lima some letters of introduction I have
given him to the Minister for Foreign Affairs; to
the Commt . officer of the garrison of the capital and
to other individuals who I am certain will be kind to
him. But of his reception and all that he has seen,
he himself will be enabled to inform you better than
I can.
It is unnecessary for me to say how happy I shall be
at all times to hear from you, and when you have an
opportunity of favoring me with a letter, pray send
me some of the printed papers that may from time to
time issue from your p r e s s . I should much like to have
three or four more copies of your manifesto.
I think
it was printed in 1825, and signed b y all the gentlemen
of the missionary family on the Sandwich Islands.
With kind regards to them and to the ladies, and begging
M r s . Bingham and yourself to accept m y best wishes for
your happiness in this and the world to come, I remain
M y Lear Sir,
Yours ever sincerely and faithfully
Wm. Miller.
To: M r . H . Bingham
Waohoo.
Received M a y 6, 1833 .
�1086.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 18.
Honolulu Isle of Oahu,
M a y 18, 1832.
C a p t . Edward Swain,
Dear Sir:
When on the 26th of N o v . we saw the last wave of the
hat on the shores of N .Bedford, we felt emotions which
none b ut friends can f e e l . An occasion is at hand
adapted to excite similar emotions - Soon, dear Sir, we
must bid you farewell; and w e should do violence to
our feelings, did we not make some expression of g r a t i
tude for the multiplied favours you have confered upon
us during a long & perilous v o y a g e . Merely to say that
you have always treated us with kindness & respect, would
he doing you injustice.
The watchful solicitude of a
Parent or a brother has been the uniform characteristic
of your conduct towards u s . When the raging storm has
thrown all things into confusion, your voice has quickly
cheered us, your hand restored order & with watchful
anxiety you sought out & anticipated our wants.
When we have been brought low wit h sickness, you have
spared no efforts, which tenderness could suggest, to
make our situation p l e a s a n t . Whether in the storm, or
when the cheerful breeze has born us sweetly forward;
whether at sea, or in port, your amiable, frank, generous
deportment has been the same.
It gives us pleasure to
make these acknowledgements, & we trust the God whom we
serve will abundantly reward y o u . Please present to the
other officers our unfeigned thanks for the numerous acts
of kindness they have con
f e r e d upon u s .
And should a few days more close our intercourse upon
earth, O Sir, let us labour to become fellow heirs of that
rich inheritance laid up in heaven for those who love God.
The close of our voyage reminds us that the voyage of life
will soon be over, & whatever amiability we may here possess,
& however large a portion of soc ial bliss we m ay here
enjoy, we are sure that none will then be safe except those
who have fled to the Lord Jesus for refuge - Let us th ere
fore seek above all things to secure Christ Jesus f or our
Pilot, that we may make the same happy Port.
Wherever you
go, our affections shall follow you, & our prayer shall
be, that He, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, who has
preserved us amid dangers & given us a propitious voyage,
may still be with you & make you a partaker of his great
salvation - Then you will be able t o say with the P o r t :
Tos s’d upon life's raging billow,
Sweet it is, 0 Lord, to know,
Thou didst press a sailor's pillow,
And canst feel a s ail or’s wo.
�N ever slumbering, never sleeping,
Though the night be dark & drear,
Thou the faithful watch art keeping,
"All, all's well” , thy constant cheer.
It may not be improper to inform you that we intend to
transmit a copy of this letter to the Prudential Com
mittee of the A .B .C .F .M .
Most affectionately,
Y ours & c.
May 21st.
A copy of the above letter was signed by all the brethren
& sisters of the company, & presented to C a p t . Swain
last Saturday.
W.P.Alexander.
Received March 16, 1833.
�1088 .
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Oahu, M a y 29,
Letter 19.
1832.
To the Prudential C o m . of the
A B
. .C.F .M i s s i o n s ,
Missionary Rooms, Boston, M a s s . U .S .A .
Gentlemen:
Believing that a succinct account of the dealings of
God with us, since we embarked, may be expected by
the C o m . & the friends of missions, we write & shall
take it for granted, that you have heard of our safe
arrival & departure from Rio de Janeiro. Our passage
to that place was short, lasting only 50 days & g e n
erally pleasant, though some circumstances occurred
at the very commencement to try our faith & patience.
The sun had scarcely set on the day of our embarkation,
when a storm arose, which, with frequent gales, continued
for several days revere & per ilous. We were all sea-sick
& obliged to remain in our berths, or cling fast to
things immoveable, to prevent our limbs & bones unb rok en .
Everything wore a dismal aspect, & at times we were
threatened with sudden destruction. But the Lord was
merciful & g r a c i o u s . The protracted storm at length su b
sided & we rejoiced to get on deck & enjoy a refreshing
air & a pleasant s u n .
During this perilous season, we had not only winds &
waves to remind us of our danger, but the wr eck of the
Brig Corsair from Charleston, S .C . We passed her on
the morning of the sixth day, but a l a s ! Every soul on
board had perished, probably the night b e f o r e . As she
floated b y us filled wit h water, rolling & plunging in
the angry waves, we mourned the fate of her unfortunate
crew & rendered thanks to God that he had delivered us
from those dangers which had proved their r u i n .
In the midst of the storm, our fore-mast was discovered
to be v e r y defective, & it was thought by our officers
that it would be presumptuous to attempt to double Cape
Horn till it was re pa i r e d . Consequently we touched at
Rio de Janeiro, w h e r e were detained 20 d a y s . We sought
for entertainment in the City, as we greatly desired to
be free from the confusion of the vessel, till we should
resume our passage; but the compensation demanded, we
considered too extravagant for missionaries to give &
forthwith resolved to continue our humble fare on board
the Ave ric k.
As to the sublime & beautiful scenery about the harbour
& Emporium of Brazil, nature must be the only representative
to furnish an adequate idea of her work, but we would re-
�1089.
fer to the Rev. C .S .Stewart's visit to the South Seas,
for the best written description we have se e n .
The population of the city is estimated as 150,000,
of which, about 100,000 are ignorant, degraded slaves,
with only a yard or two of sack cloth for a covering
& devoted to all kinds of m eni a l services imag ina ble .
The greater part of the C ity & surrounding country is
the property of the Roman Catholic church, consequently
"religion w alks in her silver slippers".
Here are richly
endowed convents & splendid temples, decked with gold
& silver & curious architecture - adorned w i t h the images
of deported saints, crucifixes & costly paintings; every
thing to attract the admiration of the ignorant & secure
obedience to the mother c h u r c h . There are priests, p r o b
ably m o r e than a thousand, idle, ignorant, licentious &
but little esteemed by the p e o p l e .
Except foreign residents, all are nominal catholics, for
such they are required to be, by the laws of Brazil, but
in reality, gross infidelity pre v a i l s .
"While Paul wailed at Athens, his spirit was stored in
him when he saw the C ity w holly given to I d ola tr y", &
it is impossible for kindred spirits of the 19 C e n . to
remain unmoved, when they witness the ignorance & supe r
stition & Idolatry of Rio J a n ei ro. Surely, "darkness
covers the land, & gross darkness the p e o p l e " . But thanks
to God, all do not bow to the images of the Saints or
acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope. There are 600
En g. & Scotch, with a f e w Dutch & A m . residents who pro
test against the abominations of Popery. Some 12 or 15
belong to the churches of E n g . & Scotland & are the d i s
ciples of the blessed Red e e m e r . By them we were searched
out soon after our arrival & treated with great hospital
ity & k i n d n e s s . They blessed God for a refreshing visit
from so large a company of missionaries, destined to a
heathen l a n d .
Be assured the influence was reciprocal, & we felt gr a t e
ful, that the kind providence of God had made us acquainted
with, so many monuments of his renewing grace to animate
our spirits & cheer us by the way*
We are under particular
obligations to M e s s r s . S .Kerr, S .R .McK ay, J . Thornton &
J. Wilson, for their entertainment of the sick & presents
to our company.
We rejoice likewise to acknowledge the kind attentions
shown us by a number of N .Amer. & E n g . Captains & S u p e r
cargoes, then in p o r t . Particularly Captains Chase,
Hardie, Holbrook & Philips of Baltimore, Brigs of N .Bedford
& Ainley, an E n g . g e n t . They were ever ready to convey
us to any part of the harbour, or accompany us to any part
of the city or country that we d e s i r e d . They made us daily
visits & occasional presents & their efforts to render our
�1090.
stay interesting & happy, will not soon be forgotten.
On the S a b b a t h , the Bethel Flag was raised on board
the Tuscaloosa
C a p t . Chase of B a l t i m o r e . We preached
the gospel to a respectable congregation of seamen &
likewise in a private, dwelling in the city & country
as opportunities occu re d.
W e rejoiced, in this
privilege, for the thousands in
the City & harbour of Rio have not a single herald of
the cross among them, to proclaim the w a y of s alv a t i o n .
As it regards the Portugeese Brazillians & Slaves, the
door for missionary effort is closed; but free toleration
is allowed to foreigners,& the field for usefulness,
among the seamen & Protestants of the city is wide &
important. It is the opinion of M r . S .R .M cKay, a very
respectable Scotch merchant who, for a long time has c o n
ducted worship on the Sabbath among the sailors, that
there are on an average, from 400 to 500 E n g . & A m . Seamen
in Port through the year & that a Seaman's chaplain is
greatly needed, & would be extensively useful both among
the sailors & the protestants of the c i t y . We make these
remarks, hoping that the attention of the S e a m a n ’s Friend
S o c . will be called to the s u b j ect .
W e weighed anchor on the 4th of F e b . refreshed by our
visit & cheered with the hope that some good had been a c
complished for the interests of Z i o n .
In 29 days we made Staten Island & in 17 days more w ere
fairly round Cape Horn, gliding smoothly over the large
long swells of the Pacific, on the western coast of Polagonia
.
Our passage round the extremity of the S .A m . Continent was
uncommonly quick & pleasan t. The winds were generally
favourable, interrupted only by c a l m s . The weather was
moderate & comfortable, much like M arch weather in N .E.
& the Lord was better to us than all our fe a r s .
As the wind brought Juan Fernander in our course, on the
31st of March, we touched at that celebrated Island for
refreshments. The Island belongs to Chili - is very moun
tainous but fertile - has but one settlement comprising
386 inhabitants.
Of this number 105 are c onvicts from
Chili - 48 are soldiers & officers stationed there for pro
tection by the government of Chili - 160 are farmers &
73 are females.
For dwellings they occupy some 30 or 40 mud huts, thatched
with coarse grass, & 12 caves excavated into the side of
a hill from 50 to 100 f t . deep.
The inhabitants are all Homan catholics, but miserably
poor & ignorant & wretched. We were informed b y the inter
preter that not one in a hundred could read. We could not
ascertain that there is a single copy of the Sacred Scrip
tures upon Juan! All the light they possess, except what
nature furnishes, they derive from three priests, of whom
�1091.
two are convicts, & one a freeman.
We left a quantity of tracts with the interpreter, who
had never seen a tract before & received the assurance
that he would both read them himself & explain them to
others. We regretted exceedingly that we had not
Spanish Tracts & Bibles to deposit there, for the present
& future occupants of the Island. We obtained but few
refreshments & left the same day at sunset.
On the 24th of April, we crossed the Equator in
Long. 45° W . , having uniformly pleasant weather & sailing
from 150 to 200 miles per day, for more than three weeks.
For 9 days after crossing the line, we had about an equal
share of rain & sunshine, variable winds & calms, but in
Lat. 3° N . we took the N.E.Trades & on the morning of the
16th of May, the joyful sound of "land ho" greeted our
ears. The outlines of the mountains of Maui were distinct
ly marked in the distant, & as we swept by Maui, Morakai
rose before us, & at sunset Oahu was in full view.
Early in the evening Capt. S. hove the ship to, & waited
for the morning. At 7 o'clock on the 17th we cast anchor
3 miles from Honolulu & in one hour, our brethren, Messrs.
Bingham, Whitney, Buggies, Goodrich, Green, Clark, Dibble
& D r . Judd were joyfully shaking hands with us on deck &
bidding us welcome to a full participation in their joys
& sorrows. After delivering letters & answering brief
inquiries about friends, four boats conveyed us to the
wharf. Some of the ladies being unable to walk to the
mission premises rode in waggons drawn by the natives.
At 9 o'clock all met at M r . Chamberlain's. After reading
the general letter from the Board & singing the hymn:
"Kindred in Christ, for his dear sake
A hearty welcome here receive, " &c.
we knelt & joined in prayer with M r . Bingham, thankful for
a deliverance from the perils of the ocean & such a wel
come reception on these heathen shores.
She next day we were formally introduced to the young King
in his thatched palace - exhibited our credentials & received
his cordial salutations, with permission to land our goods
& engage in the work of the mission. A number of the high
chiefs were present, but K aahamanu, the Queen regent being
very ill, we visited her at her residence. She took us
affectionately by the hand, rejoicing at our arrival &
wishing us success in promoting the Redeemer's kingdom among
her people. She said but little, but addressed us loudly
by the eloquence of her tears.
We are now distributed among the mission families at this
place & expect our fields to be designated as soon as all
the missionaries can assemble.
Thus far, you will perceive, we have
? of mercy, but since
�1092.
we left our native shores we have experienced affliction.
For some wise design the hand of our heavenly Father has
been laid heavily upon u s . We have had an uncommon share
of sickness. At different times M r s . Chapin, Mrs. Emerson,
Mrs. Lyman & M r s . Spaulding have been dangerously ill,
even "nigh unto death" & others have not enjoyed their
usual health. Mrs. Lyman had a protracted inflamation
of the bowels at the commencement of our passage*
The
other ladies mentioned, probably in consequence of our
visit at Rio & a sudden change of climate, were soon taken
ill & for a number of weeks were in a critical & dangerous
state. While on the banks of Brazil, for several days
we had heavy winds & a rough sea, & at one time encountered
a gale, equally severe with some at the commencement of
our passage. By the incessant motion of the vessel, the
sick were deprived of rest & spent long sleepless nights
exhausted with fatigue.
An obstinate inflam ation of the
bowe ls & billious colic preyed upon the strength, & they
were daily growing weaker.
In this condition we approached
Cape Horn & you will not think it strange, that we felt
some solicitude for the result. But we attempted to confide
in the Almighty, who assures protection to those who
trust in him. The Lord heard our prayer & showed us
favour. Be smiled upon us in a time of distress & deliver
ed us from our fears.
In the high cold lat. of Cape Horn, had we been without
a skillful physician & obliged to contend with head winds
& gales from 40 to 70 days, as some ships are, it is very
doubtful whether they could have survived it.
Though we had mercy shown us when we expected the greatest
trials, it was not till we entered the milder regions of
the torrid zone that the sick were able to be removed
from their berths to the deck. Mrs. Chapin & Mrs. Spaulding
are still feeble, but convalescent, & it is believed that
a change of situation will soon c onfirm the health which
has been impaired by the passage.
Our voyage, all things considered, has been remarkably
prosperous & pleasant. We have uniformly had preaching
on the Sabbath, either on deck, or in the cabin as cir
cumstances dictated. Capt. Swain has always been present
& usually some of the officers & crew have attended both
divine service in the morning & our conference in the
evening. The same remarks will apply to our morning &
evening devotions. Bible class instruction has been
maintained both among ourselves & the sailors with interest
& profit. We cannot report conversions as we have ardent
ly prayed & fondly hoped, but we trust that changes have
taken place in some minds for the better, though the
heart is not renewed.
Prejudices have been overcome &
access gained to hearts & consciences which seem to be
the effects only of the grace of God.
We have seen tokens for good & have had seasons of en
couragement & we are not without hope, that seed has
�1093.
been sown which may yet bring forth fruit to the
glory of God.
As it regards ourselves, we have not made that progress
in the divine life & in human knowledge that we expected
& we mourn over the waywardness of our hearts & our
unfaithfulness. We have had stated seasons for religious
conversation & prayer, & occasional seasons consecrated
to humiliation & fasting, but we are compelled to ac
knowledge ourselves unprofitable servants & not prepared
as we could wish for the great work before us.
When circum stances would permit, four evenings in a week
have been devoted to (hole in paper) in sacred musick.
Our progress has not been the most rapid, though w e are
more competent to instruct the heathen in the songs of
Zion than when we embarked.
By Capt. T. & his officers, no pains have been spared to
render our situation comfortable & pleasant, & in accord
ance with your instructions, we have endeavoured to "keep
the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace" . We dug
a pit broad & deep & everything calculated to distract
our councils or mar our peace, has been thrown into it
without mercy or reserve. Love prevails among the brethren
& sisters & we have entered the field of our labours
united & happy.
With our regards for the Com. we are your brethren in
the Lord.
Ephraim Spaulding
John S. Emerson
Lorenzo Lyons
Alonso Chapin
D.B.Lyman
R.Armstrong
W.P.Alexander
E .H .Rogers
H.R.Hitchcock
Cochran Forbes.
June 25th.
Sear Sir:
We send a copy of these letters by way of Manilla by a
ship wh. has been just on the point of sailing for 3 weeks.
As we are about to separate for our different stations,
we leave this copy with M r . Chamberlain to be sent by
Cape Horn the first opportunity. From other sources you
will hear of the location of our number. Brothers Armstrong,
Alexander, Dr. Chapin & Tinker are to go to the Washington
Islands, if the deputation finds the way open. These with
M r . Whitney compose the deputation to explore the Marquesas,
visit the Soc. Islands & others in the Pacific at their
discretion. Emerson is located at Wairua, 30 miles from
Honolulu at a new station. Forbes goes to Kawaloa to be
associated with Mr. Ruggles, Lyman to Helo with B r .'s Dibble
& Goodrich, Lyons to Waimea with B r . Baldwin. Hitchcock
to Morakai & myself to Lahaina with Mr. Richards.
�1094.
M r . Green is to occupy a new station at Wairuku, 14
miles from Lahaina. We leave for Lahaina this after
noon. My health is tolerably good - am pleased with
the climate & Islands thus far.
Our best regards to all at the Rooms.
Yours respectfully,
S.Spaulding.
Of the death of Kaahumanu you will hear from other sources.
She lived to bid the 4th reinforcement welcome to this
inviting field of missionary labour. She died lamented
by her subjects & especially by the missionaries. Her
death is an apparent loss to this mission but "it is better
to trust in the Lord than put confidence in princes".
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received April 12, 1833.
�1095.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
L etter 20.
Honolulu, Oahu, S. Islands,
May 7, 1832.
Very dear Sir:
We improved a favorable opportunity for visiting
Honolulu which presented a few days since, and arrived
here Saturday the 5th instant.
We hoped to find that
our expected helpers had arrived that we might immediate
ly attend the business of general meeting, and return
speedily to our people whom we had left as sheep without
a shepherd.
In this, however, we were disappointed.
We think we shall soon have the satisfaction of embracing
them and of bidding them welcome to this wide and in
viting field of missionary toil.
We find in this port a whaleship nearly full, ana about
to sail on her passage homeward.
We have nothing pre
pared for our patrons, as we had no expectation of finding
an opportunity to send home,
we are unwilling, however,
to neglect this opportunity, and shall therefore give
you a brief statement of our circumstances and prospects.
Permit us, dear Sir, to mingle our tears with yours over
the tomb of our beloved and ? Mr. Evarts. We loved him
as a father, and were tenderly and deeply affeoted by
the intelligence of his death.
O may we imbibe more of
his spirit, labor more industriously in the cause which
he loved, and in which he expended his strength and be
prepared for a re-union with him in heaven!
Since we forwarded a communication from Hilo dated October
1831, which we trust has reached you, God has blessed us
with health and temporal prosperity; and we have been
permitted, unmolested to toll for the immortal benefit of
our benighted people. Since our last we have been visited
by five whales hips, and we have occasion to speak of the
kindness of nearly all their masters.
Captain Brayton
of the Ann, from Nantucket, with whom we came down, and who
has ever shown us kindness, has cherished a hope in the
pardoning mercy of God through Christ, since his visit in
the autumn of last year. Yesterday we both preached on
board his ship, at 11 O.C. A.M. and at 7 P.M. M r . Goodrich
left Hilo in October, and is now at this station.
Remainder of this letter printed,29, Missionary Herald,
57, Feb. 1833.
To: Rev. R.Anderson,
Asst. Sec. A .B.C.F.Missions,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
From: S .Dibble
J.S.Green.
Received Dec. 22, 1832.
�1096#
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
L etter 21.
Kailua, Hawaii, May 7, 1832.
R everend and Dear Sir:
It is a little more than six months since our last letter
to the Board, and though we have nothing of special
interest to communicate; yet we feel ourselves under
obligations to write at least semi-annually, and our
own inclinations would prompt us to address you more fre
quently were our situation and constant daily labors
marked with sufficient variety of incident as to render
it desirable.
We have abundant reason to speak of the goodness of
God, in the continued general good health of our families,
so that we have been able to pursue our labors without
interruption.
Mr. B. and his family have spent three months at Waimea,
in connection with Mr. Baldwin of that station. He left
Kailua on the 11th of January, and returned on the 13th
of April, leaving Mr. Baldwin and family there, till the
time of the ensuing general meeting of the Mission at
Oahu .
The recent intelligence of the death of the Honored
Secretary of the Board, has filled our hearts with sadness
We deeply sympathize with the Board, and with all the
friends of missions, especially with his more immediate
associates, and with his afflicted family in this sad
bereavement.
The heathen nations have lost a friend,
whose worth they little know how to appreciate; one, who
felt for their mercies, - he saw them exposed to the wrath
of God and to the bitter pains of the second death; and
he labored with his might to send them the gospel, the
only means of deliverance.
The church is deprived of one
of her most devoted and faithful servants; and the mission
aries feel that they have lost a father, whose counsels
were most valuable,, wise and judicious. But the same
hand, that prepared and placed him in his exalted station
of usefulness, and strengthened and guided him in the per
formance of its sacred duties,the same hand has taken him
from us.
It is well.
Infinite wisdom cannot err.
Thy
will, O God, be done. We would not call him back. We
would not take him from the rest of the saints to engage
again in the conflicts and toils of this world. We would
not turn him aside from the full vision of those glories,
a glimpse of which enraptured his holy soul, as it was
leaving earthly tabernacle; but which his mortal tongue
could not adequately describe. Blessed be the Lord for
hie triumph in death. May our last end be like his.
Previous to Mr. B.'s leaving Kailua for Waimea, and also
�1097.
since his return, the station at Kaawaloa has been
regularly supplied with preaching by one of us on
the Sabbath. It was visited once in March, at which
time two children were baptised; six adults were
baptized and admitted to the church, the sacrament
administered, and twenty were propounded to be received
at the next communion. We are happy to state that
the station is, at the present time, in a highly pros
perous condition.
Schools are flourishing, serious
inquirers increasing, and native converts apparently
growing in grace.
Remainder of this letter printed 29, Missionary Herald,
236, July 1833.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston.
From: A.Thurston
A .Bishop.
Received March 16, 1833.
�66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 22.
Honolulu, Oahu, Sandwich Islands,
June 23, 1832.
Very dear Sir:
In preparing another joint report of our labors, and
trials, and encouragements, we would feel the deeply
responsible station which we occupy as the "ambassadors
of Christ" and the "messengers of the churches" to
benighted men.
On this remote post of watchfulness and
toil, we hear your frequent and solicitous enquiry "watchmen, what of the night? watchmen, what of the night?"
Blessed be God that in the language of encouragement and
hope we may reply - "the morning cometh" - the shadows
flee away". Yet we may not conceal the fact that much
darkness still broods on the face of these islands, and
that incessant prayers to God must be offered, and the
Holy Spirit sent down to bless the efforts made to enlighten this people ere the full splendor of the sun of
righteousness shall shine upon us. Pray that we may not
have occasion to add what would pain alike your heart
and ours, "the morning cometh and also the night".
You will unite with us, dear Sir, in ascription of
praise to our common Lord, for his guardian care of us
during the past year.
The shield of his protection has
been over our heads. Death has not been commissioned
to come up into our windows, and tho' some of our number
whom we could ill spare from their labors, have been laid
aside, and are still afflicted with the loss of health,
yet on the whole, we can say, "goodness and mercy have
followed us". Other trials, inseparable from our contact
with thou who "love darkness rather than light", you will
learn from station letters. While we adopt the language
of the psalmist, and say, "if it had not been the Lord
who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then
they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindied against us" - we would also gratefully record "Hither
to hath the Lord helped us". May we more deeply feel
our obligations to be entirely devoted to our work to
labor more cheerfully and efficiently for Jesus Christ.
Early in the present month, the pioneers of the mission,
also the first, second and third reinforcements, assembled
at this place to transact business which we trust will
have a direct,powerful and happy influence on the interests
of the Redeemer in these Islands. M r . Ruggles only, of
all the brethren, found it Inconvenient to remain during
general meeting.
To these were added the brethren of the
fourth reinforcement whom you sent forth in the Averic
to aid us in our pleasant but arduous labors, and in the
name of the churches to say to the benighted of other
Islands in this great ocean - "behold your God".
�1099.
in abstract of the doings of the general meeting we
will give you, when we shall have made a brief state
ment of our labors during the year, and of what we
hope God has effected by our instrumentality.
Portions of this letter printed 29 Missionary Herald,
161, May 1833.
We have apprehensions that your plan for occupying the
Washington group will fail, not for the want of men or
money, for these you have provided, not on account of
the barbarism, frequent wars, and want of government
sufficient for the protection of life & property there,
nor on account of the great privations to which families
might be, and we may say must be for a season subjected,
even tho no hostility of natives, or of foreigners should
distress them, for these do not seem a sufficient reason
for leaving that portion of the Polynesian family unac
quainted with the Great Father of all, and destitute of
the gospel of the Redeemer of the nations, but because
Providence may have designed, that, by the aid of Tahitian
teachers under the direction of missionaries at the Society
and Georgian Islands, or by the labors of European
missionaries sent out to that group agreeably with the
expectations and wishes of those who have long had their
eye on that field, your noble Sisters Society should have
the honor and happiness of supplying that portion of our
dark world with the light of revelation, and the means
of salvation.
See 29 Missionary Herald, 161, May 1833.
Cause of Seamen at the Islands. Most have an important
bearing on the habits and improvements of the natives.
You notice the efforts of the Seamen’s Friend Society
to procure a preacher for this post, which had not been
successful. While we earnestly desire their benevolent
plan may not fail, we ought not perhaps to conceal the
fact, that some changes have taken place in this quarter
the last year, both in respect to the shipping, and the
number of missionaries. More whaleships, it is thought,
touch at Lahaina, for refreshments, than at this place.
And many ships appear to be looking out other places to
get refreshments and water, so as to avoid the necessity
of encurring the expenses and submitting to the exposures
of Honolulu, which by the way, a successful advocate for
temperance reformation among foreigners, might obviate.
The increase of the number of laborers whom you have sent
hither, should it allow us to keep one or two men at
this place or Lahaina as a corps de reserve to fill vacan
cies occasioned by sickness or death, would enable us
with less difficulty to maintain a course of labors for
the benefit of foreign residents and seamen, tho', with
them, we, as preachers to the natives, it must be acknow
ledged, are not in general very popular.
How far these
changes or considerations ought to influence the Seamen's F.S.
it is by no means our province to decide - We have plea d
�1100.
for the appointment of such a laborer, the field is
still open for him; and should a suitable man be found
ready to engage in the self denying service, and to
struggle patiently on w i t h all the difficulties which
we fear he would have to encounter, we should hail his
arrival, and bid him God speed. The changes alluded to
may only be temporary, and the claims on that society
may every year increase.
We would add that several residents at Oahu and Maui,
formerly seamen, are attentive to our meetings, and manifest
a seriousness and sobriety that is encouraging. One
shipmaster, like the merchant seeking goodly pearls, has
it is thought, during his late cruise, found the pearl
of great price; & we trust he will be a useful advocate
for the cause of reformation among the sons of the ocean.
Romanism. Tho' the general meeting has not this year
taken up this subject, yet it may be proper to remark on
that subject so closely connected with us, and with the
progress or hindrance of the nation's improvement. For
an account of the removal of the Romish teachers who have
left this place, we beg to refer you to the letters of
the station at Honolulu, particularly their station letter
of January last. We value the rights of conscience, and
have endeavored, while urging the duty of the undivided
worship of Jehovah the only proper object of religious
adoration, we have endeavored to guard against any infringe
ment on the principles of religious and civil liberty.
With the Romish teachers themselves, during their four years
sojourn here, we have had almost no intercourse at all.
Considering the state of the proper and the state of the
question, we have deemed great reserve to be the safest
course, though it has been intimated that they were desirous
of a dispute with us, perhaps to attract notice. Had they
remained much longer, a thorough discussion of the points
of difference between Romanism and Christianity would prob
ably have taken place, unprepared as the natives are to
enter and go through that great controversy, which has
shaken, and may, again shake the earth. One consolation
that is not small, in reference to the efforts to promote
Romanism in the United States, is the consideration, that
the freedom of your institutions, and the free & general
diffusion of intelligence among the people, render that
country a promising field for engaging in that conflict
which will result in the triumphant extension of true
christianity and the total overthrow of Antichrist.
If
we in the Sandwich Islands must take our part in the
struggle, "the will of the Lord be done". We again ask
advice on this subject, for it is by no means, at rest.
We have not only endeavored to keep ourselves from being
unduly involved in the measures adopted by the rulers,
but from giving publicity to any resolutions which it seemed
needful to adopt to secure a uniformity of conduct among
ourselves, which should be approved by all, and to make you
acquainted with our rules of practice. Our printed minutes
�1101.
are regarded as our own private papers, except one
or two copies placed at your disposal. We may have
erred in printing them.
They may come before the
world.
They may he perverted.
Still it is a question
whether the world will he more likely to misrepresent
our principles when stated in our own language, than
they would he if left to spell them out from circumstances
which are often unjustly interpreted to our disadvantage,
when through indifference, neglect or reserve, we have
omitted to furnish a key to a proper explanation.
We have reason to believe the chiefs will he approved
and supported by protestant nations, in the exercise of
their sovereignty in removing from their shores, strangers
whose influence, they felt they had just reason to appre
hend, would, if much extended, endanger the peace of
the state, & put in jeopardy the best interests of their
people.
There can be no doubt that the Fathers of Hew
England had the right which they exercised, of excluding
heretical, and dangerous men from their community; and
why should not the Rulers of the Sandwich Islands exercise
the right of excluding strangers from their shores who
should attempt to revive the worship of images or demi
gods and whose efforts would expose the nation to the
evils of a bloody if not exterminating strife.
Whether the king has a right to punish any of his subjects
for attaching themselves to the unauthorized errorists,
or to molest them for their religious opinions, is quite
another question and might admit of a very different answer
But he has had the example of opposing image worship, set
him by his brother, when the idols of Hawaii were, by royal
authority, abolished and destroyed. And in the history
of Israel he has other examples, if not precepts, to coun
tenance the suppression of image worship; ana even the
decree of the council of Constantinople against the use of
images, has not, by protestants, been loudly condemned.
Whether the worship of images, or creatures, prohibited
by some Romish councils, and enjoined by others, but forbidden by the scriptures both of the Old & New Testaments,
and regarded with abhorrence by all consistent protestants,
ought not to be forbidden and opposed by the authority
of parents in respect to their children, and of rulers,
who in this country, hold a somewhat similar relation
to their people, may perhaps admit of a question, though
there appears to us little room for doubt. Good, or evil.
it is a fact for which we have now occasion to rejoice
than to mourn, the law of the land is against idolatry and
has been for a longer period than the existence of this
mission on these shores, and who now it may be asked,
would wish it repealed, for the sake of introducing the
very worst species of Romanism? See Missionary Herald 29, June 1833, 200.
Loss of Helpers.
During the year the mission has lost
�1102.
some of its abled friends and benefactors. In your
letter, yon mention the triumphant departure of the
corresponding secretary, to enter, as we believe on
the holy, never tiring, never ending employments of
the saints in glory.
The circumstances of his death
connected with the course of his life, as noticed in
the Herald, and by Dr. Woods in his sermon, and by
Dr. Spring in his tribute to his memory, are indeed,
truly and tenderly consoling to us and must be so to
all his friends and fellow laborers. That he loved us,
and loved this nation for whose interests we have de
voted the service of our lives, we need none to tell us.
His counsels, his prayers, his letters, his able defence
of our cause & character when assailed, his powerful
appeals to the public in behalf of the needy, the op
pressed, and the dying, his unceasing care, promptitude
and kindness, in seeking the happiness and usefulness
of your missionaries in the prosecution of the work, are
incontrovertible proofs that he loved us & the people
around us, - proofs which we shall not soon forget, though
we see his benignant smile no more, no more recognise
his well known hand among letters by ship from our be
loved native country, no more tell him our cares and
wants, no more lift up the supplicating voice for him as
engaged in influencing the councils of the Board, or
urging the Christian public to come up to the work which
properly belongs to the present generation.
But his examples, his wisdom and faithfulness left behind,
and his prayers laid up in heaven, will still, we trust,
continue to aid our cause, till we ourselves shall be
dismissed from earthly care and toil, and if found faith
ful, admitted to the rest he now enjoys. We bless his
memory; and while life shall last, would continue to pray
and labor for that cause for which he lived and died.
May hie spirit rest, not only on the Elishas who may fill
his place, but on all the sons & daughters of Zion, who
have the stewardship of any portion of what the L ord has
committed to his church saying, with great condescension
& kindness, and yet with divine authority, "Occupy till
I come".
See 29 Missionary Herald, 165, May 1833.
It is time we should close, and must refer you to the copy
of our minutes for a more full account of the proceedings
of the general meeting than is here given.
The Board is respectfully requested to tender the thanks
of the mission to the American Bible Society for the timely
& liberal grant of 5 ,000 doll. to aid us in Printing,
20,000 c opies of the N .Test. in the Hawaiian language.
A letter will be addressed to A.Tract Society.
The cordial salutations of all your fellow laborers in the
Sandwich Islands, to the Board, and its auxiliaries, to
the Prudential Committee and other officers, and all our
�1103.
helpers in the Lord.
Peace he with you all. Farewell.
On behalf of the mission your affectionate
brethren
H.Bingham
J.S.Green
S.Whitney.
To: R e v R.Anderson,
Asst. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston, Mass . U.S.A.
Received March 16, 1832.
*
�1104.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 23.
Honolulu, June 25, 1832.
Rev. R . Anderson,
Boston, Mass.
Dear Sir:
Soon after we arrived, we addressed a letter to Capt.
Swain, expressing our thanks for his kindness on the
passage, signed by all the passengers. I here send
you a copy of this letter.
W .P.Alexander.
Honolulu, Isle of Oahu, May 19, 1832.
Capt. Edward Swain,
Dear Sir:
When on the 26th of N ov. we saw the last wave of the hat
on the shores of N ew Bedford, we felt emotions which none
but friends can feel. An occasion is at hand adapted to
excite similar emotions. Soon, dear Sir, we must bid
you farewell; & we should do violence to our feelings did
we not make some expression of gratitude for the multiplied
favours you have confered upon us during a long & perilous
voyage.
Merely to say that you have always treated us with kindness
& respect, would be doing you injustice; the watchful solici
tude of a parent or a brother has been the uniform character
istic of your conduct toward us. When the raging storm
has thrown all things into confusion, your voice has quickly
cheered us, your hand restored order, & with watchful anxiety
you have sought out & anticipated our wants. When we have
been brought low with sickness, you have spared no efforts
which tenderness could suggest to make our situation pleasant.
Whether in the storm or when the cheerful breeze has borne
us sweetly along, whether at sea or in port, your amiable,
frank, generous deportment has been the same. It gives us
pleasure to make these acknowledgments & we trust the God
whom we serve will abundantly reward you.
Please present to the other officers our unfeigned thanks
for the numerous acts of kindness they have confered upon us.
And should a few more days close our intercourse upon earth,
0 Sir, let us labour to become fellow heirs of that inheri
tance laid up in heaven for those who love God - The close
of our voyage reminds us that the voyage of life will soon
be over, & whatever amiability we may here possess, & however
large a portion of social bliss we may here enjoy, we are
sure that none will then be safe except those who have fled
�1105.
to the Lord Jesus for refuge. Let us therefore, seek,
above all things, to secure Christ Jesus for our Pilot,
that we may make the same happy port. Wherever you go
our affections shall follow you & our prayer shall be
that He who neither slumbers nor sleeps, who has preserved
us amid dangers & given us a propitious voyage, may still
be with you & make you a partaker of his great salvation.
Then you will be able to say with the Poet:
Tossed upon life's raging billow
Sweet it is, 0 Lord, to know
Thou didst press a sailor's pillow,
And canst feel a sailor's woe;
Sever slumbering, never sleeping,
Though the night be dark & drear
Thou the faithful watch art keeping,
"All - all's well" thy constant cheer.
Most affectionately, yours &c.
Received April 12, 1833.
�1106.
66
1831 - 1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 24.
Printed Pamphlet.
Extracts from the Minutes of the General Meeting of the
Sandwich Islands Mission, Held, at Honolulu, June 1832.
N ot to be copied.
�1107.
66
1831-1837
(copy)
XXV
Part First
L etter 25.
Tahiti, Feb. 1, 1832.
Dear Brethren:
I duly received your letters with several publications.
Two letters refer more particularly to the Marquesas.
When M r . Simpson and myself visited that group of Islands
two years ago last May, it was our opinion that it would not
be safe for foreign Missionaries to reside among them.
Foreigners who will not oppose them, but unite with them
in all their vile practices may reside among them, but any
of these giving the least offence are almost sure to be
killed, and eaten. Two foreigners, on La Dominic, had shared
this fate just before we arrived.
I am aware that the
Rev. Mr. Stewart has given rather a flattering account of
the Marquesas.
We did not visit Nuguheva (the Island visited
by the Vincennes) in consequence of their just having been
at war. I do not for one moment think that Mr. S . would
knowingly give a misrepresentation of the state of affairs
at the Marquesas, but had he gone as we did in a small vessel
of little more than 60 tons, unable to defend ourselves, he
would have seen more of their real character. Captain Finch
told me that when they first came to anchor, they sent for
the principal chiefs to come on board.
They were received
on board with great formality. The sailors arranged on each
side the deck, all under arms. The band playing, All on
board in their uniform and all under arms. Handsome presents
were made to the Chiefs, when they were informed through an
interpreter, that no presents would be received in return.
The chiefs would of course make known to the common people
what they had seen and heard on board. After this no natives
dare to insult either Officers or men when on shore. They
saw plainly that the foreigners with whom they had to do, were
able to protec t themselves.
M r . Darling visited those Islands last June. I am happy to
say he found them far more friendly than was expected. He
left 5 Native Teachers among them and promised that more
should be sent by that time 12 months.
Since M r . D . returned
we have written to the Directors to send out European Mission
aries for the group. When the Ship Duff brought but mission
aries for Tahiti, she at the same time took some to the
Marquesas. From that time to this the Directors have em
braced every opportunity of trying by native Teachers to pre
pare the way for European Missionaries to reside among them.
When Mr. Williams' vessel returns from her present voyage,
she is to take two of us to the Marquesas to visit them
again, and make same arrangements for receiving the European
Teachers that may be sent out direct to them.
As we are making every effort in our power to establish
(rest of line torn off) - and as there are many groups of
islands yet destitute of the gospel, would it not be better
�1108.
to direct your attention to some other group, not yet
occupied by any other Society. I am requested by my
Brethren to say, that we shall be most happy to receive
a visit from any of you, to consult together on the best
plans for extending the Redeemer's kingdom, and to streng
then & encourage each other to go forward in the important
work in which we are engaged. We are happy to hear that
you have established a High School for raising up teachers
&c. We have an Institution of a similar kind beside the
South Sea Academy for the Missionaries children. We are
also happy to hear of the prosperity of your Churches. Mr.
Darling has put up a few of our Tahitian publications. He
is now printing the Psalms. Most of the stations are going
on tolerably well. The one that I occupy is similar to
Honolulu and has many difficulties to struggle with arising
from so much intercourse with foreigners. There is one thing,
at this Station, which is pleasing, that is, the English
preaching is attended by the foreigners, better than might
be expected.
The civil affairs of these Islands are not in a very prosper
ous state. Raiatea & Taha have been at war. The Government
at Tahiti is in a rather lax state. We do not enjoy the
same degree of protection and assistance from the civil powers
as you do. We rejoice, however, in the promise, "Lo, I am
with you alway, even to the end of the world".
Wishing you prosperity in your work and soliciting an interest
in your prayers, I remain
Yours affectionately,
(signed) G. Pritchard.
To: Rev. H .Bingham &
Mr. L . Chamberlain.
Received Oct. 12, 1832.
�1109.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 25
(copy)
Burder's Point, Tahiti,
January 28, 1832.
Dear Brethren:
Your kindness in sending us copies of your publications
from time to time has induced me to put up a few of ours
to send you by this conveyance. You will find copies of
all that are in print. Matt. and Luke we have none of.
The book of the Revelations, and the book of Daniel were
printed at the Leeward islands. I have no copies of them
by me or I would send you some of them also. She whole
of the New Testament has been in print in the Tahitian
language some time, and it is nearly revised for a new and
uniform edition. We have commenced printing the Book of
Psalms. I lately visited the Marquesas, and left teachers
at different Islands in the Group, and we are preparing
other teachers for the other Islands so that we are occupy
ing the whole of the group. I have sent home my journal
to our Society, and with it the body of Missionaries have
written for six Missionaries to be sent immediately for the
Marquesas, highly encouraged from the favorable circumstances,
which I met with on my visit to the Islands. But as you
wrote to Mr. Pritchard for information on the subject, I must
refer you to his letters, as we have authorized him to answer
your letters. I therefore forbear to say any more on the
subject at present. You will find a few copies of Tahitian
abridgement of my voyage to the Marquesas. We think that
if you were to take up some of the Groups of Islands to
the Leeward and leave the Marquesas to us - because it is
all in our route in visiting the out stations that we have
already formed, and also as it may be said that we have taken
up the Marquesas and have spent many hundreds of Pounds upon
them already.
I remain dear brethren your brother in the Lord.
(signed) David Darling
Missionary at Burder's Point Tahiti.
To the Revd. Missionaries
at the Sandwich Islands.
Received Oct. 12, 1832.
�1110.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part first
Letter 26.
(copy)
Oahu, April 2, 1832.
Dear Brethren:
The letters from Messrs. Pritchard and Darling on the
subject of a mission to the Marquesas, with various publications in the Tahitian language by your mission, have
been duly received by the hands of Mr. Peck, who has kind
ly offered to be the bearer of communications to you.
We shall forward you a few copies of our publications,
with some recent publications from America, which we hope
you will find acceptable.
The temperance movements in America, and the great revivals
of religion there, in which 50,000 persons are supposed to
have been born of the spirit of God, in the short period
of six months, are, to all the friends of Christ, subjects
of devout thanksgiving to God, and well calculated to
strengthen the hands and encourage the hearts of the mission
ary among the heathen.
from under that shower of grace which has been descending
on our native land, the churches have sent forth to this
quarter ten more men and nine women, to the great harvest
in the Pacific - a part of whom are supposed to be destined
to the Washingtonor northern Marquesian Islands. They are
expected to arrive in May.
When the last reinforcement arrived, we were instructed by
our Board to endeavour to be in readiness, within a year,
to commence a mission to the Marquesas. A recent letter from
the Board, dated Oct. 3, 1831, says, "We have engaged a
passage in the Averick (to sail from New Bedford next month)
for eight preachers, a physician, and a printer, all to
be married except the printer. Three of the preachers,
Messrs. Emerson, Spaulding & Lyman, are from Andover (Theo.
Sem.) Three, Messrs. Alexander, Armstrong & Forbes, from
Prlnoeton, and two, Messrs. Lyons & Hitchcock from Auburn.
It is expected that some of these will ultimately find their
way to the Washington Islands".
By the information furnished by Mr. Stewart and abundantly
confirmed by Mr. Darling, it appears that these islands are
ready to receive missionaries. In one of the American pub
lications which you will receive, it is said, "To the Mar
quesas we are invited by the high Priest of the Islands, and
we go there with very encouraging prospects. We ought to
send two missionaries, and perhaps four to the Marquesas". "The Washington group is that on which the board is expected
soon to commence a new mission". (See Herald Aug. 1831, page
259).
Such are the views expressed by the Board, and by our friends
�1111.
at home; how far they appear reasonable or judicious,
you are as well able to judge as we. Such views will
doubtless have been made known to your Society some
months before your request for six European missionaries
to be sent to the Marquesas is known to them.
It can hardly be supposed that those two sister societies
who have hitherto gone on in some good measure, hand in
hand, in spreading the gospel, have failed to correspond
on the subject of a mission to the Marquesas, or to have
a perfect understanding with each other in respect to it.
The present appears to be the set time for that group, in
which a great & vigourous effort should be made, without
delay, to give them the bible, with ability to read it,
within a moderate period.
Should the London Missionary Society forthwith supply that
field with European missionaries, as they have the Society
& Georgian Islands, we, as a mission should be satisfied,
and feel ourselves excused from the responsibility of
maintaining a mission there, unless positively enjoined by
our Board to do it.
Hone of your number appear to think of residing at the
Marquesas - and to maintain, or attempt to maintain the
gospel there by a few native teachers and occasional visita
tions, by no means appears to answer your wishes or our own.
It is still uncertain whether the Lon. Missionary Society
will comply with your request, and should they, in the course
of a year or two, send out six men, will they not all be
wanted to occupy other stations or to reside on other groups
where you and Messrs. (name blotted out) & Williams have so
successfully begun to prepare the way? - Or should they
agreeably with your request, be located on the Southern Mar
quesas, will there not still be ample room for all the
labourers we could send from the Sandwich Island, among
50,000#inhabitants of the northern Marquesian, or Washington
Island? As a matter of mutual security the full occupancy
of the whole group may be found necessary and altogether
most advantageous.
If the American Churches are not able to supply the whole
we should heartily rejoice if the British churches will do it.
We need five or six men properly to reinforce our stations
here - more could indeed be advantageously employed among
our 120,000 inhabitants. But we have here in train a system
of operations which will, we trust ere long, bring the
entire Bible within the reach of the mass of the inhabitants;
and can afford a few men, when the reinforcement arrive, to
commence new stations, and we know of no place where, in
providence, they are more distinctly invited than the Wash
ington group.
We should gladly turn our attention to other posts and take
up other groups agreeably with your suggestion, if there be
#Stewart's estimate.
�1112.
any equally enviting & accessible, and on which your
society could not with equal or greater facility locate
their labourers, if they have any to spare for new stations
in the isles, or on the coasts, washed by the vast Pacific.
We should he happy to receive intelligence from you of any
groups of Islands which you may think demands our attention
besides the Washington Islands, and of the manner in which
you would advise us to proceed to plant the gospel among
them.
We tender you our thanks not only for your letters & pub
lications, but for the kind invitation to visit you, "to
consult together on the best plans of extending the Redeem
er's kingdom, and to strengthen & encourage each other to
go forward in the important work in which we are engaged",
and we assure you it has long been our wish to have such
an interview, and still cerish the hope that we may enjoy
it, either on your shores or ours.
We should be happy to receive a visit from any of your
number for so desirable an object.
We cherish a lively recollection of the Providence which
allowed your fellow laborer, Mr. Ellis, to labour here for
a season, after our mission had been established three years.
Could we have such an interview we should be disposed to
make very many enquiries which we cannot do now. - You will
allow us, however, to make one or two.
We would enquire whether the teachers whom Mr. Darling
carried out to the Marquesas, and who were set apart by a
consecrating prayer & public charge to publish the word of
God among the heathen, and right hand of fellowship, in
their receiving the office of Oromedua (a term often applied
to foreign preachers) and applied in the same journal to
the pastoral teachers of the Tahitian churches, are regarded
as ordained missionaries, or licensed preachers, or catechists,
or common school teachers, and what is supposed to be the
extent of their qualifications for the work of evangelizing
the unlettered heathen?
There is one more, question we wish to ask - Does, any mission
ary, or assistant missionary in your group encourage the
manufacture, or the sale of ardent spirits among your people?
We are led to ask the question from seeing the name of a
resident there, as in some way connected in that business a name resembling that of a missionary - We hope you are all
prepared to take high ground to expel intemperance from your
shores.
Both you and we shall have to work hard while the plague
remains, and may not, till our latest breath, have the happiness
of seeing it entirely stayed.
With cordial salutations we subscribe ourselves your brethren
and fellow labourers in the vineyard of Christ.
See next sheet for signatures.
�1113.
H. Bingham
E.W.Clark
J.Goodrich
L.Chamberlain
A.Johnstone
Rev. Messrs. Pritchard,
Darling, Nott, Henry,
Davis, Wilson, Orsmond and
Simpson.
P.S.
Since writing the above we see by a reference to
Mr. Stewart's Journal "a visit to the South Seas"
that Mr. Bicknel, the proprietor of a warehouse filled
with sugar &c. is an English planter, and therefore
conclude he is not the Bicknel connected with the Mission.
Sandwich Islands Missionaries
to
Missionaries, in Society Islands.
Received Oct. 12, 1832.
To: Prudential Committee,
of the A.B .C.F .M .,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Ship Volunteer via Lima.
�1114.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 27.
Copy of the letter of introduction of the
Deputation to the missionaries in the Society
& Georgian Islands.
Sandwich Islands, July 18, 1832.
Dear Brethren:
By tho living epistles which in the good providence of
God we are allowed to send you as our beloved fellow
laborers, you will receive the salutations of all your
brethren at the Sandwich Islands, and be made acquainted
with our state.
You will permit us, therefore, to introduce to your ac
quaintance and to your Christian and missionary fellowship
our brethren the Rev. Messrs. Whitney, Tinker & Alexander,
members of our mission who in compliance with your polite
invitation and our own long cherished wishes, have been
duly appointed to visit your stations at the Society &
Georgian Islands, and to confer with you on the state of
the Islands in the Pacific, and on the methods most advisable
for extending the kingdom of our glorious Redeemer through
out all the isles and shores of this vast ocean.
In view of the wisdom, zeal, and success with which you
have so long engaged in the missionary work, your extensive
acquaintance with Polynesian tribes and Polynesian character,
and the means of winning them to the cause of Christ; and
the freedom, candor, and friendship which have hitherto
marked, and which we trust will continue to mark, the com
munications between you and us, we expect to derive great
benefit from the results of your experience and observation
communicated freely to our deputation, and from such infor
mation as you will be able to give, and such views, opinions,
and considerations as you will be able to present, individually,
or collectively, on any and every part of the great subject for
which at considerable expense and sacrifice this expedition
has been undertaken.
Every favor will be thankfully acknowledged, by your brethren
and fellow laborers in the service of our common Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
In behalf of the Mission,
H .Bingham
A .Thurston
L.Andrews
L. Chamberlain.
To the missionaries in the
Society & Georgian Islands.
The Rev. Messrs. Nott, Henry, Wilson,
Darling, Davis, Orsmond, Pritchard, Simpson,
Williams and Baiff.
Received M arch 16, 1833.
�1115.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 28.
Honolulu, Oahu, July 10, 1832
To the Rev. R. Anderson,
Very dear Sir:
In you letter to the mission Nov. 16, 1831, you inquire
"how many missionaries ought to be placed on the Sandwich
Islands". This subject was discussed at our General Meet
ing in June, & some statements drawn up, in which all
present concurred. (see minutes &c). The men designed were
then appointed to present the subject more fully in a
communication to the Board.
You will perceive from the Minutes of our General Meeting,
that we have taken into view the claims of other parts of
the world, & have placed the number of missionaries for
these islands as low as, in our opinion, we could be war
ranted in doing. A considerably larger number might be
employed to great advantage. And if a mission at the
Marquesas should not be established, the brethren designated
for that field will find abundant labor on these islands.
At our last meeting we resolved on establishing three new
stations, each to be occupied by only one missionary. As
these stations are in the vicinity of others, & as the
ordinary labors of such out stations may be performed by
one man, it was the opinion of the mission that they might
be maintained by one missionary at each station. It is
very desireable, however, on some accounts, that these
stations should all be occupied by, two families. It is
unpleasant for a family to be alone 20 or 30 miles from
any of their associates, especially in times of sickness.
Besides, if each of these stations were occupied by two
missionaries, the labors of the stations might be much
enlarged, & preaching maintained in neighboring villages.
Respecting the number of missionaries which the American
churches ought to send to the Sandwich Islands, the Board have
perhaps better means of judging than we. If it is asked
how many missionaries will furnish a full supply for the
Sandwich Islands, we should say, the number should be in
creased to 100 at least. But we are not prepared to say,
that the Board ought t o furnish this number. The objection
that it might excite the jealousy of some of the civil
rulers ought not perhaps to weight much. There are a few,
not of the first rank, & who are not particularly friendly
to us, whose fears might perhaps be awakened. But of this
we are not certain. The claims of other parts of the
world, the difficulty of maintaining stations in all parts
of the islands, & the prospect which we now have of raising
up native preachers to supply the more distant & thinly
settled parts of the islands, are the principal reasons which
led us to fix the number of missionaries which the Board
�1116.
ought to supply so low. We wish it to he fully understood,
however, that more can he employed to good advantage, if
the Board have the men & money.
We will give you a brief view of the different islands,
that you may he the better able to determine, whether you
can afford to enlarge our present number, or not.
The islands of Kauai & Niihau contain about 12,000 inhabitants.
They have two missionaries, both stationed at one place.
Great numbers, therefore, on these two islands can seldom
receive any direct instruction from a missionary. There
are one or two places on Kauai, where a new station might
be taken with good advantage. One of these is Hanalei on
the N.W. part of the islands. ”A missionary stationed here"
says one of the brethren at Kauai, "would probably have a
direct influence on 2000 souls. Many of the people in
that neighborhood have expressed a desire to have a mission
ary come & reside among them. Encouraged by the hope, that
this favor would be enjoyed, at least, occasionally, they
have erected a meeting house large enough to accommodate
2000 persons. They have also expressed a willingness to erect
a house for the missionary, who should reside with them, &
have already made some preparations for this object. In the
same neighborhood Kaikioewa has given to the mission a
valuable piece of land, from which an abundant supply of fresh
meat, poultry & other kinds of native food could be obtained
for a family. We think, therefore, the expense of supporting
a missionary here, so far as native products are concerned,
would be very small.
Waialua on the eastern part of the island is a populous region.
A missionary located at a central point in this vicinity, by
preaching at different places that are within 5 or 6 miles
of each other, & of easy access, would probably have 3000
or 4000 hearers. Here also judging from what has been done
in similar cases, considerable assistance might be expected
from the chiefs & people".
from the statements here made you can perceive, that two or
three more missionaries might be located on Kauai with the
prospect of being extensively useful. The places here men
tioned are accessible with small vessels during most parts
of the year, & could, therefore, be furnished with supplies
without special difficulty. But the island of Kauai, con
sidering its number of inhabitants, & our present number of
missionaries has its full share.
The island of Oahu, according to a late census, contains
29,745 inhabitants & has three missionaries, with 4 or 5
secular men, who. have their appropriate duties which occupy
nearly all their time. This number, considering intercourse
with foreigners & with chiefs, most of whom reside at Honolulu,
& the labors connected with the printing department, is cer
tainly a small supply. Another missionary might be added
to the one lately assigned to Waialua. This station is
30 miles from Honolulu, & embraces about 7,000 people. A new
station might also be established with good advantage in
�1117.
the district of Eva, about half way between Honolulu &
Waialua. About 4,000 people could assemble here without
traveling more than 4 or 5 miles. This place is easily
accessible from Honolulu by land or water, (about 14 miles
distant) & could be easily maintained so far as furnishing
supplies are concerned. There are also several head men,
& others in this vicinity, who are members of the church
at Honolulu, & who would afford valuable help to a mission
ary established here. A station here could be maintained
by one family. The missionaries at Honolulu have contem
plated organizing a church in this place. There is no
other place on the island of Oahu, where a station could be
established at present with very great advantage. A
missionary might collect a respectable congregation at
Waikiki, 3 miles from Honolulu, & also at Kaneohe on the
opposite side of the island from Honolulu. But the latter
place is difficult of access for vessels. And by land, it
is approached by descending the pall described by Mr. Stewart.
Molokai is supposed to contain 5 or 6 thousand inhabitants.
One missionary is assigned to this island. We should be
glad of another for this field as an associate for the one
now there. He would probably find abundant labor on the
island.
The island of Lanai is small & would not be a very eligible
place for a station.
The island of Maui contains about the same number of in
habitants as Oahu. Perhaps a few more. It has now four
missionaries including the principal of the High School.
The new station at Wailuku can be maintained by one mission
ary, but two could be stationed there with good advantage,
as they could extend their labors to other places in the
vicinity. There are one or two other places on the island,
where large congregations might be collected. But they are
seldom visited by vessels, & are rather difficult of access
by land. Preaching has been maintained some part of the
time recently in one or two villages not far from Lahaina.
But there are many on this island who seldom hear the
preaching of the Gospel.
The island of Hawaii is divided out to different stations.
The northern part of Kona is connected with the station at
Kailua. It contains about 7,000 inhabitants & has two
missionaries. The station at Kailua is sufficiently central
for this part of the island. It is contemplated having one
or two out posts to this station 8 or 10 miles distant, which
may be visited occasionally by the missionaries at Kailua,
so soon as they can be relieved from the service, which they
now render to the station at Kaawaloa.
The southern part of Kona & the district of Kau are connected
with the station at Kaawaloa, which has now two missionaries.
This part of Kona contains about 6,000 inhabitants, & Kau
4,000 or 5,000. The inhabitants of Kau are probably farther
removed from the means of grace, than any other part of the
islands. The center of this district is two days journey
�1118
from Kaawaloa - The road bad. It is seldom visited
vessels, though it is accessible with small vessels
most parts of the year. A missionary station might
found here, but it must be supplied with two men, &
field would be rather circumscribed. It would also
expensive station, as vessels must be sent to it on
to carry supplies.
by
during
be
the
be an
purpose
The district of Puna & Hilo are connected with the station
at Byron's Bay, which has now three missionaries. These
two districts are supposed to contain about 20,000 inhabitants.
The station at Byron's Bay is central for the whole, though
many of the people live at a great distance from the station.
Two out posts to this station have been recently formed,
which will be visited occasionally by the missionaries at
Byron's Bay. There is no place except the one now occupied,
within the limits of these two districts, which would be
eligible for a missionary station, on account of the great
difficulty of conveying supplies. The inhabitants are also
rather sparse.
The districts of Hamakua & Kohala are connected with the
station at Waimea, which has now two missionaries. The
population is 15,000 or 16,000. There sire not very many
people in the immediate vicinity of Waimea. The station is,
however, central for the two districts. Two new meeting
houses are building, one in Hamakua & one in K ohala. The
one in Hamakua is about 12 miles from Waimea, & the one in
Kohala 15. Preaching may be maintained part of the time
at these places by the missionaries at Waimea. Both these
places would perhaps be eligible as stations, if we had men
enough. The meeting house in Hamakua is within 1 or 1 1/2
miles of Waipio, situated near the brink of the Pali, which
descends to this valley. The population of Hamakua' is nearly
5,000, but many of the people live a considerable distance
from this house & others are cut off from it by immense palis.
or precipices, so that the number of hearers on ordinary oc
casions cannot be very great. A waggon road may be easily
made from Waimea to this place. In this way, supplies may
be conveyed to a station here, though with some difficulty.
The meeting house in K ohala is surrounded by 3,000 or 4,000
people, who would be under the direct influence of a mission
ary located here. A station might be sustained here, so far
as supplies are concerned, though with some difficulty.
There are no other places in this part of the island, which
we consider as eligible for missionary stations, unless it
be Kowaihoe, & this, considering the station at Waimea
would afford a very limited field for a missionary.
You will perceive from this brief sketch, that we should be
able to find desireable posts for at least, 3 or 4 more than
our present number of laborers, even including those designated
for the Marquesas. We leave it for the Board to determine,
whether these islands have a claim for even this number.
We are making efforts to raise up religious teachers from
among the native christians; & we hope, that at no very distant
�1119.
period, the more remote & thinly settled parts of the
islands will he supplied with the means of grace from
this source.
Yours in the bonds of the Gospel.
In behalf of the mission.
E .W.Clark
A .Thurston
Committee.
P.S. A census of most of the islands has been recently
taken. In the above sketch, we have followed this census.
It may not be perfectly correct, but it can be better
relied upon, than any former estimate. The whole number
of inhabitants on the islands is probably something short
of 150,000. The island of Hawaii contains considerably
less than our former estimate, & the islands of Maui &
Oahu more, This is owing partly to the fact that a con
siderable number of people have been recently removed from
Hawaii to the leeward islands.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Ast. Sec. A .B.C.F.M.,
Boston, Mass.
Received March 16, 1833.
�1120.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 2 9 .
Tahiti, Georgian Islands, Sept. 13, 1832.
Dear Sir:
An opportunity just now offers to send to the coast, and as
it is possible this may reach you sooner than a letter from
the Sand. Islands after our return, we would just say, we
had a prosperous passage of 28 days, and have visited
Raiatea, Nuahine, and all the stations on this island, and
are on the point of sailing for Eimeo, where we shall stay
4 or 5 days - then sail for the Marquesas. - The London
Society's missionaries have written for 6 men to occupy
that field, but they think it doubtful whether they will be
sent immediately, if at all. - They recommended that we wait,
if we can, till they hear from their Directors, if we cannot
delay, to occupy one group#, leaving the other for the
present to them. What our "brethren at the Lond. Islands
will determine we cannot tell, but to us it seems likely
that at least the Washington group will be occupied by the
missionaries of the American Board. In much haste, yours truly,
S.Whitney
R.Tinker
W.P.Alexander
#The Washington of course we shall prefer.
To: Revd. Rufus Anderson,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received May 14, 1833.
�1121.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 30
Tahiti, Georgian Islands,
Sept. 17, 1832.
Dear Sir:
On the 13th we wrote to you a brief letter by a small
vessel about to sail for South America. In that we
stated that our voyage from Hawaii hither was prosperousthat we had visited Raiatea, Huahine, and Tahiti. We
mentioned also the result of the meeting of our brethren,
the English missionaries, on the subject of a mission
to the Marquesas. We sailed the same afternoon to Eimeo,
where we expected to spend the Sabbath, but learning
that an American ship of War had arrived at Tahiti, we
returned; for we did not know but it might bring news
directly from the Marquesas, and take letters to the
Sand. Islands. It proved to be the Potomac, Com. Downes,
from the Sand. Islands bound to Valparaiso. As this is
a better opportunity than the other, we thought it best
to state again the result of our visit here so far as it
relates to our occupying the Washington Islands.
The following is the Resolution of the London Society's
missionaries,
"Resolved, that our American Brethren be recommended to
wait till we hear from England on the subject of the
Marquesan Mission, but if this be impracticable, that
they occupy one group of the Islands leaving the other for
our missionaries, should any be sent for that field of
labor; - and further, in case none be sent, that they should
occupy the whole".
Signed G. Pritchard,
on behalf of the brethren.
Tahiti, Sept. 4, 1832.
They did not feel at liberty to relinquish the field to us
wholly and unconditionally, because they had written for
six men to be stationed there. They do not generally expect
that six will be sent, - not more than two at present, if
any. They suppose the steps taken by the Am. Board will be
a reason with the London Society for taking no further
measures themselves in relation to that field. How we shall
find the people when we visit them cannot now be known, nor
the decision of the Brethren at the Sand. Islands on the
whole subject when we return & report; - but the obstacle which
we supposed lay in our way from the relation in which the
Marqs. Is stand to the London Society seems to us at present
to be removed. It may be proper to add, the London Society could sustain the
mission with less expense, as they have a vessel to visit
annually islands in that vicinity, and Messrs. Pritchard,
�1121-A .
Simpson & Darling who have visited both groups estimate
the population at not more than 15,000 or 20,000.
We shall probably sail on Wednesday the 19 for the Marquesas.
Yours respectfully,
S.Whitney
R.Tinker
W. P.Alexander.
To: Revd. Rufus Anderson,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received Feb. 2, 1833.
�1122.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
letter 31
Honolulu, October 29, 1832.
Rev. R. Anderson,
My dear Sir:
Inclosed I send you a copy of the printed minutes of our
last Genl. Meeting and a written copy of the Instructions
of the Mission to the Deputation for the South Sea islands.
The minutes of the three last General Meetings of the
mission or extracts from them have been printed as you well
know; but not for circulation out of the Mission families,
except to transmit to the Board. The reason for printing
them has been to furnish each family with a copy, in (hole
in paper) the members not present might know (hole) pro
ceedings of the meeting, and that all (hole) might have
them to refer to as occasion might require.
Printing them, it was thought, would be a saving of time
and labor - as a good many copies would be needed to fur
nish each family & to supply the Board with a copy and
duplicate.
We carefully keep these copies from the eyes of strangers.
Had our minutes been designed for circulation, they would
have been revised with much care, & everything not proper
to have been known out of the mission would have been
withheld.
I hope that our reason for printing our minutes will be
regarded as having some weight, though we may have made
a mistake in not withholding even for circulation among
our own number, some things which were inserted.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Asst. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Received March 16, 1833.
�1123.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 52
Honolulu, Oahu, Oct. 10, 1832.
To Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear Sir:
As a committee of the mission to provide materials
for carrying on the business of printing, we take the
liberty once more to make known our wants. The follow
ing list of articles has been made out with considerable
care. They will all be needed in the office by the time
they can reach the Islands.
300 lbs Pica selected with great care for the Hawaiian
language.
1 Double imposing stone & frame ready to be put up.
10 Pr. cases.
200 lbs. glue.
20 Feet heavy brass rule.
20
"
light
do
2 Pr. 18 mo. chases
1 " 12 mo
Do
6 Quarto
Do
A single superroyal Do
12 Gross Quains
6 Duodecimo composing sticks.
4 Quarto slice galleys.
4 lbs. ornamental dashes - Long Primer - Pica
Small Pica & Bourgevis.
20 lbs. Flowers like the enclosed specimen, or a somewhat
similar pattern.
1 Stout royal standing press, with press papers & boards
sufficient to fill it.
6 Small common galleys made of cherry or other hard wood.
2 Proof galleys.
20 lbs. quarto leads - 8 to a pica m. (6 to a pica M
Mr. Marvin) .
20 lbs.
"
"
5 to a pica m.
1 Iron printing press (medium size) of the most approved
construction.
1 Doz. large parchments
100 Feet 1 m Pica Furniture
If
100 "
2 "
I
f
"
100
3
do
do
100 "
4 "
do
100 It
5 "
100 "
6"
do
"
7"
do
100
8 "
do
100 "
12 If
25 "
side sticks.
100 "
4 lbslbs. sponge.
6 Lie brushes.
1 Book Specimens of type.
�1124.
25 Reams colored paper.
A few reams of marble paper are desireable.
20 Gross or a ton of paste boards.
12 lbs. twine.
25 lbs. thread.
6 "
page cord.
A cutting press - a bookbinder's press & shears for the
bindery, if they have not been sent.
You may perhaps be surprised that we should send for another
printing press so soon. We have not done it without re
flection. The two old presses, which we have were both
second hand presses when they were sent out. The one which
was first sent is of little use, except as a proof press, &
the other is liable to fail us. It will not probably be
necessary for the Board to send but this one press more to
the Islands at least for some years to come, & this will be
needed, when we commence printing the Hew Testament entire.
Your fellow laborers in the Gospel,
In behalf of the mission.
E.W.Clark
H.Bingham
Levi Chamberlain
Gerrit P. Judd.
P. S.
we add 500 sheep skins
200 yds. d o t h suitable for
for the bindery
binding,
4
dos. Morocco skins
which we request may be sent annually till further
notice. - Of ink & ball skins no more till further
notice. We are unable at present to answer your inquiry as to
the exact amount of paper which it would be desirable
for the Board to send us annually above six hundred
reams; but it will be evident that as we enlarge the
business agreeably to your wishes and our own, the
quantity will need to be increased.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Ast. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Boston, Mass. U.S.
Received March 16, 1833.
�1125.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
letter 33
Hilo on Hawaii, Oct. 10, 1832.
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Dear Sir:
You will perceive from the minutes of the last general
meeting a change in respect to the labourers at this
station. In consequence of the arrival of a new printer,
Mr. Goodrich urged a return to this place, which was
complied with. The removal of Mr. Green from this station
was recommended by many of the brethren & after a painful
struggle in his own mind & in the minds of some others,
on the question of duty, he consented to a separation from
a church & people in whom he felt a deep & lively interest.
His loss is most sensibly felt by many of the people, but
peculiarly so by his assooiate in labour for the past year. But we are consoled by the thought that another oongregation
numerous & interesting are now benefited by his vigorous,
systematic & persevering exertions. To strengthen this
station, thus weakened by his removal, Mr. Lyman of the last
reinforcement was selected. You have now three missionaries
at this station, but you will excuse this letter though it
possesses the signiture of only two. - The reason that a
third is not added, you will readily perceive on the perusal
of this sheet. You may be at a loss to account for the fact that three
missionaries are located at this place when you read in the
minutes of our last general meeting that "the committee
in reference to the inquiry of the Board", "How many mission
aries ought to be placed on the Sandwich Islands" "reported
two ordained missionaries as the number which the Board
ought to maintain at Hilo". But the discrepancy is merely
apparent. It is considered by the Brethren that we have
only the strength of two missionaries at this station. At the last general meeting the pastoral care of the church
& congregation at this place was continued to the remaining
pastor of last year to the exclusion of the original pastor.
This is a fact also which it is proper you should know &
yet one for which you may not at first be ready to account.
The inquiry may arrise in your mind: Why was Mr. Goodrich
dissolved from the relation which he sustained of pastor to
the church & people of Hilo? A question more easily in
stituted than judiciously answered. Perhaps it is not incumbent upon us to answer it fully; but may be sufficient
to say that it was contemplated at the time of his ordination
that his relation to this people as pastor should cease when
ever the station should be reinforced.The amount of missionary labour which Mr. Goodrich performs
it is proper you should be apprized of & we feel it our duty
as his associates, though a painful task indeed, to communicate.Mr. Goodrich spends an hour & a half each day in teaching
�1126.
school & as a statement which admits of but very few
exceptions indeed, devotes the remaining hours to business
of a secular kind. The reason which he assigns for appro
priating so much of his time to secular affairs is the state
of his health which he says will not admit of the least
application to study. A pain in the breast is his complaint
which he says is aggravated by a sitting posture & especially
by any exercise of the mind. He is therefore disqualified
for preaching except as he delivers occasionally a desultory
exhortation, though in the form of a sermon, at one or other
of our out stations, which he has done four times during the
last three months. - For the same cause his knowledge of the
Hawaiian language is stationary though scarcely adequate to
the purpose of communicating instruction.
As to the secular business in which he is engaged, it is
too various to be readily enumerated, the principal of which
is the making of sugar. He has also superintended the binding
of a few books, but conducts nothing with despatch & it is
believed by us that no advantage will result to the mission
at large or to this station from all his multiplied secular
labours. - Neither ought it to be concealed that such an
engrossment of an ordained missionary in secular affaire producesavery undesirable impression on the minds of this ignorant
people. - The bearing of our labours upon the great object of
our mission should be so direct & conspicuous as to be readily
recognized even by the ignorant. - We would not take upon
ourselves the responsibility of infering from Mr. Goodrich's
engrossment in secular concoms that he marks the great &
appropirate business of the missionary a subordinate work. Such, however, may be the impression which his course pro
duces upon the minds of the people. The inefficiency of Mr. Goodrich as a missionary was made
a topic of conversation at a social meeting lately held at
his house & the question agitated respecting the propriety
of his return to his native land. - Another reason for such
a measure is presented in his numerous family who require
the watchful & constant care of their mother to preserve
them from the vices of the heathen by whom they are surround
ed. - The time of Mrs. Goodrich is so much consumed by the
cares of her family as to leave but little room for missionary
labour. An hour & a half four days in a week spent in
teaching a class of about 12 at her own house, is all that
she is able to devote to direct missionary effort. - We have
reason to hope that her exertions though scanty are accompanied
by her fervent prayers & will be crowned with the divine
blessing. In presenting to you
we have acted from a
Christian world & to
cost you the pain in
writing it, we would
truth, that the Lord
this statement respecting Mr. Goodrich
sense of obligation to you to the
the great head of the church. - If it
reading, which we have experienced in
point you for consolation to the precious
reigneth & can bring good out of evil. -
Soon after we had all returned to the station which was the
11th of Aug. last an examination of schools was held at our
centre & two out churches. The two out churches are both about
�1127.
twelve miles distant from our place of residence, one
situated in the nearest border of Puna & the other in about
the centre of Hilo. They are well built & sufficiently
large. As they had just been finished, the occasion was
improved for their dedication to the great Jehovah. - After
the dedication service we proceeded to the examination of
schools & the result as compared with our last examination
stands on our regester as follows:
Districts of Hilo, Puna & Olaa
Jan'y
Sep'r
1832 "
Schools
81
85
Headers
1122 males 869 females - total 1991
1378
"
1135
"
2513
Increase 522
The state of these native schools is far different from what
is desirable & perhaps also quite different from what you
suppose. - If however you have recd the essay of Mr. Andrews
on the state of the schools, your views are now corrected.
What we term schools will not perhaps answer to that name in
any other part of the world. If you compare them with schools
in America you will form a very erroneous opinion. - But it is
needless to define the term school as used by us or minutely
to describe their present condition as you have doubtless re
ceived the communication of Mr Andrews.
What the schools are
in the districts under our care they are with little variation
throughout the Islands. - The most that can be said of the
qualifications of the teachers is that they read inteligibly. Of course they instruct their scholars in nothing but reading. And to this task they are quite inadequate as but few of them
indeed have just notions of correct reading. - The teachers
sustain themselves by their own labours, are not freed from
any of the taxations of the government & receive no stipulated
compensation for their services. The moral character required
of teachers is simply that they should be guilty of no crime
punishable by the civil government. Most of the scholars are adults who after labouring the former
part of the day spend an hour or two toward evening in school. In places distant from us five days in the week are appro
priated to schools, but in our immediate vicinity only four
as the people are expected to attend lecture on Wednesday at
the usual time of school. - There is a great irregularity in
attending school both on the part of the scholars & the
teachers. - This irregularity is owing to three causes, the
unsettled state of the people, who are constantly moving
from place to place & from Island to Island, the taxations of
the government which frequently call the people to the wilder
ness for months at a time, & the greatest of all & the one
most to be deplored, the indolence & disinclination of both
teachers & scholars. - Frequently the teacher blows his horn
but not a scholar makes his appearance & sometimes also the
scholars assemble but find no teacher who is absent from no
better reason than his own disinclination. - Especially im
mediately after examination the schools are almost entirely
neglected. This is owing in a great measure to an impression
�1128.
on the part of the scholars that if they can read a verse
at examination, though in a miserable manner, all is well,
& for this they can make preparation a few weeks privious
to the time they shall be called upon. - With some worthy
exceptions both teachers & scholars regard the schools as
a task rather than a pleasure. There is a diminution of
of interest which ought to have been anticipated with all
its attendant evils. - The teachers keep no register of
their scholars & even some of their "readers" they do not
see except at examination. As to those who are denominated
'’learners” their number is as variable as the wind & in our
opinion it is improper to mention them in our returns. For a system so defective we are endeavouring to substitute
another & as a preparatory step have established a school
for teachers which is taught principally by Mr. Lyman. By appointing two teachers to a school we are enabled to
have one of them constantly under our instruction. The
term of residence here is four months or until the next
examination when the present class will return to take
charge of their schools & those who at present have charge
of them will come here to enter the school then vacated. To provide for their sustenance while here we have procured
of the chiefs a spot of ground on which they are permitted
to build their houses & raise their food. - The studies to
which they are at present attending are reading, arithmetic
& geography. - We hope by instructing the teachers & training
them to industrious & regular habits to impart interest &
regularity to their schools. - We have sanguine expectations
that by the blessing of God such will be the result. Mr. & Mrs. Lyman have also a large school of females composed
of the wives of teachers & others whom they are instructing
in reading & arithmetic. - Mrs. Lyman is also teaching a
select class to write & another to draw maps. Mrs. Dibble has a school of about 40 children in which she
is much interested & respecting which she is much encouraged.
She also teaches a select class in Geography. - Our Schools
occupy many of our thoughts & much of our time. But we feel
that they are important & deserving of more attention than
they have hitherto recd. in this field of missionary labour .
With the Saviour's blessing they will be instrumental of much
good. See 29 Missionary Herald 237, July 1833.
Since the last report from this station no additions have
been made to the church & no individuals stand propounded for
admission. We lament over the coldness & indifference that
reigns & frequently sigh for such seasons as we hear of in
our beloved land. - O when will the Lord visit these shores
with the mighty influences of his Holy Spirit. O when will
the day of revivals dawn upon us!
We are willing to labour, to toil & die; -but to labour from
year to year without the evident smiles of the Saviour on our
�1129.
exertions - Oh! that is the burden which it is hard
to bear. - Asking an interest in your prayers & in the
prayers of the christian world, we subscribe ourselves,
Your Missionaries to the Heathen
Sheldon Dibble
D.B. Lyman
Ansd. April 19
Care of Mr. Goodrich, to be
read to the Committee.
Report of the station of Hilo.
Remarks on the Schools, not yet published.
Ackd. in Gen. Letter, April 13.
�1130.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 34
Kailua, Nov. 3d, 1832.
Rev. &
Dear Sir:
The news of the death of another Corresponding Secretary
even before he had open'd a correspondence with the missions
of the Board, appears to us a striking Providence that
warns us also to be ready for the coming of the Son of Man.
It is one of those mystries which are beyond human compre
hension, but doubtless has a meaning which we shall one day
understand. We desire to recognize every dispensation that
has a bearing on the cause of missions, as so many admoni
tions to us, to teach us whereon to place our true dependence.
Dr. Cornelius was not unknown to us, altho we had never com
municated with him in his official capacity. We all rejoiced
to learn that he was appointed to fill the post vacated by
the lamented Evarts, and admired the wisdom that fixed upon
him for that place. Still we doubt not there are others
qualified to carry on the detail of operations at the Mission
ary Rooms, and who enjoy the confidence of the missionaries
& the Christian public. Under this assurance it becomes us
not to despond, for He who has begun the good work will also
carry it on until the day of Redemption to the whole world.
It is not the death of this man or that which is to hinder
the progress of Divine truth, so long as there are any sons
or fathers of the church left to arise and catch their fall
ing mantles. The Lord takes those whom he loves to himself
when their work is done, but raises up others as from their
ashes to succeed to their labors & successes.
We still hold on the usual tenor of our course. Our time
continues to be filled up between preaching, translating and
instructing of schools. During the summer past there have
been considerable fluctuations of the numbers of our sabbathday hearers. On our return from the general meeting at
Oahu, we found the state of religious feeling very low, and
the congregation had diminished at least one half. After
some time however it began to increase until it attained
to about the usual number. N ow again for a few sabbaths
past, the attendance has been small, and there is much want
of seriousness apparent in many of whom we might expect
better things. We mention this manly as an instance of the
fickleness of an uncivilized people, who without any apparent
cause are at one time all seeming attention to the means of
grace & at another totally negligent of the great concern.
Since the removal of Gov. Adams an opportunity has been afford
ed us to ascertain how far an attendance upon religious
ordinances was the result of a governmental influence. Tho
the congregations have been more fluctuating than formerly,
and tho perhaps many have become remiss in attendance upon
religious things in consequence of there being no chief
present to stir them up to a general attention to their duties,
yet on the other hand if we take into consideration the
�1131.
the immense numbers that have followed him to Oahu, we
may perhaps safely infer that his abscense has not mater
ially affected the attendance of those who remain behind.
We have had no examination of schools during the summer
past as we supposed that under the present circumstances
examinations would be of little use. The former teachers
have mostly receded from their employ, and left the schools
to others over whom we have hitherto been able to exert very
little influence. The scholars too had learned all that
the teacher was capable of imparting, and supposing their
education completed had slackened their attention to books
and schools. The teachers who came into place of their
predecessor being on a par with the scholars have of course
very little of the influence necessary to keep up the atten
tion of the schools, and being themselves not so much under
our direct control as those who first began to teach the
schools generally have languished. For several of our last
general examinations we have been unable to discover any
very perceptible improvement. From the end of one examination
to within about 2 weeks of the arrival of another, the schools
would be wholly suspended. Then a special effort would be
made by the teachers to induce their scholars to come out
and prepare for the examination; and the attention of both
teacher and learners would be wholly directed to what they
considered would best show off, rather than to real improve
ment. Then in order to give the appearance of a large no. of
readers in a school, they would take immense pains to have
such as could not read, commit to memory a given portion,
as in their mind, answering the design of learning to read.
Often we were thus imposed upon by the teachers bringing for
ward such as readers, until we learnd the trick and took
measures to prevent its further recurrence. The plan we are
now persuing is to enlighten the new teachers by forming them
into a school under our own tuition, and thus qualifying them
in some degree for their work. But the same difficulties will
be constantly recurring so long as there is made no provision
to secure the responsibility of the teacher by providing for
his support. He is now dependent upon the gratuitous con
tributions of his scholars, and seeks rather to please than
benefit them, and where he has no friendly patron in the place,
he is obliged to get his food as he can, or rather he re
ceives little or no compensation for his services. The con
sequence is that his services become of very little value in
accomplishing the desired purpose. There are very few who
can be called good readers among them, who could edify a con
gregation as a reader, and so long as the present system
continues we can expect little more than indifferent success
in teaching or learning. The question will by & by come up,
how are those to be supported who are now educating at the
high school? If they are to be sent away without patronage
& means of support, they will never fulfil the designs of the
institution in educating them. With the exception of some
few attached to the chiefs, and who upon the complition of their
course will be taken into their employ, the greater part of
them will be thrown upon their own resources, and consequently
become discouraged from want of patronage, and return again
to their former obscurity. These are the persons to whom
�1132.
we are looking for our future assistants in teaching and
superintending the schools. But unless means be devised
for securing their attachment to our interests, we cannot
expect to avail ourselves of any efficient aid from them.
A small pecuniary compensation would probably be sufficient
for this purpose, and would secure them as efficient helpers
in all our plans of usefulness. But of this it may be well
to speak hereafter as a mission rather than a station.
Remainder of letter printed 29 Missionary Herald, 364,
October 1833.
To: Revd. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Ms. U.S. America.
From A.Bishop
A.Thurston
Ackd. in Gen. letter
April 30, 1833.
Ship 14 1/2
�1133.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part first
Letter 35
Lahaina Island of Maui,
November 15th, 1832.
To the Rev. Rufus Anderson,
One of the Secretaries of
the A.B.C.F.M.
Rev. & dear Sir:
We no longer write to him who has hitherto been our
guide & counsellor. We can no longer ask advice from
him, and he no longer needs nor can he receive informa
tion from us. The tears he shed over our pictures of
heathenism and human depravity are wiped away; and the
joy he felt when he heard of the extension of the Re
deemer's kingdom, he now participates with angels. We
trust that with the beloved disciple, he now rests his
weary head, on the bosom of Him, whom all heaven praises.
May his mantle, dear Sir, fall on you. & may we, as we
trust we shall, have equal reason to confide in your judg
ment, and listen to your direction & advice.
Another too, stationed by the churches as our. guardian &
our father, has gone his way, without opportunity to give
us one word of counsel, or ever receiving from us any
testimony of filial regard. But Zion's best friend still
lives, and never, not even while he was himself on earth,
has he been more active in promoting Zions welfare than
he is this day. While he lives we will never tremble for
Zions safety, and never greatly mourn, though he should
continue to take his most active and faithful servants
to be with him where he is. May we be prepared to follow
too, whenever he shall call.
While we would weep for the heathen at the removal of their
friends & benefactors, we would rejoice too with the saints,
in the prosperity which attends the Redeemers march through
our native land.
Next paragraph printed 29 Missionary Herald 261, Aug. 1833.
Though we know of no ship bound directly to the U.S.A. yet
it is quite time to have bur communications ready, lest the
whole season should pass without your having any inteligence
from our station. It is now nearly a year since our last
dates (29th Nov. 1831).
Since that time there has been considerable alteration in
the public affairs of the station and two of the families
present last year one now absent and two more have arrived
in their place. Mr. Shepard remained here until April of
the present year & then returned to Oahu. Mr. Tinker remained until the first of May, when in reference to the general
�1134.
meeting he availed himself of a good opportunity of going
to Honolulu, where hie family still remains.
The arrangements made at the general meeting you will
learn from the minutes of that meeting. We need therefore
only to say, that agreeable to those arrangements Mr. &
Mrs. Spaulding came on immediately and joined the station.
Mr. & Mrs. Hitchcock soon followed them and remained here
until the 7th Inst. when they removed to Kaluoaho on
Molokai. During their stay here, they devoted most of their
time to the study of the native language & Mr. H. preached
two or three times to the neighboring congregation. He
also assisted Mr. Spaulding in his daily school. During his
stay here he twice visited Molokai selected the spot for a
station, on which a good native home was erected by the chiefs.
As soon as finished he took possession of it and thus Molokai
is cut off from Its connection with this station.
Mr. Green also having taken up his residence at Wailuku,
has under his care about 25,000 of the 35,000 inhabitants
that were formerly connected with this station; and we have,
in our parish only about 11,500, instead of 43,000 as formerly.
Miss Ward came on here agreably to the arrangements at the
general meeting and is now engaged in her school on the hill,
two miles back of the principal village. Thus the members
of the station now consist of Mr. & Mrs. Richards, Mr. & Mrs.
Andrews, Mr. & Mrs. Spaulding, & Misses. Ogden & Ward. Dr.
Chapin & wife are also here at present and having no fixed
location may reside here until the next general meeting, unless
previously called to embark with a mission to the Washington
Islands.
While most of our number are, and have been, during the year,
in the enjoyment of good health, with others it has been
quite different.
The health of Mr. Spaulding is quite delicate, though perhaps
not threatning. After becoming a little more accustomed to
the climate he may yet enjoy as good health here as he
usually enjoyed in his native land. Similar remarks may
apply to Mrs. Spaulding. She is at present quite feeble,
though not entirely laid aside from active and useful em
ployment. There is not yet much evidence that either of
them suffers materially from the climate.
Mrs. Chapin is also feeble and has had two or three danger
ous attacks of violent disease, but we have reason to hope
that she too may yet enjoy good health. The rest of our
number are all well and have generally been so, during
the year except Mr. Richards.
On the first Monday in March he was attacked by what at first
appeared like a violent cold, but after two or three days
assumed the character of rheumatic fever, or Acute Rheumatism.
His first attack was much relieved by the prompt use of
energetic means, but one evening being suddenly informed
that our most valued pupil and teacher, David Malo, was
�1135.
lying apparently lifeless, Mr. R. ran, immediately to
his aid. He revived and was soon well. But Mr. R. took
fresh cold from the dampness of the evening, and the
following day was confined to his bed and exercised with
severe rheumatic pain. The disorder contined to increase
in violence until the 14th when the chiefs became so anxious
that they of their own accord proposed to send a vessel to
Oahu for a physician. The proposition was most gratefully
received and the vessel sailed immediately.
Dr. Judd was absent, on a visit at Kauai. But Dr. Rook,
a resident, English physician, most kindly offered his
services, for which we ought and trust we ever shall feel
truly grateful. He arrived on the 17th, but the disease
continued to baffle the severest remedies which he used,
so that on the 21st the chiefs proposed to send to Kauai
for Dr. Judd. -Though we placed confidence in Dr. Rook
as a physician, yet as it was inconvenient for him to remain
a length of time we were again glad to accept their proposition,
Sc the vessel sailed for Kauai but met Dr. Judd at Oahu and
arrived with him. at this place on the 23d. The violence of
his disease however was expended and from the 22nd his con
valescence was visible, though weeks some times intervened
without any material change. 16 was not until the first of
Sept. able to enter fully on the duties of his station; His
health, is now good, and his prospect for health in future
is perhaps not much affected by his past sickness. Having spoken of the health of our number we proceed to give
you some account of our labours.
All the regular religious services spoken of in our former
communications have been continued during the past year.
While Mr. R. was laid aside from his labours Mr. Andrews was
in some degree taken off from his duties in the High School,
as on him devolved most of the public preaching during
Mr. R.'s sickness. In this he was assisted by Mr. Tinker during
the first two months, but afterward was left alone. During the
months of Jan. & Feb. we regularly had two congregations on
the sabbath and sometimes three. Neither of these congregations
was often less than 2000, and generally larger. The reason
of this was, that all the people of the island were called
together for publick labour, so that the whole number of people
in Lahaina during those months was probably not less than 20,000.
Remained of letter printed 29 Missionary Herald 261, August 1833.
From William Richards, Lorrin Andrews,
Ephraim Spaulding, Alonzo Chapin.
�1136.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 35 1/2
Lahaina, Island of Maui
Sandwich Islands, Nov. 27th, 1832.
To the Rev. Rufus Anderson, one of
the Cor. Sec. of the A.B.C.F.M.
Very dear Sir:
We forwarded to you the general letter of this station, by
the ship, Young Phenix, N.Bedford, which sailed from this
place yesterday morning. As it was a good opportunity we
were unwilling to lose it and closed that letter without
refering to all the subjects we had contemplated. There is
one question proposed in your general letter to the mission
which we ought to have answered ere then. We refer to the
subject of fixed salaries instead of the common stock system.
Persons situated as we are can not fail to see and feel
some disadvantages resulting necessarily, from the manner in
which we now receive our support. There is every year consid
erable expense incurred for articles which some of our families
consider almost useless, while at the same time we are des
titute of articles which some individuals feel to be almost
indispensable. There is something unpleasant too. in feeling
that we are watched, especially in things which to the in
dividual may appear of trifling importance. There is something
unpleasant in the thought of being dependant on the judgement
of another, and perhaps one whose judgement we may not consider
as superior to our own. It would also be agreable to our
feelings to have something which we could call our own - some
thing which we could give our children. We now can neither
give nor receive a present, except in a limited sense, for we
are acting as agents for others, we are not acting for our
selves. We see and feel that we are exposed to make a lavish
use of what is put into our hands, and we some times blame
ourselves in this respect. We clearly see that great evils
might result from the present system, but we speak from strong
conviction when we say, these evils do not now in fact exist,
and we see no practicable means of remedying the inconven
iences we now feel.
We do not now receive from America any greater amount of
supplies, than we should wish ourselves to purchase, had we
fixed salaries; though we might in some instances purchase a
different kind of articles. Were purchases to be made here
our supplies would be nearly twice as expensive as they now are,
so that our salaries must be high, or we must have agents to
do our business and in that case we know of none we should
wish to substitute for Levi Chamberlain & Henry Hill Esq.
According to our present system, our business is so much done
by agents, and the necessary plans are so much laid by others
that we, as far as support is concerned are almost free from
secular cares.
�1137.
Our support is now brought to our doors in general in the
very articles we wish to consume. In this respect we con
sider our situation a most happy one, and here we would
exchange it for no other we can conceive. B ut should we
have the salaries put into our hands from which to procure
our support, it must occupy a great deal of our time, or
else we must have salaries so high as to be much more ex
pensive to the Board than we are now. We could not separately
prooure our support so cheap, as it is now procured for us
in common through Mr. Chamberlain.
Thoughwe may now some times fail in economy and self denial,
where we should not if we had fixed salaries, yet we sincere
ly believe this loss to the Board is far less, than the value
of time which would be required to manage our salaries our
selves. We do sincerely believe too that much more would
be to be feared from a secular spirit, in case of salaries,
(hole in paper) now to be feared from a disposition to (hole)
the bounties of the Board.
We are well aware that much does and always must depend on
the character of the secular agent. With our agent you are
well acquainted, and we unhesitatingly say, that while he
remains, we should both in regard to ourselves and in regard
to the funds of the Board, strongly deprecate any material
change in our present system of support.
With high respect, and esteem, we remain. Rev. & dear Sir
Your devoted missionaries
William Richards
Lorrin Andrews
Ephraim Spaulding
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F .M.
Mission Rooms, Boston U.S.A.
Received May 6, 1833.
Salaries
Ack. in Gen. letter Oct. 30.
�1138
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 36
Waialua Oahu Decb. 3, 1832.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Ast. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Boston, Mass.
United States.
From E.W. Clark
J.S.Emerson
Received May 6, 1833.
Station at Waialua, on Oahu.
Ackd. in Gen. Letter Oct. 30.
This letter printed 29 Missionary Herald 365 October 1833.
�1139.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 37
Honolulu, Decr. 11th, 1832.
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Very dear Sir:
In your letter received by the last reinforcement were some
remarks respecting the sale of native books; in reference
to which, the subject of "Disposal of native books" was
brought the General meeting, and a committee appointed to
consider the subject and report upon it to the meeting.
This report is continued in the minutes of the last General
meeting, which have been forwarded.
Having been appointed to address the Board on the general
subject of selling books we now enter upon the duty assigned
us.
By the letter written last year upon the subject of new plans
for book making, you will have perceived that the business
of selling books is an important as well as complicated one.
It is the present opinion of this mission that the disposal
of books for a compensation, except in particular cases, is
a preferable mode to that of giving them away. The reasons
for our opinion are the following. The people are naturally
indolent and fond of begging; whatever, therefore, has a
tendency to destroy this habit, is beneficial: - in general,
books would be more valued and better taken care of for
having been purchased: - moreover, the people would be made
to feel that books, as well as other property, cannot be
acquired without effort, a feeling which they must necissarily
be brought to exercise, before they will, to any considerable
extent, be an enlightened people; for who is to supply them
as a nation with books?
Having settled the point that it is not best as a general
thing or to any very great extent, to give away our books, the
manner in which we shall dispose of them so as to secure in the
end the greatest amount of good, becomes an important inquiry.
It is to gain light on this point, as well as to impart in
formation respecting our practice, and to give some hints as
to future results that this letter has been commenced, as well
as to fulfill an appointment
the General Meeting.
The extent of the field is one thing to be looked at; but you
need no new information respecting this: you have measured
the distance between Hawaii and Kauai; and all the islands in
the group and the stations situated upon them are familiar to
you. Oahu is the island where the press is located, and here
it is more conveniently situated for carrying on the printing
business than it could be at any other place. Honolulu being
the principal port vessels bring supplies stop here and dis
charge their xxxxx lading.# This station then being the re#See last sheet of letter.
�1140.
ceiving post and most advantageously situated for distribu
ting among the stations what may have bee received for the
mission, it is the best place for carrying on our printing
operations. We do not say that another establishment in
another island will not in process of time become expedient;
but at present we think all the printing in the islands can
be done here more economically, as to pecuniary expense and
labor of missionaries, than it could be d one, if the work
were divided - part performed here and part at some other
station.
These allusions to the extent of the field, the situation of
the islands and the location of this press at Oahu are made
as it is thought they have a bearing upon a subject which is
to be introduced into this letter: namely, a Book store or
store for the sale of Stationery.
In order to secure the greatest good in the distribution of
our books such a division of them must be made as to place
them in the reach of those who are able to read. That is,
the division of books from the general deposit must be such
as to give each station a share for distribution bearing a
proportion to the number of readers or learners that a ll
under the superintendence of the station.
Our present plan of division is as follows:
Kauai6/40 of the whole number of books printed.
Oahu
7 1/2/40
Maui &c
9 1/2/40
Kailua
3 1/2/40
Kaawaloa
4 1/2/40
Waimea
4/40
Hilo
5/40
To make the books subservient to our support is an object
never lost sight of by the members of the different stations.
Whenever books can be turned so as to save other articles
of support the opportunity of doing it is improved. In this
way much expense has been saved to the mission and our
comfort greatly promoted, while books have been placed in
the hands of multitudes who on any other plan of disposal
except a gratuitous one would have remained destitute.
We will now state how books are disposed of at the different
stations and what are the articles received for them. After
the general division of the books and their reception at the
several stations each family takes as many of the different
kinds as is judged needful, and they are then made use of
by the families in the manner that is most agreeable, for the
purchase of such things as natives bring along and to get work
done: and no small share of this business is performed by
the lady of the family. Some are given away according to the
discretion of the family of person applied to: the elementary
book is always furnished teachers gratuitously for such
scholars as need it. At some of the stations books are com
mitted into the hands of trustworthy teachers to give out to
their scholars for wood, kapa, mats and articles which when
�1141.
received will be likely to turn to some good. Some of these
teachers reside in distant parts of the island and it is not
easy to secure for the avails a conveyance to the missionary
station: and the articles collected for the books would not
in general be worth enough to charter a vessel to go after
them. Some of the books are given out to teachers to be
sold for cash; but $10 worth sometimes remain in the hands of
a teacher one year or more without a return except of a few
dollars; - some he trusts out and never gets pay for. One
reason why money is so seldom paid for books is that very
little is in circulation in places remote from the port, another is that it is very highly valued as a means of purchas
ing clothing, handkerchiefs, & c of traders. And the reason
why so little is in circulation among the common people gen
erally is that the chiefs are constantly laying taxes to
gather it up for their own use. Aside from this the common
people have very little if anything to sell that will command
money.
Those who live at a distance from the port have not even the
small means of getting money which those have who can carry
a hog, goat, fowl, dozen of eggs, bunch of kalo, potatoes,
onions, cabbages, mess of beans, a little green corn or some
thing else to market; and it is only from the sale of such
things to the shipping & residents, and the sale of poi &
fish to natives who are obliged to buy, and working for for
eigners and on board ships and a few other ways, that any
money can be obtained.
At all the stations such vegetables & fruit as the land pro
duces are offered to us for books, also goats, pigs, fowls,
eggs, &c; but these are generally very poor, and are not
much esteemed by us for eating, except the latter: - mats at
most or all the stations can be obtained: these answer a
good purpose for flooring native houses & for partitions:
but they are not very durable for floors.
At Kauai the missionaries have used their division of books
to very good advantage in carrying forward their buildings:
but this work being nearly completed at the station, books will
not hereafter be turned to so good account. Goats may
probably be procured, and goat skins for tanning; also laborers
employed to cultivate land and erect enclosures, from the
products of which support may be derived to the station.
While the present number of families remain at Oahu the
division for this island, unless the number printed is in
creased, may be employed to pretty good advantage towards
the support of the families in procuring vegetables, fuel,
building materials for native houses & c - paying for work
in our yards & around our enclosures, building mud walls &c.
The division for the new station at Waialua is about one
quarter of the division for the whole island, and may for
several years be employed to very good account for the support
of the station so far as those things are concerned usually
received for books.
�1142.
The articles received at Maui & Molokai correspond in
general to those which are received at Oahu. Wood is
an article paid for hooks in some parts of the island,
for which if a market could be obtained at the places
where it is collected, as it would not pay freight to
go after it, much greater advantage would be derived
than is at present the case. Native kapa - what is
called the pau. is another article: but sale cannot be
obtained for it to any great extent.
On Hawaii besides vegetables and small articles needed
in the families, mamaki kapa and fire wood are received
for books. The mamaki kapa is received at all the stations;
this is one of the most valuable articles paid for books.
Wood also sufficient for the use of the families is received
at all the stations, and at Hilo & Kaawaloa, in considerable
quantities, and it is sometimes exchanged with ships for
lamp oil and other articles needed. Arrow-root has been
collected at Hilo, and the secular agent sold in one instance
2000 lbs. to a trader at 6 cents per lb. The natives can
procure this article easily, and they seem to prefer it to
any other to pay for their books with.
Kapa and arrow root
may be sent to the general depository for a market: but to
remove wood to the depository, the expense would in general
be too great to justify the measure.
The sale of native kapa and pau is slow, a large quantity
was forwarded from Hawaii in March 1831; and though the Agent
committed it into the hand of native agents to sell, not
much more than one half of the quantity has been disposed
of, - and only $553.50 received.
The mission feel that it is desirable that the clergymen
of the different stations should be released from having
anything to do with selling books; but we do not see how
they can be released from the superintendence of the business.
The secular men of the mission are necessarily confined to
one station and if one of them should remove to Lahaina, still
at all the stations except Honolulu and Lahaina, the direction
of the business must devolve upon clergymen. The distance
between the stations is so great that the secular agents
could not take the business off their hands, nor aid in the
disposal of books, except at the stations where they are
located.
The report of the committee on "Disposal of books", presented
at the General Meeting in June last, - see Minutes, p. 22,
will make you acquainted with the view of the subject as
taken by the Mission generally. The appointment of one of
the secular men to superintend the collecting and disposing
of avails of books as suggested was not acted upon. It was
known that this business would naturally devolve upon one
of the men, and it was not considered of importance to
designate which.
It has sometimes appeared to us desirable that the whole
business of selling books should be in other hands than the
missionaries; but there seem to us many and strong reasons
�Those in favor of the business being out of our hands
are 1st Our having so much to do with trading has a
tendency to make us secular & selfish in our feelings;
and 2nd It exposes us to reproach. The traffic in a
certain sense exposes us to temptation. We are tempted
to contrive ways to get comforts and to make better our
accommodations, which, if we had not books to dispose of,
we should not feel justified to do. But even this, if
it do not make us selfish & injure the missionary spirit,
is a seeming rather than a real evil, or argument against
having the advantage under our control. If having comforts
& conveniences is compatible with our condition as mission
aries; and if the acquiring or possessing of them does not
interfere with the exercise of that self-denying and devoted
spirit, which our having given ourselves to the cause, pre
supposes, then it can be proved, that time is saved & the
missionarie's usefulness promoted, by what, at first sight,
appears to be an evil. The principal reason in favor of
our having the whole business under our control, is, that
the way in which we dispose of books is better adapted to
the pecuniary state of the people, than any plan of dis
posal that persons differently interested would be likely
to devise, and of course books would be more widely & pro
miscuously circulated. A subordinate reason is that the
missionaries can employ a great many books profitably towards
their support, and the lessening of the expenses of the
mission. It seems essential to the prosperity of the cause
that the mission should, for the present, at least, have the
direction of the distribution: if not the entire direction,
yet to a great extent the direction: not that it is so necessary
that the avails of books should be disposed of by them. If
a Book seller were to take the business into his own hands
entirely, he would not make it an object to disperse the books
throughout the islands, in proportion to the number of learners
without regard to profit. He would sell his books where he
could find the best market or get the best pay, and he would
not be willing to take articles which he could not turn to some
good account. But it is very obvious that among all the
families of the mission, scattered through the islands and so
in want of buildings and yards & conveniences, that a great
many things would turn to good account with them, which could
not be so turned by a trader.
If an enterprising, pious man could be found, who would be
willing to run some risk to establish himself in business at
the islands, in order to benefit the natives by selling to
them stationery, and all articles pertaining to writing and
books, we think it would be a very laudable and praiseworthy
adventure. On this subject, however, we feel that it behooves
us to speak with caution. Views are entertained in America
which would justify high expectations: but how fully they would
be realised we venture not to predict. We think that expecta
tions should not be too much raised with respect to such an
enterprise: and yet it can hardly be presumed that any one will
embark in it without some prospect of success.
It is very certain if the work of improvement in the islands
is to go on, the means for its continuance must be in the
�1144.
possession of the people. Paper, writing books, quills,
penknives, pencils, inkstands, ink, slates, books in their
own language and such like articles will be made use of
and will be in demand: but whether the people will have
money, and the disposition to employ it, for the purchase
of these articles, is a question. Many or all of the above
articles are offered for sale by the traders but it is not
probable that very much money is received for them. It is
but a very little money that the natives pay us for books:
we should receive more probably, if our books were larger
and were well bound. If we had the New Testament to dispose
of, we might sell a considerable number of copies in a short
time for cash, provided we would not take anything else for
them; but if we had a great number of copies, and were willing
to take such things as the natives generally bring along, or
which they can furnish more easily than money, they would
withhold money. If we had at our disposal an edition of the
New Testament or of the whole Bible, to sell at a reasonable
rate - say 50 cents for a N.Testament & $1.50 for a Bible, we
could sell for cash a certain number of copies very readily:
but after those persons are supplied who can obtain money
without very great difficulty, the sale would be dull, & drag
slowly if not stop, unless we would receive other things; but
we must remove from our place as missionaries, if we engage in
trafficking in wood, and live stock, & other things that the
islands produce or might be made to produce, to sell to traders
or to the shipping, on so large a scale as we should be obliged
to do, to sell 20,000 copies of the Bible and 20,000 copies of
New Testament - If those were the only books we had to dispose
of to the people, in this ease, we could appropriate a great
amount of produce to the support of the families: but it is
probable that we shall always have small books - such as
Scripture tracts & Catechisms, Geographies & Arithmetics with
which to supply our families with such things for our support
as books will furnish.
If a Book seller of the right Character should be willing to
establish himself in business at the Sandwich Islands, the
mission might be disposed to make an arrangement with him of
the following kind:
The division of books for the stations having been made ac
cording to the number of scholars coming under the superinten
dence of each, and the families of the different stations having
been supplied with as many books as may be deemed needful for
their support respectively, the residue shall be disposed of to
the Bookseller at a price w hich shall be estimated sufficient to
cover the cost, including a reasonable compensation for the work
of translating & making the books. The books are supposed to
be at the stations; - after having been transferred, they shall
be disposed of in the different divisions of the islands, as
is the case with books now, for such articles as the dealer shall
see best to receive, the mission relinquishing the privilege
of selling, except for such things as are needed in the families
for support; or to pay for such work to be performed at the sta
tions as books will pay for. The missionaries will be willing
to afford assistance in disposing of books, so far as they can
do it consistently, particularly for the sake of getting books
�1145.
into circulation. But it will be a concern of the
dealer to collect the avails of books from the different
divisions of the islands, when they shall have been received,
& to dispose of them after they are collected as may be for
his interest, without any care or responsibility on the
part of the mission.
It would be needful for the dealer to have an efficient
agent at every one of our stations, unless some of the stations
should require the whole division for the station, for
personal support. Several provisions would be needful to be
made in order to have a good understanding between the
parties; and after all, there would be many objections to the
plan.
We have thought of another plan: let the book seller be a
Book binder well acquainted with the business and well pro
vided with means for carrying it on. The mission would dis
pose of books generally as they do now; and will commit into
his hands all the avails of books which we can collect in
the prosecution of our present plan of disposal, this part
of the business being under the direction of the secular agent,the. dealer to sell them on commission or his own account as
the parties could agree. The reasons why he should be a
Book-binder are 1st.He would probably get much business in the
way of binding books, if he had the stock; and 2nd.He would
confer a great favor upon the nation; for it is not in the
power of the mission, in the present state of things, to bind
books to any great extent as they ought to be bound. If
there was a man established at the islands in the Book binding
business, a great number of persons in the different islands
might be induced to collect their loose books, and send them
to be bound; and for this work good pay, we think, would be
rendered. A strong reason why the business of binding books
should be going on to a considerable extent, is, that it would
promote industry and be aiding in the work of civilization.
Goat skins can be obtained in great abundance here, and they
might be tanned with as little expense, if proper works were
erected, as they could be tanned in America. Pasteboard also
could be manufactured out of kapa; so that an enterprising man
might perhaps be able to get into operation three branches
of business, not only for his own advantage, but the advantage
of the nation; and it may be he would find out, that paper
can be manufactured here with less expense than it can be im
ported, which would be an invaluable service to the nation, pro
vided measures could be taken for carrying the discovery into
successful operation.
With sentiments of very great respect We are, Dear Sir, Your
friends & Servants,
Levi Chamberlain
Gerrit P. Judd.
Received May 4, 1833.
On the disposal of Books.
Aokd. in Gen. Letter Oct. 30#This is true as a general thing, though vessels bearing a small
amount of freight might land the articles at Lahaina. At Hilo
freight might be landed; but it would not be convenient
to distribute supplies from those stations.
�1146.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 38
Honolulu, Decr. 27, 1832.
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Asso. Secy. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston.
Very dear Sir:
You will have been apprized, before this reaches you, of
the visit which has been made by a deputation of this mission,
to the Society & Washington islands; and you will naturally
desire to know what further steps this mission will be able
to take towards accomplishing the wishes of the Board, in
regard to the establishment of a Mission in the last mentioned
islands. It is to give you what information we are able
on this subject, that this communication has been commenced.
The deputation returned to this place on the 17th of November,
and on the 22nd, the brethren at this station Via. the Rev.
Messrs. Bingham, Whitney, Clark, Tinker, Armstrong & Alexander,
Dr. Judd & Messrs. Chamberlain, Johnstone, Shepard & Rogers,
met as a Committee of the Mission, for the purpose of determining
on the expediency of occupying the Washington islands as a
missionary field.
The meeting having been organized, by choosing a moderator
& scribe, the brethren of the deputation made a statement re
specting their visit to the Washington islands, and read a
resolution of the brethren of the Society islands, as follows:
Viz.
"Resolved, that our American brethren be recommended to wait
till we hear from England on the subject of the Marquesian
Mission: but if this be impracticable, that they occupy one
group of the islands, leaving the other for our missionaries,
should any be sent for that field of labor; and further, in
case none be sent, that they should occupy the whole.
Signed G. Pritchard,
dated
in behalf of the brethren."
Tahiti Sep. 4 ,1832.
It will be seen by the minutes of the last general meeting,
that four of our number were designated for the Washington
Islands, Viz. the Rev. Messrs. Tinker, Armstrong & Alexander
& Dr. Chapin, and that Mr. Tinker's appointment admitted of his
return to the Sandwich Islands, if he should desire to return.
It will be proper to state here, that the health of Mr. Chapin
was such, as to render it very doubtful whether it would be
safe for her to undertake a voyage for a considerable length
of time, & the circumstances of Mr. Tinker's family such, as to
preclude his embarking immediately, unless he left his family
behind. It was under these circumstances, that the brethren
�1147.
who had met together for consultation, entered upon the
consideration of the subject of ft mission to the Washington
islands.
The information respecting the friendly disposition of the
natives of those islands, as communicated by the deputation,
& the objections of our English brethren to our taking the
field immediately, having received due consideration, the
following resolutions were unanimously adopted.
"The Committee constituted by the mission to decide on the
expediency of establishing a mission at the Washington islands,
having heard the report of the deputation, and attentively
noticed the leadings of Providence, are agreed in the following
resolutions, as expressive of our present views on the subject:
Viz.
1. R esolved, that the report of the deputation to the Southern
islands is, on the whole, favorable to the object of the
American Board to fit out a Mission from the Sandwich to the
Washington islands./
2. Resolved, that the recommendation of our brethren in the
South, to wait till they hear from England, or till March or
June next, though it is entitled to consideration, is not
sufficient to justify such a delay of the mission to the
Washington islands, provided the persons designated by the
general meeting, for that service, feel themselves, all things
considered, ready to engage in it sooner.
3rd. Resolved, That as there is a prospect of obtaining a
Speedy and reasonable passage for a mission to the Washington
islands, and the chiefs & people there are expecting and desirous
to receive some of our number immediately, and are now in a
favorable posture, it is desirable that the mission proceed
without delay, provided a medical man can be one of the number,
either as a permanent member of that mission, or as a pioneer
and helper for a year.
4th . Resolved, That for the needed medical helper, the mission
look first to Dr. Chapin, and consult him freely, and, if he
cannot go, that, with the approbation of the brethren at
Maui & Hawaii, application be made to Mr. Baldwin, and if he
cannot make up his mind to go, after a free consultation with
our deputation, that the invitation be given to Dr. Judd; and should he still feel, that the obvious reasons against his
going are too strong, - then, if all our medical men fail, we
must in consequence of this fact, in connexion with advice from
the South, recommend a postponement of that Mission till the
general meeting in June, unless existing obstacles be sooner
removed, - being unwilling, as a committee, to assume the
responsibility of voting to establish the mission under present
circumstances, without the advantage of medical aid.
The appointment of Mr. Tinker for one year, to return to
these islands, if he chose, after the expiration of that time,
was made the subject of discussion; and a majority of the
brethren expressed their opinion, that he should go permanently
to the Washington islands, rather than temporarily.
�1148.
The Rev. Mr. Armstrong & Dr. Judd were appointed a
deputation to visit the brethren at the windward agreeable
to our resolution. They sailed for Lahaina on the 27th of
November, and, as soon as practicable after their arrival,
convened the brethren. Mr. Green having arrived from
Wailuku, and Mr. Hitchcock from Molokai, a meeting was
organized, consisting of the Rev. Messrs. Richards, Andrews,
Green, Hitchcock & Spaulding & Dr. Chapin, & the Rev. Mr.
Armstrong & Dr. Judd of the deputation. The proceedings of
the Committee of the Mission which had been convened at
Honolulu, were read, & the 1 & 2nd resolutions of their
report were unamimously adopted as the sentiments of the
meeting. The 3rd resolution was amended by striking out the
proviso relating to a medical man, and inserting the follow
ing: "Provided all the number appointed last June are ready,
or substitutes can be found to supply their place.,- Instead
of the 4th resolution, the following was substituted: Viz,
"Having consulted Dr. Chapin according to the recommendation
of our brethren at Oahu, and he and Dr. Judd having given their
united opinion that it is altogether unsafe for Mrs. Chapin
to embark at present, therefore, voted:
That we agree with our brethren at Oahu, that we must now
look to brother Baldwin. We are of opinion, however, that,
unless Mr. Baldwin can make up his mind to go, now, as a
permanent missionary, that in that case, the whole subject
had better be deferred until the general meeting of the mission,
and for the following reasons;
1st There is reason to hope, that, before that time, Mrs.
Chapin will so recover her health as to be able to go: and it
would be far better to have a permanent physician than to
accept the services of one for a year, and risk the expense
of an exchange, at a future period.
2nd. It is undesirable that Mr. Baldwin's connexion with his
people should be dissolved, unless some other person can take
his place as a permanent missionary, particularly as he is
the elder missionary at the station.
3rd. The request of our brethren at the South, that we wait
till they hear from London, although not of itself sufficient
to justify a delay, is, nevertheless, worthy of consideration
in connexion with the various obstacles which lie in the way
of an immediate establishment.
4th The health, both of Mr. Tinker's and Mr. Alexander's
family, is now so delicate, as to present quite an obstacle
to their sailing until about June.
5th. We shall undoubtedly receive from the Board an answer
to our letter, in which we stated some obstacles in the way
of a mission to the Washington islands.
6th. In case missionaries should be sent from London to the
Marquesas proper, we, considering the limited population of
the group, should think it very undesirable for an American
�1149.
mission to be located on the Washington islands; and as
we shall know before the general meeting, we think this a
considerable reason why we should wait until that time.
In regard to Mr. Tinker, the following resolution was
adopted:
"Whereas, Mr . Tinker was allowed, by a vote of the mission
last June, to return from the mission to which he was
appointed, in case he should, at the end of the year, think
it advisable, and, whereas, he has requested our opinion on
that subject, therefore, Revolved,
That we,considering the present circumstances of his family,
deem it inexpedient for him to go at all, unless it is his
design to remain permanently. Further than this, we do not
deem it proper to give advice in this meeting, but rather
that each individual of our number be at liberty to express
his private views at his discretion".
On the general subject of the mission, the brethren further
expressed their views, as follows: "Resolved,
That in case the mission to the Washington islands be delayed
until General meeting, we deem it a matter of importance,
that it sail as early as possible after that meeting; and
we therefore recommend to all the persons appointed on the
mission, to be ready to embark as early as possible after the
arrangements shall have been made by the Committee already
appointed.
We also recommend to Dr. Chapin to hold free correspondence,
with Mr. Baldwin respecting Mrs. Chapin's health, so that in
case Mrs. Chapin should be unable to embark next June, Mr.
Baldwin may be previously informed, and thus be prepared to
give answer to any call of the General meeting in relation
to this subject".
The deputation having finished their business at Lahaina,
they embarked for Hawaii.
The opportunity of visiting Waimea was improved both by
Dr. Chapin & Mr. Spaulding to remove their families thither,
in the hope that the salubrity of the atmosphere will prove
beneficial to restore the wasted strength of their wives.
The vessel anchored at Kawaihae, and the families were con
veyed as speedily as possible to Waimea.
On the arrival of the deputation, the subject of a physician
was presented to Mr. Baldwin for his consideration; and,
to the application, after due attention to it, he returned
the following answer:
"To the committee for the Marquesas Mission, at Honolulu,
Dear brethren,
The members of the mission who met at Lahaina, having decided
�1150.
that Dr. Chapin cannot embark for the Marquesas at present,
your Deputation have laid before me the proposal of going
with that mission, as their physician. After a free con
sultation on the subject, the substance of my reply to them
is as follows:
1st. Considering my location in this field, I think it ought
not to be broken up, without good reasons.
2nd. There seem to be several reasons, aside from the question
of a physician, which call for a delay of the Marquesas Mission,
and therefore, the call for me to leave this field immediately
does not come with so great weight.
3rd. My knowledge of medicine is partial, and I oannot supply
the place of one who is regularly trained, & whose mind is
mainly devoted to the subject.
4th. There are yet some hopes, that Mrs. Chapin's health will
be such that she can go, after some months, to the Marquesas.
5th. After spending 34 years in preparing for my work, and
having just begun that work, I feel very reluctant to spend
another year in mere preparation, without actual labor.
6th. It seems especially undesirable for me to enter again
upon a new language, as my best time for learning languages
is past.
7. I have thought myself better adapted to this field than
to one entirely new. - and
8. Such also seems to have been the opinion of the Board.
In view of all these circumstances, I cannot think it my duty
to leave this field & to go as physician to the Marquesas Mission,
without the most imperious necessity; a necessity which it
does not seem to me will exist, till it is ascertained, another
physician cannot be procured.
You may perhaps think, if I am not qualified for a physician
to the few families of the new mission, I cannot be competent
to all the duties assigned me at this station. But I do not
feel the responsibility resting on me here, in regard to medical
wants, to be as great as it would be at the Marquesas islands,
& for the following reasons.
1. The families of this island have been so long at a distance
from a physician, that they have acquired much skill in mild
complaints; and proper attention to these often prevents those
of the most serious kind.
2. Obstetrical oases. - the physician at Oahu might sometimes
be obtained, or patients might resort to that place as hereto
fore; especially in cases, where difficulty or danger was to
be apprehended.
3. In all cases of Chronic disease, (which are by far the most
difficult oases in practice,) the aid, or at least advice, of
the principal physician of the islands, may always be obtained.
I think I am following the path of duty now, in declining the
proposal made to me; and I cannot but think also, that I shall
have the approbation of my brethren in so doing. Whatever
�1151.
Providence may open before us, as duty, in future, I hope,
we shall he willing both to see & to do it.
Yours sincerely,
signed
D. Baldwin.
After receiving Mr. Baldwin's answer, the deputation proceeded
to Kailua, where the brethren of Kona; Viz. the Rev. Messrs.
Thurston, Bishop & Forbes & Mr. Ruggles, met and took into
consideration the subject of a mission to the Washington
islands, as it had been deliberated upon by the brethren at
Honolulu and Lahaina; and after a free discussion of the resolu
tions contained in the minutes of their proceedings, as read
by the deputation, they resolved unanimously, as follows:
"That we adopt the first & second resolutions expressed by
our Oahu brethren, and the several resolutions adopted and
the reasons given by our Lahaina brethren, on the subject of
the mission appointed for the Washington islands, as expressive
of our opinion on that subject."
The deputation having now accomplished all that they were
able to accomplish by their visit to the windward, prepared
to return to Honolulu; where they arrived on the 19th of
December, having been absent 22 days. - The committee again
met, and adopted the following resolution: Viz.
Having heard the report of the deputation appointed to confer
with our brethren at the windward, and considered the obstacles
to an immediate establishment of a mission to the Washington
islands, as expressed in the minutes of their proceedings;
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the
subject should be postponed till further light is thrown
upon it, or till a general meeting of a mission shall resume
it.
And now, dear Sir, having presented before you a history of
our proceedings, in the investigation of of present duty in
regard to the establishment of a mission to the Washington
islands, we beg to offer a concluding remark.
The subject of a mission to those islands, to be commenced
from these islands as recommended by Mr. Evarts in his letter
received by the New England, has engaged much of our attention,
and has been the occasion of much solicitude, lest on account
of the difficulty of the subject, and the darkness which has
seemed at all times to hang over it, we should fail to find
out the divine will; and fail also to meet the expectations
of the Board & Christian public, who, we know, feel a deep
interest in the establishing of a mission there from these
islands.
If the Lord will, we hope that three or four of our number
will embark for the Washington islands next summer. But a
cloud still rests upon the prospect, which must be removed
before we shall feel that the Lord would have us go forward.
It is our earnest prayer that we may have the divine guidance.
�1152.
and that no one of us may mistake our duty.
Should the mission be established from these islands, it
must be cast upon your fostering care; as the expense
of sustaining it from these islands would be too great to
justify the measure, and the uncertainty of our being
able to do it with effect, too great to admit of our
brethren relying upon us.
Should the mission, after all, fail, it is our opinion,
that the expense which has been incurred for the survey,
should, by no means, be regarded as lost: the information
which has been gained by the visit, both with respect to
the Society as well as the Marquesas islands, is sufficient,
of itself, to compensate for all the expense.
We are, dear Sir,
Yours, in the fellowship of the Gospel,
H . Bingham
E.W .Clark
Reuben Tinker
Levi Chamberlain
Gerrit P. Judd
Andrew Johnstone
Stephen Shepard
E.H.Rogers
#
#Richard Armstrong
Wm . P. Alexander absent
having sailed for Hilo on a visit.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Asso. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Received April 26, 1833.
Ackd. to Mr. Chamr. by way of Valparaiso, May 14
�1153.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 39
Copy of Instructions to the deputation appointed to visit
the Society and Washington Islands. Not copied.
�1154 .
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 40
Report of the Deputation to the Georgian, Society, and
Marquesas Islands.
Not copied.
�1155.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 41
Extract of a letter from Messrs. H. Bingham, Wm. Richards
& Saml Whiting to Rev. Wm. Ellis For. Secy. Lond. M. Sec.
Dated Lahuini.M a u i . J u n e
1 5 ,
1 8 3 1 .
"It is a matter of regret to us that we have not been more
fully possessed of the views of your directors on the sub
ject of occupying the Marquesas as a field of Mission. It
would certainly be to us a matter of rejoicing to have known
that your Society were ready to send forth 6 or 10 mission
aries to that field, or any number sufficient to commence
the work. And even now if you should be able to find labour
ers for the service, and should you prefer to occupy the whole
group we should readily relinquish the whole believing that
the sacrifices made in the cause of the poor Marquesas are
not a needless waste.
Our deputation which performed their voyage at some 2000
dollars expence, and our missionaries who have accomplished
something towards preparing the way for the establishment of
the gospel there, and the permanent and fearful settlement
of foreign missionaries, and without any serious loss could
they be suspended, they could probably find a ready conveyance
back from Nuuhiva to the Sandwich Islands or aboard some of
the whale Ships which in the spring seasons pass from the
former to the latter, on their way to the coast of J a p a n .
We have therefore to suggest the expediency of having both
groups amply supplied by the laborers of one society, either
the London Mission Society or the A.B.C.F.M., and for the
following considerations; to which we respectfully invite
your attention.
1. As the language throughout both parts of the whole groupe
is the same with very slight variations, and the whole popu
lation small say 15,000 to 20,000, they could all be supplied
for years to come with such books and tracts as they may
require, as economically and systematically, perhaps from one
printing establishment as from two or more. We have as yet
but one for the Sandwich Islands, though in some respects we
are more favourably circumstanced as to a general government
and the means of circulating one book from a central station
to all parts of the Group.
2. The translation of the Bible, which is a great work could
be effected by one society so as to answer the purpose for
both divisions of the whole group.
3. The organization and management of churches, the adminis
tration of gospel ordinances, and the dicipline of the Lords
house, should, it appears to us, so far as practicable be
uniform or nearly so among such a people, in case they embrace
Christianity.
�1156.
4. As to the sabbath, which at the Society and Sandwich
Islands, differs by one day, and other matters of importance
in which the Marquisas are to have any connexion with the
Society Islands or the Sandwich Islands, the best rules
adopted by one part of the group should be adopted by the
whole in order to secure uniformity, not only among themselves
for mutual aid and encouragement, but uniformity with the
larger groups, with which their connexion is to be most
intimate and important, or from which they expect to derive
the greatest moral influence in raising them to the standing
of a Christian nation. At any rate it appears to us desirable
that instructions from home on every important point, materially
affecting the interests of the people, should either proceed
from one source, or be substantially in unison, in order to
secure the most happy results.
5. As to convenience and economy in sending reinforcements
and supplied, we suppose they might all be sent by one society
inasmuch as the field is small, and one ship could take the
annual supply. Mr. D. of the Georgian Mission supposes, that
your society could maintain a mission at the Marquesas more
economically than we, because the annual vessel that visits
there, might with a trifling additional expence be employed
to visit the Marquesas in making the circuit of their out stations.
Whoever shall make the sacrifices and perform the labour
necessary to enlighten such a benighted and barbarous nation,
and put in operation a system of means at all adapted to the
purpose of converting such a people from their idols and pol
lutions to our Redeeming God & Saviour so that they shall form
in fact a portion of the inheritance which was long since
promised to the Son of God, it will be your earnest desire
and ours that the prayers of British and American churches may
ascend without ceasing for them, until the native and their
christian teachers shall unite in Christian fellowship, in
celebrating the praises of that amazing and eternal love which
though the crop of Calvary offers hope to the despairing,
pardon to the guilty and life to the dying sons of Adam who
have been led captive by Satan at his will.
Dated June 15, 1833.
�1157.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
L etter 42
Honolulu, Oahu,
June 26th, 1833.
Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear brother:
A subject which has long occupied the attention of the
Board & enlisted the warm feelings of American Christians
is at length brought to an issue. At the late meeting
of the Hawaiian Mission we have resolved, relying on the
Great Head of the Church, to carry the gospel to the be
nighted Marquesans. - Notwithstanding a number of difficul
ties lay in the way of this conclusion, yet the voice of
God's Providence seemed to be "This is the way, walk ye
in it". The people are not only perishing for lack of
vision, & the command of Christ still sounding "Go ye into
all the world, & preach the gospel to every creature" - but
we have visited that people & encouraged them to expect us their expectations are high, we hear they have built us
houses & were making preparations to build a church - The
Board have instructed us to speed our way thither - American
Christians are longing to hear that the Light of life has
risen on the dark valleys of Nukuhiva.- Hawaiian Christians
who have contributed towards the object would feel disap
pointed & grieved if we stay - Two of us have been for the
past year in a good school for studying Polynesian character,
& have perhaps learned some things which otherwise might
have cost us years of painful experience- By such consid
erations we feel impelled to go forward; though some members
of the mission strenuously opposed it.
It was urged that if we go to the Washington group, the L.M.
Society will probably occupy the Southern Group (if they
may be called two groups) which in so small a field might be
a source of much"difficulty - that the great multitudes in
these islands who are still in pagan darkness & the increasing
opposition to the truth calls upon us to stay & labor here that the expense & trouble of establishing the mission from
these Islands would be much greater than to send directly
from the U.S. & that the trials to which the mission must be
exposed from the want of a physician are not necessary since
a mission can be fitted out from the U.S. Moved by such
considerations, five brethern would not vote in favor of the
mission being taken - We however believe it is the will of
the Lord that we should go; & though we know not what is to
befal us, we go cheerfully. We know that he who hath called
us is faithful, that our Shepherd neither slumbers nor Bleeps We think we are not presumptuous in casting ourselves upon
him & going without a physician, though it is probable we
shall greatly feel the want of one - We go however with the
full expectation that you will send a physician to our help,
as soon as possible, after you have learned our situation We are also very solicitous that a Printer & press be sent
out to us by the first opportunity/ The press is so import
ant an engine for enlightening mankind that we can make but
�1158.
little progress till we get one in operation, & life is
so short that we are very desirous of having all necessary
facilities as soon as possible.
We take along with us a N ukuhivan Spelling book of eight
pages & a few type, with which we expect to print something
in the form of handbills so soon as we are able to speak the
language - The other missionaries here think we shall be
able to u se them within 6 months after we shall arrive The great object, however, for which we shall need a printer
& press, is that we may give the people the word of life in
their own language; for this purpose we must prepare our
selves for translators as soon as possible.
There are some
books which would be serviceable to us ill this work, which
we hope you will send us - Viz. Koppe on the N. T. - K uenoel Poole - a Vulgate - a Syrial Testament Lex - & Grammar We have one copy of Rossenmuller among us but would be glad
to have another.
We wish you also to send us some medical works, notwithstand
ing you send us a Physician, for we of course expect to
occupy several stations, & must, of necessity often do the
work of physician ourselves - We would suggest the follow
ing C ooper's Sergery & Medical D icktionary. Cox's Dispensatory.
Cullen's Practice. Bell's Anatomy Thomas's Practice & Dewells
on Women Children & Midwifery - Also three cast iron mortars
& pestles.
We shall also need some books for our children.
In regard to our other wants, M r . Chamberlain will be better
able to state them than we can - though we may be indulged
while we make a remark about the clothing sent out to these
Islands - "Much of it, Mr. Chamberlain remarks, appears never
to have been intended for the human form. The brethren here
in order to look decent have frequently purchased goods from
the stores of Honolulu at a high price, which their wives
made up for them when they otherwise might have been doing
missionary work - We are sure it would be more economical
to send out clothes of good materials, well made - And that
what you send us may fit us, we have thought it best to send
our measures, which are as follows:
Around the body close under the arms
Around the waist
From the collar to the Waist
Length of the skirt
From the shoulder to the elbow
From the Elbow to the knuckles
From the waist to the ancles
Shoes to fit us should be N o. 6 3/4, N o. 7
N o. 8.
We have also observed in this mission that many of the Ladies
�1159.
are compelled to spend a large amount of their time in
making clothes for their children. Would not the time thus
employed devoted to the instruction of the people in schools
be of sufficient value to induce you to send us clothes made
up, suitable for children? We are persuaded it would con
tribute much to the usefulness of our wives - Let them be
such as will suit children from 1 to 5 years of age Children’s shoes for this climate should be of very soft
leather.
We shall need some lumber & materials for making comfortable
houses soon after we arrive; & from the character of the
people among whom we go, we take it for granted that many
cooking & table utensils will be stolen - But such suggestions
are perhaps unnecessary - A hand cart would be a great con
venience in removing from the beach whatever supplies might
be sent us - & a pit Saw would be very useful in making plank
of the bread fruit which is so abundant - Such articles as
the following would be valuable for hiring the natives to do
work for us - Knives, Razors, files, scissors, needles,
combs, fish hooks, Red cloth &c It may appear strange to you that we go unaccompanied by any
Hawaiian Teachers It was our wish to have taken some - but
such as the brethren have sufficient confidence in are very
scarce - There are a few whom they could recommend, but in
almost every case either the husband or the wife is not deemed
suitable - We found one couple Kaiu & Kapule of Kauai, who,
all agreed, would be useful helpers, & we had expected they
would accompany us, but two of the Chiefs Nahienena the Princess,
& Kinau the Regent would not consent, saying that in the
present troublous times here, they needed their counsel We expect to embark next M onday July 1 on board the Dhall e,
Capt. Bancroft - The expense of going will be fifteen hundred
dollars, a much smaller sum than we had expected to pay Thus Providence has prospered us - When we arrive we shall be
able to write you more fully - In the mean time pray for us,
for unless the Lord build the house the workmen labour in vain
that build it Affectionately yours in the gospel of Christ
W.P.Alexander
Richd. Armstrong
Benj. W. Parker.
P.S. We neglected to say, that by the time we can receive
supplies from home, our Wives will need shoes - They would like
some ladies’ slippers. The exact length of their feet is 9
inches & 9 5/8 inches - We shall want Carpenter's tools,
planes, chisels, saws, Brace & bits, ruler, square, guage &c, &c,
nailes, screws, hinges, butts &c &c. Mason's tools &c &c. Please
send us 8 or 10 copies of Ch Psalmody.
W.P.A.
Date, Oahu, June 26, 1833.
Recd. March 8, 1834.
Ackd. in G. L. ? 5, 1834.
�1160
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 43
Printed pamphlet.
Extracts from the Minutes of the General Meeting of the
Sandwich Islands Mission, Held at Lahaina, June 1833.
Not to be copied.
�1161.
66
XXV
1831-1837
Part First
Letter 44
High School (near Lahaina) Maui
July 1st 1833.
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary R ooms, Boston, Mass.
Rev. & very D ear Sir:
The time has again arrived when it becomes necessary to
communicate to you, & through you to the Board, the state
of Missionary affairs at these islands. Though not without
affliction, yet our Heavenly Father has kindly presented
us all another year, and permitted us to hold another
General Meeting to consult upon the moral & spiritual w e l
fare of this people.
Before, however, I commence transcribing this letter, permit
me to say a word in explanation of the manner in which this
letter has been written.
Soon after the General Meeting
commenced, I was appointed to write the General letter to
the Board; to be written & read & approved before the
meeting should break up.
But owing to ill health, the cares
of my family and the constant attendance on General Meeting,
it was found that I could not possibly prepare the letter
in time to be read before the meeting should close.
It was
proposed, therefore, to divide the matter of the letter
into several parts, & appoint a committee to each part, and
that I should put together the whole.
Accordingly, M r . Clark wrote the "History of the mission
relative to local changes - health of the mission - histori
cal view of translations & printing” . I wrote what is said
of "churches & schools” . M r . Thurston wrote replies to
"enquiries of the Board at different times", said M r . Green
wrote respecting "the Political affairs of the islands and
a history of the General Meeting” .
This will account for difference of style in different parts
of the letter, and, in several instances, repetitions of
the same thing.
This explanation is due from me, as I am
not the author of the whole letter.
II
Brief history of the mission relative to local changes Health of the mission - Historical view of translations
& printing.
Few local changes have taken place which were not anticipated
at our last General Meeting.
It will be recollected that
three new stations were then agreed upon.
These have all
been occupied by the persons designated for the purpose at
that time.
In July, Mr. Emerson removed to the district of Waialua on
Oahu, and in company with Mr. Clark, commended the labours of
�1162
.
a new station under favourable auspices.
In the following
month, M r . Green removed from Hilo to commence a new station
at Wailuku on the island of M a u i .
Mr. Lyman of the last reinforcement took Mr. Green's place
at Hilo.
M r . F orbes removed immediately after the General Meeting to
Kaawaloa.
Mr. Lyons to Waimea, and Mr. Hitchcock & Mr. Spald
ing to Lahaina.
Subsequently, Mr. H. removed to Molokai and
commenced a new station at a place called Kaluaaha on that
island.
The brethren who were designated at our last meeting for the
Washington islands, have labored at different stations as
their services were needed, and their circumstances rendered
it expedient.
We have not been called during the year, to the painful duty
of committing any of our number to the grave, although some
have been brought to its borders.
Mr. Shepard has been able
to pay some attention to the duties of the printing office
during the year, but his health has continued to decline and
he is now regarded as in the last stages of consumption.
His hope is stayed on God, who seems about to remove him from
an important sphere of usefulness, where his services, to
our short sighted view, appear almost indispensable, to the
"rest which remains for the people of God”. We would say,
not our wills but thine be done.
Mr. Puller, as you will learn from other sources, is
severely afflicted with a disease in the head, and occasional
mental derangement.
The Physicians entertain but faint hopes
that he will be able to afford any assistance in the mission
ary work.
His case calls loudly for our sympathy & the
sympathy of those who have sent him forth as a labourer in
this field.
You have been informed that Mrs. Spaulding & M r s . Chapin
were afflicted with sickness before they arrived at the islands.
They have been laid aside from their work & confined to a
sick bed most of the time during the year.
They have both
tried the climate of Waimea on Hawaii, but derived from it
no material benefit.
Mrs. Chapin was supposed at one time
to be approaching rapidly to the grave, but through a kind
Providence her life was spared.
Her health & the health of
Mrs. Spalding is now considerably improved & some hopes are
entertained of their recovery.
Most of the other members of the mission have enjoyed unusual
health. Messrs. Whitney & Gulick and their families have,
however, all been more or less afflicted with sickness during
the year, & are still in poor health.
Mr. Richards also was
laid aside from his labours for nearly three months, but
through the kindness of God his health is comfortably restored.
See 30 Missionary Herald 284, August 1834.
�1163.
The printing executed during the year is as follows:
pp.
Size
Copies
60
-
3, 000
180,000
56
12
16
12
10,000
10,000
560,000
120,000
64
80
64
16
18
12
10,000
10,000
10,000
640,000
800,000
640,000
24
8
12
8
4,000
200
96,000
1 ,600
Pages
1. Child' s Arithmetick
(translation of
Towles' )
2. Childs catechism on
Genesis
3. Tract on Marriage
4. Arithmetick in part(Colburn's)
- - - - - 5. Numbers
- - - 6. Deuteronomy
7. Questions on Geogra
phy 8. Musick - - - - - - -
368
57,200
3, 037,600
The following are reprints executed during the year.
Pg .
1. Collection of small
tracts
- - 108
64
2. Acts of the Apostles
72
3. Epistle to the Romans
144
4. Historical catechism
5. Tract from Acts (verse
72
aday)
48
6 . Child's Arithmetick
36
7. Child's Spelling Book
8
8. Scripture Tract
- 8
9. Spelling Book
10. Decalogue (hand bill
1
with plate)
Total reprints - New Matter - - - -
Mo.
copies
Pages in
18
12
12
18
16,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
1,728,000
640,000
720,000
1,440,000
18
24
18
16
16
20,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
720,000
480,000
360,000
80,000
80,000
1,000
561
368
106,000
57,200
6,249,000
?, 037,600
929
163,200
9,286,600
See 30 Missionary Herald 284, August 1834.
7.
"What will he the c ost of printing an edition of
20.000 N ew Testaments?
What the cost of printing
10.000 copies of the whole Bible?"
On this subject an estimate has been made, & it is ascertained
that the whole cost of printing & binding an edition of
20,000 N ew Testaments would be 10,000 dollars or 50 cents
a copy. The cost of printing & binding 10,000 copies of the
Bible would not be far from 17,500 dollars according to the
above estimate for the New Testament.
The above estimate, however, allows only two dollars a page
for the labour of translating, which is thought to be far
too small, if it is rec oned at all.
�1164.
8.
"At what rate can you sell the N ew Testament
& at what rate the Bible? How far receive
money? When you receive produce & c . how will
you account to the Bible Society for Bibles
printed at their expense?”
The New Testament has been sold as related above, for one
dollar a copy; and had we the Bible in four volumes it
might be sold for four times that sum; that is, for four
dollars a copy.
But the Bible in one volume might be sold
at a lower price.
Three dollars for a copy of the Bible
would probably be a high price in these islands.
Very
few books can be sold for money.
One thousand copies of
the New Testament or one thousand copies of the Bible might
possibly be sold for cash.
Respecting the disposal of books we would refer you to the
letter of Messrs. Chamberlain & Judd dated Deo. 19. 1832.
As to the question, "How will you account to the Bible
Society for Bibles"&c , we would reply, so far as the produce
received for Bibles was consumed by us in support of our
families, the value of it could be accounted for to the
General Agent of the Mission & through him to the Bible
Society.
9. "What part of the Scriptures is ready to be
stereotyped?
Do you think it would be safe to
entrust the stereotyping to any body in this
country?"
In reply to these questions, we would state that no part
of the Scriptures is ready for stereotyping, nor will any
part be ready for some time to come. And if any part were
ready, we doubt whether it would be safe to commit the
stereotyping to any body in America without the superinten
dance of some one acquainted with the Hawaiian language.
10. "Would it be well to print any part of your
version on this country, as for instance, the
Gospel?"
To this question we reply, that the Gospels ought not to
be reprinted anywhere, till they have been thoroughly re
vised, and if this were done, we think it would not be
best to have them reprinted in America at present, if ever.
Were it to be done, we have reason to fear that they would
almost as a matter of course be full of errors, unless the
work could be done under the supervision of one acquainted
with the language of the islands.
It is our design to print
an edition of the New Testament after the Gospels shall
have been revised.
This may be done in part during the
present year.
11.
"How soon ought the churches of this land to aim
at supplying the islanders fully with the word
of God?"
�1165 .
To this we would say distinctly, that it is unquestionably
the duty of the American churches to supply the islanders
fully with the word of God or furnish the means of doing
it so far as the islanders themselves are not able to do it,
& this should be done so soon as the Bible is translated
and a correct version obtained.
17.
Present State of the Nation.
In our last General letter we informed you of the death
of Kaahumanu the Queen Regent of these islands.
In this
affecting providence we heard the voice of God saying to
us, "Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the son of man
in whom there is no help". Yet while we mourned the loss
of a tried friend to our cause - of a judicious counsellor
to the surviving chiefs and a wise & good ruler to the people,
we were cheered with the belief that to her, "to die was
gain"; and we cherished the hope that her death would not be
in vain to her subjects who made great lamentation over her
dust.
Especially did we hope that God would sanctify to
the King the dying charge of one who had long acted the part
of an affectionate mother, a wise & judicious guardian; one
who had under God, restrained the ebullitions of his youthful
passions & who would have guided him to happiness & heaven.
But we have since been admonished more impressively of the
vanity of confiding in Princes.
On her dying bed Kaahumanu
named Kinau as her successor.
Soon after, the king publickly
acknowledged her as his agent for transacting the business
of the kingdom and committed so much of the government into
her hands as to make it necessary for him to act in accordance
with her advice on all subjects of importance.
N othing unusual of a political nature occurred till January
of the present year.
A Brig to which the King took a fancy
was offered him for $ 12,000.
He agreed to purchase it and
sent to Kinau for the money.
Aware that the nation was
deeply involved in debt, she refused to accede to his demands.
He sent again & again but with no better success. Kinau
with the advice of the other chiefs at Honolulu remonstrated
with him on the impolicy of making further purchase, till
the national debt should be paid.
The ki n g reluctantly aban
doned his design, but soon manifested his displeasure with
the course pursued by the chiefs, and his determination to
take the reins of government into his own hands.
Taking counsel with "the young men which were brought up
with him", and gathering around him the "baser sort", he
openly trampled upon the laws which he & the other chiefs had
enacted for the benefit of his subjects, & he encouraged
others to imitate his example.
He purchased a considerable
quantity of ardent spirits & wine, & though he seldom drank
to intoxication yet he drank freely & enticed & urged many
well disposed persons to show their adherence to the King,
by violating their solemn promise to "touch not, taste not,
handle not".
In accordance with the advice of his associates,
he punished several who refused to plunge with him into
scenes of dissipation, by depriving them of their lands.
�1166.
He countenanced the hulahula & other of their ancient
plays; & though for a season these irregularities were
confined to his palace yard, yet the streets were soon
filled with multitudes who seemed to exult in the thought
that all restraint was about to be removed & every man
to do what seemed good in his own eyes.
The advice & expostulations of Kinau and other
unheard.
The king seemed determined to listen
counsel & he intimated the design of restoring
forsaken gods which his fathers had worshipped,
all their former superstitions.
chiefs were
to no
if not the
at least
The clouds thickened & darkened daily & apprehensions were
felt that a storm would soon beat upon the nation.
In
this crisis Hoapili the Govenor of Maui visited Honolulu
with the hope of persuading the king to listen to counsel
& abandon his ruinous course, and support the laws of God
and of the lands.
He wished also to induce the king to
visit Maui where fewer temptations to sinful indulgences
are found, that on reflection he might perceive the folly
of his course, and return to the paths of virtue.
On t h e
arrival of Hoapili, the king immediately assembled the
chiefs & people, & publickly declared that he took the
reins of government into his own hands - that with him were
the laws, the pono & the hewa - life and death.
He then prohibited murder, adultery (that is, illicit in
tercourse between married persons) and theft, leaving the
impression that these were the principal laws of the land.
Much to the disappointment & chagrin of his counsellors
both foreign and native, he still recognised Kinau as his
agent for transacting business.
He refused to visit Maui in accordance with the wishes of
Hoapili, or to dismiss from his train, those who by their
evil advice, had involved him & the nation in disgrace &
danger. The visit of Hoapili was not, it is believed, with
out its influence in checking the excesses of the king and
his attendants. For a few Sabbaths the king has attended
publick worship. At present all the chiefs are at Honolulu
consulting on measures to secure the stability & prosperity
of the nation.
The result we cannot predict.
See 30 Missionary Herald 287, August 1834.
History of the General Meeting Lahaina June 1833.
Tuesday June 4th. Most of the Brethren who were expected
having assembled, we attended the examination of the High
School.
The report of the Directors will give you all
needful information respecting the school during the past
year.
We will only say, that we were gratified with the
improvement in reading, writing, geography & map-drawing
which the examination furnished.
We regard this school
with strong hope and warm affection & though very much
remains to be taught, we can expect direct benefit to the
�1167.
people from this school; & though we perceive many &
great obstacles to the successful prosecution of labour
in this department, yet we all feel the importance o£
urging forward the plan of qualifying many sons of Hawaii
for extensive usefulness to their c ountrymen.
The time
may be very distant, yet we cherish the hope that from
this fountain light will ultimately eminate to cheer & bless
the most benighted corners of these islands.
June 5th. Nineteen of the brethren having assembled, the
mission opened their session for busin ess.
Having organized, we recognized with gratitude, the goodness
of God in sending us another reinforcement & gave our new
Brethren M e ssrs. Smith & Parker, an affectionate welcome to
this field of sacred toil.
We then proceeded to examine our
duty in relation to the Washington or Marquesian Islands.
This subject has occasioned the mission no little embarrass
ment.
The fact that there had been no correspondence b e
tween the American Board & the Directors of the London Mission
ary Society on the subject of occupying the field, & that
labourers might possibly be on their way thither from England,
& that all now in this field are imperiously demanded by
the wants of the people, were felt and urged as objections
to taking the mission.
On the other hand, we felt that the
indications of providence, in relation to our duty were too
plain to be mistaken.
The people seem so far as we could
learn, to be in a waiting posture - were expecting that
missionaries would be sent to them, & had built a house for
their accommodation.
We therefore determined to enter the
field without delay.
We appointed M r . Parker to join
Messrs. Armstrong & Alexander who were designated by the
Prudential Committee before leaving the United States.
After being affectionately commended to God, these Brethren
with their families left the General meeting for Honolulu,
to make immediate preparation for their arduous work.
They will probably embark about the first of July. You will
not cease to pray that the God of missions will smile upon
this enterprise - will put over the head of these dear
brethren his shield of protection, will open before them
an effectual door of usefulness, and crown with glorious
success their labours of love to the benighted inhabitants
of those islands.
We trust that the Prudential Committee
will afford without delay to this infant mission all useful
succour, will not only pray for it, but send forth to the
aid of our brethren a seasonable reinforcement.
The field, though narrow, is dark.
They greatly need a
physician; as the circumstances of this mission made it
nearly impassible to send one from these islands.
A print
ing press they will soon need, if the Saviour in whose name
they go forth, shall allow them to plant the standard of
the cross on those shores. With confidence & hope and
strong desire, we commend this enterprise to God and our
Patrons.
God grant that you & we & these our brethren may
together rejoice over many souls redeemed from eternal death
�1168.
by your instrumentality.
The mission thus taken, there remained two ordained
missionaries and a Physician unlocated.
For reasons
which commended themselves t o the mission, we appointed
Mr. Tinker to reside at Wailuku on Maui, M r . Smith at
Molokai & Doct . Chapin at Lahaina for the present.
His
field of labour will be Maui and Hawaii, though he will
hold himself in readiness to visit any other island if
his services shall be needed.
Circumstances may at some
future period make a different disposition of our numbers
necessary.
We design one and all, to hold ourselves in
readiness to change our residence whenever the good of
our common cause shall seem to demand it.
We passed resolutions to do all in our power to raise
the character of our common schools. More has been done
during the past year than before, to prepare teachers to
discharge their important duties. Yet much, very much
remains to be done & we are resolved to attempt great
things & expect great things in relation to our common
schools.
You will see a resolution in our printed minutes designed
to correct a mistake in your annual' report respecting the
schools and the state of things on Kauai.
We know not
the origin of the mistake, but as it is a mistake, you
will easily perceive the propriety of our correcting i t .
The duty we owe our brethren on that island demands it &
we trust you will inform the public of the true state of
things. Kauai is behind no island in the group as it
respects her schools or her church.
Another subject which occupied our attention at this
General Meeting was that of our duty in relation to for
eigners emigrating to these islands. The number of for
eigners is yearly increasing, & it will probably increase
still more rapidly.
Among letters received from the United
States the present season was one from the Society of
Enquiry in the Theological Seminary Princeton, in which our
advice was requested as to the propriety of a colony of pious
men emigrating to these islands.
You will at once perceive that we cannot encourage the
residence of such a colony on these islands.
We may not,
cannot interfere in this business & on the whole we think it
undesirable that such a colony should emigrate thither.
In
our answer to enquiries made on this subject, we shall make
a fair and full statement of circumstances which would be
likely to influence such men in coming to a decision, &
then have them to act as they shall think be s t .
Reading Room.
The timely arrival of M r . Deill to labour among the Seamen
touching at Oahu we regard as an indication of the kindness
of our heavenly Father. M r . De ill will relieve the brethren
at Honolulu of much care & labour.
It seems however to be
necessary to continue & multiply our labours at Lahaina to
benefit seamen touching here semi-annually.
The brethren
�1169.
at this place the past spring fitted up a temporary Reading
Room, provided seats, tracts & hooks & furnished the room
with fresh water. Many were thus allured to call & receive
instruction.
Much seed has been sown, and though the soil
is unfriendly to it, may spring up & ultimately bear fruit.
There being no inns at Lahaina, and the experiment of a
reading room having so far succeeded, we deemed it economical
to make provision for a permanent & a convenient reading
room.
When you learn that more, probably, than 1000 seamen annually
spend not less than ten days each on these shores, & who
literally, with a few happy exceptions, "go up & down seeking
whom they may devour", you will be pleased to learn that the
mission have voted to appropriate $200 to build two convenient
reading rooms. M a y the Saviour smile upon this enterprise
& make those rooms the gate of heaven to some wandering sea
men.
For other items of business transacted by the mission,
you are deferred to our printed minutes.
W e have had a truly pleasant interview and we trust great
good will result from our deliberations. We return to our
several fields of toil with peculiar emotions. We know not
what is before u s . The signs of the times are portentous.
Clouds darken our vision & a storm may beat upon us & scatter
our flocks & blight our hopes. Yet we will cling to him
who is the head of all principality & power to his church who loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of
Jacob, & who will finally fill the whole earth with the
glory of his great name.
0 pray for us that we may do our duty with a suitable sense
of our dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ, so that if
"Israel be not gathered", we may still be glorious in the
eyes of the Lord.
We have only to add our Christian Salutation, asking a
special fervency in your prayers for us and for the cause
of the Redeemer at these islands.
In behalf of the Mission,
Very truly yours,
Lorrin Andrews.
Recd. May 1834.
Ackd. Sep. 5, 1834 in G.L.
General Letter.
�1170
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 45
Kailua, September 20th, 1833.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Ms. U.S. America.
From: A. Thurston
Artimus Bishop
Recd. May 1834.
A ckd. Sept. 5, 1834.
Ansd. Dec. 6.
This letter printed 30 Missionary Herald, 370,
October 1834.
�1171.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part first
Letter 46.
Hilo, Hawaii, Oct. 14, 1833.
Revd. R. Anderson,
Dear Sir,
Since the 15th of March last, the date of our latest com
munication to you, some important changes have taken place
in the aspect of this mission.
It is difficult however,
if not impossible to give you a just conception of them.
This difficulty arrises in a great measure from the fact
that a n indistinctness must necessarily be attached to your
knowledge of the previous state of things at these Islands.
C ould the former state of things be plac ed fully under your
eye, together with the changes which have taken place &
the causes which induced them, a very desirable task would
be performed.
But a task so difficult we shall not attempt,
but merely drop a few such general remarks as shall be
necessarily introductory to a statement of the present co n
dition of things at this station.
A few months succeeding the date of our last letter, should
be marked as forming an important epoch in the history of
this mission.
A shock was at that time felt throughout the
length & breadth of these Islands, which very materially
altered the aspect of religious affairs & which demanded no
inconsiderable change in our operations. - This event was
far from being unanticipated b y your missionaries & we pre
sume it has long been expected also b y our directors & by
the more reflecting portion of the Christian community. For a length of time affairs had been tending to a crisis.
All things were in readiness.
Nothing was wanting but
such an occasion as was presented in the K i n g ’s open renun
ciation of religion & morality to produce the change which
has been experienced.
The reception of Christianity by the people of these Islands
was not strictly a voluntary act. They embraced Christianity
not because they had any conception of its true nature or
the least evidence of its heavenly origin, but in obedience
to the commands of their chiefs. Without the least emotion
of soul & with scarcely a thought they put on the profession
of the true religion & engaged in the performance of its
external duties. - Some of the higher chiefs, operated upon
undoubtedly by the Spirit of God & for the purpose of pro
ducing just the result which has been accomplished, led the
way in the reception of Christianity, & commanded their
subjects to follow. - Such a command secured a prompt,
though a thoughtless, servile & sycophantic obedience.
You
have frequently been informed of the abject servitude not
only of body, but also of mind in which this people are held
to their formerly deified & still despotic chiefs; but it is
difficult for the subjects of an enlightened & free govern-
�1172.
ment to form a just conception of the deep degration &
low vassallage in which a heathen intellect is held to
the will of a despotic chieftain. - This people have been
trained from time immemorial to act only in obedience to
command, not out of regard to their own convictions of
right & wrong.
With them the question what is morally
right or wrong, resolves itself in a great measure into the
simple inquiry; what is the will of the chief? Advice from
a chief to his people would be looked upon as a strange
thing.
In fact the idea of advice is so foreign from their
minds, that they have no term to express it.
Chiefs ex
cepting, so far as they have been enlightened by the gospel
have no conception of addressing motives to the consciences
of the people, but only to their fears. - The minds of the
people being held in such servitude to the will of their chiefs,
it is not difficult to conceive, they having been commanded
to embrace Christianity, what must necessarily have been the
nature of the reception which they gave to it* - Like all
other acts of obedience among a people unaccustomed to think
for themselves & scarcely capable of the least mental exertion,
their reception of Christianity must have been almost des
titute of any character, except that of servility. - It is
needless to remark that such a reception possesses not the
elements of stability.
It must of necessity be impaired,
when from any cause whatever the authority of chiefs becomes
weakened; & must in a measure cease when their fickle will
shall change. Of the truth of this remark we have had painful experience.
When through the progress of light & truth, the people
became convinced that their chiefs were not dieties nor
their command the rule of right & wrong & began to understand
that attention to the word of God was a matter of choice,
not of compulsion, the novelty of Christianity at the same
time subsiding & the humiliating & self-denying character
of its precepts beginning to appear, immediately the congregration on the Sabbath began to decrease, schools became
more irregularly attended & the desire to obtain the word of
God diminished.
And when the sad period arrived of the King's
open renunciation of Christianity & the restraints of the
Bible, the mass of the people, where unrestrained by the
influence of subordinate chiefs, threw off the form of Christ
ianity with as much readiness as they had assumed it So re
turned again if not to all the views at least to the alienation
& apathy of their benighted state, leaving only a remnant to
frequent the courts of the Lord & to bear his name in the
midst of an indifferent if no t an opposing multitude. It should not be gathered from these remarks that the outward
reception of Christianity by the people of these Islands was
not an event worthy of all the joy which it occasioned in the
hearts of the Christian community & of all the thanksgiving
to God which it called forth.
It certainly opened a wide
door for the accomplishment of much by the Christian mission
ary which was necessarily preparatory to the real conversion
of the people.
B y means of it some knowledge of the true
God & of the way of salvation was deseminated throughout
the islands, a large proportion of the population learned to
read the Scriptures & immense congregations were brought
�1173.
statedly under the preaching of the gospel.
-
But while the favour of the chiefs & the consequent
external profession of Christianity by the people were
events worthy of our gratitude & praise, yet they were
undoubtedly more favourable to the introduction of the
Christian religion than to its continued prosperity &
purity. - Indeed it cannot be easily disproved that the
change which has taken place, however undesirable to the
superficial view, is in truth the very event which the cause
of evangelical piety on these shores demanded - an evidence
of the Saviours watchful care, & an earnest of the future
purity & prosperity of the Hawaiian churches. The former stagnant state of mind was certainly unfavour
able to religious inquiry & to a rational & considerate
reception of Christianity & the numberous temptations to
hypocricy which existed were still more to be deplored. N either ought it to be overlooked that the present state of
things is more favourable than the former to a spirit of
prayer in your missionaries.
We are led to feel more than
formerly that the conversion of the heathen is not by might
nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. - We are con
strained to rely less upon princes or upon any earthly
source & to direct Our imploring cry to him with whom is
the residue of the Spirit.
Being prepared by these general remarks which we have made
in a desultory manner, you will not be surprised as we
proceed to relate the present condition of affairs at this
station. The native schools depending more than any other of our
operations upon the favour of the chiefs & the popularity of
religion were the first to fail. - Many of them soon became
entirely deserted.
The teachers were destitute either of
knowledge sufficient to impart interest to the schools, of
character to command suspect, or of moral principle to oppose
the popular inclination & to persevere in exertion under
discouraging circumstances.
After much deliberation we con
cluded to suspend the schools for the present & to call in
all the teachers upon whom we could prevail to attend a school
taught by ourselves, fearing lest they too might soon be
carried by the popular tide beyond the reach of our influence.
Many of them had already lost all desire for instruction &
had become numbered among the indifferent & thoughtless mul
titude.
Out of both classes of teachers who had been before
in our school, amounting in all to about 170, we could prevail
upon only about 50 to become our permanent scholars.
This
class of young men are instructed by Messrs. Lyman & Dibble
in reading, arithmetic & Geography.
They form an interesting
portion of our congregation & Sabbath School & occupy a
prominent place in our thoughts, our feelings & our prayers. S h o u l d Providence smile upon our efforts they may, at some
future period when a proper system of schools shall be adopted,
become qualified to engage as teachers. -
�1174.
The school taught by M r . Goodrich is still continued though
much diminished. Mrs. Lymanan continues to instruct a school
of women.
The number of her roll is about 60 who have been
quite punctual in their attendance.
Fourteen of them are
taught in reading, arithmetic & Geography; the rest simply
in reading. - Mrs. Dibble continued her school of children
& class in geography till her health required her to relin
quish them. With the decline of the native schools, calls for the
Scriptures also decreased.
Scarcely a dozen books have been
sold at the station since our last general meeting in June
except to scholars in our station schools. - A certain class
of the people have indeed a regard for the Holy Scriptures
but they have already in their hands such portions of them as
have been printed.
With them, bound copies of the Hew Testa
ment, when we shall be furnished with them, will doubtless
be very saleable. The congregations both at our centre & out stations are very
much diminished.
The congregation at our centre station in
the morning is about 8 hundred, in the afternoon about 4
hundred; the Sabbath School about 160, the Bible class or
evening lecture about the same number, & but few if any more
at our Wednesday evening lecture.
The congregations at our
two out posts have averaged only between one & two hundred. At these out posts we have maintained preaching a large pro
portion of the Sabbaths since the date of our last letter.
We have preached statedly also on Thursdays at two places in
the vicinity of our centre station in consequence of the un
willingness of the people to come from such a distance or
formerly to attend our Wednesday evening lecture. You will be pained to hear that the Holy Ghost has not seemed
to accompany the word preached.
In saying thus, we criminate
ourselves.
We dare not plead guiltless.
We see nothing in
the way of a powerful revival of religion at our station but
our own want of humility & of faith. - The present posture of
affairs among this people is such, that a revival of religion
would be seen most perspicuously to be the work of the Lord.The present state of things seems to us to be just such as
should be desired to precede a revival of religion, & yet
darkly portentous of days of evil, should the Spirit of God
be withheld. More powerful motives could not be presented
before us or the Christian world to pray for the descent of
the Holy Spirit upon the people of these Islands, than are
exhibited by the present aspect of affairs. - Dark clouds are
fast gathering about the prospects of this mission every
moment that the special influences of the Holy Ghost are with
held. Since our last letter two persons have been excommunicated
from the church at this station & six new members added.
Two
also have been removed by death from the communion of the
church on earth & given a pleasing hope of joining the society
of saints in heaven.
There are some others out of the church
of whom it is our prevailing hope that their hearts are
\
�1175.
renewed & whom we may feel it our duty soon to receive.
Of the best of our church members it may be said that they
are but infante in Christ, needing the most constant care
& notwithstanding the strictest watch, are continually
going astray.
It is at great risk that any of them can
be sent to a distant p a r t of our field to reside without
hearing the gospel for any considerable length of time.
Our consolation is founded on the fact that the Saviour will
safely keep all his chosen ones, & if any lambs of his
flock are gathered from among this heathen people, their
feebleness shall not prevent their final triumph & their
joyful reception among the multitude of the redeemed. Requesting ever to be remembered at the throne of grace
& especially at this time when we so peculiarly need the out
pouring of the Spirit, we subscribe ourselves,
Your Missionaries to the Heathen
Sheldon Dibble
D.B.Lyman
Joseph Goodrich
To: Rev. R. Anderson,
Secy. A.B.C.F.M . ,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.States America.
Received May 1834.
Ackd. in G.L. Sep. 5, 1833.
Ands. Dec. 6.
�1176.
66
1851-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 47.
Wailuku, Maui, Sandwich Islands,
October 19, 1833.
R ev. R. An derson,
Dear Brother,
By the arrival of shipping at our ports bound for the
United States, we are reminded of our obligations to trans
mit to you an account of the dealings of God with us and
the people of our charge during the past year.
It no time
have we addressed you with so oppressive a feeling of our
responsibility, and of the difficulty of giving you a true
impression of the state of things with us.
God forbid,
that in our communications to our patrons and friends, we
should drop a word which shall needlessly make their hearts
sad. You can witness that we have not heretofore, thrown
around our communications the shades and mists of dependency.
From the view of the people which we have taken, these have
not greatly obstructed our own vision.
We have rather dwelt
on the brighter side of the picture.
Hope has predominated
in our bosoms, and we have pointed you to what, seemed to us,
unequivocal intimations of God's design of redeeming mercy
to these dwellers in the isles of the sea.
And now, how
joyfully would we tell you and all to whom we write of the
triumphs of the cross; of the out pouring of the Holy Spirit,
and the conversion of sinners; of the growing attachment of
the people to the good institutions of the land; of their
rapid growth in knowledge and virtue; in short, of the es
tablishment of Christ's kingdom here upon an unmoveable
basis.
But we write not merely to please our friends.
We
wish them to know as nearly as possible the condition of the
people, that they may know how to pray for us, and for them.
and that they may be well aware that Satan h as not yielded
his claim to the possession of the islands, and that many
a hard contested battle must precede the shout of victory
and the cessasion of arms.
The last communication forwarded from this station was written
in December 1832.
We hasten to inform you of the labors
performed and of the changes which have occured since that date.
Mr. and Mrs. Green, who removed to Wailuku in August 1832,
remained alone till June of the present year.
During this time
the gospel was regularly preached on the Sabbath, and on
Wednesday afternoon, a bible class conducted, and a Sabbath
school superintended.
Considerable attention was devoted to
children, three hundred or more being instructed on the morning
of each Lord's day, on Wednesdays, and in the afternoon of
each day for monthly concert.
They were assembled on these
days for the special object of acquiring the habit of enter
ing the house of God and listening to the instructions of
his Holy word.
The station school c o n s i s t i n g
of nearly one
hundred of both sexes, principally teachers and their wives,
was instructed in reading and Geography, four and five days
�1177.
each week till M a y of the present year.
The scholars seemed
much interested in their studies and made commendable progress.
Our public examination of schools occurred in January and
May.
For number of readers, see table below.
In January, on the profession of their faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ, and attachment to his cause, two individuals
were admitted to the fellowship, and priviledges of the c h u r c h .
Early in the year, a special effort was made to obtain more
suitable houses for our station school and for public worship,
our only house being a native one, and inconvenient for
schools. An appeal was therefore made to the members of the
station school, who after hearing the advantages of having a
permanent and convenient house, volunteered to build one, and
and commenced without delay.
They were assisted to boxes for
dobies or mud bricks, and with constant superintendence they
had succeeded b y the latter part of May in building the
walls ready to receive the plates and beams.
The house is
72 feet by 27 inside with a partition dividing it into two
equal rooms.
The school was then dismissed that each member
might procure a stick of timber.
At the time of commencing the school house the head men of
the several districts were,advised to urge forward their
meeting house.
They had already burned their lime, cut and
drawn most of their timber, and procured in part coral for
the corners of the house, about the doors and windows &c.
The site was chosen, and the first stone carried to the spot,
as an excitement to the people to engage cheerfully in the
labor necessary to procure a house. They immediately com
menced carrying stone and labored till they had collected
enough perhaps to lay a good foundation when the work ceased,
and ceased, we fear, never to be resumed.
Some special efforts were also made, at this time, to en
courage the people to grow cotton and learn to manufacture
their own cloth.
Experiments were made on Olona or native
hemp, with the hope that cloth could be manufactured from
it.
This species of hemp is of great value to the people
for making fish nets and for other purposes, but we are not
sanguine in our belief that it will make cloth.
Cotton,
however, may be successfully cultivated.
Some of the women
began to spin cotton, and we should have encouraged them
to continue their exertions, had we been able to procure
looms and tackling for weaving.
In June the station received an accession of strength b y the
arrival of Mr. and M r s . Tinker.
We returned from general
meeting to engage in our work with renewed vigor.
But we soon
found, as we might have expected that the extremities were
sympathizing with the heart of the nation.
The pulse of
enterprise, which, at best, beat but feebly, was scarcely
perceptible: - in other words, our people having learned
more fully the state of things at Honolulu, seemed immediate
ly to catch the spirit of the times, and labor and study
and improvement of every kind became at once unpopular.
With
�1178.
all the eloquence of which we are capable, we have not
been able to induce our scholars to finish our school
house.
Our congregations on the Sabbath have greatlydecreased.
In the morning there may be from 800 to 1000 afternoon 200, or less.
Our schools are. in a languishing
state.
The school for children on the Sabbath now contains
only 50, or 60,
The schools among the people are nearly
deserted, and books are rarely called for.
Under these discouraging circumstances we have been enabled
to hold on our way, and in some departments to multiply
our direct labors for the good of the people.
We have not
done so for our station school as we designed to have done.
Our school house is destitute of seats and benches, and in
other respects is so incommodious that we are making renewed
efforts to have ours finished.
Mr. Tinker has a school of
children, consisting of about thirty (30) of both sexes, who
are making commendable progress in reading. M r s . Tinker
has a small school of females, composed, in part, of the wives
of teachers.
Mr. Green meets a class of teachers three days
each week.
We all design to do much more in this department
whenever we shall obtain greater facilities, and these we
are determined to possess, though in so doing we incur con
siderable expense.
Since Mr. Tinker has been at this station we have been
b e en enabled to visit neighboring villages for the purpose of
preaching the gospel.
Sabbath evening we alternately visit
Waikepu, a village 4 miles distant.
On Friday afternoon
of each week we walk 3 and four miles, and address as many
as we can collect. We are begining also to visit more remote
villages, and hope ere long, t o address multitudes who have
seldom listened to the messages of salvation. M r . Tinker
has preached a lecture on the evening of the Sabbath since
his residence here to some 6, or 7 foreigners exclusive of
the mission family.
We hope good will result from this
exercise, though we shall not feel it our duty to continue
it when we become more thoroughly engaged in itinerary labor.
In August, M r . Miner, an English resident, and one of the
crew of the Daniel, having for considerable time given
pleasing evidence of his attachment to the Savior and his
cause, was admitted to our communion.
This has increased
our number to ten.
A single individual stands propounded.
Sinc e we wrote you three children have been baptized, and
addresses have been made at the graves of twenty four in
dividuals.
What will be the result of our labors during the
year, the day of God will show. Admis all our discourage
ments and disappointments, we trust our labors have not been
in vain in the Lord.
While we are constrained to mourn
over the fickleness, the ingratitude, and the stupidity of
the mass of the people, and while our hearts have bled in
view of the contempt which so many are casting upon the
house and word of God, we rejoice to believe that some are
deriving benefit from our labors, are growing in knowledge
and in grace, and preparing for the society of the holy
abode.
We hope also that good impressions have been made
on the minds of many - some of whom may yet be stars in our
crown of r e j o i c i n g . We toil in hope, assured that the word
�1179.
of God which we dispense shall not return void.
Thus much for our labors in the immediate vicinity of
Wailuku.
In August, one of us made the tour of East
Maui for the purpose of examining schools and preaching
the gospel from village to village,
nearly five years
had elapsed since the schools of East Maui were examined
by Messrs. Richards, Andrews and Green. - See Miss. Herald
Vol. 25, 624. While alone, Mr. Green found it impracticable
to leave home for a time sufficiently long to make a thorough
examination of the schools. After M r . Tinkers settlement
the tour was made, and from the journal kept on the tour, we
send you the following summary.
See 30 Missionary Herald 408, N ovember 1834.
In concluding our report, let us beg an interest in your
fervent prayers for u s . and for the people.
For us, that
we may be holy and entirely consecrated to our work as
missionaries to the heathen, That we may have patience,
which shall be disheartened by no want of success - Zeal
which which no ingratitude shall cool that we may have deep
humility, and that ferven t quenchless love, which shall
urge us forward in the benevolent work of saving souls,
without weariness, or intermission till God shall call us
home.
Your brethren in the Lord.
J.S.Green
R .Tinker
P.S.
I hope my dear Sir, to fill another sheet, or sheets
for you soon.
The Lord strengthen and bless thee
and thine evermore.
Your brother in the Lord.
J. S. Green
To: R e v . Rufus Anderson,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M. ,
Miss Rooms 28 Cornhill,
Boston, Mass. U.S.
Rec eived June 23, 1834.
Ackd. in G. Let. Sept. 5, 1834.
Ansd. Dec. 6.
�1180.
66
1851-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 48.
Hilo, Hawaii, Marc h 25, 1833.
Rev. R. Anderson,
Missy. Rooms, Boston.
Dear Sir:
Since the date of the last communication from this station
giving a particular account of our schools, religious
meetings, &o. more than five months have elapsed.
We are still obliged to mourn the absence of the converting
& sanctifying influences of the Spirit.
Though the word
has been preached from Sabbath to Sabbath, & a few individ
uals have manifested some concern for their souls, & perhaps
two or three hundred have apparently listened to the word
with as much attention as is usually manifested b y congre
gations in the United States, yet the great m ass of the people
who are found in the house of God, seem to have little more
conception that the word preached is designed for them, than
does the house in which they sit.
To a stranger they might,
for a single sermon, seem to give the best attention.
Only
a partial acquaintance with them however is requisite to
enable any one to see that what he might, at first, have
mistaken for the silence of an attentive audience, is almost
anything rather than that silence which arises from a sense
of God's presence, & a desire to hear his word, & that what,
at the first glance, he had mistaken for the look of fixed
attention is, for the most part, only the idle gaze of almost
thoughtless mortals who at the close of a semon can give no
account of a single thought it contains.
No additions have been made to the little church at this station,
& but one individual stands propounded.
A few others seem
to give some evidenc e of piety, but considering the general
desire to become members of the church, & the proneness of this
people to deceive, we have not such evidence of their piety
as we wish.
As formerly there are multitudes who wish to come frequently
to tell their thoughts. Did we allow it, our houses would no
doubt be thronged from morning till night, or perhaps the whole
24 hours with persons who wish to tell us their thoughts on
the subject of religion.
But the whole business of telling
thoughts seems so generally to arise from a wish to gain our
favour, or perhaps from a desire to become members of the
church, & where this is not so apparent, it is so often re
garded by them as a thing in itself meritorious, that we feel
obliged to discourage it so far as we can without refusing to
converse with those seeking for instruction.
Individuals
residing 15 or 20 miles from us sometimes come to tell their
thoughts which when told amounts to little more than that this
is the object for which they came, & on conversing with them
we find that they know no more about the gospel & have little
�1181.
if any more desire for instruction than persons who go
the same distance to tell thoughts to some new juggler who
has started up among themselves.
In this vicinity the Sabbath is outwardly as well obseved
as in New England.
But it is generally just that soft of
observance which might be expected from a people who could
be more easily persuaded to lay aside their ordinary business
two days a week, than to labour industriously one.
In
short, though the change which God has wrought among this
people during the last ten years is great, tho u g h it is
such as to call for the most unfeigned thanksgivings, & to
afford both us & our patrons the most abundant encouragement
to labor for Christ in this field, we ought not to conceal
from you the fact, that we have, every month & every week,
conviction more & more painful that we are in the midst of
a depraved, degraded, heathen people. A people who without
a far more abundant outpouring of the Spirit than has ever
been, here, witnessed will live & die heathens.
To say
nothing of the outbreakings of idolatry in the remote parts
of our field, & the evident desire of multitudes to return
to all their old ways, the mass of the people in our imme
diate vicinity, are heathens in many of the more important
traits of character.
In respect to their imbecility of mind,
to their ignorance of c hristianity, & to the absence of all
serious desires for instruction, they are most emphatically
a heathen people.
With respect to the family relation they
are also a heathen people.
To me the family state has been
greatly improved since the decalogue was adopted as the law
of the land.
But still in looking at the families of a
large part even of our church members, we find much more to
remind us of the moral insensibility of heathenism, than of
the salutary regulations of a Christian household.
If we
look at the mass of the people as we see them going to, or
returning from the house of God, while sitting there, or
visit them at their houses, we are utterly unable to judge
from anything we see, who the individuals are that stand in
the relation to each other of husband & wife, or of parents
& children.
It is no strange thing for us to be acquainted
with two individuals for months, for both of them to call
frequently at our houses, & to attend our schools daily,
without our suspecting that they were ever acquainted with
each other, & after all learn that they are man & wife
living together harmoniously.
Cases of this sort occur
with respect to the better sort of our people.
Those truths which have bee n so signally owned of God during
the last 40 years in our own country have been proclaimed in
the ears of the people, & though we now see little fruit,
we still cherish the hope that God will yet bless the preach
ing of his own word & that multitudes now living in impenitence,
will be brought to the knowledge & love of the truth as it is
in Jesus Christ.
The number who attend preaching on the
Sabbath is about the same as in Oct.
We think there has
certainly been no diminution since that time.
The Bible class
is continued at 4. Sabbath afternoon.
There are usually two
or three hundred present.
The lesson is the verses for the
Sabbath school the subsequent week, the Sabbath school teachers
�1182.
constitute the class, & the exercise is conducted on the same
plan that was stated in the letter of Oct. - The number of
scholars in the Sabbath School remains about the same, not
far from 350. - Wednesday afternoon is still devoted to re
viewing the sermons & the Bible class lesson of the preceding
Sabbath. - The mental character of this people being what
it is, we think they are much more benefitted by a review of
the sermons they hear on the Sabbath, than they would be by
hearing another sermon without the review.
Owing to the ill health of M r . Goodrich which has rendered him
unable to prepare sermons, & to Mr. Lyman's im p erfec t knowledge
of the language, the preaching, at this place, together with
the charge of the Bible class has devolved principally upon
Mr. Dibble.
You are already aware that we have two out churches, one at
Hakalau, about the centre of Hilo, the other at Kuolo on the
borders of Puna.
The former is the most important field,
there being 16 or 18 hundred people within t w o hours walk.
One third, or perhaps one half of whom usually attend, when
there is preaching there in pleasant weather.
At that church
we have preached 11 Sabbaths.
One of the causes which has
prevented our preaching there so much as we otherwise should
have done, is, the streams in that direction are frequently
so high as to render it difficult to pass them, & sometimes
impossible.
Another cause is the distance & ruggedness of
the way is such that Mr. Goodrich has not always felt able to
go there when he could go to Knolo.
Of those who meet at
that church, about two hundred commit scripture on the verse
a day system.
At Knolo public worship has been conducted by us 16 Sabbaths
during the last five & a half months.
Rarely over five hun
dred attend.
Its principal recommendation as an out station
is, that we can without difficulty go there Saturday after
noon & return Monday morning, while there is no other plac e
in that part of our field where we can go advantageously to
preach without being gone several days. There are at that
out church 50 or 60 who commit their verse a day.
Our field has also been visited in every part, & the gospel
preached in all the principal villages more than 4 miles dis
tant from u s . M r . Goodrich has gone through the whole field
in making a tour of the island. M r . Dibble has twice taken
the tour of Puna. Mr. Lyman
has also taken the tour of
Hilo. B y these tours the preaching of the gospel is brought
within the reach of all who wish to hear it. But after all,
we regard their influence in strengthening, encouraging, &
exciting our native teachers to action, as b y no means their
least important effect.
Our station schools were mentioned in the letter of Oct.
They were all continued through the term, which closed the
first of Jany. & were as prosperous as could reasonably have
been expected.
In the children's school M r s . Dibble was
highly successful.
About twenty of her scholars exhibited
in reading.
�1183.
The school for teachers succeeded as well as we had
anticipated. Their disposition & previous habits were
such, that our efforts to induce them to build themselves
houses & plant food cost us more thought & patience, &
not much less time, than that required to instruct them
in school. - B y attending the Sabbath school & hearing
the gospel regularly preached, their scanty stock of r e
ligious knowledge was considerably increased. In their
studies our expectations were answered.
Their reading was
much improved.
In mental arithmetic they became able to
answer questions as well, perhaps, as common children 10
or 12 years of age in the United States who have a tolerable
acquaintance with Colburn’s First part.
In Geography,
considering the fact, t h a t most of them, at the commencement
of the school, supposed the earth to be a plain, & these
islands to constitute a large part of it, their progress
was very commendable. The more intelligent of them became
in a measure prepared to teach it to their scholars. - The
class which M r s . Lyman instructed in drawing maps, succeeded
so well that all the teachers whom we could furnish with
Geographies for their scholars, were able to carry with them
to their schools a map of the world, & of at least one of
the four quarters of the globe, drawn with sufficient cor
rectness to answer well for the purposes of instruction.
Some individuals carried 3 or 4 to their own schools, & sold
some to others who wished to purchase. - Mr. Goodrich has
also drawn a few maps; & has, since the last examination
of our schools, taken the tour of this island with particular
reference to obtaining a correct map of it.
This object did
not, however, prevent his preaching the gospel in all parts
of the island.
From Sept. to Jan. our native schools were left under the
care of such individuals as each teacher chose to select for
his own school.
In general, they did not appear to have
suffered materially from the absence of their teachers.
The increase in the number of readers for the 4 months was
162, making the whole number of readers within our limits
2675. - We have recently, through the agency of the teachers,
taken the census of our whole field.
We find the number of
people considerably less than we had supposed, the whole
number of souls being only 12,775.
Over 14 years of age
9625, under 14, 3150.
Formerly the children under 12 or 15 years of age have but
very few of them attended school.
This we felt to be a great
evil. As one step towards removing it, the chiefs at this
place about three months since, in compliance with our sug
gestion, exempted the teachers from taxation, to which they
were before liable in common with others, that they might
teach a school every morning exclusively for children.
On
experiment it is found that a large proportion of the children
of suitable age are pleased to attend schools exclusively
their own. - The influence of these schools is already visible.
Previously to their establishment the children generally
were, comparatively, wild as the beasts of the forest.
Now, if we go to the extremities of our field,
children who
before had never, perhaps, been within five rods of a
�1184.
missionary, will crowd around us, expect to be spoken
to, & some of them wish to give us the parting hand w hen
we hid them farewell. - In visiting the different parts of
our field we have seen, also, more beneficial effects our
school for teachers in the improved condition of their
adult schools, than we had anticipated.
We do not expect,
however, that its influence will he as visible in multiply
ing the number of readers, as in augmenting their knowledge.
Immediately after the examination of our schools in Jan. we
commenced a school for persons who wished to be regarded as
candidates for teachers.
Our only requisitions for entering
the school were suitable age, ability to read intelligibly,
& having sustained, in the view of their teachers, a good
character.
The present number in this school is about 90.
As a school they are younger than the teachers, & learn more
readily.
In their instruction the same course is pursued as
with the teachers last term. Mr. Dibble teaches them in
Geography two, & Mr. Lyman in reading & Arithmetic four days
a week.
Some instruction in writing has also been given to
those who had not written before.
We have the same trial of
patience in our efforts to lead them to be industrious in
their habits, as we experienced in relation to the teachers
last term.
So much has been accomplished, however, that if
the same plan can be pursued six months longer, there will
be no further difficulty in the teachers residing here to
attend school on account of houses & food. - Though our present
school has done as well as we anticipated we do not expect
to be able to send from it a new teacher to each of our
native schools the next term.
If two thirds of the men thus
collected from every part of our field, many of, whom had,
perhaps, never heard a dozen sermons, should demean themselves
in such a manner as to justify us in appointing them teachers,
our expectations will be fully realized.
We shall endeavour
to fill up their number as fast as we are able. And even if some
of the schools should remain for a considerable time with but
one regular teacher, we think those schools will be benefitted
by their teachers attending our school half the time. M r s . Dibble continues her select class in Geography the present
term, also her school for children, 15 or 20 of whom have
already made some progress in writing, Geography, & mental
arithmetic. Mrs. Lyman has a school for women in which she
teaches reading & writing.
She has also a select class of
girls in Geography & Arithmetic.
The schools of Mr. & Mrs.
Goodrich were suspended a few weeks immediately after ex
amination on account of his making the tour of the island.
They have since been resumed.
They embrace the same scholars
as before examination & are instructed in the same manner.
We would close this account of our labors & this extremely
imperfect, but as we believe correct representation of the state
of this people, by requesting an interest in your prayers
that the Spirit of the Lord may descend into our own hearts,
that we may become more holy & more devoted to our work, &
that we may be prepared to witness such displays of the power
& grace of God among this people as you have been permitted to
�1185.
see among the churches of our own land; & by subscribing
ourselves.
Yours in the bonds of the gospel.
J. Goodrich
Sheldon Dibble
D.B. Lyman
To:
Rev. R. Anderson, Asst.
Missy. Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Secty. A.B.C.F.M.,
Received Oct. 25, 1833.
Ackd. in Gen. letter Oct. 50.
Ansd. Dec. 6, 1834.
�66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
letter 49.
Waimea, Hawaii,
Oct. 26, 1833.
From: D. Baldwin
L. Lyons.
To:
?
This letter printed 30 Missionary Herald,
368, Oct. 1834.
�1187.
66
183 1-1837
XXV
Part First
L etter 49 1/ 2
Waimea, Nov. 29th, 1855.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
We have said something in this letter on the subject of
educating children on these islands & as your letters are
now about going off, I wd take the liberty of adding, in
perfect accordance, I a m sure, with the views of br. Lyons,
that we think a vast deal more must be done for them than
has yet been attempted. We are glad to see an increasing
interest in the mission on this subject.
A letter from
Honolulu lately says, "A great deal more labour & expense
must be devoted to them".
For my part I c d wish that one
half of the $1000 devoted to educating c atechists had be
appropriated to this class - If adults have most of the
labour, & the children are neglected, they will soon rise
up like a flood to sweep away all that has been done.
Whether we stay here, or take possession of Ham akua & Kohala
we intend to try to do more for them in schools, & I wish
we cd have most or all of an infant school apparatus for
this station.
I think the cost whh wd be devoted to its
purchase, wd tell well on the future generations of these
regions.
M ay the Lord guide you & all of us in our attempts
to lead souls to the fountain of life, is the prayer of
yours
Sincerely & respectively,
D. Baldwin.
To:
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Secy. of A.B.C. F.M .,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received June 25, 1834.
Ansd. Dec. 6.
Ackd. Sep. 5 , 1834. in G.L.
�1188.
66
1831-1837
X XV
Part First
L etter 50
Hawaii, N ovr. 9th, 1833.
To the Secretaries of the A.B.C .F .M.
Rev. & Dear Sirs,
It has at length become our painful duty to bid adieu to
our beloved Brother and Sister Ruggles, and to commend them
to your favorable regards on their return to the land of
their Fathers.
But tho painful thus to part from those
with whom we have long been associated in our labors of love,
and with whom we have often taken sweet counsel, we are
comforted with the assurance that we restore them to you in
the fullness of the G ospel of peace, and in the confidence and
fellowship of the Brethren of this Mission.
The circumstance
which has led to their return to America, is the protracted
illness which for many years has been seated upon him, and
which has resisted every attempt to arrest its progress while
residing at the islands, and threatens to cut short his life
unless a return to his native land shall remove it.
The
nature of that painful disease can better be described by
the physicians than by us.
He has tried a residence for
several years in the high and cooler parts o f Hawaii, he
has subjected himself to a strict regimen in his living, he
has submitted to wear a painful seton in his side for several
years, all which with the frequent use of medicine has not
only alleviated the pains, and prolonged his stay with us,
but has also taught us that the time has come at length
for him to seek a more congenial climate for his restoration.
W e feel assured that it is with the most entire unanimaty
on the part of this mission which is the result of a con
viction that it is the will of God, that we dismiss him from
this inviting field in which he has for more than thirteen
years so usefully & successfully labored.
It may not be improper here to mention that besides the
services which he has rendered to the cause at the different
stations where he has resided and which are by no means in
considerable; he has often found it necessary upon the return
of the paroxysms of his disorder to take either journies
on foot to distant parts of the island, or to make short
voyages to other islands at which times he has often been
absent from home for many weeks together.
During these
excursions he has rendered himself very useful in the super
intendence & examination of schools, and in addressing the
people from village to village, by which he has performed
much useful & important service to those remote parts of
the island which would otherwise have been seldom visited by
the foot of a missionary.
Altho he has not been ordained or
regularly licensed to preach, which he has declined on
account of ill health and the uncertainty of his stay with
us, yet we trust that his usefulness has not been the less
on that account, as in his journeyings as well as at his
own station when no ordained minister has been present, he
�1189.
has as far as health would admit, preached the gospel
to the perishing souls around him. M r . Ruggles' familiar
acquaintance with the language of this country, especially
the colloquial language, together with his courteous and
condescending demeanour to the natives, has won the affect
ions of all ranks, and gained him a more extensive influence
over this people than has fallen to the lot of most of his
brethren in the mission; and we are happy to believe that
the influence thus gained has all been consecrated to the
advancement of religion & virtue.
He retires from their
presence laden with their blessings and tears.
Nor would we pass by in silence the case of his excellent
and beloved companion, who has borne with him the varied
toils and trials of missionary life, and who is now about
to retire with him from the scene of their useful labors.
She has approved herself to us all a truly valuable sister,
and an efficient helper in the w o r k . N or has her influence
for a female been less than that of her husband over the
natives, and which during his frequent abscence from home has
been often exerted with most commendable prudence and success.
In bidding advice to our brother and sister Ruggles, we would
most affectionately commend them and their children to the
kind attention and patronage of the Prudential Committee,
of the American Board, and of the churches of our beloved
native land; earnestly bespeaking their counsel and assistance
in their behalf, wherever their lot may be cast on those
shores where they will be in need of such offices of kindness
to which in the name of Christ they will be entitled.
To you our honored Patrons, and to the Grace of God, we affect
ionately commit them, praying that He in whose hands are the
lives of us all may graciously guard them through their long
and perilous voyage, and bring them in safety and with reno
vated health to the embraces of these endeared relatives and
friends from whom they have so long been separated.
With the highest sentiments of esteem, we remain, Your
Brethren in the Lord,
Artimas Bishop
A. Thurston
Cochran Forbes.
To the Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.,
Missionary R ooms,
Boston, Ms.
Recd. July 17, 1834.
Ackd . Sep. 5, 1834. (in G.L. )
Ansd. Dec . 6.
�1190.
66
1831-1837
XX V
Part First
Letter 51.
Lahaina Island of Maui, Sandwich Islands,
N ov. 20th, 1833.
To the Rev. Rufus Anderson,
one of the Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
From William Richards,
Lorrin Andrews
Alonzo Chapin
Read. July 18, 1833.
Ans. Dec. 8
Ackd. Sep. 5, 1834 (in G . L . )
This letter printed 30 Missionary Herald 338, Sept. 1834.
�1191.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 52
Oahu, N ov. 2 4 , 1833.
The Rev. R. Anderson
Dear Sir,
we write this chiefly to acquaint you with the occasion
and circumstances of the departure of M r. Fuller from
this field of his anticipated labors.
The Wise and Holy Disposer of all events has repeatedly
visited the printing department of this mission with
afflicting circumstances, while he has crowned it with
signal blessings,
in some respects, with continued
prosperity.
The second printer that was sent to this
field, having seen the different parts of the N ew Testa
ment completed and published, as his health declined; is
now lingering on these mortal shores waiting for per
mission to asscend and to enter on that state of rest
and of blessedness, where weakness & pain, disease, sorrows
and trials sire known no more.
The fourth printer whom
you have sent to this field to engage in the work of print
ing the scriptures & multiplying facilities for instruct
ing the nation, having so far lost his health, almost from
the commencement of the voyage from America, as to be en
tirely disqualified for entering on the service, is now
about to embark for his native land, with prostrated powers
and disappointed hopes.
He was early seized with excuciating
headache, from which he can hardly be said to have been
entirely free, for any considerable time, since the first
2 weeks of his voyage.
His system has been subject to great
irritability, and the paroxisms
of his complaint which is
probably nervous, have been repeatedly, for nearly a year
attended with delirium.
In the severer paroxisms he becomes
furious, or otherwise troublesome; and in a few instances it
has been deemed expedient to bind him, to prevent him from
injuring himself or others. But generally, even in his
turns of delirium, he can be managed by milder means.
The kindness and attention of Capt. Rice & his lady, to
him during his passage out, towards whom he continued to
show much confidence and attachment, deserves a special
acknowledgement.
Sinc e his arrival here, various efforts
have been made, and different modes of treatment tried, to
remove the disorder. Bloodtelling, the seton, & various
narcotus thoroughly tried, have been unsuccessful.
We
had a small neat house, or cottage of one room built for his
accommodation in the retired enclosure, and near the house
of Mr. Rogers, where he seemed to feel somewhat at home,
and where for a few months, he has had fewer turns of
delirium than during the same length of time before.
In this situation, with the use of a daily allowance of
two drams of laudanum,
(sometimes more) he has generally
�1192.
escaped the more severe paroxisms of his disorder, though
his mind can hardly he said to have been entirely sane
for a single day.
His mortal and bodily powers are weakened,
and no radical cure can reasonably be expected, even by
increasing the quantity of the drug constantly required as
a quietus.
F or a more full account of his case we must refer you to a
letter by his hand, from Dr. Judd who has prescribed for
him since his arrival.
There seems to be no prospect of
his usefulness here, or of his ever accomplishing the object
for which he kindly offered himself to you and to the mission
ary cause, & it is the general opinion of those best acquaint
ed with his case that he ought to return to the United States,
on his own account. It is easy to see moreover that the
demands his case has made and would be likely to make on the
time and attention of the missionaries, the expense of sup
porting him here, & the difficulty of preventing evils
arising from the course he would be likely to pursue, where
no proper means are furnished for managing the insane, and
where due allowances would not be made for the mental aberrations
of a "missionary", how correct and well disposed soever he
might be in a state of sanity, all contribute to render the
expediency of his return the more obvious, and we cannot doubt
that hie personal friends at home would choose to have him
leave this land of strangers for the land of his birth.
It the general meeting of the Mission in June last his case
was considered, and the following resolutions adopted, viz.
"Resolved that the mission duly appreciating the kind in
tentions of Mr. Fuller to aid the missionary cause as a
missionary printer in the Sandwich Islands, affectionably
receive him to their circle, assure him of their tender sym
pathy in his disappointment and affliction, and of their
readiness to afford him any aid in their power to promote
his comfort, restore his health, and secure his happiness.
Resolved moreover that if Mr. Fuller deems it necessary for
the recovery of his health to return to his friends in the
United States, and the Physician's and other brethren who may
be consulted at Honolulu approve of his return, the general
Agent be authorized to secure for him a passage".
A passage has accordingly been engaged for him on board a
homeward bound Whaleship, the Magnolia of N ew Bedford, Capt.
George B . Worth, for what we consider the very reasonable
consideration of one hundred dollars for the passage and
fifty Dollars for his board, during the passage.
It is with
much confidence in the alligenc e, vigilance, faithfulness,
address, & kindness of Capt. Worth, that we commit our
afflicted brother to his care to be restored to his country
and his friends.
In his departure, he has the entire appro
bation of his brethren here and of course of the mission as
a body.
He has been commended to the Richmond Street Cong.
Church, in Providence, R.I. of which he is a member.
He
brought with him a letter of dismission and recommendation
from the church subscribed by the Rev. Thomas T. Waterman
�1193.
the Pastor.
He has been regarded only as a n occasional communicant,
and of course has not dissolved his particular connexion
with them.
He is also commended to the kind attentions
of the Rev. Sylvester Holmes of New Bedford, where he is
expected to land, should he on his arrival need his
assistance to he brought on his way to his friends, in
Providence or Attleborough.
We would hereby commend him
to you also, and to the friends of Christ with you and to
the friends of humanity among whom he may fall.
Should the Massachusetts General Hospital be open for his
reception, we should feel great pleasure in having him enjoy
for a season the benefits of the Humane Institution, unless
equally valuable aid can be more conveniently derived from
some other quarter in our beloved country now so rich in
institutions adapted to the wants of all classes of our needy
& suffering fellow men.
You will probably receive with this pretty full accounts of
the general state of our mission.
You will, we think rejoice with us to know that the first
Seamens chapel erected in foreign lands by the Seamans Friend
Society has, this day, been solemly dedicated to the worship
of Almighty God, the Father, Son, & Holy Ghost, and its
peaceful banner raised in his name to float in the breeze
over this village, to proclaim to Seamen and landsmen at the
port of Honolulu , "This "Bethel" is the House of God, this
is the gate of heaven”, where the humble and ambassador for
Christ is allowed to take his stand and invite the wrong,
the wandering, the stayer, the prodigal, the poor & perish
ing to come & find rest to their souls, looking to t he
Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world".
The chapel & reading rooms, erected at an expense of about
3,000 doll. - the library of 500 or 600 volumes, and a faith
ful chaplain to seek the salvation of seamen & others, are
great acquisitions to this place, the happy smiles of which
will be fully known only in eternity. - God's trust, we know,
will not return to him void, but accomplish the end for which
he sends it forth, & we trust that through the prayers of
Zion, it will eventually be triumphant here, though the
struggle with darkness and sin may be long, and in some re
spects, painful, and discouraging.
Attention to schools in general at this Island, has been
greatly diminished the last year, though there has been no
remission in our exertions to urge forward the work of in
struction.
We have some hope that a more settled state of the
government will ere long afford better encouragement to the
cause of learning & religion than at present.
May the Lord overrule our trials, as he has in times past,
for the advancement of his own precious cause, for more dear
to her (hole in paper) it can be to us, or our warmest friends.
�1194.
We ask a continuance of the prayers of all who love Zion,
and with cordial salutations subscribe ourselves yours in
the L ord.
H. Bingham
E.W.Clark
G. P. Judd
S. Ruggles
Levi Chamberlain
Andrew Johnstone
Stephen Shepard.
P.S. The Magnolia is expected to cruise a little time,
and she may not arrive in the United States so soon as the
vessel which bears this letter.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
one of the Secretaries of the A .B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
R eceived May, 1834.
Ackd. Sep. 5, 1834.
Ansd. Dec. 3.
�1195.
66
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XXV
Part First
Oahu,
L etter 53.
Jan. 6, 1834.
To the Secretaries of the
A.B.C.F.M . , Boston.
Rev. & Dear Sir:
We wrote you in N ov. last respecting the loss of M r . Fuller's
health, and of his departure from the field without ingaging
in the service, and of his embarkation on board the Magnolia
Capt. Geo. Worth, who expected to cruise for oil a short
period before he should lay his course for Hew Bedford.
We
spoke of the entire prostration of Mr. Shepard, and intimated
that another of whom we are now to speak more particularly
was waiting for a homeward passage.
Though you may not have been personally acquainted with our
brother & sister, Mr. & M r s . Ruggles, they having come upon
this new field before you entered into the public service of
the Board, yet you are doubtless, acquainted with their
character, and their efforts for the good of the Sandwich
Islanders from the commencement of this mission; efforts
which you & they & w e also, could wish might long be con
tinued, did health and strength permit.
You have already been apprised also of the reasons which
led them, four years ago, to think of a return t o the United
States, and of some of the measures which were subsequently
adopted to arrest the progress of his disease, & to prolong
the exertion of their influence among the people, and will
not, we presume, be greatly disapointed to learn, that with
the consent and approbation of their brethren, they have at
length concluded to leave the field, to revisit their native
land with their children after a service of nearly fourteen
years, sharing in the toils, & privations, & various trials
necessarily connected with the missionary work in so new a
field, as well as suffering from protracted illness in his
case.
His complaint has been considered a disease of the liver
and for several years treated as such, but of late, his
symptoms have appeared to be those of dispepsia, and he
has, in consequence had prescriptions for that disorder.
The means used have at times seemed of great benefit and
our hopes of his permanent recovery have been raised.
But
again the disease has resumed its ground and his labors were
interrupted.
During the last year he has felt, though in a favorable sit
uation, that his health has been declining rather than im
proving, and on the whole we are of the opinion that it would
not be likely to be restored in this country, and hope that
�1196.
a voyage and a residence in a o d d e r climate may be
serviceable and lead even to an entire restoration; & that
they may both have opportunity with renovated vigor and
courage to apply themselves, still, to the good work which
they have of advancing the Redeemer's kingdom wherever in
his holy providence he may choose to employ their instrumentality.
Though their influence is greatly needed here, and the
separation is attended with deep regret on both sides yet
their return has the decided approbation of their associates,
who fe el their need of being reinforced by a considerable
number of fresh laborers, ardent, devoted and strong.
Mr. & Mrs. Ruggles are members of the missionary church in
good and regular standing having enjoyed the uninterrupted
fellowship, confidence, and affection of their associates
from the beginning, as well as the e s t e e m and love of the
people, among whom they have extensively labored, particular
ly at Waimea and Hanapepe on Kauai, & Hilo, Waimea & Kaawaloa
or Hawaii.
They are affectionately commended to the Board and its
officers in particular, & to the sympathy and fellowship of
our Christian friends in general, & of the churches where
their lot may be cast.
A daughter eleven years old, and a
son seven, accompany them.
Their first born has been in
America several years.
They leave one precious daughter in
the graveyard near the native church on the plains of Honolulu.
Lucy Whiting, a daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Bingham goes under
their protection to the kind care of Mr. & M r s . Charles
Whiting of Hartford Conn., and who with the other children is
commended to your kind regards & prayers.
Our friend Capt. Matthew Sayre, to whom we are under particular
obligation, has kindly offered them a free passage on board
his ship the Telegraph of Sag Harbor, though he may be obliged
to cruise a short time for 150 barrels of oil to complete
his cargo.
Their baggage is on board with several boxes from
other missionaries to literary institutions &c, which may very
reasonably pay freight unless the other respectable owners at
home also generously relinquish their claim.
From the generosity of promptness, skill, & efficiency of
the Captain, & the very comfortable accommodations of the
Telegraph, & the probability that she will reach home in 6
months, we regard the opportunity as a specially favorable
one. May the devine blessing accompany them and all on board,
& bring them to their friends in peace, & may you & we aid
all concerned,learn eventually that our tight afflictions
which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding
& eternal weight of glory.
Farewell.
�Very affectionately your brethren, and fellow servants
in M essiah's cause.
H. Bingham
E.W . Clark
Levi Chamberlain
Stephen Shepard
Gerrit P. Judd
Saml . Whitney
P .J.G u lic k
Rev.Messrs. B .B . Wisner, D.D.
R.Anderson
D.Greene
Received July 17, 1834.
Ackd. Sep. 5 , 1 8 3 4 .(in G .L . )
Ansd. Dec. 3.
�1198.
66
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Part First
This letter not copied.
Hot Hawaiian.
printing in the Missionary Herald.
Dated
From Richd. Armstrong.
W.P. Alexander
Benj. W. Parker.
To: R. Anderson.
Letter 54
Marked for
Washington Islands,
Island of N ukuhiva, March 7, 1834
�1199.
66
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XXV
Part First
letter 55
The following is a list of such articles as we think we
may need by the time you can send them.
We are obliged
to call for more because we may be obliged to build new
houses before long, and because we loose many things
through the theft of the natives.
1.
Articles for trade
500 files all of a small grain
30 large axes
50 small hatchets
500 fishooks
6 doz. pocket glasses
About 1 Doz. pieces cotton cloth for sale & family use.
Some blue cloth
50 yds. bright red flannel
100 cheap razors.
2. Articles for our own use
2 Reams letter paper
3 Do - foolscap
100 quills
1 Keg of nails of various sizes
1 Barrel of rice
1/2 bl. coffee
1 Box tea
2 B ls . sugar
- Spiceries
A quantity of crockery, & hardware also some tin ware.
Some lard
2 b ls. molasses
3 b ls . clear port
3 b ls. beef
2 b ls. salt
6 Boxes soap
1 Box Codfish
1 Bl. Mackerel
6 B ls. flour
2 Grindstones with cranks
5 Gal. linseed oil
5 Spades
1 brier scythe
dried fruit
2 ox yokes & chains
1 ox cart
1 hand cart
2 large cow bells with chains
5 large tin horns, to call the people to church
6 cooks for barrels & Kegs
6 Chambers
A complete set of carpenters tools.
Duck trousers & check shirts for native domestics.
Some prints
�1200 .
As to money we know not how much to request
We need
it to trade with foreigners or with ships. Perhaps$
.
0
5
may not be out of the w a y .
Supplies requested for the
Washington Islands Mission.
Recd. Sep. 12, 1834.
�1201 .
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 56.
Copy of a letter sent to the western coast of
America to cross the continent, dated,
Hilo Hawaii,
March 28th, 1834.
Rev. R. Anderson,
Missy. Rooms, Boston.
Dear Sir:
In our letter of Oct. 1/33 we stated the reverse of things
at this station.
A reverse which made the prospect dark
indeed, if we looked at things seen, but which we had, even
then, some faint hope might prove like the darkness before
the dawn of day.
Appearances remained the same till the
19th of N ov. when we examined our station schools & appointed
a protracted meeting to commence the 15th of Dec.
Our examination was followed by a vacation of a little
more than two weeks. This enabled us to devote more time to
visiting from house to house, than we had previously been
able to command for that purpose. The members of the church
& the teachers in the Sabbath school were also directed to
visit the people & endeavour to persuade them to attend
meetings & join the S .School.
By these means our congrega
tion was somewhat enlarged, & the number of scholars in the
S.School about doubled.
Still, at the commencement of the
protracted meeting, the church, with few exceptions, were
asleep, & seemed, though they had been frequently instructed
on the subject, to have no conception that it was possible
for sinners to be converted without a previous process of
seeking, which was to be protracted for months, if not for
years.
Among the impenitent, none were known to be particularly
enquiring.
Death reigned through the congregation.
We
saw nothing to inspire hope but the promises of an omnipo
tent God, & the almost absolute certainty, that Satan
would triumph, if the Holy Spirit should not descend.
After two or three days, it was found that a few of the
most forward scholars in our station schools, were under
deep conviction.
And before the d o s e of the meeting, three
or four of them gave pleasing evidence that they were created
anew in Christ. - The meeting was continued 8 days.
The
number who attended was from 700 to 1,000, or about the
same as our usual congregation on the sabbath.
The exercises
during the week were as follows: a native prayer meeting at
6 A.M.,preaching at half past 9, prayer meeting at 1 P.M.,
preaching at half past 3 & a prayer meeting by ourselves in
the evening.
On the sabbath, there was no departure from
the usual excercises of that day, except the prayer meeting
in the morning.
The sermons preached were from the follow
ing texts.
R e v . 3: 15-17. M a l . 3:7,8,10. Ps. 14:3.
�1202 .
M ath. 23:33. L u ke 19:42. John 3: 14,15. Heb. 9:22,
Posh. 24: 14,15. R om. 5:6-8. 1 Tim. 1:15. R ev. 22:17.
Hosea 5:15. Math. 16: 26. John 5:40. Prov. 14:9. M ath. 10:14,15.
Two weeks from the close of this meeting, things seemed to
be at a stand. Most of the church were still asleep.
We
then, held a three days meeting exclusively for the church
members & candidates.
With the exception of the meeting at
sunrise, which was open for all, the order of exercises were
the same at this, as at the former meeting.
The presence of
the Holy Spirit was manifest.
From that time the church as
a body, has appeared better, than we had ever expected to
see it.
Some individuals from among the impenitent, gave
evidence of a change of heart.
On the first sabbath of the present month, no persons were
admitted to the church.
For 9 of them we had entertained
hope for a considerable time.
The remaining seven give the
same kind of evidence of a recent work of the Spirit on
their hearts, as is expected from young converts in the
United States.
We hope a few others have been brought to
Christ during the last few months, though we fear their number
is small.
The few who have seemed to give the most decisive
evidence of a change of heart, have appeared to have much
clearer views of the sinfulness of their own hearts & of their
indebtedness to the grace of God alone for salvation, than
any of us have before witnessed in natives of these islands.
While we would say the Lord hath done great things, & let
his name be praised, we wish to record what he has done as
merely an earnest of what might have been accomplished, had we
been prepared for it, & also, as showing what must be done
by the churches in our own country, before revivals affecting
the great mass of this people can be expected.
We know of
no individual who gives any evidence of having been converted
during the last few months, who had not, for a considerable
time, been a member of the Sabbath School, & no one gives
satisfactory evidence who is not, also, a member of some one
of the schools taught by ourselves during the week.
The same reasons which led us to suspend the native schools
at Hilo & Puna, last August, have hitherto prevented our
making efforts immediately to revive them.
We have no
hesitation in saying that the old system of native schools
has affected nearly all that can be accomplished by it in our
field. And we see no way in which any system of schools can
be carried into extensive operation, or in which the gospel
can be brought to exert its influence on the great mass of this
unthinking people for a long time to come, without the
residence of a mission family at each of the more important
places along the whole extent of our sea coast.
The station schools mentioned in our last have all been
continued. The present number in the school for teachers, is
61.
In the school for females are 80 scholars.
M r . Goodrich's
school has also been continued. All the scholars in these
schools belong to the S.school.
We have this year, had no
school for children till within a few weeks, because we have
�1203.
been able to find time & strength for it . We have now a
school of about 70 children, but experience as well as
the nature of the case, admonishes us, that comparatively
little can be affected in this way, till we have the means
of establishing a boarding school, with an instructor & a
matron competent for the employment.
During the months of Oct. & Nov. we preached frequently at
our out churches on the sabbath; also during the week, at
two small villages about 4 miles distant from our residence.
Since that time we have thought it our duty to spend most
of our strength nearer home. Mr. Goodrich has once made the
tour of Puna, this is nearly all we have done, during the
last 4 months, at a distance of more than 4 miles from our
residence. The gospel has been regularly preached at this
place, since the date of our last. During the last three
& a half months we have daily held a public meeting, commencing
15 minutes before sunrise, for exhortation & prayer. We
have found the people more ready to attend regularly at this,
than at any other hour of the day.
We have also held meetings
frequently in the P .M . - There are now more than 300 scholars
in the S.School.
The attention given to preaching is encour
aging, though we have to lament, that there is evidently
less feeling in the congregation, than there was two months
ago.
Requesting your prayers that the word of the Lord may have
free course with us, even as it has had with you, we subscribe
ourselves,
Your brethren in the gospel.
D.B.Lyman
S. Dibble
J. Goodrich.
N .B. Another reason which might have been mentioned why we
have preached no more at out stations during the last few
months, is delicate health has most of the time disqualified
some one or more of our number for preaching.
D.B.L .
To: Rev. R. Anderson,
Secty. A.B.C.F.M.,
Missy. Rooms,.Boston, U.S.A.
Recd. Feb. 26, 1835.
Ackd. in G.L. Sep. 16.
�1204.
66
1831-1837
Letter not copied.
XXV
Part First
L etter 57.
N ot Hawaiian.
History of a joint communication of Messrs. Alexander,
Armstrong & Parker giving a conc ise account of their
residence at the island of Nukuhua, labors, character
of the natives & c &c.
�1205.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 58.
Report on the Natives of the Marquesas Islands, continued.
Not copied.
�1206.
66
1831-1837
Not copied.
XXV
Part First
L etter 59
Continuation of Letter No. 57 and 58.
�1207.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
L etter 60
Honolulu, island of Oahu,
May 13, 1834.
Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear S i r :
We have just this hour arrived here with our families in
good health; and as a vessel is expected to sail tomorrow
morning for the coast of South America, by which letters
may be forwarded to you, we must avail ourselves of the
opportunity to write you a short letter though it is now
late at night.
We have much to say to you in reference
to the Marquesas mission, and our reasons for abandoning
it, but can only mention the general facts at present;
more full statements will be transmited to you as soon as
an opportunity is afforded.
Very soon after our arrival at N uuhiva, doubts began to
arise in our minds whether we had acted wisely in leaving
the wide and promising fields for missionary labour in
the S. Islands to establish a mission there under existing
circumstances. These doubts arose principally from the
smallness of the population around us, which was every
where apparent go in what direction we would.
But they
did not result in any definite resolutions until we had
opportunities to explore the Washington group to our satis
faction, and ascertain the number, character & situation of
the people to a considerable degree;
ter which, and after
f
A
much prayer, and trembling hesitation, we came to the
unamimous conclusion that it was on the whole for the best
to break up that mission at once and return to these islands.
This resolution was adopted on the 1st day of April, and
the following is a brief obstract of the reasoning which in
fluenced our minds in its adoption. 1. Such were the number,
character, and situation of the inhabitants of those islan d s .
that w e k n o w o f no place where we could r e c o m m e n d a
mission
ary station to be taken except the one we o c c u p i e d Massachusetts
b ay or Iaiohae.
The windward group or Marquesas proper we did not & could not
visit, but the information we received through the master of a
whale-ship who anchored at the island of Dominica in
---was by no means an encouraging kind.
One item was that Capt.
Dean of the Eng. whaleship Elizabeth, landed on the beach of
one of the harbours of that island about a week before the
arrival of said captain and was instantly murdered by the
natives.
From all the information we could collect we judged
that the inhabitants of that group are not very numerous, but
extremely savage, fierc e, cruel and lawless; But this is not
the greatest difficulty in the way of establishing a mission
among them.
They are divided into small tribes or clans, which
�1208.
are so separated from each other by mountains & precipices
as to render access to them difficult: And these tribes are
at war with each other continually. Considering then the
state & location of the people of the windward group of
islands we could not advise you, while other fields are open
before you already white unto the hearvest to attempt the
establishment of a mission there.
In regard to the three islands of the Washington group, we
are able to speak more from observation, but at present
cannot go into detail.
Suffice it to say that after visiting
all the principal settlements, we could find no point where a
missionary could have direct & easy access to 1,000 people,
except at Massachusetts Bay.
The inhabitants are divided
& subdivided into small settlements which are much scattered
& separated from each other by high ridges and mountains
difficult & often dangerous to pass.
And moreover the tribes
are incessantly at war with each other, so that a missionary
living in one tribe may not venture to visit another, at least
until the whole system of idolatry is overthrown in which the
wars originate.
Among several of the largest tribes we are
not prepared to say that it would be safe or prudent for a
missionary to attempt to reside.
Seeing then this was the case the whole subject of sustaining
that mission or not, resolved itself into the single question,
"is it expedient to sustain a single station on that group
of islands?" We decided as we thought you would had you been
on the spot, in the negative; Because 1. of the smallness of
the population in the vicinity of that station.
We took the
census of the valley & found it to contain about 1,000 souls.
This had we remained at that station would have been the extent
of the population under our immediate instruction & influence.
And the prospect of benefiting the adjacent tribes did not
appear to be very bright, as you will perceive when we come to
state particulars.
2. Because of the probability that we
should be obliged to abandon it at some future time.
Of this
you will be able to judge when you are made acquainted with
our history during eight months residence at Nuuhiva.
It
arose principally from entire want of civil government and
consequent perfect lawlessness of the people, the existing wars,
defenceless state of our families, and also from the considera
tion that you might find it difficult to send us suitable
helpers in case they were called for if the limited nature and
other discouragements of that field were fully made known.
3. Because the expense of sustaining a single station there
would be proportionably very great.
Should it be necessary,
as seems probable, to send supplies from the Sandwich Islands,
this is at once quite evident.
But should this not be
necessary, the expense would be great, as you will see when
particulars are mentioned.
4. In looking at the history of
that mission, it did not appear to have originated in or to
have been urged forward on correct information.
On the con
trary it originated in superficial & incorrect information,
and was urged forward against many heavy obstacles thrown
providentially in its way.
We are satisfied that had the
Board been correctly informed they would not in the present
�1209.
state of the world and of their funds, have thought of
undertaking that mission.
Therefore the hand of God
seemed to have been against it from the begining, and we
feared that we had run without being sent. And 5 . Bec ause
a wide and open yet a needy field lay within a few weeks
sail of us, without many of the above mentioned objections
difficulties & dangers; and the cost of our removal not
over $200. - Though the M arquesians are more ignorant &
vicious than the Hawaians, they are not more certainly des
titute of the preached word (the great instrument of sal
vation) and other means of grace nor more certainly exposed
to the wrath of God than vastly greater numbers of the
latter who are both more easy of access & more ready to be
instructed as well as more harmless than the former.
This is a brief outline of the reasons which influenced our
minds in concluding to leave the Marquesas and return to the
Sandwich Islands. You will scarcely be able to appreciate
them duly without a statement of more particulars, as they
are already drawn up though not in a form proper to forward
to you, but it will we suppose be a satisfaction to you to
know even thus much.
In our weakness & in the deceitfulness
of our hearts we may have done wrong.
If so, we oast our
selves at the feet of our devine Redeemer, and of his church,
and plead for pardon.
But if we are not greatly deceived, we
have in this removal been aiming to promote the be s t interests
of the cause to which we have consecrated our lives.
We sailed from Nuuhiva on board the Benjamin Rush of Warren,
R.I. Capt. I. Coffin, on the 16th of April.
During our voyage
of four weeks Capt. C. as well as his officers & crew have
shown us every kindness in their power, even gave us the entire
use of his cabin.
Not being able to take our effects on board
except a few necessaries, Capt. W.I.Green of the Eng. whaleship
Royal Sovreign, consented to take most of them to H uahine,
from w h i c h they may be forwarded to us by whaleships bound on
the coast of Japan. Previous to our departure from N. we sent
a general letter, and also some private letters and journals
to the Society Islands, to be forwarded to you, in which you
will find considerable information in regard to those islands
& our labours & trials there.
We remain yours affectionately in the gospel of Christ.
Richd. Armstrong
W . P .Alexander
Benj. Parker
To: Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.,
Missionary Rooms,
28 Cornhill, Boston.
Reed. Aug. 25.
�1210
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 61.
Kailua, May 22, 1834.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
From: A. Thurston
A. Bishop
Recd. July 3, 1835.
Acks. in G.L. Sep. 16.
Ansd. June 18, 1836.
This letter printed 31 Missionary Herald,
338, Sept. 1835.
�1211 .
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part F irst
L etter 62.
Honolulu - island of Oahu
June 4, 1834.
To B.B.Wisner
R.Anderson
David Green
Secretaries of the A.B.C.F .M.
Dear Brethren:
Having an opportunity in the former part of the month of
May to send letters across the continent, we wrote you a
hasty letter (not then being able to do more) giving i n
telligence o f our arrival here, and an abstract of our
reasons for abandoning the Washington Islands mission, and
at the same time premising to give our reasons in full as
soon as possible.
That promise we shall now attempt to
redeem.
N ot long after our arrival at the Washington Islands, doubts
began to arise in all our minds whether or not we had acted
wisely in forsaking the extensive and open, yet destitute
fields in the Sandwich Islands, to establish a mission there.
These doubts arose principally from the fewness of the people
which was every where apparent, go in what direction we
would.
But supposing that other vallies & parts of the islands
which we had not then explored, were much more populous than
the one in which we lived, and might afford a field wide
enough for you to enlarge your operations there to a very con
siderable extent, these doubts did not result in any definite
resolutions, or amount to anything serious for s ome time.
They however produced a keen solicitude in our minds to ex
plore the islands more thoroughly, and ascertain as nearly as
possible the state of the different tribes, and the extent of
the population.
Accordingly as soon as opportunities were
offered and the existing hostilities would admit of it, we
visited all the principal settlements on the island of
N uuhiva except one (and that we deemed it unsafe to visit) and
the island of Uapo.
These visits and the. information collected
had no tendency to remove but only to confirm the doubts
before entertained, and led us to think seriously of abandoning
the field at once.
The prevalent opinion however, among us
was for a time, that we could not leave the field until we had
made the Prudential Committee fully acquainted with the case,
and advised with you as to what we should do.
But on farther
reflection, and a better acquaintance with the number, situation
& character of the different tribes, the case seemed to be
too palpable to admit of any longer doubt as to what were the
indications of providence. This being the case, we supposed,
we could clearly anticipate your judgement as according
with our own, and would save considerable amount of funds as
well as our own labour & toil, by leaving the field at once,
rather than to delay for your decision.
�1212.
Therefore on 1st day of April 1834, after spending the
day in fasting Sc prayer with referenc e to the subject,
we unanimously "Resolved, to return to the Sandwich islands
by the first opportunity".
This resolution was.not
hastily adopted.
It had been before our minds for months.
We had maturely & cautiously considered it and prayed over
it.
The consequences which it involved were carefully
looked at. There were on the one hand the disappointed hopes
& expectations of the Board and of the churches, the funds
that have been expended, our liability to unfavourable su s
picions, and the consideration that eclipsed every other
the leaving that people in their gross darkness & sin; And
on the other hand, the insuperable difficulties,contracted
nature, dangers & embarrassments of that field, compared with
others more wide & open, and the prospect of holding up the
lamp of life before those who are not quite so ignorant of
it, but in as perishing need of it as the Marquesians; and
moreover the probability that we should be obliged to retire
from that field at some future time.
But it is our purpose to assign specific reasons here for
adopting the above resolutions, and
1. Such are the numbers, character, and situation of the in
habitants of those islands, that there is no place where
we could recommend you to take a station except the one which
we occupied at Massachusetts Bay or the valley of Iaiohae.
In regard to the windward group or Marquesas proper, we have
collected but little information concerning them, that is
not already in your possession, as we did n ot & could not
visit them. The population may be somewhat greater than
that of the Washington group, which we suppose does not
exceed 5,000 or 6,000, perhaps less.
But there is reason to
fear that the largest & most populous island of that group
(Dominica) is not yet open for the introduction of the gospel
by missionaries, especially if they have families.
In the
month of F e b . Capt. Dean of the English whale-ship Elizabeth,
landed on the beach of one of the harbours in a boat and
was instantly murdered.
The particulars of the melancholy
event we have not heard.
Masters of vessels who have an
chored at Dominica, represent the natives as extremely savage,
cruel, and lawless, and willing to perpetrate any crime for
the sake of a little property.
This too accords with common
report.
The largest of the remaining islands is Christiana
or Iahuata; its population is small, perhaps not exceeding
1,000, and this is divided & subdivided into small clans or
settlements which are separated from each other by mountains
& p r e c i p i c e s , and at war with each other.
It might be safe
for mission families to reside on this island but their
sphere of labour would be quite small, and difficult. The
remaining island Fatuhiva is considerably smaller than the
other two.
But even supposing that group presented a large & open field
for missionary work, unless a vessel were at the command
�1213.
of the mission, almost no communication could be had
between a mission there and one on the other group.
The
two groups are too far apart to venture to pass from one
to the other in boats or canoes, and it is very seldom that
ships pass from one to the other.
But keeping a vessel of
any kind there would not only be expensive, but at present
hazardous, inasmuch as it would be liable to be taken by
the savage natives.
Were a mission taken therefore on each
of the groups, they must be entirely distinct, and each
supported either directly from America or from the S.Islands.
There is no reason to hope that vessels will very soon if ever
be owned by any of the chiefs.
They are poor & have very
little authority, indeed they differ but little from the c o m
mon people.
Of the three islands of the Washington group one (Huahuga)
we did not visit, partly bec ause no opportunity was afforded,
and partly because we became satisfied through persons who
had been there that the population is small and sparse (indeed
the island is the smallest of the gro u p . ) Uapo was visited
by M r . Armstrong in March, who touched at the two largest
& most populous vallies on the island, neither of which con
tains as he supposes 400 people.
The people were as civil
as they are on Huuhiva, but all the tribes are quite small
and separated from each other by mountains difficult to pass.
Probably the whole population of Uapo does not exceed 1,000
and they are distributed into several (we are told 12) distinct
settlements, which have comparatively little intercourse with
each other owing to the intervening mountains, and the existing
wars. From our best information we judge that there is no
place on that island where a missionary could have direct and
easy access to 500 s o u l s :
And moreover, as Uapo is without
either reefs or harb o urs, it would not be easy to convey supplies
to a family living there.
In the present state of the world
therefore, we could not recommend you to send missionaries to
that island where the inhabitants are comparatively so few,
and so unfavourably situated.
Your field for missionary effort then in the Marquesas islands,
as we judged, dwindled down to the single island of N uuhiva.
To this we now invite your careful attention.
A map accompanies
this letter by which you may form a pretty correct idea of
the shape of that island, and of the situation of the different
tribes, vallies, mountains &c.
In March there being for a
time a cessation of hostilities among the principal tribes of
the island except one, we were enabled to visit the settlements,
and confer with the people on the object of our mission.
In
these visits we were treated as civilly as could be expected,
but none of the tribes voluntarily expressed a wish to have
us go and live among them, though when asked if we might
reside among them, they signified their consent.
But we could
find no place on the island where a missionary could be a d
vantageously located, except at Massachusetts Bay, where we
resided, and of this we shall speak presently.
We shall
mention the several vallies & settlements in particular.
And
1. The valley of Taioa b ay about four or five miles to the S.W.
of our station, and contains a population not exceeding 600,
�1214.
which is dispersed along a narrow valley for at least five
miles. This we did not regard as a suitable place for a
station, because the number of people is too small to
justify the location of two families among them, if not too
small for one, in the present state of the world, and we
are of the decided opinion that one family ought not to
be stationed alone on any of those islands in the present
state of the people.
We presume you would not deem it ex
pedient to appoint a missionary at present to labour among
600 people while millions are equally destitute & equally
ready for the introduction of the gospel.
2.
The Hapa settlements lay on the other side of us.
Of
these there are four distinct settlements, all of which fas
you may see by the map) are separated from each other by
mountains & precipices so as to be completely isolated, and
all lie inland so that access to any of these settlements
by water is impossible.
After visiting all these, we suppose
the largest of them does not exceed 400 people, and all of
them added together do not much, if at all, exceed 1,000 souls
But to take a station among the Hapas would not only be in
expedient, on account of the smallness, and isolated position
of the tribes, but almost impracticable on account of the
difficulty of access to them either by land or water. As
has been said, there is no access to them by water, the coast
being bound by a bold, lofty & almost perpendicular range
of mountain and the easiest and most direct route by land
from any quarter is that described b y C.S.Stewart in his
L etters Vol. 1. page 251 - 52 , where the writer says after
passing over it, "I never was so exhausted by an effort I
ever made.
The strength & resolution of several of the
gentlemen were almost overcome and one near fainting, threw
himself against the precipice in utter despair of proceeding
farther, till a native following, took him upon his back
and carried him to the summit".
Now if ever the bread of
life or a missionaries goods & family are taken to the Hapas,
it must be over this mountain emphatically styled by the above
author the "hill of difficulty";. Though the bloody islanders
could carry a nine pounder in 1814 to the top of this same
mountain, in order to pour vengeance upon their enemies, it
is questionable whether for love or money they could be
induced to convey a missionary's goods or supplies over it: At
least not until they are so much improved as scarcely to
need a missionary. But when this hill is surmounted the dif
ficulty is not over.
This route leads to a small clan of
three or four hundred and to the three remaining settlements
the route is still more more difficult than it is to the first
So that were a missionary to resolve to plant himself in the
midst of the Hapas he could find no place where 500 people
would be under his immediate instruction and influence, and
to attempt to do anything directly for any but the tribe in
which he might reside would be attended with much difficulty.
So we conclude there is no suitable place for a station among
the Hapas.
We now come to speak of the several Taipi settlements. One
of the principal of these we deemed it unsafe to visit on
�1215.
account of the existing wars. But we have seen the valley,
and can form some idea of its location.
The other two we
ventured to visit though not without some fears for our
safety.
One of the tribes inhabits the upper extremity of
a long & narrow but beautiful valley called Ovaiii (see m a p ),
stretching from a fine harbour 7 or 8 miles inland. This
settlement was visited b y M r . Alexander, who estimates the
population at between 3 & 5 hundred.
It is evidently small
& scattered as is the population generally, there being no
villages.
M r . A. thinks there is no place for a station
in that isolated tribe.
Adjacent to this, on the other side
of a lofty ridge some five or six miles distant, is another
Taipi valley called Hourui.
This was visited by Messrs.
Parker & Armstrong, who were treated kindly by the natives
except when the name of Porter was mentioned; then some ill
humour was manifested not only towards us but towards Americans
generally.
The valley we explored from end to end.
It is
4 or 5 miles long, quite narrow, with charming scenery.
From what we saw of the natives, and from counting the houses,
we supposed the population to be between 5 & 8 hundred; prob
ably nearer 5 however.
When asked if they desired missionaries
they rather coldly replied in the affirmative, but in our
opinion, even were this a desirable place for a station in
other respects, it would be hazardous for a family to attempt
to reside there at present.
Such is the cupidity, lawless
ness and savage cruelty of the people, especially when under
the influence of an infernal superstition, that human life
or principles of justice, are small obstacles in the way of
accomplishing their designs.
Indeed, as we have said, it
would be inexpedient to locate a missionary (having a family)
alone on any part of those islands, and we imagine you would
not for a moment think of placing two missionaries among
5 or 600 people while they might labour directly for as many
thousands.
There is a negative disadvantage in sustaining a mission
in any part of those islands which deserves special attention.
That is the entire want of civil government of any sort.
Every man is just as free and independent as his neighbour and
acts his pleasure without fear of being called to an account
for his conduct by any chief.
Indeed the word for Chief
(Hakaiti) does not include the idea of authority, as does the
corresponding word in the S.Islands, but merely signifies
a gentleman or man of importance derived from the possession
of property.
This destitution we felt to be a great disadvan
tage inasmuch as it left us entirely exposed to the theft,
robbery, insults, cruelty of the natives, without any protection
or redress.
The only settlements which remain to be noticed are two small
ones, living in two remote & isolated vallies (Pua & Atitoka)
on the N . & W. sides of the island.
N either of them we suppose
contain a population of over 300.
Thus having surveyed the whole Washington group we are unable
to mention a single place where we could recommend you to
take a station, except at Mass. Bay where we resided.
The
whole subject of sustaining that mission or not then resolved
�1216.
itself into this single question, is it expedient to
sustain a single station at M ass. Bay alone?"
Though
not without prayerful consideration for many days, we
decided this question as we thought you would had you
stood in our place in the negative, and the reasons
which influenced our minds are the following.
1. The
smallness of the population in the immediate vicinity
of that station. We took the census of that valley our
selves and found it to contain about 1,000 souls.
This
had we remained would have been the extent of the popula
tion under our immediate influence & instruction, and would
you deem it expedient in the present state of the heathen
world, to lay out the labours of three missionaries with
their companions, and with the necessary expenditures on
1,000 people while each one of them might exert a direct
influence over four or five times this number who are
equally needy?
But it may be said should a station be sustained at that
one point, the light would emanate in true to every part of
the group.
This consideration was not overlooked but when
examined it appeared to us more specious than solid.
Reason
ing from analogy we should indeed infer that were efficient
operations sustained at that one point alone, the light would
in true break out on every side, and influence more or less
every part of the group.
And were there an extensive popula
tion to be affected by this diffusive light, it would be no
doubt proper to hold it up; just as glimmering tapers are
held up around the walls of China with the hope that a ray
may now & then dart within her gates, until the whole empire
is illuminated by the gospel.
But you will observe that
the population of those three islands does not much, if any,
exceed 7 thousand; two thousand of which is 20 miles distant
from Nuuhiva, and has very little communication with it for
want of suitable means of conveyance, as well as for want
of sufficient motives to induce natives to venture so far in
their unwieldy & unsafe canoes.
The remaining 5 or 6,000,
inhabiting N uuhiva is destributed into at least ten distinct
settlements, and these are so separated from each other by
mountains & precipices as to render intercourse between them
both difficult and infrequent.
What will convince you most
clearly of this is the fact that different tribes or clans on
the same island, speak different dialects; and we know from
personal inquiry that there are even chiefs living at M a s s .
Bay, who have never visited any of the Taipi settlement
though they are not eight miles distant.
Another circum
stance which renders intercourse between the tribes compara
tively infrequent is the want of any general government or
great centre of influence; such as exists on other islands,
and also the existence of the most savage & deadly hatred
between the several tribes, which gives rise to wars & fight
ings continually.
How then is the light to be diffused?
There is reason to
believe that by the blessing of God it would work its way
to every dwelling in time, but it will be through many
obstacles and disadvantages, and therefore its progress could
not be expected to be rapid unless something not far short of
�miracles were wrought.
If benefited at all by the Gospel, the scattered tribes
must be benefited either directly by missionaries living
at M a s s . Bay, or indirectly, by the example and influence
of one tribe, which has no political connection with the
others. Of what might be done by the latter method you
may in some measure judge from the above remarks.
Let us now see what might possibly be done directly for
the conversion of all the tribes on the islands b y mission
aries living at M a s s . Bay.
They might make occasional visits
to Uapo & Uahuga, provided they were furnished with some
safe means of conveyance.
Persons have run to those islands
in whale-boats, but the distance being considerable, and
the trade winds strong , it is hazardous.
Rev. Mr. Osmond after 17 years experience in similar circum
stances with ours, advised us never to attempt passing in
a whale, or any other sort of bo a t . What could be done
directly then for the sparce population of these two small
islands by missionaries living on Nuuhiva would be very
inconsiderable.
And it ought perhaps to have been remarked
before, that the intercourse between any of the Marquesas
Islands, for reasons before mentioned is very little.
During
our residence at N uuhiva there was but one canoe visited that
island from any other - that was Uapo.
The intercourse
between the Sandwich Islands and either of those groups, little
as it is, is much greater, perhaps ten fold greater than the
intercourse between the two groups; there being no means of
safe conveyance except occasionally a whale ship.
But let us return to Nuuhiva.
By casting your eye over the
map you will see the situation of the valley of Taioa.
Access to that valley from our station is difficult and even
dangerous either by land or water (see report of deputation).
M r . Armstrong traveled the route by land & is of opinion
that the case must be very urgent to render it his duty to
travel it again.
The only path leads over a succession of
mountains and precipices, above 2,000 feet high, and at
several places one is in danger of being precipitated from
a prodigious hight upon the projecting rooks below.
There
being no reefs) and the coast being almost perpendicular
and very high, and exposed to the trade winds, the passage
by water is also attended with difficulty, though with a
good boat & an experienced crew it can be accomplished without
much danger.
Therefore a missionary residing at Mass. Bay
could do very little for the 5 or 600 people of Taioa by
direct labour; an occasional visit would be all that could
be expected.
We have already spoken of the difficulty of the route to
the Hapaw (see map), and would only add that when the
"hill of difficulty" so well described by the Journalist,
is surmounted, the labour of getting to the Hapas is not over.
That route leads only to a small settlement of three or
four hundred, and to the three remaining small settlements
�1218.
the route is still more difficult than it is to the
first.
Access to all the Taipi settlements is no less difficult
than to those just mentioned. Therefore after contempla
ting the fewness and situation of the people, we could
not but regard the W.Islands as a field too contracted
& attended with too many disadvantages to expend your re
sources upon, at present, and after making all due al
lowance for what might be done by an increase of zeal &
perseverance, on our part, the prospect of converting the
islanders while living only at one isolated point, either
directly or indirectly was not very encouraging, especially
when we consider farther the moral impediments which were
in our way.
Exc ept at particular times when there is a cessation of
wars by mutual consent of two or more tribes, a missionary
living at M ass. Bay, would not be any more safe in visit
ing the Taipi settlements, to preach, than he would in at
tempting to preach the gospel in any of the cities of
Spain or Portugal or in the heart of China. Human victims
are sought with a greediness, and insatiable fury that
would render it unsafe for any one who does not belong to
their own tribes to venture amongst them.
It is true
this barrier might be removed by the indirect influence
of the Gospel, but when the Marquesian wars cease it must
be with the overthrow of the whole diabolical system of
idolatry in which they originate, and this is far from waning
at present. But we looked at things as they exist, because
on what might have taken place no calculations whatever
could be made.
It is in vain to regard a people as pre
pared for the reception of the gospel, who are yet to be
prepared for its reception.
So that as a matter of fact
nearly the half of the whole population of Nuuhiva is closed
up against the direct labours of missionaries living at
Mass. Bay.
How extensive then would have been our sphere
of action!!
2.
Another reason which influenced our minds in concluding
to abandon that station was the probability that we should
be obliged to abandon it at some future time.
Here we might mention the dangers to which we were contin
ually exposed, from the entire lawlessness of the people,
their plundering our houses, and threatening our lives for
the sake of our goods, and most of all from the secret
attacks of the Taipis, the enemies of the tribe with whom
we lived, on which account we were sometimes afraid that
regard to our own safety would oblige us to flee, if we
could get any means of fleeing.
But we forbear to mention
these circumstances in detail, although they had some in
fluence on our minds, -(though not v e r y much) inasmuch it
would evince in us a want of confidence in God. He whose
watchful care had preserved us in the midst of dangers, could
preserve us through dangers still greater, were we plainly
called to meet them.
�1219.
But considering the savage state of the people, & the
work to be accomplished in the way of translating, bookmaking, preaching, itinerating &c, and also considering
the distance of that station from any civilized inhabitants,
together with the lonely & helpless state of the families,
any breach upon our number by sickness, death or removal,
would have rendered us so weak, and inefficient as to
render our removal desirable if not necessary.
Because
less strength than we had, we regard, as insufficient to
hold the station & effect any good, in the present state of
things.
Now such a breach, from the labour and feebleness
of some of our ladies, and from other causes, we had reason
to expect.
And moreover, as we wrote, at least a physician
& printer would have been loudly called for in order to go
on with our work, - the latter especially.
But to say
nothing of the difficulty you might have in furnishing us
with such helpers, to go to a field so contracted and diffi
cult, we could scarcely call for them w hen our conviction
is that they could be more usefully employed somewhere else;
and more especially since such helpers are not very easy to
be obtained.
So that we felt in a measure constrained to
go back or forward - to abandon our post or call upon you
for aid which might be more extensively useful in another
field.
In thus reasoning we have taken it for granted that the means
at your disposal are far from being adequate to the supply
of the populous countries in the heathen world already open
for missionary efforts.
And so long as this is the case,
multitudes must perish in darkness & sin, but like the wise
husbandman it becomes us to reap and gather in the field that
is ripest, & freeest of obstacles, and where every labourer
may have room t o take as wide a swath as his strength w ill
5.
A wide and needy field lay open before us in the Sandwich
Islands to which we could remove with little expense.
It may be difficult to convince some xtians in America of
the propriety of leaving the M arquesians without any light,
and coming to a field where the light already shines, and
where the gospel has met with such unparallelled success.
But what is the matter of fact?
The whole population of the
Sandwich Islands is according to a late census 130,000.
Of
these, some of those who have been longest on the ground,
suppose 500 may be true Christians.
There are then we have
reason to (hole in paper) 129,500 yet out of Christ & ex
posed to the wrath of God!! The majority of them too living
without instruction, or any one to point them to the Lamb
of God.
Not over 50,000 have ever been reported by the mission
as even under instruction of any kind, and there are not now,
as you will see by the reports of the mission, half of this
number in the schools. What then is the condition & character.
What then is the condition & character of the 80,000 or
100,000, who have never been instructed at all?
They have
generally thrown off idolatry it is true, and put on a shade
of civilization, but this is all. They live in darkness,
�1220 .
ignorance and sin.
Heathen customs, heathen cruelty,
and even heathen worship still exist among them, and
the way of life they know n o t . That a glorious work
by the grace of God has been accomplished here, there is
no doubt and God be unceasingly praised for it.
But a
vastly greater remains yet to be done.
N ot one out of
260 souls is yet converted to Christ. On all the Washing
ton group there may be 8,000 souls living without (hole
in paper) and without hope - scattered & difficult of
access, and on these islands there are 100,000 in a con
dition little better, except that the Gospel is within
their reach, and some thousands more in a state of aliena
tion from God.
But most of these are easy of access & many
willing to hear the Gospel. On N uuhiva each one of us
might have had three or four hundred souls under his
direct instruction & influence, but here each can have more
than as many thousands# not perhaps equally savage and
vicious, but equally ignorant of the way to be saved.
We
can only regard the exchange then as an exchange of one
part of the heathen world for another with the view of
being more useful ourselves among the heathen and of re
lieving you from the charge of a mission which must have
occasioned you a great expense & some embarrassments without
a prospect of doing good proportionably great.
It may be well to make a remark or two on that station as
a favourable post to do good to Seamen.
In our judgment
its importance in this respect furnished no very strong
argument in favour of its being sustained.
Because 1. But
few ships touch there and only touch once a year and there
is little certainty or probability that the number will in
crease, on account of the trouble masters are apt to have
with their men (there being no government) - on account of
the decease they almost universally carry away with them and on
account of the uncertainty of their being able to procure
supplies, and also on account of the contiguity of Tahiti
where everything abounds - And because 2. A missionary in
such a situation stands in a very unfavourable attitude to
do good to seamen.
Hot merely because sailors are commonly
prejudiced against missionaries, but because his success
among the natives will throw restraints upon them, which
will keep them at a distance if not subject him to their
abuse. The experience of the Hawaiian mission.
3.
The expense of sustaining a single station would be proportionably great.
It seems now probable that the supplies of that mission must
have generally been forwarded from the Sandwich Islands.
Should this be the case, it is at once evident that the ex
pense of that mission must have been great.
The expense of
forwarding supplies from here to the Washington Islands would
be tripple if not quadruple of what it would be from America
#At two of the stations to which we have been severally appointed,
there are at least 4,000 to each, & at the. third there are above
2,000.
These are all new & remote stations, where we are to
labour alone each at his station.
�1221.
here.
But should this not be necessary the expense would
be proportionably great! Since the resources of the island
could afford very little of anything for the support of the
mission.
The chiefs being poor and without authority,
no support could be expected from them, and the common people
have such a supply of the bare necessaries of life, that,
being free from taxation they need not work & will not, u n
less they are well paid for it. And whatever they may have
to sell, they prefer selling it to masters of vessels, and
are quite extravagent in their demands.
Little or no lumber
for building can be obtained, and even stone with difficulty,
there being no coral of any consequence.
In short, with
the exception of a few vegetables part of the year whatever
might be necessary for the support & comfort of the mission
must be imported from abroad.
4.
In looking at the origin and history of that mission,
it does appear that the Providence of God has been against i t .
Whence did it originate but in exaggerated, incorrect and
deceptive accounts of the M arquesians & their islands?
The
population was estimated to be more than five times as great
as it really is.
The people were represented as waiting for
the gospel, and their idolatry fast waning away.
To a
transient visitor or while a ship of war was in sight, this
might have appeared to be the case, but nothing can be wider
from the reality.
Idolatry stands as firmly there as it does
in any part of Polynesia. Little or no account was given
of the smallness, sparc eness, and unfavourable situation of
the different tribes & the mountains which separate them
from each other, - the want of which information led to an
entirely erroneous view of those islands as a field for mission
ary labour.
Yet on such superficial and incorrect information
was that mission projected by the Board, and urged on for a
time by the Hawaian mission.
And how different was the
original plot 6f it as conceived in the mind of the excellent
Evarts, from what it unavoidably turned out to be?
When the three missionaries & physician successively desig
nated for that mission arrived at the Sandwich Islands, their
way was completely hedged up for more than two years.
The
old experienced missionary who was to join them could not
be found; the physician was hindered by the sickness of his
wife who has never yet recovered; a voice from the South said
to u s , "don't crowd upon us. we desire to occupy that field;
we can do it cheaper & to greater advantage than you, and
there is room enough for you e l s e w h e r e "
.
D oes not this
sound like the voice of God, especially when we consider that
here around us was a population greater than that of the W.
islands ten times told, already to hear the. Gospel, but
living in almost total ignorance of its truths.
But still notwithstanding the motives to drop it, that
mission was prosecuted.
A deputation was sent, to remove
certain barriers and prepare the way not because the judge
ment of this mission was in favour of the proposed one, but
because they felt urged on by the excitement in favour of
�of it in the churches at home, and they considered this
measure as proper i n order to satisfy the churches.
On
the arrival of our deputation at Tahiti, our English
brethren still wished to occupy the Marquesas Islands,
but when told the urgency of our case - that men were sent
out already, for that field, they consented as far as they
were concerned that we should occupy the Washington group,
though with some reluctance as they had written for six
missionaries for that service.
And on the return of the
deputation to these islands, how did matters stand?
Our
physician entirely failed, another individual who had been on
the deputation & was to be a member of that mission declined
going and was strenuously opposed to its being taken, on the
ground that there was here a more pressing demand than at
the Washington Islands.
So that we found it impossible to
proceed.
And when the final vote was taken after a protract
ed discussion in a General Meeting of the Hawaian mission
in June 1833 it was by no means a unanimous one.
The mission
was then strongly opposed by several members, one of whom
had visited those islands, (another member of the deputation
did not vote in favour of the mission & the third was not
strenuous for it) - to most it was a doubtful measure - and to
few did the way appear plain - all this too with much more
favourable views of the field than truth would justify.
The individuals who urged on the undertaking too did not do
so, as they repeatedly declared, because their judgement
approved of it in itself considered, but because we had gone
too far to go back to drop it would injure the cause.
It
is now we believe the conviction of every one in this mission,
however, that had the facts in regard to that group of islands
been known to this mission as they are now, the enterprise
would have been dropped; and it has been our firm persuasion
that when the Prudential Committee should be properly in
formed concerning that field, you would give orders for our
removal.
Under such a persuasion, we deemed it wise & prudent
not to wait for such an order.
But what shall we say to all this? Have we not been guided
and led on by false lights? - and would God lead us by such?
Was not the darkness which so long hung over that enterprise,
the obstacles thrown in its way, the opposition it met from
some of the most judicious men in this mission, and the
fiction in which it originated, taken in connection with two
other important circumstances viz. that another organ of
Christ's church claimed that field & desired still to occupy
it, and that all our number three times, yea, five times told
are immediately needed on these islands in order to supply
the people with the bread of life, an indication that God
was not with us? - that we had run without being sent & had
run in the way of others?
If so our safest way was to retrace
our steps.
On this point it becomes us to speak with caution
& diffidence, but be assured the above considerations had
much weight on our minds & had a tendency to render us un
comfortable.
If God be for us who can be against us? And
vice versa if God be against us, who can be for us?
�1223.
will both illustrate & confirm these remarks and 3. Because
there being only 1000 people at that Bay, the entire pop
ulation is so affected by the crews of ships as to be much
less likely to be benefited by instruction, and in fact much
more difficult to be brought under instruction than they
would be, should no ships touch there.
There is no doubt
but that the influence of shiping would be much against the
conversion and improvement of the natives, and especially
so when the native population is so small.
If the time has come for either the A.B.C.F.M. or the London
M i s s . Society to supply the Marquesians with the gospel, the
latter society can do it with much less expense, and in
other respects to greater advantage than the former.
Their
present plan of missionating in the Pacific will enable them
to visit & carry supplies or relief of any kind to teachers
labouring on those islands every year with scarcely any addi
tional expense.
When on their annual visits to outstations
on the Austral and Gambier groups of islands, the trade winds
are fair to run down to both groups of the Marquesas Islands,
and but a few days are required to perform the circuit.
In
addition to this, communications between the Marquesas &
Society Islands by whale ships is very much more frequent than
they are between the Marquesas and Sandwich Islands.
Perhaps
it is not too much to s ay the communications are ten fold
more frequent owing to the shortness of the distance & the
direction of the winds; so that in every respect that Society
has the advantage.
And in the midst of our deliberations on this subject a
letter from Mr. Pritchard informed us that the London Miss.
Society had not relinquished its purpose of occupying the
Marquesas proper; that four men were appointed for that field,
and although both he and Mr. Orsmond thought they would not
be sent, the event has shown that they are sent. The Old
Tusca, Capt. Stavers anchored here a few days since from
Tahiti and informed us that he had brought out three mission
aries for the Marquesas, two married men & one single.
Capt. S. left them at Tahiti, from which they expected to
sail as soon as possible for the island of Tahua ta.
They
had not heard of our departure from N uuhiva, and what effect
such intelligence together with the unfavourable accounts
of M r . Orsmond might have on them, we cannot tell.
But con
sidering the circumstances in which they were appointed &
sent out, and also the fact that we assured the Tahitian
missionaries, that we should be happy to have them occupy
the Marquesas proper, our letter to the contrary notwithstand
ing, we presume they will go on and occupy that group.
If
any should ask then who is to break the bread of life to the
cannibals of the Marquesas, you have a reply at hand.
The question will naturally arise in your minds "why did not
the deputation sent out in 1832 to explore the islands obtain
all the desirable information in regard to them".
To this
it may be replied 1. That the grand object which the deputation
had in view, was to confer with our English Brethren of the
�1224.
Society Islands and obtain their consent to our occupying
the Washington group.
Having effected this object to a
certain degree, the next great point was to ascertain the
state of the people on the Washington islands, whether it
would be safe for families to reside among them &c, it
being taken for granted from what other transient visitors
had seen and said that the population was sufficiently
numerous, and so situated as to justify the establishment
of a mission among them.
On this account the deputation
thought it unnecessary to explore every part of the islands
particularly, and moreover, having satisfied themselves that
families might reside among that people, they deemed it u n
necessary to make a long delay at the islands.
So they
merely touched at Tahuata & Uapo and anchored three days at
Nuuhiva.
And 2. We reply, that had the deputation b e e n
ever so disposed, it was impracticable for them to explore
one half the principal settlements, owing to the wars then
existing.
The valley of Taioa & that of Taiohae they
visited, and reported in the main correctly concerning them
except perhaps the number of people in Taioa was over-rated.
Their estimate also of the population of the group did not
much differ from ours but their scattered, isolated, and in
accessible situation, they failed to ascertain, partly for
the reason above given & partly on account of the danger to
which they must have exposed themselves in going among the
unfriendly tribes.
We were enabled to visit them only by
taking advantage of t h ose periods when for a season a truce is
agreed upon.
Another circumstance which urged on the depu
tation to despatch their business at Nuuhiva was the great
uneasiness of the Captain who navigated their vessel.
The
Packet, being small and defenceless, he felt exposed (which
in reality as we ascertained while living there was the case)
and was very anxious to be under way.
And finally, we would
say though with diffidence, that it is questionable with us
whether the facts collected by the deputation were duly
appreciated by the Hawaian mission while deliberating on that
subject.
In one of your general letters you express your opinion
that the "judgement of this mission was against that enter
prise".
In this you judge correctly.
Had it no t been for
the length to which the mission had gone in the matter and
the attitude in which it stood to the churches at home, it
would doubtless have been droped.
But these circumstances
in the minds of some bore down every thing, and they, taken
in connection with a stirring but unfounded report, that a
house was built for us at N uuhiva by the natives & that they
were waiting anxiously for our arrival, seem to have filled
the entire visions of some, and excluded the information
contained in the deputation report.
In making these remarks
we are far from intending to cast a reflection upon this
mission, or any of its members, but merely wish to state the
facts as we believe them to have occured.
A general meeting of this mission is now in session at this
place.
This letter has been read to the meeting & no ex
ception was taken to it, except by one individual who thought
�1225
.
our language in reference to the providence of God too
strong. After hearing our statements the meeting adopted
the following preamble & resolutions.
"Having heard from the brethren of the mission to the
Washington Islands a full statement of their labours & trials
during their residence at those islands together with their
reasons for leaving the field.
Resolved that we sympathise
with them in their trials and our mutual disappointment,
and that we cordially receive them again to our number, and
bid them welcome to the wide field of usefulness presented
to them on these islands.
2. Resolved, that in our opinion, these brethren have acted
according to their own best convictions of duty and we would
recommend them to the unabated confidence and affection of
the Board and of the Christian public".
But it is time to close this long letter.
It will fill you
with regret & disappointment to contemplate the wreck of
that unfortunate undertaking.
So it has filled u s . But we
could see no probability that our sustaining it longer would
remedy but would rather aggravate the case.
It i s matter of
sincere regret with us that we could not consult you freely
before taking a step frought with so much responsibility,
and if in this we have clone wrong we beg your forgiveness and
that of Him in whose cause we labour.
We are weak and short
sighted, and therefore may have greatly erred. But if our
hearts do not deceive us, we have had an eye to the best
interests of the Redeemer's cause. Our return to these islands
ought not to throw any dampness on the spirit of missions
in the churches. W hy should it? Here are about 129,000
souls living w i t h o u t God & without hope; of whom more than
100,000 are in a condition little better than the 7 or 8,000
we left.
Here the harvest is plentious & ripe, and labourers
few; there it is comparatively small, and scarcely ripe.
Why then ought not both the churches and ourselves labour and
expend all our resources where there is a prospect of saving
most souls, and in all respects doing most good?
It will gratify us to hear from you on this subject.
write your opinions freely.
Please
Most respectfully and affectionately yours in the fellowship
of the Gospel.
Richd. Armstrong
Benj. W. Parker
W. P. Alexander
Joint letter from Missionaries
at Washington Islands.
Rec 'd. Feb. 26, 1835.
A ckd. in G.L . Sep. 16
�1226.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 63.
General Meeting of the Sandwich Islands
Mission, Honolulu, July 15, 1834.
Printed 31 Missionary Herald 146, April 1835.
To the Secretaries of the A.B.C .F.M.
From Asa Thurston
Dwight Baldwin
Reuben Tinker.
Dated July 15, 1834
Rec'd. Feb. 26, 1835.
Ackd. in G.L . Sep. 16.
�1227.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 64
Printed pamphlet.
Extracts from the Minutes of the General Meeting of
the Sandwich Islands Mission, held at Honolulu, June
and July, 1834.
N ot copied.
�1228.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letters 66- - 88
Answers to the Questions of the Circular, by the Sandwich
Islands Mission, June & July, 1834.
346 pages in all.
Hot copied except the following:
In Letter 71
Question 6th
Is the language a written one? How long has it been so?
By whom was it reduced to writing?
Are books numerous?
Some general account of their nature and origin.
The missionaries of the American Board were the first who
reduced the language of Hawaii to writing about the b e
ginning of the Year 1822, when a Spelling Book of 16 pages
12 mo. was printed for the instruction of the natives.
The
Alphabet, however, was not settled until the summer of 1825,
when by a vote of the mission, the letters were reduced to
12 by droping the interchangeable characters.
Of these 12,
five are vowels, (a,e,i,o,u) and the remaining 7, (h,k,l,m,
n,p,w,) are consonants.
To each of the letters is given
but one simple sound; the only variation consists in length
ening or shortening the same sound.
The consonants are
sounded according to the corresponding letters in the English
language, but the vowels correspond in sound to the vowels
of the Italian & other Continental languages of Europe.
These letters embrace all the sounds in the language, except
such as are foreign origin, and even these are often formed
by the natives into such sounds as are formed by the 12 letters.
As yet, there is no grammar or vocabulary of the language
published, and but few books, mostly of a religious character,
or books containing the rudiments of science.
In giving an
account of these, it will be necessary to mention only the
most important, as complete catalogues of them have been
published from time to time.
It was mentioned above, that the first book was printed in
1822.
In 1823, an edition of 40 hymns was prepared and
printed. Early in 1825, another spelling book was published,
containing 8 pages 12 mo. the reading part consisting prin
cipally in extracts from the N ew Testament, which has since
gone through several successive editions, to the amount of
about 150,000 copies.
The same year, was published a tract
of Scripture Extracts of 4 pages, and a Catechism of 8 pages,
each of which has gone through several large editions.
In
1826, the Decalogue, the Lord's Prayer & c was published in
4 pages; and early in 1827, the first edition of the Sermon
on the Mount was put to press.
The above mentioned tracts, together with the "Thoughts of
the King & chiefs", have all been reprinted in America, at
the expense of the Am. Tract Society, except the latter,
which was reprinted at Utica by Mr. Williams, and the whole
edition of 20,000 copies, was by him presented to the Board
�1229 .
In 1828, the first edition of the History of Joseph 32 pages,
and an arithmetic of 8 pages, was printed at Oahu.
The
same year, an enlarged edition of the Hymns, and the first
edition of the Gospel of Luke was published at the press
of the Mission, and the other Gospels in America.
In
1829, the Acts of the Apostles, and the historical parts
of Genesis & Exodus, together with extracts from Leviticus
were published, the two latter as tracts.
In 1830, the
Homans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians were published, and during
the year following the remainder of the N .Testament was
completed.
In 1832, a Geography of about 200 pages 12 mo.
was printed, & also a tract upon the Book of Joshua.
In
the year 1830, the History of Joseph was enlarged and reprinted.
Since which time the Books of Numbers & Deuteronomy,
besides several smaller tracts have passed through the
press.
To this may be added, that the Books of Judges,
Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel are now in press, and will probably be
published before this statement shall be sent to the Board.
There have also been printed 2 Editions of the N inau Hoike,
(Catechism of Scripture History, 216 pages,) and 2 Editions
of Fowle's Arithmetic in the Hawaiian language.
An enlarged
edition of the H y m n s , with gamut and tunes, and Colburn's
First Lessons & Sequel are now in press, and will be pub
lished the ensuing season.
There have also been printed a
translation of Holbrook's Geometry, and also a few other
works at the press of the High School.
������1235.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Lahainaluna,
L etter 89
Oct. 4, 1834.
To Rev. R. Anderson,
Sec. of A . B . C .F.M.
Very dear Sir,
You will perceive from our answer to the circular you
sent us, that it is thought best b y the mission that a
complete printing establishment shou l d be connected with
the High School.
This is, essential to the prosperity
of the school.
W e have not, like teachers in our own
country, text books made ready to our hands.
They must
all be furnished either from the press at Oahu, or from
a press connected wit h the school.
The press at Oahu
is too far from the school, & too full of other business
to -be employed in printing, books expressly for the school.
With every facility at hand for printing, text books
cannot be furnished so fast as needed in the school.
A
press is therefore needed here expressly for this purpose.
M a n y books must be made for the school, which are not at
present adapted for general use among the people.
Most
of our editions will, therefore, be s m a l l . In some cases,
however, a supply will be furnished for the use of station
schools.
With the help of Mr. Rogers, we have made out a list of
articles wh i c h we should be glad to receive, as soon as they
can be conveniently s e n t . We have n o w two second hand Ramage
presses, one of them is an old one, which has been regarded
as hardly fit for use for several y e a r s . We should be very
glad to receive an iron press, if you can afford us one.
M r . Andrews has written to some of his friends on the subject
They may, perhaps, furnish you the means for sending one.
We have a class just commencing the study of Greek, & from
our experience thus far, we feel encouraged to pro c e e d .
But we have no Grammars or Lexicons for their u s e . W e think
it very desirable, that we should be furnished with small
fonts of Greek & Hebrew type, that grammars & lexicons may
be prepared for the use of the school.
If a f e w intelligent
natives can acquire a knowledge of Greek & Hebrew, they
will afford much help in securing a correct translation
of the sc r i ptures. There is now a prospect that some of
our scholars will be able soon to engrave on copper.
A
rolling press has b een made, & we have made a few experiments
so far as to be satisfied that maps may be made & printed
here.
We should be glad, therefore, to have some ink
for printing engraved maps, & other means for engraving sent
out as soon as possible.
�We have succeeded in making wood outs which answer a very
good purpose.
We should be glad, however, to receive
the diagrams for Euclid, at least, for the 4 first books,
if they can be sent soon.
It will save us time & trouble.
Any thing else to facilitate the business of making school
books will be thankfully received.
Things sent for this
press should be distinguished b y some mark.
M u c h care should be taken to select the type according to
the proportion of letters in the Hawaiian language.
There
should be a larger proportion than in English of capitals,
commas, & pe r i o d s .
Yours in the bonds of the Gospel,
L orrin Andrews
E .W.Clark
To: R e v . R .Anderson,
C o r . S e c . of A.B.C.F.M .
Boston. Mass. U.S.
April 30, 1835 - Received.
Ac kd. in G.L. Sep. 1 6 .
�1237.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Kailua,
Letter 90
N ov . 5, 1834.
This letter printed in 31 Missionary Herald 374,
Oct.
1835.
A system of political measures has been commenced by the
king, which if pursued to the extent threatened, will
conduce very far to bring about a revolution unfavorable
to morality and religion.
It is the taking into his own
immediate possession all the bes t lands, in the islands,
and placing upon them head men of his own people, who are
obsequious to his views.
These individuals, should they
be multiplied, will be likely to throw an immense influence
into the w r o n g scale, by encouraging vice in their people,
and by discountenancing religion in others.
What will
be the event of these measures, time must u n f o l d .
To: R e v . Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Ms. U.S.A m e r i c a .
From Artimas Bishop
A . Thurston.
Re c 'd. July 3, 1835.
Ackd. in G.L.Sep. 16
Ansd. June 18/36.
�1238.
66
1831-1837
Part First
Lahainaluna,
XXV
Letter 91.
N o v . 12 , 1834.
Rev. R.Anderson,
Sec. of A . B .C.F.M.
Dear Sir:
We send herewith a list of books, w h i c h we should be glad
to have added to the library of the High School.
We
have now but a v e r y few books belonging to the library of
the High School; more are v e r y much needed.
We wish for
one set, at least, of some of the most approved works on
natural Philosophy, the different branches of M a t h e m a t i c s,
Chemistry, Mineralogy, Botany, &c.
School books for young
children should also be sent.
Everything, which is
adapted to convey instruction through the medium of the eye
may be brought into immediate u s e . Something will be said
in other communications respecting the importance of books,
apparatus &c for the use of the school.
The enclosed list
will afford you some aid in supplying our wants, although
it is by no means perfect.
We should be glad to have you
consult some persons well acquainted with the recent im
provements in School books, & get their opinion respecting
the books w h i c h will be most useful to us.
Books &c sent to the library of the High School should be
marked, so that they may be distinguished fro m those sent
to the mission.
Among the apparatus, we wish for a good Telescope, Sextant
& other instruments for making exact Astronomical observa
tions, M i croscopes, Prism , &c.
A Thermometer, Barometer,
Hygrometer & H y d r o m e t e r . A Theodolite - 1 or 2 Spirit
Levels.
The mechanical powers.
A good Orrery - An E l e c tric al Machine.
A g o o d double barreled Air Pump.
A
good set of Mathematical Instruments.
Camera Obscura Magic Lantern &c & c . Models of different kinds of machinery
would be useful.
All kinds of illustrating apparatus are
more needed here than in schools & colleges in our own
country.
We hope some of the wea l t h y in our country will find it in
their hearts to contribute of their abundance towards sup
plying us with the articles here specified.
We remain,
dear sir, yours in the bonds of the Gospel.
Lorrin Andrews
E.W. Clark
To: R e v . Rufus Anderson,
Sec. of A.B.C.F.M. ,
Boston, Mass. United S t a t e s .
Rec d. July 3, 1835.
Ackd. in G.L. S e p . 16
�1239.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
L ahaina,
L etter 92.
D e c . 15, 1834.
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Dear Brother:
I have seldom written to the Rooms, knowing that you would
learn from other sources, all in regard to us, that would
he particularly necessary to know & m y unimportant letters
would only increase the labor you propose to bestow upon
correspondents.
We, who kno w the m u l t iplicity of your
cares, do not think it strange, that you d o not find time
to reply to all the letters you may r e c i eve.
It would be
gratifying to us, however, to be favored w i t h letters w h e n
ever you may find it convenient to write.
M y health has usually b een good - perhaps better than it
was in Am. Except occasional illness from colic, to which
I am predisposed.
I have seldom lost a day till within
three weeks past.
I am now recovering from an attack of
billious colic & fever similar to what I had in Ruckland,
just before our departure & have great occasion for th a n k
fulness in the prospect of enjoying m y accustomed health.
But we are greatly afflicted in the entire failure of the
health of Mrs. Spaulding.
She has never been able to teach
or to attend but little to domestic affairs.
Her affections
have been of a singular character, in some respects, & our
Physicians have been quite in the dark in regard to the
nature of her complaints until last June.
It was then as
certained beyond a doubt, that she has a diseased s p i n e .
At the seat of the pain there is a considerable separation
between two spinus processes on the out,side, occasioned
by a withering & contracting of the cartilage on the inside.
Any attempt to bring the vertebrae together to their natural
position produces excruciating pain.
It is thought by our
P hysicians, that it has not yet proceeded so far, that it
may not be checked b y counteracting i r r i t a n t s . Since June
she has had a seton, which has greatly relieved local pain,
t h o ’ we perceive no other good effect.
Of late, the d i f
ficulty seems to be extending up along the spine, & we have
little or no hope that she will ever recover.
There are
cases of cure, but the process is slow & uncertain.
She
has n ow been c o n fined to her bed almost entirely for 6 months.
She is unable to walk a step & is nearly helpless. This is
the same disease with which Mrs. Ellis has remained a help
less sufferer for so many years.
I am acquainted with but
few cases in Am. t h o ' this seems to be clearly identified.
It is proper to say also, that she has some other obstinate
affections to which females are sometimes subject, but the
one I have mentioned is supposed to be the principal difficuty. This is a sore trial to us both & a great, disappoint
ment.
That she should b e set aside entirely from a c t i v e is
what we did not expect.
At times the affliction almost crushes
me, but we know that it is from the L ord & designed for our
�1240.
good. It is a source of unfailing consolation to us,
that the Lord doeth all things well.
Do not suppose from this, that we are discontend & wish
to return to Am.
We are peculiarly h a p p y in our location
& have no desire to leave the field.
I can say this sincerely,
tho' it is more, than I once supposed I could say if placed
in such circumstances.
I ought to tell you, perhaps, that we have two children.
M a r y Grant is 19 months old & generally healthy.
Cornelius
Ogden is 2 months old & is doing as well as could be expected
w i t h native nursing.
Both suffer much from the want of a
mother's care & you will i n f er of course, that these with
the sickness of M r s . S. must interrupt in some measure, my
labors among the people.
L ast winter Mrs. S. was more c o m
fortable & we removed to Oukumehame about 7 or 8 miles from
L . & after spending 4 weeks among the people, w e removed to
Oloalu an adjoining district to better accommodate the people
who attended our schools & meetings.
We remained there
4 weeks till we were called home by the return of ships.
I have some thoughts of sending you an account of our short
residence at those places for publication.
You will find in the printed minutes of the last general
meeting held at Honolulu in June p. 32, the following r e s o
lution, viz. "Resolved, that this meeting suggest to the
Rev. Mr. Diell the inquiry, whether the Am . S.F.Soc. can
provide for the m a n y seamen who touch at L ahaina, either b y
furnishing a laborer for that pos t, or b y supporting in part
one of the missionaries of the A.B.C.F.M. whose time shall be
devoted to the seamens cause at that place".
As ships are here, atleast half of the year, my labors have
bee n so far divided between seamen & the natives, that I
have preached only in English during that time.
There is no
place in all the Pacific, where more good can be done to
Seamen during one half of the year, but during the other
half, as there are no residents to w h o m a chaplain could
preach, he would find little to do, unless he should acquire
the native language & become missionary to the heathen.
For the importance of the Seamens cause at L ahaina, I beg
liberty to refer you to our two last reports to the Am. S.F.
Soc. which may be found perhaps, in the Spring numbers of
the Sailors Magazine for 1833 & 1834.
I will also send you
some account of the past year.
It is probable that the S.F.S. will not think it best to
send a chaplain here to labor half of the time, but it is
highly desirable & proper that that S o c . should support in
part a missionary of the Board whose time is so much devoted
to the Seamens cause.
I have mentioned this subject, wishing
that it may be brought before Prudential Com. & b y t h e m
suggested to the A . S . F . S o c . if they think proper.
B e l o w you will find a report which we presented to the
�1241.
general meeting last June showing what was done for seamen
the past year & the importance of continued effort, viz.
’’Since the last general meeting, some attention has been
bestowed upon seamen with encouraging success.
Early in
August, relying in part upon aid proffered b y vote of the
mission for the erection of suitable reading rooms for s e a
men, we commenced a stone building 32 ft. by 20 on Mr.
Spaulding's premises near the market, the most eligible spot
in Lahaina & b y the aid of native masons & a carpenter, had
the second story in readiness for the accommodation of
Masters & Officers early this Spring.
A separate dobie b u i l d
ing 27 ft. b y 21 with a thatched roof also on our premises,
some 10 rods back of the other building, has been erected
especially for sailors.
The cost of these buildings, including
everything except our time is a trifle more than $ 750.
Early in the season last fall, b y the advice of some Masters
present, we drew up the following paper, which has been seen
by most of the Masters who have visited Lahaina during the
year, viz.
"To Masters & Officers of Ships visiting Lahaina,
Gentlemen,
Feeling deeply the importance of having suitable reading rooms
for the accommodation of Seamen who visit Lahaina, as well
as a convenient place of retirement from the heat & unpleasant
dust of the market, & having recieved $200 by vote of the
mission for this purpose, we have appropriated a part of
our premises & commenced a stone building near the market,
which we w i s h to complete before the next s p ring. Except
the basement story, which will be occupied for a storeroom
the house will be exclusively devoted to the accommodation of
Masters & Officers during the visit of s h i p s .
We will
distant
sailors.
of Com.
dwell.
stantly
able to
$750.
immediately erect a separate building some 20 rods
from the other, for the special accommodation of
Both buildings are to be the property of the Am. B.
for Foreign Missions like the houses in which we
They are to be under our direction & to be kept c o n
supplied with such papers & periodicals as we may be
obtain.
The first cost of the building will be about
As the object is a benevolent one & as we have not the means
of accomplishing it without further assistance, we beg
liberty to say to Masters & Officers Of ships & others who
may approve of the plan, that any presents
either in money,
cloth, oil, lumber, or anything else which will enable us
to procure materials & labor, will be gratefully rec eived
& faithfully applied by
Yours respectfully,
William Richards
Ephraim S paulding.
�1242.
The plan here proposed has met with the cordial approbation
of all who have visited Lahaina during the year, as will
be obvious from the fact, that of 86 ships which have r e
cruited at L. since our last gen. meeting, 61 of the Masters
have made donations amounting, according to our estimate
of the articles given to $492 - $ 104 which has been paid in
m o n e y . A number of ships came & went before the paper was
drawn up & it is pleasant to say that no man has declined
giving, to who m the subject was properly presented, & that
but very few Masters according to our estimate have given
less t h a n five dollars.
It will be seen that the $492 received is $258 less than the
sum specified in the paper & that about $260 remains a c cord
ing to Hawaiian reckoning to cover the expense of the b u i l d i n g s .
The reading rooms, especially the room for Masters & Officers
far exceeds our most sanguine expectations.
It is the home
for Masters on shore - the only place of pleasant resort.
In the piazza, they have a view of the offing - their ships
at anchor - their boats passing & repassing - their men in the
market & they even transact much business in the market retired
from its dust - & the heat of the sun.
This makes the place
welcome & consequently it is visited every hour in the day
with the most perfect freedom.
As these rooms are the property of the Board & under our
controll like our own dwellings & but a step from our habitations,
it facilitates our intercourse with Seamen & gives us an
opportunity for exerting a good influence over them which
could be gained in no other way.
We are confident, that no
one step has ever been taken b y the mission at Lahaina, in
relation to Seamen, which has met with such cordial approbation
on their part & that promises such favorable results.
�1243.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
L etter 93
Constitution &c.
Printed form not copied.
April 14, 1834.
Dated Lahaina Island of Maui,
�1244
66
1831-1837
Part First
XXV
L etter 94
continuation of
L etter 92.
The importance & encouragement to labor for Seamen at
L ahaina, is constantly increasing.
Since the last gen.
meet, there have been ships at anchor 29 weeks, which is
3 weeks more than one half of the time.
Of the 86 ships 83 are different ships, only 3 having visited
L ahaina twice during the year.
If each ship has a compliment
of 25 men, which is less than the average, we shall see, that
2150 Seamen have been at L ahaina since the last meeting, which
would make the average number in port during the 19 weeks equal
to 106.
There has bee n more punctual attendance, & perhaps increased
attention to the preaching of the Gospel the past year.
Meetings have been held among Seamen almost uniformly three
times a week and in the meeting house at 11 o'clock on- the
Sabbath & at other times on Sabbath eve & generally on W e d
nesday eve on board ship.
Sermons have been preached on
board 80 different ships, only 4 of whose Masters were pious.
The custom of having 2 meetings a week on board ship is
so far established, that in a number of instances, Masters
not pious, have made t h e appropriate arrangements without our
suggestion.
It has been common for all the Masters & some of the Officers
to be present at all our meetings & frequently, if any m a n
was absent, there would be an obvious & reasonable excuse.
During this spring it has been a rate thing that all the
Masters & many of the officers have not been present at every
meeting.
There has been a great demand for Bibles & Tracts & especially
for Spelling-books & these or any other kind of books might
be distributed to any extent desi r a b l e .
From two boxes, containing 270 Bibles, received from the
Connecticut Bible Soc. a year since 160 have b e e n given to
destitute Sailors, who have called & requested them.
It is no uncommon thing to be informed that there is not a
Bible in the fore castle & probably not one fourth part of
the destitute have been supplied.
From 35 to 40,000 pages of Tracts have been distributed, aside
from much of the remains of the old mission library which
was kindly sent us b y M r . Chamberlain.
The distribution of
Bibles & Tracts has furnished an opportunity for much religious
conversation which by the blessing of God may not be all in vain.
We have no knowledge of any conversions among Seamen the past
year, t h o ' many of our meetings have been peculiarly solemn
�1245.
indicating the presence of the Spirit of the L ord.
The
cause of Temperanc e has made some progress the past year.
Two natives w ith each about a half of a bottle of ardent
spirits have been detected & brought to punishment by
foreigners, the past season, one b y a C a p t a i n & the other
by a resident on shore.
The first was fined $5 - the second
we know n o t how much.
It is suspected also that ardent
spirits have been obtained occasionally during the seasons
of shipping, but it has been in such small quantities, that
it has been difficult to discover its effects.
When sold
at all, it is generally carried b y natives in viols or bamboo
in their pockets & dealt out secretly at the rate o f 2 5 cents
per glass diluted & som e of the sailors say, it is so
dear
they cannot afford to b u y it.
Early in the past season, the Masters present, at their own
suggestion formed a Temperance Society, which every Captain
visiting Lahaina after its formation, 28 in number together
with 33 Officers have joined.
The following is a copy of the
constitution.
(See the printed copy)
Copies of the above constitution were immediately printed
at the press in Lahainaluna & every signer has b e e n furnished,
with atleast one copy.
It is not in all respects what we
wish it was, nor what it would have been had we been called
upon to form it, but we trust it will prepare the way for
something more efficient & extensive in time to come".
William Richards
Ephraim Spaulding.
The above report will show that there is a wide door open
here for doing good to Seamen one half of the y e a r . We
know of no place in all the Pacific where a C h a p l a i n ’s i n
fluence c a n be brought to bear more directly on the Seam ens
cause & with such favorable prospects of success. There have
been 44 ships here this fall & the same in general may be
said concerning this season, that we have stated in the Report
for the last year.
Our meetings on board were interrupted
nearly a m o n t h on account of my sickness, but the gospel has
been preached uniformly on the Sabbath & listend to with
apparent interest.
Our intercourse with Seamen has been c o n
stant & pleasant.
Our reading rooms continue to be popular
& are peculiarly acceptable to our sea faring friends.
Eighty
three dollars have been contributed this fall, b y individuals
who have not visited here before, since the rooms were built.
This deducted from the $258 remaining at the commencement of
the season leaves $175. due to cover the whole expense.
But
as we occupy the basement story for a storeroom, we shall
consider the expense of the buildings as now covered & shall
take the subscription from the table.
Deo. 16.
We hear with pleasure that the Lord is again
visiting our native land by his Spirit.
M ay many be raised
up who shall run to & fro through all the earth & preach
the Gospel to every creature.
�1246.
You will hear in various ways of the state of things at
these Islands.
There have been some things interesting
the past year & much to encourage u s . There have als
been some things painful, b ut our hope is in God that he
will protect his cause t h o ' Kings & Princes forsake i t .
M r s . S. joins me in an affectionate remembrance to all
our dear friends at the R o o m s .
M a y the Lord be wit h you & bless you all abundantly is
the prayer of your Brother in the Lord
Ephraim Spaulding.
Rec'd. July 3, 183 5.
Ackd. in G .L. Sep. 1 6 .
�1247.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Hilo, Hawaii,
Letter 95
April 22, 1835.
R e v . R. Anderson
Missy. Rooms Boston.
Dear Sir:
Sinc e the date of our last station letter another year has
passed away.
Of the absence of Mr. Dibble & family together with the c i r
cumstances which occasioned it, you have b e e n informed.
You
have learned also respecting t h e sickness of Mrs. Lyman last
autumn.
On this subject we need only add, therefore, that
Mrs. L's health has been quite delicate through the winter,
though she has not been entirely laid aside from her labors
in school since the early part of January, e x c e p t for a few
days at a time; that Mr. G o o d r i c h ’s health has not improved
the past ; & that the little son of Mr. & Mrs. Lyman has been
so unwell for some weeks as to render it desirable that
medical advice be obtained soon.
Our labors for the year, at this place, have b een a meeting
at daylight every morning; on the Sabbath, two sermons, a
Sabbath school & a meeting for explaining & applying the
verses for the ensuing week, on Wednesday a public lecture; a
prayer meeting for the church on Saturday; the monthly concert,
a weekly female prayer meeting, & a m onthly meeting for mothers.
The two latter have been conducted by the ladies. A little
has been done in the w a y of attending w eek day meetings from
1 to 3 miles distant from this place, also in visiting from
house to house, though compared with what should have done
would our time & strength p e r m i t , we can scarcely say that this
work has be e n entered upon.
The tour of Puna has bee n made twice during the year.
The
tour of Hilo has once b e e n attempted, & relinquished, only
two thirds completed, on account of high water.
Besides these
tours, one of us has spent several Sabbaths at places from
6 to 18 miles from our residence.
We have given no less attention to the instruction of teachers
the last than during any previous year.
The average number
attending has been about 45.
Their studies have been, Sacred
Geography, Mental Arithmetic, First lessons in Geometry, &
cyphering on slates.
F rom our school for teachers eight have
entered or are expected soon to enter the H i g h - s c hool at
L ahainaluna.
A school for females was taught the first h a l f of the year
by a native teacher under the constant supervision of one of
our ladies.
The last half of the year it has been merged in a
larger school for bot h sexes, taught b y five of our best
�1248.
teachers assisted more or less by other teachers not otherways
employed.
This school has been near us, & we have had a n eye
constantly direc ted to it.
We cannot s a y much with regard
to what has been accomplished b y i t . We are persuaded, however,
that under existing circumstances nothing is lost by employing,
under our o w n eye, as many teachers of suitable qualifications
as we can find.
We think, also, that very little is gained by
employing such teachers as we have at any considerable distance
from us.
A station school for children has b e e n in operation most of
the time for the last ten months.
The number attending previous
ly to January was small, at no time exceeding forty a day . In
January the school was remodeled & some special efforts made to
increase the number of s c h olars.
The result is that 140 have
been members of the school, & the average attendance about
ninety.
The progress made in this school has been such as t o
encourage us in laboring for children.
And the difficulties
with which we have b een obliged to contend have been such as to
compel us to reiterate the sentiment advanced in our last station
letter, that experience as well as the nature of the case a d
monishes us that comparatively little can be effected for children
till we have the means of establishing a boarding school; or,
should this be found impracticable, a school possessing so
much of that character as the circumstances of the case will
admit, with competent instructors entirely devoted to i t .
We regard it as a very serious evil respecting our labors, that
they are not sufficiently concentrated, & yet we see no way
in which we can render them more so, without abandoning labors
which would seem to our enemies, to our friends & to ourselves,
like relinquishing important posts already gained.
The
schools in which we are now engaged require our undivided
strength of body & mind on the Sabbath as well as during the
week with all the facilities which can be furnished by the
prayers & the contributions of the Christian church.
Certain
ly as much effort as our present number can make, should be
expended in preaching & pastoral labor within one hour's walk
of our residence.
H o w many times our present strength is
demanded in more distant, but little less important parts of
our field we cannot tell you, & we trust we need not say how
vastly more important than all are the life giving influences
of the Spirit without which all efforts will be unavailing.
The number who attend meetings has b e e n about the same the
last as during the preceding year.
N o very marked seriousness
has been witnessed.
The c h u r c h as a c h urch stands as high in
our estimation as it has at any former time.
Two have b een
excommunicated the last year & give no evidence of repentance.
The two individuals excommunicated the preceding year attend all
our meet i n g s for the last few months & are exemplary in their
conduct.
One aged member of the church has fallen asleep in
Jesus having given good evidence that her treasure was laid up
in heaven.
N o accessions have been made during the year.
There are some individuals not in the church for whom we enter
tain the hope that their names are written in the Lamb's book
of life.
A number of circumstances not necessary to be
�1249.
mentioned,
here,
have induced us to defer admitting them.
The number of adult scholars in our Sabbath school has been
considerably diminished the last year by removals, the d i s
trict occupied by more than half our congregation having r e
peatedly changed owners during the last six months.
The
present number of adult Sabbath School scholars is about 250.
During the last few months about 150 children have belonged
to the school.
Nearly fifty of these commit their verse a
day.
During the last three months fifteen native schools, not
mentioned in the former part of this letter, five for children,
& ten for adults, have bee n taught in this vicinity*
In
the former five are eighty children.
In the latter ten are
about four hundred readers.
The most we can say of their
influence is, that we hope it has been on the whole favorable.
They have b e e n the means of bringing out some parents to
meeting & some children to the Sabbath School.
Earnestly desiring an interest in your prayers & in those of
all who wait for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, we
subscribe ourselves,
Your missionaries to the heathen
J. Goodrich
D.B.Lyman.
Lahaina,
Maui, M ay 22.
R e v . R. Anderson,
Dear Sir.
I arrived here with my family the second inst.
Our little son
is now well.
The voyage which was three days, seemed to be
the means of effecting his cure.
We are n o w in the family
of M r. Richards.
Mrs. L.'s health is quite delicate.
It
s e e m s to be Mr. R.'s opinion that Hilo must probably remain
unoccupied till the families residing there can be furnished
with comfortable habitations & some means devised for supply
ing the medical wants of that station.
He says he has no
doubt it is the duty of the mission & of the Board to furnish
a physician for that station alone.
Should n e w stations be
taken on that side of the island i t would of course devolve
on him to attend to the medical wants of those stations.
Should no n e w stations be taken he would be able, if a m a n of
the right stamp to effect as much & probably more in teaching
than he could if he had no medical knowledge.
We have not
decided, however, that we will not return to Hilo.
Perhaps
it is more probable that we shall. We shall be governed by
the voice of the mission.
We do not think the climate bad
though it i s considerably different from that of any other
station n o w occupied.
If the brethren think it best for us to
run all risks & return in the same circumstances as before, we
shall submit c h e e r fully, I h o p e . To abandon the station under
�1250.
existing circumstances wo u l d be a tremendous conclusion.
Even if it w ere certain that the post must be given up,
it might perhaps be better to sacrifice our lives than to
appear to withdraw from a station so important.
Since our arrival at this place, I learn that a member of
the Hilo church living at this place is guilty of crimes for
which he must be suspended from the church.
Mr. Richards
intends to suspend or excommunicate something like twenty
from this church. M a n y things look dark.
We do not, however,
feel discouraged.
Certainly the churches at home nught not
to be.
There have b e e n no reverses which would surprise our
patrons did they fully understand the character & circumstances
of these islands.
Indeed it is a serious question whether
they should be called reverses.
If they are reverses they
are reverses which separate the chaff from the wheat, open
men's minds to conviction, & serve to distinguish between him
that serves God & him that serv eth him not.
Yours in the gospel,
D.B.Lyman.
To: R e v . R. Anderson,
Secty. of the A.B.C.F.M.
M ission Rooms, Boston, U.S.A.
Recd. Sep.
A ckd. Sep.
1, 1835.
16.
�1251.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 96
Kailua, M a y 21 , 1835.
Rev. and dear Sir,
Though the kindness and mercy of our heavenly Father, we
are permitted again to write you from this missionary field.
We would render praise to God, who has favored & enabled us
to pursue our labors among this people with but little
interruption, since our last communication addressed to you
in Oct. la s t . Our families are now in usual health.
Mr. R.
was laid aside from his labors b y illness for about a fortnight
in the month of March.
Our children have all been spared to
us; whilst others have been laid in the grave.
Five children
of our brethren & sisters have died within a few months.
These
dispensations of providence are doubtless intended to remind
us that our children are not our own, but the Lord's.
May
we be led b y these warnings to dedicate ours anew to the
Shepherd of Israel, "who gathers the lambs in his arms & carries
them to his bosom".
They too may die & that soon; but they
will be safe in the arms of the Lord Jesus.
Respecting the general State of the people at the present
period, nothing encouraging can be told.
Wickedness prevails
among them.
Much that is open is detected & punished; but
most that is done in secret eludes the arm of justice.
This
state of things however only confirms the declaration of the
scriptures, that men b y nature are "dead in trespasses & sins",
& they must be quickened by a Divine influence, of they will
remain so forever.
Henoe the importance of earnest & persevering prayer for the
Holy Spirit, w h o is the only efficient agent to raise the dead
to life.
We ought to feel more deeply our pressing & absolute
need of Divine aid, not only for ourselves, but for the people.
Without this we cannot labor or preach s o as to please our
Lord, nor without it will
the people be benefitted b y our
efforts.
All will remain dry & barren without t h e refreshings
from on High.
We sometimes think we feel the workings of his
power, for which we would praise his name; and though the mass
of the people are pursuing their own course, regardless alike
of the threatnings of the law & the promises of the gospel;
yet there are individuals, aside from the members of the church,
who appear to have changed their course of thought & action,
& have fixed their eye on that better country where lives &
reigns the incarnate Son of God.
The blacksmith, Samuel Rice, who has lived at Kailua most of
the time since the mission was established, & has resided on
the islands twenty one years, has as we think become truly
pious within two years.
It is but a short time however since
he made known his feelings to us.
He has requested admission
to the church, & he will be r e c e i v e d , Providence permitting,
at our next communion.
He supposes that he has expended, at
�1252.
least, seven thousand dollars for ardent Spirits, since he
has been o n the islands.
It is now more than two years
since he left the practice of drinking entirely, & is now
an industrious, sober m a n & gives evidence of sincere piety. There are also one or two instances of awakening of recent
occurrence, which afford us cheering evidence, in the midst
of the surrounding gloom, that the Holy Spirit has n o t e n
tirely forsaken us.
May these be like the drops of rain,
which precede a plentiful shower.
Our assemblies on the
Sabbath are respectable for numbers, though they are small
compared to what they might, & to what they would be, if the
multitude were anxious to know" in this their day the things
which belong to their peace” . - The attention to preaching
is not marked wit h that fixed & a bsorbing interest which is
seen in a revival of religion in America, or with that which
has been witnessed in these islands, in years that are gone
by.
There are some, however, who appear to hunger & thirst
for the bread of life & receive not the grace of God in vain.
May the number be increased a thousand f o l d .
Our schools g e nerally are in rather a languishing state,
except those which are taught by ourselves, & those which are
under our special superintendence; & it can hardly be expected
that they will flourish extensively without more ample means,
more efficient teachers & especially, unless the influences of
the Holy Spirit are poured out upon the people.
Remainder of letter printed 32 Missionary Herald 147, April 1836.
Besides our other labors, we have given our attention to the
translating of the Scriptures.
Since August last, the omitted
parts of the book of Genesis have been translated, & the tracts
on that book, formerly p ublished rev i s e d . The omitted parts of
the book of Numbers have b e e n translated; - also the second book
of K i n g s , except the six first chapters; & the book of Ezra;
and about 40 pages of Colburn's Algebra.
The gospel of Matthew
has been re-revised, & rec opied for the press.
A new trans
lation of Luke b y Mr. Bingham, & of Mark by M r . Richards, have
been revised b y us.
In conclusion we would express our gratitude to the Author of
all our mercies for the success with which he has crowned our
efforts, from the commencement of our labors at this place to
the present time.
The promises of God afford us abundant
encouragement to continue our exertions with renewed energy, &
with full confidence, that the u t imate triumphs of the gospel
in these islands will be most extensive & glorious.
Requesting an interest in your, prayers for us, that we may be
more devoted to the service of our Divine Master, we remain
as ever, your fellow laborers in the gospel.
A . Thurston
A . Bishop
To: R e v R . Anderson,
Missionary Rooms, Boston, M a s s . U.S.A.
Rec d. Dec. 30.
A ckd. in G.L . June 15/36-
Ansd.
June 18.
�1253.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Honolulu,
L etter 97
S.I.,
June 25, 1835.
Rev. R.Anderson,
Secy. A.B.C.F .M. Boston.
V er y dear Sir:
It is with great joy that we n o w record the goodness of God
in bringing us in safety & health to this field of labor.
On Friday morning the 5th - Inst. - just 6 months from our
embarkation - we made the mountains of Hawaii 60 miles distant,
& on the following morning entered the port of Honolulu.
We found the dear Brethren assembled in general meeting, with
their wives & little ones.
They all rec eived us on the shore
with open arms, & after rapid & warns hearted salutations, we
walked up to the house of Mr. Bingham, where a season was spent
in prayer & praise.
We have been invited to an interview with the king and chiefs,
& they have welcomed us to their Islands, & given us the a s
surance of their protection.
Since our arrival, K i n au has given a supper in fine taste to
all the missionaries & their families, at wh. the king &
chief m e n of the Island were present.
The whole company numbered
more than one hundred.
Letters w h. some of our number forwarded from Valparaiso &
Callao, will doubtless have reached the "Rooms” before the arrival
of this.
B y them you will see the principle events of our
voyage up to their da t e s . N othing important has transpired s i n c e .
W e w e re 40 days from Callao to this place, & the voyage was
uniformly pleasant.
The Capt. & officers have treated us with
much kindness & respect throughout, & we owe unspeakable thanks
to that God who has ordered all the events of our voyage in so
merciful a manner, & who has brought us to thes e Isles under
such auspicious circumstances. We have prepared a letter of
thanks &c t
o Capt. Henry.
B y dispatches via Panama, we learned on our arrival of the death
of Dr. -- - - - ..
How loudly! how solemnly God speaks!
"How unsearchable are his providences"!
Intelligence of the shocking
fate of B r 8 . Lyman & M u n s o n has also just reached our ears.
Will not God show w h y he contends with us?
Why his hand is thus
heavily upon our missions?
Why his strokes are so rapid & deep.
They ar e doubtless meant for our profit & we must & will profit
b y them.
We find the Miss? here a v e r y dear band, & our attachment to them
is daily increasing.
The field before us is wide & white for the
h a r v e s t , & we rejoice in the privilege of going into it as
laborers for our Lord.
Our goods are in good order so far as we k n o w .
The things sent
�1254.
We might write much more of our voyage, arrival,of the
scenes around us, of our own views & feelings on entering
the field etc . ; but as such things are familiar to you,
we forbear.
With earnest prayer for your life & health & holiness, as
also for those of all the brethren of your committee, we are
Mo s t affectionately yours,
in the bonds
of the g o s p e l .
T. & F. Coan
H. & A.M. Dimond
E . O . & S . L . Hall
Lydi a B r own
Elizabeth M . Hitchcock.
June 26th.
M y dear Brother Anderson,
There are several typographical errors in those extracts of
my journal in Pat. wh. I have seen in the H e r a l d . At page
377 - V ol. 30th for "distant aid", should (hole in paper)
"desert aid".
Page 400.
"In v e c t i o n " , should read (hole
in paper).
Page 432, speaking of the disposal of effects
after death, instead of their being "b u r i e d " it should be
"b urned" .
If you think the above worthy of correction, you will please
show this to Mr. Green.
The last error is the only one of
importance, & I should not have mentioned the others had it
not been for that.
It m a y be called a "
f a l s e fact".
I would suggest to you that in giving private instructions
to missionaries before they sail, it m a y be well to caution
them on the subject of diversions at sea, such as checkers,
chess, etc.
Mrs. C. & myself wish to be affectionately remembered to your
family.
The Lor d ,help you in your arduous work.
Yours truly,
T. Coa n .
To: R e v . R. Anderson,
Secretary of A.M.B.C.F.M .,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.
Recd. Dec. 31, 1835.
Ackd. in G.L. June 15.
�1255.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 98.
Honolulu, Island of Oahu,
Sandwich Islands, July 3, 1835.
To the Secretaries of the A . B.C.F .M.
Rev. and Dear Sirs,
Before we commence the history of our Mission for the past
year, we must express to you, the deep sorrow wi t h which
our hearts are afflicted, b y the recent intelligence from
our patrons & friends.
Ere the reinforcement, you so kindly sent to our aid, had
arrived, we read an account of the death of him, through
whose more special agency, they were selected, & to whom,
the churches, as well as we, were looking with high hopes,
as a director of their energies in the conversion of the
world.
The intelligence of Dr. Wisner's death was announced to us
the last of May, by a newspaper recieved across the continent.
The afflicting event has added solemnity to our meeting, es
pecially, as we have been called to review the letters he has
so recently written us.
W hile we mourn the loss that we & the churches, & the heathen
sustain, in the death of so w a r m & devoted a friend: & while
with solemn inquiry we would notice the mysterious providence
b y which three so valuable men have been, in so rapid succession,
removed from the same sphere of labor; we would b o w in s u b
mission & in faith too; fully believing that the great Head
of the church had the most important ends to answer & that he
will raise up others, who will more than fill their plac es.
We sympathise with you, dear Sirs, in the loss that you, as
well as we, sustain in the removal of s o valuable a counsellor
& friend.
M a y we all learn "to do w i t h our might whatsoever
our hand findeth to do” .
The Lord has also in his Providence been teaching us that
our times are in his hands, & that our children for whom we
often weep, may without your or our agency, be removed beyond
the contaminating influence of their present location.
Since the last general meeting, no adult member of our
mission has been called away b y death, b ut the health of several
of our number has suffered considerably, & perhaps on the
whole, there has been more sickness in the mission, than
during any preceding y e a r . Some have been temporaly laid aside
from their accustomed labors, & some have, during the whole
year, been deprived of the delightful privilege of laboring
actively for the heathen.
�1256
At the last general meeting of the mission, it w a s matter
of serious question, whether, considering the naturally
delicate constitution of M r . Dibble & perhaps a predisposition
to consumption, it was his duty to return to H i l o , where the
climate is much more damp than at the other station s, & where
he would be far removed from medical aid.
Our fears were
in some degree realized; & during the forepart of the year,
while he remained at Hilo, his health suffered considerably,
& even aside from other sickness in his family, seemed to call
for his removal from that damp & distant station.
He r e
moved to Lahaina about the last of October & through a kind
Providence his health is now apparently qu ite restored &
perhaps he might even return to his former station, were it
not, that there is a special call for his labors in another
sphere.
The health of Mrs. Lyman too has, during m o s t the year, been
so delicate as to lay her aside in a considerable degree from
those efficient labors which she had previously sustained.
About the last of October, she was taken wit h a remittent
fever, not violent in its character, but still somewhat threa t
i n g in its progress.
N o medical aid was to be procured, until
an English Whale Ship anchored there, having a physician on
board.
His prescriptions were blessed,, and she began to amend,
though her health was hardly confirmed until she left Hilo,
early in K a y to try a change of climate & also to attend general
meeting.
The state of her health, as well as that of Mr. Dibble,
& some others in the mission, has impressed our minds most
deeply with a sense of the importance of having good houses,
especially at the rainy stations.
For want of them, not a
little has been sacrificed the past year, particularly at the
stations of Hilo, Waimea, Haiku, & Molokai & perhaps others
might be added.
The health of M r . Goodrich remains m u c h as it was a year
ago, perhaps not at all improved. You will perceive b y our
minutes, that arrangements have been made b y the mission for
removing him & his family to this place, with the expectation
that they will embark for the U.S. by the first opportunity.
Mr. Baldwin at Waimea, has also, during most of the year been
in a considerable degree laid aside from the duties of his
station.
We hope that no disease is settled upon him, b u t
that by selecting a favorable climate, & giving himself suitable
rest, according to a resolution of the mission, which you will
notice on our minutes, he may soon be perfectly restored.
Mr. & M r s . Bishop also, at Kailua, have both, for a season
been compelled b y sickness, to. suspend their labors among the
people, but through the kindness of a merciful Providence, were
restored without leaving their station & are now in health.
The most threatning case of sickness however, which has occured
during the year, was that of M r . Armstrong at H aiku.
He was
attacked rather violently about the middle of December, with a
remittent fever.
He was alone & after two or three days was
quite too low to make any medical prescriptions for him s e l f .
�A messenger was dispatched to Lahaina for Dr. Chapin.
At that time, however, M r s . C hapin was so low, that it was
thought unsafe for the Dr. to leave her to go so great a
distance.
At the D r . ’s request, therefore, M r. Richards
went & reached Haiku on Saturday m o r n . D e c . 27th.
We
found Mr. Armstrong so low, as
to need some one to constantly
attend him by day & b y night.
M r s . Armstrong was in feeble
health - their youngest child was quite ill, having been
so for months.
The climate was damp & rainy.
Their house was poor
& leaky, wit h but little furniture; their furniture & even
b e d ding being much of it at the S o c i e t y I s l a n d s , n o t having
been returned from N ukuhiwa.
Thus circumstanced, they had neither physician, nurse nor friend
nearer than thirteen miles, & even Hr. Green could merely ride
over & just look in upon them once i n few days, for his own
family was, at that time, in a critical state of health.
It
was immediately determined, that some family must at once go
to their aid, or Mr. Armstrong must be removed to W ailuku,
feeble as he was.
The latter was decided on, for the climate
was so damp & the house so poor & the disease of such a nature,
that it was feared to have him remain; & it was thought too,
that the health of any family that should join them, would,
under such circumstances, be considerably exposed, particularly
in removing from a dry station.
On Monday morning M r. Richards having made some medical p r e
scriptions, returned to Lahaina for his family & reached Haiku
again on W ednesday.
In the mean time Mr. Green visited them
again from Wailuku.
On Thursday Jan. 1st, the natives having
very ingeniously constructed an excellent litter, Mr. Armstrong
was removed to Wailuku.
The adult scholars in his school v o l
unteered their services on the occasion & he was removed with
great tenderness & c a r e . We acknowledge their kindness &
desire to be grateful for it.
Their conduct was in striking
contrast with what it was a few years since.
The fatigue of
being carried so great a distance, increased his fever some,
yet it proved well he was removed, for the weather continued
rainy at Haiku & it is almost certain, he could not soon have
recovered there.
His fever continued to increase for about
a we e k after, he arrived at Wailuku, when it began to assume,
gradually, rather an intermittent form & from that time he g rad
ually amended.
Mr. R . & family, remained at Wailuku until the forepart of
Feb. when Mr. Armstrong was so far recovered as to be able
to remove to Lahaina.
We have been t hus particular in order to show m o r e clearly
the importance of having good houses, especially at the rainy
stations & also to show the importance of having at least,
two families at a station.
One of these might be a teacher & not a preacher, that is a
well qualified teacher & unless teachers are sent according to
our request last year, many of our single handed remote stations
must, eventually, be abandoned.
In the above too, you will
�1258.
percieve an important reason why the stations
& H aiku are now united.
of W ailuku
At the time of the last general meeting, Mr. Gulick was on
the list of invalids & serious a p p r e h e n s i o n s were entertained
that he would not soon, if at all he able to accomplish much
missionary labor.
His feeble health in connection with other
reasons prevented his occupying the station assigned him,
until late in the fall, when houses being erected, he was not
only able to remove but also enter on the labors of the station.
His health, however, is far from being firm.
He is frequently
in such a state as to be unable to preach , & when he does
preach, a little extraneous exertion, or contining the exercise
a little longer than usual, produces a serious effect & he is
for a season entirely laid aside f r o m any active l a b o r .
His health, however, is on the whole much improved, & strong
hopes are entertained that it may, ere long be perfectly restored.
Mrs. Hitchcock at Moloki, has also during the last year been
threatened with permanent loss of health.
During the autumn,
they removed from their station to Lahaina for the benefit of
medical aid.
She returned however with health little improved;
hut has since through the m e r c y of a kind Providence, been so
nearly restored as to engage in considerable active labor &
has the prospect of confirmed health.
Others in the mission have suffered some from sickness, besides
those w ho were invalids at the time of the last general meeting.
Mrs. Smith is in far better health than she was at the time
that the letter was wri t t e n & we are permitted to indulge the
pleasing hope that she may ere long enjoy a comfortable state
of health.
How happy should we be could we say the same of Mrs. Chapin
& M r s . Spaulding.
But wit h them it is quite otherwise.
They
are still in affliction, for the hand of the Lord lies heavily
upon them.
They need our prayers & yours & deserve our warmest
sympathies.To show more fully the state of Mrs. C h a p i n ’s health, it is
proper for us to give you the copy of a letter addressed to
this meeting b y the Doctor.
Lahaina M a y 21 , 1835.
To the members of the Sandwich Island
mission convened in general session.
Dear Brethren.
The reason that I do not, as hithertoo, assemble with you the
present season & share in your deliberations & proceedings,
exists in the same cause, as that which induces me thus to
address you b y letter.
The hand of the Lord continues to rest upon us & to prevent us
�1259.
from engaging in those services & duties in which health
& strength are r e quisite.
With hie past dealing towrds us you are already acquainted how he has disappointed our hopes & blighted our prospects,
b y invading our dwelling with disease & how by the linger
ing & enfeebling sickness of one of us. He has seemed to
say that, "this is not our abiding place".
When we left our native shores we were strong in body &
filled with expectations for usefulness.
When we arrived at these Islands M r s . Chapin was prostrate
with debility, supervening to a cute disease, contracted during
our voyage.
But we hoped that rest & proper care would
speedily restore her to her proper strength.
In this God has
directed us He has seen best.
He has repeatedly raised her up & as often cast her down, &
has blessed the means used for her restoration so far only,
as to preserve her & much of the time relief from pain.
He
has prevented her altogether from active labor among the
people, & at the present time affords little or no encourage
ment for her future usefulness here.
Such means as have
appeared to promise benefit to her health, have been dilig e n t
ly used, until having exhausted m y own resources, I was
induced to call a council of physicians to advise further in
reference to her case.
D r s. Judd & R ooke accordingly met me
at this place during the present month.
B y them a full e x
amination was made of her past & present condition & future
prospects. They suggested that some further remedies be
tried & persevered in for a season & if after a fair trial,
they do not afford her relief, it was thought, that she may
then, with propriety, seek repose in the bosom of her friends
in Am.
The reasons for these conclusions were not found in
the belief that she will be benefitted in a change of climate,
merely, but in the probable increase of comfort & attention
which she m a y experience in her native lan d .
The subject is therefore r e f ered to you for your approbation
& assent, & if other reasons should be desired, w h y we ask
permission to leave the field they m a y be found in m y own
inability to perform with efficiency, the duties of a mission
ary & of my profession.
The direct attentions n e c e s s a r y on
my family & m y great amount of domestic care interrupt any
plans which I m a y form for active missionary labor & prevent
me mostly from attending to the medical wants of other stations.
You will sympathize with us, brethren, in this dispensation
of Providence, which thus early c alls us to leave the land which
we had adopted for our own & where we had hoped to spend our
days & at last to repose our bodies, when our work should
have been finished.
We ask too, your prayers on our behalf,
that God will make the w a y of duty clear, that He will not
permit us to go undirected b y Him, & if we embark again to
cross the trackless Ocean, that He will guide & sustain us on
the way, & that if we shall be permitted to land on the shores
�1260.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx of our Fathers, that our interest in behalf of
the missionary cause m a y not decrease, but that our influence
m ay prevail in doing more abundantly for the welfare of the
heathen.
You will also recieve the assurance of my determination to
promote in a special manner, the interests of this mission.
W hen I offered my services to the Am. Board of Com. for F.
Miss. I gave myself up for life & b y the same pledge, I still
am bound.
I was sent to these Islands to labor, & if Providence
call me to leave, I desire to feel obligated still to do in
any way, within my power for the benefit of this people.
And
if there is any special service, which this mission may wish
me to perform, I shall be gratified in attending to it so far
as is consistent with other duties.
Should the request I have made obtain your assent, I have
further to ask that our Agent be instructed to secure as early
as m a y be, a comfortable passage to America, for myself &
family.
That the grace of God may greatly abound in your midist - &
that your efforts for the extension of Christ's kingdom may
be abundantly blessed will ever be the prayer of
You r brother in the L ord
A. Chapin.
In considering the above, the mission passed the resolution,
w hich you will notice in the minutes of our general meeting.
In some respects, the case of M r s . Spaulding is a more trying
one than that of M r s . Chapin's.
She suffers more pain, disease
is more distinctly marked & prospects of recovery less flatter
ing.
As M r . Spaulding wished to know the views of the mission
in relation to the path of duty for him, we passed the resolves
which you will find as above, on the minutes of our meeting.
Thus far, we have refered to the health of the adult members
of our mission only.
But sickness & disease have not been
confined to them.
Our children have many of them been
afflicted w i t h disease, during the past year & several have
been removed b y death.
The first was a child of M r . Dibbles after a protracted illness
of several months, which made it necessary for him to remove
from Hilo to Lahaina for medical aid.
It was too late however.
The child gradually failed until the latter part of November,
when it was removed from the fond embrac e of its afflicted
parents, & was deposited in the first grave dug for any of the
mission families on the Island o f M a u i .
The second was the eldest daughter of Mr. Clark, a child en
joying uninterrupted & vigorous health until a few days before
her death, when she was attacked violently with the croup, &
tho' the disease was arrested b y medical means & strong hopes
�1261.
of her restoration excited, yet a succeeding collapse,
blasted them in a moment, & told us in a most affecting
manner, how false & deceptive is the most flattering e a r t h
ly p r o mise . To the praise of Christ's grace,
it should be
told, that for a few weeks previous to her death, as well
as in her last moments, she gave some pleasing evidence,
that the Savior had laid his sanctifying hand upon her heart
& prepared it to rest in his embrace.
Her remains were scarcely deposited in the grave, ere the
same disease made its fatal attack on the youngest child of
Mr. Armstrong.
This child had but just bee n raised from the
borders of the grave, w i t h wh i c h he was brought b y an illness
protracted for several months.
His system being so much re
duced, he fell an easier prey to this n e w & violent disease.
The fourth, was the infant son of Mr. Spaulding; frail &
feeble from its birth, but still encouraging the hopes of its
parents & friends until they were blasted b y signs of dropsy
in the head, which could not be mistaken & which removed it
from their arms at the early age of six months & sixteen days.
The fifth & last was the infant child of Mr. Forbes at Kaawaloa,
a child vigorous & healthy until a severe attack of the
St. Anthony's fire changed its tender form & removed the little
sufferer, ere it had scarcely tasted the fruits of its earthly
residence.
Several more of our children have suffered considerably from
sickness, but at present, they are all (sixty in number) e n
joying their accustomed health.
We have bee n thus particular in our detail of the sickness
of the mission, in order to show more the propriety & i m
portance of the following resolution & the letter connected
with it.
"In view of the distressing circumstances of Hilo, & of many
other portions of the Sandwich Islands, for want of medical
aid, & more especially felt than heretofore, in consequence
of the contemplated return o f D r . Chapin to America: & such
a failure of M r . Baldwin's health as to require a removal from
his station.
Resolved, that a committee be chosen to draw up an appeal to
the Board for more physicians & that a copy of it be sent across
the continent by the opportunity which it is expected will
soon offer & that a duplic ate of it, be forwarded in the
Hellespont b y the route of Canton; and, that should a physician
or physicians arrive, that we consider the station at Hilo as
having a demand for the first supply".
The following is the letter, a copy of which was forwarded b y
the Hellespont & also a duplicate across the continent.
Honolulu
(Oahu)
To the Secretaries of the A .B.C.F.M .
June 25,
1835.
�1262.
Rev. & D ear Sirs,
In attending to the different matters which the prosperity
of our mission has required us to consider, during our
present meeting, we have found ourselves embarrassed in
many points, for the want of more medical aid; & in no one
point perhaps, more so, than that of locating the different
members of the mission.
The difficulty, or perhaps we should say, the almost utter
impossibility of maintaining some important stations, without
an increase of medic al men, has been very apparent: & our
object in addressing this communication to you, is, that you
may be apprised of our necessities by the earliest opportunity;
& that if possible, they may be promptly s u p p l i e d . In a n s w e r
ing the 10th question of the circular of the Board, sen t to
us the last year, we stated to you, that we needed four p h y s i
cians for these Islands; i.e. one for each of the principal
islands in the group, & we also explained at considerable length,
the reasons on which that application was founded: for which
we must refer you to the answer itself of the circular.
That
number would then have been but two in addition to those a l
ready on the ground.
But in the al l wise Providence of God,
our situation, as to medical aid, is n o w far different from
what it was one year since.
Then D o c t . Chapin could attend
to most of the medical wants of Maui & Molokai; & one of our
number acted both as missionary & physician on Hawaii.
The
health of the latter is at present, so precarious, that it
has been thought expedient for him to remove from his station;
& D oct. Chapin, owing to the protracted illness of Mrs. Chapin
has applied for, & recieved the approbation of the mission to
return to America.
You percieve therefore, that most of the
medical labors of the mission are likely soon to devole upon
a single individual.
It is unnecessary for us here to remark
upon the difficulties, or uncertainty of communicating i n
telligence from one Island to another - the difficulty which
distant stations find in making known their wants to a single
physician, or the length, uncertainty or cost of voyages to
reach many of the more retired stations.
On most of these
points in the document above refered to, & in other c ommunica
tions from this mission, you have been already fully informed.
Suffice it to say, that in all these respects, so far as they
operate as reasons for increasing the number of our physicians,
our situation is not materially different, from what it has
b e e n heretofore.
You are aware, that though these Islands seem near on the map,
they are in reality wide apart; & your own reflection will
suggest to you, that we often se e in fact,that with thirty, or
more families scattered throughout this group, calls for
medical aid will come from the opposite extremes of the mission
& not unfrequenly from each of the principal Islands at the same
time,
in v i e w of these circumstances we are induced to appeal
to you for at least three additional physicians to be sent as
soon as practicable to this f i e l d .
�1263.
We hope that if you have them not at command, that you will
loose no time in sending forth, in such way as you may deem
expedient, an appeal to the medical profession, that may they
feel, that they have something to do in the conversion of
the w o r l d .
We need young men sound in body, sound in faith, of decided
piety, willing to "endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ”
& that are not likely to be ’’entangled with the affairs of
this life” . Such m e n will always find useful employment,
generally in their own profession; & when not, they may find
it, in teaching school, or in diverse ways, aiding those who
are engaged in teaching, or aiding in operations of the press
as they may be able.
It is every w a y in point to remark here, that we have lately
turned our attention more specially to the subject of education
& have devoted some of our number principally to that department
We feel deeply the need of maintaining efficient schools at
all our stations, not only to raise up promising scholars for
the High School, hut to raise up efficient men, who w ill imm e
diately exert a powerful & salutary influence on the people &
help to give permanency to all the institutions of civilization
& religion in this nation.
And any helpers therefore in that
department will be in v a l u a b l e .
We feel confident, dear brethren, that in applying for the above
number of physicians for these Islands, we are asking, not only
for that, which the comfort & safety of ourselves & our
families requires but for that, wh i c h the cause of Christ i m
periously demands & we hope, therefore, our call will meet the
approbation, not only of the committee but of the churches of
Christ in our beloved country.
Yours sincerely in the bonds of the Gospel.
Remainder of report printed 32 Missionary Herald,
F rom:
William Richards
Wm. P. Alexander
Reuben Tinker.
Rec d. Dec. 30.
Ansd. June 15, 1836.
102, Mar.
183/
�66
1831-1837
XIV
Part First
Honolulu.
Letter 99
June 1835
To the Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.
Rev. & Dear Sirs,
In attempting to answer your question addressed to the
missionaries at the Sandwich Islands, viz.. "What are the
decisive evidences of progress, in your work comparing the
present state and character of the people with what they
were at the commencement of the mission", we do not propose
to communicate any materially important news.
So full and
frequent have bee n the communications from this field,
during our occupancy, for fifteen years, that the fullest
answer which we could give to your question, it is presumed,
would be little more than a recapitulation of facts already
in your possession.
It may however be of some use to refer again to the state
and character of the people as we found them, to the nature
and extent of the means put in operation for their improvement,
& to some of the immediate and apparent effects of what must
still be regarded as merely incipient measures for the r e n o v a
tion of the nation.
This will bring several points of c o m
parison distinctly into view, show the nature of the impression
given, and the gains secured, and thus enable you to form some
estimate of the progress made in the missionary work, which
has been untertaken here under your direction, and thus far,
we believe attended with the blessing of Heaven.
We have
no interest to be promoted b y exaggeration or concealment;
and we desire that what we may say m a y be f or the glory of the
Divine Author of Christian m i s sions.
Remainder of long letter printed 32 Missionary Herald,
August 1836.
Received Ma y 24, 1836
Ackd. June 15, 1836.
�1265.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Honolulu,
Letter 100.
July 31, 1835.
Rev. & dear Sirs,
Y ou will see by the minutes of the late Gen. Mee t i n g that
the paper on. hand was reported at 1488 reams.
An inventory
has s i n c e been taken.
There are 540 reams of M e d i u m of
different sizes and qualities made at 10 different mills;
and therefore n o t enough of uniform size for a large edition
of any large work.
There are 461 reams of Demy, which is
still more broken up.
A large part of it is of small size
and very poor quality.
M u c h of it appears to be refuse
paper, damaged from having been moved about u n t i e d . It is
dirty and torn, and probably unfit for printing.
The error in the supposed amount has arisen from a want of
thoroughness in the manner in w h i c h the account of paper
used has been kept.
In times past, instead of taking an
account of the paper on hand from year to year, the quantity
used - or supposed to have b een necessary for the works
printed - has b e e n deducted from the quantity received.
Probably too little a llowance has been made for damaged reams
and imperfect sheets, and paper used in small jobs.
We need 800 lbs. N o. 2 Long Primer, including the Italic.
T h e number to agree with the Specimen boo k of the Boston
Type & Stereotype Foundery, published in 1833.
Paper wanted.
One thousand reams m e d i u m - including what
may have been sent between this time, & the fall of 1836 of the same size.
We want also for the Honolulu Office a double imposing stone the Stone 5 feet b y 2 feet - with frame and drawers, to be put
together with bed s c r e w s . F our common size imposing Sticks.
One dozen lye brushes like those before sent.
An assortment
of brass rule.
A Ver y large slice galley.
There is on hand
20 canisters of Ink, a supply for three or four years.
Artic les needed for the Bindery.
15 Reams of colored paper suitable for pamphlets or primers and of assorted colors.
2 reams marble paper of middling quality.
2 or 3 reams of fancy paper, for titles, labels, & c .
5 reams of Smooth, thick, paper to stiffen covers of primers.
100 bundles of paste board from N os. 50 to 60.
15 lb. Co mmon Twine of different s i z e s .
30 " Sewing Thread.
2 doz. Darning needles.
1/2 " Knives
...... 1/2 doz. Brad Awls.
3 Copper bound brushes for sprinkling.
1/2 doz. Slide plough knives about 1/8 in. thick and 5/8 on
�1266.
the widest side, to be obtained of Mr. We l l s .
10 lb. Pearl ashes.
8 l b . Coperas.
1 Grindstone.
1 Pack of gold leaf.
50 doz. American Sheep Skins, of good quality and ready
shaved for use, - to be selected b y some person acquainted
w i t h the article.
The last were too thick and not fit for
use.
Skivers are too thin.
1 doz. Morocco Skivers.
1 Tanners Shaving Knife.
Mr. Dimond wishes a receipt for tanning Goat Skin Morocco,
writ te n out f ul ly b y one acquainted with the business; - and
also the articles for tanning it, which are not to be had at
the Islands.
He thinks Morooco can be made here superior
to imported sheep skins.
Goat skins are now tanned, but
they are not good - uncoloured and rather st i f f .
In behalf of the Printing Committee,
Reuben Tinker,
Scribe.
Also some muslin for covering books.
It is rather
strong, & the worms do not eat it as they do leather.
That which is thin would answer well.
To: Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.,
Missionary Rooms,
N o. 28 Cornhil,
Boston, M a s s . U.S.A.
Per Canton Packet
Capt. Bradford.
R e cd. Dec. 30.
�66
1831-1837
XXV
Part F irst
letter 101.
Printed pamphlet - not copied.
Extracts from The Minutes of the General M e e t i n g of the
Sandwich Islands' Mission, Held at Honolulu, June and July,
1835.
�1268.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 102.
Printed pamphlet - not copied.
List of Missionaries'
Rec d. July 30, 1 8 3 6 .
children at the Sandwich Isla nd s.
�1269
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Honolulu,
Secretaries
Dear Sirs,
Sept.
Letter 103.
27,
1835.
of the A.B.C.F .M.
In addition on order lately sent, Mr.
write for the following articles.
Hall requests us to
a pair of brass rule shears (hand Shears)
200 feet Great Primer R eglet,
200
" Slope furniture.
200
" Gutter
do
200
" Minior R e g let
2 00
" Cline Pica do
4 lbs. Brevier Flower N o. 15
4
" M ini or
do
"
4
1 dos. large Parchments.
One barrel glue, annually, for the office besides that
sent for the Bindery.
12 lbs. Leads eight to a p i c a . 19 1/2 pica ems long.
One barrel Sugarhouse molasses, annually, for rollers.
For the Honolulu Printing Committee,
Tinker, Scribe.
To: Secretaries of the A.B.C.F.M.,
N o. 28 C ornhill,
Boston, M a s s .
Recd. March 28, 1836.
A n d s . June 15, 1836.
�1270.
66
Part First
1831-1837
Kailua,
Rev.
Hawaii,
L etter 104.
N ovr. 10th,
1835.
and Dear Sir,
In making out semiannual letter to our patrons, we feel
the responsibility of our situation, lest what we write
will tend to give a false impression to the Christian
public of the state of things among us.
We desire, t h e r e
fore, always to speak with caution of our successes and
reverses, lest on the one hand we excite too high hopes
of a speedy and complete victory over the empire of Satan;
or on the other, damp the ardor or weaken the faith of our
brethren in America, b y telling them of our trials & d i s
couragements.
We wish to have it understood, that while the work of the
Lord is prosperously advancing among us, in the conversion
of m a n y from the error of their ways, still we feel o u r
selves to be very far from having obtained the end proposed b y
us in the missionary enterprise. We see so much of apathy,
ignorance, barbarism and sin around us, which is yet u n s u b
dued, that we could form no certain opinion as to the final
result of our labors, bu t in reliance upon the promise which
has ensured the future conversion of the world to Christ.
Remainder of letter printed 32 M is sionary Herald,
From: A. Bishop
A. Thurston.
To:
The R e v . Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Ms. U.S. A m e ric a.
R e cd. M a y 7, 1836.
A ckd. in G.L. Junr 15,
Ansd. June 18.
1836.
383,
Oct.
1836.
�1271.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Hilo,
Hawaii,
Letter 105.
N ov. 17, 1835.
Rev. R. Anderson
Miss. Rooms Boston
Dear Sir,
The occasion of our addressing you at this time is one
of no common interest.
It is one w h i c h leads us to feel
that "we are pilgrims & strangers", that "this is not our
rest".
To leave beloved relatives, & Christian friends, expecting
never to see them more, is no small trial.
It is one
which the missionary on leaving his native land, feels no
less than other men.
And if he bids farewell to his country,
to his friends, & to the privileges of Christian society
without a tear, & w ithout apparent emotion, it is not because
he places a low estimate on the privileges he relinquishes,
b ut because an unwavering conviction of duty enables him to
rise above the comparatively light & momentary afflictions
of the present state.
From these considerations some might infer that the m i s sio n
ary would comply with the first call of Providence indicating
a return to his native land with feelings of unmingled delight.
Nothing, however, could be farther from the truth.
The d e
voted missionary having bid adieu to the endearments of his
youth & taken up his residence in a heathen land, is bound
by stronger ties than those which he sundered when he left
his native country.
Our beloved brother & sister Goodrich, who are about to
leave us in a f ew hours intending to embrace the first oppor
tunity for returning to their native land, have resided at
this station most of the time for nearly twelve y e a r s .
During a large portion of this time they have been the only
missionary family residing on East Hawaii.
Here they have
witnessed scenes which have called forth their joy & gratitude.
Here, also have they suffered & w e p t . They n o w leave this
people in a far different state from that in which they found
them. They feel deeply in view of leaving this field in which
t h e y have spent the prime of their days.
They will, we doubt
not, continue to cherish a lively interest in this church
& people.
We sympathize with them in view of this trial.
& bespeak for them & their children your sympathy & c a r e , &
that of the Christian public.
We do this hoping they may
be enabled to do much for the cause of Christ in our own
land, & praying that ma n y may be found stars in the crown
of rejoicing in the day of the Lord.
�1272.
Desiring your prayers for ourselves & for the people
among w h o m we labor,
We subscribe ourselves yours in the work of
Christ.
D .B .Lyman
Titus Coan
Gerrit P. Judd
E.H. Rogers.
To: R e v R . Anderson,
Sec. of A .B.C .F .M.,
Mi ss ionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.
R e cd. July 29, 1836.
�1273.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 106.
A brief history of Temperance for twelve years,
at three of the Sandwich Islands, viz. M aul, Molokai
& Lanai.
These islands, in round numbers, embrace 37,000 souls,
viz. Maui 30,000, Molokai 6,000, Lanai 1,000, or, about
one third part of the Sandwich Island population.
For 9 years, they have been under the more immediate juris
diction of Hoapili as Governor, subject, however, to the
King.
On the 31st of M ay, 1823, when the missionaries arrived
at Lahaina, three hogsheads of rum were standing in the
same house, where t h e y deposited their goods.
They r e
mained untouched, until the 27th of June, & then, in a
public revel, the whole was consumed in three d a y s .
Then, the common people could not obtain distilled spirits,
for the want of means, neither was there a supply on the
island, though, both native & foreign vessels were sometimes
sent to Oahu, on purpose to procure it.
Those who made use
of distilled spirits were the chiefs & those who followed
in their numerous train; while-the lower classes used the
fermented juice of the sugar cane, & ti root, or fermented
potatoes.
These were almost as sure i n their intoxicating
effects, as foreign liquors, though much slower in their
operation.
They never produced intoxication
so early as
the third hour of the day, but in the afternoon, companies
were often seen sitting together under the shade of the
large K o u trees, or clusters of Breadfruit, with their
calabashes of fermented spirits b y their sides, & exhibiting
all the characteristics of bacchanalian revels in other
lands.
More time was wasted i n this way, than is usually
spent by those who make use of distilled spirits.
They never took a dram & then went to their w o r k , but u n
iformly made preparation before hand, & when ready, gave
themselves up to festivity & mirth, sometimes for a number
of days in succession; every day ending in intoxication,
if not quarrels.
When ships were in port & sailors w ere on shore, most serious
difficulties were constantly occurring.
N ot a few were
every day intoxicated, many of whom as soon as they were
e n a b l e d to take care of themselves, were plundered of their
clothes & everything which the natives considered valuable.
Indeed, p l u n d e r , or r o b be ry, as it might be called, was
the sole object, which those who sold rum, had in view.
The following is copied from a journal written Sunday,
April 18th, 1824.
�1274.
"Two of C ap t. T-s men called to see us today, & we had
a pleasant & I hope profitable talk with them.
They
inquired for bibles, & we presented each a copy of the
sacred treasure, wh i c h is but too rarely found, & still
more rarely read & prized, among seamen of the Pacific.
"They left our house at dusk, to return to their boat;
b u t were immediately surrounded b y more than a hundred
natives, who followed them & stripped them of all their
valuable clothes, hats, shoes & c . I inquired the cause,
& was told that they had been purchasing rum, for which
they had not paid.
Supposing it true, I returned to my
dwelling, feeling little pity for the men, except as I
looked forward to the final ruin of their souls.
As soon
as it was quite dark, the two men returned & called to
us at our window to have compassion on them, as they had
been robbed by the natives; & as the boat had returned to
the ship, they had no m e a n s of getting on board.
They
also told me (and their story was afterward confirmed b y
native testimony) that when they came on shore in the
morning, they were met b y one of the chiefs, with a bottle
of rum, which they refused to buy or drink.
They were led,
however, to the house of the chief, who treated them very
politely, & at length turned out a couple of glasses of
rum, & after taking one himself, offered it to them. They
declined drinking, saying, that they had no money.
The
chief urged them to drink telling them, that it was not to
sell.
Out of politeness to the chief, they put the glasses
to their lips, but without drinking anything.
After sitting a while, the chief demanded of them a dollar,
at the same time offering them the remainder of the bottle
as theirs.
This they refused, & he then demanded their
clothes.
They refused to give them up, & for this, they
have just now been robbed.
This is a specimen of the
exertions that the chiefs & people are making, to sell rum
& to get those into difficulty who have a little property".
Another extract from the same journal,
says: -
dated Sept.
10,
1824
"Hoapili W a h i n e 's school is all drunk & broken up - no hope
of -reorganizing it at present. Were she here, herself, I
should have som e hope; but she is at Hawaii, & when she will
return is uncertain.
Her people are scattered here & there
some drinking awa - some rum - some the fermented juice of
the cane - some fermented potatoes, & others the ti rootbeer.
They are all too wild to pay any attention to schools
there is no hope of doing anything in other schools, w hile
this is in such a state.
0 , when shall we see different
days.
Nothing but Almighty power can stop the rapid current
M a y we soon see that power exhibited".
"Sept. 11.
Everybody drinking sugar cane. I have taken a
walk today through the village, & the sight affects my
heart.
There is scarcely a sober man in Lahaina.
I have
seen perhaps thirty different c ollections, all engaged in the
�1275.
same bacchanalian r e v e l r y . Wherever there is an extensive
shade, there is a company engaged in drinking, dancing &
all the various kinds of wickedness whi ch attend the
circles of the drunkard.
There is no restraint by principle, law or m o d e s t y , & all
expostulation & entreaty are equally vain.
And all this
evil is the result of their intercourse with foreigners.
Though they are n o w drinking their own fermented liquors
& such as they distill with a very imperfect apparatus,
yet, they have learned all this from foreigners, & those
too, who hear the c hristian n a m e .
"They were never in the habit of drinking even beer or any
fermented liquor, until they were taught it by tiplers
from foreign lands.
It will take years of the most p e r
severing exertion & that too accompanied b y almighty power,
to undo what has been done in a very short time - by the
enemy of souls.
If there is any weapon of his more powerful
than all others, it is intoxicating drink".
"Sept. 13.
The boxing still continues, in plain sight of
our doors - drinking filthy & enormous. The females too,
at the other end of the village, are assembled for female
fights, that is p u lling h a i r , scratching & biting.
All is
the consequence of intoxicating drink."
M a n y more quotations might be made, but the above are s u f
ficient to show the state of things at Lahaina in 1824.
In the spring of 1825, twenty three grogshops were counted
within the space of one m i l e .
That is, there were twenty
three places at least , w h ere rum was sold.
These places
were denoted b y tupa, or a p e ice of cloth fastened to a pole,
raised high in the air, & these beacons of destruction were
not unheeded, as is often the case wit h the Bethel Flag,
which now waves in the place of them.
One, if not
the present
his wife, &
undoubtedly
incom e.
more, of those grogshops w as owned b y Hoapili,
Governor; & another was owned b y Hoapi li- wa hin e,
others b y other Chiefs.
It was said, & was
true, that those shops were a great source of
The first check upon the sale of ardent spirits, as nearly
as can be recollected, was in the autumn of 1825.
A s there was no public proclamation of a law, we are u n a c
quainted with the nature of the restrictions which first
existed.
It was obvious that rum fled from observation, &
it was not uncommon for sailors, who were partially intoxica
ted, to complain that they could not get a supply.
It is
supposed that the highest chiefs began to disapprove of
the sale of it, but, that the Governess, in immediate command, patronized it, and did it rather privately, s o as not
to incur the displeasure of the other chiefs.
�1276.
This state of things continued about a year, when in
1826, Hoapili, the present Governor, took charge of the
three Islands in person.
His eyes were so far opened to
the then existing evils, that he took bold, decisive
measures to check them, without waiting for public opinion
to prepare the way.
He immediately made a tour of Maui, proclaiming new laws
& regulations, some of which strictly prohibited all
illicit intercourse. & the further m anu fa ctu re, sale or
use of ardent s pi rit s. Opposition was of course expected; for
it was well known, that the Adversary w ould never suffer
such a barrier to remain in the high w a y to hell, without
strenuous efforts to remove it.
Not many months elapsed, before a man of some distinction
was detected in selling a single bottle.
He was fined 20
picals of sandal wood, worth at that time, about $160.
He
plead, that the rum belonged to a high chief on Hawaii.
Hoapili soon saw that chief, who said, that he had c o m
mitted the rum to his agent a long time before, when there
was no tabu on its sale, & that would not justify his
selling it in violation of H o a p i l i 's laws.
The fine was
therefore p ai d .
Another person was detected about the same time, & paid a
heavy f i n e .
A native of the Society Islands, being detected in selling
it to sailors, was banished for four years.
Not long after, two foreign residents, being intoxicated,
b y rum obtained from ships, were both ordered away from
Lahaina & forbidden ever to come here again, while ships
were at anchor in the roades.
One of them, who held land
in Lahaina, was dispossessed of it, & the land given to
his son in law.
The two men, remained sober for four or
five years, & the prohibition was removed.
These facts show, that violations of the law have been met
with prompt, decided punishment.
Frequent violations
have occured wi thi n the past 9 years, but they have never
been suffered to pass unnoticed; though the penalties have
generally been less severe, than in the cases just mentioned.
When the tabu was first proclaimed, whale ships almost
uniformly brought ardent spirits for use on board & many had
it for sale among the natives in purchasing their recruits;
& when the sale of it was forbidden, it obviously did not
meet general approbation.
The state of public mind among
the seamen of the Pacific, seemed not to be prepared for such
a measure.
For at that time, there was no well established
principle, in regard to ardent spirits, to regulate the
judgement & conduct of men.
If a pure standard of right & wrong had been created in the
U.S. it was not recognized, or regarded in the Pacific.
The
�1277.
only standard acknowledged here, was the old one long
established b y common consent, viz. if a m an keeps sober
enough to walk upon a straight line, or toe the mark
in business, he does well.
In this state of public mind, it will not be thought
strange that unprincipled men, for the sake of gain, should
engage in smuggling.
It is pleasing to say, however, that
a general respect has been paid to the law by ship masters,
though there have been a few disgraceful exceptions.
For
some time, ardent spirits were occasionally smuggled ashore
in the darkness ‘of the night - in kegs besmeared with oil,
& in various other ways, such as meanness c ould devise.
The strength of the law, however, & the increase of tem
perance principles in the public mind, gradually diminished
such dishonorable deeds.
From sailors, more open violence & rage were witnessed.
M a n y seemed to regard intoxication & illicit intercourse on
shore, among their c hoiset privileges; & when restraint was
imposed upon them b y the law, a flood of curses from old
topers &from some more moderate drinker & the licentious
was poured upon the heads of missionaries & ch iefs.
Missionaries, here, have had the credit of making all the
offensive & rigid laws, & thus robbing the poor sailor of
his rights & privileges.
It is needless to say, that
missionaries have not
?
to declare the whole truth
in reference to ardent spirits, & to expose, as far as in
their power, the evils of intemperance & lew dne ss , in time
& eternity.
But the laws, so grievous to be borne, have
been made & are sustained solely b y the civil authority,
to whose province they alone belong.
Instances of violation have frequently occured, but for a
number of years, they have been rapidly diminishing.
As
from 60 to 80 ships have visited this place annually for
several years, the retailers of ardent spirits have looked
upon Lahaina, as a most desirable place for a gr ogs hop , &
frequent efforts have been made b y for eigners, to n am e at
least one respectable, permanent grogshop here for the
benefit of seamen.
To the lovers & traficers in ardent spirits,
it has seemed a pity, that the precious b everage could not
have, at least, one or two respectable deposits, where all,
w h o pleased, might have access, & not be confined, as has
hitherto been the c ase, to secret, transient, walking grogshops.
A s e cr et, transient, walking grogshop!
What does that mean?
Here a word of explanation may be necessary.
walking grogshop is a human being, either a worthless native,
who has learned foreign vices, or some abandoned, runaway
sailor.
The poison is kept in common ju n k b o t t l e s . one, two,
or more, as the case may be, & is concealed under ground or
in some secret place.
It is then often diluted & retailed in
the following manner.
A glass or small quantity is put into a
�t
1278.
vial or bamboo & carried in the pock et. W hen a sailor
strays away into some retired place, he is sometimes
followed b y one of these shops, & for 25 cents, or some
article of clothing, can obtain a weak dram.
N o shop,
as a general thing, will sell but one glass to one man,
lest its intoxicating affects should be discovered & the
shop be detected.
In this way, a bottle or two may be
sold, in a few months, & its affects not be visible.
They are transient shops, because they exist only in the
shipping seasons, which occur in the spring & fall.
Another practice has been, to sell it secretly to sailors
at one dollar per bottle; but this is attended with much danger,
as it more generally leads to detection.
As from 1500 to 2000 seamen annually spend some time at
this place, many of whom are always thirsty & ready to give
their shirts, even, for a glass of rum, it is easy to see,
w h y the traffickers in ardent spirits, who seek gain, at the
expense of the souls & bodies of their fellow beings, should
win to locate a grogshop in L a h a i n a .
About two years since, a merchant in the Sandwich Islands
requested & obtained permission from the King to build a
Hotel, or boarding house, in Lahaina, for the benefit of
seamen.
Orders were given b y the King to one of his prin
cipal men, to have some of the natives assist in collecting
the materials & in erecting the b u i l d i n g .
But it was generally understood, that the Hotel would be,
like many others, kept for the accommodation of seamen, a
grogshop.
The Princ ess gave her consent to go on & build, but, at the
same time assured the agent, that as fast as he put it up.
she would pull it down.
Renewed efforts were made to a c
complish so desirable an object, but finding the government
here, decidedly & perseveringly opposed to it, the project
was finally abandoned.
A good boarding ho u s e , or Hotel, upon the principles of
entire abstinence from ardent spirits, is greatly needed
for the accommodation of our sea faring friends, & would
be well patronized; but a grogshop would be a tremendous
evil, both to the natives & seamen, & more to be dreaded
than the plague.
Within two years, no special efforts have been made, to
our knowledge, to locate a grogshop in Lahaina, & the w a l k
ing grogshops are exceedingly f e w .
In the spring of 1834 a seaman belonging to a temperance
ship, having taken too large a dram from a bottle of rum
in the possession of a native, broke the regulations of the
ship, & by the Master was refused his berth in the ship,
unless he would show him the man who had committed the
�offence.
The seaman accompanied his captain to the house pointed out the native to one of the Chiefs, & the offender
was fined according to law.
Immediately after, the Masters, at their own suggestion,
formed a Temperance Society - styled ’’The Marine Association
for the suppression of Intemperance at the Sandwich Islands",
With this society 39 Masters & 48 Officers have united, viz.
Masters
Jared Gardner
Paul Chase
Reuben Ray
John Stetson
George Allen
James Pierson
Joshua Bunker
Philetus Pierson
William E. Sherman
John B. Coleman
Henry Lewis
Charles G. Barnard
Stephen Grinnel
George S. Brewster
David Baker
Joshua Grinnel
Henry Bigelow
Elijah Davis
Matthew M ay hew
Henry Champlin
Parker H. Smith
George T. Joy
Timothy W. Riddell
Reuben Creasy
Robert Tuckerman
Lewis Adams
Charles W. Coffin
Alexander M a c y
William H. Cathcart
Asaph P. Taber
Joseph Spooner
John H. Pease
Ebenerer Coleman
Benj. A. Coleman
Robert B. Chase
Charles Butler
Isaac Brayton
William Buckley
Joseph Paddock
Offic ers
William C. Dorman
Reuben F itch
Henry W . Davis
George Palmer
Reuben Alley
Caleb Folger
Robert M. Folger
William H. Hovy
David B. Delano
Daniel W. Gladding
Howel H. Babcock
Stratton H. Harlow
George Haggerty
Charles Swain
Henry Swain
Charles Morton
George H. Stratton
William B . Howland
Walter Tuber
William E. Hayden
James S. Robinson
John M. Shatrell
William S . Chase
Uriah S . Manter
Robert C. Hutchins
George B. Swain 2d
Rufus T. Pease
Benjamin C. Sager
Varanus Smith
William J. Rogers
George P. Gerrin
George W . Gardner
Cromwell Bunker
Charles Edwards
Edward T.A.Tanning
William H. Brown
Amee B. F uller
Samuel Keath
Frederick W. Hussey
Charles S. Gifford
Nathaniel P. Coffin
John S. Pratt
David Swain
George Whitens
Charles Barton
Tristam I. Chase
Thubael Ray
Charles S . Wyre
�1280.
The object of this society is, not only to promote
temperanc e among seamen, but as expressed in the c on
stitution, "to support the government, in their laudable
exertions to suppress Intemperance".
This society has had a happy influence, both among seamen
& the natives.
It has done m u ch to enlighten & encourage
a feeble government & to drive walking grogshops out of
existence.
How, when a sailor's breath smells of r u m , though he m a y
walk straight & toe the mark in business, it makes a deep
impression upon tho olfactory nerves, both of foreigners
& natives, wherever he goes, & prompts the inquiry "Sir,
where did you get it?
It fastens a vigilant eye upon
him, that the source of the poison may be detected.
The Masters & Officers of ships are waking up to the evils
of Intemperance, & many are uniting their influence to
suppress it.
For three years past, no where has the t e m
peranc e reformation bee n more rapid, than among the s ea men
of the Pacific.
It was slow to commence, but is rapid
in its progress.
We sc arcly presume to inquire now, whether
a ship is a temperance ship or not, for it begins to be
taken for granted, that all ships, employed in the whale
fishery, have become temperate.
Atleast, if a ship is not
temperate, it causes shame to acknowledge it; & if a man
brings ardent spirits f o r his crew, or for sale, he forms
an exception, & his ship becomes a subject of remark.
That many Masters of ships are supporting the "government
in their laudable exertions to suppress Intemperance", ac cording to the pledge given in their constitution, will be
obvious from a few facts.
On the 9th inst. a small schooner arrived from Hawaii, b r i n g
ing nearly three barrels of rum, which the owner had not been
able to sell then, even by smuggling.
He was determined to
sell it here, as it was reported, "low or no l a w"; but he
had no sooner reached L ahaina than he was assured b y a number
of the ship Masters, that if he attempted to sell one drop of
it to their men, they would unite in a body & spare no means
to prevent it - that one bottle sold to their seamen would be
regarded as a gross insult to the fleet, which the Masters
would, b y no means, suffer to pass without redress.
The Schooner was also watched by the government, from the
moment it came to anchor.
Consequently, none was sold either
to seamen or natives.
Printed page not copied - Letter, drawn up b y the
Masters of ships, presented to the Governor, in regard
to selling ardent spirits.
In a letter, just received from Oahu, dated at Honolulu on
the 20th inst. after saying that "There is much bitterness
among individuals of the foreign residents, at the course
�1281.
pursued by the Ship Masters at Lahaina, and, that some
of the signers of the petition (to H o a p i l i ) have so much
instability, as to express their wish, that they had had
nothing to do with it," the writer observes; you will hear
in due time wh a t is going on here.
The natives, in thousands, are signing a memorial to the
King, requesting the abolition of the making & vending of
ardent spirits at these Islands.
The Ship Masters & some
of the foreign residents are also about petitioning the
government to stop the grogshops at this place".
From another letter dated at Honolulu on the 26th inst. we
have the following remarks.
"The ship Masters are doing
something here for temperance - drawing up a petition to
government to suppress the grogshops.
Several have signed
it, but there is a good deal of opposition from some ship
Masters, who, at home, would be glad to be regarded as the
friends temperance".
The remarks in regard to seamen have been made in consequence
of their frequent intercourse at this place, & the facts
have been mentioned to show, as far as possible, exactly how
the temperance cause stands h e r e .
From these facts three
things are perfectly obvious; 1. That temperance principles
are making rapid progress among Ship Masters of the Pacific.
2. That where government takes the lead & temperance is
popular, all approve of it & lend their influence to support it.
3.
That where government suffers grogshops to exist & entire
abstinence from ardent spirits is unpopular, some hesitate,
waver & oppose & throw their influence upon the side of
Intemperance.
For a number of years, the uniform testimony of Ship Masters
has been, that they prefer this place, to any other in the
Pacific, on account of its temperance.
Though they m ay have
used ardent spirits themselves, they uniformly deprecate the
unrestrained use of it - among their seamen, as it is always
the cause of more trouble, than all other causes put together.
Intemperance is one of the besetting sins of s a i l o r s . There
is scarcely a whale ship in the Pacific, many of whose crew
will not get intoxicated, the first opportunity.
But for a
number of years, ship Masters have been able to visit this
port, conduct their business on board & on shore, & have left
the place in the most perfect quiet.
To behold a man drunk in Lahaina is a rare s i g h t . More cases
of intoxication occured on Tuesday, the 17th ins t . by rum
obtained from the F l i b b e r t y Gibbell, than have been witnessed
in Lahaina before for nine years.
It was sold in small earthen
jugs, principally to sailors in the harbor.
By them, it was
brought on shore, & the affect of the poison, in the course of
a few hours, was astonishing.
One sailor came reeling through the streets, surrounded b y a
native rabble shouting to one another, "ha ona R a haole, ua ona
K a haole", - "The foreigner is drunk, the foreigner is drunk" .
�1282.
Another was found b a c k of the village in a retired p lac e,
entirely helpless & almost n a k e d .
A third passed along, supported on each side, b y other seamen,
lest he should reel & plunge into the taro p a t ch es.
A fourth & fifth, too drunk to walk well alone, leaned upon
each other, as they passed, blaspheming God & cursing mission
aries.
A sixth was found, at night,
of falling into the S e a .
helpless,
on the pier;
in danger
A seventh, eighth & ninth & we know not how many more, were
intoxicated in other places, unable to get down to their boats
at night, so as to return to the ships to which they belonged.
At 10 o ’clock at night, some Ship Masters were ashore, w ith a
lantern seeking their intoxicated men.
Other sailors were so much intoxicated as to be scarcely able
to get into their boats.
One had a jug suspended by the
handkerchief which he were round his neck - another had a jug
concealed in his bosom; b u t the contents of both were poured
into the Sea, by the Master to whom the seamen belonged.
Another Master returned to his ship to take up his anchor found some of his men intoxicated - searched for the poison,
& having found three jugs, poured it into the Sea.
The affects of the poison & the extent, o f the mischief p r o
duced b y it upon Seamen, induced the Ship Masters to appeal
to the government for protection; & an open violation of the
law, doubtless, induced the Governor to put a strict tabu
upon the Flibberty Gibbet t until damages are p a i d .
Now all is quiet, as it regards ardent spirits, not only here,
but among the 37,000 inhabitants on the three islands.
If we may except some 15 or 20 persons, there has been no
external evidence that 5 gallons of ardent spirits have been
drank by the 37,000 natives for 9 years, & as ship Masters
& Officers are beginning to combine their influence with g o v
ernment to prevent the use of it, it gives a still more pleasing
prospect for the future.
Ephraim Spaulding
William Richards.
R e cd.
Ackd.
June 10, 1836.
June 21.
�1283.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 107
Foreign Residents in Oahu.
R. Charlton, & wife & wife's sister
J.C . Jones,
French
Reynolds
Hunnewell
Thompson
& another
jun.
Am. merchants
Warren
Marin
Crown
Hill
Spear
Boyd &
9 or 10 more.
keepers of grogshops.
Cooper
Green, Watchmaker
Worth
Allen
Jacobs
Adams
Jim the devil
Rust
Sumner
Tollman
Gouren
Anderson
Dougherty
Tilpin
Conant
Lewis
Knight
Moxly
Woodland
Farmer
Jackson
50 or 60 more - most- indeed nearly all of these
reside in Honolulu.
Grimes
Dominis
Temple Dana
M'N eil
Ebbets
J.Meek
T.Meek
Traders and commanders of
vessels who reside a considerable
part of the time at Oahu.
�1284.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
L etter 108.
Wa iluku, Maui, Sand. Islands,
December 17, 1835.
To the Secretaries
Dear Brethren,
of the A.B.C.F.M.
We have neglected thus far, to make out a journal report
of the labors performed at this station the past year,
not because we have not had time though business has
pressed upon our hands - but because it seemed to us that
we had very little Interesting matter to communicate.
The fact is, the greater part of our work, since general
meeting, excepting the preaching of the gospel, may be
regarded in some sense, in the light of an experiment, we
having acted more t h a n heretofore on the pl a n of a division
of labor.
It is much too soon, of course, to speak decided
ly of the results.
We will however, address you a joint
letter, even should it be nearly a repetition of what we
have one, or both of us already written.
In making out our report we will go no farther back than
July of the present year, as we believe that you have been
informed of the state of things up to that date.
We will
however just say that in the month of M a y one of us made
the tour of east Maui, examined scho ols , and preached the
gospel as he had opportunity.
The principle object of the
tour was, however, to hold a kind of protracted meeting in
Hana.
About 10 days were spent w i t h the people, in preach
ing, praying, and conversing wi t h them on the great subject
of their souls salvation.
M a n y attended these meetings,
and though we are unable to speak decidedly of good results,
we cannot but hope that these labors will not prove altogether
in vain.
Sinc e our return from general meeting, our heavenly Father
has been very gracious to us.
We have enjoyed excellent health,
with scarcely an exception, and have been enabled to devote
our undivided strength to our work.
By this, however, you
will not understand, that we do nothing but missionary work,
strictly so called.
We have, of course, many things of a
secular nature, which cannot be dispensed with.
Mr. Armstrong
has a house to build whic h will necessarily occupy a portion
of his t i m e . Mr. Green will also, if spared, do something
in the way of instructing the natives in making themselves
furniture.
But we hope we have acquired, in a measure, the
blessed habit of doing all for Christ, so that all we attempt,
so far at least as motive is concerned, shall become truly
missionary work.
But of this we shall speak in another p l a c e .
We will proceed directly to give you an account of our labors
sinc e general meeting.
Preaching the gospel.
In July last, Mr. Armstrong took up his residence at Wailuku .
But though we have been associated in the labors of the week,
we have spent but a single sabbath together since
general
�1285.
meeting.
One of us has almost uniformly rode to Haiku,
Saturday afternoon, preached four times on the Sabbath,
and attended a bible class; and on returning to W ailuku,
he has commonly preached at Hamakuapoho, and sometimes
at the Sea, two miles distant from W ailuku.
The preaching
at Wailuku has been regular during the season.
Occasional
lectures have also been preached at a little distance from
home, less frequently, however, than heretofore, except
when one alone occupied the station o w i n g to want of houses.
In addition, one of us, accompanied by Mr. Clark, made
another tour of the island in October last, examined schools
and preached the gospel from place to place.
Thus, the
gospel has been preached, if not litterally as frequently
as our strength would have admitted, yet as often, perhaps,
as the improvement of the people demanded, or as our other
indispensable labors would allow.
Our congregations both at Wailuku and Haiku have been very
respectable for numbers, and as attentive as ordinary con
gregations at home.
We are sometimes encouraged with a p
pearances of seriousness, and again, we feel that nearly all
to whom we address the messages of mercy, have as little
feeling as the mats they sit upon.
Even at such times, we
are aware that we may be mistaken, and there may be a deeper
impression made on some of our hearers than we r eally suppose.
The word of God we know, will not return to him void, and
we do hope, and believe that a few have b e e n savingly benef i t ted . All the individuals saved b y our humble instrumentali
ty we may not know till the day of final decision, but the
hope that now and then one will be found to have obeyed the
gospel prevents us from fainting under the pressure of our
complicated and difficult l a b o r s .
Remainder of letter printed 32 Missionary Hera ld 385,
F rom:
Jonathan S. Green
R ichard Armstrong.
R ec d. June 6 , 1836.
Ackd. in G.L. June 15.
Oct. 1836.
�1286.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Honolulu,
To the Secretaries
A.B.C.F.M. Boston.
Sand.
Letter 109.
Isl.
Jan.
25, 1 836.
of the
Rev. & Dear Sirs,
It can hardly he otherwise than a matter of regret, for us
to have been called to write, and you to read, our so f r e
quent communications on the return of successive laborers,
from this field, where s o many more are needed than have
at any time been emplo ye d.
We are not sure that in all cases the wisest course has
been adopted, or that ail the measures that have been taken
will meat the approbation of Heaven.
But in the case now
before us, as in others in which we have been called to act,
we can say w e have endeavored to find the path of duty; and
we have always felt that no missionary could properly leave
the service or quit the field for light reasons; and that
the mission could not properly approve of the return of a
laborer, without such substantial reasons as might fairly
be presumed would satisfy the Board, under whose direction
we have been sent forth, and a candid Christian public by
whose liberality we are sustained.
Brother and Sister Goodrich have labored in the Sandwich
Islands more than 12 years, and for a considerable part of
this period they have been the only representatives of the
Christian public, amidst the population of the Eastern side
of Hawaii.
They have tried the climate, and assisted the
labors of the Station at Honolulu, b ut have not found them
favorable to their health.
M r . Goodrich, w ith such occasional assistance as the mission
could afford, conducted, for seven years the affairs of the
Station at Hilo, from /23 to /30, gathered a small church,
preached, (with occasional absence) statedly to a large
congregation, took the direction of numerous native schools,
circulated books through Hilo & Puna, attending in some
measure, to the medical wants of the sick, and managing the
secular affairs of the station, being with his family, a
hundred miles from any other missionary family, and cut off
from Christian & civilized society.
He had not completed a comfortable house for his family before
the health both of himself and wife began to be impaired.
But they will, we believe, rejoice in the evidence they have,
that their labors have not been in vain, and that the good
which has resulted from them to the benighted people whom
they found in the wilds and wastes of Hilo and Puna, will
prove to be a rich compensation for the services they have
�1287.
rendered, the sacrifices
they have sustained.
they have made,
and the losses
In leaving Hilo, a plac e which they w o u l d still prefer
to any other on earth, they have the assurance, that the
wor k which they undertook, will not he abandoned b y the
mission, nor by the Christian public; a work for the
pros perity of which they will still offer their w a r m e s t
petitions, for they are sensible of no abatement of
attachment to the missionary cause or of love to the
people of Hilo, and we desire they may not while life lasts.
Their impaired health, and the wants of their children,
growing up around them, much exposed, have made it desirable
that they should consult the opinion of their associates
on the expediency of their return to their native land,
should a favorable opportunity occur.
Having the concurrence and approbation of the mission, they
are now about to embark on board the Awashonks, Capt. Proctor.
They leave us with our unabated confidence & fellowship;
and we believe they will return to you with the same character
as when they were selected and sent forth b y you to assist
in the conversion of this nation to Christ.
M r . Goodrich is a member of our clerical association and
both are members of our missionary church, in good and
regular standing.
They will be able to explain to you more fully their reasons
for leaving the field, and their wishes for the future.
We do not of course dissolve their connexion with you.
We
heartily commend them both to your fellowship, and to the
fellowship of the churches, bespeaking your kind interest in
their five dependent children who accompany them across the
wide ocean, and your wisest advices as to the course of
usefulness which they should hereafter pursue.
May our great Benefactor, kindly guard and guide them, and
give them peace, and bring them finally, to the "better
country, even an heavenly", to the blissful and eternal rest
that remains for his p e o p l e .
With cordial and Christian salutations, we remain your
brethren and fellow laborers.
H.
Bingham
Tinker
Levi Chamberlain
Gerrit P. Judd
Henry Dimond
Edwin O . Hal l
R ecd.
July 9, 1836.
�66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
letter 110.
Honolulu, H a y 3, 1836.
Rev. Mr. Anderson,
The following articles are w anted for the Bindery,
addition to those heretofore ordered.
in
150 doz. American Sheep Skins Shaved
4
"
Calf
4
Morocco Skivers
3
" Cochineal
1
" Goat Skins
100 Bundles Paste Boards, N o s . from 4 0 to 50, most of
them about 50.
40 lb. good Sewing thread
30 "
Twine, assorted sizes, mostly small
5 Reams of Marble Paper
6 "
Colored
do
1
"
Fancy
"
1 Cutting Press and Plough- like those sent before.
32 Paste Brushes.
4 Sprinkling Brushes.
2 Packs of Gold Leaf
30 feet of Cutting Boards.
1 Barrel of Glue
The above are the articles which M r . Dimond supposes ought to
be forwarded at the time this order reaches you.
He will
send another in time for a future supply as the extent of
the business ma y require.
He thinks a list of articles
could not be made out now which would adequately guide you
in supplying the establishment annually.
In behalf of the Honolulu Printing Committee,
Reuben Tinker,
Recd. Oct. 17, 1836.
A ckd. G.L. Dec. 5.
Secy.
�1289.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 111
Printed pamphlet - not c o p i e d .
Extracts from the Minutes of the General Meeting of the
Sandwich I s l a n d s ’ Mission, Held at Honolulu, June and
July, 1836.
�1290.
66
1831-1837
X XV
Part First
Printed pamphlet - not copied.
(Catalogue of L ahinaluna High School - 1836)
L etter 112.
�66
1831-1837
Pages bound in wrong.
XXV
Part First
Letter 113
This is a continuation of Letter 115
�1292 .
66
1831-1837
Part First
XXV
Letter 114.
High School, Lahainaluna (Maui)
N o v 16, 1836.
The Rev. R . Anderson,
Missionary Rooms, Boston.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
The time has again arrived when it is proper to inform you
respecting the state of the High School as a part of our
missionary efforts at these islands.
In doing so, I shall
transcribe, as far as it goes, the Report presented at our
last General Meeting inasmuch as that document gives as
good a history of the school for the past year as any I
should now write.
Report of the High School for the year ending
May 20th 1836.
Of Terms & Vacat ion s.
The first term of the past year commenced on the 15th of
July and continued until the 15th of Oct.
The second term
commenced on the 29th of Oct. & continued until the 10th
of Feb.
During this term the school was suspended from
the 16th to the 23rd of Nov. that the Instructors might
have opportunity to write to the Board & to American frien ds .
The third term commenced on the 24th of Feb. & continued
until M a y 13th.
At the close of the first term in Oct. an examination of
the school took place in the presence of part of the Committee
of Superintendence & other brethren of the mission & c on
tinued two days and a half.
C a p t . Barnard and some other
foreigners were present, besides chiefs from Lahaina &
W ai luku & common people.
It is believed the examination
answered the expectations of those present.
It was probably
more thorough than any previous examination of any of our
schools.
The branches were Mental Arithmetic (Colburn's
first lessons) Written Arithmetic (Colburn’s Sequel) T opagraphic al Geography illustrated at the time on the black board,
Scripture Geography, Written Composition in Hawaiian &c.
N umber of Scholars.
At the
of 108
making
school
opening of the school in July, the school consisted
scholars; since which time five more have been received,
113 scholars who have enjoyed some privileges at the
during the year.
On entering upon the duties of the school at the commencement
of the past year, the instructors found that a large number
of scholars belonged to the school that gave no promise of
future usefulness as teachers, or indeed in any department
where the interest would be greatly called into exercise.
�1293.
Some, from their age & previous habits were not able to
apply themselves in such a manner as to make the desired
impro ve men t. Others were indolent & inattentive, and
some were destitute of mental qualifications proper to
entitle them to a continuance in the school.
It was, t h e r e
fore, agreed by the instructors to dismiss immediately from
the two lower classes such as were supposed not able to do
honor to the school, or to be particularly useful as
teachers. Twelve of this description were dismissed in the
fore part of Sept.
It appeared also that a portion of the first
class & some of the second had gained all the information &
mental improvement they were likely to acquire & it was
thought best for them to leave at the close of the first term.
Accordingly, previous notice was given them, in order that
they might be ready at that time.
After the examination
before mentioned, therefore, eight of the first class & three
from the second received their certificates & were formally
dismissed from the school.
Besides these, four have been dismissed for general inattention
to the duties of the school, one suspended for stealing, one
left of his own accord, two have been suspended for adultery,
& two expelled for the same crime; two others would probably
have been expelled but the term of the school expired the
day their guilt was manifest, & as they belonged to the class
about to leave, they have fallen out of course.
On the twentieth of May, the class that first entered the
school in S e p t . 1831 were dismissed, leaving fifty six scholars
now belonging to the school in regular standing.
No scholars
have died during the year, the wives of three have diseased
& several children.
Of Studies & labors
of the I nstructors.
The studies of the past year in the High School have been
similar, & for the most part a continuation of the studies
of the preceeding year.
As the types did not arrive for
printing a Greek Grammar or Lexicon, that study was laid aside
soon after the commencement of the year, as the time would
be more profitably spent at some other branch than to continue
at Greek wit h no other means than a blackboard.
The Principal
has given instruction in Arithmetic - in writing - in
Geography - and for a few weeks to a class in English.
Mr.
Clark has given instruction in Arithmetic both mental &
written - in Geometry - and in Trigonometry.
M r . Dibble has
given instruction in Scripture Geography in Chronology &
Church History.
In all these branches the scholars have
improvement according to the time spent
according to the facilities.
It should
for several months past, there has been
for three instructors.
made more or less
in instruction &
be kept in mind that
but one school room
Other labors besides direct instruction in school, are as
follows; The finishing i .e. writing out the last half of the
�1294.
Vocabulary - translating & reviewing the L aws of the
School - translating the last two thirds of the book of
Proverbs & reviewing the whole - directing & superintending
engravings - the writing of 24 pages of Trigonometry - the
reviewing of the n e w Geography translated b y Mr. Whitney the reviewing of 2 Chronicles, Ecclesiastes & Solomon's
Song translated by M r . Green - The reading of proof sheets
to the number of upwards of 700 pa g e s . All have had more
or less the cares of building upon them.
Our labors have
also been considerably interrupted b y sickness in our
fa milies.
The Principal has ordinarily preached twice every Sabbath.
M r . Clark has b e e n stated supply at K aanapali, where, b e
sides preaching, he has instructed a bible class & sabbath
school. M r . Dibble has preached once each Sabbath - attended
two Bible classes & one Sabbath School & preached on Wednesday
evening of each week.
Of the C h u r c h .
Agreably to a vote of the mission two years ago, & again e x
pressed at the last General meeting, a church was organized
in the High Sc hool on the first of January last.
M r . Dibble was
regularly installed pastor.
Previous to this, some time had
been spent & pains taken to instruct the candidates more fully
in the nature, use & obligations of being associates together
in a church capacity.
Sinc e the organization of the c h u r c h ,
instruction has been given each we e k particularly to them
designed to instruct, to stir up, to cause them more fully to
recognize the obligations they were under to the Savior - to
live holy lives, and to do good to their fellow m e n .
The
whole school have also been conversed with individually on the
subject of their soul's salvation.
As the result of these
efforts, the instructors are confirmed in the general correct
ness of the views expressed in the last year's report of the
school respecting the moral & religious state of the church
members & others.
God in his providence has been pleased to
reveal something of the corruption that existed in our little
church. As a result of the disclosures made, two have been
excommunicated for repeated acts of Adultery, lying, cheating,
&c.
Three have be e n suspended for partaking more or less in
these Grimes.
These persons, with one exception, have stood,
until lately, as high as others in the church & school for
piety, morality & engagedness in the cause of religion.
Indeed
it appeared to be under the guise of religion in some oases,
that they concealed themselves while practising iniquity.
It
would be patter of joy if we had confidence in those who have
continued hithertoo to stand.
The instructors of the High
School can report no revivals nor accessions to the church
sinc e its formation.
The remainder of the church stands now
much as they did last year giving but faint evidence of piety.
The congregation has been regular in attendance & they have
heard many of the truths of the gospel.
Children's School.
The children's school has been continued under the supervision
�1295.
of one of the instructors, divided into two classes &
taught b y two of the scholars twice a day at the rate
of 25 cents per week each.
A few of the boys are in
such a state of forwardness as soon to be able to enter
the High School if thought best to admit them.
State of M orals.
The morals of the school may be inferred from the state
of the church.
It is believed that much vice & iniquity
have existed in secret & even committed on the Sabbath
day that has not come to the knowledge of the instructors
of the school.
This is the inference from the disclosures
that have lately been made.
If other vices bear any pro
portion to that of lewdness, then indeed, the High School
has no claim to the epithet of moral.
These remarks apply
to the whole school as a mass, for though some individuals
may not be positively criminated, yet no discrimination can
be made between the different portions of the school.
About an equal proportion of the different classes - of
the old scholars & the n ew - of church members & those out
of the church - of the married & unmarried - of males &
females, are implicated. These crimes, i t should be r e m e m
bered, have not originated at the High School.
All who
have made confessions on the subject have admitted their
previous habits of sin, though they were sent to the High
School as in good standing & the best candidates that could
be found.
It appears also, from disclosures made, that
adultery has been the crying sin of native teachers from
the commencement of the school system; & it is not impossible,
yea it is highly probable, that it was viewed in prospect
by the scholars of the High School as a part of the perquisites
of the office.
N or can it be otherwise, while the habits of
living are what they are now.
F rom the visits that have been
made from house to house among the scholars & from enquiries
into their habits - the drift & subjects of their conversation,
it is not possible, humanly speaking, that it should be other
wise.
The reason why there was no examination of the school at the
c l ose of the term just part will now appear.
1.
The disclosures of the iniquity in the school & the church
were made about two weeks previous to the time of the examina
tion, and such was the disgust arising from a knowledge of
the state of affairs, that not only no interest would have
been taken by the instructors, but very painful sensations
would have been experi en ced .
2.
An examination would have brought up, among others, a
host of females in the attire of harlots from L ahaina, who
would probably have allured more victims into their toils.
3.
The excitement of an examination would have erased from
the minds of the scholars much of the abhorrence which it
was desirable they should k n o w the instructors felt in c o n
sequence of such conduct; and it was thought that no plan,
�1296.
in addition to what had been done, would have a better
effect.
External Affairs of the S c h o o l .
The land recommended to be procured for the use of the
school was granted,
not indeed the whole amount of ratable
land that was requested, but an amount sufficient to be
of considerable value to the school if well m a n a g e d .
The
plan hit upon for making it useful, that is, of dividing it
off into lots, one for each family, to b e cultivated b y
the scholars, has not b e e n successful
with all the ex e r
tions of the instructors & the secular agent who had a general
oversight of the land, the scholars would not attend fait h
fully to its cultivation,
nothing of any amount has been
planted except Kalo, and that has genrally been but barely
planted.
The improvements on the land have sunk somewhat
in value wi thin the year, & will probably be no better until
a better plan which we have in contemplation shall be adopted
for its cultivation.
Buildings for the school are in p r o g r e s s . The South East
wing of the main building, fifty feet by twenty six inside
& two stores high, has b e e n put up - covered - the floors
laid &c, &c, and will soon be f i n i s h e d . The entire building
for a chapel & the other wing are in pro g r e s s . The old
school house raised A n o t h e r story will constitute this last.
Mr. D i b b l e ’s house has be e n so far finished as to be
habitable. The house of the Principal has been mostly f in
ished.
Nineteen houses have been put up for the. scholars
according to the plan proposed at last Gen. Meeting and are
habitable & five of them have been plastered & considered
as finished.
The road' to Lahainalalo has been repaired &c.
�1297.
Of the Printing Office.
The works printed during the year are as follows:
No
2 Chronicles - - - - - - - - Esther - - - - - - - - - - - Ecclesiastes & Sol. Song - - Isaia & part of Jeremiah - - Proverbs - - - - - - - - - - Sacred Geography - - - - - - Chronological Outline with
questions on Scrip. H is t .
unfinished - - - - - - - Hat. History for Children - H i s t . of Hawaii, unfinished Sermons N os. 4,5,6,1,10,13,
14,15 -----------Scripture Questions - - - - Hawaiian Grammar, unfinished Trigonometry 2 Signatures - Directions for writing - - - Constitution of maternal
Association - - - Certificates - - - - - - - - Vocabulary from page 40
- - Laws of the High Sc hool - - - Shipping List - - - - - - - - Circular of Shipmasters - - - -
Pages
Copies
N o. of pages
12
12
12
12
12
12
72
16
28
22
64
88
1 ,000
1 ,000
1 ,000
81, 000
1 , 000
1 ,500
12
12
12
84
84
60
1 ,500
1 , 500
1 , 500
126, 000
126, 000
90, 000
12
16
8
8
12
80
64
32
16
4
500
200
1,
400
1 ,500
500
40, 000
76, 000
12 ,600
24, 000
2 , 000
12
4
1
8
96
24
12
4to
1
4to
1
• 1,047
50
50
1 ,000
400
400
100
17, 000
These are all original and written during the year
on the island of M aui.
70,
16,
28,
228,
64,
132,
000
000
000
000
000
000
50
50
96, 000
9, 600
400
100
1,141 ,900
�1298.
Of E n g r a v i n g
It was stated last year that some incipient efforts had
b e e n made towards engraving. These efforts have been
continued.
It should be remembered that both teacher &
pupils have groped their w a y in the dark to arrive even
at the commencement of the b us ine ss. A set of copy slips
for writing was the first effort of importance; next a
map of the Hawaiian islands.
For some time past a Hawaiian
Atlas has been in hand & is nearly finished, containing
the following maps Viz. the Glob es, N orth America, South
America, the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, the
Hawaiian islands & the Pacific. It is evident that if the
business is to be carried on so as to be of any benefit to
schools generally, some considerable expense must be incurred
for fitting up a shop for engraving & a room for printing.
Hithertoo, everything has been done at the greatest d i s a d
vantage.
Some means for prosecuting the business have lately
been received from the Board.
Results of the School.
Perhaps it is premature to draw any conclusion as to the
influence the school will probably have upon the islands
should it be continued on the plan on which it has hereto
fore been conducted, as but few have yet left it in such
circumstances as that much could reasonably have been e x
pected.
Of the twelve who left last Oct., several have
engaged in teaching school, but with what prospect of
success is not known to the instructors of the High School.
Thirty five scholars who have enjoyed the privileges of the
school for about four years & a half have just left, whether
they are to be a blessing or a curse to the nation remains
to be seen.
The expectations of those who have had the
charge of them are by no means high.
As a spec imen of dis
appointment, it may be stated that six months ago, the in
structors selected ten of the best scholars to be retained
as a kind of resident graduates for various purposes.
Five
of these ten are now found to be more or less guilty of
the vices of the land, though some of them may regain their
character.
Some twenty three or four of the thirty five may
do some good as school teachers. This class originally con
sisted of fifty six scholars.
In a re trospective vie w of the school, it may be premised,
that, considering the state of the people, popular opinion,
the state of schools, the opinion of the chiefs & the e x
perience of the mission, it was, perhaps, best that the
school was commenced and conducted on the plan in which it has
hithertoo been conducted.
But whether this plan is the best
considering the present exigencies of affairs is w o r t h y of
consideration.
And in order that the Mission may habeas
much information on this point as possible, the instructors,
after four years experience of one, two of another & one and
a half of another, beg leave to present their unanimous opinion
on certain leading features of the school.
�1299.
1st.
It has been found to be laborious & slow work to
instruct adults, requiring much patience & frequent repetition
of the most simple things & a constant liability to mistake
arising from vac an cy of mind & a destitution of thought.
2.
Thorough mental discipline to any great extent is not
attainable, in ordinary cases, by adults even in countries
where letters are known, much more should it not be expected
where there is much to be unlearned & w h e n perseverance in
anything for the benefit of men has not become habitual.
3.
The habits & manners of adults are fixed & in ordinary
oases cannot be expected to be greatly changed.
Under this
head the instructors of the High School could say much.
They
have wished to see the scholars improve in manners & civilized
habits as they improve in knowledge.
They have inculcated
unceasingly the social virtues, & particularly b e n e v o l e n c e .
But after all they practice their old habits.
They c ame to
the school heathens, as it relates to manners & heathens they
have lived, & heathens they have gone away.
4.
As the circumstances of the school have been, Viz. that
adults enter the school with their wives & in some case with
children & servants, they necessarily live at a distance from
the Teachers & about five sixth's of the time are not under
their watch & care.
A considerable part of the time is spent
either in idleness, or in wandering about, or in visiting
Lahainalalo.
Experience has also shown, that not much is to be
expected from attempts to visit them at their houses.
If a
time is set to visit them, all is artificial, if not, it is
seldom they can be found at home.
5.
The fact that the scholars have wives & families to take
care of, is necessarily a hindrance to them in their studies.
6 . It has been found that when they have worked either on
their land or at any other occupation, a spirit of money
making has been prevalent; & attention to the duties of the
school a secondary business.
It is on this account in part,
that they have not cultivated the land given them at the
oommenoement of the year; more cash could be made at other
work than at cultivating kalo & potatoes.
7.
The fact the scholars are married is no preventative of
lewdness.
Of the twelve who have been guilty of that crime
since the school commenced, nine of them have been married*
8 . Since the Board have shown a willingness to support the
school, the necessity on the ground of expense does n ot exist
now as formerly for continuing adults in the school.
9.
The few experiments that have been made with boys show
that they are quicker to learn than adults - minds more
ductile - can be taught civilized habits more thoroughly - can
receive a more thorough education & there is more hope of their
becoming pio us .
�1300.
10.
It is almost the unanimous opinion of the scholars
of the High school, from what they have seen of t h e m s e l v e s ,
& what they have seen of the c h i l d r e n s school, & the
Missionaries' children, that children and not parents ought
to b e in the school.
This they have repeatedly expressed.
With these views, the Teachers of the High School would
suggest to the Mission whether it would not he better to
change the High School into a Boarding School, as soon as
m a y be, under something like the following r egulations.
1 . That promising boys be taken into the school, for the
present, between the ages of eight & twenty years, until
they can be furnished from other boarding schools.
2 . That the scholars be supported entirely b y the mission,
or what may be given to the mission for them, and by their
own efforts under the direction of a person or persons a p
pointed for the p u r p o s e .
3.
That the scholars be constantly under the eye & care
of some one of the teachers or of the Secular agent.
4.
That every scholar be expected to work regularly, say
four hours per day in conjunction with the Secular agent.
5.
That in respect to their studies, they be put into
such classes as not to be hindered in their progress.
6 . That the superintendant of the Secular department & one
of the families of the instructors reside in the house with
the scholars.
7.
That besides instruction in literature & religion the
scholars shall be trained to regular habits of eating, sl e e p
ing, laboring and studying.
8 . That, besides using all the text books that may be made
in the Hawaiian language, they also be taught English as a
means of access to the rich stores of knowledge, scientific,
moral & religious contained in that language.
9.
That, no definite time now be specified for. the residence
of the scholars at the school.
10.
That it be earnestly recommended that a female boarding
school be established on a similar plan at some other station,
for the purpose of training up suitable wives for the scholars.
11. That for the present,
distinct department.
adult scholars be retained as a
�1301.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 115.
The preceeding report brings up the history of the school
to the vacation in May.
July 13th the school was again
opened after a vacation of several weeks.
M ost of the
former scholars, who had not finished their course, were
present, & several boys were admitted.
July 23rd, agree
ably to the suggestions in the above report, a boarding
department was commenced with. 22 scholars, which has since
been increased to 35.
Others have made application for
admission, but we have accommodations for no more at present.
The ages of those received into the Boarding School are from
8 to 18 or 20.
They are under instruction from 4 to 5
hours in a day.
Three hours in a day, they are employed in
various kinds of work under the superintendance of Mr.
Burnham.
Mr. Burnham takes charge also of the secular c o n
cerns of the Boarding School, and eats at the same table with
the bo y s .
We cannot yet make a correct estimate of the whole expense
of one scholar for a year.
It will probably amount to
20
or 30 dollars including books, stationery &c, in addition to
what will be earned by the manual labor of the scholars.
A
small part of this expense will be sustained b y parents &
others at the islands.
But we must depend mainly, for the
present, upon the direct friends of the Board.
The Boarding School has now been in operation one quarter.
The boys have made good progress in their studies, & in
general have been attentive to all the regulations of the
school.
We maintain over them a constant guardianship, but
do not flatter ourselves that we shall be able to keep them
from all the pollutions of the land.
M a n y of them were
corrupted before they came to the school, yet they were sent
here as the best which could be obtained. We find them as
submissive & docile as children in our own country, but more
liable to go astray.
This is probably owing to a want of
training in their early years.
The adult school n ow consists of 44 scholars.
Several have
been dismissed for various reasons during the last quarter.
Their attendance at school & progress in study has b ee n as
good as during any previous quarter.
A public examination of the school was held at the close of
the last quarter occupying two d a y s . All the directors of
the school were present.
The scholars were examined in
Heading, Writing, Mental Arithmetic, Geography, Trigonometry,
Mensuration of Hights & Distance & in Scripture History &
Chronology. They sustained a respectable examination in all
these branches.
Respecting the moral & religious state of the school, we have
not much to say in addition to what is said in the preceeding
�1302.
re p o r t . Ifbe endeavor to shape the whole plan of the school
in such a w a y as to make our pupils the true disciples of
Christ.
This is the great end & aim of all our labors. Unless
this end is attained, our labors will be, in a great measure,
lost &, in some oases, worse than lost.
N o small part of
our time is employed in giving moral & religious instruction
to the school in the form of preaching, catechetical exercises
& c.
These instructions, we hope, have not been altogether in
vain.
At the close of the last quarter, it was found that a
few individuals were under serious impressions. Efforts were
made to deepen these impressions & to awaken others to a view
of their lost condition.
During the vacation which ensued,
most of the scholars remained at this place.
Meetings were
held every day, & the scholars were visited from house to house,
& conversed with in other ways.
Some feeling has been exhibited
& a few, we hope, brought to true repentance.
But we would
not speak wit h confidence*
B y their fruits we shall know them.
M a n y of the scholars, who have lately professed seriousness,
have made frank confessions of their former habits of vice,
which confirm all that is said in the preceding report respect
ing the morals of school teachers, church members & others.
Adultery & lying are the sins which prevail to the greatest
extent among those who profess to follow the word of G o d .
On the whole, we were never more sanguine respecting the good
results of the school.
From most who have left the school in
regular standing, we hear a good report.
They are, at present,
doing well compared with former school teachers.
The disclosure
of vice which have been made, we regard as one of the good
results of the school.
These disclosures are not owing to the
fact that more vice exists here, than in other parts of the
islands; (the reverse we believe to be true) but to the fact
that we are brought into closer contact with the scholars &
become better acquainted with their private character.
We, in
this way, became better acquainted w i t h native character gen
erally & better prepared to labor for the reformation of the
people.
We are persuaded, that our scholars generally have
made advances in moral principle & habits while at the school,
& we hope that more will be done in this respect on our present
plan.
But we expect to be often disappointed with regard to
individuals.
How can it be otherwise, while the moral state
of the people generally is so low?
And this state of the
people cannot be changed at once.
They must be raised from
their degredation b y a long & laborious process.
Even the
grace of God will not do the work at once.
If a little is a c
complished every year, we will not dispair.
M u c h more labor,
prayer & faith are needed on our part & the part of the
Christian church before the w or k will be fully acc omplished.
The buildings for the school mentioned in the proceeding
report are going on, & we hope they will be finished in less
than a year from this time. If these are completed in season,
we shall take another class of boys at the commencement of the
next school year.
The expense of the school last year mostly in buildings was
�nearly four thousand dollars.
Our building expenses will
be more for the current year, but when our buildings now in
progress are completed, this item of expense will be greatly
di mi nished.
The additions made to our library, philosophical apparatus,
printing office &c, b y the Board during the year, have been
very acceptable. We are happy also to acknowledge a h an d
some donation from Dr. Gairdner, a scientific gentleman from
Scotland, consisting of various mathematical & philosophical
instruments to the amount of some hundred doll ar s.
Our labors have been considerably interrupted during the year
by sickness in our families.
Our wives have all been afflicted
more or less by sickness.
Mrs. Dibble has had a severe attack
of the palsy from w h i c h , we fear, she will never fully recover.
She was nearly helpless for some months, & she is still
unable to superintend her domestic a f f a ir s.
M r s . A n d r e w s ' health has b e e n declining during the year, &
we feel no little anxiety respecting the result.
The t h o u g h t , ,
that any of our number must be r e m o v e d , while so much remains
to be done, is distressing.
But we would say, not our wills,
but thine be done.
Pray for us, that we may be sustained under
every trial, & be made wise to win souls to C h r i s t .
We remain yours in the bonds
of the Gospel.
L orrin Andrews
E.W. C l a r k
Sheldon Dibble.
N .B.
!
I dated this letter today N o v . 16th it was written about
four weeks ago, that is the latter part b y Mr. Clark
while I w a s at Molokui on account of Mrs. A's h e al th.
The state of the school is now interesting on account
of an attention to religion - five have been dismissed
from the Boarding school for fornication.
It was the
increased attention to religion or the force of con
science that brought this guilt to l i g h t .
Yours,
L. Andrews.
Rec d. M a y 26, 183 7 .
Ackd. July 21 - in G.L .
�66
1831-1837
XXV
Part First
Letter 116.
S andwich Isl a n d s ,
Wailu k u ,
Nov. 16, 1836.
(Rev. R . Anderson)
Dear Brother:
The time has again arrived to make out according to former
custom, our annual station letter.
But it will be the
less necessary to write you at great length at present,
since we are about to send you a l iving Epistle which may be
"read & known of all men".
To that Epistle we refer you
for any particular information, you may desire on matters
relating to our station.
In looking back upon the past year we see little variation
in its successive occurrences from those of the year previous,
& therefore we need not give you a detailed account of them.
As to ourselves & families "the good hand of God has been
upon us", though sometimes an afflicting hand.
M iss Brown
has frequently been feeble in health during the year & Mrs.
Green suffered considerably from erysipelas during spring &
summer months.
But the Lord has come nearer to us still
than this.
As you will be informed in the General Letter of
the mission in June last, Mr. Green's youngest child, Emily,
was by a distressing accident suddenly removed from earth to
the bosom, as we trust, of Him who loved little children.
Another circumstance which calls for our gratitude is that
our temporal comforts at the station have been considerably
increased during the past year.
W e have n o w each a substantial
& convenient dwelling & yards built around them so as to keep
our families at a proper distance from the natives.
You cannot
know without being placed in such society as that about us,
how essential these conveniences are to our health, happiness
and usefulness.
M r . Armstrong is just about finishing a stone
house of one story, 50 ft. by 28 ft. with a cellar - roofed
w ith the ti leaf & cost about 1200$.
In this dwelling Miss
Brown occupies an apartment.
As you will learn from the minutes of Genl. Meeting, there has
been a change in our specific departments of labour.
Mr. and
Mrs. Green are appointed to take charge of a female boardingschool at the station, of which we shall speak again in its
proper place, while Mr. Armstrong has the more particular
charge of the church and congregation.
State of the people:
We have nothing special to write in
reference to the state of the people about us.
The great majority
of them live as they always have done in ignorance, stupidity
& sin - without God & without hope in the world - We see but
little open vice practiced it is true, much less than we
should see in almost any neighborhood in America, but the
disclosures of secret iniquity which are made from time to time
prove but too clearly that underneath this calm surface there
�1305.
lies concealed iniquity of fearful depths - Partly from
the restraint of the laws and p a r t l y from the influence
of the Gospel, vice has in a great measure concealed
itself from our observ at ion , but it is not destroyed by
any means.
Satan has not surrendered his empire here,
he has only transformed himself into an Angel of light,
that he may hold it with a more deadly grasp.
But the
people are still uniformly friendly to us and apparently
as willing as ever to come & hear from our lips the
messages of life.
Our congregation on Sabbath is about as
large as it has been for the 3 years past.
Sabbath schools
& Bible classes are as well attended now, if not better than
they have been heretofore.
The Sab. school of children
containing between 400 and 500 is peculiarly interesting.
Of quite a number about our station who are not in the
church, we have considerable hope that they are renewed
in the spirit and temper of their minds.
Others again are
externally moral and attentive to our i n s t r u c t i o n s but
exhibit no convictions of Sin; nor self-abasement on account
of it.- While another class make loud pretentions to piety
& are z e a l o u s in their religion while they secretly indulge
in the most abominable sins.
This class, we fear, is
larger than we have hitherto imagined.
The state of the public mind in the islands is very
peculiar.
Perhaps no other nation on earth exhibits a
parallell to it.
The truths of the Gospel are universally
assented to, & the external duties which the Bible inculcates,
such as prayer, reading the Scriptures, observance of the
Sabbath, &c, are very generally observed.
And though this
may be called a nation of unbelievers, we know not of an
infidel in the nation.
N o one professes or pretends to
deny the truth of the Gospel, nor oppose its progress, and
yet with all this we are often half constrained to cry out
"who will show us any good"?
All the usual accompaniments
of renewing grace, such as a serious deportment, confessions
of sin even with trembling & weeping, habits of prayer &
reading the word, with constant attention upon the Sanctuary,
yea even sitting at the Lords table, are (mirabile d i c t u ! )
not at all incompatible in the mind of a Hawaian wi t h the
practice of secret adultery, overreaching a neighbour in a
bargain, oppressing the poor, lying and such like.
Multitudes
thus go on from year to year serving God and M a m m o n both,
and dont even seem to be aware that there is the least
inconvenience or inconsistency in doing so, - this too n o t
withstanding all the light that is shed upon their minds
from the word of God - You will perceive then that while the
Gospel has produced a great change upon the public mind &
as it were clothed the nation anew, it has but slightly
affected the public conscience.
This is what we have most
frequently to lament, " There is no conscience - there is no
c o n s c ien ce , and what is" religion w h e r e there is no conscience?a ship in a gale with all sail out, but neither rudder nor
ballast - These remarks apply to the public mind at large,
not of course to the few who m we regard as the salt of the
earth among u s .
�1306.
This readiness to comply with the external form of Christianity,
while not merely the heart, but the practice remains corrupt,
is the source of great evil & great difficulty.
It mixes
up the chaff & the wheat so that it is impossible to distin
guish between them.
It brings reproach on the humble and
sincere, & obliges us to look with suspicion on all who make
any pretentions to piety, whether they be true or false.
W e have heretofore encouraged if not required the native
school teachers, whom we supposed to be moral men at least,
to open their schools with prayer.
W e have also allowed them
at remote stations to make a prayer at funerals.
But we are
now disposed to prohibit as far as in our power, any native
from either praying or exhorting in public who has not express
permission from us to do so.
The reason of this is founded in
the fact that many of the teachers who are scarcely able to
read correctly have gone to much greater length then we allow
them, & while discharging all the functions of teacher, p reach
er, & c , exhibiting a fair exterior to us, they have been habit
ually guilty of the most scandalous sins.
The Report of the
High School will no doubt, furnish you some facts on this subject
A number of scholars now in that school were formerly teachers
of common schools, and in a recent religious excitement some
of them have made disclosures of the most shocking kind.
In
a letter written a few days since M r. Dibble says, "those who
have, been employed by the missionaries as teachers confess
almost without exception that they were in the constant habit
of adultery with their scholars - some with every female scholar
some with 10 - some wi t h 15 & so on" - Concerning the same d i s
closures M r. Andrews writes, ’"fornication, theft & lying are
bound up in the hearts of H awaians, even though young ones As to the old ones (s c h o l a r s ) we have 16 if I mistake not, who
have been guilty of mae K olohe (adultery), and probably all the
r e s t . - & from what we can learn, the churches are masses of
corruption” - Whether implicit confidence is to be placed in
these shocking confessions may be questioned, but the testimony
of others, men apparently of candor & truth, lead us to believe
that it is time to be on our guard as to whom we appoint as
teachers, or allow to perform any religious exercise in public Conduct similar to the above has done incalculable injury in
the South Sea mission - In a letter to this mission recently
received, Mr. Orsmon of Tahiti says "beware of native teachers;
they have made our cause to stink in the noses of hundreds” and yet the people wish to assemble on the Sabbath and other
days, for the worship of something or other, idols if nothing
else.
The peculiar state of society also of which we have been
speaking creates the principal difficulty in the business of
enlarging & governing our churches.
The difficulty in enlarging
a church here is not that there are no materials at hand for
the purpose, who are willing to take the vows of God upon them;
alas for them, many would attempt anything within the reach of
human possibility to be permited to enter the church.
N either
is it that many do not profess repen t ence or afford considerable
reason to hope that their repentence is sincere, but so far
as we are concerned, the difficulty is in ascertaining who
�are the true & w ho are the false - who are the worthy and
who the unworthy - This difficulty exists to cone extent in
every country, but it is peculiar here.
Where a great crowd
stand at the door of the church, all equally anxious to enter,
it depends entirely on our judgement of native character,
especially native c h r i s t i a n character; And we are free to say
moreover that we have not much more confidence in the judgement
of our brethren on this point - Some of them have gone forward
& built up large churches, but what is the result? M r . Andrews
writes, "One (a scholar of the H. school & member of the church)
c onfessed that while hoikaika-ing (striving) & telling thoughts
to the teachers, he slept frequently with divers women and even
was guilty (of adultery) the night before he entered the church!!!
Mr. A. also s t a t e s in another letter, that " from t h e disclosures
that have been made we are led to doubt whether there are more
than half, dozen church members on the islands w h o have not r e
peatedly been guilty" - Of the church at Waimea on Hawaii 5 members
have recently been excommunicated and 5 more suspended, and the
Pastors has talked of disbanding the church altogether.
H e is
not alone either in this:
Several other brethren whose names
we need not mention speak of the same measure in reference to
their churches, such is their rotten condition.
We need not
speak of individual churches, but we know enough from the frequent
communications we have w ith our Brethren to force us to the con
clusion that the Hawaiian churches are extremely corr upt . Here
is a pretty fair specimen of what occurs in our churches; A man
who originally belonged to Mr. Ely's church at Kaawaloa, removed
to Maui about 4 years ago & settled at Haiku, where he has lived
since that time - has been on the most intimate terms with us,
especially with Mr. Armstrong, who lived at Haiku for 8 months in
1834; He was an unsuspected member of the church & obtained a
large share of our confidence, particularly of late.
At a pro
tracted meeting at Wailuku a few days ago, he appeared to be t ruly
humble and prayerful, & publicly spoke of his unworthiness before
God with many tears: But to our great surprise after the close of
the meeting, it came out that he was guilty of a d u l t e r y , about
two years ago in repeated instances; and he confessed the w h o l e !
So much for our judgement of Haw aian character:
This however is
only one out of a multitude of instances of a similar kind which
have occured.
How you will bear in mind that there are man y not in the church
who appear equally as well as Christians as many in our churches,
yea some of them va stly better, so that in some places the church
might be set aside & another formed of other persons in which we
Should have just as much confidence as that which now exists:
Keep
in mind also a humiliating fact that it is very common for natives
to appear vastly better before than they do after they are r e
ceived into the church and can you wonder that we have little
confidence either in our own or the judgement of our brethren in
regard to native character?
Can you wonder either that the
church at Wailuku is small and we hesitate to enlarge it without
seeing our way very clear?
We have nevertheless received new
members to our church since our last joint letter was w r i t t e n all of whom so far adorn their profession.
We have nothing of particular importance to state concerning the
�1308.
state of the little church at Wailuku - Of some of the
members we entertain fears that they have only a name to
live while dead, but others we trust are on a rock, and will
not be m o v e d .
We have recently held a protracted meeting at the station,
the results o f are quite encouraging.
The meeting continued
seven days, during which time our large meeting house was
pretty well filled - sometimes more than filled with hearers,
and increasing attention was given to the word until the last
hour of the meeting.
Some who were indifferent about their
salvation before, were awakend to a sense of their sin and
danger, & we are not without hope that some of them are lying
at the Saviour's feet.
A general seriousness rests upon the
minds of a great many people since the meeting, & what is not
ve r y common among natives, they complain of hardness of heart,
inability to repent or subdue their sinful propensities, &
fearful apprehensions lest they come short of the great salvation.
These symptoms among natives of these islands are peculiarly
encouraging, inasmuch as they are not apt to be clearly manifested
even by those who profess to be seeking the w a y of life.
But
from what we have said before you will perceive that w e cannot
speak with great confidence of those even who appear well.
We
rejoice & hope both, but it is not without trembling & fear.
The meeting we hope was also blessed to the church.
Some of the
members confessed some humiliating sins of which they had been
guilty & appeared to be brought to feel deeply that it is an
evil and a bitter thing to sin against God.
0 how it gladdens
the heart to see such a people rending their hearts before God
& putting away their sins under the searching power of the
Holy Ghost.
Miss Brown's department.
Since our last joint letter was written,
Miss B. has dismissed the first six scholars whom s he took under
her instruction & t a k e n six others who have spun yarn enough
for more than 100 yds of cloth, and are regarded a s good spinners.
One of the first class and two of the second have commenced
weaving, & make commendable progress.
One of the first class
has since she left the school spun, at home, yarn for more than
20 yds & has w one it with Miss B. - Specimens of the cloth will
be sent to you in due time.
She carded the cotton with wool
cards & Miss B . says did it as well as she could have done herself Another of the same class has spun a piece at home wh. j's ready
for weaving.
Interest in the business does not decrease, but
rather increases.
Miss B. .is satisfied that the females of
»
Hawaii, are as capable as any others of making their own cloth,
and are willing to do it unless obstacles are thrown in their way.
We will n ow speak more particularly of the progress of education
on East Maui, during the past year.
So far as the adult p op u
lation is concerned we cannot report much, if any advance on
the previous year or two.
The call for books has b e e n rather
louder than it was two-years since, but this may be accounted
for, in part at least, from the fact that more .of our books are
now bound#
We could probably sell more than our share of
another edition 110,000) of the Be w Testament, though we have
just disposed of an edition.
Some would purchase probably who
can scarcely read at all. .In regard to o ral.instruction, there
�1309.
may be the semblance of adult sohools, on some parts of the
island, but there can scarcely be said to be progress making
in education by this class of persons.
We still believe
that good has been effected - whether the balance of evil
be not greater, remains to be seen - in these schools.
IIany
have learned to read, with.a stammering tongue indeed, and
some few have acquired considerable skill in reading, even in
advanced age.
These latter will probably retain their skill,
even should they never again enter a school room.
But in
regard to the great mass - the old m e n and women with, children
hanging on their necks we cannot regret, to speak honestly,
that the laws of the chiefs have greatly relaxed in regard
to their attendance on schools-.
We honestly believe that
except in the few cases above specified, their instruction
cost more than its real value.
True, they did not even when
ordered out (en masse) spend a great amount of time, nor have
we ever learned that any one has sickened and died through
mental effort; yet the poor people were not unfrequently called
out at unseasonable hours, by their ignorant and tyrannical
teachers, were burdened with unreasonable exactions, and
otherwise harrassed by these self t a u g h t , often sel f appointed,
idle, adulterous men.
One advantage we confidently expect,
will accrue from the relaxation of this law touching adult
schools, and this is, our patrons will no longer be decived
by examirffcgthe tables of our schools wh ich we send home and
calculating that no small share of the people will soon be
capable of reading intelligibly a n y book which may be put into
their hands*
This we are certain will never be true of the
present generation.
We cannot but regret that so many strong
things have been said relative to the ability and willingness
of the people of Hawaii to read*
It has been said that a
Simple tract, either scriptural or historical, would find more
readers here than among any people of equal number on the face
of the earth.
It is not s o . Th§ people of the Sandwich Islands
are not addicted to reading.
That they are not so is one of our
greatest discouragements, and we have no hope that things will
ever be much better with the generation now on the stage*
In August last, Mr* Armstrong accompanied b y the governor of
the islands (Hoapili] made the tour of east Maui*
He examined
schools, addressed the people on the importance of instructionof children, solemnized marriages, and preached the gospel from
village to village*
Whenever they went Hoapili gave preemptory
orders to the people to build school houses and t h o u g h he reminded
the adult population of their duty to pay some attention to
schools, yet he did not, as formerly, strenuously insist upon
their attendance.
But he was ve r y particular in enjoining upon
parents the duty of sending their children to school.
He had
previous made a law that every child which had arrived at four
years should enter school, and he made it the duty of teachers
and head men to bring before him those parents and guardians
who should refuse to send their children.
On this tour he
also prohibited every young person who could not read from
applying to the teacher- for marriage.
In the law touching
children's schools, Hoapili exempted the teachers, graduates
of the High school from taxation, and he allowed each of them
two assistants.
On this tour every teacher who should be
�1310.
devoted to his "business, fte exempted from taxation.
This
is a great improvement on our former sohool system.
7/e have
three .teachers from the high school on East Kaui, and though
they are rather inferior men, yet we believe that they
have done tolerably well in school,' and we hope that their
influence, on the whole, is salutary.
On. this subject,
however, we speak wi.th great caution after the disclo.sures
which have re cently be.en made.
A goodly number of c.hildren
are n ow in schools, and had. we well qualified teachers some
thing - much mi,ght speedily be done.
At our out-station at
Haiku, there are a large number of fine looking children.
They live somewhat scattered, yet they srssemble on Wednesday
of each week, and on the Sabbath as ma n y as three, hundred
(300) are usually collected..
One of us spends nearly every :
Sabbath at that place, though we sha.ll not be able to do so
when our arrangements for a boarding, school shall have been
completed.
Y/e greatly need an efficient teacher at Haiku,
but we h a v e not yet obtained one.
At Y/ailuku and the neighboring villages we have several
teachers from the High School - men who belonged here and in
the vicinity with one exception.
Several of these are quite
oa,pable young men. . we have more than we expected in consequence
of the breaking up of the last class at the High School,
in May,, of which you have doubtless heard.
One of them was
so deeply involved in guilt, that we dared not trust him away
from our watch and-care; another was too yfiung to send away
to take the superintendence of a school; another though a
member of the church, was unable to find a place, and another
still we hope may be serviceable in connexion with the boarding
school.
So we have retained them all here for the present.
Indeed we cannot but think that the graduates from the High
School should be retained, as a general thing, at or very near
our several stations, where they be watched and counseled
•and instructed.
with this additional help., our childrens
schtfbls are doing very well.
A considerable advance has been
made during the year, and we hope to push forward the children
with a good degree of rapidity.
Me have entered seven promising
boys i n t o ■the boarding school at ^ahainaluria, and should have
entered several more had there been room. .VIe superintend these schools - open and close with prayer, and enforce, as we
are able, the truths of the gospel*
At present there is some
seriousness in these schools.
One little girl of 10 or 12
years, gives us some reason to hope that she has given her
heart to the Savior, and others are tmusually attentive.
We
are not a l i t t l e ‘encouraged in respect to the children.
Y/e
are at considerable expense in paying the teachers; but you
have not yet to learn that a heavy weight is necessary to
raise a whole nation so sunken in ignorance and pollution as
thisJWe recollect that the lamented Y/isner bade us repeatedly
to go forward and not regard expense when the good of the
cause seemed to demand it*
Y/e shall scrupulously avoid the
wasting ,of a dollar, but we cannot withhold at such a time
as this*
;
This leads us.to speak of the Central Female Boarding
Seminary*
Pardon the imposing appellation given to this
�1311.
contemplated school.
We did not baptize it with this
name; but though objections were made, yet on the whole,
it was thought best to. retain it*
You will, of course,
send, us out a D.D. to preside, and not leave one of us,
unknown to fame, to occupy so important a post.
You will
at once regard it as of immense importance that such a
school be established; and you will be glad to learn that
we are erecting of stone, a building 56 feet by 26, two
stories high, and that we contemplate making a beginning
as soon as July next.
It is designed as a school for all
the islands, and we shall spare no expense of time, nor
strength, nor money, to make it, so far as human agen cy is
concerned, what it should be, a rich blessing to the whole
group of islands.
But lest the churches should demur as to the propriety of
the measure, we. submit the following considerations*
The state of the people, it seems to us, imperiously demands
boarding schools.
We have pushed instruction so far as the
adult population is concerned till we are utterly discouraged
of making the nation a civilized community.
There are some
happy exceptions, but it can be said of a truth of the people
of Hawaii, they are an adulterous g e n e r at ion , and they will
continue to be so until their habits are changed*
We see no
ground to hope that such a change will take place, unless
children are removed from the example of their parents,and
made acquainted practically with our habits of living.
Hence
we have resolved to change the character of the High School,
and more than thirty boys are now boarding in a seperate
establishment.
At Hilo, on Hawaii, a small school for boys
has recently been opened, and if we are spared a year or two,
several others will probably be started.
How if God shall
smile on these efforts, and some five or six years hence,these
youths shall go out from these schools, civilized, educated,
Christian men, where shall they obtain suitable wives?
If
they marry uneducated females, the labor and expense bestowed
upon them will be in a great measure lost*
The female part
of this community is not less sunken in pollution than the
male.
Indeed, in most cases, they are far more lost to all
sense of shame - are more often the tempters than the t empted
in case of uncleanness*
This may be accounted for in part
perhaps, from the fact that they have less to do - have more
leisure to wander and' tempt their neighbors.
How we wish
to remove a class of. little girls as far as possible from the
pernicious example of their relatives to teach them to read
and think, and work to make them live like civilized beings in fine, to retain them with us till they shall be intelligent,
and cleanly, and industrious, thinking beings, and if God shall
ble,ss our instructions, Christian w omen, suitable companions
for the other sex similarly instructed at other boarding schools.
We thus hope to scatter from one end of the islands to the
other, a pure seed which with God's blessing shall spring up
and bear fruit till the land is filled with purity.
Y/e would gladly have been excused from this employment.
It
will require a great amount of faith, and patience to manage
�1312.
suoh an establishment.
Could we consult our own inclination,
we should preach the gospel and instruct schools as we have
hitherto done.
But we see too little fruit from this course
of labor.
The people are decreasing*
The cruse is becoming
more and more apparent,
^'e have not hitherto known the
depths of Satan at these islands.
*.or do we now fully.
V/e
are, therefore, driven, as it seems to us, as. a last resort,
to this plan - t o remove as many children as we can mana ge
from their friends and give them a truly Christian education.
In this, department no less than in our labors heretofore,
we hope to
?
nothing save Christ, and him crucified.
V/e
have hope in no other remedy.
Before God and the churches we
abjure forever every expedient to serve this polluted people
except the cross, of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hot a single
permanent benefit has accrued to an individual on these islands
which could not be traced b y this individual to this cross.
And, be assured we shall cling to it till we die.
1 Tis our
hope, - our glory - our triumph.
In our schools one and all,
we shall make the bible our class book.
Its great doctrines
we hope daily to inculcate on the minds of our children.
Y,re
only wish to remove them from those hurtful influences to
which they are now exposed, and which in a great measure
counteract all our labors on their behalf*
Will you not, dear brother, pray for us with much importunity
that God, our heavenly Father, would bless us in this e n t e r
prise, would shed upon us, and our school, the influences
of his holy Spirit, and crown with success the work of our
hands.
If he build not the house, in vain do we labor, who
build it*
In his name do we desire to set up our banner.
Hay his pleasure prosper in our hands.
Beseech all who take
an interest in this mission to pray more for us, that whether
we preach the gospel, or translate the book of God, or assist
in the making of school books, or superintend our schools,
or teach a company of little girls, congregated from all the
islands,- w.e may aim steadily to glorify God and promote the
interests of his holy kingdom.
Pray more for the people that
God would save them from their sins, cleanse away the pollutions
' of their souls in atoneing blood, and if consistent with his
holy will perpetate their national existance as a people re.
deemed to show forth his praise.
Praying that the blessing of God our heavenly Father, m a y rest
on you in all your labors, we close by assuring you that we
are, as ever your very affectionate brethren in Christ*
Jonathan S. Green
~;ich. Armstrong*
P.S.
If spared to open our school we shall need help exceed
ingly.
^ut little dependence can be placed on the .ladies of
this mission who have families*
They are enfeebled by the
climate,and the care of only two or three children is exhausting
at these islands where so much vigilance is indispen^ible. A
teacher and wife, of good temper, industrious habits, and
enterprising would be an indispensible assistant*
But do not
send a man b y guess.
�1313.
Hr. Green would say that Rev* Cephas B. Kent ha& a -warm
heart, is a talented man, ana is very dear to him.
He
does not know his wife.
If she is like her husband, and
they are willing to cone out, to be connected with this
school, he would be gratified.
A secular man also - V/e.need
a cari^enter - A single woman of a temper like Kiss Ogden,
more experienced in school would be a help.
But we refer you to brother Richards for information, school
apparatus, library, &c.
Would it be worth while to make an
appeal to the public in behalf of the school.
Perhaps not*
Your b r e t h r e n as above*
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Cor. Sec* A.B.C .F.il.,
Kiss. Rooms,
28 Cornhill, Boston, Mass.
Reed. M a y 26,
Ackd* in G.I.
1837*
July 21.
�1314.
66
1051-1837
XXV
Part First
Lahaina,
Letter 117
Dec* 25th, 1836
The Rev*- -a . Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Bos ton.
Rev. & Dear Sir,
In the mysterious but wise Providence of Cod, we are called
to bid farewell to another ox our fellow laborers*
This
letter, we hope, will be handed you by our beloved Brother
Spalding who is about to leave us, and probably these shores
for life, as it seems to us that his missionary work of
preaching the gospel is done.
7/e cannot however lool: into
the future or know what is in the divine mind.
The circumstantial account of the failure of Dr* Spalding's
health will be detailed by the -hysicians* It is sufficient
to state here, that all the reasons for the return of Br*
Spalding's family exist no?/, as they did in June 1835, when
he had the unanimous approbation of the mission for so doing*
In addition to what was stated in Mr* Spalding's case in
1835, (see Minutes p* 23) we would state in general terms,
that Mr. Spalding-1s health has been feeble ever since our
last Gen. Meeting - that he has had a soreness of the lungs,
with attendant difficulty of speaking & has been able to
preach but little*
Besides this, he was suddenly taken with
bleeding at the lungs about three weeks ago, and is n o w in
a very weak state of body, insomuch that it is the unanimous
.opinion of all acquainted with his case, that he ought to
embrace the first opportunity of taking a protracted sea
voyage as the last and only hope of a recovery.
To take such
a voyage in the Pacific Ocean, in the present circumstances
of Mr. Spalding’s family, whether they go with him or remain
behind, seems to us replete with difficulties.,
Uiider these circumstances, it seems to us right, not only to
appr ove of M r * 'Spalding1s return, but to reccommend it as the
only probable means of a recovery, if he & his family feel
able*to endure it*
We are free to reccommend this also, because
Providis.noe seems to have opened the way*to his going i^n the
whale Bfcip Adeline, Capt* Buckly, to whose attention and
care, we may commit our Brother & his afflicted family with
great, 'kon'fidenee, and therefore consider it a favorable op*,
po^tiinity*
7/e th©j*ef02*e commend our Brother Spalding to you as one with
whpi^ifje
on terms of Christian fellowship - as.
one whom GQ 4 has made useful in various respects & one who
has' CpncOi:e»tiously aimed to do the work of a missionary.
Xcfjirs truly
E.W.Clark
Lorrin Andrews
Dwight Baldwin
H.B. Hitchcock
Reod. -JfcS* -88 . 1837.
E. H. Rogers
Sheldon H b b l e
^ oka.
si.
H* Arms trong
J. S. Gteen
�1315.
66
1831-1837
XXV
.
Part First
Honolulu,
Letter 118.
Dec. 29,. 1836.
To: Rev* ?.. Anderson,
Very Dear Sir*
We are again solemnly reminded of the frailty of the in
struments on whom you have laid the great work of evangel
ising this portion of the world.
It is a great and good
work which we earnestly desire to see accomplished* but
which nothing but the power of him who made the world is
competent to accomplish.
17e desire therefore to lean on
the devine arm, and just hold ourselves and our helpers,
at the sovereign disposal of divine wisdom, whether he
requires us to glorify him by toil, or b y suffering, by,
health or sickness, by life, or death.
Still we cannot
but feel, when our strength is weakened in the midst of the
race, when in so rapid succession, the laborers faint, and
are laid aside, and die or retire from the field.
The
grand point which in these circumstances, requires our a t
tention is to kn o w and follow the will of our divine Master.
Yesterday the question respecting Brother and Sister Spauld
ing's return to the U.S.A. was brought again distinctly
before us at this station, & we would now state briefly our
reasons in favor of their immediate embarkation.
Brother Spaulding appears to be broken down,, having been
visited with a severe attack of bleeding at the lungs,
attended with a cough.
Brother Baldwin, & the other brethren
at Maui recommended his return to the U.S. in case we should
approve.
Yesterday a council of Physicians, embracing Dr.
Judd, Dr. T.B. Rooks, Dr. T.K. Thomas and Dr. E. 7/hite, gave
the following opinion of his case, viz.
"At this early period of the disease it is impossible to
determine whither the bleeding was o^ny to congestion or
tubercles of the lungs, but we think the symptons favor the
supposition that it is the former*
"We recommend voyaging between the tropics as the best means
of restoring his health.
,
"It would be dangerous for him to visit & reside'in New England.
Should he return to the U.JS. he ought to go to the South to
avoid the northern w i nte r” .
Voyaging then is allowed on all hands to be a proper remedy
to be tried in his case.
There is no very good prospect of
voyaging in this vicinity at present, but a very IF?v or able
opportunity is offered b y Capt. Buckley of the AILellne to
convey the family to ITewburyport, cruising a month or more
between the tropics, & expecting to reach home in June or
July next.
�1316.
The Mission at their Gen. meeting in June/35 decided in
favor of M r s . Spaulding's return; b ut they have remained
till now, because of their attachment to the cause here,
and because his services were deemed so indispensible.
But now he is laid aside also, and much t h e same reason
for her return still exists which influenced the General
meeting in favor of their return; & as there is good reason
to believe that the voyage in the Adeline will be salutary
to him, t h o ' a residence in N ew England might not be, and
as he himself thinks favorably of the experiment, we have
concluded all things considered, to approve of their immediate
embarkation for the U. States by way of the Society Islands.
The Capt. of the Adaline, we are happy to regard as a pious
man, a sanctifyer o f the Sabbath, who so far as he is concerned
offers t h e family a gratuitous passage to the American shores,
in a commodious ship having proposed himself to take them, a p p a
rently as a matter of choice.
The probability is that Mr. Spaulding will
the time on board, to be about the ship to
& children, and that he may be considerably
arrival and able to do something there for
be able, much of
attend t o his wife
restored on his
Christ.
The ra r e , u n e x p e c t e d , p ro vidential. circumstances which have
opened the way for their return now, in connexion with a former
decision of the mission, have made the path comfortably plain
for us,
and for them.
And as we have so much reason to hope
the Allwise Director of missions will approve of the measure
in question, we trust the Board, & the particular friends of
Mr. & M rs. S. & the friends of our cause generally will also
approve.
To you and to them do we affectionately commend them with their
little ones, & to the gracious c a r e and blessing of our
Heavenly Father who does not forget the sparrow, who tempers
the wind to the shorn Lamb, & bids his people trust in him
with unshaken confidence, in all circumstances, tho the sea
roar, & the mountains shake, and every earthly helper fa i l s .
For him, we believe, our Brother & Sister have willingly
toiled & suffered where he has called them, and for him, we
trust, they are willing to toil or suffer, to t h e end, w h e n
ever he is pleased to a p p oi nt.
And though they leave a sphere of extensive usefulness, a
higher one, we trust, awaits them when the toils, & cares, &
sorrows of earth are ended.
"Earth has no borrows, that
heaven cannot heal".
Should they be allowed to breathe, for a season, their native
air, we cherish the hope that the salutary influence which
they will exert, w ill be felt, ere long, among the heathen
to the ends of the earth.
And should their health be restored,
or should providence favor it, we earnestly desire that they
may speedily resume their post among their fellow laborers here,
who part with them now & would receive them again, with the
�The L ord direct their w a y , & bring them at length to
his rest, & crown, also, their earthly friends, & their
missionary directors, & patrons, with his unceasing blessing.
With cordial and Christian salutations,
as ever sincerely y o u r s .
dear Sir, we remain
H. Bingham
R. Tinker
Lowell Smith
Levi Chamberlain
Gerrit P. Judd
Edwin O . Hall
Henry Dimond.
P.S.
It should be stated here, that on further consultation
with Capt. Buckley it appears he does not feel willing to
pledge his owners that the passage shall be gratuitous, or
to fix on a price for the p assage. Finding that he cannot
purchase beef at this port as he expected, he is desirous that
we should furnish the ship with salt provisions to the amount
of 100 or 200 doll, as an accommodation to the owners; which
we suppose we can do without much inconvenience.
For this
Capt. B. will give M r. C. his remit, and the owners, some
of whom are acquaintances of Mr. S. should they s e e fit to
make his passage grat uit ou s, will doubtless repay the amount
to your treasury.
W e furnish supplies
separately sufficient
for Mr. S . & family 6 mo.
R e cd. June 28, 1837.
A ckd. in G.L. July 2 1 .
�Volume 71
Entitled "Arkansas, Cherokee, Pawnee and
Rooky Mou n t a i n Indians, 1831 to 18 3 7 " .
Letter 192
Honolulu S.I. N o v . 14th 1836
R ev. David Greene,
M.Rooms Boston,
Dear Sir
Extract from letter
What shall I say, dear b r. G.
Here I am shut up, like a
prisoner, more than four months waiting for a passage to
the United States, although several vessels have sailed
for the States, since I have been here.
Probably you
will ask, why I cannot obtain a passage?
I am engaged
in missionary service.
O you do not know how much m i s s ion
aries are hated here, by those who love not our lord Jesus
Christ. You have your imagination, but you have not
witnessed.
It is a severe trial to be shut up in this
enervating climate.
I thought I did right in adopting
the course which I did; but if I have kn own what I now do,
I would rather have, thrown myself upon the mercy of the
B la ck foot Indians, than to have come here.
Capt. Allen
of the Phoenix, N ew London, says if I do not find a p a s
sage before he sails he will take me.
He says it will
take him nearly two months to get his ship in repair,
(his masts carried away) and he calculates to cruise about
a month on the line. No other ship is know of going home
this fall, in which I could obtain a passage.
The Daniel
Webster is going, bu t she takes Mr. Richards and family,
and a daughter of Mr. Bishop.
The prospects of these islands are very dark as to the
government remaining in the hands of the king and chiefs.
C omodore Kenedy of the U.S. Squadron, the Peacock and
Enterprise, has be e n here, and lately sailed.
His treat
ment of the government was very imperious, but did did
not effect mu c h . A Brit. M a n of war, the Action, is now
here, commanded b y Lord Ed Russel.
His language is wholly
distatorial.
He says "Mr. B i n g ham shall not interpret—
the the k ing and chiefs shall have no conselers; and that
he will not leave the port untill the government complies
with his demands".
He threatens firing upon the town, & c
& c.
Well the Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice.
9
There is a very interesting work of grace commenced at
the different stations on Maui, commenced in the High
S chool.
It is said to be of a more marked character than
a n y ever experienced in these islands.
�A R oman catholic priest has within a few weeks lan d ed
here.
The Go v t . ordered him away.
He refuses to go.
The B. Consul s a y s he shall p a s s over his dead body before he sall be sent away.
With m u c h e s t e e m ,
Yours in the gospel
Samuel Parker.
(Back of L e t t e r )
From: Rev. Saml Parker
Date Honolulu N o v . 18, 1836
Rec d April 2 5 , 1837
Single
To: Rev. David Green e, Sec. & c Mis.
Brig J o s e p h Peabody
Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
�1123.
66
1831-1837
XXV
Honolulu,
Part First
Letter 52
Oahu, Oc t. 10, 1832.
To Rev. R. Anderson,
Dear Sir:
As a committee of the mission to provide materials
for carrying on the business of printing, we take the
liberty once more to make known our wants. The follow
ing list of articles has been made out with considerable
care. They will all be needed in the office by the time
they can reach the Islands.
300 lbs Pica selected with great care for the Hawaiian
language.
1 Double imposing stone & frame ready to be put up.
10 Pr. cases.
200 lbs. glue.
20 Feet heavy brass rule.
20
"
light
do
2 Pr. 18 mo. chases
1 " 12 mo
Do
6 Quarto
Do
A single superroyal
Do
12 Gross Quains
6 Duodecimo composing sticks.
4 Quarto slice galleys.
4 lbs. ornamental dashes - Long Primer - Pica
Small Pica & Bourgevis.
20 lbs. Flowers like the enclosed specimen, or a somewhat
similar pattern.
1 Stout royal standing press, with press papers & boards
sufficient to fill it.
6 Small common galleys made of cherry or other hard wood.
2 Proof galleys.
20 lbs. quarto leads - 8 to a pica m. (6 to a pica M
Mr. Marvin) .
20 lbs.
"
"
5 to a pica m.
1 Iron printing press (medium size) of the most approved
construction.
1 Doz. large parchments
100 Feet 1 m
Pica Furniture
1 0 0
1 0 0
1 0 0
1 0 0
"
"
"
It
2
"
If
If
do
do
do
do
do
do
3
4 "
5 "
"
"
1 0 0
6
"
7"
1 0 0
"
"
8
1 0 0
"
If
12
25
"
side sticks.
1 0 0
bs. sponge.
4 lbsl
6 Lie brushes.
1 Book Specimens of type.
�
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.)
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.) - Volume 04 - 1830-1836
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836
-
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/98aaec44fd721b036ba2f19c22831c21.pdf
3640dd81b7bca4f6d77b00be1e13da02
PDF Text
Text
M ISSIONARY LETTERS
(typed copies)
F rom the Sandwich Islands Mission
to the
A merican Board of Commissioners
for
Foreign M issions
1819 - 1837
8 vols.
"Supplementary to the letters published in the
Missionary Herald
of the same d a t e s . ”
Vol.
3
�Pages
ADAMS, GOV. (KUAKINI) to Mr. Loomis, Oahu,Dec.6,1826 —
861
ANDREWS, LORRIN : Lahaina, May 1828 .................— 750-751
See Joint Letter, [Honolulu,after Mar.
31,1828].......... .980-982
"
"
"
Apr.27,1828 ....... .983-986
"
"
"
Aug. 1 8 2 8 — ....... ..873-880
"
"
"
Sept. 24,1828------- -993-995
"
"
"
Sept.30,1828 ------ -996-1006
"
"
"
Oct.15,1828 ....... .1009-1010
"
"
"
Feb. 20,1830 — -----1024
ANONYMOUS
: Boston, June 7, 1828 ---------------- 987-988
BELT, W M. & ) of U.S.S."Peacock" to D r .Blatchely ,Oahu,
BRADNER,T .G .)
Nov.5,1828 ....... ......... — ...... 955
BINGHAM, HIRAM
: See JointLetter, Sept.17,1824 -----"
"
" June 1 6 ,1825 ---------"
"
" Aug.20,1825 ...........
"
"
"
Mar. 10,1826 .....
"
"
"
Oct. 7,1826 ........
"
"
"
Dec.18,1826 .....
"
"
"
Jan.3,1827 ........
"
"
"
June 8,1827 ......
"
"
"
June 14, 1828 ---"
"
"
Oct.13,1828 ......
"
"
"
Jan.1,1829 .......
"
"
Oct.10,1829 ......
"
"
"
Feb .20,1830 ......
906-909
933-938
942-945
946-949
956
957-966
967-971
972-974
989-990
1007-1008
1017-1018
1023
1024
BISHOP,ARTEMUS
: S e e JointLetter, Feb.2-Aug.1824 --- 891-897
"
"
"
Aug.5,1824 ........ 904-905
"
"
"
Feb.17,1825 ...... 911-913
"
"
"
June 6,1825 ------- 933-938
"
"
"
Oct. 7,1826 — ---- 956
"
"
" Oct.23,1826 ------------ 950-953
"
"
"
June 8,1827 -..... 972-9 74
"
"
"
Oct.10,1827 ------- 975-979
"
"
" Sept.24,1828 ........... 993-995
"
"
”
Oct. 1,1829 ....... 1022
BLATCHLEY, ABR.
: Honoru ru,
1 5 , 1 8 2 4 -------------- Honolulu, July 26,1826 — ----------Honolulu, Sept. 11,1826 -----------New London, [Conn.], May 28,1827 ----[New London?,Before June 9,1827] -North Lynn, [Mass.?], July 14, 1827 —
848-849
850-851
852
853
854-855
856
�2Pages
BLATCHELY, ABR.
(cont’d)
: See Bel t,Wm. & Bradner,T.G. ---------955
See Joint Letter, Sept.17,1824 ----- 906-909
"
"
"
June 6,1825 — .... 933-938
"
"
"
Aug.20,1825 ------- 942-945
BOKI, GOVERNOR
: [No place, before Apr. 18,1829]------864
BUCKIE, CAPT. WM: Ship "Daniel" Certificates,Nov.7,1827
See Richards, W m , Oct.6,1827 ........
"
"
"
Nov.27,1827 -.....
N o v .28,1827 to Wm.Richards -.........
868-871
701-716
712-713
713-714
CHAMBERLAIN,LEVI: See JointLetter, Sept.17,1824 --------906-909
"
""
June 6,1825 ------------- -933-938
"
""
Aug.20,1825 ............. .942-945
"
""
Mar.10,1826 ------------- -946-949
"
""
Oct. 7,1826 .............- 956
"
""
N o v .1,1826 — ............954
"
""
Dec.18,1826 ............. .957-966
"
""
Jan.3,1827 -............- 967-971
"
""
June 8,1827 ...........— 972-974
"
""
July 30,1828 .............991-992
"
""
Oct.13,1828 -........... - 1007-1008
"
"
"
Jan.1,1829 — ...... .1017-1018
"
""
Oct. 10,1829 — ............1023
CHARLTON,RICHARD: To Wm.Richards, Nov.13,1827 --- ----" "
"
Nov.15,1827 — .......
See Richards, Wm. Nov.14,1827 -------"
"
" Nov. 15,1827 ........
706-707
707-708
707
708
CHASE, WILLIAM
: Nantucket, Apr.27,1825 -------------- 910
CLARK, E . W .
: Honolulu, June 10,1828 .............. .752-754
Honolulu, Oct.13,1828 — ...........- 755-757
Honolulu, Jan.1,1829 ................ .758-759
Hilo, May 11, 1829 — .... — -........ .760-761
Sandwich Islands, June 20,1829 -— -- -762-766
Honolulu, Sept.16,1829 .............. .767-769
Honolulu, Oct.10,1829 .............. - 770-772
Honolulu, Dec.1,1829 -------- ------- --773
Honolulu, Dec.12,1829 --------------- -774-775
See Joint Letter,[After Mar.31,1828]- 980-982
"
"
"
Apr. 27,1828 .........983-986
"
"
"
June 14,1828 ------ -989-990
"
"
"
Oct.13,1828 -........1007-1008
"
"
"
Jan.1,1829 ........- 1017-1018
"
"
"
Oct. 10,1829 .... ....1023
"
"
"
Feb.20,1830 — -------1024
ELY, JAMES
: See Joint Letter, June 6,1825 ------- 933-938
"
"
"
Oct. 7,1826 -------- 956
"
"
"
June 8,1827 ------- 972-974
�-3Pages
GOODRICH, JOSEPH
; See Joint Letter, Jan.-July 1824 —
"
”
"
July 21,1824 to
Jan.3,1825 ------"
"
"
June 6,1825 ....
"
"
"
Oct. 7,1826 -----"
"
"
June 8,1827 ----
882-890
898-903
933-938
956
972-974
GREEN , J. S.
: Honolulu, June 9,1828 ------------ 776-777
Honolulu, June 9,1828 ............. 778-779
Honolulu, June 9,1828 ------------- 780-782
Lahaina, July 14,1828 .... ........ 783-784
Lahaina, Oct.15,1828 -------------- 785-786
Lahaina, Oct.16,1828 — ........... 787-788
Honolulu, Dec. 31,1828 ------------- 789-790
Honolulu, Feb.9,1829 -----------— - 791-793
Honolulu, Nov.13,1829 ------------- 794-796
"Superior", N ov .17,1829 .... ..... 797-800
Honolulu, Jan.30,1830 ------------- 801-803
See Joint Letter,[After Mar.31,1828 ]980-982
"
"
"
Apr.27,1828 ..... 983-986
"
"
"
Aug. 1828 ......... 873-880
"
"
"
Sept.24,1828 .... 993-995
"
"
"
Oct.15,1828 ...... 1009-1010
GREEN, MRS. J.S.
: Honolulu, Oct.13,1829 ------------ 804
GULICK, PETER J.
: Honolulu, May 31,1828 --------------805-807
Waimea,Kauai, Apr.27 ,1829 - - - - - - - 808-810
Waimea,Kauai, May 13,1829 --------- 811-813
Waimea,Kauai, F eb .18,1830 -------- 814-816
See Joint Letter, Apr.27,1828 ----- 983-986
"
"
"
Jan. 1829 ........ 1019-1021
HOAPILI to Kaahumanu, Lahaina, Oct.24,1827 ...........
866-867
HUNNEWELL, CAPT.JAMES. Extracts,Valparaiso,Sept.1,1826- 860
JOINT LETTER
: Richards,& Stewart, Lahaina,
Dec .1,1823 ------------------- -—
881
Goodrich & Ruggles, Journal kept at
Waiakea, Jan.2-July 20,1824 ------ 882-890
Goodrich & Ruggles, Journal kept at
Waiakea, July 21,1824-Jan.3,1825 — 898-903
Bishop & Thurston, Journal kept at
Kailua, Feb.2-Aug.1 ,1824 ........
891-897
Thurston & Bishop, Kailua,Aug.5,1824- 904-905
Richards & Stewart, Lahaina, Mar. 6 ,
1824 ............. ............... — 914-923
Bingham,Whitney,Blatchley & Cham
berlain, Oahu,Sept. 17,1824 ------- 906-909
�-4Pages
JOINT LETTER
:• Thurston & Bishop, Kailua,Feb. 17,1825—
911-913
Richards & Stewart.Lahaina,Mar.31,1825- 924-927
Bingham,Stewart,Bishop,E l y ,Blatchley,
Goodrich,Loomis & Chamberlain, Oahu,
June 6,1825 ------------- --------------
933-938
Bingham, Stewart, Blatchley, Ruggles, Chamberlain & Loomis, Oahu,Aug.20,1825 --- 942-945
Bingham,Richards,Loomis & Chamberlain,
Oahu,Mar. 10,1826 — ................... - 946-949
Bingham,Thurston,Richards,Ely,Bishop,
Goodrich,Ruggles & Chamberlain, Kailua,
Oct. 7,1826 ...........-........ ... .... 956
Thurston & Bishop, Kailua,Oct.23,1826-- 950-953
Loomis,Ruggles,Chamberlain & Whitney,
Oahu, Nov. 1,1826 —
--- 9 5 4
Naihe & Kapiolani to Mr.Loomis, Kaawaloa, Nov.20,1826 --- ------- — --------- 872
Richards,Bingham,Ruggles,Loomis & Cham
berlain, Lahaina, Dec,18,1826 --------- 957-966
Bingham,Ruggles & Chamberlain, Oahu,
Jan.3,1827 -
967-971
Thurston,E l y ,Ruggles,Bingham,Bishop,
Goodrich,Richards & Chamberlain, Kailua,
June 8,1827 ---------------------- ----- 972-974
Thurston & Bishop, Kailua,Oct.10,1827-- 975-979
Andrews,Green,Judd,Clark,Shepard, [Ho.-,
nolulu,after Mar.31,1828]
980-982
Andrews,Green,Gulick,Clark, Judd &
Shepard, Honolulu,Apr.27,1828
983-986
B i n g h a m & Clark, Oahu, June 14,1828 -- - 989-990
Richards & Chamberlain, Lahaina,
July 30,1828 --------------------------
991-992
Richards,Andrews & Green, Tours around
Maui & Molokai, Aug. 1828 ... ....... —
873-880
�-5Pages
JOINT LETTER:
Thurston,Bishop,Ruggles,Richards,An
drews & Green, Kailua,Sept.24,1828 ---- 993-995
Andrews & Richards, Lahaina,Sept.30,1828 996-1006
Bingham,Clark,Chamberlain,Shepard &
Judd, Oahu,Oct. 13,1828
1007-1008
Andrews,Green & Richards, Lahaina,
Oct.15,1828 ---- ------ ----------------
1009-1010
Bingham,Clark & Chamberlain, Honolulu,
Jan. 1,1829 ----------------------------
1017-1018
Whitney & Gulick, Waimea, Kauai, Jan.1829- 1019-1021
Thurston & Bishop, Kailua,Oct.1,1829 -- 1022
Bingham,Clark,Chamberlain,Shepard &
Judd, Oahu,Oct. 10,1829 1
0
2
3
Clark,Bingham & Andrews, Honolulu,
Feb.20,1830 — ..... -............ — ---- 1024
JOKES, T.C.
: "Peacock", Oahu,Jan.2,1827 ----------- - 858-859
JUDD, DR. G.P. : See Joint Letter, [After Mar.31,1828] - 980-982
"
"
"
Apr.27,1828 --------- 983-986
"
"
"
Oct.13,1828 ....... — 1007-1008
"
"
"
Oct.10,1829 ......... 1023
KAMEHAMEHA II : Oahu, Mar. 18,1823 .. .......... ........ 865
KAMEHAMEHA III: Oahu, Oct.7 , 1 8 2 9 --------------------- - 1058-1059
KAPIOLANI & NAIHE to Mr. Loomis, Kaawaloa,Nov.20,1826 - 872
LOOMIS, ELISHA: Honoruru, Aug.16,1825 - - 8 2 7 - 8 2 9
Oahu, Dec.26,1825 -.... ............... .830-832
Honolulu, July 27,1826 --— ------ — -— 833-834
Baltimore, June 20,1827 --- ........... .835-836
Baltimore, June 24,1827
.......837-838
New York, June 30,1827
839-840
Utica, Aug.7,1827
..........841-846
Oahu, Sept.27,1824
.........847
See Joint Letter, June 6,1825 -------------- 933-938
-"
"
"
Aug.20,1825
942-945
"
"
"
Mar. 10,1826
946-949
"
"
"
Nov. 1,1826
954
"
"
"
Dec.18,1826 ----------957-966
See Naihe & Kapiolani, Nov.20,1826 ---- 872
See Malo,David, Dec.11,1827 -- -— ----- -862-863
MALO,DAVID
: To Mr.Loomis, Oahu,Dec.11,1827 -..... - 862-863
�-6-
Pages
MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETING, Honolulu, May 1825 ........
Honolulu, May & June 1825
Honolulu, Jan. 1830 -------
928-932
939-941
1026-1057
NAIHE & KAPIOLANI to Mr. Loomis, Kaawaloa,Nov.20,1826 - 872
RICHARDS, WILLIAM: Lahaina, Sept.28,1824 ............. - 910
Honolulu, Dec.6,1827 .......... ..... 701-716
Honolulu, Dec.14,1827 -- ----------- 717
Honolulu, Dec.18,1827 ---------- ---- 718
Lahaina, Apr.14,1828 --------------- 719
Lahaina, May 20,1828 ----------720-726
Lahaina, Oct.7,1828 --------— ------ 727
Lahaina, Oct.14,1828 --------------- 728-729
Honolulu, Aug.13,1829 .........----- 730-734
(Deposition), Honolulu,Aug.14,1829 - 735-738
Honolulu, Aug. 18,1829 ............. 739
From Charlton, Nov.13,1827 — 706-707
To
"
Nov.14,1827 — 707
From
"
Nov.15,1827 -- 707-708
To
"
Nov.15,1827 — 708
To Capt.Buckle,Nov.27,1827 -- 712-713
From "
"
Nov.28,1827 -- 713-714
See Joint Letter, Dec.1,1823 ------ 881
"
"
"
Mar. 6,1824 ...... 914-923
"
"
"
Mar.31,1825 ..... 924-927
"
"
"
Mar.10,1826 ------ 946-949
"
"
"
Oct. 7,1826 ...... 956
"
"
"
Dec.18,1826 ..... 957-966
"
"
"
June 8,1827 ..... 972-974
"
"
"
July 30,1828 ---- 991-992
"
"
"
Aug. 1828 --------- 873-880
"
"
"
Sept.24,1828 ---- 993-995
"
"
"
Sept.30,1828 .... 996-1006
"
"
"
Oct.15,1828 ----- 1009-1010
RUGGLES, SAMUEL :
See JointLetter, Jan.-July 1824 ---- 882-890
"
"
"
July 1824-Jan.1825-- 898-903
"
""
Aug.20,1825 ----------- 942-945
"
""
Oct.7,1826 ........... - 956
"
""
Nov.1,1826 ............ 954
"
""
Dec.18,1826 ----------- 957-966
"
""
Jan.3,1827 ............ 967-971
"
""
June 8,1827 .......... - 972-974
"
""
Sept.24,1828 .......... 993-995
SHEPARD, STEPHEN:
Honolulu,
June 5,1828
— 817-818
Honolulu, Dec.5,1828 ---- .......... 819-821
Honolulu, Oct.8,1829 ---- .......... 822-826
See Joint
Letter,[After Mar.31,1828] 980-982
"
"
"
Apr.27,1828 --- 983-986
"
"
"
Oct.13,1828 --- 1007-10
"
"
"
Oct. 10,1829 ... 1023
�Pages
STEWART, CHAS.S.: Washington City, Jan.8,1829 ..........740-741
Norfolk,Va., Feb.6,1829 ------------- -742-744
Honolulu, Nov.24,1829 -..... -.....— 745-746
Cooperstown, N.Y., July 8,1830 ----- -747-748
Memoranda, [no place], Aug.12,1830 — 749
See Joint Letter, Mar.6,1824 ------ --914-923
"
"
"
Mar. 31,1825 --------924-927
June 6,1825 ------- 933-938
"
"
"
Aug.20,1825 ------ -942-945
THURSTON, ASA
: Kailua, Dec. 10,1828 ----------------- 1011-1016
See Joint Letter, Feb.2-Aug.1,1824 -- 891-897
"
"
"
Aug.5,1824 ---------904-905
"
"
"
Feb.17,1825 --------911-913
"
"
"
Oct .7,1826 ..... — 956
"
"
"
Oct.23,1826 --------950-953
"
"
"
June 8,1827 ..... - 972-974
"
"
"
Oct.10,1827 --------975-979
"
"
"
Sept.24,1828 ----- -993-995
"
"
"
Oct.1,1829 .........1022
WHITNEY,SAMUEL :
YOUNG, JOHN
See Joint Letter, Sept.17,1824 ----- -906-909
"
"
"
Nov. 1,1826 ---------954
"
"
"
Jan. 1829 -..... — 1019-1021
: Towaihae, Nov.27,1826 --------------- 857
�701.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
^Ku
Page 138
Honolulu Island of Oahu,
Dec. 6 th, 1827.
Honoured & very dear Sir:
Although under circumstances of great confusion and unusual
interest, yet I cannot let the ships which are now in port,
sail for the U.S.A. without carrying at least a short account
of what has been passing here within the last few weeks.
I cannot go b ack so as to bring down the full account of
the affairs of the station to the present time, for my time
and mind are both too much occupied with what is daily passing,
and my papers are nearly all at Lahaina, not thinking when I
left there that it was possible I should be able to write while
at this place.
I will carry back my account to Oct. 23rd when I was at
Lahaina with my family, Mr. Bingham & family residing with u s .
All was quietude, and we were happily p u r s u e
ing our work when
suddenly a little before sunset, we heard an unusual cry, saw
a great collection of people and soon Capt. Clark of the English
whale-ship, John Palmer, came to my gate accompanied by two
other gentlemen and followed by a great concourse of natives,
who cried out "shut the gate and not let him go into the yard
of the Missionary". I however went to the gate and conducted
him with the other gent. to my house.
I soon learned that by
order of Hoapili the Gov., Capt. Clark's boat had been seised
and he was virtually a prisoner on shore. Capt. C. was
exceedingly incensed at what he considered so base & unjus tifyable conduct in the Gov. and said he had no doubt but that in
one hour from the time the news should reach his ship, the
town would come down. A messenger soon arrived from Hoapili,
requesting that Capt. Clark would go to his house.
Immediately after tea I took my pen and was about to write to
Capt. C. inquiring what I could do toward effecting a settle
ment of the difficulty and procuring his release, and also
inviting him to spend the night with us.
I had scarcely put my pen to paper when I was called to the
door by one of the foreign residents and informed that Capt.
C 's second mate had arrived from the ship to demand the release
of his Capt. and giving information also that the ship was
in readiness to commence firing on the town and if the Capt.
was not released in one hour, a light would be hoisted at
m izen-peak and firing commence.
I hasted to the beach hoping to have seen the mate, as I wished
to request of him a little delay, that there might be time for
a settlement of the difficulty If one could be effected. When
I arrived at the beach the boat had returned, discharging one
�702.
or two pistols, as evidence of their determination to carry
their threats into execution.
I then hasted to Hoapili’s where I found Capt. C . and most of
the chiefs.
I made a few inquiries, by which I learned that in violation
of the tabu laid by the Gov. several females, one of whom had
been recently married, were found to he on board the John Palmer,
that for three days Hoapili had been demanding of Capt. C. either
to bring them on shore or permit him to go and get them, that
these demands had not been assented to on the part of Capt. C .
who said he did not know of their being on board - that in oonsequence of this, Hoapili ordered the Capt. to stay with him on
shore while his boat should go off for the women, - that Capt. C.
refused, when Hoapili ordered the boat to be seized.
I asked Hoapili several questions in relation to the subject,
and endeavored to show him that those precepts in the scriptures
which make it the duty of chiefs to enact good laws and use their
exertions to have them observed, still require the exercise of
prudence and forbearance and as he had shown his decided dis
approbations of the crime in question, and as all the people were
acquainted with his exertions to recover the females, I queried
with him whether it would not be wise to permit Capt. C. to re
turn to his ship, particularly as he had agreed to have the
business settled by nine o'clock the next morning. After con
versing about half an hour, the Gov. gave his assent that the
Capt. should go on board and sent his men for the boat.
Just as the messenger arrived, announcing that the boat was
ready, a light appeared on board the ship, and the firing com
menced.
When the first ball passed, I was with the chiefs but halted back
to my family.
Several minutes elapsed, and I had nearly reached
the house when I saw the flash of the second gun and the ball
passed with tremendous whiz, a little distance to the north of me.
From observations made the next day, it appeared that the ball
must have gone directly over our house and could not have been
much above it. The first ball passed a little farther north.
We were able to trace the path of the balls, by finding the place
where they struck ranging from thence to the ship, which was still
lying at her moorings.
One of the balls weighing 9 1/4# now lies in my house. After the
three first shot we retired to the cellar, with our little ones,
thinking that as the floors were strong, we should on the whole
be more safe than we should to remain above, where we were ex
posed not only to the shot themselves, but to the flying of stones
in case a ball should strike the house.
But the Lord covered our heads in day of battle, and after five
or six shot, the firing ceased, the Capt. having arrived so near
as to hail his ship.
We had often heard the report of cannon, but the whizing of balls
was a new and unexpected sound. We look back upon it with
�703
different feelings from what we should were there not too
much evidence that our house was the mark at which the guns
were aimed. A part of the halls passed one side and a part
the other, and one directly over our heads. In this, however,
we do not wish to fault the Capt. for he has uniformly both
on a former and on his present voyage, treated us in the most
kind, polite and generous manner. We have seen no whale ship
anchor off Lahaina, with more satisfaction than we have the
John Palmer, and though we think the firing can by no means
be justified, or the crime palliated, yet we think that had all
on board been possessed of the same feelings as the Capt., we
as individuals should have had far less cause to complain.
We
have been credibly informed though cannot assent, that the
physician Dr. Robinson had the direction of the guns and ordered
them to be pointed at my house. I am the more ready to believe
this true, from my previous personal knowledge of his character,
and also from the rash expressions which I heard from his own
lips after the affair took place.
The females were not returned the next morning as the chiefs
expected, but were taken away from that island and landed on
this, although it was contrary to law for any person, male or
female, to remove until the king’s tax was paid which had been
previously assessed.
A canoe was dispatched the next day by Hoapili carrying a letter
from him to Kaahumanu, giving an account of the affair, a copy
of which I shall inclose, and shall direct it to Mr. Loomis,
but leave it open for your perusal and use.
We waited with some anxiety for the return of the canoe as we
were well aware that the difficulty would create no small excite- I
ment at this place . On Saturday N ov. 3rd the canoe returned
bringing none but native letters, but these were all of most
threatening aspect.
On Sunday we received letters from Mr. Chamberlain who was then
alone at this place. These letters bore date of Oct. 26th. In
one of these he says, "The day the news came# , the dust was
literally so agitated by the wind, that frequently the ships
in the harbour & the roads could not be seen. Apply the circum
stance figuratively and you may form some idea of what is passing."
In another letter of the same day’s date, he says, "The Tamoholela
I am told will sail tomorrow, and if native reports may be relied
on, will carry official directions to Nahienaena and a few others
to remove from Lahaina to a place of safety, a s a fleet of
whaling ships under the command of #- is to sail for that place
to punish the Gov. of Maui, for the outrage upon Capt. Clark.
What is to be done to the missionaries, I have not heard, but it
is doubtless expected that they will remain & share the chastise
ment of their Patron
s and submit to what may be inflicted on
them.
But there is another ill boding star in our Hemisphere which
produces a greater excitement in the fleet and among the foreign
ers at Honolulu-Exchange, than even the seizing of a Captain's
boat, and the detention of his person.
It is your account .
#News of the difficulty at Lahaina.
#- Capt .Charlton, the con
l
u
s
�704
of the outrage at Lahaina committed "by the crew of the
whaling Daniel, now in the port of Oahu; and the conduct
of its Capt. , purchasing a female for 160 Dollars, and
detaining her on board his vessel, against her will, as also
his countenancing his crew in their unjustifyable conduct.
The publishing of this account is condemned in the most un
qualified manner, and moreover its truth is denied by the said
Capt .
I have heard this afternoon from good authority, that Capt.
Buckle is going to Lahaina with his ship, to obtain satisfaction.
I have also been told that the Captains of the English whaleships have declared their determination to go to Lahaina and
cause a removal of the kapu. Whether this threat is to be exe
cuted this fall or in the spring I do not know; but I know there
are more with us than there are with them. But still I think a
successful effort will be made to remove it so far as respects
those females who wish to on board ships. - If I were a native
and a chief I should give my advice that every female of Lahaina
should on the notice of Capt. Buckle's ships arrival in the
roads with a view to cause a removal of the kapu, leave for a
place of safety, and if the houses of Lahaina must be destroyed,
let them be destroyed.
Be prepared for the worst, and trust the event with the Lord.
He has heretofore been with us in difficulty and danger, and we
know that in adhering to his word we are in the path of duty.
All who meddle with Zion will find her a troublesome stone.
"I
have expressed my opinion to M r . Bingham that you ought not to
be alone at the present time.
I feel quiet respecting the
event of the apparently brooding storm. The Lord reigneth and
he will overrule all things to the furtherance of his cause."
These letters contained the most particular though by no means
the first or the only accounts of what was transpiring at
Honolulu.
The native letters were all filled with it and the foreigners
whom we saw, all gave the same accounts. What was most offensive
was the statement that Capt. B . had purchased a slave, contained
in a joint letter from this station.
As the foreigners have seen this account only in a newspaper where
the author is not distinctly mentioned, they suppose that I am
the author of both statements.
I have thought not best to correct their errour as there would be
nothing gained by it in the end. I say, this is what they are most
offended with; I mean that it is on this they pretend to lay their
stress for they say I have charged Capt. Buckle with engaging
in the slave trade, which is punishable with death both in England
& America. Many of the natives therefore are made to believe
that in consequence of my letters Capt. Buckle will be hung as
a slave dealer as soon as he shall arrive in London.
On Sunday morn at 3 o'clock we received by a canoe another letter
�from Mr . Chamberlain dated N ov.
2 nd
as follows :
"I am this moment informed that a canoe is about to start
for Lahaina - I catch a pen to scratch a line to let you know
that a very great excitement exists here among all ranks,
in consequence of your communication to the Board respecting
Capt. Buckle, & nothing is talked of but the make o ka haole
(death of the foreigner or my death)
The consul has said nothing to me, but he is saying much to
the chiefs - One time Mr. Richards is to be sent for to come
to this place, again Capt. Buckle and the consul are going to
Maui. He met the chiefs yesterday at M anoa and if I hear right
grievously accused some of the members of the mission - said
Mr. Whitney was king of Kauai, Mr. Bingham of Oahu and M r .
Richards of Maui.
His words change so often that there is no such thing as know
ing what he means or what he intends to do. All the foreigners
seem to take the part of Capt. Buckle. I fear he will do some
mischief. Let us confide in the L ord, and after taking such
measures as prudence will direct, leave the event with him?
The next day I received another letter saying:
"I write under circumstances of no ordinary interest. Kaahumanu
has just sent for me and says they are going to send the Kaakukai
with dispatches to the windward. The chiefs are to come down
& you and M r . Bingham also. I think you had better get all the
evidence you can of the unwillingness of the woman to go with
Capt. Buckle, but I suppose I need not give you advice upon the
subject, as your own judgment will direct as to the course you
are to take. We are all equally interested in the issue. Be
sure ,our enimies will do all they can to injure us. The woman
has been questioned respecting her having been sold & she denies
it and probably denies having accompanied him reluctantly."
At the same time the above was received, a great number of native
letters were received also,.and all of the same impart, viz.
that several ships were about to sail for Lahaina to take my life
and in case the chiefs of Maui should attempt to defend me there
would be sufficient force to put us all to death together.
Several of the chiefs# of Oahu sent special charges both by
messengers and by letter, for the chiefs of Maui to stand aloof
and by no means interfere for our defense. What result these
communications and threats would produce we did not know.
The sabbath, or more particularly Monday, Nov. 5th, was at Lahaina
a solemn day. But the clouds were much too thin to hide the
bright rays which beam from every page of our precious text book.
As we opened, we found the promises far more numerous than we
ever did before, and to us every promise seemed a new one. We
did not forget that thousands were at that very time, before the
Throne of Grace, and Eternity alone will reveal how much we are
indebted to their prayers for the sunshine we now enjoy. We
never shall forget the day, and we hope never again to be so blind
to the promises and consolations with which the word of God is
#Boki & his wife and by their influence the king also.
�706.
filled. N ot that we could unhesitatingly apply the promises
to ourselves as individuals; but we were permitted to look
forward with distinct vision, to the universal triumph of our
pause, and we can bear testimony, it was a pleasant sight, - it
was consoling - it was strengthening.
We were constantly hearing reports by people who were coming
from the mountains, that vessels were in sight. It length on
Wednesday the 7th we found the reports were true, but instead
of ships, they proved to be three schooners, bringing a request
from Kaahumanu that all the chiefs would go down to Oahu, and that
the foreign teachers should accompany them.
To this request
we knew not what reply to make. It was not a year since we were
once before compeled to leave our station for a similar reason
and under circumstances the most unpleasant.
It occasions no small trouble and no little strength to suddenly
break up a station and remove with families to another island.
And under the circumstances in which we are often compelled to
do it, it does much to wear down the constitution, particularly
of the females.
We thought on the subject with anxious hesitation - "In that day
the light was not clear nor dark” . We at length however made up
our minds to comply with the request. Very Providentially there
was a large brig at Lahaina, commanded by Capt. Little, who very
kindly offered us a passage with him, and thus we had far better
accommodations than we could have had in a small crowded vessel.
We embarked on Monday evening Nov. 12th and arrived off this
plac e very early next morning. We were in perfect doubt as to
the reception we should meet. We had scarcely anchored however
when Mr. Chamberlain arrived and we enjoyed the pleasure of mutual
comfort & counsel. Soon a boat arrived for us, from the commander
of the fort, who when we arrived stood ready to receive on shore.
We were conducted into the fort where Kaahumanu was waiting to
receive us. A mother could not have received us with more apparent
cordiality, and everything was conducted in such a manner as to
convince us that the highest authority and power of the island was
pledged for our protection. Kaahumanu herself conducted us up to
the mission house, and then as she took her leave said, "I have
seen you safe at your own house” .
This was not the first evidence we had received that we had power
ful friends. Every chief of rank on Maui had given us testimonials
of their friendship. Hoapili the Gov. had openly declared that he
would at every hazzard stand between us and danger, - that no
ball should strike me without first passing through him.
Other
chiefs conversed in a similar manner. The common people thronged
our houses to express their sympathy and when they found that we
were about to remove to this place ,they earnestly solicited the
privilege to accompany us, and many of them did embark so that
even here we are surrounded by our Lahaina friends.
The next day after our arrival, I received a letter from the
British Consul of which the following is an exact copy.
British Consulate, Oahu,
November 13, 1827.
Sir:
A statement having been made in an American newspaper (said to
be a copy of your journal) that M r . William Buckle, master of the
ship Daniel, the fourth of London, had purchased a female slave
at the island of Maui for the sum of one hundred & sixty dollars
�707.
As the purchasing a slave is by the laws of Great Britain
declared to be piracy, and my instructions regarding slaves
are very explicit, I have to request that you will confirm
your statement upon oath, that the offender may be brought
to justice as Mr. Buckle is now in this harbour.
I am Sir your obedient Sevt.
(signed)
R ichard Charlton
To the above I answered without any delay as follows:
Honolulu, Nov. 14, 1827.
To Richard Charlton, Esq.
Sir:
I received your note this morning, to which I beg
leave to reply, that I have not seen the printed communication
to which you refer and have never authorized anything of the
impart which you mention, against Mr. William Buckle.
I also declare that I have never said that the
above named Gent, has been guilty of engaging in the slave-trade,
which is pronounced piracy by the British laws; nor have I ever
written anything which I think by a fair construction can bear
this interpretation.
Of course I cannot make oath to any news
paper declaration implying that Capt. Buckle has made a purchase
for the purpose of reducing to slavery*
I am Sir your Obt. Sevt.
William Richards
The next morning I received the following letter accompanied
by the newspaper referred to, but did not find in it the word
slave as he assented in his first letter.
Copy.
British Consulate
Woahoo, Nov. 15, 1827.
Sir:
I have just received your note & beg leave to forward to you
the paper, wherein the statement mentioned in my letter of
yesterday is published.
I have to request that you will return
the paper as early as possible, as I wish to forward a copy of
it to the secretary of State, by the way of China by the ship
Tartar. You will now be able to ascertain whether the statement
is correct or not*
I am determined if the statement in this paper is correct, to
send Capt. Buckle to England for trial.
As the ship Daniel the fourth is now here I wish you to point
out any one or more of the men that used any threats or violence
against you or M r s . Richards, as it is my determination to bring
them to justice.
in early answer will be deemed a favor.
I am Sir, your most Obt. Sevt.
(signed) Richard Charlton
Wm. Richards.
P.S. I beg leave to add that the purchasing of any person, male
or female, by any British subject serving on board of any ship,
�708.
even for the purpose of liberating them from slavery, is an
act of piracy & punishable with death without benefit of Clergy.
The account in the paper was taken from the Missionary Herald
of Feb. which we have not yet received, but agreed well with my
copy of the letter which I forwarded to you. As soon as I had
perused it, I returned the following answer.
Mission House, Honolulu,
Nov. 15, 1877.
Sir:
I have just received your letter of yesterday and thank you
for sanding me the paper containing the publication to which you
have referred.
It is very nearly a faithful transcript from my journal. The
only facts however of which I was an eye witness, were those
which relate to the riotous conduct therein mentioned. But after
a lapse of two years I should by no means dare to undertake to
point out from among strangers whom I never saw but once, the
individuals who came in so riotous a manner to my house. I am
moreover informed that few, if any, of those persons are now on
board the Daniel, and particularly that the person who acted a
principal part, has been residing on Hawaii ever since that
period until a few days ago when he went on board an English
whale-ship at Hido.
As to the principal facts mentioned in my journal respecting the
mistress, I was not an eye witness of them, and of course cannot
make oath respecting them.
I am Sir, your most Obdt. Sevt.
William Ric hards.
To Ric hard Charlton, Esq.
P.S. I beg leave to a d d that the public instructions of the
A .B.C.F .M. require us to transmit to them from time to time,
a faithful account of everything in which our interests or the
interests of the mission are involved, and I would again repeat
what I intended to say yesterday, that I did not authorize the
publication of the above account, or any other implying that
Capt. Buckle had been guilty of engaging in the "slave trade".
To the above I received no answer. From day to day we were
hearing constant reports of what Capt. Buckle was determined
to do, viz. to insist on the chiefs compelling me to give him
satisfaction, and if he could not get it in that way he would
take it by his own personal force.
On Monday Nov. 19th I received a note from Capt. Charlton, merely
requesting me to call on him and informing me that Capt. Clark
of the John Palmer would be present. I complied with the re
quest and went up with M r . Chamberlain at the hour appointed.
He immediately introduced the subject of Capt. Clark's detention
at M aui - said he was about to make official complaints to the
Secretary of State - but still asked me no definite questions.
�709.
His object seemed to be to lead me into conversation on the
subject. His ridiculous ranting at the tabu and his infamous
slander of Hoapili and the other chiefs, and his insinuations,
and angry unfounded charges against the mission and those who
support missions, were too trifling and low to occupy your time
in reading, or mine in writing.
At length he turned the conversation to what he called my
libelous letter against Capt. Buckle. But here he seemed to have
no definite object unless it was to draw me into conversation,
which now as well as in the former case I carefully shunned.
He said he believed the letter was published for the express
purpose of exciting the pity of the bigoted public in behalf of
the poor suffering and persecuted missionary - but as for their
sufferings and trials he did not know where they were - he had
not seen them - that he was the person exposed from the very
nature of his office - that he was determined to undeceive th
e
public by publishing the whole truth. He spent two full hours
in this contemptible kind of spouting.
At one moment he attacked me , then the mission generally, then
the chiefs, then the Society Islands, then the English mission
aries, then the London Missionary Society, then the A.B.C.F.M.
and all these being too small for him to attack, he included the
whole Christian public.
We parted much as we met, that is, as far as I know, without
giving and surely without receiving any satisfaction.
On the Sunday following the vessels arrived with the chiefs
from Hawaii.
The next morning Nov. 26 Hoapili called in, and in
course of the conversation said he had heard that all the for
eigners in the village were coming up to have a general council
with the chiefs respecting my letter about Capt. Buckle. I
inquired whether they had brought any definite charge against me.
He said that the charge was that I had stated a falsehood in
saying, he purchased the woman.
I replied, You chiefs know re
specting that: - if I have been guilty of that crime, it is right
you should punish me. He said, "We all know he did purchase her it cannot be denied". He then inquired whether I should not
attend the council. I replied, "I shall by no means go to your
councils, unless you send for me, but if your chiefs send for me
then I shall surely go, this, however, is my wish, that if any
person accuses me, he would do it in writing, that I may see
plainly what the charge is and whatever is said I wish may be said
in writing, for you do not understand English, but if the business
is done in writing then the writings can be translated and there
ca n be a fair understanding.”
A little before noon I heard that a large company of foreigners
and all the chiefs were together, and that Mr. Charlton had taken
the floor, and that my letter to the Board was the subject of
discussion. About noon, Thomas Hopo arrived with a message from
Hoapili, Naihi & Auheo, saying that the chiefs were together
and if I wished to go I might go but if I wished to stay, to stay,
but added that the female chiefs thought I had better not go.
I took my pen and wrote in the greatest haste to Kaahumanu and all
the chiefs, saying, that if they told me to go I should go, but
my wish still was that whatever was to be done should be done in
writing that there might be a clear understanding. When
Kaahum anu received this letter, she urged the consul and his
�710
company to write their charge against me and then let me write
my defense. This the foreigners treated with contempt, saying
that I had already written and that was my crime,pointing at
the newspaper containing my letter. The chiefs found it was in
vain to try to settle the business by writing.
One of the foreign residents attempted to read the letter in
the Hawaiian language, but his knowledge of the language was so
incompetent that few, if any, of the chiefs were able to under
stand it at all. Kaahumanu said, "Write down a translation of
it, that we may clearly understand it". The Consul replied,
"send for M r . Richards & let him write it down." At length the
chiefs concluded I had better go over, and sent one of their
number, Opiia, to request me to go. It was thought best the
other gentlemen of the mission should accompany m e . Mrs. Richards
& Mrs. Bingham soon determined to join u s . They prepared them
selves as fast as possible, and in about twenty five minutes
after she arrived we went over. We however had but just left the
house when we met some of the king's guard who told us that the
foreigners had gone and the council had broken up. We, however,
went on and found a large proportion of the chiefs still in the
hall. They told us that as soon as the foreigners learnt that the
chiefs had sent for us, they jumped like persons taken with the
colic - and when Kaahumanu told them to stop until we arrived, they
replied that they would not stop any longer for they had been
waiting a long time and it was now late dinner time. She replied,
"then come tomorrow, or appoint a time, that Mr. Richards and we
all may know before hand and be prepared". They answered, "no,
we will not come again, we have been here once and waited a long
time and Mr. Richards would not come." Capt. Buckle then de
clared his intention of taking personal revenge and warned the
chiefs against defending m e . These threats agitated the chiefs
considerable, and toward evening they had a council by themselves
and after being together an hour or more they sent for me. As
soon as I arrived, Kaahumanu addressed me saying that on conversa
tion together they concluded they had been in fault, for some of
them knew of the proposed council the evening before, but did
not inform me of it - said they had concluded to insist on the
foreigners coming up again the next morning and for me to be
present.
I replied, "It is for you to direct me - I am subject to you and wait your orders".
I did not attend the council today, for I thought it would be
highly improper for me to go to a council of the chiefs uncalled,
but when I receive your orders it is mine to obey; for it is
to your laws that I am now subject, and if I have broken them
it is by you alone that I am to be tried and punished. But
lest I should do something contrary to your pleasure, permit me
to inquire what I am to do when I arrive at the council. Am
I to sit still and listen or have I something to do. Inform me
before hand, lest I do wrong."
All were silent for several minutes, no one was able to answer
At length one of the chiefs said "We have heard the simple
question of Mr. Richards, shall we not answer it?" All were
silent again.
All the chiefs assented to this.
I then said, "The letter
�711.
to which you refer I have seen - I wrote it - my answer therefore
will be in the affirmative and when I have given this, what
farther?"
Ill were again silent for a long time, till finally Hoapili
said "That must be the end of it, for we all know that
Looiki was sold, and if it is a crime to say it, then we are all
in fault, for we have all said it - That must be the end of it” .
After this, one of the chiefs inquired "What is the object of
the council? We have heard the charge against Mr. Richards we have heard his confession that he wrote the letter, but we
have already pronounced the writing of it no crime - Why then
shall we assemble again for another council?" No one was able to
answer this question - they immediately agreed, therefore, to
proceed no farther, but to tell the foreigners to desist and do
nothing more.
Boki said the foreigners would not be satisfied with this, - that
had I been present at the council, the difficulty might have been
settled - but as I was not, Capt. Buckle was determined to punish
me himself, and as the chiefs had been in fault by not calling me
to the council, it would be improper for them to interfere in my
behalf, and therefore I must suffer whatever should come, which
might be that night or the next day or the next night - the hour
was unknown. To this the other chiefs made no definite answer.
I then addressed them all as follows:
"It is for you to deliver us over to such hands as you see proper;
for you are our chiefs- We have left our own country and cannot now
receive the protection of its laws. When we first anchored in
your harbour, we did not land uninvited on your shores - When
your former King Liholiho and your chiefs gave your approbation
and request that we should reside among you, and be your teachers,
then, and not till then did we leave our ship, and with our
families throw ourselves on your previously pledged protection.
We have now resided among you four years and a half, during which
time you have watched our conduct and have become acquainted
with our private as well as our public character.
If I am a bad man, or if I have broken the laws of your country,
it is for you to try, and acquit or condemn me - you alone are my
judges - It is for you to send me from your shores, or protect
me here. With you is my life, and with you my death - The whole
is with you.”
This I said, not because I felt it necessary to plead with the
chiefs generally, for protection, for I previously knew that most
of the chiefs were ready to grant it even at the hazard of their
own lives. But I said it in reply to Boki's remarks and for the
consideration of one or two others who seemed to agree with him.
The address seemed to produce a happy effect . Considerable con
versation took place afterwards between the chiefs on this and
other subjects, but they separated with a full determination not
to have another council.
�The next morning the Daniel moved from her moorings to a place
nearer the mouth of the harbour, which was a signal of being
nearly ready to sail. Feeling it desirable to do all I could
consistent with truth and prosperity to calm the angry feelings
of Capt. Buckle, I wrote him the following letter. I ought
here to mention, however, that the letter contains the substance
of remarks which I had previously made at different places and
which had been mentioned to Capt. Buckle, and some of his friends
had expressed the opinion that if the same remarks could be made
directly to him, they would have a happy effect.
Copy
Honolulu, Tuesday m o m . N o v
27, 1827.
9
Sir:
As I suppose from the motion of your ship that you are about to
leave this place, I hasten to address you on the subject which
was yesterday brought before a council of the chiefs, but of
which I had not seasonable notice to be present.
Whatever may have been the feelings excited by the publication
of a letter of mine in America, I take this opportunity to ex
plain to you those parts which seem to have been misunderstood,
and also to state the reasons which induced me to make a dis
closure of the facts referred to.
I will say in the first place that I never ordered or authorized
the publication of the letter in question (and therefore am
accountable for it in no other way, than as a man of truth.)
But what I particularly regret is, that my letter should be in
terpreted as assenting that you had made a purchase for the pur
pose of slavery.
Such an idea as this was far from my mind when I wrote, nor do
I think that in candour my letter will bear such an interpreta
tion.
I have also been informed that you considered my polite treatment
of you last spring as inconsistent with the spirit of my letter.
That I felt myself injured at the time your ship was at Lahaina
in the autumn of 1825 I think you cannot be surprised. But
that I wrote the account for the purpose of injuring your character
I positively deny.
The reasons of my writing were these. I am distinctly directed
to give a private account to the Board from time to time of my
circumstances and prospects, and also of the state of the mission,
and the board publish at their own responsibility whatever they
please, I being accountable only for the truth of what I write.
The introduction of that letter I believe has not been published.
In that introduction I said I should spare myself the pains of
writing, and them the pain of reading the account, were it not
important they should know our real circumstances, that they
might the better know how to counsel and provide for us.
As to my treatment of you last spring I wish to say that it is a
principle with me to return polite treatment in a polite manner.
But I was especially prepared for this by what M r . Leay said to
me, viz. that you regretted the unhappy occurrences at Lahaina
and wished if there were any alienation of feeling that a recon
ciliation might take place.
I was therefore prepared to put the fairest construction on the
polite attentions I received from you last spring, and endeavored
�713.
to return them as far as I was able, and have transmitted to
some of my friends the evidence of your kind feelings, not knowing
at the time that anything I had written had appeared in print.
I am Sir, your most Obdt. Sevt.
William Richards
Capt. WM. Buckle, Ship Daniel
After two days I received an answer to the above, a copy of
which I think on the whole I had better forward to you.
Copy
Honolulu, N ov. 28, 1827.
Sir:
Your communication of yesterday has been received and contents
noted. You are not mistaken in your supposition that I am about
to leave this place, but I cannot depart without first giving
you my opinion of yourself and your public attempt to injure my
reputation. Your communication published in the principal papers
in America respecting a transaction which took place in the
autumn of 1825 at Lahaina between yourself and the people com
posing the crew of the ship under my command, in which the blame
there attached to me, was handed me soon after my last arrival
at this port. I was not a little surprised at the tenor of this
publication, for I did not conceive that a minister of the gospel
would so far forget himself, and have descended so low as to b e
come the author of a piece, so scandalous and so totally void of
truth, how muchsoever you might have wished to injure my character
(for the purport of your publication can admit of no other con
struction). You should have been very careful to have kept truth
on your side, and perhaps it would have been better first to
have cast the beam out of your own eye, and then possibly you might
have seen clearly to have cast the mote out of mine.
With regard to your not having authorized the publication of the
piece is no business of mine, it appears in the public prints as a
production of yours, and how you could have dared to have had the
presumption to have penned so false an accusation against a person
who had never injured you, I cannot conceive, it is well for you
indeed that you are not in a civilized country, where the laws of
justice would inflict on you such punishment as the baseness of
your crime deserved.
No part of your publication (as you wish to imply) has been
misunderstood. It is too plain to be mistaken. If I understand
English it can admit of no other construction than at the Island
of Maui in 1825, I purchased a female slave for whom (for fear
of misunderstanding) you have stated the price.
This with other
accusations, such as that the female sent to you repeatedly
to use your influence to get her released, that I had promised my
people arms, and assistance and that I upheld them in their pro
ceedings, together with the matter which you published as the sub
stance of my answer to your note, at the time referred to, you
must be well aware are gross misrepresentations, and without a
shadow of truth.
You exouse yourself by saying that the Board have required of you
to give them from time to time a private account of your circum-
�714.
stances and prospects, be it so, but the Board desire nothing
but the truth. They ask only the simple facts, no glitering
decorations thrown round the history of your wonderful success,
& no aggravated description of your tale of sufferings & privations.
The public,also your patrons, ask for nothing but the plain and
simple truth.
The time is fast approaching, thank God, when the public will not
submit to such impositions, the spirit of inquiry is abroad in the
world, and the enlightened community begin to perceive how much
they have been duped and how much their credulity has been imposed
on, by the flattering accounts of missionary labours and the
exaggerated descriptions of missionary sufferings and missionary
privations.
The affair with the people of the Daniel, you no doubt thought
afforded a good opportunity to get up the tragical story which you
have published to impose on the feelings of the credulous community
and wring from the hard earnings of industry another contribution
to add to your own comfort and ease - this dreadful tale has no
doubt answered your purpose well, such a narration is well calcula
ted to call forth the charities of the fanatical community, and no
doubt has been the cause of taking bread from the mouth of many a
half starved child, to enable the deluded parent to contribute his
proportion for the relief of the poor persecuted missionary.
With regard to this translation with the people of the Daniel, those
gentlemen who were knowing to it at the time, and some of your own
brethren are of the same opinion, conceive it nothing more than a
sailor's frolick and the less that was said of it the better, indeed
there are some gentlemen who were at Lahaina at the time who knew
nothing of the translation, till they heard of it at this place.
You must have been deceived by your own fears when you saw black
flags flying, pistols and daggers brandishing, and heard such
dreadful threats. Your eyes and ears must have been as much deceived
as were those of your valient guard, when he mistook the harmless
Mr. Stewart, for one of the dreadful assassins and so boldly pre
sented his firearms through the window even at the expense of
arousing you from your sweet sleep.
But this story is too ridiculous longer to enlarge upon, for your
own sake and the cause in which you are engaged it were better it
had not come before the public. Such things are calculated to do
much injury and no good.
Your excuse for not appearing at the council of chiefs (though
requested so to do by the king) "That you had not seasonable notice",
is as paltry as it is false. You could not have desired more than
a moment's warning, but it can be easily proved that you knew the
meeting was to take place, at least a day before it did. That
you did not intend to be present is evident from your letter to
Kaahumanu and also the fact of your appearing the moment after the
meeting was dissolved and you knew that I had left the house.
Your letter to the Board is a base libel. Were we in a land of
civilization, redress might easily be obtained. Here we can obtain
none. I have a right however, even at this place to demand of
you a contradiction of the charges alledged against me in your
publication; you know they are false and if you are actuated of
Christian motives, you will not hesitate to comply with my request.
I wish you well and hope that in your future dealings with mankind,
you will be more careful to remember the ninth Commandment.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Wm . Buckle.
�715.
Dec . 17
Since the reception of the above there has nothing occurred of
importance. Capt. Buckle, however, has expressed to Mr. Good
rich a wish to have a personal interview with me, and I have
consented, but he has not yet called.
It is not my design to continue much longer at this place.
It
is said that Capt. B. designs touching at Lahaina when he leaves
the Islands, but I shall feel but little anxiety, for Hoapili's
friendship and firmness have been pretty well tested. He is
about to remove a number of large cannon from this place to
Lahaina, that he may be able to repel any future attack.
I am sorry I cannot give you an account of the termination of
the difficulties, but the ship Maria, by which this is to go,
will probably sail in the morning and I must therefore close.
Indeed there is scarcely a possibility of any termination o r
even a suspension of our difficulties with the foreigners, while
we have so much success among the natives. In this last respect
we have much to encourage us.
On Sunday N ov. 4th, nine persons
were propounded to the church in Lahaina. It was the same day
that we received the unhappy news from this place. There was
an unusual conflict in our feelings. Soon after reading our
letters we went to the church with our infant son, whom we gave
up in baptism, by the name of James Austin.
Then we took our seats around the sacramental table. And then
to see nine more come forward and renew their request to be per
mitted to unite with u s . These things were well calculated to
bring back our wandering thoughts and raise our sinking spirits.
Among the persons propounded is Hoapili, who is the Gov. of
Maui, the former husband of Keopuoloui and the highest male
chief now living.
During the whole of this season of trial we have had many things
intermixed of an opposite character so that we hardly know for
which it will be most memorable, whether for joy or sorrow.
It appears to us that the Hand of Providence has never been more
visible in any of the events that have transpired since the
establishment of this mission, than in the recent difficulties.
There has never appeared so much unanimity of feeling among
the chiefs and never so strong attachment to us. The common saying
among them has been, if one of the missionaries must die, "let us
all die together".
They seem to be more and more convinced that
we are seeking their good, and that in this respect we differ
from our enemies.
The ostensible reason of the chiefs being called together was to
:
hear the complains of Capt. Buckle against me and to punish Hoapili
for what was called his insult on Capt. Clark.
But in both these respects the adversary has been disappointed.
The minds of the chiefs have been principally occupied in devising
means to put a stop to the crying sins of the country, the
particular sins which are perpetrated and encouraged by the great
body of foreign residents.
Six laws have passed and received the signature of the king. They
are printed in hand-bills and are to be taught in all the schools.
The 1 prohibiting murder punishable with death.
2
Do
Theft
Do
confinement in iron.
3
Do
Adultery Do
Do
Do
4
Do
Retailing of Spirits Do
Do
5
Do
Prostitution punishable by fine.
6
Do
Gambling, punished by confine. iron.
�716.
The three first of these passed unanimously and are to go into
effect the first of March 1828.
There was one chief, Boki, who objected to the three last, but
the king after considerable persuasion put his name.
The time
for these three to go into effect is not specified. Of course
the governors of each island will act his pleasure until the
next meeting of the chiefs which they expect will take place in
about six months. But the three first we consider a very happy
beginning, particularly considering the powerful opposition of
the foreigners. The English Consul has executed his utmost to
prevent the, establishment of them, telling the king that if he
attempted to establish laws independant of King George, England
would at once send an army and take possession of the island.
This and a thousand other stories he has told him, but I cannot
relate them here. You will learn something from Malo’s letter
to M r . Loomis which I enclose.
The last three laws, although they do not go into full effect
yet will have a happy influence by being taught in the schools.
I ought to have mentioned above that the English Consul and
Capt. Buckle threatened to prosecute the editor of the Herald
for a libel and also to publish a contradiction of the facts
stated in my letter. I have not much confidence in their threats,
but as a matter of caution I enclose a number of certificates
and a verbatim copy of Capt. Buckle's letter to Kaahumanu giving
an account of the firing on Lahaina.
Respecting the publication of the facts herein stated, I need
not make any remarks. They are submitted altogether to you and
whatever is necessary either to defend our characters or our
cause from public attack, we shall not fear to see even here at
the Sandwich Islands.
The foreigners here however, feel that they are strong and that
we are weak and they seem determined to punish us for everything
we say that is contrary to their wishes or inclinations. But we
know that more are they that be with us than they that be with
them and hope to persevere in our work, through evil report as
well as good, not fearing those who after they have killed the
body have no more that they can do.
Dec. 19th. Since reading the above to some of the other members
of the mission, they have expressed their opinion that great
caution should be used in presenting the above mentioned facts
before the public in case it should be thought best to give them
to the public at all. Perhaps either extracts or abstracts of the
native letters, or an abstract of mine in the language of the
Committee, conceiling the names.
The Committee however after knowing the true state of things here
will be best able to judge.
Tendering you our warmest feelings of affection, I subscribe myself
Yours in Gospel bonds,
William Richards.
R eceived June 20, 1828.
�717.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 139
Honolulu Island of Oahu,
Dee. 14, 1827.
Dear Brother Anderson:
I take the liberty to introduce to your acquaintance the
bearer, Mr. Cooms, who on account of ill health has several
weeks been resident on the Sandwich Islands, and has been
considerable in the mission families. We esteem him as a
friend, for he has taken the part of one at a season when
they have been few. From personal knowledge, he will be
able to tell you many things which perhaps you will learn
from no other source.
I cheerfully recommend him to your confidence and friendship.
Your affectionate Brother and fellow Labourer
William Richards
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Room,
Boston.
Received July 29, 1828.
�718
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 140
Honolulu Island of Oahu,
Dec. 18, 1827.
Honored & Dear Sir:
The Ship Maria of Nantucket is about to leave this harbor
bound home. I have just closed some long communications
which I shall send by her. The packet of letters and also
a translation of the gospel of Mark I have put into a small
box directed to yourself.
The mat and other contents of the
box are for Mrs. Emerson of Newburyport.
I have directed
her to send to the Missionary Rooms for them.
I have directed
Capt. Gardner of the Maria, who takes charge of the box to
put it on board a Boston Packet as soon as he arrives in
Nantuoket. There is one small round stone in the box for the
missionary rooms, by M r . Bingham.
I have also sent specimens of the first sheet of the gospel
of Luke, also a copy of the Hawaiian laws recently adopted.
There was a Mr. Cooms sailed from this place for Boston a
few days ago, to whom I gave a letter of introduction to Mr
Anderson. As he has gone by way of China, this letter will
reach you first.
0
I will here mention that the man has been with us considerable
and has appeared remarkably well. He is not very communicative
but if he is questioned, I have no doubt you can learn by him
the same facts which I have stated in my letter to you which
is in the box, and from him perhaps some of the facts can be
made public, better than from my letter. In case they are made
public at all, Mr. Cooms is a Catholic by profession, but we
have seen nothing inconsistent with piety and the strictest
principles of morality. This last fact it may be well for
M r . Anderson to know before he sees him.
I am Sir, as ever Yours most respectfully
In the Bonds of the Gospel,
William Richards.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Corresponding Sec o f the A .B .C .F.M.
Missionary Rooms, Boston, Mass
Received June 10, 1828.
�719.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 141
Lahaina Island of Maui,
April 14, 1828.
Honoured & Dear Sir:
As I expect soon to embark for Honolulu where a ship is now
lying, b ound to the U.S.A., I hasten to address you to bring
down the history of the station to the present time. My last
communication is I expect still at Oahu and will go by the
same conveyance as this.
Since the date of that letter, we have enjoyed general health
& prosperity.
Others of far more promising health have been
out down, while we are spared. Yes, the tears of this mission
are now flowing afresh, not for one of our number who has re
cently embarked for her native land. At such separations we
in Providence have often been called to weep. But now we are
touched more tenderly, we are warned more solemnly - the Lord
has come very near us, and we would listen to the voice saying
unto us, "Be ye also ready”.
The particulars of Mrs. Bishop's last sickness and death you
have already received from another pen. Suffice to say, she
was a much loved and useful member of the mission - unwearied
in her exertions for others, always more ready to suffer her
self than to see others suffer, having a conscience tender
even to excess, and we trust void of offence towards God and
towards man, - as a mother not only tender but faithful, - as
a missionary ready to spend and be spent, - as a Christian
had many doubts and fears, but still we trust was triumphant.
May we all be prepared to follow.
R emainder of this letter printed 25 Missionary Herald, 52,
Feb. 1829.
F rom: William Richards
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Cor. Sec. of the A .B .C .F .M .
Received Dec. 6 , 1828.
�720
32
June 1828 - Aug . 1830
XI
Letter 142
Lahaina Isl. of Maui, May 20, 1828.
Dear Brother Anderson:
Your letter of 23rd Oct, last came to hand two months ago and
revived anew the remembrance of our former friendship which I
trust is unabated by distance of time or place. Some of my
happiest hours are spent in reviewing the scenes of former days
when surrounded by kindred spirits with whom, though now sepa
rated, I hope hereafter to be still more intimately and per
manently associated. Though I may in most important respects
misapprehend my own feelings and desires, yet I do think I
know the meaning of the Apostle when he said, "M uch hope we
have as an anchor of the soul” .
I love to think of you and Hallock & Brigham, and many others
whose hearts were one with ours, although in some respects
there was not so much a oneness of object.
A few more years may make us one in a sense which we now very
little understand. Precious hope - I love to cherish it. I
love to think, "the time is short". May we all be found among
those servants who are always watching.
I could drop a tear
over our beloved seminary as I read in yours and other letters,
of the unhappy differences which still exist there. Shall there
be no end?
The general communications from America last received, do cheer
our hearts, and I hope we give praise to him whose spirit seems
to have pervaded that happy land.
The account of the last meeting of the Board has caused thousands
to rejoice even in this quarter of the globe. That meeting had
an important bearing on the introduction of the millenium. I am
well aware that what is already done is a mere, but still I can
easily conceive that the cause may so go on, and it seems to me
that I see signs, which, interpreting them by scripture rules,
justify the belief that the enemy must soon take his stand for
the last decisive battle.
Knowing that a nation is to born in a day, what may not be ac
complished in a whole generation.
As to ourselves and our mission, our hearts are filled with joy and
gratitude and our mouths with praise for the goodness of God in
sending us so seasonable and abundant aid. We had almost fainted,
our numbers were diminished and our hands were weak; and though
the enemy had retreated a little distance & we were enjoying a
season of comparative rest, yet we had serious reason to apprehend
that his retreat was only to prepare himself for a new and more
vigorous onset, and that he would attack us in a weakened state
�721.
and under great disadvantages. But now, glory to God, the
victory is ours; for though the decisive battle is not yet
fought, and the enemy still in the field with his ranks scarcely
broken, yet we know in whom we have believed, and we receive
this reinforcement as a new pledge that Jehovah is with us &
w e therefore will not fear what man can do.
Our feelings are indescribable. Never did I anticipate such
happiness in the Sandwich Islands as I have enjoyed in the society
of the reinforcement. I hope every individual will answer his
present promise and if they do, the company will prove a rare one.
I am particularly gratified with our associates, M r . & Mrs. Andrews
and Miss Patten.
They are lovely in every sense.
If Mr. Andrews succeeds well in acquiring the native language
(which must be acquired in a very different manner from the oriental
languages) I have no doubt he will prove a valuable translator.
His advice on many points is even now valuable, and on the whole
I can hardly think of a man in the circle of my past acquaintance
whom I should prefer before him.
I am also pleased that he is
recommended to the special business of translating.
He ought however to have come better prepared with books. We are
all of us exceedingly deficient in the helps necessary to pursue
the work of translating from the Hebrew scripture.
It would be
thought unpardonable in us, at least we should think ourselves
unpardonable, were we to proceed with translations without such a
knowledge of the original as to render it almost like a vernacular
tongue. But who ever obtained such a knowledge with nothing but
a simple lexicon & grammar.
This indeed may be done, but it must be done at a great expense
of time, which you well know, no missionary has to spare.
M r . Andrews has written you on this subject. The Hebrew concordance
and Rosenmuller on the Old Test. are in my opinion of immense im
portance, and I do not think that money could be laid out more
advantageously for this mission than by purchasing helps for trans
lators. Do let Professor Stuart be consulted on this subject.
As an individual I must also request that you would send me
Robinson's Greek Lexicon.
I think every new and valuable work of
this kind should be sent us at once as soon as it is published,
without waiting for us to write for it. Large works making several
vol. like Rosenmuller de Vet. Lect. will answer very well though
there be but one copy for us all but, lexicons, grammars, and such
like books we ought to have at least four copies, one for each
important station, where translations are going on. If any person
or class of persons on earth needs helps for gaining a critical
knowledge of the original scriptures, surely it is the missionary
who is engaged in translations. If we can get such books as
American & English critics have, with the present spirit which
prevails in the mission, I think we shall make a good translation.
I believe there is no one of our number who has had anything to do
as yet, who is at all disposed to do this work at halves. I trust
we feel its importance and are disposed to spare no time or pains
to render it as perfect as possible.
While on the subject of translations, permit me to inquire whether
the suggestion respecting M r . Andrews being devoted particularly
�722 .
to this work is to be so interpreted as that he shall be relieved
from his share in the other duties of the station. You will easily
see that this may be a question of some importance, although I see
no reason to believe that any individual concerned would dissent
from the Committee either in feeling or opinion. Mr. Andrews
gives abundant evidence of a wish to spend his time in that manner
which will best subserve the cause*
D r . Judd & wife are now with u s .
to be least of all and servant of
said of every good man). He also
profession.
Our hearts are glad,
him Who has sent him.
We think him a rare man - willing
all (which you know cannot be
appears to be well skilled in his
and I hope we are grateful to
On the subject of establishing a mission on the N .W. coast, you
will receive our thoughts in a public letter which is now preparing
by Messrs. Bing., Clark & Green at Oahu.
The union of economy & efficiency in the management of missions to
which you refer in your letter, is a subject not only of great im
portance, but is also extremely intricate. It is uniformly much
easier to follow in a beaten track than it is to strike out a new
path. Mr. Chamberlain is all that a man can be in relation to this
subject, & I have no doubt but the future expenses of this mission
will be much less than the past in proportion to its numbers.
The numerous relapses at the Society Islands are doubtless in a
great degree, if not principally owing to unforseen or unavoidable
causes. The one, however, to which you refer, I fully believe has
its influence, though not the principal cause.
In Christian countries things move on regularly in the same channel,
without any great things to bring the church to trial. N ot so in
countries where Christianity is just taking root. It is therefore
a matter of course that there will be more apostacies than among
long established churches, unless there is more caution in admitting
members. And this in my opinion is the only way to avoid the evils
which are so severely felt at Tahiti.
I have no doubt but that the common rules for admitting members to
the orthodox churches of N ew E. would if practiced here at once re
ceive 150 members to the church in Lahaina. We have meant to be
extremely cautious, and to the praise of Divine grace would we speak
of it, among the 50 native members of our church, not an instance of
discipline has yet occurred. We tremble as we look forward; for we
cannot expect that so favourable state of things will long continue.
May we ever have windows from on high to act in every emergency, as
the Head of the church shall approve.
The orthography of this language is another subject which constitutes
an important item in your letter. The subject has of course occupied
much of my attention ever since I have been here.
On the principles of language to which you refer, every remark of
yours seems to me to have weight; I think, however, that I can show
that their bearing on the subject in question is not as great as
the y appeared to you.
In my own mind, the question takes precisely this form.
Shall we
�723.
adopt an extremely intricate system of orthography and one which
is to natives inexplicable and in every respect arbitrary, with
a hope and for the purpose of making the people apprehend dis
tinctions in sound, which the most delicate ear among them is now
unable to do?
That this is a fair statement of the question I have never heard
denied, and I do not think that any candid person could ever deny
it. I of course leave out of account those natives who have
learnt to talk English, although very few even of them can pronounce
all the interchangable letters, and I venture to say there is not
one to be found even of those who have spent years in America, who
uniformly would do it. I will mention a trial which I made in the
presence of several members of the reinforcement. A large circle
of natives were present. I selected a word where in the last
syllable I most frequently hear a sound approach to the sound of d.
I turned to one of the company and said is the word dido? He said,
"yes". I asked again, is the word dilo? He answered as before,
"yes". I proceeded and said, is it d iro? The answer was "yes".
Did
you say the word was lido? Answer "yes". Is the word lilo? Answer,
"yes". Is the word l i r o Answer, "yes". Is the word rido? Answer,
"yes". Is the word ri lo? Answer, "yes". Is the word riro? Answer
"yes".
I then inquired of the next one in the circle who answered in the
same way. Thus I went round the circle, not one of which perceived
but that I asked the same question nine times. I give you this as
a correct specimen of which would occur respecting all the interchangable letters.
In another instance I asked a native to pronounce this word himself.
Among the seven listeners there were four opinions as to the answer
given. Three thought he pronounced the word lilo; two thought he
said lido; one thought he said liro and one thought h e said rilo.
All however were of opinion that the sound was rather a medium
one and not the full sound of the English letters.
The same differences of opinion exist respecting all the interehangable letters except K & T. The sound of these letters is nearly
as distinct in native articulation, as with us. But still they
are both rarely or never sounded by the same individual and no
native knows the difference in the two sounds.
Let two persons converse together, one of whom uniformly uses k
and the other uniformly uses t and ask the native listeners whether
they pronounce alike, and they will all answer with one voice, yes.
How I inquire to whose ear will the monotony of the language be
increased, even allowing that the pronunciation is limited to 1 2
characters? Certainly not to native ears for the examples which I
have given show that no native ears perceive any distinction in
the sounds. There is no probability however that the pronunciation
would ever be thus limited, although it might be less varied than
it is now.
In my statement of the question, I say that with seventeen letters,
the orthography is intricate. I mean, it would be very difficult
indeed, if not quite impossible for common people to learn to write
�724
it uniformly, even though we should adopt a uniform system in
all our books. More than half the words in the language contain
one or more of the interchangeable letters and some words contain
two, three or four, so that the interchangables oocur as often
as once in every word.
One who knows the difficulty of learning to spell the English
language correctly will easily perceive that the difficulty of
learning the Hawaiian would in that case be almost insuperable.
Generation after generation must pass away before a people naturally
indolent and having everything to learn would over come it; and
during all these generations no possible gain, because the pro
nunciation is not altered by the spelling, and even if it were,
there are no ears to perceive the distinction of sound.
But with our present alphabet a boy of fourteen, with common in
telligence may in one month become a perfect master of the orthog
raphy of his language and be able to read and write the whole of
it with correctness.
I say also in my statement of the question that the system would be
to natives perfectly inexplicable. It must of course be so, for
they see a number of characters which to them all represent the
same sound; and have already asked many questions on the subject which
retaining the 17 letters we cannot answer to them at all satisfact
orily.
I say too that the system must be in every respect arbitrary, for
among all the attentive observers of native pronunciation, no two
would fall upon the same orthography in any considerable number
of words. They would perhaps agree that v should be seldom used,
d more seldom, and b almost none at all. But farther than this,
fact proves that regaining the 17 characters there could be no agreement, so that as I said, the rules for establishing the spelling
must be entirely arbitrary.
Another thing stated in my question is that no native ears are able
to make any distinction in the interchangeable sounds. This is
fully evident from the examples which I have given above.
And now having, as I think, given a fair account or explanation of
the subject, I would ask Shall we adopt an extremely intricate system of orthography, and
one which is to natives inexplicable and in every respect arbitrary,
with a hope and for the purpose of making the people apprehend
distinctions in sound which the most delicate ear among them is now
unable to do?
I confess I have had doubts how true literary wisdom would answer
the question, and I am particularly anxious that the attention of
the best judges in America should be called to the subject.
I am on the whole of opinion that could we take a complete list
of the Hawaiian words and go into the schools ourselves as teachers,
the people under our particular instruction might in process of
time be brought to conform to our rules of pronunciation.
Though
I think it would be incomparably easier to introduce some new
sounds, as for example the sound of S , than to learn the people to
�725.
distinguish between the sounds of several of the interchangable
letters. But for us to become the direct teachers of schools is
impossible. No man acquainted with the subject could think it
proper or even possible. And now whether an entirely new system
of pronunciation of the most intricate kind can become general
without even a large class of persons to engage regularly and con
stantly as teachers, I think can hardly be called problematical.
Could directions be printed something might be done. But whoever
has attempted to articulate either the French or German alphabets,
can easily perceive how difficult it would be for a small class of
persons even though they should command the press, to introduce the
peculiar sounds of those alphabets into the whole English language.
The cases would be similar for, though at these islands we should
not have to introduce sounds which one really new, yet they would
be new to native ears.
The subject is one of immense importance, and I think we should have
the advice of the best judges in relation to it.
If you think what I have said in relation to it is worth showing
to Mr. Pickering, I wish you would do it, & perhaps he will deign
to write me on the subject. At any rate I wish you would write me
again as soon as may be, and I assure you that every communication
shall receive the most careful attention, at least by myself, &
I know too that several of the other members of the mission view
the subject as important and would prize the advice of good judges.
I have said nothing respecting the difficulties and evils of a
very limited number of characters, because they are of such a charact
er as would naturally strike your minds and may be felt by you even
more than by ourselves. I acknowledge they are considerable and
by no means think it certain that the present number of characters
will not at some future period be increased.
I would just remark respecting the name of Boki that even according
to our present rules it may be spelt with the B for the name is of
foreign origin. His original name was Ilio-punahele, that is,
favourite dog. When the king became acquainted with a large American
dog named Boss, he immediately changed the name of the young chief
from Ilio-punahele to Boss, which in native language is Boki, proenounced by 99 /1 0 0 of the people Poki.
On the subject of educating our children, the mission has decided
not to prepare another joint communication at present, but have
recommended that each parent write separately. I will say here
however, that I believe no one of our number has ever supposed that
it would be expedient for the Board to adopt the rule of defraying
the entire expense of transporting our children to America, and
of supporting them after they have arrived there. Many of us,
however, have hoped that at least the influence of the Committee
might be exerted and if necessary some trifling pecuniary aid
rendered, so as to aid the parents in connection with their friends
in America in removing and educating their children.
But more of this hereafter -I sincerely congratulate you my Brother on the recent change in
your domestic circumstances.
That ancient proverb of Heavenly
origin, "It is not good for man to be alone", was not a mere form
�726.
of words. You know its meaning. May you long enjoy this Help-mate.
To her and yourself, Mrs. R. desires me to present her affectionate
regards. In this I most cordially unite, begging you to accept
the assurances of the unabated affection of your Christian Brother.
William Richards.
Received Dec. 6, 1828.
�727.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 143
Lahaina Oct. 7, 1828.
Honoured & dear Sir:
A few days ago, when M r . Ely was with us, the author of the
enclosed letter requested him to give his aloha to the good
people in America. M r . Ely said to him, if you have love
for them, write, and express it.
This was what gave rise
to the enclosed letter.
The author is among the most intelligent of the people and is a most
valuable assistant in translating. His knowledge of his own
language is thorough, is able to give authorities for his use of
words by reference to ancient meles and konikans - is a valuable
member of the church, is often consulted by the chiefs on im
portant business and is esteemed by them as a good counsellor.
This letter is one of the best specimens of writing that I have
seen. It is as difficult doing it justice in a translation, as
it is compositions in the refined oriental languages. There is
a greater difference between the idioms of these two languages,
than any other two with which I am acquainted.
There are several sentences in
their beauty in a translation,
which exists between the kakon
both those who speak and those
only those who speak.
this letter
for want of
and makan./
addressed -
which lose much of
that distinction
Kakon, w e , including
Makon, we, including
I think the aloha at the beginning and end of letters is as
expressive, and h as nearly the meaning of the Latin Sa l y s and Vale,
or the Greek
. Aloha oukou or o
what is nearer,
r
In that place in the letter which I have translated "Has not been
pitied" the same word, aloha is used; but here it has all the mean
ing of the Greek
It would seem from the variety of senses in which the word is used
that it must be indefinite, but it is far from being so to a native
ear. And after becoming familiar with it, we often feel the need
of such a word in English.
Permit me Sir here to inquire whether we ought to devote much attention
to preparing a grammar of this language in English, or a vocabulary,
or anything else of the kind? Whatever can be done for the gratifi
cation of the learned or the curious, we shall be ready to do, on
a suggestion from you.
I am, Sir, most affectionately, yours, in the bonds of the Gospel,
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Missionary Rooms, Boston.
William Richards.
Received April 24, 1829.
Respecting Malo's letter.
�32
June 1828 - lug. 1830
XI
Letter 144
Lahaina Oct. 14, 1828.
My very dear Sir:
I have just engaged Capt. Smith of the Ship Hope, Hew Bedford,
to take charge of a box of Hawaiian curiosities.
I therefore
send you the idols which were mentioned in a journal of mine,
some two or three years ago.
The Tahoolawe god or god of the
shark I do not send as it is too long to go into the box and
is too much defaced and too rotten to send in any way which
would occasion so much trouble as that of sending it open.
The cup from which all his votaries drank to his worship, you
will find in the box.
It is made of a cocoa nut. I send a
spear open. It was manufactured by Davida Malo, at the time
of the recent war at Tauai. The spear which belonged to the
god of Pele, and which I mentioned three or four years ago,
is lost. It was in a house of mine which blew down two years
ago while I was absent from the island. On my return the spear
was not to be found. The following is the list of articles in
the box, which is directed to Jeremiah Evarts, Esq., Missionary
Rooms, Boston.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Idol - Kekuaokalanis
do
- Hoapili's
do
- Banono
do
- of wood
Hew Zealand blanket
”
"
tapa
"
”
comb
1 Mat
1 Pan
These are designed for the Museum
With a label to Mrs- Evarts, which she will please
place in her own chamber or make such other use of
them as she shall prefer. We think the pan superior
to anything we have se e n of Hawaiian manufacture.
1 Pan, for Miss Mary Brown, whom we remember with tender affect
ion and from whom we received a pretty present for our little
son.
1 Pan , full dress
1 Pan
2 Malos
These are designed for Mrs. Charles
1 Kihei
L . Emerson, Newburyport, who will
1 string of beads
distribute them among our friends
1 Paper containing rings,
and benefactors.
1 Bamboo, with a wreath
2 Oil cloth Malos
1 Palaoa, or ornament for the neck consisting of a great quantity
of braided hair and a whale's tooth. This we design for Mrs. Dr.
Porter, Andover. This was accidentally made fast in the box
without a label.
�729
2 Bamboos with wreaths for M r s . Charles S. Stewart.
If you think proper Sir, you will deposit all these in the
Museum until called for.
These curiosities were all either presented to
or purchased with books.
We can procure any quantity of curiosities for
idols however are scarce, perhaps not a single
any note. The feathered wreaths would also be
to be obtained for money or anything but love.
I have
Boston
inform
unless
us by our friends
books. The
one remains of
very difficult
directed Capt. Smith to put the above articles on board a
Packet at the same time send a line to you by mail and
you by what vessel they are sent. The spear may be lost
particularly inquired for.
I am dear Sir, most affectionately
Yours,
Wm. Richards.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Missionary Rooms, Boston.
R eceived April 24, 1829.
1
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 145
Honolulu, Island of Oahu,
August 13, 1829.
Very Dear and respected Brother Anderson:
Having been recently confined from business for more than a
month by sickness & still being rather feeble, and duties
pressing upon me with more than usual urgency, my communica
tions to the Board must now be short. N o public letter has
gone from the station at Lahaina since Sept. last, but as
there is now an opportunity of sending and I am the only
person who can improve it, my communications must answer
instead of a joint letter.
I have written my testimony on the Perc ival case & enclose
it in a short letter to Mr. Evarts. I shall also in another
letter, bring down the account of the station to the time
I left it.
Four months ago I received yours of July 28th, 1828, and one
from M r . Evarts of July 29th. These have not been answered.
As these letters came open, or rather in an envelope addressed
to the missionaries generally, they fell into the hands of
others before I saw them. Considering this and the nature of
the subject to which they relate, I designed to have laid
them before the mission at the general meeting . The meeting
however was postponed on account of Mr. Green's absence, and
now in consequence of my recent illness and a variety of other
circumstances, there is little prospect that I shall be present
at the general meeting.
I therefore in accordance with your
suggestions have concluded to write you freely on the subject
myself. In what I say I shall refer alike to your letter and
to that of Mr. S . as you doubtless saw that, or a copy of it.
It is not my design to make a separate reply to that, though per
haps I ought to do it; but as you distinctly solicited free re
marks in return, I can feel much more freedom in writing to you.
The two letters were handed me in connection with a large number
of others from American friends.
The well known hand of M r . Evarts
I quickly recognised, and this being the first letter that he has
addressed to me as an individual, I eagerly perused its contents.
Yours next met my eye, and under such circumstances I trust that
neither you nor M r . E. will be disappointed when you are assured
that they awakened strong emotions. I do not mean that you are
not fully aware of all the palliating circumstances even if I erred.
These you seem to have fully apprehended, and have even added one
which I am very sure was the least of all which induced me to
pursue the course I did, viz. "The danger of my family". You will
easily perceive however the ground of my feeling as I did on the
reception of your letters. For you know, I trust by experience,
how pleasant it is for one to believe that he enjoys the full
confidence of his friends. But the higher this pleasure rises,
the keener must be the pain of knowing that this confidence is
�731.
diminished.
While reflecting on the contents of your letters, which called
up the scenes of that memorable evening in all their reality and
awakened emotions not less tender and in some respects not less
unpleasant than the original, I well reccollected the exclamation
which was more than once made " O should a wrong touch be given”.
And now the thought that in the opinion of my patrons and friends,
that a wrong touch had been given, called up feelings which I
hope never to experience again. But I must hasten to speak of the
two points touched on in your letters.
Have I interfered or intermeddled with the political or party
concerns of the people among whom I reside?
When Mr. Bingham & myself concluded that I had better call on
Hoapili, we very well knew that we were the only persons who could
in any probability effect a reconciliation between him and Capt. C.
and we were aware that this was known both by natives & foreigners
and that it would be thought of by the latter. It even had been
thought of as was proved by the foreigners and that it would be
thought of by the latter. It even had been thought of as was
proved by the foreigner who came to us.
We had seen Capt. C . and said all that we thought could have any
influence on a madman. It was to us, uncertain whether Hoapili
knew that a firing was about to take place. It therefore appeared
to us certain that we ought not to sit entirely still. What less
could we do than go and see them? Was it inferferance to go there?
When I arrived at the house of Hoapili, I was entirely ignorant of
his plans, although I knew pretty well those of Capt. C. I of course
inquired of Hoapili whether he was acquainted with Capt. C .'s
design of firing, and what course he designed to pursue in reference
to it. A conversation ensued between him and me in which Capt. C.
and some others took some part. During this conversation he by
various questions indirectly solicited my advice. He could not do
it directly even had he wished, as there were too many foreigners
present who would have understood his questions. How here was one
of my pupils, a christian ruler designing to act according to the
instructions I had given him from the bible, and it could not be
otherwise than that he should under such circumstances lean on me
for advice. A multitude of enemies were watching for something by
which they might change the evil on me should there be any. A
multitude of natives were waiting with anxiety to see the result
of this difficulty which had arisen as a consequence of the taboo.
The interests of our cause were most deeply involved. I endeavored
to call to mind everything which could aid me in forming an opinion
as to what I ought to do. I recollected the resolution of the mission
passed in general meeting at Kailua in the autumn of 1826. These
resolutions I suppose are approved by the Board, or we should have
been informed of it before now; and these resolutions would bear me
out in going much further than I did go.
When I say I recollected these resolutions, I do not mean that I
thoroughly ??? the subject in view of them, for I confess that the
propriety of giving such a kind of indirect advice as I did, under
such circumstances never seriously occurred to my mind until the
reception of your letter, and in all my conversations with my
%
brethren and the foreigners I have never heard the question agitated.
�732.
Were I to see a pupil of mine engaged in a quarrel with a man
who had attacked him without any reason, but who through his
superior curring and agility bad gained the complete advantage,
and my pupil should say to me, "Shall I let this man go, or
hold him till he kills me and some of my fellows?" and I should
answer, "Would it not be better to let him go? I think I should
in this ease be guilty of precisely the same kind of interference
that I was on the evening I called on Hoapili.
Indeed it does
not appear that to the mind of any of the foreigners present,
unfriendly & jealous as they were, my conduct had the least aspect
of interfereance.
They even boasted afterwards that the Gov. was "fooled by Capt.
C. 's promise to bring the females on shore, if he found them on
board". And this promise of his was the ground on which he was
set at liberty. My opinion was on the whole pretty clearly
expressed to Hoapili, but it was not without his previous solicita
tion, and then by questions and remarks on the probable consequences
of the different courses which he himself suggested. Had I said
less than I did, and had Hoapili pursued a different course, and
had he or the people suffered in consequence of pursueing that
course, I have no doubt but he and the people would have felt either
that I was ignorant of consequences as themselves and thus in a
degree involved with them, or if I saw them likely to suffer and
had not when solicited given any answer, that I was in a degree
accountable for what they suffered. As it was, such things as
these were said in time of the firing, "You see now what we get
by following the missionaries".
The only thing which this proves
is, that it is impossible for the people to suffer for righteous
ness, sake without the interest of our cause being involved, and
also, how very undesirable it is that they should be called thus
to suffer, and of course that we cannot be in all respects mutual,
though we may not interfere.
I now come to the second point in question, viz. whether my advice
had "a tendency to bring off Capt. C. victorious in his villany".
In other words was it the wisest a n d best?
I will here remark that in reviewing ray letters in connection with
yours, I perceive we have failed in our delineation of the character
of Hoapili. We have represented him as bold and fearless, deter
mined, persevering, energetic and pious - We have mentioned facts
to prove him so. But there is another part of his character of
which we have not been called to speak so particularly until now.
He is anything else rather than a suspecting man - he can hardly
be said to be ever jealous, even of an enemy. Were he going to
attack an army, he would disdain to do it in the night; he would
certainly do it in the day time, and probably would not take the
least precautions to prevent the enemy from knowing it before hand.
He is incapable of intrigue or plot, and is not aware that others
can be guilty of them. He cannot be said to act according to a
fixed plan, and indeed is incapable of forming and maturing one
on an extensive scale, and here is his weakest side. Even on that
very evening, while he showed his Christian spirit and his zeal in
promoting the cause of morality, he also showed how unqualified
he was to cope with foreign intrigue and base opposition.
He was
ready to suffer anything in the defense of his laws, and even to
risk his life. But after taking the stand he had, it was necessary
for him to proceed much farther than he had any design of doing, in
�733.
order to accomplish his object. Instead of confining Capt. C .
as soon as he began to threaten, he permitted him to have h i s
full liberty, and had Capt. C . formed the plan of getting into
another boat and going off to his ship, there is but little
doubt he might have effected it. But he disdained to go off
without taking his own boat with him.
He probably had more regular communication with his ship than
he had before during the whole time he had lain in the Roadstead.
And though Hoapili might, from the threats of Capt. C . have
seized all his men on shore as hostages, or at least held them
in confinement until the settlement of the difficulty, yet all
the men were permitted to off and join the remainder of the crew,
except a boatsteerer, whom Capt. C . himself detained as a servant,
and when the Capt. or his servant wished to pass, the gate was
opened as readily and with as little form as for the Gov. himself.
Neither had Hoapili any fixed plan by which to resist Capt. C.'s
aggressions. Had the sailors come on shore to attack the Gov. he was
calculating and was prepared effectually to repel them. But he
designed to suffer the firing from the ship through the night
without any resistance, and though he spoke of going with Capt. C.
to a place of safety, yet he made no preparation and there was no
doubt but both the chiefs and people would all be considerably
exposed, if the firing took place.
Under these circumstances, it was as clear as possible to my
own mind that there was not only going to be an exposure of lives,
but also that Capt. C. would come off victorious unless there could
be some one to stand by Hoapili to act as his advisor from step to
step, for even if Capt. C . could not get off to his ship, there was
nothing to prevent h e r from weighing anchor, and in twelve hours
she would have been at Oahu, in which case the Gov. would have to
contend with the consuls and all the foreigners of the islands.
Even this I should not have regretted much, had I seen evidence
that the Gov. was prepared for such a struggle. But I knew he was
not. Beside this I saw how easy it would be for the females to be
landed secretly, and then for Capt. C. to come on Hoapili for
false imprisonment, unless there w ere some one to act as an attorney
for the chiefs and tell them how to proceed in procuring evidence,
for themselves and also in disproving the evidence of Capt. C.
Several other ways I saw for him to escape which I cannot be so
particular as to relate. N ow every one will see that I could not
have advised Hoapili under these circumstances so as to have done
him any good, without taking the whole management of the business
on myself from step to step. A simple suggestion would not have
answered the purpose.
I must have gone so far as to have in reality, and in view of the
world, borne the responsibility myself. It was too late to suggest
to him to confine Capt. C.'s men who were on shore, & it was too
late to suggest the seizure of his boats, who came to receive
orders and then render it perfectly easy to seize the ship without
endangering lives. It was too late to prevent Capt. C. from
maturing his plans with his crew. Indeed there was in my opinion
no alternative but to suffer the firing as long as the crew should
be pleased to fire, or to make an attack on the ship. The
responsibility of even suggesting this latter course would have
been far too great for me as a missionary or even a Christian to
bear. F or the sacrificing of some lives and the taking of others
must have been the consequence.
�734.
Should the firing take place I saw that the death of the Princess
(of whom I thought much more than of any other person in Lahaina,
not excepting my own family) the death of the Gov . or of any other
chief in Lahaina might have been the consequence, and all this
because they stood in defense of the taboo. The Vital interests
of our cause therefore were most deeply involved.
On the other hand, Capt. C. promised to bring the females on shore
if he could find them on board - that there should be a full settle
ment the next morning at 9 o'clock,
though I did not place the
least particle of confidence in this promise, yet here was obstensible ground for his release and was a good shield for Hoapili against
the charge of going back. Under these circumstances I could not
doubt, and were the same to occur again, could not doubt, as to the
course which Christian prudence and the purest wisdom would suggest.
Pacts as they have occurred since go far to prove to me that no
other advice to the Gov. would probably have terminated the difficul
ty so happily for our cause or for the chiefs. Hoapili did go so
far as to convince all, both foreigners and natives, that the taboo
at Lahaina could not be broken or even bent without hazard.
No
open attack has been made upon it since, so that it does not appear
that his law suffered even from this apparent retreat. He also
threw the whole opprobrium of the transaction upon Capt. C . for I
have heard many foreigners say, that Hoapili while he showed his
determination, he also showed great mildness and forbearance, for
as soon as Capt. C . only promised to bring the females on shore,
he was set at liberty.
But while the subject appears so clear to my mind, it does not seem
at all strange to me that you felt just as you did feel, nor that
you formed such an opinion as you did. You must have felt much
indignation at the conduct of Capt. C . that you could not be recon
ciled to anything that should in the least save him from proper
punishment, and knowing the ground which Hoapili first took, you
would naturally expect that he would receive his proper punishment
in his hands. But
assure you, if I had seen any probability
that Hoapili would have come off victorious and accomplished his
object in the detention of Capt. C . I should by no means have given
such advice as I did, for I never in my life had so strong a
desire to see a company of men put down and punished as I did the
officers and crew of the John Palmer. But I do not think there is
much danger that the like will ever occur again.
The subject is now before you. I think of nothing more which
would throw much more light upon it. If on the reception of
this it is considered that I was guilty of interferance it is
important that we as a mission should receive some new instructions
on the subject, for we all act on the same plan. I shall feel
particularly anxious to receive an answer to this, and trust you
will write me with the same freedom as I have you. If you see any
thing amiss in what I have written, I trust you will still exercise
towards me the same candor and good feeling as you and Mr. E.
manifested in your letters.
May you and we be endowed most richly with that wisdom which is
from above, and have that heavenly guidance which will effectually
preserve us from error, either in action or in judgment.
Your distant, but Devoted Brother
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 146
Honolulu, Island of Oahu,
Sandwich Islands, Aug. 14, 1829.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Cor. Sec. A .B .C .F.M .
The following are the facts & circumstances, as far as I
know them, which have a bearing on the character, and tend to
show the influence of Lieut. John Percival, of the United
States schooner Dolphin, who visited these islands in the
early part of the year 1826.
I will first state that I have resided at these Islands more
than six years, during which time I have had much intercourse
with the chiefs and people, and have had a good opportunity
to observe their manners and customs, also to ascertain their
laws & mark their influence.
When I arrived here, immorality of almost every kind w a s
practiced among all classes of people, from the highest to the
lowest. During the six years which I have resided here, con
siderable change has taken place, and most of the chiefs and
many of the people appear to have taken a stand in favour of
morality.
The chiefs have laid many tabus of prohibitions on
the practices of iniquity which, according to my observation
have had great effect in checking the vices of the country.
The power of laying tabus is vested in the chiefs. Any chief
has power to lay a tabu, and this tabu extends to all the people
of that chief, who are more or less numerous according to the
rank and popularity of the chief. The tabu often extends much
farther than to his own people. The tabus of the highest class
of chiefs extend in a great degree to all the people of the
islands. I have known frequent instances of punishment, where
the tabus of one chief of one island have been broken by the
people of a chief belonging to another island. The tabus of the
king , and also the tabus of the Regent or Regents, are according
to my observation alike binding on all the people of all the
islands.
In the autumn of 1825, while I was residing at Lahaina on the
island of Maui, I was told by the chiefs who then had charge
of that island, that there had been a tabu laid, prohibiting fe
males from visiting ships for purposes of prostitution, and
that they were determined to see this tabu observed.
I did not then know whether the tabu existed on the other islands
or not. But in January 1826 I visited this island where I re
mained about four months. When I arrived, the Dolphin, Lieut.
Percival was lyinginthe harbour here. During my residence at this
place, I frequently saw and conversed with Karaimoku & Kaahumanu,
who were the acknowledged and I believe regularly appointed
Regents of the islands during the minority of the king. During
the first few weeks after my arrival I often heard them speak of
�736.
a tabu or prohibition on females visiting ships for purposes of
prostitution. They usually spake of it as ke tabu, or the tabu.
I frequently heard them speak of the anger of the foreign residents
and visitants on account of this tabu. At one time I heard
Kaahumanu say that she had heard there were some females on board
one of the ships, and had sent a man to see, and had ordered him,
if he found any to bring them before her. At another time I heard
her speak of a certain woman by the name of Nakoko, who she said had
occasioned her much trouble, by her boldness and perseverance, and
by her leading others to visit ships for prostitution.
She said
the woman was at that time on board one of the ships, but by her
cunning, and by the aid of the foreigners, eluded all the searches
of her men. The woman was afterwards taken and banished to the
island of Tahoolawe.
This sentence was passed upon her about the
15th of Feb., but was not carried into execution until the chiefs
of Maui to whom the business was committed, returned to Lahaina,
which was I think in the month of May.
She was then carried to Tahoolawe whence she was detained as prisoner
about six months. I often heard other chiefs and people at this
place speak of the tabu; also foreign residents and sailors that came
on shore from ships.
From there and a great variety of other circumstances, of the same
general character, I then supposed & now believe that the tabu was
as regularly laid & was as generally understood as any tabu which
then existed at the islands. The anger which I saw exhibited at
the tabu both by sailors and by some residents and particularly
by the crew of the English ship Daniel the 4th, and the schooner
Dolphin, seemed to me to demonstrate, not merely the ex istance of
a tabu, but also that the tabu was to a great extent observed.
During the stay of Lieut. Percival at the islands, I was not often
in his company and never heard him speak in direct and definite
terms of the above mentioned tabu, though once I heard him say, as
nearly as I recollect, the following words, "They have too many
tabus here for me, but I ’ll put 'um right before I go away - If
they undertake to do anything with me, they’ll find they've caught
a tartar".
Whether he in these remarks referred to the tabu on females, or
the tabu on Sabbath breaking, I did not know, but supposed he referred
to both.
I often heard both from the chiefs and people that Lieut. P .
was very angry at the tabu on females. I often heard Karaimoku
and Kaahumanu as well as the other chiefs, speak on the subject, and
they expressed much anxiety as to the manner which they should
withstand his opposition.
In speaking of him, I never heard them call him by name, or speak
of him with respect. They often, if not generally, spoke of him
as "ke kanako kobohe," that is, the mischievous chief, or
"ke kanaka hehena", that is, the crazy or madman. I often heard from
the chiefs and also from the common people, that Lieut. Percival,
or "ke kanakahehena" threatened the missionaries, in case the tabu
was not taken off, and that he uttered his threats more particularly
against M r . Bingham. At one time just before the riot of the
26th of Feb. a high chief by the name of Piia called at the mission
house, together with her husband, and with the appearance of
�737.
agitation and strong feeling, inquired what they should do
when the people of the man of war should come up to make war
on the missionaries. Those of the mission who were present
treated the subject rather lightly, telling them that there
would he no such thing done.
They insisted that there would
be, for they said they had heard it from many persons. We then
made answer of the following import. "If drunken or mad sailors
come, then take care of them, but if officers come at their
head, then the great chief in America will make things right".
It another time a man by the name of Kalaikoa called and said
that Kaahumanu had sent him to inquire whether it would be proper
for her in compliance with Lieut. P.'s demands to liberate some
women who were in confinement for breach of the tabu.
I afterwards heard Kaahumanu speak of the same subject. She said,
the mischievous man of was was very angry because those females
were confined, and he had threatened to liberate them.
At our religious worship on Sabbath morning, Feb. 26th, several
foreigners were present; I think, however, did not arrive until
some time after service commenced. From the dress and appearance
of some of them, I supposed they belonged to the Dolphin. I
afterwards was told by others who knew them, that this was so. As
soon as worship was over Boki came to me and some of the other
missionaries who stood by, and said, "What have those men come for"?
I think it was M r . Chamberlain who replied, "Perhaps they have
come to listen t o our worship". He made answer of the following
import, "No they have not, b u t they have come for mischief".
This he said with much emphasis and expression.
The afternoon was somewhat rainy and I was in the chamber with
my sick family, not expecting there would be any public worship,
as the place where it was customarily held was in the open air.
Suddenly I heard a cry of the natives and on going to the door saw
them running toward M r . Bingham's house, exclaiming, "The foreigners
of the man of war are killing M r . Bingham. M r . Chamberlain &
Loomis immediately hasted to t h e spot, while I remained with my
family & the other females in the house.
I saw the evidence of the
riot - saw natives and foreigners running, some of whom had stones
and clubs, but particulars of the riot I cannot state from
personal observation.
I afterwards heard from the chiefs as well as from others, that on
the evening after the riot Lieut. Percival appeared still in a
rage at the existence of the tabu and declared his intention of
seeing it removed before he left the islands.
It was however but
a few days after this that the teachers of some of our schools
came and told us that their female pupils were scattered among the
ships as in former times, and that those women who had been in
confinement were released. After this I did not hear that any
special exertions were made to carry the tabu into force, though
I did not learn that the tabu was formally repealed.
From all I have heard, seen and known, my most deliberate opinion
is, that in consequence of the threats of Lieut. Percival and
his spirited exertions, the chiefs were disheartened, and therefore
�738.
ceased to punish a violation of the tabu, as they had done,
& that the knowledge of this was to the unprincipled, a signal
to return to their vicious practices. The evidence from which
this opinion is formed has to my own mind, all the weight of
the most positive testimony.
The above statements written by me, William Richards, this
14th day of August, A .D. 1829.
U.S. Consulate Sandwich Islands.
Personally came and appeared before me this day, William Richards,
and made oath that the facts stated in the written and annexed
to which he has subscribed his name are the truth and nothing
but the truth.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the
seal of this consulate at Oahu this eighteenth day of August,
A.D. 1829.
John C. Jones.
Deposition of M r . Richards.
Received Feb. 11 , 1830.
�739.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 147
Honolulu, August 18, 1829.
Dear Sir:
The enclosed are all the important facts which I can now
call to mind in relation to Lieut. Percival. The questions
proposed for us to answer, as far as I can answer them, I
have done it, in the enclosed paper. I could have been
more particular, but supposed a concise statement embracing
the most important facts, would be as valuable as anything
I could write. My recent ill health, and a variety of
circumstances which I shall speak of in my next communication,
prevent me from sending any communications except the enclosed
by the present conveyance.
Mr. Jones made no objections to administering to us the oath,
and giving the certificate according to our request. He is
entirely unacquainted with the subject to which they relate.
With respect, I am, Sir,
Your devoted Sevt.
William Richards.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Missionary Rooms, Boston, Mass.
Received Feb. 11, 1830.
�740.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
letter 147 1/2
Washington City, Thursday,
Jan. 8 , 1829.
My. dear Sir:
Yours of the 15th ult. accompanying a commission of special
agency from the A.B.C .F oreign Mission, and another of the
31st, containing directions for the right discharge of that
agency at the Sandwich Islands, have both been received.
The feeling with which I acknowledge the receipt of these
communications & contemplate the new attitude in which they
place me, to the gentlemen of the Committee & of the Board,
is a mingling of sadness & of pleasure. Of sadness because
the relation I have so long sustained to them as their
missionary to the Heathen is partially dissolved, & of pleasure
because in the Providence of God I am still permitted to be
their Servant with the prospects of promoting the interests
of the cause to which they are devoted.
The happiest days I have ever known or ever expect to know
on earth, were those of my residence as a missionary at the
Sandwich Islands. My only consolation is not being permitted
to return with my family to the same field in the same character.
Such does not appear to be the will of God. I was first lead
to submit myself to the disposal of the Board by the leadings
of Providence in connection with the desires of my own hearts:
dispensation, which I could not control or change, forced me
from the station they had assigned me - but only as I humbly b e
lieve to enable me more fully than I otherwise could have done
to promote the interest of their cause & my cause & the cause of
God.
Judging by data similar to that which in the proceeding instances
lead me to believe that my path was pointed out by providence,
I have reason to hope that the same condescension, wisdom and
goodness has guided me into a new path of duty, & that the ex
pedition now before me is one in which I may with the fear of
God, & trusting to his grace, do good to the souls of men, &
further the cause of righteousness & salvation.
If so, all will
be well.
In review of my life as a missionary abroad & a gent of the Board
in this country, I am humbled by a sense of shortcoming in the
discharge of duty - if any good has been accomplished by my
services it is only because the Lord worked by whom He will work
& to Him only be the praise.
I can only say for myself that
whatever my failures may have been, they never originated in any
desire or principle inconsistent with the highest interests of
the Board & the cause they patronize.
Should I in providence ever again be allowed to enter on the
active duties of missionary life - my past experience I trust will
cause me to be more devoted, more zealous, more self denied,
�741.
more blameless & more holy. And whatever may be my after
destiny, I shall feel it an honour, a pleasure & a solemn duty
to promote to the extent of my power the objects of the Board
& the missionary cause - the enlightening & redemption of the
world.
I am obliged to write in much haste but cannot conclude without
tendering to you my dear sir - to your associates at the rooms
& to the gentlemen of the Committee especially to Mr. Fay,
M r . Reed & M r Hubbard, my high respect & sincere gratitude for
the unvaried k indness & affectionate good-will I have received
from them since my connection with the society. If I have
failed in any instance in a becoming return, it has been a
failure of inadvertence, & not of design. May health & life be
continued to y o u all, & may the work of the Lord prosper in
your hands & the desire of your hearts be most gloriously ac
complished.
I am fearful I shall not have the pleasure of seeing you in
Washington. I must leave on Tuesday the 13th inst. to join the
ship at Norfolk. The exact time of sailing will remain uncertain.
I hope we may get off by the 2 oth at farthest - though we may not
till the list of Feb. Remember me affectionately to Mrs. Evarts,
Mrs. Washburn & your daughter, and believe me
Yours most respectfully & Sincerely
Chas. Saml. Stewart.
To:J. Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms, Boston.
Received Jan. 15, 1829.
�742
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 148
U.S.Ship Guerriese,
N orfolk, Va., Feb.
6
, 1829.
dear Sir:
The several causes of the long detention of the Guerriese have
been mentioned I presume in some of my letters to M r . Hill or
yourself. I did not leave Washington till it was reported to
the Navy Department that all things were in readiness. I came
down a week ago & joined the ship on the 1 st inst. N othing but
a head wind has since detained & does still detain us. There
are appearances now that it will become favourable soon, & we
are confidently expecting to unmoor in the morning & hope to
discharge our pilot as early as the morning of the Sabbath.
I have been so much occupied & have written so many letters to
different persons that I do not recollect how far I have in
formed you of the particulars of my visit at Washington.
I
saw an extract this morning from the Journal of Commerce in
which a pretty correct statement of the character of the letter
to the king & of the kind presents selected was given. You
have probably seen it & if I have not written so particularly to
the rooms on this point - I would refer you to it. I do not
know how it came into the paper - unless I may have given the
particulars to M r . Tracy or some other New York correspondent.
The only mistake (& it is one that may have been in my letter)
is in the bronse ink stand for the king.
That is a personal
present from myself.
In reference to the consulship at the Islands, I became satis
fied that it was too late in the session & in the present ad
ministration to succeed in completing the arrangement without
a man to nominate. And to bring the subject forward without
carrying it through would only have been to apprise Jones of the
intention of superceding him & of enabling him to raise interest
in his favour. Had the gentleman of N .G . determined to go &
come forward early in the session with Mr. Reed, etc. Capt. Jones
of the Peacock & others might have been brought forward to prove
the propriety & necessity of a change in that office - Mr. Hill
would have been appointed & have been sent out in the Guerriese.
Mr. Southard regretted that this had not been done. The cabinet
through his
?????? influence who prepared to act in the case.
It did not seem expedient either to request a letter from Mr. C l a y
to Jones.
The main point now is to gain evidence of Jones’ improper
influence there - and to secure a suitable person to take his place.
I shall make the former a special point in my visit & shall do all
I can to satisfy him that he must patronize the best interests
of the nation - ?? intellectual & religious interests & in so doing
must patronise the Mission. Unless he does deport himself correctly
he must & will be superseded . I had a letter from Mr. Ellis
yesterday - the most important information is that it is intended
by the friends of the cause at the Islands headed by M r . Wilberforce
&
�743.
& Sir Thomas Baring to send a deputation of some leading
members of Parliament accompanied by Lord Byron, to the
Secretary of State to report Charlton's ill conduct & secure
his removal. Capt. Buckle is in great trouble with his owners
& could ?? be produced of his taking the girl from Maui for
$160. He would be indicted under the laws regulating the
slaves traded. The owner of the John Palmer is a pious man
& will no doubt deal promptly with Capt. Clark. M r . Ellis
expects to visit the Islands again early next fall. Mrs.
Ellis remains in the same state as when last heard from.
As to Percival's case I presume the publication of the report
of the Court of Enquiry & of the Decision of the Executive &
their letter of admonition is already or is about to be made.
The delay the last month has arisen from M r . Southard's illness.
I have seen the letter & hope it will prove satisfactory to
the friends of the cause. It is not all they may wish, but I
am persuaded the goverment laws endeavoured to be impartial.
They are necessarily guided by the report of the (hole in paper)
& such an abstract of the testimony as they have been (hole)
furnish: to complain of their judgment of the case (hole)
do evil instead of good & from what I saw at Washington might do
an injury extensively.
The letter clearly acknowledges the impropriety of Percival's
conduct as exhibited by the testimony before the Court with the
unsatisfactory means of coming at the truth & declares him
deserving reproof. M r . Southard says you have unquestionably
misunderstood him in reference to the importance of Dr . Blatcheley's
evidence before the court - that he never could have thought or
said that his appearance was not essential. He feels unpleasantly
about it, & says that the responsibility of his absence in the
case rests with the Board & not with him. I trust the whole affair
will yet be made to conduce greatly to the prosperity of the cause
of Christ.
As to myself I am most unworthy of the kind intimation of duty &
the various dispensations of goodness that have marked out to me
my present expedition & prepared the way before m e . I have been
received on board the Guerriese with a degree of respect, civility
& attention that I could not have anticipated. Com. T. is all I
could have wished. I have a delightful stateroom, large, light,
airy & well furnished, adjoining his cabin, & share with him, his
captain & M r . Armstrong - an agent going to Peru-a ll the convenience
& elegance of his accommodations. And they are said to be superior
to those of any frigate in our Navy. For a home on the deep it is
splendid indeed. I have every facility for study & a wise im
provement of my time & if the voyage is not profitable to both my
mind & heart, the fault will be my own. But beautiful cabins &
rich furniture - personal comfort & self enjoyment are nothing &
less than nothing to be compared with the prospect of usefulness
opened to me. I have already ascertained that there are two or
three seriously disposed & at least one decidedly pious young man
on board. And in 500 there may be many others. I cannot but hope
that with the countenance of the Com. & consistency & prayerfulness
& watchfulness in myself, much good may be done in a reliance on
the Spirit of the most High.
I feel my weakness & insuffiency, but
will try & put my trust in God. It is said that the Ship's Company
are uncommonly interesting. I have not seen & drop of spirits
�744.
either in the Cabin or Ward room at any time - not even at
dinner in the ward room. Water only is drunk so far as I can
discover. I do not doubt that you and all my friends will pray
for me & for this Ship. If I know myself, I wish only to promote
the kingdom of God whether among my own countrymen or among the
heathen. I do trust that my voyage will not be in vain; either
to this ship - the mission & islanders or to my own soul. May
every blessing be with you dear sir, and your associates & the
cause you support. My love to your own family, to the gentlemen
of the Rooms & to all friends - Farewell
Pray for us - pray for
us.
Yours most sincerely & affectionately,
Chas. Saml. Stewart.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston.
Received Feb. 14, 1829.
�745.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 149
U.S. Ship Vinceimes,
Honolulu - Oahu,
N ov. 24, 1829.
My dear Sir:
Whether you expected to hear from me earlier than my arrival
at the Sandwich Islands, or not, I know you would have taken
pleasure in the receipt of a letter. A Minute Journal to
Mrs. Stewart, however, has so fully occupied the time I could
spare from other duties when at sea & from observation when in
port, that I have written to very few of m y friends.
It was my intention to have written at least an outline of
my visit here, to transmit directly home, but though we have
been nearly eight weeks at different places in the group, it has
literally been impracticable for me to prepare anything satis
factory - and now it is impossible for we shall be under way
before I can get my packet sealed. Full, & I doubt not, interesting
accounts of the last twomonths are prepared by the Missionaries
& will reach you soon. They will apprise you of the most important
events & of the general impression from the visit of the Vinceimes.
It is all that could have been expected & has surpassed my hopes:
from the first suggestion of the expedition to me, or rather the
proposition of my accompanying it. I felt that I might be more in
the way of duty by acceding to it than by taking any other course.
That concoction has increased rather than diminished & I am now
fully persuaded that it has been of vital importance to the happy
result in which we all rejoice with humble thanksgiving.
I think
a new era in the history of this people will be stamped by the
Vinceimes.
I have been enabled to visit all the stations except that at Tauai,
& to see all the missionaries except M r . Green, who was on the
coast & Mr. & Mrs. Gulick . Everything connected with the progress
of the great cause here is cheering & ripe with promise of still
greater things - the harvest for eternal Life is rich & wide, with
scarcely a reaper to tens of thousands. Hawaii at this moment with
her 90 thousands has two labourers only on all her coasts, while
every village & every district in all her borders echoes night &
day to the inquiry "What shall we do to protect eternal life" "Come
over & help us - Come over & help us"! - I do not know how it will
be possible for the Committee - the Board - & the American churches
to (hole in paper) another reinforcement here.
I shall do all in my power to have a (hole in paper) Report of our
visit prepared ok my way home, & shall as soon as practicable after
ay arrival, if so happy a destiny is mine, direct my course to Boston.
We expect to visit Canton & Manilla in the Chinese Seas - and the
Cape of Good Hope & St. Helena on our way thence home. Ido not think
we need be expected before some time in July - till then I shall
expect the remittances from Mr . Hill to be made to Mrs. Stewart in
�746.
the regularity requested previous to my departure.
I am ashamed almost to ask you to excuse this hasty scrawl.
On
Saturday there was no probability of our going today, but a
change in the weather has caused an order for sailing in a few
minutes.
My affectionate rememberance to Mrs Evarts, your sons & daughters,
and M r . & Mrs. Anderson & families
to the gentlemen of the
Committee & all who would feel an interest in the rememberance.
(I could write a quire in expression of all I have seen & f e l t
since I have been here & regret to send a word only. My heart is
filled with gratitude & joy at the prospects of the church &
nation. The king I trust is safe as to the influence he will exert
forever hereafter - he is an uncommonly fine young man. )
As ever, yours sincerely,
Chas. Saml. Stewart.
To: J/ Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received May 25, 1830.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 150
Cooper’s Town - Ottego Co. H.G.
July 8 , 1830.
My dear Sir:
I little thought when I landed in lew York a month ago, that
my first letter to you would hear this date - but the first
intelligence that met me was of so distressing & nature, that
I could attend to nothing not absolutely necessary, while I
remained in the city; & since my arrival here I have at no
time had spirits sufficient to write a letter of the character
I wished.
At the time I reached this place, & till within a few days past,
Mrs. Stewart's case was not only pronounced hopeless, but her
death almost daily looked for - & had I written, it would only
have been to inform you of my arrival - a fact of which you
were then apprised.
During the last week, there has been a
partial alleviation of some of the most alarming symptoms of
her state, & she is more comfortable, though we dare scarce be
lieve her materially better. Her disease is pronounced by a
skillful surgeon a masenterick tumour, & her case at best ex
ceedingly critical. The issue must be left with Him who does
not willingly afflict.
Had I found my family in health it was my intention to have
visited Boston early after reaching home, but as I am now situated
it is altogether uncertain when I may have that gratification.
Particular, & what I conceived important reasons,
have deterred
me from drafting a formal report for the Committee of my visit
at the Islands.
I have a full private journal & much interesting
matter which will come before them in some form or another & as
early as practicable on my part. So great a degree of jealousy
in regard to my agency from the Board was manifested by some of
my fellow officers & by others that I think it most prudent to
make no special written report in that character. N one of the
advantages of my visit will be lost or diminished by the omission,
& possible disadvantages will be avoided.
As to the importance of my voyage I am still fully persuaded
that, humanly speaking, it was incalculable, to the interests &
further triumphs of the Mission. The expense attending it to the
Treasury I think need never be regretted. I do not know how
late your last dates from the Islands are, but I think you must
from the missionaries have interesting notices of the visit of
the Vinceimes, & I trust will receive accounts for a long time
to come of permanent benefits traceable to the influence exerted
by her commander & officers.
The six points of attention specified in your letter of instruction
of Deo. 23, 1828 were all duly remembered.
The kind feelings of
confidence & affection towards the Missionaries expressed by the
Committee in the name of the Board were warmly & sincerely recip-
�748.
rocated. A ll the information that could be secured in two
cases of important inquiry had been transmitted to you, &
I have nothing in reference to them in my possession.
You, my dear Sir, will be kind enough to present my affectionate
regards to the gentlemen of the Rooms & of the Committee.
I shall before long write to M r . Hill to whom Mrs. Stewart &
myself are indebted for great kindness. If in m y power,I shall
visit Boston before a long time - I must as early as practicable An hour’s conversation would be more satisfactory in reference
to my visit than a month's correspondence. It may, or it may not,
be a matter of surprise to be informed that I have determined to
publish at least an outline of my voyage - the original & principal
motives is a benefit to Missions. The moment Mrs. Stewart's state
will allow, I shall begin to prepare the M .J.S . for the press.
Remember me affectionately to M r s . Evarts, your daughters &
sister, to M r . Hill & all friends. Mrs. Stewart joins me in
these salutations & desires with me an interest in your prayers.
Yours respectfully & Affectionately,
Chas. Saml. Stewart.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
$
Received July 13, 1830.
�749.
32 June 1828 - Au g . 1830
XI
Letter 151
Minutes of M r . Stewart's Statements.
Oct. 1, 1829 Mauna Kea in sight at 6 P.M .
Friday, Oct . 2 - At 11 A .M . went into the boat - and
landed at Hido.
Meeting at Hido, Sabbath Oct. 4 - the power of the Gospel
on untutored man.
Visit to the volcano.
Arrival at Oahu - landed at Honolulu Oct. 14. Visit very
salutary. Capt. Finch formed a just estimate of
things. Understood characters well.
Charlton & Jones foiled in their attempts to slander the mission.
Kaahumanu & Nahienaena & other chiefs behaved with great propriety.
The Mission advancing in all respects with great regularity
and efficiency.
The progress much greater than could have been anticipated;
and much greater than could be supposed from a reading
of the published accounts.
Memoranda of Rev. C.S. Stewart
Taken Aug. 12, 1830.
�750.
32 June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 152
Lahaina (Maui) M ay 1828.
Dear Sir:
In the good providence of God we have been permitted to arrive
at the place of our destination, to set our feet on heathen
shores for the purpose as we hope of making known the plan of
Salvation to those that have long abode in ignorance. I came
to this place last week and this is the second day that I
consider as belonging to my missionary labours. I am beginning
in earnest to learn the language of these Islands. Our joint
letters will make you acquainted with our arrival and the cir
cumstances attending it. The occasion of this letter originated
as I suppose in a mistake concerning the particular books pro
cured for me. N ot having been able to bring my books from
Kentucky, I depended on the Board to procure them. The amount
of $91.17 was procured but the books were not seen by me until
since we arrived, and a bill of them was not given me until an
hour or two before we sailed. The books have all come to
hand marked on the bill (except three or four) said are all use
ful and good, but most of them not immediately adapted to studies
in my department, that of translating the old testament. Of the
$91. worth of books procured for me only the following will be
of direct assistance: 1. Septuagint. 2 . Vulgate. 3 . Lowth's Isaiah.
4 . Do on Heb. Poetry. 5 . Horne's Introduction. 6 . Schleusner in
yet. Test. 7 . Rosenmuller on the Pentateuch. The day before we
sailed M r . Rand of Boston presented to us Poole's Synopsis, 3
volumes. Besides these I brought from Ky. Van der Hooght's Heb.
Bib. 2 Gibb's Lex. 3 Stuart's Gram. 4 Jahn's Archeology. I find
no fault at all with those books, they are just such as I should
have chosen myself, but I should have extended the list somewhat
further. A cobbler could make a better shoe with good tools than
the best workman without any or an imperfect supply. I have no
objection to digging and digging deep and among rocks for the
waters of life, but I should beg for something to dig with besides
my fingers.
I am highly pleased with my business and wish to stop
at no point short of the utmost that man can do. I wish to be
come thoroughly versed in Oriental literature not only the Heb.
but all its cognate dialects and every science that will throw
light on the interpretation of the sacred scriptures. It is now
out of my power to procure books for such studies, but I am will
ing and anxious to engage in them. I would commence the study of
German if I had books, so as to gain something from that quarter.
I have such a smattering of french as would enable me to under
stand most of their books. I shall look to other sources
than the Board for classicks and scientific works.
I dare not, Sir, make out a complete list of all the books I
suppose necessary, but shall put down a few. And if you could
Sir consult Professor Stuart, he can doubtless make a better
selection than I can.
In the following list those considered most necessary are put
first.
�751.
Taylor's Heb. Concordance
Tromius' Concord of Sept.
Simonis Heb. Lex. (Eich horn's ed.)
Walton's Prolegomena
Jahn's Heb. Bib.
Do
Heb. Gram. or
Elemens de la Grammaire Hebraique
Par I.E. Cellerier
Glass's Sacred Philology (Dathe's ed. )
Leigh's critica Sacra (F ol. ed. 1696)
Calmet's Dictionary of the Bible
Storr's Observations
Carpzovius' Introd. ad lib. Vet. Test.
Bagster's Polyglott (Quart. ed. with Lee's prolegom.)
Shuckford & Prideaux
Josephus (Greek ed. if to be obtained)
On the N ew Test Kuinoel's Commentary
Coppian Testament.
If the cognate dialects be taken in, a set of Chaldaic ,
Syriac and Arabic books will be necessary. But a few elementary
German books might eventually do much good.
To a philanthropic Christian it seems almost impossible for one
to ait in his study and turn over volumes while there is so much
of an active pastoral business to be done, so much preaching so much talking - and so many to listen; but this will never
cease until mental aliment is prepared for them. The business of
book making is to be the business of our lives. And no people
can become a Christian people until they have been taught to think.
Very affectionately yours,
Lorrin Andrews
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received Dec. 6, 1828.
�752.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 153
Honolulu, June 10, 1828.
Dear Sir:
You will receive, in a joint letter, a brief account of our
voyage & arrival. My object, in the present communication,
is to say something which relates more particularly to myself.
The brethren here very readily accede to your suggestion with
regard to my location, but seemed to hesitate with regard to
the propriety of devoting my attention particularly to foreigners.
To make any very special efforts for foreigners, they thought,
would be rather an unwelcome & hopeless task, & that my labours
among the natives would, on the whole, turn to far greater account.
Mr. Bingham's health is feeble, & the call for missionary labour
among the natives at this & at all the stations, is very press
ing.
The brethren, however, thought that the case of seamen &
foreign residents ought not to be overlooked, & if possible,
something more should be done for their spiritual good than has
been done heretofore.
The number of foreign residents, in this village, is probably
2 or 3 hundred. Most of them are far gone in the way to ruin.
To human appearance, there is but little prospect of doing them
much good. The prospect with regard to seamen is but little
better. Most of the ships which touch here are whaleships.
They
usually tarry but a short time, & during that time, the hands
are very much occupied on board.
They are allowed but little
time on shore, & that time they usually devote to a drunken
frolick, or to something worse. These circumstances render ef
forts for seamen more difficult in this port than in almost any
other. I think, however, something could be done for them even
here, if a person could direct his attention particularly to
them. It is sometimes the case, though not often, that ships
with pious captains touch here. There has been an instance of
this kind since our arrival. In such case, access may be ob
tained to the crew. Soon after our arrival, I preached on board
the Enterprise, Capt. Swain from Nantucket, to a considerable
collection of seamen. Worship was attended on board this ship
every Sabbath evening while in port. But this was a peculiar
case. There seems to have been quite an attention to religion
on board this ship before she arrived in port.
Some of the
officers & several of the crew indulged hopes of having experienced
a saving change since leaving America. M r . Stetson, the young
man, whom M r . Stewart mentions in his journal as having addressed
a line to him upon the subject of religion, was the first mate.
He appears to be an interesting & pious young man. When this ship
sailed, no other stood ready to receive the Bethel Flag, & it has
not since been hoisted. But while the ships were in port, a
considerable number of Capts. & others attended the English service
at the meeting house.
�753 *
I hardly know what course to take with regard to foreigners,
or how much of my time should be devoted to them. There has
been an English service at this station of some kind I believe,
ever since the first establishment of the mission. It has
sometimes been held at the meeting house, & sometimes at
M r. Bingham's. There has not been preaching regularly. Since
our arrival, there has been a serman regularly at 1 1 o'clock in
the meeting house. Before the whale ships sailed, there was
something of an audience, and there are now a few who attend
regularly, & several others who occasionally attend. I shall
endeavour to keep up this service, & this is the principal labour
that I can bestow upon foreigners. And this, you can readily
perceive, will be no small tax upon my time. The few, who attend
this meeting will not be satisfied with an unstudied harangue.
They comprise also almost every variety of character. I consider
it much more difficult to prepare a sermon for this audience,
than for most audiences in lew England.
Besides this service, I
shall be looking out for other opportunities of doing good to
foreigners by distributing Bibles, tracts, etc., but shall not
probably be able to visit them much . If M r . Bingham's health
should continue to fail him, I may find it necessary, after I
have acquired the language, to devote my attention more exclusive
ly to the natives. I shall be grateful for any suggestions you
may make with regard to the course I should pursue.
Our reception, dear Sir, by this people, has been in the highest
degree gratifying. A great door & effectual is opened to us, &
there are some, but I cannot say many adversaries. The prospects
of the mission, I think, are more flattering t h a n I anticipated.
It is true, we are called to witness some unpleasant sights, &,
from foreigners, some bitter opposition, but there is more docility
& eagerness for instruction among the people generally, than I
expected, &, among the chiefs especially, far more politeness &
intelligence.
There seems to be nothing but means wanting to
increase the operations of the mission to almost any extent.
Meetings are thronged, books are eagerly called for, schools are
established in almost every part of the Islands, &, we would hope,
in some cases, the spirit of God is giving efficacy to devine truth.
I attended a church meeting a few evenings since, which strongly
reminded me of similar meetings in my own land. About 2 0 native
members of the church were present - several of them high chiefs.
Four persons were examined for admission to the church.
They all
appeared to have a good acquaintance with the leading truths of
the gospel & with their own hearts, but I was particularly in
terested with the simplicity & apparent sincerity of one of them,
a female. After giving an interesting account of her course of
life & her present views & feelings, she was asked what she should
do, if the missionaries & the chiefs should turn back & speak
against the word of God. She said with much apparent feeling,
that she had not thought of that - she hardly knew what she should
do, but the great desire of her heart was to follow the words of
God until she died. Several others are expected to unite with the
church before long.
I become daily more & more interested in this people, & rejoice
with all my heart, that Providence has directed me to this interest
ing field of labour.
Yours in the hands of the Gospel,
E.W.Clark.
CONT. ON NEXT SHEET.
�P.S.
On looking over my library I can think of many books which
I should like. The brethren here seem to regret that they have
not a better supply of books, especially of critical works on
the Scriptures to aid in translating. I received from (hole in
paper) & Brewster the first volume of Prof. Stuart's Com. on
Heb. I should like to have the 2nd sent - also Dr. Wood's lectures
on baptism & any other books that may be published at Andover.
Jahn's Archaeology I should like, or what would be still better
Horn's Introduction entire. It is in vain for us to depend much
upon one another for books, especially for books of reference.
There is a new periodical work published at N.Y. that takes the
place of the Christian Observer, which I should like very much.
I forget the name.
E (C).W.C.
To: Jeremiah Everts, Esq.,
Boston, Mass.
Received Dec. 5, 1828.
�755.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 154
Honolulu, Oahu, Oct. 13, 1828.
Very dear Sir:
I addressed a letter to the corresponding Sec. in June, in
which I made some remarks respecting the field of labour
assigned me by the Board. I have not as yet found it ex
pedient to deviate essentially from their instructions. A
considerable part of my time since our arrival has been
devoted to preaching in English. I have also distributed
several Bibles & a considerable number of tracts, principally
among seamen - attended one funeral & for two or three weeks
visited almost daily a sick man, who exhibited on his death
bed some evidence of repentance. The funeral of this man was
entrusted to Mr. Jones. He was told, that I had attended him
during his sickness, & asked if I should be sent for to
attend his funeral, but he chose to perform the funeral services
himself. I mention this because it may be said, as it has been,
that the missionaries here suffer foreigners to be buried
near their doors without paying any attention to them. The
English Consul has performed the same service in one or two
instances since I have been here. In all these eases, I have
been ignorant of the death of the persons until they were buried.
Our English congregation on the Sabbath is very small - During
the summer not more than 10 or 12 besides the mission families.
Since the arrival of the fall ships, it has increased to 20 or
30. The mass of foreigners here pay no regard to religion or
even morality. It has, however, been very peaceable times
since our arrival. Foreigners, with whom we have had any in
tercourse, have treated us with civility, and some of them often
call upon us and manifest sincere friendship.
My labours among the natives have as yet amounted to but very
little. I have devoted some attention to the native language,
& by a little assistance from Mr. Bingham, have been able to
preach some in Hawaiian. My knowledge of the language, however,
is yet very imperfect. If I remain at this station, it will be,
I fear, a long time before I shall be able to preach with ease
in the native language.
A mysterious Providence is about to remove our dear brother Ely
from our number. This event is exceedingly trying to us all;
but we would say, the will of the lord be done. It is a comfort
to reflect, that the cause in which we are engaged is the cause
of God, & that he will overrule even the darkest events for his
own glory.
How Mr. Ely's plan is to be supplied is now a subject of anxious
inquiry with us. Kapiolani is very desirous, that I should remove to Kaawaloa, as she thinks I can be spared from this station,
but the brethren here are not ready to give their assent to it.
What will be their ultimate e
d cision, I know not. As Mr. Bingham is feeble, my services, poor as they are, are very much
�756.
needed at this station. So far as I am considered, I should
be happy to remove, as I am fully satisfied I could labour
much more to my satisfaction at Kaawaloa, than at this place.
But I shall follow the voice of the brethren. I cannot feel,
that the time I devote to English preaching, which is a very
large portion of my most valuable time, will turn to the best
account. I should like to know the opinion of the Prudential
Committee respecting it. It is hard work, I assure you, to
preach to a little handful of hearers, where if I understood
t he native language, I could preach to thousands with much less
labour, & much greater hopes of success.
With regard to the progress of our work, you will learn from
other sources. The people at this station, I think, are less
attentive to instruction than when we arrived. The influence
of Boki, although he appears friendly, is, by no means, very
favourable to our work. And, besides, the natural waywardness
of the natives, we have at this station all the pollution in
troduced by foreigners to contend with. The young king & his
party are exerting, by no means, a good influence. But we
have much even here to incourage us. Professors of religion
stand firm on the side of righteousness, & many others appear
to be seeking the way of life. Five persons were admitted to
the church Sabbath before last & several more have been examined
for admission. We have a meeting on Saturday evening, which is
uniformly crowded to overflowing. It is conducted, in some
measure, like an inquiry meetings.
I have been much surprised at the readiness & propriety with
which the questions put to individuals are answered. Those,
who have attended much to instruction seem to have very clear
views of the leading doctrines of the Bible, & of their practical
bearing. And many of them manifest much knowledge of the human
heart. The more I became acquainted with this people, the more
favourable opinion I am disposed to form of their character.
Nothing seems to be wanting, but more money, & more devoted men
& women to raise them to a comparatively high state of mental
& moral cultivation.
We are in want of more critical works on the Bible. Mr. Ely
can tell you something about it. It is the opinion of the
brethren, that we all ought to be prepared to aid in the great
work of translating the Bible, & I think the Christian public
are bound to afford us facilities for accomplishing this work;
& I have no doubt, they would very readily do it, if they could
see this people bringing wood several miles on their backs to
procure a small portion of this blessed book. In addition to
critical works, I for one, want the new literary & religious
works, as they may be published from time to time. We are shut
out, as it were, from the book-making world, & where shall we
look, but to you, for the increasing light of the present day?
Myself & family are in comfortable health. On the 7th of last
month we were called to part with a dear little babe. Its pulse
beat but a few minutes after its birth. This event was deeply
trying to our feelings, & one for which we were unprepared. But
we would not murmur. We know it was a kind hand, that removed
from us the desire of our hearts, & we would not wish it back.
�757*
Cherishing an affectionate remembrance of yourself & associates,
I subscribe myself your brother & fellow labourer in the hands
of the Gospel.
E.W.Clark
P.S. I was appointed on a committee to make out a statement
respecting the Homan Catholicks now here, but we have had so
much on our hands we have not been able to attend to it. We
hope to do it before long. What their designs are, it is
impossible to foresee. They have done little, or nothing as yet.
To: Rev Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received March 9, 1829.
�758
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
.
letter 155
Honolulu, Oahu, Jan. 1, 1829.
Very dear Sir:
As Capt. Allen of the Sultan has kindly offered to convey a
packet of letters to the missionary rooms, I gladly embrace
the opportunity to write you a few lines.
I forwarded a letter to Mr. Anderson by Mr. Ely, in which I
expressed some doubt with regard to the expediency of con
tinuing my labours among foreigners. It is certainly a very
uninviting field of labour. But I feel more satisfied than
I then did, that it ought not to be wholly abandoned. It is
very clear, that English preaching ought, if possible, to be
maintained at this station, at least, during the months of
spring & autumn. There is no probability, therefore, that
the brethren will think it expedient for me to leave this station
to supply Mr. Ely's place at present. Mr. Ruggles is now at
Kaawaloa, & will probably continue there.
Considering the baleful influence of foreigners at this station,
it is exceedingly desirable, that some direct counteracting
influence should be exerted. For this reason, I feel willing
to continue my labours, so long as it shall be thought best by
the brethren. While the fall, ships were in port, about 30,
sometimes more,attended the English service, besides the mission
families. Among these have been some, who, we have reason to
believe, engaged with true satisfaction in the worship of the
sanctuary. Capt. Layne of the Arrabella, Sagharbor, Capt. Russell
of the Swift, Nantucket, & a seaman of the Superior, have given
us reason to hope, they are the sincere disciples of Christ.
The two former have shown themselves exceedingly kind & attentive,
& laid us under lasting obligations by their numerous presents.
Capt. Russell takes a stand with regard to taking whale on the
Sabbath & some other things, which is worthy of the highest praise.
While here, he exhibited true Christian decision. He hopes he
has experienced a saving change since he left America, & we cer
tainly have the best reason to think he is not deceived. Capt.
Arthur & others, by their attention & presents have shown them
selves our sincere friends. We have received no unkind or abusive
treatment from foreigners at this station for some time past. It
has been otherwise at Lahaina. The reason is perfectly obvious.
The flood-gates of pollution are, in a great measure, closed there;
but here they have been thrown wide open, since the visit of the
infamous Percival. There are many hard things said at this
station about us, but not to us. This is no more than we expect,
& no more than faithful & devoted Christians must expect in every
place.
Besides the English service on the Sabbath, we have held a meeting
on Wednesday evening, which has been occasionally attended by
foreigners. But we hope more from the distribution of Bibles &
�759.
tracts than from anything else, which has been done as yet.
Since I have been here, I have distributed 74 Bibles & 12
Testaments, Besides a large quantity of tracts. A few have
been distributed by others. These have been given to persons
belonging to 20 or more different ships, & to those who had no
Bible in their possession. The Bibles have uniformly been
given to persons who have called expressly for them, & have
often been accompanied by a few appropriate remarks.
Business & the influx of foreigners are fast increasing in this
place. What the result will be, we cannot tell.
Respecting the progress of our work among the natives, you will
learn from other sources. We have reason to think there is less
attention to instruction among the people of this Island than
there has been at some periods heretofore. However, a large &
substantial meeting house has been erected during the summer
past & light is evidently diffusing among the (hole in paper)
people. But considering the disposition & habits of the people
& the nature of the government, we cannot but fear, that the
mission may yet be clothed in sackcloth, although we see no very
special indications of it. May we all be prepared for whatever
God in his providence is preparing for us.
I remain yours, dear Sir, in the best of bonds,
E.W.Clark
P.S. A few English spelling books would be very acceptable,
as they are often called for. Bibles, tracts & other religious
books may be used to good advantage here. We have as yet a
pretty good supply of Bibles & tracts, but if they go off as
they have done, they will not last long.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, Mass.
Received July 14, 1829.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 156
Hilo, May 11, 1829Very dear Sir:
My last letter to you was dated Jan. 1st. In the same month,
I left Oahu with Mr. Chamberlain on a visit to the windward
stations- We sailed first to Lahaina - then to Hilo. From
Hilo we passed over the south part of the Island of Hawaii on
foot, taking the volcano in our way; & returned to Oahu after
an absence of six weeks. Mr. Green supplied my place at Oahu.
I will endeavour to forward to the Rooms soon some account of
our voyage & tour. Mr. C. will probably do the same.
You will perceive, by the date of this letter, that I am now
at Hilo. I arrived here with Mrs. C. two or three days since,
with the expectation of spending 3 or 4 months at this station.
The reasons which led to this step are as follows. Mr. Goodrich
has been for some time alone at this station, & as it is one of
the most remote & unfrequented stations, he & Mrs. G. have both
felt the need of an associate, especially in times of sickness.
There has also, for some time past, been more than usual attention
to religion among the people at this place. Gov. Adams has also
just arrived here to superintend the building of a new house of
worship. For some months, a large number of people, from dif
ferent parts of the Island, will be employed here upon the meet
ing house. All these circumstances rendered it very important that
another missionary should be stationed at this place, at least,
for a short time. As no other one could leave their station at
present so well as myself, with the advice of the brethren, I
cheerfully removed to this place for a few months. During the sum
mer season, there are but a few ships at Oa hu, & our English meet
ing is very thinly attended. The meeting will still be continued,
& a sermon read by one of the lay brethren. Mr. Richards expects
to spend several weeks at Oahu during my absence superintending
the printing of Acts.
We sailed from Oahu in the missionary Packet Thursday, April 30th
& arrived at Lahaina early on the Sabbath morning following, after
a month's distressing season of sea-sickness. We left Lahaina
Monday evening & arrived at this place about 4 o'clock on Friday,
the 8th inst. Our passage from Lahaina was much more comfortable
than we expected. Thursday morning we were becalmed off Waipio,
& as Capt. Jack & Kaio (a promising member of the church at Oahu,
who accompanied me to this place as a private teacher & assistant)
proposed to go on shored I gladly embraced the opportunity to
accompany them. We landed through a pretty high surf, though
without much difficulty; & soon found ourselves in one of the most
romantic spots I ever beheld. We were surrounded on all sides,
except towards the sea, by lofty but irregular precipices, over one
of which poured, in perpendicular descent a considerable stream
of water. Before us was spread out a most beautiful valley,
flourishing in all the luxuriance of the richest garden. I felt
for a moment, that we were completely shut out from all the rest
�761.
of the world, though surrounded by the sublimest & most beautiful
of nature's works. After viewing for a few moments this romantic
valley, we called on the head-man Haa, who received us very cordially.
He appeared much gratified to find that I was a missionary, &
immediately asked if I was not one who came out with Mr. Bishop’s
present wife. He asked me repeatedly, if I would not come & live
there. He said they wanted some one to make clear to them the word
of God. It was a great ways he said to Kailua & to Hilo, the near
est missionaries. I told him I must now go to Hilo. Perhaps when
new missionaries came from America, some would come & live with him.
After taking some refreshment, which was liberally provided, a
considerable number of people assembled in the school house. We
first sang a hymn. I then addressed them in a few broken sentences,
& Kaio offered a prayer. On coming away, our boat was loaded with
baked hogs, taro, pai &c. After leaving the shore, great numbers
came swimming around our boat with taro & hard pai in their hands,
until we were obliged to reject their presents, lest our boat
should be upset. The headman came off to the schooner with a live
hog & other articles. I presented him with a set of our native
books, with which he appeared pleased & soon took his leave. Waipio
is mentioned in the tour around the Island as eligible for a
missionary station. The wind breezed up about noon & the next day
we were heartily welcomed to this place by Mr. & Mrs. G., Gov. Adams
& others. The Gov immediately sent us his aloha with a present of
fish. He was quite unwell himself. The next morning we called on
him & found him with his English Bible. I asked him if he could
read it. He said he could a little. He appeared much pleased to
hear that the king was more attentive to instruction. He said he
intended to spend 2 or 3 months here to see that the meeting house
was completed, which was commenced some months since; & to make
some preparations for building a saw mill. You will learn from
other sources that strong hopes are entertained that he has become
a decided christian.
As the Schooner returns immediately, I write in great haste. I
will let you know something more hereafter respecting the state of
things at this station.
Yours very affectionately,
E.W.Clark.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received Feb. 11, 1830.
�762
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 157.
Sandwich Islands, June 20, 1829.
Very Dear Sir:
At the request of Mr. Chamberlain, I proceed to give you a
brief account of a voyage & tour, which we performed in com
pany in the months of January & February last.
We left Honolulu in the Missionary Packet on the 17th of
Jan. & in about 50 hours anchored at Lahaina. We soon found
our way to the secluded & comfortable residence of Mr. Richards,
who bid us a hearty welcome to Lahaina. We found our friends
well & prosperously engaged in their work. There was evidently
an increasing attention to religion at this station. Everything
relative to the mission was in a prosperous state. Mr. Andrews
was instructing a school of about 100 teachers, who had assembled
from different parts of the Island. They were rapidly advancing
in the rudiments of arithmetic. The translation of Acts had
just been completed at this station & was sent to Kailua for
correction. A part of Exodus was also translated. After being
detained at this place longer than we wished, we sailed for
Hilo Feb. 3rd, & arrived Feb. 7th. Just before entering the
bay, we experienced a severe thunder storm , but sustained no
essential injury.
We found Mr. & Mrs. Goodrich, the only missionaries at this station,
well. The following day being the Sabbath, the people assembled
about 9 o'clock for publick worship. The assembly was larger than
any I have before witnessed at the Sandwich Islands. There was
probably near 4000 persons present. This is an unusual number,
as many are now in this place from a distance engaged in building
a new meeting house. It was truly a delightful sight to behold
such a multitude of rude & untutored heathen waiting with apparent
eagerness to learn the way of life. I scarcely ever witnessed a
sight which more deeply interested my feelings.
We found at this place two interesting chiefs, Kekauouoki & her
husband Keliiahouui. They came here sometime since on a visit, but,
finding only one missionary here, & the cause of religion rather
on the decline, at the request of Mr. G. they concluded to tarry
a short time & unite their efforts with his in calling the attention
of the people to religion & instruction. The former is a high
chief, & as she owns most of the land in this vicinity, her in
fluence here is very great. Immediately on her arrival she banished
from the place two dissipated & abandoned persons whose influence
had been very pernicious. She is not a professor of religion,
but gives pleasing evidence of piety. Her husband is a member of
the church & a very good singer. Their manners & dress are in
the highest degree becoming. The good conferred upon these two
individuals by the efforts of the missionaries is a sufficient
recompense for all the toil & expense which this mission has cost.
Let the opposers of missions contrast the former with the present
condition of these two persons, & then say, (if they have the
�763.
affrontery) that the cause of missions is not worthy the patronage
of every philanthropist as well as every christian.
This place affords a striking contrast to the barren plains of
Honolulu, as everything here is clothed in the richest verdure.
The rains here are rather too frequent for comfort, but they
render the ground exceedingly fertile.
Having made preparations to cross the Island on foot, we set out
Feb. 12th. The chiefs furnished us with a guide & four other men
to carry our baggage. We travelled about 25 miles the first day
over a bad road, & put up for the night, not a little fatigued.
The people in the neighborhood having heard of our arrival flocked
around us. After we had partaken of a frugal meal, Mr. Chamberlain
addressed them upon the subject of religion, to which they gave
good attention. We then united in offering our evening devotions
in the native language, & having spread our mats upon the ground
reposed ourselves to rest.
We arose early in the morning & pursued our way, eager to gaze
upon one of the greatest natural curiosities which this world
presents. About 10 o'clock A .M. we arrived at the great crater of
Kilauea. The feelings with which I for the first time gazed upon
this sublime & awful spectacle, can be more easily conceived than
described. Nothing ever reminded me so forcibly of the power of
that Being who spreadest out the heavens like a curtain & hangest
the earth upon nothing. The volcano was in very brisk action.
Mr. C. thinks the bottom has risen 3 or 400 feet since he last
visited it. After leaving the volcano, we passed over a large tract
of lava, which resembled very much in its appearance, the cooled
lava in the bottom of the crater. It was piled up in the wildest
confusion. After passing this lava, we came to a rich & fertile
soil & about 8 o'clock in the evening arrived at Kapapala exceed
ingly fatigued, & wet to the skin by the tall grass through which
we had travelled. We lodged with the same man with whom the deputa
tion put up when they passed this way. We arose after a restless
night & pursued our way over a fertile country to Punaluu, a small
village on the seashore in the division of Kau. We were hospitably
received by the headman & invited to spend the sabbath with him &
preach to the people. As we were fatigued & our attendants had
not yet arrived, we accepted his invitation. A house & food were
soon provided for us, & we found ourselves as comfortable as our
kind host could make us.
The next morning (being the Sabbath) the people assembled to the
number of about 150. I preached to them a short discourse, which
I had previously prepared upon the text - "Except ye repent ye
shall all likewise perish." Mr. C. offered the prayers & made
some remarks. After meeting, it was proposed to us to go on a
few miles to Honuapo & preach to the people of that village in
the afternoon, as we should have many more hearers. We consented,
leaving our attendants to come on the next morning with our
baggage. When we arrived, we found between 3 & 400 assembled
waiting for our arrival. I addressed them from the text - "How
shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation". Mr. C.
taking the same part in the exercise as in the morning. The
people listened with much attention to what was said. It was
#See last page of this letter.
�764.
evident from the rude appearance of the people & the curiosity
which they manifested, that they had seldom been visited by
foreigners. Honuapo is about 70 miles from any place visited
by ships. It has been visited but a few times by missionaries
since the deputation was here. The Sabbath, however, is well
observed so far as labour & recreation are concerned, & schools
are established in almost every village. Some of the people told
us, that they were disposed to make sport of Mr. Ellis & the other
missionaries who first visited them. They regarded them, they
said, as a sort of jugglers. They were now fully convinced of
their errour.
After the religious service, a native teacher informed us that
there were two persons about 4 miles distant on our way, who wished
to be married. Having made some inquiries respecting them, we
readily consented to marry them, as it was difficult for them to
visit a missionary station for this purpose.
We set off early the next morning & arrived at Amaloo, the place
where the marriage was to be celebrated about 8 o'clock. We found
about 100 persons assembled to witness the ceremony. Mr. C. made
a few remarks adapted to the occasion. I then administered the
marriage covenant & Mr. C. offered a prayer. Many of the people
present had probably never witnessed a Christian marriage before.
After taking some refreshment, we pursued our way passing through
Waiohinu & put up for the night at Kahuku, an inland settlement.
We were kindly received by the head man. The appearance of neat
ness & comfort about his house & yard far surpassed anything we
had seen since leaving Hilo. Our host & his family were well
dressed, & furnished with a chair, a writing desk, chest, slate
& the books published by the Mission. We were surprised to find
so much appearance of civilization in this distant & obscure part
of the Island. But on inquiry, we found the head mail & his family
had formerly lived at Lahaina & enjoyed the instruction of the
missionaries there. They inquired with apparent interest respect
ing Mr. & Mrs. Stewart & others connected with the mission. A
baked hog & other articles of refreshment were soon provided for
us, of which we freely partook, & after commending ourselves &
our kind host to the care of our heavenlyFather, we laid down to rest.
In the morning, after solemnizing two more marriages, we proceeded
on our way over one continued tract of lava. Our road was as
bad as can well be conceived. The lava was thrown up into every
possible form. In some places we found a little grass & a few
shrubs struggling for existence, in others, not a vestige of any-thing was to be seen, but rough, broken fragments of lava, which,
of course, were not very comfortable to our feet. W epassed a few
miserable huts & a cave inhabited by a numerous family. These
wretched abodes presented a striking contrast to the neat & com
fortable habitation, which we left in the morning. About dark we
arrived at Kapua, a village on the seashore in the division of Kona.
We soon extended our weary limbs upon the ground with a single mat
under us, but were so annoyed by fleas, that we procured very little
rest. At this place we celebrated another marriage.
We left this miserable village early in the morning & pursued our
way along the shore, still climbing rugged cliffs of lava. After
�765.
travelling some distance we c ame to an excellent pavement, which
extended about 2 miles. It was made by pounding up & removing the
lava, & laying down large smooth stones. The pavement was from
one to three feet wide & must have cost no little labour, as the
stones were all brought a considerable distance b y hand.
About 3 o'clock P .M. we procured a canoe to carry us on to
Kaawaloa about 15 miles distant. We passed Honaunau a little before
dark in full view of the celebrated house of Keawe, which forcibly
reminded us of the ancient superstitions of Hawaii.
This house has
lately been divested of all its sacredness. A short time since,
Kaahumanu & other chiefs accompanied by Mr. Ruggles, removed from
this house to Kaawaloa the bones of 24 ancient kings & princes.
The bones were put into two coffins & after funeral services deposit
ed in the common burying place. The house is to be torn down & a
school house erected in its place. We arrived at Kaawaloa a little
after dark, & were heartily welcomed by our friends Mr. & Mrs. Rug
gles, Kapiolani, Naihi & others.
It was a time of deep interest at
Kaawaloa. We felt that we were in the midst of a revival of re
ligion. M r . Ruggles' house was almost constantly thronged with in
quiries & a considerable number,it is hoped, have lately passed
from death unto life. Mr. Bishop came down from Kailua Saturday
the 21st to preach the next day & administer the sacrament. We
noticed, with pleasure, the stillness & propriety with which the
sabbath was observed. About 1500 attended publick worship & listened
with serious attention to the preaching of the Gospel. A considerable
part of this number came from 6 to 10 miles in canoes. The canoes
( 1 0 0 or more in number) came in with the utmost stillness & regulari
ty in the morning, & returned in the same manner in the evening.
This was the more observable, since on any other day, they would have
been remarkably talkative & noisy. But not a loud word was to be
heard , or hardly the sound of the paddles. A captain of a ship in
the harbour observed, that the greatest curiosity he had seen at the
Sandwich Islands, was the people coming to meeting in their canoes.
Between the services, several pious persons held a meeting for r e ligious conversation & prayer with those who came from a distance,
& Mrs. R. attended a sabbath school.
While at Kaawaloa we met with a Capt. Searle, wife & four children
from N .York. They treated us in a very polite & friendly manner.
Monday morning we accompanied M r . Bishop to Kailua. We found our
friends at this station well, & the state of religion nearly as
interesting as at iKaawaloa. A considerable number have lately been
added to the church at this station, & several more are hopeful
subjects of renewing grace.
We returned to Kaawaloa Wednesday morning the 25th in a double
canoe, & the same evening embarked for Oahu. We were favoured with
a passage by Capt. Lawton of the Leonidas from Bristol, R .I.
We arrived at Oahu Friday evening, after an absence of six weeks
lacking one day. We were happy to find our beloved companions &
associates well, & the state of the people rather more interesting
than when we left.
I might have extended my remarks to many more particulars, but the
communications which you receive from the several stations, render.
�766.
it unnecessary.
Yours very respectfully,
E .W.Clark.
#1 have since visited the crater in company with Mr. & Mrs.
Goodrich & Mrs. Clark. We found the volcano in greater action
than when I was there in Feb. Some places, where no fire was
to be seen then, now presented a liquid sheet of ignited lava.
Mr. G. & myself descended to the bottom & approached within two
or three rods of the boiling lava, so near that we put our
canes into the red hot lava. The natives who were with us im
proved the opportunity to light their pipe. Mr. G. confirms the
opinion of Mr. Chamberlain respecting the debth of the crater.
He says the whole bottom of the crater has assumed a new appearance
since he was here before. It is but a short distance now from
the black ledge to the bottom. It is evident the crater must in
time overflow its banks, unless a subterraneous outlet shall be
found for the lava.
To: Henry Hill, Esq.
Treas. of A.B.C.F.M .
Boston, Mass. U .S.A.
Received Feb. 19, 1830.
�767.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 158.
Honolulu, Oahu, Sept. 16, 1829.
Dear Brother Greene:
Our hearts have been made glad today by the unexpected arrival
of the Houqua. We rejoice that our friends still remember us,
& are anxious to afford us every facility for carrying on the
good work in which we are engaged.
As a vessel leaves this port tomorrow morning for America, I
hasten to say a few words in relation to a subject, which seems
to have interested our friends not a little. I refer to our
passage out in the Parthian. As Mr. Green is absent on a visit
to the coast & Mrs. G. is in my family, I have been favoured
with a perusal of your letter to him. I believe I have not
written a word respecting the conduct of Capt. Blinn to any of
my friends. I thought what we had to say on that subject,
should be said directly to the Board. We made out, as we
thought, a full statement of the case, but it seems we were not
sufficiently explicit. If we had known that the subject would
be made publick, we should probably have been more particular.
The statements in the Herald give a pretty fair representation
of the case. It is said, however, that the missionaries were
repeatedly told where they might find it” (the contract). This
may be true, but I am positive I was not one of those mission
aries. The papers were put into my hands with a special charge
to keep them safe. They were the last papers I should dared to
have meddled with. I am very certain nothing was said to me
about their contents & it is very singular, if any one was in
formed of their contents, that he should not recollect it, when
so much inquiry was made for such a paper.
There is one other passage in the Herald upon which I would make
a remark, viz."The captain appropriating the spacious dining
room to himself, his mates, & two passengers, who were not of the
mission company”. I was sorry to see this passage as it may con
vey a wrong impression to some. The "spacious dining room" was
so full , that the captain could not eat in it for several days.
Rather than join with us he ate on deck after two or three of
the first meals, which he ate in the cabin. The room was more or
less lumbered up during the whole passage. I apprehend Captain
Blinn will give this as one excuse for the course he pursued.
The other statements in the Herald, I believe are literally cor
rect. I should say, however, that he spoke rather harshly to
some of our number once or twice. As I could hardly raise my
head from my pillow for two or three weeks, I did not hear
Capt. Blinn's refusal to cook our food, nor had I any conversation
with him on the subject. After we found what he was determined
to do, we endeavoured to make the best of our case. We were
careful, according to Mr. Evarts' instructions to treat the Capt.
uniformly with respect. We were placed for the time being entire
ly in his power, & we wished to make our situation as comfortable
as we could. He declared that he followed the instructions which
�768.
he received from the owners of the ship, & we could not
contradict him . We could only convince him that he did not
fulfil the agreement as Mr. Evarts understood it. But that
was nothing to him - He must follow the orders of the owners.
So he said.
With regard to the labour performed by our party, I will en
deavour to state exactly.
The cabin was given up to us & we
were to provide f o r ourselves. The cook, however, was kind
& performed, with the consent of the captain, most of the
labour in the camboose.
We were given to understand, however,
that this was gratuitous on the part of the cook & captain.
The cook's task was harder than it would have been, if we had
all eaten together.
He was occasionally assisted by some of
our native boys. The steward scarcely lifted a finger for u s .
He even grumbled because the native boys did not assist in
sweeping & washing out the gangway.
He was besides very u n
accommodating. We were obliged at one time to pound our coffee,
because he would not lend us a coffee mill. The captain found
it out & ordered him to let us have the mill.
The labour of
preparing the food, carrying it to the camboose & bringing it
b a ck, of setting the table, washing dishes & the cabin floor
&c - was performed entirely by our party. We also found our own
dishes except 1/2 doz. knives & forks, which the captain lent
u s . He might have lent us some other trifling article, but I
do not think of anything else. You bring rather a heavy charge
against the gentlemen of the mission.
I would simply say, that
the ladies were never obliged to do any work on deck.
They did
sometimes go to the camboose, because they wished to see to, or
give directions about the cooking themselves. The females did
the work in rotation, two at a time.
The two females were
assisted by one native boy & by one & sometimes two gentlemen
in rotation.
The native boys did most of the drudgery.
They &
the gentlemen carried nearly all the food to the camboose &
brought it back.
The native boys sometimes attended to the
cooking of it, but not generally.
As the food for two tables
was cooked separately at the same fire, we were put to much in
convenience, & should have been put to far greater inconvenience,
if the cook had been like the steward.
The ladies did most of
the work in the cabin, but it was work with which they were ac
quainted, & with which the gentlemen were not. It would have been
no small matter to have persuaded them to give up that part of
the labour to the gentlemen. One of the natives generally
assisted in setting the table & washing dishes.
The ladies did
much more than they need to have done, if they had not been
too unwilling to call their husbands from their studies.
I have not much to say respecting Captain Blinn's other treatment.
He is a course, rought seaman, & he generally acted out himself.
We obtained his permission to have religious services on deck
the first sabbath, or the second on which we had preaching, but
he went below & staid until the services were over. We, then, met
in the cabin, & when asked why he did not meet with us, his reply
was, that he must be on deck to attend to the ship.
But a very
few of the seamen could be induced to attend worship, as it was
rather unpopular with the captain & some others. Mr. Symms, I
think, is deserving of all the praise which is given him. He
manifested no small decision in pursuing the course which he did.
�769.
I have written the above without any consultation with one
the reinforcement. Others will probably forward something
this subject, if we do not forward a joint communication.
is an unpleasant subject, & I wish to forget it as soon as
of
on
It
possible.
We rejoice to learn that Mr. Stewart is so near us. We shall
expect him now in a few days. His visit, I trust, will result
in much good to the mission.
If time would permit, I could say much respecting the good work
here. The mission was probably never more prosperous. We have
the fullest confidence of the chiefs, & they are ready to aid us
with their influence & their property. I have spent about 4 months
at Hilo assisting Mr. Goodrich in the labours of that station.
I returned about a week since. I will endeavour to say something
respecting the state of things there, when I have more time.
Things were very interesting there when I left. One or two more
missionaries are needed there exceedingly.
Our friends have sent us many good things, but books are what
some of us are the most hungry for. I hope the Board will be
liberal in this article, if in nothing else. I am satisfied
they will act right on the subject.
In haste, yours very affectionately
E .W.Clark.
P. S. I would not have you understand by what I have written,
that the ladies did not suffer severely in performing the task
which they undertook. To conceive of their task, you must
consider, where they had to do their work & what they had to
to with. The few things which they had to do with were kept
in the cabin, & all the work done there. If they had known
before hand what they were to do, their task would have been
comparatively easy, for we should have provided something to
to with. All our dishes, food &c were kept in the table draw
& on the transom. I could be more particular, if time would
permit.
E .W.C.
To: Mr. David Greene,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received Feb. 19, 1830.
�770
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
Letter 159.
Honolulu, Oahu, Oct. 10, 1829.
Very dear Sir:
In my last communication, I informed you of my removal to Hilo
for a few months. I, then, promised some further information
respecting the state of the mission at Hilo. But as Mr. Good
rich, who is better acquainted with the state of things there,
than I am, informed me that he should write you soon upon the
same subject, I shall be less particular than I otherwise should
be.
The station at Hilo embraces the two northeastern divisions of
Hawaii, Hilo & Puna. As this is the windward part of the Island,
it is favoured with frequent rains, which render the land ex
ceedingly fertile, & capable of sustaining a dense population.
It contains probably at present a greater population than the
same extent of country in any other part of the same Island.
Schools are established in almost every village. But owing to
the want of suitable teachers, the instruction conveyed is very
limited & imperfect.
Soon after I arrived at Hilo, a school was established for
teachers. Eighty names were entered on our list, but as many of
them had no means of supporting themselves at Waiakea, their
attendance was very irregular.- The principal study attended
to was arithmetick. Some of them acquired a pretty good knowledge
of the four fundamental rules. They can all read & write.
Very few of them, however, are ready in either of these branches.
Many, who can read a book, with which they are well acquainted,
fluently, cannot read a new book without spelling most of the
words. This is the case with many of our best readers. Their
writing has been confined principally to slates, as they have not
other conveniences for writing. Some of them write well, others
very poorly. Mrs. C. instructed a school of about 2 0 females in
reading & writing, who made good improvement.
I am more & more convinced that something more should be done at
all the stations, for the instruction of teachers & for the establishment & regulation of schools. We cannot expect, that the
Gospel will make a permanent impression upon the minds of the
great body of the people, until they are more enlightened. But
before all that is necessary in this respect, can be done, some
of our stations need to be greatly strengthened.
The state of religion at Hilo, as well as at other stations, has
been interesting for several months past. About 20 persons have
been admitted to a meeting, which is confined to those who give
hopeful evidence of piety. One has been propounded for admission
to the church. It is probable others will be soon. Considering
the character & condition of the people, we think it necessary
to be very cautious in admitting persons to the church.
�771.
Our houses were frequently thronged by persona, who wished
to tell their thoughts & inquire what they should do to be
saved. Some of these, we have reason to think, were seeking
in earnest the way of life. Others were probably influenced
by the example of their neighbours. Meetings were well at
tended on the sabbath, & on weekdays. The last sabbath I
spent at Hilo, there were probably not less than 3000 hearers.
A new meeting house has been erected at that station, which
does much credit to Gov. Adams & others, who were engaged in
building it. Mr. Goodrich will probably give you a description
of it. It will accommodate three or four thousand hearers &
will probably last many years. It is built in the native style
but in the very best manner, & is in some respects second to
none in the Islands.
I consider this station among the most important & inviting
in the Islands. But it has always been feeble, & Mr. G. is now
left alone. Will not the churches send us more help? How is
emphatically the time to work here. I well remember before the
late reinforcement left America, some were disposed to think the
Sandwich Islands had their full share of missionaries. This
may be true, when they are compared with other parts of the
heathen world. But would it be policy, at present, to distribute
missionaries equally over every part of the heathen world?
Should this be the most expeditious way of converting the world?
Should we go to work thus in clearing up & cultivating a piece
of land? Is it not better to watch the leadings of Providence,
& wherever a favourable opening is presented, step in & do our
work well, that we shall be prepared with renewed strength &
resources to direct our attention to some other part of the
great field. In this way, we shall bring part of the heathen to
aid in converting the rest.
I arrived at this place from Hilo on the 8th ult. & immediately
commenced preaching again in. English. I have also for several
months past preached one sermon a week in the native language.
But my knowledge of Hawaiian is yet very imperfect.
You will learn from other sources, that the chief woman, Piia,
a beloved member of our church is no more. She died on the 12th
of last month, after a lingering sickness, which she sustained
with Christian fortitude. We received letters from Mr. Green
a few weeks since. He was then well. We shall expect to see
him here soon.
I wrote a hasty letter to Mr. D.Greene a short time since re
specting the Parthian business. I hope you will not think we
blame you, or any of the committee. We know you did all you could
to make us comfortable. Our trials as yet have been less than
I anticipated.
I believe I have before said something about books. I trust you
will not forget us in this respect. While you are sending us
food for the body, I trust you will not forget that we need
food for the mind in this dark corner of the earth, or we shall
dwindle into pigmies. I feel but little concern about what we
�772.
shall eat, or wherewithal we shall be clothed. But how shall
the mind & heart be furnished for the great work in which we are
engaged, is a subject of man solicitude. I shall not, at
present, send any list of books. All new works, however, of any
value will always be acceptable. Pascal’s Provincial letters
I want exceedingly. While the Jesuits here continue to be
frowned upon by the chiefs as they now are, they will not be
able to do much. We wish, however, in case of necessity, to be
prepared to administer an antidote to their poison.
Ought not every ordained missionary to be furnished with at
least as good library, as well educated ministers at home?
Especially, if he is obliged to preach in two languages & aid in
translating the Bible. I suppose it would not accord with the
views of the board to furnish one missionary with books & not
another equally needed. It is better, perhaps, that the books
which are sent out, should be sent to the mission. But it should
be remembered that some of us did not take up our full outfit
including the debts which we paid & all. It would have been
better probably, if we had taken it up & laid it out in books,
or invested it in such a way that books & periodical publications
might be sent to us. It should be born in mind, that two or three
copies of a book, or publication is not a supply for the mission.
I have no fears that you will not do perfectly right with regard
to this subject, when it is fully understood. I feel no disposition
to complain.
We have a little daughter about 3 weeks old. Mrs. C. is comfortable.
Yours very affectionately,
EW.Clark
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Capt. McKenzie of the Mary Mitchell.
Received March 13, 1830.
�77 3 ,
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
letter 160
Honolulu, Oahu, Dec. 1, 1829.
Very dear Sir:
I have taken my pen to give you notice of a small box which
I shall send by the bearer of this, Capt. Chase, Commander,
I think of the Plough Bay . The box will be sent to the care
of Mr. Gardner, Nantucket, with directions to be forwarded
to the Rooms. It contains a full report of Mr. Green's
visit to the H.W.Coast with other important letters & papers.
From some letters that have been recently written, you may
expect to see Mr. Ruggles in America before this reaches you.
His health has been failing for a long time, & a few weeks
since, with the advice of the brethren, he accepted an offer
ing from Capt. Rice of the Superior (New London) of a free
passage to America. He sailed from this place about 2 weeks
since in the Superior, for Kaawaloa, in company with Mr.
Chamberlain, Dr. & Mrs. Judd & Mr. & Mrs. Green. For certain
reasons, which you will probably learn, from other sources,
Mr. Ruggles has since declined the offer of Capt. Rice. He
will probably remain at the Islands another year. "A man's
heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps”.
The brethren, who have gone to Hawaii are on their way to
Waimea, with the intention of examining the situation & climate
of that place in reference to establishing a missionary station
there for the benefits of invalids. We shall expect them back
in about 4 weeks, when a general meeting will probably take
place.
Mr. Stewart & the Vinceimes left us a week ago today. Their
visit here, we trust, will be fraught with important benefits
to the nation. It has waked up anew the clamour of foreigners,
but we have no fears as to the result. "The counsel of the Lord,
that shall stand”.
I remain yours most affectionately,
E .W .Clark.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received July 16, 1830.
Capt. Chase of the Plough Boy.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 161
Honolulu, Dec. 12, 1829.
Very Dear Sir:
I enclose a letter to the Secretary of the American Seamen’s
Friend Society. I enclose it to you that you may read it,
& think of the measure proposed. If you approve it & think
it practicable, I trust you will use your influence to bring
it about.
It seems that that society intend sending out preachers to
foreign ports, & considering the bearing which foreign in
fluence has upon the mission here, where can a seamen’s
preacher be more useful. With this influence, & its bearing
upon the people here, you are well acquainted. I fear the
evil is increasing. How can it be counteracted? It must
be done, but we cannot do it alone. An influence from some
other quarter is necessary. A minister, who shall be wholly
devoted to foreigners, & who shall not be connected with the
Board, or the mission, provides more good than anything else
which I can think of. It is the opinion of some of the brethren,
that my time ought not to be spent in preparing sermons to
preach to a little handful of foreigners. This is my impression,
& under these circumstances, I cannot labour to my own satis
faction. But it seems hardly proper to abandon foreigners en
tirely. I should feel no insuperably objection to devoting my
time exclusively to foreigners. But in that case, I should
wish to have a separate chapel, & not be connected with the
mission. I think, however, that many others may be found, who
are much better qualified for this service than I am. It would
be better too, that some one who has never been connected with
the mission should be employed.
In addition to the reasons stated in the enclosed letter, is
not the existence of the Jesuits here another argument in favour
of sending a seamen's preacher to this port? Besides, if the
number of residents continues to increase, as it has done, the
most respectable part will probably not wish to be without any
form of religion. But who will they choose as a minister?
Probably a Unitarian, or an Episcopalian of no piety. But if
a minister is established hereby the S.F.Society, they will not
be likely to exert themselves to procure another.
I will only add, that the usefulness of a seamen's preacher here
would be greatly increased, if a consul could be sent out, who
Would heartily second his efforts. It is an everlasting shame
for our Government, to tolerate, in public office, a man, who is
an open advocate by precept. & example for Sabbath breaking &
prostitution.
I saw the American consul riding past the other day, in a carriage
with a lady finely dressed, & asked a young girl, who belonged
to our family, who the lady was with Mr. Jones. She mentioned
�775.
her name & said she was a daughter of Mr. Marin, one of Mr.
Jones' wives. She then mentioned the names of two or three
more who were his wives & who had children by him, and added,
that Mr. Jones lived just as they did, when they were naaupo.
darkhearted. This is the man who is set up as a "terror to
evil doers & a praise to them that do well". Comment is un
necessary.
May we not hope, dear Sir, in a year from next spring to wel
come the arrival of more missionaries & a seamen's preacher.
I forwarded to you about two weeks since a small box by Capt.
Chase of the Plough Boy, directed to the care of Mr. Gardner,
Nantucket. The box contained a full report of Mr. Green's
visit to the N.W.coast, & other letters & papers. Is Capt. Chase
had a little oil to take on the way home, you may receive this
letter before the box arrives.
Mr. Gulick arrived here a few days since in pursuit of health.
He is now better. All others at this station are as well as
usual.
With much affection, yours in the fellowship of the Gospel,
E .W. Clark.
P.S. Capt. Benjamin can tell you how our characters are assailed
by the leading men among the residents. We are drunkards,
adulterers, sabbath,breakers, &c, &c. if assertions made with
imperturbable assurance can be relied on. The ears of every visit
or are assailed with these things, until he either catches the same
spirit, or is perfectly disgusted.
Capt. Benjamin of the Brig Herald from N.York has treated us in a
very friendly manner & we believe, taken a decided stand in our
favour in the midst of much opposition. He appears to be a gentle
man & a man of good principles. We can cheerfully recommend him
as a suitable person to bring out missionaries. He is much such
a man as our good friend Capt. Sayre. Such men we rejoice to
commend. You will seal & forward the enclosed letter without
delay if you approve it.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received June 18, 1830.
�776
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 162
Honolulu, Oahu, Sandwich Islands,
June 9, 1828.
My dear brother David:
I have so much to do, that had I no selfish end in view, it is
somewhat doubtful whether I should write you, but as I wish you
to do me a favour, I must make the request. Not that I do not
love you - for I certainly do, & shall rejoice to hear from you,
whenever you find an opportunity to write. Your letters shall
always be answered.
I have enclosed several packets of letters, journals &c, &c, to
the care of Mr. Evarts. These we expect will go free of expense.
Will you do me an act worthy your character as a man of enlarged
benevolence? You probably know what has become of my blessed
chum, George Shepard. Will you direct the single letter to him,
and if near, send him the packet - if at a distance, or perhaps,
at any rate, let him send word to you respecting the packet?
The letter & packet of Cephas H. Kent, you may treat in the same
style. By the way, Kent is a man to my liking. I should prefer
his Packet for an associate to some men whom I could mention.
He would be a most valuable helper in this field.
I have written to Brother at Brandon. If he has not removed he
will send to the rooms for the packet. If he has removed & you
know where he is, will you drop him a line. All this may cost
you some labor, but you are a man of business & love to do an
act of kindness now & then.
You will have so many letters at the rooms that I can tell you
no news. We had a good ride to the Islands tho' occasionally
our vehicle was rather disposed to be unmanageable. We had
considerable confidence in our driver - more I trust in the Being
who rides upon the storm & manages the seas. Now that we stand
on these heathen shores, I pray God enable us to labour with
great honesty & diligence in his service. To the man who has a
soul in him there is no little danger that he will attempt too
much. Some of the brethren are all but worn out.
I am very well pleased with most of the brethren whom I have seen.
Messrs. Thurston, Whitney & Ruggles were not present at the
general meeting. Mr. Ruggles has since been here. So I have
not seen your friend Whitney. But I hear that he is well &
useful.
About books. Notwithstanding your disposition to laugh on this
subject - an argument that Foster would say is of difficult
reputation - some of your missionaries do read & study & improve.
Mr. Ely is a member of this stamp, & he needs & pleads for books says that were he to fit out again, he would dispense with clothes
rather than books. The fact is, men can study wherever they are,
if they act systematically. Every man who has a spark of literary
enthusiasm & who is called to interpret the book of God, needs &
�777
should have a good commentary on the whole Bible - a critical
commentary. I greatly want Rossenmuller on the Old Testament.
Will you use your influence to sent it me? Do.
I paid for the last year’s Christian Spectator. The number for
June 1827 I did not receive. Will you send it me? My last
number is September.
The new Quarterly Review I paid for. Three numbers only I have
received. I took it of Deac. Newman. Will you send that. I
should like it another year.
Do send me everything which will be interesting & will contribute
to my usefulness. If I should be stationed to Hilo, I shall
particularly feel the value of some of your good publications.
I am expecting soon to leave for Hawaii to spend a few months
with Mr. Ely, & perhaps I shall visit the Volcano. Capt. Worth
expects to sail in the morning. I hope he will go. I am sincere
ly tired of letter writing.
I shall send no single letter to Shepard nor to Kent.
probably know where they are, please direct to them.
You
I shall rejoice to hear from you. Do write. If I am spared I
will write you again. O hope I may have something more interesting
to communicate. Pray for us. The Lord Jesus bless thy spirit.
I am your affectionate brother,
J.S. Green.
I left my umbrella - a new one with a buckshorn handle - in the
back (hole in paper) carried us to the Parthian. Did you find it?
We greatly need umbrellas.
Doc. Judd is the man, I think that you took him to be. Mr. Andrews
is worthy of Andover. Clark will be useful here, I trust.
To: David Green,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston.
Received Dec. 5, 1828.
�778.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830.
XI
Letter 163
Honolulu, Oahu, Sandwich Islands,
June 9, 1828.
Very dear Sir:
I exceedingly regret that I could not have conversed with you
an hour at least, on the subject of my ultimate destination.
When you were in Andover, last summer, we did converse upon
the expediency of attempting a mission near the mouth of the
Columbia River - & the probability that I should be sent, from
the Islands on an exploring tour, to that part of the coast.
But as I heard nothing said on the subject, when, last in Boston,
I concluded that the idea of sending at present, was abandoned.
I was not a little surprised, therefore, when you introduced me
to Capt. Taylor & informed me that an agre ement had been made
with Mr. Marshall to carry me to the coast in a vessel commanded by
Capt. Taylor. I did not shrink at all from engaging in such an
agency. I only regretted that I could not ask you a few questions & know something more of the agreement which you had made with Mr.
Marshall. But we were approaching the light house, and you. Sir,
had more than you could well attend to which demanded your attention.
I presume you anticipated no difficulty arising to thwart your
plans. But you did not know to what a set of men - had I not been
writing to Mr. Evarts I should have said villains - you were about
to commit your friends. I will not, however, say anything here,
respecting the officers & crew of the Parthian, as Capt. Taylor
& the H.W. coast were the subject of my remarks.
I began to form an acquaintance with Capt. Taylor, as soon as I
was able to be about, and continued to treat him politely till we
parted. And I will say for him that he ever treated me, as an
individual, with civility. He was much more reserved\than Capt. Blinn,
tho' he evidently hated the cause in which we were embarked.
He
attended our worship but once during our voyage & that near the time
we reached the Islands. He is I think, a concealed enemy of the
gospel - a man who would, if possible sap the foundation by covert
art. He was overheard conversing with Capt. Blinn on the subject
of a mission being established on the coast, & expressing his dis
like to such an enterprize. He quarreled with Doctor Judd, as he,
the Doctor, has probably informed you, & ever after, he manifested
the most implacable spirit. I was fully convinced that he did not
intend to carry me, if he could find some excuse for refusing. And
such an one he found. There was no ship of which he could take
command. Capt. Blinn, therefore, according to a previous agreement
sailed very soon, & Taylor went with him as (sentence not completed).
I called upon him a few days before he left, when he informed me
that he could say nothing respecting my going to the coast. The
agreement was that I should have a passage if he commanded a ship that Capt. Blinn & young Marshall knew nothing of the agreement, &
concluded by advising me to remain here contented.
At our general meeting, the brethren judged it expedient for me to
embrace the earliest opportunity to explore the coast about
Columbia River, if a passage could be obtained. They also gave me
�779.
liberty to select my own station, till such time as the
providence of GOD should make the path of duty plain. No
opportunity will oocur till next spring, perhaps not then. I am
willing to go, or to stay at the Islands, just as the providence
of God shall decide. I shall thankfully receive any communications
on this subject, you have to send.
I have been somewhat tried relative to my present duty. Mr.
Andrews wishes me to stay at Lahina, that we may, together, pursue
our studies. Mr. Ely is ready to sink & would rejoice to have me
with him. Mr. & Mrs. Ruggles, who are here at present, on account
of his health, is very urgent with me to return with him to Hilo.
Mrs. R. will scarcely be denied. He regards Hilo as a very important field of labour, but he is wholly dissatisfied with his
(associates - perhaps you know the reasons of his dissatisfaction,
if not, he can state them. I am willing to be located at Hilo,
if I do not go to the coast. But I think I shall spend the season
at Kaavaloa. Mr. Ruggles, who has poor health, will go there too
& reside a few miles back in the high lands. If we are spared we
intend in August next to visit Hilo by way of the (hole in paper)
& return after attending the examination of the schools. I hope
by that time to be able to talk a little in the native language.
Mrs. Gulick was delivered of a fine son this morning & is com
fortable. He is absenton a visit to Tauai. We are all well &
happy.
We find things, in most respects, in a better
pected. We are grieved at the stand taken by
pecially by men from our own country. But we
a work is begun here which will be carried on
heathen population comes under the control of
state than we ex
foreigners - es
have no doubt that
till all this
christian principle.
Begging an interest in your prayers, I remain your affectionate
fellow labourer in the kingdom of our Lord J.C.
J.S.Green
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received Dec. 6, 1828.
�780.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 164.
Honolulu, Oahu, Sandwich Islands,
June 9, 1828.
Very dear Sir:
That was the saddest half hour I ever spent when on the
day of our embarkation I leaned on your arm & walked to
the wharf. My heart had been wrung with anguish, time &
again when parting with my beloved friends, but my spirits
had never sunken till that hour. I felt it to be indeed
a bitter thing to bid adieu forever to one’s country, to
meet untried difficulties on the way to unknown sums of
labor. I scarcely know why I felt so: - I had no relentings
on account of the decision to which I had come, the steps
I had taken - no desire to abandon the idea of leaving all
for Christ. I shall always recollect the cheerful smile
which played upon your countenance while my heart was ready
to break. Had you touched upon the pathetick, I should have
felt like a dunce - as it was, I felt ashamed, & bade every
desponding feeling away from me: - nor have I since indulged
anything of the kind.
I could tell you many things about the family which you
sent out in the Parthian, of our employment on board - of
the trials which we experienced - & of the mercies which
our heavenly Father vouchsafed to us. But in a single sheet
I cannot particularize. I hope your expectations relative
to their inforcement may not be blighted. I could specify
individuals whom I regard as peculiarly worthy of your con
fidence - but it might seem invidious & I forbear. I think
we were a happy family. After we recovered from our sea
sickness, we laid hold of our books & pens. Mr. Andrews
siezed his Hebrew books. He had not studied with points,
& I was happy that I could assist him. We studied diligently
till we reached the Islands. We attended to other severe studies,
and in addition to cultivating our voices daily & writing a
multitude of letters, we wrote a number of sermons.
For
one, I can say, that my time was never occupied more pleasant
ly & profitably than during the four last months, in the
cabin of the P a r thian. This preserved me from that state of
solicitude, that kind of dissatisfaction with myself and all
around me, which Mr. Evarts said we might possibly experience,
& which some on board evidently felt. Had not our ladies been
obliged to labor, we should have been able to study with
greater comfort & profit. The ladies, some part of the time
were allowed to talk - a privilege you may smile to hear gravely
said was allowed them. But I can assure you, dear Sir, our
ladies were cheerful in their submission to laws, which tho’
seeming severe, were indispensable to the prosperity, yea, to
the very existence of our little republick.
The mercies of our covenant God were exceedingly multiplied.
Our provisions were abundant & excellent, our water quite
�tolerable, our health, for the most part, good & our spirits
buoyant. I have enjoyed many a pleasant walk with the brethren
on deck. At such times, in the call of the day, or at evening
after the toil of the day, it was exceedingly refreshing to
commune with & kindred spirit - to speak of the past, anticipate
the future & endeavour to mature our plans for study & action.
We were permitted to have public worship every Sabbath after we
left Boston, excepting the first. We closed our exercises not
more than 10 or 15 minutes before the gun was fired for a pilot
at this port. We had a meeting for prayer & conversation every
Saturday evening & observed monthly concerts.
We had our trials too, may they be sanctified to us. It was a
trial to be closely confined for nearly five months on board a
vessel - tossed upon the billows - out from the society of our
friends, subject to many inconveniences and especially to dwell
with men who seemed so utterly abandoned. It was a trial, to
witness their unconcernedness about the interests of their souls,
to witness the little apparent good effected by our labors for
their benefit. More than 40 sermons were preached on board the
Parthian, yet very few could be induced to listen to the sound
of the gospel. Other domestic trials we experienced, but these
have been mentioned & need not be repeated. When you hear from
us, you will bless the God who heareth prayers for the protection
afforded your missionaries & beseach him to qualify us abundant
ly for his service.
I could tell you many things which have interested me since
our arrival, but I have no room. I am contented & happy, and
driving away at the language & panting to preach to this people,
the unsearchable riches of Christ. With the brethren at the
(hole in paper) I am generally pleased.
A few words about Books. Critical (hole) are greatly needed at
every station on these Islands. The book of God is to be trans
lated into the language of this people, they need it - pant
for it - must have it. And among the embarrassments which your
missionaries encounter, arising from the barrenness of the
lanuage, poor health, &c, &c, shall the want of helps be number
ed? Besides every man who translates the Bible, or any part of
it wants helps. Books for a general library to supply aid to
this mission are not the thing. Better that, Doc. Bates, Doc.
Beecher & Mr. Hawes should own a library together, than that
Mr. Whitney, Richards & Thurston should own one in this way.
Mr. Ely says were he to come out again, he would do without
clothes rather than books. Some men do not read - they do not
need books - others pant to improve, ought they not to be
assisted? I may go to Hilo - probably I shall go there ulti
mately. Can I have some more bibical helps? I want Rossenmuller's commentarii on the Old Testament. I want a Greek con
cordance - & Hebrew one. Wahl's lexicon. I have Schleusner.
I should be pleased also with a few elementary books. I should
exceedingly like Koenoeul's commentary. Botany, Chemistry &c,&c,
I do not say that I shall ever deserve these books, but if
spared I will endeavour to make a good use of them.
May I expect a letter from you?
I shall eagerly expect letters
�782.
soon, & I do hope our friends will not fail to write. I
pray God to b less you, aid you in your arduous labors & mate
you an instrument of great good.
Your affectionate brother,
J. S. Green.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received Dec. 6, 1828.
�783.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 165.
Lahaina, Maui, July 14, 1828.
Dear Brother:
The Ship Abigail, Mr. Clark, master, is now in this port and
will soon leave for America. By this conveyance I hasten to
inform you of the continued smiles of the Saviour - of our
circumstances & prospects. I must beg you to accept a few
lines as I hate recently written, and I have but a few hours
to write by Mr. Clark.
nothing very remarkable has occurred since Capt. Worth left
Oahu. The members of the mission are generally in health, &
are diligently pursuing their several avocations. The press
is in vigorous operation and the wants of this people might be
supplied had we paper & matter in sufficient quantity. It is
one thing to calculate - another & quite a different thing to
execute. The brethren are industrious, but it requires strength
and patience to put the Bible into a new language. So it
seems to me when I look on - if I am permitted to lend a
helping hand, I presume it will not seem less so.
I left Honolulu the 5th of this month in company with Mr* &
Mrs. Ruggles & Mr. Bishop. We came on board the Tartar, Capt.
Bancroft - by whom Mr. Chamberlain sent the lumber for this
island & for Hawaii. Mr. Ruggles & Mr. Bishop are still here,
as the ship is detained for the purpose of taking aboard sandal
wood. When I wrote Mr. Evarts from Oahu, I think I told him
that I should probably proceed to Kaavaloa & remain with Mr.
Ely during the season. I have since changed my purpose & shall
remain here if I am spared. Mr. Andrews is anxious that we
should study together. If I can assist him, I shall be usefully
employed. I am sure I shall derive great benefit from his society.
The season is so far advanced that I fear I should not do much
for Mr. Ely. Besides Mr. & Mrs. Ruggles will spend several months
with him, so that there is less need of my going. Finally, I
choose to be disconnected as much as possible, during the year
from any particular station. Should I go to Kaavaloa I might
become attached to the people so that I should be less disposed to
go to another station - and it might be judged best that I should
leave. If I remain here I shall feel in a great measure like
a pilgrim & stranger so that if I could not go to the coast, I
should be ready to go to any station where the brethren might
think it best. Mr. Ruggles is exceedingly anxious to have me
associated with him, and on many accounts I think it would be
desirable.
Mr. Richards has provided me a native house, and we are about
begining to live by ourselves. I am pleased with the appearance
of things at this station. None but a sceptic, very far gone,
can doubt that a most precious influence has been exerted here.
On the last Lord's day five were propounded for admission to
the church.
�784
We are begining to pant for intelligence from our beloved
home - for so we call it, tho' it is so no longer. Shall
we not hear soon?
Doc. Judd left here a week since, only a few hours before
our arrival. This was greatly to the disappointment of
Mr. Ruggles who much wished to see the Doctor on account of
his health. He was so anxious to obtain a young lady to
reside in his family, that when he came down from Hilo six
weeks since, he staid here only a short time, one or two days,
altho’ the Doc. was here - but left for Oahu with the hope of
obtaining Miss Ogden. But contrary to the advice of the
whole mission, she concluded to go with Mr. Gulick, tho she
well knew what were the express & repeated instructions of
Mr. Evarts. Mrs. Whitney has never given her an invitation
to reside in her family. It was a matter of deep regret to
the mission. Miss Ogden is, however, a good woman, and till
we arrived in the neighborhood of the Islands, was willing to
go anywhere. But about that time she was strongly influenced
to become attached to a particular family & this influence
has been constantly strengthening. If she can enjoy herself
while acting counter to the advice of the brethren, I pity her.
Mr. Ruggles’ health is poor & he will remove on to the mountain
back of Kaavaloa. I have not heard from Mr. Ely for a long time.
Unless his health has improved he also will go back. He is a
very industrious & useful man - he is very far before some of
the clergymen who have enjoyed the first advantages the country
afforded. I pray that God would (hole in paper) him to the
mission.
Pray for us, that God would make us able & faithful ministers
of the gospel & messengers of mercy to this dying people. I
shall expect a long letter from you as soon as you can send.
I trust you will remember that we cannot translate the book of
God without helps. - I want a commentary - Rossenmuller - on
the Old Testament - a Greek & Hebrew concordance &c, &c, please,
& some others I mentioned in my last, but as that may not reach
you, I have ventured to mention it again. Mr. Evarts authorized
Mr. Chamberlain to say - and he wrote it in large letters &
put it on Mr. Bingham's door "Money shall not be wanted if you
are good missionaries & practice economy on religious principle".
If you will send me books I will be an industrious missionary whether I shall be a good one. I leave the brethren to decide.
I trust you will supply our wants.
Praying that God, our Redeemer would shed upon you & yours his
choicest blessings - grant you health & vigor of body & mind &
continue your usefulness, I subscribe myself your brother in the
bonds of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
J. S. Green.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received Dec. 11, 1828.
�785
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 166.
Lahaina, Maui, S. Islands, Oct. 15, 1828.
Very dear Sir:
I cannot suffer the present opportunity of sending to America
to pass without dropping you a few lines, tho' I have nothing
very special to communicate. The journals which we send you both of individual stations - and the general letter of the
mission, will place before you all the interesting facts which
can be communicated. I will only say a few words relative to
my individual interests.
We are very happy in the society of Messrs. Richards and Andrews.
I am doing what I can, I trust, for the benefit of the people.
I am not yet able to tell them, in their own language, how ex
ceedingly sinful is sin, and how infinitely precious is the
Saviour. I hope I have been useful to Mr. Richards. I accompanied
him on the tour round the Island and Mr. Andrews on the tour
round Molokai. During the last excursion, I solemnized twenty
five marriages. I have also a school of about 30 children whom I
daily instruct in their own language. They come into my yard,
morning & evening, and I hear them read. We are anxious to show
the people what can be made of their children. One or two in
dividuals come to my house, occasionally to be instructed in
English - but I get through with this business as rapidly as possi
ble. They are young men of some importance and I suppose it is
policy to hear them read - tho' it is of no possible use. They
will not - cannot learn English, and they will soon of their own
accord, abandon it.
What influence the removal of Mr. Ely will have upon my future
destination, I am unable to say. I shall leave the question of my
location entirely to the brethren. Mr. Clark wrote me, not long
since, that Mr. Bingham was desirous that the committee on the
subject of the N .W. coast, should report and send their report to
the Board. Mr. Bingham, Clark & myself, are that committee. I
wrote Mr. Clark that I knew of no additional intelligence which
could
embodied in the form of a report. If he or Mr. B. knew
of any, it would be proper for them to report. I have heard
nothing since from Oahu. A few days since Capt. Martin, directly
from the Coast, called here. I conversed with him respecting the
state of the people and the prospects of establishing a mission
among them. He gave me a bloody account of the people, and thinks
no missionary should be sent among them unprotected by a military
establishment. This is the same story we have frequently heard.
Capt. Martin proposed warm attachment to the mission & I believe
he has always shown himself friendly, but he is a man of the
world. He said he should be happy to afford me a passage to the
coast - but he does not go thither again. What will be the result
of our efforts to explore the coast I cannot tell - and whether
the brethren will feel able to spare an additional labourer re
mains to be seen. Certain it is, the labours in this field are
vastly disproportioned to the harvest. The opinion of the brethren
seems to be, that a labourer is very greatly needed at Hilo, so
�786
much so, that I think they will send one there, altho’ Kaavaloa
should be abandoned in consequence of it - what then will become
of Kaavaloa? Much has been gained there - Shall it all be lost?
Had we two more efficient clergymen, how profitably they might
be employed. How greatly should we value your counsel, just
at this time particularly. We have your prayers that the gracious
Redeemer would scatter light in our paths, and I trust he will
direct us to the adoption of suitable measures.
Mr. Ely will tell you how much we need additional helps in trans
lating the book of God. I believe I know your sentiments on the
subject of affording your missionaries every facility of this
kind which will aid them in their great & good work. Will it not
be consistent to send me a few additional helps? To own books in
common on these Islands, is entirely out of the question, as Mr.
Ely will tell you. I want Rosenmuller on the old Testament,
Kuinoel on the Evangelists and Acts, a Hebrew & Greek Concordance Wahl's Lexicon - Johnson's (hole in paper) with corrections and
large additions by (hole).
These I earnestly request for my own
library, and I promise, if I am spared, to make the best use of
them in my power. Whatever others may say, I am confident that
if I find time for any thing, I shall find time to study. Mr. Ely
with all his cares has found time to study Hebrew & Greek, altho'
he began de novo and had very few helps - and no member of the
mission has grown so fast as Mr. Ely.
Everything new and valuable - and their books are apt to be so which the Professors publish at Andover, I earnestly request,
and whatever else you think will make me a wiser and better man.
We feel that we are exiles almost from the literary and moral
world - not unhappy in being so - far from it - We were never more
cheerful & happy - but we greatly wish to hear from our dear
Country & friends. In the best time we shall doubtless hear.
We think of you, dear Sir, with the warmest affection and our
prayer is, that God our Saviour, would sustain you under all your
labors, would bestow upon you the richest blessings, temporal &
spiritual - would continue you to toil for Zion many, very many
years, and finally put upon your heads the crown of life!
Remember me affectionately to Mrs. Evarts and your daughters.
Mrs. Green remembers you all with affection. Pray for us.
I am, dear Sir, your brother in the bonds of the gospel.
J.S. Green.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received April 18, 1829.
�787.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830.
XI
Letter 167
Lahaina, Maui, October 16, 1828.
My dear brother:
I am a punctual correspondent; - uniformly answer all the letters
which I receive. Whether I shall hear from all the friends to
whom I have written since I have been on these Islands, I cannot
say; but as I am exceedingly anxious to hear from every quarter,
I shall send a multitude of letters, hoping that I shall induce
the most of them to pity me and let me have all the interesting
items of intelligence in their power. For this reason I again
address you, tho' in truth, I have very little to say. You will
have so many public letters, that everything interesting you
will learn from them. I will, therefore, be as short as is
consistent with the love I bear you.
I must trouble you again with a few letters to my brother and
my classmates whose place of residence I have not yet learned.
The large packet to brother, I will thank you to send to him
by private conveyance, or lay by, till he calls, or sends for
it. The letters you will please to give a new direction. In
God's good time I hope to know where these men reside. The
letter to brother Allen, Bombay, you will send on, the earliest
opportunity.
You will have heard I doubt not, ere this reaches you, of our
arrival and settlement. I am cheered with the hope that our
letters are rapidly approaching Boston and will reach you in
a few weeks. I am sure you will rejoice to hear from us - will
bless God for his great kindness to us, and from his goodness
so manifold & rich, will take encouragement to plead earnestly
for a blessing on our labors.
We are distressed in view of Mr. Ely's departure from this
field of missionary toil. But the God of missions lives, and
will live evermore, to bless the church which he has purchased
with his own blood. Mr. Ely has done well. So all the brethren
say. He has been instrumental of great good to this people: so their tears and anguish, in view of his leaving them, testify.
He had grown wonderfully since he came hither. He has been a
man of business, has preached and visited, superintended schools,
and managed his domestic affairs admirably, and yet has found
time to study. Yes, my good brother David, tho' you may laugh
at the idea of a man's finding time to study here, 'tis even so,
or his brethren have strangely misrepresented the thing, - he
has found time to study. And what has been the consequence?
Why - to be sure nothing wonderful - he has become to say the
least - "head & shoulders” above some men here, who have their
"sheep skin”, with the names of - . I will not say whose names!
Oh why is a piece put into the hands of a fool, seeing he hath
no heart to it"?
Do you say, Mr. Ely has lost his health in consequence of his
studies? I deny the assertion - but were it so, better suffer
�788.
the lose of health - better be removed, tho' it be like plucking
out an eye - better suffer anything - better die, than to have
the mind dwindle to a most insignificant - contemptible size, to
make room for the growth of a carcase to be the sport of every
man of sense on account of its inertness and intolerable capacity
for - food.
Mr. Ely has fallen - so that we fear he is disqualified for
future action in this field, but he leaves covered with honourable
wounds. The Lord in mercy sends us laborers of a similar spirit.
The officers and crews of ships, with a very few exceptions,
exhibit symptoms of great mental disquietude, because, forsooth,
they cannot wallow in the slough of sensual indulgence. There is
an English whaleship now in port, the Captain of which has interest
ed himself deeply in the case of a prostitute who went on board
the "John Palmer" last autumn. He has, it is said, procured the
measure of the chain with which she has been bound, intending to
carry it to England - that by exhibiting it to the owners of his ship,
who he says are friends of missions, he may convince them that
missions to the heathen are of no other use than to make men
cruel! Wonderful expedient!. Doubtless he will cure these advocates
for missions of their mania.
Nothing can be more ridiculous than the tender concern these
wretches feign for the welfare of this poor people. They would
bless them with untold benefits, but for the influence - the
ascendancy of these worthless missionaries.
Shall I not soon hear from my beloved friends, shall I not have
a bundle from you? I beg you will not be offended at anything
I have said about the propriety of missionaries being studious.
You know ‘what I mean. You laughed at me because I plead for
books - laughed me out of some which I greatly need. Depend
upon it, my dear brother, I shall find time to study. I will
recollect what you said - and hundreds will remember it I
hope - on the waste of mind. How I do sincerely believe that
among the clergy of our country, there is more waste of mind than
among an equal number of any other class of men in the community!
I am sure you would not have me waste, by inattention, what little
mind I have.
By the way, will you ask some good friend of ours to send me
Milton's prose works? Let me have all the good pithy reviews
which come in your way. Pray for us, that in all our labors
& studies, we may remember that we are the servants of Jesus
Christ, & may humbly aim to glorify him. Mrs. Green sends her
affectionate remembrance.
Your brother,
J .S.Green.
To: Rev. David Green,
Missionary looms, Hanover St.
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received April 18, 1829.
�789.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 168.
Honolulu, Oahu, Dec. 31, 1828.
Dear Brother:
As I am recently from Lahaina and as you will not hear from
Messrs. Richards & Andrews, they not being informed of the
present opportunity to send to America, I will say a few
things relative to the affairs at that station.
Very few things of an interesting character have occured since
we last wrote you. About fifteen ships recruited at Lahaina
this autumn. Of the conduct of most of the officers & crew
we can speak decidedly favourable. Of some English ships we
cannot speak in this style. Sabbath evening Nov. 2, at the
close of native service, we were met at the door with a
message from Mrs. Richards, requesting us to return as soon
as possible. We ran as fast as possible, and the natives in
crowds followed. We found that an English sailor, half in
toxicated, had attempted to enter the house, but failed &
after clamoring at the window awhile and saying a great many
foolish & wicked things, had retired. In a few days three or
four of the same ships crew - two ships indeed - came to the
door of Mr. Andrews and began to talk in the most abusive
manner. Being near, I ran to support my brother, and Mr.
Richards soon joined us. The number of sailors increased till
there were 15 or 20. They threw off all disguise - disclosed
plainly what they wanted & what they would have, or shed our
blood. They were less reserved in their communication, Mr.
Richards s aid, than were the wretches from the Ship Daniel.
They talked exceedingly loud & large - threatened to take the
Island &c, &c. We said all that we could say, but said it to
little purpose. We did not greatly fear an attack as the natives
were numerous & disposed to aid us in such a time of trial.
Captain Richards & Martin, the two English officers, called the
next day and assured us that they would effectually prevent any
further disturbance from their crews: but of their professions
I for one, felt rather suspicious as Capt. M . had no control of
his men and Capt. R. had been to the chiefs to have some of the
tabus removed - & besides, he was drunk when he called upon us.
Their men were allowed their liberty during the night and what
mischief they would effect we could not forsee. The next night,
like so many wolves or devils in wolves skins, they howled back
of our dwelling to our no small annoyance. As my house was
several rods from those of Messrs. R . & A. and so constructed as
to present no effectual barrier to assaults from a mob, I judged
it - expedient while these ships lay in port, to act on the
defensive, so far as preparation was concerned. Accordingly, the
next day I provided my natives a good supply of clubs and in the
evening admitted them into the house. Nothing serious occurred,
however, & after a few days we had the happiness to see the ships
leave the port. Blessed be God for protecting kindness.
Other things remain at Lahaina as when Mr. Richards wrote you
by Mr. Brewer. Mr. Andrews continues to instruct the teachers.
�790.
Much good I trust will result from this measure. Since the
first of October something has been done at Lahaina in the
way of translation. About that time Mr. Bishop sent down
from Hawaii the translation of seven or eight chapters of
Genesis. This Mr. Richards reviewed. Since that, he has
translated twelve chapters of Exodus and thirteen of Acts, more I am quite certain than has been done at all the stations
besides ! I think something has been done of late to awaken
the enthusiasm of Mr. Richards. I think he and Mr. Andrews
will do great things. I suppose Mr. Bingham will tell you what
he has done. It does not become me, perhaps to say, tho' I
cannot but think that twenty five chapters translated by a man,
who has nearly all the business - secular business - of the
stations to do - who has a thousand calls for medical assistance
&c &c, & translated in three months - leaves rather in the
back ground twelve or thirteen chapters - translated by a man
who has near him, a secular man & physician - & translated during
18 or 20 months!
The good old Gov. Hopili has been quite ill. We hope, however,
he will recover. His life, I think, is of great importance.
The King & Boki were at Lahaina when we left. In their ???
Hoapili fined a man $200 for selling a bottle of rum. Boki &
the King have erected rum poles! I hope the Govornor will
continue firm.
We are hoping to hear from you soon. I need not say the thought
of hearing affords balm! A thousand interesting items of in
telligence you will furnish us together with much good advice.
I can say nothing distinctly respecting the board. Mr. Taylor,
I am told, - for I have not seen him since I came down - says
he will carry me on when his ship arrives from America. When
that will be is uncertain & whether I ought to go with such a
man, I am not quite certain. I hope & trust the path of duty
will be made plain.
With the leave of a kind providence, I shall return to Lahaina
after a few weeks. With Mr. R. & A. I have been very happy
during the season & the situation is quite retired.
Praying that God would bless you abundantly in the prosecution
of your labors, I remain your brother and fellow laborer in
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
J.S.Green
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Capt. Allen, Ship Sultan
Received July 14, 1829.
�791.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 169.
Honolulu, Oahu, S. Islands,
Feb. 9, 1829.
Very dear Sir:
I hasten to inform you, by an opportunity which I hope will
soon offer, of the step which I am about to take - of a
movement in which I well know you and the christian public
take a thrilling interest, and for the success of which you
are daily praying.
I need not repeat what I wrote you after the sailing of the
Parthian, last spring. To go to the coast, at that time,
seemed quite impracticable. At the general meeting, there
seemed to be a disposition to locate me, as Mr. Ely's health
was poor, and the station at Hilo in need of assistance. To
this I objected. Mr. Clark seconded me, and after stating
your views, more at large, the brethren voted that I should
remain without leaving any particular destination till the
spring of 1829, then, if no opportunity of visiting the coast
offered, that I should be located. Where and how I spent the
season, I have already informed you.
I was informed by the brethren of this station that Mr. Taylor,
after his return from the coast, declared that he stood ready
to fulfill the agreement into which you had entered with Mr.
Marshall, whenever a ship from America should arrive for him.
Dec. 26, 1828, with Mrs. Green, I arrived here with the in
tention of spending a few weeks. Mr. Taylor was expecting a
vessel daily - tho' there was a great deal of uncertainty about
it.
January 17 Messrs. Clark and Chamberlain sailed for the windward.
Business called the latter, and it seemed a suitable time for
the former to visit the other stations. Wednesday 21. Captain
H» of the Herald arrived. We were cheered with intelligence
from you, and from other dear friends:-we rejoiced to hear of
Zion's prosperity:-we blessed God and took courage. I was pained,
however, to know that your expectations & the expectations of
the christian public, were so entirely blighted, with respect
to the coast. I felt the more concerned after learning by
Captain Hammett, that Mr. Marshall's vessels would not touch
at the Islands. After consulting the brethren I waited on
Capt. Hammett and endeavoured to obtain a passage of him - but
he said he could not accomodate me. I then waited upon a Mr.
Simpson, a lieutenant in the British navy - but at present,
connected with the settlement 80 miles up the Columbia River.
He is a polite, affable, intelligent gentleman, and he gave
much intelligence respecting the country about the Columbia.
He confirms most of the statements made in the Herald of August
last. He says, however, that the land upon the Columbia is
exceedingly fruitful, the climate salubrious, & the inhabitants
less ferocious than those are who inhabit farther north.
�792.
About a week since, Mr. Taylor chartered a vessel belonging
to some American traders, and with all possible haste, com
menced preparations for the voyage. I immediately waited
upon him and he assured me that if we could agree upon the
terms for the passage, he would carry me, I regret exceed
ingly that Mr. Chamberlain is absent, as his advice and
assistance is so much needed. With Mr. Bingham, I waited
upon Mr. Taylor in the evening of the same day. He told us
that he expected to be absent ten months, and would carry
me for five hundred dollars - furnishing me cabin room birth, board, washing, candles &c &c. What should we do?
This was our last hold on the coast for this year - this the
first time that a trader had seriously talked of taking passen
gers - the public waiting anxiously to hear, and urging you
to send an agent to explore this country! We concluded that
duty demanded the sacrifice of time and money - if indeed it
should prove to be a sacrifice, and I agreed to accompany him!
I need not say, dear Sir, that I engage in this enterprise
with unutterable emotions. To say nothing of the painfulness
of leaving my companion and infant son, to go - not knowing
what shall befal me - to a dark & uncivilized part of the world to say nothing of leaving beloved associates - to accompany a
man who sincerely hates the cause in which I have embarked, &
who assures me that he shall pay no deference whatever to my
official character - to say nothing of leaving this people who
are eager of instruction - and leaving them at a time when I
am becoming useful to them, having begun to preach & pray in
their language; - to say nothing of all these, I do feel that
the responsibility of the tour is exceedingly great. When it
shall be known that an agent has gone on to the coast with the
express object of ascertaining what is the moral condition of
that hitherto neglected people, the Christian public will have
raised expectations of ample information. I pray God that I
may be enabled to give such information, but dear Sir, if you
should apprise the public of the fact that an agent has gone
thither, I beg you to tell them under what peculiar circumstances
I go - merely a passenger in a trading barge which will stay no
longer in any port than the necessity created by the love of gain,
requires - with a man who will afford me no assistance whatever
inconsistent with his own interests - among tribes of wandering
men who have never heard of God - who are almost, constantly
engaged in bloody quarrels with each other and who are so
bloody that it is seldom safe to land on any port of the coast
& who tho' they visit the deck of the ship daily yet have so many
different dialects, that very little can be done, on such a
voyage to acquire a knowledge of their language. What I can.
I shall do, and I do hope to do something. But my researches
must mostly be made from the deck of the ship, and my information
be gathered from the broken language of natives while on board.
The prospect at present is that Taylor will visit a great part
of the coast. He expects to visit the Russian settlement of
Norfolk sound - then coast southward, put into the Columbia River
and on his return touch at Port St. Francisco. Of this, however,
we cannot be quite certain.
Letter 170.
Feb. 1 2 .
Capt. Taylor sails today, I need not say anything about the
�793.
state of the mission as you will probably here from the brethren
at a much later date.
I paid Deac. Newman for the first volume of Stuart on Hebrews
which I took. I am not certain but I paid for the second.
The Deacon will know. Will you send it me. Mr. Bingham is
about to commence translating the Psalms, without a single
critioal help - beside Gibbs lexicon. I pity him, and in view
of this poverty of critical apparatus of the Old Testament, I
humbly pray you send me Rossenmuller. Every station on these
Islands, I think should have this work (hole in paper) every
other help which will enable us to put a correct version of the
book of God into the language of these Islands.
I pray God to afford you all needed wisdom and grace for the
discharge of the arduous duties of your station.
With much affection & respect, I am, dear Sir, your fellow Servant
in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
J.S.Green
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received Nov. 7, 1829.
�794.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 171
Honolulu, Oahu, Sandwich Islands,
Nov. 13, 1829.
Very Dear Sir:
Were you with us just now, I well know you would sympathize
with me in the happiness which I now experience in being
permitted once more to embrace my beloved wife and associates:also in my sorrow on account of the death of our babe. The
Volunteer sailed from Monterey Oct. 18, and after a pleasant
passage arrived at Honolulu Nov. 9, a day which, I trust, I
shall not soon forget. The sight of my associates who met
me on the wharf, exceedingly affected me. I wept, in an
agony of joy when I looked into the faces of those who feared
God. May I be enabled to re-enter this precious field of
missionary labour and do something for the Saviour.
With this, you will receive the report of my tour. What you
will think of it I know not. I wish that I could have sent
you a more favorable account of the country and its inhabitants,
but you wish to know how things are, not how you would have
them. There is no classick grounds there, the land does not
flow with milk and honey, nor are there wanting the sons of Anak.
I hope that unbelief has not, however, influenced me in making
the statements which I send you. I have labored to present the
country and people precisely as they appeared to me. Gladly
would I have done something to benefit these dying men. I
labored to do a little, and indeed, I effected more - so far as
conversation may be said to effect anything - than I expected
to do, when I left Oahu. I was exceedingly desirous to see
the country about the Columbia River, but I am consoled with the
thought that I did all that I could. Had I known that an op
portunity of going from the river to the Islands, would have
offered - I should have gladly taken passage with Captain
Dominis, but this I could not have known, and Capt. Dominis gave
it as his opinion that no opportunity would offer. Had I been
into the river, I should feel that the whole coast had been
explored. I am thankful that so much has been done.
I have as you will see, made quite full disclosures of what I
have seen and heard. This I think, is precisely what you want.
To you I submit it. You see what I have said of this and that
man. The half cannot be told. My heart has bled, but I hope
I feel pity rather than anger. I have named Martin - he is from
Beverly - has a large family, and is I believe a baptist professor
of religion. He once wrote to Mr. Bingham from the coast, giving
him a description of the natives and desiring him to pray for
them! Base hypocrite - he was at the very time, and has been
ever since living in habitual adultery. He has several children.
One of his mistresses and one of his children I have repeatedly
seen. Could I see him. I am certain that I should tell him
what impressions I have of his conduct. Of Captain Allen, of the
Sultan, whom I have mentioned, I know very little. Capt. Hammett
I regard as an enemy to the Saviour, his people and cause.
�795.
His influence on the heathen is exceedingly poisonous, not on
the coast merely, but I presume wherever he goes. It is said
that at Oahu he has several mistresses. He is in the employ
of Briant and Sturges. I can assure you that I have not said
too much respecting the influence of these traders. I am not
skilful enough to paint their baseness in suitable colours.
Satan would blush at a record of their deeds. Indeed, those
who have traded there during the year 1829 are not backward to
speak of the conduct of their predecessors, and tho' they gen
erally laugh about their pranks, they put most of them, in
point of degradation, far below the savages. Oh that these men
would make their examples a beacon - but on my soul, I can
scarcely make an exception.
I wish you would say to the publick that Capt. Taylor has kept
himself from lewdness - oh wonderful - and that he treated me
according to his agreement. I do not like to find fault. I
did not expect much from Capt. Taylor - and I can truly say that
he treated me more politely than I expected. Still I may say to
you, and feel in duty bound to say to you, that I suffered not a
little from his conversation. He is one of consul Jones satellites
and in saying this I have described one who hates the Saviour, and
persecutes his cause. Of every officer who favored the mission,
he uniformly spoke with contempt, and of Capt. Sayre with peculiar
dislike. He has a savage temper and I have suffered by the ex
hibition of it. Toward the close of the voyage - not having been
very successful - be became sour to a high degree - and shockingly
profane. My heart has bled at the hearing of oaths too profane
and daring to be repeated. Still, as he fulfilled his contract
I would not have these things repeated. I shall probably suffer
from his abuse on account of an illusion to him which I made in
a letter to my brother. I am fully of the opinion that we suffered
on his account. I mean thro' his agency, on board the Parthian.
If you publish from the report, I submit it to your judgement
whether the names of those whose base conduct I mentioned had not
better be omitted - I had almost said, Capt. Martin excepted.
I lament that I could do no more as a minister of Jesus Christ.
Once I preached & once I prayed, and occasionally I droped a word
with the hope of doing good. I distributed tracts on board the
Volunteer and several other vessels, and in California I gave
away several spanish tracts. I regret that I had not Spanish
Bibles, as I could have disposed of a few. If I have been enabled
to make any good impressions, I have done it by my example. I
bless God that on two points I have been enabled to take a high
stand. First in regard to temperence. In all circumstances
I have utterly declined the use of every kind of spirits - even of
wine. This I think was useful while I was among the Indians.
They had seen one man at least, who would not touch, taste, nor
handle. I had repeatedly to refuse - on board ship - at Norfolk
sound and in California. Sometimes I was unreasonably pressed,
but never overcome. Another point to which I refer was the
Sabbath. Never had I so high a sense of its valve. I do not
wonder that the committee feel deeply on this subject. The
Sabbath is every thing & the Christian who does not love it is so
only nominally. I do think I have been enabled to show a marked
distinction between this and other days. In two instances I was
placed in circumstances where I had to say, "I cannot do this,
�796.
it is the Sabbath”. One of these was a trying case. It was
the day before we arrived at Honolulu. We had a head wind,
and there was no probability that we should reach home that
day. Captain Taylor says, "I think of sending a boat on shore if you go you may reach home in the evening, will you go?" I
was enabled to say, "I will not, it is the Sabbath” . I say not
this to boast of my conscienciousness. I bless God for
strengthening me. I felt that I occupied an important post,that my example was of the utmost consequence - Oh that it may
appear at the great day of God that my example was not without
the happiest effect.
Often have I said, oh that I could consult for an hour with my
dear Mr. Evarts. I have been without a counsellor or sympathizing
friend. In these circumstances I have cast myself on God and
acted to the best of my judgment.
Praying that God would guide & bless you & yours, I subscribe
myself with high esteem & affection, your brother in the labor
of the gospel,
Jonathan S. Green.
To: Jeremiah Evarts,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received Aug. 5,
1830.
�797 4
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 172
On board the Superior, at sea, not far
from Oahu, N ov. 17, 1829.
Dear brother David:
Moat sincerely do I thank you for the long letter which I found
in your handwriting, on my return to Honolulu from my tour to
the coast. Tho’ "my eyes may not look on you again", yet this
memento of your affection has, so to speak, greatly lessened
the distance between us, and strengthened the tie which binds
my fond heart to yours. I suppose you have received many a
scroll from me since the date of yours. Let me have as much
of you, in return as you can spare.
It this late period you may not care to know what I was about
December 24, 1828 - yet so much depended upon the movements
of that day, that I am half disposed to tell you what they were.
Know then, that on that day, with her who shares my pleasures
and trials, I embarked at Lahaina on board a native schooner of
19 tons, with a cabin so low that I could not stand erect, & so
occupied that I could scarcely lie down. The schooner was
"piha loa", completely filled with natives, goats, and swine, so
that it was almost impossible to crawl from one end to the other.
I regarded it as of great importance that I should go down, and
as twelve hours is the usual time for reaching Honolulu from
Lahaina, I thought but little of the conveyance. But it seemed
good to the Saviour to try my patience. No more than two hours
had we been on board, before it fell a dead calm, and during 56
hours we were in these painful circumstances. Mrs. Green's
situation was very critical - we had no possible means of making
a cup of tea or of preparing a morsel of food, the sun beat upon
us intensely hot, and the noise and stench make me sick at heart.
Mrs. Green happily escaped sickness, and the saviour at length
permitted us to reach Honolulu. This is one of our trials, being
frequently called from Island to Island, and obliged often to
improve opportunities not the most favorable. My wife often
describes this voyage - tells how I appeared as I lay sprawling
in the cabin seasick & panting for breath. She says, she started
to go on deck when I rather whiningly besought her to "stay & fan
me and keep off the lice".
This trip, however, was followed by an event deeply interesting
to me, and important perhaps in its bearings on the interests of
the church. I scarcely need say that I refer to the tour which
I have performed on the north west coast. In January God gave us
a son. Soon after I learned that Captain Taylor had chartered a
vessel and was about to leave for the coast. Immediately I waited
upon him and concluded an agreement for a passage to the coast.
Had I not been at Honolulu at that time, I should not have gone
with Taylor, nor do I think that a passage could have been obtained.
I have always wondered that Taylor took me. The hand of God wrought
this, as I doubt not that he and all who trade on the coast will
bitterly curse me for telling tales out of school.
�798.
A word in answer to what you say respecting our passage in
the Parthian. It is not quite easy to say exactly what you
would have done, had you been in our circumstances. I think
we should have insisted upon being carried back, the moment
we found how things were going. But we found ourselves in a
bad case, and we concluded to do as well as we could. I wonder
that no correct information respecting Blinn was obtained
before we sailed, for sure am I that so coarse and savage a
character must have been known. I regret that the letter was
no more definite. I can only say of it, that it was written in
great haste, the thought of a joint letter occurring only a
short time before the sailing of the Rambler. Nor did we think
that an account of our treatment by Blinn would be made public.
We felt it a duty, which we owed our patrons and to our brethren
who should succeed us in the field of missionary toil to say
that we were maltreated. Still I thank you for your suggestion
and I will endeavour to be definite in all future communications.
I am sorry that the gentleman of the reinforcement are by you
"there" thought to have been wanting in gallantry in permitting
our ladies to go forward &c. Perhaps as a body we failed here,
tho' as an individual I shall defend myself. No lady on board
suffered so much as did Mrs. Green. This was chiefly in con
sequence of her having escaped seasickness. She was a kind of
angel of mercy to us all tho’ it was at the expense of toil
of which I shall never think but with grief and indignation.
For a considerable time I was so sick myself that I could scarce
ly sympathize with her, but as soon as I recovered I did all in
my power - or rather all that she would suffer me to do. When
ever she went forward, which I think she did a few times, she
went unbeknown by me, as she well knew how unwilling I was that
she should do anything which required much expense of strength.
Still she, as did all the ladies, suffered severely. The fact
is the statements of Mr. Evarts, tho' mainly correct, do but give
a feeble outline of the picture. The half is not, cannot be told.
So fully have I reported on the condition of the Indians of the
N.W.Coast, that I shall not occupy my letter with that subject.
Whether I have accomplished anything for the poor Indians, I
cannot tell. I hope and pray that my labour may not be lost.
Blessed be God that something has been attempted.
I rejoice in the brightening prospects of our beloved country,
and I do hope she will be redeemed. Certainly you have nothing
to fear - Jesus Christ will bless every well-directed effort
made to reduce to obedience or destroy his enemies. May I always
hear that the Saviour's friends are going forward in obedience
to their Lord.
I shall not say much respecting the affairs of this mission.
So long have I been absent, that I am far behind the brethren in
everything pertaining to the mission. When I left I was doing
well as to the language. I had prayed a few times, made several
short addresses and preached once. But after I reached the coast,
I laid hold of the Indian languages, and I can now talk better
Kiganee than Hawaiian. By God's assistance I shall soon conquer
the latter. I pant to pour instruction on these darkened minds to lead these inquiring men to the cross of Christ!
�799 *
I expect when next I hear from you, a rebuke for what I
have said about books. I would not be in a feverish excitement,
I would be a reasonable man. I do not recollect precisely what
I have said, tho' I think I have said some things humourously.
Still, brother David, I shall have books, if I can get them:-if the committee will not send them, I shall try to employ other
means. I do not say this complainingly. I love all the members
of that committee, nor will I shrink from adhering to their in
struction, if their instructions- of which I have no fear - do
not interfere with the duty I owe my master, as his minister.
I think I have shown my willingness to be at their service - I
say it not with a boasting spirit, God forbid that I should - in
performing a long and perilous agency which has demanded and
cost a greater sacrifice of feeling than any agency we performed
for the board! I do not, my dear brother, today, regard myself
as a being of much consequence. I am affected with the kindness
of our Saviour and of my patrons, in employing me to aid in so
high and holy a work. And be assured, I will have no means untried
to discharge every duty incumbent on me. I will aim to reach a
high standard. The work of a missionary to the heathen has
appeared to me of far greater magnitude and importance since I re
turned from the coast, than ever before. And while I aim
primarily to benefit the heathen by direct instruction, I will not
forget that their highest interests demand that I should be a
thorough schollar. I should be a good interpreter of the book
of God. To become skilful in this blessed business, I do exceed
ingly need and I earnestly ask for "helps". And on this point,
I do assure you I must and will have a standard of my own. I
will not sink to the levil of those dear brethren, who as literary
men have lost all their enthusiasm. I wish they would feel as I
do, and as I think they ought, if I can. I will help them up but if I cannot, my example shall reprove them. These remarks
I make to you, my good brother David - as brother David, not as
the assistant secretary of the A.B.C.F. Missions.
On my return to Oahu from the coast I had the pleasure of
seeing Mr. Whitney, whom I had not seen. He remained 3 or 4 days
after my return. I am quite pleased with him. I think he and
I could live happily as associates, tho' we probably never shall.
I will recollect all that you said of him.
Monday Nov. 23. Still at sea. I am making a trip to Hawaii,
partly on the account of my beloved wife whose health is poor,
and partly on business for the mission. This is the eighth day
of our voyage. A long time for so short a trip. Mr. Chamberlain
and Doc. Judd & wife are with us. I regret, on some accounts
having so long a passage - chiefly because I cannot go up to the
house of God on the Sabbath. Only think 41 sabbaths have I been
afloat, have not heard a single sermon and have preached but once.
Still I am not very uneasy, my dear wife is with me, and is
benefited, I can already perceive, by the voyage. I am not sea
sick at all, and I verily believe that I can at present do more much more business on board ship, than on shore. I can study and
write with great pleasure, unless indeed the wind blow a gale.
This can easily be accounted for, as I have been at sea now for
more than 9 months. Yet I scarcely need say, that I greatly
prefer "terra firma".
�800.
Kaavaloa 24 Nov. 1829. Mr. Ruggles cannot go with Capt. Rice.
The disclosures o f his business make it clear that he ought
not. I cannot specify now, as I must send away my report
tonight to Oahu and this must go with it. I should have
written much more hut this cuts all short. The Saviour
bless thee.
Your brother,
■
J. S.Green
Do not fail to write me frequently.
To: Mr. David Greene,
A.B.C.F.Mission,
Boston, Mass.
Received Aug. 5, 1830.
�801
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 173
Honolulu, Oahu, January 30, 1830.
Dear brother David:
I am not quite certain that I shall not repeat what I have
already said when I say - I greatly rejoice that you are
permanently connected with the miss. rooms. I think you are
in the place where your talents will he employed to the
highest purpose. May the Saviour strengthen you for his
service.
On another account I rejoice that you are at the Miss. rooms.
I shall often write you, and shall do so in a manner and style
quite unembarrassed. By saying this, I do not mean to say
that I cannot open my bosom to Mr. Evarts and Anderson - for
I can, and believe that I have done so - but in your ear I
whisper some things, which I should not care to s ay in theirs:with these - which may sometimes be foolish. I may mingle
others, which Mr. Evarts would like to see: - so that from the
heterogeneous matter which affords me pleasure in collecting,
you may select - now and then, an important item.
I shall not, at present, say many things respecting the opera
tions of the mission during the past year. I have keen compara
tively a stranger, having visited other tribes of benighted men.
Other members of the mission family will give you accounts,
fuller and more accurate than I am able to give.
The minutes of the general meeting of the mission you will see.
The meeting has, I trust done us all good. I am grieved that
some of the brethren are reluctant to attend. I regard this
meeting as one of the most precious bonds of ministerial &
missionary union, especially when, as now, we have connected
with it the ministerial association. At the present meeting
of the association the exercises were as follow: Associational
Sermon; "Thy kingdom come". Mr. Andrews. boncio ad clerum.
"Is there any sorrow like my sorrow?" Mr- Bingham. Essay in
Hawaiian. - Character of Paul. Mr. Andrews. Sermon in Hawaiian Evidences of Piety and an essay in English - The rise and present
state of the Jesuits. Mr. Clark. Essay in English: Science of
Interpretation. Sermon in Hawaiian - Human depravity, Green.
It is easy to see that we greatly need something of this kind
to save us from sinking, and as scholars, becoming tame, if not
contemptible.
For the present location of myself, I suppose I am chiefly
indebted to you. The brethren had a strong disposition to link
me with your old classmate "Joseph" at Hilo, tho' they were
most fully aware that no two beings could possibly be less
alike. The people there are in an interesting state. Mr.
Goodrich wishes an associate - so that greater scope may be
allowed to his mechanical genius which displays itself in piddling
in almost everything, in general, and making fish nets in particu
lar. The brethren said, however, that they would not vote me
�802*
thither, unless I was cordial in giving my assent. Mr. Whitney
was especially opposed, and he produced a letter which you
wrote, and in which he thought probably, you had reference to
me. You advise him not to translate any part of the Old
Testament as the task of acquiring a competent knowledge of
Hebrew, would be considerable. You say also that of the last
re-inforcement one in his knowledge of Hebrew is pre-eminent another above mediocrity, & advise that these be associated
with the old translators that they may mutually assist each
other. By the first - the Gibbs of the Sandwich Islands, you
probably had your eye on Mr. Andrews - whether you intended me
by the other - "Aole ike pono" - I am not quite certain - but
as I am talking with you about matters and things, I must just
tell you that you have somethings yet to le arn of us. Now the
fact is, I am not much of a Hebrew scholar, tho' I hope to be,
if spared - but - inter nos- I have been enabled to afford in
struction to brother Andrews in the minuties of Hebrew - have
read, probably twice as much as he - and intend to keep out of
his way as a Hebraist, however much I may lag in other re
spects, by the side of so inestimable a man as Lorrin Andrews.
At any rate the brethren decided that I ought not to reside at
Hilo, and gave me my station. I had no hesitation in making
up my mind. Mr. Richards & Andrews whom I love exceedingly &
with whom I lived the last year most happily invited me to
spend the year at Lahaina.
I can settle for the present more easily at Lahaina than at
any other place, as my goods are nearly all there. Mr. Andrews
desires to spend a season at Hilo - that he may acquire the
talking part of the language, as there he will have much of
it to do, and that, as a means of necessary exercise he may
make some kitchen and study furniture. He will soon go thither
with his family, and probably spend the season. Mr. Richards
says he will then spend a few months with Mr. Goodrich, but
of this more bye & bye.
I trust I am willing to be at the disposal of the Saviour, and
this mission. Certain am I, there is here toil enough for a
thousand hands - for a thousand hearts on fire with love to
Christ and souls - for a thousand heads and tongues, to furnish
& communicate instruction to this interesting people. Never
has there been a time, in the history of this mission, when a
louder appeal has been made to the intellect - the heart & the
hands of those who are here set for the defence of the gospel.
Blessed work, to give the book of God to the heathen: I do
sometimes thank the Saviour who has enabled me, in that he
counted me trustworthy, putting me into the ministry - especially
in that he has allowed me to visit the benighted pagans and
stammer to them, "the unsearchable riches of Christ"* All I
am and all I have I do desire to devote exclusively to the
blessed work of saving souls - of building up the church of the
son of God on these heathen shores. Do not let our patrons
forget that our hands are more than filled - that we greatly
need more laborers - and shall soon expect a large and efficient
reinforcement. Think, I pray you, of the thousands who are
panting for instruction on all these Islands - of the ignorance
of the best instructed among them, of the exceedingly great
degradation of the mass - of the peculiarly favorable time
for giving this whole people a form - for enstamping on them the
image of the son of God: - think of the influence of savage
�803.
foreigners - who are indefatigable in their efforts to ruin
the souls of this people and finally of the influence of error
which like a deadly march in the midst of us, begins to send up
its deadly exhallations - think of these I beseach you and send
us help, while you cease not to pray that God would afford us
his spirit.
I could talk on and fill another sheet, but as you have a
large package on the way which I wrote you soon after my return
from the coast, I will not, tax your patience with a longer
reading. Let me hear often. I shall expect a largerpackage
from my friends, class mates &c this spring than I have yet
received. Your friend Whitney is here. Sends his affectionate
salutation. I like him much.
Forgive my vanity in talking so much of myself. I have been too
much engrossed of late, with that same thing. May I be more
inclined to forget it by noble contemplations.
With Mrs. Green's kind regards to you & my prayers for your
usefulness & happiness, I will stop by saying I am as ever
your brother,
Jonathan.
To: David Green,
Missionary Rooms,
Hanover St., Boston, Mass.
By J.S.Green.
Received Aug. 30, 1830.
�804.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830.
XI
Letter 174
Honolulu, Oct. 13, 1829.
Rev. & Dear Sir:
The inclosed is a letter from Mr. Green to this brother, which
will inform you that I have a brief report from him for the
board, which he requested me to send by some one of the last
vessels that left this Port, if he did not return. Since he
did not write to the Board, I will send this letter unsealed
with a request that it may be sealed & sent on to him after
it is read.
Mr. Bishop & family have just arrived. He has come to super
intend the printing of Genesis. They came from Lahaina in the
Brig Active, Capt. Cotting, commander, eighteen days from the
Coast. He says Mr. Green will not return until the middle of
next month & that he hoped to go to Columbia river & from
thence to California. Should he not return in time to send
this fall, I will send the report.
Remember me kindly to a l l the members o f the Board & th eir
wives, & permit me to subscribe myself, yours in the bonds of
Christian a ff e c t io n ,
Theodoria A . Green.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston, Mass. U.S. A.
By the Mary Mitchell, Capt. McKenzie.
Received March 13, 1830.
�805.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 175
Honolulu, Oahu, May 31, 1828.
Dear Sir:
By the good providence of God, we arrived safely at this
station on Sahhath, March 30. On the evening of that day
(by the invitation of Messrs. Bingham, Chamberlain & Good
rich) I preached on hoard the whaleship Enterprise, Capt.
Swaine (I believe) from N. Bedford. Nine or ten of this
ship's crew, including the first & second mate, have be
come hopefully pious since they left America. There were
several more who appeared well, before they touched here,
but they have back sli den, or returned to the world. The
cabin of the Enterprise, though large, was filled. There
were four or five captains present, & the whole audience,
seemed very attentive, which rendered it peculiarly pleasant
to address them. After I had set down, the first mate, Mr.
Stetson, spoke in a very pointed & forcible manner on the
folly & madness of being ashamed of Christ. The services of
the evening, & converse with the missionaries, rendered this
one of the most delightful periods of my life. I spent the
night with brother Bingham, & in the morning, returned to
the ship with some eggs, milk, sweet potatoes, & other fruits
of the land. These seemed delicious to the ladies, & cheer
ing to all, as they afforded, both an evidence & a fortaste
of what we might hope to enjoy. And as there were none.who
brot. an evil report, we were eager to go up immediately &
possess the land.
And these desires were soon gratified. All except Mr. Andrews
& myself & our wives, were in a few hours conveyed to the
shore. The ladies, as I was informed, were not a little
shocked at the first sight of several hundreds of natives,
most of whom were half, or perhaps three fourths naked. But
being seated in hand carts, the joyous multitude brought them
with speed & safety to the mission house. There, the other
ladies & I joined them in the evening & the kindness of the
people, their eagerness to receive instruction, & the conse-quent prospect of usefulness, soon rendered us all, as far as
I have learned, contented & cheerful. And several, including
myself & my better half, feel more at home, than we have done
at any other place, since, as we hope, we have felt a lively
interest in the Redeemer's kingdom. We have had most decisive
evidence of the friendly feelings, entertained by most of the
principal chiefs, towards the mission. But of this you will
hear more definitely through another medium. I have visited
Kawaloa, Kailua & Lahaina, & was delighted & edified by con
verse with those fellow labourers, who have borne the heat &
burden of the day. At Lahaina the history of the John Palmer's
visit & the sight of a cannon ball, which we picked up near
Mr. Richards' house, after her firing, reminded me, very forcibly
of a remark made by the Rev. Mr. Fay. On learning the place
of my nativety fit is that part of Monmouth Co. in which a
battle was fought in the revolution) he replied, "You come from
�806.
battle ground, & go to battle ground". Mr. Ely at Kaawaloa
has also, within a few months, been ill, threatened by English
whalemen. Two seamen came to his yard with a very menacing
aspect, & uttering abusive language. But having been prevented
by the natives from entering, he went out, & reasoned with
them, till they became calm; then invited them in & gave them
some refreshment. And whilst they were sitting, he remarked that
he regretted they had not a better introduction to his house,
but should be pleased to have them call in a friendly manner
at any time. They begged him to say nothing about their in
troduction, appeared exceedingly ashamed, departed & returned no
more. The prevailing sentiment in the mission, is that seamen
are not dangerous when a fair opportunity to converse with them
can be obtained.
At Kailua I witnessed a part of a public examination of schools.
It was held in the church, which is 180 feet long & 78 broad.
It is literally built upon a rock, & the whole area is complete
ly covered with mats. Though built in the native style, it is
by far the largest & best finished edifice that I have seen of
the kind. There are more than (hole in paper) pupils connected
with the schools of this station. There were few errors & no
disorderly conduct exhibited through the exercises (hole in paper).
Several (hole) & one whole school, were dressed in uniform. One
class had black silk gowns & fine white muslin head-dresses.
Another had green silk gowns & yellow headdresses. One school
of more than 20 young men had light pantaloons & vests, dark
roundabouts & new black hats. And they went through their ex
ercises which consisted in spelling, reading & writing, perform
ing each particular part at the word of the teacher, & many parts
were executed by the whole class at the same instant. So per
fectly did they keep time that it seemed as if one mind animated
the whole. This, & their uniform dresses were the offspring
of their own invention, without any suggestion from the mission
aries* Several of the most interesting, & most influential
, females in that region recited with their respective classes There is also at this station, an extensive religious excitement.
It has extended to all classes, & many have come confessing
their guilt, & depravity, & inquiring what they must do to be
saved. When the manners & circumstances of these are contrasted
with those of the uninstructed around them, their improvement
is very conspicuous. There are said to be more than 26,000
connected with the schools; - about 80 professors of religion,
& at least as many more that are hopefully pious; 1 2000 collected
into congregations; & between 2 & 3000 families in which Jehovah
is professedly worshiped.
On one subject, I feel anxious to know the sentiments of the
Prudential Committee. The missionaries are required to abstain
from trading. But it has been, & still is, their custom to
dispose of tracts &c, in exchange for the products of the Islands,
& sometimes the products of this climate, for foreign articles
necessary to their comfort. It has also been voted by the mission
that tracts &c may be exchanged for money. Query, is this
considered trading?
I am to be located agreeable to the suggestion of the committee
at Tawai, or as we now call it Kauai. But I shall remain here,
�807.
till after my wife’s confinement, perhaps two months. Please
present my affectionate salutation to the Rev. Messrs. Fay &
Anderson & Mr. Hill.
Yours in the bonds of christian fellowship,
P.J.Gulick.
P.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received Dec. 6, 1828.
My love to Mr. Holmes. Tell
him with the tools which he
presented, I am occasionally
employed in making furniture
for my future habitation.
P. J. G.
�808.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 176
Waimea, April 27, 1829.
Dear Sir:
With pleasure I attempt the duty of informing you, in what
manner my time has been occupied, since I last addressed
you, viz. Aug. 1828.
Reading the native language, attempting to translate from
the English, under the tuition of brother W., & conversing
with the natives are the methods by which I have endeavoured
to acquire the requisite knowledge of Hawaiian. And in
this manner, most of my time, not bestowed on the care of my
family, has been consumed. But a very considerable portion
has been unavoidably occupied by the latter. Early in Dec.
I was called to watch by the sick bed of my dear companion,
& with unavailing sympathy, to witness the progress of disease,
till she appeared to be brought to the very borders of eter
nity, by the typhus fever. Though her case seemed truly
alarming, yet owing to adverse winds, we were unable to ob
tain medical aid. But the Lord, I trust "had mercy on her,
& on me also". He rebuked the fever, & restored her health
& strength in good measure in six weeks. Miss Ogden was
providentially with us. And I believe God was "a very present
help in (our time of) trouble".
Jan. 7. I started to attend the examination of schools. Mr.
Whitney was detained at home, in consequence of workmen en
gaged at his house. I returned on the 13th. And in a day or
two our son in his 8th month was violently attacked with the
teething sickness. Having been much reduced by this, he took
the hooping cough, & for several weeks he was so low that we
had but little hope of his recovery. But "The lord bringeth
down to the grave & bringeth up". Within a few weeks he has
regained his wanted health & cheerfulness. I might have added
that when almost sinking under the whooping cough, the little
sufferer was attacked with that sore complaint, the ophthalmy.
A few weeks after I was afflicted with the same complaint. For
three or four days the pain was excruciating. But by bleeding
& blistering, I soon obtained relief, & recovered very rapidly.
Thus you will perceive I have been retarded in acquiring a
knowledge of the Hawaiian language. I have, however, read
nearly everything of the kind that has been printed. And during
the last month, have prepared a sermon weekly when not specially
interrupted. I can read the language without much difficulty,
& understand nearly all that my associate says in it. But it
is hard to understand the natives, & harder still to speak as
they do.
Concerning the report of schools, I am sorry to say, it is
rather out of defference to the opinion of my associate, than in
accordance with my own views, that I subscribe to two sentences
viz. "The exact number on this island who can read, spell &
�809.
will doubtless exceed (rather than fall short of) that which
we have given. Most of those who read can also write.”
Almost all appear to esteem it a privilege to he numbered with
the scholars, & it seems quite difficult to avoid giving some,
credit for more than they deserve. Having committed their
lesson, many, seemed to read fluently who scarcely knew
anything about it. - I believe I informed you, that after my
arrival here, in July last, I assisted in teaching a number
of the school teachers, the art of writing. Mrs. G. did the
same for about 15 of their wives. Though most of those whom
we instructed had previously some knowledge of the art, it
was certainly small.
But brother W.'s means of information on these subjects, are
certainly superior to mine. And I have not written to
censure. Still having signed the report, with my views &
feelings, some explaination seemed necessary. I sincerely
wish that I may find myself mistaken; & if so, trust I shall not
be backward to confess it. It is but justice to state, that
after filling two sheets, most of the females wrote intelligibly,
& several of them a pretty hand.
The best male writer received, as a premium, a shirt & panta
loons. The female that exce led, was presented with a bonnet,
which was made in school, under the directions, & by the as
sistance of Mr. G. It was made of the cocoanut leaf. I be
lieve the natives have now some hundreds of hats & bonnets,
made by themselves, of this & similar materials. Since the
4th of August, Miss Ogden has been chiefly engaged in instruct
ing native females in writing & sewing. About 40 have been
thus instructed in writing, only four of these had previously
learned to write. She has at present 13 writers & 10 in
arithmetick. Their seats & writing tables are chiefly made
of those boards, on which the natives used to spend much of
their time, sporting in the surf. In my excursion to attend
the examination of schools, I experienced some inconvenience
from the want of roads, bridges, &c, but still travelling is
much more pleasant to me in this "land of hills, & vallies,
of brooks of water, of fountains & depths that spring out of
the vallies & hills", than it would be in a "dry & thirsty
land", where the traveller must suffer with thirst. For often
I literally "drank" of the brook in the way, & was refreshed;
& sometimes I felt a grateful emotion enkindled in my breast
towards Him "who made the fountains of waters & sendeth the
springs into the vallies, which run among the hills, (hole in
paper) drink to every beast of the field". I have frequently
heard the remark everything at these islands seems heathenish;
& formerly I thought it needed little if any qualification.
The exceptions appeared so'few & far between', that they were
as nothing when compared to the whole. BUT my opinion is
quite changed. I can scarcely believe that our Western states
which are so much praised, exceed, either in beauty or fertility,
some large tracts (through which I passed) including many thousand
acres on this island. But the most interesting object which
came under my view, was the school house. There is at least one
in every considerable village. They are generally built with
care, & large enough to afford a commodious place of worship
for the inhabitants in their respective vicinities. These are
�810.
already luminous spots whence the light from heaven is
gradually dispelling the thick darkness.
And should the Board be so happy as to procure men pro
fessing in a good degree the spirit primitive missionaries,
they may in a measure correspond to the Jewish synagogues
at the commencement of the Christian era, & exhibit a"burning
& a shining light" in which many will rejoice throughout
eternal ages.
A considerable number of ships have touched here, but none
of them have shown a disposition to trouble us. With several
of the captains, our intercourse has been very pleasant.
Twice I have preached to the seamen. Early in Jan. I began
to preach in Hawaiian. I should be highly gratified & I
think considerably assisted in my work, if I could obtain
a volume of President Edwards' sermons.
Yours in the bonds of Christian fellowship,
E .F.Gulick.
P.S. Amelia, the governor's wife has a school of nearly
40 children, from 4 to 8 years old. Another female attached
to Deborah, & a member of the church, has about 20. These
schools have been commenced since our last examination.
Amelia never appears more worthy of her station, than when
surrounded by those little creatures, dispensing instruction,
or bestowing favours to secure their affection.
P.J.G.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms, Boston, Mass.
Received Feb. 11, 1830.
�811
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 177.
Waimea, Kauai, Kay 13, 1829.
Very Dear Sir:
Although I wrote you on the last of April, I cannot deny
myself the pleasure of communicating some intelligence of
a more recent date. On the 11th Inst. we commenced an
examination of schools. Notice having been previously given,
the people from all parts of the island assembled at Waimea,
according to custom, at the semi-anual examination. Early
on the morning of the 12th, the readers, 858 in number, had
passed in review. Hone, who were unable to read, were ex
amined on this occasion. The number above stated, read in
various parts of the books which they had studied, & acquited
themselves very much to our satisfaction. 152 men & 43
women, most of them neatly dressed in European style, were
also examined on the art of writing. The number of writers,
we presume, would have been much larger, had it been generally
understood, that there was to be an exhibition of this kind,
at this examination. They wrote on slates & manifested very
pleasing evidence of improvement. When these exercises were
finished, the whole company, including many hundreds of spec
tators removed from the church in the village to the Gover
nor’s house. Here were assembled I suppose about 5000 people,
to hear certain new regulations published, & old ones newly
enforced.
The Governor's first step, was, to present to the view of
the multitude, five persons whom he has invested with authori
ty at least equivalent to that of a justice of the peace in
America, & nearly resembling it. It was gratifying to see
Simeon & Oliver Chapin, who are members of the church, included
in this a p p o i n t m e n t We
. believe five persons better qualified
for the office, than those selected by the Governor could not
be found on this island. When those officers had taken their
seats, the heads of the various subjects of legislation, were
read by Simeon, at short intervals. These intervals were oc
cupied by the Governor, in stating & explaining the precepts,
& also exhorting the people to obey them. All the regulations
appear to have a salutary tendancy, & some of them seem quite
in accordance with the views of the most enlightened part of
our own beloved country. I refer especially to the sanctifica
tion of the Sabbath, & abstinence from the use of ardent spirits.
The people are required diligently to sanctify the Lord's day.
And I blush for my country, when I state (what truth requires
at my hand) that I never had the happiness to live in any part
of it, in which its external observance appeared to be so
carefully mantained, as it is in Waimea. I would not be under
stood to imply that the proportion of Christians is greater
here than in any other place in which I have resided; but the
people believe the Sabbath to be a divine institution, & con
sequently, that it ought to be sacredly observed. The natives
are prohibited from all commerce in ardent spirits, & even from
drinking it,, except as a medicine. This regulation has been in
#See last page of this letter.
�812.
force a considerable time, & I believe is seldom violated,
nor am I aware that it is esteemed burdensome. (Though probably
many in civilized countries would deem it an intolerable
restraint to be debar e d of the privilege of destroying them
selves & one another with spirituous liquors]. And the con
sequence is, I have not seen an intoxicated native, nor heard
of one; neither have I known of any quarreling among them,
with one single exception, during my residence at the islands.
By the report of schools, which was forwarded in April, you
will perceive, that we have under our care 78 schools, instructed
by the same number of native teachers, including an aggregate
of 2954 pupils. You will also be informed how teachers are
appointed, & supported, by what means books are obtained &c,&c.
In connection with this subject I am happy to say, I learned
from George Sandwich, that a little previous to the recent ex
amination, the Governor distributed among 25 teachers, who had
been longest in that service, clothing to the value of $250.
At the examination, in Jan, Amelia, the Governor's wife, gave
a calico dress to each female in her class, which with herself
counted 25.
Although I deem the form of government which has existed here
from time immemorial, exceedingly oppressive, & debasing to
the people, yet I think it evident that He who is "wonderful
in counsel, & excellent in working” is now using this system
as a means to elevate & enlighten them, & to prepare them for
happiness, both here & hereafter. You are not ignorant of
the fact that all this land is considered the King's property,
& that each Governor is vested with regal authority within his
own limits. These things necessarily give the Rulers very great
influence over the people, & also afford the means of reward
ing such as they think worthy. And it is natural to suppose,
that when the example of the chiefs & their precepts & rewards
all unite to induce the people to listen to the instructions
of the missionaries & stimulate them to diligence in the schools
(which is the case to a very gratifying extent), this combined
influence would not be small. And speaking after the manner of
men, a less powerful motive would have been insufficient to
produce that general desire for instruction which pervades the
nation. When I consider the extreme degradation & ignorance,
& the proverbial indolence of the people; this eagerness to
obtain books (especially portions of the word of God) & to know
something of their contents, seems as evidently the work of
God, as any other circumstance connected with this mission.
And I think it is equally manifest that the government has had
a very important agency in producing the present state of feel
ing. This enables me to look with composure on some things
which spring from the same source „ & are in themselves con
sidered very great evils. For example, there is an almost
universal want of a motive to industry. But had the case been
otherwise on the arrival of the missionaries, very few of the
adults who have attended the schools, (viz. probably five sixths
of the whole number instructed) would ever have learned to read. I rejoice, however, in the assurance, that when the present
system of government shall have answered the purposes for which
it was designed by infinite wisdom, it will give place to a
more liberal & benign form. But its existence at this time,
ought certainly to render Christians, specially importunate in
�813
their "interceptions for the King & for all that are in
authority" here. And possibly the case of most heathen
lands is not essentially different.
June 15th. I believe I stated in my last, that we had a
large increase of the number who attend divine service on
the Sabbath, & during the week. This still continues. I
think we have also now good ground for the conclusion, that
one soul has recently been born again. She was taught by
Miss Ogden to read the word of God. And whilst studying it
seems to have been convinced of sin, & led to the "Lamb of
God who taketh away the sin of the world”. She says she
loves the missionaries & she loves America, because from
them she received the word of God, & they brought it. She
comes often to see us, & asks many questions of the utmost
importance. She wishes to know how she should pray, & in
what respects a man who is "in Christ is a new creature”.
Being asked why she wept on one occasion, she replied she was
thinking of her father who died before they had received the
word of God##. With sentiments of esteem & christian affection
towards yourself & your associates, I remain
Yours in the gospel,
P.J.Gulick. ,
#Another of the company invested with authority, was supposed
by the natives, when they arrived here, to have the power of
praying people to death. He is a fine looking man, for the
opportunities he has enjoyed, intelligent & resolute in support
ing the established regulations.
##I am grieved that I must say I see no other evidence of
the special operation of the spirit.
P.S. Would it be advisable for us to sell books to the natives
for yams, potatos, goats, &c; & to sell these again for the
benefit of the mission, viz. to raise funds to buy paper, pro
visions, &c. The time is not very distant when considerable may
be done in this way if such a course be proper. It appears
doubtless to me whether the mission will be of one mind on the
subject.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received Feb. 11, 1830.
�814.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 178.
Waimea, Kauai, Feb. 18, 1830.
Dear Sir:
My last to you was dated, I believe in July - And although
I know not, that I have anything of special interest to
communicate at present, I am unwilling to lose the oppor
tunity of writing you which now offers, since it is prob
ably the last that will occur in several months.
You will have heard, I presume, ere this reaches you that
Kaikioeva &. five other natives have recently been admitted to church
fellowship at this station.
Three others, have still more recently been propounded. We hope they are all the real disciples
of Jesus. But with respect to several of them, the evidence
is by no means so clear as we wish. The Governor, is an in
stance of this kind. And yet, situated as I am, I could not
say I thought it best not to admit him.
He has, for a considerable time, been strict at least as
far as we know, in his attention to external duties. Has also
exhorted the people to practice them. And although, said to
be naturally covetous, he has shown a good degree of liberality
to the missionaries, & also to the native school teachers.
He says his heart leans upon Christ, & appears to spend most of
his leisure time in poring over his book.
On the other hand,
he says little, if anything, that seems to me, to indicate
"the love of God shed abroad in his heart". His views of
the method of justification, are, in my estimation, not clear,
(This last remark, would, in my opinion, apply to most of the
natives whom I have heard examined.) He is remarkably fond
of purchasing novelties, & almost whatever is offered by
foreigners, with little regard either to the cost or the
utility of the article. This propensity to buy, seems indeed,
to be deeply rooted in-most of the chiefs. And I fear it
often leads them to violate the rules of self denial, which
Christians ought always to observe. (Some of the foreigners
who trade here, are too well acquainted with this trait in
their character. ) For however bitterly they may complain, of
dilatory payments, & want of veracity, & integrity in the natives,
they urge upon them things which they do not want; & for which,
they have no means of paying, but by imposing new burdens upon
the people. But it would probably be neither wise, nor pru
dent in u s to tell (bottom line of page torn off).
But how far this disposition may be indulged, by one who has
lived almost 60 years, in pagan darkness, & most of the time
in the exercise of an extensive & arbitrary power, without
excluding the person from christian fellowship, seems not easy
to be determined. One thing appears certain. If we ought to
defer admitting this people to church fellowship, until they
have as d e a r views & exhibit as decisive conduct, as are often
exhibited, & as we should require in a christian land, then our
number of communicants at this, station, small as it is, should
be diminished. It was the opinion of at least one of the first
�815.
missionaries, beside brother Whitney, (I believe the only
other, that had recently conversed with the Governor) that
he might with propriety be admitted. Yesterday, a man who
lives with me, came to my study to converse on the subject
of religion. He thinks he has recently been converted. His
previous conduct, together with his conversation, afford
us a pleasing hope that he is indeed 'born again'.
Still,
however, we are not free from anxiety, on his account. But
from his regard for the word of God, we trust the work is
the operation of his Spirit; & that he will perfect it.
Although I have frequently seen persona weep, when conversing
with them on the subject of religion, there seems to b e with
us very little of that deep feeling, which was common, in
Brainard's congregation.
I suppose the reason is too obvious.
We are not Brainards.
We however, occasionally have evidence
of a truly tender conscience. An instance or two, may perhaps
be worthy of notice. Deborah, formerly Queen of the Leaward
islands & called Tapule, was seen weeping very freely.
The
cause of her sorrow being inquired, she replied she had over
heard a missionary praying in secret for the conversion of
her countrymen, & she wept when she thought how few of them
repented, after all that was done for them.
On one occasion I asked Maria, one of the new converts (of
whom I believe I gave some account in a former epistle), if
she still loved Jesus Christ. She answered, "my heart follows
after him & does not forsake him".
I said, "why do you love
Him”? She replied, "because he died on the cross to save me"*
Perceiving the big tear start from her eyes (which is fre
quently the case when she converses on this subject) I said,
"why do you weep"?
She answered, "for my great love to the
Saviour"
And we have better evidence than mere words can
afford, that this is the language of her heart. She told me
one morning the thought had often come into her heart that
she ought to go to some dark place (meaning where there was
no knowledge of God & of the way of salvation), & exhort the
people. But she thought afterwards perhaps it was her duty
to stay at home & try to persuade her friends & neighbors
to serve God. Hers does indeed appear to be a'glorious change.'
N ot long since, she was one of the vilest, most dissolute &
mos t hopeless of a degraded people. When almost ready to
despond, I am sometimes reanimated by conversing with her &
by reflecting on her case.
We have at present two Sabbath schools. I should say from
50 to 150 pupils attend. They are nearly all adults. They
read the S .Scriptures & recite portions of them from memory.
30 verses is a common lesson. One female, apparently near 60
years of age, & obliged to use spectacles, recited 37. A
middle aged woman repeated 62. These lessons I understood were
committed in one w e e k . I usually meet with one or the other
of these schools after the morning service, & ask them some
questions on the discourse which they have heard, & occasionally
on the parts of Scripture, which they read or recite. Mrs. G.
purposes to commence a school for children next sabbath.
The last examination of schools, which occurred about two
months since, I was unable to attend. Kaahumanu
accompanied
�816.
brother W. around the island on that occasion, & as he
informed me, gave the people much excellent(hole in paper).
Books continue to he sought for eagerly. And if they can
(hole) for, with the products of the island, or by labour,
we shall probably have occasion to bestow very few. This
has hitherto been the case. By this means, we have enclosed land
which when planted with yams, will probably be worth $200
annually. We have more than 300 goats, young & old. Many
of these were procured with books, & we might have had more
in the same way, had we known how to dispose of them. A
grown goat is valued at $2 . in trade. Still the people would
very willingly give one for two copies of the Acts, or of
either of the gospels. We have now no need of produce, or
of native labour to much extent. If we take the former, to
render it an essential benefit to the mission it must, be sold.
But this would draw upon us the appellation of traders, &
perhaps excite the jealousy of the chiefs. On the other hand,
if the books be not thus disposed of, it appears to us most
of them must be given away. This is a dilemma that we know
not how to escape.
On either hand there seems to be serious
difficulties. And the difficulties will increase with the
increase of books, (hole) some means can be divised to obviate
them.
A knowledge of the views & wishes of the Prudential Committee
on this subject would at least relieve some of us of our
present anxiety.
I believe it has been considered proper to
take almost all kinds of produce for books , slates, & c , & to
dispose of them for domestick comforts & to defray the expense
of building.
But beyond this the case has appeared doubtful.
Could the avails of the books be properly converted to the use
of this mission, I think the day is not distant when it will
support itself.
Our people continue to give a pleasing a t
tention to the means of grace, but do not manifest so much
feeling as they did a few months since. Most of them are now
on the mountains cutting sandle wood.
A b i llious attack which I experienced in the latter part of
No v . induced us to go to Honolulu, in quest of medical a id.
And though I saw not the physician, he being at Hawaii, the
Lord has graciously restored my health. M r s . G . was also
benefited by the voyage.
With sentiments of affection, and esteem toward all our patrons
& benefactors, I remain yours in Christ,
P.J.Gulick .
P.S . Permit me to say we feel the want of a bedstead & a
coffee mill. We have only a turn up bedstead which is incon
venient. It was owing to a disappointment in not receiving a
bedstead from M rs. G.'s native place, which belonged to her
that came thus situated. And a coffee mill was forgotten.
P.J.G .
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Ma s s . U.S.A.
Received July 14, 1830.
�817.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
II
L etter 179.
Honolulu, Oahu, June 5, 1828.
Dear Sir:
By the distinguishing mercy & good providence of God, I
am privileged with addressing you from these heathen shores. shores once stained with the "blood of human immolations, but
now beginning to listen to the sound of the gospel of Christ.
How important that part which I am permitted to occupy.
Next to the preaching of the gospel, the press, no doubt, is
intended, in the providence of God, to chase away the darkness
of this people, and to fertilize their hearts and minds by
implanting correct knowledge in the understanding.
To accom
plish this desirable end, the Bible, or parts of it, is to be
translated, printed and circulated - Other books, according
to their importance, especially those of an elementary
character, come in their order. To effect this great work,
time, labour and considerable expense are necessary. The
wants of the people are pressing, (hole in paper) call urgently
for the word of God, and they must have it or perish forever.
The situation of the Printing Department will probably be
made known to you by the committee of superintendence of
printing, but it will not, perhaps, be improper for me to state
what has come under my observation. When we arrived, M r . Good
rich was superintending the press (which he has done to good
advantage).
The history of Joseph was in press;part of the
last form set up, also one form of Luke printed, and another
ready for press.
Since then we have finished the history of
Joseph, worked off the last sheet but one of the hymns, & have
the other ready for press, and it is contemplated to put another
edition of hymns immediately to press; both editions will prob
ably be sold by the time we can hear whether an edition will be
printed in America.
You will perceive by what I have said that
the press itself is in better order than was expected. It is
not, however, sufficiently powerful to do justice to the close
heavy forms of Luke; - We have not tried the one received by
the Parthian, but intend to put it up soon.
There are 3 men
who work very well at press, and two others whom we expect to
learn; all appear very well.
Two of them are known to yo u .
Richard, who is a very good workman, and Henry, who has just
commenced.
There is also a lad who does very well for a new
beginner at ease. It is important to bring forward natives in
the mechanical part of publishing, that they may hereafter
relieve those who are labouring for the good of their country.
It seems desirable that the operations of the press should be
greatly enlarged.
If the Bible is to be given soon to this
people in sufficient numbers for all that can now read, and
all will soon read; and if other books also are to be printed,
one press or even two seem entirely inadequate to the performance
of such an amount of labour. Another office, either with
another printer, or to be put under the care of (hole in paper)
of the missionaries, seems very much to be needed, at some of
the windward stations.
If it is thought unadvisable to send a
�818.
printer, perhaps it might b e w ell to place it under the
care of M r . Goodrich, at B y r o n ’s B a y . In this case, another
press would be desirable, & if the committee decide to
send an iron press for the printing of the scriptures, one
of the presses now here, might be sent windward.
More
type will be much needed by the time we can receive it, especially
Long Primer, but of this the Committee of Superintendence
will give a statement. If an iron press should be sent, I would
recommend either Wells' patent, or that known in New York by
the name of Rust's press. In this same connection something
ought to be thought relative to a constant supply of paper
and ink - Of both we have as much probably as will be used
this year, and for the future we must look to God and his
people for a supply of those articles.
It has been thought,
that a supply of paper may be made at the islands, should
some person acquainted enough with its practical requirements.
make the experiment. But you will perceive by other com
munications, that this is merely an object of future inquiry.
In all these statements I have kept the wants of these
islands, filled with a population, soon to pass into eternity,
and who will be succeeded by another, and then another, and
so till time is no more, and all of the accumulated numbers to
be enlightened by the word of God, or perish forever.
The
earth is the Lord's and the fuln ess thereof - the gold and
the silver is his also, and much of it is in the hands of
the people of God, and he will dispose them to give it when
and where his glory requires i t .
$
I trust I need make no apology for the freedom I have used,
and that the statements and sentiments of this sheet are
from an individual, and unless sanctioned by those upon whom
it devolves to state the wants of this people, ought not to
receive a moment's attention.
Praying that Grace may direct all the operations for the
advancement of Christ's kingdom among this people, and through
the world, I subscribe myself,
Yours & c ,
Stephen Shepard.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received Dec. 6, 1828.
�819.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 180
Honolulu,
Oahu, Dec. 5, 1828.
Dear Sir:
I feel unwilling that the season for sending letters to
our patrons & friends in America should close without again
addressing you; & as Providence has detained the ship some
days longer than was expected, I improve what is supposed to
he the last opportunity this fall.
Our Heavenly Father, still continues his smiles to us, although
unworthy & ungrateful in our returns to him - he daily supplies
our wants - protecting us from the dangers of climate, and
of all the vicissitudes to which we are exposed - giving us
food to eat & raiment to put on, & in a good degree the com
forts of life.
To us, as a family, he has vouchsafed his blessings, filling
our hearts with gratitude, and our mouths with thanksgiving
in the birth of a son, and bringing about all the circumstances
of this pleasing event in the most desirable manner*
In the
month of August, a request from the brethren in Kona was re
ceived, requesting the attention of Dr. Judd to the ca se of
M r . & M r s . Ely. How difficult to determine what should be
done. M r s . Clark & M r s . S . both expecting shortly to be con
fined, & M r s . Ely's case seemed to demand immediate attention.
The schooner was waiting, ready to sail.
After consulting
with each other it was thought advisable for the Doctor to
wait here one week, and at the end of that week it was con
cluded by us to be advisable for him to wait another week,
at the end of which Mrs. Clark was confined, the effects of
which you have p r o b a b l y heard by others. M r s . S. had previous
ly thought it best for the Doctor to go to Kona, thinking
perhaps Mr. Bingham would be able to supply his place. On
the doctor's arrival at Kaavaloa, it was decided that M r . Ely
& family should embark for America. They all returned here,
and in a few days M r . Sly & family embarked.
The next day
after they sailed, Mrs. S. was confined & safely' delivered.
Thus it was ordered in kindness by our heavenly father that
everything should be in comfort & pleasant. M r s . S. has
recovered her health, but has since been afflicted with a
severe cough, but seems to be getting better at present. The
babe for several days seemed to be very smart, but when about
five weeks old, was taken with a bad cough, which he still is
affected with & which we fear is the whooping cough, as it
prevails here. We feel that he is a precious loan from our
father, and that he has a right to take him away at any moment,
& desire to submit to all the dealings of our heavenly father,
either respecting him or ourselves - I would here take the
opportunity to mention that I consider myself under renewed
obligations to the members of this station, especially to
Dr. J. & M r s . Judd, & Miss Ward, who did everything necessary
for our comfort, - and we hope they will be abundantly rewarded
for their kindness to us - We have given the name of "Philo
Mills Joanui" to the little boy.
�820.
From family scenes I turn to the Printing office & here I shall
talk more of wants than of what we are doing. I sent by Mr. Ely
a small box of Hymns of the new edition, to be bound.- If you
look at the title page, you will perceive that the words
"Himani Hawaii” are in lower case letters, the reason of which
is, that there are no capitals of the right size in the office,
nothing larger than pica, - It is very desirable that a few full
faced capital letters should be sent out, say Pica Antique,
Pica full face, or Long Primer Antique, or something of those
sizes for titles - also about 5 sets of double pica figures - a
good supply of "Arithmetical Signs” of Long Primer size. Mr.
Loomis, or any other printer can easily select them. About
larger quantities of type & of paper I say nothing, as the print
ing committee will attend to that. I think in a few years it
will be expedient to have a font of small type for the scriptures,
unless it is decided to do the most of the printing in America.
The fact of sending hymns home to bind, prove the want of a
bookbinder, & binding materials. We have set up the press brought
out by the Parthian. We find it to be an old press, but does
passable work, - It is of a small size, and of insufficient power
although much superior to the old one. We have two presses, such
as they are, & should be able to use 500 or 700 reams of paper
a year if we could have so much, & I hope we shall have an "iron
press” sent us, so that we may send one of these presses to
Hawaii, if it is decided to establish an office there. I have
concluded to do all the folding & stitching, and am hinging for
ward natives to do it as well as all the parts of printing, and
I am of the opinion that Richard Kalaaaiaulu will be forward
enough in 3 or 4 years more to take nearly all the care of the
office, but it will not do to hope too strong. Paahana & Kuaana
are learning very well. These three receive wages at the press Henry Tahite is beginning very well - he now folds well, and
receives wages for it. He is to learn all the other parts of the
business. You see that we ought to be doing something in the
office: - Since I commenced after Mr. Goodrich finished the
history of Joseph, we have done the following:
1
1
2
9
1
14
form of Hymns 24 pages 10,000 Copied 240,000 pages
do
do
12 do
10,000
do
120,000 do
Luke 24 do
10,000
do
240,000 do
do
do
Hymns108 do
10,000
do 1,180,000 do
Pi-a-pa 8 do
20,000
do
160.000 do
do
176 pages 6 0,000
1,940,000 do
do
of matter.
The last article mentioned is now in the press, and will be fin
ished in 10 days. It is the old form, from which has been taken
100,000 impressions, and I am now taking 20,000 more. We have
a new tract of 8 pages nearly ready, another of 32 pages partly
translated, another of about the same, also partly translated another form of Luke partly in type; think some of commencing
a new edition of Luke, and also the Acts, as soon as possible and would do more if we had the paper. Can we not have paper?
Or must we cramp the operations of the printing office? Shall we
not let one press lie still all the time? If we do not, we must
buy, paper here, or send to Canton, or get it from America. The
latter is the cheapest. The people are perishing. The man of sin
has his agents on the ground. The new testament must soon be
given to this nation, or moral darkness will again shut out all
�the light which shines around them, and, gross darkness will
again cover them. Forbid it, O God, Forbid, American churches.
Respectfully yours,
Stephen Shepard.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass.
Received May 7, 1829.
�822
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 181
Honolulu,
Oahu, October 8, 1829.
Honored & very Dear S i r :
Great is the kindness of our heavenly Father in all his doings
to us, to those with whom we labour, and to those by whom we
are surrounded.
He is still granting us the privilege of
labouring in his service; and is permitting us to see that our
labour is not entirely in vain.
Everlasting praise is due to
his holy name for what he himself has done and is doing here.
Only twelve years ago the inhabitants of these islands were
groaning under one of the most oppressive systems of idolatry
which could be devised by the ingenuity of fallen, depraved
man, and the influence of apostate spirits.
Temples were
built and devoted to the worship of gods formed of wood, stone
and other materials equally degrading.
Altars were erected,
and human sacrifices were offered upon them to their gods.
Children were murdered, in different ways by their parents.
The most unbounded licentiousness prevailed among all classes
of the people, from the highest to the lowest. All vices were
practised with unblushing effrontery.
Nothing was known here
of the gospel of Christ; no Bible, or part of the Bible; not
so much as one verse was translated and read in the language.
No missionary to call upon the dry bones of this valley to
hear the Word of God.
No Christian resident to talk to them
of the love of Jesus.
Surely gross darkness covered them.
No cheering ray of light broke through the dismal gloom; until
God, in his providence, arose, & in the plenitude of his mercy,
executed judgment upon all the Gods of these islands, and
overthrew their abominable system of idolatry & worship, and
thus prepared the way before the labourers which he has sent here.
Now there are here 9 ordained missionaries (the 10th being at
present absent) and their wives, and 4 assistant missionaries,
and their wives, & 2 single ladies, making in all 30 individuals,
among whom are a physician and a printer.
Several of these
have become well acquainted with the language of the natives,
and have translated a part of the Bible into it; the new testament
is translated as far as to the end of Romans; Luke and Acts
have been printed, and are now read by great numbers. The story
of Joseph has been some time in the hands of the people, and
the historical parts of Exodus & Leviticus are nearly through
the press, comprising a volume of 112 pages, 16 m o . Matthew,
Mark & John are about to be put into their hands, having been
printed in America. Several small tracts have been printed,
and large numbers circulated.
A book containing 100 hymns has
been prepared, and 30,500 copies printed. No w, six organized
congregations are supplied with the teaching of a st ated ministry;
four well built nation buildings for worship and one is in building
of stone, and the sixth about being rebuilt in native style.
One of these buildings is 196 feet long and 61 wide, and is well
filled with attentive hearers every sabbath, and there are now
�about 90 persons professing the gospel of Christ before the
world, and at least as many more of whom very favorable hopes
are entertained, and among each some of the highest chiefs
in the nation.
But my design in taking my pen at this time was merely to
state the operations of the press since my arrival here,
Maroh 31, 1828.
You have previously been informed that the
Rev. Mr. Goodrich was then superintending the printing office.
He had commenced the printing of three works, and one of them
was nearly through the press. First, the gospel of Luke,
the first 12 pages of which were printed and were selling; the
next 12 pages were in type and partly corrected. Secondly,
the hymn book, 72 pages was printed, but nothing done towards
the rest.
Thirdly, The History of Joseph, 24 pages of the work
were printed, and the press was waiting for the remaining part
of the copy.
In a few days M r . Ely, the translator, arrived,
and the last sheet was put to press immediately, and the natives
were soon perusing this fine piece of scripture history, it
being the second portion of corrected scripture which was finished
in Hawaiian. 16,000 copies were printed.
As soon as circumstances admitted, we resumed the printing of
the hymns. They were soon completed, making a volume of 108
pages - 10,000 copies were printed in this edition. It was then
thought advisable that another edition of 10,000 copies should
be printed immediately, which was done in the course of the
summer, making in all 20,000 copies.
About the same time, the
2nd form of Luke, containing 12 pages, was corrected and printed.
One form occupied the press 10 working days. Of the 2nd e d i t i o n
of hymns there were nine forms on foolscap paper.
About the
middle of November the 3rd form of Luke was printed, the 4th
the first of January, the 5th in February, & the 6th in March,
being the last. 10,000 copies were printed. It had been sold
or given out by the single sheet, at some of the stations, so
when the last was printed, but few of the first were remaining.
In December, the brethren at Lahaina sent down a small tract,
designed as a supplement to the spelling book, to b e printed.
It contained the divisions of time, measurement, elements o f
geography, & elements of language. It was printed in 8 pages,
and an edition of 1000 copies published.
After being revised,
and altered, 20,000 more were also published, and it is now
expected that it will be necessary to print as many more soon.
By the Parthian, 20,000 spelling books were received, but in
December another edition was printed here, consisting of 20,000
copies, making in the aggregate, 120,000 printed at this office,
to which add 20,000 printed in Utica, and there have been
printed 140,000 copies of this work since its first publication.
The translation of a historical tract from the first part of
Genesis was commenced early in the summer, and one form of
8 pages was printed in January - but for reasons connected with
the translation, the printing of the remainder was suspended.
We expect to resume the printing of this tract as soon as a
vessel returns from the windward with M r . Bishop.
�824
Upon finishing Luke, I thought it desirable that I should
make a voyage, and visit the windward stations, as an oppor
tunity offered by which I could visit all of them, and be
absent only a short time. The brethren at this station ap
proving the measure, I visited Lahaina, Waiakea, Kailua,
Kaawaloa & returned by way of Lahaina. M r s . Shepard, with
the babe accompanied me to Lahaina, and remained there till
my return.
M r . Richards having translated Acts and the historical parts
of Exodus & Leviticus, and they being ready for the press, it
was deemed advisable that he should come down, and superintend
them while printing. He arrived near the latter part of May,
and we immediately commenced printing, and were proceeding
agreeable to our wishes, when M r s . Shepard was taken sick, and
as we were then living in the house of M r . Ellis, at some
distance from the office, my attentions being necessarily di
vided between the office and the sick, the work of the office
lingered. In a few days, M r . Richards was taken sick, and the
business was entirely suspended. M r s . S . was confined to her
room about three weeks. On the 3rd day of July she had so far
recovered as to be able to attend the dedication of the new
house of worship.
The same evening, by the advice of the physician, I took a
portion of calomel, - it confined me to the house 7 or 8 days.
I then went to the office, and as M r . R . was able to attend to
work, I started the press and set the natives to work. In
three days the fever returned and confined me to my bed 12 days;
proving a billious complaint. In the mean time M r . R . succeeded
in keeping the natives at work. About the last of July, I was
well enough to attend to work, & have kept the press in operation
most of the time since. On the 28th of August, Acts was finished,
and 32 pages or 2 forms of Exodus were also printed, and to the
64th page of the same in type, but not corrected. M r . R . left
here on the 26th A u g . for Lahaina. Last Saturday I finished
correcting the last sheet of Exodus & Leviticus, and on the same
day was finished the press work of the 5th sheet, so there are
now two more to print, which will probably be done in the course
of the present month.
There is one thing which materially affects the operations of
the press, and prevents the accomplishment of so large an amount
of work, as it could do, and that is Proof reading. There are so
many things requiring the attention of the only person at this
station who is enabled, from his knowledge of Hebrew and Greek,
& the Hawaiian languages, to attend to this duty, that it seems
very desirable that he have assistance, while other works than
his own are printing. On this account M r . Richards was invited
to come down and attend to the work translated at Lahaina, and
assist in correcting it, and M r . Bishop is expected down in a few
days, for the purpose of attending to the work translated at
Kailua. Whether this is the best way, or whether it will be
best to appoint some person particularly to attend to this duty,
remains to be determined.
I wish you to notice particularly that all the work mentioned
above, has been done by one press, and the principal part of it
�by three natives. We never have had but one press at work at the
same time, and there is not work enough at present to keep this
one employed all the time. I think t he question is fully settled
that lay the assistance of natives, printing may be done here to
any extent desirable. But they must be dealt with differently from
apprentices in America; they must be paid a certain sum by the
piece, token, or thousand, when they work, or they will soon b e
come dissatisfied. - They cannot get their food without pay, the
chiefs do not wish to board them, unless it should be some that have
been to America, and are decidedly pious, as was the case with
Richard.
In April, 1828, there was a native learning to set types,
but as he had nothing but the privilege of learning, he said he was
pololi, or hungry, and left.
It was deemed advisable, after this
occurrence, to allow fresh hands in the office about half price, till
they are well acquainted with the business; and then give them the
common American prices. Accordingly, in a few weeks I made an agree
ment with the same boy, that if he would come back, he should have
12 1/2 cents for setting the types for a page of Luke, and six cents
for a page of tracts, with which he appears pleased, has continued
steady ever since, and has become a great help in the printing business.
The boys that fold are paid two cents per quire for folding duodecimos,
and one cent per quire for octovo. Those that work at press, and
are well acquainted with the business, are paid 25 cents per token
for royal paper, and 20 cents per token for foolscap. This arrange
ment, and their prices, are approved by the mission so far as I kn ow .
Previous to April, 1828, the folding of the books was done at the
different stations. But as this system was attended with so many
disadvantages, it has been decided best to have it all done here.
According nearly all the works that have been printed since the said
date, have been folded here. This of necessity adds a very large
item to my cares, and to the expense of the office. But at the same
time it relieves the different missionaries of a great burden, b y
putting the books into their hands ready for stitching, which is still
done at the different stations. (hole in paper) I hope this will ere
long be taken off their hands, so that they may not be entangled with
outside of books, while it is highly important that their whole
attention should be directed to the right forming of the insides.
May we not expect the Board will send us a b ookbinder, and materials,
and thus save a large amount of care to the valuable missionary.
If the New Testament as a whole is to be printed here, how desirable
it seems to have it bound before it goes into the hands of the people,
and if all the books were bound they would be of much more service
to the people.
Last spring we received a roller for the press, and I made an attempt
to put it into operation, but owing to my ignorance of them, I have
not succeeded, and then some other reasons that operate in my own
mind against another attempt at present, and it requires more room
in the office than I feel willing to devote to it. Our office rooms
being quite small.
I note the following schedule, stating the amount of work done since
�826
April 1828:
8 pages of Joseph 16,000 copies
"
" Hymns
10,000
36 do
' "
" Do
10,000
108 do
ft
" Luke
10,000
48 do
"
" Spell- 20,000
8 do
ing book
Appen- 21,000 "
8 do
dix to S.B.
"
8 do
Genesis10,000
IT
64 do
Acts
10,000
"
112 do
Exodus 10,000
& Lev.
"
12 do
Reprint 3,000
first sh.
Luke
412 pages of matter 120,000 copies
- 128,000 pages
"
360,000
"
1,080,000
If
480,000
"
160,000
168,000
80,000
640,000
1,120,000
"
"
"
"
30,000
"
4, 246,000
"
Making (errors excepted) four hundred and twelve pages of
matter, or types that have been set; one hundred and twenty
thousand copies of books; and four millions, two hundred and
forty six thousand pages that have been printed at this office
in the last nineteen months, ending with October 1829.
It became necessary to reprint the first sheet of Luke, in con
sequence of the great demand for them when first printed.
By the Haqua we received two boxes of types, containing 207 lbs;
but it is with the deepest regret that we a r e necessitated to
mention to you, that they can be of no use to us in printing
Hawaiian, as it is an English font, containing enough of the
letters k, a & c for only about five or six pages, and we regret
it the more, as all the other type in the office is considered
so much worn, as to make it quite certain that the printing
cannot be prosecuted to any great extent, unless there should be
an immediate shipment of type according to the late letter of the
committee for the supply of types, paper, &c . It has been
thought advisable to retain this font for the purpose of using
it for English, should there be occasion to use it.
Wishing & praying for the richest of heavens blessings to rest
upon you, and the course in which you are engaged, I have the
honor to subscribe myself,
Yours & c ,
Stephen Shepard.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Received March 13, 1830.
�827.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 184.
Honoruru , August 16, 1825.
Dear Sir:
There is now some prospect that we shall he ab le to commence
the printing of one of the gospels in about a year from this
time. Another printing press will then he indispensable.
The one we now have is so much worn in the screw as to render
it impossible to take an even impression; and as the screw
is cracked, we know not how soon it may become useless.
The failure of the press at such a time as this when the whole
nation are anxiously expecting books, would be a calamity of
no small magnitude.
I would suggest the propriety of your
sending us one by the first opportunity.
We expected to r e
ceive a printing-press by the Blonde frigate, as M r . Ellis
had written to the London Missionary Society for one; but we
were disappointed, and it is now doubtful whether they will
send us one. Even if they should, there would be abundant
occasion for another. We have to supply with books a popula
tion of 150,000, a n d at present have but one press. At the
Society & Georgian Islands, where it is probable the popula
tion does not much exceed 20,000, the missionaries have 4
printing presses, and so much are they all in demand, that
M r . Ellis on coming hither, could not obtain permission to
bring one with him.
It may be desirable to consult M r . Armstrong as to the kind
of press to be procured.
I have heard favorable accounts of
"Well's Printing Press", but have never seen one of them.
If
there is any great saving of labor in working them, and the
price be not too great, it would certainly be an object to
obtain one of them rather than one of the common kind.
As
sistance of this nature is quite desirable, as my strength
has been much diminished in this enervating climate.
I am
not able in two days to do one "day’s work" at the press, al
though my health is much the same as it has been for the last
three years. As yet I have not been able to obtain a native
to instruct in the art of printing, altho’ several have occasionally rendered assistance, particularly Richard Kalaiaulu.#
Were it not that my labors are imperiously demanded in the
printing department, I should find a pleasant employment in
organizing schools and giving instruction to the natives, both
on week days and on the sabbath, but the printing is now b e
coming so extensive that it is probable I shall find little
time on week days for any other employment.
The fount of Pica, received by the Griffon is small, but may
perhaps (with the k's and a's for which I wrote in June)
answer to print the first edition of one of the gospels; but
these are weighty reasons why we should ever after use a smaller
#I perceive that the above sentence may give a wrong idea. I
have no doubt that native assistance in any degree required, can
be obtained, as soon as our circumstances will admit. Indeed I
know of several of our most promising teachers who are desirous of
learning to print, and no doubt the work will be principall
y
d
o
n
e
b y them, under our superintendence. A ug. 26.
�828
size of type. I know that we wrote for a fount of pic a , though
I was not myself much in favor of it. It was thought d esirable
that the first of the gospels which we printed should be on
type of a large size, because, 1st, the natives in general would
be able to read a large type with greater facility than a
small one; and 2nd, on account of many of the chiefs and old people
whose eyesight is poor.
But the experience we have had evinces
that by means of the elementary books we have already published,
the natives in general, very quickly become able to read even a
small type with facility.
Still on account of some of the
chiefs and the old people, whose eyesight is poor, it may be
thought best to print our first edition of one of the gospels on
pica. If we should not, however, the pica w i l l be needed for
other purposes.
The expense of printing with types of a large size is much greater
than with small. By a calculation which I have carefully made,
it appears that an edition of the gospel of Luke of 10,000 copies
(and the first edition will probably be as large as that, and
every future edition much larger) on pica will require 115 reams
demy paper while the same number of copies printed on long-primer
will require but 76 reams, thus making a saving of 69 reams of
paper on one edition of one of the gospels, besides a very great
saving of labor in printing, folding, & c .
With these facts before you I think you will perceive the
necessity of procuring for us a suitable sized fount of Long-Primer,
for the publication of the scriptures of the New Testament. I
am not sure that it would not be thought best to print even the
first edition on Long primer, should we receive the fount in
season, so great would be the saving of expense.
By what I have already stated, you will also perceive the need
we have of a large supply of demy printing paper, of a good
quality. Much of what we now have on hand will in the course of
this year be needed for elementary books. We also need a
large quantity of foolsoap printing paper for spelling books
& c . Several of the chiefs, it is expected will purchase paper
to supply their own people with books, but the great body of
the nation is looking to us for books. We have now on hand
only a few quires of printing paper of the proper size for
the spelling book, but much is now needed to supply the schools
that are already established.
The number of natives who are now able to read cannot be
known with certainty.
We have distributed about 15,000 copies.
of spelling books, 2000 copies of the hymns, more than 1000
copies of a catechism, and a like number of a scripture tract.
Doubtless there will be more than 10,000 good readers long
before an edition of one of the gospels is published.
The following is a list of the articles of which I have spoken
above, and others mentioned in a former letter, all of which
will be needed as soon as they can be sent from America:
1 fount Long-primer, of at least 300 1b x . with
2000 additional Roman lowercase k 's
300
do
Italie
do
do
2000 additional Roman lowercase a's
500
do
Italie
do
do
�And the following numbers of two line letters 1 . primer.
A's 10, b 4, c 3, d 4, e 8, f 2, g 3, h 10, i 8, j 3, k 8,
1 6, m 8, n 8, o 6, p 6, q 3, r 6, s 3, t 6, u 6, v 6, w 6,
x 3, y 3, z 3 .
#A printing press and an imposing stone.
We shall probably need additional capital letters for the fount
of Long primer, although I cannot now say how many.
I would
suggest that 30 or 40 k's be sent, a like number of a's and
perhaps 20 e's.
It may also be expedient to send 20 additional capital k's,
20 a's, and a few capital e's, for the fount of pica which we
now have, and the following number of two-line letters pica,
will be specially needed if we print an edition of one of the
gospels on pica.
A's 8, to 3, c 3, d 3, e 6, f 2, g 2, h 8, i 6, j 2, k 8,
1 4, m 4, n 4, o 4, p 4, q 2, r 4, s 2, t 4, u 4, v 4, w 4,
x 2, y 2, z 3 .
imposing stone previously mentioned, will be a very great
convenience. Furniture can be made here though I think neither
so good nor cheap as th at made in America, for which reason I
have included it in the list of articles wanted.
In June last I wrote you in regard to an additional supply of
k's & a 's for the founts of types which we now have. To
obviate the inconvenience which would arise in case of the
failure of that communication, I think it proper to mention
them here. They were as follows:
600
300
400
500
500
300
Small pica Roman lower case
do
Italie do
Small pica Roman lower case
do
Italie
do
Pica Roman lower case k's
do
Italie do
do
k's
do
a's
do
I also mentioned ball-skin s , the oil-dressed sheepskin, and
not pelts as an article greatly needed.
In conclusion I would suggest the propriety of your sending the
Mission an assortment of book-binder's tools. Though none of us
have much acquaintance with the art of kook-binding (unless it be
Mr. Goodrich), we are under the necessity of doing something in
that way, and we might occasionally hire a book-binder.
I am Dear Sir, yours in the gospel,
Elisha Loomis.
#P.S. The following, which should have (hole in paper) inserted
at the place denoted by a caret (hole) lower part of page 5, was
accidentally left out, viz. Quotations, type-cas e s . single and
double brass rules, leads, spring points, a sliding-galley.
s ponge and furniture.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq ., Boston,
A
S
U
.
s
a
M
Received Jan. 31, 1826 .
�32 June 1828-Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 185
Oahu, Dec. 26, 1825.
M y dear Sir:
By a communication written in August last, I informed you
that we were in great want of a variety of printing materials,
and specifying in particular a press and a fount of types
(long primer).
Without these it will be difficult to print
an edition of one of the gospels. The difficulty is in
fact much greater than I was aware of at the time I wrote.
Until we receive additional k's & a's for the pica fount
we cannot set up even one form, and with the k's and a 's
for which I wrote we could set up hut little more than one
form at a time. But all the types of this fount, as well
as of the small pica, are wanted for elementary h oo k s . The
press we now have will probably answer for printing the
small tracts and elementary books for some time yet, although
I find it impossible to do any work on it with neatness.
It will not do for a large form, so that although we might
be ready (if we had paper) to commence an edition of the
gospel of Matthew in about four months, we must wait till a
press and a fount of types shall arrive from America.
Since I last wrote, I have seen a particular description of
Well's Printing Press, and am now fully satisfied that it
would be the best and most economical one that could be pro
cured, although I suppose it may cost over three hundred
dollars. If you have any doubt of the expediency of procuring
a press of the kind I have mentioned, I beg you will look at
the description of it in Silliman's Journal of Arts and Sc iences
for 1821, Vol. 3, p.311.
During the year 1825 we have published of tract N o. 1 (8 pages)
41,000; of tract N o . 2 (4 pages) 6500; of tract N o . 3 (8 pages)
9500; and of tract No. 5, (8 pages) 3000; besides 400 copies
of the Ten Commandments, and some other small publications,
and we expect in the course of two months to have completed an
edition of 3000 copies of tract No. 4 (4 pages) and a new
edition of the Hymns of 15,000 copies.
Indeed, such is the
demand for books and the ability of the missionaries to trans
late, that the want of paper and types is the only objection to
our keeping the press in constant operation.
Five or six young
natives are now engaged in learning the art of printing.
They
board and clothe themselves, and have been given to understand
that when they become partially acquainted with the art, they
will receive something for their labor, and when they are well
acquainted, will be paid a regular price for what they d o .
For the last two months they have done most of the press work,
and I think promise well.
I do not apprehend that the printing department will in a
pecuniary point of view, be an expence to the mission; although
a considerable time must elapse before a remuneration is
�831
received for the press, types & c . The natives now give us in
exchange for books, articles that we need, and such as would
otherwise cost us double what they now do.
At this station all the fresh provisions we have had occasion
to buy for some time past, have been procured with the tracts
we have published, and we were never before so well supplied
with vegetables, fowls, eggs, & c.
It should be mentioned,
however, that we have less occasion to purchase than formerly
because the chiefs, make us frequent presents of fish, hogs,
taro, &c .
It is possible you will have sent out a press before this,
letter can reach America. If, however, it be otherwise, I beg
you will not send one of the common kind, till you have e x
amined Well's patent press. Convinced as I am that with this
press, work can be done quicker easier, and better than
with any other, it seems (to me) of considerable importance
that we should have one. of this kind at the Sandwich Islands,
where there are supposed to be 150,000 people, & who if they
are supplied at all, must be supplied by us, not only with the
scriptures, but with every elementary and other books that they
use.
The demand for books has been so great that we have not been
able at any time to furnish a supply, and indeed it is very
possible we never shall be; but as I have before stated, the
want of paper and types is the only objection to our keeping
the press in constant operation. A vast number of people
have become able to read; and a vast number of others will be
able to read by the time one of the gospels can be put into
their hands. I apprehend that 10,000 copies of the gospel
of Matthew might be advantageously distributed in less time
than it would take to print them. But the fact that we
cannot print one of the gospels till we receive a press, types
and paper will I think convince the Board of the propriety of
supplying us immediately.
Our present printing office being much too small, we have
commenced building an addition to it of stone 30 by 19 feet
(on the outside) and two stories high. The walls of the first
story and about half of the second, are now completed, and
although we have now neither boards nor shingles to finish the
building, we trust they may be procured before the press, types
and paper, from America can arrive.
Some months since M r . Bishop informed me that in connection
.with M r . Thurston, he had requested the Board to send a printer
and press to be stationed at Kailua. Such a measure, if the
Board can be at the expence,
will doubtless be of great advantage
to the Mission, as traces might in that case be put into the
hands of the people much sooner than could otherwise be done.
I have no doubt that a press will eventually be established at
that place, but it has appeared highly probable to me that the
expence
would at this time be an objection.
•
It is perhaps unnecessary for me to say anything in regard to
paper, as by the time this can reach you, our wants will be
�832.
pretty well known. I will merely state that we shall look
for a large quantity of demy and foolscap paper of a good
quality. And if you can send us a ream or part of a ream
of green paper, such as is used for the covers of the
Missionary Herald, and also a small quantity of yellow paper,
it would turn to a good account, & contribute towards defraying
the expenses of the Mission. The natives are very fond of
covering their books with colored paper, and would readily
give us taro, potatoes &c for anything of the kind.
Yours in the gospel,
Elisha Loomis
P.S.
In my letter of August last I mentioned 2000 additional
a ’s and 2000 additional k's for the fount of Long-primer;
but 2000 k's and a's will not be enough for a fount of 300 lbs.
I should have stated 4000 additional a 's and 3000 additional k ' s .
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Corresponding Secy. A .B .C .F .M .
B o s t o n , M a s s . U .S .A .
Received Aug. 21, 1826.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 186
Honolulu,
Oahu, July 27, 1826.
Dear Sir:
You will doubtless be informed by others that we have now
three or four translations of the Gospel of Matthew com
pleted, but are unable to print any of them.
In addition
to other printing materials now wanting might be mentioned
that of printers. I stated, I think, in a former letter,
that my health had for a year or two been somewhat feeble.
For some months past I have been quite ill, and a part
of the time confined to my bed.
W hen my health has been
better I have merely been able to oversee the printing de
partment, the work being done by natives.
It is supposed
I labor under an inflammation of the liver; but as yet it
appears to be but slightly affected. I am apprehensive
that I shall not be able to labor much at the printing busi
ness.
Something has been said in regard to M r . Goodrich
learning the art, that in case my health should fail the
business may not stop.
He would probably be able in three
months to obtain sufficient knowledge to carry on the busi
ness; but his labors are wanted elsewhere.
It would certain
ly, I think, be for the interest of the Board to send out
two printers; not however, if such a measure would prevent
sending one or two physicians; for as you will know, Dr. B .
is about to return on account of his ill health.
Should my
health not be restored, the Mission will doubtless present
the foregoing subject to the consideration of the Boa r d .
Several natives have been learning to print, and though they
are of much service, there is little prospect of their ever
being able to manage the printing department. They never do
more than half a day's work in a day, and it 'is very seldom
they will work more than every other day. It is not customary
for any native to work all day long, unless on very special
occasions. Work is thus so slowly performed, that I apprehend
we might in ordinary cases send to the United States and get
an edition of 10,000 copies of the Gospel of Matthew, printed
and returned to these islands about as soon as we could print
the same number here. It is not probable, however, there is
any person in America sufficiently acquainted with this lan
guage, to correct the proof sheets. We are unable here to
print elementary books and tracts as fast as they are wanted.
I think we should ere this have sent to America to have some
of them reprinted and sent to us, but for the want of a
uniform orthography. Till recently we have been in the habit of
spelling the same words different ways in consequence of the
several interchangeable letters in our alphabet; and from us
many of the natives have learnt to do the same. The subject
of adopting a uniform system of spelling had been often proposed,
but always some person or persons, thought it should be delayed.
About a year since it was resolved in a general meeting, to take
�834.
the votes of all the members of the Mission on the subject,
and a committee was appointed for that purpose. The result
is that of the eleven members, eight only voted, and these
eight were unanimous in wishing to oast out of the Alphabet
B & D, and one of each of the interchangeable letters.
Two
of the eight voters, however, would have preferred retaining
the R rather than the L . The other six voters were unanimous
in wishing to cast out the R rather than the L . and all were
unanimous in regard to the other letters. Accordingly, in
what we now print, the B,D,R,T & Y will not be found. It is
hoped we shall now see uniformity in spelling Hawaiian words
not only here but in foreign countries.
I know not that the change in the orthography will render
it necessary to have any additional letters more than would
otherwise be required.
I have several times written to you
in regard to sending out additional K's and a' s . Many of
those we have are litterally worn out. I have also written
to you in regard to "ball-skins". We much need them at
present, being obliged to make use of some sheepskins b e
longing to M r . Ellis, and proper only for book-binding.
We have every facility that can be given by the natives for
the prosecution of our work. The chiefs are kind and furnish
us with much of the fresh provisions we have occasion to use;
and besides, at most of the stations, the members have ex
cellent pieces of land on which much can be raised with little
or no expence to the Mission. There was never more eagerness
manifested by the natives for instruction.
You doubtless know from other pens, the success which has
attended the preaching of the Gospel. Besides those already
received into the church, M r . Richards is about to propound
8 or 10 at L ahaina, and it is probable a considerable number
will shortly be propounded here, as well as one or two at
Kauai and some at Hawaii. The much to be deplored relapse into
sin of many at the Society Islands, is a warning to us to be
extremely careful, how native converts are admitted to the
church.
W e have a melancholy account from those Islands, re
ceived a day or two since.
There are, however, many encourag
ing circumstances, and we trust that He who caused the light
to shine there will again dispel the darkness.
Mrs. L. is in comfortable health, and desires an affectionate
remembrance.
Our three little ones are also well.
The two eldest
we hope to send to America, under the dare of D r . B . should he
return the ensuing fall. We expect they will reside in the
family of M r . A. Seward of Utica.
I a m dear sir,
Very affectionately yours,
Elisha Loomis.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston, Mass.
U .S .A .
Received Dec. 12, 1826.
�835.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 187
Baltimore,
June 20, 1827.
Dear Sir:
I hasten to inform you of the arrival of myself and family
after a passage of 165 days from Oahu, having stopped on
our way at the Society Islands and at Valparaiso.
We
left Oahu the 6th of Jan. and Valparaiso the 5th of April.
The same divine Providence which preserved us from the
dangers of the sea, has in a considerable degree restored
my health, the loss of which you are doubtless aware is
the principal cause of my return to the United States. It
is impossible to express the sensations I feel in view of
the numberless blessings I have received from Almighty God.
I trust they will ever be remembered with lively gratitude.
I have not yet learned anything of the operations of the
Board, since the last of the Missionary Heralds that we
received a t the Islands, and these I think were no later
than Jan. 1826, so that you may well suppose I feel some
degree of anxiety to hear from you.
I hope to leave this
city for N ew York on Monday the 25th inst. and as I shall
remain at that place several days, shall expect to receive
a line from you.
I shall forward the joint letter of the
Missionaries immediately, but retain the History of the
"Circular”, the letter from Capt. Jones, and other papers
till my arrival in Boston, as considerable postage will
thus be saved.
Agreeably to the directions of M r . Chamberlain, and the
other missionaries at the Islands, I drew on the Treasurer,
while I was at Valparaiso, for 200 dolls. in three sets of
exchange in favor of Josiah Marshall. For the passage of
myself and family from Valparaiso to this place (in the
Brig Inca, Capt. Conklin) I engaged to pay $400 for which
sum I must draw on the treasurer in the course of a few
days, and as I am under the necessity of procuring some
wearing apparel here, and shall need money to pay my travel
ling expenses, I shall probably borrow $100 and give a bill
on the treasurer.
I beg you will acquaint M r . Hill immediate
ly with the above information, as it will save the necessity
of a separate letter. I feel sorry that it is necessary to
draw so largely on the treasury of the Society, but, I doubt
not you will approve of what I do when all the circumstances
are made known.
From Capt. Grimes of the brig Convoy we received every
attention during our passage to Valparaiso, and Capt. Conkling
of this vessel,(the Inca), M r . Atkinson the supercargo, and
the passenger Capt. Brevoort of N ew York, Lie u t . Simonds
of the U. S . navy, and a Mr. Mont joy, have shown us during
the passage home the utmost politeness and attention.
Our
vessel was too small to have good accommodations, but every-
�836.
thing that could be was done to render our situation
comfortable.
All my family, consisting of M r s . L., our three children,
and the eldest daughter of Mr. Ruggles are in comfortable
health.
I have also with me a native boy who was desirous
of coming to America, and who I expect to place in the
family of my father.
His passage both to Valparaiso, and
from that place, was gratuitously given. Finding on my
arrival at Valparaiso that I could not procure a passage
direct to Boston,
I should have sent him back to the
Islands, but our accommodations on board the Inca were so
indifferent, we felt the necessity of having his assistance.
In great haste I subscribe myself, dear Sir,
Yours
Elisha Loomis.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston.
Received June 25, 1827.
�837.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 188
Baltimore, Sabbath morning,
June
24, 1827.
Dear Sir:
The multitude of business to which I have had to attend,
must be my apology for writing you on this day, t h o ' I
hope I shall avoid stating particulars unfit to be m e n
tioned on the Sabbath.
In the hasty note I wrote you on my arrival, no mention
was made of the present state of the Sandwich or Society
Islands, or of the ill health of the missionaries, nor,
if I remember aright did I speak of the particular instances
of Divine interposition in behalf of the brethren when a
systematic effort was made to injure thro' them the cause
of our Redeemer.
But to these I will now advert, as it
seems probable I shall be unable to embark for New York
before Wednesday morning.
Mr. Bingham and M r . Ruggles were both in very poor health
when I left t h o ' not obliged to suspend their labors.
Mr. B ’s illness was doubtless brought on by his incessant
labors, and by too great exertions to serve the mission.
It was his intention to suspend considerable part of the
labors to which he had dally attended, as the only means
of recruiting his strength.
M r s . Whitney was very ill
for a month previous to my departure, but at the last date
was better.
Several others also are in a very poor state
of health, brought on I have no doubt by severe labors &
the want of comfortable dwellings.
N ever had we need of
greater strength - never was there so great a call for
missionary labors.
Extraordinary efforts were made during the three months the
U.S. sloop of war Peacock remained at the islands, to preju
dice the officers against the mission, and the efforts were
at first successful, but that God who can easily cause the
wrath of man to praise him, so ordered events, that the
efforts made to injure the missionaries, were the means of
exalting their characters in the estimation of those officers
and others at the islands, and of gaining the friendship of
some w h o were previously bitter enemies. They were also the
means of increasing the affections of the chiefs towards their
teachers.
Extraordinary efforts were also made by the enemies
of religion to obtain from the chiefs some testimony to
criminate the conduct of the missionaries, and one chief was
weak enough to unite with the foreigners in opposition to
the mission, and to give in writing something which has, I
believe, been transmitted to the English government in con
nection with an offered complaint of our conduct, but the
same chief, afterwards both publicly & privately, expressed his
confidence in us and his sorrow for what he had previously
done. In regard to the other chiefs, they all gave us their
�838.
testimony in our favor, which documents I have now in my
possession, and which will at one view give the Board the
sentiments of all the principal chiefs and the greater part
of the people of the Islands, in regard to the operations
of the Mission.
The dignified and upright conduct of the commander of the
Peacock, will endear him to every friend of missions.
His visit at such a peculiar time may he considered as a
striking instance of the interposition of Divine Providence.
He deserves the special thanks of the Board.
When I left Oahu Kolaimoku lay at the point of death cheered
& consoled b y the hopes of a glorious immortality. (Through
the influence of the English Consul, fears were entertained
that Boki might when Kolaimoku was dead take up arms
against Kaahumanu, who is hated b y M r . Charlton and other
foreigners because she is a determined enemy to wickedness).
We have no confidence in Boki, altho’ he professes to he
our friend.
He is entirely under the influence of M r .
Charlton, a bitter enemy to missions.
I spent a week very pleasantly with the missionaries at
the Society Islands, and was rejoiced to find religion flour
ished there greatly beyond what had been represented to us,
although it is true that vast numbers have returned to their
former evil habits.
I firmly believe there are now at the
Society Islands more persons truly pious in proportion to the
population than in the United States of America.
I have seen no account of the arrival of D r . Blatchely, t h o '
he sailed from Oahu, in a ship bound to Hew London, two
months before I left.
Pardon this hasty scrawl which I have been obliged to write
as fast as I could. I am now enjoying the hospitality of
the Rev. M r . Breckensedge, and have found many friends in
this city. Enclosed is the testimony of one of the chiefs in
our favor, & is a specimen of the others.
Yours,
E . Loomis.
June 25, 1827.
I have this morning drawn on M r . Hill, in favor of Thomas
Vowell for 479.75, at thirty days from date, and received
from him a check on a bank in this city for 475.20 which will
enable me to pay for my passage from Valparaiso to this city,
and on to Boston.
I shall leave here, God willing, so as to
reach Philadelphia on the 27th.
E. Loomis.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received June 29, 1827.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830.
XI
New York,
Letter 189
June 30, 1827.
Dear Sir:
I arrived here in the steam-boat from Philadelphia about
an hour since, and have just perused your letter of the
25th inst.
I had hoped to receive advice whether my
family should proceed on with me to Boston, or otherwise.
It is now my intention to send my children and the native
servant boy directly to Utica, if I can find a suitable
person to take care of them on the passage, and proceed
myself with Mrs. L. on Tuesday (no steam-boat leaving on
Monday) to Boston.
I regret that I did not forward the
History of the "circular", Capt. Jones' letter, and some
letters, on my first arrival, but it was then my expecta
tion that I should be in Boston before this.
Every hour
that I have as yet delayed, has been thro necessity but the particular reasons will be communicated when I
have an interview.
I shall forward with this, the communications before
alluded to, and have every reason to suppose they will be
received in Boston in season for the monthly concert.
Were it possible for me to reach Boston before Monday eve
ning without travelling on the sabbath, I should go in
the boat by which this is sent.
The translations of certain letters (the originals of
which in the handwritings of the chiefs, are in my possession)
were written in answer to communications addressed by me to
those chiefs requesting their sentiments in regard to the
conduct of the missionaries in order that their sentiments
might be communicated to the directions of missions and
the friends of c hristianity.
I have their permission (indeed
I believe it is their desire that I should) communicate
their letters to the world.
Your suggestions respecting the importance of m y being
cautious how I speak of the conduct of Lieut. Percival, are
very proper, and I thank you for them. I hope too, I have not
communicated, nor shall communicate, any information, to anyone
that would not meet the approbation of the Prudential Committee.
As, however, the gentleman who takes this to Boston is not
yet ready to start, I will mention what I doubt not will give
pleasure rather than pain to M r . Evarts & yourself. You are
aware that in the last N o . of the Christian Advocate, the
editor made some remarks on an article that has appeared in
the London Quarterly Review, and engaged to publish in the
July N o. a refutation.
That refutation was to come from
M r . Stewart, but thro' illness M r . S . has been unable to pre
pare the article. The illness of M r s . L. & one of my children
rendered it desirable for me to stop a day in Philadelphia.
I was hospitably entertained by Dr . Green.
He had been
waiting for the article of M r . Stewart & while I was there.
�840
\
a letter was received from M r . S . mentioning his inability
to prepare the article in season for the next N o.
Dr . G.
was anxious to redeem his pledge, and for this purpose, to
avail himself of the information I possessed. He at the same
time desired me to communicate nothing that would not meet
the entire approbation of the Board. I considered the matter,
in every light I could, and came to the conclusion that it was
my duty to point out to him the errors of the Quarterly R e
view, and render him such assistance as would enable him to
commence in the present N o . of the Advocate, the refutation
promised.
I went over the article in the Quarterly, pointed
out the errors & misrepresentations, gave a verbal account of
the present state of the Sandwich islands, and permitted
Dr. G. to take a copy of Kolaimoku' s letter, and an extract
of a letter from Capt. Jones. Some of these, particulars he
will mention in the coming No. and with the remainder complete
the article in a future N o ., should not M r . Stewart be able
to do it.
(We have Capt. Jones' permission to do what we
please with his letter. ) I should on m y arrival at Baltimore
have forwarded at once all my papers to the Board had I not
known that it was too late to add anything to the July Herald,
and I thought if the communications I now send were published
at all, they would be published in the newspapers, and this
may still be done, should it be that expedient, before anything
from Dr. G. will come before the public.
Adieu my dear sir,
I hope to be with you on Wednesday evening.
Yours affectionately,
E . Loomis.
Mrs. L . and our little ones are in pretty good health, with
the exception of our youngest child who still is somewhat
unwell.
Excuse my haste.
Received July 3, 1827.
�841.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 190
Utica, Aug. 7, 1827.
M y dear Sir:
I did not reach here, till late in the evening of the 3rd
inst. and have ever since (as I had for some time previous )
been in quite a feeble state of health. I have frequentlytaken cold and yesterday had quite a fever. Today I am
considerably better and am of opinion t h a t when I can get
time to rest, my health will rapidly improve.
I have this morning been looking over my journal to find
something that might be of interest, respecting Kolaimoku.
I find, however, but few notices which have not already
appeared in the "Journal Of the Sandwich Island Mission",
and those contained in my private journal now in the hands
of M r . Evarts. I might here remark that during a consid
erable part of the time I was at the S .I . I retained no
copy of the journal I sent home to friends, and of course,
have not at this time anything to communicate respecting
K olaimoku, during that period.
The first interview we had with Kolaimoku is I believe fully
described in the journal of the mission, commencing March 31,
1820. Soon after our arrival at Kailua, he became intoxi
cated, and continued in this state for several days. We
have reason to suppose he was from the first in favor of the
settlement of the missionaries at the islands, altho' some
of the chiefs were fearful we had some evil design.
In the month of August 1820 I left Honolulu to reside with
Kolaimoku, he having requested that one of us would live with
him and instruct a number of youths in his family.
He was
in the habit of adopting and receiving into his family such
interesting children as he met with in his visits to dif
ferent parts of the islands. He had ten boys whom he had
thus picked up, at the time I reached Kowaihae. During the
time I resided with him, every possible attention was paid
to render me comfortable. A house, a cook and plenty of
fresh provisions, with tea and sugar was provided at his
expence. He spent much of his time in a favorite amusement fishing. He appeared desirous of learning to read, tho ' he
at first doubted his ability to learn, now he had become so
advanced in years. He, as well as the other chiefs, had been
told by foreigners that it was in vain for old people to at
tempt to learn to read. He made some progress, but his i n
temperate habits were a great bar to improvement.
He would
at times remain 6 or 8 days in a state of intoxication with
scarcely a lucid interval. On such occasions the natives kept
out of his way as much a s possible, as he was to them far
from being peaceable. I remember finding him one day drunk
and naked wallowing in the sand near the sea-shore. I remon
strated against such conduct, but he took little notice of
what I said, and wished me to leave him.
�842.
On the 4th of March 1821, his wife died at Honolulu, his
infant child having deceased a few days previous. He was
then on the island of Maui, but returned shortly after to
Oahu. He was much affected at the death of Likelike,
likelike, wife of Kolaimoku and daughter of Kaipioewa, was
an amiable and affectionate wife.
She had been under my
instruction several months, but evidently knew but little
of God. From my ignorance of the native language, it was
difficult to communicate clearly those all important truths
with which most of the chiefs at the islands have now b e
come acquainted.
I must acknowledge, however, that I was
too negligent in attempting to give religious instruction.
A funeral serman was preached on the occasion of her....death,
by Mr. Bingham and interpreted to Kolaimoku and the people.
His visit to Kauai - the war there, his return, &o are
mentioned in the journal of the mission, as also his admission
to the church. The last year of his life he was confined
most of the time to his bed with the dropsy.
Kolaimoku was a man of courage and energy of mind.
I never
heard of his being frightened. When after Capt. Percival
had made use of many threats, he proposed to have his "talk"
with the chiefs concerning (as it was supposed) their debts.
Kolaimoku said "If he comes here with threats as he did to
Boki, I will abandon the payment of our debts altogether,
the Americans at this moment owe us more than we do them,
but if he talks in a peaceable manner, I will do what I can
to have the debts paid off as fast as possible”.
After Capt. Percival's mob, Kaahumanu and Boki thro' fear
yielded to him and suffered females to go on board his ship
for the purpose of prostitution.
Kolaimoku did not know of
it till a day afterwards, but as soon as he was informed of
what had been done, he sent for Kaahumanu and Boki, and de
manded who had given permission for females to go on board?
They were both much agitated, and endeavored to excuse them
selves on account of their fear of P. Kolaimoku reproved
them in pretty severe terms, but it was then too late to
remedy the evils.
He was at this time confined to his bed.
On Saturday the 20th of May, 1826, the British sloop of war,
Blossom, Capt. Beechey, arrived at Oahu.
Capt. B . came on
shore, was introduced to Kolaimoku, and requested of him that
the natives might be sent in the morning to tow the vessel
into the harbor.
He also proposed to salute the fort.
Kolaimoku replied, "Not tomorrow morning, as that is the
sabbath” . "N o matter for that", said the interpreter, an
Englishman. "Capt. B . commands a ship of war and must be in
haste.
”
Kolaimoku made no reply. Shortly after the commander
of the fort came to the house of M r . Bingham, saying he should
be under the necessity of firing guns on the sabbath, which
he knew was wrong - he felt very bad, and wished Mr. B. to go
and request Kolaimoku to have the firing of the salute put
off till Monday.
M r . B. came to the mission house to consult
the other missionaries.
While there, numbers of the people
called in to inquire what would be their duty in case they
should be called upon to assist in towing in the ship on the
�843.
sabbath. A s Kolaimoku was a member of the church, it was
thought highly desirable he should do nothing that might
disgrace the Christian cause, and th o ' we much feared that
any advice from us in the present ease, might by Capt. B.
and others be construed as an improper interference of ours,
we resolved to speak plainly on the subject, let the con
sequences be what they would. I went to Kolaimoku, accompanied
to the door by a number of the natives who were anxious to
hear the result. I asked him if it was true that the sloop of
war was to be towed into the harbor on the coming morning, and
a salute fired from the fort? He said "No, Capt. B . wished it,
but I thought of the sabbath".
I told him he had done right he was a member of the church and ought to be exceeding careful
that he caused none of his people to violate the sabbath that it would be improper for him to order his people to tow
ships into the harbor on the sabbath, except in oases of distress.
"But", said Kolaimoku, "he has requested me to furnish him
tomorrow morning with 20 hogs"! I said, "You had better then
have the hogs taken down to the wharf this afternoon, so as
not to violate the sabbath". "I thought so", said he, "and
have already sent the hogs".
On the 7th of September 1826, M r . Bingham embarked!) b
oard a
native vessel for Hawaii. Kolaimoku (tho' scarcely able to be
about) and the other chiefs then at Oahu accompanied him to
the wharf. Kolaimoku in a public address then bore testimony
in favor of M r . Bingham and the other missionaries.
"I have",
said he, "watched them with a careful eye from the time of
their arrival to the present moment, and I have found no fault
in them". "We were at first afraid of them, but now we know
they came to da us good".
He, as well as the other chiefs,
on this occasion assured M r . Bingham that he possessed their
entire confidence. This was at a time when opposition against
M r . B . was r a g i n g greatly.
On the 12th of Sept. 1826, the young king had made preparations
to embark for Hawaii, b y the advice of Boki, Kolaimoku and
Kaahumanu, but was stopped by the interference of the English
Consul and other foreigners. On the same day M r . Ruggles,
M r . Chamberlain and myself attended, by request, a meeting of
the chie f s , and people to the number of 12 or 1500. Several of
the chiefs and among them Kolaimoku reprobated the conduct of
the foreigners in endeavoring to sow dissensions among the
chiefs, and in laboring to prejudice them against their teachers.
"Hitherto" said Kolaimoku, "we (the chiefs) have had but one
mind - but now the foreigners are laboring to excite dissensions
among u s "
When Tamehameha died the government was placed in
the hands of Kaahumanu for Liholiho, who was to be invested with
full authority as king when he should become steady.
I was then
only a common person.
Liholiho listened but little to her ad
vice - he loved rum - ran about from island to island, and final
ly went away to England and died. Before he left us he told
Kaahumanu and I to take charge of the government till his re
turn, but in case h e should die abroad, his brother Kauikeaouli
was to succeed him, and we were to take care of Kauikeaouli till
he should become of age to govern. This it is our desire to d o .
We acknowledge him to be our king, but we wish him to listen
to the counsels of experience. He is, however, in danger of
�844.
being led away by wicked foreigners.
M r . Ruggles, at the request of Boki, related the conversation
M r . Charlton had with him on that morning in which M r . C .
had laid many hea vy and grievous charges against the mission
aries, which he could not prove. All the chiefs testified
that these charges were without foundation.
"At first", said
they, "we did not listen to the instructions of the mission
aries, but now that we have begun to turn from our evil ways,
all the foreigners are enraged at our teachers".
I have before stated that Kolaimoku was confined with sick
ness most of the time during the last year of his life.
Whenever he was able to sit up he would on the sabbath cause
his attendants to carry him to the place of worship.
A few
weeks before I came away, and a few days after the surgeon had
given it as his opinion that he could not live more than 24
hours, Kolaimoku was informed that one of the chiefs (B) had
become intoxicated.
At the time this information was brought
him, the chiefs in attendance had retired to dine. He imme
diately directed his people to place him on a small vehicle in
which he had been accustomed to ride, and to proceed to the
place where the chief was intoxicated. Arrived at the place,
he stopped, and fastened his eyes on the chief, but said nothing
for some time. At length he exclaimed, "I have before heard
that you who profess to be a friend of c hristianity, have been
guilty of intoxication. I have now come to see with mine own
eyes. I have arisen from a dying bed, and come here to see if
the report I heard of you was true, and I now see and know".
He ceased, and the chief whom he had addressed, b urst into
tears & acknowledged his error, but tried to palliate them by
throwing the blame on those who had led him into dissipation.
When it was known that Kolaimoku had gone from his house, the
utmost consternation prevailed.
The chiefs and people had for
some time been in the daily expectation of witnessing his
dissolution, and it was very naturally concluded that the effort
he had now made would at once produce that event. He returned
immediately after making his address to B . but fainted just as
he reached his own door. Medical aid was immediately procured.
Contrary to all our expectations, his health, after a few days
began to improve.
He was greatly attached to Kaahumanu. She was when duty would
allow, constantly with him. All the measures adopted by the
latter for the suppression of vice and the encouragement of
virtue, during the illness of Kolaimoku, were with his full and
perfect approbation, and it is believed that from the death of
Tamehameha, when the government was in a measure in their
hands they had the most perfect unanimity of opinion.
Kolaimoku was the uniform friend of the missionaries. Visiting
Kailua a few months after the settlement of M r . Thurston there,
and finding he had sometimes been in want of fresh provisions,
Kolaimoku reproved Liholiho for suffering a family so near him,
to want food. After he settled at Oahu, he used occasionally
to send us presents - sometimes a hog, at other times-fish,
potatoes, taro & c . He told us if at any time we should be in
want of food, to send to him and he would supply u s . He pre-
�845.
sented to the missionaries at Oahu a piece of land, and another
to the missionaries at M a u i . He always refused to trade with
the missionaries.
He said if he had anything the missionaries
wanted, they should have it without ex pence. He felt a freedom
to call upon the missionaries for any little article he might
need, without expecting to pay for it . If he wished a file, a
hammer, or such like things, he would send a man to us saying
he wished for it, and we in every case felt a pleasure in
supplying him where we could do it without much inconvenience.
His calls on us, however, for articles of property were always
for some small article of little value, not amounting to the
hundredth part of what we every year received from him, while
he dwelt at Oahu.
He was one of the first to suspect the truth of the statements
of certain foreigners (soon after our arrival) designed to
prejudice the chiefs against us as well as to excite their
jealousy.
A foreign resident one day said to him (as we have
"been informed) "I have read in a paper that these missionaries
have come here with a design of getting possession of the islands,
and that a fleet of several frigates will arrive within five
months to co-operate with them, which is certainly true". This
was the sentiment tho’ perhaps not the exact words of the m a n .
Kolaimoku replied, "I will wait five months and if the fleet
does not arrive, I will send you away from the islands".
Ab out a month before I left, one of the chiefs having been made
to believe that some of the missionaries had censured him severe
ly, declared his intention publicly, of listening no more to
the instructions of the missionaries, as he said they had called
him a thief.
This affair made a great noise at the time and
the enemies of the mission exulted that they had at length got
one person among the natives to speak against the missionaries.
Kolaimoku hearing of what had occurred, expressed his disapprobation of the conduct of the chief, and said if he (the chief)
heard that the missionaries had called him a thief, he ought
instead of making a public charge against them, to have gone
to them in private and inquired how they knew he was a thief.
Kolaimoku at the same time disclosed his entire confidence in
the missionaries.
About ten years (I think) before our arrival at the Sandwich
Islands, Kolaimoku then at Honolulu, had the misfortune to lose
a favorite wife.
He felt so much grieved on the occasion that
he resolved to burn the village containing probably 3 or 10
thousand inhabitants.
Many houses were accordingly fired, and
the fire spreading rapidly, a great part of the village was soon
in ruins. A part of it somewhat separated from the other,
escaped the fire. Kolaimoku sent a man with a brand to kindle
the fire there. But a high chief whose dwelling was threatened
ordered his men to shoot the man as he approached, which was
accordingly done. No further efforts were made at the time to
do mischief, altho' the killing of Kolaimoku's man had nearly
produced a civil w a r .
K alaimoku had, I believe, eleven names. Those by which he was
most generally known were Hu-e-o, Billy-Pitt, K alaimoku or
(Kalanim o k u ) and Pa-a-lu-a.
�846.
I have thus given you the principal facts that I had noted
concerning Kolaimoku, and I find b y perusing what I have
written that I have also given you considerable extraneous
matter, which if I had time to copy, it might be left out.
I might also arrange the facts in a better manner, but as I
have not time, I will send them to you just as they occurred
to me, while writing.
I would copy it if I was not in such
haste, merely to enable you to read it with more ease.
The
communication which Mr. Evarts requested me to make to the
Secretary of the Navy will now occupy m y time for several days,
as that must be written with care.
I attended the monthly prayermeeting here a few days since,
and tho' at the time quite feeble, made a few statements which
were listened to with much interest by all present. A con
siderable collection for the A»B« was taken up. My health is
now improving.
Wishing to be affectionately remembered to M r s . A . and to
the members of the Pr . Com. I am dear sir,
Yours in the Gospel,
Elisha Loomis.
Received Aug. 7, 1827.
�847
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
letter 191
Oahu, Sept. 27, 1824.
Dear Sir:
With much diffidence I have concluded to send you,
unsealed, the accompanying sheets, containing my
Journal during a visit to the islands of M aui and
Hawaii. Perhaps they may contain some notices which
will he interesting.
It was my intention to have
transcribed the journal down to the time of my r e
turn to this place, b ut this I have not been able to
do for want of time.
When you have done with it,
please to seal up the sheets and lodge them in the
Post Office.
I am with great affection,
Yours,
‘
Elisha Loomis.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
cor. Secy. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston.
Received April 21, 1825.
�848.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830X
I
Letter 192
H onoruru, Oahu, 15th, 1824.
Dear Sir:
I take the liberty to trouble you with this letter, because
I think that too little has been said by the members of
this mission to you, & to others in our native country &
land of our patrons, upon the inexpediency of taking native
youths or children into our families, to name & support &
train up according to the expectation of those who contribute
anually for that purpose.
It has been sufficiently proved by experiment, that we can
not place sufficient dependence on the apparently, most
promising character, to justify us in so doing. Few only
of those who have been taught in a Christian land, & on
leaving it, left hundreds with breasts glowing with sanguine
hopes of the salutary influence of their exemplary lives,
after reaching their native country; have stood the test
of temptation & withstood the current of vice, in this poluted
land - & none of those who resided for seasons in any branch
of the mission family house proved themselves worthy of the
place of such beneficiaries, and we have no reason to expect
from past experience, that the effect of such privileges as
are granted to, & such pains as is bestowed upon, a beneficiary
of this kind, will hereafter, be such as is expected by the
donor, or wished for by the c hristian public, until subjects
can be found for this purpose whose hearts are rea ly under
the influence of Divine grace, & no such are yet known here
among the children, or youth, if there are of ripen years.
Wm. Beals, a boy of whom much has been said, I believe was
not supported by any individual in America, but will answer
as an instance of the common & invariable result of such
experiment here - It has been stated that he was a boy of
singular attainments - but where was the singularity in this
respect - his father was a white man, an American & after he
left the country, Win. was with some person who spoke English
most of the time, & altho' he was a boy of quite ordinary
abilities, yet for him to be able to speak the English language
& to write some, at the age of 14 or 15, was no uncommon thing.
And it has gone to you in manuscript (bu t I hope it will not be
printed) that he died of a liver affection & "thus has found
an early grave the flower of our school" or something to that
amount - While in fact he died a victim to a disorder contracted
by following the multitude in a wicked course.
This I affirm,
for he was under my care for a long time before his death. —
Another boy begins to be named in our public journal in much
the same way that W m . B. was often spoken of, & you will per
ceive that it is very carefully mentioned in the communication
that he lives in the family of M r . B . - The boy's name is
Nahinu - & there is not a boy that I know of whose customs &
�849.
manners & habits (hole in paper ) is more native like than
(hole). I hope there will not be (hole) said about him to
the public at present.
I think that for more reasons than I have tried to state
here that there is little doubt but that the sums contributed
for the support of children or youths in the mission families
can be better applied in some other country than here.
Yours in haste,
Abrm. Blatchely.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. ,
Cor. Sec. A .B .C .F.M.
Mission Rooms,
Boston, Mass/
Received May 14, 1825.
�850
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 193
Honolulu,
July
Oahu, 26 - 1826.
Dear S i r :
On the 27th ult • I dispatched a letter to you b y way of
Mexico, expecting it would reach you in 3 or 4 months,
in which I informed you of the probable necessity of my
leaving the Islands in consequence of the effect of the
climate on my constitution.
It is now 15 months since
I visited either of the other stations, during which
time one of the families from 13 of the other stations
have been under the necessity of coming here for a season
for medical aid. - During this period Kolaimoku, whose
life I have considered of more importance than any other
individual of the nation, has been suffering with the
dropsy, & needed constant watching & frequent opperations
under Providence, to keep him alive - But had this not been
the case, my health was not good enough to warrant my visit
ing the above mentioned families at their stations. I
have not time now to give you a particular detail of the
state of my health, nor do I suppose it necessary at this
time, & shall only say that the climate is more debilitating
than I expected to find it, that I have at no time been
able to do but little, have been subject to frequent
billious affections which have as frequently prostrated
m y strength, & have at times been laid low by the fever of
a tropical climate. The first of the last mentioned seasons
was during a six m o n t h ’s residence at Hilo, the most healthy
spot on the Islands ,the last I was suffering under when my
last letter left me, from which illness I have now partially
recovered, but am fully convinced of the necessity of leaving.
Were it safe, I should wish to defer embarking yet for a
number of months, hoping in the mean time to have an opportu
nity to go to the northwest coast, & touch in the region of,
or at the mouth of the Orrigon, both for the benefit of my
health, & in hopes of gaining some knowledge that might be
of use should a missionary establishment there be ere long
undertaken, as well as hoping also to hear from America
whether such a thing is at present thought of seriously or not.
I believe a mission there, however, ought not to be at present
undertaken except under the protection of a military post.
Did I know that at the end of that time, a mission was to be
established at that place under sufficient protection, & I
was to be appointed to join it, I should be willing to risk
to stay here nine months longer. But as it is, I think it
probable that I shall embark the first favorable opportunity
for the United States. If I do & my own health, & that of
M r s . B . should be such as to warrant the undertaking such a
charge, several of the children, of the mission will go with
us from this land of polution, v i z . - the oldest of Mr. Whitney, a daughter, & the two eldest of M r . Loomis - a son & a
daughter. - If two more missionaries could be sent to these
�851.
islands immediately, one should he a physician (one of 3 or 4
years practice should be preferred) & the other a printer;
as Mr . Loomis' health is failing. My impression respecting
him for several months past has been that he never will be
able even to superintend the printing one of the Gospels.
We are anxiously waiting with many fears, the arrival of
Capt. Hunnewel. - If I return to the U.S. (hole in paper)
what route I shall go I do not yet know.
An English gentle
man who was at my house yesterday & late from the coast of
Mexico advises me by all means to go to Acapuleo, & thence
to cross by land by way of Mexico to V era Cru
, but whether
we shall go by this route, by Gape Horn, in some whaleman,
or by the Cape of Good Hope in a merchantman, is not yet
known.
I presume it is thought by most of the mission that an e s
tablishment here for the education of the children of the
mission, will not be desirable or expedient at present.
In haste,
yours respectfully,
Abraham Blatchely.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, M a s s . U .S .A.
Received D e c . 12, 1826.
I regret that the vaccine infection sent by Capt. Gardiner
of Nantucket was too old - by the date of it, it appeared to
be about 18 months old before he sailed - It should be fresh
when shipped for so long a passage. It was good for nothing.
He obtained it from M r . Hill & kindly brought it to me at
my request & had it been good I should have been able to have
received some privilege from the government which would have
been a compensation. Capt. G . said, however, that he did
not expect or wish any pecuniary reward, but doubtless he would
have no objections to seeing his kindness acknowledged in
the Herald. This I know he expects & it is my request that
a proper compliment should be paid him in that way.
A. B .
�852.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 194.
Honolulu,
Oahu, Sept. 11, 1826.
Dear Brethren:
It is now more than a year since from the state of my health
I became apprehensive, that it would not be safe for me to
remain in this climate a great while longer, and I have since
been convinced of the fact, and am now daily warned of the
probable danger, of defering my departure for a colder climate.
Was it not for the desire to continue to discharge those
duties, for which I came to these Islands, towards those who
are more particularly needing my services at this time, I should
without delay consider it expedient to improve a good opportunity
that now offers for embarking immediately for the United States.
You are all doubtless aware of the delicacy of that situation
in which a descission of this nature in one's own case
so reverts
upon himself as to depend chiefly upon his expressions of his
own opinion.
Mr. Loomis' case is the third case of this nature respecting
which I have been called upon to give my opinion in the case
of others, & I now give it in my own.
That it is necessary for
me to leave this climate soon for America for the purpose of
restoring my health - and I now ask your opinions respecting
the expediency of the measure and the time o f my leaving.
If I go by the present opportunity, Kolaimoku will need
opperating upon just before my embarkation, and at the time that
he will again need the same assistance the Peacock or the
Blossom will probably be here, & the next opperation following,
should his life be spared so long, will probably not be needed
within seven months.
For M r s . Thurston I do not think that I should be able to do
enough more than others in the mission can do, to balance the
hazard to my self of remaining here many m onths longer.
If
Mr* Loomis goes to America, he will probably go soon & will not
need me to remain on his account.
Yours respectfully,
A br m . Blatchely.
To the missionaries assembled
at Kairua.
Received June 9, 1827.
�853.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 195.
New London, May 28, 1827.
Dear Sir:
As my health is so feeble as to render it unadvisable to
undertake a journey to Boston immediately, I write you by
the first mail to apprize you of my arrival in this town
in the Ship Connecticut two days since.
I trust you have
received my former letters written from Oahu informing you
of the probability of my return to this country, & that my
arrival, is therefore not altogether unexpected. I am
now at Judge Perkins', & shall remain at his most hospitable
dwelling until I leave town.
The polite attention which the friends of the Redeemer have
paid to us since we landed here has laid us under obligations
of gratitude, but the kindness & liberality of Maj. Tho.
Williams, principa l owner of the Conn., in granting a gratui
tous passage to myself, Mrs. B. & a little daughter of
Rev. Mr. Whitney, whom we brought with us - deserves to be
particularly noticed.
I assured him that the favor would be
felt & gratefully acknowledged. How Sir, shall I publicly
acknowledge this instance, in my own name here, or defer it
for the Board to do, or will it be proper that it should be
noticed in both w ays? Please to direct me on this point.
Information respecting the state
when we left, I must defer until
received letters from there of a
sailing, as that was about seven
of things at the Islands
I see you, probably you have
later date than that of our
months ago.
I design coming to Boston to see you as soon as my health will
admit, which may be in the course of two or three weeks; if any
different course is to be pursued you will please to inform m e .
Mrs. B. sends respects.
Yours respectfully,
Abrm. Blatchely.
P.S. I would thank you if practicable to write me by the first
mail that I may get your answer if possible before I leave this
town, as I contemplate going at the close of the present week
to our friends in Lynn. If you do not write this week, you had
better direct a letter after that if you write any to the care
of M r . Joseph Marvin, N orth Lynn.
A .B .
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received May 31, 1827.
�854.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 196.
To the Prudential Committee of the A .B .C .F .M.
Gentlemen:
During the two first years of my residence at the Sandwic h
Islands, I made frequent visits from Island to Island, at
tending upon the several families at their own stations.
Before this period had passed I was once brought low by a
billious remittent fever while at the station at Byron's
B ay. the most healthy spot in the group & at other times
frequently found myself much enfeebled by the climate, so
much so that from the first part of M ay 1825 I never felt
able to go from my residence at Oahu to visit the sick at
any other island afterwards.
As soon as the next winter months had elapsed, former a p
prehensions in my mind that the state of my health would
ultimately make it necessary for me to leave that climate,
became more & more confirmed' b y a continual development of
the influence of the climate upon my constitution showing
itself in the prostration of m y strength & the increasing
derangement of the functions of my b i lliary organs.
By the begining of June I was again prostrated by a severe
course of fever.
After a partial recovery, I thought of
taking a voyage to the northwest coast for a few months
in hopes that such a change of climate even for a short
season would enable me to hold on at the Islands untill
another physician could arrive from America.
Shortly after a vessel went to Norfolk Sound to return to
Oahu in three months, but being one of the missionaries, I
could not get a passage on board of her.
The state of my health being now such as to render it
hazardous to attempt to spend another summer at the Islands,
& there being no probability of an opportunity to leave in
the spring, & daily experience plainly showing it to be
unsafe to delay my departure, I with no small anxiety came
to a clear & full conclusion that it was necessary for me
to seek for a passage to America on board of some one of the
ships then in port.
Previous to my engaging a passage, I submitted my ease to
the consideration of all the brethren of the mission, who
promised to furnish such a document as would be necessary
for my reception by the Committee & the Christian public, &
in case it should not be made ready before I embarked, to
send it after me by the first opportunity. As an official
paper of this kind was not received from all the members
before I sailed from the Islands, it was expected one would
be made out & forwarded to the Committee soon.
We have had no wish to relinquish missionary service but to
hold ourselves at present at the disposal of the Board to
be transferd & sent to any other mission where the climate is
�855.
suitable whenever ray health shall he sufficiently restored, if it should be thought best that we should be - or to be
employed in any way that may be of any assistance to the
Board or for the promotion of the general object, so far as
my health will permit.
My health is much improved since I left the Sandwich Islands
& I flatter myself that by the blessing of God, the effect
of the ensuing winter will be to restore me to a good degree
of health & strength, but do not think, however, that should
that be the case, it would be safe on account of my age (which
is about 40 years) for me to return again to the climate that
I have just left.
Respectfully yours,
Abraham Blatchely.
Received June 9, 1827.
�856 •
32
June 1828 - Au g . 1830
XI
Letter 197
N orth Lynn, July 14, 1827.
Dear Sir:
Permit me to trouble you with this to inquire of you
where it is probable that M r . Loomis is at present, &
where he will be 2 or 3 weeks hence, & also when &
where the Court Martial (if any) will probably set
for the trial of Percival.
Will you be so good as to write me?
Yours respectfully,
Abrm. B l a t c h e l y .
My health is now about as good as when in Boston.
Some
of the time since I returned it was not been so good.
To: Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Stone Church, Hanover St.
Boston.
Received July 19, 1827.
�857.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 198.
Towaihae Island of Hawaii,
Nov. 27, 1826.
Whereas it has been represented by many persons that the
labors of the American missionaries in these islands are
attended with evil & disadvantage to the people of these
islands. I hereby most cheerfully give my testimony to
the contrary. I am fully convinced that the good which
is accomplishing and already effected, is not a little.
The great and radical change already made for the better
in the manners and customs of this people, has far sur
passed my most sanguine expectations. During the 40
years that I have resided here I have known thousands of
defenceless human beings cruelly massacred in their ex
terminating w a r s . I have seen multitudes of my fellow
beings offered in sacrifice to their idol gods. I have
seen this large island once filled with inhabitants,
dwindle down to its present few in numbers through wars
and diseases, and I am persuaded that nothing but
Christianity can preserve them from total extinction.
I rejoice that true religion is taking place of super
stition & idolatry, that good morals are superceding the
reign of crime, and that a code of Christian laws is
about to take the place of tyranny & oppressions. These
things are what I have long wished for but have never seen
them till now, and I thank God that in my old age I see
them & humbly trust that I feel them too as the only hope
that brightens my prospects while I descend down to the grave.
John Young.
Testimony of M r . John Young
respecting the mission.
Rec'd. Feb. 14, 1829. -
�858.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 199
United States Ship Peacock,
Oahu, January 2, 1827.
Gentlemen:
The time is near at hand when I must hid adieu to the
Sandwich Islands, in doing which I must probably say
farewell, farewell forever to the Isles of the S outh sea.
In contemplating this, more than probable, indeed, almost
certain event, ardently as I desire, and anxiously await
the approaching hour, that may through the merciful good
ness of Divine Providence restore me to my family, country
and friends, yet I cannot say my departure hence will be
altogether without regret. Whilst at the same time I
would desire to acknowledge the great privilege which has
been allowed me, and the opportunities afforded to see
with mine own eyes the great and glorious change which the
missionary labors have produced in the South sea Islands,
and of these, and in the native language of more than one
group, have I heard the glad tidings of the Gospel pro
claimed to the anxious and enquiring aborigines. After a
visit of several weeks among the Society Islands, and a
stay of nearlythree months at this place, during which time
I have made the most vigilent enquiries into the moral and
political state of these Islands at the present time, whi c h ,
when contrasted with their situation, I will not say when
discovered, but when the missionaries arrived among them,
how abundant is the cause, and how richly do the effects
merit the increasing prayer of thanks to the Great Jehovah,
and how clearly illustrative is this great change, of the
truth of G o d ’s word declared through our blessed Savior
"that every knee shall bend and every tongue shall utter
forth prayers to the only true and living God " .
I have said that I have seen with mine own eyes the good
effects, and heard with my ears the glad tidings of the
Gospel preached among the heathen nations of the South sea
Islands.
I have, too, heard but thanks to God, I have not seen
the ill effects of missionary labors so loudly complained of,
and with which missionaries of the cross have been so u n
charitably charged by, I am sorry to say, many of our coun
trymen who visit these islands; but who do not avail themselves
of that opportunity to enquire into, and arrive at, the
truth of many reports which have been widely and maliciously
circulated by the profligate and the wicked.
I have received and read with much interest your circular,
dated Sandwich Islands, October 3rd, 1826. I have seen, too,
your willingness therein expressed for an investigation into
missionary efforts on these Islands, gladly accepted by many
foreign residents at this place, and after a lapse of several
weeks, I have witnessed the parties confronted face to face,
and then saw and bear testimony of your readiness to answer
to any written charge which could be supported or refuted by
�859
evidenae; "but as no charge, derogatory to your duties as
Christians as citizens, was brought forward after so long
a notice, it is but fair to conclude that none could b e .
I am, therefore, satisfied for one, that give you but a
candid and fair hearing, and the friends of Christianity
& civilization will find no just cause of dissatisfaction
in the course you are pursuing, that you have done m u c h ,
very much good, cannot be denied, but that your labors
should be altogether perfect is expecting more than b e
longs to human nature.
You all know my sentiments as regards yourselves, and my
view of your duties - Your course should be pursued with
moderation and great circumspection. Sudden reform in all
body Politic is dangerous, coercive measures for the ex
tension of the Gospel, or repression of certain immoralities,
seldom produce the desired effect. These changes must be
the work of time to be sincere, certain & lasting, and the
force of public opinion and good example, as well as precept in the chiefs and rulers, with rewards to the virtuous
and industrious are, in my opinion, among the means best
calculated to insure this great work; and at the same time
disarm the enemies of your calling.
In taking leave of you Gentlemen, I beg you individually
to accept my sincere acknowledgements for the kind attention
I have received at your hands, and to assure you that
whilst I sojourn in this sublunary tabernacle, I shall never
forget my visit to the Sandwich Islands, and if it shall
hereafter appear that this visit has, in however remote and
minute a degree, contributed to further the missionary ef
forts, I shall be well recompensed for the long absence from
my family.
I beg to be affectionately presented to your respective ladies
and help mates, and that God may be in your hearts and ever
with you all, is the sincere prayer of
Your Friend & well wisher,
Thos. ap Catesby Jones.
To Messrs. A. Thurston, W .Richards,
James Ely, Artemas Bishop,
H. Bingham, Joseph Goodrich,
Levi Chamberlain and Samuel .
Ruggles of the Sandwich Island
Mission &c, &c.
�860
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 200
Extracts of a letter from Capt. James Hunnewell of the Schooner
Missionary Packet, to his brother M r . Joseph Hunnewell, dated
Valparaiso Sept. 1, 1826, at 10 P.M . He had arrived there
that evening.
"I found it necessary since leaving home to increase my
company from 5 to 7 men, & 3 of the number are now invalids one scurvy', one half blind & another good for nothing.
If
my company had been all well, I should not have stopped here.
As it is, I shall get some refreshments, discharge some of
my invalids & make the best of my way for the Sandwich Islands.
I feel in hopes I have got through all the worst part of my
passage, as I have nothing to do but ?? down the trade winds” .
After leaving Rio Janero, I passed through the Straits of
Le Maire & w e n t off Cape Horn, and after experiencing some very
severe weather, & finding our little bark could not stand it,
was obliged to put back, two out of my small company unable to
do duty.
I next attempted to get into the Straits of Magellan,
& c ould not gain the entrance on account of westerly gales.
I then bore away for the Falkland Islands, almost worn out
& discouraged, and felt very thankful to get moored in a good
harbor, altho' this was the Southern winter & the most boisterous
time of the year. While there, I wrote three long letters to
Susan, yourself & M r . Hill. I lay there six weeks, waiting
for a suitable time to make another attempt. I started from
the Islands July 12th (corresponding to S u n ), & passed through
the Straits of Magellan to this place.
Some of the time I
had good weather, & at other times extremely bad.
I was four
months, to the Southard of 51 ° S .Lat. including all the winter
months, & have anchored in 20 different places & have learnt
what anxious feelings are.
I feel thankful that I am so far
safe & alive.
If I stop here over 24 hours, you may expect
a few lines more; if not, I shall send more particulars when
I get to the Islands.
Received March 15, 1827.
�861.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 201.
(Translation)
Oahu, Dec. 6, 1826.
This is my sentiment, know thou, approbation is the chief
thing which my heart maintains respecting the business which
your company have brought hither and which has recently been
obtained by us. - We were dwelling in darkness. When we
were arrived at (or visited) by you, the obsurity of our eyes
was opened. When this was done we saw clearly the light of the
Lord; we had great fear and dread and awe (or alarm). - But
gracious indeed was the Lord Jesus Christ, and I have given
up my heart to follow after Jesus Christ, and my desire and
chief trust, to follow the straight path of righteousness and
the love of Jehovah the everlasting Father. There am I per
manently. That is passed, (or having finished this statement),
here is another thought in addition.
Salute the company of kindred in America and desire my love
to them. Tell them I pray to God for them, tell them pray to
God for us here that he would make known the meaning of the
love of Jesus Christ. Such are my sentiments; I communicate
them that you may know. - What I have said is wrong perhaps;
look ye: and if it is wrong, it is because the work of Jesus
Christ is not fully understood. That is perhaps the reason
why my thoughts are not right. -- What I have to say is finished.
(by) Gov.
To: M r . Loomis.
J. Ada m s .
�862.
32 June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 204
(Translation of Malo's letter to M r . Loomis)
Oahu, Honolulu, Dec. 11, 1827.
Love to you M r . & Mrs. Loomis, also
to the preachers and Church of the
Lord and all the brethren.
I am about to make known to you an affair of consequence
which has been witnessed here. Maui has suffered a cannon
ading from Capt. Clark of an English ship.
females were the ground of the dificulty, - their names,
Mikabako and Nakoko. Mikaboko had recently been married.
They went secretly to the ship for the purposes of adultery
which when Hoapili heard he asked the Capt. of the ship to
return the women. Capt. Clark replied to Hoapili, "I do
not know anything about 'them”. H oapili said, "let my men
go and search". The Capt. said, "I will return and search
and tomorrow return them". To this Hoapili consented.
The
morning arrived but no females came. The Capt. of the vessel
lied.
Three times Hoapili asked him, but he could by no means
obtain them.
Then Hoapili stoped the Capt. on shore, and took
his boat away from the beach. Then the cannonading took place many balls fell in the back parts of Lahaina.
The English consul has called Hoapili to account for these
things. He says the fault is altogether Hoapili's. He says
the crime is a great one, that Hoapili is a mad man, that he
shall pay for this his theft in stealing the boat.
For these
things the English consul is exceedingly angry a t Hoapili, so
also is Jones and all the foreigners.
Here also is another subject.
Capt. Buckle has come after
M r . Richards to put him to death. He is exceedingly angry at
Mr. Richards' letter. Jones a n d the English consul and the
foreigners of Honolulu and of Hawaii and of Maui have all but
one desire, the death of M r . Richards. But they cant effect it,
for the chiefs of this country guard Mr. Richards by night and
by day* For this reason his enemies cannot get at him.
Here also is another subject - The English Consul threatens
war upon the chiefs of the Sandwich Islands - He says he will
put to death all the chiefs of Maui except two, Nahienaevo &
Kekouonohi. He has also threatened war upon Kaikioewa. He said
he would cut his head off. Kaikioewa and he came very near
having war at Tauwai.
The consul said to Kaikioewa, "let
Kauikeouli go by himself back to the mountain," and added that
he would take off Kaikioewa's head, and demolish the fort, that
he was by no means afraid to make war with the chiefs of the
Sandwich Islands, for he had power to put them all to death that he had five hundred men - that he was guarding the king,
�863.
Kouikeouli, and Boki, lest Kaahumanu should put them to death, that Kaahumanu was the great king of the Sandwich Islands that Kaikioewa was king of Kauwai - Naihi king of Oahu - Hoapili
king of Maui and Kuakini king of Hawaii - That Kouikeouli was byno means the king of the Sandwich Islands - That he and Boki
would have been put to death by Kaahumanu if he had not guarded
and saved them. This is the amount of what he said at Kauwai.
The chiefs bear patiently this talk of his, - they by no means
turn their thoughts to his speeches, for the chiefs of the
Sandwich Islands lay themselves low before him, and he exalts
himself far above them.
Here also is another great thing, the anger of the foreigners
at the chiefs, which for its greatness is unexampled. There is
no ground at all for their anger. The chiefs are paying all their
debts.
This is the cause of the anger - The chiefs are assembled at
this place, Honolulu, the chiefs of Hawaii, the chiefs of Maui,
the chiefs of Oahu,& the chiefs of Tauwai are assembled to consult
about establishing laws for the country. All the foreigners are
angry at the chiefs of this country - They exceedingly desire
to make war upon the chiefs of the Sandwich Islands. The Americans
and Englishmen have all had a council together and this is the
result declared. That Kuanawa shall have charge of the fort on
the hill and Manuia the charge of the fort near the harbour, The five hundred men of the consul and all the foreigners are to
come and take Kouikeouli to themselves entirely and keep him from
this time forward - that all the chiefs and people who have turned
to the good way are to separate themselves to another place, and
they alone have charge of the king forever after. Thus says the
American consul, whose name is John Jones - thus says the English
consul, and thus say all the foreigners who reside in this country.
The English consul says to Kouikeouli "If you establish laws,
our lands are gone - But if you will first give information to
England and King George establish laws, then that will be right".
The American consul says, "let them be established on Hawaii
and on Maui, but by no means on Oahu. Those two men exalt them
selves beyond account, - the chiefs of the Sandwich Islands fall
down under their feet. Those two cannot condecend so low as to
converse with us for they are so very great.
There is one exceedingly base foreigner at Maui, M r . Butler his mouth is like a sword. He cannot possibly speak a good thing
for his tongue is full of bitterness. The chiefs bear patiently
all these wicked speeches. The chiefs of the Sandwich islands
are like prisoners of theirs. I declare these things to you that
you may publish them that all men may know these sayings of theirs.
But make no use of my name, but if you think best, it is with you
to write it or not.
Love to you all i n the name of the Lord Jesus.
David Malo.
To: M r . Loomis
Received June 20, 1828.
�864.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 207.
Translation.
The chief of the man of war said to me, "The very strict
tabu is not good. Do you go slow, lest going quick, you
tumble down. Do like other lands. In America, some
women are tabu and some are not - In England some women
are tabu and some are not. The women that regard not God
are not tabu. Let them alone, leave them to their own
thoughts, for you have taught them sufficiently, but they
do not listen to what you say. If the foreigners from
the vessels give them money or cloth, let them take it.
Let them not say we are tabu - neither let the chiefs go
after the prostitute on board the ships, that is a very
shameful thing with our chiefs".
This is all which I correctly heard, myself, but there is
one more thing, Kahuhu told me. The chief of the man of
war said thus to me, "The men of my vessel are going up
to pull down Mr. Bingham’s house. Let them look out".
Twice it was told to me, and twice I told Kaahumanu and
M r. Bingham.
Here is one thing more that I heard directly from his own
mouth. "Mr. Bingham is not good in his tabuing riding on
the sabbath and racing for money on other days.
Signed Boki
Witnesses David Malo
Kaniua
Received at the Rooms April 18, 1829.
�865.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 210
(Translation)
Oahu (Woahoo) March 18, 1823.
To the body of the American Board:
Great affection for you all, dwelling together in America.
This is my communication to you all. We are now learning
palapala. (reading, writing, & c ) We have just seen,
we have just now heard the good word of Jehova.
We are
much pleased with, or, much do we desire or love the good
instruction of Jesus Christ. His alone is the good instruction
for you & us (for all) - This, recently, is the first of
our being enlightened.
We have been compassionated by Jehova, he has sent hither M r. Bingham, and M r . Thurston, and the
whole company of teachers, to reside here with us. Our islands
are now becoming enlightened.
Our hearts greatly rejoice,
in their good instructing of us. Greatly do our hearts re
joice in what Jehova hath spoken to us. This part of my
address is ended.
This is another communication to you.
You have heard perhaps before; but I will make it more clearly
known, for your information. Our gods in former times, were
wooden gods, even in the time of my father before me: but
lately, in my time, I have cast away the wooden gods. Good
indeed was my casting them away before the arriving here of
Mr. Bingham and M r . Thurston, together with all the company of
instructors.
Our common Father hath loved you all.
Benevolent also was Jesus Christ that in speaking unto you he
should say unto you, "Go ye teach all nations, proclaim the good
word of salvation”. - The ministers came hither also to do good
to us, and we have been exceedingly glad. Moreover, at some
future period perhaps, we may possibly become truly good. We
are now observing the[Sacred day]of the great God of heaven, the
S abbath
author of our salvation.
Spontaneous was your love in your thinking of us and in your
sending hither to this place. Had you not sent hither the teachers.
extreme mental darkness would even now have pervaded all our
islands - But no/ You have kindly compassionated us - and the
people of our few islands are becoming enlightened.
Grateful affection to you all. May you and we be saved by Jehova
and also by Jesus Christ our common Lord.
'Tamehameha, King of Hawaii.
Received Aug. 21, 1823.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 214
(Translation of a letter from Hoapili to Kaahumanu
giving an account of the firing on Lahaina and
reasons of it)
Lahaina Oct. 24, 1827.
love to you Elizabeth Kaahumanu.
This is the word which I have to declare to you. We have
recently been in difficulty, we here of Maui. - No one else
is involved, I alone. - It was my own personal resolution.
This is the ground of the difficulty which you are to con
sider,- a strict regard to God - because you and we had
said the women must not go on board the ships for the pur
poses of prostitution.
I have strictly observed this word
of ours.
There have recently gone off secretly several women for
purposes of lewdness. Nakoko and Mikapako and others whose
names I do not know.When I heard by the people that the ship
had got possession of the women, then I requested the com
mander of the ship, Capt. Clark, to return to me the women.
He would not consent - He ridiculed what I said.
That day
passed, next morning I urged him again, three times I in
sisted on it* He said to me "your efforts are vain: it is
not right, it is not thus in Great Britain - It is not right
for you to withhold women from Englishmen - Don't you keep
back the women that go in the bad way, otherwise a man of
war will come and destroy you all" Then I replied, "I do
not at all regard what you have said, there is but one thing
that is right in my view - that you send me back the womenbut understand, if you do not return them, I shall detain
you hence on shore, till we obtain the women, then you may
go to the ship" My requirement was not at all complied with.
Then I sent men to take the boat. The boat was detained by
me and the foreigner was detained by me here on shore. He
said to me "this place will be full of ships and Maui shall
be free from tabu or entirely burnt, so that not a cluster of
houses shall be left: my ship is ready to fire upon you this
night". I replied, "if the guns of your ship fire, I will take
care of you. You and I and my chief will go together to another
place. If your men fire from the ship, we the people of the
island will remain quiet, but if the people of the ship land
here on shore to fight us, then my people will fight them.
You and I will sit still, let your people and mine do the fight
ing. I will take care of you. If you do not give me back the
women, you and I will dwell here on shore, and you shall not
return to your vessel.
I have but one desire & that is the
return hither of the women". I ended.
We continued together from the early to the latter part of the
evening, when the cannon of the ship were fired.
�867.
M r . Richards had come to me saying, "I have come to promote
a reconciliation, out of love to you and out of love to them".
M r . Richards inquired of me, "What is your design"? I replied,
"my only design is that the women be returned".
We were persuaded to yield by M r . Richards. I therefore sent
back the foreigner but did not obtain the women.
t
These are my thoughts concerning the recent doing in this
place belonging to your king; it is nearly right perhaps, it
is nearly wrong perhaps. He said to me, "I shall sail to
Oahu, Boki and the consul will come & fight us".
Where are you? Look out well for Nakoko & those with her, &
if you can get them, send them back here to Maui, and if the
vessel does not anchor, then give directions to Pelekaluhi.
It is ended.
Love to you a l l .
Hoapilikane.
Received June 19, 1828.
�868
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
.
Letter 215
(Certificates of several persons respecting
Capt. Buckle's purchasing a mistress to accom
pany him on a sea voyage )
Lahaina, Nov. 9, 1827.
Here is my declaration respecting what I have heard: Wahine
Pio herself told me, here are the golden dollars paid for
Leoiki: I am keeping them for our chief. This is what I
heard from Wahine Pio: but what we all know is that Leoiki
went for the golden dollars, and where there is payment
there is purchase. We all know that Leoiki went for money.
By Hoapiliwahine
This also is my declaration,-I perfectly understand the sale
of Leoiki. It is perfectly clear to me that the payment of
the money was what caused the woman to go. The bargain
was plain to us. Keoiki wept on account of her unwillingness
to go - but she was unable to stay on account of the desire
of her chief for the money. Her very weeping made it plain
to us that she was sold.
But in this country, a payment is evidence of a sale, so
also are gifts and rewards of adulterers. The bargain is
unquestionable.
The woman was carried to sea - We all know
that Leoiki went for money - The child of the bargain is
large. All the people of Maui know that Leoiki went for money.
My declaration is made.
By Hoapilikane
Here also is my declaration. When Wahine Pio told me of
the bringing of the golden dollars for me, she said, ’’here
are some golden dollars for you” , to which I replied, "by
whom are they", to which she answered, "by my woman by
Leoiki. The foreigner, Capt. Buckle, insisted on having
her sail with him as his wife, - I assented and by this
obtained the money". I did not take it. Thus Wahine Pio
said to me: afterwards she said again, "go and get the money
belonging to Kohoriho: it is with Kehekili, who is keeping
this additional money".
Then I clearly understood that the money had been received
for the woman and that the woman had gone for money. This
is all I declare.
By Harriet Nahienaena.
�869.
This is my declaration respecting the sale of L eoiki.
I
was at Oahu when Wahine Pio arrived there. While at Oahu,
Kalaimoku said, "You have sold Leoiki for gold dollars
have you?" Wahine Pio replied, "It is indeed so - I am
wicked - the woman has gone to the foreigner - and the
money has passed over to me".
Then Kalaimoku said, "You are exceedingly wicked - I too,
perhaps, shall be involved in the crime. Perhaps our souls
will both die together on account of this your crime."
This is what I heard respecting the sale of Leoiki for
money. The wonan did go for money.
This is all I declare.
By Michael Kekouonolie
This is the purport of the bargain and the payment. The
foreigner insisted on having Keoiki. We made answer - we
did not, however, say, here is a woman for sale for money,
neither did the foreigner say, here is the money to pur
chase a female - but he did say that he would pay money
that the woman might go with him for six or seven months.
This is what I and my wife heard, we did not, however,
hear the word bargain used.
Kaukuna.
The above is from the husband of Wahine
common name is Kehekili.
Pio, whose more
The following is a translation of part of a letter from
David Malo, who was on board the ship when Capt. Buckle
introduced the subject with Kehekili.
Lahaina, Nov. 9, 1827.
I am perfectly acquainted with the fact that Capt. Buckle
ensisted on having Leoiki, and that he paid money to Kaukuna,
and that he said to Kaukuna, "The woman shall be mine and
the money yours". Kaukuna said, "The woman is not mine, but
Wahine Pio's. She is a woman that has turned to the Lord".
W hen we went ashore, then Kaukuna told Wahine Pio all about
the affair.
*
When Capt. Buckle was about to sail, he dined in company with
Wahine Pio and Kaukuna. Then he paid some additional money for
her sailing with him. Wahine Pio gave her consent. Then I
said, "I am very sorry for the woman". Wahine Pio replied,
"so am I".
Then I clearly understood that the payment was for the woman,
though I did not hear the word bargain used. I also saw
�870
Leoiki weep. She could not speak or see on account of her
excessive weeping. I distinctly heard the word "pay" used,
but did not hear the word trade.
I have done.
David Malo
In order for a clear understanding of the following it is
necessary to remark that gold pieces are generally called
dollars, though in some of the certificates they are called
yellow dollars or gold dollars. The pieces were doubloons
which here pass for 16 dollars each. This money is now in
my possession.
It appears by the following certificate when
taken in connection with other evidence, that when Leoiki
was first sent on board the ship, it was not expected that
she was to accompany him the voyage but merely live with him
on b oard the ship while she was recruiting, but after having
one or two interviews with Wahine Pio and her husband, he
sent eight dubloons ashore which were not accepted. It was
then supposed that Capt. Buckle designed leaving her in some
foreign country. But afterwards he brought the money him
self or sent it again with two dubloons added, and then the
chief consented.
Copy
Love to you M r . Richards.
This is the communication which I make to you - I give you
information respecting what I know of Leoiki. When she had
been on board two days she came on shore with eight dollars
(dubloons) which she handed to Wahine Pio, saying, "here is
the money of the foreigner, he wishes you to give me to him
for his" - the money is yours, but if you take it, I am to
go with him to a foreign country. So the foreigner said to
me. Wahine Pio replied, "I shall not give you up, for I
love you” . "Return the money to the foreigner for, lo, it is
money to take you forever to a foreign country". The foreigner
afterwards brought two dollars more (dubloons) and gave them
to Wahine Pio. Then she consented to the foreigner's carrying
her to sea with him, on condition of returning her.
This is all I have to make known to you.
By Namale.
I have a great number more certificates of the same character
as the above, and might procure a hundred, but it is not worth
while to fill any more paper.
I must, however, give you a
verbatim copy of Capt. Buckle's letter to me written in answer
to mine in Oct. 1825, according to my former letter to the
committee.
�Copy*
Ship Daniel,
Thursday Evening.
Dear Sir:
I have received your note, my men are all on shore, having
left the ship during the night, with a full determination
not to return on board again unless they obtained women.
I have no command over them on shore & should recommend
your giving your consent to let them come on board, after
which all will be peace & quietness.
Yours truly,
signed) Wm. Buckle.
R eceived June 19, 1828.
Translation of a letter from Taua.
Leoiki came to me and said, "what is it right for me to do?
My patroness Wahine Pio tells me to go as a wife for the
foreigners". I said to her "perhaps you will not be able
to say no, to the thought of the chief". She said to me,
"I do not wish to go on board the ship, for I greatly love
God. If it were the old time that would be right". I
assented to her wishes, on account of the foreigner's in
sisting on it to her, and on account of the foreigner's
saying "Wahine Pio cannot withhold her, for I greatly de
sire Leoiki". This is all she said to m e .
Taua.
�872.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 216
(Translation)
Kaawaloa, Nov. 20, 1826.
Love to you Mr. Loomis. Love to you Mrs. Loomis & Levi &
Amanda. This sentiment of us two with Naika we make known
to you. We are both well pleased with you, - all the whole
company of missionaries, those of Kauai who reside at Kauai,those of Oahu, who reside at Oahu, - those of Maui who reside
at Maui, - those at Kona here, who reside here at Kona, - &
those of Hilo who reside at Hilo. The sentiment we have to
express to you is the continual joy we have in hearing of
(or concerning) the light. Such is the sentiment of both my
companion and myself.
We both love you all. Our chief desire
is the word of God. We call him our benefactor in our present
state. We know the righteousness of his voice, and our de
termination is that these our thoughts shall ever be. If
perhaps the heart perceive not his righteousness, then it would
not love him; but now we know his perfect righteousness, that
is the ground of our love to him.
Here is this thought of my heart for you which I make known.
Ye, all the company of missionaries, greatly does my heart re
joice when I see you. My heart desires that my mind may be like
yours, a mind not soon weary in repelling sin. But how great
the sin, my heart knows it, every day. I think my deliverance
from so great sin must be of God only. - God is long suffering
toward me in my sin. I fear I shall not be saved, but through
God's unfailing care I may be, as I journey on in this world.
I thank him for his unfailing regard towards m e . My heart is
thinking that I perhaps may faint as to my regard to him. I
know not my loving him, but he knows as to my love to him.
I sincerely believe that light is good, and darkness evil, but
the great light, the Son of God is the true good.
Where are you M r . Loomis, we two do not know any fault of your
company, not even from our first efforts with Kamehamahe and
Liholiho. The fault (or evil) of those two was their own and
not yours. The word of God only is what you put (or set up)
in this dark land.
We look candidly (or our hearts look) for the wrong but where
is it? We have, not in the least found (or seen) any fault from
the beginning.
We sincerely call ourselves blessed at this
time (or our thoughts pronounce that we are at present fortunate)
on account of our hearing the good word of God. We truly love
you all, love without deceit, the sincere love of the heart.
Affection for him who has the principal care (or direction) of the
missionaries. Do you make known my love to him.
(signed) Naihe & Kapiolani
To: Mr . Loomis
Received Feb. 14, 1828.
�873.
\
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 223.
Monday morning, August 18, we left L ahaina with the design
of making the tour of Maui. The examination of the schools
in the several districts of the Island was our primary ob
ject. We wished also to see the length and breadth of the
land - to ascent its lofty mountains - cross its fruitful
plains, descend into its valleys, to learn the state of the
people and as we had opportunity, to afford them instruction.
Notice of our intention had been sent round the Island, so
that we were everywhere expected. We left in a double canoe,
rowed by twelve able bodied men, steered N. & N .E. - leaving
Molokai on our left, and soon lost sight of Lahaina. The
land, as we proceeded, appeared broken and except now and then
a narrow valley, sterile, and it terminated in bluffs from
fifty to a hundred feet high. The coast we found indented
with frequent bays from 1/2 to 1 mile in width. About 1 P.M .
we reached Kahakuloa, a small village where we commenced the
examination of schools. While preparations were making, we
ascended some of the hills, which are here numerous and lofty,
numbered the houses, and viewed the surrounding country.
A
tremendous bluff, near the place of our landing, one of our
number climbed, and for a season felt those emotions of
sublimity which are inspired by standing on the summit of a
rock "whose base beats back the roaring surge, scarce heard so
high". In the evening we examined the schools, which appeared
very well, after which Mr. Richards addressed the people &
closed with prayer. We put up in a small native house, sat,
ate and slept on the ground - which was covered with mats.
Tuesday 19. After a comfortable night's rest, we arose and
prepared to set off.
The morning was showery, but about
7 O.C. we left in our canoe. The scenery, as we proceeded,
was increasingly grand and terrific. So many and deep are
the ravines along the shore, that travelling must be exceeding
ly slow and difficult. We spread our sail to the wind and
were driven forward, tho' not without danger. The coast on
this part of the Island is very dangerous. For several miles,
no landing place for a boat is found, and in case of filling,
destruction is inevitable.
Once or twice we narrowly excaped.
The kind interposition of our heavenly Father & the skill of
our faithful mariners, saved us and about 9 O.C. A .M . we landed
at Waihee. The head man of this district acts as Treasurer
to the govornor of the Island. He was raised to this post of
honor by a former Govorner with whom he lived in an incestuous
manner, and the present govorner retains him in his office.
Here we examined a large school and after partaking of re
freshments, we went forward by land about four miles to Wailuko.
This is an excellent & populous district. The land is in a
high state of cultivation.
The weather here is cooler than at
Lahaina, and on every account, this would be a very desirable
place for a missionary station.
Within four miles of the house
of the head man of this district, there are probably 4000 in
habitants. Here we examined more than eight hundred scholars.
The Princes who had taken another rout and passed the mountain
from Lahaina, and who accompanied us round the Island, here
�874.
joined us and addressed the people. On such occasions, she
appeared with a good degree of dignity and her addresses
were appropriate.
Wednesday 20. Proceeded on our way by land. Crossed the
neck of l a n d which united east and west Maui.
This neck is
about 10 miles wide. It is probable that here were once two
Islands. After walking eight or ten miles on the beach, we
reached Kamakuapoko.
This is a large district, but for some
reason or other, very few of the people have attended to in
struction; and it was with no small difficulty that the people,
who were thronging the shore, could be induced to listen to
the Princess. Soon after leaving this place, we began to ascend towards the mountains and travelled thro' vast tracts of
land of an excellent quality. As there is sufficient rain at
all seasons of the year on this part of the Island, these
fields would doubtless produce fine wheat and other English
grain. About 3 O.C . P.M . we reached Haalimaile, and examined
another school. Here were about forty schollars - a school of
no ordinary character and in whose history we were highly
gratified.
About the time of the establishment of the mission
at Lahaina, a woman from the common walks of life came hither
from Oahu.
She had just begun to lisp the palapala, and was
advised by Kaahumanu to instruct others. Immediately after
tier arrival here, without consulting M r . Richards, she persuaded
some of her neighbors to attend to instruction and established
this school.
She continued to instruct them till the head man
of the district was driven off from his land, when she accompanied
him to another part of the Island. That school is decidedly
the best one we examined.
The pupils, in addition to the books
which they have been taught to read, have taken great pains to
procure all the books which have been printed, and they read with
fluency, the "sermon on the mount", "Joseph" & c. This woman "did
what she could & her deeds will be spoken for a memorial of her"On the other side of the Island we saw her and conversed with her.
Finding teachers in the district where she now lives, she
entered the school as a learner and was examined with the rest of
the pupils. We gave her the tract "Joseph", which she grasped
as eagerly as we should have done the best volume in a German Hall.
Here we tarried over night, intending in the morning to ascend the
mountain near which we were, and sleep on the highest land on
Maui. We were told by the natives that the way was long, but
the ascent easy. We suppose no English travelers had ever ascended
this mountain.
Thursday 21. We arose early & prepared for our ascent. Having
procured a guide, we set out, taking only a scanty supply of
provision, the way being long and tedious. Half way up the moun
tain we found plenty of good water, and at a convenient fountain
we filled our calabash for tea. By the sides of our path we
found plenty of oheloo - a juicy berry very palatable and occasionally
a cluster of strawberries.
On the lower part of the mountain
there is considerable timber - but as we proceeded it became scarce,
and as we approached the summit, almost the only thing of the
vegetable kind which we saw, was a plant which grew to the height
of 6 or 8 feet, and produced a most beautiful flower. It seems to
be peculiar to this mountain, as our guide and servants made or-
�875.
naments for their hats of it, to demonstrate to those below,
that they had been to the top of the mountain.
It was nearly 5 O.C. P.M . when we reached the summit of the
mountain whence we directed our steps. But we felt ourselves
richly repaid for the toil of the day by the grandeur and beauty
of the scene which, at once opened to our view. The day was very
fine. The clouds which hung over the mountains on west Maui, and
which were scattered promiscuously between us and the sea, were
far below us, so that we saw the "upper side” of them, while
the reflection of the sun, painting their verge with varient
tints, made them appear like enchantment. We gazed on them with
admiration and longed for the p e
ncil of a Raphael to give per
petuity to a prospect which awakened in our bosoms unutterable
emotions. On the other side, we beheld the seat of Pele's dread
ful reign.
We stood on the edge of a tremendous crater, down
which a single false misstep would have precipitated us 1000 or
1500 feet. This was once filled with liquid fire, and in it we
counted sixteen extinguished craters. To complete the grandeur
of the scene Mouna Kea & Mouna Koa, lifted their lofty summit and
convinced us that tho' far above the clouds, we were far below
the feet of the traveller who ascends the mountains of Hawaii.
By this time the sun was nearly sunken in the Pacific, and we
looked around for a shelter for the night. Our guide and servants
we had left far behind, & we reluctantly began our descent, keep
ing along on the edge of the crater. After descending about a
mile, we met the poor fellows, who were hobbling along on the
sharp lava as fast as their feet would suffer them. They were
glad to stop for the night, tho' they complained of the cold. We
kindled a fire & preparations were made for tea and lodging.
The
former we obtained with little trouble. We broiled part of a
chicken - roasted a few potatoes, and, gathering round the fire,
we made a comfortable meal, but the place of lodging we obtained
with some difficulty. At length we spread our mats and blankets
in a small yard, enclosed probably by natives when passing from
one side of the Island to the other. We were within twenty feet
of the precipice, and the wind whistled across the valley, and
forcibly reminded us of a November evening in New England. The
thermometer had fallen from 77° to 45#, and we shivered with the
cold. The night was long and comfortless. Early the next morning,
Friday 22, we arose and reascended the mountain to its summit &
contemplated the beauties of the rising sun, and gazed still longer
on the scenery before us. There seemed to be but one or two
places where the lava had found a passage to the sea, and thro’
these channels it must have rushed with tremendous velocity.
Hot
having an instrument, we were unable to ascertain the height of
the mountain.
We presume it would not fall short of 10,000 feet##.
The circumference of the great crater we judged to be no less than
fifteen miles.
We were anxious to remain longer, that we might
descend, into the crater, examine the appearance of things below,
and ascend other eminences, but as we were nearly out of provision
and our work but just commenced, we finished our chicken and tea,
and began our descent. N othing remarkable occurred on our way down.
#In the morning the thermometer stood at 40°.
##This I believe is the height at which it has been estimated.
�87 6 .
When we reached the cluster of houses nearest the mountain,
the occupants, who had heard of our approach, kindly presented
us with roasted c o m and bananas. About 1 O.C. P.M. we reached
the place where we had left our furniture for travelling. Here
we dined. From this place to the sea, we walked in a new di
rection over some of the most beautiful land we ever saw.
The
most of it is uncultivated, but a N ew England farmer would make
it like the garden of Eden. The timber, which is plenty, is
mostly the Ku ku i, or C amp tree. It yields a nut, nearly as
large as a butter nut, from which oil of an excellent quality
is easily extracted. The natives open the nut, string the meat
on a small stick, and set the upper one on fire. They burn
with great freedom and give a good light. As we proceeded, our
attendants pointed out several places where hostile armies had
met and contended for victory. At 5 O.C. P.M. we reached a small
village on the Kalehaku sea shore.
Here we found the Princess,
and a large school waiting our arrival. Commenced examination
but were soon interrupted by the rain. Put up in a dirty house.
Passed a comfortless night.
Saturday 23. Examined the remainder of the school and proceeded
on our w a y . This day to came on to a pavement said to have been
built by K i napilani, a king, contemporary with Un i , an ancient
king of Hawaii. He is said to have built it, that his name"might
not roll out”. It extends more than thirty miles, and is a work
of considerable magnitude.
This pavement afforded us no incon
siderable assistance in travelling as we ascended and descended a
great number of steep and difficult paries#. In the valleys
there ran brooks, some of them of considerable siz eSeveral miles
of our way lay thro’ a wood.
The soil was exceedingly rich.
The trees, many of which were large, were covered with vines of
the most luxuriant growth, but we looked in vain for the ”fruit
of the vine", - which weary and hungry as we were, would have
been exceedingly refreshing.
About 6 O.C . P.M. we reached Honomanu,
where we examined a small school. Here the Princess concluded to
spend the Sabbath. We went aboard the canoe and rowed a few miles avoiding some difficult paries-after landing we walked a few miles
to Wailua where we put up for the Sabbath. Before we arrived,
it rained violently and we were thoroughly drenched - a thing
which had not befallen us for many months.
Sabbath 24 . Very early this morning the horns - summoning the
people to the house of God - were heard in every direction, and
we soon perceived that the call had not been heard with indifference.
At an early hour, the house was thronged with attentive worshipers
and Mr. Richards addressed them from the Saviour’s words to,
N icodemus - "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God”. In the afternoon, on account of the rain, fewer were
present, t h o ' the congregation was respectable.
We had much con
versation in the evening with the head t e a c h e r of this district.
He lamented the incompetency of the teachers an d was highly gratified
when told that a school for their benefit would soon be opened at
Lahaina.
#A word in common use on the Islands for a very steep hill - a
precipice.
�877.
"That", said he, with an animated countenance, - "that makes
my heart light - for we come here in our ignorance & that we
teach the people."
Monday 25. Early this morning we examined the schools which
were large. About 11 O.C. A.M. the Princess arrived and
addressed the people, after whic h we proceeded on our way.
We
went by water 6 or 8 miles, when we landed and walked about
10 miles on the broken lava, till we reached the plain of Hana.
Here we found nearly a thousand scholars, most of whom appeared
well. This is a most charming district. The people are numerous well fed and appear fairer and more robust, than at any place
which we have yet seen. Here would be an excellent place for a
missionary station.
The field of usefulness is wide and prom
ising.
Tuesday 26. After breakfast we set off in our canoe & after
rowing about 10 miles we reached Kipahulu where we examined
another large school and staid over night. The country around
is very rough.
Wednesday 27. Proceeded on our way: about 5 miles by water and
3 by land, brought us to Kaupo where we examined another very
large school.
We were particularily pleased with the address
of the Princess to the people of this district.
Addressing those
who stood aloof from instruction - who feared the "palapala"
she contrasted the present with former times. "Formerly we" meaning the chiefs, "were the terror of the country - When
visiting your district - we should perhaps have bidden you errect
an heian, & after being w o r n out with this labour, we should
have sacrificed you in i t . N ow we bring you the palapala - the
word of God - why should you fear it?” After walking about three
miles farther, we reached Nuu, a small village where we examined
a small school and tarried over night. Here we found another
large canoe sent from Lahaina to our assistance.
t
Thursday 28. Rose very early and proceeded by water. The way
was somewhat dangerous, but the day was favorable. After rowing
about ten miles we narrowly escaped filling, owing in a great
measure to wa n t of subordination among the men on board. W e
bade them make for the shore without delay. They reluctantly
obeyed - as they were extremely mortified, and we landed and walked
about 9 miles over a v e r y rough country. We saw scarcely a
vestage of vegetation - scarcely set our feet on the earth t h r o '
this whole distance. All was lava thrown together in immense
piles, over which a path had been worn by the feet of the natives.
The canoe after having passed the places of the greatest danger,
had stoped & waited our arrival. We went on board and rowed 5 or 6
miles to Honuaula. Here we examined a large school and staid over
night. The country around still rough. N o sweet water on this part
of the island.
Friday 2 9 . At break of day, we found the Princess and her train
in rediness to leave. She invited us to take a seat with her in
the large canoe, which we regarded as most safe. About 8 O.C. A.M.
we arrived at Kalepolepo, a small village on the neck of land which
unites east & west M a u i . Here we examined a small school.
This concluded our examination, and we soon set off for Lahaina*
�878
We were about 20 miles from home and we proceeded by water.
We crossed soon after our departure a very spacious bay,
not without apprehension of danger, as the wind became exceeding
ly strong before we reached the opposite shore.
We had a
pleasant and prosperous passage and about 3 0.0. P.M. we
reached L ahaina.
The tour which we have thus performed has been to us exceed
ingly interesting.
We have seen much of the Island - climbed
its barren hills & lofty mountains, traveled its plains and
crossed its deep and fruitful valleys, and we are confident
that an immense population might here find sustenance. We
have seen much of the people, much of their ignorance 'and
degradation - we have also furnished much of their desire to
improve ,and capacity for improvement. We return, cheered with
the prospect of the speedy melioration of this people. The
field of our labor is, indeed, arduous, but the fallow ground
is broken up - the seed is scattered and soon a golden harvest
will wave o ’er these once sterile hills and valleys to bless
our eyes & fill our arms with ripened sheaves.
After remaining at Lahaina till Sept. 23, M r . Andrews and Green,
accompanied by Kiliiahonui and Kekanonoh i , chiefs of distinction,
embarked in a native schooner and proceeded to Molokai to ex
amine the schools on that Island. The channel which separates
this Island from Maui is 10 or 12 miles wid e . Head winds most
of the day, so that we did not land till near sun setting. We
put up for the night at Honomani, and examined a small school.
The chiefs addressed the people with great animation and were
attentively heard.
Wednesday 24. Our furniture for travelling was carried on
board the schooner, while we stepped into a canoe and kept near
the shore. We passed the northern extremity of the Island and
soon arrived at another small village where we have another
school to examine. The land which we passed today, is broken
tho'there are no high bluffs, till we arrived near the place
of our landing.
The v i l l a g e Halan a is shut in by high hills the valley is narrow and extends several miles.
While the
scholars were assembling, we walked up the valley near to its
head - & viewed some beautiful cascades which tumbled down the
rooks and created a beautiful stream which supplies the inhabitants with sweet water, and empties into the s e a . The
people whom we met seemed rather wild. They looked at us with
great expression, as t h o ' they would enquire, ”what would y ou
have?" We returned & examined the school and tarried over night.
Thursday 2 5 . We proceeded in our canoe, it being more pleasant
than the schooner - which accompanied u s . As we proceeded, the
bluffs became tremendous. We judged them to be from 1500 to
2000 feet. Down these bluffs which are nearly perpendicular frequent streams of water gushed, and made a most beautiful ap
pearance. N ow and then a small valley between the hills appeared
with a little clump of houses - but these were scarce, as indeed
there seems to be little here but sweet water. About noon we
reached Halana, when the canoe & schooner returned, as the point
of the Island is so long, that it was deemed inexpedient to sail
�879.
round i t . Here we examined a considerable school, after
which w e walked over a tolerbly smooth country to another
small village, Makanalua. Here we examined a small school
and remained during the night.
Friday 26. Rose and set forward by land. We soon began
to ascend a tremendous pali. A path across this mountain
showed that the way was much travelled. But it was for the
most part exceedingly steep and difficult, and in many
places, a single false step would have sent us headlong,
hundreds of feet. We clambered up the steep sides of this
mountain and, in about 1 1/ 2 hours we reached the top.
The
chiefs & many of their, attendants suffered severely, as
they were very heavy and unaccustomed to travelling. From
the top of this mountain to the sea the descent is much
more gradual, so that from the west, the Island, excepting
the north part, which is much more levil and runs out into
the sea a great distance, ascends very gradually to the
height of two thousand feet or more, when it suddenly breaks
off in one perpendicular precipice. We descended the mountain
passing through a very good country of land, till about
1 O.C . we stopped for refreshment, and examined a small school.
We continued descending till about 5 O.C . - when we reached
the sea at Kaunakakai. Here we put up for the night.
During the whole night, the people continued to arrive, and
about sun rising the chiefs made their appearance. Saturday 27 .
Here we examined a large school. We walked on & the chiefs
followed in canoes. We travelled along on the sea shore very little vegetation on account of the drought. Scarcely
any water on this side of the Island. About 2 O.C . P.M. we
reached Humuali, where we concluded to finish the examination.
Several schools convened during the afternoon, and just before
sun setting, we finished the examination of them.
Soon after
the chiefs arrived.
We were now in sight of L ahaina - weary
& hungry with miserable accomodations for spending the Sabbath.
We therefore made a vigorous effort to reach the schooner,
but were unsuccessful.
Sabbath 28. Both morning and evening we had religious service.
Keliihonui addressed the people with considerable effort. He
has a commanding appearance, & has a considerable share of
native eloquence.
Monday 29. The people assembled again and the chiefs addressed
them and closed with prayer.
Thus have we finished our labor. It will be seen in the
tabular view of the schools that we examined 1032 scholars.
Of these nearly all could read. We think the teachers on this
Island are thorough, active, enterprising young men - who are
capable of becoming very useful in this department, and their
schools appeared admirably. The people generally appeared
better than we had expected. M r . Chamberlain is the only
missionary who had been on the Island before us, and he made
no stay upon it.
The influence which has been exerted in
favor of the right way, has been exerted by means of the
teachers & by means of other individuals who have occasionally
visited Lahaina.
�880.
We estimated the number of inhabitants at 5000. We numbered
nearly 700 houses and think there are about 1000 on the
Island. We think nearly 1/4 of the people are members of
the schools.
N o place on the Islands is very favorable for
a missionary station.
Where there is sweet water - there is
very little room for 'vegetation - and where there is ample
room - sweet water does not run. We doubt not, however, that
a mission family would be comfortable on the west side of the
Island. Kehiahonui and his wife are anxious that a station
should be taken.
Certain it is these poor people greatly need
a spiritual guide.
We bless God that we can afford them any
instruction, that they can be taught to read those portions of
the book of God which we put into their hands. But they need
a living instructor: - nor do we expect that the dew of the
Spirit will descend upon them, till the ordinances of the Gospel
are established in the midst of them. Oh that we had fellow
laborers whom we might send "to spread the light of heaven
upon their mountains, and wake the throb of joy thro' their
valleys" .
About 10 O.C. A .M . we hoisted sail and after a prosperous
passage we arrived at Lahaina and found all well. May great
good result to these our dyeing fellow men, from these ex
cursions, to the glory of infinite grace.
Tour around Maui & c
Messrs. RichardsAndrews &
Green.
�881
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 22 4 .
Lahaina, Island of Maui, Dec. 1, 1823.
To the Corresponding Secretary of the A.B.C .F.M.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
From: William Richards
Chas. Saml. Stewart.
Received Feb . 9, 1825.
This letter printed in 21 Missionary Herald 100, April 1825,
hut there misdated Dec. 1, 1824. It should he 1823.
�882.
32
June 1828 - Au g . 1830
XI
L etter 226
Public Journal kept at Waiakea, Hawaii,
Jan.
.
4
2
8
1
Dear Sir Respected & Beloved:
For a considerable time have the members of that station
been in readiness & waiting for an opportunity to remove
& take possession of that inviting field. As no opportu
nity occurred & none likely to occur to meet the exigencies
of the case: it was thought expedient by the mission to
charter a small vessel for the purpose of conveying them
thither: a more full account of which will doubtless be
given in the journal at Oahu. Accordingly, Jan. 16, 1824,
Mess r s . Goodrich & Ruggles with their families, accompanied
by Dr. Blatchley & wife, who expect to spend a month or two
t h e r e as circumstances may require: likewise M r . & M r s . Ely
destined for Haima. M r . Ellis also for the purpose of ob
taining by measurement the exact dimensions of the volcano &
crater, & some other information to make the tour of the
Deputation more complete: & to assist in introducing the
mission into that new station: M r . Chamberlain also accom
panied them to take a short view of the different stations:
set sail for Waiahea by w a y of Lehaina, for the express pur
pose of obtaining the patronage of Karaemoku, the head chief
in the absence of the King, & a decided friend of the mission.
Arrived at Lehaina Sunday morning o f the 12th at a o'clock A .M .
Spent the Sabbath with Me s s r s . Richards & Stewart. M r . Ellis
preached twice to attentive congregations.
Monday morning 1 9 t h . Made our object known to Karaemoku, who
cordially approved of our object, & sent a man with instructions
to the inferior chiefs at Waiakea to build us two houses in
any place we should select, & that they should also take care
of u s . Left Lehaina about 11 A .M . & after beating against head
winds through the week without any remarkable occurrence, w e
came to anchor in Waiakea Bay in 3 1/2 fathoms of water, Satur
day 24th at 4 o'clock P.M. M r . Ellis & Goodrich with the man
that was sent, went on shore, & a large house was soon provided
for our accommodation: those that occupied it cheerfully moved
out to accommodate u s , it being within a few rods of the shore,
& good landing, all arrived safe to land in canoes a little
after sunset, most of us considerably reduced with seasickness;
yet made ourselves comfortable for the night.
Sunday 25th. This is probably the first Sabbath that was
ever known to these poor heathen, with the exception of two when
the Deputation performed the tour of the Island. Ma y ere long
the Sabbath's blessed influence, shed its cheering rays upon
these benighted heathen where the salutary influence of the
gospel's glorious light has never been experienced & long may
this benighted part of the Island enjoy her Sabbaths.
M r . Ellis preached twice to the natives, & made known to them
the object of our coming among them.
�883.
Monday 2 6 . Took a walk about the fertile land of Waiakea,
with a view to select a building spot, but decided upon
no definite place. On the 27 th M r . Ellis, Dr. Blatchley,
Ely, Chamberlain & M r . Hunnewell (the master of the vessel )
set out to visit the volcano. 29th An aged man this morning
made many interesting enquiries of M r . Ruggles respecting
our coming & the religion which we hope to make known to them
by which they may be saved, also he wished to know why we did
not come here sooner.
Friday 3 0 . M r s . Ruggles was happily
employed in commencing a school of nearly a dozen scholars
& in instructing them in the first principles of the Hawyean
language. 31. M r . Ellis & company returned quite fatigued with
their walk.
F e b . 1, 1824 Sunday. M r . E . as usual unwearied in his labours
o f love, preached 4 t i m e s in 3 different places: at one place
finding a man at work upon a canoe. M r . E . informed him that
it was the sabbath of the Lord & that he ought not to work:
which when he understood said that he would never again labour
upon the Sabbath, but work 6 days only, & rest the seventh*
Monday F e b . 2. At 2 o'clock P .M . the schooner that brought us
here, weighted anchor & proceeded to Kairua, conveying M r . Ely
& wife thither & M r . Ellis & Chamberlain, by way of Kairua to
Oahu.
3 . M r . Ruggles commenced a school about 1 mile distant,
the numbers are small, owing they say to shame, or more correctly
fear. Some of the scholars enquired of him how many tapas he
would give them if they would learn the spelling, though, many
of them think that they must be rewarded if they attend to in
struction. Saturday 7 t h . The Barge came to anchor here about
noon, having on board a chief under whose protection we expect
to be placed. He appears to be a decided friend to the mission,
& appeared to be much pleased when we were to settle near him
in this place.
His name is Kouhou. He says that he intends to
have a house soon built for public worship. Sunday 8. Mr. R.
conducted public worship in the native language, which consisted
of praying,&singing.
Our hearts were refreshed, our spirits cheered, with the reviving
intelligence which the Barge brought in a package from the
Society Islands. The good work of the Lord appears to be pros
pering there; many are turning from error of their ways unto the
living God. The attention to schools during the week was rather
discouraging, but few scholars are inclined to receive instruction.
Sunday 15. M r . R. went to the house where we are accustomed to
hold public worship, & found the inhabitants at their poi dishes.
Upon his entrance they enquired if it was tabu for them to eat on
the Sabbath, being told that it was no t . They continued eating
but a short time when the head man said, "come let us put up
our calabashes, that the K i n g ’s Curiosities may pray", a title
quite common to the missionaries, & he likewise said had he known
of M r . R .s coming, he would have sent a man round & ta xed the
people to come together & attend public worship.
March 10. The dwellings that w ere to be built b y Karaemoku's
order being finished, Mr. R. & family moved on the 7th. M r . G .
& his family moved on the 10. The houses were thatched with
�884.
the leaves of the tauhala (a species of the palm), the leaves
are about 2 inches wide, 3 or 4 f t . long, whic h,when well
put on make very good covering. N ot a nail or pin is to be
found in the building. The whole is fastened together with
string, which are simply vines that grow very abundant in
this part of the Island.
April 4 . Sunday. We attended public worship at the dwelling
house of Kouhou,- the head chief of this district, the distance
being about one mile to the place where the meeting is held,
there being likewise a small river to ford, which rendered it
impracticable for the sisters generally to attend. The attention
to schools is evidently increasing so that we m a y truly say
that the Lord is on our side, b y causing this feeble branch
of the mission to exert a silent, yet powerful influence over
the minds of the poor heathen, & we humbly hope that the day
is not far distant when they shall experience the happy effects
of the gospel of God's dear s on.
April 3 0 . The Pilot boat (a small native scooner) arrived
this afternoon, bringing in cheering intelligence from the
different stations on these Islands, together with letters &
communications from A . . . that came out in the Parthian. Thus
were our spirits cheered & our hearts refreshed by the joyful
news of what the Lord is doing in various parts of the world
by erecting the kingdom of his beloved Son upon the downfall
of Satan's empire.
May 3 . School is making progress in the first principals of
the Hawaiian language. In this school may be seen the Father
of 50 years with his two little sons going on hand in hand to
acquire that knowledge which we humbly hope will lead them
to a thorough knowledge of themselves as sinners, & their
way of recoverin g the precious blood of Christ that was shed for
the sins of a fallen world.
There also may be seen an inter
esting female of no ordinary size, formerly a wife of a chief,
but he has forsaken her, & she says that she has now choosen
the palapala (a general term for any kind of learning) to be
her husband. She was told that the palapala would never forsake
her if she did not forsake that. In the evening joined in the
precious season of concert & prayer for the gospel's universal
triumph.
Just at the commencement of the English service, M r . & M r s .
Stewart with their little son & Betsey Stockton, arrived from
Lahaina, whom we were happy to receive safe & sound. M r . S .
comes down partly by request to assist at this station during
M r . Bingham's contemplated visit to Tauai, & partly to release
M r s . S. from the abundant cares & labors which for almost a
year she has sustained at that new station.
t
April 26. This morning M r . Chamberlain commenced hearing
James, K ahuhu & John Ti read in their English bibles, & attend
ing to their exercises in arithmetic. (This evening there was
another interesting conference meeting of the chiefs, mission
aries, native teachers & pupils. Kekauruohe & Taumuarii were
the principal speakers on the part of the chiefs.
Kekauruohe
recommended sobriety, temperance & diligence in attending t o
�the palapala & spoke pointly against listening to the
vague & foolish reports unfavorable to the missionaries
or their system which were often put in cerculation by
the servants of Debelo. (Satan). Taumuarii spoke with
much good sense & decision on the importance of the
genuine thorough repentance of the heart instead of a
pretended repentance or outward reformation.
He said if
we profess to repent & turn to God, we must from the sole
of the foot to the crown of the head, desire to obey in
heart the law of Jehovah, & when we pray to him we must
pray with the heart & not with the mouth only, else our
efforts were vain & our professions false in the sight of
God.
In the afternoon by request of Mr. B . , Keariiahonui
Taumi & Kapiu accompanied him to visit the schools at
Waititi, to regulate & encourage them. Two schools which
were near each other were collected into one house. Both
were composed of adults & children, parents advancing in
years & their rising offspring, sitting down together in
long rows upon the ground, each with a B .A .B .A . in his hand
learning the first use of letters in their own language.
Part of the people composing the schools belonged to
Kaahumanu, part to Taumuarii & Keariiahonui, and part to
Opii a . It was pleasing among many things interesting, to
find that Opiia had carefully written with her own hand
in the books the names of her people to whom they had been
severally given. Keariiahonui stood and addressed the
schools, encouraging them to diligence and perseverance, &
to an observance of the sabbath, directing them to attend
school in the morning & towards evening & in the interval
to do their ordinary w o r k . After some remarks from Mr. B.
Taumi closed the interview with an appropriate prayer.
April 27. Anniversary of the arrival of the reinforcement.
Just a year from the arrival of the Thames, the Dauphin
arrived this morning with John Irepori & Robert Wyhee (or
perhaps Kaia) as passengers, together with a large shipment
of supplies for the mission. These youths soon came &
were made welcome to our hou se . They delivered several
letters, two from M r . Hill, containing a list of packages & a
bill of lading of the supplies. The Captain also called,
expreseed a fear that he should not be able to come into
the harbor, for want of money, and a wish that the missionaries
would use their influence to have the harbor fees remitted,
& in case both failed, that they should get a boat and r e
ceive their supplies from the ship as she lay in the roads.
Received letters from the brethren at Kaima & Kaavaroa contain
ing the intelligence that Gov. Adams is desirous to have all
the chiefs about, him instructed, proposes to build a new
school house & to become himself a teacher. M r . T . & Honorii
are to superintend that school, & M r . & M r s . Bishop the school
in their yard. M r . Ely wrote from Kaararoa that he was with
his family now comfortably established at that place & finds
Cause for gratitude that he has been directed thither. Hopu
is also located there at M r . E ’s particular request.
Messrs. Stewart & Bingham took an excursion through the
v a l l e y to the pare or precipice between this & Koolau. M r . S .
�886
took a sketch of the bold & lofty mountains on each side
of the pass. - They were pleased among other things to
find that a distillery of whiskey which had employed many
of the natives and intoxicated many more, was by the chiefs
now under tabu - & the vile work of manufacturing poison
there had ceased. Two curiosities in the vegetable kingdom
appeared in their path, the first the koa tree having two
distinct species of leaves, the one resembling the leaf of
the willow, & the other that of the locust; the second a
large and elegant plant which grows in the crotches or on
the (hole in paper) limbs of trees. The leaf of the larger
plants is from 2 to 3 feet in length & from 4 to 6 inches in
breadth, smooth & green, except the principal fibre, which
is a polished black. A s the older leaves die one after
another, and form a sort of bed for the plant, fresh leaves
to the number of SO or 30 are continually rising above, thus
the plant appears to live many years, maintaining its perrennial
verdure & b e a u t y . It sometimes grows upon a bare rock. The
sap of the tree therefore is not necessary to its growth.
Capt. Ebbets having been applied to b y us to sell us paper
for the purpose of printing elementary books for the people,
generously offered to give us what he could spare from his
ship, & today presented us with a little more than a ream
of large & valuable paper very suitable for our wor k .
April 28. Kaahumanu & Kekauruohe sent us several quires of
large paper which they had received of Cap t . E . that we m ight
print more books for their people. Opiia, Taumuarii &
Kinou have also furnished some for the same purpose. Kahalaia
sent a few sheets to have a hymn book printed for him.
Karaemoku also has offered to buy paper for printing if he can
find it for sale on board the ships. Opiia has sent some
native tapa, to make the experiment of its fitness for printing.
Two or three copies of the hymns M r . Loomis has printed on
tapa. W e should use tapa if we could get no paper, th o ' it
is far inferior. One edition of books has been printed at the
Society Islands on their native cloth.
M r . B. in company with the Capt. of the Dauphin waited on
Karaemoku this morning & spoke of the Dauphin's bringing sup
plies for us & wishing to come in to land them. He very readily
& generously remitted the harbor fees which are now 60 doll.
for the outer harbor. To name the thing seemed all that was
necessary, & this was done as a matter of favor to the owners
of the Dauphin. Even this would not have been done in the
present case had not the Treasurer of the board recommended
them to favor, & we are not altogether sure that it is not an
abuse of our influence, as we cannot but think that a full price
was paid by the Board for the freight. However, we rem ember
that C apt. Weeks who has the same owner has before done us a
favor. K araemoku immediately referred to the precedent which
had been established by the king in the case of the Thames
& the Enterprise. The remitting of the harbor fees of the
Thames was, in fact a favor to us, but was regarded by the govern
ment as a favor to Capt. Clasby and as a compliment to the
mission.
The present case is doubtless regarded by Karaemoku
in the same light; as he was informed that we had paid the
�887
freight of the present shipment.
M r . B . went on board the Dauphin & overhauled the Hh d . which
M r . Hill has described as containing Heralds, & a packet of
letters for the mission. The Heralds & various other pam
phlets he obtained, but the packet of letters, to our disappointment could not be found.
M a y 19th. Today the seventh house of public worship in these
isles of the sea was completed. We hope that the time is
drawing nigh when churches in every village shall arise, & the
unsearchable of redeeming love shall be proclaimed to every
one of those who now sit in the region & shadow of death, that
they all may share in the gospel's cheering light & thus be
conducted to the realms of endless joys in the presence of the
King of Kings & Lord of L ords.
29th.
M r . R. returned accompanied by M r . Thurston who we trust will
be a great help in strengthening this feeble branch of the
mission, whose aid we greatly need.
Sunday 30. M r . T. preached a feeling & animated sermon on
the subject of one God, in which was shown the vanity & folly
of the gods of the heathen, & the superior excellency of the
love, service & worship of the true God, the attention to
which we think was better than at any former meeting.
The
number was also larger, yet not very numerous. We also hope
the interests of the mission are gaining ground. The week
succeeding, spent principally in the study of the language.
June 6th Sunday.
In the morning M r . R . sent messenger to
Maaro, a chief of considerable influence, to enquire if he
would have a meeting at his own house. The answer that we
received was, "not to come here". Neither would he come to
meeting himself.
He appeared to be growing more & more i n
different. He bids fair to make a complete Gallio. Mr. R .
on his return from the leeward of the I s l a n d .brought letters
to him from some of the natives there, that are decided friends
of the mission. M r . R. sent them to him-& in a few days after
called on him-withthe s eal unbroken, & was requested to take
them away for he did not want them.
Maaro himself being absent, M r . R. opened the letters & read
them to his wife, neither of t h e m being able to read. His
wife was much plesed with the letter & thought it well for them
to take heed unto i t . Koahou, the chief that is quite friendly,
went away last week & has not returned in consequence of which
many of the natives assembled at the house of M r . R. & M r . T .
addressed them from Isaiah 1 16-17, to which they gave good
attention, after which Mr. & M r s . G. dedicated their infant
offspring to God in baptism. M r . T. conducted the ceremony
in the native language, that the natives might be enabled in
some measure to understand the nature of the solemn ordinance
of christian baptism. At 2 P .M . Mr. T. administered to us the
solemn ordinence of the L ord's Supper, by which we trust our
hands were strengthened & hearts encouraged to persevere in
the good work to which we are called. At 4 P.M . the attention
to it by the natives was unusually g oo d .
�888
Saturday 12. M r . G . spent most of the time during the week
in attending to language, while M r . H . was employed in teach
ing a school.
The number of scholars at present is small.
At 10 A .M . there was a considerable smart shock of an earth
quake, yet continued but a few seconds. In the absence of
M r . R., a native came from the l e e w a r d of the Island saying
that he was sent by the Governor to inform the chiefs here
that in consequence of some of the missionaries opening the
bodies of two natives at Oahu & Hairua, all the missionaries
were to be driven away. A report like this, almost any one
would suppose...as it actually did cause us some anxiety for a
while, but on the return of M r . R . the report was proved to
be false, for he heard n o t h i n g of it at Kairua.
M r . R. found
the man that spread the false report & enquired why he reported
such a story.
He at first denied that he was the one. M r . R.
charged it home upon him "You art the ma n ".
Then he confessed
it & excused himself by saying, "Pela no Hawaii". "So is the
way of Hawaii".
Sunday 13. Held the meeting in the house built for purpose.
It not being finished inside,
it was thougt inexpedient to
dedicate i t . M r . T. preached twice to larger congreations
than we have wittnesed heretofore.
14th Monday. M r . T . had calculated to return today, but in
consequence of the sickness of the infant son of M r . & M r s . G . ,
his spirit being to human view just ready to take its flight
from this clayey tenement into the kind hand that gave i t ,
M r . T. prolonged his vis i t .
Sunday 20. M r . T . preached twice to the natives. The number
was not so large as usual in consequence of the rain, which
the natives very much dislike because they have no clothing
suitable for covering to protect them from the rain.
M r . G's son is yet apparently near the borders of the grave,
although a little better.
9
Thursday 24. Early this morning M r . T. took an affectionate
leave of us & set out on his return, after having done much
towards strengthening this feeble branch of the mission.
In a few hours after the departure of M r . T. M r . & M r s . G .
were called to endure the painful & trying scene of parting
with their i n f a n t son, who after a very distressing night,
fell into a sweet sleep at 11 o'clock A .M . aged 4 months &
14 days. The little sufferer is now at rest, having never
experienced many well days. The same kind hand that gave,
recalled the blessing that was lent only for a short season
"fair fleeting comfort of an hour, how soon we're called to
part”. M r . G . was under the painful & trying necessity of
making t h e coffin & opening the grave for his first born son.
Friday 25- Between 10 & 11 the funeral ceremonies were per
formed. M r . R. prayed with the bereaved parents before the
interment of their son. There were remarks in the native
language to a few natives who were present to sympathize w i t h
us in this solemn oocasion. Yet through these severe trials
of a kind providence, we trust that the bereaved parents could
feel & say with the poet, "Peace, tis the Lord Jehovah's hand
that blasts our joys in death" & c . Their heart's desire &
�889.
prayer is that the fruit of this affliction may he to take
away sin, for we know that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted
us.
Sunday 27. Through the kind & assiduous attention of
M r . Thurston while present, M r . G. was enabled to commence
preaching in the native language from Luke 2 - 10.
During the
week following we have "but little to cheer our hearts &
encourage our hands; in this glorious work,-our school has
dwindled away to two or three, scarcely any seem to have any
desire to learn. The chief that was our most decided friend,
Koahou, has gone about 30 miles from us to a place called
Lapahoehoe, tis uncertain when he will return. M aaro, the
other chief, appears to be against learning at present. He
says that he wishes to wait until the higher chiefs come here
& give their approbation. Then he will attend to learning.
We are able to raise many garden vegetables here in consequence
of the plentiful rains that fall almost every d a y . Vegitables
are comforts, of which almost all the other stations ar e deprived. But few of our garden seeds came up, the reason
probably is that they are old before they are planted. Seeds
ought to be put into bottles & sealed, to be sent out 'here,
since those that have been put in this manner have come up w e l l .
July 4 Sunday. We were pleased to see a larger number attend
public worship today than have ever attended before. M r . R .
made some remarks on the nature & design of Sabbath, & the
object of meeting in the house of the Lord for worship, not
for any secular purpose, but for the worship of the most high
in making known to them the words of eternal life, after which
M r . G . preached unto them from M a t h . 4: 17 to which they gave
good attention.
July 5. Assembled in the evening to engage in & enjoy the
happy season of the concert of prayer for the gospel’s universal
triumph.
Sunday July 11. Koahou & his company returned on Saturday,
in consequence of which the meeting house was full to overflowing.
It rendered the day quite interesting to behold the sanctuary
of the Lord Jehovah thronged to hear the words of eternal life
proclaimed unto them.
July 1 9 . Koahou returned here for the purpose of going to
Oahu in the Pilot boat. What will be the disposition of heathen
instruction in his absence this is unknown to u s . A kind
providence will order all things wel l . Maaro the next chief in
authority, says that it is not good for them to learn until
some of the high chiefs come here & tell them. Through his in
fluence the scholars have nearly all done coming to school.
July 20. As the Pilot boat sails a day sooner than was ex
pected, we have only time to say that through the grace of
God we shall endeavor to continue our labours of love, although
we see no immediate fruits of labours; being assured of this,
that the cause in which we are labouring is not ours, but
God’s, & we have no doubt but that He in his own good time
will give success to our feeble endeavours to make known his
�890.
wonderful love to the perishing souls of the poor heathen.
Yea, He will give success to our humble efforts, as far as
shall be for his glory & our good. Therefore relying e n
tirely on His sovereign powers & love, we hope to continue
our labors of love among the poor heathen in proclaiming to
them the unsearchable of redeeming love.
With sentiments of cordial affection, we subscribe ourselves
your servants for Jesus sake,
Joseph Goodrich
Samuel Ruggles.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Corresponding Secretary,
Boston, Mass.
Received March 26, 1825.
�891.
32
June 1828 - A u g . 1830
XI
letter 227.
Journal - Kairua Island of Hawaii.
Monday F e b . 2nd, 1824. On this day of prayer we opened
a school, hoping by the divine blessing, to continue it
hereafter. Since our arrival in N ov. , we have had no
regular school, t h o ' many individuals have received in
struction in private. About thirty persons attended to
day, most of whom have been under the previous instruction
of Hopu during the last ye a r .
4 . This morning arrived the schooner Watuwitch from Oahu,
bringing Messrs. Ellis & Chamberlain and M r . & M r s . Ely,
by way of Hido, having left at the latter place Messrs.
Ruggles & Goodrich with their families, to take possession
of that interesting post, in the name of the Lor d .
Evening - This evening Messrs. Ellis & Chamberlain sailed
for Oahu, leaving M r . Ely & family with us, to assist in
the labors of this station, or to go to Kaavaloa, and dwell
with the chiefs of that place, as may be hereafter deemed
expedient. For the present, w e are happy to have them re
main. with us, who have hitherto been alone in the midst of
the Heathen. They take up their residence in a house belong
ing to the K ing, adjoining ours.
8th
At the public service this morning, the infant son of
M r . & M r s . Ely was baptised, by the name of Joseph Harvey.
The ceremony was performed in the Hawaiian language in
presence of the congregation. Sermon in the morning from
Math. 7:7. A good tree & c . Evening discourse from Isa. 45-22.
12th.
See 21 Missionary Herald 141, May 1825.
2 2 . About half past three this morning, Kapiolani and her
train arrived from Kaawaroa to spend the sabbath at this
place. M r . Ely preached in the morning for the first time in
the Hawaiian language from the words, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
thou that killest the prophets & c ." In the afternoon Mr. T.
preached from the words, "How shall we escape, if we neglect
so great salvation” . This evening the schooner Deliverance
arrived from Oahu, bringing letters and supplies for this
station.
25. Yesterday Mr. Ely & Hopu went in a kind canoe in order
to -procure some goats. This morning they returned having pur
chased 7 - at the rate of 2 dolls. each.
This is the begin
ning of our flock, to wh. we h o p e 'to make additions from time
to time as we shall have it in our power.
Our school is increasing daily, and nearly all our books are
given out - we have between 150 & 200 scholars.
29th.
Sabbath.
This morning Mr. T . preached from the words
�892.
"G od be merciful to me a sinner” . In the afternoon M r .E .
from the passage, "There is one God, and one Mediator
between God & man & c .
We are permitted to witness from
Sabbath to Sabbath a gradual improvement in the demeanor
of the people attending Divine worship. Their wild & dis
orderly manner is apparently subsiding into something more
like dec orum of manners, and decency of attention than
formerly.
March 6. Last evening the father of Thomas Hopu died.
His
head was silvered over with the grey hairs of 80 years, an
extreme old age for this country. We have reason to hope
that the prayers & labors of Hopu with him, have been blessed
to his conversion, and that he now sleeps in Jesus. This
afternoon the funeral was attended in the meeting house,
where the corpse was brought in, enclosed in a decent coffin,
made by the hands of Hopu . Mr. T. addressed a large congre
gation from the words, " p r e p a r e t o meet thy God". After
service the interment took place, in the yard adjoining the
church where Hopu & his brother with their own hands, let
down the remains of their father, into his bed of rest, there
to await the sound of the last trumpet. A short address &
prayer closed the scene of the first Christian funeral ever
witnessed in the island.
This evening the Gov. sailed for Oahu to visit his brother
Cox, late Gov. of Maui, who is dangerously ill at Honoruru.
1 0. This morning we had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. & M r s .
Bishop to the station assigned them for their future residence.
They are accompanied by Honorii, who has likewise removed
to this island, that we may be enabled the more effectually
to extend our labors to Kaavaroa. They arrived in the Cleo
patra's Barge, by way of Lahaina, where they spent 2 da y s .
We succeeded, tho' the wind blew high, in getting all o u r
things ashore today on a double canoe, except a few barrels
w h . were left on board.
This evening the Barge 'sailed for Oahu, with K eoua, wife of K e o ua
the Gov. and her train of attendants.
Intelligence has been
received that Gov. Cox cannot, to all appearance, survive
his sickness.
M r . Ely made a visit to Kaavaloa today, in a
boat, and returned late this evening.
He brings word that
the new church at that place is in a state of forwardness,
and will soon be completed, and that Kam akau, assisted by
Tuhio & Alapai, regularly assemble the people on the Sabbath,
both at Kaavaroa and Kearake'kua on the opposite side of the
bay, to pray with & exhort them.
14. Last night we experienced a severe gale of wind from
the S .W . which continued with little intermission through
the night, blowing down fences, walls & destroying some plan
tations. We slept but little, being apprehensive that our
houses w ould share, a similar f a t e . This morning it commenced
raining in torrents, and continued without any intermission
through the day. On this account we had no public service.
We find our mats, furniture &c completely wetted by the rain,
which found entrance into our houses through almost every
part of the thatching.
�893.
17. By the Sc hooner Deliverance, wh. arrived again this
morning, we received communications from our friends at
Oahu, and also letters & papers from America, brought out
by the Parthian, among wh. was one from M r . Evarts.
Of
this we took a copy for Waiakea station, and returned the
original to Oahu by the sohooner w h . sailed this evening.
While we all rejoice in the good news from our native land,
of the work of the Lord, which He is carrying on in many
places to the praise of the glory of his grace - some of
us are called to w e e p i n g for the death of friends who have
laid aside their robe of mortality and are gone to Rest.
Among these the tidings of the death of the Father of M r s . T. admonish us to be also prepared for the coming of our Lord.
20
This morning a boat arrived from Kaavoroa, in order
to take one of our number down to spend the Sabbath at that
place. M r . Bishop accompanied by Honorii, left this place
at 1 0 o ’clock in the boat for Kaavaroa.
21. M r . E . preached in the morning from the words, "Enter ye
i n at the strait gat e " . M r . T . in the afternoon from Ps . 34,11,
"Come ye children hearken unto m e " . In the afternoon M r . Ely
went to a neighboring village and preached to a collection
of about 100 persons. A good attention was this day given
to the word.
22.
See 21 Missionary Herald 141, May 1825.
2 4 . We received an agreeable visit today from Capts. Weeks
& Myrick of Nantucket.
They came early this m o r n i n g in their
boats from Kearakekua Bay, breakfasted & dined with u s , and
visited with us the Cave Kaniakea in this vicinity, down
which we descended with torches 500 fathoms, upon a gentle
declivity to a bed of w a t e r . After dinner they took their
leave. A timely present o f bread, with w h . they furnished us,
just when our own was all expended, strongly reminded us of
the saying of the pious King of Israel. ”I have been young
& now am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his seed begging Bread". Capt. M . is recently from N ewZealand, and brings a favorable account of the missionaries
and their operations among that warlike nation.
Their late
domestic difficulties arising from the defection of one of
their number, seem to be happily settled.
26. This evening at a meeting for business, it was agreed
that T. Hopu be assigned to Kaavaroa for a season, as an
assistant to M r . Ely, and that Honorii in the mean time be
attached to this station as assistant.
27. M r . & M r s . Ely embarked early this morning in a boat
for K aavaroa, to spend the sabbath and make such arrangements
for their future removal as may be expedient.
About noon today Gov. Adams returned from Oahu, bringing with
him the remains of his deceased brother Cox (Keaumoku) who
died on M o n . the 20th inst. After a heavy discharge of
artillery from the battery, for nearly an hour, the Gov. & suite,
accompanied by several of the principal chiefs from the Leeward,
his relatives, landed, and with great lamentations, deposited
the deceased in the cellar of his new framed house.
�894
Messrs. T. & B . visited them in the afternoon. At evening they
visited them again and attended prayers in the cellar, where
during the days of mourning they are to make it their abode.
29 . This morning M r . & M r s . Ely returned accompanied by the
chiefs N aihe, Kapiolani & Kamakau, who came up to visit the
chiefs at this place & condole with them on the death of Gov.
Cox. M r . Young & family likewise arrived soon after from
Towaihae, one of whose daughters was the wife of Co x .
Wed. 51. This afternoon we commenced a weekly lecture, w h .
through the blessing of the Lord, we hope to continue hereafter.
M r . B. preached from the words, "This is the way, walk ye in i t " .
We were encouraged b y a full & attentive house, to appoint
another meeting on the succeeding Wednesday.
t
April 4 . Sabbath. M r . T. preached in the morning, "Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy m i g h t " . M r . Ely walked
two or three miles and preached in 2 different places to small
collections of hearers. In the afternoon he preached in our
place of worship, and M r . B . walked out in a different direction
and preached in a small village where were collected about 50
persons. In this manner we are endeavoring to instruct the ig
norant, and "lead the blind by a way which they know n o t " .
When we shall have acquired a competent knowledge of the language,
we hope to pursue the practice of itinerant preaching more e x
tensively.
5. This afternoon M r . Young called on us with his wife and
daughters. We gave them 10 copies o f the Hawaiian Hymns:that is the n o . of persons in his family who are able to read.
They sail this evening for Towaihae. The chiefs from Kaawaroa
and the Leeward Islands, likewise return home this evening.
During the assembling together of the chiefs at this place, we
have had several interesting seasons of religious conference.
7 . Wed. The meeting this afternoon was not so well attended as
last week, though there were present about 200 persons.
9 . This morning M r . Ely & family departed in a double canoe,
in order to take up their residence at K aavaroa. Their effects
are p u t on board a small sloop belong
the Gov. which is to
sail this evening.
They have our prayers & affectionate good
wishes for prosperity & success in. their benevolent enterprise.
For a season they will occupy a small house, belonging to the
chief, until a suitable one shall be erected for them. Mr. B .
removed today into the house lately occupied by M r s . Ely.
11.
See 21 Missionary Herald 141, May 1825.
16. T. Hopu and his wife left Kairua this evening, in a canoe
for Kaavaroa, to reside there with M r . Ely for a season as
his assistant, and Honorii will d w e l l w i t h us at this place.
18. A full meeting both morning & evening - M r . T. preached in
the morning & M r . B . in the evening.
28.
See 21 Missionary Herald 141, May 1825.
�895.
May 5. This day completes another quarter, in rev i ew of w h . it
becomes us to acknowledge the goodness of our Heavenly Parent,
in enabling us to continue peacefully, & we hope usefully em
ployed, in imparting Divine instruction to this people, sitting
in the region & shadow of death.
The Gov. has just completed a new house in his inclosure to
be devoted to the purpose of a school for the chiefs, and as
many others as he shall think proper to have instructed at that
place.
Honorii has been for some time engaged in that employ
ment, and has about 20 scholars, mostly people of distinction.
It is expected that one of the missionaries will also attend
to the superintendence & instruction of the school. It is
deemed an omen for good that such a convenient house should be
erected, where all the chiefs can be accommodated, and where
also they assemble with one or more of our number for morning
& evening prayers.
May 15.
See 21 Missionary Herald 141, May 1825.
22. This morning we had the pleasure of welcoming to our dwell
ings the brethren Blatc hley & Ruggles. They left Waiakea about
2 weeks since, crossed the interior of the island - visited the
great volcano, spent a night there, and then proceeded around
by the southern shore to Kaavaroa, where they spent 3 days with
M r . Ely. Dr. B . has been detained nearly 4 months at Waiakea,
waiting for a passage to Oahu.
25 . Our Brethren having spent 3 days at this place, set out
this morning for Waiakea, continuing their course over land, and
around by the northern shore of the island. They are accompanied
by M r . Thurston, who expects to be absent 4 or 5 weeks.
June 3. Arrived this evening and anchored in the roads, the
Ship Enterprise, Capt. Ebberts, bringing from Oahu our friends
M r . Loomis & family & M r s . Ellis, who is in a weak and languish
ing condition, and makes this short excursion by sea in hopes
of regaining a little health while she may in the mean time visit
her children at Lahaina & Kaima . By this arrival, we have re
ceived our long expected supplies of provisions & c , freighted
from America on board the Dauphin. Letters, papers, pamphlets
&c have also been received from our American friends.
5 . M r . B . set off this afternoon in a canoe for Kaavaroa, in
order to spend the sabbath at that place, and preach in exchange
with M r . Ely, who had previously arrived at Kairua. M r . B .
arrived safely at 9 in the evening, and lodged at the house of
Na ik e .
Sabbath 6. A congregation of about 250 persons assembled in
the new church, both morning and afternoon.
This n o . includes
the whole village. The inhabitants of the villages across the
bay, still r e m a i n opposed to the gospel, t h o ' they have been fre
quently and affectionately invited to attend. For several days
past, they have given themselves up wholly to intoxication, so
that I was advised not to attempt to preach among them. Under
the patronage & influence of the chiefs at Kaavaroa, the affairs
of this station wear a most cheering aspect. The most orderly
attention was paid to the preaching of the word. Indeed the
�896.
t h e fact is most obvious, that without the countenance &
authority of the chiefs, we could gain pro hearers or scholars
in any place.
6.
See 21, Missionary Herald 141, Ma y 1825.
9.
Sometime since the school conducted by M r . & M r s . Bishop,
became sensibly diminished b y reason of many scholars becoming
weary of attending. Within 2 or 3 days past, we have received
a large number of new scholars. But we have little confidence
of their long continuance, except such as are attached to the
chiefs.
Wed. 16 June.
Sabbath 2 0 .
See 21 Missionary Herald 141, May 1825.
See 21 Missionary Herald 141, May 1825.
23. M r . Loomis & family returned today in the Enterprise,
tarried a few hours with us, and reembarked in the evening with
M r s . Ellis, on their return to Oahu. M r . L/ during his late
visit, made an excursion to the volcano; he returned to Kaavaroa
fatigued & lame, after an abscence of one we e k .
June 28. , After an abscence of 5 weeks, M r . Thurston this
e vening arrived from Waiakea. By letters received from that
station, our brethren speak of his labors among them as highly
acceptable and refreshing.
t
July 11.
See 21 Missionary Herald 141, May 1825.
13. This afternoon the brig N eo arrived from Lahaina with the
remaining chiefs belonging to Kairua, - together with N aihe &
Kapiolani on their return to Kaavaroa. In the evening M r . & Mr s .
Bishop embarked on board and sailed for Kaavaroa, intending to
spend a few days on a visit with M r . Ely & family. They expect
to return after the Sabbath.
18. A full house today, and great numbers stood about the
doors & windows. This people are very fluctuating in their
attendance upon the worship of the Sabbath. Sometimes very
few people are present at these seasons, and again, perhaps the
next Sabbath, many more are present than can be accommodated
within doors. M r . T . preached both morning & afternoon.
2 0 . This morning M r . & M r s . B . returned to Kairua in a double
canoe, after an abscence o f 6 days. Honorii, during his late
visit to Lahaina, has selected an interesting native girl of
about 14 years of age, w h . today he has put under our care for
education, intending after a proper course of instruction in
reading, writing and the domestic arts, to be married to her,
after the manner of his friend Hopu. We have given her the
name of Maria.
This judicious s t e p meets with our entire a p
probation.
24. It is a part of our daily duties to attend prayers with
the chiefs and their people morning & evening.
At these seasons,
an opportunity is enjoyed of imparting much religious instruction
We have been much gratified with the inquisitive disposition
manifested by some of them ,especially by the Governor. As a
�897.
specimen of his inquiries we have noted some of those pro
pounded by him this evening, during conversation - What is
m e a n t by the millenium?
What do you understand b y Peter’s
going to the sea to catch a fish, and take money out of its
mouth to pay his master’s tax?
Was Christ so poor that he
had no money?
In what consists the riches of Christ in
Heaven? How can the soul feel pain in hell, as it is but
spirit? What is eternal death - do the souls of the wicked
die in hell?
Many such questions as the foregoing are raised
in his mind as he peruses his English Bible. Will not
Christians pray for this heathen ruler, upon whose inquisitive
mind the light of Revelation & of Knowledge is just beginning
to dawn?
Sabbath Aug. 1. Today our little band, 5 in number, united
around the table of the L ord, to call to remembrance the
dying love of our Divine Saviour, in giving himself a sin
offering for the sins of m e n . At such seasons we are reminded
in a thousand tender and previous recollections of the promises
and commands of Christ to his followers, "Go ye into all the
world & preach the gospel to every creature” - "Lo I am with
you always, even unto the end of the world".
His presence and
his grace shall accompany them wherever they go in his name,
to protect, to comfort and to succeed. He will by their in
strumentality, if they are faithful, raise up a seed to serve
him from all nations.
A . Bishop
A. Thurston.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U .S.A .
Received March 26, 1825.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 228
Journal of Waiakea Continued.
July 21, 1824.
This morning took an affectionate leave of our beloved
physician, Dr. B. & wife, who are on their return to Oahu
by way of Lahaina. They were detained here much longer
than was expected for want of a suitable conveyance, and
at last were under the necessity of going in the Pilot
Boat, a small schooner manned entirely by the natives.
26. This morning M r . G . was called upon to make a coffin
for an infant daughter of a foreigner, the infant sur
vived its birth but a few hours. The foreigner is an
armourer under the patronage of Karaimoku, placed here for
the purpose of making & repairing the axes of those who cut
sandel w o o d .
I n the afternoon we were invited to attend the funeral of
the infant.
After singing a hymn, M r . R . addressed the
throne of grace in the native language. The mother, a native
of these islands, although ill, followed the remains of her
little one to the grave.
Monday August 9 . In the afternoon we were invited to attend
the funeral of the mother of the infant that was buried a
fortnight before; her symptoms were of the consumptive ki n d .
After singing a hymn in the native language suited to the
occasion, M r . R . made an address to the people present, &
offered a prayer in the native language, after which she was
decently intered. She was doubtless the first native on this
part of the island that ever received the rights of c hristian
burial: - the natives in general are very private in burying
their dead.
Sept. Sunday 26. As yet but very few in this distant part
of the island pay any regard to the sabbath. On hearing the
sound of the tappa mallet, M r . R . went out, & found some
pounding their tappas. He a s k e d them where was their good
in working upon the sabbath. They replied that they had for
gotten the sabbath.
He went on & found others at work on their
lands.
He asked them the same question as the former. They
replied that they were not bad, for their chief worked.
M r . R . said, "N o, perhaps he does not work”. They replied,
"Go and see". M r . R . went to the chief's house, M a a r o 's , &
found all hands employed in making fish nets. Maaro asked him
for what he came. He replied to tabu his working on the sabbath.
Come said Maaro, let us go to meeting. M r . R. told them that
it was not time. Maaro then confessed h i s fault, & promised
to regard the sabbath hereafter. A goodly number assembled for
public worship, when M r . R . made an address against the violation
of the sabbath, which we hope will not be lost upon them.
Thursday 3 0 .
Honorii arrived from Kairua with some articles
�899
of trade for us, the brethren there having heard that
ours was nearly exhausted. On Friday Sept. 1st, Honorii
began his faithful labours here, going first to Maaro.
He told him that it was good for him to keep the sabbath
& forbid his people's working on that day. Maaro said,
wait a little, by & by some of the high chiefs will come,
& give orders for so doing.
Honorii said, no, do your part
now, when they come they will do theirs.
Honorii conversed
with him freely on various topics of the Christian system,
but he, too much like Gallio, cared but little for those
things. However, the next day Saturday, Sept. 2nd, Maaro
issued his orders among his subjects, that they must do all
their cooking on that day, - that no fire must be kindled on
the sabbath, - to observe the day & attend meeting.
Sept. 3 . Sunday. We have observed for some time past with
pleasure that the numbers of those who attend public worship
have been evidently increasing. This morning the house was
crowded. Honorii addressed the throne of grace, then took
for the foundation of his remarks, the fourth commandment,
& made a very pointed & spirited address, well adapted to
the occasion. In the afternoon he made his remarks from
the words of our Saviour. Luke 6, 4 3 . His language was
flowing, easy & appropriate. The attention was fixed & solemn
throughout the day. May the most high add his blessing &
cause his word to prosper.
Sept. 5th Tuesday. The Most High came near to M r . & M r s . R .
in a sudden & unexpected manner by visiting t h e i r younger
daughter with a convulsion fit, which continued 1 1/2 hours,
& although no medical aid or skill was present - yet our
covenant keeping God was pleased to bless the feeble means
that were used for her recovery. As soon as a warm bath could
be prepared & applied, she came out of the fit, & now appears
to be in a state of convalescence. She was taken while M r . G .
was absent with Honorii on a visit to Oraa, where Honorii
had frequent opportunities of addressing his brethren on the
all important subject of the Christian religion, where they
uniformly paid good attention to the word spoken unto them.
From Oraa, they made a visit to the volcano, ail account of which
is given in the tour of the Island the last season. M r . G.
is of an opinion that the estimation of the circumference is
much too small, judging the distance from the time that it took
to travel round it, much of the time going on the rim of the
crater. The time that it took to travel around was from half
past eight in the morning until nearly one in the afternoon,
stopping no longer than was necessary to res t . From these
circumstances it appears that it must be nearly double the dis
tance of what it was estimated in the tour of the islands: it was then estimated to be 5 or 5 1/2 miles in circumference.
Sunday 10th. It is indeed pleasant(indeed)to see the house of
public worship thronged to overflowing by persons assembled to
hear the word of life prea c hed unto them. They were invited by
Honorii to look unto the Lord Jesus Christ & be saved. We hope
that the time is not far distant when many of their children of
ignorance will experience the saving effects of the gospel.
�9 00.
Monday 25th. We all walked out into the garden this morning
to take a view of the smoke that was ascending from the v o l
c ano. The smoke rose in a huge pillar from behind some in
tervening high land, the appearance of which did not differ
much from a common cloud.
It rose to a considerable height,
& then sunk down behind the high land, & so continued ascend
ing & descending, presenting a grand & magnificent appearance.
Honorii continued faithful in his labours of love to his poor
countrymen until this evening, when he took leave of us to
return to Kairua. He returned by water in a canoe, a distance
of nearly 150 miles.
Oct. 12, 1824. Today we had the pleasure of seeing a whaling
ship coming into the harbour Shortly after we were agreeably
surprised by hearing the natives say that there was a white
female coming on shore. It proved to be the ship Partridge
of London, Capt. Thornton, 18 months out. Capt. T. soon
landed in company with M r s . T . who we found to be quite sociable,
cheerful & happy. During their stay, we enjoyed many pleasant
hours in company with Capt. T. & wif e . Mrs. T. appeared to
enjoy herself in this new kind of employment, n ew especially
for a female to accompany her husband on a whaling voyage.
They expect to be out 18 months longer, making a t
r iennial
voyage. Capt. T . & wife took tea with us several times. M r s .
T. spent one night on shore, being the first night that she
had slept on shore since she left London. They had a daughter
with them 5 years of age. Capt. T . & wife contributed freely
to our necessities, it having been a number of months since
we have had any supplies from Oahu. The relief was doubly
welcome. After spending rather more than a week here, they
took an affectionate leave of us, with the expectation of see
ing us again about a year hence.
Friday Dec. 17. This morning we heard that Kapiolani was on
her way to visit the volcano & spend the sabbath there. We
thought it expedient that one of us should go up there & spend
the sabbath with her. M r . H . being destitute of shoes, it was
thought advisable for M r . G. to go , about 11 o'clock he set
out & arrived at the volcano about 3 P .M . on Saturday. N ot
finding Kapiolani there, M r . G . spent the sabbath with a company
of her people whom she had taught to regard the day by resting
from their labours. They were there building a house for her
accommodation when she should arrive. M r . G . preached to the
people from M a t h . 4, 17. Kapiolani did not arrive until
Tuesday noon of the 21st, having too great a regard for the
sabbath to travel on that da y . She is doubtless the most
zealous advocate for the spread of the gospel among the in
habitants of these islands, of any of the chiefs. A little
past noon M r . G . saw Kapiolani & her company coming. He went
to meet her. They soon met & the meeting was truly happy.
She extended her friendly hand, but was unable to speak for
a time, almost the first words that she uttered were, that
she was very hungry for the word of God, it having been nearly
3 months since she left the station at Kaavaroa, where she en
joyed the preaching of the gospel of peace. On arriving at
the house prepared for her, her first request was to have M r .
G. select a hymn & lead in prayer, - this was a pleasant &
happy season. The next day Wednesday Oc t . 22.
After attending
�901
family worship & breakfast (Mr. G . accompanied by Kapiolani
& attendants, about 50 in all), began to descend into the
crater; the descent about 400 f t . is quite steep, then for
a considerable distance it is more gradual.
Kapiolani &
most of her company descended to the ledge. which from a few
feet to a quarter of a mile wide & extends nearly round the
crater, about 500 f t . from the top.
Below the ledge is a
descent of 300 or 400 ft. still more difficult in consequence
of so many chasms in the lava which in many places is broken
off & fallen down. Upon the brink of the ledge above mentioned,
the whole c o m p a n y sat down, & at Kapiolani's request, united
in singing, & one of her attendants led in prayer.
Afterward M r . G . with 8 or 10 others, descended to the bottom,
which appears quite smooth when viewed from the top; but it
is very rugged & unea ven upon a near approach. Thick sulphurous
fumes were continually ascending from a great many places in
the bottom of the crater. In twelve different places the lava
was red hot, three of them were liquid & flowing like water,
although with not quite so rapid a current. During the night
of the 22nd, a new current of lava broke out, at a place where
dense sulphurous fumes had been observed ascending for several
days previous, & had run 30 or 40 rods by sunrise. It co n
tinued spouting up lava from 10 to 50 f t . until they left the
volcano.
About 9 o'clock Thursday morning they commenced their way to
Waiakea. They had not proceeded far from the crater when a
loud crying was heard among the natives before them. On coining
up to them, it was found that a female had fallen through the
grass & rubbish that concealed a large & deep chasm in the lava.
Such chasms are numerous about the crater. M r . G . understood
that she fell down out of sight. A rope was let down by which
she was drawn u p . She was considerably bruised by the fall,
but not so bad as they feared. As it was near by the path, she
was soon discovered & drawn up.
About a mile & a half from the crater a place was pointed out
where 15 or 20 years since vast numbers of the natives were
destroyed by an eruption.
They had fled thither in a time of
war to conceal themselves from the enimy. The lava was pro
jected to a great height into the a i r ; & fell in showers like
hail. The size of it was like that of coarse gravel.
As it
fell, it burnt up & destroyed houses, men & children, so that
few escaped. Many of the natives still believe that a deity
exists in the volcano by the name of Pele. Some tried to dis
suade Kapiolani from going up to the volcano. They told her
that Pele would kill her & eat her up if she went there. She
replied that she would go, & if Pele killed & ate her up, they
might continue to worship Pele; but if not, i .e. , if she re
turned unhurt, then they must turn to the worship of the true
God. Nothing very material occurred during the remainder of
the way, except that at every place where they encamped for
the night, Kapiolani's first request would be to unite in prayer,
to express her gratitude to the Most High for his loving kindness
to her through the day. This was in addition to her regular
family worship, morning & evening. On Friday evening after
supper, before it was dark, she said to M r . G . "Tarry here in
the tent while I & my maidens go & pray yonder".
On Saturday evening of the 25th, they arrived at Waiakea.
This
�9 02.
is doubtless a circumstance unparralleled in the history of
this nation: - that a female so corpulent weighing not far
from 250 should travel upwards of 60 miles on foot, over beds
of lava, surpassing in roughness all description.
One object
of her visit was to benefit this station; but the primary one
was to extend & exert her influence in turning her poor ig
norant countrymen from their degraded state to that better
part which pertains to eternal life. Kapiolani made it her
home with M r . G. assigning it as a reason that she prefered
the society, company & conversation of the missionaries to
that of the chiefs & people here.
Sunday 26. Cheering indeed to our feeble frames is this day
of sacred r e s t . The house of worship was thronged, so that
many were unable to enter. How delightful the scene, to go
hand in hand to Jehovah’s earthly courts with some of these
poor heathen whose hearts are set zionward. The week follow
ing was spent very pleasantly to us, she truly appeared like
a young convert; like an humble learner at the feet of Jesus.
She improved her time by persuading the chiefs & people here
to attend dilligently to the instructions of the missionaries,
for they were the true friends of all the people; but the other
white persons, who came for the purpose of trading, were not
their friends & had never told them any good things. At our
request, Kapiolani gave an account of the proceedings of the
King & chiefs respecting the missionaries first landing upon
the island. She said that all the foreigners told them that
it was n o t good to have them stop here. M r . Young excepted,
he a ppeared to be the instrument in the lord's hand of causing
the missionaries to stop upon the islands.
Friday 31st. Kapiolani collected all the females that she
could, for the purpose of a female prayermeeting & conference.
We were informed that she used her earnest endeavours to per
suade them to abandon entirely their former ways of sin &
folly, & turn to that which was good. Towards night Thomas
Hopu arrived from Kaavaroa. He is yet unwearied in his en
deavours to do good, in making known the wonders of redeeming
love to his benighted brethren.
Saturday January 1, 1825. Kapiolani & Hopu, accompanied by
M r . G. & H . went to visit some of the chiefs, to converse with
them upon receiving instruction, & regarding the preaching
of the word of life. They admitted that it was all good, &
that they would attend to it hereafter.
Sunday 2nd. This morning appears more like a sabbath in our
native land, than any we have before witnessed in this place.
All is still, quiet & serene. The house of worship was thronged
so that it would not accommodate more than one half the number
present. M r . R . & Hopu addressed them in the morning. In
the afternoon M r . G.preached from the first of John 1 : 7 .
Hopu showed much earnestness in his address to the people.
Monday 3 . Held the monthly concert in the afternoon with the
natives. Hopu explained to those present the nature & design
of this joyful service. Herein i s Jehovah's wonder working
hand made visible, - not only do we behold the union of Christians
�903
praying for zion’s prosperity, but even the heathen themselves
uniting, their prayers in concert with others, that the kingdom
of Christ may be advanced. Their prayers were all made by the
natives themselves belonging to Kapiolani!s company. Early
on Tuesday morning Kapiolani & Hopu took an affectionate leave
of us & commenced their return to Kaau, thence it is their
design to proceed to Kaavaroa. Towards night we received a
note from Kapiolani forwarded from the place where she had
put up, informing us, that she truly sympathized with the
people there, because they had no one to show, them the right
way - hers is the language of many of these poor heathen.
Thursday 6. For the first time, the enquiry is here heard,
what must we do to be saved. Three of our scholars who are
able to read in the hymns, entered the house of M r . R . & being
seated on the mat, each of them requesting the other in turn to
begin the conversation.
At last one of them made known the object
of their coming. Their first request was, "what must we do to
inherit eternal life". They desired to know if it was good to
pray, & how often, to pray in secret, in their familes. They
said that their hearts were very full of sin & wickedness & c .
M r . R . answered them according to the best of his ability, in
his present knowledge of the language. What will be the result
of their enquiries, time alone will determine.
Friday 7.
We have reason to think that Kapiolani did as much
good by her visit here of 10 or 12 days, as we have done in
nearly a year, for since her departure we have upwards of 90
scholars, so that now we have a delightful task in instructing
them in useful knowledge, many who had been our enemies a r e now
quite friendly. A house 'that was built near by to watch over
us for evil, they have now of their own accord, offered it for
a sacred house.
Thursday 3 r d .
M r . Chamberlain arrived in the Pilot boat, bring
ing us supplies which we much needed, although we had not been
left to suffer. Our hearts were also cheered, & feelings animated
to hear that the cause of truth is gaining ground, & that the
Lord is so signally smiling upon this mission. Our school still
increases, a much better regard is paid to the sabbath, & the
preaching of the word of life than heretofore. Under such cheer
ing prospects of usefulness has the new year dawned upon us, &
we are now enabled to say that we feel ourselves happy in the
increase of our labours which the Lord of missions has assigned
us in this field which appears so fast whitening for the harvest.
Committing our way unto Him who guides by unerring wisdom, his
blessing we also implore upon friends & patrons, and subscribe
ourselves your servants for Jesus sake,
Joseph Goodrich
Samuel Ruggles.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
Missionary Rooms, Boston, M a s s .
Received F e b . 22, 1825.
�904.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 229
Kairua, Island of Hawaii, Aug. 5, 1824.
Very Dear Sir:
This day six months since, one of our number had the pleasure
of addressing you by letter, on the state & prospects of this
branch of the Mission. Until that time M r . Thurston with
his family had lived here alone. The arrival of M r . Ely &
family on the 4th of Feby. was followed by that of M r . & M r s .
Bishop & John Honorii on the 10th of March following. Thus
reinforced and strengthened, the labors at this station have,
since that time, been extended & multiplied, and our schools
have been increased in number. During the last s i x months,
we have little to recount but mercies & blessings, independent
of the daily and weekly routine of labors for the cause of
our Divine Redeemer. Our Heavenly Father has graciously given
us an abundant entrance among the Heathen of this large island,
and continued to us his protection in the prosecution of our
wo rk. We have three native services during the week in the
church at this place, v i z . 2 on the sabbath, and a lecture on
Wednesdays in the afternoon, at which times are singing, pray
ers and addresses or sermons prepared for the occasion.
We
cannot say that our congregations are as numerously attended
as formerly, - the novelty of the scene has worn off, and the
force of indolent habits has returned with its wonted vigour.
The doctrines of repentance & faith in Christ, are becoming to
them an idle tale. They have heard the story of the creation
of the world, and the fall of m a n . They have repeatedly
listened to the declarations of the necessity of m a n ’s redemp
tion from sin, and how this is only to be effected through faith
in the blood of Christ and a holy life. They have been earnest
ly invited to embrace this Saviour as their only salvation but many of them are turning away with seeming disgust,, their
volatile spirits soon tire of hearing this story, and what once
from the force of novelty was sufficient to arrest their atten
tion, is now becoming devoid of interest to their min d s . But
we are not discouraged, the work in which we are employed is
the Lord's, and he is all powerful to prosper it in his own
good time and w a y . For this we are anxiously looking and pray
ing.
On His grace hang all our hopes. Every day is bringing
with it repeated demonstration that human effort, unassisted
by Divine aid, is wholly powerless and ineffectual in turning
the sinner to righteousness. Except the Lord bless the work,
we shall assuredly labor in vain.
The ordinary No. of hearers that attend on the sabbath, is
at present about 400, among whom we notic e the Gov. John Adams,
and most of the principal persons in the place, as constant
attendants.
In addition to preaching, we have the daily charge of 2 schools,
one in the K ing's house, adjoining our dwellings, consisting of
nearly 50 scholars, and conducted b y M r . & Mr s . Bishop; another
in a house lately erected for the purpose in the Gov.'s inclosure,
consisting of the chiefs & principal persons of the place, and
�905.
conducted by M r . Thurston & Honorii. M r s . Thurston has
likewise under her care a class of girls whom she is instruct
ing in the art of needlework.
We have distributed in this village, since the commencement
of instruction, about 400 spelling books and 100 hymn books
to nearly as many different individuals, nearly all of whom
may be considered as under a course of instruction, tho'
not all are regular attendants of our schools. They are in
the habit of uniting in companies to read aloud as with one
voice their lessons. Tho' this method of learning to read
is not desirable where a better can be pursued, yet we are
persuaded that many more individuals than we could instruct
are in this way qualifying themselves to read the Holy Script
ures, when we shall be able to put it into their hands.
Among our scholars are persons of all ages, and of both sexes,
but by far the greater part are from among the youth, a cir
cumstance which we consider as highly favorable to our future
usefulness. Tho' we do not dispair of benefiting the adults,
many of whom are susceptible of religious and moral impress
ions, & some of whom we hope have already been brought into
the kingdom of our Lord, yet generally speaking, this class
of persons are so inveterately addicted to their ancient cus
toms, and so deeply immersed in low and vicious habits, that
it is to the rising generation we principally look for the
subjects of the transforming grace of G o d . T h o ' this people
have cast away the greater part of their idols, and abolished
their former priesthood, yet they can be considered in no
other light than as pagans in their darkest state, addicted to
every species of vice & sensuality that can degrade the human
soul. So far from renouncing their belief in the former Gods
of Hawaii, it is supposed that more than two thirds adhere to
them in some measure, and sacrifice unto them in private.
This
is more especially the case in the remote parts of the island,
where Pele, the god of Volcanoes, has a, great number of votaries.
Such in brief is the present condition of this people among
whom we dwell .
Before closing this letter, we desire to say something concerning
the education of Heathen children in our families. It is a
subject, w h . has occupied much of our attention as an object
that appears important and desirable. But as yet, no attempt that
has been made by way of experiment, has appeared wholly satis
factory. The principal difficulty that has met us in our a t
tempts thus far, has been an instability in the children, together
with an unwillingness to submit to the salutary and necessary
restraints of a Christian family. We desire, however, to assure
our patrons, who have contributed for the education of children in
this manner, that it is our purpose not to abandon the object un
less it shall be fully ascertained to be impracticable. There are
a few hopeful cases that give us courage to proceed. At our next
annual meeting it is expected this subject will come before the
mission, when it is hoped that a plan will be devised, which carried
into operation, shall fully answer our own & the wishes of our
Christian friends.
With the sincerest esteem and affection, we remain Dear Sir,
your servants & fellow labourers,
�906.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 230
Oahu, Sept. 17, 1824.
Very Dear Sir:
We are happy to embrace the present opportunity to write
you by the homeward bound whaling ship Russell, Capt. Cole
man, and to assure you of the kind mercies of our heavenly
father unceasingly bestowed on your missionaries in these
"Isles of the Gentiles" - We are bound to notice with grati
tude, the seasonable reception of needful supplies from the
Board, by the successive arrivals of the Parthian, Capt.
R ogers, the Enterprise, Capt. Ebbetts, & the Dauphin, Capt.
Swain, together with many letters and late publications sent
by them, & by the Tamehameha, Capt. Mee k . - By the Dauphin
arrived also in safety the two native youths, John C . Jripoah
& Robert Wyhee, sent to our aid from the Fo r . M . School, who
were made welcome & on the sabbath before last publicly r e
ceived by letter, to our church.
Since we wrote you in March last by the Schooner Rover, Capt.
Cooper, bound to Manilla & Canton, our work has made, we b e
lieve,a gradual advance, while we and those for whom we labor
have been subjected to many changes & led through a variety
of interesting scenes.
M r . & M r s . Ely have removed to Kaavaroa near Kearakekua, where
in connection with Hopu, and under the patronage of Naihe &
Kapiolare, their prospects of usefulness are flattering.
Dr. &
M r s . Blatchley have returned from a six months residence at
Waiakea, where they went to aid in planting that station, and
where they & M r s . G . were afflicted with illness, & where they
witnessed the birth, the baptism & subsequent death of Mr. &
M r s . G's babe, which left this world of sorrow & the arms of
its parents, after experiencing their care more than four months.
That station has hitherto suffered more embarrassment than was
perhaps anticipated, but principally from the newness of the
field, & from sickness, causes which we trust will not defeat
our high expectations of the ultimate & extensive usefulness of
a missionary establishment there, for which we still feel the
need of an ordained missionary. While D r . B . was detained there,
it was deemed necessary for M r . Bingham to visit Tauai, where
M r . W . was laboring alone. During M r . B'S absence of three
months, M r . Stewart labored at this place. - Within this period
M r . & M r s . L . & M r s . Ellis visited the station at Lahaina, Kairua
& Kaivaroa, by the favor of Capt. Ebbetts, who kindly offered them
the accommodations of his ship.
The edition of hymns in the native language which we have b e
fore mentioned as published here about the beginning of the
present year, is eagerly sought & highly valued by such of
the people as can read them. — We have subsequently published
a little work of elementary lessons for learners, - which is
very ??? and of which about 800 copies have been given out
at this island & as many more at the other islands. - Probably
not less than 1600 of the natives have been instructed in
�9 07.
reading & spelling since the year commenced, most of whom
might have been instructed in writing also had they been
furnished with slates & pencils. Not less than 50 natives,
who have learned to read & write, have been employed more
or less as school teachers - at the different islands. But
these schools are subject to frequent interruptions and changes,
from various causes - the removal, sickness or death of a
chief, change of plan or employment of the people, instability
of character & feeling, both in teachers & pupils - and e s
pecially b y the present unsettled state of the nation, in
consequence of the late unhappy insurrection at Tauai, of which
it is our painful duty to give some account.
On the 23rd of March last, the nation was called to mourn
the death of its highest chiefs - Gov. Cox, who we will re
member exerted a kind influence in the council at the time
the first missionaries were permitted to settle in the islands
& who has since, at different times, attended to their i n
structions & manifested an interest in their object. He died
at this place, but his remains were removed for interment, to
Kairua. Not long after his death, on the first of May, M r . B .
leaving this place when the schools were rapidly increasing
having received a fresh impulse by means of the new elementary
lessons & by the decided patronage of Karaimoku, Kaahmnanu &
Taumuarii, who unitedly exerted their best influence to urge
on the work of instruction, he carried a supply of the new
lessons to Tauai - where the schools had suffered an interrup
tion or suspension, occasioned by the loss of the Cleopatra’s
Barge, wrecked in the Bay of Hanarei on the northern part of
Tauai, where most of the c h i e f s and many of the people of
that island soon assembled to secure what they could of the
wreck.
- M r . B . repaired to the place, labored with the people
in word & doctrine two weeks, & distributed 200 copies of the
elementary lessons, & was making arrangements for four new
schools in different parts of the island when the unwelcome
news arrived of the dangerous illness of Taumuarii at H onoruru,
& the chiefs resolved to visit him - & embarked from that
place for the purpose. But what shall we say?
Shall we sus
pend our ??? on the willows, or shall we use them to magnify
the grace of God who is passing before this nation in majesty.
We will sing of mercy & of judgment.
Taumuarii the uniform
& gracious friend and patron of the missionaries, the father,
benefactor & counseler of his people, whom we regard as a
humble disciple of the Lord Jesus on whom he had been led by
the gospel to place his hopes of immortality - has fallen
asleep - and his spirit we trust now rejoices before his throne,
with that of Obakia - Kaapuolani & other happy first fruits
among the heathen - Previous to his last illness, he had in
several religious conference meetings, humbly & impressively
exhorted the people to deep repentance & thorough reformation,
& a sincere & h e a r t y turning to the Lord Jehovah, & in his
dying charges, earnestly recommended to the chiefs the re
ligion of Christ as his only trust. He was first attacked with
pleurisy uncommonly severe, but when that yielded to proper
applications, a diarrhoea succeeded, which proved fatal.
Before his death he bequeathed his property & the island of
Tauai & the lands he held elsewhere to Karaimoku & Kaahumanu
for Rehoriho, requesting them to take care of his children
�908 .
& discharge his debts. L ike Joseph he gave commandment
also concerning his bones, & t h o ' it was proposed to remove
him to Tauai, he said, "when you see my truth spent, my
spirit gone, & my body a corpse, carry me to Maui, let
Keopuolari & me both have one house - let us sleep together
there".
The chiefs from Tauai arrived here just in time to follow
their lamented king to the grave at L ahaina. G .P. Tamorii
however did not arrive till after the funeral.
Before they returned to Tauai, Kahalaia, nephew of the late
K amehamaha, was appointed as Governor of that Island, and
went down with them. They arrived there on the fourth of
July & landed at Waimea, when K ahalaia was put in quiet
possession of the fort.
On the first of August, Kariimoku arrived at Waimea, &
during the week called the chiefs together several t i m e s to
settle the affairs of the island. George P. Tamoree who
arrived at Waimea on the 7th of July, repaired immediately to
Wahiava, his place of residence, where he remained a month,
& did not attend the council, nor appear to be satisfied at
all with his condition. Another chief also Tiaimoku remained?
absent at Hanapepe near Wahiava, and appeared to be inclined
to refuse submission.
Tiaimoku who was present at the council, did not manifest the
most entire satisfaction with the new state of things. On
Saturday the 7th of Aug. Karaimoku proposed to sail for Oahu,
on the following Monday morning. But to the grief & surprise
of the mission family and others, the disaffected chiefs above
named entered the fort, just at the break of day on the morning
of the 8th, & by attempting to supply themselves with more arms
and ammunition than they possessed, surprised the slumbering
garrison, & a battle commence, which continued nearly 1/2 an
hour, when the insurgents fled with the loss of 9 or 10 killed.
The principal loss of the loyal party was a Tauai chief, Niau,
and two young Englishmen, Trobridge & Smith. Immediately
after the battle, Karaimoku who had lodged on the opposite side
of the river and was not in the battle, sent for the brethren Messrs. Bingham and Whitney to join with him in thanksgiving
to Jehova for his merciful care of him & his people, and in
prayers for the continuance of his protection; after w h i c h he
went into the fort & took personal command.
M r . B . attended, the burial of Trobridge in the fort, and towards
evening Karaimoku sending a schooner as an express to Oahu
for a reinforcement, aforded Messrs. B . & W . & their families a
safe retreat from the sc ene of w a r . Karaimoku, desirous to
save the life of Tamoree & stop the effusion of blood, sent
repeated messages to him kindly expostulating with him, pro
posing to pardon him if he would lay down his arms. Tamorii
declined the proposal & sent a written communication to Karaimoku,
which as it is the only distinct declaration of the causes of
the war which we have from him, we shall transcribe for you
without note or comment, - it is as follows:
�909.
"Dear Sir, - We wish not to hurt any of the people from
the other islands. But these chiefs belonging to Atooi.
Therefore I hope you will separate your men from them and
let the Atooi chiefs fight the battle, for we wish not to
hurt any of you from the windward. Our lives have been
threatened by Tapule, by Kaupu, by Tumatehia, and by Wahine.
These are the chiefs we want to go against, but your p e o p l e
we wish not to trouble - Send me answer as soon as you c a n .
Yours &c
G .P. T."
For days after the first battle, a considerable reinforcement
having arrived at Waimea from Oahu and Maui, Karaimoku sent
out about 800 or 1000 men, who met & disposed the insurgents
between Hanapepe & Wahiana. Tiaimakari was killed and Nakeu
a smaller chief. George & Tiaimoku fled to the mountains.
No definite returns of the killed on their side have been
made, but report says 40 to 100. One man of the loyal party
mortally wounded, but, as Karaimoku says not one was killed.
Tiaimoku has since surrendered himself, as also one or two of
the white men who were with George who himself still eludes
his pursuers.
Karaimoku is still endeavoring to settle the affairs of the
island - which he proposes to give to the young prince
Kanikeouli, & his guardian Kaikioave as Govenor. There is a
prospect of peace - M r . W. has been down & returned.
H e & M r s . W. will return thither today.
Today M r . Ellis also and his family you will be surprised to
hear will embark for the American shores on their way to Eng
land, on account of her continued illness. Tho’ we deeply
regret, we decidedly approve this measure. The suddenness
of his departure forbids us to enlarge o n this point, but our
most expedient views expressed to him on the subject, he will
doubtless show y o u , & give you alsoevery information relative
to the affairs of the mission which you could possibly
expect from u s .
We trust his visit to America will be useful to the Board &
to the churches.
Most affectionately do we commend him & his afflicted family
to your kindness & through you be the c hristian acquaintance
& fellowship of our friends with the earnest desire that he
may be ere long restored in praise to u s .
With Christian salutations to you dear sir, Sc your loved asso
ciates, we subscribe ourselves as ever yours in the Lord.
H .Bingham
Saml. Whitney
Abr. Blatchely
Levi Chamberlain.
P.S . This letter was written with a view to be copied but that
is now out of the question, as it is impossible - that is our
apology for its miserable chirography. Hope you can make it out Perhaps some young clerk will copy it for you.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Received March 26, 1 8 2 5 .
�910.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 231
Lahaina,
Sept. 28, 1824.
Respected and very Dear Sir:
I take the liberty to send to your care a barrel of curiosities
for our friends in Northampton & Plainfield.
Capt. Chase who kindly takes it from this place will put it
on board a Boston Packet at Nantucket.
He will give you a
bill of the expense at the bottom of this sheet, and inform
you by what Packet he sends the barrel to Boston.
I have
written t o Esq. Lyman of Northampton respecting the barrel, &
I request you to take care of it until it shall be called for
at his order.
By this opportunity we send a public journal and some private
letters, from which you will learn the present state of this
mission.
With esteem & affection, I am
Very Dear Sir,
Yours truly,
William Richards.
N antucket, April 27, 1825.
Mr. Jeremiah Evarts,
Dear Sir:
I have shipped on board Sloop Rapid, Capt. Swain, of this place
and bound for Boston, a barrel containing curiosities &c, which
were put on board of my ship# by M r . W m . Richards at the Sand
wich Islands, and by his request brought to Nantucket. The
barrel w ould have been sent to you sooner, had there been any
packet ready bound for Boston when my ship arrived at this place.
The expense which I have paid on account of the barrel is 50 cts.
which you may hand to Capt. Swain of the Packet for m e .
With respect,
Your obed. Sevt.
Wm. Chase.
#Ship Hesper of Nantucket.
To Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
Boston, M a s s .
Received M a y 3, 1825.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 23 5 .
Kairua, Island of Hawaii,
F e b . 17, 1825.
Very Dear Sir:
After another season of continued mercies and blessings, we
again attempt to address you from these distant shores. Our
last communications to you were forwarded by the hands of
M r . Ellis, who unexpectedly to us touched here in Sept. last
on his return to England. The particulars of that trying
dispensation, which rendered such a step necessary, you will
have learned long ere this reaches you.
Since his departure,
we have been pursuing the usual round of missionary duties,
in which we have been strengthened by a kind Providence to
continue until this present time. The principal event that
has afforded us encouragement to persevere, is the increased
patronage afforded us by the Govt. to the extension of schools,
and the restrictions imposed upon theft, and the manufacture
of ardent spirits. Since the visit made us b y Kaahumanu in
Sept. last, a new and accellerated impulse has been given to
the erection of schools, in all the principal villages in this
part of the Island. There are now nearly forty schools under
successful operation on this island, besides many villages
that are only waiting for teachers and books to follow the
example. The only difficulty that we meet with, in extending
schools, is the want of a sufficient supply of elementary
books and teachers, qualified to instruct in a proper manner.
We have no doubt that it will soon be expedient to establish
a printing press on this island, in order to furnish an ade
quate supply of school books and of the Scriptures to the
people. Such a measure would no doubt greatly conduce to the
extensive diffusion of evangelical light. Indeed, it will soon
be impossible that the single press at Oahu can supply the
85,000 inhabitants of this island with spelling books, catechisms,
hymn books and bibles.
The increasing daily demands upon us
from distant places for books, which we can only in part sup
ply, fully evince the fact. A pious printer, of devoted and
self denying principles, and of studious habits, one who would
desire ultimately to become a preacher of the Gospel, might
here find a field of extensive usefulness, where if found
faithful, a rich harvest of souls would hereafter be his reward
and crown of rejoicing.
Our houses are now completed and we are removing into them.
They consist of 2 dwelling houses, thatched with the leaf of
the hala tree, 40 feet by 24 each - and 2 mud houses for cook
ing and storage 25 feet by 18 . The whole with their enclosures
of stone wall, will cost us 500 dollars, and we calculate that
they will remain good for 7 or 8 years.
Our accommodations
if not enviable, we trust will be comfortable.
We hope in a short time to commence the translation of the
Scriptures into the language of Hawaii, which we learn has
�912.
already been begun at the leeward stations. It is highly
desirable that one of the Gospels at least, be issued from
the press in the course of the present year, and distributed
among the people.
Had we the means of extending the no. of
schools as widely as the door is opened to receive them, we
have no doubt that ten thousand persons on this island might
this year be taught to read with accuracy and ease, the
word of God in their own language.
To the repeated inquiries
of the people "when shall the word of God be put into their
hands, that they may know it for themselves", we have as yet
been unable to give a satisfactory answer. But let it not
be supposed, that with these animating prospects before us,
we are without our trials and discouragements. Trials and
sufferings are the universal lot of humanity, why then should
we be exempt?
The general apathy and indifference with which
our message is received, - the bigoted adherence to their old
abominations, manifested by the great mass of the people,
altho forbidden b y the late laws of the land; and the increas
ing and perverse opposition shown towards the truths of the
Gospel, in proportion as knowledge increases among them - these,
together with the purplexities & privations attendant upon
our residence in a heathen land, constitute our principal trials.
Still we are enabled to say with gratitude to God our Heavenly
Father, that we are happy in our work, and have no desire to
exchange it for situations in a Christian country, and among
enlightened society, as long as the hand of Providence prolongs
our usefulness here. It is the continual desire of our hearts,
if we know them, to preach salvation through Christ, to the
ignorant and wretched and perishing sons of men, as the only
means of alleviating the miseries of this life, and raising them
to happiness in the life to come.
The location of M r . Ely at Kaavaroa, has thus far been attend
ed with very encouraging and hopeful appearances. Under the
auspices of Kapiolani & Kamaka, the whole of that, together with
a part of several neighboring villages, has been brought under
the immediate influence of the Gospel. A degree of order and
attention to religious things is there apparent beyond what
we have witnessed in any other place. The school under the
instruction of Hopu a n d Delia, embraces all the children of the
village, besides many adults. Morning and evening they are all
assembled at the school Ranai to recite their catechism and
attend prayers. There are also several serious inquirers, who
give very hopeful appearances. We purpose ere long, with the
consent of the mission, to ordain B r . Ely to the work of the
Gospel Ministry, the duties of w h i c h as a candidate, he has
very acceptably fulfilled ever since his arrival at these islands.
In the month of January last, D r . & M r s . Blatchely arrived from
Oahu in the Brig Becket, on a visit. We are much gratified
at any time on receiving visits from our brethren of the other
stations, but our pleasure in this instance is heightened by
the prompt attention paid to our invitation to the Dr. that he
be present in time of expected sickness.
Desiring an interest in your prayers, and in the prayers of all
�913.
who love Zion, for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon
these benighted islands, we remain, Dear Sir,
Your affectionate Servants and F ellow
laborers in Christ,
A . Thurston
Artimas Bishop.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Ma s s . U .S .A .
Received D e c . 22, 1825.
�914.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 236
Lahaina Island or Maui,
March 6, 1824.
To the Corresponding Secretary of the A .B .C .F .M .
Honoured and very dear Sir:
At the commencement of our communications for another
quarter, it is proper to apprise you that a large pro
portion of the high chiefs of the islands are still re
siding at this place. Ever since the removal of Keopuolani
to Lahaina in May of last year, this has been the favourite
residence of all her particular friends, including many
of the chiefs of distinction. Of the twenty four highest
chiefs of the islands, twelve have resided almost constantly
at this place, and it has been the occasional residence of
nearly all the rest.
In consequence of so many chiefs having taken up their
residence here, the number of common people has exceedingly
increased,
of course, the field of labour is much enlarged.
Since we arrived at Lahaina, only nine months ago, one
hundred & fifty houses have been erected on the beach &
many more have been rebuilt back from the sea. The population
then estimated at 2500, is now probably 400 0 . In one month
more, the inhabitants may be reduced to their former number
& all the new houses may be demolished. Such are the changes
which are constantly taking place at the Sandwich Islands.
All that is necessary to produce such changes is merely a
whim of some person of distinction, occasioned, perhaps, by
the scream of a child, or the prediction of a maniac.
notwithstanding the wide field of labour which has been, and
is still open here at Lahaina, yet our strength has of late
been necessarily divided.
M r . & M r s . Richards have this day returned from Honoruru
where they have spent the past month. The y were accompanied
by M r . & M r s . Bishop, who are on their way to Hawaii, to
take the station assigned them at Kairua.
M r s . Richards, when
she left Honoruru was extremely weak & feeble, but from the
moment of going on board vessel, gradually gained strength.
The pleasure we feel in meeting again after a month's separa
tion, is such as
formerly felt at meeting our parents,
brothers & sisters after a much longer separation from them.
Sunday 7th. M r . Bishop preached to a large & attentive
audience. The number of people who attend meeting is consid
erably increased by the reception of the hymns, the printing
of which is just completed. The people are usually quite fond
of singing, although they do not themselves make one musical
sound. Some of them try to sing, but they are none of them
able to tell when two voices harmonize. At the close of our
morning worship we sang the Dying Christian. The words were
translated by M r . Ellis. The people were exceedingly gratified
�915.
with, the tune, especially with the last strain.
The i n
troduction of the hymns induces many people to attend wo r
ship who have heretofore been open enimies to the mission.
The people are almost frantic to obtain copies of these
hymns and many seem to feel that we are bound to give them
a copy, even though they cannot read a word. We put all
to the test, however, by handing them a book, and if they
read intelligibly, we do not hesitate to comply with their
request. The people have now a proper and profitable em
ployment for the sabbath, & we frequently see large circles
employed in reading the hymns to each other.
Wednesday 10th. Wahinepio called on us before breakfast
with about thirty attendants. She is the sister of Karaimoku
& the present governess of the island. We are therefore
under the necessity of treating her with particular attention.
She breakfasted with us & then reclined on a settee until
ten o'clock, when she made known her business, which was to
request us to bind a copy of the hymns for her. Thus our
time was occupied for three hours. We mention this that you
may know how frivolously much of our time is necessarily
spent. Such calls as this are very frequent and though you
might suppose that they would afford us opportunities of
doing good, yet we frequently find it even the reverse. The
people are so very intrusive that there is not a house or
room in the yard that they do not enter. If a curtain is
drawn, they usually go behind it, and if a trunk or chest is
open, they always wish to examine its contents. This chief
has received frequent orders from her brother Karaimoku to
take good care of us, and she frequently says to us, "if you
want pork or fish, come to m e " . She however, rarely gives
us either.
N ot long since we were in particular want of meat and made
our circumstances known to her. She expressed her sympathy
in very strong terms & promised to send us a hog. Soon an
animal was led into our yard, which was probably two of three
years old, and the man who brought it told us it was the food
which the chief had given u s . It had been so affected by
disease that it had lost nearly all its brussels, and its
flesh was so wastedaway & it was so covered with sores, that
with the best care, it could probably have lived but a short
time. We gave it to the native boys who live with us and
concluded to be more cautious about asking favours than we
have heretofore supposed necessary. We occasionally have our
feelings tried, or rather insulted, b y those who profess the
greatest friendship. Indeed it is universally true that we
are tried much more b y professed f riends than by open enemies,
and we f i n d it much more difficult to exercise a Christian
spirit toward the former than toward the latter.
Saturday 13th. Today all has been bustle & confusion, both
among the chiefs & common people in consequence of the strong
wind & threatning aspect of the weather. It has for several
days been colder than usual, the thermometer ranging between
56 & 66. The people that have no clothes begin to suffer with
cold. In consequence of this, clothes are in much better demand
than they have been, and we are able to procure supplies at a
much more reasonable price than heretofore.
�916.
Whenever it is found that we are destitute of any particular
article of necessary food, the natives take the advantage
of u s & we must pay an extravagant price for it or go without
it. Such have been our circumstances for a time past, but
the cold weather effectually relieves us, for our fence is
surrounded with people, many of whom have some articles of
food to sell for clothing. Some of the people are guarding
against the wind by propping their houses: - some are guard
ing against the rain, by carrying their mats out and spread
ing them on the roofs of the houses to prevent their leaking,
and all are engaged in some kind of preparation for a tre
mendous storm which is universally expected. They appear to
dread it even more than the people in America dread the
severest snow storm. Rain here is so very rare that we should
anticipate it with pleasure, were we in comfortable dwellings,
but we now d r e a d a storm quite as much as the natives, for
our houses afford but an imperfect shelter, and a strong wind
would quite blow them away.
t
Monday 15th. Instead of being employed in the common & a p
propriate duties of the mission, we have been busily engaged
in removing everything from within our houses, even throwing
out the grass and mud that had constituted the under part of
our floors. Late on Saturday evening the dreaded tempest
commenced. It was a severe one indeed. It was not so violent
as some we have witnessed in America, except that it rained
much faster. Our proximity to the sea, however, added a sublimity
to it, or rather a terror which was altogether beyond anything
we had even witnessed. In consequence of the winds blowing from
the sea, the tide and waves rose much higher than usual. As
the waves dashed on the shore, they sounded like echos to the
loud peals of thunder while the bright flashes of lightning gave
to the surf the briliancy of fire. The rocking of our houses
like a vessel before the wind, together with the loud screams
of the natives which we heard in every direction, led us to think
, that all was not safe. The rain too poured through the roofs
of our houses and in a few moments, the mats which constitute
our floors (or carpets) were all on float. As it is but a few
paces from our houses to the banks of the sea, we soon succeeded
in digging drains, but the water had risen in some parts of our
houses more than a foot before they were completed*
The whole
surface of the ground was so completely covered with water,
that it could hardly be distinguished from the ocean itself,
except by the waves, the latter which dashed impetuously on the
beach. It was near morning before the rivulets of water ceased
running through our houses. We secured the clothes in our
trunks by placing the trunks on our tables & chairs. Some of
the clothes, however, in the bottom of the trunks, were wet
before we were aware of the danger, so that we have been taking
them out that they might dry. On Sunday our houses would hardly b een recognised as the dwellings of human beings. The mats
were torn up to prevent them from spoiling, so t h a t the grass,
mud & water courses, were exposed to open view, and appeared
much more like a marsh than like the floors of houses.
We have to regret that we could not improve or enjoy the
sabbath as we usually do. We, however, conducted public worship
�917.
in the church with the natives and had nearly as many
attendants as usual*
The chiefs often call upon us on the sabbath, and at such
seasons it is always very desirable to have everything
in our houses in order & secure. Times of disorder are
always improved by the attendants of the chiefs, for their
benefit rather than for ours, and we rarely receive a
visit from the chiefs under such circumstances, without
missing something from our houses after they are go n e . Some
of the chiefs express considerable sympathy for us & say we
must have new houses.
We have had no such inundation as this before, & perhaps
have no reason to expect another until the next rainy season
which will be in a bout eight months. Before this we have
had a number of slight showers, but have not suffered by
them. It is, however, very difficult to keep anything clean
and in order in such houses as these, for the thatching is
so thin that whenever there is much wind, everything is
covered w ith dust & dirt. Insects & vermin make the thatching
their residence & their nightly depredations occasion us
much inconvenience & loss.
Wednesday 17th. We have recently received a new supply of
spelling books & have now constant applications from the
people for them. We have in three days taken the names of
about two hundred new scholars, but can supply only one third
of them with books. To one family of twelve persons we gave
five books. Two of those who received none came to plead
with us that they might not be denied. We examined them &
found that they could not tell the printed letters of the a l
phabet, having never had a book. They made the strongest
promises that if we would give them books they would not be
lazy, but would learn them very quick, and that when they
had learnt the word of God they would regard it. They said,
moreover, "You have always told us we must learn your books,
that we must learn the word of God. We desire to learn,
we desire to know the word of G od, for we believe it is a
good word.
We have now for two moons been seeking books,
but cannot get
We would buy, but you will not sell to u s . You have now
obtained some books and give them to many lazy persons who
-will not learn them, but here we are intent on learning, but
your own teachers will let us have no books. Think again,
is this proper?" We queried with them saying, perhaps you
are not more industrious than others to whom we give books.
They answered "yes we are, - you have seen none like us i n
L ahaina. We have had no books, you have not taught us at
all, we have had nothing to learn with except this stone
board (holding up a slate) and still we c an write".
We
said to them, "let us see". They each took the slate & wrote,
"Ke noi aku nei au ia oe i wahi biaba". M y entreaty of you
is a spelling b o o k .
By this very powerful argument we were convinced that we
ought to give them books*
Our feelings are frequently tried
�918
by being cramped in our means for doing good. The same
would be true, however, if our means were doubled.
Thursday 18th. Were called to attend the funeral of a
favourite boy of Prince Kouiheouli. The order and decorum
observed on the occasion were m o r e than usually pleasing.
The Prince appeared well dressed and wore badges of mourn
i ng. His attendants walked in procession after the corpse,
all dressed in black tapa according to native style.
Called also to visit another sick lad belonging to the same
family as the deceased.
Friday 19th. Our tears were made to flow & our hearts to
melt by the reception of letters from America. If it is the
trial of missionaries to be separated from friends, it is
also their joy to receive letters from them. Our joy, how
ever was not unmingled. After being separated from our
friends for more than sixteen months, and hearing nothing
from them, we could not break the seals of their letters
without some foreboding fears of what might be their contents.
Our fears were not groundless. On the list of deaths, the
name o f M r . R . 's brother stood at the head. Although the
intelligence was anticipated, and his dying hours happy, yet
there was such a shade cast over all our other letters that
we could not rejoice w i t h o u t tears even at the most animating
intelligence. Situated as we are, we cannot fail to appre
ciate the labours of a devoted missionary, & no one who
has lived among the heathen can fail to weep for her whom
Providence destines to be left a widow in a heathen land.
We desire, however, to bless the great head of the church,
that while he is calling some from the field of usefulness,
he is, by his Spirit, preparing others to take their places.
It cheers our spirits & invigorates our souls, to hear of
the numerous revivals in that land, but especially in those
cities and towns w hich we could once call our home.
This news, which abounded in some of our letters, called
back our minds to what we have seen ourselves, but which we
expect to see no more in that delightful form in which we
saw it in America. W e do expect, however, to see men anxious
for the salvation of their souls, & we expect to hear the
inquiry "what shall we do to be saved"?
Saturday 2 0 . We were called again to visit the sick lad
of the Prince. We last evening found him trembling, & his
extremities cold, but these were nearly all the signs of
disease which we could discover. On particular inquiry, we
were told that the lad whose funeral we attended two days
ago, was prayed to death, and that the same sorcerer was
engaged in praying this one to death. All supposed therefore,
that he must die of course, w h a t e v e r remedies should be use d .
We gave him opium & applied bottles of hot water to his
extremities. His attendants seemed surprised when they saw
him fall asleep & found his extremities gaining their natural
warmth. The boy seemed not less surprised himself when he
awoke in the morning & found himself nearly w e l l . The natives
who are acquainted with the case entertain different opinions
in relation to i t .
�919
Some think there was an extraordinary efficacy in our
medicine, but others suppose that the sorcerer either
stopped praying, or made a mistake in his prayer. It is
the universal opinion of the people that if a priest
hesitates or makes the smallest mistake in his prayer,
its efficacy is destroyed. So great was the effect of
this b o y ’s alarm, that had there been no remedy used, we
have no doubt the end would have been serious, if not fatal.
A similar instance has once occurred in our own family.
We had caught a man stealing a piece of cloth from our
yard & sent the boys living with us to recover i t . They
succeeded, but in recovering the cloth, accidentally tore
the thief's tapa. He immediately threatened to pray them to
death, and all supposed that he could do it with perfect
ease in consequence of their having torn his tapa. Had it
not been for this accident, his prayers could have had no
effect, but this threw the boys completely in his power.
They were all alarmed and one of them, notwithstanding all
our arguments, appeared to believe there was no hope for him,
except by regaining the favour of the thief. This he tried
in vain to d o . After three days he was taken ill & supposed
he had but a few hours to live. We examined him but could
perceive no signs of disease, except fea r . He lay in his
house rolled up in his tapa. With considerable difficulty
we compelled him to come out & engage in hard w o r k . After
working an hour or two, he was convinced that he was not
sick and concluded that not only foreigners, but also the
men who live with t h e m ,are proof against the pule anaana.
The belief in this kind of sorcery is still nearly universal
here.
The process by which the sorcerers attempt to affect
their purpose is a long & tedious one.
You have had some
account of it in our journal of last quarter. The sorcerer
never mentions the name of the man against whom he prays,
nor even describes his person. Were he to do this, he would
of course lose his reputation in case the person should not di e .
But when a man dies, there is almost always some enemy who
says he prayed him to death. Many persons have in this way
got their reputation established., and they are able to
affright almost any person they please by mere threats.
Sunday 21st. The quietness of the day has been much in
terrupted & the number of attendants at meeting much less in
consequence of there being a vessel in the roads & the
officers having been ashore trading with the natives. Such
examples as this are common. Many of our most serious dif
ficulties with the natives arise from the influence of
foreign example, which is almost uniformly pernicious. To
this, however, there are some most honourable exceptions.
Thursday 2 5 . Capt. F olger of the Ship Cyrus which arrived
last Tuesday, called and dined with u s . After being so
long alone as we have been, it is peculiarly pleasant to re-ceive a man to our table who we can feel is worthy of our
affection & esteem.
The season has now arrived when we may expect a considerable
number of whale ships, as this is one of their recruiting places
�920.
For ships that wish merely to obtain supplies, this place
has some advantages over Honoruru.
Here, vessels ride
safely without paying harbour fees - supplies are cheaper
& the water is bett e r . We derive some personal benefits
by the visits of our countrymen, but the order of our
schools is usually interrupted during the recruiting season.
Friday 26. Four days ago there was not a vessel in sight now, the roads & offing are white with canvass. Four whale
ships are now at anchor, three native vessels, also four
native vessels have passed, on their way from Honoruru to
Kairua, with the corpse of Keaumohu and several other vessels
have also passed in different directions. There is consid
erable commotion here in consequence of this death, but there
is a striking difference in the appearance of the people now
& when our patroness Keopuolani died. We are more & more
convinced that there is no person esteemed and loved like her,
and we are more & more convinced of the loss we sustained in
her death.
Monday 29. Last evening M r s . Richards was attacked with a
violet pain in her side and other symptoms resembling the
pleurisy. As we are without a physician, we felt considerable
alarm, and for a time hesitated what to do, but at length
pursued the course usually recommended in the pleurisy, and
have reason to hope that Providence is smiling on the means
we have adopted.
Her most threatning symptoms are this morningabated, though she is still in severe pain.
Her health has
not been good since the great rain of the 13th, and we have
no doubt that this illness is oweing to the dampness of the
house which is nearly as great now as it was the day after
the rain. The covering of our houses answer a much better
purpose for a shelter than our mats do for floors. Soon after
the rain ceases, the roofs become dry, but when once the
ground within the houses becomes wet, it does not dry again
for months.
The prospect of recovery from sickness in such
houses is rather a dark one. We desire, however, to trust
in that Providence which has been with us in much darker times.
Wednesday 31st. We are now permitted to hope that all danger
in M r s . R's case is over. She is not entirely relieved from
pain, though she is able to move about the house. We cannot
forbear to speak of the very kind attentions we have received
from the masters of vessels now in the roads. C a p t . Folger
of the Cyrus, Capt. Paddock of the Hydorpe, Capt. Clark of
the John Palmer, Capt. Pease of the Martha, & Capt. Joy of
the John Adams, will long be remembered by us, not only for
their kindness in supplying us with many little comforts, but
also for their friendly visits and tender sympathy, at a
season when we greatly needed, but could not enjoy the attention
of those who formerly watched by our sick beds & administered
to our comfort.
Sunday April 4 t h . M r . R . preached to the natives in the
morning from the 'text,' "having a desire to depart & be with
Christ". The subject called forth many remarks.
Some consid
ered the text & all that was said upon it, as one continued
falsehood.
Others who were of a different opinion, had many
�921.
inquiries to, make respecting that wonderful man who had a
desire to die. We have not seen so much apparent interest
in any subject as in th i s .
At eleven o'clock M r . Stewart preached to an English
audience from the whaleships. We have been anticipating the
day, for it is our regular season for receiving the sacrament
of the Lord's Supper. It has indeed been a pleasant sabbath
to u s . Surrounded, as we are by darkness & depravity, we
are led more than ever to admire the wisdom of our Saviour
in the institution of this delightful ordinance. Although
but seven in number, we did not feel alone, and while surround
ed by thousands who are still the willing captives of Satan,
we could say with joy, "more are they that be with us than
they that be with them".
There was one circumstance, however, which most deeply affected
all our hearts.
There were twenty nine of our countrymen
who were present when we gave the invitation to all members
of regular churches in full standing, to partake with u s . We
looked - and waited - but not a man arose. What a sight for
heathens to witness. It led us to sing with emphasis "Why
was I made to hear thy voice"? Many of these were persons
with whom we have just now become acquainted, persons who
have done us no small kindness, and whom we tenderly love.
We are often compelled to witness sights similar to this. It
is a great satisfaction to meet those of our countrymen who
are of regular habits, but it is affecting to think that so
few who sail upon the deep are friends to Him who commands it,
and whom winds & seas obey.
Wednesday 7th. The ships are now all leaving the roads.
During the stay of the vessels here, we have been gratified
to see the favourable influence which some of the officers
have exerted on the natives. Even though they barely touch
at the islands, yet they are able to see the improvement of
the people. Capt. Folger & Cap t . Paddock in an especial manmer, remarked that they could scarcely enter a single house
without noticing how differently the people spent their time
from what they formerly d i d . Formerly, they were all engaged
in play, now they are all engaged in reading their books".
Monday 12th. For several days past there has been no vessel
in the roads, but this morning a new one has arrived. The
order of the schools is again interrupted. While foreign
vessels are here, the schools are always more irregular than
when there is no such thing to take off their attention. The
difference in the people at different times is very great.
One week we see but little attention to anything but the
palapala, the next, scarce a book is to be seen. We are
sorry to find that the character of the officers & crew of
this vessel is such as to give rise to the following conversa
tion. Keoweamahi was present when some of the men called on
u s . As soon as the men went out, she inquired with earnest
ness, "What land is that vessel from"? We answered, "From
America"She exclaimed, "But the people know nothing about
God"
We told her they all knew and could read the word of
God. She answered again, "But they are like us - they commit
�922.
nothing but wickedness - they are worse than we a r e !" A
woman from the Society islands entered into conversation
with her on this subject, and told her all the truth.
They seemed to mourn as sincerely over these enlightened
sinners, as it is possible for Christians to mourn over
heathens.
It was entirely out of our power to say one
word in behalf of these unhappy men, who are indeed objects
of pity & subjects of prayer.
Wednesday 15.
N ot long ago we applied to Karaimoku for a
new bui l d i n g spot, as the one on which we now live is much
too publick, & the houses which we occupy need to be rebuilt.
He gave orders to his sister, our governess, to go with us
& select a place where we should choose to build us houses.
This morning her husband took us back about a mile to the
rough bed of an ancient volcano, and said to us, "this is your
building spot." We objected to the spot on account of its
being so distant from our schools, from meeting, and from the
sea breeze, and also on account of its roughness. To our
objections he made no reply except t o refer us back to his
wife, who wanes any farther attention to the subject for the
present. This man is offended with us in consequence of our
refusing to write a deceptive circular to the masters of
vessels on the subject of his trade with them.
Sunday 18th. This day has been observed by the natives in
general with more than usual attention.
There was, however,
an unpleasant circumstance occurred at the close of the day,
which serves to show at once the barbarity of the people and
also the difference in their treatment of us and other for
eigners.
A little before sunset, two sailors from a vessel now in the
roads, called on us to procure a bible. We complied with their
request & presented them with this book of which a large pro
portion of the common seamen in this ocean are destitute.
The two men had scarcely left our yard, when a large mob
fell upon them and stripped them of nearly all their clothes.
W e made a little inquiry and were told that the men had been
buying rum & were going off without paying for i t . Soon the
men came to our door to beg for protection and help. Although
we supposed they had merited the treatment they had received,
yet we thought it expedient to take means for getting them
on board their vessel. While we were taking means on this
purpose, we learned secretly that they had bought no rum and
were guilty of nothing. The natives who told us were eye
witnesses & their account perfectly agreed with the account
which the men themselves gave us . Soon after coming on shore
the sailors were met by a chief who inquired if they did not
wish to buy some rum, to which they answered "no", for it
was the sabbath & they had no money.
The chief invited them to walk into his house. After sitting
a while, he offered each of them a glass of rum, which they
refused to drink. But on becoming urged, and told they were
welcome to it, they drank one of the glasses. As the men left
our yard, an agent of the chief demanded a half dollar from
each of them. The men paid no attention to the demand & were
�923.
therefore mobbed.
Though these men were thus treated in open day - in sight
of our houses, yet we have no hesitation in leaving our
families alone & that too in the evening.
Occurrences
similar to the one above rela t e d are not very rare, though
there is usually some provocation on the part of the
foreigners.
Tuesday 20th. Yesterday Karaimoku arrived from Honoruru,
& as the chiefs have today been together, we all went in
company to visit them. We found them in one of their best
houses reclining on their mats in two rows facing each
other, and all engaged in reading.
It was one of the most
pleasant exhibitions we have ever witnessed.
The ladies
especially, could scarcely have received more attention in
a circle Of American friends. Everything in the house ex
hibited a good degree of neatness & it required no great
stretch of the imagination to present before us a refined
& enlightened circle.
Friday April 23rd. We have recently received a request
from M r . Ellis, for Mr. Stewart to spend a season with him
at Honoruru. That station is left in rather a weak state
in consequence of M r . Bingham's absence at Tanwai. As it
would probably be beneficial to the health of Mr. S . &
family to take a short voyage, they will improve the first
opportunity of going to that station. Ca p t . Wilds is now
here & has kindly offered them a passage. As he will
probably sail tomorrow, we think it expedient to close our
present communication, which we desire to do with gratitude
to our Heavenly Father, for his past smiles on u s .
Praying for the continuance of your life & the perfect
restoration of your health, we subscribe ourselves
Y our Obt. fellow labourers,
William R ic hards
C h a s . Saml . Stewart.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received April 11, 1826.
�924
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 237
(This letter was probably written about the last of
Jan. & dated afterwards when an opportunity was offered. J.E . )
Lahaina,
Isl. of Maui, March 31, 1825.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Corresponding Sec. of the A .B .C.F.M .
Honoured & dear Sir:
Although we know of no opportunity of sending to America,
& although it is not the regular period for closing our
communication to you, yet as M r . Stewart & family are
about to embark for Oahu, we think it expedient to bring
down the history of our station to the present time. Since
the removal of M r . Ellis from Honoruru, there has been a
crowd of business, quite too much for M r . Bingham, and as
the health of M r . Stewart's family requires his removal
from Lahaina, we have concluded that he embark for Honoruru
on board the Brig Becket now about to sail. We mutually
regret the necessity of this step & shall feel it desirable
for him to return as soon as God in his kind providence
shall prepare the way, which we hope may be in a few months
at farthest. Situated as we have been and still are, we
always feel most tenderly when called to separate.
Those who have a hundred friends around them may well dis
pense with one, and not feel his loss. Not so with u s .
When we leave our station, we leave our home, and when but
one is gone, there are none left to comfort by their sym
pathies, none to animate our spirits when ready to faint,
none with whom to council and advise. We do, however, find
some consolation in the friendship of our pupils, and hope
the time will yet arrive when they will in a greater degree
supply the place of the friends whom we have left.
Since the close of our journal, few things have occurred
of special interest. We have had more to dishearten than
to animate. Not a single school has been abandoned, but
the number of our pupils is somewhat diminished. The chiefs
& people are all so unstable that one month we know nothing
what will be the next.
In November the n u mber of our pupils was not less than six
hundred. In the school of Nahienaena were 270 scholars.
She with her guardian, Hoapiri, presided at the school.
After a few weeks she grew inattentive & the number of scholars
began to diminish. Now the whole number embraced in all our
schools is about four hundred. While the chiefs were absent
at the war, the. people gave themselves up to the practice of
iniquity.
\
Since that time there has been much more immorality in Lahaina
than before. Although boxing games had been forbidden on
penalty of four hundred dollars, yet they were last week re
newed in sight of our door, and it was only by our interference
�925.
that they were s t o p p e d . ---Besides the boxing g ames, the
people have been much engaged in their hurahura (native dance).
N ot a day passes but we hear them in every part of the village.
These would soon cease, but the governess is herself much in.
favor of them. We understand she is preparing to have one
herself at which shall be assembled all the people of the
island. With reference to this object, she is training all
her females to the business.
While the people of the chiefs are engaged in boxing, and in
the hurahura, the farmers have another employment. Hundreds
are employed from day to day in sitting round their calabashes
of fermented sugar cane, of which they drink so freely, that
they are incapable of engaging in any business. Constant
noise & quarrels are the consequence.
You might well expect that during such a state of things we
should suffer some in our connection with the people.
We have
indeed suffered more than at any preceeding period. Twice our
yard has been broken into in the night by thieves, and once
the property stolen we valued at fifty dollars. We particularly
regret the loss of a fine tankard for the communion table.
It was in a trunk in one of our small houses. While we were
all together at evening prayers, the fence was cut away beside
the house, the house broken open, the trunks taken with all
its contents, also all the loose clothes which were lying near
the door. We also found two clubs which were evidently brought
for self defence, but for some unknown reason were left behind.
The night following we were awakened at about midnight, by
another gang of thieves who were evidently attempting to get
our cooking stove which stands in an open ranai. It had for
tunately been so fastened that the smallest exertion to remove
it, made a great rattling.
As we sprang to the door we heard
the men pass through the yard, and on going out found the
fence much broken away, with an appearance of having been done
in great haste. We made application to the chiefs & they im
mediately commenced a mock search, which of course had no
effect in bringing the things to light. We have no doubt as to
the company by which they were taken, but what persons in the
company were the active agents we do not know.
There is now little prospect that we shall either obtain the
articles stolen, or any compensation for them. The spirit
manifested by the chiefs in relation to the subject, has as
tonished and disheartened u s . W e do believe, however, that
the time will yet arrive when their conduct will more accord
with their professions.
The governess of the island has made much difficulty, or
rather is much offended in consequence of our refusal to
deliver books to her without knowing anything of her scholars.
About six weeks ago she applied for two hundred books, s a y i n g
"by & by all my people will learn". We proposed to her to
bring us a list of her scholars and then we would give to
each scholar a book.
She appeared satisfied & returned. A
few days after, she called again and made the same request as
before. We answered that we would go and see her scholars and
�926.
write their names and then we should know the proper number
of books to be given*
We told her also, that this was the
course we pursued with all the other chiefs. She said that
was proper and then left u s . Soon M r . R. went down, but the
school was not assembled. He called again, but the school
did not assemble. After two or three days she sent her head
man for the books. M r . R. went immediately with his pen &
paper, not suspecting that she had become angry or even im
patient. As soon as he arrived she said in an angry tone, "Where
are my books". M r . R. replied that they were ready as soon as
he had ascertained the number necessary. She cried out, ’’Stop,
stop, you have done now, you have done now.
I have been trying
for a fortnight to get books for my people, but you hold them
fast” . M r . R. was about to return and get some books, when
she said again, "Stop, I ’ll have nothing more to do with that
business". M r . R. left her saying, "I treat all alike - I have
given no books to the high chiefs without knowing the number
of their scholars - I have given you none & I shall not give
you any’’.
We heard nothing more from her till a few days ago when she
brought us the names of seventy three scholars and received
books for them. This woman has always professed a great de
gree of friendship for us, but has in reality caused us more
trouble than any other chief on the islands. She has always
exerted an unhappy influence on the little princess. A few
months ago, this promising pupil left Lahaina for a week to
sacrifice to their old Gods, and in doing it was unquestionably
influenced by the governess. It has been particularly trying to
our feelings to see a c h i l d who will hereafter have so much
influence in the islands under the guidance of those who dispise
instruction.
W e have recently seen some more striking examples of the super
stition of the people than we have before witnessed. We have
often spoken of the manner in which they treat the sick, and
also of their belief in the pule anaana. A short time since,
a favourite woman of the princess was taken sick and it was sup
posed that some person was about praying her to death. A physi
cian was sent for but it was two days before he c o u l d prepare
his medicine.
Before the medicine was ready, the woman had
recovered, and when the physician arrived, she had gone from
home. He sent for her & told her she had better take the
medicine, for unless she did she would die by the next prayer*
She took the medicine, which was so violent in its; opperation
that she lived but about an hour. Instead of being alarmed
at the conduct of the physician, the people were exceedingly
clamourous at the man who they supposed had so basely prayed
her to death.
A short time after this, the princess was taken ill & we were
applied to by Hoapiri to give her medicine. We prepared the
medicine but it was impossible to prevail on her to take it,
lest we had mixed something in it which would injure her.
We have yet mentioned nothing which is calculated to incourage
or animate. We may, however add, that public worship was never
better attended,and the interest manifested by the people in
the preaching of the word keeps up our spirits & we view the
�927
recent unpleasant occurrences as owing more to the instability
of the people rather than to any real change for the. worse.
We do on the whole feel that, taking the islands at large,
there is "gradual improvement and the time will yet arrive
when we shall forget all these little things, and see that
many of them, though evil in themselves, have turned to the
furtherance of the gospel.
You will not cease to pray that this season may soon arrive.
Praying always for you, we remain
Honoured & dear Sir, your fellow labourers,
William R ic hards
Charles S . Stewart.
To: Jeremiah Evarts,
Boston, Mass.
Esq.,
Received Feb. 14, 1826.
�928*
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 240.
Minutes of a general meeting of the Sandwich Island
Mission held at Honoruru Oahu, May 1825.
Several brethren from the windward stations having been
Providentially brought together at Honoruru, it was thought
desirable that their presence there should be improved to
attend to the business of a general meeting.
In pursuance
whereof being convened on the 16th of May, they proceeded
to the choice of a Moderator & Scribe, and elected:
The Rev. H . Bingham Moderator &
Levi Chamberlain, Scribe.
The meeting being organized they proceeded to business by
appointing Messrs. C .S. Stewart, A .Bishop & L .Chamberlain,
a committee to arrange subjects for considerations proper
to be acted upon at future meetings.
Adjourned to the 17th 2 P.M.
Tuesday May 16th.
Met according to adjournment. The committee
who were appointed to present to the meeting subjects for con
sideration made out the following memorandum.1. Is a uniformity in the orthography of the Hawaiian language
expedient?
and what are the best means of securing it?
2.
Is it expedient to publish immediately a Scripture tract
& Catechism?
3.
Is it expedient to receive heathen children into the mission
families. & educate them in compliance with the wishes and
appropriations of benevolent individuals in America?
4.
What method shall be adopted of inducting converts to
Christianity into the Sandwich Island church, and shall
baptism be considered an initiatory ordinance and entitle
those receiving it to the communion.
5.
What night is it most expedient or proper to keep in
connection with the Sabbath - Sabbath or Saturday night?
6.
Is it expedient to retain the station at Hido with only
the present means the mission possesses of maintaining it .
7.
What influence should the intelligence communicated by
the Corresponding Secretary of the Board respecting the
embarrassed state of the funds have upon the pecuniary
arrangements of the mission?
Upon the first question-motioned-that it is expedient in
transferring words & proper names from other languages to the
Hawaiian to preserve their identity as far as the genius of
the language will admit. -
�929.
Motioned that a Committee of three be appointed to correspond
with the different members of the mission as to the expediency
of establishing a uniformity in the orthography of the
Hawaiian language, & to submit to this meeting for their con
sideration, propositions embracing the difficulties now felt
in spelling the language.
Messrs. H . Bingham, C.S. Stewart & L. Chamberlain were appointed.
Adjourned to the 18th - 2 P.M.
Met according to adjournment and upon the subject of the ex
pediency of publishing a Scripture tract and Catechism motioned
That a Scripture tract be published as soon as practicable.
Motioned that Brother Bingham be requested to prepare one for
the press.
Motioned further that a Catechism be prepared and published
as soon as practicable.
Adjourned to the 19th-9o'clock A .M .
May 19th. Having assembled according to adjournment, the
subject of preparing a Catechism was resumed. Resolved that
the improved doctrinal Tahitian Catechism be considered the
basis of the one n o w to be prepared*
Motioned that a Committee of three be appointed to prepare
the Catechism for publication.
M e s s r s . Bingham, Bishop & Loomis were appointed: - M r . E ly
was afterward added to this committee.
Motioned that a Committee of three be appointed to report
upon the expediency of receiving and educating heathen children
in the different families of the Mission in compliance with
the wishes and appropriations of benevolent individuals in
America. This committee consisted of Messrs. Bingham, Stewart
& Bishop. Adjourned to Friday 2 0th 9 O 'ck. A .M .
May 20th. Met according to adjournment. The meeting having
been opened with prayer, proceeded to the consideration of
the subject of admission to the church. Motioned that a
Committee be appointed to investigate the subject and report
on the method of inducting into the church converts to
Christianity. Motioned that this Committee consist of three
persons. Made choice of Messrs. Bingham, Thurston & Richards.
Upon the next question, Which night is it most expedient &
proper to keep in connection with the Sabbath - Sabbath or
Saturday night? No vote was taken, but it was expressed as
the general opinion of the brethren that Sabbath evening should
be regarded as holy time and that i n their instructions to
the natives they should recommend the observance of Sabbath
in preference to Saturday evening, but that in their own
practice they should refrain as much as possible from secular
employments on Saturday evening.
Adjourned to Monday May 23r d .
May 2 3 . The committee to whom was referred the subject of
educating heathen children in the families of the missionaries
�930.
beg leave to submit the following report.
During the two first years of the operations of the mission
about twenty children were received and instructed in the
mission families, the expenses of which were for the most
part defrayed by the liberal contributions of foreigners at
the islands, and by the special patronage of King Taumuarii
during his residence at Tauai his own native island. A few
of that number have since been employed as useful teachers,
some have died, som e have deserted, some have been dismissed
for insubordination, & one r e m a i n s who first received the
name of Henry Martyn & was p l a c e d on the foundation of a
Society of young ladies at Nantucket, but had since by their
request been called Abner M o r s e . No native female child
remained very long under the mission roof - nor gave evidence
of being benefitted materially more than others who merely
attended school, except perhaps Delia, who became the wife
of Hopu.
During the three last years of the operations of the mission
there have been on an average about 15 boys and occasionally
two or three girls connected with the mission families,
rendering assistance & receiving the rudiments of a Christian
education, but in a very few instances has there been sufficient
encouragement of their steady perseverance to place them on
the funds contributed by particular individuals or societies
for children to bear the names which the donors have designated.
During the existence of the mission, partial provision has
been made in America for about thirty five children to be s u p
ported & educated in the families of this mission, and although
this method of benefitting the heathen is in many cases a d
mirably suited to promote the design of Christian missions,
and although it may be desirable that the experiment should be
more fully tried at the Sandwich Islands and that any member
who should choose to pursue it should be at liberty to appro
priate to that object such donations as have been or may be
particularly designated for it; yet the Committee cannot in
the present state of the nation recommend to any considerable
extent this method of prosecuting the work of the mission, but
they would propose that the efforts both of the male & female
members of the mission to enlighten the nation should in
general proceed on a much larger scale involving less compara
tive expense than the plan of boarding schools.
On these points the Committee are supported by the joint sen
timents of the missionaries in the South sea Islands, and by
the deliberate advice of Mes s r s . Tyerman, Bennet & Ellis.
In coning to this conclusion the Committee have been influenced
particularly by the following considerations:
1.
The very great expense which boarding schools in this country
would involve compared with that of Ceylon, & compared with
the expense of the common schools in this nation.
2.
The unwillingness of the children in general to submit
to the restraints of a civilized Christian family long
enough to complete their education so as to answer the
reasonable expectations of their benefactors.
�931.
3 . The superior claims of many Chiefs to missionary attention,
and of other promising adults who could not he conveniently
embraced in a boarding school and who ought nevertheless to
be well instructed with a view to their aid in the work of the
mission as teachers.
4 . The great demand of the whole nation for more widely
diffused instructions and the more public and extensive preach
ing of the Gospel.
5. The exposure of our own offspring to the influence of the un
desirable habits of native children to be trained up with them.
The Committee would therefore recommend that the benevolent
individuals and societies who have had it in their hearts to do
good in this way & who with great kindness and warm solicitude
have presented and may w i s h to present their offerings to the
Lord for this particular purpose be early made acquainted with
the present views of the mission on the subject, and with the
special thanks of the mission for their liberality & be, with
a very few exceptions, respectfully requested through the agency
of the Board to transfer or direct their charity to the general
support of the mission or to the general objects or to any
particular object embraced b y the American Board.
9
Meeting adjourned to the 2nd .
Met according to adjournment and the meeting having been opened
with prayer, the following resolution was presented and accepted.
Resolved that in view of the importance of preparing a competent
number of school masters & assistant teachers among the people,
proming youths shall be selected at the different stations, and
regularly educated in schools or classes for that purpose, so
far as. it shall be found practicable by actual experiment.
Upon the question, "Is it expedient to retain the station at
Waiakea with only the present means the mission possess of
maintaining it, the following resolution was offered and approved.
Resolved that the Mission decidedly approve of the maintenance
of the station at Waiakea, at least until M r . Goodrich shall
feel it desirable to leave it for a season.
Adjourned to Thursday May 26th - 2 P .M .
May 26 - M et according to adjournment. The meeting having, been
opened with prayer, the subject of expenditure was discussed,
and the following resolution presented & accepted.
Resolved that in view of the information from the Corresponding
Secretary of the Board respecting the embarrassed state of the
funds, we will renew our engagement to practice the strictest
economy in the use of our means of support that we will study
to diminish the expenses of the mission by indenting & adopting
new methods of economy in the management of our affairs, and
by scrupulously refraining from incurring the least item of
expense to the Board not necessary for our health & usefulness,and that we will moreover endeavor to cherish in ourselves the
feeling of more direct dependance on God for the daily supply
�932.
of our wants & while we look to our patrons & friends in
America for the continued means of imparting the knowledge
of salvation to the perishing heathen around us, we will
endeavor gratefully & habitually to praise the Author of
every mercy for his past kind & providential a are over all
the members and all the plans & objects of the Mission.
Note - The business of the meeting transacted at short in
tervals for the period of ten days, could hardly find place
for our attention on account of the daily & pressing claims
on our time & labors for the immediate benefit of the nations
at this interesting crisis.
Business Meeting at Honoruru - May 1825.
Received April 10, 1826.
�933.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 241
Oahu, Sandwich Islands,
June 6, 1825.
Very Dear Sir:
Your kind letters by the Convoy and the Griffon have
been duly & thankfully received.
On the 14th March we wrote you of the general prosperity
of the Mission, and on the 27th forwarded by the Tamaahmaah
(Tamehameha) by way of South America, the journal kept at
this station from the 1st N ov. to the 12th Fe b . last.
By these notices you will learn that although our hearts
were touched b y the news of the affecting & lamented death
in England of the king and queen of the Sandwich Islands,
yet our sorrows were mingled with the hope that the lord
Jesus the king of Zion was actually taking possession of
the hearts of some of the surviving rulers & people of this
nation, & you will, we doubt not, rejoice with us to be
assured that any indications of the presence of the reviving
spirit of God can be seen to cheer our hearts & keep our hopes
alive - We are happy to be able to say that through the
undeserved blessing of God on our feeble instrumentality in
preaching the word of life, we have pleasing evidence which
is daily encreasing that a goodly number of souls at the
different islands are pressing into the kingdom of heaven, the children of Pagans, once degraded, almost below the
possibility of recovery, sold to the service of Satan, & in
total darkness as to the only salvation for lost men - are
now cheerfully laying aside their abominable views and turn
ing their untutored voices to the praises of redeeming love and gladly subscribing with their hands to be the L ord's.
Permit us to give you a few recent particulars in detail
relative to our work and the advances of the nation. Since
the news of the death of the king and queen, an English
consul, Richard Chalton, Esq. has arrived with his wife &
her sister to reside here - and has been kindly received, &
somewhat more equitable port regulations have already been
adopted.
On the 6th May the Blonde Frigate, lord Byron, arrived with
Boki and his company, from England with the bodies of the
king and queen - Their meeting with the chiefs was highly
interesting & truly effecting. We could not refrain from
mingling our tears of joy & grief with theirs - when they
affectionately embraced each other on the beach "and lifted
up their voice & wept” - When this burst of feeling was over
when they had wept on each other's necks for a considerable
time, and gave & received a short account of what had trans
pired, they repaired to the chapel to render public thanks
giving to God, and to implore his blessing on the interview There publicly, Boki who had not left his favorab le impression
with regard to Christianity with w hich he left the islands,
decidedly recommended the diligent attention of the nation
�934.
to the instructions of the missionaries - and to the
word of God - In his interview with George the fourth,
he says the king of England told him that he and his
people must take good heed to the missionaries, for they
were sent to enlighten them & do them good - that they
came to them not for secular purposes, but by a divine
command to teach them the word of God, which all good men
approved. - The people would therefore do well all to at
tend to instruction, to forsake thievery, drunkenness, wars,
&c, & live in peace
- Boki received the sacrament of the
L ord's supper at Portsmouth in England and also on board
the Blonde - and has once participated with us, his ba p
tism some 6 years since by the chaplain of a French ship
having been acknowledged.
On the 7th of May Lord Byron & his officers & scientific
gentlemen were presented to the court of the Sandwich
Islands, being introduced by Boki & the consul.
Lord Byron
presented from the K ing of England to Karaimoku a superb
gold hunting watch - & a wax figure of Rihoriho in an ele
gant frame - to Kaahumanu a splendid silver teapot with her
name engraven on one side & the king's arms o n the other. To Kauikeaouli, a rich suit of the Royal Windsor uniform
with hat & sword - such as is worn by the king of England.
These were delivered & put upon the young king by two young
noblemen, & his Lordship expressed his earnest desire that
he might attend to the instruction of the missionaries and
become wise and good.
The reception of Lord Byron & his
company, and of these tokens of the kindness of the King of
England, was truly creditable to the chiefs of the country Karaimoku with others expressed his gratitude and high sat
isfaction, & just before the close of the interview, in a
very humble manner of his own accord, proposed to have a
prayer to God on the interesting occasion - His Lordship
very readily consented, and a prayer was offered by one of
us partly in English & partly in the Hawaiian language.
The
interview was highly gratifying to all parties.
On the 11of May, the chiefs having arrived from Lahaina and
Hawaii, the bodies of the king & queen were landed, - and
carried in a military procession to the gate of the chapel
where a short and appropriate service was performed by the
chaplain of the Blonde and one of the missionaries - then the
procession moved to the house of Karaimoku prepared for their
reception, where the bodies were temporarily deposited till
a suitable tomb could be built. This ceremony closed with a
funeral hymn & prayer in the native language. Great decency
and sobriety were observed on this occasion - What a contrast
to the funerals of their former kings - Then the heavens were
insulted & the earth polluted by the grossest abominations Sunday the 15 Karaimoku gave such an account of his religious
experience, as to lead us in connection with which we had
seen and heard, to conclude that in his case the lion has been
changed to a lamb, and a bold, warlike, besotted, polluted
heathen, into a childlike follower of Christ.
Opiia of whom we have before given a favorable report, and
whose conduct has for the most part been very fair for three
�935.
years past, not long since received by special advice of
some of her countrymen, 100 dollars for lending assistance
in saving articles from the wreck of the Royal George.
Though she had a right to a compensation & the Capt. offered
her 80 dollars as a fair compensation for the use of her
schooner two days, yet when the spirit of the gospel was
pointed out to her, the generosity & kindness to the distressed
which Christ recommends to his disciples who prefer the
treasures of heaven - she, after making it a subject of prayer
very cheerfully laid it all down at the feet of the unfortunate
Captain whose ship but recently run upon the reef & was
dashed to pieces. - This she fully declares she did that her
conduct might be agreeable to the word of God, by whom she
hoped to be saved. - Capt. Barney very honorably, however,
restored her half of the 100 dollars.
The case of Kaahumanu is still more interesting - It is now
about 10 months since she became specially serious. During
this period she has been evidently growing in the knowledge
of the word of God & in the practice of the duties of
christianity. - She espouses with spirit the cause of the
mission, prays with & counsels her associate & dependent fe
males with much propriety - & during this period she has
lived separate from the man who was acknowledged as hers, and
whom she loved and intended to marry in a christian manner
as soon as the missionaries should approve - But when she
brought this case before us, she was told that according to
the bible she could not be lawfully married to this man of
her choice, because he was the son of her former husband After considering the subject 24 hours, she declared again
her intention to abide unwaveringly by the word of God and
called on us to point out the passages in which a union was
forbidden - She was pointed to the prohibition in Moses
and
to the censure of Paul of a similar case, & she said, "I have
given myself up to be guided by the word of God, I will not
look back".
The object of her attachment to one of the most amiable
chiefs in the Islands whose connection with her was formed
before he knew it was wrong, has for some time desired to
know what the scriptures required him to do, to forsake her
or to marry her - abides unmoved by the decision of the word
of God, and feels determined to follow its direction - He,
Keariiahonui, has for some months given very satisfactory
evidence of ardent love to the truth - Yesterday at a meet
ing of the church Keariiahonui, Kaahumanu#, Opiia#, Karaimoku,
Kalakua#, Kapiolane , T a p u l e , Laanui , Kaiu, all chiefs, and
Richard Karaaiaulu gave publicly a relation of their religious
views, & a history of their feelings on the subject of the
gospel - all of which were so far satisfactory to the church,
that they were at their own desire propounded for admission
after three or 4 months further trial and very particular
#Sisters, formerly wives of King Tamehameha
IWife of Naihe chief of Kurakekua
Late queen of Atooi.
�936.
instruction on the duties of those who receive the
ordinances of baptism and the L o r d 's supper. Could you
dear Sir, or the Board, or your benevolent helpers have
been permitted to see these ten persons, among whom were
several chiefs of the first rank and influence, stand up
together in the presence of the church and congregation,
rejoicing in the hope of the gospel, declare themselves
to be on the Lord's side, desiring to be enrolled among
his people as followers of Christ - You would have given
Cod praise and exclaimed with us, "this is the Lord's
doing & it is marvellous in our eyes" - You would have
thought with us that the expense and toil of the Sandwich
Island mission were amply repaid, even if the undesirable
embarrassments of the Board should now oblige all your
missionaries to be recalled from this harvest field.
There are more than a hundred others who have professed
a desire and a determination to follow the word of God,
who maintain the duties of family & secret prayer & have
had their names put down as a declaration of their desire
to be conformed to the Scriptures - We have recently
printed 5500 copies of a new spelling book - or tract of
new elementary lessons.
These are nearly distributed,
& the types are left standing to supply the constantly
increasing demand - it is resolved to issue a scripture
tract & a catechism the present month, if life & health
are spared & we are looking wishfully for the 400 reams
of paper for the scriptures - of a translation, which sev
eral of the missionaries are making a beginning.
We still
feel the want of paper, but we mention this as a proof
of divine smiles on the nation.
As the providence of God has thrown together a large
majority of the members of the mission at this interesting
period - M r . Stewart being here from Lahaina, M r . Bishop
from Kairua, M r . Ely from Kaavaroa, & Mr. Goodrich from
Y/aiakia - we have in a joint meeting discussed a number of
important questions, and passed some resolutions, a copy of
which will be forwarded to y o u . Having resolved ourselves
into an eclesiastical council - M r . E ly was on the 4th inst.
ordained a s an Evangelist & missionary among the heathen,
in the presence of a large number of the chiefs - M r . Bishop
made the introductory prayer in the native language - M r .
Bingham preached the sermon in the native language from the
commission of Christ to his disciples to teach all nations M r . Stewart made the concealing prayer in English, M r . Bingham
gave the charge in English, Mr. Bishop the right hand of
fellowship. The service opened with the public hymn "B low
ye the trumpet" in the native language, & was closed by a
prayer in the same by M r . Ely. The occasion was to all par
ties a solemn and joyful one. Several of the chiefs were
exceedingly interested.
This day, the first Monday of June, which the churches so
unanimously are having before the King of kings, for a bless
ing on the nations, the rational council has been held at
this place. The chiefs unanimously agreed to support Kauikoaoule
the brother of Rihoriho as theirs - to do the best in their
�937.
power to secure for him a c hristian education - and to m a i n
tain the cause of c hristianity, in the i s l a nds .
- The pri n
cipal chiefs who constituted this cou n c i l ,were Kauikeaouli ,
Karaimoku - Kaahumanu, John Adams, Hoapiri - N aihe and
Kapiolani - Kulakua, Opiia, Boki & K o a h o u . L ord Byron with
M r . Charlton the consul, the chaplain of the Blonde, & the
members of the mission, M r . Young & M r . Marin, were present and all appeared to be satisfied with the r e s u l t . - Lord
Byron offered his advices a nd as the mission fully disclaimed
all right to interfere with the political and commercial
concerns of the nation - he distinctly and fully approved of
their continuing their instructions as c hristian missi on ari es.
When this was done, the chiefs requested prayer, and a
divine blessing was implored on these amicable deliberations
and on the young king, & the n a t i o n . At evening the people
repaired to the. church where an address was delivered to them
from P s . 72, 1 1 . All kings shall fall down before him, all
nations shall receive h i m . The question was put to the
ch i e f s , "Do you desire your king to become a disciple of
Christ - and do you desire now to pray that God will take him
under his special protection & preserve him for his own
service"? Karaimoku in beha lf of the council, replied "This
is our des ire ". H e was presented in the area before the
pulpit and an appropriate prayer was offered b y one of us in
his behalf - It was the decision of the council that at present
he should be under our instruction and have little to do with
the administration of Government till his mind is more m a t u r e d .
Thus all appears to be settled, & the chiefs on terms of
friendship propose to disperse to make known to their people,
& carry into effect their r e s o l ut io ns. M a y the God of Patriarchs
Prophets & Apostles- be their God and guide & Redeemer - and
may his holy truth speedily prevail through all these isles,
& through all the world - M a y the spirit of the Lord which
seems to have been felt more or less since the ???
at Tauwai,
but which since the first of Jan. has appeared more especially
to rest upon the islands, raise up on these plains of death
an exceeding great army to the praise of his matchless grace While we are encouraged by such favorable indications of
providence, & while w e would call on the Board & the public
to take courage & continue in their kind efforts & prayers
for the complete deliverance of this nation, we would entreat
their special prayers for us that we may not sink under the
burden and heat of the day, that, our female helpers, several
of whom are feeble, two of whom have been but recently co n
sidered dangerously ill, may be supported and made long useful
to the mission, to their partners & children & to the n a t i o n .
M r . & M r s . Stewart embark in the Blonde tomorrow for Hido for
her health, in hope of her recovery — M r . Whitney has, we
believe now more comfortable health than some months since.
With all our cares and trials and responsibilities, we cast
ourselves on the kind arms of the Lord & hope to be sustained
till our work is don e.
With the most cordial
salutations to you,
Dear Sir,
and to the
�938.
Board, & to your helpers, we are happy again to subscribe
ourselves your brethren & missionary servants for Jesus sake.
H . Bingham
C h a s . Saml. Stewart
Artimas Bishop
James Ely
Abm. Blatchley
J oseph Goodrich
Elisha Loomis
Levi Chamberlain
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .
Boston, M a s s . U . S . A .
R eceived April 10, 182 6 .
�939
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 242
Extract from the minutes of the General Meeting of the
Sandwich Island Mission held at Hororuru M a y & June 1 82 5 .
M o nda y June 20t h . Met to attend to unfinished businesspresent R e v . Messrs. Bingham, Bishop & E ly, D r . Blatchely
and Messrs. Loomis & Chamberlain.
The Committee appointed
to correspond with the different members of the mission
respecting the expediency of an uniformity in the o rt ho g
raphy of the Hawaiian language submitted the following
article which was accepted & approved as proper to be f o r
warded to the different s t a t i o n s .
The Committee appointed to correspond with the different
members of the mission respecting the expediency of an
uniformity in the orthography of the Hawaiian language, beg
leave to submit the following propositions embracing as they
conceive the difficulties now felt in spelling the l ang uag e.
An Alphabet was adopted more than three years ago, which
was intended to include all the letters necessary to express
the different sounds in the language, and no m o r e .
It has bee n found, however, from careful attention, that
b & d, though they are used by a few natives in a certain
cl ass of words, may always with strict propriety be supplied
by others, which better represent the sound most frequently
heard in the pronunciation of t h o s e w o r d s .
A.
In order to effect a n uniformity, either the k or the t, the
l or the r, the v or the w must be excluded from the Hawaiian
Alphabet, or the
orthography of each word in the language
in which any one of these letters occurs, must be settled by
discussion.
The propositions which the Committee wish to submit
brethren for their consideration are the following:
to the
1st.
Shall b and d be retained in the Hawaiian Alphabet,
or shall they be regarded as foreign letters and be
used only in spelling foreign words?
2 n d. Shall k be excluded or shall t, or shall b o t h be
retained?
3 r d . Shall to l
excluded or shall r, or shall both be retained?
4 t h . Shall v be excluded or shall w, or shall both be retained?
A . K and t, l and r, v and w are used interghangably. Some
—
individuals more uniformly use the k in the same word in
which the t is more uniformly used b y o th er s. The same
difference exists in reference to the other four lett ers .
�940.
In the opinion of this Committee all the sounds in the
Hawaiian Alphabet except perhaps b and d are in good use ,
nor do they think the language can be fully represented
without them; though it may possibly be found expedient
to reject some of the letters which are interc han gable.
Very few, if any, of the natives seem to distinguish the
difference between the sound of k & t , l & r, or v & w .
M a n y words at present in which r occurs are by many
uniformly pronounced as if written with l , and the same
is true with respect to the k & t, & the v & w .
It seems highly desirable that a method of spelling should
be adopted that should remove the difficulties n ow felt,
at least so far as the writing of the language is c o nce rn ed.
The inconvenience of the present method is obvious and is
felt by every member of the m i s s i o n . Honoruru m a y be written
four different ways and it is constantt y written two w a y s .
Kaavaroa may be written eight, and is actually written th re e.
K earakek u a may be w ritten sixteen, and is uniformly written
three or four, and every word in the language, in which
letters occur that are used inter changably, may by permutation
be written nearly as man y different ways as the square of the
whole number of interc hangable letters in the w o r d .
The difficulty hence arising does not terminate with the
limits of the Sandwich I s l a nd s. Communications are forwarded
to America with this difference marked upon them; and the
Board in their publications have adopted a method of spelling
widely d i f f e r e n t from any of those now in use by the mis si on
ar i e s . An uniformity on the p a r t of the mission, might
possibly have a tendency to produce on the part of the Board
the adoption of our m e t h o d .
There are indeed objections to settling the orthography b y
casting out of the Alphabet any one of the letters which
have been inserted, though it is difficult to conceive how
an uniformity among ourselves can be effected without it.
Tabu and lido,
which afford an instance of the use of b & d,
are in very common u se.
Tabu has become an English word and
may be found in some of the best English Dictionaries. R is
exclusively used at the Society Islands and N ew
a
e
l
Znd; b & d
are both in use t h e r e .
The books published by the missionaries
of the South Sea Islands will doubtless be introduced into
these islands, and the similarity of the different tribes i n
habiting the isles of the vast Pacific will occasion a c i r
culation of the books published at each of the groups among
all the r e s t . It is, therefore, not only desirable, that
there should be an uniformity among the missionaries at the
Sandwich Islands, but among all the missionaries throughout
all the group of isles, in which the Polynesian language is
sp ok en. In settling the orthography of this language, then,
these considerations should not be overlooked.
Several books have been published b y this mission which i n
clude all the letters in question, and the natives are in the
�941.
constant practice of using them all in their various
correspondence with one another & w i t h the missionaries,
and they would not easily be brought of from the habit
or soon reconciled to the disuse of any of th e m .
Man y words, proper names & phrases spelt with both these
classes of letters have been transmitted in various c o m
munications b o t h to England and America, and have been
or m ay be made public; among wh i c h may be mentioned the
Journal of the Tour of Hawaii, containing the names of all
the important places on that island and many interesting
expressions of the natives in their own language, all
written according to M r . Ellis' method of spelling the
language.
It will soon be necessary to publish a new edition of the
hymns, a revision of which must take place, if a different
orthography is adopted; of these one half at least were
furnished by Mr. Ellis and retain his sp ell i n g .
Finally, M r . Ellis whose opinion upon this subject we r e
gard as entitled to particular deference, would not be in
favor of discarding any of the letters now in use unless
possibly it might be b and d; and should he return, would
probably print books i ndependent of us, and therefore not
conform to our method, should we fix upon one at varience
with his o w n.
The Committee have endeavored to state some of the incon
veniences of the present method of irregular spelling, and
to represent some of the difficulties which seem to stand
in the way of an uniformityThese propositions & c o n
siderations are respectfully submi tt ed.
Report on the Alphabet
Language.
Received Feb. 14, 1826
of the Hawaiian
�942.
32
June 1828 - Au g. 1830
XI
Letter 243
Oahu, A u g . 20, 1825.
Very Dear Sir:
In our last joint letter of June 7 which was forwarded to
you b y the Adonis, C a p t . Coffin, we noticed the arrival
of the Blonde Frigate; the return of Boki and his company;
the reception and honorable conduct of lord Byron, who
has shown no small kindness to the people and to us; the
establishment here of an English consul; the ordination of
M r . Ely; the propounding of t e n candidates for admission
to the church; & the landing of the bodies of the late king
& queen, & the interesting national council in which the
young prince Kauikeouli was acknowledged as the rightful
successor of his brother & the cause of Christianity was
distinctly espoused by the c h ie fs.
In addressing you again by the Equator which is to sail
tomorrow, we are enabled to say with gratitude that during
the ten weeks since our last, Providence has continued to
smile on our labors at all the stations, and our missionary
work has by divine favor been as obviously progressing as
at any former period, tho' perhaps in some respects our
mission was never more a f fli ct ed.
M r . Stewart who had then b e e n at this station about 4 months,
and rendered important assistance by conducting pretty
uniformly the English services, preaching repeatedly to the
natives, and attending more or less to the instruction of
the chiefs, particularly of Kauikeouli as the circumstances
of his family would allow, sailed with his wife in the Blonde
as we before hinted on account of her. feeble & low state to
try the effect of a change of scene and a change of air for
her restoration.
Their hope was disappointed, and she r e
turned lower th an she went & continues low tho' somewhat more
comfortable than w hen she r et u r n e d . W e are all grieved at
the thought of any one's returning h o m e , b ut should she not
be in some good measure restored within six or 8 weeks, there
is a possibility of which it is proper for us to apprise you
now, that in accordance with the advice of the Physician of
the Blonde & the opinion of our own physician, M r . S . may b e
c alled to embrace an early opportunity to leave the islands
for a colder climate and return with her to A m e r i c a . But it
is still our hope and prayer that God will not send us so
afflictive a dispensation as to call them a w a y from this field
till the ripening harvest is g a t h e r e d .
Several of our females are in a feeble state, several of
the children have bee n v e r y ill - One is no m o r e . - The parents
of the little J . Evarts, have been called to the trying scene
of giving up this precious object of their fond affection
and laying him in the silent g r a v e by the side of his brother
L. Parsons. - On the 11 of June, aged 16 months, he was
called to rest as we would fain hope in kinder arms than theirs.
�943.
"so fades the lovely blooming f l o w e r " .
D r . B. whose attentions to him were constant and faithful,
supposed his last illness to be a species of the croup.
Sinc e his death, the health of M r s . Bingham has been consider
ably impaired & she has been laid a side for nearly a month,
tho' there is a prospect of regaining her health a g a i n . Of
the illness of M r s . Whitney & M r s . Richards, their husbands
will be better a b l e than we to give you a correct a c c o u n t .
Happy should we all be could we with the assured hope of Paul
say with him, "These light afflictions which are but for a
m o m e n t ,work for us a f e w more exceeding & eternal we ight of
g l o r y " . We might here speak of the wandering of Kamahoula,
and the irregularities of Irepore, but we gladly turn from
the contemplation of our sorrows to call your attention to
what the Lord is doing for the n a t i o n . By our former letter
& by our journal w h i c h we now forward up to the 6th of M ay,
you will see some indications of a revival of religion among
the p e o p l e . The n u m b e r of those who lend a listening ear
to the preaching of the gospel is constantly increasing.
About 70 males & as many females meet weekly for p r a y e r at
this place - and similar prayermeetings are held at other
stat i o n s . Two have been admitted to the church at Lahaina,
& the 10 condidates before mentioned still appear w e l l .
Several others are expected soon to be added to the list of
candidates for admission, having given pleasing evidence of
faith in C h r i s t .
Brothers Bishop & E ly during a short stay with us cheerfully
united their labors & counsels with ours, rejoicing in the
prospect of an approaching h a r v e s t . Previous to their return,
a trac t containing select portions of scripture, and a c a t e
chism containing 71 questions & answers on the most important
doctrines of the bible were put to press, & 1000 copies of
each have been struck o f f . Of the new spelling book or tract
N o . 1 of elementary lessons,
which was put to; press in April
last, about 6000 copies have been printed and the greater
part of them distributed, & the press is still employed to
supply the increasing d e m a n d . - We hope to add another tract
of 4 pages, N o . 4 containing the decalogue, the Lord's
prayer, and some special instruction respecting the sacraments
of baptism & the Lord's su pper. - Some progress has been made
in translations & we and the people are looking with interest
to the period of publishing one of the gospels.
On the 20 of June we had the happiness to see Karaimoku the
regent of the Sandwich Islands, united in honorable Christian
marriage to A k a k i , a young female of respectability among his
coun trymen. - Others who profess to love the gospel appear
to be desirous to honor this institution.
On the 21 & 22 of July more than 600 pupils met and were
examined at the c h u r c h . - Not all the schools on this island,
nor all that have b e e n instructed at this village were prese nt . About 80 short pieces of original composition were exhibited
by the c h i e f s , teachers & more advanced p u p i l s .
�944.
Recently the chiefs having just completed a large stone
tomb for the king and queen, have commenced, collecting
materials for. a large stone church, which will be erected
here as fast a s they can c o m m a n d the m e a n s .
Karaimoku has written to the G o v . of Sitka to exchange
lumber for salt, & engaged an American merchant to furnish
glass, paint and a b e l l . It will be a year probably before
it can be com p l e t e d . The design is n o b l e . How the execution
will succeed must be determined by expe rim en t.
Kaahumanu has been
kind to the mission and very much
aided our cause - the evidence of her sincere piety is daily
increasing.
v
e
r
y
While writing this, a note is received from M r . B i s h o p at
Kairua, stating that the religious aspect of things there
is daily assuming more and more interest, & they hope a r e
vival is at h a n d .
We might here mention, M r . & Mrs. Ruggles
are now here on their w ay to rejoin M r . Whitney at Tauai.
agreeable to a former ar ra ng e m e n t .
Thus, Dear Sir, we have endeavored to give you a brief
account of our state & p r o s p e c t s . You will sympathise &
rejoice with us, & commit our cause to God, w ho does all
things w e l l .
We have to acknowledge with heartfelt gratitude, his mercy
and your kindness, in reference to the copious & seasonable
and well selected -supplies by the P henix, landing in good
order b etween the 4th & 7 th of July, together with your kind
letter, by which we were refreshed - You have severed the
hope in our bosoms that some additional help will ere long
be sent u s . - The. field is open for ma n y more laborers, and
their toil we believe will not be in v a i n .
We feel it to be desirable to apply now for a new printing
press, as ours is materially damaged and may fail entirely at
any t i m e . The nut in w h i c h the screw plays is cracked quite
in two, & it is difficult to use it at all, & it is not easy,
if at all possible, to get it repaired at this p l a c e . The
stone is somewhat injured - & the whole liable to fail which would be an incalculable calamity till its place could
be su pplied. This may & will be used for light work as long
as it lasts, but a better one is indispensable in printing
the scr iptures.
As a saving of expense i n paper after the first edition of
any portion of scripture, we feel it needful to ask for a
new font of types of long Primer - further reasons for these
applications you will find i n M r . Loomis' letter on this
subject. You will not be impatient if we renew our application
for paper for printing the scriptures, & for more abundant
supplies of stationery of any k i n d .
Believing that you & your coadjutors desire the prosperity of
this mission as much as we can, and that our common Lord will
�945.
wisely in his providence direct the means for its success,
we again subscribe ourselves, dear sir, your friends and
fellow servants to the trust of the M a s t e r .
H . Bingham
C h a s . Saml. Stewart
Abrm. Blatc hely
Saml. Ruggles
Levi Chamberlain
Elisha Loomis
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F .M .
Boston, M a s s . U .S .A .
Received F e b . 14,
1826.
�946.
32
June 1828 - Aug . 1830
XI
Letter 244
Oahu, March. 10, 1 8 2 6 .
Honored a n d dear Sir:
The interesting communications w hi ch we have recently
received from the Missionary Rooms by the Brig Harbinger
and the Ship Sultan, after long waiting to hear from
home, have much refreshed and comforted u s . The kind
reception and interesting visit of brother Ellis in our
country; the successful operations of missionaries in
various parts of the heathen world; the increasing pros
perity of your Board; the contemplated union with the
United Foreign Mi s s ion Society; the recent establishment
of a national tract Society embracing the principal d e
nominations of c hristians in our country; the efficient
operations of the national Bible Society, and of the
Colonization Society; the happy influence of Education
Societies in enlisting the piety and talents of our youth
in the service of the Church, in which we see one of the
surest pledges of the future prosperity of Zion; the signal
exertions in favor of the Jews; the rapid increase of
literary institutions, and various associations for the
melioration of the condition of our fallen rac e : - all are
objects of lively interest to u s .
And though secluded in this distant and obscure corner of
the world, where we may never see again the face of our
dear native country, yet could we feel that such objects
as these, so closely linked with the vital interests of that
loved land of unparalleled civil liberty and religious fr e e
dom, had no claim on our warmest affections, nor on our
prayers and thanksgivings, we should be utterly unworthy
of our country, unworthy of her confidence, support or p r o
tect io n. - We love our country still: - we rejoice in her
happy and rising institutions; we cherish the most cordial
fellowship for the Churches of Christ, that so richly b e a u
tify that land, and contribute so materially to its national
security and prosperity: - we love the friends of Zio n. "There our best friends and kindred dwell" , and we would
bless God for the distinguished favors he is continually
bestowing on them, and on the churches and growing institu
tions of our country, where the L ord seems emphatically to
have "commanded his blessing, even life forever more". But do we or our countrymen feel sufficiently our obligations
to the Author of all good for that blessing - and do we feel
sufficiently desirous that every inhabited portion of the
globe should be made as happy as the happiest family in
that distinguished country?
You are indeed endeavoring to
do what is in your power to extend those blessings through
the world, and you would doubtless rejoice to be again a s
sured that the care, labor and funds which the Board have ex
pended in this part of the wide field, do not appear to have
been misapplied, or expended in v a i n . Much we are persuaded
has been gained, though far less than you or your missionaries
�could w i s h . Could you, however, see more than 20,000
of the islanders under the influence of Christian in
struction, from books in their own language, and from the
pulpit, and as m a n y hundreds maintaining the duties of
family and private devotion, and man y individuals, among
whom are the most distinguished persons in the nation,
giving pleasing evidence of a radical change of heart, and
a fitness for the fellowship of the churches, you would
not, we are persuaded, for a moment think your operations
here had bee n entirely in vain, - even if nothing more
were to be a chi ev ed. But for your en couragement, you will
allow us to refer you to the operations of your printing
press here, as an index to what is in prospect for the
1 3 0 ,000 inhab it ant s.
In the course of the year 1825 five small new tracts in the
native language were printed, amounting to 59,000 copies,
a large proportion of which were distributed during the same
p e rio d. Of the tract N o s . containing the elementary lessons
for spelling and reading & c, with select passages of s c r i p
ture, and which made the largest part of the above sum,
41.000 copies were printed, and nearly all distributed over
a great portion of the whole extent of the Sandwich I s l an ds.
There has been, and still is, a very great demand for h y m n s .
The second edition (10,000 copies) is n o w nearly through the
press; this will exhaust our p a p e r . But we hope a new su p
ply is on the way, as also a new press, types and other
facilities for bo o k making, which have been before applied
for as indispensable to the accomplishment of the work before
us.
Most of the brethren, whose engagements will allow of it,
are endeavoring to urge on the work of translating the scrip
tures, which will shortly give ample employment for the e x
pected new press, and meet the wishes of many thousands of
the people, who seem, to be hungering & thirsting for the word
of G o d .
But while we rejoice in the prosperity of your other stations,
and are able to speak w i t h gratitude of what God has done
for this, we are called to sympathise with our fellow laborers
in other fields, in what appears to bear marks of genuine
persecution, intended to check the progress of the true light.
Our lives have been, and still are, somewhat exposed, as is
the universal opinion here, to the rage of riotous seamen,
who find the influence of the Gospel a check to that licentious
ness which had been so prevalent and unrestrained at these
islands.
In a riot at Lahaina from the crew of the English ship Daniel,
of which we have before given an account, and in a recent
riot at this place from American seamen, particularly of the
United States Schooner Dolphin, Ca p t . Percival, on account of
the tabu prohibiting females from visiting the ships for the
purpose of prostitution, the lives and families of your mission
aries have been materially e xposed. But God has yet defended
�948.
them, nor suffered the hair of their heads to be injured.
We hope when the
Schooner is gone, and we are better able
to judge the nature & extent of her influence, to give you
a full account of her visit at the islands, and also an
impartial and detailed account of the recent riot, so abusive
to this nation and to your mission, and so disgraceful to
our cou nt ry.
Suffice it at present to say, that a mob threatened to
demolish our houses unless the tabu were taken o f f . They
attached the house (palace) in which the principal chiefs r e
side, dashed in the windows w i t h clubs, attempted to force
the doors and windows of M r . Ellis' house, in which M r . B i n g
ham's family reside, & repeatedly offered violence to M r . B's
p e r s o n . But he was rescued b y the timely interposition of the
natives, who had borne the other insults with unparalleled
forbearance, lest they should seem to be blameable for r e
sistance, or fail to exhibit the moderation and harmlessness
which the word of God requires of the professed disciples of
Christ, when suffering persecution on account of the Go spel.
It is proper, in our view, th a t the C h r i s t i a n public, b o t h
in Europe and America, should know that the persons and lives
of the Sandwich Island missionaries are exposed eminently to
the violence of nominal Christians, who oppose with the bitter
spirit of persecution the laudable efforts of the chiefs to
suppress the crimes and vices of the country, in ob edience to
the requirements of the word of G o d . We think it proper that
this should be known, not because we wish to speak of our
light afflictions, which deserve not as such as to be named;
but that the prayers of the church for this nation, straggling,
as it were, into existence as a Christian nation, and for
this mission, engaged in holding up the light which the workers
of iniquity hate, may be aided, and properly delivered from
them that believe not, and that more means may be used to
strengthen the mission and encourage this nation to perseverance
in the work of thorough reformation which is b e g u n .
Before this reaches you, you will doubtless have heard of
the mysterious dispensation of Providence, which has called
brother Stewart and his family from the field, of which a full
account was transmitted by h i m . We must again express the
earnest hope that should his impaired health or other circum
stances of his family forbid his being restored to us, the
breach may be filled b y a successor whose spirit and talents
are equally e x c ell en t.
We learn wit h pleasure that the Sandwich Island Packet may
soon be expected, built and sent by the Board for the Mi s s i o n .
We hope it comes as the pledge that a large re-enforcement is
to follow it, on account of which it would be specially service
able.
Pressing as the claims of this field appear to us to be far
a large addition of laborers, say for 10 years to come, yet we
are far from thinking that this is the only opening in the
heathen world particularly inviting your a t t en tio n. And though
�949.
we would renew our petition for such a re-enforcement,
should Providence afford the means, yet we pledge o u r
selves to yield quietly to the decisions of the superior
wisdom of the Board, under whose direction we have the
happiness to be employed, & from who m under Providence,
we expect such supplies, and such support as our c i r c u m
stances shall require.
Commending you, and the Board,
to the blessing of the Great and Divine Director of every
Christian mission, and tendering our cordial salutations
to all your helpers in this blessed cause, we though u n
worthy, are happy to subscribe ourselves your brethren and
fellow laborers for Jesus s a k e .
Hiram Bingham
William Richards
Elisha Loomis
Levi Chamberlain
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Corresponding Secretary,
A.B.C.F .M . R o o m s ,
Boston, M a s s . U . S . A .
Received O c t . 24, 1 8 2 6 .
�950*
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 245
Kailua, Hawaii,
O c t . 23,
1826 .
Very Dear S i r :
More than a year has elapsed since any joint communications
to the Board have been addressed from this p l a c e . During
this time t h e "good hand of God has been upon us for good",
as h e r e t o f o r e ,in upholding us in the successful prosecution
of our work, and giving us favor in the eight of the heathen.
For more than a year and a half from the return of M r . Thurston
to this station, we saw little to hope that our labors were
crowned with any marked success in the conversion of s i n n e r s .
Other stations had been blessed with the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit, and man y were hopefully converted to G o d . But
here we saw but few indications of seriousness or regard to
the precepts and sanctions of the Gosp el.
The first a p p e a r
ances of unusual concern or inquiry among the people for
their salvation w e r e observed by us in July 1825, when about
60 persons came forward and declared their resolution to
forsake their former habits of sin and folly, and cleave
unto the service and salvation of G o d . A very general attention
to religious duties was immediately apparent in the serious
deportment and fixed attention of many to the preaching of the
Gospel, and in the overflowing numbers who crowded to our
place of w o r s h i p . Several weekly social meetings for the
instruction of such as were serious inquirers were instituted
soon after, and have been continued to the present t i m e .
The appearance of those who attended upon these meetings at
that time was serious and friendly, and their minds evidently
disposed to seek after a knowledge of the will and law of
God, and the w a y of Salvation through Christ. In a previous
letter written by one of our number, it was there stated
that a few persons among the whole of the serious party, gave
evidence of a work of Divine Grace in their h e a r t s . Since
that time there are others also who have been added to the
number of the hopefully p i o u s . Most of these still continue
to walk in the w a y of Religion, and their characters are
daily becoming brighter & more interesting, as they advance
in religious exp er ien ce . Some of them appear to have made a
good proficiency in the knowledge of the Christian doctrines
and g r a c e s . These we purpose ere long to propound as c an di
dates for church m e m b e r s h i p . We have felt in no haste to
baptise any, lest in the beginning of our ingathering there
might be some who could not hold out faithful in times of
adversity or t r i b u l a t i o n . We feel it to be of the utmost
importance that the first fruits of our labors be such as
shall "adorn"in all their walk and conversation "the doctrine
of God our Sa viour". The enemy is upon the watch to detect
faults and defects whether real or imaginary in all those who
profess to have embraced the Religion of Christ.
The opposition
& enmity of Satan and his emissaries is most powerfully felt
at those stations where the influence of Christianity has more
generally prevailed than at this island. As the nature of this
opposition to the truth of God, and the source from whence it
�951.
comes will be fully pointed out in the joint communications
of the Mis sio n to the Board, we will only tes tif y in this
place that the characters of all those who have be e n b a p t i zed,
and of those also who are serious & friendly to the Mission,
have be e n wan t o n l y aspersed b y false reports, and their p e r
sons insulted by those who are enemies to the n e w state of
things and who acquainted with t h e Word of God and the o r d i
nances of His Gospel from their youth upwards, still prefer
darkness to light - and the way of death to the path of life.
Nor can the leaders in iniquity and sin & from whom we e x
perience the greatest annoyance, be styled a mere race of
v a g a b o n d s . They are far ot h e r w i s e . They are men of influence
and property engaged in lucrative trade and in the confidence
and full credit of w e a l t h y mercantile h o u s e s . A vagabond is
no more influential here than in other countries, but men of
wealth can devise & execute many schemes to prevent the spread
of Gospel truth, and such by no means are willing to remain
inactive spectators of the transforming work o f God which is
now carrying on so gloriously in these islands of the sea.
It certainly is a cause of gratitude to God that the opposition
which we feel, comes not from the rulers and people of this
n a t i o n . Were a part of the chiefs as bitter towards us and
our work as are m a n y of the foreign residents, there would be
a civil w a r on our account, and our safe residence here, if
not our lives would be endangered.
But while the nation is
united, our work prospers t h o ' the enemy rage from without.
Soon after the first appearance of a special attention to r e
ligion: in this place, our congregations became overflowing,
and great numbers were obliged to remain without, for want of
room in our place of worship.
It soon became apparent that
another more capacious house was needed.
We therefore suggest
ed the subject to G o v . Adams about 10 months ago, and he im
mediately assented to the pr opo sal . Accordingly, about the b e
ginning of February of the present year, every man in the dis
trict was called out to get timber in the m o u n t a i n s . Some
were appointed to cut, and others to drag it down, and in this
manner, not less than 4 0 0 sticks of from 40 to 60 feet in
length were collected upon the spot in a few weeks.
An open
space upon the rocks and partly enclosed by a grove of cocoanut and K o u trees was selected as the site.
In about 5 months
the ground was prepared, the timber hewn and t h e frame e r e c t e d .
The posts, 51 on each side, were firmly set into the rock
blasted out for the purpose, and an area of stones was then
built upon the site 3 feet above the former level firmly e n
closing the posts on every s i d e . Early in July the people were
again Galled out to thatch the building when about 4000 came,
bringing with them the m ate r i a l s . In little more than a month
the thatching was completed and by the first of September
the house was finished and ready for u s e . Its whole length
is 180 feet, its width 7 8 . It is built of the firmest and
most durable materials that the islands afford, and is p r o
nounced by good judges to be the largest and most elegant native
building ever erected, and will remain good 20 y e a r s . The
floor is overspread with a thick layer of rushes and covered
with m a t s . It has a good pulpit painted and furnished with
cushions & han g i n g s .
�952.
On Wednesday the 27th of September, several of the brethren
and principal chiefs having previously arrived from Oahu
& Maui, the dedication of our place of worship to the s e r
vice of Almighty God was so lem ni zed . The service was opened
b y chanting the 100th Psalm translated into the Hawaii
la nguage. The sermon was preached b y M r . Ely from 1 Kings 8:27,
and the consecrating prayer was offered b y M r . B i n g h a m . The
service was concluded b y singing the Jubilee Hymn, " Puhi ka pu
oukou". There were supposed to be not less than 6000 persons
present including the scholars of 40 schools, who w i t h their
teachers were present on the occasion.
It was indeed a day
of Jubilee with us, and such as had never been witnessed b e
fore on this i s l a n d . On the following day the people were
again assembled in the open air in front of K a a h u m a n u 's
dwelling house, where they were successively addressed by G o v .
Adams, Naihe, Kapiolani, Hoapili Wahine and Kaahumanu, on the
truths of Christianity and publicly making known their d e t e r
mination to follow its precepts and obey its sanctions in the
government of the people and b y their own example, confi rm
ing at the same time their purpose to suppress the vices and
superstitions that were once prevalent in the whole l an d .
On Friday of the same week M r . Joseph Goodrich was ordained
at this place to the work of the Gospel M ini str y b y the hands
of the brethren present, and on the we e k following returned
with his family to Hido (Byron's Bay) having b e e n absent at
Oahu since the early part of June. This was the second or
dination of a brother that has taken place at Kailua; M r .
Whitney having been set apart to the same office by us in
conjunction with M r . Ely on the 23rd of N o v . of last y e a r .
It has been one object of ours during the past year to collect
several little congregations in the neighboring villages
where schools had been some time in operation, with a view
to unite them with our congregation at Kailua as soon as the
new church should be c o m p l e t e d . These assemblies have usually
consisted of fr o m 500 to 1000 persons, and have been visited
b y one of us upon the Sabbath as often as we could be c o n
veniently spared from the duties of this s t a t i o n . It has been
an animating sight to witness the alacrity with which the
inhabitants uniformly assembled as we approached their villages,
as well as the fixed attentions which they have ever given
to the words of the speaker.
The principal places w hich we have visited and where co ngre
gations were gathered are K o o l u u l oa, Kaumalumalu, Kahalua &
K e a u h o u . But since the dedication of the new church, a great
part of the people of these places assemble with us on the
Sabbath, by which means our former congregation is at once
increased to about 3000 p e r s o n s . B y this arrangement we shall
be able to hereafter extend the sphere of our operations b e
yond the limits of our former excursions, and visit more f r e
quently than heretofore those villages which are remote, and
which as yet have received but little of our attention.
Among other objects of pursuit we have not omitted that of
the translation of the scr ipt ur es. Our first attempts at
translation were made in February of the present y e a r . Two
�953.
or three hours of each d a y were spent at this work, assisted
principally by G o v . Adams, until we had completed the gospel
of Matthew.
The several copies of M a t t h e w ’s Gospel made at
the different stations are now in a state of revision, and
will be ready for the press in a few w e e k s . When this work
shall be completed, we purpose to immediately commence the
Gospel of John (the portion assigned us b y the Mission) hoping
to have it ready for the press as early as April n e x t . The
call of this people for the scriptures is loud and daily r e
p e a t e d . They carefully collect and write down e v e r y text or
historical sketch of scripture that they hear from us, and
receive it as the word of God to which they are bound to ren der
obedi enc e. In the course of another year there will in all
probability be at least 10,000 persons on this island capable
of reading the Holy Scriptures with facility, could they be
obtained to put into their h a n d s .
The health of our families has been good, w it h the exception
of M r s . Thurston.
For some time we were apprehensive that
she was rapidly declining w i t h a pulmonary consumption, but
through the blessing of God upon the means used to prevent
the fatal tendency of her disease, she n ow appears better,
t h o ' she still remains weak and debilitated.
Can no Physician
be found who would be willing to enter upon the labors of a
Missionary, and devote his life to the healing of the diseases
of both soul and body?
But if no physician who is also a
missionary can be found, it might perhaps be well to consider
whether one might be sent to remain with us for a limited term
of years, & at. the expiration of which, another be raised up
to take his p l a c e .
The well, of which mention has been made in our former c omm u
nications as being in a state of forwardness, was abandoned
for more tha n a year & a half, but was again resumed during
the last s e a s o n . But after sinking a shaft upwards of 60
feet through the lava, the workmen came to a spring of brackish
water on a level with the s e a . We had hoped that at the d i s
tance of 1/4th of a mile from the sea pure fresh water might
be found, hut our hopes have bee n disappointed and our d e
pendence still continues as formerly upon the scanty supply
furnished from the interior and brought upon the shoulders of men.
We conclude b y wishing you, Dear Sir, and all those connected
with you in your labors of love, the continuance of health and
every consolation & encouragement in your arduous work to which
y o u r lives are devoted.
Yours in the bonds
of the gospel,
A. Thurston
Artimas Bishop.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
c o r . S e c . A .B .C .F .M .
Boston, M a s s . U.S.A.
Received June 5, 1827.
�954.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 2 4 6 .
Oahu, Sandwich I s l . N o v . 1, 1826.
Dear Brother:
As you are now about to return from these islands to the
land that gave you birth, something in writing from those
of us now at this station may naturally be expected.
Having
been providentially placed near you, we are perhaps, more
sensible of the severe indisposition under which you have
labored, than those of our number who have not had the same
opportunity for observation.
We are aware that your illness
has been of long duration, and t h o ' we do not feel competent
to judge of the degree of danger you would experience, by a
longer residence in this climate, we are satisfied, that in
returning at this time to the United States, you are acting
from conscientious m o t i v e s . In your opinion, as a physician,
of the necessity of a speedy return to America in order to
restore you to health, corroborated as it is by the sentiments
of D r . Belt of the Peacock, we would acquiesce, t h o ' we do not,
as before stated, consider ourselves as competent t o decide
in medical c a s e s .
Considering the probability that another opportunity to r e
turn may not for many months occur, and that you feel it
unsafe to remain here another summer, we are of opinion that
the present opportunity of returning by the ship Connecticut,
is a favorable one; a n d especially as there is a probability
of its being accomplished with very little expence to the
American Board, while at the same time we w o u l d express our
regret that we must now lose the services of one who has
often administered to our wants in times of sickness and d i s
tress, and of whose further aid we are still in n e e d . We
earnestly hope that the measure you feel it necessary to adopt
will speedily relieve you from the illness under which you
now l ab or.
In taking leave of you, we would r e n e w the assurance of our
esteem for yourself and M r s . B . , ever remembering with g r a t i
tude, the favors y ou have conferred on us and others of the
Mission, especially when we have been laid on beds of s i c k n e s s .
May God of his infinite mercy bless you and reward you an
hundred f o l d . To Him, to the American Board, and to the Christian
public, we most affectionately commend you.
Elisha Loomis
Samuel Ruggles
Levi Chamberlain
Saml.Whitney
(Mr. W hitney must have signed this letter when
D r . Blatchly touched at Tauai, after leaving
Hororuru).
To: D r . Abraham Blatc hely
Received June 9, 1827.
�955.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 247
U .S .Ship Peacock, Oahu,
November 5, 1 8 2 8 .
Sir:
Agreeable to your request, we have considered your case,
and after much reflection, are of opinion that from the
nature of your symptoms, a removal to a cooler climate
would be the only direct, or even probable means of r e
storing your heal th. Indeed, from your bilious habit
and reduced strength, we would consider a longer stay
in a tropical climate extremely hazardous.
We are respectfully,
your ob ed t. Servant &c,
Wm. Belt,
Surgeon.
T h o s . G. Bradner,
To: D r . B l a t c h e l y .
Received June 9, 1 8 2 7 .
S u r g e o n ’s M a t e .
�956.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Kailua,
Letter 249.
Sandwich Islands,
October 7, 1 8 2 6 .
To Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F.M.
Boston, M a s s . U .S .A .
From H . Bingham
Asa Thurston
William Richards
Artemas Bishop
James Ely
Joseph Goodrich
Samuel Ruggles
Levi C h a m b e r l a i n .
Received Se p t . 20, 1 8 2 7 .
Printed 24 Missionary Herald 102, April 1 8 2 8 .
�957.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 250
L ahaina,
D e c . 18,
182 6.
Honored & very dear Sir:
To the Prudential Committee we feel it our duty to give
a particular account of whatever is of material importance
to our mission even though it may embrace particulars which
should be concealed from the public e y e . Before you receive
this, you will have learned the particulars of a general
meeting of the mission held at Kailua, September & October
la s t . By the minutes of that meeting you will perceive,
that in consequence of various false reports respecting us,
our object and operations, we concluded to publish a c i r
cular on the s u b je ct.
That circular we n o w transmit to you together with a full
account of all the consequences which have resulted from i t .
It was issued from the press the latter part of October and
immediately handed to a number of the foreign residents and
to most of the Masters of vessels then at the islands.
October 30th the missionaries at Honolulu received the f o l
lowing reply to the circular which was written in duplicate,
one of wh ic h was forwarded immediately to K a i l u a .
Copy.
To the members of the General Meeting
of the Sandwich Islands Mis si on at K a i l u a .
Ge n t l e m e n :
The persons whose names are subscribed, desire to express
their readiness of mind to comply with the invitation and
to accept the Challenge contained in an address " To the friends
of civilization & Christianity" and in their turn "pledge"
themselves that the members of the mission family shall have
a "candid hearing with witnesses" whenever they think proper
to convene a council for that purpose at Honolulu, the m e r c a n
tile pursuits of many of the foreign residents demanding their
presence at that p l a c e .
They are of opinion that an opportunity more desirable than
the present cannot offer itself, when the result of an inves
tigation may be heard b y Naval officers of their own country,
whose judgments ought to be supposed unbiassed in estimating
the value of the "statements" and assigning the measure of
truth and propriety wi t h which they were m a d e .
We are gentlemen,
your most ob e d t . Servants,
(Signed) John C . Jones, J r .
R d . Charlton,
Eliab Grimes
W .I .Brookes
Stephen Reynolds
O.K .Wildes
�958.
(Signed ) c o n t .
W m . H . Conant
J.C.R ogers
John M ee k
John Dominis
Dixey Wildes
George Tradescant L a y .
To the above, the members
the following r e p l y .
Co p y .
of the Mission then at Oahu, made
To the Gentlemen who subscribed their
names to the paper in answer to the
circular recently issued b y the Sandwich
Island M i s s i o n .
Gentlemen:
We are happy to express our satisfaction with the proposition
contained in your recent communication respecting the c i r
cular addressed b y the General Meet ing of the Sandwich Island
Mission at Ka ilua "To the friends of Civilization and C h r i s
tianity".
We regret that the absence of some of our number
will necessarily occasion a delay of the proposed meeting.
But we assure you, Gentlemen, that nothing shall be wanting
on our part to hasten a convention of as many of the members
of the General Meeti ng as can conveniently assemble at this
place: and it is our hope that this may be affected in season
for the attendance of the N aval officers of our country now
at these i s l a nds .
We are G entlemen with respect,
your obedt.
Servants
(signed) Levi Chamberlain
Samuel Ruggles
A b r m . Blatchely
Elisha Loomis
Dated October 31, 18 2 6 .
Agreeable to the assurance given in the above we made ar ran ge
ments to affect a meeting as soon as possible.
M a n y of us
felt that it would be on our part a great sacrifice to leave
our stations and employments, and it was not without much
hesitation that we consented to do i t . We had just attended
a general meeting at Kailua, and some of us had been absent
from our stations during considerable part of the past y e a r .
It was v ery difficult to remove our families, some of whom
were very feeble, and still it was unsafe to leave them alone
to visit another island, where we might be detained for a
length of time.
Some of them too had recently suffered much
by sea-sickness and otherwise tedious passages from island
to island.
But. the principal thing which made us hesitate,
was the fact that we must suspend for a season our appropriate
work as missionaries, and submit ourselves to a kind of trial,
�before those of whose characters we were ignorant, or whom
we knew to be avowed enemies both to us and our c a u s e .
Under these circumstances we could not but query whether
we ought not to say with N ehemiah "Why should the work
cease whilst I leave it and come down unto you".
But confiding in the rectitude of our cause, the purity
of our intentions, and as we hope, humbly trusting in Him
who causes the wrath of man to praise him, we concluded
to assemble, and though we were aware that the net was p r e
pared for our steps, and their arrow ready upon the strings,
and though we expected to be the "song of the drunkards",
yet we determined to meet them, and trust the result with
him who said "L o I am with you a l w a y " .
The Missionary Packet after visiting Kauai returned to
Kailua, on board which M r . & M r s . Bingham and M e s s r s . Thurston
& Ely embarked, Wednesday Nov. 2 9 t h . On Friday morning they
reached L ahaina where they were joined b y Mr. Richards and
family.
They all arrived safely at Oahu on Saturday eve,
December 2nd.
On M o n d a y after deliberating for a time on the subject which
had called us together, we addressed the following letter to
the Gentlemen who had replyed to our c i r c u l a r .
(Copy)
Honolulu,
Dec. 4, 1826.
To the Gentlemen who subscribed their names
to a paper in answer to a circular of the
Sandwich Island Mission addressed to the friends
of Civilization & Chr is tianity.
Respected Gentlemen:
We take this early opportunity to announce to you our arrival
at this place in compliance with your suggestion, as expressed
in your answer to our circular addressed to the friends of
Civilization & C hri st i a n i t y .
W e shall wait with pleasure to hear the result of the i n
vestigation which you expressed you r readiness to make of
our conduct, and we would assure you, Gentlemen, of our w i l l
ingness to comply with what we before stated, that "if we
have mistaken the grand principles of reformation, or if we
have taken a wrong step, we will b e grateful to any man who
in a friendly manner will inform us of i t ."
A nd if, after an investigation, either of you, Gentlemen,
or any other person, shall be in doubt as to the truth of
any of the statements made in the above mentioned circular,
we hold ourselves in readiness to re deem our pledge, and
prove to the friends of Civilization and Christianity the
�960
truth of what we have s t a t e d .
We are respectfully yours,
(signed)
A . Thurston
W m . Richards
H . Bingham
James Ely
E . Loomis
S . Ruggles
Levi Chamberlain
The Wednesday evening following we received their reply
to the above which we here transcribe.
(Copy)
.
Oahu,
D e c . 6, 1 8 2 6 .
Gentlemen:
Your communication of the 4th ins t. addressed to the
Gentlemen who subscribed their names to the paper in
answer to the circular of the Sandwich Island Mission
"to the friends of Civilization & Christianity", has b e e n
received.
In your circular of O ct. 3rd you complained and remonstrated
against the illiberal and unmanly charges for which the
mission had been made accountable and Challenged an investi
gation of your conduct "pledging yourselves at the same time
to substantiate with witnesses everything which you had
asserted".
The subscribers to which your circular was addressed felt
willing to accept the challenge & for your own satisfaction
give you that candid hearing which you had so publicly d e
manded: they had no wi s h or intention of arraying themselves
as your accusers or appearing as your judges; they had t h e m
selves never heard any charges made on the missionaries b e
cause they had attempted to make better these people or
others that were illiberal and unmanly; they had sometimes
expressed their opinions which they hold they had a right
to do, that the missionaries "had mistaken the grand pr i n
ciples of reformation and in some instances taken a wrong
step, "if they had spoken with evil" they were ready to bear
witness of the evil", and be convinced also b y witnesses, the
value of your statements and assign to them the measure of
truth and propriety with which they were made, such were the
intentions of the subscribers who profess to be the friends
of Civilization and Christianity in accepting your c h a l l e n g e ,
and they now feel gratified that you have thought proper to
convene for the purpose of substantiating the validity of
your statements and convincing the public of the infalibility
of your system pursued for the purpose of correcting the
evils which exist in t h i s heathen l a n d . The subscribers
have only to add that they have expressed no readiness to
"make an investigation of your conduct, but simply pledged
themselves that the mission should have a candid hearing with
�961
witnesses, whenever they thought proper to convene for
that purpose, and they are n ow ready to meet you at any
moment which m ay suit your convenie nce .
We are,
Gentlemen,
(signed)
your most obedient servants,
George Tradescant Lay
J n o . Coffin Jones J r .
R d . Charlton
Stephen Reynolds
W m . French
Wm . J . Hammott
W m . Buckle
E . Grimes
Oliver K. Wildes
J .C .Rogers
W m . H y . M cNeill
Dixey Wildes
John Doninis
Perceiving the ver y great discrepance in the various
parts of the communications which the gentlemen had made
to us, and being aware that a public meeting would not
end happily unless there were some previous agreement and
arrangements made, we thought best to appoint a committee
to determine whether there should be a public meeting, and
if so, conclude on the subjects to be brought before that
meeting, and prescribe the rules b y which the meeting
should be c o n d u c t e d . We therefore on the same evening a d
dressed to them the following l e t t e r .
(Copy)
Oahu,
D e c . 6, 1 8 2 6 .
Gentlemen:
Having just received your joint communication in reply to
ours of the 4th i ns t . , we beg leave to propose that a
committee of your number be appointed to meet a committee
of two from ours, at the office of John C . Jones, E sq r . ,
or any other convenient place tomorrow at eleven o'clock,
to confer on the subjects of our late circular and the
letters which have followed i t .
In behalf of the Mission,
Levi Chamberlain,
Scribe.
Addressed to M e s s r s . Jones, Lay,
Charlton & others.
Early the next morning we received from M r . Charlton,
English consul) the following re p l y .
(c o p y )
Sir:
I have
Oahu,
(the
D e c . 6, 1826 - 9 P .M .
just received your letter of this day's date,
the late-
�962.
ness of the hour has prevented me from laying it before
the majority of the gentlemen who signed the reply to
your letter of the 4th i n s t . I am therefore afraid it
will not be possible to meet you tomorrow, but on Friday
at 11 A .M . I can take upon myself to s a y that we will
be ready to meet any one or more of the gentlemen, b e
longing to the Mission, at the house of G o v . Poki (near
my house), but I b e g leave to say that I am certain the
subscribers to our letter of this day's date will not
consent to the appointment of a committee on their part,
and I am also convinced that it would be much more a g r e e
able to them, if the whole of the Gentlemen attached to
the mission, and who are now at this place, would a t t e n d .
I am,
Sir,
yours o b e d .tly,
R. Charlton, for the gentlemen who
signed the letter of this day's da t e .
As we perceived that our opponents were determined on
having a public meeting, and would not submit to any p re
vious agreement or by-laws; and lest doubts should remain
as to the business of the meeting, we without delay returned
the following answer.
(Copy)
Oahu,
December 7th
To Richard Charlton, E s q . for the gentlemen
who signed the joint letter of the 6th i n s t .
Dear S i r :
We received your letter of last evening early this morning,
and can but express our sincere regret that the gentlemen
in whose behalf you wrote, decline to appoint a committee
to meet a committee of our n u m b e r . We thought that previous
to a general meeting, it would be desirable to determine
what business should be brought before that meeting, and also
in what manner the business should be brought forward, and
how the meeting should be c o n d u c t e d .
But as you decline meeting us by committee, and have suggested
that it would be more agreeable that all who have had part
in the correspondence should be present, we shall hold o u r
selves in readiness to meet you tomorrow at 11 o'clock A .M .
at the house of G o v . Poki, for the purpose expressed in our
communication of the 4th inst. V i z . "to hear the result of
the investigation which you have expressed a readiness to
make of our c o n d u c t " .
We have not overlooked the expression made in reply to this,
that you "have expressed no readiness to make an investigation
of our co nd uct ". But as it was not from ourselves that we
challenged an investigation, but from those w ho reside or
occasionally touch at the islands"; and as this was the
challenge which you were pleased to accept, we know of no
other ground on which we can meet, and we again repeat, that
"if we have mistaken the grand principles of reformation, or
�963.
if we have taken a wrong step, we will he grateful to any
man who in a friendly manner will inform us of it".
We beg leave to say further, that at the time when we wrote
our circular and asked an investigation of our conduct,
and when we used the word challenge which the gentlemen who
have replied to us are pleased frequently to repeat, and to
mark with peculiar emphasis, it never occurred to us that
we were d o i n g anything more than what every man has a right
to demand, v i z . that he shall be considered innocent till he
is proved g u i l t y . We think it would be a new and unheard of
thing for a body of men to appear in an assembly, to prove
that they are innocent when they have not been charged b e
fore that assembly w it h being guilty, or to prove that they
have spoken the truth, when no evidence has been exhibited
that they have spoken fals ely .
But w henever a wr it ten charge is brought against us supported
by evidence, we shall feel it our duty to disprove it or
acknowledge our fault, or if we are charged with having made
false statements, let these be presented in writing s u p
ported by evidence, and then we shall feel ourselves bound
to prove that our statements are tr u e .
But if there is no one who appears to point out in writing
any mistake in our grand principles, or anything wrong in
the steps we have taken, then we leave it to the friends of
Civilization and Christianity to judge whether the ground we
have taken is not feasible and our circular to be a p p r o v e d .
In behalf of the Mission,
Levi Chamberlain,
Scribe.
According to the above appointment we assembled at the
house of Governor Poki at 11 o'clock on Friday D e c . 8 t h .
Besides the signers of the above letters, m an y others were
present, among whom were Capt . Jones of the sloop of war
Peacock, and several of his officers.
M r . Charlton brought forward the business of the meeting by
mentioning the fact of our having published a circular,
alluded to the complaint & remonstrance therein made, also
to our promise that we would substantiate with witnesses
everything we asserted; then said they had assembled to hear
what we had to say and p r o v e .
To this we r eplyed b y reading a part of our last letter, in
which we stated what we considered to be the business of the
meeting, also made a few comments on the import of what they
called our challenge, and their reply in which they accepted
i t .
To this M r . Charlton replied that they had not come together
as our accusers, although he was for one exceedingly d i s
satisfied with the operations of the mission, "very, very much
�964.
dissatisfied"; that he had made official complaint against
us, that he positively knew that the schools were a nuisance,
and that there were more crimes committed in them than in
all the islands besides; that he knew we were ordered to
cover these islands with fruitful fields and pleasant d w e l l
ings and schools and churches, that the two latter we had
effected and a greater evil we could not have done, and
as for the former, many of the people were in a state of
starvation, that there was much more food & the people were
in a better state in Cook's time than n o w
- that the people
were positively growing worse & worse - that at Maui and
Kauai the Pilots were prevented from going off to vessels
on the Sabbath, and that a ship in a sinking condition could
not be towed into the harbor of Honolulu on that d a y .
To all this we merel y answered, that if these were charges
against us, let them be written down & the evidence be e x
hibited and we shall then feel ourselves bound to r e p l y .
To this M r . Charlton answered, that they were not in the
habit of writing, but he knew that the people here, and at
the Society Islands also, were a great deal worse than they
were when Cook was here, that the missionaries at the
Society Islands had done great hurt - that he had been
considerable time on the ground and he knew that so bad a
race of people could n o t be found on the face of the earth
as the people of the Society Islands - that we were going
on in the same way as the missionaries there had gone that some of our number had rendered themselves so obnoxious
to the foreign residents that at one time they were on the
point of petitioning the mission to cause a removal and
to fill the vaca nc y by a new loc ati on .
C a p t . Ebbets in a most insulting authoritative manner d e
manded - "Who supports you - who gives you your bread - who
gives you your meat? - Answer me th a t ” .
Captain Grimes in a similar manner demanded, "’
W hat have
you called us here for? - What have you called us here for"?
To all this and everything else we replyed, "From you,
Gentlemen, we have asked an investigation of our conduct we have challenged it: n o w as you have accepted the challenge,
let your charges be stated definitely, and bring your e v i
dence in support of them - then, and not till then, will
there be anything for us to do, either offensive or defensive.
To this M r . Charlton answered, "There is not a chief on
the Islands who dares testify against a mi s s i o n a r y . Only
yesterday I questioned two chiefs myself, and they said, "dont
say anything to us, for if we speak the truth, we shall not
live a m o n t h " .
M r . Reynolds said, "the evidence against us was of such a
kind that it was impossible to come at it so as to bring it
forwa rd ".
We said we did not expect them to bring sworn witnesses,
�965
or such legal evidence as would be required by a regular
court; but any evidence of any sort which would at all
influence a candid mind was suitable evidence to be e x
hibited there, & to such evidence we would, reply, but
if none of any kind whatsoever could be exhibited, then
we should with confidence leave it to the friends of c i v
ilization to decide whether our cause & character do not
remain un imp ea che d.
The above is a specimen, and indeed the sum of all that
was said. M r . Charlton was the principal speaker, though
several others said a li ttle.
C a p t . Jones of the Peacock remained a mere spectator until
he perceived the whole ground of dispute, and then rising,
proposed that our circular should be read entire that it
might be looked at as a whole, for he thought some had
misunderstood it in consequence of looking at it in detached
parts, and the latter was not a correct method of examining
such a communic ati on .
It was read according to his request, after which he rose
again, and in a very clear and explicit manner stated what
he thought to be its purport, said, that as he viewed the
subject, it was the business of those gentlemen who. had
replyed to the circular, to direct the attention of the
missionaries to some special charge, and bring their e vi
dence in support of that charge, otherwise nothing could be
done, for no one would expect the missionaries would arraign,
try, and condemn th e m s e l v e s . He thought the circular was
a clear, full and proper declaration of the objects & opera
tions of the mission, that the public were candidly and
fairly called upon to point out any mistakes either in their
principles or conduct, and to bear witness of the evil, if
there were any - he thought the gentlemen of the mission
had done everything they could on their part, & that now
the burden of proof must lie on those who accepted the c h a l
lenge, and if charges were proved against the missionaries,
then and not till then, could they be expected to answer to
them.
He then begged pardon for his
and took his s e a t .
intrusion,
if it was such,
This seemed to damp the spirits of our opponents, and Mr.
Jones, the consul, soon moved an adjour nm ent . C a p t . Jones
rose again, said he did not wish any one to think that he
appeared there as the champion of the missionaries: that
was not his intention, although he had taken the liberty
of expressing his opinion: he thought the missionaries might
err as well as other men, and where he thought they could
improve he was ready and even had expressed it to them, and
as they had so frankly called upon the public to do the same,
he saw not why the gentlemen present s hould r e fu se .
M r . Reynolds again proposed an adjournment and the meeting
broke u p .
�966.
Thus ended our trial, as it has be e n called, although
our enemies did not dare venture in writing, even a
single charge, and that too when they had been r e p e a t
edly challenged to do i t .
In all these occurrences we have great occasion to notice
the finger of Him who has ordered all the circumstances
of this Mi ss ion with so much w i s do m and m e r c y . Particular
ly have we occasion to speak of the character of C a p t . Jones.
He has been all that we could hope for in a gentlemen,
Christian, #and enterprising o fficer. He has greatly e n
deared himself to us and to the chiefs of the islands.
We take great satisfaction in recommending him to the friends
of civilization & c hristianity.
We desire to close this letter b y expressing our gratitude
to our heavenly Benefactor, to whom we are so much indebted
for his recent as well as his former favors.
With great affection and respect,
We remain, very dear Sir,
Your Brethren & fellow servants
Wil l iam R ichards
H . Bingham
Saml. Ruggles
Elisha Loomis
Levi Chamberlain
#See Post Script
P . S.
Jan. 3, 1827.
Though we could hardly have expected
more from a pious commander, yet i t would be more
safe for us to speak of C a p t . Jones as a man of
principle who respects the religion of the Bible,
befriends the cause of civilization and Christianity,
& seems not far from the kingdom of h e a v e n . - We
have still good reason to hope that the interview
above described will be followed b y happy consequences
well worth the trouble it cost u s .
H .B .
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
Corresponding Secretary of the
A. B. C. F. M .
Boston, Mass.
Received July 3, 1 8 2 7 .
�967.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 251
Oahu,
Jan. 3,
1827.
\
Honored & dear Sir:
Through the rich & soverign goodness of our covenant
Father we have been brought through the vicissitudes
of another year, & we are allowed to enter upon the
new year with cheering hope that the same goodness &
me r c y which have been shown to the mission during 7 years
of its existence, will continue to follow us so long as
our continuance in the field, or our existence in the
world can be of any service to our fellow men or to the
cause of our Redeemer.
Should we attempt to give an outline of the history of
the mission for the past year, it would be much of the
same kind as that of former years, divine protection in
the midst of anger, signal manifestations of God's provi
dential care in seasons of peculiar trials, steady &
cheering progress in the w or k of instruction & improve
ment in the face of decided & unceasing o p p o sit io n.
The riotous & insolent conduct of the U.S.Schooner Dolphin,
the efforts of foreigners to prejudice the minds of the
chiefs against the operations of the mission - the influence
the English Consul in connection with others, seems to
have had over Gov. Boki to induce him in some instances to
act in oppositio n to us, - the suspension of the labors
of Mr. Loomis & the departure of D r . Blatchely for the U.S.
both in consequence of ill health, are among the trials
of the last year which we have occasion to mention of, each
of which you will receive a circumstantial account which will
show you the manouvering of the enemy, the influence of
friends, the struggles under which we feel the need of sup
port both from our Patrons & from on high - By recent papers
we are affected to learn that one of the honored directors
of the Board, the R e v . D . Morse, & one of your esteemed
missionaries at Palestine, the R e v . P . Fisk, have rested from
their labors on earth — Two Presidents of the U.S. have
also after breathing the vital air of freedom for half a
century, resigned their breath to him who gave i t . - N ot less
than 7 chiefs have died at these islands during the last
year - W e feel that we are in a dying changing world, &
feel admonished to be in readiness for our s u m m on s.
We have alluded to th e, health, the trials & the opposition
with which we have been affected during the last year, but
we should not do justice to our master, nor to your ex
pectations, nor to our own feelings of gratitude to God, if
we do not turn the page & notice what God has done for u s .
In the midst of opposition & while numbers have been affected
with ill health, he has enabled us to maintain with little
interruption the preaching of the gospel at all the stations,
& to make considerable advances, t h o ' less than we could
�968.
wish,
in the tran sla tio ns .
We have printed also during the year 1826, 6000 copies
of the tract containing the decalogue, the L ord's prayer
& a brief v iew of the ordinances, 10,000 copies of our
Hawaiian hymn book, & 22000 copies of the revised im
pression of the spelling book, which has enabled us to
extend instruction to m an y thousands of the natives u n
taught before - Several hundred copies of the story of
the Good Samaritan have also been printed in the native
language - & a circular in English containing a st a t e
ment of some of the prominent facts relative to the prin
ciples & progress of the mission - More tracts would
doubtless have been printed, and the gospel of Matthew
we had hoped to put to press before the end of the year
had not the feeble state of M r . L's health prevented We are happy to say too that good attention continues
to be given to the preached word, & an unceasing desire
to be furnished with more books - while we are w r i t i n g .
our house is crowded with natives urging us to take their
money to ensure for themselves copies of the'gospel w he n
it shall be printed.
Most of the chiefs & assistant teachers continue to show
by their friendly & orderly conduct that our labor has
not been entirely in v a i n . As to printing one of the g o s
pels, we have little prospect of accomplishing it soon
unless it can be done in Ame ri ca.
And here we must b e g your kind attention to the principal
object of this
letter, though doubtless painful to you
as well as o urselves. - In S e p t . last, Brother Loomis
finding so much evidence of a serious affection of the
liver as to warn him of the hazard of remaining at the is lands, having obtained the opinion of D r . Blatchely as to
the importance of visiting a colder climate soon as a very
probable means of re-establishing his health, addressed a
communication to the general meeting of the mission at
Kailua requesting the brethren to consider the expediency
of his visiting the U .S . partly with a v ie w to restore his
health, & partly to facilitate the printing of such portions
of Scriptures there as we might soon have ready for p ub
lication for the people, with the hope & earnest desire of
returning to this field after a short residence in Ame ri ca.
D r . B . had given his opinion that he would not be able
here to superintend the printing, even of one of the gospels
We had long thought that w hen the language should come to
be correctly written and some 5 0 or a hundred thousand of
the natives to be furnished with books, much of the printing
for them might be done in America to better advantage than
here, provided a proof reader acquainted with the language
could be devoted to it t h e r e . And it was now the decided
w i s h of the mission that experiment should be made there to
reprint our tracts & hymns, & to print su c h portions of
scriptures as may from time to time be made ready for p u b
lication, as a most important method of multiplying the means
of grace at the islands while every endeavor should be made
�969*
to keep one good press at least in constant operation
h e r e . With the illness of M r . Loomis all the brethren
were acquainted, & as to the prospect of a speedy decline
here or of a recovery in a colder climate, they could not
dissent from the declared views of D r . B l a t c h e l y . They
therefore after mature deliberation passed unanimously the
following resolve on the 25 of S e p t . last v i z .
In consideration of the feeble and declining health of
M r . Loomis and the little prospect we have of publishing
one of the gospels or any similar work here until another
printer shall arrive, voted that we deem it expedient for
him with his family to undertake a voyage to the U .S .A .
for the double purpose of benefiting his health and super
intending the printing of bo o k s for this mission under the
direction of the A .B .C.F.M . From that time M r . L . has
been looking for a passage in pursuance of this resolution.
About the last of D e c ., our obliging friend, Capt. Jones
of the U .S .S . Peacock, advised a passage in the Convoy C a p t .
Grimes bound to Valparaiso, offering letters of introduction
to the consul there, & other of his friends.
The Brig
Convoy affords good accommodations for passengers & will
touch at Tahiti on her w a y to V a l p a r a i s o . At both of those
places it is supposed there will in all probability be a
number of homeward bound whaleships, and at the latter
frequent opportunities by merchant ships to get a passage
to the U .S . It was thought by the members at this station
that the opportunity is a favorable one, and more so than
will be likely to offer again soon, as the last vessels
for the season are about leaving p o r t . An engagement has
therefore been made with the agent, J .C . Jones, Jr. E s q r .
for a passage for M r . Loomis and family for the consideration
of 100 dol l. to Tahiti, & 100 d o l l . from Tahiti to Valparaiso
should it be found necessary to go on to the latter place
in the B r i g . He expects to sail tomorrow, and all hands are
busy in making the necessary preparations. As M r . Jones
has offered a free passage to Valparaiso for M r . R u g g l e s '
eldest daughter, whom her parents wish to send to the care of
their family friends in America, she will take passage with
them, hoping that the remainder of the voyage home will be
attended with little additional expense connected with M r .
L ’s fami ly. M r . Jones kindly offers letters of introduction
also to V a l p a r a i s o .
Brother & Sister Loomis have greatly endeared themselves to
all their brethren & sisters by a patient continuance in
well doing for 7 years of hard missionary service, the happy
influence of which on the Sandwich Island nation will be
fully known and appreciated only in eternity - They have
longed to witness with their own eyes the conversion of the
nation to Christianity & then to lay down their bones in the
newly possessed country - nothing could be farther from their
wishes than to retire from this whitening field or to quit
the missionary s e r v ice .
Their connection with this church & mission and w it h the
�97 0.
Board it is their wish & ours, m a y not be dissolved nor
in any w ay affected by this temporary r e m o v a l . It is in
deed with feelings of the deepest regret felt by us all,
that we are brought to the period of parting with the m.
But under this severe trial, the suspension of his labors
here should be continued, the prospect of his aiding the
printing department for us more effectually at home for a
season, & the great hopes we entertain that he will ere
long be permitted to join us again & thus have a longerterm of useful service in t h e field than he could r e a s o n
ably expect by attempting to remain, all contribute to
quiet our minds at the present period w h i l e we feel our
strength failing and see our ranks so much t h i n n e r . In
short the indications of providence appear to us so clear
that even if our sanguine hopes are not all realized, we
trust that both you & ourselves will be enabled to say in
reference to the result of this voyage "the will of the
Lord be d on e ".
The mission therefore feel impelled to send them ba c k to
the Board for a season to be of course entirely under their
direction, though we have ventured to express our wishes
as to the manner in which M r . L. may be employed till he
should be thought able to resume his labors here should he
be permitted in providence to r e t u r n . He will take with him
copies of all our publications and a part of the Gospel of
M a t t hew & will expect the remainder soon,as well as the
other gospels which we have resolved to forw ar d. We have
presumed that the American Bible Society and the American
Tract Society would be disposed if applied to by the Board
to render some assistance in the work of publishing books
for this pe ople.
Should the Board approve of the plan we have ventured to
suggest, of printing in America for the mission, we trust
they will feel a pleasure in conferring with M r . L . r e
specting the number of copies needed of each edition, the
importance of retaining in the hands of the Board the pro
priety of the works, - the manner in which they may be a p
plied to defray the expenses of the mission, the pressing
need of filling the vacancies in our thinned ranks, &
other points relative to our work, our situation & our plans,
all of which we desire to refer & submit to the better judg
ment of the Prudential Committee - Should the above plan
fail, we must renew our most earnest petitions that the
Board will do what can be done to aid & reenforce our pr in t
ing department at the islands*
Crippled as we are, we shall endeavor to go on w i t h printing
while our press & any strength rema in s. Some of us must
give attention to it even if it requires a neglect of preach
ing - Some aid may be e x p e c t e d from native hands partially
instructed in this art, and some perhaps may be obtained from
a journeyman printer now in the place, but as he is a transient
person, liable to intoxication, and mental derangement, his
assistance cannot be relied on with much confidence.
�971.
We hope shortly to put to press a tract, N o . 6, now
ready, C h r i s t 's sermon on the mount - & other new tracts as they
are made ready from time to time - But our strength is
w e a k n e s s . - The work is g r e a t . It is with Cod to prosper
it or n o t . We would leave it with him & bless him for what
he has done, & trust him for the accomplishment of what r e
mains.
It is with tender interest & cordial esteem that we give
the parting hand to Brother & Sister Loomis - bid them r e
turn to the land of their f a t h e r ’s & to their kindred, &
see them under circumstances of affection embarking with
their little ones on the wide ocean to retrace their course,
not knowing what may befall them on l i f e ’s tempestuous sea,
& the little orphan stranger too of six years old, leaving
her fond parents still to bear the burden and heat of the
day to struggle with missionary trials for the salvation of
the heathen, leaving her parents in the field of battle to
find herself a n asylum & a home in the land of our fathers,
to her a strange & foreign l a n d . But they go with our
full a p p r o bat ion . We commit them to the protection of H e a v e n .
Our brother & sister we affectionately commend to the
paternal care & kindness of the Board, to the sympathies of
the friends of missions, to the entire confidence of the
Christian public and to the fellowship of the Christians,
& the little ones to the special guardianship & hospitality
of their personal friends, following them with our best
wishes and our fervest prayers that they and the Board & all
their helpers & ours may ever have the guidance & support
of an almighty hand, the care & benediction of an Almighty
F r ien d.
With sentiments of the highest esteem & respect for you,
Sir, personally & for the members of the honored Board of
commissions wit h whom you are associated, we are happy to
subscribe ourselves yours in Christ our L o r d .
H . Bingham
Samuel Ruggles
Levi Chamberlain.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F .M .
Boston, Mass.
Received June 25, 1827.
�972.
32
June 1828 - Au g . 1830
XI
Kailua,
Letter 252
June 8, 1 8 2 7 .
Very Dear Sir:
At a general meeting of the mission held at this place
in October last, a communication from D r . Blatc hely was
submitted requesting the opinion of the members present
respecting his leaving the islands for his native shores,
be in g fully persuaded that a continuance in this climate
through another w arm season would be an unwarrantable
exposure of his health, if it did not carry him to a
premature g r a v e .
As a vessel was then in port in which he might have o b
tained a passage, the first business of the meeting was
an attention to his case, and our opinion was expressed
to him in a communication advising him in consequence of
the feeble health of some of the members of the mission,
& that of Kalaimoku, to defer his departure till a trial
somewhat longer should be made of the climate under local
circumstances apparently more favorable to his health.
We further expressed that in case our advice should be c o n
trary to his own conviction of duty, and he should not wit h
standing think it best to leave without further delay, we
would address the Board on the subject, giving in full such
reasons for his return as we might have in our po ssession.
As the vessel in which he might have obtained a passage
sailed before our communication reached him, he did not
think it expedient to improve that conveyance. But as another
opportunity soon presented, and being offered a passage on
very favorable terms, he accepted it, and sailed from these
islands for the United States in N ovember last.
Previous to his departure, the members of the mission present
at Honolulu, gave him a short letter expressive of their
sympathies & kind feelings as well as sincere regret at the
necessity of his leaving the islands, commending him at the
same time to t h e Board, and to the Christian public, and
in the sentiments of which we are all happy now to u n i t e .
We are sorry that his early departure prevented the mission
as a body from expressing their sentiments to the Board on
the subject in time to have been taken with h im. But as
this privilege & happiness, from the circumstances of the
case were denied us, we now proceed to state to you the
reasons which seem to us worthy of consideration in justify
ing his r e t u r n .
The feeble and declining state of his health is the grand
& principal reason which we have to state in justification
of his retur n. During a residence of three years & a half
in these islands, he had time to mark the effects which the
climate had made upon his constitution, and as a man of
�973.
medical skill and foresight to decide with a good degree
of certainty on the unfavorable effects which a continued
residence in the islands would probably have upon his
health & usefulness, and for some time previous to the
communication above mentioned, we ourselves had felt no
small degree of solicitude respecting him, fearing that the
state of his health would render it necessary for him to
remove and leave us again destitute of a physician.
Our fears have been realized, and we deeply regret the loss
which we have sustained, both on our own account as being
left without an experienced adviser in sickness, & of the
chiefs & people of these islands who need constantly the aid
of a skilful physician.
During his residence with us he visited all the stations in
the islands, he was with us in sickness & in times of domestic
solicitude & affliction, and b y means of his medical skill
he did much to relieve our sorrows, cheer our spirits, and
smooth the roughness of our path, and we feel ourselves under
obligations of gratitude to him, as well as to our heavenly
Father for continuing his services to us so long.
But while he contributed much for the relief and comfort of
others, it was evident that his own spirits oftimes suffered
much from depression in consequence of the declining state
of his health, the opposition from without to our work, and
other trying circumstances with which all missionaries are
more or less surrounded, and which press upon the mind wit h
peculiar force when the constitution is shaken & the health
declining.
But the labors of Dr. Blatchely were not confined to the
medical d epa rtment. He was a man of active habits & whenever
he had leisure & his health permitted, he was occupied in
some manual emp loyment. He performed much labor in fitting
up the apartment assigned him in the mission house at Oahu,
and probably injured his health & shortened his stay with us
on this a c c o u n t . The services which his mechanical genius
enabled him to render the mission aside from his duty as a
physician, demand our thankful acknowledgements.
In passing from island to island in a medical capacity, in
crossing Hawaii & performing various other labors, he injured
his health.
Besides the two severe attacks of a billious
fever, one at Waiakea in the second year of his residence, and
one at Honolulu during the last summer, he did not enjoy good
health at any period for two years before his departure.
For more than a year previous to the time of his leaving us,
it was the conviction of his own mind that he should be n e c ess i
tated to remove to a colder climate in order to restore his
health & prolong his life.
Just before he left he obtained the opinion of two medical
men on board the United States Sloop of W ar Peacock, whose
opinion confirmed the conviction of his own mind as to the
propriety of a speedy de p a r t u r e . F rom his billious habit
�& reduced strength they considered a longer stay in a
tropical climate extremely dangerous, and it is highly
probable had he continued here through another warm season,
he would have been attacked again with the sane disease
under which he had previously suffered, and a severe attack
upon an enfeebled constitution night have proved fatal.
These are the principal reasons which we have to state,
and which with others, doubtless influenced the mind of
D r . Blatc heley, naturally timid, and led him to determine
on the course which he pursued, and we are fully persuaded
that he acted from a conviction of d u t y .
We cannot but express our deep regret at his departure
and that of his ever valued companion, who b y a cultivated
mind, amiable disposition, & a devoted heart, was singularly
qualified to perform the duties of her station.
We all
loved her, and the removal of such a female friend and helper
will be the most severely felt by those who were best ac quaint
ed with her c ha r a c t e r .
Our best wishes & prayers attend t h e m . To the sympathies
& friendship of the Board & the Christian public, we commend
the m. Finally we commend them to G od and to the w or d of his
grace which is able to keep them from falling & present them
faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
With sentiments of sincere regard, we are your servants in
the bonds of the Gospel.
A . Thurston
Artimus B i s h o p
James E ly
Joseph Goodrich
Samuel Ruggles
W illiam Richards
H. Bingham
Levi C h a m b e r l a i n
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .
C o r . S e c . A .B.C .F.M.
Boston, M a ss.
�975.
32
June 1828 - Aug.
1830
XI
L etter 253.
Kailua,
Hawaii,
Oct. 10, 1827.
Very Dear Sir:
It is now about a year since we jointly addressed youThe return of another season when ships leave this ocean
for America reminds us of our duty to write y o u the p a r
ticulars of such events as have occurred under our own
observation during the past y e a r . Tho’ the facts we
communicate may have been in part anticipated by others
or may be similar to such as we have previously communicated,
yet we trust it will n o t be deemed improper to relate the
things of which we have been eye w i t n e s s e s . The humble
sphere in which we move in the daily discharge of our duties,
is not one that is fraught with incident, and a detailed
relation of our labors would be little else than a repetition
of what h a s already been communicated.
The past has been a year of uninterrupted prosperity in
the prosecution of our labors among the heathen.
A knowledge
of the word of God has increased, translations have been
carried on to some extent and schools have been m u l t i p l i e d .
Opposition has also at this place nearly c e a s e d . There have
arisen none to hinder us in our labor of love.
There are
now about 100 schools in operation in the three districts of
K a m a k u a , Kohola and the northern half of Kona, which are
under our care and subject to our inspection. There have b e e n
two general examinations of these within the year, one early
last winter and the other in June, at which time one of our
number took an excursion t o the districts of Kamakua and
Kohola for the p u r p o s e . He was absent two days during which
he preached ten times, examined 50 schools and united thirty
couple in the rite of c hristian m a r r i a g e . He was everywhere
received with hospitality and loaded with kindness and was
listened to by crowds w i t h p l easing attent io n. On the Sabbath
which was spent in Kohola he preached both morning and evening
to congregations of not less than 5,000 pe ople. In the above
mentioned places as elsewhere, the sabbath is observed by
abstaining from all labors and diversions. The people assemble
in their respective school houses and are exercised in re
peating the catechism, decalogue and such hymns and texts
of scripture as they have committed to m e m o r y . The meetings
are then concluded with prayer by the teacher.
It is gratifying to add that most of the schools have not
only learned to read, but have already committed to memory
most of the t r a c t s which the mission has p r i n ted . A few
private historical catechisms composed by some of the mis si on
aries and circulated in manuscript have also been taught to
most of t h e m . The precise number of scholars in all the
schools under our inspection we have not been able to ascer
tain from a failure on the part of the teachers to report,
but we should suppose there are not less than 5 , 0 0 0 .
�976.
Thus these islands have externally embraced Christianity
and are rapidly coming under the influence of its pr e
cepts and sanctions.
"You have obtained", said M r . Young
to us one day, "you have obtained in three years by the
preaching of the Gospel, what I have labored in vain for
more than thirty to acco mpl is h” . Alluding to the customs
and usages, of Christ ian countries which are now taking
the place of their former practices, he said: "these are
the very things which I have so often attempted to pe r
suade the king and chiefs to adopt; I have set before them
in the plainest manner the superior advantages of civilized
over savage customs, but could never gain their assent;
the uniform reply of the king was, Pela i Hawaii n e i . (these
are the customs here at H a w a i i " . ) "but as soon as you bring
them under the influence of the Gospel you can mould them
as you p l e ase ". It was observed to him that no country since
the promulgation of Christianity has become civilized but
through the preaching of the Gospel, he replied, "that in
his opinion the Gospel alone is able to save this people
from extinction, for till since the missionaries came they
were going to ruin as fast as p o s s i b l e " .
In the month of August last the teachers under our juris
diction were called to Kailua to receive instruction in
reading and writing w i t h more correctness than heretofore.
The school consisted of 80 m e m b e r s . As there was no s u i t
abl e house for their accommodation, they were instructed
daily in the chapel during the six weeks the school c o n
tinued, it was then suspended in consequence of a scarcity
of provisions at this place, with the intention that it be
resumed so soon as circumstances will p e r m i t . The rapidprogress made b y the teachers both in reading and writing
fully evince the utility of such a school, and it is our
intention to establish a permanent one at this station so
soon as a suitable house can be fitted up for the purpose,
in which all the teachers under our care shall be instructed
from time to time in those studies which may hereafter be
introduced into the schools.
A writing school has been just commenced at this village
by G o v . Adams composed principally of his own people, of
which he is the patron and one of the teachers.
His influ
ence in general is good in patronizing schools and other
general objects of the m i s s i o n . He is also a pretty c on
stant attendant upon the public instruction of the mis sio n
aries, and it would give us the greatest pleasure could we
add that he is a Chris tia n.
But that which has occupied the greatest share of our
time since we last wrote you is the translation of the scrip
t u r e s . In connection with M r . Ely of Kaawaloa we have
translated the Gospel by John, which we have twice revised
and it is now n early ready for the p r e s s . Be sides which
the eighteen last chapters of Matthew we have prepared from
the translations previously made at the different stations.
On these we have bestowed all the time afforded us from
the ordinary labors of the station, and perhaps the transla
tions are as correct as our circumstances and the helps
�977.
afforded us would permit. But we n e e d more books in
order to prosecute this w o r k with facility and cor rec t
ness; hooks, the best which the modern age affords and
which every missionary ought to possess who is engaged
in translating the scriptures, at least every station
ought to be so well furnished as far as books are c o n
cerned without looking to other islands or other stations
for a s upply. The books more immediately wanted are
Lexicons, Grammars, in Cr . & H e b .,H e b . Bibles, and some
of the best treatises upon the Epistles and the O.T .
Our congregations on the Sabbath consist of between two
and three thousand. The w e ek ly lecture on Wednesday is
still continued and is well a ttended.
There are also
three social meetings held during the week, which are a t
tended by the more serious part of the p e o p l e . One on
Friday P .M . males and females apart, it consists of those
persons who profess to have forsaken their former immoral
practices, and to be seeking the kingdom of G o d . These
are in the practice of daily religious duties such as
secret and social prayer and are required to confirm in
their daily deportment to the precepts, of Chri sti an m o r a l
ity, in failure of which they forfeit the privilege of
attending these m eet in gs.
On the evening of the same day there is another meeting
of a more select nature consisting of males and females
more especially serious, most of whom give evidence of
piety. The present number is sixteen.
The instructions
given to this little company are more especially designed
for those who are hereafter to be admitted to the p riv i
leges of church m e m b er shi p. Six of these n o w stand p r o
pounded for admission to the church and are expecting to
receive baptism in a few w e e k s .
There is also another meeting on Saturday evening designed
for all who wi s h to a t ten d.
The above statements in connection with that of the daily
calls of individuals with their inquiries to whom app ro
priate instructions must be given, will afford you some
idea of the labors which your missionaries are daily Galled
to perform.
Besides, our duties of a domestic nature are doubled in
consequence of being deprived of that aid in times of sick
ness and domestic solicitude which can always be obtained
at hom e. The only resource we have at such times is for
ourselves to act in the capacity of physicians and nursesN or do we feel it a burden altho' our labor as missionaries
at such times must be omitted.
Since our last, there has b een the addition of a son to
each of our families, making the n o . of our children f i v e .
The infant son of M r . & M r s . Bishop was born in F e b . last,
and that of M r . & M r s . Thurston in Augu st. The health of
our ladies is feeble, and it is only by the most circumspect
attention to their diet, exercise and freedom from domestic
�978.
drudgery that their health can be preserved in any
tolerable degree. W e have, however, the most abundant
reason to speak of the goodness of God who has been with
us to direct and support in the hour of trial.
Before you receive this, you will doubtless have heard
of the death of Kalaimoku. He arrived at this place from
Oahu on the 21st of January last in a very feeble state of
health, but as good as it had been for several months pre
vious. His disorder was the dropsy. After being tapped
as usual he was able for some days to walk about a little,
and attend church on the Sabbath. On the eighth of Feb.
he was tapped the 13th time. After the operation he ap
peared greatly exhausted, reclined upon his couch and
gently sunk away into the arms of death without a struggle.
The funeral services were attended in the chapel on the
Sabbath following when a discourse was delivered from
Rev. 14:13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto
me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, & c .
The above comprises the mention of the most important facts
relative to our labors and prospects as well as to the
state of the people under our care.
Though they may not be so encouraging as to meet the ex
pectation of our p a t r o n s yet they are deemed sufficiently
animating to cheer the hearts of your missionaries and
excite them to renewed exertions for the salvation of souls.
The harvest truly is great but the laborers are few, and
that few from time to time diminishing. The declining health
of some that are now in the field renders it doubtful whether
their services will be continued for many years to come.
Mr. Bingham whose health has been sensibly declining has
recently visited us and spent 6 weeks in the country on a
plantation belonging to Gov. Adams 4 miles from this place,
in hopes of regaining his health. The cool mountain air
proved beneficial, and he was evidently better when he left
than when he came, but we entertain the apprehension that
the same causes will again operate as before to produce
the same effects.
It is not probable that he will be able
for any length of time to sustain the labors of his station
at Oahu.
Tho' so loud is the call for renewed vigor on
the part of the missionaries in order to maintain the ground
already possessed, still it is highly probable that some
of the remaining few will soon be called to leave the field
for the restoration of their health.
But these things, however discouraging, ought not to lessen
the exertions of the friends of Jesus to furnish, the heathen
with the bread and water of lif e. How many and how great
soever the obstacles which meet us in evangelizing the
nations, they can never remit the obligations of Christians
to furnish the world with the means of salvation. Mission
aries must sicken and die like other m e n . N or would we
desire to live alway, the thought that there is a Rest for
the weary pilgrim when his journey is over,often occurs to
�979.
the mind to cheer us while toiling up the hill of life.
Though for the benefit of those around us we would wish
to live long, yet the history of missions affords abun
dant evidence that the life of a missionary is not a
long one. The followers of Jesus then, on whom his
command to disciple all nations is perpetually binding,
should be looking out for true & faithful men to fill the
places of those who by reason of death could not continue
and of those who have otherwise been obliged to leave the
missionary field, & to furnish the adequate means for
their support. Not only this, but they ought to make every
possible effort to send competent teachers with the word
of God to every destitute land that the earth may be filled
with his glory, and that the kingdoms of this world may
become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Messiah.
Your affectionate fellow laborers in the vineyard of our
Lord.
A . Thurston
Artimas Bishop
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Mass.
Rec eived June 17, 1828 .
�980.
32
June 1028 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 255
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq
Dear Sir:
K nowing that you will take a deep & lively interest
in whatever transpired on hoard the Parthian so far
as the obligations & interests of your missionaries
were concerned, and aware also, that any information
on these points may he of service to the Board, in
enabling them to make provision for the transportation
of future missionaries, we hasten to transmit to you
an account of the most interesting circumstances which
occurred during our passage. In doing this, we shall be
plain, but candid.
We will first speak of the favors confered on us by the
officers of the Parthian.
Cap t . Blinn, at times, ap
peared as well as we could reasonably expect, consider
ing his education and mode of life. He was generally
accommodating & did us many little favors, for which we
were thankful, & which, had we been-as we were certainly
treated, merely gratuitous passengers - would have been
expressions of considerable kindness. He gave us a box
of raisins - three or four bottles of wine, 1/2 doz.
bottles of cider, 1 doz. lbs. of butter & lent us 1/2
do z. knives & forks.
Of the politeness & kindness of M r . Symmes first mate,
we can speak in the highest terms. We shall all remember
him wit h gratitude & affection. He was always affable
and obliging - regarded our Christian feelings, & when
not on duty, attended our worship - both on the sabbath
& at evening prayers. M r . Thompson was civil & polite,
except when his mouth was filled with "cursing & bitterness".
But the treatment of Capt. B . was such as you could not
have anticipated.
Scarcely had we lost sight of you,
when, as was to be expected,we were sea-sick, and before
night - all- with the exception of M r s . Green were unable
to be about. At tea, all who were able, sat down with
the officers, not at all. suspecting that we were intruders.
We recollected the remarks which, at different times & in
unambiguous style, you made while we were with you in Boston.
At length, Mrs. Green was th e only individual who came to
the table, & the Steward soon informed her that she must
wait till the officers had eaten. But even this priviledge
was soon denied us . Capt. B . informed Dr . Judd that it
was inconvenient for him to admit us to the table - but
that he would give up the cabin to us - & he had advised
that from our kanakas, we should select a cook & Steward
& take care of ourselves. In vain d i d Doc . Judd remonstrate
in vain did he inform him of our understanding of the agree
ment - in vain did he show him your letter of instruction,-
�981.
the Captain was inflexible, no written agreement could
be found & we were obliged to submit. The natives
kindly agreed to assist us & were very useful. M r s .
Green was left almost alone to attend the sick, & left
without a single article of furniture - or a single
convenience of any kind. At length Doc. J. succeeded
in opening a box of crockery & after much perplexity
we managed to live independently of C a p t . B . Two of
the ladies superintended during the week in rotation.
These with the assistance of one of the natives &
their husbands - contrived to keep us from starvation.
But you can easily conceive that this way of doing busi
ness was exceedingly incommodious. During a part of the
time we had no more than 7 knives & forks, and at no
time had every individual both a knife and fork. As we
all cooked at the same cambose, it is evident that we all
could not be accomodated at the same time, hence our
meals were very irregular. W e sometimes breakfasted at
9 O .C . & dined at 11 O.C . And - With all the assistance
we could render our ladies, their labor was exceedingly
hard. So crowded was the cabin & so few the conveniences
for cooking, that in the best of weather, they were unequal
to the task.
Judge then, dear Sir, what must have been
their situation amid the storms of the Atlantic & C ape
Horn.
They suffered severely - & our hearts would glow
with gratitude to our gracious God, that when they fell,
they were permitted to rise again. The care of those who
suffered most severely, Do c. J. has stated in a private
letter to you. Sir, & to this we refer you.With respect
to his general treatment, we have said that he was ge n
erally accomodating, - we add, he was sometimes pleasant.
But Sir, we were not, as a mission family, treated with
that respect in which we. think we had a right to expect.
We did not assume a factitious dignity.- We only wished
to be treated as men, and as C h r i s t i a n missionaries, sent
forth from the bosom of the American church: - we wished
to be recognized as the children of our beloved M r .Evarts,
who had committed us, inexperienced & defenceless, to the
care of the officers of the Pa r t h i a n . Sustaining this
relation, we thought we had as strong a claim upon his
respect as the son of Mr. M arshall. But he had very little
regard for our feelings. During a calm or amid the storm good natured or angry, his language was of the coarsest,
kind.
He scarcely conversed five minutes in our hearing
without being guilty of the most shocking profaneness.
On the Sabbath he generally restrained his men from labor,
tho' in two or three instances he trampled openly on the
day (hole in paper). At one time, without the shadow of
an excuse, he ordered his men to paint the boats. When
individuals conversed with him & besought him to revere
the name & day of God, no good effect was produced. He
uniformly absented himself from our worship & tho' he gave
his assent to the attendance of his men, yet it was evident
to us all, that he had no desire that they should be
present. We complain of his vulgarity. We could give many
�982.
illustrations of this, but a single one must suffice.
We usually spent an hour either before or after prayers
in cultivating our voices. In more than one instance
C a p t . B . with Marshall took this time to sing songs of
a low, vulgar character, so near us, that the evident in
tention was to interrupt our exercise or snear at i t .
This was the more evident as they imitating our usage,
lined thru songs. W e might enlarge - but this, dear sir,
will give you some idea of our trials. So far as they were
inflicted by the hand of our heavenly Father, we submit so far as wicked human agency was concerned, we think we
may complain. Capt. B . demanded from us a receipt signify
ing that we were all safely landed & that in every respect
he had fulfilled his contract. This we refused to give
him. The reasons for this refusal we have now stated.
Are these reasons Sufficient?
We remain, dear Sir, with great esteem and affection, your
fellow laborers in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lorrin Andrews
Jonathan S .Green
G .P. Judd
Ephaim W .Clark
Stephen Shepard
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. ,
Missionary Rooms,
Hanover S t .,
Boston, M a s s .
Received Dec. 5, 1828.
�983.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 256 .
Honolulu,
Oahu, April 27, 1828.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Es q.
Dear Sir:
Through the goodness of our heavenly Father, we have
been brought safely to these ends of the earth. We em
brace, therefore, the first opportunity to transmit to
you a brief account of our voyage & of our arrival upon
these islands, so lately stained w ith the blood of human
victims.
Our thoughts recur, with no little interest, to the days
on which we gave you the parting hands, & bid a long fare
well to our native shores. Our feelings on that interest
ing occasion can be more easily conceived, than described.
Since that time, we have been tossed upon the boisterous
Atlantic - been wafted over the calmer waters of the Paci
fic, & in due time have arrived safely at the long desired
haven.
We have no incidents to relate, which are very unusual in
similar voyages. During the first two weeks, most of our
number w ere severely afflicted w ith sea-sickness. This
was rendered more distressing by uncommonly rough weather
& the crowded state of the ship. Some of us were occasion
ally affected with seasickness during the whole voyage.
Soon after we sailed, we were called to encounter a sev ere
gale. On the night of the 7th of N ov. the wind blew with
great violence, & seemed sometimes to threaten immediate
destruction, but most of us were so sick, we thought but
little of our danger. Our Captain afterwards remarked,
that he had not witnessed so severe a gale on sea or land
for ten years, but in a good vessel, well navigated, &
under the care of a kind Providence, we were carried safely
through it. A whale boat, in which were lashed 12 or 15
of our chairs, was carried off during the gale, & the ship
sustained some injury, but was soon repaired. From that
time until we reached the vicinity of Cape Horn, nothing
worthy of notice occurred. The weather was for the most
part pleasant & our progress rapid. On January 18th land
for the first time after leaving Boston harbour, burst upon
our sight. About 9 o'clock on the morning of that day, we
discovered at a distance Staten Island. It presented a
range of rugged &. lofty mountains, which varied in their
appearance as we changed our position.
We were at once carried back in thought to that beloved
land, which we no more expect to behold. For two w eeks after
this, we were contending against head winds & a strong current;
sometimes almost becalmed, at others, violently tossed by the
winds. In beating round the Cape, we were obliged to go
nearly to the 60th degree of South Latitude, where we were
�984
.
favored with daylight, almost without interruption.
Feb. 2nd we began to make a little, progress north.
The
next day a strong southerly wind breezed up, which wafted
rapidly on our course. On the 13th of the same month,
the horizon was once more broken by lofty mountains.
Early on the morning of that day we have in sight of
M as Afuera, a small island a little west of Juan F ernander,
the island so famous as the solitary residence of Alexander
Selkirk. The land rose to a great hight above the water
almost perpendicularly, & presented a sublime appearance.
From that place to the Islands our voyage was, f o r the most
part, prosperous. We were becalmed a few days near the
Equator, and were once somewhat alarmed by the forming of
waterspouts a little distance from the ship, but sustained
no injury.
W ith regard to religious exercises, soon after our embarka
tion, we commenced family worship in the cabin, which was
attended uniformly morning & evening during the voyage.
After the first week, we had preaching twice on the sabbath,
usually in the cabin. Some of the ship's company were gen
erally present. The first mate uniformly attended, when
not on duty. In addition to preaching, we endeavored as
occasion offered, by conversation & by distributing tracts,
to promote the spiritual good of the seamen. But owing to
our unfaithfulness, & some obstacles over which we had no
control, we have reason to fear but little good was affected.
We cannot but hope, however, that some good impressions were
made, which will not soon be effaced.
Soon after sailing, the mission family observed a season
of special prayer for the blessing of God upon the voyage.
After doubling Cape Horn, we set apart Fe b. 7th as a day
of thanksgiving, & endeavored gratefully to recognize the
goodness of God in employing us as messengers of salvation
to the heathen, & in conducting us safely through the most
dangerous part of our voyage. We held a meeting in the
morning for prayer & conversation, & in the afternoon a
sermon was preached adapted to the occasion. We set apart
another day just before reaching the Islands, as a season
of fasting & prayer in reference to the great work before
us. The exercises were the same as on the day of thanksgiving.
We observed also the monthly concert, & held other meetings
for social worship.
At these seasons we were greatly encour
aged & animated by the consideration that our beloved friends
in different & distant parts of the United States were, at
the same time, supplicating the throne of grace on our behalf.
During most of the voyage, we devoted 3 or 4 hours in a
week to the cultivation of sacred musick. The rest of the
time, while in health, we employed w i th our pens & our books,
& in such other ways as our circumstances required.
On reviewing our voyage, we find some things which were
unpleasant, but more which should excite our gratitude. A
good degree of health & of contentment prevailed a m o n g our
number. Our attachment to one another increased with our
acquaintance.
We were happy in the society of each other, & in
�985.
the prospects of spending & being spent for the salvation
of the heathen.
On the 29th of March, while looking eagerly for land,
Hawaii burst upon our view*
A sight truly welcome after
almost 5 months residence on the ocean.
In a little time,
we were favored with a delightful view of Mouna Kea, as
it lifted its snowcapt summit far above the clouds.
A
thousand interesting associations now rushed upon our
minds & almost over-powered our feelings. In the evening
the wind breezed up & wafted us rapidly towards Oahu. The
next day was the Sabbath, & we attended public worship for
the last time on board the Parthian. The weather was un
commonly pleasant, & several of the Islands, to which we
had come 16,000 miles to labour for our Saviour, were in
full view.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon, we cast anchor
in the outer harbour of Honolulu. The Parthian was immediate
ly visited by the Captains of other ships in port. F rom
them, we learnt, that one whom we expected soon to meet, &
for whom we had brought many tokens of friendship from a
distant land, was no m o r e . We learnt also, that the members
of the mission at this station were well, & successfully
prosecuting their work.
As it was the Sabbath & we were
some distance from land, we thought it not best to go. ashore
until the next day. But as an opportunity offered, a line
was addressed to M r . Bingham informing him of our arrival.
Before dark the three brethren then at this station, Messrs.
Bingham, Goodrich & Chamberlain came out to the Parthian &
bid us a joyful welcome. The interview seemed much more
like the meeting of long absent friends, than of entire
strangers.
After spending a little time in mutual inquiries, the brethren
left us to attend worship on board one of the ships then in
port, which seems to have been favored with an interesting
revival of religion since leaving America. The next morning
M r . Goodrich came on board to assist us in preparing to land;
and about 11 o ’clock most of us with part of our effects, were
safely landed. On the beach we were met by Messrs. Bingham
& Hunnewell, & a crowd of natives, who were eager to receive
our hands & bid us welcome to their shores.
On our way to the mission house, we called on K aahumanu, &
were introduced to her by M r . Bingham. She received us with
cordiality & expressed much Joy, that new missionaries had arrived,
& seemed only to regret that there were no more. She accom
panied us to M r . Bingham’s, where we were introduced to other
chiefs, who received us with the same cordiality. We then
united in a song of praise & in devout thanksgiving to that
Being who had brought us safely through the dangers of the
deep to this interesting field of labour now white for the
harvest.
We have not yet been introduced to the young king, as he is
absent from this place. He has been seen by the brethren at
some of the other stations, & has given his full approbation in
writing to the settlement of the reinforcement. Boki &
K aahumanu have done the same.
�986.
Soon after our arrival, the missionary Packet was sent
to the windward to invite the brethren to a general meeting,
which is now in session.
Yesterday being the Sabbath, the reinforcement was publickly
admitted to the mission church, & united with the former
members of the mission & a few gathered from among this people
in commemorating the dying love of Jesus. M r . Bingham, in
an affectionate address,after recounting the dealings of God
with this church from its first organization in Boston to
its present prosperous state, bid us welcome to all its privi
leges, & to this wide & inviting field of missionary labour,
& added that, on the arrival of the last reinforcement, 24
chiefs bid them welcome, but that many more than 24 chiefs,
including all the principal rulers of the nation, bid us w e l
come. He observed also, that six regular congregations con
taining more than 26,000 scholars were eagerly looking to us
for instruction, and that taking everything into the account,
missionaries to the heathen never entered upon their labours
under more auspicious circumstances.
t
We can say, without hesitation, that the state of the mission
& the prospect of usefulness opening before us, far surpasses
our most sanguine expectations. We feel abundantly encouraged
to engage with ardour in the great work before us. Although
the reinforcement is quite respectable as to numbers, we can
do but little towards supplying the spiritual wants of this
people. Two more clergymen seem to be imperiously demanded not to occupy new stations, but to sustain the brethren at the
stations already occupied, who are sinking under their accu
mulated labours. Among our whole number, we have none to
spare for the thousands on Hawaii, who are earnestly calling
for the bread of life. The harvest truly is great, but the
labourers few.
Asking, dear Sir, your counsel & your prayers, & ever cherish
ing a kind remembrance of yourself & your associates, we sub
scribe ourselves your brethren in the fellowship of the Gospel.
Lorrin Andrews
Jonathan S. Green
Peter J .Gulick
Ephraim W .Clark
G .P. Judd, M .D .
Stephen Shepard.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
Cor. Sec. of A .B. C .F. M.
Boston, Mas s.
Received Dec. 6, 1828.
�987.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Boston,
letter 2 57
June 7, 1828.
Dear S i r :
Since the conclusion of the examination of witnesses
relative to the conduct of Lieut. John Percival while
at the Sandwich Islands, I have read over the principal
part of the testimony that was adduced before the Court.
I cannot but express my astonishment that any man having
the least regard for truth, & who was at the Sandwich
Islands in the early part of the year 1826 should deny
the existence of a. tab u at Oahu, prohibiting females
from visiting ships for prostitution. But not only has
this been done, but a considerable number of witnesses
who were there at the above mentioned time, have gone
so far as to say they never heard of the existence of
the tabu in question while at Oahu! Why sir, the in
surrection that broke out at the islands in 188- was
not more talked of, nor more generally known, than the
tabu, prohibiting prostitution, and I do verily believe
it is as impossible that they to whom I have referred,
should not have known of the existence of the tabu, as
it would be that the naval officers stationed at the
Navy Yard, Charlestown, should not know that a Court of
Inquiry, relative to Lieut. P. was actually sitting there,
in the month of M ay 1826. After this, sir, I should not
be surprised, were I to hear those persons, testify on
oath that it is not customary, so far as they know, in
any part of the United States, to celebrate the 4th of
July, and even to say that they never heard of that day
being observed more than any other day in the year.
Prostitution, as you well know, was unrestrained at the
Sandwich Islands previous to the arrival of the mission
aries, and for several succeeding years. W e were told
by the people, that none of the foreign residers had ever
informed them that it was wro ng .
In 1822, I t h ink it was,
Rihoriho, required all who went on board ships for pros
titution to pay as a license, one dollar each. This was
not properly a tabu, as none who could pay the dollar was
prohibited from going on boar d . But at length, some of
the chiefs, convinced of the wickedness, as well as impolicy
of the practice, magnanimously resolved to put a stop to
it. The lamented Re-apu-o-lu-ne, mother of the king, was
one of the first in this laudable work. At Lahaina, she
forbid those under her authority to visit ships for the
infamous purpose mentioned. And I believe she was in almost
every case obeyed. An anecdote of which I heard is worth
mentioning.
Some sailors observing a female standing on
the shore, seized and carried her into their boat which
they hastily rowed toward the ship. Finding it impossible
to escape from their hands, she ceased endeavoring to ex
tricate herself, and remained apparently at ease. As the
�988.
boat got into deep water, and had to pass near some heavy
breakers, the men thinking her person was now secure,
let go their grasp, when she suddenly plunged into the
water, and without much difficulty escaped to the shore.
Rapiolani, another chief, residing at Kaoualoa, on Hawaii,
also put a stop to prostitution.
This was also done at
Tauai. At length, in the year 1825 (I think about the
middle of the year) the principal chiefs, including the
regents K aahumanu and K alaimoku, determined to abolish
the practic e throughout the islands. It was now given
out that prostitution was prohibited, throughout the Sand
wich Islands. The effect at Oahu was greatly to curtail
the number of those who repaired on board foreign vessels;
but still, a considerable number continued the practice.
They had very great inducements. Many could in no other
way obtain fine clothes and other articles of which they
were passionately fond. Towards the close of the year,
the chiefs began to feel more and more the importance of
abolishing a practice not only wicked in the right of God,
but which entailed disease & misery on thousands of their
people. N otic e was therefore given, that if females again
went on board ships for prostitution, they would be im
prisoned & perhaps otherwise punished. This I think was
two months previous to the arrival of the U.S.Sch. Dolphin;
and the effect was almost entirely to do away the practice.
N ow the lion began to roar, and opposition to lift up her
hand; but not among the natives - with them all was quiet the law was popular, and with the exception of a few abandoned
prostitutes, I never heard of any complaint from the natives.
The opposition was from men calling themselves Christians,
and several of whom had wives and children in America.
Although no efforts were made to take from residents or
visitors their girls. but only to prevent promiscuous inter
course and to require those who wished in future to obtain
girls, that they should be lawfully married, yet, almost
all of the white population united in the general outcry.
All their efforts, however, to obtain a repeal of the ob
noxious law, were fruitless. The chiefs always answered
that they should obey the word of God.
In this state of things, the U.S.Sch. Dolphin, L t . Commandant
J. Percival arrived at Oahu. Of the efforts that were made
by foreigners to induce the commander to interfere with
his authority to remove the law in question, I shall not
now speak. Suffice it to say the chiefs remained firm in
their resolution, till after the attack on them & the
missionaries, by the crew of the Dolphin. Previously to
that time, a few native females had gone on board the Dolphin
& other vessels - I never heard that the number amounted from
the arrival of the Dolphin, till after the riot, to more
than 6 or 7 persons. A guard was placed on the shore night
and day to prevent any from going off.
When one (i.e. in
one case, on board the Owhyhee) got on board it was immediately
known, and one of the chiefs repaired on board to find the
girl, but in vain, as she was secreted. The chiefs kept up
the guard, & when some 5 or 6 days after the girl was secretly
put on shore, she was almost immediately recognized. After the
riot & consequent suspension of the tabu, hundreds as in former
times flocked on board.
�989.
32
June 1828 - AUG. 1830
Oahu,
XI
Letter 258.
June 14, 1828.
Very dear Sir:
The committee appointed to superintend the press, procure
paper, type &c, for the use of the mission, beg leave to
state to you, that such arrangements have been made by
the mission for translating & printing for the ensuing
year, as will at least require 100 reams of demy paper
more than we have on hand, & more than we have now in
fair prospect within this period. W e would, therefore,
solicit the immediate shipment of 100 or 150 reams for
the present y e a r ’s stock, & 300 reams for the next year,
& 100 lbs. of good book ink.
We also request, as soon as may be, a new font of type,
consisting of the 13 letters of the Hawaiian alphabet
with figures & pauses, quadrats & 300 lbs. George's
Long Primer, mould C face 3 to match with the foreign
letters of the font we have on hand*
We are not in haste, but should be glad to see soon one
of the best iron presses the Board can afford to send us,
unless the Board should prefer to have a large proportion
of our printing carried on in America where, presses, types,
ink & paper are always at hand. We wish the Committee to
inquire, whether a set of matrixes for a font of types
would be of use to us, & whether it is likely that the
natives will need to cast their own type. We are inclined
to think they may do it, and that they must eventually
make their own paper, if they use it m u c h .
We are ingouraged by the success of R ichard Krioiaulu
Pohu Pi & others in learning the art of printing, to hope
that some of the young men would learn to cast type, make
paper &c, as soon as they should have the means & thus
render these three kindred arts of prime utility to the
country. Probably their old kapa from the cloth plant would
make good paper. We propose to send a specimen to America
for an experiment. We beg the Pru. Com. will correspond
with us on the subject.
Should they think it advisable to send a set of matrixes,
M r . Goodrich is ready to undertake to learn & teach the use
of them. A set to match the font above named would be pre
ferred, as that is the size which with our present views,
we shall be likely to use most in printing the Scriptures,
hymns, & c . We have often wished, we had a matrix to supply
a little deficiency of an a, a k, a u, or an I which would
have been a great convenience.
We must also request a set of binding instruments, a dozen
skins for tympans, and a dozen good deer skins for balls.
�990.
We hope the Com. will not think we are asking too much,
for, little as our experience is, & small as our scale
has been in this line of business, we have known tho
roughly what it is to want, & we believe a little fore
sight on our part will be likely to save ourselves much
inconvenience.
After all, we must rely on your superior wisdom & your
provident care to do for us what your own judgment shall
dictate & your means allow.
We give it as our opinion,
however, that all you expend
on our printing department will be paid for by those who
use our boo ks . We would suggest, that a few of our hymns
sent back elegantly bound to the highest chiefs by some
of the officers of the Board, or others, would doubtless
be gratifying & useful. The mission will of course furnish
or replace them.
You will pardon the liberty we have taken, & excuse the
manner in which we have thrown together a few hints on the
subject assigned us, & believe us to be very affectionately
yours in behalf of the m i s s i o n .
H . Bingham
E .W .Clark
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Es q .,
Cor. Sec. of A .B. C .F .M .
Boston, Ma ss .
Received Dec . 11, 1828.
�991
32
June 1828 - Au g. 1830
XI
L ahaina,
letter 259
July 30, 1828.
Honoured & dear Sir:
At a meeting of the mission last May, the undersigned
were appointed two of a committee to collect some
evidence respecting the conduct of L ieut. Percival of
the Dolphin. We w ell recollect hearing Gov. Boki say
much on the subject when the Dolphin was here, but
since the death of his brother, he has taken open ground
in favor of the practices which L ieut. Percival encour
aged, and against the morality of the scriptures. We
should not, therefore, expect him to be very free in
testifying against L ieut. P. At our request, however,
he called on us, and consented to write a little on the
subject. As he does not, however, write with facility,
he usually employs an amanuensis. This he did in the
present ca s e . The signature, however, is his own. We
heard him give the words to the amanuensis and saw him
sign his name. W e have no doubt but he could have been
much more full upon the subject: for we well recollect
hearing him say much at the time of the same character
as that which he has written but much more full, and
represented the character of L ieut. P. in a much stronger
and more criminal light. C ould he now be under the in
fluence of an oath we have no doubt he would repeat the
same. W e think, however, that what he has written will
give a clue to the character of the subject.
When this was finished, we introduced the subject of
the celebrated letter, said to be written by him and pub
lished in the London Quarterly Review.
W e read the letter to him as it stands in the ReviewHe stared as we read, and as soon as we had finished, in
quired with earnestness what it w a s . We were well aware
that though he can understand a little of the most simple
conversation, that he could by no means understand the
letter ascribed to him. We then made an exact translation
of the letter into his own language, and read this to
him. He made very strange of the whole letter, and the
simplicity of his appearance led us fully to believe that
he was a stranger to the sentiments which the letter con
tains: at least they were sentiments which he had never
expressed. On questioning him particularly, he said that
he had sent his aloha to the persons mentioned, though he
did not seem to know by whom the letter was written. He
said he also sent word to Dr. Davis respecting Karaimoku.
Y/e then asked him if he was willing to say in writing what
he had now told u s . He said he was, and immediately wrote
as you will see under the letter.
�992.
We would here remark that the style of the letter is
such as does not admit of an easy and natural translation
into the Hawaiian language; we endeavored, however, to
translate it literally, and send the copy with B o k i ’s
denial of it in his own hand writing.
We could multiply evidences that the letter could not
have been his were it necessary. But though many might
he added to those mentioned in M r . Stewart's letters,
yet the reasons mentioned there, together with the above,
are abundantly sufficient.
We are, Sir, with sincere respect,
Your ob ed. Servt.
William Richards)
Levi Chamberlain) Committee.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
C o r . Sec. A .B . C .F.M.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, M a s s .
Received April 18, 1829.
�993.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 26
Kailua,
Sept. 24, 1828.
Very Dear Sir :
The dealings of. God with his creatures, though always
wise & good, are oftentimes dark & mysterious. W e
should, therefore, always feel that all the events which
take place, both with respect to ourselves & others, are
under the direction of infinite benevolence, & that all
things will work together for good to them that love God.
W hen the dearest earthly object of our affections is re
moved from us, it is always our duty to say, thy will . O
God, be done. When ill health or other trials render us
unfit to engage in the active labours of benevolence, we
should feel that it is the hand of God which has thus
laid us aside; & though some may be disposed to think that
it would have been better to have taken some of the more
feeble & less efficient members of a community, & to
have spared those who possess more judgment, more efficiency,
& who are more laborious, still we ought never to question
the wisdom or benevolence of the Divine proceedings.
It
is not unfrequently that our heavenly Father lays his hand
on those whom it seems to us we can illy spare from active
service. We may, however, rest assured that the march of
truth will proceed, & the plans of Divine benevolence will
all be accomplished in the conversion of this people, though
all your missionaries here should be called to leave their
present field of labour.
In years that are past, a number of our associates have
left these shores for their native land. The reasons for
their return have been expressed to our Patrons & friends,
& for a ught we know, have been approved. You will not,
therefore, think it strange if others should feel it their
duty to pursue the same course & for similar reasons.
M r . & Mr s . Ely, who have been affected with the liver com
plaint for more than a year, M r s . E . especially very serious
ly, have requested our opinion & advice respecting a voyage
to the U .S .A . for the benefit of their health. It is our
opinion & advice to them to embrace the earliest opportunity
this fall for that purpose, & we would state the following
reasons as the ground of this advice.
In the first place, there is not the least probability that
M r s . E . would survive another warm season. She has been
gradually sinking for a year past, & she has for some time
been necessitated to give up all care of a domestic nature
& is now mostly confined to her room & to her bed; - is able
to take but little nourishment, - is exceedingly reduced &
very feeble. M r . E . also is seldom able to preach on the
Sabbath; & there is not the least probability of obtaining
�994.
a medical cure by their remaining in these islands. Every
means has been used which their circumstances admit of
without producing anything more than a temporary relief.
Shall we then advise them to remain with us for a few
months & then leave us forever? Or shall we say to them,
"go to a more congenial clime, where there may be a prob
ability of restoring health & prolonging life & usefulness?"
Should it be said, let them remain & die here, their graves.
will preach. But is the silent language of the dead equal
in effect to the living voice of a preacher of righteousness?
The dead cannot praise God, - they cannot preach either
by precept or example. What they have said & done may
be remembered by some few individuals. But they cannot
publish the gospel, teach the ignorant & guide the wander
ing in the way of life. This must be done by the living.
When the health of faithful, active & efficient mission
aries fails, is it, or is it not a duty to use every means
in our power for restoring it, that the church may enjoy
the benefit of their labours longer than she otherwise
would if these means were neglected.
It is also the opinion of Dr. Judd that M r s . E. will not
regain her health in these islands, & that it is probable
a removal to a colder climate might effect it. If their
life is desirable, & health necessary in order to active
exertion & usefulness, is it not a duty to use those means
which will probably produce the desired effect?
Why do many ministers in America leave their people, take
journeys, traverse seas, visit other continents, but for
the hope of regaining health & prolonging life & usefulness?
Doubtless - they do this from a conviction of duty - from
the hope of being further useful should health be restored.
They do not leave their charge because they are weary of
the service of their Lord, but for the hope of being the
longer employed in i t . Dow are there any reasons which would
justify them in the course which they pursue that would not
operate with equal force in the case of a missionary whose
health was sinking, & there should be a probability of re
storing it by pursuing a similar course?
Another thing which may be stated as a reason for the re
turn of M r . & M r s . Ely is, should their voyage & a resi
dence for a time in it prove the means of restoring their
health, we shall hope to greet them again on these shores,
to resume their wonted labours among this people. This
we are confident would be their earnest desire & constant
prayer. They do not wish to leave this interesting field
of missionary labour, because they are weary of the service.
To none, we are persuaded, would it prove a greater trial
to leave these islands than to them. The spot where they
have laboured is endeared to them by associations, which
will not easily be effaced. They have seen the redeeming
influence of their instructions on the conduct & hearts
of the people, & not a few, trembling convicted sinners
have they taken by the hand & led to the bleeding Saviour
& bidden them look & live. -
�995.
M r . E . 's congregation is large & is in a very interesting
state. The people are very much attached to their teachers
& they to the people, & it will be one of the greatest
trials they have ever met with to leave them. But they
are convinced that the providence of God is calling them
to endure it. N o doubt remains in their own minds so far
as it relates to a question of duty. - They have laboured
diligently, faithfully, & successfully during nearly six
year s . If there is a station of the Sandwich Islands,
which exceeds in morals, b e a u t y & brightness that of any
other, it is that at K aawaloa. We consider M r . & M r s . Ely
well qualified for the missionary work; & a success has
crowned their efforts, which seldom falls to the lot of
missionaries.
In c hri sti an economy & domestic management, they are
excelled by none who are now on the ground; & we rank them
among the first in point of missionary exertions. In
performing those duties arising from the various relations
which they sustain to the Board, to the church, to their
brethren in the islands & to the people around them, they
have rendered themselves eminently useful, as well as b e
loved by all, & especially by those with whom they have
been more intimately connected, & it is with extreme regret
that we are called to part with them. Should they soon
close their pilgrimage, it might well be said of them,
they have fought a good fight, they have finished their
course, they have kept the faith. They have done every
thing to increase that confidence which has bee n reposed
in them.
Should their voyage to A . prove beneficial to their health,
they will be able to accomplish much for the cause of
missions in their own land. We deem this no unimportant
reason for their return; that our Patrons, friends & the
churches may see & converse with those who have seen the
state of the people here; & that in the mouth of two, three
or more witnesses, every word may be established. We
affectionately recommend them to the confidence of the Board
&
c hristian public. That the blessing of Heaven may attend
them in this last effort for regaining their health, &
also rest on all the operations of the Board, is the earnest
prayer of your humble servants.
A .Thurston
Artimas Bishop
Samuel Ruggles
William Richards
Lorrin Andrews
J onathan S .Green
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, M a s s .
Received March 9, 18 29 .
�996.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 261.
L ahaina, M aui, Sep t . 30, 1828.
M r . Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. ,
Bear Sir:
In the good providence of God, we have been permitted
to witness the arrival of another period, when it b e
comes our duty to give an account of our stewardship.
In doing this, we would always remember, that primarily
we are accountable to God for the improvement of our
time, our opportunities for doing good, and all the
talents with which we are entrusted; but to the board
also do we feel accountable, as it is by their means
that we enjoy the inestimable privilege of spending our
time and employing our facilities in endeavouring to
increase the happiness of man and extend the boundaries
of the Redeemer’s kingdom on earth. As you have given
us definite rules for our official and personal conduct,
it is important that you should know whether those rules
have been observed or n o t . But we can only make a
general statement of facts concerning what we have done,
and attempted to do, and what the lord has done by our
hands. When we speak of what we have done, we ought to
be ashamed of our moral, religious and official char
acters, as falling far short of our engagements and your
requisitions, when we undertook to be the representatives
of your churches, and the bearers of the gospel of Christ
from our native land in these heathen shores; and as
falling still -farther short of what is required in the
words of God of watchmen and builders on the walls of Z ion.
Still, with all our weakness and impressions, we verily
believe that God has glorified himself in bringing by our
instrumentality some souls out of darkness into his marvel
lous light. To deny this, would be to" deny our senses*
This is the positive evidence we have that our labour has
not been in vain in the Lord . The negative evidence con
sists in the fact that the strong man armed feels that a
stronger than he is coming upon him - that some of his goods
have been already taken away, and hence he is not at peace .
But there are more with us than with him, and at all his
vain attempts, he that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh,
the Lord shall have him and all that serve him in derision.
We can only pity such and pray to them.
It ever has been, and is now, our desire to state the
truth, and the whole truth, so that you might fully know the
state of our affairs. But we fear that sometimes our com
munications do not make exactly the designed impressions.
The difficulties that lie in the way will continue, probably
increase, for a great while yet to come. It will be easily
perceived that between a perfect chaos, and a world complete
in order, variety and beauty, there is almost an infinite
�997.
number of gradations. Nor would it be easy to tell
how many changes it must undergo, before it would cease
to be a chaos, or from that state, what a variety of
external forms it might assume before it would arrive
to the magnificence and stability of a world. So it
is in bringing a people from a state of heathenism to
a state of civilization and christianity. In heathenism
we see the conflicting elements of civilized life. In
heathenism we see all that is noble and elevated in a
rational being, commingled with all that is mean, sensual
and beastly. The soul that secretly aspires after im
mortality, can here gratify its desires, only by momentary
and sensual enjoyment. In short, it so resembles a chaos
in its constituent parts and perfect disorganization,
that none but an Almighty power can reduce it to order.
This, we believe, he has begun to do; and this is all we
can say definitely, until the number of grades between
heathenism and civilized c hristian society, be distinctly
marked.
But could we state exactly in all its particulars the
present condition of this people, still it would not be
understood.
Men in all countries get new ideas by adding,
taking away or comparing the ideas already familiar to
them. But how shall men in a civilized land know how
much or how little to subtract before they arrive at
heathenism?
Those who have not some time lived on heathen
ground, and been conversant with their character, habits
of life, modes of thinking, motives to action, and pros
pects of futurity, though they may have read much, yet
have but faint ideas of what heathenism in reality i s .
It should be kept in mind also, that but a very few years
has elapsed since our instructions received but little at
tention. from that time, everything was to be done. B e
sides, it should be kept in mind, that the habits, manners
and occupations of a people, are not to be changed in
a few years or even in a whole generation. These things we
feel bound to state, lest in the ardour of our feelings we
should give a colouring to our communications that would
cause some to think that our work was done. It is not so .
What has been done, serves by contrast only to show the
importance and necessity of doing mor e.
With these remarks we proceed to mention the adverse and
prosperous events of the mission during the past year.
Among the adverse occurrences of the past year must be
mentioned what took place at Lahaina in October last. It
is here unnecessary to enter into particulars, as M r . Richards
forwarded a minute account of the whole affair by Capt.
Gardner of the Maria last December. It is su fficient to
mention here, that, in consequence of several females being
detained on board the John Palmer, contrary to the laws of
the island, Hoapili seized one of the ship’s boats and de
tained her Captain.
In consequence of this, the ship
opened a fire on the village. Several balls were thrown
very near the mission house. The Cap t . was released a few
�998
moments before the firing commenced, but did not reach
the ship until a number of balls had been f i r e d .
In connection with this, we must also speak of the
exertions of Captain Buckle to revenge the pretended
injury done him b y M r . R ic har ds. The particulars of this
affair have also been forwarded in connection with the
a b o v e . We would, therefore, in this place only speak of
the consequences which appear to have resulted from these
untoward c i r c u mst an ces .
We will mention, in the first place, the influence on
the people in L a h a i n a .
There never was, probably, any
occurrence which so m u ch endeared the missionary to the
people or they to h i m . It seemed also to be the commence
ment of a new attention to religious concerns which has
been of long dur at i o n . As the fruits of this attention,
we trust that a good number will, at no distant period, be
united with the church.
The chiefs, too, have learnt the necessity of a greater
degree of watchfulness on their part, and have established a
regular guard, by whom the beach is patrolled through the
night, and people are not allowed to be out after the b e a t
ing of the drum, which is at, or near eight o ’clock.
But the influence of these occurrences is not confined to
Lahaina or to Maui.
The general meeting of the chiefs which
took place in consequence of the above mentioned apparently
untoward events, was one of the most interesting counsels
of the kind which has ever been held on the Sandwich Islands.
The ostensible object for which they were assembled, was,
to hear the complaints of C a p t . Cla rk against Hoapili, and
of C a p t . B u c k l e against M r . R ic h a r d s . The real object for
which they were assembled w as to establish laws for the
n a t i o n . And this object was accom pl ish ed.
It was doubtless hoped on the one part, that every obstac le
in the way of crime would no w be removed, and everything
like law or k a p u (taboo) be banished from the islands.
But this was the very meeting at which were erected the first
regular laws that ever existed on the Sandwich Islan ds. In
these laws, the chiefs were united, and to them the kin g s u f
fixed his name .
The first law prohibited murder on penalty: of d e a t h .
The second law prohibits theft, and confinement in irons
is the penalty.
The third, prohibits adultery, and the penalty is the same
as that of the s econd.
We think too, that the mock trial to which C a p t . Buckle,
C a p t . Charlton and others attempted to summon M r . Richards,
had a happy effect on the minds of the chiefs and p eop le .
Their absolute refusal to bring any charge against M r . R .
in writing, or to do anything in relation to the affair in
writing, their viol ent and contemptible raillery; their
�999 *
haste to leave the place, when they found the chiefs
had sent for M r. R. and their threats of private revenge,
if it could not he had in publick; all combined to open
the eyes of the chiefs and people, and make them see the
broad distinction that exists between the missionaries
and their assailants.
Viewing the subject in all its
bearings, we think that scarcely anything has occurred in
the history of the mission, which has, on the whole, done
more to promote the interests of civilization and C h ri st
ianity than the occurrence of which we have n o w been
speaking.
It is proper here to remark, that at the present time our
intercourse with the foreigners is friendly, and we see
no reason particularly to anticipate an interruption of i t .
W e see no special change in their feelings, but things are
in a more settled s t a t e . They know more what to expect of
us, and we of them; so that the same things which formerly
were occasions of difficulty, now pass on without a t t ra ct
ing much attention, or even awaking a high degree of
feel in g.
The next we would mention, is of the afflictive, rather
than the adverse kind; and we record it with very different
feelings, as it was sent upon us b y the hands of our kind
heavenly Father, and though we are allowed to mourn, we
are not allowed to co mpl ai n. W e allude to the death of
M r s . Bishop.
Sh e was called away from her labours in February l a s t .
V/e mourn her departure as a beloved Christian sister,
as one t h a t felt and prayed for the cause of Christ's
kingdom on the islands; and we mourn her departure, because
it thins our feeble r a n k s . But our loss, we hope, is her
gain.
We would not f o r g e t to mention here, that as far
as we see, her death was the means of turning the attention
of many to serious things; for almost immediately after her
death, commenced an attention to religion which still
continues, such as has never before been witnessed at K a i l u a .
Another event which we consider of the afflictive & adverse
kind, is the removal from this field of labour of our
brother and sister M r . and M r s . E l y . It is with sorrow and
weeping, yet with our unanimous consent, that they return
to their native country. Should we keep them here, in all
probability in a few months, they w o u l d leave us forever.
There is a possibility that one or both of them b y retu rn
ing to a cold climate may eventually r e c o v e r . Their lives
are too valuable to be sacrificed.
We hope as the great
head of the church has permitted them to be very useful
here, t h a t he will still use them for the building up of
his Zion, though they must labour on some other part of the
walls.
We see not why it should be so, but he who seeth
no t as man seeth, knows why,and with filial confidence we
would say not our will, O Lord, but thine be d o n e .
Though we have given M r . Ely our testimonials, yet we
�1000.
cannot refrain from repeating here that we consider
Mr. E ly a valuable m i s s i o n a r y . H e has made such a t t a i n
ments in science, in Theology and languages as to give
him a high stand amongst us, and does honour to his mind
and his industry.
But especially shall we feel his loss
as a translator into the language of these islands.
W ho
will fill his place?#
Under the head of unfavourable events we would mention
though of a previous date, the arrival, settlement and
occupations of a company of Jesuits. It is said, they
were entered as naturalists at some port in France.
They
arrived at Honolulu (Oahu) in July 1827.
They are nine in
number, all men.
On their being put ashore, Kaahumanu
the Queen regent, ordered the C a p t . who had landed them,
to carry them away a g a i n . But he said he was only paid
for bringing them here, and could not afford to carry them
any f u r t h e r . Kaahumanu immediately sent for Boki who was
at a distant part of the i s l an d. On the arrival of Boki,
the C a p t . immediately stept into his boat - went aboard
to his ship - weighed anchor, and in a few minutes was
under w a y . These we believe are facts concerning them,
except the place and manner of e mbarkation. That is hear
s a y . It is said moreover, that two of them are priests,
the others mechanicks and a gri cu lturalists. All their
operations since their arrival have been s e c r e t . We can
find out nothing definite respecting t h e m .
They early c o m
menced the study of the language, and we believe they have
lately commenced preaching and baptizing.
They either are,
or take pains to appear extremely p o o r . From w hat they
have done, we cannot but conclude that their intention is,
to propagate their re li g i o n .
It is proper to mention here, that the M r . Marine, or Manini
as the natives call him (often spoken of in our journals)
a Spanish catholick who has been a resident at Honolulu some
twenty five or thirty years, but never thought of propagating
his religion until the arrival of the Jesuits, soon after
their arrival, commenced and now carries on publick worship
according to the Romish r i tua l. He also b a p t i z e s . His in
fluence, however, especially in religious matters is small and
but little to be f e a r e d . He professes to despise the Jesuits,
but probably acts in concert with t h e m . W e know not what
they may be allowed to d o .
The residence of enemies in
the very midst of us, and the lessening of our numbers might
excite alarm, did we not know that Jehovah r e i g n s . We can
save by man y or by f e w .
Again, under the head of unfavourable circumstances we would
mention that for a year or two there has been a gradual
decline of the people in attending to instruction; but within
three or four months past there has been a great falling off
of attending church on the Sabbath at Honolulu, and the
number of schollars in the schools throughout that island.
The cause or causes we cannot n ow specify, as they have not
sufficiently developed the information that can be h a d . It
is generally supposed, however, to be through the influence
#See last sheet of this letter.
�1001.
of one or core of the high c h i e f s .
be expected here aft er.
But particulars may
Prom a view of these adverse circumstances, we proceed to
mention the prosperous o nes.
The first we would mention is the arrival of the late
reinforcement. N ever was a reinforcement more needed and
never was one more joyfully r e c e i v e d . They were hailed
as living testimonials that the friends of the Redeemer
in America had not forgotten u s .
They were hailed as
congenial spirits with us, inasmuch as they too, had left
fathers, and mothers and native land for the kingdom of
God's s a k e . They were hailed as messengers of God b r i n g
ing good tidings to this perishing people. It was felt,
that as cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from
a far country.
They were welcomed to all the joys and s o r r o w s all the pleasures and hardships - all the afflictions and
consolations - all the labours and rewards of missionaries
of the c r o s s . We are bound to feel and express gratitude
to God who sent them, and gratitude to the churches who
support t h e m . God has heard our prayers and thus he has
answered them. M ay we always trust in him, and may we all
engage with renewed ardour and strength in his service.
Another great blessing which God is granting us, is continued
health. Except M r . and M r s . Ely, as far as is now known,
all are able to go on in their r e s p e c t i v e s p h e r e s . Though
one, and another, and another is called aw a y , yet it should
be a matter of gratitude that so m a n y are permitted to s t a y .
It has been mentioned among us, that when a station shall
be taken on the N orth West Coast, it would be proper to
send some from among ourselves, who are most worn out and
need recruiting, and who have had experience in gaining
access to savage m i n d s . Such we consider likely to be
useful sooner than those immediately from our c o u ntr y. If
this should take place, as we hope it will s o o n , an e xch ang e
of missionaries from time to time would be for the benefit
of both m i s s i o n s . If so, the sooner it can go into operation
the better for u s .
Again, the general increase of scholars, and schools during
the year past, must be considered among the prosperous events
of the m i s s i o n . With the exception of what we have noticed
above concerning the state of affairs at Oahu, the numbers
of those who are receiving instruction in our schools, and
the number of schools generally has been great incr ea sed .
We consider it also as favourable to the mission and a sign
of its prosperity, that so many books have been printed
and c ir culated. There is a mass of mind on these islands
just waking into a consciousness of its existence.
As they
become more and more conscious of their own importance, they
will demand more and more for their s u p por t. To provide
for them, and put it within their reach, we consider not only
o n e of our prominent objects, but also necessary to the
preservation of what we have already g a i n e d . We cannot boast
�1002.
of having added much to our stock of books during the
past year, as the history of Joseph - some addition to
the hymns & two sheets of Luke embrace all the new matter
that has come from the p r e s s . But n ew editions of books
formerly published have been printed, and we believe,
pretty extensively c ir culated. The people are ready for
them much faster than we can prepare and print t h e m .
But with feelings of gratitude to the great head of the
church, we would further mention among the prosperous events
of the year, several additions to the number of those whom
we hope will be s a v e d . The L ord has been gracious to us,
and not left himself without witness, that the great truths
of the gospel affect equally the dark and the enlightened
m i n d . The important enquiry, what shall we do to be saved,
has not been heard once or twice only, but the reports of
the stations will show that the answering of that question
to individuals and directing others in their enquiries has
occupied a portion of our t i m e . If God has blessed our
labours, where we could have but little access to the minds
of the people, m ay we not hope that he has great blessings
in store for them, wh e n they shall have all the means of
grace within their reach, and when all our i n f l u e n c e shall
be directed to that single point?
In this respect, ev ery
thing is encouraging and in perfect accordance with the pro m
ises of G o d . There is no reason why w e should relax, but on
the contrary, we consider these islands as fields fast
ripening for the harv es t. M a y the Spirit of the L ord's come
and breathe upon these slain, and may there arise up here a
great army to serve the living G o d .
Thus we have endeavoured, v e r y briefly, to state the adverse
and prosperous occurrences of the mission during the past y e a r .
The Christian philanthropist would delight to pause here, and
institute a comparison between t h e m . And how shall we compare
the wrath and malice of enemies, and the most deadly expressions
of it against the cause of God; with the goodness, justice,
mercy and power of the great God himself?
It is most certain
that God has caused the wrath of man to praise h i m . Hence we
do not consider the opposition of men to the cause of the
mission as amongst the adverse occurrences, any farther than
in d e s i g n . We ma y say, also, though God is about to take
away two of our number, yet this necessity did not exist until
he had sent several more to supply their p l a c e . W e fear,
indeed, that enemies are dwelling in the very m idst of us,
but perhaps their existence here, will be necessary to keep
us united - tend to make us more active and zealous, and
more constantly at our p o s t s . And the falling off of a few
hundred scholars and the negligence of some in attending public
worship, though to be deplored in themselves, should not be
set in opposition to the reception of thousands into our
schools - the crowded congregations - the attentive listeners and above all, the anxious enquiries of multitudes, what shall
we do to be saved?
When the body shall compare with the soul - when the god of
this world shall successfully contend with the great Jehovah
�1003.
of Heaven and earth - when temporal things shall he
more value than eternal - then, and not before, may
adverse occurrences of this mission during the past
compare with the degree of prosperity which God has
to it.
of
the
year
granted
Christian burials at Honolulu average 3 or 4 per w e e k .
At all the stations, there are three sermons each week,
two on the sabbath, and one on Wednesday. Besides these,
the natives hold prayer meetings by themselves, and meetings
for enquiry and catachetical instruction.
Medical Department - see Dr. Judd's letter.
Printing from Dec. 1827 to Sept. 1828 consuming 160 reams
of paper.
Pages
Two forms or 24 pages of L u k e ------- Copies 10,000
240,000
First sheet e x t r a --------------------600
7,200
History of Joseph - 32 pages -------16,000
512,000
A Helu Arithmetick 8 pages ----------5,000
40,000
Three fo r m s of 3rd edition of
Hymns 60 p a g e s ----- -------------10,300
618,000
Five small forms of 4th e d . Do
100 do
10.000 600.000
2.017,200
We c ome now to those points on which you request special
information. We lament the scarsity of documents from the
different stations for furnishing such information.
We b e
lieve however that the teachers, schools, &c, are nearly of
the same character at all the stations and on all the islands.
Indeed the only difference that can exist to any great extent,
must arise from the faithfulness or unfaithfulness of the
teachers. From the reports of the stations at Honolulu and
Lahaina you will be able to form as correct an estimate of
the whole as we can furnish.
The qualifications of the teachers, compared with the ignorance
of the people, somewhat resemble the country schoolmasters
of N ew England, who profess to teach nothing but reading,
writing and the. rudiments of Arithmetick, compared with the
information of that people. The difference is about the same.
Their influence is far greater. Some exertions are making
for raising the qualifications o f the teachers, and much more
needs to be done.
We are not able yet to decide positively as to the capacity
of the mass of people to receive instruction, as a thorough
experiment has not been made. When the iniatory books shall
be suitable to them - when the teachers shall be qualified
to instruct in the best manner, and when the people shall
regularly attend to it; then we may institute a comparison
with success, between scholars on these islands and scholars
in America. We, for ourselves, from what we have seen, do
not believe, that, all things considered, they will now suffer
in comparison with any people.
�1004*
The school books are all the books that have been printed,
except the hymns. These, though good in their plac e ,
we do not think sufficiently classical for those just be binning to r e a d . From the old method
of learning things
by rote, they do not consider anything learned, until they
can say it fluently w ithout a b o o k . From this, two evil
consequences result, one is that the scholars are not put
forward as fast as they might be; the other, that many can
apparently read handsomely in most or all the books, who
do not know a single l e t t e r . These errors, however, will
soon correct themselves. Their disposition to learn depends
in a great measure on the chief or head man to whom the
people b e l o n g . If he discourage them, they can see no use
in it, and will make no effort; if he encourage them, they
are ready to go any length, and we believe make some sacrifices
in order to procure books, build school houses, & c .
All the use they can make of their learning, is to furnish
matter for thought and re flection. At present, they have no
use generally, for arithmetical calculations if they u n d e r
stood them. That they will have soon, there can be no d o u b t .
At writing, as it refers to orthography and composition, they
evince readiness and reflection. But what are their a d
vantages for arithmetick and writing?
Our Helu or arithmetick
is a little t r a c t of eight pages and extends only to multi plication. As the terms are all new to them, they understand
nothing from it without a teacher, and teachers are not yet
quali fie d. If they were, the number of slates bears no p ro
portion to the number of scholars; so that with the present sup
ply of slates, the knowledge of arithmetick can never become
general. We believe it true, without, exception, that those
who own slates, can w r i t e . But again, how are they to learn
to write?
In the best native schoolhouses there are neither
seats nor tables. The posture of writing is prostration with
the slate lying on the ground before them, and this is li mit
ed to those who have s l a t e s . Paper is out of the question.
With this article, they never can be furnished to any extent
until there is a paper mill on the islands. The materials for
making paper we think are abundant here and easily m a n u f a c t
u r e d . The result is that the people who have the means, can
write, and with a little pains, would write w e l l . At ar it h
metick they show no want of capacity, but there is a want of
melons and instruction. The knowledge of the great mass of
scholars is confined therefore to reading and spelling, the
latter of which is very easily g a in ed.
1
2
3
4
5
Their books consist of
spelling book 16 mo
pages
8
Scripture tracts do — 4
Cateehism
d o --8
Decalogue
do --4
Thoughts of the d o --8
Chiefs
6
7
8
9
10
p ages
Sermon on the mount 16 m o . 16
Helu arithmetick
do
8
H i s t o r y of Joseph
do
32
Seven C h a p . of Luke 12 m o . 24
Hymns
24 m o . 108
Where all these are owned, they are generally, except the
hymns, bound up in a volume, and all, except the Helu, of a
religious kind, calculated to teach the outlines of the Christian
religion and moral obligation. These books are read, where
�1005.
they can be read, and understood as well as books of the
same c l a s s would be in the United States, b y the same class
of r e a d er s. They are highly valued by all that c an read
them. The spelling book we give a w a y . The others we e x
change for such productions of the islands, as can be of
use to the m i s s i o n . In many cases they are bought as fast
or faster than they are n e e d e d . That is, in many cases they
are anxious to procure a Joseph or a Luke, before they have
learned through their spelling b o o k . In requiring them to
give something in exchange for their books, the industry,
or at least the economy of the people must b e attended t o .
traits of character which now are not known amongst t h e m .
V/e think the piety and happiness of the people are continually
increasing; but to mark this increase, by noticing the decicive
facts, and to go into specef ications of these facts, w ou l d
swell this general letter to too great a length.
At present
we must refer you to the reports of the stations, where some
of them at least will be detailed.
In noticing the connection between causes and effects, as it
relates to the moral and religious character of this people,
we say it is just what it is in all countries, and has been
in all ages in the same circumstances. That is, where the
gospel is regularly and faithfully preached from sabbath to
sabbath, and other correspondent means of moral and religious
improvement are in operation, without any counteracting causes,
except the depravity of human nature; there the people are
fast rising, in moral, civil and religious improvement.
But where there is a want of faithfulness or skill in co mmu
nicating instruction, and where there exists counteracting
c a u s e s , the want of improvement in these various respects
is visible, just in proportion to the extent of these c a u s e s .
Religion and morality never did and never can exist without
in du str y. But among this; people there are few or no indu ce
ments to in dustry. The real wants of a barbarous people are
but few, and those in a climate like this, are easily s u p
plied; so that the time required for labour, bears no p r o
portion to the time in w h i c h they have nothing to d o . Still
we think considerable changes have been made for the better;
and though we do not see at present how some things very much
to be desired are to be brought about, yet so it was in the
opinion of those of us who first came to these shores respect
ing things that have been accomplished with perfect e a s e .
The truth is, the work is G o d ' s . In the use of his appointed
means we nay expect a b l e s s i n g . His promises stand f i r m .
How much civilization and refinement the heathen must possess
before they will be given to the Son of God for a possession,
we know not, but we know that when any of the, children of
Adam; shall have right views of the character of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and exercise an evangelical faith in him, they
will be entitled to mansions in heaven. This should be the
grand object of all our endeavours.
That you and we may be guided b y wisdom from above is our
constant prayer.
This interesting people are looking to us,
and through us to you, and through you to the American churches.
�1006.
They fully believe our r e p o r t . But alas, how man y will
never hear i t . At the final consummation of all things,
may it appear that we have all done what we could.
Respectfully yours,
mission.
in behalf of the
Lorrin Andrews
William Ri cha rds .
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
Mi ss ionary R ooms,
Boston, M a s s .
Received April 18,
1829.
#As we have on these islands all kinds of climate from the
torrid to the frigid zone, permit us to suggest the ex
pediency of being at some expense to build an asylum for
invalids among us where we may have the benefit of a cold
climate, and where we may in some measure continue our
labours without retiring from the fi eld . A partial trial
has been made with some success, but a cold damp forest,
or the bleak sides of a mountain witho ut suitable habitations
cannot be expected to afford much r e l i e f . The scheme is
practicable, experiment only can show the r e s u l t .
�1007.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Oahu,
Letter 262
O ct. 13,
1828.
Honored & very Dear Sir:
The mysterious, but holy providence of God seems to
call us to address you so soon again on a subject of
no small interest to you & to ourselves & to the
people among whom we dwe ll. We mean the return of
laborers from this field, of your missionary operations,
where the harvest is plenteous but the laborers few,
and the prospect of early success continually cheers
the eyes and hearts of those who are able to labor.
It is a matter of deep regret that so soon after the
arrival of the late reinforcement our ranks should
again be thinned by the removal of a family so very
favor abl y situated for extensive usefulness, & where
the mutual attachments between them and the people were
so strong that nothing but pressing necessity could
induce them to separate.
We all desire to b o w with submission to the will of the
Lord of this harvest who knows perfectly how to carry on
his own work, to accomplish in the best manner all his
benevolent ends and secure to his own adorable name all
the g l o r y .-
It becomes our duty now to state to you that for some
time past, our dear Brother & Sister E ly have been so
affected with the liver complaint as to be obliged to
suspend their missionary labors for several months past,
and M r s . E . particularly so severely, that in the opinion
of medical men, a removal to a colder climate is necessary
to her recovery.
M r . Ely has therefore with the advice and consent of his
brethren, concluded to embrace the first favorable op
portunity which providence should offer for their removal
to their native clime, with their two little s o n s .
The superior and highly favored Ship Enterprise, C a p t .
Swain is ready to convey them home under circumstances more
favorable than could often be expected, & such as will
lay them and us under lasting obligations to the Captain
and his officers.
M r . & M r s . Ely having devoted five years of arduous
services to the cause of the mission, and particularly
to that large portion of the Hawaiian race connected with
Naihe and the station at Kaawaloa ,will now b y leave of
Providence change the scene of labor and trial, and embark
on board the Enterprise for America, with the full a p p r o
bation of their brethren with warm attachment to the cause
to which they hope still to devote their remaining days,
�1008.
with cordial fellowship w ith the (hole in p a p e r ) these
islands, and with the affectionate recommendation of
their associates, to the confidence and kindness of the
Board, and of the churches, & to the Christian sympathies
of the friends of missions.
The Lord direct their w ay & grant them healing mercy, wit h
the blessing of Life forever m o r e .
Little Sophia M o s ely Bingham will accompany them, as
C a p t . Swain kindly gives her a free passage - She is sent
to the charge of M r . & M r s . Bingham's friends in America
who have particularly requested it?
Her parents feel a
comfortable assurance that the Lord will provide for her,
and that
He will have an interest in your prayers and the
prayers of those who love us & w h o will show her kindness
for Jesus s a k e . The L ord bless the little o ne.
Farewell, In the bond of the gospel
and with the highest esteem, y ou r brethren
H. Bingham
E .W .Clark
Levi Chamberlain
Stephen Shepard
G. P.Judd
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C . F . M .
Boston, M a s s .
Received Ma rc h 9, 1 8 2 9 .
�1009.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 263
Lahaina I sl. of Maui
O c t . 15, 1 8 2 8
To Jeremiah Evarts,
Esq.
Honoured & dear Sir:
The last communications to you from this station were
written under date of April 14th and forwarded by
C a p t . W orth of the Rambler, who sailed from the islands
about that time. He was soon obliged, however, to put
back for repairs and did not take his final departure
until June.
At the date of that communication, this station was
occupied b y Mr. & M r s . Richards a l o n e .
On the evening of the 21st of April they embarked on
board the Missionary Packet for Honolulu to attend
the general meeting of the mission on the arrival of
the reinforcement. The particulars of that meeting
you have reviewed in a general letter of the mission.
During their absence, religious meetings were conducted
by Taua who still continues a faithful & valuable
assistant.
They again returned to the station M ay 8th and
return were accompanied by M r . Andrews & wife,
& wife & Miss P a t t e n . It is expected that M r .
Andrews will be permanently connected with the
on t he ir
D r . Judd
& Mrs.
station.
We shall not soon forget either the appearance of the
people or our own feelings on this interesting occasion.
More than three years had elapsed since the departure of
M r . Stewart from the station, during which time, all had
been anxiously looking & waiting for some one to fill
his pl a c e . The time had arrived.
If your bosoms swell
with emotion when the messengers of peace leave your
shores to bear the tidings of Redemption, then what should
you expect would be the feelings of the captive himself,
when after waiting for years, he should at length see
the messengers arrive?
Yes, Sir, we can assure you there
were some who felt l i k e the liberated ca pti ve . It was
not necessary that we should understand the language of
the voice - the countenance,and the gestures, and the
falling tear were so much more expressive.
Our bosoms too reciprocated every tender emot ion . The
one part of us had been kindling the hope and raising the
expectation of the people until we dreaded the consequences
of disappointment, and had b e e n ourselves looking until
our eyes were weary, our strength exhausted, not to say our
hearts faint, - the other part of us, the occasion of all
�1010.
this joy, and ourselves entering, not only into a new
sphere of action, hut into one of which e v e r y day's
experience teaches us more and more the awful responsibility.
We all united in praise and thanksgiving to our common
Father for the enjoyment of so interesting and happy a s e as on.
While many members of the mission have been wasting with
disease, it becomes us with special gratitude to speak
of the peculiar favours of Providence to us in this r e s p ec t.
Health has prevailed in all our families, and in those
seasons of anxiety when we have most needed the presence
and aid of the great Physician, we have in the end been
loudly called on, to sing of mercy and not of judgment.
Our hearts are more specially affected at the present time,
by this token of Divine favour in consequence of being
again called on to yield to the summons of Providence, by
which he is calling from this field of p r o mis e, another
of its most valued labourers. Were it not the call of
Providence, we could not, we would n o t y i e l d .
To human view it would seem they could be better spared
a little season hence, but our father knows that no w is
the best time. His finger points - the path is plain &
duty c l e a r . We therefore bear them to heaven in our
prayers, and commend them to you and the chu rc hes , as
much beloved by us, and worthy of your continued favour
and lasting con fidence.
Remainder of this letter printed 25 Missionary Herald
208, July 1829.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F .M .,
Boston, M a s s .
From: L orrin Andrews
Jonathan S.Green
William R i c h a r d s .
Received April 24, 1829.
�1011.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Kailua,
L etter 264
D e c . 10, 1 8 2 8 .
Very dear Sir:
After the lapse of another revolving year, we again
would attempt to address our p a t r on s. With us it
has been a year of vicissitudes, of sorrow and joy.
Of the nature of these you have probably ere this
learned the particulars, and it will therefore become
unnecessary to repeat them h e r e . But the particulars
of that interesting work of Grace which the lord has
been carrying on in this place during the year past,
it becomes us to mention with gratitude and praise to
Him who is subduing to himself all the ends of the earth.
It is more than a year since the first indications of
special attention to Religion were apparent.
F rom that
time to the present, the Spirit of God has been w o r k i n g
in the hearts of this people, and bringing numbers into
his k i n g d o m . The change that has taken place in the
moral aspect of things, - the kind and friendly disposi
tions shown by the serious part of the community to us
and to one another, has served greatly to attach us to
our work, and to the people among whom we dwe ll . F rom
the time that our place of worship had been completed, we
had seen encouraging tokens of increased attention to
the ordinances dispensed by us, and a deeply serious a s
pect was apparent among those concerning whom we had
entertained pleasing hopes. During the latter part of
last year, our houses began to be visited by those who
came to make the great inquiry concerning the means of
salvation.
F rom that time to the present, our great daily employment
whe n disengaged from domestic avocations and other duties
pertaining to our work, has been to give oral instruction
to the numbers that have thronged our houses to enquire
after the concerns of their s o u l s . This religious atten
tion still continues in a pleasing degree, but it has for
a few months past been gradually diminishing, and at
present the instances of n e w cases of inquiry are seldom .
A large proportion, however, of those who became serious,
still hold on in their course, and it is our hope that in
due time they m a y be received into the bosom of the
churc h. We feel it important, however, to use great caution
in admitting converts from heathenism into the church, &
as a general rule not to baptize any until they shall b e
come well instructed in the doctrines of grace, and their
characters as Christians well es tablished. This, however,
is a slow process, and we find it necessary in our labors
with them to be as continually pulling down false conceptions
and errors in some, as to be building them up in the F aith.
Little can those who have sat from their infancy under the
ordinances of the gospel, be able adequately to conceive of
�1012 .
the palpable ignorance that clouds the minds of a
heathen and uncultivated p e op le. Even when we have
good reason to believe that the Spirit of God has wrou gh t
a change in the heart of one of these; and when this
happy change in his deportment & conversation is very
manifest, we have still to begin our instruction upon
the first elements of Religious k n o w l e d g e . They are at
best but ’’babes in Chris t” who can neither stand nor go
for, themselves for a long t i m e . At the same time it is not
a little gratifying to witness the willingness and s im
plicity with which they receive our instructions. There
is no cavailing, no questioning the truth of our doctrines;
"thus saith the Lord", is a sufficient warrant for their
faith, and as far as they are able to comprehend the d oc
trine or duty inculcated, are ready to put it into practice.
In order to possess a hold upon the religious feelings of
all such as profess to have become serious inquirers, and
to maintain a continued influence over them, that shall
serve to operate as a preventative from their falling away
and returning to their former habits, a moral & religious
society has bee n formed which meets weekly on the after
noon of each Friday, to which all persons are admitted who
profess their belief in the doctrines of Christianity, and
express a desire to obtain an interest in the Saviour of
sinners. Upon becoming members of this association they
engage to live sober and moral lives, attend diligently
upon the means of grace, to observe the duty of prayer, and
if heads of families, to maintain family worship morning
and e v e ni ng. If any member is found guilty of immorality,
he is excluded until he confess his fault and manifests
tokens of penitence. At their meetings, moral and religious
subjects are discussed, particularly those of a practical
n a t u r e . The influence of this association, which is similar
to those at the other stations, has a powerful effect upon
the public sentiment, and is fast raising a standard of
Christian morals that is destined we trust hereafter to
regenerate and elevate the character of this n a t i o n . The
number of individuals male & female who belong to this
society is between four & five hundred. You are not to s up
pose however, that all these, or even the greater part give
unequivocal evidence of piety. It is sufficient that they
be serious, teachable and moral persons to obtain a standing
as m e m be rs .
But there is another association selected from the above
number, of such only as give evidence of a work of grace in
their h e a r t s . They meet with one or both of us on the evening
of each F r i d a y . The present number belonging to this meet
ing is about sixty, including those already received into
the church. This number is increasing by small weekly
additions.
The instructions imparted to them are upon the
fundamental doctrines of grace, and are usually conveyed
in the form of question & a n s w e r . Here if any person
present has a difficulty upon his mind, he is at liberty to
state it, and receives from one of us a solution.
�1013.
Their experimental views of Religion are also related
here, and in fine whatever pertains to doctrine or duty
suited to their present capacities and situations is
taught th e m . It is from this little band that we select
our candidates for Ch. membership, after having continued
them a suitable time under a course of preparatory i n
struc ti on.
The prominent features of the late Religious attention
at Kailua are a deep sense of sinfulness, of danger and
of inability on the part of the inquirer himself, to
subdue the evil propensities of the heart, or effect any
good thing.
To persons of this class, our instructions
have been simple, and confined principally to an explana
tion of the nature and necessity of Repentance and Faith,
together with an entire dependence of the aids of the
H oly Spirit as the only means of escaping from the power
and dominion of s i n . W e carefully avoid all abstruse
speculations and questions engendering strife, and as nearly
as possible convey instruction to them in the words of
Holy Writ. The pure Word of God carries with it an authority
and conviction which no ??? human sanctions could equal.
In this important sense we have seen it to be quick and
powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, subduing,
the stoutest and most obdurate hearts to the influence of
the gospel.
During the progress of the Revival, we have been made a c
quainted with m a n y important features of the former state
of morals among this people, which tho' we were aware they
once existed to an alarming extent, yet we never before so
fully learned the universal depravity that prevailed with
scarcely a single exception among persons of every condition.
Of those who have now come out from the world and renounced
the vices to w hich they were habituated, we learn in their
account of themselves, that they once were drunkards and
liars, thieves, murderers & adulterers, inconstant to
matrimonial obligations, jealous of each, other, husbands and
wives se p a r a t i n g and taking others in their stead, seldom
living with each other but a short time, when the same
scenes would be again acted over. In short they followed
the evil inclinations of their corrupted hearts without
restraint of conscience or fear of s h a m e . A detail of the
vices once practised by them would be too s h o c k i n g to relate,
and would even east a blot upon this paper as we write I
Such once were those of whom we have been speaking, "but now
they are washed by the blood of Christ, - they are sanctified
by the Spirit of our G o d " . Mutual love and confidence have
succeeded to hatred and disgust towards each other: - the
previous savage has become the humble follower of the Lamb,
the dishonest, the brutalized, the libidinous son of e a r t h ,
has now become the peaceful citizen and the zealous promoter
of order, sobriety and Christian mo ra l i t y .
On Sabbath the 9th of March last, the first fruits of our
labors here were gathered into the Church. It was a novel
and interesting scene to the people of this and the neigh-
�1014.
boring v i l l a g e s . Six persons, two men & 4 women came
forward and in the presence of a large concourse of
people, solemnly avowed their belief in the articles of
Christian faith, took upon themselves the vows of the
Covenant and were b a p t i z e d . After which the L o r d ’s
supper was administered. It was a day of deep interest
to all the young c on ver ts. They afterwards came to us,
and in an unaffected and feeling manner declared that they
had in spirit partaken with us of the sacred emblems of
our Lord's body and b l o o d . Nor to these alone was it a
day of p o w e r . Man y who had before remained undecided,
became from this time determined to seek the Lord, and
have since become hopefully new cre a t u r e s .
In August last, twenty persons, 12 men and 8 women were
propounded, but owing to the absence of one of us to
another station, were not admitted to the church until
the last sabbath in N ov. This too was a season of solemn
interest like the former. Ma n y of the candidates were
persons of distinction and influence, among whom was
K eona, the wife of G o v. Adams & a chief of the first rank
in the islands.
Our church n ow consists of 26 native members, all of whom
have given for a full year and many of them much longer,
a satisfactory evidence of piety, and have walked worthily
in their profession.
It would be pleasing to us to give
you some Biographical scetches of these persons as you
have requested us to do, were it practicable. But the
difficulty of collecting interesting facts concerning pe r
sons in their simple and unimproved condition of life,
would prevent us in most cases, were there no other object
i o n . But our unwillingness to make public the character
of any in their first setting out in the divine life,
while their continuance in the same remains in uncertainty,
must prevent us for the present.
There is one case, however, which we are willing to
except from that of others. It is that of K aku puoki an
aged chief woman, and the first fruits of our labors. She
is the sister of Naihe the present chief of Kaawaloa, is
nearly 80 years of age, and was one of the wives of Taraiopu,
(T ere obo o) who reigned at the time of the arrival of Cap t.
Cook at the islands. She has now become v ery infirm, and
appears at present like one on the borders of the eternal
w o r l d . Of her former character, it is sufficient to say,
that it was bad as that of a full-bred heathen could b e .
B y her own a c c o u n t , she has had during her life, not less
than forty husbands, and according to the former custom
of high chiefs who were not the wives of the reigning king,
she usually had several of them at the same ti me . Such was
once the character of her who now appears to be one of the
brightest ornaments of the church in this place, a habit
ually conscientious and devoted Christian.
From the first
of our preaching to this people she attracted our notice
by the fixed attention she paid to our words, and the
friendly deportment with which she treated us, while there
was no one else that regarded. Soon after the establishing
�1015.
of a school in this place, she came wit h several of her
people as one of our p u p i l s . But being old, and slow
of apprehension, she appeared the most unpromising scholar
that we ever had. It was with the utmost difficulty and
after a long time that she was able to remember her alpha
b e t . We often advised her to give up the thought of l e a r n
ing in her old age, but so great was her desire to be able
to read the word of God, that she p ers evered. She chose
one of her female attendants who had become an expert in
reading to be her t e a c h e r . Her book was her daily c o m
panion at home and abroad, and at length after 2 or 3 years
she became able to spell out her words without a prompter,
and is now able to read a chapter w ith tolerable facility.
She is in our estimation a remarkable instance of one in
old age whose habits, disposition & character have under
gone a total revolution, and the Christian graces shine
forth in her as naturally as if they had grown with her
growth and strengthened with her st ren gt h.
Our worshiping congregation has been increased during the
past year, particularly on sabbath morning it is quite
large, often filling our spacious church to overflowing.
People come from the distance of 7 or 8 miles and return
the same d a y. All the canoes belonging to the adjacent
villages are put in requisition on the sabbath, and being
drawn up on the beach to get he r, often remind us of the
clustered vehicles of conveyance near the country churches
of our own land on that d a y .
During the past year we have been invited b y many persons
from a distance who have come hither and taken up a t e m
porary residence at Kailua for the sole purpose of availing
themselves of Religious instructions, and have remained
for many months together from their homes, g oing thither
occasionally and immediately returning b a c k . There is now
a whole family here from Kohala who have literally l e f t
all for the sake of Christ and his s alv a t i o n . The father,
mother, and daughter are truly serious persons and give the
most pleasing evidence of p i e t y
As the congregation at Kaawaloa has become destitute of
their pastor by the return of M r . Ely to America, we purpose
in future to visit that place alternately to preach to that
highly interesting people, and assist M r . Ruggles as far
as practicable in the arduous labors of that s t a t i o n .
Our schools during the year have continued to increase in
number and interest. Al l , or very nearly a l l , the books
that have bee n printed are in circulation and are read b y
thousands who peruse them with avidity and soon commit
them to m e m o r y . We have had 2 general examinations during
the year when the schools & scholars were numbered & their
progress m a r k e d . Their number you will find in the general
report of the m i s si on . But these do not include all that
are learners. There are m a n y in every place who cannot
attach themselves to schools, who still desire to avail them
selves of instruction, and are actually more or less improving
their leisure time in learning to read & w r i t e .
�1016*
All the teachers under our inspection have been notified
to come in again from their respective places of residence
after the first of next month to attend to further i n
struction from u s . After this shall have taken place we
propose to draw up a particular account of the schools,
embracing everything that is important to communicate,
and transmit the same to our patrons.
In reviewing the events of the last year, our sorrows
and our joys, our trials and successes, the removal of
one from the field of labor by death, and the return of
others to their native country, and on the other hand the
arrival of a large Reinforcement to encourage & strengthen
us in our work, - while also we are enabled to look upon
a goodly company of converts united to the church militant,
who a little while since were revelling in their heathenish
orgies and bowing down to wood and stone as the gods whom
t h e y adored; - while reviewing all these changes and events,
we are filled with admiration and praise to the Great Giver
of Good from whom we receive each dispensation of sorrow
a n d joy. The triumphs of the cross in heathen lands affords
continual evidence of the truth of Prophecy and strengthens
the faith of believers in the truth of divine inspiration.
We live in a world of c h a n g e s . One generation goeth and
another cometh, but every event is made to have a bearing
upon that great change which awaits all nations, when the
kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our Lord
and his Messiah, which m a y God grant for his Son's sake.
Amen.
A . Thurston.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq . ,
C o r . S E C . A .B.C.F.M. ,
Missionary R o o m s ,
Boston, M a s s .
Received A ug. 24, 1829.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 265
Honolulu,
Jan. 1, 1 8 2 9 .
Very dear Sir:
The committee appointed at the last meeting of the
m ission to inquire into the objects & measures of the
R oman C atholioks now at this Island, & make out a commu ni cat ion for the information of the Board, have a t
tended to the duties assigned them, & would embrace the
present opportunity to communicate what little inf or ma
tion they have been able to collect.
The catholicks now at this Island arrived here in the
summer of 1827 from Bordeaux.
According to their own
account, they were induced to come out by the fair r e p
resentations & promises of a certain Reeves, who had
spent some time at the Islands, & who was fitting out
a trading e x p ed iti on. They came out under the direction
of no public body, but merely as private adven tu rer s.
Their number consisted of three ecelesiasticks & six
seculars.
The prinoipal ec cl e s i a s t i c k died on the w a y .
Two of the seculars have left the Island since their
arrival. Two ecclesiasticks, a farmer & three mechanicks
remain .
They arrived here under very inauspicious cir cumstances.
Reeves, in wh o m t h ey put confidence, has never since been
seen at the Islands to fulfil his promises. They appeared
to be extremely poor, & it is said, would have returned
if they could have procured a p a s s age . For some time after
their arrival, they kept themselves very much secluded,
under the apprehension that they should be ordered away
by the Government. The farmer & mechanicks are now engaging
in their several employments, & like other foreigners have
received some favours from the Governor of the Island. It
is said, they have no special connection with the priests.
The two ecclesiasticks, we understand, are devoting them
selves to t he language, but not with very good facilities
for acquiring i t . We learn from them that their object
in coming to the Islands was to teach their r e l i g i o n .
T h e y h old a meeting of some kind on the sabbath, which is
attended b y a few foreigners, & occasionally by n a t iv es.
But the natives seem to take but little interest in their
worship, as it is unintelligible to them. We cannot learn
that they have any services in the native language. In
proposing to teach their religion to some attendants of
the king, a native replied, that it was just like their old
w o r s hip .
Kaahumanu has been disposed to discountenance them in
every proper w a y . They have not the formal permission of
�1018.
the government to propagate their religion,
countenance of any of the c h i e f s .
or the
One of the priests is an Irishman b y birth, & speaks
English & French, the others speak only F r e n c h .
They have buried two children according to the c a tholick
custom. These were both children of foreigners. One of
them was a daughter of the American consul & a gr a n d
daughter of Mr. Marin.
The consuls were both present
at the fun era l.
Their operations as yet, have been v e r y l i m i te d. What
their plans are, we are unable to s a y . It is pretty
evident, however, that they intend to establish themselves
here, but whether they expect any foreign assistance,
we know n o t . We are not without our fears respecting
the m. If they should get some of the principal chiefs
under their influence, serious consequences may f o l l o w .
Any attempt, however, to withhold from the people - the
scriptures in their own language would be exceedingly
unpopular.
Their success must depend very much upon the
course they t a k e . What this course will be, it is i m
possible for us, considering the previous history of the
Catholick church, to pre di ct. We feel no special alarm
at present, but we would feel, that we a r e called upon
for renewed circumspection & diligence in our work.
Ma y
the God of all grace prepare us for every trial & give
success to his tr u t h . We remain, dear sir, yours in the
fellowship of the G os pel .
H . Bingham
E .W.Clark
Levi C h a m b er lai n.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F.M . ,
Boston, M a s s .
C a p t . Allen of the S u l t a n .
Received July 14, 1829.
�32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830 . XI
Letter 266 .
Waimea, Kauai,
Jan. 1829.
Dear Sir:
Having recently examined the schools on this island,
we avail ourselves of the earliest opportunity to
give you the result of our investigation. At Kolau
& Kona we examined:
Males
Females
On the native hymn hook - - - - - 167
142
On the Sermon on the Mount - - - -122
62
On part of the Gospel by Luke - - 108
143
On a catechism#- - - - - - - - - - 4 8
75
On the History of Joseph - - - - - 29
54
On the Commandments - - - - - - — 37
19
On Select texts of Scripture - - - 82
54
On easy reading in the spelling
b o o k ----------------154
104
Spelling lessons - - - - - - - - -218
200
965
853 total 1818
Of the above number 242 were children.
In the district of Puna we examined Making the whole number on this island
1060
The schools of Puna, were first reviewed.
But as we had
not a copy of your letter relative to that subject, &
neither of us recollected the items of information, which
you desired, we did not note particulars, as we have since
thought it our duty to do. In addition to the tracts
above mentioned, some classes at Puna were examined on the
manao's, v i z . speeches of the chiefs.
The proportion of children, & of the different sexes,
appeared to be about the same in this district as in the
others. But the number of spellers & those that were b e
ginning to read, formed a larger proportion in this, than
in the other districts.
There are 74 schools; taught by the same number of native
teachers. The school houses are generally much the best,
& most spacious, buildings in their respective villages.
Several of them are about 80 feet long & 36 broad. The
people seldom continue longer than two hours in school.
They usually assemble twice in a day. Sometimes about
six; but more generally at 8 o'clock in the morning; &
again between 3 & 4 P .M .
The teachers are appointed by the missionaries, after an
examination. And in case of improper conduct, they are
rejected by the same authority. They have generally been
#See last sheet of this letter.
�1020.
supported,or nearly so, b y the head man in their
respective neighbourhoods.
This has been done by
the g overnor’s o r der s. He has recently directed that there
be given to each teacher, a piece of land, from w h i c h
with a little labour, he may obtain a supply of f o o d .
As a body, the teachers are the most moral, and most
intelligent young men on this island. And they appear
to be usually respected & esteemed by the p eople.
One fact, may serve to illustrate the preceding remark.
When persons from a distant village, or those with whom
we are unacquainted, wi s h to be married, it is customary
for them, to bring their teacher, to testify that they
are not already married, or otherwise unlawful subjects
for such a con ne cti on.
We regret,
qualified,
however, to state that very few of them, are
as we could wish, for their office.
On this account, the report is not so accurate as it
might otherwise have b e e n . In some cases they brought
forward those, who pretending to read, knew nothing e x
cept to repeat the lesson, which had been previously
given the m . M a n y children & others they have kept from
the examination, because they could not appear in publick
to suit the fancy of their teachers, although they could
read w e l l . The exact number on this island, who can
read, spell, &c, will doubtless exceed, (rather than fall
short of) that w h i c h we have g i v e n .
The eviles above named are yearly diminishing. But time,
experience, & much labour, are still requisite to pro
duce well regulated schools.
Most of those who read, can also write; but for want of
paper & slates did not exhibit.
Simeon, George Sandwich, & another native are appointed
school visite r s . They ascertain whether the school re g u
lations are adhered to, & report to us, whatever they
consider improper.
The Governor, Amelia, his wife, & Deborah, were of (hole
in paper) number ex amined. These, with the husband of
the last, v i z . Simeon, exert a ver y salutary influence
upon the s c h oo ls. Although much, very m u c h , remains to be done before this
people will be properly enlightened, still we may, &
will rejoice, that many who were very recently enveloped
in thick darkness, are now beginning to read (in their
own language) "the wonderful works of God".
Hoping that on the next occasion, we may be able to
present a more interesting report; & praying that all the
�1021.
families of the earth may speedily be blessed with
the means of instruction, & w i t h " the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus
Christ", we remain, your servants in the Gospel.
Saml. W hitney
P. J.Gulick .
P.S . Concerning the method b y which the people obtain
their books, we may say a very small proportion are
begged on this island. They obtain them b y labouring
for us; or in exchange for various products of the
climate; goats, fish, & c .
#A particular description of this, & the other books
we presume you will receive from another source.
P .S . April 1829.
The schools of N ihau, a small island
adjacent to Kauai, were examined. They are four in
number, all under native teachers, embrace 33 males &
43 females; 44 who read, & 32 that s pel l. These added
to the 74 schools, & 2878 scholars on Kauai make 78 schools,
__ 76
78 teachers,
3 visiters and
2954 scholars.
P.J.G.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
Missionary R ooms,
Boston, M a s s .
Received F e b . 11, 183 0 .
�1022.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
Letter 267
Kailua,
To:
XI
October 1, 1 8 2 9 .
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, M a s s .
By the M a r y Michel, C a p t . M c K e n z i e .
F r o m : A . Thurston
Artimas B i s h o p .
Received March 13,
1830.
This letter printed 26 Missionary Herald 151, May 1 8 3 0 .
�1023.
32
To:
June 1820 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 268
Oahu,
Oct. 10, 1829.
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,
C o r . Sec. A .B.C.F .M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Hanover S t . ,
Boston, M a s s . U . S .A m e r i c a .
F rom: H .B i n g h a m
E .W .Clark
Levi Chamberlain
Stephen Shepard
G .P .Judd
Received July 14, 1 83 0 .
This letter printed 26 Missionary Herald 280, S e p t .
1830.
�1024.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 269
Honolulu,
To:
Feb. 20,
1830.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
C o r . S e c . A .B .C .F .M.,
Boston, M a s s . U.S.A.
From: E .W .Clark
H .Bingham
L. Andrews
Received July 29,
1830.
This letter printed in 26 Missionary Herald,
October 1830.
311,
Paragraph 7 - Jesuits.
Something w as said about the Jesuits n ow at this Island
in our last report.
They are still here to propagate
their religion, have baptized a considerable number, &
at one time succeeded in drawing away a few, who have
been under our special instruction. They have, however,
never obtained permission to remain here, & have been
steadily frowned upon by the C h i e f s . Recently the Goverment
has forbidden them to proselyte, & forbidden the people, to
visit their place of worship; & we understand their meetings
are de ser ted . We have watched with no small solicitude
the enemy, which has come to sow tares among u s . What
the end will be we know n o t . How shall we act in relation
to the fatal delusion, which is taking root among us?
We trust you will not withhold from us your advice upon
so critical a subject.
�32
June 1828 - Aug . 1830 X
I
Printed in Missionary Herald.
Received A u g . 5, 1830
Letter of the Go ve rnment.
�1026.
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
Letter 273
Minutes of a General Meeting of the
Sandwich Island Mission, Held
at Honolulu, J an . 1830.
Honolulu, Monday,
Jan. 13,
1830.
This afternoon the following members of the Sandwich Island
Mission met at the house of R e v . M r . Bingham, to attend
to the business of a General Meeting, v i z . :
R e v . Hiram Bingham
"
Samuel Whitney
Mr*. Samuel Ruggles
First missionaries.
M r . Levi Chamberlain,
First r ei nforcement.
R e v . Lorrin Andrews
"
Jonathan S .Green
Ephraim W .Clark,
Gerrit P .Judd, M .D .
M r . Stephen Shepard
Second r einforcement.
The moderator of the last meeting not being present,
M r . Bingham called to order, and received the ballots for
a moderator.
Choice was made of R e v . Samuel Whitney.
The moderator, having taken the chair, c alled for the
ballots for a scrib e.
Choice was made of M r . Levi Chamberlain.
The meeting was then opened with prayer by the m od era
tor; and being ready to proceed to business,
On motion, voted, that the scribe read the minutes of
the last general m e e t i n g . The minutes having been read:
On motion, voted, that the standing rules for the
regulation of the general meetings of the Mission be also
read: and they were read accordingly.
On motion, voted, that a committee of overtures be
chosen to make out a list of subjects for the deliberations
of this m e e ti ng. Chose M e s s r s . Bingham, Andrews and Clark.
The Committee of Overtures presented their list;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
as follows
Reports of standing committees for the last y e a r .
Mission to the North West Coast of A m e r i c a .
Station at W ai m e a .
Aid to the station at H i l o .
Location of M r . Green.
Translations and elementary b o o k s .
Printing.
Disposal of books, and the manner of accounting for them
Presents, earnings, & c .
Jesuits - What course shall be recommended respecting
them.
�1027.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19 .
20.
21.
22.
23.
24 .
25.
26.
27.
28.
29 .
Regulations for general m ee tings.
Subject of general l e t ter s.
Records and transactions of the m i s s i o n .
Translating and publishing for the King and C h i e f s .
An annual report to the Board, of the progress and
state of the M i s s i o n .
A joint letter, embracing the principal transactions
of this meeting and rep ly to letters from the
Board.
A letter to the American Bible S o c ie ty .
A letter to the American Tract S o c ie ty.
A letter to the American S e a m a n ’s Friend Society, on
the subject of a mission to the Port of H o n o l u l u .
A letter to the Secretary of the United S t a t e s N a v y .
Ditto.
to the London Missionary Society.
A letter to the Society of Inquiry on the Subject of
Missions at Andover, M a s s .
Ditto, to ditto, at Princeton, N. Jersey.
D i t t o . to ditto, at Auburn, N.Y o r k .
A letter to R ev. C .S .Stewart, in answer to his addressed
to the Mission.
what rule shall be adopted respecting ardent spirits
as it respects ourselves, our pupils,
an d our
visitors .
D isposal of books auxiliary to translations, and recent
publications from the B o a r d .
What n ew measures shall be adopted to forward the p r e p
aration of native teachers to be preachers of the
Gospel to their coun try me n.
Labour among the foreigners at Ho nol ul u.
Principles of intercourse with the c h i e f s .
On Subject N o . 1 - On motion, voted, that the committee
appointed at the last general meeting, to inquire into the
objects of the Jesuits, report their p roceedings.
The committee not being fully prepared, requested leave
to defer their report to some future time; which was g r a n t e d .
On motion, voted, that this m e e t i n g will attend, at
8 o'clock on Wednesday morning, to the hearing of the reports
of all the standing committees appointed at the last general
meeting.
Adjourned.
Tuesday,
Jan. 19.
Met at 8 o ’clock A .M . Meeting opened with prayer b y
M r . Bingham.
On N o. 2 - On motion, voted, that the subject of a
mission to the N orth West Coast of America, be referred to
the standing committee appointed at the last general m e e ti ng.
On 3d - On motion, voted, that the subject of a
Station at Waimea, on Hawaii, be referred to a committee of
three.
Chose M e s s r s . Andrews, Judd and Ch amberlain.
On 4th - On motion, voted, that the subject of Aid to
Hilo, be referred to a committee of t h r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . Bingham, Green and C ha mb erl ain .
�1028.
On 5th - On motion, voted, that the subject of the
location of M r . Green, be referred to a committee of th r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . Bingham, Andrews and C l a r k .
On 6th - On motion, voted, that the subject of
translations and elementary books, be referred to a committee
of th re e.
Chose M e s s r s . Bingham, Andrews and W hitney .
On 7th - On motion, voted, that the subject of printing,
be referred to a committee of t h r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . Andrews, Clark and S h e p ar d.
On 8th - On motion, voted, that the subject of the d i s
posal of books, and the manner in which they shall be account
ed for, be referred to a committee of thre e.
Chose M e s s r s . Bingham, W hitney and C ham ber la in.
On 9th - On motion, voted, that the subject of presents,
earnings, &c, be referred to a committee of t h r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . Chamberlain, Green and C l a r k .
On 10th - On motion, voted, that the subject of the
Jesuits - What course shall be recommended respecting them? be referred to a committee of t h r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . Whitney, Andrews and Green.
On 11th - On motion, voted, that the subject of r e g u l a
tions for general meetings, be referred to a committee of
three.
Chose M e s s r s . Green, Clark and Chambe rl ain .
On 12th - On motion, voted, that the subject of general
letters, be referred to a committee of t h r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . Andrews, Whitney and C l a r k .
On 13th - On motion, voted, that the subject of
records and transactions of the mission, be referred to a com
mittee of t h r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . Judd, Chamberlain and C l a r k .
On 14th - On motion, voted, that the subject of trans
lating and publishing for the King and Chiefs, be referred
to a committee of t h r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . W hitney, Bingham and C l a r k .
Adjourned till a f te rn oon .
After no on.
Met according to ad journment.
The committee on subject N o .3, presented their report, wh i c h
was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee to whom was referred the subject of a Station
at W aimea, on Hawaii, in presenting to this meeting their
report, beg leave to state, that in consequence of the
feeble and declining health of several of the members of
this mission, the brethren of the mission present at Honolulu
seven in number, met somewhere about the close of the month
of October last, for the purpose of consulting as to the e x
pediency of sending some of their number to explore the in
land district of Waimea, on the island of Hawaii, a region
which had been highly recommended for salubrity of climate;
in order to ascertain whether an establishment there would
be practicable.
�1029
As the result of their consultation, it was re com
mended, that two, at least, of their number should e n
deavor to make a visit to that region, with a view to
explore it thoroughly: and it was recommended that M essrs.
Judd and Chamberlain should be the persons to go: and it
was, moreover, expressed as very desirable that M r . Andrews
of the station at Lahaina, should be added to the number;
and he was accordingly wri tte n to upon the subject, and
requested to avail himself of an opportunity for going on
to Hawaii, to be joined there b y the b re thren from H o n o
lulu. Subsequently, b y the consent of the brethren, Mr.
Green, who had recently returned from the North West Coast
of America, was added to the deputation.
In pursuance of the foregoing steps, the deputation,
thus appointed, performed the duties assigned them; as will
appear b y their Report; which is as follows:
The deputati on, appointed by several of the missionaries at Honolulu in October last, and approved by those
not present, for the purpose of exploring the district of
Waimea, on the is land of Hawaii, with the hope of finding
a place favourabl e to the restoration of health in cases
where it h a s been affected b y the influence of the hot
climate of these islands; here communicate the following
as the result of their observations and enquiries.
The deputation arrived at Waimea on the 2d day of
December, 1829; and resided there nearly three w e e k s .
They resided at two different places in the district, about
four miles distant from each other; and from each of these
places frequently made excursions in the neighborhood, for
the purpose of extending their information, and comparing
the local advantages of different sections of the d istrict
In the meteorological observations, Kuahewa, a
place up the hill from Kailua, and Kuapehu, back of Kaawaloa,
are compared with W a i m e a .
The meteorological observations of these places are
as follows:
Meteorological Observations,
Commencing D e c . 2d, and ending D e c . 26,
1 82 9 .
Note. The following is the Result of Observations, made byM r . Bingham, at Kuahewa, from Aug. 25, to Sept. 3, 1827.
�1030.
the hours as above:- Greatest heat, 76; least heat 59;
range 17; mean temperature, 67.
That is 8 degrees less than the mean temperature for a
year at Honolulu.
But it appears that the m e a n t e m per a
ture for 4 days at Kuahewa, in Dec. is 61 3/4, and at
Keaalii and Puukapu 61 1/4.
The places where the deputation resided were at Keaalii,
situated about eleven miles, a little south of east from
Kowaihae, nearly at the summit of the table land of Waimea
on the western declivity; and at Puukapu, about four miles
easterly from K e a a l i i .
The district of Waimea is the southern part of the
division of K o h a l a . It is bounded on the north by the
abrupt termination of the mountains of Kohala, on the east
b y the division of Hamakua, on the south by the mountains
Ke a and Hualalai, and on the west by the s e a . This district,
as nearly as could be ascertained, is about 20 miles in
length from east to west, and from 5 to 9 north and south.
From the sea-shore on the west the ascent is gradual
the distance of 11 miles; so much so that with a tolerable
road, carts, wagons, & c ., could easily and safely be drawn
up.
This place is called Keaalii.
F rom this point eastwardly the distance of 6 or 8 miles, perhaps more, the land,
though by no means a dead level, is a pretty even plain; f re
quently interspersed with hillocks and rising grounds, and
towards the eastern part are several of considerable s i z e .
F rom the eastern part of Waimea towards the sea, through
the division of Hamakua, the descent is not so great as on the
west; but is terminated at the s e a by high lava precipices,
some of which are judged to be from one thousand to two
thousand, or two thousand five hundred f e e t .
On the supposition that the table land of Waimea is
11 miles from the sea on the west, and the ascent is three
degrees, the perpendicular elevation will be not far from
2600 f e e t .. This estimate is probably within bounds, when it
is considered, that there is some considerable descent from
Waimea to Waipio, a distance of 10 or 12 miles, and that the
perpendicular bluff at Waipio is at least 2000 f e e t .
The general and prevailing winds are probably the
Trade Winds; though during most of the time that the deputation
spent at Waimea, the wind blew alternately from the east and
the west, or what in most other places would be called land
and sea b r e e z e s . These trade winds, however, are evidently
very much modified by distance from the sea and their passage
over land elevated much above their general influence. When
the wind is from the east it is much stronger at Puukapu than
at Keaalii, and vice v e r s a .
The information obtained from native residents at
Waimea, respecting wind, rain and cold, is very indefinite;
owing to their having no standard by which to judge of t h e m .
�1031.
M auae, an intelligent young native, having resided there
for five years, says, "That easterly winds are frequently
strong; but not so strong as to tear down h o u s e s . That
this same wind, w hen it reaches the sea at Kowaihae, is
much stronger than at Keaalii, or than any wind that blows
over the table land of Waimea.
That the strongest wind
that blows at that place, (Keaalii) is called Kona, and
is from the w e s t .” The winds so noted for violence, called
Mumuku, and which come down upon the sea at Kowaihae and
Puako, are not near as strong when passing over the high
grounds of W a i m e a .
It is impossible from the short period of observation,
to state particularly the various degrees of heat or cold
during the y e a r . The meteorological table will show the d e
grees of heat and cold during a few da y s . It is to be r e
marked, however, that in clear weather the thermometer stood
several degrees lower than in cloudy; and hence, if the d i s
tinction between wet and dry seasons be. as marked as at most
other parts of the islands, there will not be such a great
range of the thermometer as might be ex pe c t e d . The cloudy wet
season of winter will cause the mercury to rise, while the
clear dry weather of summer will cause it to f a l l . N o signs
of frost appeared in any part of the district, though the
natives say that sometimes there are f ro st s.
The most correct data for forming an opinion respecting
the quantity of rain that falls, is the quantity and appearance
of vegetation.
It is well known to all who have travelled
much on these islands, that the growth of vegetation is lu x
uriant wherever rains are f re quent. At and near the sea-shore
at Kowaihae and Puako, there is no appearance of vegetation
except very low shrubs, thistles and dry looking gras s. On
ascending towards the east, vegetation slowly but gradually
increases; so that at Keaalii there are found grass in c o n s i d
erable quantities, large bushes, and even large trees: upland
kalo and potatoes grow well; and there is no doubt but gardens
might be cultivated to good advantage, subject perhaps to
great droughts. Proceeding still further eastwardly, to Waikoloa,
(about 2 miles) there is evidence of still more rain, as
vegetation of all kinds indigenous to the islands is in
abundance, and always gr e e n . The grass is high and thick, and
trees grow to the hight of from 20 to fifty f e e t .
Proceeding still further to the eastward, towards
Puukapu and onward, the quantity of rain that falls is evidently
g r e a t e r . The trees here are much larger, that is, from 10 to
20 or 25 inches in diameter, and from 20 to 50 or 60 feet high.
The smaller species of vegetation, such as grass, weeds, bushes,
&c. are tall, thick and tangled.
The rains are generally not heavy showers, but the
gentle distillation of clouds that run low.
As these clouds
come from the east, borne b y the trade winds, the hight of land
is so great when they leave the sea that they discharge them
selves before they reach even the western descent of Waimea.
Thence proceeding from west to east through this district, the
�1032.
evidence of more and more lain increases at every step.
Still there appears no evidence of great floods, or of
great quantities of rain falling at any one time; as there
evidently would he were it often the fac t .
This remark
applies especially to the table or level land of W aimea.
Add to this the fact that two of the streams of Waimea,
hereafter to be mentioned, pass down to the westward, and
though they are streams of considerable size when they
descend from the mountains, yet are lost long before they
reach the sea, which would not be the case if they were
frequently replenished with heavy rains falling upon the
level lands of this d ist r i c t .
When the rain first appears at Puukapu it has the
appearance of a thick dense f o g . This comes on generally
between the hours of 12 and 1 in the day, and continues
until 4 or 5 in the afternoon, when it clears off.
This
fog does not always produce rain, nor does the fog appear
every d a y . There is less of it at the south side of Waimea,
much less both of fog and wind at Waikoloa, and still less
at K e a a l i i .
The reason, therefore, why the thermometer is lower
at Keaalii than at Puukapu, is owing to the greater frequency
and density of clouds, as the thermometer always stood lower
in clear than in cloudy w e a t h e r . It could not be ascertain
ed, however, with any degree of certainty, that rains are
more frequent at one part of the year than anot her .
Besides the rains just mentioned, there are three
streams of water running through parts of this district, each
of them sufficiently large to propel machinery equal to two
horse p o w e r . These streams descend from the mountains on
the n o r t h ; one at Keaalii, one at Waikoloa and one at Puukapu.
The one at Keaalii is a rapid stream, of a rocky bottom; and
as soon as it reaches the plain which is just below the
height of land on the western declivity, it turns to the w e s t
ward, and within a distance of four or five miles is entirely
absorbed, except when great rains fall upon the mountains,
in which case it sometimes perhaps reaches the s e a . This
stream is evidently at times high and rapid, as appears from
grass, reeds, leaves, & c ., left on the margin, or lodged
against the larger brushwood and rocks within the bed of the
s t rea m.
The stream at Waikoloa is perhaps generally as large
or larger than the one at Keaalii; though the former has no
appearance of being suddenly or greatly affected by rains from
the m o u n t a i n s . On reaching the plain it runs southwardly some
distance, then turns to the westward nearly parallel, but
some distance to the south of the stream at Keaalii, and like
it is lost long before it reaches the s e a . Its flow is very
gentle while it continues on the table land, not unlike the
streams that pass through the meadow lands of New E n g la nd.
�1033.
The stream at Puukapu is very similar to the
at Wai ko loa . Perhaps if there be any difference
is more w a t e r . After coming down upon the plain
turns to the east, and probably empties into the
some part of H amakua.
one
there
it
sea in
It is to be observed, that the influence of these
streams is confined to the northern part of Waimea; so
that if a line were drawn from east to west through
this district, separating that part w h ich might be
watered from these streams from those parts which are
entirely dependant on the rains, perhaps four-fifths
would be without any permanent w a t e r . Whether water can
be obtained b y digging must remain for future experiment.
The growth of wood, either for fuel or timber, is
abundant on the eastern part of Waimea, or still nearer
on the mountains bordering this district on the n o r t h .
Timber for native buildings could be easily obtained, and
even timber for frames would not be difficult.
Stones
are plenty a little below the surface of the ground, as
appears from the long stone walls built to confine the
wild cattle to the southern part of the di st r i c t .
The present state of land cultivation is v e r y similar
to every part of the i s l a n d . Little or nothing is done by
the people except to provide for their present necessities;
but this land might be made the garden of the islands.
On this subject, however, the deputation cannot go into
detail. Suffice it to say, that large fields might easily
be prepared for the plough, and made to wave with productions
fitted for the food of man and b e a s t . All the necessaries
and many of the luxuries of life might be easily produced.
It is well known that large herds of wild cattle
range the south part of this district, but frequently come
to the north side for w a t e r . Some of these might be d ome s
ticated, and made serviceable to the inhabitants; and
horses also might easily be kept, and made to add extensive
ly to their comfort and convenience.
The present population must be considerable, th ough
for the want of water it is mostly confined to the northern
pa r t . The congregations on the Sabbath amounted to five
or six hundred, though it was said the men were all absent
from home cutting sandal w o o d . The probability is that a
congregation of from 1000 to 1500 might be collected every
sabbath, if there were regular preaching. These people
appeared anxious for instruction, and desirous that M i s s i o n
aries should come and live with t h e m .
Two roads might be made to this place; one from
Kowaihae, the other from Puako. The former rout is two or
three miles nearer; but the expense of making a good wagon
road would be considerably greater than the other. The
principal obstructions consist in large loose stones, b ut in
general not difficult to be removed with good levers. A
good road from Puako to Keaalii could easily be m a d e .
�1034.
It will be observed, that the foregoing remarks
have been confined to the northern section of this
district.
It was early discovered, that the southern
parts were destitue of running water; and there being
no evidence that water could be procured by digging, it
was thought unnecessary to examine a country so deficient
in that essential a r t i c l e .
It should not be concealed, that the duputation
think from all they have been able to learn, from natives,
and foreigners who have frequently passed through this
district, that they were at Waimea in a very favourable
time; that is, when there were less rain and wind than
u s u a l . But this cannot be decided with certainty, w i t h o u t
an actual residence at the p lac e.
Should an establishment be made, either at Keaalii,
Waikoloa or Puukapu, the natural scenery is of a kind the
most interesting, partaking of the grand and b e a u t i f u l .
On the north and near at hand rise the almost perpendicular,
lofty, but every verdant hills of K o h a l a . On the south
east, south and south west, Mau na K ea, Mauna L oa and Hualalai
the two former raising their summits to the clouds, and
generally covered w ith snow, present a prospect with which
the eye is not soon s at i s f i e d . From the elevations at
Waik oloa and Puukapu, the whole district appears spread out,
exhibiting gentle undulations, groves of trees, here and
there a house amidst luxuriant verdure, and distant herds
of cattle feeding on the extensive p l a i n . These prospects,
occasionally obscured or rendered unpleasant b y fogs,
clouds, winds and rain, and again bursting forth with all
their distant and varied beauty, must constitute those
grateful vicissitudes so agreeable to men generally, and es
pecially to those accustomed to the changes of a northern
climate.
In conclusion, after all the information they could c ol
lect, united with personal observation, the deputation are
unanimous in the opinion, that considering the debilitating
influence of the hot climate of these islands upon the c o n
stitutions and health of many of the Missionaries; and
that in order to prevent a premature death they are liable
to be sent from this field of labour; there are sufficient
inducements for making a thorough trial of the district of
Waimea, as a place of residence highly favourable to the
recovery of health, comfort and usefulness of those w h o may
resort to it; and that a station there would be connected
with the moral and spiritual interests of an interesting
portion of these i s l a n d s .
Of the expediency of taking a station at W a i m e a , at this
or any other time, under any circumstances, the deputation
here do not express an opinion. They leave this for the
general meeting of the Missionaries and their patrons in Amer
ic a to decide.
All which is respectfully submitted,
Lorrin Andrews
Levi Chamberlain
�1035*
Lahaina, Jan. 9, 1830.
Wherefore R esolved,
1 . That we deem it expedient to attempt an establishment
for invalids.
2 . That in view of the climate, soil, population, and
other advantages of Waimea, on Hawaii, we deem that
district the most eligible of any place within our informa
tion for such an e stablishment.
3 . That it be recommended to D o c t . Judd and M r . R u gg les
to go to Waimea immediately and commence an establishment,
and that M r . Bingham also be recommended to join them
as soon as c o n ve nie nt.
All which is respectfully s ub m i t t e d .
L orrin Andrews
Gerrit P . Judd
Levi Chamberlain
The committee on subject N o . 7, presented their report,
which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee appointed to report upon the subject
of printing, beg leave to submit the following resolutions:
1 . R esolved, that we deem it highly important that
the business of printing should be prosecuted with vigor;
and that the superintendence of the department be e n
trusted to a committee of three, whose duty it shall be,
to provide all the necessary means for printing, decide
what shall be put to press, read proofsheets, and in case
of failure in the supply of any matter previously assigned,
to mak e new arrangements for a supply, and to examine
and direct in respect to any matter to be printed not p re
viously assigned by the mis sio n.
2 . R esolved, that in order to facilitate the work of
printing, no manuscript shall be sent to the department to
be put in type, until the work be fully completed arid c or
re c t e d .
3 . Resolved, that a proof, when it shall have been
read by any two of the committee may be put to press, w it h
out its having bee n read by the th i r d .
All which is respectfully subm itt ed.
Lorrin Andrews,
E .W .Clark,
Stephen Shepard
Adjourned till 7 o ’clock in the evening.
Committee.
�1036.
Evening
M e t according to adjournment.
The committee on subject N o. 4, presented their
report, which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee on the subject of affording aid to
the station at Hilo, beg leave to recommend the adoption
of the following resolution, v i z .
Resolved, that in view of the pressing claims of
the population of Hilo and its vicinity, and the earnest
request of M r . Goodrich to have assistance, we deem it
the sacred duty of the Mission to attempt to strengthen
that station, b y the aid of an additional lab ore r.
Respectfully s ubmitted.
H . Bingham,
J .S .Green,
Levi Chamberlain
The committee on subject N o . 5, presented their
report, which was accepted, a n d is as follows:
The committee to w hom was referred the subject of
M r . Green's location, beg leave to report, that, as
there are various difficulties in the w a y of immediate
ly fixing his location, they recommend the adoption of
the following resolution, viz:
Resolved, that M r . Green be recommended to choose
his residence, with reference to engaging most adv an
tageously in the study of the language, preaching to the
people, and aiding the w o r k of translating; it being
understood, that himself, and the brethren with whom he
is associated, be considered as responsible for the supply
of an additional laborer at Hilo till the next general
meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
H .Bingham,
L .Andrews
E .Y. Clark.
A d j our ne d.
Committee
Meeting closed with prayer by M r . A n d r e w s .
Wednesday,
Met at 8 o'clock,
by M r . Green.
A .M .
Jan. 20
Meeting opened with prayer
The reports of the standing committees being called
for by the moderator,
�1037.
The standing committee on the subject of a Mission
to the North West Coast of America, presented their re
port, which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee to whom was referred the subject of
exploring the North West Coast of America, with reference
to the establishment of a mission on that coast, agreeably
to the suggestions of the American Board, beg leave to
report:
1. That in February last, in accordance with the
advice of your committee, Rev. J.S .Green, the person des
ignated to that service at the last general meeting of
the Mission, took passage on board the Bark Volunteer,
as an agent for investigating the moral condition of the
inhabitants of said coast; that he remained on board the
Volunteer till the following November; visited different
parts of the coast, and gleaned all the information in
his power; that the results of this agency, embodied in
the form of a report, have been sent to the Prudential
Committee; and that the expense of the agency, amounting,
to five hundred and ten dollars, has been paid by the
treasurer of this Mission.
2. That after hearing the report of the agent, the
committee are of opinion, that the indications of provi
dence in regard to the immediate establishment of a
mission on the North West Coast, are not sufficiently
plain to warrant this Mission in taking any direct step
in reference t o this subject, till, at least, the views
of the Prudential Committee, after receiving the report
of the agency already performed, shall be ascertained.
Respectfully submitted.
H .Bingham,
E .W.Clark, ^ Committee
J.S. Green.
The standing committee on the subject of the annual
report to the Board, of the state of the Mission, pre
sented their report, which was accepted, and is as follows
The committee appointed to write the Annual Report
to the Board, of the state of the Mission, report, That
the Report was written and sent at the time appointed.
L .Andrews, )
W. Richards, Committee
The standing committee on the subject of the Jesuits,
presented their report, which was accepted, and is as
follows:
The committee appointed to inquire into the objects
of the Jesuits now at this Island, and make out a communi-
�1038.
cation for the information of the Board, beg leave
to state, that they have attended diligently to the
business assigned them. They have made inquiries r e
specting the number, the operations a n d the prospects
of the Jesuits; and have made out and forwarded a co m
munication to the Board, stating the time and manner
of their arrival, their number, their occupations,
their efforts to teach the people, their prospects, &c. ,
together with their own solicitude respecting t hem.
Your committee have beheld with no small anxiety the
increasing efforts of these Jesuits to proselyte the
people, and regret to state, that they have drawn away
a few who have been under the special instruction of the
mission, and have admitted a considerable number to b a p
tism. The Jesuits have been, however, steadily frowned
u p o n by the Chiefs, and have recently been forbidden to
proselyte, and the people have beer forbidden to attend
upon their instructions.
The committee would earnestly recommend to the m ee t
ing to determine upon the course, which the Mission as
a body and as individuals, should pursue in relation to
this dangerous s e c t .
All which is respectfully submitted.
H . Bingham,
E .W .Clark.
Levi Chamberlain
Committee
The standing committee on the subject of the future
supply of paper, type, ink, & c. presented their report,
which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee appointed to consider and report on
the best method of securing a supply of paper, type, ink,
binding instruments, and other materials for book-making,
adequate to the future wants of the nation, report, That
no method has as yet been fixed upon, and no efficient
effort has been made, for securing a permanent supply
of the above mentioned artic les .
The committee are of opinion, however,
type can be manufactured at these islands;
will be for the prosperity of the Mission,
of the people, that a train of operations,
to such manufactures, be commended as soon
that paper and
and that it
and the benefit
preparatory
as practicable.
The reasons for the foregoing opinion are, the in
creasing demands of the people for books; the delays a t
tending a want of paper and type; the smallness or the
disproportion of sorts, of the fonts received, which by
c onstant use are soon worn out; the cost and transporta
tion of these articles from America; the employment it
Will give to many natives, and the consequent incitement
it will occasion to industry among the people.
�1039.
The c ommittee, therefore, recommend that a c o r
respondence be opened immediately with the Board, or
with enterprising individuals in our country, r e s pe ct
ing the expense and best method of carrying on the
above mentioned business.
H . Bingham
L. Andrews
Committee.
The standing committee for the superintendence of
the printing department, presented their report, which
was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee appointed at the last general meeting
of the Mission, to superintend the press, to provide
types, ink, paper, & c . , for the department, to correct
and revise proof sheets, and to see that a supply of
matter should be seasonably furnished the printer, b eg
leave now, at the expiration of their term of service,
to submit the following report.
1.
The materials on hand April 15th, 1828, c o n
sisted chiefly of 76 reams of demy paper, and 60 of
foolscap; type and ink supposed to be adequate to our
purpose for one y e a r . During the period of their ser
vice, 137 reams of Chinese demy have been procured from
Canton, at about $ 3 .20 a ream; and 550 reams Dutch
foolscap, p u r c h a s e d at Honolulu, at about $2.50 a ream
with the advance of 20 per cent on bills on the Board,
and 24 reams of Chinese foolscap at $1 .50 a ream; and
392 reams of American demy, at $ 3 .00 a ream, with 12 1/2
per cent freight, have been received directly from the
Board; making an aggregate of 1239 reams, valued at cost
at $3818.00.
2.
During the period of their agency they have super
intended the printing of the following works:
4th sheet of Joseph,
4th & 5th do. Hymns,
4th Edition of do.
5 forms of Luke
Spelling-book
Appendix to d o .
1 form of Luke
1 do. Genesis,
5 1-3 do. Acts,
7 forms E x o . & Lev.
7 d o . Genesis
1 do.
Luke
16,000 copies
"
10,000
"
10,000
"
10,000
"
20,000
21,000 "
"
10,000
"
10,000
"
10,000
"
10,000
IT
10,000
"
3,000
128,000 pages
"
360,000
"
1,080,000
600,000 "
"
160, 000
"
168,000
"
80,000
"
80,000
" "
640,000
"
1,120,000
"
1,040,000
"
30.000
"
5,486, 000
Also, several handbills for the merchants; the proclama
tion of the King, in English and Hawaiian; the communication
�1040.
from the Secretary of the United States N avy to the
King of the Sandwich Islands, in English and Hawaiian;
and the address of Capt. Finch to the King and Chiefs,
also in English and Hawaiian.
The pages of these various works, together with
62 pages now in press, have been revised and corrected
by the committee, who generally, have given two readings
to three several proof sheets of every portion of the
work that has been carried through the press.
3 . The following is a summary of expenses during this
period:
192 reams, |576. 00
Foolsoap
Canton demy
137
"
439.20
American do.
129
"
4 3 5 .33-1450.53
Ink, estimated at 64.lbs . - - - - - - - - - 3 2 .00
2 0 .50
Composition,
39 5 .02
Press work, Folding, - 138.40
Stiching, - 2 3 .55 577.47
Contingencies
----- 9 1 .28
2 1 5 1 .28
4 . Ink on hand, 135 lbs. supposed to be more than suf
ficient for our purpose till the next general meeting,
though most of it is poor. The type in the office may be
relied on, as a matter of necessity, for the contemplated
work of the present year, as an English font of 207 lbs.
has been recently received; though most of the type in the
office will soon be too much worn to do work well.
The committee have applied to the Board for an imme
diate supply of a font of 600 lbs. of Long Primer, with
a view to be in readiness for printing the N ew Testament
as a whole. They have proposed also that the Board should
send pica and Small Pica for tracts, and a few pounds of
a variety of type for title-pages, headings, &c.
They
have also suggested to the Board the expediency of sending
a font of 2500 lbs. or sufficient to print 10,000 copies
of the entire Bible.
The committee are of opinion, that the progress of
translations, the demand of the people for books, and the
facility with which M r . Shepard, with native help, can
carry forward the business of printing, will require annual
ly, at least 600 reams of paper, 500 lbs. of new type, and
50 lbs. of ink. This amount of stock, it is to be under
stood, would be required to keep one press in constant op
eration; but it is hoped the means will ere long be fur
nished adequate for two.
Respectfully submitted,
H . Bingham,(
E .W .Clark,
Committee.
�1041
The standing committee on the subject of c ollect
ing evidence in regard to the conduct of Lieut. Percival
presented their report, which was accepted, and is as
follows:
The committee appointed to collect evidence in r e
gard to the conduct of L i e u t . Percival, while at the
Islands, agreeably to the request of the Corresponding
Secretary of the Board, and to make out a communication
for the use of .the Board, b e g leave to sta te that they
have attended to the business assigned to t h e m .
Two of their number had an interview at Honolulu,
sometime in the month of June 1828, with Kaahumanu, in
t h e presence of Opiia and Kekauluohe, to elicit from her
a statement of facts relative to the conduct of L i e u t .
Percival, while at the Islands; the result of which was
communicated to the Corresponding Secretary of the Board,
in a letter dated June 12th, 1828, a copy of which is
herewith submitted.
In the month of August following two of the committee,
one of whom was present when the enquiries were made of
Kaahumanu at Honolulu, and the other was not) had an i n
terview with Boki, at Lahaina, upon the same subject, and
obtained from him a statement of facts, which was taken
down by an amanuensis in his own language, and was by
himself subscribed in the presence of two competent native
witnesses, and b y them attested; which document was trans
lated into English b y one of the committee, and with a
letter of explanation was forwarded to the Corresponding
Secretary of the Board: a copy of which is now in the hands
of one of the committee at L a h a i n a .
During the visit of the Vincennes, Kaahumanu made
out a statement of facts, relative to the conduct of Li e u t .
Percival, which was translated b y one of the committee,
and forwarded b y the King and Chiefs to the N avy De part
ment, as an official complaint against the commander of
the Dolphin.
The committee have also diligently sought to collect
information on the subject, by various inquiries, and b y
a thorough inspection of their own journals and minutes,
and have prepared statements as full as was in their power,
separately; sealed them, and made oath t o the facts stated,
in the presence of
American Consul, and forwarded them
to the Board; and have, moreover, given their deliberate
judgment on the prominent points connected with the subject
of the tabu and the violation of it by Percival and his c r e w .
The committee have since learned, b y an officer in
the United States N avy, that Percival has been reprimanded
by the President; and they have been happy to see that the
Government of the United States has distinctly signified to
the King and Chiefs its decided disapprobation of such
conduct as was charged to Percival and the crew of the
�1042.
D o l p hi n.
Respectfully submitted,
H . Bingham,
L. Chamberlain
C o mmi tte e
The standing committee to write the joint letter,
presented their report, which was accepted, and is as
follows:
The committee a p p o i n t e d to write the joint letter
for the last general meeting, would simply report, That
the duty assigned was performed in due season, and the
letter forwarded to the Board in the name of t h e M i s s i o n .
Respectfully submitted,
H . Bingham, Co mm i t t e e .
On motion, voted, that a committee of two be appo in t
ed, to correspond wit h the Board, an d with gentlemen a c
quainted with the general subject of music, respecting
the publication of a gamut and tunes adapted to Christian
worship in the Sandwich Islands. Chose M e s s r s . Richards
and Judd.
The committee on subject N o . 6, presented their r e
port, which was accepted, a n d is as follows:
The committee appointed on the subject of translations,
beg leave to recommend for the ensuing year:
1 . That M e s s r s . Bingham and Clark be requested to
translate 50 of the Psalms, that is, from the 25th to the
75th; and also to translate from the N ew Testament the
Epistles C olossians, First and Second Thessalonians, First
and Second Timothy, Titus, Philemon and Hebrews.
2 . That M e s s r s . Richards and Andrews be requested to
revise the tract of Joseph, and prepare a n ew tract from
Joshua; also to translate the Epistles James, First and
Second of Peter, First, Second and Third of John, Jude
and the Book of Revelations.
3 . That M e s s r s . Thurston and Bishop be requested to
translate the Epistles First and Second Corinthians,
Galatians and Philippians; also to prepare a tract from
lumbers and Deuteronomy.
4 . That M e s s r s . Thurston and Bishop be appointed to
review the translations of M e s s r s . Bingham and C l a r k .
5. That M e s s r s . Richards and Andrews be appointed
to review the translations of M e s s r s . Thurston and B i s h o p .
�1043.
6 . That M e s s r s . Bingham and Clark be appointed
to review the translations of M e s s r s . Richards and
Andrews.
7 . The committee further recommend, that the
authors of the several translations either superintend
the printing of their translations in person, or that
they be held accountable for the correctness of the
manuscripts which they furnish for publi ca tio n.
8 . The committee recommend, that M r . Bingham be
requested to proceed with the Historical Catechism,
and the First Book for c hildren.
9 . That M e s s r s . Whitney and Gulick be requested
to prepare a Geography, and a tract on experimental
religion, and that M e s s r s . Richards and Andrews review
the above Geography and tract.
1 0 . That M r . Richards be appointed to prepare a gamut
and tunes adapted to sacred music for the Sandw ich Isla nds .
1 1 . That M e s s r s . Thurston and Bishop prepare a new
Arithmetic.
1 2 . The committee recommend the same rotation in the
review of the elementary works as in the translations.
All which is respectfully su b m i t t e d .
Lorrin Andrews,
S . Whitney,
H . Bingham,
The moderator called for the ballots for the committee
recommended to superintend the printing department.
Chose M e s s r s . Bingham,
Clark and Richards.
The committee on subject N o . 11, presented their report
which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee on the subject of general meetings, beg
leave to report the following resolutions.
1 . That a general meeting be held annually, and that
the time and place be fixed upon at the previous meeting;
provided, however, that if the members of any station shall
think that the time or place or both should be altered,
they have liberty to suggest the same to the standing sec re
tary, and he, with the approbation of a majority of the
mission, shall make the alteration, and give seasonable
notice of the same to the members of the several stations.
2. That those who receive appointments at one general
meeting, shall make report at the next respecting the f ul
filment of them; and those who are unable to attend shall,
nevertheless, forward their written report .
�1044.
3 . That the general agent be required to report
at each meeting whether the several members of the mission
act up to the requirements of the mission in giving in
their accounts and annual reports to him.
4.
That we deem it exceedingly desirable that as
many members of the mission as possible be present at
each general meeting; and that we as members of stations
pledge ourselves that our several stations shall, if possible,
be represented at every meeting of the Mission, and if
possible, the reason shall be stated in writing to the
meeting.
5 . That for the purpose of having regular records
of all important business, transacted by the mission, we
deem it proper that the general meeting require of each
station a full report respecting all important measures,
which may be adopted by its members involving the general
interests of the Mission.
Respectfully submitted,
E . W. Clark,
J. S. Green,
Levi Chamb erlain
Committee
On motion, voted, that the next general meeting be
held at Lahaina, in the first week of June, 1831.
The committee on subject N o. 13, presented their
report, which was accepted, and is as follows:
Resolved, That all records and accounts of past
transactions of the mission be deposited in the hands of
the standing secretary. Submitted.
G .P.Judd,
Levi Chamberlain,
E.W. Clark
Committee
On Subject N o . 15th - On motion, voted, that a com
mittee of three b e appointed to prepare the annual report
to the Board of the progress and state of the Mission.
Chose Messrs. Bingham, Andrews and Clark.
On 16th - On motion, voted, that a committee of three
be appointed to write a joint letter, embracing the prin
cipal transactions of this meeting and reply to letters
from the Board.
Chose Messrs. Green, Chamberlain and W hitney.
On 17th to 24th inclusive - On motion, voted, that a
committee of three be appointed, to designate individuals
to write the following letters, recommended by the committee
�1045
of overtures, viz:
A letter to the American Bible Society;
d i t o . to the American Tract Society;
ditto.
American Seaman's Friend Society, on
the subject of a mission to the Port of H o n o
lulu;
Secretary of the United States N avy;
di t t o .
ditto.
London Mi ssionary Society;
Society of Inquiry on the Subject of
ditto.
Missions at Andover, M a s s .
Society of Inquiry on the Subject of
ditto.
Missions at Princeton, N . J .
Society of Inquiry on the Subject of
ditt o.
Missions at Auburn, N . Y .
Rev. G.S.Stewart, in answer to his
ditto.
addressed to the M i s s i o n .
Chose M e s s r s . Andrews,
Green and Whitney
Ad journed.
Thursday,
M et at 10 o'clock,
by M r . C l a r k .
A .M .
Jan. 21.
Meeting opened with prayer
The committee on subject N o. 10, ( J e s u i t s - What
course shall be recommended respecting them?) - presented
their report, which was read, and ordered to lie on the
table .
The committee on subject N o . 8, presented their report,
which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee on the disposal of books, and the manner
of accounting for them, beg leave to submit the following
resolutions, v i z .
1 . Resolved, that it is not expedient to charge the
original cost of native books to the stations; but that it
is expedient that a particular account should be kept at
the several stations of the manner in which they have been
employed or disposed of; together with the value of the
same; in order that the amount may be passed to the credit
of the printing de partment.
2.
Resolved,that it shall be the duty of each station,
on the 30th day of April annually, being the day on which
the accounts of the mission are closed, to make out a
statement of the manner in which books have, during the year,
been disposed of; and this statement shall include the
number of the books, and their value to the station, as
nearly as can be a scertained.
In making out this account,
separate particulars,
viz :
it shall be specified in
�1046.
1 . The value of all articles of provisions received
from the natives and expended in the familes:
2 . All other articles received from natives, e x
pended or on hand;
3 . All articles of general support, whether of food,
articles of comfort or convenience, furniture or apparel,
obtained from traders for the avails of books;
4 . Cash;
5 . Fuel;
6. Water;
7 . Buildings;
8 . Fences;
9 . Labor;
10. Miscellanies, including all things not enumerated
in the foregoing particulars.
3 . Resolved, that four-twelfths of the books now
assigned to Kailua, be at the disposal of those who shall
reside at Waimea for the use of the schools in K ohala
and H amakua.
Respectfully submitted,
S . Whitney,
)
H .Bingham,
(C om mit tee
Levi Chamberlain
The committee on subject N o . 9, presented their
report, which was discussed at considerable length: the
meeting not agreeing in the views of the committee, and
the motion for acceptance having been withdrawn; on
motion, it was voted, that the committee be discharged.
On motion, voted, that the choice of the committee
to superintend the printing department be reconsidered.
A new election was m a d e .
Chose Me s s r s. Bingham,
Clark and Chamberlain.
The committee on subject N os. 17 to 24 inclusive,
presented their report which was accepted, and is as
follows:
The committee appointed to designate individuals to
write certain letters recommended by the committee of
overtures, propose the follow ing:
To the American Bible Society,
"
It
American Tract S o c iety, &(
R e v . C .S .S t e w art ,
"
"
American Seaman's Friend S o .
"
"
Secretary of the U . S .Navy, &
London Missionary Society,
"
"
Society of Inquiry, Andover,
Mas s/
ft
"
Society of Inquiry, Princeton,)
N
.
Y
.
"
J .S .Green;
W .Richards;
S .W hitney;
H.Bingham;
A .Thurston
L .Andrews
IT
of Inquiry, Alburn,
E .W.Clark.
�1047.
Respectfully submitted
S .Whitney,
L. A n d r e w s ,
J. S.Green
Commiittee.
The committee on subject N o. 12, presented their
report, which was accepted and is as follows:
The committee appointed to consider the subject of
general letters, beg leave to report, that
W hereas: the Board require us to inform them f r e
quently and particularly respecting the state of the
Mission, that we comply with their request as far as
is consistent with our multiplied avocations.
1- Resolved, that it be the duty of the stations,
not only to forward letters from the stations to the Board,
but also to make reports to the general meeting annually2- Resolved, that it be the duty of the general
meeting to appoint a committee to draught a report to the
Board, which shall be prepared before the general meeting
be dissolved.
3- Resolved, that copies of all letters sent by order
of the general meeting be kept and lodged with the standing
secretary.
All which is respectfully submitted.
L orrin Andrews
S .W h i t n e y ,
E .W. Clark.
On subject N o . 25th - On motion, voted, that the
subject of rules respecting the use of ardent spirits, be
referred to a committee of th ree .
Chose M e s s r s . Bingham,
Green and Judd.
On 26th - On motion, voted, that the subject of the
disposal of books auxiliary to translations, & c . be r e
ferred to a committee of t h r e e .
Chose M e s s r s . Andrews, Bingham and Green.
On 27th - On motion, voted,
that the subject "What
new measures shall be adopted to forward the preparation
of native teachers to be preachers of the Gospel to their
countrymen,” be referred to a committee of threeChose M e s s r s . Andrews, Clark and Whitney.
On 29th - On motion, voted, that the subject of principles
of intercourse with the chiefs, be referred to a committee
of three.
�1048.
Chose M e s s r s . Bingham,
Andrews and W h i t n e y
Adjourned till 9 o'clock tomorrow m o r n i n g .
Friday,
Met according to a dj our nme nt .
prayer by the Secret ar y.
Ja n. 2 2 .
Meeting opened wit h
The committee on subject N o. 25, presented their
report, which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee appointed to report on the question,
"What rules shall be adopted respecting ardent spirits,
as it relates to ourselves, our pupils, and our visitors?"
submit the following resolutions:
1 . That, occupying, as we do, a station pre-eminently
elevated and responsible; being "set for the defence of
the Gospel", made a "spectacle to angels and to men", and
the "living epistle of Christ to the heathen", we feel
constrained by the most sacred obligations to stand fore
most in the ranks of those who would reclaim a vicious,
and purify a polluted world; and we do, therefore, cheer
fully resolve to take a high stand in Christian morals,
to "avoid the v e r y appearance of evil", and, as much as
in us lies, to keep ourselves "unspotted from the w o r l d " .
2 . Resolved, that we do sincerely rejoice in the
success with which a merciful God is crowning the efforts
made by Christians and Ministers of the Gospel in our own
country to check the progress of intemperance; and we
cordially pledge ourselves to co-operate w i t h them, though
in another field, that if possible, we may stay the plague,
which is seizing upon the vitals, and consuming the heart's
blood of some of the happiest communities on e a r t h .
3 . That, aware of the force of example, and alive to
the necessity of employing vigorous measures to counteract
evils of alarming extent and tendency, we do cheerfully
resolve, that we will wholly abstain from the use of ardent
spirits of ev e r y kind; and that, excepting as a medicine
prescribed by a temperate physician, we will banish the
polluted thing from our houses.
4 . Resolved, that we view with deep regret the w i d e n
ing and deepening streams of liquid poison which are turned
upon these Islands; and which, more terrible, than the
floods of lava which sometimes rush from their mountains,
we fear will yet sweep away some of the strongest barriers
to the introduction of vice and misery, which by the ble ss
ing of God, we have here erected; and we pledge ourselves
that we will labor, both by example and precept, to beget
and strengtted in the minds of all enjoying our instructions,
a full aversion to this bane of present prosperity and
�1049
e n d less happiness.
5.
Resolved, that we distinctly assure our pupils
that no man who habitually uses ardent spirits, in any
quantity, however small, excepting as prescribed b y a
physician, and that no man who engages, in any way, in
distilling or vending ardent spirits, can be a candidate
for the ordinances of God's ho u s e .
6 . That we may not incur the woe of those who "build
a town with blood", and that we may not be accessory to
the sins of other men, we resolve that we w i l l ” never
afford to laborers w hom we may employ, the means of i n
toxication; that we will not provide ardent spirits for
visitors, whether foreign or native; and that we will
scrupulously avoid setting before them wine, excepting
in cases of so peculiar a nature as to induce the belief
that the glory of God, and the promotion of his cause,
will be secured in a higher degree than by withholding it.
Respectfully submitted,
H .B i n g h a m ,
J.S.Green,
G . P .Judd
C om mi tte e.
The committee on subject N o. 14, presented their
report, w h i c h was accepted, a n d is as follows:
The commi tte e to whom was referred the subject of
translating and printing for the King and C hiefs, beg
leave to present the following resolut ion s.
1 . Resolved, that we approve of printing such articles
for them as m ay appear likely to be useful or not r e
pugnant to the interests of civilization and c hristianity.
2.
Resolved, that all documents
Chiefs, to be translated or printed, be
of the committee on printing, except in
which may occur when the said committee
from the King and
at the disposal
cases of translations
are not pres ent .
Respectfully submitted,
S .Whitney,
H.B i n g h a m ,
E . .
W
Clark
Committee
The committee on subject No. 26, presented their report,
which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee to whom was referred the disposal of
books auxiliary to translations, and recent pub lications,
extremely regret that the materials that come within their
agency are so exceedingly scanty that little can be done
on the subject: but to make the best of a little, with
�1050.
the hope of gaining more, they beg leave to recommend
that those who have translations of Sc r iptures assigned
them be requested to agree among themselves, on a method
of distribution and exchange of the books relative to
translations, so as best to facilitate the works in hand;
and that such other recent publications as are sent to
the Mission shall be divided among the stations, provided
there are as many copies as stations: but as to pu bl ic a
tions of which but one or two copies are sent to the
Mission, the agent and each member into whose hands th ey
may come, shall feel bound to give them a quick circula
tion,' until they have visited the several stations and
families, and returned to the a g e n t .
Respectfully submitted,
H .Bingham,
L.Andrews,
J.S.Green,
The committee on subject N o. 27, presented their re
port, which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee appointed to consider what new measures
shall be adopted to forward the preparation of native
teachers so as to be come preachers of the Gospel to their
countrymen, report the following resolutions;
1 . That from the scantiness of books in the native
language for their necessary instruction, and the constant
employment of the Missionaries, little at present can be
done to forward the instructions of natives so as to c o n
stitute them competent teachers of re lig ion . Nevertheless,
2. W e consider it highly important that at each station
there be selected a class of such as exhibit the most prom
ising talents, and that they receive more of our attention
and instruction than others, with the view of bringing some
of them forward in due time to be preachers of the G osp el .
Respectfully submitted.
L orrin Andrews
S .Whitney,
E .W .Clark,
Committee
The committee on subject N o . 29, presented their
report, which was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee to whom was referred the subject of
principles of intercourse with the Chiefs, beg leave to
submit the following resolutions, viz:
1 . Resolved, that we regard the resolutions of
Mission, adopted
the general meeting at K ailua,
1826, as strictly according with the tenure of our
from the Prudential Committee of the Board, and as
the
in
instructions
ex-
�1051.
pressive of our sentiments on the subject of giving
advice to the Chiefs.
2 . Resolved, that in the case of Capt. Clark, of t he
John Palmer, and Hoapili, Governor of M aui, we are
satisfied that the course which M r . Richards pursued was
no violation of those resolutions.
3 . Resolved, that as those resolutions have been sub
mitted to the Board, for their approval or disapproval,
and are supposed to be approved by the Prudential Com
mittee, we have good reason to believe that a full state
ment of the case from M r. Richards will satisfy the Board
that his course in the case in question was justifiable.
Respectfully submitted,
H.Bingham,
L. Andrews,
S .Whitney.
Committee
The moderator called for the ballots for the committee
recommended in the report for providing paper, type, & c .
Chose Me ss r s . Bingham,
Andrews and Clark.
On subject N o. 23 - On motion, voted, that the subject
of labor among foreigners at Honolulu, be referred to a
committee of three.
Chose Messrs. Green, Whitney and Bingham.
On motion, voted, that a corrected copy of the minutes
of this meeting be printed for the use of the different
stations, and that this supersede the joint letter to the
Board.
On motion, voted, that the annual report, to be made
out before the close of this meeting, giving an account of
the state and progress of the M ission#; be printed, together
with as much from the minutes of this meeting as shall be
regarded suitable to be made public.
On motion, voted, that a committee of three be appointed
to give advice to the members of this station, respecting
the labors of English missionaries, should any arrive be
fore another general meeting.
Chose Messrs. Whitney, Andrews and Green.
Adjourned till half past 2 o 'clock this afternoon.
AFTERNOON.
Met according to adjournment.
The committee on subject N o. 28, presented their report,
which was accepted, and is as follows:
#See last page.
�1052.
The committee to whom was referred the subject of
Mi ss ionary labor among the foreigners, beg leave to s ub
mit the following report in the form of resolutions, viz:
1 . Resolved, that deference to the wishes of the Board,
opportunities of usefulness among resident foreigners and
seamen, and benevolence to our fellow men who are oast
as it were upon the flood of waters without provision for
their spiritual wants, require that efforts should continue
to be made for their salvation, by the distribution of
Bibles, tracts, &c . , and b y the maintenance of a divine
service on the Sabbath.
2 . That it appears desirable that preaching in English
should be maintained during the season of the principal
shipping; but the pressing claims of other Missionary work
are such as scarcely to admit of m o r e .
3 . Resolved, that with the approbation of the Board,
we invite the attention of the American Seaman's Friend
Society to this field, with the hope that they will effect
ually relieve us from this part of our Missionary w o r k .
Respectfully submitted,
H.Bingham,
S .Whitney,
J.S.Green,
C omm it tee .
The committee appointed to give advice to the members
of this station, in relation to the labors of English
missionaries, presented their report, which was accepted,
and is as follows:
The committee appointed to frame resolutions in regard
to measures proper to be adopted by this Mission, in re
spect to English Missionaries, should they arrive at these
Islands previously to the next general meeting, submit the
following;
1.
That engaged
in a great and good work, which demands
increasing facilities for its execution, both of laborers
and of means necessary to the successful prosecution of
plans of usefulness already adopted; we resolve to regard
as an indication of God's peculiar favor to this Mission,
as an answer to our prayers, the arrival of a reinforcement
of Missionaries, who shall engage with us, "heart and hand",
in prosecuting our benevolent enterprize.
2 . Resolved, that we regard
union of sentiment and
practice on points intimately connected with laying the founda
tion: of a Christian Church on heathen ground, and of the
adm in i stratio n of Gospel ordinances generally, of infinite
importance.
3 . Therefore, Resolved, that should R e v . M r . Ellis and
other English Missionaries arrive previously to the next
general meeting, we do cordially invite them to enter into
�1053*
our views, and to co-operate with us in building up a tem
ple of the living God, which, Jesus Christ being the
chief corner stone, we believe is here ascending, and
which we trust will reflect the glory of his grace to
distant generations.
Respectfully submitted,
S .Whitney,
L. Andrews ,
J.S .Green.
Committee
On motion, voted, that the committee appointed to
write the joint letter be at liberty to affix## an appendix
which shall contain such rules and regulations passed at
former meetings as they may think proper to introduce.
Adjourned till called together by the moderator.
Meeting closed with prayer by Mr. Bingham.
Monday,
Met at 1 o ’clock,
M r . Andrews.
P.M .
Jan. 25
Meeting opened with prayer by
The report of the committee on subject N o . 10;(which
had been laid upon the table, ) was taken up, and after a
full consideration, was accepted, and is as follows:
The committee appointed to draw up resolutions re
specting the course proper to be pursued by us with re
gard to the Jesuits, present the following:
Whereas, in the sovereign and merciful dispensations
of God’s providence, we have been sent to these islands
of the sea for the purpose of making known the religion
of the Bible in its fullest extent; the character of God;
the ruined condition of man by nature; the plan of salva
tion through Jesus Christ, and the necessity of holiness
of heart to the enjoyment of happiness here or hereafter:
we, thus constituted, by the Great Head of the Church,
builders on Zion's walls, view with holy jealousy the ap
proach of any, for the purpose of tearing down what God
has enabled us to build, or of erecting a superstructure
on a foundation not authorized by the King of Zion; and
that as watchmen on the walls, we are bound to give the
alarm to our fellow laborers, and stand ready ourselves
with spiritual weapons to meet the aggression: W herefore,
Resolved, from what we know of the Jesuits - from the
manner in which they came to these Islands - from the m a n
ner in which they have attempted to inculcate their peculiar tenets - from the nature of those tenets themselves.
copy now sent to you is little other than a proof,
an appendix may be added for circ u l a t i o n
a m o n g
t h e
s t a t i o n s
�1054.
t
and the influence w h i ch they are exerting upon this
ignorant people; that we consider them dangerous to the
civil government of these Islands; that we consider them
as exerting a deadly influence in drawing away souls
from God's word; as hinderers of the progress of the people
in civilization and literature; as enemies of sound morality
and as enemies of the Religion of Jesus C h r i s t .
2 . Resolved, that we recognize in its fullest extent
the grand truth, that every man for his religious opinions
and practices, when not leading to open immorality, is
accountable only to God and his own conscience, and t h e r e
fore all coercive measures of the civil authority to control
religious opinions or practices, except as above mentioned,
are improper and injurious.
3 . Resolved, that as we fully recognize the right of
the civil government of these Islands to s ay what foreign
ers may or may not reside among them, so the rulers of this
people have a perfect right to send any foreign resident
from the Islands, even without assigning the reason.
4 . Resolved, that we fully recognize the right of the
civil government of these Islands to punish all who t ran s
gress the laws of the land, foreigners as well as native
subjects; and hence, should any. individual be induced to
violate the laws of these Islands, through the instructions
of any foreign residents of any class, that both the person
so offending and the person communicating such instruction
be liable to the penalty of the l a w.
5 . Wherefore, Resolved, that we do not consider it
persecution in the least degree, w h e n the Chiefs ask our
advice or opinion on the subject, f a ir ly to tell them that
in our estimation the Jesuits as a body are dangerous to
the civil, moral and religious prosperity of the I s l a nds .
But that we advise the Chiefs not to inflict any punishment
upon them, or upon those that follow them, on account of
any part of their religion; but if they break the laws of
the land, they may be punished for that a l o n e .
6 . Resolved,
that it be our duty as Missionaries of
the crows, and as teachers of this people, to make known to
the Chiefs historical facts, respecting the principles
and practices of the Jesuits, and that we urge them to c o m
pare these principles and practices w i t h what they k now of
God’s word, that thus they may be judges themselves of what
is proper.
7 . Resolved, that if it should be thought necessary, we
consider it highly proper to teach the people from the
pulpit on this subject at Honolulu, but would recommend g e n
erally that the subject b e so treated as not to point out
the Jesuits except b y fair inference; and that at the other
stations we say nothing, respecting them, except in private.
8 . Resolved, that we tell the Chiefs when consulted,
�1055.
that if they design to send the Jesuits away, as they
have said, or that they do by no means consent to their
staying here, that they have a right to forbid their
preaching, or in any manner proselyting, until such times
as they can procure their departure; but if they give
their consent to their staying here, they cannot in the
proper exercise of civil authority prohibit their preach
ing or proselyting, if they persist in doing so, without
taking away the right of conscience from them, and thus
subjecting religious opinions to the law of the land.
9. Resolved, that the consideration that we have
such enemies in our midst, should lead us to make greater
exertions to teach this people to read, think, reflect, and
compare with each other the different parts of the grand
system of religion contained in the Bible, that they
themselves, guided by the Spirit of God, may be able to
judge between truth and error; and that we pray more fer
vently that the Great Head of the Church will bless our
instructions, and overrule all opposition, and cause it
to redound to his own glory.
Respectfully submitted,
L.Andrews,
S.Whitney, > Committee •
J.S. G r e e n
The committee -of overtures proposed that the meeting
take up the subject of Regulations for the distribution
of donations and other means of support.
The meeting resolved itself into a committee of the
whole for the consideration of the subject; and the fol
lowing resolutions were adopted:
1. Resolved, that we renew our promise to act accord
ing to the regulations of the Board, "That at every Mission
ary station the earnings of the members of the Mission, and
all monies and articles of different kinds, received by
them, or any of them, directly from the funds of the Board,
or in the way of donation, shall constitute a common stock,
from which they shall severally draw their support, in
such proportions, and under such regulations as may from
time to time be found advisable, and be approved by the
Board or Prudential Committee".
2.
Resolved, that it be the duty of each station to
transmit to the general agent, annually, an account of its
wants and its prospects. This annual report, (to be closed
on the 30th day of April), shall embrace in separate items,
1. Expenses for building;
2. Repairing houses, making fences, and labor not em
braced in the foregoing particulars;
3. Expenses for fuel, water, fresh meat, vegetables and
miscellaneous articles
�1056.
In the same report shall be embraced an account of
all donations received from the natives, and from foreign
visitants, and other sources, designed for the use of the
stations, or the individuals receiving them for their ben e
fit on Missionary ground. The same report shall also con
tain an account of all income, whether avails of land, or
earnings of the Missionaries.
3 . Resolved, that it moreover be the duty of the stations
to transmit to the general agent, at other times as cir
cumstances may require, a statement of their wants, and such
an account of their donations as may be needful to guide him
in the due distribution of the general means of support.
4 . Resolved, that whenever supplies are received from
America, or are purchased here, of whatever kind they may
be, the agent shall, as soon as he is able, make a general
and equable division of the articles, having respect to the
supplies previously sent to the different stations, to the
wants of the stations, and to the means which they may have
of supplying themselves.
5 . Resolved, that in all cases where the agent is unable
to make a division with satisfaction to himself, it shall
be his duty to inform the stations of such difficulty; and
in addition to this, it shall be his duty, when required,
and from time to time as circumstances may render proper,
to give such an account of the depository as shall serve
as a directory to the families what articles to apply for;
and also, annually, to give an account of the general ex
penses of the different stations, and of the pecuniary
state of the whole M ission.
6. It is moreover, Resolved, as in strict accordance
with the regulations of the Board, and in perfect consistency
with the spirit of these resolutions, that all presents re
ceived by us, or by any of us, be held inviolably sacred
to be devoted to the objects of the Mission on Missionary
ground; and should Providence ever call us from this field
of labor, we sacredly promise to give a full and faithful
aooount of all articles of presents still remaining in our
hands, making a distinction between articles intended as
general support, and mere tokens of personal regard.
Adjourned.
Meeting closed with prayer by Doct. Judd.
Wednesday, Jan. 27.
Met at 2 o ’clock, P .M . Meeting opened with prayer
by M r . Cla rk .
The committee appointed to write the annual report of
the progress and state of the Mission, presented the outlines
of their report, which was read; and the plan being approved,
the report was referred back to the committee to be completed.
The committee appointed to write a joint letter, embracing the principal transactions of the present general
�1057 .
meeting, presented an outline of a letter to the Corres
ponding Secretary of the Board, designed to accompany
the minutes of the meeting, when they shall be made ready.
On motion, voted, that the letter be referred back to
the committee to be c o mp le ted .
On motion, voted,
that this meeting adjourn sine d i e .
Meeting closed with prayer b y M r . B i n g h a m .
Samuel Whitney, M o d e r a t o r .
Levi Chamberlain, Scribe.
#The committee on printing concluded not to print the
report, but to send it in manuscript to the Board.
The minutes you have entire to make what use of you
may think p r op er.
Received Aug.
27, 1 8 3 0 .
�1058
32
June 1828 - Aug. 1830
XI
L etter 274
(TRAN SLATION )
These are the names of the King of the
Islands, and the Chiefs in Council:
Kauikeaouli, the King, G ov. Boki
Kaahumanu,
G o v . Adams Kuakini,
M anuia, Kekuanaoa, Hinau, Aikanaka, Paki, Kinau,
John II, James K a h u h u .
Oahu,
Oct.
7, 1829.
This is my decision for you: we assent to the request
of the English residents; we grant the protection of the
laws; that is the sum of your petition.
This therefore is my proclamation, w h i ch I make known
to you, all people from foreign countries: - The laws
of m y country prohibit Murder, Theft, Adultery, F o r n ic a
tion, Retailing Ardent Spirits at houses for selling
spirits, Amusements on the Sabbath day, Gambling and Betting
on tho Sabbath day and at all times.
If any man shall transgress any of these laws, he is
liable to the penalty, the same for every foreigner and
for the people of these Islands, whoever shall violate
these laws shall be punished.
This also I make known, - The Law of the Great God of
heaven, that is the great thing by w h i c h we shall promote
peace; let all men who remain here obey it.
Christian Marriage is proper for men and w o m e n . But
if a woman regard her man as her only husband, and the man
regard his woman as his only wife, they are legally husband
and wife; but if the parties are not married, nor regard
themselves as husband and wife, let them be forthwith e n
tirely separate.
I I . This is also our decision, which I now declare to
you.
We have seen your wickedness h e r eto fo re. You did not
warn us that your dooryards and enclosed plantations were
tabu before the time when our animals went into your e n
closures; you unhesitatingly killed our animals.
But we
warned you of the tabu of our plantations before the time
when the animals came into them, even yours; and then it
was told again to you that have cattle; but for some days
past we have known your cattle to come in to eat up what we
had planted; on that account some of your cattle are d e a d .
This then is the way to obtain justice: if you j u d g e d
the man guilty, you are not forthwith to punish him; wait
till we have a c onsultation first: then, had we judged him
guilty, we would have given you damages; but no, you rashly
and suddenly injured the man; that is one of the crimes
of two of you.
And we state to you all that the wounding
of a beast is by no means equal to the wounding of a man,
inasmuch as ma n is lord over all the b e a s t s .
�1059.
This is our communication to you all, ye parents
from the countries whence originate the winds: have
compassion o n a nation of little children, v e r y small
and young,.who are yet in mental darkness, and help us
to do right and follow with us that which will he for
the best good of this our country.
I II. As to the recent death of the cow: she died for
breaking a tabu for the protection of the plantation.
The place was defended also by a fence built by the owner
of the:plantation.
Having secured his field b y a fence,
what remained to be done was the duty of the owners of
c a t t l e , who were told by him who had charge of the planta
tion, to bring home their cattle at evening.
He did tell
them so; but they did not regard it: and in the night they
came in, but not b y d a y . On that account the owner of the
plantation hoped to recover damage; for many were the
ca ttle that were taken up before, but no damage was recov
ered for the crop they had de vou red ; the owners plead them
off without paying damage, therefore he to whom belonged
the c rop determined that one of the cattle should die, for
destroying the crop; for it had been said that if any of
the cattle should come into the enclosure devouring the
crop, such cattle would be forfeited and become the prop
erty of the owner of the crop.
M a n y have been seized, but
they were begged off and given up again; this has been
done many tim es. Why then are you so quick to be angry?
For within the enclosure was the place where the cow was
wounded, after which she made her way o u t . W hat then means
your declaration that the cow was wan ton ly shot in the
common?
The cow would not have been killed for simply grazing
in the common pasture; her feeding upon the cultivated crop
was well known by those who had the care of the plantation.
(Signed) K auik eao ul i.
�
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.)
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.) - Volume 03 - 1824-1830
Date
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1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830
-
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/a8150ab0c1bc7aae56f4be84d1825318.pdf
5060bd48fc055a1a1da300c2543188be
PDF Text
Text
MI SS O NA RY LETTERS
(typed copies)
From the Sandwich Islands Mission
to the
American Board of Commissioners
for
Foreign Missions
1819 - 1837
8 vols.
"Supplementary to the letters published in the
Missionary Herald
of the same dates."
Vol. 2
�I N D E X
Pages
305-306
BINGHAM, HIRAM : Oahu, Sept. 8, 1824 ---- -—
Honoruru, Sept. 26, 1824
307
Oahu, Nov. 12, 1824 -.... ........... .308-311
Oahu, Mar. 20, 1825 ... ........ ......315.
Oahu, Aug. 30, 1825 -------------- ----316-317
Oahu, Oct. 18, 1825 ................. .318-319
Oahu, Aug. 25, 1826 ------------------- 320-321
Oahu, Mar. 4, 1827
......... .322-325
Oahu, Mar. 4, 1827
326-327
Oahu, June 29, 1827
---- -328-330
Oahu, Dec. 15, 1827
--- --331-336
Oahu, Mar. 12, 1828 -- - -- ----------- -337-338
Oahu, Mar. 12, 1828
--- -340-342
Oahu, July 19, 1828 -— ---------— ---- — 352-353
Oahu, Sept. 29, 1828 — — — — -------- -354-355
Oahu, Oct. 15, 1828 — — — — — — — 356-358
Oahu, Nov. 1, 1828
359—361
Oahu, Dec. 9, 1828 ---------— ------- 362
Oahu, Dec. 28, 1828 — --- — ------- -363-368
Oahu, Feb . 16, 1829
..... .369-372
(Deposition), Aug. 18, 1829 — — — --- 380-386
Oahu, Aug. 19, 1829
373
Oahu, Sept. 14, 1829
-- 374-379
See Joint Letter, Mar. 9, 1824 ---- —
301-304
"
"
"
Mar. 14, 1825 ----- -312-314
"
"
"
June 12, 1828 ..... .343-351
"
"
"
June 12, 1828 ----- -515-51?
BISHOP, ARTEMUS : Journal, Kauai,Nov.3,1823-Kailua,Mar.
11,1824 .......... -................. 584-594
Waimea, Kauai, Jan. 14, 1824
595
Kairua, Sept. 30, 1824
- 596-598
Oahu, June 1, 1825 ----- ------------- -599-601
Kairua, Oct. 24, 1825 -------- --------602-604
Kawaihae, Nov. 3, 1826 -— -------—
618-620
Notes on tour around Hawaii, Dec. 14,
1825-Jan. 11, 1826 - — - --- 605-617
Ka i l
u a, Nov. 2 0 , 1826
Kailua, Nov. 30, 1826 ... ..... — -----624-626
Oahu, Dec. 18, 1827 ................. .627-628
Hawaii, Feb. 1, 1828 -------- -— -—
629
[Kailua? ] After Feb. 21, 1828 ----------------------- 6 30-641
Honolulu, June 3, 1828 ---- — ---------642-645
Notes, Tour of Hamakua and Kohala, Aug.
28 - Sept. 9, 1828 ---------------- -646-654
Kailua, Dec. 17, 1828 ........ — ......655-657
Kailua, Dec. 20, 1828 ------ ---- --- -658-663
Honolulu, Nov. 11, 1829 — -- -— -— —
664
See Joint Letter, June 12, 1828
343-351
�f
-
2Pages
CHAMBERLAIN, LEVI : Honoruru, Mar. 11, 1824 ......... .416-418
Honoruru, Mar. 11, 1824 --— ------- 419-420
Honoruru, July 22, 1824 -— -----— 421-422
Honoruru, Sept. 24, 1824 -— -— --- 423-426
Honoruru, Nov. 8, 1824 ---- ------- 427-428
Honoruru, Nov. 14, 1824.------- --- 429-431
Honoruru, Dec. 14, 1824 — ---- --- 432
Honoruru, Jan. 1825 ---- -— --- --- 433-435
Honoruru, Jan. 13, 1825 --------- 436
Honoruru, May 7, 1825 — ..... —
437-439
Oahu, June 18, 1825 — — --------- 440-441
Honoruru, Aug. 17, 1825 --------- 442-444
Honoruru, Aug. 27, 1825 ------ ---- 445-449
Honoruru, Oct. 15, 1825 --------- 450-451
Honoruru, Oct. 19, 1825 -— -— ---- 452
Honoruru, Oct. 28, 1825 ---------- 453-454
Honoruru, Dec. 10, 1825 ----- ----- 455-457
Lahaina, Feb. 7, 1826 ------ ------ 458-459
Honoruru, Apr. 1, 1826 ----------- 460-461
Honoruru, Apr. 28, 1826 ----- ----- 462-464
Honoruru, June 19, 1826 - - - - - - - - 465-467
Honolulu, July 26, 1826 - - - - - - - - 468-470
Honolulu, Sept. 11, 1826 ---- --- -471-475
Honolulu, Feb. 13, 1827 -....... - 476-478
Honolulu, Feb. 22, 1827 ...... —
479-484
Honolulu, Mar. 2, 1 8 2 7 -- --485-487
Honolulu, Sept. 11, 1827 — — — -- -488-490
Honolulu, Sept. 14, 1827 — ..... - 491-498
Honolulu, N o v . 1, 1827 — — — — —
499-501
Honolulu, Mar. 7, 1828 ----- --- - 502-504
Honolulu, Apr. 10, 1828 --------- 505-509
Honolulu, June 7, 1827
510-511
Honolulu, June 10, 1828 -— — — 512-514
— — [Lahaina, Between Feb.-Sept. 1828] 520-540
Honolulu, Sept. 30, 1828 - - - - - - - 541-542
Lahaina, Aug. 21, 1828 -- -— ------543-547
Lahaina, Aug. 21, 1828 — ----- —
548-550
[Honolulu?, After July 1828] .... .551-552
Honolulu, Oct. 28, 1828
553
Honolulu, Jan. 2, 1829 ----— ----- 554-558
______ — Honolulu, Apr. 3, 1829 ---------- -559-560
Honolulu, Aug. 13, 1829 --------- -562-565
Honolulu, Aug. 18, 1829 ------- --- 566-568
(Deposition), Aug. 18, 1829 --- --- 569-571
Honolulu, Aug. 18, 1829 ---------- -572
Honolulu, Aug. 29, 1829 --------- -573-574
Honolulu, Sept. 16, 1829 ........ .575Kaawaloa, Hawaii, N ov . 27, 1829 —
578-580
Honolulu, Mar. 4, 1830 — — ------ 581See Joint Letter, Mar. 9, 1824 -- --301-304
"
"
"
June 12, 1828 —
515-519
�-3-
Pages
ELY, JAMES
: Kaawaloa, July 19, 1824 -------- -665-668
Kaawaloa, Oct. 11, 1824 --- 669-674
Kaawaloa, May 1, 1825 ----- ------675-677
Kaawaloa, Oct. 13, 1825 --- -------678-680
Kaawaloa, Nov. 23, 1826 ----- -- -681-685
Kaawaloa, Nov. 5, 1827 --------- -686-688
Edgartown, [Mass.?], Mar. 10, 1829 689
Windham,[Conn.
, Mar. 21, 1829 -- 690
]
Cornwall,[Conn.], Apr. 25, 1829 - 691
Cornwall,[Conn.], May 30, 1829 -- 692-693
GOODRICH, JOSEPH : Byron’s Bay, Hawaii, Apr. 4, 1826 695-696
Honolulu, Mar. 12, 1828 -------- 697-698
Honolulu, June 12, 1828
699-700a
Byron’s Bay, July 14, 1 8 2 8 701a-705a
GULICK, PETER J.
: Waimea, Kauai, Aug. 15, 1828 --- -409-410
JOINT LETTER
H. Bingham, Levi Chamberlain & E.
Loomis, Honoruru, Mar.9,1824 -- 301-304
H.Bingham, C.S.Stewart, E.Loomis,
Oahu, Mar. 14, 1825 — ..... —
312-314
H. Bingham & A.Bishop, Honolulu,
June 12, 1828 — — -........... .343-351
H. Bingham & Levi Chamberlain
Oahu, June 12, 1828
515-519
KAAHUMANU,ELIZABETH:Oahu, Mar. 12, 1828 ------ — — —
339
LOOMIS, ELISHA
: See Joint Letter, Mar. 9, 1824 —
301-304
"
"
"
Mar. 14, 1825 - 312-314
RICHARDS, WILLIAM : Lahaina, June 1, 1824 --- ------ -706a-714a
Lahaina, Aug. 13, 1824 --------- 715a-520a
Lahaina, Jan. 31, 1825 - - - - - - - - 721a-726a
Lahaina, Feb. 1, 1825 — ---- -----727a
Lahaina, Aug. 9, 1825 - - - - - - - - - 728a-729a
Lahaina, Nov. 30, 1825 --- -------730a
Honolulu, Mar. 10, 1826 ... .... .731a-733a
Honolulu, May 9, 1826 — — .... .734a-735a
Lahaina, June 10, 1826 - - - - - - - - 736a-739a
Journal, Lahaiina,June 11-Aug.5,
1826 — ---- - --- --- --- — ----- 740a-750a
Lahaina, Aug. 5, 1826
751a-753a
Lahaina, Mar. 31, 1827 --------- 754a-75 6 a
RUGGLES, SAMUEL
: Kaawaloa, Sept. 28, 1828 ------- -387-388
STEWART, CHAS. S. : See Joint Letter, Mar. 14, 1825 - 312-314
THURSTON, ASA
: Kailua, Nov. 5, 1829 — ........ -..389
WHITNEY, SAMUEL
: Honoruru, Sept. 14, 1824 ------- -390-391
Waimea, Kauai, Sept. 30, 1824 --- 392
Journal, Tauai, Apr. 2, -June 1,1826 393-402
Tauai, June 24, 1826 ------------ 403
Waimea, Kauai, Mar. 6, 1827 ----- -404-405
[No place], Mar. 7, 1827 -...... ..406-407
Waimea, Kauai, Mar.16, 1828 ----- 408
Kauai, July 24, 1829 ........... ..411-412
Kauai, Oct. 19, 1829 ----------- --413-414
Kauai, Feb. 17, 1830 -......... -..415
�31
March, 1824 - March, 1827
X
No. 1.
301
Honoruru Sandwich Islands, March 9, 1824
Very dear Sir
After long waiting we have with great satisfaction re
ceived this day, your communications by the Parthian, dated
Oct. 11, 1823, and feel ourselves under new obligations
of gratitude for your kindness, & the continued and gracious
smiles of Divine Providence.
We are exceedingly gratified to learn that out dear Broth
er & Sister Chamberlain & their children arrived in safety
at the loved land of their fathers. We have been very solici
tous to hear from them, especially after receiving a h i n t
from the missionaries at the Society Islands "that they were
uncomfortable with their Captain & that he wished to leave
them there to get home as they could" We hope the injuries
they experienced on the passage will be suitably redressed.
The supplies you had the kindness to send u s , you will
be glad to know are seasonable & acceptable, as we were nearly
out of flour, bread, & pork, the latter of which if bought
here of the merchants would cost the Board not much less than
30 Doil per, barrel. We are suite satisfied with your efforts
to send to us articles for our comfort tho' some of us think
we have waited long for some things once designed to be sent
by the Thames but now expected by the dauphin.
As to the circumstances mentioned in your letter connected
with the bill of Exch: given for Capt. C's passage, we are not
apprehensive of any material injury to us or to our cause here.
No man at all acquainted with the author of the difficulty
would be inclined to think it strange that such a man would
for a trifling advantage depart as far from a straight line
as he can to suppose the forbearance of better men or the
laws of his country, would allow him to go with impunity.
The protection of those laws and the kind support of fellow passengers, & the blessing of Providence, were the
ground of hopefor Capt. C. & family when from apparent necessity
they embarked under such circumstances. Capt. Chamberlain,
as was supposed, took every needful/precaution to secure to
himself and family the enjoyment or the rights of passengers,
& the protection of law in case of any attempt to injure him.
We hope no evil can arise from any supposed deficiency in the
terms of contract.
We feel more concerned lest Dr. H. more experienced in the
art of wounding than of healing should continue to make trouble
by pursuing his injurious cause. Those who know him here are
�302
not at all surprised, that he should with great boldness de
clare "that he had done no wrong, and that the Board were in
debted to him for his services; no
w should we be surprised
if he should compliment the Board with the charge of "ingrat
itude " if they do not reward him well for the heavy tax on
our time in attending to his unhappy case, the actual hin
drance he occasioned the mission, which was greater than the
term of his service, and for the incalculable trouble, shame,
confusion, distress, & wasting of spirits which, he willfully
& perseveringly caused his associates. How immensely wide the
contrast between theinfluence of such a draw-back-character,
and the kind, constant, prompt, evident aid of such a man as
Brother Ellis, whose employment and delight it is to do good
and only good, and on whose accession to our number, we are
happy to receive your hearty congratulations.
We would also congratulate the Board on their providential
union with the London Miss. Soc: by means of Mr. E. & also
with the Missionary Society at Paris by means of Mr. King;
and it is devoutly to be hoped that such a union will be
productive of great satisfaction to all the parties concerned
and of lasting benefits to the world. —
It gives us pleasure
to hear of your exploring expedition to South America.
We hope never to forget to pray that your means for prosecut
ing your benevolent purposes may be commensurate with the
largeness of your desires & the extent of your plans.
You kindly congratulate us on being able to preach to the
people in the language of the country — You will doubtless
rejoice to know that the stated preaching of the gospel is
maintained not only at this place as usual, but at Waimaa,
Tauai; at Lahaina, Maui; at Kaima, Hawaii, & Kaavaroa,
near the spot where Capt.Cookwas killed,
Naihe and his
family now dwell, & where Mr. Ely & J. Honorii are expected
to reside as a branch of the Kaima station; that schools
are successfully maintained at all these places & also at
Waiakea, in the District of Hido, where Messrs. Goodrich &
Ruggles are now settled with their families.—
Dr. B. and
his wife have been with them during their residence there i. e.
about 2 months, during which time Mrs.G. has embraced her first
born son, & Mrs .Bingham also has been blessed with a lovely
son who is to bear the loved name of our present highly es
teemed Cor. Sec. -—
Permit us to remark here with graceful
acknowledgements for the distinguished cape of divine prov
idence over this mission, that 18 children have born in the
mission of whom 16 are living — & that the exception here
alluded to is the sum of the register of mortality in this
large missionary community from its first organization, a
period of almost 5 years. Nor should it be overlooked by our
selves or our friends that, in respect to the females of the
mission in every case of confinement when destitute of prof
essional medical aid, the circumstances of their confinement
have been ordered in special kindness & distinguished mercy —
and in every case where medical aid was specially needed
�303
God has most graciously provided that aid.
Since the departure of the king & queen for England, of
which we have given you some account, by three several ships;
the L ! Aigle bound to London, by Cape Horn, the Paragon &
the Champion by Canton, we are permitted to witness a pleasing
increase of a desire to learn among the people as well as
a desirable increase of the means of instruction, as you
perceive by the brief account of the stations above. On this
subject you will rejoice with us to know that the edition of
2000 copies of "the Hawaiian Hymns,Joy to Jehovah, the true
God", as the title imparts, of which we have before given you
some intimation, is now completed, and the people who have
been taught to read are receiving them gladly, and we cannot
but hope they will prove an important means of grace to those
who now begin to lisp the name of Jesus, and to many who shall
hereafter have their hearts and voices turned to his praise.
We send you a specimen now & intend to send by other con
veyances a number of copies of this little work (which is the
joint production of Mr. Ellis and one of us,) containing 60
pages or 47 hymns, principally original, but including a
translation of Watt's 50th Ps.;- Pope’s Ode, the Dying
Christian to his Soul;"Hawaii’s idols are no more,"(originally, Tahiti's;) -- The Jubilee hymn:- several choruses
from Handel’s Messiah; & Mr. Tappan’s lines on this mission, & c .
the whole embracing a great variety of measure & of styles
& capable of being sung in our favorite & most approved
tunes. The work will be the more valuable to the people
as it contains a translation of more than 40 select passages
of scripture -- the pure, inspired word of God.
You may expect us to say something of the tract on the
character & death of Keopuolani the mother of the King
which was promised sometime since. The tract is written
& has been copied for transmission, the portrait or profile
the subject and two interesting drawings taken to accompany
it, but we are not satisfied that the Schooner Rover Capt.
Cooper bound to Manilla, Canton & South America is the best
conveyance for the tract, though we forward by her to Canton
this letter, & a large package besides for America — Shall
forward the tract by the first direct conveyance, which may
occur.—
The Journal of the tour of Hawaii, in a state of
forwardness but not completed, we hope to be ready ere long
to send, probably by the way of Cape Horn -- also our joint
journal for the last few months.
We have to record the death o f Wm. Beals a favorite
native child of pleasing promise & singular attainments
also, the death of the father of Thomas Hopu, with whom that
youth had kindly labored & prayed till he obtained some
pleasing evidence that previous to his departure he loved
that Savior whom the son had found in America, and whom Ohukahaia & Keopuolani learned to adore.
By the Ship Gen. Gates we have received pleasing intelli-
�304
gence from our brethren in the Society Islands, particularly
with respect to a group of Islands about 600 West of the
above which have lately renounced their idols, received
native Christian teaching from the Society Isles, & begun to
build houses of prayer to the honor of Jehovah & to engage
in the worship of the living God. Rev. Mr. Williams who with
Mr. Bourne, lately visited them has sent us a particular
account of the pleasing & wonderful change — & has sent us
two of their idols which escaped the general conflagration
of those abominations —
But you will probably get this intelligence sooner from
England than from u s . We received a few copies of the Acts
of the Apostles lately printed in the Tahitian. We long to
commence the work of publishing the Scriptures here on a large
scale —
D o send us paper and other articles of stationery.
You cannot send too much nor too soon. You will excuse our
importunity on this subject -- the cry rings in our ears con
tinually — "give us the
palapala”, “give us slates”,— "give
us pencils", "give us ink"— "make haste and give us the
biber.
The list of articles which we desire may be sent us with
out delay has been forwarded to you some months since.
We are persuaded that the desire & demand for instruction
will, as it has hitherto done, keep pace with the increasing
means. O that a divine & saving energy may crown the divinely
appointed means with early & ultimate success, & fill this
land & the world with the peace & glory of the Redeemer's
kingdom.
With respectful salutations to the Board, with earnest
desires for the continuance of your useful life and most im
portant services, we are happy to subscribe ourselves Dear Sir
very affectionately yours in the bonds of the gospel.
H. Bingham,
Levi Chamberlain,
E. Loomis.
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, U . S. A.
Sch. Rover
Capt. Cooper
�31 March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 2.
305
Oahu Sept. 8, 1824.
Very Dear Sir,
Having just closed a copy of our journal from October to April
last inclusive, as the Ship Mercury by which we send it
to you is hovering about the mouth of the harbor, having but
just touched here on the way to America, I must in the great
est haste say that I have lately returned from Tauai where
I spent 3 months, & that on the morning of the 8 ult. an
insurrection commenced there led by Teaimakani, Tiaimaku, &
G. P. Tamoree, whose lamented Father Taumuaui died at this
place on the 26 May, as we have good reason to believe in the
hope & faith of the gospel, He had by his last will secured
his property & the Island of Tauai to Karaimou, & Kaahumaru
for Rihouho with the consent of most of the Tauai chiefs.—
Karoimoku had been at Waimea about a week endeavoring to settle
the affairs of the island, when a sudden attack was made by
night or just at the earliest dawn, on the fort at Waimea
by the party above named. Judge my dear sir what was our
surprise, & grief & anguish to be waked by the noise of battle,
& to learn on inquiry of the passing natives , that "Humehume "
as they call George, had actually entered the fort with an in
tention to take possession.
The firing of musketry continued about half an hour, when the
assailants fled, with the loss of 8 or 10 killed.—
On the
side of Karaimoku, 8c the loyal chiefs 3 or 4 were killed,
including Niau a chief — and Trowbridge a young Englishman.-Kaiaimoku was not himself in the battle, but slept on the
opposite side of the river. As soon as the assailants fled
he sent for us to lead him in prayer & thanksgiving to Je
hovah for protection— - This furnished myself & family &
Mr. W & family a safe passage to this place in one of his
schooners, which came as an express for a reinforcement—
About 1000 men have gone down — 10 days from the first battle,
this reinforcement met the insurgents & routed and dispersed
them at Hanapepe.- probably 40 were killed.— but none on the
side of Karaimoku.
Teaimakani was killed -- Tiaimaku, has since surrendered —
George fled to the mountains, &, by the last accounts, had
eluded the search of the party in pursuit —
We trust peace will soon be restored — It is the wish of
Kaiaimoku to save George if he can be taken alive.
We believe also that distressing as this occurence is ,
it will nevertheless be overruled to the furtherance of the
gospel in these islands — To God we have we have desired and
still desire to commit the cause
Yours affectionately but in the utmost haste.
H. Bingham
�306
(Marginal Postscript)
The mission families are in general comfortable -- except
Mrs. Ellis -- We hope to write more at leisure in the course
of a few weeks -From Rev. Hiram Bingham.
Received March 14, 1825.
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Boston
�307
31 March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 3.
Honoruru Oahu Sept. 26, 1824.
Dear Sir,
Permit me to introduce to you the Bearer Mr. Benjamin R.
Harwood the ingenious mechanic of whom you have heard us
speak, who has resided in the mission family almost three years,
who is acquainted with our affairs, & will doubtless be
happy to answer as far as he is able any inquiries you may
wish to make of him on his return to America, respecting
the general state of the mission & the particular situation &
welfare of the several families whose comfort & prosperity,
he has, we believe, uniformly endeavored to promote.
Very respectfully & affectionately
I have the happiness to be
Yours
H . Bingham
From
Rev. Hiram Bingham
Received April 20, 1825
Introduction of Mr.. Harwood.
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B . C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms, No. 69 Market St.
Boston
�308
31 March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 4
Oahu Nov, 12, 1824
Very Dear Sir
We have just put on board the Maris Capt. Gardner, homeward
bound a copy of our journal from the first of May to the last
of October by which you will have a general view of your
mission here during that period. By Mr. Ellis who sailed
in the Ship Rupel bound to America we sent through the
pressure of our concerns at that time the first draft of a
joint letter which we intended to copy but were unable. In
that we gave some account of the recent war at Tauai, & of the
departure of Mr. Ellis, as well as of the Death of Taumuaui.
We sent also the narrative of the late tour made on Hawaii, &
the memoir of Keopuolani.— It was then hoped that the memoir
of Taumuaui might be prepared immediately & sent by the fall
ship in order to have it united with the sketch of Keopuolani's
life & death,— supposing that they would go well together
& that a slight alteration in the title page suggested, would
make it very appropriate for both.— The absence of Mr. Ellis
and the increased weight of missionary cares and labors on
me under which I am made to feel my incompetency, will retard
this work beyond our wishes.
It is thought desirable too to connect with the life of Taumuaii, a view of Tauai, and a full history of the late war
as the immediate consequence of his death. This will retard
it still more. The whole will make a volume should it be
completed on this plan, as it would be the design to embody
as much matter as would be convenient on these subjects, rather,
than to trim, polish, and condense, for which indeed we have
no time to spare. A free use will therefore probably be made
o f what has before been written relative to this subject.—
A copy of it will be committed to your disposal as soon as
may be when it shall be completed, which can hardly be expected
short of 3 months, as it is extra work. You will of course
use your discretion as to the plan which Mr. Ellis may suggest
of delaying the publication of the tract or the character of
Keopuolani till you see the memoir of Taumuaui & which is now
in hand.
You will see by the journal that a translation of the gospel
of Matthew is begun. We hope it may be completed, & the
types and paper sent for, be ready for its publication before
the beginning of 1826. The chiefs and others are desirous to
have the work hastened.
Tis true, the absence of Brother Ellis, & various other causes
may occasion an undesirable delay of this work also, but we
should not feel Justified to leave it unattempted till Mr.
E's expected but doubtful return. Some smaller works will
doubtless be printed in the meantime, a catechism & scripture
tract & c .
�309
I have just received a good letter from Karaimoku, in
whose favor the God of Armies has kindly turned the poise
of battle.— He professes constant and ardent attachment to the
word of Jesus Christ & says when he shall return from Tauai,
all are to attend to instruction.
Kaikiowna who is constituted Gov. there has commenced the
building of new church and appears like one who loves religion,
& means to support it.
Mrs. Whitney we are grieved to learn had been confined to her
room 16 days, tho' the proper symptoms of dropsy had been
much removed, Dr. B is expected to go down immediately.
The brother & sisters at Waiakea, we hear are subjected to
many privations for want of seasonable supplies. But this
we could not foresee nor avoid.
* Note. Nov. 13, Since writing the above I learn by Mr.
Stewart's arrival from Lahaina on a short visit that Honorii
had started from Kairua to carry a few articles of trade
across Hawaii for the families at Waikea
We hope still that that station will be maintained tho. Mr.
R. will be needed at Tauai —
I myself now need another as
sociate at the port,— Another preacher at Tauai, & another
at Waiakea are this moment greatly needed to maintain eligible
stations in different parts of the island could they be sent
and supported. I trust however that ere this reaches you
that fact will be sufficiently obvious. When the brethren
returned from Hawaii they reported that there were at least 20
places on that Island besides Kaima & Waiakea, which were in
point of population & importance eligible as part of mission
ary operations; but to be within bounds the report as forward
ed to you is content with naming 10, with no reference however
to the comparative eligibility of unoccupied ports on Maui,
Moro kai, Oahu & Tauai. If 6 or 7 more stations should be
taken on Hawaii & 3 or 4 on the other islands, the distribu
tion and location of 30 laborers or/more would be desirable &
judicious, so far as I am capable of Judging on this subject.
The appeal that has been respectfully made in behalf of the
Island of Hawaii, will in your mind, be understood as applying
equally to unoccupied ground in other parts of this group
under similar circumstances. But one evening's conversation with
Brother Ellis which I doubt not you will enjoy will be more
satisfactory, I am pursuaded, on this point, or any other
relating to this field concerning which you may wish to inquire,
than any-thing I am able to add to former communications;
I can only add my individual and earnest request that a large
reinforcement of able & devoted missionaries, may without
material delay be sent to this field when the fallow ground is
open & when wheat or tares will, 8s must be sown & bring forth
a harvest for the end of the world, for glory or for ruin.
In one short year after they arrive they may be able to begin
to preach in the language of the country, so much of it being
already subjected to examination & made at least tangible if
not reduced to system.
�310
We are not perfectly agreed as to some points of Orthog
raphy yet, whether to expunge or not every letter from the
alphabet which could possibly be dispensed with as the b,
the d, the l, or r, the t, or k, the w, or v. Were we settled as to this point, we could then h ave a uniform orthog
raphy for proper names the want of which has occasioned
with more confidence that our manner of spelling be preserved
in your publications.
It is our opinion still that it would be found a great convene
ience to preserve in your publications the basis of our or
thography,
It would soon become familiar to your readers, &
the pronunciation would not long be difficult. It is adopted
by the Merchants Line; Maps, charts &c. ought to preserve it.
The names of hundreds of persons and places here before unknown
will doubtless be communicated to you according to our alphabet
& pronunciation, which you would not wish to translate into
English,— would not uniformity at least as to the vowels be
desirable throughout?-- For instance you would not probably
alter the word, Keopuolani, into the Eng. mode of spelling
it Ka-o -poo-lah-ny . But if you preserve our spelling in new
names, will it not be desirable in the old also, in order to
have both follow one rule of pronunciation. I grant that the
old method of spelling Owhyhee, Otaheite, Woahoa &c. is in telligible to most readers, But we cannot but think that Ha-wai-i,
Ta-hi-ti, & O-a-hu, would be equally intelligible, if adopted,
would be much more easy of pronunciation, give a more exact
idea of the names, would be more convenient for Maps & charts
of the islands, & would be conforming more obviously to what
must appear desirable, a uniform orthography of the languages
of Polynesia. But should the exact pronunciation of the names
of persons & places be deemed of minor importance still the
native dress would in our apprehension best become them, as the
names of other countries Chili, Lima, Quito, Bordeaux St. Louis
&c. which we should not like to see somuch Angliciced as to
become Chillee, Leemah, Queeto, Bordo, & St. Lewy.
With due deference to your judgment I cheerfully submit it to
you when you shall have had an interview with Br. Ellis, by
whose request or kind suggestion I have touched this subject,
& who may suggest some reasons for adopting our orthography
in general, which may not have occurred to you.— I fear after
all that I have not touched this subject with suitable delicacy
for it is a grief to me (hole in paper) differ from you in
opinion, I might perhaps (Hole in paper) have been silent,
or barely requested you to give the subject a rehearing in
company either, with Mr. J. Pickering or with brother Ellis.
If I have erred I trust you will attribute it to no wrong
intention.
Mr. Ellis having prepared better accommodations for his family,
than any of our families have heretofore enjoyed on the islands
has left them for the use of my family till his expected return
Here Mrs. B. & myself, Sophia M & our dear little J. Evarts,
now nine months old, restored to health, & a fine boy, with
Abner Morse and Nahinn, two native scholars, now constitute
�311
a little family, tolerably comfortable. The two boys who
attend daily to instruction render Mrs. B. her principal domes
tic help. She has two or three female pupils who come to
her daily for instruction, But doing a great part of her do
mestic labor with her own hands, including the care of her
babe and attention to considerable company, she is overworked
dally. We expect Mr. Chamberlain to make a part of our family
one third of the time- until he shall be blessed with a help
meet; I t i s to save expense to the Board/endu r es the fatigue
of so much manual labor; but I am not sure that it is econom
ical on the whole. I know that Mr. & Mrs. Ellis would not
approve of it— Brother E said to me that we should need a
laboring man besides the two boys. The expense for the board
of a laboring man and his wife who might expect to be fed,
would probably be not less than 100 doll. a year.— Allow this
to each of our families and the expense is not less 1000 doll
a year, not including Mr. W's family where two men are constant
ly employed & their families supported from the land.-- Mrs. B.
desires her kind regards to you & Mrs. E. & acknowledges her
obligations for your kind letter. I hope she will continue to
be able to write you. She has not kept a journal for more than
a year past, because she has not been able. From a kind intima
tion of yours of your desire to send some acceptable keepsake,
we take the liberty to say that the engraving of your worthy
and lamented associate would be very highly valued by us both.
My kind salutations to particular friends who are with you, es
pecially Mr. E. my brother & Mr. Dwight of Park St.
Very affectionately Yours
H. Bingham
Prom
Rev. Hiram Bingham
Received May 17, 1825
By the kindness of Capt. Joy
Ship Boston
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
No. 60 Market St.
Boston, U . S . A .
�312
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No . 5.
Oahu, Sandwich Islands, March 14,1825
Very Dear Sir,
Your kind letter of Aug. 16 1824 to the united missionaries
in the Sandwich Islands was brought to us on the ninth inst.
by our obliging friend Capt. Osborne of the Ship Almira six
months from Nantucket, together with seasonable supplies
shipped by the provident attention of the Treasurer, & con
veyed safely to us freight free through the kindness of the
Master & the owners of the Almira—
To you & them and to the
Great Giver of all our mercies our grateful acknowledgments
are jointly due. Through his kind care the lives of your
missionaries here are still preserved and their labors blessed.
Of the various interesting articles of news which the pamphlets
& papers now received contain none has struck us more forcibly
than that of the death of the king & queen, in England.
It is to us in the counsels of Heavenly wisdom a truly myster
ious event, & it must give no small shock to this nation as
(Hole in paper) as to the friends of this mission-- Still
(Hole in paper) to be observed that the kind care of Divine
providence in preparing the nation for the said intelligence,
has seldom or never been more conspicuous. Never indeed has
the nation been better prepared for such a stroke. You will
doubtless with others of oar friends feel solicitous to learn
from us the present posture of the nation, & the prospects
of the mission in connection with the recent events so import
ant in the political concerns of the people.
When Rihoriho left this country, he designated his only Brother
Kauikeouli as his successor, in case he should die in his
absence, & committed the administration of the government
to Karaimoku & Kahumanu.— Taumuaui also at his death committed
to them the government of Tauai, but an insurrection there
shortly ensued, of which, accounts have been forwarded to you
by the Ships Mercury & Russel.
That insurrection has been suppressed, & Kaikiveva a sub
stantial chief, who previous to the departure of Rihoriho
had been Guardian of the young prince, is now established
there as Governor, a man as decidedly in favor of the cause
of the mission as his lamented Predecessor.
Kaahumanu & her present husband Keariiahonui, Karaimoku &
the young prince & others had but recently returned from Tauai
with a full determination to urge on with vigor the cause
of instruction, while the Spirit of the Lord appeared to be
present with them, & they and we were anticipating a very great
increase both of the number of pupils & of their attention
to their spiritual concerns, while praying circles of males
and females were forming at the different stations who meet
once a week for united prayer, & while the people were thus
�313
anticipating the return of the/king & queen from England,
when they were suddenly surprised by the intelligence of their
death. Such was the posture of the nation when this afflict
ive event was announced. Instead therefore of resorting to
sorcery and vain sacrifices, instead of giving up themselves
to the practice of the vilest abominations, to which in their
former ignorance they were accustomed on such occasions and
instead of flying to arms to see who among rival chiefs might
be the strongest, the principal rulers, at once proposed to
observe a season of humiliation and special prayer before
the God of heaven that he might forgive, comfort, & bless
them.
On the arrival of the news one of us preached/to them from the
word of Job "The Lord Gave, 8e the Lord hath taken away & blessed
be the name of the Lord" insisting on the duty of yielding
a childlike submission to the dispensations of providence,
& of persevering in his worship & service ever in circumstances
of the greatest affliction. At the close of the service at
the chapel Karaimoku rose and proposed that the prayer of
contrition should be offered to God morning & evening for
twelve days successively in consequence of this event,—
8s the next day letters were dispatched by him in connection
with Kaahunanu 8t Kauikeouli the successor of Rehoriho, to the
different islands, with kind salutations to the chiefs, mission
aries & people, announcing the death of the king & queen,
proposing a season of humiliation on that account, & exhorting
them to seek consolation in the good word of God and to yield
obedience to its command.
Opiia who is regarded as a convert to Christianity, sailed
last friday with these despatches, accompanied by Mr. C. to
Mauri & Hawaii.— Of the young princess & her guardians at
Mauri we have hopes of a cordial union with those who forward
(Hole in paper) letters.
Of Gov. Adams, & Naihe on Hawaii we entertain similar hopes,—
There is little to be apprehended as to any rupture between
the chiefs unless the death of Kauiheouli should break the
chain of succession, & of the present bond of union, be
thus severed.-- But our trust is not in princes but in the
living God,— his powerful word, his almighty grace which
are beginning to command the passions, and control the
affections of those once raging heathen rulers, lays the found
ation of our hopes of peace and prosperity to the nation,
hopes which nothing human nothing earthly could warrant.—
K
Kaahunanu has lately entered a place of worship in the back
part of Waititi— her husband begins to labor as an assistant
missionary. Karraimoku has recently encouraged the printing
of a new spelling book or a new set of elementary lessons
consisting of 8 pages, which is to go to press this week and
of which we shall now print 10,000 copies.-- We should have
it larger had w e paper sufficient. Karaimoku would send today
to Canton for paper if the ship should return here— but this
is doubtful. Our last elementary lessons, of which we print-
�314
ed about 7000 copies have been nearly all distributed,
and new applications are daily made for more. A new edition
of the hymns will soon be demanded, & there is a considerable
urgency on the part of a few for the gospel in their own lan
guage- We fear some embarrasment for want of paper; indeed we
have felt it sensibly for the year past, tho we have received
10 reams from the Board,— This will soon be all used.-We hope a supply will be furnished adequate to the demand
for books.
Divine providence has recently placed in the arms of Mrs. Ruggles
& Mrs. Stewart each a lovely daughter, under circumstances
of much mercy— We are grieved however to state again that
Mrs. W. is afflicted with the dropsy.
Mr. C. recently returned from a visit to Waiakea where he
found the concerns of that station assuming a favorable aspect,
the brethren had a school of about 100 scholars, & since the
visit of Kapiolani the wife of Naihe to that station there had
through her kind influence been a favorable change in the atten
tion of the people to the means of grace. As we cannot now soon
expect additional laborers, and as it is desirable that Mr. R.
should return to Tauai--we fear that Waiakea or Kaavaroa must
be left.— We shall however anticipate with pleasure the arri
val of a Physician whom you propose to send if Providence shall
bring him in your way.
Trusting to our great Physician, in every affliction and in all
our cares we subscribe ourselves with kindest salutaions
Yours in the gospel of Christ
.
H. Bingham
Chas. Saml . Stewart
Loomis
p. S. We hope in a few days to write you more at large or to
transmit our journal by the Themes which is now expected to sail
next week. (Seal)
H. B.
Prom
Rev. Hiram Bingham & others
Rec'd April 10, 1826
Ship Thomas, Capt. Coffin
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms, 69 Market St.
Boston, U. S. A.
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 6.
315
Oahu March 20, 1825
My Dear Sir
Having suggested to Kaahumanu to Karaimoku & Kauikeouli the
propriety of their writing you by the Thomas either jointly
or severally, I am gratified with their prompt and cheerful
compliance, and I now have the pleasure of transmitting to
you Kaahumanu’s letter in the handwriting of Kaiu the present
husband of Tapule, subscribed however by Kaahumanu's own hand
which you will regard as a proof that she can write decently.
She is very desirous to have you write her again. I have
agreeable to my promise added a translation to her letter
as I hope soon to do also for Karaimoku and the young
Prince, whom they wish to have particularly under our instruc
tion.-- The hint in the postscript is very natural, as you
published Rihoaiho’s letter, and as it had been suggested that
if she should write, her letter would probably be/seen by
many of our friends--and as you were in the habit of publish
ing communications from abroad, her letter might be printed-It would doubtless gratify her, and perhaps other of our friends
With cordial esteem, your friend & Serv't
H m . Bingham
Prom
Rev. H. Bingham
Rec’d April 10, 1826
Ship Thomas, Capt. Coffin
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
No. 69 Market St.,
Boston, U . S . A .
�316
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 7.
Oahu Aug. 30. 1825
Very Dear Sir,
Your refreshing letter by the Phoenix, which brought our season
able and well selected supplies for the year, has been duly
received, & recently answered by all the brethren at this sta
tion, including Messrs. Stewart & Ruggles. Our joint letter
to you was written on the 20 inst. and forwarded by the Ship
Equator, Capt. Barney bound to Nantucket. By the same ship
we forwarded extracts of our journal from Feb. 12, to May
6,-- By the Dauphin Capt. Swain which sails today we forward
a continuation of the journal up to the 21 June.— As the
Dauphin is a fast sailing and successful ship it is very prob
able you may get our communications by her sooner than by the
Equator, or even by the Adonis which sailed about the 10 of
June by which the mission wrote you at some length respecting
the progress, state and prospects of our cause at the islands.-By these various communications if they arrive safely, you will
be gratified I think to see that your labor and treasure have not
been expended in vain on the Sandwich Islands though the progress
of our work which is very encouraging is fa r less rapid than
we could wish.
You will see some account of the arrival and honorable conduct
of Lord Byron commander of his B. M. Frigate Blonde, with Boki
& his party & the bodies of the king and queen--the peaceful
settlement of the succession of Kauikeouli to the sovereignty,
and the generally favorable disposition of the chiefs to the
cause of Christianity, the greatly increased demand for books
and stationery, & the necessity of far more vigorous and extended
efforts on our part to meet this demand.-We have in all printed more than 16000copies of spelling books
4000 copies of a small scripture tract, & 4000 copies of a
catechism on the most importantdoctrines of scripture.—
Nearly all the 16000 spelling books from the commencement of
our printing have been distributed, & a large portion lost—
these tracts are all small, owing to the scarcety of paper,
compared with the great number of people each of whom is to
be supplied with a scrap of something by which the art of read
ing 8c spelling may be acquired and some of the first principles
of the gospel learned. The reading lessons of each spelling
book or tract are different from the other so that in fact
5 tracts have been printed and distributed among some thousands
of the people— besides the first edition of the hymns of 60
small pages which is now entirely exhausted—
We have endeav
ored to encourage the chiefs to purchase paper for printing
books for the people which indeed they have begun to do.
Karaimoku has recently purchased 20 Reams of foolscap at 8
doll. a ream--for elementary books for his people--We have
been obliged also to demand in many instances a sheet of paper
in exchange for a tract,-- this method will help to keep up
asmallstockforelementaryBooks,--Butallthepaperthatwas
�317
brought to the islands would be insufficient to print one
edition of one of the gospels such as will be demanded in
6 months.— We have therefore been obliged to cry again to
the Board for paper & other kinds of stationery-- Every
article of stationery will now more than pay its cost in barter
for vegetables & fresh provisions-- Book binding materials
will soon be in great demand & I hope the Board will not fail
to send a supply with the articles of stationery— You will
see also by our joint letter & by the letter of Mr. Loomis
that a new printing press will be needed without delay, and
a new font of Long Primer type as soon as you will be able
conveniently to send it.
Karaimoku has just commenced in earnest the building of a large
stone church. He will send to America for some of the materials
and would cheerfully appropriate 800 or 1000 dollars for a bell
of 4 or 500 pounds, and a town clock.—
This interesting chief has been recently married in a public
& Christian manner— & with Kaahumanu, & two of her sisters, and
five other chiefs & Richard Karaaiaulu stand propounded for
admission to the church.
I have recapitulated some facts mentioned in our former letters
as no duplicate was sent or copy taken, possibly they may fail
to reach you.
For the same reason I might also mention the ordination of
M r . Ely, the recent examination of 600 pupils at this place,
the tender trial of Mrs. B. and myself in parting with our
lovely J. Evarts, & laying him beside the little grave of his
brother L. Parsons,— the recent illness of Mrs. B.— the con
tinued illness of Mrs. W. & the decline of Mrs. S.— But I
need not fill my page with these as they are distinctly mention
ed elsewhere.— "God is good,— infinitely good” in all his
dispensations toward us and those most dear to us.
The ship is spreading her sails to revisit your shores & I must
abruptly close by adding my most cordial salutations, and sub
scribing myself your brother and fellow servant in the cause
of the best of masters.—
Hm. Bingham
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B.
�318
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 8
Oahu, Oct. 18, 1825
Very Dear Sir
yesterday we were called to the trial of parting with Brother
Stewart and his family who on account of her loss of health
embarked in the Ship Pawn Capt. Dale bound to London. Our
joint letter to you by his hand will give you ou r views in
full on the subject. You will by that perceive that three
gentlemen of the Faculty independent of each other recommend
ed the removal of Mrs. Stewart to a cooler climate as her com
plaint appears chiefly to be debility & entire prostration.
Dr. Blatchely was very decided in his opinion that they ought
to improve the opportunity presented them by the generous &
seasonable offer of Capt. Dale to give them a gratuitous
passage to London. The rest of the brethren therefore feel
justified in giving the advise they did that Mrs. S. should go.
We know that it is not an easy thing for a missionary to leave
his post and return with comfort, and undiminished reputation
to his country; & not a very easy matter to satisfy the public
mind that his removal is expedient or necessary.
But we have thought the case of Mr. Chamberlain was pretty
clear, & that If Mr. Ellis, equally so, and most of the
brethren think that the case of Mrs.Stewart is more clear
than that of Mr. Ellis, as the prospect of advantage to Mrs. S.
is much greater than to Mrs. E.— Had it not been for the de
cided opinion of Dr. B. I should have hesitated to ground my
opinion of the case on that of the two other gentlemen Dr. Davis
of the Blonde Frigate & Dr. Short of the Fawn, because they
are not exactly missionary men and do not take into their ac
count all the claims on the missionary.
But as Dr. B. says there is a fair prospect of Mrs. S. recover
ing her health by returning and in no other way, & as Mr. S.
could not do much himself in missionary work while his family
continued as they were & as he still desires with all his
heart to devote the remainder of his life to the missionary
cause wherever the Board shall judge best I could not hesitate
longer to recommend his return. I intended to decide as I
think you would in the same case , have done. I trust the
Board will fully approve of the measure he has taken, though
it is greatly to be desired that such eases should not often
occur. I think it desirable that fee be made more fully acquaintcalled to act upon the subject again.
Most of the females of the mission suffer materially from debil
ity which is in part attributed to the climate & in part to
the hardship & privations they have suffered.
�319
Mrs. Bingham my own dear wife has been confined to the
couch about twenty days with alarming symptoms of a broken
constitution. She has been ill about three months, & is now
lower than Mrs. Stewart or any other member of the mission,
though we hope that that kind omnipotent arm which has heretofore sustained her will raise her up again and enable her
to bear her equal part with her husband in winning the nations
to Christ.
But if God should take her from her husband & her surviving
little daughter & from this whitening field & her associates,
it is a consoling hope which we have that he will bring her
safely to his rest, dismissing her from pain & toil and grief,
in this world of sin & sorrow, & crowning her with endless
bliss in his heavenly kingdom, where we humbly trust our two
sweet babes Parsons & Evarts have already found a happy seat
with those that sing hosanna to the Son of David.
As we have written you at some length by the Adonis, the Equator
the Dauphin and the Fawn, it is not perhaps necessary for me
to add much relative to our work in general more than to say
it continues to be favored with undiminished prosperity &
success.-- Numbers appear to be turning to the Son. Our con
gregations have greatly increased and our schools also during
the last three months.
The press is now daily employed in printing elementary
which are distributed as fast as printed-- About 16000
have been distributed since April last--something near
we suppose to be the present number of those among the
who are attending to instruction.
lessons
copies
this
nations
I do not hesitate to say that if our cause progresses as it
has for the last 3 months we shall in two years need 3000
Reams of paper for printing— & we cannot make it nor buy it
here, but every sheet of it will fetch, when printed double
its cost, in America.
Mrs. B. desires to join with me in the kindest salutations to
you, and bids me say 'her heart often turns to you as to a
friend who would take a tender interest in our sorrows while
we feel the hand of God upon u s .’
Our very kind regards to Mrs. E. & your dear Children.
I am dear Sir
Truly & affectionately
Yours,
H . Bingham
From, Rev. Hiram Bingham
Rec’d May 20, 1826--Ship Chili
To, Jeremiah Evarts Esqr. Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M .
Missionary Rooms, 69 Market St.,
Boston, U . S . A .
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 9.
320
Oahu Aug. 23, 1826
Very Dear Sir
I have tout a moment to drop you a hasty line, but hope to
write you more fully by a whaleship n ow in port--which may
sail in three or 4 weeks.
I have but just returned from a tour of about 4 weeks around
Oahu in company with Kaahumanu & Opiia.— A good opportunity
was afforded for encouraging schools, and preaching the gos
pel in every place, so that the majority of the people in every
village and valley on this island have distinctly heard once
or more the glad tidings of salvation during this tour.-We gave out About 3000 spelling books, & several hundred tracts,
to supply the destitute who were desirous to learn. A pleasing
attentiion was given in every place to our message, & we hope
some good will result from it. Tho' we/would not wonder nor be
greatly disturbed if the enemy should take occasion from it to
Blaspheme.
During my Absence, many curses & reproaches have been heaped
on the name of Bingham, by the enemies of the cross. But this is no new thing,— It is indeed trying to our feelings
And the effect on the mind of my dear wife, is evidently depressing.-- The effect on my own mind I do not find to be de
pressing though sometimes painful. But conscious of having done
or endeavored to do for the good of the nation what I have sober
ly deemed right & expedient, & best, I endeavor to make this
use of malicious opposition, to b e more diligent, wise, faithful
humble, laborious, & persevering myself in the service of the
Master of the house who was madly called Beelzebub & who taught
those of his household to expect the same— —
I am sorry to say that the Commercial Agent from our beloved
country is laboring most industriously to prejudice the mind
of the young king against me and our cause.-- The greatest
misrepresentations are resorted to for this purpose--Take as
a specimen, in presence of the king & Boki & Mr. Charlton the
Eng. Con. he made this bold assertion "Mr. Bingham has written
to America that the direction or dictatorship of the Islands
had been given u p to him"— Whenever he meets me or addresses
me by letter it is with apparent civility. But with Unitarian
liberality he hates the light.-- "H. H. " too gives some evi
dence of desiring to obey God rather Than man.
I hope to give you some account of my recent tour as soon as
I can, perhaps in the form of a tract. My own health is pretty
good. Mrs. B. and Sophia are not quite so much favored in this
respect.--
�321
We have been gratified and think you would also be with our
interviews with Capt. Page of the Brig Dido who I expect will
be bearer of this note.
My very kindest regards to Mr. Hill, Mr. Anderson & Mrs. Evarts,
& the dear children. To yourself & family Mrs. B. desires
her love.
Affectionately yours in the Lord
H. Bingham
Prom
Rev. Hiram Bingham
Rec’d Aug. 24, 1827
To
Jer. Evarts Esq.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Boston
�322
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 10.
Oahu Sandwich Islands March 4, 1827
Vary Dear Sir
Your kind and interesting letter by the Triton has been recent
ly received, & I feel under special obligations, though but
poorly able to answer it by a favorable opportunity early to
morrow morning. In the rich & refreshing packet of letters
by Capt. Bryant, which I ought to acknowledge, I have received
besides yours, one from professor Hall at Hartford, my former
instuctor, one from Mr. Ashman in America a Middlebury class
mate, one from Mr. Byington among the Choctaws of N. America
an Andover classmate, two from Mr. Ellis in England, and one
from Mr. Tyerman of the Missionary Deputation in Canton. Thus
I am at once laid under new obligations to the four quarters
of the Globe, by the interesting intelligence, & the effus
ions of brotherly kindness thus received.
To hear of the safe arrival of Mr. Stewart & family, of the
convalescence of M r s . S. & the prospect of their returning to
this quarter of the world gives us great pleasure. May a kind
Providence fully restore her health & fit them for another
campaign, nay for a long life of missionary service. We are
happy to say too, & we trust it is with sincere gratitude to
God, that the illness under which my dear Mrs. B. was suffering
when Mr. S. left the islands has by a gracious hand been merci
fully removed, and although she is now the only female at this
station, and the domestic & missionary cares & labors come
heavily on her, she is wonderfully sustained at present, and en
joys her usual health. While we feel grateful for your kind
sympathies in our sorrows and your tender interest in our welfare
you will be comforted to learn that your prayers for her have
been heard; let us together give thanks to God the author of all
our comforts.
Before this reaches you you will doubtless have been made fully
acquainted with the return of Dr. Blatchely & Mr. Loomis and
their families and the reasons for their departure.— Situated
as I am, the duties of both will in some measure devolve on
me for the present.-- My health, though tolerably comfortable
now does not promise to bear any further increase of pressure.
During the eight weeks since M r . S . left we have printed a set
of certificates for native teachers, of 1000 copies, and have
nearly completed an edition of a new tract, Christ's Sermon
on the Mount, of 16 pages, 218000 copies. I beg your accept
ance of a copy both as a specimen of our translations and of
our printing without a Master Printer. We have had some assist
ance from a Journeyman printer; but little dependence can be
placed on him, Richard Karaiaulu, John J . & Ruaana have been
the principal Pressmen in this job.
While this has been in hand we have had an examination of the
schools of Oahu which occupied four days, from the 18 to the
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22 of Jan.-- 7177 adults & children appeared, and passed
under review. Most of them could read & spell, & recited pas
sages which they had committed to memory from our tracts or
Hymns,— 1218 among them could write on the slate a decent
hand--1126 were accounted for as learners who did not appear
at the examinations, the most of whom cannot read. Making the
total of the number of learners connected with the schools
at Oahu 8 ,303.
There has been a falling off since that in some respects,—
A large proportion of the people have gone to the mountains
to cut sandalwood to liquidate the national debt now about
160,000 doll.— Some have returned to their sports and games
of chance & strife, and some to the pleasures of intoxication.-But we have had occasion to furnish books for about 200 new
scholars since that period.-- Many are desirous to obtain the
new tract. Two Women about 35 years of age, a few days since came
between them two bunches of bananas like the clusters of Eshcol,
& with cheerful faces set them down in our cook room. I said to
them "what is now the desire of you two"? "The word of the
Lord” was the prompt reply. I immediately gave to each two
copies of the Sermon on the Mount with which they seemed much
pleased, said they intended the spare copies for their husbands,
& when their teacher returned from cutting Sandalwood, they
were to be taught this new palapala.— Mr. Chamberlain has just
opened a Sabbath school for the same purpose at which a goodly
number seem desirous to attend.-At the request of Opiia, or Lydia Namahana, Mrs. B. & myself
attended on the 1st inst. a meeting of the females who profess
to be seeking instruction needful for their Salvation. About
700 were present. They gave good attention to a lecture from
I Cor. XVI, 13-14. After the Lecture, Lydia gave them serious
& good advice.
Your letter to Kaahumanu, which I had the happiness to trans
late for her was highly acceptable 8c gratifying. She must have
M r . Chamberlain copy it for her in a large fair hand in a blank
book which she keeps for such purposes, in which she has pre
served the advice of Lord Byron, Capt. Jones of the Peacock, your
letter & c.
Yours to Kraimoku did not reach him. He had gone from this
place to Hawaii 8c before the letter arrived there he had left
these mortal shores.
Soon after D r . Blatchely left, his disorder seemed to increase
upon him; he underwent three several operations of tapping in
pretty quick succession, performed by Dr. Bradner of the U. S.
S. Peacock. After the third he felt so well that he desired
to visit Hawaii, probably to die there. The Peacock had sailed.
He embarked on the Chinchilla Capt. Mack--touched 8c spent a
few days at Mauri & proceeded with a degree of comfort to
Hawaii— He found a transient seaman who made some pretensions
to medical, chirurgical skill, whom Kalimoku employed to tap
him twice. The first operation succeeded pretty well. In the
�324
second he was less successful. Kalimoku fainted, revived
again a little hut survived but a few hours. His Tahtitian
teacher Tute informed me that in his last conversation with
him his mind appeared to he steadfast in the faith & hope of
the gospel. Some months ago he had his parting advice to his
people committed to paper. Just before he left Oahu it was
read over to him.
"These are my sentiments still” he said
"and on the day that I am taken away, I wish the people to be
assembled and these words read to them as mine ". I am told the
paper was carried to Hawaii when he went thither. If it can be
found I shall endeavor to send you a translation of it. Like
his other compositions since his professed obedience tc\the
gospel it breathes a spirit of piety & exhibits evidence of
his acquaintance with the Christian hope. The consistency of
his life with what he knew of the requirements of the Word of
God, his steady adherence to the Christian principles which
he professed to follow/since the time of his contest preser
vation & victory at Kauai, his constant & operative friendship
for the missionaries, & his constant & earnest and efficient
endeavors while his health would allow it to promote the cause
of instruction and religious improvement among the people, his
constancy in attending the worship of God--his firmness in
resisting temptation, his faithfulness in reproving sin, his
patience in suffering, his calm and steady hope of heaven through
the atonement of Christ whom he regarded as the only Saviour,
to whom he had as he said given up himself heart, soul & body
to a servant forever, all combine to give him a happy claim
to that most honorable title of Rulers on earth a nursing father
in Zion, 8c to the name of "Christian the highest style of man".
This world he said is full of sorrow, but in heaven there is no
sorrow or pain, there it is good, it is light, it is happy"
There we humbly trust he has found his desire and expected
rest.-- We have lost a friend 8c patron. But his example and
influence we trust will not cease to do good to his country
men so long as this nation shall continue to exist as a nation.
The voice of sorrow we have heard again in our own habitation.
Brother & Sister Ruggles who occupied for a season the rooms
vacated by Dr. B. have been called to mourning-- Their lovely
Fanny Bartlett is quietly laid by the side of those other slum
bering babes in the dust.-- While Mr. R. was on a short visit
to Kauai she was attacked with dysentery, which baffled all
attempts to remove it & carried off the little sufferer in
hours— Mr. Lay the Naturalist of the Frigate Blossom was
and gave his advice having some skill in medicine, but our
poor efforts, & the prayers & tears of an anguished mother
could not snatch the prattling infant from the grave.
The family have since removed to Waikea. Mr. Chamberlain is
now the only associate left at this station for myself & Mr. B.
But we are encouraged by your last letters to look for a rein
forcement which we hope will be on the way when this reaches
you.
�325
By the joint letter you will perceive that we have reasons
for asking for a large reinforcement of preachers, as well as
for the medical & printing departments— But it is past midnight
and the flesh demands rest— I shall inclose the 8th & 9th
chapters of the translation of Matthew— Have not been able to
correct and copy more-I should be happy to write much more to you & address a line
as well as much love to M r . Hill the Treasurer, to Mr. Fay,
Dr . Wood & his associates, to my Brother in Boston & many
others--but I must not now—
Mrs. B. desires her kind regards to yourself & to Mrs. E. &
Mrs. Hill, & hopes to be able to answer the good letters she
has received from yourself & Mrs. H.
Have the goodness to present my hearty salutations to Mr. Hill
& the Prudential Committee, & to such of my brethren & sisters
ashave left the field, whom you may meet, and believe me to
remain very affectionately
Your brother in Christ
H. Bingham
From: Rev. Hiram Bingham
Rec’d: Sep. 20, 1827.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor . Sec. A. B . C . F. M .
Missionary Rooms, Stone Ch.
Boston, Mass.
United States of America
By:
Capt. Meek, Brig Chinchilla, via Canton
�326
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 11.
Oahu Sandwich Islands March 4, 1827
Dear Brother Morse
Left as I am so much alone at this station, M r, Ellis, Dr.
Blatchely & Mr. Loomis/who were located here all having left the
country for their native shores. I find little time for corres
ponding with my friends at home whom I love to remember, and to
whom I should be happy often to write.
Many, very many interesting facts and circumstances respecting
the people, and the cause in which we are/engaged, often invite
me to my pen, but for want of time and strength, they pass by
unnoted, and of course cannot be communicated to you & will
never be found in the registers of Time.— and will only be
brought to light again in Eternity— Every month might well
fill a volume of the history of the mission & of the nation,
and we know that there exists a desire in thelminds of our friend
to read such details as we might write, & indeed they have
a sort of right to a fair history of our labors, and of the
progress of the people, their manners, customs &c, and we feel
a strong desire to gratify them so far as is in our power.
But should we attempt to write one tenth part of what is inter
esting to us & what would doubtless be so to them if properly
communicated, what time should we have for the/multiplied labors
that we are called to perform for the people. We must talk with
them when they are disposed to converse on the subject of their
souls salvation, we must not fail to preach to them publicly
when they are disposed to assemble for that purpose, we must
sometimes go from house to house to rouse and invite them to
attend, we must do something to divert their studies when dis
posed to learn, we must prepare and publish & distribute books
for their (Hole in paper) we must administer to the sick & dy
ing, we must attend marriages & funerals, & what time we can
get besides, more than family duties require, we feel it almost
indispensably necessary to devote to the translation of the
scriptures-- But superadd to what has been the lot of the mis
sionary here, the more special and burthensome superintendance
of the printing department,falls on me in the absence of Mr. L.I ask then if I shall be thought to have much time or strength
to devote to letter writing, & not be chargeable with too
little regard to my health.
You may dear sir, very justly think this a strange return for
several valuable letters from you which lie by me unanswered,
for which I acknowledge my obligations and return you my sin
cere thanks--I beg the acceptance of our new tract of "Christ's
sermon on the mount" , which I forward for each of you at the
"Rooms,” both across the isthmus & by way of Canton.
The public letter or annual report of the mission, of 42 pages,
will be sent tomorrow By Capt. Meek of the Chinchilla by way of
�327
Canton which we hope will reach you in 5 months,-- Before that
time we are encouraged to hope a reinforcement will have em
barked destined for these islands.
The Lord be with you evermore
Very affectionately Your Brother in Christ,
H. Bingham
From:
Rec'd:
Rev. H. Bingham
Sep. 20, 1827.
To:
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Assist. Sec. of A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Stone Church
Boston,
U. S. A.
�31
March 1824-March 1827
X
No. 12.
328
Oahu June 29, 1827.
Very Dear Sir,
I wrote you about five weeks since by Mr. Wm. Dana of Hartford
Conn. intending to send if possible across the isthmus of Darien,
but as that conveyance is deemed uncertain you/will excuse me
if in improving the present opportunity by the Peruvian,
whaleship, homeward bound which has just appeared off Honolulu
and will proceed in a few hours without dropping anchor,
I should mention in substance the same things which my hasty
letter by M r . Dana contains.
I am sure we shall never weary you of repeating our occasions
of gratitude & rejoicing. As due to the promptitude & kindness
of the Pru. Com. allow me to say that although our printer is
gone, we have felt very much encouraged by the seasonable ar
rival of the new font of types which you mentioned in your
obliging letter by the Triton. The font appears to have been
very judiciously selected. As a proof of the two facts I
have just stated I may mention that of this font we have now
56 pages set up i. e. 12 pages crowded duodecimo of the Gos
pel of Luke, & 44 pages, 24’s, of our hymns.— Of the first
sheet of hymns 24 pages we have worked off about 8,000 copies,
& hope the remaining two thousand making the compliment of the
first sheet for 10,000 copies will be finished in two or three
days.-- The number of pages of tracts which have been printed
here since Mr. O . left us amounts to 480,000. Two days work
more of the press will make the aggregate of pages printed
within 6 months 1,000,000— Mr. L. Will not probably reach
Boston much before September. We have heard from him after
he touched at Tahiti, & rather indirectly of his arrival
at Valparaiso, as we think about the middle of April.
Should he arrive about the middle of August & should we finish
this edition of the hymns by that time, which we confidently
expect to be able to accomplish. He will I think be sur
prised to find that our press has printed as many pages & as
much paper while he was on his passage home, as it had done
during his residence at the Islands. I shall not presume to
say the work is done as well.— I would mention here that
the 90 Reams of Demy Paper received by the spring whale ships
is now just begun upon the present week Sc will with 60 Reams'
of foolscap on hand probably last us through the current year.
The ninty Reams are barely sufficient to print one Ed. of
Luke’s gospel 72 pages 12 mo. 10,000 copies, and 10,000 copies
of our hymns enlarged to 72 pages.— We have had for two or
three weeks a youth from Boston, James Carey, assisting in
setting types— He is lame in his avels, & was left at the
island recently by one of the Whaleships now on a cruise.—
He intended to join his ship again when she returns here in
the fall, in the mean time he may render us important assistance
have a home in our family and earn his board & clothes. He works
�329
He works two and a half days in a week for his board, & for
the rest we pay him Boston journeyman printer’s prices for
what he can do. We often speak of the Wells' Press which we
hear is procured for us & which we hope is on the
way. We need it exceedingly. We hope our next years supply
of paper will be doubled.
Mr. Chamberlain returned this morning from a months tour to
visit the windward stations to carry them supplies see how
theyfarm & c. Among other things the little Missionary Packet
carried up 26000 tracts,— He found andl eft the families pretty
comfortable, & the work going on pleasantly.
He appears himself at present rather drooping. The Schooner
oppresses him, & he has a bad boil on his under lip. I said
to him today what would you do Mr. Chamberlain if you had 100
ships at sea? He replied, "I should have 100 trusty Captains.
and 75 of the ships ensured."
During his absence some of his cares at this station have
fallen on me, & I feel it. I seldom or never labored harder
for a month than during the last post.— Mr. Whitney is
boss of the station with me, and are engaged together in the
translation of Luke.-- About two thirds of the book have been
rendered into the Hawaiian language after a sort, and about
one third carefully reviewed,— and one sixth part in type--we
have taken a few proof sheets which we shall send to the sta
tions before the edition is worked off while the hymns are
going on.
Kaahumanu has just made us a friendly call, she appears well
still. I informed her I was writing to her friend Mr. Evarts
in America, She says "Will you write a word for me?" O yes-Tell him I have great love for him, his words in his letter
found me in darkness and have been themeans of light & com
fort. I have never forgotten them. They have strengthened
me--Great love for him"
Six candidates have been recently propounded for admission to
the church here, & 10 at Mauri. Many others desire admission,
but we choose to proceed with caution.
We have heard that several Roman Catholic priests or Mission
aries are on their way from France to these islands—
Mr. Manini or Marin--the Spaniard long resident here, has com
menced teaching & ? ?
I am told in this village.—
Should Roman Catholics who have another gospel, labor to take
possession of these fair fields, how shall we treat the matter?—
My health requires that I should lay down my pen, & the hour
has arrived for the letter to go—
�Mrs. B. joins me in kind regards to you & yours— would be glad
to write, is in tolerably comfortable health for her, has the
care of family, two boarders, and a school of 10 or 12 inter
esting females-I intended to write Mr. Hill, and my Brother— but must defer
it.
Kind regards to them & to Mr. Anderson.
Affectionately Yours in Christ,
H . Bingham
Prom
Rev. Hiram Bingham
Rec’d Dec. 17, 1827
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor . Sec. A. B. C . F.M
Missionary Rooms
Boston
United States America
.
Ship Peruvian, Capt. Macy
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 13.
331
Oahu Sandwich Islands Dec. 15,1827
Very Dear Sir
By the politeness of Capt. Geo. W. Gardiner of the homeward bound
Ship Mariah we are favored with a very direct conveyance for
letters to you which we are happy to improve, tho the good
work among the people seems to demand all our thoughts time
and strength.
By the Ship Maro, Capt. Swain, I wrote you recently from
Lahaina about 50 pages by the way of C a p e Horn and Nantucket,
which if you are allowed to peruse them, will acquaint you
with some prominent facts in which myself and family in par
ticular and the mission in general have been interested. I
trust you are not unprepared to hear evil tidings from this
quarter where we have had and still have so much occasion for
joyful congratulation, on account of the distinguished mercies
of our covenant Father bestowed on us and/on the people to whom
we are still allowed with encouraging prospects, to proclaim the
doctrines of salvation. I do not intend, dear Sir, to fill the
few pages I write you now, with details of unwelcome intelli
gence, though I could easily throw together a collection of
facts of recent occurence which would d o u b t l
ess awaken your
sympathy. Some of these have already been noticed by Mr. C.
in his letters to the Missionary Rooms, others my dear Mrs. B.
is penning for her sisters in Hartford, but a more full account
is preparing for yourself by Mr. Richards who is now at this
place. We have had our feelings tried, but we are by no means
disheartened, and we trust, that the word of God has taken and
is taking such root in these islands, that to prevent its
growth will require something more than rant and riots, and
clubs and cannon balls from lawless antireformers.
We desire to notice it with gratitude to God that no case of
discipline has to my knowledge yet occurred among the converts
gathered in the islands, that those who have been admitted to
the church appear well in these seasons of trial, & that the
number propounded the last three months is greater than at any
former period of the same length, though the noise of the enemy
was never louder.
Seldom have we witnessed a week more t r u l y i n t e r e s t i n g
in the islands than the last, either in respect to the state of
the church or of the nation or of thepress.
The chiefs being assembled for the purpose have begun in the
face of opposition from some "official" or officious foreign
er, to adopt and publish laws for the prevention of crimes,-Three laws, against murder, stealing and adultery being adopt
ed by the chiefs and sanctioned by the King were on Friday
proclaimed to the people by Kaahumanu. The chiefs and a great
concourse of the people assembled under a grove of Cocoanuts
near the sea, to hear the three primary laws of the nation
promulgated.-- The chiefs invited me to attend and offer a
�prayer If I were not afraid the foreigners would be angry 332
with me for i t . I replied, why should I be afraid if the
anger of the foreigners while I am engaged in my own proper
duties, If the chiefs wished me to pray with them I would go,
& if the foreigners should burn me for it, why should that deme.-r
e
t
I went--the great assembly was waiting, and a number
of foreigners were present. Boki gave me a chair, I sat a
few moments. Kaahumanu put a hymn book into my hand as a
signal of their desires. I sung a few verses and offered a
prayer & returned without tarryingto hear the laws— The king
rose and called the attention of the chiefs and people and
required them to hear and obey the three laws that were to be
established. As he resumed his seat Kaahumanu rose and in a
similar manner addressed the chiefs and people, of these is
lands, and the people from foreign countries, demanding their
attention to the laws of the land, three of which were soon to
be put in execution, and others which were to be taught and
explained more fully to the people before their establishment
should take place. We were immediately requested to print a
number of handbills containing the laws against murder, theft
and adultery, and three others prohibiting gaming, fornica
tion, and the retailing of ardent spirits— Most of the chiefs
are desirous to suppress the dram shops, & to put a stop to
drunkenness as well as the evils connected with horseracing,
billiards, cards &c. but to accomplish the extinction of/those
vices which derive so much of their support from a class of
citizens and subjects of other countries who delight in
these evils, and whose displeasure they do not wish to incur,
they apprehend is far more difficult than if their own people
alone were concerned. But as they have now begun— to enact
laws, to shield the country from the evils of three prominent
crimes, it is to be hoped they will go on to suppress entirely
those practices which so directly lead to these crimes, &
to make every needful regulation for securing the improvement,
safety and prosperity of the nation, which improvements how
ever we are well aware can never outstrip the advances of evan
gelical light, nor can we expect any radical or permanent
reformation in morals any farther than a sincere regard to the
divine authority of the word of God prevails either in the
hearts of the rulers or of the people. Our chief reliance
is on the preaching, and printing, & teaching the word of
God.-- In this we are making some progress. Mr. Goodrich
has joined this station with a view to and the printing de
partment for a season. During this interesting week about
4500 copies of the first sheet of Luke's Gospel have been
worked off besides the hand bill alluded to above, and a con
siderable part of the third sheet of the/hymns put in type.—
Mark and John, and the corrections for Matthew are just closed
for the press in America--Allow me here to whisper it to you,
that we have conceived the design of accomplishing the trans
lation of the whole Bible within 5 years from next New Years;
an exact division of the parts has been marked out and pro
posed for the different members to tranlate.— This division
will give about one chapter a week to each of six translators
for 5 years. Books to aid in this work have been applied for,
to the Pru. Com.--And we shall look to you for the means of
publishing considerable portions of the bible every year till
�333
the whole shall be completed. The history of Joseph translated
by Mr. Ely for a tract is now ready for the press and will
probably be printed as soon as the Hymns are out. Fearing
we should be cramped for want of paper, as we hope to finish
printing what Demy we have on hand in three or four months
we have sent to Canton for a ton of Canton Demy which we sup
pose will cost us here about 3 doll a ream. We should prefer
American paper if it can be shipped to us. Three hundred
reams a year will in my estimation be all required as soon as
another press can be put in operation. But of the means and the
manner of supplying this department with stock and implements
you can best Judge. Indeed it Is with you to say to what ex
tent we ought to push this part of our work, & we should be
exceedingly happy to have the distinct advice of the Board as to
the kind of matter we should publish; what sort of tracts; what
parts of the bible should we translate and print immediately;
what order should we observe in publishing the different
parts; what parts ought to be deferred longest in regard to the
wants of the people.—
But I will leave the printing office now for a moment, where
the Gospel of Luke, the Hawaiian Hymns enlarged, and the laws
of the land are all going on together, & invite your attention
to two distinct scenes which we have had the pleasure to witness,
recently one of which occurred during the/week as mentioned, and
the other a little before, in each of which though different
in their character I think you will rejoice to see some marks
of improvement among the people as evidences of the divine
blessing on the means you have put in operation here for the
good of the nation.
On Tuesday of last week, Mrs.Bingham & Mrs. Richards, (You will
smile when I name it) undertook to make a "tea party" to bring
all the chiefs in the place & the members of the mission
family together to join in a friendly & social cup of tea,
to shew Christian kindness & civility to our Sandwich Island
neighbors and to promote kind feelings among the chiefs them
selves now assembled from the different Islands.-- The two sis
ters with their native domestics spent most of today in pre
paring biscuit, cakes &c. & making such arrangements as seemed
to them desirable.-- We sent out our billets in due form in
the morning to the king & Kaahumanu, and all the chiefs of the
first & second rank and to some others connected with them by
marriage. As soon as Kaahumanu received her invitation she
sent over a supply of good white sugar for the occasion.
Toward evening all came that were invited except Boki and his
wife, & to this interesting group we should have been happy to
have introduced you or any of our Christian friends & I doubt
not you would have been highly gratified with the interview.
Y o u would have seen the regent, once haughty, heathen Kaahumanu,
now condescending and kind & grateful to her Christian teachers,
with her two royal sisters Kalokua and Opiia all members of the
church, bearing the Christian names of Elisabeth, Maria, and
Lydia, and all endeavoring as we believe to copy the virtues
of these scripture characters, exerting a great influence over
�334
the people in favor of reformation, and rejoicing in the mercy
of God in giving them the gospel. You would have seen the
pleasing youths the king and his sister rising rapidly to
maturity both possessing vivacity, and exhibiting kindness
towards us; the latter a member of our church and a great com
fort to the serious party, 8s the former as far advanced in the
rudiments of learning as most of our native teachers & we
believe, ready, but for one man, to aid decidedly the cause
of the mission. You would have seen Adams the Governor of
Hawaii dignified, sociable and friendly, who has built a church
at Kailua which probably cost as many days' work as any church
in America, 8s who has for some time been diligently assisting
in translating the Gospels, and in teaching a class in the
rudiments of Arithmetic. He has recently advised Kaahumanu to
have laws established, written, and published. Naihe, you would
have met a decided friend, not inferior to Adams, and his wife
Kapiolani who perhaps is second to none in improved manners and
Christian character. You would have seen the solid Hoapili
of the same rank the Governor of Mauri, recently propounded
to the church, the most fearless of all in resisting foreign
encroachments, & foremost of all to suppress the vices which
derive so much support from abroad. Another of the old Phalanx
of Tamehameha would have attracted your notice, Kaikioewa,
now Gov. of Kauai, who seems desirous to be instructed, & to
promote our cause, and his wife Keaweamahi, also who as
you know is a respected member of our church, admitted at Kauai.
You would have seen also the late Queen of Kauai, Deborah
Kapule and her husband Simeon Kaiu whom we regard as growing
Christians. They recently presented their infant son to the
Lord in baptism, whom they called Josiah Taumuavii, out of
respect to the characters of these two men.
You would have seen Kekauluohi, Kinau, and Kekauonohi the
three surviving women who were, on our arrival, wives of
Riheriho. The former has for five years lived regularly
with another husband, gives evidence of piety, and was last
saba th propounded for admission to our church.--Kinau, who
has recently married Kekuanooa who accompanied the king to
England, now appears friendly but not pious. Her husband whom
you would have also seen, is like her in those respects,—
and is commander of a small standing force of two or three
hundred men at this place. Kekauonohi has for about 4 years
lived single, appears to be a cordial and decided friend of the
mission, & is now talked of as a suitable wife for the young
king— There is little disparity in their age and rank. She
would be equally suitable for the son of Taumualii. Three
interesting young chiefs Laanui, Keliiahonui & Kanaina of
pleasing manners and hopeful piety would also have engaged
your attention among the happy guests. Laanui the husband of
Oppia or Lidia Namahana, by his correct behaviour for more
than five years has given us much satisfaction, as well as
the regular conduct of his wife. He is you know a member of
our church. He is a good assistant in the work of translation;
�335
we consult him and others of his standing with more advantage
than any of the youths who have been instructed in foreign
schools.
Keliiahonui the son of Taumualii you doubtless
know is also a member of the church and exerts we hope a good
influence. He travelled around Hawaii about a year ago exhort
ing the people to obey the word of God & the voice of the chiefs.
He has had an oversight of several schools and been employed
considerably, and with success in teaching. He lives single,
keeps a regular diary, and is formost of hiscountrymen in the
art of singing in our mode. Kanaina the husband of Kekauluohi,
often assists in conducting conference meetings and is very
desirous to be admitted to the church. Though we hope to
admit him before a great while yet ,we think some longer trial
advisable.— Joseph Leleiohoku (La-la-ee-o- ho-koo) the spright
ly little son of Kaiaimoku the late regent, and Kamanele (Ka-mana-la) the young daughter of Gov. Adams were also present.
We might have invited nearly as large a number of others of the
third and fourth grade of chiefs who exhibit similar marks of
improvement and, who appear to be truly friendly to the cause
of the gospel, and whose presence would have added to your
pleasure had we room and means and strength to have accommo
dated so many at one time. But look for a few moments at the
present group, twenty one chiefs of the Sandwich Islands mingling
in friendly courteous & Christian conversation with seven of the
mission family whom you have employed among them; contemplate
their former and their present habits, their former and their
present hopes. They have laid aside their vices and excesses,
& their l ove of noise and war. You see every one decently
dressed in our own style, or to use a scripture phrase "clothed
and in his right mind"— Instead of the roaring hula, you hear
them join us in a song of Zion.
"Kindred in Christ for his dear sake A hearty welcome here
receive & c . "
Listen, and you will not only hear the expressions of gratitudeto us & to God for the privileges they now enjoy,
but you will hear these old warriors lamenting that their former
kings, their fathers and their companions in arms had been
slain in batlle or carried off by the hand of time before the
blessed Gospel of Christ had been proclaimed on these benighted
shores. Your heart would have glowed with devout gratitude
to God for the evidence that, while our tea and simple food
was passed round the social circle for their present gratifi
cation, the minds of some of these children of pagans enjoyed
a feast of better things, & your thoughts no doubt like ours
would have glanced to a happier meeting of the (friends of God
in the world of Glory— You would have lifted up your heart,
when our thanks were returned at the close of our humble repast,
tho you might not have been familiar with the language, you
would have lifted up your heart in thankfulness for what had
already appeared as the fruits of your efforts here, & for the
prospect of still greater things than these. Let us now leave
the missionaries humble cottage and follow these their honor
able visitors as they retire in good season and in good order
�336
to go to their habitations, to offer the evening sacrifice
to God, & from their habitations to the house of God on the Sabath to attend on the sacred ordinances of the sanctuary. You see
the same company of chiefs, joined by Boki and his wife, and
the others of a lower grade alluded to above, gathering with
three thousand of the people at the humble house of prayer,
when the still novel, but cheerful sound of "the church going
bell" breaks on the stillness of the Sabbath morning. You see
a great proportion of this large congregation decently clad in
articles of foreign manufacture, and others in the best of
their own, and some even richly dressed. About one third of
those present are furnished with their book of Hymns chief
ly in their own binding, which many of them regard as the most
valuable article they possess. They join in the worship &
you admire the order, the sobriety, the wakefulness and
pleasing attention which pervades the assembly whilea ngels wait
to witness the effect of the word of God on their hearts. This
is a part of the second scene to which I proposed to introduce
you, as it occurred last Sabbath. As I ascended the little
pulpit stairs the eyes of the congregation seemed to greet me
with a welcome. As it was the day for the communion service
and for the admission ofm embers I chose for my theme the com
mission of our Savior to his disciples as recorded by Mark
"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creat
ure. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved & he
that believeth not shall be damned;" Spoke of the importance,
the benevolence, & divine authority (Blot) the character of the
doctrines & (Blot) to be (Blot) the nature of evangelical faith,
the design of the sacraments and the different consequences of
obeying and rejecting to gospel. Many listened as though
these doctrines, duties and privileges were for them, and
as though they were (Blot) in the momentous and everlasting
consequences at stake.
In the afternoon the congregation assembled again a little
earlier than the usual hour, and the church took their seats
in order around the table of our (Blot) Lord.— Kekauluohi
first presented herself before the church and congregation,
and at her request, her desire to consecrate herself to God
and to obey the gospel was made known she was propounded for
admission after farther trial. Next six others who about a
year ago had been examined before the church and had stood
propounded five or six months presented themselves for baptism;
seldom has a more pleasing sight been witnessed in the Sandwich
Islands or a more pleasing service fallen to my lot
�The letter which is between letters Nos. 13 & 14 is
bound upside down, and the beginning of it is missing
so copying it has not been attempted.
�337
31
March 1824 - 1827
X
No. 14
Oahu March 12, 1828
Mr Dear Sir
Permit me on this blank page briefly to account for the letter
on the first pages, from our friend Kaahumanu— Passing by this
morning to her retired place at Manoa, she called upon us in
her usual kind manner, & perceiving that we were preparing
letters for America begged the favor of sending a line with
her love to you.
It was sketched hastily upon a slate as she dictated it, and I
have made a translation for you.
We have good reason to believe that these few short sentences
express the sincere sentiments of her heart--The tears started
in her eyes when she uttered the closing paragraph.--She appears
consistent. In connection with the king, she has recently been
called to manage an interesting case in law, the trial of a
man on the charge of murder— She has exhibited a singular union
of moderation & decision in the case thus far, vigilant lest
the guilty should escape, and cautious lest the power of pun
ishing should be abused. She nominated twelve men, among the
most intelligent & trusty, to sit as a kind of Jury to hear the
case. At the head of this Jury is Laanui the husband of Opiia.
The trial took place about 3 days ago & about 6 months after
the offence.
It appeared in evidence, that the prisoner being out from home
cutting sandalwood, left the deceased at home a man belonging
to the same house, together with a little child of the prison
er’s in the case of an old woman. Just before the prisoner's re
turn the child disturbed the deceased, while he was preparing
his food, so much that after speaking to the old woman to take
care of it, he sprinkled water on the child.— This offended the
old woman, & a little quarrel took place, which soon ended.
The deceased is not blamed at all by the people— While the
family were asleep the prisoner returned--The old woman waking
cried and made great complaint against the deceased, but soon
all appeared quiet again. When all were asleep but the prisoner
he took a stick of sandalwood, & with it struck the deceased twice
on the leg & once on the side, breaking a leg & a rib. The
deceased, cried out, & the old woman waking spread the alarm
of murder, and went out to get help--mean time the prisoner
made several attempts to bind up the broken\leg, but finding
it so badly broken & bleeding, he abandoned it and fled, but
was taken into custody sometime before the death of the de
ceased, to await his trial andexecution in case the wounds
should prove mortal.— Boki gave it as his opinion that the
prisoner ought to die. The jury would not pronounce the crime
murder, as some doubt remained as to the intention to kill.
Further than this, I have-not been informed, & how the case will
�338
be decided is quite uncertain. We have endeavored to explain
to the prisoner the doctrines & duties of the gospel. We would
leave him in the hands of God. Can you tell me what a New
England jury would do in such a case?
Yours sincerely
H. Bingham
�339
Oahu March 12, 1828
My love to you Mr. Evarts and to all our kindred in that country,
on account of the great blessing you have sent us, the Light,
the word of God.
We have given our hearts to God; we rejoice in the great sal
vation.
Have ye good will toward us here, and pray ye to God for us
that we may a(Hole in paper)stand firm together as one in the
following of Jesus Christ, that you andwe may be all saved
by the Messiah the Redeemer.
I pity Mr. Bishop on account of his companion, theonly one of
yours who has fallen here.--grief for his companion--& compassion
for his children.
Elisabeth Kaahumanu
Prom
Rev. H. Bingham
Rec’d
Dec. 6, 1827
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Ship Rambler
Capt. Worth
�340
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 15.
Oahu Sandwich Islands, March 12, 1828
v ery Dear Sir,
It is now about three months since I wrote you a long letter
by the Maria Capt. G. W . Gardiner, in which I noticed a friend
ly visit of the chiefs at our house, the admission of six
hopeful converts, into the church at this place 8c the propound
ing of Kekauluohi a woman of high rank, & who I am now happy
to inform you was baptised on the 2nd inst. andwas admitted to
our communion. She received the name of Miriam, prefixed to
Kekauluohi.
Last Sabbath, it was expected that ten or eleven candidates for
baptism would be admitted at Lahaina.— Last Wednesday 98 persons
were married at that station. This is the more noticable as
not less than 60 persons in a week had been married there dur
ing a period of about two months, previous and from two to three
hundred couple during the year preceding.
There has been an increase of attention to religion we think,
at Honolulu, Lahaina, Kailua, 8c Kaawaloa stations since the
meeting of the chiefs at this place, or since the threatening
storm was laid about the close of the last year.--I had a pleas
ant interview a short time since with an intelligent German
Gentleman, who was passing from the coast of South America to
Manilla, & who spent two or three weeks at this place. Among
many of his remarks which were interesting, I will here repeat
one in connexion with what I have written above,— He had been
told that one of our number was Gov. of Mauri, & one was a mer
chant &c.--On being corrected as to the mistake, he remarked "You
have many things said against you & your cause, but it will not
hinder it— It will rather promote it. It always has been so."-I could reply that in many instances in the history of this
infant mission, special efforts to hinder the object had been
overruled, to produce a deeper conviction in the minds of the
people that there must be something good in that religion which
the evilest men alone reviled, & in those principles which could
endure with patience and perseverence the undeserved reproaches
of its enemies .--and we believe the recent efforts to injure
Mr. Richards have resulted in the more cordial attachment of the
people of Maui to their Missionary, & that they will result in
a more full conviction of the truth of those doctrines which
are proclaimed to them from the bible, & though these trials
may bring out to view in some cases a wrong state of feeling
in some of the people yet we have good reason to believe that
the true spirit of Christianity will by the same means be
promoted in others.
Since writing the sentiments above, we have received the commun
ications from the Rooms by the Ship Superior just arrived, &
glancing at the Editorial remarks on this mission for December
1826 I perceive a striking coincidence of sentiment.
�341
It may be a matter of regret that a more full joint communi
cation from us had not been made respecting the visit of the
Dolphin, but I trust the accounts given by Mr.R
.
Mr. L. Mr.
C & by myself separately will be all that was necessary to be
sent from us. Should any thing more have been required, the
testimony of Dr. Blatcheley & Mr. Loomis would doubtless supply
the deficiency.
But the proper testimony, in a legal point of view would best
be divided by official application to the chiefs at this place,
which the Government at home could doubtless obtain should they
think the subject worthy of investigation, in order to retrieve
-their own character in the estimation of the people here.
I hope my last account of the affair sent last fall from Lahaina
will be seasonable.— I hope too that my remark that we must nob
be prevented by wicked men from appealing to the public, will not
be understood to imply a desire on my part that my account of
the opposition should appear in public; such has been the special
prejudice against me in particular, that I have felt a reluct
ance in stating facts respecting myself, for a long time either
to the Board or to any of my private friends.—
My Brethren have kindly supported and defended me, while the
archers have shot at me, till they who love darkness have
found others in our number, equally a mark for their arrows.
A remark in Mr. Andersons letter to Mr. Chamberlain leads me
to resolve now to be more full and particular in my communi
cations to the Board, and if my health which is now tolerably
comfortable will allow it I will try to bring forward still
some things that have been left behind.
This package will convey to you a mixture of sad and cheering
intelligence.
Yes after the signal mercies of God in his preserving care over
us for eight years, he has at length begun his strange work of
of diminishing our little land by death, & one whom you knew
and loved, whom we all loved and highly esteemed, as an amiable
Christian sister & fellow laborer in this field has finished
her work, & gone to her rest. The smile of our dear Mrs. Bishop
will greet us no more on earth nor her voice, cheer her way
worn fellow travellers along these distant shores. A full account
you will receive from her affectionate husband whose little
cottage is now comparatively a desolation. Her illness you
will learn depressed her spirits, 8c in a degree diminished the
the comfort of her hopes. Her views of the doctrines & duties
of the gospelwere clear and correct, but she set the standard
of duty so high, as hardly to think it possible that she could
be a christian, her views of the nature of sin, 8c of that
holiness, without which no man can see the Lord were so clear
and affecting, that few, on earth, I am persuaded could
entertain the same without deep solicitude for their own person
al safety. It will be a comfort to her friends to know, that
the best acquaintance with medicine possessed by the mission,
and the skill of an Eng. and a Russian Physician were put in
�342
requisition for her relief.
Of Dr. Iserbeck of the Russian Discovery Ship we have good reason
to speak in terms of high commendation as an intelligent young
man well acquainted with his business. His prescriptions/for
Mrs. Bingham when recently threatened with a severe fit of
sickness, were so quickly blessed that I have a high opinion
of his skill, and great cause for thankfulness for the season
able aid.—
But Mrs. Bishops disorder seemed to admit of no palliation or
remedy— She quickly faded, withered, fell, & vanished from our
sight.
"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they
rest from their labors & their works do follow them"—
While writing this letter we are cheered with the hope that a
reinforcement is at hand to fill our thinned ranks, they will
be hailed by us, & welcomed by the people,
We were about writing a list of types &c. which we may want soon,
-but perhaps it is now best to defer it to see more comes by the
spring ships.— I will say however that for the fonts now on
hand 1000 Rom. L. Case U s, of the Long Primer, (Georges, Mould
face 3) and 1000 Roman L. Case k's and as many A 's of the Pica
& 100 Capital I s if Pica and additional k's or a s of Small
Pica to the amount of five or six this would be a help to u s .
Mr. Goodrich is now aiding the press in place of Mr. L. till
a printer can arrive-- He thinks that if the Board can furnish
us with a set of matrixes &c. for a font we could soon teach
the natives to cast types for our use all that would be needed—
Mr. Chamberlain Mr. G. & myself are of the opinion that it
will be perhaps well for the committee to inquire what would
be the expense of a set of Matrixes for a font.— We should choose
Long Primer) Will you inform us whether it would be well for us
to try here the experiment of type founding on a small scale.
Our old types that are worn out would afford some stock, &
as one font fails another would spring from it like a Phoenix
had we the skill & means to make it "rise from ruin"
Enclosed I send you the Power of Attorney executed here—
hope it will be found correct--I have many words to add—
But must now close, with our best wishes for your personal
welfare and the prosperity of the cause in which your precious
life is embarked
From,Rev. H. Bingham) I am as ever very
Rec'd Dec. 6, 1828 )
___________________
Affectionately
To, Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.)
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M. )
Yours in the Lord
Missionary Rooms
)
Boston, U. S. A.
)
H. Bingham
�343
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 16.
Honolulu, Oahu Sand. Isls. June 12, 1828
Honored & Very Dear Sir,
Another interesting era in the history of this mission demands
our united gratitude to the Giver of all good. The Ship Parthian
freighted with the best offerings of the churches, abundant
proofs of the energy & kindness of the Board, numerous tokens
of affection from personal friends, and 20 missionary passengers,
arrived at this port on the 30th of March last 147 days from
Boston, to the mutual joy of those who were toiling & fainting
in the field & of those sent to their support who with fresh
hope & courage were now allowed to lift up their eyes and
gaze on this whitening harvest, the destined field oftheir
future labors. Conceive if you can the emotions that filled
the bosoms of the remaining pioneers of the mission and of the
first & second reinforcements when each hastened to join right
hands in the eager grasp of Christian fellowship and mission
ary friendship, andevery heart adopted the language of the
blessed salutations of our Saviour to his disciples "All hail-"
when each enquired of the others welfare & of Zion’s prosperity,
& offered up thanksgiving to him who rules as king in Zion 8c
rejoiced in the proofs he is giving that he will never forget
her.
Had you been one of the happy circle when the members of the
mission were assembling from different stations on the interest
ing occasion, had you witnessed the mutual gratulations & solemn
pledges given & received in entering jointly upon our arduous
enterprise how richly would you have participated in our joy
while you hear from one party the language of David in the
wilderness to a reinforcement from the warlike sons of God
"If ye be come peacibly unto me to help me, mine heart shall be
kind unto you, & from the other, the reply of Amasai the chief
of t he captains "Thine are we David, and on thy side thou Son
of Jesse; Peace, peace be unto thee, & peace be to t hi ne helpers, for thy God helpeth thee " Nor would you have been less
interested o f affected by the reception ofthe reinforcement by
the rulers and people who attend on the instruction of the
missionaries. Many have expressed their joy and gratitude for
this token of theloving kindness of God towards them, have hailthe new teachers as their kindred and given them their cordial
aloha, & in not a few instances presented some proof of their
gratitude & friendship, by bringing or sending for their com
fort some of the productions of the country or the fruit of
their labor.
Kaahumanu who was the only person of high rank at this port
when the Parthian came into the roads, was early appraised
of their arrival, sent her kind aloha to them & invited them
all on shore, 8c when they were presented to her gave them an
affectionate welcome, such indeed, as might be expected from a
Christian Ruler in such circumstances, came with them to the
mission House & joined in the praises and thanksgivings the
occasion called forth.
�344
A letter was early addressed to Gov. Boki at Puuloa informing
him and the chiefs with him of the arrival of the reinforcement, on which account they immediately returned to this place.
On the 2d of April as soon as they arrived, your letter to Gov.
Boki was delivered and read to him, and soon after all the
new missionaries were presented to him & the other principal
chiefs at this island, as they were assembled at the house of
Kuanuoa the General. The elegant Bibles for Kaahumanu & Boki
were delivered to them with which they appeared to be gratified.
The engraving of the Lord's Supper was also delivered to Kaahuma
nu and some other presents to other chiefs.
Boki received the company with all the civility that could
have been expected, inquired after their welfare on the passage,
Said he should be pleased to have those remain in the country
who should do well, but that it still reamined for the king,
who was absent, to express his own sentiments when he should
meet with them. As a general expression of his feelings on the
occasion or as a compliment which he thought suitable he pre
sented a note written in his own language & signed with his
name of which the following is a translation.
"Love to you ye missionaries who have now come hither to this
place. I am made joyful by you on account of your arrival
here. It is God doubtless that has caused you & us to meet
together just now. My heart is sorry that I was residing at
another place. Na Boki”
Kaahumanu presented the original of the following translation
"April 2, 1828 A. D.
Kind affection for you all, ye missionaries all, the company
of kindred beloved--This is my sentiment, the love and great
joy of my heart towards God on account of his sending you
hither to help us, that you 8c we may dwell together in the shade
of his salvation, and in his name, that we and you may labor
affectionately for him.”
'’Joy is mine and great rejoicing toward
his again sending you hither to support
thanks God for our being now blessed by
personally to meet together. Good will
May our souls be saved by Jesus Christ.
you all on account of
us here. My heart
his causing us now
to you & us all.
"That is the finishing of the thought.
Elisabeth Kaahumanu.”
The reinforcement in reply to them expressed their gratitude
for the politeness & cordiality of their reception, and pledged
themselves to seek the best good of the rulers and the people
according to the word of God which they had come to teach &
publish among them.
The chiefs and missionaries then repaired together to the
�345
Chapel where the congregation was assembling for the weekly
lecture, where public thanksgiving & supplications were offered
on the occasion and a sermon delivered in the native language
from the sweet words of inspired song "How beautiful upon the
mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,
that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good,
that publisheth salvation ".--After this service the Gov. & his
wife joined the family in a social cup of tea.
On the 9th of April the Missionary Packet was sent to the
windward islands to facilitate the assembling of a general
meeting of the mission at this place. Mr. Gulick availed
himself of this opportunity to visit the windward stations.
By him a letter announcing the arrival of the reinforcement,
was forwarded to the young king whom a little before the arrival
of the Parthian had sailed on board the Benj. Kamehameha which
he had recently purchased, to visit Maui and different ports
of Hawaii. Having previously heard of their arrival he had
already prepared a written welcome which he early sent to them,
& of which the following is a translation."
Kaawaloa April 12, 1828
"I affectionately salute you the company of new Missionaries.
I desire that you & we may dwell together in the country.— Love
to the company of the old missionaries.
(Na) King Kauikeaouli "
On the 17 of May he returned to this place with Gov. Adams
& Kekauluohi and other chiefs. They soon called in a friendly
manner on the mission family when most of the reinforcement
were introduced to them.— The splendid Atlas which was sent
by one of the members of the Board was delivered to His Majesty
& an elegant copy of Mr. Wilber's reference Bible from the
author.--To Gov. Adams were presented the engraving of John
Adams 2d Pres.t of the U. S. A. a copy of Watt’s Ps. & Hymns
and two copies of Selections from Scriptures. For them they
expressed their gratitude by saying "Great love to the people
of America." The king readily pointed out on the maps a number
of prominent plac e s on the earth such as Cape Horn, Africa,
New Holland New Zealand, & Sandwich Islands.— Your letters to the
king, to Kaahumanu, & to Adams, & Boki appear to afford them
no small gratification, & we hope the correspondence may be
continued as an important means of promoting the cause here.
Among the other chiefs who have noticed with high approbation the
arrival of the reinforcement should be mentioned Nahienaena
Naihe and Kapiolani, Hoapili & his wife Piia & Laanui, Keluahonui
& Kaikioewa, the latter wrote early from Kauai to have an
associate secured for Mr. Whitney. Several of these have
expressed sentiments on the occasion similar to those of Kaahu
manu above.
Many of our pupils have been desirous tomeet with the new teachers,
& on the 19th of April the 8th anniversary of the landing of
the Mission at Oahu more than 400 stood up together and showed
�346
with what facility and correctness they could write upon their
slates such sentences as were pronounced to them for the
purpose; about one fourth of the number, Particularly the classes
of Mr. Chamberlain & Tute the Tahitian teacher exhibited some
incipient operations in arithmetic much to the gratification
of the new teachers,— Subsequently on the 23,24, & 25 of April
a more general examination took place, and 78 schools 2390
pupils passed under review, exhibiting different degrees of
improvement, in various exercises spelling, reading, writing,
& reciting catechism, the sermon on themount, portions of
Luke's gospel, & of the history of Joseph, &c. A small number
sung a hymn very correctly. These exhibitions fully answered
the expections of the new missionaries. Had there been op
portunity for collecting them from the different islands the
mission might as well have presented to the reinforcement as
objects of their benevolent attention 440 schools containing
not less (according to our estimate) than 26,000 learners.
On the 23d of April, Mr. Richards 8c his family, Mr. Ely and
family, Mr. Bishop, 8c Mr. Gulick having arrived a meeting for
business was organized by choosing Mr. Richards moderator and
Mr. Chamberlain Scribe.--invoking a divine blessing on our
deliberations 8c measures, the following resolution was proposed
and adopted, viz.
"With devout thanksgiving to the Lord of missions for his
gracious providence in bringing so seasonably to the aid of
the mission the second large reinforcement annointed and sent
by the American Board, as a new pledge of the churches to sup
port the cause of civilization & Christianity in the Sandwich
Islands—
Resolved, that we who have been permitted earlier to organize
in the toils of this open andwhitening field, cordially receive
them as fellowlaborers, & helpers in the cause of truth and
members of this mission, bothproffering and inviting that friend
ly faithful and constant cooperation and support in our common
cause which the nature of the work & the arduous duties of the
office of the Missionary invariably require, uniting affection
ately now in the transactions of the present general meeting,
& henceforth in all the duties and privileges of the mission
as the Lord shall direct. The meeting now consisted of the
following members,--of the pioneers, Mr. Bingham— of the
first reinforcement Messrs. Richards, Bishop, Goodrich, Ely &
Chamberlain, of the 2d reinforcement, Messrs. Andrews, Green,
Gulick, Clark Judd 8c Shepherd.
On the Sabbath following, April 27, just 5 years from the ar
rival of the first reinforcement, the 16 members of the 2d
reinforcement & the four native youths who accompanied them
became members of the Sandwich Islands Church by publicly sub
scribing its constitution. The church now consisted of about
80 members that is 32 Americans and 50 natives scattered through
the islands at the different stations; A large proportion of
the whole now sat down joyfully together at the Lord’s table
to celebrate the dying love of him who purchased the heathen
�347
with his own precious blood, & to renew our covenant to devote
ourselves to his service in bringing to his house & to his
kingdom the sons and daughters whom he has redeemed. It was a
day of peculiar interest to us all. With what joy would Kaiai
moku & our dear Mrs. Bishop have hailed this day had they
been spared to witness it. How would the veteran who in the
end of his warlike career surrendered to the cross and enlisted
in the service of Christ & theyouthful heroine who in the same
service found an early grave as the first missionary whose
bones have taken possession of this land of promise, have
exulted in the cheering prospects opened by this accession to
the little missionary church the light & hope, the guide and
refuge of the wandering, returning exiles in these isles of
the ocean. We ourselves would thank God & take courage, and
we would call on our souls to bless the Lord, not only for
his favors to u s , but for the evidence we have that those who
were called from their labor to their rest before their helpers
could arrive, are happier than we, or than the most favored
ofGod’s people on earth.
Never perhaps since the divine commission of our Savior, "Go
ye into all the world & preach the gospel to every creature"
was given to his followers, have missionaries reached the scene
of their labors more opportunely or entered on their work
under circumstances more auspicious. The field is fully open, &
sufficiently wide to give scope for all theirenergies. The
heads of the nation, & more than 20 subordinate chiefs welcome
their arrival & not one appears to oppose their settlement.-Six large congregations including at least 12,000 souls are
ready to receive their regular ministrations. 440 native
school teachers, incompetent indeed, are expecting to be
taught by them more perfectly the way of Christ,— 440 schools
estimated at 26000 pupils are waiting for the instructions
which missionaries are expected to give, and a population of
100,000 yet unorganized waiting for the means of competent
instruction in the rudiments of learning 8c the doctrines &
duties of the gospel. The little band already in the field
ready to faint under accumulating labors were anxiously looking
for aid to urge forward the system of means just coming into
operation for enlightening the people, for translating & pub
lishing the Bible & proclaiming daily its doctrines every
where, a work which requires a thousand hands & a hundred
trumpet tongues which never tire. Serious apprehensions were
entertained that if this system of means were not vigorously
urged forward now, theseeds of dangerous errors and destruct
ive delusion would quickly be disseminated, & by their luxurient growth in such a soil overspread with disasterous shade the
fairest prospects of our mission. Who then can but admire the
wisdom and goodness of that providence which at such a juncture
in such a cause should supply the timely and needful aid. It
deserves a grateful record that among the interesting circum
stances attending the entrance of the reinforcement upon this
work it is not the least that the congregations at Kailua &
Kaawaloa were enjoying a revival of religion, & the Whaleship
Enterprise then lying in the harbor was rejoicing in the fruit
of a precious revival at sea, & in all our congregations,
�348
some were inquiring what they should do to be saved, & some
offering themselves as candidates for baptism. This ship
hoisted our Bethel flag every Sabbath while she was in port,
& the missionaries at this station conducted a religious ser
vice in her cabin in the evening, preaching to about 25 attentive
hearers, nine or ten of whom were rejoicing in hope. Before the
reinforcement set foot on shore Mr. Gulick preached on Board
the Enterprise, & Mr. Clark the following Sabbath evening.
Since the arrival of the Parthian the new missionaries have
preached twice a week in English once at the chapel Sabbath
morning, and once at the mission house on Wednesday evening-The congregation at the chapel has sometimes when the whalesships were in port amounted to about 50 including the mission
family. The Physician and Printer entered at once on the duties
of their respective employments.
Having spoken freely of the arrival, the reception, the union
with the church & mission, & the prospects of the reinforce
ment you will expect us now to inform you of our measures
respecting their location.
In these we have not departed from your suggestions--By the
vote of the meeting Mr. Andrews is located at Lahaina, where he
has since taken up his residence; Mr. Clark at Honolulu with
special reference tothis devoting a part of his time and labors
to promote the spiritual good of the foreign residents & seamen;
Mr. Gulick at Kauai whither he is now gone on a visit; Mr. Green
is held in reserve for another service and is designated as
an agent to explore some part of the N. W . Coast of America
particularly the region of the Columbia River, with a view to
future missionary operations there, while waiting for a favor
able opportunity to undertake that service will render assist
ance at any of the stations where he could most advantageously
employ his time & talents; Dr. Judd at Honolulu as the most
central post for the Phisician & dispensatory, in reference
to the mission families foreigners & shipping; Mr. Shepherd
at Honolulu, where both presses are at present located as he
can about as well superintend two presses as one, & as it is
thought better to enlarge our present printing establishment
than to divide our means to make another, at least until our
means shall be greatly increased.
The location of the young ladies was referred to the sisters
of the mission family, & for the present Miss Stone is in the
family of Mr. Thurston, Miss Patten in that of Mr. Richards
Miss Ward is with Mrs. Bingham & Miss Ogden with Mrs. Gulick
who is at present ill.
As to the four native youths who accompanied the reinforce
ment from America, it was voted "That the mission will require
no other compensation for the passage money of the four
native youths who attended the reinforcement than a diligent
attention to their duties as Christians amongst the people
in such a manner as the mission shall approve.
�349
2 l y . That Henry Tahiti be advised to attach himself to the
printing department in the same manner as Richard has done,
to board in a native family, be under the direction of Mr.
Shepherd & when sufficiently advanced in the art be paid wages
for his work as the means of his support.
3d. That Tuler be advised to apply himself to his art as a
shoemaker so as to give a good example of useful industry &
thus procure his own support.
4 ly. That Mills be advised to remove to Maui and if agreeable
to the young princess attach himself to her school as instnuctcr
under the direction of the mission there.
5.
That Phelps be advised to attach himself to the medical
department as a student and assistant under the direction of
Dr. Judd, boarding in the family of a neighboring chief and
rendering such service in the laborious parts of the practice
as will afford the D. opportunity to pursue the study of theol
ogyIt is hoped that Phelps will be useful not only in relieving
D. J. for the present, but as a physician among his country
men in future— useful in presenting the balm of Gilead to
the sick & dying, & as occasion may offer employing his talents
in conference, prayer meetings &c. & specially useful tothe
mission design of the preceding vote.
It will be convenient here to notice a vote of the mission
connected with the above & in which you will doubtless find
it easy to rejoice with us, viz. "That Dr. Judd, agreeably to
the design expressed in his apportionment be allowed such facil
ities as to time and the means of instruction as will enable
him to prosecute the study of Theology with a view to his
preaching the gospel"—
Translations. The translations of Matthew, Mark & John have been
forwarded to you for publication if the proposal meets your
approbation. Luke is in the press here, one third being worked
off much remains to complete the translation and get it through
the press. For pushing forward the work of translating the
scriptures and preparing materials for immediate publication, the
following assignments were made by the meeting for the ensuing
year, to Mr. Bingham, the last sheet of the Hymns, Luke, a
catechism of scripture history, and Psalms sufficient for
two forms or 24, 12 mo pages;— to Mr. Bishop the first epistle
to the Cor. 1/2 of Romans and one third of a historical tract
from Gen;--To. Mr. Ely Galatians Ept. Phil. I & II Thess. and
1/3 of the tract from Gen; to Mr. Richards the Acts of the
Apostles, & a historical tract from Exodus; to Mr. Thurston
II Cor. 1/2 of Romans, 1/3 of the tract from Gen; & to Mr.
Whitney 1/2 of Luke I & II Tim. Titus & Philemon.
�350
Several other works in this department the mission proposes to
undertake in succession, or as the Lord shall prosper our
way, viz. a historical tract from Num. & Deut. another from
Joshua & Judges, another from Samuel, another from Chron.
another from Ezra & Nehemiah, the book of Esther, and two
more elementary books the one comprising the outlines of
Arithmetic & the other the outlines of Geography.
The history of Joseph a tract of 32 pages by Mr. Ely has been
published in an edition of 15,000 copies, and is much called
for by the people. Our little Hawaiian Hymn Book of 47 hymns
has been revised and republished with the addition of 53 new
hymns, making together 108 pages--These are partly translations
of favorite hymns in use in our churches; partly paraphases
or translations from select passages of scripture poetry, and
partly original, intended to bring home the invitations, doc
trines & duties of the gospel, to exhibit the character of
God, the beauty & excellence of the Redeemer, and in various
forms to express the feelings of piety, in the language of
penitence, faith, hope, joy, gratitude, praise, supplication &
adoration. This little work thus enlarged and now ready for
use, is now-commended to the blessing of him who 'out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings has perfected praise.' We are
happy to be able to forward to the Board by the Rambler a
few copies of this work, and of the history of Joseph.
We are sorry to have put you to any inconvenience or mortification
or our cause to any embarrassment by the deficiency or delay
of our communications respecting the rent of the Schooner Dolphin
but hope the official account forwarded last fall, as drawn up
by one of us will meet your expectations and redeem our pledge.
Lest however it should not be sufficient in connectionwith what
information could be obtained from Mr. Loomis & D. Blatchely,
a committee has been appointed in compliance with your directions
to get the statements of the chiefs on the subject 8c such other
evidence as can be obtained by us relative to the affair, partly
with a view to supply the deficiency of our former communications
and partly to fee in readiness against the arrival of an agent
to investigate the subject on the spot.--Messrs Richard, Bingham
8c Chamberlain are appointed on that committee--Several other
standing committees were appointed by the meeting, viz. Messrs.
Richards and Andrews to prepare a joint report of the mission
to be ready to forward to you by the first of Sept next, the
undersigned to write a general letterfor the mission to the
Board, Messrs. Green, Clark & Bingham to attend to the subject
of explaining the N. W. C.--Messrs. Bingham, Clark & C hamberlain to inquire into plans and operations of the Jesuits settled
at this place. Messrs. Bingham, Clark & Richards to Superin
tend the press 8c procure paper types & c . for the work of the
mission particularly for more immediate use; & Messrs. -------Bingham 8c Richards on the subject of procuring a supply of paper,
types, binding materials 8c other means for bookmaking adequate
to the future wants of the nation— These committees will sever
ally address you on the subjects assigned to them, These partic-
�351
ular subjects are therefore passed over or barely noticed
in this general letter;--Many other points of common interest
connected with our meeting, with the arrival of 200 tons freight
for us, the plans, the state of health, the annual wants of the
families &c. will be noticed by individuals, & particularly
by the Agent. Your interesting letter on the condition and
prospects of our children is also referred to individuals.
Before we take our leave you will permit us to tender the cor
dial salutations and grateful acknowlements of the mission to
all our friends and helpers in the cause of Christ; to our
tried friends who have stood forth boldly in the defence of
our cause when assailed; to our new friends who have espoused
the cause of reformation in the islands because it was unrea
sonably opposed; to those who have aided in furnishing the
large editions of Hawaiian tracts to facilitate our work;
to the personal friends of the missionaries who have kindly
renewed the pledges of their faithful live; to the liberal
individuals, churches, congregations & Societies that have
'devised liberal things' for the aid of missionaries, and
for the salvation of the heathen; to all who pray that the
influences of the Spirit may attend our labors, & that we
and our people "may be delivered from wicked & unreasonable
men who do not believe;" to the Board, its officers & agents,
for their unwearied care, and unceasing efforts to support, to
guide and comfort their missionary laborers, & to carry for
ward their own benevolent plans to hasten the conversion of the
world; & to you Sir personally for the blessed agency which
the Lord of missions has graciously enabled you to exercise
in devising & promoting those plans & ensuring their success.
To you therefore as the honored representative of the great
community of our helpers we would now say, "The Lord bless
thee & keep thee, the Lord make his face shine upon thee, & be
gracious unto thee, the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee
and give thee peace."
By order of the general meeting, and in the name of the whole
mission, We subscribe ourselves, Dear Sir,
Very affectionately Yours, in Christ
our Lord.
H. Bingham
A . Bishop
From Rev. Hiram Bingham
Rec'd Dec. 6, 1828.
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C.
F.M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U . S. A.
Ship Rambler, Capt. Worth
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 17.
352
Oahu, Sandwich Islands July 19, 1828
My Dear Sir
I embrace the present opportunity by the Ship Abigail to ack
nowledge your kind letter to me of Nov. 3, 1827.
Your more general communications of a similar date have
been noticed in a more public manner. Our letters by the Ship
Rambler which sailed from this port about 5 weeks since
will probably announce to you the pleasing fact that our hearts
have been gladdened by the seasonable arrival of the large
reinforcement which sailedfrom Boston on board the Parthian,
under the direction of the Board and the blessing of kind
Heaven.
They have been welcomed by the king, & Kaahumanu and all the
principal chiefs, by our congregations & schools, by the
native members of our church & doubly welcomed by the remain
ing pioneers & first reinforcement of the mission.
They are all well, their location has been easily agreed on
agreeably to your suggestions,--they are all settled at their
posts except Mr. Green who is at present at Lahaina, all have
commenced with alacrity the study of the language and the Dr.
& Printer have now for more than three months been engaged
in the duties of their calling--Mr. Green spent about three
months with us here, preaching once or twice a week in English.
Messrs. Andrews, Gulick & Clark have also preached here several
times--& we have been refreshed.
Mr. Chamberlain has gone down to Kauai(Atooi) in the Packet with
Mr. Gulick & family, is expected to return next week. Miss
Ogden is with them.
We thank you sincerely for your kind attention to our little
affairs, & am happy to be able to say that the articles
shipped for us on board the Parthian, have been duly received.
We thank you for your notice of the bureau from Mrs. B ’s friends
Canandaigua which seems to have miscarried--We cannot but hope
that through your care and the exertions of Mr. Beals it is re
covered and will come safely in due season. We know that such
things must be attended with some perplexity to you and others
at the Rooms, and we shall not think it strange if our friends
are sometimes disappointed in their attempts to oblige us.
Our wants have been thus far kindly redressed.--It may be not
improper here to mention that we are not able to acknowledge
the reception of a box sent from Hartford to the Rooms in the
fall of 1826, according Mrs. Whitney’s letters, containing the
avails of 30 doll, from Mrs. BI’s friends in Canandaiguor. A bar
rel sent to the Rooms by Mrs. Whiting at the same time has come
�353
to hand. Perhaps the box will come by another conveyance,
as also the other things mentioned in our letters, probably
did not arrive soon enough for the Parthian.
Saturday evening— I have just returned from a weekly conference
and prayer-meeting consisting of about 100 individuals, includ
ing the members of the church, four or five who are propounded
for admission, & others who appear to be enquiring the way
to Zion.
Besides this meeting, I preach 3 times a week to our congre
gation, attend funerals & marriages, teach a school including
the young king and several chiefs--visit the sick, and do
something at translations, My health is better than it was
eight months and a year ago, though I am obliged to be very
careful— I have given some attention to aid our new associates
in acquiring a knowledge of the language--believing that what
I expend in this way will soon be repaid four fold
We have today received a letter from one of the Missionaries
at the Society Islands, which expresses great concern respect
ing the settlement & design of the Roman Catholic or Jesuit
missionaries at these Islands. We ourselves feel concerned
but know not what to do.--The one French, the other Irish.
The oth (Hole in paper) are engaging in numerous occupations
as mechanics agriculturalists &c. They were encouraged by Rives
to come, but so far as we can learn appear to have come as
private adventurers— have kept themselves (Hole in paper) still,
but have worship on the sabbath— and appear to be (Hole in paper)
with the prospect of success in their plans whatever their
plans may b e .
The chiefs in general are not inclined to favor them. Kaahumanu
is dissatisfied with their int r u s i o n & reprimanded the Cap
tain who landed them here without her consent, but he refused
to take them away tho she directed him not to leave them on
shore.-- Rives himself has not yet arrived.--Should he come,
Kaahumanu might require him to remove them— particularly the
ecclesiastics. But it is more likely that they will remain,
& do what they can to build up their system, & the consequences
we fear will be disastrous to the islands. But "the Lord
reigns, let the Earth rejoice let the multitude of the isles
be glad thereof”
But I must close— The Abigail which will take this has just
touched here and dropped her anchor in the roads to take on
board her Captain who was left here in March last in feeble
health, and will sail tomorrow.
Mrs. B. desires to join me in cordial salutations to yourself
and Mrs. Evarts & to Mr. & Mrs. Hill. Allow me also to request
a kind remembrance to Mr. Andersonlpnd Mr. Green at the Rooms, &
to the Committee, and believe me to remain
Dear Sir very affectionately yours, H. Bingham.
From,
Rev. H. Bingham--rec’d Dec. 11, 1828)T
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Mr. Clark
�354
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 18.
Oahu, Sandwich Islands, Sept. 29, 1828
My very dear Brother Stewart,
Your very friendly letter of the 27 Oct. 1827 was received
gladly at the same time that we were allowed to hail the
new missionaries of the recent reinforcement, so seasonable
sent to our aid.
*
Though I should most gladly have greeted you as one of the
number had divine providence so ordered it, yet I cannot but
rejoice toknow that a wise and holy providence affords you
so wide a field of usefulness in your own beloved country.
We feel it in our hearts to thank you not only for the diligent
and laborious efforts you are enabled to make for the benefit
of the mission, of the Board, and of the missionary cause in
general, but for the very able manner in which you have defend
ed your brethren in the field from the unreasonable attacks
made on us, particularly by the Quarterly Review. In perusing
your betters to the Cor. Sec. I could not help thinking of the
waters of Niagara pouring their copiousness upon the head of the
Snarling Reviewer.
Capt. Beechey I have had the honor to know. On his first visit
here he appeared gentlemanly, though he assumed a degree of
hauteur very different from the dignified familarity of Lord
Byron. He treated me with as much attention & respect as could
be reasonably anticipated from one in his standing,--I was
invited to dine with him on board the Blossom in company with
the king and some other chiefs.--Perhaps he discovered that I
had some influence with them, and more particularly as he fre
quently saw the attention I was giving at that time to the King
and Haalilio.--On his return from the North I first met him
in our printing office, when he very scornfully refused me his
hand, and assigned as a reason that "I had treated his natur
alist with great unkindness".-- This man, Mr. Lay had been left
on shore ill. We offered him a home till the Ship should return
8c shewed him the hospitality which you know respectable strang
ers always receive from the missionaries whenever they favor
them with their company. This was all the thanks we received
from his Capt.--The ship was absent longer than was expected;
the removal of Dr. B. and Mr. L. & our own feeble health; render
ed it rather inconvenient to board him quite up tothe return
of the Ship, 8c he seemed to be well accommodated at the consuls,
it was thought best to signify our wish that he should board
there if agreeable to himself.--This Mr. L. did as he was about
to depart. This probably gave occasion for somebody to charge
us with treating the said "naturalist with great unkindness".
Or perhaps the result of our meeting with the foreigners (of whom
Mr. L. was a conspicuous one before he left our table) gave occas
ion for the complaint. However Mr. L. assured us that he had
never authorized Capt. B. to make such a remark, and proposed
on his return home to send us some remuneration for the kind-
�355
ness he had received from us.
It is easy to conceive where Capt. B. got his information about
the barren sandy plain, produced by the influence of the mis
sionaries, of which he wrote some account while at the North &
which was thought worthy a place in the Quarterly Review.-A gentleman here wears a similar button, undertook to give the
same kind of information to Mr. L. when he arrived in the Mis
sionary Packet. After telling a long story about the missionary
discouraging industry, the people deserting the cultivated plain
to attend school, so that a tract, which was under cultivation
when the missionaries arrived was now barren, &c.--Mr. H. coolly
replied, "You had better tell those stories to people who will
be likely to believe them, I know better; I was here a long
time before the missionaries came, and have been here much of
the time since; I was well acquainted with the barren plain
before the missionaries saw i t . " Mr. Hunnewell at my request
presented Boki a copy of the letter ascribed to him in the
Quarterly Review which is published there to back up the false
allegations of the Reviewer;-- Boki fully disavowed it.--Mr. Rich
ards & Mr. Chamberlain have since shewn him a translation of it,
& he gave them a written disavowal of it.--How much the world
is indebted to the Reviewer for the valuable remarks in the
Quarterly respecting the character & operations of the mission
here or the condition & prospects of the people of the Sand
wich Islands, will be better known, perhaps when Chinese Junks
laden with the richest merchandise, are without sail or rudder,
wafted by the regular North East trades, from Canton to the
Sandwich Islands!
Two Roman Catholic Missionaries, the one French & the other
Irish, with several mechanics, agriculturalists, &c. have
settled here & commenced their operations in conjunction with
the Don, the Spanish interpreter. They seem to have but little
influence yet, but we fear they will make a division and draw
off a multitude from the simplicity of the gospel.
As to the affair of the Commander of the Dolphin, the testimony
of Kaahumanu and Boki and other competent witnesses will fully
bear us out in what we have stated respecting his efforts to
remove the offensive tabu.--Any impartial agent authorized
to investigate the subject on the spot would be satisfied that
our accounts were well founded.-- My own health is about as
comfortable as it has been for two years. Mrs. B. is tolerably
well & the children also.-- Mr. & Mrs. Ely are about to seek
a passage home, with Kepatilis . Love to dear Harriet, and all
our friends. Mrs. B 's kind salutations to you both. She will
write if possible.
Affectionately Yours,
From Rev. H. Bingham
H. Bingham
Rec'd Feb. 14, 1829
To Rev. C. S. Stewart
�356
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 19
Oahu, Oct. 15, 1828
Very Dear Sir
Yesterday was to us a trying day. But such
be regarded as strange, or unlooked for, or
changing world where we believe every event
will, and every movement is effected by the
providence.
days must not
unwelcome in this
is ordered by the
hand of a holy
By the Com. Decatur, Capt. Wood I wrote you about three weeks
ago some intimation of the probability that Mr. Ely & family
would find it necessary to leave, & would seek a passage in some
of the homeward bound ships this season.
Since that period they came to this port for that purpose
with the advice and approbation of their brethren at Kailua
Kaawaloa, and Lahaim a, including Dr. Judd and Mr. Ruggles.-Dr. Judd was unwilling as might be expected to make any decis
ion on the question as to their duty as missionaries, to go or
to stay, but simply as connected with his profession, gave his
opinion on the case of Mrs. Ely in a medical point of duty as
in the case of Mrs. Ellis, Mrs. Stewart, and Mr. Loomis.—
Dr. Deseriere a German Physician having recently established
himself here has given also a decision on her case in favor
of her removal, as affording a rational prospect and seeming
the best means for her recovery. Nearly the same reasons for
Mr. E l y ’s changing climate might have been urged independently
of the case of Mrs. E. though the necessity for an immediate
change did not appear so obvious; but putting both together
made the case pretty clear in the minds of the Brethren, should
providence open the way for it.
Immediately on their arrival the Ship Enterprise, distinguish
ed, for its accommodations, & for the regularity of the crew
and the piety of the Capt. & officers anchored on the roads,
full, homeward bound, and ready to give them a passage. With
all the regrets connected with the loss of efficient labor
ers what could we say but farewell.
This was a part of our trials yesterday. Another part was to
us new, to look for the last time on the face of our dear
first born, give her the parting kiss and send her away to
a far land unknown to her, & where she must be, and feel her
self to be a stranger, should she be preserved to reach those
shores.—
We have not overlooked
care and attention you
home our children. We
who to the fond bosoms
the consideration which, with no small
have suggested on the subject of sending
have not felt in haste to part with her
of her parents has been a solace in this
�357
rude wilderness.— nor to burden our friends with the care of
her, though they had stretch out their kind arms to receive
her. As to food and clothing and the influence of maternal
care & kindness, she did not now need to leave this rude
spot that gave her birth, nor do we think any distrust as to
the power, goodness and grace of God to sanctify her heart
here has led us to send her elsewhere with the hope of better
means of grace,--though the sad history of a daughter of one of
the missionaries in the Society Islands has doubtless had some
influence on all our minds.
But without attempting to answer your letter on the general
subject of sending home our children it is due to you, andto
ourselves to state our reasons for the measure we have taken
in this particular case.
Our reasons in general it is not perhaps necessary to state as
you are already in a good measure acquainted with them— but
some of the particular considerations which led us to send her
now are these.
1 Two of our sisters Mrs. Whiting of Hartford & Mrs. Cushman
of Manlius, in both of whom with their kind husbands we have great
confidence, had requested us to send her to their change (Hole
in paper) to pay her passage, if it should be required and to do
for her as with their own.
2. Sophia was emphatically alone; the removal of Capt. (Hole
in paper) Mr. Ellis & Mr. Loomis from this post with their fam
ilies, having left her without any companion at the station
except an infant sister six years younger than herself— she
had no school, no society suited to her age,— She was nearly
8 years old, and from this period to that of 18 should her life
be spared, she would be likely to suffer more and more on this
account.
3. The location of her parents at a place so distinguished
for its pollution, noise and strife, & thus their nursery is
as it were on the field of battle, seems to render it desirable
to seek a more secure retreat for those that cannot bear arms
as the Tahitian teacher at Maul while cannon balls from an
antitabu ship were flying near his thatched cottage, carried
out his children and made them lie down behind a rock for shel
ter. We fled with our first born from the war at Kaui; we car
ried her asleep into Mr. Richards cellar when Lahaina was fired
on--but we could not easily hush her cries, when I and my house
were mobd at Honolulu, nor will she soon lose the impression
that we are here in continual danger from the assaults of wicked
men.
4. The strength of her parents is declining, their health and
lives precarious, & thousands of another language are looking
to them for the attention, care, and instruction of parents
and teachers.
�358
5. The very kind offer of Capt. Swain a cordial friend, to
give her a free passage in a ship so commodious, the officers
kind and pious, & the advantage of sending her under the guar
dianship of Mr. & Mrs. Ely, rendered the opportunity far more
favorable than could be expected to occur again soon--& with
all the other considerations appeared to us like an indication
of providence that we ought to send her now.
Through the kindness of Kaahumanu, & other chiefs, Mr. Hunnewell
and some of our native neighbors we were enabled to give her
a comfortable outfit including about 50 dollars worth of fresh
provisions for the ship on her account.—
After all though our minds have generally preponderated in
favor of such a measure, it has not been without severe
struggles, and the path has never before been sufficiently
marked to induce us to walk in it without shrinking. We are
comforted now in the reflection that we have done for what
the good of the child and the cause of the mission required.
We leave her with him who gave her to us & desire to apply
ourselves with all our remaining vigor to his work, feeling
that "The Lord will provide". We ask for her a kind interest
in your prayers, & your continued prayers for her unworthy
parents. Mrs. B. joins me in cordial salutations. I remain
affec.
Yours,
H . Bingham
Prom
Rev. H. Bingham
Rec'd April 18, 1829
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. S e c . A . B . C . F . M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass. U. S. A.
Ship Hector, Capt. Norton
�359
31
March 1824 - March 1827
Oahu, Sand. Isl 's
X
No. 20
Nov. 1, 1828
Very Dear Sir,
I must not allow this convenient opportunity to pass without
endeavoring to give you a line imperfect as it may be. My
pen is too often neglected to satisfy my own mind, much more
the minds of those who have any claim upon it. But sometimes
I think that an overwhelming pressure of labors and cares, with
-impaired health, will serve as a sort of apology for me, since
to sit much at my pen more than is absolutely necessary in the
work of translation is a tax felt more keenly in my right
side, than in my head or hand or heart.
I have many things to say to you but must be short.
Mr. Chamberlain has recently returned from Maui where he re
ceived the hand of Miss Patten, a young lady highly esteemed
among us by those who know her. Mr. C. appears to be truly
thankful for this smile of Providence, and we congratulate
him on the reception of so rich a gift as a "Virtuous woman
who "will d o him good and not evil all the days of his life."
Dr. Judd has been called to Kaawaloa on account of the severe
hepatic complaintsof Mr. & Mrs. Ely, & he has given his opinion
in the case of Mrs. E. that a colder climate is necessary for
her recovery,--In this it appears that he was preceded and is
supported by the brethrenthere Messrs. Thurston Bishop & Ruggles
The Missionary Packet has/gone up to bring them to this place,
whence, on board some of the fall ships they are expected to
seek a passage back to their native land --It is exceedingly
trying to see so usefula b o r e sdropping off so much is to be
done.
I say to my Dear Mrs. B. "My love we must take care of our
health " "Yes" she replies "we surely m u s t " Then we summon
our strength and courage, & press on again.
The Lord is merciful to us. We are still indulged with the
hope of spending years of toil in this burning field. No
material depreciation in our health appears now more than when
Mr. Loomis left us. This is to us a cause of thankfulness.—
We are not without solicitude respecting the efforts of the
Roman Catholics at this place.
They hold a meeting, & are making efforts to proselyte.Some who
it is said prefer the form of religion to the reality begin to
follow them. One of them visited a sick man belonging to one
of our schools and insisted hard on baptising him on his dying
�360
couch, saying that baptism was the means of entering into
heaven, & that without baptism he could not enter heaven.
He affirmed that that was a doctrine of Jesus, not of their
own devising. The friends of the dying man forbade him, say
ing "Let be, our teachers have not taught us that".
We perceive that great account has been made by Editors both
in England & America of a letter ascribed to Gov. Boki & publish
ed in the Quarterly Review to back up the Reviewer in injurious
remarks respecting some of us. Whatever else G o v . Boki may
have said or written, it is very clear that he neither wrote
nor dictated, nor authorised that letter. Though Mr. Stewart
& Mr. Ellis have pretty clearly settled that point it may be
proper to add that Gov. Boki has given to Mr. Richards a writ
ten disavowal o f it.—
The following note from another source will speak for itself,
& I will merely copy it without comment.
Honolulu April 4, 1828
R e v . Hiram Bingham
Dear Sir
I had a visit today from Gov. Boki. I took the opportunity to
show him the copy of his letter as published in the Quarterly
Review (the same copy I sent you a few months ago) He asked
me what it meant. I first shew him the date & his signature.
He said it was not his. He then asked me to read it. I read a
few lines & he asked me the meaning of them. I answered as
near as I could in the native language, & he says aole iau ia.
I went on reading and explaining nearly through; during the time
he frequently said to me
was not his, or aole au hana ia.
I told him it was said that he wrote it, that I copied it from
an English Paper printed in London. He requested the copy and
I gave it to him.
Your Obt. servant
(Signed)
James Hunnewell"
Some time after, Mr. Richards shewed to Gov. Boki a translation
which he had made of the said letter from the Quarterly Review
& he again disowned it. What is noticeable is the fact that
Boki's manao which he had published at this place in his own
language In favor of us & our cause, bears nearly the same date
as that spurious English production attributed to him in the
Quarterly. Boki you know cannot write nor speak nor read English,
& no native unacquainted with the English phraseology of vul
gar schoolboy correspondence, could have invented such a style.
Boki has recently given Mr. Bishop a cow and calf as an express-
�361
slon of friendly regard and offered Mr. Ruggles the privilege
of taking anything from his store that he might want. His
kind reception of the reinforcement, & his civilities to us all,
encourage us to hope that he is not beyond the reach of a better
influence than that which has been, & still is, to a dreadful
extent, exerted over him from another quarter. The heart of
the king too is in the hands of the Lord. Let him turn it whith
ersoever he will.
They both often attend our public worship, but not so constantly
as many of the chiefs.—
I send you herewith several papers some of which ought to have
gone before but have been delayed partl y by accident and partly
by the cause referred to in the beginning of this letter
The testimony of Naihe and Kapiolani, both now members of the
church, the testimony of Adams to yourself with an explanatory
note to me, and a letter from Opiia(Lydia Namahana)to you. I
have with great care translated those that required a trans
lation. You will find them valuable. But I must close.
With kind regards to M r s . E. & the other Gentlemen
at the Rooms, I remain affec’y
Yours,
H . Bingham
To
Rev . H . Bingham
R e c ’d
Feb. 14, 1829
�March 1824 - March 1827
31
X
N o . 21
Oahu D e c . 9, 1828
Dear Sir
Though I wrote you but a few days since by the Enterprise &
Dauphin, and hope to write again in a day or two across the
continent I must drop you a line by the hand of Capt. Marcus
T . Pierce just to assure you of the continued kindness of prov
idence towards us, & of our f
u ll satisfaction with the lot he
has cast for us .
My health appears to be improved by the return of the cooler
season in connexion with the use of mercurials and bark,
attended with a divine blessing--We have just completed a new
lodging room for Mrs. B. an addition to the old mission house,
level with the ground floor, which we thought to be a necessary
means of prolonging her health and usefulness. We feel still
more than ever that we have now something that seems a little
like home in the Sandwich Islands
We hope that with care, and moderation with the common blessing
of Providence we may be allowed to labor long for this part of
our lost races--Our times we know are in his hand who manages
all the affairs of his vast kingdom without error or the least
defect.
We hope to send again soon
to enclose to you a letter
the Coast. The statements
you, and it can go free of
by way of Canton,
I take liberty
from the bearer to myself, from
it contains may be of some use to
expense--
Mrs. B. joins me in kind salutations to yourself & Mrs. E .—
She desires to write but cannot at present —
Affec'ly
Yours in the gospel
H. Bingham
From
Rev. H. Bingham
Rec'd
July 1, 1829
To
Jer. Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Boston, U. S. A.
For'd by
Capt. Marcus T. Pierce
�363
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 22
Oahu, Sand. Isls. Dec. 28, 1828
Mr Dear Brother
I seize the present and probably the last opportunity for writ
ing this season to you, with the pleasurable hope that a line
may reach you by the way of Canton in the period of about six
months. So frequent have been the mean of conveyance by the
homeward bound ships and so many pages have gone to the Rooms
from the different members and branches of the mission that
I hardly need to think of adding any news from this quarter
of material importance. Mr. & Mrs. Ely homeward bound have
perhaps by this time doubled Cape Horn and ere this reaches
you will probably have landed on your happier shores and will
be able to give important information respecting the progress
of the mission & the state of the Islands.
Our little daughter Sophia M. embarked with them on Board the
whale Ship Enterprise Capt. Obed Swain; she has given her fond
parents the parting kiss, & left us, to seek the kind care
of her affectionate relatives in your more favored climes.
Mr. Ely's place, we hope will be supplied in the mission by
some one equally able and faithful from your quarter. Mr. Ruggles is at present at Kaavaloa but he or some one in his stead
is much needed at Hilo. Mr. Green is still held in reserve
for another service, though the prospect of his occupying a
post on the N. W. Coast of America is not very flattering, for
even to survey the Coast is found to be not very convenient.
Men who are acquainted there seem to suppose that the disposi
tion of the various tribes for perpetual was with one another,
&
their determination to revenge on white men the real or sup
posed wrongs they have received from them, would render the
condition of a missionary entirely unsafe and his project for
converting those barbarians or establishing Christianity or
civilization among them utterly impracticable. No doubt "there
are giants in the land," and lions in the w a y ." But cannot
lions be tamed, or at least chained, 8c are there no Calebs
in the congregation of Israel who are ready to take the word
of the Spirit to possess the land? None who is ready to say
"Give me this our mountain where the Anakins dwell & I will
drive them out?" Mills & Hale you doubtless know were among
the first to project a mission to the N. W. Coast of America
but turned their thoughts to the East on account of the small
ness of the numbers on the coast who speak the same language;
8c the greater facilities in the East for carrying on mission
ary operations on a larger scale. Mills & Hall, of blessed
memory, are with Caleb in heaven where these holy warriors
will greet together the trophies of grace from Ehiopia, Pales
tine and India. But their mantles are doubtless left behind
them to be worn by other favored sons of the church whose faith
will achieve a victory more excellent than the divinely com
missioned and miraculous entrance & conquest o f Canaan.
�364
But men personally acquainted on the coast, who think a mission
impracticable there, allow little or nothing for the influence
of the blessed gospel once proclaimed in those dark and wretched
habitations of men, which is the power of God to salvation; nor
do they reason from the command and promise of the Divine Redeem
er of our ruined race, "Go teach all nations"—
"And lo, I am
with you always"— It is the opinion of Capt. Martin, and others,
that the Kaigane tribes would readily receive missionaries, as
they have heard their chief speak favorably on the subject, and
do what they could to protect them, but that they are too feeble
to secure them from the assaults of neighbouring tribes.—
Capt. Little and some others, seem to think the Columbia River
the most inviting part of the coast for attempting a new mission -
Capt. Taylor is still looking for his vessel to visit the coast,
and professes to beready to take Mr. Green with him. Mr. Green
holds himself in readiness to goprovided he can see the shores
of the Columbia in his tour . I am sorry that I am not able
to say something on this subject more definite & satisfactory.
So many of us have written, and so often, the season past,
and up to the present time, that I hardly need to think of add
ing any news from this quarter. I must say a word, however,
about our great folks.
The American Consul, I understood, maintains that Capt. Beechey
was under a mistake with respect to the person who begged a
little bread (while they were supplying a hundred ships a
year with refreshments) 'it was not the king but Kaahumanu'!
I am told that the Eng. consul has proposed "to take depositions
to prove " that what you have published in the Herald respecting
the declarations and conduct of Blank "is false"!!
He will be as likely to succeed in the attempt as he would
be to prove that the schools of the mission are a public nuisance
as he has publicly declared them to be,--or that war & famine
are about to desolate the country through the influence of the
missionaries. But suppose Capt. P's awful forbodings respect
ing "war" & "famine" at the islands should be realized, are
there no other causes adequate to produce such effects but
poor missionaries? Were such things unheard of here before the
missionaries visited these Islands? Have British vessels
always visited these shores unmolested, during the last
half century?— The first ship that ever anchored in this
harbour came in in a time of war, and having rendered assistance
to one of the parties, which became victorious, was captured
by the victors and her Capt. killed. Now a hundred ships a
year visit the islands without molestation and probably not
less than 200,000 Do l l . worth of foreign goods and vessels
are sold to the people annually, or four times as much as before
the mission arrived.
The nation has passed through the trial of losing their king
without resorting to war to establish a successor. This is an
unheard of thing in the nation, and the people tell us it is
through the influence of the gospel that they did not go to
�365
war when their late king died. We see no indications that the
gospel is likely to induce a war. So far as we know all the
chiefs approve of the propagation of the gospel here, and
look upon it as a grand means of securing their temporal peace &
prosperity, as well as the means of future salvation. I have
no good reason to think that any chief would wish the number
of your missionaries diminished or any one of them removed;
On the contrary, most of the chiefs desire an increase of our
number, are grieved if any return, and are unwilling we should
leave them for the East. Kaahumanu says in a communication
which she lately put into my hands addressed to her friends &
kindred on your side of the great water.
"This is my manao.
for you to look at, I wish you to send hither more teachers to
increase the light, in the name of Jesus Christ, that is my
desire towards you for great has been the kindness of God
towards us, the people of dark hearts.”
An Amer, Gent, who fell in with Capt.
B. his northern cruise,
told me, soon after, that, in his opinion, it was the design
of Capt. Beechey and Capt. Charlton &c. to break up the mission
ary cause in this quarter entirely.—
They must work hard, and expect poor pay. Though they might
have the miserable satisfaction of seeing some obstacles
thrown in the way of our success— yet if that should chance to
please the cordial enemies of missions, they are sure to have the
mortification of seeing these obstacles eventually surmounted
and the cause of truth triumphing over all opposition, to the
joy of all the friends of Christ, and the confusion of all his
enemies.
But if thecontest were between then andu s alone, it would be
but a small affair, and worthy of sca r c e l y a single thought.
But if the cause of missions is as we believe it to be, emphat
ically the cause of God, how clear is it that the opposers of
missions, whatever form their opposition may assume, are un
happily fighting against the great Jehovah, over whom they can
never prevail,--who will, undisturbed, move on his benevolent
plans for the accomplishment of the glorious work of Redemp
tion, and who will clothe himself with glory from that very
opposition, whether more open or more subtle, and will cause
the wrath of the Pharoahs, Sennacheribs & Herods of every
age to praise him for the wisdom, power and goodness which he
displays in making their evil machinations his holy purposes.
Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing
It is not, however, very difficult to see the grounds of oppo
sition to our cause, though they are somewhat various. One
of the most distinguished libertines in this quarter of the
world very frankly acknowledges that he opposes us from prin
ciple, because he hates our doctrines and sincerely pities
�366
the people who have to hear it. Whatever credit he is entitled
from his hatred to the doctrines of the Reformations, or from
his belief that our doctrines are not found in the gospel-his professions of compassion for the people would perhaps
claim more respect from them, if they had not so much occasion
to apply to him the epithets of seducer, profligate and in
snarer of one of the little ones for whom Christ died.
But who that would put down Christian missions or attempt to
drive the missionaries out of the Pacific can lay claim to
nobler principles than those avowed by this libertine?
Why should we not expect opposition from those who love dark
ness rather than light because their deeds are evil, whether
they are externally white as the polished European or sable as
the degraded Ethiopian, or swarthy as the barbarous Polynesian.
That we have as yet seen so little is more a matter of wonder
than that we have suffered so much. I have long supposed that
when the people should come to see more closely the extent of
the D ivine Commands, the holiness & spirituality of the re
quirements of the gospel, and to feel the cutting rebukes of God,s
word against impertinence & irreligion, those who are not led
by the Spirit cordially to obey, would the more violently re
bel .
This result is already taking place at the Society Islands, and
the irreligious class, if they go on, will, ere long, be almost
as wicked as European or American opposers of religion. The
same may be expected here, unless a new era in the history of
the propagation of the gospel has commenced, or is about to
commence. How important that the utmost caution should be
used by the Missionaries in admitting to baptism or the Lord's
Supper those who profess & appear to be converts to Christian
ity.
It is thought by some of the younger missionaries at the South
that some of their much esteemed elder brethren had been too
solicitous to bring the chiefs first into the church, and by
making the entrance too easy for them, and thus giving churchmembership an air of popularity and creditable distinction,
they experience some inconvenience from that source. We fear
they are too liberal still in their terms of admission to bap
tism since they do not require such qualifications for baptism
as they deem needful in their candidates for the communion &
fellowship of the church.
I doubt not you will feel interested if I give you a few ex
tracts from their correspondence with us. The first will re
late to this subject as a simple fact. It is from Mr. Pritch
ard and with reference to a small chief of the Sandwich Islands,
formerly an attendant of our late king and of similar charac
ter. He has spent about two years at those islands and recent
ly returned to this place.
�367
"I write these few lines to inform you that Taitireva(Kaikilewa)
and his wife have lately been baptised. The conduct of Taitireva
kane (the husband) most of the time that he has been on Tahiti
has been very bad. He has associated with the worst of charac
ters and been a ring leader in the worst of crimes. I am happy
to say that of late his conduct has been very different--he
has been very attentive to the best things. Both he and his wife
have of late been very regular in their attendance at school
&c. &c. I rejoice over them with fear & trembling. I shall
be most happy to hear at some future period that they are going
on well, growing in grace and in the knowledge & love of Jesus."
I knew this man before he went away--he was one of the king's
tempters, and it seems has not, till very recently, reformed —
I suppose we might select from our hearers a thousand candidates
whom we should be as ready to baptise as we should this man.
We think his baptism hasty--but they, the missionaries at the
Society Islands, would now give him that season of probation
before admitting him to communion that we should give before
baptism.
The next extract is from a letter from Mr. Orsmond the principal
of the South Sea Academy and a correspondent of the Board-He says, "The manners of the youth will be ruined, All they
see, all they hear, all they feel, every example is pernicious.
Love reigns— mercy,— sovereign grace are the themes of my j o y ”.
(Dated Sept. 28, 1828. M o r c a ) or Eimio)
The next is from Mr. Barff— May 12, 1828.
"I think upon the whole the good work is progress(Hole in paper)
at (Hole in paper) and M aiaoiti and all the Leeward Glon (Hole
in paper) except (Hole in paper)."
The missionaries in the Society Islands find no small (Hole
in paper) convenience from the inauspicious influence of the
increasing intercourse of the natives with foreign shipping,
& with foreign retailers of ardent spirits who would feel
no grief to see thousands falling by the poison they gladly
administer for the sake of gain or pleasure. Lord what is
man, with all his boasted light, reason, knowledge, honor,
justice, wealth & power, taste, and mental culture without
the fear of God!— Dear Brother, what I have written and
commit to you with freedom, you I trust will use with caution—
Do not blot me from your list of favored correspondents because
I am unprofitable, but let me share in your good deeds and
believe me to be ever, your affec 'te Brother, H. Bingham
P. S. Jan. 1. 1829--This is my first date in the newborn year, &
though I make it with some pain in my side, I can say I sel
�dom or never had more courage to
than during the present week. I
& good wishes at this season, to
changing benefactor & friend who
of our hands.
go on with missionary
doubt not I have your
help us to praise our
still establishes the
368
work
prayers
un
work
Mrs. B. desires to join me in kind salutationsto yourself &
Mrs . A.
H. B.
To
Rev. H. Bingham
Rec'd July 14, 1829
To
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Ass. Cor. Sec. A. B. C . F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U.S.A.
Ship Sultan
Capt. Allen
�369
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 23
Oahu Feb. 16, 1829
Very Dear Sir
By the Politeness of Mr. John Hooper of Marblehead Supercargo
of the Brig Smyrna I have the pleasure of addressing a line to
you by the way of Calcutta. I am almost alone at present as it
respects the more public duties of the station, otherwise
you would doubtless have more full communications by this con
veyance than can now be prepared-.Mrs. Clark & Chamberlain have been absent a month on a visit
to the windward stations, partly with a view to see what can
be done to strengthen the stations at Waiakea now occupied by
Mr. Goodrich only, and at Kaawaloa now occupied by Mr. Ruggles.
Last week on Friday Mr. Green left us and sailed for the North
West Coast of America. He sailed in the Bark Volunteer, Chas.
Taylor Master, a vessel recently purchased at this port by
Messrs. Jones & French.
We are sorry that this service should have been delayed so long,
but no very favorable opportunity has before occurred to en
courage the undertaking. When the Herald Capt. Hammatt arrived
last month with your letters, and other interesting communica
tions, an early application was made to Capt. Hammatt to take
Mr. Green on his cruise to the N. W. C.— He replied that he
was prohibited by his instructions, from taking passengers.
We shortly after learned that Mr. Taylor, having waited long
in vain for a vessel from Mr. Marshall, had chartered the Volun
teer for a voyage to the coast. Mr. Green soon waited on Capt.Taylor
and ascertained from him that he would take him provided they
could agree as to the price of passage. We hoped that a re
ceipt from Mr. G. that Capt. T. had complied with his engage
ment with Mr. Marshall would be all that would be necessary from
us. Capt. T. said this would have been sufficient had Mr.
Marshall furnished the vessel but as he chartered the vessel
himself he should put the question on entirely different ground
and expect us to pay him without any reference to the supposed
contract in Boston. Mr. Green & myself waited on him the fol
lowing evening to know his terms. He said we must give him
600 dollars. We enquired if he would not name a compensation
by the week or month--He said he could not live at Honolulu
for less than 7 doll a week besides washing--He would take
M r . Green at the rate of 600 Doll a year, for the time that
he should be on board, finding him cabin & lodging room board
washing &c. to this we agreed and supposed it settled. He
however said there was some uncertainty about the length of
the voyage but he must fit her out, for 10 mon ths, we must
therefore give him 500 at all events; to this we agreed &
Mr. G. & Capt. T. put the agreement on paper. Mr. Green is to
have his passage to the Coast, his board & c. till the vessel
returns to this place 8c such attentions as passengers ordinarily
�370
expect and to pay 500 doll. 20 days after the return.
The vessel Is expected to go first to the Russian Settlement
Norfolk Sound, thence down to the Kigane & T om gas tribes
between Queen Chariots Island 8c the main land & other
places frequented most by vessels in the fur trade, thence
up the Columbia river to the establishment belonging to the
Hon. Hudson Bay Company, thence down the coast as far as
Port St. Francisco near the Southern limit of the United States
territory on the Pacific. This post Mr. Jones says will
probably fall within the bounds now running on the south, &
if so will quickly be settled by Americans. We think it worth
the trouble if Mr. Green can be permitted to see the plan.
I learn by a respectable gentleman Capt. Tompson in the service
of the Hon. Hud. Bay Company, that on the Columbia they have
from three to four hundred acres of good land under cultiva
tion, they raise their own bread stuff, cultivate barley,
malt it and make beer which they will soon be able to export
in small quantity— He says he has himself planted the grape
& the apple at that place, 8c they appear flourishing. They
have a saw mill in operation which furnished him with part of
his cargo to this market. He has on board a youth from Hudson
Bay & two others from Red Peuri in central North America, these ?
are half breeds, can speak English--are desirous to learn, one
of them the native of Hudson Bay country can write a decent
hand— Capt. S. asked far elementary books for the boys whom
he is desirous to encourage--I was very ready to supply him.
I offered also tracts & Bibles but he said the gospel was furnish
ed by another society--Capt Simpson is expected to return from
his northern cruise on nearly the same ground marked out for
the Volunteer, and will probably come in next fall with a cargo
of lumber from Columbia River— He proposes to supply this market
with lumber from that quarter. He says The Hon. Com. are about
to take another post on the main land in New Cornwall about
opposite Prince of Wales Island, which you will perceive is in
the Lat. of Edinburgh.
Mr. Jones tells me it is the intentionof The Hud. Bay company
to make an establishment on the Prince of Wales island among
the Kigane tribe & that Capt. S. has shipped a number of Sand
wich Islanders to be attached to it-I have one remark to make here though I am in utmost haste-.It is this— Should the Hon. Hudson Bay Company be disposed to
favor the settlement of missionaries either from your Board or
from the London Missionary Society or any other, on the ground
which they now occupy or are about to occupy the work of evangel izing that Part of North America North of the Columbia River
might be speedily begun there even if no American establish
ment should be made there .--Perhaps this remark is premature— &
ought not to have been made till Mr. Green's return. He re
quested me however to caution you against expecting too much
from the means he might have of acquiring information.
�371
Mr. Green will according to our plan have a range of 20 degrees
on the coast, after all, his means of information will be,
I fear, limited.--He leaves Mrs. G. & a little son at this sta
tion.
What I have said respecting Port St. Francisco's coming within
the United States boundary is founded on the mere hint of M.J .
I have no other means of knowing that our territory has been
extended so far to the South by several degrees-Two Eng. brigs one 5 months from London have sailed this morning
for the North west Coast—
Yesterday I preached three times but the service was too
hard, I left the pulpit pale and exhausted--have not preached
in English before for almost a year. This morning I read the
last proof of the last sheet but one of Luke--last week Mr. S.
finished 20,000 copies of a new tract--have work off one form
of Genesis, & have another in type— Acts is about ready and
will go to immediately after Luke is off which will occupy
but a few more days of hard labor. Mr. S. says has hopes of
seeing 3,000,000 pages printed at our office during the first
year of his residence here. I think will not vary much from
that. So far as I know the families in our mission are at
present pretty comfortable--none perhaps less so than myself-and I know of no month in my life in which I have done more
labor than the last, unless it were during the time Mr. C.
was absent before, a year ago last Summer.
But I must now close, and rest my aching head & weary eyes-& give these too hasty pages to the w‘inds to be wafted to
your shores & tomorrow address myself again with all my
strength to the work of translations.
Your letter respecting the gospel of Matthew mentioned a sup
posed omission of the 5th 6th & 7th Chapters— These were sent
entire in a printed form, folded with the manuscript but, probab
ly laid aside as the Sermon on the Mount.
I think Mr. L. will be able to understand that the 5, 6, & 7
chapter were corrected & printed here and sent on as a part of
the translation--answering as to chapter & verse exactly to the
translation.
I regret that the evidence of the correctness of the transla
tions had not been more satisfactory--It arose in part from
our scattered position & other embarrassments at that period-We intend to review the whole thoroughly & forward a copy-We would choose to print the first copy of every work here,
if you will supply us the means—
�372
The Lord continue to bless (Hole in paper) benevolent plan of the
Board and give you abund (Hole in paper) Peace.
Affectionately dear Sir do I remain
Yours
H. Bingham
From
Rev. H. Bingham
Rec'd
Nov. 7, 1829
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor • Sec• A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
For. by Mr. Hooper, Supercargo
Brig Smyrna
�373
March 1824 - March 1827
31
X
N o . 24
Oahu A u g . 19, 1829
To J. Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. F. M .
My dear Sir
I am learning more and more how to pity and sympathise with
you as the care of all your extensive and extending missions
press upon you, and especially in those duties and labors
which are the most crushing and killing of all arising from
a war made upon your missionaries by wicked and unreasonable
men.
I have for three months or more been comfortably free from any
troublesome symptoms of the liver complaint till within a few
days taking up the case of Percival a statement of which I
made out and affirmed to by oath yesterday under the most
obvious returns of those symtoms,— No case probably has
ever occurred in your course or ours so difficult to manage
right. Much as I have reflected on the subject I have never
supposed that the business would be finished till an author ized
agent on the spot here should attend to the evidence of his
opposing the enforcement of the tabu by threats, demands,
arguments, abuse, &c in respect to the rulers, & the riotous
conduct of his course.
As our journals and letters and even our deposition given
without some such agency would not stand against him in a court
of law or a court martial, I have supposed that if evidence by
us were sought it would be done by an agent on the spot not
with respect to his opposition to us who have brought the complaint
but against the government here—
You have requested my deliberate judgment in respect to the
case, Mr. Anderson has called for my deposition
The latter I have made out though I fear the form is not
just what it should be. I send it to you enclosed as it is-And will now sit down anew to give my Judgement on the case
in a separate sheet, to which I refer you.
Very affectionately yours in Christ,
H. Bingham
From
Rev. H. Bingham
Rec'd
Feb. 11, 1830
To
J. Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. F. M.
�374
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 25
Oahu Sand. Isls. Sept. 14, 1829
Very Dear Sir
Having recently made out anew a statement of facts which came
under my personal observation respecting a tabu at these islands
against prostitution and the opposition it met with from Lieut.
Percival and the crew of the Dolphin, and having made oath to
those statements and forwarded them to you, I now, agreeably
with your request and my promise, undertake in connexion with
an outline of the general subject to express to you my "delib
erate Judgment" on several important particulars belonging to
it, and I pray God to free my mind from prejudice and every
improper bias, to r e l i e
ve my feelings from a sense of personal
injury so that this may have no influence to obscure the truth,
to help my recollection of facts and-strengthen me to perceive
their just bearing, and so enable me to express a judgement
on the several points in question which shall not mislead
yours nor others but so far as it shall have influence may
tend to place this painfully interesting subject in its true
light.
Little as my own poor self and doings appear to me, I am aware
of my responsibility, and it is a deep conviction of my
mind that no missionary ought ever to put his pen to paper
officially without feeling the solemnities of an oath; without
feeling responsible for every word be writes, and in some
important sense for the evils which a misrepresentation of
facts from him or the expression of an ill formed judgement
would produce.
With such feelings I proceed to remark and give my "deliberate
judgment, " on the nature of the tabu,the reasons for its being
laid, the power by which it was laid and enforced, theperiod
when it flourished, the measures by which it was enforced, the
effects of thetabu, the oposition it met with from foreigners,
& the effects of that opposition.
1./
The nature of the tabu .
A tabu in the Sandwich Islands is either a sacred institution
or an official prohibition haveing the force of law, the vio
lation of which is punishable according to the will of the
power that imposes it either expressed previously or after the
offence.
The tabu against prostitution, was not only a special embargo
on vile women prohibiting them from frequenting ships for the
purposes of prostitution, but was a general prohibition of
lewdness in the Sandwich Islands.
2.
The reasons for its being imposed.
Great as the evils of polygamy, concubinage, & lewdness were
�375
previous to the discovery of the islands, it is obvious that
commerce did nothing to diminish but much to increase them
previous to the introduction of Christianity, andw hen christian
ity lifted up her banner here and proclaimed for purity and
decency & order, Commerce opposed & brought annually two or
three thousand of her sons in contact with the people to the
iminent hazzard of mutual destruction.
Humanity, Benevolence, and the Authority of Bod demanded that
civil restraint upon licentiousness which the tabu was intended
to impose. This the Rulers, & the enlightened and reformed
part of the nation perceived by the aid of Christianity.
3 . The power by which the tabu on women was imposed and en
forced
The tabu against prostitution was laid and enforced by the
rightful authorities of the Sandwich Islands, by the same power
that declares war & concludes peace,the same that punished
theft and murder, the same that was justly regarded as respons
ible for contracts made by Rihoriho for the nation.
This power was administered by the Queen Kaahumanu and Karaimoku
Prime Minister.— Karaimoku and all the governors of the islands
acknowledged Kaahumanu's superiority. The young king in his
minority & his sister acknowledged Kaahumanu as their rightful
guardian and director. Boki when complaint was made to him
by Lieut. Percival against the tabu told him, (as I have been
informed) that the tabu was not by him, but by the superior
rulers of the country.— Marin the interpreter stated distinctly
in the presence of Percival and the chiefs that Karaimoku held
his office by the authority of Kaahumanu .--When Percival made
his official statements to the chiefs--she acted as president of
the council & director of the young king. She did the same in
transacting business with Capt. Jones of the Peacock--When
The John Palmer attacked Lahaina the Gov. made his official
report to Kaahumanu as the ruler from whom he had received
his office as governor of Maui.--The tabu was inforced by Karai
moku, Boki, and other governors, & executive officers as a
rightful order of the government, especially at Honolulu & —
Lanaina places of principal resort for ships.
4.
The period when the tabu flourished.
After the introduction of Christianity several successive
steps were taken towards the complete establishment of this
tabu, especially between the middle of the year 1823, and
the close of the year 1825 during which period great efforts
were made to enlighten the public mind and particularly the
minds of the rulers respecting the claims of the revealed
word of God. This tabu was publicly proclaimed at this Place
between the 16 and 20 of August 1825--From that period it was
specially flourishing having the efficient support of the
executive officers of government till the disgraceful & dis
astrous riot of 26 Feb. 1826.
�376
5.
The measures to enforce the tabu.
Among the measures employed by the chiefs to cary this order
into effect, were the personal and unwearied efforts of the
chiefs and serious teachers, to convince the people that
the tabu was imposed from motives of benevolence, that it
was required by the word of God, that obedience to it would
tend to promote the good of the country and the best good
of those who were affected by it; & where these exertions failed,
threats and force were employed to prevent the violation of the
tabu & punishments were inflicted on offenders. They were pur
sued, seized, handcuffed, or imprisoned, or fined or had
their heads shaved or the like, or banished to another island.
Besides these direct measures to secure the obedience of the
people, judicious efforts were made by the rulers to convince
the foreigners, that the tabu was not intended to be oppressive
on them or in the least to imterfere with their just rights,
but to bring their own people under wholesome regulations warranted
by the word ofGod, When reason failed to restrain them from
violating the tabu no penalties were inflicted on them, though
force was sometimes opposed to force.
6.
The effects of the tabu.
The effects of a tabu result partly from the example and influ
ence of the chiefs whose will it expresses, partly from the
reason on which it is founded, and partly from the vigilence of
the police and the power of the executive exerted to enforce
it.
The effects of this tabu were extensive, and while it flourish
ed bid fair to be permanently salutary.
Such an expression of regard to conscience by the rulers of
the Sandwich Islands stung the libertine to the heart--andgave
new evidence of the power of the gospel. They dared to look
Commerce in the face and with steady hand to fix a brand of
imfamy on the vile practice of her sons, which she brought to
these shores, the shame of which, lewd fellows were attempting
to annihilate here. Lewdness suffered a serious check by the
tabu; The females were restrained by it; seamen quickly com
plained & offered violence, & repeatedly complained and offer
ed violence, because they could not have women as before, and
officers apologised for them, on the ground "that they were
so persecuted by being deprived a privilege here which they were
allowed by law at home," or on the pretence "that the mission
aries had interfered with the civil regulations of the place
and thereby deprived them of an enjoyment they had been in
the participation of when they visited this island." Schools
flourished better, marriages became frequent--& Christian
m a r r i a g e was then introduced between foreigners and natives
Marriage was so comparatively easy to the Sandwich Islanders
that they did not demand, nor were they expected to demand that
the floodgates of whoredom should be forever unbarred in oppos
�377
ition to their rulers, in order to indulge themselves or pre
vent "greater crimes". Had not foreigners interfered in a
most iniquitous manner, the tabu might have stood approved,
maintained, & quickly-submitted to by the natives, and would
have been here a grand bulwark for morality, order, & prosper
ity in the land.
7.
The opposition it met with from foreigners.
Many were the enemies of the tabu and various the measures
for opposing it and making it void, among these were the per
sonal and unwearied efforts of the anti tabu party to make the
people believe that the tabu was oppressive, & unreasonable
that it was not required by the word of God, & that the most
flourishing & enlightened countries had no such tabu, that
those who chose to break the tabu would be more happy and honor
able to do so than to yield a hypocritical and forced submission
to so needless a restraint; to arguments they added bribes
and intrigue, & if these all failed, they employed insult, 8c
reproaches against the chiefs, curses and malignant slanders
on the mission, and threats and force, to counteract or re
move the tabu. This opposition waged by multitudes was well
withstood for a season even when Lieutenant Percival was at
its head.
There was a species of evasion of the tabu which doubtless
had much influence to prevent its highest effect on the shipping.
It was the manner of living of the foreign residents, most of
whom had women when the tabu was established; A part of these
acknowledged their women as wives, others kept theirs on the
ground of a professedly honorable attachment, tho' not fully
considering themselves bound to their women. The tabu did not
as an ex post facto law wrest these women from the men whom
they claimed as their husbands, but forbade any increase of
cases of this kind. This provision was explicit, as I understood
from Kaahumanu & Boki.--Percival in the most open violation
of the tabu took a woman for himself from one of our schools.
When he applied to Boki for her, he told him "it was tabu.”
But that he took her notwithstanding, both the teacher of the
School and Boki himself, and others have repeatedly stated
as a fact. That he did it in direct contempt of the regulations
of the country is very clear and as such it was of a piece
with rest of his measures against the tabu, while he shielded
himself under the dignity of his office as a great & important
agent of government, or under the cover of the guns of his
little schooner so full of fire.
A resident losing his former woman, took her surviving sister
without ceremony, and she was apprehended and treated as a
violato r of the tabu--in this case Percival justified the for
eigner and condemned the government.— He encouraged by his example
influence and authority this loose practice of foreign residents,
�378
ship masters, merchants & others who lodged or sojourned on
shore. This evasion of the tabu, this halfway kind of marriage
so sanctioned by men regarded as in other points respectable,
operated to encourage vile women of a lower order toclaim their
rights, and seamen of a lower order to insist on theirs for
still looser Indulgence. But these claims could not be answer
ed without prostrating the tabu. One of the loose gentry above
alluded to, a mortal enemy to the tabu, had proclaimed a sort
of perpetual war with us, and was regarded as a sort of Champ
ion of the opposition, as he was about to leave this place for
Canton, left it in charge with Percival as I have been credibly informed, to take off the tabu before he left the place.
Percival was flattered by the antitabu party, at the outset.
One of them early said to me "I f Lord Byron had been equal to
Capt. Percival we might have expected something handsome would
have been done by him "--Percival wished to do something for
them. When Ebbetts was gone, he became their Champio n . "He
would not go home with this flea in his hear that he had done
nothing" --What did he do? Did he win any honors f or our Navy
or our Government? by no means, did he hasten the collection
of debts due to our merchants? by no means--Did he afford pro
tection to unoffending Americans? By no means— Did he
restrain violence, or promote quietude and order among American
seamen? By no means. Did he encour age honor--industry, moral
ity or learning among the people? of the islands? by no means.
D id he promote the interests of commerce?
no other means
than by unbarring the flood gate of licentiousness at this
island. . What then did he do, I again answer according to my
deliberate judgment founded on a multitude of facts/such as
I have before stated, he did publicly, officially, madly and
shamelessly oppose the tabu, the official order of this govern
ment prohibiting prostitution,--that he headed the antitabu
party and lead on the war against the tabu till he saw the
Governor of this island withdraw from it his support. That
he attempted to procure women & encouraged his own crew and
others to get women in violation of the tabu--that he and his
crew were specially responsible for the riot on the 26 Feb, 1825
in K arimokus yard and mine— that when his own mind & that of
his crew were specially excited against the tabu & against
me he allowed double the number of his men usually on liberty
to come on shore on the day of the riot, & then in his circular
to shipmasters insinuated that my officiousness in procuring
the tabu was the occasion of theoutrage, & that he availed him
self of the effect of the riot to press his suit to secure for
his own vessel, for ships in general & for vessels of war in
particular an exemption from the restraints of the tabu.—
8.
T
he effects of the opposition to the tabu.
The chiefs were alarmed for the exposure of the lives of their
missionaries— the police was confounded, the govennor seeing
he could not maintain the tabu without fighting, withdrew
his support from it, immediately after the riot, or about
that time, & has since said to me that if a m a n of war should
visit Maui--(where the tabu is still i n force) they will have
�379
to fight to maintain it. This is the impression which I
believe Percival intended to make. Disease was carrying Karaimoku to the grave,— His decline, and the loss of Boki's support
disheartened Kaahumanu with respect toenforcing the tabu at
this place at that time while our lives were in jeopardy from
the man of war.--Agreeably with the demands advice of Percival
the Governor has since that period allowed such women to go
free from tabu, as choose not to marry nor follow the word of
God, Some hundreds have pursued that course which it was the
object of the opposition, of Percival & the riot to encourage,
& continue to practice those vices & crimes which the antitabu
party meant to perpetuate at the islands. Agreeably to what
I have been credibly informed is the advice of the English
Consul, that vice becomes a sort of licensed source of revenue,
which strongly addresses itself to the cupidity of the Governor,
who collects a regular tax from those women who frequent the
ships for the purposes of prostitution.— Both the English &
American consuls are dealers in dry goods & groceries, both
are advocates of the antitabu system and as thousands of dollars
are by it thrown into circulation here, and perhaps some ships
induced to come that would not otherwise, they doubtless
are ready to maintain that in some respects the opposition
to the tabu system has promoted trade, They are not expected
to help the rulers to counteract the balefu l influence of
Percival and the riot--The ruin of multitudes seems to be
a legitimate consequence of that opposition.
This exposition of my views of the prominent points relative
to the tabu, in addition to what I have before so fully communi
cated to you, will I trust, finish what it was necessary for me
to say respecting the conduct and influence of Percival & the
crew of the Dolphin, though I hold myself in readiness to be
examined and cross questioned under oath on every part of the
whole subject, whenever that shall appear to be desirable, or
important.
Why that opposition was in Providence allowed to prevail against
so n eedful and salutary a regulation, does not g e t appear to
us clear; but I am satisfied that he who worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will & employs his enemies to
execute his purposes tho' their hearts do not mean so, will
eventually cause this exhibition of thewrath of man to promote
his everlasting glory.
I remain Dear sir
very affectionately
Yours in the Lord
From Rev. Hiram Bingham
R ec'd Feb. 19. 1830
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C . F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, M ass., U . S. A.
H . Bingham
�31
March - 1824
—
March - 1827
X
No.26
380
I, Hiram Bingham, an American, in the fortieth year of my age,
a missionary of the A. B. C . F . M . having resided more than nine
years at the Sandwich Islands, chiefly at Oahu, having culti
vated an intimate acquaintance with their language, customs,
& laws, and enjoying almost daily interviews with the higher
chiefs as a friend or teacher, do now in the fear of God my
Maker and Judge, & in the hope of his favor at the last day,
make a solemn declaration of what I have seen and heard and
known respecting the origin and existence of a certain tabu
prohibiting lewdness, and of the opposition it met with from
Lieutenant Percival and the crew of the S . S . Schooner Dolphin
in the early part of the year 1826.
In the autumn of 1823 soon after the embarkation of Rihoriho
to visit the court of Great Britain, the two primary Guardians
of the State who now had the administration of the government
made a sort of proclamation prohibiting the practice of the
former vices and follies of the people and requiring attention
to schools and to the observance of the Sabbath and the word
of G o d .
In Nov. 1824, When these two chiefs were absent, Opiia who
was acting in the capacity of Governor of Oahu told me that
when the chiefs should agree to suppress prostitution it would
be prohibited by a tabu.-- Some of the chiefs were waiting to
hear Boki's report from the king of England. Kraimoku & Kaahumanu
became more decided in favor of the regulations of the word of
God after the insurrection at Tauai.
On the 6th of May 1825 Gov. Boki make his Report from the king
of England, which was favorable to the reception of Christianity,
& new efforts were made to bring the people under the influence
of Christian principles.
On the 28th of June 1825 a council was held consisting of the
young Prince & Princess, who are Rihorihos heirs. Karaimoku,
Boki & other chiefs & heads of the people, which council
most fully declared in favor of the Christian religion, and a
strict adherence to the requirements of the word of God.
On the 16th of August 1825 Kaahumanu, who since the death of
Rihoriho has been acknowledged as at the head of the government
called the people together and supported by Boki, urged their
attention to instruction & obedience to the commands of God,
proposed several important duties such as dwelling in peace,
attending to instruction, and faithfully reporting to the rulers
any violation of their orders that they might witness, & forbid
ding drunkenness, debauchery, adultery, theft, murder &c at each
particular, demanding of the people "Will you obey'’ to which they
with one voice returned their loud united "ae " (Yes)
While one step after another of this sort was taken by therulers
who seemed now to be united in suppressing iniquity— the plain
est duties of the biblewere insisted on from the pulpit from
week to week— & the vices of the land seemed to be rapidly
disappearing.
�381
Between the 16th & 20th of Aug. 1825 the public crier whose
business it is to publish the orders and tabus of the chiefs
proclaimed, repeatedly, through the streets of Honolulu, the
tabu against lewdness, in its various forms. At what
hour or on what day this tabu had its birth I pretend not
to know, but that it now existed I could not doubt.
On the 13th of Sept. 1825 Kaahumanu assured roe that the women
were no more to frequent the ships for the purposes of pros
titution.
\
On the 4th of Oct. 1825 A company of seamen, I should say from
16 to 20 in number, came to my door and demanded why they could
not have women as before. Soon after, I had several applica
tions to marry foreigners, & Since that time about a dozen
foreign residents have been married tonative females of this
place.
Four days after the above, or the 8th of Oct. I received by
Capt. Wilder an account from Maui that convinced me that the
tabu was in force there, to the no small dissatisfaction of
the Daniels crew.
On the 26 of the same month, at evening, the chiefs stationed
an armed guard about our dwellings, to defend us, as they said
against the foreign opposers of the tabu.
A number of females who violated the tabu were from time to time
apprehended, some were reprimanded--two whom I saw had their
hair shaved or clipped close to the scalp--one, a notorious
offender, was banished to Kahoolawa--her name is Nakoko. Others
I heard spoken of by Karaimoku, Lientenant Percival, and
many others as being in confinement between the 20th and 27th
of Feb. 1826, by virtue of the tabu.
Lieut. Percival often spoke against the tabu, and decidedly in
favor of its opposite. As an argument in favor of the practice
which the tabu was designed to prohibit, he said "It prevents
crimes— crimes such as you can hardly conceive of"
He objected to any attempts to change the habits of adultery.
"Teach the children" said he I'll support you in it but let
the older ones alone"—
I understood him to signify his approbation of the practice of
keeping mistresses, when he said "If I were to reside here I
would have a housekeeper and I would not turn her out of doors
when any gentleman called to see me ".--He remained here most of
the time from the 13th Jan. to the 11th of May, and the repeated
declarations of the people, of one of Boki’s school teachers,
and of Boki himself as to the matter of fact, accorded with
his own avowal.
When he spoke to me of his intention or wish to have an inter
view with the chiefs & to make some statements to them, &
�382
expressed some doubts about the interpreters, I recommended
that he should make his statements in writing and get them
translated, he objected. When the chiefs required it of him, as
the ground on which they would treat with him--he peremptorily
refused, according to Boki'sreport to Kaahumanu, and insisted
on having a talk—
About the 19 of Feb. Boki told me that as he & Kaikioeva had
been together Lieut. Percival came in and was very angry,
condemned the tabu as a great evil, "His language" said Boki
"was damn your eyes ? ? " b y which I understood that Percival's
address to them was full of cursing, or curses only.
Kaikioewa has told me that as he & Capt. E. were attending to
some business with Boki the commander of the Man of war (who
he said had since tried to kill me) came in, and in a great
rage u ttered many cursed s hook his fist, smote his fist upon
his seat, reviled Mr. Bingham and the rest of the missionaries
on account as he understood it, of the tabu on the women, and
that in another instance he saw him acting in much the same
manner, at Mr. Jones's
On the 21 of Feb. 1826, Kaahumanu sent for me and as I came to
her informed me with much apparent solicitude that they had
agreed to meet the Capt. of the Man of war, to have a council
or consultation with him and us on thesubject of the tabu
on women.
I told her I did not wish to be present at such a consultation
unless he will make his statements in writing, and the chiefs
theirs also in writing, which I thought would bring out a
favorable result.
She immediately sent orders by Karaikoa to Karaimoku & Boki
to this effect "Go to Karaimoku and Boki and say to them
Let the Captain of the Man of war write what he has to say
to us, & let us also write what we have to say to him in return.
Calling soon after on Karaimoku who was very ill I heard him
say in concurrence with the orders from Kaahumanu, and with
more than his usual earnestness, "Go to Boki and tell him to
go to the Capt. of the Man of war and tell him to write on
paper what he has to say to us." I accompanied the messenger
Karaikoa to Boki who approved of the measure and set off in
person to communicate the order to Capt. Percival--I returned
to Kaahumanu' s and waited the Report of Boki on the subject.
She in the m e a n time, by the help of an expert native amanuen
sis prepared a written statement of her views on the subject,
for Capt. Percival. Boki soon came with his report from the
Capt. of the Dolphin, which, with deep interest and apparent
alarm, he communicated to Kaahumanu, it was to this effect, that
he refuses to write but says he will come and talk, and de
clares that if Mr. Bingham comes to the council or consultation
he would shoot him, that he was ready to fight, that his
vessel, though small, was just like fire—
Boki appeared to waver. Kaahumanu said Let us be firm on the
side of the Lord and follow the word of God--Boki said in we
have the consultation with the capt of the man of war and
�383
refuse to comply with his demands what will be the consequence?
Kaahumanu replied with dignity & apparent firmness of principle,
You are a servant of God & you must maintain his cause" they
both wept. The Governors interpreter said, If we do not assent
to him, and they come to pull down the houses of the mission
aries, what shall we do then, shall we stand still and look
on or shall we fight?—
Kaahumanu shewed Boki her written statement for the Capt. &
directed him not to withhold or conceal it, but show it to
the Capt. of the man of war— Boki said it would make him very
angry--or that he would be huhu loa.
The purport of this written statement was & defence of the tabu
on prostitutes, that she had a right to control her own people,
that in enforcing this tabu she had not sought for money through
such women, that in apprehending & punishing them she had done
no injustice to foreigners, who belonged to other countries,
that her orders were executed not on strangers but on the sub
jects of this government on their own soil, whose good she
sought by attempting to withdraw them from vice and to lead
them to obey the commands of God, & that he very well knew
that if a man went from one country to another he was bound
to conform to the laws of that country while he remained there.
On putting this paper into Boki's hands for the Capt. they
repaired together to Karaimokus. A considerable excitement
appeared to be awakened in the whole circle of the chiefs and
their attendants by the ground which the commander of the Dolphin
appeared to take respecting the tabu.
On the 22 Feb. Percival met the chiefs in council who took
their seats at the House of Kaahumanu a few yards distant from
the window where I was sitting at the time.
By several chiefs who were present I was soon informed that he
had decidedly denounced the tabu on women and strenuously
advocated its removal, & cautioned the chiefs against resisting,
if his men should hire or fight for women.
The next day Kaahumanu sent a messengerKaraikoa, saying to us
that the Capt. of the Man of war had applied to her for the
liberation of the females who had been apprehended for their
violation of the tabu.
On the evening of the 25, Kaahumanu told me that Capt. Percival
had again just applied to her in a great rage, threatened to
fight, insisted on the rescinding of the tabu, snapped his
fingers and gnashed his teeth with anger denounced the mission
aries as liars, and intimated that his men would come the next
day & fight. Karaimoku told me he had sent for the women that
were in confinement to be brought to Boki's lest the foreigners
should release them on the sabbath.
�384
The next morning three Foreigners came into the congregation
whose appearance was somewhat sin gular; immediately after ser
vice Boki said to me those men have come to do mischief.
In the afternoon o f the same day Feb. 26, 1826 at the time for
the evening service about 5 o'clock on the Sabbath, four seamen,
armed with clubs, including one who came into the congregation
in the morning, two from the Dolphin, and a black from a whaleship, rushed into the hall of the chiefs when the people were
coming together for worship, loudly demanded the removal of
the tabu with menaces and threats "Auhea ka wahine "? ’“Take
off this tabu", Let us have women on board our vessels, or
we will pull down your houses " was their language--The chiefs
ordered them and urged them to leave the house, but they re
fused, formed a line & stood with their clubs, repeated their
demands— and threats said "The tabu must come off there is no
other way" There are 150 of us and we will pull down your
houses if we cannot get women"—
At Boki’s request I walked out of the hall and as I passed
along the veranda, and down the stairs, I met several sailors
as they were pushing their way towards the hall. At the foot
of the stairs a seaman, who told me he belonged to the Ameri
can schooner requested me to stop and talk with him on the sub
ject of getting the tabu off so that the ships might have
women on Board, very soon I heard the dashing of the windows
between the hall & the veranda. Some of the men came down
with their hands bleeding, cut as I supposed by the glass.
As I stood in the door of the kings thatched house--a seaman
said to me,
wish you to take notice who they are that are
doing this, we are not all ingaged in it."
They boasted of
resistance were
oppose force to
without knowing
the force of the man of war Schooner, as tho
vain The chiefs appeared very unwilling to
their depridations— but seemed to look on
what course would be proper to take--
A party of them steered towards my house. I ran to defend my
family & fell into their hands at the door which I found
locked
One seized me by the shoulder saying, what does this tabu
mean? here he is, I have got him".
"Come on" One dashed in
my window with a club--one pulled me by the skirts of my
coat. One said, "We are sent here by our captain"
They surrounded me, pulled me about the yard, & fastened me
so closely with their clubs that I could scarcely move, One
said "He shall not get away "--Feeling that I was in danger
I cried out for help, & some of the natives set out to come
from the king’s enclosure to my aid. I got loose from their
grasp of the sailors and returned to the place where the people
were collected in that inclosure. These seamen followed me
�385
closely--One pressed me so hard that I took hold of his club
and bid him put it down, he drew it from my grasp and continued
following me, till I came up with Lidia Namahana the sister
of Kaahumanu, in whose decision and discernment I had some con
fidence . Here a seaman accosted me saying he wished to reason
the case with me, He demanded why they could not have women
I replied because it is prohibited in the word of God--He ac
knowledged that the bible prohibited the vice which this tabu
opposed but said--"It is damned hard that we can’t have our
wives on board" I replied "You can have your wives on board
provided you are married--He asked me if I would marry him (rather
angrily) I replied in the affirmative, under proper circumstances.
He said I will come tomorrow and be married. Immediately I
was again surrounded by those armed with clubs--one of the
Dolphin's men drew a knife upon me & as he held it up before
my face said to me with malignant emphasis "You are the man,
every day" I said to Lidia, do you see that knife? With a tone
and gesture which I regarded as the first sign of a proper
decision amongst the chiefs, she bade him "Be still". While he
stood threatening with his knife, his comrade, from the Dolphin,
who at first entered the hall with him— struck a sudden spite
ful blow over my head with his club which was warded off partly
by my umbrella, and partly by the arm of Lidia which was oppor
tunely interposed as a shield. The natives instantly seized
these two, took from them their knife & club, knocked down two
others with clubs and stones & soon overpowered such as resist
ed. --The man who used the knife struck twice with it at the
young chief who seized the man who struck at me with a club.-Kahalaia told me afterwards that one of them insolently passed
a knife near his face. Supposing it was over, I returned to
my family, just as Capt. Percival entered the king's enclos
ure from the rear, with some of the midshipmen, & in a few
minutes a larger mob than I had before seen engaged, and who
appeared to have on the dress of the Dolphin's men were seen
rushing toward my gate, from the way toward the village. Three
of them broke down the gate and attempted, with great fury, to
break into my house, dashing in the window, and beating with
clubs to force the door . We retired to the chamber till they
had spent their force in vain--and given it over. One of them
knocked down his comrade with his club & the third, at the com
mand of his captain, took up the fallen fellow and helped
him out of the yard.
In the evening I called at the Hall of the chiefs and found
Lieutenant Percival there with the Principal Interpreter M r .
Mar in, & Mr. Sumner, a resident. Karaimoku & Kaahumanu Mr. Cham berlain and Loomis and others in Karaimoku's room— The riot and
the tabu were the subjects of conversation. Mr. Marin express
ed his opinion, in fu ll, that the tabu on thewomen was the sole
cause of the riot in which opinion Mr. Sumner concurred, no one
dissented, nor do I think any one present had then any doubt
but that the tabu was the cause. Lieutenant Percival still
warmly opposed the tabu as unreasonable, as debarring his ves
sel from a Privilege which a vessel under the English flag
had enjoyed before him as making a distinction between his ves
sel and that, which, sooner than he would submit to, he would
�386
have his hands and feet cut off and go home thus mutilated.
Karaimoku and Kaahumanu appeared tome to be tired and disgusteswith his manner of treating the subject. Possibly they
might have been displeased with us for attempting to convince,
now, by arguments a man whom they have spoken of as the author
chiefly, and as specially responsible for so unreasonable and
unprovoked an outrage.--
In two days after, it was reported that Lieutenant Percival
had expressed his satisfaction that the tabu was off.
We were soon told that the chiefs no longer insisted on the
vigorous prosecution of the violators of the tabu, that their
number was quickly augmented to a great e x t e n t . t
-hat Karai
moku & Kaahumanu mourned over it as a deplorable disaster.
It is now more than three years since the facts above related
took place. I have watched with great attention and solici
tude the various moral causes which affect the character, con
dition and interests of the people, and do not cease to regard
the visit of the Dolphin, the efforts of her commander & the
outrageous conduct of her crew, to remove or prostrate the tabu
against lewdness, as exerting a baleful influence on the morals
of the place, and the condition, prospects, and true inter
ests of the inhabitants.
Written and signed by me at Honolulu, Oahu, one of the Sandwich
Islands, this eighteenth day of August A. D. one thousand
eight hundred and twenty n i n e .
H. Bingham
United States Consulate Sandwich Islands.
Personally came and appeared before me this day Hiram Bingham
who made oath that the within and annexed stated Pacts to which
he has thereto subscribed his name, are the Truth and nothing
but the Truth.--In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the
Seal of this Consulate at Oahu this 18th day of August A. D.
1829.
(Hole in paper)
Mr. Bingham's Deposition
Rec'd Feb. 11, 1830
John C. Jones Jr.
�387
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 27
Kaawaloa Sept. 28, 1828
Very Dear Sit
Your kind letter by the reinforcement I received in May last,
for which please to accept my sincere thanks. I was then
alone with my family at Hilo in feeble health, merely able
to keep about and attend a little to the concerns of the sta
tion. The king and hissister visited Hawaii about that time,
and with him we took passage to Oahu, hoping to derive bene
fit from the voyage and also toobtain medical advice at that
place. We spent two happy months at Oahu in the family of Mr.
Bingham, and became acquaintedw ith nearly all the members
of the reinforcement. From thence we came tothis place in
July with the advice of Dr. Judd that we should spend a few
months with Mr. & Mrs. Ely in the hill country where we might
enjoy the mountain air, which is equally cool andless damp
than the air of Hilo.
My health has very much recruited since we have been here, and
I am now able to relieve Mr. E l y ’s shoulders from the burden
of this station.
The station at Hilo was never in so interesting state as at
present. Unfortunately for the people there, their chiefs
have never taken an interest in good things; unwilling to re
ceive instruction themselves, they have even manifested a
disposition to discourage learning in others. The schools
notwithstanding, have been Increasing rapidly for two years
past, and many of them appear well. The frequent instructions
which they receive from Kaahumanu and other friendly chiefs
are a great stimulant to the native teachers and to the schools
The kings late visit did much good. His conduct was such as
was desirable. On the Sabbath he addressed the congregation
with propriety; recommended their strict attention to theinstruct
ions of their foreign teachers who he said were their real
friends. He also told them not to follow their chiefs for they
were "blind, leaders o f the blind" but all who persevered and
were strong in the good way should be his friends, his breth
ren, but those who cleave to their old ways were Strangers,
they were not his people. The princess also made a long and
animated address in which she gave them much good advice.
Since then the Schools have taken a new spring, and the common
people also appear better and the congregation is much larger
than formerly. I have recently visited Hilo for the purpose
of examining the schools of that and Puna districts, and have
been exceedingly gratified with their improvement. Two years
ago there were not 500 scholars in both districts; now I number
ed in Hilo 1283 males & 1298 females andin Puna 596 males,
597 females; a greater part of whom are able to read inteligibly any of ur tracts; and 279 others who are able to write.
�388
The Lord has done and is doing great things for us and for
this people whereof we are glad. We want more truely humble,
grateful and devoted hearts and then surely we should be very
happy in our work. You (Hole in paper) not cease to pray that
we may possess eminently that spirit which he possessed who
said "Go ye and teach all nations" &c.
Mrs. Ruggles unites with me in affectionate salutations to
yourself and family. Our kind regards also to Mr. & Mrs. Hill,
Mr. & Mrs. Anderson &c &c and believe me dear Sir
<
Yours most affectionately
Samuel Ruggles
Prom
Mr. Samuel Ruggles
R e c ’d
March 9, 1829
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Missionary Rooms
Boston,
U. S. A.
�389
31
March 18241- March 1827
X
N o . 29
Kailua Nov. 5, 1829
Dear Brother,
As Capt. Chester sails this evening for Oahu I cannot forbear
dropping you a line. The Lord is indeed with us by the power
ful influences of his Spirit, enlightening, convicting & con
verting sinners. The church is awake & active & Kaaenaku
shares in these heavenly influences. She appears well.
The number that attend the Wednesday lecture is as large as
we have formerly had on. the Sabbath afternoon--The friday meet
ings of males & females is now about double what they were
when you left. It is a time of great searching of heart
among those who belong to the select meeting they begin to
think that their standing is insecure that they have been
building on the sand. Many of them have confessed to me that
all their pretention to religion have come only from the
mouth. Happy if they now build their house on a firmer foundation.
Mr. Richards sent me a barrel of flour, whether it was all de
signed for my family he did not inform me. We are however using
of it .
I hope you are going on well with your work & will be able to
return the first part of December.
Give our affectionate salutations to all the brethren & sisters
at O a h u .
Your brother
A. Thurston
Prom
Rev. Mr. Thurston
Rec'd
May 5, 1830
�51
March 1824 - March 1827
Honoruru Oahu San.Isl—
X
No. 30
Sept. 14--1824
Very Dear Sir,
When I last wrote you an account of our Situation at Taual, we
had every encouragement to hope for uninterrupted prosperity.
Since that time we have indeed experienced many rich blessings
from the hands of our kind and indulgent Father. But for a
season past, a dark cloud has hung over that Island. About
the middle of May a vessel arrived with orders for all the
chiefs to repair immediately to Oahu, to see their beloved
King, Taumuanii, who was sick not expecting to live. But they
arrived too late; he had been dead two days. They followed
the corpse to Maui and about a month after arrived at Tauai,
with Kahalaiia a nephew of Tamehameha, at their head, we
learned that Taumanuauii had willed his Island to Kaahumanu
and Karaimoku jointly and that Kahalaiia was to act as Governor.
He took possession of the fort, and all the properties which
the king had disposed of. No complaints were heard from the
people at that time. A few days after Karaimoku arrived to see
his possessions and settle the affairs of the Island. He had
been there a week and about to return. But on the even be
fore his intended departure, Aug. 8th we were early awakened
by the firing of musketry in the fort and soon heard that
George P. ? ?
had taken possession. This however did not
prove true. He, together with two disaffected Chiefs, Tiamikane
and Tiaimoku made the attempt, but were driven back with the
loss of nine men killed on the spot. Of those in the fort
there were two killed and+s everal .wounded, of whom three are
since dead.
Among the latter number were two Englishmen, Edward Trowbrid (Binding)
and George Smith. Soon as the firing ceased Karaim (Binding)
sent for Brother Bingham and myself to go and pray with him.
He appeared tofeel that help and strength were to be obtained,
only from the Lord Jehovah . He told us that he was about to
send a vessel to Oahu and we were Wellcome to put our families
onboard and come hither, as we were not safe at our dwellings.
We thanked him, and before sundown embarked for this Island,
where we arrived two days after.
I have since been down, spent some time, & finding all danger
past, have returned for my family. We shall sail in a few
days for Tauai. On the 18th of Aug— Karaimoku sent out a body
of men commanded by Kahalaiia, in search of George and his
party. Early the next even. a battle commenced in which Kahalaiia
was victorious. He lost but one man. No definite number could
be ascertained of those slain on the side of the vanquished.
Of all that fell in the battle and those that have since per
ished by the wanton (Line cut off at bottom of page) not less
than one hundred. Three chiefs were killed and one taken prisoner.
�391
It was said that George fled on horseback, that his horse was
shot from under him, & that he then took to the mountains.
He has not yet been found. Should he be taken alive his life
will be spared.—
In view of these unhappy events, we cannot but weep over the
folly of one whose rank and tallents might have secured to
him the station to which he aspired, but for his departure from
the paths of virtue.-Though (Hole in paper) our operations have been suspended (Hole
in paper) season at Tauai, we trust they (Hole in Paper) soon
be renewed with increased vigor. We have learned the instability
of human affairs and the weakness of our own calculations, &
pray that the lesson may be salutary. Sometime will doubtless
expire before perfect tranquility is restored to Tauai, but the
prospect is encouraging. All the rulers acknowledge the hand
of Jehovah in their deliverance, and are apparently anxious
to again engage in learning. I implore the continuance of
your prayers for a blessing on our labors, and subscribe
myself
Your Obed. Ser-- Sam'l Whitney
From
Mr. Samuel Whitney
R e c 'd March 26, 1825
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass.
U. S. A.
c/o Rev. Mr. Ellis
Ship Russia
�392
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
Waimea Tauai San-- Isl—
N o . 31
Sept. 30, 1824
Very Dear Sir
A few days since I directed you a line from Oahu giving some
account of the late war at this place. On the 19th I returned
with my family after an absence of little more than a month
and am again permitted to engage quietly in my work. Some days
before my arrival Karaimoku left Waimea to go in Search of
G. P. Tameru who was wandering about in the mountains on the
eastern part of the Island. On the even, of the 16th he was
found in the most wretched situation in a dreary wilderness,
alone destitute of food, without the least vestige of clothing,
half intoxicated and his only weapon a joint of bamboo filled
with rum, which, on being taken, he immediately drank and when
brought-Karaimoku at a little distance, he was supposed to be
dead he atlength revived and was kindly taken care of. It is
probable that the affai r s of the Island will be Settled in a
few days when we expect the people to resume their Studies
with more than former attention.
In haste, I remain Dear Sir
Yours &c
S. Whitney
From
Mr. Sam’l Whitney
Rec'd
April 20, 1825
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston,
U. S. A.
�393
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 33
Journal -- Tauai -- 1826
April 2, 1826. In the morn preached here the words of Jere(Page
seems to have been cut off) to Zedekiah "Obey I beseech thee
voice of the Lord &c. " Every Sabbath brings evidence of
increasing attention to the word of God. Our large church
was so completely filled today that it was not without diffi
culty I could force a passage through the crowd to the pulpit;
hundreds were obliged to remain without and many I fear return
ed as ignorant of my message, as they were when they came.
The attentive look--the falling tear and deep Solemnity
wrought much upon my sensibility. With a solemn view of myself
and people, as in the presence of the Judge and Saviour of the
world, I was permitted to speak with unreserved freedom.
Afternoon preached from Matt 2 8 0 3 2 - -Owin g to the dense at
mosphere of a crowded house, and a nervous constitution I feel
considerably exhausted. But the day has gone, and its trans
actions sealed to that important moment, when I shall give an
account of them to Christ my Judge. Blessed Jesus, may it then
appear that I have not labored in vain-Next day. After monthly concert I attended a weekly confer
ence,to examinethe people respecting their knowledge of the
word preached the -preceding Wednesday, and Sabbath. I was not
a little gratefied to hear Some of them repeat the text the divis
ions, and a considerable part of the body of the Sermons. With
pleasure, I can look back on these weekly interviews with my
people, as some of the happiest moments of my life-(5) Lecture from the words of paul, "Marriage is honorable in
a l l ” &c With a good degree of freedom and plainness, I was
enabled to contrast the vices o f this polluted land with the
customs of civilized and Christian life. At the close of the
discourse, three couple were united in Christian marriage.
A young man called this eve to tell me ( as he said) his thought.
I asked, what is it.
"I am a S inner, I greatly fear for myself.
I begin to pray with trembling anxiety. You know how wicked
I have been. I see it now. You used to tell me to forsake my
sins and love God, but I did not care for it then, now I feel
it." After giving him such directing as I thought suitable
to his case he retired with the resolution to Serve God in
his youth, Inquiries are made daily, and almost hourly but
alas, too few of them exhibit much of genuine repentance.
With this youth however, I am much pleased and encouraged to
believe, that he is not far from the Kingdom of Heaven.--
6. Rode out this mo r n . for the benefit of my health, which
I sometimes think is beginning to sink. On passing a little
cluster of houses, I saw a number of natives collected, and
among them a venerable looking old woman whom they called
grandmother. I left my horse and went up to her, but soon
�394
perceived that she was blind. It is the white man said a by.
stander, give him your hand. Taking a seat by her side, I
said you are very old. Yes she replied, I am old and worn
out, my children are dead, & many of my grandchildren, my
great grandchildren are numerous, and part of them are with me.
I have lived tosee five Kings of this Island, they are all gone;
I am left. When I was young, people were much more numerous
than they now are, but they have died ignorant, and I am like
them. But you are blind, how have you escaped in the late war.
My friends led me to the mountains, and left me in a
?
I lived five days without any food, then they lead me here, &
Still keep me a poor blind old creature. I said you must soon
die, what whill then become of your Soul, have you no thoughts
about that. No I am ignorant. I have no thoughts for my Soul.
I then told her She was a Sinner, and must believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ or perish forever. Repent of your sins while
life lasts. cast yourself on the Saviour who died for you,
and your Soul Shall live. The old woman appeared but little
affected, one of the young people however, followed me some
distance inquiring "What must I do to be saved"?
12. An unusual number attended the lecture today, many more
than could get into the house. The Gov. sent word to me that he
wished to address them, which he did in a most tender & pathetic
manner. The old man, (probably not far from seventy) rose,
leaning on his staff, and said Brethren, friends, chiefs and
people, listen, I have a thought for you. I am about to
take the tour of the Island with our teacher, to instruct our
ignorant friends in the word of God. Some of you will go with
me, others will stay, but whether you stay or go, let us be
strong in the good word it is indeed a good word. I am happy
that I have heard it. Let us all attend to it with our hearts.
You must encourage me and it will encourage you. pray for me
and I will pray for you, and when we meet again in this house,
we will bless Gos for his goodness to us . Be Strong.-"-Such is
the uniform conduct of this venerable old chief. He seems
to have no higher ambitionthan to get good, and be useful to
others. I need not Say that we feel it a blessing to have the
influence of rulers on our side. But still without the influ
ence of a higher power, even the spirit of Christ, in vain do
we labor.—
19. According to arrangement, left my family & friends at an
early hour to accompany the chief and Suit in the tour of the
Island. As he had left Waimea some days ago, I passed several
villagers without stopping and found him at Taloa, distance
about fifteen miles from Waimea. The people of this place
were collected in front of the house where the old chief had
put up, in order to hear his instructions. With much propriety
he addressed them from the words, Jehovah is the true God, he
is the living God the everlasting King. This God is our God
forever and forever. After he had spoken about forty minutes,
exposing the foolish Superstitions of past years & recommending
the religion of Jehovah, he put the question to them, Do you
think with me? Yes. Will you forsake your old ways? Yes.
�Will you keep the Lord's day? Yes. W i l l you not steal? No.
Will you not commit adultery? No . Will you not kill?
No,
was the answer from every tongue.
This is right, let us do
this and it will b e well with us, return to your houses, take
some food in the cool of the day, come back again and hear what
our teacher has to say to us.
He then addressed the Throne
of Grace, affectionately recommending the people present, the
Chiefs and people of this and other Islands, together with their
teachers, to GodAfter a long ceremony of shaking hands with
men, women & children, they retiredIn the eve. I enjoyed
a sweet season in preaching from the words: "The Son of Man,
came to seek and to save that which was lost"-20.
Breakfast being prepared, the Chief, his wife, and myself
sat down on a mat, with our legs coiled up under (as Tailors
sit on their boards) and partook of a good bit of baked pig and
poe (alias paste).
Thenrecommending ourselves to the care of
an ever watchful Providence, mounted our steeds to proceed.
Our company consisted of upwards of one hundred.
The Chiefs,
with their female attendants, went on before.
The G . (?)
seated on a large white mule with a Spaniard to lead him, and
myself by his side, followed near.
A large company of aipupu, or
cooks, attendants, &c. came on in the rear.
The rode being
rough, and the Chief having never mounted a horse before, he
set out on this tour, he was obliged to dismount several times
for fear of being thrown.
Once he had been nearly brought
to the ground, by my own horse, who, unused to such a step, became
impatient of restraint, ran back against the mule with such force
that he had well nigh lost his equiibrium, but the arms of the
faithful Spaniard prevented his fall.
After this I gave my
horse to one of the boys, and went on foot in company with the
Chiefs.
We passed over a mound of sand, white with human bones!
I asked whether they were slain in battle? No, 'tis the burying
place.
But why do they choose this ground where the wind blows the
bones loose?
Because the ground is soft and the people are
ignorant and lazy. With a severe headache, occasioned by change
of diet, sleeping on the damp ground, we arrived at Mahaulipu
about 10 o'clockThe people had met, waiting for us, and the
Chief addressed them much the same as those yesterday.
In the
afternoon they met again to hear me, but I was too ill to preach,
or even to sit upThe Chief spoke again, and prayed with them, and
they retired--21.
A sleepless night.
much disturbed by dogs & rats, as the
house was open, all had free access. most of our company
bundled in upon the same mat.
no appointments to accommodate
the sick or the modest.
Headache little better.
Went in a
canoe to Tipu, preached from the words,"Christ crime into the
world to save sinners", & c.
As the road from Tipu to Huleia, passed over rugged cliff,
we again found the canoe the most pleasant.
Towards eve
the people collected in multitudes to hear our message. As the
Chief was very lengthy, I did not preach, but requested them
�396
to come again in the morn— In the even. the Good wife
said to me privately What do you think of the Chiefs talk?
It is very good why? But dont he say too much about Kuikeoule
(the King) and not enough about Jesus? True, I have not heard
him recommend the Saviour so much as I could wish. I want con
tinued (Cut off) Will you speak to him on the subject? I assured
her that I would improve an early opportunity. There are few
women come in to beg as they expressed, food for their Souls.
Had they been suffering and starving, they could not have shown
more anxiety to obtain a morsel. I told them of him who hath
said, "I am the bread of life" and earnestly prayed them to
taste, and live forever. But on the darkness, that broods over
a heathen Soul! Is it possible, that they can ever come to the
light. Thou Lord knowest.
22 Little after service, addressed a large company from the
words, "Look unto me all you ends of the Earth". Every eye
was fixed, and almost every mouth was open, to catch the word
as it fell from my lips. Tis a pleasure, an unspeakable pleas
ure, to preach to such a congregation. After service I can
hardly get away from them, every man, woman and child, must come
and shake hands with the Stranger. But the sun being hot and
my horse waiting, I soon left the multitude behind, most of
them I shall see no more, till I meet them in the world of
Spirits. Rode past two little villages, whose inhabitants
had not returned from the meeting, about noon arrived at Honolulu.
Sun very oppressive. Introduced to a man who was formerly em
ployed by the chiefs to procure human victims for their Sacrifices.
The manner of his collecting them, was to leap upon them in an
unguarded moment and break their bones, in which act he was
so expert, as to leave but few to escape. Another old man siting
by said to me, he had been Debelo that is the Devil— meaning
that he had been engaged in the Devil's service. He had been
a sen cerer and a dancing master. But said I, have you done with
Debels now? No not wholly, here is some of it remaining, point
ing me to a finger nail which he had never cut, at least an
inch and half long a relic of superstition. I said to him, you
are now old and gray headed. You had better leave the Devils
service, and engage with a new master. We have come here to
tell you of one who loved you, and died to save you. What do
you think of him? The old man hung down his head, and said,
Yes, I have begun to pray, perhaps I shall be good by & by.
23 Sabbath. Extremely wet, but the people came in both
parts of the day from the neighboring villages, to attend
service, our house a very large one, was quite filled. In the
eve. I said to theChieffess ,I am quite tired of your smoking.
She pleasantly asked, is i t forbidden in scripture? No, but
you make it a sin by using it to excess. I mean the whole of
you. with a goodnatured laugh she said, here is my pipe, I will
smoke no m o r e .
Her example was soon followed by several others together with
the governor himself. Though I was ever a great lover of tobac
co smoke I now abhor the practice, especially as these natives
smoke.
�397
as soon as a pipe is lighted, they begin to flock from all
quarters, and take a whiff, and then passes on to the next,
and so on, till the tobacco is exhausted, the pipe is then
handed to a little boy or girl, whose province is to carry
it, together with a box of tobacco in one hand, and a lighted
tape in the other. Enjoyed a very pleasant evening with the
Gen— conversing o n the subject mentioned on the 21st With the
simplicity of a child, earnestness of a Scholar, he is ready
to listen to every word of instruction.
24 The next village in our course was Waimea. here we were
not a little disappointed at seeing so few people collected.
The Schoolmaster a swarthy native, says he meets with much
opposition owing to the influence of the head man of the
place . I preached from John 1-1 to about a hundred people
25 The Schoolmaster followed me Some distance inquiring with
tears, the best means of securing the friendship of the people
and doing them good. He appeared to feel his own weakness,
and to rely on the only Source, of help and Strength.—
The Gen--and company had passed on to the next village, where they
were met by all the inhabitants, with their callabashes of poe,
baked hogs, fish potatoes &c. in abundance. This is the usual
practice of meeting with their chiefs. We stopped a short time
to examine the schools, and requested the people to follow us
to the next village, to which they very readily consented.
Here the Gen. talked a long time, in a hot sun. In the cool
of the day they again met, and I preached from the words "Come
for all things are ready. The multitude were very attentive,
but all at once they were diverted from the word by my cook
who jumped up from one end of the crowd & begun to cut up his
wood for the tea kettle. I stopped to look at him, he immediately
threw away the axe, and all were silent. After service, I said
to him, Iae I am quite ashamed of you; and I, replied he, ashamed
of myself, but I thought it was right &c. You were hungry. I
did not intend to disturb the company. But Iae, I fear you did
not profit by the Sermon True Sir, I thought more of you, than
of myself. Shall I now prepare your food? Yes, but remember
in future, that your Soul is of more consequence than my body.
In the eve. several called who appeared truly anxious to come
to the Saviour. I shall never forget the trembling anxiety,
with which some of them said "We are dark hearts", tell us what
we must do".-26 Many of the people collected to give us their parting aloha.
The head man, his wife and some of the people, accompanied us
to the next village Aria to hear more of these things. As the
sun was passing behind the western hills the horn blew for wor
ship. never did I enjoy a more precious season, in dispensing
the word of life. Never did a starving man appear more anxious
to gratify his appetite than my audience in listening to the
word.
"Unto you O men I call and my voice is unto the Sons of
Men". In the eve. ourr hou se was thronged, in side and out,
�398
with the multitude, inquiring, "what do these things mean?
Although being weak and tired, I said to them you must now go,
it is time to rest. They went, but many of them stopped
within (In binding) the house and at intervals through the night
I heard them talking of what they had heard. At this place,
a little boy educated in my family by the name of Eli Smith,
has a very fine School, of upwards of Sixty Scholars. He was
a very happy influence in the village .
27 Entered the district of Kolan, and put up for the day at
Anahola. Here the people had collected from all quarters to
hear the word. I pitied them while Sitting under the rays of
a vertical Sun. But the Gov. said they are used to it. It
wont hurt them.— Paint and exhausted I felt much like crawling
out of the way and hiding, but the multitude assembled again
towards evening, and I preached from the words H ow Shall we
escape & c In the eve. Some came in, anxiously inquiring about
this great Salvation. Had I an iron tongue, and lungs of brass,
gladly would I wear them out in such a Service
28 Thirty three years of my life have fled. Perhaps the one
I now commence may be my last. A certain something Seems at
times to Say within venit nox, quand nemo potest operavi ._
O that m y work may be well finished. I long to be able to say
at last, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.-Left the people here, with the regret that more of them will
probably die as they have lived, in ignorance and Sin. We had
made the appointment to put up at the village of Moloaa, but
when we came were much disgusted with the head man, who direct
ed us to an old house which had been occupied by service,
with a few filthy mats spread down, on which to repose. I
preached to a few people from the words The blood of Christ &c.
They were shockingly stupid. After Service, the chiefess says
to her husband, let us go. But where shall we sleep? There
are some beautiful trees on the road. Send one . the men and
let them build us a temporary hut. Perhaps it will rain in
the night. Never mind that let us go. I inquired of the School
master of the village, where the head man was, and why he thus
treated the Gov--He is a bad man said the boy, and has no shame.
This is a rare instance of open insult to a Chief, and I shall
not be surprised to hear that he is soon degraded.
arrived at out little hut about three o ’clock; a romantic Spot.
Here we found a large company of natives, from the surrounding
villages, to whom I preached from the words Thy word is a lamp
to my feet and a light unto my path-- Our house was made of
sticks, fastened at one end in the ground and bent over just
so as to give room to walk in, the c u r v e and ends thatched
with grass a partition of calico cloth for my bed room and anoth
er for the Gen. & wife. The rest of the company were left to
Shift
for themselves.
•
29 Passed several pleasant villages whose inhabitants came
to hear us yesterday. Our road lay over Some of the richest
part of Tauai, but the people are poor in the extreme.
�399
A circumstance occurred, which had nearly deprived us of
our Gov— as we were riding along in the foot path we passed
under some large trees, one of whose branches required us to Stoop
a little as we went under. At the moment of passing, the Chiefs
mule turned off to the left where the limb was still lower,
and brought him upon his back, but the faithful Spaniard again
caught him, and prevented his coming to the ground. Preached
in two villages, and after passing through several deep moraines,
arrived much fatigued at Honoruru.
30 Sabbath. At an early hour the horn blew for worship, and
people were seen flocking in all directions, to listen to the
word of life.
The chief of this place, has ever Shewn much dissatisfaction
with the new state of things, and now exhibitedhis awkwardness
in the arrangement of the people. With a large Spear, he
walked about among the multitude, with more the appearance
of military, than desire to be enlightened. I preached from
the words, "Unto you, is the word of this Salvation sent."
After service, I said to one of the men, request the Chief
of this place to come to me, He came and took him by the hand
and led him into my tapa partition bed room. Trembling through
conscious gilt, he took his seat with far less of the military
than I anticipated. I said to him. Tis with regret that I
hear you oppose good things. You had better turn. How many
wives have you? Seven. Do they not give you some anxiety?
Yes, much: my mind is with them all the time. I can not sleep,
for fear Some other man will get them. Do you love all? Yes,
but one I love more than the others". Is she the mother of
your lovely little boy?
"Yes, She is my oldest wife, and came
with me from Hawaii". Will you not put them all away but this
one? Hesitating, he inquired, "will it not be good for me
to keep them in my house, and take care of them"? No, you had
better send them home to their parents.
"Well, they shall go
to d a y ". Will you not go after them again?
"No, I will live
with my old wife, and take care of her, and my little boy".
But I hear you make a mock of prayer. Yes, I have (In binding)
but I will do so no more. In future, I will attend to the word
of God, and love the good way. That is right said I , do as you
have said, and God will bless you. remember that he Is a
witness to what you have Said, and if you continue in your old
way, you are lost forever I He thanked me, and retired
Owing to a shower of rain, the meeting in the eve— was not so
full as in the morn. The wife of the Chief, came in after ser
vice and I inquired of her, if she did not feelangry with her
husband, for keeping so many women. No, I let h im do as he
pleases. But he has just sent them away, and we are all glad.- —
st
May 1
Owing to the steep mountains which project quite into
the sea, I was obliged to send my horse back by the way we came,
and take to the canoe with the chief and his wife, as we walked
down to the beach, the man mentioned yesterday came t o me, and
�400
Said, I have a couple of goats, I wish you to accept. I thank
you much for what you have told me, and will not forget. I am
desirous of learning to write, will you give me two Slates one
for myself and one for my wife. I assured him I would send
him two, as soon as I could get them. He again thanked me
for what I had told him, and we parted. May God bless the
instruction to his Soul. He is the only Chief of influence
on this side of the Island. With a fair wind and heavy sea,
we soon landed at Waimiha. Not a little trouble in collecting
the people. They did not like to come on account of the rain.
While the Gov. was talking they all hung down their heads as
if frightened--not a man among three hundred, would look
at the Speaker. As the appearance was too forbidding to my
feelings, I named the text and requested them to look up,
Saying fear not, for behold, I bring you glad tidings, at
which they all looked up and appeared quite interested.
After Service, I saw a native man dressed in native Stile.
I spoke to him in English, but he made no reply. I then asked
him in native where he was born, he replied at this place.
was your father a white man? No. are any of your family white?
iike yourself? I had a white brother but he is dead. Were
you born white? Yes. I compared his skin with my own and found
it to be much lighter. (That by the way is not saying much
for him now) his eyes . together with the eyebrows and head
were white as flax.-We again commenced our voyage, with
the Seas running mountains high. I have not seen them greater
since I left the region of Cape Horn. Landed at Hoena; it being
monthly concert, I preached from the words. Thy kingdom come.
2 At an early hour, commenced our voyage, and ran about twenty
miles without being able to land, most of the time under a
precipice some thousand feet above our heads. The scenery was
awfully sublime. At times felt rather fearful, as the wind
blew hard, and the Sea sometimes breaking over the canoe. In
the afternoon landed at
?
with a heavy pain in my side,
too unwell to preach.
3
Pain in my side continuing made all haste for home, where
I arrived about three o'clock, found my family in comfortable
health, and with kind nursing and Social company Soon forgot
my pain and fatigue.
5
The Gov. arrived, and immediately retired to the Church
to return thanks for preserving mercies, and the Success
with which our labors had been blessed.-- Although the
late tour has been attended with much hard labor, and Some
privations, I cannot look upon it but with devout gratitude.
In every village Kaikioeua has addressed the people, on the sub
ject of turning to the Lord, and has gained a verbal consent
from all, that they will no longer pursue the ways of their
forefathers, but that the Lord Jehovah Shall be their God,
I have preached in almost every village and to more than five
Sixths of the people, proclaimed the glad tidings of peace
and Salvation. With few exceptions, they have listened with
attention, and in Some with deep Solemnity. I found a school
in every village except two; and in some villages I found
�401
two or three schools. The whole number of pupils In the schools
of this island, that is Tauai, is not less than Six hundred
most of them able to read portions of Scripture which have been
printed, and circulated among them. Both the Chief and his
wife, and Several of their follow e r s ,of whom I am not without
hope of their being the true followers of the Lamb, have
shewed a zeal well becoming the course in which they have en
gaged.-—
10
A most distressing sickness has prevailed for some days
past. Scarce a man woman or child have escaped. I have been
called upon to visit them from daylight in the morn,--till late
in the eve— with scarce time to sit long enough to take a meal
during the day. I have bled upwards of thirty with Good Success.
They immediately find relief. They are taken with a pain in head,
back and loin, and in Some cases a high degree of inflammation.—
14
Sabbath
On returning from the church to the river oppo
site our house I perceived that it was fast rising, although
there was here no rain, assisted by five men paddling a canoe
I with much difficulty reached home. The river had now risen
to the top of the bank, but still we felt quite concerned, as
our house was elevated about four feet above, and Brother R s
almost three. With astonishing rapidity the water soon convinced
us that we must take measures for flight. The canoe was brought
to Mr. R s door where Sister R--and the children were taken in.
By this time the water began to pour into our cellar windows,
the wall of which had previously threatened, and expecting every
minute that it would fall Mrs. W-- and the children fled to the
canoe, which was brought & fastened to a large tree at our front
door. Whilst I with much anxiety, Stood on the door Step up
to my knees in water, waiting the event. The poor natives, most
of whom not twenty minutes before, were thought to be too unwell
to be removed from their mats, were all driven out of their
huts and Seen wading and Swimming almost, to get onto dry
ground. We had soon the pleasure of seeing the Sand bank
at the mouth of the river break away, and the water began to
lower, almost as fast as it had risen. But our cellar being
full of water and the house likely to fall, after securing
every valuable thing we took refuge with Br R— and family,
whose house though it had been perfectly inundated with water
and mud, afforded us an asylum
The flood was occasioned by heavy rains in the mountains, much
damaged it may be expected has been done.
20
Having pumped the water out of our cellar and secured the
walls, we again found ourselves pleasantly situated in our old
house. Many of the sick around us are recovering, the deaths
are fewer than were anticipated— though there are quite a number
who will probably not survive many days.
28
But few people are yet able to attend meeting. Our little
church consisting of Seven members, two of whom Taiu & Tapule
have lately been received, Sat down at the table of our dying
�Lord and found it a pleasant and I trust a profitable season
to our Souls. Keareamahu, the Govs wife, will probably
be received to out next communion, others have applied
for admission together with Kaikioeua, but as great caution
is necessary, we think they had better wait although their
present life is very Satisfactory.
June 1st After lecture George Sandwich was united in Chris
tian marriage to Mary, a young native, who we have every reason
to believe, will be a faithful helper.
George is a valuable
assistant, and is doing much good.
�403
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 34
Tauai San. Isl— June 24--1826
Very Dear Sir,
The inclosed journal was written in great haste, for my own
family and friends. But the relation in which I stand to you
and my patrons forbids me to be silent. I wished to have writ
ten you, a long account of our Situation and prospects. A very
unexpected opportunity however occurs, a vessel has just land
ed, and sails immediately. I am aware that everything from a
missionary, Should be drawn up with great care. The fidelity
of my friends in keeping from the public eye my former communi
cations, and an increasing weight of care and labor, is my
only excuse.—
A letter from your own kindhand will be received
with lively interest.
When you shall have done with the inclosed, please to direct it
to the Rev— Mr Hoadley of Worcester.—
With kind regards to yourself and associates
I remain Dear Sir,
Yours affectionately,
S. Whitney
From
Mr. Whitney
R e c ’d March 19, 1827
To
Jeremiah Evarts,Esq.,
Cor. Sec. of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms, No. 69 Market Street
Boston, Mass., U. S. A.
�404
51
March 1834 - March 1827
X
No. 35
Waimea Kauai S. I. March 6— 1827
Very Dear Sir,
It is with no ordinary feelings that I sit down this eve. to
give you Some account of this Station. As respects the people,
we have much, very much to encourage us. We have now fifty
flourishing schools, continuing upwards of sixteen hundred
scholars, most of them able to read and write their own language
Since I last wrote you, Keaweamahi the wife of the Gov--has been
received to our church. Three others are now propounded for
admission. Not a few are seeking with childlike simplicity
the way to Heaven. Some of whom, we believe to have found the
Saviour precious to their Souls. But at this very time when
our labors seem to be the most needed, and the prospect of
influence the greatest, we are directed by an overruling hand,
to leave the Island. You have been apprised of the sinking
health of Mrs. W. and the removal of Mr. Ruggles and family. At
the time it was thought expedient for him to return to Ohilo
on account of his health, I was apprehensive that this Station
could not be held without more helpers, and made known my views
to the Brethren, owing to the ill health of Some, and the re
turn of others to America, it was thought quite impossible to
send us any aid. They cordially approved however of our re
moval to one of the other Stations. In consequence of the ear
nest request of the Chiefs that we should stay, and our own
unwillingness to leave so inviting a field, we concluded to wait
the further indicating of providence. I have since been brought
quite low by an attack of a bilious nature, from which I have
scarcely recovered, and can no longer doubt the propriety of
leaving. Our goods are now packed, and we shall sail in a few
days to join Brother Richards at Lahaina. Although duty appears
clear, yet I cannot look on our departure but with feelings
of deep regret. The fifty Schools and their teachers, need
almost constant advice. Our home which has been the daily
resort of an inquiring multitude for months, is to be Shut.
A large and attentive congregation to be left without a preacher
and an infant Church on which I have often looked with feeling
indescribable, is to be destitute of one, who shall break to
them the bread of life. When they come to me in tears and ask
how long before I shall return, I can only say, I do not know:
that must be left with God and the good people in America.
When they send me an associate, then I will return. I cannot
but hope that more helpers will soon be sent out, and that I may
have the privilege of uniting my labors with one of them, among
this interesting people.
With affectionate regards to yourself and associates I remain
Dear Sir
Yours in the Gospel
S. Whitney
�405
P. S. In company with Dr. Blachley and wife, we sent our
little daughter Maria, to the guardian care o f the Rev. L. Ives
Hoadley Worcester Mass. If the committee in accordance with
the request of this mission, Should make any provision for our
children in America with the advice of Mr. H. I shall most
affectionately recommend her to your notice.
S. W.
From
Rev. Samuel Whitney
Rec'd
Sept. 20, 1827
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Cor . Sec. of A. B. C. F. M.
Miss. Rooms, Stone Church, Hanover Street
Boston
U . S. A.
�406
31
M arch 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 36
March 7, 1827
Dear Sir,
After the above was written, Kaikioewa came in expressing much
in his countenance and paying I have a thought to communicate,
will you give me advice? What is it? I am thinking says he,
of sending to America for another teacher. There is Capt. Meek,
I think he will bring me one, if I reward him for it. I said
to him, Capt. Meek is going to Canton not to America, but per
haps he may write to his owners to bring you a teacher, in
case they have a vessel coming to these islands, and the A. Board
are ready to send out a missionary. He replied, I will talk
with the foreigner, and shortly after came in with Capt. Thomas
Meek, who agreed to his proposal to write to his ship owner,
James DeWolf, Esq., of New York, to give a passage to a mission
ary & his wife, provided the Committee Should think it desir
able to comply with his wishes. Kaikeoeua has since requested
me to write the following letter which he and his wife directed.Aloha nui oukou e ka poe malama in (?) Mikioueli. Eia kau mahi
olelo ia oukou (?) Ke hooike aku nei au ia oukou kou ma nao; he
makemake nui au ia oukon e haami mai i kumu nau, i ko kolua no
kau kumu nei. No ka maimai o kau kumu, ke holo nei ma Lahaina.
E haa mi mai oukou i ko-kolu noua, e hoi koke mai ia nei kau
kumu. Ua olelo iho nei au me Miki, e Kauoha aku i koua mea
moku, nana e hooili mai i kahi kumu. Nau hoi e uku aku ia ia,
no ka lauee aua mai. E olelo aku aukou i ko Miki mea moku, a
like pu ko olua manao, o ka maikai i a . I kahuua pule kau kumu,
e noho aria me makou, ilike me na kumii a aukau i houua mai mamua.
Kau manao ia, ia aukou, ka poe malama i na Mikioneli. Aloha nui
ia aukou a pau loa.
Kaikioea
Translation
Much love to you, the directors of missionaries. I now shew
you my thoughts. I very much desire you to send me a teacher,
an associate for my present teacher. On account of the ill
health of my teacher, he is going to remove to Lahaina. Will
you give him an associate, that he may speedily return here.
I have just agreed with (Capt) Meek to Write to his ship owners
to send me a teacher. I am to pay him for the passage. Will you
talk with (Capt) Meek’s ship owners, and if you think alike that
will be good. Let my teacher be a preacher to live with us,
the Same as the former teachers you sent us. This is my thought
to you the directors of missionaries. much love to you all,
Kaikioeua.
The Sum he agreed with Capt Meek to pay for the passage of a mis
sionary, his wife, and luggage, was eighty pickoe of Sandal
wood, which he said would be worth to him five hundred and sixty
dollars. Though I have no doubt of the Chiefs readiness to ful-
�407
fil his engagement and his great desire he has to receive
another missionary, yet the fact that he is willing to part
with so much property for that object Seems to speak the benevol
ence of one, more engaged in the good work than himself. The
property is indeed his own, but recorded and matured by his wife
Keaueoamahi, whose great object is to do good and whose salutary
influence with her husband is very great. Capt Meek
(?)
to me, that a new Brig would Sail from New York shortly after
our communications would arrive, and he had no doubt the owner
Mr. DeWolf, would comply with the request: and in case of
failure on the part of the Chief or his Successor no expense
for the passage should be incurred by the A Board
S. Whitney
Prom
Rev. Samuel Whitney
Rec 'd
Sep. 20, 1827
To
(?)
�408
31
March 1824 - March 1827
Waimea Kauai San--
Isl—
X
N o . 37
March 16— 1828
Very Dear Sir,
I formerly stated to you, our intention of visiting the wind
ward Islands, for the purpose of regaining health and Strength.
Having spent Six months at Pahu, and five at Ililo, now four
days since . arrived at this place, in very pleasant circumstances, to again renew our labors. My own health is now good.
Mrs. W. though not well, is able to superintend the domestic
concerns of the family, and to attend occasionally to the in
struction of native females. As far as I can judge of the
State of things at Kauai, since our arrival, I am inclined to
believe that no ground has been lost, the year past. On the
contrary the work seems to have progressed. The schools have
been continued under the Superintendence of George Sandwich,
who is a very useful assistant. Thousands of tracts have been
circulated and read, and multitudes still appear to be in quest
of truth. There has been a considerable influx of foreigners,
of late, and the Gov--much engaged in mercantile persuits.
It does not appear however that he has swerved from his former
intentions. On our arrival he met us with open arms, and I
believe a grateful heart. This morn. I stated to him and his
wife the news which was yesterday received, viz. that more
missionaries were probably at hand. Striking on their breasts
and with an emphasis too expressive for me to communicate, they
exclaimed, Oluolu ma loko (comfort within). I handed him the
elegant Bible, presented by the A. B. S o c . told him it was
the word of Life— that the good people in America, had sent it
to him because they loved him, and wished that by its influ
ence he might be saved. The tears began to flow down his fur
rowed cheeks--kissing and then clasping it to his breast, he
said, "I thank them. It is a good book, but I am old. I shall
never learn to read i t ”. I assured him of my readiness to
explain it to him he replied ’’that will do: but I wish that
with my own eyes, I could read its contents.—
With affectionate Salutations to yourself and associates, I
remain dear Sir,
Yours Sincerely,
S . Whitney
Prom
Rev. Saml Whitney
R e c ’d
Dec. 6, 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Cor. Sec. of the A. B. C. F. M . Stone Church Hanover Street
Boston, Mass., U. S. A.--Ship Rambler, Capt. Worth
�409
51
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 38
Waimea, Kauai, August 1 5 . 1828
h
t
Dear Sir
With pleasure I inform you, that I am located, agreeable to
the suggestions of the Prudential Committee. By the advice of
our brethren, we remained for a season at Honolulu. June 10th
Mrs. G. was delivered of a healthy son, whom we call Luther
Halsey. July 15th accompanied by Miss Ogden, we arrived at
this station. The governor had taken down, moved, & rebuilt
for us, the house formerly occupied by Mr. Ruggles. It was
moved on the opposite side of the river, to an elevated spot,
on which Mr. Whitney is erecting a stone house. By the kind
attention, & the exertions of brother W. two rooms were floor
ed; & Amelia the governor’s wife, with her females, prepared
the house for our reception; washed for us also, & confered
various other favours. Deborah, formerly queen of Kauai,’ &
Simeon her husband are very kind. Whilst I was writing the
preceding Sentence, 63 oranges arrived as a present from them.
We have received, in fish, &c, many equally valuable testimon
ies of affection. And every day since we came, Sabbaths ex
cepted, has afforded evidence of the governor's friendly feeling
toward us. He has built us a separate house for cooking, which
we very much needed; For our dwelling house, like other native
houses, has no chimney. And both he & Amelia very frequently
visit us.-— -- Now although we rejoice that we have come
hither, & know of no place, in which we suppose our usefulness
would be greater; & feel also our obligations to be diligent,
increased if possible, by the kindness of the people; yet I
sometimes fear I shall do but very little good, even here.
My progress in the knowledge of the language is small. I am
probably behind my brethren. Beside my natural impediments
and want of diligence, at Honolulu, my facilities for studying
were few. And as soon as I had got comfortably seated here,
I took charge of a writing school consisting of more than
50 teachers; who are at present, un . employed, many of the
people being in the mountain, cutting sandalwood. Attention to
the school, occupies about three hours of the day. But the
thought, that it is so much saved, of more valuable time, recon
ciles me to the employment. Mr. Whitney had commenced the school
previous to my coming; But in consequence of building, is un
able himself to continue. I have however, read most of the
tracts published in the native language; & am able to converse
a little. Miss Ogden resides with us; & will probably continue
to do so, until brother W, goes into his new house, when she
expects to live with them. She devotes a portion of the morn
ing, & also of the evening, to the instruction of his two sons.
And expects to have a school of native females. The governor
has promised to build a house for the purpose.-- Mr. Whitney
had returned to Waimea a few weeks before the arrival of the
reinforcement; & received many testimonies of the peoples affec
tion for their teacher. He requests me to say that the attention
�410
to religious instruction, is about the same as at the date
of his last communication to the Board. There are at present
no evidences of the special operations of the Holy Spirit.
Drunkenness, & other flagrant vices are restrained by the civil
authority. No native on this Island is allowed, in any way,
to deal in spirituous liquors. This considering that they
were almostuniversally addicted to drunkenness, seems to me
a measure worthy of a more enlightened people. Within a few
months three have been added to the church . Two of them,
a young man named Oliver Chapin, & his wife, are remarkably
intelligent, & interesting natives. On examination the woman
was asked what she would do if, persecuted on account of her
profession. She replied she had asked her heart that question,
& it answered if she did what she knew was right, & was per
secuted on that account; it would be good to die in such a
cause; & that she was resolved, whatever were the consequences
to pursue that course till death. The young man has been much
with the missionaries, & afforded them some assistance in trans
lating. He has some knowledge of English, & comes frequently
to (Hole in paper) with us, & to assist us in the study of
Hawaiian.---- Mr. (Flaw in paper) raises horses, cattle, sheep,
hogs, & goats. Of the last he had when we arrived about two
hundred, six, or seven sheep, as many cattle, & more hogs than
are needed at this station; beside a fine flock of turkies.
He has just got a low cart made with wheels hewn out o f a log,
& a pair of young oxen, of which he caught, when small, upon
the mountains) so far tamed, as to save much labour, in getting
stone for his house. Without forgetting the eternal welfare
he appeared with a few advantages, to have done much, that will
tend to the improvement of this people, in their temporal con
cerns .
With sentiments of affection, & esteem, I remain
Yours in the bonds of Christian fellowship
P. J. Gulick
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, U . S .
�411
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 39
Kauai July 24— 1829
Dear Brother G-By the Ship Herald, I received your kind letter of July, a year
ago. A former one which you mention, I have never seen.
Erskins Essay on Faith &c however, came safe to hand, for which
please to accept my sincere thanks. It is an invaluable
little treasure, which I often read with pleasure, and I hope
not without profit. The information you gave of classmates,
was truly gratifying. I have neglected to write many of them,
and can excuse myself only on the score of more pressing duties.
I thank you for your opinion and that of the Committee, in regard
to translating. For other reasons than those you give, I find
that I must stop the study of Hebrew, I mean that of my health,
which will not at present admit of close application. But I
have now work enough and that of the most delightful kind; tis
pointing sinners to the Lamb of God, and conducting pilgrim's
along the road to glory. For severa l weeks past there has been
an unusual attention to religion here. Our public meetings
six in the week, are generally crowded to overflowing. In most
there appears to be a spirit of enquiring. In many a deep and
awful sense of the presence of God as the enemy of Sin, and
of themselves as sinners. Some have found a precious Saviour
and are rejoicing in his love. We have before seen a multi
tude enquiring about religion, but never before have we seen
them tremblingly anxious to obtain it. My house whenever I
am disengaged is surrounded with the anxious, so that with
all of them personally I find it impossible to converse. I am
much impressed at times with the simple unaffected relation,
of the spirits operation on their minds. A case which occurred
a few days since I will relate. A young man whom I had never
known as interested in religion, called upon me as he said
to enquire. Having seated himself by my side he said to me
(with an agitated frame and a look which I can never forget)
what means this? For weeks past I have had a load upon me
which troubles me very much, by day and night it follows me,
so that I cannot sleep or rest. I have tried to get rid of it,
I have prayed to God to take it away, but it continues here.
Then pulling the Gospel of Luke out of his pocket pointed me
to the 24th verse of the 16th Chapt and said there is my load.
Oh my soul to that unquenchable fire, I fear it must go. His
voice and whole frame was now so agitated, as to render him
unable to articulate. When I told him that the Saviour whose
mercy alone had long kept him from that place of torment was
now ready to take away his load and deliver his soul from dis
tress and perdition he seemed a little comforted and said,
to him then I will go. After I had given him what advice I
thought suitable he retired, since which I have not heard
from (Hole in paper) but trust he is a chosen vessel of mercy.--At this time I cannot enlarge but shall again rewrite to your
self & to some one at the Miss Rooms before long.
�412
With kind Salutations to Mr. Evarts and all our Patrons and
friends I am dear Sir
Your affectionate Brother
S. Whitney
From
Rev. Saml Whitney
Rec 'd
Feb. 19, 1830
To
Mr. David Green
Missionary Rooms Stone Church Hanover St
Boston,
Mass
U. S. A.
s
�413
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 40
Kauai S. Isl. Oct 19th--1829
Dear Bro Green,
Yours by the Hoqua, came to hand a few days since, for which
please to accept my sincere thanks. It gives me much pleasure
to see your name enrolled As Sec. of the Board. By this arrange
ment, I feel a nearer connection with the Miss, Rooms, and re
joice in the prospect of future personal correspondence from
that Source— the more so, as it is a friend in whose well known
frankness, I may anticipate a mutual interchange of unreserved
freedom, in whatever shall tend to promote the common cause.
Some months since, I wrote you respecting the good work here,
which still continues to prosper. New and interesting cares,
occur almost daily. At our last communion, five were propound
ed, among whom was Kaikioewa our Gov— . a number of others
will be admitted Soon. Many are offering themselves, but we
feel it necessary to proceed with caution. Should no more time
be given to candidates for the development of Christian charac
ter, than is usual in most churches in N. England, I have not
a doubt but that in six months, we should number more than one
hundred Church members. Both by example and authority, our
Chiefs continue to exert a most happy influence. Open vice and
immorality are seized with a strong arm, and though the pun
ishments are not of a cruel nature, yet the second infliction
upon the same victim has rarely occured
Our schools are going
on well. The number of scholars, excepting the superannuated
the blind and the lame, would not fall much short of the whole
population. A particular account will be given of them, after
the district examination next month. By the late arrivals from
A-- I am happy to see the course which the committee have taken
in regard to our affairs at these Islands. The effect of pub
lishing names to the world has been most salutary. They are
entlemen of honor, and to see themselves brought before an inignant public, is humiliating indeed. There is no danger of
an attempt to vindicate themselves by the press, and at present
we have but little to fear, either from this cause or from can
non ball. Should you see in Boston shortly after you receive
this a little thin, crooked (?)
dandy looking gentleman, who
has been
(?)
the U. S. eagle and cockade at the Islands
for Some years past you may if please look upon him as the
greatest enemy, that even the San. Isl. mission have had to
grapple with. I mean in human shape. If you can send me some
little elementary books in the Latin and Greek language for a
couple of little boys which I have now growing up you will
do me a great favour.
g
With affectionate Salutation to Mr. Evarts &c I am dear Bro
Yours sincerely
S. Whitney
�P. S. Since the above was written I have heard that it is
doubtful whether I. C. Jones returns to Boston this year
Prom
Rev. Saml Whitney
Rec 'd
May 5, 1830
To
Mr. David Green
Miss--Rooms Stone Church
Hanover Street
Boston
Mass
�415
31
March 1824 - March 1827
Kauai San Isl
X
No. 41
Feb 17— 1830
Dear Sir,
At our general meeting, some resolutions were passed, relative
to labour among foreigners, conducive to their good, as we
would hope, and the prosperity of the Church. The enclosed,
is sent for the inspection of the Committee. Should it meet
your approbation, you will please to seal and forward it.--The year past, has been one of signal mercies to this station.
Bro & Sister Gulick, & Mrs W have suffered by ill health, and
though the latter is far from being well, yet at present, we
all have strength to go forward, in our appropriate labours.
In my communication to Mr. Greene at the Miss. Rooms I mentioned
that there had been more than usual attention to religion, for
some months previous. Of late we have not seen so much, of what
we believe to be the special operations of the Holy Spirit.
Our meetings however are well attended and not a few are still
enquiring after truth. Seven have been admitted to our Church,
the year past, among whom, is our Gov. Kaikioeva. Three are
now propounded. The whole number of native members of this
Station at our last communion was fifteen. All of them so far
as we know, have hitherto worked monthly at their profession.
There are eighty Schools and as many teachers, extending to
every village on the Island. At a late examination there were
two thousand three hundred and fifty Scholars, who could read.
About the same number can write, but for the want of paper,
Slates &c. they did not exhibit. Many others are learning,
but we do not encourage any to exhibit, but such as can read,
in whatever place we choose to put them. Owing to the want of
competent teachers, our schools have not made the proficiency
we could wish. We hope however to make some special extensions
and that ere long the teachers will be better prepared for their
work. As knowledge increases, there is a regular progress in
the morals of the people. Habits formed and matured in the
darkness of paganism, are daily yielding to the sober, modest,
and industrious manners of civilized life, and Superstition
with its attendant evils is retiring before the light of the
Sun of righteousness
•
With Christian Salutations to friends,
I am Dear Sir,
Yours sincerely,
S . Whitney
From
Rec'd
Rev. S. Whitney
July 14, 1830
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Cor. Sec. of the A. B. C. F. M. Stone Church Hanover Street
Boston, Mass., U. S. A.
�416
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 42
Honoruru, Oahu, March 11 1824
Very Dear Sir,
Your letter by the Parthian came to hand two days ago. I thank
you for giving me a statement of the dividends which had been
declared on my bank stock.
It affords me satisfaction to know that the investments are in
any measure productive & that the income has been applied accord
ing to my intention.
You will be pleased to know that I approve, after the most de
liberate consideration of the Subject, the appropriation I made
of my property.
It was not my intention at the time I left America to have the
money invested which I left in your hands at New Haven. I thought
it possible that I might wish at some future time to make some
small purchases and I supposed it would be a convenience to have
a small fund upon which I might draw-I have in fact made
a small purchase here of a trunk and a few necessary articles
of clothing amounting to 22 50/100 which sum I have requested
may be passed to my debit in private account; My Uncle made
me a present of $50 just before my departure and it was my in
tention to apply that amount to the purchase of some articles
worth that sum or more to preserve as a token of remembrance.
This Station is destitute of an Encyclopedia--- Mr. Bingham
has felt it desirable that one should be freely enjoyed here
and I have felt a desire to possess a copy of that valuable work,
but as I should be unwilling that the Board in the present
state of its funds should be at the expense of procuring one
even for the use of the Mission I had thought of employing
the aforementioned $ 50 towards the purchase of one & of permit
ting the Station to have a freeuse of it.
I approve however of the investment which you have made & have
no desire that it should be altered.
I am willing to trust Providence for the supply of all my real
wants--I have the fullest confidence in the Lord that he will
provide for me. I believe too that no reasonable request which
I make to the Board will be disregarded. My personal wants are
at present fewer than those of any other member of the Mission.
Before I embarked I gave you a memorandum of a note for $150
against my brother Wm. Chamberlain, which note had been left
in the hands of my Uncle Wm. Chamberlain 1st Bristol, Maine
with the request that the money when paid to him should be
transmitted to you or the Treasurer of the Board. From the
avails of that note whenever it shall have been transmitted
to the Missionary Rooms I shall be glad that a set of the
�417
Encyclopedia of the latest and most approved edition may be
purchased & forwarded as soon as it may be practicable.
I shall regret the trouble which the translation of this business
will occasion to you, well knowing that your labors are very
numerous and great.
Since the arrival of the reinforcement letters have been for
warded to the Missionary Rooms by the following conveyances: viz.
1823
May. By the brig Arab to Canton
June By the Dawn by the way of Cape Horn
Augt. By the brig Snipe to Calcutta, care of E. A. Newton, Esq.
"
By the Sch. Rover to California, & thenceto America
by the Lachem.
Sept. By the Hero by the way of Cape Horn
Oct. By the Staunton----- ----do---------- do
Nov. By the Alexander---------do---------- do
1824
Jany By the Paragon & Champion by the way of C anton.
In several of the communications forwarded by the above con
veyances I have endeavored to give you as full an account of
the circumstances of the mission in a pecuniary point of view
as was possible.
I have frequently expressed my regret that the expenses of
this mission must unavoidably be greater than our friends
had expected, and since your letter to the mission has been
received, stating that the expenditures of the Board exceed
the receipts by ten thousand dollars, I have felt more than
ever the importance of judicious management in everything
which relates to our expenses, & the most economical use of
all the means of support which we are allowed to employ.
In my letter by the Champion, after giving you an account of
the drafts made on the Treasy. amounting to $5051.79, I stated,
that I hoped with one thousand dollars more to meet all the
expenses of the mission for the year ending A p l . 30th 1824.
In comparing this Statement with the one contained in my letter
of October, by the Staunton, you will perceive a disagreement.
You will please to consider that I made Several pretty large
purchases of articles of trade, and also borrowed cash to the
amount of $700—
No small part of these we hope will remain
on hand at the close of the year, so that deducting the amount
of property on hand from the amount contained in the drafts
upon the Board, the first Statement will be found to be cor
rect .
The donations to the Mission do not form so important an item
in our account of receipts as was expected. We have however
received several valuable presents. I intend as soon as I can
make it convenient to transmit an account of them to the Board.
�418
The joint letter will give you all the important news.
Please remember me to Mrs. Evarts & your family. Let me have
an interest in your prayers, as you are assured that my feeble
supplications will continually ascend for the blessing of God
upon your person and upon your labors.
I remain your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
Prom
M r . Levi Chamberlain
Rec 'd
Feb. 9, 1825
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Corresponding Secretary
A. B. C. F. M.
Miss. Rooms,
Boston
U . S. A.
Via Canton
�419
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 43
Honoruru, Oahu, March 11, 1824
M y Dear Brother Anderson,
Two days ago the Parthian arrived and your kind letter came to
hand. I thank you most sincerely for it, and regard it as a
token of your sincere affection for those who are professedly
engaged in the Redeemer’s cause-- I wish I was more deserving
of your remembrance.--- - I am indeed a laborer in the field,
and have had my name enrolled among those who have left houses
& lands and endeared earthly associates for the Service of
Christ among the heathen, & I count it an honor to make the
sacrifice; but I feel that I on the least of any of those
who have been allowed to make it.
My labors are different from the labors of most others who are
engaged in missionary work on heathen ground.
I am surrounded by thousands who know not God-I am in the
centre of a field presenting wastes on every hand needing cul
ture, but secular concernsso employ my hands that I can do very
little in a direct way to change the scene. I can only strive
to lighten the domestic cares of my brethren, and in that way
enable them with more effect to direct their efforts to the
grand point.
From the communications forwarded by the Paragon & the Champion
you will have learned what have been the arrangements of the
mission with respect to the location of the different members-from the same source you will have learned their vote respect
ing my service & location. As agent for the mission no other
place would have been as eligible as this for my location.
This must for the present be the centre of the mission and all
the stations will be under the necessity of receiving their
most important supplies from hence; of course it will not be
convenient for me at any one time to be absent long from this
place.
You may wish to know how I feel in regard to continuing in a
Single S tate.-I do not say it will be best for me to have a companion--but
I do say that I feel alone— in one sense, emphatically alone-and no one even in a single state, who lives in a land favored
as our beloved country is and who has not been deprived of the
sweets of social intercourse or had his residence in a land
where the advantages of it are as limited as they necessarily
must be in this heathen land is competent fully to estimate
my feelings. I am however fully satisfied that the Pru. Com.
with the means they had of deciding upon my case, recommended
a proper and most prudent measure & I shall always feel that
they acted in a perfectly disinterested manner. What I write
to you upon this subject I write in perfect confidence knowing
that if I discover weakness you will be disposed to cast a
�420
mantle over it. I do not wish to have it thought that I am
dejected or melancholy in consequence of my situation--very
far from it--I labor cheerfully & happily and if it is t h e
will of the Lord that I should continue as I am I will never
repine— but say as I always have said upon this subject "The
will of the Lord be done".— —
It seemed to be thought possible by my honored & much respected
Superiors that I might at some future period return to Americathere seems to me to be at present very little probability of
such an event—
In fact I should never think of returning
unless with a view to secure some important good to the mission
If time permit, which I very much fear will not, I shall write
a letter to Mr. Evarts. If I should not write please to assure
him that I cherish the most affectionate remembrance of him.
Remember me also to Mr. Hill.
Though your responsibilities are increased by your appointment
to the office of assistant Secretary of the Board yet it is to
me an event of trifling interest, and congratulation.
May you be strengthened to the faithful performance of the du
ties devolving upon you, and may you constantly derive from
above all the wisdom & grace which you need.
I am very affectionately
Your friend & Servant
Levi Chamberlain
Prom
Mr. Levi Chamb erlain
Rec 'd
Feb. 9, 1825
To
Mr. Rufus Anderson
Assistant Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, U . S . A.
Via Canton
�421
31
March 1824 - March 1827
Honoruru July 22n d
X
N o . 44
1824
Jereh Evarts, Esqr )
Boston
)
Very Dear Sir,
the 12 of April I put letters on board the Foster Capt.
Chase of Nantucket & on the 1st of May a letter for Mr. Hill
on board the Connecticut, Capt. Bunker of New London.--Letters for the Missionary Rooms were also forwarded to Canton
in March. Various circumstance have delayed the writing of
the public journal, and it may be several months yet before
it will be in the power of the Mission to forward a copy of
it to the Prudential Committee. The delay is to be regretted,
though the occasions of it furnish no cause for lamentation;
the principal of which have been the labors of the press & the
absence of Mr. Bingham.
On
You will probably have been apprized before this letter comes
to hand of the fact that two new books for the use of the na
tives have been printed at the Mission press— and that the
interest which the people have taken in the mission and the
means of instruction afforded them by the Missionaries has
suffered no abatement, but on the contrary has maintained an
uniform increase. This, considering the licentious habits
of the people, their want of stability of character, and their
desire for novelty, encourages a cheering persuasion, on firm
grounds, that Christianity will, at no distant period, obtain
a glorious triumph here, and pour upon this people, as upon
those of a sister group of Islands in this vast ocean, all the
blessings unfolded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this to
us most desirable event our prayers are daily offered up, and
I doubt not ascend mingled with the prayers of ten thousand
more who daily prefer the petition, "Thy kingdom come”.
Lest no communications should have reached you containing the
particulars of the events which have transpired since the com
mencement of the current year, I take the liberty to intro
duce into this letter a few of the prominent things, though
some of them were noticed in the joint communication forwarded
in March.
The brethren, anxious to establish the Station at Waikea, were
unanimously of opinion, as no conveyance thither seemed likely
to offer short of hiring a vessel, that a vessel had better be
chartered for that purpose. A small Schooner was obtained for
$100 and on the 16th of Jany. the Br. and Sisters appointed
to that Station, accompanied by Dr. & M r s . Blatchely, Mr. Ely
and family who with his own consent & that of Messrs. Thurston
& Bishop had been destined to Kairua fo r the strengthening of
that Station, and Mr. Ellis & myself, set sail from this post
and arrived at Hilo bay the place of our destination on the
24th— After remaining 9 days at that part of the island and
�422
seeing the Br. & Sisters obtain a comfortable settlement Mr. Ely
& his family with Mr. Ellis & myself took our leave and proceed
ed in the Schooner to Kairua on the opposite side of the island,
and there parting from Br. & Sister Ely, whom we left very com
fortable in the family of Mr. Thurston, we took passage for
O a h u .--
In March the Chiefs were assembled at Honoruru to watch around
the dying couch of Keeaumoku, commonly called Gov. Cox, brother
to Kaahumanu. The excitement occasioned by his death had hardly
subsided before a new one was occasioned by the death of Taumuarii, Kaahumanu's husband. His remains were conveyed to
Lahaina and deposited by the side of those of Keopuolani.
The death of Taumuarii was followed by the burning of the meet
ing house at this place,--not probably as a consequence, but
perhaps as the effect of that intoxication frequently indulged
by some after the death of a high chief. The origin of the
conflagration we have not been able to discover, but we are
certain if indeed it were the act of an incendiary, that no
one from whom we have anything to hope or fear had any concern
in i t .
The destruction of the house was a benefit rather than an in
jury, as a new one was immediately commenced b y the Chiefs
at their own instance and entirely at his own expense. It
was opened for religious worship on the last Sabbath for the
first time, and then dedicated to the Service and worship of
Almighty God.
Mr. Bingham sailed for Tauwai on the 1st day of May a few days
after the arrival of the Dauphin, whence he has not yet returned
though he is expected by the first conveyance.
Mr. Stewart has been at this Station ever since the departure
of Mr. Bingham, and has conducted all the English exercises
at this place and with one or two native teachers attended
the native meetings at Waititi.
At Kairua & Kearakekua the work of instruction is prosecuted
with pleasing prospects of success.
Mr. Thurston has recently made a visit to Waikea but he gives
no very favorable account of the success of the brethren there.
The Station there labors under the disadvantages of not having
any high chief in its interest not being the residence of many
who have much influence over the people of any disposition
themselves to attend to instruction.
From
In haste I am Dear Sir
M r . Levi Chamberlain)
Rec’d April 12, 1825)
Your obedient servant in the bonds
To Jeremiah Evarts,Esq)
of the Gospel
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M., Miss. Rooms)
Boston, U . S . A., Ship Jupiter)
Levi Chamberlain
C apt . L eslie .)
�423
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 45
Honoruru, Oahu, Sep. 24, 1824.
Respected & Very dear Sir,
I wrote you by the Jupiter of New York which sailed hence for
Manilla July the 22nd and to Mr. Hill by the Russel, which sailed
on the 17th inst. having on board Mr. Ellis and his family.
In my lettersto Mr. Hill I gave an abstract of the expenses
of this mission for the year ending April 30th 1824, by which
it appears that, as articles are valued here, we have expended
$6721.54. This sum includes $6125.99, the amount of what has
been dispensed from the Depository, and $595.55, the estimated
value of the donations which have been received at all the
stations except this, as will be seen by referring to the list
of donations which accompanied my statement. More than $2000
of the above were in supplies received from America, valued
according to their worth here— so that the actual expense of
the mission for the last year, in funds drawn directly from
the Treasury of the Board, does not, I think, exceed $4500;
and that accords very nearly with an estimate which I made
out and forwarded about a year ago.
The supplies sent out in the Dauphin were seasonable and suit
able,--were received in good order, and will very considerably
diminish the expenses of the current year.
Were it practicable to send out such a supply once a year or
oftener the expenses of the Board for the support of this mis
sion would be materially lessened.
By referring to the list of articles supposed necessary for the
support of the different stations for one year, forwarded by
the Stanton in October 1823, you will perceive what articles
will be needed for the year to com e. I would propose however
s trifling alteration in the quantity of several of the arti
cles enumerated.
28 barrels of flour; 2000 lb. Bread;
2 l/2 barrels Indian Meal or 5 half barrels;
14 bbls. Pork; 10, do beef; & do Molasses;
200 lb. Coffee; 8 Sugar
Butter instead of lard, i.e. 725 or 730 lb.-A quantity of Pearlash.
We were disappointed that no soap was sent by the Dauphin, as
our Supply was at the time of her arrival nearly exhausted.
A partial supply has however since been purchased for the mis
sion at about 25cts a pound. No article can probably be for
warded with more convenience than soap, and very few are more
needed in the families. It is not only indispensable to clean
liness but might be employed in a way to save expense in paying
for labor.
�424
The sending out of spirits must be left to the judgment of
the Committee— more however would be desirable than was spec
ified in the list.
English as well as India Calico, is a good article of trade,
also blue broad cloth with a broad white or red selvage, worth
by the piece from $150 to 2 - or $2.25 p r . yard. On all the
islands this latter article would for most of the purposes for
which we employ articles of barter be preferable to anything
which could be sent except cash and in many places it would be
even preferable to that.
If a reinforcement should be fitted out to join this mission
I should recommend the purchase of at least one case of Eng
lish prints worth from 20 to 25 cents pr yard. Large figures
& gay colors such as red, yellow and green would suit this
market better than anything of a gloomy appearance.
The hard.ware by the Dauphin was well selected and is worth
one hundred pr. ft. on the American prices. I have distributed
all the Pocket knives and scissors among the stations, and
many of the wide socket chisels, which the natives use for the
o o ( a kind of spade), the files and flint steels. Pish hooks
are at present in many places a good article of barter--though
there were none sent out. At Waikea they are in demand, and
may be exchanged for fish, fowls, eggs, vegetables & c. I am
sorry to add, however, that the communication of this and the
other stations with that, is so infrequent, that there is a prob
ability of a very considerable increase of expense in the main
tenance ; and we have some fears that its operations may for a
season be interrupted, but still we are not without hopes, that
if the station should not be abandoned from other causes than
those which originate in the difficulty of forwarding supplies,
it will continue to be supported.
It may not be amiss to remark here, that though there are ten
places on Hawaii eligible in many respects for missionary sta
tions, and inviting as affording an ample field for benevolent
exertion, promising at the same time an abundant reward to
the self-denying devoted missionary in the success of his labors
yet at six, at least, of the ten, the laborers would be exposed
to severe trials and sufferings, unless it should be practicable
to charter a vessel as often as twice a year for the purpose
of conveying supplies to them.
Waiakea is more frequented, by vessels from this & the other
islands, than any other harbor on the windward side of Hawaii
and still we cannot but feel apprehensive that the brethren
& sisters there will experience inconveniences from a desti
tution of the means of support. Waipio & Halana on the same
side of the island are not in that respect more advantageously
situated. If the mission owned a boat decked over of from
12 to 20 tons burden and possessed the means of manning & keep
ing it in repair, it would then be in their power to meet the
wants of all the stations that might be established in the is
lands .
�425
Of the expediency of providing the mission with one in case
a large reinforcement to our numbers should be sent out, the
Prudential Committee will be able to determine.
A boat of that size could not be sent out entire, the frame and
everything necessary to finish it might, however, be Shipped
in Boston and a contract made with the captain and owners for
its erection here: Several small vessels have been built in
this way at this port. The cost of the boat together with the
expense of taking care of it & keeping it in repair would indeed
amount to no small sum--perhaps to a greater one than the Com
mittee would be willing to apply in such a way. But it seems
to me, that without an arrangement of this kind, or what would
be equivalent to it, an increase of 6 or 800 dollars a year
to the funds of the mission for the charter of vessels &c
above the ordinary expense supporting of 5 or 6 stations, there
would be so many obstacles in the way of affording supplies
to those that might be established at any of the places on
Hawaii, proposed as missionary stations, in the journal of the
tour, except Towaihae, Kairua, Kearakekua, Honaunau & possibly
Waikea that the occupancy of them would be at present inexped
ient. From the latter place I have received intelligence
since I commenced this page, in a letter from Mr. Richards,
who has just arrived at Lahaina from Kairua where a letter had
been received from Waikea which stated that the brethren were
in great want of supplies having neither food nor articles to
buy it with,-- and that they had no school.---Something we feel
must be done for them immediately, or they will be placed in
very unpleasant circumstances, if not reduced to a state of
extreme suffering. A vessel must be chartered if possible,
either to take them away or convey them supplies. The former
would be a subject of regret, particularly as houses have been
built for the brethren, and considerable expense has been laid
out in making fences & rendering establishment convenient.
But it will be recollected that Mr. Ruggles' offer to reside
there did not extend to a greater length than one year and a
half or two years. Nearly one year of that time has elapsed
and Mr. R. has no intention of prolonging it beyond the speci
fied term. The probability is that he will wish to improve the
first favorable opportunity of removing with his family to this
place. In the event of Mr. R's removal the continuance of Mr.
Goodrich there without an associate would not be required if
indeed recommended.
As an individual I am at a loss to determine what course it
will be best to pursue with reference to that station, but trust
that an unerring hand will direct aright those whose duty it
will be to act in this case.
If Mr. R. should feel it his duty from family considerations
to leave Waikea in the course of three months and in conse
quence of it the present operations of the mission there
should be suspended, it will be the first object of the mission
on the arrival of more laborers to reestablish the station.
Nothing that I can say as an individual can add to what has
�426
heretofore been written by the mission with respect to the
desirableness that another physician & three or four ordained
missionaries should be sent out at a very early period.
Mr. Whitney at Tauwaitis laboring without an associate, Mr. Ely
also at Kaavaroa. In case Mr. Ellis should not return Mr.
Bingham will be under the necessity of sustaining alone almost
all the public missionary duty of this important station.
Waiakea must if possible be maintained--and if no new station
should be formed, 3 at least, if not 4 missionaries are needed
to meet our present wants.
Mr. Harwood, the person frequently mentioned in the public
journal of the mission as having been resident in the family
at this station, will be the bearer of this to Canton, & prob
ably to the Missionary Rooms. I have sent by him one of the
baskets which were bought on Hawaii during the tour, and it
is forwarded to the Missionary Rooms as a specimen of native
ingenuity.-With earnest desires that your health & your strength may be
equal to your arduous & important labors, & that you mayconstantly enjoy the smiles of the divine favor— desiring also
a kind remembrance to Mrs. Evarts & your family,
I am, dear Sir, very respectfully & affectionately
yours in the bonds of the Gospel
Levi Chamberlain
Prom
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Re c 'd
April 20, 1825
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec. A . B . C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass.
�427
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 46
Honoruru, Oahu, Nov. 8th 1824
Dear Sir,
You will perceive by the Journal that two attempts have been
made to obtain a conveyance for supplies for the brethren at
Waiakea, both o f which failed. We feel not a little solicitude
on their account. As their supplies were expended nearly
two months ago, they must have been reduced to the necessity
of exchanging their personal effects for such articles of pro
vision as they can procure from the natives, and, as no very
friendly chief resides there, the people may be disposed totake
advantage of their wants to exact a great price. We hope, how
ever, an opportunity will offer before long of affording them
relief. Koahou a considerably high chief, who resided sometime
at Waiakea after the settlement of the station, and who is now
at Tauai, is expected to return before long, with him, we suppose,
supplies may be sent. His friendship, we think, should the pest
there be maintained, will be of material advantage tothe brethren,
both as to their comfort, and the advancement of the cause.
Never were the most influential chiefs more friendly to our
objects than they are at the present time. The successful
& speedy termination of the war, they are disposed, with a
degree of feeling hardly to be expected, to ascribe to the
overruling hand of God. The Palapala (the term used to ex
press the whole system of instruction is called the mea maitai
(the good thing) and most of the important chiefs are using
their influence to promote it. While they continue to feel and
act as they now do, we have the best ground to hope that faith
ful and vigorous efforts will meet with cheering success.-- A letter was received from Mr. Whitney two days ago, in which he
states, that his labors were never more useful. He preaches
three & four times a week to crowded houses of the people,
who listen with attention & even with emotion to the word
of Salvation. Kaikioeva the new Governor of Tauai & Keaveamahi
his wife who takes an uncommon interest in the mission, have
declared their intention to build a new meeting house that
shall be the best yet erected in the islands.---They are also
desirous to build a new house for Mr. W. near their own.
Mr. W. is still alone & his labors are abundant--his wife
continues ill, and fears are entertained that her complaint
will not be soon or easily removed.
Capt. Clasby in the Thames who arrived at Lahaina about three
weeks ago is now at this post--he is remarkably kind and atten
tive. The state of the crew is much as it was when he left
here eighteen months ago. He brought notice from Lahaina that
Kaiko, a high chief there, died during his stay, and was
reposited in the house erected for the cemetery of the chiefs,
& which enclosed the remains of Keopuolani & Taumuarii.
�428
I am, dear Sir, very respectfully
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
From
Levi Chamberlain
Rec 'd
May 3 , 1825
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. America
Ship Maria, Capt. Gardner
�429
31
March 1824 - March 1827
Honoruru, Oahu,
X
No. 47
Nov. 14, 1824
Mr Dear Brother,
I was concerned to learn by a letter from Mr. Hill of Mar. 10th.
that you had been obliged to take a voyage for the recovery of
your health which had been impaired by the arduous labors of
the Miss. Rooms. That voyage I hope has proved salutary.
But as I have received no intelligence from the Miss Rooms of
a more recent date than the one alluded to, I cannot but feel
a degree of solicitude as to the event of it. It is my ex
pectation, however, that by the interposition of that kind &
merciful hand which never afflicts but for same wise & bene ficent purpose, you have ere this time been restored to your
associates & delightful to . arduous & responsible duties.
It would be a grief to me to contemplate you as still sojourning
in foreign parts in search of health, or as languishing at
home debilitated by sickness: but whatever may be your circum
stances at the present time whatever they may be at any future
time, you will ever be disposed to say, "it is well "--it is
well, because they are such as my heavenly Father has appointed.
It is a privilege & a happiness, my brother, to lie quietly
in the divine hand whatever be our outward circumstances &
whatever the affliction we experience; to be what God would
have us; to stay where the would have us & do what he would
have us. How can we advance the interests of the Redeemers
Kingdom more effectually than by entire submission to the
divine will? We wish to advance that cause, which of all others
is best deserving of our thoughts, solicitudes & efforts.
How can we do it? We have no ability of ourselves--God must
bestow the qualifications, open the way, provide the means
and make those means efficacious. We know not whether it can
be better done by our remaining in our native land or visiting
foreign climes;--by preaching the word to the heathen in the
midst of privations surrounded by dangers, or watering a congre
gation in a Christian land;— by laboring with the hands, or
applying the energies of the mind.
Were it not for the conviction that the Lord will overrule
every circumstance of my life in such a manner as eventually
to promote his own cause, I should not be willing to have
my attention so constantly engrossed as it has heretofore been
with secular concerns. Though my time and talents are almost
exclusively employed in efforts to promote, at least, the tem
poral benefit of others. I find it exceedingly hard to keep
my heart right with God, to labor for God with affections set
on things above. This would probably be thought by some a sin
gular circumstance, but I find from my own experience, that
a person may be devoted to the best of causes, and may at
the same time engage in the work with secular feelings:
t to
�430
The members of all the stations expect that I shall provide
them the means of support, if those means can be obtained, and
forward them from the place of diposite, as opportunities for
doing it are afforded doing it are afforded.
It may be supposed that the responsibilities of my department,
particularly where money is concernedjpress more heavily upon
myself than upon any other member of the mission. I feel a
deeper interest in the expenses of the mission than my associ
ates, for this reason, every item of expense for all the sta
tions is before me; whereas individual members look directly
only on their own, and because I stand between them and the
Prudential Committee.
Since I heard of the embarrassment of the Treasury I have felt
more than an ordinary degree of solicitude. But I am enabled,
in a measure, to cast my care upon the Lord. The cause is
his, and he will take care that its interests shall not suffer
for want of those means which he sees needful for its success,
& which he can with infinite ease command.
This mission has abundant occasion for thanksgiving to God, for
his care over, and goodness towards it. Never have its pros
pects been brighter than they now are— Never has the nation
been in an attitude more favorable to our objects, than it is
at this moment. There are however not so many schools at this
place as there were six months ago; but they are greatly multi
plied at Tauai, Lahaina, & Kairua. Gov. Adams has given orders
for the establishment of schools from Waipio on the N. E.
tothe Division of Kau on the S. a distance embracing nearly
2/3 of the sea-board of Hawaii. He has also himself become
a teacher, and has a flourishing school under his care. Hoapire,
called also Urumaheihei, the principal Chief of Maui, says
that all those on his island, who will not attend to the
palapala, shall be banished to a desolate island in the neighborhood. Measures have been taken there for the erection of
a new building for the worship of Jehovah. Kaikioeva the new
Governor of Tauai has declared his intention to build a new
meeting house there, which, he says, shall exceed anything of
the kind in the islands. I rejoice in these tokens for good,
& am amazed at the unexampled displays of the divine favor
towards this nation.
But of little importance are meeting houses, & school houses,
or well directed efforts for the mental improvement of the
people, if the Spirit withholds his influences. May He breathe
upon this nation of dead sinners, then they will rise up a
great multitude to his praise & glory.
Desiring an interest in your prayers Sc a remembrance among
those with whom you do not fail frequently to correspond,
�431
I remain very affectionately
Your brother in the bonds of the Gospel
Levi Chamberlain
P. S . You will be glad doubtless to know that my health has been
uniformly good since my arrival--My complaint of the lungs
has entirely disappeared, and, as I have much reason to hope,
never to return while I live in a warm climate.
From
Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd
May 16, 1825
To
Mr. Rufus Anderson
Asst. Secy A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston,
U. S. A.
�432
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 48
Honoruru Dec. 14, 1824
Honored and very Dear Sir,
It is but a short time since I wrote and I have nothing now
very particular to communicate, yet I cannot deny myself the
pleasure of improving so good an opportunity as the return of
Mr. Hunnewell to his country after an absence of more than five
years presents.
You will recollect that Mr. Hunnewell was one of the officers
of the Thaddeus at the time the first missionary expedition
embarked on board that vessel for these islands. He shared
with that first missionary band the dangers & hardships of the
voyage, assisted in their debarkation and has resided ever since
contiguous to those who were established at this station.
His kind attentions & his uniformly correct deportment have
secured him the esteem of the missionaries. The information
which he will be able to communicate respecting the circum
stances & operations of the mission you will doubtless regard
as a favor to receive and he no doubt a happiness to give.
Not being one of our fraternity his acquaintance with our domes
tic policy & internal operations cannot be expected to be of the
estimation in which their labors & operations are held by the
residents and of the opinions they form of our objects. But
though the missionary in the discharge of his duty is not to
court the admiration of the mere men of the world or even
their approbation particularly if they make the acquisition
of property or the pursuit of pleasure their summum bonum yet
he cannot always be entirely indifferent to what they may
think of his motives & the tendency of his exertions.
The vessel has given a signal for sailing--I must hasten to a
close by desiring a kind remembrance to Mr. Hill & Mr. Anderson
& by assuring you that I remain as ever
Your affectionate freind & humble servant,
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd July 5, 1825
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqw
Co r .Sec A. B. C. F . M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
By Mr. James Hunnewell
�433
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 49
Honoruru, Jany 1825
Honored & very Dear Sir,
I have taken the liberty of writing frequently to you, and
often with a degree of freedom which perhaps needs an apology.
If I have written in too ifamiliar a manner or have obtruded
my communications too frequently upon your notice, I beg you
will attribute the fault to strong feelings of personal regard
not sufficiently under the control of judgement. I know, the
interest you feel in the missions established by the Board,
makes you desirous to hear as frequently as possible from them ,
and to learn, not only the personal condition of the laborers ,
but the success of their work and your feelings are particular
ly gratified when there are indications of special favor, and
evidence that the great Head of the Church has been pleased
to smile upon the labors of his missionary servants.
Without intending to make statements that shall supercede joint
official communications of the stations, or in the least in
terfere with them, I have, as a private friend, endeavored to
transmit to you, as conveyances have been presented, imperfect
sketches of the general state of missionary operations here
and notices of any incidents that have transpired, affecting
our work. And the liberty I have taken meets, I doubt not,
the entire approbation of my brethren.
Since the embarkation of Mr. Ellis, the labors of Mr. Bingham
have been peculiarly arduous; but less so than they would have
been had Karaimoku & Kaahumanu been at this place. They are
both still absent. Karaimoku, however, is expected to return
in the course of a month. He would probably have been here
before this time had not his attention been called to Niihau
(Oneehow) where one of his small schooners has gone ashore & re
ceived much damage.
Kaahumanu is at Tauai, and exerts an influence in favor of
our objects wherever she goes. It seems to be her ambition
not to be outdone by any one in patronising instruction.
She had taken up a temporary residence at Koholalele, an in
land district on the windward side of the island shout two
miles from Wairua, where she has built a meeting house, & a
school house. Mr. Whitney left his family at Waimea, from, which
Koholalele is distant about 30 miles, & made her a visit.
His arrival was welcomed by Kaahumanu and Keariiahonui, who
received him with expressions of pleasure & joy. He says,
in a letter to Mr. B. "I have had no such meeting with the
Chiefs. The pleasure of meeting an affectionate child, could
not have been expressed more unfeignedly. I have not a doubt
of their sincere attachment to the mission, ;and their inten
tion to promote its interests." He spent one Sabbath there,
and preached in the new Church, which was filled with atten
tive hearers.
�434
tive hearers.
The return of Karaimoku & Kaahumanu to this place will be
hailed by the missionaries, and be regarded as a signal for
increased exertion. I regret very much that there is a prob
ability of Mr. Bingham's being absent at the time of their
arrival. Dr. Blatchely’s health not being very good, Mr. Bing
hams departure for Waiakea, to attend on the family of Mr. Ruggles, has been thought indispensible. Mrs. Whitney’s illness
seeming to require the attention of the Doctor, he went down
in November to Tauai. He found her, however, much to his
satisfaction, less dangerously affected than he had feared; and,
after a short stay left her convalescent. His passage up was
very long and uncomfortable, and his health, having previously
been delicate, suffered considerably.
An opportunity of going to Waiakea will soon
the first that has offered for more than six
Doctors health adequate to the voyage, and a
the island to Kairua, where his services are
needed in March in the family of Mr. Bishop,
his duty to go rather than Mr. B ’s.
be afforded,
months. Were the
journey across
expected to be
we should think it
It is expected however that the Dr. will be under the necessity
of leaving this place for Lahaina & Kairua unless it should be
found practicable to remove two families here for a season.
On some accounts their removal hither would be desirable,
particularly if Mr. B--g. should go away; but, upon the whole,
it will occasion a derangement of plans for missionary operations ,
that should, if possible, be avoided.
The work is, in general, in a very prosperous state. At this
place several of the schools, which were suspended in conse
quence of the war at Tauai, have been resumed, and arrange
ments are making to commence the work of instruction with vigor
as soon as Karaimoku returns. There is an increasing attention
to religious meetings:
and a prayer meeting for females has re
cently been proposed, and has met the cordial approbation of
Opiia, who is forward in attending upon all the means of instruc
tion, & recommending it to others. At Lahaina the work prospers--Schools have been established on every part of Maui—
and the constant cry from that quarter is "give us books"
.
Schools are also established on the island of Ranai, and will
soon, we hope, be established on Morokai. At Kairua & Kaavaroa
the efforts of the missionaries are crowned with encouraging
success. The edition of the hymns will be distributed long,
we fear, before a new one can be printed--Our edition of 7000 of
the elementary sheet is nearly expended, and a new elementary
work is contemplated.--—
We need many things; most of all, & first of all, w e need a
supremely devoted spirit— a spirit of self-denyal & missionary
enterprise— Next, we need more love to the heathen, & more of
that spirit of prayer which says to God, "We will not let thee
go except thou bless us".— after that, w e need the prayers of
�455
patrons, helpers 8c the Christian Church— and lastly, we need
the means,— the pecuniary means of carrying on our work.--We need paper & types, slates & pencils & all the apparatus
for writing— Finally, we need more laborers of the true stamp—
per sons that are qualified to preach, and who are willing to
suffer the loss of all things for Ch rist.--who are willing to be
come all things to all men, and above all, who are willing to
be nothing, and to count themselves unprof . servants after
they have done all.
No intelligence has been recently rec.d from Waiakea. That is
an important post, and it must be maintained if possible ; but
I fear unless more missionaries are soon sent out, the station
will suffer. Mr. Ruggles is needed at Tauai,:and he will
doubtless feet his duty to return as soon as the circumstances
of his family will permit, 8c a favorable opportunity presents.
With kind regards to Mrs. Evarts & an affectionate remembrance
to M r s . Evarts & an affectionate remembrance to Mr. Anderson
who I hope has by the favor of providence. been restored to health
& to his labors,
I am Dear sir very affecty
Your friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain
From
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
R e c ’d
Sept. 1, 1825-To
Jeremiah Evarts, E sqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No, 50
436
Honoruru, January 13 1825
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr
Sir,
I have the pleasure of introducing to your acquaintance Mr. B.
B. Green, who by several years residence in these islands,
has acquired such a knowledge of the manners & customs of the
natives, and of the operations of the mission instituted for
their benefit, as to be qualified to communicate much informa
tion respecting both.
As he will stop a few days at Tauai before taking his final
leave of the islands he will be able to state the present con
dition of political affairs there.
I am, Dear Sir, very respectfully
Your obedient servant
Levi Chamberlain
From
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Rec ’d
Sept. 6, 1825
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr
No 69 Market Street
Boston
U. S. A.
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 52
437
Honoruru, May 7th 1825
Honored & very Dear Sir
My letter to Mr. Hill by this conveyance contains an abstract
of the expenses of this mission for the year ending April 30th,
by which it appears that the mission has expended $6777 67/100.
In valuing those means of support that have been received from
America, directly from the Board or from benevolent individuals
& societies, and those that have been received at the islands
from foreign visitants, I have had reference tothe prices of
foreign commodities at the islands. I mention this that you
may know the reason why the nominal amount of our expenditures
is greater than the actual amount in cash paid out of the
treasury of the Board. I had no means of ascertaining the cost
of the supplies received from America by the Dauphin. In valuing
them , at the time I sent them to the stations, I was careful to
affix a price which I supposed would cover the cost and charges.
I did not however value them at so high a price as I should
have been obliged to give for the same commodities, had I been
under the necessity of procuring them at the islands.
So the shipping of supplies from America will be found a sav
ing of expense to the mission, even though thirty dollars freight
or more should be paid per ton, and an agreement made to pay the
port charges at the islands, in case the supplies are forwarded
by a whaling ship. If the shipment should be large the port
charges would in most cases be remitted. In future, ships
stopping at the islands merely for refreshments will be allowed
to enter the outer harbor for 6 cents pr ton, and the inner
harbor for 10 cents. This regulation will greatly reduce the
port charges; and I doubt not that regulations will be made
fixing the price of supplies at a reasonable rate, so we may
expect that this port will be frequented by most or all the
whaling ships sailing from Nantucket & New Bedford. The port
charge s on vessels entering to discharge a cargoof merchandise
will be raised, such vesselw ill be required to pay for anchor
age in the outer harbor 50 cents a ton, & the inner harbor
60 cents.
In articles received from America I distributed to the amount
of $3118.03. This did not entirely exhaust the Depository, but
it included by far the greater past of the supplies received
from America during the year 1824. Within the last year I
have drawn upon the Treasurer for the following sums: viz.
1824
Sep. 23 In favor of Cap. John Ebbets at 50 days $500---Nov. 25 ---- " ---- Mr. C. H. Hammatt
90
"
583:20
1825
Jany 4
" --- Mr. Thomas Crocker 90
218.55
Mar. 8
" --- Cap. John Ebbetts,
90
500.00
500.00
"
" ---Do
120
rl
Israel Thorndike Esqr
by Mr. Ely
25 :00
$2326:75
�438
The expenses of Honoruru & Tauai will probably be as great
the ensuing year as they were the last. Lahaina will be greater
Kairua probably less, Waiakea about the same. The station at
Kairua includes also Kaavaroa.
The reasons why the expenses
of that station the last year were do g reat are the following;
The first is that the families have furnished themselves with
separate houses & separate establishments, which have been con
structed entirely at the expense o f the mission, The second is,
that the region of Kairua & Kaavaroa has been visited with a
distressing drought, which occasioned a scarcity & greatly
raised the price of provisions;--Another and not the least of
the three is, that the Chief of Kairua though decidedly friendly
to the objects of the mission and pleased with the residence
of the missionaries there, has contributed scarcely nothing
to their support, but on the contrary has seemed desirous of
making as much money out of the two brethren as lay in his
power.
The Chief of Kaararoa though friendly & liberal was
absent during the season of the greatest scarcity. The last is
the expense of fresh water.
The Chiefs are decidedly in favor of our maintaining the station
at Hido, & will do all in their power to enable us to effect
so desirable an object. Mr. Goodrich is now at this station &
expresses a willingness to remain there a season alone after
the return of Mr. Ruggles to Tauai.
Mr. Goodrich expects to set out today on his return in the
Blonde frigate which sails for Hido with Kaahumanu and other
Chiefs.
The joint letter will give you a succinct history of the
affairs of the mission from the date of the last public com
munications of the mission down to the present time.
The prospect of a complete triumph of truth over error & of
purity & righteousness over pollution and fraud is every day
brightening.
Such a sight as was witnessed here last Sabbath
would have filled with rejoicing every friend of missions.---Ten persons after relating their religious experience stood
forth in the presence of a full congregation and publicly
signified their desire to become the L o r d ’s, to be baptised
in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, and to conform
to all the precepts of the Gospel.
These were Richard Karaaioulu, Kapiolani, Kaahumanu, Karaimoku, Opiia, Keriiahonui,
Hoapiriwahine, Tapule, & Laanui the husband-of Opiia.
There
were many more willing to make the same engagement, who give
as much evidence of a change of heart as the above, but who
could not then be examined for want of time.
Kaahumanu' s visit to Hawaii will doubtless be productive of
great good to that dark island.
She builds a house of worship wherever she goes, enjoins the
observance of the Sabbath, & exerts her authority for the es
tablishment of schools & the universal instruction of the
people.--
�439
Your kind & very acceptable letter of Oct. 15 1824 by the
Griffon was rec d at Oahu, March 22nd 1825. I wrote by the
Mentor which sailed for Canton D ec. 14, 1824--by the Parthian
which sailed Jany 13th and by the Tamehameha which sailed for
South A. M. March 27th.
I remain, Dear Sir, very affectionately & truly
Your friend & serv't in the bonds of the Gospel
Levi Chamberlain
Prom
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
R e c ’d
April 10, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor . Sec. A. B . C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
By the Adonis, Capt. Coffin
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 53
440
Oahu June 18th, 1825
V ery Dear Sir,
I wrote you by the Schooner Adonis which sailed on the 9th
instant, and gave you a view of the pecuniary state of the
Mission, If the Adonis shall arrive safely & in due season,
of which however we have some fears, you will receive a joint
letter containing a general view of the prospects of the mission,
and the great encouragent to labor, afforded us in the success
which has already crowned the preaching of the word of God, and
the other instructions of the missionaries.
The joint letter informed you of a general meeting of the mission
which took place at this station in May. The enclosed is a
copy of the minutes a duplicate of which was forwarded with the
joint letter.
On the 7th the Blonde Frigate sailed for Hido, and Mr. Good
rich, who had been on a visit to this station, by permission
of Lord Byron, took passage on board for Waiakea. Mr. & Mrs.
Stewart took passage also for the benefit of Mrs. S.s health.
A scripture tract 8c a catechism are just out of press two
copies of which have been put up for you by Mr. Loomis and will
be forwarded herewith.
Another small book is contemplated, and if we had paper we
should multiply books as fast as they could be prepared for the
press 8c printed.
We need slates for the learners. Those sent out in the Almira
would have been all taken up in a fortnight it this station,
if we would have disposed of them.— Some were almost angry
with us, that we had no more to dispose of . We sold them for
vegetables & other supplies at three or four times the cost
of them in America.
If we had lead pencils, we could dispose of a great quantity
of them to our own advantage, 8c to the great advantage of the
p eople.
With sincere desires that you may be strengthened for the dis
charge of your highly important & arduous labors; and with ear
nest prayers that you & your associates may see abundant suc
cess crown the efforts of the Board to communicate the glad
tidings of salvation to the perishing tribes of men,
I remain, Dear Sir very affectionately
�and truly, your friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain
Prom
Levi Chamberland
R e c ’d
March 13, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
C o r . Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
No 69 Market Street
Boston
U. S. A.
Pr the Tartar, Cap. Gerry
�442
31
March 1824 - March 1827
Honoruru Augt
X
N o . 54
17th 1825
My Dear brother,
Your letters by the Griffon and the Phoenix came duly to hand,
the perusal of which gave me true pleasure. I am greatly in
debted to you for your affectionate and vary kind rememberance
of me. I shalllnot attempt to make compensation, for I should
fail even to express my obligation. My thoughts are often
with you at the missionary Rooms.-— I behold you busily engaged
in your arduous labors; and my prayers ascend that your strength
may hold out, and that your life may be spared many years to
bless the cause of missions in which you labor. The Lord, I
trust, has much for you to do; and he will enlarge your sphere
according to his own measure abundantly
I rejoice to learn that your health has improved since you
wrote by the Griffon, and that it is so far restored as not
to need a voyage to the South. The prospect of seeing you at
these islands was very pleasant; scarcely nothing could have
given me more joy than to have welcomed you to these shores.
And had you been allowed to come, you could not but have joined
with the mission in praising God for the prospects of the nation.
You would indeed have seen much to excite your sympathy and
draw forth the earnest prayer that Satan's chain might be
speedily broken from the hearts of this ignorant and degraded
people and their wills brought into subjection to the Gospel.
Such a report as you would be able to make from the materials
you would have it in your power to collect by visiting these
islands could hot fail to be interesting & useful to the friends
or even the enemies of missions.
Though I should regret the necessity of your leaving the Missionary Rooms for the benefit of your health, to make a visit for
the purpose of collecting information, making observation and
gaining an accurate knowledge of the state of the nation & pros
pects of the mission,---! cannot but hope that the Prudential
Committee will feel the subject, from other considerations, of
sufficient importance, to constitute you an agent to execute
such a commission.
A tour of all the principal islands by one or two of the mis
sionaries could not but be productive of good to the people &
beneficial to the mission as it would afford us an opportunity
of becoming acquainted with the condition & character of the
people, and the people of knowing better, expensively, & more
fully our objects & motives in coming to the islands. Though
such a tour could not be undertaken without some inconvenience
to the missionaries, they would have an additional motive to
undertake it from the consideration of being accompanied by
an agent of the Board with such an object in view. You would
see the heathen in their blindness and degradation; and you
�443
would gain a better knowledge of their real state, than your
would be likely to gain by many years spent in reading the best
written accounts.— You would be an eye-witness to scenes which
It would not be easy or even proper to represent on paper, but
which would nevertheless be well for the directors of missions
to k n o w . You would see numbers who would be offended not to be
termed Christian letting themselves dow n in the scale of morals
below the heathen, and shaming by their vileness even the
most degraded of them.--You would have occasion to blush at
the name of Christian were you to regard many that are here
denominated by it as its true representatives.--But I have
said enough upon this subject. The world abounds with evil
and Satan has his votaries in every region of the earth--O that
the Lord would cut short his reign and liberate those who
have been led captive by him at his will.
The work of the mission prospers as you will learn from other
sources. I wish I could tell you that I am doing as much as
I ought to help it forward. It is thought by many that mis
sionaries if not angels are nearly allied to them. Alas'.
I feel that I am hardly a Christian;— and so far from possessing
the spirit and temper of those holy spirits who are like flames
of fire to do the will of God I do not deserve to be mentioned
even as a helper to the least engaged in the missionary work.
You would rejoice to see what ground the whole system of in
struction has gained since the war at Tauai. The Lord seems
to have overruled that event to great good; and though a new
impulse had been given to the wor k before the news reached us
of the kings death, yet I have no doubt but that event though
dark will turn out to the furtherance of the Gospel in this
land.— Had the king returned with incorrect notions of religion,and that we have reason to fear would have been the case, though
he might have favored instruction, his influence would have
been directed against the most important object of our mission.
If the king should disregard the Sabbath his subjects would do
the same. If he were to treat religion with contempt, most of
his subjects would look upon it as a thing not worthy of their
regard. Many of the immediate dependants, of Rihoriho were
only waiting his return, and permission from him, to make vig
orous opposition against the measures of the missionaries to
introduce improvement & cause reformation.
Boki has returned a real friend, as we trust, to theobjects
of the mission, and we are not without hope, a true friend
to religion. He sees now more fully than he ever could have
seen, had he remained at home, the value of instruction &
civilization.-The Chiefs are much engaged in the cause of improvement:
they
holdfrequent meetings for mutual encouragement, and to stim
ulate one another to persevere In the good way they have com
menced:
They are about commencing a large stone meeting house
at this place.
Our present house is not large enough to accom
modate one third and probably not one quarter of those who
�444
would attend on the preaching of the word if they could he ac
commodated within.--
I am astonished when I contemplate the change which has taken
place within the short space of one year. It is surprising
that the most distinguished persons in the nation should be
the first to be called into the kingdom. The Apostle says,
"Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble are called"--but here it seems to be the reverse--and
this is evidently of the Lord & is an indication that he is
about to save this nation,
If the Chiefs did not favor instruction & religion, it would be
almost impossible to get the attention of the common people.
If the interest on the subject of religion which now exists
has been produced by the Spirit of the Lord it will continue
& increase, if not, it will revert & we shall have occasion
to mourn. You will perceive by the whole of this communication
that though there is much pollution 8c much to pain the heart
in this land— still there is much to cheer & animate. It
becomes us to rejoice with trembling, as we may be called to
weep oyer some who run well for a season.--Requesting a rememberance i n your prayers, and the continued
rememberance of your pen,
I remain, as ever, most sincerely yours
Levi Chamberlain
P. S. Augt 20th
I wrote you in March 1824, by the way of
Canton, I have just learned that the Champion, Capt. Preeble
bound to Hamburg, on board which they were put as the most
favorable conveyance that could then be found, is a missi n g
ship. By that opportunity I wrote to Mr. Evarts, Mr. Hubbard,
8c Mr. Pay.
Prom Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd Feb. 14, 1826
To Rufus Anderson,
Asst. Secy. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Ms.
U . S . America
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 55
445
Honoruru Augt. 27th 1825
Respected & very Dear Sir,
It affords me great pleasure to be able again to address you,
though I shall probably not communicate much that will be
materially interesting that will not be imparted in the Jour
nal and letters by this conveyance and in the Journal and
public letter forwarded about a fortnight ago by the Equator.
You will rejoice with us in view of what God has done and seems
about to do for this people.-- If it may with propriety be said
that from the moment of the landing of the missionaries in
1820, to the present hour, there has been a regular advance
of civilization and improvement; with no less propriety may
it be said, that every step of this advance, whether of a moral
or intellectual nature, has been made directly against a strong
opposing current of vice & immorality, of detraction and evil
counsel.
The account which the missionaries give of the improved con
dition of this people--their regard to integrity, and rise in
the scale of morals, will differ very materially from the rep
resentations of many who pretend to be shrewd in judging of
character, and marking the progress of improvement. It is
not uncommon to hear such persons say,"The people are growing
worse and worse:
they are worse by far than they were twenty
years ago;--then was there some honor in them.-- The scale
upon which such persons gratuate morals, and by which they judge
of character and improvement, requires to be reversed to cor
respond with ours. They put darkness for light, and light
for darkness: call evil good, and good evil. They regard that
ignorance which may be imposed upon, and that utter disregard
of moralprinciple that allows of the most unbounded licentious
ness & sensuality, an evidence of virtue and integrity, & a
mark of great amiableness. Therefore a whole nation possessing
this character ranges high in theirscale.— Perhaps the truth
of my position may be best illustrated by a fact of recent date.
A few Sabbaths ago the members of this station were invited to
attend the funeral of one of the oldest residents on these
islands, whose end had been hastened by intemperance, & who has
a large family of daughters, the purity of every one of which
has been sacrificed tohis love of gain, and destitution of
moral principle. As we proceeded towards the house, whence
his remains were to be removed for interment, we were disgust
ed with the sight of flags hoisted at half mast, as a sign of
mourning, in front of all the grog shops in the village.
At the house there was some appearance of decency; a prayer
was offered by one of the missionaries, at the close of which
the coffin was placed in a waggon, beside which some of the
oldest residents and two or three captains who have much fre
quented the islands took their position as hearers.
A procession
was then formed consisting of the widow & son of the deceased,
�•
446
and the daughters each supported by a foreign residents, followed
by most of the foreigners in the place a m in arm with their
paramours, some of them being the most notoriously vile &
shameless characters the islands have ever produced. Some of
the missionaries were invited to fall in and join the proces
sion, - But the scene was too disgusting, and the transaction
too much an outrage upon the rules of decency and Christian
decorum to allow the countenance of their presence--- So they
walked aside. This procession might perhaps be adducedby cer
tain characters as a solitary instance of improvement.//While
passing along through the crowd that pressed around the funer
al procession, I heard a black fellow, with an oath, utter an
expression, which he had probably heard dropt from the lips of
others, addressing himself to some natives who stood in his
way, and who perhaps were repeating some thing out of their
spelling book-- "Away with your palapala--lt has done you more
hurt than good ."!
You know too well the natural enmity of the human heart to that
which is truly good, to allow any force to positive to positive
and unqualified assertions of this kind, against the sober tes
timony of persons of undoubted veracity.
The light of knowledge and religion has shown upon this people,
and much of the darkness which formerly enveloped their minds
has in the case of not a few been dispelled. They understand
their own interests better than they once did, and are not so
easily led contrary to them by designing men. The little
knowledge which they have gained has enabled them to see that
they were once imposed upon, and this makes them suspicious, and
in some cases more so than they ought to be; and what more than
all effects those to whom they are indebted, is the prospect
that those debts will never be wholly cancelled;--and they
are disposed to charge the fault, some way or other, upon
the new light which has shone upon them.
The knowledge of communicating their thoughts in writing enables
the Chiefs to transmit orders from one island to another with
facility, and to apprise one another of their wishes and de
signs.--! am adquainted with an instance of this kind, which
occurred to the detriment of a foreigner, but in perfect jus
tice. The foreigner was very angry, and vilified the chiefs,
declaring that their being able to write made them vain, and
much worse than they otherwise would be.
So soon as the Chiefs shall make it a criminal act for females
to go on board ships for the purposes of prostitution, and pro
hibit their living with foreign residents unless they are
lawfully married, we may expect that the indignation of disso
lute foreigners, which is beginning to kindle, will burst into
a flame:
"But he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the
Almighty shall have them in derision".
Though we have many encouragements to labor, and the prospect
�447
before us, that the Lord will ere long visit us in mercy to
build up his cause; yet we every day see much calculated to
fill our minds with distress & awaken the most lively sympathy;
the progress of vice, as it sw e e p s through the land, can hardly
be said to be checked; the current sets strong to evil, and
runs rapid towards perdition. We can only say in view of the
wide spread desolation of sin before and around us, aloha in o .
(Our hearts are affected, or great compassion), May God arise
in his power, and save this people from their delusions.— I hope our drafts on the Treasury for the current year will be
fewer and smaller than for the three last years. The mission is
supplied abundantly with the staple articles of food . I think
we have beef and pork on hand sufficient for two years and shall
not need a new supply next season unless we should dispose of
a pact of our present store.
We shall however need to expend in various ways an amount
considerably greater than the value of the articles, by the
Phoenix, designed particularly as articles of trade.
You have by former communications been fully apprised that at
every station the work of building in some form or other will
be constantly going on for an indefinite period to come.
The brethren at Kairua are comfortable for the present in tem
porary thatched dwellings. Mr. Bishop's premises are enclosed
by a stone wall, but Mr. Thurston's, around which he wishes a
wall of larger dimensions, remains exposed, owing to our want
of pecuniary means to complete the work.
Mr. Ely's house at Kaararoa needs repairs, to effect which I
must soon furnish the means. Mr. Whitney writes from Tauai,"My
hou se is tumbling down over our heads ". He remarked that he
had some plans for building, which would require aid from the
Depository to carry into effect. The return of Mr. Ruggles to
Tauai with his family, will occasion a new demand on our resources,
as he will, at first, have but a temporary accommodation, his
house at Hanapepe having been spoiled in the war, and it being
moreover his intention to establish himself for the present
at Waimea.
Mr. Goodrich at Waiakea, unless he should find it necessary
to abandon the station, will remove from the spot first occu
pied, and will need assistance from the common ,stock in es
tablishing himself in a new situation.
meet all these wants
o
T
no inconsiderable sum will be needed.-- A new item of expend
iture which has heretofore been merged in the aggregate sum of
our expenses deserves to be particularized. The breaking up
of the mission into separate establishments has thrown the
care of a cook-house upon each family, and increased our need
of help in the domestic department. It has been a subject
of doubt with me how great a sum it is proper for the mission
to expend for the single particular of domestic help. There
are but few families in the mission that regard native assistance
�448
of much value, so far as cooking is concerned; most prefer
foreigners, though the best we generally are able to obtain,
render but indifferent aid.
Poor as it is, at Honoruru we
must give from 8 to 10 dollars a month;--at some of the other
stations the brethren have been able toobtain it less. But
upon the lowest average such help would cost $6 pr month,
exclusive of their board, and, to supply all the families of
the mission, at this low rate, will amount to about $800 pr
year, independent of what it will cost for natives, of which
each family will have one or more, either as permanent or
occasional residents—
I am satisfied that most of the ladies of the mission have
had too much domestic care, and their healths have in conse
quence suffered; but it has seemed to be unavoidable; it Is
nevertheless desirable, that the hardest of the labor of the
cook house should be transferred to others more able to bear
it.
If the subject of expense for domestic assistance is of suffi
cient importance to merit your attention. I should be happy
to know your opinion upon the subject.
In a former letter to yourself, and also to Mr. Hill, I men
tioned Broad cloth as a good article of trade, I have no reason
to change my opinion, but I think cotton goods will be likely to
be more profitable for our use. Bleached Factory cotton is
a desirable article, it should be good width.
I mentioned In my letter to Mr. Hill by the E quator a number
of articles which I thought would answer our purpose as articles
of trade, I would now mention, for the use of the families,
a few pieces of fine Sea island Cotton, such as was sent by
the Phoenix ./--Hats also for the missionaries ,--we are under
the necessity of purchasing here occasionally at a great
price.
I have no means now of ascertaining the sizes, but
mostly, I should judge, of the middle size,--a few below, and
one perhaps a little above.
You will please to act your pleasure, however, as to sending
them.
I will add white lead, paint oil, whiting for putty or manufac
tured putty, fine penknives for the missionaries, and a few
of a more common kind for the teachers .--Carpenters tools
are needed at some of the stations; viz. Jack, fore-planes,
smoothing planes;--an assortment of narrow chisels, firmir
and mortising. A pair of steelyards todraw from 30 to 50 lb.
for each station is desirable--One pair for the depository
somewhat larger.-I have stated to Mr. Hill, that it will be an accommodation
to us to receive Cash from America, if the Committee should
think it proper to send it.— M o ney is beginning to be an im
portant article, and can be used in many instances to more
advantage than articles of trade, particularly in paying workmen .
�449
We expend annually more than a thousand dollars in cash, which
we are obliged to borrow at from 20 to 25 pr Cent advance.-I remain, Dear Sir with sentiments of the highest respect &
esteem Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd Jan. 31st, 1836
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
Corresponding Secretary
o f the A . B . C . F . M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Pr the Dauphin, Capt. Swain
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 56
450
Honoruru O c t . 15th, 1825
My Dear Sir,
The dark & mysterious event of God’s providence which removes
from this highly important field a valued family of our mission
ary company calls for resignation and quiet submission. God
is a Sovereign, and we dare not murmur at any of his dispensa
tions, since we have the fullest assurance that all are deter
mined in wisdom and uprightness, and have for their end the
glory of God and the extension of the Redeemer’s kingdom.
You will not need be informed by me of the reasons of brother
Stewart’s return as you will doubtless have them from the proper
Source; and I doubt not you will approve the step, although
you cannot but regret the necessity for it.
The return of Mr. Stewart will afford him the happiness of a
personal interview with you, and he will have it in his power
to give you a full account of the State & prospects of the mis
sion. Those things which are general & relate to the success
of our work will deservedly share the greatest portion of
your attention & interest: and amidst the many inquiries you
will feel it proper to make, and topics relating to this mission
which will present themselves to your mind for consideration,
I fear a Subject so insignificant as the convenience in a cer
tain particular of a single member of the mission will be re
garded as an intrusion, and esteemed a matter too trifling to
occupy your attention.
Perhaps I ought to ask pardon for alluding to a subject, which
once received your deliberate attention and full decision.
As circumstances are continually altering by the lapse o f time
and the mutations of this changing world, you will not be sur
prised that a measure which three years ago was totally inex
pedient should at the present time be perfectly proper.
O n the departure of Mr. Ellis for America I availed myself of
his friendship to make known to you in a confidential way my
feelings upon the Subject of matrimony— We have not yetheard
of his arrival, though we have no reason to doubt of its having
been seasonable and safe, and of course I have no information
of his having had an interview with you, or any conversation
on the subject in question; and this together with the present
favorable opportunity is the reason of my writing at this time
upon the subject.
The substance of my request to Mr. Ellis was, that he would
make known to you, that, although my purpose of obeying implicit
ly what might seem to be the voice of Providence was unchanged,
I nevertheless was not indifferent to the subject of matrimony-that I was willing the question relative to my being favored
with a companion should be decided by the Providence of God;— that should an individual be found possessing all the requisite
�451
qualifications for a missionary, and a conveyance be afforded
to these islands, the Prudential Committee would decide u pon the
propriety of sending her.
My desire to abide cheerfully in the condition the Lord may
appoint, I trust will reconcile me to all his alotments, and
if I have the supports of his hand I need not dispond.
•
I will however remark that it is subject of constant & pungent
regret, that sonmany of my concerns must of necessity vest
upon individuals who are sinking under other cares and labors.
If the subject is worthy of consideration, I can with the
utmost confidence and pleasure refer you to Mr. Stewart for
his views and opinion.
With Sentiments of The highest respect and consider
ation, I am, Dear Sir,
Your friend & Servant
Levi Chamberlain
From
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
R e c ’d
Aug. 19, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
C o r . Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U.S.A.
�452
March 1824 - March 1827
31
X
.
N o . 57
Honoruru Oct. 19th, 1825
My Dear Sir,
I have but just time by this opportunity to inform you that I
have shipped on board the Chili Capt. Barnard of Nantucket one
box containing books and two barrels numbered 1 & 2 for Mr.
Stewart, The vessel may possibly enter the port of New York,
in this case the packages will be left with Mr. Samuel Whiting—
if at Nantucket, they will be forwarded to the Missionary Rooms.
Should you receive them at the Missionary Rooms please inform
Mr. Whiting of the fact.
I am Dear Sir,
very respectfully
and truly yours,
Levi Chamberlain
P. S. Unexanpled prosperity attends our work— There is a great
call for books, but our supply ofpaper is altogether inade
quate to meet the demand. All the paper wehave on hand will be
needed Mr. Bingham thinks before the close of the year for a
new edition of the hymns, so that we shall not have a sheet
for the Gospel of Matthew which we hope to have ready for the
press by the commencement of the next year. The want of paper
will be likely to retard the work in a very considerable de
gree. We can hardly express our grief & disappointment that
our Supplies, though for small works sufficient, yet for the
printing of the Scriptures have been so scanty. We know that
it has not been the fault of the Board for we are sure they
would rejoice to have it in their power to keep the press
in their islands constantly in motion sending ou t the word of
God and spreading in every direction the means of instruction
What is expended for paper may be considered as somuch towards
our personal Support, for books will serve us instead of many
article's of trade. I am convinced that $10 worth of paper
will go as far towards our Support at this Station as $10 in
money, and as the demand for books increases the more import
ant will they be as an article of support.—
The traders do
not seem disposed to bring paper though the natives would buy
it of them at a Suitable price in large quantities.-(Complimentary closing of this letter missing)
To
From
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Re c ’d
May 20, 1826
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Boston, U . S . A .
Ship Chile, Capt. Bernard
�453
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 58
Honoruru Oct. 28th 1825
Respected and very Dear Sir,
A few days ago I wrote by the Chili, of Nantucket and informed
you of having committed to the care of the master C ap. Barnard,
who kindly consented to take them gratis a box & two barrels
belonging to Mr. Stewart, to be left with Mr. Samuel Whiting
of New York, should the vessel arrive there, or to be sent to
the Missionary Rooms, whould the vessel arrive at Nantucket.
The necessity of Mr. Stewart's return is deeply lamented by the
mission. Mr. Richards remarks in a recent communication, Mr.
Stewart's departure casts a cloud over the Station which noth
ing can dispel, but the arrival of another as good as he to
join it.
More laborers are very greatly needed.
The necessity has been
very fully stated in the joint communication of this station,
and the sending out of five ordained missionaries and a physi
cian has been urged in themost pressing manner. I am satis
fied that the Prudential Committee, and you, my Dear Sir,
have, but one feeling upon the subject, and that is, regret
that there is such a deficiency of men and m o n e y . Good men
possessing the qualifications which you have often described
are needed, and no others. The five missionaries are needed
not to occupy new posts, which I hardly need inf o r m you might
be multiplied indefinitely, but to carry on the work of stations
already established, and which are maintained at present single
handed, and must be so, till the missionary sinks under multi
plied cares & labors, unless others arrive t ohis aid.-------The subject of expense operates not a little, as well it may,
against a re-enforcement's being sent to our assistance in the
present state of the funds.--Our expenses have been, and must
continue to be great, but the increase of expense by the addi
tion of five families to our number will not be in the exact
ratio of the increase of then umbe r s .
It must be evident that to maintain & carry on the work of a
station, only by one family, must be more expensive than to
maintain an additional family at a station already established.-A reason of much weight with us, that we should have more laborers
is, that one missionary maintaining a station alone will be
likely to wear out much sooner than if he had an associate,
and an additional reason is, his exposureto insult & abuse,
which he needs an associate to help him to bear. To illustrate
the desirableness of every missionary's having an associate
not only to assist in carrying on the great & good work towhich
he has devoted his life, but to be a comfort and help in time
of persecution and danger, I will transcribe a letter received
by one of our number from Mr. Richards.
It will serve to sh o w
the character of some of our visitants, as well as some of the
trials of a faithful missionary in these islands.
�454
Lahaina Friday morn. Oct. 7, 1825
Dear B r o . B .—
We are yet alive, although an hour ago, I had little hope of
anything but immediate death. Our house was surrounded by 20
English sailors armed with knives. We had but few men in the
yard with us and they unarmed. The Chiefs refuse to guard us
by arms, and the men about/40 in number from the ship Daniel
appear bent on having our lives, or our consent to females
going on board their ship. I need not tell you which we
choose.
Now there are between 40 and 50 persons in our house, and as
many more without; but six resolute foreigners with knives
would drive them all. You can judge of our situation; Our feel
ings we cannot describe. For once we know the value of a Chris
tian hope; and a part of the time we feel a pleasure in the
thought of laying down our lives in our triumphant cause.
The American ships do not molest us, and some of them have
gone so far as to tell the Chiefs to guard u s . The end we can
not foresee.--If our lives will promote our great and good
cause, and there should be none but these partly enlightened
people to tell the circumstances of our death,--you may rest
assured that we die rejoicing in thebelief of the final trium p . of our cause, and rejoicing in the hope that we have
done with trouble and with pain.--- — Should things continue
as they are, Mrs. R. must fail before many days.
Yours in haste & confusion,
Wm. Richards
If an opportunity should offer immediately for some one to
come to our help, you can judge how much comfort it would be
to us, you too can judge what will be expedient. W. R.-The event was, that violence being offered by oneof the sailors
by stabbing at a native who was guarding the gate, the people
were immediately called out with arms, and the house and person
of Mr. R. securely guarded till the departure of the ship.
We have been threatned at this station, but apprehend no danger
as an army for our security would be called out at a moments
warning.
From
Rec'd
To
I am very respectfully and affectionately your friend
& servant,
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Aug. 21, 1826
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr., Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms, Boston, U. S. A.
�455
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 59
Honoruru, Dec. 10th, 1825
Respected & very Dear Sir,
I send by this conveyance a letter written, as you will perceive
by the date of it, to be forwarded some time ago. The reason
of its not being forwarded I have stated to Mr. Hill
Interested as you are in all the plans and operations of the
mission, in its disappointments and successes, its prosperity &
its trials, you will excuse me for an attempt to give you
a short, though imperfect history of a few passing events; and
I trust you will not regard me as intrusive if I present you
a brief sketch of some of the most important transactions of
this station, Since the dates of our last communications.
I do not know that it is Mr. Bingham's intention to write by
this opportunity, should he write and give you an account of the
same circumstances & events, my communication will be super
fluous.
Since the departure of the English ship Daniel, Capt. Buckle,
which came hither from Lahaina, and a few other ships, with
crews (though, I trust, not with Captains,) of a similar char
acter with that, we have been free from the apprenensions of
molestation; nor have we heard of any instances of insult
offered to the teachers, or scholars, as was the case during a
part of the past season.restrictive measures adapted by the chiefs to prevent females
frequenting theshi ps as formerly, if insufficient to effect all
that was desired, were by no means unsuccessful or useless.
Multitudes were prevented going on board, and a degree of disgrace became attached to thepractice, though beforeregarded
honorable.
Several individuals who were detected going off secretly, were
brought before the chiefs, and punished. In passing among the
vessels in port I have been gratified to see them free from
women. During no former season has such a pleasure been al
lowed us; but in passing through the harbor, or going on board
a ship, we have been offended with the sight of a dozen or more
half naked females, in the chains, lounging on the Windlass,
resting on the bowsprit, creeping out of the forecastle or
steerage, and, I should be happy not to say, in some instances,
even out of the Captain's state room.
We hope that the Chiefs, now they have made a beginning, will
follow up the subject with energy, till it shall be as rare to
find a prostitute, as it has been to find a chaste female,-till every notary of this vice throughout the Sandwich Islands,
shall have been turned to the paths of virtue.
After so good an example as that set by Karaimoku, Opiia, and
Tapule, Christian marriages will, I think, become frequent.
�456
There have indeed been several marriages at this place recently
and, (as M r . Richards says, ) at Lahaina they are all the fash
i o n . At Kaavaroa several have been solemnized.
T h e transactions of the last Sabbath form an era in the Sand
wich Island church, and they will never cease to retain a place
in our grateful recollection, as a display of the divine sov
ereignty & grace .
Seven Chiefs together with Richard Karaiaulu, stood forth, and
entered into solemn covenant with us & one another, pledged
themselves to be the followers of Christ, and with their
hands subscribedunto the Lord, engaging to walk in all his ways
observe his ordinances, and to serve him ever with a perfect
heart.
Karaimoku having been baptised before that ordinance was not
administered to him, but he brought forward in his arms his
little son, which was baptised by the name o f Joseph Leleohoku.
Kaahumanu received the Christian name o f Elizabeth; Opiia, that
of Lydia; Tapule, Deborah; Keriiahonui,— Aaron; Laanui the
husband of Opiia,— Gideon; Kaiu the husband of Tapule, — Simeon.
Before these interesting exercises commenced, William Kamahoula
and John C . Airepoa, who for some time have professed peni
tence, and expressed a desire to return to the right way and
approve themselves worthy the favor of the mission, stood forth
and made full confession of their faults and declared their
purpose to devote themselves anew to God. But as neither of
them has yet given us satisfactory evidence of genuine repent
ance, they were debarred the privilege of the communion. It is
proposed that both shall live in the family of Opiia contiguous
to the missionaries, that their conduct may be inspected, and
that they may be under a course of daily instruction.
In the afternoon, the newly admitted members, with all the
members of the mission at this station, amounting to eleven
in number, together with Boki, who is allowed to core to the
table as an occasional communicant, sat down to commemorate
the dying love of--our Lord & Redeemer:
And Mr. Whitney who
had just returned from Hawaii, where he had been invested
with the pastoral office, was invited to take a part in the
exercises.----Our number though increased is small, but we
trust the Lord will give us enlargement. There are a consid-...
number more who are serious; and we hope many of them will by
another season of communion furnish sufficient evidence of a
gracious change to justify us in admitting them into the Church
I have given Mr. Hill a short view of our pecuniary state.
Our expenses this year will, I fear, amount, notwithstanding
all our care to lessen them, to a s much as they were last:
But I trust they will ere long diminish.
TheChiefs here,
at Lahaina, and Kaavaroa are very kind in making presents;-and we are getting into the way of selling books to good ad
vantage, for vegetables, fruit, wood &c., in consequence of
which we shall need fewer articles of trade. Every ream of
paper sent out from America will be worth to us, in the wa y of
support, more than cost and charges
�Mrs. Bingham whose health has been very feeble
& Mr. B. for the confirming of it, is about to
on a voyage to Lahaina, -- M r . Ruggles is at the
ing for Tauai. Mr. Whitney will remain here a
the improvement of Mrs. W.s health.—
457
is far restored,
accompany her
point of sail
period longer for
I remain, Dear Sir, very affecty your friend and servant
Levi Chamberlain
From
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
R e c ’d Aug. 22, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A . B . C . F. M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston, U . S . A.
By
M r . C . H . Hammatt
�458
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 60
Lahaina, Maui, Feby 7, 1826
M y Dear brother
The Schooner Dolphin Cap. Percival, tender to the U . S . frigate
U. States, is now at the islands;— and her return to America
will afford a good opportunity for forwarding letters. I improve
it to acknowledge my obligations to you for your many kind
favors, and to solicit the continuance of them. It affords me
the highest gratification to hear from theM issionary Rooms.
I have no friends on earth, for whom I feel a stronger attach
ment, than those whom I had the happiness to assist in their
arduous labors at those endeared Rooms.
Capt. Percival is on his return from the Mulgrave islands,
whither he had been dispatched by Cap. Hull to secure a party
of the mutineers of the ship G l o b e . The case of the Globe
was this, a part of the crew laid a plan to rise, during their
night watch on deck, to murder the captain & officers while
most of them were asleep, & take possession of the vessel.
Having accomplished their purpose, they run the vessel to the
Mulgrave islands, and a part going on shore, those on board
got under way and proceeded for South America, where they arriv
ed, and made a disclosure o f the whole affair.
The visit of Captain Percival at these islands will probably
be an advantage to those in the mercantile interest,
An ar
rangement will probably be made respecting certain arrearages
of the nation in favor of the traders which remain uncancelled,
and which has been the occasion of much dissatisfaction.---I hope the Chiefs will soon wipe from them the reproach of
dishonesty which cleaves to them,--- I will not attempt to decide
how far they have fallen short of fulfilling their contracts
made in the times of the greatest ignorance, nor how much ex
cuse ought to be made for them for caning short; but I hope
they will never again allow themselves to be shackled with
debts contracted for the purchase of vessels to lie and rot
in their harbors.
But to leave the subject of trade and public negotiation, and
to turn to a subject in which you and this mission feel an
especial interest.----The work prospers in spite of opposition,
and we rejoice. Our cause has a sure defence, and it seems
to be the purpose of the great head of the Church to carry it
forward in an unexampled manner.— It could not be expected
that Satan would suffer his kingdom quietly to be assailed,
and taken from him without a struggle. It has ever been his
practice to arouse the fears of the ignorant, the prejudices
of the enlightened, or the malice & enmity of the vicious and
d epraved.
When the Apostles preached Christ to their own countrymen,
there always a host to withstand them and thrust them out of
the synagogue; and when declaring to the Gentiles the mercy of
�459
God. through a Savior, and the forgiveness of sin through
his name, there were often at hand some to withstand them, and
frequently those who had followed them from boasted regions of
light, to stir up opposition, & excite persecution.
The o ppesition which we meet with is not from the natives, they believe
us to be their friends, and they begin to manifest some grati
tude for the benefits which they feel the mission have conferr
ed upon them. They receive the instructions which are communi
cated from the word of God as truths, and seem to regard them
of importance--I hear no cavillings--no murmurings that these
are hard sayings.
The conviction has pressed upon me very
forcibly of late, that the word of God carries its own evidence
along with it, & brings to the conscience of the most illiter
ate the conviction of its divinity. I am the m o re convinced
of this from the fact that it has not been in the power of the
mission, from their imperfect knowledge of the language, to
take up the evidence in favor of the divine authority of the
Scriptures, & defend them by labored discussions against all
that the enemies of revelation can b r i n g against them.--They
have brought the Bible to them, & placed it before their eyes,
and said to them,-"Here is the word of God; andit tells you
what you must do to be saved. It informs you that Jesus Christ
came into the world to save sinners, and that he who believes on
him shall be saved, and that he who believes not shall be
damned "•-- Some we trust have believed and turned to God, and
there are a good many more who furnish us reason to hope that
they are not far from the Kingdom of God.-- At this place,
whither I have accompanied the King on a visit, there are many,
who appear to be not only enquiring what they must do to be
saved; but striving to enter in at the straight g a t e .---M r . Richards & his family have gone to Oahu for a season, and
I am here alone;— but my duties will not admit of m y being long
absent from my station.
With the most affectionate rememberance to Mr. Evarts & Mr.
Hill,
I remain, your affect,frd. & servt.
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec'd
To
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Nov. 23, 1826
Mr. Rufus Anderson
Asst. Secy. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U. S. A.
�460
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 61
Honoruru, April 1st 1826
Respected & very Dear Sir,
I have written to Mr. Hill giving him an account of the bills
which I have drawn upon the treasury since the 1st of May 1825,I shall not probably draw again before May or June of the
present year. And I hope the arrivals this spring will so
fully replenish the depository of the mission, as to preclude
the necessity of drawing largely the ensuing year.
The beef and pork which we have on hand, at the present time,
will be sufficient for a year's supply, provided none of it
is used except for our own tables; but we sometimes pay away
beef to advantage toour workmen, and it is a convenience to
have a good supply on hand.--- Mackerel is the best article for
our working natives, and indeed it is more profitable than any
other article of provision, to pay for work, or to give in
exchange for any of the productions of the islands which we
may want.
In accounting for the surplusage of beef and pork, it may
be stated, that the many presents we have received from the
natives in the staple articles of food have occasioned a saving
of those articles. It will be recollected also that a greater
quantity of beef & pork than was necessary for a year's supply
was forwarded last season;--and that Mr. Whitney made consider
able of a purchase before the arrival of the Phenix.--We have recently received 4 barrels of beef, 1 barrel of pork,
& 1 barrel of flour in payment for one of the masts of the
Ruby, sold three years ago, for provisions to be delivered at
American prices.--Our circumstances are continually varying, and it is impossible
to say what they may be another year at this time.— We must
have food of some kind; but what we shall most need, it is not
possible for us now to determine.--- Tea and coffee of a good
quality are highly valued by all the families, and are regarded
by us, not only as comforts, but as n ecessaries; and probably
in this land they are a s much necessaries, as staple articles
of food are in America.--- Sugar they include in the same list.
Flour and bread will be needed. The quantity for a year's
supply has been transmitted in previous communications and need
not be repeated in this, which is not designed to contain a
regular memorandum of our wants.
April 25th. Since this letter was commenced the Cyrus & Maria
have arrived from America, bearing supplies and many communi
cations for the missionaries. The welcome reception of Mr. E llis
in America, and the interest he excited in favor of missions
during his stay there furnish us with occasion for devout
thanksgivings to God, that a way was opened for his visiting
the United States in obeying what could not be mistaken as the
voice of Providence, to return to his native land.-- -The dis
pensation which removed him from us was, at the time it took
�461
place, dark;--but we believe the Providence of God will over
rule it for great good to the cause of missions----M a y that
event which has subsequently called away another laborer
from this field, be made to subserve the interests of the same
cause;--and promote the greater diffusion of Gospel light,-if not in this land,--in other lands equally needing its trans
forming influence.---The articles which have come -to hand by the recent arrivals
are such as the mission were in want of, or will soon need.
Prom the various communications received, we derive encourage
ment, that lumber & building materials will, as soon as prac
ticable, be forwarded: as these c ome to hand, the naileswhich have
been received will come into use. Many other things also,
subsidiary to building, will be needed, as hinges, door handles,
latches & katches, door locks &c: and I might add one or more
good house joiners, if s u c h a thing were p r a c t i c a b l e : but this
I suppose not possible,--or if possible, not expedient. I will,
however, just state that, most of the persons here, who make
pretensions to a knowledge of the joiners business, are greatly
deficient in skill, though at the same time, they set a high
value upon their labor. We have ever been subjected to in
convenience in getting mechanic work performed; but we do not
know how the Board can remedy theinconvenience without incur
ring an unwarrantable expense. I have however sometimes thought ,
if a number of house wrights, ship wrights, & joiners,--pious
men, & skilful in their several trades, should come out here,
& set up business on their own account, they might promote their
own advantage, benefit the mission, & subserve the interests
of the nation.----Steady men, skilled in the above mechanic
arts, are needed; and a few would find constant employ.--To be useful in a moral point of view, they must possess much
of the spirit of missionaries.-- --I f they were not pious men
they would soon fall into the common current of dissipation,
which here sweeps so many foreigners into ruin.---I thank you for your esteemed favor of June 3rd by Cap. Gardner
of the Maria, which came to hand on the 11th instant. I cannot
in the short space remaining on this sheet express my sense
of obligation to you for your kind rememberance of me, the
tender interest you feel in my welfare & h appiness, and the
desire you express that I may be in such circumstances as will
enable me to pass joyfully through life;--but you are assured,
that the conviction, that I am remembered by you with kindness,
and that my happiness, (though a trivial thing,) awakens solic
itude in your mind, gives me more real satisfaction, than would
be conferred by the highest praises of misjudging thousands.—
I remain, Dear Sir with hi gh esteem, & sincere affection
Your friend & obt. servant
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec ’d
To
M r . Levi Chamberlain
CD e c . 12, 1826J
A
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(Name of ship not given)
�462
51
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 62
Honoruru, April 28th, 1826
Mr. Rufus Anderson,
M y Dear Brother,
The delay of the United States Schooner Dolphin, by which I
send this, affords me an opportunity of acknowledging the re
ceipt of your highly valued favors o f June 3rd, 1825.
When I set down to write you, mingled emotions agitate m y
mind;--a conciousness of being unworthy of your friendship
oppresses my bosom, and half dissuades me from using my pen
in a familiar stile; but aware of my inability to write in
any other manner; and unwilling to be thought neglectful, and
more than all to be so, I cannot but make an attempt to pen
something.
I thank you for your account of Mr. E l l i s ’tour & labors--I rejoice
in common with the other members of this mission, in the wel
come reception he everywhere received in America, and the inter
est he excited.
I believe that the influence of his visit
will manifest itself in the increase of funds for the support
of missions, and in an enkindled zeal for sending the Gospel
to many hitherto neglected tribes, the slaves of a cruel super
stition, and perishing in ignorance and sin.-I notice with a high degree of satisfaction that the plan
of the Board for increasing its fu nds by the establishment of
auxiliaries is likely to succeed. Missionaries abroad are en
couraged when they see the Churches at hone associating them
selves for the purpose of furnishing the means for carrying
forward the missionary enterprise.
The Societies that have
been formed, will, it is hoped, add to liberal contributions,
earnest prayer that the desired end may be secured;--that the
word of God and the messages of salvation, which through their
instrumentality are carried to the ignorant and degraded, may be
come efficacious, and as the light of the morning to those who
sit in darkness.----All out success must come from God.--if
C h r i s t i a n s wish missionaries to be faithful, and to labor
w i t h success, they must pray. God to pour out his Holy Spirit.—
Till the Spirit is poured out from on high, we labor in vain,
and the churches contribute in vain.
The copy of a joint letter goes by this conveyance, the orig
inal was forwarded in March for Canton. That will apprise you
that we are not allowed to pursue our work without opposition.
Of this you have had intimations before: and a history of th at
alluded to in the joint letter, you will received in due time
The expectation that any considerable success would attend
our labors, without resistance from the enemy, into whose domin
ion we have carried the war, has never held a place in ou r min d s ;nor could it be hoped that, a kingdom, which is founded in
purity & righteousness in love to God and man, should be reared
up without the assaults of Satan, and his strongest efforts to
�463
overthrow it.—
Though we have witnessed some discou raging circumstances we
see no reason to despair.
If all has not been effected which we desire,--much has been
d o n e , and much more may ere long be accomplished. We rest as
sured that a good work has been commenced, which we confidently
expect will spread and extend itself till the whole of this
land shall be blessed .
I can add but a few items of intelligence; some of which are
interesting to us, and fill our hearts with encouragement,
On the 19th instant, being the sixth anniversary of the arri
val of the first missionary band at the Sandwich Islands, an
examination took place of the schools of Honoruru & vicinity.
The exhibition of improvement, and the evidence of advancement
in civilization were highly gratifying to the missionaries, and
excited the surprise of the foreign visitants. Most of two
successive days were employed in the examination, and though
we wereobliged to conduct it in the open air, yet none appeared
weary or dissatisfied.
A translation of the Gospel of Matthew, by Mr. Bingham just
finished, and another by Mr. Richards completed some months
since, were brought forward as a rich treasure and in a manner
presented to the nation for their use and benefit.-The number of schools & classes examined amounted to 69, com
prising 2409 scholars, under the direction of 66 native teach
ers.— Between 500 & 600 scholars belonged to neighboring dis
tricts, some schools came the distance of 12 or 14 miles.
The Chiefs have more than once been called together at this
place to attend upon Karaimoku, whose death was daily looked
for.— Indeed the physician (D octor Blatchely who has con
stantly attended upon him) that his life could not reasonably be
hoped to be continued more than two or three days. But pr ayer
has been offered constantly for him, that his life, so important
to the peace and prosperity of the nation, might be continued.
On the first Sabbath in March, the little Church in this place
was convened in Karaimoku' s house to participate the memorials
of the Savior's death with the sick chief before his departure
fearing that before another Sabbath, he would be removed be
yond the benefit of ordinances here below.--— But h is life has
been prolonged far beyond our expectations; and considering the
nature of his complaint, much beyond what is ordinary in such
cases.--His disorder is dropsy in the abdomen; and he has been
tapped five or six times.
There is at present an epidemic prevalent in theislands, almost
all the natives at this place have been attacked with it. It
resembles the influenzy which at different times has been rife
in New England. Kahalaia a young chief of h i gh rank, whose name
has often been mentioned in the journal of themission, has
�fallen a victim to it.
to many.----
464
We fear the disorder will prove fatal
With sentiments of great esteem, I remain affectionately &
truly yours in the best of bonds,
Levi Chamberlain
From
R e c ’d
Mr.L. Chamberlain
Oct. 24, 1826
To
Mr. Rufus Anderson,
Assistant Secretary
of the A . B . C . F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, U . S . A .
(Name of ship not given)
�465
31
March 1824;- March 1827
X
No. 63
Honoruru, June 19th, 1826
My Dear Sir,
An opportunity now presenting of sending letters to Canton I
gladly avail myself of i t .
I wrote you under date of April 28th by the United States Schoon
er), Capt. John Percival, bu t fearing the letters by that con
veyance may fail, I will give you the substance of a part of
mine to you.
"The copy of a joint letter goes by this conveyance .--The original was forwarded in March for Canton. That will apprise
you that we meet with opposition in our work, some intimations
of which had been previously communicated. A history of the
affair alluded to in the joint letter will be forwarded in due.
time. The expectation that any considerable success would attend our
labors, without resistance from the enemy, who is stiled "the
prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that worketh in the
children of disobedience, "has never held a place in our minds;
nor could it be hoped, that a kingdom, which is founded in
purity & righteousness, in love to God and man, should be
reared up without the assaults of Satan, andhis strongest ef
forts to overthrow it. Though we have witnessed some discour
agements, we see no cause for despondency. If all has not
been effected which we desire much has been done; and much
more may ere long be accomplished.
We rest assured that
a good work has been commenced, which, we confidently expect,
will be carried on and extended till this whole land shall
be blessed.
A few items of intelligence animating to us may not be unaccept
able to you. I will therefore state, briefly, that on the 19th
inst.
(April) being the sixth anniversary of the arrival of
the first missionary band on these heathen shores, there was an
examination of the schools of Honoruru and vicinity. The exhi
bitions of improvement in learning, and advancement in civiliz
ation were highly gratifying to us, and excited the surprise
of foreign visitants. Most of two successive days were employ
ed in the examination, and though we were obliged to conduct
it in the open ai r , for want of a suitable house, yet none appear
ed weary or disatisfied. A translation of the Gospel of Matthew
By Mr. Bingham Just finished, and another by Mr. Richards com
pleted some months since, was brought forward as a rich treasure,
and, in a manner, presented to the nation for their use and
benefit.
The number of schools and classes examined amou nted to 69;
com
prising 2409 scholars, under the direction of 66 native teach
ers. Between 500 & 600 of the scholars belonged to neighbor
ing districts.
Some schools came the distance of 12 or 14
miles".
�466
It is not easy to determine with certainty the whole number
of scholars on this island.
Probably not less than one third
of the population attend in some form or other on instruction.
Forty one thousand copies of an elementary book have been
printed and nearly or quite all distributed.
If as many individ
uals have obtained books as there have been copies published,
and this should prove a fair estimate of the number of learners,
nearly one third of the population of the Sandwich Islands
may be regarded as giving at this time attention in some way
or other to instruction.
This I do not consider an exaggerated estimate; though the
statement should not be omitted, that of this number, probably
not more than a third part know the letters of the alphabet,
and perhaps not a fifth part a re able to read sentences.
They
are however making proficiency daily, and it is our expecta
tion that the present edition of hymns amounting to 10000 copies
will obtain an equal number of readers, before another edition
can be printed.
The edition is going off very rapidly, though
we are careful to give copies only to those who can read, or
who we think will soon be able to read.
Probably the whole
edition would be expended in three months if we should supply
every applicant.---Many amusing anecdotes might be related of persons applying
for books, serving to show the eagerness with which these means
of instruction are sought. At different times in the course
of a season you would s ee natives o f every age, from childhood
to grey-hairs, bringing every kind of product of the earth,
or of their labor, they might have at command or to spare,
soliciting a palapala. You would see one with a melon, another
with a bunch of bananas, a sugar cane, a bundle of ohias;—
(the apple of the Sandwich Islands) you would seesome with po
tatoes and taro, others with eggs, a fowl, a kid, a bundle of
sticks for fire wood, a ball of native cord,--another begging
for some kind of work that he might earn a spelling book.
V
The disposal of our slates has occasioned me some trouble and
inconvenience, not however to sell them; but to dispose of them
to the best advantage to ourselves in the way of support. I
could have sold ten where I have sold but one, had we been
supplied abundantly. I have been obliged to refuse a great
many applications, because I would not dispose of them except
for things which we stood much in need of. I am frequently
accosted when I walk abroad by some person with the ques t i o n , "Aohe
anei oe i wahi papa pohaku"? (have you not some slates?) - -Some
thing will then be offered in exchange, and if I do not happen
to want the thing mentioned, he will propose something else, and
if that is refused he will then offer to come and work for us.
Every slate is worth tous from 50 to 75 cents in cash; and in
some instances we can obtain articles for slates which we
could not get for cash.--- English slates are the most valuable,
they should be of a good quality, pencils also are in great
d ema n d .
�467
We do not intend to sell for cash if we can possibly avoid it;
and yet there have been instances when I have felt constrained
to take money for slates. I will mention one.--In walking to
the village a few days ago, I was met by a native having a dollar
and a half in his hand, which he held out to me with the re
quest that I would give him slates for it. I said tohim we
do not sell for money,--we did not come here to get dollars.
He replied I know it, but, however, let me have slates that I
may write the word of God. As I would not receive the money
into my hand, he put it into my pocket, and when I took it
out to return it, he withdrew his hands & refused to receive
it, saying it is yours. Being pleased with his perseverance
I concluded to sell him a couple.
I informed you that Karaimoku had been brought so low by sick
ness that his life had been despaired of, and that very much
to our joy, though contrary to our expectations, he had been
raised up to a comfortable, though not to a confirmed state
of health, the nature of his disease precluding the hope of
perfect restoration.— I informed uou also of the death of Kahalaia
nephew of Karaimoku, an active and enterprising young chief
of the first rank. Subsequently his mother sis ter of Karaimoku
has died. Her death also was sudden & unexpected/.
--
Today funeral services were performed for Pauahione of the wives
of the late king, but after the return of the kings suit from
England, married to Kuanaua one of the king's attendants. Her
death also was sudden.---George Taumuarii died suddenly on the 3rd of May of the epedemic
which prevailed here at that time.--- You will perceive that
there has been a very great mortality among thechiefs within
a few years past. O that they might learn righteousness.
With affectionate rememberance to your associates of
the missionary rooms, I remain
Yours in the best of bonds
From
Rec'd
To
Levi Chamberlain
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
April 16, 1827
Mr. Rufus Anderson
Assistant Secretary of the A. B. C. F. M, Missionary Rooms
Boston, U . S . A .
(No ship given)
�468
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 64
Honolulu July 26th 1826
Respected & very dear Sir,
It is now a long time since a detailed and connected history of
our operations at this station, in the form of a journal, has
been forwarded to the Missionary Rooms , though several joint
letters embracing the most important transactions ofthis depart
ment of the mission and occurrences at the islands, have been
written & transmitted.
An opportunity has recently been afforded of sending letters
to the coast of South America by a gentleman who kindly engaged
to secure them a conveyance across the continent to the Gulf
of Mexico. I was absent at that time on a tour around this
island, otherwise I should have improved it to write in my
usual way. Several communications for the Missionary Rooms
were I believe forwarded by that conveyance.
The various labors of Mr. Bingham have hitherto prevented his
writing up the public journal, and he is now absent on a tour
around this island. He set out yesterday in company with Kaahumanu, Opiia andother chiefs, with a n u merous retinue.
They
expect to be absent several weeks, as the object of the tour
is to arouse the attention of the people as much as possible to
the subject of religion, and by explaining and recommending the
law of God, to prepare the way for estanlishing as soon as
practicable the ten Commandments as the foundation of the law
of the land, or principles of a civil code which may hereafter
me made out and adopted.
Neither the Chiefs nor the people are yet sufficiently enlightenend to adopt on r a t i o n a l principles a code of civil regula
tions to be enforced by severe penalties.
The pleasure of the
king and of the chiefs has heretofore been the only law: and
it would be easy to see that the dark minds and depraved hearts
of despots, who hold the common people in themost absolute sub
jection, would lead them to institute rules of duty for their
subjects at varience with the plainest rules of right. It will
be difficult for the chiefs to free themselves from their old
notions, and prepossessions: and if they should concede that
their former principles were wrong, they cou ld not easily b e
made to feel the force of new principles, and to act with
promptness & energy in enforcing them.-Savages do not view
crimes in the light that civilized nations view them. And as
this people have not been in the habit of viewing murder, adul
tery, incest, sorcery, theft, treachery, and numerous other
vices allied to them, as crimes, in the light in which Chris
tians view them, it would not be a matter of surprise if persons
acting in thenew capacity of magistrates should be lax in en
forcing penalties against such crimes.
Much has been said with respect to the kau ana o ka kanawai (es
tablishing of the law)--but I think little will be done for
�469
a long time yet to come, more than recommending justice and
mercy to the people, and threatning those who violate the reg
ulations with the displeasure of the chiefs. Some punishments
may be inflicted, & daring offenders will be intimidated.
It would be a very happy circumstance if the chiefs should
unite with energy to suppress vice & immorality; but the
imbecility manifested on former occasions, when opposed in
their measures for effecting reformation, has fully satisfied
me, that little can be hoped, at present, from their firmness
in carrying into effect any great plan.--As knowledge increas
es among them, and correct principle gains ground, they will
grow in energy, & eventually be able to enforce laws for the
general good & the promotion of virtue & true religion. The n a
tion is apparently making rapid advances in civilization &
knowledge, and towards a character as a nation.
Surely the
Lord has done great things for us.-- The aspect of things may
however soon change for the worse and our bright prospects
be clouded.-Whatever is said of the improvement and the interesting state
of this people is to be understood comparatively.
If this is
land were to be visited by a person from a civilized land,
who had never before seen a heathen people, had never thought
much upon the subject of their degradation, and had never seen
a nation just emerging from heathenism and wretchedness, he
would be likely to enquire where is the civilization, where
----- the boasted improvements, where are all those things
which have been so much talked of in the social circles of
Christians in America. We see ignorance & vice of every kind,
& so much degradation & misery that we think the missionaries
must be infatuated, or have intentionally misrepresented things.
I have mentioned in my letter to Mr. Hill, that the mission
have agreed to reject certain letters heretofore in the Hawaiian
Alphabet, on the ground of their being used interchangably
and producing irregularity in the spelling.
Two other letters
have also been rejected, as they are seldom sounded, and the
language it is thought will be more perfect without them.
The rejected letters are the following b, d, t, v.
The
alphabet as now adopted consists of the following vowels &
consonants, a, e, i , o, u; - h, k, l , m, n, p, w . It is to
be hoped that hereafter but one method of spell ing Hawaiian
words & names will be pursued, and that uniformity on the part
of the mission will lead to a universal adoption of their methof of spelling.
Mr. Loomis is about printing a new edition of the elementary
book and of the Ten Commandments, There is a very great demand
for books and for every thing connected with instruction.---We encourage the natives to bring paper for books and in this
way we get repaid for some of the paper distributed.----Paper
is very much needed. Nearly all we had on hand of that received
from America was employed in printing the hymns and the little
we now have on hand has been received in exchange for boo k s .
�470
Mr. Loomis health is feeble, and we have fears that he will
n o t be able to labor as much hereafter, as heretofore, at the
printing business; And the labors of a printer will be every
year increasing. If Mr. L .s health should fail entirely
the printing business would devolve on same one of the mission
aries to whom the art would be new, and who could not pursue
it to advantage.
Slates and slate pencils are at this time in great demand. We
cannot have a better article of trade. I hope we shall be
plentifully supplied as soon as an opportunity presents of
shipping them.
Piles also are an excellent article--handsawfiles; large flat files; fine rasps, flat and half round;--a few
whip saw files also are wanted, also a whip saw or two.
Wide socket chissels .--Oxe yokes & yoke for steers, sticks of
timber for cart tongues when they can be sent conveniently-a coopers vice .---I am Sir with great respect
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
From Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd Dec. 12, 1826
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr
Cor. Sec. of the A. B. C. F . M.
M issionary Rooms
Boston
Pr the Fred C Augustus
Cap. Earl
�471
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No . 65
Honolulu Sept. 11, 1826
Respected & very Dear Sir,
I wrote you hastily under date of July 26th, and I hoped that
a history of our operations at this station and other communi
cations respecting the state of the missionary work here would
be in readiness to forward by the next opportunity: but various
reasons have concurred to prevent it.
Since our last journal was sent, much, very much has transpired
of interest to ourselves, and calculated to excite interest
& sympathy in the minds of our patrons and the Christian
public.
Mr. Loomis has written for the perusal of his brother an account
of Capt. Percival's conduct while at the islands, which he has
transmitted to the care of Mr. Hill, that the Board may make
what use of it they think proper.
A spirit of jealousy and opposition on the part of foreign
residents, and some of the occasional visitants, against the
success of the mission, has existed from the commencement
of our operations;--but within thelast year it has broken
over its ordinary restraints, and raged with peculiar fury
against Mr. Bingham.
Something less than a year ago, it
burst out on an occasion of the chiefs assembling to deliber
ate upon the subject of adopting the Ten Commandments as a rule
of life and guide o f duty, to be proclaimed throughout the
Sandwich Islands, and regarded as binding on the hearts and
consciences of all the people.
Not far from that time measures were taken by the chiefs to
prevent female prostitution, the result of which is fairly
stated in the history of C a p t . Percivals conduct. Subsequently
persons from whom we had hoped better things, and of whom we
had been desirous to entertain a good opinion, have manifested
such a spirit of hostility as has convinced us, that it is
vain to hope for aid in the work of inculcating religious knowledge,
from any here out of our own little circle.---It is necessary to state the principles upon which we act: So
far as we are faithful to our instructions, they are as well
known to you as they are to ourselves;--if we violate our in
structions we deserve to meet with trials; But it is our aim
to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards
all men.
Still it is a grief to see the motives of a member
of our fraternity impeached, and his character vilified, when
we know that the only fault our enemies can charge him with,
is activity in the cause of his divine Master, ardor in op
posing the works of darkness, and zeal in endeavoring to diffuse
Gospel light.
�472
We are not without fears that a temporary advantage will be
gained by the enemy, who is alarmed for his kingdom, knowing
that its foundation is assailed.
The principle and I might say all the chiefs, are in our favor,
and they have never showed themselves more friendly than of
l a t e . All the people to a man so far as we know are friendly,
and will listen to our advice & instruction.— but the whole
force of our adversaries is directed towards the young king,
judging, rightly that if they can draw him over t otheir side,
an important advantage will be lost to u s .
No pains are spared to prejudice his m ind against Mr. Bingham,
who has been his instructor; but, happily, as yet, without suc
cess.
While M r. B. was absent making a tour of this island in company
with Kaahumanu, Mr. Jones the American Consul, in an interview
with the King, in furious language, and evident evil intention,
declared that Mr. Bingham was a very bad man:--and it is said,
told him, that Mr. B. had written to America stating that he,
Mr. B. had written to America stating that he, Mr. B. was king
of the Sandwich Islands. His motive for saying thus it is not
difficult to perceive. He has, we learn, at two different times
earnestly requested the king to grant him permission to send
him from the islands.
A few days since one of our number being in the company of a
gentleman from Boston connected with a trading establishment
here, was informed, that Mr. B. had rendered himself so ob
noxious to the foreigners, that they were about to draw up
a petition, which they would all sign, for sending him away
from the islands. If asked the reason of their dislike, they
cannot answer the question in fair charges.
They will say,
perhaps, "he forbids the people to kindle fires on the Sabbath;—
through his advice they are forever at their books, or their
prayers, or engaged in singing hymns.--the people are indolent,
and neglect their lands;--he thinks the people are all Chris
tians, and will believe nothing to their disadvantage.--he
is overbearing & dogmatical, and preaches a most terrifying
doctrine;— he interferees also in matters of government.”
These charges may be brought against every preacher in the
mission as truly as against Mr. Bingham, and, except the
last, are too futile to merit confutation. As to Mr. B.s
meddling with matters of government all that can be charged
against him in truth, is faithful preaching against sin, and
telling the chiefs they ought to use their influence to suppress
vice and promote good order;--and his translating the Ten Com
mandments, and presenting them to the Chiefs and people, as the
the law of God, and the foundation of all good human laws; and
stating that the duty is binding on all men to obey them.
The English as well as American consul has exhibited a hostile
spirit, not indeed against all the members of the mission, but
against Mr. B. whose influence over the chiefs he is jeal-
�473
ous of, & which he is desirous to lessen. These two gentlemen
not long since called upon the king & told him, as we are in
formed, that neither Kaahumanu, nor Kalaimoku, nor Poki had
any right to m ake laws, that it was with the king only;--and
then insisted on his adopting certain regulations which they
proposed to him as all that is necessary for the nation at
present namely, a law against murder, against high treason, &
against theft. It is well known that Kaahumanu and Kalai
moku are regent during the kin g ’s minority and that it is only
out of courtesy that any matters are referred to him. If he
had acceded to the throne or rather had been invested with the
authority of independent ruler the conduct of these gentlemen
would not appear so strange. The design evidently was to flat
ter the king to raise a conceit in his mind of his own import
ance, and excite a dissatisfaction at any measures of Kalai
moku or Kaahumanu, who are in the interests of the mission,
for adopting a system of laws & prohibitions embracing the en
tire decalogue.
The attention of the king and his attendants has of late been
very considerably withdrawn from instruction.
Fencing and hand
ling the musket occupy much of thei r time, while he is encour
aged to card-playing, and riding for amusement.
A hor se race had been proposed by the foreigners for the first
m onday of this month, and the time fixed for running, the
hour when the little church & the serious people of this place
were to be assembled for prayer. Previously to the race Mr.
Charlton called upon Kalaimoku and asked permission for the
king to be present.-- He refused saying it is k a p u . The con
sul replyed it is not kapu ,----ministers go to view such scenes
The king notwithstanding Kalaimoku’s refusal was induced to go,
and just as the worship closed rode by on his return with a
concourse of foreigners and natives, to the great grief of
Kaahumahu who had attended the prayer meeting;— and as he passed
by remarked, see there is the King--he has yielded to the foreign
ers.
I am told that the gentlemen before mentioned has advised him
to attend no religious meetings whatever but those on the Sab
bath. But we have been gratified to see him present at other
meetings notwithstanding.
The native teachers take a very lively interest in his welfare,
and it is gratifying to us, that a company of them have adopted
the practice of meeting with him every Sabbath in the course
of the intermission between the two services for prayer, and
that he gives them full permission to attend.
There are two circumstances more which I cannot forbear relating
and, though in some respects trifling, serve to show how rancor
ous the heart of the enemy is and how jealous he is lest the
cause of God should triumph. A Tahitian teacher said something
to the king against the paikau or games of fencing, which
reached the ears of the Consul, who was so enraged that he
threatened putting him in irons. Kalaimoku, Kaahumanu and
�474
the Chiefs at Lahaina were very desirous that the King should
go to the windward on a visit, particularly as N a h i enaena his
sister, and Hoapiliwahine and several other persons are soon
to be received into the church at Lahaina, and a new and spac
ious meeting-house at Kailua, built by Kuakini Governor of
Hawaii, to be dedicated, on which occasion many of the principal
chiefs are to be present. The king likewise had manifested
a desire to go and had declared his intention to accompany
Kaahumanu.
A report reached the ears of the foreigners that the king was
about to sail for the windward and a number of them forthwith
among which were the American & English Consuls Capt. Ebbets,
Capt. John Meek, Ca p t . Wilder & Mr. French hastened apparently
In a great rage to the house of Kalaimoku to prevent if possible
the ki n g ’s going, under pretence that his presence here would
be absolutely indispensable on the arrival of ships of war
which are expected. Kalaimoku said he should not forbid his
going if he had a desire to go. They then walked in company
to the house of the king, and he was induced to change his pur
pose. As Mr. Bingham with his family had previously sailed
for the windward we are not at all at a loss to account for the
unreasonable interferance of the foreigners.-We account in some measure for the bitterness of Mr. Jones on
the ground of disappointment in obtaining a certain object of
his wishes.
It is known perhaps that this gentleman at a former
period had possession of Hannah Holmes for a mistress, and that
after his departure for the United States, she placed herself
under the instruction of the missionaries.
For nearly two
years, she has appeared in a very interesting state of mind, and
for some length of time before Mr. Jones return gave pleasing
evidence of a change of heart, and has expressed a desire to
join herself to the people of God.
Since Mr. Jones return she
has been greatly harrassed.
She refuses to live with him
unless he will marry her and this he is unwilling to do.
He is therefore greatly enraged against the mission and attrib
utes his disappointment totheir interferance.
I have been very full in disclosing the state of feeling which
exists towards us in them ind s of the foreigners.
I communi
cate the facts for your own private information relying on
your judgement to keep secret so much of what I have written
as would be calculated to arm private resentment.
To this dark picture there is a most cheering reverse of light.
We hope that in the course of three months considerable additions
will be made to the Sandwich Island church and that the present
number of natives members will be more than doubled.
We have notwithstanding cause to humble ourselves & enquire why
the hand of correction is not removed from us. I have hinted
heretofore that the health of Mr. Loomis was failing: And Dr.
Blatchely has stated In a communication to you that he feared
the necessity of returning to his native land on account of
�475
his health. He is making preparation to embark, though the
exact time for his departure is not determined, Mr. Loomis
I fear will be under the necessity of returning, u n less some
favorable change should take place in his health.--He has
suggested making a voyage to America for the double purpose
of improving his health and superintending the printing of
one of the Gospels which has been translated.
A general meet
ing of the mission is about to take place at Kailua & this sub
ject will be taken into consideration. Mr. Loomis health will
not allow him to superintend the printing of the work here and
the probability is that if he does n ot remove his health will
continue to fail till he is laid entirely aside.—
Mrs. Thurston we fear is in a decline and may not continue
many years. Never have we more needed the aid of a physician
than at the present time. When human help fails we must look
to God--"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confi
dence in m a n ."
Mr. Goodrich who brought his family to this station about three
has returned with the addition of a daughter to his family.
He will stop at Kailua on his way to Hilo and probably be or
dained by the brethren who will assemble to attend the general
meeting.
With affectionate rememberance to Mr. Anderson and respectful
salutations to the gentlemen of the Committee with whom I had
the happiness to be acquainted,
I remain with the greatest esteem & respect
Your devoted friend & faithful servant,
Levi Chamberlain
From
Mr . Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd March 26, 1827
To Jeremiah Evarts E s q r .
Corresponding Secretary of the
A . B . C . F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Pr the Plough boy
Capt. Chadwick
�476
31
March 1824 - March 1827
Honolulu,
X
No. 66
February 13th 1827
M y Dear Brother,
Your letters by the Miss.y Packet & Triton have been received
and I should have acknowledged the former before this but for
want of time . Your kind rememberance of me has laid me under
many obligations, and I feel constrained to acknowledge my
unworthiness to be noticed by you with so much kindness. But
I beg you will not discontinue your favors through any failure
on my part to make suitable acknowledgments.
If I could guide
the pen as I wish, no opportunity of sending to you should pass
without something from me. But you will I trust be disposed
to accept for your valued favors the assurance of my sense of
obligation, and the best return I can make, my thanks.
M y last letter to you was dated June 19th and the one before
that April 28th 1826. I have written to the Missionary Rooms
s e v e r a l times since, but most of my letters have been addressed
to M r . Hill on business of a secular nature.
I had a design sometime ago of transmitting for your perusal the journal of a tour which I made last summer around this
island; but I have not been able to command time to correct
and transcribe it, and my avocations will not admit of my
doing it now. It would probably afford little entertainment, and
not be worth the labor.I should be at in writing it, nor com pensate you the trouble of reading i t . The tour afforded me an
opportunity of witnessing the true state of the people, of
seeing them in their degradation, of gaining an acquaintance
of their character and wants, and experiencing for myself some
of the hardships & privations of the itinerant missionary.
I beheld them in a great variety of conditions from abject
poverty to circumstances of comparative ease and plenty: but
I saw scarcely nowhere indications of a desire to rise much
above a provision for present necessity. A disposition pre
vails almost universally to act in accordance with the precept
of the apostle; but without any knowledge of it, and altogeth
er under a destitution of the principle upon which it was
founded-"having food and. raiment to be therewith content."
Christian contentment, so far as I understand its definition,
is complacency in the divine dispensations, and satisfaction
with the allotments of providence.--heathen contentment is that
of the swine, exercised without thought, and upon a sated ap
petite.
I was absent 14 days, and following the irregularities of the
coast walked about 150 miles, visiting the schools and attend
ing to a particular examination of the scholars.
Soon after
my return Mr. Bingham attended by Kaahumanu andother chiefs,
performed another tour around the island, the immediate effect
of which was a great increase of schools & learners--An inter
est was excited which we hope will never entirely subside,
�477
though we cannot expect it will not in the least decrease.
The genius of the people is of such a character that if their
leaders go forward, they will follow, or if they recede, t h e y
will go after them. The attention of great numbers to the same
subject under the patronage of a high chief, would not fail to
awaken curiosity & excite the inquiry, "what is this"--And when
informed it is a me a h o u , a new thing which the king and chiefs
regard, the popular current will flow that way.
But should
the king & principal chiefs declare against the thing, there
would be a great falling off. Some new thing would be got up,
and the former would be greatly disregarded.
During the months of September & October the Mission held a
General Meeting at Kailua, at which were present all the breth
ren of the Mission except Mr. Whitney, Dr. Blatchely
&
Loomis.
As a full account of the meeting & proceedings will be forwarded
I shall not attempt to give a history of them. A circular
which was issued by the Mission soon after the meeting, render
ed it necessary that the brethren should meet again at this
place.
The object of that meeting, and the result of it, has
been communicated in a joint letter, and transmitted by the
hand of Mr. Loomis.
The recent return of two of our number to
their native land on account of ill health, reminds those of
us who remain, that our time for labor in this land is short,
and admonishes us to improve our health and strength while they
are continued to us, in actively performing our Master's business.
We have abundant cau se for thanksgiving and praise, that the
lives of all the members o f this mission have hitherto been
preserved, while other missionaries have been removed by death
from the scenes of their labors. But we cannot expect to be
very long exempted from the trials which have visited all the
other missions of the Board. We too must in our turn be visited
with the rod. May we be prepared. Our great concern should
be not to live long, and in the participation of much earthly
enjoyment, but for God, and as devoted servants to his cause,
wisely and faithfully applying our talents & means of doing
good to the accomplishment of the great end of missionary exer
tion, the salvation of the heathen.
Their conversion to the
knowledge and service of God should be the object of our desires
& the burden of our prayers. The present w e feel to be a time
for most importunate & fervent supplication; the enemy is breaking
in like a flood, and satan is sifting as wheat some who have
professed attachment to the religion of Jesus.---Unremitted exertions have been made to turn the people from
instruction 8c to draw them back to their old w a y s . And these
efforts have not been made altogether in vain. More rum is
drunk than for a year or two past: less attention given to
instruction than for a quarter or two previous: more time consumed
in play & sports. The sound of the hula is beginning again to
rend the air; persons are seen venturing out to roll the maika
stone.
Cards & dice begin to occupy as formerly the attention
of a certain class of the people. We are aware of the origin
of this declension— No blame is to be attached to the Regency
Kaahumanu has not given her sanction to the least irregularity
�478
and she has looked on with grief; but has not thought it proper
to interpose her authority in the present state of the nation.-- We have understood the policy of the British Consul General
from the first, & are not disappointed. Our indignation arises
when we reflect on the low & base efforts which have been made
by him and others to injure our cause. But we believe the Lord
will overrule all things to his own glory, and the confusion
of every adversary.
I am very affectionately yours in the bonds of the Gospel
Levi Chamberlain.
From
R e c ’d
Levi Chamberlain
Sept. 20, 1827
To
R e v . Rufus Anderson
Assistant Secy, to the
A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
(U. S . A . )
Bosto n .
�479
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 67
Honolulu February 22nd 1827
Respected & very Dear Sir,
Since my last letter to you, dated Sept. 11th, 1 826, I have
received your letters of January 14th & August 21st 1826.
The letter handed you by Mr. Stewart was written under much
embarrassment, not only from the nature o f the s u b ject, but the
state of my feelings in regard to it, & the degree of doubt
in which it seemed to be involved. And though the sty le might
seem to betray a suspicion that the suggestion containedin it
might not fully meet your approbation, yet I assure you my
dear sir, nothing was farther from my feelings than distrust
of you, though I confess I felt no small diffidence in my own
judgement. The kind interest you have manifested in everything
relating to my happiness & usefulness justly i nspires my con
fidence, and I think I can say with truth, excites the most
grateful emotions.
I have never had a doubt that my coming out single was ordered
in mercy, or that you and the other members of the Prudential
Committee were actuated by any other motives than the most
pure, and that you were gu ided aright in the decision which con
trolled the event; nor have I ever cherished one murmuring
thought against Providence, or harbored one unkind feeling
towards those who gave me advice. My own judgement was in
accordance with yours; and the only reason that I havewritten
with restraint has been a want of complete evidence that
a change of condition would promote my usefulness as much
as I have supposed it would my happiness.
The manner in which you have noticed my suggestions f
u rnishes
occasion for thankfulness. M y desire is that I may be prepared
for whatever may be the will of Providence respecting me,
assured that all his dispensations are ordered in wisdom,
goodness & mercy;--My time of labor m u s t be short, and my con
venience is a matter of little consequence in itself considered:
May I be more concerned to glorify God than to find relief
from care, toil, suffering or sorrow.
Your letter encourages us to hope that this mission is ere
long to be re-enforced with more laborers. Never have we
stood in more need of helpers. We are now left destitute
of a Physician & Printer, Honolulu, in some respect the
most important of the stations & decidedly at present the
most difficult to maintain, has but onemissionary; Kauai but
one, & that one about to remove for a season; Maui but one;
Kaawaloa but one; and another is needed for the windward
of Hawaii;--the enemy bold, determined & persevering, is
breaking in like a flood: never have we more needed the
prayers of our patrons & the Christian Church.
The word &
promises of God, however, afford us ground of encouragement.
�480
The cause is not ours, but H is who has said, ”Lo I am with
you alway even unto the end o f the world; " through Him, if we
are faithful, we shall come off more than conquerors.
We have had occasion, heretofore, to speak of advance, & of
that only.--God has most surprisingly favored this mission;
nor do we apprehend his smiles are withdrawn although there
are some unfavorable indications, particularly at this station.
M y last letter contained a developement of certain facts rela
tive to the opposition of two individuals sustaining offices
under the English & American governments.
The feelings of
hostility which these gentlemen then exercised towards the
mission, we have no reason to think are in the least abated,
though as it respects the latter, they are more disguised.
We have been exceedingly grieved with his conduct with respect
to Hannah Holmes, in seducing her, as we have much reason to
believe, to a compliance with a way of life which her own con
science condemned, & which she seemed for a considerable length
of time determined to withstand: but arts & blandishments,
united with untiring vigalence for the attainment of the
desired object have, we fear, been but too successful. He
had a fatal hold upon her from a former connexion & engagement;
from the liberal manner in which he has supplied her wants;
from his having built & furnished a house for her, in which he
has such a propriety as to be entitled to a residence under
the same roof, unless she will abandon her dwelling & seek a
new home,--one of care & trial--at best of self-denyal; & from
his artful insinuations, that they are indissolubly one by the
laws of God, & that no human institution can render his obli
gations to her, or hers to him more binding. If she has yielded,
as we fear, there are some palliations for her conduct; and
we would not hastily give up the hope that she may possibly
be a child of Christ. I have spoken with a degree of doubt
of her having fallen, from the difficulty of ascertaining
in the present ill state of her health by which she is confined
to her house, with absolute certainty, the truth concerning
her.
While some of our communications have with much propriety been
confined, in a great measure, to the encouraging state of things
in the mission & in the nation, I have felt it desirable to
notice occasionally some things also of a different nature-things that are discouraging,--sources of trial & humiliation.
This I felt I might do as my communications to you are private
& differ from the letters of most of your other correspondents.
You know too well the character of human nature to be deceived
by specious appearances.
To see the whole population of a dis
trict or of a whole island flocking together to attend upon
the preaching of a sermon; or assembling in detached groups
to repeat in concert lessons in spelling & reading, is indeed
a pleasing sight, when considered in the light of affording
opportunity for communicating religious instruction, & making
known the name of Jesus.
�481
Scenes like these, if witnessed b y persons of romantic feelings
or contemplated by such, as described in glowing language by
an e ye witness, would perhaps excite the exclamation, "These
are not far from the kingdom of God." But when view.in the light
of sober reality, while they would furnish cause for thankfulness that a door of usefulness was opened among the heathen,
something would be detracted from the interest of such a scene,
& pain would be experienced from the consideration that gross
darkness shrouds their intellect; vicious habits, & so far as
human means are concerned, unconqorable propensities to evil,
deform their souls;--- and that native fickleness, love of
novelty, and a predisposition to move with a popular current,
stand ready to carry them to another extreme.
It is true that the attention of the whole Sandwich Islands
population has been arrested by the preaching of the Gospel, the
establishment of schools & the distribution of books,--not in
deed to those only who can read, but to many others, some of
whom look upon a book as a kind of talisman--mea ola--or thing
of salvation.
But whatever may be the immediate consequence
of this excitement, I look not upon it as a sure pledge that
no abatement of interest will ever he experienced, or witnessed
here.
This is far from the expectations of any o f us, and equally
distant no doubt from your own. That God has begun a good work,
which he will carry on till righteousness shall fill the land,
I firmly believe; but that a season of indifference, coldness
& even opposition to our work from the natives may succeed the
present state of things, I think there is room to fear.
In proof
that there is some ground for my fears, I will notice a few
facts.
When Poki arrived from England he appeared very interesting; he
made many professions, & gave good advice, consequently high
hopes were entertained with respect to his cooperation in what
ever related to the prosperity of the cause; he several times
participated with us in the Communion. But his friendship
has cooled; his goodness has proved as the morning cloud: he
has returned to sin, & not only set the people a bad example
in his own life, & of intemperance by his own intoxication; but
through his weakness & duplicity, has prevented the good which
seemed likely to result from the authority of the higher chiefs.
To him it is to be attributed that the kapu on female prostitu
tion has failed of producing the good it seemed calculated to
effect. Through his opposition to the establishment of the
Ten Commandments as a rule of life, the other chiefs have thought
it prudent to drop the subject of promulgating it as the funda
mental principles of the law of the land.
He has discovered a disposition to act contrary to the wishes
of the higher chiefs, particularly of Kaahumanu, and his conduct
has actually excited alarm that he is aiming to usurp the Regency.
But this strange course is tobe attributed more to foreign in
fluence than to the independent actings of his own mind.
Indecision is a natural trait of his character; and he is just
such a tool as would suit the purpose of an artful & designing
person who has an interest to promote by creating civil des-
�482
censions in the nation. A party has been forming at this
place, not indeed professedly hostile to the cause of religion
& improvement, but virtually so. At the head of it we may rank
Poki & his wife, I might with more propriety have said the
English Consul, though he may keep aloof from some of the vices
which disgrace the others. This party or class is characterised
by intemperance, disregard to salutary prohibitions, indulgence
in sports & plays, in fine by indifference to the laws of God
& the wishes of the better chiefs. Of late great numbers at
this place have returned to their old follies & vices: Some
who were once promising have fallen away among the rest Kaomi,
a young man who has interested us very much, & was propounded
for admission to the church: he was a very active & engaged teach
er, & had contributed more than any other native of his rank to
excite an interest in favor of instruction. His fall has doubt
less had an unfavorable influence on others.
Wicked foreigners seem to triumph, that their predictions are,
as they fancy, about to prove true; namely, that the people
have conformed by constraintto wholsome regulations; and that,
allow them to follow the spontaneous impulse of their own inclin
ations and they will reject instruction, and trample upon the
word & institutions of Jehovah; will return to theirintoxication,
their dances & all the sports of ancient times.
I need say no more to illustrate the point, that the fickleness
of the native character may occasionally throw into confusion
our plans, & disappoint some of our sanguine expectations; nor
is it necessary to enter into a longer detail of our trials,
which are fewer than we could have expected. To God we look
that he would revive us again. We doubtless need chastisements,
and in the hand which has been streached out against us there
are we trust mercies in reserve. It is not my design to convey
the idea that the state of things at this station is des
perate— very far from that.— Notwithstanding we see much to
fill us with grief, we see more to fill our hearts with thank
fulness-- If we have been called to weep over some who have
fallen, we have also occasion to rejoice over others who seem to
stand firm: even Poki is outwardly friendly, and I do not know
a chief who is not so professedly. But we are grieved with
their sins, and it is on account of their opposition to the
laws & will of God that we count them our enemies.—
Most of the people are at the present time absent in the moun
tains cutting sandal wood for the payment of the national
debt. Kaahumanu is absent to Hawaii whither she repaired on
receiving the news of Kalaimoku’s death, which occurred at
Kailua on the 8th instant. Kalaimoku's recovery had long been
despaired of, and it began to be apparent that the time of his
departure drew near;--Having a strong desire to revisit a
orv
a
f
ite residence & behold once more a spots endeared to him by its
recollections & important transactions, he left Oahu on the
�483
12th ult.o in the brig Chinchilla, Capt. Thomas Meek;-and was attended to the boat by weeping friends, who pressed
around to view for the last time the form of thier vnerated
chief.
The vessel stopped at Lahaina, and Kalaimoku had the
pleasure of an interview with his friends there, and spent
one Sabbath with them; the occasion was improved by Mr. Rich
ards for the baptism & admittance into the church of Nahienaena
& the other candidates propounded for admission. Here a person
professing some acquaintance with medicine was introduced
to his notice, of whose services he gladly availed himself,
having had before anoother attendant in the capacity of physician
but Mr. Marini whose knowledge of the healing art is very
limited. During his stay at Lahaina he was very comfortable,
and for sometime after his arrival at Kailua his health appear
ed to be improving, & some feeble hopes were entertained that
he might so get the better of his disorder as to survive some
years; but these hopes were very transient; his disorder took
a sudden turn--an operation was performed upon him, and in a
few hours after this he sunk into the arms of death. We have
received as yet very few particulars respecting his last moments,
we have learned in general that his end was p e a c e f u l & happy.
Things remain quiet, and it is our hope that they will continue
so. The right of controlling the king, & directing the affairs
of the nation belongs to Kaahumanu, and there is no one but
Poki, that we knew of, who would wish it to be in other hands;
and even Poki has acknowledged that this power is vested in
her.--I had feared that the death off Kalimoku would be the
signal to resist Kaahumanu, but the present appearance of things
is that peace and order are likely to prevail.
March 2nd. It has been stated in the joint letter of the Mission
dated at Kailua October 7th 1826 that Mr. Ruggles has permission
to return to Hilo to rejoin Mr. Goodrich, the climate of that
place seeming more favorable to his health than that of any
other of the stations. He sailed from this place a few days
ago with his family & effects on board the Missionary Packet,
destined for Waiakea.
Previously to this the Schooner had been
despatched to Kauai and Mr. Ruggles took passage in her to make
a short visit to Mr. Whitney whose family we feared might be
in circumstances of affliction. During his absence his youngest
daughter was attacked with dysentery which proved fatal to its
life in about 36 hours after it became seriously affected.
This was the only case of the disorder in the family, a circum
stance which considering our being destitute of a physician
calls for unfeigned thanksgivings to God; several instances
however of its existence among the natives have come to our
knowledge.
On the return of Mr. Ruggles from Kauai we learned
that it is the intention of Mr. Whitney to leave his station
for a season and join Mr. Richards at Lahaina; and he has
requested that the Sch.r may be sent to bring him away immediate
ly on its return from Waiakea.
I have already extended my letter to a wearisome length, and
have occasion to be ashamed of the uncomely style & uninter
esting manner in which I have presented the little information
contained in it; but you I trust will make allowances, & bear
�484
with me while I notice a few more particulars.
Mr. Loomis had sought in vain for a passage for himself & family
direct to the United States. At length an opportunity was
afforded of his taking passage for Valparaiso in the Brig
Convoy Capt. Grimes & he was advised to avail himself of it.
The terms were $200, he providing his own stores.
Prom Valparaiso it was stated he would easily find a passage
to the United States. The brethren o f this station approving
the measure on the ground that the present opportunity of
leaving the islands was the last that would probably be af
forded this season, he embarked on the 7th of January and a
gratuitous passage having been offered for the oldest daughter
of Mr. Ruggles she accompanied him as a member of his family.
The departure of Mr. Loomis left of course a vacancy in the
Printing Department; but it has been in a measure filled by
Mr. Bingham's devoting part of his time to the superintendance
of the press, from which has issued since Mr. Loom i s ' departure
a new tract No. 6 of 16 pages containing Christ's Sermon on the
Mount, & a few otherpassages of Scripture.
The number of copies
comprising the present edition is 15000 for the mission, &
about 2000 more on paper furnished by Kaahumanu & Opiia.
Almost the whole of the press work has been performed by natives.
So far as I am acquainted with facts relative to the prospects
of the different missionary stations in the islands, the work
of general improvement is advancing in a pleasing manner.
There will be at every station some discouraging circumstances;
trials must be met, disappointments experienced, and the
enemy combatted. We need patience to wait God's time for a
blessing--to wait in a way of diligent acting. It is pleasant
to see the fruit of one's labors, & to make advances without
hindrances; but it requires much grace to maintain a vigorous
course of labors & efforts when the blessing is withheld, or
when the clouds of adversity lower.
With sentiments of the highest respect & esteem
I am very sincerely & truly your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec'd
M r . Levi Chamberlain
Sep. 20, 1827
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�486
31
March 1824 - M arch 1827
X
No. 68
Honolulu., March 2nd 1827.
Respected and very Dear Sir.
I have this day closed a long letter to you which goes by the
way of Canton. An opportunity being afforded of sending to
South America, I improve it to repeat in part the contents of
that, in hopes this letter may find a conveyance across the
continent, in which case it will reach you earlier than the oth
er: and as the receipt of this may be even earlier than of communi
cations forwarded some time ago, I will just allude to some
things which were passed over in my other letter.
In September last a general meeting of the mission took place
at Kailua, and much important business was transacted, resolutions
passed, and plans formed for the better performance, & more
systematic prosecttion of our work. A circular was penned for
publication, addressed to the friends of civilization & Chris
tianity, setting forth for the information of strangers &
others, the principles, aims, operations & successes of the
mission. This circular was printed at the mission press,
& distributed among the foreign residents & visitants at the
islands. It occasioned no small stir, & gave rise to another
meeting at this place, an account of which has been written;
and it was forwarded by the hand of Mr. Loomis, who with his
family saild from the islands on the 6th of January in the
Brig Convoy; Capt. Grimes bound for Valparaiso.---Mr. Loomis’ health having failed, & being unable to superinted
the printing business at the islands, he had the approbation
of his brethren to undertake a voyage to the United States,
for the double purpose of benefitting his health, & superintend
ing the printing of books for the mission under the direction
o f the Am. Board. Having sought in vain for a passage direct
to his native land, & the season for obtaining conveyances
having e lapsed, he was advised to avail himself of this oppor
tunity to reach South America, whence he was assured a passage
might readily be secured for himself & family to the United
States. The brethren at this station were induced to give
their assent to the measure though not without considerable
hesitance.
They were fearful that another opportunity might
not soon be offered, and it seemed desirable that Mr. L ’s
health should not be exposed to the influence of another warm
season: And in case a conveyance should beafforded next summer
for his return, Mr. Loomis apprehended that a sudden transition
from the heat of a tropical summer to the rigors of a northern
winter, would be very unfavorable to his recovery. These con
sideration
in connexion with the desirableness that the Hawaiian
Gospels should soon be In print, determined our minds in favor
of this chance of a speedy conveyance to his native land.
In coming to this conclusion, however, we did not lose sight
of the expense themeasure might involve, and the inconvenience
to which Mr. Loomis might be subjected in a land of strangers.
The terms to Valparaiso we- $ 200, he furnishing his own sup
plies. A gratuitous passage having been offered for Mr. Ruggles
eldest daughter she accompanied Mr. L.s family to seek a home
�486
in the land o f her parents.
Just two months before this period, Dr. Blatchely embarked
with his family for his native land, on board the ship Con
necticut, Capt. Chester. His health had been failing for more
than a year, and he was fully persuaded that a continuance in
this climate through another warm season, would be an unwar
rantable exposure of his health, if it did not carry him to a
premature grave. With these sentiments & feelings, he came
to the conclusion of availing himself of a favorable oppor
tunity which was presented, to return with his family to the
United States. The eldest daughter of M r. Whitney accompanied
him, being favored with a gratuitous passage.
The departure of Mr. Loomis rendered it necessary that one of
the other brethren should assume the superintendence of the
press. This seemed to devolve o f necessity on Mr. Bingham,
he being the only one at this station who had given sufficient
attention to the subject to be qualified to take the oversight
of the business of printing. Since M r. L.s departure a new
tract No 6 of 16 pages has been put to press, containing Christ's
sermon on the mount and a few other passages of scripture.
The edition consists of 15000 copies for the mission, and #3000
on paper furnished by Kalimoku, Kaahumanu & Opiia. Almost the
whole of the press work has been performed by natives.—
Richard Kaladiaulu is very useful in the printing department.
Most of the people are now absent in the mountains cutting
sandal wood for the payment of the national debt.
# In my other letter by mistake 2000
A direct tax of half a picul o f sandal wood, or four dollars
in cash has been levied on every able bodied male throughout the
nation, and one dollar on every female above the age of
thirteen years. To each person cutting the specified quantity
of wood for the king, is granted the privilege of cutting the
same quantity for himself. And each one is allowedto choose
whether he will go into the mountains & cut the wood, or remain
at h ome and pay cash.
This stir about the payment of the national debt is owing
to measures taken by Capt. Jones, of the U. S. Sloop of War
Peacock, who presented a spirited & formal, though respectful,
address to the king on the subject, urging speedy payment.
And the early attention of the chiefs to the subject is highly
creditable to the nation.
You will feel with us that our loss is great in the removal
of Kalaimoku, the steady friend & patron of this mission.
He died at Kailua on the 8th of last month. His recovery had
long been despaired of, and it began to be apparent, about the
commencement of the present year, that his days were fast draw
ing to a close. Having a strong desire to revisit a favorite
residence on Hawaii, and behold once more a spot endeared to
him by its recollections & by many important transactions Kalai
moku left Oahu on the 12th of January in the Brig Chinchilla,
�487
Capt. Thomas Meek. The parting scene was one of great inter
est. He had waited some time for the arrival of one of the
missionaries to attend prayers with him, a thing he seemed
unwilling to dispense with before bidding a final adiew to the
shores of Oahu. When this exercise was closed, he walked
with feeble & trembling step towards the shore, supported under
each arm by a faithful friend, and was attended to the boat
by a large concourse of natives, who pressed around him to
view for the last time the form, and to receive the parting
aloha of their venerated chief. The vessel stopped at Lahaina,
and Kalaimoku had the pleasure of an interview with his friends
there, & spent one Sabbath with them. The occasion was improved
by Mr. Richards for the baptism and reception into the church
of N ahienaena, Hoapiliwahine and the other candidates who stood
propounded with them for admission into the church. During
his stay at Lahaina he was very comfortable, and also for some
days after his arrival at Kailua; and some feeble hopes began
to be entertained that his life might yet be spared for a sea
son; but these hopes were very transient. His disorder took
a sudden turn, rendering an operation necessary, and in a few
hours after it was performed he sunk into the arms of death.
We have received as yet very few particulars respecting his
last moments. We have learned in general that his end was
peaceful & happy--"The memory of the just is blessed."
Peace & tranquility are maintained as yet at all the islands,
& we hope nothing will take place to interrupt the quietude
o f the nation. Upon Kaahumanu devolves, of right, the direc
tion of the King, and the guiding of the affairs of the nation.
And unless her authority is disregarded & her right disputed,
we shall fear no disturbance, nor any thing to derange the plans
or darken materially the prospects of the mission.) In conclu
sion I would state that Mr. & Mrs. Ruggles have been called
to mourn the death of their youngest daughter, which died
very suddenly of deyentery— that he has now removed with his
family to Waikea, and that soon it is expected Mr. Whitney
will remove for a season from Kauai to Lahaina.
With respectful salutations to your helpers at the Missionary
Rooms & the Honored Committee, I am very sincerely your f.
& servt
.
Levi Chamberlain
Prom
Rec'd
Levi Chamberlain
June 14, 1827
To
Jeremiah Evarts E s q r .
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston,
U.S.A.
Geo. R. Robertson - Tampico
By
�488
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 69
Honolulu Sept 11th 1827
Respected & very Dear Sir,
My last letter to you was dated March 2nd. Since that time
two opportunities have occurred of sending communications to
the United States, by one of which I wrote to Mr. Hill, rec.d
Our last communications from you were by the Triton. Nothing
has occurred of late to darken materially our prospects.
That which casts the darkest shade over us at present is the
precarious health of some of the mission; but even in this
respect the prospect begins to brighten. Liver complaint
to which all of us are liable, and with which two of our number,
namely, we strongly hope, with a divine blessing, be remedied
without the sacrifice of giving up our missionary work & return
ing to the land of our birth.
By the advice of the brethren at this station Mr. Bingham
departed for Hawaii about two months ago with a view to try
the effect of the climate of Hilo upon his constitution.
The missionary packet in which he embarked being opposed by a
very strong breeze in the passage between Maui & Hawaii, through
which they had to pass on their way to Hilo, he concluded
to direct his course to Kailua. On arriving there, he was
advised by the brethren to abandon the plan of going to Hilo
and to make a trial of the high region directly in the rear
of the Missionary establishment. Governor Adams made the offer
of his own country house at Kuahewa for his accommodation;
and thither he immediately removed with his family. This
place is between four & five miles from the sea shore, and,
from a level of the sea, between 1500 & 1700 feet high.
He has found the change of air highly beneficial to his health.
Most of the unfavorable symptoms which he carried with him are
removed, and he writes under date of Sept. 1st- - "I feel inclined
to return immediately; but perhaps resuming too suddenly the
duties of the station at Honolulu will not be the most favorable
I have preached but once at Hawaii— much credit I think is due
to rest, moderation & the blue pills. The mean heat since
I have had the thermometer, taking six observations a day—
6 , 9 & 12;— 3 ,— 6 & 9 o ’clock is 68 deg.s of Farenheit; prob
ably 8 or 10 degrees lower than on shore at Kailua or Honolulu,
and about 4 or 5 lower than Hilo at the missionary establishment
there. The whole range here which I have observed is from 59°
to 74°, and the changes are gradual & uniform day after day.—
The thermometer at Mr. Bishop's stood at 86° at 3 o'clock P.
M. on the day it arrived, that is, 12° higher than it has been
at Kuahewa.
On the whole, I think favorably of the climate here, & of an
establishment in this neighborhood for the refreshment of the
weary, and for correcting billious irregularities."
�4 89
The Missionary Packet has been recently dispatched to Kailua
to bring one of the families of that station to Lahaina.
On her return to this place, it is expected that Mr. Whitney
and family will embark for Hilo or Kailua; and we have strong
hopes that a residence of a few months under the influence of
the cool mountain breezes of Hawaii will be salutary to Mrs.
Whitney, and that her health will be so much improved by the
next spring, that should Providence send more missionaries to
our aid, they will be able to return to their station at Kauai.
The press is now lying inactive, but materials for keeping it
in operation are multiplying. We need very much a printer who
may give his whole time and attention to the business of the
press; Mr. Bingham's attention must be very much divided even
should his health on his return admit of his resuming the super
intendance o f the printing department.
I think it highly desirable that our books should be printed
here; but the present circumstances o f the mission require that
some should be sent to the United States, to be printed under
the direction of the Board.
The Gospel of Matthew is now finished and it will be forwarded
by the present opportunity. There has been very much more
delay in getting it ready than was apprehended.
The work
of revising & correcting was first assigned to Messrs. Bing
ham & R ichards, & it was hoped that the business might be
attended to while the brethren, were together at the General
meeting; but Mr. Richards being under the necessity ofreturning
to his station before must progess had been made, his place
was supplied by Messrs. Thurston & Bishop; but a few chapters
only were revised before the brethren were called to this place
to meet the g e ntlemen who replyed to our circular. Nothing
could be done while they were together at this place and sub
sequently, the various and arduous duties of this station
occupying so much of Mr. Binghams time & attention, it became
necessary to send the manuscripts to Hawaii to be revised by
Messrs. Thurston, Bishop & Ely.—
It is hoped the manuscript will arrive safely & be immediately
put to press in connexion with the nine other chapters which
have been f o r w a r d e d —
You will expect some information respecting our missionary work
and the state of things around us.------- Mr. Whitney is now
laboring at this station, & preaches three times a week with
good acceptance.
The congregation on Sabbath morning generally amounts to 2000
persons, sometimes more; in the afternoon it is somewhat less.
On Wednesday afternoon from 300 to 600, generally; occasionally,
800 to 1000. Many listen attentively, and most behave with
great propriety. We have a meeting for social prayer and exhort
ation on Thursday evening at the mission house for the members
of the church, candidates for baptism and a few of the most
serious of the natives who profess to be guided by the word
of God. We do not admit to this meeting all who apply;
�490
for our house would accommodate but a small part o f those who
give hopeful evidence of piety, than those who are merely seek
ing instruction. Much caution is necessary in our advice to
enquirers: We discover a strong propensity in them to trust
in a form of godliness without the power. Many seem to have
little notion of religion beyond an attendance on public worship
and an union to a prayer meeting: and we fear that some have
no higher view of fitness for heaven.
In just such a state of darkness it might be expected the mind
would be found when emerging from the ignorance of nature,
and ere the dawn of holiness in the heart.
The schools in Honolulu are in a languishing state, though
they flourish in the other islands and are reviving in some
parts of this. An influence unfavorable to schools & improve
ment is here exerted with fatal success: and under this in
fluence nothing will thrive but intemperance & lewdness. It
is my f
u l l belief, however, that our cause is gaining ground,
& that the kindom of Satan is tottering: The natives are becom
ing more enlightened; Sin is exposed, & the ligh t that shines
must render it continually more deformed & odious; those who
love the truth are becoming more established & more decided.
We will labor & pray that the light may shine brighter & bright
er till the glor ious millennial day is ushered in.
I am, Dear Sir, very respectfully & affecty
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
From
R e c ’d
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
April 22, 1828.
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
Corresponding Sec.y
to the A. B. C. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�491
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 70
Honolulu September 14th 1827
M y Dear Brother Anderson,
I believe I have acknowledged the receipt of your letter by the
Triton of August 19th 1826 and thanked you for its interesting
contents; but I will thank you again, & repeat the request
that you will continue to favor me with the counsels & encour
agements of your pen, and let me have the benefit of your
supplications in my behalf before the mercy seat of our common
Lord & Savior.
I have written to Mr. Evarts & Mr. Hill and in my letter to
you I shall endeavor to state, in my broken way, whatever else
may occur to my mind as information proper to be communicated
to our patrons. No Joint letter giving a connected account
of the operations of this station has been written of late
nor has any public journal been kept. I have indeed kept a
private journal of transactions & events for my own satisfac
tion & for reference, but I have never thought it worth t r a n
scribing.
On the 31st day of May last I sailed from this place in the
Missionary Packet bound to Maui & Hawaii with supplies for our
brethren & sisters of the windward stations.
The packet was navigated by natives with the exception of one
foreigner who wished a passage to Hilo. The sailing master
whom we call Cap. Jack is well acquainted with the islands
and is better qualified than any native we know of to have the
charge of the vessel. He is steady & professes to be guided
by the precepts of the word of God. He married the day before
he sailed, a very decent young woman whom he took with him; and
as most of the sailors were accompanied by their wives we had
a prettly large company on board. We had prayers morning &
evening during the whole of our voyage, offered either by my
self, the captain, or William Kamahoula who was one of the company.
Owing tolight winds we light winds we were 42 hours in getting
to Lahaina. This however is not a very long passage, though
I have made it in half that time. It is commonly made by swift
sailing vessels in about 30 h o u r s
On my arrival I was met by Mr. Richards & welcomed to his
humble habitation. His house is of native construction, a beartiful kou tree grows near the door, and not far distant several
tall cocoanut trees; in the back ground a number of branching
breadfruit trees and broad-leaf bananas throw an agreeable
shadow and add liveliness & give the appearance of plenty to
the scene. Directly in the rear of the thatched house rise
up the white walls of a new stone building designed for a per
manent dwelling, one story & a half high & 46 feet by 22 on
the ground with a short wing at one end. (On the top in
�492
the center o f the building is to be constructed a small room
in the form of a turret which will answer for a lookout, a dor
mitory and a pleasant retreat from the interruptions of
troublesome native company. Part of the roof was covered and
one of the rooms nearly finished and Mr. R. hoped the whole
would be finished in about six months from that time.)
I found things in a very pleasing state at Lahaina, the schools
were flourishing, & much attention appeared to be given to in
struction. Mr. R. had just returned from a tour around the
great Western Division of Maui, which includes the most
important part of the island, in which he had been accompanied
by Mrs. R. (& the two children) and by Nahienaena and several
other chiefs with their several trains. He was received every
where with great kindness and treated with the utmost respect.
Their wants were liberally supplied and every possible attention
given to make them comfortable both by the chiefs who journied
with them and by the people of villages & settlements through
which they passed. Mr. Richards preached often, solemnized
many marriages, inspected schools & performed much missionary
labor, and returned from his tour highly gratified, & cheered
in view of the wide field of usefulness which lay open before
him; his only regret was that the laborers are so few.
My stay at Lahaina was short. On the evening of June the 4th,
the object of my visit there being accomplished, I embarked
again in the schooner to prosecute my voyage. Early on the
morning of the 7th we cast anchor in Kailua harbor, having had
a long though not a very uncomfortable passage. On that &
the following day we landed the supplies & at about 2 o'ck
P. M. of Friday the 8th got under way & ran down to Kaawaloa
distant about 15 miles and anchored just before sun.down.
Kaawaloa which is on the north side of Kealakekua bay has as
one approaches it from the ancorage a cheerless & gloomy ap
pearance notwithstanding the verdant branches of cocoanut & a
few other trees that wave over the lowly houses of the natives.
On the right-hand a frowning precipice seems nodding over the
village, and on the left lie scattered around in profusion &
disorder rough fragments & huge masses of dark lava upon a
jetty pavement of the same material extending all along to
the sea shore. At a short distance beyond the village the
precipice falls off in a sloping manner & forms a rough ascent
to the top, whence the country rises gradually to the moun
tain.
I ascended the precipice by a rugged path and went to see the
place where the body of Cap. Cook was conveyed by the natives
after the unhappy affray in which he lost his life. Within
an ancient enclosure formerly a helau where it is said the
flesh was consumed by fire after it had been separated from
the bones. Lord Byron & his officers of the Blonde Frigate,
erected a monument of loose fragments of lava, which supports
a wooden pillar bearing the following inscription.
�493
In memory
of
Captain James Cook who discovered these islands
in
The year of our Lord
— 1778—
This humble monument is erected
by his fellow countrymen
in the year of our Lord
1825
I spent the Sabbath at Kaawaloa and had an opportunity of witness
ing the order & decency with which the people of that & the
neighboring villages attend upon the public worship of God.
The house which is capable of containing 300 people was com
fortably filled, and many of the congregation seemed to attend
to the discourse of Mr. Ely with great seriousness & applica
tion of mind. Naihe & Kapiolani continue to be the firm
friends of the mission, and set a worthy example of keeping
the Sabbath day; and the latter adores her Christian profession
and gives good evidence of a change of heart. At the close
of the public exercises in the morning Mrs. E ly convened the
youth & serious persons of the congregation for religious
instruction and inquiry as to what they remembered & had under
stood of the sermon. This is her uniform practice. When the
health of Mr. Ely will permit, he crosses over to Napopo on
the opposite side of the bay, where there is a house for
public worship, and addresses a congregation of 300 or 400
people, who assemble from the different villages around to
hear the Gospel.
I left Kealakekua bay about 2o'clock A. M. on Monday the 11th
The moon shone bright over the dark mountains, and the land
breeze blew mild; and the foaming surff with monotonous roar,
dashing in snowy whitness, as we sailed along, against the
dark ragged rocks which line the shore, marked our course. At 6 o'ck we reached Kailua just as the land breeze subsided.
I had no opportunity of seeing the people assembled for public
worship, nor of visiting any of the schools at Kailua; but I
witnessed many applications for books and was informed by the
brethren, that people often come from a great distance to ob
tain our publications and bring various articles of native
produce to give in return for them.
In the evening I left Kailua accompanied by Mr. Bishop who was
setting out on a tour into the Divisions of Kohala & Hamakua
to preach to the people and examine schools, & wished a passage
in the schooner to Kawaihae (Towaihae). W e landed Mr. Bishop
next day, and then proceeded on our voyage towards Hilo, where
we arrived on the 16th after a wearisome passage of 4 1/2 days.
Mr. Ruggles came on board shortly after casting anchor, and
Mr. Goodrich met me at the landing, by them I was conducted
to the mission establishment, & I received from all a most
hearty welcome
�494
The present location of the establishment is at a consider
able distance from the place where the first houses were built,
and in a much more pleasant situation. The families are now
much more favorably circumstanced & their prospects far more
encouraging than when the station was first taken. The breth
ren live in seperate houses about 150 yards apart: Mr. Good
rich's is 50 feet by 26, & Mr. Ruggles 54 feet by 25, built
in native fashion thatched with lauhala ( or leaves of the
pandanuas)which having taken root forms a beautiful verdant
palisade.
A decent meeting house has been erected on Mr. Goodrich's prem
ises and about 100 yards from his enclosure, which will con
tain 1000 people, and on Sabbath morning it is generally filled
to whom Mr. Goodrich preaches, The congregations in the after
noon are not so large.— ---I have seen no congregations in the
island more orderly than those I witnessed here.-- -After the
close of the morning exercises the sisters attend to a Sabbath
School.
The people are very friendly and most of them learn the palapala
Maalo the head man of one division of Hilo is particularly
friendly & uses his influence in favor of instruction. He was
very much gratified with the return of Mr. Ruggles to reside
at Hilo, and Mr. him & Mr. Goodrich a present on the occasion
of 300 sheets of native cloth worth at least 50 dollars. I
had an interview with him, he said; It was my prayer to God
that Mr. Ruggles might return, and he has come; I wished to mak
e
him a present and gave out word to the scholars to bring in
kpaa, and they brought it in cheerfully." I said: you were
very kind; he replyed; "It is God that is kind.” this was spoken
emphatically and with apparent feeling, and I exhorted him
to put his trust in that God who is constantly doing us good,
and who in great kindness sent his ion to die for our sins.
He sai d , it is right to trust in him.
I sailed from Hilo on the 25th after a visit of 10 days at the
station and having caused the schooner to be loaded with wood
& plank--- The plank were hewed by the natives with much labor
out of whole logs & dragged from the woods many miles distant.
We had a pleasant passage to Lahaina & thence to this place
where we arrived early on them orning of the 29th of June,
having been absent 30 days, 11 1/2 ofwhich I spent on board the
Schooner in passing to & from the stations. I found myself
much exhausted & considerably reduced in flesh in consequence
of the fatigues & anxieties of the voyage.
Having now given you a very hasty & imperfect account of my
visit to the windward stations I will attempt to say something
about the station with which I am connected. I have not said as
much about the religious state of things as I might. An exter
nal attention to things more or less connected with religion is
universal throughout the islands; but gross darkness still
covers the minds and hearts of the great mass of the inhabitants.
�495
It has been stated that the large meeting-house built at
this place in the year 1825 was prostrated by the rain soon
after it was finished. For a long tine the people assembled
in the open air for public worship, afterwards the timber of
the fallen house was reared up so as to form a shelter from
the heat of the sun & under that they met for worship.
Kalaimoku had in contemplation building a large & durable house
for the public worship o f G od, and made considerable prepara
tion, but his sickness prevented the execution of his plan.
He gave in charge however to Kaahumanu before his death to carry
forward the plan, and she consented to take the work under her
direction. But the state of things in thenation has been
unfavorable to the accomplishment of an undertaking so great
as that contemplated by Kalaimoku. Kaahumanu has caused a
temporary house to be erected which is 86 feet by 30 with two
wings each 12 feet wide extending the whole length of the
building. This house was opened for public worship in July
last. It is not large enough to accommodate all who attend
service on Sabbath mornings, many are obliged to sit without.
In July we had an examination of the schools. It was not de
signed as a general examination, therefore as to numbers it
will not compare with some that have preceded it, but in point
of correctness on the part of those examined there have been
few at this place that have exceeded it. The writers on the
slate were brought forward in one class in a solid column
of about 400, to whom Laanui gave out a sentence which was
written immediately by the whole company with scarcely an in
accuracy of spelling, & that without any previous knowledge
of what was to be given out.--The sentence was as follows:
Ehaalele ka hewa a me ka make,
E hele koke ka pono,— — i ke ola.
Forsake sin together with death,
Hasten unto r i g h t e o u s n e s s t
.o salvation.
Impressed with thennecessity that some systematic course should
be pursued with respect to the inspection of the schools the
subject of a committee for that purpose was suggested by us to
the chiefs & meeting with their entire approbation, sixteen
of the best informed of the teachers of this place, including
several hopefully pious & three who are members of the Church,
were selected, and appointed to take the circuit of the island
once every two months for the purpose of inspecting the schools,
reviving such as have been neglected, recommending the estab
lishment of new ones ascertaining the qualifications & charac
ters of the teachers & giving them advice as to the best method
of teaching and finally encouraging all to attend upon instruction & to seek the best good of their immortal souls. The
effect of the first visit has been an increase of applications
for books, and we hope that great good will result from the
measure.
�496
The people begin to be a little more at leisure to attend to
instruction, having to a considerable extent paid the half
picul of sandal wood levied on every man in the nation as a
tax to pay off the former king's debts.
The King & Boki have been absent most of the time for four
months past on a distant part of this island attending to the
collecting & wieghing of sandal wood. Affairs remain quiet
in the nation and we see nothing that looks like a plan to
resist the powers that be.
The young king will soon be of an age to assume the government
of the islands and there is no fear that his authority will be
resisted. It is our prayer, and it will be yours, that his
administration may be propperous & happy, and that in the
exercise of his prerogative under the favor and in the fear
of God, he may be a terror to evil doers, & a praise to them
that do well.
In a letter not long since to Mr. Hill I mentioned the arrival
at this place of several Ecclesiastics, artisans, & agricultural
ists from France who had embarked for these islands with a view
to a permanent residence here. They were ordered to leave
the islands, but the Captain who brought them refused to take
them away and the chiefs were obliged to let them stay.
The E cclesiastics keep themselves very much secluded, but the
mechanics work at their occupation & find full employment.
One of the seculars has made application to Boki for land and
has obtained a grant of a considerable district, distant about
eighteen miles from this place. The company are now called
vine dressers, and I think will gain a permanent settlement
here. Whether the priests design to remain is not certainly
known. We have heard it stated that their object in coming
to the islands was not to propagate religion, but toimprove
their world l y circumstances.
We wait an arrival from America for intelligence from our friends
and patrons, having heard nothing directly from than since
last January by the Triton.
We have been favored with the perusal of a file of the New
York Observer kindly forwarded from Canton by Mr. Oliphant.
The last dates were about the middle of D
ecember. In one of
those papers we gained the mournful intelligence of the death
of the Rev. Gordon Hall missionary at Bombay.
The statements of the mission respecting the conduct of Cap.
Buckle of the English whaling ship Daniel & her riotous crew
which have been published in America h ave reached here and
occasioned some excitement.
Being in company with the English & American Consuls soon
after the facts stated by us had become public at this place, the
former said to me "it must be proved that Capt. Buckle purchased
�497
a female slave, as h e has been accused of doing by one of the
missionaries. You have charged h im with committing a high
crime, by the laws of England it is piracy, and my instructions
are very explicit on that subject.
I said, "the circumstance can be fully proved of Captain Buckle's
paying for a Sandwich island female, whom he took on board
his vessel against her wish, to accompany him on a cruise;—
the facts are well known, what name soever, in law, may be given
to the deed." He replyed, "I do not believe it can be proved
that the woman was taken contrary to her inclination) and if
it cannot be proved, as I think it cannot, were I in C
apt.
Buckle’s place, I would prosecute the society for a libel."!—
He said furthermore, "the account of the riot is very greatly
exaggerated. In this he was seconded by Consul Jones, who re
marked that the publishing of such things was very improper,
and made us no friends, but on the contrary many enemies.
I replied, "those who are best acquainted with the affair of the
attack upon Mr. Richards will not say that we have given an
heightened account of it."
"it is proper , I added, "that we
should make known to the Soc . our state & circumstances, the
success which attends our labors, thedifficulties we have to
encounter & the trials we endure: Shall er be kicked and
trodden under foot, and not be permitted to state these things
to our patrons? It is our duty to give the Society a faith
ful account of our operations, of our schools, of our pupils
Y whatever else we may think important for them to know; and
they are at liberty to publish what they please; and for what
is published, they are accountable, and not we, if we state
nothing but facts."
Since the above conversation, I have learned that Mr. Charlton
has declared that it is his intention to send me to England
as a witness against Ca p t . Buckle, as I have asserted that the
fact of his having purchased a slave can be proved. This cir
cumstance is in itself too trifling tomention, but it serves
with others to show what a spirit of hostility exists in the
heart of this man against the missionary cause. I do not
believe, he has authority to remove an American missionary from
his work 18000 miles to bear testimony to such a charge in an
English court of justice, nor, had he power, do I believe he
dare do it. But how much soever may be done to disturb our
peace, it is not in the power of this man or any other to
overturn our cause; a great & effectual door is opened, and no
man can shut it. We shall doubtless be called to experience
great trials,— shall witness an obstinate struggle ofdarkness
against light, see the powers of darkness marshal their forces
& put forth their utmost strength; but the result is certain:
Strong is truth & it will prevail, and every enemy shall even
tually be silent in darkness.
October 15th The vessel by which I expect to send this letter
is soon to sail, and as you must be weary of my long communi
cation, I will bring it to a close by noticing a few more
particulars.
�498
On the first day of this month Mr. Whitney sailed with his
family on board of the Missionary Packet for the windward.
He left intending to make a short stop at Lahaina and thence
to proceed on to Hilo where he will probably tarry five or
six months if the climate should prove favorable to the recov
ery of Mrs. Whitney's health. His departure leaves me entirely
alone with the care of the station;--assisted, however, by two
of the native members of the church, I manage to conduct
comfortably the public services of the Sabbath & of Wednesday
afternoon;— and it is gratifying to see that the congregations
have not diminished.— I superintend also a Sabbath School es
tablished in March last, which is increasing in interest.
A little good, you will perceive, is going on at this place
in the midst of a great deal of evil. The precious is in some
degree separated from the vile, and we hope the difference
between the two will become more and more apparent.
Many ships are now in port and there is much to withdraw the
attention of the people from instruction; but it is pleasant
to see large congregations assembled for the purpose of hearing
the word of God which is uniformly the case on Sabbath mornings
though in the afternoon it is much diminished.
A considerable number are constant in their attendance on all
our public religions services & appear to profit by what they
hear. This is an encouragement to us & an abundant reward
for our care & labor.-- Captain Buckle of the D aniel is again in port, but I have not
heard that any steps have been taken to remove him from his
ship & send him prisoner to England, on the charge of piracy, "
nor have I heard anything further respecting one of the mission
aries being forced from his labors to follow him as a witness;but ill will enough exists on the part of some to send every
missionary & every one too who favors and patronises farther
than the ends of the earth, if that were possible!—
But we must be careful what we say in a public manner of public
characters, though we may claim the privilege of communicating
freely & confidentially with our patrons on any subject
connected with our work.---I remain very sincerely & affectionately
Your friend & brother
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec'd
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
April 22, 1828
To
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Boston
(No back to this letter)
�499
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 71
Honolulu, November 1st, 1827
Respected & very Bear Sir
I have sent by the Golden Farmer, Cap. Joy, two small boxes, one
containing sulphur from the volcano, and the other specimens
of lava and a few small curiosities. I have also sent a bow
and arrows used by the natives of the North W. Coast for pierc
ing and taking fish, also a New Zeland war club. These all I
have directed to the care of Mr. Albert Gardner, of Nantucket,
with the request that he will forward them to theMissionary
Rooms. The lava is from the great volcano in Hawaii, and a
considerable part of it I procured with my own hands at the
bottom of the crater, and that but a short time after its having
been in a fluid state. These trifles I send for the museum
of the Missionary Rooms, and I hope hereafter to contribute
other things if my life should be spared, and an opportunity
be presented of obtaining them.
I wrote you under date of September 11th and to Mr. Anderson
and Mr. Hill under a later date. In my letter to M r . Anderson
I stated, that the publicity given to the affair of the riot
at Lahaina, & that of Cap. Buckle's purchasing a female slave,
is making a great noise at this place. I know not what trouble
it may yet cost some of us. Cap. Buckle is now in port, and
the English Consul is probably obliged to enquire into the
statements, and I have no expectation it will be done with a
view to bring the guilty to punishment/ but onethe contrary, to
involve, if possible, the innocent in difficulty. All the per
sons whom I have heard speak respecting the affair seem to think
that a great mistake has been made in publishing it, partic
ularly that part which relates to the conduct of the said
Captain in regard to the female. But it is very difficult in
this latitude to find a correct judgement on such a subject.
It would be natural to expect that any esposure of the vile
practices common at these islands, would be unpopular with a
certain class of visitants. I am mortified anddisgusted with
what I daily see in my intercourse with foreigners. I would
blush and be ashamed for those of my own complecion.
I have written enough on other occasions respecting the existence
of certain evils, and I think you must have become weary of
my frequent allusitons to them: but they are so connected with
the history of the operations of the mission, are the sourse
of so much trouble to us, and give rise to so many circum
stances which it seems to be our duty to detail that we are
under the necessity of introducing than into our communications.
I continue to be alone at this station, Mr. Whitney left for
the windward on the 1st day of last month. He is now at Hilo
with his family, and writes that Mrs. W. is better, and that he
thinkgs the climate will agree with her very well.--M
�500
Mr. Bingham is at Maui;--but is about to return to this place.
He wrote last week, and gave an account of an unpleasant
affair which had just taken place at Lahaina. An English
ship, on the evening of the 23rd ulto, fired upon the town five
or six shot, in which the family of the mission was as much
exposed to danger as any person in the place;— for several of
the balls passed very near the house, and the family feeling
that they were in danger retired into the cellar after the
three first balls passed.
I shall give the account pretty nearly in Mr. Bingham's own
words. He says, "You will be very solicitous to know the
occasion of such an appearance of w ar, & of such rash & violent
measures, and you may well guess that the mo- kolohe (criminal
intercourse,) is the kumu, (foundation) the tabu the occasion,
the seventh prohibition of the decalogue the cause, and the
propagators of that law the means, and the violators of God's
law the authors of the evil.
But to be more particular: for about three days Hoapili the
chief of Maui had been trying to recover from the ship sever
al women, who the natives & chiefs alledged were on board.
Thecaptain denied having any knowledge of their being on
board, or having given any consent thereto; but it was main
tained that they were kept in the steerage. Hoapili said to
the captain, when your men come on shore to desert you, we
deliver them back to you, and we wish you now to send back our
women, or allow us to go and search for them, and take them
away ourselves, ad they have offended in two respects, going on
board contrary to the tabu, and leaving the shore without
having paid the king's tax. It was supposed they intended to
sail in the ship to Oahu. One of the women had been married
also, and had a husband on shore.
The captain, declining to deliver up the woman or to allow his
ship to besearched as soon as Hoapili thought he ought, his
boat was taken possession of by Hoapili's order and himself
detained about two hours; but without any intention to injure
his person, his crew or his property, and to release him as
soon as he would send for the women to come on shore or allow
his ship to be searched for them. During the time of the captain
detention on shore, he called at the mission house, said he did
not apprehend any danger to himself, and told some of the
natives that as soon as the news reached the ship, those on
board would fire and cut the village down. After this he had
intercourse with his ship, by means of the boat of another ves
sel in the roads, and then by a boat from his own ship, and
gave permission to his officers to fire, if they chose, upon the
town; but directing them to elevate their guns so as not to
hurt the mission family. Mr. Richards learning that hasty
measure were about to be taken ran to the residence of the chiefs
and through his representation gained their assent to the
captain's returning to his ship and they launched his boat.
About five minutes after this thefiring from theship commenced,
as the hour allowed for the captain's return had expired.
�The captain went off immediately to his ship, and the firing
ceased. The captain, the brethren were told, did not approve
of the conduct of his crew in the affair.— It is said now,
Mr. B. remarks further, that the Captain tells Hoapili that he
cannot get the women because the officers retain them. The
vessel sailed next evening for Oahu andis now at this port.
The affair makes a good deal of talk, and brings the mission
into fault in the view of many;— though as Mr. B. remarks, we
disclaim all responsibility in the matter of blame; "— and
says further— "Give yourself no uneasiness as to any moral
stain in this affair upon the characters of those we have
had special confidence i n ”
As a full statement will probably be given of the whole affair,
I will close here,— requesting you to withhold a public disclos
ure of facts till something further shall be communicated.
I will just r emark that our enemies watch the return of our
communications, and that they are glad to find an occasion to
reproach & vilify. We wish not causelessly to enrage them.
Though you have honored some of my communications by inserting
them in your publication, I must still be regarded as not de
signing them for the eye of the public, and therefore I am
more free in my statements,— some of which, particularly those
in which names have been mentioned, would occarion great uneas
iness and trouble, if made public.
I am, Sir,
very respectfully,
Your friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec ’d
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
April 8 , 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U . S. A.
Pr
the Golden Farmer, Capt. G. F. Joy
�502
1
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 72
Honolulu, March 7th 1828.
Honored Sir,
We are daily looking for the arrival of some vessel that shall
bring communications from our patrons & friends in America,
from whom we have had no direct intelligence for more than a
year. Our last letters from the missionary Rooms were received
by the Triton, Jan. 24th 1827, and were dated in Augt. 1826.
Since that period many events of great interest have transpired
in these islands, accounts of which have been duly transmitted
to the Board; but of their effect upon the minds of our patrons,
and the public, so far as they may have b een made acquainted
withe them, we are yet to beinformed.
The last communications from this station to the Board were of
a nature calculated deeply to interest them. Some of our
number had been placed in the most trying circumstances, and,
through the care of the great Watchman of Israel, had been
delivered; the uproar had in a great measure ceased; the inter
ruptions to our work had nearly subsided, and quietness was
restored to our minds. The Lord was on our side when men rose
up against us, and he delivered us from all our fears, and from
all the expectations of our enemies.
Distinguished have been the favors shown by the great head
of the Church to this mission, and though we have not been
allowed to pass along without corrections, our chastisements
have been comparatively light and fewer than our faults.
Some of our number that have been visited with sickness are
again cheered with the smiles of health, others that have been
interrupted for a season in their ordinary labors and greatly
tried, are permitted to return to their work and in quietness
to persue it with singularly encouraging prospects of success.
Trials we are to expect, in the discharge of our duty to the
heathen, in our intercourse with those who have never felt the
power of the Gospel, and in maintaining a dignity of char
acter becoming missionaries of the Cross and preachers of right
eousness; and in none of the things that have c ome upon us, are
we disposed tothink or to say that any strange thing has
happened to u s . One thing however may be mentioned as singular,
and that is, that the mission as such should have existed eight
years without the decease of any o f its adult members. Though
the story has been told of sickness, along with it has been
the record of mercy; though some of our number have returned
to their native land in search of health, they still live to
tell, we trust, the wants of the heathen; though some of the
parents have been called to follow their loved offspring to the
grave, the lot has never heretofore fallen to any of us to state
the mournfu l fact that death has laid the parent low.
But no longer can we say, We have not been called to mourning.
Death has at length made a breach and our hearts are sad.
Our diminished numbers have been made less. Mrs. Bishop is
no more; she closed her mortal existence on the 21st ult. at
Kailua, after a distressing illness of about six months.
�503
Her complaint was of such a nature that her mind seemed involv ed
in the sufferings of the body, and those of both were inex
pressibly severe; but she rests from her pains & her sorrows,
and is forever at peace in thekingdom of her God and Saviour .
As you will doubtless soon be put in possession of the particulars
by other pens, I shall not at tempt a detail of them; but will
proceed to state a few things in relation to our circumstances
which you will be glad to learn from me if not stated more clear
ly by others of our number.
Mr. Whitney and family have just arrived from Hilo. Mrs. W.
has not derived the benefit from her residence there which
it was hoped she would receive. The symptoms of an affection
of the liver still remain. Mr. Ruggles, who is now alone at
that distant station, has recently had a return of unfavorable
symptoms. The state of Mr. Ely's health also gives just cause
for alarm. He has been obliged to suspend his labors, though
the state of inquiry of thepeople at Kaawaloa and the neigh
borhood, seems to call for redoubled efforts. His symptoms are
those of an affection of the liver,--pain in the right side
and shoulder and they seem to be somewhat obstinate. It may be
the determination of the Lord to lessen our numbers still more.
0 that his dealings towards us may make us morehumble and de
voted.
There is at this place an increasing attention to instruction;
and the schools are beginning to be revived. All the kinds
of books which have issued from the mission press find a ready
market. Applications are made with great frequency, and it
is with difficulty we can withhold the first sheets of, a work
while the subsequent ones are preparing to be printed. Of the
first sheet of Luke, which has recently been struck off, (and of
which there are five more to follow,) nearly one thousand copies
have b een disposed of at this station. The History of Joseph is
in progress; it will make a tract of 32 pages. We print it
on Fool’s cap paper and calculate for an edition of 15,000 copies.
The first 8 pages have been struck off. A short Arithmetic
is now in press.it will comprise 16 pages, and the edition is
to consist of 5 ,000 copies— We feel it desirable that every pos
sible effort should be made to supply the demand for books.
We must scatter the good seed even if some of it falls by the
way side or upon stony places.—
March 12th. The ship by which I send this sails today.— I in
formed you in a former part of this sheet of Mr .Whitney’s ar
rival at this place from Hilo. Two days ago he left for Kauai,
being desirous to return to his original station.— We shall
feel anxious for Mrs. Whitney on account of the precarious
state of her health; but she will probably be as favorably sit
uated in regard toit at Kauai, as at this place.
Mr. Bishop remarks in his
the midst of an extensive
part of the letter should
pectation would be raised
the sentence were altered
letter to you, "I find myself in
Revival of Religion”; If this
be communicated to the public ex
which might not be realised.
If
to convey the idea that a pleasing
�504
Religious excitement existed at that place it would be better.
I am, Dear Sir, with sentiments of the
highest regard Your friend & servt
Levi Chamberlain
from
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
R e c ’d Dec. 6 , 1928
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
Corresponding Secretary
of the Amer, Board of com. for For. Miss.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A .
Pr. the
R ambler
Cap. Worth
�505
31
March
1824 - March 1827
X
No. 73
Honolulu April 10th 1828.
Respected and very dear Sir,
I wrote you under date of March 7th by the ship Rambler. The
vessel left port on the18th of the same month, but 14 days
after she returned in a leaky condition. As she will be detained
some time to undergo repairs, opportunity will be afforded
us of making very considerable additions to our padkage of
letters.
Never have I taken my pen under circumstances of so much inter
est to write to you. The reenforcement has arrived:--we have
seen our helpers and united with them in praising God for
his grardianship exercised over them while crossing the wide
and dangerous deep. The Lord be praised for having put it
into their hearts to devote themselves to the missionary
cause, and for having opened the way for their entrance into
this large and interesting field. The Board are entitled to
our thanks for the important agency they have had in sending
them out under such favorable circumstances, and the Christian
public for the Very liberal contributions they have made for
their support and the maintenance of the missionary cause
in this and other lands.
You will receive many communications by this vessel, both from
the new and the old missionaries. A brief letter is all
I can now promise to write as I am very much pressed with busi
ness attending to the supplied which have come out, and other
duties connected with my station. I feel happy that so many
things necessary to the comfort of the families have been sent
to u s , and especially, that, through your agency, so good a
number of missionaries have come to our help. But I would
still remark that, though larger than we expected, the number
does not fully meet the wants of all the stations— more might
very advantageously be employed at the posts already estab
lished. Allow me here to express my thanks to you for having
placed within my power the choice of a helper & companion.
It has been
wish to be guided in every movement by the
will of Providence. To that will would I still submit myself
with the earnest desire that I may never mistake or oppose
any of its determinations.---The increase of numbers tothe mission makes an increase of
care & labor to me; but though at times almost ready to sink
under the weight of responsibility & care which presses upon
me, I will rejoice that the laborers are multiplied, and
that the way is opened for a vast increase of the means of
moral and intellectual improvement. The new missionaries
are welcomed by the chiefs and people, and without a dis
senting voice are invited to stay and e n g a g e in the work
of instruction. I feared that an effort would be made to induce
some of the chiefs to oppose the settlement of more American
Missionaries in the islands; but I do not know that any such
�506
effort was made, if it was, the influence was exerted very
privately and without any effect. We have reason to believe
that the ve y spirited manner in which the Board repelled
the attacks of our enemies upon the character & operations
of your missionaries in these islands, had under God, the
effect to keep them quiet at a time when we had expected
to see them actively engaged against us. And we have moreover
reason to believe that your statements, of the opposition of
foreigners drawn from our communications; which, while we
were suffering the effects of the indignation excited by
an exposure to the world of their base conduct at the islands,
we were disposed to wish had not been made p u b i c ; has been the
means of intimidating our enemies, and will make them more
cautious in futurehow they carry their opposition to overt
acts of violence.
Your letters by the ship Superior reached us on the12th of
March, and we received the very agreeable notice that you were
expecting to send us out a reenforcement. We had for a long
time been looking for letters; and I need not tell you that
when we laid our hands on your communications, and our eyes
had run over the truly gratifying intelligence which they
contained, our hearts were greatly rejoiced and comforted.
We were comforted in view of the sympathy our trials & per
secutions had excited in the minds of our patrons & the Chris
tian public; and we had somewhat the feelings of triumph,
in that thedeslgns of the enemy, who had been plotting our
injury and disgrace, had been so overruled, in the good Provid e n c e
of God, that they were likely to tu rn to his own confusion.
Your letters had prepared us to espect helpers in the spring;
but we did not know exactly when to look for their arrival,
particularly as the reenforcement was not expected to sail till
the fall, and the Superior sailed very early in the summer;
we however made what preparation we could to receive them when
they should arrive.
On Sabbath the 30th of March a merchant ship appeared in the
offing, and, after discharging two or three guns for a pilot,
came to anchor in the roads. Just before the hour for public
worship in the afternoon, Cap. Swain, of the ship Enterprise,
who had come on shore fr om a v isit to the new v essel, called
up at the mission house, and surprised us with the following
salutaion. "I have good news for you. The vessel just arrived
has missionaries on beard, and two hundred tons of supplies
for you." The feelings which this most pleasing intelligence
excited, can be more easily conceived than described.
We were anxious to see our new friends, and Cap. Swain kindly
offered us the use of his boat to go off. A religious excite
ment existed at this time on board the Enterprize, and we had
for a succession of Sabbath evenings conducted worship on board,
we therefore concluded to avail ourselves, as soon as native
service should be over of his offer to go on board the Parthian;
�507
and on our return to invite one of the new brethren to accom
pany us to preach on board the Enterprize. Mr. Stetson
first mate of the Enterprize, who rejoiced at an opportunity
to do us a favor, accompanied us (Mr. Bingham, Mr. Goodrich
& myself) on board the Parthian. We clomb up the side of
the vessel, and were received by the nate.— All was still and
quiet on deck--the missionaries were at prayers in the cabin
when the service was closed we were invited below. I need
not say that the cabin, as our eyes first glanced aroundit,
presented a scene that filled our breasts with thrilling
emotions. Though we looked in vain among the sixteen before
us for some one with whom we had been formerly acquainted,
still we recognised in their countenances the lines of kin
dred affection, and our arms and our hearts were open to re
ceive them. After a short tarry we returned, accompanied by
Mr. Gulick, and attended religious worship on board the Enter
prize.
May 27th. When I commenced the foregoing sheet, I did not expect
my communication to extend to another and, I feel that I need
to apologize for obtruding my broken story upon your notice
at a time when so many are writing, and when so many communi
cations, more worthy of your attention, will be transmitted
from the islands.
In your letters to the mission you have referred to the
conduct of Lieut. Percival while at the islands, and expressed
your regret that a regular, fall and official account of it
had not been transmitted to the Board. Mr. Bingham had early
noted the events that transpired, when the Dolphin arrived,
and also of that period when Lieut. Percival was using his in
fluence with the Sandwich island government to get the tabu
removed, and vindicating what he was pleased to regard the rights,
and to call the privileges, of persecuted sailors; and it was
the expectation of us all that as soon as the departure of the
Dolphin, should close the term of his visit and enable us
to give a view of all his proceedings, a history of the events
of that period would be written for the information of the
Board. This history it was judged, Mr. Bingham would be best
qualified to make out, as he was in possession of more facts
in relation to it than any other one of our number, and had
already a partial account written.
As it respects myself, I was not at Oahu when the Dolphin
arrived,--I had very little intercourse with Lieut. Pereival--I
was not as I recollect introduced to him,--my acquaintance
at that time with the native language, in which most of his
conduct was related to us, was very imperfect; nor had I an
opportunity of seeing him during any of his interviews with
the chiefs except one and that was at Kalaimoku!s house on
the evening after the riot, and I was in company with Mr. Bing
ham & Mr. Loomis. Lieut. B. seemed to be very much excited,
and spake with a great deal of vehemency on the subject of
�508
tabu, and the impropriety of the measure. Many things were
said, and much which I have forgotten; bu t which, could I re
collect them, it would be of no service to repeat. One express
ion of his however, it may be proper to mention. Having said
that a privilege was granted the Blonde which was denied the
Dolphin, he expressed himself, as nearly as I can recollect,
in the following words: "Before it shall be said that my ves
sel was denied a privilege which was granted to an English
vessel I would have my hands and feet cut off, and go home
mutilated." From the general strain of his conversation
and the feeling which he manifested on the occasion,
We could not but draw the inference, that he considered the
mission as the authors of the difficulty, and as having drawn
upon themselves the vengeance of the enraged andinjured sea
men.
So fully was Capt. Edwards of opinion that Lr. P. was an abet
ter of his men in that disgraceful affair, that he said to us
shortly after the riot "Do you make a formal complaint against
him to government, and call upon me fo r evidence to support
your charges." Cap. J ones , who visited these islands after
wards in the Peacock, having been informed of the particulars
of the outrage, and the course pursued by Lt. P. said, unhes
itatingly,
know so well the character of American seamen,
that I am sure the c rew of the Dolphin would not have gone
to the length they did had they not been encouraged by their
commander." We are anxious to know how the suit which the
Committee instituted against him has terminated. You probably
have received ere this the full account of the Dolphin's visit,
forwarded by M r . Bingham from Lahaina;— and as Mr. Loomis and
Dr. Blatchely were in America, and could be present at the
trial, and as Capt. Jones who had recently visited the islands
had returned, we hope the Committee were relieved from every
serious difficulty in carrying on the suit.
June 13th.----The ship by which I send thisis ready for sea,
and I must now close my letter. There are at this station
at the present time seven families, besides Mr. Bishop, my
self and two single ladies. Mr. Andrews has gone to his sta
tion, he accompanied M r . Richards to Lahaina in the Missionary
Packet, which sailed from here on the 5th of May. Dr. Judd
is expected back in a few days. Miss Stone went to Hawaii
with Mr. Ely and family expecting to reside in the family of
Mr. Thurston. In a few days Mr. Green will take passage with
his family for Kaawaloa. Mr. Bishop will return by the same
opportunity to Kailua, and he expects to spend most of the
summer in performing i tinerary labors. Mr. Ruggles and
family who have recently arrived from Hilo, go on with Mr.
Green to Kaawaloa to spend a season there. Mr. Ruggles' health
is feeble, and it was for the benefit of his health that he
left Hilo, though it is his expectation to return there again.
Mr. Goodrich who has been here seven months, expects to leave
in the course of a week for his station, and Mr. Gulick, who
�509
is now on a visit to Kauai, will, as soon after his return
as the health of his wife, who has just been confined, will
admit, go to Kauai to engage in missionary labors in connexion
with Mr. Whitney. Miss Ogden will accompany Mrs. Gulick, and
expects to reside in his family.--Ten individuals will then
be left at this station, who may be regarded for the present
permanent members of the staion.
The impression made on our minds by the reenforcement as to
their qualifications and devotedness is in general very favor
able. Mr. Andrews & Mr. Green will be very studious men, and
will make a good use of their time. I trust the old mission
aries will be excited by their diligence to new efforts and
greater industry. Mr. Clark will I think make a valuable mis
sionary and will not be the last toimprove well his time.
He appears very amiable, and in his tenper and manners is I
think calculated to conciliate the esteem of strangers.
In this respect his designation for this station was very
judicious. Mr. Gulick appears to be very conscientious,
pious & well meaning, and Doctor Judd conscientious & devoted,
amiable & of high promise as a physician. He station is diffi
cult,--his labors will be arduous and he especially needs
grace; and we trust it will be imparted to him. Mr. Shepard
has entered on the duties of his office as printer and appears
to be well qualified for his w ork & to possess the spirit
that will enable him to persevere.
I remain, Dear Sir, very affectionately & very
respectfully, Your friend and servant
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. L. Chamberlain
R e c ’d Dec. 5, 1828
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Boston
(No back to this letter)
�510
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 74
Honolulu June 7th 1828
Dear Brother Anderson,
I hoped to be able to write you a long letter by the present
opportunity, but I fear I shall have time to do little more
than acknowledge the receipt of your kind favor by the Superior,
and of your long, interesting, & very acceptable letter by
the Parthian; and to thank you for your kind rememberance of
me, and for the seasonable advice and encouragement which you
have favored me with from your pen. I prise highly every thing
that comes from the Missionary Rooms, but letters from those
dear friends that are laboring there, are invaluable• I have
felt altogether unworthy of your notice; and your condescen
sion in writing to me, and affording counsel and encouragement,
has surprised me. I trust I feel in a measure my obligations,
and I pray God I may never be left to forfeit your confidence;—
but may be more worthy of your friendship and favorable regard.
Your last letters were written under circumstances of great
interest; and not less so were the circumstances, under which
they came to hand and were perused by us. We almost felt
ourselves at hone in our own native land surrounded by our
patrons and dear American friends. I cannot describe the feel
ings which the arrival of the reenforcement excited. I have
hardly yet been able to realize that it is a matter of fact.
Although we had intimations given in our letters by the Superior
that the Board was making arrangements to send out missionaries
in the fall, we could not be certain that something would not
transpire to prevent their coming at the time specified.
We allowed ourselves indeed to expect helpers, but still not
with such certainty as to be greatly disappointed if they did
not arrive.
In less than three weeks after those letters cane to hand we
had the happiness to welcome the precious missionary band
sent out by the Board to strengthen our hands and encourage
our hearts. We trust they have come prepared to enter with
cheerfulness upon their work, :and with a spirit of devottedness to shrink from no trial,--no toil--that may rise up be
fore them in the path of their duty.
I need not tell you that their arrival was to me an event of
uncommon interest. No one of our number had I think more
cause to feel,— deeply to feel than myself. Their arrival
brought an accession of labor and care, of responsibilities
and fears; my mind was almost overpowered in view of what
was to be done. I took perhaps too much upon me, and allowed
the future to load me with burdens which should have been put
off. But I have a propensity to borrow trouble from the
future; and am far less disposed to allow the mind to dwell
on things that are bright in prospect, than upon those that
�511
are joyless & dark. I would not however have you think that
I look so much upon my poor insignificant burdens as to over
look or forget the immense favor conferred on me and on
this mission in the accession of more laborers. What though
my secular cares are increased.— what tho. my poor weak frame
is sometimes born down and ready to sink, the cause has received
an accession of strength, the means for benefitting the
perishing heathen around us are increased, and their salvation
rendered more probably; nor would I intimate, that as it
respects my own personal comfort & happiness, (a thing of
very little consequence) the prospect is less fair than it
was before the arrival of our helpers. I am not calculating
on a long life, nor on much ease or earthly comfort; for
these I do not pray except in such a degree as shall befit
my station, and render me better able to attend to duty.
If it should be the will of God to prolong my life, it would
be my desire to live many years, & to labor with a vast in
crease of zeal & devotedness. Whatever others may think of me
I feel that I have ever been, & am still, a very unprofitable
servant.— I need very much your prayers that I may serve God,
and that my labors may not be performed like his who serves
for reward or praise
I trust that your remarks respecting ”taking thought for the
morrow, ” and borrowing trouble from the future, will be of
service to me. I wish very much that the book containing the
story of the Discontented Pendalum to which you referred me,
had come to hand. I hope you will do me the favor ot send it
out sometime when convenient.
Before I close this letter, allow me to congratulate you on
your having been favored, so much to your satisfaction, with
Wheanes's first-best gift”--a wife— to solace your cares and
increase your joys. I shall feel a double interest in her,
as being the sister of one whom I most highly esteem, and one
with yourself. Give to her my respects, and the assurance of
my very high regard and esteem.
With sentiments of sincere affection
I remain, as ever, your
friend and brother,
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Dec. 5, 1828
To
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Assistant Secretary
of the A. B. C. F. M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�512
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 75.
Honolulu, June 10th 1828
Jereh. Evarts Esqr.
Very Dear Sir,
Allow me to present you in one view a list of the letters which
I have received from yourself. Mr. Anderson & Mr. Hill,
during the last two years, together with a list of the letters
which I have forwarded to the Missionary Rooms during the same
term of time.
Letters received.
When
received
Date
1826
1826
Jan. 3 & 14 Octr 21
14
do
15
do
31)1827
July
Augt, 18& 21)Jan. 24
19
do
Augt
21
do
1825)
8 )April 1
Novr
1828
22 March 12
Sep.
8
"
Decr.
)
March 24
June 8 & 11) 1827 "
11
June
Augt. 24)
Mar. 30
Octr 29)
do
Octr 23
Nov.
3
do
8
April 8
June
May 23
Novr 12
Date
to wh o m
written
March 16
& Apl 14
Apl.1 &28
Writer
Conveyance.
Mr. Hill
Mr. Anderson
Mr. Evarts
Missionary Packet
do
do
Mr. Hill
Mr. Anderson
M r . Evarts
Mr. Evarts)
Mr. Hill
)
Mr. H ill )
"
Triton, Cap. Bryant
do
do
Origon by the hand
of Mr. Bumstead.
)
M r . Anderson
Ship Superior
do
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Hill
Parthian
Anderson
do
Evarts
do
Ship Almira
Hill
do
Mary Mitchell
Letters forwarded
D ate of
dep arture
Conveyance
)Mr. Hill)
)
)
) Mr ► Anderson)
Copy of the
By ship Frederic Augustus,
Cap. Earl of Newport R. I.
)
joint
letter
U.S. Schooner Dolphin
for’d by
Cap.)) May 11 Lt.
Percival
Edwards
)
June 19
July 26
26
Mr. Anderson
Mr. Evarts
Mr. Hill
June
Niu to Canton
)
Frederic Augustus, Cap.
) July 29 Earl, having returned after
his departure in the spring
�513
September
Mr. Evarts
Mr. Hill
)
) September
1827
1827
Jan’y 6th
Mr. Hill
January
Mr. Anderson
Feb'y 13,
Fe b ’y 22 &)
)
) March 5
March 2
) Mr. Evarts
Plough boy Cap. Chadwick
of Nantucket.
Hand of Mr. Loomis
Chinchilla to Canton
March 2
Mr. Evarts
March 6th
(Brig Kamehameha
( for S . America
May
21
Mr. Evarts
May 23
(Waverly for the coast
(of California
July
18
Hr. Hill
July 21
(Balaena, Cap. Russel
(of New Bedford
Sept.
11
14
Mr. Hill
)
Mr. Evarts ) October 18 (Lyra, Capt. Joy of New
Mr. Anderson)
(Bedford
M. S. of the Gospel of
Matthew
29
Mr. Hill
29
Mr. Hill (copy) Octr 21 (Planter, Capt. Bunker of
of the letter sent by)
(Nantucket.
the Owhyhee
)
8
1827
Nov. 1
) Mr. Evarts
Octr 2
) Nov. 9
Gospel of John
December 17
Dec. 18
24
Mr. Hill
do
1828
March 3 & 8 Mr. Hill
7
Mr. Evarts
)
) Dec. 26
Owhyhee, Cap. Dominis
via Canton
(Golden Farmer, Cap. Joy
(of Nantucket
(Cyrus, Cap. Harris of Nan(tucket, care of Mr. John
(Rutters
(Maria, Cap. Gardner, of
(Nantucket.
)
*(Rambler, Cap. Worth
) March 13
* This ship has put back in a leaky condition and affords
us an opportunity of sending many more letters by her.
�514
The foregoing list of letters forwarded to America has been
made out in consequence of a request from Mr. Anderson, ;and I
have extended it back far enough to embrace all the dates which
it would be of any service to you to know. Most or all the
letters included in this list, will, I think, have been received
before this comes to hand. Most of those of the early dates
have been acknowledged.--One however sent by the Waverly to
California , I have not heard from; add a few other letters
written sometime before the first dates on the list; Viz.
Betters which I sent the summer after our arrival, by the way
of Calcutta and a letter which I sent by the Jupiter Capt.
Leslie, which sailed hence for Manilla July 23rd 1824.
I am, very affectionately and truly
Your friend & Servant
Levi Chamberlain
From
Levi Chamberlain, Esqr.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�515
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 76
Oahu, S andwich Islands June 12, 1828
Very D ear S ir,
We have today received from Kahumanu an account o f the inter
course which Lieutenant Percival had with the Chiefs at this
place, and which we as a committee appointed for the purpose,
now transmit to you as evidence of his unpropitious efforts to
break down a tabu of the country founded on the word of God,
to restrain lewd women from illicit intercourse with ship’s
crews &c. and of his unofficerlike treatment of the chiefs,
and his agency in producing the riot that occurred February
27th 1826 on account of that tabu.
She says that the commander of the Dolphin was greatly in fault,
"He came u pon us to do us injury, though we did not harm him,
he was angry and abused us for no other cause than that the
women were tabu."
She says she could hardly believe he was a regular chief from
America.
"When the chief came from Great Britain as a friend
we offered him a house, which he occupied as our guest.
When thekind eyed chief from America came as a friend, we
offered him a house, He lived in it, and with him we were on
terms of friendship. When this man came we offered him a house,
but he refused it, and joined himself to our enemies.----When I asked him for a little paper, he said, "No, it is tabu.”
He said to Boki, "Let the women who are inclined to lewdness
go without restraint. It would be no fault of the chiefs if
such women should follow that course.”
He told Boki and Boki said to m e , "We must meet the man of war,
and if we continue to restrain the women we must fight.”
Such was her account of him as it respected that part of his
visit previous to the council. The following is her account
of what took place between them and Lieutenant Percival at the
council, Feb.y 22 and subsequently just before the outrage
from his crew. We give it as, it was taken down by the com
mittee in the presence of Opiia and Kekauluohe, substantial
witnesses is the case, and add a translation, as follows:
Hele mai ia i ke ahaolelo ninau kela, "Owai ke 'lii o ka aina.
Kuhikuhi aku au ia Kauikeaouli. Ninau hou kela, "Owai kona
kahu”? I aku la au, "Owau, ” Ninau kela "Owai ka mea nana i
malama kona aina , I aku au, "Owau o kou kaikunane, Owau
maluna oia malalo.” I mai kela, "Oooe no ke alii, Owau no ke
ali i, us like pu kaua, ooe kou hoaolelo. Nawai i kapu ka wahine ,
nau noM I aku wau, N a ’u no. I mai kela, "Owai kou kumu nana
e olelo mai ia oe e kapu ka wahine i ke kanawai? I aku la
au, ”0 ke Akua.” Akaaka henehene kela. I mai kela, Aole nau,
na Binamu no. I aku au, ”Na 'u no, na Binamu i hai nai i ka
olelo a ke Akua ia makou. I mai kela, "Heaha la kapu ka wahine,
�516
malama oukou hele mai kuu kanaka, aole pil mai ka wahine aole
lohe lakou i k a ’u olelo, malama oukou i ko oukou kanaka, malama
wau i ko'u, mamuli kii mai lakou i ka wahine, aole loaa e
kaua no, like like kuu m oku i ke ahi.
I aku wau, "No ke aha la e kaua wale mai ia makou i ka paa ana
i ko makou wahine? Ua makemake makou i ka olelo a ke Akua
papaa makou i ko makou wahine, No ke aha la e kaua wale mai
oukou "?
He came to the council and askedwho is the king of the country"?
I pointed out Kauikeaouli. He asked again, "Who is his grardian"?
I replied, "I"
He asked, "Who has the charge of his country”?
I replied, I & my brother, he being under me." He said to
me, "You then are king, I also am a chief, you and I are alike,
you are the person for me to talk with. By whom are the women
tabued, is it by you"? I replies, "It Is by me." He said,
"Who is your teacher that has told you that the women must be
tabu by the law"? I replied, "It is God." He laughed with
contempt. He said, "It was not by you, it was by Bingham."
I said, "It was by me. It is by Mr. Bingham that the word
of God was made known to u s “. He said, Why tabu the women? tak e
heed, my people will come, if the women are not forth coming
they will not obey my word, take c are of your men and Ill take
care of mine. By & by they will come to get women and if they
do not obtain them they will fight, and my vessel is just
like fire."
I said, "Why make war upon us without reason for restraining
our women, we love the word of God and therefore hold back
our women, "Why then would you fight us without cause"?
Kui kela i ha (Hole in paper) kani ka lima me ka namu.
ui ka hiho, nau ke kui.
I mai kela, "ua malama pono oukou mamua me Kamehameha i ka
moku Amerika a me ka moku Berikane. I aku wau, 'I ka wa manua
aole hike mai ka olelo a ke Akua, ua naaupo makou, he poe hookanakama, he poe pepehi kanaka, a o keia manawa ua imi makou i
ka pono hou.
He smote with the hand, snapped the fingers with reproaches,
grated and gnashed the teeth.
He said you formerly attended properly with Kamehameha to the
ships both American & English."
I said "In former time before the word of God had arrived
here, we were dark minded, lewd and murderers, now at the
present time we are seeking another good. (or a better way.)
Hoole mai
aole pela
ka moku o
aole pela
kela, "Aole maikai, aole maikai ke kapu ka wahine
ma Amerika, he aha hoe oukou i haawi i ka wahine i
Lo Baironi, kapu hoi ka wahine i ko’u moku,
Kamehameha i malama kapakahi i ka moku Berikani
�517
a me ka moku Amerika.
He denied and said, "It is not good it is not good to tabu
the women, it is not so in America. Why did you give women to
Lord Byron’s ship and tabu them from m i n e .
Kamehameha did not show such partiality between English and
American vessels."
Hoole makou a pau loa Aole makou i haawi i ka wahine i ka
moku o Lord Baironi, he moku ka pu ia. No ke aha la i huhu
mai ia makou i ke kapu o ka wahine o ko makou aina? Ina lawe
pu mai oukou i ka wahine Amerika, kapu aku makou, huhu pono
mai oukou.
We all denied and said we gave no women to the ship of Lord
Byron, that was a tabu ship. But why are you angry with us
for laying a tabu on the women of our own country?
Had you
brought American women with you and we had tabued them you
might then justly be angry with u s ."
A i ke kahi manawa iho olelo kela ia Boki,
(?) wehe i ka
wahine i paa i ke kapu. Olelo mai Boki iau. Hai aku au ia
oukou
Soon after this he applied to Boki to liberate the women that
were fast in consequence of the tabu.
Boki spoke to me about it & I informed you.
Hele mai I ke ahiahi mamua o ke kolohi ana mai o ka poe haole,
i mai ia’u. "E kii e wehe ka wahine, a I paa ia oukou, na'u no
e wehe, Heaha la oukou e hana ino I ka wahine"?
He came the evening before the outrage of the crew and said
to m e , "Send and liberate the women. If you still hold
them I myself will liberate them. Why do you do evil to the
women? "
I aku wau, Na makou no ka olelo i ko makou wahine, na makou
ke kapu, na makou e paa, na makou e wehe, na makou e olelo
e hoouku.
I said it is for us to give directions respecting our women,
it is for us to lay tabus, it is for us to bind, to liberate,
to impose fines.
I mai kela, Aole pono ka misionari, he poe hoopunipuni, aole
kapu ka wahine ma Amerika.
Kani ka lima me ka huhu, poupou ka lima, olelo mai, Apopo
�518
haawi au i ka lama i kuu kanaka, malama oukou, kii mai lakou
i ka wahine, aole loaa i ka wahine *
He said, "The missionaries are not good, they are a company
of liars, the women are not tabu in America.” He snapped
his fingers in rage, and clenched his fist, and said
Tomorrow I will give my men rum, look out, they will come for
women and if they do not get them, they will fight: my vessel
is just like fire. Declare to me the man that has told you
the women must be tabu and my people will pull down his house.
If the women are not released from the tabu tomorrow my
people will come and break the houses of the missionaries. "
*e kaua (paika) Ua like me he ahi la kuu m oku.”
"Hai mai oukou i ke kanaka i olelo ia oukou he kapu ka wahine,
mamuli hele mai kuu kanaka e hemo ka hale, Aole noa ka wahine,
apopo e hele mai kuu kanaka e wawahi i ka hale o na misionari.''
The following is a translation of an extract from Kahalai’s
account of the interview between Lieutenatn Percival and the
chiefs at the council. It supplies some things omitted by
Kaahumanu and corroborates others.
"He said, "Who told you to shave off the women’s hair and to
punish them?" Bingham could not have done this in a foreign
country. Should he do this in a foreign it would be well
nigh death for him. It is well to serve God. Learning is
good. By and by you will see men come ashore, drink rum , fight
perhaps to get women; the natives perhaps will fall upon them
and fight, and you & we shall be in difficulty together.
Do not think this is anger, it is advice for your good."
Kaahumanu said, "I have given advice that we should turn to
the word of God. "
On another page Kahalaia has an account of the outrage which
has been fully stated to you.
The chiefs say that the air, gestures & tones of Lieutenant
Percival indicated so much more severity and abuse tha the
words given them by the interpreters, that they were led to
conclude the interpreters softened his language, and concealed
a part that was the most dreadful.
The committee will endeavor to make a still morethorough
reexamination of the subject, and send you the result as soon
a s possible. But it is impossible to go further at present.
We therefore subscribe ourselves,
Very affectionately yours,
H. Bingham
Levi Chamberlain
�519
(Back of letter, end of which la on preceding page)
From
Rec 'd
Mr. L. Chamberlain
Dec. 6 , 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. of the A . B. C. F. M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
P r . the
Rambler
Capt. Worth
�520
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 77
Dear Brother Anderson,
About two years ago I performed a tour around this island, and
I have recently made another. It was my intention to give
you a brief account of my first tour, but I could not find time
to do it while the scenes that passed under my observation and
the events that transpired were fresh tomy mind & retained
their hold upon my feelings.
I propose now to give you a history of my last tour, and in
doing it I may refer to my minutes of the former tour. I
feel utterly inadequate to the task I have imposed upon my
self, and I should perhaps not have undertaken it, but for the
request containedin one of your letters. I take the liberty
to address the communication to you, as I shall feel more
freedom in writing to a private friend, than in making out
a formal communication or report for the Corresponding Secre
tary. I doubt whether I shall be able to write anything that
will be worthy of your pwrusal, but as coming from an old
friend, your candor will incline you to overlook what is amiss
in style or deficient in matter.
Soon after the examination at this place in July last, a plan
was adopted for visiting at stated seasons all the schools
throughout the island. Sixteen person, approved by the Govern
or and the other chiefs were appointed as a visiting committee
to undertake at stated seasons the tour of the island for the
purpose of inquiring into the state of the schools, and of
giving instruction and advice to the teachers.
They were moreover directed faithfully to examine the schol
ars in spelling and reading, encourage punctual attendance,
and to excite, as far as possible, in all, an attention to
instruction. The persons appointed were divided into two
companies to perform alternately the duties assigned them;
and the plan was carriedinto immediate effect, and with the
prospect of promoting improvement.
In the month of January I set out with one division of the
committee to make the tour of the island & examine the schools.
1
I shall not attempt to give some account of the tour and of
the schools which I visited . I will begin by mentioning
the names of m y hoahele, (fellow travellers) which were as
follows; Jesse Kahananui, Lazarus Kamakahiki, Abraham Naaoa
members of the church, Kaukaliu & Kauhikoa serious and intelli
gent native teachers each of whom had one or more attendants
to accompany them & carry food and baggage. I was also fun-
�521
nished by Kaahumanu with a suitable number of persons to
carry my food & bedding and to attend to my wants on the
way.
We started from the mission house on Thursday January 29th
at 10 o'clock A . M . and took the direction towards the East
end of the island. Our course for about a mile and a half
lay over a smooth level road, the race ground of Honolulu,
about half a mile from the sea and three quarters from the
point where the sloping sides of the mountains are lost
in the plain, on a part of which the village of Honolulu
is built. Near the pleasant establishment of Mr. Allen we
took a path on our right leading through a grove of tall
cocoanut trees towards Waikiki— Our path led us along the
borders of extensive plats of marshy ground, having raised
banks on one or more sides, and which were once filled with
water, and replenished abundantly with esculent fish; but
m ot over grown with tall rushes waving in thewind. The land
all around for several miles has the appearance of having
been once under cultivation. I entered into conversation with
the natives respecting its present neglected state. They
ascribed it to the decrease of population. There have been
two seasons of destructive sickness, both within the period
of thirty years, by which, according to the account of the
natives, more than one half of the population of the island
was swept away. The united testimony of all, of whom I have
ever made any inquiry respecting the sickness, has been,
that "Greater was the number of the dead than of the living."
Making due allowance for the hyperbolic manner in which the
natives sometimes express themselves, it may, I think, be safe
ly asserted, that since the discovery of these islands by Cap.
Cook there has been a decrease of population, by desolating
wars, the ravages of disease and other causes, of at least
one half of the number of the inhabitance that might have
been fairly estimated, at the time that celebrated voyager
last visited these islands.
On arriving at Waikiki I found the schools of the district
assembled, 9 in number. They were however, small, containing,
in all, only 158 scholars, and were under the general super
intendance of William Kamahoula.
As I intended to pursue one plan of inspection, I will here
refer to the order of examination, and by stating it here
I shall be saved the trouble of particularity when I have
occasion to speak of other schools.
The scholars being assembled, I inquired for the teacher,
askedh is name, and the place of teaching which I wrote/
�522
in a book. I then directed him to bring forward his class to
be examined. At the word of the teacher the scholars arose
& made obeisance, and the reading commenced. A whole class
in some instances commenced simultaneously, and, with voices
in concert, repeated their lesson. In other instances the schol
ars read in succession, either a word in spelling, or a sentence
in reading. The latter method I preferred, though the natives
in general seem better pleased with the former, as requiring
no attention to keep the place, except on the part of the
leading scholar;--and, as to their ear, the union of many voices
is musical, and in some respects resembles the canorous sound
of the hula. Some of the teachers had two or moreclasses.—
When the scholars read with a tone, or in an improper manner,
I sometimes interrupted them, to tell them how they should
modulate their v oice & pronounce their words. And I uniform
ly gave them instruction on this point at the close of their
reading, when I called upon my assistants to aid me in a par
ticular examination of each scholar, as to his acquaintance
with the letters, & knowledge of thelesson he had been reading.
I noted the number of scholars acquainted with the Alphabet
also those who were able to spell and read together with those
also who could write.
Having gone through with the examination, I made a short address,
encouraging the scholars to persevere in their attention to in
struction, by no means to give it up, and in an especial manner
to be concerned for the salvation of their souls, — to attend
seriously & without delay to religion— to regard the Sabbath
day, in a becoming manner; :and to obey all the commandments
of God, as by so doing they would promote their present peace,
and be in the way of their eternal salvation. The exercises
were closed with prayer.-— The day being far spent when the examination closed, and it
having set in to rain, I concluded not to proceed any farther
that night, but to put up in the school house; and I gave di
rections to one of my attendants to boil some water for tea.
It was brought forward in a sauce pan, which I had provided
myself with; and it served both for a tea kettle and teapot; —
a long handled tin dipper answered the double purpose of a tum
bler to drink out of, and a cup for my tea;— a covered bucket
containing my bread served for a table, mats spread on the ground,
instead of a chair. My attendants, sitting aroundin the same
humble manner, brought forward their dishes of poi, fish and
meat, and prepared to join me in my evening repast. Having
looked to God for his blessing, we partook of such things as
we had, and I believe, with as much thankfulness as if
we had been sitting on splendid cushions, around a sumptuous
board, loaded with the choicest luxuries and richest danities.
Having finished our repast, and thanked the Lord for his boun-
�523
ties;--at an early hour we attended evening worship, and pre
pared to lie down for repose.
My attendants, however, did not seem inclined to sleep.-One of them brought forward a blank book, and, laying it down,
with ink and pen by his side, extended himself horizontally
on the mat, and began to make minutes of the transactions of
the day. Another took cut a little Arithmetic in the Hawaiian
language which had just been printed, and began to ask questions.
In a few moments the whole company became interested in the
subject, and united in requesting me to improve the leasure
time we might have during our journey, to teach them arith
metic. I consented, on condition of their being supplied with
slates. They said they had forgotten to bring them; bu t they
would send a man back to fetch them. And immediately made
arrangements for one of their attendants to set out before
day, for Honolulu to get their slates.
As soon as it was light preparations were made for resuming
our journey, Some rain had fallen during the night which
made the inland road muddy; we therefore chose a path along the
sea shore over a beautiful sandy beach upon which the surff
unceasingly dashed with deafning roar and nearly laved our
feet. Lelahi (five wreath) or Diamond hill as it is called
by seamen, a singular eminence, once a crater rose before us,
presenting on the W. and S. W. a precipitous indented front
terminating in two or three peaks of unequal height frowning
like towers of a castle. This hill is about three miles in
circumferance at the summit and presents the appearance on the
north of a detruncated massy cone regularly cut, but on the
south & west broken off irregularly leaving several aspiring
projections.--— -It forms a head land and is a very distinguish
able object to mariners standing in from sea or passing along
the S. E. part of the island and is a very convenient landmark
for vessels bound to Honolulu. We passed along its base,
against which, on the East side, the sea dashed with tumultuous
waves undermining its foundation.
At a quarter before 9 o'clock we arrived at the pleasant settle
ment of W aialae, distant on a straight line from Waikiki
in a N. E . direction, about 4 miles, but much farther follow
ing the circuitous path along the sea shore. This place is
rendered agreeable by a grove of cocoanut trees and a number
of branching kou trees, among which stand the grass huts of
the natives, having a cool appearance, overshadowed by the
waving tops of the cocoanuts, among which the trade winds
sweep unobstructed.
We stopped at the school house, and, while the scholars were
assembling, ate our breakfast. We examined one class of
30 scholars who gave pleasing evidence of having given consid-
�524
arable attention to instruction--all were able to spell,
most of them to read, & 14 to write on the slate. A class
composed mostly of persons advanced in years was presented
for examination, but as few of them seemed to be acquainted
with the letters, I did not number them as scholars.--At 11 oclock we took our leave of the scholars and the people
who h a d assembled to witness the examination, and walked towards
Wailupe the next settlement. On our way thither we were
overtaken by a shower and got wet. On our arrival we examined
a/small school, and after partaking of some refreshment kindly
provided by the head man, we set forward for Niu a place belong
ing to Cap. Adams, pilot of Honolulu. The people here seemed
to feel little interest in instruction. A school of 8 children
was with some difficulty collected together, which we ex
amined. While we waited for the children to assemble
my attendants seated themselves around me to be instructed
in arithmetic.— The land adjoining Niu belongs to an English
man by the name of Woodland gunner of the f ort at Honolulu.
Here is no school, the people being entirely indifferent to
instruction.
At 4 o'clock we arrived at Maunalua the last important settle
ment on the South side of the island, Most of the people
were absent cutting Sandal wood for Kalola the proprietor
of the district. The teacher of the school was absent and
the scholars were scattered. About 30 persons however were
induced to assemble in the house belonging to the head man,
whom I addressed according to the best of my ability on the
concerns of their souls. Here we took lodgings for the
night & were kindly treated.-- We enjoyed a comfortable nights rest, and arose early to
prosecute our journey. We attended morning worship 8c then
those of us that were on foot commenced our walk. Our path
lay along the margin of a fish pond, three or four miles in
circumferance. It was once a small estuary, narrow at its
communication at the sea, and so shallow that a cossway
could conveniently be built to a low sandy point on one side
of the little bay which is here made by the sea. On this
point is built the settlement
Manalua (Two mountains)
So called from two conspicuous round hills of considerable
height in the vicinity.— -Our path was wet and muddy till we
reached the extremity of the pond. Our course then lay
over a pretty high ridge connected with the two hills before
referred to. Having crossed this we came to a level tract
extending to the sea.
We descended from Maunalua leaving it on the west & walked
towards the sea, and at a quarter before 9 o'clock we arrived
at a fisherman's hut near the shore. The surff was very
high & rolled towards the shore in great majesty and dashed
with fury against the rocks. It was sometime before the
�525
natives who carried our food came up, and I felt my need
of refreshment. As soon as the natives arrived, I had some
water boiled, & made some tea. After refreshing myself with
such things as I had, at a quarter before 10 o'clock, I was
ready to procedd.-- There were but a few houses in this district and no school.--A ridge of mountains extending along the N. and N. E. sides
of the island & terminating in a bold promontory forms
the eastern ex tremity. Around this a land passage is diffi
cult, if not altogether impracticable, we therefore took a
path leading across the ridge, pr etty generally by natives
crossing the island direction, and which soon brought us
in sight of the ocean on the other side. In ascending the
ridge which is he r e
o f moderate height we walked over
a paved way of smooth flat stones, upon which I observed
a variety of marks & rude inscriptions, the meaning of which
I did not at first understand; but upon inquiry I learned
that they were made by travellers, passing round the island;-Some of these marks were in the form of a semicircle, others
of a circle or circle with one two & three straignt marks
drawn within it, and some were double circles; and were de
signed to show that the person who made the mark had passed
partly round the island, or once twice or more times round.-From the summit the descent on the north is very steep, and
in several places almost perpendicular.
In one place the path not two feet wide leads along the side
of the precipice and we were obliged to lay hold of project
ing rocks & crags to preserve our standing while at the
base several hundred feet below the sea was raging m o st
furiously. Having walked some distance along the shelving
sides of the p ale (precipice) we found ourselves at length
in a safe path reaching to a small cove at our left, where
the abated force of the waves spent itself upon a beautiful
white sandy shore. We sat down to rest ourselves on a
block of lava and also to wait the arrival of two of our com
pany who had the care of horses. They had taken a course
over a higher ridge but less steep & of a more uniform
descent than the one
on e which we descended.
Soon we discovered our friends on the summit of an eminence
high in air and endeavoring to force their (houses) down the horses
steep and it was not till after several unsuccesful attempts
that they succeeded in getting them started downwards.—
As soon as they came up with us we set forward on our journey
keeping along the seashore. The first settlement we came to
consisted of a few miserable huts inhabited by fishermen,
but without a. school house or any instructor. I made some
remarks to a few persons, by the wayside, & walked on.
At a place called Kukui fifteen or twenty persons collected
together to whom I made an address.
In walking to Waimanalo a considerable of a settlement dis
tant about six miles from Kukui we were overtaken by a shower.—
The rain began to fall copiously as we entered the settlement.
�526
We took shelter in one of the first houses. It was a
miserable place for the abode, of human beings and presented
a motley group of children & women, dogs, hogs & fowls.
Our company forced in dripping, which together with calabashes, mats & c . filled the house. Some of the native books
which I brought with me having got wet, I gave them away to
the children who received them very gladly. As soon as the
rain was over I went to a house in the neighborhood where
a few scholars had assembled, and examined them in the ele
mentary book.
Though there are a good many inhabitants in the settlement,
yet but very few seemed to give any attention to instruction,
From Waimanalo we proceeded towards Kaelepulu. In my way
thither I was obliged to divert myself of part of my clothes
& wade a stream. It w as nearly dark when I arrived at the
house of the head man. Here I was welcomed, and offered the
best that the house & place afforded. The house was spread
with clean mats, and being weary with the da y ’s travel,
I found it very refreshing to extend my limbs upon this neat
native carpeting. Supper was provided for my native attend
ants, and I had tea made for myself. I partook of an agree
able repast, & after prayers in the native language; we laid
down for repose. During the night considerable rain fell,
but as our house was tight we experienced no inconvenience
from it.—
Friday Feb. 1. After breakfast we examined two schools,
both of which assembled in the house of the head man, where
we had lodged, and the scholars acquitted themselves very
well. At 20 min. past 10 we set out fo r Kailua, the next
settlement. Here we found a small school under the care
of a female not very well qualified for an instructor.
Kailua is a large district,
are several, have on former
appearance. At the present
sent procuring house timber
the district.--
and the schools, of which there
examinations, made a very good
time most of the males are ab
for Kaleohano the proprietor of
Directing our course towards Kaneohe the next district, we
were obliged to pass over a tract of low land mostly over
flowed with water by the late rains. Here I was obliged to
wade, as the distance was too great to admit of my being car
ried on the shoulders of my attendants, as was generally the
case in passing a small stream of water. After emerging
from the flat, our path was not improved; for we h a d now to
walk through mud instead of water--we walked some distance
along the side of a steep hill, and at length by a winding
path ascended to the top of it. We sat down to rest for a
few minutes, and I found myself upon the summit of a ridge
extending from the mountains in a right line to the sea,
�527
and dividing the low lands of Kailua from those of Kaneohe.
Prom the point where ZI sat I had a view of both districts,—
the towering mountains with summits inaccessible from this
side of the island, covered with clouds;— and in a break of
the mountain almost in a line with our position, the noted
passage called the pave;— on the other hand, the sea throwing
in a high surf, which was breaking in white surges in either
direction as far as the eye could define the shore.
We descended the ridge & entered the district of Kaneohe.
At 2 o ’ck P. M . we arrived at the school house, where we
found the scholars assembled waiting to be examined .
I was gratified with the appearance of the school;--the
teacher had evidently bestowed a good deal of pains upon his
scholars, and they had profited by his efforts. Instead of
reading collectively, and pronouncing a word with a simul
taneous voice, as is generally the case, they read separate
ly, and each one appeared to be master of his lesson; the
tone of the voice was natural, and their accentuation correct.
From Kaneohe we proceeded to Kikiwelawela. The scholars and
teacher of this place werealike indifferent to instruction,
both appeared to be molowa, (a word used to denote that
through indifference or dislike or weariness one relaxes
exertion or entirely gives over effort) and strange as it
may seem, a native consideres himself not in the least in
fault for being molowa, and judges himself wholly exculpated
by declaring himself to be so)
After making an address, and exhorting both teacher and schol
ars to arouse from their stupidity, and to gve anew their
attention to instruction, I took my leave and walked forward
with my attendants to the nest settlement Heeia a land belong
ing to the King where we found a better school, consisting
of 25 scholars under the care of a more competent instructor.
It was quite dark when the examination closed, and a copious
shower of rain was descending, and we quickened our pace to
reach the house in which we were to put up for the night.
I was weary with travelling, and faint for want of food,
having eaten very little since the morning, and I was thankful
for a shelter and an opportunity to prepare something to eat.
One of my attendants got ready some tea, this together with
a little hard bread, some fresh pork & roasted taro, afforded
me a comfortable meal. There were showers of rain during the
night, and upon the mountains near us which were covered
with dense clouds the rain seemed to fall indessantly attended
with vivid lightning and loud peals of thunder which echoed
among the ridges & summits and shook their firm foundations.
Saturday Feb. 2. After attending prayers at the house of our
host we set out at a quarter before 7 o'ck taking an inland
route to avoid the marshy land along thes ea shore . We had
a tiresome walk of two house to Waihee, ascending hills, de
scending into valleys, crossing streams of wate, and winding
�528
our way along the side of marshy tracts of land lying between
the hills & over grown with rushes. At this place we ate
our breakfast & examined a small school. Leaving W aihee we
walked towards the sea by a very muddy path, past of, the way
leading through a tract of rushes, where we were forced
to wade in mud & water nearly knee deep. We also crossed
two friths.
At Kalaea upon the sea shore I observed a number of persons
standing by the way side. I addressed them respecting their
knowledge of the palapala. I found one woman who could read
very well, and I exhorted her to attend to instruction her
self, and to teacher her neighbors. She said she had no books
U requested me to give her Mataio (Sermon on the M ount).
This I gave her readily, together with several spelling books
for the use of those who might wish to be instructed.
At Hakepuu the next settlement I found about 20 persons assem
bled together near a cluster of house— part of the company
appeared to be employed in cooking food, others seemed not to
have anything to do, I enquired whether any of them attended
school or knew how to read or wished learn, but no one answered
in the affirmative. I recommended instruction to them as well
as I was able, and then proceed on my way.—
At Kualoa we stopped some time, took refreshment & examined
a very good school. Not far from this place stands a small
island, of a very singular appearance resembling a monument,
called Mokolii.--We left Kualoa at 3 o ’ck and in 40 minutes
pursuing our course over a white sandy beach we arrived at
Kaaawa, where we examined a school of 27 scholars, and at
20 min. past 4 o'ck proceeded on our way. At Makaua I ex
amined a small school. We passed by Kahana a very pleasant
valley belonging to Naihe, where a large school had assembled.
It being near night, and the distance to the next settlement,
where we designed to spend the Sabbath, being so great that
no time was to be lost, I requested the teacher to conduct
his scholars after the Sabbath to Punaluu the place where
we dwsigned to put up, and where divine service would be
conducted on the Sabbath.
At 5 min. after 7 l'ck we arrived at the settlement, and were
received cordially by the head man of the place br
o t h e r to
Kamakahiki one of the teachers in our company. The house
was large and commodious and appeared to be the residence of
several families. At one end of the house lay a sick woman
the wife of the head man, apparently near her end. She was
in very great distress and frequently gave vent to her feel
ings in deep groans & cries . Her friends & relations had as
sembled aroundher to sympathise in her sufferings, and to
wait her dissolution that they might perform the last offices
of kindness that friendship dictates.
I drew near to her couch and inquired whether she thought of
God, and that in the intervals of her pain she could think
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of him with great satisfaction. There was an earnestness of
manner and an expression of countenance which she exhibited
in speaking of God that greatly interested m e . She said
she thought, but her bodily pains were so great that she could
not talk much. I could only point her to that Savior who gave
his life a ransom for sinners, and died upon the cross to save
those who put their trust in him. To him I directed her to
look and fearlessly to cast her soul upon his mercy & grace.--I was told by the persons around that she was a wahine malama
i ke Akua. (a woman that served God.) When we were ready to
attend evening prayer, I inquired whether she would not be
disturbed by the reading of a passage of scripture, and whether
she would be pleased to hear read the account of the last
supper & of Christ betrayed. It was answered that she would
not be disturbed, and that she would be glad to hear the account
read, I read from the manuscript copy of the translation of
Matthew that part which contains the above account and closed
prayer in which the sick woman was remembered and the sancti
fying influences of God's spirit implored for her and the
sympathising friends who waited around her couch.---There were more than 50 people in the house and perfect
order and stillness and stillness were observed.
Sabbath Feb. 34d. At morning prayer I read the 27 chap. of
Matthew. The history of the Crucifixion was listened to
with attention.--During the forenoon, a considerable number
of people from the neighboring villages assembled at the
house in which we were and I read to them the 13th Chapter
of Matthew, endeavored to explain the parable of the Sower,
with which the chapter opens and made remarks as well as I
was able concerning theimportance of seeking the salvation
of the soul and laying up treasure in heaven.---At the close
of the service the people who came from a distance returned
to their homes, so that the number who attended worship
in the afternoon was small. I read the 28th Chap. of Matthew
and made a few remarks upon the Commission of Christ to his
disciples.
"Go ye therefore and tach all nations ” & c .---During the interval of morning worship I read to my attendants
the history of Joseph recently translated by Mr. Ely;--and
they seemed to be exceedingly pleased with the story.
Monday Feb. 4. During the night the sick woman wife of our
host dies;--There was no wailing on the occasion or uncommon
noise neither did I know of her decease till morning, tho.
I was awake several times in the course of the night, and my
loding place was but a few yards from the part of the house
i n which she lay.--- The husband appeared to feel deeply
on the occasion as did also some of the relatives but most
of the company seemed very indifferent to what had taken
place and their lightness evinced that death was not in their
view a subject of very great solemnity. M y mind was not a
little affected with the indifference of these thoughtless
�530
creatures; themselves hastening to eternity, and a striking
evidence of their own mortality before their eyes; and yet
as insensible as though they were the beasts that perish.
The absence of sober & a becoming feeling on the subject of
death I have witnessed before--What was here exhibited was
by no means striking. There is sometimes a surprising dis
play of animal feeling, a momentary excitement as if produced
by electric action, loud wailing and a flood of tears ; but
such grief is checked by a trifle;— and it is not uncommon
to see a person one moment wringing the hands, and exhibiting
the gestures of inconsolable grief, the next moment calm,
and shortly discovering lightness and even mirth.
After breakfast I commenced the examination of the schools
belonging to Punaluu & the two adjoining districts, three
in number; which occupied the whole of the forenoon. At
one o'clock P. M. we were ready to set forward. The first
place at which we stopped was Kaluanui, where was a small
school which we examined. Here the burdens of our baggage
carriers were increased by the present of a baked pig, some
potatoes & taro. Leav ng this place we walked on to Makao
a place so named from the town of Macao in Canton, as the head
man told me, on account of its being a place where much tapa
is made.
Canton & the Chinese empire is by the natives called Makaa,
for this reason: Vessels which arrive here from Canton —
usually anchor at Macao and there take in their cargo, which
is sent down from Canton. As the ships are commonly spoken
— of as having come from Macao, the natives, therefore, from the
facility with which they can pronounce the word, it being
similar to one which they have in their own language, have
given the name of Macao to the whole country.
Here I examined a small school. The head man who was a sin
gular sort of a personage gave a very sad account of the
district; he represented the people as being very indifferent
as to the subject of religion, and negligent in regard to
instruction,— said that sometime since there were meetings
for prayer among the people, and much more attention given
to the palapala than is now the case;--he stated that things
had changed, that the :people had gone back and become very
bad, and that in consequence of their wickedness a murder
had been committed in the place.-The murder I had heard of before, the perpetrator of it having
been apprehended, and put in confinement at Honolulu. It
appears that the man who committed the murder had been absent
cutting sandal wood and had left a small child at home in the
care of its grandmother. The child one day being present
where a man was at work beating up (poe)mischievously threw
dirt upon the poe board among the food. The man told the
child to desist & go away; it would not obey but continued
to throw dirt, the man then spattered a little water upon
�551
the child to drive it away the child cried, and the grand
mother was very angry and took the part of the child. As
soon as the father came home she told a pitifu l story o the
abuse which had been offered to the child. The father in
a rage fell upon the man as he lay asleep in the house
(it being night) and with a stick of wood beat him so severely
that he survived but a few days. The king was informed of
the deed and sent for the perpetrator of it and passed sen
tence of death to be executed upon him in case the man should
die of the bruises which he had received. "*
From Makao we passed on to Hauula and examined two schools
one of which consisted of sandal wood cutters from the moun
tains and exhibited on the slate. The scholars wrote down
the alphabet both the capital and small letters; the letters
were not very accurately formed; but the disposition to
learn was commendable, and with a view of encouraging them to
persevere. I gave each of them a spelling book. At 5 o 'clock
we set out for Laie and arrived there just as the darkness
began to close around us. The head man of the place whose
name is Peka received us kindly and entertained us very
hospitably. I was very much pleased with the man, and also
with his wife; they both appear serious, and they asked many
interesting questions respecting the manner of praying to God,
in the habitual practice of which they desire tolive.
They have both recently recovered from a dangerous sickness
and attribute their restoration to health to the mercy and
goodness of God.— They prayed to God in their sickness, and
he heard their cries and raised them up, and it is their desire
to praise him as long as they live, to be entirely devoted to
him, and to live to his glory. The man seems to have some
knowledge
* A trial of the case somewhat moreformal was instituted by
the chiefs and the sentence confirmed; and early in the month
of March the man was executed at Honolulu in due form, the
first execution that has ever taken place in the islands
conctucted according to the manner of civilized countries.— of the deceitifulness & depravity of the heart and to feel
and to feel that he cannot do a good thing without the help
of the Holy Spirit, I did not fail to inculcate the necessity
of being born again & of relying entirely on Christ for Sal
vation.
Tuesday Feb. 5th. After breakfast I examined two schools,
belonging to Laie & Malaekahana, and was pleased with the
appearance of the scholars. At a quarter before 11 A. M.
we set out for Kahuku, and after travelling about two hours over
a level sandy country, arrived at the school house, where we
found 83 scholars assembled, waiting to be examined. A lad
of about 11 years of age had the direction of the school.
His father the head man of the place was present, and gave
countenance to his son, who managed the school with a good
�532
deal of address. I gave books to those o f the scholars who
were destitute, whom I found able to read.
The natives tell a marvellous story respecting the o igin of
this district, which they say floated in from the sea, and
attached itself to the ancient shore of the island, that there
w a s a subterranean communication between the sea & the ancient
shore, by which a shark used to pass, & make depredations
up on land. The basis of the tract, which is from 5 to
7 miles in length, & from 1 to 2 miles in breadth, appears
to be of coral; and it was evidently redeemed from the sea,
as a good deal of the land, in many places along the shore
around the whole circuit of the island, evidently has been.
A good hog had been cooked for u s , & when the examination
closed, dinner was waiting. I had not been very well since
morning, and had not much appetite to eat, but my attendants
made a hearty meal; and the remainder of the food was placed
in the calabashes of our natives, and carried along to
furnish food for us when we should be again in need.--- -At 25 min. before four o'ck P. M . we set out again, and walked
-on till 5 o ’ck, when we arrived at Waialee, where we found a
small school, which we examined, and then put up for the night.
I was a good deal fatigued; and was thankful for an opportun
ity to rest and a place to lie down.
Wednesday Feb . 6 . After breakfast at Wialee, we set out at 20
min. after 7 o'ck on our journey, directing our steps towards
Waialua. At 10 min. past 9 o'ck A. M. we reached the valley
of Waimea, the residence of Hewahewa the former Great high
Priest of the islands. He was absent with his people in the
mountains cutting sandal wood; and the place seemed entirely
deserted.
The entrance to the valley is very narrow, and much lower
than the country on either hand, opening directly to the
sea, where is a small bay and a beautiful sand beach.
A few people sat upon the rocks which overhand the passage
to the beach. I stopped a few moments before I began my de
scent, and inquired whether they attended to instruction.—
They made me no reply, and I was pained to see their indiffer
ence. I was unwilling to leave them without gaining their
attention. I changed the subject and exhorted them to
attend to the salvation of their souls, to serve God their
creator, while life was continued, and an opportunity afford
ed of turning unto him and of being saved. I was happy to
see that I had gained their attention, and that I had touched
a subject upon which they were capable of feeling. I gave
them my aloha and descended hoping that what I had said
to them might not be altogether in vain.--Leaving Waimea w e entered the large district of Waialua &
walked on till the hour of 11 when we reached Kailoa.
Here we examined a large school, but as my coming was un
expected the scholars were not prepared for an examination.
�533
It w a s\however a much better school than many I had met with.
Having examined the school & taken some refreshment we set
forward to visit other schools in the district. In the course
of the day we examined 8 containing in all 260 scholars.
At the close of the last examination I read a chapter in the
Gospel of Matthew and made remarks upon the contents accord
ing to the best of my ability. The exercises were not closed
till after sun down, and I was followed to my lodging place
by a number o f teachers earnestly soliciting books for their
scholars, I was not able to give books for all that were
destitute; but I gave to each teacher a few of the different
kinds that I had with me.
Thursday Fe b . 7. We arose very early this morning and divided
our party into two companies, it being determined that Kahananui
& Kamakahiki should cross the island from this point in order
to examine a few schools in the interior,— while it was determined that the rest of us should pass around the West end
of the island and examine the schools along the coast.--At 7 o'ck I set out with my attendants and travelled an hour
and a half over a very level tract of country covered with
tall grass growing luxuriantly. At half past 8 o'ck arrived
at Mokuleia and found assembled three schools from three dif
ferent district, the examination of which I attended before
taking any refreshment. The examination being closed I ate
,
breakfast and afterwards made an address to the scholars and—
the people who had assembled to witn ess the examination.
At 11 o'ck we set out again and continued our walk over the
plain. After walking about two miles along a narrow foot
path, we changed our course and took a path that led across
a marshy tract to the mountains which we were designing to
cross in order that we might avoid a bad piece of travelling
along the western shore. The mountains here run in nearly
a N. W. and N. E. direction being somewhat circular. We as
cended by a rough and difficult path, shrubs , long grass,
wild plants and bushes sprung up and grew luxuriantly among
the rocks, being plentifully moistened by little streams
which trickled down the steep sides of the mountains.
After ascending several hundred feet we came to a small
stream of clear water conducted by spouts & gutters to the
plain below affording sufficient moisture for a number of
taro patches. I was told that the water never fails ;
and the district into which it passes is called Kawaihapai
(Water lifted up) on account of the water's being conducted
from such an elevation. The prospect from the acclivity
is very fine,the whole district of Waialua is spread out
before the eye with its clustering settlements, straggling
houses, scattering trees cultivated plats & growing vege
tation; and beyond in broad perspective the wide extending
ocean tossing its restless waves and throwing in its white
�534
foaming billows fringing the shores all along the whole ex
tent of the district.
The scenery on the other hand is no less beautiful and grand, t
the mountains are seen rising with various elevations, some
piercing the clouds which envelope their summits, some
covered with wood, others green with shrubs and grass, among
the ridges are seen deep ravines, prominent fronts, inaccess
ible cliffs, weather beaten moss covered steeps.
When we had arrived at nearly the highest point of land, I
sat down to rest by the road side near the ruins of an hut
built apparently not long since for the accommodation of
sandal wood cutters.— the air was cool & refreshing, and the
atmosphere very transparent, and we seemed to breathe in a
new world.
While we tarried for the natives who were encumbered with
our baggage, my attendants procured fine to light their
pipes by rubbing two sticks of wood together.-- After the
natives had come up, taken a whiff at the pipe, as a mea ola ka
Kino, (a thing for the refreshment, ( or life) of the body)
and had rested themselves, we set forward, and in a few min
utes reached the highest point of land, from which we had a
view of the sea on both sides of the island. We walked a
little distance farther and reached a prominence just before
the commencement of the descent of the mountain; from which
we had a full view of the valley of Makua, into which we
were about todescent .--At about half past one o'ck we directed our steps downward
by a steep and rugged path. Having descended the steepest
part of the mountain, we came to a deep gutterworn out by the
rains. Here we found cool, pure water, and we sat down
by a little stream to slake our thirst & partake of some
refreshment.—
Having dined we pursued our way along the declivity, which
was now a gentle slope clothed with grass & shrubs, and at
half past 3 o clock arrived at the settlement of Makua upon
the sea shore.’ Here we found a small school, which we ex
amined, and at 20 m i n . after four set out to pursue our way
along the S. W . shore of the island. We walked with a quick
step hoping to reach Waianae before night; but the sun
went down before we reached Makaha,.as the settlement of
Waianae was still three miles distant we concluded to put
up at Makaha.-- Friday February 8th. Having given out word last night that
I would inspect the school in the morning, after attending
�535
prayers & eating breakfast, I took a walk along the sea
shore to view the rocks & search for curious shells.
I thus passed the time away till nine o ’clock, and began to
be impatient, when the scholars were discovered coining down
the valley walking in procession. They proceeded to a small
enclosure near the beach partly shaded by a few cocoanut trees,
under which they sat down, and thither I repaired to attend
to the examination, which being closed, I made a short address
to the scholars & spectators that had assembled and at 10
o'clock set out for Waianae, where, after travelling one
hour over a level but in general rocky country, we arrived.
This district belongs to Boki. Having learned that he was
in the place I repaired tohis residence and was received by
him with much kindness. I sat down by him on a mat and he
entered into a very pleasant converstion. I made inquiries
of him respecting the schools of this district; but he did
not pretend to know much about them, except that the people
were not inclined to attend to instruction. I told him that
I come to inspect the schools and enquired whether the schol
ars could be immediately assembled. He said orders had
been given for the scholars to assemble. I expressed a wish
to close the examination, so early as to be able to proceed
on my way before night. He approved. As I was about to take
my leave of him he asked me to accept of a hog which had
been caught for me and lay tied near the place where I sat.
I accepted his present, gave him my aloha and walked to the
place where the scholars were assembled.
On my arrival at the place I was surprised to find but 16
scholars assembled, and these persons who seemed to feel
not much interst in the palapala. I Inquired of the teacher
the reason that there were so few scholars. He replied that
he could not collect them, there had been formerly , he said,
many scholars in the district; but now there were none,-neither "ma kai, a o h e nauka; na pau i ka hele i ka paani,
a i ke abal a ." (neither "on the sea-board nor inland; they
are all turned aside to play, and I have not w hat.”)
He appeared to feel mortified that the school was so small.-I exhorted the scholars to renew their exertions to learn, &
by no means to neglect instruction.
I learned from some of my attendants that the cause of the
falling off was to be attributed to the immorality of the
head teachers, who have turned back to the paths of intem
perance, and the ways of iniquity.
Having taken my leave of Boki, and his wife Liliha, I set
out at 3 o ’clock and pursued my way along the sea shore with
my attendants. We passed several kauhale (clusters of
houses) but found no schools, nor did we meet any persons who
seemed to feel an interest in our object. As we thought
�V
536
it not likely that we should be welcome guests at any of the
settlements in this district or at least at any place where
no school had been established, we quickened our pace on order
to reach Waimanalo (a school district) before night. Our
walk during the whole of the afternoon was over a barren
country, in some places sandy, and in other places rocky;
& the appearance of the people corresponded with that of the
country. The food, by which theinhabitants are supplied,
is cultivated in the vallies, which open among the mountains
two or three miles from t h e shore.
It was quite dark when we reached Waimanalo, and on arriving
at the school house in which we expected to put up we were
disappointed to find it deserted; and it was so infested with
fleas that we feared we could not make ourselves comfortable
in i t . Some of the people of the place gathered around u s ,
& we besought them to afford us accommodations in some one
of their houses. One man whose house stood nearest us, and
who was, I believe, the head man of the place, readily offer
ed us his, and immediately began to put his things in order
for our accommodation; he did what he could tomake us comfort
able, and, as the house was small, vacated it entirely for
our use.
Saturday, Feb.y 9th. I enjoyed comfortable repose during
the night and awoke refreshed. I arose and united with
my attendants in singing a hymn, andoffering a tribute of
thanksgiving to God for his care & unfailing kindness.
After breakfast a few scholars assembled in front of the
house.
I examined them, and to one of them I gave a cate
chism and a sermon on the mount. Their teacher was absent,
and I exhorted them not, on that account, to neglect instruction;
but to give more attention to it— to assemble on the Sabbath,
and learn the catechism, and repeat passages from the word
of God.
At 10 minutes before 8 o'ck, after thanking our kind host
for his attention to us, we set out for the next district.
In consequence of the recent heavy rains the roads were very
muddy, & the travelling very bad. We had met with nothing
like it in any part of our previous travelling. A fter walking
three hours & most of the time in mud we readied Honouliuli
in the district of Ewa. A school of (ww) scholars had assembled
w h i c h I examined. The head man Kawaa very kindly entertained
me, caused a fowl to be cook
e d and some kalo to be nicely
prepared; and furnished the natives with a liberal supply
of fish and poi.— invited me to stop and spend the Sabbath with him; but as
his house was small, and our company had n o w become large
by the accession of the teachers & their attendants who
separated from us at Waialua and had crossed the island and
had put up at this place, I thought it best todecline his
He
�5 3 7
it best to decline his offer. But feeling desirous that re
ligious worship should be conducted here on the morrow, I
recommended that the party who had crossed the island should
spend the Sabbath here, while we, who had travelled roundthe
shore, should proceed to the next considerable settlement, and
make arrangements for spending the Sabbath.
Having expressed to Kawaa my thanks for his kindness, I set
forward with my attendants, and between the hours of three
& four o'ck P. M. arrived at Waikele. Towards evening
I attended to the examination of two schools, which met
in front of the house where I had put up. At the close of
the examination I gave information that religious worship
would be conducted in the same place on the morrow & requested
that all the people of the place should be informed & invited
to attend.
Sabbath Feby 10th. The people of Waikele & the neighboring
lands assembled in the forenoon tothe number of 150 or 200,
whom I addressed from E ccl VII, 29.
"Lo, this only have
I found, that God hath made man upright;but they have sought
out many Inventions "-- I gave as well as I was able an
account of the creation, of man in uprightness,— his fall
& its consequences;--God's displeasure against sin, as
exhibited in the destruction of the old world by a deluge
the long suffering of God & man’s ingratitude & hardness of
heart;--the mercy of God in providing a Savior and the
folly and guilt of man in refusing proffered salvation.
The people in general gave good attention & seemed to feel
an interest in what was said to them, I had to regret that
I could say so little & that only with a stammering tongue;
but as God sometimes employes the feeblest means to accomplish
his purposes, I could not but hope that s o me h ope that some good might result from what had been said. The number of
persons who assembled in the afternoon was not more than
half as great as was the number in the morning. I read the
account of the condemnation, crucifixion & resurrection of
Christ.
Monday Feb. 11th. A s soon as it was day we began to make
preparations to proceed on our way. We attended morning
devotions and at 20 min. after 6 o'ck, we set out for the
village of Waipio. On our arrival there we found a school
assembled, which we examined. The head man of the place
had the care of the school, and he seemed to feel very de
sirous that the scholars should appear well. As soon as the
examination was closed, a baked hog & some nicely cooked kalo
were brought in and presented to me, and another hogh was
brought forward for my attendants. We refreshed ourselves,
and at 35 min. past 8 o'ck we set out and in about half
an hour reached Waiawa, where we found two small schools
met for examination. We examined them and at 10 min. be
fore 10 o'ck took our leave; and In 55 minutes arrived
at Kalauao.- The teacher not expecting an examination
�538
was not prepared on our arrival to present his school.
We waited some time for the scholars to come together
& when they were ready the teacher called upon the classes
to exhibit. I was pleased with the order & regularity of
this school, which I regard as one of the best I have
met with on my tour.--I made a short address to the
scholars, and in conclusion offered a prayer to God.-I have felt much encouraged to persevere in the course I had
planned for myself w hen I commenced the tour, from the fact
that the behaviour of the scholars in time of prayer has been
uniformly respectful, and their attention to this Christian
duty, apparently solemn. At 25 min. past 12o’clock we set
out from the school house, and at 15 min. before 2o'ck arrived
at Moanalua, a small well cultivated valley distant about
4 miles from Houoluly.
waited about half an hour for the
assembling of the scholars which took place At the house
of Hoomoeapule the head man. Having attended to the examin
ation, with which upon the whole I was well pleased, at 10
min. after 3 o ’ck I set out with my attendants for Honolulu
on our way thither we stopped at Kalihi & Palama, and at
tended to the examination of 4 small schools. Just as the
sun was sinking below the horizon, I reached the mission
house; after an absence of 13 days & 8 hours, having exper
ienced during the whole of my journey the divine protection
and favor & having examined sixty three schools containing — - is
1583 scholars; o f whom 629 could read in plain reading;307 in spelling; 460 were acquainted with the alphabet,
but not able to spell, and 189, in the alphabet, but not
perfectly acquainted with the letters.--In the whole number
I found 150 able to write upon the slate.-For a more particular account of the schools see the accom
panying schedule.
Lahaina September 12 1828. I have now conducted you through
my journey and given you the imperfect details of what was
done by myself & attendants;— I am sorry they are so meager
and destitute of interest; but such as the history is, I
commit it to you, begging you to accept the desire to communicate some information; and not to attribute my present effect
to write a journal to a foolish vanity to be thought a
writer.
With high esteem andm u ch affection,
I am yr. frd. & servt
Levi Chamberlain
(No back to this letter)
�539
March 1824 - March 1827
31
X
No 78
Schedule of the schools on the island of Oahu examined during
a tour performed in the month of February 1828
(Left side of sheet)
Place
Not ac
quainted
with the
alphabet
Waikiki
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
9
8
11
8
10
40
1
Waialae
Wailupe
8
3
Niu
Waimanalo
8
5
Kaelepulu
"
4
Kailua
Kaneohe
Kikiwelawela
10
Heeia
4
Waihee
3
Kuloa
17
Kaawa
13
Makaua
18
Kahana
30
Punaluu & Waiono
43
Puheemiki
12
Kaluamui
Atakao
4
Hauula
33 12
From the mountains
Laiewai
8
3
1
Malaikahana
9
Kahuku
26 25
Waialee
4
7
50 296
)
)
1)
)
16)
18)
38
30
16
12
8
3
3
24
8
11
8
11
18
45
4
16
9
10
6
2
6
4
10
5
14
4
8
2
21
21
7
10
9
22
8
20
6
8
8
7
31
6
10
12
9
225. 301
7
5
118
13 Kalauao
13 Ohemua
10 Kawaakahi
11Kulauka
17 Moku & Kauhane
19 Panioi
40 Kamahoula
17 Kamaukoli
18 Kapule
30 Ohao
20Napunawai
9 Hapauea
13 Puwahiki
32 Kauwa
11 Kuahi ioinui
22 Kamakani
51 Nuuhewa
16 Mano
24 Kaai
12 Kahiemoe
37 Momona
27 Mahu
24 Koala
59 Ola
64 Kalakoa
7 Makole
12 Lauiki
13 Kalua
23 Kukuhi
7 Sandal-wood-cutt
64 Kealohaaukai
28 Kal amiwahimoku
83 Kalawaiianui
26 Holi
�540
(Right side of schedule sheet)
Place
Name of
the teacher
2
Waialua
"
"
29
13
43
"
"
15
14
2
10
2
21
xx
3
"
8 Kahalau
10
2
4
18
If
"
6
Mokuleia
Kawaihapai
Kaena
Makua
Makaha
Waianae
Waimanalo
Honouliuli
Waikele
4
25
17
15
8
20
10
1
5
7
7
7
19
3
3
9
3
4
8
8
1
12
33
25
3
4
4
15
1
"
3
4
1
2
1
Waipio
Waiawa
2
1
1
Kalauao
Moanalua
Kalihi
Palama
3
5
7
6
6
4
7
2
2
"
17
"
Wahiawa
Pauloa
139
50
189
15
4
15
15
7
30
28
3
7
1
2
3
5
5
164
296
460
11
8
2
82
Maiu
Kaikaikawaha
Kahele
Kamai
Naukana
Kapela
Kapuaa
Do
Wainiulani
Makaliilii
Kaululena
Kani
Kahoa
6
6
4
3
79
46
79
5
4
18
21
81
41
16
24
26
16
32 6
225
301
307
6 27
6
xx
5
32
118
150
22
12
18
35
7
10
46
43
Neau
Kalaikoa
Moo
Kekaha
Kuhiiahu
Kapioho
Kaiwi
Kapapoko
12 Kokokua
9 Hoaliku
3 Kaunoho
8
7
711
872
1583
�541
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. (?)
Honolulu Sep. 30th 1828.
The greater part of the accompanying journal was written
at Lahaina from minutes taken during my tour. I spent nearly
two months in Mr. Richard's family and had leisure to post
up my books, make out my annual account, and write letters
to my friends.
Prom the time of the arrival of the reenforcement until the
settlement of all the families at the stations assigned
them, I was incessantly occupied; and I was glad to avail
myself of the quiet of Mr. R.s habitation; to enjoy a season
of rest, & to recruit my strength. I am happy also to
state to you, that during my stay at Lahaina , I had an op
portunity of becoming acquainted with Miss Maria Patten,
one of the single ladies sent out by the Board, and that
I was married to her on the 1st day of the present month.
Whether this change in my circumstances will be conducive
in a high degree to my happiness & usefulness, i s to be deter
mined by further experience; but I perceive no reason yet
to repeat of the step which I have taken.
It was your opinion when I left America, that I should
be more useful, & quite as happy, on the whole, without a
wife, than I should be with one. I have tried the experi
ment for 5 years; and, considering the station I was designed
to hold, and the circumstances of the mission, at the time
of the arrival of the first reenforcement, and for two or
three years afterwards, I have reason to think that you were
right. But as circumstances are now, and as they have been
with regard to myself for a year or two past, I think I
shall be more happy, and not less useful in the married
state, than I should be without a w ife.--I shall indeed have more care, but I shall enjoy the sweets
of a friendship, which will more than make amends for the
solicitudes & anxieties, which will be occasioned by the
increase of objects of attention.--I have felt, since provi
dence has placed a companion within my reach, that my
duty was very plain to avail myself of the proffered gift.—
I have hitherto been directed right; although I have been
led about by a way that I knew not and in paths that I had
not known.— By what path I am to be led to my journey's
end, the Lord only knows; be my way long or short,--my path
thorny or pleasant,— smooth or rough , may I be disposed to
follow my leader & guide; and then, though called to with
stand torrents of temptations & the roughest winds of ad
versity. I may hope safely to reach my home, and triumphantly
to enter the port of endless rest.
�542
M y wife who had the happiness to form a partial acquaintance
with M r s . Anderson while she was in Boston, and for whom
she cherishes a high esteem, desires to be affectionately
remembered to her.-- —
she unites with me in kind regards to yourself, and to all
the dear devoted laborers at the missionary R oom s .—
I am, very sincerely,
Your friend & brother
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd Feb. 14, 1829
To Rev. Rufus Anderson
Boston
(No back to this letter)
�543
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 79
Lahaina August 21st 1828
Respected & very dear Sir,
I have forwarded to Mr. Hill the annual account of our
expenditures, accompanied by a long letter containing remarks
respecting our pecuniary concerns, together with a pretty
full memorandum of articles which are now needed, or will
hereafter he needed for the use of the mission
Having stated to the best of my ability our wants, or what
I have supposed will be our wants by the time you will
have it in your power to communicate with us in reference
to the subjects of my letter; I must refer it to the judge
ment of the Predential Committee to attend to all the re
quests,--to a part of them, or to make their arrangements
independently of them all, as in their wisdom it shall
appear to them best. I have thought it proper to be full
and particular in my statements, but far from me is the
sentiment, that the Board are under obligations to attend
to our requests because we make them, or because any of us
may have the conviction that they are reasonable. We
have the fullest confidence in the Predential committee,
and know that they are willing to do to the full extent of
their power, yea, are desirous to do beyond their power,
those things for us, which they believe will contribute to
our comfort and usefulness.
The large demands which seem by my memorandum to be made
upon the funds of the Board, may, perhaps, excite your
surprise. — I am myself astonished at the number of our wants,
and the magnitude which they assume, when brought together
and presented at one view before the mind. Were it not
for evidence which amounts to demonstration, I should not
believe it possible for a few families to consume, & employ
for necessary purposes, in the short space of one year, such
a mass as would be formed by bringing together the different
particulars of my memorandum.
In specifying the quantity of an article, and in noting the
kind & quality, I find myself under great embarrassment.
As to the quality of provisions, I find no difficulty in de
termining that it should be the very best that can be procured,
and that the arciles should be packed in the very best man
ner, for these obvious reasons,— the length of the voyage,
the changes of climate to which they must be subjected in
reaching the place of their destination, the length of time
they may be on hand after they are received before they will
be needed for use, and the effect of tropical heat upon the
articles to injure their quality.
As to the quantity, the difficulty of determining precisely
how much will be needed of a certain article for a given
�544
time, arises from the circumstances in which we are placed.
First— We are obliged to make calculations for futurewants,
and that too when we have a present supply on hand.
Second--Our need of a particular article is not the same
at all times,--the want varies according to circumstances,-it is affected by receiving presents from natives or foreign ers, and by having an opportunity to purchase advantageously
here something that would serve as a substitute for the
article sent out by the Board, or something that would be
more acceptable to the families.
Third--The wants of the different families are not alike,
and it is not possible for me to know every time I make
out a memorandum of articles what articles each individual
would wish to be supplied with, and sometimes it would be
as difficult for the individual to decide for himself, as
it would be for me to decide for him.
The families expect It of me to make provision for their
wants; and independently of this their expectation, it is
my wish that they should be well supplied with whatever is
needful for their comfort; but I also feel that care should
be taken to save expense, and that nomore should be expended
than is absolutely necessary. In deciding between these two
points Viz. convenience and comfort, and the economical use
of the funds of the Board, I find no small difficulty; and the
same, or a similar difficulty, you doubtless find in deciding
how far you ought to go in filling up our memorandums.
As to cash, it is not very difficult for me to determine,
with a tolerable degree of exactness, the amount necessary
for a years supply; nor is it difficult to state definitely
the kinds & qualities of the articles needed for trade;
but In deciding upon the quantity a difficulty exists,
from the fact, that circumstances are continually changing.
If the traders here are well supplied with cloths and articles
of clothing, we cannot use our goods so advantageously as
we otherwise should. Sometimes we can make arrangements
with mechanics and other foreigners, whom we occasionally
employ, to take part of their pay in good;--at other times
we are obliged to pay all cash. We need more or less of the
articles of trade, in proportion as we are well supplied,
or otherwise, with the articles of food that are usually
sent to us from America.
In putting down the kind and quantity ofh ouse-furniture,
cooking utensils and miscellaneous articles I find more
difficulty than I am well able to state.
It seems desirable that each family should be comfortably
supplied with all the conveniences for cooking and house
keeping. Every member of the mission has made sacrifices,
�545
An article which is needed for one family is needed also for
another; and if not previously furnished, must be supplied
from the missionary funds. In this remark I refer to things
necessary, and not to those that are merely convenient.
In regard to articles of the latter class, if one individual
is furnished by the Board, another feels an equal claim
to be furnished likewise. There will from various causes
and reasons be a difference in the families in regard to
conveniencies;— Some will have bureaus, and some will not
have them; but as I have not been applied to by any individual
to furnish this article, I have never put down this species
of furniture upon my memorandum, tho. there are several
families in themission that are destitute of this desirable
article of convenience; the same may be said of so fas, and
many other things that might be mentioned.
In regard to the qual i ty of furniture, utensils &c. I am f
u lly
satisfied that those of a good & durable kind, even should
such be expensive as tothe first cost, will eventually prove
the cheapest;--for this reason, that the mission will not need
to be furnished often— and this would be the case, if the ar
ticle were of an inferior or fragile kind. It must be obvious
that the expense and trouble of sending out two sets of an
article, particularly if large freight were paid for the transportance, would be greater than of sending out one; even should
the first cost of the one, be as great as the first cost
of the two.
There is another subject in regard to which I feel some
difficulty, particularly, as the work of dividing the articles
after they have been received devolves upon m e ; and that is
a difference in the quality and size of some articles, and
a deficiency in the quantity of others. To explain myself
by an example;--twelve sets of spoons are sent out--six of
them are block tin or Brittannia ware, and six are iron;-each family would choose the block tin. This illustrates
the difficulty I find in dividing articles in which there is
a difference of quality. Difference of size is subject to a
difficulty not altogether unlike that of quality. As to de
ficiency in quantity, I will illustrate the difficulty by
referring to a case that may exist. Four families are each
destitute of a brass kettle,-— two only are sent out--two
families must remain destitute.
Pe r h a p s an illusion tothese difficulties may be thought
superfluous; but I trust you will pardon me for suggesting
them. Perhaps they cannot be remedies, though I feel it desir
able that every cause for discontent & uncomfortable feeling,
in regard to any member of the mission, should be guarded
against, and as much as possible removed. I am ready however,
to acknowledge, that, so far as I have been made acquainted
with the feelings of the different members of the mission
in regard to division, I only have been the one to suffer
�546
in feelings, from not being able to give myself satisfaction
In referring to the foregoing subjects, & stating difficul
ties that exist in reference to my duty, I wish not to be
understood as complaining,--not as conveying an intimation
that I think the Board have not been as carefu l as they ought
to have been,--not that they have not done all that they felt
it was proper for them to do to meet our wants, and to obviate
as much as possible every difficulty, that might arise in
the way of division. I find indeed many difficulties in the
way of discharging my duty as agent for the Mission, but the
ground of a great many of them I find in my own incompetency
for the service, and in my own selfish feelings.
The practicing of economy from strict religious principle
is enjoined upon us by our instructions. To make calcula
tions so exactly as not to go beyond, or much to fall short
of our real wants, when arrangements mast be made tomeet
those wants while they are yet future, is no easy service.
In making out my memorandum, I look through the mission, and
consider what things are wanted— these I put down. I reflect
upon the subject, and inquire whither we cannot dispense
with some of them, and I am brought to the conclusion that
we can, because multitudes in the world are necessarily obliged
todispense with many articles of comfort; but I consider again,
that our usefulness and comfort may be promoted, and perhaps
our live prolonged by being supplied, and I decide in favor
of an article.
I have now said all that has occurred to my mind upon the
subject, which I have thought worth communicating, if what
I have written should be of no real service to you, it
will show, I trust, that I am not indifferent to the wants
of my brethren and sisters, nor to the expense which the
supply of them will occasion the Board.
Honolulu Sep. 29th. I arrived at thi s place from
Lahaina on the 20th inst.
My stay there was prolonged much
beyond my expectation; but my visit was pleasant and to
me important;--as it enabled me to perfect an acquaintance
which was commenced at this place, & which has terminated
in a change of my circumstances. On Monday the 1st inst.
being the season of united prayer of the churches, I was joined
in marriage with Miss Maria Patten.
We were welcomed back tothis station by our brethren and
sisters; and we have taken up our residence in the chamber
of the new printing house, which has been so far finished
as toa fford pleasant accommodations. As we are not at present
in a condition to manage our domestic concerns independently
of others, for want of conveniencies; we have connected ourselves
�547
Mr. Clark's family. We shall take our food at their table,
and assist in the domestic concerns of the family. As I am
in a great measure destitute of the articles & utensils that
the Bd. furnish their married missionaries, I trust I
shall in due time be remembered.--—
Doctor & M r s . Judd & Miss Ward are now absent from this sta
tion. They left for Hawaii in the Missionary Packet 20 days
ago, the Dr. having been called to visit Mrs. Ely, whose
health has failed. The missionary Packet has been despatched
to bring them back; and it is with great grief we learn,
that Mrs.Ely & family will come down with them, to seek a
passage to their native land; it having been decided that a
change of climate is necessary for the restoration of M r s .
.s health. As much as we depricate the return of mission- aries from the post assigned them, and as little as we are
able to spate from this field any of our scanty number of
laborers, particularly of those who have been so long on
the ground as to have become extensively useful; the present
prospect is, that we shall be obliged to consent to our scanty
num ber of laborers, particularly of those who have been so
long on the ground asto have become extensively useful,
being lessened; and, however painful the struggle, to make
the sacrifice for the preservation of a valuable life.-It is a v ery delicate & difficult question to decide, whether
a brother or a sister shall remain on missionary ground,
with certain death before them, and a termination of all their
usefulness;--or be permitted to return, with a prospect of
being restored to health, and of laboring still longer in
some part of the vineyard of the Lord. Too often have the
members of this mission been called to agitate such a question
and most painfully have they decided; though not without some
doubt & hesitancy.--Other opportunities will be afforded this fall for writing
to you, which will be embraced to give you all the informa
tion practicable respecting our work, circumstances, and
prospects.
With respectful salutations to your associates & helpers
I am, with sentiments of the highest regard
Your friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain
R e c 'd Feb. 14, 1829
To Jerh. Evarts Esqr.
Boston.
(No back to this letter)
�548
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 80
Lahaina August 21st 1828
Respected and very dear Sir,
I have been at this place four weeks, and I have employed
myself in writing up my books, and making out the account of
the annual expenses of the mission.
From the moment of the arrival of the reenforcement to the
time that all the families were settled at their stations,
my attention was unceasingly occupied. The care and labor
inseparable from the discharge of the duties of my station,
had very much worn upon my strength, and I felt the need
of relaxation. With the hope of enjoying a short season of
it to recruit my strength, I formed the plan of visiting this
station; and here in Mr. Richard 's quiet family I have been fav
ored with an agreeable and refreshing retreat.
I have had leisure to make out the annual account, and I
should forward it by the present conveyance, but from the
circumstance of some of the communications, which I wish to
accompany it, not being ready, but I hope to send it by the
next opportunity.
Messrs. Richards, Andrews and Green are now absent performing
a tour around this island for the :purpose of examining the
schools, numbering the inhabitants, making surveys and collect
ing information; and they are attended by Nahienaena who
accompanies them tofacilitate their objects. They set out
on the 18th instant, and expect to be absent 14 days. I
shall probably remain here till their return, as the care
of the families, during their absence, in a measure devolves
upon m e .
You will probably receive communications by the present oppor
tunity from some of the brethren at Hawaii, andlikewise from
some of the brethren at Oahu. I have time only to write a
hasty letter, as the vessel bound to the United States is
at Oahu, and the letters to be sent must be ready this evening.
At this station (Lahaina) great quietness prevails, and the
work of instruction is going on prosperously. Much might
be said of the interesting state of things here; but as
it devolves upon Messrs. Richards & Andrews to make out a
communication to the Board respecting the operations of the
mission, and as they will possess abundant means for giving
you a full account of the state of things at Lahaina, and
throughtout the island, I forbear to state anything further &
refer you to what they may write upon the subject.
�549
You will doubtless be informed that the state of things at
Kailua is very interesting. By a communication from Mr.
Bishop received this day, we learn that 20 persons stand
propounded for admission to the church, to take place next
communion. I do not know precisely the state of religious
things at Kaawaloa, the last accounts represent them to be
of a very pleasing character. I am sorry to say that the
health of Mrs. Ely has been for some months past declining
in consequence of an affection of the liver, and that fears
are entertained respecting her recovery.
Prom Hilo we are permitted to hear en couraging accounts.
For a season the station was vacated andleft without an
instructor/ Mr. Goodrich having gone to Oahu to engage
in the business of the printing department, and Mr. Ruggles
having left with his family to visit thephysician for the
benefit of his advice & assistance. While the people were
thus destitute, s ome individuals began to realize that the
state of being without a teacher was an evil one, and to
regret that they had not improved their privileges when they
had been favored with the means of instruction.—
Prayer began to be offered, prayer meetings to be attended,
and the house of God frequented on the Sabbath, where attemps
were made by a few individuals to conduct religious worship.
This was the state of things when Mr. Goodrich returned to
his station in June. He was welcomed back and permitted to
see an unusual attention to the external duties of religion.
Great numbers assembled to listen tothe addresses of their
teacher, and many came tohim, making with apparent sincerity,
the anxious inquiry, "What must I do to be saved?"-The latest accounts from this station represent the state
of things as still encouraging. This post need very much the
continued labors of an efficient devoted missionary, wholly
devoted to the work of communicating instruction and preaching
the Gospel. For a considerable length of time this post
has been maintained by a solitary missionary, and he laboring
under disadvantages. And the present prospect is that Mr.
Goorrich must continue, for a considerable time to come,
to maintain this station alone; and as he contemplates the
erection of a permanent house, his attention will be very
much divided between secular and missionary duties. The health
of Mrs. G. has been such of late as to requ ire special atten
tion, and has excited some anxiety.--This station has prob
ably received a visit from Mr. Ruggles since his return.
We learn that he left his family at Kaawaloa soon after his
arrival there, and set out on a tour to visit schools &
communicate instruction. Mr. Bishop contemplates setting
out soon to make a tour of the island, and will stop at Hilo
& spend some time there.--- I have recently visited Kauai but as my stay was short, and
I was favored with but one opportunity of seeing the people
assembled for w o r s h
ip, I could not judge very correctly from
my own observation of the state of things; but I was informed
that there has been no abatement of interest either as to the
subject of religion or the cause of instruction, notwithstand-
�550
ing that the people have labored under great disadvantages
from having been called out frequently to cut sandal wood
and perform other work for the chiefs.--Mr Whitney appears to possess great influence over the minds of
the chiefs & people, and to make the best use of it. Kaikioewa the Governor is highly gratified that Mr. W. is at length
favored with an associate and helper, andhe has built him a
good native house, and fully furnished it with mats.--- Mr. W.s attention must necessarily be directed in a consider
able degree to secular affairs, until his house, which he
has recently commenced for a permanent establishment, is com
pleted .
The health of Mrs. W. is much more comfortable now than it
was at the time when some of my last letters were written,
in which I referred to the precarious state of her health.
When I write to you next, I shall probably be able to communicate some information respecting myself, which may not be
unpleasing to my friends to be made acquainted with.
With affectionate rememberance to Messrs. Hill & Anderson
and the request that I may not be forgotten in your prayers,
I remain with the greatest respect & esteem
Your servant in the Gospel,
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec'd
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Feb. 14, 1829
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A . B. C . F. M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�551
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 81
Respected & very dear Sir,
Messrs. Bingham, Richards and myself were appointed a com
mittee, at the Gen. meeting of the Mission in April last,
to collect evidence respecting the conduct of Lieutenant
Percival, of the United States Schooner Dolphin, during his
late visit at these islands.
On the 12th of Junel ast, Mr. Bingham & I called upon Kaahumanu,
and in the presence of several other chiefs had a full &
free conversation respecting the conduct of the above mentioned commander, the result of which was sent you by the ship
Rambler, Cap. Worth which sailed from this port for the United
States on the 13th of June. It was intimated in that communi
cation that farther inquiries would be made and the result
of them be, at a future period forwarded to you.
In the month of July I made a visit to Lahaina. Boki was
at that place also on a visit. Mr. Richards & I had an inter
view with him, and the communication herewith will give you
the result ofit. The interview we thought a favorable one to
ascertain whether he was the author of a certain letter bear
ing his name published in the Quarterly Review. We had a
copy of it at hand and Mr. Richards had been careful to render
it into Hawaii, that the Governor might be fully informed
as to its contents. We took him aside from the company and
gave him to understand that we had something to communicate,
brought forward a copy of the letter as published & read it
to h i m . Having read it to him M r . Richards enquired whether
he understood it. He saidhe did not and asked, "What is i t ? ”
Mr. Richards then began to read the translation; before he
had proceeded far the Governor began to express surprise and
said "This is not mine". When the reading of it was finished
he very f
u lly denied its being his communication.
We asked him if he had not written to England; he at first
denied, saying, I should not have written without consulting
the other chiefs and Kaahumanu. He was then asked whether
he had not sent his aloha, he said he had, and. that Liliha
)Madam Boki) had sent her love to Lord Byron and others.
He was asked whether he had not written to Dr. Davis, he
replyed that he had, He said that some of the things in the
letter,— the health of Kalaimoku and the love sent to Lord
Byron andothers, was something like what he had communicated;
but that he had not stated such things as were containedin
the letter respecting Mr. Bingham & the missionnaries,—
the people and the country.
After Boki had given what we regarded and what he intended
we should regard a full denial to the authenticity of the
letter which the British Reviewers pledge themselves to be
genuine, we asked him if he was willing to put down in writing
�552
what he had said to us in words. He said he was, and immediate
ly wrote at the bottom of the letter the denial which you will
see. Mr. Richards was desirous that he should not only deny
the communication, but deny that he had given his sanction
to the writing of such sentiments. The Governor said that
what he had written implied it, and was sufficient. We can
testify to his absolutely denying the communication as a whole
either as having been written by himself or sanctioned by him.
The transaction is not dated but it took place on the 30th
day of July at Lahaina.
I think it not unlikely that the Gov. wishing to express his
good will ;and affection for his friends in England requested
some foreigner to write a letter for him, andthat the obnox
ious one published with such a tone of confidence by the
Review was the production, and that it was signed by (Hole
in paper) own hand; but without his knowing fully its contents;
and in consequence of his ignorance of its sentiments, the
letter is to be regarded a base forgery.
I am, Sir, very respectfully & affectionately
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
p. S. allow me to make a remark respecting the medicines written
for last December. Doctor Judd regards the list a very good
one and thinks that many of the articles particularly those
marked with an asterisk, will be needed a s soon as you will
have it in your power to send them. It is his intention
to add to the list such medicines as he shall from time to
time find necessary. He will probably write to you in the
course of the season, but should he not write the list re
ferred to above, and sent by the ship Maria, Captl Geo.
W. Gardner will be a sufficient guide for making a judicious
selection.
Prom
R e c ’d
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
April 18, 1829
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�553
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 82
Honolulu Octr. 28 1828
Dear Sir,
This letter will be handed you by Mr, Brewer, who has been till
the present fall first mate of the Brig Chinchilla commanded
by C a p . Thomas M e e k . He is now about returning to his native
country, and has kindly consented to be thebearer of letters
to the Missionary Rooms.- Having been much about these islands
and having made several voyages to the North W. Coast and
being a n intelligent & enterprizing young man, he will be
able to answer many question respecting these islands &
the North West Coast which you may wish to propose.
I am, Sir,
Very respectfully
Your friend & servt.
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec'd
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
April 1828
From
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
C o r . Sec. of A. B . C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Hanover Street
Boston
�554
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 83
Honolulu, January 2nd 1829
Respected and very Dear Sir,
Although it is not long since I last wrote, yet as a good
opportunity is now presented of sending to Boston, and the
last, probably, that will be afforded for many months; I
cannot persuade myself tolet it pass, without saying something
to you;— not that I have anything particular to communicate,
for whatever of interest the mission has had to state has
been written by otherpens;— andperhaps in what I am now
about to write, I shall repeat something which has already
been communicated.
The work of themission is going on as usual;— most of the
old missionaries are in some way engaged in translations;
the printing business is carriedon under the direction of
Mr. Shepard and the superintendance of a committee of three
of the brethren— the new missionaries are giving attention
to the language & making some improvement; the word of God
is preached both in English and Hawaii, and no special hin
drances are opposed against our operations which areupon the
whole in a prosperous state;— the different members of the
mission enjoy so far as I know, comfortable health; and our
thanksgivings are due to the Father of all mercies for
permitting us to enter upon the business andlab ors of a new
year under such circumstances and with such prospects.
The businessof translations andprinting is one in which you
and the other members o the Committee feel a deep & most
lively interest, and to the question How are books to be fur
nished for the thousands who have recently acquired the ability
to read, & the multiplying thousands which in the progress
of the plan now in operation will become acquainted wit
the art of reading? You will be inclined to bestow all the
consideration which theimportance of it demands, and which
it bearing on the interests of themission, and the influence
it will haveupon the unborn thousands of the future dwellers
in these isles of the ocean, require should be given to it.
It is a subject upon which the members of them i ssion have
bestowed much attention, and upon which I have thought much
and recently said a considerable to some of the brethren.
The Board have afforded us facilities for carrying on the
printing, but not to the extent that some of our number
have desired.--The following is a statement of espense for paper since I
have kept the accounts of the mission, as it stands on my
books.
�555
1823.
1825
1826
1827
1828
The paper of this year was brought out by the
first missionaries and I did not bring it into
the expenses of the department.
Purchased and received by donation 3 1/3 reams
fools cap estimated at
20.95
Purchased 14 reams fools cap,
Recd, from America 13 reams demi
117.25
77.00
Purchased 15 7 reams fools cap,
Received from. America 40 reams
of demi,
501.00
165.00
666.00
Obtained 1 ream of fools cap
R e cd . from America 90 ream of demi
1.53
265.00
266,53
Purchased 301 reams fools cap,
/ ecd. from America 40 reams demi
and 4 reams pot,
903.00
236.74
194.25
1139.74
From the above statement you will perceive that we have obtained
at the islands what amounts to 476 1/3 reams of paper
all of fools-cap size and which cost $1543.73, and that
we have received from America 183 reams of demi & 4 of
fools cap size, which I have charged to the Printing Depart
ment 743.74
------ 2287.47
There remain on hand about 180 reams of fools-cap paper
and 85 of demi; so that there have been printed 296 1/3
reams of fools cap and 98 of demi, or thereabouts, during
the last four years.
We have tw o presses both set up; which, if worked constantly,
will use up 600 reams of demi paper annually; and some of
our member is feel that neither of thepresses should stand idle.
Four natives have become so well acquainted with working at
the pressthat they may be employed constantly; a printer also
well acquainted with thebusiness, who stopped at this place
a few months ago, has been hired at $ 1 . per day to work for
two or three months.
Nothing seems to be wanting but paper and new matter in order
to carry on extensive business at printing. Three forms of
six, of the Gospel of Luke have been struck off of an edition
of 10,000 copies and one form of a new edition of 10,000
more with a view to increase the edition to 20,— -; but the
printing of the latter will be kept back till the other three
�556
forms are ready for the press, & the arrangements of the
board with respect to getting printing done there for the
mission, and of paper for our use to be sent out. As I shall
be applied to for the means of purchasing or procuring paper
here, if it can be obtained, or at Canton if it cannot be
purchased here advantageously, permit me to inquire, how
far ought the mission to go in its expenditures for the depart
ment of printing.
Your will say and every one of us will repeat it, If the print
ing department will maintain itself, and aid in the support
of the mission, extend it operations to the utmost
demand of the nation for books. But if we cannot obtain
from the people anything that we can turn to good account
for the support of the press, or obtain and dispose of without
too much diverting our attention from our main business as
missionaries, shall or extend our plans very much beyond the
limits which you seem to assign us in your appropriations
of paper?
The advantage derived from the books which have issued from
our pr
e s s , has, I doubt not, been equal to
all the expense which has heretofore been laid out for the
department; but if we increase our operations six fold,
as we must in order to keep two presses constantly employed,
the expense of the department will of course be six times
greater than it ever yet has been.
Books are in demandin all the islands and may be turned
for vegetables, fowl's, eggs, wood &c;--with them we can
get little jobs of work done about our premises, at some
of the stations timber for native houses can be obtained and
most of thelabor of erecting them performed; but at this
place where more families reside than at any other station
we can get no houses built for books nor at the present time
anything like a competent supply of vegetables & wood.
What change may take place by & by in favor of the palapala,
I know not; but certainly we do not just now distribute
three quires a week
With respect to new matter for the press, the history of the
last general meeting of the mission; which was forwarded
last summer informed you that assignments had been made.
These were as follows:
Mr. Bingham.
Last sheet of thehymns to be ready by the first
of May. Luke the 3d sheet to Be ready by the 14th of May
an hystorical catechism, and psalms for two forms.
�557
Mr. Bishop.
One third of the tract from Genesis the first
sheet to be ready by the first of June half of Romans, and
the first E pistle to the Cor.
Mr. E l y .
One third of the tract from Genesis, Gal. Eph.
Phil. Col. 1st & 2d Thessalonians.
M r . Richards.
Tract from Exodus to follow that from Genesis.
Acts of the Apostles to follow Luke,
Mr. Thurston.
One third of the tract from Gen. half of Romans
& 2nd of Corinthians.
M r . Whitney.
Half of Luke, (this had been translated; but
had not been reviewed, this work devolved upon M r . Bingham
1st & 2nd Timo. Titus & Philemon.-- —
I do not know exactly how much has been completed of the
above work. Lu ke was first assigned more than two years ago,
together with M ark & John. One half of it is printed, and
a fourth form is about ready for the press.
Of the tract from Gen. by Mess. Bishop & Thurston, enough is
translated, I believe, for two forms of fools cap, say 16
pages.
Mr. Richards had translated, about the middle of Decr .
of the parts assigned to him, 12 chapters of Exodus & nearly
the half of Acts. Mr. Andrews has written andAppendix to the
spelling book called "He hope no ka pi-a-pa translated by
Mr. Richards; which will contain 12 pages on fools cap; 8
of which have been printed.
It is hoped that the translation of Luke will be c ompleted
�558
before long, which will probably be the case, if there are
no interruptions to Mr. Bingham's time. I would gladly extend
my remarks respecting printing, but I have not time.
I must conclude by asking whether it will not be possible
for you to get cut for us a plate to strike off writing
copies.
A few rudimental strokes, the great & small Hawaiian letters
together with those introduced for spelling foreign words,
and figures to make a page or two to bind in with the spell
ing book or Gospels. I have not time now to write a form,
but with the assistance of Mr. Ely or Mr. Loomis with the
accomplished pen of Mr. Hill, I think you will be able
to make out a pattern for the Engraver. We should be glad
to have the plates should you conclude to procure us one,
accompanied with directions for using it.
In very great haste
I am, Dear Sir,
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
From M r . Levi Chamberlain
Recd . July 14, 1829
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqe.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F. M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Pr. Capt. Allen of the
Ship Sultan
�559
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 84
Honolulu, April 3rd 1829
Revd. Rufus Anderson,
My Dear brother,
The ship Herald arrived while I was on a visit to the
windward stations; but your kind and very acceptable letter
came to hand before my return, havingbeen forwarded with all
my American letters to Kailua, to meet me there on my way
from Hilo.
I set sail from this place in company with Mr. Clark in the
Missionary Packet, January 17; and we were absent one day
short of six weeks, and visited Lahaina, Hilo, Kaila & Kaa
waloa. M r . Green having arrived here from Lahaina a short
time before our departure, it was very convenient for Mr.
Clark to leave his station.
My object, and was to learn the pecuniary circumstances of
the stations, and ascertain, if possible, whether something
could not be d ne morethan had been done towards making the
press support itself. I foundbooks in demand at all the
stations. At Maui they may be sold for wood, native cloth,
fish, vegetables &c. Wood and native cloth may be obtained
in almost any quantity; but wood cannot be brought to Lahaina,
as it must be transported on the shoulders of the natives; and
therefore will not be a profitable article to receive in
exchange. Native cloth and fish will sell in some places,
but it is doubtful whether any great amount of them could be
disposed of. There is a kind of cloth called mamake made
on Hawaii, which may be disposed of to any amount far cash,
if it can be obtained. The brethren at Hawaii have received
considerable of this article in exchange for b ooks; and we
hope the natives will manufacture it in larger quantities ,
than they ever have before, for the express purpose of sup
plying themselves with books. Wood is also brought by natives
to obtain books, at Hilo, Kailua & Kaawaloa.--I think it probable that Mr. Goodrich will be able to dis
pose of all the wood he may collect to good advantage.-Mr. Ruggles at Kaawaloa has I believe disposed of all :he has
been able to procure and Mr. Bishop, who has commenced
building himself a permanent house, will be able to make use
of all he can collect at present for burnin g lime. As to all
the mamake kapa they can obtain, it can very readily be disposed of for cash, or turned towards paying for printing
materials, when they can be procured at the islands.
We may hope I think that in the course of thepresent year
the mission will derive advantage from books to an amount
�560
equal to the cost of the paper that may be printed at the
mission press; not indeed in money, nor in that which will
turn directly for the support of the department; but in var
ious means of support to the stations.
We found the families in health and comfortable circumstances.
It was very gratifying to us on our arrival at Kaawaloa to
find a religious excitement among the people. The house
of Mr. Ruggles is thronged with inquirers, not only of people
belonging to the neighborhood, but of persons residing at
the distance of from 1- to 15 miles; and some of them appe ring to be truly anxious. Hopes were entertained of 8 or 10,
that they had been truly converted. I have seen no (Hole
in paper); since I left America, that had m ore the appearance
of a revival. The last accounts from that place were still
very encouraging. At Kailua also there are a great many
inwuirers. Governor Adams is in an interesting state of
mind, and the brethren feel very much encouraged respecting
him.
I regret that I have neither time nor ability to give a his
tory of my visit to the stations, that would at all do jus
tice to the interest of i t . If I can find time in the cour s e
of the season I may w r i t e some particulars.—
Pray for me my dear brother, that I may be faithful till
death.
Mrs. C . united in kind regards to yourself & M r s . Anderson
I remain your affectionate brother
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain,
Rec'd Dec. 16, 1829
To Rev. Rufus Anderson
Asst. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
(No ship given)
�March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 85
(No. 85 is printed in 26 Missionary Herald 18,
January, 183 0 )
�562
31
M a r c h 1824 - M a r c h 1827
X
No 86
Honolulu Augt 13th 1829
Jeremiah Evarts, E sqr.
Boston.
Respected & very dear Sir,
In your letter to Mr. Bingham of June 7th 1828 you have made
the request that each missionary will state separately and
without consulting his brethren or any one beside his delib
erate Judgment in answer to six questions therein proposed.
Agreeably to this request I will state as clearly and as
fully as I am able my sentiments in regard to them, and this
I shall do in part by extracts from my private journal.
In regard to the first question.
"When was the general tabu
laid prohibiting women visiting ships for prostitution?W ---I answer, as it respects the port of Honolulu, the time, as
nearly as I am able now to determine, was somewhere about
the 20th of August 1825; for under that date I made an entry
in my journal, of which the following is the substance.
For two or three nights past a crier has been sent out among
the people, to proclaim an edict of the chiefs of the follow
ing import:
"All Games of chance are prohibited. together with all
Lewd practices; husbands are not to forsake their wives,
and wives are not to forsake their husbands; the Sabbath is
to be observed, andthe people are to attend public worship,
and to pay attention to instruction."
It is my opinion that Kaahumanu, Kalaimoku an d some others of
the Chiefs having become impressed with the pernicious ten
dency of certain practices of the people, and feeling on their
consciences an obligation to make an effort to stop them,
formed the resolution to lay a prohibition upon wicked &
unprofitable sports & loose &.lawd practices, and to require
that the people should attend to instruction; and therefore
Kaahumanu, as the proper agent of Government gave directions
on or about the 17th day of August 1824 to an elele (a public
crier or messenger) to publish the foregoing edict.
It is my opinion also that it was promulgated without refer
ence to any particular kind of punishment in case of violation,
the penalty being left to be determined upon according to the
nature of the offence and the circumstances connected with
�563
it. The displeasure of the chiefs would of course be incurred
and this in the view of the people is a forfeiture of no
small importance, as it is commonly attended with loss of
favor, if not theinfliction of positive punishment .
In answer to the second question, "To what extent was this
tabu enforced previously to the arrival of the D olphin? "
allow me to refer again to my journal.
Under date of Sep. 13th of the same year, I have the following
notice. Mr. Bingham visited most of the schools in the village,
inspecting them, taking the numberof scholars and giving
the teachers advice as to the best method of communicating
instruction. The number ofscholars in Honolulu alone is
about 2000. This number attend school daily, and instead
of idling away their time as formerly, or what is worse,
spending it in sinful sports, or in singing obscene songs,
employ it in learning to read and committing to memory passages
of scripture, useful sentiments contained in short senten
ces, and answers o f the catechism. The aspect of the village
has withina short time undergone an entire change. The squares
and vacant places, in which, a year ago, males andfemales
assembled without distinction of age, to pass away their
time in play & noise, arenow comparatively not frequented
& quiet. Females no longer repair to the beach for the pur
poses of impurity. Cards are laid aside andthe spelling
book substituted in its place.
Under date of October 4th I have recorded the following
circumstance. About 20 sailors came in a body to the house
of Mr. Bingham to demand the reason why females are not
permitted as formerly to go on board ships for prostitution.
They were assured that the prohibition did not proceed from
the mission; but from the chiefs, to whom they were directed
to go for a reason. Mr. Ruggles accompanied them into the
presence of Kaahumanu, and was interpreter for them in mak
ing know their wished. She told them that women were strictly
forbidden going on board ships, and that the rule by which
the chiefs had been guided with respect to the prohibition
was the word of God. She told them that the former practices
of the females were wrong; but having now been instructed
in the right way it was their intention to pursue it. The
sailors said they did not come to talk about religion; but
to obtain women & if they could not get them by fair means
they would catch them where they could find them, & drag
them on board ship, and that in this measure they should be
born out by their captains & officers.
Kalaimoku having been informed of the object of their coming
up, sent word, saying if they did not speedily depart he
would have them taken care of.
The foregoing extracts prove the existence of a tabu prohibiting women visiting ships for prostitution. How fu lly
this tabu was enforced I am not able to say; but I well
�564
remember that in passing occasionally through the harbor
during that fall women were not to be seen in conspicuous
places on board the shipping as formerly. That none went
off I will not venture to say; but it is my belief that the
number was comparatively small that season, and those whoe
went, got off by stealth & kept themselves as much out of
sight as possible. Theat the tabu was observed to a certain
extent with respect to females on shore, is certain from the
fact that several foreigners were publicly united in marriage
with native women, in consequence of their not being able
to obtain the persons of their choice on less honorable terms.
In reply to the third & fourth questions: Viz.
"3 . How many women went on board the dolphin, during the
first fortnight o f her stay at the islands?
4. How many went on board that vessel from the return of
the Convoy. Feby 23 to the riot Feby 26th?" I am not
able to speak with certainty, though it is my opinion that
some went on board, but not as many as were desired. - This
I infer from the spirited manner in which L t . Percival ad
vocated what he called the rights of seamen. It was not
for himself, he was represented to me as saying he pleaded
that females be allowed to visit ships, being himself an
old man, but for his young m e n .
As to the 5th "What measures were employed toenforce the
tabu & with what success?” I reply. The only measures that
I recollect to have heard were employed are the following:
Watching occasionally at the beach to prevent females leaving
the shore— bringing back such as were detected swimming to
the ships or attempting to get off in canoes;--in a few
instances sending on board ship to bring them back, and in
one instance Cutting off the hair of several who pe r sisted
i n b r e a k i n g the tabu, and proved refractory, andplacing them
for a few days in confinement.
As to the 6th "What were the effects of the riot with refer
ence to this subject? I answer, a declaration on the part
of Kaahumanu at a meeting, I believe of some of the chiefs
& people, as nearly as I can recollect of the following
import:
"Come with me, you who wish to go in the right
way: and those who will not go in the right way with us,
let them go in their own way. "This expression was construed
as granting permission to those who chose to follow the course
of prostitution, to walk in their own way with impunity,
and in consequence of it no further measures were taken to
enforce the tabu and those who chose went on board ships
for prostitution as formerly.
I am Sir
with great respect, Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
�565
(Back of foregoing letter)
To
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd Feb. 11, 1830
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass.
�566
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 87
Honolulu Augt. 18th 1829
Rev. Rufus Anderson,
Very De a r Brother,
The ship Phebe, Capt. Micajah Swain it is expected will sail
tomorrow homeward bound. By her a good many letters will
be forwarded for America. I have written to Mr. Hill res
pecting the transfer of the Missionary Packet to the Young
Princess and to Mr. Evarts respecting the tabu & the conduct
of Lt. Percival. I have only time left to write a short letter
to you.
I wrote you under date of Apl. 3rd and as it was sometime
after the arrival of the Herald, I probably acknowledged
your acceptable letter by that vessel. I say probably;
for I have forgotten, & have now nomeans of knowing certainly,
not having preserved a copy of what I then wrote to you.
My time and attention have for three months past been very
much taken up with domestic and secular concerns, having
had Mr. Richards & family & Mrs. Green in my family as board
ers for more than 2 1/2 months, that is, ever since the 28th
of May. During this time Mr. Richards has experienced some
sickness and Mrs. Green has been called to part with her
infant son. The object of Mr. Richards visit has been to
superintend the printing of two works which he has recently
translated: namely: The Acts of the Apostles, and a Scripture
tract from Exodus comprising m ost of the whole book.
Four forms of 12 pages of the Acts of an edition of 10,000
copies have been struck off; & the rest one and a third
forms are in type & will be printed immediately. Of Exodus
two forms of 16 pages of an edition of the same number of
copies have been printed nearly four forms more are in type
and a little more than a half of a form remains to be
set up to complete the work.
Mr. Richards will return in a very few days with his family
to Lahaina. Mrs. Green will remain here till the return of
her husband from the N. W. Coast of America, which is expected
to take place in the course of a month .
Mr. Clark has been absent with his family from this station
ever since the 30th day of April on a visit to Hilo for the
assistance of Mr. Goodrich. He will return in the course
of a fortnight to this station, which is regarded as his
permanent residence.
Our new meeting house was opened for the first time for public
worship on the 3d of July and solemnly consecrated to God
�567
to be a house of praise to his name. It was a very inter
esting occasion; probably not fewer than four thousand per
sons were present including most of the great personages
of the nation. We were exceedingly gratified with the appear
ance of the King on this occasion, and also of his sister
the Princess Harieta Keopuolani. An elegant sofa covered
with satin damask og a deep crimson color had been placed
for them in front of the pulpit. The King in his rich
Windsor uniform sat at one end and his sister in a superb
dress at the other. Before the religious services commenced
the King arose from his seat stepped to a platform in front
of the pulpit directly behind the royal sofa, and celled
the attention of the congregation and addressing himself
to the Chiefs, teacher & people generally said that this
house which he had built he now publicly gave to God, the
maker of heaven and earth to be appropriated to his worship;
and declared his wish that his subjects should worship
U serve God, obey his laws & learn his word.-The religious exercises were appropriate; and when these
were closed the princess arose from her seat and taking her
stand upon the platform called the attention of the chiefs
& people anew to what her brother had said; and exhorted
them to remember and obey.--- She said God was the King above
to whom they shouldgive their hearts and render constant
homeage.
As the closing exercise of the occasion the King arose from
his seat; and saying E pule kakou (Let us pray) addressed
in a very appropriate manner the throne of grace. In this
act of worship, using the plural number makou he gave the
house anew to God, acknowledged him ashis Sovereign , yielded
his Kingdom to him, Confessed his sinfulness, prayed for
help, for teaching. Supplicated his mercy as a sinner,
a great sinner, needing mercy, pardon & cleansing--prayed
to be preserved from temptation and delivered from evil;
He prayed for the different classes of his subjects; for the
chiefs, teachers, learners & common people, for the mission
aries & foreign residents and concluded in a very appro
priate manner by ascribing unto God the Kingdom & the power
& the glory to the world everlasting.--I have gone to the full extent of my limits both as to
room & to time, and I must now close with affectionate
regards to Mrs. A. & to all your associates.
I am very sincerely yrd frd & bro
Levi Chamberlain
P . S . XXXXX I am now what it once seemed very unlikely
I should be a father. We have been blessed with a son
born on the 17th of July.
�568
My wife joins in affectionate regards.
L . C.
From
Re c ’d
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Feb. 11, 1830
To
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Asst. Secy. A. B. C. F. M .
Missy.Rooms
Boston
Ms .
U. S. A.
�569
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 88
I Levi Chamberlain, a member of the Sandwich Island Mission,
certify that I made certain statements in my private journal,
respecting the conduct & influence of Lt. John Percival,
of the United States Schooner D olphin, which touched at the
Sandwich Islands, in the early part of the year 1826; of which
the following is the substance, and I affirm that it is my
belief that the statements are the truth.
Wednesday February 22nd 1826.
The chiefs have had an ahaolelo ( an assemblage for conver
sation & consultation) to day with L r . Percival, who is
dissatisfied with the measures taken by the chiefs to
put a stop to female prostitution on board ships, from
certain feelings manifested yesterday, it was expected he
would threaten harshly, if the chiefs would not consent that
females be allowed to go on board ships; but, as we are
informed by natives who were present, and understood him
through interpreters, he conversed very mildly with them
upon the subject; said it was well for them to attend to
instruction, but they ought to be careful lest they gotoo
fast,--that while they were circumspect themselves, they
ought not to be too severe with those who chose to follow
the course of prostitution;— that such practices were toler
ated in England & America, and it would not be safe for
government to interfere to put a stop to them.
Thursday Feb’y 23rd. (I was present this afternoon when)
Kalaikoa called at themission. house to inquire in behalf
of Kaahumanu, (who had sent him) whether it would be right
for her to liberate the women in confinement (for violation
of the tabu on female prostitution)agreeably to the re
quest of Lt. Percival, who had sent up to her to gain their
release.
Sabbath February 26th.---- Mr. Bingham calling upon the
Chiefs, Oin the evening) met with Lieut. Percival, with
whom he had a long converstion. I happened in whilethey
were sitting together in the room where Kalaimoku lay sick,
and I heard their conversation) Lt. Percival accused the
mission of having exdeeded the limits of their charter in
the communication of instruction tothe people. Theground
of complaint seems to be the taby upon the kookamakama
(vice of prostitution) The nation are in fault for not grant
ing his ship the privilege of having prostitutes on board
a privilege which, he says, was granted to the Blonde,-& the mission are in fault for telling the chiefs that it
is their duty to do all in their power to suppress this
great evil.
Tuesday Feb'y 28.
Learn that the tabu upon the hookamakama
�570
has been taken off, andthat all who wish to go on board ships
for purposes of prostitution, have full liberty to do so.
Lt. Percival it is said, is now maha; (eased of a burden or
pain) and it is also said, that it is his intention to visit
Maui & Hawaii for the purpose of effecting the removal
of what he must have regarded a grievous tabu upon female
prostitution.
In addition to the foregoing, which are the substance of
several entries upon the subject in my private j ournal, I
am able to testify from what I saw & heard & well remember,
as follows:
A few days before the riot, which occurred on Sabbath Feb.
26 1826, Opiia a high Chief called with her husband Laanui
at the mission house, to inquire what should be done for
us in case the people of the man of war should come up to
do us harm. Both of them manifested a concern for our
safety which surprised us, and which indicated that their
minds were impressed that we were in danger. Andit is
my belief that this apprehension originated in the impas
sioned language and threats employed by Lt. Percival, when
conversing in the presence of the chiefs respecting the tabu,
and the reports in circulation among the people in reference
to what he had said his men woulddo.
On Sabbath morning Feb. 26 near the close of the native ser
vice several sailors came winto the yard where religious
worship was conducted, it being at that time held in the
open air. As soon as the exercises were over one of them
came and spoke to me. Governor Boki who was near by stepped
up, and with the appearance of alarm that surprised me,
inquired, as nearly as I can now recollect, as follows:
"What did that man say to you, what have these men come
for?" I answered they came to observe our worship. He
replied, "No they did not, they came for mischief".
On the evening after the riot, Feb'y 26, I was in the room
where Kalaimoku lay sick, Mr. Bingham & Mr. Loomis members
of the Sandwich Island mission being present. I heard Lt .
Percival in a conversation with Mr. Bingham, after remarking
that Lord Byron's vessel was indulged a privilege which was
denied his, say, in words as nearly as I can recollect,
as follows:
"Before it shall be said, that my vessel was denied a privil
ege which was granted to an English vessel, I would have
my hands and feet cut off & go home mutilated."
In conclusion I certify that it is my full belief that a
tabu existed at the time the Dolphin arrived at Honolulu,
prohibiting females visiting ships for prostitution, andthat
the ground which Lt. Percival took in reference to it, in
no small degree promoted, if it was not the direct means,
�571
of the riot of February 26th, and that in consequence of
the riot, and the determined opposition of Lt. Percival to
a tabu upon female prostitution, the restraints which the
chiefs had imposed upon that vice was withdrawn.
Subscribed by me Levi Chamberlain at Honolulu island of Oahu,
Sandwich Islands on the 18th day of August 1829
U. S. Consulate, Sandwich Islands
Personally came and appeared before me this day Levi Chamberlain and did make oath, that the within statement of facts
as described and related, to which he h as signed this name
to be the truth and nothing but the truth.
(Seal)
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my
name and affixed the seal of this Consulate
at Oahu this eighteenth day of August A. D. 1829
John C. Jones, Jr.
Deposition of M r . Chamberlain
Rec'd Feb. 11, 1830
�572
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 89
Honolulu, August 18, 1829
Very Dear Sir,
Inclosed is a paper containing a statement of several partic
ulars relative to the conduct and influence of Lt. Percival
while at the islands) to the truth of which you will per
ceive I have made oath.
M y letter to you under date of May 27th 1829 assigned the
reason that I had not previously to that time given an
account of what I knew of Lt. Percival's conduct: and I beg
leave here to repeat some of the reasons thereinassigned.
"I was not at Oahu at the time the Dolphin arrived. I had
very little intercourse with Lt. Percival. I was not as
I recollect introduced to him, my acquaintance at that time
with the native language in which most of his conduct was
related to us was very imperfect, nor had I an opportunity
of seeing him during any of his interviews with the chiefs
except one." And I may add further that being very much
occupied with my business, which is of a secular (Hole in
paper) my opportunities of hearing from the natives an ac
count of Lt. P.s proceedings were not favorable as were
those of Mr. Bingham, Richards & Loomis.
I do not know that I have given a proper form to my state
ments or taken the best method of stating what I knew or
believed or whether I have stated everything that wouldbe
of weight as evidence against Lt. P. I have said nothing
about the riot; but only a few things which seem to prove
that Lt. P. was pursuing a course of opposition against the
tabu against female prostitution, which is taken for granted
had an existence. I could have said that I had heard many
natives speak of the existence of a tabu and that I had
heard much said of Lt. P. s anger on account of it & his
opposition to it. My letter however of the 13th inst. which
goes by this opportunity in answer to your inquiries gives
the substance of all I could say as to the existence of the
tabu & the tabu & the extent to which it was enforced.
I am, Sir,
very respectfully
Your friend & servt
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain .
Rec'd Feb. 11, 1830
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F . M.
Miss'y Rooms
Boston, U . S . A .
Levi Chamberlain
�573
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 90
Honolulu August 29th 1829
Jereh. Evarts Esqr.
Respected & very Dear Sir,
The document of which the inclosed is a copy was sent by
the ship Phebe of Nantucket Gap, Micajah Swain, which
sailed from this port for the U. S. on the19th inst. The
present is a favorable opportunity for sending the copy &
I avail myself of it.
I do not know that my statements are made in legal form,
or whether they will be of any service to the Committee;
such as they are I send them, hoping they will help, at
least, to strengthen the testimony of others.
I am not able to testify so much as would naturally be sup
posed, for two special reasons. Vizt.
1st. An imperfect acquaintance, at that time, with the na
tive language, in which, mostly, the conduct of Lt. L. was
related to us— and 2nd— The nature of my business, being
of a secular kind, required so great a part of my attention
that I could not conveniently place myself in the way of
direct information, but was cast upon the necessity of get
ting a knowledge of what Lt. Percival was doing, and say
ing, mostly, from those members of the mission who had more
leisure for intercourse with the natives; or whose duties
required them to be much in their society. I was not indeed
ignorant from actual observation, that strong feelings ex
isted in regard to the tabu, both in respect to the chiefs,
and many of the visitants. And I was most fu lly impressed,
from what I heard both from members of the mission and others,
that Lt. P. was determined to have the tabu upon female
prostitution removed.
I distinctly recollect to have heard it said that the Cap
tain of the man of War was very angry with the chiefs &
with the missionaries, because females were prohibited
going board ships.---- In consequence of the ungentlemanly
c o n d u c t of Lt. P. he had acquired among the natives the
epithet.— Kealumoku huhu, (angry c aptain) Haole kolohe (mis
chievous foreigner) Kanaka he hena (Mad or crazy man) and
Kaahumanu even expressed her doubts, whether he were a gov
ernment officer or the commander of a piratical vessel,
like one that had visited the islands a period before.
Most of the chiefs, and the natives generally did, according
to my full belief, regard St. P. as the author of all the
unpleasant circumstances which preceded and followed the riot;
And so fully was I impressed of the hostility of his feel
ings towards the missionaries and the tabu of the Chiefs,
that at the time of the riot, when he rushed to the scene
�57ft
of confusion from an adjacent enclosure, I was in doubt
which side he would take, whether that of his men, or that
of the opposite. And it is my belief now, that the course
he then took tended rather to shield his men, & to afford
those who were secure in the hands of thenatives an oppor
tunity to make their escape, than to bring them to a pun
ishment they so richly deserved.--In a letter to you of the 18th inst. sent by the Phebe, I
stated as much, respecting the tabu, as I thought would be
of service from my pen. What I have been able to say in
the way of direct testimony, in regard to any of the sub
jects upon which you have requested our deliberate opinion,
is small compared with what some others of our number are
able to say & probably have said .
Mr. Bingham & Mr. Richards both made statements, to the
truth of which they made oath, and sent their communications
by the Phebe.
With the highest respect & esteem,
and with Christian affection,
I am, Dear Sir,
Your friend & servant
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd Feb. 13th, 1830
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Cor. Sec. A . B. C . F. M.
Miss'y Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 91
Honolulu island of Oahu,
Sand. Islands,
Sept. 16th, 1829
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Boston.
Respected and very Dear Sir,
Without any reference to what has been or may be written
by others, I will mention a few of the most important things
which have taken place at this station and in the mission
during the last six or seven months.
The first that I shall notice will be the departure of Mr.
Green on the 13th day of Feb'y in the bark Volunteer Capt.
Charles Taylor, bound for the North West Coast of America.
His object is to explore the coast to the full extent of
his means in reference to the establishment of a missionary
station there, agreeably to the suggestions of the Board.
From him no intelligence has been received, and we now be
gin to look for his return, which may be expected to take
place in the course of six weeks at farthest, unless the
vessel should be destined on leaving the N. W. Coast, to
run down to the coast of California, in this case we shall
not expect his return till the last of November, unless
he should take passage from the N. W . Coast in some other
vessel.
I do not know that you have been informed that the Mission
engaged to pay Capt. Taylor $ 600. for his passage including
the right of his continuing in the vessel and receiving
the treatment of a passenger during the voyage.
As I am now writing respecting Mr. Green I will mention in
the connexion what has taken place in regard to his family.
He left Mr s. Green at Honolulu with their infant son 17 days
old which the day before he sailed they offered to God
in baptism, by the name of Beriah. She remained at this station
till the last day of March when she left for Lahaina
in company with Mr. Shepard & family & Dr. Judd, the latter
expecting to be detained some time at Lahaina, and Mr. Shep
ard designing to make a visit to all the windward stations.
On the 28th of May she returned to this station in connexion
with Mr. Richards & family, having been determined to this
course in consequence of the illness of her child, which
was affected in an alarming manner. The little sufferer
was continued to her till the first day of August, when she
was called to the painful service of parting with it without
the sympathy of her husband, and his supporting arm to lean
�upon; but her heavenly Father and friend sustained her, and
enabled her to bear the trial with great firmness. Shei s
now at this station and intends remaining here till the
return of her husband.----
On the 30th day of April Mr. C lark left this place with his
family for Hilo to labor for a season at that station.
He returned on the8th inst. deeply impressed with the import
ance of that post and the necessity of its being strength
ened. Mr. Clark will undoubtedly give you a history of
his visit and make you acquainted with the prospects of the
station.
Mr. Richards arrived here from Maui on the 28th of May.
His object in visiting this place was to superintend the
printing of the Acts of the Apostles and a Tract from Exodus.
A part of his object was gained; but owing to illness of him
self part of the time, and illness also of Mr. Shepard
about the same length of time, neither of the works was
finished, when he returned, which took place on the 20th
ult. though Acts was nearly completed & about half of
Exodus in type.--The 3rd day of July was a day of unusual interest to us all.
The large new meeting house built by order of Government was
Opened for public worship and solemnly dedicated to God.--it is in several respects the best of the kindin the islands.
196 feet long and 61 broad completely floored with rush
mats and furnished with a :pulpit that very highly ornaments
the house and which no clergyman would be ashamed to ascend
were it in any of the most favored cities of En g . or America.
The King and chiefs did themselves honor on the occasion.
Much preparation was made on their part to appear as a Chris
tian & civilized people, and it is impossible that any one
could be a witness of the scene which that day presented
and not be filled with astonishment at the advance which
civilization has made within the short space of nine years.-The King opened the exercises by an address in which he
declared his belief in the word of God & the Christian re
ligion, andhis approbation of the missionaries;--declared
his gratitude to God that they had been sent to these islands
attributed their coming here to the goodness of God, and
recommended to his people an attendance upon his worship
& obedience to his word. The house he solemnly andpublicly
gave to God to be used for his worship.--To our astonishment and gratification he arose after the
services on the part of the mission were closed, and in
a very appropriate manner addressed the throne of grace
�57
and in prayer to God confessed his sins and the sins of his
people, prayed for mercy, besought the blessing of God
upon his nation andall classed of people of which it is
composed, and ascribed the Kingdom, and power and glory to
God.—
The King's address and prayer may be regarded as a sort of
pledge that he will be a friend and patron of the mission.
We have never known him present so encouraging an appearance
before. The heart of Kings is in the hand of the Lord &
we shall not cease to pray that this young Ruler may become
a true disciple of Jesus & a nursing father to this infant
church--The Lord has visited us with an afflictive stroke by remov
ing one of the pillars of our church, Opiia. She died on
Saturday morning 12th instant and was interred on Sabbath
afternoon.--She had been ill several months of an affection
of the liver and dropsy — or at least had dropsical symptoms. )-The Houqua, arrived this day and we have been refreshed with
cheering news from our beloved country.-In great haste I am very respectfully
Yr frd & servt.
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Rec'd Feb. 19, 1830
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
Cor. Sec, A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
Pr.
Ship Zone
Cap. A. D. Bunker
�578
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 92
Kaawaloa, Island of Hawaii
Novr. 27th, 1829
Jereh . Evarts, Esqr.
Respected and very Dear Sir,
Owing to the impaired health of several members of the mission, and effort is about to be made for ascertaining, in
the fullest manner possible, whether anything can be done
to secure to this mission the labors of those who by great
expense have been brought to these islands, but are now
flagging under the pressure of labor and the heat of a trop
ical climate. Our hearts ache while we look upon one &
another of our little band,--see them drooping, & bearing
in their bodies the seeds of premature d e c a y , are
&
oblig
ed to regard them, either as candidates for a removal
to their native land, or the marked victims for an early
grave.
Messr s . Andrews & Green, Dr. Judd & myself are at this place,
destined for Waimea, an inland & mountainous district in the
region of Maunakea, said to possess a cool atmosphere, and
advantages for a comfortable residence;--where we expect
to make a tarry of about a fortnight, to ascertain whether
a missionary station may not be located there, which shall
unite with salubrity of climate, facilities for missionary
labor. Should the situation be favorable in these respects, the
question, whether a station shall be taken there, will be
settled in a general meeting which is expected to take
place at Oahu immediately after our return thither.--We cannot expect, even under very favorable circumstances
that a station can be taken & maintained there, without consid
erable expense of money, & great sacrifices on the part
of some individuals of the mission. But it appears to me
that money appropriated to the maintenance of a missionary
station in the islands, is vastly better applied, than in
removing a missionary home; and th at it is better to part
with an associate to go into another part of the field, than
to part with him to be dismissed from missionary labor.
Three of us came here in company with Mr. Ruggles, who em
barked with his family at Oahu expecting to make their
final arrangements at this place, where most of their
effects were, for a departure for their native land.-— Dr. Judd, and Dr. Malone, of the Vincennes, both pronounced
the case of Mr. Ruggles alarming, and toldhim that they
�579
deemed a change of climate in his case essential to his
recovery. In consequence of this declaration on the part
of the physicians, Mr. R. consulted themission, and it was
unanimously decided, that it was his duty to watch the indi
cations of providence in regard to him, either for a short
voyage, or a passage to his nativel and.
An opportunity offered by the whaling ship Superior C ap.
Rice, of a gratuitous passage to the United States, and
Mr. R. with the approbation of the brethren concluded to
avail himself of it. It was on board this ship that he
embarked for this place; but some circumstances have occurred,
which have determined him not to go in this vessel; and as
his health has somewhat improved, and he is desirous of making
a trial of the climate of Waimea, it is possible he may not
embark this season for theUnited States. He has no wish to
leave the islands; his attachment for the people is very
strong, and to part from them would cost him a painful strug
gle .
The people of this place are in a very interesting state,
and/our hearts are pained in prospect of their being left
without a teacher. But we do believe, that the\Lord will
n o t suffer his little flock, which has been gathered from
among theheathen around, to be scattered.
It has often occurred to me, that the station which I hold,
is one of so much importance to the mission, that it should
be held by one who shall be able to devote the whole of
his time to the duties of it. I am warned, by the return
of some of my brethren, by the failing health of others,
& by what I feel in myself, that I am liable to be laid
aside. It would give me great satisfaction to see on the
ground some one, who couldbe spared from other labors, to
devote his time to the work of my department, shouldmy
health fail. I have sometimes felt that an assistant in
my department would be of great service to me — an assistant
that couldtakeoff some of theheavy part of my work, such as
packing & shipping supplies for the station. Such assistance
would enable me to devote more time to the people— allow me
more time for teaching & examining schools, and would re
move from me a very counsiderable weight of care. This is
merely a suggestion offered with much deference; and I doubt
not it will receive all the consideration which is due to it.-I have written several letters to you during the fall; but
I have not the copy of one of them at hand; so that I do
not know that I have informed you, that a son was born to
us in July; which we have named Warren Pay. Will you not
think o fhim, andinclude him in your petitions, when you
pray for the blessing of Almighty God upon the children of
Missionaries?
I am, very dear & respected Sir,
�580
Your friend & servant,
Levi Chamberlain
From Mr. Levi Chamberlain
Rec’d Aug. 21, 1830
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Corresp. Sec'y A. B. F . M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�581
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 93
Honolulu, March 4th, 1830
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Respected & very dear Sir,
My last letter to you was dated at Kaawaloa, November 27th,
1829, while I was on my way with several of my brethren to
visit the inland district of Waimea, to ascertain what ad
vantages it might possess for an establishment for invalids.
The tour was performed, and a report of the same presented
to the General Meeting of the Mission which was held at this
station in January.
In consequence of the representations made in the report,
it was resolved by the meeting to attempt an establishment
for invalids at Waimea on Hawaii, and recommended to Dr.
Judd and Mr. Ruggles to go thither immediately and commence
operations.
On the 3rd of February the brethren destined for the wind
ward, who had been assembled at this place to attend to the
business of the general meeting, embarked on board the Mission
ary Packet;— Mr. Andrews & Mr. Green and family for Lahaina;
and Dr. Judd and Mr. Ruggl es for Hawaii, with a view to make
arrangements at Kaawaloa, where they had left their families,
for proceeding on , as soon as it should be expedient, to
Waimea to commence an establishment there, pursuant to the reso
lutions to that effect adopted at the General Meeting.
We have strong hopes that a residence at Waimea will prove
salutary to M r . Ruggles, and that we shall not be under the
necessity of providing for his return to his nativeland.
Mr. Bingham was also recommended to join the brethren at
Waimea as soon as convenient. When he will go on is not
certain, but probably before the hot season commences.
As this letter is written to be forward by a gent l e m a n who
proposes to return to the United States by crossing the con
tinent, the history of our General Meeting will be for
warded by some other conveyance. The minutes are to be
printed for the use of the mission; and the first opportunity
will be embraced after they are through the press to send
you a printed copy.
The general le tter, assigned to Messrs. Bingham and Mr. Clark
to write, will probably be forwarded by this conveyance;--
�582
from that you will gain information respecting the progress
and state of themission. They have thought proper to suggest
the subject of an assistant in my department. I had myself
suggested the same thing to you before the thought occurred
to m y brethren. Should my health be good, I shall be able,
by devoting all my time to secular employments, to perform
everything required of me in the secular department; but
should my health be feeble, the labors and responsibilities
of my station wouldvery quickly break down my constitution.
I am not at all desirous, on my own account, that an assistant
should be sent out to take part with me in the secular de
partment of the mission, unless it be to allow me more time
for teaching, examining schools, andvisiting the stations
as circumstances may render such a course proper or necessary.
Should the Board think it proper at any time to select a
person for this mission to act in a secular capacity, he
should be one who shall be willing to put his hand to any
kind of work,— and work cheerfully; he should also be well
acquainted with business and skillful in managing affairs.—
patient & industrious.
I am far from thinking it desirable that the number of persns merely secular should be increased in the mission; and
I have no wish to be released from labor; nor do I ask that
my burdens should be lightened in order that I may have m ore
leisuret o follow my own fancy. I shouldindeed be glad of
time for study and mental improvement; but much time for that
purpose I cannot expect while the people around us need so
much attention, and while there are so many calls from
those who wish to be conversed with on subjects relating
to their salvation.
Mar. 13th. The vessel by which I shall send this did not
sail when I expected, in consequence of which, I am able to
inform you of the arrival of the Ship Louisa, on the7th
inst. with articles for the mission, and letters andpamphlets for individuals. A short letter from you tome
came to hand, which I am happy to acknowledge and for which
accept my thanks. A word in your own hand writing affords
me me much gratification;-- a long letter, notwithstanding
the pleasure it would afford me, I cannot expect or ask,
while business of so much more importance engages your at
tention & occupies your time. I rejoice that your health
admits of such mighty exertions as your mind and pen have
put forth in the cause of benevolence. May you be the
honored instrument of rescuing from extermination the de
fenceless Indian tribes who inhabit the borders of our western
& southern states.
The Gentleman to whom the letter inclosed in yours was address
ed has not been at the islands nor can his arrival here be
expected. The vessel which he commanded must have met with
�some disaster, as I cannot learn that she has been heard
from since she left New York more than a year ago. The
letters enclosed to me for cap. Moore by the Houqua, I deliv
ered to Capt. Benjamin, of the Brig Herald; who expected
to meet Cap. M . here & to find the proceeds of his cargo
in readiness for the Herald.
We were very glad to receive so many of the Gospels, by the
Louisa,— and the people also are eager to get them. I have
sold for cash at 50 cts. each 78, and 60 more I have deliv
ered to teachers to supply some of their more forward schol
ars, the pay for which is hereafter to be handed in; besides
these I have given out 110 to individuals who advanced the
pay to Mr. Loomis.--I hope you will endeavor to keep us well
supplied with good English slates. All those recd . by the
Houqua, that were retained at this station, have been gone
nearly two months. The largest sold very quick at $1. cash
or for what was quite as good as cash to us. That kind
cost 12/6 p r . Dozen.
Having closed my letter to Mr. Hill, I beg to inform you,
that under date of this day, I have drawn upon the Board
a set of Exchange for $500, at four months sight in favor
of Mr. James Hunnewell delivered him on account.
With sentiments of great respect
I am, Sir, very affectionately,
Your friend & servt.
Levi Chamberlain
From
Rec'd
Mr. Levi Chamberlain
July 30, 1830
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esqr.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston,
U. S. A.
�584
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
Sandwich Islands----- A. D. 1823---
No. 94.
By
A. Bishop
In conformity with a vote of the Brethren that Mr. & Mrs.
Bishop make a visit to Tauwai, previous to their removal
to Kairua, in order to assist Mr. Whitney in the labors of
that station— we embarked on board of the ship Maro, C apt.
Macy of Nantucket, on Saturday evening Nov. 1 ., and on
Sabbath morning we got under way, being prevented the day
previously by a calm. We were wafted forward by a fresh
trade, and the shores of Oahu rapidly receded from our view.
Ere night came on we descried at a distance in the horizon,
the rugged heights of Tauwai, glistening in thebeams of the
setting sun. Sea sickness prevented me from attending di v i n e
worship on deck.
Monday, Nov. 3d. At d a y light, we discovered the island of.
Tauwai in fall view before us
Her ragged & lofty summits,
her dark ravines, her deep vallies, and her sunny shores,
appeared in succession to our view. The face of the country
is extremely uneven. A lofty chain of mountains runs through
the interior from east to west that reach to the clouds,
which daily gather around their summits and are discharged
in copious showers upon the vallies below. The shores are
interspersed with alternate ridges of high land, and deep
vallies, that commence at the sea and are terminated by the
mountain in the interior. The soil is destitute of trees,
& forests, except in the vallies and upon the sides of the
mountains, several miles from the shore. This circumstance
gives it the appearance of great sterility, to the passing
voyager.
At 11 A. M. our ship hove to off the village of Waimea.
We were accompanied ashore by Capt. Macy in his whale boat,
where we were met & welcomed by Br. Whitney, who took a seat
with us in the boat when we were rowed up the river about
half a mile and landed at his house. It stands in a seques
tered spot in the valley of Waimea beneath a grove of Cocoanuts & Kou trees, and in overlooked in the rear by a high
rugged cliff that borders the valley. Just in front runs
the river of Waimea, a sheet of water about 20 rods in width,
that abounds with fish, andis enlivened by the continual
passing & repassing of canoes.
Tues. 4. This morning we have taken possession of a new
thatched house in the yard of Mr. W. recently built for the
accommodation of some family of the late reinforcement,
expected to reside at this place.
Wed. 4.
Took leave of our friend Capt. Macy, to whose po
�liteness we are indebted, not only for many comforts on
board his ship, but still more for having offered to touch
at this island, almost solely to accommodate us with a pas
sage. He proceeds from hence to the Line, where most
of the whale ships cruise during the winter season.
Today Mrs. B. & I took charge of the school at the house
of Tapule, the former Queen of Taumauarii, who is the prin
cipal patron of learning among the chiefs of this Island.
The school consists of about 80 pupils, and is in a pros
perous condition. A large number of them are making commend
able progress in the incipient branches of knowledge, prin
cipally reading and writing. But the want of a full supply
of elementary books, paper & slates, will prove a continual
drawback until these shall be furnished. Mr. W. is about
to enlarge & superintend the school on the western side
of the river, under the patronage of a daughter of the Gov
erness, and conducted heretofore by G. Sandwich.
Sabbath 9. About 200 natives including the chiefs & their
attendants, assembled at the church adjoining our houses
morning and evening at the usual hour for religious worship.
Br. W. preached arid conducted the whole service in the Haw
aiian Language. After this the Mission Family met at the
house of Mr. W. for social worship, where a sermon was preach
ed in English, and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was
administered to our little number. Our Brethren of this
station have been long deprived of this ordinance.--Tues. 11. The Ship Paragon Capt. Cole arrived & anchored
in the roads with an order from Taumauarii, calling upon
all the men of the Island to repair to the mountains, for
the purpose of cutting sandalwood. Our schools are in con
sequence suspended until the wood shall be finished.
Sab. 16. Mr. W. preached twice today, to an attentive
native congregation. At 4 oclock P. M. a number of Americans
belonging to the Ship Paragon assembled at my house, with
G. P. Tamoree & G. Sandwich, when I preached from the words
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate.”
Frid 21. We were awakened this morning at an early hour by
the loud wailings of a number of voices, that proceeded
from the house of a chief in the neighborhood. Attracted
by the dismal sounds that filled the air, we walked over
to the house, and learned that a chief woman had suddenly
died a few hours before, in consequence of an affection of
the brain, induced by too great exposure.
Here seated on the ground in the house and before the door
were a large company of chief men and women and common
people promiscuously intermingled;— with disshevelled hair &
outstretched arms, some beating their bodies--others making
the most frantic gestures, and with the utmost seeming
agony, they sent forth their hideous cries, that seemed
�586
to rend the air with discord and noise . What heart that
has the feelings of Christian sympathy within can forbear
to bleed for this heathen people who mourn "around the couch
of their deceased friends," as those who have no hope."
They can not be comforted by the consolations of the Gospel
in that trying hour, because to them it sheds no light upon
the future. Having no distinct conceptions of a future
state of existence, their mourning is like the ravings of
despair.
Evening--the cry has been kept up through the day with little
intermission, and is now resumed anew. Their wailings,
it is said, usually continue many days. A chief of consider
able distinction said to us today "that he was a powerful
god to whom the men prayed or so great a chief could not
have been prayed to death." The idea that there are men who
understand the secret of praying men to death is very
prevalent, and almost every person of distinction that
dies, is supposed by some, to have died, in consequence
of their malignant prayers.
Mon. 24. The school at the house of Tapule, has been again
resumed today, under encouraging prospects.
We hope
on our part to keep up the attentions and if possible to
excite a livlier interest in the minds of the pupils by
every means in our power. These schools we consider as the
nurseries, from which are hereafter to spring our future
teachers, our future statesmen, our future members of the
church, and our successors in the Gospel Ministry. Indeed
were it not for our schools we should witness but few to
attend the church on Sabbath. The scholars & their connec
tions form the principal part of the regular attendants
upon our religious meetings. The sentiment has gone forth
and is prevalent both here & in the other islands, that they
who do not attend to the palapala (schools) have no inter
est in the new religion, but are exempted from any of its
moral instructions or penal sanctions. For this cause it
is difficult to persuade many except such as are under our
instruction, and also to cultivate a personal acquaintance
with the members of the late reinforcement.
Sabbath N ov. 30 . This day is marked as the beginning of
my ministerial labors in the Hawaiian Language. Through the
blessing of Providence upon my studies, I have been enabled
during the week, to compose a sermon and prayers in the
Hawaii Language, and for the first time to address a native
congregation without the aid of an interpreter. With grati
tude may themembers of the late reinforcement record, that
the difficulties in the way of acquiring this language,
so deeply felt by our beloved predecessors, are in a measure
little experienced by us, who have followed after. To the
drudgery of settling the orthography, & of fixing the pre
cise meaning of words, never before used to convey moral
�587
& religious instruction, we are as yet strangers, while with
the aid of their vocabularies, we have sat down to the
study of the Language, with great certainty & visible pro
gress. The result will be that, with the blessing of
Heaven upon our studies, we shall acquire in half the time
the same knowledge, that cost them three years' diligent
labor.
Saturday Dec. 6. Visited the valley of Hanapepe in a canoe,
for the purpose of procuring some provisions, and of preach
ing to the people. This is the third time I have visited
the valley. It lies 7 miles east of Waimea, and is environ
ed by lofty cliffs on each side, that commence on the
south where the valley opens to the sea, and stretch along
in an irregular manner, until they are lost in the moun
tain of the of the interior. It is watered by a cold pure
stream, capable of navigating canoes to a considerable dis
tance into the country. In this populous valley lies the
farm of M r . Ruggles, upon which he has lately erected a
small stone house, his late residence. It stands in a pictur
esque spot, at the foot of a precipice, nearly 1,000 feet
in height. Next to Waimea it is the most important field
of labor on the Island.
Sab. Dec. 7th. Preached at Waimea in the morning. Though
it was through much faltering & hesitancy that I could make
myself understood, yet I w as encouraged to proceed by a
fixed attention from thepeople.
This evening I was called to visit the sick couch of one of
our pupils , who for some time past has been in a declining
state. I found him in great pain, and the paleness & tre
mor of Death was upon him. I administered an anodyne, but
with little hopes of effecting any benefit. I could only
commend him to the Lord, and take my leave. On my return,
I was led into a train of reflection. The greater part
of those that are taken sick never recover,--especially
among the children. It is computed that four fifths of the
children in the Islands, die before the age of 6 years.
Surely nothing but the blessings of Christianity & Civiliz
ation can save this sinking people from Annihilation.
This morning I was requested to perform the funeral service
after the Christian manner. I prepared therefore a short
address, and prayer suited to the occasion, and requested
that all the scholars of both schools might assemble at the
church. At 4 P. M. the church was nearly full, great numbers
coming out of curiosity to witness some new thing." After
service a procession was formed preceded by the chiefs, when
we walked with stillness & regularity to the grave. The
scene was novel, andexcited much attention among the(people.
Some of the Chiefs observed that this was the right way to
�588
conduct a funeral, Instead of their old custom of carrying
out their dead in the night.
Sat. 27. Since the last date, the affairs of this station
have continued to wear the same encouraging aspect as for
merly. The schools have been attended with their usual punct
uality, and commendable progress is made in study & writing.
The public service has been Kept u p in the Hawaiian Language
tho with much labor I have prepared discourses. The return
of Mr. W. has been delayed to a much longer time than we
had anticipated, and we feel that we have need of his presence
In this retired spot, far removed from civilization, and sur
rounded by the heathen only, we scarcely hear from the
other islands once in a month, and from Europe & America
very seldom. The sight of an approaching sail, gives ani
mation to every countenance, and excites expectation in every
breast, particularly in ours, who are anxious to know what
is passing upon the great theatre of the world, and among
the followers of the Redeemer.
Mon. 29. We had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. Whiting:,
back to his family this morning about 8 o 'clock. He brought
letters & intelligence from our Brethren at the windward,
which gave us satisfaction. By the schooner which brought
Mr. W .,Taumuarii has dispatched a man bearing orders to pro
claim the observance of the sabbath throughout the island,
requiring all work to be laid aside, forbidding them even
to build fires on that day, under a severe penalty. Other
laws respecting the moral conduct of this people are to be
published at the same time. Drunkness and the distillation
of ardent spirits are strictly forbidden. Infanticide is
forbidden upon pain of death. The people are required to
repair to the house of God on the sabbath, and where this is
not convenient, they are enjoined to remain at home andabstain from making a noise throughout the day.
Thus far the Lord has disposed the heart of the King to
favor his cause, but we do not think that a strict adher
ence to the laws will be long observed, while thejpeople
remain heathens. Perhaps the most that we can expect for
the present, will be abstinence from work and public sports,
on the sabbath, and a more secret method of indulging in
their other sins, will be pursued. Still we feel much en
couraged by this public recognition of the cause of truth
andpiety.
Thursday Jany. 1, 1824. We met this evening at the house of
Mr. W. to commemmorate the anniversary of the new year;—
to rev iew the mercies of akind, protecting Providence towards
this mission during the past year, and to each of us individ
ually to supplicate for a continuance of God's presence &
blessing through the year ensuing. This solemn & interesting
season we trust was rendered profitable to us all. Great
things have been done for us, by the Head of the church,
�589
within the last few months, but more, much more remains
to be accomplished, before these hills & vallies shall be
made to resound with the voice of prayer & praise , from hearts
now locked in darkness, ignorance & vice. Hasten, 0 Lord,
the Glorious day.
Jany. 2. Last evening a new & somewhat surprising occurrence
took place before our eyes. A company of people belonging
to Wahine-nui; the governess of the island, brought a dead
corpse wrapped up in tapa, to the spot where a few days before
we had buried one of our scholars, and after digging a rude
grave and lowering it down, an old grey-headed man, formerly
a priest of superstition, arose & uttered a heathen prayer
over the grave--avowedly in derision of the Christian funeral
that had before taken place. Two things here were unusual-to bury in the day time, and to pray over the grave. This
act bespeaks the enmity of ascertain chief person towards
our benevolent object, and is only one of numberless proofs,
of what would be done, were it not through fear of the
King. The learned upon enquiry that this revivalof heathen
ism, is only an attempt to remove the favorable impression
induced by
decent & orderly Christian funeral.
Thurs. Jany. 8.
The Ship Paragon, Capt. Cole, sailed from
this place today, bound to Boston by way of Canton.
By
this conveyance we have forwarded a number of letters to
our friends in America.
Sabbath. 11. Our congregation was larger today than i t
has been at any previous time. A considerable number for the
first time attended from the country, and we judged there
were no less than 300 persons assembled. Such are some of
the good effects arising from the late proclamation of the
sabbath. We have reason to expect a continual increase in
our congregation, as past experience implies it, and the
requirements of t h e King sanctions the expectation. O that
to these encouraging prospects we might add that sinners
were turning to the Lord!
Wed. 14. The Ship Champion Capt. Preble, anchored in the
roads today, to obtain refreshments. She is bound to America
via Canton. By her we have forwarded letters. Not being
able to obtain immediately the desired supplies, the Capt.
weighed anchor this evening and proc eede d on his way.
Mon. 19. Mr. W. set out today on horseback to visit Wairua
a district on the eastern part of the island. His proposed
object is to inspect a school recently established there, and
to make known as opportunity affords, the truths of the
Gospel.
Thurs. 22. This afternoon Mr. W. returned, from Wairua,
having spent 2 days at that place. The first day was employ-
�590
ed in visiting the school & preaching to the people. The day
following was spent in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain
some wild calves, that feed in the vicinity.
Sabbath eve. Feby. 1. At 7 o'clock this evening we met
at the house of Mr, W. to commemmorate the dying love of our
Lord Jesus Christ at his table . Sermon from P s . 73.28.
After wh. we 4 in number approached the table to partake
the symbols of our Lord's broken body & spilled Blood, broken
& shed for the remission of sins . The season was solemn &
refreshing. We found it good, there to acknowledge our un
worthiness & recount our mercies. We feel ourselves to be
in the wilderness, but here the living manna of heaven
falls, to refresh and comfort our souls . How different was
the condition of captive Israel when by the rivers of Babylon
they sat down and wept, with their harps unstrung and sus
pended upon the willows.
"How, " said they, "shall we sing
the Lord's song in a strange land." But tho in a strange
land and aliens for life from our native soil, we are not
disconsolate and captive. But when our thoughts revert
back to the land that gave us birth, and to its loved Sanct
uaries "pointing to the skies, "we are ready involuntarily
to exclain, "I f I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let, my right
hand forget her cunning, "-- We can also ad d , "It is good for
us to be here," and forget not our high & holy vocation,
but rejoice in being able to spend our lives in the ser
vice of our Lord & Master.
Frid. Feby.
of Oahu now
attempt, to
place, from
20. We are informed that a gentleman resident
on a visit to this island, yesterday made the
alienate the minds of several chiefs of this
paying any regard to our religious instructions.
He applied the old and formidable arguments of Infidelity, viz.
Ridicule & obloquy. He said indeed that learning to read and
write was very good, but derided the Sabbath day, as an imposition--and the missionaries as ignorant mechanics & fortune
hunters, unable to procure a livlihood in their native coun
try. This vain attempt would be unworthy of notice, except
it were to show some of the various shapes assumed by this
many headed monster. The time was, when such representatives
were listened to by the chiefs, but that time, we trust is
past, and foreigners themselves, are beginning to be sensible
that they serve only to lessen their own influence in the
eyes of the rulers of the land.
Friday Evening--- Expecting to embark in a few days for Oahu,
Mrs. B. & I took leave of the school, lately under our care.
We leave as we found it in a prosperous condition. The no.
of attending scholars has varied from 00 to 80, and they are
of all ages from the grey head to the infant. But the greater
part of them are from among the youth. The school on the
opposite side of the river had been suspended for a few
weeks past, but will be again resumed as soon as the new
schoolhouse, now erecting, shall be finished.
Several of
�591
our boys, we have already selected as teachers, two have
been sent to the eastern part of the Island to instruct
a school under the patronage of Tapule--two more are about
to be sent to another part, for the same purpose, by another
chief, and three are retained in the schools at this place.
Sabbath 22d. A much larger number than had ever assembled
before met today at the house of public worship. The house
was filled and several stood without. Mr. W. preached
in the morning & I in the afternoon. We are encouraged to
believe that the attention to the word is increasing among
the people, tho they are not regular in their attendance.
It is not unusual to see numbers from a distance in the
country, approach the door of the church, with cautious
steps and a state of wildness that seems to say, "What can
these things mean?” Some will assume courage to step within
the door, and take a seat upon the mat, while others, less
bold, will stand without, and listen through the doors and
windows.
The Haheo (Cleopatra’s Barge) from Oahu, anchored today in
the roads. No intelligence.
Tues. 24.
Today at 12 o'clock, Mrs. B. & I took our leave
of Br. & Sister Whitney, and proceeded in a double canoe,
on board the Haheo, lying a little over a mile from the
shore. Thus ends our visit of nearly 4 months to the Island
of T auwai. By the Haheo we are to proceed to Oahu, and from
thence by the first conveyance to Hawaii, our appointed field
of labor. We leave Brother & S ister W. alone, but trust
they will not be left to suffer, or to remain alone many
months. We have spent the whole afternoon on board of the
Brig, waiting the arrival of her captain from shore to get under
way. Here in full sigh t of the Mission House, we indulged
the retrospection of our late highly agreeable visit, and
called to pleasing remembrance the many pleasant hours,
spent in that sequestered spot.
During the evening the wind veered to the S. and S. W.-black, threatening clouds, seemed to indicate the approach
of a storm, frequent from that quarter at this season of
the year. But as the Capt. had not arrived on board, we could
not get under way toavoid the seeming danger of a Lee shore.
Happily after some time, the clouds dissipated into rain,
and the wind abated. We retired to our cabin, relieved
from much anxiety.
Wed. 25. This morning at daylight we got under way, and pro
ceeded with a light breeze from the land. We passed the eastern
point of the island at 12 o'clock, and are now in the open
sea, running smoothly before a gentle breeze from the
west.
Frid. 27 . At Oahu. We arrived last evening about twilight
after a quick and pleasant passage of 36 hours. Soon after,
�592
we were greeted with a welcome from our Brethren & Sisters
at the Mission House, in one room of which we are temporarily
accommodated. We have likewise the satisfaction to meet Mr.
8c Mrs. Richards from Lahaina, who are on a visit to this
place,
P. M. balled on Karaimoku, and learned that the Haheo will
sail on Monday following for Hido, on Hawaii, by way of
Lahaina. He readily consented to touch also at Kairua on
his way up, in order to take thither my family & Baggage.
Such an act of kindness, from the Regent of the Kingdom,
to a stranger on these shores, demands our gratitude to the
Father of Mercies, who has put it into the hearts of these
rulers, to favor our designs & facilitate our usefulness.
Sabbath, March 1. Preached in the Morning to the English
congregation, and in the evening a t the Mission House,
administered the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, to the
members of our Mission Church assembled.
Mon. 2. A heavy gale from the south accompanied with rain
commenced yesterday evening, and has continued through the
day with unabated violence. Our departure is consequently
delayed for a few days, and we shall enjoy the pleasure
of prolonging a little our short stay.
Thurs. 5. Having previously put on board the Cleopatra
Barge all my effects, early this morning she took advantage
of a light breeze from the land, and sailed out of the har
bour, in company with 2others of the King's Brigs. Having
passed outside of the harbor, she hove too, and waited our
arrival on board. Mrs. B. & I took a hasty leave of our
Brethren & sisters, accompanied by Mr. Richards & family
who return by this conveyance to Lahaina. John Honorii like
wise accompanies us to Kairua, where it is expected he will
reside. We take with us, Mary, eldest daughter of Mr. Ellis,
who we expect will abide in our family until Mr. E. can ob
tain a passage for himself & family to England.
Having arrived on board, the vessels fired a salute, which
was answered from the port. We then immediately hoisted
sail, andwere soon out of sight of the harbour, the village;
and that loved spot the Mission House.
Saturday March 7. The Brig came to anchor this morning
at 8 o ’clock in the roads off this beautiful village.
In about an hour, we landed, andarrived at the houses of Messrs.
Stewart 8c Richards. These houses stand upon the beach, about
100rods east of the landing, so near the water that their
very threshholds are sometimes laved by the surf.
The village of Lahaina is situated on a plain, on the wes
tern end of the island of Maui, at the base of a high and
�593
picturesque mountain, that overlooks the rear, around whose
vertex the clouds gather and descend in showers upon its sides
Water is conveyed in ditches to every part of the plain,
that looks like one continued garden. But to these favor
able circumstances, there is a reverse. The mountains that
afford such a grandeur of landscape, and streams of water
break off the trade winds & sea breezes, so essential to
health in a tropical climate. Add to this the numerous
fish ponds, containing stagnant water, it may be considered
the most unhealthy place in the islands, tho it is by no
means to be compared to an Indian climate.
Sabbath eve. 8th. Spent the day at this place. Preached
morning and evening to the native congregation. A respect
able number of the people of the people of this village,
attend regularly at Church, and a few appear to be seriously
inquiring the way of salvation, and exert a happy influence
in behalf of the missionaries. We feel peculiarly gratified
with this opportunity to visit our friends at this station,
and only regret that we can stay no longer, in order to surv e y more minutely the surrounding country.
Mon. 9. We received an early summons to repair on board
the Haheo, and after taking a hasty leave, Mr. Richards
accompanied us to the Brig. Soon after she got under way,
but we have been becalmed most of the day in sight of Lahaina,
tossed by a heavy sea. At 4 P. M . a fresh breeze from land
sprung up called by the natives "mumukee, " before which we
are now making rapid progress.
Tues. 10. After a night of heavy tossing from side to side,
we arose and beheld the snow-capt mountains of Hawaii.
The land is about 20 miles distant, in an eastern direction.
Evening--rowing to a head wind that has blowed all day,
we are compelled to remain aboard another night in sight of
Kairua , having eaten nothing since we left Lahaina. The
poi & raw fish of the country we cannot eat and in the hurry
of our departure, we forgot to provide any of our own.
Kairua--March 11. After a passage of 2 days & nights from
Lahaina, and precisely 2 weeks after our departure from
Tauwai, we find ourselves landed at Kairua, the spot appointed
for our future residence, our tolls, our sorrows & our joys.
We are accommodated with one of the houses belonging to the
(Hole in paper) for a temporary residence, until new ones can
be erected for our permanent use. Thus, after sojourning
nearly eleven months in different places on these islands,
we are at length brought on our way to, and safely landed
on these rocky shores, among the inhabitants of Hawaii,
to spend and be spent. Here we desire to erect our Ebenezer;and while we record the mercies of the Lord to us hitherto,
it becomes us to put our trust in his everlasting promise-"Lo I am with you alway, even unto theend of the world"-- A . Bishop
�594
P. S. Very Dear Sir— Should it be consistent with your
regulations, concerning those Journals that are sent you,
by missionaries, you will do me and my friends a favor,
by sending this to Mr. Sylvanus Bishop, Oswego, N, Y. when
you shall have done with it.
Your affectionate Servant & fellow laborer
A . B.
From Rev. Artemus Bishop
Journal at Atooi
Rec'd April 13, 1825
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr,
Missionary Rooms
Boston— M s .
U . S . America
___
�595
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 95
Waimea Island of Tauwai Jany, 14, 1824
Respected & dear Sir
It is with pleasure that I introduce to your notice & atten
tion, Mr. Thomas Shaw, late of the Ship Octavia a member
of Dr, Baldwin's Church. During his stay at these islands
he has improved frequent occasionsto visit the missionaries
and had become endeared to us by the ties of Christian Fellow
ship. Probably he can give you some(useful information con
cerning the mission-In great haste I remain Dear Sir
Yours &c
A . Bishop
From
Rec’d
Rev. A. Bishop
Sept. 12, 1825
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr
Boston
U . S . America
�596
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No 96
Kairua Sept. 30-- 1824
My Dear Brother
Permit me to improve a few moments in writing to a dear
friend, whom I once had the honor to number among my corres
pondents, but for what reason I know not, that epistolary
intercourse has been broken off--I am sure I can find
nothing to accuse myself; nor when I consider your multiplied
avocations, can I find it in my heart to accuse you of neglect.
I have nothing of great importance to communicate, and what
I shall pen, will perhaps be hardly worth the time spent
in perusal. We are all dispirited 8c down cast, at the late
dispensation wh. has taken from us our Dear Br. Ellis &
family. They have completely entwined themselves around
our hearts, and won our kindest affections. In spite of the
conviction that forces itself upon our minds, that it was
the finger of God that pointed him away, and while we
rejoice that so favorable a passage was presented at this
critical juncture, we still know not how to be reconciled
at the thought of a separation, especially as his useful
labors 8c counsel are so much needed at this important
crisis. We follow him with our fervent prayers, as he &
his family are tossing upon the deep, committing him & his
to the protection of that Being who rules the ocean & the
land. We rejoice likewise that he is to sail by way of
America, and ere this reaches you, you will probably see
him in Boston, and hear from his own mouth, what the Lord
is doing to reclaim these long lost isles of the Gentiles.
Had we departed one of our own number to return to America
to represent to you our situation, our prospects, our com
forts, our trials & our wants, we could have foundnone better
qualified to do this than Br. E llis. From him, we have kept
nothing back, but have admitted him into all our confidence,
the same as if he had been an American M issionary.
With regard to the acquisition of the Hawaiian language, we,
the younger members of the Mission, are as yet much in the
background of our elder Brethren, but we hope within a few
years to overtake them by availing ourselves continually
of their discoveries, both before and since our arrival.
Most of our number are already enabled to compose and read
sermons with considerable care, which after a little correc
tion by our native assistants, are very well understood, tho'
we by no means suppose them classically accurate, according
to the best idioms of the language. Our prayers in public,
are extemporaneous, but more formal than we could wish, for
w a n t of a copious flow of words.
If you are not fond of philological discussions, I shall
mention to you something, wh. may perhaps appear strange
8c uninteresting, but to us is really a serious & difficult
affair, and will require no little wisdom & address to adjust
the dispute, it is concerning the true orthography of a
�597
great portion of the words in this language. There are two
opinions on the subject, and we can gain no aid from the
natives, for they can understand both methods with equal
ease, and are in the habit ofusing both as it may suit
their inclinations. Perhaps I cannot give you a clear idea
of the nature of this dispute, wh, may perhaps after all,
arise wholly out of the indistinct mithod of pronunciation
used by the natives. You must knew then, that theuse of an
L, or an R, in any word when one of these letters is used,
conveys precisely the same meaning,--thus to say, aloha or
or aroha, (love), either will be equally well understood.
The same may be said with regard to the letters k & t.--and
also v. & w.--thus: tabu or kabu (forbidden) Havaii or Hawaii,
(proper name of this Island)- -in the use of eith er method
there is no difficulty in being understood .--The B. & the
P. are likewise synonymous, thus we may say, pure or pule,
bure or bule (prayer). Now as it appears desirable on all
hands to establish a uniformity there is great difficulty
in fixing upon a standard, as some unaccustomed to the
proper sounds to be after this way, & others after that.
Two of our principal members Messrs. Bingham & Ellis, are
for the use of the R. here called ro, instead of the l ,
(la), all the rest are for the l . But the R. has the precedency,
being used by Mr. B. in all his former communications to
America. As to the k. & t, they are both legitimate, the
former, being used nearly altogether at the windward islands,
and the latter at the leeward. But then one letter in
writing & print, will answer for both places, thus they say
at Hawaii, kapa (cloth) and at Tauwai tapa; but the people
of Tauwai, call the k (ke) t(te), and vice versa at Hawaii,
t (ti) is here pronounced (ki);— which then shall be the
standard, is the question? Some are for retaining all the
various readings as they now stand, in our Alphabet, others
are for expurging the b, d, r, t, & v, as wholly unnecessary,
Others still are for taking a middle course, and retaining
them in the alphabet for the use of foreign words, and con
fine them here. I must confess myself of this latter class.—
As far as my observation & hearing expends, I can find no
native that comes so near the soundof R in his pronunciation
as of L.--Tell a scholar to say R (ro), (and I have told
more than 300 different ones) and he will invariably say,"lo,"
say v. (vi) ans; "wi." -and so of the rest.
Mr. Ellis is peculiarly partial to b. r. t & v. as they are
used at the Society Islands, and his organs are habituated
to them. But I trust we shall never quarrel, he doubtless
has a much better knowledge of the words & phrases of this
language, than any of the Amer. Missionaries. But after all,
there appears to be a middle sound, neither l , or r , fully,
it may be compared to the quick sound of the word, erl , erlo
where there is at first an elevation of the tip of the tongue
to the roof of the mouth, and from thence it rapidly descends
to its former position. But enough of this. I shouldbe
happy to have the opinion of some of your learned philologists,
�598
on the best method of settling this difficulty, and fixing
a uniform standard of orthography for the language.
I have one request to make of you, my Dear Brother, before
I close; it is this: (and I sincerely trust you will not
forget to attend to it). When the Tour of Hawaii, or what
ever shall be its title, and the "Hawaiian Convert" (?)
shall be published; will you be so kind as to send a copy of
each to my Father, Mr. Sylvanus Bishop of Oswego N. Y. in
my name. Such a present would be highly gratifying to him
in his old age, and might in some measure soothe his sorrows,
at the thought of never seeing me again. Direct them to the
care of some one of the Utica Booksellers, and drop a note
to my Father, with directions where to find it. Perhaps it
would be still better to direct them to the care of Erastus
Clarke Esqr. Utica, as he has a brother living near my father,
and has frequent communications to that place. But either
way will be sufficient;--and in doing thus you will confer
upon me a favor, for which I shall ever feel your debtor.
I have witnessed his parting tears and sobs, but I could
never realize his pangs, nor those of my dear mother.
I am about writing him that he may expect such a present.
Please give my most sincere regards to Br. A. Bingham &
wife--I hope to write to them soon. My love to Brothers
Wisner & Wayland, and all the rest, who I suppose love me
very much, for I have never received a word from any of them
that live in Boston, except 3 lines from Mr. Morrill.
I believe, however, that several of them are my debtors.
I mean to write to them all once--& then--stop---I remain Dear Brother,
Yours in the best Bonds
A. Bishop
From
Rec'd
Rev. Artemus Bishop
May 14, 1825.
To
Mr. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Ms.
U . S . America
�599
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 97
Oahu, June 1, 1825
Respected and D ear Sir
I feel happy to embrace the present occasion to write you
by a vessel that is expected to sail soon for Nantucket.
I have the pleasure to inform you of the continued favor of a
Kind Providence upon us at Kairua, in enabling us to continue
our exertions as formerly for the spiritual good of a people
that are literally "Sitting i n the Shadow of death, "— but
we have no animating intelligence to convey of sinners turning
to the Lord, and resolving to take up their cross and follows
Him, as we trust is the case both here and at Lahaina, and
Kaawaroa.
I arrived at this place on a visit with my family about 4
weeks since in company with several chiefs, who came to
remove the remains of their late lamented King & Queen,
from the hands of the English, and to settle their new
government according to the custom of the islands. Here
we met with Brethren from all the stations except the one
at Tauai, andhave been once more enabled to hold fellowship
and sweet council together. We have now nearly completed
our business and are waiting the opportunity to return
severally to our respective stations.
Since our last joint letter in Feb. 7, we have little to
communicate of morethan ordinary interest relative to the
spiritual concerns of our station at Kairua, From the Gov.
down to the lowest of the common people, we know of none
who gives decided evidence of having become a new creature
in Christ Jesus . The same apathy & indifference to r eligious
things prevails, as existed a year ago, and the same obstin
ate hatred to truth. Still schools are liberally patronized
by the Gov. and a decent attendance upon our Sabbath & weekly
meetings is continued, andour hopes are sometimes raised,
that we shall soon hear the same anxious inquiries concerning
salvation, that are daily made in other places. But it
has pleased the Lord to withhold for a season the Spriit’s in
fluence, to teach us our dependence upon Him, and a distrust
of ourselves.
The western shore of Hawaii, has been visited during the past
year with a long and severe drought. From August of last
year unto May of this present, we had no rain at all near
the shore, and but very seldom on the mountains in the rear,
and during the last 4 months of this time the rains entireceased. The consequence was that v egetation all died, and
�•600
and the whole country was overrun with destructive fires,
which swept away every vestige that remained in its way.
The wretched inhabitants were obliged to flee in all direc
tions in quest of food. They remained at home long after
the taro & potatoes failed, and subsisted upon the Hapu,
a species of fern root, that grows wild in them ountains,
when this was exhausted their only resource was to remove
to some distant part of the island until the drought should
pass over. The consequence upon ourselves, was, to nearly
deprive us of fresh water, andv egetables, of which we
obtained a very precarious supply, and at a dear rate.
Our muddy water, brought from long standing pools at the dis
tance of 5 miles or more, was unfit for use until it was
cleansed. Our scanty supply of vegetables, compelled us to
consume the remainder of our foreign articles, so that
when I came away from Kairua they were wholly expended.
The failure of a new supply from America, for the ensuing
year has almost cut off our hopes of a support, since noth
ing can be procured at this place. The resort of ships to
these islands has almost entirely ceased, and trade is now
at a stand. The sudden rise of the price of articles to
an enormous height, has rendered it impossible for us to
procure scarcely any of our few former comforts. When Mrs.
B. was sick a few weeks since I had to give 4 dollars a gallon
for spirits, and 1 dollar a pound for tea. Such dear sir
are our present situation and prospects, but hitherto we
have not suffered for want of comforts. As to luxuries
we desire them not, but we do feel that our principal dependency for support must rest upon supplies from America
while things continue as they are at present. Until the
present discouragements to industry, imposed by a despotic
government, shall be removed, we cannot expect that the
present prices of provisions will be materially lessened.
A more complete monopoly could not be devised than what
exists here. All trade is forbidden to the common people
and the chiefs set their own prices, knowing that foreigners
must purchase. The consequence is that provisions have be
come scarce throughout the islands to an alarming degree,
and all encouragement to industry is checked. It is to be
deeply lamented that with a soil & climate not i n f e r i
r
o
to any in the world, such vast tracts of rich land should
lay waste, while the(populace is given over to idleness and
inactivity. Should a free trade be open to all, the market
would soon regulate its own prices upon a proper level, and
should personal property be guaranteed to the common people
as their Inviolable right such a spur would be given to in
dustry as has hitherto been unknown. The English Govt.
are laudably using their influence to bring about this state
of things so desirable to every enlightened mind.
I have only to add, that on the 27th of Feby last, John Honorii
was married to Maria, an interesting girl that he brought
from Maui to be educated for that purpose. During the time
�601
that she resided in my family, her progress in study was
rapid and she gave encouraging evidence of being actuated
in her conduct by theinfluence of Christian principles.
They were married in the chapel, in presence of a large
congregation, when a sermon suited to the occasion was
preached. We earnestly hope that the effect was as salutary
as the same was interesting.
Yours Affectionately
Artemus Bishop
From
R ec'd
R e v . Artemus Bishop
April 10, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. America
�602
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 98
Kairua Oct. 24, 1825
Very Dear Sir
Permit me as an individual to adress you once more and relate
what the Lord has done towards us, since my last communica
tion in June last. It is expected that Mr. Thurston will
prepare a joint letter for this station embracing the most
interesting particulars and thus enable me to dwell the
more on those of a personal nature.
Soon after my return from Oahu about the first of July,
the spirit of the Lord appeared evidently at work among the
people of our charge. An increased attention to the preached
word; the great concourse of people to the church, so as to
fill it to overflowing while numbers thronged the doors
& windows to catch the sound; together with the establish
ment of several weekly prayer meetings, all indicated that
the Lord was with us in reality. Among the most promin
ent individuals who have enlisted themselves into the ranks
of the faithful, resolving to become the followers of the Lord
Jesus, are Keoua, wife of Gov: Adams, and Kekupuohi, an
aged chief woman formerly the wife of Taraiopu, King of Hawaii
at the time of its discovery by Capt. Cook (King Tereoboo
of C apt. Cook) and a large proportion of chiefs of less
distinction both male & female. Since the commencement of
this religious excitement, our houses have been daily more
or less frequented by enquirers, who anxiously desire in
struction in the principles of Christianity. We entertain
hopes that a few have experienced that change, which shall
be their passport into everlasting life, among whom are
several young men teachers in ou r schools. It is desirable
however, that none be admitted to church membership, until
after a suitable season of trial & instruction. We look
upon many of those first fruits as our future fellowhelpers in our labors of love. Others appear well, but are
so disposed to trust to their own righteousness, that we
have never encouraged them-to think that they are truly
interested in a Saviour. The great paucity of words in
this language suited to express the doctrines of grace, is
one great difficulty with which w e have to contend in ex
plaining to them the Gospel. Some who once professed to
seek after the Lord, have since preferred the pleasures
of the world, and gone back to their former abominations,
but the greater part still persevere. Before I was laid
aside in August last by sickness I had received the names of
63 persons of both sexes, who had visited me to inquire what
they should doto obtain salvation; and since that time many
more have been added to the number. The removal of Honorii
to Hide (Byron's Bay) was severely felt by all those inter
ested about their souls concerns. He had been with them
�daily, visiting from house to house, and in conducting
their social meetings for prayer, so that the continuance
of his presence was thought by them indispensible. But
the return of Mr. Ruggles to Tauai, rendered his assistance
to Mr. Goodrich an important object, in order to keep possess
ion of that interesting station until further aid shall
arrive from America.
Our schools, scattered up and down the coast, form so many
radiating points of Christian knowledge. The books put
into their hands are all of a religious nature, and what
ever a native learns he communicates it too his friends who
cannot read, I have often been surprised to hear those who
came from a distance and had never heard preaching, or ob
tained a knowledge of the alphabet, repeat whole hymns
by heart. It is now ten weeks yesterday, since, in compli
ance with several previous invitations, I visited some of
theneighboring villages to preach and inquire into the state
of the schools. I was accompanied by 5 or 6 young men,
hopefully pious, who acted as a choir of singers. I sent
them forward by two & two to call at the several houses by
which we were to pass andinvite the people to assemble,
while I walked slowly in the rear to prepare my discourses.
The day was clear and the noontide sun shone fu lly upon
my path; while not a noise was to beh eard, save the dashing
of the surf upon the rocks of lava that bound the shore.
Those who have felt the direct rays of a tropical sun, can
best judge of the languor and debilitating effect that it
produces. But the interesting scenes before me kept me
up through the days during which I preached 6 times to
more than 2,500 people. It was the most pleasant day that
I have spent on missionary ground, because it appeared the
most useful one.
But it was the Last in which the righteous Providence of God
permitted me to speak in his name for 10 weeks. I returned
home late in the evening exhausted with fatigue anhunger,
but invariably rejoicing in the glorious prospects now open
ing among our schools. Whenever a schoolhouse is erected,
a place is provided for the worship of the true God, and the
voice o f prayer is heard morning and evening to ascend
up a sweet-smelling savour, and enter into the ears of the
Lord of Sabbath. I had intended the excursion above mention
ed as the beginning of a series of visits tod ifferent
parts of the island, but the Lord was pleased to order other
wise, at least for a season. Two days after this I was
taken ill of a fever, which continued ten days, when I
became convalescent, But when I had nearly recovered, in
consequence of over-exertion, I was siezed with a relapse,
which continued longer than my former sickness, and brought
me to the lowest ext r e m i t y . But the Lord heard my petitions,
�604
and raised me from my low condition, to preach once more
the tidings of salvation. Yesterday for the first time
I ascended the pulpit and spoke from these words of the Psalmist:
"I love the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my
supplications." I am now restored to my former health, and
am enabled to sing of his mercies & of his chastisements.
My beloved companion has been afflicted for the last 4
months with a severe bowell complaint, which has entirely
prostrated her strength, and reduced her to little better
than a skeleton. I trust that she is now somewhat better.
During my late illness she was mostly confined to her room,
and wholly unable to render me that assistance which my
case demanded. I was not left however without a helper.
Mr. & Mrs. Thurston laid aside all other avocations to attend
upon us beside our sick beds, where they proved themselves
truly worthy the appellation of Brother andSister. Night
and day Br. T. watched my couch , both as nurse & Physician,
'till exhausted with watching. Br. Ely came to his relief.
O
how at that hour did I feel the need of an experienced
Physician, but the Lord diverted the means used to a favor
able issue.
Mrs. Bishop & myself desire to be affectionately remembered
to all our friends in Boston, and wish it to be mentioned
that Mrs. B's illness, together with the care of our little
daughter Jane Elizabeth now nearly 7 months old will probably
prevent her from answering several truly welcome letters-With my best respects to your family and Mr. & Mrs. Hill &
M r . Anderson I remain Dr. Sir
Yours in the Gospel
A. Bishop
From Rev. Artemus Bishop
Rec'd Aug. 21st, 1826
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Boston, Ms.
U . S. America
�605
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 99
Notes taken on a tour to Hilo
Wednesday Dec. 14th 1825. Sailed this morning from Kairua
in a double canoe for Towaihae, in company with Puna a young
man of hopeful piety, and five others to carry our baggage
across the country. Arrived at Kiholo 25 miles at 11 o'clock,
ashore and dined with the chiefs of the place, Pulikoliko
a daughter of the late Tamehamehi I, and Milika her husband.
After dinner had some interesting conversation on religious
subjects, answered several questions relating to their par
ticular cases, and wrote a prayer for the vise of Milika
at his request. At our departure received 40 fish as a pres
ent. At 2 P. M. got under way and arrived at Towaihae at
sunset a distance of 40 miles north from Kairua. Spent the
evening and night with Mr. Young. This gentleman is nearly
80 years of age and has resided on this island 40 years.
He is an Englishman by birth but followed the seas for sever
al years out of Philadelphia; was in the confidence of his
employees, and expected to be raised soon to the command
of a vessel. His last voyage was in a ship trading to the
N. W. coast of America and from thence to Canton. On her
return from the N. W. orders had been given to her tender
to meet the ship at thisisland, where they were to touch
for refreshments. The tender arrived first and was immediately
seized by the natives and the crew all massacred except
Isaac D avis. Upon the arrival of the ship the schooner was
concealed to avoid detection. After trading with the natives
a while Mr. Young obtained liberty to go on shore and spend
the day in viewing the country. But unexpectedly meeting
with Isaac Davis, he learned the fate of the tender and crew.
At night when he sought an opportunity to return on board,
he found every canoe prohibited from any further intercourse
with the ship. In this distressed condition he had the pain
to witness the ship for 3 days successively to stand close
in ashore after him, andthen put out again to sea. On the
third day she was observed to come nigher in than usual when
Mr. Y. made every possible attempt to procurethe means of
returning, but in vain. The ship then fired a gun and
standing about set her --------------------- studding sails
to the breeze was soon out of sight, andhe saw her no more.
Young and D avis wandered from place to place dressed in the
native habit, until at the suggestion of Capt. Vancouver
Tamehameha gave them land, tor Mr. Y's signal services
to the King in his wars, he made him a chief, and gave him
his neice in marriage. Her name is Kaoanaeha. This woman
is still living with him andh as a large family of children,
most of whom have arrived to years of maturity. The above
particulars I have just received from his mouth.
Thurs. 15. Intended to have set out this morning for Kohala,
bu the importunity of M r s . Young has induced me to spend
the day at the place in imparting religious instruction
to herself andpeople. Pass t he whole of the morning in answering questions on experimental and practical Religion,
�606
and in giving advice and direction how they might best serve
& worship God in their present condition destitute of a
sp i r i t u a l guide. Mrs. Y. the wife of my host, andseveral
of her people have for more than a year past, been deeply
interested in religious things, andnow more than ever deeply
feel their need of some one to lead them forth unto the
knowledge of God and Salvation. In her manner of conversa
tion there is much intensity of feeling apparently mingled
with true humility. Upon the whole, the word of God appears
to have influenced her heart, together with the hearts of some
of her family, to have cordially embraced the Saviour.
In the afternoon I preached to a very pleasing and attentive
audience of about 150 persons assembled in the schoolhouse.
Frid. 16. Set out at 2 A . M . for Kohala in our double canoe.
Reached M ahukon a at sunrise 20 miles, drew our canoe ashore
and after taking some refreshment, commenced our journey
on foot across the interiour to the opposite side of the
island.
For about 4 miles in our ascent the country was
stony and barren; we then came to a fertile region pre
senting a very beautiful sloping landscape, upon which grew
the taro, banana and sugar cane in abundance. At 12 o'clock,
arrived at the table land, and caught a sigh t of the ocean
on the north side of the island. Having passed the table
land we began to descend; here the land is intersected
with many deep ravines, whose sides are covered with the
bread-fruit & Kukui, the former so useful in furnishing
food for man, and the latter celebrated for theoil-nut,
that is used for torches, beaming with a brilliant light and
sending forth a h ighly fragrant odour. At the bottom of many
of these ravines murmurs the brook and waterfall, as it
descends towards the sea irrigating numerous taro beds in
its way. The dwelling houses & farms are thickly scattered
over this most fertile region from the sea shore on the north
to the summit of the interior, presenting a more numerous
population than perhaps any other part of the island of the
same extent. Arrived at 3 p. m. at Honopuea where we put
up for the night being prevented from proceeding by the rain.
The people of the plain brought us pigs, potatoes & fowls
for our refreshment.
17. Previous notice having been given, the people assem
bled this morning to the no. of nearly 200, when I preached
to them. Tho the house was the largest in the place yet
many went away for want of room. Passed on one mile to
Kapaao, where the people assembled immediately in a school
house lately erected. Here I preached again, and as it was
raining when I closed, I requested puna to address them also,
which he did with much propriety & solemnity, while a crowded
audience listened attentively to the discourse. We had
afterwards some pleasant conversation with W alawala, a chief
woman of distinction residing at this place, who seems desir-
�607
ous to avail herself of the benefit of that light which be
gins to shine around. But as she expresses it "it remains
still dark within.” At parting her husband Keakuku gave
me a fine fat hog valued at 5 dollars, which I send to
Kairua by the return of the canoe.
At 11, passed on to the eastward;.--the roads were slippery
in consequence of the rain, and we caught several falls in
passing the ravines that crossed our path to the no. of 6
in about 10 miles. Their depth I should think is on an aver
age about 300 feet, some more and others less. 4 o ’clock
arrived at Pololu a deep valley, under good cultivation,
and entirely surrounded by mountains except towards the sea.
Put up with Kanae the proprietor, who is one of the teachers
lately from Kairua. Spent part of the evening in religious
exercises with the people of this place.
Sabbath 18. Preached morning and evening to a large congre
gation assembled in the open air,--was much encouraged
by the attendance and orderly conduct of my hearers. Had
some sweet and precious hours spent in private meditation,
as I walked out to a shady grove that skirted the border
of the valley. The rugged andlofty mountain scenery that
enclosed me on every side save that washed by the ceaseless
waves of the sea, seemed to shut me out wholly from the
world, andlead me to adore the mighty Hand, who laid the
mountains in a balance, and takes up the isles as a very
little thing."
In the evening d u r i n g conversation, I learned some of the
traditions concerning this valley, which not a little diverted
my mind. As tradition reports, it was originally the residence
of Oakea and Opapa, the god and goddess who made Hawaii and
all the others of this group of islands. The story relates
that they were produced after the ordinary manner of gener
ation in the order in which they stand to each other; viz.
Hawaii the elder sister, Maui the second, and so of the rest
in order. After Opapa had brought forth the islands, men were
then created in the same manner, she also being the mother
of mankind. The first man that was made stood erect indeed,
but motionless, with jointless arms connected to his body
by a web of skin, andlegs joined together in the same manner.
Mawi another deity, enraged at this motionless & helpless
status took him, andbroke his legs at the ancle and knee,
and tearing his arms from theweb that connected them to his
body, broke them at the elbows and shoulder, and in this
manner formed the joints of his limbs.
But as yet he had neither fingers or toes. Hunger impelled
him to seek for food in the mountains, where his toes
were cut out by the brambles in climbing, and his fingers
�608
were formed by the sharp splinters of the bamboo while search
ing with his arms for food in the ground.
Thus by these fortuitous circumstances the human frame
was perfected; — and tho we may perhaps be disposed to smile
at these fables once taught in Hawaii, concerning theorigin
of men, yet they may appear mot more ridiculous than the
vagaries of some called philosophers, who rejecting the
light of Revelation, have attempted to account for the pres
ent perfection of the human species, according to the
fancies of their own misguided brain.
(By these facts, we
are taught one obvious and humiliating lesson; that without
the guidance of Revelation to direct us to theknowledge of
the truth, man is not only liable but sure to be bewildered
in a labyrinth of fable.)
M o n . 19. Owing to the high andimpassable mountains between
this place and W aipio, and which here terminate in lofty and
abrupt cliffs that overhang the sea, I foundit impossible
to proceed along the shore. And not being able to procure
a canoe Of sufficient capacity to afford us a safe passage
by water, we resolved to retrace our steps in part, and
proceed through the interior to Waimea, andfrom thence descend
towards Hamakua. In order to shorten our route we ascended
the mountain that encloses the valley by an\ inland and un
frequented path. But it proved extremely laborious and
difficult, being so steep and slippery as not even to afford
a place on which to rest the foot. We were obliged to
crawl on our hands and knees, and holding fast by the
grass to pull ourselves up in this manner. Every few min
utes we were compelled to stop and breathe, but did not dare
tol et go our holdlest our feet shouldslide from beneath, and
precipitate us into the abyss. After more than an hour of
hard toil and anxious fear, we arrived at the top, where
we threw ourselves down upon the grass panting for breath
and spent with fatigue. After quenching our thirst at a
rill which murmured by and tumbled down theprecipice, we
ascended in a sloping direction towards the interiour. In a
few hours' we arrived at a level and fertile region that
extends along the foot of the mountains on our left, around
whose summit the clouds were wheeling in the wind and
dropping in showers. On the right, an open andcultivated
country spread its lawns before us andinvited torepose.
We passed through several hamlets, whose schools were
established. In three of those places I had the satisfac
tion to preach the Gospel to numbers who never before had
heard it. I likewise received several presents of fowls,
potatoes & c for the refreshment of our company.
Night overtook us among the mountains, but by the light of
the moon, we could discover our path among the rocks and
bushes, where after travelling until 8 o'clock in hopes
of finding a habitation, we concluded to pass the night in
a cave on the border of a ravine called Luahine. We then
collected grass for our couch and built a fire to roast a
�609
fowl for supper. Having committed ourselves to the care
of the "Watchman of Israel", we spread down our mats &
slept.
Tues. 20 . Arose early proceeded. Reached Waimea about 7
o'clock A. M. This is a high inland valley lying in the
interiour, between the highlands of Kohala on the N. W. and
Mauna Kea on the S. E. opening towards the sea on the N. E.
and S. W. it is well watered and has a. considerable popu
lation. A school has recently been commenced here by
Mawae one of our late pupils. At this place we breakfasted
on poi and baked pig, after which the people assembled
in the open air, where I preached to them, there being no
house suited for the purpose in the place.
At 11, began to descend towards the sea on the north,
where we entered a long and tideous forest many miles in
width and rendered almost impassable by thelate rains, which
have formed a continual succession of muddy pools and
slippery declivities. At about 3 p. m. we emerged intothe
open country, and arrived at Kapulena in Hamakua about sundown,
having made a circuit of more than 50 miles, yesterday and
today, and are now in full sight of thepoint from which we
started a few miles to thewest of us on the shore.
We were hospitably received at K. thepeople spread a mat
for me to lie down, while they rubbed my limbs with much
kindness according to the custom of the country, an oppration exceedingly refreshing to the weary traveller.
A pig potatoes and taro were soon baked for our refreshment,
of which we made a hearty meal. Late in the evening a part
of our company arrived from Waipio, whither they went the
week before from Towaehae to await our arrival. They brought
me 40 fine fish from a pond as a present. I regret the mecessity that compelled me to pass by this populous and fertile
valley, the more so as I am told that the people had made
preparations for our visit, and were much disappointed in
not seeing us .
21.
Preached this morning to about 200 people assembled on
the green in front of the house where I tarried. Subject
the nature of eternal salvation and the means of obtaining
it. After breakfast continued our journey on the upper route
about 4 miles above the sea, to avoid the deep ravines which
intersect the path along the shore at almost every half
mile. The su rface of the lane is an inclined place descend
ing to the north from the foot of Manna Kea, and terminating
�610
at the sea in bold rocky cliffs of 2or 300 feet in heights--
Tho' a high ly fertile country, it is thinly peopled, and
little besides a tall grass grows here except around the
scattered dwellings of the inhabitants. No opportunity to
preach was offered on my way. Tarried over night at the
house of a farmer.
22. Passed theline which separates Hama kua from Hido at
12 o'clock. Here was pointed out to me the place where
once stood an altar of superstition, which was overturned
and the place overgrown with grass. Two years ago when we
passed this way, it was standing, but some native jealous
for the honour of the new religion it seems has flung down
the images and scattered the stones, and soon all remembrance
of it will pass away into oblivion. Crossed this morning 7
or 8 defiles steep and slippery and arrived at Laupahoehoe
at 2 p . m. weary andlame. The wind being calm andthe sea
smoother than usual ton this windward shore, I hired a canoe
to take me to Waiakea 30 miles, but it not being in readiness
to set off this evening we lay d ow n to rest. A 11 o'clock
we were awakened;--I took Puna and one of my boys to assist
in rowing, and left the remainder of the company to follow
by land. The canoe was small, and the out-rigger so light,
that we were apprehensive of being overturned into the
sea. We were preserved from this dangerous accident only
by the nicess t (?) balancing of our bodies as the canoe rolled
upon each swell, and by bailing out the water as often as
it dashed in. The cold wind from the land, soon drove me
to the oar to keep myself from chilling, where I labored
incessantly all night, and at day break we found ourselves
just at the entrance of the Bay.
Byron's Bay, Dec. 23. Arrived at the house of Mr. Goodrich
just after sunrise, cold andwet by the sea, but felt relieved
from my oppression. Found Mr. G. and family in health and
just removed intotheir new thatched house, built by
order of Kaahumanu. It stands on the west side of the bay,
about 30 rods from the beach, on a piece of land lately
granted him by Govt. It is pleasant indeed after many days
of travel and fatigue among theheathen, over mountains and
vallies, exposed to storms by day andve r m in by night; to
repose'once more in the bosom of friendship, and Christian
society, and enjoy sweet fellowship with those from whom we
have long been separated. Such pleasure I am permitted this
day to participate.
Sabbath 25. Preached morning and evening at the usual place
of worship;--the house was filled and good attention paid
in general to the word. But it is to be regretted that no
better example is set, and no more countenance given in
general to religions things by Koahou theprincipal chief
at this place. He still retains 3 wives and revels in all
the abominations of heathenism, while neither he or his
�611
people are often at church. Such an example from a principal
chief has a pernicious effect upon the common people, and
accordingly there are found more open opposers among the
natives of this place, than at any other station. Still
there is much to encourage to persevering effort; schools
are multiplying and knowledge is increased. There is also
a praying circle, and a few individuals give evidence of
hopeful piety.
Wed. 28. Lectured this evening at the Meeting house.
The temperature of the atmosphere on this side of the island
is many degrees below the same elevation on the Leward at
at Kairua. This morning the mercury of Farenheit stood at
61° at sunrise; and we find it necessary to kindle a fire
in the house both morning and evening. During the day
there is a mildness and serenity in the air calculated
to produce highly pleasant exhilarations upon the animal
frame, beyond what I have experienced in any other place.
It nearly resembles the early part of Septem ber inthe
N. E.
states. This difference of temperaturei s probably owing
to the prevalence of the trades by day and to the vicinity
of snows on the adjoining mountains from whence the evening
breeze ordinarily blows.
Sat. Dec, 31. The new church being completed, we assembled
this evening at 3 o'clock, together with a large concourse
of people within its walls, to solemnly set it apart unto
the service of Almighty God. The exercises were opened by
prayer and reading the 100th Psalm translated into Hawaiian.
Sermon from the words. "This is noneother than the house of
G o d . ” After sermon the consecrating prayer after which a no.
of regulations were read, en joining their observation upon
thepeople, and regulating their attendance at church .
The building is 96 feet b y 30, and was very well filled
on this occasion.
Sabbath Jany. 1, 1826. Divine worship in the new church.
Preached morning and evening to a large audience. We are
now confirmed in our former expectations, that by enlarging
the place of worship, a large increase to the no. of hearers
will be obtained. But the scattered state of the population,
is a difficulty under which this station labors; for tho' it
is a highly populous region, there are no compact villages
like that at Honoruru, and other missionary stations.
Evening. The members of the mission at this place, united
around the table of our Lord, to commemorate his dying love
in partaking of the emblems of his broken body & shed
blood. The season was a solemn andprofitable one, wherein
we recalled to mind our many mercies during the past year,
in delivering us from sickness anddeath, andin continuing
us in the field of usefulness, while some of our fellow
laborers have been called to return to their native country.
The progress of the kingdom of Christ among us during the
past year was also dwelt upon, where it was noticed how
�612
visible was the hand of God in the work, andw ith how little
extraordinary endeavour or self-denial on our part, hasit
been carried on.
"Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto
thy name be all the glory" Amen—
Mon. 2* Visited in company with Honorii and Puna the island
of Moku-ora, lying in the mouth of the harbour, and separated
from the main land by a narrow channel that is fordable at
low tide. It is 40 or 50 rods in circumference, andi s
covered with cocoanuts. This island is remarkable as one
of those places of refuge to which the pursued could flee
for safety in a time of war. Its name literally indicates
the land of safety, ” and is thethird place now known by
us on this island as a "Puuh onua, " where the vanquished
could retire secure from the sanguinary spear of the implaca
ble foe, who in theb loody wars of former days, would pursue
his fleeing enemy to the very eaves and fastnesses of the
mountains, and spare neither age nor sex. Contrast this
bloody picture with here and there a little spot, sacred to
peace and repose, where the avenging one could not reach its
foe, andw here the terrified mind foundq uietude and say;
who can refrain from feeling, that dark as is the shade of
human depravity when left to itself, there is still a redeem
ing spirit that whispers, "fly to the ark of safety and you
shall live?"
Evening.
G.
Attended the monthly concert at the house of M r .
Tues. 3d. Took my leave of Mr. & M r s . Goodrich, and started
on my return homeward, through the interiour towards the
southern shore, We are accompanied by Honorii, who purposes
to travel with as as far as the Volcano. Our course was
S. W. and for the first 5 or 6 miles was over a fine soil
formed upon an ancient bed of lava, which here an andthere still
lay uncovered. We then entered a dense forest, impervious,
except in the path, by the thick mass of underwood and
vines, with the latter of which every tree was loaded to the
very top. We afterwards emerged into an open country, and
travelled upon a smooth bed of lava, upon which in theh ollows
was a thin layer of dirt, producing little else but a tall
fern, with here and there a bush. At length we arrived at
the habitations of men in the district of Oraa, where on
account of approaching rain we put up for the night. In the
evening preached to about 100 people in the open air. Here
also we left a teacher from Hido to begin a school.
4. Travelled about 10 miles andit being rainy put up for the
day at the last houses on the route before we reach the. other
side of the island. Had some religious conversation with the
people, but for want of a suitable place within doors, did
not preach today.
5. Started early on our way. Had not travelled many miles
when the stench of Sulphurous vapor (the wind being ahead)
�613
indicated our approach to the region of the Volcano. For
many miles before we arrived the air was charged with sul
phurous smoke, which was very offensice andat times almost
suffocating. Arrived at the Crater about 11 oclock, by
a path that led around to the southern side at this time the
windward, our approach to the other quarter being deemed
unsafe. We found the Crater much altered from what it
was in the summer of 1823 when I visited it in company with
Mr. Ellis andothers. I was greatly surprised to find,
that within a few months, since the visit of Lord Byron
and company in June, the crater had been filled to all
appearance to the height o f m o r e than 400 feet with from a
hundred biasing furnaces and completely obscured the sides
on the north and east, together with the greater part o f the
interiour of the volcano. As the wind occasionally blew
away the smoke, I couldiscover an immense number of fires,
some spouting forth from cones that rose to the height of
50 or 100 feet above the surface of the surrounding crest
of lava, and others boiling with the greatest agitation like
cast caldrons of liquid fire, and every now andthen sending
forth a gust of vapor & smoke with a great noise, when the
sight would be again obscured from view. The distancefrom
the top where we stood, down to the surface of the burning
lava, was seemingly not more than 200 feet. The(natives inform
me that after rising a little higher the lava will discharge
itself as formerly towards the sea, through some aperture
under ground.
After having satisfied our curiosity and taken some refresh
ment as our company was about to separate, we sang a hymn
and all knelt down in prayer. We then parted with Honorii
and his company who returned from thence to Byron's B ay.
It had been my intention to descend into the Volcano to
procure some fresh specimens of lava & sulphur, but so full
of smoke was the crater, that I deemed it unsafe from the
danger Of suffocating and so abandoned the enterprise. We
began to descend at 1 o'clock to the habitable parts of Kau.
This routehas already been so fully described in the jour
nals of our former tour that I shall omit it here; We travel
led diligently until sunset, when we reached a cave where
it w as our intention to pass the night, but as it was
dripping with water in consequence of the late rains, we
were obliged to proceed. With all possible haste, we succeed
ed in reaching the verge of the bed of lava upon which we
had been travelling, just as the last ray of twilight had
receded. We had now to feel our way for several miles in
an obscure foot path overgrown with tall grass.
Darkness, intense and bewildering succeeded;--we felt our
way, step by step, following close upon each other, and
crawling upon our hands and feet whenever we came to a declivity.
�614
We got many falls but received no injury. The rain poured
down upon u s in torrents, by which we were drenched and
chilled. After wandering often from the path, and as often
finding it again, we arrived at 10 o ’clock at Kapapala, and
put up at a house belonging to Kapiolan i, where cheered by
a large fire, we dried our clothes and soon forgot in sleep
the fatigue and anxiety of theevening.
Frid. 6 R ainy. This morning we received the present of a
pig and a quantity of taro both baked in the ground. After
breakfast the people assembled in thehouse where we were,
to hear the word of salvation, subject, "the goodness of God
in sending to them .the means of salvation through the death
of his Son.”
I have found a flourishing school taught by
one of Hopu's pupils.
At 11. the clouds dispersed, and the sun shone forth, reviving
again the face of nature. Our path led through a fertile
but thinly peopled region, at the foot of the mountains of
Kau, where we enjoyeda clear view of some of them ost picturesque
scenes in nature. Abrupt cliffs and lofty peaks rising
in succession to the height of 2 or 3000 feet, overhung
our right. Still further in the interiour rose a lofty
verdant mountain, covered with evergreen trees, while over
them all at the distance of perhaps 30 miles, toward the
snow-capt Mauna Rou like a lengthened cloud in the distant
horizon, whose hoary head glistened with brilliant diamonds
in the sunbeams. We travelled diligently until dark & passed
the night at Kalaiki with Puhi a chief lately of Kairua.
Sat. 7. Passed on this morning to Honuapo 3 miles & put up
for the sabbath, it being too rainy to proceed any farther.
Here we are received with all that hospitality that heart
can wish. 2 hogs, abundance of potatoes and taro, together
with poi and hens have been brought forward, and presented
for our entertainment. We were under the necessity of return
ing a great share of it for want of room in our calabashes
to stow it away.
The peculiar manner of Hawaiian hospitality is calculated
to put a guest entirely at his ease. Whatever is brought
forward for his entertainment is given him as his own.
He eats when he likes and what he likes, and is at liberty
tb give away as much of his food as he chooses, and carry
away the remainder with him.
This custom puts it in
my power to confer favors on such as have put me under
any obligations, by distributing my superfluous food to my
host andothers, which tends greatly to conciliate the good
will of those on whom these favors are conferred.
Sab. 8. This day ever dawns upon the Christian pilgrim with
a peculiar welcome. It not only affords rest to his weary
�615
frame, but renews to him the promise of his covenant Father,
that "the heathen shall be given to his Son for an inherit
ance". This promise has been forcibly called to mind
this morning, when looking out towards the western shore I
saw a company of people about 100 in number winding around
a hill and descending to the place where we now are. I
inquired who they were?— the answer was , "They arethose
who love God and are coming here to pray." Presently a nother
company came up from the other quarter, when the signal was
given for the people to assemble, and the wholeof this populous
village came together, about 1,000 persons. I preached
in the open air both morning and evening, with more than
usual freedom to highly attentive audiences. After morning
service, the school containing 100, taught by the son of
Kamakau assembled and repeated every answer in the catechism
without any prompting. It is but 5 weeks since their teacher
first came.
Mon. 9th. Passed forward this morning to Waiohinu on the
seashore & distant from the valley of the same name that
lies about 6 miles inland. Here we found a large canoe
belonging to Kamakau of Kaawaroa, which we procured for the
remainder of our tour. Having engaged men to navigate it
early the next morning around the southern point of the is
land at which place there is always a rough sea, andleaving
our attendants with the baggage behind to come in it, I
proceeded with Puna on foot to Kalae, the above mentioned
point, where we arrived at sundown. Preached as usual in the
evening.
Dr. M orse, in his Gazeteer says, speaking of this island,
that the southern promontory is one vast field of barren
lava.
(I cannot quote the words, not having the book in
my possession) But it is incorrect, this high promontory
is a very fertile region, having a deep soil back tothe moun
tain. But what is there written is eminently true of the
S. W. Point for the distance of 30 miles, which is the
most barren andinhospitable part of the island.
10th. The canoe arrived this morning soon after sunrise,
when we embarked under the lee of the point, and immediately
set sail. The trades blowing a fresh breeze, we placed a
man upon the outrigger of the canoe to keep it down and
balance the weight of the sail upon the opposite side.
Our little bark glided through the water with great velocity,
leaving a foam behind it and covering us with the salt spray
as it dashed from wave to wave. In a few hours the whole
of the south point of the island had receded from view,
and the more familiar scenes of Kona hove in sight. At 2
p. m. the wind died away as we came along under the lee of
the island, but left a rough & broken sea, against which we
were able to make but poor headway with our paddles. We put
in at Kalahiti for the night having sailed 50 miles or more
today. In the evening I preached to a large congregation
of people in the school ranai--
�616
11. Arose at 2 A. M. and got under way with a light breeze
from land. Arrived at Kaawaroa just at break of day,—
called on Mr. Ely, where I heard for the first time during
my absence from my family. Having taken a little refreshment,
we sailed again & arrived at Kairua at 10o'clock, after
an absence of 4 weeks, having travelled about 350 miles and
preached 30 times. In my whole tour the mercy of our Coven
ant God was with me, and I have not been delayed an hour by
ill health.
Observations 1.
Geological structure of the Island.
I am now fully convinced that the whole of this island in the
interiour as also on its shores, is covered with lava. Even
in those parts where a deep soil has been formed, either by
the decomposition of lava and vegetables or by alluvion,
and also where large forest trees are now standing there are
the most evident marks in the rocks underneath, that they
have been subjected to the action of intense heat in former
days. The greater part of the interiour of thei sland be
tween the mountains, is of one continued desert of black lava,
producing little else but shrubs and clumps of grass that
grow up between the crevices. The N. Eastern shore is the
most free from Volcanic appearances of any other part, yet
even here the rocks that overhang the sea, are full of dark
cavities, whose inner surfaces give indication that they were
once in a state of fusion. Mr. Goodrich in digging a well
at Hido, passed thro' a stratum of earth to the depth of
10 feet, when he came upon a bed of Volcanic rock that ex
hibited precisely the same appearances that are presented
on a bed of uncovered lava. The same indications are
everywhere visible at the bottom of those numerous ravines
on the northern shore, viz. that they were once in a state
of fusion. It is not improbable that at some remote period
of antiquity the whole island exibited one vast Volcano
from the foundation to the tops of the highest mountains.
2.
Present state of the inhabitants.
It will have already appeared from what has been mentioned
in this journal, that the present state of the people is the
most favorable that can be conceived for the reception of
Christianity, and consequently of the civilized arts. The
remnants of their heathenish superstitions are nearly or
quite done away, and the true God is acknowledged by them
as their God. The desire of obtaining a knowledge of the
character and attributes of Jehovah is everywhere manifested.
Wherever the subject of religion is introduced either in
public or private, the utmost attention is paid to what is
said, without any disposition to cavil or contradict. There
are now upwards of eighty schools established on this Island
and in native operation, which at an average of 60 scholars
in each (and I conceive it is less than the real no.) will
give you the amount of 4,800 pupils, who in the course of the
present year we may suppose will be qualified to read with
facility in the New Testament in their own language.
�617
Wherever schools are established, the sabbath is observed,
all work is laidaside, together with every kind of diversion,
and the people assemble for prayer where the teacher is
capable of leading in that exercise, and where also the
teacher or some other person present offers such remarks
as he is capable of making. Drunkness is also suppressed
by law and a heavy find imposed upon the transgressor.
In my whole tour I saw but one man intoxicated, whereas
2 years since it was a most common thing to see whole
villages given up to intemperance.
A. Bishop
From
Rec'd
Rev. Artemus Bishop
Dec. 12, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Missionary Rooms
69 Market St.
Boston
U. S. America
Ship
Frederick Augustus
Capt. E arle
�618
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 100
Kawaihae, Hawaii, Nov. 3d 1826
My Dear Brother in Christ,
I snatch a few moments this evening to improve an opportunity
that offers to send to America by way of Oahu, in writing a
hasty letter to you my far distant Brother,
We have of late been privileged by a visit from several of th
e
chiefs of the leeward islands, who we hope belong to the
kingdom of our Lord. They spent a month or upwards at Kailua
and vicinity where we have been gratified and encouraged
by their example and influence in behalf of Religion. The
object of their visit is to extend the knowledge of Christ
andh is Gospel to all their people and to prepare them for the
reception of a code of Christian laws.
In the prosecution of this object, they have come hither
where are assembled the whole of the people inhabiting Kohaoa
and Hamakua to receive the laws which are about to be pub
lished. I have also improved the occasion to follow them
in order to preach the Gospel to the many thousands here
collected. I arrived here this morning in a canoe having
left my home yesterday, and hope to be enabled to pr each
to the people daily until my return. Mr. Bingham and family
still remain at Kailua where we are revising the Gospel
of Matthew for the press. Mr. Richards and family have just
returned to Lahaina after a visit to this island of six
weeks. His stay was protracted in consequence of informa
tion received from Lahaina of the base conduct of the crews
of several English & American whale ships who had threatened
to kill him if they could find him, b ec
ause throught his
influence a stop had been put to prostitution. They went
in a body to his house to demolish it, but found it carefully
guarded by some friendly natives, when they turned away to
another part of his land and took away his hogs and fouls
as their booty, a Mr. Butler resident at Lahaina, and who
has long been an enemy to the mission, was with them to point
out his premises and property to the sailors.
The women all fled to the mountains and with them Kekauonopi
the chief woman who had charge of the place during the ab
sence of Hoapili, Gov. of Maui. For several days in success
ion the sailors prosecuted their search throught the v illage
for women breaking into houses and taking away the property
of the inoffensive inhabitants, who looked on without
assaulting them because their chiefs were gone who
should lead them. They bore the spoiling of their goods
with fortitude knowing that it was for righteousness sake
they were called to suffer, but they yielded not an inch
�619
in complying with the demands of the ships, and the sailors
at last abandoned their search and hired their captains to
take them to Oahu in hopes of finding women there. This is
by a specimen of the abuse and insult that the mission is
daily receiving from our own countrymen and other foreigners
who leave no means untried to bring into discredit not only
us but all who profess to have become pious. The principal
spite of foreigners is levelled against our dear Brother and
fellow laborer Mr. Bingham, but you may be assured that the
brethren consider it a common cause, and equally against the
whole body as against him, and we feel it our duty publicly
to give him & his measures as far as they have come to our
knowledge, our decided approbation.
Sabbath eve. Nov. 5. I have just returned from the services
of the day where I have preached twice to a congregation of
more than 10,0000 listening hearers. They were assembled
in a cocoanut grove, and I delivered my message to them in
the open air. The stillness of this immense multitude
the solemn occasion upon which we had met, the thought
that all this people would pass away into eternity in the
lapse of a few years, gave a solemnity and an interest to
the scen e which I have seldom felt. The Lord helped me to
speak as one standing between the two worlds, as an ambassa
dor of reconciliation between God andhis fallen creatures
man revealing to him a covenant of grace, and inviting him
to take hold of the convenant of mercy andlive. It is truly
an interesting and pleasant service to be the messenger of
peace to perishing immortals who are dying for lack of vision,
and ina special manner this service is pleasant when it is
connected withe the persuasion that those for whose good
we are laboring are anxiously desirous of the light andknowledge that leads to salvation. Such, my Brother, is the state
of this people.
There was never perhaps a time when theprospect of complete
success in our enterprise was greater than at present.
Could you but witness for one day the order, the attention,
the anxious eager look and observe the starting tear that
starts in the eye of the tawny sunburnt savage, and the look
of hope and joy as he casts his look upwards to heaven,
upon hearing the terms' of pardoning mercy proclaimed to him,
your heart would leap for joy, and you give thanks for ever hav
ing put it into the heart of any come over the wide waste
of waters that divides us, to preach salvation to this people
who have long sat in darkness & the shadow of death.
But I must leave you here as the messenger waits to con
vey this letter to Oahu. Remember m y affectionate regards
to all my Christian friends in Boston, and assure them of the
�620
undiminished affection which I & Mrs. B. still feel towards
them, and of the happiness which we feel in the blessed
work in which we are engaged-- Adieu
Yours affectionately in the Best Bonds
Artemus Bishop
From Rev. Artemus Bishop
Rec'd June
1827
,
1
To Mr. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Ms.
U . S. America
�621
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 101
Kailua, Hawaii, Nov , 20, 1826
My Dear Brother
Four years have elapsed since I embarked upon the ocean to
seek the land of pilgrimage, and they seem but as yesterday.
0 how fleeting is the life of man, how changing in this would
of change. Of the no. who embarked with us 5 have already
returned, and when 4 years more have sped their flight
where shall the remainder be? We have felt no little anxiety
as to the impression that will be m a d e upon the public
by the return of so many from this field of labor, nor can
anything be said by us to obviate any unfavorable impressions
without rendering ourselves liable to wound the sensibil
ities of those who have left u s . In a late meeting of the
mission at this place, we unanimously passed some resolutions
expressing our views of what are proper and sufficient causes
that will justify a return to America, which you will doubt
less read when our minutes shall reach you.
The application of these principles to particular cases is
left to the Board and a candid Christian public to determine.
Since writing you a letter from Towaihae about 2 weeks ago, I
I have received yours of Jany. last together with a vol, of
the Journalsof the Dep. around Hawaii. I was not a little
surprised to find extracts from a very imperfect & faulty
vocabulary which I had given Mr. Ellis at his request, but
which I should have been unwilling to have any part pub
lished without corrections. At your request I send you
a list of corrections-Promising (?) that we have found it necessary for uniformity
in orthography to reject the consonants B. D. R. T. & V.—
P takes place of B. & P.--- L takes place of D. & R. & L.
H of K & T--& W of V & W.
This measure is pleasing to all classes of natives and is
what the more discerning of them had long called for.
So that with 5 vow els and 7 consonants, every word in the
Hawaiian language can be spelled.
The words as printed
Corrected
Definition
Anau-auau-to bathe--touch the body,
Aulana-- No such word, supposed to mean a i luna, these above—
Aha—
------ ---------------Four(in number)
Ahaolelo—
a deliberative body, to
consult together in a
body, to put to trial in
presence of a council,
Judgment
Ahupuaa,
a small division of land
with houses--Kulanakauhale
is a city.
�Akaka—
622
clear, intelligible, trans
parent—
omit the, or arii-Anahulu-ten days—
omit the (a) it stands for adjective
Haaheo-proved &c-Hoihoi-to rejoice in, to be
pleased with.
Haka—
Lord, chief,
Haku-Hanau-to be born—
Hanaa—
to call
Hea, or hahea-- Hea or Kahea-Heao-omit--) no such word
Heamihi—
omit- - )
omit-- no such word-Heina
Heleuma-an anchor
Heleama—
not a sail, but to pull upon a sail or anchor—
Hiu,
Pea is a sail.
Hoku-a star
Hoka-omit, no such word in that use-Hokeke
Ilaila--ilaila , iraida, iraira- -is but one word and this confusion arises from the inter
(Ilaila is the proper word)
changeable letters—
imi-to seek--to search after
Imo-omit, it is the same as Inaina
Ineina-Kaikaike— omit — substitute ikaika, strong, powerful
Kaikaina-a younger brother of a brother
Kaikaine—
or younger sister of a sister--------- ---------- — the brother of a sister
Kaikunane—
--------- ----------- ---the sister of a brother-KaikuwahineKao—
a goat
Kae—
Kaua
war
Kaaa
omit—
ai is throat
Kanaiai-Kaikuaana-the elder of 2 brothers
Keikuana-or the elder of 2 sisters-Lii-- -------------- chill, ague —
Liia-Lima—
hand
Limalima-the ocean, applied only
Koana—
to the broad expanse
of waters.
muliwai-a river
Muluwai-nihinihi-adj. circular
Nihehi—
oia-he, she, or it.
Oeala—
omit-Oene-whilst--(not to ascend(?)--)
Oiai-(as it is printed. )
--- ---(a brood of any living crea
Ohana—
t u r e s of one sort--ohua is
(the word for family—
ohule—
bald headed-Ohale—
-------------to gather, to collect to
Ohi-gether, as food—
Alii, or arii,
Anahura-Eno--a—
Haahe—
Haihai—
�printed
Olala
Omaoma
Oreone
Orohe
Orono
Oukoa
Pepeido
Puola
Uao-U 'a
"
Uee-- uka
uma
Upine
Wahia
waia
walaaa
Corrected
Definition
62 3
destitute of food
Umauma
the bosom
no such word for noise-lohe
to hear—
lono
to regard-you 2nd per. plural-oukou
the ear
Pepeiao
Puoa
a tomb, enclosed with long
poles in the manner of a coneto interpose between 2 parties at variance, to interUa
(cede.
"
-rain.
ue
to cry
uku
wages
umu
oven
Upena
a ne t .
firewood--laau, is timber
wahie
or wood in general.
waiu
milk-noise
walaau
I regret very much that the few w ords taken from my vocabulary
should need so many corrections--It was my first collection
of words, at a time when I had not the means of obtaining
correct definitions, and from the rapidity with which this
people pronounce was unable to catch the sounds of words so
clearly as to write all of them in a correct manner.
But the greatest service of the above errors was mistaking
one letter for another. Had I had a moments warning of the
thing, I shouldh ave set down andw ritten out my vocabulary
in a fair hand before sending it away--It is our purpose
in the course of a few years to make out a large & complete
grammar & Vocabulary of this language & send it to America
or England to be printed. I have here corrected nearly all
of the errors that I know of in thew ords inserted in the ap
pendix to the "Journal". The correction of the interchangable
letters I leave with you to make in case you shall see fit
in a future edition-- -
From
Rec’d
Rev. Artemus Bishop
July 3 , 1827
To
Rev . R . Anderson
(No back to this letter)
�624
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 102
Kailua, Hawaii, Nov.. 30, 1826
Very Dear Sir
As the Queen Regent Kaahumanu is about to return to Oahu after
a visit of more than 2 months to this island, I feel it a
pleasure to communicate to you a brief account of the manner
in which she has passed her time with us. Until lately a
personal knowledge of her Christian character was not possessed
by me andothers o n this island, as she had never before
visited us since she w as made a profession of Religion.
Her reception here by the people was as usual cordial and
affectionate, tho unattended with any of those extravagant
excesses which formerly ever followed the arrival of any dis
tinguished ruler. On the contrary we assembled by her re
quest and offered to the thron e of Grace our thanksgivings
andpraises for her safe arrival. Formerly, guns would
have been fired, wailings of Joy wouldhave rent the air,
dances and revelry would have succeeded. Tho not less than
ten thousand people assembled here soon after her arrival
there was the utmost order and stillness prevalent during
the whole time of their stay. The condescending and affec
tionate reception which she gave to all who approached her
was no less a matter of surprise than of joy to all her sub
jects. The feelings of awe which her name had inspired,
would as she extended to them her hand and gave her aloha,
at once be converted and softened into feelings of love and
most cordial attachment. To see their once haughty & scorn
ful Queen whom they had ever looked upon with awe now going
from rank to rank to salute her people assembled to see her,
drew tears from many a hardy and sunburnt face that had
seldom wept. Her affectionate and pious addresses to all
classes were listened to with great attention and we have
reason to think that the benefits resulting from her Christian
labors will long be felt by the people of this and other
places which she has visited. After spending a few weeks
at this place with us, she commenced a tour to Kalae the south
ern point of the island; she was absent 2 weeks, andin every
place at which she could land a canoe she assembled the people
and addressed them upon the great duties of Christianity.
A man went forward and gave the word for the people to come
together so that she was listened to by immense numbers.
She afterwards made an excursion from this place along the
western shore to Kohala, in which I accompanied her. The
same course of labors was pursued as in the former excursion,
the people everywhere greeting their Queen with the most
cordial reception, but nothing extravagant or improper
was attempted by them; The first thing was to assemble with
them in the school Lanai to give them an address.
�625
After the Queen had finished her speech, I usually preached
a short sermon and concluded with singing and prayer. The
subject of her addresses consisted in enforcing the obser
vance of the Decalogue and recommending to them a regard to
the precepts and doctrines of Christianity. In addition
to this she enumerated all their most abominable heathenish
practices, as well as their vices contracted by an inter
course with foreigners to which they were addicted, andin
the most earnest manner gave her interdict to the practice
of any of them.
Every object around us that presented themselves as we
passed from place to place called forcibly to her mind
a thousand tender but melancholy recollections of former
scenes that were acted on t h e s e shores in the times of
ignorance and idolatry. Her reflections and observations
upon these were truly affecting, and evinced the workings
of a mind under the livliest exercises of religious feeling.
At one place a battle had been fought, at another once beauti
ful & populous spot now desolation reigns, while its former
living and active tenants are sleeping in death. She also
corroborated in the most striking manner by a simple de
scription of the former numerous inhabitants of these shores,
a part of which we have long been convinced, that the present
population of this island has diminished at least three
fourths since Capt. Cook first landed here. When we arrived
at Towaihae she ordered the canoe to put ashore at a spot
about 20 rods this side of the usual landing place. It was the
place of her husband's former residence, the walls of his
his houses w ere stillstanding while everything both within
and without was going to decay, but she took a kind of melan
choly satisfaction in contemplating these ruins andiin point
ing out to me the very places where Tahehameha used to sit
and and where he slept. Pointing to the crumbling walls of
a large heiau on an eminence just in the rear; "There" she
said, "is the spot where my husband used to worship his gods,
and where many a human victim has been sacrificed. Let us
ascend and see the place".
"But, said I, did you never go
there"
"No, It would have been death for any woman to
approach its sacred precincts. So we ascended together &
when we reached the top and had taken a full view of the
whole place (a good description of which is given in the
"Tour of Hawaii") she stopped short lifted up her hands end
looked upwards.
"I thank God, she said, for what my eyes
now see, "Ua pau ke kii i Hawaii nei (Hawaii's gods are
no mo r e .))
She then pointed out to me the dimensions of the building
that formerly stood in this immense enclosure, and added,
"But they were all destroyed & burnt in one day". I then
asked her the particulars of that eventful day, which brought
about such an astonishing revolution, and the following
�626
isthe substance of her information then given me.
"The matter
was secretly
(?) between Rihoriho & the surviving
Q ueens of Tamehame
ha after the accesion of the farmer to the
kingdom. They had long been disgusted with the a i tabu,
the custom of men & women eating separately, as well as
with the impositions of the priests, and many of the more
enlightened of them had indulged in secret the eating
together of husband & wife & found that it did not hurt them.
A public feast was made upon a certain occation for which
2 tables were set after the European fashion, the one for men
& the other for women, and to which all the principal for
eigners there at the islands were invited. After the
guests were seated and had begun to eat, the king took 2
or 3 turns around each table as if to see what passed at
each, he suddenly & with out any previous warning to any but
those in the secret, seated himself in a vacant chair at the
womens table and began to eat most voraciously, but evidently
very much perturbed. The guests one andall astonished
at this act, clapped their hands and cried out "Ai n o a "
(the eating tabu is broken") . This broke the charm, the king
rose from table whole and sound, no harm had befallen him,
and the first act that he performed was to order all the
temples of Hawaiis gods to be demolished & burnt.
I remain Dear Sir
Yours very affectionately
Artemus Bishop
From
Rec'd
Rev. Artemus Bishop
July 3, 1827
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
(No back to this letter)
�627
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 103
Oahu Dec. 18th 1827----Very Dear Christian Brother
I write to request you to inform the friends of Mrs. Bishop
that tho she has not written them any le tters during the
past year yet her affection for them is undiminished, and
will continue so tho she may never write them again.
For several months past her health has been too poor to at
tend even to her own domestic concerns, much less to
sit down to her desk & compose her mind to writing. Since the
middle of September last she has been wholly confined to
her couch or bed while I have laid aside my missionary work
to attend to her night and day. Of late I have even laid
aside preaching on the Sabbath that her mind should not be
encumbered for an hour with the least care, so critical
have I deemed her case to b e .
She is reduced to little more than a skeleton emaciated &
helpless, and the prospect is that she may continue in this
way for some time to come even tho she should eventually
regain her health. The most distressing symptom of her
case is that she is subject to an extreme nervous irritabil
ity that often keeps her awake for whole days & nights to
gether. The blowing of the wind or the rustling of a leaf
is sufficient to awake her from sleep. Even while I am writ
ing this she says to me, "Your pen keeps me awake". I have
been in the depths of affliction through fear lest she was
about to be removed from me, but Divine grace has thus far
borne me up. Her mind has also for a long time been in
spiritual darkness, but she is now rejoicing in the hope
that there is Salvation even for her. Much of her trials
of mind I have attributed to the nature of her disorder
which I believe is not unusually attended with mental depression.
Her friends will doubtless desire to know what they can do
for her. Bu t it is extremely difficult fo r one to say
what she will need a year & a half hence. But this they
may safely do without any fear that it will c one amiss;
they may provide ready made articles of clothing for herself
& children, as for a long time to come she must beunable to
sew for herself. Our daughter Jane Elizabeth will be 3
years old in April next & our little son[Sereno] (\) Edwards
a year old in February. The clothes of course must be made
for the children at the ages of 2& 4 years. Elizabeth has
no desire to return to America nor have I as long as there
is any prospect of life or health at the islands. I fear
�628
that too many will already say that it is becoming fashion
able for missionaries to return again to their native coun
try. But God knows that I should consider it the greatest
calamity that could befal me short of the death of the
nearest and most beloved of all earthly friends. I write
not this because I suppose there is any prospect of our
return. / I think there is not, and moreover the question
has not yet been put even to our own minds so little have
we thought of the expediency of such a measure.
One thing I wish to request of the Treasurer, viz. that he
would send us out some medical books, particularly Thatcher’s
dispensatory and a Medical dictionary and any other approved
works on the science and Practice of Medicine that will be
useful to us. Pardon Dear Br. this hasty letter and remem
ber me and mine at the throne of Grace
Your Br in the Ld I. C.
Artemus Bishop
From
Rec'd
Rev. Artemus Bishop
July 30, 1828
To
Rev. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass.
U . S . America
�629
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 104
Hawaii Feby 1, 1828
Dear Sir
the inclosed letter to Miss G. gives an account of the present
date of My D ear Mrs. Bishop's illness, to which with her
consent I would refer you. Suffice it to say here, we have
little hopes of her recovery. I should have awaited the event
before writing but the fear of loosing the present oppor
tunity, and the uncertainty of any other for several months
to come is the reason why I write at present.
Yours truly &c
A. Bishop
From
Rec'd
A. Bishop
Dec. 6 , 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, U. S. A.
�630
31
March 1824 - March 1828
X
N o . 105
Dear Sir,
With the most painful sensations of sorrow, it devolves upon
me to inform you of the decease of my Beloved Wife, who de
parted this life at Kailua the 21st of February last, after
an illness of little more than 6 months. As I have been
informed that an opportunity can be obtained at Oahu of
immediately sending a letter to America, I hasten to pen
down such particulars of her illness and death, as may be
interesting to surviving friends and others to peruse.
Mrs. Bishop was taken ill in August last, and became unable
to attend to the domestic concerns of her family. No par
ticular complaint was apparrent, but a general debility,
occasional slight pains in the back and breast, was unable
to sleep well at night. In this situation
she drank wine occasionally, and rode out on horseback morn
ing and evening. About the 20th of August I removed her
into the country to a house belonging to Gov. Adams then
occupied by Mr. Bingham and his family. She seemed to be
benefitted by the mountain air, but for the unavoidable in
conveniences attending her situation she returned home
in a few d a y s .
Early in September thepains in her back & breast increased
so as to occasion apprehensions lest she was going into
a decline. The first measures that we took to bring about
a restoration were to wean her babe then 7 months old, put
her upon a light diet, apply blisters to her back & breast
and increase the tonic bitters. The blisters seemed to
relieve her oppression for a short time, but afterwards
served only to irriate and reduce her system, and were accord
ingly left off. From this time she was confined wholly to
her room, was exceedingly troubled with nervous irritation
at night; could not endure the least noise, and we were oblig
ed to send away our little girl to remain at the house of Mr.
Thurston. At this time we acted wholly without the aid of
a physician and being unacquainted with the nature of her
disease were at a loss how to proceed. I attempted to relieve
her irritation andprocure sleep my giving her opiates, but
these only threw her into greater distraction, and produced
such a sense of sinking over her whole frame that she would
imagine herself dying; at the same time her eyes would turn
upwards & her pulse almost cease to beat. We therefore
wholly abandoned opiates and resorted,to antispasmodicks,
but the effect of these was only temporary, and could
allay theirritation only for a few hours at a time, until
at length we entirely lost the power of benefiting her.
This was in the month of October, and it appeared evident
to us all that some further measures must be immediately
adopted to raise her or she wouldinevitably sink into the
grave.
�631
About the 20th of October I embarked with my family on
board the Packet and sailed for Oahu taking Lahaina in my
my way where we expected to tarry a few days. The first
night that she slept on board she rested better than she had
done for six weeks previous, and appeared during the whole
voyage as well as at Lahaina to be convalescent.
It has since occurred to us that if we had continued making
short voyages at this time from island to island it might
have proved themeans of her recovery; but as our object
was to obtain medical advice, and the present was the season
when ships were in port, the intended voyages were deferr
ed until a fair trial should be made of the expected benefit
to be derived from medicine. It was not until after being
about 2 weeks at Oahu that she became sensibly worse, and
as yet I had made little exertion toobtain a physician (owing
to the hostility then felt by the masters of English whale
ships towards the mission.) At first, there was the addi
tional complaint of a violent palpitation in the region of
the heart, so that, as she would say, it seemed almost to
deprive her of breath. Resort was again had to antispasmodicks, but their effect was only temporary and gave her no
ultimate relifef.
About the latter part of Nov. her distress and irritation
became constant by night and day, every thing that she ateand drank gave her the greatest distress, andupon taking her
u s u a l food the distress and palpitation would be greatly
augmented. From this time she drank no more tea or coffee,
nor ate any fermented bread, but confined her diet to
broths, arrow root & c , and a little light sea biscuit, and
drank water only. It was at this time we heard that Dr.
Ford of the London Whaler E lizabeth, had left his ship and
established himself on shore , whom we immediately employed.
He pronounced her disorder an obstinate dyspepsia, but gave
encouragement that she would ultimately recover . He pre
scribed the usual remedies given in dyspepsia, beginning
with the gentler tonicks, and gradually increasing their
strength as he thought she could bear it. For a while these
remedies seemed to be beneficial, and our hopes were again
revived that she would soon become convalescent. She was
now able to take an airing morning and evening in her arm
chair carried by two men. But the sleepless nights still
continued, and if by chance she fell into a slumber, the
least noise such as the crowing of a cock or the running of
a mouse across the room, would immediately awake her. The
cry of the King’s guard during thenight also gave her great
disturbance, and by day the noise of the natives in the
streets as they passed and repassed did in the then irrit
able state of her nerves, almost drive her to distraction.
On the 4th of Dec. we removed to the country and took up
our residence in the valley of Manoa in a house belonging to
�632
Piia, which was kindly furnished with every necessary conven
ience by the Queen Kaahumanu. Here we remained 2 weeks
& it would have proved a quiet retreat had not the wind
which rushed down from the mountains in violent gusts, de
stroyed her sleep at night, so that even here there was no
rest to be obtained.
It was while at this place that a new and/more alarming symp
tom appeared, and which no remedies prescribed would in the
least allay--that was a violent pulsation at the pit of the
stomach, probably the artery of the stomach, attended with
a scalding sensation that threw her into great agony whenever
she took her accustomed diet, and continued to throb with
such violence as tomake her cry out in pain. From this
time she began rapidly to decline. Even the medicine
that she had taken with seeming benefit, now so distressed
her as to induce the Dr. to abandon them for others, and these
for others until at length he said that medicine was useless
and advised as to an immediate voyage as the only hope o f
a recovery.
It was at this moment that the Capt. of a Russian Discovery
Ship then in port, called on me andpolitely offered
his Surgeon to visit Mrs. B. We could do no less than
accept his kind offer, tho we entertained little hopes of
any further benefit from medical aid, and were desirous
of returning immediately to our station, andif it should
prove beneficial to continue cur voyages from place to place
until her health should be established. The Russian Surgeon
visited her one week, and then gave it a s his opinion that
no medicines could benefit her, and also advised to a voyage.
During all this time she continued to decline, her inability
to take food increased andher flesh wasted rapidly away.
It was on the 14th of Jany of the present year that we set
sail on our return & arrived at Kailua on the 3d day after.
But the excessive irritation occasioned by the noise of the
vessel from the time we left the harbour until our arrival
at this place, fully evinced to pur minds that this last
resort could be pursued no further. She arrived in a great
ly exhausted state, so that she fainted before we came to
anchor, and excited apprehensions that she might not survive
to reach home. We slept on board that night, and the next
morning I tookhe r
i n my arms, seated myself i n the boat and
thus brought her ashore. Arrived at the beach I placed her
on a couch in the house of Keoua until a litter was prepared.
She was then carried to the house of Mr. Thurston where we
abode until a suitable house retired from noise should be
erected. The upper part of Mr. T's enclosure was selected
as the most suitable spot where at the same time she might
receive the attentions of Mrs. Thurston. The people of Kailua
men and women generously volunteered their services in erecting
a house for our accommodation. The men cleared the ground,
�633
framed and set up the timber, and the women brought grass
to cover the building.
In 4 days a neat little thatched cottage w as completed and
possession taken where we remained with the exception of a
week spent in the country, until her death.
From the time that we left Oahu, she was unable to take no
more than 2 or 3 spoonsful of chicken soup or arrow root
in the 24 hours, and was at this time almost entirely
supported by injections. Thepulsation at the stomach grew
daily sorer, andher aversion to take food more obstinate,
tho at the same time she declared herself ready to famish
with hunger and thirst. The Christian females of this place
were not backward in their attentions at this hour of trial.
With the tenderest sympathy for the sufferings of their
beloved teacher, they vied with each other who should be
foremost in in attending upon her & in administering to her
comfort. Two in rotation came every morning and sat by
her bedside through the day, fanned her, bathed her aching
head in water and chaffed her cold limbs with their hands;
thus affording her the clearest evidence that her labours
with them had not been in vain. After I had become nearly
worn out with watchings and anxiety, they continued their
visit through the night alternately administering toher
wants.
It will be observed that I have as yet said nothing of the
Religious Exercises of her mind during her illness.
Prom
the first and before she was confined to her room, she be
came impressed with the belief that she had not long to
live, and often expressed to me the necessity of setting her
house in order for the event of death. At that time I con
sidered it as the effect of melancholy brought o n by anxiety
& a declining state of health. While residing at Kuahewa
with the family of Mr. Bingham, she one day walked out to
a solitary spot, where she supposed no human footstep would
often tread, and selected the place as one where she could
wish to repose after her decease.
She was constantly impressed with a sense of her unfaithful-ness and the)little good that she had accomplished during the
few years of her missionary life, and often prayed that she
might be spared in order to make amends for past neglect.
As I may have o ccasion frequently to advert to the low estima
tion in which she held her services in the cause , and the
opinion at times that her neglect of theheathen had ever
been a reproach, I would take this occasion to bear my tes
timony in accordance with my brethren, that her active
mind was ever employed when not engaged in necessary domes
tic concerns, in doing something for their spiritual
�634
or temporal good. She was daily in the habit of receiving
the females into her house to instruct them in reading writ
ing and domestic arts. And the reason why she could not
fully appreciate this during her last illness was doubtless
owing to the melancholy state of her mind springing out of
her disorder. She was not in health prone to think highly
of her religious attainments at any time, tho' she felt
the highest charity for others and wouldoften propose them
to herself as models for imitation. She never couldfeel
when she had done for the heathen what was in her power
that she had so done her duty as to merit the approbation
of Heaven. In health her spirits were usually buoyant
and cheerful, but in regard to her religious duties, she
was ever humble, andseldom appealed to them as an evidence
of her piety.
She often used tolament that she couldfind no secluded spot
in or about the house where she could retire at stated seasonsfor secret devotions, and gave it as the reason why she
had no more religious enjoyment. But in her late sickness,
the idea that she had not always been punctual in the se
cret duties of the closet, gave her the deepest pangs of re
morse. Often she wouldin the most solemn manner charge me
as I valued my peace of conscience, & if I desired to avoid the
pangs of remorse on a dying bed, to be ever punctual in
secret devotions . She desired me also to tell it to others
when she was gone, that they too might learn from her to
avoid what she then suffered. It may be proper to remark
here, that in the duties of the closet, her conscience was
ever tender, and in my opinion she did always endeavor to
be punctual in this respect, but it is probably that the
duty was sometimes omitted by her, owing to the interruptions
to which she was subjected at every hour in the day, by the
intrusion of natives into a house where there is no upper
chamber, or inner door, unless a curtain may be so called.
M rs. B. was one who ever felt the most lively concern for
the welfare of her children in this lando f strangers, and
amidst the corrupt manners that surrounded them. It was
one great burden of her daily prayers that they might be
preserved from the influence of the contagious examples to
which they were exposed. It may well be imagined therefore
what must have been her feelings, when contemplating the
prospect of leaving them in their infantile state. Many indeed
were the tears which she shed, and the prayers which she
offered up on their behalf, that if possible her life
might be spared for their sakes.
But God was gracious to her in this also, and gave her strength
to resign them into his hands, and assurance that He would
raise up for them kind friends to provide for them when she
was no mo r e .
�I was both much surprised and comforted, to find her
635
who had scarcely been absent from them one hour, so willing
to commit them to the future care of others, whom she knew
not, assured that God would be their protector & better
portion. It was a source of great grief to her mind, that
she could find no one of all that visited her in her sick
ness, who seemed tothink with her that she wouldn ot recover.
The subject of death was one upon which she desired to con
verse often, but those with whom she spoke on the subject
felt that such an event was improbable, and instead of sym
pathising in her feelings, would usually request her for the
sake of her health not to indulge in those reflections, for
there was no probability that she would die under this com
plaint.
"It is trying " she would reply, "that none can
be found who feel with me that death is nigh; but she would
add, "it is all right, I must pass the Jordan of death alone,
there none can bear me company, and why not learn the way
alone since it is the will of my heavenly Father?"
Indeed it was our ignorance of the fu ll extent of her disorder,
supposing that it was dyspepsia merely, that induced us all
to think that her sickness tho severe would eventuate in
her restoration to health. But no assurances from Physician
or friends could alter her views of this subject; she would
lay her hand upon her heart and say, "here it is, I feel
that death is near and has already begun his work. The
sensations of my own breast tell me that I shall not recover."
She wouldfo ften express the liveliest gratitude to those who
attended upon her to administer to her comfort: May the Lord
bless you " she would say, "I am not worthy of your kindness,
nor can I ever repay you, but I pray God to bless you and
reward you. Should I ever recover, I am sure I should be
willing to wash the feet of you all." At other times
she would say, " O you know not how it humbles me to see
your concern for me so unworthy, if you knew but half of
my sins, you would not, I am sure you couldnot waste your
precious time upon me so undeserving. " B ut the greatest
grief of all, and that which caused her deep humiliation of
heart, was, that I shouldb e called from my appropriate work
to attend upon her.
"When souls, are perishing for lack of knowledge," she would say
to me " is it right that you should forsake your work of preach
ing & translating the word of God, to attend upon me who
have merited nothing but displeasure from the hands of my
heavenly Father?
I fear I am answerable for all this
When I assured her that it was not so, that she was no more
answerable for my attendance upon her, than she was account
able for her illness, she replied:
" I fear that it is my
own imprudence that has brought me here, and if so am I
not accountable for the consequences?"
�636
In all her religious views even in the darkest hours I
observed that her faith in the word and Providence of God
in the fullness and all sufficiency of the Saviour to lost
sinners remained unshaken. She felt no doubts concerning
the truth of what God had revealed; there all was clear,
and the only difficulty that remained was the inability to
appropriate the promises to her own case.
During the hours of her spiritual darkness it was truly
edifying to see with what earnestness she sought after the
evidences of a true faith, and with what jealousy she watched
over her heart and conscience, lest she might mistake the
shadow and loose sight of thereality.
"This," she would say,”
is not an hour for me to sit down satisfied with past attain
ments and past experience. I must go back again to the
first principles of faith. I must feel something more than
the hope arising from what I have done . I must have strong
er evidence of acceptance than that arising from loveto
the Brethren. M y love to them may have been only natural
affection, common to all towards those with whom they
associate and with whom they are in the interchange o fkind
offices. I must feel the Spirit of Christ within me, sub
duing my sinful heart, and implanting holy affections and
an ail conquering faith."
/hese seasons of doubts and fears & expressions of great
concern lest her religion had been hypocritical, used
regularly to return with the paroxysms of her disorder;
but as these passed away her mind wouldagain become tran
quil and hope again revive in her breast. Still there was
no ecstacy, no assurance that her foundation stood strong
it was the trembling hope of one who felt that pardon, was
wholly unmerited, and granted solely for the sake of Christ's
Righteousness-----After her return to Kailua, and while sinking fast towards
the verge of the grave, her mind was more at rest. The
fears & doubts that had so distracted her mind had passed
away and a cheerful hope succeeded in its stead. She
would often say, "I feel that Jesus is mine, that he has
accepted m e , and will take me to himself when I go hence" .
She spent much time during the intervals of pain in prayer,
for herself, her husband & children, her brethren & sisters
of this mission, and for the whole church of God.
It was at this time that the pains which heretofore had been
confined to her body and limbs, ascended to her head, and at
times almost deprived her of reason. She had often express
ed her thankfulness, that in all the pain she had to endure,
her head had been quite free; but now the trial of her pa
tience was co m e . Agonies to which she before had been a
stranger racked her brain. We bathed her head in cold
water night and day, andsome one was constantly kept at her
head to holdit with both hands, "to keep it,W as she express-
�637
it, "from falling to pieces".
She had often expressed to me a desire to remove into the
country, where the cold air and bathing her temples in
the mountain water, she thought wouldgive her sensible relief.
We felt the difficulty of making the attempt, for. at this
time she was reduced amazingly andcouldn ot even turn herself
in bed. She was accustomed to be laid upon a litter every
morning & evening and carried out by 2 men to take an airing.
One morning during her usual airing she ordered her bearers
to ascend with her towards the mountain. They did so, bore her
nearly half the way thither and then returned. On her
arrival she expressed herself refreshed by the excursion.
The next morning therefore, Feby. 8 , we undertook to remove
her on her litter, andmuch to our satisfaction she endured
the excursion with little fatigue.
We remained in the country 6 days, but she suffered almost
incredibly from the effect of cold upon her emaciated frame
at night, so that the object after which we sought was
defeated. It was while in the country separated from the
society of my brother and sister and in the near prospect of
Eternity, that she seemed to gird on anew her armour to meet
the coming foe. I had until this time indulged hopes, that
by theb lessing of God she might eventually recover, but
these hopes had for some time been diminishing and now they
were quite gone. The pallid sunken cheek, the hollow eye
the diminished pulse, and wandering reason, evinced clearly
to my mind that death was near. When I informed her of my
apprehensions, she seemed relieved in her mind, andreplied,
" It is well, death has no terrors, it is what I have long
looked and waited for as a release from the pains that assail
my frame.
I have long given up all thoughts of recovery and death only
appears desirable, And you, my dear husband, s he added,
"the Lord will comfort and bless you under your bereavement,
and give you many souls for your hire. Remember the promise,
’they that go forth reaping bearing precious seed, shall re
turn again rejoicing bringing their sheaves with them. Be
sure my dear to continue faithful, stedfast and abounding in
the work of the Lord, and this promise is yours." A little
after, having lain some time with her eyes closed, she opened
them, and said to me: & have been praying for an overcoming
faith, that I may come off a conqueror in the hour of conflict. Pray for me, O pray for me, that the everlasting
arms may be my support, when heart and flesh shall fail" .
She then desired me to sing to her the words of the Dying
Christian, "Vital spark of heavenly flame",---- I had scarce
ly comnenced when she interrupted me by saying that her nerves
could not bear singing & requested me to only repeat it.
�638
After I had finished, and asked her how she felt, I found
that her reason was again wandering and I said no m ore.
At another time, during a n interval of pain, she spoke to
me of her children, now about to be left orphans. She said
she had resigned them into the hands of God, charged me to
be kind to them, and to leave no suitable means untried to
procure for them a good home in America . "I too, " she added
"was once an orphan, and know too well the ills of orphan
age not to be solicitous for my dear children"
.
It was about this time as near as I remember that I asked
her whether she had any message to leave in my charge to
her friends either here or in America. "Yes, " she replied,
"tell my brethren & sisters of the Mission that I lov e
them unto the end; that I have nothing to bestow for their
kindness to me but my thanks andmy prayers for their pros
perity in their labor of love. Tell my Dear American friends,
that they will neither see or hear from me again in this
life , but that I hope to meet them again to part no more
forever hereafter. And tell my dear pupils at Kailua that
after a few days they will see me no more; that it was my
hope to have lived long and have met with them many days to
come. Tell them to forgive whatever they have seen in me
that they thought amiss, to listen to the words of their
teachers, and above all to seek earnestly after the word
of life and the way of salvation; to hold fast to the right
way unto the end. Charge them to remember my dying words
that we may all meet again in heaven".
On Wednesday night the 13th Feby. she was taken with a
copious spitting of blood mingled with ulcerated matter
in consequence as we supposed of the breaking of an ulcer
internally. Her distress was also so extreme that I feared
she would not survive until morning. About 1 o'clock how
ever the pain abated and she obtained a little sleep. In
the morning, I lifted her again into her litter and we returned to Kailua unto the house we had previously occupied.
It was now with the greatest difficulty that she endured the
passage. When arrived at the house of Mr. Thurston andhad
revived a little from her fatigue, she called for her chil
dren. When they were b r o u g h t , she laidher emaciated hands
upon thehead of each and said ''The Lord shield this defense
less head underneath the shadow of his wings". She then
kissed them and wept. It was now about 12 o'clock, we
depatched a messenger to Kaawaloa toinform M r. & Mrs. Ely
o f the state of Mrs. B. now supposed to be dying, & of the
desire that she expressed to see them once more before the
departed hence.
They came immediately upon receiving the message and arrived
here at 10 P. M. When they entered that room where we were,
she aroused from the stupor in which she had lain, recognized
them, affectionately saluted them, and then declared to us
that she should not depart that night. Mr. & M rs. E . re
mained with us until them onday following, during which time
�639
we sedulously renewed every means in our power to bring on
a favorable crisis; but all in vain. The arrow of death
had already entered her heart, and tho she lingered with us
nearly a week from the time we returned to this place,
yet each day presented some new symptom of approaching
dissolution.
She now lay a pitiful object bereft of reason.
It was on Sunday if I recollect that I discovered h e r reason
had entirely failed her. I had for several days previous,
observed a wandering incoherence of mind, but now she be
came entirely insensible to her true state and condition.
But here we let fall the curtain. It can afford but little
satisfaction to a mind of sensibility to know the wanderings
of a soul once guided by reason and discretion now tossed
to and fro the sport of unguided fancy, a mere wreck of its
former self. Dead to all the tender sensibilities of her
nature, deaf to the soothing voice of love andfriendship,
she continued to linger until the evening of Wednesday
following. She knew u s not alas as the weeping friends
that surrounded her couch and sought by every assidous
attention to alleviate her suffering and soothe the pangs
of dissolving nature.
I several times during the afternoon
of Wednesday attempted to
(?) her wandering mind to a
sense of her condition, and to take an affectionate farewell,
but i n vain; the only reply was, "take me out of this dark
hole" . The last conversation that I had with her was about
9 o'clock in the evening, when I offered to her mouth a
little sago. She appeared insensible of my purpose, refused
the offered food, and questioned me about the indentity of
herself and‘others present, whether they were the same per
sons that she had once known as her brethren and friends.
When I had satisfied her mind on this subject, and attempted
again to
(?) her mind t o a final separation, she
replied as before, "take me out o f this hole & I shall be
well.
After this I retired to take a little rest and M r. Thurston
with 2 female attendants watched by her bed. About 11
o'clock her pains abated, and she asked to have the lights
removed in order to procure a little sleep.
Soon after this
her eyesight failed and she asked to have her head raised
that she might see. At midnight I awoke, seated myself
by her and took her hand, the pulse was by this time scarce
ly perceptible.
I held her cold handin mine for some time,
when I heard her say in a broken inarticulate voice, "Let
me depart in peace.” Thinking she might wish me to leave
her a little to quietude, I removed my chair to the door and
thought upon the glories that would soon enrapture her
soul when released from its crumbling tenement.
At half past 1 oclock I enquired of the female attendants,
how she appeared, and they motioned to me that she was
asleep. I immediately caught a lamp and hastened to her,
but she was gone! Without a struggle or a groan, she gently
breathed forth her spirit into the arms of her Saviour
on the morning of the 21 of February at half past 1 o'clock.
�640
The funeral services were attended on the saturday morning
following, when a numerous procession of females all dressed
in mourning followed her to the grave.
She rests in peace
in the Church Yard, thither to await the joyful summons of
the last trump to arise and ascend to the bosom of the Saviour
whom she has served andowned on earth.
But I alas! am left alone.. M y family no longer exists as
such.
The wife of my youth, the desire of my e y e s , the com
panion that used to make my cottage smile is gone from me,
and all that once was bright and cheerful around me is now
a desolation!
M y little orphan son now by my side, looks up to me from
the arms of his nurse and calls me "ma". Dear little orphan
in this cold world. But the prayers and tears of your
now sainted mother will prevail, and the God of Abraham,
"will be your shield and great reward."
But I will not murmur.
The Lord has been very gracious to
me in this hour of trial. He has given me abundant consola
tions and the comforts of his Spirit which are neither few
nor small.
It remains for me now to buckle, on m y armour,
and go forth anew in the s t r e n g t h of his grace to preach
Salvation in thename o f His So n . The dispensation which has
sundered the nearest kindred ties that bound me to earth,
is indeed dark and m ysterious, but upon it all is light
already springing up. In my release from a long protracted
confinement to a sick room, I find, myself in the midst of
an extensive Revival of Religion, and surrounded by a goodly
company of sympathizing ones, all of whom are either rejoicing
in hope or anxiously inquiring the way of salvation. My
house is visited from morning until bedtime by persons seek
ing the light of life , and calling upon me to point out to
them the way of Salvation. Had I time and breath to spare
I might make this house of mourning a Bethel where prayer
and praise would constantly ascend by night and day unto the
Lord of Hosts, the Everlasting Refuge of his people.
On the Sabbath after Mrs. B's internmentI delivered from the
pulpit a short account of her life , the manner of education,
themotives that induced her to leave her country and friends
to dwell in this land of strangers, her labors of love with
them at this place, her prayers for their Salvation, andher
dying charge to them as her pupils. I have reason to believe
the discourse was blessed to the conviction of many precious
souls. M any were the heads that hung down, and the eyes
that overflowed, and many I have since had reason to believe
were led to cry for mercy.
"Bless the Lord, O m y soul, for
his mercies endure forever."
"Altho the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit
be in the vines, the labor of the Olive shall fail, and
the fields shall yield no meant,----Yet I will rejoice in
�th e Lord
I will joy in the God of m y Salvation ",Amen
Ever yours in the bonds
of Christian affection
Artemus Bishop
From
Rec 'd
Rev. Artemus Bishop
D e c . 6, 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Missionary Rooms
Boston M s .
U. S. America
Pr.
the Rambler)
Cap. Worth )
�642
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 106
Honolulu, Oahu, June 3rd, 1828
Very Dear Sir,
By the Ship Rambler, C apt. Worth, who sailed last March
bearing letters from me , but soon after returned in a leaky
condition, I am now enabled to continue my communications
down to the present date. We have received letters from
you & Mr. Anderson and from our brethren Stewart & Loomis
dated in June of last year, and also several from the same
by the Reinforcement.
Our hearts rejoice and give glory to God for the safe arrival
of our beloved brethren & sisters to these shores, far dis
tant from the home which we still holdd ea r. They are the
messengers of good tidings from our native land.
After many
years of toil & privation of joy and sorrows,and of being
shut out from personal Christian fellowship with any except
the few brethren with u s , to behold at last a goodly company
from our own country, and from the circle of our friends,
with hearts glowing with love to each other and to the souls
of the heathen, and beating in union with our own, is what
we had almost despaired of realizing. M a n y hours of des
pondency, of doubts & fears had passed over my mind since
the date of my last letter, in view of the prospect before
us as a mission, and of myself and Children as individuals.
To reflect that Mr. & Mrs. Ely, Mr. Ruggles & Mrs. Whitney
were drooping with the liver complaint, laid aside from their
work in great measure , and compelled to seek a retreat in the
cool air of the mountains, and fearing that soon some of
them may be called to leave the islands as the only alter
native or hope of restoration;--that the dear companion of
my pilgrimage has been torn from me by death, my children
left orphans upon my hands, and no sister in the mission
whose health or circumstances would allow her to take charge
of them-- to see the natives weeping around as at the fear
of soon losing their teachers, and exhorting each other to
improve the present occasion as perhaps the last they should
enjoy of receiving the word of life at our hands,--all these
combined, threw such a distress over my mind at times as
almost to lead me into mental darkness.
But God be praised, I was not left to despair, or to dis
trust his Providence. His promises came seasonably to my
aid, and dispelled the gloom that rested upon my soul, and
enabled me again to rejoice in hope of better things here
after. But my most sanguine hopes h a v e been exceeded.
The
arrival of our fellow helpers has once more changed the a s
pect of things and filled us with joyful thanksgiving to
the God of love & mercy. We now almost feel that the v i c
tory is in full view, and it is ours to press forward with
renewed strength and si z e it in the name of our divine
�643
Master.
The hearts that were ready to faint and the hands
to hang down, and the tongues to cease uttering are now en
couraged and strengthened and enlarged.
The late meeting
of the Mission at this place has been a season of Jubilee,
in which we have enjoyed an uninterrupted succession of
friendly intercourse & Christian fellowship, and we again
separate to our different stations bearing with us the as
surance of mutual confidence, unanimity and concert.
Since my letter of March 8th the state of Religion at Kailua
has been increasingly interesting.
Our houses have contin
ued to b e thronged daily with inquiries from morning to bed
time and every day has usually brought with it several who
have newly turned to the Lord, and for the first time
visited us to declare their purpose of seeking the way
of salvation.
I would here enter into a detailed account
of what the Lord is doing for us, but as it would be agree
able to unite with my associate in this pleasing duty I will
here defer it 'till after, my return to Kailua, and confine
myself only to generals.
The first indications of a special attention to Religion
were apparent early last win ter while I was with my family
at this place. Even before I left Kailua in October, the
subject of Religion was engaging the attention of several,
and those who had given us pleasing hopes of being near
to the kingdom of Heaven, became much awakened, and some few
who had been under our particular instruction, were making
the great inquiry into the way of Salvation. Upon my return
in Jany. I found a pleasing accession to the no. of those
who were wont to visit us for religious instruction, and an
unusual solemnity and earnestness in their attention.
But the domestic affliction through which we then were
passing engrossed our principal attention, and even those
who w e r e inquiring the way to life seemed for the time to
suspend their anxities for themselves and join in the gener
al concern felt by all classes for the crisis of the af
fliction laid upon their beloved teacher, Mrs. B i s h o p .
But immediately after her death, the excitement was again
enkindled with new vigor. The loss of one endeared to them
by four years of unremitted attention to their spiritual and
temporal improvement, the recollection of many that they
had long neglected her instructions & admonitions u ntil she
was taken from then, and above all, the parting advice she
bequeathed to them as the pledge of her sincerity and
affection, aroused them at once to a sense of their condition.
The idea that her dying prayers were offered for them that
they might meet her again in heaven, was a more powerful
appeal to their hearts than all persuasion.
It was an argument fully adapted in all its force to their
understanding, and convinced them that she at least believed
fully the things she taught, and entrusted her eternal des
tiny to the issue of their truth. Accordingly great num—
�644
bers have mentioned the circumstances of her death as a
principal reason why their minds were aroused to a sense of
the importance of Religion.
This, Sir, has been a great
source of consolation to me under the afflictive dispensa
tion which has removed from my sight the dearest object of
earthly attachment, and reduced my children, to an early
orphanage.
I have not dared to repine at my lot, since the
glory of God has so evidently been promoted by the event.
And altho' at times the tender emotions of sorrow arise at
the recollection of those scenes which marked her latter
days, and the fountains of long suppressed grief are ready
to burst forth, yet God has enabled me for the most part
to preserve a thankful frame of mind and a disposition to
praise and rejoice in Him for the glory that has thereby
accrued to his n a m e .
The number of inquiriers when I left home in April last
was judged to be not less than two hundred Including those
who give satisfactory evidence of a saving change. Mr. Thurs
ton writes to me that the work is still going on with great
power, and is extending itself to the neighboring village s.
A striking trait of this revival is the deep sense of sinful
ness and conviction of their lost and helpless condition,
and of the necessity of Divine aid to deliver them from the
dominion of sin. There is nothing spec-ulative in the
nature of their convictions, their transgressions have been
too many and palpable to make it a matter of difficulty in
searching them o u t . With great ingenuousness they confess
themselves to have been murderers, adulterers, sorcerers,
thieves, liars, drunkards and votaries of all the vices
attendant upon these. Nor has there been an exception to
the character here described in any instance where the
person has arrived at mature age, so universally prevalent was
the state of depraved morals among them. There was "none
good, no not one";
none that had resisted the torrent
of corruption that bore along the aged & young, the male &
female down the broad road of death.
They have no motive
for concealing any longer from us the extent and enormity
of their former vices, and they appear now to have forsaken
them altogether and to be walkingin newness of life.
I have been detained here a month longer than I had intended
In consequence of the sickness of my youngest child which
has been with me ever since the death of his mother. As he
is now nearly recovered I expect soon to commit him to the
care of one of the newly arrived sisters and return to my
field of labor.
I hope to pass the summer in travelling over
the destitute parts of Hawaii, after which, if God will,
you shall hear from me again by the return of the fall
ships •
�645
Permit me again, dear Sir, to solicit the continuance of
your prayers for us and the infant church under our care
that it may increase and flourish until a l l the dwellers
in thesei slands of the sea shall be e mbraced in her bosom
in the pure faith of the Gospel.
I am D ear Sir
Yours in the Ld. Jesus Christ
Artemus Bishop
From
Rec'd
Rev. Artemus Bishop
Dec. 6, 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Missionary Rooms
Boston M s .
U. S. America
�646
31
March 1824 - 1 827
X
No. 107
Notes on a Tour to Hamakua & Kohala.
Thursday, Aug. 28th 1828. At 4 oclock in the morning I
started from Kailua in a double canoe, and at 8 went ashore
at Kaelehuluhulu to refresh.
I had scarcely seated myself
on the sandbeneath a cluster of shade trees, when I was
surrounded by a number of persons who came to inquire about
the concerns of their souls. Several o f them have secretly
returned from Kailua where religion is now the great concern,
& it is hoped that some of them have been brought to see
their needy & lost condition. After spending some time in
religious conversation, we got under way at 9 o'clock and
without stopping again arrived at Kawaihae at 8 P . M . I
have suffered more t o d a y from the heat of the sun than I
was aware was possible, and upon my landing was seized with
a vertigo in the head attended with severe pains.
But after
a little repose I arose relieved from the oppression in my
head and was able to see company. M y room was immediately
visited by several persons who came to converse upon the
great theme of salvation, with whom I spent two hours or
more. Mrs. Young & her daughter appeared the most ser
ious of any others & I passed a portion of the evening with
them in imparting religious instruction. At 8 o'clock
the people of the village assembled in the chapel & I
preached to them on the nature & necessity of the new birth.
After service several persons again visited my room & it was
nearly 12 o'clock before I retired to sleep.
Fr i d . 29. To avoid the recurrence of yesterdays exposure
to the sun, I arose & set out at 2 oclock this morning for
Waimea in company with about a dozen natives who are travell
ing in that direction, andwho to partake o f my fare chose
to follow me at this early hour. We ascended the hills by
the light of the moon over a barren & stony region in a
narrow & intricate foot path, and tho' it is perhaps as good
a road for the distance as is foundon theisland, yet it
has never received the slightest touch of improvement from
art.
For centuries the travellers that pass and repass have
chosen to climb o v e r or pass around the stones & rocks
rather than remove them from the way.
After diligently travelling until 8 o'clock we arrived at
Waimea at the residence of Mauae the teacher.
In half an
hour after our arrival, taro, poi & a baked pig were brought
forward by the head woman of the place for our refreshment.
Soon after my arrival word was sent to all the schools of
this populous district to assemble, and at 2 o' clock P. M.
I met & examined them in reading, spelling and writing upon
the slate.
There are ten schools in Waimea & Puukapu, but
all except two are recently established.
Of the school of
Mauae, 58 read with facility in the tract No. 6 & 33 ex-
�647
hibited specimens in writing on the slate.
The n o . of
scholars in all the schools that appeared were 709, they
were principally composed of young men and women.
In the
evening the people assembled in the chapel & I preached to
an attentive audience from John III 3d, and after service
21 couple of young people came forward and were married.
Sat. 29.
Proceeded to Puukapu in them orning, I found the people
waiting for me at the schoolhouse, where I gave them a short
address and married 4 couple & at 11 o'clock set out to
descend towards Hamakua. At 3 oclock I came to a little
hamlet in the woods where about a dozen families reside.
I met the head man at the entrance of the village who took
me by the hand andl ed m e to a mound which he had strewn over
with fern leaves, and when he had seated me upon it, he in
formed me that he had a repast ready for me andmy company.
He than brought forward a baked pig, 2 calabashes of poi &
s ome potatoes, and said they were a present from his chief
at Kailua, who had given order sane weeks previously to
have them ready for me on my arrival. I accepted the present
and obtained 2 men to carry it to Kapulena.
Having been requested by several o f the brethren to examine
the district of Waimea & Puukapu with a view to ascertain
its suitableness as a station for the residence of invalids,
particularly such as are affected with theliver complaint,
I have made such investigation, and am satisfied that as to
air & climate it is the coldest inhabited district in
the islands. I should select Puukapu as the most eligible
spot; it is situated 4 miles north of Waimea on the same
level, and 20 miles from Kowaihae on the sea shore .
It has a rich soil, is well watered and is sheltered from
the trade winds by a dense forest that is contiguous.
But the obstacles in the way of an establishment so far from
the shore, where there is no road that is passable for
horses, and no means in our possession of procuring the com
forts of life at that place, render the success problemati
cal unless the government of the islands could be made to
take an interest in the enterprise, andif possible some friendly
& influential chief be prevailedupon to remove hither as the
patron of the station.
Could a station be established here
under favorable auspices it wouldcommand an extensive in
fluence on the northern & interiour parts of the island.
This is the great thoroughfare of traveling and the only
medium of communication between the northern & western shores
by land.
Arrived at Kapulena the place appointed to meet the schools
in Hamakua & put up for the sabbath. When 5 years ago we
visited this place for the first time, I passed the sabbath
at this place with one of my brethren, we had only a single
fowl and a bunch of potatoes presented to us.
But now as
I sit in my hammock, I count 2 hogs, 12 fowls, ten bundles
of potatoes, ten calabashes of poi and 20 fish, all which
�648
were sent in unto me within an hour after my arrival, and
all except the fish is cooked.
This, t h o ’ a sufficient
supply for myself and natives a month at home, will doubt
less all be eaten up in 3 days. When I left home I took
three boys with me to carry my baggage, but m y company
has increased at every place through which I have passed,
and the number of those that sup with me this evening
including those friendly individuals w h o have m ade me the
presents, amounts to more than 30 persons.
Those who have
attached themselves to me for their food are very attentive,
and endeavor to anticipate my every want, but will no
doubt begin to fall off when they perceive there is no more
for them to e a t .
Sabbath morning, 30th. Preached in the open air to about
1000 persons most of whom are from Waipio & this neighbor
hood and compose a part of the schools w ho have assembled for
examination. My text was from Mat. XXV, 31.32.
"When the
Son of Man shall come in his glory &c."-In the evening
I preached from the words, "This is a faithful saying &c"
.
Was encouraged with the candid & serious attention given to
my message, and bless the Lord for the hope that my labors
today have not been in vain.
Mon. Sept. 1. I met the schools at an early hour, 32
scholars appeared andw ere examined, and ten morewere report
ed which did not appear. Thenumber of scholars that were
examined amount tol715. The schools of Hamakua arem ore back
ward than any others under our inspection , andthis is the
first general examination that has been held.
The greater
number of them have been established during the past year,
andhave never gone beyond the elementary tract and the Cate
chism. But the schools of this place & Waipio were large &
passed a goodexamination. In the evening the people assem
bled in the schoolhouse, where we held a re ligious meeting
after which I publicly married ten couple.
Tues. 2d. Started for Waipio this morning at 8 A. M. and
arriv ed at the precipice that overlooks the valley after
a walk of two hours. The prospect from this spot is highly
picturesque and enchanting. O n thel eft, the valley laid out
in gardens and fish ponds with its deep & gentle stream of
water passing through its midst, and enlivened by several
waterfalls, looks like a map spread out beforethe eye, and
every prominent object as houses, sand hills, walls and hillocks
appear upon the same level with the earth; and men as they
move about seem dwindled into a race of pigmies.
On the right was the sea rolling in upon the shore a high
surf, chasing one after another, but to the eye of the spec
tator from the top, appeared like so many streaks of white
foam slowly mov ing upwards on thebeach. We were 35 minutes
descending before we reached the bottom. Here I was received
by Haa the chief of Waipio wit h every mark of hospitality
and attention, and loaded with presents of tapa, poi & fish.
Towards evening I walked out to view a waterfall at the head
of a ravine that terminates in a perpendicular cliff 4 or 500
�649
feet high on the east side of the valley down which a consid
erable sheet of water tumbles with a white foam, about which
rainbows can be distinctly seen in the afternoon.
In the evening I preached to a large audience from the words
"Since by man came death, &c. after which I married 7 couple.
After service I had an interesting conversation with Haa,
who seems to be reflecting seriously on the concerns of R eligion. By his serious & pertinent questions and fixed attention
to the replies given, I was much encouraged to hope that he
is not far from the kingdom of Heaven,
W e d . 3d. Took leave of my kind friends at W a i p i o n and set
out for Waimanu in a double canoe belonging to Haa. As the
surf at this place runs high, it may not be amiss to describe
the manner of passing through it. I have twice witnessed the
operation and much admired the dexterity displayed in effect
ing it . The persons selected fo r the purpose are such
as are accustomed to the task, andi f a strange native is
one of the company he is previously instructed how to use
his paddle. The canoe is then launched with the stern rest
ing upon the sandbeach, the baggage carefully wrapped up
in wilted banana leaves andb ound with cords to keep it
from being wetted, is laid upon theh ighest part of the
canoe, and tied fast.
The passengers are then seated & told not to fear for there
is no danger. Every man having taken his station, the one
at helm gives the word; one standing on shore pushes off the
canoe into the sea and all hands standing up in the canoe
give a shout and ply their oars with all vigor. Meantime the
canoe darts forward like an arrow, till she meets the coming
surf, upon which she mounts andd ives forward again into the
trough of the sea, casting a thick shower of spray over every
part from stem to stern.
Another ‘and another surf meets her to oppose her way, but she
ride s over them all, the men shouting meanwhile to each other
and strike all together with their paddles until they
arrive into the open sea beyond the surf. By this time the
canoe is half full of water and every person on board
completely drenched. After bailing out the water and adjusting
our places, we spread our broad sail to the breeze and
proceeded on our way.
Evening at Waimanu. This has been a busy & interesting day.
At 10 o'clock this morning I met the schools and examined
them in reading, spelling and writing upon the slate . They
appeared well and gave credit to their teachers. After ex
amination I preached to an attentive audience of about 500 per
sons and married 2c ouple.
The afternoon & evening has been
passed in conversing with serious persons who are anxious
about their salvation. About 20 persons have visited me to
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know what they must do to be saved. A few of them appear
to have inbibed clear views of the goodness of God and of
their own sinfulness, andare ready to give themselves up
to the Saviour.
Among the latter are Hana;i the widow of Alapai former chief
of this Valley andKalapaawahiole the teacher.
The sub
stance of the advice I gave them, was to repent, forsake their
sins, believe on the Lord Jesus and submit themselves to
him as their King and Saviour . The great burthen o f com
plaint which persons such as these make, is thew ickedness
andignorance of their hearts, and the difficulty of obtaining
right conceptions of God and Christian faith.
M y instructions on this head are to exhort them to ask of God
with whom is theg ift of a heart, and to pray for the presence
of his Spirit to enlighten & lead them in the path ofduty.
These things they can comprehend when from the heart they feel
their need of Divine aid ; Nothing abstruse & metaphysical
in speculation has as yet been imposed upon their understandings.
The more simple are our instructions the better. A "thus saith
the L o r d , ” is much better with them than an abstruse argument.
May the time be long ere the controverted points that divide
Christian brethren and make them enemies to each other, be
introduced among this unsophisticated people.
Thurs.
Sailed at 8 A. M . in a double canoe with Hanapi
andcompany for Kohala, and at 10 landed at Niulii. While
the people were drawing the canoe ashore andputting it under
shelter, I went and sat down in a canoe house. I was scarce
ly seated when several presents o f fowls, vegetables & ohias
were brought to me, but as my people were already loaded,
I returned them to the donors. While sitting here a man came
to ask a question of conscience. According to a not unfrequent
custom of old, he had taken the widow of his deceased son as
his wife. Walawala a chief wom a n who governs Kohala under
Kuakini, had required them to separate, but as he loved her
very much he desired to know whether they might be married.
I explained to him t h e law of God'on this and'similar degrees
of relationship and toldhim it was not lawful for them to
be married.
A note was handed me from Kekuko the head man of Kamakapala,
saying he had baked a pig for me, and invited me andmy
company to dine with him on our way to theresidence of Walawala.
We accepted the invitation ands et out, the messenger leading
the way. Arrived at the residence of Kekuko, I fou nd a good
repast prepared in the native style of which we partook s it
ting u pon the mat without table, plate knife or fork. But
good appeties need no such helps, and we gave God thanks
with as much cheerfulness as if we hadsat down to a splendid
feast.
�651
A 1 o ’clock we started again but on account of the heat of
the sun we stopped at Halaua until 3 and arrived at Kapaau
the residence of Walawala at 5. Here I foundgreat prepara
tions making for my reception.
20 0 hens, several ducks, 3
hogs andvegetables uncounted were brought & presented to me
by the scholars, head men & those that called themselves
my friends. Being at a losst o know what to do with them all,
I asked the advice of W alawala . She told me to commit the
fowls to the care of the teachers to keep for me, and as to
the provisions she woulds uperintend their distribution as
I should direct.
I did so, and was relieved by them of a
burden I couldnot have well borne at this busy time. But
a small proportion of the provision will suffice for me and
my natives, and the remainder will no doubt be eaten by those
who presented it, as that is the direction I gave for its
distribution.
11 o'clock P . M .
Have spent the whole of this evening in
conversing with those serious persons who have come to me
for religious instru ction. Pleasantly indeed & uncounted
have the hours passed away. More than 20 Individuals have
expressed to me a conviction of their sinfulness, and their
desire to obtain salvation through Jesus . Among the most
interesting cases are those of Walawala, Kauhikoa, Naiwi
and Kaulahuki. The three latter are h e a d men. Kauhikoa
came and seated himself before me, and began by saying;
"I have come up to you to hear a word of good for my soul.
I am in great fear on account of the many sins I have com
mitted.
"I have been a murderer, an adulterer, a liar .
I have taken by fraud & force the property o fothers, and what
ever my heart desired that I attempted to obtain.
Tell
me what I shall do that my sins may beforgiven ". I directed
him to go to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the
world.
Frid. Sep. 5. Arose early, and after a hasty breakfast
I proceeded to the business of the day. A large schoolhouse
was appropriated for the examination into which the schools
were successively led one after another.
Theu tmost order
and decency was observed through the day by all the schools;
they were marshalled as regularly as so many files of soldiers.
Each school passed before me separately, and was examined
in reading and spelling and a few of them in writing.
About half of the scholars can read with facility in any
of the tracts, and all who have passed through theelementary
sheet can spell any word in thelangua ge , so simple is the
syllabic construction of words. A small proportion only
of the schools have learnedto write fo r want of paper &
slates. E ach school occupied ab out 20 minutes, or if large,
half an hour in the examination,and as soon as one school
had passed out, another was ready to rise andt akeits place.
In this manner /// schools have passed beforeme to day
�652
containing in all nearly 2000 scholars. After examination
I married 44 couple, mostly young persons.
Having found a large number of serious inquirers in this
region, I thought it expedient to form such of them as
appeared the mostipromising into a society for the purpose
of mutual e\dfication after the model of the one that meets
at Kailua add at most of the other Missionary stations on the
evening of Friday. A s several individuals were present
who belong to the abov e mentioned society, we assembled this
evening, and after prayer and examination into the character
of several candidates, we admitted ten persons as the begin
ning of a "Moral and Religious Association for the district
of Kohala".
These are empowered to admit others to their number from time
to time on the fo
l l o w i n g conditions. First, that they be
persons of good unblemished character; Second, that they
be serious prayerful persons, and'if heads of families, that
they maintain daily prayer in their families.
Thirdly,
that the society report their proceedings together with the
names & residence of the members admitted, to the Missionar
ies, under whose immediate direction they are to continue.
Lastly, if any members be guilty of immoral conduct, he shall
be excluded by a vote of the whole, until he repents and con
fess his sin. The exercises of this society are, singing,
prayer andmutual exhortation on some religious subject of
a practical nature. Thus ended the labors of the day.
Sat. Sept. 6 . Examined 31 schools today, which were all that
appeared. In the evening I married 31 couple, and retired
weary to rest, after having assisted Walawala in examining the
cases of several transgressors who had forsaken their wives
and taken others. I instructed them intothe nature of their
accountability which they are to render to God for every
transgression of his laws, and exhorted them to return to
their duty, as W alauala had directed them. They promised
obedience to the injuction of their chief and appeared to be
sensible of their error.
Sabbath. 7. Preached to the schools both morning and even
ing under a shady grove of breadfruit & kukui trees. The
congregation amounted to about 4000 persons. The subject
of the morning discourse, was The nature& necessity of R egeneration, andin the evening from the Words, "Strive to enter
at the strait gate". I have experienced more than usual
freedom t o day during the public exercises, in proclaiming
the tidings of salvation, and it was encouraging to witness
the fixed attention of the multitude of hearers. There is
to me something inspiring and sublime in the solemn exer
cises of divine worship in the open air, with the blue arch
�653
of Heaven for a canopy and the green earth extended beneath
the feet;--tosee at the same time the multitude of God's
people thronging together from different quarters to wor
ship him in perfect order and sobriety when but a short
time since nothing but tumult & confusion reigned. The place
selected for prayer today was a valley.
I went and took
my seat among the first that repaired to the spot.
I lifted
up my eyes to the hills that enclosed me around and beheld
long lines of people coming towards the place, and as the
words of the Prophet, when in vision he foresaw the future
prosperity of the church:
"Who are these that fly as clouds
and as doves to their windows?" came to m y mind, it invol
untarily responded; "they are these"
.
10 o'clock P. M. Have passed the evening in giving religious
instruction to the teachers, and in answering the inquiries
of those serious persons who are desirous of seeking the Lord.
M y apartment has been thronged from sundown until this hour,
an d even now while I write they are waiting to resume the
conversation as soon as I shall lay aside my pen. They tell
me, "tomorrow you are to leave us, and then we shall be with
out a teacher, if you can not remain with us a few days
longer, you must leave behind with us all the instruction
you can give for our benefit.)) O for a heart to love more &
more this blessed work. I envy you not, O ye highly favored
servants of God, who have never been called leave country &
friends, who are surrounded by the refinement and the com
forts of civilization, and whose benevolent labors are exert
ing a saving influence upon minds of a higher order than
these around me; I envy you not. It is also a highly favor
ed lot that has been cast for u s . The happiness of witness
ing a whole people arriving from the -------- dust of death
& sin, and assuming the character and moral beauty of a
Christian nation is a full compensation for all that we have
foregone. With this people tolive & labor until our Heaven
ly father shall set us aside or remove us hence is the highest
wish of our hearts.
One woman has come to me and said, that about a year ago while
at Kailua she had a conversation with M rs. Bishop when she
was told to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for
salvation.
This was with her the beginning of serious re
flection, but recently her concern has been very great and
she now desires to be fully instructed in the way of life.
Could that blessed saint have seen before her departure what
we now witness, the greater part of her daily pupils ex
pressing a hope in them erits of a Saviours Righteousness, she
might have thought in her last hours that she had not lived
in vain. When the chosen number of God's people shall all
be gathered together in one, it will then be m a d e to appear
who were & who were not u nprofitable servants.
M on. 8th Sept. Arose early and after offering up our morning
sacrifice & marrying 8 couple that were ready waiting for me,
I started on my way homeward. As I was ascending the high-
�654
land towards the south, I passed some people that were at
work in a potatoe field. One of the men as he saw me
passleft his work, came and took hold of my hand and walked
with me to the top. He told me he needed light & instruction
in what he should do to be saved. He declared himself a
great sinner in the sight of God, and that what I had said
yesterday about the way o f salvation, induced him to come
to me as he saw me pass, to obtain further direction in
the path of duty. At that moment I forgot the tidiousness
of the steep ascent up which we were toiling in the inter
est I felt for the case before me. Arrived at the top we
sat down together and conversed on the great concern for
a while, he then took his leave and returned.
I had pro
ceeded but a little way farther when I perceived a m a n sitting
upon a mat by the side of the path, and as I passed along
he arose, caught my hand and pulled me down by his side.
I asked him, what was his desire; he said, pointing to his
cottage at a little distance o n theleft, that he resided
there, that as he saw me coming up he felt the desire in
his heart to tell me his thoughts and seek direction what
he must do to be saved. He too was one of my yesterday's
hearers. After giving him such advice as seemed best suit
ed to his circumstances I arose and departed. As I began to
descend towards the lee shore of the island, the sun again
poured down his scorching rays and I felt a return of that
oppression in my head which caused me to feel such a dread
of the sun the other day. Arrived at Mahukona at 12 o'clock,
and after bathing in the sea I found relief.
Towards even
ing I took a canoe and sailed for Kowaihae where I arrived
at 8 o'clock.
Spent the night at the house of Mr. Young.
Tues. m o r n . 9. After breakfast I walked out to view a medicin
al spring that flows out on the beach below high water mark.
The water is nearly fresh and its medicinal virtues consist
in the warmth of its temperature which is a little below
blood heat. After enjoying the luxury of a bath in this
spring, I returned and met three schools belonging to this place
andh eard them read in Luke, Matthew & the Hymns. A few of
them exhibited specimens of writing on the slate.
At 3 P. M. took leave of M r. Young and sailed for Kailua
in his c anoe . Mrs. Y. and her daughter accompanied me to
Puako where I landed, examined 2 schools & married 1 couple.
At sunset I again got under weigh, and after spending a sleep
less night on the water, arrived at Kailua on the morning
of Wednesday.
The no. of schools examined by me during the whole tour is 111.
viz.
10 in W a i m e a , 37 in Hamakua & 64 in Kohala . In the
same time I have married 134 couple, and preached ten times.
From Rev. Artemus Bishop
Artemus Bishop
Rec'd March 9, 1829
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Missionary Rooms, Boston, Ms. U. S. America
�655
31
March 1824 - M arch 1827
X
No. 108
Kailua, 17th Decr. 1828
Rev & Dear Brother
I desire to improve the present as the last opportunity
that may occur the present year & for a long time to come
to write you. It is more than a year since I became a
wanderer from my home. The affective dispensati ons of a
wise Providence were sent totry me and prove m e .
I have been tempest tost and almost shipwrecked, but the
same kind hand that led me along at length brought me again
to my home and family, and has given me to feel that for s
season my wanderings are ended. I have at length found a
Friend in one of the sisters that embarked in the Parthian
a n d we were married at this place on the 1st inst. Miss Stone
the lady to whom I allude is now entitled to the appellation
of Mrs. Bishop, and I am happy to assure you that, in
my estimation at least, she is worthy to bear the name and
fill the place of one who has laid it aside for a "new name
which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it ". I can
now look back upon the dealings of Providence towards me and
mine, and realize that much good has been brought out of the
afflictions through which I have passed, as well as feel
that they have all been ordered in mercy. I might have been
called as others have been to leave my labors among this
people & be detained for years from returning.
I might
have had my earthly hopes of ever dwelling again in the
midst of my family cut off, and doomed to pa ss the remain
der of my life in lonely widowhood.
Such indeed were once
my expectations, but how soon was I permitted to hope the
reverse of this. And now all my hopes are realized, I take
this occasion to say, that if I know my own heart, it is my
desire to dedicate the remainder of my life to the ser
vice of Him who hath safely led me through the vale of
darkness into the light, and loosened the bonds of my Cap
tivity.
I have often thought to myself, what must be the impression
of the Committee who read the communications from this sta
tion to observe they are all invariably written in my hand
when I have for an associate one who is my seniour both
in years and in occupation of the field. I have wished
that you at the Rooms might know the reasons that you might
not attribute it to an assuming disposition on my part.
But the truth is, it is no more nor less than an insuperable
reluctance on the part of my belovedcoll e a g u e to write them.
The causes of this reluctance I am at a loss to know, unless
it be diffidence. But such is the fact, and I mention it
now to explain the reason of the infrequency of our joint
letters to which Mr. Evarts referred in his communication
to us of June 1827
�656
I have felt embarrassed in writing for others especially
when I have reason to believe that others know better than
I do what to write. As an instance during the past year
I have been a b s e n t f r o m home the greater part of the time,
while my associate was constantly here, and is much better
acquainted with the true situations of affairs here than
I could possibly be. Still he never proposed writing the
letter to the Board, andwhen I mentionedit to him he invar
iably put the task upon me, and upon my return home a few
weeks since nothing had been done, and so I undertook the
task, which would have been, a pleasant one did I not know
that another could have done it better justice. In the hurry
o f sending it off I accidentally omitted to put my name to
it, which I will thank you to do for me if ever it arrives.
On thursday night the 11th in s t . we had the coldest time that
had been ever felt by us at this place. A storm of wind and
rain set in from then orth and blew as if it had received it
commission at Behring’s Straits to sweep the ocean with its
cold blast. Our thatched houses proved but a poor defence
from the chill blast and in the morning when we arose we
beheld the top of the mountain that rises in the rear of
this place covered with snow to a great extent down
from its peak.
The oldest inhabitants say that they never
saw the like before on Hualalai. We clad ourselves in
woolens for 2 or 3 days as the vicinity of snow had sunk
the thermometer down more than ten degrees below its usual
range.
The snow has since melted and the atmosphere has
assumed its usual warmth.
Another peculiarity of the present times worthy of remark is
the unusual prevalence of a cough that has become endemic.
It has prevailed now in all the islands fo r 6 weeks or more,
and is so violent as to affect not only the chest, but throws
the whole body into the most violent convulsions. The eyes
swell, the face becomes red and bloated, and the throat so
sore as to prevent speaking above a whisper.
I am almost
theo nly one that has hitherto escaped in this place, and
have been enabled to continue to preach, while my associate
has been unable to render me any assistance ever since my
return h o m e .
I have written this letter in haste, surrounded by our young
converts who have been continually plying me with questions
on several religious subjects, for the explanation of which
they are in the habit of daily frequenting our houses.
They are of such a n a t u r e a
s to evince the state o f their
minds and the degree of religious knowledge they have ac
quired. You will doubtless say that I am a happy man; and
so I ought to be. But the constant evidence of my own sin
fulness & unworthiness constrains me to say continually,
"Not unto us O' lord, not unto us, but to thy name be the
glory
�I wish a part of this letter to be considered as confiden
tial andremain
as ever
Yours in the Gospel Bonds
Artemas Bishop
From
Rec'd
Rev. Artemas Bishop
Nov. 7, 1829
To
Revd. Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Ms.
U . S . America
Pr
M r . Hooper
Brig Smyrna
�658
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 109
Kailua, Hawaii, December 20th 1828
Dear Sir,
I have chosen the form of a letter as better adapted to con
vey to you the particulars of my late tour around this is
land, than that of a journal. I had for some time enter
tained the wish to revisit the distant parts of the island
to preach to the dwellers in these remote places, and to
mark the progress of knowledge & improvement which is dis
pensing through the medium of schools.
The lonely situation
of Mr. Goodrich at Hilo also claimed a portion of my labors.
Accordingly having made previous arrangements with M r . Ruggles
to accompany me as far as Kau to visit the schools, we set
out on Wednesday n ight Oct. 1st, from Kaawaloa in a double
canoe belonging to Gov. Adams, who also kindly sent a man
to furnish myself and company with food on my journey.
A fair and gentle breeze from the land wafted us forward,
and the moon then in her last quarter shone with beauty &
cast a bright lustre over the sky and ocean. At day light
we found ourselves about 30 miles on our way with every
appearance of a prosperous and speedy voyage. At 8 o'clock
we put ashore and cooked our breakfast, after which we set
sail again with a light breeze from the sea, and a strong
current setting us forward which at 10 o'clock A. M . brought
us to Keawaiki where we had expected to meet the trade winds
and put ashore . But the sea breeze continuing we proceeded,
and soon after doubling a point of lend at a place called
the Wili, where the trades suddenly met us, and the swell
from the south meeting the current from the north, threw
up a sea over our canoe and filled it. The natives in
a fright caught their calabashes emptied the poi into the
sea, and by great exertion succeeded in bailing out the water.
Unwilling to venture any farther by water, we rowed towards the
shore at the nearest landing place about one mile ahead.
But as a heavy surf rolled in, the natives were fearful
of stranding the canoe upon the stones if they attempted
to land it. Mr. Ruggles & I jumped into the surf and waded
ashore, leaving the canoe and natives with all the baggage
to proceed forward about a mile farther to a good landing
place. We had scarcely commenced our journey on foot, when
looking back we observed the canoe was missing.
We ran to
the beach and looked.
Calabashes & other light baggage
were floating on the waves.
Presently the heads of the natives
and the prow of the canoe became visible as they emerged
from the sea that swept over them, w e r a n to t h e spot op
posite where the wreck lay. It was a high rocky shore, at
the foot of which lay the canoe overwhelmed in the sea and
stranded upon the rocks fast going to pieces.
The natives in
�659
all about ten were watching a favorable opportunity to
escape to the shore, and one after another as the waves
passed over them, dove into the sea, and'coming in on the
surf landed upon the rocks.
To their expertness in swiming upon the surf they owed their
safe escape from danger. But the canoe valued at $ 150,
went to pieces and was lost together with a great part of
our baggage. A part of our clothing however was saved by
being driven on shore, otherwise we must have returned home.
After our company were safe on shore, and the deep anxiety
of our minds on their account had subsided we began to reflect
with the livliest emotions of gratitude upon the signal
Providence which in 2 instances within half an hour had
rescued us from a watery grave! The event has made such an
impression on our minds as will not soon be erased.
In the former instance, had we not been able to clear our
canoe of water, we could not have come to land, as a strong
current was fast setting us out into the ocean beyond all
possible aid where we must soon have been overwhelmed.
We have since been told that ours is the first instance of
a canoe which reached the shore after being filled at the
Wili.
In the latter case, had we not jumped ashore at the critical
moment before the wreck ofour canoe, the only chance of
escape would have been the dangerous experiment of landing
upon a rocky lee shore, destitute of the knowledge requisite
in managing ourselves in the surf. We felt that our safe
ty was to be ascribed to nothing less than the special inter
position of that Providence whose will it was that our lives
should be spared a little longer for the glory of God.
After opening such of our baggage as had floated on shore,
and spreading it in the sun, we proceeded on foot towards
the habitable parts of Kau. Along this desolate coast there
was nothing to satisfy the cravings of hunger and thirst,
which by this time began to call for relief. During our walk
we saw only a few scattered fishermen’s huts, with squalid
miserable tenants, who replied to us me we asked for food
or drink that they had n o n e .
Night came on, and we lay down upon a mat spread upon the
pebbles in a little desolate hut; and uncomfortable as was
our situation, we thought only o f the mercy that our bed
was not among the coral of the ocean! The next morning, having
sung a hymn of deliverance, and commiting ourselves to the Divine
protection, we proceeded on our way, and at 9 A . M . arrived
at Kailiki, where we obtained refreshments, having been des
titute 24 hours of both food and fresh water. After assem
bling the people of the village and addressing than on the
subject of Religion, I married 2 couple, and then we proceed
ed on our way.
�660
Nothing of importance occurred during this and the following
day when we arrived at Honuapo and put up for the sabbath,
where were assembling the schools from the different parts
of K a u . On the next day (Sabbath) we held divine service
in a Cocoanut grove both morning and Evening. . Between
3& 4000 persons were present and listened attentively to
what was spoken. On the day following, the schools were
examined by Mr. Ruggles in a large and commodious schoolhouse. Each school came forward separately and exhibited in
reading, spelling and writing, and received such corrections
& instruction from us as were applicable to each. The number
of schools that appeared was 25, containing in all about
1,500 scholars. After the close of the examination I married
20 couple, and then we proceeded three miles to Kalaiki
where we passed the night.
The next day we set out for Kapapala, a settlement in the
interiour 20 miles distant at the foot of Mauna Roa , where
we arrived at 3 P. M. and passed the night.
In every place
to which we came we were kindly & hospitably entertained.
Baked pigs, fish & vegetables were presented to us, many
of which we gave away for want of the means of carrying them
with us. At this place M r. R. parted from me in order
tc return homeward, and I proceeded on my way.
It had been
my intention to take my route around the Eastern district
of the island, but hearing that most of the m ale inhabitants
of Puna were then at Hilo employed in cutting & dragging
timber for a new church at the latter place, I altered my
route and proceeded across the interiour, by way of the
Volcano.
We started early the next morning Oct. 8th. The path was
along the base of the mountain on the smooth soil, leaving
the bed of lava on our right. The grass had a few months
previously been overrun by fire, which began a few miles to
the south of Kapapala, and extending itself on all sides
from the lava to the top of the mountain, was still burning
in the woods near the Volcano.
In its desolating march it
had swept houses, vegetation and forests from existence.
We arrived at the Volcano at 2 P. M. and after gazing for
a while at its bright fires, we began to descend towards
the settlements of O laa. It was dark before we arrived at
Kapuauhi, and we felt our way for 2 miles through the thick
brushwood. At length we arrived at the habitations of men
rejoicing to find once more a resting place for our weary
limb s, having travelled upwards of 30 miles that day over
the mountain.
After a cold & restless night I arose and attempted to prosecute
my way, but after slowly walking a few miles was obliged
from illness to desist. At the house of Kauae the head man
of Olaa I received every attention of which my circumstances
would admit. On the next day I was so far recovered as to
be able to proceed. We travelled through a continual rain
�661
until 2 o'clock when we arrived in safety at Byron's Bay.
I found the family of Mr. Goodrich in health though Mrs.
G. had been very ill a few weeks previous. They have been
alone at the most remote station on the islands since
their return from Oahu early in June . At this place I spent
upwards of 5 weeks, preaching every opportunity to the people,
and assisting Mr. G. in other labors of the station.
Since the first establishment of this missionary post, there
have been many changes, and for a part of the time it has
been unoccupied. Mr. Ruggles and family have twice settledat this place, and as often have found it necessary toremove
from it; in the former instance to return to his station at
Kauai after his term of appointment at Hilo had expired,
andin the latter instance he has been induced to remain at
Kaavaloa at which place he was visiting for his health when
it became vacant by the removal of Mr. Ely.
The lonely
situation of a single family at any station has ever called
forth our sympathies in their behalf, but when removed to a
distant post, beyond the reach of medical aid in time o f sick
ness their circumstances are peculiarly distressing.
The prospect of soon obtaining an associate to Mr. G. at
this station is still dubious, and should another of our small
number be obliged to remove from the islands, this place
must remain as it is with a single family until further aid
be obtained from America.
If any station needs an efficient
laborer tobe associated with the present resident missionary
it is this. A natural consequence of which is, that the people
have less regarded the preaching of the missionaries here
than elsewhere.
The resident chiefs have likewise been more
hostile tot he new state of things than at other places, and
not longer ago than April last, were detected in a private
sacrifice.
There is much however to encourage and no thing tod iscourage
in the furthrance of the good work. The people give good
attendance to Divine worship on the sabbath; & a respectable
number are usually present at the Wednesday lecture. The meeti n g house built three years ago is nearly rotten at the bottom
of theposts. Timber for a new church has been collected, and
will be set up during the ensuing season.
The number of serious inquirers at this station has hitherto
been small; there are a few however who give hopeful evidence
of piety, some of whom will probably be admitted to church mem bership in the course of the fo llowing year.
The schools which I visited in this region appeared to be in
a flourishing condition, and are on the increase. But
as to the number of schools attached to the Hilo station
I am not informed.
�662
During my stay at Byr o n ’s Bay, we were visited by nine whaleships, which put in on their return from the coast of Japan
toobtain refreshments. The greatest number of ships that
had ever visited this station in one season previously to
this was three. We established an English service on the
sabbath, immediately after the native morning sermon for the
benefit of the sailors in port. While (Ca p t s . Bunker and
Mackensie were in port our English Service was well attended
by them and their crews, and by as many others as c ould
be induced to come. But after their departure it dwindled,
and at last was entirely neglected, no one being present but
ourselves.
That such would be the event of our meeting
was anticipated. We were satisfied however that it was our
duty to improve every occasion that offers for the spirit
ual benefit of our countrymen as well as of the English who
touch at these shores. And though in this as well as sev
eral other attempts made at these island, our wishes in
part have failed, yet we have the satisfaction that our labors
have not been entirely lost. Some have heard proclaimed to
them the way of salvation, and the preached word shall not
return to us "V o i d ".
Experience proves that sailors are not inaccessible to divine
truth. Could they be kept from the baneful influence of
evil company, and the deadly temptations that are presented
tothem in every port; could some spiritual guide be posted
in all the places where ships repair for trade or refresh
ments, to lead them to the house of God instead of thehouse
whose "avenues lead down to the gates of death", they might
in time become the pioneers of truth & righteousness, where
now they are but the patrons of iniquity & the heralds of
disease & death. It is just to add to the above that the
deportment of both masters & crews towards us was uniformly
kind and courteous, & to their liberality we are indebted
for several small but valuable presents conducive to the
comfort of our family
O n Saturday evening Nov. 15th I embarked on board of the
English whaleship Warrens, Capt. Bliss, & arrived at Kawaihae
on monday morning. Seasickness prevented me from preaching
to the sailors on board as I had contemplated. At Kawaihae
I tarried 3 days in the family of Mr. Young preaching &
privately instructing the people daily.
There are four
persons at this place who give satisfactory evidence of
piety, & who under many disadvantages have well improved
their little talent. These persons are Mrs. Young, her daugh
ter, a son of the late Isaac Davis & his wife.
The enfeebled age of Mr. Y. has hitherto prevented them from
coming to Kailua to enjoy the privileges of which others
have availed themselves & for which they are so anxious.
On W e d n e s d a y evening I again set out for Kailua in a double
canoe and after sailing all night I arrived at home in
�safety having been absent nearly 2 months.
I remain
Dear Sir
Yours Sincerely
Artemas Bishop
From
Rev. Artemas Bishop
Rec'd
Feb. 19, 1830
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Missionary Rooms
Boston, M s .
U. S. America
�664
March 1824 - March 1827
31
No. 110.
X
Honolulu, Oahu, Nov. 11th 1829
Dear Sir,
On the first of Oct. last, I subscribed a letter with Mr. Thurs
ton as the joint letter of our station. About a week after
that I came down here with my family to superintend the printing
of our tract on Genesis, & the Epistle to the Romans. As that
letter was written on the eve of our departure & in haste I
had not time to correct a statement which it contains about
the nature of conviction for sin which many inquirers
expressed.
As I have since feared that it was not sufficiently qualified,
I am of opinion & so is mr. T. that it should not be publish
ed, lest it lead to misconception in them inds of the readers.
It is no doubt a fact, that many whose deportment has been
as serious & attentive to religious & moral duties as any
Christian, have never fe lt a deep and fearful conviction of
sin, but still it was not intended to apply to the people
as a body, whom we esteem pious, and of tho se we have been
slow to acknowledge, tho some cases have been of such a
satisfactory nature as to remove all doubt.
About the middle of last month, as I am informed by several
letters from natives & from our associate Mr. Thurston,
a new and most surprising spur has been given tothe Revival
on Hawaii.
I have never learned that there were any means
to which it may be ascribed, beyond the ordinary means of
grace, & c. At Kailua & Kaawaloa the attention of all classes
of people from the great to the sma ll is wholly taken up
in seeking religion.
Even the dai ly business of life has
been laid aside, so great is theconcern felt for the souls
of men.
I have just seen a letter from Hopu to Mr. Ruggles
at this place, who tells him that it is Millennium.
Abating every allowance for their feelings, there is a w on
derful work of God now going on in that island beyond what
was ever before witnessed among us . I enclose you
a hasty note from Mr. T. to myself which came tohand today.
Kaenaku, the person therein mentioned is the one whom we
had suspended from the church.
The friday meeting is the moral society, wh. must now contain of both sexes, nearly 3,099. May the gracious work
spread far and wide, until not only all these dwellers in
the sea, but all nations, be baptized with the Spirit of God.
Yours Affectionately
From
R e c ’d
Rev. Artemas Bishop
May 5, 1830
A. Bishop
To Jeremiah Evarts Esqr.
Missionary Rooms, Boston, Ms., U . S. America
�665
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 111.
Kaawaloa (Hawaii) July 19, 1824 .
Dear Sir,
Twenty months have elapsed since we received at N. Haven the
farewell instructions of the Prudential Com; that assigned
us to the work of envagelists among the heathen. You then
gave us a parting benediction and expressed a lively interest in our prosperity and success in the high embassy on
which we were sent forth to the Gentiles.
Believing that you cherish the same affectionate remembrance
o f us, end considering it a duty due from every branch of
the mission to their friends and patrons, I now address you
the Cor. Sec A. B. C. F. M. on the labors and trials and pros
perity of this station.
Though we had been previously assigned by a unanimous vote
of the mission to cooperate with Mr. Whitney in rendering
missionary aid to the inhabitants of Tauai--yet after a more
full acquaintance with the opening and whitening field on
the Leeward side of Hawaii, and the earnest, repeated and
affectionate solicitation of K apiolani the wife of N aihe,
a thie fess of influence, for a teacher, it was judged ex
pedient by them that Mr. Whitney, aided by visits from the
brethren at Oahu be left to maintain the post at Tauai, and
that I remove to Kailua and unite with Messrs. G. & Bishop
in diffusing the light of Jesus among the numerous, compacted
inhabitant of Kon a just emerging from the long night of
paganism.-Agreeable to the appointment the brethren we embarked at Oahu
in a small schooner accompanied by the brethren assigned for
Waiakea, on the 16 of Jan. and after rather a fatiguing pas
sage by way of Waiakea we arrived at Kailua on the 4 of Feb.
and were affectionately received by Mr. and Mrs. Thurston.
Soon after we landed at Kailua I made a short excursion to
Kaawaloa.
Here I was met most cordially by Naihe and Kapiolane,
who had a few weeks previous removed here from Oahu.
They
instantly profered their earnest and affectionate request
that I remove and settle with them at Kaawaloa.
I listened
to their plea and though strongly impressed with the difficulties, and trials and privations of such an u ndertaking,
yet I did not say no. I returned to Kailua.
And having
obtained the full approbation of Messrs. Y. & B. and the cheer
ful assent of Mrs. Ely toengage with me in this arduous work-I complyed with their proposition, tho it were to settle
without a fellow laborer and to reside at the distance of
15 miles from our brethren & sisters. Duty appeared plain--and
God has not left us comfortless, though helpless ands olitary,
�666
surrounded by ignorant, vicious heathen, and exposed todangers
on the right hand and the left. If we follow him, his
promise is sure, he will never leave nor forsake us.
On the 8th of last April, N aihe procured a sloop for the
removal of our baggage & c — and on the morning of the 9th
accompanied us in a double canoe to Kaawaloa. He and Kapiolani
his wife showed us no small kindness.
Kapiolani had at
Oahu called Mrs. Ely her daughter, and they were indeed
to us like parents.
With peculiar emotions did I landon this memorable spot.
M y thoughts recurred to the time when the celebrated navi
gator Capt. Cook fell a prey to the rag e of barbarous sav
ages on this fatal rock.
Andw hen I cast my eyes across the bay (the distance perhaps
of 2 miles) and saw the foundation of the heathen temple
where O bookiah worshiped, I thought of our former pra yers,
and vows, and hopes; I thought of his last prayer for his
deluded countrymen which he breathed f o r t h in his dying hour.
O n my left stood a c h ’h on the ruins of an oldheathen temple,
nearly completed; built by the chiefs at their own sugges
tion, commenced with the hope, yet with but little prospect
of a stated (?) preacher to declare within its walls the dying
love of Xt. --The solemn stillness which pervaded the natives added solem
nity and interest to the scene, They were ferocious.--They
were bloody idolators--There stands the rock stained in this
ra g e ;--Now they enquire for the word of Jesus, "Tell us of
him.
What has he done for sinners?
I weep w hen I think of
him, thanks to his name that he has heard my prayer--that he
has sent me a preacher." O dear Sir, could you have stood
with me on this interesting spot, you would have rejoiced
in all your labors for the enlightening of the Sentiles.
Indeed C hrist, in every sense of the word "is the light of
the world".
A number of ships have been in port since our arrival,
the Captains of which have interested themselves in our
situation and showed us many kind attentions. Among these
we would mention with peculiar interest and gratitude, Capts.
Weeks, Murick, Russel, Austin & Ramsdale.
The chiefs have
and/finished the
It has a pulpit
Kapiolani & the
built for us a comfortable dwelling h ouse,
church, which h as been previously mentioned.
neatly trimmed w i t h cushions by the hand of
floor furnished with mats made by the natives.
On the 28 of last April it was solemnly dedicated to God
in prayer by the Rev. A. Thurston.
The chiefs pledged
themselves to enforce several laws read on that day, such
�667
as prohibiting laughing, playing and sleeping in the house
of God— the entrance of troublesome & intoxicated persons &c.—
These regulation have been strictly observed. The chiefs
observed before the dedication "that they had cheerfully
built a house for the worship of God: that they wished to have
it dedicated to God for e v e r ;
- and that they would be care
ful to preserve it from being polluted by the incursions of
the enemy . "
In this house I have regularly preached two sermons on the
sabbath, prayed and sung in the native tongue , attended the
monthly concert--and a weekly prayer meeting on Wednesday.
In addition to these labors I have usually preached once
on the sabbath on the opposite side of the bay. This exer
cise I have found very oppressive as it is necessary to cross
the bay in them iddle of the day under the rays of a scorch
ing meridian sun. Mrs. Ely for several weeks past, has been
engage on the sabbath in teaching about 40 children an easy
catechism in the native tongue, together with hymns and texts
of scripture.
This school promises well for the children.
It is a church to them on the sabbath, and we hope may be
sanctified for their spiritual good.
It also affords a
favorable opportunity for imparting religious instruction
to their tender minds.
More than 100 are daily engaged in learning to read in their
own tongue, and there are many more desirous to learn but
have no books. The peopleare universally awake to the sub
ject of instruction. On the sabbath w e have a crowded
assembly, and their attention anddeportment would do honor
to any assembly in America.
This probably In a great degree,
is owing to the salutary influence of the chiefs.
A general assembly of the chiefs has been held at Lahaina, and
N aihe and Kapiolane (?) have attended with them to deliber
ate on affairs relative to the death of Tamorree (?) and to
adjust measures relative to the future government of Tauai.
On the eve of their departure, they were very particular
in their orders tohave the sabbath observed, and us supplied
with such things as were necessary for our comfort and
support.
We have been cheered in our solitude by the reception of
a large package of letters from America, & by visits from
several of our missionary friends.
Alapai one of the favorites of Kapiolani, in many respects
appears to exhibit evidence of a saving change.
He of late
made the tour of this Island andin this rout he frequently
addressed the people, and prayed morning & evening with
them.
�668
The case of Kapiolani is at this period very interesting
We have good reason to hope that she is a child of grace.
Her daily walk and conversation correspond with her profession.
She is decidedly on the side of Christ thought the multitude
follow the broad road. We have had several interesting con
versations with her. At one time she observed "that the new
ran was inclined to pursue the narrow way to heaven but the old
man, who is strong, was bent on evil, and unless we watch,
he will lead us aside and ruin our rout. We must always
be awake to self examination & Xtian watchfulness or we shall
fail of heaven". Again, when I visited her, and found her
sitting solitary, she says "I have been reflecting on the
situation of my husband(Naihe)
I have attempted to pray
for him. I urged him to.day to hasten up to the help of
the Lord lest he should perish".
Often with tears has she spoken of him & requested us to
pray for him. She frequently visits us and desires to make
enquiries, and converse about the dying love of Jesus.
W he n visited or visiting the chiefs religion is her theme.
M r. Richards says of her while at Lahaina a short time since,
"With Kapiolani's visit here we have been much gratified.
She has exerted all her influence to do go o d . She has had
a wide field to labor in as all the chiefs of the Islands
have been together."
Thus far the Lord has helped us. We have occasion to bless
God for his divine superintendance over us, for the last
3 month, and for his kind intentions towards this heathen
people. The promises are sure. The heathen shall be given
to Christ for an inheritance. His word shall not return
unto him void of effect. It shall be cur work to preach
Christ. We will cheerfully spend and be spent for them,
and we shall be cheered and strengthened in our work by the
fervent prayers of zion for us. It is no small source of
consolation and encouragement to the missionary that the
ch'h as a body are awaking to the subject of prayer for the
prosperity and enlargement of zion. 0 may she plead, till
she shall possess the ear t h .
Mrs Ely unites with me in affectionate salutations.
With sincere respect I am yours-From
Rec'd
M r James Ely
March 26, 1825
To Jeremiah Evarts E s q . Cor. Sec.
Boston
Missionary Rooms No 69 Market St.
U.S.A.)
Mass
James Ely.
�669
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 112
Kaawaloa Oct 11, 1824—
Dear Sir,
Three months since I addressed a letter to you, in which I
related some particulars concerning our removal, settlement
and labors at Kaawaloa.
This letter was forwarded by the
Rev. Wm Ellis in the Ship Russel.
The most important oc
currences of the last three m o n t h are embodied in the jour
nal of the station, sane extract of which, I now send you
July 2 5 . For several days past Kapiolani has been seriously
i l l . I have had repeated calls from her to administer
medicine for the relief of her body; and this has afforded
a very favorable opportunity to exhibit to her mind the sal
utary influence of divine truth, and t6 impress on them ind
of her numerous attendants their solemn and imperious duty
of seeking the Lord of hosts.
I have had almost daily calls for medicine, and have realized
very essential benefit from my little knowledge acquired
in A. and at Oahu. When the missionary is called to the
sick bed to relieve the distressed sufferer, he will have
an easy access to the heart of the patient, and not unfrequently to that of the bystander.
28-Kapiolani still suffering with extreme pain.
Mrs. Ely observed to her, "We are all anxious for your r e
covery". She answered "I wish toendure patiently under the
finger ofGod. If it is his will, I have a desire to depart
and be with him, then I shall be free from sin. Once I
exceedingly feared death, but Xt has taken away its sting".
A u g . 1-- We are happy to notice the recovery of Kapiolani
fr om a dangerous illness.
God has been better to us
than our fears. He has spared our patron and friend. May
her spared life & the aid deserved from her influence be
employed in the great work of publishing the gospel of Xt.
to her countrymen.
8 Sabbath Preached 2 sermons in the church. After the
evening service attended the funeral of a chief man of
Kamakau.
This is the second Christian burial I ever attended
at Kaawaloa. A few weeks since the mother of Kamakau was
buried, when a :prayer was offered at his request and an address
made to the assembly.
A large concourse of people assembled this evening, and
they were addressed on themomentous importance of preparing
for the solemn hour of death.
�670
It has usually been the custom of this people to inter the
deceased silently under the solemn shades of midnight.
They adopted this practice to avoid the scorn, and ridicule,
and jests of their neighbors who are in the habit of as
sembling and making sport at the burial of the dead. But
we hope the day is not far distant when the toll of the
church bell will p all the giddy heart, and awaken the silent
listener to solemn reflection, "I may follow next. I am
admonished to prepare to meet my God".
The man buried today
had but a glimpse of light. But he was thoughtful. At
the hour of his death he prayea — "O God enlighten me.
I
am darkminded, I have not known thy word and salvatlion.
I am darkminded. Renew me that I may live in heaven", &
expired.
O
that the Xtian church could feel the worth of the soul.
Whose heart would not bleed with pity to hear a fellow
mortal say in the hour of death--"I am ignorant I have never
seen this light. Enlighten me, give me peace in h e a v e n ”?
0 how precious is the light of divine truth. I t points the
soul to J e s u s . Some we trust are seeking him through the
influence of this light.
17 Returned to day from a short visit at Kai l u a . It is
refreshing to see our friends in this solitary land, and to
converse on important points relative to the operations of
the mission. But we were peculiarly refreshed with a season
of social prayer with them.
20 Made a short excursion today to a neighboring village.
A large assembly of natives collected at my approach. And
I was not a little affected by the tale of one of the farmers
on their oppressed condition. He said we were rich; we filled
houses with out? wealth; but they were poor, a man would bear
on his shoulder all he possessed.
I started the query,
whither this poverty was not to be attributed to their in
dolence? He replied, "No. We are sunk in discouragement.
We have no inducement to labor, but many thing to deter us
from it. If we are enterprising, we are marked by the chiefs,
and the property we obtain is taken by them. If we feed
herds of swine, or flocks of sheep goats or fowls they are
borne from us at the pleasure of the chiefs.
If we sell
produce the money or property received in return is taken
from us. The more enterprising, themore are we oppressed".
I am fully convinced of the truth of these remarks. This
oppression is a great barrier to the civilization and enterprise of this people. When the gospel, with irresistible
power, fixes on the heart, When theheart is
(?)
by the sanctifying influences of the Spirit, then may we
hope to see this people advancing in enterprise and civili
zation. The effect of divine truth on the heart is indis
pensable to the civiliztion of mankind.
�671
22-Preached in the morning to a respectable audience
f rom the text, "Unto you that believe he is precious",
and in the evening from these words "Because sentence against
an evil work---is not executed speedily & c .."
On account of extreme fatigue and oppressive heat in crossing
the bay under a vertical sun, and preaching in the open
air, I have b een compelled to omit, t o .day the exercise
on the opposite side of the bay.
But it is heart rending to behold the numerous inhabitant
on our right and left, who are going on t ohell, a n d many
of whom are anxious to hear of Xt, & not be able to declare
unto them the word of eternal life.
We need exceedingly,
at this station, the aid of a missionary brother, one who
can endure as a good soldier of Jesus Xt. The field is
white, the people will assemble--their is abundant labor-but alas the laborers are few.
The sabbath school attended by M r s . Ely is becoming more and
more interesting. The children conduct with propriety, and
make good proficiency in learning. To day more than 30
were present. To the children we are to look in a great
measure for materials to build the temple of God in this
place.
This evening Kapiolani called, and we enjoyed a refreshing
season of conversation with her. She spoke with great in
terest of the state of man.
"The heavens and earth, the
sun, moon and stars, the birds, fishes, the seas, mountains,
valley, and rocks all combine to praise the Lord; but where
is man, poor, sinful, depraved man. He is m u t e . God has given
him a mouth, the gift of speach and knowledge, but man re
fuses to praise him. Astonishing depravity.
They are most
favored of the Lord, and still most rebellious. They can
praise Satan he is their God". As she spoke she wept. "We
are awfully depraved, we are justly the objects of the dis
pleasure of God", she exclaimed, we shall stand speechless
at the bar of God.
26
Spent the morning in the study of the Hawaiian tongue
and in collecting the names of the several species of fish
in these Islands.
Obtained the names of ninety; this is but
a part.
Afternoon made an excursion across the bay, and examined the
foundation of a great N eiau. A spreading tree shaded the
altar as if to hide its pollutions. As we arrived at the
house of the chief of this village, many of the people were
collected towitness a dance of the natives.
These are now
becoming very unpopular, though they were once the sport
of both chiefs andpeople . M a ny appeared disgusted with the
dances and exclaimed "hilahila--hi-lahila"--( shame, shame")
This change of feeling is evidently to be attributed to the
influence of divine light and the change is evidently encour-
�672
aging to those who are seeking the enlargement of Z ion.
We returned in our small canoes near the base of the high
precipice that bounds a part of the bay. Here we saw shapeless
stones, the objects of adoration, the idols to which this
people formerly paid their vows.
They gave presents to
these when passing under the precipice to procure protection
from falling stones which not infrequently intercept this
path, and the voracious shark which watches the watery way-28
Many and urgent calls for books.
I gave the last of
our hymns; still there are many who are not supplied, &
who solicit them with great earnestness.
29-- Sabbath. Preached in the morning from M ath 14, 16-28.
I n which an attempt was made to expose some of the subter
fuges of this people--and in the eve— from M ath. 7, 7.
Uncommon attention to the word. O that som e m i g h t be pricked
in the heart, that some might be led toexclaim, "what must
I do to be saved. But selfrighteousness, I fear, is their
strong prop.
Sept. 3. Hopu collects the children at eve--to teach them
the Lord's prayer, and to impress on their minds the import
ance of early seeking the Lord. They are quite awake--Three
returned home and begged of their parents leave topray,
Sept. 5. Preached twice at K aawaloa and once a t Kei three
miles distant. Hopu attended a meeting at N a p o p o . Good
attention has been given to the word spoken. When discours
ing from the text, Let him that thinketh he standeth take
heed lest he fall", some trembled. One observed that she
never heard preaching before.
Today the word came with force
to her heart.
She trembled for her sins. In the evening
the people assembled for prayer.
The usual sports are
forgotten in their interest tohear of Jesus. O that the
Spirit might touch the heart then will many turn to the Lord.
6.
Absent on business to Kilai, a village 10 miles distant.
In the evening attended the concert. This season is peculiar
ly refreshing to us, and it is a source of no small encouragment that the Xtian church are this day praying for the
enlargement of Zion.
7. To day the chiefs of Kaawaloa have published a law pro
hibiting the drinking of spirituous liquor on the penalty
of 5 hogs. Intemperance is a great evil. We hope the tire
is not far distant when the chiefs as a body will exert
their influence to prevent this de structive practice.
10.
A man called to day to converse on the important concerns
of his soul. He has for several days been under exercise of
mind. O may the Spirit sanctify him and seal (?) h im for heaven.
�673
11. This evening a female called to learn of Xt and his
word.
She is the one who trembled in the house of God last
Sabbath.
Her mind is evidently affected with the truth of
God.
12
Sabbath.
Preached as usual.
The attention of the
people still awake to word of X t . Never did I witness a more
interesting day in this dark land.
If the Lord is among
us, how should we fear before him, At the close of the
evening exercise five called to converse on the concerns
of the sou l. The enquiry is made "W h a t must I do to be saved."
O
that we may be guided by the Spirit that a word may be
spoken in season to their souls. A former priest of Naihe
& his wife were of the number. He thinks much of his former
sins in sacrificing to idols.
14. The priest and his w i f e spoken of on the 12 called again
t oday.
He said he had learned a little, but much still re
mained.
He wished to know what he must do. I endeavored
to point him toxt as the only sovereign balm for the wounded
soul, and to press him to go up spedily to Jesus for help.
19.
Sabbath. We are not a little encouraged with the
prospect of good to this people. To day the house of God
has been crowded with a solemn and attentive audience, while
they were addressed on the peculiar characteristics of the
man of G o d ’s pleasure, and the compassiono f Jesus to weak
believers. O that the breath of the Lord might breathe on
these slain that they may live.
The case of the oldpriest
and his wife is becoming more andmore interesting.
20.
To day a school house of cocoanut leaves has been completed by Kapiolani. Here the people assemble for morning
and evening prayers, and here Hopu is diligently and daily
employed in teaching them to read.
21.
Visited Kei and examined the school there. A large
concourse of people being assembled, they were addressed on
the great importance of preparing speedily to m eet God.
Pray for us that the divine Spirit may set (?) home divine
truth to the heart.
28.
This morning Naihe and Kapiolani with their numerous
attendants sailed for Kau. They purpose to reside there two
or three months to collect sandalwood.
They called on the
morning previous to their sailing, made us a present of a
hog, gave us full liberty to kill a kid from their flock
when we chose, and directed their head man to supply us
with fish provisions & c . They gave directions also that
no one be permitted tomolest u s , that the people attend to
the palapala and the word of God; and appointed a man to the
charge of us and our house, and to procure for us such
things as we should need. We would notice with feelings
of gratitude and thanklfulness to our heavenly father, his
�674
kind intention to us, to us, in giving us such friends in
this dark land. May we be more entirely devoted to our work,
and may these favors qualify and stimulate us to domuch for
Christ.
After giving full instructions to the head men, and committing
us to the care of Kamakau, a chief of influence, and favor
ably disposed to the word of God, Naihe requested that a
prayer be offered on the shore, where many were assembled,
previous to their embarkation. We most cheerfully seconded
this request, and a hymn was sung and a prayer offered for
the protection of Jehovah while they were passing on the
great deep, and at their temporary residence, and for the
enlightening and preservation of those whoremained behind.
They then launched their canoes and were soon wafted from
us on the bosom of the deep.
We regretted that it was necessary for them to remove at
this crisis as many interesting cases of enquiry will
accompany them, tob e as sheep without a shepherd. Ma y
Israel's God be their shepherd and guide and lead them
to Jesus the Savior of sinners
Oct 3--A day of peculiar interest to u s . Mr. Thurston, who
is present on a visit, preached in the c h ’h, and administer
ed the Sacrament of the L o r d ’s Supper at our house. Though
our number was small the season was peculiarly interesting,
and our hearts were not a little elated with that promise
which predicts the future triumphs of Christ's kingdom
over the ruins of Satan, when the ch'h of Xt shall embrace
the earth & these ignorant, wayward sons of the Isles shall
be partakers of the grace of God, and/unite with his people
in this (Hole in paper)
9--All the people of Kawaloa and many in the neighboring
villages are engage in the palapala. The great cry is for
books and teachers. Those, who were once stubbornly opposed,
are now soliciting books and instruction.
10--Sabbath. Interesting day. Though many of our hearers
removed with the chiefs to Kau, still our ch'h was crowded.
M any new hearers were present and some of them from a dis
tance .
James Ely.
From
Rec 'd
Mr. James Ely
Sept. 1, 1825
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq. Cor. Sec.
A . B . C . F. M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Mass., U. S. A.
�675
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 113
Kaawaloa Ma y 1, 1825
Dear Sir,
In my last communication to you I mentioned the interesting
state of this people. It was my intention to have addressed
you again before this, but I have been deprived the pleasure
for want of a direct conveyance. I am now happy to state
that the interest of the people, their attendance on the
preached words, and their enquiries after the way oflife
have been continually increasing.
Though in feeble health, I have preached regularly in the
church, and we have reason to hope that the word has taken
effect in the hearts of many. Our church has uni formerly
been crowded, and a solemn stillness had pervaded the assem
bly.
Some of the hearers have not unfrequently called after
service to enquire more fully respecting the ward spoken and
to know how they might obtaineternal life,
family worship
has been universally established and some appear desirous
of training up their household in the fear of God. Once
a week an enquiry meeting has been attended and a respect
able number have been present.
It has also been our prac
tice on Monday to question the scholars of our school, (&
these comprise a good part of the people) on the subject
of discourse the preceding sabbath, and the correctness &
facility of their answers show that they are not indiffer
ent hearers of the word.
The sabbath school has flourished beyond expectation. The
children commit with great facility. And we hope that the
influence which the school gives us over the children may
result in good to their souls.
We may alsos peak with encouragement of the Friday prayer
meeting for females. This has been regularly attended and
its influence has been salutary. It has completely over
thrown the long established practice of the females visiting
ships on the infamous errand of prostitution. This practice
is now in a high degree unpopular.
The salutary influence
of the meeting may be also seen in the improved deportment
and reformed lives of those who attend.
A few weeks since Naihe and Kapiolani with their company
returned from Kau. A few day previous, they heard the intellience of the death of the King and Queen, and being desirous
o abolish as far as possible the ancient custom attendant
t
on the meeting of chiefs under such circumstances they sent
a messenger with a request that the people be assembled in
the church and that a prayer be offered and a hymn sung
previous to the customary salutations. In this we cheerfully
f
�united; and the example had a very salutary effect.
Kapiolani has made the tour of the Eastern part of Hawaii.
She visited the volcano 8c descended into its caverns. When
prayers were offered to Jehovah, She ate the tabued fruits
& drank of its waters, marked its sands and rolled stones
into its crater all of which were formerly forbidden, and
this she did notwithstanding the frequent and earnest remon
strances of many that were present.
She has taken a bold
step to overthrow the idolatrous notions of her long enslaved
people, and her steady firmnes and perseverance have had
great influence in the islands.
She often addressed the people on the folly of the ir ancient
customs and the necessity and utility of embracing the gos
pel of Christ.
In two instances she found idols to which
the natives pay homage as t h e God of fish. She strongly
remonstrated with them on this evil practice.
Morning & evening prayers were regularly attended whether
in the house or in the desert, and the sabbath strictly
observed.
The chiefs were, very cordial to u s on the irarrival gav e us
some tokens of their regard and renewed their engagement to
further to the extent of their power the good works of God.
A few days after their arrival the schools, on the land
belonging to their chiefs, were assembled in the church
where was an exhibition of att a i n m e n t s in reading, writing &c
The examination was conducted by Hopu. When the examination
closed a large company of the aged, the infirm, the'lame,
& the blind, (who were not able to learn to read) arose and
repeated two prayers taught them by H o p u :
And before I close my letter allow me to add my testimony
to the faithfulness of Hopu. He has been with me for one
year and his indefatigable and assiduous labor in season
and out of season, by night and by day entitle him to the
remembrance and esteem of the church. He has embarassments
and difficulties to encounter, and he may sometimes offend,
still he certainly has been devoted to the spiritual good
of his nation; and I may add is well calculated to do good
to this ignorant people.
M y health for the last six months has been gradually declining
The numerous & pressing cares which have necessarily fallen
(which have necessarily fallen upon me & the debilitating
effects of the climate have no doubt contributed to it.
But I hope to'have patience & strength t oe n d u r e . The cause
of missions is the cause of God & no sacrifice is too great
if b y it this cause be advanced.
�677
M r s . Ely wishes to be remembered affectionately to you.
With sincere respect I am
Yours
James Ely
P. S. Honolulu June 7 1825.
I am now on a visit to this station but hope to return in a
few day to Hawaii.
Last Saturday I took upon me the solemn or
clination vows, & was set apart as an evangelist to the
Gentiles. O for grace to fulfill my ministry & to accom
plish the work assigned me with joy.
I need not inform you that letters from you would always
be highly agreeable.
Yours as ever
James Ely
From
Rec'd
Rev. James Ely
April 10, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts E s q . Cor. Sec.
A. B. C. F . M.
Boston,
Mass. U. S. A.
�678
31
Marc h 1824 - March 1827
Kaawaloa
X
N o . 114
Oct. 13 1825
Dear Sir,
It is certainly a source of no small e ncouragement to the
benevolent lover of the heathen that God hasg iven in his
holy Word so many promises for the enlargement of Z ion.
He has promised that his Son shall receive as a reward for
his sacrifice, not only the house of Israel, but also the
fulness of the Gentiles.
Christ is destined to enter the prison house of the prince
of darkness, and to say to the captives go free; to them
that are in darkness, show yourselves; and to lead them forth
to the light and privileges of the Gospel.
M y mind has more than usual of late reverted to the certain
fulfillment of these promises. The Isles shall wait for his
law. The children which Zion shall receive shall say in
his ear, the place is too strait for me give place to me
that I may dwell.
And are not these Isles Included in these promises? Are
they not to be given to Christ as an inheritance? Surely
the present signs of the times indicate this. Christians
have and are still praying for it; missionaries have settled
in these Islands and are teaching the people, which clearly
indicate God's favor toward them; for when he has a work toperform by his church he will incline his church to engage
in it .
And the state of the Mission in these Islands afford encourage
ment that their accomplishment is soon to be realized.
Not to dwell on what has been done at the other ports, we
have abundant encouragement to'belleve that we have not labor
ed in vain in the Lord.
When we first landed here, the people as a body were unbe
lievers were bent on darkness; rejected the proposals
for their instruction, and despised the word of life. They
were profligate in their lives & awake to every evil work.
We have seen the mother beat her son in law for his efforts
to screen her daughter, the wife of his bosom, from being
conscripted by a foreigner; We have witnessed the whole
village, with a little exception intoxicated from day to day—
heard their horrid yells— and seen the effects of their rage
on the domestic circle. I have heard the daughter of eight
years pleading for the life of her mother at the hand of
her intoxicated father, a nd anon wailing,over her F ather, who
had fallen by a stone wielded by the wife of his bosom.
Truly they were darkness, But now they are changed; exter
nally, they are universally changed. They have abandoned
�679
their evil practices.
No female is known to visit a ship
for the infamous practice of prostitution.
No one intoxicated-no family broils. All may be said to be believers in
Xtianity so far as it relates to its being of divine origin.
Universally family prayers are attended--andkind attentions
everywhere prevail.
The natives are engaged in learning to read, and calls for
books are much more than we are able to supply. Often we
are solicited to hasten the translation of the Scriptures
that they may have them to read in their own language.
And the principle topic of conversation with the natives
is concerning the word of God.
The inhabitants of neigh
boring villages flock, hundreds in companies, to our church
at our seasons of worship-Three females a few weeks since came from a distant village to
enquire intothe new way. They said they had heard, and that
they were convinced that this word was from the Lord; and
they begged with tears that some onemight go over and teach
them the way of life, that they, too might be saved.
Nor is this a solitary instance, such calls are very fre
quent .
W hen the inhabitants of Kaawaloa visit distant villages,
where the news of this great salvation is noised abroad,
the natives lead them to their houses & enquire eagerly of
them concerning this new salvation. And in my excursions,
they voluntarily collect in large companies to receive the
word at my mouth.
Kapookulou, who lives here was formerly the hight priest of
Tamehameha . A son of his died a short time since a hopeful
convert. His daughter about 18 a very intelligent girl, is
also we hope a true penitent. When her brother died she
expostulated with her parents and earnestly entreated them
to prepare for death.
"Can you remain in hell?’
” she said.
brother is dead. He, we hope, has gone to heaven.
You are in the broad road; we have lived together in this
w o r d - -Shall I go & meet my brother in heaven and leave you
two to
in Hell? Shall we be separated in that world. "
With such words she exhorted them. They are now very interest
ing enquirers.
Last Sabbath I propounded Kapiolani for admission to the church
the first sabbath of next m o n t h . Kamakau & his wife, and
Alapai, a young chief who lives with Naihe, are expecting
to unite in the course of 3 or 4 months. A number more
give pleasing evidence of piety though we think it not
best to hasten their baptism. And a still greater number
are (Hole in paper) enquiring the way of life.
A few days since a number of the natives formed themselves
into a (Stain on paper) to aid by contributions in the support
�680
of their missionary. They have already contributed to the
amount of $50, in articles of clothing & provisions.
This
considering their poverty we think liberal. They say they
love. God and they wish to aid their missionary, whom God has
sent to them to preach the Gospel of Xt.
It should be far from us to boast of any thing that we have
done, or to speak of the work as effected by our agency.
We would give glory to God as the only efficient agent in
the conversion of sinners. Little did I expect when I first
removed here that my eyes would, in so short a time, be
permitted to see so much, favorable for Zion.
Indeed
I had calculated to witness a long dreary night of toil &
care & discouragement. But God has been better to us than
our fears; and in his name we have abundant cause to rejoice.
And could our Xtian friends in A, witness what we have wi t
ness, they no doubt would rejoice with us, & be encouraged
to'do more for the enlightening of the Gentiles.
Requesting an interest in your prayers & the prayers of our
patrons and’friends that we may be sustained to perform faith
fully the work assigned us as missionaries, and that by a
Divine blessing we may be instrumental in gathering the Gen
tiles Into'the ch'h of Christ, I subscribe myself with Defer
ence,
Yours,
James Ely
From
Rev. James Ely
Rec'd Aug. 21, 1826
To
J e r e m i a h Evarts Esq .
Cor . Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Boston,
Mass.
U. S. A.
�681
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 115
Kaawaloa Nov 23 1826
Very Dear S ir ,
The long wished for season for forwarding communication s to
-our beloved land has at length arrived and with much pleas
ure I would embrace the opportunity of again communicating
with our be loved patrons and friends
"ith gratitude to God would we record the tender mercies of
our Almighty father to us and our people for the year past.
The hearts of the people in a good degree have been turned
to attend to the words of life, and we have a pleasing hope
that we have not labored altogether in vain. Our chiefs
are becoming more andmore kind to us andmore andmore atten
tive to our instructions.
Naihe, who is our principle chief, has the past year enlisted
with a great degree of zeal in the pursuit of instruction
a is now in a very interesting state of mind.
I was much
affected a few days since on a visit with him to the bed
side of a sick woman. She was in much'distress, and while
I was administering to her some medicine Naihe spoke . He
said, "Prepare to die. Christ will come as a thief, Christ
will come as a thief, Repent and set your heart in order to
meet your God.
It is of infinite importance to b e ready to
go when Christ shall call. I have felt this, and this is
my manao (thoughts) to you". Reflecting on his former in
attention to the concerns of eternity and the great reluctance
formerly with which he couldb e induced even to speak on the
subject, I was quite affected with the change.
Naihe is very kind to us and to all the missionaries and is
decidedly in favor of the objects of the missionaries; and
though we do not consider him as pious, still we hope he is
not far from the kingdom of heaven. Mrs. Ely Instructs
him daily in reading and writing.
Kapiolani is indeed a mother in Israel.
No woman in the
Islands probably appears better than she and perhaps there
is no one who has so wholly given herself up to the influence
and obedience of the gospel.
I am never at a loss where to
find her in any difficulty. A steady,firm, decided a t t a c h
ment tothe gospel, a ready adherence to its precepts mark
her character. Her house is fitted up in an very decent
style, and'is kept neat and comfortable. And her hands are
daily employed In some useful Work.
�Kanikau, ofwhom mention has been made, is much broken by age
and infirmity, but he is a real friend to us & to the cause,
and his walk is truly Xtian.
Alapai is now absent on a tour around Hawaii with Kealiiah o n u i . He is an amiable young man, of an irreproachable
character, is decided in the cause of truth, and is one of
whom we have great hopes. He is an ornament to our church.
Our little church now consists of eight members, and we
propose adding one more --the daughter of Kapookulou one of
the high Priests of Tamehameha. She with her, b r other (who
died, as we believe, in Xt) were the two, who, when the ques
tion was put, in our early labors at this place, "who of
you wishes to obey the word of God," replyed most decidedly
"we wish to follow your instructions and to obey the word
of life "
The people generally attend public worship and many of them
are interesting inquirers at the present time. They are
very kind and obliging to us, ready to do us any favor we
ask. We often leave our house with unlocked doors and our
goods exposed, - and we always find them on our return unmo
lested.
Of the 20 thousand inhabitants in this part of Kon a , more
than half fall within the limits of the station at Kaawaloa
Honaunau is six miles distant, and many come to our meetings
from villages even beyond that place. We are also frequent
ly visited from Kohala, Hamakua, Kau & Puna, (more frequent
ly however from the two last mentioned) and people from this
place are constantly going to the above mentioned districts
publishing what they have seen and heard. By these means
the word is spreading far and w i d e b a n d considering the
genius of the people, their social communicative habits, we
may hope that much light, even by these means only, will
be shed abroad in distant villages.
Our schools are flourishing. Considerable efforts have been
made the past year to improve the manner of instruction
and many are already able to read the word of God.
I made
a survey, a short time since of the schools within ten miles
each way from Kaawaloa. The number of scholars exceed 2000.
And in the villages beyond to'the South including Kau, I
think that at a moderate estimate they may be reckoned 2000
m ore making in the whole 4000 thousand. Though I think the
real number will exceed this. But the number of scholars
is limited only for want of teachers. W ith safety I think
it may be asserted that of the 10,000 people who inhabit Hawaii
40,000 are ready to become learners , as soon as they can
have teachers; and with even the present prospects, we may
calculate that in two years from this date 20,000 will be
able to read the gospels and more than that number will be
wanted.
�683
Whole the gospels & hymns be printed b y the Board for these
Islands, I think that 20,000 would be a fair, number for Hawaii.
They will be the best article of trade to supply the stations
that can be procured; and the sale will be sure.
They ought
to be put at a reasonable price, and with the sale of them
we can build houses & fences, purchase our meat, fowls,
vegetables, w a t e r , wood & hire any labor performed that we
should need. And the natives at distant places can purchase
them with tapas, which is a good article for barter, if it
should not be thought best to sell them for money.
I have
expressed my mind thus on this subject thinking that some
might object to printing anything like a supply for the people
on account of the expense.
A'church has been built on the opposite side of the bay and
dedicated to Jehovah, where I preach once on each sabbath
in addition to. the two services at this place,
A very
interesting congregation attend. They are gradually emerging,
from the long night of darkness, and we have sanguine hopes
that ere long they will receive Xt who is the light of the
world and live in him.
The sabbath school under the care of Mrs. Ely is still
flourishing.
They are now learning a history of important
events from the Bible in the form of questions and answers.
We. have often had occasion to speak of the children and youth
of Kaawaloa, and are'happy now to be able to state that we
have daily renewed encouragement to persevere in the giving
them instruction, and have pleasing hopes that many o f them
will ere long stand as pillars in the ch'h of God.
Mrs. Ely has commenced a writing school for the improvement
of a select number of the youth, and they are now a b l e to
write a handsome hand.
I have had several turns of illness the pa st year, one of
which was quite s erious; but we are now in comfortable health
though somewhat debilitated by the climate.
It has been our lot to remain alone since our first removal
to this village, but God has been our friend, our comforter,
and our Support; and we are constrained to say, goodness
and mercy have followed us all our days. Many foreigners,
who have visited us have been very liberal and have supplied
us with many little comforts which have been of great
value to us . (J . C. Jones Esq is one who has contributed
largely probably to an amount exceeding one hundred dollars)
The present prosperous state of the mission ought to excite
our gratitude to God, and doubtless will be a source of con-
�684
solation to the lovers of Zion and of thanksgiving to the Fath
er of mercies.
God has given us an abundant entrance among
the heathen, he has prepared the way before us, and loaded
the mission with his benefits.
The chiefs as a body are in a good degree enlisted on the
side of truth and support the mission in this work; and
the people with great eagerness listen to'instruction.
We have good reason to believe that a goodly number have
already given their hearts to God.
But God has seen it best from the beginning, that opposition
to every good work should exist; indeed such is the state
of the human heart, and the nature of the spiritual life,
that grace thrives most in the midst of trials.
Trials in
stead of being discouragements are rather a test by which
the purity of a good work is evinced.
You, my Dear Sir, and our dear friends, therefore will not
suppose that a strange thing has happened to your mission
aries because they are called to contend in the midst of
opposition afid are calumniated by those who are enslaved
by their lusts and by the hope of gain. By our public doc
uments you will learn that the mission has its opposers,
and from Mr. Loomis & Doct Blatchely y o u will also learn
many particulars which we dare not write.
But we would have our friends bear in continual remembrance
what God is doing favorable for this mission. Even to our
weak, short sighted view we can see much good which has
already been procured. The wrath of man has been made to
praise God. God has a steady purpose concerning Zion and the
gates of Hell cannot prevail against the ch'h.
Here allow me to remark that we have thought it best in our
communications to give a candid statement of facts. We have
spoken of opposition and trials. This we have done, hoping
by it to secure the prayers and aid of the ch'h. But far
be it from any one of us to complain or to be discouraged
by them. We would not exchange our situation.
We have
no desire tol eave the work nor are we discouraged. Our
hopes were never greater, and the prospects in our view
were never more flattering.
But we lament exceedingly that many of our friends, even
those who are professed friends to Zion are so prone
to fix their eyes on the trials of the mission, and to
listen so reluctantly to what is said of those things which
are favorable to the cause; and that so many are ready to
calculate that God has frowned on the mission because they
hear of their perils. Could they but read the history of
Paul,--could they but read the history of the ch'h from. Its
commencement to the present day, and reflect but a moment,
they must form a different conclusion.
�685
But we hope there are many who are of the true stamp— who are
devoted to the Cause and who will follow Xt through evil
and through good report.
Not an enthusiastic zeal, which
is elated with fair prospects of success & which calculates
alone oh the bright scenes of the field--nor that zeal which
is warmed alone by pleasing intelligence of comfortable
dwellings, easy living & great popularity can constitute
a true missionary zeal at home or abroad. But he. is a true
missionary who is moved by love to Xt and his kingdom-who looks on the work of propagating the gospel as a selfdenying work--who calculates for perils, and hardships,
privations, a n d disappointments--and who girds on his armor
and resolves to stand by Xt and his cause in dangers and
deaths.
O
that the church as a body might imbibe the true spirit
of missions, and as a body enlist in this glorious work.
But alas what an awfu l account will many have to render to
God1
. Could they but cast an eye into the regions of
despair and view the multitudes who have perished for the
want of the light of life--and think of the endless torments
they must endure, how would they tremble for their own neglect
of souls.
But I have presumed to much on your patience already.
will therefore close.
I
Wishing you and'
o ur Patrons and friends the wisdom & presence
of God, and desiring your continual prayers for
our support, guidance and success,
I am yours affectionately
James Ely
From
Rec'd
To
Rev. James Ely
June 1, 1827
Jeremiah Evarts Esq., Cor. Sec.
A. B . C. F . M.
Boston
Missionary Rooms
N o . 69 Market Street
U . S. A.
(Mass .)
�686
31
March 1824 « March 1827
X
No. 116
Kaawaloa Nov. 5 1827
Dear Sir,
We are now occupying a temporary residence back upon the hill
three miles from our permanent abode at Kaawaloa, for the
benefit of our health. The village of Kaawaloa is situated
on a bed of lava from a half a mile to one mile & a half in
width.
The plain is bounded on the S. E. by the bay of
Kealake'kua, on the S. & W. by the sea and
on the N. E. by a precipice several hundred feet high.
Prom the appearance of the place it is judged that the lava
inflowing from the/mountain ran over the precipice, the base
of which was formerly washed by the sea, and formed the plain
on which the village is now built.
Prom the top of the precipice there is a regular ascent to
ward the mountain and vegetation thrives as low down as with
in half a mile of the ridge. The prospect near the shore
is most dreary, but two miles distant back upon th e hill
it is most inviting. The breadfruits grow in abundance,
and the hill is diversified with plantations of taro,sugar cane
potatoes, waike & corn all growing luxuriantly; and in the
rear is skirted by dense thickets of the ohia rearing their
heads like lofty spires to the heavens .
Yesterday was the sabbath, and our congregation convened
under the spreading branches of a cluster of kukui trees,
where I preached to them in the morning from R e v . 22, 17,
and in the evening from Math. 25, 31-45. We judged the num
ber present exceeded three thousand. The interval between
public worship was occupied in reciting catechisms; and the
hills resounded with the voices of the multitude rehearsing
the doctrines & duties of the religion of Christ.
Last night we were awaked from our quiet slumbers by the
shock of an earthquake.
It was much lighter than what is
often experienced in this Island thoug it shook our house
very sensibly.
O n the 6th of Jan. 1825 at half past eleven P. M. we experienced a heavy shock of an earthquake at the village at Kaa
waloa.
It was preceded by a rumbling noise, and its motion
was so rapid that it awoke us from sleep and shook us v i o
lently.
People who were standing were thrown suddenly to
the earth and those who lay at full length were tossed from
side to side. Many rocks and stone fell from the precipice
with a tremendous crash which added not a little to the
�687
horrors of the scene. At the hours of 2 & 3 of the same night
two others were experienced much lighter than the one before
described.
The vibrations of the earth were from the N. E.
to the S. W. terminating suddenly like the motion of a car
riage slipping on a pavement.
Our attention for the past year has been in part directed
to the improvement of the schools; for this purpose I have
had a school of the teachers, where I have attended myself
& endeavored to give them that instruction which would
make them most useful to the people.
A few weeks since I made the tour of Kau, Naihe generously
furnished with a double canoe well maned--also men to carry
my baggage & supply me with provisions. M y object
in visiting Kau was to preach to the people, visit the
schools & locate schools where there were none previous.
Naihe who has the government of that district seconded my
proposal'which greatly facilitated the'organization of schools.
Arrangements were made with the head men fo r erecting school
houses & for establishing schools so that all the inhabitants
of Kau may be brought under a course of instruction. When
I returned a number of interesting youths accompanied me to
be instructed at Kaawaloa and to return as teachers to K a u .
They are now attending to instruction under the tuition of
Alapai over whom I hold a superintendence. On m y tour I
preached frequently to the people; and on the sabbath which
we spent at Honuapo many of the'people of Kau were assembled,
to whom I preached morning & evening. A general stillness
prevailed and good attention was given
M arriages are frequent in this part of the Island.
o ur
Chiefs Naihe & Kapiolani are exerting themselves to improve
the morals of the people which fall, under their jurisdiction.
The "ten commandments" contain the principles on which they
act. Respecting the 7th they have declared publicly that
in order that a marriage may be legal it shall be performed
by a missionary--A ll those who unite after the former custom
of the country are to be considered as illegally connected
and amenable to punishment.
(Hole in paper) number of this
class, and a number who had separated have been (Hole in
paper) of late by Naine who ordered them to labor on a public
road from the (Hole in paper)
The observance of the 8th commandment may be seen in the
following fact. It is a notorious fact that the people
were formerly much addicted to thieving. Nothing belonging
to a foreigner was secure'unless watched with vigilant eye.
A merchant in these Islands at several different times, has
landed goods at Kaawaloa to the amount of several thousand
dollars. He placed them in a shed near the shore and left
�688
his boxes open by day & by night. By night they were left
with no one to guard them. We kept how
ever an inventory of
them. After he had packed his remaining g oods I asked him
if anything was missing, he answered nothing.
No one had
molested a single article, tho’ they might with perfect
ease have stolen to any amount they chose.
I am respectfully yours
James Ely
P . S. I have one request to make it is to be furnished with
a set of Hebrew books and a Lexicon on the Greek Testament
for aids in translating the Scriptures.
I should be willing
to be excused from the labor of translating but it is thought
best by my brethren that I should share a part of the'labor
with then, & as it is known I had neither means nor time to
furnish myself with suitable books when we sailed from N.
H. and as the want of them will be
great hinderance to the
prosecution of the work of translating, I hope the"Committee"
will grant my request.
James Ely
From
R e c 'd
Rev. James Ely
June 17, 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Boston.
Hanover St. Miss. Rooms
Mass.
U. S. America
�689
March 1824 - March 1827
31
X
No . 117
Edgartown ( M . V.) March 10, 1829
Very Dear Sir,
We arrived at this place on the 7th Inst, after a passage
of 144 days from Oahu. Our letters from the mission to the
Board were forwarded by C a p t . Swain to Nantucket & probably
will be received before this. I should have accompanied
them with a line announcing our arrival had I been aware
that so many days would have elapsed before the mail left
this place for Boston.
By the letters o f themission you will learn the heavy stroke
of divine providence laid on & my family in laying us aside
from our pleasing labors for the enlightening of the heathen,
& also the reasons why we left the Islands to revisit our
native land.
This providence has been adark one to us.
T h o ’ we loved
our country & our friends still we loved the work & prayed
that we might be spared & not be compelled to return from
that whitening field. The revival of G o d ’s work at Kaawaloa
a short time before we left & the great call for instruction
& frequent & interesting enquiries to know the way of life
increased our desire to remain. But the providence of God
(ever wise & good) ordered it otherwise. Our brethren advised
a return & we submitted.
We shall leave here In one or two days for Bedford & thence
to Windham (Son.) where I purpose leaving my family to visit
the P. Committee. A communication sent to me at Windham
will be sooner received than at any other place, as we hope to
reach there this week.
M y health is much improved, tho’ am not well. Mrs. Ely is
also nearly recovered. But I hope soon to be able personally
to see you & to communicate many things which I shall not
now write.
Mr Martyn the minister of this place is very kind to u s .
Capt Swain & his officers ( of the Ship Enterprise)
showed us no small kindness, & the owner, Gilbert Coffin,
of Nantucket, has declined receiving any compensation
for our passage.
I am sincerely & affectionately
Yours
James Ely
From
R e c ’d
Rev. James Ely
March 14, 1829
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq., Missionary Rooms, Boston
�690
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 118
Windham March 21, 1829
Dear Sir,
We arrived at this place yesterday by way of New Bedford.
We found kindfriends to entertain us at New Bedford as also
at E dgartown, & are now in the family of Mrs. Ely's brother.
As Mr. Evarts is absent, and as you expressed a wish that
I s h ould be in Boston at the monthly concert in April, I
have concluded to defer my visit till that time; & in the
mean time to remove my family toCornwall, Conn. to the house
of our Dear m o t h e r .
Your communications therefore if you have any to make may
be directed to Cornwall, Conn.
Respecting the part of your communication which alludes to
the subject of my labors being employed for the service of
the Board in visiting Associations & auxiliaries, I can only
say that I shall ever feel myself bound to do all In my
power to aid in the cause of missions & wish tobe employed
in the way which God shall direct whether to'go again to
the Islands or to labor in this land. M y health however
as yet is not good but I hope to be better soon. But when
I visit Boston we can confer together on this subject.
The dispensation to me is dark which led us from our pleas
ant & most inviting field of labor, & tho' I would ever feel
that whatever God orders in his providence, is ever
wise & good, still I do feel that a dark cloud will ever
hang over me except when my path Is lightened with the pros
pect of doing for the best of all causes--the cause of
missions.
And every day that I have passed since I left
the shores of Oahu had deepened this impression.
With sentiments of sincere respects & true Chris
tian friendship I am
Yours truly
James Ely
P. S. A package of communications from Lahaina to the Board
may be expected soon as they were intended to have been
brought by me but were not forwarded to Oahu in season.
James Ely
From.
Rec'd
Rev. James Ely
March 25, 1829
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Boston, Missionary Rooms, Mass/
�691
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 119
Cornwall April 25, 1829
Very Dear sir,
Since I left Boston my health has not been materially benefitted, tho' I think in the cooler weather I am somewhat
invigorated.
In my absence Mrs. Ely was quite ill, but is
now better.
The native youth has also been seriously ill,
so much so as for a time to lead us to fear he would not
recover. But God has blessed means for his recovery, so
that he is now nearly well.
I called on a physician in Hartford who gave me a prescrip
tion for myself & Mrs. Ely, which I hope will be of bene
fit to us both.
He kindly offered to attend on us without
any remuneration.
Should it be t h e wish of the P. Com., I hope to be prepared
& able to attend the auxiliaries of the Board where they
shall direct; & also to preach some; tho' probably I shall
not be able to preach much at present.
As soon as it may be, it is desirable to know where I may
be called to attend & address auxiliaries, that I may make
arrangement accordingly.
Present our sincere & united respects to Mr. & Mrs. Evarts
& family to M r . & Mrs. Hill & to all friends
I am sincerely &
affectionately yours
James Ely
From
R e c 'd
R e v . James Ely
May 1, 1829
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Miss. Rooms
Boston
(Mass.)
�692
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 120
Cornwall May 3 0 , 1829
Dear Sir,
Your letter came to hand a few days since; & I am sorry that
I am unable to comply with your request, to be in Boston
next week; & to enter on a course of labor for the objects
of the Board.
Till two weeks since, I continued to enjoy as comfortable
health, as when I was in Boston; but since that time, my
health has been declining, so that I am now just able to be
about, & have been compelled to relinquish all business.
The warm weather has affected me very seriously.
The pain
in my right side has increased, attended with slight febrile
symptoms, & loss of appetite.
I had packed my trunk & determined to go to Boston & see the
Committee; but have been so much affected since, as t o make
it necessary to enter on a course of medicine, & therefore
must defer my visit.
Two physician, whom I have consulted
have advised me to remain quiet thro' the summer months.
If I remain as ill as I now am I should not be able to go
to Berkshire on the 10 of June; but if I am relieved so as
to be able to go, I intend to be at the Auxiliary meeting
there at that t i m e .
It is extremely painful to me to be unable to render any
useful service to the Board & at the same time to becompelled
to draw upon them for my support. It was the moat trying
season of my life when I was laid aside from labor at the
Sandwich Islands & advised by my brethren there, to leave
for our native shores.
But the cloud darkens in
I would, acquiesce in the
& learn resignation from
me. I cannot however but
circumstances.
view of the prospects now before me.
appointments of divine providence
all the dealings of God towards
feel depressed under existing
But I will hope that when the summer season has passed by &
cool weather comes on that I shall be able to do something;
& that a long cold winter will restore me to health & to
usefulness.
With kind regards to Mr. Evarts
& family to Mr. & Mrs Hill & to
all friends I subscribe myself affec-
�693
tionately yours
James Ely
P. S.
Capt Blinn's first mate may possibly communicate facts to
corroborate the statements of the last reinfor cement'respecting
"the Passage in the Parthian".
J. Ely
From
R e c ’d
To
Rev. James. Ely
June 4 1829
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Boston
Missionary Rooms H anover St.
Mass.
�694
31
March 1824-March 1827
X
No. 121
(Printed 22 Missionary Herald 278, Sept. 1825 )
�695
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 122
B yr o n ’s Bay Hawaii April 4, 1826
Very Dear Sir
Although I am as it were still in solitude, yet a kind pr ov idence has watched over us for good, & we can only speak of
the tender mercies of our God toward us.
Since my communication in Nov last the hand of the Most High
has been visible to protect us from harm, & to crown our humble
endeavours with success,
eighteen in the course of the winter
past have given in their names to be the Lords, to use their
own expressions they say that they give their lives hearts, &
souls to be Jesus Christs, most of them as far as I have
been able to scrutinize their conduct as to their lives have
been blameless & I humbly hope & trust that the day is
not far distant when many of these poor benighted heathen
shall become shining monuments of mercy, ornaments in the
church of our God, & hereafter shine as jewels in the Diadem
of our common Lord.
In Dec. last a new meeting house was erected in consequence
of the old one & being too small the new one is about 100
feet by 30 & will probably contain not far from 2,000 persons
Mr. Bishop being here at that time on a visit, dedicated
the new house of worship since which time it has been
uniformly crowded. How would it animate the friends of Zion
in America could they for a moment step into our congregation
on the Sabbath & behold probably not far from 2000 souls
listening with attention to the messages of redeeming love,
they would surely feel themselves amply rewarded for all
that they have expended towards the evangelizing of these
poor heathen.
A new dwelling was built for me by government 52 ft. by 27
I moved in t o the it the 20 ofDec a few days before Mr. Bishop
arrived on his v i s i t . it is about 1 mile distant from my
former place of residence upon the land that Kaahumanu gave
me last summer when she was here in company with Lord Byron,
M y situation is'much more pleasant than formerly my house is
about one quarter o f mile from the S. W. shore'
o f the Bay per
haps 70 or 80 ft above the level of the sea, the soil Is
principally a reddish loam, that extends over the divisions
of Hido, Hamakua, & a part of Kohala, I cannot say from
experience, but I am pretty sure that most gardenvegitables,
plants .tropical, fruits &c would flourish there to perfection,
being favored with frequent showers of rain all things look
green & flourishing, probably no part of the island affords
�696
beautiful scenery as Hido, the murmuring of the mountain
stream, the roaring of the numerous cascades, & the region
around dressed in living green, give a richness &
variety to the landscapes, that is not to be seen in other
parts of the island; In some places near by clay is found
of a bright red that it answers well for paint, some of it
could hardly be distinguished from the v enetian fed, it is
principally found at the bottom of the ravines beneath
beds or strata of lava, from 50 to 400 feet thick,
there is
but very little variety in themineral kingdom, all the rocks
far & near are composed of lava some however are very com
pact & others quite porous.
There has been only one whaling ship here this spring Capt
Butler of the Dawn at York that was here last spring, &
here I would'not fail to mention with feelings of the most
lively gratitude to Capt B for his kind attentions toward us
by liberally supplying our necessities & we would also desire
to feel humble and thankful to the most high for his tender
care toward us, in sending here so kind & obliging a friend.
One or two on board give good evidence of having a work of
saving grace begun in their hearts since they were here last.
I remain Yours Sincerely in the bonds of the gospel
Joseph Goodrich
From Mr. Joseph Goodrich
Rec'd D e c . 12, 1826
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq Cor Sec
Missionary Rooms No 69
Market Street Boston
Mass
U. S. America
�697
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 124
Honolulu Oahu March 12th 1828
M y Dear Sir
Respected and Beloved
It is with the earnest feelings of gratitude that I address
you, at this time, for the kind attentions you & your am iable
consort' showed me the short time that I spent in your happy
dwelling.
Having now an opportunity of sending direct to Marblehead,
by a man by the name of Charles Wyman, who says that he is
well acquainted with you & your connections & kindly offers
to'take anything that I w ish to send, I have put up a small
tea chest of arrowroot hoping that it ma y he acceptable as
a token of my kind regards for you.
W e generally wash it before we use it by stirring it in cold
water & straining it through a fine sieve, letting it stand
a while to subside, then turning off the water & spreading
it out in the'sun to dry when it is fit for use, the more it
is washed the better, I also send you a sm all case made of
the sandalwood designed for a dressing case but not being
able to procure any trimmings for it, it remains unfinished,
The workmanship you must excuse,as the materials'were green
when it was made, the top is badly warped.
I hope that you
will accept it as it is, as a specimen of the wood so much
sought for by the Chinese in the worship of their imaginary
deities as an incense offering.
I left my station at Byron's Bay at the united request of
my brethren, & came d ow n here to attend to the printing as
Mr. Loomis was obliged toleave on account, of illness. I have
now a twofold opportunity of doing good, the pulpit & the
press, two of the most powerful engines in the possession
of man for propagating the Gospel,
Capt. John Meek goes passenger in the same ship (Rambler)
Capt. Worth, to Capt Meek & to Wyman I wou ld refer for any
information that you might wish to'm a k e . A whaling ship now
is favoured with a revival of religion on b o a r d . I attended
a meeting last evening at the request of the officers the
season was peculiarly interesting
Mrs Bishop has been called from this field of labour she died
in Feb last, a revival has also commenced at Kailua since
the death of Mrs B
Mr. Bishop has written to the board respecting it,
Mrs G the companion of my joys & sorrows has just recovered
�698
from a confinement of a second daughter, she unites in kind
regards to you although not personly acquainted, further
particulars you will doubtless learn from others.
Accept my dear Sir of my best wishes for your present &
future'happiness & believe me to remain yours affectionately
in the bonds of the Gospel,
Joseph Goodrich
From
R e c ’d
To
R e v . Joseph Goodrich
Dec. 4 1828
Hon. William Reed
M a r b l e h e ad
Mass
U. S. America
By the kindness of Charles Wyman
�699
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 124
Honolulu Oahu June 12th 1828
My dear sir respected & beloved
I received your letter by the arrival of the reinforcement
whom we bid a hearty Wellcome, as it was our happy not to
be at this place & extend to them the hand of fellowship &
receive them as fellow helpers in this great & good work.
I presume that you have learned ere this the reasons of my
being here at this time. That it may appear in its true
light, I will transcribe a vote'of the mission that was taken
at the general meeting at Kailua about the time that Mr.
Loomis concluded to leave us.
"Voted that in order to forward the business of painting the
mission decided by approve‘of Mr. Goodrich's removing from
his present station to Honolulu; but if he shall not feel
it proper to remove immediately, voted that we approve of
his removed at some future period, when other provision shall
be made for Hilo, or some of his present objections be removed".
A true copy from the Records
Levi Chamberlain Scribe
I left Byron's Bay last Nov having receive a kind invitation
from C apt Bliss of an English whaling ship Warren's to take
passage with him down to Oahu being previously requested
by my brethren I accepted the'invitation. Since my arrival
here my labours have been both at the pulpit, & the'press; so
that I have obtained some knowledge of printing so that my
brethren are of opinion that I should'be able to carry on the
printing should a press be sent out for Hawaii.there'is committee
appointed to write'
r especting the printing department so that
is unnecessary for me to say anything more respecting it.
Your kind reproofs & parental instructions I hope & trust
will not be lost upon me.
I have been so unsettled for about
2 years past, that I have hardly had time to have my mind
fixed steadily upon any particular object, I had hardly re
turned there a year & a half ago, before I found it necessary
to make preparations to leave again in consequence of Mr.
Loomis' illness though do not pretend to say the above is
any excuse for not being more particular.
As to my ascent
to the top of Mauna Kea (?) an account was give in our tour
of Hawaii any further account I did not deem so important,
I have been up there three times twice alone & once as a guide
to some of Lord Byron's officers. a particular account of
which I feell unable to give at this time, as the ship sails
in a day or two for America, & my time is taken up in pre
paring to return toByron's Bay in a few days. I hope to
give you a correct account by next fall; I expect to have to
�700a
have to spend considerable time in hewing out a house frame &
framing It &c as there is no one to be hired here much short
of 3 dolls a day a price that I feel unwilling to give; the
lumber that came out in the Parthian I shall have partly
enough to build a house the remainder I expect to hire the
natives to hew out plank & then split them into boards with
a whip saw. The last accounts from Byr o n ’s B ay are equally
as favorable as at any former period, the number of schol
ars there is not far 2500, & is rapidly increasing.
The signal gun has given notice of sailing, I must close by
wishing that you may have a double portion of that spirit
which is from on high to guide you Into all truth, that your
labours of love for a world lying in wickedness may be
crowned with abundant success, I am M y Dear Sir
Yours in the b o n d s of the Gospel
Joseph Goodrich
From
Rev. Joseph Goodrich
Rec'd Dec. 6, 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq Cor. Sec.
Boston Mass
U . S . America
�701
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 125
Byron's Bay Hawaii July 14 1828
My Dear Sir
The term of time for which I went to Oahu having expired
when the reinforcement arrived, I commenced making ready
for to return whenever it should appear expedient.
Accordingly on the 24 of June all things being in readiness
I shipped on board the Packet, after having received many
favours from the foreign residents to with the following
from Mr. Charlton the English Consul 2 doz cider , Capt Grime
1 doz of wine. Mr. French a case of brandy, & after arriving
on board I received the following note from T. C. Jones Esq
the American Consul from whom I had already received many
favours.
I think it not amiss to copy the note.
"
Rev
Mr Goodrich
Dear Sir
Will you accept of
cider, a small box of tea & a
way corner of the globe where
few of the comforts of life I
a dozen of wine, a dozen of
cheese?
In that out of the
you are going to reside, a
know must be acceptable.
I wish you a pleasant & quick passage to the place of your
abode, and hope that you may there enjoy health, peace,
and happiness; in the great work in which you are engaged
I cannot but wish you God speed.
With best respects to Mrs Goodrich I am Sir your Friend &
well wisher.
T. C. Jones Esq ”
Immediately after getting on board we set sail being favoured
with the usual trade winds against which we had to contend
for a week, & although a part of the way the wind was fresh,
& sea high which made it rather hazardous sailing so much
sothat the natives on board earnestly besought us to put
about & go into Lahaina as we were then to the nothward
of M aui, however relying on the protection ofkind providence
& feeling confident that we were in the path of duty, I
though it advisable to persevere, notwithstanding at times
the sea would break over u s , some wouldwash down into the
cabin whereby our bedding as well as ourselves became
drenched with w a t e r . we were nearly a week before we
could weather eastern end of Maui being but little more
than half way to this place.
I about 26 hours after passing the eastern end of Maui
�703a
not the way of native or common fire, for common fire would
consume the meeting house, but they (the glorious Deity) were
attached or joined to the corner thatching of the church & did
not consume the house, she then told him to go & call the
missionaries to come, & let us look at them together, accord
ingly he came in a very still manner & rapped at the door
as were about retiring we enquired who was that & what he
wanted, he told us to "come & see the house of prayer, per
haps it was on fire", "E hele mai olua e nana he hale pule
ua wela p a h a ". I went immediately to the door at the south
end of my house & to my surprise the meeting house appeared
to be on fire at the south end near the ridge pole.
I stood gazing at it a few minutes, knowing it to be almost
impossible to extinguish a fire in one of these thatched
houses, but to my astonishment the house burned but was not
consumed; appearing like a blaze issuing from the top of
a chimney, & what appeared still more surprising the fire
did not appear to spread or increase any in the dry thatching,
which generally burns with the utmost rapidity, I have known
a house to burn down I should think in 10 minutes from the
time it took fire.
Perceiving the flames not to increase
I stepped into the house to get my hat, & went to the front
door to go down & see the strange phenomenon & stepping ou t
the front door I perceived that it was not the meeting house;
& going down to the spot I found that it was an old hollow
breadfruit tree that stood in the direction of the corner
of the meeting house about 1 rod from the house it was hollow
from the ground up about 15 feet where was a large apperture
from which issued the flame as of a furnace. The origin of
the fire was as follows it being the day of our weekly
lecture w e d n
esday, several of the chiefs called on me a little
before t h e hour of meeting for conversation, at the usual
hour we walked in company to the house of prayer, when pass
ing the tree I perceived the chiefs bo y ’s concealing their pipes
& matches in the hollow of the breadfruit, I observed to the
chiefs that by & by they would set the tree on fire, not
supposing that the event would follow as it actually did.
The consequence was that I remarked freely to the chiefs
the impropriety of carrying their pipes & matches to church
with them ,their usual practice has been to call for their
pipes as soon as they get out of the church; if the wind had
happened to be at S. W. instead of the N. W. the church would
doubtless have been consumed, taking warning from this they
have ceased to bring their pipes to church with them.
August 12
The day that was fixed upon for the general examinations of
the schools of Hilo & Lum a was ushered in by the sounding
of about 40 conch shells which made the air ring.
The teachers &
�702a
we entered Byrons Bay & came to anchor in just a week
from Oahu.
.
We were soon surrounded by canoes & the usual salutation
Aloha resounded in every direction; & on landing we were
thronged by multitudes who extended to us a Wellcome hand,
& were es corted to our house by hundreds, who appeared to weep
for joy at our return. The usual custom of the natives
is to weep at meeting their friends as well as at parting.
Ou r\house was thronged from morning until 10 o cloak at night
for about 3 w eeks.
Their principal enquiries were respecting things lawful &
unlawful; what was right & what was wrong; they s a i d that they
did not realize the value of teachers till Mr. Ruggles left
them in the spring, when they immediately felt their loss,
& betook themselves to prayer to the Most High that he would
return them their teachers to instruct them in the right
way, Meetings for'public worship were unusually crowded, not
m ore than three fourths of the natives could get into'
t he
meeting house & they appear very attentive, after the exer
cises of the morning are through Mrs G meets her sabbath school
of about 3 or 400 scholars who appear very anxious to receive
catechetical instruction the fields appear truly white for
the harvest.
In going into my garden I found 3 out of 7 coffee plants
bearing fruit, only 20 months from the time that they were
planted, so I hope to be able to raise my own coffee in
the course of a few years, the trees are now 7 feet high;
grape vines flourish well but they have not be gun to produce
much fruit as yet, fig trees bear abundantly here & in
short almost all plants flourish well at this place. Turnips
flourish remarkably well here for one crop, & then they are
at an end for they are never known togo to seed in these
islands I should esteem it a very valuable present if a
bottle of turnip seed would be sent out to us yearly, until
someone can inform me how they can be made to go to seed
in this climate, beets & cabbages likewise never seed in
this climate, though the latter is easily propagated by
seting out the you n g sprouts
July 23 One of my domestics at a late hour was awakened by
a neighbour by calling them up to come & see an astonishing
sight; he raising his head from his pillow & looking out the
door, saw it was fire .... .
the neighbor
she/replied that it was certainly them." lahou la no"
meanin
g
supposing that it was the true God (the God of the mission
aries) had descended in fire to take possession of their
house he enjoined upon her not to lie for it was "he ahi
maoli no ", native fire, she replied, etole, (?) lahou lo
no,, it is not native fire it i s them indeed, for such was
�704a
scholars anticipate, & enjoy the examination with equal
pleasure to children & youths of our own country.
The number of scholars has greatly increased since the
last examination 6 months previous, being an increase of
more than one thousand scholars. As Mr. Ruggles has written
a particular account of the examination schools &c it is
unnecessary to add anything more.
Sept 14
The people of Hilo & Puna are now busily employed in cutting
& drawing down timber for a new meeting house the largest
& longest sticks of timber require about 80 men to draw them
down a distance of about 5 m i l e s . the longest sticks are
70 feet the busy natives hewing and drawing timber is not
unlike the sounding of tools in ship yards in our native land.
Two of the chiefs came to me requesting me to give sentence
against a native for abusive language which I did not hear
the sabbath preceding. they wished me to say what must be
his punishment, for had he used the same expression concern
ing the high chiefs in their former times of ignorance, he
would have been executed immediately. I have since learned
that his language was toovulgar to be repeated. I declined
having anything to do concerning him as'he belonged 50 or 60
miles from this place & had not enjoyed the advantages of
instruction. I pitied his ignorance & requested that he might
be taught to do what was lawful & right.
Sept 23
A native came from a distance of about 60 miles & appeared
quite in a serious frame of mind, enquiring what was lawful
& what was unlawful, what he must do & what he must not do;
desiring to know what he must do to obtain that better part
that shall never fail even eternal life. Although I have
scarcely seen a native who appeared to have that deep &
overwhelming sense of sin, that pungent conviction, that is
experienced by those under conviction of sin as I have wit
nessed in those'at home.
Many have come desiring to be baptised & admitted into the
church & to follow on to know the Lord , their lives & conver
sation have been blameless for more than a year past, yet
I feel that the utmost caution is necessary lest I should
judge amiss & be too hasty in admitting them into church
communion with u s . There are a number that are ready to
profess themselves on the Lords side whenever it shall be
deemed expedient.
Oct 23
\
In the early part of this month Capt Daniel M c Kinzie of
the Minerva Smith & Capt Sam l Bunker of the Alexander came
into this bay from a cruise on Japan, the kindness and
politeness of whom I cannot too warmly acknowledge nor shall
I soon forget their liberality each of whom presented us
�705a
with a barrel of flour together with many smaller articles
which were truly acceptable . There are now 4 whaling ships
in'port the C aptains of them all, are very kind & obliging,
Capt Bunker expects to sail for Oahu in the latter part
of the night when the land breeze sets in by whom I forward
this communication to Oahu M r Bishop is now here on a visit
assisting in our labours of love among these poor heathen;
Although the prospect is that we must remain here alone
without any associate for 7 months or more. Yet as we have
found the Most High faithful to his promises, vouchsafing
his gracious aid in times of sickness and distress we feel
disposed to rely on him entirely for time to come knowing
that he will revive and carry on this glorious work in his
own good time
I am my Dear Sir with sincere regards,
Yours in the Gospel
Joseph Goodrich
From
R e c ’d
Rev. Joseph Goodrich
May 12, 1829
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass
U . S. America
�706a
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
N o . 126
Lahaina, Island of M aui June 1st 1824
Honored & very dear Sir,
The journal of this station which was closedthe 23d of April
last apprized you that it was the intention of Mr. Stewart,
my associate, to leave Lahaina for a season & visit our
brethren at Honoruru. According to our expectations he em
barked with his family on the 24th of April & has not yet
returned.
The reasons of his intended absence were stated
in our journal. At the time of his leaving Lahaina, little
more than a visit was anticipated; but a variety of circum
stances have occurred to detain him, so that I am still alone
& have the prospect of being so, for some weeks to come.
Since our associates left us, Mrs. R. & myself have passed
some solitary hours; hours rendered solitary, not so much
by the absence of our friends, as by the visitations of
Providence.
A few days after the embarkation of Mr. S. & family , our infant
son was taken so violently ill., that after a few hours,
little hope was left of its recovery.
While we were anxiously
watching its alarming symptoms, Mrs . Richards, already
worn down with fatigue & want of sleep, was attacked with
something like the cholera m o r b u s .
We were at once taught what it was to need physician, nurse &
friend, as well as to be'in want of many of the common com
forts which we once thought indispensable in the sick room.
After a night spent in waiting on the sick & turning tne
pages of medical books, the sabbath arrived & I saw a large
concourse of people assembling "to hear the gospels charming
sound”, but there was no one to proclaim it. As the church
joins our yard, I ventured to'
l eave'our house a sufficient
length of time to go and tell the people our circumstances.
I also sung an hymn with them & returned.
After I left them,
Taua prayed & made an address to the people.
When meeting was closed several of the chiefs called on us
to express their sympathy for u s . O n the whole however they
were miserable comforters, for they were all followed by a
numerous train of attendants whose noise was not a little
troublesome.
Their noise however was not the greates t in
convenience;
Constant watching was necessary to see that the
spoons, cups & such other things as are'usually lying about a
sick room w e r e not all taken away by them. The day was'indeed dark & we could not look forward even to the'night as
a time of rest. On the'next morning however we were permitted
to rejoice in the prospect of returning health. M r s . R
was so far relieved as to bestow some attention on her in
fant, and in about -four days they were both nearly restored.
�707a
We have been thus taught anew to put our trust in him who,
though he makes sick can also make well again.
But while we have been taught to confide in him who is always
with us, we have also been taught the danger of being left
alone on an island where for w eeks & months we can have
no communication with any but unenlightened pagans. A new
reinforcement even if it should/
c onsist of but one or two
persons would relieve us from many difficulties which we now
often feel. All the stations which are'now occupied are
highly important and can not be given up without much loss,
and'yet we can not think of long holding all these stations
with our present strength.
On this island we feel no serious apprehension about being
left alone except merely from exposure to sickness. When
the schools on other business call me away, I leave M rs.
R. & her infant alone with as little hesitation as I should
in Boston.
In case any of the chiefs call in my absence,
their attendants are often troublesome by their obtrusive
ness, but they never offer any insult, except perhaps to
open some of our trunks draws or cupboards and examine
their contents.
This line of conduct which we can not
prevent, some times occasions us much trouble.
There is no way to remedy this evil except by constructing
houses in such a manner as that all clothes & furniture can
be kept out of sight.
No convenience or precaution however
could relieve Us from difficulty or even from some degree
of danger among such a people as this. Our danger would
indeed be great were it not for the protection of the chiefs.
The common people have so strong a desire for our property
that in their view our lives would be a snail price to pay
for it. We owe it therefore entirely to the chiefs that our
houses are not broken open and every thing taken from them.
It would not be from enmity to us that the people would/do
this, but merely from, avarice, or a desire to get our property.
We see here few exhibitions of downright malice, but still
there is scarcely a man to be fo und who considers the life
of his neighbour of any considerable value.
Robberies here are not unfrequent and'y e t it is rare that the
robber gets anything more than a calabash of poi, or perhaps
a marro or a few sheets of tapa. These robberies are committed
on each other but rarely on foreigners
gold attempts at stealing are at present rare.
Nearly all that
we lose, is taken in open daylight Sc frequently from before
our eyes. To this there are some exceptions.
Since M r.
Stewart left us there has been one bold attempt to break
open his house.
For two weeks we were under the necessity
of keeping a constant guard night & day. One ma n was caught
by Pupuhi near a window which was broken open, but was so
offended at our suspicions of him, that he used all his
exertions to raise a mob & burn our houses. Three persons
joined him they wouldprobably have effected their purpose
had they not disclosed their plans to one of our friends.
�708a
One that was most engaged to effect the object was a boy
that had been dismissed from our family on account of bad
behaviour.
He told the others that he knew where we kept all our knives
and all our spoons & all our clothes, & while t h e houses
were on fire he could get them. Insults & threats were con
stantly sounding in our ears till at length I applied to one
of the friendly chiefs who immediately took up the subject
with spirit & quieted all our fears. It is the first in
stance that any open threats have been made, but we do not
consider ourselves in greater danger than heretofore
except as we are alone.
Since our associates left us we have received a pleasant
visit from Mr. & Mrs. Ellis, and also from Mr. & Mrs. Loomis.
They have all this day left us, Mr. & Mrs. Loomis with Mrs.
Ellis for -Kairua & M r . Ellis for Honoruru. Mr. Ellis came
up for the purpose of being present at the interment of the
remains of king Tamauarii who died at Honoruru. You will
have the particulars of his death in the journal of that
station.
Since the close of our last communications the schools have
been in a flourishing state. I have just established one new
school in the train of Kauikeouli (?) consisting of 157
scholars. He gave positive orders for all his people to
learn. He said to them, "All my people who are able to
stand up long enough to read a lesson, shall learn the palapala,
or I will give them no food. In consequence of this order,
his school which before consisted of 30 scholars Is now in
creased to 157.
The number of scholars in the other schools'is also increasing.
The whole\number of scholars in Lahaina is now about 400.
The people however are so very changeable that in ten days
the number may be reduced to 50.
Our schools promise great good to the'people even in a religious
point of view, and that too while they are taught by heathens.
The scholars, by reading what is in the spelling book and
hymns become acquainted with many of the first principles
of christianity.
Our schools are far less promising in consequence of our hav
ing so few good teachers.
There are but few sufficiently
acquainted with the books, to teach them, and'many of those
who are well qualified as far as relates to the books we
use, are persons of such character as to forbid our hoping
much from them.
There are a few teachers however in whom we place much
confidence.
Their outward conduct is perfectly regular
�709a
& we have strong hopes that some of them are truly born again.
During the pa st month I have had regular meetings w ith them
once a week for the purpose of giving them instruction in
the truths of the b i b l e . I have heard them read the hymns
& then examined them to know whether they understood. At
these meetings I have required them to report the state
of the schools under their care.
I have also commenced a singing school. There have as many as
60 or 70 attended, and I found about 40 among them who could
sound in unison with my voice.
I think however, from what
I have hitherto seen, that it will be a very long time
before they will learn to make m u s i c . . Were it not for the
example of a few Taheitans that are here I should almost
despair, but this few do much to encourage the people, and
do/themselves sing with a good degree of correctness.
Beside the schools already mentioned Mrs. Richards has a
few scholars whom she teaches.
Kekauenohe, one of the
k i n g ’s w ives, Nahienaena, the Princess, & Holekii a favourite
of the princess, now come regularly once a day to be taught
English.
They are all able to read English with consider
able facility although they understand little or nothing
of what they read. W e do not expect that they will ever
acquire so much knowledge of our language as to be especially
benefited by it, but they are all'perfectly familiar with the
books which have been printed in their own language, and we
think they had mu c h better spend their time in learning
English than to spend it in so frivolous a manner as they
would do were they not engaged in study.
W e are also becoming more familiarly acquainted with them,
& s h a l l therefore have it in our power to'exert a much greater
influence over them. With Kekauenohe we are much pleased.
She is much more mild & modest in her behaviour than some
of her sister queens and is also possessed of far more stabil
ity of character. She has lately shown her attatchment to
us by pleading our cause with one of the chiefs who is angry
with u s .
Not long ago Th...called on M rs. R to'make her a gown.
As soon as this was finished she wished another made, and
w hen this was finished, she desired a third and this being
done, a fourth was brought. M rs. R. inquired of her whether
it wou ld not be well for her attendants who she had taught
to sew, to make the fourth . T h . ...replied "It is but little
trouble for you, for you can make it quick, but my girls
are all lazy and it would take them a long time to make it".
Mrs. R. then said to her "I am now here alone in feeble
health--I make my own clothes & the clothes of my family,
& I have no girls to'
a ssist me in it--I have not a company
of servants about me to go and come at my bidding & do all
my work, but I must do nearly all my cooking and much of
my other work myself--I have a number of scholars to teach
every day,--I have made you three gowns, and taught your girls
�710a
to sew, and now I leave it with you to say whether I ought
to do any more at present". Without making any reply she
left the house in anger.
She has not been near our yard
since, but we have heard of much that she has said expressive
of her resentment.
It is indeed literally true in respect
to our connection with the chiefs here, that we must ma ke
ourselves "servants to all", or we can not expect their favour.
There is however a very favourable change taking place
among them, and some have very different views now from
what they had a few years ago. There are several chiefs
now living in Lahaina who if they ask a favour, uniformly
make some present of much greater value than the favour they
ask.
But while we are gratified to see constant changes for
the better, our feelings are also very frequently tried by
new exertions of our enemies to retard our work. Enmity &
superstition are constantly engaged in search for new argu
m e n t s against the palapala, and would gladly discover suffi
cient reasons why we should all be sent from the islands.
During the last six months it has been more sickly than
usual, not only in Lahaina, but also through the island.
More than half the common people, ascribe this sickness
to the new religion.
Scarcely a week passes but we hear of
sane death which is said to be caused either by our new re
ligion or by our pule anaana
Not long ago Tauwa was taken violently ill with an inflamation of the lungs, and none of the natives supposed that
h e would recover. Our enemies immediately began to exult
in the belief that he would die and that by his death
they should gain some new advantage over us. They said, "Here
is Tauwa, a leader in the new religion, he is just dead,
and by & by all who regard the palapala will be dead with him".
As soon as I became satisfied what his disease was I bled
him profusely & applied a large blister to his breast, which
became very painful & did not heal at all for a number of
days. The people reported that I cut holes in his arms
with a sharp pointed knife, let all his blood run out, and
then made a b oil on him so large as to c over his whole chest,
so that he was already like a dead man.
It was but a few
days however, before greatly to the disappointment & sorrow
of the people, Tauwa, was perfectly recovered.
Some said that his restoration was in consequence of my
exertions, but others said that it was in conse quence of
some native medicine which he took at the first of his
sickness, which was so powerful that though I tried, I could
not kill him.
�711 a
About the same time Kaiko, one of the highest chiefs of the
islands was taken sick and sent for one of the old priests
to know what was his disease. After consulting the priest,
he concluded that some person was praying him to death.
He immediately removed to a distant part of the village,
where he called on his priest to offer sacrifices, and thus
ascertain, by whose'prayers he was afflicted.
The sacrifices
were offered according to the ancient form, but no discoveries
were made and his disease was not at all removed.
He then
returned to his old place of residence, but still believed
that his sickness was the effect of some pule anaana (death
prayer) .
His half sister, Kiliwehi, had before this been sick with a
s i m i l a r disease but had now apparently recovered.
As soon as
she heard of her brothers return she came to make him a v isit.
The second day after h e r arrival she played in the surf
as usual, but had not been out of the water more than half
an hour, when without a moments warning she became a corpse.
As soon as Kaiko saw that she was dying he called on one
of the old priests to save her. The priest immediately
addressed himself to one of his old gods, to which I do not
know; perhaps to the shark perhaps to the e e l , perhaps to the
owl, perhaps to the lizard. All these were by the priest
accounted as gods, but as his prayer was now not answered
he determined to pray to them no more. He is now attending
to the palapala & prays to Jehovah every morning & evening.
As soon as I heard of the death I repaired to the spot.
Most of the chiefs had collected before I arrived. When I en
tered the house nearly all the wailing ceased, & I was
pointed to a seat near the corpse. One of the company remark
ed "another high chief is dead; and then all eyes were fixed
on me, as if waiting for a reply.
I inquired how long'she
had been ill and in reply received a very particular account
of her former sickness & death.
After some conversation during which the chiefs manifested
their attachment to the deceased, they requested me t o pray.
I had never prayed in publick but once & had never made an
extemporaneous address without an interpreter, yet I was
unwilling that so favourable an opportunity of doing good
should pass unimproved.
I therefore'made a short address
to the people in which I attempted to convince them that
it is Jehovah alone who gives life, that it is he alone who
takes it, and that it is therefore entirely in vain to look
to any other gods for its preservation.
It was unnecessary
for me to make application of the subject, for the priest
as I afterwards learned, applied it to himself.
The funeral took place two days after her death & her remains
were deposited beside the remains of our former patroness,
�712 a
Keopuolani.
This chief has left one son about six years
old who is higher in rank than any other young chief out
of the kings family. She was formerly the wife of Karaimoku
but at the time of her death was the wife of Lono, a man
who has visited America and lived two or three years in Boston
where he received the name of Samuel G r e y .
Last week I was called to visit another chief in his last
moments.
He has been failing for several months & has from
the beginning of my acquaintance with him exhibited a great
interest in the Christian Religion, & I have strong hopes
that he has exchanged these regions of darkness for the re
gions of Light.
Just before his death he earnestly request
ed baptism; but as it was too late for him to be regularly
admitted to the church or even to partake of the sacrament,
and as we have baptised one person on a sick bed, & that too
without her receiving the supper, I thought it unadvisable
to comply with his request.
I feared establishing a prece
dent, which would lead others to suppose that they would be
entitled to baptism, even though their lives should not have
been conformed to the gospel.
The deaths of these chiefs and the prevailing sickness
are the common subjects of conversation among the
enemies of the palapala, and furnish arguments against
all our instructions.
There has indeed b e e n an u n u s u a l mortality among the chiefs
within the last two years.
Of the thirty highest chiefs who were living two years ago,
ten are now dead. Reports are constantly in circulation
that the spirits of those who are dead have appeared to one
& another and forbidden all attention to the palapala,
There is also a class of persons, who put all their confidence
in dreams, and another class, quite as large, that is constantly dreaming against all that is good. One boy dreamed
that the sickness is all owing to the Prince's confining
himself so closely to study; he dreamed furthermore that if he
would make the tour of the island, stop at every village and
have a publick cock figh t , this would end the sickness through
the whole of the island. The young Prince was much pleased
with the dream and was anxious to put a stop to the sick
ness by the proposed meathod. All his attendants joined him
in his wishes, & some of the lower chiefs. At length the
guardian of the Prince became so indignant at what was said,
to put a stop to all farther talk he in a publick manner
when all the chiefs were assembled, said to them "I am the
guardian of Kauikeouli--When he desires to go round the island
for any good purpose, he may go; but he shall never go in
obedience to the command of the Devil.
Abou t the same time another boy dreamed that the sickness
was in consequence of all the houses being filled with
A k u a s . (This word is used for any supernatural appearance)
�713a
As a remedy for the sickness the boy dreamed that all the
houses must be burnt. Kauikeouli said it would answer the
same purpose to burn a little grass from every house, for
this would affrighten all the Akuas. His me n as soon as they
heard this speech instantly commenced burning and it was
but a moment before all Lahaina was illuminated.
There was a strong breeze from the sea, and'yet the piles of
grass were lighted directly in front of our houses, and not
more than twenty feet from them.. It was with some
difficulty that we could extinguish them & prevent their
being rekindled.
Besides these superstitions to which I have referred, there
are also many reports, constantly in circulation, which are
perfectly false, and yet have no connection with any of their
former or present superstitions. One day it is reported
that all the missionaries at Kairua and Kaavaloa, are robbed,---another day we hear that the mission hou se at Honoruru is
burnt .--another day we hear that the chiefs-are about to
send us all from the islands.
All these dreams & false reports are evidence that the palapala
is exciting attention among the people.
This attention
is unquestionably increasing, and as it increases, its enemies are mere & more on the alert.
In this letter I have indeed given you a rather dark picture
of this missionary station, but on such a picture I ought
not to dwell. You will not forget the animating accounts
which have heretofore been given you.
I might even now reverse
the scene,--but were I to dwell only on the bright side of
the picture, you might think "the battle already fought, and
victory w o n ". It was only day before yesterday, that an
old woman, whom I should judge to be at least sixty years
of age, came in & said, "I have become an old woman and am
mow very near the grave--l y heart has been bad all the days
of my life, and I weep when I think of my ignorance;--I have
heard that Jesus Christ can make me better, & I have com e to
you to. be taught.
Give me a spelling book & learn me the
palapala . Instances somewhat similar to this are not rare,
and they do very much to keep alive our spirits & animate
us in our work. The darkness superstition & depravity with
which we are surrounded would quite discourage us were it
not for the faint glimmering of light which we see dawn
ing in the hearts of a precious few.
Though it is but a few glimmerings that we see, yet we be
lieve that there are stars here, destined to shine with
bright-ness in the'kingdom of our God. A light is surely
kindled here, and though at present it is scarcely suffi
cient to'enable us to discern the surrounding darkness, yet
this light is spreading, and spreading so rapidly, that there
�714a
is scarcely a month that we do not perceive its progress,
All that is necessary is faithfulness on our part; and that
w e may be faithful in sowing the seed in this widening field,
we need the prayers of all who love Zion.
Praying always'for you, that you may
be strengthened in the performance
of your very arduous duties,
I subscribe myself
Your Devoted Servt
William Richards
From
Rec'd
Rev. William Richards
April 11, 1826...
To
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
�,715a
31.
March 1824 - March 1827
L ahaina
X
No . 127
Isl. of Maui, Augt 13 1824
Honored & Dear Sir,
At the date of my last letter to you, Mr. Stewart & family
were at Honoruru & Mrs. R. & myself were alone at this sta
tion.
We are now permitted to welcome them back to Lahaina.
They arrived in the Brig Tamehameha, this morning, after a
passage of two days, and it is with no small pleasure
that we welcome them back again to the scene of their former
labors, where we have together enjoyed many pleasant h o urs,
Before we commence our joint journal I will give you some
account of what has transpired since my letter of the first
of J u n e .
During this period we have had general health in our dwelling,
& I have been able therefore to devote more of my time to the
appropriate duties of the station. M y own health has been
uniformly good since I left America. Of this I desire to
speak with the strongest emotions of gratitude, especially
when I remember the very t h r e a d i n g state of my health during
the last year that I was in America. At that time, while
I was confined to my room, some of my companions i n study
who were looking forward to the same object as myself were
in health.
By your last Report I am pained to learn, that they are
denied the desire of their hearts, in consequence of ill
health, while I am permitted to preach w h e r e . I Jesus Christ
has not been named,God in the dispensations of his providence
has indeed dealt very differently with me from what he did
with my brother who was not permitted to'enjoy a day of per
fect health on heathen ground. Having passed the change
from a cold climate to a warm one, and having spent two sum
mers here without material injury from the heat, I have new
reason to believe that this climate is congenial to my
health.
(See 22 Missionary Herald 239 Aug 1826)
At the time of my last communication, Kaahumanu had just
arrived here from Honoruru, whence she had come to attend
the burial of her husband Taumuarii.
She had no sooner ar
rived than we began to perceive that she was exerting a happy
influence on the schools & also on the behaviour of the people
generally.
Previous to'her arrival, the people fo r a con
siderable length of time had been in the habit o f assembling
every night near our houses; and by their noise very much
disturbed our rest.
I was well aware that it was for no
good purpose, and I was particularly dissatisfied with their
occupying the house we occupy for the public worship of God:
�716a
I therefore gave information to Kaahumanu.
She replied to
me, "I am not the acting governor of this place and it is
proper for me only to give advice.
I exceedingly regret
the practice, will speak to the other chiefs on the subject
and will give positive orders to my own people ". A few
hours after I called on Wahinepio, our governess, and while
I was with her a slate was handed me which was completely
covered with writing, and I was desired to read it. After
I had left Kaahumanu she had called her people & inquired
more particularly of them respecting what I had told her.
After learning all she desired she took her slate & write
to Wahinepio as follows.
"Love to you Wahinepio--This is my communication to you,
I have this day heard of the wickedness of our people in
assembling every night for purposes of iniquity.
They make
a great noise even at midnight, & thus disturb those who
desire to sleep--They defile the house of God by devoting
it to wicked purposes.
I am very sorry for these things &
think it the duty of us who are chiefs to give our people
charge on this subject & unitedly; to exert ourselves to stop
this sinful practice & especially to be cautious respecting
the house which we have built for the praise of Jehovah.
M y communication to you is ended.
Signed- ---------- Kaahumanu.
This letter produced the desired effect, and the night
assemblies were entirely broken up. This however is but a
V e r y small part of what Kaahumanu has done for the promotion
of order & regularity among the people.
On the 22nd of June she in a very formal and public manner
proclaimed a code of laws. At this time there were more
people in Lahaina than I have ever known except on one occas
ion.
22
(See/Missionary Herald 239 Aug 1826)
She then gave orders to the head men, to see that the mission
aries are taken good care of. She said, "When they travel
about the island, furnish them with pork, fowls, potatoes,
taro & whatever else they want".
The common penalty threat
ened to those who should break the laws, was banishment to
the island of Tahoorawe, though in conversation she said,
perhaps it will be well to tie the roguish men to a cocoanut tree & there whip them till they are sorry".
That either
of these penalties will ever be inflicted there is not much
probability.
Those who break the laws may possibly incur
the displeasure of the chief and even this will be a heavy
penalty. To all the farmers the consequence of the chief's
displeasure is the confiscation of their lands, so that
�717a
as soon as the chiefs are really displeased with immorality
the farmers will generally cease to be openly immoral.
I have no doubt but great good will result from this procla
mation of laws, but we have learned not to look on any such
o c c u r r e n c e s as the complete triumph of order & morality.
Kaahumanu has not only exerted a good influence on the people,
but she has also since her last arrival here b een unusually
kind to us. The death of her husband seemed to have produced
a favorable influence on her. character. She frequently
inquires whether we are in want of anything w i t h which
she can supply us, & has made us several handsome presents
of food. Among her other acts of generosity, she has given
a small bell for the church. It is of such a size however
that most of the people in Lahaina can hear it, & it is
therefore a very great convenience both for us & the people.
By what spirit this chief is influenced in her public con
duct, it is not for us to'determine. It, however, is not
improper to remark, that such is her natural character,
that she prefers to go before, rather than follow after oth
ers, & consequently, whenever she acts, she acts in such
a manner as to'distinguish herself from others.
She has not
been alone in her exertions for improvement. Within the
last six weeks Karaimoku has been twice sent for an account
of the illness of Kaahumanu. We always perceive the good
effects of his visits. On one of the Sabbaths when all the
high chiefs of the islands were present, the church was
crowded with people, & multitudes could not enter.
Those who stood about the doors & windows ma de so much noise
that I requested Karaimoku to'still them. He instantly
said, with a very loud voice, "Let all those that do not
know and regard the palapala, leave the house, & give place
to'those that do; and you that are standing about the windows,
you have not come here to hear the word of God, but you
have c ome to see us chiefs, but we will not be seen by you;
begone; learn the palapala & regard the Sabbath, then
you may see us, and may be admitted to the house of prayer".
(See 22 Missionary Herald 259 Aug 1826)
I inquired of her whether there were not some of the chiefs
who talked about God, & Christ, & heaven, & their hearts,
She said, "No not much, and that is the reason why I stop
here so long every night & morning.
The chiefs sometimes
ask me where I am going, or where I have been & I tell
them; and then they laugh at me because I had rather be with
foreigners than with them; but I do not care for their ridi
cule
(See 22 Missionary Herald 239 Aug 1826)
�718a
Soon after her arrival in Lahaina she went to Kaahumanu and
said to her, "You are the great chief--you are the old chief,
you are prequently ill and perhaps you have come here to die,
it becomes you therefore to exert your great influence
while you live, in behalf of good things. Do all the good
you can for you will soon die" . Kaahumanu replied, yes, I
will.
I expect to die here, and I will do all the good I can
before I die, I will be like my predecessor Keopuolani.
In speaking of the church, in which we worship, Kapiolani
said to the other chiefs. Have you heard that I have built
a house of prayer at Kaavaloa".
They answ ered that they had
heard o f it. She then inquired whether they thought she
had done right. They said "Yes, it is right".
She then
said to t h e m ''I am a young chief, I am not a high chief,
I live alone at Kaavaloa.--Here at Lahaina are many chiefs,
here are the high chiefs & the aged chiefs, and yet I am
ashamed of the house in which you m eet to worship Jehovah.
The mats are all old, rotten, & dirty,--the doors are bro
ken; & the hogs, goats, & fowls occupy it more than
you do .
She more than once spoke to the other chiefs respecting the
impropriety of their conduct in exhibiting so m u c h pride
in the house of prayer. She said "Shall we come here into the
presence of Jehovah to show our great Kahilis, our numerous
attendants, and our fine clothes ! Let us remember who
w e are. By and by the worms will eat us & then where will our
kahilis & ou r attendants & our fine clothes be"?
I might quote many more of her speeches & remarks, but these
are sufficient to show her character.
She indeed made her
self a very pleasant visitor.
(See 22 Missionary Herald 239 Aug 1826)
Oh several occasions within the last six weeks the people
have collected in large numbers, and I have had favorable
opportunities of recommending the religion of the Bible.
Perhaps none has been improved with so much apparent success,
as one which was occasioned by the burning of some houses.
On a very pleasant evening in June, just after the people
had generally entered their dwellings and all in the village
-was still, we were suddenly alarmed by the running &
screaming of the natives and also by the rapping of our ow n
boys on the windows of the house. I sprang to the door,
&, behold, all Lahaina was illuminated! Four buildings
were on fire about one hundred r ods from our yard, & burning
with most terrible rapidity.
The ocean presented a terrific
scene.
It looked like a Sea of fire & the Surf like flaming
billows, rolling in awful grandeur to the Shore.
�719a
The people collected in vast numbers, but in ten minutes from
the first cry, no light was to be seen. I did not leave our
yard for all the natives living in it went, & I did not like
to leave our houses without a protector at such a time
of outrage. Early the next morning I went to the spot &
saw the ruins. There was of course nothing to be saved &
nothing to be lost from the houses for they were not owned
by chiefs. The common people have rarely anything more
in their houses than a calabash of poi, two or three mats
& five or ten tapas. These things were all saved from the
flames, so that there was nothing burnt but the bare grass
houses.
In time of fire the people here exhibit a depravity of charac
ter, which, while in America I could not have believed existed
on the face of the earth.
(See 22 Missionary Herald 239 Aug 1826)
We who live in circumstances to know, need not the testimony
of the Scriptures to convince us that the tender mercies
of the heathen are cruel. I might fill several sheets with
accounts of their cruelties, or accounts that show a great
want of compassion & fellow feeling.
The manner in which
the infirm the aged and the sick are treated here shall form
the subject of a separate letter.
22
(See/M issionary Herald 239 Aug 1826)
After her return the people were for several weeks uninterrupted'in their attention to the palapala
But yesterday such intelligence was received as put a stop
to all regular business.
Before the sun had risen I discovered a schooner in the Roads,
but had scarcely time to inquire who was on board, before
I heard the cry from every direction.
K a u a ! kaua ma Tauwai!
Soon a man came to our yard in great agitation & called out
pupuhi, Pupuhi!
I learnt from him that one foreigner had been killed and the
chiefs were apprehensive that the man was M r. Whitney,
and they wished Pupuhi to go & ascertain.
I hastened to the
circle of the chiefs & they immediately handed me a letter
from Karaimoku, giving the particulars of the war.
I found
by the letter that the Lord had indeed taken one of our num
ber, but was pained to learn that the foreigner who was
killed was Trobridge, a young man of good information,
but who we fear was not prepared for so untimely an end.
�720 a
After conversing a while on the subject of the war the chiefs
concluded that it was expedient to send men and arms to the
relief of Karaimoku, but thought it unnecessary for any
chief to go. At this moment, Kaikioeua, an old chief who
had not been present, entered the circle, & was informed
of the convulsion that had been made. He sat speechless
for a moment and then in a most spirited and energetic manner
replied.
"I am an old man like Karaimoku.
We played together
when we were children--we fought together beside our good
king Tamehameha--He has never forsaken me, and shall I for
sake him now, when, the rebellious Island has risen against
him? No. I will not be so base.
If one of our number is
sick, we all hurry from Hawaii to Tauwai or from Tauwai to
Hawaii to see him, even though we can do him no good--And
now when our aged brother & our common chief is in peril,
shall not I, shall not one of our number go to his relief?
I will go, and here are my men".
According to his counsel, and in consequence of his most
vigorous exertions two schooners were loaded with m e n'and
sailed with their chiefs before two o clock of the same day.
As Kaikioeua took his leave of me he said, "What shall we
do with the rebels?" I replied, "Love your enemies”. He
said, "We are not going down t o'make war but we are going
to stop it. We will take the rebels & bind them & bring them
to the windward & let them cultivate the land. " He & Hoapiri asked many very interesting and some very difficult
questions' on the subject of man.
It was pleasing to see
that the consciences of these men were in some degree awake
to this subject.
This morning we were rejoiced to see the Brig Tamehameha
in the Roads, but soon were made doubly glad by being again
permitted to'embrace our beloved associates. By them we
learnt all the particulars of the war. We have indeed abund
ant occasion for gratitude, that our gracious benefactor
has removed all our number from the scene of danger and is
permitting us to'pursue our work of love, while our neighbors
are
shedding each other’s blood. W e hear the sound and w it
ness the confusion of w a r , but we are removed from the scene
of its horrors. Yet we are in a land of savages & know not
what a day may bring forth.
We would, however, be reminded, that a most glorious w ar
has been declared, which will surely terminate in the sub
jection of the w orld to Christ.
That all your missionaries may be efficient to command, while
you act as general in this war, is the Prayer of
Your Distant, but Obt. Servant
William Richards
From
Rev. Wm, Richards
Rec'd
April 11, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq., Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C . F. M .
(No back or seal to this letter)
�721a
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 128
Lahaina Isl of Maui Jan. 31st 1825
Very Dear Brother Anderson,
Had I any plausible excuse for not sooner answering your
letter, I would offer it; but as have non e except the one
which is always plead, I will confess at once that
I have been too negligent.
I have a little fear however
that you will think me more culpable than I really am.
In your letter, you said nothing of having received one from
me. Others of the same date had reached America at the time
you w r o t e . From this circumstance I fear it shared the fate
of several others which I suppose missed the road and went
to Old, instead of New England. As that was written on the
water and contained'nothing but water incidents, I shall make
no repetitions at this late period.
Your letter of Oct 13 1823 I received in March 1824 It
was cheering to find that there is one, for you are the only
one among all my College & Andover associates that has
not forgotten me. Where are the Hallocks--Where is Butler-Where is Brainerd and all the Brethren?
Not a syllable
has reached me from any one of them except what you w r o t e .
They must be much more neglectfull, even than I am.
At the time the last vessel w h i c h has reached here sailed
from America I had written more than fifty sheets, but I
have received only seven. I know however of some that have
been on the way for more than a year, and hope they will
soon reach u s , o p rather that we shall have new ones in their
place.
The scenes to which you allude in yours, to me, when we
walked and conversed together "on the most interesting of
subjects", sometimes rise so clearly in my recollection that
for a moment they seem present realities.
In the whole
however the remembrance affords but a chilling pleasure,--it
often almost freezes my very soul, and is for the time, the
very inlet of melancholly ,and depression.
It is not always
so, I sometimes love t o dwell upon the past, and think of
what & where I once w a s .
Do not think I live in darkness.
No you will not.--You know
me too well.
I can almost always see a bright side to
ev e r ything (except myself) and, though a gale sometimes
strikes me adrift in these dangerous seas, yet I usually ride
peacefully at anchor, and trust, through the efficacy of
Divine grace, that my hope will continue sure and steadfast
until the last storm shall beat, & I shall set foot on
�722a
safer & happier shores than yours.
Really, brother
Anderson, I long to sit down & tell you my whole soul.
You know how full ones heart is when for months it does not
unload itself.
I have some most excellent companions here,
that I would hardly exchange for any o ther, yet I want one
of my old friends, occasionally that I may lean my head upon
his bosom and feel its warmth & mingle souls.
Could I occas
ionally enjoy such a season as this it would blunt the sharp
est strings of my missionary life.
So much for an Introduction--now I'll begin.
As to the pieces in the Religious Inteligence on Missionary
Journals; I read them with deep interest. When I read
the Attack,- I thought it could not be parried--And though
it struck deep I thought we must bear it. But on reading
the Defence, I quite altered my mind.
It is well for us,
missionaries, that we have so good a Pleader, for I am sure
that his pen rather than ours, has saved our heads.
I am
quite well aware that it is very desirable to write as well
as Dr. Price would have us. But so much as this I can say.
It is not every man of talents & education that can write
well with out time, and a missionaries writing is a much
heavier tax upon him than I could formerly have believed.
I am well convinced too that it is not always he who writes
most on even best, that is the most ac tive & most useful
missionary.
The different subjects on which you request information I
have kept in mind. When I received your letter, I had just
completed the Memoirs of Keopuolani.
I requested M r . Bing
ham to write a letter to Mr. Evarts to accompany these Memoirs,
but I have just learned that none has been written, but as
they were carried by Mr. Ellis perhaps it was unnecessary.
Since Mr. Ellis sailed I have learnt many new and interesting
incidents in her life, and have also discovered some mistakes,
though I know of no one of great importance.
March 1st
The Journal of' the Deputation will answer all the other
questions you propose. I know of nothing therefore which
will so much interest you as some account of my little self.
My associate is now at Honoruru.
I do not like to have
him absent for he is a lovely man, and his wive is lovely
woman.
When we sailed, I believe you did not know his worth. You
may think it strange that we two should be associated together
but if you wish to ask any questions I refer you to Mr. E llis.
Since I have been at the islands you know that I have been
i n an import station, but, Broth. And--you know not what
a trial it is to be in such a station & be able to do so
little.
�723a
M y inability has lain in my ignorance of the language.
This
barrier to usefulness is now in part removed & I converse
with the people with some degree of ease.
For the'last five
months I have been more systematic in my attention to the
language than formerly, and while I have'been thus attending
to the language I have been accomplishing another very desir
able object.
I mean a translation of the gospel of Matthew.
The course I pursue is this. In the morning I take Knapp's
Testament, Schleumen's Lexicon, Dodnedge's exposition and a
few other helps and strictly examine the passage I design
to translate.
In the afternoon, Maro, my teacher comes, and
Taua, the Tahitan.
I give the passage to Maro according to
the best knowledge I have of the language.
T h e n Taua gives
it to him from the Tahitan translation, then Mano (?) puts
it into pure Hawaiian & I write it down. When he uses a
hard word I put the word in my vocabulary and carry it to
the chiefs so as that I may be sure to get its correct mean
ing.
I then read the translation to a number of people to
see whether they understand it.
Thus I have proceeded through seventeen chapters and hope
to finish the gospel of Matthew in about two months .
In this way I learn the language faster than by any course
that I can pursue. Since I began this translation.
I have
learned about two thousand new words.
It is t o o , exceedingly gratifying to see how attentively
the people listen to these portions of scripture.
I have
practiced reading a chapter on the morning of every sabbath.
It adds exceedingly to the interest of the worship. Multitudes
have applied to me for copies of the translation and are
m u c h grieved that I do not furnish them. Mano keeps a copy,
and from his more than a dozen have commenced taking copies.
When we are engaged in the translation it is really very
pleasing to watch the countenance of Maro and see how he is
affected by the different truths. Among the passages which
seemed powerfully to affect his mind I may mention, "In Rama
was there a voice heard", "The foxes have holes & the birds
of the air have nests" also the history of our Savior's temtation inthe wilderness, together with all his parables,
figures & illustrations as I have since commenced this trans
lation. We are familiar with a thousand figures, which In
our language & to our minds are forcible & beautiful. But
attempt to'use them in this language & to this people &
they vanish.
Not so with the illustrations of our Saviour.
They are always understood & they touch the heart.
As my associate is absent I have all the business of the
station on my hands. Beside preaching on the sabbath I
preach also on Wednesday & and on friday have a catechetical
prayer meeting. I spend some time with the chiefs every day,
and even since I came to the island have done all the pur
chasing of the station and superintended the domestic af
fairs.
I find this is no small tax on m y time. It requires
�724a
It requires; as much time to by a hog or a goat here, as
it would to buy a horse on a farm in America.
It is also
very undesirable for a Preacher to engage in such business,
for it on the whole tends to lower down his character
in the eyes of the people. For this reason if there were
no other it is desirable to live as much as possible
within ourselves.
I have hitherto been favoured with remarkable health;
but with my family it has been quite otherwise.
In Amer
ica Mrs. R. knew not what it was to want an appetite for
food, - -here, till within four months she has not known
what it was t o'enjoy one. She has o f course been constant
ly feeble.. She is now much better and I hope may enjoy
a good degree of health..
You know that Mr. Stewart has some times been rather
feeble, and I have therefore been rather more confined
than I otherwise should have.
I have been to Kairua
once but stoped only four or five hours , & that is all
I know of Hawaii.
I have not traveled round this island
much although I have taken several short trips. You
have probably had some account of a Rusian Discovery Ship
that has recently touched at Honoruru. Mr. Hoffman, the
Mineralogist came to this island.
I spent two days in
traveling about with him & had an interesting time.
He is a Nobleman, and a scientific man.
He came to the
island with the special design of taking the height
of the mountains by a barometer but was so unfortunate
as to breake the tube before we started. We made every
possible exertion to ascend with Mr. Stewarts, but it is
not a portable barometer and we were obliged to de sist .
Mr. Hoffman pronounces every thing on the Islands purely
volcanic, coral only accepted. There is but a very small
variety even of volcanic minerals.
The Islands are as
barren to the Botanist as they are to the mineralogist.
I have searched the mountains & the valleys but have
found next to nothing.
In my travels with Mr. Hoffman I found one or two natural caves of some curiosity the account of which you will
find in our journa l .
March 17th. Since I wrote t h e above I have been quite
ill; eight days confined to my bed on nearly so.
By the mercy of that Providence which is even kind I
am now again in comfortable health and have recommenced
the duties of the station.
Not long ago you received in the journal of this station
an account of the visit of the god Pele to the chiefs.
Y o u will be interested to know in connection wit h that
�725a
account that Kapiolani, has recently visited the volcano,
and done much to silence the superstition of the people
living arround it. I have received the particulars of
this visit in a letter from one of her head men.
When she was on her way to the volcano she was accosted
by multitudes & entreated not to proceed any farther
lest in anger the God of the vo— lcano should destroy her.
She answered, "If I am destroyed, then you may all believe
in Pele". When she had arrived near to the crater,
a man whose duty it is to feed the Pele by throwing berries
& the like into the volcano came out to meet her and said
"Dont you go to the volcano" Kapiolani answered, "What is
the harm? The man said, "Because you will die by P e l e ”.
Kapiolani replied, "I shall not die by your god. That
fire was kindled by my God.--Repent of your sin s ”. The
man was silent & she went on--descended the crater, the
distance of several hundred feet & there offered up
a prayer to Jehovah.
The man writes thus, "She devoured
the berries of the Pele, she threw stones into his mouth
and there she prayed to God, and all the District see
that she is not injured, and pronounce the Pele to be
powerless".
The faith of the people of Hawaii in the
Pele is probably more shaken by this occurence than by
he former visit of the woman at Lahaina.
t
These two
facts taken in connection are doubly interesting.
Last Monday our hearts were made glad by arrivals from
America. We had several letters & received the Herald
down to August. Kallock wrote me a good long letter
& for his kindness in sending Gibbs Lexicon I know not
how to express my gratitude, Such are the friends that
envery missionary needs.--I wish I had a hundred of them.
As I have just written to him and shall not write again
now.
If you see him, thank him ten times & tell him I
will write him again by & by.---------By these arrivals we have the sad intelligence of the
death of Richoriho & Kamamalu in London. What the end
will be we know not, but I almost tremble.
There are
some ambitious chiefs who I fear will make a disturb
ance. Karaimoku is taking every wise precaution and we
hope will keep all things straight.
The state of things at this station are at present flat
tering. The little Princess never appeared so well as
now. She attends the female prayer meetings and even
takes part in them. Those who have heard her pray say
she excells all the females they have heard.
She is in-
�726a
quisitive in asking questions and asks a great many of
a very interesting character.
It is only within the last
two months that she has appeared so well.
I think there
are now not less than seventy praying persons in Lahaina.
In the morning as I walk along the little streets I hear
the voice of prayer in every direction.
A week from next sabbath two persons will be propounded
to'the church at this station, Puaa iti & Tauawahine.
They will probably be received to the church on the first
sabbath in July.--Will you be so good as toanswer this question in your
next letter, "Is it scriptural to'receive a man to Ba p
tism, & deny him communion?" Just say one word about
licencing and ordaining, for I really want to see a word.My paper is about full and I have written you quite enough
so I take my leave, by wishing you, health, strength,
long life, grace, mercy & peace, throug.our Common Lord,
to whom be glory forever, Amen,
William Richards
From
Rec 'd
Rev. Mr. Richards
Dec. 8, 1828
To
M r . Rufus Anderson
Missionary Rooms
Boston
�727a
31
M a r c h 1824 - M a r c h 1827
X
No. 129
Lahaina Island of Maui, Feb. 1st 1825
Honored & Dear Sir.
This afternoon, I accompanied my associates, Mr. & Mrs. Stew
art with their family down the beach & saw them safely
on board the Brig Becket, bound to Honoruru.
They have
gone with the design of spending a few weeks at that
place & I am now again called to address you alone.
As I returned the natives in a very affectionate manner
thronged around me to express their aroha on account of
our separation, and particularly for Mrs. R. & myself,
on account of our loneliness.
(Remainder of Letter printed 22 Missionary Herald 142
and 169, May and June 1826)
�728a
31
M a r c h 1824 - M a r c h 1827
X
No. 130
Lahaina, Isle of Maui, August 9th 1825
Honoured & dear Sir,
I have of late been exceedingly disappointed in having
no opportunity of sending to you, or rather of sending
to'Honoruru from whence several vessels have recently
sailed for America.
As the Equator, Capt. Barney is about to sail direct for
Nantucket, I think it desirable to embrace so favourable
an opportunity, and bring down the account of the station
as far as possible, although I am compelled to do it
in haste.
I am under the painful necessity of informing you that
my associate, is by the hand of Providence, still detained at Honoruru. An unexpected cloud now hangs over this
station. When M r. Stewart & family left Lahaina, we were
anticipating a reunion in a few weeks at farthest. Six
months have elapsed and there is now no prospect of a
speedy return. Our hearts too are trembling with anxiety
lest we should no more embrace our dear sister on this
side the grave.
The particulars of Mrs. Stewart's decline, you will recei ve from Honoruru.
The last communication transmitted to you from Lahaina,
was my journal, dated May 4th.
That journal has probably not left, Oahu yet, & of course
will go by the same conveyance as this letter.
During the last three months, there has not been so con
stant a succession of interesting events here as during
the period embraced in my last communications.
There have been a few occurences however which have exceed
ingly rejoiced our hearts & will, I doubt not, be ani
mating to all the friends of Missions.
When I closed my journal the chiefs had just embarked for.
Honoruru on board the Blonde frigate & Lahaina was left
with comparatively few inhabitant. Kehekiri, (Thunder)
a chief of low rank, was the only one who remained.
As he is an enemy both to our instructions and to us,
we neither expected nor have we received many favours
under his administration.
�729a
A few weeks after he was constituted governour of the
island, he collected a great multitude of people & dis
tributed among them a number of hogsheads of the
intoxicating Ti, in return for which he required them to
clear out his fish ponds. This he has done in one
instance before.
In both cases the consequence was,
that for two days there were few sober people except among
our pupils.
The high chiefs have none of them yet returned, &
so many of their attendants have been following them from
time to time, that the number of our pupils in Lahaina
has been much diminished.
Could we have had a supply
of books we should much more than have kept our number
good.
(Remainder of Letter printed 22 Missionary Herald 174 June,
1826)
�73 0a
31
M a r c h 1824 - M a r c h 1827
X
No. 131
Lahaina Island of Maul Nov. 30th 1825
Honoured and v er y dear Sir,
My last communication to you bearing date of August 9th
I forwarded by C apt. Barney of the ship Equator, who (?)
sailed for Nantucket a short time after the date of that
letter.
Since that time the Lahaina station has passed consider
able changes, and we have been thrown into unexpected
and some times trying circumstances.
But while called to bear the burden of this station alone,
and while hearing of our fellow missionaries in other
lands who "rest from their labours
and even while our
own associates are compelled to remove from this fast
whitening field, we must still speak of ourselves as
highly favoured of the Lord for though dark clouds have
hovered over us, and though we have had many fears
respecting our own health y et these clouds have most of
them been entirely scattered and our health is still
unimpaired.
(Remainder of letter printed 23 Missionary Herald 33
Feb 1827)
Journal of Rev. Mr. Richards
Rec'd D ec . 19, 1826
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S . A.
�731a
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 132
(Mission House Honolulu,
(Island of Oahu, March 10th, 1826
Honoured & very dear Sir,
You will doubtless be surprised at seeing a letter of
mine dated at this place, but though absent from the sta
tion which I was appointed to occupy and where I usually
reside, it is still my duty by every favourable opportun
ity, to acquaint you of my circumstances and how I am
from month tomonth employed.
The United States schooner Dolphin is now lying here,
& the Capt. has offered to take letters and forward them
to New England via Panama. We have now therefore a pros
pect of a very direct conveyance.
Letters across the
continent may reach you in sixty days from this place.
My last letter to you bearing date of Nov. 3 0 t h is
still on hand and will probably go by this conveyance.
By that letter you will learn nearly all that I can
now communicate respecting the Lahaina station.
While I remained at Lahaina, the number of schools on
the island were gradually increasing, and the prospects
of the station were in every respect as encouraging as
they have been at any period of my residence there.
On the 29th of Dec. we were animated and encouraged by
the arrival of Mr. Chamberlain who w ent to Lahaina, for
the particular purpose of attending the king as in
structor.
The arrival of the king and several other high chiefs
increased the labours of the station, but the society
of M r Chamberlain and the assistance which he in various
ways rendered, made the last part of our residence
there peculiarly pleasant. His business at this place
however was such that he could not be absent for a long
t i m e . We had hoped that another from this or some
other station would be able to take up a temporary res
idence with us at Lahaina, and thus prevent the necessity
of having that place entirely deserted.
Various circumstances however prevented every one except
Chamberlain from leaving their own station.
The circumstances attending our departure from Lahaina
were such as could not fail to awaken the deepest inter
est in all concerned.
�732a
As soon as it was known that we designed leaving that
place, the people began to throng our houses anew many
weeping and all expressing in the strongest terms their
great sorrow, and inquiring what they, the "sheep should
do without a shepherd".
The vessel by which we designed to come down sailed
earlier than we expected and when the chiefs found that
we could stay a little longer, they proposed to send
a vessel on purpose when I should wish to leave.
They
also proposed to send a vessel to Kailua for Mr. Bishop,
but as I thought he would not be able to come, I discour
aged them from doing it. The people seemed disposed to
make almost any sacrifice, rather than be left without
a teacher even for a few weeks. On the 19th of Jan.
when all was ready for'our embarkation the people, to the
number of perhaps 1,000, of their own accord assembled
in & about a house on the beach, from whence after a sea
son, of prayer we took our departure.
Thirty orforty
persons accompanied us on board the schooner, and there
took their'leave of us. Mr. Chamberlain remained with the
king until about the middle of Feb. when he and several
of the other chiefs returned to this place. After a
long and unpleasant passage of about fifty hours we
were welcomed to this station which we have not visited
before for two years.
(The necessity of visiting this place arose from the expected
illness of Mrs. Richards which took place on Feb. 17th
and terminated happily in the birth of a healthy son,
whose name is Charles Stewart. Dr. Blatchely would have
visited us at Lahaina, but for the sickness of Karaimoku
which made it perfectly impracticable)
We hope now to return in a few days though there are
yet several subjects which require the attention of the
mission generally; and if by prolonging my visit, these
subjects can be settled, I shall probably remain a while
longer .
During my absence, worship is conducted on the sabbath,
by Taua & Robert, both of whom are still very useful &
stand high in the affections of the (Hole in paper).
Meetings a r e also conducted in the villages near every
sabbath by
A rtimius & others.
Since we left Lahaina, we have received several very
pleasing testimonials of affectionate remembrance, &
from all that I can learn, I am induced to believe that
there is a considerable number there that stand firm
to their religious sentiments, even in the midst of temp
tation.
Indeed I have just proposed seven candidates
for baptism & church membership a more full account of
�733a
whom I shall give you, when the opinion of our whole church
is known respecting them. We are constantly receiving
letters from Lahaina--by one vessel we received more than
30 and in all have received about 100.
These letters
generally contain little more than a salutation, though
there are a few that I think you would be pleased to per
use.
These I shall send with a translation of them.
By the journal of this station you w i l l be informed of
the unhappy occurences here. The assault on the mission
at this place was in some respects of a more serious
character than the one at Maui, particularly as it ap
peared to be sanctioned by the American government and
consequently frightened the chiefs into a compliance
with the wishes of the mob.
You will not cease to pray that we may "be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked men" and that we in all things
may b e firm to the trust which the churches have reposed
in u s .
With sincere respect and affection I am as ever,
Your Servant
For Jesus sake
William Richards
From
Rec 'd
Rev. Wm. Richards
Oct. 25, 1827
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
4
�734a
31
M a r c h 1824 - M a r c h 1827
X
No. 133
Honolulu, Oahua, May 9th 1826
Dear Brother Anderson,
I write you a few lines now, just to inform you that we
have many letters on hand but do not think best to send
them by the present conveyance. The United States schooner
Dolphin, Capt. Percival has now been here four months,
and is about to sail for Valparaiso.
The C apt long ago
offered to take letters, under the expectation of proceed
ing from this place direct to Panama from whence letters
would reach New England in a few weeks. Apprehending
so good an opportunity to send, we prepared many letters,
but as the schooner has altered her course we shall keep
them till the whale ships arrive which will be in about
three months.
I have now In my desk, one letter to your
self, two for M r. Stewart, and two for Mr. Evarts bring
ing down the account of the Lahaina Station to the time
I left it which was on the 19th of January.
I came down
for medical aid, but we are all now in health and hope
to return soon.
I hope that ere this, my beloved associate, Mr. Stewart,
has arrived in Boston. About two months ago I sent by
Ca pt . Edw a r d s , via Canton,two long letters to him, the
contents of which he will probably communicate to you.
I now hope that the letters by that conveyance will be
early received for they contain the only accounts respect
ing the general state of the Mission which will be sent
for a long time. At the time Capt. Edwards sailed we
expected, that letters by him would not reach America
so soon as by Capt. Percival.
But the sailing of the schooon
er being so. long delayed and her course being altered,
our hopes are now disappointed.
This letter may go very direct or it may be a long time
on the way.
There is so much uncertainty that I shall
not write much.
The Influenza is now prevailing here and carrying off
great numbers. One high chief, Kahalaia, is among the
dead.
We have been considerably affected but are all better.
Now, Brother Anderson, I feel under the necessity of
entreating even in this letter, that another physician
may come to our aid as soon as possible. The first
ship that can take passengers for America will without
doubt leave us destitute.
There has nothing yet been
publickly said to the mission about it. We shall most
�735a
certainly have severe trials before many months, I know
not what to do, what to say or what to write.
If you
want any explanation ask Mr. Stewart.
What ground Dr. B. will take I do not know, though I
rather think he will plead ill health.
The first time
he introduced the subject to me however he did not allude
to that, and his health is evidently better now than it
was two years a g o .
I will just add, do not fail to send us printing paper.
You can form no idea how much we are cramped for the want
of it .
Whatever may be the state of your fun d s we ought from
this time always to have two hundred reams on hand; at
least this ought to be the calculation, lest we should
at some time be left destitute.
Supplying us with paper
will not add to our expences, for our books are now
far the best articles of trade which we have.
I finished a translation of the gospel of Matthew nearly
a year ago. Mr. B . has one about finished and others
are engaged in translating: so that you see we can have
the gospels before long if they can b e printed.
I shall
write you more fully on this subject by another convey
ance.
In the me a n time accept t h e assurance of the unabated
affection and pleasant remembrance of
Your Class-mate and
Christia n Brother
William Richards
From
R e c ’d
Rev. Wm. Richards
Oct. 24, 1826
To
Mr. Rufus Anderson
Assistant Secretary of the
A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
�736a
31
M a r c h 1824 - M a r c h 1827
X
No. 134
Lahaina Island of Maul June 10th 1826
Honoured and very dear Sir,
My last communications to you bearing date of March 10th
were written from Honolulu, at which place myself and
family were by various circumstances, detained until May
19th. My letters from that place were written with the
expectation that they would reach you by an early convey
ance: but I was disappointed.
Lieut. Percival had offer
ed to convey them across the continent via Panama.
After staying at Oahu about four months however, it became
necessary for him to make a direct course to Valparaiso
and we thought b est to detain our letters till a morefavourable opportunity. Those letters afterward went by
way of Canton, but I shall send a duplicate of them by
this conveyance, which I expect will be by way of Mexico.
They go from this place in the Ainoa, C a p t . Lang.
W hile Mrs. R and myself remained at Oahu, our hearts
were cheered by numerous packets of letters from our
American friends, and also by various articles of support
and comfort which they kindly sent us. All the articles
we have received have been particularly acknowledged in
our private letters . It is proper however to say here ,
that every kind of stationary and all necessary articles
of furniture which our friends send us, not only add to
our comfort, but generally save the Board much more expense
than the value of the articles in America.
In time of the general sickness which prevailed at Oahu
just before we left there, Mrs. R. myself, & both of our
children and both of our domestics were so much affected
that for a few days we were all confined to the house
and some of us to our beds: but having a physician by
o u r side and receiving the kind attention of friends
and the blessing of Providence we s oon recovered and since
that time have all enjoyed good health.
We left Honolulu on the morning of May 19th and arrived
at this place the next evening. As soon as it was known
that we had arrived, the people began to call upon us
and in the space of three hours we received hundreds
of visitors, all of whom testified by their countenances
as well as their boisterous vociferations that we were
welcome back to Lahaina. Although we arrived at sunset
on Saturday evening, yet the news of our arrival spread
so rapidly that on the sabbath many cam e to meeting
from a distance of six, seven, or eight miles.
�737a
The joy at our return was not confined to the people,
for. we were ourselves exceedingly happy in being permitted
to return to this pleasant field of our labours, and again
meeting our Lahaina friends. Many however, we soon per
ceived "to be missing- -gone to their long hone. During
the four months of our absence there had been twenty four
deaths, in and about Lahaina.
But though there are 1400
pupils' embraced in the schools, yet only four of the
deaths were among their number. One of these was by a
fall from a precipice while after wood for a house.
The other three died of the influenza.
This disorder
spread over all Maui at the same time that it prevailed
at Oahu.
It was however much less mortal here than at
Honolulu.
There were few died of the disorder who enjoy
ed good health previous' to being affected by i t .
The old and infirm persons of irregular habits and u n
healthy infants, were the subjects to whom the disease
proved mortal. Among the number of the dead, is one
of the highest chiefs. As we were approaching Lahaina we perceived
a double canoe approaching us with a number of men in it.
We soon discovered that they had come with tidings. As soon
as they reached the vessel the messenger arose in the
stern of the canoe, stood for a moment, turning his
eyes fore & aft, as if to attract the attehtion of us all,
and then exclaimed , Wahine Pio is dead, Wahine Pio is
dead". We had heard of her sickness but none thought her
to be near her end.
She was affected ?/ith the prevailing influenza but not
seriously. A violent
inflamation in her lower extremities,
which terminated in gangrene; a nd gradually extended
upwards, was probably the cause of her death.
She has often been spoken of in our publick journals
& from them you have already learnt her character.
We have but little reason to hope that there was any
favourable change in her character previous to her death.
The providence of God in prolonging the life of her sick
brother and removing her & her son is very noticiable
There is very much reason to believe that she & her son
had planned a rebellion against the lawful government,
and were only waiting for the death of Kalaimoko to put
their plans in execution. But he is yet alive, while
she and her son have gone to learn the reality of those
truths which while here they
disbelieved and
even despised.
The funeral of Wahine Pio was attended
on monday the 22nd and'her remains deposited in the tomb
of Keopuolani.
A few days after my return, I called a meeting of all the
teachers for the purpose of ascertaining the state of the
�738a
schools.
From them I learned that the number of scholars
had diminished considerable during my absence.
For the
purpose of exciting them to new exertions I gave notice
that on Tuesday the 11th of Ju ly, there would be another
publick examination of all the schools in Lahaina and also
sent to all the teachers in the neighbourhood of Lahaina,
that it was my wish that they and their pupils would attend.
This information produced the desired effect & immediately
increased the scholars to their former number.
The people still give very pleasing attention to publick
worship, and also to the more private meetings for prayer.
Not a day passes, but multitudes call to ask questions
respecting the sermons which they hear and to converse
respecting the various principles and duties of Chris
tianity.
Indeed the general state of religions feeling
among the people i s truly encouraging.
The number of those who attend the private praying circles
is more than 200. I have the general direction of all
these meetings and attend many of them. W hen I am not
present, either Taua or Robert presides at the meetings
of the males and Mrs. R or Kaamoku at the meetings of the
females; but each of the 200 is occasionally called on to
pray.
It may be a matter of serious inquiry with our
Patrons, why the church should remain so small while the
number of praying persons is so large.
It should be remarked
however that the outward form of Christianity is so very
popular here, that. the'only way in which we can distinguish
the good from the bad, is to wait a long season that
their fruit may appear.
We hope therefore that our patrons will not think that
because only two persons have been admitted to the church
In Lahaina, that therefore there are no more pious per
sons here.
In addition to the seven who n ow stand as
candidates for church-membership there is a great number
more of whom we have high hopes.
The two hundred who have
not by any means include
that morning and evening
thirds of all the houses
joined the praying circles do
all the praying people.
I think
prayers, are offered in full two
in Lahaina.
We believe a rich harvest is ripening here & should we
be counted worthy to gather it in, we shall account
ourselves among the most favoured of the Lord.
Indeed
the foretaste which we already have is a rich reward for
a life of toil and even a Martyr's death.
I have nothing to add except my best wishes for your
personal prosperity & my fervent prayer tha t theblessing
�739a
of God may rest on all your exertions to extend the knowl
edge of his name.
In the bonds of the gospel
I remain, very dear Sir
Your unworthy Servant
William Richards
From
Rec' d
Rev. Wm. Richards
Dec. 19, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Cor. Sec. A . B . C. F . M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston, Ma s s .
�740a
31
M a r c h 1824 - M a r c h 1827
X
No. 135
Journal kept at Lahaina, M aui by Wm. Richards
Sunday, June 11th 1826. Last evening Poki called to in
quire whether it would be proper for him to go to Kanapali
to spend the sabbath and conduct worship with the people.
On being told it would be proper he immediately set sail.
T his place is about six miles from Lahaina or rather the
principle village is that distance, but the district is
a large one being perhaps 80 miles in circumference.
The number of inhabitants in the village is about 5 0 0
meetings have been regularly conducted at that village
ever since Oct. last; generally by Taua, Robert or
Bartimeus. Soon after they commenced attending meetings
there, on one monday morning as they were about leaving
t he place they saw in a
?
part of the village
three high poles with tapa flying from their tops like
ensigns. They persuaded the owners to take them down and
send them to me; and the next da y on going to my door,
I found these ensigns flying in front of my own house.
On inquiry I found they were the Akua ma hi ai which
may answer perhaps to the Ceres of the Romans, or more
literally the god of husbandry. One object of Poki in
going to Kanapali was to ascertain whether the worship
of such gods is still continued; and if so to stop it
entirely.
There are still in many places on the islands
multitudes who continue in rather a secret manner, to wor
ship their old false gods, but the number is every month
growing less. At Kanapali, where six months ago they
were all adherents to the old idolatrous system, the out
ward forms of the Christian religion are now observed
in more than half the houses.
The same is true of many
other places on this island.
Tuesday 13th.
The people assembled early this morning on the beach t o
see inflicted the penalty of a law which was proclaimed
at this place, by Kaahumanu, and which I mentioned in
my journal nearly two years ago. Untill within a few
months this law has been entirely disregarded both by
chiefs & by the people. Indeed there have been two chiefs
of distinction who have stood in the wa y of all law for
the preservation of morality.
Several months ago, a noted thief at Oahu was sentenced
by Kalaimoku and Kaahumanu and other chiefs, and put
on board a vessel in irons for transportation to the is
land of Kahoolawe.
The vessel arrived at Lahaina, and
by a chief here, the convict was taken out and has had
his liberty ever since. But that chief, God in his providence
has seen fit si nce to remove by death--
�741a
A few days ago a female arrived here in irons under the
same sentence though not for the same crime as the thief
who was liberated. She had not only broken a law of the
chiefs by devoting herself to the most infamous practices,
but had also both publickly and privately expressed her
contempt of all law, and that too after she had been
frequently counseled by Kaahumanu and as frequently
promised reform.
She had declared that she would persevere in her iniquity
even though the chiefs should inflict the utmost penalty
of the law. Last evening a council of the chiefs in Lah
aina was summoned to,meet this morning, and a crier went
through the village inviting all the people to be present.
Early in the morning the council met and the people as
sembled; and the two convicts mentioned above were brought.
The chiefs then unanimously expressed their approbation
of the sentence that had been passed upon them by the chiefs
at Oahu and expressed their determination to punish all
who should be guilty of like crimes.
They then called the
governor of Kahoolawe, to whom they committed the crim
inals charging "him to keep them safely, at the same time
telling him that if they escaped from the island he would
be called to account for it.
They also called on all the people to be witnesses of
their determination to stop the former inquitous practices
of the islands, and assured them that they should perse
vere in this new course which they had adopted. The con
victs were then in presence of the people ordered to the
canoes, and the multitudes dispersed.
The effect which
these proceedings will have on the'minds of the people,
is yet to be learned--but it can'scarcely be otherwise than
beneficial.
Wednesday 14th
At nine o clock this morning while sitting at m y writing
desk, I heard a simultaneous scream: from multitudes of
people, Pau i ka mano! Pau I ka m a n o ! (Death by a shark,
death by a shark!) The beach was instantly lined by
hundreds of persons, and a few of the most resolute threw
a large canoe into the water and alike regardless of the
shark and the high rolling surf, sprang to the relief
of their c ompanion--It was too late--The shark had al
ready seized his prey. The affecting sight was only
a few rods from my door, and while I stood watching, a
large surf almost filled the canoe, and at the same in
stant a part of the mangled body was seen at the bow of
the canoe and the shark swimming towards it at her stern.
When the swell had rolled by, the water was too shallow
for the shark to swim, and the remains therefore were
taken into the canoe and brought ashore. The water was so
�742a
much stained by the blood, that we discovered a red tinge
in all the foaming rollers as they approached the beach.
The unhappy sufferer was an active lad, about,14 years
old, who left my door only about half an hour previous
to the fatal accident.
I saw his mother in the
extremity of her anguish plunge into the water and swim
toward the bloody spot, entirely forgetful of the power of
her former God. As she followed the remains to the
house Mrs. R. & myself accompanied her and endeavoured
to assuage her grief.
The particulars I found on inquiry to be these.
A great number of people, perhaps 100, were playing in
the surf which was higher than usual.
Those who were
nearest to the victim heard him screech, and perceived
him to strike with his right hand and at the same instant
saw a shark seize his arm. Then followed the cry which
I heard Pau i ka mano! which echoed from one end of Lahaina
to the other. A l l who were playing in the water made the
utmost speed to the shore, and those who were standing
on the beach saw the surf board of the unhappy sufferer
floating on the water without any one to guide it. When
the canoe reached the spot, they saw nothing but the blood
with which the water was stained for considerable distance
and by which they traced the remains whither they had
been carried by the shark and driven by the swell. The
body was cut into by the shark just, above the hips, and
the lower parts, together with the right arm were gone.
The remains therefore consisted of the head trunk and
left arm.
Many of the people connect this death with their old
system of religion; for they have still a superstitious
veneration for the shar/ k, and this veneration is in
creased rather than diminished by such occurrences as these.
It is only about four months since a man was killed in the
same manner at Waikee on the eastern part of this island.
It is said however that there are much fewer deaths by
the shark than formerly. This perhaps may be owing to
their not being so much fed by the people and therefore
do not frequent the shores so much.
Friday 16th
Received an invitation to attend a publick dinner at the
new house of Hoapili. The practice of a formal dedica
tion of houses has been introduced here from the Society
Islands. The manner of doing it is by giving a dinner
and the guests while at the table make speeches or exhor
tations on some religious subject. Some times there are
not less than ten or fifteen addresses which occupy two
or three hours.
I have not said anything to encourage
this practice for I have thought that the minds of most
of the people seemed more directed to the dinner than
�743a
to the addresses.
Sunday 18th
Unable to preach on account of ill health.
Religious service conducted by Taua and Robert.
Poki
designed going to, Olualu to conduct meeting but was pre
sented by the sickness of his step-mother who has for
several months been affected by the dropsy.
It is Poki's wish to visit all the villages on this part
of the island, before he returns to Oahu.
I think he has
been useful at Lahaina since his arrival here.
Tuesday 20th
Have so far recovered my health and strength as to
attend to m y daily employments. Bartimeus called to know
whether he end others had done right.
He said that he
and a number of others, on sunday noon, as soon as they
knew that I was ill, assembled to pray for my restoration.
He said that they had one meeting on sunday noon, another
on sunday evening and another on m o n d a y . He wished to
know whether it was proper for them to assemble in such
a manner without first consulting me*
Wednesday 21st
Constantly thronged with visitors, mostly chiefs. M any
of them came to express their aloha on account of my
recent illness and to inquire after my present health.
The princess and
?
Poki took tea and spent the evening.
The object of the princess was to converse respecting her
steward, who has been found guilty of a breach of trust,
and her guardians have dismissed him from his office.
He has been with the little girl from her infancy, and
she has been ardently attached to him. After he was
dismissed she confined herself to the house for two days
and did little else but weep.
Last evening she wrote to
Taua, saying that her mind was almost entirely taken
off from every other subject-that she could think of
nothing but her steward .--that she could not fix her
thoughts on any religious subject, and wished him to
tell her what to do. She came here to converse on the
same subject.
I mention these particulars, to shew that
she is not void of sensibility, especially where she is
apprehensive that she may be going contrary to the rules
and duties of Christianity.
Thursday 22nd
Taua brought me three Akuas, all esteemed by their wo r
shippers as gods of distinction.
The largest of them was
the god owned by Kekuaokalaui, the rebel chief, and in
�744a
presence of which he fou ght the battle which decided the
fate of idolatry in the Sandwich Islands.
It is of the
same form and materials as the one worshiped by Kamehameha,
h o w in the museum of the Society of Inquiry, at Andover.
Considerable time previous to the battle, the Rebel sent
secretly to a distant place on the island, ordered a man
killed and his body to be brought to him. The order
was obeyed and the victim brought.
The flesh was stripped
from the bones, the bones wrapped up in leaves and given
to this God, accompanied with a prayer something like
the following.
’’Here is your victim which I now give
to you. Think kindly toward me and give me all these
lands that I may be the king of them. Let all other
chiefs fall before me " and let me stand alone that I may
be above all". All this was done so secretly that It
was not discovered or known to the king and other chiefs
for several weeks. As soon as it was made publick it was
known to be a sure sign of war; for it was, according
to their custom, the exclusive privilege of the roya l
family to offer human sacrifices. When the battle commenced, the first man that fell, was offered to this god.
You perceive therefore that this god is one of no little
note .
Another one belonging to a chief who fought in the same
battle, is a little s m a
ller than the above, but is of the
same form and materials.
The third is a wooden image,
partly in the shape of a man and partly in the shape of
a monkey.
•
These have been preserved by an old priest who until
within a few months has been a worshipper of them. About
tw o months a go one of the school teachers discovered
them about 12 miles from Lahaina and persuaded the priest
to give them up.--- When they were brought Into our
house, the native females present seemed much more aston
ished than ourselves. We had seen similar images before,
but they had never seen one of this kind of gods before.
According to the ancient system of religion here, it
was death for a female to look at one of this class of
Akuas, and the tabu, was so'v ery strict, that multitudes
fell sacrifices even by an acc idental sight of them.
Friday 23d .
Poki called about eleven o clock at night, to ask various
questions respecting the duties imposed by Christianity.
He is about to return to Oahu and he thought If he did
not come at this hour he should have no convenient oppor
tunity of conversing with me previous to his return.
Among the questions were the following.
''Does the word
of God forbid the practice of selling rum?
Is a chief to
�/2Z{>
745a
be blamed or is he accountable for the bad practices of
his people?
Is it proper to kindle fires for cooking
on the sabbath?
If a hog falls from a precipice and is
killed is it proper to dress it on the sabbath? What
was the great crime of the children of Israel for which
24,000 died of the plague? Did Moses do right in hanging
up the heads of the people before the Land at that time?
Did Phineas do right in putting to death the Midianitish
woman and the Israelite that were presented to Moses?
How did God command Moses to punish the breaches of the
seventh commandment?
With these and various other ques
tions I was occupied nearly two hours. As Poki left the
house he declared his intention of observing the rules
and precepts of the word of God as far as he could become
acquainted with them.
Monday 27th
Occupied almost the whole day in waiting on the sick.
Not a day passes but what I have more or less applica
tions for medicine.
The former method of practice
among the native physicians was so intimately'connected
with their ancient system of idolatry, that now as that
system is abolished, their practice is thrown into
disrepute, and they have little to do compared with what
they had in former days.
They have still however quite
as much as they are entitled to by their skill; for they
are all perfectly ignorant of the nature of diseases,
and do not exercise even the judgment of children in
their manner of administering medicine.
I have known
several cases where they have occasioned immediate death;
not so much however by the power of the medicine as by
the q u a n t i t y of' it, and the manner in which it was ad
ministered.
In attending on the sick I am often almost tempted to
proceed farther than my judgement would say is proper.
They are not only destitute of physicians, but of suitable
persons to wait upon the sick also, being quite as igno
rant of the business of nursing as they are of medicine.
Monday July 3d.
Monthly concert.
In this meeting the people manifest a
deep interest, and nearly as many attend it, as attend
upon the sabbath.
I conduct it in "a manner, similar
to that in which they are conducted in America.
I endeavour
to enlighten the people respecting the religious state
of all the different nations o f the earth. Two of the
prayers are always made by natives.
Tuesday 4th.
While at dinner was sent for in the greatest haste to
visit Kelilikauoha who was supposed to be dying.
This
woman was the former wife of Hoapili and the mother
�746a
of Mrs. Pok i . Although her friends knew her to be affect
ed with the dropsy, and h a d seen what they considered
the Almost miraculous skill of Dr. B. in prolonging the
life of Kalaimoku; yet they took' her from Honolulu with
out any reason; and though the disorder has been gaining
fast on her constitution, yet they have preferred to stay
here, rather than return and enjoy medical a i d .
When they applied to me a while ago, I peremptorily
declined doing a n y thing for her but referred them to Dr. B.
with whose skill in such cases they were already acquainted.
Early this morning I heard that she was failing rapidly
and at noon when I arrived I found they had attempted
to perform the operation of tapping.
They had done it
too without any surgical instrument not even so much as
a knife or lancet. A sharp fragment of a glass bottle
was the instrument or rather weapon with which they attacked
their victim.
But even this was not inserted in the right
place.
The patient was so weak that the anxiety and pain
occasioned by the savage operation almost took her life.
As they had not succeeded in the least degree, their object
in sending for me was to know whether I could not complete
the operation.
Having inquired in vain for a tube which
would answer the purpose of a trocar, I inserted a goose
quill as the best substitute I could find. By this means
I succeeded in drawing away, perhaps a pint of water,
whereas, had'
a proper instrument been inserted in the right
place, there would have been several galons . The unfor
tunate woman however, could not live many days, even with
the best medical and surgical aid.
Friday
7th.
When I awoke in the morning, I found a man waiting at the
door in the greatest agony having his hands almost con
sumed by fire.
The above mentioned woman died on the
5th and yesterday her remains were deposited in the tomb
of Keopuolani. As is the custom of the chiefs they all
went into the tomb, or house of deposit, that they might
sleep beside their departed chief. The house was divided
into rooms by curtains which hung around in great abundance.
At midnight while the chiefs were all asleep, with the
door open, a man without, perceived the curtains to be
all in a flame. He instantly awoke the chiefs and with
considerable presence of mind seized the curtains, rolled
them up and carried them out of the house.
As the house
was grass it must in one moment have caught the fire and
then all thoughts of saving it would have been in vain.
But by the resolution and energy of this man all was
saved. On examining his hands they appeared c ompletely
roasted. Even if he recovers he will doubtless in a
great measure lose the use of one or of both his hands.
Saturday 8th.
Put a number of letters for America on board the brig
Ainoa, Capt . Lang, bound to Santiago from whence I expect
they will go across the continent by way of Mexico, &
may reach the U . S. A. in two or three months.
�747a
Had we good opportunities of sending from here to the coast,
our letters might alway reach our friends in 80 or 90
days from the time they are written. Much however must
depend on the faithfulness of the persons who convey them
from this place, as neglect in not committing them
to the care of proper persons, would in s ome cases occas
ion a delay of several months and in others occasion
a final failure.
Sunday 9th
At nine o clock this morning I received a request from
the chiefs to repair immediately to the church for such
multitudes had already collected that the house and lana is
were crowded to overflowing and many were sitting in the
hot sun and would suffer exceedingly with the heat were
they compelled to sit until the usual hour of service.
I immediatly repaired to the spot and found that not only
the church but the yard which is 200 feet long and 100
wide was completely filled and many were sitting without
the yard. Multitudes are now in Lahaina who have come
from a distance to attend the examination of the schools.
I think there were at least 1,500 present from the back
of the island, many of whom have never heard the gospel
sound, before except by report. Many appeared to feel
that the gospel was in reality glad tidings of great joy
to all people. But whatever may have been their feelings,
the day to us has been a very pleasant one.
The hope
that some of the thousands around us may have this day
gained so much knowledge of the way of salvation as that
by the Holy spirit they may be induced to walk in it, is
truly animating.
In the morning there were so many people unable to hear
that they did not come at evening and of coarse the con
gregation was much smaller than in the morning.
Monday 10th
Preached a special lecture tb day on account of the mul
titude of strangers in the village.
The church was com
pletely filled and yet not one person from Lahaina enter
ed.
Wednesday 12th
Yesterday morning at seven o clock the examinations of the
schools commenced.
I appointed Taua,
Robert & two
others as assistants. These assistants, counted the
number of males in all the schools, and examined them in
the alphabet to ascertain how many knew the letters.
There were examined 29 schools belonging to Lahaina, em
bracing 568 males and 570 females.
The whole number pres
ent at the examination 1,138. Belonging to these schools
but absent at different places 282, making the whole num -
�748a
ber belonging to the schools in Lahaina 1,420.
There were 27 schools examined from the north and N. Western
parts of the island embracing 313 males, and 738 females.
Whole number present at the examination, from the back
parts of this island 1551. Belonging to these'schools
but not present at the examination 462, making the whole
number in these 26 schools 2013.
Whole number examined from the N. Western peninsula or
half of M aui, 2,689. Whole number of scholars on this
part of Maui 3,433.
There were also four schools examined from Molokai and
four from Lanai embracing 373 scholars.
These added
to the M aui schools, make the whole number present at the
examination 3,033 and the whole number of scholars returned
3,806. Of these more than three fourths were found
able to read In all the printed books in the language ,
and 247 were able to write legibly.
It is estimated by the chiefs, that only half of the schools
of this island were present and if so, the whole number
embraced in all the schools upon the island is little less
t h a n 7,000.
M o l o ka i and Lanai h a v e at least 1,000, so that under direct
or indirect instruction from this station are about 8,000
pupils.
The school of the Princess was as much distinguished at
this examination as at the former one. They are exceed
ingly cramped as are many of the other schools for want
of books .
In the midst of the examination, to our great joy Mr.
Whitney arrived from Tauai.
We were the more glad to
see him on account of the sickness of our son, who for
36 hours was affected with constant vomiting.
How much
we are in need of more medical aid, and yet Mr. Whitney
brings intelligence that Dr. B. is very sick and all hope
of his remaining long connected with this mission is now
at an end. O, will not some one, or two, or three come
t o our a i d !
Thursday 20th
Kekauonohe and Nahienaena set sail this morning for Lanai,
for the purpose of visiting the people of that island
who were engaged in plundering the ship London which was
unfortunately wrecked on their shores.
It was a noticable
�749a
circumstance that the moment they engaged in that business
they cast away their spelling books and the school at
that place was entirely broken up.
The object of the
chiefs in going over at this time is to exhort the people
to turn from their criminal practices, and again join
the schools.
Thursday 27th
The Almira, C a p t . Osborn, a whale ship from Egerton,
arrived full of oil, bound direct to New England.
By
her we can send letters safely. This is the first good
opportunity that has occurred for many months. We have
many letters on hand most of them written to send by the
Dolphin, but at length concluded t o keep them till we
could obtain a more direct and safe conveyance.
The letters which we sent the fore part of this month
may reach America very soon but we consider the whaling
ships by Cape Horn as on the whole the safest means of
conveyance.
Friday 28th.
Finished a translation of the gospel of St. Mark. The
exact agreement which the people perceive between the two
histories of Matthew & Mark has a pleasing effect on their
minds.
Judging from my own observation merely, without
any other evidence, I should have no doubt but the "Sword
of the Spirit which is the word of God", would be the
best weapon with which to subdue the world to Christ.
When all men have the b ible and read it, the work of con
verting the world will be done.
When I see how eager the people are to have the word of
G o d in their hands, I am pained to think it must be so
long before it can be given them. We need another printer,
another press, and then as much paper every year as two
men can print.
Furnishing us with stationary and materials
for printing is by no means increasing th e expenses of
the mission, for books are now far the best article
with which to procure our supplies.
I have no doubt
but I could build a comfortable house, with the materials
I could obtain with 100 native b i b l e s . Even the little
fowls fresh fish and other little articles which we wish
to purchase of the natives in Lahaina.
Saturday August 5th
I must now close my journal and prepare my Communications
for America. Capt. O . expects to sail very soon. He
has been kind and obliging to us since his arrival and
we have found ourselves happy in his society.
It will
be recollected that on his outward passage he brought
supplies for the mission, and not only fo r that act of
generosity but for his kindness to us while at the islands
�750a
is'worthy or our gratitude.
(No complimentary closing to this letter)
From
Rec'd
Rev. Mr. Richards
Dec. 19, 1826
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Cor . Sec . A . B . C . F . M .
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�751a
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
No. 136
Lahaina Island of Maui August 5th 1826
Very dear Brother Anderson,
The ship Almira of Edgarton, Capt. Osborne, is now lying
here and expects to sail tomorrow for America. She will
not touch at Oahu and therefore will carry no letters
from that place. Mr. Chamberlain as a committee of the
m i s s i o n has requested me to write you on the subject
of the language.
You may have already learned that there are certain letters
in Hawaiian alphabet which may be used interchangably.
Of these there are four classes.
1st B & P 2nd D. L
& R 3d K & T . 4th V & W .
In consequence of having so many letters which are in a
degree redundant, confusion has been introduced among
the natives, and our communications to America have con
tained every variety of orthography.
This difficulty has long been felt by the mission and we
have been seeking a remedy. More than a year ago a com
mittee was appointed to examine the subject consisting
of Messrs. Bingham, Stewart & Chamberlain.
The following is an extract from their circular, sent
to all the'members of the mission.
"Very few, if any, of the natives seen to distinguish the
difference between the sound of k & t, l & r or v & w.
Many words a t present in which r occurs, are by many
uniformly pronounced as if written with l , and the same
is true with, respect to k & t, and v & w .
Honolulu may be written four different ways and is con
stantly written two ways. Kaawaloa may be written eight
and is written three.
livery word in the language in which letters occur that
are used interchangably, may by permutation be written
nearly as many different ways as the square of the whole
number of interchangable letters in the word".
To the above I may add, that the words are pronounced
by different persons, in as many various ways as they
are written and yet no native is aware of, or able to
perceive the least variation.
Where we should use an l or an r or a d, the natives
usually give a medium sound, which one foreigner thinks
approaches nearest to the d, another thinks it approaches
nearest to the r and another still thinks it is the sound
�of l , so that the word which means gone is, pronounced
by foreigners in all the following ways,
did o , lido,
lilo, liro, riro, rilo; and still the natives know no
difference in all these different pronunciations.
752a.
Now it is not for us to establish a uniform pronunciation
of the language, for this would be impossible. Our wish
is to establish a uniform orthography. As to the best
method of doing this, the opinions of different persons
have been as various, as the modes of spelling.
On this subject the votes of the mission have been taken
and the result is as follows.
For striking out the
B
9 votes
P none
D
9 Dd
L two
R
6
K
0
T eight
V
9
W none
There were two who did not vote. One of them was indiffer
ent and the other was in favour of retaining all the
letters. Mr. Ellis was counted as in favour of retaining
the whole, and Mr. Bingham stated that Mr. Stewart was.
of the same opinion, though, I think he was in favour
of striking out at least a part of the interchangable
letters.
When the votes of the mission were collected,
reported as follows.
the committee
"Report of the Committee of health on the state of the
Hawaiian Alphabet.
Oahu July 14th 1826.
B & D are expelled by a lukewarm emetic of a pretty
unanimous v o t e .
K is deemed of sufficient capacity to perform its own
functions and that of its counterpart T. L though
two pills have been given to expel it i s to remain to do
its own office and that of its yokefellow R. R though
closely connected with the vitals is expelled by five or
six votes or expellants, though nearly the same quantity
of preservatives have been applied. T though claiming
rights as a native member has suffered amputation by the
knife & saw of majority. V a contiguous member and claim
ing similar rights, has suf fered the same fate, and a
gentle (Hole in paper) has been applied to dry the wounds
of both.
The remaining members A. E. I. O . U. H. K. L. M. N. P. & W.
are all likely to live and do well so long as the present
college of physicians have the sole direction of its
�753a
life and health
By the committee
True copy
signed
Hiram Bingham
Levi Chamberlain
perhaps I ought to apologise for the report, by saying,
that Mr. B. in writing it, followed pretty nearly, the
regimen prescribed by the Dr. in his vote.
It would have been more desirable however to have had
a Report which might have been presented to the publick.
When there is a general meeting of the mission some com
munication will probably be made on the subject, but as
that may be at a distant period, Mr. C. and some
others, thought y o u had better be written to on the sub
ject. The subject is now at rest, and if you think it
necessary to inform the publick, on to apologize for
our former want of uniformity, the facts are all before
you and you will of course exercise your own judgement.
I send letters and journal by this conveyance, bringing
down the account of this station to the present t i m e .
I think of nothing of importance worthy to be mentioned
in a private letter.
I will just add however that Dr.
B's health has been very miserable this summer and he
will probably be justified in seeking the earliest pas
sage to America.
I have nothing to add but the assurance
that I still remember you with the warmest affection.
Mrs. R . joins me in sentiments of high respect, and
Christian love.
Your distant friend and Brother, Richards
From
Rec 'd
Rev. Wm. Richards
Dec . 19, 1826
To
M r . Rufus Anderson
Ast. Sec. A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
U. S. A.
�754a
31
March 1824 - March 1827
X
NO. 137
Lahaina Island of M a u i
March 31st 1827
Honoured and dear Sir,
I have just heard that there is a vessel at Oahu bound t o
China, by which letters may be forwarded to America.
Although the opportunity is not a good one but as it is
likely there will be no other until autumn I gladly
improve it .
The last accounts of this station which I forwarded direct
to you were closed in August last.
I have written you
once since, however, but I will give a general account
of occurrences from that time down to'the present.
At the time I wrote you Hoapili the governour of the island
was on a tour, in which he visited all the villages on
the Island and in every village held a meeting for the
purpose of proclaiming certain rules and regulations and
encouraging the people to attend to religious instruction.
While he was going round this island, his wife Hoapiliwahine visited Tahoolawe and brought away the weather
beaten idol which has for a number of years, been
had in great veneration and'received sacrifices of some
sort or other from every native that passed the Island.
Soon after this I was called on to attend the general
meeting of the Mission, at Kailua of which you have already
received a full account. The account of our ship-wreck
on our way back, you will also receive in a separate
letter.
Immediately on my return from Kailua, I commenced
the building of a store house 42 feet long and 18 wide,
with a small projection back at one end. The walls are
up and half of the roof covered. The stones for the
cellar are rough, but those for the upper part being
soft are partially hewn by natives, they are all laid in
good lin e mortar, and I think will b e durable.
The
boa r d s which I am using are hewn out by natives and then
split in the middle by a w h ip saw.
I have been particularly favoured by having one of the
best of the carpenters on the islands, and his price
has been only 1.50 per day while the best carpenters
at Honol u lu receive 3.00.
In the work of building my own time is exceedingly occupied.
I had scarcely begun it however, when I was called
away to attend another general meeting of the Mission
�755a
at Honolulu, the account of which we have given you in
a joint letter.
While we were absent there was such a wind at this place
as we have ourselves never witnessed.
40 good houses
were swept from the beach beside a large number more
of an inferior character.
Among them was one of ours.
We have been obliged to move all our goods into the room
in which we live sleep and eat.
In a few days after our return from Oahu the venerable
Kalaimoku arrived at Lahaina.
It was Saturday Jan. 13th.
His arrival occasioned no little excitement.
His having
proved himself the "Iron cable of Hawaii, and his having
been so long sick and this being his last visit in the
expectations of the people, all conspire to awaken the
feelings of all. We heard nothing however of that heath
enish wailing which used to be practiced on such occas
ions.
Nearly all the people of Lahaina were on the beach
when he landed, and it was really moving to see with
what affection he met his old acquaintance.
Nothing
however added so much to the intense interest of the oc
casion as the fact that he was removing from Oahu that
he might find a place of quietude at which to leave his
remains.
(He told me himself that the particular reason ofhis leav
ing Honolulu, was because he could no longer endure
the immorality of his brother who he said'had gone entire
ly over to the practice of iniquity.
The trouble which
the foreigners occasion him by going to him with their
business was also more than he could bear in his weak
state.
He said to me "I was one day very low and all
the chiefs came to see me, After I revived a little,
I perceived my brother was not there--I enquired for him
when I was told that he was at his house in a fit of
intoxication, feeble as I was I ordered my waggon brought
to the door, and being removed into it I proceeded immed
iately to his house--I entered the door and looked--He
saw me and said "I am wicked".
I answered, I have
often heard of your intemperance but now I have seen-When I was supposed to be dying all the chiefs came to see
me; but my only brother was not there.
He said again,
"I am wicked'- I answered, it is ended, I a m about to leave
you".-----Immediate after this he made preparation for leaving the
island and I believe never spoke to his brother after
this.
While he told me these things the tears stole down his
cheeks, andh e added "Do pray much for my brother, I have said
�756a
a great deal to him but he will not listen to me--God
alone can turn him right.)
As Kalaimoku was expecting to leave Lahaina immediately
after the sabbath, and we never expected to see him again,
we thought it desirable that the sacrament of the Lord's
Supper should be administered.
Six persons were propounded to the church the September
previous. I proposed a church meeting on Saturday even
ing and the candidates were reexamined; and all the church
present being satisfied with the evidence of piety they
exhibited, notice was given that they would be received
the next day.
A much larger number of people assembled than usual--not
more than one third were able to enter the house--The
walls however not being thatched most of the people were
able to hear and to witness the transactions. The names
of the persons baptised were as follows, Keopuolani,
name in baptism Harieta.
Hoapiliwahin e , name In baptism
Maria. Kalaikoa, name in baptism Josepa.
Ii , Do
Do
Daniela.
His wife Kalaumanu, name in baptism A m i l i a .
Holekii, the wife of Robert Haia, name in baptism Henerieta.
I have so frequently spoken of the princess, that you
have already become acquainted with the evidence of her
When I asked her in publick what her feelings were
she said, "Since the first time that I told you that
I had given away myself to the Lord, I have had but one
thought, and that is that as I have set out and I can not
go back; and if all the other chiefs adhere to the old
system, still I have but one thought, and that is to
follow the L ord though it be alone".
Respecting the propriety of receiving persons t o'the church
so young as she (12 years) there may be difference of
opinion.
But young as she was she had stood firm two
years and if she is truly a lamb of the flock, I thought
that she of all persons should be most carefully guarded
in the bosom of the church.
You may well conceive that it was an interesting sight
to see the venerable Pitt partaking with us as we all
supposed for the last time, and at the same time to see
this little girl coming forward and so boldly declaring
her determination to adhere to the cause of Christ,
whatever the other chiefs might do .
The number of communicants was 17. Of this number 15
were once heathens. We hope the season was profitable
�757a
as well as interesting both to ourselves and the great
assembly of people. Karaimoku was much affected on the
occasion and in the evening expressed in the strongest
terms the satisfaction it afforded him to see his
young daughter as he called her, listening to the words
of her good old mother and setting such an example to
her subjects.
The next day, the princess at the request of the other
chiefs went to Kalaimoku with an invitation and polite
request to stop at Lahaina, and give up his design of
proceeding on to Kailua.
He answered that he could net deny so polite'and affection
ate a request if persisted in, but, as he had given
notice that he was going to Kailua, it was still his wish,
if they would consent, to proceed on, and if the Lord
should hold him out of the grave for a little time, he
would return, and leave his remains beside those of Keopulani.
To this the Princess and her advisors assented. The
weather however was such that he did not embark until
Friday the 19th.
During his stay he called several times at our house and
appeared with his accustomed cheerfulness, and warm affec
tion. We i ndulged'some hope that he might return, but on
Saturday Feb. 10th we received the intelligence of his
release from this scene of toil, anxiety and distress.
The particulars of his death and perhaps a little memoir
of his life you will receive from other'pens.
Such a man as he would be a blessing to any nation.
He
only needed the privilege of early education to make him
an accomplished statesman. The nation must long lament
his loss, for there is no one who can fill his place.
The schools are still in a flourishing state.
The de
mand for books is much greater than we can possibly
answer. The Sermon on the Mount which has been recently
printed, only gives ah appetite instead of satisfying
it.
I think that 10,000 copies of any small work would meet
a ready sale on the island of Maui, if we could take the
produce of the land in payment.
I expect soon to take a tour with my family to the back
part of the island for the purpose of visiting the schools
�and forming
on diferent
had in view
for me, and
758a
a more intimate acquaintance with the people
parts of the island.
This plan I have long
and a chief at Wailuku is building a house
when that is finished, we shall sail.
I have hitherto been prevented by various circumstances
particularly ill health.
In this respect the Lord is
now favouring us, and I know you will pray that our strength
may be spent in the best manner.
Praying always for you and wishing you every blessing
I
subscribe myself
Your Fellow Labourer
In the Gospel
William Richards
From
Rec'd
R e v . Wm. Richards
June 10, 1828
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Corresponding Secretary
of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms
Boston
Mass.
�
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.)
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.) - Volume 02 - 1824-1830
Date
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1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830
-
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/bf24de919cee99586c98e7b1423aeac7.pdf
8301d5b7ea695efdcde22c3df3fed2b5
PDF Text
Text
MISSIONARY LETTERS
(typed copies)
From the Sandwich Islands Mission
to the
American Board of Commissioners
for
Foreign Missions
1819 - 1837
8 vols.
"Supplementary to the letters published in the
Missionary Herald
of the same dates."
Vol. 1
THIS IS A REPRODUCTION OF
A N UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT
FOR REFERENCE AND STUDY ONLY
N O T TO BE REPRODUC'D IN ANY W A Y
WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF
THE COPYRIGHT O W N E R
�I N D E X
Pages
: New York, Nov.28,1822 ...... ....... .33
ANONYMOUS
A U N A , JOURNAL OF : Written in Tahitian & translated
into English by Mr.Wm.Ellis,
May-July 1822 ---------------------- -227-231
Brig Thaddeus, Dec.15,1819 -------- -40
BINGHAM, HIRAM
Hanarooah, May 13,1820 ------------ -41-43
Hanarooroo, July 23,1820 --------- --44-45
[Hanarooroo?], Aug.17,1820 -------- -88
Hanaroorah, Oct.11,1820 ----------- -46-47
Hanaroorah, Nov.2,1820 ------------ -48-50
[Hanaroorah?, 1821?] -------------- -52
Woahoo, Jan.3 1 , 1 8 2 1 -------- ------- -53
Woahoo, July 7,1821 — -......... —
54
Sandwich Islands, Oct.13,1821 ----- 55
Woahoo, Dec.25,1821 -- ---------- --- 56
Woahoo, Feb.2,1822 ------- ------ -----57
Waohoo, Aug.9,1822 ------------------18-19
Oahu, Oct. 12,1822 ------------------ -58
Oahu, Dec.28,1822 --------------------62
Oahu, Mar. 15,1823 -......... ....... .63
Oahu, Mar. 19,1823 .................- 65
Oahu, Mar.20,1823 ----------------- -64
[Late in 1 8 2 2 ? ] ........ -.......... .59
Hanaroorah , May 24,1823 ----------- -35-36
Lanaina, Aug.30,1823 ---------- ---- -66
Oahu, Oct.27,1823 ................—
67-73
Oahu, Nov. 8,1823 ...... ... ....... —
74
Honoruru, Nov.21,1823 ------------- -75-80
Oahu, Jan. 1,1824 ------------------- -82-83
Honoruru, Jan.12,1824 ---------------81
Oahu, Sept. 14,1829 -------------------374-379
See Joint Letter, July 23,1820 ---- 1 - 3
"
"
"
Nov.19,1820 .......51
"
"
"
July 6 , 1 8 2 1 .......4-7 "
"
"
"
Oct.11,1821 ----- 8-10
"
"
"
Nov. 25,1821 .......11-14
"
"
"
Feb. 1,1822 ------ --15-17
"
"
"
June 27,1822 ------132
"
"
"
Oct. 12,1822 -------20-23
"
"
"
Nov.18,1822 -------60-61
"
"
"
Dec. 28,1822 -------24-25
"
"
"
Jan.11,1823 ..... 26- 2 9
"
"
"
Mar.20,1823 -------3 0 - 3 2
"
"
"
Oct.23,1823 ----- --3 7- 3 9
•BINGHAM, MRS.S.M .:Brig Thaddeus, Nov.8-Dec.15,1819 -- 84-87
Woahoo, Sept.26,1820 -------------- --88
BISHOP, ARTEMUS : Ship Thames,L.I., Nov.20,1822 -------163-164
"
" , Dec.20,1822 -------- ----165-166
Honoruru, Oct.15,1823 ------------- --171-174
�-2Pages
BISHOP, ARTEMUS : Waimea,Tauai, Jan.7,1824 -----------175-176
Waimea,Tauai, Jan.14,1824 ---------178-179
See Joint Letter, May 5,1824 ---- -34
"
"
"
Oct. 23,1823 --- -37-39
BLATCHLEY, ABR. : Honoruru,June 17,1823 ----- ------ -212-213
See Joint Letter, May 5 , 1 8 2 3 --- -34
"
"
"
Oct.23,1823 --- -37-39
CHAMBERLAIN,DN'L: Wahoo, Oct.6,1820 .............. —
120-123
Atooi, Nov.10,1820 ............... .124-126
Atooi, Nov.14,1820 — ..... -..... - 127-130
Woah oo, Nov. 1 7 , 1 8 2 1 .............. .131
Atooi, Nov.11,1822 ...... ....... .134-135
[Atooi, Feb.1823?] — .... -....... .133
Boston, Aug.27,1823 -------------- -136
See Joint Letter, July 23,1820 -—
1-3
"
"
"
July 6 , 1 8 2 1 --- -4-7
"
"
Nov. 25,1821 --- -11-14
"
"
"
Feb. 1,1822 ---- -15-17
"
"
"
Nov.11,1822 --- -117
"
"
"
Dec. 28,1822 --- -24-25
"
"
"
Jan. 11,1823 --- -26-29
CHAMBERLAIN,LEVI: Ship Thames, Nov.20,1822 -...... - 181c
"
"
Nov.20,1822 ----------183-184
"
"
Feb.2,1823 — .......- 186-188
Oahu, June 10,1823 ------ ------ --- 189-191
Honoruru, Sept.1,1823 -------------192-194
Honoruru, Oct.15,1823 -------------195-200
Honoruru, Jan.1,1824 ------------- -201-202
Honoruru, Jan.9,1824 ------------- -204-208
Honoruru, Jan.12,1824 -------------209-211
See Joint Letter, May 5,1823 ---- -34
"
"
"
Oct.23,1823 --- -37-39
DEKOVEN, HENRY S: Middletown, July 12,1823 ----------234-235
ELY, JAMES
: See Joint Letter, May 5,1823 ---- -34
"
"
Oct.23, 1823 ..... 37-39
ELLIS, WILLIAM : Oahu, Mar. 10,1823 -------..........214-216
GOODRICH, JOSEPH: Long Island Sound, Nov.20,1822 -- -181a
See Joint Letter, May 5,1823 ---34
"
"
"
Oct. 23,1823 --37-39
: Atooi, Nov.21,1820 ...............
149-157
HOLMAN, THOMAS
JOINT LETTER
: Bingham,D.Chamberlain,Whitney,
Ruggles,& Loomis, Hanaroorah,
July 23,1820 ............-....... Whitney & Ruggles, Atooi,Oct.14,1820
Bingham & Loomis, Hanaroorah,
Nov. 19,182
0
Ruggles, & Whitney, Wymaah,Atooi,
Nov. 19,1820
Ruggles & Whitney,
- Feb.1
1821?
0 8
1-3
105-106
�-3Pages
JOINT LETTER : Bingham,Thurston,Ruggles,D.Ckamberlain
Loomis, Woahoo, July 6,1821
4-7
.
Bingham,Whitney, Ruggles, Atooi,
Oct.11,1821...... ........ -......
8-10
Bingham,Thurston,D.Chamberlain, &
Loomis, Woahoo, Nov.25,1821 --------
11-14
Whitney,& Ruggles,Atooi,Dec.28,1821 —
109
Bingham,Thurston,D.Chamberlain, &
Loomis, Oahoo, Feb.1,1822 ---------
15-17
Whitney,& Ruggles, Atooi,Feb.4,1822 —
115
Bingham,Thurston,Whitney,Loomis,
Mission House,Oahu, June 27,1822 -----
132
Tyerman & Bennet , Woahoo,Aug. 9,1822 -
217-226
Bingham,Thurston & Loomis, Oahu,
Oct. 12,1822 ......................
20-23
Whitney,Ruggles & D.Chamberlain,
Tauwai, Nov. 11,1822 — — --------- -—
117
Thurston & Bingham,Oahu,Nov.18,1822 --
60-61
Bingham,Thurston,D .Chamberlain,Loomis,
Oahu, Dec.28,1822 ................. 24-25
Bingham,Thurston,D.Chamberlain &
Loomis, Honoruru, Jan. 11,1823 ------
26-29
Bingham,Thurston & Loomis, Oahu,
Mar.20,1823 — -....................
30-32
Richards,Stewart,Bishop,Blatchley,Goodrich,Ely,L.Chamberlain,Honoruru,
May 5,1823 —
---------------- 34
Bingham, Thurston, Stewart,Bishop,Blatchley, Goodrich, Ely, L. Chamberlain ,Loomis,
Honoruru, Oct.23,1823 ...... ...... 37-39
KEALIIAHONUI: Oahu, Nov.8,1823 ................. - 74
LOOMIS .ELISHA: Oahu,Aug.9,1822
........... .137-138
" Oct .14,1823
.... .140-144
" Dec.31,1823
...... .146-148
See Joint Letter, July 23,1820 ------- 1-3
"
"
"
Nov. 19,1820 — ......51
"
"
"
July 6,1821 - - - - - 4-7
�-4Pages
: See Joint Letter, Nov.25,1821 --- 11- 14
"
"
"
Feb. 1,1822 — ---- 15-17
"
"
"
June 27,1822
132
"
"
"
Oct.12,1822 ----- 20-23
"
"
"
Dec.28,1822 ----- 24-25
"
"
"
Jan. 11,1823 —
26-29
"
"
"
Mar.20,1823 ---- 30-32
"
"
"
Oct.23,1823
37-39
OLIPHANT, MR.
: Canton, China, Jan .21,1822 ........ 232-233
158
RICHARDS, WM.
: Lahaina , Aug .30,1823 ------------See Joint Letter, May 5,1823 ....
34
RUGGLES, SAM’L
: Wymai,Atooi, Aug. 2,1820 .......... 103-104
See Joint Letter, July 23,1820 -1-3
ft
"
""
105-106
Oct.14,1820 --"
"
"
Nov.19,1820 --107
"
"
"
108
Feb.
1821 ---"
"
"
4-7
July 6,1821 --"
"
ft
8-10
Oct .11,1821--"
"
"
Dec.28,1821 ———
109
"
"
"
Feb.4,1822
115
"
"
"
117
Nov.11,1822 --STEWART, C. S.
: Ship Thames, Feb. 2,1823 -.... .... 167-168
Lahaina , Dec • 1823,-.............
160-162
See Joint Letter, May 5,1823 -— -- 34
"
"
"
Oct.23,1823 --37-39
THURSTON, ASA
: Owahoo, Apr. 4, 1 8 2 1 ...............
92-93
Owahoo, May 4, 1821 — ............. 89-91
4-7
See Joint Letter, July 6,1821
"
"
"
Nov.25,1821 --11-14
"
"
"
Feb.1,1822 ---15-17
"
"
"
June 27,1822 —
132
"
"
"
Oct.12,1822 --20-23
"
"
"
Nov.18,1822 ——-— 60-61
"
"
"
Dec.28,1822 ———— 24-25
"
"
"
Jan.11,1823 ———— 26-29
"
"
"
Mar.20,1823 --30-32
"
"
"
37-39
Oct.2 3 , 1 8 2 3 --THURSTON, MRS.A.: Journal ,[Kailua],Sept.1821 ------- 97
[Kailua ?], Oct .16 , 1 8 2 1 ..... ..... 96
Woahoo, Jan. 31 ,1822 ..............
94-95
TYERMAN & BENNET: Woahoo, Au g .9, 1822 ..... -........
217-226
98-101
WHITNEY, SAMUEL : Woahoo, July 20,1820 ..... .......
Atooi, Aug.1 ,1820
101-102
Journal ,Atooi, Jan.1-Feb.4,1822
111-114
110
Atooi, Feb.4 ,1822
Atooi, Aug.12, 1822 ..... -....... - 116
Waimea,Tauwai, Jan.4,1824 ------ - 118-119
See Joint Letter, July 23,1820 --- 1-3
"
"
"
Oct.14,1820 --105-106
"
"
"
Nov.19,1820 --107
"
"
"
108
Feb. 1821 ....
"
"
"
Oct.11,1821 --8-10
"
"
"
109
Dec.28,1821 --"
"
"
Feb.4,1822 ——
115
"
"
"
Nov.11,1822 --117
LOOMIS, ELISHA
�.
1
9 Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 112
Hanaroorah, Woahoo.
No. 3
July 23, 1820.
Rev. & Very Dear Sir:
Far removed from the loved dwellings of Zion in our dear native
land, surrounded with pagans & strangers, we would lift up the
voice of grateful praise to our covenant Father & call on our
patrons & friends to join, for the Lord hath comforted his
people and ministered unto us an abundant entrance among the
heathen. But here we see no altars of abomination, nor bloody
rites of superstition.
Jehovah has begun to overturn the
institutions of Idolatry & to prepare the way for the nobler
institions of his own worship. While we were tossing on the
rolling waters of the Atlantic, & while Zion was on her knees
before the hearer of prayer, he was casting down the vanities
of the heathen & demolishing the temples of paganism, and holding
in derision, the former pride & disgrace of this nation. Wafted
by the propitious gales of heaven, with "flut & gladsome song"
we passed the dangerous goal of Cape Horn on the 30th of Jan.,
set up with joy our Ebenezer there, & on the 30th of March arrived
off the shore of these long lost & long neglected "Isles of the
Gentiles". But how were our ears astonished to hear the voice
devine proclaim, "in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the
Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God " ! How
were our hearts agitated with new & various & unexpected emotions,
to hear the interesting intelligence, "Tamahemaha is dead," "The Taboos are broken" - "The Idols are burnt" - "The Moreahs
are destroyed" - and the priesthood abolished". This victory
was achived by that arm alone which sustains the universe. He who
in wisdom has ordained that no flesh should glory in his presence
has saved us from the danger of glorying in the triumph, & taught
us, with adoring views of his majesty to "stand still & see the
salvation of God". Long indeed, and we expect to toil with slow
and painful progress, to undermine the deep laid foundations of
the grossest Idolatry. But he whose name is Jehovah looked upon
the bloodstained superstruction, enacted in insult to devine purity,
& without even the winding "rams horn" of a consecrated priest, it
sinks from his presence & tumbles into ruins, & he commands us as
the feeble follower of the captain of salvation to go up every
man straight before him, & "in the name of our God to set up our
banner".
We have been allowed to plant the standard of the cross at Kirooah
& at Hanaroorah where the chiefs, the natives, & foreigners may from
east to west hear the glad sound of the Gospel. Most gladly would
we meet the standard on every Isle in this cluster but we have no
priesthood to send, & the people are without any form of religion,
waiting as it were for the love of Christ, though they know not hie
name nor the way of salvation. From Ataer the call is loud and
impressive "come over & help us".
Two of our members Brothers
Whitney & Ruggles accompanied George to his Father who received
his long absent son with the tenderest affection & made him second
in command over his Islands. He said that the arrival of Hoomeboome,
as his son is called, made his heart so joyful that he could not
talk much that day. He expressed much gratitude for the kindness
�of the friends of Hoomehoome, in providing for his comfort, his
instruction, & his safe return, & in sending teachers to their
Islands to instruct him & his people in the arts & sciences & in
the principles of the Christian religion.
The king said with
respect to George, "I love Hoomehoome very much more than my other
children" (of whom he has a daughter older, & a son younger) "I
thought he was dead - I cry many times because I think he was dead some captains tell me he live in America - I say - no - he dead - he
no more come b ack - But he live - he come again - my heart very
glad" - He engages to he a father to us as we have been to his son.
He is importunate in his entreaties that some of us should settle
them, promises to give us houses & land as much as we need, & ex
pressed a great desire to learn, & has commenced the work in earnest.
The brothers after spending 8 weeks in instructing him and his wife
& family & exploring the Island returned to this place. Tomorrow
it is expected that they with their wives will proceed again thither
in the ship Levant, Capt. Cary, on her way to America via Canton.
We hope the Board will have it in their power immediately to station
there an able preacher of the gospel, a skillful & devoted physician,
an industrious farmer, & an accomplished Lancesterian school-master.
At Kirooah, our brothers, though subject to many and great privations
are allowed to engage in their appropriate work with fluttering
hopes of success. The king leads the way as their humble pupil,
and now begins to read intelligently in the new Testament, desirous
to outstrip all his subjects in the acquisition of useful knowledge.
Two of his wives & two stewards, under their instruction exercise
themselves in the earnest reading lessons of Webster’s Spelling Boo k .
At this place we have a pleasant school all evening with desirable
progress in the rudiments of the English Language.
The number
under our instruction here is about 30 among whom are the Gov. or
head chief of this Island, - his wife, - the daughter of the chief
of Harakehooa, & 11 children of whitemen.
One of them, George
Holmes, exhibits a fine genius for painting.
We send you a specimen
of drawing & lettering executed by him under our instruction, which
we think could not without better models, be exceeded by any school
boy in America. We need here the aid of a preacher of the gospel
& a schoolmaster who is skilled in the Lancasterian method of instruction, & a tried physician, who would cheerfully & patiently
endure the necessary toils & privations to which he must be subject
in removing the disorders of body & soul, among the heathen & among
his fellow laborers. - God has hitherto preserved our health thus far
but the heathen around us, are wasting away b y disease, induced not
by the climate, but by their imprudence & vices.
Dr. H. Has purposed
to take his station at Mo w e . That is fruitful Island, & we hope
soon to see the standard of the gospel planted there.
The scruples
of the king with regard to the danger of additional missionaries in
this field we hope will be over before they can arrive.
He expressed
a regret that no one of us could repair & build vessels for him.
We think that a pious & skillful & devoted shipcarpenter, inured
to selfdenial, & able to recommend & enforce the religion of Christ,
might be of incalcuable use to the people. Such a mechanic they
would prize above all others.
We know not what divine wisdom intends
to do here.
But we think a great effort ought to be made in every
Island, to establish Christianity, & to take possession for Christ
& the church, before that Idolatry which seems to have been crushed
by a single blow of Jehovah's arm should again be revised.
The case
is so new and unparalleled in the history of the world that we know
not what to say.
"When hath a nation changed its God?"
�3
The enemy may have retired but for a season, to appear again
in his wrath to kindle the flames of preoaution, & reestablish
the worship of deamons in all its forms of pollution & cruelty.
How often did Israel, the choice of God, give melancholly proof
of the most deeprooted depravity & the incurable propensity of
the human heart to the grossest Idolatry, even with the lively
cruelties of divine truth in their hands, and the awful majesty
of Jehovah's presence before their eyes. Were it not for the
fact that the present is an age of wonders, & the hope that the
Christian church will not relax the ardor of effort, nor the
fervency of prayer for us & this people, we should expect soon to
see the altars abomination enacted, & a powerful priesthood of
superstition arrayed against this little, feeble, band of Christian
pilgrims, before one of us could preach plainly & impressively in
the native tongue the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. But,
in God is our hope, & we will not fear. We dare not put our trust
in princes. The king of Zion alone is worthy of our confidence.
It is He that has begun the glorious work and it will go on.
The powers of earth and hell cannot successfully o ppose it. We
are nothing - And whether defeat or success shall be our particular
lot, we know that the holy cause in which , under your patronage,
we were allowed to embark, cannot fail of ultimate & universal
triumph.
Zion shall arise and shine, - the Redeemer shall reign The Isles shall wait for his law - The glory of the Lord shall
cover the earth, & all flesh shall see it together for the mouth
of the Lord hath spoken it. Cheered with these divine consolations,
in the midst of trials & privations - contented & happy in our
work, weak and inexperienced as we are, we turn our eyes to you
for counsel, & to Heaven, for help, and subscribe ourselves dear,
Sir, your servants for Jesus' sake, & fellow laborers in the vin iard
of our Lord.
H. Bingham
Daniel Chamberlain
Samuel Whitney
Samuel Ruggles
Elisha Loomis
P. S. We send you by the Levant, a copy of our journal up to
the 19. July. 1820. - We wrote you by the ship Mercy Capt. Smith
about 50 days after an embarkation, & sent on arrival another
letter No . 2 by the L'Argle Capt. Sherbrook, in the second we gave
a more particular account of our arrival & settlement - but this
may reach you first.
H. B.
To:
Rev. Samuel Worcester D.D.
Salem, Mass.
U.S.A.
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824
N o. 7
V
Page 114
Sandwich Islands, Woahoo.
July 6 , 1821.
Rev. & Very dear Sir:
Our unchanging Benefactor is now kindly offering us another
opportunity to communicate with y o u . The Ship Alexander,
Capt. Comerford, which left Boston last October, for Columbia
River, arrived here yesterday, & will sail for America
tomorrow by way of Canton. By the last conveyance Capt. Lewis
of the Ship Arab, we wrote you in our joint letter, of the
general prosperity of our schools, of the removal of Brother
Thurston from Kirooah & settlement at this place, of the defection
& excision of Dr. H . of the
erection of our framed house, and
gave some intimations of a contemplated visit to the Society
Isles by the special & gratuitous favor of King Tamoree. - It is
now about 3 months since he began to contemplate that enterprize,
& he seems steadily to aim at it as an object noble, & truly
desirable. He is disposed to fit and man, and send at his own
expense one of his new & fine Brig's lying in Wymaah Bay without
employment, in perfect trim for a voyage, & well furnished with
the substantial provisions for such a voyage.
He wishes to
open a friendly correspondence with Pomare, to inquire how he
and the missionaries d o , & how they live, & to give us the
opportunity to see them, that We may be more useful to him &
this nation.
He wishes also to procure seeds, plants, shrubs, etc.
from the variety & exuberance of those he can afford.
We wish to
cherish in Tamoree such a noble spirit. We desire to draw in the
influence of Pomare at this time to encourage the rulers
of these Islands to acknowledge Jehovah as their God and Jesus
Christ as their Savior.
We desire to see our Missionary Brethren
there, to make ourselves minutily acquainted with the whole
economy of their establishment, to avail ourselves of their per
sonal advice from long experience, to see the state of their
schools & church, the modes of instruction & of worship adopted
among the people, to learn what la w s , customs, a r t s . etc. they
have recommended or would recommend, to obtain copies of all their
elementary books, translations etc. to consult them especially
respecting the most convenient characters for writing & printing
this language; to be refreshed by our brethren there, in our
distant pilgrimage in this western work. There are facilities for
our work which we should hope to obtain; facilities of which we
now feel the most pressing need . & without which we believe many
of our plans must be less wisely concerted, many of our measures,
less decided, & our labors more tedious & unsuccessful, our steps
more tardy & hesitating in many parts of the great work of
laying the foundations broad & lasting, in this new & large &
interesting plan, where the temple of the Lord Jehovah must rise
in order & beauty, fitly framed together, holy & filled with his
glory. - Nor can we say that an ardent desire to rejoin with our
brethren then over the late downfall of Idols & the signal triumph
of the cross in these favored Isles, to refresh them with good
news from a far land & to preach among our fellow laborers there,
& the natives converted Christianity, has had no influence in
our mind in looking at the question of expediency as to sending
one or more of our men here to them at this time.
Remember
�5.
ing the desire of our Patrons, that we might enjoy the benefit
of a personal interview with those honored servants of the Lord
Jesus should providence put it in our power, we have presumed
upon their approbation of the intended visit in view of w hat
we conceive to be weighty reasons in its favor, provided no
material objections are opposed to it. Now we apprehend no
increase of expense to our patrons, no lass of time, as our
schools can be well conducted in the mean time, & the business
of acquiring this language will not be retarded; no loss of
influence with this people, who have seen a good account of
the improvements at Otaheite & desire to see the same here, No sacrifice of health, as it is the opinion of those deemed
competent to judge that these would rather be a prospect of
promoting health.
We have deliberately consulted the opinion
of several gentlemen acquainted with the return of the voyage
& with the chiefs of both nations, who advise us to go, & who
from habitual a cts of kindness deserve our confidence as friends,
as Capt. Davis and others.
They tell us that the passage is
uniformly pleasant, occupying about 20 days to go & 15 to return.
Tamoree is particularly desirous that one of the brethren from
that station should go, & to the mission it appears desirable
that one of the Missionaries should also go from this station,
which Tamoree dedidedly approves.
It has seemed desirable to us
all that some such expedient should be tried to revive the
drooping heart & sinking health of Br. B. for which medicine
seems to be applied in vain.
He has lately come to this Island
to make an experiment, to consult on the subject, & to inform
that Tamoree says his Brig is ready to go, that has engaged a
good man to take c harge of her as master, & that he wishes Mr. B.
to come down with a view to embark shortly. With such facts,
hopes & prospects before us we have resolved unanimously to make
an effort to avail ourselves of the present opportunity of
visiting the Society Islands, b y sending one or two of our number
to meet our brethren there, - Brother B. is designated as one, & Brother R . as the other, should there be on his return to Atooi
a fair prospect of bene fitting his health by the contemplated
visit.
Otherwise Br. W. would be allowed to go in his stead.
Should Br. H. go as one, his wife would deem it her indispensable
duty to accompany him; indeed such is her anxiety for him and her
ardent hopes of seeing him benefitted by such a measure that she
has been ready to lead the way & to smile at the prospect of being
allowed to make such an effort to save the valuable life of her
husband & to prolong his important labors among this people.
M rs. B. also to second that effort & the more perfectly to carry
into effect the whole design of the enterprise, is ready, & is
approved by the family to accompany her husband, committing her
school meantime to the care of Mrs. Thurston.
Within 2 days
the ship Tartar sails to Atooi, in which Br. & Sister B. expect
to take passage, & shortly after B r . & Sister B. will probably
follow in the Schooner Eagle, Capt. Con. - And at Atooi com
plete the needful preparations & embark shortly should the great
Lord of missions permit, & smile
on our path - Should he hedge
up the way, or materially change the prospect so as to make
appear u n ??-nentable, - Br. B. will reside a short time at that
station attending on his appropriate duties and return to Woahoo
as soon as it shall appear to be best.
�6.
W e have now given you a summary of our present views on this
interesting subject. - You are aware of the very great difficulties
which must meet us in the commencement of our work, difficulty in
acquiring, & printing an unwritten & an almost unknown tongue, without
competent instructors, & without any standard of pronunciation, as
we have reason to believe that the youths who left this country at an
early age, & have received the rudiments of an education in America,
have but a very imperfect knowledge of their own language, & an
squally imperfect acqqauintance with ours; difficulties also of
fixing on a character on which to write the language which would
enable the learned of Europe to get a knowledge of it, & at the same
time make this language a convenient medium of access to the English
language, & to the Otaheiten Books. Many of our pupils will doubtless
visit to become acquainted with both. We have not yet agreed on the
alphabet to be employed, - we are strongly inclined to adopt as the
basis, what is termed the foreign sounds of the vowels in the Roman
alphabet, & there are so many of our consonants as this language
requires, that we should have an alphabet not very much unlike that
of Otaheite, & so near to that of the English, as not greatly to em
barrass the young Otaheiten in acquiring the English, or the American
in reading this language. But we think an interview with the mission
aries at Otaheite would be a great help to us in this respect now,
as well as in many others.
We will now undertake to give you the outline of our history for
a few weeks past. We have often heretofore had occasion to speak of
the wonderful preservation of our lives & health. The family has
lately been afflicted with sickness, tho the chastening rod has been
laid on us with a gentle hand. The dysentary has threatened almost
all the family. - Capt. Chamberlain & Thomas Hopoo have been sick with
it & under the Dr.'s care. M r s . C . has lately been confined at the
same time with her sixth born babe, - An infant orphan taken in to
the family, bereft of its mother by death, of its name also by death,
of its father also, a white man, by desertion, covered with a loathsome
eruption, nourished & cherished especially by Sister L . and apparent
ly almost cured - died last week with dropsy in the brain, - & was
directly interred by us - yesterday we attended the funeral services
& interment of Mr. Lovell, 2nd officer of the American Brig Inou,
Capt. Grimes, who has been several weeks in the mission family,
sinking in the last stages of the consumption, & who died on the 4th
inst. - He was the son of Mr. Lovell of Boston, an officer of the
Customs in that town. The care of the sick, disturbed rest, & ap
prehensions of a return of the comman complaint Br. B. omitted to
preach in his turn on sabbath, the only instance of this kind since
our landing. Through the Merciful kindness of our covenent Father,
the family are now comfortable, though Capt. C. is not entirely
recovered. But let us with gratitude look upon another part of the
proposed outline - During this season of affliction, our flourishing
school has passed its 4th quarterly examination, to the great satis
faction of the family, of the American consul, and several other
govt. parents, & in our report of the orphan school, patronized by
foreigners, we had occasion to acknowledge 707 doll. subscribed, &
527 collected during the last year for the support & education of
orphan children, & the subscription has been augmented since to more
than 800 doll. - The liberal gentlemen in port, with two of the
principal chiefs have subscribed 4 to 500 Doll. for the purpose of
erecting soon a decent church for the worship of Jehovah with the full
�7.
approbation of the King & Chiefs. - Capt. Brown subscribes
for the pulpit - Capt. S. turns 100 0 ft. of lumber which we
bought of him at $50 & plans to that subscription, Captains
Ebbetts & Davis subscribe 40 each and 60 each to the school
fund besides many other favors to the family.
The house for
public worship is to be built in the native style, thatched
with grass, & lined with mats but will be furnished with
glass windows, good doors, with 2 rows of long seats separated
by an aisle, besides a decent pulpit, & appropriate seats for
the Mission family, & will accomodate about 200 persons, for a
few years, till a chapel can b e erected still more commodious
& permanent.
This we consider as important testimony from this government
as well as from the foreigners, in favor of the worship of the
true God. - And we would call on our patrons & helpers in our
native land to help us praise God for those gracious answers
to their prayers.
Some of the most interesting facts stated above respecting
the subscription for the house of worship, & the decided
approbation of the King & Chiefs, were communicated to us on the
last monthly concert, & we were made to rejoice in the gracious
promise, "While they are yet speaking I will hear." - The
success of the mission may be measured by the faith & fervency
in prayer, of its friends - We are cheered with the hope that
it will prosper, though we are less than nothing - The work &
the glory of it belong to the Giver of all things. With
cordial salutations to your dear Sir we are your servants for
his sake.
H. Bingham
A . Thurston
S . Ruggles
D . Chamberlain
E . Loomis
To:
Rev. Sam. Worcester, D .D.
cor. Sce. A.B.C.F.M.
To the care of Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston, Mass.
�8.
9 Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 116
Sandwich Islands, Atooi
Oct. 11, 1821.
Rev. & very Dear Sir:
It is with deep & tender emotions, that we avail ourselves
of the present favorable opportunity to communicate with you,
to tell you of our mercies, trials & labors, & to ask the
continuance of your counsels, & of your prayers & thanksgivings
on our behalf.
God has been merciful to us - Our lives are
prolonged, & the field of missionary labor lies open to
invite our industry & zeal, & though called to sow in tears,
we are encouraged to hope that a joyful harvest will eventually
succeed, nay we rely with confidence upon the unalterable
truth, that the word of the Lord will not return unto him void,
& that when he begins a good work he will carry it on to per
fection.
The little church in this wilderness, enduring her well appointed
sorrows, while she hears the voice of the roaring Lion, louder
& louder, feeble & defenceless as she is, might tremble, &
faint, or retreat, did she not also hear distinctly the well
known voice of her beloved Shepherd, "Fear not little flock,
it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" - It
is not from the Rulers of Islands, nor from any of the poor
children of pagans, that we hear the execrations & denunciations
of clamorous opposition, - we look to them as friends, & they
with some confidence look to us as teachers, & while this con
tinues to be the case, we hope not to be dismayed by those who
esteem themselves to be far wiser than the children of light.
o
It would doubtless be a comfort to you to know that the union
of this missionary band, is not impaired, but strengthened by a
small diminution of its numbers, & that we are comforted with
the assurance that "there is no restraint unto the Lord to
save by many or by few." It is a privilege which we value to be
allowed to uphold eachothers hands, & to encourage eachothers
hearts in the great and good work to which we have been called,
a work, from which we desire not to be dismissed, till our
Divine Redeemer shall take possession of these Isles, & pro
nouncing our work to be done shall invite us to his rest, a work
in the mutual prosecution of which through the vicisitudes &
trials of two eventful years nothing has occurred to sever the
bonds of christian confidence, nor to prevent us from pursuing
steadily hand in hand, with mutual confidence, still the grand
objects of our Mission.
It has been a source of mutual comfort to us that Brother & Sister
B . have been permitted in the good providence of God to spend a
few months at this station, where it has been our desire that
one of the preachers might be located, provided he could be spared
from the other station at Woahoo, - Thus we have been allowed to
attend together upon the preaching & the ordinances of the
gospel, to give up our precious little ones in baptism, to our
gracious covenan ting God, & to show forth among this dying people
the death of Christ the Lord, by distributing & receiving in his
name, the lively symbols of his body and blood. Br. W. has also
�been encouraged to pursue the study of systematic Theology,
with a view to preach among the gentiles the unsearchable riches
of Christ.
You will know what we mean if we tell you that the numbers of
this body have been called tenderly to sympathize with Brother R.
in view of his sorrows & of his precarious health. His co n
stitution as you doubtless know was considerably impaired before
he left America, & it appears to be our duty to inform you that
we have painful evidence that it is failing more & more exhibiting symptoms which do not yield to the force of medicine,
& which we fear will early deprive his dear companion and associates
of his society & official aid in our w o r k . By a late visit to
Woahoo it was thought that he was benefitted, though he obtained
no permanent relief.
We have all indulged the hope that a visit
to Otaheite would revive him, & very much facilitate the progress
of our work, but our hopes respecting that enterprize are yet
deferred. And we know not what to do for him.
We turn our eyes
to you for advice, for specific advice, & for aid.
We trust
nothing will be wanting on your part to strengthen this station
by sending without delay a Preacher & a Physician, to be employed
principally at this place, nay we would fain hope they are
already on their way hither.
Yesterday, D r . H . & his wife & babe, embarked from this Island,
on Board the Ship Mentor, Capt. L . Porter, bound to Boston, via
Macao.
Brother B. will embrace the first opportunity to return to Woahoo.
Tamoree, usually called king of Atooi, has been at Woahoo several
weeks, but is expected to return here.
Having received a friendly
visit from Rehoreho he went with him in the Cleopatras Barge,
from this Island, in order as he says to return the visit, and
to convince the windward Chiefs that himself is "m i t e ." Probably
this Island will come more completely under their control than
it has been, but we do not think the present appearances, warrant
any neglect of this station.
Gov. Cox, is now here as superintendant
during the absence of Tamoree. Cox appears to be truly our friend.
He speaks better English than Tamoree, is learning to read &
write, occasionally attends public worship, & speaks decidedly in
favor of the Mission.
We have not been without our fears as to
the removal of Tamoree, but we are not now particular distressed
with that circumstance, though we feel his loss. His habits of
temperance & sobriety may enable him to do good at Woahoo among
the more dissipated chiefs who respect him.
The school conducted by Brothers W. & R . in rotation, under the
direct patronage of Tamoree is still continued here, though
somewhat diminished in numbers in consequence of his absence.
The acquisition of the language is still & must be for a long
time an object demanding much of our attention.
We have not yet
agreed upon a n alphabet with which to write it - It is most
probable that we shall adopt as the basis, "the foreign sounds of
the vowels” & with the Roman character follow as nearly as is
convenient the plan pursued in reducing to form the Language of
Otaheite.
We ask your deliberate advice on the Subject. - & if
�10.
you can send u s any books in the Otaheiten tongues, or on the
subject of "Phonology" you would contribute important aid in
this difficult business.
There is another point, of a different nature, on which we ask
specific advice, of very tender interest to our female helpers,
who anticipating the feelings of orphans & widows turn their
eyes to you as a father for early instruction adapted, to guide
them in such trying scenes as might arise should lover & friend
be taken from them.
Believing still, that the Lord will provide, & devoting ourselves
daily to his service, with sentiments of filial esteem &
Christian fellowship we are, dear sir, yours
H. Bingham
S. Whitney
S . Ruggles
To: Rev. S. Worcester
Cor. Sce A.B.C.F .M.
�11
9 Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 117
Sandwich Islands, Woahoo,
Nov. 25, 1821.
Rev. & very Dear Sir:
By the kind providence of our ever present, ever gracious helper,
we are allowed to address you again, by the Globe, Capt. Gardiner,
of Nantucket. We wrote you a joint letter, by the American
Ship Alexander, Capt. Comerford, July 5, in which we stated our
design to send to Otaheite by one of Tamoree's Brig's which he
assured us should go free of our expense; together with some
of the prominent reasons which induced us to avail ourselves
of what appeared to us to be a very favorable opportunity to
aid the cause of our mission.
The object then appeared highly
desirable, & still appears no less desirable, viewed in its own
proper light. But God who seeth not as man seeth, has allowed
our hopes to be deferred & in a measure to be disappointed,
though he has not suffered our hearts for a moment to be discouraged,
as to the great work in which we are engaged. It would perhaps be
difficult for you to conceive, as it appeared wonderful to us,
how, on any rational ground, the spirit of mercantile monopoly
should rise up suddenly as a lion from his lair to prevent a feeble
missionary from visiting his brethren in another part of the
Pacific Ocean, boldly denouncing the devoted servants of Christ
from whom the grateful Otaheiten receives the word of life, as
bad men, meddlers & speculators; unblushingly & publicly imputing
to them & us the same motives, principles & objects which regulate
its own exclusive policy, a spirit which to serve its purpose here
does not hesitate to join with a supposed enemy in repeating in
the ears of kings & chiefs the same injurious instructions which
long ago filled the mind of Duaterra that noble chief of New
Zealand, with the most distressing & gloomy apprehensions, viz.
"that it is the object of the missionaries to get possession of
the Island".- This spirit of mercantile monopoly which in this
quarter most evidently prefers gain to godliness, uniting its
influence with that which opposes improvement, & loves darkness
rather than light, has, it is believed, by deceptive insinuations,
and artful & slanderous declarations, perplexed and biased the
mind of Kahumanu, Kaneo & others in influence, & warped Tamoree
from his purpose to send his Brig to Otaheite, &.he tells us
that if we go in his brig, the foreign merchants would be highly
displeased & angry with him, & they tell him too that the expense
would be too great.
Thus the plan appears at present to be
defeated. In several instances we are sorry to say that men on
whom we placed some confidence & who spoke in favor of the voyage,
till they saw it would probably be accomplished if they did not
oppose it, have since opposed it with all that virulence which
might have been expected from men of the work had the hope of
their gains been really put in jeopardy as far as they pretended
or feared that it would be.
The weapons used in this opposition
are such as would not be lawful to use in any civilized country.
And it can never cease to be a matter of wonder to us that while
those weapons were wielded with one hand against the Otaheiten
expedition, the other was diligently employed in erecting here a
temporary, but decent house for the public worship of Almighty God,
and not unfrequently extended in deeds of charity to/ the mission
family. It illustrates the truth that the silver&
he gold is
t
the lord's, & gives us new evidence that although satan roars,
�IS.
the Rightful proprietor & Redeemer of the heathen will not
abandon the work which he has commenced in this Land. This
house is erected principally b y the foreigners trading here,
but with the express approbation and cooperation of this
government; erected with a view to the propagation of evangelical
doctrines, which are sometimes met here as in other parts of
the world by that ungrateful opposition which rankles in the bosom
of those who sometimes hear but always hate the truth, and which
shows itself in great swelling words of vanity, reproaching
equally the faith & practise of the church of Christ, & the laws,
the attributes & administration of a holy & longsuffering God.
He gave the command, the promise, & the prediction. "Go up to
mountains & bring wood & trust the house, & I will take pleasure
in it & I will be glorified saith the Lord".
"We have kept the
dedication of this house of God with joy" & it shall be our
delightful employment to fill it with his praise - "The Lord has
done great things for us whereof we are glad" - Our friends &
patrons in America will rejoice with us, & help us to bless God,
& with compassion & benignity will they join with us in supplica
tion for our opposers, in the language of tender solicititude & ?
confidence, "O that they were wise that they understood this, that
they would consider their latter end, for their rock is not as our
Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges" - N or will a
unanimous Christian public forget to pray for those whose names
were ones broted with ours as members of this church & mission
but who have strangely wandered from the path, & forfeited our
confidence & fellowship, prematurely abandoned the work when
their aid was most needed, & done much to betray the sacrid cause
into the hands of its enemies. "Father forgive them - they know
not what they do." The Board will not fail to view with us the
early defection of those of our number as a matter of the most
deep and unfeigned & lasting regret, not so much as it affects
our private happiness or personal interest, & deprives us of
the necessary aid and cooperation of their expected helpers - But
as it disappoints the affectionate confidence of the friends of
missions, - as it confounds & disappoints the most reasonable
expectations of this needy heathen people - as it indicates to the
sagacious rulers, insincerity in the promises of c hristians, &
implies deception in our first engagements, & instability in our
avowed purposes - while professed assistant missionaries quit this
field fully open to invite the most humble faithful & pe rservering
labors; & so obviously allow opposite interests to come in com
petition with the welfare of the heathen:
In short, as it inflects
a wound upon this member of Christ's church which must long con
tinue to bleed & throb with anguish, & which no human physician
can ever heal. But our Divine physician, to whom we must now
look to heal our sicknesses, can mollify this wound, & tho he may
not remove this thorn in the flesh we humbly trust he will, as he
has done, make his, grace sufficient for us. Nay he can, & we
believe he will, through the wisdom & promptitude of the Board,
the ever honored conductors of this mission; the sympathies &
prayers of its friends, & the daily strength imparted to us,make
the things which happened unto us fall out rather unto the further
ance of the gospel.
In a joint letter to you Dear Sir, written at Atooi, Oct. 13, #
by Brothers Bingham, Whitney & Ruggles, & forwarded by the Ship
Packet, Capt. Hill, it was stated that the day preceding, H . & his
#
By mistake that letter was dated the 11 of Oct.
�13
wife & babe, embarked from that place, on board the Ship Mentor.
Capt. Porter, bound to Boston by way of Macao. The history of the
Dr.'s defection we sent you by the ship Arab, Capt. Lewis.
Permit us again to assure you that the union of this consecrated
band is not weakened but rather strengthened by the diminution
of its numbers, - & "there is no restraint unto the Lord to
serve by many or by few." It is due also to your parental
solicitude for one who has had his full share of affection in
the trials of the church, due also to him in his peculiar sorrows,
that we should say here that we have still happy evidence of his
unalienable attachment to the cause of this mission, to the souls
of the heathen & to the pastors & members of this church, & is
ready most promptly to correct the erroneous reports which had
unfortunately began to obtain currency here, "that he dissents
from the voice of the church, & that his express approbation of
deliberate and united decisions had become a cause of speedy &
bitter regret” - Several reports of this nature, circulated in
this place, & distinctly made known to him, he steadily maintains
have no foundation in fact.
We are happy to inform you in grateful acknowledgement of tokens
for good to us & to this nation, that in addition to friends
whom we have found in the merchant service, several gentlemen
engaged in the whale fishing have also repeatedly called on us &
treated us with great civility & kindness & have very obligingly
offered to forward to us from Nantucket in future voyages, any
supplies, or letters, free of expense, which our friends or patrons
may choose to commit to their care. The newly discovered fishing
ground off the coast of Japan, will doubtless lead many of the
respectable citizens of lew England from Nantucket & New Bedford
to pass by our door, taking in at this island water & fresh pro
visions, & greatly administering to our comfort & security, and
not a little, we hope to the good of this nation. Mr. Baker of
Nantucket, of the firm of Baker & Barret, kindly disposed, as we
are told, toward us, would, doubtless, if requested by the pru
dential Com. cheerfully act as an agent to take charge of letters
& supplies & see them shipped for us by the best opportunities. Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord and shall we not
receive evil. We regret to mention that our very interesting
l i t t le family of native females who were enjoying the Christian
care & kindness of this mission family is entirely scattered from
our fold, except one very promising betrothed to Thos. Hopoo.
Two of them at least, have been led in disgraceful captivity by
citisins of a civilized & Christian country, who stand as high in
the affections of a wife at home & in the confidence of their
employers, as the commanders of the Cleopatras Barge, or even of
the Thaddeus. Men who glory in their shame, & threaten "prosecution
& vengeance if their names are mentioned in America", even to
prevent the repetition of their most flagrant & inexcusable im
purities. We are not however wholly discouraged as the successful
education females in the family, nor do we dispair of seeing some,
still in our schools, conscientiously resisting the temptations,
& unwarrantable solicitations of the worldFeeling more than ever, the need of the sympathies & the counsels
of the Board, we again turn our eyes to you. In prosecuting the
�14
study of the language, which presents many obstacles difficult
to be overcome, we are now encouraged to hope that as soon as
January next we shall he able to put to press a Spelling hook
for the use of our schools containing about 1000 words of the
Owhyhee Language, adopting as the basis of the alphabet w hat is
termed the foreign sounds of the vowels, unless some new light
on that point should induce us to commence printing with a
different plan. Any books from you, in the language of Otaheite,
Hew Zealand, or of the Indian tribes of America would be acceptable
to us, & such as can be from time to time afforded us, innumerated
in the list, left in the hands of the Treasurer. As our little
library is divided to accommodate the two stations, we feel it
the more necessary to make this request.
In connection with this letter we send to the Treasurer a list of
articles which we desire may be sent us as the means of support,
if in your view it should(be)preferable to the plan of purchasing
them here at an advanced price, as we think 1000 doll. in your
hands would be worth 2000 in ours, provided the conveyance could
be safe & free of expense.
Be assured, however, that should the funds of the Board be
dificient, or more imperitiv ely needed in any other quarter of the
great missionary field, we have no anxiety as to the means of our
personal support or comfort, & we desire that our wants may give
no needless solicitude. The Lord of Missions who will both guide
you by his wisdom, and afford you abundantly the means of gratifythe feelings of benenolence, towards us, & towards the heathen,
will also, we are pursuaded, in his own way, provide for us, our
wives, & our defenceless little ones, in this far land of heathen
strangers, - Here we desire to live, & labor for Him - Here we
desire to die, when our work is finished - Here if it may please
God, we desire our bones may slumber & our flesh also rest in hope
till the memory of the Resurrection, when he that soweth & he that
reapeth shall awake to rejoice together over the rich ingatherd
harvest of the ransomed heathen, safely housed in the heavenly
garner of our all gracious & Redeeming God.
In the Labors & fellowship of the gospel, we are, dear Sir,
most truly, & affectionately
Yours
H . Bingham
A . Thurston
D . Chamberlain
Elisha Loomis
To:
The Prudential Com.
A.B.C.F.M.
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V
(Extracts from this letter printed
19 Missionary Herald 11, Jan. 1823)
Page 119
Sandwich Islands, Woahoo,
Feb . 1 , 1822.
Very Dear Sir:
Your letters from Boston & Andover by the Brigs Owhyhee & Rob Roy,
together with the pamphlets and various articles of supplies, were
duly & very thankfully received. By the Ship Paragon, Capt. Henry,
bound to Boston by way of Boston & Cape Good Hope, we now send you
in connection with this, a duplicate of our joint letter of
Nov. 27, 1821, which was sent by Ship Globe, Capt. Gardiner by way
of Cape Horn to Nantucket. We send also a copy of the Mission
journal from Dec. 25, 1821 to Jan. 30, 1822. By the Brig Poellar
Capt. J. Meek we forwarded our journal from Nov. 16 to Dec. 24,
with a letter from Br. B. to the Treasurer.
Since our last letter, our families have been increased in
numbers.
To give you a brief view of the state of the mission
families & schools; The present number of natives in this family
including Honoree & Hopoo is 24, 17 boys & 7 girls, which with a
kind laborer Mr. Harvard makes our number 43. - The expense of
living on plain & simple food is about equal as to board to what
it is in Boston. Mrs. C. takes the principal charge of providing
our meals, which is no small task.
The number of pupils at this
station exclusive of a few of high rank occasionaly taught, should be recorded 4 0 - 2 instructed by Mr. T. 10 by Mrs. T. &
28 by Mr. B. The sabbath school is interesting & promising - At
Atooi there are 10 native children in the mission family, besides
3 adult male domestics who have wives, making their number 22. their pupils since Tamoree has been absent, from 20 to 30, making
the total in our families 65, about equal to the present number
of regular pupils, including the pupils in the families. You will
see therefore that the mission on its present plan cannot be sus
tained without incurring considerable expense to the Board, as we
have yet no adequate resources to rely on here. We are desirous
to enlarge our plan of operation, by taking a new station as soon
as the chiefs shall point out a desirable spot; placing two of
our number there to begin the work & thus actively wait for rein
forcements, increased supplies, tho we believe the expense would
not be increased in proportion to the increase of missionary work
which would probably be advantageously accomplished. - Several
places seem to be inviting in many respects. Ohido, on Owhyhee,
Lahinah, on Mowe, & Hanapapa on Atooi, provided the arrangements
of the government should decidedly favor either.
We are more than satisfied with the high ground taken by the
Prudential Com. with respect to the situation and appointment of
laborers for this field. You are doubtless well aware that in
the present vascillating state of this nation, and in view of the
deep sublity of the arch enemy to discover & thwart our plans
by superior forecast or assiduity, the unhappy defection of part
of our number; the laborious business of making books & translations
of the Bible in this difficult unwritten tongue, & the terrible
influence of profane & licencious outlaws & others, more to be
�16
deprecated than the absurdities of superstition, the exigencis
of this mission demand the aid of no ordinary talent. A con
siderable number of laborers who are emphatically prudent, tried,
& faithful of such qualifications, & for such purposes as have been
heretofore specified could now we believe be very advantageously
employed in this great field, & we repeat our request that as
in the wisdom of the Board and the providence of God, it may be
allowed thy way be sent, to our aid & to the help of the nation.
We desire still further that among the missionaries of the Board
our case may be regarded as in a very important & striking sense
peculiar, as having peculiar claims. Your Missionaries at Bombay
& Ceylon always enjoy the personal advice & cooperation of able,
experienced men, in the promotion of their plans, your missions
in America are visited by the officers of the Board and others
competent to give important advice and aid. We are alone, and need
that salutary aid. They labor among a people where character and
history are known, we are among a people almost unknown. Their
plans of operation are well matured & tested by successful ex
periment - Here new plans are to be adapted to the character &
condition of a singular people - Their civil institutions are al
ready established - here the laws of society of the State are yet
.to be formed, not directly by the missionary, but indirectly by
the increase of light. Your Missionaries to Palestine too find
friends, instructors, guides, & helpers, wherever they go. How
widely different the character of those we meet with, how incon
siderable the comparative aid they are willing or able to afford.
We greatly feel the need of able counsellors ourselves as well as
able teachers of the people. We therefore earnestly entreat the
Board to endeavor to meet the special exigencis of the mission,
by appointing to its aid one or two able preachers, possessing
richly those excellent qualifications implied in the terms "wise
as serpents & harmless as doves", "patient in tribulation,” "apt
to teach” , "always abounding in the work of the Lord” , and with
special qualifications & auxiliaries, for attempting an entire
translation of the Scriptures, so soon as the language can be
sufficiently acquired.
We are happy to announce to you that on the first Monday of
January we commenced printing, & with great satisfaction have put
the first eight pages of the Owhyhee spelling book into the hands
of our pupils, copies of which we now transmit to you for the
examination of the Committee, and as little articles of curiosity
from these dark Isles. By the next conveyance we hope to send
complete copies, with a preface.
The edition will be small, about
500 copies, - We should be obliged, if the Committee should suggest
alterations & amendments, from a perusal of the first 8 pages.
We feel it necessary to ask for some additional type, a quantity of
Small Pica accented letters - a small assortment of flowers, &
interesting cuts for ornamenting childrens' books, tickets, & c ;
together with a quantity of good demy printing paper, if such or
similar paper has not been already sent. We intend to print a
catichism historical & doctrinal, a scripture tract, a grammar
and vocabulary, as we make advances in the language.
Our pupils
will devour books in this language as fast as we can make them. The translation of the Scriptures into any language is a great
work, but especially if there be no learned men who write and speak
that language fluently.
�Add to this the great apparent poverty and the ambiguity of the
Owhyhee language, & a good translation of the entire bible is not
to b e expected for many years go come. Probably our eyes will never
be gladdened with such a goodly sight.
More than all other means & helps, we need the (hole in paper)
of the Holy Spirit, sent down from heaven, to help our (hole)
to make the gospel the power & the wisdom of God; to turn the
hearts and santify the souls of the rulers & the people, that they
may obey & worship & enjoy our excellent Redeemer.
We ask for this
dying people, the continued and special prayers of those that love
the prosperity of Zion.
We pray, too, that the distressing & deep
felt loss of your able & worthy associate, our father and guide,
the beloved & venerated, & ever to be lamented, D r . Worcester, may
be most kindly overruled, for the comfort of the Board & other
afflicted associates, for the support of the missionaries, who
most sincerely mourn his death, and for the good of the poor heathen,
for whom he lived & prayed & toiled, with well directed zeal, &
with whom he died. Dear, honored & devoted servant of God - we loved
y ou
May the blessings for which he prayed still continue to
descent to bless the earth.
We tender to the Board & his bereaved friends our sympathies. - We
see not how his place can be filled on earth, while he we trust, one
of the sons of God, with adoring gratitude & joy fills a higher,
nobler, happier sphere in Heaven.
May the blessings of the Most High ever rest on the Board to guide
its deliberations, to direct its officers, to enlarge and succeed
abundantly its benevolent operations, till all its members shall
be dismissed from their toil and called respectively to their seats
in glory.
Most truly and affectionately,
Yours in the Lord
H. Bingham
A . Thurston
D . Chamberlain
E. Loomis
Joint letter from
Sandwich Islands,
N ov. 13, 1822.
Paragon
To: Jeremiah Evarts E s q r .
Treas. of the A.B.C.F .M.
and clerk pro tem of the Pru. Com.
Boston.
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V
Page 120
Oahu (Woahoo)
August 9, 1822.
To J. Evarts, Esq.
Treas. & Cor. Sec .
A.B.C.F.M.
from
H. Bingham
A. Thurston
D. Chamberlain
E. Loomis
This letter is printed 19 Missionary Herald 98, April 1823,
slightly edited.
P.S. Accompanying this you will receive an account written by
brother L. respecting our expenses, & our wants. You will
from that be able to calculate what remittances we may need,
when the large reinforcement proposed shall be added to the
mission, and all must probably be dependant on the Board, for
almost their whole support. As soon as they can acquire the
language, it is probable that their chief employment must be
instruction for some years, excepting perhaps the Physicians &
one or two others. - You will also receive a letter from the
Missionary Deputation on the subject of the settlement of
Mr. Ellis here and the prospect of the return of Capt. Chamberlain with his family to his native land, concerning which we
send you a copy of a resolution passed by the Mission on the
27 of June, - Should that event take place we shall write you
at full length on the subject, in the meantime we can assure
you and the Board that their proposed return is not in consequence of any disaffection towards the mission or the missionary
work or any personal or private desires to revisit their friends
or country, but because the decline of his health and disinterested
regard to the welfare of his family, & the cause of Christ seems
to recommend it.
H. Bingham.
We are again induced to speak of a subject which we have once
or twice hinted at, that of procuring for the king a decent
dwelling house from the liberality of some of the friends of
this mission & of this nation, should there be any who would be
disposed to do good in this way; - we should be glad to hear
your sentiments on the subject. The king we think is expecting
it, & we should now find it a very great acquisition. Houses for
the missionaries will be needed also.
We ask advice on the subject of the connection between us and
M r . Ellis as a missionary of Lorrd. Soc . - On the subject of Capt. C.'s
return, on the prop riety
or expediency of sending our children
from this land of pollution to our friends in America for their
�19
education, - on the subject of supporting the children of the
natives to any considerable extent. Our English friends express
a decided and unanimous opinion that that is not the best method
of doing good to the Islanders, They have probably made
known their views to you on their points.
In haste I am truly yours,
H . Bingham
Aug. 10 , 1822.
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Page 124
Oahu, Oct. 1 2 , 1822.
Very Dear Sir:
We have this day written you b y the ship Hamilton, Capt. Martin,
a gentleman who deserves our thanks for his kind attentions to
us, and who has now just left this harbor, bound to Boston by
way of Canton & Cape Good Hope. Tomorrow we shall forward this
with a large packet, by the Ship Spermo Capt. Bunker homeward
bound by the way of Cape Horn - & having just received communi
cations from the Board by Ship Parthian Capt. Brewster 117 days
from Boston the shortest passage recorded here, we hope to make
you by the Hamilton or Spermo the most speedy returns ever re
ceived at Boston from this place - perhaps 9 months from the date
of Mr. L. Chamberlain's letter 5th June 1822, in your behalf Two months since we wrote you by the Ship America Capt. Dakoven
our highly esteemed friend, bound to N . York by way of Cape Good
Hope - In our letter dated Aug. 10 we gratefully acknowledged the
receipt of letters & pamphlets from you & our private friends,
and seasonable supplies from the Board; the arrival here of the
Missionary Deputation M r . Tyerman & Mr. Bennet, together with
M r . Ellis from the Society Isles, also the receipt of a letter
from Mr. Oliphart, China, accompanied by a donation from him to
the Mission of 300 doll. as also a kind letter and pamphlets from
Rev. Mr. Burder, London, by the Ship LeAigle, Capt. Starbuck .
We also announced the expected settlement of Mr. Ellis here with
his family to enter into our labors, especially with a view to
facilitate the study of the language & the translation of the
scriptures, and also the probably return of Capt. C. with his
family to his native land, who b y the way is now at Tauwai; with
the animating progress of instruction in these Islands which still
continues. About 6 weeks ago, Aug. 22 the Deputation, with Mr. Ellis
left this place on board H .B .M . Cutter Mermaid in which they came,
by whom we sent letters to the Windward & Leaward stations at the
Society Islands & to M r . Marsden with letters of introduction to
our brother Missionaries at Bombay, Calcutta and Ceylon where the
Deputation hope to call in their tour round the world - Within
four days we shall send communications to Messrs. Tyerman & Bennet,
& the Missionary at the Society Islands by the Brig Cossack, Capt.
Dix, bound to Lima, by way of Huahine & Otahiti , , to return by the
same way with a view to bring Mr. Ellis whom we shall expect to
see here in about 5 months - Within ten days we expect to send to
Canton by the Ship Tartar our acknowledgement of Mr. Oliphart's
favor already prepared; also about the same time to write to Mr.
Burder by an English Whaleship now in this port homeward bound
and to America by an American home bound whaleship within two weeks.
We might add to this singular concurrence of circumstances that
Capt. Chase of the Ship Alexander having left this port a few
days since returned shortly after towing in 3 or 4 whales which
he yesterday cut in & tried just at our door. We might announce
the loss of two English Whaleships, The Pearl, Capt. Clark &
the Hermes, Capt. Phillips, both wrecked in company the same
hour April 25 on an unknown reef in Lat. 25 North Long. 175° =56
West, near the Island Lisianskys. The crews got upon the rocks
�21
where they remained 2 months, when Capt. Stevens who carried
out from Ceylon the Missionary Deputation was approaching the
same dreadful ruin, Capt. Phillips sent a boat just in time
to save him from ship wreck - Capt. S. took up the two crews wrecked
there, except 12 men who chose to remain and complete the schooner
which had been begun, from the wrecks of the two ships as they
broke up & went ashore - A few days since the 12 men brought in
this little schooner named Deliverance into this port and sold
it for 2000 doll.
Doct. Law the physician of the Hermes has arrived here and will
probably remain awhile - To Capt» P. we gave a bible & some small
articles for his use, about to sail for England. It may give
some further variety to say that the schooner Eagle, Capt. Rogers
sent out to recover from the Spaniards on the coast of New Spain,
the Brig Cossack, after losing half her crew by desertion took
possession of the Cossack lying at anchor, without bloodshed But while the hands we principly employed in bringing her safely
to sea, the Eagle got entangled in the kelp & becalmed near shore,
was left by C.R. and his two remaining hands who went on board the
Cossack & came off safely, but the Eagle went ashore - add to all
this the Ship Wellington condemned here, is now in the market &
her hull is offered to the Mission for 600 doll. - Should the king
approve we should be disposed to obtain her plank & beams of
her two decks which might be easily taken out for the purpose of
building a printing office and a dwelling house - the rest for
fuel - Mr. H . would take charge of her & break her up for a share,
the iron, & c . Sixteen fine ships now in sight from our door,
seven in the harbour - 8 lying at anchor in the roads, and one
under full sail bearing away for beloved America - besides a
considerable number of smaller vessels in port giving an air of
life and importance to this place, of which we had little conception
while in the quiet retreat of our native homes.
Since Mr. Ellis
left us, the first Edition of our little spelling book has been
quite exhausted - But 500 copies were printed in the first edition
& t he work was not completed before they were all taken up &
many more called for, we have therefore struck off another edition
of 2000 copies hoping to add immediately 8 pages more - Since
Mr. E. left us we have had our public worship conducted in the
vernacular tongue 3 times a week and once in English.
Congrega
tions of 100 to 400 natives hear the gospel preached in their
own tongue at this place; and at Atooi the brethren with the
faithful Auna the Tahitian brought & left by Mr. Ellis, have pub
lic worship on the Sabbath and the people give attention.
Brother Whitney we hope will soon be licensed to preach.
Taumuaril, Kaahumanu, Cox and other chiefs are now there, & lately
Kaahumanu who is learning to read sent to us for several hundred
books more than we had. Adams too at Hawaii (Owhyhee) has lately
sent us a letter requesting us to send them books there and fur
nish them with the means of instruction, saying there are many
who would become pupils. - We had our 9th Quarterly Examination
on the 14 last month. - Probably not less than 500 persons in
these Islands were there learning to read.
Thus you see the Lord is graciously pleased so to smile on our
public efforts as to continue our encouragements to labor in this
dark uncultured region.
Praise ye the Lord.
�22
We find occasion to appear before you in the posture of
importunity - & with a view to a more vigorous prosecution
of our great work to ask for money & articles of trade - A box
of common hardware would be useful - also slates, pencils, lead
pencils, penknives & every article needed in our rising schools These together with books we have gladly furnished to our pupils
hereto gratuitously - We ask your advice whether we shall con
tinue to do so or whether we shall barter them for such things
as we need for our support as soon as there shall be such a
desire for that the pupil would gladly buy them for their own
accommodation.
We shall also need a quantity of Brass Rules & furniture for
the Press & 500 lower case Roman k's Small Pica , and 500, Do, Pica.
The number of k's is very great in this language, and small in
the English.
We think it advisable to ask now for 40 Reams of good printing
paper, the same size as that on which the spelling book is printed,
or if it could be procured about an inch wider to give a better
margin, it would be preferable. By the time you can send it to
us we shall probably wish to print an edition of 10000 copies,
preserving the precise form & size of the pages except the margin
which is a little too small - We send you a specimen of the sheets.
Should you send printing paper it should be well secured from
damage in close fin
e b o x e s . Within 2 years we hope to print a
grammar & vocabulary & shall need accented vowels. We must look
to you also for a quantity of thin pasteboard for covers to the
spelling books, with sheep skins for the backs, and Marble paper,
cartridge paper, & c , suitable for covering the books we print, &
perhaps a set of Bookbinder's tools, though Mr. Ellis expects
to bring his - He can superintend both printing & binding - & some
of us can soon acquire the art if necessary. - Some of the Tahitians
who will come as Mr. Ellis's domestics can bind books, tolerably
well. - Mr. E . will bring his press, types and tools, ready for
business - And we hope come to the people in the fullness of the
blessings of the gospel of peace.
We should be glad to receive also a little ruled writing paper of
a good quality of the size of our transcribed journals & for the
same purpose - We have before asked for a few blank books for our
convenience & hope they may be on their way hither & perhaps other
articles herein mentioned.
Should the stationers in Boston unite and send us 10000 small
convenient ruled copy books, it would facilitate the business of
teaching the nation to write, & save much of our precious time a few plates for copies would also be useful - If possible do
send us a few Elegant Script types, that we may print the Alphabet
at least in Capitals & small letters, and a line or two just for
a copy to be attached to the spelling book so that every scholar
that has a book may have a copy for writing constantly with him.
The whole nation is to be taught to write as well as read - &
much of the reading which many of them will have for many years
will probably be in manuscript.
We send you by this conveyance our Thermometrical Register for
�23
the year ending in July, kept. principally by Br. Loomis , and
journal from Feb. 2 to April 20 - together with extracts from
the journal of Auna in his late tour to the windward Isles and a copy of Mr. Oliphart's excellent letter - We regret that
owing to the variety and pressure of our work for 6 months
past - our increasing correspondence & attention to the language,
we are not able to transmit our journal up to this time, though
we have endeavored to make you fully acquainted with the general
state & progress of the mission by frequent & long letters We rejoice to see the names of some of our designated helpers,
& hope they will join us (hole in paper) the work demands their
prompt,
efficient help.
We close with our fervent wishes that Divine wisdom may fill
the vacancies in the Board, crown their plans & deliberations
with success & supply abundantly the world wide filled with
faithful laborers, & bless them with the smiles of his eternal
love, & ever gracious Providence.
Affectionately yours,
H. Bingham
A. Thurston
E. Loomis
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Treas. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms, Market St. No. 69
Boston, Mass.
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Page 130
Oahu, Dec . 28, 1822.
Very Dear Sir:
By Capt. Gardiner, we forwarded our journal from the time of
the departure of the Miss. Dep. Aug. 22 to the sailing of the
Baleana Nov. 27 - In Oct. we wrote you by the Ships Hamilton
& Spermo, sending our journal of a period of three months All these communications we hope you will have received before
this can be expected to reach you. We have just received the
refreshing communications by the Rover.
She had a long passage
of 181 days, whereas the Parthian which left Boston the same
day arrived in 117 days.
Since the sailing of the Baleana, the business of instruction
has proceeded much as it had a month previous. Thos. Hopu
leaving his class in Hononruru, to the care of Kanaa, a native
assistant teacher, is now engaged in teaching the school of
about 50 pupils, which was opened by Brother Loomis at Kairua.
Hopu prays with the people of Kairua on the Sabbath and endeavors
to teach them the words of the Lord Jesus - James Kahuhu is
employed at this village as an assistant teacher also. Brothers
Thurston & Bingham are much occupied in teaching & preaching Brother L. also engages in teaching & occasionally in social
prayer with the people.
Sisters Bingham & Thurston continue to
instruct though the number immediately under their care has
been somewhat diminished during the last quarter.
Capt. C. has commenced building a small stone house for a print
ing office, and preparing stone for the walls of a dwelling house
at this place.
The want of beams, plank, boards& shingles we
very sensibly feel, & must doubtless labor under the embarrassment
till a supply shall arrive from the shores of America - We have
been enabled to procure some logs & spars from the N .W. Coast,
& have sawed by hand several hundred feet, but there is nothing
of the kind now in this market. Our church Edifice has lately
been repaired and considerably enlarged, by a new subscription
of 140 doll. chiefly among the masters of vessels lately in port
and Mercantile agents.
In this our friend Mr. Hunnewell has
been particularly attentive.
The brethren at Tauwai having been often distressed with appre
hensions of fire while in their thatched house in the center of
the village, and desirous of enlarging the sphere of missionary
labor at that island with some assistance from Capt. C. - have
each built a dwelling house of stone, Mr. Whitney on the bank
of Waimea River, & M r . Ruggles on his land at (hole in paper).
They are making advances in the language & continuing their
efforts in teaching. - Kaahumanu is at Tauwai still, but is ex
pected to return here before long - Auna & his wife continue
their pious efforts there. - The desire of instruction among the
chiefs and people, is probably gaining ground - & we hope favorably
as to their reception of the new labours designated to these
islands, & who we hope in the good providence of God to greet on
these shores in about 3 months, - We have lost no time in
�25
attempting to prepare the way for their reception, and agreeably
to the suggestion of the Pru. Com. we shall continue to do what
we can, that the rulers may he in readiness to receive them.
Should a part of the chiefs now residing here remove soon to
Hawaii, as it is rumored, that will probably facilitate the re
establishment of a station on that important Island, now occupied
by the soitary Hopu. - Should circumstances admit, it would be
agreeable to our wishes that a part of the recruits should occupy
Hawaii, part Maui, part Oahu & part Tauwai, endeavoring to unite
our strength with theirs,and laying out the sum to the best ad
vantage for the enlightening, purifying & renovating the nation.
Such is the degree of fickleness, duplicity and instability in
the opinions, manners, and measures, even among the rulers, that
it is extremely difficult for us so to arrange any particular
plans as to meet theirs three months forward.
This must be our
apology for a seeming deficiency in our former communications to
the board respecting the number & the qualifications of the persons
to be sent to this field.
It is a dificiency which we ourselves
have had occasion deeply to regret - & we must trust the wisdom
and goodness of Christ the great Lord of the harvest to overrule it,
directing himself the proceedings of the Board, & appointing the
labors, trials & comforts & the measure of success to every
missionary that he calls into the field.
May his blessing ever rest on you Dear Sir and on all your honored
associates in the cause of God.
Very affectionately yours,
H.
A.
D.
E.
Bingham
Thurston
Chamberlain
Loomis
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Treas. A.B.C.F.
Missionary R ooms,
Boston, Mass.
�26.
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V
Page 131
Honoruru,
Jan. 11, 1823.
Very Dear Sir:
Your letter of July 20, 1822, with the Herald of that month,
and other pamphlets, have just arrived & refreshed us by their
interesting contents. - The letters, newspaper & pamphlets sent
by the Rover, Capt. Cooper, we acknowledged in our letters
of the 20th ult. by the Ship Spartan & the Brig Quill.
We rejoice, & would give thanks to God who has not only prolonged
your life to return to the b osom of home, but through his rich
mercy has made your late, interesting tour serviceable to your
health while he has blessed your eyes with the wonders he is
doing by means of your Western missions, & at the same time
strengthened you to engage in the important service of promoting
the best interests of the "Southwestern tribes", for whom, in a
special manner the prayer of faith seems to have been offered for
a few years past. - The Lord has heard that prayer, - blessed be
his name. We rejoice in the success which the great Lord of
the Harvest is pleased to grant to all the missions under the
patronage of the Board, and of all other associations of men
formed for the grand object of enlarging the holy kingdom of the
prince of Peace, of whose peace and increase there shall be no end.
We sympathise too with our brethren in this field, & with our
patrons, in view of the afflictions with which our fellow laborers
are visited.
When one of the beloved pioneers of the Palestine
Mission fell at Alexandria, how did the heart of his bereaved
brother & companion sink within him!— Every friend of Israel
wept. - Mr. Parsons, was to some of us a very pleasant & intimate
acquaintance, an affectionate & precious friend, and to all a
kind and much esteemed brother - and as a missionary he was ex
ceedingly dear to thousands who love & pray for the peace of
Jerusalem. He walked with God, & God took him - How holy, - how
happy, - how precious, how exquisitely blessed must be that fellow
ship in heaven which, we have good evidence to believe, pervades
the bosoms of such men as Moses & Elias, Nehemiah & Daniel, Paul &
Timothy, Scott & Brainard, Worcester and Parsons. They rest from
earthly labors, but their works do follow them, to cheer, to
guide, to stimulate and aid their brethren here below.
We rejoice to learn so definitely by your last letter that by
the favor of Providence, the increased and liberal offerings of the
Christian public, & the voluntary self devotement of those who
desire to bear a part in the great work to which we were sent forth,
the Board were so far prepared to accomplish their design to rei n f o r ce this mission, as to have at least seven men under appoint
ment, to be embarked in Oct . with the prospect of sending also the
assistant in the Treasury Department, one more Physician, & one
or two more mechanics. - these, all may we not hope with their
companions & the youths from the For. Miss. Soc. have already passed
the Equator in the Atlantic, pressing forward with the favorable
wind of heaven to meet us in about 3 months, to give & receive
the right hand of Christian & Missionary fellowship, & to proclaim
�27
with Godly zeal, the blessed gospel of a crucified & exalted
Savoir to this needy waiting people & to labor with us to
win them to Christ.
We are happy to learn that so great a proportion of the number
to be sent are destined to preach , as the field is now much
more widely open for the kind of labor, than it has at any
former period appeared to be; for the king two days since, in
a communication to the mission written by his own hand & sent
at the public examination of the schools, expressed decisively
his desire that all the chiefs of all these Islands might
listen to the words of the Preachers, learn the will of Jesus
Christ and be saved by him- - You will not understand this
declaration of the king, as a profession of cordial faith in
Christ, or of love to his cause, but simply his approbation of
our design to preach, and a wish that his chiefs may attend to
what we may say, to see if they can obtain the benefit we pro
pose. - But even this we regard as a very desirable advance
made by the king at the very time when he & we are expecting soon
a large reinforcement of the mission, & as we know of no direct
opposition on the part of any chief but rather a general desire,
certainly among the principal chiefs to be instructed, we con
sider the way fairly open for the teachers in the reinforcement.
Two or three Physicians are equally demanded, & we should hope
that they will be prepared to preach also as soon as they can
acquire the language. Mechanics, the king & chiefs will have,
(we are convinced) at some rate, & if they cannot be aided by
those whose character, & communications would have a salutary
influence in their morals, they will have in their service those
whose moral influence will be pernicious. - But as a considerable
number of mechanics of different kinds, from different countries,
sojourn among the people now, and as the demand for teachers is
so rapidly increasing, we should hope that every mechanic employed
here by the Board, would be competent to teach a good school, &
to conduct profitably, a prayermeeting, or religious conference
among the natives, should the exigencies of the mission & of this
yet unstable nation demand it, & were all duly qualified to
preach it would doubtless be still better, so that every tentmaker
should be a Paul, & every fisherman a Peter, in the great work
of gathering these gentiles. But neither we nor the Board, have
in looking for the adequate number of laborers for this field,
expected the interposition of miricles,
nor with the present
system of education in America, & the increasing demand for min
isterial labors there & the growing and imperious calls for
missionaries from almost every part of the heathen world, could
it have been expected that the American Church should send forth,
amply qualified to preach the gospel every man whose services
were needed here. From a late survey of this field by gentlemen
worthy of high confidence, the Lond. Miss. Dep. , they expressed
an opinion, 'that as the grand instrument to be employed in
promoting the good of the nation must be the preaching of the gospel,
at least for many years to come, it is desirable that every man
in the missionary service here should be a preacher', not imply
ing however that laymen might not be useful as such, but that
preachers could be much more so, & as the expenses of maintenance
must be about equal it would be far better to employ only the
latter, allowing too that they might turn to good account whatever
�28
skill they might possess in various useful arts.
A s to native youths to be sent from the foreign mission school,
all would doubtless be received here that could be educated there But as to the time of sending them forth and the qualifications
they should bring in order to aid the cause we have thought it
needless for us to remark at all, submitting our views entirely
to our patrons., or rather supposing our views so far to accord
with what was expected by Dr. W. that we did not deem it necessary
to speak of their requisite qualifications. - We may however be
allowed to express an opinion, that while they enjoy the excellent
culture of the foreign Mission School, & the benefit of Christian
society, they ought to be allowed to grow nearly to the stature
of a man in Christ, before they can be safely trusted to the
corrupting influence of the children of this adulterous & crooked
generation. Christ can indeed sustain them if they are truly his, so he could Peter when walking on the raging flood, or when satan
desired to sift the disciples as wheat.
Since that dreadful
hour he has lost none of his desire or his power to sift those who
profess to abandon his cause. - Let them be well proved - and
acquire some decision & weight of character, as men and as c hristian
missionaries, and they may be expected to be very important auxil
iaries, instead, of gracious embarrassments to the mission. Such
we take it are your expectations of those now to be sent and such
also of course are ours. - There is room & work for all & more
than (hole in paper) propose to send. - May the gracious Lord
uphold & guide (hole) all who are called to this field, & raise
up many more, yet to enter it.
Since our last letter to you, Taumuarii & Kahumanu, and their
attending chiefs have returned from Tauwai, & continue their
attention to instruction. - Taumuarii left orders for a school
to be collected at Hanapepa, under Mr. R's instruction who has
with his family removed to that place, expecting one of the re
cruits soon to join him there.
Brother W. writes that he expects soon to have the superintendance
of a school of 50 pupils at Waiwaa under the particular patronage
of Wahine-Nui, the present superintendent of Tauwai.
On the 9inst. we had examinations of our schools at this place
which now comprize more than 200 pupils, most of whom appeared in
decent order at the chapel, with a good number of spectators Br. T. conducted the examination - which was in our view more
flattering than any former one which we have had. - N ot less than
12 Chiefs & Chief???including the favorite queen Kamamalu, & her
sister Kinau - the king’s brother Kauikioule& his sister Nahienaena
& Opiia one of the wives of the late king - with her present
husband Laanui, bore an interesting part, of the examination; nor
was the king's copy-book with its fair, neat pages, & his communi
cation before alluded to, which was read to the assembly, less
interesting. - The assistant teachers, Honorii, Auna the Tahitien,
James Kahuhu, Kanae & Taumi appeared at the head of their respective
schools and assisted in the examination - The two latter, with
Abner Morse read original compositions - The queen recited about
half of Watt's catechism Kahuhu read with fluency a passage from
the Bible, Kepiolani the wife of Naihu & Tuhio their friends
presented their first essays in composition, & Naihu with sim
plicity handed in a declaration written by his own hand, containing
�29
four words - "Aroha au ia Tehova” - I love the lord. - Opiia
exhibited fair hand writing with many others - H onorii gave an
address to the pupils, & B r . T. closed the exercises with prayer Such is the outline of the examination at the commencement of the new
year, & we sincerely hope the progress in businessofinstruction may
be very much greater for a year to come than it has been the year
past, & O that the reviving grace of God might descend upon
our pupils in whose instruction we find increasing pleasure and as
New Year's Eve was marked by a precious new year's gift, presented
to B r . & Sister B . a pleasant son, to bear the loved name of
Levi Parsons, may it prove the harbinger of peace to the mission
for the year, and may this be one among the many whom God will
raise up to fill in some importantsensethe plan of that dear lamented
brother, & may we with our patrons be allowed "to sit with him on
heavenly plans".
With respectful & Christian salutations to yourself & your beloved
associates we are, dear Sir, affectionately yous, in the Lord
H . Bingham
A . Thurston
D . Chamberlain
E . Loomis
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Treasurer & Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms,
N o. 69 Market St.
Boston - U.S.A.
�30.
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 133
Oahu, Sandwich Islands, March 20, 1823.
V ery Dear Sir:
You will doubtless see by our last letter of Jan. 11 which we
sent you by the Ship Parthian, Capt. Brewster, some account of
the progress of instruction in the Islands during the preceding
quarter, the special favor of the king towards the objects of
our mission, his desire that the chiefs might listen to the
word of God proclaimed to them by us; the increasing call for
teachers; the prospect of the easy access of the expected re
inforcement which you informed us you were about to send to
these opening whitening fields, together with our view of the
qualifications of laborers most likely to meet with encouragement
among this people, at the present period. - We gratefully acknow
ledged also the birth of a pleasant son to Brother & Sister B.
which was to bear the loved name of Levi Parsons. But as the
friends of Israel were soon called to mourn the death of that
dear Missionary to Judea, so have the parents of the little L.P.
and the members of this mission been called to ask of the rulers
of this land a burying place for this tender babe, who as the
first of our number, has quickly finished his few fleeting days
on earth. As for God his way is perfect. We desire to hold
ourselves & our surviving little ones entirely at his disposal.
Thy will O Lord be done.
The remainder of this letter published in 19 Missionary Herald 315,
Oct. 1823, excepting the following conclusion.
Should our views accord with yours on this subject, & we desire to
be corrected if they do not, the loss of Capt. C. of whose con
templated return we have before apprised you, will be regarded as a
smaller calamity to this infant mission than it otherwise would
have been. - Unable to accomplish the original design, unable as
he has been & must be in his situation with his large & rising
family, to do anything to defray or deminish the expenses of the
mission,even had his health been continued, his return to America in
the present embarrassed state of your friends, must be regarded as
a less embarrassment to the mission, & to your cause in general,
than it otherwise would be, since the bare expense of their
returns must be small compared with what would be needful to sustain
them permanently here. But the decline of Capt. C ’s health, the
difficulty experienced in attempting to preserve his children
from contaminating intercourse with this rude people, where
delicacy is scarcely known or thought of, when vice made bold by
foreign influence stalks through the land unmasked, these are the
primary reasons for his return, these are the afflicting circumstances of his leaving us. Brother and Sister C. have labored hard & suffered much in the
cause which they left their home and country to support, & which
they would still willingly toil & suffer to support did duty
plainly demand it, & which they with reluctance leave. We trust
their various cares and efforts have not been in vain. -
�31
From A ug. 1820 to March 1822 they provided pretty uniformly
for the table of the family at this station assisted sometimes
by Mrs. L. - In March 1822 w ith some view to another station,
Capt. C. resigned the stewardship, & the principal care and
labor of that office was devolved on M r . & Mrs. L . assisted
sometimes by Mrs. C. & occasionally by the other Sisters who
were engaged in teaching, or laboring at other stations, till
N o v last when Br. L. being at Hawaii and Capt. C. intending to
return to America, & the health of Mrs. L. being impaired - the
sisters by mutual consent made a distribution of such cooking
utensils &c as could be well divided, and since that time each
has set her own table in her own apartment, with a view to save
strength and expense - & at the same time to be equally com
fortable in prosecuting our great work. But unable as we have ever
been from the time of our landing to procure for them suitable
help, or suitable conveniences, and in many instances needful
comforts, we have often been pained to see them litterally worn
down with fatigue in attempting to meet the wants of this large
family, instructing and aiding the people with promptitude under
a pressure of duties which seemed scarcely to be diminished when
sinking health actually demanded a respite.
In the case of
Br. & Sister C. the infelicities in the carriage of some of their
children, their care & solicitude for their comfort & their
apprehensions for their safety in this polluted land, where
without the firmness of Christian principle they could not be use
fully employed without coming into too close contact with the
natives.
These have been no small part of the burden of their
sorrowing parents, while struggling with the ordinary evils of
our rugged path, on this new missionary ground - Nor have the
efforts of other members of the mission been small to give their
children suitable instruction and to watch over them in various
situations. It is now almost a year since they asked the deliberate
counsel of their brethren as to the expediency of their attempting
to return, & had it not been for the very decided opinion of the
Lond. Miss. Dep. in favor of their return we might perhaps have
been more slow to give our advice to that affect. But from that
period to the present the members of this body have been most
unanimously in favor of their attempting to return as soon as
providence should open the way. We have endeavored to give you
some of our reasons for so doing - It only remains for us to
recommend them affectionately to the Board, & to the dear churches
in our native land whither they are now bound, & to hope that you
will not disapprove of what with the utmost deference to your
wishes, we have assumed the responsibility of doing.
They now
leave this little church, in person but not in heart, and when
they shall be united with any other local church of Christ they
will be considered as dismissed from this.
They have engaged their
passage in the Brig Pearl Capt. Chandler, bound to America by the
way of Cape Horn, for which we have drawn on you 800 dollars,
their outfits, not estimated with exactness being about 400 doll.
We have lately purchased the hull, two masts & bowsprit of the
ship Ruby, for which we have drawn on you for 405 dollars - with a
view to aid in building a printing house & dwelling house - & to
accommodate ourselves with fuel. Other considerable extra expenses
we have incurred, and feel obliged to draw on the Treasury, by this
conveyance the sum of 3,600 doll. with the deduction of 64 14/
�32
for which we send you Brother Ellis's bills on the Lond.
Miss. Soc. We are sorry to draw so l a r g e l y at this time but
we know not how to avoid it and yet prosecute our enlarging
plans. We still hope that our supplies may he if possible
procured in America as the advanced prices here and then the
heavy premium to he granted to those who take their pay at
Boston render our expenses great in comparison of what we
really enjoy in return. - Capt. C. we hope may be of some
service to you and us in this respect.
P raying for the divine blessing on you, dear sir, & on your
associates, on those who leave, and on those who remain & also
on all our helpers, we remain very affectionately your brethren,
and fellow servants in the Redeemers glorious cause.
H. Bingham
A. Thurston
E. Loomis
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Treas. & Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F .M
�N ew York, N o v . 28, 1822.
Wrote to Mr. Bingham & Mr. Thurston, & their associates describing & introducing the mission family on board the
Thames giving also, a list of boxes sent by the Octavia,
Capt. Blanchard, viz:
N o. 1. Madeira wine - 2 doz.
2 . Crockery - 3. Crockery for Mr. Richards.
4. A box from Pepperell, Ms.
5. & 6. Two small boxes of garden seeds.
7. A box from Rushville, Ont. Co. N ew Y o r k .
8 . A painted chest for Mr. Bingham.
9. A box from Cherry Valley.
11. & 12. Two boxes of Bibles from the Am. Bib.
Soc. (These two were returned from Boston)
Mentioned, also, a small package of books, a small box
of types &c which I expected to leave on board.
(Sent the types & a keg of printing ink by the Octavia.
She sailed Dec. 9th)
�34.
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 137
Honaruru, Oahu, May 5th, 1823.
To:Jeremiah Evarts, Esq., Corresponding Secretary of
the A .B.C.F .M.
From:
William Richards
Chas. Saml. Stewart
Artimas Bishop
Abraham Blatchely
Joseph Goodrich
James Ely
Levi Chamberlain
Printed in 20 Missionary Herald 179, June 1824.
�35
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 139
Hanaroorah, May 24, 1823.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Cor. Sec. A .B .C .F .M .
From: H . Bingham
A . Thurston
E. Loomis
William Richards
Chas. Saml. Stewart
Artimas Bishop
Abm. Blatchely
Joseph Goodrich
James Ely
Levi Chamberlain
Honored and very Dear Sir:
Letter printed 20 Missionary Herald 183, excepting the
following paragraphs:
Your letters by the Thames, the Octavia & the Champion, the
supplies shipped by the two former, the Missionary Heralds
completing the last volume, with other papers, pamphlets
& donations, & numerous letters from the friends of the mission
aries cheering their hearts, have been duly and thankfully re
ceived. We are encouraged to expect soon a considerable ship
ment of needful supplies, with letters by the Paragon.
We would unite with our friends & Patrons in thanksgiving to
God for his smiles on the churches, on the Board, on the mission
& on the Hawaiian Nation. Nor would we fail to notice with
gratitude to him the late appointments of the Board by which the
important and responsible stations both of the late Cor. Sec.
& the former Treasurer are now filled.
The letters to the mission,
the certificates & recommendations of the reinforcement &
particularly their kind & faithful, well adapted instructions,
have been read here with great satisfaction.
The exigencies of the mission demand the prompt eficient aid of
one in Mr. C's capacity and as to the physician his services will
be so much needed at the different stations that we really know
not where to locate him. The native youths we hope will prove
faithful and useful. We are well satisfied as to the importance,
the comfort & aid of such an auxiliary and coadjutor as brother
Ellis.
We are desirous to plant three new stations at the windward
in the course of three months, provided we can muster strength
sufficient without depriving Tauwai entirely of expected aid.
Our present plan is to make a very thorough survey of the
principal island Hawaii, by a deputation consisting of Mr. Thurston,
M r . Ellis, Mr. Stewart & Mr. Goodrich, assisted by M r . Harwood.
This investigation will probably occupy 2 months, after which
�36.
the reinforcement will it is supposed be located on three or
four different islands. M r . Thurston has been appointed to
take a station at the windward with a new colleague. M r . Bingham
& M r . Ellis are expected to remain here. With the hearty con
currence of the king and chiefs we have resolved on occupying
Lahaina & one or two stations on Hawaii, probably Ohido or
Kairua or both. We shall first attempt to bore the Lava at
the latter place for water. Perhaps the Lord of missions will
give us water from the rock, and springs in the desert even
of Kairua.
That is a favorite place of the rulers, & a very
important post in the nation, & may long continue to be such.
It cannot therefore be well abandoned entirely by the mission.
Further particulars as to our history & our plan you will find
in other letters addressed to the Missionary R ooms, & in the
journal of the Mission from March 10 to the present date which
will accompany this.
P. S .
May 2
8
Dear Sir:
The unexpected detention of the brig Arab Capt. Meek, by which
we send this, and the very favorable apportunity for occupying
Maui, occurring now, enable us to add one more article to our
communications by this conveyance, - W e have the happiness to
inform you that, as the king's mother & sister both under in
struction, are now going in the Cleopatras Barge to reside for
a season at Maui, accompanied in their passage b y Karaimoku,
all of whom are desirous that some of the missionaries should
go with them, we have since the above was written, resolved
to avail ourselves of the present opening; and in pursuance
of this and a former resolution to occupy early a station at
Lahaina, two of the brethren, M r . Richards and M r . Stewart,
are already appointed to go with their families to take up their
residence there, & they have engaged to embark today. - Brother
Thurston who had no preference for Lahaina, will choose a
station on Hawaii and which the deputation is expected to em
bark next week to explore, - The lot of Mr. Bishop and Mr. Goodrich
will also doubtless fall on the same important Island. Brother
Ely is expected to go with Taumuarii & Kaahumanu to Waianai on
the western part of this island, & leaving them there proceed
to (hole in paper) the brethren at Tauwai & return here to
meet the deputation returning from the windward to finish the
business of location till another reinforcement shall arrive from
America - or, England if it shall be found necessary to look to her
for additional help.
Accept Dear Sir the assurance of the vain personal esteem and
fraternal affection of yours
H.Bingham
�37
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 142
Honoruru, Oahu, Sandwich Islands,
October 23, 1823.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Cor. Sec. of the A.B.C.F.M .
Boston.
From: Hiram Bingham
Asa Thurston
Chas. Saml. Stewart
A . Bishop
Ahm. Blatchely
Joseph Goodrich
James Ely
Levi Chamberlain
E. Loomis
Printed 20 Missionary Herald 186, except following paragraphs:
Permit us then respectfully to express it as our opinion that
at least three able, pious devoted, self-denying, efficient
missionaries will be demanded without delay, if such can be
furnished for this field, who we would fain hope may be ready
in one short year from this date to blow the trumpet of Jubilee
on the shores of Hawaii or Tauwai.
Should one or all of them
possess some skill in the healing art, that talent would be
useful.
Indeed it will be quite impossible for one medical man
to attend to all the claims of the mission families, so widely
scattered, & with means of intercourse so contingent.
By the next conveyance that should afterward offer, when the
three shall have embarked - four others, faithful men of like
qualifications, thoroughly furnished, we could wish might be
sent to aid in establishing two new stations, one perhaps at
Ke-a-ra-ke-ku-a where Capt. Cook was killed & one perhaps at
Waipio on the opposite part of Hawaii, or at some other port
which, might at the time of their arrival here appear to be more
eligible.
Will it then be asked if seven more men are needed? where thirteen
men with some native assistants are already employed? There
are indeed thirteen laborers now in this field, nine of whom
including Mr. Ellis, are preachers. This probably gives about
16,000 souls to each preacher, a number nearly equal to the
whole population of the Society Islands, where 16 missionaries
are very advantageously employed. Let seven more preachers be
added if you please, to the nine already wearing out here, &there
will still be about 9,000 souls to each, a number four times as
great as is supposed to be proper on an average, even in a
civilized, Christian country, to be committed to the charge of one
man.
It is granted then, that seven more men at least will be
needed.
�38
P.S. October 25th.
Since the above was written, M r . Thurston & his family have
embarked in company with Naihe & Kapiolani. Gov. Adams who
embarks from this place today takes M r . Thurston under his
particular patronage.
It is doubtful whether Mr. Ely will
go thither, in that case Mr. Bishop will return sooner from
Tauwai. Mr. Stewart has now taken leave to return to Lahaina Dr. B. is expected to follow him next week to attend on
Mrs. Richards - About the same time Mr. Bp. is expected to go
to Mr. Whitney's aid - Mr. Ruggles has gone down to bring some
things for his own use, & will hasten back hither to proceed to
Waiakea. - Mr. Ellis or myself is depended on to render some
assistance at the Waiakea Station the first year - though our
constant labor here is almost indispensable. The distribution
of the new laborers you see is such as to give almost every one the
advantage of having the aid of an old one who is acquainted with
the people & the language.
Though you have sent us your best,
yet more men & better men must be our motto.
Affectionarly yours
H.B.
P.S. 2nd
Dear S i r :
As the mission may not soon have another opportunity to express
as a body their sentiments on the subjects & considerations
brought into view in the above letter, it may be proper to say
that were the absent brethren present, M r . Richards, Mr. Whitney &
Mr. Ruggles, we are persuaded they would cheerfully subscribe
their names to every sentiment it contains, nor would Mr. Ellis
dissent from the opinions & facts there stated.
On the subject
of assistance needed he has been particularly consulted, as to
laborers, stationary, types etc.
Besides of approving of what
we have said, fie has given it as his opinion that when any
translations of the Scriptures are ready for the press, "The
British & For. Bib. So.” would gladly furnish half the paper needed
to publish them.
We chose to apply first to your Sister American Society believing
that they would be ready to supply both types & paper to the full
amount of our immediate need. Mr Ellis has assisted us very
kindly in making out the detail of types needed which was intended
to be an appendix to our long letter which we knew not how to
make shorter.
In the body of the letter " 5 Cwt. of type - Pica” was supposed to
be about the size and quantity of the type needed for the purpose,
with the "400 reams of paper," good Demy.But the following detail
will probably be more satisfactory to you should you apply for
a font - larger or smaller, and will be a better directory to the
F ounder who may be employed to put up for us a font and other
apparatus connected with it in order to meet our wants: viz:
(See Scheme for the Font)
In connection with a Font of the above description, be it more
or less than 5 Cwt. we would request you to send us also Type Cases,
�39
Brass Rules, single & double, & Leads in suitable quantity for
the Fount and Furniture, a large supply, also an Imposing stone,
Demy Chases, Reglet, Spring Points, Sliding Galleys, Sponge,
Pelts for Balls & Printing Ink.
You will not think that in our estimate of printing paper ”400
reams", we are calculating on too large a number of copies. One
of the gospels would require about 9 sheets of paper to a copy and 4,000 copies for each of the five stations we think will be a
small supply for the nation three years hence; but this will require
400 Reams. If one fourth of this could be received 20 months from
this time & each of the remaining fourth at intervals of 3 months
afterwards,it would be equally as agreeable to us to receive it
all at once. - We hope the 40 rms. before sent for is now on the
way; should it not have been shipped before this reaches you,
we shall fear very great embarrassment for want of it, though we
have lately obtained seven reams from Canton which we shall soon use.
Again very affectionately Adieu
H.Bingham
E. Loomis, Printer.
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 146
Brig Thaddeus, Capt. Blanchard, Lat. 2 °
Long. 29° W. Fifty one days from Boston
Dec. 15, 1819.
To: Rev. Samuel Worcester, D.D.
Salem, Mass. U.S.A.
From: H. Bingham
Letter printed 16 Missionary Herald 91, Feb. 1820.
�41
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 149
Hanarooah, Woahoo,
May 13, 1820.
Rev. & Very Dear Sir:
It is with heartfelt gratitude to the great Head of the church
that we are allowed to announce to you the safe and happy
arrival of our mission in the Sandwich Islands.
He who commands
the winds and the waves, has ordered them in mercy with respect
to us since I wrote you by the Ship Mary, Capt. Smith, Boston.
The stormy & dangerous region of Cape Horn was the place of
our peculiar rejoicing, w ith joyful hearts we were enabled to
set up our Ebenezer there, Jan. 30, 1820, & on the 30 March,
the long looked for Owhyhee with its cloudcapt and snow capt
mountains appeared full in view, to the joy of the little
multitude on board. After a pleasant and prosperous passage of
163 days, we came to anchor in Kirooah Bay, Owhyhee, the seat of
goverment, April 4, 1820. - You will rejoice with us to know
that we were kindly received. - A negociation of eight days with
the King & Chiefs,resulted in obtaining permission to settle in
the Islands,with the promise of the patronage & protection of
the government.
We are called upon to admire and adore the providence of God
that brought us hither at this most interesting period when
the Islands were actually without any religion & emphatically
waiting for the law of Christ. The aged & venerable & lamented
Chief Tamaahmaah is dead. We find,inscribed in the flesh of
many of his subjects, tattooed upon their arms & breasts, this
monumental record, "Our great & good chief Tamaahmaah died
May 8 , 1819”. His son Reehoreeho succeeds him, a young man,
though loose in his habits, yet friendly to the whites and favor
able to the improvement of his people, and opposed to Idolatry.
Yes my Dear Sir, tho' you may not be prepared to hear it, & though
the Christian public in America will hardly be pursuaded to be
lieve it, we anounce it as what we see and hear, & testify that
w h i c h we do know, That the king & high priest have united their
influence to demolish the taboo system which has been founded
in ignorance & superstition, cemented with human blood, and sup
ported for ages by unhallowed & misguided passions that the Idols
& Moreahs of these Islands are burned with fire, the priesthood of
superstition is abolished, & the religious taboos are at an end.
"This is the Lord's doing & it is marvellous in our eyes."- The
Lord has triumphed gloriously - His own arm has achieved this
victory over the gods of the heathen. Before he allowed us to see
the altars of abomination, he prepared the way for the march of
truth over the ashes of Idols & the ruins of temples, & removed
the grand barriers to the introduction of c hristianity. Tamaahmaah
was exceedingly tenacious of his religion, probably as an engine of
government. At his death the first Chief who is called Billy Pitt,
renounced idolatry & broke Taboo. But it was some months after
that event, and shortly after our embarkation, w hile Zion was
interceding w i t h the Heaven of Prayer in behalf of these long lost
Idolatrous lslands t hat the king and high Priest together gave a more
decisive blow to the delusions of Idol worship, by renouncing it
publicly & declaring that there is but one God that can serve & do us
�42
good, & that he is in heaven. - The high priest with his own hand
set fire to the moreah, and the king began to eat with woman as
in christian countries. This was followed by great numbers.
One
powerful chief refused to destroy his gods & break taboo - Though
public orders were issued, & sent even to A tooi to abolish
Idolatry.
This chief raised a rebellion in Owhyhee & approached
the seat of government with a disaffected party & with hostile
intentions*. He was met & killed in battle, & his party overcome,
with the loss of 40 or 50 men according to some accounts. This was
the principal contest.
There was no disturbance in any other
Islands; but all are now in peace.Tho' there is still a disaffected
party, the change of government, the war, as they call it, the
maintenance of a soldiery at Kirooh , it is said have contributed
to impoverish that Island. Though the country about Kirooh
is almost destitute of arable land, of wood, & of good water, yet
we considered it a station too important to leave unoccupied at
the present time. On the 12 April, Brother Thurston & Dr. Holman
(at the king's request) & their wives, Thomas Hopoo & M r . Tennooi
landed & took up their residence there, to commence their work
under favorable circumstances. The rest of our number proceeded
immediately to Woahoo, where we hope to have a permanent &
principal station. We reached this Island on the 14 April, & on
the 19 we disembarked & took up our residence here on the day
which we had agreed with our brethren at Owhyhee to observe
unitedly as a day of thanksgiving, for the distinguished mercies
whic h had been bestowed upon us by the liberal hand of Jehovah
since we left our native land, & for our happy landing, our kind
reception,& for our prospects of a peaceful & permanent residence,
& immediate & extensive usefulness among the heathen. We now
occupy one house of Capt. Winship's and one of Capt. Lewis. The
king has given orders to the head chief on this Island to build
us houses, & he has given us the assurance that he will begin the
work soon
As the Thaddeus Proceeded to Atooi, Brothers Whitney
& Ruggles proceeded thither to accompany Geo. P. Tamorii & to
introduce him to his Father, to make known our business & the
pleasure of the A .B.C.F.M. to interest the chiefs & people there
in our object, to explore the Island & prepare the way for
planting the standard there also as soon as divine providence
will permit. Their wives remain here, & they are expected to re
turn next month. Tho' the king expressed some apprehensions, that
on account of our great number we might be burdensome or dan
gerous, yet I believe a preacher might be stationed on every
Island of this cluster in a very short time, and find little
opposition in commencing his appropriate work. We are not now
authorized to send for more missionaries, nor should we think it
prudent now to invite them, but we hope these Islands will soon
all be blessed with preachers & schoolmasters, & this whole
nation civilized & evangelized. - Pleasing as are our hopes, &
flattering as are our prospects, we shall nevertheless find
enough for the trial of our faith & patience, while we have to
struggle with ignorance & jealousy, avarice, idleness & licentiousness
(fostered and patronized as they have been by some who seem to
have escaped from the light & the restraints of the gospel] -[Subilentio]
We are happy to say that we have found friends here both from
Europe & America, who have shown us no small kindness. - Yesterday
I had opportunity to send letters & Pamphlets to our Brethren at
Otaheite & Eimeo, by the Clarion, Capt. Gregsby - An American Brig Today Capt. Pigot, of New York, & Capt. Starbuck, master of an
English Whaleship the L'A igle, now in port,are unitedly circulating
�43.
a subscription paper for the purpose of establishing here a
school fund for orphan children. They appear to be real
gentlemen, & really friends to our cause.
Capt. Best, master
of an English Whaler, has treated us kindly has left this
harbour today - Messrs. Greene & Scoville, Holmes & Manine &
others we might name among our friends, & we would by no means
forget the particular attention & friendship of several of the
officers of the Thaddeus. Mr. Hunnewell is a neighbor to us
for the summer, till the Brig returns from the coast.— As Capt.
Starbuck has offered to take letters, and forward themas soon as
possible we have thought it best to furnish him with a packet,
though we hope to have a more direct conveyance for our journals
and letters which we now resume.
I have preached five times since we made the Islands, twice on
Board the Brig, & thrice in my own borrowed house. - "The Isles
shall wait for his law" furnished me with an interesting theme
for the first discourse at Owhyhee, & "Behold I bring you good
tidings, &c " for the first at this Island. We have a consider
able audience here of Americans & Europeans. We hope the gospel
is not sent in vain to them. Our singing drew tears from the
aged eyes of M r . Holmes, who had not heard one of the songs of
Zion for 20 years before -. We are all now enjoying good health.
But we look forward to the days when another physician or two
will be needed. We wish you to send us one as soon as possible:
one who has the heart of a missionary & the skill of a physician
of liberal education. - I purpose to write you by every opportunity,
& to look to you for counsel & efficient aid in our pleasant &
important work.
I am dear Sir, yours in the gospel of our Lord,
H. Bingham.
Mrs. B . the friend of my heart, & the dear help meet whom divine
wisdom & goodness made for me, & whom akind providence brought to
my bosom, desires to be affectionately remembered in cordial
salutations to you Sir, as our patron, counsellor, friend &
father & to your dear Lady as a sister & fellow laborer in the
vinyard of our Lord.
H.B.
To:
Rev. Samuel Worcester, D/D.
Salem, Mass.
United States of America.
�44.
9 P revious to Sept. 1824
V
Page 150
Hanarooroo, Woahoo,
July 23, 1820.
Dear William Tennooe:
Painful as is the duty of this Church to withdraw from you the
hand of fellowship, & to consider you as no longer a member of
this consecrated body, yet the folly and wickedness which you
acknowledge you have wrought in the indulgence of your sinful
lusts & your perserverance in the broad & downward road seem
unavoidably to require it. As a professed disciple of Christ
you have received into convenant with this Church - We as the
covenant people of God have watched over you, we have labored
to instruct you in your duty - to provide for your wants, to
raise you from the darkness of heathenism and the pollution
of sin, to make you happy and useful, to reclaim your wandering
steps, to save you from the needless reproaches of the world,
and to guide you in the paths of peace & holiness and the
way of eternal life. But you have violated your covenant vows;
you have treated lightly the friendly admonitions of the church;
you have grieved the hearts & shamed the faces of all your
brethren; you have wounded the Redeemer in the house of his
friends, & given occasion to his enemies to speak reproachfully;
according to your own confession and abundant evidence, you
have repeatedly been guilty of intoxication, by the wicked and
intemperate use of strong drink, and you have been guilty of
breaking the Sabbath, God's holy day of rest, by absenting yourself from the worship of God, & by spending the day in the open
commission of scandalous sins. For these sins, there is, and
can be no excuse. The only apology by which you pretend to
palliate them, by no means acquits you & justifies your sins,
but increases your condemnation. The Scriptures admit of no
apology for Sin. The crimes of our men can never be the justi
fying cause of the crimes of another. You dear William have
been kindly reproved, and faithfully admonished & repeatedly
warned of your danger, & affectionately entreated to cease from
sin, and repent and turn to God, & to the obedience of his com
mands. Brothers Thurston & Whitney laboured and prayed with
you at Kiaroah & directed you to this place to save you from
total apostacy, from temptation & ruin. Here brothers Chamberlain
& Whitney have again admonished you & called on you to repent,
and required that a public confession of your sins should accom
pany repentance. They have 'told it to the church', & the church
has been but too deeply convinced of your sin and folly, have
kindly admonished you, and called you to "bring forth fruits meet
for repentance” , & publickly and humbly to confess your sins &
cease from them, and to renew your covenant vows, & seek divine
forgiveness, & by increased humility & fidelity, to engage anew
in the service of the Lord, but alas, you refuse to hear them, &
give too much evidence that "your heart is not right with God” ,
you still choose the paths of wickedness, the company & practice
(hole in paper) the vile, & with hardened impenitence and in
gratitude you declare your determination to continue in the course
of the same scandalous sins for which you are admonished. Our
duty is plain.
The Church has but one voice on the subject.
�45.
The precepts of our Saviour are olear and decicive. II. Thess. 3 .6.
"Now we commend you, brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh dis
orderly" and in Matth. 18.17, "if he neglect to hear the church
let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican". Also
Rom . 5.11. "But now I have written unto you not to keep company,
if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous
or an Idolator, or a railor, or a drunkard, or an extortioner,
with such an one no not t o eat". Wherefore, in view of your sins
and impenit ence, & in obedience to the commands of Christ, we
have lifted up our hands to cut you off from the communion and
fellowship of this Church, to deliver you over to Satan for the
destruction of the flesh, to express to you distinctly what we
now declare publicly, t hat you are of right, ought to be excommuni
cated from the Church of Christ . - "Remember therefore from whence
thou art fallen & repent. - Remember that God will require you to
pay him your vows, & to obey all his commands. - Remember that you
have forfeited the confidence and patronage of the American Board,
rewarded with ingratitude the kindness and the hopes of the
Christian public, by whose care you have been instructed & by whose
bounty you have been fed and clothed - Remember too, and "Be not
deceived, neither fornicators, nor Idolators, nor adulterers, nor
thieves, nor covetors, nor drunkards. nor revilers, nor extortioners,
shall inherit the kingdom of God". I Cor. 6 . 9,10 In behalf of the Church of Christ in the Sandwich Islands,
H. Bingham, Associate Paster.
William Tennooe
(Copy of the letter of excision, addressed by the Church to
Wm . Tennooe & publicly read to him, at the close of divine service.
After it was read, it was judged advisable by the brethren that a
copy of it should be forwarded to our patrons the prudential Com
mittee of the Board, to give them a succinct history of our trials,
and painful duties, with respect to the sad fall & deplorable
defection of their unhappy youth. Much as we need the sympathies
& counsels of our friends, most gladly would we spare their hearts,
and bear the grief, the shame & confusion alone, & forever hush
in silence the sorrowful story did the nature of the case admit.
H.B. )
To: Prudential Committee of the
American Board C.F .M.
Boston, Mass U.S.A.
By the Levant, Capt. Cary
�46
9
Previous to Sept. 1824
N o. 4
V
Page 151
Hanaroorah, Woahoo,
Oct. 11, 1820
R e v . & Very Dear Sir:
First portion of this letter printed 17 Missionary Herald, 217,
July 1821.
One of her sons received to her bosom, has forsaken her, & taken
"the seat of the scornful" standeth in the way of sinners & walketh
in the counsel of the ungodly - despises her solemn feasts &
trifles with her saared vows. - Another on whom she had relied
as her solace in affliction her comfort "in sickness and distress"her counsellor in adversity, & her efficient aid in the great
duties of Christian life, has become as a broken reed to pierce
her hand, the grief of her heart, & the cause of her sorrows.
He has like ungrateful son, loaded her with reproaches - despised
her remonstrances, shunned her society, lost her fellowship,
treated her solemn admonitions with contumelious railing, & for
months has trifled with her best feelings, denied her claims to
the comforts freely bestowed on her, by her far distant friends,
& resolved to leave her alone in a strange land, & to publish
an ill report of her laws, her ordinances, her officers & members,
& of her faithful attempts to execute the plain & unequivocal
statutes of her Lord, with respect to such as "walk disorderly",
"with slanders", "railing" & "covetousness". O my dear Sir, it is
impossible for you to know how the hearts of the brethren &
sisters have been without exception wrung with anguish by the
singular, the unexpected, the wild & wicked irregularities , of one
who we did hope would establish for himself the high & happy rep
utation of "Luke the beloved physician". Long before the close
of the voyage this little community began most sensibly to feel
the unpropitious influence of a most refractory spirit in two of
its members, Dr. H. & Wm. T. who both declared their determination
not to comply with the principles established by the Board, &
expressed to us in the instructions of the prudential committee,
for the regulation of our economical policy. Both the Dr. & his
wife spoke often of acquiring personal wealth & returning early
if they should succeed, to their own country.
The Dr. objected
to subscribing to our byelaws founded on the above named princi
ples, because he said they cut him off from his original plans.
He wished to acquire the miens of returning at pleasure to
America, & to educate his children there &c. When it was stated
to him, that in case it should appear best for him to return,
the A. Board would doubtless be responsible for his passage, he
replied he did not wish to be dependent on the board for his
passage. When he was referred to the general tenure of our
instructions, he replied that the manner in which those instructions
were given was improper, & that he did not understand them at the
time of embarkation, that he had not subscribed them all & c . Sister H . too, from the time of leaving Boston repeatedly talked
loudly of returning to her friends. After three or four weeks she
was reminded that while her brethren and sisters were laboring under
all the distressing evils of seasickness - at the commencement
of a long & painful voyage & of an enterprize so vast and over
whelming, in its responsibilities, she ought not to weaken their
�47
hands & discourage the hearts by thus talking openly of returning.
But, that very hint, made the strain louder, & it has been grow
ing louder & louder till this day; and now she assumes the re
sponsibility of the Dr.’s disorderly removal to Mowe contrary to
the remonstrances of the brethren, & does not hesitate to declare
that if that removal should be the means of hastening the Dr.'s
dismission from the service she should glory in the separation.
Tho' she assumes that responsibility we cannot consider her as
accountable to the mission or to the Board for the Dr.'s disregard
of t he regulations of the service, nor for his repeated violation
of the plainest rules of charity, & breach of his covenant vows
with this church.
Provided it had been expedient for the Dr. to
remove to Mowe, which was indeed opposite to the opinions of all
his brethren, we think he ought first to have consulted them on
the subject. But instead of this, he made the engagement to go
& settle there without consulting even Brother Thurston with whom
he resided. When we learned his design we remonstrated (hole in
paper) it & he persisted, - Disorderly as the measure appeared to
be in itself, we were more grieved that he should lay his plan &
persist in it, for going to Mowe, instead of complying with Sister
Loomis's request to visit her in her anticipated confinement. Do not weep over this, God was merciful & turned our tears into
rejoicing with respect to her. But you may wish to have the
particulars more clearly stated. This we will attend to as soon
as we see how the discipline of the church will terminate - Both
of them, the D r . & his wife are under censure. Dr. H . has been
three months suspended from the fellowship of the church without
a dissenting voice. He has now received the 2nd admonition Br. Thurston says "it is most manifestly our duty to proceed in
our course of discipline with him even to excision if he does
not confess his faults & evidence repentance
future amendment" But my dear Sir I cannot now say more on this point.
I hope to
write you better tidings soon.
I remain yours with great esteem
H . Bingham
Brother Thurston says in a letter to me on the subject " Your
opinion perfectly accords with my own that Dr. H. is the son of
the Apostle, "a railer" - "covetous" "disorderly" .
To: Samuel Worcester, D. D.,
Salem, Mass.
U.S.A.
�48.
9
Previous to Sept 1824.
V
Page 153
Hanaroorah, Woahoo, N ov. 2 , 1820 .
Very Dear Sir:
It is now almost a year since the date of your friendly letter
deceived by the Brig Pedlar, Capt. Meek, on the 23 of May last.
It was a very great comfort to us to receive the continued
assurance of your affectionate regards, your readiness to com
fort us with a letter, & to provide for our happiness & use
fulness in the Isles of the gentiles. We are happy to know
that we are remembered by those whom we love, & that many of the
friends of our Redeemer do not forget to pray for our prosperity
& success. May the grace of God be multiplied to them, & the
answer of their prayer be sent down upon us, tho’ we are unworthy.
Wonderful have been the kind dealings of our heavenly Father with
us, since you left the little band in Boston harbor, to launch
into the broad ocean, on a great & trying, a (hole in paper)
& responsible enterprize; yourself to return to"the loved dwellings
of Zion”, the bosom of your family, the circle of your able &
efficient associates, to labor & pray & live. for the same grand
object ”the conversion of the world". - The year has indeed been
varied with changes unceasing & events to us & the christian
world deeply interesting, but we have uniformly slumbered & waked
in uninterrupted peace. - We have been allowed to sit down quietly
in the midst of the heathen, where, since our embarkation, Jehovah
has abolished their Idols & altars of abomination, & here, to
preach the everlasting gospel; to begin the work of opening the
dark minds of the children of pagans to the dawning light of
service & invitation; to tell the poor sons & daughters of want of
wretchedness; how christians love them, & pray for them & con
tribute of their substance, for their good, & send their dear
children & beloved friends to live & labor, & die with them to
make them acquainted with the great salvation, the dying love of
Christ, the character & kingdom of the great and glorious God.
This is our happiness - this is our life - God be praised for
granting us the privilege - He has so kindly preserved our health,
that with the exception of what might be deemed salutary seasick
ness, we have scarcely had any occasion, any one of us to say "I am
sick" - And none except Dr. H. & his wife have been inclined to
say, "I am not contented in the work" - If we have had trials they
have been less than could have been expected to be found in our
new & untried course - Some indeed have been sharp. But we hope
they will work for our good. We will not name them as matters of
complaint against the providence of God, nor of disapprobation of
an oversight in the agents of the foreign Mission School - nor
as a ground of any real uneasiness in our present situation: Though
the fall of Wm. Tennooe & the certain and determined defection of
Dr. H. will cause the Christian world t o t
e m b l e - & make many of
r
our dearest friends to weep, & probably convince the Agents of
the School that their knowledge of the defects both of Wm. & the
Dr. ought to have withheld their approbation, at least till they
should have given more satisfactory evidence that they were true
men, & capable of resisting temptation with more firmness - &
uniformly disposed to walk in the path of duty & of peace.
�49.
the single fact, that animosity was felt & manifested by the
Dr. against Tamoree, & Tennooe & M r . Loomis at the school,
which proves to have been deeply rooted, ought to have debarred
him forever from entering upon this work in such a state of
mind. His refusal to comply with the rules of the school at
Cornwall, ought alone to have made the agents hesitate as to
the expediency of recommending him to the Board. Br. Ruggles
knew that the Dr.'s disposition and manners were such as to
disqualify him seriously for the work & he was faithful to tell
the Dr. as a brother that he thought it would be impossible
without material reformation for him to live in peace with the
mission family. His wife is fully aware of this now, & she
makes this the ground of her plan to justify a speedy separation
from the mission- Though in her declarations on the subject she
would imply that the disposition of the other members of the
mission is such that the Dr. with his temper of mind can never
live in peace with them. And we have no reason to doubt that
she has urged him to measures which would hasten his dismission
from the service, - measures which she knew would expose him
to public censure - She knew that all the brethren and sisters
disapproved of his plan to remove to Mowe, & yet she urged his
removal - without once asking counsel even of her own brother,
or even stating any visible call which they had to go to Mowe.
Now she says openly that if his removal to Mowe should procure
his removal from the mission or hasten his dismission from the
service, she should glory in the separation. I have mentioned
this single fact, of their removal to Mowe, not as the grand
cause of difficulty into which they have plunged themselves,
but as a specimen of what has been uniformly disorderly for
many months together. Now this I say - if the agents of the school
at Cornwall did know of such a trait of character in the Dr. though I a m by no means competent to advise, they would have been
justified in withholding their approbation, at least for a season.
I presume however, that they did not know him, but relied prin
cipally on recommendations from unknown men. But I forbear
The
subject is too painful to dwell on, except when imperious duty
demands - All the mission f
a mily are exhausted with it & with one
voice, much as they need a physician, they would desire the Dr. &
his wife were safely landed on their native shores, could they
return without doing mischief to the cause of missions. Both
are under censure of the church & there is little doubt that the
Dr. will suffer himself to be excluded. Do not weep dear sir the struggle in our minds is over.
The fountain of my tears on
this subject is dry - They often wet my couch before we landed The point at which we now feel most sensibly is the interest we
have in our friends who must suffer pain for months & years to
come - Difficult as our situation has been, I am happy to say that
none of us now have what might be considered a personal difficulty
or controversy with them. All the other sisters I think have been
wise & prudent, diligent & in a good degree devoted to their ap
propriate work - Br. Loomis is rapidly rising in missionary excel
lence, appears to be stable minded, desirous of improvement, ready
to do good according to his ability - Br. W. we love exceedingly an ardent, active, faithful brother. Br. R . is devoted to the
heathen - & peculiarly acceptable to them, & beloved in the family Capt. C . has always appeared well, as a man of judgment, patience,
meekness, experience, & prayer, but in the late trials in the
church has exhibited his peculiar excellence & greatness as a
Christian. He is a good counsellor. Br.Thurston & his beloved
�50.
Lucy are above praise - meek - sober minded - patient - perservering
"always abounding in the work of the lord”, being in favor with the
Royal family, the common people, foreigners, & the members of the
Mission.
Yesterday Capt. Allen, Ship Maro, Nantucket, called & dined with
us, visited the school, took tea & offered politely to forward
letters the earliest opportunity to our friends. He has today made
us a present of oil, tea, butter, candles, dried apples - worth
60 doll. He does not anchor, but sails immediately I send one
letter in haste & that to my Dear friend & brother, the treasurer
of the Board, happy to subscribe myself his obliged & affectionate
friend.
H. Bingham.
P. S.
I thank you for you (seal hides word) our likeness - If you have
a convenient opportunity to send them safely to my parents in
Bennington, Vt . you would much oblige us & them. Mrs. B . the
dearest friend of my heart, joins me in cordial salutations to
yourself & Lady — Remember me affectionately to Dr. Worcester &
the other members of the Pru. Com. & M r . L .E. Dwight - Armstrong
& Mr. Taylor.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston, Mass.
U.S.A.
F r o m Hiram Bingham
Received Aug. 2, 1822.
Politeness of Capt. Allen, Ship Maro.
Forwarded by the U.S. Consul
M . Hogan from Valparaiso.
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 154
Hanaroorah, Woahoo, Nov. 19, 1820.
This letter printed 17 Missionary Herald, 215, July 1821.
To: Rev. Samuel Worcester, D.D.,
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F .M.
Salem, Mass/
From:
H. Bingham
E. Loomis
By the Volunteer, Capt. Bennett.
Received June 5, 1821.
�9 P revious to Sept. 1824
V
Page 155
My Dear Friends:
Allow me the pleasure to make you acquainted with Capt.
Hale, of the Brig Ann, a gentleman who has called on us
repeatedly, & shown us kindness, & who will be able to
tell you many particulars relative to our situation, &
the progress of our work, which we have not time to
state to you in writing. You will he gratified to see a
man who has taken tea at the missionaries table, in the
Sandwich Islands.
Yours with cordiality,
H . Bingham.
To:
Dr. Worcester & Rev. Mr. Cornelius of
the Tabernacle Church Salem.
Received Dec. 28, 1821.
�53.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 156
Woahoo, Jan. 31, 1821.
Very Dear Sir:
In the pressure of claims upon my hands and pen, I still
love to remember you. An English ship has just stopped
here for a few hours to take a little water, on her way to
Bengal, and with the expectation of writing soon, in full
length to the Board by the Arab, Capt. Lewis, now in port,
& about to sail for America via Canton, I send you these
brief notices to tell you that by the Levant we forwarded
28 pages of our journal to you, afterwards by the Volunteer
44 pages, & we have written 4 or 5 letters to the Sec. since
our arrival. We intend to send the remaining pages of our
journal up to this time by Capt.Lewis together with a history
in detail of the defection of Dr. Holman, with so much of the case
of Mrs. H. now suspended as properly belongs to that subject.
My dear sir, weep not, nor judge anything before the time-In a letter to Dr. W. by Br. Whitney, another by myself to him
& one to you, & another by Capt. C. to the Pru. Com. we have
given you some information respecting some parts of the dis
tressing subject. - By the vote of this body, Brother Thurston
& myself are now preparing what we hope will be an impartial
history of the case from the beginning to end. The Dr. is at
length excommunicated from the church and of course, dismissed
from the mission, on the charges of "walking disorderly, slander.
& railing" & "covetousness" No doubt has been expressed to my
knowledge as to the justness or fall, & regular support of these
charges, yes, & only one, Mr. R. has in the end expressed a
desire that he might be permitted longer to hold his standing,
and even he whose heart is sinking under the affliction has long
since wished the Dr. & his wife safely landed on their native
shores. - We think our excellent spirit appears in the members
of this church generally.
By the Cleopatra's Barge, the Jontar & Lascar, we were happy to
receive the communications, supplies, house frame &c which you
sent us - Accept our cordial thanks, - & have the goodness to
tender to the owners Messrs. Bryant & Sturges the grateful a c knowledgements of this Mission, for the very great favor they
have so generously bestowed on us. - Our schools are making de
sirable success; the mission still prospers, notwithstanding its
afflictions - the family in usual health.
Our Sabbaths pleasant,
& the favor of the people & the smiles of providence, encouraging.Mrs. B. begs with me our affectionate rememberance to yourself &
Mrs. E . & your dear children.
She was pleased to hear that
Mary had been at her Sister's house. Love to your associates.
Yours effectionately,
H. Bingham.
P.S. We have raised here by
subscription for orphan children to be supported in
our family about 600 doll. & the paper is going on in
creasing well.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
Received Nov. 10 , 1821.
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Page 157
Woahoo,
July 7, 1821.
This letter printed 18 Missionary Herald 111, April 1822.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
No. 50 Cornhill,
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
From H. Bingham
Per Ship Beaver Jennings
from Canton. Capt. Comerford, Ship Alexander.
Received Feb. 1, 1822.
P.S. As the original record which I made of these facts was
not sent not being copied by brother L. I had supposed before
I went to Atooi — & finding on my return that a few small errors
had been sent by the brethren, I thought it desirable to putitin
your power to correct them, - or at least to prevent them from
appearing in print when you select from the journal.
H.B.
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Page 159
To Jeremiah Evarts Esq.
Permit me, dear Sir, to introduce to your acquaintance
Capt. Samuel Hill, of the Ship Packet, as a gentleman who
has favored your missionaries in the Sandwich Islands with
his polite attention, who offers to forward our communica
tions to you & to render us other important aid, & who
would he able to give you interesting intelligence, respect
ing our situation, & important information respecting these
and other Islands of the Pacific, and its adjacent coasts.
He has done me the honor to dine with me twice at our humble
table, spent several hours with me, & presented me very
kindly with several valuable publications, some of which are
from the pen & superintendence of Dr. R. Morrison, China,
with whom he has the happiness to be acquainted.
In much haste dear Sir
I am very respectfully,
Your friend & Servant
H. Bingham
Sandwich Islands, Oct. 13, 1821.
Received June, 1822.
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Page 160
Woahoo, Dec. 25, 1821.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Treas . A .B .C .F .M .
Boston, Mass.
From: H. Bingham
By Brig Pedlar, Capt. Meek,
York.
Received Aug. 26, 1822.
This letter printed 18 Missionary Herald 320, Oct. 1822.
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Page 161
Woahoo, Feb. 2 , 1822.
My dear Brother:
By this conveyance we send various communications, letters,
journals, &c . Mrs. B. having prepared by the help of two
of her pupils, for her sisters, I proposed to her to send
it you unsealed, as a confidential friend - and as one who
desires to know all our state & to do us good. With her
consent though it was wholly unexpected, I send you her
packet open but with no view to the publication of any part though we do not prohibit selections, if there be anything
desired in your view - worthy of public notice. - (Mrs. B.
requests me to retract this last sentence) - We thank you
for your kind attention to former pages of her journal, as
well as to other communications from u s .
The drawings of our buildings, I doubt not you will be pleased
to see, as well as the letters from Wm . Beals. - Several
reasons have induced us to send you the packet open - We wish
you to forward to Mrs. Whiting early the single sheet addressed
to her, - and when convenient, seal the invelope and forward
the remainder of the packet to Mr. Whiting - as directed. I send you also a letter written by Thomas Hopoo to the aged
Swiss Baron Campagne.
Yours in haste,
H. Bingham.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston.
By the Paragon
Received N ov. 13, 1822.
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Page 162
Oahu, Oct. 1 2 , 1822.
Very Dear Sir:
We have just received by the Ship Parthian, Capt. Brewster,
a letter and a few pamphlets from the Board s e n t by M .L. Cham
berlain - Intending to write you more at length by the Spermo
which sails tomorrow, - We send you by the Hamilton a few
brief notices of this mission We have just struck off 2000 copies of the Spelling Book a second edition - the first 500 being all taken up - We
intend to add at least 8 pages more soon I have begun to preach in the language & since I commenced
immediately after M. Ellis left, have preached 3 times a week
to congregations of 100 to 400 natives.
Capt. C . and family - not very well, now at Atooi - or Tauwai
as we now spell it . He is looking for an opening in ??? for
him to return to America.
Br. W. is about ready to be examined for License to preach & has made good advance in the language.
The mission in general is comfortable.
We feel it necessary to ask for a quantity of Brass Rules and
furniture for the press -,also 300 lower case Roman k's, small
pica - and 300 Do Pica - 40 Reams printing paper of the same
size as that on which the spelling book is printed, or if it
could be as well procured, about an inch wider would accommo
date better as it would give a better margin - It should be
well secured in boxes to prevent its being damaged. A quantity
of thin pasteboard for covers to the spelling books, also
cartrage paper, marble paper, & sheep skins for the same purpose or for backs, and Pack thread, - bookbinder's tools, also may
be wanted though Mr. Ellis expects to bring his. A quantity of
Ruled paper of a good quality the size of our copied journals
& for the same purpose - A box of common Handsaws to procure
supplies - Slates, pencils, inkstands, quills, writing paper,
letter paper, penknives, lead pencils, &c for our rising school.
These are the things we deem necessary to be mentioned, pre
suming you will be glad to hear from us even the language of
importunity We have talked of buying the hull of the Ship Wellington, prin
cipally for her plank and beams which are good - for the purpose
of building a printing office, and a house. She is offered to us
for $600 in bills on the Board. - Whether we buy her or not we
shall need all the lumber you can conveniently send us I am dear sir in great haste, yours
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston. Mass.
Affectionately,
Received April 9 1823
H. Bingham
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Page 163
Dear Sir:
It occurs to me that possibly Brother Evarts might catch
a moment to read this letter, or Mr s . E. or my Brother Amos B.
if he should be in Boston.
I therefore enclose it - Please
forward it With much esteem for you & yours,
H . Bingham
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Missionary Rooms,
N o. 69 Market St.,
Boston, Mass.
Received April 9, 1823*
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Page 164
Oahu, Nov. 18th, 1822.
Dear Brother:
It is more than a year since the date of your interesting
letter which we received in July last, b y the favor of
Capt. Nash of the Ship Houqua. We should have answered
it before this, but various avocations & duties of a more
pressing nature have prevented. We shall always find it a
pleasure to communicate with our friends when time can be
spared for the purpose.
It gives us pleasure to know that your future labors under
God will be directed by the American Board. Should the
providence of God lead you to these islands we shall hail
your arrival with joy, & welcome you to these shores as a
brother & fellow laborer in this whitening harvest field.
There is room here & sufficient work for 50 or even a 100
missionaries. We have repeated calls from Tauwai & Hawaii
to furnish the chiefs & people with books & teachers. B r .
Loomis has lately visited Hawaii & established a school at
Kairua, consisting of about 4 0 . The chief of that place,
Kalua, or John Adams as he is sometimes called, takes the
charge of the school with the assistance of a native from
the Society Isles. The governour is anxious to obtain some
one better qualified to teach him & his people. Thomas Hopu
is now on a visit to that school. The governor is one of the
high chiefs of the nation & can speak the English language
with a good degree of correctness.
We have printed 2,500 copies of the Hawaiian Spelling-book,
containing 16 pages, & we hope to add 8 pages more very soon.
About 500 of these books are now in the hands of the natives,
& many of our pupils have gleaned all the knowledge it con
tains & call on us for more. Our hands are full, & we have
much to encourage us in our work, even in this land of darkness
where the god of this world has ruled for ages with undisturbed
dominion. But we trust the number of his subjects are lessening
in this as well as in other lands.
We expect before many months shall have elapsed, that the R e v .
M r . Ellis, one of the missionaries in the Society Isles will
come to our assistance, as well as a company from our own beloved
land. We hope that some of the sons of Andover may be among
the number. We feel grateful too that the L ockhart Society of
that institution have remembered u s . We have not as yet opened a
school for the purpose of teaching the art of music; but we shall
consider a musical library very valuable to u s .
We always find much that is refreshing to our souls - much that
is encouraging in the histories of our brethren, who are now
laboring in different & in distant heathen lands.
We are taught
by these same accounts, that the missionary life is a life of
trials & of conflict as well as of successful efforts & of final
triumph over the powers of darkness.
W
e
a
r
e
f
r
e
q
u
e
n
t
l
ya
pr
i
s
e
d
�61.
too of the uncertainty of human life. Some of our brethren
have been called to their rest, by which we are admonished to
gird up the loins of our mind - to do with our might what our
hands find to do while the day lasts, for the night cometh in
which no man can work.
While God is taking one & another
from the field of action, those that remain must be the more
vigilant & active. - Others must go to fill the places made
vacant, & we are happy to find that the favored Institution
at A . still furnishes her number of the heathen world.
Into whatever field the providence of God shall lead you, Dear
Brother, may the great L ord of missions go with you to guide,
strength, support & comfort you, & to render your labors success
ful in leading wandering souls to Jesus - Our prayers shall
ascend before the throne of heavenly mercy in your behalf.
Tell B r . Burnap that we shall exceeding rejoice should he be
among the favored number who shall plant the standard of the cross
on the shores of Mexico, & most gladly will we respond to the
voic e which shall hail us in the language of Spanish AmericaTell him too that the Mountains of Hawaii will echo the sound
of the gospel trumpet, which may reach them from those distant
shores. — With an affectionate remembrance to friends & to all
the missionary brethren whom you may see, we are your brethren &
fellow laborers in the service of Christ among the heathen.
A. Thurston
H. Bingham
TO: Mr. Rufus Anderson,
Andover,
To the care of Esq. Evarts,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston.
By Ship Balaena, Capt. Goodwill, Nantucket.
Received April 25, 1823.
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Page 166
Oahu, Dec. 28, 1822.
Very Dear Sir:
The Ship Sparton has this moment left the harbour, her declared
intention was to sail tomorrow & we intended to send letters
by her - I must however barely give you a few brief notices of
the mission.
We wrote a month since by the Balaena, - since
that, Capt. C. has returned with his family from Tauwai - Mr.
W hitney has built him a stone house at Waimea, & Mr. R uggles at
Hanapepe. The church has been repaired & enlarged here, & we
have commenced building a printing office of stone, and a
dwelling house at this place of the same materials - Hopu super
intends a good school at Kairua - The business of instruction
proceeds as usual.
All the family enjoy comfortable health.
The refreshing communications by the R over have just been r e
ceived - We shall write you today by the Brig Quill Capt. lewis We expect to greet our fellow laborers in about 3 months.
The king, Kamamalu, & Pitt send their aroha to the Board.
In great haste, but with cordial salutations,
Yours,
H. Bingham.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston.
By Capt. Swain, Ship Spartan
Received Nov. 18, 1823.
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Page 157
Oahu, March 15, 1823.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Dear Sir:
We send you in c l o s e d , b ills on L ondon to the amount of / 65:14"0
given by Mr. Ellis, for goods which we procured here for him,
& we have drawn on you to the same amount in our bills payable
to Capt. Chandler or order, from whom we obtained the goods. Capt. Chamberlain will perhaps take the bills with your indorse
ment — You will if you please place them to our credit - &
by the first opportunity signify to us whether you will allow
us to accommodate Mr. E. in the same manner hereafter should
there seem to be occasion for it.
Yours truly, and affectionately
H . Bingham
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Treas. A.B.C.F .M.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Received Aug. 21, 1823.
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Page 168
Oahu, March 20, 1823.
Very Dear Brother:
W ith aching heart and weary limbs I take my pen again just
to assure you of my unabated esteem & very affectionate
personal regard for you, & of my desire to transmit to you
a few pages of my private journal, were it possibly con
sistent with other pressing duties to prepare them for y o u . I should be happy to write you more frequently as a brother,
& to write also to your good friend R ev. S.E. Dwight, & many
others whom I love, & would be happy to gratify with a. line,
but my labors for the heathen are too much for my poor frame
long to sustain - M y eyes are considerably impaired as my
writing is done chiefly in the night, when I am fatigued.
I inclose to you a letter to Brother Fisk in which I would
also speak to you freely of my own feelings, if you should
find leisure to r e a d .
M r s . B . joins me in cordial salutations to yourself & M r s . E .My love to the Professors at Andover when you see them & your
associates of the Pru. Com.
Yours in the Lord,
H. Bingham*
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. ,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston.
Received Aug. 21, 182 3.
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Page 168
Oahu, Sandwich Islands,
Ma r ch 19, 1823.
Rev. & Dear Sir:
As a token of affectionate remembrance of you, I take the
liberty to send you unsealed a letter from us to brother King who wrote us as he was about to cross the Atlantic - and with
whose present place of residence we have reason to suppose
you may be better acquainted than we are.
Presuming that you
& Mrs. M. might be gratified to peruse it as intelligence from
a far country I very cheerfully give you the opportunity, &
must request you to have the goodness to forward it to M r . K .
should he not be with you; - Should he be with you he would
doubtless be gratified with the first sight.
With best wishes for your prosperity,
affectionately
I am in haste, but very
Yours,
H. Bingham.
To:
Pres. L.S.Moore, D .D.
Amherst, Ma s s . U.S.A.
By the Brig Pearl
Received Oct. 22, 1823.
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Page 170
Lahaina, Maui, Aug. 30, 1823.
Very Dear Sir:
I wrote you on the 8th i n s . by a Ship bound to Calcuta,
informing you of my coming to this place, and of the state
of this station & of the mission in general, of its general
prosperity, & also of a particular instance of embarrassment
here and of sorrow in the whole band in consequence of the
departure of one of our number from the paths of truth &
purity.
I can again assure you that we have occasion to r e
joice in the continued smiles of providence, & in the general
prosperity of the mission in the various stations & depart
ments of labor, - and we still have hope in the case of
Kamohoula, though our sorrows do not cease. Since I wrote
he has continued to wander & rebel, has "lost his bible”
as he says, & his hope, & given over the contest with tempta
tion & sin for a season. - By the same vessel that conveyed
my letter for you to Oahu, he went thither secretly, & we
knew nothing of his design to leave this place till & went in
pursuit of him about this settlement, & to my great surprise
was told that he had gone to Honoruru. - While there, he shunned
the society of the missionaries, called at the mission house
but once; attended public service once and then at a late hour;
then returned secretly to this place, & before we could have
an interview with him, fled as covertly to a distant part of
this Island.
I wrote to him, kindly expostulating with him,
inviting and urging him to return to us without delay, which
it appears he received kindly.
The remainder of this letter printed 20 Missionary Herald, 111,
April 1824.
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
From: H. Bingham
Capt. Starbuck, per Hero
Received Feb. 17, 1824.
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Page 171
Oahu, Oct. 27, 1823.
Very Dear S i r :
Though my sentiments on many points of general interest
relative to the affairs of the mission are very fully &
decidedly expressed in the joint letter of the mission which
you will probably receive with this, yet I cannot well
satisfy myself without giving you some further hints on
some points which could not now be so properly embodied in
our joint letter, nor without expressing some of my own
private views to you both as my official counsellor & as
a private friend. M y first remarks are with respect to our communications,
now ready to be sent, and such as are preparing to be sent
as soon as they can be finished by so much care, attention
and labor as we can bestow upon them for two or three months
to come. Our journal is six weeks behind as you see - The unsettled
state of the mission, the plans considered, half adopted
& reconsidered, &c during this period is a reason why it is
not brought up to the present date. The last six weeks has
been much occupied in attempting to locate the brethren to
their satisfaction & making prudential and domestic arrange
ments. The next pages of journal will be filled with like
matter. The narrative of the tour of Hawaii, the report of the e x
ploring deputation, about 20 interesting drawings including
a large crater of a volcano now in action, with an appendix
on the mythology history, manners & customs of the nation will form a volume, which will probably be published both in
America & England. Should its execution meet the approbation
of our Patrons. - All the documents & minutes of that town
are by vote of the body committed to M r . Ellis & myself joint
ly to prepare such a narrative, for o u r patrons.
Brother Stewart is now engaged in copying the drawings taken
by Mr. Ellis - so that the American copy may in that respect
be as complete as the English.
It has been hinted that
M r . Joulin of Hew Haven would engrave gratuitously and draw
ings from us of Sandwich Island scenery. - Should you conclude
to publish the narative as a volume, you may perhaps avail
yourself of that offer to good advantage.
You will not forget that I am now speaking to a personal friend. In view of what I have just hinted, we have endeavored not to
anticipate too much in our journal & joint letter, but to give so
much as may satisfy for the present, or till the full account
can be forwarded, which may be some months. In like manner we
�68.
passed over the. interesting baptism, death & burial of the
king' s mother Ke-o-pu-o-la-ni And many facts & circumstances
connected with her character & the history of the Lahaina Station
which will be embodied in a memoir, designed to be sent to you
as a Tract for the New England Tract Society, - or to be disposed
of At your pleasure. M r . Richards has the principal charge of
compiling that little memoir which will be accompanied by a
likeness - Some time may elapse before these two may meet the
public eye should they be published at all - as also the last
six weeks of journal which indeed may never see the light. Our
letter designed as an introduction or temporary substitute for
the three, designed also as a kind of commemoration of the
fourth aniversary of our embarkation, and as full and condensed
a view of the state, prospects, principles, wants, plans,
expenditures, & c of the mission as we could well give in one
letter - and as we may not for a year or two to come be able
so collectively to write you again - I hope you will find room
in the pages of the Herald to insert entire (except the post
scripts) if it should meet your approbation - I feel warranted
to say again, that Brothers Richards, Whitney & Ruggles would
gladly subscribe to every sentiment & every statement that the
letter contains On the subject of expenses, M r . Chamberlain ( in whom as an
accountant for us I believe you have sent your best) and M r .
Loomis also have with my full approbation written at large
both to yourself & the Treasurer - Their letters will accompany
this. Our memorandum for type &c we have made out with great care,
for paper also - We presume both will be answered in due season.
As M r . Chamberlain says "we have opened our mouths wide” but we
have done it with the confident expectation that they will be
filled - You will not complain if we should hereafter open them
still wider in asking for stationary & every sort of material
for making books for the people, or for facilitating their
progress in learning. - We sent by Capt. Meek to Canton who
obtained 100 quires of letter paper, about 30 of which is half
the ordinary size, the whole for five Dollars - i .e. 1 Doll. a
rea m . Capt. Comerford who touched here two years ago in the Alex
ander - sent us from Canton by Capt. Meek 30 quires of better
paper & 15 of foolscap as a present of which these sheets are
specimens - Much of which we expect to use in printing should not
the 40 Reams applied for sometime since arrive immediately. One
ream of good Italian foolscap we have bought at five Doll. which
will give an edition of about 800 copies of the hymns, should we
use it for that purpose. Our Spelling Book must soon be reprinted,
or the work of instruction must be impeded - The want of slates
and pencils for the last six months has been a great embarrassment We were extremely disappointed that the reinforcement brought
none - We sent to Canton for them, but w e are again disappointed The people are constantly calling for slates - & we are obliged to
tell them we have none - They seek them on board ships and get
here and there one. Capt. Meek brought from Canton about 50 We have distributed heretofore about fourteen d o z . slates - Now I
have not one for my own private use - But what is 200 slates as a
supply for a nation, where every man, woman & child over 6 years should be furnished with one - Had we slates & books sufficient the number -of native teachers increases so fast - that I should
�69.
not be surprized if in three years from this time there should b e
20,000 natives who should have begun to read and write. But there
may be, nay must be a far less number unless the means are supplied.
There can be no harm in expecting great results if we take suitable
measures to secure or produce them.
The merchants may after a
few years supply the people with stationery, but we cannot wait
for their slow movements; now, now, is the time.
Should you send a
large shipment of slates & pencils & like articles, and sucessive
shipments, please give us your advice whether we should give them
to our pupils or sell them at a price; & books, also, which we
print, for the people.
Should a Merchant now offer a cargo of
stationary the chiefs would perhaps purchase at a price that the
common people could not give - & should the people be very anxious
to buy, the chiefs would be likely to monopolize, buy up the cargo,
& then put on such a price in the retail as would prevent the
circulation or make it extremely slow.
True this must eventually
regulate itself, but we want a hand in it now.
When the Tahitian Missionaries printed an edition of one of the
gospels they divided the edition among the chiefs to be distributed
to their people.
They were glad of the opportunity, & distributed
as they thought best, for instance to a favorite little child that
could not read, three or four copies, to some persons too old and
blind to read, one or two copies - by which means many who could
read & greatly wanted a copy were denied - The missionaries felt
the evil & resolved never to commit themselves again in like
manner. - Similar evils must be expected & guarded against as well
as possible by u s . - It is possible then that if the body of the
common people are to depend entirely on the merchants for stationary,
or on their chiefs, it will be long before they will be generally
supplied even if there should be a desire to learn generally preva
lent.
But if we have it in our power to establish native schools
in every district of the Islands and furnish every school with
elementary books and stationary, either gratuitously, or at first
cost, or a reasonable advance, I think it might give more certainty,
and energy to our operations, - Suppose then that one fifth of
the whole population shall in a few years be furnished each with a
book & slate, with ability to use them, - What an engine our
press becomes, for urging on the improvement of the nation? Do
Sir give us stationary, as well as bread. We cannot live without it.
There is now one more point relative to our communications, & that
is on the subject of types - We have asked for a new fount of Pica
No. 1 - It is the opinion of Mr. E. and ourselves that that is the
best for the first impressions of the scriptures for this people the memorandum is made out for 24 pages We brought with us two founts one of small Pica - which we now use
for a Spelling Book.
It is a good fount, but rather too small - both
as to the size and quantity of type even for our present purpose,
and would by no means answer for an edition of the scriptures. The other fount is Brevier, but worn out in America a n d useless and indeed was never suitable for elementary books for untutored
readers - I thought these remarks needful, lest you might apprehend
that two founts now in our possession were a tolerable supply for our
‘infant establishment - It is indeed an infant establishment, designed
to raise an infant nation whose kings, princes & nobles are
children, and who therefore want the best of types, & every other
means of instruction & improvement. -
�70
It is for us respectfully to make known our wants & wishes, & then
leave our parents, guardians and patrons to decide as to their
ability or the expediency of granting a full supply of every want
and the gratification of every w i s h . On these points it is proper
that I should now be silent. - But if your patience with me is
not quite exhausted, allow me to add a "few more last words" on
my second topic of proposed remarks, that is laborers & locations, In attempting to plant two stations on the Island of Hawaii and
maintaining the three already planted, we have felt a considerable
difficulty from three causes, the want of more m e n , the want of
better men - & the danger of exposing some of the females so
widely scattered to be left without medical aid in the approaching
hour of sorrow. - Two more men like Messrs. Ellis, Richards,
Stewart, Bishop.& Thurston would have enabled us very comfortably
to occupy five stations. - Had M r . Ely & Mr. Goodrich been com
petent to lead a station or to form the half of a station we should
in that case felt very little embarrassment at present - When we
tried for a while to rest our hopes on them as such, we expected
to go on easily, with our plan broad as it was, but after 6 months
acquaintance we find ourselves disappointed.
Still they stand
as high doubtless in the estimation of the mission, as they did in
the estimation of the Board when they were accepted or sent forth,
to say nothing of the deficiency of their wishes to take & fill
the high & important sphere of a Missionary's wif e . The brethren
tried two months to have M r . E. hold himself in readiness to go
to Hawaii, but when after 3 months & a half he was elected by
ballot for that Island, he declined, complained that the brethren
did not respect his feelings, & expressed a wish that the brethren
might know what they were about, & that the vote might be re
considered - This was accordingly done - M r . Ruggles and his wife
then offered themselves to go with an ordained minister to Waikea
in Hido ( or Ohido,or as in Eng. Oheedo or Heedo) to assist in
planting & maintaining that station till more help might be e x
pected - This was accepted with the expectation that M r . Bishop
would accompany him. M r . B. was appointed of course, to the mutual
satisfaction of the two and also of their wives - Mr. E. was not
satisfied entirely to go to Tauwai without M r . R . - However M r .
Goodrich then by a vote of the mission was assigned to Kairua
to aid M r . Thurston one year, when his location and that of Mr. T .
was to be reconsidered - M r . T. & his wife refused to accept of
such aid as incompetent and undesirable. - But the vote was
allowed to stand a few days in hope of a compliance & the Brothers
wrote a joint address to M r . T . endeavoring to encourage him to
go forward in what appeared to be the best plan.
But twas in vain.
In a full meeting I deliberately offered myself to go with M r . G.
to Kairua for a year.
But this was decidedly objected to by the
body on the ground that the duties of this station demanded
indispensably my attention - Nothing could be done therefore but
to decline Brother Ruggles' offer & Mr. Bishop's location was
reconsidered - Mr. Ruggles again offered to go to Waikea with
Mr. G. provided I would labor there 3 months in the first year.
In this Mrs. B . was forward to volunteer & I consented to hold
myself in readiness for that service though M r s . B. might expect
to be confined there.
It was found that by this time M r . Ely
was resolved not to go to Tauwai till after the confinement of
M r s . E . which would be little less than a year from their arrival,
because she would be so far from a physician. - The claim of
Tauwai therefore demanded Mr. Bishop's aid - and it was
�71
unanimously agreed that he should proceed to Tauwai, & M r . Ely
to K a i m a for a season - To this Mr. E. & Dr . B. & in fact all
without exception agreed and appeared to be satisfied - But in
these days Mr. E. expressed dissatisfaction in the plan, and
tho' Mr. T. was at first quite satisfied with the arrangement as
it would allow 5 stations to be occupied without delay - and allow
the physician to proceed from Lahaina to K a irua & thence to
Waiakea - yet so little aid could in reality be relied on from
M r . E . for the present year that Mr. T . was quite willing to go
alone three months to Kairu a and then expect Mr. Bishop's aid Just a fortnight elapsed after the la st arrangements had been
made when a very favorable opportunity occurred for a passage to
Kairua & Mr. T. embraced it - M r . Stewart and myself asked M r . E.
"to state to us fully his plans & wishes” & he modestly refered
us to the Dr. to answer for him, meaning so far as his reasons
for not accompanying M r . T. were concerned. — It so happens
that no measure taken b y the body respecting M r . E.'s location
has met his approbation.
Mr. Bishop is waiting an opportunity to
go to Tauwai - M r s . B. being just recovered from confinement.
Mr.E. is undisposed of & unordained. - Perhaps his fault is want
of ordination.
He has from his arrival, and even before, urged
the subject of his own ordination with an earnestness & importu
nity which would well become an obviously more worthy motive But that subject seems now to be dropped by common consent, &
will not probably be acted upon by the mission, or by the ordained
missionaries as a body till Mr. E . is well harnessed in his work
& well proved.
M r . E. preaches a good sermon we admit - but we cannot deny that
he appears too crooked or unpliable, or unsubstantial in some respects to receive at present the highest trust committed to a
missionary - We are waiting to see him take ordination ground,
then we shall think it our duty to give him the right hand of the
fellowship of the churches - & more especially if you should dis
tinctly recommend it. - We shall pursue a similar course with
M r . G. & M r . W. both of whom in that respect appear patient &
humble. - At least this is my present view of the subject. I may have said too much, or in an unsuitable manner. But I
cannot withold from you many things important in their connection
with the direction & success of the mission though improper for
the public eye - To the trustworthy Secretary of the Board my pen
has committed many things which I have studiously concealed from
the Dearest Brother I have on earth - To none in America but the
officers of the Board would I speak of family trials and personal
irregularities unless they were publicly recognised here by the
church or the mission as a matter of discipline.
It is proper perhaps now to add that Kamohoula of whom I have
twice written you from Lahaina - has been called before the church,
confessed to them his crimes, been kindly admonished, and ex
postulated with, promised to make a public confession, and attach
himself to the family again - But he has omitted to make a
public confession - & has now been absent about three weeks with
out giving the slightest account of himself - We hoped he was
penitent, but our dependence on his aid is very small.
Kupurii
(Cooperee) has also disappointed our confidence. But Stephen
�72.
Pupuhi & Richard Karaioulu appear yet to stand firm and our
confidence is unshaken - Betsey Stockton appears to be faithful
and useful.
My spirit is greatly refreshed and strengthened by brothers
Richards & Stewart - and Bishop and their three excellent wives,
happily matched & thoroughly furnished - M r . C. is equally
qualified to fill his post and equally amiable & faithful. Am very happy to have him at my side in attending to the miscellany
of this station. - M r . Ellis is a man of the right stamp - I am
happy to labor with him. M r . L. is rising in activity and
energy - & will fill his place we l l . M r . Thurston holds on his
way - Mr. Whitney n ow preaching three times a week and superintend
ing 80 pupils - is evidently rising in activity & efficiency Mr.
Ruggles is indefatigable and never has appeared more able
or willing than now to subserve the best interests of the mission The Dr., tho' his wife is the more amiable,is diligen t ,attentive,
& active in his profession, & will doubtless prove himself a
valuable member of the community, though he needs more patience
& less fretfulness. Indeed his services are quite indispensable& the principal difficulty lies in applying them when they are
most needed.
Should not some preacher or preachers come out
acquainted well with the art of healing, another physician w ill
be needed.
Mr. R. & M r . S . value very much the slight acquaintance which they
have with it, - And I am sure the slight attention that I have
been compelled to bestow upon it since I came here - had it been
given under a proper instruction, would have been in my estimation
of very great importance.
The Sandwich Islands in the view of our friends at such a
distance dwindle to a point - but in our view as well as that of
the people, they possess considerable extent - & when the mission
family is scattered through an extent of 250 miles - with such
doubtful & unfrequent means of communication, how often the
aid of a Physician may be wanted when it cannot possibly be
enjoyed if all the medical skill is seated in one man or two.
M r . Richards has named a student of Theology at Andover acquainted
with medicine & fired with the missionary spirit - perhaps he
can come without delay — I should not be surprized but gratified
to see a cousin of mine now at Andover, Luther Bingham, come out
in another reinforcement, and R e v . Ralph Cashman if the l a t e
discipline of himself & wife our sister has prepared them for
this work.
But it has been my principle to ask no man to come to this field as it is impossible to know their views - & my invitation might
have some undue influence - The Lord will provide. I have no
doubt that he will bring forward men when they shall be wanted by
the Board, & the great difficulty will be rather in rejecting than
accepting, when selecting proper recruits. By proper, I mean the
best that can be found.
Jonah & Paul were both appointed by the Lord to go and preach to
the heathen - The One was ready to prefer his own reputation to
the salvation of a great city - The other counted not his life dear
unto him that he might testify the grace of God & that Christ's
8
�73.
glory might be promoted - The former was a complainer at his
post, exceedingly fretful & angry at disapointment - & actually
set a higher value on his gourd than on the growth of divine
knowledge & the fruits of righteousness in a great nation The other cheerfully suffered the loss of all things and counted
them but dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus the Lord - How clearly evident it is that Paul was the
best missionary.
We do not ask for any better than he.
Should
any more holy,active, faithful or devoted than he be sent, the
rest of us might turn Jonah's if we are not such now. You see
how large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand hope I have not made you sorry by its prolixity - Beg the nantle
of charity to be thrown over all.
M r s . B. joins me in very cordial salutations to yourself and
M r s . Evarts - To your associates of the Prudential Committee
whom I should be happy to address individually, have the goodness
to tender my affectionate regards With increasing confidence, esteem and love, I am Dear Sir, very
respectfully
Yours
H. Bingham
P.S.
Dear S i r :
In a hasty & very imperfect picture of the mission family, these
familiar faces were left out, Hopu, Honorii & Sandwich - Hopu &
his wife have for many months lived at Kairua & are expected to
assist M r . T. & his wife.
Thomas has once or twice, we are
grieved to say, been guilty of intoxication, but still appears to
love the work of the mission, and promises to be useful.
Honorii
appears to be unaltered, & we believe exerts a good influence - he
is now attendant on Kamamalu the queen.
Sandwich has given the
brethren at Tauwai some trouble, but has done better the last
season, has taught a school patronized by the Governess of the
Island. - All that need to appear in the group I have with rude
hand presented. - I have set down nought in malice, nor attempted
to extenuate, or dissemble, or mislead.
Feel sorry to trouble
you Dear Sir with our little affairs, while the weighty concerns
of the Board fill your mind & hands, & the wants of the world
claim your daily attention - I can sympathize with you, t h o ' in
my little sphere.
H.B.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
By Capt. Birch, Ship Stanton
Received April 27, 1824.
�74
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 175
Oahu, Nov. 8, 1823 .
Love to you M r . Evarts:
This is my communication to you.
I am thankful to you for your
kindness towards us in sending hither the teachers of learning
and of the word of Jesus Christ, the means by which we here
are to be enlightened. Very great is the goodness of them to
instruct us in the
(hole in paper) way that reaches up to
heaven (hole) plan exceedingly good.
N ot all the people of
Oahu here are learning the good written word of salvation.
Hereafter perhaps will arrive the happy time that all the pe o
ple of all these dark islands will learn the word of Jesus Christ.
Very great affection to you.
Keariiahonui
Son of Taumuarii
N ov. 10, P.S.
Dear Sir:
The above is the spontaneous production of a pleasant young
chief from Tauwai, whom we have regarded & designated as a
kin sman of Taumurii. He here styles himself his son - Taumuarii
allows the relationship, of course we cannot dispute it. - He
was taken away from Tapule (Tapoole) by Kaahumanu and brought
hither by her, we hardly know in what capacity. - He is in our
estimation very interesting, and apparently as amiable as King
Taumuarii.
He appears in this letter, as he does in his
intercourse with us. At his request I subjoin a translation &
forward it to you, with kind salutations.
H. Bingham
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, U.S.A.
By Capt. Coffin, Ship Ganges
Received April 6, 1824.
�75.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 176
Honoruru, Sandwich Islands,
N o v 21, 1823.
Very Dear Sir:
The occasion on which I
singular, interesting &
the king Tamehameha 2nd
countries, particularly
America.
write you at this time is new &
important, it is the departure of
with a few attendants to visit foreign
Great Britain & the United States of
He has sometime cherished a desire to see those countries of
which he has from his childhood been accustomed to hear many
interesting things, but which from the scanty means allowed
him, he must have very imperfect & inadequate conceptions. To
gain information, poli t i c a l & commercial, to gratify curiosity,
to achieve by the tour something great in his own estimation,
& eventually to increase his wealth & power are doubtless the
principal objects that come within the scope of his present
designs, & were he to be attended by a competent guide & in
terpreter much doubtless might be gained by the tour for his
own good, for the benefit of the nation, for the direct aid of
the mission, & the advancement of the cause of civilization &
Christianity in these Islands - & we would fain hope that an
additional impulse might be given to the cause of missions both
in Europe & America by the visit of this young R uler who has
but lately cast away the Idols of his fathers & of former gener
ations & kindly patronized the teachers of Christianity now
laboring quietly & successfully in four principal islands in
his dominions. He desires to have an interview with the king
& court of England, to obtain some advice, & perhaps assistance,
to enable him the better to govern his own people & to maintain
a better regulated intercourse with foreigners w ho visit or reside
in his islands.
Capt. Starbuck of the L'Aigle, South Sea Whaler, well known to
the friends of the mission, proposes to take the king to England
& has taken on board his baggage & $ 25,000 specie to bear his
expenses & purchase such articles as may strike his fancy for his
own use or for distribution among his favorites on his return,
though from the circumstances under which he goes, it would not
be strange or unthought of by his chiefs if he should return
without money or goods, & in no small degree involved in debt.
The principal chiefs at his summons have been assembled at Lahaina
& are now at this place to deliberate on his departure, to make
arrangements for the administration of government during his
absence, to settle the succession in case of his decease, & to
express their united views as to the business to be transacted
by the king in his tour.
When the design of the king to embark in the L'Aigle for England
was made known I was early & strongly impressed with the im
portance of his being accompanied by one of us, to watch over him
�76.
on his passage & during his visit to introduce him to such
company & such scenes as would be likely to be useful to him
& to guard him against the opposite, to aid his inquiries, to
communicate to him important information on any subject that
might come under his notice, & especially to act as interpre
ter for him in the transaction of any important business between
him & foreign governments or individuals, & to communicate mor e
over to Missionary Societies & others, such information r e
specting the state of the islands as might be eagerly sought
Wherever the king may go, & to obtain also many facilities for
the more rapid & successful prosecution of the Missionary work
here.
Deeply impressed with this subject I mate known my views
to Brother Ellis & was happy to find, that he without any knowledge
of what was passing in my mind had taken the same view of the
subject.
The same day we had a request from Kaahumanu, Karaimoku
& Boke to attend the deliberations of the king
chiefs on the
subject of the king’s proposed tour, and Boke expressed an earnest
desire that a native teacher might be furnished by the Mission to
pray with them, teach them & act as an interpreter.
Two days after,
on the 11th inst. M r . Ellis & myself went in the L 'Aigle for
Lahaina to assist in the deliberations, to make arrangements for
accompanying the king, or if that should be denied, to write letters
by the king to our patrons both in England & America.
We arrived
there in the short period of 23 hours, & soon laid the subject
before Karaimoku & Boke, who approved of our views. At evening
after singing a hymn, & conducting evening prayers at the king's
we held a communication for half a n hour with the king b y means of
the Slate & pencil. We first proposed that in case he should goto
f o r e i g n countries, one of us should accompany him as a teacher &
interpreter.
This he replied readily was agreeable to his thoughts
& wishes.
We then signified our wish that M r . E . should be the
one to go.
Here it may be proper to notice another set of facts
or chain of providences independent of these but leading in the
same direction. M r s . Ellis has for a considerable time been labor
ing under the distressing influence of disease which in the
opinion of D r . Williams & D r . Blatchely & others, renders it
desirable for her to visit her native land with a view to a change
of climate & to more able medical aid than can be obtained here.
M r . E . desires also to place his four children under the care &
instruction of their friends in England. He thinks it important
also to consult with his patrons on the subject of their carrying
on in conjunction with the American Board missionary operations in
these islands.
These considerations, together with the fact that the king sails
directly to England, with a conductor whose views in taking the
king & his company to London, it is believed are entirely secular
& sinister, render it doubly important that M r . E . should go.
To the suggestion of our choice in the case, the king replied, "that
is with you; as I am going to Britain it is well for M r . E . to
go; but were I going direct to America I should then wish M r . B.
to go".
The morning of the following day we continued our intercourse
with the king on the subject of the tour, recommended to his a t
tention such things as we thought needful, obtained his full
consent for M r s . E . & the children to go with him.
He freely
offered to pay Mr. E's
E s passage, & K araimoku offered to pay the
�77.
passage of his family & directed M r . E. to apply to Capt. S .
to learn what accommodations he could afford them. W hat then,
you are ready to ask was the reply of our once obliging Ship
Master?
It first he said he had not room, & declined at once. M r . E.
unwilling to take his final answer, left him & requested Dr. W.
to converse with him. Dr. W. who had before recommended M r s . E's
visit to England on her own account now very kindly proposed
to the Captain to give up his own state room for the accommodation
of M r . E . & family. This did not avail. The question was re
ferred back to the king, who said there was no want of room as the
ship was large & there were but 8 of his party to go . The follow
ing morning the king & chiefs being assembled called in Capt. S .
to finish their engagement with him respecting the passage, wishing
to stipulate for themselves & for M r . Ellis & asked what compensa
tion he should ask for conveying the king & his suit to England he replied that he should ask nothing; but he should expect some
facilities to be granted to the ships of his owners in recruiting
at the islands - he had also suggested that his owners might
charge something for the passage when they should arrive. The king
then requested that the Capt. would take M r . E . He declined. Then
the king & Karaimoku urged him & offered to pay in dollars what
he might ask for himself & family - He still refused to_ listen
saying ’he did not want money’ - 'he was not authorized to take
passengers for money', in short, it was impossible, & 'it was no
use to talk about it'. - The king & chiefs as well as ourselves
were much disappointed & grieved at this opposition - and the
more, as the Capt. had given encouragement to Boke the evening b e
fore that he would take M r . E . All seemed exceedingly desirous
that he should go - & none the less for the apparent opposition.
Karaimoku said at once this is in consequence of the foreigners
at Oahu, several of whom had just arrived & it is known that a
majority of the traders here would of course, & actually do oppose
the plan of Mr. E's going with the king & exert their influence with
Capt. S. to hinder it - Some of the chiefs said ironically "We
should be too much enlightened if M r . E. should accompany the king "
Boke whose hopes had been uncommonly high (for him) said T,I feel
just like being sick at M r . E ’s staying here." - M r . Marin (Manini)
the Spaniard said it would be more credit to the nation for the
king to fit out two of his own vessels & go by the way of Port
Jacks on independent of Whale Ships - Capt. Adams & Capt. Sumner,
E n g l i s h commanders of native vessels, recommended the king's going
in the Cleopatra's Barge. This the government seemed half r e
solved to do rather than leave M r . E . behind.
As Capt. S . was re
tiring from Court I came to him & asked if I might speak with him At which he very readily lent me his ear.
The subject of my r e
marks in a half an hour's brisk conversation may be sufficiently
expressed in one period.
I do not wish to interfere at all in the business in question,
it is with you to say whether you can take Mr. E. at the king's
request or not - but as I understand you propose to take the
king for his good & the benefit of the nation, I beg leave to
ask if he would not be more likely to secure the proposed advantages
of th e tour, b y taking with him a competent interpreter who could
make known the wishes of the king to the English Government &
�78.
their views to him; who could correctly translate any written
communications between him & them or others & give satisfactory
information respecting the state of the island, than he would to
go unattended by such an interpreter on whom he could depend?
The amount of his answer was, "The king will want for nothing in
England - I expect to he able myself to speak his language when
I reach home - Capt. Jack can make me understand in English
whatever he wishes - besides I mean to take an old resident with
me, well acquainted with the language - All I want of an inter
preter is one that shall say what I tell him - I do not want
M r . E . to go - I cannot take him. I am willing to give up my whole
time to wait on the king in England & even to entertain him at my
own expense” .
Thus our discourse ended, for I could not say to him, we fear the
king will not only miss the advantages which are desired, but b e
led into many temptations without restraint, will be kept as
much as possible from the house of God & the Society of the pious
& devoted children of God who would seek the salvation of his
soul & the conversion of his people - that instead of increasing
his honor - his wealth or power, he might have his money swindled
from him at the bar room or the gaming table, his character low
as it is, disgraced by scenes of riot & debauchery, & get such
unfavorable impressions as to the purity & piety of civilized
countries as greatly to retard rather than facilitate the progress
of civilization & Christianity here.
The king & chiefs however resolved still to urge the Captain to
take Mr. E . & if he should eventually refuse, they would try to
send the Cleopatra's Barge. Thus the matter stood till Sunday
noon, when the king after attending the morning service was in
vited on board the foreign vessels laying at Lahaina, & the after
noon was spent in drinking & firing - & the evening exhibited the
disgusting spectacle of white & red men tempting & tempted under
the levelling influence of the inviting, inebriating bowl.
Three
full days the king continued in that state unfit for business. On
Tuesday agreeably to former arrangements, he & his attending
chiefs, M r . Ellis & myself, and a considerable number of other
persons embarked together on board six different vessels, the
L'Aigle, the Princess Mary Capt. Clark of London, the Cleopatra's
Barge, the Waverly & two schooners & came down in 10 hours to
this port. Kaahumanu had come down a little before.
Gov. Adams
also to prepare provisions for the voyage of the king, which are
now going rapidly on board the L'Aigle, which is expected to sail
in a day or two.
All the brethren at this place & at Lahaina are decidedly in favor
of Mr. E's accompanying the king but the inflexible opposition to
it obliges us to give it up & wait to see the Lord bring good
out of apparent evil.
The king takes with him the Queen Kamehamaru (generally called in
our communications Kamamalu) for whom M r s . B. & Mrs. Ruggles have
just finished two rich & elegant dresses of damask silk and
figured satin, crimson, yellow, pink & black, that her apparel may
be in some sense suitable to her state & her rank when she shall
appear among strangers.
Gov. Bok e & his wife Tweene (or as we
now spell it Twini) accompany the king - The other attendants
selected are Ca pt . Jack & Manuia# two native commanders ofnative
M ah-noo-e-ah
the last half of the word resembles the sound of the
�79
v e s s e l s who speak a little English - Kuanaoa# , the king's weigher
of Sandal wood & James Young, son of M r . John Young, who also
speaks some English. To say nothing of the last individual,
the company is well chosen, & it is greatly to be regretted that
the king & his suit cannot he accompanied by M r . E. the want of
whose important aid can in no way, to human view, be supplied.
We still hope Divine Providence will open the way for M r . E. to
meet the king in England & to accompany him in his visit to the
United States should he go there.
How I should rejoice personally to introduce our royal pupil to
you, my Dear Sir, & your associates, to those Associations of Good
men who take a lively interest in his welfare & that of his nation.
How I should be delighted after a visit in Boston, to conduct him
& his interesting company through Hartford, Cornwall Hew Haven,
New York, Philadelphia to Washington, up the Hudson & the Western
Canal to the Great Lakes & the falls of Niagara which he has a
special desire to see - introducing him to as many of the good
& great in our beloved country, & making him as fully acquainted
with her manners, her character & privileges, her civil, religious,
literary & charitable institutions, as the period of six months
would allow.
But this I cannot expect. And should the king arrive
in America without an interpreter & guide, you Sir, will doubtless
do what is in your power to make his visit profitable & interesting
to himself & to the Christian public, to us & to the nation which
he rules.
Capt. Chamberlain with one of his sons might render important
aid should they be ready to assist you as interpreters, or some one
of the Sandwich Island boys in Cornwall.
The king as you are aware has mercantile acquaintances in Boston
& its vicinity who would doubtless be forward in their attentions
to his Majesty, & who would doubtless be glad to direct him in a
way to promote their own & not his advantage & having some a c
quaintance with his language & habits, would be able to entertain
& influence him & his attendants in no small degree.
Added to this, the liberal sentiments of so large a portion of
professed Christians in Boston, I should fear, joined with the in
fluence of the worldly spirit in the Church of England, would lead
the king to believe what Capt. S. tells him is true, that our
inculcating morning & evening prayer in families, & attending the
Wednesday evening lecture is over & above what the Bible requires,
& what Christians generally practice, & that Sunday is the only
day for attending the public duties of religion.
Boston with all
its institutions & its most efficient & indefatigable friends of
Missions is not the first place which I should select for the
conversion of this young heathen Ruler.
Yet God may have chosen that as his very birthplace, & may now be
pouring down his Spirit there with some reference to so signal &
desirable an event as the conversion of a king.
Or he may be
#Koo-ah-nah-o-ah,
- The nao resembles in sound n o w .
�80.
listening to the prayers of the pious in Boston & other
parts of our country with the kind design of showing them, even
in the flesh, the work of divine grace on the heart of the chief
Ruler of the Sandwich Islands.
To convince the king that you seek his best good as a friend,
to make him (hole in paper) that you are as deeply interested
in his welfare as you really are, would be an incalculable benefit
to him, & doubtless greatly aid the cause of missions here &
elsewhere. But you need not any hints of advice from me on those
points o n which I am accustomed to expect them from you - For I
am well assured that if the king should come within the reach of
your personal influence as he has been within ours, you would
labor with more wisdom, zeal & faithfulness to guard him from every
evil, withold or withdraw him from every snare, to urge on his
improvement & lead him to the Savior of Sinners, the King of kings
& lord of lords. Should he find his way thither, to your kind
care & Christian attentions I desire to commend him & to the
watchful Providence of God & the Word of his Grace.
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Honoruru,
Jan. 12, 1824.
Dear Sir:
To this duplicate of a letter which I forwarded by the
L'Aigle by way of London, I a m now able to add some im
portant particulars connected with the subject of the
above.
On the 27th of N ov. last the necessary preparations
being completed, the king and his attendants took an
affectionate leave of his people, and embarked on board the
L ' A i g l e and sailed for England. - The people thronged the
beach as he entered the boat - & their loud weeping mingled
with the waring of cannon at his departure - His principal
chiefs (politely) accompanied him on board and took a re
spectful and affectionate leave of him and his attendants.
M r . Ellis failed of the opportunity of accompanying him
& has found no opportunity to follow him - Capt. S. however
took John Rives a Frenchman - heretofore an interpreter for
the king - but lately much out of favor. The desire for instruction & the prayers of our work has , we
believe, been increased among the people since his departure.
With very affectionate salutations to you and your associates,
& with the hope that the friends of the mission in other lands
will make a happy use of the king's interesting tour, I remain
most truly yours,
H. Bingham
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Cor. Sec. A.B.C .F.M.
Boston, U.S.A.
Received July 13, 1824
�82.
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Page 179
Oahu,
Jan. 1, 1824.
Very Dear S i r :
Another year dawns upon us in peace. It will doubtless
contribute to your happiness to learn that we are blessed
with so much health, & comfort, strength and courage, means
and opportunities for usefulness as to hail the new year
with joy to bless God with thankful hearts for crowing the
pas t with prosperity & cheering the future with hope, &
thus to pursue our course with alacrity and rejoicing.
I send you b y the Paragon the first 12 pages of an edition
of Hawaiia Hymns prepared jointly by Brother Ellis & myself,
for the use & benefit of the nation especially for the
public worship of " Jehovah” (the acknowledged God of this
nation) "the great God of heaven & earth" - The work will
contain about 60 pages, & we intend to print 2000 copies Our stock of paper is rather short - Hope to be supplied soon.
Applications are daily made by numbers of the natives, for
copies of the Spelling Book of which we wish to print a new
edition as soon as we receive the paper sent for nearly two
years since, - Nearly 2500 copies have been distributed Many of the people who beg for books we are obliged to deny About 70 have applied during the last three days, & we have
given out about 2 copies to each 5 persons. One young man
asked me for a book yesterday, & I inquired of him who his
teacher was - He replied ”M y desire to learn, my ear, to hear,
my eye to see, my hands to handle, for, from the sole of my
foot; to the crown of my head I love the"palapala".
Another said, "all the people would learn if they could get
books/" Many have applied for the hymns long before the first
sheet could be printed Some of the chiefs and others are beginning successfully to
acquire the art of arithmetic The book, pen & pencil are rapidly superceding cards and other
amusements of the people.
Tipling shops are shut, & drunkenness discountenanced by the
highest chiefs, & labor and sport on the sabbath prohibited to
some extent.
Kraimoku & John Adams are among the foremost patrons of our
cause. Taumuarii & Kaahumanu are particularly favorable.
At the
four principal islands the work goes on without interruption.
M r . Thurston is now established again at K airua where under the
special patronage of Gov. Adams a large & convenient house for
p u b l i c worship has lately been opened.
While writing this letter we hear a favorable account both of that
�83.
station and the station at Lahaina also - Brother W . has lately
visited both those stations & this also & returned to Tauwai
with increasing courage, willing to maintain that post alone.
till the Board can send him aid, which we would fain hope, will
be soon.
B r . Ellis who is indefatigable, will if he remains here, be en
gaged with (hole in paper) all the public duties of this station,
(hole) in preparing books for the people - We hope ere long
to commence jointly the translation of one of the books of
sacred Scripture. But should M r . Ellis return to England on account of the feeble
state of his w i f e ’s health, to be absent a year or two, this
work will devolve on me during that period, - But in that case
so much of the miscellaneous, & secular concerns of the station
will be entrusted to M r . C. , Dr . B. & Mr. L . that I shall hope to
go on with courage & cheerfulness. I have never yet had a
desponding moment on missionary ground, tho' I do not forget
the heartsinking that I felt for a little season in view of the
work about the time of my appointment by the Pru. Com. to take
this untried field - But He who I humbly believe strengthened me
then, I trust will continue to s t r e n g t h e n
e feeble.
h
t
And he who
has hitherto smiled on our undertaking I trust will continue to
bless our efforts to prepare & diffuse instruction for the
spiritual and eternal good of such as are ready to perish in the
Isles of the sea. To Him alone be all the glory.
Of the secular and pecuniary concerns of the mission, M r . Chamber
lain will give a full account. - I w rote you sometime since by
Ship L'Aigle a long letter respecting the visit of Kihoriho to
England and America - That letter which accompanied him will
probably reach you earlier than this - The duplicate I shall send
soon.
With very affectionate salutations, I am truly, Yours
H. Bingham
To:
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F .M.
Boston, U.S.A.
Received Aug. 27, 1824.
By favor of J.C. Jones, Jr. E s q .
�84.
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Page 196
Extracts from letters from M r s . Bingham to her sister.
My dear friends:
Recollecting the kind interest
which you manifested for my
dear sister Bingham, when with you last fall, previous to her
leaving her country, and also your feelings towards all missions,
I take the liberty to send you a few extracts from her letters
received Jan. 25.
"N ov. 8th. M y Dear Sisters:
All joy on board - a vessel in sight bound to America, not a
letter written by one of us.
I must say in one short moment,
what my friends long to know hitherto the good hand of our God,
has attended us.
O the sound is bound to Europe, now it is
all over. But they have taken down the trumpet to speak with
her, so I will keep on.My health, dear sisters, is excellent perhaps never better, suffered a few days from sea-sickness.
M y poor husband is kept low yet by continued sea-sickness and it
is my privilege to wait upon him all that a rocking vessel will
allow.
Our passage thus far, the Capt. tells us, has been u n
commonly rough - but no disaster.
I long to tell you all about
it - have been writing in my journal today, wish it had been a
letter.
We have got into latitude 38 - about two thousand miles
away. You want to know a word of the state of feeling.
Peace,
Dear Sisters, peace & tranquility.
Verily God is good to me.
O
to praise him! Love to dear friends, and the friends of missions.
How I do want to thank some, many individuals, for their Christian
kindness to me. A bundle reached me, in Boston containing bed
quilt, fine sheets, pillow covers, very good. I studied awhile
and concluded from the mark, it was, M r s . - if so, thank her most
sincerely - the Lord reward h e r . - Well, it is over - bound to
Europe. I'll keep it I believe, fill it up, and have it ready for
the next.
Disappointment! in how many shapes they arrive, happy
not to have the mind discomposed by them. N ov . 12th - The cry again on deck is a vessel in sight. With my
pen in my hand, I w ill run and see if my letters can go n o w . The
sea is so very high.
I fear not, even though its course be to
America.
Our passage thus far has been extremely rough. Mr. B.
has not yet recovered from sickness, my own health remains good a great blessing, but it is a great trial to be watching him with
anxiety, and have it out of my power, to help him to many, little
comforts such as your closets contain - think of it when you go to
them sometimes.
Yet after all we are dealt kindly with Nov. 15th - A word to time my dear sisters.
Our heavenly Conductor
is trying us with contrary winds, roughness of sea, & many in
conveniences attendant thereon.
We have made but little progress,
these seven or eight days, while we have been tossed about upon
the agitated waters till most every head is drooping. M r . R uggles
is quite sick, many others cannot be called w e l l . My Dear husband
still remains like one stupified, while myself, through the same
goodness which afflicts them,would feel tolerably happy, could I
�85
as often as one step out of six, feel the floor in reeling around
to do a little for th e m . - "We have many comforts in this little
floating prison. Capt. Blanchard is much of a gentleman, the officers are civil, - disposed to accommodate - our mission
family is a valuable one, much assisted, and much comforted, by
the native youths who make us water-gruel-, with many such things,
speaking as occasion demands a word of comfort.
Thomas Hopoo,
in particular - often has he a word to direct our thoughts beyond
our little bark. He is a precious youth.
I expect a good little
season, when I see him, at our little door to take a seat with
us upon the trunks. Capt. Chamberlain promises to be a valuable
acquisition to our mission family. We already lean upon him,
very much, - it is a great undertaking to transport his young
family across this mighty deep.
Nov. 18th - Find this morning peaceful times upon the waters contrary winds have ceased, but it is a calm which wafts us on
but
little faster: - our progress is very little.
We have a
heavenly Pilot, he will bring us into port in due time. May
our hearts be prepared, to have it that port, the entrance into
which is through the gates of death.
Brig Thaddeus - Nov. 27th.
I have one long letter, to my dear sisters by me, but so desirable
is it often times to be a writing to them, that I am induced
to begin another.I have much writing to my friends, but this does
not let me talk to my sisters. Tho' far away I am with you in
mind perhaps as much as tho' I were in Hartford. There is not an
improvement I make in my little six feet room, with its t e n
trunks, there is not a pleasant hour in reading, but I want you
all to know it and be thankful for me . If there be a cloud I
want the melancholy hour to pass away unknown.
But with grateful
notice of His hand who gives me my mercies, would I assure you,
that, no gloom or despondency approaches, and tho' often melan cholly
will at some moments pervade the mind, at the recollection of the
scene of the "days of other years", no more to be found in my
path, yet soon,and it scatters and leaves a clear sky, brightened
by ???? of scenes which, tho' dark to the eye of sense, shall yet
shine in Eternity. So is my heart cheered, my sisters, that I have
not yet found one unhappy moment, not one, in which I could have
wished to have trod back the steps of the three last months, tho'
then I might have buried the whole in dark oblivion.
And this,
not because I have not yet commenced a life of privation, as you
will admit in reading the otherletters. A desire that you should
know as much of my situation as possible, makes me half resolved
to transcribe for you my journal. Still I think it not b e s t . If
permitted to behold the cliffs of Owyhee, to hear the jargon, of
the natives- to come into the presence of the great Tamahama &
something may be found to be transcribed. On casting my eye over
what has been written, I find a long course of contrary winds, with
seasickness, to be the most prominent features from day to day
as it respects outward things. Occasional momentary depressions,
from having my best friend in a state of such debility. It is with
much comfort, I would that it were gratitude, also, that I can tell
you he is fast recovering his health & strength. But for more
than thirty long days there was need,rather than looking for support,to stand a pillar myself.
None except Mr/ Ruggles have been
so severely tried - as M r . B. - none perhaps so little affected
as myself - often feel languor and debility, but not as much as
�86.
oftentimes in former periods. I think this is the fortieth day,
Dec. 1st, of our voyage. Each member of the family now is able
to attend morning and evening prayers, and be at table. Our
table seems to grow more inviting, as our stomachs become more
reconciled to the manner of preparing food. We fair wellc onsidering the impossibility of having many things you deem
indispensable on land. Sometimes cannot help feeling in the
morning that a cup of coffee, and at night a piece of rye bread
at Sister’s table would relish - most of all do I want a dish of
bread & milk. Now M r . Conant' s ,tin measures, and key rings,
going to unlock the water. M r . B . takes our little bottle and
goes for our share, -when it is brought down, I have a safe little
corner for it in my locker (trunk). Since he has b e e n able to
take a hammer I have had a shelf put up, on which b y putting a
basket and bundle, I can keep our tin basin and cup with our
two spoons. I think I looked at it with more pleasure as I was
setting them up, than I would in common circumstances, at a
closet filled with cut glass and plate. So true is\it that a
"man’s life consists not in the abundance he possesseth".
The
subject of this page will not rank with great ones - but I know
my sisters want to hear little things even if not related in a
manner which would warrant a transport across the Atlantic.
Dec. 2nd - We feel it to be thanksgiving day - hope we feel that
God calls upon us for thankful hearts. Precious truth!
that the
same God gives us comforts here upon the great waters, as in our
native land the same is present to hear our thanksgiving as is
with our beloved friends. While we have rejoiced to think of them
as keeping a day of praise to their glorious benefactor, - we have
felt that surely they would not have more abundant cause for
humble gratitude, and have endeavored in a humble way & manner to
have our petition & praises ascend with the (hole in paper)
obligations, whatever theirs may be, call for praises more than
we can give. (hole) together from different parts of our country
under circumstances the most interesting, with desires we trust
to the same great object, strengthened in the trying hour of sepa
ration from those we hold dear, brought safely onward o'er this
mighty Ocean with hearts exulting in the hopes of delivering our
solemn message to the wretched heathen - well may we say "Bless
the Lord, O our souls, and all that is within us, bless his holy
name". You cannot know respecting the inward, yet I doubt not
you would like to know the outward observance of day. About 12 we
assembled in the cabin (the sea b e i n g too rough to admit of being
on deck) accompanied by Capt. B . and one or two of the mutes,
when we sung, brother Whitney then led in prayer, after which
M r . B . read the Govn. proclamation, which was foun d to be on board
yesterday, speaking from each paragraph, as well as noticing
our individual mercies. Brother T hur s t o n prayed, then concluded
with an anthem. About three the bell rung for dinner - it was
served up in order (there is always much order at our meals )
roast pork and sen-pie.
Things were removed, then crackers and
cheese. Capt. B . bringing forward some wine, drinking a
pleasant thanksgiving to American friends.
Dec. 15th. A sail near, believe we shall send home now.
0 the
thought is pleasant. M r . Bingham sends love. Adieu - Dear
Sisters. What can I say but live near to God, pray for Sybil
that she may indeed, farewell, farewell." (Mingling such detached
�sentances together, I fear there will be no connection, but
the letters were so long it was necessary to abridge them, and
perhaps I ought to ask pardon for troubling you with so much
as has been already written.
Yours respectfully,
Sophia M osely
Love to the children,
hope they have not forgotten m e .
Hadley, Feb. 19, 1820.
To :
Jeremiah Evarts,
Boston, Mass.
Esq.,
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Page 197
Dear M r . Evarts:
As I have not time by this opportunity to write you , I will
give you the perusal of the letter to Jerusalem, which you
will please to forward as soon as possible.
We are all w e l l .
I wish you to notice what I have said with respect to additional
teachers as though said to the P r u . Com. - with salutations to
them.
In Haste , yours
H . Bingham.
Au g . 17, 1820.
Dear Sir:
Some alterations in the plans of Capt . Gyzelaar, bearer of these
communications, have given us an opportunity to make additions
to this packet, & which we should have done had our present
circumstances admitted*
M r . B - broke the seal with an intention of writing you, but was
u n e x p e ctedly called away, and Capt. G . calls to tell us the
Clarion sails within an hour. I am unwilling to close it without
the latest date, & I feel that the satisfaction to yourself &
many others would not be small, to hear what in the greatest
haste may be said in one line, t he kind providence of our Heavenly
gather still attends us. His kind care is over all his creatures
but we have cause, from day to day, to sing of his peculiar mercy.
O , that we may render praise, love & cheerful obedience such as
become those to whom much is given!
We hope to have another conveyance for letters in the course of
two weeks by the brig Ann Capt. Wale, Boston. If you see Capt. G .
many particulars might be obtained in relation to us which may
not otherwise be communicated.
He has been attentive to u s .
With respect Sir, yours affectionately
S . M . Bingham
Woahoo, Sept.26, 1820.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .
Boston, M a s s . U.S.A.
Received June 2 , 1821.
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Owahoo, Sandwich Islands,
May 4, 1821.
R e v . and Dear Sir :
By favor of Capt. Lewis, Ship Arab which is to leave these
Islands in a few days for America, we are again indulged
the privilege of writing you from this heathen land. Since our last communications to you, Dr/ Holman has been
excommunicated from this church & his wife suspended from
its privileges. The particulars respecting their lamentable
departure from the path of duty & rectitude we send you by this
conveyance, & which you will find in a separate communication of
one hundred & fifteen folio pages, & we presume your patience
will be put to the trial as ours has bee n . Throughout this
distressing & painful business, we have greatly felt the need
of your counsels, your sympathies & your prayers. We would have
given much for one hour of consultation with you & your reverend
associates. But far removed from all counsel & aid from our
brethren in the ministry & from the American churches, we have
endeavored strictly to adhere to the instructions of the Pru.
Committee, & we have also aimed to follow the directions given
us in the sure word of prophecy - still we may have erred, though
the path of duty has seemed to us to be plain.
The Dr. & his
wife will probably return to their native shores next fall in a
whale-ship bound to Nantucket. We are now in this land of dark
ness & strangers, destitute of a physician.
We trust, however,
that after having heard from us, the Board will send one or two
beloved Lukes, who will be able greatly to strengthen, comfort &
aid us in our great & responsible work.
Since the dismission of
Dr. H . no discordant feelings or conduct have been experienced
among our little number that remain.
We could never with so much
assurance & with so much emphasis say, we are all of one heart &
one soul as at the present hour.
In all our disappointments,
difficulties & trials we have had light & comfort from on high.
No one of our present number, we believe, feels tired of the
toils & self denials of the missionary work; but all are willing
to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.
The health of the family generally has been good, & when we read
of the sickness, trials & deaths of some of your missionaries in
the East & in the West, we would say, our trials are small. - The
voice of promise & thanksgiving well becomes us - The Lord has
been good
We at length succeeded in obtaining permission of the government
to set up our house.
In putting up the frame we found that it was
s o m e what injured by being exposed to the sun so long. We were
unable to put it under cover.
Besides nearly half of the small
timbers are wanting - many of the enclosing boards are missing some of which were used by Capt. B. to our knowledge during the
voyage. W hen the family were landed at this place, Capt. B . wished
us t o let him have the use of some of the timber of our house
�90.
for a temporary (hole in paper) about building his schooner,
saying that he would engage it should not be injured & promising
also to bring us timber & boards from the coast, when he returned.
On these conditions we gave him liberty to take what
he wished.
The timber on being returned was much injured, some broken - some
cut & some split & c . But no thanks for the use of it - no ex
planation & no timber or boards from the coast. Some of the small
timber & boards have probably been stolen by the natives since
they were landed. Besides, we conclude, that no boards were sent
for the roof of the building, at least none have been landed for
that purpose.
Consequently we find ourselves greatly deficient as
to materials for the house. We have purchased of Capt. Sutor
1000 feet of boards, though these will not be half the quantity
which we shall need to supply the deficiency. Whether we shall
be able to obtain any more is altogether uncertain at present.
The waste timber which was sent out in the. Tartar will supply the
place of a part of that which is missing. Some of the enclosing
boards we have already put on to the house, & we could soon finish
it as it was designed to be done if we had materials. We have
dug a cellar, the whole bigness of the frame & built its walls of
mud & straw, which we think will answer a pretty good purpose.
We should have preferred stone if we could have procured them.
Our prospects of usefulness among this people we think are be
coming more encouraging. Truth is producing a silent influence
on the minds of some. The Station at Kirooah has been left since
our last joint letter, the King & principal chiefs having removed
to this island. He will probably reside here for some years.
The heads of government appear to continue friendly to us - Our
schools continue much the same as when we wrote you last, & the
progress of the pupils is truly encouraging.
We cannot give the
pleasing intelligence of souls converted to Cod; but there is a
seriousness on the minds of some. B r . & Sister B . with John Honoree left us about a fortnight since
to visit the station at A t o oi, for the purpose of strengthening
the hands & encouraging the hearts of our brethren there, & of
consulting with them & with the king of that island respecting
making a visit to the Society Isles. The King Tamoree has gener
ously given us the use of a vessel which he has lately bought
& C a p t . Sutor has kindly offered to furnish officers & seamen
for that purpose. We did hope that B r . B . would have returned
before the sailing of the Arab, that we might be able to state
something more definite respecting such a visit. A v oyage to those
islands appears highly desirable, as we should be able to obtain
copies of all their elementary books, & much important counsel
& information, which would tend greatly to facilitate the progress
of our work in attem p t ing to bring the uncouth language of the
Sandwich Isles to some form. As the case stands, it is probable
that some one or more of the brethren will take a voyage to those
islands.
George Sandwich arrived in the paragon on the 20th of April, in
good health. He appears well & we hope he will do well & be a
faithful assistant.
Honoree & Thomas continue to do well, the
latter has done much for the good of the mission. - The heart of
the King, we are told, is in the hand of the Lord, & we are not
without hope that Shehoheho will sometime exchange his rum bottle
for his bible. We cannot too deeply feel the importance of pray
�91
ing without ceasing for his conversion & reformation.
The
people tell us, "when the king becomes good, we will be good,
but if he does bad, then we shall do bad likewise” . We wish all
our patrons & friends to feel this subject & to lift up the
supplicating voice for the King & for all the people of these
islands.
With christian salutations we remain your servants in the
m i s s i o n a r y field.
A. Thurston
P. S.
Since writing the above Capt. Chamberlain has purchased 1000 feet
of boards of Capt. Brown, and we can probably have more if we
should need, so that we shall be able to go on with our house.
D r . Holman is now at this island.
The medicines belonging to
the mission were mostly in his possession.
We sent him a note
requesting him to deliver the medicines, books, instruments &c
belonging to the mission into our hands. The medicines, or a
part of them we have received - He says all, except what he has
sent to Atooi - The books & instruments are still in his possession,
& whether he will give them up is uncertain.
A.T.
To: Rev. Samuel Worcester, D .D.
Cor. Sec. of the A.B.C.F .M.
Salem, M a s s .
By the Ship Arab, Capt. Lewis
Received May 11, 1822.
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Owahoo, April 4, 1821.
Dear Sir:
We have received a very pleasant, & to us interesting visit
from the King today.
He was very much pleased with our house
which we have just put up & which is partly enclosed. We had
much difficulty in obtaining p ermission to put it up, indeed
untill a short time since we had almost given up the hope that
we should gain the consent of government for this object. But
we have at length obtained our request, & the king seems to be
more friendly than before.
There are more ways than one of doing good.
Every method
should be used to gain access to the hearts of the heathen; that
is, every lawful method, & every means employed to raise, them
from their degradation; & we wish to give those dwellers in the
midst of the seas every possible evidence, that the good people
of America are combined in laboring for their good- that they
would wish to see them wise, respectable & happy - wish to see
them live & speak & act like men, like immortals who must stand
before God in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be
revealed.
Unless we can gain the affections of this people, there is but
little hope of doing them good by instruction.
We wish to
awaken the attention of this people to the order & happiness of
civilized life - We wish to open every avenue to the heart; that
the rays of light & truth may enter in to sanctify & refine the
affections, & if this can be. done in any lawful way it is doubt
less expedient to do it.
If by bestowing a considerable favor
upon the king we could better gain access to his heart with the
truths of the gospel, might it not be proper, nay desirable to
bestow it? If this mission should offer to the King the present of a good
house, do you suppose, Sir, that such an article could be obtained
in America? Would not such a present do honor to the cause of
missions?
We would not wish to tax the treasury of the Board to
the amount of such a building, but could not subscription paper
be circulated for the purpose, & let every man put down what he
can best furnish toward building a house for the King of these
islands, or suppose the subject was proposed to an individual,
is it not probable that such an one might be found, who would
procure & send to the Sandwich Islands, materials for building a
three story house in the American style? We think this might be
done without much difficulty. We have proposed the subject to the King.
He is much pleased with
the idea of having a house like the good people of America, & we
have promised to write our patrons & friends on this subject.
We believe the proposition will not pass altogether unheeded.
If
the building should be framed before it is sent (hole in paper)
it will be proper to have (hole) for a large hall in the second
�or third loft for the purpose of holding religious meetings.
Many advantages might result to the mission b y furnishing this
palace for the K ing.
If such a house should be sent it will
furnish a purport for more missionaries to these islands. But we leave the subject for your better judgment to decide
upon - You will have the kindness to direct a line to us
on this subject. With christian salutations,
I a m yours
A. Thurston.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Treas. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston.
By the Ship Arab, Capt. Lewis
Received May 11, 1822.
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Woahoo, Sandwich Islands,
Jan. 31, 1822.
From among American communications I have at length found the
precious names of B — d & AP. Much as I have loved & cherished
the memory of so dear a sister, yet the intelligence of your
devotement to the missionary cause brought with it an interest,
a sympathy, & a sacred nearness, such as I have not before felt.
0 my dear, dear Miss - P. -would that I could welcome you to
these whitened fields & introduce you to these interesting heathen.
Would that I could again feel the embrace of those loved arms,
again enjoy the long solitary wa l k . M y heart thrills at the
thought that it may yet be so. Yet I dare not dwell on the
pleasing anticipationIn entering, as a fellow laborer, the
vineyard of our Lord, he may assign you a station separated from
L . - by one half the world’s circumference. Be it so then, but
wherever you go my heart will accompany y o u . May Jesus strengthen
& support, by an arm which is omnipotent, and b y promises which
are sure. Should the eastern continent be your home, your
thoughts will sometimes stretch across lands & seas, & light on
some little specks of earth which rise in the vast Pacific.With
a tender feeling and fervent prayer you will look around to find
the dwelling place of L — . But whose? Her life is that of a pil
grimThis is the 3rd Island on which my tent has been spread.
And my remaining stay here is probably short. In extending our
efforts for the benefit of this people, myself & better friends
expect to bid adieu to all the comforts of this establishment
to yonder consecrated church & on some distant shore commence a
new scene of operations. At quiet homes in our much loved native
land, missionary trials & difficulties & hardships & privations &
d a n g e r s and sacrifices may be talked over & anticipated, yet none
can know but those who have passed through them.
There are, two ,
peculiar pleasures, joys & hopes to refresh & animate the weary
pilgrim.
What delightful seasons have I enjoyed in presenting ideas
& truths to the dark minds of these untutored natives. Of the w h ole
little circle to command the attention of all as one to see the look
of intelligence, of wonder, of gratitude & love has made me ready
to exclaim, I am compensated, this is a labour which brings with it
its own reward. Five children & youths are now under my special
care; two boys & three girls. I cannot tell you how much I love
the little learning circle, how much they every day contribute to
make me happy.
Of these is Lelia, the special friend of our beloved
Hopoo. Piously disposed, with a warm heart, ever open to receive
instruction, I am never more happy than when with a smile I am daily
welcomed to her little cottage. The youngest boy, of six years old,
has his daily lessons in the English & Owhyhian spellings, the
English language & the testament, and the rapid improvement he is
making is surpassed by few American pupils of a correspondent a g e .
The other children of equal promise have lately been received.
At this station we number forty scholars.
At Atooi between twenty
& t h i rty.
The printing press is now in operation and this
language hitherto unlettered has been reduced to form & is now
issuing from the press.A small Owhyhian spelling book will soon be
completed.
Fast as impressions are given to paper, the scholars
�95.
seize their l a n g u a g e with much avidity & delight. The king
and all the chiefs view with increasing interest the objects
of the mission, - the dawn of science.
And though they are not
yet disposed to attend to the worship & service of Jehovah, yet
they acknowledge his name & laws to be good.
This much they
do (and 0 that Christians would avail themselves of the oppor
tunity) they grant the liberty yea more, express hearty desires
that their subjects may be immediately instructed. And nothing
now seems wanting but to have missionaries & money to have
churches everywhere erected & schools established. In the
privilege of becoming co-workers together with God, in bringing
salvation to this long lost, neglected people, we rejoice &
through much tribulation & many trials, desire to become harnessed
to our work & be found faithful even unto death. -
M y dear Sister - I know not where this letter will find you.
If among B.-d friends give them my love and assure them of the
high place they still hold in the best affections of my heart.
Perhaps you will receive it on heathen ground.
If so, to you
I w o u l d say, Rise superior to all the trials of this short
pilgrimage, keep your eye fixed on Jesus, on heaven & on the
infinite value of those immortal souls for which you labour.
In my imagination the image of my dear friend is present before
me. I embrace her with an over flowing tide of affection.
She
reciprocates & says while L . pleads for A. - A. will intercede
for
----N —
Copy of a letter from M r s . Thurston
to Miss Parker
R e c e i v e d Nov. 15, 1822.
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 201
letters of Mrs. Thurston.
The letters, which the relatives of M r s . Thurston have recent
ly received, were obligingly communicated to us . They contain
- many interesting facts. The last date is Oct. 16th.
In a letter of Aug. 31st Mrs. T. says, that residing without
any other white female on the island does not increase her
anxiety; that her time is pleasantly spent; that two heathen
toys in the family are of great use to her; that Henry, the
younger of the two, 12 years old, is a dear child, loves to
learn his book, & is very bright & promising; that he will
come & sit on a mat by her side, & say, "Mrs. Thurston, talk
about Jehovah; - talk about Obookiah;" and if, at any time,
he sees a tear stealing down her check, he tenderly inquires,
Aloha mokooah? that is "Is it love to your father?"; that the
young prince & little Daniel Chamberlain read together, in words
of three syllables, & lessons of easy reading; that two young
men in Mr. T.'s school read daily in the Bible; that an officer
of a vessel, which touched there, attended M r . T ’s preaching,
not having been at public worship before for 15 years; that a
great council had been held, at which it was determined to re
move the seat of government to Woahoo, in which event M r . T.
would accompany the king; that there were apprehensions of civil
war; that Kehoreho is very friendly to M r . T . ; that Thomas is
employed in teaching a chief somewhat advanced in years, to
whom learning comes very hard, & who will sometimes break off
& exclaim, " Great God of heaven, enlighten my understanding there is too much dark"; that the missionaries had experienced
many civilities from sea-captains; & that the king, though he
had suffered his own ardor in learning to abate, was very
desirous to have the young prince learn. Kehoreho is unhappily
much addicted to intoxication.
He appears to have an excellent
disposition; but his habits do not promise well.
The captains, who had v i sited the N .W. coast, declared, that the
natives of that coast, when informed of the mission to the
Sandwich Islands, expressed an earnest desire, that teachers
should come & instruct them also. They said they would give
teachers the best they had, that is, fish to eat; and, if
they were supposed to be too savage, the teachers ought at least
to come upon the coast, & talk with them.
�97.
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 202
Extract from M r s . Thurston's
Journal.
Sept. 21, 1821. - A week since, while I was instructing
the children, a native intoxicated with liquor came in.
I
soon found my situation perilous.
After vigorous exertions
I w a s obliged to quit the house & door y a r d . Where shall
I go?
Whither fly for safety? M r . T . was in his school at
the king's.
It was a quarter of a mile distant, & the way
lined with men.
T hey m a y offer indignities; but there is
no alternative.- F ear added wings to my speed; & I was soon
without the reach of the destroyer. He pursued me but a few
steps; threw after me one or two clubs, & went his way.
I
returned to the house, my heart filled with sorrow, & my
flesh with trembling.
The young prince now r a n & told Thomas,
who communicated the a l a r m to M r . T . In 15 minutes the house
was f il led . M r . T . came, followed b y his whole school, &
their numerous train of attendants. They found me bathed in
te ar s. The queens were v e r y sympathizing.
With moistened
eyes they would tenderly embrace me, join noses, & say,
"N ooe nooe aloha", that is I love you m u c h . In a short time
after the man r e t u r n e d . Formerly his standing among this people
was very high; he was worshipped as a G o d . At his presence
all
fell prostrate.
But n ow his conduct drew from M r . T. a
c o m m a n d to retreat from the door-yard.
This he refused; when,
with the assistance of a c a n e , M r . T. quickly left him in the
highway.
From an apprehension of danger, two of the scholars
have since slept beneath our roof, w it h the weapon of death
b e n e a t h their pillow.
I have ever considered it imprudent to
go abroad unattended; but now I find that a protector is
necessary to make even home a safe a s y l u m .
Sept . 2 3 . Heard this evening, that there was a prospect of
an immediate civil w a r . In that event, this place will be the
seat of slaughter & d e a t h . What trials we may be called to e x
perience, wha t scenes to witness, if situated alone here amid
its dire calamities, I know n o t . I do not feel a l a r m e d . God
will be our refuge & strength, a very present help in every
time of n e e d .
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Previous to Sept. 1824
Woahoo,
V
Page 203
one of the Sandwich Islands,
July 2 0 , 1820.
Rev. & Dear Sirs:
Knowing that the interests of this consecrated mission lie
near your heart, and that one in your high station should be
made acquainted with all its movements, and important concerns,
I shall give you an account of my late visit to Owhyhee. Soon
after our return from Atooi, it was thought best by the Brethren
that some of our number should visit that place for our mutual
counsel and advice.
I was appointed and accordingly left Woahoo
on the 2nd of July, and after a passage of five days, arrived
at Kirooah, found the Brethren and Sisters in good health, enjoy
ing the common bounties of providence, and many things to en
courage & strengthen our hearts in this great and arduous work.
Brother Thurston has a small school consisting of the King, two
of his wives, his brother, a young lad of about 8 years, & two
young men acting as stewards in the king's family.
Doct. Holman
has three under his instruction; one of the principal chiefs, the son of a white man residing on the Island, and a favorite
native youth. Their schools are thus limited, because the king
is desirous to learn first himself and his subjects follow.
He
is now forward of the rest, having learned the Alphabet previous
to our arrival; he begins to read inteligably in the new Testament
four of the others, his two wives and t he two young men, begin
to read in the plainest reading lessons
in Webster's Spellingbook; & t h e little boy spells words of four syllables. Brother T.
has succeeded in gaining the confidence and a f f e c t i o n of his
scholars, and his prospects of usefulness are daily increasing.
Thomas Hopoo has likewise become much in favor with the Royal
family, and promises much service both to his countrymen & the
church of Christ.
He engages in the work with all that earnest
simplicity and zeal, which has long actuated his pious heart.
Like Paul in the midst of the Athenians, he cries aloud against
the prevailing wickedness, nor do the threats or sneers of the
ungodly cause him to desist from what he esteems his duty and
his privilege.
The K ing has given Thomas a considerable tract
of land, on which he has built him a house near to his own.
His
Father and Mother live in this house which T. considers as his
home, though he spends most of his time with the k i n g ’s family,
and usually eats at his table. - Brother Thurston previous to
the Sabbath on which I was there, has preached in his own house;
on that Sabbath a request was sent from the scholars that he
should preach in the schoolroom. At the appointed hour we went
and found them waiting.
In prayer, all except the King kneeled
with much apparent devotion.
The text was chosen from Judges 3-20
"I have a messege from God unto thee".
The preacher spake slow
that Thomas might the better interpret.
I have rarely witnessed
a more attentive audience; all appeared eager to catch the word
of life as it fell from the speaker's lips. To us the service
was as interesting as it was novel to them, & our hearts were
ready to say, "What hath God wrought"? A few months since, this
�99.
place was the very seat of Moloch's empire, and these the
worshippers o f "Akaouk".
A native residing in the k i n g ’s
family, who was formerly a priest of Idolatry and a man of
influence, says that before our arrival he
knew no God, but
he has now found one, whose name is Jehovah, and whose pro
tection and blessing he daily seeks in his closet. We have
no special evidence, however, that he is "born of the Spirit" .
The duty of praying to God, our beloved Hopoo often sets
before them, nor does he content himself with this. Every
evening the scholars meet by themselves, when he explains the
Scriptures and prays with them in their own language. His
a t t e n t i o n is not confined merely to those of ra n k . Circles of
the lower class daily meet with him at his own house, and bow
the knee to the christian’s God. This devotedness and upright
conduct has subjected T. to much ridicule and hatred. "Most
of my countrymen" says he, "are violently opposed to Christianity;
but my hope is in God. I trust and believe he will soon teach
them better". --- But what shall I say of William. Alas, my Dear
sirs, it is otherwise with him. His mild & courteous behavior
at first brought him much in favor with the King, and the prin
cipal men, & for a short time, he engaged in teaching them; but
soon begun to feel that such employment was degrading to one
of his standing. He left it, and with others of his countrymen,
gave way to temptations and indulges himself in intemperance
and Sabbath breaking.
The two first days after my arrival, I
endeavored to find him, and converse with him.
On the third
day I succeeded, when he frankly told me that the two preceding
days he had been intoxicated, as he had been several times before,
& offered as an excuse the request of the King and others that he
should drink with them.
Brother Thurston and myself warned him
of his danger, and earnestly requested him to repent; and after
reading to him that part of your public address which was directed
particularly to the native youths, committed him to our covenant
God.
He promised reformation, but as yet we have seen no fruits
of repentance. He came with me to this Island. Brother C . and,
myself have since conversed with him again. He now says he was
driven to intemperance by depression of Spirits, caused by a
difficulty he had had with Doct. Holman, when the Doct. he said,
complained to the King, and requested he should send him away.
We told him we could consider such excuses in no other light than
a pretext for indulging in this gross wickedness - that they could
never excuse him in the sight of God or the Church, and again
urged him to repent - and in order to wipe off so fowl a blot from
the Christian name maintained that a public confession should
accompany his repentance. This he declined, and on this ground
he now stands. As there is little prospect of amendment, we shall
probably soon be driven to the painful task of cutting him off
from the church.
Would to God I could here bring my heart-rending
story to a close; but in order to vindicate the characters of those
I consider innocent, and for your own needful acquaintance with
facts, I must proceed.
Luke the Beloved physician, is on the eve
of departure from the Miss
i o n . Without the advice and counsel
of one of his brethren, he has agreed to leave Kinooah and remove
to Mowee, an Island about thirty miles from Owhyhee. At the time
I was there, he was waiting for a vessel to convey him thither,
& probably before this he has taken residence at that Isle. His
reasons for going under such circumstances are these, 1st - he
complains of ill-treatment and ingratitude on the part of the
�100
Mission family, particularly of those who were appointed to
watch over it. 2nd - The difficulties and privations which
must necessarily attend those at K inooah.
3rd - The declining
health of M r s . H. - A few of these complaints I shall give you
in his own words. "Brother Bingham” says he, "from my earliest
acquaintance with him, has never treated me with respect as a
gentleman or a Christian Brother.
In his manners he is cold and
distant.
He has never once conversed with me on religion,
in a kind and affectionate way.
Since my residence here he has
sent me no good wishes, no friendly salutation.
He thinks the
Physician's skill is a mere trifle acquired with but little study
or labor.
He is a young man, has had but little experience or
knowledge of the world, and being placed at the head of a Mission
is much elated".
This last sentence was spoken in a sarcastic
manner, which implied contempt.
He adds, "I can never, no never,
s u b m i t to his direction".
In answer to these charges I told him
that our connection for several months past had been so intimate,
that had Mr. Bingham used him thus unfriendly and unchristian,
I must have known something of it, but on the contrary I had never
seen in him a disposition to wound the feelings of any of the
family, or to treat them otherwise than one who was evidently
desirous to promote their temporal, spiritual and external happi
ness; - that I had found no difficulty in finding access to him,
but perfect freedom - and I believed that the ill-treatment of
which he complained was nothing more than jealousy existing in
his own breast, - that I had often heard him (Br. B . ) speak of the
difficulty and labor of acquiring the medical science. & that
his suspicions were altogether groundless.
Brother Thurston told
me in the Doct. 's presence that in the two letters he had re
ceived from Brother Bingham there were Christian salutations for
him and M r s . H . , and that he had read it to them; and if it was
necessary, he would do it again. Many other complaints of this
nature were charged upon M r . Bingham, and similar ones on M r . Thurs
ton. - In all my connection with Brother & Sister T . I have never
known them to use Doct. or M r s . H . harshly, impolitely, or u n
christian; & scarcely if ever, have I met with brighter examples
of c hristian meekness and forbearance. The difficulties and pri
vations attendant on that station, he says are these: Own water
has to be brought five miles on men's shoulders. We have no garden
here nor any prospect of one, no sauce except turnips & potatoes,
and but little fresh provisions. M r . & M r s . T. are no society for
us, & we wish to live alone.
With respect to Mrs. Holman's
health, the Doct. says it is declining fast. She says it is better
than when she left America, and has repeatedly mentioned it in her
letters. She told me she had traveled on foot four miles up the
clifts of Kirooah, and returned the same day; without injury to
her health. - But we believe the greatest reason has not yet
been given you. More than once on the voyage, did he publicly
expose his intention of acquiring property at these Islands, and
afterward returning to America.
The mission family are not alone
in receiving his censures. The Board of Commissioners fall under
his lash. I asked him the question, "Doct. Holman, do you mean
to obey the instructions of the Board?” "I do not", was the
reply, "any further than I consider them just". "Why did you
solemnly engage to do it"?
"I did not".
I then quoted the passage,
"If these things be not so, stop where you are" &c. "You know very
well" says he "the state we were in, at that time.
The Board
were muchto
blame in giving us these instructions at such a place
�101
and in such a manner". "Do you expect the patronage of the
Board?"
"I hope to have it". I argued with him, till I found
that my reasoning could avail nothing. I then warned him, by
the tears and prayers of the thousands of our patrons, the
happiness and prosperity of this little church, & the glory of
God, to stop where he was and reflect on the measures he was
taking.
He asked me what I should do, respecting making for him,
a division of articles belonging to the Mission. I told him I
did not know the minds of the body on that subject; but as an
individual, I could not consent that such a division should be
made - I considered his removal, "insubordination to rightful
direction", which of course would forbid i t . He said t he M edical
Library & Stores were in his possession, - he considered them
his own, and should not give them up, except by force of arms.
What I have written I trust will be sufficient for the objects
mentioned.
Think not, M y Dear Sir, that I mention these things,
needlessly to expose the follies of any of my Brethren.
As to
any private feelings against Doct. or M r s . H . - I have none; &
to any other than yourself, my pen shall forever drop in silence
on this subject. - Otherwise than the cases mentioned, I believe
there is the most perfect harmony existing in the family We have
an everlasting affection for one another, and the souls of the
Heathen. Though we have trials within, God has wonderfully
prospered our way and made us to rejoice.
As the situation of this nation is vastly different from what we
had anticipated, and the call for instructors much greater, it
is thought best that we should separate, and "set up our banner"
in different Isles.
Brother Ruggles and myself are stationed at Atooi, to which
place we shall sail in a few days. In view of the responsibility
which rests on a missionary station - the arduous work of
evangelizing the Heathen - the necessary privation of pastoral
and Fraternal counsel - and of my own weakness, I am ready, like
one of more grace to cry out, "who is sufficient for these
things"Will not the church in America send us at least one
faithful minister of the new Testament, to break to us the bread
of life - to edify, strengthen and quicken us, in this land of
darkness, and the shadows of death.
Hoping that you will improve the earliest opportunity to send us
your admonitions & counsels, I remain, Dear Sirs,
Yours in Filial affection,
Samuel Whitney.
Atooi, A u g . 1, 1820.
It is with pleasure I can state to you, that we are now safely
and pleasantly settled at our appointed station. We arrived at
this Island on the morning of the 25 of July, were met at the
offing immediately after the ship came to anchor by the King
and Queen with their retinue, and received with every mark of
parental affection,
nooe, nooe miti (we love you much) r e
sponded from a hundred tongues. We were conducted to a house
which had been previously prepared, & where everything necessary
�102.
for our comfort was provided. George tells us his Father &
Mother have "been much engaged for three weeks past, in learning
to write. You will see what improvement they have made, by a
specimen of three letters ; one written by the King and directed
to yourself, the two others were written by the Queen, one to
M r s . Sarah Wel l s, Winsor, Conn. , the others to Mrs. Wm. Partridge,
Pittsfield, Ma s s . , the two last mentioned will be sent unsealed.
We wish you to make what use of them you think proper, and send
them to the persons named.
The work is entirely their own.
They first dictated what they wished to send, which was written,
and then copied in their own hand, by imitation.
The king's
youngest son has likewise made considerable improvement; he has
written to the R ev. M r . Dagget, Instructor of the F .M .School. Our
friend George, treats us with much attention and politeness. - We
eat at his table, & he appears anxious to render us all the
assistance in his power.
He usually attends family prayer with
us, & is evidently (hole in paper) skeptical than formerly.
On Sabbath, we (hole) public worship, read a sermon written by
the Rev. Daniel Clark, Southbury, Conn. "The Church Safe". The
King and Queen with their servants attended, and appeared much
pleased.
After the services were over the king says to us, "I
like your way of worship very much; my old way is poopookah, (good
for nothing).
I will come every Sabbath, and by & by we will
build a large church, and be like good people in America.
At
present, we have great encouragement to hope and pray for the
blessing of God to attend our labors.
The people have turned from
the worship of Idols - Kings have become our Fathers and Queens
our nursing Mothers. Our hands are strengthened and our hearts
made joyful. But we rejoice with trembling.
There is much need
for us to be humble, & walk softly before our God.
The materials
of which the Lord's house is to be built, are rough, and will
require the sledge, the saw and the hammer. - This people are
naturally fickle minded, and we know not how soon the current of
feeling may be changed.
The clouds which are now out of sight
may gather in our horizon, and the storm of persecution extinguish
these rising hopes. Yet he who said "Lo I am with you" is our
helper, and we will not fear.
Yours,
S.W.
To Samuel Worcester, D.D .
Salem, Ma s s .
Received March 21, 1821.
By the Levant, Capt. Cary.
�103
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 204
Wymai Village, Atooi, Au g . 2, 1820.
My dear Sir:
Before the Levant left Woahoo, Brother Bingham made out a
list of articles wanted in the Mission family, and requested
me to copy and send it to you, with such additions as Brother W.
and myself should see needful after we arrived at this place.
I now transmit to you the list though I believe we have made
no enlargement:
Letter Paper
Printing do
India Rubber
2 or 3 boxes water colors & brushes
Tooth, clothes and shoe brushes
Pocket Combs
Candle sticks and lamps
1 doz. Umbrellas
Saddles & bridles for men & women
Quills
Bureaus and Trunks
Black Morocco Leather
Thin shoes for Men
Black ball for shoes
Slates & Pencils
Nails & hinges for doors & chests
1 doz. Bedsteads made for curtains
Tin ware, common & Japan
Mathematical Instruments
Enfield's Philosophy & other
new Publications
Spelling Books
Spinning Wheels, large & small
Tea Kettles
Cooking Stoves
Brass & Iron Kettles
A large supply of soap
Candles & oil for Lamps
Tinder Boxes
Shaving soap
Hand & Horse Carts &
Harness
Window glass
A crate for crockery
Looking glasses
Molasses & Flour
Pearlash & ginger
Alspice & Pepper
Coffee Mills & Sieves
Nurse Lamps
Cinnamon & Nutmegs
Brooms
Shovels & Tongs
Andirons
Spades & Shovels
Saws, large & small
Of many of the above articles we thought a supply was put up,
but none could be found when our things were set on shore. We
have to give after the rate of 50 dollars per barrel for soap and
that which is hardly fit for use. We found ourselves very
deficient in cooking utensils, though we cannot but think there
was a supply brought. At this station we have not one article
of the kind but are entirely dependent of the King, who says we
shall never want for anything while he lives. He requests me to
mention to you that he very much wants a good Minister, Physician,
House & Ship Carpenter, Cabinet & Powder maker to come and live
with him, says he will support as many good people as will come
to his Island.
Samuel R uggles.
We are all in health, pleasantly situated and happy in our work.
We can contentedly sit down to o u r great business on these
ido latrous shores, and willingly, yes, delightfully spend our
days, and consume our strength, in endeavoring to lead the u n
tutored pagans from nature up to nature's God in pointing out to
�104.
them a way which leads from this thorny desart to the celestial
Paradise. But alas, our weakness & ignorance.
We are but feeble
instruments, and know not how to a c t . God has placed us in a
wide & open field, which is already white to the harvest, a field
which requires many laborers, but we are poor & weak, without a
leader and without a Counsellor. But we will not be dismayed.
The God o f Israel is our Shepherd & our strength.
Our cause is
H i s , he will project it, and will not forsake his servants.
Confiding in his promises, and leaning on his Almighty arm for a
guidance & support, we will venture on our way, hold up to the
heathen the Ensign of Peace and Salvation, and invite them to
the Lamb of G od which taketh away the sin of the world. George
treats us with the affection of a brother, and his parents with
every mark of parental kindness. The King is now building us a
convenient house 40 feet by 22, thatched with grass & lined with
bulrushes; and this morning he has commenced building a very
large house intended for a Meeting & School
house. This is to
stand near the ki n g ’s, and enclosed with a wall 10 feet in
height to prevent the danger of fire. (hole in paper) see t h e
literal fulfilment of the prophecy, that kings shall become nursing
fathers & queens nursing mothers.
We shall soon see a Temple
erected on this pagan Isle (and on the very ground too, where a
short time since stood a celebrated M o r a i , ) dedicated to the
worship of the living Go d . But we have no Minister to enter it,
and proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, and break the
bread of life, the perishing multitude around.
We look to the American churches for help, we really need help.
May we not hope in the course of a year or two at least, to w e l
come a little Bark in this port, freighted with Christian sol
diers, who have bid farewell to soft indulgence, and come over
to the help of the Lord, prepared to bear with firmness & un
wearied patience all the trials and difficulties of a missionary
life. I enclose in this ,a short letter written by Tapoolee, Queen of
Atooi, to M r s . R ’s mother. I wish you to seal it and send it on.
She has written only three weeks. She dictated what she wished
to write, and then imitated a copy. I have directed my packages
of letters to your care, wish you to enclose them in the mail.
I also direst to your care a box of little curiosities to be
sent to my brother, Eli Ruggles, Brookfield, Conn. I wish,
however, that you will keep the box until you hear from my
brother, and know of a safe conveyance.
You can open the box if
you please; in it is a black wooden God, a present from George
to M r . Daggett. Another white one I send to my brother.
Brother W., myself with our dear wives ,send love to all our friends.
Yours in haste,
Samuel Ruggles.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston, Mass. U .S .A .
Forward by the Levant, Capt. Carey.
Received March 21, 1821.
�105.
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Atooi,
V
Page 205.
one of the Sandwich Islands,
Oct. 14, 1820.
Revd. & Dear Sir:
Since our last communications we have experienced the continued
blessings of God.
Our hands have been strengthened and our
hearts encouraged. Though we cannot speak of sinners con
verted,yet our mercies are such as deserve to be recorded with
gratitude,and perpetually engraven on our hearts. On the 1st of
Sept. we removed to our new house which the natives have gener
ously built. It stands on a very cool and pleasant spot,
about
rods from the residence of the King, and near by the sea.
It is built in the native stile by seeing posts into the ground,
which are covered with small sticks and thac hed with straw.
It
is 50 feet by 22, has two rooms, with a space of 8 feet between
them.
There is a portico in front, the whole length of the
house.
This we use for our school room and meetinghouse where
we have public worship every Sabbath. W e opened our school on
the 6 of Sep. consisting of 25 children and 15 adults. The King
and Queen and several of the principal chiefs are of the
number. They have a room by themselves at the King's house.
Though they are not so regular as we could wish, yet they have
made considerable proficiency.
The children are very regular
and obedent, and we are perfectly satisfied with their ability.
Two or three instances when they have learned the alphabet
the first day I n a word the a r e a r e lovely youth. We often look
on them as Obadiah's i n miniture.
We expect an addition of ten or fifteen soon, which will be as
many as we shall be able to instruct for the present.
Beside the few hours spent in school each day, most of our time
is employed in learning the language. We feel that this is im
portant as our usefullness, in a great measure must be limited
in proportion to our abilities of conversing with the natives.
We have no good Interpreter. The person we employ for this pur
pose speaks but a little English and is averse to speaking on
religion.
W e have paid some attention to gardening & find that most of
American seeds grow well. The King, our Father (as he calls him
self) is very attentive to our wants, so that we have out little
labor and no expense in our domestic concerns. We would gladly
enlarge and give you a more particular account, but the vessel
which is to convey this dose not come at anchor, and we are now
detaining it. We need help, and in behalf of the Heathen and
in the name of our ascended Redeemer, we pray you to send a
faithful minister of Jesus, one who shall take us by the hand and
bear a part of our awful responsibilities. The murky wings of
Superstition and Ignorance still hover over this benighted region.
�The forms of Idolatry are indeed abolished, but its effects
are legible on every b r o w . All the Springs
of moral action are
poisoned and a mighty effort must be made before they stand on
a level with the civilized nations of the Gentiles.
We hope soon to write you more particulars,
Yours
Samuel Whitney
Samuel Ruggles
To: Samuel Worcester, D .D .
Salem, Mass. U .S .A .
Received June 16, 1821.
By the Ann, Capt. Hale
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V
Page 206
Wymaah, Atooi, Nov. 19, 1820.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, E s q . ,
Boston, U.S.A.
By the Volunteer, Capt. Bennett.
From
Samuel Ruggles & Samuel Whitney
Received June 1, 1821.
This letter printed 17 Missionary Herald, 217, July 1821.
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V
Page 207
Atooi, one of the Sandwich Islands
Feb.
?
To: Rev. Samuel Worcester, D .D .
Salem, Mass. U .S.A .
From Samuel Ruggles & Samuel Whitney
By the Arab
Received May 11, 1822.
This letter printed 18 Missionary Herald,
189, June 1822
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V
Page 20 8 .
Sandwich Islands, Atooi,
Dec. 28, 1821.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Treas. of the A.B.C.F.M.
Boston, Mass. U.S.A.
From Samuel Whitney & Samuel Ruggles
Received Aug. 26, 1822.
letter of introduction for Capt. Charles Preble, printed
18 Missionary Herald, 321, Oct. 1822.
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V
Page 209
Atooi, Feb. 4, 1822.
Dear Sir:
The enclosed journal was written for m y own family friends
without the expectation of sending it to you.
But as it is
desirable you should be made more particularly acquainted with
our situation and prospects than heretofore, I could not
justify myself in with-holding it from the P.C., you may expect
a continued journal as opportunities of sending shall occur.The letter directed to the Revd. W m . F . Vaill is to be sent to
the Superintendent of the Ossage Mission. You will do me a
favor by finishing the superscription and sending it by mail or
otherwise.
Please direct the journal, after you have read it to Eli Smith,
Theolog. Sem. Andover. If there is no student there of that
name, I wish it to be directed to the same person at Hartford, Conn.
We intended to send you a joint letter by this ship but she sails
so soon we have not time. No material alteration in our situation
since we last wrote you. Brother R. is more comfortable in
health at present. Should w e receive no supplies, we shall soon
want cloth or clothing for our own use, as our old stock is nearly
exhausted, and we have not the means of procuring them. Our
school at present consists of from fifteen to twenty.
We feel
anxious to extend our labors to other districts, but such is the
state of government, that we are at loss to know our duty.
In sending pamphlets, periodical works, & c ., it is desirable that
we should have two copies, as one station must necessarily wait
some time for the other in case of hut one copy. We are waiting
the arrival of more helpers, & feel confident our partners will
send them, as soon as providence shall open the door.
With sentiments of respect, I remain yours
S . Whitney.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, M a s s . U .S .A .
Received N o v
8, 1822.
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V
Page 210.
Journal from Jan. 1, 1822.
Jan. 1st. After neglecting my journal for several months
and learning the pleasure which some of my friends anticipate
from its continuance, I am resolved to write, though my
production may never give them the happiness they expect. This day reminds me of the speedy flight of time.
The labors
and events of another year are closed. In the Book of God
every deed is recorded. Amazing, alarming thought!
Where hath
been my stupid heart? What have I done for the poor Heathen?
Many of them have gone the year past to the judgment seat.
What
bearing will my connection with them have in the Eternal world?
Awake my soul, let me not have to reflect at the commencement
of another year that I have done so little for Christ.
But
Oh I may never see another New Year's day.
It behooves me to
put forth all my strength in the good work.
Jan. 2. Last night two vessels left here for Woahoo. Governor
Cox (native name Kahakune) who has had charge of the Island in
Tamoree's absence sailed in one of them. Tamoree's sister is
now Governess.
This is one of the coldest mornings this season.
Thermometer, which hangs in my study, stands at 67 . Perhaps there
is no country where the mercury has a less range than here,
seldom rising above 70 or falling below 60.
3rd. Attended a counsel of Chiefs. They agreed to send part of
of their number into the mountains to cut sandle wood and to
furnish men enough to guard at this place, to be stationed at the
fort. These measures of defence are taken for a protection against
a lawless noble in the absence of Tamoree.
5th.
Just been refreshed with what we call an American dish, c o n
sisting of salt beef, mutton, cabbage, potatoes, string beans,
cucumbers, horseraddish, warm bread and butter and apple pie.
This may appear like a strange compound, indeed it is for the
Sandwich Islands, but all of it the produce of the Island except
bread and pie.
We have not been destitute of dryed apples, and
those which are pretty good, since we left America, sent us by
the grand mothers and sisters of New England. We have not had a
constant supply of flour and whe a t . We have it not the best.
To crown the feast we could all sit down in health whilst we con
versed on the pleasures of a land of religion, peace and plenty,
anticipating the time when these uncultivated fields will yield the
fruits of civilized life, and these untutored natives will rise
from their brutish degradation to a level with the freedmen of the
Land.
6th.
Sabbath.
Held meeting as usu a l . Read Doct. Porter's
dedication sermon, except the Lord build the house, they labor in
vain that build it.
Had but two hearers except our school and
family. A t little, little do they know, who go up to the great
congregations of Israel, the feelings of two solitary missionaries
who meet Sabbath after Sabbath, year after year, to read, and
sing, and pray, with their families alone. Could all the Christians
in America feel the emotions of one such sabbath, I believe
�112.
we should soon have help.
8th. A high wind from the southward shook our straw cottage
so much as to excite some alarm. A few such gales would leave
us without a dwelling, as it is now somewhat racked. Could
we have a framed house it would save us many anxious hours.
Fires so frequently occur, spread and consume with such rapidity,
that I never retire to rest without concern for our building,
property, and even our lives. A few nights since, the house of
our friend, Capt. Marsters, was set on five by an incendiary.
It was not without much difficulty several persons escaped the
flames.
The loss of property is estimated at 2500 dollars. Enjoyed a pleasant season this eve at monthly concert, concluded
b y singing a hymn called Owhyhee by J. Richards, much delighted
with the piece except the last verse but one, in which the author
has failed both in sentiment and measure. 9th. M ercury stands at 62, the coldest morn I have ever witnessed
at Atooi.
In my e v e . walk met one of the Pagan priests, interrogated
him respecting his old religion.
He said it was all foolishness.
He related a story respecting his escape from death. At the time
a great chief died, said he, I and another priest were accused of
praying him to death. The present Queen Ta poola sent men to kill
me, but I escaped and found reffuge with Tamoree's sister. She
was good and saved my life. I asked him if he ever thought he
could pray anyone to death. "No" said he, "but the people think
so, it is false".
"Do you know", said I, "who made these heavens
and the sun and moon and land and water?” He replied "God".
"Who
is God and where does he live?"
"I do n ’t know", said h e . I then
told him of Jehovah the creator of the heavens and the Earth. He
not well understanding, asked if it was the lightning.
I replied,
"Jehovah is a Spirit, he made the lightning and everything else,
he made you and knows all that you do".
He smiling said, "I
d o n ’t know” , and pleasantly bade me good night.
10th. Mercury at 60. This eve our little boys came in considerably
agitated.
They said a man had been murdered at Wirooah, the eastern
district of the Island, several weeks ago, and hid i n the grass,
and the body was lately discovered. Rehoreho some time since
gave orders that the man who killed another, should eat the corpse;
if he could not be detected, all the people in the district should
eat it. There is little reason to believe this shocking mandate
will be executed. 13th. Sabbath. Though but one at meeting beside our family, it
has been to me a joyful day, foretaste I trust of an eternal Sabbath.
Sermon from Job 23-34, 0 that I knew where I might find him that
I might come even to his seat. I would order my cause before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
17th. Last night we were disturbed by a quarrel between George
Tamoree and a white man living with him. It appears that George
had given the man a little of rum the day before on which he had
become intoxicated, and in the eve fell to beating his wife (a
native). George interfeared in behalf of the woman, and succeeded
in protecting her by turning the blows on himself & severely
bruising the man.
Topia, one of the head chiefs, with about twenty
men were called who soon put a n end to the affair. A guard of two
�113.
or three men were stationed at every valuable house to prevent
the enraged howne (white man) from setting fire to them.
This
morn. I called on George, found him sober and apparently in
good state to receive a n admonition.
The painful duty I performed
with unusual freedom. He thanked me and said I should never
hear of such conduct again. I have since heard that he has
taken a solemn oath, that he will drink no more spirits, or sup
port any more sailors. Alas I fear the poor man is lost. Were
he not the subject of so many prayers, his case would be hopeless
indeed.
18th. For several days past we have had a strong south wind
which has blown the salt sprays from the lea, so as to kill nearly
everything of the vegitable kind in the yard front of our house.
Some castor oil trees and a butiful grape vine growing up by the
side of my window for a shade, like Jonah’s gourd, are wilted and
dying.
Sabbath 20th. Severe pain in my head most of the day. Though
sometimes afflicted with this disease, I have it less frequent
than when in America. At present I attribute it to night watchings
with our little Maria, who is sick with what we suppose to be the
thrush*
We have fears that her disease will prove fatal. We have
medicine enough but no one to administer it. It is exceeding pain
ful, but we hope not to murmur at the dispensations of a kind
providence.
23rd. With grateful hearts we perceive symptoms of returning
health in our dear ba b e . Thus we are laid under new and everlast
ing obligations to our great Physician.
28th. A chief of high birth arrived from Woahoo. He says he got
drunk and run away.
The first compliment paid him b y these chiefs
was several bottles of rum. I saw him this morn. and asked him
to call and see u s . In broken English he replied "me no drunk, me
come” meaning, "when I get sober I will call." This would seem to
imply shame, he is however far from it. Poor m a n ! Rehoreho he
says has been drunk twenty five days past. Oh when will the rulers
of this land cease from their wickedness.
29th. Pleasant visit from the farmers on my land, - in number about
twenty. They usually come once in two or three weeks with fire
wood, which they bring on their shoulders seven miles.
In America
we should think this a heavy tax; they however do it cheerfully,
and appear to feel it a privilege to visit u s . Our lands supply us
with tarro, sweet potatoes, yams, bannanas, sugar cane, and some
hogs, goats, fowls; and fresh fish kept in ponds. Beside I have on
my farm a beautiful young horse, given by the K ing, - he will do to
ride in a year.
31st. Last e v e . the firing of cannon announced the approach of His
Majesty Rehoreho.
He arrived about 8 in the evening, having left
Woahoo secretly in the night. He appeared in quite a fawning mood,
but said, "My belly is nui loa drunk".
I have rarely witnessed such
an object of compassion, a noble countenance & bright intellect,
disfigured and drowned by a long unbroaken paroxism of intoxication.
N ow is he alone. A band of from fifty to a hundred, usually
�114
accompany him in much the same plight, who esteem themselves
the first in the nation!
Considering that our success depends
so much on the influence of the rulers, it is appalling to our
hearts to see them thus debased and wretched. - But in this as
in every dispensation of his providence, God will appear
infinitely holy and benevolent.
Arrived Capt.Celes (Schooner Eagle) & with him Capt. Marsters
who brou ght us some letters lately come from America by the
Robroy and a few copies of our first elementary work printed
at Woahoo.
Capt. M. has been absent from this Island about a
month.
To him we are indebted for many valuable presents, which
we estimate worth two hundred dollars to us.
End Feb.
Last night Rehoreho left here for Woahoo.
W e are in
need of rulers, but do not regret his departure, for all is
confusion while he stays.
4th. Capt. Brown (Ship Paragon) is now in the offing, and sails
directly to America.
have only time to close our letters
and bid our friends adieu for the present.
S . W.
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Page 212
Atooi, Sandwich Islands, Feb. 4,
Dear Sir:
The bearer of this, Capt. Marsters, has lived on this Island
for several months past, has been intimate with our family,
and will be able to give you much information respecting us.
We are happy to acknowledge him as a friend and benefactor,
for his kindness he deserves our unfeigned thanks.
By him we
send letters to you and our friends, and some articles of
curiosity.
A s ever, we remain yours sincerely,
Samuel Whitney
Samuel Ruggles
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Treas. of the A.B.C .F.M.
Boston, Mass.
U.S.A.
Received Jan. 10, 1823.
1822
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Page 213
(Tauwai) Atooi, S.I., A u g . 12, 1822.
Very Dear Sir:
N o opportunity of communicating with you has occurred since
Feb. last. I have now the happiness to assure you of our
prosperity.
The candle of the Lord still shines upon our
tabernacle, so that with joyful hearts we can say, ’’the
lives have fallen to us in pleasant plans” .
Free in a good measure from the peculiar cares and anxieties
necessarily attendant on our Brethren at the windward station,
we are permitted quietly and pleasantly to proceed in our work.
We have too, the high s a t i s facti o n to believe, that could you
and our Christian friends and p a t r o n s , look into our establish
ment you would conclude with us that our two years labor, has
not been in vain in the Land.
Our School, about thirty in
number, is daily becoming interesting. Some of the older scholars
are able, in their leisure hours to teach the younger, and
likewise others out of the school. Thus our little leaven has
begun to ferment and we hope at no very distant period to assure
you that the good word of God is known in every cottage of this
benighted Island.
Brother Ruggles is now absent on a visit to the leward Island
Onihau. His health though feeble, is better than it was last
season.
Taumuarii is expected from the windward daily, he has
been absent nearly a year. We have not heard from our brethren
for several weeks.
They have doubtless communications for you
in the Hoqua.
The ship does not anchor and in haste I must close begging
the continuance of your prayers.
Yours &c.
Samuel Whitney
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Treas. A.B.C.F.M.
Boston, M a s s .
Received May 14, 1823.
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Page 214
Tauwai, N ov. 11, 1822.
Very Dear Sir:
Another opportunity affords us fresh pleasure in communicating
with our dear patrons. The present state of things with us,
we think is much more interesting than at any former period.
On the 14th of Aug. Taumuarii and his new wife K a ahumanu, with
several of the windward chiefs, came to this Island. We were
happily surprised to see them all anxious to learn to read, and
as everything passes for good which is practised b y the chiefs,
the desire to learn quickly spread through the common people in
every direction.
For several days our house was thronged with
natives, pleading for books.
We were unable to gratify but
a small part of them.
Since, we have received a supply, and
there are now probably not less than three hundred, who attend
more or less to learning.
Several of our former scholars have
become teachers. Auna and his wife, natives of the Society
Isles, of whom you have doubtless heard, are valuable helpers.
Their knowledge of the language gives them an access to the
hearts of the people, which in a measure, is yet denyed us.
Several of the principal chiefs have prayers morning and evening
at their houses, emplore a blessing and give thanks at their
meals, and attend public worship in their own language every
Sabbath and Wednesday. Though we have no good reason to believe
any of them are experimentaly acquainted with religion, it
affords us much encouragement to see so good a beginning, while
we look forward to a bright Day. Considering our frequent exposure to fires in straw houses, and
the need we have of more comfortable dwellings for ourselves
and our expected helpers, with the advice of our Brethren at the
windward, we have commenced building two stone houses, one at
this place (Waimea) the other at Hanapepe, six miles east.
Brother Chamberlain and family have been with us a few weeks past
and will continue here awhile longer.
His health is feeble but
rather improving, he is able to be about and to labour moderately.
Hoping God may continue to smile on your efforts to spread the
Gospel of his Son, we remain, Dear Sir, yours affectionately
S. Whitney
S. Ruggl es
D . Chamberlain
P.S .
We hope the committee will find an opportunity to send us a
quantity of boards as we have a pressing need of same and none can
be purchased here.
Likewise some Scal-leather.
S.W.
S.R. D.C.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Boston, Ma s s . U .S .A .
Politeness of Capt. Bursley, Ship Tartan
Received May 12, 1823.
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Page 215
Waimea,
Tauwai, Sand. Isl.
Jan. 4, 1824.
Very Dear Sir:
Several months have now elapsed, since I gave you an account
of our situation and prospects. During this time, we have
experienced much that is calculated to refresh & invigorate
our hearts, and to excite in us renewed zeal and devotedness
to our work. The communications we have received from our
b eloved patrons and friends, the deep interest they take in
our personal welfare, and the objects of our labor, the many
facilities they have sent us, and above all the continued
smiles of our Heavenly Father, are blessings which demand our
unfeigned thanks and liveliest gratitude. The Chiefs at their
own expense have built us a very convenient house for public
worship, in which I have preached regularly twice every Sabbath
for eight months past, and occasionally on other days, in the
vernacular tongue. Our meetings are generally well attended,
and many of the people are desirous to become acquainted with
the Gospel.
Under our immediate inspection we have two flourish- ing schools of about one hundred & twenty scholars.
There are
other schools on different parts of the Island. Many more are
anxious to learn, but for want of books and teachers they must
be denied the privilege. Orders have lately been given out for
all the people without exception, on this and the neighbouring
Island, Nihau, to observe the Sabbath as holy, time devoted to
the service of the Lord Jehovah, strictly forbiding any play or
work, or even the kindling of a fire on that sacred day.
Intoxication is prohibited, and infanticide, which heretofore has
been practiced to no inconsiderable degree, is now punishable
with death!
By the communications from the other stations, you will learn that my beloved associate, Ruggles, has been called to
remove from this Island to Hawaii.
Brother Bishop, who has been
here for several weeks on a visit, is soon to return to his
station at Kairua. Thus instead of our number being increased,
it is diminished, and excepting occasional visits from the Brethren,
I and my family must remain alone at this post, till additional
helpers can be sent u s . I trust the Board will not hesitate to send
out immediately, an efficient, devoted minister of the Gospel.
I
believe there are many such, anxious to join us; and I am sure they
would meet with a hearty welcome. It may seem necessary to correct
a paragraph in one of our letters, published in the Miss. H . - for
June, 1822. It was there stated that children might he educated in
our family without any expense except for clothing. It will be
recollected that at the time this letter was dictated, we had the
immediate patronage of Taumuarii. He had committed a number of
children to our care, saying, "educate them as you do children in
America.
I will provide them with food, and see that they (hole in
paper) leave you” . While he remained with us, he was as good as
his word.
We did not expect his removal, and even if we had, there
was reason to believe the patronage would be continued.
This,
however, has not been the case, and we have been obliged to dismiss
�119
most of our children. Some of them are still with us and bid fair
for usefulness. In future the same sum will be necessary to
educate children in our family as at the other stations of the
Board. If you can send me a Bible with Scott's references, cir
culars on Butterworth's conc ordence, they will be of incalculable
service to me, likewise the young preacher's manual, Buck's
Theological Dictionary & Lamprieres Biographical Do, would be
gratefully received.
I remain, Dear Sir, yours
S. Whitney
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston, M a s s . U .S .A.
Ship Paragon, Capt. Cole
Received A u g . 27, 1824.
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Page 216
Wahoo- Hannarurah,
October 6, 1820.
Honored and Dear Sir:
If I do not mistake, you requested that some of the M. family
would write to you with regard to the provisions which were
put up for our voyage, and inform you of the best mode of
packing the different kinds - and give you such other informa
tion as we might obtain from experience, what kinds of pro
visions would be preferable should you be called to fit out
another mission for a distant part of the world. I think I should recommend a good supply of rice & mollasses
& less beef & pork than is usually put up - The rice should be
free from weavels & put in casks that are perfectly tight There was 27 bbls. of beef & pork put on board for the use of
the mission & only 15 used on the voyage - we have some beef yet
that is good - The hams relished very well.
They ought to be
put up dry & in tight casks - Our codfish were good - but we
lost some owing to not having a good place to pack them - Our
mackerel were good, we lamented that they were so soon gone we should have been glad to have exchanged some of our beef &
pork for more - The salmon kept well - We had a good supply of
sea bread - the family were generally fond of it - Sea bread
will keep good a number of years if it be put in tight sweet
casks - rum casks are preferable because the weavels will not
live in them - some sea bread would be acceptable anytime here Our flour kept well & it is an excellent article to carry to sea Our I. meal kept good until nearly the last of the voyage - we
used almost all of it made into water gruel & ate it for supper
in the room of tea - The cyder & porter kept good - some of the
cyder was kept until within a few weeks & was excellent - The
barrel of molasses which was supposed to have been put on board
could not be found - it was thought that it might have been left
at the cooper's as it was sent there to be coopered - The barrel
of oil is not yet found - we hope Capt. B. will leave it when
he returns from the coast - Our cheese was good and kept as well
as could be expected - we lost a small part of i t owing to its
being not well dried - I took considerable pains to keep it from
spoiling, but we had no convenient place to keep it - we brought
some to the Islands which was good - It is essential that cheese
should be well dried to carry on a long voyage - If it be well
dried it may be packed up in barrels with something dry between
them & they will come to these islands without damage - we had
some put in barrels that kept equally as well as those in tin,
or better - We lost a considerable part of our eggs - those in
salt were tolerable - such as were put in lime water were almost all
lost - they spoiled soon - those in rice were bad tho' not so
bad as those in the lime water.
Our butter kept very well - butter
put up in kegs to carry a long voyage ought to be put into larger
casks and have the casks filled with brine - In putting up
potatoes care ought to be taken to have them perfectly dry - the
same of onions - The potatoes belonging to the Mission were eaten
first - the Capt. kept some in hogsheads belonging to the Brig
�121
until we doubled the Cape, but for some reason or other they
were all spoiled. - I think the potatoes or onions might be
kept three or four months at sea if they were well put up Were I a g o i n g another such voyage I should think it best not
to lay out so much money for live stock & corn to keep them
on, but would choose to have it laid out more for rice-flour, & c .
We lost some of our hogs, I believe three, and the rest did not
do very well as they could have no convenient place on deck or
at least they were too much crowded & wet a great part of the
t i m e - I should prefer dunghill fowls to ducks to carry to sea Beans & peas are both good & profitable provisions to carry to
sea as they will keep without trouble and are wholesome food.
As to seeds for the field or garden we can obtain almost all
sorts that are necessary at any time here - I should have brought
out grass seeds of different kinds had I not been informed by
Capt. Jennings that they would be useless - as he had the im
pression that all were here now that were necessary - We should
be glad of a small quantity of different kinds of grass seed in
order to make the experiment whether they would be an improvement
or not - Such as red & white clover - herds grass - red top and
common English grass seed - I was also informed that flax was
found here but I have found none - we wish you to send a little
seed - Wheat & oats are raised here - but in v ery small quantitiesIf convenient we should be glad to have you send us some wheat rye-barley - oats - buckwheat & some broom corn seed - a little
hemp seed - a small quantity of each will be sufficient - we have
not been favoured with an opportunity to sow our seed that we brought
or at least we have sown none at this place. We hope, however,
soon to have a field inclosed, as the most favoured season for
sowing & planting is the month of October - You may perhaps wonder
that I have done nothing yet at farming, but I assure you it has
not been omitted on account of inclination.
I shall take the
earliest opportunity to attend to it that circumstances will allow
of - We think it would be expedient to send out another set of
boilers for our stove as we have to use them constantly & they will
be likely to wear out after a while - James Wilson - New York Patent - is on the front of our stove - we think it would be well
to have one at each station on these islands as they would save
much wood in cooking - wood is extremely dear here. I should say
12 dol. per cord. It is brought about four miles on men's shoulders Some hollow iron ware would be necessary - perhaps some six pailful
pots - common pots for family use - spiders & teakettles - If they
should not all be wanted in the M. family they would be good prop
erty to dispose of for such articles as should be needed - Soap is
dear here & hard to obtain on the account of ashes being scarce &
very poor. If we had ashes we could make our own soap - but
what ashes we make are scarce worth saving - I should suppose it
would be good economy to send some potash - if we could have some
we might make our soap here - Some Pearlash would be acceptable a few brooms also, as we have not found yet a substitute for them The Chiefs appear to wish to purchase carpenter tools - such as
saws, chisels, adds, broad axes, planes, & c . I think it would be
well to have a few to sell them for such articles as are wanted,
as it would have a tendency to introduce the arts among them by
showing them the use of tools.
A few tin tonels would be acceptable
as we have none - we are also without coffee mill or mortar at
either of the stations, except those mortars which the Doct. has - I
�122.
have the impression that there was a coffee mill put up for
the mission & many other articles which were not sent on shore
here - However I do not know as it will be worth while to say
anything about them - I hope when Ca p t . B . returns from the
coasts some of them will come to light - we will wait with
patience & see - A s to articles of trade - I suppose 50 dol.
laid out in cheap callico would be worth as much as a hundred
dollars here to trade with the natives for necessaries - but what
they most want is blue india cotton for what they call pows &
marrows - It goes here among the whites by the name of Dungree As to cloathing for children, natives, I should recommend for
boys, something of a dark colour for shirts - and dark coloured
cloaths generally for the children - we wish to have those in our
family look decent - but it is too much work to keep them looking
decent with white cloaths -And I should think it would be com
mendable for missionaries who may come out here in future to choose
plain cloathing such as becometh the followers of the meek & lowly
Jesus - here is work enough to do without spending much time in
doing up superfluous cloathing, washing & c . Whi l e writing this
letter my mind has been so much occupied with other subjects (that
I have been scarcely fit to write) particularly our trials with
Doct. Holman & his wife - M r . Bingham & myself have been today to
talk & admonish him for some improper conduct of his - but I
must forbear, I have not time to give you much idea of the trials'
which this church has gone through on account of the Doct.'s con
duct & that of his wife - Probably they will return to America
the first opportunity - indeed they have declared this is their
intention. They will probably sail for Atooi tomorrow with
Capt. Hale.
Notwithstanding we have some trials & still the Lord seems to
smile on us in a remarkable manner & although Tenoe has become an
apostate & a stumbling block in the way of the heathen, yet the
Lord can do all with Thomas & Horore that Christians hoped they
all would do - and should more leave this little branch of Zion
still we will not despond - God is able to fill up those breaches
with those who shall adorn the Christian n a m e . - I am dear Sir
your obedient & humble Servant,
Daniel Chamberlain
P .S.
M r s . Bingham expects to be confined soon & also M r s . Whitney.
Although I have mentioned some circumstances that are trials to
us, still we have reason for thankfullness for the degree of
harmony and love which prevails in our little family - we hope &
trust that no jaring discord will ever be heard here - M r s . C .
sends her love t o M r s . Evarts & wishes to be rembered to all en
quiring friends - She says she has not regretted for a moment her
undertaking since she left America - We need your prayers and the
prayers of all who love Zion that we may have wisdom & fortitude
equal to our day - And may the Lord of the harvest rise up, quali
fy & send out to these islands of the sea many faithful labourers for this field is already white to the harvest - I see nothing
to hinder a hundred missionaries going to work here provided a
little jealousy was done away - which I trust will soon be the case.
Window glass will be wanted provided the remainder of the house is
sent, as we had only a part of a box sent on shore - there was a
�box left on board the Brig, perhaps it belonged to the Brig We had ought to have had several bbls. (say s i x ) more of beef &
pork put on shore - The Capt. said he set a shore all he could
find with our mark - W e suppose the meat got out on the voyage I hint at some of these things as a caution in future.
We found no letter paper that was allowed to be ours - One
thermoneter was not to be found which needs to be replaced Two or three cases of mathematical instruments are needed as
none were found that were allowed to belong to the mission.
Printing paper & wrapping we think we shall need - our printing
paper, some of it was damaged on the voyage - Common jack-knives
are wanted by the natives - they are as good as half a dollar
here to buy provisions with - common coarse files - fishhooks common case knives are wanted, as they begin to use them some to
eat with - carving knives we want a few, as we have had the
misfortune to have ours stolen -
I believe Brother Whitney intended to write to you from Atooi
for such articles we then thought we needed - but fearing that he
might forget or his letter be miscarried, I write for such articles
as I now think of that we may need - sewing thread - cotton &
linen is needed, as the natives are learning to sew.
The Governor
has this minute sent for some - the chiefs often call for it Capt. Hale has this day given us a large log suitable to saw into
boards which he brought from the coasts.
This reminds one of a
pit saw.
I had the impression that we had one put up as I spoke
about one.
I brought a hand saw from home & put it on board, but
I believe it belonged to the Brig when we arrived here.
To: Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
Boston, Mass.
U.S.A.
Received June 7, 1821.
�124
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 217
Atooi, Nov. 10, 1820.
Honored & Dear Sir:
I arrived at this place yesterday morning in the Birg Thaddeus
after a passage of about eighteen hours - Capt. Blanchard
politely offered any of us a passage who might wish to come to
Atooi, and as he intended to tarry only a few days, M r . Bingham
thought it would be well for myself & Dexter to visit this place We left Woahoo about 3 o'clock in the afternoon & expected to
arrive in sight of this island about daylight - but having a
fresh trade wind, we were up with the island before day. - It
being foggy & dark, we were near the shore before the island was
discovered.
All hands were called, and we passed the danger
without harm. - I found the brothers & sisters in good health. M r s . Whitney was confined about three weeks ago - she has now
regained her health, her child which is a daughter is a healthy
promising child. - Mrs. Bingham was put to bed the morning before
I left Woaho - was remarkably comfortable - her child weighed
8 3/4 lbs. - a fine daughter - I never saw parents appear to be
more thankfull - I left them while their hearts were overflowing
with gratitude to him who is the author of all our mercies King Tamore and his wife are on a visit at a distant part of the
island - expect they will return in a day or two.
They have been
gone about four weeks.
11 Sabbath - Attended religious exercises in Brother W. & R's houseread a sermon - prayed & sung some of the songs of Zion tho' in
a strange land - The king &c. returned this afternoon to this
place. The brethren & sisters were glad to see them again as they
are very attentive to all their wants & appear to take delight in
bestowing favours upon them.
I went with them to the king's house
to bid them aloah - they appeared glad to see us all & said they
would call & see us tomorrow - The king & queen have made presents
of their former favourite gods to brother W . & R. - you will prob
ably be favoured wit h an opportunity of seeing them as they intend
to send them to America the first convenient opportunity - they
are sights indeed - They have cast away these idols & appear to
be waiting for the law of Christ.
1 2 - I have been today with Brother W. L M r . Conant (trading master
of the Brig Thaddeus) to see a tract of land which the king has
given to Mr. Whitney - It is situated about two miles from their
houses in a beautiful valey - a great part of the land is covered
with fine tarrow patches, potatoes, cane, bannanas, watermellons,
&c.
There are (I think about 1 8 families on the land which are
considered as belonging to the estate - They bring tarrow potatoes
& c. when the brethren request - indeed they bring wood - make fences
or anything they request of them.
The king & queen called in to
see us this afternnon with a number of their attendants. They
appeared very friendly - Gave the brethren another man & his wife
to wait on t h e m - Brother W. read a letter to the king which
Mr. Bingham sent him and a kanackah by the name of Jack who went
�125.
a voyage with Vancouver, interpreted it to him - Dexter repeated
to them some passages of scripture in Owhyhe - such as the first
verse of Gennises - Jesus Christ died for our sins - &c. & c . to
which they listened with attention.
1 2 - I have been with brother Ruggles today to see an estate which
one of the chiefs have given him - It is situated in a fine valey
about six miles from this place - called Hannapapa - I should
guess it contained 250 acres - one half of it is under tolerable
cultivation - there are about 30 families on the land which belong
to the estate - They consider themselves bound to bring any produce
from the land at any time the brethren call for it - and to c u l t i
vate the land according to their direction - The brethren here
hope to be able to support from their land without any labour of
their own - their own families and from 50 to 100 orphan children.
There is much need of more teachers here - at least one preacher
of the gospel & there is nothing to hinder (at present) a large
number of schoolmasters going immediately to teaching these poor
benighted children.
13 - The brethren & sisters here have been in want of a convenient
place to cook - they wished for an oven and as there happened to
be bricks enough left on board the thaddeus to build one we got
them ashore & with a little hatchet for a trowel I undertook to
build one - The king generously sent a number of his men to assist
me in bringing large stones for the foundation - to make mortar
& c. & I succeeded in building a very good oven.
1 4 - I have been busy today in building a fireplace for cooking
by side of the oven that I built yesterday - have got things much
more convenient for cooking than they were before - The king has
been on board the Thaddeus today - he has thoughts of buying her Set our new oven today & baked some bread made of sweet potatoes
and flour - also baked some apple pies - these made us think of
home.
15. Boca the governor of Woahoo sent one of his trusty men to
this island in the Thaddeus as was supposed on some special business It is said today that Boca sent a request to Tamore to come &
assist him in taking Woahoo from King R ehoreho - Tamore has given
orders for his schooner to sail for Woahoo this night - what the ob
ject is, is all conjecture.
18 - The king & queen are remarkable kind to the brothers & sisters
here - They appear to be glad to have them come to them with their
wants - M r . R. in conversation with the king today observed that he
intended to send to America for a trunk - The king said - no - me
give you trunk if you want- one - and immediately sent for one & gave
M r . R. It is a very nice one - worth ten dollars. The queen at the
same time gave M r s . H . a hansome present of muslins - George- by his
imprudent conduct has entirely lost the confidence of his father Instead of being a blessing to his countrymen - he has become a
stumbling block to them - he continues to be intemperate & seems to
have no desire to instruct the heathen.
19 - At the usual time for public worship to begin we sent Benter
to inform the king - He came immediately with the queen and his
attendants - they appeared to give good attention - After the ser
vices were ended they came into the house & spent sometime in f r
i e n d ly
conversation.
�126
21 - Capt. Blanchard has waited some days for Capt. Bennet
who is to be the bearer of our letters to America - Hisship
has this minute come in sight - Capt. Blanchard will probably
sail for Woahoo today - We shall a l l be in haste - I have
just taken up this scrawl & was at a loss what to do about
sending it - but as I have no time to copy it off, & as I know
to whom I am writing - I send it as it i s .
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Boston, Mass. U .S .A .
To the care of Capt. Bennet
Received June 1, 1821.
�(These letters were typed from original
manuscript by Anorah C . Sullivan, from
December 6th to December 10th, inclusive.
�127.
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Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 218
Atooi, November 14, 1820.
Rev.
& Dear
Sir:
It is with diffidence that I take my pen to address you , as
I sensibly feel my inability, especially as to letter writing.
But as a father overlooks imperfections in his child - so
I trust you will cover mine with a mantle of charity.
I left Woaho for this place last week on Thursday. A s Capt.
Blanchard was coming here on business to tarry only a few days,
and as he offered a passage to any of the family who should
wish to visit Atooi - it was thought best for me to come &
spend a few days with our brothers & sisters here. Dexter also
came with m e . M rs. Bingham was put to bed the morning before
we left Woahoo - she was remarkable comfortable - her child is
a daughter. Mrs. Whitney w a s confined about four weeks ago,
her child is well & she has regained her health. As to the
prospects of the mission at Owhyhe & Woahoo - with such cir
cumstances as are worthy of relating, M r . Bingham will undoubted
ly inform you. The prospects of the brethren here are truly
flattering & call for the united praise & thanksgiving of all
who love Zion. As I intend to write some particulars of the
situation of the brethren here to Esqr. Evarts & as it is likely
the brethren will write you, I shall omit particulars now.
On
the whole, this little mission family have abundant reason for
blessing & praise to Him who has the hearts of all men in his
hands, for protecting and defending them in the midst of dangers
& among the heathen. I would gladly call on you to rejoice with
us & hide from you the dark side of things, did not a sense of
duty seem to require that I should touch a mournful string - I
mean the conduct of the Doct . & his wife & the troubles this
little church have met with on their account. Brother Whitney
informs me he has w rote you with respect to some particulars of
his conduct & to the proceedings of the brethren with him. As
the Doct. appears to be extremely prejudiced against M r . Bingham &
Thurston & their wives & finally the whole church & as he is now
writing to you a vindication of his character or conduct and will
probably censure some of the brethren hard who I think are inno
cent , you will excuse me if I should give you some hints of his
treatment to the mission, which will satisfy your mind for the
present as to the steps they have taken with him. You will, I
trust at some future time have the whole subject laid before you
in a candid & impartial manner - should this be the case, you will
I trust justify this church in what they have done relating to
the Doct. & his wife.
And now I am at a loss where to begin - it is indeed a mournful
string to touch - but I will be as short as the nature of the case
will admit We had not been long on board the Th a d d e u s before the feelings
of the brothers & sisters were tried with what they thought very
unbecoming in the conduct of the Doct. & his wife - They were at a
�128.
loss what to do - to begin so soon to admonish a brother & sister
was trying - to let it pass and say nothing when the eyes of
many who were watching for their halting was on them was evident
ly wrong - Accordingly some friendly hints were given them as
to the impropriety of their conduct - they were told that the
eyes of the world were on them, that it become us all to be
watchful of our walk & conversation. The brethren laboured with
them between hope & fear. They found much fault with the cooking,
so much that the steward was out of patience with the m . And
when the steward was dismissed on account of bad conduct - Thomas
& Honore took his place - the Doct . & his wife still continued
their complaints & wished to be waited on so much that Thomas &
Honore requested to be dismissed from their work. After we had
been at sea some time - some of the family being unwell, wished
for a little wine - what we had in the cask was stored where it
could not be got at then - I told them that there was some sent
on board in bottles - that the Doct. had it in his keeping - a p
plication was made to him for some - be appeared loth to spare it and said Esqr. Evarts told him to keep it to use in case of sick
ness - he was told that a number were then unwell and were then in
want of it - that we hoped before long to get at what we had in the
cask & then he might have more, and as it was known that a number
of bottles of it was already gone, it was the opinion of the
brethren that the sick ought to have some while they so much needed
i t . The Doct. was requested under these circumstances to give some
to those who wanted - he accordingly did so - but soon charged
the brethren with taking it from him wrongfully.
This I believe
he makes one of his principal charges against the brethren - It
was thought proper to adopt some rules for the regulation of the
missies family while on board - accordingly we did with the united
voice of all except the Doct. - The Doct. & his wife often disregard
ed & broke the rules & when asked why they did so he would reply
he did not agree to them & declared he would not observe them, that
he would do as he pleased. He appeared to entertain a high notion
as to his profession & standing, pretending it was above those
who were ordained to. preach the gospel & c . His conduct was such
toward brother Loomis that the church thought proper to call him to
an account - it was settled with some difficulty - But I shall
tire your patience if I write particulars - I will be as short as
the nature of the case will allow.
I will pass on until the latter part of the voyage & shall omit
some things that were trying, for the sake of brevity - As we a p
proached the islands it was thought proper to establish some rules
for the regulation of our affairs after landing - founded wholly
on the instructions of the Board - The brethren were united except
the Doct . as to the plan adopted for family government - and though
it perfectly accorded with the instructions of the Board, he still
opposed them and pretended he did not understand the instruction -that
the Board did wrong to require such things of us - that they were
too strict & that he would not be bound by them - Much pains was
taken with him to show him the necessity of our acting in concert,
and according to our solemn engagements - but with little success.
It appeared that he intended to be independent. However we at
length arrived at the islands - we were permitted to land - and it
was thought a favourable circumstance that it was the Doct's lot
to be settled with M r . Thurston & his wife, as he appeared to have
less prejudice against them than any of the M . family, & also it
appeared to be the Doct -'s desire to stay at Kiaruah - We bid them
�129.
farewell with the hope that they would now live in peace with
Mr. T. & his wife, who were peacemakers indeed - But the Doct .
his wife soon manifested that spirit of discord which was
so apparent in them while on board - O how were the hearts of
dear Mr. T . & his wife wrung with anguish at the reproches of
a brother & sister of whom they fondly hoped better things sparing not to let the discords of the family be known to others
who were out of the family and who would make no good use of
that knowledge - I shall pass along with mentioning one or two
circumstances as specimens of their treatment to Mr. T . & his wife.
Capt. Starbuck, an English whaler, called to see them & made them
a present of about a dozen bottles of wine &c. The Doct. immediately took it all into his possessions - When Mr. T. had
occasion to use some of it he politely enquired of the Doct . for
some - the Doct . told him he would make a present of some to him
&c intimating that he should deal it to him (Mr.T. ) as he thought
proper - (The wine was sent to them jointly as one family) - Mrs.
Holman in conversation with Mrs. T. signified that she intended
to return to America - that she intended to act openly & not be
a hypocrlte - that it was pride & selfishness and the desire of
a great name that influenced every one of the mission family to
come out here - and boasted that she would be more open hearted
and tell the truth - These are but hints or specimens of their
talk & conduct - it would require a volume to write down the
particulars - and the recital would be enough to make angels weep As brother Whitney has written you some of the particulars re
specting his leaving Kirooah & given you some account of the pains
that the church took to dissuade him from so rash & unwarrantable
a step, I shall pass over them & only say that notwithstanding all
that could be said, he & his wife left the station assigned them
& went to another island. He continues still to trifle with the
feelings of his brethren & to set at naught their councils &
friendly admonitions. After he had spent some time on Mowe he was
sent for by Capt. Dean to come & visit him at Woahoo. We pro
cured him & his wife good lodging & bid him welcome to our table
& for the most part of the time they ate with us. Mr. Bingham,
like one who watches for souls as they that must give an account.
after some days spoke with the Doct. respecting what had passed
& wished him to give reasons for what he had said & done. The
subject was introduced in a solemn & proper manner. But the Doct.
was soon in a passion & treated M r . Bingham shamefully - pouring
contempt on the mission family by hard speeches & false accusa
tions - declaring that they had used him worse than the heathen
&c. & c. M r . B. laboured with him at proper times while he re
mained with us - spent nights in tears & prayers on their account
while they seemed determined to pursue their course notwithstanding
all that could be said or done. Their language both at Kiaruah
& Woahoo towards the M. family has manifestly been such as the
Apostle calls r ailing - When M r. B . has occasion at any time to
ask for medicine tho' requested in the most friendly manner, the
Doct . would cast reflections & often treated M r . B. in the most
disrespectful manner - I advised M r . B . to communicate with the
Doct . in writing - accordingly he did when he wished for medicine,
&c. I am glad on M r . B's account that he did so, as the Doct .
has made gross statements to the brethren here respecting that
matter - Indeed I think I can say in truth that neither the Doct .
or his wife appear to have a strict regard for truth - I wish not
to censure them wrongfully, but I think this will abundantly
appear when the whole truth shall be known - I believe this is
&
�130.
the opinion of the brothers & sisters generally concerning them.
The Doct . & his wife often disagree in their statement as to the
reasons why they left Kiaruah - sometimes the Doct. states things
as the princ ipal reason which his wife seems wholly ignorant of again she states things as matters of complaint against M r . T. &
his wife which the Doct. appears to be ignorant of - & perhaps the
next day they will both deny them. The fact is, I believe & I
have good reason for my belief - that it was their intention to come
here & stay a few years & accumulate some property & then return I am led to this belief from what they often said on the voyage He appeared to be disappointed because he had not a stated salary it was too evident that money & ease were uppermost in their minds.
But I forbear - I should not have wrote this hasty letter had he
not said he himself was going to write you on this subject and I
was sensible M r . B . would omit writing concerning this now - I
hope you will forbear blaming M r . B . & M r . T . untill you can have
the matter laid before you in its true colour.
Dear Sir, pray for
us in our troubles - I would not have you believe that we sit down
in despondency beoause we have some trouble. No we do not.
In haste, yours
Daniel Chamberlain
To Samuel Worcester, D .D .
Salem, Mass.
U .S.A .
�131.
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 219
Sandwich Islands, Woahoo,
No v 17, 1821.
Dear Sir:
As M r . Bingham has much writing to do he has requested me to
write you a list of such articles as we probably shall need
to carry on our work to advantage. We have hesitated some
as to the expediency of sending out goods, for us to buy such
artioles of food &c. as we need here, not knowing but that it
might give offence to the traders - we think however there is
not much danger on that account as we have conversed with
some of them on the subject, and they advised us to send Could such articles be sent free of expense as we need (and
probably they can be) they would be much better for us than
money, as many kinds of goods are worth double here to what
they cost in America - Common axes are worth two dollars Blue Dungree, pieces of 18 yds . are worth 5 or 6 dol. Blankets
1 1/2 yd . square $3.50 - Two inch chisels 60 to 75 cts. Jack knives 50 to 75 cts.
I will send a list of such articles as are saleable here &
you can send such as you please of them.
Low priced blankets - Low priced blue woolen cloth - Blue
Dungree - Cotton thread, various colors, coarse - Two inch
framing chisels - A few hinges for doors - Axes - Jack knives cizore - common combs, a few - Large filesWe sent you a list of articles wanted some time since I believe
by Capt. Bennet, but have forgotten what they were particularlyperhaps we now send again for the same things - boards & plank
will probably bear a high price here-at present they are sold
for fifty dol. per thousand cash. - there is no chance to get
logs on this island to saw & we shall probably be often wanting
some. Perhaps it would be well to send some if an opportunity
should present where they could be sent without much expense.
As there is much shipping now calling here for fresh provision,
It is of course high & will be at present. We think it would be
well to send some beef & flour & some butter & cheese if our
friends will give it. We much need potash to make soap as our
ashes will not make good soap. Common soap is fifty (hole in
paper) - we shall need a little pearlash.
In a letter to my brother Samuel sent by Capt. Allen, I gave some
hints respecting the conduct of some characters who reside or
call here - tho' the half was not told - perhaps it would have
been better to have said nothing at present - I have wrote my
brother to keep the letter to himself. Hope no evil will arise
from it. I hope I shall bear in mind your caution in future when
I write. With sentiments of respect, I remain yours & c .
To Jeremiah
E s q .
Daniel Chamberlain
Evarts, Esq. Boston, Mass.
By Ship Globe Capt. Gardiner - received May 11, 1822.
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Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 220
Mission House, Oahu, June 27, 1822.
Copy of a
)
resolution in )
favor of the
)
return of Capt.)
Chamberlain . )
With humble submission to the will of the Sovereign Dis
poser of all events, and with grateful remebrance of His many
and great mercies to this Mission in its origin, progress and
present state, and of His kind dealings with all the individual
members, as to their lives, persons and characters, we cannot
but v iew it as a calamity that any branch of the Mission should
be removed even by the direct leadings of the same Providential
hand t hat conducted us hither; still we desire to express our
thanks to God and to the Christian public, for bestowing on the
Mission so valuable helpers, and to Brother & Sister Chamberlain
in particular for the persevering and laborious efforts they
have been enabled to make for the promotion of the interests of
this Mission; but.
In consideration of the decline of the health of Capt.
Chamberlain; the obstacles in the nature of the government of
this country, and in the state of society, which oppose the
accomplishment of his intended object; the extreme difficulty
of providing suitably for the education, employment and settle
ment of his children without returning with them to their native
country, and consideration of the kind and deliberate advice of
the English Missionary Deputation, the Rev. D . Tyerman, & Geo.
Bennet, Esq.
Resolved,
that we deem it expedient that Capt. Chamberlain
should be allowed full liberty, and every reasonable facility
to return with his family to America; and, should Providence
open the way for their safe and comfortable return, that we
consider it as his duty to improve it to return to his patrons
and friends.
H* Bingham.
A. Thurston,
S. Whitney,
E. Loomis.
Sandwich Islands.
Joint Lette r ,
Ship AMERICA
1823
For: I. Evarts Co r . S e c ' y A . B . C . F . M .
(Capt. Daniel Chamberlain.)
�133.
221.
The kanackers have brought the stones from 20 to 80 rods on
their shoulders.
I have often labored beyond my strength as
Brother Whitney was anxious that I should finish it and as I
expected to return to Woahoo before November.
(It is now un
certain when I shall return. )
The house when finished will be a good one, I think
nearly as good as the one at Woahoo, but will not cost perhaps
more than $250., besides what we shall do to it ourselves.
I
shall not be ashamed to have foreigners examine it when finished.
The King and Chief have been to see it, and kanckers from all
parts of the Island. (M iti harle. good house, and nueroah accumi,
oi. very learned you are ) have b een a thousand times sounded in
my ears.
It will be a house that will probably last many years
without repairs and be safe from fire. I am calculating to go to
Hannapapa tomorrow with Brother Whitney to work on his house. His
house stands on a delightful spot and is situated in as fruitful
a valley as I have seen on the Island.
It is very expensive
procuring boards out here.
At this place we have to go 7 or 8
miles back into the mountains to find timber, then saw boards by
hand an d bring them on men's shoulders.
The Brethern here feel
rather unpleasantly that they should formerly haverepresented
things in such glowing colors; particularly respecting the pro
duction of their lands and the probable expense of victualing
children 2 1 2 .- Their lands are a great help to them, but not
so much as they formerly expected. Hands are so continually
shifting from one to another here that but little calculation or
dependence can be placed upon it.
For instance a man from Amer
ica a few years ago bought a piece of land of the King or one of
his chiefs by his consent (near where Mr. Whitney's house stands)
and paid a good price in money for it, but a part of it has been
taken away, and the produce on the rest taken away.
I have written in haste and perhaps not intelligibly, forgive
errors and mistakes while I subscribe myself,
Yours, etc- ,
J. Evarts, Esq.,
Secretary.
D. CHAMBERLAIN
JEREMIAH EVARTS, Esq.,
Boston, Mass—
By the Ship
"Tartar”
Capt. Bursley
�134.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824,
V
Page 221.
Atooi, Nov 'r 11th, 1822.
Honored and Dear Sir:
It is probable that before you
receive our communication from this Island (Which we send by
the Tartar) you will receive letter from our brethern at
Woahoo, by way of Cape Horn in a whale ship— They have
doubtless communicated to you all the interesting facts re
lating to the success of the Mission at these Islands, and
their prospects.
You have doubtless been made acquainted with the state
of my health until I left Woahoo for this place— of my ex
pectations to return with my family to America.
I have
often felt that this information might trouble you and cause
you some anxiety with your other weight of cares.
I know
not how to express to you my feelings in view of returning.
Sometimes I fear it will discourage others, who otherwise
would go out and do good work among the heathen.
Yes and
a thousand thoughts of similar kind— still I trust it was the
desire of my heart to spend my days for Christ in laboring for
the heathen— but if Providence shuts the door, I hope I shall
say from the heart "the will of the Lord be done".
I conclude
Messrs. Tyerman & Bennett wrote you at considerable length res
pecting the difficulty of educating children in these Islands;
or rather the trials our Missionaries have met with at the
society islands.
This consideration, together with my ill
health, induced them to advise me with my family to return to
America.
The brethern at Woahoo have written you their reasons
for ordering me to return, which I hope and trust will be satis
factory to you.
But as my health at present seems to be gaining
and the brethern here much need my help untill their houses are
made comfortable to live in, I may not return at present.
Mrs. C .'s health was low when we left Woahoo; she was worn
down with hard work and a weight of cares— her health is now
much better.
Brother Whitney is building him a stone house
about half a mile up the river in this village on a beautiful
flat about six rods from the river.
The place is surrounded
with beautiful shades of tootooc trees, which renders it pleasant.
The house is 26 by 36 feet, with a back part 12 by 15 for cooking
and washing.
There is a cellar under it, except the back part.
The stones of the cellar wall are all laid in clay mortar.
I never saw but few cellars in America that exceeded it.
It is t
the only cellar on the Island, except the one that Brother B. is
digging at his house in Hannapapa .
The walls of the house are
about 20 inches thick, laid in clay mortar, mixed with a kind of
grass, which makes it very strong.
I have superintended the
work, and placed almost all the stones myself, but as I am feeble
I have had help to hand me stones and mortar.
�135.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 222
Tamore--Kahumanu— Con— Kiknaver— and a number of smaller
chiefs sailed from this place about ten days ago to see a small
Island about 70 miles to the west of this, where are plenty of
sea elephants, fowls and we understand they have returned Orichow—
George Sandwich is with them— we hope George does some good, a l
though he needs some one to watch over him— you need not expect
that those natives will endure which have been educated in America,
unless they are rooted and grounded in the faith.
But theLord
is able to hold them up.
Brother R 's health is much as usual,
rather poor, I am troubled with a trembling in my heart, or pal
pitation of the heart, and weakness in my legs and hips.
I have
a strong desire to wait untill more helpers come— I long to see
them comfortably settled and engaged in their work— Should any of
them bring children, I shall pity them.
I have written in great haste, and must stop.
D. C.
J. E. Esq
Mr. Daniel Chamberlain.
November 18, 1823.
Edgartown, W/ November 14,
For Ship 52,
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
B O S T O N .
Mass., U. S. A.
By Ship SPARTAN
Capt. Swain .
�136.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 224.
Boston, August 27, 1823.
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. ,
Corresponding Sec'y of the A . B . C . F . M .
Sir:As the feeble state of my health renders it probable that
I can no longer labour in the service of the Board with advan
tage to them; I would submit to their consideration whether it
will not be expedient to dismiss me from their service.
If
this should accord with their views, it will with mine.
At
the same time, I shall rejoice to lend any aid in my power to
promote the cause in which I have been labouring under their in
struction.
Yours affectionately,
D. CHAMBERLAIN.
J. Evarts, Esq.,
)
Cor. Sec 'y
)
A . B. C. F. M . )
Mr. Daniel Chamberlain,
Aug. 29, 1823.
J. EVARTS, Esq.,
Cor. Sec 'y of the
A . B . C. F . M.
�9
Previous to Sept
1824.
V
Page 225.
Oahu, August 9, 1822.
Dear Sir:I embrace the opportunity of sending by Capt. De Koven,
who sails to-morrow, a few remarks on the subject of procuring
supplies for the Mission to these Islands.
It is now nearly
six months, since, by the particular request of Capt. Chamberlain,
and a noteof the brethern, I took upon me the important and
responsible office of Steward for the Mission family.
For the
last four months there has been in our family, including our
little ones and the natives, from forty to fifty persons.
To
provide suitably for all these, it has been found necessary to be
at considerable expense; and, probably at a much greater expense
than those would be apt to imagine who are unacquainted with the
high price of provisions and other articles which it has been
found necessary to purchase for the use of the Mission at this
place.
For Pork we have given $26. per barrel— for Beef, $20 .
per barrel. Flour $15., Bread, $10. per cwt. Rice, $10. per cwt.
Molasses, $ 1 . per gallon (very poor quality).
A common hand
saw, $7. a common lamp, $1 files $6. per dozen. Jack-knives,
$5. per dozen, axes, $2. each , axe-helves, 50 cents each (in
ferior quality).
Nankens, $2. per piece (blue); dungarees,
blue, $5. per piece; dungarees, I am informed, may be bought in
Calcutta for $1.50 per piece. Soap, which we have been obliged
to purchase considerably, not being able to make any until re
cently for want of potash,
¢ per pound.
Other articles which
are brought here for sale are proportionately dear.
50
For potatoes and taro we give $3. per barrel
Hogs are
very scarce and cannot be easily procured.
By orders from the
government they, as wellas fowls are sold for cash only
From the statements which have been madeyou, you will see
that our supplies if procured of foreign trades here must be at
great disadvantage.
In addition to the high price of provisions
& c, at this place they require an advance of from 25 to 30% , if
paid for by giving bills on the Treasurer.
Most of what we have
purchased of foreign trades have been paid for in this way, we not
having cash on hand.
The natives pretty universally prefer cash on hand; to any
article of trade.
This is not to be wondered at, considering
the high price of foreign goods.
Dungaree, the best article for trade at these Islands, is
torn into pieces of three yards in length.
These are called
paus, and are valued at $1. each.
A piece of Dungaree will make fi
five paus.
It is usually of sufficient width to make three maros
each of which is valued at 33-1/3¢
.
A piece of blue Nankin will
�make three maros. each of which is valued at $1.
Jack-knives
when retailed are at 50¢ each, common scissors at 25 or 30¢ each.
We have sometimes been enabled to purchase Beef, bread, & c of
whalers, at a low price.
Still, as our procuring supplies of these
articles from them is very precarious, I think it would be best to
have most of our provisions of this kind provided in Boston, if
they can send it to these Islands, even by paying freight.
In
general, I think it would be a great saving of expense to have our
provisions and articles of trade purchased for us in Boston.
The scarcity of timber at this place indeed is extremely
difficult to procure suitable fences for enclosing our houses & c.
Our fence consists simply of small sticks, six or eight feet in
length, stuck in the ground, and lashed by withes to other sticks
laid xxxxxxxxx.
For two fathoms of this, we have given a fathom
and a half of Nankin, valued here at $1.
This kind of fence
will not last two years.
Besides the high charges for building
fences, it often requires considerable time and exertion to find
men who are willing to undertake the work; and while it is building.
it is necessary for someone to oversee the men.
If boards suitable
for a picket fence, with posts, can be procured in Boston, at a m
moderate price, and sent to us, we think it would be a great saving
of trouble and expense.
A considerable quantity of boards are
also wanted here for other purposes.
We have recently borrowed $200. in cash, for which we have
given a bill on the Treasurer for $240.
To prevent embarassment
in our affairs, it is desirable that we should have on hand a
supply of cash as well as articles of trade.
It is difficult,
if not impossible to get a house built, without paying at least
half cash.
The same may be said in regard to getting other jobs
of work done.
In this will be endorsed a list of articles which
we desire to have sent us .
The large reinforcement which we are
expecting here will doubtless greatly increase the expenditures of
the Mission; and the length of time which it takes to send to
America and get a return, renders it the more necessary that a
large quantity of supplies should be sent.
In great haste, I am, Dear Sir,
Yours,
Elisha Loomis.
Articles for the Mission family:
Beef,
Codfish,
) Slates and pencils, large quantity,
pork.
Blank Books,
)Cotton cloths of various kinds,
Bread,
(various sizes)
)Knives & Forks, 6 dozen.
Flour,
Shoes for Men,
)Axes, axehelves,
Molasses,
Women and Children,) Articles for trade:
Stoves,Flat Irons, 2 doz.
)
Blue Dungaree,
Boards,B l a c k s m i t h ' s bellows,)
Blue & Yellow Hankins,
Clapboards or shingles,)
Calicoes, coarse, find
Writing Paper, and some Iron
)
Lamps, 4 dozen, JackWafers,
Files, (L arge kind)
s
�139
226.
Mr. Elisha Loomis,
February 20, 1823.
Respecting Supplies.
Ship
AMERICA.
Jeremiah Evarts,
Treas. & Cor. Sec 'y A . B. C. F . M . ,
Missionary Rooms,
No. 69 Market Street,
BO
ST O N
_____________________________________ U.S.A.
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824
V
Page 228.
Oahu, October 14, 1823.
Very Dear Sir:For various reasons I have not hitherto been
able to give you a statement of the expenses of the Sandwich
Island Mission, during the time I had the charge of its pecun
iary concerns: and the account which I now propose to give, must be
very imperfect, owing to causes which I shall presently mention . At
the time I was appointed to take charge of the accounts of the
Mission, I had little or no knowledge of this business; and I was
not able to learn any thing from my predecessor, Capt. C., he having
made use of but one book, in which was merely charges the daily
expence, not even noticing what was received from the Board, from
foreigners, or from the various natives.
I saw the necessity of
keeping some more regular account, but the method I took was only
a small improvement.
I had one book in which was noticed the pro
ceeds received--In another was noticed the pu rc hases and trades— And
in another was noticed what was charged, whatever articles were
taken from the Depository for purchasing our daily supplies, &c.
Of
such articles as cooking utensils, crockery, mechanical tools, &c.
and indeed whatever was used or consumed in the family, excepting
articles of trade. I had not been given particular charge. No in
ventory was ever taken of them, and they were used in the family as
occasion required without any account being rendered.
This I ever
considered as an evil, but it was an evil which I could not remedy,
and for which I was not accountable.
I would, however, mention
that the family in general were cautious about using any articles
unless they were imperiously demanded.
We endeavored to anticipate the wants of the Brethern stationed
at Tauwai, and they in their visits to us (three or four times in
the course of the year) examined what we had and took such things as
they thought desirable.
It was my intention to have sent by Capt. C. an account of our
expenses, but my time was then so completely occupied with other
duties as to render it impracticable.
I had been teaching a
school in Honorusu, previous to the purchase of the ship RUBY,
but as the breaking of that ship devolved upon me, it became neces
sary to suspend that employment.
I had, besides this, to attend to
the building of a large stone cook house, a large stone fence around
our yard, and various other matters, exclusive of the daily purchasig
of supplies for our table, so that I had no time or opportunity to
make out the account.
My time was not much the less occupied after
the arrival of the new Missionaries, and in consequence the account
has not till now been prepared.
I have been particular in men
tioning the causes of delay, because I am aware that the account
ought to have before been rendered.
It may have appeared surprising to you that the expenses of the
last year exceeded in such a high degree those of the two years
proceeding.
�Among the various causes which occasioned this may be mentioned
the following: 1 . The enlargement of the Mission Family at
Honorusu; 2 . The increase in the price of provisions; 3 . The
building of a stone Printing Office, a stone cookhouse, three
thatched dwelling houses, and 170 fathoms of stone wall; 4 . The
purchase of the ship "Ruby” , and expense of b eaking her up; 5 . The
outfit and passage of Captain Chamberlain and family to America.
In regard to the first of these, v i z . the enlargement of the
Mission Family, it may be mentioned that throughout the year it was c
considerably large for four or fiv e months it exceeded forty persons
and for some time it amounted to fifty.
The increase in the price
of provisions was very great.
During most of the two preceeding
years potatoes and taro were sold for $ 1 . a barrel.
Toward the
close of the year 1821 the price was raised to $2.
But during the
last year we were under the necessity of giving $ 3 . a barrel, except
ing a very short period, when we were able to get them for $1.25 a b
barrel.
The price of hogs, fowls, & c . was raised at least one thirdBut for want of cash to purchase fresh meat, we found it necessary
to use salt meat generally, which we could procure of the traders and
pay for by giving bills on the A .B.
Meat procured in this way
usually cost us from 25 to 30 dollars a barrel.
The actual expense of this Mission during the two first years
of its extablishment was much greater than would appear from the
bills drawn on the Treasurer during that time.
We brought us from
America 500 dollars in cash and a considerable quantity of clothing
& c. which served for our support.
Besides this, there was expended
in our family more than 500 dollars collected on the Orphan School
Fund.
The expense of making our first establishment was not great.
Our two principal houses at this place were built by government, and
for many months ourtable was almost wholly supplied by the liberality
of natives and foreigners.
The station at Kaisua (Ka i r u a ) cost
nothing.
At Taurvae almost the whole expense of the first estab
lishment was defrayed by the government.
During the two first years
also, presents, to a considerable amount were received both from
foreigners and natives; but as no account was taken of them, their
value cannot be ascertained.
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
228
V
Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of the S.I.M.
from March 15, 1822, to April 27, 1823
Articles received form the American Board,
689.33
Amount of Bills drawn on the
"
"
5011.50
Donations received at Hanoruru.
1440.22
Total, .....$7141.05
Of this there has been expended on account of
Tauwai,
Cost of vegetables for the station at
$1194.30
241.66
Honoruru,
Honoruru,
Bread, Flour, Rice and Indian Meal,
"
"
Meat, fresh and salt,
"
Molasses,
"
Sugar,
R um, Gin, Brandy and Wine,
Vinegar,
"
Lamp Oil,
"
"
Soap,
Firewood,
"
Coal,
"
Labor,
"
Travelling Expenses,
"
Contingencies,
"
Fencing,
"
Printing Office,
"
Dwelling Houses,
"
Cook-house,
"
Ship Ruby,
"
Breaking up of said ship,
Actual expense of above atricles
"
before charged,
"
Capt. C h a m b e r l a i n
Expended on account of Mr. Ellis,
for which secured a bill on L.M.S.
"
Total expenses which have been
charged,----
388.37
4 8 4 .00
173.50
7 9 .40
83.53
2 1 .00
118 .25
80.23
132.03
29.37
4 5 .40
2 5 .99
3 3 4 .29
1 87.00
8 3 .09
3 6 .70
124.00
4 0 5 .00
9 9 .83
150.46 (x)
521.61
291.70
$61 30 .
73
Which deducted fromthe amount secured,
leaves— 1010.32
Balance,-------------------- — $1010.32/
(x )
The following statement w ill explain this charge:
For the articles of bread, flour, rice, Indian meal, vegetables, meat, molasses, sugar, spirits, vinegar, oil,soap,
firewood, fencing,
u ses, labor ?oal contingencies and
o
h
�143
228.
there was paid out $752.30 in cash, which had been
borrowed at 20% .
This 20% , not having been reckoned with, a c
count of the above articles, when added, makes the above
charge of $150.46.
�144.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 22 9 .
From the proceeding statement it appears that there remaine
on the 27th of April, 1823, the sum of $1010.32, over and
above what was expended.
But no inventory was taken at that
time, and the quantity of provisions, furniture, articles of
trade, &c. procured during the year, and which then remained on
hand, is unknown.
A great proportion of the present from Mr.
Oliphant of Canton, was then, and is still, on hand.
It was
the custom in our family to divide the presents received, and I
had no opportunity of taking an account of what each individual
received.
Whether those articles thus divided have been e x
pended b y the individuals who received them, or whether they
still remain on hand, is unknown to me, except in some partic
ular instances as in that of the donation of Mr. Oliphant.
It is proper to mention here that all donations received
at this place were reckoned at their supposed value he r e .
Thus
bread was reckoned at $10. per cwt., flour, $1 5 . per b b l . , Beef,
$20 and Pork, $26. per bbl , Soap, 50 ¢ per lb.
We did not
actually pay out for these articles the sums annexed, but what
we secured from the Board, what we purchased and what we secured
in donations, estimated at their value here, amounted to the sums
specified in the general account.
How much was received in the way of donations at Tauwai is
unknown, no account of them having been rendered.
I have previously written to you recommending that cash and
provisions and other articles of support should be sent out from
America.
As Mr. Chamberlain will doubtless write to you on this
subject, I will not again resume it.
I will merely say that could
this plan be carried into effec t , nearly one half the expense of the
Mission could be saved.
I cannot conclude this without expressing my satisfaction and
joy at the appointment of Mr. Chamberlain in America as a General
Agent and superintendent of secular concerns for this Mission.
Such a person has been very much needed here from the commencement
of the Mission.
His duties will be extremely arduous, and trying,
but I have the fullest confidence in his ability to discharge them.
His aimable and Christian department has already endeared him to
us.
I doubt not he will be able to render essential aid to the
cause of Christ in these Islands.
Commending you. Dear Sir, unto God, and praying that you may
long be continued a blessing unto us and unto the heathen, I sub
scribe myself,
Yours, in the bonds of the Gospel,
ELISHA LOOMIS.
Jeremiah Evarts
Cor. Sec'y A.B.C.F.M.
�145.
229.
Mr. Elisha Loomis,
April 27, 1824.
Acknowledged, Oct. 22.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec'y of the A.B.C .F.M.,
B O S T O N ,
(Seal)
U.S.A.
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
7
Pa ge 230
OAHU, Sandwich Islands,
Wednesday,December 31, 1823.
Dear Sir:I am sorry to inform you that the Types which you
forwarded to us by the Octavia, are of no service, they being of
a size much larger than those which we had here before .
The
fount of types which we have here is what is called "Small Pica” ,
and it was for "Small Pica" Accents (Accented vowels) that we
wrote.
The accented vowells were received by the Octavia, but
they are of the size called Pica, and, of course, much too large
to be used with Small Pica.
In consequence of this mistake, we
are under the necessity of printing our books without any characters
to denote the different sounds of the vowells, a proper distinction
of which is very desirable.
We have written long since for a quantity of Small Pica, k's,
Roman, lower case.
Probably they are now on their way to these
Islands.
If they should prove to be too large or too small, it
would be a very great disappointment to us, as the number of k's
belonging to this fount is quite insufficient.
At present we are
unable to set up in type at one time more than 9 pages of the size
of our Spelling-book.
It is desirable that we should have a
sufficient number to set up at least 18 pages, at one time.
If the k's (400 in number) for which we wrote , have already
been procured and forwarded, which is most likely, I would advise
that the same number of k's of the size of the enclosed specimen be
procured and forwarded, unless it can be certainly known that those
previously sent were of the same size.
To prevent any mistake, I herewith enclose a specimen of the
Small Pica, which we have here, as we have recently written for a
fount of Pica.
I also enclose a specimen of the Pica Accents,
which we received by the Octavia.
If the fount of Pica w hich may
be procured for us should be of the size of the enclosed specimen, it
would not be necessary to have attached to it any accented vowells.
as those already here will be sufficient.
With the fount of Pica, these should be a suitable quantity of
'two line Pica', as these will be needed at the commencement of
Chapters, in the Gospels which we propose to print.
I would
also request that there should be sent a small quantity of 'two
line Brevier'.
We hope soon to receive a considerable quantity of paper,
for which we wrote to you long since.
I think we then m e n
tioned 40 reams, on account of the Spelling-book.But 40 reams
�147.
9 Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
230 (cont’d)
would make only 12,800 copies, and we have a population of 200,000
souls!
The state of the Islands at the present time is very
interesting.
The whole mass of the people seem to he anxiously
looking to us for books and for instruction.
It is the desire of
the chiefs that all classes of people should learn.
It is said
that the King and Boke, before they left these Islands for England,
gave orders to this effect, and now our house is daily thronged
with natives asking for books.
Nor is it merely scientific in
struction which is desired by the people.
Many of those who have
been taught in our schools, now attend family prayers daily at their
houses.
On the Sabbath the Meeting-House is generally crowded.
In
order has been recently published for the observance of the Sabbath.
Even the kindling of fires on this day is forbidden.
Probably near 2,000 of the natives are now able to read, and a c
considerable number write, so as to hold correspondence one with
another.
A few have commenced thestudy of arithmetic.
Suc h is
the desire which the natives have for instruction and such the
facility with which they learn that it would seem the whole popu
lation would become able to read if they had books put in their
hands, without any further efforts on our part.
Great numbers of those who were first instructed have gone to
different parts of the Islands and are now employed in teaching
others.
In one place there was found 16 or 18 persons able to
read, all of whom had learned from one Spelling-Book.
It is unto us, under Sod, that this people must look for
instruction, and on us, under God, are they in some measure
dependant.
How great our responsibility!
A nation to be
enlightened
But our help is in Go d .
He can accomplish the
greatest purposes, by means of the feeblest instruments.
I bless
God that He has seen fit to employ me and that I am enabled to bear
some humble part in this great work of extending the bounds of Hie
Kingdom.
It has been a matter of regret to me that I have been able to
employ so little of my time in teaching.
The year preceeding the
arrival of the reinforcement, my time was almost wholly occupied n
in the concerns of the family.
M r . Chamberlain on his arrival was
not able immediately to take charge of the concerns, for want of
some acquaintance with the language, and character of the people.
I have been employed a considerable part of the time since his
arrival in breaking up the ship Ruby.
For the last two or three
months I have been employed in covering the Printing Officer &
work of no small labour, as we had to saw our boards and split
our shingles.
The Printing-Office is now pretty well finished.
I am now engaged in printing an edition of Hymns, in the language,
After all, I feel that much of my time has been misspent. It is
now gone forever.
The year has nowclosed.
Perhaps I shall not
live to see the close of another.
It is a solemn reflection.
But
whether I live or die, may the Almighty put underneath me His
everlasting Arms.--My health for the last year has been considerably
injured by hard labour in the summer of 1822. It is now better.
The health of Mr. L. was also poor; but she is now better.
She iss
u
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k
t
d
i
e
b
,
a
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5
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�Page 230 (concluded)
She joins with me in cordial salutations to y o u .
I am. Dear Sir,
Yours,
ELISHA
LOOMIS-
(Signed)
Mr. Elisha Loom is,
July 12th, 1824.
Ans'd Oct. 22, 1824.
( 12)
(
(
(
(
PROVIDENCE
July
12
1 8 2 4.
)
)
)
)
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec 'y of the A .B.C.F.M.,
B O S T O N ,
Massachusetts.
Per Ship
"SUPERIOR."
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 231.
(1)
To the Prudential Committee of the
Board for Foreign Missions.
Honored Sirs: —
I am now about to lay before
you a subject which is not less greivous to my heart than I know
it must be to yours.
But situated as I am upon these far dis
tant shores (heathen), where "darkness hovers over the land, and
gross darkness covers the people, remote from the loved dwellings
of the Lion, where the glory of Jehovah rests with cheering and
vivifying radiance from those temples and altars of the living
God; where I once enjoyed a sweet communion with my brethern in
all that ordinances of Christ's House; and from that Christian
Soc iety, and circle of dear and intimate friends, with whom I once
participated in all those heavenly blessings which are calculated
to elevate the affections, inform the judgment and purify the
heart. — I feel it a duty I owe myself, my dear wife and the
cause in which I am professedly engaged, to submit the subject
before me to your candid examination and final discussion.
Con
fiding in your impartial judgment and unprejudiced minds, I humbly
trust you have the cause of humanity at heart, however you may
see fit to answer me, or any of m y proceedings
For a more perfect understanding of the subject I will
simply detail the account of the circumstances of our first
landing, a nd the manner I have prosicuted my business, since I
took up my residence upon these shores.
We arrived in sight of Crohyhu on the morning of April 30th,
at a place called Ko-hah-lah.
Twenty or thirty miles from Toa h ’e-ah-a, where lives one of the greatest Chiefs of the Nation,
named Kri-m'o-koo, or Sir William Pitt —
On our arrival at the
place of anchorage, Capt. B. thought best to send xx on shore, to
obtain information relative to the political situation of the
Islands, wheneon we were informed that Kinglani-a hani-a-hah
had been dead some months; that shortly after a c ivil w as broke
out which terminated in the destruction of their Tarboa Moria's and
Kiwl 's — and that Ke '-ho-ri-ho - the adopted son of the O lo King,
reigned in his stead.
The next day, May 1st, a boat with several gentlemen was sent
off to To-ah'e ah'-e to obtain direction from the Great Chief
Kri-mo-koo'- and others, would visit us on board, the next da y .
They came according to promise; and the subject of the Mission
was laid before them.
They assured us they were pleased, but also
assured us they could not give their consent to have us land until the
had seen the King, and called a counsel of the Chiefs.
That they
would accompany us to the place where the King about 40 miles distant
�150.
Page 231
(2)
called Ki-ah-hoo'-ah- on the S . W. part of the Island, where
we arrived the next morning.
'The Mission subject was laid
before the King, upon which a Council was called and the
subject taken into consideration. Several days spent in
soliciting permission to proceed to Oah'-hoo (or Wah-hoo) as
it was thought to be by far the most favorable place to commence
a station.
The King replied that there were too many of us;
that he
had been told the Americans were a bad people— that he was
fearful our motives were not such as we pretended, but that we
had come for the purpose of taking the Islands from them, &c/
Our solicitations were renewed, and, after using our utmost
endeavors to convince him that our object was purely to do
good.
Informing them that there was a Physician in our number
w ho could heal their diseases; the King observed that the Physician
was very good, and he should like to have him stay; but that he
did not care about the rest; that he should like a ship-carpenter
to build vessels for him, but pullah-pullah- i .e . , To learn to
read would do him no good, it would not make him righ (rich)
However, as he was desirous to have the Physician stay with him,
he would give his consent to have us all land at Ki-ah-voo-ah,
where we might stay three moons on trial; and if at the end of
that time he did not approve of us, we must leave the Islands.
On consideration the Mission Family thought that the
situation of Kiah-voo'-ah rendered it highly improper for all
of us to take up our residence upon this Island,as there was no
fresh water within the distance of 5 or 6 miles, and that, upon
the Mountain, which could be obtained only by being brought upon
men's shoulders in calabashes.—
The country around Kiah-voo-ah
for several miles back into the country is made up of scraggy
rocks of burnt Lava— with little or no vegetation— except now and
then a hill of potatoes--where a spot of earth can be found -on a
or a tobacco plant.
Consequently we renewed our entreaties that a part, if not
all of us might go to Aahhoo— To which after a long consultation
but expressing much anxiety--they consentedThe next considera
tion was who of the family would be willing to stay.
My own
destiny was fixt by the choice of the King, who said that the
Physician must stay, and one Teacher— Accordingly a meeting of
the Brethern was called, and the question proposed, which one of
the Brethern would go on shore, and take up with me their abode
upon these barren rocks.
Ho one felt disposed to volunteer; all the Ladies were very
averse to stopping at this place, all wished to go on to Aah-hoo.
C
Contrary to the wishes and entreaties of M rs. H.
I agreed to
comply with the request of the Kin g .
Knowing it to be for the
good of the Mission, at least for the present, butI told her at
the same time (and I believed it to be perfectly understood b y the
Brethern) that if upon trial she should not feel contented, with
the King's consent I would go with her to Aah-hoo, or any other
place as he should direct. /
It was the general opinion that
one of the Preachers should accompany us, butthey were both equally
�151.
Page 2 3 1
(3)
bent on going to Aah-hoo, so it was finally agreed to ballot.
Mr. Thurston was taken, and he with our companions were set on
shore on the morning of the same da y ; and conducted to a small
hut about 14 feet square, which had been previously occupied
b y the natives, where we for the first time made our pillows
upon heathen shores.
the King
Soon after our landing, I was called upon b y ((. ((((((((
to render medical aid to one of his xxx wives, and a number of
his attendants and servants, with all of whom, b y the blessing
of God, I had very good success; although some of them were danger
ously ill.
The native Physicians were much opposed to my practice,
telling my patients that I should kill them, and it is to be sus
pected that had I not been successful in my first setting out,
the consequences might have proved unhappy for me.
The native
Physicians are extremely superstitious, and they know little or
nothing of how to distinguish one disease from another; but
generally administer the same medicine in all disorders— and if
the person to whom they give medicine dies, they suppose him to
have been prayed to death b y some enemy.
Indeed this people
do not believe in a natural death, but that they are prayed to
death, killed by Ah'-hoo'-ah-ena (evil spirit) or some unforseen
casualty.
Page 232.
(5)
The medicine they give seems to be more for the purpose of
driving Ah-hoo-ah- out of the person, than of healing the disease,
which are composed principally of cathartics, and those of the
most drastic kind.
I have known several instances of death from
their operation.
The cathartic offset frequently continues for
several days, and often times terminates in inflammation and death.
I soon had as much practice in my profession as I could well
attend to— and not only was obliged to act as Physician, but as
nurse.
The King and Chiefs presented me with hogs, tarroa, sweet
potatoes, & c. which served for a great part of the provisions of
the family.
I continued in this manner for several weeks, grow
ing apparently in favor of the Chiefs and by degrees obtaining the
confidence of all.
But at the same time, as I was well aware,
there were men who conducted themselves friendly towards me and
my brethern, before our faces, while in reality they were our
greatest enemies; using their utmost endeavors to disaffect the
minds of the Chiefs towards us,--telling them that the Mission
had been sent out as spies under the American Government, who
were calculating soon to take the IslandsThat the Physician
had brought American Medicine for the purpose of poisoning the
natives, and many other such like arguments, which had no smell
influence over the minds of this ignorant people.
Becoming more and more acquainted with their manners and
customs, I soon began to feel that my situation as Physician, was
far more dangerous than I had apprehended.
My interpreter, Mr.
Young, son of the well known Mr. John Young, had the goodness to
inform me of m y danger, assuring me that if any of the high Chiefs
should die under my care, they would throw the blame on me, which
would most certainly endanger my life.
Wherefore
�152.
232.
(6)
I, therefore, saw that it was very necessary for me to b e cautions
in the administering of medicine.
By the helping of God, however,
I have thus far been highly favored, having lost hut three patients.
Three natives and one white m a n . Two of them died at Ki-ah-voo-ha of
the hillious colic, and the other of Hemiphiigia.
The former was a
Captain of the K i n g ’s Guards. He was the attendant of the Old
Queen; the other was a child at Mowa of a consumption; 4th, a white
man at Oahoo of inflammation of the bowels. All of them except the
first had been sick for some time previous to m y visiting them.
I
would, however, further observe that the first of them was a partic
ular friend of the King.
I was solicited to attend him by the King,
who went with me to his house.
I informed the King that his friend
was in eminent danger, and told him I was fearful that I could
not help him, and, therefore, would rather not do anything for
him, as I might be blamed if he died in my hands.
The King
however, was very earnest that I should attempt to do something
for him, assuring me that whatever the consequences might be, I
should not be censured.
Accordingly I proceeded to make use of
every means in my power to rescue him from the grave, but
medicine had no effect; he died within a few xxxx hours after he
was taken sick.
The King and Chiefs appeared to be satisfied
that I had done all that I could.
He was burried under arms in
the American Mission manner.
In his coffin was put a calibash of
poa, a roasted pig and several bottles of wine and rum, together
with mats and tapper.
While at Ki-ah-voo-ah M r s .H . was very unwell part of the time,
indeed she declined in her health so fast that I was apprehensive
she would soon fall into the phthisis pulmonatis, if she did not
soon obtain help from source.
The heat of the c limate, which is very
oppressive at Kiahvooah, more so than at any of the other Islands,
seemed to affect her much.
Her mind was much affected from sources, all of which I shall
not attempt to enumerate.
The many inconveniences and privations
which she was obliged to suffer were not inconsiderable.
Water
was for the most part of the time very scarc e/
The King thought
it was too great a burden (burthen) to find us as much as we
needed; so that it was with difficulty some part of the time that
we could get enough to drink, and for cooking.
And the little we
did obtain was often so filthy as to be unfit for use.
Mrs. H.
frequently desired me to remove to Aah-hoo, or some other place
where she might get such things as would make her more comfortable,
and if possible recover her health.
I told her that to remove without
the consent of the King would not be expedient; but with his consent
her request should be granted.
I accordingly asked permission from the King, and his Counsellor
Krimahoo, to remove to Oah-hoo, stating my reasons & c .
After con
sulting a few hours on the subject, they told me they were satisfied
with my reasons for wishing to remove, but they were not willing h
that I should go to O-ah-hoo, saying that all the white people liked
O -ah-hoo better than any other place, and if I went there I would
never come back.
But that xx they would build me a house at the Loahinah, a distant district in the South station, the southwestern
part of the Island of M o wer.
�153.
Page 232.
(7 )
Observing that that would be half way between the two stations,
and then I could visit either, as duty called.
Their true
reason, however, I was told and am well convinced, was quite
differentThey were not yet convinced that the reports
respecting the Americans were false, or of my intentions to
poison them— and fearing that it would be in my power to do
more hurt at O -ah-hoo than at the Lahinah, they pitched upon the
latter, telling me that I should have everything I wanted for
my comfort which the Island afforded, until the King should move
to O-ah-hoo, which he intended doing in the course of 4 or 5 more
moons; he should then wish me to go with him.
I then again rrequested the opinion of Brother Thurston on the subject, which I
had done previous to my conference with the King and Chiefs--but
he appeared indifferent, and gave me no satisfactory answer.
I also wrote to the brethern at O-ah-hoo respecting my removal,
and my reasons for so doing, expecting their united and cordial
consent, (exclusive of one individual whose voice I know in most
cases to be the voice of a l l . ).
To my proceeding, but knowing
that an old pryu still existed towards me, I did not expect his
ready compliance, although I hoped for his compassion towards my
dear wife.
A few days passed, and Brother Whitney came up with
remonstrances to my removal, saying that I ought not to regard
Mrs. Holman's health so much as to remove to any place even for
& short time, that it was distrusting Providence, & c . & c. , and
further it was suspected I had some secret motive which I had not
yet made known to them— but if I went anywhere, it was my duty
to go to O-ah-hoo.
I told him, and this was the advice o f my
interpreters, Thomas Noo-poo and William Young, that if I should
go to O-ah-hoo, without or against the will of the King, it
would expose the Mission to imment danger.
I reassured them of
the purity of my motive; I felt that my own situation as Physician
was delicate, and that of Mrs Holman more s o .
She plead that if
she might leave this place, she would be willing to live awhile
without any society, provided she could have water and a few fresh
p r o v i o n s , other salutary reasons she could give, but for the sake
of the cause of Christ she thought it not proper to make them known.
I felt that the path of duty was made plain, notwithstanding
the obstacles which presented, and to neglect it would be "denying
the faith "
We, therefore, set out on the 30th, and arrived at the Lahinah
on the 31st of July, where we found everything prepared for our
receition.
The kindness and attention which were manifested to M r s .
Holman by the natives, but more especially (particularly) by the
family of a white man, by the name of Butler, had no small tendency
to revive her almost despondent m i n d .
Her fruits, as well as the
fresh sea breeze had a happy effect on her health.
We had lived here four weeks when I was called to visit a
Captain Dean, who had just arrived at O-ah-hoo from Manilla, dan
gerously sick, and who was at the trouble of obtaining permission
from the Government for me to visit him.
We arrived at O-ah-hoo
�154.
Page 233.
(9)
about the last of August, where we were treated by our Brethern
of the Mission with manifest indifference, so that it was noticed
by strangers.
We were in consequence invited to board with Capt/
Dean and his xxxx partner, who lived in a respectable style— and
for Mrs. Holman's sake I accepted the invitation as I knew she
would be better accommodated there than elsewhere.
The reasons for their coldness was afterwards explained to me by
?rs. B . who told me she had sent me a letter previous to my arrival
which would inform me of my suspension from the privileges of the
Church, with many charges, of which I had been as ignorant, as I
now plead myself innocent.
Together with threats, of taking from
my hands the Medicine, books, instruments & c ., which were intrusted
to my care.
I told him I should not willingly give them up, until
such time as I as authorized by the Board.
As I felt responsible
in a great measure for the health of the family.
Knowing that I
could not be useful without them.
Such, Honored Sirs, is my present unhappy circumstance.
Grieved and woun ded to the heart, I cannot
neglec t to e m
brace this opportunity of letting you know my situation, while I
crave your candid advice and direction what to d o .
I cannot but feel conscious of doing myduty in that the prin
cipal cause of which I am thus neglected, and, I feel, abused.
In all my conduct I feel that I have studied the welfare
of the Mission.
It has been, and now is, my heart's desire and
earnest prayer to do what I could for the happiness of the family
and the good of the heathen.
I feel that the treatment I have received from my brethern
(I would not say from all, for dare they speak their real sen
timents, there must be a contradiction) is without a just cause
o r foundation, except it be from prejudice or jealousy.
I kno w , there has been a prejudice in the minds of some,
subsisting towards me ever since the 3rd or 4th week after our embbarkation, the cause of which, to do justice to do justice to M r s .
Holman's feelings, (as it is in her behalf, the more than my own
that I now plead) I cannot fail to mention.
In conversation
with M r . B . one morning, he asked her if she did not know that it
was suspected by the family that she was taking to herself property
which was c onsecra ted to the Mission, property to which she had no
individual rights.
She replied in the negative, and requested an
explanation.
He told her that it was thought that the oranges and
lemons which she had made so liberal a use of, were some that had been
put up by some friend for the use of the whole family.
She assured
him in tears (x) that they were a box her brother purchased and put
up for her, together with several other articles, raisins, pepper
mints, & c.
(x) This part of the conversation was overheard by a third
person who happened to be in the cabin, who, to use his own words,
told me "he staid till he had heard enough” and left the cabin/
�155.
Page 233.
(11)
The day previous to our departure, he then told her it would b e
happy for her if she could prove it; that it was truly unfor
tunate for her that the family could not help their suspicions, & c .
The feelings of a delicate female who had partially recovered
from a bed of sea-sickness, weak and nervous— can better be i m
agined than described, on receiving such confirmation.
But to
aggravate the case still more, on asking him if she had not been
liberal enough with them, telling him she had distributed more
than 3/4 of them to the sisters and family.
To which he replied
that the very circumstances of her distributing them as freely s erserved to strengthen the finger of suspicion.
It was not till the
next day that she opened her mind and revealed the subject of the
conversation to me, altho she went immediately to her brother
Samuel, who appeared not less agitated than herself, and who
advised her to say nothing about it, but to write home the first
opportunity to her brother, who is a respectable (reputable)
merchant in Brookfield, Conn. and get his statement of the fact
that he purchased them, &c .
At another time on hearing a com
plaint that sugar was consumed very fast, she replied that having dr
drunk neither tea nor coffee, she presumed she had not used 1/4
of a pound since coming on board.
X To which Mr. B. replied:
"Stop! and recollect where you got the sugar you ate apon your
lemons so plentifully" — She told him it was some that her brother
S. gave her, which he put up for his own consumption on the
passage .
He told her that it was fortunate for her that she had
her brother S. present to prove it, for it was strongly supposed
that that too belonged to t he Mission, as well as the lemons.
I need not tell you that I entered into this subject with the
deepest interest.
The keenest, heartfelt emotions were excited
between us, as well as our brother.
We felt that the fatal —
blow to our happiness was struck, if such sentiments of jealousy
were to exist between brethern of our family, of our Church, and
communion.
Is this thought I putting on that " charity which
thinketh no evil".
Indeed I felt this subject to be too im
portant to be unnoticed, or treated with indifference.
I gave
my mind fairly and feelingly to the brethern.
I felt that some
redress ought to be made t o Mrs. H . whose feelings were wounded in
the tenderest point.
At which M r . B . replied for a l l ,- "We can
not help our suspicions, but it is M r s . Homan's misfortune."
This, Dear Sirs, I I conceive to be the commencement of
difficulties, and trials, which on our part I know not how to have b
been avoided, and which I believe to be the foundation of pre
judices againstmewhich I fear will not easily be eradicated.
From this time, and from these circumstances the mind of Mrs/
?. began to be depressed.
Feeling that if such suspicions ex
isted in the minds of the family, towards her, she could never
enjoy that happy interchange of interest, sentiment and sympathy
of soul which ought to subsist between them, of the same communion
and which she fondly anticipated would be the case when she un
ited with this little family.
�156.
Page 233.
(12)
from that time she has continued to express the desire
one day to return home to the bosom of friends.
Her health
has been declining, and her spirits desponding ever since, and
should she continue in this frame of mind, with no more prospect
of relief, I shall feel it m y absolute duty to return with her;—
though at present I feel for my own part no disposition to
relinquish my important trust, notwithstanding my peculiarly
unpromising circumstances,--but far from it.
I feel to commit the case into the hands of those who
can endure all things for the best good of His creatures, and
the furtherance of His glorious Kingdom
Page 23 4 .
(13)
When I look around me and behold the many thousands of
perishing mortals, destitute of the Word of God, ignorant of
a Saviour, and groping in pagan darkness, and murkiest super
stition, my soul is pained within me, and I am ready to exclaim:
"How long, O Lord, how long, before these poor souls shall
burst the bonds which they have been so long bound with by the
God of this world, and brought into the glorious liberty of the
children of God."
For our consolation the Scriptures assure us, and the signs
of the times demonstrate, that the period cannot be far distant
when, not only this, but all Nations shall come to a knowledge
of this truth, as it is in CHRIST JESUS.
The inhabitants of these Islands cab truly be said to be
waiting for the love of Christ
The recent and sudden abolition
of human sacrifices and idol worship; the destruction of images,
altars and temples, plainly evince the truth.
I write from Ah-too-i, where I was called about 5 weeks
since to administer to the families of Brothers Ruggles and
Whitney medical a id.
Since my arrival M r s . Whitney has been
presented with a find, healthy daughter.
Mrs. R. expects to be
confined in a few weeks; after which I shall return to Lahiuneah,
where I purpose staying until I receive other calls.
Mr S. Holman's health is evidently better since our arrival
at Ah-too-i, than it has been long before our landing.
I think
of having her with her brother, hoping it will be for her good.
She wishes to be remembered affectionately to you all, while
I remain, Dear Sirs,
Your Obedient & Humble Servant,
THOMAS HOLMAN.
Ah-too-i,
Nov. 21, 1820.
�157
(14)
P.S.-- After hearing the foregoing statement of facts, the
Honorable Board will, I flatter myself, take the earliest op
portunity of giving me their minds ; together with su ch advice
as they shall think proper.
If I have in any of m y proceed
ings forfeited my trust to the Articles put into my hands by
the American Board, I fully relinquish them.
Should I be thought worthy to be continued in the service,
I may expect a support.
I would take this opportunity to inform you that I stand in
immediate need of some articles of clothing, particularly shoes,
summer pantaloons, vests, coats, & c.
This clothing is all that
I need at present.
M r s . Holman would be glad of a piece of
linen diaper, and a piece of curtain calico with one or two
chests or trunks.
I should likewise be glad of a Microscope and the Eclectic
Respiratory,--ad. at Philadelphia or the New England Medical
Journal.
I will just inform you that our hearts have been cheered
by the reception of letters from America, this morning, and by
the Cleopatra's Barge, Capt. Smith.
Capt. Bennet will be the bearer of these sheets— he sails
this evening.
In haste,
Your Unworthy Servant,
THOS. HOLMAN.
�"Do not Copy"
Pages 255
to
283, inclusive.
(Instructions on slips of paper
inserted b y Professor Ballou. )
Anorah C. Sullivan.
�158.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
Page 284
V
Rev. William Richards,
Feb. 19 , 1824.
Lahina, Island of Mauii,
August 30th, 1823.
Mr. Evarts,
A messenger from Oahu informed us this morning
that the EERO will sail in a day or two for America ,
A
boat returns to Honoruru in a few hours.
The notice is too sh
short to prepare our Journal.
I neglect my parents and all my
private friends to perform the duty which I ooe (owe) to you
and the Prudential Committee.
( Balance of letter printed in
20 Missionary Herald 110
See April- 1824.
)
N .B . - The following paragraph is omitted in the Herald:
It may appear strange that the Chiefs, who are such strong
friends to us do not support us entirely.
I can give a reason
which must be satisfactory even to a stranger.
The Chiefs
themselves live in thatched houses— few of them wear clothing,
except on the Sabbath, and the principal living is fish & poi.
We come to live with them and they build us houses like Their
own; they give us land sufficient to supply us with poi and they
make us presents of as many fresh fish as we need; besides these th
things, they sometimes send us a pig, a goat, or a few potatoes,
a few bananas, a melon and the like.
But an American can easily see that these things do not
support u s .
Shall we have no bread— no meat but once or
twice a month, no flour, no clothes to wear but tappa, no beef
but mats, no houses but gross, no floors but the earth, no
windows, but open holes through the houses, no medicine when we are
sick, and none of the
other comforts which we have e n
joyed in our native land?
I do not enumerate these things because
we do not enjoy them, for many of the things mentioned we have in
our possession, but they are expensive and these are the things
which are not provided by the Chiefs, who are our friends. Enough,
I think, is already said to account for all the expense we make
the churches.
Your distant fellow laborer,
Wm. Richards
�Thomas Holman,
June 1, 1821.
B y the Volunteer Capt. Bennett.
Reverend S. Worcester, D. D.,
S A L E M ,
Massachusetts.
�160.
9 Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 285.
Lahaiua, Island of Maii, Sandwich Ids.,
December - 1820.
To
Samuel Waite, Esquire,
Much honored and very dear Friend,—
One of the first duties
I appointed to myself after my embarkation from America, was to
write a long letter to you, not only to express my respect and
sincere affection, but also to make a full and deliberate state
ment concerning my pecuniary relations to the Board.
From a
great variety of causes it has, however, been unavoidably de
layed till the present time, though two or three ships have sailed
from the Islands for America since my arrival.
I have at times felt great uneasiness least for a want of
such an explanation, which I am persuaded will clear me from
every charge of disingeniousness towards the Committee, I may
have suffered somewhat in the eyes of those, who, above all
men living, I wish to be perfectly free, not only from any
belief, but from every suspicionof conduct, which, even as a
man, much more as a C hristian & Missionary, I should blush to own.
The first thing to be explained, is the non-execution of the
deed for a lot of land in Jersey, valued at $1200— the considera
tion (condition) on which $1000 were advanced to m e .
For reasons which existed in the circumstances of the case,
&
w h i c h are perfectly satisfactory because they arose from an
almost absolute necessity involved in it, I never received the
actual proposition, nor had the direct management of my property,
though of age three or four years before leaving America.
I
never knew the amount of it, because it could not be ascertained
any further than that it fully warranted the necessary expendi
tures attending the best means of education that our country
afforded.
My adopted Mother & guardian, Mrs. Wilson, being the
Executrix of the whole estate belonging to the family, had all
the property under her control.
My income, in cash, was not
sufficient for the last few years to meet the expenses of all
the advantages she wished me to enjoy; and she chose to advance
what was deficient, rather than debar me from them, knowing that
there was a large estate of landed property from which she could
receive remuneration.
When I left America, these advances, with the interest on
them, had amounted to $4000.
This would not have interfered with
the conveyance of the specified lot to the Board (for I had
property in the same state more than sufficient to liquidate the
claim) had it not been for an unforseen (unexpected) embarrassment
of the funds of M r s . Wilson, of which I knew nothing until within
�161.
Page 285.
a month of our departure for the Islands.
Till then I had
fully expected to execute the deed the moment I arrived in Boston.
But with the information, I ascertained that unless the $4000.
could be raised immediately from my landed property, that not
only Mrs. Wilson, but her whole family would probably be involved
in absolute ruin.
The sum could not be raised without in
cluding the lot I designed for the Board, because it was the most
saleable(and for that very reason the part I had fixed on to put into
the possession of the Society) part of my estate.
My obligations
to Mrs. Wilson’s family were so immense, that I could not, in
conscience, nor in heart, thwart a plan the execution of which was
of the least importance to herself and family.
There was no time
to communicate with the Committee, to tain permission to substitute
another security.
I, therefore, under the circumstances, felt it
m y duty to commit that lot to the disposal of my mother, and
determine on making an assignment of all my possessions which
remained after the satisfaction of the claim, to the Board, with
which I delt the Committee would be satisfied; as such an assign
ment would unquestionably more than cover the advance received
from them.
This is all that I hace to say in justification of the
failure of producing the deed.
I could not have done otherwise
without becoming a monster of ingratitude to ton who had qualified
me without reward for becoming in any degree useful to myself &
to my fellow beings.
In the judgment of the world, at least,
it would be chagrin enough for her to see all her fondest hopes from
me blackened by engaging in the Missionary Cause, without adding
to it any direct loss which I could have prevented.
The history of the assignment may be made more concise.
I
ascertained from Mr. Sandford, our family lawyer in New York,
what kind of investment would be necessary to secure the absolute
right to my property to the Society, and then gave him directions
to draw it up.
It was not finished until 9 o'clock the night
before I went to New Haven.
The writing he prepared was that
which I have had handed to the Secretary.
I saw at once that it
was not at all what I had ordered, and what he knew I desired to ex-ecute.
I knew the reason he was in the interest of my family, &
was aware that they would disapprove my intention, & had vigilantly
guarded against the fulfillment of i t .
It was too late to have
it altered in N.Y., and I was compelled to start the next morning
at day break for the Coast.
I could do nothing more than execute
that which was before m e .
I expected to make any alteration you
might dictate at New Haven, but there was not time there, even for
me to make an explanation of the case.
I have not yet heard a syll
lable concerning my property in its present condition, but trust it
will be so arranged that the Committee will not have to regret that
they ever took me & mine under their patronage.
In the course of a few days, at farthest, Mr. Richards & my
self will have an official report of our residence at Lahauia up to
the 5th of December prepared; & will transmit it by the Paragon,
Champion or Octavia, all of which ships sail in the course of a
fortnight.
The journal of the first three months would have been
�162.
Page 28 5 .
sent on the October mail ship, but at that time I was quite
unwell, & felt xxcapable of doing nothing but copying a set
of drawings taken by M r . E llis during his tours on Hawaii, and
which will be forwarded to the Missionary rooms a s soon as the
accompanying documents can be prepared.
Mrs. Stewart & myself
both feel a strong affection for M r . F ay, & would desire to be
particularlyremembered to him— also on my part to Mr. Hubbard,
who has much of my friendship & love, and to Mr. Anderson,
Mrs .W
.
joins me in affectionate salutations to yourself
& Mrs. Evarts.
If you have any recollection of so small a matter as the
ultimate choice you made of a berth on board the Thames for
Dr . Blatc hley, for whom you acted by proxy, whether you put
his name on the curtains of the upper or middle berth, or which
of the two you designed for him, by communicating it to me, you
will confer a favor upon him.
He is under the impression that he is ------ enough to take
posession of the berth you designed for him, because I found it was
better than that I had chosen for xxx myself.
If I mistake not,
the middle berth, with your approbation, was allotted to me, for
the better accommodation of Betsey Stockton.
Yours as ever,
Chas. Sam'l Stewart.
R e v . Chas. S. Stewart,
July 12, 1824.
Acknowledged ,
December 30, 1824.
Ship 12.
(Providence, R. I . )
(
July 12.
)
JEREMIAH EVARTS, Esquire,
Mission Rooms,
Market Street,
BO S T O N , U.S.A.
Per Ship
)
"CHAMPION".)
�9
Previous to Sept.
1824.
V
Page 286.
Ship Thames, Long Island, Nov. 2 0 t h
M y dear sir:I received a letter this morning from the Rev. Mr.
Pond of Ward (Me) the contents of which while they filled me with
surprise, excited also the wishto communicate to you a statement
of facts, which the jurry at New Haven prevented me attending t o .
Mr. Pond writes (Nov. 17th) "I received a letter yesterday
from Josiah Prentiss, Esq. of Charlestown(Charlton, Me.) i n
forming me that a report was current there, and flying every
where that you called for refreshment at Spurr's Tavern, Charlton,
last week, and at your departure purloined the Landlord's whip,
and also took money from the drawer.
He states that there is great
rejoicing in the enemy's camp, and than an article is preparing
for publication on the subject in one of the infidel papers.
Now to y o u . Dear Sir, I feel disposed to submit a simple
statement of facts, in order that it may be in your power to
obviate any difficulties that may possibly arise from this cir
cumstance.
I feel perfectly unmoved by the story, because I feel
no guilt.
I shall then
take no great pains to contradict
the report any further than briefly to answer M r . Pond's letter.
The facts are these:
On our way from Worcester we mistook the
Hartford Road, and turned off to the left towards Oxford.
At the
latter place, night overtook us and we put up.
Early in the
morning we went on our way & stopped to breakfast at Charlton
Our things were all carried into the breakfast room, except the
whip, which b y mistake was in another roo m .
After breakfast
being in a hurry to get along as we were late, and with a burden
on my mind, arising from the affecting scenes from which we had
recently torn ourselves, we got hastily into the chaise. Find
ing that my whip was left behind, I sprang out of the chaise and
ran into the room where we breakfasted, and took a whip which
stood by the table where our things had been; and taking it for
granted it was mind, I never so much as examined it, whether it
was so or n o t .
And it was not until I had proceeded ten or
fifteen miles that I discovered my mistake.
I regretted it
exceedingly, but the Tavern being off the public road I could not
send it back.
I, therefore, concluded that the safest way was to
get it priced and send back the money.
At night we put up at the R e v . Mr. Nash's, Tolland.
About
9 o'clock two m en came in and inquired for me.
One of them, I
soon learned, was the Landlord where I breakfasted, & the other
was a Sher/iff.
We succeeded in allaying their anger, by fully
satisfying them as we supposed that I had no intention to steal
the wh i p .
I settled with them by paying the expense of their
journey, and then keeping them over night, and next morning we
parted apparently on friendly terms.
Here I supposed the matter
would rest.
But it seems the enemy is determined to make a
�164.
Page 286.
nefarious use of it, bu adding to it, what I know nothing about,
the story of pillaging their drawer.
The landlord has the
appearance of a gentleman, and if he is such, he will doubtless
refute every such charge.
But I have done with this irksome
business , & shall trouble m y thoughts no more about it.
Other
and more important concerns claim my attentions.
The Missionaries are all well and in excellent spirits.
They are a lovely assemblage & we anticipate a pleasant voyage.
Pray for us that the God of Missions may go with us.
Mrs. B.
wishes to be remembered.
Yours affectionately,
A. BISHOP.
To
Jeremiah Evarts Esq.,
Cor. Sec 'y A.B.C.F .M.,
B O S T O N , Mass/
�165
Previous to Sept. 1824.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Dear Sir:I think it altogether probablethat the
vessel which spoke the Thames at sea brought letters
from the Missionaries for you as well as for those who
received them in this city, and that they have been
forwarded to Boston.
Yet as it is possible there may
be some delay in your receiving the intelligence & as
our paper (the New York Observer) will not come out
till Saturday, I send a copy of the letters in season
for appearing in the Missionary Herald for July.
The
vessel that spoke the Thames left the letters at Sagg
Harbor, long Island, whence they came to this city by
mail.
Respt'y, dear Sir, Your obt . se r v t .
,
RICHARD
C.
MORSE*
from the Rev. Mr. Bishop.
Ship Thames, At Sea, Lat. 23 ° N .
Lon. 20 30' E . , Dec. 20, 1822.
I need not tell you, Madam, the pleasure I felt
at seeing you & your daughter at New Haven, or the
pain when I saw my friends standing on the beach as
the boat pushed off and I could do nothing but waive my
hand in token of a long farewell.
But why should I say
long?
I hope to meet them in a very few days on the
shores of eternity, where we shall all be beautified
with the righteousness of the Redeemer, and glorified
with his likeness.
It is this, and this only, that
bears me up under the reflection that salutations with
my Christian friends on earth arepast.
Were there no
hereafter, no heaven of happiness, to which it is to be
hoped, most of them are looking, my heart would sink
within m e .
But so much of a pilgrim have I become
that the distance of time which separates Eternity
from my view seems very short; and the thought of
meeting my friends there quite familiar.
�166
Page 287.
Muc h of the dread of Death, which I used to feel, is
taken away in the joyful hope of greeting on the peaceful shores of Eternity those whom I leave here on
earth, but from whose society I am precluded till
hereafter.
------- ---- ------Thus far our voyage has been prosperous.
For the
first two weeks the sea was boistrous, but most of
our time since has passed pleasantly.
We are now near
the Cape de Verd Islands, where we may touch, &
leave our letters.
Brother Stewart will give you in
detail the manner in which we apss our time.
I will
only say, that I am as happy as if on land.
Sabbath &
sanctuary privileges are enjoyed by us; and I never
attended a church with more satisfaction than I feel
when sitting on deck & hearing my brethern preach. It
is interesting also, to witness the apparent attention
paid by the sailors to the Word of God
They have
formed themselves into a Bible Class, & recite the
lessons in Rev. W . McDowell's Bible Questions.
What trials are yet before us, we are not anxious
to know.
Doubtless our faith must be proved by
affliction to fit us for our work.
Bur there are no
sufferings or sacrifices which we ought not to endure
for Him, who hath died for us.
With Christian salutations,
ARTEMAS
BISHOP.
�167.
From the Re v . Mr. Stewart
We are now within a short distance of the Cape de Verd
Islands, where we expect to touch, & may have opportunity to
send letters to America.
We had a very rough and boistrous time for the first
fortnight beyond anything the Captain ever experienced before.
It blew a continuous gale, & we had two tremendous storms, the
first, two days after we put to sea, and the last, the following week;
but though we witnessed scenes of terror enough to render solemn
any mind, we were (were) in no particular danger, nor much
alarmed.
Everything has been ordered for us by Providence in
loving kindness & tender mercy.
The ship & accommodations ever surpass our hopes, and the
Captain & officers treat us with all the affection of
a father and brothers.
The utmost unanimity & Love prevails in
the family.
Every arrangement is made to our minds,
& though it is only a month since we embarked, we are
as much at home as if we were on land.
The bell rings for us in the cabin to rise at
day-break.
We have prayers in the Cabin at sunrise.
The first table is served at 8 o'clock for the Captain,
1st Mate & 5 missionaries with their wiv es.
The
second immediately after for the 2d & 3 d mates, one of the
Missionaries & wife, in rotation, the servant girl, the
four natives & the steward.
From 9 to 12 we study— dine
at one— practice sacred music a short time— then stucy till
near night— supper at 6 & have prayers on deck at 1/2 past
7, at the ringing of the bell.
Page 288.
We retire to bed at about 10 .
On Tuesday & Saturday
evening we hear a lecture on the qualifications,duties &
difficulties of the Missionary office from Dr. Bogue's Compend.
On Friday Evening we have a conference, & a delightful one it is.
On Sunday at 10 o'clook A . M. we have prayer meeting in the cabin,
and
service on deck af 4 P. M. ; in the evening we repeat our
cate
c h i s m with the natives, and have a hymn & prayers with par
ticular reference to them.
Besides these exercises, we have
two Bible Classes, one in the steerage, & one in the forecastle,
comprising nearly the whole crew— these are subdivided into four
sections, which we hear separately before public worship.
The thoughts of our distant friends follow us probably with
sighing and sadness & many a gloomy hour, no doubt is spent in ipcturing our sufferings & sorrows. But we, thus far,
with the exception of the storms have know little but peace & joy.
We often think of our friends & feel tenfold the affection for them
we ever did--that affection fills our bosoms with indescribable
emotions— but there is not one regret mingled with them.
Pray for us and the crew— we pray much for you.
�168.
Page 288.
With Christian salutations,
Chs. Sa m . Stewart.
Postscript.
L at. 44° S. Lon. 60° W. Feb. 2, 1823.
All's Well !
�169.
M r . R . C. Morse,
)).____
Rev. A. Bishop,
Rev. C. S. Stewart.
June 25, 1823.
�17 0 .
Page 288.
C. S. Stewart
')
June 25, 1823 . (1823)
�171.
f 9
Previous to S e p t. 1824.
V
Page 289.
Honoruru, Oahu, October 15, 1823.
Rev. A. Bishop.
Nov. 27, 1824.
Respected & Very dear Sir:It is now almost a year since we parted,
perhaps for the last time at New Haven, and though you and
yours have often been remembered in my thoughts and my prayers;
yet nothing of importance has occurred, that seemed to call upon me
to pen a letter to you, until the present time.
And even now, I
have little to say in addition to any interesting facts that will
not be fully detailed in our public journals.
You may perhaps be
surprised to learn that most of our reinforcements, still remain
at Oahu, while there exists such a call for our labours in other
places.
But we have not been altogether idle since we arrived,
tho exempted in some measure from the toils peculiar to a Missionare life.
Could we have had the desires of our hearts, we
should have removed to our several stations long since.
But the
superior advantages that are here enjoyed in the acquisition of
the language with the aid of our elder Brethern, and a desire to
learn our families in a place of security during our absence on
Hawaii, rendered a removal inex pedient until the present time.
We a
are now all prepared to embrace the first conveyance that sha ll
offer, to depart to our several ports, and begin that work, so
long desired, and towards which we have looked with anxiety.
My
destination is at Kairua, along with Mr. Thurston.
I feel myself
peculiarly favored in being seated beside one who is so capable of
taking the superintendance of a station, & of affording me so
many helps in the acquisition of the language.
Bur as it is
thought expedient that I should previously make a visit to Tauai
for a few months, an exchange with M r . Ely has been agreed on.
By this arrangement, it is probable that I shall not be permanently
settled, under a year from the time of our arrival.
With regard to our late visit to & tour around the Island of
Hawaii, I have little to say in addition to what will be included in
our Report & Joint Journal.
To me it was a season of much benefit,
as a preparation to future usefulness, b y affording an opportunity
of obtaining information concerning the manners, customs and
character of this people, and becoming acquainted with the situa
tion of & best way of access to the most important fields of
Missionary labour on the Island.
There are some facts concerning the volcanic appearance of the
Island of Hawaii, that I do not recollect to have ever seen m e n
tioned in any publication.
A particular detail of this appearance
will be given in our notes of the tour that are to be attanched to
the Journal.
For this reason I will be brief.
Hawaii may be
literally called an Island of Volcanoes.
Perhaps there is no part o
of the world, not even Iceland excepted, where the marks of
Volcanic fires are so numerous & abundant, as on this Island.
Not
only are all the mountains full of craters (x ), but the plains also
are broken up in many places, by bursting out of subterranean fires
�172.
Page 289.
At least three fourths of the whole appears to have been at
different times overrun with lava. Teis is now lying in many
places to a great depth;(the shores are formed entirely of lava,)
Along the whole of the Western, S.Western & Eastern parts the
shores are formed entirely of lava, that have porred (poured) their
desolations down the sides of the mountains into the ooean, and
formed a perpendicular steep of rooks from 50 to 200 feet above its
level.
We could never have conceived of such immense quantities
of lava ever finding its way for so many miles from the place of
its eruption, had we not witnessed by actual observation the paths
it has made. In many palces this lava is so ancient as to be covered
with a deep soil, that produces in abundance all the various k inds of
vegetation that grows on the Island.
This is more particularly
observable on the sides of the mountains, where the daily showers
and the other operations of nature in developing the surface and
producing a vegetable mould.
But in all these plains where such
quantities of lava are found, there are no springs of fresh water,
or streams.
All the rains that fall descend immediately into
the earth to rise no more.
A sufficient quantity, however, for
the use of the inhabitants is caught in cases & hollows of rocks,
and from thence is carried in calabashes on men's shoulders to the
distance of several miles.
There is another // remarkable appearance which is not
peculiar to Hawaii, but belongs more or less to all the other
Islands: that is, the volcanic appearance of all the rocks and
stones.
They are all of a porous nature and of a dark colour, as
if they had been over fused.
This appearance was observed
along the high & bold shores of Hido & Hamakua, on the N .E. part
of the island, and where the past eruptions of lava had been
made.
From these circumstance , it has been conjectured that
all the Sandwich Islands, have been subjected to terrible
volcanoes & earthquakes.
Perhaps they are only the remains
of a great continent, that is now no mo r e .
But these are conjectures only. In our report mention was made of Kamakau, a Chief
of Kearake'hua,— As these is something in the character of this
man, that is peculiarly interesting, I feel desirous of giving you
a more particular account of him.
N ow after our arrival at Kaisua, we were informed that there
resided at K. a Chief who was in the practice of assembling his
people together every Sabbath Day, for the purpose of praying with
and exhorting his people to love Jehovah.
I felt desirous of
making him a visit, in company with Hopu, hoping that God would
bless his word to the comfort & edification of this man, who from
the report seemed to be another Corneling.
Early in the morning of Sabbath, June 29th, we set out, being
furnished with a canoe by the Gov. & men for this purpose.
The
distance is about 15 miles.
We arrived at 11 o'clock, and were
welcomed by Kamakau with many expressions of joy & gratitude.
After taking some refreshments, we repaired to his "Ranai", a
shed built for the purpose of holding religious worship.
�173.
Page 289.
We found about 100 persons of his own people assembled to hear
the word.
Our text was: "God so loved the world, that he gave
His only begotten Son, & c ."— (torn page)
I endeavored to show (show) in the most familiar w a y — the
sinful & lost conditionof men— the love of God to the world in
sending his son to dwell in the flesh and die for them— and
that they, and they only, who forsake their sins, and believe on
Him can have eternal life.
When I came to the latter part of
the discourse, the good man interrupted us & began / a harrangue
telling them to listen for their salvation depended upon attend
ing to thes e truths.
After service, he began again & spoke
about 10 minutes— with great earnestness and energy, while the
tear stood in his eyes.
The substance of what he said was "That
they had formerly cared for nothing but to eat, and drink and
sleep, and knew nothing about the great Salvation— That he had often
told them these same things, but they believed it n o t — and now they
had heard them confirmed by the Minister himself" .
Hen then
told us that after we were gone
he would assemble his people again,
and expect them (repeat to them) all that had been said by u s .He
asked many questions concerning the way of salvation, & the nature
of the heavenly rest— and appeared deeply interested in the answers
that were given.
Especially the idea, that Heaven is a holy place,
and that nothing sinful or unclean ever enters there, affected him
much.
As I walked down in front of his house, upon the beach,
I saw his idol, which he formerly worshipped, lying prostrate and
mutilated upon the rocks, and washed by the waves of the sea, as they
rolled to the shore.
It was a huge block of wood, rudely carved
into a hideous monster, and well calculated to infuse terror into
superstitious minds.
I asked him what he thought, when he worshipped
that block of wood?
He answered that "he worshipped it because he fe
feared he would destroy his cocoanutai". "But was you not afraid to
destroy it?”
"No, he never did me any good or hurt, and so I knew
he was no God, and flung him away/"
He was afterwards visited by Mr.
Thurston and Mr. Ellis, and appears to continue firm in his resolu
tion to serve the Lord.
He is very anxious to have missionaries
visit him, and has often expressed a desire to have them come and
settle at that place.
We hope we shall write more of him hereafterMrs. B. desires to be affectionately remembered to yourself
& family, to Mr. & M r s . Hill, and M r . Anderson.
She is just re
covering from a short but severe illness.
God has been generous
to me in again raising her to health, and I hope to future usefulness.
But he has sent His messenger of death, and taken to himself our
little daughter.
It was a lovely babe, but it never opened its
eyes upon the world.
The consolation we feel in this bereavment, arises from the belief that it is removed from a world of
trial, a vale of tears, to the abode of perfect bliss & glory.
In
this dispensation he has taught us to feel that whatever of bliss we
may enjoy on earth, is to be derived from Him at its source, &
given Mrs. B. is resigned and cheerful.
Pray often for us that we
may be found faithful in the day when all hearts shall be laid open,
and every man judged according to his works.
�174.
Page 289.
The Accounts of the Revival in Boston that reached us by the
Paragon gave u s much satisfaction, and joy.
May it not cease
till everything that opposeth shall be brought in subjugation to the
willing obedience of Christ.
This is a private letter and
dictated solely by the feelings of respect & Christian friendship.
With sentiments of high esteem, & cordial salutations to yourself
& family,— I remain, Dear Sir,-&c.,
Artemas
Bishop.
To
(Jeremiah Evarts. Esquire ).
Rev. Artemas Bishop,
April 27, 1824.
JEREMIAH EVARTS, Esquire.
Cor. Sec ’y of the A. B. C. F. M .,
B O S T O N
,
U.S. of America.
(Red S e a l )
�175.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 290
Wai’mea,TAUWAI, January 7, 1824.
V ery dear Sir:-
(two inches)
By the Ship Paragon, Capt. Cole, now lying in the
roads, I hasten to inclose a letter to A. G. Poindexter, of whose
place of residence I am ignorant.
Should you not know his
address, he so kind as to direct it to the care of his mother,
Mrs. Williams of Brimfield.
The health of myself and Mrs. B. & that of the Mission
generally is continued, and we are enabled to pursue our work
with uninterrupted attention..
(This delightful climate is
peculiarly favorable to our health especially during the
winter months, tho we need some cold weather to brace the nerves
and invigorate the frame.
At this season of the year (mid
winter )the atmosphere bears the temperament of the early part
of September in New England, the days are pleasant and the
evenings moderately cool.
You will learn from the others, the particulars of our
encouraging prospects of usefulness. )
Perhaps at no time
since this Mission was commenced, were our hopes so raised as
at the present.
Our beloved predecessors have so far acquired
a knowledge of the languages as to convey distinctly & intelli
gently the glorious // truths of the Gospel to this ignorant,
degrafted & debauched people.
(The native is beginning to feel
the salutary influence and its rules are in a measure becoming
our patrons.
Churches are erecting in different places, and
pressing requests are made to us for labourer/which we are not
able to afford. )
One interesting instance of this kind I cannot forbear
mentioning.
Kapiolani, a Chief-woman of distinction, who
has for some time past resided at Oahu, and had become deeply
interested in behalf of the Missionaries, has lately removed
to her former residence at Kearakekua, or Hawaii.
She applied
for a Missionary to accompany her, and settle there, offering to
build him a house, & erect a church for the worship of Jehovah.
Mr. Ely, to whom she had taken a fancy, was mentioned.
But it
seemed that neither he or any other person could be spared, and
she departed in great disappointment.
At the dedication of the
new church at Kai/rua, a few weeks since, Kapiolani was present
and after the serv ices were over she said to M r . Thurston & M r .
Whitney, (who were present on a visit), in the most feeling
manner, "I have applied for a teacher and been refused, but I am
resolved to have a church built immediately, tho no preacher shall
be sent m e ." On Our M r . W.'s return to Oahu he related the inter
view to the Brethern, & Mr. E
l
y
offered to remove thither insteadof Tannai, as he previously arranged.
�176.
Page 290.
It appeared so desirable that the important field at
Kearakekua should be immediately occupied, that the Mission
consented.
M r . Ely is to live a Kaima, and in conjunction
with us, afford our continual aid to Kearakekua.
I shall probably spend a considerable part of the present
winter at the place, to aid Mr. Whitney in the duties of this
station, before I enter into more abundant labors of the extensive
field assigned me on Hawaii.
I trust and pray that Mr. W . may
not long be left alone, and it is the intention of the Mission
to lend him what aid can be spared from other stations, until more
laborers arrive from America.
The call is now for Ministers of
the Gospel, little encouragement if any, is given for Mechanics, es
pecially as there are so many foreigners seeking employment in the
different trades.
(One inch)
(Aided by the vocabularies and assistance of the Brethern, I
have been enabled to commence preaching to this people, in their
own language, and on the last Sabbath I delivered my sixth sermon
tho' it is with a stammering tongue that I speak. )
B ut my principal attention at present is turned to the super
intendence of a school, which together with the study of the lan
guage comprises (Occupies) my whole time.
At the close of my
visit at this place, I purpose to forward a short Journal to the
Committee.
That every blessing may attend you & yours, is, Dear Sir,
the prayer of your unworthy servant & fellow laborer
in the Lord's Vineyard,
Artemas Bishop.
Jerh. Evarts, Esquire,—
(x )
He arrived April 27th, eight months before.
�Jeremiah Evarts, Esquire,
Missionary Room s,
Boston,
U.S
of America.
Ship PARAGON,
Via
Canton.
(Wax Seal)
��9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
WAIMEA,
V
Page 291.
Jan'y 14th, 1824 —
Very dear Brother,—
I have only time to write a few words by the
Champion, which anchored to-day in the roads, and is to sail
this evening.
I had intended to have written more at full,
b ut the time forbids.
By the Paragon, Capt. Cole, w h . left
about a week since, we forwarded several letters to our American
Friends & had intended to have done the same by the Champion,
until we learned her hasty departure.
(We are still going
on prosperously in our work, "having obtained help of the L o r d .")
On the last Sabbath our congregation was enlarged to a great
(much greater) number than ever attended before, in consequence
of the observance of the day being enjoined by the King.
We
expect likewise that it will continue to increase for several
sucessive Sabbaths, and we find that the more they attend, the
more willing they are to continue the practice.
It is a
matter of gratitude to the Great Head of the Church--that we have
not first to labor in pulling down the temples of Superstition,
e're we can find materials to build up the temple of the Living
God.
In this respect we are privileged above our Brethern in
the Indies.
Here the work of destruction is prepared by the
Lord to our hands, and we have only to go forth and collect together
the scattered fragments, and mould & shape them into a new edifice,
on which it is our desire to inscribe "holiness to the Lord". But
tho we are thus favored, in another respect we labor t o a disadvantage.
The people here are entirely rude, with(out) any know
ledge of the arts, or sciences, without any standard of morals, with
out any mental culture, and without any conscience of right or wrong,
as their conduct is regarded by the Supreme Being.
Tell them that
such an art is sinful, and they will assent to it readily, but will
not seem in the least to know what is meant by a sin against God.
In fact the common people neither have (n)or desire to have any
opinion or will independent of their Chief's to whom they pay the
most implicit deference, and consider as incapable of a wrong action.
It is for this reason that we pay a particular attention to the
instruction of the Chiefs, that through them we may obtain access to
the people.
And if this course were not pursued, our labor would
be in vain, in attempting to arrest the attention of the common
people.
We shall expect an appeal to be made to the Christian public in
behalf of some additional helpers, as soon as the means can be pro
vided.
Ministers of the Gospel only are needed, reputable as to
their qualifications, devoted to their piety, and willing to go & I
labour any where-ever the voice of the Mission shall declare. I
would advise them, even were it in my power, to make no determination
�179*
Page 291
in their own minds of a particular station, till after they
shall arrive and learn the situation of things— no, not even
to select their companions in labour.
But by all means I
would advise them to come out married.
A Missionary ought not
to live here without a wife.
N or need ladies be fearful of
coming. They will find a healthful climate, many comforts, and
little hard labor, as the heaviest is done by natives, wh o desire
little other remuneration than their food.
A lady here need
never be at a loss for business.
Besides contributing to the
comfort respectability & usefulness of her husband, and super
intending her family concerns, she will find ample employment
in instructing the natives, especially the females, in reading,
writing and sewing.
To the influence of the female mission
aries, we are to look for example to the native females, who
tho not naturally inferior to the men, are far more degraded
b y vice of every sort.
It is painful to say— but it is liter
ally true, that a virtuous native female is scarcely to be found,
in these Islands.
To raise this degraded class of immortal
beings to respectability and usefulness is the part of our female
Missionaries.
Did time permit, I would say much more on this subject.
I
feel deeply interested in those who are to be our companions in
labour.
They must be prepared for self-denial, especially the
greatest of all self-denials, a willingness to submit their
opinions in every instance where they shall b???alled to do it,
to the voice of the Mission.
They shall be received with open
arms and welcomed to participate in our fellowship, and to share
in our toils, and if they profess the right spirit. God will give
them grace to be fount faithful and not to look back with regret
to the comforts & refreshments of civilization & Christianity which
they shall have left.
Please to write me as often as you have leisure.
With my own & the salutations of M r s . B . I subscribe myself
Your affec't. B r . in the Lord Jesus Christ,
A. BISHOP.
Mr. Rufus Anderson.
P.S. - My sincere regards to Mr Hill— I purpose to write him
soon--- I would take this occasion to recommend to your kind
attention and regard Mr. Shaw, who returns b y the Champion. As is
a member of De. Baldwin's Church, and has been to us a friend &
Brother, from whom we part with sincere regret. He was mate of the
Octavia under Capt. Blanchard, but was dismissed as near as we can
learn, on account of his religion.
A. B.
�Page 2 91.
Rev. Artemas Bishop.
July 12, 1824.
An c 'd October 21, 1824.
SH I P
12.
Mr. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, Massachusetts,
U.S. of America.
(Providence )
(R. I.
)
( JULY
)
(
12
)
(
1824
)
(Wax Seal)
�a
181
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
page 292.
Long Island Sound, Nov. 20th, 1822.
My dear Sir:I have only time to make a hasty sketch of the
tools necessary for pump & block making.
Block makers chisels
of various kinds from 1/2 an inch up to 4 inches, & younger
g ouger form of broad axe, turning gouger & chirck, augur &
gimlets, gougers from 1/2 an inch up to 2-1/2 inches, cross-out
lignum vitae & hand saws, hatchet and broad axe, a chuck and set
of pump maker b i t s .
There for chip bucking, board adz, a long
and short jointer, & fore plain cross cut, & whip, some of it saws,
mawls (mauls) in short almost any tools that will be useful.
In great haste,
Yours, & c .,
JOSEPH
GOODRICH.
�181b
292.
M r . Joseph Goodrich,
N o v . 25, 1822.
Mr. Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Corresponding Secretary, A.B.C.F.M.,
New Haven,
Connecticut.
(Wax S e a l )
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 293.
Ship Thames, Nov. 20, 1822.
My Dear Sir:I had so had a headache last night that I did not go
on board, hut slept in the Packet which had the remaining part of
our baggage on board.
At five the Packet got under way, and in about
two hours we were along side the ship.
All our baggage is on board,
and I do
hear any complaint of any articles missing.
The trunk
belonging to Mr. Bishop, which was not recognized as being sent down
is found on board.
It was found this morning that the boys had
no matrasses, but b y the kindness of M r . Cross, two were obtained o
for them from the Packet.
These the Board will have to replace.
All the members of the Mission family are in good health and
excellent spiritsThe vessel will soon be under way, and will be
accompanied a short distance by the Packet, which brought off our
baggage.
And now permit me to express, my dear Sir, my thanks
to you for your numberless kind attentions to me.
I shall ever
cherish a most pleasing recollection of the season which I passed
at the Missionary RoomsMy intercourse with yourself & the other
honored members of the Prudential Committee has been greatly ser
viceable to me in an intellectual point of view.
As an unworthy
fellow laborer in a less important and less responsible Station, I
should be animated by a recollection of the zeal, fidelity and
devotedness of my much respected superiors.
I regret that it was not in my power to call upon Mr. Hubbard
before I left Boston.
Be kind enough to say to him that I shall
ever retain the most pleasing recollection of my acquaintance with
him— that feel myself under obligations to him for his various
offices of kindness & personal attention.
Remember me kindlyto
M r . Fay, to Mr. Hill, to M r . Anderson.
My respects to Mrs. Evarts
and remembrance to your children.
I am, Sir, very respectfully & affectionately your ob t . servant,
LEVI CHAMBERLAIN.
Jerh Evarts, Esq.
�Levi Chamberlain,
Nov. 20, 1822.
JEREMIAH
EVARTS, Esq.,
New
Haven,
Connecticut.
By Mr. Cross.
( Seal
( Blue
( Wax
�183.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 294.
Ship Thames, Long Island Sound,
Nov. 20th, 1822.
My Dear Mr. Anderson,—
Yesterday afternoon the long expected em
barkation took place, in the presence of a very large number
of people, who had assembled to be spectators of a scene to them
entirely new, and to all to all the friends of Missions, in a
high degree interesting.
I have bid adieu, if not finally, yet for a long time to the
friends whom I love, the privileges of social religious intercourse
which I prize,-- and in a short time, if Providence should favor
us with a breeze, I shall leave out of sight the shores of that
land which gave me birth.
Ido not regret that I relinquished mercantile pursuits to be
engaged in the cause of Missions, nor do I as yet repent of any
one sacrifice, nor would I wish a single event, which has ever
taken place in the chain that has brought me to this place under
m y present circumstances, to be altered— nor do I as yet repent
of any one sacrifice that I have ever made for the Redeemer--I am, indeed deficient in capacity for a discharge, satisfactory
to myself, of the duties which will devolve upon m e .
Having been more than a year at the Missionary Rooms, it
will be expected b y my brethern that I posess, and that I bring
into exercise, not a little knowledge of Missionary operations.
But I did not improve under my advantages, the year that I had
the privilege of being employed at the Rooms, as I now wish I had.
I am not at all satisfied with my attainments, in knowledge &
experience of those things which are important for a Missionary.-I need more compassion for the heathen m ore zeal and faithfulness,
more perseverance & intrepidity.
I need what I can conceive might
be termed Christian heroism.— I hope you will pray for me, and for
all the members of the Missions family, that we may persevere in
the good cause in which we have embarked,— that none of us be
suffered to apostalize, and thus dishonor God, and bring reproach
on the Missionary cause.
Should any of us fall away, your heart
would be pained, as would also the heart of the dear man, with whom
you are assiciated, and of the other members of the Providential
Committee.—
It is growing late, and as the Pilot may be put on shore before
morning, I hasten to a close.
A ccept my thanks for your very
affectionate letter, handed to me just before parting.
I shall delight to retain in my recollection that period in
which I had the privilege of being associated with you in important
labours.
I feel myself under obligations for all your kind atten
tions to me personally, you will accept my thanks, andbe assured
�184.
Page 294.
that my prayers, if they can be of any avail, will ascend to the
Throne of the Redeemer, that the light of His countenance may
ever be upon your soul, and that you may be as useful as your
largest desire can crave.
I remain, very affectionately
Your brother in the bonds of
the Gospel,
LEVI
Mr. Rufus Anderson
CHAMBERLAIN.
�Levi Chamberlain,
Nov. 23, 1822.
12
Mr. Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston,
Ms.
Care of Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
New Haven, Ct.,
(By the politeness of Capt. Trowbridge.
(New Haven)
( Conn,
)
(November )
(
25
)
( 1822.
)
Opened by J.E
�186.
Page 295.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Ship Thames, At Sea, Fe b ’y 2, 1823.
Dear Sir:At day break on Thursday morning, the 21st of November, 1822,
we had passed Montauk Point, and at half-past 8 we were departing. from
Block Island, bearing North. West. about 20 miles distant.
Having now
got out of smooth water, and being unac/ustomed to the sea, the motion
of the vessel produced sea-sickness on the greatest part of our number;
but with respect to most of us, its continuance was short.
Two days
after losing sight of land, we encountered a gale from the south-west
accompanied by squalls and rain with a very heavy sea.
On Thursday
of the next week we experienced another gale, from the north-east
which lasted till Friday afternoon.
During both of these gales the
Captain judged it prudent to lay the vessel to till the fury of the
storm was abated.—
On Thursday, December the 5th. We fell in with the ship Winslow,
Captain Clark, 13 days from New Bedford, bound to the Pacific ocean
on a whaling voyage.
Two days after speaking her, the wind being
light and the sea smooth, our Captain hoisted a signal to invite
Captain Clark on boa r d .
He accepted the invitation, and passed the
afternoon on board, the two ships in the mean time keeping on their
way, together*
At our instance Capt. Clark was invited, in case the weather
on the Sabbath would allow of it, to come on board and attend reli
gious services (worship).
This he very cheerfully consented to
do, and he also gave permission, upon our asking leave, for some
of our members (number) to go the next day to conduct religious
worship on board his ship.
Accordingly the next day weather being
remarkably favorable, Capt. Clark- Capt. Crosby, Mr. Stewart and
myself went on board the Winslow.
Mr. Stewart made an address to the ship's company, who were
collected together on the quarter deck, for the purpose.
They gave
respectful attention, and at the close of the exercises a number of
religious tracts were distributed among them.
On our return to the
Thames, Capt. Clark accompanied us, and tarried on board till after
tea, and was present at our religious worship.
He appeared highly
pleased, and politely offered his services, promising to write re s
pecting us to his owners, to be reported by them for the informa
tion of our friends, if an opportunity should present itself of
sending to America.
The meet/ ing together with the friendly in
tercourse between the two captains, and the opportunity thereby
furnished of extending religious instructions to the crew of a
ship and performing Missionary larbo on the wide ocean, has been to \
us a peculiarly gratifying circumstance; and it is rendered
�187.
Page 295.
especially interesting from the fact that Captain Clark had been
applied to previously to the contract with the owners of the
Thames, to carry out this Missionary family.
I hope the impression
on the mind of the captain and ship's company will be salutary, and
that religion and the cause of the Missions will be advanced by
this interview.
At the time this took place it was the Confident
expectation of all on board of the Thames, that we should touch at
one of the Cape Verd Islands, and thus be favored with an oppor
tunity of sending letters to the United States*
But when we had
got into the latitude of those islands, the weather was unfavorable
to our running down for them, and the wind very favorable for us to
proceed; therefore, it was thought best for us not to change our
course.
The foregoing I had prepared to be in readiness to send by
some ship or vessel which we might change to meet on our passage.
I intended to be more particular in stating particulars respecting
the passengers & stores, but as the conveyance of this is somewhat
uncertain, being by an English whaler, I briefly state that the
Mission family are all in health & spirits, and that they have all
enjoyed health with slight exceptions since the time of our e m
barkation, which is 72 days/
We were last evening in 47 fathoms
water on the Brazil Banks, in latitude 43 ° 4 ’? and longitude 58° 4 0 '
W.
Our provisions are good and abundant. Though the crowded
state of the vessel & the manner/ of their being stowed away has
prevented me from inspecting all the things put on board, & in fact
of finding everything contained on the memorandum of stores which
you put in my hands just before our sailing.—
Hitherto the Prov
idence of God has smiled upon u s .
Since we took the N .E. trade we
have had very little adverse weather, with the exception of a hard
gale attended with squalls and rain, off the mouth of the river La
Plate.
I hope the supplies of clothing & c . which were unavoidably left
at New Haven for want of room on the Thames have been shipped , or
will be before you receive this letter
With affectionate remembrance to M r . Hill, Mr. Anderson & the
Prudential Committee,
I am, in haste, very respectfully
Your obdt. servant,
LEVI
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
B O S T O N .
CHAMBERLAIN.
�188.
Page 295.
P.S.
Is the Captain is not quite ready to send on board the
vessel which / is expected to take charge of this, I would add that
we have been treated with much kindness by the Captain, & with
respectful attention by all on board, since our embarkation.
We observe religious worship, in a public manner on the Sabbath, for
the benefit of the seamen.
We have also adopted a system of Bible
instruction for their spiritual benefit, and it has not been pursued
altogether without hope of success.
M r . Levi Chamberlain,
June 21, 1823.
S H I P
20-1/2
SAGHARNE
Jun
16
Jeremiah Everts, Esq.,
Cor. S e c ’y of the A. B. C . F . M . ,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston,
U.S. of America.
(Wax Seal )
I hope that with future supplies for the S. I. M. large supplies of
tracts will be sent out, as they promise to do much good by being
distributed to the crews of whalers & other vessels that frequently
visit the Islands.
The Bethel F lag presented by Mr. Jenks was,
I suspect, left at New Haven, with the articles which could not be
sent.
L. C.
�189
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Oahu,
Jereh
Page 296.
?
June 10th, 182 3 .
16 ?
Evarts, Esqr.
Boston, Ms.
Dear Sir, -
An opportunity of sending a letter
to America having this morning presented itself by the appearance
of a whaling ship bound home, off the harbour, I improve it to write
a hasty communication.
On the 28th ult. the Missionaries sent a large packet
of letters by the Arab to Canton.
But as the Arab is to proceed
no further than Canton, the letters may possibly wait a short time
there before an opportunity will present of their being forwarded
to America, & consequently may not arrive so soon asthis letter.
I will,therefore, not be amiss
just to advert to a few particulars
in those communications.
The joint letters of the reinforcement states
fully the kind dealings of the Lord with us while navigating the wide &
trackless waters of the Atlantic & Pacific , and the safety with which we
were conducted over the tempestuous region of Cape Horn.
While in the Gulf Stream we encountered a severe gale which
raged with violence about 1 2 hours, throwing the sea into dreadful
commotion, & rolling & tossing the ship in a manner very distressing
to the passengers.
Nothing of special interest occurred except falling
in, on December the 5th, with a whaling ship from New Bedford, 13 days
out, & remaining in company with her x till the Sabbath, & the con
ducting of religious worship on board, until the 24th day of Jan'y, when,
arriving off the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, we experienced a tre
mendous gale.
Onthe 8th day of Feb'y we passed in safety the rugged
rooks of Staten Land, and in the evening beganto experience the tempests
for which the region of Cape Horn is famous.
On the 2nd of March we
arrived off the western end of Terra del Fuego in the latitude of the
S t s of Magellan, & in long. 83° 17' W .; and in 52 days more the much
desired view of Hawaii burst upon our sight, calling forth our songs &
thanksgiving to Him who had conducted us in safety through so many
dangers.
ON Sabbath morning, April 28th, after having been under sail
158 days, the Thames was brought to anchor in the roads off Honoruru,and
several of the brothers went ashore, and had a joyful interview with the
Missionaries & a very pleasing one with the natives.
Since our arrival here nothing has transpired to damp our
spirits,or discourage us in prosecuting the work to which we have
devoted ourselves, & for which we separated from ourdear friends &
native land.
We could not have anticipated nor even desired a more
welcome rece/ption on the heathen shores than we have received
The
King appears to be the firm friend of the Missionaries, and the Chiefs
say they are glad that we are come — they promise to protect us, & give
�190.
Page296.
us strong proof of their friendship for us, and good will towards our
object.
We have had a number of interesting meetings relative to the
union of the re-enforcement with the elder branch of the Mission, & on
business relative to new plans of usefulness, strengthening old stations
& occupying new ones.
It was resolved to occupy as soon as practicable Lahaina or
Maui, and in pursuance of that -resolution Messrs. Richards & Stewart
embarked for Maui in the Haaheo on the 28th u l t . in company with
Makuahanaukama, the king's mother, & other chiefs & personages, attended
by Wm. Kamahoula (Kummooolah) as an interpreter.
The brethern have
obtained a very comfortable settlement, & r e c e i v e d many proofs of the
friendly disposition of the natives.
It was also resolved to e x p l o r e Hawaii before the location of
the station or stations to be occupied on that island, should be de
termined upon.
The members of the deputation are now waiting here for a
conveyance. —
—
—
Many things respecting the prosperity of this Mission have
been communicated in previous letters of the Missionaries, which may
be construed by some to imply the utter ruin (ruin) of Satan's Kingdom
in this Island— the wide spreading conquest of the Gospel & the triumph
of the Redeeming cause.
It is true the servants of God have taken the
field and erected the banner of the Prince of Righteousness, but the
hearts of these servants of satan have not been won to the love of
righteousness.
Little can be said confidentlyof the conversion of a
single individual amont all this people, though much may be said of the
attention of some to the means of Grace.
This field needs the dews of
Divine Grace; and until the influences of the Spirit are granted, though
advances to a certain degree may be made towards civilization, no
harvest of souls will be gathered into eternal life.
It is to be hoped
that the prayers of Christians for the Divine Influence upon this Mission
as well as their alms for its support may constantly come up as a me m
orial before God.
When I shall have more leisure for writing I intend to make
a statement of the pecuniary concerns of the Mission— its m eans means
of support— facilities for obtaining it from the natives & from vessels
that may touch at these islands either by purchase or donations,-and the best means of receiving support through the Board.
I subjoin a list of articles of which the Mission now, or very
soon will stand in need, & which will be for its relief to receive from
the Board as soon as practicable.
I am, dear Sir, very respectfully.
Your obedient Servant,
L EVI
CHAMBERLAIN.
�191.
Potash (for soap) 2 bbls. if expedient. (Soap here costs 50¢ per
lb.)
Lead pencils of a good quality, also quills; Gould’s penmanship,
if it can be obtained, for myself, which you will charge to me.
Slates
have been previously written for, but the demand for them is so great
that I venture to mention them again.
If we had a thousand they would
very soon be taken up.
Flat irons for the use of the families & for
trade —
several dozen would not be amiss.
Bedsteads, six; chairs, two dozen.
5 stoves like the one sent
by the H o uqua, James Patent N o. 3, with shovels & Tongs.
The stoves
occasion a great saving of wood, which is a very expensive article. One
will be needed at each station.
It will be well to send out a double
set of copper boilers, as the tin burn out very soon, and one set of the
copper will last as long as 4 sets of tin ones.
An assortment of tin
ware , souch as tin tumblers, say 5 dozen, baso ns, /
pans, pails, nurse
lamps, common lamps for use & trade with the natives, dippers, 6 large
water pots, coffee pots, skimmers, ladles, &c.
Tea pots, block tin
would probably be cheaper than tin or pewter.
A hand cart & Wheel barrow would be a very great convenience at most
of the stations, & a great saving of expense, since everything which x
we wish to transport from one place to another must be done by hand or
on the backs of the natives.
The two carts at Honoruru have probably
saved to the Mission more than a hundred dollars expenses.
If timber
could be procured for several axeltrees to a lan (x) cart it will be a
great convenience, as no suitable piece of wood can easily be procured,
at these islands.
It is very evident that stoves without boilers
are ov very little u s e .
The stove set up here will need a full set
before they can be sent out.
It is desirable that two sets like these
that accompany the
other stoves should
be forwarded by the
earliest opportunity
(Seal)
The Paragon has
not arrived, but
we are daily look
ing for her.
P.S. — Mr. Ellis the Missionary supported bythe
London Missionary Society & laboring in concert with the
brethern of this Mission, requests me to write for him
for two barrels of cider for the use of his f a m i l y
A kind similar
to that which was obtained at New Haven for the reenforcement would
suit, and no other would stand a voyage to these islands
You per
haps recollect of whom it was obtained; if not, Mr. Dunning who pro
cured it will remember, & should you write to him, would doubtless
very cheerfully procure a couple of barrels.
Mr. E llis will pay
the Missionaries here for whatever it may cost the Board, including
the liquor and the expense of procuring it, & sending it o n .
As the
vessel expected to take this communication is detained one day longer
than was at first apprehended, an opportunity i
s
a
f
o
r
d
e
f
s
n
d
i
g
duplicates of some of the communications sent
by way of Canton.
�192.
9
Previous to Sept. 1 8 2 4 .
V
Page 297.
Honoruru, Oahu, Sept. 1st, 1823.
Mr. Levi Chamberlain.
Respected & Very Dear Sir:Since thearrival of the re-enforcement frequent
opportunities have been afforded of transmitting letters to America,
every one of which I have improved by writing letters to the Mission
ary Rooms.
As the present conveyance is direct, & many of the others
were circuitous, this communication may possibly reach Boston before s
some of the letters forwarded at an earlier period.— therefore, I will
just state, that letters were forwarded by the way of Canton on the
28th of May—
These were the most important of any that have since been trans
mitted.
By this conveyance the public Journal of the Mission-& the
official letters of the re-enforcement were s e n t —
On the 17th of
June other communications & duplicates of letters previously sent,
by the Dawn, Capt. Gardiner returning to America by the way of Cape
Horn.— on the 9th of August by the way of Calcutta, to the care of
Edw. A . N ewton, E s q . — and on the 16th of August by Capt. Cooper
bound to the Coast of California.
Mr. Bingham has written by all
the above conveyances except the last.
Previous communications state the arrival of the Paragon in
6 months from Boston.— The articles which were shipped in her for
the Mission corresponded with the bill of lading & were landed in
good order.
On the 5th of August M r . Bingham sailed for Lahaina with
a view of rendering assistance to the brethern of that station;
Messrs. Richards & Stewart. The reason of their needing special
assistance has been stated by M r . Bingham in a letter from L ahaina.
Wm. Kamohoula, still keeps aloof from the Missionaries, and furnished
painful evidence of having fallen very low.
N o weapon formed against
this Mission has yet been allowed to prosper, & I trust never will,
the evil which he thought of doing, has returned upon his own head.-He has lost much of the influence which he would have had, if he
had continued faithful.
The king and many of the principal chiefs
are now at Maui, a favorable circumstance on account of M r . B.'s
being there, an opportunity thus being afforded him of preaching to
them the Gospel of Salvation, & of making known more fully and
extensively the objects of the brethern. (two inches)
Mr. B. ’s
return is daily expected— and his presence is now
needed at this station— there being no one here competent to preach
to the people. Aona the Tahitian convert conducted until recently
the native service, but he left here about a fortnight ago to attend
Kaahumanu & Taumuarii on their visit to M a u i .
Though Stephen
Pupuhi has been the only one to conduct religious worship for the
natives, there yet has been no falling off of numbers— the house being
usually full, or nearly s o .
It is pretty certain that the attendance
of the common people on Divine Service has not been owing to the
attendance of the chiefs.
When the principal chiefs were recently
absent the house of worship was not deserted, but on the contrary it
was full with the common people, who would hardly have ventured to
enter, had the chiefs been present, especially,
if the chiefs had
�193.
Page 297.
had taken their seats at the entrance of the house for the benefit
of the wind, as they usually do.
About a fortnight ago M r . & Mrs. Ruggles & their
dren arrived from Tauwai— They will remain here till
of the brethern who have gone to explore Hawaii,--and
important business then to come before the Mission is
two chilthe return
until the
attended to.
Mr. Ely will probably go with Mr. Ruggles on his return,
will be stationed with him at Hanapepe.
It is not yet determined
where I shall be fixed.— If it should be thought best to occupy
two stations on Hawaii, it may become necessary for the brethern
to attach me to one of them, if not permanently, for a season
till more laborers can come from America.
I hope, my dear sir, that ere this time the Lord, has in
great kindness to you, & to us, removed the indisposition, with
which youwas visited last winter,— and I hope, that in future
you will be sparing of your strength, that your life may be
preserved for the benefit of the numerous missionary stations,
which you have been instrumental in establishing, & who look to
you as to a father for counsel & support.
Please to remember me to Mrs. Anderson.
I
am, Dear Sir, very respectfully
Your obedient servant,
LEVI CHAMBERLAIN.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esquire,
B O S T O N .
P .S.— I add a memorandum of a few articles which are wanted for the
use of the Mission.
Glass is wanted very much, as we have none in
any of the houses at this station, except in the large wooden
building which is called the Mission House , ( A stone house w i l l
)
& in the pulpit windows of the meeting house. A stone house will
probably be built here, for which glass will be needed.
It is also
desirable that the windows of the printing office should be glased.
Glass is needed not only at this station, but at all the other
Stations.
But we will only
Edgartown N.B.
Feb'y 13.
SHIP
14-1/2
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
Cor. Sec 'y A.B.C.F .M.,
Missionary Rooms,
Boston, U.S.A.
Per Capt. Starbuck
of the HERO.
make known our w a n t s , &
leave it with our patrons to afford a
supply or not as they think proper.
�194.
Page 2 9 7 .
Nails are also wanted, wrought & out of different sizes.
Shingle/ nails. —
Medicines, by D r . Blatchley as follows:
Adhesive plaster;
Red precipitate;
Liquorice hall;
Tartaric acid;
Nutmegs.
The enclosed receipt for a note lodged in the hands of an
Un cle of mine ought to have been left in Boston in your charge;
but the letter in which it was enclosed did not arrive in Boston
till after my embarkation.
�195.
Page 298.
M r . Levi Chamberlain.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.
BO S T O N.
April 27, 1824.
Honoruru, Oahu,
15th Oct ., 1823.
Respected & Very Dear Sir:In a former letter I stated to you that
it was my intention at some future time, to make a statement of
the pecuniary concerns of the Mission— its means of support,
facilities for obtaining it from the natives, & from vessels
touching at the Islands, either by purchase or donation— & the
best method of receiving support from the Board.
As Mr. Loomis intends writing to you & giving a view
of the expenses of the Mission previous to the time of the arriving
of the re-enforcement, I shall confine my statement to the expenses
since, and to the probable cost of the Sandwich Island Mission for
the current year.
As no inventory was taken of the articles on hand at the time of
of our arrival, nor of the supplies landed by the re-enforcement,
it is not easy to ascertain with critical exactness the sum which
the mission has expended, but. an estimate can be made which will
approximate to the true amount.
The provisions & other articles
brought out in the Thames exclusive of furniture , utensils & clo
thing, were worth, at this place, probably, $1,000.
Most of these
have been expended, & other purchases have been made both of articles
of provisions & for trade.
According to the best estimate which I can make, the expenses of
the mission from April the 28th to the 1st instant, including $400.
worth of articles reckoned at New York prices, amounts to $2,100.
To co
complete the year the Mission will probably expend for support & the
settlement of new stations, $4,100. more.
Already expended,
. . .
Necessary to be expended,
$2,100.
4.100.
$6,200.
From this amount may be deducted the following, v i z .
For aid expected from the natives
in building, labor & provisions,
$ 1 ,00 0 .
For donations from sea Captains &
othersfriendly to our objects,
600.
From other sources including aid of
every kind rendered at the Islands,
200.
$1.800.
The above estimate is made upon the probable ex
istence of certain circumstances and does not form a source
of income to be relied on.
�196.
Page 298.
There cannot, however, be a doubt but that valued
assistance will be rendered to the Mission by natives & others.
If the foregoing statement be correct, the expenditures of the
Sandwith Island Mission from May-1823 to May-1824 will amount to
$4 ,200., $4 ,000. only of which would need to be received from the
Board in case the specified aid shou ld actually be rendered.
In
estimating the value of donations presented at the islands, we have
respect not to their worth in America, but to their value here, their
worth to us, or the value attached to them by the donor.
We have it in our power frequently to purchase beef, pork, fish,
flour, rice & other supplies of the traders—
I say frequently, but
the opportunity for supplying ourselves with some of them are but occasion
a l , and the advance on the original cost with the addition of 20
or 25% for the draft swells a bill for a few supplies to a large
amount.
We are favored occasionally with opportunities of purchasing
supplies such as beef, pork, flour, bread, molasses & c . from ships
returning home from a successful cruise, but the provisions it must
be obvious, are not prime, & the state of the market having a
governing influence upon the price, the advantage gained to the Mission
is very little more than the 20 or 25% usually paid on the draft.
But we cannot always buy of ships for a draft, even when they have
articles to dispose of.
Sometimes the demand for provisions is so
great, that what a ship has to spare is immediately secured by those
who can pay cash.— at other times the Captains are under the necessity
of raising cash to defray some expense for repairs, & on that
account are unwilling to sell for a draft.
It is the case at the
present time.
The Mission is now indebted to various persons to the amount of
$2232 .83 for the discharge of whose accounts bills will be here
after drawn on the Board.
I have already drawn on the
account of which I have given in
have been received. of this sum
Mr. Ellis, for which he is still
Board to the amount of $1546.36, on
former letters, which doubtless
$120. were expended on account of
indebted to the Mission.
If the necessity were removed of our procuring at the Islands the
means of support, by receiving from America provisions, of various
kinds, articles of trade , furniture & utensils, & cash, the expense
of the Board for the support of the Mission would be diminished
nearly one-half, certainly one third.
I am aware that the difficulty
which the Board would experience in forwarding regularly from Boston
supplies adequate to our wants, would be very great: and the Board must
be aware, that the inconvenience--not to say suffering— to which the
stations will be exposed in case necessary supplies are not received in
due time, must also be great.
I do not know that any plan can be
adopted which will propose a full and complete remedy for all the evils
to which the Mission is liable— a plan which will materially lessen the
expenses of the Board, & at the same time secure to the Missioncomfort__
�197
Page 298.
able and seasonable supplies, but I do believe that a plan is
practicable which will provide against every inconvenience. One
had already been suggested to the board (Prudential Committee, )
and perhaps it has been matured and carried into effect.
The
plan to which I allude is that of establishing an Agency at Nantucket o
or N e w Bedford, for the Sandwic h Island Mission, the design of which
shall be, at all convenient seasons, in some of the numerous vessels
which are constantly sailing from those ports to the(Pacif i c )Pacific
in pursuit of whales.
Very many of the ships which cruise on the
coast of Japan touch at these islands twice a year for refreshments,
and almost all touch here on their way ou t .
Probably not one in ten proposing to stop passes by, & in case of
repairs, or of a vessel passing by on her way out, she usually calls in
the course of the year.
The captains of several whaling ships have
expressed themselves fully upon the subject, and state that there can b
be no serious objection to such a plan--that there are very few ships
which could not take out several tons without the least inconvenience-and they assured us that they should be happy to do it gratis.
The owners may possibly be of another opinion, & feel very
differently upon the subject,— doubtless there are instances of hostile
feeling on the part of some towards the objects of this Mission, but
I believe that there are many owners who would not object to an
Agent's putting on board their vessels supplies for this Mission free
of charges: and very few indeed, who would not be willing to take
articles on freight.
The valuable presents which several sea captains have made to
the Mission evince the state of their feelings toward us. If every
Captain is not a Weeks, we have abundant evidence that as a body they
are far from being unfriendly.
William Coffin, Esquire, President of the Union Insurance Co. at
Nantucket is very friendly to the Mission. He is part owner of
sev eral vessels, and a man of much influence.
Two captains with
whom I recently conversed did not hesitate to propose him as a most
suitable person for an Agent. Whether M r . Coffin would be as well
pleased with the nomination as the Mission would with his acceptance
of a service promising so much benefit tothe Sandwic h Island M i ssion
I would not centure the experiment. He might be willing to be one of
the three or four to constitute a committee for obtaining conveyances
for supplies; to whom an Agent might hace access--At least, he might
be written to on the subject, and his opinion obtained as to the
practicability of a plan similar to the one proposed,— or he might
be able to point out some suitable person for an Agent.
If a plan were to be carried into effect, the Mission might forward
to the Corresponding Secretary of the Board, or directly to the Agent
a list of the articles needed: and such supplies might be purchased for
us and our use as might be deemed expedient, & the first opportunity
embraced of sending them out .
By the same conveyance if none could b e
obtained from Boston, cash needful to carry on the internal operations of
the Mission might be forwarded.
it has been stated in previous letters
�198
Page 2 98.
that some cash is absolutly indespensable.—
I subjoin a list of provisions deemed sufficient for the support
of all the stations one year, together with an estimate of the probable
cost of them at this place compared with their worth in America.
I would remark that the articles in the following list cannot in
every instance be obtained here, & some of them but seldom & with
difficulty. 6
Articles
12 lbs.
Beef
at 20#
12
Pork
"
Flour
"
"
20
"
5
$ 240 .00
$8.
$25.
300.00
$16.
15.
300.00
6.50
130.00
270.00
4¢
120.00
45.00
4/50
22. 50
10.
100.00
3.25
32.50
5.
50.00
3.25
32.50
Bread, 8-10¢ av.9 ¢
3000 "
bbls Indian Meal
"
10 Cwt. Rice
10
Value in
America
Value at
the Islands
Quantity
"
l/2-bbls. Fish,
$
96.00
192.00
500 lbs. Butter
"
25¢
12 5.00
16 ¢
80.00
225
9¢
20.25
5
"
Lard
"
20 ¢
45.00
G.
Sugar
"
$ 20.
100.00
10 .
50.00
"
60 ¢
72.00
34 ¢
40.80
60 ¢
42.00
60 ¢
42.00
90 ¢
18.00
90 ¢
18.00
120 Gals. Molasses
"
70 Lbs. Souchong Tea,
20
150
"
"
Hyson
"
Coffee
"
45 ¢
67.50
27 ¢
40.50
Soap,(or Potash)
"
50 ¢
200.00
9¢
36.00
IT
80 ¢
120.00
80 ¢
120.00
If
1.75
35.00
75¢
400. "
150 gals Oil,
"
15.00
20
"
10
" Brandy,
"
3.00
30.00
1.20
12.00
30
"
"
3.00
9 0 .00
1.20
36.00
Rum,
Wine,
Add 20% , - - - - - -
$2249:50
_
449:90
$ 2699<40
$1136.05
�199.
Page 298.
In addition to the above a considerable amount in articles of
trade, such as Blue Gurrah, Blue Nankin, India calico, English
prints, factory cotton cloths, Jerk knives, files, scissors, wide
chissels, pocket combs., &c. would be necessary— besides furniture
occasionally, crockery & glass ware, table & kitchen furniture, cook
ing utensils,— writing & printing paper, types, s lates & various
articles of stationary/ (stationery).
We might well be said to open our mouths wide if the above
were a memorandum of articles // which we requested to be put up &
forwarded by the first ship.
Though the request is not made,
that all these articles should be sent by one conveyance, or even
at all, unless the Board should deem it expedient, yet the Com
mittee are assured that not an article has been enumerated in the
above memorandum which will not be needed more or less in the
course of the year.
Some persons might be surprised that Missionaries should use
spirits, or that they should introduce introduce so much tea & sugar
into the list of their annual receipts of necessities; but in this
enervating climate where no winter returns to brace up the relaxed
system, such articles are much needed, & almost indispensable.
m u c h larger quantity of spirits than has been mentioned would
be recommended by the physician.
I have included a large quantity
of oil in the list of articles.
The families are under the neces
sity of using a much larger quantity than they otherwise would in
consequence of the scarcity of fuel— and it is used more profusely
than would be the case if we had uniformly to purchase a full supply.
It is not always the case however that we are supplied from
the ships gratuitously— We sometimes purchase--when this is the case,
we usually pay the traders $ 1 . per gallon with the addition of 20%
— Add this is the reason that I included the oil in the fore
going estimate, and did not deduct the amount of the year's supply
when adding the 20% to the foot.
T here are several little articles which I did not enumerate
in the list, that would be
deemed desirable by the ladies
as comforts; viz. Allspice,
cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs, pepper, pearlash-Since looking over the list, it is thought desirable to in
crease the number of barrels of flour to 24, & to diminis h the
quantity of bread 500 lb.--to say -24 bbls. Flour,
2500 lbs.
Bread.
F rom various private communications, as well as from the public
journal, which will probably be sent by this conveyance, you will
gain a general view of the state of things in the Mission at the present
time.
With sincere desires & prayers for the continuance of
your life & health, I remain. Dear Sir,
Your humble servant,
LEVI CHAMBERLAIN.
�200.
Page 299.
P .S.—
Oct. 22nd.
Should provisions ever be sent from America for
this Mission, I would suggest the importance of their being put up with
special attention.
Indian Meal in tight barrels, not hhds. for. the convenience of
landing and transmitting from the depository to the different stations.
Molasses in barrels containing not over the usual quantity, less
than 30 gallons would be preferable.
Rice in barrels, rather than in bulky tierces; partly for con
venience, but specially to preserve it; from the insects which would
scarcely be done in a tierce.
Kegs of butter weighing from 20 to 30 lbs. put up in brine.
Let 3 or 4 kegs be put into a barrel & that be filled with a
strong pickle.
The butter thus put up will keep perfectly sweet.
Most whaling ships have their butter put up in this w a y .
Lard might be put up in the same way, if the Board should deem
it justifiable to incur the expense of it— otherwise it might be
sent in separate kegs.
Every barrel & every box which may be sent out full, will be
valuable & very useful to the Mission; after being emptied of
their original contents.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq'r;
Cor. Sec 'y A . B. C . F . M . ,
Missionary R ooms,
BO S T O N
U .S. of America.
(Per Capt. Burch
of the Staunton. )
(Seal)
�9 Previous to Sept. 1824
V
201
Page 300.
Honoruru,
Oahu,
January 1, 1824.
Dear Sir:I have time by this conveyance only to write you a very
hasty letter.
I have written to Mr. Hill informing him of
several drafts recently drawn on the Treasurer, which will go
home by the Paragon.
I am under the necessity of drawing con
tinually on the funds of the Board. —
I regret this necessity,
particularly on account of the very high price of everything of
the nature of supplies, & the difference of exchange, which is a
very great charge.
I can assure you, that in the appropriation of
the funds which we feel ourselves justified in drawing for, there
is as much economy used as can consistently be done.
We are
unable at this time to procure fresh, provisions for anything but
cash, & we have at this station almost entirely denied ourselves
in this respect, & sussisted on salt food— perhaps to a greater
extent than we ought.
As it respects utensils & furniture, the
same reluctance to incurring expense has been manifested. —
Since the arrival of the re-enforcement, I have drawn
upon the Board for the amount of $4551.79
in the following bills:
1823
August 7,
14.
29,
Oc t ’r 24,
Nov'r
Dec 'r
3,
8,
9,
26,
31,
In favor of Messrs Alexander & Co .
at 60 days —
Do —
do — at 90 daysCapt. John R . Cooper, at 60 days,
"
Capt. Obed Starbuck,
" 30
"
IT
Capt. H . Hammatt,
30
"
Do —
do —
60 "
Capt. Arent S/ de Peyster30 "
James Hunnewell,
at 30 If
IT
Do
—
do —
60 "
"
W i l l i am G . Dana,
30 IT
"
Do — do — do
60 IT
IT
"
Thomas Crocker,
90
"
"
William G . Dana,
30
$544.80
544.80
384.00
192.76
373.70
373.70
2 4 0 .00
380.00
4 9 5 .44
350.00
350.00
222.59
100.00
$4 ,551.79
The Mission is indebted to M r . Wm. G. Dana about $500.00
more, for which debt I expect soon to draw on the Board.—
You will be informed of the embarkation of the King for
England which took place the 27th of November.
I would also state, that 12 pages of the new hymns have
been struck off, & that 36 more will be printed as speedily as
possible.
The people are impatient to get them into their hands.
It is also proposed to print, as soon as the hymns are out, another
edition of the Spelling Book, with additions & a tract.Mr. Whitney
from Tauwai has recently visited this station, but has returned.—
Things were going on well at Tauwai— There has been no conveyance for
the brethern designated for Waiakea.— They remain at this station
for the present. —
T he work of the Lord,It
r
u
s
tp
r
o
s
p
e
r
si
nt
h
eh
a
n
d
so
ft
h
e
Missionaries.
�202
Page 300.
As it respects myself, I have no time to attend to the
instruction of the people.
I must be contented to labor in sec
ular concerns, that others may have more time, & be more free from
cares.
In great haste,
I remain, Dear Sir,
Very affectionately
Yours Servant,
LEVI CHAMBERLAIN.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
B O S T O N ,
Ms.
U . S . America.
�203
Page 300.
Mr. L e v i Chamberlain.
Aug. 26, 1824.
Sandwich Island Missions.
Capt. Cone,
Acknowledged
Oct. 15, 1824.
JEREMIAH
EVARTS, Esquire,
Cor. Sec 'y A . B . C. F . M . ,
B O S T O N,
U . S. A.
By the Paragon.
(Seal)
�204
9
Previous to Sept. 1824
Page 301
V
Honoruru,
Oahu,
January 9, 1824.
Dear Sir,—
By the Paragon, which
you a very hasty letter.
As
may sail and possibly arrive as
shall give you the substance of
sailed on the 5th inst. , I wrote
the Champion, by which I send this,
soon or sooner than that vessel, I
what I then wrote.
In my letter to M r . Hill, both by the Paragon & b y this convey
ance, I have given notice of the drafts recently drawn on the Treas
urer, with a brief statement of the purchases & debts for which the
drafts were given.
I did not suppose it necessary to specify all
the particulars in the account of the individuals with whom the
Mission had contracted debts, but contented myself with giving a
general view.
I have been greatly disappointed in my expectations as to
what it will cost to support the Missions in these Islands.
Before
I left America I had received the impression that the first Mission
aries had been supported almost entirely by the people, & that other
Missionaries who might go out would be supported with comparatively
little expense to the Board.
I had not, it is true, thought much
upon the pecuniary concerns of the Mission— nor the numerous wants
of an extended Missionary establishment, or the resources // which
the advantageous prosecution of the work would demand.—
It must
be evident that to support eleven families— to furnish each with a
separate home--conveniences for eating at separate tables & cooking
& washing at separate fires, & only so much furniture as would be
absolutely necessary for the cooking & accommodation of each; —
to provide fuel, provisions, & the means of comfortable subsistence,
will during the term of / a year amount to, in the aggregate, no
small sum.
And the more so when it is taken into consideration
that all foreign commodities cost upon an average a hundred pr.ct .
more than they would cost in America.
Every article of furniture
& clothing is from a foreign source— also flour, rice, sugar,
molasses, beef, pork, bread & c . — timber & boards likewise, which are
seldom to be obtained.
The natives it is true have afforded much
aid which has been a saving to the mission, & they will doubtless
afford us much more— They have built several grass houses— To some
of the stations they have furnished a supply of potatoes & taro— also
a partial supply of hogs & goats— still the greatest part of the
expense for the support of the station has been drawn from the
general funds.
The most durable of the common thatched houses,
built by the natives, will last but a very few years, & none of this
kind will ever be regarded by any family as eligible for a permanent
residence, even as a temporary one only so long as circumstances
prevent the building o f a stone house, or the erection of some more
convenient & more permanent building than one covered with grass.—
As a reason for building permanent houses, it may be
stated, aside from the inc onvenience of living in a thatched one during
the rainy season, that the expense of keeping old ones in repair &
�205
Page 301.
og building new ones every three or four years, wou ld before many
years had elapsed exceed the cost of a stone house (building ).
There
are many difficulties in the way of erecting stone houses— some of
which are:
the difficulty of procuring materials, particularly
the wood parts;-obtaining men qualified to do t he work— finding suf
ficient time from Missionary labor to maintain a general superintend
ence over the work while it is going on;--The last, and not the least
important is— meeting the expense of it.
It is calculated, however, that a convenient dwelling
may be erected for each family at an average expense of $500. for
each.
The Mission has no intention, however, of incurring all
the expense of building immediately.— It will be several years
probably before any considerable number of the families will be
accommodated with desirable habitations.
If the friends of Missions
in America had known (knew) to the full extent how much the Mission
needs Boards, shingles, window sashes, glass, & c . , they would stren
uously exert themselves to forward such articles. —
I doubt not, if
there was a depository of some kind or other at Nantucket, that not a
few whaling captains might be found who would cheerfully bring out
a house frame, or boards, shingles or timber.
Since the arrival of the reinforcement (re-enforcement) I
have drawn upon the Treasurer for $5051:79, in the following bills:
via.
1823
, at 60 days, $544.80
August 7,
In favor of Messrs. Alexander & C o .
" 90 "
Do -- do
——do ——
544.80
""
"
"
"
384.00
Capt. John R. Cooper,
60 "
14,
" 30 "
"
"
" Capt. Obed Starbuck,
192:76
" 30
"
"
"
"
Chas. H. Hammatt,
373.70
O c t 'r 2 ?
" 60 "
"
"
"
Do --do — do
3 7 3 .70
Oct'r 24,
"
"
"
"Arent S . DePeyeter,
30 "
240.00
Nov'r 3,
" 30 "
" James Hunnewell,
"
380.00
Dec'r 8, "
"
"
" 60 "
"
Do — do
495.44
" 30 "
""
"
" W m . G. Dana,
350.00
9, "
" 60 "
"
D o — do —
3 5 0 .00
" 90 "
"
" Thomas Crocker,
222.59
26, "
"
" 30
" Wm. G. Dana,
"
100.00
31, "
1824Jan' y
9,
"
"
"
Do—
d o — do
"
90
"
500.00
$5051:79
I regret the necessity of drawing so frequently on the
Board— particularly on account of the very high pric e of everything
of the nature of supplies and the great difference of ex c hange.
I am sorry too that bills to so large an amount are going
home at the same time, liable to be presented for acceptance on the
same day.
It was a circumstance unavoidable—
We are under the
necessity of giving bills to the traders with whom we have con
tracted debts at the time, when it is most agreeable to them & most
convenient for them to transmit bills, which is usually when a ve
l
e
s
is returning in which they have an interest/
�206
Page 302.
The Mission is now nearly clear of debt, an d it is my
expectation that with about one thousand dollars more, we shall be
able to meet all the expenses of the year ending May 1st following.
A considerable part of the articles of trade purchased, & of
the cash borrowed is on hand still.
Twenty-two dollars and fifty cents
of the last bill in favor or W m . G . Dana/ I wish to be passed to my debit
in private account, that amount having been taken up by myself for a
trunk, & some articles of clothing, which I do not wish charged to the
Mission, unless the Treasurer prefers to do it.
I feel most sensibly the importance of economy in the e x
penditures of the Mission, and shall strive to introduce into our domes
tic regulations the principles inculcated by the condescending Redeemer,
"Gather up the fragments,— that nothing be lost” .
Prudence, I regard
as no unimportant ingredient in Missionary qualification,— nor less a
disposition to engage in any work either manual or mental which may be
necessary to advance the general interests of the Mission & the cause
of Christ in a heathen land.
I find it no small labor to discharge the duties of the
station which has been assigned me, & no ordinary task to give satis
faction to the different members of the Mission— to acquit my own
conscience, & to
meet the expectations of the honored patrons &
directors of Missionary operations in America.
N ever have I ex
perienced so great a burden of care— never felt myself so near sinking
under the load imposed upon me, as I have since the duty of superin
tending the Secular affairs of the Mission devolved upon me.
I
would not have it inferred by any expressions which I havemade, that
my brethern will be unreasonable in their requirements or expectations—
my concern arises from another quarter, and has its origin in the sense
I have of my own unfitness and incapacity.
Were it not for the convic tion that I fill the place evidently designed for me by Providence,
I should be very unhappy in my present circumstances— but I have the
satisfaction of knowing that I have asked counsel of the Lord, and
have had my service pointed out to me by His finger.
I am contented
& rejoice to be where the Lord would have me —
I shall probably find it less convenient to pass from one
Island to another and visit the different stations than it was sup
posed before I left America.
I shall probably be more confined to
this place than any other member of the Mission with the exception
of the printer.
You will have been informed of the settlement of Mr. Thurston
Thurston & family at Kairua, and the temporary removal of Mr. Bishop to
Tauwai—
The contemplated station at WaiakeaHas not yet been taken,
but there is a prospect that the Mission will charger a vessel in a
few days to convey Mr. Ruggles & Mr. Goodrich & their families thither.
The Doc tor, & perhaps some other member of the Mission will accompany the
d e t a c h m e n t to their station.
It is expected that Mr. Ely will go to K airua to be associa
ted with Messrs. Thurston & Bishop, instead of going to Tauwai.
Mr. Whitney will be under the necessity of laboring alone till a reenforcement arrives from America.
�|
207
Page 302.
You will also receive information by this & other con
veyances of the embarkation of Rihoriho (Rihoriho) for England,
;which took place on the 27th of November last.
With kind regards to M r s . Evarts,
I remain, Dear Sir,
Very affectionately,
Your humble servant,
LEVI
Jeremiah Evarts, E s q .,)
B O S T O N .
)
CHAMBERLAIN.
�208
Page
303
P. S. — An ox cart or such a cart as the teamsters use in Boston
for carrying burdens, i .e . an one horse cart— will be needed at
this station soon as one can be sent out.
A large and small
cart are almost indespensible.— A wheel-barrow was sent out in the
Paragon— if more could be sent out they would be very useful.
M r . Levi Chamberlain,
July 13, 1824.
Jeremiah Evarts, Esquire,
Cor. Sec'y A . B. C. F . M . ,
Missionary Rooms,
BOSTON,
U . S. of America.
Per the "CHAMPION" )
)—
Capt. Preeble.
)
(SEALED )
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 30 3 .
Honoruru, Oahu, January 12, 1824.
My dear Brother Anderson,—
My time and attention have been so
completely occupied during the 5 last weeks, in company with
? r . Goodrich and his hired men, in breaking up an old vessel,
about a year ago purchased by the Mission for the sake of the
fire-wood and timber it would furnish,— in writing letters for
America forwarded by the Paragon, and writing letters and copy
ing the Journal to go by this conveyance, that I had been obliged
to give up the idea of writing to you by this conveyance though
I had previously been promising myself the pleasure of doing it.
But the vessel after getting under way was met by a head wind
before she had entirely cleared the harbor, & was obliged to put
back to wait a more favorable opportunity,— thus favoring me with
an opportunity of writing a few lines.
It has been a time of special labor with the Mission of late.
M r . Bingham & M r . (Ely) Ellis, exclusive of the labor of preaching
to the people three times a week, have been engaged in composing h
hymns for the use of the people & for the convenience of public
worship.
They have completed 42 which are to be published, some
of which are already struck off; others are in the press and
the printing of the remainder will proceed as fast as possible.—
After the hymns are out, a new edition of the Spelling Book with
additions will be printed/
After that, a tract, and a catechism.
The people are very eager to get books— children, youth &
adults of both sexes are constantly calling at the Mission House
for copies of the spelling book printed about a year ago, a few
of which are still on handThey come with very pleasant coun
tenances and are lealea r o a . i .e ., exceeding glad, when they
obtain them.
You would be greatly animated to see the willingness to
receive instruction which is exhibited by these Kawney Kawny
children of nature— and you would rejoice to labor among them
and spend your strength in efforts to promote their spiritual
good.
Your prayers I doubt not will daily ascend for the
blessing of God upon the efforts made by the Missionary band
established here for this purpose-their salvation— and the
prayers of thousands I doubt not are constantly presented by our
exalted interceeding High Priest above at the Eternal Throne for
their sanctification.
Though many thousands on the different Islands where
Missionary stations are established, begin to enjoy some of the
means of instructions, and to hear some of the alluring accents
of the Gospel which brings salvation; yet more than a hundred
thousand immortal beings professing souls of inestimable worth, are
standing on the brink of endless ruin, to whose anxious ear the
�210
Page 303.
Missionary cannot convey the friendly warning, nor proffer the
guiding hand.
With unspeakable anguish he sees one after another approach
the tremendous brink and tumble into the dark & horrible abyss
& sink in endless night.
It is a grief to me, that my time is so much taken up with the
secular concerns of the Mission, as to leave me very little for
the study of the language.
I hope, however, to (after our old
ship is broken up, and all the stations are settled, and I shall
have reduced my business to some system that I shall have more
time for study.
My business will be more trying, complicated & distracting
to the mind and to the heart than that of any other member of
the Mission.
Already I find my patience very much exercised-and I feel within me the existence of some hateful propensities
(properties )-paper is torn here—
which I once thought had been
crucified.
Pray for me, my dear brother; pray that I may have
have Grace sufficient for met and that I may neither faint nor
be discouraged.
I shall probably be confined much to this station--and shall
not find it as convenient as it was once thought to pass from
Island to Island to visit the different s t a t i o n s .
I feel as much as I could ever have expected to feel the
need of a comforter & friend.
A friend I hope I have who
sticketh closer than a brother, but I need one to remind me of
Him.
But I have no disposition to comp//in(complain)— I came
hither under my present circumstances in obedience to the voice
of Him who bid Abram forsake his country and kindred for a land
which he would afterwards show him.
I am satisfied with the
allotments of Providence— and I desire to acquiesce in all the
dealings of my Almighty Sovereign, & to say, "not my will, but
Thine, O Lord, be done !"
I remain,
Very affectionately yours,
LEVI CHAMBERLAIN-
Mr. Levi Chamberlain,
July 12, 1824.
SHIP
12
)
Providence
R. I.)
July 12, 1824)
Rufus Anderson,
Missionary Rooms,
B O S T O N ,
U.S. America*
Ford'd by the kindness of
Capt. Preeble, via the
Ship CHAMPION.
�211.
Page 303.
(Rufus Anderson. Esq'r.
P .S.— —
Cont'd. )
I take the liberty of adding the request that
you will minute down in the memorandum which is kept of
the wants of this Station, a log chain & a common draft
chain, to be sent out by an early opportunity.
Levi Chamberlain;
7/12/1824.
(Sealed)
�212.
Page 304
(Omitted-- by order Prof. Ballou.)
Page 305.
9 Previous to Sept. 1824 V
Honoruru, Oahu,
June 17th, 1823.
E sq'r Evarts,
Sir: —
Of the circumstances of our voyage and arrvial
I & reception here, you will be informed by our joint letter, which
I was written two or three weeks since by Mr. R.
You doubtless recollect some suggestions of mine, respecting
the remains of my property.
I then supposed I should direct it
to be disposed of by them; But I now inform you that I have since
on becoming more acquainted with the wants of Missionaries, and
the source and manner of supply, c ontramanded the orders.
I had
before given to my Agent, and directed him to pay the materials of
the property to a friend of mine in Connecticut, and it is to be
taken charge of by him, and disposed of as I shall hereafter
direct.
I have inclosed a copy of the track of the Thames that I took
on the passage— I have prepared the outlines of a map of Hawaii
for the deputation to take with them when they go to explore-itis
upon a much larger scale than any heretofore drawn.
I hope they
will be able to improve it, by filling up blanks and attuning
outlines, & c .
When we shall be able to get a correct map of all
the Islands, and of all their bearings we cannot tell; as I fear it
will not be practicable for a long time yet.
The improvements in the Moral state of the nation is by no
means adequate in degree to what many in America will imagine from
what has been written----------Domestic assistants, to assist our females in this debilita
ting climate are exceedingly necessary— they can nowhere more be
needed than here, and can be nowhere more useful & profitable for
the aid of suc h , that the strength of the Missionary may be main
tained (retained) & the vision of mindpossessed to engage in the v a r
ious ways of promoting the great object of the Mission; whereas if our
females are subjected to perform all the domestic labour themselves,
it will soon exhause their strength & disenable them for doing any
thing else;beside a part of the husband's time must be occupied in
assisting her in what it is impossible for her to execute herself.
It is in the sphere of a domestic alone that the coloured girl
with Mrs. Stewart's family can be useful in the present state of
things.
And this assistance of hers is claimed by M r . S. exclusively,
so that all our other females are left without that aid that alone
can enable them to engage in the more important concerns of the M
i
si
o
n
�213
Page 3 0 5 .
while in health; and without a nurse in sickness, while one of
their number is thus highly privileged with all this necessary aid—
This circumstance is not a little t hought of among the several
individuals of the family. - — —
Betsey Stockton might be
in some degree useful to others of the Mission by attending as a
Nurse in sickness, & this would accord with the agreement between
the parties and the Prudential Committee, which specifies that she
is first to serve the general demand of the Mission.
But this
demand Mr. S. declared shall not be complied with by sayingthat
he or Mrs. S. will go to attend the sick before they will suffer B.
to go: & no one here can suppose from appearances that they ever
design to attend as Nurse on their Brethern or Sisters.— So that
no assistance of this kind is expected from her.
Therefore, if aid of
this kind should be called for by others equally needing it, & equally
justified in their claim, it is hoped & trusted they will not be denied.
Female help from among the natives is out of the question;
none can be had— & none- no help from natives, man or boy, that can
be depended on.
Mrs. B. sends respects.
Yours respectfully,
? --
To Jeremiah Evarts, Esq.,
(Date Omitted.)
BLATCH LY.
�- -- Page 306.
(An outline map of South American continent
and Islands in the Pacific Ocean, with a
line drawing showing a certain voyage around
Cape Horn to the Hawaiian Islands, or Sandwich
Islands. )
Page 307.
Oahu, March 10th, 1623 (1823).
Dear Sir:-The designation of a Mission to the Sandwich Islands
by your very respectable Board, was an event which the Mission
aries in the South Sea Islands hailed with the sincerest joy.
We had often directed our view towards them, and the Marques/ess
with heartfelt commiseration for their miserable and degraded
condition, and the most anxious desire that the fetters of ig
norance & idolatry which the destroyer appeared to be fast rivetting
upon his c a p t i v e (sauls) souls, might be broken and the triumphs
of the cross extend thither in all the benignity of its Divine care e r
and confer upon the log (long) neglected tribes the blessings of
Christian liberty and peace.
An interview with the honoured servants of the great
Immanuel destined to form the advance guard of the forces to be
employed in the glorious warfare would have been a source of
unspeakable pleasure & satisfaction, had they made either the Geor
gian or Society Isles on their way to the fields where they would
instruct them full in all that it was useful or profitable for them
to know.
However, some time before we left Taumuarii, King of
Tanai & Kahumanu, together with several others made a direct application, by sending a messenger to request that AUNA and his wife
who had accompanied us, might be left to teach them to read and
write, & that I should return to the Society Islands, for my wife
& family, with whom I should remove back to them by the earliest
opportunity.
They advised us to inform them by the return of the
messenger whether we would accede to their request.
We consulted with
with our kind Missionary Brethern here as to the answer we should
return.
After very mature deliberation and prayer, they advised
us to accede to their / request, if agreeable to our own views,
assuring us they were convinced the common cause would be advanced
thereby.
The Deputation were of the same opinion, and I thought the
path of duty so clearly marked and by so many striking events in
Providence, that I agreed to accede to their wishes provided my
removal should meed the approbation of the Brethern of the station
to which I belonged.
The King, Mr. Pitt and the other chiefs also expected their
expressed their appreciation of our decision.
The Mission to the Marquesa ss was accordingly postponed,
and AUNA with his wife accompanied Taumuarii & Kaahumanu the next
day to Hawaii.
�#215*
Page 308.
On arriving again at the Society Islands, we acquainted
our Brethern with the apparent call which Providence had given us
to this extensive and inviting field, and after deliberating con
siderably on the subject, they were unanimous in opinion that it
was my duty to accept it, and united in affectionately recommend
ing me to the Grace of our Divine Master for comfort, support and
direction in again embarking for new and more distant fieldsWe arrived at the scene of our future exertions on the
5th of February last/
Mrs. Ellis and our four dear little ones
having enjoyed the invaluable helping of uninterupted health dur
ing our voyage.
Our dear Brothers & Sisters of the Missionary
family greeted our arrival in the most affectionate manner, and by
their kind attentions have laid us under the most lasting obliga
tions.
The King & Chiefs also heartily welcomed us to their
shored.
We have been happy in uniting most cordially with your
indefatig/able Missionaries here in bearing part of the burden
resting upon them, and sharing the toils & fatigues peculiar to the
Station we appear called unitedly to fill.
The only
interest I
desire to promote is the advancement of that Cause which we have
given ourselves up to support & extendIn the translation of the
Scriptures, Preaching the everlasting Gospel of the Son of God, get
ting and planting Christian Churches (gathering and planting)
under
the great Head of the Church; advancing the moral and intellectual
improvement of this interesting people, particularly in the estab
lishment of public schools, I shall always feel the greatest satis
faction in lending my feeble aid, and combine my every effort with
theirs to help forward so glorious a cause.
I fear, Dear Sir, I have (
d isplayed) trespassed too much
on your patience by so minute a detail of the circumstances which
in the first instance let to my introduction to this part of the
Missionary field; but I have been desirous to give you an explicit
account of the manner in which I have been conducted to these Is
lands by a way that I knew not, & to the station I am now called to
fill.
I must beg you to excuse my occasionally troubling you
with a letter & c . to London, when I may find it necessary to send by
way of America, and Perhaps
the Rev'd G. Burden may at once (the
paper is torn here) forward by your means communications from the
Society with which I have the honour to be connected. I regret e x
ceedingly that any additional trouble should be incurred on my
account, as I feel fully convinced that your numerous and important
concerns leave unoccupied any portion of your valuable time. Yet
the favor of a few lines by any convenient opportunity would be
very highly esteemed by,
Dear Sir,
Your obdt Servt in Christ,
Wm.
J e r h. Evarts, E s q r.,
B O S T O N .
)
Ellis.
�216
Page 308.
P. S. I am happy to present you by this opportunity with a couple
of copies of the Gospels by Matthew & John, in the Tahitian langu
age, together with a specimen of the Hymns used in the carious
congregations
in the Society Islands.
N one of the Hymns are origiinal compositions, and are employed constantly by many thousands of
worshippers.
I trust the period is not very remote when you will
receive similar portions of the Sacred Scriptures & c . from your
interesting Mission here/ .
W.E.
(Wm. Ellis)
Rev. Wm. Ellis,
A ug. 21, 1823.
Answered:
October 13, 1823.
JEREMIAH EVARTS/ , E squire,
Missionary Rooms,
B O S T O N,
U . S. America.
�217
Page 309.
Woahoo. One of the Sandwich Islands, August 9, 1822.
To the American Board of Commissions of F oreign Missions.
Beloved Brethern in Christ:
You have, we presume, been informed
that the London Missionary Society have deputed two of their number
to inquire into the state of their Mission
in the Islands of the
South Sea.
We show names that are subscribed to this Letter, have
the honour to belong
(to form) that deputation.— When we sailed
from England in May, we had just received information that the
Sandwich Islands had engaged your benevolent regard, and that you
had sent Missionaries to propagate the Gospel in that territorythat interesting portion of the Heathen world.
While this im
portant information filled our Hearts with joy, & excited in our
minds the most fervent prayers that success might attend the labour
of love, we were encouraged to indulge the most extensive hopes by
hearing that idolotry had already fallen in those Islands, & that
the great head of the Church had thus singularly prepared the way
for his rewards.— But though we felt the most lively interest in
the success of your enterprise, we then entertained the hopes, not
even the most remote, of visiting the Sandwich Islands, as such a
visit made no part of the duties connected with our deputation.
A
mysterious and unerring Providence has, however, conferred on us a
pleasure as great as it is unexpected, & placed us in circumstances
which render it our x duty to make you a communication which we are
happy to do from the very House of your Missionaries in the Island of
Woahoo.
When we landed here in the middle of April, we did not expect
to remain more than three weeks; but the same singular Providence
which so unexpectedly brought us here, has as unexpectedly detained
us till now.
The designs of Providence in bringing us here, are,
however, sufficiently unfolded to convince us of their wisdom and
b e n e f i c e n c e ; while our intention, we have every reason to hope, is
for the Glory of God. —
Before our deputation proceeds to the
immediate object of this letter, allow us, Dear Brethern, to con
gratulate you on your having been directed by the great head of the
church, to so valuable and pious a body of Missionaries as those are,
whom you have sent to these Islands
Their piety, their talents,
their prudence, justifies the confidence which you place (repose) in
them, & should cherish in your hearts the hope that their holy lives
will put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and tend powerfully
to induce those who take knowledge of them to embrace that Gospel
which they are anxious to make known;— While their affectionate
hospitality & their kind & persevering endeavors to promote our
comfort, confer upon us a debt of gratitude which we can never repay.
They are indeed burning and shining lights in the midst of this
crooked and perverse Nation; and we are are confident that the time
is not remote when many shall rejoice in their light.— We have had
the pleasure of seeing all the Brethern, and all the sisters, e x
cepting one, Mrs. R uggles,
&
truly thankful
God thath
s
a
e
�#218
Page 309.
permitted us to form a freindship with his Stewards, in whom there
is so much to admire, to esteem and to love.
After having spent some months in the South Sea Islands,
& being at the time at the Missionary Station in the Island of
Huahine, one of the Society Islands, a vessel, whose Captain had in
charge a schooner which was a present
from the King of England
to the King of the Sandwich Islands, came unexpectedly into the
Harbour for refreshments.
We had long been anxious to introduce (introduce) the
Gospel into the Marquessian Islands, first bymeans of some pious n
natives in Tahiti, as introductory to the sending of some Mission
aries.
The Captain informed us that after delivering up his charge
at the Sandwich Islands, it was his intention to return by way of
the Marquessian Ilands, & should feel much pleasure inbringing us
and any persons we chose to take with us a free passage.
To reach
the Marquesas by way of the Sandwich Islands, was indeed by a cir
cuitous route, but the desire which we had to visit your Mission
there & the hope that the testimony which the Tahitians who might
accompany us would bear to the beneficial influence of Missionary
exertions in the South-Sea Islands, might be of essential service
in the Sandwich Islands, & not having any intention of being able
to reach the Marquessas by a way more favourable,— we were indeed to
believe that a wise Providence had provided the means of accomplishin g our wishes, & that it w a s our duty to embrace the oppor
tunity.
Mr. Ellis, one of our valuable missionaries stationed
at Huahine, agreed to accompany us, while the Church proceeded to
select & set apart two of its most suitable members with their
views to the work of the Gospelwith the Marquessian Islands.
Mr.
Ellis accompanied us to afford us his assistance in this important
undertaking, and had no other view b u t to return again in three or
four months to his field of Labour in the Huahine.
On reaching
Woahoo, your missionaries affectionately invited us // with Mr.Ellis
to take up our abode at their house, while the two chiefs with their
///// wives were invited to reside during the continuance at the House
of the King of Atooi, who was here at the time:This was in co n
sequence of the brother-in-law of the chief being in the service of
the King of Atooi.
Our arrival appeared to be most opportune.
Many false and injurious reports had been propagated here by some of
the foreigners, respecting the state of religion in the Society
Islands, in order to prejudice the minds of the King & Chiefs &
people of the Sandwich Islands against the Gospel & the Missionaries.
Your Missionaries had projected a short time previous to our arrival
a voyage to the South-Sea Islands, accompanied by some of the Chiefs
here, to ascertain
�219
Page #309.
the real state of things there; but the foreigners, bu their
influence, had prevented the vessel from sailing.
At the time
of our arrival, the people were- laboring under the influence of
the prejudices which the foreigners had produced among them. But
our testimone to that wonderful work of God in the South Sea
Island, together with that of the people who accompanied us, appeared
to haveconfounded opposers, and confirmed the King, & chiefs & people
in the firm confidence that the prejudices which had been excited
were false & unfounded.
We had no idea that this important object
was to be answered by our voyage.
Truly God is wonderful in counsel
& mighty in executing.
Second Sheet #310.
One only of the Chiefs who accompanied us, with his wife,
arrived at the house of the King of Atooi.
But the King, with
Kaahumann , his wife, a woman of great influence in the Islands,
were so much pleased with the conduct of their visitors, that they
gave them a strong invitation to continue with them, & not to go
to the Marquesas.
(Thinking with this unexpected occurrence, &
perceiving that great benefits might arise to the cause of religion
in these Islands from the residence of persons so pious and ex
cellent as these are, and knowing that we could obtain others for
the Marquessan Mission at the Society Islands, we were induced to
consent to their remaining.—
Soon after this, a meeting of
several of the most important chiefs was convened by the King
& Queen of Atooi to deliberate on the propriety of inviting Mrs.
Ellis also to join your Missionaries, & to take up his residence
here, with his wife & family.
An invitation to that effect was
therefore given to him.
This also was not expected.
On
further inquiry we found that his remaining here met with the
decided approbation of the King Rihoriho also, & all the principal
chiefs, & what was still more in our estimation, that of your
Missionaries.—
After taking the matter into serious consideration,
and seeking direction from Him who alone/ can guide in the way
of Truth, we were induced to give our consent to Mr. E l l i s ' joining
your Mission; but still to remain // /// in connexion with the
London Missionary Society, & to be supported by it.— The fol
lowing considerations influenced our minds to come to this
decision.—
Your Missionaries were laboring under great difficulties,
in acquiring the language of this people;— difficulties which we
perceived would not be surmounted for a considerable period. Mr.
Ellis beingintimately a c q u a i n t e d with the Tahitian Language which
is radically the same as this.
�220.
Page #310.
We were oonvinced that he would render essential service to your
Missionaries in this particular; and thus accelerate the period
when they will be able to declare to them in their own tongue (in
these Islands) wonderful works of God, which is essential to their
extensive usefulness.
Our conjectures have been in a measure
realized already with regard to your Missionaries; while Mr. Ellis
has so much over come the points in which their languages differ from
each other, as to be able to preach fluently & intelligently in so
short a time in the Owhyheean Tonggue, which he has done for several
weeks. —
Another reason is,--the wide Field of usefulness which
was presented in these Islands now, in connexion with the most pleas
ing aspect which the state of the mind of the people affords.
These Islands are indeed apparently waiting for the Saviour's
L a w ; these fields are white to the harvest & the laborers are few.
Justice & Expedience seemed therefore to require that we shouldConsent to take a Missionary from the South-Sea Islands which are so well
supplied, & give him to these where so many thousands are waiting to be
taught, but alas; perishing for the lack of knowledge.
Also, there
appeared to us great suitableness in your Missionaries being joined by
one who had resided almost six years in those Islands where so glo
rious a work has been accomplished within that period, & in which he
had taken an important share.
His experience, his acquaintance with
the most useful plans of operation, his knowledge of the Tahitian
character, to which that of the Sandwich Islands bears a close analogy,
these considerations could not but have a great influence upon our
decisions.
Some foreigners, anxious to seize upon anything that
might tend to prejudice the N atives against your Missionaries, did not
fail to suggest to them that should they listento their instructions
they would incur the displeasure of the English.
By uniting an
English Missionary with yours, this objection will be removed;— and
indeed almost already our visit has produced the best effect in this
particular.— with the same design, these foreigners have spared no
pains to misrepresent the most infamous falsehoods;--but a Missionary
who has been no long resident there, & who is well acquainted with all
the circumstances of that great work, being upon the spot here, will
prevent all future attempts of a similar kin d .
But however weighty
these considerations, they would not have induced us to consent to
Mr. E l lis' leaving so useful, important & comfortable a situation which
he occupies at Huahine in union with Mr. Barff and joining yourMissionaries here, had not the finger of God most clearly indicated to
us the path of duty;
this is made so remarkably plain, that not a
shadow of a doubt can remain- in our minds that it is the will of God.
We may also add for your satisfaction that M r . Ellis possesses excellentmissionary talents, real piety, & much of the spirit of his office,
an ardent zeal for the salvation of souls, an entire devotedness to
his work, a good share of general knowledge, a useful proficiency in an
acquaintance with medicine, an ability to ingratiate himself with the
Natives, together with amiable & affectionate dispositions.
His
wife is like minded; she is also well acquainted with the Tahitian
language, this being very usefully employed in the situation which
she fills.
They are both most highly esteemed by their Brethern &
Sisters in the Society Islands to whom they are affectionately
united.
That which has rendered them so / extremely useful, &
which has procured them so large a share of esteem both among the
�Previous to Sept. 1824
V
221.
Page 3 10.
their brethern and the natives, in the Society Islands, will, no
doubt, not procure for them the same extreme satisfaction among
our beloved friends your worthy missionaries in the Sandwich
Idlands, & render them as useful there.-- M r . Ellis accompanies
us back / again to Huahine, & will return to the Sandwich Islands
as soon as possible,--but at the expense of the London Missionary
Society.
And while we entertain the confident hope that this will
meet your approbation, we doubt not that you will join us in fervent
prayer that this important step may be the means of strengthening
the hands of your Mission here, & promoting the glory of God in
the salvation of multitudes of immortal souls in these long neglected but interesting Islands.
Wm. Chamberlain, and his e steemed brethern and sisters,
have done us the honour to consult us on the subject of his situa
tion in connexion with this Mission:
Being upon the spot, & having
an opportunity of forming an opinion on the subject from an actual
knowledge of the state of these Islands, & the circumstances of the
Mission, we have felt it to be our duty, in compliance with their
united request, to give our views as to the path of duty.
Mr. &
Mrs. Chamberlain are truly estimable characters, & worthy of that good
opinion which you have formed of them, and the highest esteem & love
from the Church & from the world, & had their talents been required
here in the sphere in which you intended them to move, more suitable
3d sheet #311
(9)
persons, we are persuaded, couldnot have been found.
But there is
no scope for agricultural talents beyond what the natives themselves
possess. Of this we are fully convinced.
This being the fact, Mr.
C . can render no especial service to the Mission in the way in which
he was intended to promote its welfare.
This being obvious to us,
& taking into account the importance of an immediate attention to the
formation of the character of his children, & their being brought
up in an acquaintance with some business, not to be learnt here, with
a view to their future settlement in life, & considering also the
precarious state of Mr. Chamberlain' s health, & the affecting sit
uation in which Mrs. C . would be placed, were she to be left a widow
in these Islands with such a family, — we give it as our decided opinion
that it was Mr. C.'s duty to return back again to his native country
by the first suitable conveyance.
In this opinion we f eel assured you
would f u l l y concur were you in these Islands to witness the habits &
manners of the inhabitants, which cannot but have the most injurious
effect upon the principles & conduct of those whose characters are to
be formed under the influence of such scenes as daily present themselves in these Heathen Lands.
�222.
Page #311.
(11)
Having spend some time here & in t he Society Islands, &
taken a leisurely view of both your Mission here & that with
which we stand more immediately connected, it may not be un
suitable to offer to your attention our opinion respecting those
persons whom the Missionary Society should send to labour in
Heathen Countries, which are under similar circumstances. with
those Islands which we have visited.
We feel considerable
diffidence in offering our sentiments, lest they should be con
sidered either obtrusive on our part, or unsolicited on yours.
But considering your view as that with which we have the honour to
be most intimately connected, we have but one feeling toward both Mi
Institutions, & are anxiously concerned for their dual prosperity.
An apology, we feel, is necessary for offering you, Beloved
Brethern, an opinion which you have not / called for, but we find
this apology in that-solicitude which we feel for the success of the
Gospel, by whomsoever it may be advocated;— and should we err, we
rely on your affectionate candour to forgive.
(Begin)—
As the resources of our Societies are limited, economy in
the expenditure of our finances is of indespensible importance, &
hence the question arises, how shill we most effectively & the
most extensively promote the Redeemer’s cause withthe means which
are put into our hands?
Or, in other words, what description of
characters are likely to do the most good to the souls of men &
to be the most efficient instruments in promoting at once the in
terest of Religion and civilization.
Our opinion is made u p , — we think that they sould be those
only who profess such talents as qualify them for instructing the
Heathen in the knowledge of the gospel, & also promoting the
knowledge of the gospel; & an acquaintance with the Arts of Civi
lization; & these talents should meet in the same person.-- While
we think it highly desirable that some Missionaries should be sent
into remote parts of the Heathen World, as these parts are, we want
those who have received a liberal education, with a view to the
translating of the Scriptures; yet we do not think that this is
necessary to be professed by all who are intended to preach the
Gospel among the Heathen.
A competent knowledge of their own
language, some general acquaintance with the most popular sciences,
an ability to work at some mechanical business, & to instruct others,
with a talent to adapt his exertions to any & every necessity which /
may arise,— these qualifications in- c onnexion with genuine piety, a
heart glowing with zeal for the salvation of souls, an ability to
teach, a readiness to acquire a foreign language, the spirit of his
office, an intimate knowledge of human nature, and a prudent, patient
& persevering mind,— a young man of twenty, or one of two & twenty,
years of age, so qualified, will make a valuable Missionary in such
countries as these.
In some parts of the Heathen world, more mechanics & agri
culturists may be useful in promoting civilization; but to see, as we
�but to us as we have had an opportunity of making observation
actually upon Missionary ground, we are decidedly of the opinion
that such persons, however pious they may be, will only incur
great expense, without rendering any adequate services to the
cause of Religion.
Civilization is not being effected to any
great extent, we think, by any direct attempt at accomplishing it
b y mere seculars; but indirectly by the example & recommendation
of the teachers of religion.
A Missionary will do more towards
promoting civilization by a well cultivated gard e n ; a neat house,
with decent furniture; & with suitable & becoming clothing, one
who is able to instruct those aroundhim in how to make any a r
ticles of furniture & which may attract attention, than fifty
artisans who might be sent for the express purpose of teaching
the Heathen these arts.-- Nor let it be imagined that it lowers
a Missionary in their eyes to know that he is able to work at
any of the mechanical arts.
It has the opposite effect.
They are
not able to appreciate his knowledge of the Classics, or what is calld
learning; but they can appreciate the talents of a man who can build
a house or a boat better than they can.
By such means a Missionary
establishes in their views his superiority over them; this being done,
they will better listen to his religious instructions, with more
deference, & feel confidence in him as a Teacher.
Civilization has made, and is making rapid progress in
those Islands; but it has /// been effected by the influence of the
Missionaries who possess themselves a knowledge of the useful arts,
& have been able to teach them to others.
Could those be found who would sacrifice all future hopes
of enriching themselves by their professional talents, & who are able
to instruct their fellow creatures by conversation in the concerns of
Eternity; who have hearts glowing with lively zeal for the honour of
Christ, & dispositions to co-operate in making for meekness & humility
with the Missionaries, whose office it is more immediately to in
struct mankind in the truths of the Gospel, they might be useful on
Missionary ground, both to the Missionaries themselves, & to the
N atives.
But having pursued their studies with a view to the emolu
ments which their professions promise, & being generally men of
respectable connexions, & of a liberal education, there is great
danger of their taking more upon them in the direction of Missionary
affairs than those would approve whose work is fully spiritual.
The peace & prosperity of the Mission would be seriously
risked by such a union.
However, we strongly advise that all
Missionaries should pay some attention to medicine & surgery, pre
viously to their leaving their country;
�9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
224.
4th sheet Page 312.
(13)
This we think might he done while they are engaged in those
preparatory studies which are deemed more essentially nec e ssary.
A little attention paid to these subjects for a
year or two would be a sufficient intrrduction:— a few books,
and future experience would mature their knowledge.
If
medical men at the request of the Natives are sent out, we
think they should not be connected in any way with the Mission,
but be wholly dependent upon the support which may arise from
their professional labours.
We would make the same suggestion
with regard to mechanics and lay men of all descriptions.
If requested by the N atives, let them find their
support, then they will not but set a much higher value upon
their services and talents than if their instructions in their
respective lines were given gratis.—
We question the pr o
priety of even sending school-masters as such, unless they
possess talents for instructing their pupils in the things of
Religion.
Schools must, of course, be formed & superintended
b y the Mission; & when conducted on good principles promise
essential advantages to the cause of Christianity.
But we feel persuaded that if they are not under
the superintendece of Missionaries, little good will be done.
Native assistants should be employed as soon as they can be
obtained, but kept under the immediate direction of the
Missionaries.
We think it not advisable to take the Native
children into a school; & feel, clothe, & board them for the
sake of giving them instruction; except at the commencement of a
new Mission, & then such only should receive instruction as
promise to be of assistance to the Mission afterwards by being
monitors
or instructors in other schools.— To give instruction &
support to a few youths of fourteen or fifteen years of age with
t his view, may be of service to the cause of religion; but to
takeyoung children indiscriminately is to incur vast expense
without any adequate advantage to the Mission.
A n the children
& even adultsof the South Sea Islands have the advantages of
school instruction daily, yet their (there) is not one school
master; no expense is incurred to the funds of our Missionary
Soc iety, excepting paper for printing school books:— & nowhere can
education be more easily acquired, or the means of imparting it
more efficient.
(End)
Having spent some time in the South Sea Islands (and
we intend to pass another 12 months, at least, there) it may not
be unacceptable to you to receive our views of the state of
religion in those highly favored regions.
You, however, no
doubt, read the reports which have been made respecting the
state of religion and of that Mission. —
& be assuredthat is
far from those reports which have been made respecting the
state of that Mission.
�225.
Page 312.
& be assured that, so far from the reports being exaggerated,
much more might have been said respecting the state of that
Mission.
The work is indeed marvellous in our eyes, & ex
cites in our hearts the most lively gratitude to that God whose
Hand has been so r i g o r o u s l y displayed in it.— The inhabitants of
those Islands were much sunken into the lowest possible state of
moral degradation; but are now we hesitate not to say, / viewing
them as a body, the most universally & consistently Christian of
any people upon the face of the earth.—
The Sabbath is univer
sally regarded.— the individual is scarcely known who does not
attend public worship there three times on the Lord's Day, &
several times in the week.
The congregations are large, & are well
behaved as any congregation we ever saw in E n g l a n d . Numerous churehes are formed of pius (pious) persons; while multitudes more are
waiting admission.
Full three-fourths of the people can be said to read &
many write & cipher.
Industry is every where apparent, & civi
lization has already made considerable progress.
Towns are
rising up comprised of houses built according to the European
style, our furniture is imitated, while the people
aim at the
same modes of living & clothing.
Crimes are very few, peace &
happiness are everywhere apparent.
The marriage is now held
sacred, infanticide is wholly discontinued, & religion is the
great business of life, while secular affairs, though not ne g
lected, are held as secondary.
All their food wanted for the
Sabbath is cooked on the Saturday:-not a fire is lighted, not a
house is seen moving upon the water, nor are any visits paid on
the Lord's day.
Never did the Gospel obtain a more complete
& glorious triumph over ignorance, sensuality & superstition since
the world began.—
Let this change afford y o u , Beloved Brethern, encouragement
in all your labours of love, & all your exertions to evangelize the
Heathen world.
Your prospects in these Islands are indeed most
highly encouraging, & that you may soon have to rejoice in their
spiritual regeneration, & their conversion to Christ, is, Dear
Friends, and dear fellow-laborers,
(Part of the page has been cut our here)
N . B . It will afford us great happiness to be favored with a letter
fromyou.
It may be forearded the Secretary of the L .M .S., Mission
ary Rooms, Old Jewry, London, or should an opportunity occur, to us
at the Rev. Mr. Marsden's, Paramatta, New South Wales--where we
hope to be in about a year & a half from this time.
Sandwich Island Missions.
Rev. Daniel Tyerman, &
George Bennett, Esq.,
Deputation of the London Missionary Society,
F eb. 20, 1823.
�Sandwich Island M i ssions.
Rev. Daniel T y e r m a n &
George Bennet, E squire.
Deputation of the London
Missionary Society.
Feb. 20, 1823.
�227.
9
Previous to Sept. 1824.
V
Page 3 1 3 .
from the Sandwich Mission.
Extracts from the Journal of AUNA, during his voyage
t o Hawaii.
(Written in Tahitian, and
translated into English by Mr. E
i llis.)
Saturday, May 11, 1822.
About noon we were off Ranai — a boat went on shore
with Raanui, and party.
Our vessel sailed on towards Maui(Mowee)
During the \ afternoon I was occupied in teaching nine of those
who sailed with us to read in the little Spelling Book.
In
the evening off the district of Lahaina in Moui, where Taumuarii
Kaahumanu, and their attendants went on shore.
lord's Day, the 12th,— -About 11 o ’clock in the forenoon
we went on shore and were much pleased with the appearance of the
place.
We found Taumuarii and Kaahumanu, Teaumotu (bon) and a
great many Chiefs and people, collected together, who welcomed us
on shore.
I asked Taumatu to whom an adjoining stone house
belonged, and on his answering that it was his, proposed that we
should have worship there, to which he answered: "Yes, let us go
and pray there".
He and his wife Kekuaiaia accompanied us, as
did Raanui, Opiia and several others, till the house was full.
I
read a portion of the Tahitian Gospel by Matthew, and then en
gaged in prayer to Jehova to bless them with His salvation. After
service we went and set down under the large tou trees.Teaumotu,
his wife and many others collected around u s .
We taught their
letters in the Hawaiian Spelling Book we had received from the
Missionaries at Oahu.
Teaumotu appeared much pleased.
In the
afternoon we again went into the place where we held our worship in
the morning, and after reading in the scriptures I engaged in prayer
to Jehova(h).
Teaumotu and his wife were again present. In the
evening we held our family worship, and were joined by Teaumotu, his
wife, and several others. At night we slept under the large tow trees
that grew on the beach.
Monday, 13th.—
In the morning many of the people and some
of the chiefs joined us in our family worship.
When it was over
I was employed at least two hours in teaching them their letters &c.
The Chiefs of the land brought a present to Kaahumana, consisting of
great quantities of potatoes, poetaro, and of baked dogs .
I was
afterwards taken with a shivering, which was followed b y a fever, and
confined me to my bed through the day, and prevented having family
worship in the evening.
Tuesday, 14th.-- Towards the middle of the day I felt better-
walked out and looked over the district, which is well walesed. a n d
c ontains a good many houses, plenty of breadfruit trees and some
plantains and banannas.
The people brought a large present of f o o d
today to Taumuorii a n d Koahumanu.
�228.
Paga 313.
Wednesday, 15th.— We were not joined this morning by any of
the people in our family worship, though several of them sat and looke d
on.
The Chiefs and people of Morotai brought a present of food tody
to the King of Tauwai (Atooi) and Kaahumanu, consisting of 54 bundle
of native cloth, 42 live dogs, and 20 large calabashes of poe, a sort
of paste made of taro.
17th
Friday, 17t h — The people busy in distributing their food and
cloth.
Another large present consisting of 34 baked dogs and 28
calabashes of poe, with a proportion of cloth.
Wrote several
letters to friends in the Society Islands, and / forwarded them to M r .
E lli
s to take to Huahine.
In the afternoon we went on board and
proceeded to the windward side of Maui, to set sail from thence
for Hawaii.
Lord's Day, 18th.— Early in the morning we set sail for Hawaii.
Our vessel was very much crowded and many were sick, so that we could
not have public worship today.
Several joined us in our family
prayers.
Monday, 20th.— This day in the morning we landed at Hawaii in the
bay of Tamaihai, viewed here very early in the morning;
Thursday, 23rd.— This day a number of dancers arrived here very
early in the morning, and we have had nothing but playing on the c a l
abashes, and dancing all day long.
Some joined us in our family
worship, but not many.
They appeared too much taken up with the dan
cing, &c .
Lord's Day, 26th.— The captain of one of the ships having lost
his watch, applied to Kaahumanu, and it was found that it had been
stolen from the ship. Kaahumanu had one of her men put in irons on
-suspicion, for the man that was in charge, and sent all the rest to
search for it.
We had publick worship, but it was amidst much oonfusion, for the man that was in irons made a great noise and those
that were searching for the watch made almost as muc h . About noon it
was brought back, having been sold by the man who stole it to some
of the residents at the place.
The man who had been confined b y the
Captain was released, and the watch was returned to the Captain who
had lost it;
We set sail immediately afterwards and proceeded to
/ Tehara,
A chief woman of the name of R unia brought a present of
fish and sweet potatoes for Taumuarii and Kaahumanu.
anchor
Thursday, 28th.
About noon came to another of the large districts
of Hilo (Aheolo).
In the afternoon we went on shore at a place
called Muhukamanu, by the side of a very large and rapid stream of
wat e r.
The place appeared well covered with trees and there was a
great deal of taro under cultivation.
The houses, were thick, and
the people very many.
The large number of anao (mullet) for
Kaahumanu. We went into a little house belonging to R ehosiho and held
our family w o r s h i p - j o i n e d by a few of the people.
There was much
dancing and song, singing the hula till midnight.
�Thursday, 30th -- We remained at Peehanua and Vairutu.
The people were very glad to see u s.
One of the Chiefs of the land
here kindly gave me some plaintain-leaves, for which he had to swim
across the river, and afterwards assisted me in putting up a temporary
dwelling. I conversed with them as opportunity offered concerning
the salvation of their souls, and many of them said, what I told them
was very good, and that as soon as the King turned to the Religion of
Christ, they should he very glad to follow him.
Saturday, June 1st.--The chiefs were employed in putting
up a large temporary dwelling-house for their visitors.
I was
alone among them most of the day, telling them of the great things
God had done for the people of the Society Islands, in sending them
the Gospel, with which they seemed interested.
The Chiefs of the
land brought their present to Kaahumanu, of 18 hogs, 86 dogs, some
good fowls, some fish, and great quantities of p o e .
Lord's Day, June 2d.---In the morning some few attended our
family worship.
A chief belonging to Koahumanu came to me to cook the
some arrow-root after the Tahitian manner, which I did.
Afterwards
we had public worship in the house of Opiia, who, with her husband,
and attendants as well as several others, attended and appeared much
interested.
So much was the confusion with the companies of dancers
the playing of the hula, the singing, &c. and the people bringing
presents, that we could only have public worship once to-day.
In the
afternoon we went inland to a native retired place under some shady
trees, where we undisturbedly worshipped Jehova.
The dancing con
tinued until very late at night.
Monday, June 3 d .— The people of the land, this day brought
presents to Taumar ii and Hoahumanu, consisting of 12 baked dogs, 60
dogs, 590 pieces of native cloth, 35 large calabashes of pee (poe)
and two large canoes.
There was encouh hustle and confusion, and /
vast multitudes of people.
I endeavored to talk with any I could
find disengaged.
Tuesday, June 4 t h .---Kaahumanu having commanded some of her
people, the idol of Tamehameha, Taraipahoa, he was brought today with
9 others, smaller idols, and publicly burnt.
My host greatly re
joiced in seeing them committed to the flames. Tapo was another name
of the great idol of Tamehameha.— Kaahumanu gave us
8 pieces of
clo th.
Wednesday, June 12th.— Hlaving been at sea sometime, since
Sabbath Day, we came to anchor this afternoon off Tapua on the east
side of the Island.
The Chiefs brought presents of food and fish,
principally Abbocores, for Taumurii and Kaahumanu.
Lord's Day/, June 16th.— We arrived at Kaiarua, the
residence of Kuakini (John A d a m s ).
In the afternoon we went on
shore after we had had our public worship on board the ship.
Totela-e
/ a Tahitian, Kuakine, the governor, and several others joined us in
cur family worship inthe evening.
Wednesday, June 19th/----The chiefs brought a present to
day of 222 fish, 20 dogs, 20 pieces of cloth, and 3 calabashes of
poe.
There was afterwards a / hura, by the people of Kuakine.
Thirty-three men beat time on sticks.
�230
Page 313, - Page 314.
Twenty-six dancers, and five large drums.
I was employed in
making some Monai (scented oil) and conversing with the people
who collected around m e .
Thursday, June 20th.---Today the chiefs and people of
Tona brought presents to Taumarii, consisting of baked dogs, 400;
c loth,mats, and other kinds of property 4000.
The feasting con
tinued with great confusion this day.
There was a dance of 41, who
danced in four lines, behind whom sat 31 musicians beating the sticks
and behind them were 4 large drums.
The people all drank a g o o d
deal of intoxicating liquor, made of the juice of the sugar-cane.
They frequently brought us some and wished us to partake with them,
but we always refused, and told them we used formerly to be as fond
of it as they were, but now, we knew it to be a bad thing to drink
intoxicating liquors, and wished not to drink it.
We also endeavored
to dissuade them from drinking it, but invain.
Friday, June 21st.— -This day Kuakine,the governor, made
a present to his visitors, consisting of 622 dogs, a canoe, 58 cala
bashes of poi, and 3 feathered cloaks.
There was afterwards a
great dance, nearly the same as yesterday, and very much confusion.
L o r d ’s Day,June 23rd.-— A relation of Koahumanu joined us
this morning in our family worship, after which we had some pleasing
conversation with him.
The chiefs were all gone to sport in the
surf. At noon they returned.
We afterwards had public worship in one
of Kuahinie's houses.
I read a chapter in one of the gospels, an
engaged in prayer. Aore, Kuakini, and several others attended.
Kuakini and a considerable number also attended our family worship
in the evening, and spent a considerable time with us in conversa
tion.
Monday, June 24th.— — In the morning Micromeai, a man
belonging to Koahnmanu was sent aboard one of the vessels to fetch
8 of the idols that had been brought from the other side of the
Island, and were intended to be brought to Oahu, to the King.
The
reason they were sent for was, the man who had been left on beard
to take care of the goods was taken ill, in the night and brought
on shore.
The chiefs immediately said it was the spirits of the
idols that were going to kill him.
"Let us send for them and
burn them".
In the afternoon we returned with Teraipohoa, Tetorimetu
Paparahoamau, ?atuahia, Kaunamura, Maiora, and Akua-hanai, who were
all consumed in the fire, at which I greatly rejoiced.
Wednesday, June the 26th.
E arly this morning Kuakini's
men who had been sent for the gods, returned. The chief then
ordered his people to make a large fire, and then set to work him
self and with his people assisting him, burnt one hundred and two
idols.
I thought of which I had witnessed at Tahiti, and Moarea, wh
when the idols there were burnt, particularly the idols burnt at Papetiai, by Paitu, and with my heart praised Jehova, the true God, that
I had witnessed these people following our example.
Taumorii and
Koakumanu talked with me a good deal this day about our burning the
idols at Tahiti, a n d seeded that s
f day had burnt theirs, that they
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�231.
Page 314—
(7 )
Thursday, June 27, 1822.— To-day all were busy in pre
paring for our departure; there was also a great dance to-day
by 38 men from a neighboring district.
Several of the people
attended our family worship both morning and evening.
Friday the 28th.— We all went aboard the boats, canoes
and vessels.
Teoua, the wife of Kuakini,
came off to take leave
of Aune-Vahini. She brought with her a small present of blue
cloth. We presented her with a perl fish-hook, as a token of
our affection, and she returned to the shore. We soon put to
sea and set sail for Maui.
Tuesday, July 2nd.— Having touched at several places on
Hawaii, we came to an anchor at Kahaine. We went on shore a
little while, and returned to the ship and set sail for Oahu, where
we arrived the next day.
Journal of AUNA,
April 2, 1823.
�9 Previous to Sept. 1824.
C O P Y
V
232.
314.
o f a letter from Mr. O liphant, an/ American gentleman at Canton,
to Mr. Bingham, Missionary at the Sandwich Islands, accompanied
by a donation for the Mission from the writer, estimated to he
about 300 dollars.
Canton,
January 21 , 1822.
Rev. Hiram Bingham,
Dear Sir: —
An opportunity (the ship Tartar, Capt. Bailey)
offerring for the Sandwich Islands, I mail (avail) myself, to avail
myself of it to send you some articles which I hope may be serviceable
to your society, and grateful, as a token of Christian remembrance &
affection.—
If they in any degree administer to your comfort or
convenience, the privilege of dispensing it, is one for which I can
not be sufficiently thankful.— Who that has tasted the Saviour 's love
but must wish to express it— and to whom shall be express it if
not to those who have renounced their homes, that they may labour for
the good of their fellow men, to bring them from the wretchedness &
depredation of their darkness, to that Saviour & the blessings of His
Grace. — May you/, Dear Sir, and your fellow labourers be strengthened
for, & thru, and blessed in your work.-- Separated for a while
from the same Happy Country from which you came out, and tarrying in
the midst of Heathenish darkness & superstition, I often think upon
y o u , labouring that the moral desert around you may bloom & blossom
as the Rose--I can see and sympathize in the pain and grief you e x
perience in beholding the strong hold of sin & Satan upon the Hearts
of the children of Men, and their deafness to His Voice, and deadness
in unbelief— for I see and feel it in all that is around me.
But I
cannot pay as you can for it is your privilege to labour and to see it
(I trust) removed— And May the same Spirit which inclined your Hearts
to engage in this work of love/, and so wonderfully prepared the way
for you— turn the Hearts of th Ruler of these people, that the light
of that Revelation which has caused his servants now to seek and make
ready for them, may shine upon them.---As yet it is Hoping against
Hope--Ruler & Ruled are set in opposition to that Beloved Redeemer, and
H is cause & Name.
But it cannot long be so.
He that hath begun the
great work will carry it on.
H is word
is ready and it shall have
course and be glorified.—
May your hearts be animated with pregnant
thoughts of an pr
a y e r s for CHINA;
How important may your labours be
in regard to it, perhaps more so than you thihk— for those for whom
you are more immediately engaged— For if the sound of Otahiite turn
ing from Dumb Mobs to serve the living God, was the means of casting
to the ground those of Owhyt--may we not hope that the same word shall
pass from island to island till the brightness of their light shall
illumine the Darkn ess of China's long continued night— Mysterious is
that Providence which has so long permitted her millions to be e x
cluded from communion with the Nations of the Earth.
But "First"
in his own imagination perhaps it is nicely (wisely) ordered that he
shall be "last" to belong
to that Kingdom which is indeed everlasting,
�233.
Page 314.
of whose increase and Peace there shall he no end.
"When Jesus
end not Tea, shallbe her choice plant, to sweeten and correctthe
b itter waters of her oppressed and benighted Rac e ."
I
have nothing new of an interesting nature to communic
for this quarter.
M y Pamphlets from America are not probably So late as
those you will receive by Direct opportunities.
Dr. Morrison
has left here with the English Company, there being at present
a misunderstanding between them and China.— It is doubtful how the
matter will terminate.
Reasoning like commercial men, for interest's rate we
think it may be settled.
But there is one who sitteth upon the
whirlwind, and directecth all storms, who sees not with our
shortsightedness— and when it is considered who has been
b y the instrumentality of the Company in the Eastern world, it is t
the Christian's privilege to view them with other than commercial
eyes.— This affair may or may not be settled for this time, but
in taking leave of Dr. Morrison I could not repress the thought
"perhaps this Servant's work is done. He has mastered the language
and translated and made ready the Bible, and now he can do no more.
I would not offer the oppressed Gospel by War; but its instrumen
tality one can doubt.— And when we see what is done by saving
Power and Dominion to this C o .--in India it must be the other eyes
than those of Faith looking for all things to work the good of
Zion which can view them merely as a company of traders in regard
to China, in their present attitude without interestDr. Mo r
rison wrote you before he left by an opportunity to S. America
(not then knowing of the present) and sent you some Pamphlets.
I forward the latest numbers of the Gleaner and could wish I had
something moreinteresting.— You have probably heard of the Mission
to the Orages( I enclose a letter from a member of the 2d fam
ily to her friend of Baltimore, and which has been sent me for
perusal.
How little did the writer of it think where it would
travel.
May the Spirit which breathes in it animate the Hearts of
all, and may it respect you and yours.
I bid you farewell —
Praying with the spiritual Brown that, as you have been called to
labour for our Common Lord, in the Isles of the Ocean, "You may
forever stand on the Rock of Ages, on the sure bottom of Divine
purposes, and promises; and that with you may the Ocean of Redeeming
Love, protect, wash, and fructify all your powers.
While you Inhabit Time, that almost Invincible Island
thrown up in the Ocean of Eternal Duration, Ma y Eternal things
be your Prospect, your Refreshment, your all in a l l "
(Signed)
O.
�L etter of Mr. Oliphant.
Canton. China.
April 2. 1823.
Mr. Hiram Bingham,
Missionary to the
SANDWICH ISLANDS.
�9
Previous to S e p t . 1824
V
315
234
Middletown, July 12, 1823
Dear Sir,
Your favor of the 30th June came duly to hand--In reply to your
inquiry respecting the Sandwich Islands Mission shall be pleased
to communicate such general facts as I had an opportunity of as
certaining in a residence there of 46 days) The mission family
are located as comfortably as could possibly be expected under
existing circumstances, they have undoubtedly many privations
and personal inconveniences to contend with but the pain aris
ing from such a situation is in a great measure obviated by the
very cheerful manner In which they submit to their-privations,
& it gives me great pleasure to hear testimony tothe unvaried
diligence and tact with which they pursue their arduous duties,
& I cannot omit this opportunity of expressing the very high
opinions I formed of Mrs. B i n
g hams character & of her capabil
ity to be useful to the Mission. I frequently visited her when
occupied in her school with the view of seeing what progress
was made by her pupils, & was much gratified in observing the
improvement made by the scholars, the happy manner in which she
conveyed her instruction & the consequent respect entertained
for her.
The inhabitants of these Islands appears to be a kind & inof
fensive people & better than could be expected considering
that they are without religion or the moral restraints of civil
ized life although many of the vices of that state have been
unhappily introduced among them & I think it a debt we owe
them to introduce the arts & moral restraints of civilization
& thereby secure to them the sovereignty of their territory
when it rises Into that importance which their situation &
location advantages will in time give them, & I am fully
persuaded that it can only be done through the medium of Chris
tianity & I do fully believe that this desirable object will
be accomplished(under God's helping) by the efforts mow making
for that purpose.
The work undoubtedly will require consider
able time although when I look at the present state of the
society I can as I am in(blot) to think it will not be as
long as would at first be supposed. I became well acquainted
with Mr.
?
& Mr.
?
also Mr. Ellis one of the
Missionaries from Tahiti the 2 former gentlemen sent out by
the London Mission Society are highly respectable and intelli
gent, & I consider that Mr. Ellis has been very serviceable
to the Mission . from these gentlemen I received a particular
&
highly interesting account of the state of those islands,
& I need only mention that the Institution of marriage is fully
established & rigidly observed . the crime of infanticide
now unknown . written laws established & promulgated through
the medium of the press which guarantee the security of per
sons & property & now none of these exist at present at the
Sandwich Islands, but I confidently believe that the period
is not very distant that will find them In possession of
those changes through the medium of Missionary exertions.
�I heard M r . Bingham make h is first prayer in the language of
the country . I was much gratified to perceive the impres sion
It made on his numerous audience of native s . M r . E lli
s preach
ed very often in the native language & apparently w ith happy
effect . he had i t contemplation to join th e mission with his
family . should he do so he w i l l be a great acq uisition to
them . his perfect knowledge of the language talents & happy
manner of preaching will be h i g hly use ful -- I have thus present
ed to you Sir a General view of the mission as it appeared to
me--it will & mus t be productive of the happiest effects in
spreading Go d 's word & benefiting our fellow men.
I am Sir with great respect Y our obt Servt
Henry S. DeKoven
To
T . Evarts Esq
Boston
(No back to this letter)
(End of first volume)
�
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.)
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Missionary Letters to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (A. B. C. F. M.) - Volume 01 - 1819-1824
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1819, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824